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.

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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

Review: Omary, YADEE, Martine Labbé - Fight (Funkky Afro Remix) (Ostowana)

Ostowana celebrate their OST100 release with an upbeat attitude to 'Fight' as masters of their own destiny. 

Following on from the recently released 'best of' compilation, Ostowana Of Afro House Vol. 1 (see review HERE) this is more in ya face call to arms and it's funky enough with a remix.

The sun certainly ain't setting on these guys even after 100 releases so it's time to keep celebrating.

Artist: Omary, YADEE, Martine Labbé -

Title: Fight (Funkky Afro Remix) 

Release date: 28th March, 2025

Label: Ostowana

Catalog Number: OST100

Format: Digital

Review: Robert Owens x DJ Matt Black - Window Shopping (Remixes) (Musical Directions)

We've said before, Robert Owens' vocals are the gift that keeps on giving and with DJ Matt Black, here they are 'Window Shopping' Naked! What more could you want?

The last time we say Robert on YATM was on the Fred Everything's 'Never' remixes (see review HERE) from 'Love, Care, Kindness & Hope (see review HERE) and before that 'Live Love Give' by CJ Copper (see review HERE) but even so, it's hard to keep up to date as this release in Part 3 of an album series..

The thing with this is that they've taken the track and remixed it in different styles - acid to dub, jack to techno - you get the idea: and it's all great 'cos it's Robert!

All the usual array of suspects will be on this; Jazzanova, Laurent Garnier, Aroop Roy, Daz-I-Kue, Moodymann, Colin Dale, Stu Patterson, Bill Brewster, Sumsuch and more, i.e. all your favourite DJs!

Artist: Robert Owens x DJ Matt Black

Title: Window Shopping (Remixes) 

Release date: 28h March, 2025

Label : Musical Directions

Catalog Number : MDIR005

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Omar - Research & Brighter The Days (IMPRESS!VE Collective (an imprint of BBE Music)

Omar is always brilliant.. and then add some Zed Bias tubular bells into the mix (literally) and it's get your coat, we're going out to the party!

Following on from singles 'Can We Go Out' single (see review HERE) and 'Lovey Dovey' (see review HERE) we get our biggest clue to how big a year 2025 will be for Omar being his 40th as a recording artist.

From the cover imagine (is that Brighton Beach?) he's ready to take the show on the road; in fact, he's already done a two tours of North America.  In fact, the lead track 'Research' is a collaboration with LA based Canadian vocalist Honey Larochelle and the pair are the ideal soul 'n' funk project.

'Brighter Days' are always a good sign of things to come and with 40 years of performance behing him it's good to know that there's optimism still in him: even the instrumental is called 'This Thing Called Life'.

By coincidence, the compilation 'Our Music Our Culture Vol. 2' (also out on BBE Music - see review HERE), so what better timing for a Zed Bias remix?  Well, don't worry as there's one here on 'Can We Go Out' in characteristic fast 2-step BRUK that's heavy on the bass with those bell highlights.

Always essential, always Omar.

BUY LINK: Research & Brighter The Days | Omar

BANDCAMP LINK Lovey Dovey / This Thing Called Life (Instrumental) | Omar 

Artist: Omar

Title: Research & Brighter The Days

Release date: 28th March, 2024

Label :  IMPRESS!VE Collective (an imprint of BBE Music)

Catalog Number:BBE801SDG1

Format: Bandcamp  

Review: Various Artists - Our Music Our Culture Vol. 2 (BBE Music)

Back in the day when 'Our Music Our Culture Vol. 1' compilation was release, I don't suppose anyone in the influencial CO-OP crew could imagine that Vol. 2 would take a further 17 years! But here it is.

The CO-OP was largely know for it's club night for soulful, broken beat, house, dance music and in 2000 was the vision of DJ's Afronaut & Mark Force (they of Bugz In The Attic) and championed on the radio by Gilles Peterson with some 'Future Jazz' branding.

The Mitchy Bwoy graphics have been tweaked on the cover but it's the eight tracks that are the stars kicking off with the pairing of André Espeut who we have featured many times and Wipe The Needle (he of the remix on Searchlight's 'We Could Be More' - see review HERE) with 'Here We Go'!

You could say 'Solar Mode' (Mark Force & Davriel Gabrius) is 'trademark' BRUK-jazz with dominent keys and space touches as it splatters the dance floor and then, of course, there's the Rio influenced hybrid, Ben Hauke's 'Your Woke Moment' that'll kill those bassbins.

And I suppose that's the point in many ways as over the past 25 years, as Peterson has been searching for the perfect beat, this was (and still is) the focus of many peoples dance experience for Drum n Bass to Dubstep and Spiritual Jazz of Latin classics plus house.

Lady Alma (last scene with 'Joy' - see review HERE) is here with 'Work It Out' as a Blaktonez CoOp Rub is typical and with Bémbé Ségué, one of the main voices on the scene.   As Domu was one of the main producers outside of the BITA inner sanctum: is exclusive Domu mix of Sonar's Ghost's 'Purest Dope' just spectacular?  I'd say so!

Given half the chance I'll mention Best Seven (see review HERE for Daniel's lastest label) and it's was the Domu/Volcov 7" 'Souljah' that got me excited about the CO-OP and it's great that there's a new generation to take it on like, Don Kamares, Soulpalour and Tru-Thoughts' Bruk Rogers.

Best be quick to order the vinyl as it's a limited pressing so get ya Booty La La out and make our culture, your next cultural purchase.

Artist: Various Artists
Title: Our Music Our Culture Vol. 2 
Release date: 28th March, 2025
Label : BBE Music
Catalog Number : COOP2210DG
Format: Limted 2xLP Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Mondo Freaks - 'Bells Are Ringing' EP (Harvey Sutherland Remixes) (Every Star Records)

How many Aussie muscians live in Naarn/Melbourne?  I've lost count!  Mondo Freaks are from there and there's 10 of 'em.  Throw in Harvey Sutherland Remixes and they're on their way' flying high and feeling free.

'Bells Are Ringing' and 'Find A Way' have evolved out of what was originally a 'concept band' with a love of 70s and early 80s funk and soul classics. 

Mondo Freaks have gone onto share the stage with Leroy Burgess, he of 'Barely Breakin' Even' (BBE/ Universal Robot Band) and Evelyn "Champagne" King so you know that they can cut the groove and this EP shows they are immersed in that era's funky disco period.

And if your fan base include Harvey Sutherland for a remix and dub, you know bells are going to ring and ready to shout out: the dub is particularly good - seems like we need to get our orders for the 12" in now.

BUY LINK: Bells Are Ringing - EP by Mondo Freaks - Every Star Records [ESR001]

Artist:  Mondo Freaks
Title: - 'Bells Are Ringing' EP (Harvey Sutherland Remixes)
Release date: 28th March, 202%
Label : Independent
Catalog Number  ESR001
Format: 12" vinyl /Digital / Bandcamp