One of the best funk albums of the 2010s – and one that really does an amazing job of putting equal emphasis on instrumentation and deep soul vocals! Slim Moore comes across like some lost singer from the early 70s funky 45 generation – gritty and upfront, with a quality that's instantly infectious – almost like Syl Johnson during his Twinight years. Then the Mar-Kays play with this depth that's equally wonderful – mixing funky licks with more complicated soul touches – some of the vibes we've gotten from the Daptone scene – slower grooves mixed with faster ones, touches of hip instrumentation, like vibes – all wrapped up in a production style that really recalls the best days of indie soul. The whole thing's wonderful – a record we'd put right up there with Lee Fields' My World, or the Charles Bradley full-length – and a set we'll be digging for years! Titles include "How Long", "Cityscape", "Slim's Theme", "Reachin Higher", "Mar-Kays Theme", "Cool Breeze", and Help Me Now". LP, Vinyl record album

A great Memphis sound from the second greatest instrumental group on Stax next to Booker T & The MGs – heard here on a massive record that really pushes The Mar-Keys to the next level! On previous records, the combo always had a sound that was a bit brighter than Booker and his group – still soul, but not nearly as sharp. Yet this time around, they really dig deep – and have a way of smoking out plenty of the best soulful elements associated with the Stax Records sound – that great way with a heavy-stepping groove, instrumentation that's tight yet never slick, and solo moments that burst out and really give the tunes a hell of a lot of personality! The rhythm jumps out of the grooves on numbers like "Honey Pot", "Grab This Thing" and "Philly Dog", and the album winds up with a James Brown medley that's pretty darn swingin too. LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of soul history!!!! This was one of the first-ever singles issued by the early Satellite label that later became Stax. The record was their first big hit – and the fame of the single brought them into conflict with another label called Satellite, who told them they had to change their name. 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A 2LP set recorded live at the Mar Y Sol festival in Puerto Rico in 1972 – more of a rock festival sort of outing, but with a few tracks that might interest the Dusty Groover. Titles include "Wang Dang Doodle" by Dr John, "The Noonward Race" by Mahavishnu Orchestra, "Looking For A Love" by J Geils Band, "Train Of Glory" by Jonathan Edwards, "Respect Yourself" by Herbie Mann, "Bring My Baby Back" by John Baldry, and "Do You Know" by Osibisa. LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the more hillbilly-oriented work from the Mar-Vel label – with tracks by Shorty Ashford, Jim Gatlin, Jack Bradshaw, Stony Calhoun, Billy Hall, Bill Lillpop, Basil Smith, Harold Allen & JT Watts, Bob Burton, Tex Justus, and Ronnie Durbin. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful spare sounds from Noro Morales – and an album that really lets you hear his amazing work on the piano! Most of the album simply features Noro's playing, backed by bass and percussion, and no other orchestration – a really stripped-down setting that's even more spare than the usual Latin album of this nature! The album's very mellow – but has a good late night Latin groove throughout – thanks to this pronounced bassline that really grabs up the bottom end of the sound spectrum – leaving Noro to work on the keys up top. Titles include "Flores Negras", "Tres Palabras", "Tiempos Viejos", "Silencio", "Perfume De Gardenias", and "Palmeras". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic hard-grooving Alvin Cash – with that early Mar V Lus sound that feels like it was recorded at the bottom of a well! Not that that's a problem, though, as the approach makes the single bump and groove right off your turntable! "Barracuda" is a funky funky fishy dance – and the "It" in "One More Time" is "The Twine", which gets grooved over again here! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Although he doesn't always get the same sort of coverage as Otis Clay, Johnny Sayles was another one of the great underground deep soul singers of the Chicago scene of the 60's. This excellent single on Mar V Lus features two nice ones – the bluesy "You Told A Lie", with screaming that would put Screamin' Jay to shame; and the excellent uptempo "Don't Turn Your Back On Me", which has a good mid 60's James Brown sort of groove. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A sweet 70s set recorded in Lisbon, but with roots in Cape Verde – the original home of Pedrinho before he recorded this debut album at the age of 18! The tunes all have this joyous, skittish sort of energy – groove that bubble on up from down at the bottom, woven through nicely with lots of fast-riffing guitar – all at a pace that's even more deft than some of the guitar-based grooves from West Africa at the time! Pedrinho sings and plays keyboards – almost always sounding as if he's completely caught up in the grooves himself, and just responding to the motion of the music. Titles include "Ze Maria", "Benfica De Tra Cthapeu", "Chipetite", "Oracao Do Jovem Triste", "Contrato La Banana", "Ei Se Vous Dance", and "Nhos Baxa Nhos Panha". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really fantastic idea for a project – and one that comes off even better than we would have guessed – new versions of classic grooves from the nations of Cabo Verde and Guinea Bissau, performed by a really well-matched group of singers and musicians, in a mode that's quite different than the usual revival record of this nature! The songs are definitely classics, but the presentation is very contemporary – directed by producer Guts, and Francisco Sousa, with a special ear for avoiding the sorts of cliches that both mar a project like this, and some of the stereotypes that get reinforced by reissues on the market. Instead, there's a fresh criss-crossing of cultures, but one that never waters down the roots at all – maybe a bit like some of the best Parisian productions of the 70s and 80s post-colonial years. Titles include "Dunia Be Tene", "Riba Bass Di Mi", "Citi Ku Liti", "No Guinea", "Mulato Ferrera", "Segunda", and "Di Mas". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful album from this ever-changing Brazilian group – a combo who started out in more standard Afro Funk modes years ago, but who've really shifted their music in all sorts of great ways over recent albums! There's still some strong use of horns and heavy percussion throughout – but they also work in keyboards and electronics in these really great ways – almost echoing some Brazilian musical experiments from that Trama Records generation at the start of the century, while also holding true to the more acoustic elements at their roots! Titles include "Baile Flutante", "Mar Virado", "Loa Lua", "Marginal Elevado Radial", and "Na Quarta Feira". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Chico's strongest albums of the late 70s – a masterful set of sophisticated tunes, recorded with some great guest help from Milton Nascimento, Zizi Possi, and Elba Ramalho! The album's got a slightly melancholy feel overall – not completely somber, but a slightly world-weary sound that makes the album a bit different and more mature than some of Chico's earlier work – and which beautifully unlocks a new chapter in his tremendous talents. The style is great – perfect for Buarque's growing international fame at the time, but not in a way that's ever too commercial. Titles include "Calice", "Feijoada Completa", "Tanto Mar", "Apesar De Voce", "Pequena Serenata Diurna", and "Ate O Fim". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool vocal group from the Brazilian scene of the 90s – a quintet who issued this album initially only on CD, but with a sound that's got a much more classic vibe than you'd expect from the date! The harmonies are great – and follow in a legacy that includes older groups like Trio Esperanca or Quarteto Em Cy – but the setting is a bit different, and borrows as much from Latin music at times as it does from Brazilian rhythms – often served up with some really bold, jazzy currents in the instrumentation that really send the whole thing over the top! Titles include "Pe No Chao", "Cristalina", "Horas", "Meu Lugar", "Rio Seco", "Ave No Ninho", "Sertao Mar", "Esse Amor", and "Pai Do Criacao". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty nice record that carries on some of the work from the European scene of the early 70s – that moment when prog got a slight influence from classical in the way the instrumentation opened up – not just with the virtuoso dexterity of the players, but also in the way the sound would rise up and almost create a more symphonic sensibility from a smaller combo performance! By that, we don't mean that this is a "with strings" presentation – just that the group have a way of soaring together, which really fits the vocals on the tunes too – all in Spanish, given that these guys hail from Venezuela – on titles that include "Krakatoa", "Aun No Puedo Ver", "Arco Iris", "Sharon", "Blanco Y Negro", "Mar Vestido De Mujer", and "Paginas De Tiempo". LP, Vinyl record album

Righteous soul from late 60s Chicago – a killer collection of early singles from the great Darrow Fletcher – only a youngster at the time, but already working at a level that's as strong as most of his older contemporaries! Darrow's got this soaring voice that really sends us every time we hear him sing – a style that's possibly a bit like Jackie Wilson, but both deeper and lighter at the same time – very unique, especially in these early years – and perfect for helping Fletcher stand out from the pack! The grooves here are nice and deep – socking hard in the best Chi-town styles of the time, with the sort of punch you'd get on the best One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus recordings – with arrangements by Mike Terry, Phil Wright, Burgess Gardner, and others. Tracks were originally issued on a variety of labels – Groovy, Jacklyn, and Genna – and titles include "The Pain Gets A Little Deeper", "Hope For Love", "No Limit", "Now Is The Time For Love (part 1)", "My Judgement Day", "Little Girl", "What Have I Got Now", "What Good Am I Without You", "That Certain Little Something", and "Gotta Draw The Line". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Blood On The Rooftops", "Wot Gorilla", "Afterglow", "In That Quiet Earth", "Your Own Special Way", "All In A Mouse's Night", and "Eleventh Earl Of Mar". LP, Vinyl record album

An intimate set, and one with a touch of jazz too – thanks to arranger Nelson Ayres, who also plays piano and keyboards on the record! Paulinho Nogueira's vocals are sweetly nestled into some warm-tinged backings – in a way that's not too smooth, but which has a similar feel to some of late 70s MPB from bigger-name artists. Titles include "Vida E Mar", "Danca Das Abelhas", "Caminhantes", "Boneca", "Uma Nova Vida", and "Modinha". LP, Vinyl record album

We'll admit that we don't know anything at all about Fernando Oly – but he's a hell of an artist, with a richness to his music that really seems to put him in the same territory as the 70s generation of Milton Nascimento and his associates! In fact, there's a lofty vibe to the record that reminds us of some of the earliest work by Toninho Horta – especially in the way that Oly's guitar lines blend with his spacious vocals, and really give the music a sense of majesty – a mode that's simple, but soulful – but in ways that are very organic, and almost feel as if Fernando's tapping into the rhythms of the planet, instead of any sort of organized recording mode. That quality is echoed especially in some of the album's compelling moments of percussion – and titles include "Chuva Da Montanha", "Cheiro De Roma", "Birimboca", "Pra Onde O Vento A Vela Levar", "Sonhos Claros", "Alto Mar", and "Barbara Bela". LP, Vinyl record album

Quiet beatcraft from Rehash – slowly building into beat heavy abstract funkiness – and a nice little quartet of instrumental moodpieces! Drone By Default finds Rehash taking a sidestep into post rock strummed sounds – and a deeper groove than the downtempo ether of their previous wax! Titles include "Blind Folk Can See", "Tema De Alta Mar", "Drone By Default" and "Untitled". LP, Vinyl record album

When the boys meet the girls, the hair gets pretty frizzy – but the music's still plenty darn great! Sister Sledge are back again with producer Nile Rodgers for this mid 80s effort – getting that trademark Rodgers groove that really helped the sisters pick up some new energy at the time! The grooves are heavy on keyboards, beats, and riffing guitars – a bit less funky than Rodgers' work with Chic, but still nicely focused, and often free from the more commercial traps that could sometimes mar 80s soul. Rodgers plays guitar on all tracks, and titles include "When The Boys Meet The Girls", "Dancing On The Jagged Edge", "Frankie", "You're Fine", "Following The Leader", "Peer Pressure", "Hold Out Poppy", "The Boy Most Likely", and "You Need Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A key pairing of vocalist Mel Torme and pianist George Shearing – two aging jazz artists who really helped re-ignite each others' careers in the 80s! The format here takes Torme back to the best years of his jazz roots – and features spare backing from Shearing's trio, at a level that's intimate, but never too sleepy or prone with cliche. Shearing's touch on the keys is wonderfully sensitive – never just standard backing to a singer – and in a way, he brings out a new sense of depth in Torme's vocals, one that never showed itself so strongly, or so personally in the past. And best of all, at the time of this recording, the duo haven't yet lapsed into the cliches that would later mar their pairing – and instead really work together beautifully in a fresh sense of discovery and joy in each others' company. Titles include "The Midnight Sun", "Someday I'll Find You", "Whisper Not/Love Me Or Leave Me", "Since I Fell For You", "Out Of This World", and "Little Man You've Got The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

Culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! 28 tracks in all, including "I Cried A Tear" by LaVern Baker, "What'd I Say (parts 1 & 2)", 'Let The Good Times Roll" and "Just For A Thrill" by Ray Charles, "There Goes My Baby" and "This Magic Moment" by the Drifters, "Charlie Brown" and "Poison Ivy" by the Coasters, "Spanish Harlem", "Stand By Me" and "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" by Ben E King, "Gee Whiz" by Carla Thomas, "Just Out Of Reach" by Solomon Burke, "Last Night" by the Mar-Keys, "I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)" by the Ikettes, "You Don't miss Your Water" by William Bell, "I Found A Love" by the Falcons, and "Green Onions" by Booker T & The MG's. LP, Vinyl record album

Spanish tracks with a very soulful vibe – and a set that includes a fair bit of very groovy tracks from the years when the scene was mixing older flamenco styles with disco rhythms of the 70s! The flamenco mode here doesn't involve guitar so much as it does a wonderfully expressive style of singing – a mode that's different than American disco divas of the time, and which taps into a special sort of emotive mode in Spanish pop, then hooks it up to a mighty sweet 70s-styled groove! Titles include "Tu Cigarro" by Perlita De Huelva, "Con Ese Beso" by Marife De Triana, "Embruja Por Tu Querer" by Isabel Pantoja, "Para Que Quieres Volver" by Rosa Morena, "Llorando Lola" by Lola Flores, "Lo Quiero" by La Marelu, and "Ola De La Mar" by La Polaca. LP, Vinyl record album

Features "Good Lovin" by The Young Rascals, "Hold On I'm Comin" by Sam & Dave, "Knock On Wood" by Eddie Floyd, "Philly dog" by The Mar Keys, "Baby, I'm Yours" by Barbara Lewis and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely work from Marisa Monte – perhaps a bit sweeter than some of her earlier stuff, but pretty darn catchy, and with some excellent production by Arto Lindsay! The tracks have a mellow breezy feel, with a compressed production style that includes a lot of flanged-out guitar, subtle electronics, and warm acoustic touches. As with most of Marisa's albums, the record's filled with work by famous guest stars – like Joao Donato, Arnaldo Antunes, Marc Ribot, Carlinhos Brown, and others. Titles include "O Que Me Importa", "Nao E Facil", "Perdao Voce", "Abololo", "Gotas De Luar", and "Agua Tambem E Mar". LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning work from Lucas Arruda – a record we love even more than his first – and we totally loved that one to death! The sound here is prime Brazilian 70s at its best – that magical moment when jazz, fusion, and older bossa-schooled styles all came together in a really unique blend – and also helped Brazil find its own unique sense of soul, too – a quality that really came forth in the best work from Azymuth and Marcos Valle at the end of the decade! No surprise, Lucas has Azymuth bassist Alex Malheiros and Valle collaborator Leon Ware both on board to help out with the record – but the strength of the set is clearly all Arruda's own – as his vocals are wonderful, with a soulful expression that's vaguely in the Ed Motta side of the spectrum – mixed with his own warm lines on Fender Rhodes, which totally warm things up! Production is perfect, and equally vintage – and the album's a treasure we'll be loving for years. Titles include "Uma Onda", "Melt The Night", "Vento Sul", "Kalunga", "Solar", "O Mar O Samba E O Sol", "Beyond The Sea", and "Agua". LP, Vinyl record album

We've really loved the music of pianist Amaro Freitas in the past, but this time around he's got a special sort of something extra in his music – both in the way he approaches the sound, and the way he works with other players! The first half of the set is an exploration of landscape, both in sound and spirit – which then opens up to tracks that have Freitas coming into contact with other important musicians as well – flute from Shabaka Hutchings on two tracks, one of which also has drums from Hamid Drake – harp from Brandee Younger on another, and guitar from Jeff Parker on one more – all musicians we really love for their own work, and who we're delighted to hear interacting with Amaro, who has maybe been a more underground artist in recent years. Titles include "Mar De Cirandeiras", "Gloriosa", "Encantados", "Viva Nana", "Sonho Ancestral", and "Danca Dos Martelos". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredibly evocative record – one of the strangest of its kind, and an audio treasure that we've loved for years! Eden Ahbez first came into public prominence as the man who wrote "Nature Boy" for Nat King Cole – a dark, moody tune that was as mysterious and earthy as the man who wrote it! This album was recorded nearly a decade after Cole's original hit, and features Ahbez almost in Moondog-like territory – working in an amazing setting of odd instruments and exotic percussion – but also singing in this almost spiritualist kind of way! The record's got plenty of ties to the exotica scene of the late 50s – but also stand out from the pack with a mad vision that's all its own – a strange intersection of lines that one might draw between Moondog, Martin Denny, and Anton La Vey! Tracks include "The Wanderer", "Eden's Island", "Tradewind", "Full Moon", "Mongoose", "Market Place", "The Old Boat", "Island Girl" and "La Mar". Great expanded package – with bonus tracks that include the unreleased "Surf Rider", plus "The Wanderer (alt)", "Tobago (45 rpm mix)", "Jam Session 78", "India (demo)", "Big Square From Nowhere", and "The Planet Song". Also includes related tracks "Sahara" by Bob Romeo, "Song Of The Fool" by The Crew Cuts, "End Of Desire" by Jack Powers, "The Shepherd" by Herb Jeffries, "Hey Jacque" by The Mt Holyoke V8s, "Monterey (alt version)" by John Harris, "Big Rock Steam Roller" by Biggie McFadden, "Green Flamingo" by Robbie Lester, and "Lonely Island" by Gene Chandler. LP, Vinyl record album

Count Basie and Quincy Jones were always a mighty mighty combination – and there's no finer proof of that fact than this sweet little set! Quincy had a way of swinging Basie's group even more than Neal Hefti did – really letting the piano step out front, and swinging the larger horn parts in this mode that was extremely soulful, yet never with the hoke that could sometimes mar a Basie set – a style that was very 60s groovy, and which really helped breathe new life into the Count's ensemble! The album's a killer all the way through – and the tunes are all originals – written by Quincy, and arranged especially for the set – great little numbers that include "Nasty Magus", "Dum Dum", "Boody Rumble", "Count Em", "Belly Roll", and "Lil Ol Groovemaker Basie"! LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

One of the few recorded meetings of alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano and pianist Toshiko Akioshi in the studio – quite strange given that they were a couple at the time! The session's easily one of the last great American sessions by either player – a work that shows Mariano's alto really building on the strengths of his work in the 50s, and Akioshi's piano shedding some of its early bop influences, and going for the richly-toned sound that would serve her greatly in the 70s. The long tracks here offer plenty of space for Charlie's sharp tone to really do its thing – and that raspy warmth of the 50s is even more deeply soulful at this point – and augmented by a new sense of composition that gives the record some of its best tracks. There's almost a nascent sense of spiritualism here – quite unusual for the time – and titles include "When You Meet Her", "Toshiko's Elegy", "Deep River", and "Little T". LP, Vinyl record album

Demonic sounds, but surprisingly sweet as well – done with this easy-flowing style that's really wonderful – and much more similar to the seductive sound library work of Alessandro Alessandroni, than to some of the starker, darker horror of the time! There's definitely some spooky passages, but they're almost always warmed up in really nice ways – both with keyboards, and with these wordless vocals from the lovely Giulia De Mutiis, who drifts through the record like some sexy ghost. Her vocals almost give the whole thing a more dream-like feel at times – not too atmospheric, but with clouds of sweet sounds that blow through the space in a wonderful way. Titles include "Demon Night II", "Demon Arise", "Dark Dreamer", "Devil's Nightmare", and "Erotic Demon". LP, Vinyl record album

A tribute to a lost side of the creative powers of the legendary Sun Ra – his work in prose and poetry, presented here on record by a variety of different voices – all in a production that features some cool electronics from Marshall Allen as well! The instrumental work of Ra and the Arkestra have an undeniably righteous power and spiritual message – and those qualities are presented here in a more focused, more direct style through his pen – ideas that are clear and forthright, and which show very powerful concepts of life, music, politics, race, and the cosmos – all at a level that really showcases the depths of Ra as a philosopher! EVI electronics are played by Allen, who also speaks a bit on the record – alongside others who include Carl Hancok Rux, Zakia Sewell, Abioudun Oyewole, Melanie Charles, Jive Poetic, Tara Middleton, L'Rain, Saul Williams, and Mahogany L Browne. Titles include "When Angels Speak", "The Invisible Giants", "Sun-Day", "Nothing Is", "The Melody of Air", "The Void", "The Neglected Plane Of Wisdom" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Warmly well-rounded sounds from a mighty strong trio – a group who are certainly aware of some of the newer modes of expression that have opened up for the piano trio in the 21st Century, but who also balance things out with a more standard approach from time to time too! There's a very cohesive blend of elements here – drums from Mark Guiliana, bass (both electric and acoustic) from Tim Lefebre, and acoustic and electric piano from Jeff Babko – in a modes that move between hardbop swinging and more tangled-up approaches that really emphasize a rhythmic energy. Most tracks are nice and long – and titles include "New Wave Theater", "This West", "The Church Of Bill Hilton", "Chongo's Song", "Boo Boo's Birthday", and "Fugue Robotique". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A real standout set in the later years of trumpet legend Chet Baker – in part because the record features some wonderful tenor work from the equally legendary Warne Marsh! Marsh at this point in his career has really developed a subtle edge – this slight current of darkness that wasn't there at the start, and which works well next to the moody qualities that Baker developed in his final years too. Equally wonderful is the piano of Hod O'Brien – a great and overlooked musician, and one who has this almost broken-down quality that really fits the emotive energy of the date. Other players include Eddie Gladden on drums and Cecil McBee on bass – the latter of whom is a bit of a surprise on such a session – on titles that include "Imagination", "We Know It's Love", "Well Spoken", "Blues For A reason", and "Looking Good Tonight". Features a great bonus track – an alternate of "Looking Good Tonight", on vinyl for the first time! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A great little live set from Maria Bethania – one recorded with the lighter, looser sound she was using in the early 80s – and which stands as a nice contrast to her more dramatic concert performances of the 70s! The music director for the show is Gilberto Gil, and there's a bit of the warmer overtones that Gil was using in his own music at the time – not really the soulful modes, but stronger use of electric keyboards and flowing rhythms that bring in a bit of jazz and a nice sense of fullness. Titles include "Prenda", "Luzes De Ribalta", "Gas Neon", "O Que E O Que E", "Cantico Negro", "Cancao Da Volta", "De Noite E De Dia", and "Nossos Momentos". LP, Vinyl record album

A much groovier 70s show than Sesame Street! LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible full length debut from vocalist Mario Biondi – a jazz singer we'd rank right up there with the legendary Mark Murphy – supported here with great backings from the High Five Quintet! The grooves here are in a soaring, tightly-stepping style – very much the best club jazz mode of the contemporary European scene – with all-acoustic instrumentation, and rhythms that move along at a really great dancefloor pace! Mario's vocals are really unique too – with a little rasp that catches slightly, and really brings a timeless quality to his voice – mixing personal feeling into the lively numbers on the album, with an unexpected depth that really makes the album stand out from similar sessions of this type! There's echoes of hip vocal jazz work from years past by artists like The Peddlers, Bobby Cole, or Mark Murphy – and titles include "A Child Runs Free", "No Mercy For Me", "This Is What You Are", "I Can't Keep From Cryin Sometimes", "Rio De Janeiro Blue", "Handful Of Soul", "On A Clear Day", "Never Die", "No Trouble On The Mountain", "Slow Hot Wind", and "Gig". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully heavy sounds from Black Market Brass – a group who started out with more of a global funk approach, but who emerge here with the intensity of some lost funky soundtrack – all with the sort of edge you might expect from the cover! The style here is really revolutionary – unlike anything else we've ever heard from a group with "brass" in their name – in part because the group has some very cool distortion on the keyboards and guitar, which gives those electric elements a very sinister sound next to the straight ahead fire of the horns – served up with really hard-driving rhythms throughout, in a way that seems to pull together older traditions of Afro Funk, Nola Brass, and even some of the southern college bands – but all with a very 21st Century vision. Titles include "So Who (parts 1 & 2)", "Into The Thick", "War Room", "Cheat & Start A Fight", "Undying Thirst", and "NBT". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Mary J Blige is as fresh and essential as ever here – still sticking true to the hip hop roots in her soul music, but with a contemporary vibe that shows that she's not just content to rest on her laurels from the old days! The set features key work from DJ Khaled, HER, Anderson Paak, Jadakiss, and others – and there's a style here that's lean, majestic, and mature – really a great fit for the more thoughtful lyrics that Mary's been giving us of late, as she absorbs the ups and downs of life's journey, and has a stronger ability than ever before to find the right way reflect. Titles include "Here With Me", "Love Will Never", "Love Without The Heartbreak", "Enough", "Need Love", "Good Morning Gorgeous", "Come See About Me", "Rent Money", "Tough Love", "Amazing", and "Gone Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album