Monday, 31 March 2025

Amazing new remix on Ramrock Red and The Oddball Creatives, the adjusted 'Adjust Like Dat' featuring Mike Keat, Jo Wallace is even more jazzy, funky, hip hop goodnes.  Craig Charles has a new favourite!



So you'll recall the original 'Adjust Like Dat' (see review HERE) as Joseph's tribute to his Dad, Francis Ukachukwu Malik, hence the tradition Nigerian dress in Igbo tribal colours.  How do you improve on that?  

Well, somehow they's gone crazy oddball NY, hip-hop jazzy with a clean and dirty vocal and dub instrumental - the keys are so Herbie fusion with a 70s Clavinet goove - ya'll remember 'My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style' (Dream Warriors): this is better!

Who knew the spirit of Fela lives just off the Easter Road in a proper Northern Soul Band that includes the Proclaimers' Steven Christie (electric piano), Daniel Walls (drums  and percussion), Colin Steele's award winning jazz trumpet and Darren Morris guesting on Fender bass and clavinet. DJ Nasty P provides the kuts with Jo Wallace on backing vocals and Cuban Brother, rappin' Mike Keat.

We've had previous 'variants' of 'My Whole World' (Joseph Malik with Kameelah Waheed with The Variant Issue Orchestra 'L'Opera Noir' Mixes - see review HERE) but there's the full 'Proxima Ebony Variant Issue' LP on its way.  It's going to be fantastic!  

PS. Don't forget the original - see review HERE.




Artist: Joseph Malik 
Title:  'Adjust Like Dat' ft. Mike Keat + Jo Wallace (The Oddball Creatives Remixes)
Release date: 31st March, 2025
Label: Ramrock Red Records
Cat. No: RRR080
Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Friday, 28 March 2025

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Colour & Pitch have a new release with Kerrier Collective teaming up with wolf peaches as they get to grips with 'Rotten Fingers', the exciting EP that's coming to you very soon.



You'll recall Kerrier Collective from a couple of years ago, (almost to the day), 'Life Wants To Live' (see review HERE) whilst wolf peaches is a singer/songwriter from Sheffield (Ed. is that a Cornish-Yorkshire growth corridor?)  

'Rotten Fingers' has previously been produced with Robin Grey as a mindful downtempo track with pretty intense lyrics that's been picked up from a Sunday morning feel to a Saturday night under KC's mix of Omar S and Nils Frahm inspiration!  It's a fantastic juxtapositon into classic pop-Balearic-jazz-funk with great horn arrangements.

The new track, 'Fake Silence' takes a similar transition with a bruk grounding that's highlighted by some plucked violin. 

This is going to be on all the best playlists so be tprepared to be impressed; already played by Rhythm Doctor (aka Chris Long, he of 'Digital Juju' - see review HERE) on his Waiting Room Show.

Also featured in the Colour & Pitch March Mix by Will Sumsuch.
.


Artist: Kerrier Collective & wolf peaches
Title: Rotten Peaches EP
Release date: 28th March, 2025
Label:  Colour and Pitch
Catalog Number: CAP095
Format: Digital / Bandcamp



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When you're looking for a new soundtrack to a 'lost' 1981 lounge-exotica French film, you might not immediately think the Lance Ferguson is your man?  Well if not, that's all about to change as here's the brand new soundtrack al la cinematic funk from down under (ooh err).


So, if we ignore the BeeGees, Kylie & Jason, Lance was at the forefront of new Australian musicians that could soul, funk, boogie and all other things.  Having works with (feat. Kylie Auldist) in the Bamboos and Cooking On 3 Burners he's also in Rare Groove SpectrumMachines Always WinMenagerie and most recently, The Ferguson Rogers Process.

' L’Océan de toi' consists of 9 tracks of dreamy, sexy, funk that you could play out ('Rue de la Plaix') or just relax to by the Balaeric soul pool, ('Dream Diry', 'Swimming Pool', 'Moonface'), perhaps with a drink or two.

'Green Eyes' is a great example how Lance's guitar can add soul and grace to a big choral sound whist 'The Ocean Of You' is pure pop.  'Vanishing Act' (a key part of the film's story') is envisaged as a big Marvin Gaye stsyle soul/funk instrumental with stings: it's brilliant and then  sooths its way into the title track.

At one time, Fergusson was a weekly feature on Craig Charles' 'Funk & Soul' Radio Show (BBC 6 Music) as Freesstyle and Tru-Thoughts were both releasing his music but even so, still not the obvious choice for the original Director of the flim, Leroi Alarie (now aged 69) to ask to re-score it to replace the original "cobbled together" library sample soundtrack.

Fergusson is now one of many that's come outta Melbourne (get another this week Don Giori - see review HERE) but clearly he's your man of 80's Franco-Aus summer teen film scores, check it out now.

And incredibly enough, out on the same day is Gianni Brezzo's 'Sprechiamo!' that's in a similar OST/library ballpark.


Artist: Lance Ferguson
Title:  L’Océan de toi
Release date: 28th March, 2025
Label : Pacific Theatre
Catalog Number : TBC
Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 


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Jakarta Records are, of course, based in Berlin whilst Gianni Brezzo is in Cologne (Köln) and between them, they produced as jazzland of 'Sprechiamo!' 


This album consists of a dozen beautiful laidback tracks by producer, multi-instrumentalist Marvin Horsch that's like a flutey Jimi Tenor album, sometimes funky, sometime spacey, with the bonus of Marvin's guitarist expertise.

So part Italian OST golden era, part 60/70s groovy, the album pays homage to Gianni's Italian roots and also will keep beats diggers like Madlib to soundtrack geeks like Jonny Trunk in love for hours; particularly 'Hold The Wine'.

Brilliant musicianship throughout (see credits below) but not so sure about the cover; but hey, that's a minor gripe.

And incredibly enough, out on the same day is (Lance Ferguson's 'L’Océan de toi' on Pacific Theatre - see review HERE) that's in a similar OST ballpark.


Artist: Gianni Brezzo
Title:  Sprechiamo!
Release date: 28th March, 2025
Label : Jakarta Records
Catalog Number : TBC
Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 

Alt Sax: Johanna Klein & Inga Rothammel
Flute: Connie Trieder
Percussion (Hold The Wine): Gabriel Rodriguez
Piano (Chronos): Dario Bassolino
Piano (Via Xifonia): Simon Below
Percussion (Hold The Wine): Gabriel Rodriguez
Rhodes Piano: Jan Alexander
Synthesizer (Bapha / зима): Eva Sviderski
Tenor Sax: Florian Fries
Violin (Bapha / зима): Florian Meier
Vox (Chronos): Linda Feki

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Twelves Caesar are back with a new single, 'Ruby Ridge' and is it another scene from wild eyed dreams?



Is it really a couple of years since Twelve Caesars (aka Andrew Pipe and Stephen Ennever) released the 12 track album 'Scene From Wild Eyed Dreams' (see review HERE) that included the BBC 6 Music hit, 'Calfiornia Sleaze' ? (see review HERE)  

The duo are back with their brand new 'Cointelpro' LP and their forthcoming single, 'Ruby Ridge', an All-Americana folk rock release with Byrds/CS&N/Eagles sensibilities - think 'prog'-mod tendencies from the South Coast (Ed - which is the best coast to be on for this type of thing)

Check out he 'Ruby Ridge' instrumental so you can really hear how good Ennever's Hammond organ solos are whilst the vocal version tells the tale of an everday tale from 1992 in Boundary Co. Idaho for the Weaver Family vs. FBI as they 'stand off' for the final shoot-out - maybe coming to a Netflix near you soon.

Andrew's vocals really suit 'Ruby Ridge' as there's a bit of seaside Style-Council to it - maybe the No'West Remix crew will have a bash or maybe a Darren Morris solo remix (see HERE) with a 'Union I' organ sample? (more news on what this means coming soon!)


Artist: Twelve Caesars

Title: Ruby Ridge

Release date: 28th March, 2025

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR077

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Ostowana celebrate their OST100 release with an upbeat attitude to 'Fight' as masters of their own destiny. 



Following on from the recently released 'best of' compilation, Ostowana Of Afro House Vol. 1 (see review HERE) this is more in ya face call to arms and it's funky enough with a remix.

The sun certainly ain't setting on these guys even after 100 releases so it's time to keep celebrating.


Artist: Omary, YADEE, Martine Labbé -
Title: Fight (Funkky Afro Remix) 
Release date: 28th March, 2025
Label: Ostowana
Catalog Number: OST100
Format: Digital

Thursday, 27 March 2025

We've said before, Robert Owens' vocals are the gift that keeps on giving and with DJ Matt Black, here they are 'Window Shopping' Naked! What more could you want?



The last time we say Robert on YATM was on the Fred Everything's 'Never' remixes (see review HERE) from 'Love, Care, Kindness & Hope (see review HERE) and before that 'Live Love Give' by CJ Copper (see review HERE) but even so, it's hard to keep up to date as this release in Part 3 of an album series..

The thing with this is that they've taken the track and remixed it in different styles - acid to dub, jack to techno - you get the idea: and it's all great 'cos it's Robert!

All the usual array of suspects will be on this; Jazzanova, Laurent Garnier, Aroop Roy, Daz-I-Kue, Moodymann, Colin Dale, Stu Patterson, Bill Brewster, Sumsuch and more, i.e. all your favourite DJs!


Artist: Robert Owens x DJ Matt Black
Title: Window Shopping (Remixes) 
Release date: 28h March, 2025
Label : Musical Directions
Catalog Number : MDIR005
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Omar is always brilliant.. and then add some Zed Bias tubular bells into the mix (literally) and it's get your coat, we're going out to the party!



Following on from singles 'Can We Go Out' single (see review HERE) and 'Lovey Dovey' (see review HERE) we get our biggest clue to how big a year 2025 will be for Omar being his 40th as a recording artist.

From the cover imagine (is that Brighton Beach?) he's ready to take the show on the road; in fact, he's already done a two tours of North America.  In fact, the lead track 'Research' is a collaboration with LA based Canadian vocalist Honey Larochelle and the pair are the ideal soul 'n' funk project.

'Brighter Days' are always a good sign of things to come and with 40 years of performance behing him it's good to know that there's optimism still in him: even the instrumental is called 'This Thing Called Life'.

By coincidence, the compilation 'Our Music Our Culture Vol. 2' (also out on BBE Music - see review HERE), so what better timing for a Zed Bias remix?  Well, don't worry as there's one here on 'Can We Go Out' in characteristic fast 2-step BRUK that's heavy on the bass with those bell highlights.

Always essential, always Omar.




Artist: Omar
Title: Research & Brighter The Days
Release date: 28th March, 2024
Label :  IMPRESS!VE Collective (an imprint of BBE Music)
Catalog Number:BBE801SDG1
Format: Bandcamp  
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Back in the day when 'Our Music Our Culture Vol. 1' compilation was release, I don't suppose anyone in the influencial CO-OP crew could imagine that Vol. 2 would take a further 17 years! But here it is.



The CO-OP was largely know for it's club night for soulful, broken beat, house, dance music and in 2000 was the vision of DJ's Afronaut & Mark Force (they of Bugz In The Attic) and championed on the radio by Gilles Peterson with some 'Future Jazz' branding.

The Mitchy Bwoy graphics have been tweaked on the cover but it's the eight tracks that are the stars kicking off with the pairing of  who we have featured many times and Wipe The Needle (he of the remix on Searchlight's 'We Could Be More' - see review HERE) with 'Here We Go'!

You could say 'Solar Mode' (Mark Force & Davriel Gabrius) is 'trademark' BRUK-jazz with dominent keys and space touches as it splatters the dance floor and then, of course, there's the Rio influenced hybrid, Ben Hauke's 'Your Woke Moment' that'll kill those bassbins.

And I suppose that's the point in many ways as over the past 25 years, as Peterson has been searching for the perfect beat, this was (and still is) the focus of many peoples dance experience for Drum n Bass to Dubstep and Spiritual Jazz of Latin classics plus house.

Lady Alma (last scene with 'Joy' - see review HERE) is here with 'Work It Out' as a Blaktonez CoOp Rub is typical and with Bémbé Ségué, one of the main voices on the scene.   As Domu was one of the main producers outside of the BITA inner sanctum: is exclusive Domu mix of Sonar's Ghost's 'Purest Dope' just spectacular?  I'd say so!

Given half the chance I'll mention Best Seven (see review HERE for Daniel's lastest label) and it's was the Domu/Volcov 7" 'Souljah' that got me excited about the CO-OP and it's great that there's a new generation to take it on like, Don Kamares, Soulpalour and Tru-Thoughts' Bruk Rogers.

Best be quick to order the vinyl as it's a limited pressing so get ya Booty La La out and make our culture, your next cultural purchase.


Artist: Various Artists
Title: Our Music Our Culture Vol. 2 
Release date: 28th March, 2025
Label : BBE Music
Catalog Number : COOP2210DG
Format: Limted 2xLP Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 


Wednesday, 26 March 2025

How many Aussie muscians live in Naarn/Melbourne?  I've lost count!  Mondo Freaks are from there and there's 10 of 'em.  Throw in Harvey Sutherland Remixes and they're on their way' flying high and feeling free.


'Bells Are Ringing' and 'Find A Way' have evolved out of what was originally a 'concept band' with a love of 70s and early 80s funk and soul classics. 

Mondo Freaks have gone onto share the stage with Leroy Burgess, he of 'Barely Breakin' Even' (BBE/ Universal Robot Band) and Evelyn "Champagne" King so you know that they can cut the groove and this EP shows they are immersed in that era's funky disco period.

And if your fan base include Harvey Sutherland for a remix and dub, you know bells are going to ring and ready to shout out: the dub is particularly good - seems like we need to get our orders for the 12" in now.


Artist:  Mondo Freaks
Title: - 'Bells Are Ringing' EP (Harvey Sutherland Remixes)
Release date: 28th March, 202%
Label : Independent
Catalog Number  ESR001
Format: 12" vinyl /Digital / Bandcamp

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With even more in the best in the The Naarm / Melbourne community, Don Glori gets down with some powerful brown eyes with this new release on Mr Bongo.


Don Glori is on the edge of Brazilian soul-jazz with 'Power' which is classic jazzdance key work that Azymuth would be proud of.

'Brown Eyes' lead will for radio plays with some poolside flute and modern Cullum approach; as in were told Don has taken inspiration from Kendrick Lamar (Ed. Didn't Jamie Cullen launch himself with a cover of Pharrell's big hit 'Frontin'?) 

Yet another Mr Bongo discovery as who wouldn't want be part in Ziggy Zeitgeist (see review HERE), Allysha Joy (as in 30/70 - see review HERE), Close Counters (see review HERE) and with Finn Rees (see review HERE) to name just a few.

This digital single is from a forthcoming album called 'Paper Can't Wrap Fire' that'll be a vinyl and digital release.


Artist: Don Glori
Title: Brown Eyes / Power 
Release date: 26th March, 2025
Label : Mr Bongo
Catalog Number : MRB322
Format:  Digital / Bandcamp  

Tuesday, 25 March 2025

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So we might have missed the launch party for Padre & Bar.ba & OE's 'Alterity' release but we're lucky enough to have caught up with Pete ‘Padre’ Lazonby to get into 'Alterity'.



Best known for ground breaking 'Sacred Cycles' in the mid-nineties, he's been making music ever since under loads of different names so lets start with asking him, how did your latest alias Padre come to life? 

PL:  It wasn’t my idea, but it’s a name I can grow old into.  I was never religious, but I believe in English choral church music, and the black North American kind too. I sang in choirs all my life. I also once sat at the back of a church service in Clarksdale Mississippi where Muddy Waters’ cousin was preaching and singing (Ed. Wow!).  I prefer to think that the music itself is god, rather than her being some bearded policeman who happens to share all your prejudices.

YATM And with that in mind, is there connection/re-connection with 'Sacred Cycles' and 'Holding Hands We're Feeling Power'; possible because both stand-out individually and as a call to arms/peace/love?
PL:  Music can always be more than what has gone before. I want to share my sense of wonder. Ultimately, we all feel in the same way.
 
YATM I have to own up, I didn't know what 'Alterity' meant but was it something you started out with this new project on Aterral or was it applied after the tracks  
PL:  'Alterity' means otherness. Things which are completely new and yet easy to understand are the only creative efforts I value. We should celebrate alterity, not demean it for failing to conform to retrogressive genres.  I found the word in a book, maybe Roberto Bolaño? I read a lot of accessible literary fiction. The name, 'Alterity', was the final addition to the project to tie these tracks together.
 
YATM And is it Otto Fischer on the vocals as Oe? 
PLYes, this line of Otto’s “Holding hands we’re feeling power” is the conclusion of a full length song about beginning relationships called 'Entanglement'.  'Entanglements' and new beginnings, you hold the key…. etc.  I failed to deliver an adequate production for the full song yet. I’ve successfully repurposed several of his lines into new contexts as I did with this one. It’s good for dance floor hook ups. Matchmaking is one of the highest purposes of a party.
 
YATM And for completeness, who is Bar.ba?
PL:  Davide ‘Bar.ba’ De Michele is an Italian producer from the mountains near Bergamot. About 2 years ago he started sending me everything he wrote and I would finish them. My engineering is not formulaic so I don’t make his work become more conventional. I just use all the frequencies and fill the space. It’s hard to maintain any collaboration, but from a purely musical perspective ours is bulletproof. We both don’t care about what people think is or isn’t underground or commercial or this or that genre. We both look beyond electronic music as a way to raise our game.  He to the wacky 60s Italian hits his grandfather used to play him, and me to arty music and indigenous roots forms. We are much much stronger and faster together. There are many more yet to be discovered ways that we could work together.
  
YATM The beauty of 'She Dances Like A Painting' is someting I could envisage in a church with the echo bits are there any plans for remixes
PL:  Haha. I wonder what the Marquis De Sade would say about that? It’s his description of one of his favourite ladies. She supposedly also had the finest ass in the French Alps.
 
Please contact Carlo (Álvarez - @carlosthings) if you’re interested in remixing. I’d love to give these tracks more legs. Nothing is disposable here. Just give me a musical or dancefloor reinterpretation, not a transient genre piece with no connection to the original. I dislike the idea of remixes as purely commercial associations with no creative necessity behind them.
 
YATM Talking of Aterral, how did you get to link up with the Berlin-based label?
PL:  Carlo is an old friend. I met a bunch of Málagan ravers in London, then Barcelona and Berlin. The southern accent is considered goofy in Spain but of course they are amongst the best people. Malaga is a great city, maybe because the English rarely hang around there on their way to the Costa Del Sol? I’m very happy these tracks found their way to Aterral. They share our vision for subtle special feelings and value our pushing at the boundaries of what is known in house music.

YATM Is this the forerunner to an album release?
PL:  No, but I have lots of new tracks with Bar.ba coming up.
 
YATM: Is there an 'Alterity' launch party planned?
PL:  I just did it here in Taipei on the 22nd. A good night!
 
I'm afraid our office petty cash didn't run to trips to Taipei but if you're after "emotive, avant-garde compositions that resonate on the dancefloor" and recommend checking out his recent shows on Soundcloud/padreuk or 




Artist: Padre & Bar.ba & Oe
Title: Alterity (Holding Hands We're Feeling Power ft. Oe / She Dances Like A Painting)
Release date: 28th February, 2025
Label: Aterral
Cat. No:ATRRL032
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

 

 

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I can't believe how prolific Franck Roger is and on his latest release on Vibe Me To The Moon Records, perhaps he's even questioning it now with the 'Can U Believe EP'.



Mr Roger has been producing and releasing house for over 20 years and there seems no end in sight as he appears on Vibe Me To The Moon for the first time.

The title track does seem more than appropriate as it's got that other worldly space synth and vocals going on as the deep house goes starts out on a  journey to deep space house.  

Instead of going down the remix route, there's three other tracks on the EP, 'In the Morning', a slo-mo funk groovers featuring the soulful vocals of Shawn Chapelle, 'Someone Now' that have elements of that NY underground house sound and pumpin' at the same time, it must be 'Franck From Paris' know how and 'New Balance' that comes close to that deep space dub if you believe it.

We're told that ‘Can U Believe’ is the first of many EPs to come on the U.S. label that was started up in 2017 by DJ Nighteppaz and has previous hosted the likes of Roland Clark, DJ Spinna, Huxley, Demakus Lewis and we believe his a big fan of Fred 'Love, Care, Kindness & Dubs' Everything; did someone say EPs?



Artist: Franck Roger 
Title:  Can U Believe EP
Release date: 21st March, 2025
Label : Vibe Me To The Moon Records
Catalog Number : TBC
Format:  Digital  

Lovemonk latest single on 7" make us feel more than just alright as it's takes Keita Sano & Sauce81 to the now.



Japanese electonic music has a rich history and to find itself on the Spanish label outta Madrid is not such a cultural jump as what it once may have been.

In fact, these two producers have gone dancefloor ninja on their debut as a duo having separately released tracks on diverse labels as Cosmocites (France), Star Creature (Chicago), Eglo (London), Local Talk (Sweden) as well as their home country.

With the vocal and instrumental versions this is synth-boogie disco house for the big crowds.  The raw vocals might not be to everyone's taste but there's no doubt about it, there's a big 'Feeling Alright' dancefloor bounce to this.

This is quite a bit different.to previous Lovemonk releases we know, like Soulnaturals' 'Give Me The Strenght To Be Me' (see review HERE), but no less welcome.


Artist: Keita Sano & Sauce81 
Title: Feeling Alrightt
Release date: 28th March, 2025
Label: Lovemonk Records 
Cat. No: LMNKV119
Format:  7" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Monday, 24 March 2025

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Don't worry if you missed Rio Carnival this year as this single by Drama On The Corner will more than make up for it, get 'Orixa'.



Billed as 'UK bruk dynamism with the hip-snapping jazz-funk spirit of Azymuth' you don't expect it to come from a Paris based duo but that's what it is with great vocals sung in Portuguese by Adrien de Araujo with Gérald Portocallis on drum patterns, percussion and synths.

The 70s Azymuth sound is so big, sorry, BIG - even the artwork is more than OPA!  

This single is so different from 'Leaf' by Robert Burbridge ft. Andre Espeut (see review HERE) but if you follow Lee 'Tangential' Bright, you know that's how he rolls.


Artist: Drama On The Corner
Title: Orixa
Release date: 28th March, 2025
Label : Tangential Music
Catalog Number : TBC
Format :  Digital