Review: Joseph Malik - Proxima Ebony (Ramrock Red Records)

The eagerly anticipated album 'Proxima Ebony' by Joseph Malik (out now on Ramrock Red) is finally here and it's everybit as good as what Craig Charles, Gilles Peterson and Blues & Soul's 10/10 review rating have been telling us it is.

It's as soulful as Mr Malik is with hip-hop notes (from Capitol A and Kameelah Waheed - taking a break from Colour & Pitch - see review HERE), acid (Digital Liquid), spiritual (Alina Bzhezhinska - see review HERE) ,Latin/folk (Chris Franck) and it's super funky too!

Eleven tracks in total and some of which we're already totally obsessed with like 'Adjust Like Dat' (which Mr. Charles loves), 'Trouble With A Capital T (as previously reviewed as a single HERE and the remix HERE) and the one about the sex worker industry 'Only Fans' - brilliant acid trip that conjures images of the Acid Queen herself, Tina Turner.

And see if you can work out which one is "Joseph's vision of 'Psycho Killer' meets CBGB's with Otti Albietz on guitar (from Suddenly WOW!) and Daniel Walls on drums....and me [Jo Wallace] on BVs".

Mr Malik has been very clever in balancing the entire album with these great musicians and it really does feel very balanced from start to finish.

I can't stress enought that it's all so good, you don't want it to stop listening to it. In fact, it's so good, we've just got to repeat Blues & Soul's 10/10 rating - it really is that good [Ed. we get the idea].

Not only that 8th September, 7:30p,m in the The Ballroom, The Voodoo Rooms is where Mr Malik's new album, 'Proxima Ebony'  is going to have a launch party (check the details HERE) along with the magnificent Jo Wallace (Ramrock in all its forms), Shuya 'Shuya San' Okino (Kyoto Jazz Massive and WeOutHere) plus Natasha Kitty Kat and no doubt members Ramrock's Scottish contingent of The Jennifer Ewan Band (see review HERE and HERE) will show up to have a great time. 

I can't imagine the buzz when he walks out on stage to 'Introduction' - it's going to be fantastic!

Artist: Joseph Malik 

Title: Proxima Ebony

Release date: 8th September, 2023

Label: Ramrock Red

Cat. No: RRRLP010

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Various - Reference Point compiled by Mark GV Taylor and George Arthur (BBE Music)

The concept of 'Reference Point' is Mark GV Taylor's vision of soul, jazz, disco, Latin, MPB, soundtrack, library, AOR and lots of other genres that are just great music. 

Mark joined forces with like minded friend, George Arthur they've put together a 15 track compilatiom that spans the 'Paul Hillery presents We Are The Children of the Setting Sun' (see review HERE) to Mr Bongo's Record Club to more upbeat tracks that move the dancefloor.

When was the last time you heard Joe Thomas?  Probably the disco monster 'Plato's Retreat' but that's 'cheese' compared to the his track represented here, 'A Place In Space'.

But Joe isn't the only star of the 70s here but at the other extreme is BBE's very own MF Robots' 'Make The Call' (and these guy's are not there only fans, see review HERE).

Back in the land of peace and love, who are the Astronauts, etc?  What a brilliant demo version 'I Know' is and put's their cover of Smiles' 1971 psych/folk track 'Just A Star' in the shade (and that 2019 Record Store Day release is selling at silly prices already so what price 'I Know'?)

And then there's the late night blues jazz of the JR Quintet (I don't know either) and talking of old hippies (well, perhaps not that old) Shawn Lee has done a mix of Kirk Reed's 'California' (with a reference to "Neil's 'Heart of Gold'" - that's Young of course). 

Yet another fantastic compilation from BBE and another with the problematic 'Hillery' issue that each track is so good it becames you favourite on the album but sticking my neck out, wait 'til you hear Bugs Beddow! And then there's The Ambassador College Band with The New World Singers and the folk-jazz-funk-AOR of April Fulladosa; yikes, I'm at it again, I repeat, wait 'til you hear Bugs Beddow! 

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Reference Point compiled by Mark GV Taylor and George Arthur 

Release date: 8th Septemaber, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE651 2xLP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Nik West - Moody (Queen Of Strings)

If you ever wondered where Prince left the spirit of funk, wonder no more as Nik West has found it and channelled that and more into this new album, 'Moody'.

This is Funk & Soul for the likes of Craig Charles and i suspect he'll be on the instant party classic, 'We Got The Funk 4 You'.

But the mood (no pun etc) can change, as there's a fair amount of 'pop' in here like a Bruno Mars or a bass playin' female Lenny Kravitz (now there's a thought).

And if that's not enough to blow your trunk of funk up, 'Thumpahlean' features none other than the Godfather of Graham Central Station; Sir Larry Graham (he's 'up there' with George Clinton).

At the other extreme is the ballad 'Tears' and the big hair 80s rock of 'Nothin' To It (But To Do It)' and 'We Can Do It' that features Cindy Blackman-Santana (drums) and Lari Basilio (guitar solo); Ms. West certainly has some big muso mates.

As she says in the lyrics of the title track, "Don't try to figure me out" so we won't as we already know enigmatic is spelt with n·i·k·w·e·s·t in it.

She's on tour in Europe in September/October so that'll will well worth checking out as it'll be more funky fun than moody.

Nik West · Moody

Artist : Nik West

Title : Moody

Release Date : 7th September, 2023

Catalog Number : Queen Of Strings

Label : Digial / Bandcamp

 

Review: Various - Future Sounds Of Kraut Vol. 1 Compiled by Fred und Luna (Compost Records)

Is it me but the future of anything is becoming a more difficult concept than ever before and if you add 'Sounds of Kraut' to that, the only thing that's definite in such a phrase is 'sound' itself.

So, let's start with the past as the sounds of kraut that we all know and love is the electronic type symbolised by Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Can, Neu, Amon Düül; and immediately there's no definite connection between them so if we use the 'perceived' connections of kraut; synths, instrumentals, machines, German/English language its perhaps the starting point that Fred und Luna started at with this project?

Fred und Luna you'll recall as the makers of 'Im Fünfminutentak' on Compost Records earlier this year (see review HERE) and "they" have put together six previously unreleased tracks by new artists that are happily 'kraut' and 6 from better known ones that have been labelled 'kraut' in the past; like I-Cube (represented here with 'Vantableu'), Sanki Otten and Pyrolator.

If you think this is a non-starter, check out 'Elkamonious Split' by Higamos Hogamos presents SPACEROCKS (don't you just love them names) and's 'Gilgamesh Mata Hari Duo's tribute 'Florian Schneider-Esleben' which is so perfect, you'd think it was Ralf & Florian.

There was a time when techno/minimal was all about the re-forming of the kraut legacy but with this compilation, Fred und Luna have focused on the repeatative synth style of Kraftwerk (pre vocal pop period)/Eno's favourites Harmonia and Cluster; check out these track titles 'Hymne der melancholischen Programmierer' (you can guess how Sanki Otten envisages that one) and the brilliant rockin' steam train, 'Die Geschichte vom heißgelaufenen Reißwolf' (Pyrolator); the exception being the one track with vocals, Oranza Ray's 'Preen Scene'.

So Neu Retro you might say, but I'll not be wanting to miss out on Vol. 2 that's promised later this year plus, as ever, the label have excelled themselves with the artwork which is a collage made by Norika Nienstedt (Düsseldorf) that's worth having in it's own right.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Future Sounds Of Kraut Vol. 1 compiled by Fred und Luna

Release date: 1st September, 2023

Label: Compost Records

Cat. No: CPT 621-1

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Super Duty Tough Work - Paradigm Shift (Next Door Records)

Much talk of Hip Hop 50 this year as the music family lots to the originators; it was great to see Grandmaster Flash and David 'Ram Jam' Rodigan bigging each other up; no doubt Rodigan would argue they'd be no hip-hop without ska/reggae music.

And I mention this as Super Duty Tough Work (SDTW) release a single ahead of the forthcoming album, 'Paradigm Shift'.

Fans of Jazz-loop-trip (JLT) are going to love 'Quiet Strength' as it brings samples/beats from, unusally, a live gig environment into headphones

Whilst 'New Sight' is like their BRUK/DnB workout where you can here the benefit of being a live band; especially on the instrumental versions.  On that subject, check out the clean and instrumental versions of 'Dirty Hands' and 'Mood Swings' that's released as a single; any track ('Mood Swings') that references Ronnie Foster and the Tube (London) is cool with us!

And, I keep coming back to 'Guillotine Dreams' which gives a view to [now out-of-date; but not really, "God Save The Queen"] from a Canadian perspective as (with some serious Detroit influences), what they're getting at is, a paradigm shift.

This is going to excite fans of the Peter Franks Goup (see review HERE) and BCUC (see review HERE) in equal measure and yet another label to keep an eye on.

Artist: Super Duty Tough Work 

Title: Paradigm Shift 

Release date: 8th September, 2023

Label: Next Door Records 

Cat. No: NDR

Format:  Vinyl (Limited Gold) / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Funkky feat. Nuzu Deep - Sixth Sense (The Realm Remixes) (Foliage)

"Deep jazz-funky house on the remix with super synth that seems like a sixth sense. So good you need to play all 3 versions back to back".

So it's a bit of a surprise to find the remix version by he Realm is an update on Funkky's sixth single, 'Sixth Sense' [Ed. how do they work this stuff out?] that was originally released last year with the vocals provided by South African, Nuzu Deep (aka Future Mokoena).

And then we know Funkky from the Eric Kupper Remix of 'Ngiyeke' (on the compilation, Soulful Deep & Dope 2023 ('Ibiza' review HERE) and as good as that is, this 'Sixth Sense' is even better as it taps into his and Nuzu's heritage and also harks back to jazz-funky/Incognito/Azymuth vibes; yes, it's that good.

Also featured on this months' Colour & Pitch Sessions mix by Sumsuch (see below), this remix version is a must have; especially if you can get it today on Bandcamp Friday; and don't forget, you need all 3 versions!

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

Artist: Funkky feat. Nuzu Deep

Title:  Sixth Sense

Release date: 1st September, 2023 

Label: Foliage Records

Cat. No: FN094

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Various - Paul Hillery presents We Are The Children Of The Setting Sun (BBE Music)

This is Paul Hillery's third 'sun child' inspired compilation and arguably the best as fans and diggers alike will be thinking, where does he find these guys?

And indeed, he finds them all over the globe from a far a field as London, Florida, Atlanta, California, Germany, Holland, India, Switzerland and even more as mere flickers of a butterflies wings of jobbing/aspiring musicians whose songs find just a brief moment in the sun before being swallowed by the sands of time: that's is, until Paul digs them up again.

And with that in mind, how come this makes such a comtempory co-ordinated album?  Even then, there's a strong 60s Greenwich Village/Haight-Ashbury about it all; the opening track by Graeme Gash [not to be read as 'Graham Nash'] sets the CSN tone.

That's the skill of Paul as a curator, like "a man we a thousand faces", he's a DJ that many will follow in their dreams.  It's hard to say that there's stand-out tracks as there's such a beautiful oneness to it all; 'Wet Dreams' [not that type], 'She Misses You' (Children Of The Sun Version)' and 'Playin' Your Game' are different but not outsiders to the spirit - the jazz-guitar frenzy of Christine Schaller does skat-funk it up and they're some Electric Avenue going on with Ya-Ya! 

This album is just as essential as the eclectic collections on 'Once Again We Are The Children Of The Sun' (see review HERE) and 'We Are The Children Of The Sun' together with his RE:WARM work as 'Folk, Funk & Trippy Troubadours', as a mix of blue-eyed soul, jazz, folk, soft rock, AOR fusion that somehow sounds really cool; even 'The Light by Reggio!

And a finally word to Paul to sum it up, "An album to remind us that we are all made of stardust with more to connect than drive us apart, for . . . We Are The Children of the Setting Sun."

Lets hope this is not the end of this series and the Sun with rise again.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Paul Hillery presents We Are The Children of the Setting Sun

Release date: 1st September, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE734 3xLP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Joseph Malik - Trouble With A Capital T (Natasha Kitty Katt Remix) (F*CLR Music)

If you're lucky enough to find 'Trouble With A Capital T', in life, the chances are that you're likely to find double trouble with capital 'T's, "TT" you might say.  Well, the good folks at F*CLR Music have found their 'TT' in the form of a NKK.  

And it is in those Lothian streets you'll find a Natasha Kitty Katt remix. I didn't hear this at last week's We Out Here Festival (Ed. that was last week so please stop going on about that now) but if I had, I know that the tent/field would have erupted in post-The Communards NRG synth disco 80s pop boogie frenzy.

You may know Natasha by reputation from disco/house residencies at high profile gigs such as Glitterbox, Soul Heaven, Southport and more; so when you add that talent to some additional production work by the North Street West crew, we're talking some serious disco fun even with a longer 'club vocal' and 'club instrumental' versions plus "two left feet".

But don't forget the original version (see review HERE) and, talking of which, if you're still around Edinburgh after the Festival in September, check out the Voodoo Rooms as this is where Mr Malik's new album, 'Proxima Ebony'  is going to have a launch party (check the details HERE) along with the magnificent Jo Wallace (Ramrock in all its forms), Shuya Okino (Kyoto Jazz Massive and WeOutHere) plus Natasha Kitty Kat and no doubt members Ramrock's Scottish contingent of The Jennifer Ewan Band (see review HERE and HERE) will show up to have a great time.

Artist: Joseph Malik 

Title: Trouble with a Capital T - The Natasha Kitty Katt Remix Ep [Additional Productions by North Street West]

Release date: 25th August, 2023

Label: F*CLR Music

Cat. No: FCLR026

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Various Artists - You Need This: If Music Is 20 compiled by Jean-Claude (BBE Music)

Twenty years ago you'd probably find Jean-Cluade Thompson in this shop in Soho, If Music..., thinking about what to put on his compilation 'You Need This'

As well known then as 50% of The Amalgamation Of Soundz, who'd have thought a couple of decades on that they'd be a double LP (180g heavy vinyl at 45rpm) and digital release of a retrospecitive celebrating why we need 'You Need This'.

As the ninth in the series, regular fans will not be surprised that the 9 selections are a varied and eclectic mix.

There's some old favourites like Emanative (with Liz Elensky) and Tenderlonious (22a) ironically each with exclusive tracks for this compilation plus Emanative's mate, Tamar Osborn (from this Rocketnumbernine release,  coincidently 20 years ago, in 2013) and Sarathy Korwar; 'Speed Of Light' being one of the highlights of the album.

So you might be thinking this all sounds very progressive Café OTO (tin rendy Dalston), JC is known as someone who can dig out a vinyl - and boy! has he found one with the jazzy Christine Schaller's 'Fidji' from 1980 [what a tune that is for all WeOutHere type festivals] and you won't be surprised that a track called 'Turkish Showbiz' could have appeared on Batov's 'Middle Eastern Grooves' compilation.

It really is a odd that including tracks by French sax player Sylvain Kassap, Greetje Bijma Kwintet (really cool world track, 'big Kalimba' fit in with something so simply beautiful as Ola Szmidt's minimal 'We Are Not Invisible'.

As you can tell, we this that 'You Need This' and all the others in the series.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: You Need This: If Music Is 20 compiled by Jean-Claude

Release date: 25th August, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE711 

Format : Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 

 

Review: Tobor Experiment - Available Forms (Bearfunk)

Bearfunk have been a bit quiet of late but when you need "the soundtrack to a fictional long-lost 1970s  TV sci-fi series", they know where to go to find the 'Available Forms'; that's right! it's the Tobor Experiment!

If you've not got it yet, think Gabrielle Drake in UFO with Barbarella catsuits and wigs at the space synth disco and you'll nearly be there (as per the fantastic artwork).

Hard to believe it's has been 12 years since the last album, the 'Tobor Experiment Disco Experience' ['Tobor Experiment' being synth-geek Giorgio Sancristoforo] but it's definitely been worth the wait for any Italian OST fans at a time when 'Tomorrow's World' were confidently predicting the future of space/time/travel/disco it's eventually arrived in the shape of this album that will make you wanna get the reel-to-reel hi-fi systems out on the wooden sideboards whilst you put on your velvet jazz smoking jacket.

The opener, 'Lowpass Risotto' owes more to the jazz standard 'Take Five' than Delia Derbyshire but the title track really gets the pulse racing with the sax/jazz guitar/synths.

'Moonscape Dust' is more mambo lounge jazz club but there's so much cool about this as the titles indicate, 'Venue Modularistic Riff', 'Halgatron' and 'Up!' (these last two sound a bit more 60s synth-mod to me, if there is such a thing)

So whilst this might sound overly retro; Jimpster has just done a remix of something similarly jazzy so, like the track 'Tave Five' itself, it's all very now (Ed. DJ Paul Murphy would definely agree) and anyway, all the tracks are soaked in groovey space disco like ''Signal From Planet Meta' and 'That Synth Of Yours'.

Even if you're not lost in the re-occuring revolving worlds of 1970s Jonny Trunk, The Prisoner (Patrick McGoohan), Richard E's Saturn Radio, Jean Jaques Perry's 'EVA'  and/or The Simonsound, this is an album for you; now, where's my space helmet and gold lame catsuit?

Artist: Tobor Experiment

Title: Available Forms

Release date: 25th August, 2023

Label : Bearfunk

Catalog Number : BFKLP036 Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp