It's hard to imagine these kings being left behind, as the sound of Ikebe Shakedown just keeps getting bolder and more majestic with each new release – a very special strand of deep funk, with a blend of horns that you might find in a more Afro-styled band, mixed with tighter rhythms at the core – and dosed throughout with a really cool, very twangy guitar! The mix of elements is great – almost as if a chicha guitarist wandered into sessions for an Afro Funk record, and convinced the rest of the guys to work in more small combo modes, in a way that allows the guitar a great presence in the sound, as it washes over most of the tunes with a strong sense of color! Titles include "Hammer Into Anvil", "Horses", "Mary's Corner", "Not Another Drop", "Unqualified", and "No Going Back". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great second album from Ikebe Shakedown – easily the group's best work so far, and a real cut above the usual Afro-styled groove! These guys have a great way of laying back in their rhythms – still keeping things funky, but nicely paced too – so that there's a fresh feel to the way they layer together their horns and percussion, and let the keyboards nicely simmer away in the groove! The style's a bit like what El Michels did to more conventional funk groups – with the same sort of super-dope results – and the whole thing was recorded perfectly at the Daptone Studios, with a massively old school sort of vibe. The whole thing's instrumental, and titles include "The Beast", "Rio Grande", "The Offering", "Stone By Stone", "Last Stand", "Dram", "Chosen Path", and "Cover Your Tracks". LP, Vinyl record album