During lockdown you may have been lucky enough to catch the viral phone video of nine young South African men singing a heart-bursting song called ‘Too Late For Mama’ a capella in a darkened room. These wonderful singers are Soweto’s Diepkloof United Voice and thanks to New York’s Ostinato Records (who discovered them via said video), they now have a debut album coming out in November. The word ‘essential’ gets way overused in the hype game of musical releases but this really is. The combined voices of this new generation of Mzansi gospel singers is a gift. Read / Listen..
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Daniel Ögren 'Fastingen-92' (Mr Bongo) - a review
Originally released in 2020 on Sing A Song Fighter, Daniel Ögren’s brilliantly uncategorisable 'Fastingen-92' LP is being lovingly repressed by Brighton’s Mr Bongo (sing hossana!). A founding member of cosmic soul outfit Dina Ögon and a contributor to Sven Wunder’s musical universe, Daniel is a prime example of Sweden’s new golden age of musicians, producers and labels. Hugely ambitious in scope, he slides easily from cinematic orchestral grooves into Balearic dreamscapes via pan-global dancing oddities without ever being too difficult to understand. In an alternative dimension, this would be topping the mainstream charts. Read / Listen.
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Viva el Sábado: Peruvian disco pop hits (1978-1989) (Buh Records)
Luis Alvarado from Buh Records has dug deeper than most to find this treasure trove of obscure Peruvian disco and disco-adjacent wobblers from 1978-89. Some are raw and untamed, some are as shiny as the 80s demanded but all are fun and funky! Read / Listen.
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Luzmila Carpio 'Inti Watana: El Retorno del Sol' (ZZK) - a review
The great Bolivian Andean singer, producer and activist Luzmila Carpio hasn’t released a new album in a decade (she has made over 25 though!) but she is now back with a beautiful collaboration with Argentinian folktronica producer Leonardo Martinelli that is both charming and deeply emotional in equal measure. Luzmila’s voice has lost none of its power or childlike wonder and her songs of ritual, communion and ceremony merge seamlessly with Martinelli’s soundscapes. A triumph. Read / Listen
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Vumbi Dekula 'Congo Guitar' (Hive Mind / Sing A Song Fighter) - a review
There’s something special appearing soon for fans of the irresistible and hypnotic grooves of Congolese soukous and rumba. After 40 plus years of playing with some of the best dance orchestras, we shall have the first solo album from the legendary Congolese guitarist Kahanga Dekula aka ‘Vumbi’! Composed and recorded in just two days, this is the sound of the Congolese guitar traditions at its rawest. Complemented by the occasional use of Karl Jonas Winqvist’s rhythm box drum machine and subtle complementary backing vocals and percussion, Vumbi’s sparkling syncopated playing is front and centre. Bursting with joyful verve and bluesy intent, this co-release between Karl Jonas’ Sing A Song Fighter imprint and the UK’s brilliant Hive Mind Records is a standout of the year for me so far. Read / Listen.
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Coco María presents Club Coco ¡AHORA! The Latin sound of now (Bongo Joe) - a review
The acclaimed DJ and radio host Coco María has curated a second compilation of contemporary Latin sounds for Bongo Joe but this time she has passed her cultured eye over the more untamed pan-global proponents of the music and it is brilliant! With contributions from Truth & Lies favourites Alex Figueira and Acid Coco via tracks from scene godfather Eblis Álvarez and wild grooves from Guess What and Candeleros to moments of joyful melody from Las Mijas, this is an essential record for lovers of Latino or tropical psychedelic sounds. Read / Listen.
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Future Sounds Of Kraut Vol. 1 - Compiled by Fred und Luna (Compost Records) - an interview / review
Fred und Luna are two plastic mannequins who live in Karlsruhe, Germany and are the creative muses for their human Rainer Buchmüller, who has compiled this forthcoming and inspired compilation of international artists who make music inspired by the varied ‘Krautrock’ sounds of the 60s and 70s. Psychedelic, groove heavy tracks that are as fun as they are weird-funky. I asked Rainer a few questions about the release but it was Fred und Luna who replied. Read / Listen.
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Siema Ziemia 'Second' (Byrd Out) - a review
Polish outfit Siema Ziemia’s forthcoming album ‘Second’ for Byrd Out is a challenging collision of electronica, acoustic improvisational wildness with moments of free jazz energy. My thesaurus is ill equipped to invent a genre for this, just trust me that amongst the fireworks, there is an emotional vulnerability to their creation. Read / Listen.
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Arthur Hnatek Trio 'Uncertainty' (Bridge The Gap) - Premiere!
We are pleased to premiere the new single from the award-winning Swiss drummer, composer and producer Arthur Hnatek. Like Sons Of Kemet in a rhythmic duel with Steve Reich, Arthur, saxophonist Francesco Geminaini and bassist Fabien Iannone manage to become a single pulsating organism, somehow creating a soothing meditative track that also contains a powerful organic groove. Read / Listen
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Jane Birkin (1946-2023) - a tribute to her music
Jane Birkin was many things to many people during her life - singer, inspiration, fashion icon, actor, mother, activist. Our friend, music scholar and superfan Jono Beard has written a wonderful in depth tribute to Jane’s solo career, the shadow of Serge Gainsbourg’s influence may be a constant companion but she was certainly her own artist as well as a lifelong champion of his compositions. A celebration as opposed to an obituary, enjoy this tribute to a unique talent. Read / Listen
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Synthesized Sudan 'Astro-Nubian Electronic Jaglara Sounds from the Fashaga Underground' (Ostinato Records) - a review
Surely one of the finds of the year, the synth and percussion heavy Jaglara music of the mythic Sudanese musician Jantra is a sparkling, heavenly new addition to the ever-expanding pool of electronic music genres emanating from across the African continent. Both irresistible body music and spiritually ecstatic, Ostinato Records have revealed something really quite special. Read / Listen
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Woxow 'How Many Ancestors Do We Have' (Little Beat More) - a review
DJ and beatmaker Woxow’s new E.P. for his own label Little Beat More is a hip hop-jazz-dub release that hits all the right notes. Boom bap drums, live horns and bass with masterful vocal turns from Reggae Roast MC Natty Campbell, US MC’s Azeem and Raashan Ahmad alongside remixers Luke Beats, Deela, Koralle and Paolo Baldini Dubfiles make this a must for fans of Fat Freddy’s Drop, Roots Manuva or Doom. Read / Listen.
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Just some of the CDs April Records has sent to us!
April Records - Denmark's jazz powerhouse - label focus
April Records is a ridiculously prolific record label from Copenhagen, their widescreen approach to jazz and their championing of young musicians alongside veteran musicians from across the Scandinavian region has produced a highly impressive catalogue of recordings. We asked co-founder Jan Schmidt about the curatorial approach of the label and delved a little into the history of the Danish jazz scene. Read / Listen.
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3'Ain 'Sea of Stories' (Choux de Bruxelles) - a review
The Syrian/Belgian trio 3’Ain have created a sublime collection of instrumental songs that seamlessly merge jazz, tango and the melodic history of the Eastern Mediterranean region. Evocative, atmospheric and beautifully performed, ‘Sea Of Stories’ contains a wealth of emotions and beautifully sensitive musicianship. It’s really bloody good. Read / Listen
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Error Subcutáneo 'Temporada Ciclónica' (Running Circle) - a review
The new 7 track E.P. that Dominican Republic duo Error Subcutáneo have released today on Summer Solstice is a provocative and wild ride of free jazz, soundscape interventions and modular experimentalism fueled by the chaos of life in the Caribbean and the wider uncertainties of our world right now. Band member Mauro Ferreiro is a frequent contributor to our magazine and this record is released on Nottingham imprint Running Circle so somehow, a kind of harmony has arrived from the chaos. A lot like the music. Read / Listen
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Letieres Leite & Orkestra Rumpilezz 'Moacir De Todos Os Santos' (Lusofonia Record Club) - a review
Before his sad death in late 2021, the Bahian born composer, arranger, percussionist, musician, cultural educator and teacher Letieres Leite conceived of and led the 22 piece Orkestra Rumpilezz through this majestic reinterpretation of Moacir Santos’ 1965 classic of big band Brazilian jazz - “Coisas”. Leite never got to witness the release but we can and it is an astonishingly well produced, performed and artistically inspired record. See for yourself here. Read / Listen
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Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid's Dying Years compiled by John Armstrong
The ‘Bubblegum’ sounds of 80’s Black South Africa was a broad church of celebratory dance music fuelled by new technology and an escapist need to party during the last hellish years of the vile Apartheid regime. Somehow some of the happiest sounding music ever was created during the hardest of times and this forthcoming compilation by legendary curator John Armstrong for BBE contains the signposts for what would become SA’s particular brands of House music (Kwaito, SA House, Amapiano, Gqom etc). We asked John a few questions about the background to the record. Read / Listen
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Joaquín Cornejo meets Markandeya 'Vision Versions' (Earthly Measures) - a review
Ecuadorian producer Joaquín Cornejo has delivered a dub reinterpretation of another dub album from the Swedish producer Markandeya for Earthly Measures and it is really quite beautiful in it’s languid sundried atmosphere. Sensual, colourful and not without rhythmic surprises, this is perfect for horizontal living or cranked up for the dawn rave. Read / Listen
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Meiko Kaji 'Hajiki Uta' (WEWANTSOUNDS) - a review
The cult Japanese exploitation actress Meiko Kaji never planned to be a singer but with a push from her film studio she discovered a natural talent. 'Hajiki Uta' is the first of five albums that she made for Teichiku in the early 70s and is being comprehensively reissued by the always excellent WEWANTSOUNDS label. The record is a stunning collection of torch ballads and funky-orchestral-psyche grooves propelled by the slasher queen’s achingly melancholic voice; Tarantino created ‘Kill Bill’ around Meiko’s character in ‘Lady Snowblood’ and this album also contains ‘Urami Bush’ from Tarantino’s soundtrack. Read / Listen
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Woxow 'Solid As A Rock' (Little Beat More) - single premiere!
Woxow, the Italian producer, DJ and label boss of Vienna-based label Little Beat More has an incredibly strong E.P. coming out on his label in June called ‘How Many Ancestors Do We Have’ . We are hyped to premiere the first single - 'Solid As A Rock' - from the record. A tough, jazzy collision of hip hop and dancehall featuring Reggae Roast MC Natty Campbell, fans of folks like Roots Manuva or Fat Freddy’s Drop will LOVE this! Read / Listen
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