One of the greatest soundtracks ever from the mighty Piero Umiliani – sounds initially written for a film that was an international "sexpose" of daily life in Sweden – but which have grown to even greater fame on their own over the years – thanks to the talent of the maestro! The music here is awash in groovy elements – lots of sweet Hammond organ lines, mod basslines, and some especially cool wordless vocals from the choir of Alessandro Alessandroni – scatting away in a great way alongside the instruments, and bringing an added level of breathy eroticism to the whole thing! This special LP version recreates the original Omicron release of the record – with titles that include the two lyrical tracks "You Tried To Warn Me" and "Sleep Now Little One", sung by Lydia McDonald – plus the tracks "Topless Party", "Eva Svedense", "Essere Donna", "La Signora Cameriera", "FotoModelle", and "Le Ragazze Dell'Archipellago". (Note, does not contain the track "Mah Na Mah Na", which is on other versions of the soundtrack – but it appears on the "partner" reissue of Umiliani's Psichedelica from Schema, under the title "Viva La Sauna Svedese".) LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of reggae remakes of famous soul and funk tunes – all served up from a later generation of the scene, which makes a nice change from some of the more ska and rocksteady collections of this nature! It's no secret that Jamaican music was initially given a strong inspiration from American soul – and even in this generation, when the Kingston scene had really found its own groove, other influences would still come into the music in a really great way – as you'll hear on these really cool reworkings of themes from Ohio Players, McFadden & Whitehead, Barry White, and others! The production of most of these cuts is great – different than some of the more disco-oriented material that would copy American work – more laidback, with some currents of lovers rock as well – and funky, but in a laidback way. Titles include "Midnight" by Willie Lindo, "Skin Tight" by Lloyd Charmers, "Strange Compulsion" by Sheila Hylton, "Moving On" by Leslie Butler, "Funky Rasta" by Ronnie Butler, "Crowded City" by The Messengers, "Chemistry Of Love" by Susan Cadogan, "Can't Stop Rasta Now" by Ras Midas, and "Deeper & Deeper" by Lloyd Charmers. LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant work from Stefon Harris – one of the boldest voices on vibes of his generation– with a sound that resonates strongly with older work by Bobby Hutcherson and Walt Dickerson! Like both of those players, Harris has a way of approaching the vibes that is freshly modern, yet also strongly rhythmic and swinging – a groove that comes out even on the more experimental numbers in the set, and which makes the album resonate with colors and tones that few others on the instrument can match. The overall sound here is marked by Greg Osby's presence in the group and his production – but thankfully, those elements are a bit underplayed – and other players on the record include Steve Turre on trombone and Jason Moran on piano. Titles include "Feline Blues", "There Is No Greater Love", "Of Things To Come", "Bass Vibes", "Collage", "The Alchemist", "Chorale", "Faded Beauty", and "After The Day Is Done". LP, Vinyl record album

Double-length brilliance from the mighty Sahib Shihab – a set that collects a number of killer 60s sessions with members of the Clarke Boland Big Band – all of them great! The small combo work here is amazing – hard-hitting modal jazz that matches, if not tops the best MPS/Saba sounds of the time – all produced to perfection with a really sharp edge, and a cutting approach to jazz that's gone onto inspired countless others in the current scene – including artists on Schema and Ricky-Tick Records, as well as most Japanese club jazz combos! But long before any of those cats started copping his groove, Sahib Shihab had it all totally together – a great ear for his own amazing solos on baritone and flute, and a way of hooking up with players like Francy Boland on piano, Fats Sadi on vibes, Benny Bailey on trumpet, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. All players here were Shihab's partners in the Clarke Boland Big Band, and they use these small combo sessions to explore some great new ideas – stripped-down groovers that are heavy on rhythm, and really allow full expression from all the players involved. Titles include "Companionship", "Om Mani Padme Hum", "Bohemia After Dark", "Serenata", "Yah Yah Blues", "Balafon", "Talk Some Yak-ee Dak", "The Turk's Bolero", "CT + CB", "Jay Jay", "Stoned Ghosts", "Just Give Me Time", and "Dijdar". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful bossa work from Toco – a session recorded in Rio with production by S-Tone, and featuring some wonderful acoustic guitar from the legendary Roberto Menescal! Menescal's presence here really helps give the record a classic grounding – a sense of depth and history that surpasses even Toco's great debut – and which is made even better by the presence of Rosalia De Souza on guest vocals on a number of tracks! As with Rosalia's recent Rio sessions, there's a sound here that's warmer, jazzier, and even more traditionally bossa-based than previous Schema releases – with a bit less of a dancefloor focus in the rhythms, and a lot more live instrumentation! All numbers feature small combo backing, and titles include "Litoral", "Zum Zum", "Assuntos Banais", "Bom Motivo", "Samba Noir", "Barracao", "Voz Da Lapa", and "Contradicao", which features guest vocals from Coralie Clement! LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary Asha Puthli cut some killer club cuts in the 70s – spacey numbers that were years ahead of their time, and which did an incredible job of mixing her multi-octave vocals with soaring, cosmic grooves! The approach is one that's finally gotten global appreciation in the 21st Century – and this set brings together new mixes of some of Asha's classic cuts by younger producers who really take inspiration, and let the songs flow with some slight contemporary updates – but always at a level that never gets in the way of the energy of the original tunes! Titles include "I'm Gonna Dance (Jitwam rmx)", "Right Down Here (Psychemagik rmx)", "One Night Affair (Turbotio & Rgz rmx)", "Lies (Kraak & Smaak rmx)", "Space Talk (Maurice Fulton rmx)", and "I Am Song (Yuksek rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest in Scientist's early 80s run of essential dub records! In The Kingdom Of Dub find's Scientist working his dub alchemy on a dozen Roy Cousins productions laid down by Sly & Robbie, Santa & Flabba, Ranchie McLean,Pablo Black and Skully. It's an excellent set of deep space dubs – and all the more exciting, given the too rarely heard source rhythms! Includes "18 Drumalie Avenue Dub", "14 Grass Quit Glade Dub", "Chariot Dub", "Thunder & Lightning Dub", "Disciple Dub", "Burning Sun Dub", "Next Door Dub", "11 Guava Road Dub", "Jurusalem Dub" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A wickedly sharp album from Earl Sweatshirt – a set that comes on strong from the very first notes, then keeps on with a tightness that really makes a nice difference from some of Earl's other albums – an approach that's maybe more compact in terms of the way the songs are laid out, especially compared to sprawling efforts from bigger names – at a level that shows that there's plenty to learn from the left side of the spectrum in hip hop! Production is by Black Noise and The Alchemist, Armand Hammer make a guest appearance on "Tabula Rasa", and other cuts include "Old Friend", "2010", "Sick", "Fire In The Hole", "Titanic", "Vision", "God Laughs", and "Lye". LP, Vinyl record album

Ron Geesin's a British arranger with a host of amazing talents – from early work in the exotica field, to a famous collaboration with Roger Waters – always handled with a mindblowing sense of sound and scope! Here, he delivers a superb score for the film Sunday Bloody Sunday – a dark-themed drama that's given backing by Geesin that's maybe even more illuminating than the images on the screen at times – as Ron captures a moody vibe in perfect ways, but also changes things up a fair bit instrumentally – which makes each new selection feel very different, even though they are unified in mood. Bridget St John sings on the track "Chemical Dreams", and plays guitar on "Motoring Sparkle" – and other titles include "Intriguing Cables", "Sky High Balloons", "Piccadilly Bustle", "Blitzful Memories", and "Affections For String Quartet". Plus, the LP also features great bonus tracks from other Geesin projects – four more tracks from a 1985 documentary on Viv Richards, and six more from a 1970 documentary on mental health, titled "Shapes In A Wilderness" – both a great match for the main score. LP, Vinyl record album

Breathtakingly organic sounds from Jon Hassell – performing here live, and at a level that's a nice evolution from his studio modes in the earlier part of the 80s – with all sorts of long-blown lines, and nicely complex elements in the sound! Hassell handles both his famous electrified trumpet and keyboards, with a group that includes keyboards, guitar, bass, and percussion samples – all mixed live by Brian Eno, who definitely adds a darkness to the whole proceedings – recalling the Fourth World experiments that he and Hassell had done about a decade before, but with a quality that really respects all the growth that Jon went through as an artist in the intervening years. Titles include "Ituri", "Alchemistry", "Mashujaa", "Paradise Now", "Nightsky", and "Adedara Rising". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the records that marked a key moment when Nas was returned to the glory of his earliest years – coming across with a renewed sort of intensity, and lyrics that maybe put even more of the man himself inside of his music! There's still plenty of street show going on here, but Nas blends that front with energy going on behind it – in ways that still hold up strongly all these many years later, and which maybe set a new standard for work of this nature at the time. Production includes key efforts from Salaam Remi and The Alchemist, and the set has a ghostly guest appearance from 2Pac, as well as features from Alicia Keys, Bravehearts, and Kelis – on tracks that include "Revolutionary Warfare", "Hey Nas", "Zone Out", "Made You Look", "Get Down", "The Cross", "Mastermind", "Warrior Song", and "Thugz Mansion NY". LP, Vinyl record album

Snoop brings Doggy Style over to Geffen – also the home to the Neptunes' Star Trak, Snoop's partners for this seriously strong later effort – also working with a diverse roster of producers and vocal guests including Alchemist, Lil Jon, 50 Cent, Hi Tek, and others. Snoops laidback rhyme style sounds really great on the Neptune productions, with that glittery minimalist electro sound and the digital handclaps that meld perfectly with Snoop's hazy delivery. The the now classic status of the standout single "Drop It Like It's Hot" is pretty much all the evidence you need, but Snoop's on a real high (artistically, that is) here, and mainstream street hop is all the better for it! Other tracks include "Bang Out", "Can I Get A Flicc Witchu" feat Bootsy Collins, "The Bidness", "Let's Get Blown", "Step Yo Game Up" with Lil Jon, "Oh No" with 50 Cent, "Pass It Pass It" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most beautiful records we've ever heard from Italian pianist Oscar Rocchi – a set that still holds onto some of the modern elements of his music, but which also shows a warmly lyrical side as well! That latter quality really comes through strongly in the flute lines of Hugo Heredia – which grace about half the record, and have this flowing brilliance that really stands out – a quality that's nicely balanced with some harder trumpet lines from Sergio Fanni, who plays here with the same depth of soul as Heredia! Hugo also blows a bit of tenor on the album, too – creating a crackling energy when he does – but it's also clear that Rocchi's the real star of the show, with his bold command of the piano, his strong vision as a leader, and his great writing on all the album's original tracks. Other group members include Furio DiCastri on bass and Gianni Cazzola on drums – and titles include "Sulphur", "Rubedo", "Nigredo", "Gold Fast", "Solution", and "Mercury". LP, Vinyl record album

Exactly the kind of record that makes us love sound library records so much – and definitely the sort that sets the style apart from anything else we can think of! Both Sandro Brugnolini and Giorgio Carnini turn in some great work here – a mindblowing mix of modes over the space of ten short tracks – some tunes a cascading array of instrumentation, in a hip groove that's neither American jazz or soundtrack funk, but a special space of its own! Other tunes use an electronic approach that's years ahead of its time – as groovy as 60s analogue, but a lot darker, too – in ways that the rest of the world might not touch until the German new wave. The balance is almost even between swinging groovers and darker electronic cuts – and titles include "Grinta", "Azione CIA", "Scalo Clandestino", "Alambicco Cibernetico", "Strutture Generative", "Omicido Bianco", and "CIA Massacre". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked record in the grand scheme – which is unforgivable in our book! This self-titled album is Prince's second album, and already his vision is becoming a little more focused, and you can really hear the seeds of his later efforts – a really remarkable, unique, and fascinating record that stands up with some of his best work, and bucks all late 70s trends and cliches in pop, soul and funk! In some ways this is one of our favorite Prince records, as it has a kind of intimacy that was lacking on later sets – or maybe because the hit "I Wanna Be Your Lover" has such a mad groove! "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" has the sly sound that would run throughout the rest of Prince's better work for years to come – and Chaka Khan would later cover "I Feel for You", and hit large with it in the 80s. Also includes "Sexy Dancer", "With You" and "When We're Dancing Close & Slow". LP, Vinyl record album

An Italian funk double-header – a sweet little set from the end of the 60s, and one that features killer cuts from both Sandro Brugnolini and Stefano Torossi! We love either artist on their other own records, but there also seems to be something about putting them together here that makes them even better than before – certainly funkier, as the album's full of the kind of sharp, hard-grooving titles that first made us fall in love with sound library records in the first place! The date of the album's 1969, and both musicians make nice use of psych elements in their instrumentation – adding a bit of fuzz, wah-wah, or trippy guitar in just the right spaces – never going over the top, or getting too indulgent – but just moving in a groove that's tightly jazz funky at the bottom, and maybe a bit freaky at the top. Wonderful work throughout – and titles include "Sweet Beat", "Repetition", "Starter", and "Makkaresh" by Stefano Torossi – and "Wawa", "Motuproprio", "Polyphony", and "Flyer" by Sandro Brugnolini. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album of contemporary jazzy grooves – a set issued at the start of the century, and one of the first to really get a blend of classic elements right – after so many others were foundering around in too-remixed, too-programmed work in the 90s! For years, Nicola Conte was a seminal force in the new Italian scene of the 90s – working as a DJ, promoter, producer, and sometimes recording artist under the odd 12" single. Yet this album marks his first full effort – and after years of bubbling under in the Italian scene, Nicola emerged as a breathtaking mix of 60s bossa, soundtrack, and easy themes – put together with never a dull moment, and always a focus on the kind of mid and uptempo grooves that have been pushing the Italian and German scenes to reinvent older jazz, funk, and bossa. The record features great mixes from a few of Nicola's 12" singles, plus a wealth of excellent new material that really expands his groove wonderfully – with a totally real, totally honest sound that pushes past the gazillion retro remix throwaway albums that usually cluttered the dance racks Tracks include "Il Cerchio Rosso", "Dossier Omega", "Trappola Mortale", "Jazz Pour Dadine", and "Bossa Per Due". LP, Vinyl record album

Gerardo Frisina always seems to give us joyful sounds – but this time around, that might be the case more than ever – as the album's overflowing with all sorts of lively rhythms that are peppered with jazz-based instrumentation! Things are less hard-driving than some of Frisina's earlier work – which allows more space for things to seep into the grooves in a really nice way – warm Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ, and sweet solos on saxes, flute, and trumpet! As always, Frisina's the maestro at the helm – working rhythms both acoustic and electric – but there's also a fair bit of guest players who provide the live instrumentation – on tracks that include plenty of Gerardo's own songs, plus takes on tracks by Joao Donato, Waltel Branco, and Yusef Lateef. Titles include "Misterioso", "Hombre", "Naquela Base (new blend)", "On Again (album version)", "Hechizo Magico", "Dansi Na/Mahaba", "Parkview Theme", "Duende", and "Africa (Brazil)". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set of remixes – material from the already-clubby album Body & Soul, taken to even further dancefloor territory by maestro Stefano Tirone! The core album already had a really upbeat vibe – with nicely varied vocals from Toco, Afra Kane, and Laura Fedele – and the remixes here balance things out in an equally great way – on titles that include extended remixes of "Pra Voce", "In The Name Of Love", and "Rosa Da Ribeira" – plus remixes of "Midnight Sun", "No Meio Do Samba", "Move On", and "Body & Soul" – and an Invisible Session remix of "Odoya". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record from the great Piero Umiliani – and maybe one of his funkiest, grooviest projects ever! The set is more sound library funk than soundtrack – and features some very strong keyboard work in the lead on most track – including Fender Rhodes, moog, Hammond, and even Lowrey organ! Other instrumentation is nice and spare – lots of tight and slight rhythms – which lets the keyboards carry equal parts of the groove and the melody, in a really wonderful style! Players on the session include Umiliani on moog and Fender Rhodes, Oscar Valdambrini on trumpet, Giovanni Tommaso on bass, Franco D'Andrea on piano, Dino Piana on trombone, Antonello Vannucchi on Hammond, and Marcello Boschi on flute. The whole thing's wonderful – a deep deep treasure all the way through – and tracks include "Lady Magnolia", "Open Space", "Goodmorning Sun", "Railroad", "Safari Club", "Free Dimension", "Truck Driver", and "Music On The Road". LP, Vinyl record album