Review: lovetempo - Live Or Die By Love (Toucan Sounds)

From the title you might think lovetempo has been watching too many Bond movies over the festive season whilst in reality his lovefinger will send you into raptures.

You may know lovetempo from previous singles 'But I Do', 'Maybe In Another Life' or even 'Turnaround' on Razor-N-Tapes' compilaton 'Family Affair Vol. 2 (see review HERE) but the track 'Live Or Die By Love' is so uplifting it's joyous in every sense as, to misquote Miles Davis, Gospel Not Gospel, Disco Not Disco, Toucan Not Toucan.

Gilles Peterson got "boyhood fan" over excited in his recent interview (see below) with the Level 42 comparisions but 'Live Or Die By Love' is lovetempo's "manifesto statement" and nothing like 808 BEACH & Amy Douglas 'WHATEVER DADDY SAYS' (see review HERE) or is it?  

Well it is if you're of the Toucan Sounds Co-op view, get your club card out for this one.  It is anthemic and manifesto; it's only problem is that it's too short, the sax, vibes, piano could work out a mix a mega 12", dub and/or instrumental.  Its irresitable and addictive, it's got me in raptures (Ed. that's enough of that). Oh! I did I say Mattie Safer used to be in The Rapture and Poolside.  

'We Can Make It Happen' squeezes a bit of West Coast meets Disco string stabs into Fania's back yard that's added to with the cheatin' 'Part-Time Love Affair'.  

This release is a great companion to Mattie's previous hits 'The Sun' and 'But I Do' and it's clear he's a super talent.  If you like the work of Jkriv, Toribio & Sharin, Clive From Accounts you'll be as excited as Gilles Peterson with this as it is blessed with sunshine and love.

P.S. Gilles Peterson's interview with lovetempo on Lot Radio (in association with Worldwide FM) from NYC for the Winter Jazz Festival starts 12:00 and the whole show is worth a listen 

Link: GILLES PETERSON LIVE FROM NYC at The Lot Radio | WorldwideFM

BUY LINK: https://music.toucansounds.com/liveordiebylove

Artist: lovetempo
Title: Live Or Die By Love
Release date: 21st February, 2024
Label: Toucan Sounds
Cat. No: TBC
Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: 808 BEACH & Amy Douglas - WHATEVER DADDY SAYS (toucan sounds)

When you've loved everything on Toucan Sounds, you've got to be a little concerned by a release entitled 'WHATEVER DADDY SAYS', right?  No need to worry, it's Amy Douglas leading the 808 Beach duo of hit makers and it bangs NYC!

We loved 'You' for obvious reasons (that's was Toucan Sounds' release by Anthony Nicholson featuring Brandon Markell Holmes & Chris Rob - see review HERE) and indeed everything else they've done so big hands in the air bangin' house by 808 Beach (aka John 'J-C' Carr & Bill Coleman, who as a duo and individually seem to have worked with anyone that's had a major commercial release).

And whilst there's eight versions (a combination of JC and 808 remixes), you'll want to pre-fix any of them with 55secs of Amy's acapela version for it's depth of deep vocals. 

So whilst Amy is belting it out on the original an extended nu-disco versions, there's a angular 808 Beach Ol' Brat Mix, a modified Ol' Brat Club version and an even more up at it Glitterbox, "J-C" Carr Glitter Mix: Brilliant stuff, but it stands out even more with the 808 Beach Sub Soul club version!

This release is as good as a Pete Tong Friday Night Essential Selection all on one and that's not just Daddy saying it.

Artist: 808 BEACH & Amy Douglas 
Title: WHATEVER DADDY SAYS
Release date: 25th October, 2024
Label: Toucan Sounds
Cat. No: YTCW132
Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Brandon Markell Holmes - Fuller (Toucan Sounds)

Well, I didn't think we'd only have to wait a couple of months since Brandon Markell Holmes' last single but now we've got the 'Fuller' sounds of a brand new single.

Brandon moved from Chicago to NYC where he's attracted attension from the likes of Derrick Carter, Dee Diggs, musclecars and more to do a remix of his songs after he appeared on Gorillaz album ,‘Humanz'.

No surprise as, once again, the latest single 'Fuller' features his deep soulful vocal (and a odd 'telephone' rap) but i would prefer the extended edit by label boss, Robert PM as it's longer and almost seems like an instrumental version; nice horns too! is is a vinyl release so there is a real B-side; 'I Bet' featuring Liam Berkeley is more R&B.

Toucan Sounds has been one of our favourite labels this year, not only did we love Bradon's 'Go Ahead' (see review HERE), I'm still tossing Dee Diggs' 'Toss It' and 'Brolorizo's 'Agua Bensita' (see review HERE).

That's a strong image for the artwork and if you're in NYC, and the final night of his 3-show residency on November 8-10th at  at Brooklyn’s Sleepwalk to celebrate the launch plus his second album early next year.

Artist: Brandon Markell Holmes  

Title: Fuller

Release date: 10th November, 2023

Label: Toucan Sounds

Cat. No: YTCW114

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: BROLORIZO - Agua Bendita (Toucan Sounds)

Who would have thought that two foundling members of a Mexican women's dance collective, would have the most talked about EP coming out on Brooklyn's Toucan Sounds label?

Well, that's what we have with Estefani Brolo and Ana Rizo, collectively known as BROLORIZO (did you see what they did there?) have done.

Fans like Sumsuch have already got very excited about the track 'Sirena' (quite rightly so) but could 'Agua Bendita' be a Latin-disco version of 'Ingwe' (Muzari & Gugupash - see review HERE) with it's jazz keys and slightly dubbed out electric guitar? Well, I'm saying so and i'm not going to be the only one.

Expect New Yorkers that love this sound like Mr Vega, Nickodemus, Eli Escobar et al will be playing this all summer.  But it'll be interesting to see if the uptempo and deeper 'Sirena' gets the attention with it's big Baleraic guitar solo.

With artwork that looks like one of those SM vids of paint on oil dips with the back end of a large fish (possibly carp), it all adds to the fusion.

Those who Insta can see more at @brolorizo and if you need check out more Toucan Sounds, there's no better place than their Brandon Markell Holmes & Toribio release, 'Go Ahead' (see review HERE)

Artist: BROLORIZO

Title: Agua Bendita feat. Lino Bastos

Release date: 21st July, 2023

Label: Toucan Sounds

Cat. No: YTCW106

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Brandon Markell Holmes & Toribio - Go Ahead (Toucan Sounds)

I'm reliably informed that Brooklyn is the place to be, well "we all live in Brooklyn, baby" after all. And if you want so be super trendy, you'll want an address in Williamsburg; which is exactly where Toucan Sounds are and they're currently with Brandon Markell Holmes and producer Toribio to 'Go Ahead'.

Brandon has got a great Chicago soulful voice that's so suited to the deep house scene and he's worked with some big names in his 3 years with Toucan Sounds, like musclecars (as in the big Jazzanova remix from January this year, and recently repressed - see review HERE), Anthony Nicolson, Dee Diggs and most recently, 'legend' Derrick Carter and Rogue Vogue.

The rap on the track is by Fat Tony and it's not an average token 'rap for rap sake' as the label indicates, it has an old skool quality to it.  

The single comes with the original version as as slow grind upbeat soul jazzer; it grooves along for over 6 minutes and then they fade the keys solo: we need a proper full length of this one!

And one of our favourite producers/remixes that crosses the genre identities of deep house and beats, Byron The Aquarius who picks up on the "Back Hand" adds some ping-pong bounce and does a Theo Parrish; but a short version!

There's a bonus track, 'Losing Side' by Brandon and Pink Flamingo Rhythm Revue just to show how talented he is.  

There's definitely no losing sides to this game of 2 halves with radio and clean edits. 

Colour & Pitch would have loved to have had this one but it you want to be in the place to be, the release party is in Brooklyn on 25th May at the fabulous, The Sultan Rooms' rooftop with both Brandon and Byron doing live performances; now that's a party.

Artist: Brandon Markell Holmes & Toribio 

Title: Go Ahead with Byron The Aquarious Remix

Release date: 30th May, 2023

Label: Toucan Sounds

Cat. No: YTCW098

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp