Review: Lord Echo - Rarities 2010-2020: Japanese Tour Singles (Soundway)

Lord Echo has a worldwide cult following as he's a bit of a DJ Shadow-ish genre mixer where his album tracks can be inflenced by Latin, dub, afrobeat, neo-soul, downtempo, jazz-funk, hip-hop and "Mutant Disco"!The eight tracks cover limited edition vinyl only releases from his Wonderful Noise Productions era so it's cool that now he's on Soundway that they can get these tracks a full release so it's not just a handfull of folks that can enjoy these...

Review: Dele Sosimi - You No Fit Touch Am (Deluxe Edition) (Wah Wah 45s)

As you may have seen elsewhere, I have already pronounced this album is "BIG".There's a number of reasons for this confident assertion as it was original a seven track album released by Dele Sosimi on Wah Wah 45s in 2015.  Back then it was a mere 7 tracks and featured the realitively unknown Tamar Osborn (and is now better known as leader of Tamar Colocutor and has appeared with world star plus jazzers like Emma-Jean Thackray, BunnDebrettQuintett,...

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,...

Review: Marcus Malone & The Motor City Hustlers - Interstate 75 EP (No'West Remixes) (Ramrock Red Records)

This week it's all about the "douze points" for some folks whilst the rest of us only have one winner, the long awaited release of the No'West remix EP of Marcus Malone & The Motor City Hustlers' Interstate 75 EP (see review of the original HERE).They've roped in Craig Charles (he of Liverpool) on the Eurovision coverage, but Sir Craig's electoral fanbase is in soul 'n' funk and he's a fan of the original and the new remix having played it a...

Review: Gavin Holligan - When Boys Become Men (inc. Richard Earnshaw mixes) (Groove Lab Music)

In footballing terms, Gavin Holligan is part of the South London 'caged' soul, funk, jazz massive that's constantly producing great talent and re-inventing itself as 'When Boys Become Men'.And all this 'game of two halves' lyricism comes from the fact that Gavin was a former pro footballer himself and as a striker, he's knows a hit.Jazz FM do too and the original is very much in their soul-jazz chart vibe so when it comes to moving divisions into...

Review: Robb Scott and Leee John - Gotta Get Over You (Ramrock Blue Records)

"Two bs and another 'e'"; no it's not Ramrock version of Countdown, it's 'THE' Leee John and Robb Scott that've got together to 'Gotta Get Over You'.This track has been an instant radio hit as it's proper booogie that's feel's like it's an imagination of 2013 from the 80s soul days Radio Invicta/Capital/Radio London/Solar and more.You can't fail to recognise Leee's vocals and it's a big production by Robb (who you may recall from his Sunshine/Afro...

Review: 77:78 - Love Said (Let's Go) (Wallace & Morris Rework) (Ramrock Red Records)

To say Ramrock HQ is on a roll at the moment would be somewhat of an understatement as we find that they've gone for a re-work of a favourite of the Balaeric white isle from 2018.Did someone say, "white"? Well that's a bit of a misnomer as 77:78's origins are in The Bees from the Isle Of Wight!Originally as side project The Bees members, Aaron Fletcher and Tim Parkin, 'Love Said (Let's Go)' was released on their album 'Jellies' on the Heavenly...

Review: Batavia Collective - BTVC EP (R&S Records)

R&S Records are 'In Order To Dance' and they've been tracking down music that does that for forty years now.So, if you see any vinyl with the black horse rampant on it, you can rest assure that your going to find something that'll move you body but you might not immediately think that's it's outside of an electronic, techno, house, breaks, drum 'n' bass style.  And this is more than true of the label's latest 'find', the Batavia...

Review: Eddie Logix - Flight Risk EP (Rocksteady Disco)

Fans of Detroit's Rocksteady Disco label have been looking forward to today to finally getting their hands on Eddie Logix's 4-track EP, 'Flight Risk'.If you've ever been spanked on the dance floor by Jimmy "Bo" Horne or jazz carnivaled by Azymuth, 'Sky Dive' has some of the energy to keep you movin' all nite long. Label boss and bass player, Peter Croce, makes an appearance on 'Mount Juniper' and he's known for pleasing the "Flute Gang" (squad...

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...