Review: VA - The Original Sound of Mali 2 (Mr Bongo)

Thinking about a Mr Bongo Record Club compilation that focuses on the original sounds of Mali, this new compilation adds to 2017's Vol. 1 digging deeper into incredible sounds from the 70s and 80s.

French journalist and African music expert, Florent Mazzoleni joined forces with Mr Bongo's David Buttle to bring you this amazing, if not magnificent dozen of tracks by such household names as Ousmane Kouyaté & Ambassadeurs Internationaux, Rail Band, Les Messagers du Mali, Mystère Jazz de Tombouctou and many more.

Drawn from the 70/80s post-independent Mali, the freedom of traditional musicians with modern instruments went to their heads and ended up in the melting pot: none more so than Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako with 'Get Up James' - this is not a one track album, I repeat, definitely NOT as one track album, but if you love James Brown, this is one to get up to - it's 'James NOT James' to mis-quote.

Hotels in Bamako were the place to party back in the day and now it's a hot bed of recording studios due to the Tinariwen effect and those Ambassador's know how to switch to that camel jazz walk 'n' blues ballad ('Matou Kagni').  Of course there's lots on international visitors to the Hotels bringing western music and it's possibly best asseminated in the opening tracks 'Kefimba' and Bouba et Sakona Sacko's 'Mamaniya'. 

'Yayoraba' and 'Moussokéléyato' by Allata Broulaye are marvellously 'rock-guitar' based mixed with wailing vocals  you can see why Robert "I'm a Brummie" Plant is such a fan of Malian music.

And not to be outdone, there's a couple of jazz bands, Malian style of course; Mystère Jazz de Tombouctou and Tentemba Jazz du Mali and possibly our favourite, the Rail Band ('Massaré Mousso') as Bamako would be for the rail terminous and all the hotels; that's how it all works.

And if there's any mod-revivalists still tuned in, the cover version of 'Midnight Hour' by Tjiwara Band de Kati to end on is pretty sharp in its own way; great guitar and drum solos which just about excuses the vocals not being up to Mr. Pickett soul quality. 

So whilst Vol. 2. still has the Mali/desert blues feel of Vol.1 . Zani Diabaté et Le Super Djata Band, Alou Fané & Daouda Sangaré et al, but if you do get it only for 'Get Up James', you won't be sorry.  And if you get the album for the other tracks, you won't be sorry either: Win - Win! And get on up and add this album to the collection. 

BUY LINK: https://www.mrbongo.com/products/the-original-sound-of-mali-2-vinyl-2lp-cd

Artist: Various Artists 

Title: The Original Sound of Mali 2

Release date: 7th February 2025

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRBCDLP278

Format :  2xLP Vinyl / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - We Wah 25 (Part 10/32 - Jamie Finlay - 'Daylight' feat. Ellen Beth Abdi) (Wah Wah 45s)

Regular readers of YATM will know that we go a long way back with Wah Wah 45s and Mr. Dom Servini so for the 25th Birthday Party compilation that came out last week, here's a bit of a selective retrospective!

Especially as there's a massive 32 tracks to celebrate 25 years (Ed. Wonder who thought of that equation?) and part of the celebrations was Wah Wah 45s stage on the Friday at WeOutHere Festival with Jamie Finlay and band that travelled all the way from Manchester to Dorset, starting out in 'Daylight' and ended as one of the gig's of the day in the Tomorrow's Warriors Big Tent (Track 10. on the compilation - see below as he was due to be the star turn at the London Jazz Festival launch  back in November, 2008).

Somebody called 'Speedy S' gave us an update; Speedy S eh!

Europe: City Guides/Events						FLY HOME NEWS AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST ASIA/PACIFIC CARIBBEAN EUROPE -Features -Reviews -City Guides/Events LATIN AMERICA US/CANADA - - - - - - FLY VIDEO FLYkr GALLERIES FLY CD SHOP (UK) FLY CD STORE (US) www.flickr.com what is this?
Wah Wah!! London Jazz Festival Launch (Cargo, 14.11.08) The best ever London Jazz Festival has the best ever launcher, its Dom Servini and a bunch of his favourite Wah Wah 45 folks.
It’s not that long since the brilliant Meanwhile… from the Wah Wah 45’s Part-Time Hereos but Mr. Servini and the boys now bring us the official London Jazz Festival launch and the Jaime Finlay album launch all rolled into one! You’ll recall Jamie Finlay (composer, producer, musician, DJ from Manchester) released the ‘Little Trumpet’/’Temperature’ 12” three years ago so the debut album Pocket Science is definitely long awaited especially as he’s been picked as ‘one to watch’ for sometime; comparisons with Prince, Plantlife, George Clinton and, legendary producers, the Mizell Brothers no less. In support are the London based funk band, The Filthy Six (sort of half of a Dirty Dozen?) that find their influences in the golden age of late 60’s Blue Note artists such as Lou Donaldson, Grant Green, Jimmy McGriff, Donald Byrd and other Droppin’ Science types. Currently hosting a monthly night at the world famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, London and other gigs across town, they now get a chance to burn up the Cargo dancefloor with their mix of original material and classics. They’ve got their own debut album Knockout ready to drop soon so it’ll be a double launch nigt. On the DJ front, Pete Isaac makes the long trip up from the West Country from the home of Jelly Jazz for a rare London appearance (so get there early) and your usual Wah Wah 45’s residents will also be on hand to entertain you. Looks like Wah Wah’s out to make the rest of the LJF an anti-climax! Links www.myspace.com/jamefinlay www.wahwah45s.com LIVE: JAMIE FINLAY & HIS ORCHESTRA + THE FILTHY SIX DJS: PETE ISAAC + WAH WAH RESIDENTS (DOM SERVINI, SIMON GOSS & CAPSTONE) 8-3am £10 adv, £6 before 9, £12 on the door www.cargo-london.com 83 Rivington Street, EC2 www.myspace.com/thefilthysix www.jellyjazz.com London Jazz Festival - Fri 14th - Sunday 23 November 2008 londonjazzfestival.org.uk www.bbc.co.uk/radio3 —Gerry Hectic Friday 7 November 2008

Review: VA - Family Affair Vol. 4 (Razor-N-Tape)

The NYC to the world present that comes via those trendies at Razor-N-Tape (now on Vol. 4) is the compilation that gives the most for the dancefloor that's 'Family Affair'.

If you've been a fan of Razor-N-Tape's yearly round-up of friends and family since Vol. 1 in 2021, the first thing you'll notice about this years' Vol. 4 is they've swopped the black frame album art theme for a snappy pop-art-ish 3x3 tile, which would work great if they created drinks coaster products (Ed. we'll want 10% of future sales).

You'll also notice that the quality of Vol. I's "affair", like heavyweights Dimitri From Paris, DJ Rocca and the then lesser known, Clive From Accounts (who only last week had his Fred Everything remix released on Lazy Days Recordings - see review HERE), is still being used as the formula.

There's two options, a 5-track 12" featuring DJ Rocca's comptemporary in the cosmic disco style, Ilija Rudman ('Discoteka Parmida'), Yasmin ('Real High'), Barcelona's Arnau Obios ('Pagan Mambo', a lively Afrobeat), label co-maestro JKriv's rework of Bessa Simons' 'Sii NaNa' plus one of our 2024 favourites, Vincenzo with 'Love Accurate' (also see the incredible Vincenzo remix of 'Free Born Man' by Sumsuch & Will Brock - see review HERE and his own 'Extrasolar' on Be Adult Music - see review HERE).

The digital 10 track also features future names like the Underground System's "Afro-Punk-Disco" (very NY), Dennis Liber and Yasmin Kademian on Latin-Italo-disco ('Baila Exotica') and Misiu's 'Belsize Funk' (too good to be influence by Belsize Park 80s jazz-funk? And Mike Misiu who was on Family Affair Vol.2 with Philippa who has just has a remix released on Best's Friends - see review HERE) and on Vol. 3, Yuu Udagawa who had her tracks remixed by JKriv and Fred Everyting earlier this year (see review HERE).

So it's clear that those that you don't know on Vol. 4 now will probably go on to get better known within the Family Affair dispora of dance so get it now to get ahead of the game and enjoy this wide ranging festive get together.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Family Affair
Release date: 13th December, 2024
Label : Razor-N-Tape.
Catalog Number : TBC
Format :  12" - 5 track viyl / Digital / Bandcamp

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Review: Fred Spider presents.. Chakalaka Jazz - A Selection of South African Gems (Heavenly Sweetness)

Heavenly Sweetness have got Fred Spider to put together a compilaton called 'Chakalaka Jazz', a selection of South African gems' and gems they are.

DJ Spider, aka Fred “Voom Voom” Spider moved from France to Spain and kept heading south until settling in Cape Town in 2010 where he set up Voom Voom Records to re-issue rare soul, funk, disco, boogie, and jazz.

'Chakalaka Jazz' firmly concentrates on jazz (Ed. no surprise there then) and perhaps, unlike some other compilations of South African Jazzkind, as Fred lives there, he's been able to digg for those musical nuggets that featuring locals, exiles and expats with "a reverent nod to the golden years of the '70s" and spiritual awakenings; although the actual tracks span 1969 to 2003!

So don't expect Hugh Masekela (the "father" of South African jazz), Dollar Brand/Abdullaah Ibrahim or Soweto boot bashing as these tracks are more at the The Indigenous Afro-Jazz Sounds Of Phillip Tabane And His Malombo Jazzman end of obscurity (and pricey).

Clarence Wilson, Gibson Kente, The Soweto Boys, The Drive, The Cliffs featuring Mankunku Nogozi, The Four Sounds, The Jazz Ministers, The Tailfeathers (thier track, 'The Tailfeathers' is pretty 70s soul-jazz funk and as obscure as you're likely to get) are all new names to me and it's all exceptional.

Cassidy Clarke Band's 'Doctor AL' is prime 70s Rockford Files era TV theme (like The Clarke / Duke Project but better!) and picking up on the current love of spiritual harp (Ashby - Coltrane - Alina Bzhezhinska - Amanda Whiting), you've got Zim Ngqawana's fabulous 'Kubi'; very Coltrane, John & Alice!

Not so keen on the chanting parts of closing track, the 13 minute long 'Magwaza' (Johnny Dyani) but the solos are as good as any Riverside/Blue Note/Impulse!/Prestige etc classics so, this is clearly YATM's 'Album Of The Week'.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Fred Spider presents.. Chakalaka Jazz - A Selection of South African Gems

Release Date : 1st November, 2024

Catalog Number : -

Label : Heavenly Sweetness

Format:  2 x LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Mr Bongo Record Club Vol.7 (Mr Bongo)

How do Mr Bongo keep releasing such fantastic tracks?  We don't know but it's a good job their Record Club releases the annual compilation (now on Vol. 7) so we've got all the top tracks all in one place.

We've already had a sneak peek at this with SOYUZ featuring Asha Puthli & Sven Wunder and 'Spring Has Sprung' (see review HERE) so now Autumn has arrived you even more summery Latin love from Mr Bongo and from further a-field on this 21 track compilation.

Not only is there chilled out Latin jazzdance classics, some stormin' U.S. disco funk (particularly The Duncan's 'Too Damn Hot' and 'Love Games' by Thandi Zulu & The Young Five) and the best disco track you've always wanted to get your hands on, 'Come Inside' by The Shades Of Love.

I like this Latin/disco-funk 2-genre theme that's a little reflective of other recent Mr Bongo comps like the John G​ó​mez and Nick The Record Present TANGENT (see review HERE - these two DJs were really good a the recent WOH Festival even though the clouds were gathering at the time) and the 'With Love' series by Miche (see review HERE - who was at many stages at WOH but I saw him mostly at the Near Mint record fair). 

Not so keen on the 'Between The Sheets' cover version but as to endorse and merge the themes, the closing track is a rare one, classic and BIG all at the same time- a Studio Rio version of 'Lovely Day' with Bill Withers himself!  You'll all have a lovely day listening to this from beginning to end and back again - highly recommended.

PS. also worth revisiting, Mr Bongo Record Club Vol 6. (see review HERE).

Artist: Various Artists 

Title: Mr Bongo Record Club Vol.7

Release date: 4th October, 2024

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRBCDLP304

Format :  2xLP Vinyl / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Be Adult Music 8th Anniversary (Be Adult Music)

It doesn't seem like a year since we were celebrating Be Adult Music 7th Anniversary but here's another compilation of all the best in a Be Adult Music world. 

In truth, it's been a little over a year since (see review HERE) but they've treated us to many a great release in the meantime that's emanated from the Ibizan beaches.

Typical of this is the dreamy opened, Hovak's 'The Day Before' and the ever present St. Ego (here with 'Stay') Also check out his Midnight Workouts remix of 'Losing Me', see review HERE) as the exclusive David Ol remix fits in so well here. 

 

Can't say I know the work of T.Picker, Erdi Imak, Viel and Death On The Balcony (their track, 'Follow The Beat' is a bit of a beachside Carrib steel pan-gospel grower) but it all has that Be Adult dancefloor quality.

Back to another artist we know, Julian Marazuela from the recent 'Seven Islands' release (see review HERE), and talking of the seaside, 'Atlantic Creatures' is a glorious multi-house genre firework of a track that wraps up this collection.

No surprise that there's much of a Balearics Island heat to all this and it's definitely one you should pack for your summer hols with the tan lotion and flip flops.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Be Adult Music 8th Anniversary 

Release date: 15th August, 2024

Label; Be Adult Music

Catalog Number: BAM375

Review: Various Artists - CITY MUSIC TOKYO Liner Notes by Nick Luscombe (Gearbox Records)

In a post Record Store Day week of re-issue frenzy (for some), here's a chance to catch up with something retro but brand new to most of us, apart from eminent musicologist Nick Lusombe with CITY MUSIC TOKYO. 

I best declare an interest (albeit some years ago) I first met Nick after winning a Bestival Competition on his XFM radio show 'Flo-motion' when he'd be playing all the best in the underground scene of Jimpster (still going, see review HERE), Solar Apple Quarktette (sort of still going, see review HERE), One Deck &  Popular (half is still going, see review HERE) and Break Reform (now more of a record shop in Launceston as Crates Is High!)

From these beginnings, Nick  moved up in the world having been very active as a producer/presenter on BBC Radio 3 & 4 with jazz and other things leftfield before move to Japan working with field sound recordings and more - most recently the excellent tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto (see link below: Sony Award material)  So, you'd think, why is this compilation, CITY MUSIC TOKYO, focus on J-pop; or as Nick would call it, City Pop.

Mostly sung in Japanese, this compilation has tracks dating back to the late 70s but to the non-expert ear it kind of sound generically 80s pop-soul with elements of soft rock, jazz-funk, easy listening (some great strings on here), synth-pop/new wave, R&B/hip-hop and anything else that was going at the time.

And for that reason, this is a great album as you never know quite what's coming next from Jodoes' 'Stardust Night' (sounds a bit Kid Creole/Dr Buzzard), 'Futari Bun No Atsui Yume' (Yasushi Nakanish) has a cracking Stevie Wonder type harp solo or the Deodato-ish jazz-funk of Escalators 'Fly High' and the post-Spandau Ballet cool of 'Samugari' (Tomoki Kikuchi). 

Don't get me wrong, this is far from a mish-mash, it's all got the Japanese electronic precision that you'd expect from the archives of Nippon Columbia and a culture that produced the top high end Hi-Fi, the Jazz Kissa and Karaoke!  And, in truth, there's a touch of the 'Baker Street'/'Moonlighting' with the Crescent Moon track and smooth jazz Nanako Sato's track is super dreamy with full on strings.

Clearly, this isn't in competition with the BBE J-Jazz Series, the latest release in the Masterclass series by the ski Takase Trio, 'A Song For Hope' (see review HERE with 'the' book, 'J-Jazz - Free and Modern Jazz Albums from Japan 1954-1988' with a forward by Terumasa Hino coming soon) but if you thought that the home grown market was not worth investigating beyond YMO, Sadistic Mika Band, Koyto Jazz Massive, Soil'n'Pimp "Sessions" and United Future Organization - think again.

BBC Radio 3 - Nick Luscombe presents "Sakamoto - Art Is Long, Life Is Short"

Artist: Various Artists 

Title:  CITY MUSIC TOKYO [Curated by Cunimondo Takiguchi]

Release date: 4th April, 2024

Label : Gearbox Records

Catalog Number : GB1593

Format: 2xLP with OBI strip / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Various - Lost Control presents 'Devotion 2 The Ocean' (Lost Control)

Lost Control presents 'Devotion 2 The Ocean', their first compilation and appropriately gives some of the proceeds to Marine Conservation Institute.

Lost Control have more than impressed us this year with Black Eyes's 'Hydro-Trip Vol. 1' (see review HERE) as they maintain that they are "the best hydrotrip for the 7th dimension".

I don't think anyone is in a place to argue with that statement however bold it is from label founder,Balamii & NTS Radio residen and compilation selector, Black Eyes.

There's ten deep house tracks from all over the planet.  'Underwater Highway' (Walt J) and 'Under The Sea' (Mad World Music) perhaps should have kicked off the album but it's deep (no pun, etc) and dancefloor ready throughout; Lazercat's 'Cruise Over Nemo' being particularly good on a scuba synth dive trip - erm, hydro-trip.

Full on Berlin at it's best and another that I expect to feature in this months' 'Best Of' Colour & Pitch Sessions mix.

Title: Various Artists

Title: Lost Control presents 'Devotion 2 The Ocean'

Release date: 1st December, 2023

Label : Lost Control

Catalog Number :  LC2097- D002 

Digital / Bandcamp / marine-conservation-institute.networkforgood.com/projects/70404-support-us

Review: Various Artists - Deep House Lovers (Be Adult Music)

Fans of Be Adult Music will be happy that there's a new compilation coming out on the label; but let's hope they're grown up enough for a slightly deeper house than they are used to!

And 'getting  deeper' for these goes can stretch from a 'tribute' to 'Boogie Nights' (as reimagined as Latin disco-dub funk by Carlos Sanchez) to a Balearic beach zephyr. 'Feel The Breeze' (Moo Vee) to a bouncey remix of Sumsuch's 'Find Home' by Alex Kentucky & Ivan Garci as the day draws to a close (Sunset Mix) - fans of the Colour & Pitch head honcho will recall this is the one featuring Matty Eeles who's vocal is remincent of the jazzy end of Antony Hegarty; also check out 'Don't Go' and the latest on Colour & Pitch (Sen-Sei & Jason Merle's 'Traduire' - see review HERE).

You also get an organ express train awakening, 'Rude' (Matt Gilespie & Amir Groove) that will stay in everyones DJ bag forever, Mark Mac (different spelling) with a classic opener, 'Across The Globe'.

As a somewhat different tangent is Juan Domecq's 'Haunted Me' with it's synth ghost whispers and Aurel den Bossa & Ias Ferndale's, 'Calla Gracionetta' which has a Balearic 80s vocal vibe about it.

So, as you can tell, something for everyone and it's not just for lovers of deep house as it's always good to be a grown up.

STOP PRESS: Oh! What's that I hear, something from the other side of the office?  Sumsuch says, " 'Find Home' has really become a gift that keeps on giving. When I released the track in 2015 on my own Colour and Pitch label, it became something of a low-key hit around the beach bars and terraces on Ibiza and across the Balearics. Alex Kentucky in particular (one of the nicest DJs and humans you'll ever find) championed the tune, and asked if it would be OK to re-release it on his Be Adult imprint with a remix by Vincenzo, a favourite producer of mine. That rework became the stuff of legend, and I'm so happy to see Alex and Ivan provide yet another version of the song, perfectly timed for another lazy summer." Well, there won't be any fights in the playground with those thoughts.

Artist: Various Artists 

Title: Deep House Lovers

Release date: 29th June 2023

Label; Be Adult Music

Catalog Number: BAM316

Review: VA - Hidden Waters: Strange and Sublime Sounds of Rio de Janeiro (Mr Bongo)

If you're a fan of YATM, you're more than likely a fan of labels like Far Out Recordings, Soul Jazz Records and many others that have released compilations of music from Brasil.  

Top of your list might be Mr Bongo, so have they really been able to find 22 tracks that are "Strange and Sublime" and from Rio de Janeiro too?

In short, those sceptics out there are going to have to tip your hats off to the Mr Bongo's trawlings of the beaches of Ipanema, Copacabana and Leblon in in the shadows of Mount Corcovado as they have found some magical tracks that match/surpass  MRB074 frm over ten years ago; that's 'Psychedelic Pernambuco' to you and me.

And it's not from 1960/70s either as this is the 'current' [re]evolution of modern sounds from Bazil have roots in despot Military dictatorship regimes to the current political madness that's re-ignited with the debarcle of the World Cup 2014 with disgraced FIFA president Sepp Blatter.   

The most incredible track, 'Lua Comanche' by Bala Desejo only came out last year! Bala Desejo's Dora Morelenbaum has a solo track on here too, 'Vento de Beirada' that's all baritone sax moody brilliant and the Joana Queiroz track 'Dois Litorais' has a similar Mai Todd Dia feel.

From the leftfield electronica, 'La Cacundê Iauê' sounds like it could have been sampled from traditional Mauri chanting a la DJ Shadow to grunge pysch-pop 'Lê Almeida to Brazil does Motown/Northern Soul madness 'Gigolô' by Jonas Sa and not forgetting the jazzdance, António Neves & Thiaguinho Silva 'Das Neves' and Ava Rocha's electronic opus 'Boca do Céu' (Mouth of Heaven').

And did somebody say, "Psychedelic" 'Moços' by Ovo Ou Bicho which is 60s mod-rock Byrds end of it and then Latin fuzzbox meets jazz flute gang of Marcelo Callado's 'Simbora' featuring Silvia Machete.  In fact, these two tracks could have made a 7" for Mike D's recent RSD, Brazil 45s Boxset (see Review HERE) they are that 'out there'.

We end with some electronic surf reggae from Os Ritmistas' 'Sambolero', could Torvill and Dean (ask your grand parents) have danced to this? I'm saying no but this compilation is so well conceived and executed, every track is your new favourite track. 

Brilliantly researched with essays by professor and music critic Bernardo Oliveira and music journalist Leonardo Lichote, plus extensive notes on each track by the artists themselves and that great artwork designed by Rio music’s leading album artwork designer, Caio Paiva.

It is odd that the exiled community in my area have such a love of British pop/rock and so little interest in new or old pop/MPB from the home country; having more interest in even Paul Di'anno's Battlezone (well, that's what Paul once told me anyway).  But with 'Strange and Sublime Sounds' would seem to me to be a way to re-kindle the love and let's hop this 'Rio de Janeiro' edition is just the start of a revolving series from different parts of Brasil.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Hidden Waters: Strange and Sublime Sounds of Rio de Janeiro

Release date : 12th May, 2023

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRBLPCD271

Format: LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - The Jazz Room Vol. 2 compiled by Paul Murphy (BBE Music)

It seems more than apropriate that one of the most influence DJs in UK jazz history, that's Paul Murphy, picks a track by a band called Jazz Carnival (named after Azimuth's international hit) when news of the passing of Azimuth's drummer, Ivan "Mamão" Conti, reaches us as this compilation is released. 

And in keeping with influences, from Paul's own Jazz Room label, there's the brilliant Take Vibe 'take' of the Stranglers' 'Golden Brown' [and if you didn't know better, you'd swear it was Dave Brubeck: and worth tracking down the video which prooves it.  

Then there's Daniel Crawford's 'Water No Get Enemy' (the Fela Kuti 'standard') and the France's Florian Pellissier Quintet doing Harold McNair's classic 'The Hipster' [and they've done a cover of 'Jazz Carnival' in past!].  

But the intention of the compilation was that it was more of a DJ's musical support so it's packed with great tracks from old tracks like Clare Fischer's 'African Flutes' to The Stance Brothers or modern jazz dance ambassador, Chip Wickham.  

Paul can do no wrong in my book [so I'm biased], but there's absolutly nothing wrong with any of the tracks on this album so it's very recommended. 

Artist: Various Artists

Title: The Jazz Room Vol. 2 compiled by Paul Murphy

Release date: 5th May, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE678 LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Once Again, We Are The Children Of The Sun (Compiled by Paul Hillery) (BBE Music)

Paul Hillery has long been a on the trail of 'Folk, Funk & Trippy Troubaours' and last year released a complilation of the same name on the Re:Warm label as 'Volume 1' in black vinyl (and blue, to match the stunning cover).

So, fully expecting a 'Volume 2' and we then see that he's on BBE switching from cool blue to hot of orange/yellow of  'We Are The Children Of The Sun' with another incredible selection of electronic, folk, soft/yacht rock, Balearic, Latin lounge ambient tunes that so fit the mood.

So this new compilation keeps this winning formula with BBE re-issues by, Will & James Ragar's 'As The Day Grows Tired' (what a great title to open up with) followed by Forest's 'Crazy Days' which is the way to set the tone.

Apart from the Greg Foat Band track (apparently a previously unreleased version of 'Milk And Honey' featuring Kat Barnard), all the other artists/tracks are new to me as that's what you want in a compilation. 

As you might expect there's more than a hint of West Coast trippy folk-pop-jazz CSNY/Byrds like Varela's 'Come and Take Me by the Hand' or Cunningham Corner's 'Free And Easy' that hits more than just the Grateful Dead psychedelic fans out there (previously just a rare 45 and now in all its Part 1&2 5 minute glory) or the stunning 'Moonshine' by Orion from 1987 but sounds more like '67 (also, there's a touch of June Tabor about it).

And flute gang jazz-dancers, here's the Patrick Forge/G. Peterson classic 'More Than Hope' to match all their other goodies - Wendy Grace is the lost "Janet Lawson"? And those two would not be amis if they had 'Kayenta Crossing' by William Easton Ensemble in their chill out warm up section.

It's a triple LP's worth/18 tracks so you might not be the biggest fan of all of it but with the skill of Hillery, you feel like the new areas of 80s/Euro/funk/pop/AOR need further investigation or even the Level 42 'tribute' one hit wonders Corill (Who?)

If you're looking for some modern day social comment, there's Garth Fletcher's 'Peace Train' and Mark Capanni's 'If Life Was A Ferris Wheel' (careful, both of these are ear worm growers) but the one to fall in love with as you're next favourite track, Aria Rostami's 'Golden Hour'.

You get the idea, this album is packed full of goodies and 90% of them are only available on this compilation or at incredible crate digging cost so get it while you can.

Can we expect more from the "esteemed collector and vinyl hunter" after Hillery's previous compilation, 'We Are The Children Of The Sun' and now 'Once Again, We Are The Children Of The Sun'?  Well, it shines on the righteous so I suspect so but I wonder what the follow up is going to be called.

And as mutual fans of Drift record store in Totnes here's his Paul's mix to celebrate the album's release: Drift'in with Paul Hillery

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Once Again We Are The Children Of The Sun

Release date: 31st March, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE708 LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp