Review: Mothers Favorite Child & Robin S - Tonight (Opolopo Remixes) (Reel People Music)

Reel People love Mothers Favorite Child and 'Tonight' is with 'the' Robin S and it's remixed by 'the' Opolopo: sounds like tonight's the night.

Robin S (aka Robin Stone) has been a vocalist on numerous hits since her debut back in 1992 and Opolopo who's been remixing and editing for over 20 years including last years' 'Sunshine' featuring Angela Johnson on the same label as this one (the Atjazz remix as featured on the compilation, Soulful, Deep & Dope Ibiza 2023 - see review HERE).

And whilst we love an instrumental at YATM, when you're instrument is as good as Ms. Stone's, we say, you should keep it in ('house', you could even add)

There no suprise that Opolopo prides himself with the quantity and quality of his productions and be prepared for his next album with is coming out as a joint project with the previouslly mentioned Angela Johnson.

P.S. by coincidence, Defective Records are showing the video of Robin S on Top Of The Pops "30 years ago... Unbelievable performance"; 'Show Me Now' [1973] 

Artist: Mothers Favorite Child & Robin S 

Title: Tonight (Opolopo Remixes)

Release date: 11th August, 2023

Label : Reel People Music

Catalog Number : RPM119 / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Eparapo - Take To The Streets (Wah Wah 45s)

Dele Sosimi's "eparapo” with Eparapo means you've got a direct link between the Afrobeat supergroup, Tony Allen and Fela Kuti which gives this album a big power when it comes to tracks (the titles almost speaking for themselves being) 'Follow The Money'. 'Who Invented Black & White', 'From London To Lagos' and 'Black Lives Matter' (which all feature Dele); so much so, it's the closest you'll get to The Shrine this side of Abuja .  

Not forgetting Afla Sackey on the more chilled, 'My Beautiful City' and the band's instrumental 'Take To The Streets', (Nearly 12 minutes of Afro-Centric Sons Of Kemet?) this is going to be so good on the limited vinyl release; if not, the digital release is equally essential. 

Artist: Eparapo feat. Dele Sosimi & Afla Sackey

Release: Take To The Streets

Release Date: 11th August, 2023

Label: Wah Wah 45s

Catalog Number: Vinyl / Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: The Thief Of Time - Pavement Soul feat. NIIX (Sprechen Music)

Talk about street level, 'Pavement Soul' is definitely something built from the ground up and in this case, from Mancunian musical roots.

Chris Massey's Thief Of Time project is a look back at some of his electronic inspirations with deeply spaced out beats and some synth-pop dub. 

The track 'Pavement Soul' is a strong mix of trip-hop and post-punk disco funk that benefits from A Certain Ratio's Donald Johnson on bass (ACR being hip again of late) along with another Manchester based artist, NIIX on ethereal vocals and gentle rap.

Those with long memories may recall Hybrid worked with Peter Hook (he of New Order, etc) [blimey, 'True To Form' was 2003] so who knows where this project will lead in terms of guests?  

But on a more immediate note, The Mayor’s Charity will benefit from a donation from initial sales (three versions as in original, instrumental and radio edit) so it's all in a good cause and one to support.

Artist: The Thief Of Time feat. NIIX

Release: Pavement Soul

Release Date: 10th August, 2023

Label: Sprechen Music

Catalog Number: Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Lucky Sun feat. Jaidene Veda - Falling Fool (Lucky Sun Recordings)

Lucky Sun (aka Tom Lown) is "best known for his super deep productions" and 'Falling Fool' is definitely "super" and "deep" for a lucky sun drenched summer sound.

As we know from the 'Balance Remixed' album that came out at the very end of last year (see review HERE), Tom's soulful house is a bit special and he's leden 'Falling Fool' with a Sade-eaque Jaidene that gets you looking up at the palm trees.

And, as if to hammer home the point, the original comes with a dubstrumental version and a 'Veda Naked Vocal' mix which is like a very stripped down rhodes/dub but not quite Jane Birkin (RIP).

Very sexy, very sunny and no foolin' that it's a summer hit.

Bound to be on Colour &  Pitch sessions this month?!?!

Artist: Lucky Sun

Title: Falling Fool ft. Jaidene Veda

Release date: 11th August, 2023

Label : Lucky Sun Recordings

Catalog Number : LSR034

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Jullian Gomes & Jordan Arts - Home (World Without End)

Regular readers will recognise the name Julian Gomes as the South African producer who has released tracks on Reel People Music, Foliage and Atjazz Records.

He's now found a home on World Without End and this new single with Jordan Arts on vocals has the beat of a train to get these guys home with whispy synth 'n'- go-faster stripes it's got pop and Baleraic running through it all at the same time.

I'm thinking day and nightime plays for this one and it gets the pulse racing for Gomes' forthcoming album 'Bruno & The Birds'.

Artist: Julian Gomes & Jordan Arts

Title: Home

Release date: 4th August, 2023

Label; World Without End

Catalog Number: WWE012-S1

Reveiw: Espen Horne - Bergen Sunrays feat. Selim Mutic (with Session Victim Remix) (Wah Wah 45s)

In typical eceletic Wah Wah 45s fashion, their connection with Norway is a bit of a strange northern hemisphere circle to square but it's easy to see why it exists as their latest release is Espen Horne's 'Bergen Sunrays' featuring Selim Mutic.

Clearly, Bergen's reputation of the Manchester of the North has been transposed into a slow burn soul-jazz Gil Scott-Heron weatherman vibe and that's got to be cool.

And it comes with a heavier-synth, Session Victim remix for a Bandcamp Friday Bonus!

This is apparently Espen's first solo project in his own name since 1999 so it seems appropriate his old mates at Wah Wah 45s will be releasing the album, 'Anatomy of Serene Eloquence' later this year.

Artist: Espen Horne feat. Selim Mutic

Release: Bergen Sunrays

Release Date: 4th August, 2023

Label: Wah Wah 45s

Catalog Number: Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Sababa 5 & Canay Doğan - Bigâne / Namdar (Batov Records)

Here's another in the limited edition 7" series on Batov Records and this time label favourites Sababa 5 are joined by Canay Doğan on the mesmerizing a-side, 'Bigâne'.  

'Bigâne' sounds like a Turish version of Sterolab on Top Of The Pops; somewhat usual you might think for Canay is a staff member at Istanbul University's Jazz Department. 

'Namdar' is slightly funkier than the a-side but both tracks are so good I, fully expect them to appear on the next edition of Middle Eastern Grooves (see review HERE of the latest verson also on Batov Records).

And if you can't get your hands on the vinyl, there's always the digital downloads as you don't want to miss out on either track.

Artist:  Sababa 5 & Canay Doğan

Title: Bigâne / Namdar

Release date: 4th August, 2023

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR080

Format: 7" / Digital / Bandcamp

 

Review: Luizga & Magupi - Arqueiro Voador (Da Lata Music)

Most people will associate Da Lata as the Brazilian-influenced British group formed in the early 1990s by Chris Franck and DJ Patrick Forge.

But there's also the label that has been releasing tracks by other artists for a while now and they certainly have some very hot contacts when it comes to Afro-Brazilian-Latin music.

And the latest single combines Brazilian singer-songwriter Luiz Gabriel Lopez (aka Luizga) and Portuguese multi-instrumentalist Magupi on this digital single.

'Arqueiro Voador' and 'O Tesão Tá Vivo Em Mim' have a proper mix of influences that part 60s pop, part Goa, part electronic, part UKG, part folk; sort of like a 'variety' of Bala Desejo (see review HERE).

Another post WOMAD(UK) project to keep an eye on and expect  'O Tesão Tá Vivo Em Mim' to be in the set-list at We Out Here Festival.

Artist: Luizga & Magupi 

Title: Arqueiro Voador 

Release date: 4th August, 2023

Label: Da Lata Music

Catalog Number: Digital 

Review: Various - Fermented Grooves Vol 3 (Stereo Ferment)

If you can't have an illicit groove, the next best thing is some fermeted grooves as Stereo Ferment's compilation series reaches Vol. 3.  The annual release from the Toronto HQ where head honchos Oreku and Coy Haste have tweaked and jared (is that a word?) these appearently random tracks to a ferment for added dancefloor grooviness.

As we've just had WOMAD(UK), there's no better time to release a worldly funk-disco-dancee compilation with influences from Afrobeat, flamenco, disco, funk and all inbetween in a mere 10 tracks.

Watch out for Hiatt dB (is that the same lot that had a 12" on South London's Rhythm Section Internatonal) who go all Dakari on 'Safari' and not far behind, get into the rainforest beats of Salvador Ricardo's 'Heumbelo' but mind you're head on the 70s disco ball.

And if you've got an ear for this type of thing, you'll be aware of The Patchouli Brothers who've got a reputation for an edit themselves having had releases on Razor'n'tape, Defected, Soundway, G.A.M.M. and the like - 'War And Peace' is a track for our times; pouding beats and disco synths to the front; a fine alternative to Edwin Starr if you ever need one.

Toucan Discos' 'Future' is more positive in message and in more of an eighties synth pop Depeche Mode meets José Feliciano battle whilst Dacou's 'Nach Ke' is very much in the trendy Middle Eastern Batov/Habibi Funk teritory.  There's even a touch of Indo/Arabian nights ('Lament')

This is a real feet mover of a collection, even the "NaNaNa" of 'Little Fly' (Oreku) will have the afternoon rave kids on alert - watch out for the really naughty word that'll have 'em rolling on the floor.

And does Souldade's 'Kekiyah' embody all of the above?

Many thanks to DJ Bob Hill (and his Illicit Grooves) for pointing this one out to us and note that this release is a Bandcamp only download.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Fermented Grooves Vol 3 

Release date: 3rd August, 2023

Label : Stereo Ferment

Catalog Number : SF012

Format:  Digital / ONLY available on Bandcamp 

Review: Missfeat - Don't Fool Yourself feat. Jun (The Remixes) (Be Adult Music)

Whilst Will Sumsuch didn't play the original version of 'Don't Fool Yourself' on the March Colour & Pitch Podcast, I can almost guarantee he'll play one of these remixes on his show this month.

This is so summer and the '7 Anniversary' compilaton that Be Adult Music released (see review HERE) was more than full of great tracks like Cedric Salander' 'Essence' and 'A Soul' by Paul Losev.

The Vincnezo remix make it even more summery (if that's possible? Certainly enough to make the August Colour & Pitch mix - see below), the Mass Digital remix has emphasised the synth-pop side of the 80s vocal and then Cedric Salander raises his profile with an upbeat Baleraic style that's a whispy as the artwork.

Best of the lot is Missfeat's own retouch mix just to press home how good the original is and at a proper 7 mins plus length.

So, 'Don't Fool Yourself' and enjoy this new addition to the dancefloor. 

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

Artist: Missfeat

Title: Don't Fool Yourself (The Remixes)

Release date: 3rd August, 2023

Label; Be Adult Music

Catalog Number: BAM321