A lost bit of European funk from the JJ Band – a Belgian combo from the start of the 70s, and one with shared members of the more famous Euro funk groups Chakachas and El Chicles! As with those groups, the style here is nicely offbeat – elements learned from American soul and jazz, but reworked into a cool groove that's not afraid to borrow bits from the UK beat group scene – all wrapped together with soaring horns, funky drums, and plenty of riffing guitar to hold the whole thing together! Vocals are in English throughout – maybe no surprise, as some of the cuts are covers of big Anglo hits, mixed with great original tracks by the group – in a lineup that includes "Love In Them There Hills", "Now I've Found Out", "Leaving You", "Norwegian Wood", "Bip Bip", "To Love Somebody", and "We've Been So Happy/Into A World". CD features bonus tracks "Cousins Jack" and "Nicky's At The PC". CD

Incredibly captivating work from the legendary Alexandro Jodorowsky – a soundtrack that's beyond compare, penned for a movie to match – and issued famously as one of the key releases on Apple Records! Given the lack of distribution for the film, the record's become one of the few lasting relics of the bizarre El Topo project – filled with tunes penned by Jodorowsky that are as offbeat as the images on the screen! The movie's kind of a surreal western, with lots of trippy touches – and the soundtrack runs from straight numbers that echo an Italian spaghetti era, to others that have a playful almost circus-esque aspect, to others that come across with a weird mix of organic instrumentation and psychedelic inspiration. Titles aren't listed individually, which is great – because the whole thing works together as some brilliant sound collage – better absorbed as a whole, and with plenty of space for contemplation! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever cut by reedman Rudolph Johnson – a hell of a saxophonist, and one with a great ability to combine the spiritual with the searing – a bit like Joe Farrell at his CTI best, but not as freewheeling – nicely focused, and a little bit funky in all the right parts – in ways that make this album one of the real standouts on the legendary Black Jazz label! The groove is nice and hard, and plenty dark – with lots of sharp edges around the offbeat rhythms, and a "bite" that makes the album one of the heaviest titles on the label. Other players include John Barnes on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Ray Pounds on drums – and titles include the great "Diswa", which has sort of of a tight jazzy hip hop sample feel to it, plus "Mr TJ", "Little Daphne", and "Spring Rain". CD

One of the few albums ever cut by reedman Rudolph Johnson – a hell of a saxophonist, and one with a great ability to combine the spiritual with the searing – a bit like Joe Farrell at his CTI best, but not as freewheeling – nicely focused, and a little bit funky in all the right parts – in ways that make this album one of the real standouts on the legendary Black Jazz label! The groove is nice and hard, and plenty dark – with lots of sharp edges around the offbeat rhythms, and a "bite" that makes the album one of the heaviest titles on the label. Other players include John Barnes on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Ray Pounds on drums – and titles include the great "Diswa", which has sort of of a tight jazzy hip hop sample feel to it, plus "Mr TJ", "Little Daphne", and "Spring Rain". CD

One of the few albums ever cut by reedman Rudolph Johnson – a hell of a saxophonist, and one with a great ability to combine the spiritual with the searing – a bit like Joe Farrell at his CTI best, but not as freewheeling – nicely focused, and a little bit funky in all the right parts – in ways that make this album one of the real standouts on the legendary Black Jazz label! The groove is nice and hard, and plenty dark – with lots of sharp edges around the offbeat rhythms, and a "bite" that makes the album one of the heaviest titles on the label. Other players include John Barnes on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Ray Pounds on drums – and titles include the great "Diswa", which has sort of of a tight jazzy hip hop sample feel to it, plus "Mr TJ", "Little Daphne", and "Spring Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

The first-ever issue of music from a short UK film of the 70s – nicely trippy sounds from very familiar instruments! The cool 10" album brings together all the music for the short documentary as one piece – nicely drifting sounds created by a combo that features Julian Furniss on guitar, Geoff Jolliffe on bass, Mick Kirby on drums, and Steve Jolliffe himself on keyboards, flute, and saxophones! Given the instrumentation, you might expect jazz – but the results are a lot more unique, and perfect for the offbeat nature of the film. LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from jazz singer Etta Jones – an effort cut around the same time as her better-known records for Prestige, but one that's maybe done with an even hipper sound overall! Etta's nicely laidback, and hits that soulful, singing mood that makes her so great right from the start – a bit offbeat, but in the best way possible – as Jones brings older bluesy inflections into play with more contemporary ideas – all set to wonderful instrumentation from a cool group that features Junior Mance on piano, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Joe Newman on trumpet, Frank Wess on tenor, and Mike Manieri on vibes. The song choices are great – and the balance between steppers and mellow cuts is perfect – on titles that include "Swinging Shepherd Blues", "All Right OK You Win", "Moon Man", "Did I Remember", "Lonely Crowd", and "I Was Telling Him About You". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of albums from Junie Morrison, plus bonus tracks too – all to document the genius of the guy who really helped the Ohio Players find their groove! First up is When We Do – the solo debut of Junie – a crazy little album recorded for Westbound in the time after he split company with The Ohio Players – and a set that's definitely got the weirdly wonderful mix of music that group was known for in their pre-Mercury years! Junie effortlessly moves between a number of styles, all with a great degree of wit – still keeping things funky in all the best ways, but also really experimenting with larger sounds and unusual arrangements – which come into play here in a really wonderful way! The album's an overlooked funk treasure from the 70s – far too sophisticated for its own time – and titles include "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Johnny Carson Samba", "Anna", "Loving Arms", "Married Him", and "The Place". Freeze is a wonderful set from Junie – a record that has all the offbeat funk he was crafting with the Ohio Players during their Westbound years – and the same sort of heady sound that would make Morrison a perfect match with the P-Funk empire! The record contains the legendary track "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", which features a meeting between the Funky Granny (a near folklorish character from the early 70s, who'd appeared on records by Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players) and an alien, who tells urges to "buy this record, buy this record, buy this record" in a very silly voice! The funky comedy of this track is nicely matched by a range of other odd numbers and straighter soul cuts – and titles include "Freeze", "Super J", "Musical Son", "Junie II", "World of Woe", and "Cookies Will Get You". Suzie Super Groupie is a funky tribute to all the "Super Groupies" who were helping out the 70s music scene – maybe the closest thing that Junie Morrison every came to a concept album – and a set that's got all the same wonderful complexity of his other solo albums on Westbound! As with those records, there's a pre-Prince approach to funk that draws heavily from Ohio Players and P-Funk elements – but which really gets a sharper, more sinister focus with Junie in the lead – at a level of soulful stardom that could have made him another Bootsy Collins, if folks were ever smart enough to figure out what he was doing at the time! Titles include the funky classic "Suzie Thundertussy" – plus "Super Groupie", "Surrender", "Junie III", "What Am I Gonna Do", "Stone Face Joe", "Suzie", and "If You Love Him". Set also features rare Junie cuts – including "Junie's Ultimate Departure", "Walt's Second Trip", "Tight Rope (single)", "Loving Arms (mono)", "If You Love Him (single)", "Super J (single)", and "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce (mono)". CD

A much needed look at one of the most enigmatic figures in 70s funk – an offbeat character who was always up to something different and unique! Walter "Junie" Morrison had the great honor of being a member of both of Westbound's biggest collectives (although not necessarily at the same time) – the hard funky Ohio Players, and the cosmic brotherhood of Funkadelic/Parliament! During the mid-70s, though, Junie embarked upon a solo career, and cut a few wild LPs for the label which mixed funk, soul, and even some strange rock-oriented leanings. The resulting recordings were some of the more messed-up that Westbound ever issued, with moments that are delightfully funky, and others that are downright silly. This sweet 20 track compilation brings together most of the best moments of Junie's Westbound Years, and includes cuts like "Johnny Carson Samba", "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Cookies Will Get You", "Super J", "Super Groupie", and the great "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", featuring the Funky Granny from "Funky Worm"! CD

Freeze is a wonderful set from Junie – a record that has all the offbeat funk he was crafting with the Ohio Players during their Westbound years – and the same sort of heady sound that would make Morrison a perfect match with the P-Funk empire! The record contains the legendary track "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", which features a meeting between the Funky Granny (a near folklorish character from the early 70s, who'd appeared on records by Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players) and an alien, who tells urges to "buy this record, buy this record, buy this record" in a very silly voice! The funky comedy of this track is nicely matched by a range of other odd numbers and straighter soul cuts – and titles include "Freeze", "Super J", "Musical Son", "Junie II", "World of Woe", and "Cookies Will Get You". LP, Vinyl record album

Freeze is a wonderful set from Junie – a record that has all the offbeat funk he was crafting with the Ohio Players during their Westbound years – and the same sort of heady sound that would make Morrison a perfect match with the P-Funk empire! The record contains the legendary track "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", which features a meeting between the Funky Granny (a near folklorish character from the early 70s, who'd appeared on records by Kool & The Gang and Ohio Players) and an alien, who tells urges to "buy this record, buy this record, buy this record" in a very silly voice! The funky comedy of this track is nicely matched by a range of other odd numbers and straighter soul cuts – and titles include "Freeze", "Super J", "Musical Son", "Junie II", "World of Woe", and "Cookies Will Get You". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from a group who are characterized as "improvised Gnawa Jazz Krautrock" – a term we might not normally coin ourselves, but which really seems to fit the spirit of the music! Global elements come into play with a cosmic consciousness, all informed by the structure of jazz – as keyboards, guitars, and drums come into play with offbeat vocalizations from singer Ziad Qoulaii – more sonic than lyrical, and flowing throughout the tunes to give them a very North African vibe! There's some use of guembri and oud on the record too, which furthers that spirit – and even the guitar phrasing has some Saharan touches that are mighty nice as well – especially when layered into the sonic complexity of the overall sound. Titles include "Mamadou", "Sahel", "Omri", "Sarab", "Rahma", "Merhaba", and "Abbes Saladi". LP, Vinyl record album

Japanese keyboardist Kuni Kawachi works here on a variety of cool keys while also singing – serving up work on Hammond, celeste, harpsichord, and even rocksichord – while also getting strong support from the legendary Flower Travelling Band! The record's leaner than that group's music, yet definitely echoes some of their ear for offbeat sounds – as Kuni's spare vocals and keys get just the right touches of fuzzy guitar, offbeat percussion, and sweet psychedelic elements! Vocals are in Japanese throughout, and there's a balance of acoustic and electric elements that's mighty nice – on titles that include "Where Are You Walking Now", "The Cat", "A Puddle & A Purple Vetch", "Already No More Secrets", "Riddle", and "That's Why Love Is". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the grooviest albums we've ever heard from West Indian trumpeter Shake Keane – a player who's known both for his modern jazz work of the early 60s and his poppier sides of later years – but who's stepping out here in a great blend of both! The format is misleadingly simple, as many of the tracks on the set are 60s covers – making you think that Shake's just going for an easy groove – but amidst the more familiar numbers are also some key originals that step out in an oddly rhythmic way, and which get some unusual inflections from a group that includes either Stan Tracey or Pat Smythe on piano, Bob Efford on tenor and oboe, Coleridge Goode on bass, and Bobby Orr on drums. Shake himself plays flugelhorn on a number of tracks, in a way that evokes some of Art Farmer's excellent Columbia work of the mid 60s – which is also in a similar mode – and although the feel is bright on some tracks, it also has an underlying depth that's extremely compelling – a mix of sweet and dark that we really like. Highlights include the piano-grooving "Fidel", which has some excellent offbeat work from Tracey; a lightly tripping take on Joe Harriott's "Morning Blue"; and the beautifully thematic "New Sunday". Other tracks include "As Tears Go By", "Colours", "Girl", and "Downtown". CD

A set that definitely lives up to the poetry promised in its title – with none of the too-clean sounds you might guess from its hand-washing reference either! The album's one of the freest, most organic sessions we've heard from pianist Masabumi Kikuchi – almost improvised at points, but with a poetic cohesion in the piano lines that's really great – kind of an offbeat sense of lyricism that points in the same directions that Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett were heading in the late 60s. Drummer Masahiko Togashi plays lots of cool percussion and even a bit of gong – and Gary Peacock's bass here is as great as on any of his other excellent Japanese recordings. Titles include "Dreams", "The Trap", "The Milky Way", "Apple", "Get Magic Again", and "End". CD

Forget the reggae in the title, as the album's a Miami funk classic through and through – done with maybe a very slight nod to the sounds of Jamaica, but served up with all those great TK Records styles of the mid 70s! Percussion is string, instrumentation nicely offbeat, and larger arrangements wrap nicely around the funky grooves at the core – a mix of acoustic percussion, bubbling basslines, and choppy guitars that never fail to delight! Labelmates Chocolate Clay helped produce the set – and titles include "Music Maker", "That's What My Whole Thing Is All About", "If It's Funky, Wake Me", "Safari", "Hold Down To The Funk", and "Searching". CD

Two very groovy soundtracks from UK great Basil Kirchin – an artist who's sometimes known for darker, moodier music – but who serves up some great 60s work here! The first half of hte set features tunes from the spy film Assignment K – which Kirchin scores with styles that borrow a bit from Italian modes of the period, mixed with some of the more sensitive sounds of British scoring from a few years before – all wrapped up with a wonderful sense of sound that brings out the best of instruments that include piano, vibes, and saxes. Work for the film Strange Affair follows – which is maybe even more in that sense of texture and tone that marks some of the more complex sides of the Basil Kirchin spectrum – especially his way of taking familiar instruments and making them sound very strange and offbeat – often light woodwind elements mixed with a bit of guitar, the produced with these very hip effects! LP, Vinyl record album

A sound library tune that really lives up to its title – a De Wolfe library gem that pays tribute to Motown Records, but with a slightly different vibe too! Basil Kirchin's better known for offbeat and moody music – yet here, the tune is certainly a romping groove – but with some unusual fuzz guitar, and even a bit of harmonica used to evoke Little Stevie Wonder! The flipside is another De Wolfe track, but from a few years later – done in this bad-stepping 70s funk mode that feels like it's lifted right off some action soundtrack – cool vibes and fuzz guitar over a groove that also has a bit of conga at the bottom! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Great double album live set with Roland leading a tight group through a long and varied set of material, all of which showcases the odd goofy sound of his music, and his offbeat approach to more familiar tracks. He talks a bit, makes the odd joke about being blind, and never ceases to amaze with his playing. A bit of vocals too, but sung in such a heartfelt way that you've gotta love 'em! Tracks include "Pedal Up", "Clickey Clack", "Prelude To A Kiss", "Bright Moments Song", "If I Loved You", and "Jitterbug waltz". CD

Amazing sounds from Polish composer Andrzej Korzynski – penned for a legendary horror film from the early 80s! The movie goes way beyond typical grit and gore – with a surreal bent that's made it the stuff of much discussion over the years – and Korzynski's music definitely lives up to the spirit of the images on the screen – mixing 80s electronics with offbeat strings, odd percussion, and other compelling bits – often used in very short songs that shift often throughout the course of the album – easily making the record one of the most playful we've ever heard from Finders Keepers – yet also one of the darkest too! A few sweet keyboard melodies offset some of the spookiness in a nice way – and titles include "Helen Has Green Eyes", "Opetanie 1", "The Night The Screaming Stops", "Blue Ford B AZ6", "Heinrick's Demise", "Mark Looks In The Fridge", "What Is It", and "Closely Observed Anna". LP, Vinyl record album

Weird and wild sounds from 60s/70s composer Andrzej Korzynski – an artist we mostly know from soundtrack material, but represented here by a rich array of rare material from his personal archives! The scope of styles is really wonderful – as the set steps between funky numbers and very offbeat instrumentals – kind of the full range of sound library elements you might get from the hippest European scenes of the 70s – no surprise, given that this material was recorded in France, Italy, and Poland! Some tunes are heavy on electronics, others use a mix of acoustic and electric instruments together – and almost all the tracks are relatively short, and work together as this shifting palette of musical statements from Korzynski – almost a mini-movie in sound, with all the vivid qualities that reference implies. Titles include "Third Part Of The Night Main Theme)", "Diabel", "La Grabuge", "Roza Roza", "Bossa Nova", "Saved From Oblivion", "Trying To Catch A Fly", "Agent No 1", "Tajemnica Enigmy", and "W Instyucie". LP, Vinyl record album

Music that's a definite "sekrety" to most of us western listeners – as the set brings together some rare and overlooked soundtrack material from the great Polish composer Andrezj Korzynski – served up here in a range of modes that really show him going strong well into the 80s! A number of tracks showcase that great ear for odd, offbeat sounds that has made Korzynski such a key rediscovery in recent years – served up both on electric instrumentation with nice variations in styles and techniques, but also with some larger orchestrations that are pretty darn great too. As with other Gad label titles, the presentation here is wonderful – and the 2CD package features 54 tracks in all – titles from the projects Akademia Pana Kleksa, Pan Kleks W Kosmosie, and Podroze Pana Kleksa – plus bonus material too! CD

Some of the coolest work we've ever heard from Polish film composer Andrezj Korzynski – material from an important movie from the early 70s, presented here in two different sections of the soundtrack, which were each made for different chapters of the film! The style is wonderfully hard to peg – a mix of orchestrations, Fender Rhodes, stepping basslines, and these light lyrical passages – often wrapped together, but in ways that are quite unconventional – as exotic currents mix with dramatic ones, but often with a slightly offbeat vibe, as you'd find in the music of Francois De Roubaix! And while not entirely like De Roubaix's material of the time, the approach here is similarly unique – very aware of funky elements, yet not overly dressed in them – and instead just used lightly to augment larger musical passages in this really cool way. Book features notes in English and Polish – and titles include "Oaza/Hamis", "Porwanie", "Chora Nel", "Nowa Oboz", "Stasiu Slon", "Pozar", "Smain", "Fatima", "Skorpion", and "Bitwa". CD

Damn soulful work from Marta Kubisova – a late 60s singer from Czechoslovakia who was so groovy, she was banned by the Communist Party! This excellent set brings together rare tracks by Marta from the prime early years of her career – all numbers that feature very Western soul-styled backings, with plenty of funk in the mix too – and some of the odder, more offbeat arrangements you might get in the music of singers like Doris or France Gall! There's an undercurrent of pop-psyche too – which would make this package just right for the Finders Keepers camp – and our hat's off to the Vampi Soul empire for doing such a great job with this wonderful material. 25 tracks in all – with titles that include "Tajga Blues 69", "Hare Krisna", "Chci Pravo Trubky Mit", "Bily Stul", "Svlikam Lasku", "Tak Dej Se K Nam A Projdem Svet", "Ne", "Jakoby Nic", "Nepis Dal", "Ten Zlej Pav", "Modrej Vres", and "Cervencove Rano". CD

A really cool record from the European scene of the early 70s – a set that features rockish vocals and guitar, but also a heck of a lot of moog and other keyboards too – all of which makes for an album that's years ahead of its time! Sure, there had been plenty of moog pop instrumental records from the late 60s onward – and other groups would use the moog to spice up their songs – but Dan Lacksman's maybe one of the first to really use the world of analogue electronics so strongly next to catchy vocals and the kind of production that compresses the whole thing down together in a really great way – effortlessly bridging the generation of early Eno and Gary Numan – but with an offbeat wit that's all his own. Titles include "Monday Morning", "Happiness Is A Cold Beer", "Jet Set Woman", "Skylab", "Sunshine Is Gone", "Love You Every Day", "When We're Looking At The Barmaid", and "Sad Way". CD

A really cool record from the European scene of the early 70s – a set that features rockish vocals and guitar, but also a heck of a lot of moog and other keyboards too – all of which makes for an album that's years ahead of its time! Sure, there had been plenty of moog pop instrumental records from the late 60s onward – and other groups would use the moog to spice up their songs – but Dan Lacksman's maybe one of the first to really use the world of analogue electronics so strongly next to catchy vocals and the kind of production that compresses the whole thing down together in a really great way – effortlessly bridging the generation of early Eno and Gary Numan – but with an offbeat wit that's all his own. Titles include "Monday Morning", "Happiness Is A Cold Beer", "Jet Set Woman", "Skylab", "Sunshine Is Gone", "Love You Every Day", "When We're Looking At The Barmaid", and "Sad Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work from the legendary Prince Lasha – a rare UK-only date from 1966 – and one that has the reedman working away from more familiar contemporaries like Sonny Simmons and Eric Dolphy! The approach on this session is very unique – as Lasha includes harp with the instrumentation, played by David Snell in a style that's right up there with Dorothy Ashby's best jazz work. Pianist Stan Tracey is also on board – playing beautiful notes that have a sharp modern edge, while still falling on the inside of the spectrum – and Lasha himself is especially great – blowing plastic alto sax and wooden flute, both of which have a slightly offbeat sound – but one that's surprisingly warm, which makes the album one of his most sensitive and soulful sessions ever! The tunes are a mix of standards and originals – and there's a wonderful sense of balance here – sounds that are sometimes more inside than other records from Lasha, but which have a really Dolphy-like sense of expression – right at home amidst a wider history of jazz, yet also reaching for new ideas at the same time. Pure genius throughout, and a record that was never made available to audiences in the US. Titles include "Nuttin Out Jones", "Impressions Of Eric Dolphy", "Out Of Nowhere", "Just Friends", "Body & Soul", and "Everything Happens To Me". CD

Yusef Lateef's Detroit is a mighty funky one – a great summation of all the soulful sounds he'd crafted on previous records, but with a full groove that really points the way towards the 70s! Lateef's reeds are still the main attraction – great solos on tenor and flute – but there's also some wonderful electric elements on the record, which offer Yusef a very different setting than usual, and one that has some wickedly offbeat funky touches too! The groove's exotic, and has this unusual feel that's very different than most other Atlantic jazz of the time – much more in the mode of some of the hippest electric sets from the underground. Bernard Purdie handles drums – which ensures the funky elements of the set – and titles include "Eastern Market", "Bishop School", "Belle Isle", "Livingston Playground", "Woodward Avenue", and "Raymond Winchester". LP, Vinyl record album

An artist with a sound that's as wild as his look on the cover – a definite individual from the Australian underground of the 70s – serving up some incredibly offbeat vocals alongside a range of his own instrumentation on guitar, alto, tenor, and flute! The album's got some nice heavy bass at points, which creates a raw funky edge that's a real surprise – not straight funk, but kind of a psych-funk groove that really fits with the rawer bluesy energy that Leong brings to the way he put the whole thing together. A very compelling fusion of sounds from many different corners – with titles that include the long jammer "Deep In The Jungle", the funky flute workout "Dragon Man", and the tracks "Soul Baby", "The Atlas Revolution", and "Rhythm Pounding". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare gem on Vertigo Records – a set that strongly represents the label's interest in rootsier sounds, which is sometimes overlooked next to its better-known prog productions! The great Mickey Jupp is the key driving force here – a really wonderful singer with an offbeat style that's nicely contrasted with the record's use of light strings at times arranged by Matthew Fisher, which are again offset by the leaner guitars and keyboards from the rest of the group – almost like American roots material of the time, but nicely classed up with the slight use of larger arrangements. Titles include "Moonshine", "Captain Cool", "At The Shop", "Eingang", "Local Folk Ol", and "Mother Of My Child". CD features bonus tracks – "Don't You Never" and "Someday". CD

Sublime sound library work from Lesiman – one of the more obscure talents of the 70s scene, and one who really had an ear for mixing more dramatic and experimental elements with some mighty nice grooves! Lesiman, aka Paolo Renosto, was at one time a member of Gruppo d'Improvvisazione – and he uses his experience in that ensemble to create some really wild sounds at times, but also brings things back to groovier territory too – all with the sense of tension in the music you'd expect from the title! There's some especially nice metallic elements on the record at times – oddly-tuned vibes and offbeat piano – on titles that include "Panico", "Insidia", "Restless", "Reticolato", "Incubo Di Prigionia", "Cupa Atmosfera", "Sbarramento", and "Confine". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant soul from the Detroit underground of the late 60s – a full set of work by vocalist Little Ann, issued here for the first time ever! You might recognize Ann's name from her appearance on a few of the Ace/Kent Records issues of material by Detroit producer Dave Hamilton over the years – and the work here all comes from those classic collaborations with Hamilton – trapped on tape for many years, always contemplated as a possible Little Ann album – but only issued in full all these many years later! The groove here is as offbeat as some of Dave's other great work – not nearly as tight, or uptight, as Motown music – and instead, done with a sly undercurrent of darkness on most numbers, even the mellower ones – almost that earliest mix of Detroit styles that you get on pre-fame singles from Westbound Records artists. Ann's vocals are nice and lean, and slide right into the mix with ease – heartfelt enough to grab us right away, yet without any obvious cliches as well. Titles include "What Should I Do", "Who Are You Trying To Fool", "The Smile On Your Face", "Stand Together", "I'm Doin All Right", "Lost A Lover", "That's All I want From You", and "I Got To Have You" – plus the unissued versions "Possession (master edit)", "Deep Shadows (multi mix)", and "Sweet It Out In The Shed (master tape)". PLUS – this CD features 9 more instrumental versions of the tunes by the Dave Hamilton Band – most issued here for the first time ever – plus three more alternates of album tracks! CD

The title here definitely gets it right – as Locobeach work in a trippy blend of old school cumbia modes – which is maybe no surprise for a group whose members also worked in Los Amigos Invisibles and Chicha Libre! The sound here mixes plenty of surf-styled guitar with percolating rhythms, strong keyboard lines, and even a bit of accordion – a leaner take on some of the Colombian styles of years back – and recorded with a definite ear for some of the more offbeat sides of the spectrum, especially on cuts that amp up the psychedelic production even more! Titles include "Six On The Stairway To Seven", "Javelin", "The Devil Is A Charmer", "We Haven't Been Introduced", and "Mira Quien Llego". LP, Vinyl record album

Two rare albums from Dutch reedman Theo Loevendie – both amazing little records that sound beautiful here on a single CD! Mandela features complicated lines from a hip Netherlands combo of the late 60s – one headed up by Theo Loevendie on alto sax, but which acts a lot more like a collective of modernists working together – Hans Dulfer on tenor and bamboo flute, Willem Van Manen on trombone, Nedly Elstak on trumpet, Joop Mastenbroek on baritone and clarinet, Maarten Altena on bass, and Martin Van Dunhoven and John Engels on drums. The tunes all have a nice sense of structure – energy that's more like the early 60s modernism of the European scene – particularly some of the more rhythmic styles – than the looser freedoms that some of Loevendie's contemporaries were hitting at the same time. There's definitely plenty of offbeat sounds in the mix – but the group also knows how to swing, too – on titles that include "Trombomanie", "Mr Brook", "Timbuktu", "Trompedly", and "Pepy". Chess is a really playful outing from a very cool Dutch combo – one with lead alto from Theo Loevendie, but a rich array of sounds from the other members too! The reeds are especially nice – often coming together with a complexity that goes back to older European modern traditions, yet with a swinging sensibility that's still plenty jazz, too – kind of a mix of composition, arrangement, and inherent swinging – with standout work from Hans Dulfer on tenor, Leon Van Oostrom on baritone, Leo Cuypers on piano, and Willem Van Manen on trombone – a player we barely know at all, but whose bold tones really bring a lot to the record. Titles include "Lapsang Souchong", "Scratch", "Brasilia", and "Tremolo". CD

That's Loos/Armstrong, not Louis Armstrong – a late 90s Dutch group who improvise freely on both electric and acoustic elements – with a style that makes the record one of the most offbeat albums ever released on the Okka Disk label! In some ways, the combo almost tie together Dutch traditions of free jazz and electronic experimentation – with a lineup that features Gerald Bowhuis on piano, Huib Emmer on guitar, Johan Faber on drums, Patricio Wang on bass and guitar, and Dennis Rudge on voice – plus leader Peter Van Bergen on tenor, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, and some mighty cool electronics! At times, the use of voice adds almost a no wave element to the set – and on the set, Rudge reads from Sun Ra's "Endless Realm" , and "Amooooore", a 1916 text from Volt – on titles that include "FTE 1", "FA5 1", "FA 3", and "FL 1". CD

A rich array of compelling work from Lord Luther McDaniels – vocal group classics, offbeat R&B, and some early soul stormers – all brought together in a wonderful document to his great years in the Bay Area music scene! There's a really offbeat feel to lots of these cuts – a difference from some of the more put-together work coming out of LA, and a lot more homegrown overall – but in a great way that really keeps things interesting, and which marks Luther as an artist who was always willing to experiment with his sound! Lots of these cuts have a nicely raw quality, but are still pretty well produced, too – kind of creatively raw, rather than just accidentally so – and as with Ace's usual standards, the booklet is filled with images and notes that really help illuminate Luther's already-illuminating music. CD features work cut under his own name, and with The 4 Deuces, The Esquires, The 5 Hearts, and The Garnets – titles that include "WPLJ", "Down It Went", "You Led Me On", "Wheelin & Dealin", "Turn The Key", "Donna Dee", "A Thinkin Man's Girl", "Two Of A Kind", "Poor Boy's Song", "Be There Baby", "Someone Somewhere", "Heartbreak Train", "Tell Ya What", and "Just One More Chance". CD

Weird and wild sounds from Screaming Lord Sutch – and a set that has as many "heavy friends" at play as his better-known previous album for Cotillion! As with that set, the vibe here is an odd mix of older beat group styles from mid 60s London, but filtered through a generation that's already bursting out with hard rock, psych, and prog inspiration – which means any nod towards older rock and soul roots come out sounding very offbeat in the end! Players include Ritchie Blackmore on lead guitar, Keith Moon on drums, and Noel Redding on bass – and titles include "Country Club", "Great Balls Of Fire", "Bye Bye Johnny/Johnny B Goode", "Gotta Keep A Rocking", and "Hands Of Jack The Ripper", which is mini-horror movie itself! LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly our favorite installment so far in the Madlib Medicine Show series – as the set's a treasure trove of rare work from the many-faceted Yesterday's New Quintet combo – that genius funky jazz ensemble headed by Madlib! According to the notes, some of these cuts are from rare small-batch releases (although we're not even sure those exist) – and others are previously unreleased numbers that are finally seeing the light of day – all together a brilliant illustration of the sorts of sounds that Madlib's pulled up from the American underground of the 60s and 70s – weird space jazz, offbeat funk, modal moments, and more – played with completely amazing rhythms, and production that really lives up to the spirit of the inspirations! There's plenty of great keyboards, and all tracks are instrumentals – with titles that include "High Jazz" by The Kenny Cook Octet, "Pretty Eyes" by Jahari Massamba Unit, "Electronic Dimensions" by Generation Match, "Funky Butt (part 1)" by Poyser Riggins & Jackson, "Space & Time" by RMC, "Conquistador" by Yesterday's New Quintet, "Tarzan's Theme" by Big Black Foot Band, and "Kimo" by Joe McDuphrey Experience. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the weirdest Italian soundtracks you're ever likely to hear – mad music from the 70s, originally written for a demonic religious performance! Stefano Marcucci has roots in the psych scene, but also recorded the set in the Sound Workshop of Piero Umiliani – and the work has just the sort of mix of fuzz and electronics you'd expect from that pedigree – some really way out analogue electronic elements at times, mixed with more familiar song structures and some chorus vocals – often set to a psych funk groove that reminds us of some of the grooviest French arrangers at the end of the 60s, such as Michel Colombier and Jean Claude Vannier. The chorus vocals are especially offbeat – as they sound like they're going to be sweet, but feel more satanic in the end – and titles include "Pange Lingua", "Inferno", "Coro Dei Penitenti", "Allejua", "Rendete Grazi", "Gli Occhi Di Tutti", and "Roma Nobilis". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool take on the music of Thelonious Monk – a set that's far more abstract and offbeat than any of Monk's original recordings – but in a way that the composer might have appreciated, had he lived until the 21st Century! Mast clearly really loves these tunes, and knows them inside and out – and he splits them down the middle and feels free to take them in any way he wants – sometimes angular jazz, sometimes, much more freewheeling and electronic – but almost always with some acoustic instrumentation at play. Musicians include Gavin Templeton on alto and baritone, Jonah Levine on trombone, and Dan Rosenboom on trumpet – and Tim Conley handles guitar, bass, keyboards, and rhythms. Titles include "Evidence", "Epistrophy", "Well You Needn't", "Blue Monk", "Oska T", "Nutty", "Straight No Chaser", and "Friday The 13th". CD

A monster album that's gone onto influence a generation – but which was barely recognized at the time! Singer Eugene McDaniels had scored big with some pop hits in the 60s under the name Gene McDaniels – but here, he steps out in a righteous batch of offbeat funk tunes – filled with politics, offbeat rhythms, and some very weird instrumentation. The whole thing's awash in moody, jazzy changes – of the style that showed up often in samples by Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, and other artists who drew keen inspiration from this record. Titles include the massive "Jagger the Dagger" – plus "The Lord Is Back", "Lovin Man", "Headless Heroes", "Freedom Death Dance", and "Supermarket Blues". CD

Great late life work from these two important figures on the LA jazz scene of the postwar years – trumpeter Howard McGhee and tenorist Teddy Edwards – both sounding wonderful here in a very relaxed, open setting! The record's got an approach that's especially marked by the deeper, soulful tone that Edwards adopted from the 60s onward – that great ear for a ballad, which McGhee follows strongly in his performance, although with a tone that's maybe a bit more offbeat. The rest of the group features Art Hillery on piano, Leroy Vinegar on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – and titles include a great version of "I Want To Talk About You", plus "Crescent", "Time Waits", "Ruby My Dear", and "If You Could See Me Now". CD

Melanie's a folkie at heart, but one who's very open to new ideas too – as you'll hear in this surprisingly offbeat set from the late 60s! The record mixes Melanie's raspy, almost eerie vocal approach with some compelling charts from Roger Kellaway – who respects the folk impulses at the core, but also brings in some unusual inflections in the other instrumentation – that post-folk approach that was showing up in records by Leonard Cohen and others of the singer/songwriter generation. The difference is subtle, but very striking – and very different than the way the set would have been recorded a few years previously. Titles include "Christopher Robin", co-written with AA Milne – plus "In The Hour", "I'm Back In Town", "Bobo's Party", "Close To It All", "Merry Christmas", and "I Really Loved Harold". CD

A really cool cooker from The Meters – recorded during their post-Josie run for Warner Brothers, but with this tight vibe that still holds all their funky New Orleans roots intact! The sound is a bit more expanded here – not in a commercial way, but just in a style that has the group trying out more things – some interesting rhythms, offbeat guitar passages, and maybe even more of a vocal presence – although it's clearly the drums and basslines that are still driving the whole thing along! Production is by Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn – again in that great style they were hitting at Warner – and titles include "Soul Island", "Flower Song", "Gettin Funkier All the Time", "Do the Dirt", "Cabbage Alley", and "Stay Away" – plus a version of Neil Young's "Birds"! CD also features the bonus cuts "Chug Chug Chug-a-Lug (Push & Shove)" parts 1 & 2! CD

Very gripping music for this early 70s Italian TV thriller – scored with a wonderfully offbeat style by Mario Migliardi! Some tracks are sweet and breezy, while others are extremely dark – some of the darkest we've heard in Italian film score work of the time! These cuts have some very unique orchestrations – and often echo a 20th century classical mode at points, sometimes with a bit of electronics – but in ways that are quite different from the atonal 70s sounds of Morricone – much more dramatic, and filled with sharp notes and fast changes – instrumentation that bursts out with an almost improvisational quality at points. The mellower tracks stand out even more strongly than usual amidst this avant instrumentation – but they only underscore the overall darkness of the soundtrack by their presence. Edda Dell'Orso and I Cantori Moderni do a bit of singing on the record – but most cuts are instrumental, and the reissue features a total of 24 tracks in all. CD

Pure pop magic from the lovely Mina – a very weird little record in which she takes on a host of mid-period tracks by The Beatles! The sound is as offbeat as the cover's take on Revolver – kind of a cross between late 60s Beatles, and early 70s Italian – trippy at points, but kind of sweetly poppy at others. And we can't tell for sure from the notes, but the album appears as if it might collect tunes from a number of different periods – although it comes across with a very unified feel overall. Titles include "Let It Be", "Fool On The Hill", "She's Leaving Home", and "Hey Jude" – plus versions of "My Love" and "Oh Darling". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool record, and one that uses the Cuban tres in a style that's nicely different than more traditional modes – often blending it with some of the hipper small combo Latin elements that had popped up on the New York scene in the mid 60s, which gives the instrument a very different energy overall! Mita handles the tres wonderfully here – electrified on most cuts, which almost creates the same sort of feel as those cool boogaloo records that Arsenio Rodriguez recorded in the 60s – not faithfully traditional at all, which is really the appeal! As with so many Mag Records productions from the period, there's all sorts of wonderfully offbeat elements going on – yet they never get in the way of the burning Latin grooves of the set, as you'll hear on cuts that include "Mango Mangue", "Arecibo", "Compay Chifuco", "Mita Descarga", "No Aguanto Mas", "Descarga En Botella Y Huiro", and "El Yo Yo". LP, Vinyl record album

Over a decade's worth of music done for a cool Polish cartoon – one that's got the jungle theme that you see on the front, which often results in songs that have a bit of a tropical or bossa vibe! Instrumentation is a mix of acoustic elements and keyboards – often used in these spare, light ways – a bit breezy and jazzy on some of the grooviest tunes, and mixed with vocals from a male singer on a handful of tracks in the set! The singer's got a nicely offbeat voice that really fits the music – and the CD features 18 tracks in all, pulled from a variety of different Pampalini cartoons from the mid 70 through the mid 80s. CD

A record with a very plain cover, but one that contains some of the most searing guitar work of the early 70s – the one and only album by a short-lived group from Brazil – one who mix Sabbath-style hard rock with some more experimental modes – all at a level that's completely unlike anything we can think of from the time! There's some really offbeat production twists that almost seem to be learned from the Tropicalia generation – although the music here is much more straightforward, and delivered with familiar guitar, organ, bass, and drums – familiar instruments that, as in the hands of some of the giants of the time, take on raw power and sounds of their own when pushed to their limits! Lyrics are all in Portuguese, but that hardly matters, given the instrumental intensity of the set – which includes the titles "Turpe Est Sine Crine Caput", "Nao Fale Com Paredes", "Metro Mental", "Animaia", and "Espelho". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a very plain cover, but one that contains some of the most searing guitar work of the early 70s – the one and only album by a short-lived group from Brazil – one who mix Sabbath-style hard rock with some more experimental modes – all at a level that's completely unlike anything we can think of from the time! There's some really offbeat production twists that almost seem to be learned from the Tropicalia generation – although the music here is much more straightforward, and delivered with familiar guitar, organ, bass, and drums – familiar instruments that, as in the hands of some of the giants of the time, take on raw power and sounds of their own when pushed to their limits! Lyrics are all in Portuguese, but that hardly matters, given the instrumental intensity of the set – which includes the titles "Turpe Est Sine Crine Caput", "Nao Fale Com Paredes", "Metro Mental", "Animaia", and "Espelho". The CD version is loaded with bonus tracks, too – including rare singles released under the name Modulo 1000 and the pseudonymous Love Machine – with titles include including "Ferrugem E Fuligem", "The Cancer Stick", "Waiting For Tomorrow", "Gloriosa", "Cafusa" and more. 17 tracks in all! CD

The first album that Momus recorded for Creation Records – a label that provided him with a much stronger springboard than before – which was perfect for the way the singer blended very offbeat lyrics with compelling mainstream songcraft! Momus was always very different than most of the Brit 80s scene in which he worked – influenced strongly by the French work of singer/songwriters like George Brassens, Jacques Brel, and Serge Gainsbourg – but graced with a very British wit, which made for an especially biting style that worked well with the themes of his songs. Momus has a vocal style that's maybe somewhere in Donovan territory, but sharper – and he draws from a variety of European song modes, fitted to the situation of each individual songs – as you'll hear on classics like "Situation Comedy Blues", "Three Wars", "The Gatecrasher", "Flame Into Being", and the Serge Gainsbourg-like "Closer To You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Hugo Montenegro's dreamier LPs of the 60s – a mellow batch of instrumentals composed by Hugo, all based around the theme of female "candy"! The approach is subtle, but there's actually some really great moments on here – the kind of offbeat instrumentation that we always like in Hugo's work, complete with odd percussion, nice use of organ, spooky voices, and other nice touches that make this one a lot cooler than you might think! Titles include "Kitten", "Theme For Irma", "Jean", "Little Lo", "Fanny's Theme", "Amber", and "Suzie". LP, Vinyl record album

Pre-moog work from Hugo Montenegro – but a set that's still pretty darn groovy! The Beach Boys reference in the title is very well put, as Hugo's using some cool harmony vocals for the record – a chorus that definitely takes some of its inspiration from Brian Wilson, singing here both with lyrics, and some wordless modes – not on every track, but used enough to give the record a really Sunshine Pop sort of appeal! Other instrumentation is great too – electric bass underneath fuller strings, offbeat woodwinds, fuzzy guitar, and even a bit of whistling – which has a cool sort of electronic feel. The blend of sounds is amazing – very unique, and already showing that Montenegro's one of the hippest talents of the 60s. Titles include "Classical Gas", "Rosemary's Baby", "Night Rider", "Lady in Cement", "A Future Left Behind", "Tony's Theme", and "Good Vibrations". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky psychedelic nugget from the Nigerian scene of the 70s – a record that's got more of a lean small group take on some of the bigger ensemble modes of the period, in a way that really seems to give the Moonrakers Band lots of flexibility with their sound! Some numbers might be a bit more guitar-heavy, others will have more organ – and the rhythms shift between rock, funk, and maybe even a bit of inspiration from Jamaican music – as the group serve up lyrics that are mostly in English, but with a definite offbeat vibe. There's occasional currents that resonate with Zamrock work of the decade, while other moments are straighter Afro Funk – on titles that include "Cut Your Coat According To Your Size", "We Got To Live", "What We Did Today Is Gone", "Wait For Me", "Little Sister Of Line", and "Enia Se Pele". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice to know that we've lived past the year 2000 – and have managed to miss the holocaust that Kirk Douglas fought in this late 70s film! The movie's just the kind of overdone thriller that Kirk handled late in his career – but thankfully, the music from Ennio Morricone is much deeper overall – done in that brilliant blend of creepy styles that could make anything come together on the screen, even without any good special effects or dialogue! Some numbers have spooky, spare passages with earthy percussion and woodwinds, others have offbeat strings, some have some light electric elements – and overall, the music is nicely understated, always classy, and years ahead of some of the cheaper horror scoring of the time. CD features a whopping 33 tracks in all – the fullest version of the soundtrack we've ever seen – with titles that include "Holocaust", "Computer", "Slogan", "Jesus", "Il Bene Cattivo", "Serie Di Tre", "Strofa Monodica", and "Telefonata Interrotta". CD

Wonderfully experimental music from Ennio Morricone – even darker at times than some of his famous horror soundtracks – and a record that was only pressed up in an initial small sound library run! The music has an offbeat blend of string elements, percussion, and other darker tones – recorded with some processing and unusual production touches – at a level that's very similar to Morricone's music with Gruppo Di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza, who also make an appearance on the set! Most tracks have this sort of progression of elements – a quality that's not directly rhythmic, but which creates a core energy that holds the more obtuse elements together – and titles include "Controfase", "Tempo", "Con Ferma Ostinazione", "Follia", and "Degenerazione". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully building score from Ennio Morricone – one that's filled with tracks that start out slow, then layer on elements in a really wonderful way! The main theme is a bit dreamy, but some others are a bit dark – and are done in an arry of jagged sounds and offbeat instrumental tunings that reminds us a bit of Morricone's brilliance on the score for The Burglars (Gli Scassinatori). As with that one, piano figures strongly on some of the tunes here – recorded with spare, echoey qualities – but in ways that are hardly the sweeter tones of Morricone's more famous scores of later years. CD features a total of 19 tracks in all – a nicely expanded version of the soundtrack! CD

A great Morricone soundtrack for a Jean-Paul Belmondo thriller – a score that starts out spare and brooding, then builds nicely as things move on – with lots of cool bottom-end sounds that make the whole thing really move up from the depths! Some tunes echo the sweeter side of Morricone, while others are a bit more brooding – and instrumentation includes some of the same offbeat piano you'd hear in The Burglars, plus light guitar, weird-tuned horns, and other nice bits that are sometimes abstracted beyond recognition! Titles include "Consideration Sur Un Homicide", "Paris Secret", "Defense De Stationner" and "Mannequins". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique little record – one that's a revelation both to lovers of the music of Ennio Morricone, and fans of the sci-fi TV classic Space 1999! The program was famously scored by Barry Gray – in a sweet 70s variation of the best Brit TV modes – but here, the music is provided by Ennio Morricone – who created his own music for a special cinematic release in Italy – sounds that didn't get any global circulation at the time, and which are quite unknown to longtime devotees of the program, too! Morricone's music is extremely moody – an unusual blend of avant jazz, electronics, and other offbeat touches that are lifted from his horror work, but then abstracted in a very different way – and used here in some of his most striking sounds since his performances with the Gruppo D'Improvvisazione Nuova. CD features 70 minutes of music in all – a great discovery – and titles include "Eletronica #1", "Parallasse", "Suoni Di Una Nuova Civilita", "Interposione", "Studio", "Follia Nello Spazio", "Fasi", and "Elettronica #4". CD

A lost western score from Ennio Morricone – directed with some nice musical flourishes by the great Bruno Nicolai! The work's got the feel of some of Morricone's more famous spaghetti western scores – with some great moody passages that hint at the offbeat instrumentation of his horror work, coupled with more driving action-related tunes that have a more driving feel overall – and together, these tunes weave a very visual tapestry of sound – possibly even more compelling than the actual film! Titles include "Viva La Revolucion", "Tepepa E Price", "A Meta Strada", "Una Povera Casa", "Consegna Delle Armi", and "Tradimento Secondo". LP, Vinyl record album

Two great cuts from Marc Moulin's legendary Placebo group – exactly the kind of funky monsters he did so well back in the day! "Phalene I" has a great mix of offbeat Fender Rhodes lines with chunkier funk rhythms at the bottom, sewn together with a cool soprano sax solo! "Phalene IV" is even heavier funk – with the Rhodes coming down right on the groove in a massive way – Marc opening up the tune tremendously with his keys, while more soprano snakes in for a great run too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

An obscure west coast set – featuring some very hard-driving big band arrangements, short but with breakout solos that really keep things moving along at a good pace. Murphy wrote and arranged most of the material – cool little offbeat tunes, many with a space theme to match the cover of the album. Players include Frank Morgan, Milt Bernhart, Chico Hamilton, Buddy Colette, and Bob Gordon – and titles include "Lost In A Fugue", "Frantastic", "Frankly Speaking", "Tone Poem", and "Orbit". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest gifts of the Soul Note label was the way that it could take sessions with avant-oriented players, and make them turn out straighter jazz material – but with a really nice edge! This session's a perfect example of that legacy – as it features David Murray at the head of a great group that includes Butch Morris on cornet, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, Henry Threadgill on alto and flute, Craig Harris on trombone, Curtis Clark on piano, Wilber Morris on bass, and Steve McCall on drums – all players who can usually improvise pretty freely, but who here work in a straighter, swinging mode that's totally great! There's still plenty of sharp edges in the record – odd twists and turns that really keep things offbeat, even though straight – and titles are extended Murray compositions that include "Sing Song", "Flowers For Albert", and "Murray's Steps". CD

One of the greatest gifts of the Soul Note label was the way that it could take sessions with avant-oriented players, and make them turn out straighter jazz material – but with a really nice edge! This session's a perfect example of that legacy – as it features David Murray at the head of a great group that includes Butch Morris on cornet, Bobby Bradford on trumpet, Henry Threadgill on alto and flute, Craig Harris on trombone, Curtis Clark on piano, Wilber Morris on bass, and Steve McCall on drums – all players who can usually improvise pretty freely, but who here work in a straighter, swinging mode that's totally great! There's still plenty of sharp edges in the record – odd twists and turns that really keep things offbeat, even though straight – and titles are extended Murray compositions that include "Sing Song", "Flowers For Albert", and "Murray's Steps". LP, Vinyl record album

A sharp blend of edgey guitar, offbeat vocals, and lots of other electronic elements – but still served up with plenty of warmth, thanks to the unique approach of Thiago Nassif! Nassif works here with contributions from Vinicius Cantuaria and Arto Lindsay – and in a way, his music is in a similar territory to both of those artists – but as unique as any of their recordings over the years too! Nassif clearly understands the deeper corners of Brazilian music, and has an ear for more experimental modes – but also finds a way to make music with a very personal statement, as he weaves together electric drums with real percussion, guitar loops and keyboards, and even some "Venom synth" of his own. Titles include "Pele De Leopardo", "Voz Unica Foto Sem Calcinha", "Plastico", "Trepa Trepa", "Feral Fox", and "Transparente". CD

A sharp blend of edgey guitar, offbeat vocals, and lots of other electronic elements – but still served up with plenty of warmth, thanks to the unique approach of Thiago Nassif! Nassif works here with contributions from Vinicius Cantuaria and Arto Lindsay – and in a way, his music is in a similar territory to both of those artists – but as unique as any of their recordings over the years too! Nassif clearly understands the deeper corners of Brazilian music, and has an ear for more experimental modes – but also finds a way to make music with a very personal statement, as he weaves together electric drums with real percussion, guitar loops and keyboards, and even some "Venom synth" of his own. Titles include "Pele De Leopardo", "Voz Unica Foto Sem Calcinha", "Plastico", "Trepa Trepa", "Feral Fox", and "Transparente". LP, Vinyl record album

A spooky score from Bruno Nicolai – one with some great instrumentation in the mix, as we've always come to expect from the maestro! The tracks here are all relatively short – really just mood-setters for scenes with Christopher Lee and Klaus Kinsky – but Nicolai does a wonderful job with the sound, and manages to pack a lot into a little with some stark, metallic guitar lines – echoing out almost like some offbeat harpsichord – with some of those weirdly displaced sonic qualities he learned from frequent musical partner, Ennio Morricone! That quality follows in some of the other instrumentation here – watery vibes, odd-tuned strings, and light woodwinds – all used in really wonderful ways, on titles that include "Strutture", "Sguardo", "Fremiti", "Incubo", "Magia", "Processo", and "Visionario". LP features the bonus track "Concerto Variato". LP, Vinyl record album

Four long tracks from Nigerian singer Helen Nkume – set to grooves that almost have a psychedelic approach to funk! It may be the production as much as the instrumentation, but the basslines and percussion have this way of muddily mixing together, which creates a brooding vibe that's then topped with offbeat guitar and occasional horns – all also very much bubbling together in a musical brew! Then, when Helen's vocals come into the mix, they stand out with a sharpness that's really striking, maybe even spooky – as the whole thing moves together with a nicely hypnotic vibe. Titles include "Music", "Onye Ije", "Ndi Uwa Enyi Ego", and "Umo Imo Special". LP, Vinyl record album

An important early mainstream moment for Michael Nyman – an excellent score to this offbeat film by Peter Greenaway! LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic funky sound library gem – one that begins with this wicked fast drum break over riffing guitar – while Gianni Oddi starts to warm things up with sweet keyboards, and then snakes in a tenor sax solo too! Isabella Sodani provides these sexy vocals that are whispered in the background – leaving plenty of room for the keys and tenor! "Geronimo" is equally cool – with this very offbeat groove that almost sounds like it's dipping into water, and then this cool bassline part that's almost got a "Soul Makossa" vibe – as does the saxophone part that comes into play over the top! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Japanese jazz musician Yuji Ohno is best known for his soundtrack work for the long-running Lupin The Third, but during the 70s he also opened up his talents on a whole host of different ways – mixing familiar jazz funk scoring styles of the time with maybe a more offbeat approach to the overall soundtrack – so that there's sometimes a nice shift between different moods from tune to tune, and a vibe that's a cool change from American work of the period! This set is definitely one of Ohno's best from the time, and is filled with lots of Fender Rhodes, plus flute, vibes, sax solos, and other jazzy elements – balanced with larger arrangements that never overwhelm too much, and which are maybe in that late 70s style of some of the Creed Taylor work for Kudu Records! Titles include "Being Chased", "Cesca's Emergency", "Golden Dog", "Eyes In The Dark", "Beyond The Twilight", "A Challenge To Lie", and "Love Does Not Return". LP, Vinyl record album

There's a great mix of modes going on here – as the well-crafted vocals of Bobby Oroza get a special setting for the album – recording in the studios of Timmion Records, with super-dope production from Cold Diamond & Mink! If you know the feel of a CD&M recording, you'll know what's going on here – laidback funky soul in a lean style that echoes some of the older styles of the east coast indie scene of the early 70s – but with some nicely offbeat contemporary touches too! Bobby plays organ, keyboards, and vibes – and the group features more vibes and guitar from Seppo Salmi, bass from Sami Kantelinen, and even a bit of flute from Jimi Tenor! Titles include "Bobby's New Mood", "I Got Love", "My Place My Time", "Sweet Agony", "Passing Thing", "Through These Tears", "Real Connection", and "Soon Everyone Will Know". LP, Vinyl record album

Van Dyke Parks is at his finest here – painting a unique picture of early 70s America that's touched with the same mad vision as his classic Song Cycle album! The styles are a bit wider-ranging here – and in a way, Parks seems to draw from a sonic space as wide-ranging as the "discover America" bus trip promised on the cover – shifting between Caribbean, country, classical, and soul styles – but all in a weird blend that comes off sounding very strange in the end. As before, there's a certain sense of nostalgia to the music – but any sweetness is undercut by the offbeat arrangements and instrumentation. Titles include "Jack Palance", "Bing Crosby", "John Jones", "FDR In Trinidad", "Stars & Stripes Forever", and "G-Man Hoover". CD

A never-issued performance from this legendary Brazilian musician – a live concert that's a perfect addition to his tremendous records from the same stretch in time! As with some of his best material of the 70s, Hermeto's working here in a style that begins in jazz, but quickly moves into something else – a very special space and sound of his own, driven by an offbeat approach to rhythm, and really unusual instrumental phrasing that often takes familiar elements and has them coming out in very fresh ways! The style isn't avant garde, as there's a sense of swing and rhythm to most numbers here – but Pascoal's definitely pushing the boundaries and developing a rich vision of his own - with help from a great group of younger players that include Jovino Santos Neto on keyboards, Carlos Malta on soprano and flute, and Ze Eduardo Nazario on drums and percussion. Hermeto blows the cool baritone horn pictured on the cover, plus tenor and flute as well – on titles that include "Samba Do Belaqua", "Bombardino", "Vou Pra La E Pra Ca", "Ferrangens", "Jegue", "Duo De Bateras", "Sao Jorge/Ilza Na Veijoada", and "Era Pra Ser Nao Foi". CD

A rare early moment from the legendary Austrian group Paternoster – sounds that predate their one and only cult-status album – originally created for the equally legendary film, Die Ersten Tage! The music here was never issued commercially at the time – and the release of these sounds adds a much-needed page to the slim book of Paternoster – especially since the creative flair of these songs really fleshes out our understanding of the group! As with their vocal music, most of the style here is slow, but jamming – kind of mellow prog, almost – but lighter, too – and with a moodier vibe, given the absence of lyrics – which lets the offbeat guitar parts do most of the speaking for the group. The whole thing's fragile, yet jagged – earthy, but cosmic – and the set features 30 tracks in all, appearing here on record for the first time ever! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early moment from the legendary Austrian group Paternoster – sounds that predate their one and only cult-status album – originally created for the equally legendary film, Die Ersten Tage! The music here was never issued commercially at the time – and the release of these sounds adds a much-needed page to the slim book of Paternoster – especially since the creative flair of these songs really fleshes out our understanding of the group! As with their vocal music, most of the style here is slow, but jamming – kind of mellow prog, almost – but lighter, too – and with a moodier vibe, given the absence of lyrics – which lets the offbeat guitar parts do most of the speaking for the group. The whole thing's fragile, yet jagged – earthy, but cosmic – and the set features 30 tracks in all, appearing here on record for the first time ever! 3CD version features a bonus CD2, with 7 more film cue tracks – and CD3, which features demo versions of the songs "I Wanna Bring You Down", "Not Like You", "Paternoster", "Old Danube", "Mammoth Opus", "The Pope Is Wrong", and "Stop These Lines". CD

A rare Caribbean disco set from Keith Paul – but one that has a lot more funk in the mix than other albums of this nature – served up in a style that's nicely laidback at times, with plenty of cool spacey touches around the edges – all of which make for a really weird, wonderful, and unusual album! There's some quirky keyboards that add some especialy nice elements to the music, alongside guitar that gets all sorts of offbeat phrasing too – on titles that include "What More", "Down At The Disco", "Tears Tears Tears", "What I Go Through", "Music Makes Me High", "You", and "What About Yesterday". LP, Vinyl record album

The bass dives deep, but the percussion percolates nicely over the top – almost a Miami 70s funk groove, but more offbeat overall – as are the cool reed lines that get voiced over the groove in an excellent way! The percussion's even better on the flipside, which has a TK Records-style drum break at the beginning – as the cut then opens up to all sorts of cool psychedelic guitar, produced to perfection by Misha Panfilov! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Pere Ubu's second album – and maybe the record that has them really finding their unique place in American music! Early singles and Modern Dance had maybe more of a stronger punk influence – but here, things are really thrown open as we journey into the mad mind of singer David Thomas – both completely unbridled in the way he puts over a tune, and in the completely offbeat content he chooses for his lyrics. There's also a lot more unusual instrumentation taking place too – definitely a hint at the more avant leanings to come from other group members, yet song-based enough to please anyone who first fell in love with their early records too! Titles include "Navvy", "Dub Housing", "Caligari's Mirror", "Codex", "Ubu Dance Party", and "I Will Wait". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning set from the great Ray Perez – the Venezulan pianist and Latin bandleader who cut some killer records back in the day, but hardly ever got the global fame he deserved! As with some of Ray's other gems from the time, the music here is nicely offbeat – partly in that small combo New York mode of the Joe Cuba generation, but titled in all these nicely fresh directions with inventive arrangements and offbeat production – all perfect to get the best sort of energy out of Ray's cool combo – a lineup that features two trumpets, piano, bass, drums, and plenty of percussion! Titles include "San Juan Guariacongo", "Tengo Control", "Uvas Verdes", "Como Me Voy A Reir", "Mi Sonsito", "Chocolate", "Como Bagk", and "Linda Cancion". LP, Vinyl record album