The group may be named Mass Production, but their sound is anything but – a really special fusion of key instrumental talents and vocal elements – all brought together in one of the tightest ensemble funk grooves of the time! Mass Production draw a bit from an Earth Wind & Fire tradition – especially some spiritual undercurrents to hold themselves together – but they've also got some of the fuller funk elements of the best dancefloor combos of the time – like Fatback, Cameo, or Con Funk Shun – all of whom would be a great comparison with this smoking debut. The instrumentation is razor-sharp, and never dips into any disco cliches at all – and at times, the guitars alone leave us breathless – as they chug forcefully over the rhythms, and really propel the tunes into the skies. Two of the best groovers include "I Like To Dance" and "Fun In The Sun" – and other titles include "Magic", "Wine-flow Disco", "Our Thought (To The World)", and "Just A Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic collection of grooves from Mass Production – one of the best of the large funk ensembles to hit the mainstream at the end of the 70s – even though they didn't always get the success they deserved! That doesn't stop these guys from giving their all, though – super-sharp, super-tight instrumentation that comes down on the groove right from the get-go – and which moves with a fast funk energy that's a nice contrast to some of the stiffer, clunkier modes that were floating around at the time! These guys inherit the best impulses of Earth Wind & Fire and Kool & The Gang – and find a way to make their large lineup sound nice and lean, never too overcooked – with shifting vocals that really help keep things interesting throughout. The 3CD package features 45 tracks from their seven year stretch recording for Atlantic/Cotillion Records – and titles include "Sky High", "Groove Me", "Our Thought", "Bopp", "Turn Up The Music", "Diamond Chips", "Inner City", "Sun Dancer", "Victory 83", "Magic", "I Like To Dance", "Welcome To Our World", "Slow Bump", "Time Bomb", "Keep My Heart Together", "Cosmic Lust", "I Believe In Music", "Fun In The Sun", "Just Wanna Make A Dream Come True", "Firecracker", and "Eknuf (inst)". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

2 killers from Mass Production – back to back on a single set! On the first record, Mass Production are definitely In A City Groove – as the record bounces along with a really wicked mix of 80s boogie and modern soul – almost better than before, and a great example of the self-contained energy that Mass Production had at their height! Tunes are simple, but confident – stepping out subtly without going too over the top, and often mixing in a nice bit of mellower work alongside the groove – showcasing the deeper soul of the group, and setting them apart from some of their dancefloor-only contemporaries. These mellow cuts are especially nice, and still often have a groove at the bottom – even if it's a gentle one. Titles include "Should Have Known Better", "One More Chance", "Never Ever", "Inner City", "Weird", and "Solid Love". Mass Production 83 is the last Mass Production album for Atlantic Records – and a set that definitely has the group picking up a new direction in their style! The groove is a bit leaner than before – more keyboards instead of larger funk ensemble elements – fused in a sweet groove that bubbles with more electro funk touches than previous sets – almost a nod to the Minneapolis sound of Prince and his contemporaries, but carried off with the Mass Production sharpness we'd expect. Titles include "Sun Dancer", "Time Bomb", "Victory 83", "Style", "Chasing Rainbows", and "Don't Stop Believing". Features 9 bonus tracks – 7" and 12" single mixes of cuts that include "Rock", "Inner City", "Weird", "Time Bomb", "Sun Dancer", and "Solid Love". CD

Mass Production are definitely in their purest form here – stepping forward as one of the best soul acts in the Cotillion Records roster at the end of the 70s – and maybe one of the hippest modern funk ensembles of the time! These guys have a way of making things sound nice and lean, despite a larger lineup – with a very strong focus on bassline currents, which seem to draw all the other elements into their wake in a mighty nice way! Yet the album's also not a slap-bass affair – as the deeper sounds are used with a nicely understated vibe, and even come through nicely on the mellower numbers – which might be our favorites. Tracks include "Our Thought (Purity)", "With Pleasure", "Next Year","Love You", "Firecracker", and "Can't You See I'm Fired Up". Also includes the great cut "Strollin" – which is a jazzy instrumental with trumpet and vibes, really working together in a tightly jamming groove! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the darkest records to ever come out of the Detroit soul scene! As you might guess from the title, the album is Funkadelic's first – and it's a swirling mass of psychedelic guitars, echoey drums, and bass-heavy riffing, all topped off by the band's harmony vocals, which sound like a perversion of the deep-Motown styles of groups like The Temptations or Undisputed Truth – taken into even headier territory! The original 5-member version of the group includes Eddie Hazel, Mickey Atkins, Tawl Ross, Bill Nelson, and Tiki Fulwood – all working here with some mindblowing George Clinton production! Tracks include classics like "I Bet You", "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic", "Music for My Mother", and "What Is Soul" – and the album's the stuff that made these guys a legend right out of the box! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the darkest records to ever come out of the Detroit soul scene! As you might guess from the title, the album is Funkadelic's first – and it's a swirling mass of psychedelic guitars, echoey drums, and bass-heavy riffing, all topped off by the band's harmony vocals, which sound like a perversion of the deep-Motown styles of groups like The Temptations or Undisputed Truth – taken into even headier territory! The original 5-member version of the group includes Eddie Hazel, Mickey Atkins, Tawl Ross, Bill Nelson, and Tiki Fulwood – all working here with some mindblowing George Clinton production! Tracks include classics like "I Bet You", "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic", "Music for My Mother", and "What Is Soul" – and the album's the stuff that made these guys a legend right out of the box! LP, Vinyl record album

The second round from the Run The Jewels supergroup duo of El-P & Killer Mike – bigger, bolder and better than the debut! The production is more densely layered and the rhymes are meaner – especially Killer Mike's limber, charismatic flow, which served so strongly by El-P's progressive, classic boom bap-inspired production – and El-P is no slouch on the mic, either! The guests bring their A games, too – and the titles include "Jeopardy", "Oh My Darling Don't Cry", "Close Your Eyes" with Zach De la Rocha, "Lie, Cheat, Steal", "Early" feat Boots, "Love Again (Akinyele Back)", "Crown" feat Diane Coffee, "Angel Duster" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the darkest records to ever come out of the Detroit soul scene! As you might guess from the title, the album is Funkadelic's first – and it's a swirling mass of psychedelic guitars, echoey drums, and bass-heavy riffing, all topped off by the band's harmony vocals, which sound like a perversion of the deep-Motown styles of groups like The Temptations or Undisputed Truth – taken into even headier territory! The original 5-member version of the group includes Eddie Hazel, Mickey Atkins, Tawl Ross, Bill Nelson, and Tiki Fulwood – all working here with some mindblowing George Clinton production! Tracks include classics like "I Bet You", "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic", "Music for My Mother", and "What Is Soul" – and the album's the stuff that made these guys a legend right out of the box! This hugely expanded version features 7 bonus tracks that include alternate 45 versions and non-LP cuts from the time. Titles include "Music For My Mother (instrumental)", "I'll Be You", "Can't Shake It Loose", "As Good As I Can Feel", and "Open Our Eyes". CD

RTJ come on with the force of a hurricane on the very first track – and don't let up throughout the course of this completely sharp 4th LP – a record that may owe plenty to the spirit of 2020, even if just as an antidote to what ails us! EL P and Killer Mike sound more urgent than ever before – clearly brimming over with energy and a sense of message – so much so that the album's guests almost dim in comparison – although we do appreciate the work from Mavis Staples, 2 Chainz, Greg Nice, DJ Premier, and Pharrell Williams! The record is full of sharp samples and production modes that punch with the force of a fist – and titles include "Out Of Sight", "Holy Calamafuck", "Goonies Vs ET", "Walking In The Snow", "Ju$t", "Yankee & The Brave", "Never Look Back", "Ooh La La", "A Few Words For The Firing Squad", and "Pulling The Pin". LP, Vinyl record album

A vital third act in the thankfully ongoing RTJ saga! The first album was unsurprisingly excellent, but surprisingly popular. The second album not only turned out to be a bigger hit, it was also a creative peak for both El-P and Killer Mike – which is really saying something. So the stakes were high for RTJ3, but the duo rises to the occasion with the biggest sounding, hardest hitting effort yet! El-P's production is a the perfect balance of classic era inspired boombap and his totally distinctive, icy electric sound – and the breathless rhymes by both, but especially Killer Mike are powerful to say the least. Includes "Down" feat Joi Gilliam, "Talk To Me", "Legend Has It", "Call Ticketron", "Hey Kids" feat Danny Brown, "Stay Gold", "Thieves! (Screamed The Ghost)" feat Tunde Adebimpe, "2100" feat Boots, "Thursday In The Danger Room" (feat Kamasi Washington), "A Report To The Shareholders/Kill Your Masters". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from The Meters – and an album that's essential for just about any collection of old school funk! The record's a blueprint for grooves that have been copied for generations to come – yet nobody does it better than these Crescent City kings – working here with a sound that's lean, mean, and completely on the money! The mix of organ, guitar, and bad-walking rhythms is completely sublime throughout – and made even better by massive production from the team of Marshall Sehorn and Allen Toussaint. Imagine taking the best instrumental funk 45s from your collection, then playing them back to back – and you'll get a good idea of the solid sound of this landmark set. Titles include "Funky Miracle", "Oh Calcutta", "Yeah You're Right", "Pungee", "Look-Ka Py Py", "Dry Spell", "Little Old Money Maker", "The Mob", "9 Til 5", "Rigor Mortis", and "This Is My Last Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from The Meters – and an album that's essential for just about any collection of old school funk! The record's a blueprint for grooves that have been copied for generations to come – yet nobody does it better than these Crescent City kings – working here with a sound that's lean, mean, and completely on the money! The mix of organ, guitar, and bad-walking rhythms is completely sublime throughout – and made even better by massive production from the team of Marshall Sehorn and Allen Toussaint. Imagine taking the best instrumental funk 45s from your collection, then playing them back to back – and you'll get a good idea of the solid sound of this landmark set. Titles include "Funky Miracle", "Oh Calcutta", "Yeah You're Right", "Pungee", "Look-Ka Py Py", "Dry Spell", "Little Old Money Maker", "The Mob", "9 Til 5", "Rigor Mortis", and "This Is My Last Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from The Meters – and an album that's essential for just about any collection of old school funk! The record's a blueprint for grooves that have been copied for generations to come – yet nobody does it better than these Crescent City kings – working here with a sound that's lean, mean, and completely on the money! The mix of organ, guitar, and bad-walking rhythms is completely sublime throughout – and made even better by massive production from the team of Marshall Sehorn and Allen Toussaint. Imagine taking the best instrumental funk 45s from your collection, then playing them back to back – and you'll get a good idea of the solid sound of this landmark set. Titles include "Funky Miracle", "Oh Calcutta", "Yeah You're Right", "Pungee", "Look-Ka Py Py", "Dry Spell", "Little Old Money Maker", "The Mob", "9 Til 5", "Rigor Mortis", and "This Is My Last Affair". CD reissue features the full original classic funky album – plus 2 previously unissued tracks: "Grass" and "Borro"! CD

Strong second album from Massive Attack! Protection sets the stage with stunning one-two punch of the title track and "Karmacoma" – 13+ minutes of flawless, hypnotic trip hop with a strong sense of moody soul, thanks in the always impeccable (to this point, anyway) production and all the more wonderful thanks to some strong guest vocals by Tracey Thorn. If the opening couple tracks set the bar a little to high to be sustained to the end, there's still a lot to love here, and the other titles include "Weather Storm", "Spying Glass", "Better Things", "Eurochild", "Sly", "Heat Miser" and "Light My Fire". CD

A further fantastic pairing of drummer Karriem Riggins and production genius Madlib – a set that really seems to open up the flow of both musicians, with a vibe that's deeper, richer, and more sophisticated than most they've given us in the past – quite a claim, considering the great legacy involved! The record's a great illustration of the way that jazz-meets-hip hop sets have evolved since the earliest days of experiments on Stones Throw and other labels – handled with a real love and understanding of jazz deepened by Madlib's years of creating amazing sounds – and served with a continued crisp crackle from Riggins' inventive work on drums! Titles include "Massamba Afundance", "The Clappers Cousin", "Anointed Soul", "All Things", "Otis' Tambourine", and "JMU's Voyage". LP, Vinyl record album

A heady mix of fuzzy funk and psychedelic production – served up here as a duet between Little Barrie and Malcolm Catto! Catto's on drums, with the same rock-solid style that we've loved right since his Mo Wax days – and Barrie handles guitar and vocals – with that more pronounced lyrical mode that he's had in recent years, yet still all filtered down in the mix – thanks to some nicely trippy production from Catto in his Quatermass Soundlab! The whole thing's a great blend of psych and funk – on titles that include "You're Only You", "Repeater #2", "Rest In Blue", "TRABS", "Steel Drum", "After After", and "Repeater #1". LP, Vinyl record album

Two new versions remixed by the Beatnuts, at the height of their production skills, who bring the sound up a level from the LP versions. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With production by Clinton Sparks on both tracks, and featuring Problematic on "Live". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Five incredible albums from the legendary Roy Ayers – all presented in a single set! First up is Tear To A Smile – one of the best early soul albums by Roy Ayers! Roy's working here with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Edwin Birdsong, William Allen, Harry Whitaker, and other hip players – a perfect crew to forge Roy's unique blend of jazz and soul. This is perhaps the first record to really have Roy stretching out in this mode – moving more fully away from funky jazz, into a ream of vocal tracks that would make him one of the most unique artists of the 70s. This mid 70s period of Roy's career was remarkably fertile, creatively as well as for sheer productivity – and Tears To A Smile is one of them that shows some the most artistic growth, and also a deeper sense of soul! Features righteous cuts like "2000 Black", "Ebony Blaze", "Time & Space", and "A Tear To A Smile" – plus the mellow "Magic Lady", and a great remake of Earth Wind & Fire's "That's The Way Of The World". Next is Mystic Voyage – an archetypal album by Roy – and one that really shows him at the turning point! Gone are the trippier jazz funk moments of earlier albums – and in their place are some tight grooves and wonderfully spacey soul. Roy hits the dancefloor with one of his first uptempo funk numbers "Brother Green", a catchy groover with lots of clavinet, and the massive "Life Is Just A Moment", a storming 2-part number that rolls along with a pounding almost house-like groove. "Mystic Voyage" shows the sweet jazzy side of Roy – as it's a vibes-heavy instrumental with a light stepping groove, perfect for the mellow direction he'd take on other records. The album also features some great off-beat funk numbers that recall earlier albums – including the break-heavy "Spirit Of Doo Doo", plus "Funky Motion" and "The Black Five". Everybody Loves The Sunshine is one of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever – and also one of his deepest, too! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new bag in soul music. There's a wonderful electric vibe running through the record – not just from Roy's vibes, but from the Fender Rhodes and Arp work by Phillip Woo – and the amazing energy of the rest of the group too. Features the landmark title cut – "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", one of those tunes that becomes more and more of a classic each year – plus spiritual numbers like "Third Eye" , "Keep on Walking", and "The Golden Rod". Vibrations is fantastic – a set that tightens up the groove from previous Polydor productions, yet still keeps all the soul intact! The record picks up the style begun with the Mystic Voyage album, and pushes it to some slightly tighter territory – a more focused Roy Ayers sound that's totally great, and which makes the album sparkle wonderfully throughout! All aspects of Roy's talents are perfectly balanced here – his warm vocals and jazzy vibes, his uptempo grooves and mellower rhythms – played to perfection by a hip lineup of players that includes Philip Woo on electric piano, Justo Almario on tenor sax, and Steve Cobb on drums. Edwin Birdsong guests a bit on the record – bringing in a nice edge to a few tunes – the album's got a really unique dark undercurrent, even in smoother moments – that subtle Roy Ayers' approach that's always made him one of our all-time favorite artists. Titles include the wonderful jazz-tinged "Searching", a great midtempo stepper that we really love; the funky break track "The Memory", a righteous number that feels like work from earlier records; the clubby classic "One Sweet Love to Remember"; and the sweet instrumental "Vibrations", which has a mellow kickback feel! Other tunes include "Higher", "Domelo (Give It To Me)", "Baby I Need Your Love", and "Better Days". Last up is Lifeline – a sublime blend of mellow numbers and some of his more club-oriented grooves of the time – all wrapped together with a genius that we can only describe as Ayers-like! The album's a beautiful example of the balance that Roy was striking in his work at the time – because alongside some of the more upbeat, catchy numbers, there's other tracks that are a fair bit more laidback, and almost abstract at times – a wonderful extrapolation of that sensitive Ayers blend of jazz and soul, with key emphasis on the vibes and keyboards. Titles include the massive groover "Running Away" – which you'll recognize from a key sample history over the years – and club cuts "Cincinnati Growl", "Fruit", "Sanctified Feeling", and "Stranded In The Jungle" – plus the more laidback cuts "Gotta Find A Lover", "I Still Love You", "Lifeline", and "This Side Of Sunshine". Also features bonus tracks – "Evolution (7" mix)", "Domelo (7" mix)", and "Running Away (12" long version)". CD

A massive legacy of music, brought together in one great little package – all of which shows just how much the group Blue Magic evolved in the span of just a few short years! At their start, the group were right up there with some of the best east coast sweet soul acts – like The Stylistics and Delfonics, and also shared a similar high-soaring lead singer in the wonderful Ted Wizard Mills, who gives Blue Magic a stunning sound that's very much their own! And as the years progressed, they also picked up a great talent for stepping up their groove, but all without ever losing the sense of soul that made them so great – working with giants from the Sigma Sound scene, like Norman Harris, Bobby Eli, and Vince Montana – and also getting some production help from the great Skip Scarborough as well! All the top-shelf talent really keeps things strong through this amazing run of records – albums presented here with new remastering, with 74 tracks in all, including bonus material as well! The package features the full albums Blue Magic, Magic Of The Blue, Thirteen Blue Magic Lane, Mystic Dragons, Message From The Magic, and the Live album done with Major Harris and Margie Joseph – presented here with all the Blue Magic tracks, including duets with Joseph. Bonus tracks include "Freak N Stein (single edit)", "I Waited (single edit)", "Grateful", "Stop & Get A Hold Of Yourself (single edit)", "You & Me (with Margie Joseph)", "Magic Of The Blue (vocal)", "Look Me Up (Tom Moulton ext rmx)", "Three Ring Circus (single edit)", "Guess Who", "Where Have You Been", "Sideshow (Mike Maurro ext magic rmx)", "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely (single edit)", and "Welcome To The Club (UK single edit)". CD

A massive collaborative effort – one that features the talents of Buckshot, OGC, Heltah Skeltah, and Smif N Wessun – all bringing forward a 90s New York indie vibe, and with a power that seems to resonate even more strongly as they work together! Production here is top shelf, and nicely varied – handled by Pete Rock, Large Professor, 9th Wonder, and Da Beatminerz – all of whom also share a sense of contemporary changes in hip hop, and work with the MCs to really keep things urgent and upfront throughout. Titles include "He Gave His Life", "Everybody Knows Now", "Soul Jah", "Hate All You Want", "Don't You Cross The Line", "Take A Look In The Mirror", "Here We Come", "Let's Go", and "Yeah". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive set from the legendary Chic – and a set that has the dancefloor combo coming down perfectly throughout! Riffing Nile Rodgers guitars really make the tunes cook – as does the superb production – and although the record played plenty in discos and radios of the mainstream, it's still got a raw funky power that holds up brilliantly over the years! The set features the legendary "Le Freak" – a classic cutting track from the old school – plus "I Want Your Love", "Sometimes You Win", "Savoir Faire", "Happy Man", and "(Funny) Bone". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive amount of radical records from the great Joe Gibbs – a producer who forever changed the face of Jamaican music with a legendary run of dub albums in the 70s! Joe was no stranger to the scene by the time of these tracks – but the sessions had him really burrowing in to very experimental territory, coming up with sounds that were years ahead of their time, and which set the tone for so many other dub productions in years to come – all very far from some of the chart-topping reggae hits of the decade! The work features plenty of hypnotic rhythms from Sly & Robbie, and great guitar work from Earl Chinna Smith – plus nice horn parts and keyboard lines too – all elements that are whipped up into a sonic souffle by the maestro. This 4CD set features this legendary run of records – Dub Serial, State Of Emergency, Majestic Dub, More Majestic Dub, and the African Dub albums, chapters 1 to 4 – with 12 tracks that have never been on CD before, and the usual deep detail and top-shelf presentation of the Doctor Bird label. CD

A record that maybe didn't make a huge wave when it came out at the time, but a set that serves as a key springboard for the young Jeff Lynne and all the magic he'd later create with ELO! Although Lynne was making music with Roy Wood in The Move around the same time, the record's definitely more in the warmer, compressed territory that Jeff would expand upon a few years later with his massive classics of the 70s – already sitting strongly at the production deck in the studio, and blending the group's core instrumentation with these arrangements that really create a great sort of fullness in the music. In other words, there's maybe not a full "electric orchestra" vibe here, but the set has a great precursor to that mode – on tracks that include "Come With Me", "Sea Of Dreams", "Going Home", "Please No More Sad Songs", "Big Chief Woolly Bosher", "Someone Knocking", "Girl At The Window", "Hurry Up John", and "A Better Life (The Weather Man Knows)". LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked bit of funk from Ghana – a record that's as amazing and wonderful as it is rare! The set's one of the best African 70s rarities we've ever heard – filled with massive grooves that offer up a take on funk that's far different than American grooves – but which also comes across with instrumentation that's not as familiarly Ghanian either! There's lots of nicely fuzzy organ in the mix, tight rhythms, and a trippy production style that no doubt comes from the quality of the original studio – but which serves to give some of the best cuts a really sinister edge – a bit like Cymande at their best. Titles include "Dracular Dance", "No Man Is Born To Suffer", "Moving World", "Groovy Love", "Wale Fobite", "Kelenkye Beat", and "Jungle Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive collection of music from overlooked Brit pop icon John Leyton – an artist who gave the world a few key singles at the start of the 60s, but one who also spent plenty of time in the studio with the great Joe Meek – as you'll discover in this set! The collection is massive – 98 tracks, 75 of which have never been issued before – and which have the really dynamic style of Leyton's vocals working wonderfully with the echo-drenched production that Meek helped pioneer on the UK scene! The box features the full album The Two Sides Of John Leyton, both mono and stereo mixes – plus singles that include "Goodbye To Teenage Love", "There Must Be", "Wild Wind", "Son This Is She", "Down The River Nile", "The Girl On The Floor Above", and "Johnny Remember Me" – plus rare outtakes, alternates, and lots more too! CD

An excellent early record from this massive soul collective! The album captures the group near the beginning of their career – when they were sort of a funky soul army, featuring the instrumental talents of The Nite-Liters, the vocal strength of a number of excellent members, and the raw production skills of the great Harvey Fuqua! This album's one of their best-ever – and it features a great mix of soul and funk, with some sweet cuts, and other nice harder numbers, all done in the warm spirit of the group when they were in their prime. Includes "Honeybee", "Oh What a Feeling", "How Good It Feels", plus groovy covers, like "I Want to Make It With You" and "Never Can Say Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-remembered groups from the Detroit scene of the early 70s – thanks to the massive title track on this album, and a whole host of other wonderful cuts as well! The group features the great Steve Marcus on vocals – an artist who'd cut some key Northern soul singles for smaller labels in the 60s – but who really bursts out of the box here with great presentation from the Holland Dozier Holland empire! The record features some great songs by General Johnson and Greg Perry – and Perry also handled some of the production work for the record – really pushing the group with the sort of full, rich sound the Chairmen Of The Board brought to their own work. Titles include "Somebody's Been Sleeping", "Too Many Cooks (Spoil The Soup)", "One Man's Leftovers", "Love is Sweeter", "Age Ain't Nothin' But a Number", and "Back Track". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of gems from the legendary Rotary Connection – an early Chicago group that featured Minnie Riperton on vocals, and Charles Stepney on production! Songs is amazing soul from Rotary Connection – and one of their greatest albums! The "songs" concept has the group working over a bunch of tunes by other folks – and the record features many late 60s rock titles, redone with the group's incredible baroque soul sound. Charles Stepney did the arrangements, and the music has that airy eerie quality that worked perfectly for Minnie Riperton's amazing voice. Includes a stellar cover of "Respect", with a slow trippy groove that has been sampled over the years – plus a wild cover of "Tales of Brave Ulysses" that virtually defines the term "psychedelic soul". Other tracks include "The Weight", "This Town", "The Salt Of The Earth", and "Sunshine Of Your Love". Hey Love is a massively beautiful piece of work by "the new Rotary Connection" – a version of this groundbreaking Chicago soul ensemble which featured Phil Upchurch, Henry Gibson, and Charles Stepney – the cream of the Chicago production scene! Minnie Riperton's still in the band on vocals, and her work on the LP is similar to that on the legendary Come To My Garden LP. The album features the incredible track "I Am the Blackgold of the Sun" – a haunting soul anthem that has been a favorite of groovers for years, and which was later made into a house track by NuYorican Soul. A great album all the way through, and filled with loads of excellent cuts! Other tracks include "If I Sing My Song", "Hey, Love", "Love Has Fallen On Me", and a cover of Terry Callier's "Song For Everyman". CD

Fuzzy funk from the Italian scene of the early 70s – a really landmark record that ties together all the best elements happening in the soundtrack, sound library, and psych scene at the time! The group features two guitars and lots of organ and keyboards from the leader – really stretching out on the side-long title track "Under Pompelmo", which is a massive jam, but one that never trips out too much to stop being funky – a surprisingly great groove that stays right in the pocket for all of its 16 minutes and 50 seconds! The flipside features shorter tracks, but equally great – all like some lost sound library funk numbers of the period, but served up by a small combo with more focus on guitar and weird production styles – on titles that include "Honda", "When I See You", "Echoes From Canyon", and "To Rebound". CD