Number 4 in the series of singles from Soundbombing II. Mos Def's "Next Universe", produced by Hi-Tek is sort of a part II to the classic "Universal Magnetic", complete with a nice reworking of a verse from Run-DMC's old school "Live at the Funhouse." Perfect for your 4th of July parties – "Patriotism" is Company Flow's commentary about all there is to love about America, with a sparer, cleaner sounding version of their trademark crashing-beat production style. "When It Rains It Pours" with mellow production by Diamond D and vocals from Diamond and John Doe. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Two cuts from the acclaimed Funcrusher Plus LP, plus instrumentals, and another mix of 8 Steps that's similar to the original single version, but less noisey than the LP version. 12-inch, Vinyl record

This double LP of instrumental tracks from Company Flow, produced by Mr Len and El Producto, features less of the distorted crashing beats style of some of their early material, and more of the atmospheric-hypnotic style. We're not quite sure what to think, but in some ways these tracks wouldn't sound out of place on certain early Throbbing Gristle or Current 93 records (Not bad company to be in?). Tracks include "Suzy Pulled A Pistol On Henry", "Friend Vs Friend", "Linoleum", "Bee Aware", "Workers Needed", "No Lock", "Shadows Drown", "Worker Ant Uprise", "Indelible Hybrid", "World Of Garbage", "Black Out", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

These Friimen really know how to groove – but in a way that's quite unusual, as the set often has all their instruments percolating together in this quickly-syncopated mode that cooks things up at a nicely fast clip, while they throw vocals into the mix once things get moving along! There's almost a Caribbean vibe to the music at times – as the keyboards, guitar, basslines, and percussion flow along with the groove – and titles include "Salt Sweet Style", "I Believe In Hard Working", "Music Makes You Move", "Let's Stay Together", "Think Of What To Do", and "We Can Get It On". CD

Sounds beyond compare – one of those really special 70s sessions from the Japanese Three Blind Mice label – put together in a way that almost seems to be a genre unto itself! The group here have a keen understanding of advances in free jazz and fusion, but work with a deeper spiritual undercurrent and a great sense of sound (shaped by producer Takashi "Tee" Fujii) – so that their individual instrumental elements flow together in rich new ways that are sometimes subtle, sometimes quite righteous! The lineup shifts a bit from track to track – and the set features xcellent work on flute and bass clarinet from Kenji Mori, electric piano from Masaru Imada, tenor from Takao Uematsu, and bass and cello from Nobuyoshi Ino. Titles include "End Of November", "Mort", "Our Foolish", and "Dragon Garden". CD

The highly anticipated solo album from Def Jux CEO and Company Flow vet El-Producto is all that and a bucket of black hole warp speed 9 intensity. Excellent, dark, space age, new millennial hip hop.. This album flows from many songs without breaks between them, with jagged, scattered beats and lush synth-scapes. At points it sounds very cinematic, yet very grounded in thick, pounding break beats. The whole thing is produced by El-P himself, with Rhyme Sayer Entertainment's DJ Abilities on all the scratching, with many Def Jux guests like Aesop, Lif, CamuTao, and Vast. Ill Bill, C Rayz Walz, Rob Sonic, and Cage also make appearances. Songs include "Deep Space 9mm" with the raw Rawkus dis, "Tuned Mass Damper" with awesome scream samples, "Dead Disnee", "Delorean", the biting "Stepfather Factory", "Lazerfaces' Warning", "Constellation Funk" and more! 3LPs! LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous live performance from Ahmad Jamal – one that has the piano genius stretching out on some very long tracks, in a spirit that's similar to the magic he brought to his early 70s records for the Impulse label! As on those, Jamal here also plays a bit of Fender Rhodes – in the company of drummer Frank Gant and bassist Jami Nasser – both players whose sense of open flow really matches Ahmad's energy on the piano – as the tracks take off, open up, and sparkle with creative imagination throughout! The whole thing is a key addition to the small catalog of records from this moment – which include Outertimeinnerspace and Awakening – and titles include long takes on "Bogota", "Effendi", and "Manhattan Reflections". LP, Vinyl record album

As usual, Krush mixes it up with a host of guest stars to fill out his sound. Titles include "Danger Of Love" featuring Zap mama, "Vision Of Art" with Company Flow, "Candle Chant" with Boss The MC, "Whut'z Da Solution" with Kukoo Da Baga Bonez, "With Grace" featuring N'Dea Davenport, "Zen Approach" with Black Thought, "Day's End" with Kazufumi Kodama, and "Sonic Traveler" with Tunde Ayanyemi. CD

A gem of a record from trumpeter Jeremy Pelt – and like some of his other brilliant albums, a set that really has him sparkling alongside some sweet Fender Rhodes! Pelt's trumpet has always been great – but here, in the company of keyboardist David Bryant, it really seems to find some rich new colors – almost as if the keys open up a layer of Pelt that's been hiding for years – set free to really soar and flow here. Bryant also plays some Hammond and clavinet as well, and other Fender Rhodes and keyboard work is by Frank LoCrasto – and the group also features Roxy Cross on soprano and tenor, Burniss Earl Travis on bass, Dana Hawkins on drums, and Jeffrey Haynes on percussion. Both Ra Re Valverde and Angela Roberts each sing on a track – and titles include "Reimagine The World", "Boom Bishop", "Butterfly Dreams", "Pieces Of A Dream", "Meditations On A Conversation We Had", and "Mystique". CD

Richly layered sounds from this wonderfully sensitive group – an ensemble from 70s Japan who really seem to find the best sort of way to allow each individual a special role in the music, while still also moving forward strongly as a group! As with other albums by the combo, the instrumentation here is really compelling – a mix of flute and clarinet from Kenji Mori, tenor and bass clarinet from Takao Uematsu, piano from Masaru Imada, 12 string guitar from Masayuki Takayanagi, tabla and percussion from Yuji Imamura, and cello and bass from Nobuyoshi Ino. The cello, tablas, and flute sound especially wonderful – working out some beautifully sensitive sounds amidst a bolder lineup in the lead – and the album features two long tracks, "A Tree Frog" and "Spanish Flower". CD

Amazing box set – five full albums of material, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Flowers – a soaring classic from The Emotions – thanks to some supreme help from the Earth Wind & Fire side of the soul spectrum! This set has the trio really sounding great – with Kalimba Productions by Maurice White and Charles Stepney – and a good deal of EWF help on the instrumentation as well! The girls break out of the rootsier style used on their earlier Stax recordings, and manage to fit perfectly with the jazzy tinges of the new grooves – and, along with Ramsey Lewis and EWF, the Emotions were part of a hugely successful trinity during the late 70s – one that took the indie soul roots of the Chicago scene and turned it into landmark big business for Columbia Records. The album's got a new approach to female group soul that would go onto shape R&B for years to come – and titles include "Flowers", "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", "We Go Through Changes", "Special Part", and "You've Got The Right To Know". Next is Rejoice – a huge hit for both The Emotions and Maurice White – whose Kalimba Productions handled this album in the same hit mode they'd been using for Earth Wind & Fire! There's a polished, soaring bounce her that definitely shows the Earth Wind & Fire touch – and which takes the girls miles from their rougher, rootsier soul of the Stax/Volt years – yet like all the best EWF records of the time, the sound is also plenty soulful, with lots of righteous undercurrents. The album includes the group's wonderful track "Don't Ask My Neighbors", a heavenly tune that builds on a long tradition of sweet female soul from Chicago; the super-huge "Best Of My Love", a hit on dancefloors and radios for years to come – and many other nice numbers like "Blessed", "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away", and "Key To My Heart". Sunbeam is great little album from The Emotions – largely because it sounds a lot like prime mid 70s Earth Wind & Fire, with female vocals added over the top – ultimately, pulling away with a soulful charm all its own! Maurice White produced the whole set, and it's got a soaring spacey sound that provides a perfect spiritual edge to the girls vocals – taking them way past the hits, into much more sophisticated soul territory. There's a beautifully righteous vibe going on throughout – a sound that's almost like Minnie Riperton at her 70s Capitol best – and titles include "Love Vibes", "Walking The Line", "Time Is Passing By", "I Wouldn't Lie", "Smile", and "Spirit Of Summer". Come Into Our World has the sweet Emotions at the top of their game – one of the brilliant albums that has the soulful trio working hand in hand with Earth Wind & Fire! The girls were plenty great in their early years, but working with Maurice White and company, they really took off – hitting a whole new level that really unlocked some deeply spiritual power in their vocals! And sure, the approach also yielded the group plenty of hits – but for good reason, too – given the classic quality and all-great nature of a set like this. Maurice White produced, and the lineup is filled with plenty of Earth Wind & Fire players too – working with some great arrangements from Tom Tom 84, Wade Marcus, and others. Tunes are balanced between clubby numbers and some nice midtempo moments – and titles include "Where Is Your Love", "Cause I Love You", "Come Into My World", "On & On", "I Should Be Dancing", "Layed Back", and "Yes I Am". New Affair has The Emotions breaking free a bit from the Earth Wind & Fire influence, and grooving nicely with a sweet 80s feel! The girls' voices are still quite wonderful – some of the deepest harmonies in the female soul world at the time – and the tunes kick it up nicely in a blend of snapping bassy club tracks and mellower cuts that sweetly sway with their great vocals! Loads of wonderful tracks – and an album not to miss! Titles include "Turn It Out", "There'll Never Be Another Moment", "Now That I Know", "Love Lies", "When You Gonna Wake Up", and "Here You Come Again". 3CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including "Boogie Wonderland (12" mix", "Don't Ask My Neighbors (single version)", "I Should Be Dancin (single version)", "My Baby Dance", "Changes", "Where Is Your Love (single version)", and "Flowers (single version)". CD

A bold move forward for Public Image Ltd – a set recorded after bassist Jah Wobble left the group – and John Lydon and company made an abrupt shift from bass-heavy dub to a highly percussive mode! With Wobble gone, Keith Levene is even more of a presence here – bringing some amazing drums into play, as well as some very dark guitar – at moments when additional drums were provided by Martin Adkins. The trio lineup is amazing – very raw, earthy, and stripped-down – and the bass is hardly missed with the album's very strong use of drums. Titles include "Four Enclosed Walls", "Track 8", "Flowers Of Romance", "Under The House", "Hymie's Him", "Banging The Door", "Go Back" and "Francis Massacre". CD

One of Maria Bethania's first albums, and a beautiful set of live recordings – with a vibe that's a lot more uptempo and swinging than some of her later work! The style here almost has traces of bossa – a lighter, groovier feel at times than some of the more emotive modes that Bethania became known for during her run of 70s MPB. Backing here is by the bossa-esque Terra Trio, and they accompany her deep rich voice nicely on tracks like "Marina", "Carinhoso", "Marginalia II", "Ele Valava Nisso Todo Dia", and a great version of Caetano Veloso's "Baby". Very cool cover, too – with a trippy painting that has Maria's nude torso covered with flowers and bugs! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little record from Tony Kosinec – a lesser-known songwriter from the late 60s scene, and one with a pretty unusual sound as well! Tony originally hails from the UK, but was working in Canada at the time of this set – and the album's an unusual blend of folksy roots with jazzier phrasing – a set that sits nicely in the company of Columbia contemporaries like Leonard Cohen or Tim Hardin, and which also has a voice that's as uniquely formed as theirs! Tony's tunes are quite poetic, but never too much so – and his way of singing is sometimes fluid, but never flowery – almost informed by jazz, but not jazzy – if we can get away with that many qualifiers in one sentence. There's a slight hint of roots in the backings, but Tony's accent and performance never lapse into simple country cliches. Titles include "Mystic Fifties", "Tyrant", "Down On Words", "Cleopatra", "Feather Of A Boy", "Summer/Spring", and "I Can't Sing". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Andre Previn's great late 50s jazz sides for Contemporary Records – all of which stand as some of his finest recorded work ever, and make us always wonder why he'd ever parted company with the label! The set's got a simple, focused groove that's really great – no too-flowery Previn lines on piano, just tight jazz piano with a masterful touch – a bit like Red Garland at his best during the same stretch, although a bit less bluesy overall. The trio here features Red Mitchell on bass and Frankie Capp on drums – and titles include "I'm Beginning To See The Light", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "I'll Remember April", and "Low & Inside" – many done in longish takes! LP, Vinyl record album

Think you know the sound of Atlantic Records in the 60s? Think again – because this stunning series opens the vault to a huge amount of rare treasures from the legendary label! The package is amazing – and offers up rare tracks that were mostly only issued by Atlantic on singles – including some on the other imprints associated with the company – some by names we never even knew recorded for the label, others by bigger names, but represented here by obscure material that goes way past their hits – and which is ultra cool because of that. There's also a fair bit more deep soul than you might expect from the usual Atlantic mix – tremendous vocals, and often in less hit-heavy modes – which makes the whole thing a great revelation – and just one more reason to bow down and give even more expect to one of the key companies who helped soul music find a home in the 60s. Plus – as if that's not enough – the whole thing comes in a very cool 7" gatefold package – which emphasizes the from-singles nature of the collection. Volume 3 is overflowing with amazing sounds from the heart of the 60s – rare 45rpm tracks by Atlantic stars, Stax artists, and a few lesser-knowns too. Titles include "Hello Stranger" by The Capitols, "Help Me (parts 1 & 2)" by Ray Sharpe, "Long Distance Love" by Ted Taylor, "Lonely Soldier" by Mike Williams, "How Can You Babysit A Man" by Ned Towns, "Keep Looking" by Solomon Bourke, "I'm Sorry" by Fred Lowrey, "Please Uncle Sam" by The Charmels, "Share What You Got" by William Bell, "Reputation" by The Four Shells, "Me & My Baby" by Mary Wells, "Got No One" by The Delcardos, "Weak Spot" by Ruby Johnson, "Good Love Bad Love" by Eddie Floyd, "Bingo" by Ned Towns, "I Had A Dream" by Johnny Taylor, "I Can't Take It" by Ray Sharpe, "You Can't Love Them All" by The Drifters, "Believe It Or Not" by Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers, "Patch My Heart" by The Mad Lads, "She's The One I Love" by The Delcardos, "Find Me Somebody" by Bobby Womack, "Hello Stranger" by The Capitols, "So Much Love" by Ben E King, "Help The Bear" by Ted Taylor, and "I Feel A Sin Coming On" by Solomon Burke. CD

Think you know the sound of Atlantic Records in the 60s? Think again – because this stunning series opens the vault to a huge amount of rare treasures from the legendary label! The package is amazing – and offers up rare tracks that were mostly only issued by Atlantic on singles – including some on the other imprints associated with the company – some by names we never even knew recorded for the label, others by bigger names, but represented here by obscure material that goes way past their hits – and which is ultra cool because of that. There's also a fair bit more deep soul than you might expect from the usual Atlantic mix – tremendous vocals, and often in less hit-heavy modes – which makes the whole thing a great revelation – and just one more reason to bow down and give even more expect to one of the key companies who helped soul music find a home in the 60s. Plus – as if that's not enough – the whole thing comes in a very cool 7" gatefold package – which emphasizes the from-singles nature of the collection. This 6th volume is overflowing with funk and soul goodies – and titles include "Baby Hold On (part 1)" and "Sound Of The Witch Doctor" by The Mohawks, "Getting The Corners" and "What Good Am I" by TSU Tornadoes, "He Ain't Gonna Do Right" and "Love Ain't Never Hurt Nobody" by Barbara Lyn, "You Got Quality" and "Have A Heart Girl" by Willie Hatcher, "Night After Night" and "The Love That I Needed" by The Blendells, "I Want A Home In The Country" and "I Don't Want To Play No More" by The Demotrons, "Where Did I Go Wrong" by The Embers, "Shipwrecked" and "Sock It To Yourself" by Jerry Williams, "I've Fallen In Love" and "You Are The Circus" by C & The Shells, "Gambler's Blues" by Otis Rush, "Standing On The Mountain" by Percy Sledge, "Crying Won't Help Me Now" and "No Other Girl" by Delorise Berry, "Stone Soul Candidate" and "Don't Be No Drag" by Tony Alvon & The Belaires, "Til I Can't Take It Anymore" by Ben E King, "Soul Sister Brown Sugar" by Sam & Dave, "Part Time Lover" by Clarence Reid, and "Twenty Four Hours" and "Shake A Hand" by Toby Lark. CD

A heavenly set of southern soul – a package that pulls together a wealth of rare and unreleased singles from the Malaco label – that important Jackson, Mississippi imprint that took on the deeper sounds of the 70s – after the Memphis and Muscle Shoals scenes were losing steam! Some of the artists here are ones who would have ended up on Stax or Volt, had the labels still been going at the time – and instead found a great home on Malaco, a company who also had a great legacy of work in southern blues, and really knew how to bring out the best in a strong-voiced singer! Yet despite that side of the label, the music here is all-soul all the way through – not some of the soul/blues hybrids that Malaco could do well, and instead amazing deep soul, handled with a new sort of sophistication for the 70s! The sound is wonderful throughout – and the set features loads of cuts we'd never heard before – 18 titles that include "Overflowing" by Jewel Bass, "Ain't No Love For Sale" by Tommy Tate, "Sour Love Bitter Sweet" by Joe Wilson, "Lovin On Borrowed Time" by Anita Mitchell, "Got To Find The Nerve" by Hank Sample, "Two Of A Kind" by Dorothy Moore, "Once Upon A Love Affair" by Chuck Brooks, "That's How Much I Love You" by Eddie Houston, and "Talkin About Love" by George Soule. CD

The deepest sound of the legendary TK Records label in the 70s – music that shows the way the company was really helping to transform the sound of southern soul in the decade, and also open the door to a whole new range of styles too! The tracks here definitely have a mellow groove, but they're never sleepy – just set apart from the more disco-oriented hits on TK, thanks to a sophisticated approach to instrumentation and arrangements – at a level that still makes most of these cuts stand head and shoulder above mainstream soul of the time! You'll know a few artists from earlier, straighter material – and will discover a number of other rarer, much more obscure TK talents – in a great set list that includes "Confusion" by Leno Phillips, "Keep Her Happy" by Phillip Wright, "I Got Bills To Pay" by Johnny K, "Thousand Years" by Brand New, "If You Want My Love" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "You Can Be A Lady" by JP Robinson, "Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do" by Betty Wright, "Sleep On Dream On" by Raphael Munnings, "Tears Of The World" by Robert Moore, "The Silence That You Keep" by Milton Wright, "You Knock Me Out" by Wildflower, and "Love Insurance" by Gwen McCrae. CD

A fantastic look at the Spring Records label in New York – a company that had a few big crossover hits in the 70s, but also issued a lot more rare and obscure material over the years – with a long legacy that even hit the early years of the old school scene! One of Spring's great contributions was finding a way for fast funk groups to shift into a disco mode when the earliest years of the clubs got going – but there's also a lot more going on here too – including some great deep soul ballads, warm midtempo steppers, and cuts that point the way towards the modern soul generation on the rise. The package also features six never-issued cuts, alongside some well-chosen and overlooked Spring Records gems – all put together with the usual strong notes and excellent sound we love from Ace/Kent! Titles include "If We Get Caught I Don't Know You" by Prince Philip Mitchell, "Falling In Love" by Victor Tavares, "Save The Best For Me" by The Determinations, "Do You Feel Me" by Act I, "I'm The Other Half Of You" by Maxine Weldon, "If You Could Turn Into Me" by The Fatback Band, "Magic's In The Air" by Ronnie Walker, "Hold On" by Ray Godfrey, "If You Say You Love Me" by Us, "The Storm Is Passing Over" by Jackie Verdell, "Beauty" by The Joneses, "Kill The Monster" by Flower Shoppe, "I Ride Alone" by The Internationals, "Get Right" by Richard Barbary, "Daddy's Coming Home" by Prince Harold, and "Of Your Life" by Vernon Brown. CD

Great grooves galore – a sweet selection of tracks from the late 60s onwards, none of which were made available to the public at the time! The French Tele Music company was one of those secret sound library labels – recording top shelf tracks during the 70s, but then only passing them along to TV, radio, and film producers – for possible use in later projects! This meant that there was a rich array of wonderful sounds that never made it to records that the public could buy in stores – and the result is a collection like this, which is overflowing with killer grooves that you're not likely to have in your record collection at all. Styles range from funky jazz to clubby grooves, with plenty of soundtrack-styled funk numbers in the mix – and titles include "Gang Train" by Bernard Estardy, "West Coast Drive" by Pierre Alain Dahan & Mat Camison, "Mitsuko" by Jean Jacques Debout, "Percussionissimo" by Hervey Roy, "Suspense Time" by Michel Gonet, "Meteor One" by Sauveur Mallia, "Pop Percussions" by Janko Nilovic, "Rocket 2" by Bernard Lubat, and "Les Copans De La Basse" by Guy Pedersen. 26 tracks in all – selected by Lord Funk & DJ LC! LP, Vinyl record album

A deep deep dive into the farther reaches of the California scene in the late 60s – music that's completely wonderful all the way through, and presented with a level that really blows away some of the less-official collections on the market! If you know the hit sounds of the time, you'll know a bit of what to expect here – but the selection of cuts goes way way deeper, put together by Alec Palao, a guy we'd already trust with anything Cali from the 60s – and who really knocks himself out with this set! If you dig Beach Boys, Mamas & Papas, and the Byrds, you'll find plenty of new sounds here to fall in love with – and as usual with Ace, the whole thing comes with superb notes, and even features a few unreleased tracks – including two rare cuts by Third Wave, who recorded one album for MPS! Titles include "Niki" and "Three Kingfishers Ferris Wheel" by Third Wave, "Go Try & Put Out The Sun" by The Forum, "Soul Sunrise" by JP Rags, "A Thousand Faces" by The Thousand Faces, "Out In The Open" by The Justice League, "Meadows & Flowers" by Curt Boettcher, "Richard & Me" by Evergreen Tangerine, "Someday Sunday" by The Gettysburg Address, "Lazy Bones" by The Tricycle, "Sugar Stone" by The Candy Company, "The Life You Lead" by A Small World, "Summer Flower" by Crystal Set, and "Until Now" by Augie Moreno. CD

Reed player Zoh Amba is in some fantastic company here – every bit as great as you'd guess in a trio setting with William Parker on bass and Francisco Mela on drums! Yet even amidst these giants, Amba more than holds her own – especially on tenor, which she blows in this raw, raspy quality that almost has echoes of Albert Ayler at times – in terms of individuality and spirit! The tracks are all quite long, and build with a nice sort of intensity – and Zoh also plays flute on the record as well. This vinyl version features two side-long tracks – "Three Flowers" and "Dance Of Bliss". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early live set from David Murray – blowing tenor here in the company of Fred Houkins on bass and Stanley Crouch on drums – the latter of whom makes a rare musical appearance away from his work as a critic! Tracks include "Future Sally's Time", "Low Class Conspiracy", "Beauty From Elsewhere", and "Turquoise Cement Flower". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith – an early 80s session, but one that we'd rank with some of his most-together work ever! The album's a mixture of spare modes and some surprising group elements – a set that often has Smith blowing beautifully on trumpet or flugelhorn, alongside the vibes of Bobby Naughton and percussion of Kahil El Zabar – the latter of whom makes a strong, spiritual appearance here – really helping to shade in some strong sounds to Leo's music. Naughton's vibes are great too – very angular and chromatic, with the sharpness of Bobby Hutcherson's avant work of the mid 60s – and one track features John Powell on tenor, and two more have Louis Myers on guitar – bringing in these weird harmelodic bluesy tones which then accompany vocals from Smith! Titles include "Nuru Light", "The Flower That Seeds The Earth", "Jah Jah Is The Perfect Love", "Procession Of The Great Ancestry", and "Third World Grainery Of Pure Earth". CD

The extra "e" in the name of Thee Sacred Souls really takes us back – to the legendary Thee Midniters of the scene in east LA – a scene whose sound clearly had a big influence on this contemporary trio! As with the best work of that older generation, there's a heartbreakingly soulful sound going on here – sweet soul, but with deeper currents – often slow-stepping, at a level that really lets the emotion in the vocals build up – as lead singer Josh Lane knocks it out of the park on a blue-tinged record that's completely sublime! Production is nice and lean, in the best Daptone style – tuned towards moodier, late nite material than some of the company's funk – on titles that include "Sorrow For Tomorrow", "Lady Love", "Can I Call You Rose", "Easier Said Than Done", "Overflowing", "Future Lover", "Happy & Well", and "Love Comes Easy". CD

Think you know the sound of Atlantic Records in the 60s? Think again – because this stunning series opens the vault to a huge amount of rare treasures from the legendary label! The package is amazing – and offers up rare tracks that were mostly only issued by Atlantic on singles – including some on the other imprints associated with the company – some by names we never even knew recorded for the label, others by bigger names, but represented here by obscure material that goes way past their hits – and which is ultra cool because of that. There's also a fair bit more deep soul than you might expect from the usual Atlantic mix – tremendous vocals, and often in less hit-heavy modes – which makes the whole thing a great revelation – and just one more reason to bow down and give even more expect to one of the key companies who helped soul music find a home in the 60s. Plus – as if that's not enough – the whole thing comes in a very cool 7" gatefold package – which emphasizes the from-singles nature of the collection. Volume 5 is overflowing with goodies – titles that include "Soul Power" and "Sly Girl" by Derek Martin, "Tryin To Reach My Goal" and "Sufferin City" by Johnny Copeland, "What's Going To Happen To Me" by Jeanne & The Darlings, "Thank You Baby For Loving Me" and "I Can't Live Without You" by Soul Brothers Six, "That Kind Of Lovin" and "She's About A Mover" by Otis Clay, "The One You Can't Have All By Yourself" by Shirley Walton, "Can't Find No Happiness" and "A Great Big Thing" by Barbara Brown, "Somebody Needs You" and "Baby What You Got" by Darrell Banks, "Please Operator" by Tony & Tyrone, "Ain't Got No Girl" by William Bell, "Let Me Down Easy" by Alvin Robinson, "Whatcha Gonna Do About It" by Ben E King & Dee Dee Sharp. "Don't Get Caught" by Mable John, "Here I Am" by Linda Lyndell, "It's You For Me" by The Amazers, and "Need Your Love So Bad" by Solomon Burke. CD

An overlooked gem from trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith – an early 80s session, but one that we'd rank with some of his most-together work ever! The album's a mixture of spare modes and some surprising group elements – a set that often has Smith blowing beautifully on trumpet or flugelhorn, alongside the vibes of Bobby Naughton and percussion of Kahil El Zabar – the latter of whom makes a strong, spiritual appearance here – really helping to shade in some strong sounds to Leo's music. Naughton's vibes are great too – very angular and chromatic, with the sharpness of Bobby Hutcherson's avant work of the mid 60s – and one track features John Powell on tenor, and two more have Louis Myers on guitar – bringing in these weird harmelodic bluesy tones which then accompany vocals from Smith! Titles include "Nuru Light", "The Flower That Seeds The Earth", "Jah Jah Is The Perfect Love", "Procession Of The Great Ancestry", and "Third World Grainery Of Pure Earth". CD

Few folks get a classic groove as right as T-Groove – and here, he's working with the George Kano Experience for an even more classic vibe – this wonderful blend of soul, jazz, funk, and boogie – all put together with the best sort of 80s groove production! The album's got a wonderfully understated vibe – so much so, the whole thing almost feels like the kind of lost major label production from back in the day – the sort of the set that was cut with top-shelf talents in the studio, then under-promoted by the record company – only to be discovered years later by rare groove hounds like us! Yet it's contemporary, and hopefully will get the attention it deserves – overflowing with great tracks that include a clubby remake of Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island", topped with the lyrics penned by Mark Murphy in the 70s – plus tracks that include "Shallow Naked Love", "Timeless Groove", "Haven", "Do It Baby", and "Secret Lover". LP, Vinyl record album