Review: Rosettes - Lifestyles (Timmion Records)

Hey, the lets 'Make Jazz Smooth Again' campaign gets another kick in the right direction as Lifestyles gets a badge of distinction with Rosettes.

Released on the influencial Timmion Records label (one of the homes of Jimi Tenor - see review HERE), Rosettes tone down the funk of Cold Diamond, up the soul of SAULT and re-find the smooth of Sade.

At the jazzy end of Emilia Sisco (see review HERE), not surprisingly, Jazz FM and BBC 6 Music will be playlisting this one and apparently they'll be in Shindig! Magazine with their psych soul side!

I wonder how long it'll be before they get featured in Lifestyles Magazine?

Artist: Emilia Sisco 

Title:  Lifestyles 

Release date: 4th April, 2025

Label : Timmion Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format:  LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: FloFilz - Dim Down EP (Melting Pot Music)

Berlin jazz-beat producer FloFilz continues his streak of high profile collaborations with leading voices from the UK soul, hip-hop & jazz crossover scene. 

‘Dim Down EP', continues his association with UK trenders Alfa Mist, Summers Sons, Blu  Lab Beats and Lord Apex this time with Kofi Stone, Jerome Thomas, Kojey Radical, Raelle ('Peace Of Mind' current favourite on the YATM jukebox) and Matt Wilde.

And if you want some hot buttered soul to go with your 'Ohio Players' artwork inspired hip-hop, check 'Butter' (the one that features Jerome Thomas and Kojey Radical); hot and sticker than peanut butter jams.

Perfect jazzy hip-hop on Melting Pot Music with classy artwork too!

 

Artist: FloFilz 

Title:  Dim Down EP 

Release date: 4th April, 2025

Label : Melting Pot Music

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Various Artists - Fermented Grooves Volume 4 (Stereo Ferment)

Stereo Ferment's 'Fermented Grooves' compilation series is now on Volume 4 and is now also available in debut double vinyl pressing!

Following on from Volume 3 from a couple of years ago (see review HERE), the latest is another chunk of worldly funk-disco-dancee compilation with influences from Afrobeat, flamenco, disco, funk and all inbetween in a mere 9 tracks.

And it doesn't take long before you get excited that this is on DJ friendly vinyl kicking off with Josh Ludlow's 'Vikram' for some yogic disco: you may recall Ludlow from his big hit 'Bumper Thumper' (with a Medlar Remix) from earlier this year and he's still hot and sweaty.

In keeping with the health and fitness theme, Kraftwerk goes 'Y.O.G.A.' with Oreku who you'll recall went "NaNaNa" of 'Little Fly' from Vol. 3.  And since then, The Patchouli Brothers have shown us what they can do on JKriv Razor-N-Tape's edit 12" (see review HERE) and they're at it again with 'Sidi_93'  (Ed. is that some sort of road cycling shoe?) that's big on the Indo-piano house bang (that's how they roll).

In fact, there's quite a bit of an Indo-vibe with Anish Kumar's 'Unity Drum' before you get to 'Deli Gönül Neylersin' by FOC with it's mod-psych-funk organ.

Joint label boss (with Oreku), Coy Haste (he of 'Bancha Bounce' (see review HERE) who goes all Gwen Stefani macarena (and more) bouncing but I'd prefer the Turkish-space-funk of 'White Lights In Summer' by Dialtone or the big room of 'Shamim' (by the inappropriatly named Moving Still).

These guys love to experiment and have a smile on their face at the same time and this is another joyous release.

Many thanks to DJ Bob Hill and his Illicit Grooves crew for pointing this one out to us.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Fermented Grooves Vol 4

Release date: 3rd April, 2025

Label : Stereo Ferment

Catalog Number : SF017

Format:  2xLP Vinyl / Digital / ONLY available on Bandcamp 

Review: Peter Matson - Hotel PM (Bastard Jazz Recordings)

We knew this album would be good, but it gets a full 5 star Hotel rating for PM, AM and all the bits inbetween!

Fans of Hotel Inspector, 4-In-A-Bed and all those other shows know that after you've booked in, you've got to go digging for the dirt, stains and long hairs.  Well, there ain't no bad bits on this 10 track debut solo album of  the Brooklyn based musician/producer/DJ and co-leader of the band Underground System

We were pretty excited a couple of months ago when we heard Peter Matson's 'White Noise' together with his collaboration with Toribio on 'S.Y.G' (see review HERE) so he's more than delivered with thit bastardized jazz with groove and funk and boogie and disco and Balearics and even synth-pop.

'Alien' is typical of the bright disco vibe the underpins the album with with lots of electronic twiddling big strings whilst for a 'solo' album, he ropes in his mates Pahua (on 'Melancolía', she also check out the new JKriv EP, 'Intuition' - see review HERE), Kendra Morris ('White Noise'), members of The Rapture and Poolside [lovetempo is so hot right now] plus Ibibio Sound Machine which gives it a 'live' sound. 

Phenomenal Handclap Band (another JKriv favourite) feature on 'Never Know' whilst 'Shaky Escalator' (featuring Underground System) ain't going to get much in the way of many radio plays in this form as a clean edit/instrumental/dub might be a good idea.

Talking of instrumentals and no ideas, where's 'Lew Beach'? (Ed. or is it a person?) Even so, you'll want to spend you're summer there and it's one of three instrumental tracks that stand-out like the dubby jazz horn on 'Lobby Call'.

'Alien' is one of the hit tracks with super lush strings and it's summer ready beach appeal and I'll challenge you to not have it as a bed fellow to lovetempo this year (check out 'But I Do' remixes HERE)

'Hotel PM' is a bit like a chain in that is was recorded across cities like London, New York, and Mexico and has different room themes but all are variants of dancefloor, from the opener 'Lobby Call' or the closer, '18th Floor'.

Can't say enough good stuff about this album that'll definitely feature in the 'Best Of' 2025 list!

BUY LINK: https://ffm.to/hotelpm.GC

Artist: Peter Matson

Title: Hotel PM

Release date: 4th April, 2025

Label : Bastard Jazz Recordings

Catalog Number :  TBC

Format: Vinyl (pre-order) / Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: Diogo Strausz - Caramba EP (w/ Kai Alce and Lex Wolf Remixes) (Razor-N-Tape)

"¡Ay, caramba!", you might say, not another essential release on Razor-N-Tape?

Yes that's right!  Diogo Strausz who brought you  'Emancipação' that many thought was a modern Azymuth, returns with a new verson of 'Canto Das Três Raças' and a Kai Alcé NDATL Vocal Mix.

No surprise that the Brazilian producer's track sounds, feels and dances like Clara Nunes' original version on a 'Sunday Afternoon At Dingwalls' (with Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge) - perfect London [or insert you're own Capital] Jazz Dance samba/música popular brasileira classic.

It's bound to appear on a Mr Bongo compilation in years' to come but no need to wait as if you get this, the Atalanta based Kai Alcé knows how to make it even more dancey.  You'll recall what he did on 'The Symington Avenue' EP by Toronto Hustle x Sean Roman (see review HERE) so if you you want to be in the groove as those musclecars, you know what to do.

Not only that, on other side, 'Caramba' is more NY percussively heavy with a disco ball of synths, whistles and cuíca.  And on the remix, try the Lex Wolf Technobloco Mix where the Lextension master (Ed. did you see what he did there) reformulates 'Caramba' into over 8 minutes of "Kraftwerk meets Marcos Valle".

We're always impressed with a Razor-N-Tape project but this is "¡Ay, caramba!" even for them.

 

BUY LINK: https://www.juno.co.uk/products/diogo-strausz-caramba-ep-vinyl/1077536-01/

Artist: Diogo Strausz 

Title: Caramba EP
Release date: 4th April, 2025
Label : Razor-N-Tape.
Catalog Number : RNTR079
Format :  12" - 4 track vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Joseph Malik - 'Adjust Like Dat' ft. Mike Keat + Jo Wallace (The Oddball Creatives Remixes) (Ramrock Red)

Amazing new remix on Ramrock Red and The Oddball Creatives, the adjusted 'Adjust Like Dat' featuring Mike Keat, Jo Wallace is even more jazzy, funky, hip hop goodnes.  Craig Charles has a new favourite!

So you'll recall the original 'Adjust Like Dat' (see review HERE) as Joseph's tribute to his Dad, Francis Ukachukwu Malik, hence the tradition Nigerian dress in Igbo tribal colours.  How do you improve on that?  

Well, somehow they's gone crazy oddball NY, hip-hop jazzy with a clean and dirty vocal and dub instrumental - the keys are so Herbie fusion with a 70s Clavinet goove - ya'll remember 'My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style' (Dream Warriors): this is better!

Who knew the spirit of Fela lives just off the Easter Road in a proper Northern Soul Band that includes the Proclaimers' Steven Christie (electric piano), Daniel Walls (drums  and percussion), Colin Steele's award winning jazz trumpet and Darren Morris guesting on Fender bass and clavinet. DJ Nasty P provides the kuts with Jo Wallace on backing vocals and Cuban Brother, rappin' Mike Keat.

We've had previous 'variants' of 'My Whole World' (Joseph Malik with Kameelah Waheed with The Variant Issue Orchestra 'L'Opera Noir' Mixes - see review HERE) but there's the full 'Proxima Ebony Variant Issue' LP on its way.  It's going to be fantastic!  

PS. Don't forget the original - see review HERE.

BUY LINK RRR080 - Joseph Malik 'Adjust Like Dat' ft. Mike Keat + Jo Wallace (The Oddball Creatives Remixes) | Joseph Malik | Ramrock

BUY LINK (LP - Pre-Order): RRRLP015 - Joseph Malik - Proxima Ebony Variant Issue LP | Joseph Malik | Ramrock

Artist: Joseph Malik 

Title:  'Adjust Like Dat' ft. Mike Keat + Jo Wallace (The Oddball Creatives Remixes)

Release date: 31st March, 2025

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR080

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Kerrier Collective & wolf peaches - Rotten Fingers EP (Colour & Pitch)

Colour & Pitch have a new release with Kerrier Collective teaming up with wolf peaches as they get to grips with 'Rotten Fingers', the exciting EP that's coming to you very soon.

You'll recall Kerrier Collective from a couple of years ago, (almost to the day), 'Life Wants To Live' (see review HERE) whilst wolf peaches is a singer/songwriter from Sheffield (Ed. is that a Cornish-Yorkshire growth corridor?)  

'Rotten Fingers' has previously been produced with Robin Grey as a mindful downtempo track with pretty intense lyrics that's been picked up from a Sunday morning feel to a Saturday night under KC's mix of Omar S and Nils Frahm inspiration!  It's a fantastic juxtapositon into classic pop-Balearic-jazz-funk with great horn arrangements.

The new track, 'Fake Silence' takes a similar transition with a bruk grounding that's highlighted by some plucked violin. 

This is going to be on all the best playlists so be tprepared to be impressed; already played by Rhythm Doctor (aka Chris Long, he of 'Digital Juju' - see review HERE) on his Waiting Room Show.

Also featured in the Colour & Pitch March Mix by Will Sumsuch.

.

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - March 2025

Artist: Kerrier Collective & wolf peaches

Title: Rotten Peaches EP

Release date: 28th March, 2025

Label:  Colour and Pitch

Catalog Number: CAP095

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Lance Ferguson - L’Océan de toi (Pacific Theatre)

When you're looking for a new soundtrack to a 'lost' 1981 lounge-exotica French film, you might not immediately think the Lance Ferguson is your man?  Well if not, that's all about to change as here's the brand new soundtrack al la cinematic funk from down under (ooh err).

So, if we ignore the BeeGees, Kylie & Jason, Lance was at the forefront of new Australian musicians that could soul, funk, boogie and all other things.  Having works with (feat. Kylie Auldist) in the Bamboos and Cooking On 3 Burners he's also in Rare Groove Spectrum, Machines Always Win, Menagerie and most recently, The Ferguson Rogers Process.

' L’Océan de toi' consists of 9 tracks of dreamy, sexy, funk that you could play out ('Rue de la Plaix') or just relax to by the Balaeric soul pool, ('Dream Diry', 'Swimming Pool', 'Moonface'), perhaps with a drink or two.

'Green Eyes' is a great example how Lance's guitar can add soul and grace to a big choral sound whist 'The Ocean Of You' is pure pop.  'Vanishing Act' (a key part of the film's story') is envisaged as a big Marvin Gaye stsyle soul/funk instrumental with stings: it's brilliant and then  sooths its way into the title track.

At one time, Fergusson was a weekly feature on Craig Charles' 'Funk & Soul' Radio Show (BBC 6 Music) as Freesstyle and Tru-Thoughts were both releasing his music but even so, still not the obvious choice for the original Director of the flim, Leroi Alarie (now aged 69) to ask to re-score it to replace the original "cobbled together" library sample soundtrack.

Fergusson is now one of many that's come outta Melbourne (get another this week Don Giori - see review HERE) but clearly he's your man of 80's Franco-Aus summer teen film scores, check it out now.

And incredibly enough, out on the same day is Gianni Brezzo's 'Sprechiamo!' that's in a similar OST/library ballpark.

Artist: Lance Ferguson

Title:  L’Océan de toi

Release date: 28th March, 2025

Label : Pacific Theatre

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Gianni Brezzo - Sprechiamo! (Jakarta Records)

Jakarta Records are, of course, based in Berlin whilst Gianni Brezzo is in Cologne (Köln) and between them, they produced as jazzland of 'Sprechiamo!' 

This album consists of a dozen beautiful laidback tracks by producer, multi-instrumentalist Marvin Horsch that's like a flutey Jimi Tenor album, sometimes funky, sometime spacey, with the bonus of Marvin's guitarist expertise.

So part Italian OST golden era, part 60/70s groovy, the album pays homage to Gianni's Italian roots and also will keep beats diggers like Madlib to soundtrack geeks like Jonny Trunk in love for hours; particularly 'Hold The Wine'.

Brilliant musicianship throughout (see credits below) but not so sure about the cover; but hey, that's a minor gripe.

And incredibly enough, out on the same day is (Lance Ferguson's 'L’Océan de toi' on Pacific Theatre - see review HERE) that's in a similar OST ballpark.

Artist: Gianni Brezzo

Title:  Sprechiamo!

Release date: 28th March, 2025

Label : Jakarta Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 

Alt Sax: Johanna Klein & Inga Rothammel
Flute: Connie Trieder
Percussion (Hold The Wine): Gabriel Rodriguez
Piano (Chronos): Dario Bassolino
Piano (Via Xifonia): Simon Below
Percussion (Hold The Wine): Gabriel Rodriguez
Rhodes Piano: Jan Alexander
Synthesizer (Bapha / зима): Eva Sviderski
Tenor Sax: Florian Fries
Violin (Bapha / зима): Florian Meier
Vox (Chronos): Linda Feki

Review: Twelve Caesars - Ruby Ridge (Ramrock Red Records)

Twelves Caesar are back with a new single, 'Ruby Ridge' and is it another scene from wild eyed dreams?

Is it really a couple of years since Twelve Caesars (aka Andrew Pipe and Stephen Ennever) released the 12 track album 'Scene From Wild Eyed Dreams' (see review HERE) that included the BBC 6 Music hit, 'Calfiornia Sleaze' ? (see review HERE)  

The duo are back with their brand new 'Cointelpro' LP and their forthcoming single, 'Ruby Ridge', an All-Americana folk rock release with Byrds/CS&N/Eagles sensibilities - think 'prog'-mod tendencies from the South Coast (Ed - which is the best coast to be on for this type of thing)

Check out he 'Ruby Ridge' instrumental so you can really hear how good Ennever's Hammond organ solos are whilst the vocal version tells the tale of an everday tale from 1992 in Boundary Co. Idaho for the Weaver Family vs. FBI as they 'stand off' for the final shoot-out - maybe coming to a Netflix near you soon.

Andrew's vocals really suit 'Ruby Ridge' as there's a bit of seaside Style-Council to it - maybe the No'West Remix crew will have a bash or maybe a Darren Morris solo remix (see HERE) with a 'Union I' organ sample? (more news on what this means coming soon!)

Artist: Twelve Caesars

Title: Ruby Ridge

Release date: 28th March, 2025

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR077