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

Review: D.Foe feat Hannah Morris, Claire Delliere & Jennifer Ewan - Fool EP (Ramrock Red Records)

With a cover artwork that smacks of Christiane F's Berlin you'd be foolish to think that this is Ramrock inspired Bowie/Eno/Fripp nightmare re-imagined.

In fact, D.Foe (aka Mark Daniels and he of 45 Dip, Marden Hill and Sugarman) had a dream (not that type) and woke up convinced he'd written a perfect song.  Unfortunately, the radio waves had interfered with his shut-eye and it he later found he'd dreamt a song that previously existed as 'I'm A Fool To Care' by Mary Forde and Les Paul from the mid fifties.

Undeterred and more than enthused, together with the vision of Rob Clydesdale, they dreamt up a hip-hop, trip-out dub with a touch of swamp/C&W over a masters voice horn which was more than enough to get the studio knobs working over-time al la Mad Professor. 

If you know the song (there's many versions from Bing Crosby to Gene Pintey/George Jones) there's a strange menace to it, like a series of Cracker mixed with Pennies From Heaven (ask you grand parents).  

So D.Foe has to give it the full treatment of course as you can't contain such imagination in just one track or one vocalist.  So the 'Fool' EP has 5 tracks, with varying amounts of dub and boomp bap, 3 different vocalists, one sung in French and one by the queen of Celtic Cajun, Jennifer Ewan (and those Cajun's have a French cross over of course). 

Love the trombone playing as it evokes the sound of Rico (The Specials) and Ewan's voice evokes my inner Alex Harvey [which is a good thing] and the dubs are just next level; could do with more harmonica (calling Hay-eer-yah's Continual Harmonica Cut?) and Les Negresse Vertes weren't afraid of a bit of dub with their francaise which matches Claire Deliere's 'plus a change' (young Parisians are so French you know - well, it's Le Tour Femme avec Zwift yellow jersey time of year) and not forgetting the original vocal, by Hannah Morris (South Of The Boarder, but not that boarder, it's the boarder that put Ms. Ewan North of the Boarder).

As you can tell, this is nothing like D.Foe's collaborations with Ghetto Priest (see review HERE) but it's equally addictive - you'd be a fool to miss out on this one!

Artist: D.Foe feat Hannah Morris, Claire Delliere & Jennifer Ewan

Title: Fool EP

Release date: 31st July, 2023  

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR048

Review: King Bee - Good To Be Back ft. Andre Espeut (Ramrock Red Records)

Can you feel a new jazz dance Brit funk happening?  Well, it's on the cards as King Bee says it's 'Good To Be Back'.

Once more, Ramrock Red Records (and Mrs Ramrock, Jo Wallace in particular) have got their finger on the UK pulse and this time it's in Newcastle we find this powerhouse of a seven piece band that features the classic three horn front line with vibraphone!

Think Incognito mixed with the Chevalier Brothers doing jazz-funk like Morrissey Mullen/Beggar & Co. brought up to date like BunnDebrett Quintet, that's a bit of a challenge to get your jazzdance feet around but definitely worth it.

And on this mighty single, in addition to the instrumental version, there's two versions featuring the vocals of Andre Espeut who you may not recognise the name but his soulful vocals have quite rightly been sought after on countless releases.

Indeed, this is not King Bee's first recorded outing eithre as they released their first single in 2016 and found fans in Craig Charles (BBC 6 Music) and went onto be remixed by DJ Smoove (yes, another fellow of the North East and to be found on forthcoming Smoove & Turrell's single 'The Light', featuring Ronnie Foster on Jalapeno Records). [Note: that's Ronnie Foster of jazz label Blue Note!]

DJ Robbie Vincent and another serious soul-funk remixer, The Relex, are also counted King Bee fans and it's easy to see why as sounding like 'Good To Be Back', they must be brilliant live; particularly going on the reworked vocal version with extra basslines and acid-jazz organ, but it's all fantastic.

Artist: King Bee

Title: Good To Be Back ft. Andre Espeut 

Release date: 31st July, 2023

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR046

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Eje Eje - Five Seasons (Batov Records)

Batov Records continue to make a huge contribution to world music with their latest release, the debut album by Eje Eje (aka Itamar Kluger).

The album, 'Five Seasons' is spread over 12 tracks; two each for winter, spring, summer and autumn with another two for late summer, plus a couple of bonus tracks.

Fans of the single, 'That Rainy Dawn' / 'Coral Sex' (see review HERE) plus one of the highlights the compilation on Middle Eastern Grooves (see review HERE - all on Batov Records) will have a very good idea of what to expect.

They've seemed to have squeezed in some Desert Blues into their psych rock funk with some Turkish trad folk, Levantine dabke and Persian bandari. This might seem a bit of a stretch but from 'New Roots' to 'Mountain Disco' (featuring Yuli Shafriri) it's an real joy; current favourite is 'Black Sea Majic' with it's mixed in dub, spiritual jazz acid excesses.  But 'current favourite' has possibly been one or more of all the tracks on repeated listens including 'That Rainy Dawn (Autumn)', 'Saved From The Jazz (Spring)' and 'Mountain Disco (Bonus)'.

Perhaps a bit of a stretch to translate into the tracks to the five seasons of traditional Chinese medicine but it's a special album that will raise your spirits.

As good as the line-up is for WOMAD this year, let's start the campaign for a whole Batov Records Stage for next year; wouldn't that be great!

Artist: Eje Eje

Title: Five Seasons

Release date: 28th July, 2023

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR073

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Sebb Junior – Sound Of Life (Papa Records)

If you're not sure what a records on Papa Records sounds like, just check out Sebb Junior's new track, 'Sound Of Life' and it's classic uptempo deep house with bouncey soul and a bit of Northern vibes to keep that sprung floor moving all night long.

You've got a original vocal mix, an instrumental and a radio edit for all occasions.

French DJ/producer Sebb is apparently now living in Grenada, Spain and if you were aroud at the start of last year, you'll remembeer the hit, Reel People x Sebb Junior featuring Smith, 'Holla If You See Me'.

And can it be coincidence that being released on the same day is the compilation 'Soulful, Deep & Dope Ibiza 2023 on Reel People Music (see review HERE) so put the two together, it makes for a stunning time with the sound of life itself.

Artist:Sebb Junior

Title: Sound OF Life

Release date: 28th July, 2023

Label : Papa Records

Catalog Number : PAPA153 /   Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Various - Soulful Deep & Dope Ibiza 2023 (Reel People Music)

If you're going to, are at or coming back from Soulful Deep & Dope Ibiza this summer, here's the compilation soundtrack with 20 big tunes of Soulful Deep & Dope Ibiza 2023! 

This is such a good of a tracklisting, it's like Reel People have been reading YATM!  We've got Risk Assssment featuring Monica Blaire with the vocal mix of 'It's Not right But It's OK' (see review HERE), Technoir's 'Techtube' (Turbojazz & Sean McCabe Remixes) (see review HERE), Thakzin & Ray T's 'Don't Let Me See' (Jimpster Remix) (see review HERE), the 'tribute' to Prince, the Opolopo remix of 'Purple Funk' by Mothers' Favourite Child and Saeeda Wright and Reel People themselves (see review HERE) with their favourite guests including Angela Johnson, Muhsinah and Vanessa Freeman.

As a collection of originals and remixes (check these guys, Sir LSG & The Bless, Tony Momrelle Louie Vega, Dennis Ferrer plus Soulful Deep & Dope regulars DJ Spinna, Scott Diaz, Osunade, Atjazz, Emmaculate and many more) you're going to be hard pressed to find a better or deeper collection to sort out your summer party celebrations (from white isle to Inverness).

It's so packed with quality it's very hard to pick out some favourites, but here's trio that haven't been mentiond above: The Layabout's remix of 'Free' by legendary Stephanie Mills (blimey, apparently she was Dorothy in the original "The Whiz"), the 'Beautiful' by Mood II Swing featuring Lea-Lorien and 'Packing For Chicago' by Zo! featuring Muhsinah [again] with the Terrt Hunter Remix.

So whilst you're packing for Ibiza, make for you pack this and have a great time.

Artist:Various Artists

Title: Soulful Deep & Dope Ibiza 2023 (Reel People Music)

Release date: 28th July, 2023

Label : Reel People Music

Catalog Number : RPMDC020 / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: The Cuban Brothers - Shine (Edina) (Ramrock Red Records)

It's summer and it's all ready to 'Shine' for the Cuban Brothers as their latest single comes out on Ramrock Red Records.

The Cuban Brothers emerged as the Latin hard edge of Goldie Lookin' Chain at the disco with 'A Million Stories' on the much loved Rob da Bank's Sunday Best label and they quickly become festival favourites at Bestival and beyond.

Not in-your-face funny (apart from the cover artwork?) the lyrics/flow are understated humourous and you either get stereotype macho disco party fun; "Brum, Brum, Brum, time to motor" that'll prick up your ears. 

The dirty version comes with the comedic introduction, which won't make the commerical stations, but the clean edit clearly shows that Miguel and Archerio Matonvani Miguel together with Kengo San have made Los Hermanos Cubanos into a super slick operation with a penchant for some pretty exciting clothing too boot.

After Ramrock Red Records released their last single, Mr Malik's 'Trouble With A Capital T (see review HERE) here's some authentic gangland trouble that comes at you with tongue in cheek and a nod and a wink; could you say its, "Tongue with a Capital T?"

Artist: The Cuban Brothers

Title: Shine (Edina) 

Release date: 28th July, 2023

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR047

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Isaac Birituro & The Rail Abandon feat. Wiyaala - Kontonbili EP (WahWah45s)

Followers of  Isaac Birituro & The Rail Abandon will recall that they had a track on thier 'Small Small' album called 'Senye' that featured Wiyaala.

As it was so successful, it was only a matter of time before we had more.  And this EP is lots more.

The "Ghanaian songstress" is so expressive with her vocals, she is a perfect match for Isaac's xylophone and Sonny John's “Afrolktronica” (a healthy mix of folk, highlife and soul).  Whilst the single 'Hado Deeli' is now quite familiar as a hit on the radio, the rawness of 'Gargar' is brilliant as there's a great mix with the penny whistle and then, get ready, 'I Know' (with Sonny on lead vocals) sounds like the start of their "Arthur Russell" period; all we need now is a dub version and it's New York/North London trendy.

Wiyaala certainly has a great voice and sounds equally at home on the traditional 'Bawa', the minimal 'Yeri Villa' and 'Darpeny' as the Afro-funk-house 'Nimmbalia' (this really needs to be a longer track - where's the disco 12" version?)

This is project has always been exceptional but it's now on the next level as taste makers on Jazz FM, BBC 6 Music and your open minded DJs are getting excited about; let's make sure that they're at WOMAD next year. 

This is so different to the label's most recent release, another collaboration between UK/Africa, Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21 (see reveiw HERE) but that's what Dom Servini is so good at and has been now since I was a young lad (at least!) and it's always worth checking out his monthly Soho Radio show.

Artist: Isaac Birituro & The Rail Abandon feat. Wiyaal

Release: Kontonbili EP

Release Date: 28th July, 2023

Label: Wah Wah 45s

Catalog Number: Vinyl 10" / Digital / BANDCAMP