The jury is sometimes out on the Mick Jagger on-screen performance in the Nicolas Roeg film Performance – but the soundtrack is something pretty separate entirely, and really says a lot more about the spirit of late 60s Warner Brothers Records in LA than it does the arthouse cinema scene in England! The great Jack Nitzsche composed a number of instrumental tracks for the score – maybe his first time in this mode, and prefacing some later 70s successes to come – with titles that include "Rolls Royce & Acid", "Harry Flowers", and "Natural Magic". Other Warner talents get a hand in the music too – as Randy Newman conducted all of Nitzsche's charts, and also sings "Gone Dead Train" – while Ry Cooder delivers bottleneck solos on "Get Away" and "Powis Square". There's also some nice soul-based moments – the cut "Wake Up N*ggers" by The Last Poets, and "Poor White Hound Dog" and "Performance" by Merry Clayton. And yes, Mick does get to sing on one tune – the album's "Memo From Turner" – and the set is completed by Buffy St Marie work on "The Hashishin" and "Dead Dead Red". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredibly lovely piano and vocals from Thandi Ntuli – served up here with lots of special touches from spiritual master Carlos Nino – who helped create the proceedings as a very organic meeting of minds and hearts on the shores of sunny California! Thandi's got a soulful way of both playing and singing – the latter often in a non-lyrical way, so that the vocals are more these chants that flow out with a very spiritual vibe – often cyclical, and elliptical, and mixed with these warm piano lines and a bit of keyboards. Carlos adds in percussion and cymbals (plus "plants" – we're not sure how he did that) – and also recorded the album and shaped the sound in a very lovely way. The music is mostly improvised, but very melodic, and extremely personal – one of the most soulful projects we've heard from Nino in years. Titles include "The One", "Voice & Tongo Experiment", "Sunset In California", "Rainbow Revisited", "Breath & Synth Experiment", "Sunrise In California", and "Piano Edit (orig mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from The Ohio Players – the only live performance ever issued by the group, and a set that captures them right at the height of their mid 70s fame! The sound here is every bit as tight as on their classic studio albums for Mercury Records, but the music has a lot more bite, too – a sharpness that really comes through in the live setting, where the bass, drums, and other instruments come across with a raw power that's really incredible – a great reminder that groups like this could do everything they did, long before ever walking into a studio. Titles include "Alone", "Who'd She Coo", "Love Rollercoaster", "Skin Tight/Fopp", "Drum Solo", "Sweet Sticky Thing", and "Fire (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album

A contemporary salsa group, but one with a really classic New York vibe – a no-nonsense approach that focuses both on the excellent vocals of leader Jose Conde, and on the rhythmic interplay from the members o fthe group! The lineup features two trombones – in a bold, soulful style that echoes older music from Willie Colon – but all the musicians have a much more contemporary sense of phrasing, and this complex approach that slide in modern currents that create a beautiful array of colors alongside the rhythms! The group also features trumpet, piano, and plenty of percussion – and titles include "Mulata", "Convivencia", "Elixer", "Bizcocho", "Bandera", "El Nino De La Clave", and "Pollitos De Primavera". LP, Vinyl record album

We've gotta hand it to pianist Roberto Olzer – a player who can combine references from classical music and more straightforward jazz trio modes – all at a level that's very different than earlier work from players like Jacques Loussier and Eugen Cicero, who worked in similar territory! Olzer is clearly a jazz musician first, and the tunes here are often his own, and have a great sense of open, fluid energy – but he's also clearly a master of the keyboard, and can manage to swing the odd tune from Chopin, Purcell, and Mendelssohn – which are included here nexst to the original material! The trio features stunning work on bass from Yuri Goloubev and drums from Mauro Beggio – and titles include "Milano Rain", "Notturno", "Andante Con Moto", "Images", "Touchdown", "Dido's Lament", and "Eveline". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest groups of the 60s to blend Eastern influences and Western rock music – a nicely lean trio that comes across with results that are even cooler than some of their contemporaries! Part of the record's strength is its leanness – as other instrumentation might have gotten in the way a bit more, and larger arrangements might have made the whole thing sound a bit fake. Yet instead, there's a raw quality to the record that recalls similar east/west experiments on Vanguard Records at the time – served up by a group that features Guy Duris on electric oud and electric sitar, Bruno Giet on electric minitar, and Farshid Golesorkhi on electric melodica and dumbek! Vocals are by all three, but there's a very strong focus on the instrumentation too – on titles that include "Fruit Of The Desert", "Layla", "Birds Of India", "Train To Bombay", "Caravan Of Silk", "Azaar", "Cobra Fever", "A Little Star", and "Cobra Fever". LP, Vinyl record album

Samba is their gift – and we're all that much richer for it! Os Ipanemas return here in one of their best albums so far – a beautiful blend of earthy percussion, samba rhythms, and just a bit of bossa jazz – put together with a style that's personal and spontaneous, recorded without any extra fanfare – and in a mode that's almost more authentic than similar recordings from the 60s! Leave it to the Far Out label to get a session like this done the right way – because there's none of the too-slick sounds of some revival sessions, nor any of the fake roots that just come off as tired over-hashed ideas. Instead, what we've got here is a lively, organic batch of music that shows that percussionist Wilson Das Neves and guitarist Neco are still growing strongly in their talents – aided here by an array of guest players on trumpet, trombone, flute, and a fair bit of extra percussion – and sounding especially nice on those tracks where Wilson's warmly crackling vocals simmer nicely with the grooves! Titles include "Imperial", "Malandro Qando Vaza", "San Roque", "Valsamba", "Treze Trinta E Nove", "Folia No Samba", "Taioba", and "Samba Pra Mim Mesmo". LP, Vinyl record album

An essential introduction to the work of this legendary group – an important American issue of some of their best material – all of which never came out in our market back in the day! If you don't know Os Mutantes, prepare to be blown away – as they were a key part of the Tropicalia movement, alongside bigger names Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, and Gilberto Gil – creating music that was years ahead of its time, but which has gone on to become legendary over the years! There's so many different elements going on here, it's impossible to pin down – avant and psychedelic modes, Brazilian styles and postmodern ones, all put together with sublime production that's also way ahead of the pack! This Luaka Bop presentation was put together by David Byrne – and it features a total of 14 cuts in all – including an English and Portuguese reading of the famous "Baby", plus the tunes "Ave Lucifer", "Desculpe, Babe", "Adeus Maria Fulo", "Panis Et Circensis", "Bat Macumba", "Dia 36", and "Fuga No II". LP, Vinyl record album

Osunlade's always had a sound that's deep, but this time around his entire approach seems even deeper than ever – maybe because this lavish package is as much a visual treat as it is an audio one! The set's as much of a book as it is a record – a heavy, hardcover package that has beautiful images on each page, writings too – all in tribute to the Orishas who've become a continuing inspiration for Osunlade – and helped move his music away from just simple dancefloor fare! And yet the tracks groove nicely, too – all in that deepest of house modes that the man's been giving us for many years – woven from strands of different cultural inspiration, and given a contemporary soulful spin – mostly from Osunlade himself on live drums, moog, Fender Rhodes, theremin, and other instrumentation – as well as vocals, and some guest help from Gabriele Poso, Oveous Maximus, Chateau Flight, and Tanya Blount. Titles include "No Way", "Pheramones", "Ser Al Santismo", "A Day Without", "Yeku Yeku", "Man O Wirdz", "Trinity Ov Me", "Idiosyncracy", and "Walkin In Paris". LP, Vinyl record album

A never-issued album by the great Hermeto Pascoal – recorded in the space between his 70s classics Slaves Mass and A Musica Livre – and every bit as amazing as those classics! The music here is fluid, open, and a fantastic mix of jazz and all of Hermeto's new ideas about musical structure – performed at a level that's highly organic, and with that completely individual vision that Pasocal brought to his sound from the start! This isn't typical Brazilian fusion of the time, but nor is it anything like the tighter sounds that Airto and Flora Purim were recording up in the US – instead, a musical mode that's completely in its own space, and which needs only one listen to convince you of the master's genius. The group here is overflowing with young talent – Lelo Nazario on keyboards, Nivaldo Ornelas and Mauro Senise on saxes and flute, Toninho Horta on guitar, Zeca Assumpcao on bass, and Ze Eduardo Nazario on drums – all important musical visionaries on their own, working together here to hit an even new level of creativity. Aleuda Chaves sings wordlessly on a bit of the record – and the whole thing has that blend of soaring sound and lyricism that marks Pascoal at his best. Titles include "Danca Do Paje", "Natal", "Casinha Pequinina", and "Mavumvavumpefoco". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark record in the west coast jazz scene – not only for the music, but for its understanding of addiction on the scene! The album brings together a set of jazz players currently spending their time at Synanon – the Santa Monica-based program of drug rehabilitation that was working some incredible magic with longtime addicts in the early 60s. Synanon had been a temporary home to more than a few great players over the years, and this set brings together some of its lesser-known residents – one of whom was guitarist Joe Pass, who would rise from the session as a real success, and go onto record heavily after this record. The rest of the group includes Dave Allan on trumpet, Ronald Clark on bass, Arnold Ross on piano, Candy Latson on bongos, Bill Crawford on drums, and Greg Dykes on baritone sax. Tracks are pretty long, and more solo based than the usual Pacific Jazz sides – and titles include "CED", "Aaron's Song", "Projections", "Stay Loose", "Hang Tough", and "Last Call For Coffee". LP, Vinyl record album

As you'd expect from the title, this one features Cecil Payne performing a number of Charlie Parker compositions – and for the Charlie Parker label, no less! The session has a slightly off-beat quality, given that Payne's horn is a baritone, and not an alto, like Parker's – but given the fluid approach that Cecil always used, the sound is great – thanks also to support from a great combo that includes Duke Jordan on piano, Clark Terry on trumpet, Charlie Persip on drums, and Ron Carter on bass. Titles include "Cool Blues", "The Hymn", "Communion", and "Bongo Beep". LP, Vinyl record album

Juliette Pearl has a really charming way with her music – singing in this lightly skipping voice that's perfect for the blend of beats and keyboards in the instrumentation – but also adding in some sweet touches on flute and electronics too! The whole thing's got the sort of sunny Cali vibe you'd guess from the cover and the title – a sweet modern update on old school modes from the AOR generation – but recorded in bedroom studios, which keeps the whole thing from avoiding any too-produced or commercial cliches – and which instead really focuses on the best elements of that moment that some of the younger generation have helped resurrect! Titles include "Pacific Ave", "Timetron", "Paraiso", "Vicarious Voyage", "Loading Screen", "Space Coast", and "Read The Room" – which features Laetitia Sadier from Stereolab. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest voices ever in soul music – served up here in a stunning set of new mixes by the legendary John Morales – king of the edit, with a talent that goes way back to the best modes of the early club scene in NYC – and an equally great ability to find all the best bits in a cut and make them even better! In other words, these aren't the kind of remixes that seek to bludgeon an original track to death in service of putting the remixer in the spotlight – and instead, Morales has a superb way of helping Teddy Pendergrass shine even more than ever – letting the vocals soar over majestic Philly soul grooves – on tracks that are both from the Pendergrass years in Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and some of Teddy's later solo cuts too. Titles include Morales mixes of "The More I Get The More I Want", "The Love I Lost", "Come Go With Me", "Don't Leave Me This Way", "Only You", "Now Is The Time To Do It", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "If You Know Like I Know", "You Can't Hide From Yourself", "Is There A Place For Me", "Where Are All My Friends", and "If You Don't Know Me By Now". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous discovery in soul music – previously unreleased demos from the legendary Dan Penn – one of the key songwriters in the Fame Studios/Muscle Shoals scene of the 60s! Dan's tunes had an undeniable impact on southern soul for decades to come – yet Penn hardly issued any singles himself – just sang on these in-house recordings as a way of demonstrating the strength of his songs! Yet Penn's vocals are amazing – as raspy and soulful as any of the big names who recorded his work – and backed here by superb Fame support by the core combo of Spooner Oldham on piano and organ, Jimmy Johnson on guitar, and Roger Hawkins on drums. Oldham co-wrote most of the tunes with Penn, and really gives them a slow-burning, all-soul feel with his keyboard lines – and although demo recordings, the production here is every bit as great as commercially-released material from Fame – making the collection sparkle like the lost album (or albums!) that Dan Penn never had at the time. Titles include "Keep On Talking", "Feed The Flame", "Strangest Feeling", "I Do", "It Tears Me Up", "Uptight Good Woman", "Far From The Maddening Crowd", "The Puppet", "Long Ago", "Slippin Around With You", and "Do Something". LP, Vinyl record album

A really incredible batch of work from a very unique group – a Cali sunshine pop combo, but one who could let loose with some headier psych touches as well – which they definitely do on the mindblowing title track of the record! Mike Nesmith produced the set, but the work is much deeper than any of his Monkees music – and very different than the country rock he'd soon be giving the world – as the group mix sharp guitars with some sunnier vocals, but often have this undercurrent of darkness – in a way that's inexplicable, but extremely powerful too! This edition brings in additional material discovered after the previous reissue – and the whole thing has been cleaned up and repackaged wonderfully – with titles that include "Not The Freeze", "Century Of Distance", "Love Rain", "Voodoo Spell", "Color Fantasy", "Swim", "Thesis", and "Lights Of Dawn". LP, Vinyl record album

Pete Rock didn't invent the genre of instrumental hip hop, but he's always perfecting it with records like this – a set that's a great follow-up to the first in the series, which Pete gave us way back at the start of the century! As with some of the best Pete Rock productions from back in the day, there's a lot more going on here than just beats and samples – way more energy than some of the simpler loops that others pass off in the genre – proof that the originator's still very much at the top of his game! Tracks include "Time For Learning", "Flick Of The Wrist", "Pain", "Brother On The Run", "The Message", "When It Comes To Music", and "Das Me King". LP, Vinyl record album

Pete Rock returns to the 1200, and the crispy, vinyl-heavy approach that's always made his music so great – but which also seems recently reborn with a new sense of commitment on records like this! There's lyrics on the set, but mostly those that are sampled from other records, bubbling in and out of the mix – leaving Pete's production skills to stand center stage – all with an old school vibe that makes the whole thing sparkle all the way through! Titles include "Do Our Thing", "Block To Block", "Weather Report", "The Core", "Middle East", "Soul On Top", "Change Things", and "The Name Of The Game". LP, Vinyl record album

Pete Rock returns to the 1200, and the crispy, vinyl-heavy approach that's always made his music so great – but which also seems recently reborn with a new sense of commitment on records like this! There's lyrics on the set, but mostly those that are sampled from other records, bubbling in and out of the mix – leaving Pete's production skills to stand center stage – all with an old school vibe that makes the whole thing sparkle all the way through! Titles include "Do Our Thing", "Block To Block", "Weather Report", "The Core", "Middle East", "Soul On Top", "Change Things", and "The Name Of The Game". LP, Vinyl record album

Think what you want about the lady and her music, this album's one of the most crucial indie sets of the 90s – a record that not only elevated a whole new level of songwriting, but also helped find a new role for the female artist in the changing scene of the time! Plus, for us, it's also a set that's as important to the Chicago scene as most of the big Seattle records were to that city – a showcase of the city's new energy towards music making, and the way it could take risks but touch a larger audience, too – thanks to the instrumental efforts of Phair's great band, and the production of Brad Wood (the set germinated just blocks from Dusty Groove – so maybe we're a bit biased, too!) Titles include "Dance Of The Seven Veils", "Never Said", "Soap Star Joe", "Canary", "Mesmerizing", "F*ck & Run", "Girls Girls Girls", "Shatter", "Divorce Song", "Flower", "Gunshy", "Strange Loop", "Stratford On Guy", and "Explain It To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

The second Pharcyde record – and though not as blunted and playful as the first one, it's still nearly as great – with that unrivaled, wholly original, easy west coast vibe! The production is more steady-handed this time around, which alienated fans of Bizarre Ride early on, but it also laid the groundwork for the late 90s Jay Dee groove of keyboards and measured beats! The set also features production by M-Walk and Diamond D. 17 tracks including "Bullsh*t", "Pharcyde", "Groupie Therapy", the classic single "Runnin", "She Said", "Splattitorium", "Drop", "Somethin That Means Somethin", "Hey You", "Devil Music", "Emerald Butterfly", "Heart & Soul", "The Hustle", "The E.N.D." and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare vinyl version of this classic Italian horror soundtrack! Piero Piccioni did the soundtrack for Seven Murders For Scotland Yard – in a style that mixes more dramatic orchestrations with a few great mod touches on organ, flute, and percussion – which step out nicely on the groovier tracks, and bring in a nice note of action and surprise to a score that's mostly tense and poised for danger! These few light bits really offset things nicely – and create an unsettling feel in a work that's pretty darn dark overall, and which shows some of the most somber qualities we've ever heard in Piccioni's music. Titles include "Seven Murders", "Unknown Maniac", "Reminding The Ripper", "Suspecting", "Inspector Campbell", and "Professor Christie" LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Italian horror work done by Franco Piersanti – done for a creepy film, as you might guess from the cover – but one that's scored by Piersanti with a surprising degree of sensitivity, and some very rich orchestrations that are very different than the stark, more electric modes being used in so much of 80s horror! There's some really beautiful woodwinds in the music, and some darker strings that echo 70s atonality from Morricone – on titles that include "Labirinto", "Omicidio", "Radio Jazz", "Budapest", and "Illusioni Ottiche". LP, Vinyl record album

The action scene on the cover is a hint at all the great action within – a mad mix of music that has plenty of the guitar, basslines, and keyboards of Italian cop/crime scores of the time – but which also maybe includes some deeper rock currents as well! There's a few moments where the guitar does a lot more than just riffing – serving up these really strong solos that almost make us wonder if Roberto Pregadio managed to lure a figure from the Italian prog scene into the studio for the recording – giving him just enough small space to deliver a few key solos, without ever disturbing the overall groove of the set! The package features ten tracks in all – including "La Fuga", "Ripresa", "Favolosa Festa Di Danza", "Un Pomeriggio Di Sole", and "Costretti A Fare L'Amore". LP, Vinyl record album

The third album from Queen, and maybe the record that finally had the rest of the world paying attention to their sound – as the set elevates the quartet past any sort of proggish roots, and unleashes the pop power that would come to dominate their music in the 70s! Make no mistake, the instrumentation is still impeccable – yet it's also fused perfectly with an overall sense of production that unifies the whole thing, and which really begins that sense of track to track progression that made their classics so great. The breakout cut on the set is the landmark hit "Killer Queen" – served up alongside other tracks that include "Now I'm Here", "In The Lap Of Gods", "Tenement Funster/Flick Of The Wrist/Lily Of The Valley", "Misfire", "Dear Friends", "Stone Cold Crazy", "She Makes Me", and the reworked version of "Brighton Rock". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the weirdest records Sun Ra ever made – music to accompany the strange film Space Is The Place – which itself was an odd mixture of science fiction and blacksploitation-type action! The sounds here are sometimes in the usual Arkestra mode – wonderfully exotic rhythms mixed with freewheeling jazz solos – but other parts seem to follow more of a soundtrack-styled need – and include some bolder action riffs, spare scene-setting moments, and even some strong vocal themes. Titles include "Watusa", "Calling Planet Earth", "Mysterious Crystal", "Outerspaceways Incorporated", "Cosmic Forces", "Satellites Are Spinning", and a version of "Space Is The Place". This special set also includes the bonus Mathematics Of The Altered Destiny, a full LP of unreleased music from Sun Ra featuring June Tyson – and the first ever US Blu-ray release of the film, and a standard DVD as well! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the weirdest records Sun Ra ever made – music to accompany the strange film Space Is The Place – which itself was an odd mixture of science fiction and blacksploitation-type action! The sounds here are sometimes in the usual Arkestra mode – wonderfully exotic rhythms mixed with freewheeling jazz solos – but other parts seem to follow more of a soundtrack-styled need – and include some bolder action riffs, spare scene-setting moments, and even some strong vocal themes. Titles include "Watusa", "Calling Planet Earth", "Mysterious Crystal", "Outerspaceways Incorporated", "Cosmic Forces", "Satellites Are Spinning", and a version of "Space Is The Place". This special set also includes the bonus Mathematics Of The Altered Destiny, a full LP of unreleased music from Sun Ra featuring June Tyson – and the first ever US Blu-ray release of the film, and a standard DVD as well! LP, Vinyl record album

A whole new side of the talents of Sun Ra – especially if you only know the longer-style jams on some of his albums from the 60s and 70s! From the very start of his career, Ra was every bit as interested in issuing music on 45s as he was on albums – and in fact, at some of the more desperate times, the 7" single turned out to be a very affordable format to try out new ideas – including some great projects with other artists! The array of work presented here is stunning – as the set includes some very up-close and personal moments with Ra on record, plus some tight jazzy tracks from the Arkestra, surprising vocal group material designed to crack the R&B market, and some especially cool projects with other singers too. The package is put together with very detailed notes on all the singles – and while the bulk of this material comes from the key Arkestra years of the late 50s through the early 80s, there's also a few tracks from other dates too – including a handful of songs that were only issued as 45s in later years. This limited part 2 of the vinyl set features wonderful tracks from later years – including "The Blue Set", "Space Loneliness", "State Street", "Love In Outer Space", "Mayan Temple", "Quest", "Rough House Blues", "Journey To Saturn", "Blues On Planet Mars", "The Bridge", "Rocket #9", "The Perfect Man", "Outer Space Plateau", "Extensions", "Orbitration In Blue", "A Blue One", "Big City Blue", "I'm Gonna Unmask The Batman", "Saturn Moon", "Disco 2021", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "I Am The Instrument", "Cosmic Drama", "Nuclear War", "Hell #1", and "Cosmo-Extensions" – plus the tracks "Tell Her To Come On Home" and "I'm Making Believe" by Little Mack. LP, Vinyl record album

A contemporary record, but one that hearkens back to the glory days of the Latin diva albums of the 50s and 60s – wonderfully expressive vocals from Maria Raquel, a singer who makes her debut here, yet somehow feels as if she's been making music for many many years! The arrangements are a nicely updated version of past modes – percussion, strings, and reeds mixed with these beautifully dark-turning strings – arranged by Michael Eckroth of Orquesta Akokan, and with a modern depth that's really wonderful, and not just some sort of retro-styled approach. There's a subtle brilliance going on here that really holds us rapt – as Maria mixes boleros and cumbia numbers, on titles that include "Celos", "Juego De Dolor", "Mirame", "La Reina Del Baile", "Cumbia De La Gaita", "Ya No", "Convesion", and "Cumbia Del Presente". LP, Vinyl record album

A late bit of new jack from Jeff Redd – a singer who later rose to greater fame behind the scenes in the music biz, but who's great here as a lead artist on his own! The tunes are full of the catchy hooks and beats that mark the best new jack work of the time – and as with some of the best album-length efforts, Redd balances out the upbeat numbers with some great laidback tracks that update an 80s quiet storm mode in a really great way! Titles include "Sex Ain't The Only Thing", "Show You", "You Called Told Me", "Dreamer", "Take It Off", "Let's Spend The Night", and "Why". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a very fitting title – as the whole set is practically a dictionary of soul music, for anyone who needs an understanding of the genre! The cover alone tells you that the set is something special – and the sounds within are even better – classic Otis Redding on Stax Records, at a time when he'd already gotten his initial groove going, and was really pushing into that later, more sophisticated style that had him crossing boundaries and opening up the music for a whole new generation! Key proof of this is his remake of "Try A Little Tenderness" – a standard that had been knocking around for years, but which is exploded with a whole new emotion in Otis' version – as are tunes like "Day Tripper" and "Tennessee Waltz", with results that are maybe not as completely sublime – but which still illustrate the way that Redding was reaching way beyond the indie soul scene with his appeal. But even better are the cuts intrinsic to the album – beautiful originals that include "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)", "My Lover's Prayer", "Ton Of Joy", "I'm Sick Y'All", and "She Put The Hurt On Me" – which really demonstrate Redding's growing strengths as a songwriter. LP, Vinyl record album

The last-ever album from the legendary Lou Reed – and a set that's completely different from the sounds he gave the world in the Velvet Underground, and on most of his solo work in recent decades too! The music is spare and ambient, and very much lives up to the "meditations" in the title – inspired strongly by Lou's love of Tai Chi, but also delivered with a quality that echoes a lot of the ambient work of Brian Eno too! There's a great sense of texture and tone here – really slow-building, quiet-shifting sound that has this really subtle, almost earthy power – definitely music that is designed to alter the body and mind, but in very peaceful ways. Titles include "Move Your Heart", "Find Your Note", "Wind Coda", and "Hudson River Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

The last-ever album from the legendary Lou Reed – and a set that's completely different from the sounds he gave the world in the Velvet Underground, and on most of his solo work in recent decades too! The music is spare and ambient, and very much lives up to the "meditations" in the title – inspired strongly by Lou's love of Tai Chi, but also delivered with a quality that echoes a lot of the ambient work of Brian Eno too! There's a great sense of texture and tone here – really slow-building, quiet-shifting sound that has this really subtle, almost earthy power – definitely music that is designed to alter the body and mind, but in very peaceful ways. Titles include "Move Your Heart", "Find Your Note", "Wind Coda", and "Hudson River Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard early sounds from the young Lou Reed – early recordings of material that helped cement his fame in the Velvet Underground – uncovered after being lost for almost 50 years! The tracks here are early demos of both songs that the Velvets would famously soon record, and other material that they didn't – done by Lou with help from John Cale on a number of the tracks, and already in a surprisingly dark sort of style – despite the fact that the instrumentation is mostly just a single guitar alongside the vocals! With that approach, there's maybe a slight nod to the Greenwich Village scene in terms of the presentation – and served up that way, you can hear just how strongly the young Reed is already shaking up the scene in New York – almost as if he's using the modes of the folkies as ammunition to mow them all down. The package features never-heard takes of "Heroin", "I'm Waiting For The Man", and "Pale Blue Eyes" – plus "Too Late", "Buttercup Song", "Buzz Buzz Buzz", "Stockpile", "Men Of Good Fortune", and even "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe one of the most powerful records we've ever heard – music that seems to open up a whole new chapter in his career, and maybe reflect some of the non-stop creative activity he's been engaged in while supporting jazz and a variety of other musics on the global scene! The album is a set of tracks that were inspired by an essay about a New Yorker who died alone in solitude, and the presentation is done in a way that's almost in the post-jazz territory of the International Anthem label – Reed as both a drummer and visionary leader, weaving together strands of sound from Rob Frye on tenor and flute, Ben LaMar Gay on cornet and flugelhorn, and both Dan Quinlivan and Cooper Crain on keyboards, the latter of whom also plays guitar. Marvin Tate delivers some very righteous spoken passages, and the shift of sounds and moods throughout the album is completely evocative – on titles that include "Our Own Love Language", "Eric's Theme", Rahsaan In The Serengeti", "Floating With An Intimate Stranger", "Low Frequency Nightmare", and "Your Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking set of modal minimal tracks that stands as one of Reich's most popular and accessable works. The music is extremely subtle, and features 18 musicians playing a variety of violins, cellos, clarinets, pianos, marimbas, and vibes – all in short cyclic passages that move in and out in ways that perfectly illustrate Reich's fascination with phase progressions in modern music. Tougher to find on vinyl than it should be, too! LP, Vinyl record album

An album that captures a live radio performance from the legendary drummer Steve Reid – but one that's every bit as important to his legacy as his studio work of the time! If anything, there might be an even more powerfully spontaneous vibe to this record than the rest – with just about every element of the music coming together in rhythmic frenzy – as Reid's percussion is mixed with work from Charles Tyler and Arthur Blythe on alto, and Ahmed Abdulla on trumpet – all woven together with amazing basslines from the great David Wertman! Percussionist Mohammad Abdullah adds in plenty of other great touches to the record too – and the whole thing is maybe one of the most spiritual expressions of the loft jazz generation of the 70s – on titles that include "Ginsamseng", "Odyssey Theme", "Deacon's Son", and the long "Odyssey Sweet". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal sounds from The Residents – a record that's purportedly inspired by the ceremonial music of the Eskimo – but it's very a much a Residents album, and one that follows their own absurdist adventuresome impulses! There's often this cold, drifting wave of sound in the background that's as chilly as you'd expect – and on top of the sound effects and all around trippy electronic atmosphere, they're supposedly playing instruments made of the guts and bones of arctic wildlife! Titles include "The Walrus Hunt", "Birth", "Arctic Hysteria", "The Angry Angakok", "A Spirit Steals A Child", and "The Festival Of Death". LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy album from jazz drum legend Buddy Rich – a set that's very different than anything else he ever did, including his other groovy albums from the 60s! The album's a surprisingly strong blend of jazz and Indian music – Rich on drums, and Alla Rakha on tablas – working under the direction of Ravi Shankhar, who helped put together the set! Tracks are long, all ragas, but with jazz inflections – and the record also features great work from Paul Horn on flute, a player who's perfect for these experiments – next to other musicians on sitar, tamboura, and dholak. Titles include "Tal Sawari", "Nagma E Raksh", "Rangeela", "Duet In Dadra", and "Khanda Kafi". LP, Vinyl record album

Lionel's first solo album after leaving the Commodores – and a solid bit of mellow soul that forever merged the genres of soul music and adult contemporary! Titles include "Serves You Right", "My Love", "Tell Me", "You Are", "Truly", "Just Put Some Love In Your Heart", and "Wandering Stranger". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive discovery of material from the early Rolling Stones – beautifully-recorded performances that were originally done for the BBC – served up here in a double-length set that adds a huge amount of sounds to the start of their catalog! The tracks here date from 1963 to 1965, and really show the group evolving in the space of just a few short years – playing their own music, and great soul and blues numbers too – on shows that include Saturday Club, Blues In Rhythm, Yeah Yeah, and Top Gear. Titles include "Mona", "You Better Move On", "Satisfaction", "Come On", "Cops & Robbers", "The Spider & The Fly", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Cry To Me", "Mercy Mercy", "Around & Around", "Fannie Mae", "You Better Move On", "Route 66", "It's All Over Now", and "The Last Time". Also includes great bonus tracks – "Little By Little", "Ain't That Loving You Baby", "Beautiful Delilah", "Crackin Up", "I Just Want To Make Love To You", "Carol", "If You Need Me", "Confessin The Blues", and "2120 South Michigan Ave". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete recordings of sessions that led to one of the greatest Sonny Rollins records ever – and a genre-defining record that really introduced the world to the concept of a tenor saxophone trio! Rollins is incredible here – really at his best and most adventurous, and almost light years ahead of his work from just a few short years before – working just with the drums of Elvin Jones and bass of Wilbur Ware for accompaniment – as he spins out these long solos that are full of all sorts of sharp modern edges! The lack of piano really makes for something different and fresh in the music – and with this record, Rollins created a format that so many others would take up in years to come. Note that the record also features a small bit of work with Donald Bailey on bass and Pete LaRoca on drums – an equally great rhythm duo! This package features all the material recorded for the Village Vanguard album, plus lots more unissued at the time – titles that include "Night In Tunisia", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Old Devil Moon", "Striver's Row", "Get Happy", "Four", "Woody N You", "All The Things You Are", "I Can't Get Started", and "I've Got You Under My Skin" – some in more than one version! LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful spacey soul and righteous rock/soul grooves from one of the most enigmatic groups ever to come out of the Chicago soul scene! The drummer really kicks it on this one – and more than a few cuts have a nice backbeat to them, and the record probably has a bit more of a rock feel than some of the group's other work. But that doesn't stop this one from still being completely wonderful – and Minnie Riperton gives up some of the best vocals of her young career, set to airy spacey production by the great Charles Stepney. Tracks include "Love Me Now", "Merry Prankster", "Lonely Summer", "Amuse", "Want You To Know", "Country Things", "Living Alone", and "We Will Be Free". LP, Vinyl record album

There's a guy who looks like a priest on the cover, but the sounds within are much more the stuff of hell than heaven – surprisingly raw work from a group who were years ahead of their time in the way they handled their guitars! Royal Aircoach aren't just another lost garage band from the 60s – because at times, they've got a nastiness that could rival the Velvet Underground – and a proto-punk sense of lean energy that feels like American underground work from decades to come! Don't get us wrong, there's definitely a lively 60s spirit in the music – but the fact that most of the tracks here never saw release at the time is a great testament to the power of the sounds within. Tracks include the rare Flying Machine single "Webs Of Love" and "Wondering Why" – plus rare tracks "Wrapped Up In Your Mind", "Lies Ain't Right", "Waking Skies", "Wax Theory", "Death Of Man", "Looking Out", and "When I Return". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that comes out a decade after the first album by footwork maestro RP Boo, but one that features tracks recorded in the first ten years of the 21st Century – music from a time when footwork was really exploding on the Chicago scene as a wonderful blend of house music influences and some of the grittier elements of hip hop! But as you'll hear on the record, the style here is tied to neither at all – as it offers up a blisteringly rhythm progression of sounds – as urban as some of the Afro-Futurist work from Detroit, but even more stark and spare as well. Titles include "Pop Machine", "Azzoutof Control", "Porno", "Off Da Hook", "Say Grace", "Total Darkness", "Heavy Heat", "Eraser", and "BOTO". LP, Vinyl record album

A contemporary set, but one that may well be destined to become an instant classic in the world of Brazilian music – as the young Rubel has a way of embracing so many traditions of his culture, while also finding a way to move things forward boldly! The approach here is different than some of the pastiche, postmodern Brazilian styles of the past few decades – as Rubel dives right in, puts his heart on his sleeve, and infuses the tunes with a personal sense of warmth and honesty – while also doing all sorts of cool things with elements of forro, bossa, samba, and other modes – reworking them with an ear for some of the grander experiments from older generations when Brazilian intellectuals were taking keen inspiration from farther cultural reaches. The approach is maybe a bit hard to describe in words, but has an instant universal appeal that goes way beyond the boundaries of typical Brazilian fandom – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Posso Dizer", "Grao De Areia", "Forro Violento", "Toda Beleza", "Rubelia", "As Palavras", and "Samba De Amanda E Te". LP, Vinyl record album

El-P and Killer Mike finally deliver a killer duo record! We knew that this one would be a win, considering how great the El-P produced RAP Music album by Killer Mike turned out to be, how versatile the El-P futuristic production vibe is and how timelessly inventive each rapper is on their own. They didn't team-up to coast on their reputations, though, as Run The Jewels is nearly as great as anything either one has done in the preceding couple of years. Includes "Run The Jewels", "Banana Clipper" feat Big Boi, "DDFH, "Sea Legs", "No Come Down", "Get It", "Twin Hype Back" feat Prince Paul as his Handsome Boy alter-ego Chest Rockwell, "A Christmas F**king Miracle" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Run-DMC's great second album, with rock hard production by Russell Simmons and classic cuts! It's fascinating to listen to this album all these years later, with the knowledge that this hungry hip hop act from Queens was so soon to conquer the world. Great stuff from a legendary crew! This is the record where Run-DMC transitioned from their earlier style that put their own distinctive stamp on early-to-mid 80s east coast rap, to the rap group who fearlessly put rock music on notice that rap was coming to takeover. Amazing! Includes "Jam Master Jammin", "Can You Rock It Like This", "King Of Rock", "Rock The House", "You're Blind", "You Talk Too Much", "It's Not Funny" and "Darryl And Joe (Krush-Groove 3)". LP, Vinyl record album

Arguably one of the greatest pop albums of all time – a pure act of genius from Todd Rundgren, and one of the few cases in rock music where two records are actually better than one! The double-length set was Rundgren's third solo effort after the breakup of Nazz – but it's a broad step ahead from the first two, and a strong move into the kind of near-perfect, yet always-human pop that made Rundgren so great in the 70s. Sides one through three of the album were completely done by Todd himself – all instruments, voices, and production handled through the then-new magic of the 16 track studio – and Rundgren's really at his best here, working in the kind of personal modes that make his tunes so great, some of the best of the mainstream singer/songwriter generation. Side four has fuller arrangements and other players coming into the mix, but the core feel of the rest of the record is very nicely preserved – apart from a few tunes that perhaps get a bit too goofy. It's hard to imagine more great pop songs in one album – and the set's overflowing with genius moments that include "Marlene", "I Saw The Light", "I Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference", "It Takes Two To Tango", "Sweeter Memories", "I Went To The Mirror", "One More Day", "Song Of The Viking", and "Hello It's Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Only the third album from RuPaul, and the living legend is ready to take on Christmas – maybe an example of the way that the singer would come to dominate popular culture in the coming century! The set was mostly recorded in RuPaul's living room, but has a surprisingly vibrant vibe – lean rhythms and instrumentation, but plenty groovy with a house-inspired vibe that's very much like the singer's non-seasonal music – as are the lyrics, as RuPaul camps things up nicely, by throwing in all sorts of variations on traditional Holiday lyrics! Tunes include "All I Want For Christmas", "With Bells On", "All Alone On Christmas", "Christmas Train", "Santa Baby", "Funky Christmas", "Here Comes Santa Claus", and "You're A Mean One Mr Grinch". LP, Vinyl record album

A really incredible mix of reggae and soul – a set released in the early 90s, but which was recorded in the years before – as a long-running collaboration between singer Devon Russell and guitarist/producer Earl Chinna Smith! Russell's got a sweetly crackling vocal style that really lives up to the honesty of Curtis Mayfield's music, but with a spirit that's definitely all his own – and which, with the reggae-styled backings, make the whole thing way more than just a cover album of old Curtom tunes. Instead, the album maybe stands as a testament to the power of the message in Mayfield's music to transcend time and space – served up on tunes that include "Keep On Moving", "Move On Up", "The Makings Of You", "Love To The People", "Wild & Free", and "Give Me Your Love". Features bonus tracks – "Choice Of Colors" and "Falling In Love With You". LP, Vinyl record album

Sade's last LP from the early 90s before she went into her brief recording and performing hiatus. Like the preceding records, the approach is heavy on the jazz side of things, with a crisp, spare touch on the production and a wonderfully soulful feel to the songwriting. At this point she no longer had to work to break into the charts, but that didn't stop her and her band from coming up with a great batch of material that managed to be easily accessible without losing any of the sublime grace that set her apart. Includes "No Ordinary Love", "Cherish The Day", "Feel No Pain", "I Couldn't Love You More", "Like A Tattoo", "Kiss Of Life", "Pearls", "Bullet Proof Soul" and "Mermaid". LP, Vinyl record album

Sampha's a singer who's always hard to peg, but one who grabs you right away – with a voice that's one of the most unique, distinct, and powerful in contemporary soul music – and which deserves to be heard in all its brilliance on a record like this! We're not sure how to describe what we like so much – there's a raspiness at times that make his lyrics almost feel conversational and up-close, and a touch of a London accent that makes familiar words a bit more meaningful, and maybe a slight sense of warmth amidst it all – an indication that Sampha's never too full of himself, even though you might guess that from his image on the cover! Production and instrumentation is nicely understated – really letting the voice flow over the keys and other elements – on titles that include "Spirit 2.0", "Wave Therapy", "Only", "Rose Tint", "Inclination Compass", "Stereo Colour Cloud", "Jonathan L Seagull", "Satellite Business", "Time Piece", "Only", and "Can't Go Back". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked 70s soundtrack from the great Lalo Schifrin – in part because it was never issued on vinyl back in the day! The film is an obscure mid-70s murder mystery, but one that's given a great deal of depth and class from Schifrin's music – which is often surprisingly jazzy, despite the setting of the film – almost with the care of some excellent late night LA noir, and in the territory of Johnny Mandel for its sensitivity and color – yet still served up with all the Schifrin sense of swing and groove! The group features some greats from the LA jazz scene – Emil Richards on percussion, Bud Shank on reeds, and Howard Roberts on guitar – and titles include "Rosehaven Motel", "Maggie's Theme", "Evelyn Story", "Wills' Trance", and "Forest Finale". Plus, this first-ever vinyl version features some great bonus material, some unissued – a whopping 30 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing! This is one of the coolest sets we've seen in years – and everything about it is fantastic, from the package right down to the triple-length set of music! The set features rare unreleased recordings from Raymond Scott's legendary Manhattan Research electronic music studios – originally set up in 1946, and home to some of Scott's landmark early work on non-acoustic music during the 50s and 60s. Far from being the sort of turgid, dark knob-twiddling that computer music later became in the academy, Scott's early experiments are filled with a sense of whimsy and joy – exported directly from his early cartoon-based work, and applied in a fantastic way to his evolving musical inventions! The LP edition comes in three separate sleeves, plus a great 8 page booklet of notes, in a brilliant graphic style that complements the package even further! Don't forget the music, though – because it's totally fantastic – and kind of reminds us of bits of Jon Appleton's Syntonic Menagerie, Pierre Henry's early Musique Concrete, and later punk-era DIY electronics. That doesn't even come close to pinning it down, though – and with 3 LPs worth of material, the scope of the work is amazing! LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking debut from The Seeds – one of those albums that seemed to come out of nowhere back in the 60s, then went onto have an undeniable influence on music for decades to come! The music is gritty and garagey right from the start – but also has a sinister focus that really sets the group apart from some of their contemporaries – a knowing way of putting the whole thing over that makes the whole thing way more than just a happy accident! Vocals are by leader Sky Saxon, and the set features some classic ripping guitars from Jan Savage – and also has great use of piano and melodica – in a mode that's a bit like some of the more rock-oriented work by Love, but a bit looser and more garagey. Titles include "No Escape", "Try To Understand", "Girl I Want You", "Lose Your Mind", "Evil Hoodoo", and the searing classic "Pushin Too Hard". Great heavy vinyl pressing, with a full bonus LP of material – titles that include "Out Of The Question (version 1)", "It's A Hard Life (take 3)", "Excuse Excuse (EP mix)", "Evil Hoodoo (unedited take and intercut section)", "Nobody Spoil My Fun (alt overdub)", "Pushin Too Hard (take 1)", "Dreaming Of Your Love (version 1)", and "You Can't Be Trusted (take 3)". LP, Vinyl record album

Joao Selva has a great way of bridging classic Brazilian modes and contemporary sounds – a quality we loved on his debut, and which seems to be even more fully-formed here on his second release! Maybe that past/present quality is no surprise, though, when you consider that the record's a collaboration with Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart – a man who's given us so much great music over the years, often in ways that move between decades and global scenes – borrowing just the right bits, and making something really new and fresh in the process! Selva almost acts like a lyrical focus for the grooves of Patchworks – who's equally at home in a Brazilian setting as he is in other tropical modes – on titles that include "Meu Mano", "Cade Voce", "Navegar", "Se Voce", "Tudo Vai Dar Pe", and "Devagar". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unusual albums in this legendary series – a solo set by Steve Shehan, but one that has him playing dozens of different instruments, in a way that brings a whole globe's worth of music into play at once! Shehan had played on countless records for others in the years before this set – including percussion contributions for big major label artists – but there's a very personal, almost poetic approach to the work here – as Steve handles sounds from afuche, cymbals, glasses, ikembe, sanza, Malaysian gongs, djembe, angklung, balafon, koto, gender, kendang, terompong, bells, Armenian tar, surdo, keyboards, congas, steel drums, vibes, sticks, cuica, sitar, kodo, and many other instruments! Titles include "Sticks & Spaces", "Rainy Forest", "Shogun", "Istanblue", "Unknown Lights", and "Afrocubana". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking set from The Silver Apples – one of those records that almost didn't get fully appreciated until many decades later! The sound here is quite unique, even for the late 60s psych rock underground – and The Apples work in a blend of spacey electronics, driving percussion, and simple, stark guitar parts – a sound that's almost to their generation what the music of Suicide was to the underground of a decade later. Most tunes pulsate with an almost organic sort of quality, and the lyrics of the songs are often quite tuneful at times – a nice contrast to some of the colder styles of the instrumentation. The album's had a huge influence on countless groups in the past decade or so – for good reasons – and titles include "Oscillations", "Lovefingers", "Velvet Cave", "Whirly-Bird", "Dust", "Misty Mountain", "Program", and "Dancing Gods". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic live album from Nina Simone – recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1966, and delivered with that hard-burning energy that always makes Nina's concert performances so mindblowing! There's a lean, mean groove to the record – sharply soulful piano from Simone, and backing from a group that includes some exceptional work on drums from Robert Hamilton – a player who really helps kick up the rhythms at times – while Nina delivers these searing lyrics that definitely showcase the more righteous, political side of her spectrum! The set's a great addition to the Philips material from this period – and titles include a killer version of "Mississippi Goddam", plus "You've Got To Learn", "Blues For Mama", "Be My Husband", "Music For Lovers", and "I Loves You Porgy". LP, Vinyl record album

Benny Sings doesn't look too young on the cover, but his music here really has the youthful spirit promised in the title – a continued refinement of that contemporary soul style that's always made him such a standout in the scene – served up at a level that just seems to get better and better with each new record! The Cali image in the cover gives a hint to the sound on the record – as there's some slight AOR touches in the production, but used in a way that's nice and lean – sharp, but never overdone – which keeps things very intimate with the vocals, and really showcases that strong sense of charisma and hook that Benny brings to his music. Titles include "The Only One", "Distance", "Let's Go", "Movie Star", "Take Your Time", "Pyjamas", "Simple Love Songs", and "Young Hearts". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's as striking as the image on the cover – a wonderful set that mixes the soulful vocals of the great Elza Soares with some larger samba backings from Oswaldo Borba – a leader we don't know at all, but who really knocks it out of the park on the set! Elza always seems to do best in settings that have a more unique sort of hybrid – the less-traditional modes that EMI/Odeon was using to really transform Brazilian music during this generation! The record's subtitle refers to "a bossa negra de Elza Soares", and the groove's definitely the main force that makes the record so strong – as you'll hear on titles that include "Era Bom", "Teleco-Teco No 2", "Cartao De Visita", "Sal E Pimenta", "Dedo Duro", and "Samba Em Copa". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary Jamaican group finally get their time in the spotlight – as Sound Dimension backed up plenty of artists in the glory days of Studio One – singers who include Alton Ellis, The Heptones, Horace Andy, and dozens of others – while also getting the chance to cut some killer instrumental work on their own! The lineup is the stuff of legends – Ernest Ranglin on guitar, Jackie Mittoo on Hammond, Cedric Brooks on reeds, and Vin Gordon on trombone – plus other musicians who really help keep things soulful throughout, and make the music here a blinding set of instrumentals from the late ska years into early reggae rhythms! Titles include "Soul Shake", "The Thing", "Holy Moses", "Hail Don D", "Full Up", "Love Land", "Bitter Blood", "Baby Face", and "Man Pon Spot". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the classic sessions of Brit free playing by John Steven's ever-changing Spontaneous Music Ensemble. For this recording, the group is a quartet featuring Stevens, Trevor Watts, Ron Herman, and Julie Tippetts (recording here after only just recently shedding her Driscoll name and pop/soul career – and playing guitar, as well as singing.) Tracks include "One, Two, Albert Ayler", "Birds Of A Feather", and "Nothing". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album for Dusty Springfield – one in which she more than proves her soul music talents, by taking a trip to Memphis, and recording in a sweet Atlantic soul mode! The album's handled by stellar talents all the way through – arrangements by Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin, production by those two and Jerry Wexler, backing vocals by The Sweet Inspirations, and studio work from the likes of Tommy Cogbill, Bobby Wood, Bobby Emmons, and other talents that were huge on the Memphis scene at the time. Titles include Dusty's famous reading of "Son Of A Preacher Man", plus "The Windmills Of Your Mind", "So Much Love", "Just A Little Lovin", "In The Land Of Make Believe", and "No Easy Way Down". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A rich legacy of soul from a Virginia singer of the 70s – one who recorded most of these sides for the tiny Shiptown label, in a wonderful mix of deep soul and more sophisticated styles – all brought together here to make for a long-overdue full length collection of Barbara Stant's music! As with most Numero collections, even though some of the tracks saw the light of day on 7" singles, they're still pretty darn obscure – which makes the package a real window into an overlooked singer with a voice that rings out loud and proud throughout – great on the mellow cuts, and gritty on the funkier numbers – served up here on titles that include "That Man Of Mine", "I'm Going To Outfit You Baby", "My Mind Holds On To Yesterday", "I Found Me A Real Man", "Unsatisfied Woman", "He's Still Your Man", "Baby I Love You", "Shadow Of Your Footsteps", and "Hung On". LP, Vinyl record album

A real breakout album for Edwin Starr – and the kind of full-on set that really helped give his music a bold new focus! Starr had already scored nicely on some playful tracks from the Motor City scene of the late 60s – but here, he emerges as a singer with a lot more depth than before – not only on the righteous tunes, like the classic title track – but also on some of the warmer ones too, which showcase a new adult style of singing we might not have expected a few years before! Unlike other Motown efforts of this level, there doesn't seem to be any core arranger and producer – which means that Edwin himself did an even greater job of pulling the whole thing together – a great run of tracks that includes the classic "War (What Is It Good For)", a killer version of "California Soul", one of the best Motown-penned tracks from the time – and the tracks "Time", "I Just Wanted To Cry", "All Around The World", "At Last I Found A Love", "I Can't Replace My Old Love", and "She Should Have Been Home". LP, Vinyl record album

You won't find Joyce Street in the Country Music Hall Of Fame, but she's the kind of singer who definitely could have been huge, had she ever hit the big time – yet maybe one who's even more fascinating on this series of singles recorded for a variety of small labels in the 70s – all the kind of heartfelt, honest work that's very different than the arena-filling music of the outlaw generation! Joyce has a voice that recalls some of our favorite female country singers to emerge in the 60s, and hearing this work is like catching one of them before they were picked up by a major label – recording with a real since of sincerity that definitely does justice to her music. Titles include "Life Ain't Worth Livin", "Back Streets Of The City", "Love In My Heart", "California You're Slippin", "Mississippi Moonshine", "Woman Do Something Nice", and "That Man Of Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album of Talk Talk, and a set that might have seemed to be just another bit of Brit electro pop at the time – yet which has gone on to be the start of a surprisingly great legacy of music! The tunes are certainly catchy, and more upbeat than some of the more introspective work the group would later be known for – but there's no denying that singer Mark Hollis is already really finding a way to set himself apart from the rest – on titles that include "Talk Talk", "It's So Serious", "Today", "Hate", "Mirror Man", "Have You Heard The News", "Another Word", "Candy", and "The Party's Over". LP, Vinyl record album

The final album from the Talking Heads, and a set that returns them to some of the global elements of their mid-period records, but with a vibe that shows lots of the shifting studio technology of the time! The set's almost a precursor of some of the remix modes that would show up on the world music market during the 90s – as David Byrne and crew effortlessly borrow beats and instrumentation from Latin, Brazilian, and other cultures – while still weaving those elements into tunes that resonate with the work the group had been doing on more recent records. Byrne's vocals have that maturing quality that echoes with more soulful currents than at the start – and the set features a fair bit of guest instrumentation, from rock, jazz, and world music musicians. Titles include "Flowers", "The Democratic Circus", "Cool Water", "Mommy Daddy You & I", "The Facts Of Life", "Blind", "Totally Nude", and "Mr Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

Tangerine Dream delivered a number of famous soundtracks in the late 70s and early 80s – but this set is one of the most obscure, and maybe one of the wildest too! The music was done for an Australian horror film, and has a very dark, moody vibe – still plenty of the Tangerine Dream touches you'd know, but also a bit more noise and murky moments too – and less of the fast-running keyboard lines and electronics that usually grace most of their moments in film! Much of the instrumentation is electronic, but abstracted in all these cool ways – and certainly handled with a lot more depth than some of the younger film composers who were often turning out music like this on a limited budget, with limited instrumentation. Titles include "Murder In The Classroom", "Horror In The Bathroom", "Experiments In Tension", "Tension In The Graveyard", "Kill The Professor/Cleaning Up", and "Pete Goes In For The Kill". LP, Vinyl record album

Soulful reedman Tenderlonious plays flute this time around – but as always, it's the overall sound that makes the record so great – not just the solo bits on flute, but all the keyboards, basslines, and beats – stretched out in this cool 21st Century take on funky fusion! The music is jazz at the core, but more electrified too – with a straightforward funky groove on some numbers, and some more enigmatic modes on others – all a great blend of keyboards and flutes, which often share the same tonal range. Titles include "Dale's Corner", "Autumn Leaves", "Ghana", "Odeo Bushi", "In A Sentimental Mood", and "Song For My Father" – and the three tunes with familiar titles are actually originals by the man himself. LP, Vinyl record album

A really genre-transforming record from Thundercat – music that opened the door to a whole generation of experiments on both sides of the Atlantic in years to come! Flying Lotus is a key musical partner here, and the record moves effortlessly between soul and funk, jazz and cosmic currents – nodding at a few moments to hip hop and other contemporary styles, but always with that visionary approach that's made Thundercat such a force to reckon with over the years! And yes, there had been other attempts to hit this territory in the decade before – but this is one of the few records that really feels like it's getting the approach right, and moving the needle forward – thanks to tracks that include "We'll Die", "Tron Song", "Seven", "Oh Sheit It's X", "Without You", "Life Aquatic", "Tenfold", and "Heartbreaks + Setbacks". LP, Vinyl record album

A really genre-transforming record from Thundercat – music that opened the door to a whole generation of experiments on both sides of the Atlantic in years to come! Flying Lotus is a key musical partner here, and the record moves effortlessly between soul and funk, jazz and cosmic currents – nodding at a few moments to hip hop and other contemporary styles, but always with that visionary approach that's made Thundercat such a force to reckon with over the years! And yes, there had been other attempts to hit this territory in the decade before – but this is one of the few records that really feels like it's getting the approach right, and moving the needle forward – thanks to tracks that include "We'll Die", "Tron Song", "Seven", "Oh Sheit It's X", "Without You", "Life Aquatic", "Tenfold", and "Heartbreaks + Setbacks". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous album from Thundercat – an artist who just seems to get better and better with every new record, and who's maybe here defining a genre that's completely unto himself! The record is soulful, and has a lot of contemporary cosmic currents – but it's also more far-reaching and fluid than anything that Thundercat's ever given us before – still done with key help from Flying Lotus, but with a majestic, confident quality that seems to have the duo ready to take over the universe! The airy soulful vocals are great, but the rhythms and instrumentation are maybe even more compelling – as there's a number of tunes here that are almost impossible to describe in words, even though they're instantly appealing and wonderfully soulful – a balance that's the sort of special genius from an artist who's ready to write himself into the pop music history books with a key release like this. There's a whole host of guests – including Ty Dolla Sign, Childish Gambino, Louis Cole, Kamasi Washington, Badbadnotgood, Miguel Atwood Ferguson, and many others – but it's clear that the Thundercat/Flying Lotus axis holds all the power – on titles that include "Fair Chance", "Funny Thing", "How Sway", "Miguel's Happy Dance", "Lost In Space/Great Scott/22-26", "Interstellar Love", "Overseas", "Dragonball Durag", "King Of The Hill", and "Existential Dread". LP, Vinyl record album

The crashing waves of the Pacific coast hardly seem like the serene setting you might want for the vibes of Cal Tjader – but this album works surprisingly well, and offers up Cal's combo in a Monterey live date, before the jazz festival really got going strong! The group's one that matches his best early albums for Fantasy – piano from Lonnie Hewitt, soulful bass from Al McKibbon, and some great Latin percussion from Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo! Paul Horn also joins the group on flute – blowing with lyrical lines that fit the sound wonderfully, adding a whole new dimension to the music. Many tracks are longer than usual for the Fantasy years – and titles include "Walkin With Wally", "Doxie", and "Afro Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic performance by one of the most groundbreaking soul jazz groups of the 70s! Tolliver's leading his Music Inc ensemble here – an important quartet that featured him on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Jimmy Hopps on drums. During their time recording for the Tolliver/Cowell owned label Strata East, the group forged a strident spiritual approach to jazz – one that took all of the experiments of Coltrane, and fused them with a soulful sound that was packed with all of the righteousness of the time. The group's at their finest here – working before a very friendly crowd at the legendary Slugs nightclub in the East Village – and tracks on this first volume include "Drought", "Felicite", and "Orientale", all done in nice long readings! LP, Vinyl record album

A searing live set from trumpeter Charles Tolliver – one of the few talents who could take his instrument into the kind of long-blown, beautifully open territory explored on a double length album like this! Tolliver maybe inherits a late Lee Morgan quality, but also opens up with the Woody Shaw generation – but at a level that's even more exploratory than Woody, and which follows up the fantastic sounds of his two part Live At Slugs albums, issued slightly earlier on the Strata East label! Strata is a name that's come to be synonymous with the best in spiritual jazz of the 70s – and Tolliver is the key figure at the top of that legacy – really making magic here in a quartet that includes John Hicks on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Alvin Queen on drums. Titles are all nice and long – and include "Grand Max", "Truth", "Prayer For Peace", "Our Second Father" and "Repetition". LP, Vinyl record album