Review: MRSFLV - Beautiful Others (Be Adult Music)

No information on MRSFLV (Mrs FLV perhaps?) but what she's done for Be Adult Music is a couple of dreamy house tracks that needs your attention.

'Beautful Others' reflects the brilliant cover artwork as it incorporates some very hypnotic harp/guzheng (a kind of Chinese zither) vibe going on together with hints of Robert Miles/Eurythmics I suspect this could be a big summer hit (Ed. you heard it here first).

It would be nice to have instrumentals/dub but in absence of, 'Give Me' is another atmospheric house track that'll see in the sunset/sunrise on ya beach parties this year. 

Again, following on from the recent compilation '7 Anniversary' (see review HERE), this release shows no sign of any itching problem areas in their relationships with the deep house music producer community so expect another big year for Be Adult.

Be Adult Music · MRSFLV - Beautiful Others (Original Mix)

Artist: MRSFLV  

Title: Beautiful Others / Give Me

Release date: 3rd April, 2023

Label; Be Adult Music

Catalog Number: BAM304

Review: David Kitt - Idiot Check (RE:WARM)

Don't be put off by the title as there's no idiots on this new album by David Kitt.

The Irish singer/songwriter (so perhaps that's pronouced 'Eejit Check') is currectly in the UK on his tour to promote the album.

You may already have heard the first single, 'Wishing Well' (that's the one with the grungy pedal sound on it) but is not typical of the album's other nine tracks.

Lucky to see him yesterday at the Bournemouth Re:Warm launch (video might be on the cards) and as he's recently converted as a fan of Neil Diamond (as much as a surprise to him as us), the excellence of his lyrics match his electric guitar, pedal effects and drum machine skills.

Listen out for 'Wexford Strawberries', 'Balances' and 'Waves Of Peace' and expect to see them on BBC 6 Music, folk-rock-chill-festivals (he's already on 'The Great Escape' - see listing below) playlist the whole album is great as it is his ninth album after all so he's no novice (people in the audience were already singing along!)

The vinyl (either silver or black versions), CDs or cassettes(!) will be available at the gigs (and bandcamp) and what with RE:WARMS' 'dance' connections, I'm guessing we'll be getting some remix versions later this year; the book is already showing James Alexander Bright/Bright & Findlay and Flying Mojito Brothers as favourites, but don't be surprised if Prosumer comes in as a long priced outsider!

UK Tour

31.03.31 Cardiff

01.04.23 Bournemouth, Bad Hand Coffee

02.04.23 Birmingham, Hare & Hounds

03.04.23 Manchester, YES

04.04.23 Leeds, Headrow House

05.04.23 Newcastle Upon Tyne, The Cluny

06.04.23 Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete's

07.04.23 Glasgow, Nice N Sleazy

10-13.05.23 The Great Escape Festival

14.05.23 Sheffield, Yellow Arch Studios

17.05.23 London, The Jazz Cafe with Jono McClee

Aritst: David Kitt

Title: Idiot Check

Release date: 31st March, 2023

Label: RE:WARM 

Cat. No: RE:WARM 014

Format: LP / CD / Cassette / Digital

Review: Kerrier Collective - Life Wants To Live (Colour & Pitch)

Colour & Pitch have had some stunning releases recently and if you think you know what you're going to expect, be in for a surprise as 'Life Wants To Live' by Kerrier Collective that you can be on the edge without falling over.

Kerrier Collective are a duo (Ben Tidy and Alfie Gidley) based in Cornwall and this instrumental featuring live horns from Polly Meyrick (it must be 'a thing' - also see George T's 'Automatic Self On Hold' featuring Joseph Malik) and it's got that post-"Kruder & Dorfmeister and Cinematic Orchestra's lovechild" trip-hop of Conic Rose that works so well.

And for the club, there's a remix from CoFlo (from the San Francisco Bay area, not Porthtowan) who mixes in a deep house tribal synth dubness to this in a flutey forest that's reminiscent of Osunlade/Yoruba.

How did they get together with Coflo? It was through their love of CoFlo's track 'Lux' (with a Kaidi Tatham remix) on Local Talk so hoping we're going to hear must more of these guys. 

Artist: Kerrier Collective

Title: Life Wants To Live EP

Release date: 31st March, 2023

Label:  Colour and Pitch

Catalog Number: CAP088

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Reveiw: Alina Bzhezhinska & HipHarpCollective - Fire (We Are The Horsemen Remix) (BBE Music)

If you were slightly perplexed by Alina's social media post this week, be perplexed no more as her fantastic cover version of 'Fire' (Alice Coltrane & Joe Henderson) gets a remix by DJ Harv (aka Harvinder Singh) and Sub One as 'We Are The Horsemen'.

It's going to be the jazzdance track of the year as it's got all things Dingwalls 'cosmic' about it as along with Alina on Harp, it features UK Jazzers of note Tony Kofi (sax) and Jay Phelps (Trumpet).

Taken from her second album 'Reflections' from last year, the whole was inspired by the jazz harpist elite of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby with the spiritual wisdom of John Coltrane and the karma of the rescently departed Pharoah Sanders [RIP], the addition of the HipHarpCollective  provides for an album just as deep and varied that's more accessible too with a couple of well known jazz covers.

'Fire', 'Soul Vibrations' and a storming version of 'Afro Blue' counter the deepness of 'Alabama' and beauty of Ellington’s 'African Flower' form the rock of this album as this is very much a 'collective' band production. The strings are so atmospheric throughout and tracks like the funk/fusion influences on 'Sans End', 'Action Line' and there's two versions of 'Paris Sur le Toit'; an instrumental and vocal/rap Lady Sanity and Tom TheyThem that are beats perfect hip hop.

What with Amanda Whiting (Wales) and Alina (Ukraine-born, Warsaw Conservatoire-trained, London-based) both releasing jazz harp lead albums, this seems like a golden period for the instrument and the ladies in the footsteps of Dorothy and Alice; a land of make believe you might say - something to meditate about. 

Artist: Alina Bzhezhinska

Title: Fire (We Are The Horsemen Remix) 

Release date: 31st March, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : 

BBE716SDG3 / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review - Rosanna & Zélia – Baiao Da Luna (We Jazz Records)

You got me at "Brazilian reggae from rural Finland". What! 

This is such a fantastic find by We Jazz records as we've got a 7" with the Gilberto Gil's 'Extra (Brazilian Reggae)', the chill out tent/quiet lounge folk of 'Tonto Luar' and the 'traditional', 'Baiao Da Luna'.  

All far too short but if you are after so very rare Musica Popular Brasileira/Bossa a la Joyce/Nina Miranda/Gal Costa/Nara Leão,
Rosanna & Zelia is for you.

And, just too much to think these two were Finish  as they are, of course, from Brazil.

Playlisting and perfect to add to Mr Bongo's recent Rubinho E Mauro Assumpção release,  'Perfeitamente, Justamente Quando Cheguei' (see review HERE)

 

Artist: Rosanna & Zélia

Title: Baiao Da Luna

Release date: 21st April, 2023

Label : We Jazz Records

Catalog Number : WJLP53 / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Bright & Findlay - NY Disco (Smile) (Athens Of The North)

This will bring a big smile to every face - especially those folks that can't get enough vintage synth disco funk that's on a yacht.  

Yeah, Bright & Findlay are at it again with a brand new single, 'NY Disco (Smile)' that's stripped to its machine drum Peechy-ness and just rocks.  

What about the b-side you say... will their be a 12"  mix? Will there be a Flying Mojito Bros Refrito?  Will there be a Hectic Extension?  Who knows, but for now, revel to this one and smile.  

If you need some background reading on James Alexander Bright, check out 'Tigers Roar (Flying Mojito Bros Refrito)' (review HERE) the orginal version of which Tom (he of Groove Armada) heard on the radio and which then brought the pair of them together to work on new material as Bright & Findlay.

Artist: Bright & Findlay

Title: NY Disco (Smile) 

Release date: 31st March, 2023

Label: Athens Of The North

Cat. No: 

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Beatkozina ft. Abirah Shah - Nusrat Passion (inc. Kiko Navarro Afroterraneo Remix) (Afroterraneo)

Fans of the last release on the Afroterraneo label, Kiko Navarro's 'You Take Over' featuring Nader Behravan that included an Osunlade remix (see review HERE) might think they'd know what they'd be getting with this latest release; but would they?

Well, they won't be surprised that this is an excellent couple of tracks that you'll want to hear again and again but whilst you may want to head for the Kiko remix to start with - hold on and get absorbed with the original version, not only because it's nearly 10 minutes long but it's got the "truly show-stopping performance" vocals of Abirah Shah.

This track is a glorious mix of Afro-Arabic-Indian subcontinent with deep house and as Kiko loves his spiritual Alice Coltrance/Tai Chi you can tell he's up for the remix.  If someone was to update ex-CAN member Holger Czukay's 1979 classic 'Persian Love', this would not be that far away.

Bearkozina formed out of Gregory Jouandon travelling from is London home to Marrakech where he met fellow multi-instrumentalist Marehdi Naami and this is there first release and is a tribute to internationally renowned performer of Qawwali (Sufis spiritual music), Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.  Not only is this a fitting tribute, both versions are totally dancefloor ready so be prepared to be surprised!

And featured on the latest Colour & Pitch Session with Sumsuch

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - March 2023

Artist: Beatkozina ft, Abirah Shah 

Title: Nusrat Passion (inc. Kiko Navarro Afroterraneo Remix) 

Release Date : 31st March, 2023

Catalog Number : AFTNE054 

Label : Afroterraneo

Format: 12" / Digital / Bandcamp

1. Nusrat Passion (9:16)

2. Nusrat Passion (inc. Kiko Navarro Afroterraneo Remix) (7:54)

Review: Twelve Caesars - California Sleaze EP (F*CLR Music)

We've got the follow-up to Wearing Shoes' EP, 'Never Pretend' on F*CLR [pronounced F.Star.Clear] and it's shows that as a label have got their finger on more than one pulse with Twelves Caesars' 'California Sleaze'.

It's odd that we've just had the Flying Mojito Bros "Refrito" version of 'Tigers Roar' by James Alexander Bright (review HERE)  and other West Coast soft rock "finds" (with BBE's compilation by Paul Hillery,'Once Again, We Are The Children Of The Sun') (review HERE) which is where 'California Slease' sits in vocal and instrumental versions.

Hardly surprising as the duo that is Twelve Caesars (aka Andrew Pipe and Stephen Ennever) cruise along Pacific Coast highway taking inspiration from Mahalia Jackson’s ‘Take My Hand, Precious Lord’ and Blind Willie Johnson ‘Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed’ plus a bit of Robert F Kennedy.

Well, there's a bit of a Weatherallisation to this as add to a sunny CS&N just a bit of dobro (I think it's a dobro - with slide?), added organ which just falls short of Ms Smith's, "Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine" ('Glora'). 

Great artwork (as was their last release, 'Swan Fendered Mercury') but this time we've got to wait for the North Street West remix versions (really looking forward to see if they can match the 'Swan Fendered Mercury' dub with 'California Sleaze' with that organ and some added horns; it'll be brilliant).  Even now, if Charlie Gillett/John Peel were around today this would be high in their charts so I say it should be on yours too!

In the review of 'Never Pretend' I said, "lets have more from F*CLR" and they haven't let us down as this follows George T's 'Automatic Self On Hold' featuring Joseph Malik (review HERE).

Artist: Twelve Caesars 

Title: California Sleaze EP

Release date: 31st March, 2023

Label : F*CLR Music .

Catalog Number : 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 

Review: George T ft. Joseph Malik - Automatic Self On Hold (F*CLR Music)

We've been long time fans of Joseph Malik having made his name 20 years ago; even a record label took their name from his track  'Futuristica'!

More recently he's been working with Ramrock Records and they've been promising us something special from Joseph for some that.  Adding a Roy Hargrove-esque trumpet (by David Rosenthal) to Joseph's soulful vocals with deep space synths from old-skool Detroit/Chi-Town plus jazzy keys, this is as good as next gen house gets.

And it doesn't stop there as there's the instrumental and a dub that's even brillianter as it merges on Isaac Asimov meets King Tubby at the Peechy NYC Boy disco; but guys, surely it needs to be at least 12" length? 

George's background is as deep as Joseph's with numerous remix releases classic labels like Glasgow Underground, NRK, 2020 vision, Crosstown Rebels, Tirk, and more recently Greco-Roman and Toolroom so together they make a great team and folks will be flocking to Scotland to be as hip as they are on the back of this no doubt [well Rebecca Vasant (Tru-Thoughts) got a "Jazz Warrior" moving from the South Coast to Glasgow a couple of years ago so it's not that far fetched]. 

Releasing this a few days ahead of Twelve Caesars' 'California Sleaze EP', (review HERE), F*CLR have their futuristica heads on as I'm calling it now, 'Automatic Self On Hold' track of the year!

Artist: George T ft. Joseph Malik

Title: Automatic Self On Hold

Release date: 27th March, 2023

Label : F*CLR Music .

Catalog Number :FCLR020 Digital / Bandcamp