A really unique project from Philippe Samiguel – recorded in Bamako, where Samiguel has worked as a producer for many years – during which time he's pulled together ideas from all sorts of different projects, and forged them into a new groove of his own! Samiguel's worked most famously with Samba Toure – who's here on the record alongside other artists who include Hugo Race, Mariam Kone, Mamadou Sidibe, and others – working on music that has roots in Malian blues, Tuareg guitar, and other west African modes – but which has a quality that's also very much all its own. There's an experimental nature to the project that takes us back to some of the best global experiments from the early days of the Crammed label – and titles include "Are U Satisfied", "The First Tone", "Minamba", "Heaven Sands", "Mad Girl Lament", "Quicksand Blues", and "Golden Cage". CD

A really unique project from Philippe Samiguel – recorded in Bamako, where Samiguel has worked as a producer for many years – during which time he's pulled together ideas from all sorts of different projects, and forged them into a new groove of his own! Samiguel's worked most famously with Samba Toure – who's here on the record alongside other artists who include Hugo Race, Mariam Kone, Mamadou Sidibe, and others – working on music that has roots in Malian blues, Tuareg guitar, and other west African modes – but which has a quality that's also very much all its own. There's an experimental nature to the project that takes us back to some of the best global experiments from the early days of the Crammed label – and titles include "Are U Satisfied", "The First Tone", "Minamba", "Heaven Sands", "Mad Girl Lament", "Quicksand Blues", and "Golden Cage". LP, Vinyl record album

The King Kong of dub albums, and we're not just saying that because of the freaky deaky cover image of a super ape with a belly full of roast fish, cornbread and makka stepping on a croaking lizard with a tree in one hand and a "tree" in the other! Classic Lee Perry and an essential dub album, rendering Scratch's dense, multi-layered Black Ark rhythms in all their raw glory, with toasts and vocal snippets darting in and out of the dubs courtesy Prince Jazzbo, the Heptones, Dillinger and Scratch himself. With 10 essential tracks from the original release: "Zion's Blood", "Croaking Lizard", "Dread Lion", "Patience", "Dub Along", "Black Vest", "Underground", "Curly Dub" "Three In One" and "Super Ape". CD

One of the greatest mainstream 70s efforts from Lee Scratch Perry – a wonderful collaboration with Jah Lion – who serves up rhymes of knowledge and wisdom over some dubby genius from Scratch himself! The album skews towards the roots side of the spectrum, but has a looser, more open vibe too – as Jah Lion (aka Jah Lloyd) really lets his words space out amidst the fantastic production – really waiting his time for the rhythms to flow, then letting his vocals come in right on the money! The whole thing is great – virtually a blueprint for the entire On-U Sound label – with titles that include "Wisdom", "Dread In A Jamdong", "Flashing Whip", "Black Lion", "Fat Man", "Black Lion", "Little Sally Dater", "Hay Fever", and "Colombia Colly". LP, Vinyl record album

The all time classic from Junior Murvin – as essential as any late 70s reggae! Production-wise, Police And Thieves is among Scratch's finest moments, from the most monumental period in Perry's career, during the height of the Black Ark. The title track needs no introduction from us, and the rest of the record is solid, funky roots rock, at a level Murvin would not match again in his career. His sweet falsetto is draped in the dense, murky production that carved a niche in history for Perry. Tracks like "Roots Train" and "False Teaching" are the embodiment of crucial, and the album is filled with other great cuts like the now classic title track, "Rescue Jah Children", "Tedious", "Easy Task" and "I Was Appointed". LP, Vinyl record album

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A really cool mix of cuts – a package that brings together American funk cuts with global touches, European tracks from the post-colonial years, and a few more surprising nuggets from other sources too – all to show the way that African rhythms entered the clubs during the 70s! Many of these numbers are either heavy on percussion, or mix together exotic elements with more familiar soulful production – and there's a nice selection of cuts from the US and overseas, which makes for a few nice surprises along the way. Titles include "Anikano O (1974 version)" by Kongas, "Hollywood Party" by Brooklyn Express, "Spend The Night" by Bob A Rela, "Dance With Your Parno" by Bohannon, "Erotic Soul" by Larry Page, "Invocation" by Tumblack, "Funky Boogie" by John Ozila, "Toque De Cuica" by Airto, "Jam On The Groove" by Ralph MacDonald, "Woman" by Barrabas, "Sultana" by Titanic, "Mangous Ye" by Black Soul, and "Big Noise From Winnetka" by Spaghetti Hero. LP, Vinyl record album

Not exotica, but Britxotica – a cool variant of the American postwar love of the sounds of the islands and the jungles – served up here in a really hip batch of tracks from the UK scene of the late 50s and early 60s! Many of these numbers are rooted in jazz, and there's definitely some key jazz musicians in the mix – but you'll also hear lots of the percussion, global instruments, and moody orchestrations you'd find on American records by folks like Les Baxter or Martin Denny – although sometimes with an even groovier vibe, and a nice London twist – similar to some of the Croydon Municipal compilations from Cherry Red! The package is one of the coolest collections we've seen from Trunk Records in a long time – and this special box features all three of the vinyl volumes. Titles include "Zambezi" by Tony Mansell & Johnny Dankworth, "The Green Eye Of The Little Yellow God" by Harry H Corbett, "Street Of A Thousand Bongos" by Brian Fahey, "Taboo" by Sounds Incorporated, "Follow Me" by Lucille Mapp, "Jungle Drums" by Ted Heath, "The Hat" by Jerry Allen, "Cha Cha Cha Calypso" by Maxine Daniels, "Sphinx Won't Tell" by Beverley Sisters, "Caravan" by Stanley Black, "Persian Twist" by Charles Blackwell, "Marrakesh" by Tony Osborne, "Climb Up The Wall" by Yana, "Miserlou" by Stanley Black, "Turkish Coffee" by Tony Osborne, "The Sultan Of Bezaaz" by Ray Ellington, "Heatwave" by Geoff Love, "Mangoes" by Lucille Mapp, "Hawaiian Honeymoon" by Frank Weir, "Tropical Mirage" by Ron Goodwin, "Run See Jerusalem" by George Melly & Kenny Graham, "Stormy Weather" by Betty Smith, "Milk From The Coconut" by Johnny Gentle, and "Quiet Village" by Martinas & His Music. CD

The title's no mistake – both in its pluralization and its acclaim for Kai Winding – as the leader here is working with a brace of additional trombones, all in a groove that's one of his most fluid on record to date! The style builds nicely from the sound that Kai and JJ Johnson forged in the 50s – but it's served up here with a sound that's slightly more modern, filled with colors and tones that really deepen the sound of Winding's music! Other trombonists include Jimmy Knepper, Tony Studd, Paul Faulise, and Johnny Messner – playing differently pitched trombones – and rhythm players include Ron Carter on bass, Bill Evans on piano, and Al Beldini on drums – plus some guest conga by Olatunji. Titles include "Speak Low", "Love Walked In", "Mangos", "Michie", "Impulse", and "Black Coffee". LP, Vinyl record album

Features "Agboju Logun" by Shina Williams & His African Percussionists , "Don't Do It" by Bongi Makeba , "Mangous Ye" by Black Soul. 12-inch, Vinyl record