... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A fantastic lost harmony cut on Chess! "Lonely Baby" has a post doo wop sound that's wonderful – with Ty's vocal out in the lead on a sad lyric, while tenor blows in the background, and a group comes in on the chorus to punch things up a bit. "Gladness" has a great sound too – kind of a stepping groove that's almost in an "Elephant Walk" mode, with cool piano triplets in the background. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Wonderful work from Ty Karim – a singer who definitely lives up to the "soul goddess" promised in the title! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with material that's even deeper, and a bit more sophisticated – laidback numbers that really show a maturation in style, and which are filled with wonderful twists and turns! Ty's vocals have a burning quality that's quite surprising, given her kittenish look on the cover – and as the themes get hotter, her singing gets even more righteous – making the whole package a really wonderful journey in soul. And although most of these numbers were issued (or recorded, but unissued) by tiny indie labels, they often have a very full, spacious approach to production – one that's really trying to hit the heights of Detroit or New York at the time. A good number of these cuts weren't issued at the time, and together with the rare singles, they really go a long way towards filling in the gaps in Ty's too-short career on record – further illuminated in the detailed notes from Ady Croasdell. Titles include "Lighten Up Baby", "Help Me Get That Feeling Back Again", "Only A Fool", "All At Once", "Lightin Up", "I Ain't Lying", "You Just Don't Know", "Natural Do", "I'm Leavin You", "All In Vain", "After Your Love Has Gone", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", and "Don't Make Me Do Wrong". CD

A gem of a cut from Ty Karim – one of those singers who should have been huge, especially with a vocal presentation like this! Ty manages to soar on the upbeat groove, but has a special sort of crackle that really sends the lyric home – proud and fragile at the same time, in a way that's very unique! That quality also comes through in "All At Once" – a tune with a cool stepping sort of groove, which pushes Karim's vocal range even more as the tune overflows with soulful power! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Great 60s soul from the Cali scene – two cuts you'd be hard-pressed to find on vinyl anywhere else! "Wear Your Natural" is a hip little number that really lives up to the promise of its title – kind of a slow-building soul cut with plenty of righteous power – Towana's lead vocals getting plenty of nice chorus support. The great Ty Karim is on the flipside – the mighty "If I Can't Stop You", a tune that has a righteous slow-stepping funky groove, in a way that almost sounds like something that might have backed up Marlena Shaw! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

Wonderful work from Ty Karim – an LA singer from the 60s, just waiting to be rediscovered! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with material that's even deeper, and a bit more sophisticated – laidback numbers that really show a maturation in style, and which are filled with wonderful twists and turns! Ty's vocals have a burning quality that's quite surprising, given her kittenish look on the cover – and as the themes get hotter, her singing gets even more righteous – making the whole package a really wonderful journey in soul. And although most of these numbers were issued (or recorded, but unissued) by tiny indie labels, they often have a very full, spacious approach to production – one that's really trying to hit the heights of Detroit or New York at the time. A good number of these cuts weren't issued at the time, and together with the rare singles, they really go a long way towards filling in the gaps in Ty's too-short career on record. Titles include "Lighten Up Baby", "Help Me Get That Feeling Back Again", "Only A Fool", "All At Once", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "Wear Your Natural Baby", and "Don't Make Me Do Wrong". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A long awaited reunion of west coast indie psych pop masterminds Ty Segall & Tim Presley aka White Fence! It's a gem, and best of all, not a sequel or rehash of thier beloved earlier collaboratorative LP Hair, this one's got it's own vibe! Most of the songs are really short, given it a restless energy that's really great – still a masterclass in neo-classic garage psych, a la Hair, but bursting from one tune to the next at an exciting pace. Includes "Beginning", "Please Don't Leave", "Room Connection", "Body Behavior", "Good Boy", "Hey Joel, Where You Going With That", "Rock Flute", "A Nod", "Other Way", "Prettiest Dog", "She Is Gold", "Tommy's Place", "My Friend" and more. CD

Terrace Martin is an artist who just keeps on getting deeper and deeper over the years – an already-great jazz musician, but one who's widened his scope to touch on broader currents of soul and hip hop – all of which really open up with the jazz-based energy at the core! At some level, this record might be to Martin's career what the Black Radio project was to Robert Glasper – as Terrace opens the door to all-star guests who include Kim Burrell, Leon Bridges, Ty Dolla $ign, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, and even Glasper himself – while also finding space to serve up a few key tracks on his own, without any guests – tracks that may well be some of our favorite on the album. Titles include "Turning Poison Into Medicine", "Drones", "Leave Us Be", "Don't Let Go", "Listen", "Sick Of Cryin", "Leimert Park", "Tapped", and "Griots Of The Crenshaw District". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge document of work from LA's Consolidated Productions – a company you might not know by name, but one who issued work on a number of tiny indie labels – including City Lights, Simco, Space, Velvet, Angel Town, and many other labels! The set is heavy on 60s soul in a variety of styles – and features group harmonies, deep soul singers, and even some instrumental work too – all with qualities that are very much in the best modes that the Chicago scene was recording at the time – sophisticated, but gritty too – and with a vibe that's way past the 60s soul hits you'll find on mainstream compilations! You'll recognize a few names here – including Gene Russell, later of Black Jazz fame – and there's a fair bit of obscure artists too – in a set list of 28 tracks that include "Misery" by The DeVelles, "Cool It Baby" by BB Carter, "I'm Mad" by Spider Walker, "Money Man" by LA Untouchables, "I Got To See My Baby" by Lee Jones, "Jet Set" and "Doin The Snake Hips" by Gene Russell's Trio, "Don't You Fool Me" by Ann Stacy, "My Lover" by Marilyn Calloway & The 4 Silvertones, "Lighten Up Baby" by Ty Karim, "Turkey Trot" by Dynamic Duo & The Penguiness, "False Pride" and "Prove It" by Lee Harvey, and "So Called Friend" by Billy Williams. LP, Vinyl record album

A great little collection that's maybe the opposite of the long-running tradition of "desert island discs" – in that the music here is hardly essential, but would be plenty of fun to hear if you were trapped alone with nowhere else to go! Think of the set as the darker side of exotica at the end of the 50s – a spot where tropical sounds mix with Latin rhythms and some rockish touches too – material from the years before surf guitars were really hitting the mainstream, but older modes were being infused with a bit of electricity and new modes of production – all in ways that make for some very cool cuts collected in the set! The package brings together rare singles from a variety of sources – and titles include "Jivaro" by Harvey Anderson, "Babalu" by Phyllis Branch, "The Lonely Sea" by Rick & Trisha, "Strictly Polynesian" by Davy Jones & The Dolphins, "Midnight" by Hank Levine, "Bongo Heat" by Coral & The South Seas, "Martinique" by Ty & Ed, "Atlantis" by Blue Bells, "Rumba Rhapsody" by Hector Cari & The Dancing Strings, "Ho Ba La La" by Dariel Kay, and "Miserlou" by Vitin Aviles Y Su Orquesta. LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of an album – and one that definitely draws plenty power from the double drummers in the lead! The set's way different than most of Elvin Jones' other work of the time – and is even more hard-hitting than some of the Philly Joe Jones sessions too – and, unusual for Atlantic Records at the time, the tracks are all quite long – with a very open, freewheeling sound! There's some great horn players who really help shape the sound of the tunes – Hank Mobley on tenor, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, and Curtis Fuller on trombone – and the piano of Wynton Kelly and bass of Paul Chambers ensure that the music is right in the groove. The set features three long tracks – "Brown Sugar", "Le Roi", and "Beau-ty". CD

The debut album from Terrace Martin, and a set that already has him stretching out and building bridges between scenes and genres – at a level that has continued to make him one of the real giants of the west coast scene! The record's never just about Terrace's keys or saxophone – although his work on both are totally great – and instead, there's an equal presence here from the guests – Robert Glasper on Fender Rhodes, or artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lalah Hathaway, Ty Dolla Sign, Musiq Soulchild, and others on vocals – balancing hip hop and soul with Martin's jazz at the core, as he awakes new ears sounds they never would have discovered otherwise! Titles include "Triangle Ship", "No Wrong No Right", "Over Time", "Watch U Sleep", "Something Else", "You're The One", "I'm For Real", "Gone", and "Motivation". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most powerful, personal album that Killer Mike ever recorded – a set that took many years to put together, and which definitely represents the journey the rapper was experiencing at the time! Mike channels some of his own experience to deal with the larger issues that are facing so many black Americans in recent years – and while some of his resolutions are definitely his own, they are delivered with a sense of power that certainly resonates at a much larger level too! Production includes some great work from No ID, plus Cool & Dre, Twhy Xclusive, and Little Shalimar – and the album has features from Ty Dolla Sign, Andre 3000, Jagged Edge, and El-P. Titles include "Motherless", "Something For Junkies", "Exit 9", "Two Days", "Spaceship Views", "Slummer", "High & Holy", "Don't Let The Devil", "Down By Law", and "Shed Tears". LP, Vinyl record album

Grammy-winning work from Tyler The Creator – a record that's got a darker, moodier vibe than some of his previous work – very much the journey in sound that you might guess from the title – complete with narration from DJ Drama that does a great job of holding the whole thing together! Along the way, Tyler runs into Pharrell Williams, Lil Wayne, Ty Dolla Sign, and a number of other guests – amidst titles that include "Lumberjack", "WusYaName", "Corso", "Hot Wind Blows", "RunItUp", "Manifesto", "Sweet/I Thought You Wanted To Dance", "Lemonhead", "Juggernaut", "Safari", and "Wilshire". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes singles by the Hollywood Argyles, Uptones, Arrogants, Monorails, Bishops, Starlets, Starr Sisters, Ty Tyrell, and Steve Wale. CD

A huge document of work from LA's Consolidated Productions – a company you might not know by name, but one who issued work on a number of tiny indie labels – including City Lights, Simco, Space, Velvet, Angel Town, and many other labels! The set is heavy on 60s soul in a variety of styles – and features group harmonies, deep soul singers, and even some instrumental work too – all with qualities that are very much in the best modes that the Chicago scene was recording at the time – sophisticated, but gritty too – and with a vibe that's way past the 60s soul hits you'll find on mainstream compilations! You'll recognize a few names here – including Gene Russell, later of Black Jazz fame – and there's a fair bit of obscure artists too – in a set list of 28 tracks that include "Misery" by The DeVelles, "Cool It Baby" by BB Carter, "I'm Mad" by Spider Walker, "Money Man" by LA Untouchables, "I Got To See My Baby" by Lee Jones, "Jet Set" and "Doin The Snake Hips" by Gene Russell's Trio, "Don't You Fool Me" by Ann Stacy, "My Lover" by Marilyn Calloway & The 4 Silvertones, "Lighten Up Baby" by Ty Karim, "Turkey Trot" by Dynamic Duo & The Penguiness, "False Pride" and "Prove It" by Lee Harvey, and "So Called Friend" by Billy Williams. LP, Vinyl record album

22 songs from Chairmen Of The Board, The 8th Day, Freda Payne, Barrino Brothers, The Glass House, The Hi-Lites, Eloise Laws, Holland - Dozier featuring Lamont Dozier, Lee Charles, New York Port Authority, Ty Hunter, Holland - Dozier featuring Brian Holland, and Melvin Davis. CD

One of the coolest collections we've heard from Keb Darge in years – not the funk and soul he first gave us when he started putting compilations together, nor the rockabilly and R&B from more recent years – and instead a fantastic array of rare late 60s garage rock and freaky fuzz singles! The set's tone in collaboration with Cut Chemist – another DJ we'd never expect to know this music so well – and together, the pair turn their talent for rare record digging to an arena that never seems to get old – the under-underground of the pre-hippy years, with a stunning selection of tracks by artists who worked in the deep shadows beneath bigger acts like Count Five, The Seeds, or Standells. Half the record is collected by Cut Chemist, the other by Keb – and the package features a whopping 30 tracks in all, most of which we'd never heard before! Titles include "Cry" by The Malibus, "Cuttin Grass" by Caretakers Of Deception, "Project Blue" by The Banshees, "Slander" by Ty Wagner, "Suzy Creamcheese" by Teddy & His Patches, "Nowadays People" by Captain Crunch & The Crew, "Go On Leave" by Red Beard & The Pirates, "In & Out" by Larry & The Blue Notes, "Why Am I Alone"by The Choab, "Can It Be" by The Savoys, "Modman" by The Spacemen, "Baby Go" by The Avantes, "Just Let Me Be" by The Outsiders, and "Come On Baby & Stick Around" by Al's Untouchables. CD

The title's no lie, as the set's filled with all the singles issued by Soundgarden during their legendary run – titles that include "Black Hole Sun", "Loud Love", "Jesus Christ Pose", "Flower", "Nothing To Say", "Hands All Over", "Ty Cobb", "Bleed Together", "Spoonman", "The Day I Tried To Live", "Rusty Cage", "Get On The Snake", "Outshined", "Fell On Black Days", "Pretty Noose", "Burden In My Hand", and "Blow Up The Outside World". CD

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

Grammy-winning work from Tyler The Creator – a record that's got a darker, moodier vibe than some of his previous work – very much the journey in sound that you might guess from the title – complete with narration from DJ Drama that does a great job of holding the whole thing together! Along the way, Tyler runs into Pharrell Williams, Lil Wayne, Ty Dolla Sign, and a number of other guests – amidst titles that include "Lumberjack", "WusYaName", "Corso", "Hot Wind Blows", "RunItUp", "Manifesto", "Sweet/I Thought You Wanted To Dance", "Lemonhead", "Juggernaut", "Safari", and "Wilshire". LP, Vinyl record album

This great little series gets even better – as it breaks past the early 80s focus of previous volumes, to include some great 70s gems as well! As before, the focus is less disco than you'd expect – more uptempo soul, which includes some 70s mellow movers and early 80s boogie tracks – all brought together with a great ear for a mostly under-discovered cut! The package features 20 tunes in all – and titles include "Don't You Wanna Make Love" by Carl Carlton, "Do You Really Love Me" by Bryan Loren, "Let's Start The Dance (rmx)" by Bohannon with Perri Johnson, "Friends" by Shalamar, "Keep On Doin Whatcha Doin (12" long version)" by Ty Karim & George Griffin, "Don't Stop" by Asso, "Taj Mahal" by Paulina DaCosta, "Wet My Whistle" by Midnight Star, "Pack Up Your Things & Get Out Of My Life" by TC Curtis, "Way Out" by Dynasty, "Dreamin" by Loleatta Holloway, "Let Love Shine" by Skyy, "Now I'm Fine" by Grey & Hanks, "Make It Up To Me In Love" by Odia Coates, "Half The Day's Gone" by Kenny Lynch, "Stand Up" by Delegation, and "Single Handed" by Haywoode. CD

Sweet modern soul with a sound that would get picked up on years later by the LA G-Funk scene. The album's produced by War's Far Out production team – and it's got a smooth sound that's mixed with moogy keyboards and compressed instrumentation on the best cuts. Some tracks are a bit too funky, but the mellow ones are very tasty. Includes the excellent track "Summer Love", plus "Cream City", "Magic Night", "Lonely Princess", and "Jungle Desire". LP, Vinyl record album

George Adams and Don Pullen knock it out of the park on this one – finding great company in each other's presence, and really moving things forward in the process! The set begins with a long track titled "Mingus Metamorphosis", and that really sums up the spirit of the record – an 80s reworking of all the ideas that the players had learned from Mingus, but with an individual, personal sense that's all their own – and very different than some of the more standard modes of the Mingus Dynasty group that continued the legacy in a more direct manner. Adams is bold one minute, lyrical the next – and plays both tenor and flute – alongside Pullen on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums. Titles include "Mingus Metamorphosis", "Samba For Now", "City Gates", "Thank You Very Much Mr Monk", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost chapter in the Cannonball/David Axelrod story! The record features Cannon's classic quintet performing some longer, more serious works with orchestral backing – and the sound is vaguely similar to some of Axelrod's "high concept" work for Capitol. The record features a recording of Axelrod's "Tensity" and William Fischer's "Experience In E", both conducted by Fischer, a hip modern soul-oriented arranger, with a sound that's not dissimilar to Axelrod. The last piece on the album is a nice long one by Lalo Schifrin, "Dialogues For Jazz Quintet & Orchestra", which is also conducted by him as well. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest cuts ever from reedman Harold Alexander – served up here in the 45rpm single version, which is short, tight, and really concentrates on the funky drums at the core – although still also topped with plenty of fierce funky flute from the man himself! Speaking of funky drums, Pretty Purdie is on the flipside with "Heavy Soul Slinger" – a cut that definitely earns its name, as the funky drums mix with great conga, massive bass, and this warm organ line that really sends the whole thing home! 7-inch, Vinyl record

With Monty Alexander on piano, Hassan Shakur on bass, and Mark Taylor on drums. CD

Monty Alexander on piano, Hassan Shakur on bass, and Mark Taylor and Robert Thomas Jr on drums. CD

Pure genius from pianist Monty Alexander – a collection that features some of his greatest recordings for MPS! Sometimes, there's a special sort of magic that happens between a player and a label – and that's definitely what happened with Alexander at MPS Records during the 70s – a whole new level of his playing that never came out with other labels – and which, despite countless other recordings in later years, may not have ever sounded this great again! There's a sense of freedom to the MPS recordings – a unique approach to rhythm that really works well with Monty's touch on the keys – and which makes the tunes, although often just trio or quartet number, supremely groovy from the ground up. Titles include "So What", "Theme From Shaft", "Montevideo", "Brown Skin Girl", "We've Only Just Begun", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Here Comes The Sun", and "Theme From Love Story". CD

Monty Alexander on piano, John Clayton on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums. CD

Monty Alexander on solo piano. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic MPS session by funky pianist Monty Alexander! This one's filled with moody trio material, played by Alexander's tight little group with Senator Eugene Wright on bass and Bobby Durham on drums. Wright's basslines are nice and warm, and roll off in a groovy way with Alexander's tightly punctuated piano lines. The LP includes the tracks "Monticello", "We've Only Just Begun", "Love Story", and "Summer Of 42" – all done in nice groovy versions. The album was issued in Europe with the title We've Only Just Begun – but this is the US version, with a different title but the same cover. LP, Vinyl record album

Three albums on 2 CDs, each one with Monty Alexander on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, and Ray Brown on bass! CD

A really beautiful book, and one that's quite different than most other jazz books we can think of – in that it approaches its main subject matter from many different directions, in a way that actually proves to be more illuminating overall! As the title implies, the book looks at the huge run of recordings that avant pianist Matthew Shipp has done for the Rogue Art label – and author Clifford Allen begins with a look at Shipp himself, then his New York setting, then interviews with collaborators who include Whit Dickey, William Parker, Joe Morris, and Rob Brown – before then moving on to look at the Rogue Art label, through an interview with its founder – then ending with page after page of liner notes for Shipp albums on the label – including a few that haven't been released yet! The presentation is very smart, and really opens up Shipp's creative process in a great way – and this softcover edition is 207 pages, with some black and white images. Book

Mose Allison is one of the coolest, grooviest singers ever to grace the face of jazz – a voice you'll recognize instantly, even if you don't know his name – and an artist who had a huge influence on the sound of the London scene in the 60s! Mose was mod before mod was a thing – and was able to mix his sharp jazz skills on piano with a gutbuckety style of singing that drew heavily from the sound of New Orleans – as did his sense of rhythm – but always with an approach that was more upbeat and jazzy overall, with a hip sophistication that few other artists could hope to touch! And while Mose recorded excellent sounds for decades, this collection focuses in on some of the most important work he ever cut – music done for Prestige, Columbia, and Atlantic Records from the late 50s through the early 70s – served up in the most amazing tribute to Allison we've ever seen. 24 tracks in all – with cuts that include "Foolkiller", "I'm Not Talking", "If You Only Knew", "The Seventh Son", "I'm Smashed", "Wild Man On The Loose", "Back On The Corner", "I Love The Life I Live", "Jus Like Livin", "If You Live", "V8 Ford Blues", "Parchman Farm", "Baby Please Don't Go", "Western Man", "Your Molecular Structure", "Hellow There Universe", and "Swingin Machine". CD

A group who really live up to their name, as they have a way of reaching back in time and space with this very righteous vibe – blending the sorts of horns you might hear in Sun Ra's Arkestra with more majestic strings that might come from a Carlos Nino/Miguel Atwood Ferguson project – but all with a style that's got a lighter, more cosmic approach! There's strong use of harp on the albums at times, echoing a bit of Alice Coltrane – but the group definitely take off in all their own directions too, especially as they shift the focus on key instruments from track to track – in a lineup that includes flute, alto, oboe, tenor, bass clarinet, and baritone – next to light strings, piano, percussion, and bass. All the music was composed by Ozzy Moysey, and a few tracks feature a vocal group to help lift up the spirits of the tunes – equally cosmic and righteous, and a great addition to the sound of the set. If you've dug the Matthew Halsall recordings on the Gondwana label, you'll find plenty to love here – on titles that include "Rejoicing", "Niyama", "Equanimity", "Arc Of The Sun", "River Of Light", and "Pharoah Sings". LP, Vinyl record album

Ernestine Anderson at the height of her powers – caught during a very successful run at Concord Records, where she was easily one of the hippest things going down at the time! The group here is a trio, and very tight – Hank Jones on piano, Monty Budwig on bass, and Jeff Hamilton on drums – all shifting easily to fit the mood and personal demeanor of Anderson's performance, which is a fair bit more dynamic than other jazz singers of the period. In a way, the record's got a similar feel to Lorez Alexandria's albums from the time – hip soul jazz vocals at its best, with just the right twists, turns, and rhythmic impulses to keep things interesting – but not enough to goof things up too much! Titles include "Big City", "Welcome To The Club", "All Blues", "All I Need Is You", "Spring Is Here", and "I'll Never Pass This Way Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning set of modal soul jazz from the LA underground of the 60s – the only album we've ever seen by pianist J Reginald Andrews – and an earthy set that's filled with great tracks! The overall approach is piano and percussion plus horn bits – with Andrews on the keys, playing in solidly soulful waves of sound, really setting the scene for the album's strong work on alto, baritone, and trumpet. There's some conga at the bottom, and a freewheeling approach that reminds us a lot of the mighty first album by the Harold Johnson Sextet – a group who were certainly contemporaries of Andrews on the LA scene. Nearly all tracks are originals – and groovers – and titles include "Everyman's Brother", "Ah Na Na", "Chant", "The Debonaire", "Mystique Beauty", and "Song For J". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible leap forward for Antibalas – a record filled with bolder sounds and deeper grooves than ever before – and one that even tops the already-great sound of their previous albums! The mix of modes here is really amazing – some of the group's familiar Afro-Funk at the core, but also a much wider range of influences too – bits of dub, choppy Latin guitar, Sun Ra-like organ lines, and gamelon-styled metal bits – all wrapped together in a groove that has some particularly hypnotic undertones! The set was produced by John McIntire, who's no doubt a big influence on the sound here – and the record really shatters any expectations you might have from the group – proof that they're way more than just another Afro Funk combo. Titles include "Beaten Metal", "Filibuster X", "Sanctuary", "Hilo", "War Hero", "ICE", and "Age". CD

Gianmaria Aprile on guitar, guqin, and effects. CD