Review: Küf Knotz & Christine Elise - Inner G / Clean (Independent)

Here's the latest from Küf Knotz & Christine Elise, 'Inner G' / 'Clean', check it out here.

Following on from their incredible run of singles, starting with 'Hypnagogia' (see review HERE), 'Yü' / 'Cascade' (see review HERE) and thir last single that featured Christine's vocals on the two tracks, 'Somewhere' and 'Patience' (see review HERE) so you're getting the idea that .this combo of a couple are above average with R&B flava, conscious hip-hop soul and with 'Clean', dare I say pop?

'Inner G' is more of a 3G prayer with MCs Knotz, Philly's Boogieman Dela and Shad from London as we all look more to an inner peace and spirituality.

And we're getting closer to the release of their fourth album called 'Grow' so expect to start getting to know these guys more and more as their brand of cross-over radio friendly tracks take hold and bloom this summer.

Artist: Küf Knotz & Christine Elise

Title: Inner G / Clean

Release date: 7th February, 2025

Label: Independent

Catalog Number: TBC

Format: Digital

Review: Nick Marks - Cinematic Chromatics Vol. III (Independent)

Nick Marks' 'Cinematic Chromatics Vol.III' is due out but blimey, if Melborne was a band, it would be one hell of a supergroup!

Since we last checked out Nick Marks, Cinematic Chromatics Vol.II EP (see review HERE), in addition to fellow Melbs music skool Finn Rees (see review HERE), we've now discovered another one, Rami Imam (who's Safara EP is today too! - see review HERE).

And much like Rami's 'Safara' mix of multi-genres, Nick's high-end "cinematic edge" with jazz, electronica, funk and hip-hop (as in  'Cinematic Chromatics Vol.I' - see review HERE - and Vol. 2), Vol. 3 has added a deep sandy Brazilian 800km coastline on 'Current Location' that features Chien Chien Lu (vibes), CARRTOONS (electric bass) and renowned Chilean pianist Benjamin Furman plus Dave Levy on trumpet (Norah Jones, LCD Sound System, Robert Glasper), Chris Ott (trombone), Leandro Pellegrino, Doron Lev (drums/programming), Brittany Harris (Cello/Violin), Damian Bolotin (Violin) and starring on flute, Sarpay Ozçagatay (watch out Flute Gang!)

Amazing the talent pool in New York where Nick is based now and as this is the last release in the trilogy, "Top Marks" for Nick Marks as he's got more hits than Luke Littler.

Title: Cinematic Chromatics Vol.III EP

Release date: 7th February, 2025

Label: Independent

Cat. No: -

Format: Digital

Review: Various Artists - Paul Hillery presents Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours Volume 3 (BBE Music)

This is Paul Hillery's third 'Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours ' inspired compilation and arguably the best as fans and diggers alike will be thinking, where does he find these tracks?

Much like his "Sun Children" (as last seen as Part 3, Paul Hillery presents We Are The Children Of The Setting Sun (see review HERE), he finds them all over the globe but all having the same 'root' of folk, funk and trippy troubadours

If you can't imagine what that is Tim Green's 'Got More Love' and Stephen Whynott's 'What Have You Seen' are typical of Hillery's USP in the "unknown" world of 60s Greenwich Village/Haight-Ashbury that didn't make major label signings much like his Will & James Ragar "find" (see review HERE) and Forest (see review HERE).

That said, any 22 track compilation there's going to be a couple of odd-balls like the extremely beautiful 'Night Blooming Thing' (Robin Frederick) or the soothing slo-mo of 'Give Me Time' (Bobbi Keith).  Talking of which, Kirk Edwards' 'Provincetown' is sublime whilst if you crave a long lost Joni Mitchell (that never was 'cos it was by Dave Smith and Judy Dinning), 'Sail Far' is the track for you.

And more Canadian influence, Glastonbury denier Neil Young to be precise, can be heard on Dwight Druick (great name) with 'Joshua' or the soft-rockin' instrumental 'Going All The Way' (Robert Carlton) which was amazingly the b-side to a track called 'Punk'!

Going all the way is the skill of Paul as a curator, he was once the DJ for the 'out-there' Polyphonic Spree, and you can find Vol. 1 & 2 of  'Folk, Funk & Trippy Troubadours' on RE:WARM that's another mix of blue-eyed soul, jazz, folk, soft rock, AOR fusion that somehow sounds really cool.

Whilst the sun might of set on his other compilation series, this is evidence that there's many more trippy troubadours out there to be found and Mr. Hillery is the best placed to find 'em.

Artist: Various Artists

Title:  Paul Hillery presents Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours Volume 3 

Release date: 7th February, 2025

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE793 

Format: 3xLP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Rami Imam - Safara EP (Ponda Records)

If you've not heard the term, 'plunderphonics' yet or are after a definition, Rami Imam's 'Safara' is it!  Why should you care? Well... let me tell you.

We've been more than impressed with the musical energy pouring out of Melbourne recently, whether it's The Pro-Teens 'tribute' to MF DOOM (see review HERE), La Sapes enmergent jazz (see HERE), Ella Thompson's take on R&B (see review HERE) and more but if you pick all this up, add big slabs of disco heritage, world music, some acid and some strings and the plunderhonic combinations are endless in the hands of Rami Imam.

Where to start a plunder?  The six tracks on 'Safara' touch Afro-Funk, West African Highlife, Arabian Disco, normal disco, Bollywood, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Libyan Reggae, Alegerian Rai, throw in a bit of Blaxploitation/OST and it sounds like a series of compilations on Mr. Bongo, Real World, Stern's, Strut, Soundway, Real World, Rough Guide and even Womad.

And whilst that's a pretty comprehensive list, it doesn't reflect that attentions of a deep modern dance audience; so add in compilations from Cafe del Mar, Disco Discharge, Harmless, Suss'd, Rush Hour and even Soul-Jazz.

And even that might not cover 'Safara': "A testament to the endless possibilities of blending cultures, genres and eras into something that is not just heard but felt".

Based in Melbourne, Ponda Records is Imam's label and if he releases any other artists on it, what a high quality control bar Rami has set!  'Yale Yard' is the obvious choice to introduce you to the sound but all tracks are fantastic.

A truely awesome release, a must have for 2025.

CHECK OUT OUR INTERVIEW WITH RAMI ON THESE LINKS: Part 1 HERE & Part 2 HERE

BUY LINK:  https://www.beatport.com/label/ponda/88735. 

Artist: Rami Imam

Title: Safara EP
Release date: 7th February, 2025
Label : Ponda Records.
Catalog Number : PONDA 001
Format :  Digital / Bandcamp

Interview: Rami Imam - Safara EP (Part 2 of 2 - Side B) (Ponda Records)

Rami Imam's 'Safara EP' is due out in early February on Ponda Records, one of what seems to be endless supply of labels supporting musicians from the Melbourne conurbation.  YATM is rather excited by all this so we jumped at the chance to find out more about Rami and the tracks.

Flipping over the EP to 'Side B':

YATM: 'Dabo Ahes' (what does that mean?) and 'Jungle Voyager' are big on percussion and are made for the dancefloor. 

RAMI: 'Dabo Ahes' is actually a made-up phrase.  I thought the vocals sounded like they were saying that, so I went with it! The lyrics translate to: “Hey, brothers, hey, brothers – Hey, my brothers, I love you.” The track started with the drums - I wanted something organic and groovy but with a tribal feel, using deeper percussive hits. I was on a Barry White listening spree one day and came across 'Somebody’s Gonna Off the Man'. The rumbling low end blew me away - it sounds like a bass guitar layered with a double bass and a Moog to thicken it up. I isolated the bass, pitched it down, and it became the foundation of the track. 

After digging on YouTube for a while I found a vocal from an early 2000s Nubian track. It was super catchy, so I tried it with the arrangement I had, and it all just worked. Jungle Voyager was inspired by classic 90s house, but I wanted to give it tribal and almost samba feel. I used that iconic house synth stab but layered it with more organic percussion. For the vocal chops, I sampled the Lebanese classic El Layali by Nawal Al Zoghbi (2000), which gave it that Middle Eastern touch.

YATM: 'Why Did You' is a bit of a grower as you think it's going one way [Robert Miles 'Children'] and then wonders into a spoken word and speeds up; it's very subtle

'RAMI: 'Why Did You' has gone through a few different versions over the past two years, but this one finally felt right. The vocal samples—Kate Winslet from 'Revolutionary Road' and Oum Kalthoum—just had such an emotional weight that it felt like the perfect closer for the record..

YATM: Are there any plans for a release party?

RAMI: Not at the moment, but hopefully some more gigs are coming up this year! [And] looking to host another 'Ponda Presents' event soon as well which will be fun.

YATM: The cover art is very distinctive?

RAMI: The incredible Jade Ping (UK - Graphic Work) desinged the artwork - how good is it? (Ed. Very)  It's completely original and inspired by the Monatery in Petra.

YATM: And what's your future plans?
RAMI: I have been working on this ['Safara'] project for a while and have tried to put as much of my identity into it as possible. Over the years, I have been on a bit of a musical journey, figuring out exactly what makes my sound unique. I took a step back and really thought about it, and this project is the result - everything I love about different styles, sounds and rhythms all thrown into one melting pot. This is the direction I want to take my music, and I hope there’s a distinct, cohesive sound that comes across.  Hope you all enjoy it.

Well, as you've probably guessed, we certainly have enjoyed it.  And whilst I've never been to Melbourne, this is the musical equivalent of the world famous Queen Victoria Market in the heart of the city: filled with fresh, vibrant displays of countless cultural traditions from the diaspora that have gathered there: 'Safara' is truly worldwide!

Link to 'Side A' interview HERE.

BUY LINK:  https://www.beatport.com/label/ponda/88735. 

Artist: Rami Imam

Title: Safara EP
Release date: 7th February, 2025
Label : Ponda Records.
Catalog Number : PONDA 001
Format :  Digital / Bandcamp

Interview: Rami Imam - Safara EP (Part 1 of 2 - Side A) (Ponda Records)

Rami Imam's 'Safara EP' is due out in early February on Ponda Records, one of what seems to be endless supply of labels supporting musicians from the Melbourne conurbation.  YATM is rather excited by all this so we jumped at the chance to find out more about Rami and the tracks.

 

YATM: When you started Ponda Records back in 2020, "to develop cross-cultural sound explorations" your single on Street Tracks sounded miles away from the six tracks on 'Safara' so have you been working on these tracks since then as you've more than nailed the label brief? 

RAMI: I have always explored new sounds and styles in my productions, but this new direction has really taken shape over the past two years. I’d say it’s the path I want to follow with my music moving forward, and I’ll definitely be leaning into it even more.

YATM:  What's your musical background as we're told you were inspired by "Afro-Funk, West African Highlife, Arab Disco, Bollywood, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Libyan Reggae and Algerian Rai" Sounds like you might have worked in a World Music record shop/how did this come about?

RAMI: I went to Houghton Festival in the UK (Ed. founded by Craig Richards; he of Fabric etc) and experienced an incredible six-hour set by Hunee and Antal — two DJs I hadn’t really heard of before. That set was eye-opening. It showed me the power of older music and how it can blend with such a wide variety of genres from around the world. After that experience, I became obsessed with digging into older, more diverse music, and it completely reshaped how I approach my own productions. That moment was a real turning point, and I’m extremely grateful for it.

YATM:  This development in house/dance/club music seems more prevalent than ever at the moment [we've recently had the 'similar' Sun Sone album 'Patience' on Earthly Measures (see review HERE), is there anybody/artist/label that's influencing you as a musician. 

RAMI: I am constantly drawing inspiration from so many incredible artists across different genres, so it’s hard to pinpoint just one. Right now, I’m loving what Demi Riquísimo is putting out on his label Semi Delicious, (Ed. remember the Demi remix of 'Demba' by TSHA featuring Trio Da Kali - 2021) and Radio Slave with Rekids is always releasing heat.

YATM: And turning to the new Safara EP - can we talk through Side A, the amazing 'Yale Yade', 'Kidda' and 'Bombay Sundown' , this last one has a touch of Be Adult Music on an express train going to Bollywood!

RAMI: 'Yale Yade' I wanted to make as a modern Arabic disco groover that had a cosmic feel to it with the hypnotic synth that loops throughout the song. 

The sample in 'Bombay Sundown' came from an Indian Grooves record I picked up a few years ago. The moment I heard it, I fell in love and knew I had to do something with it. I haven’t actually watched or listened to heaps of Bollywood, but I do loSve the music off the 1986 Bollywood film ‘Shart’ – you should definitely check it out!

So there's our 'Side A' introduction Rami Imam and the LINK to 'Side B' is HERE for more of our favourite "truely awesome release" for far this year.

STOP PRESS: Hunee and Antal have just been announced on this years' WeOutHere Festival DJ line-up.

BUY LINK:  https://www.beatport.com/label/ponda/88735. 

Artist: Rami Imam

Title: Safara EP
Release date: 7th February, 2025
Label : Ponda Records.
Catalog Number : PONDA 001
Format :  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Synaptic Voyager - Dawn Till Dusk EP (Cyphon Recordings)

This new EP, 'Dawn Till Dusk', is a beautiful  Synaptic Voyager that's take you all day to absorb; the latest release on Cyphon Recordings.

Following on from the recent 'Drop Out EP' by Loxodrome (see review HERE), Cyphon's expanding rosta, that already included some well known names in addition to Jimpster, like Yuu Udagawa ('Forever EP'), Kirk Degiogio (As One), DJ Rocca, Ben Sun (new album - review HERE) as they all continue to explore "wide-ranging sounds from emerging artists, touching on electro, abstract electronica and Detroit-inspired futurism": 'Dawn Till Dusk' in its mere 5 tracks do exactly that.

And by coincidence, I recently saw a clip of a Ritchie Hawtin interview where he was saying in the early days of Detroit Techno, there were doubters that this "electronic music would last" but that he and his early adopter mates were believers; 30 years on, Snaptic Voyager is further evidence of this belief, especially as he hails from a melting pot (Ed. should that be furness) of electronic dance/pop/sythns, Sheffield.

The Snaptic Voyager journey started when Matt White and Paul Baines met in the 90s but it's only recently that they sort to make intelligent synth dance (ISD) and you can't doubt these tracks.  'Stellar Engine' might be viewed a minimal compared to more obvious Kraftwerk-in-Peech Boy NYC-like title track or the synaptic-dreamy 'Lonely Promontory', but it's just as dancey.

And then you could argue, 'Once Exposed' is the engine driver of the spaceship (synaptic) voyager on a mission along with equally intelligent express train banger, 'Cognitive Network'.

The news that Jimpster edited down the original submitted versions is both good and potentially even better news (let's make this release a huge success so we could have a future release of 5X15 minute tracks/a continous mix for CD2?) so, I urge you to be an early adopter of Synaptic Voyager, I'm thinking in the way of Human League's 'Being Boiled' sense, get the 12" ordered sharpish - this is the future!

BUY LINK: https://synapticvoyager.bandcamp.com/album/dawn-til-dusk-ep

 

Artist: Synaptic Voyager
Title: Dawn Till Dusk EP 
Release date: 7th February, 2025
Label: Cyphon Recordings
Catalog Number CYPHN14 
Format: Limited heavyweight vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Mentourad - Stray Cat (Be Adult Music)

This is one 'Stray Cat' that you need to own as Be Adult Music release a new EP by Mentourad.

You might have guessed from the cover artwork that the lead track, 'Stray Cat In Mumbai' fuses the Sitar dreams of Lennon in the 60s with some deep house that's boarders on the Balearics.

 

Backed with two other fine tracks, 'King Dance' and 'Morchang Man' (as we flip from ice cream van to traditional Indo-jews harp) this is organically so good, I might turn vegan, or go to Goa, Naple, Ibiza.

Definitely one for fans on Indo-jazz-fusions, Sohail Rana's 'Soul Sitar', Lord Sitar and all raja's inbetween - this cat ain't stray, but needs a home on the dancefloor.

Artist: Mentourad

Title:  Stray Cat 

Release date: 3rd February, 2024

Label: Be Adult Music

Catalog Number: BAM402

Format: Digital / Bandcamp.

Review: Livy Ekemezie – Friday Night (Odion Livingstone)

Odion Livingstone was set up to focus on reissuing rare forgotten gems out of Africa and they struck gold with their first release, Livy Ekemezie's 'Friday Night'.

Well, this was back in 2017, long after the world had lost touch with the original from 1982/3 so as we all need more kindness in our lives, they've decided to re-issue it again.

But unlike the BBE / Asona collaboration series that's from the same period, the most recent being Paa Jude's 'Seaman Jolly' (see review HERE), 'Friday Night' is exactly was it says on the tin, funky, disco, boogie outta Lagos that sounds more 70s due to the strength of the keyboards and clavinet; especially on 'Night Party' and 'Delectation'; Livy declares "Music is his delectation" at a time when was just out of school as a teenager!

And every track is a serious chunk of funky even with what might seem to our modern ears 'questionable' vocals, Livy is on vocals and bass, but I think that this makes it even more endearing and even more likely that Larry Levan would have been playing this all night long in Studio 54 if he could have had a copy of the LP. 

And talking of vinyl/LPs, the re-issue will be a Limited Edition vinyl release of this "holy grail record" so get ya orders in babs: not to be confused with 'I Wan' My Bab' Back'.

Artist:  Livy Ekemezie

Title: Friday Night

Release date: 9th January, 2025

Label : Odion Livingstone

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Limited LP vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Bakermat - Grace Note (Big Top Amsterdam)

The house tradition of gospel music is at the top of the glitter ball with Bakermat  and  'Grace Note,' out on Big Top Amsterdam; well it is Sunday!

You may recall that late last year, Bakermat (along with AMANZI, Ampersounds, Fred Falke, Zen Freeman) were saving their souls with a back to my Donna Summer disco roots track 'Save My Soul'.  And before the Dutch DJ/Producer released 'Praise Break' including our favourite horn and string drenched disco-umpah Soulchaser remix.

Well, after that success why wouldn't he return to the table for more gospel house inspriation for 'Grace Note'.  The lead track 'House Is The Religion', depending on your point of view, may have some blasphemy in the lyrics (Ed. check out today's BBC Radio 4 programme and you might think who can throw the first stone) compared to the worshipful 'Life' as remixed by Ron Carroll, "legend on the scene" - see interview with Tom Lilly HERE (and Best of 2024 Disco Express reviw HERE)

And talking about ireverant, 'Say You Wanna Be' is full on gospell choir and then we go a bit Hacienda-retro with FM sax solo, did someone say "Baker-Steet-mat?" ('Without Ya') but all is forgiven with 'Work It Out' - Sister Act in the gym!

There used to be a club called 'Halo' in a former church and 'Grace Note' gets that vibe spot on, like they say, the aim is for a "great night at a club, festival - or church, for that matter. Pure joy, unity, and transcendence." Nailed it.

Artist: Bakermat
Title: Grace Note
Release date: 31st January, 2025
Label : Big Top Amsterdam
Catalog Number :WP3053
Format:  Vinyl [Feb 07, 2025]/ Digital / Bandcamp