Review: Gryph - Nash Angeles (Elbow Grease)

West Coast, LA, Record label with the moto 'Love, Peace & Elbow Grease' is bound to be working hard to find the best talent for next convert from Tennessee rock and blues to soft rock house - gets this 'Nash Angeles'!

If you're born in Nashville and raised in L.A., what better title for you're debut album than 'Nash Angels' (Ed. did you see what they did there?)  Gryph (aka Michael Griffin) with co-producer Dave Aju (who initially made his name in the minimal/techno genre) who has been running the Elbow Grease label for the past 5 years, have got together with a set of top vocalist and live session musicians to produce this 9-track album that covers lots of bases - "from disco to dub, modern soul to post-punk, Italo to R&B, jazz-funk to classic house" - and even then, there's more!

Over the 9 tracks you'll get an over-powering sense of party from bouncy bongos and synths on 'Gotcha Love' featuring Shirtz to the "eye-to-eye contact" upgrade on the following 'Dangereuse' (featuring Dina Moursi): get you're Euro disco strut-on baby.

So that's two great tracks and the party continues with some deep "way down" basslines at one end of 'Feeling It' (featuring Masho) and big string sweeps and sexy sax at the other. 

You don't want to miss out on the jazz-house-funk-fusion (mostly)instrumentals 'Pierce' and 'Body Body'.  And no idea what 'St. Barts' means to these guys but it's not the London Hospital around the back of Smithfields market as the track 'St. Barts' goes into flute gang jazz mid-tempo instrumental that Herbie Mann would have been proud of.  

And talking of the greats, 'Dr. John' is a deep as a spirtual jazz trade route to 'Orleans of sax and upbeat Lonnie Liston Smith keys. The album ends on 'Dr John' but warms up with a Latin tinged disco 'Summer Nights' that grooves you into beachwear via West Coast yacht rock captained by the Mizzell Brothers; don't forget that these are "HOT, summer nights"! 

I think we've all got the idea now and as everyone has said this album is full of a variety of influences, I guess Aju's hand is on this as much as Griffen's but as a duo, they've put an awful lot of elbow grease into this album an it's paid off big time as it's going to be a big success: Nash Angeles is the place to be! 

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: https://elbowgrease.bandcamp.com/album/nash-angeles

Artist: Gryph 

Title: Nash Angels

Release date: 3rd July, 2026

Label : Elbow Grease

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Limited Edition Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: The Secret Garden - Weekend Away (Original + Dadhaus Remix) (Ramrock Red Records)

Relive that 'Weekend Away' party experience born via the likes of Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizz Air like there's no tomorrow with your audio pilots for today The Secret Garden and Dadhaus!

Ramrock are flying at the moment with the No’West Remix) EP of 'Space Soul Mother' by the duo known as Suddenly WOW! (see review HERE) that's just been released.

This time, The Secret Garden (aka Alex Vickers) have been inspired by a period at the birth of like the much loved/hated (equal measures) budget airline as they flew to brand new destinations that had yet to be discovered by the party people that want to get away for the weekend; ask DJ Christoher Long (aka The Rhythm Doctor) who is now resident in Tallinn, a city almost unknown in the UK in the 90s/even now!

If the original get you there the Dadhaus gets you past Door Security into the Late Night Disco with full-on strobe synths, Italo-keys and duty-free abandon: "Oh Yeah!"

There's hints of Moist favourite Dicky Continental on the remix (well, with a name like that!) but in the meantime, also recommended are previous releases by The Secret Garden, 'Names In The Sky' featuring Jo Wallace (see review HERE) and 'Spirals' featuring Cordelia Olwen (see review HERE).

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER:  RRR098 - The Secret Garden - Weekend Away EP | The Secret Garden | Ramrock

Artist: The Secret Garden

Title: Weekend Away (Original + Dadhaus Remix) 

Release date: 29th June, 2026
Label: Ramrock Red Records
Cat. No: RRR098
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Kerrier Collective - Pray For Rain ft. Polly Meyrick (Colour and Pitch)

Colour & Pitch's new release, 'Pray For Rain' by the Kerrier Collective might give the impression that the Cornish outfit are looking to the heavens for divine inspiration - well, they could have found it!

The Kerrier Collective (aka Ben Tidy, Alfie Gidley) is getting better with each release after 'Somatic Tick EP' (see review HERE), the collaboration with wolf peaches with 'Rotten Peaches EP (see review HERE) and you'll recall Kerrier Collective from a couple of years ago, 'Life Wants To Live' (see review HERE).

The original version plays to the sax and vocals as a " haunting piece of downtempo, jazz-tinged electronica" that was writing in dark and sad times which is a strange one as there seems a sense of strength and hope in it even if we do have to pray for rain.

And whilst you might suspect a 'Winter Sun' remix to be a little cold metrologically, here it goes "languid UK Garage territory, with laid-back 2 step beats, warm keys and bubbling basslines" thats firmly in the Oliver Night's recent remix EP (see review HERE) and Sonar Kollektiv's new signing, STREEON (see review HERE).

As Ben explains, “I’m from Watford in North West London and was a teenager in the 90s so UK Garage is like folk music to me. Somehow it’s in our DNA. I wanted to dig a little deeper into those influences when I started this remix because the original has that velvety tone to it like some of those jazzier UKG cuts. Alfie went straight to the drums and started playing little jazzy fills which I was first resistant to, but now I think are some of the best parts of the rhythm track.”

 

Expect renewed support from BBC 6 Music, NTS, Jazz FM as be ahead of the cool kids on the dancerfloor with this one as already had its first play on Sumuch's Colour & Pitch June Mix (see link below). 

BUY LINK /PRE-ORDER: https://go.protonradio.com/r/rlOX9ETCj_LaY

Artist: Kerrier Collective ft. Polly Meyrick

Title: Pray For Rain EP

Release date: 3rd July, 2026

Label:  Colour and Pitch

Catalog Number: CAP098

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: VA - Thirty Years Of Freerange Vol. 2 (Freerange Records)

30 years is a long-time and in Freerange Records timezone they're celebrating with 30 tracks from 30 artists on 5 EPs - and VOLUME TWO is now here!

Fast on the heels of VOLUME ONE (see review HERE) and this second set of "a handpicked cross-section of the Freerange continuum from artists who’ve shaped the sound alongside up and coming voices pushing it somewhere new. Different shades, different voices, same ethos: independence, longevity, and an unwavering commitment to the dancefloor and beyond" is equal to the first.

Representing are 'scene' ever-present names Aroop Roy, Coflo and Fred Everything on the A-side team. Roy seems to have been booked to do quite a few Back-2-Back DJ sessions which might be why the track has a spoken word element that includes, "Let's celebrate the things that brings us together.... give thanks to the music and cherish every moment on the dancefloor", 'We Are The People' is an anthem!

Coflo, who had 'Who The Frequency' EP out on Freerange earlier this year (see review HERE) last year gets Rawb Boss to help out on 'Unlocked' and that sythn is wild and free flowing.

Fouk is another artist that we've seen on a number of labels of late including the Heist '100' compilation (see review HERE) after the Dutch duo's 'Sundays EP' - see review HERE) and they're definitely on a rocket with 'Moon'.

Matt Master's track is called 'Everywhere At Once' and incorporates a dream sense of space travel whilst Radic The Myth takes us into a 'Forest Of White Trees' (don't forget his 'Back To You' EP on Freerange Records - see review HERE).

Lazy Days' Fred Everything (who had 'Love, Care, Kindness & Hope' out a couple of years ago (see review HERE) and he provides the kindness of an uptemo 'Elysium' to complete the set.

When you think that there's going to be another 3 Volumes - this is a series you'll want to invest in this summer - don't miss out.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: 30 Years Of Freerange - Volume Two | Freerange Records

Artist: Various Artists

Release: Thirty Years Of Freerange Vol.2
Release Date: 26th June, 2026
Label: Freerange Records
Catalog Number: TBC
Format: LP Vinyl / Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Clara Hill x Crackazat - Better / I Want You to Know (My Heart Beats Slow) (Sonar Kollektiv)

They say in surfing that you need to get behind the wave in order to get ahead of the curve and you can kind of apply that to this combo of Clara Hill and Crackazat as they can only get 'Better' after this new single release on Sonar Kollektiv!

Hot on the heels of the STREETON single, 'Where We Started' (see review HERE), the label have got long time favourite singer Clara Hill from Berlin and Bristol-exile, Crackazat to get modern jazz-funky together.

Ben Jacobs (aka Crackazat) couldn't have been better timed the release his album 'SUN' (in May! see review HERE) and it's clear that a partnership steeped in mutual respect and long-standing admiration as, we're told, Clara first discovered Crackazat’s music via Instagram on her birthday in 2022 and was immediately captivated.  Whilst Ben has been a long time fan of Clara's even before he started producing music having been a fan of her work with Jazzanova (see review here of the 'In-Between' reissue(s) that came out last year - HERE).

So ahead of an EP, 'Harmony', the first single, 'Better', explores the internal battle between self-doubt and self-belief. Inspired by the tendency to overthink and hesitate, the song encourages listeners to move beyond their mental barriers and trust themselves. “Better is a hopeful song,” says Clara. “It acknowledges the chaos of doubts inside our minds but ultimately encourages us to trust ourselves and keep moving forward.” Driven by uplifting keys, warm grooves and Clara’s velvet vocals, Better is an elegant blend of electronic soul, jazz-infused house and timeless songwriting.

The second single, 'I Want You To Know (My Heart Beats Slow)' (out August 21st), turns towards a different kind of emotional reflection. Rather than focusing on uncertainty, it explores mature love, gratitude and the quiet strength of relationships that deepen over time. “My idea of the song was to explore the sentence of ‘I love you because of him’ through a long-term relationship,” Clara explains. “It’s a poetic and emotional confession from someone who loved someone else in the past, but now loves another person in the present because of that past love. Not with overwhelming passion or burning intensity, but with something quieter: consistency, gratitude, trust and a love that continues to grow over time.” The phrase “my heart beats slow” became a symbol of that enduring connection. Sonically, the track embraces the duo’s shared love of deep house, combining a sturdy 4/4 groove, shimmering keys, Benson-inspired guitar licks and Clara’s unmistakably soulful delivery.

  

Release dates are as follow:
26.06.26 Clara Hill x Crackazat - Better (SINGLE 1)
21.08.26 Clara Hill x Crackazat - I Want You to Know (My Heart Beats Slow) (SINGLE 2)
04.12.26 Clara Hill x Crackazat - Harmony EP

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER:  https://sonarkollektiv.lnk.to/Better

Artist: Clara Hill x Crackazat 

Title: Better / I Want You to Know

Release date: 21st August, 2026

Label : Sonar Kollektiv

Catalog Number: SK576-S1/S2

Format:  Streaming / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Him & Earl - Falling Backwards (Wah Wah 45s)

Hey, Hey, Hey, this is something different for the "soulful, psychedelic folk-pop" of Him & Earl that's the debut album ‘Falling Backwards’ on Wah Wah 45s and out now! 

You'll recall the special combination of singer/songwriter Olly Him and DJ/producer/composer Wynham Earl from the single 'Better Days (see review HERE) but there's even more Afro-funk, Paul 'Diamond' Simon and Art Garfunkel harmonies on the new 11 track album.

If there's just one track you need to raise your spirits, 'Better Days' would be it - but now there's another ten glorious sunny tracks to pick from 'Falling Backwards'; trust these guys to catch you.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Falling Backwards | Him & Earl

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Artist: Him & Earl

Release: Falling Backwards
Release Date: 26th June, 2026
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: TBC
Format: DOUBLE VINYL LP / Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Lucas Moinet - Visions Of Love (To The Rock)

To The Rock returns with Lucas Moinet's 'Visions Of Love' which is just what when there's so much news of leaving this rock for another rock - let's celebrate the things that bring us together!

Lucas Moinet is a Paris-born producer with his roots planted firmly in the soul of house music. Through projects like Keraw, Groove Boys, Project and Projecture, he’s built a catalogue that doesn’t chase trends, it’s goes straight back to the source. Chicago, Detroit, New York.

His discography established him as a producer who understands how to combine the nostalgia of the 90s alongside the flavours of the 2000s. Jazz laced drums, deep chords, and a low end that means business.

Visions of Love is his debut on To The Rock and it feels right at home. There's a nod to David Mancuso and the spirit of the Loft, a dubby slow burner that rides with a hypnotic ease, then into swinging drums & jazzy chords, a track that carries the spirit of Olivier Portal without trying to replicate. Closing out with a record built around a vocal that reminds you why this music exists in the first place.

Four tracks. Deep, soulful, deliberate. Made by someone who clearly loves and lives the culture.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER. Visions Of Love | Lucas Moinet | To The Rock

Artist: Lucas Moinet 

Title: Visions Of Love 

Release date: 26th June, 2026

Lable: To The Rock

Cat No: TTR027

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Serious A - Diagonal Wave (Global Caress)

Star Creatures' Global Caress hits the surf with a deep synth board that rides a 'Diagonal Wave' with a Serious A!  

Following Fugitive Artifact's latest 7" (see review HERE) and Arsene's 12",  'It's A Feeling' (see review HERE), the Chi-Town turns to France to get the waveform where "electronic music and video games collide".

But the result is no explosion and Serious A's "sacred mission [is] to weave together the threads of sound, pixels, and soul into a singular, transcendent formula. For more than 20 years now, the French producer and DJ, has been collecting records (and video games) and developing her own sound to be a bridge between the ancient and the unknown. Her sonic blueprint, a living testament to her journey, echoes the influence of her dearest inspirations from Tokyo, Detroit, and her own city, Paris".

What with the instrumental 'Sogno Blu' and 'Spinto Veloce' it's another example of multi-genre sample create digging that's echoed in the soon to be released Star Creature & Twilite Tone presents 'The Twilite Tone Bundle' (a 3 x 7" release) that takes some mega tracks stripped back to the underground: could these tracks possbiley thread "influences all the way across the sea, from the spaced-out vibes of Eumir Deodato to Tomb Raider 3 water sound effects"?

You might say, it's like a Daedelus meets Ellie Wilson's 'Listen To The River Ching' (see review HERE) with a touch of NYC Peech Boys; this is what happens when you cut the sonic cloth on the diagonal wave

OpenLab:  Star Creature Vibes Radio - Tim Zawada HERE 

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Diagonal Wave / Sogno Blu | Serious A

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Artist: Serious A 

Title: Diagonal Wave 

Release date: 26th June, 2026

Label : Global Caress / Star Creature

Catalog Number : SC7090 / GLOCAR008

Format: 7" Vinyl  / Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: Various Artists - Mr Bongo Record Club Vol. 8 (Mr Bongo)

Mr Bongo are back with another edition of their Record Club that's just as much of an eye (and ear) opener as Vols. 1-7 and just as essential! 

I can't believe it's been nearly two years since Vol. 7 of this series landed (see reviw HERE) but how can you cram 18 fantastic tracks onto 4-sides of vinyl - or more onto a CD/digital release.

As you've gathered the aim of the 'Record Club' is to expand your listening pleasure to the outer reaches of Mr Bongo's vast expertise to find soul, boogie, disco-reggae, jazz-funk Latin/Brazilian that's going to keep dancefloors happy that are fresh: think you know Tapper Zukie?  Here's 'Visons Of Love for a "cosmic fusion of disco and reggae" that'll funk up your chart of favourite groovers. 

Of course, diggers will head straight for anything that's marked up as a 'Kenny Dope Editfr', especially if its a less known 'Wish I Could Talk To You Baby' as a smooth soul 70s sample favourites, The Sylvers (Note: this is an exclusive Kenny Dope edit).

That said, I'd recommend going from start to finish as these compilations by the in-house Bongo experts don't throw their "favourite tracks, hard-fought finds, andunsung gems from the global stage" together willy-nilly.  In fact, there's seems to be a Latin/World half and the eclectic rest (of the World).

Thhis includes the blistering dantcefloor-focused cut from Ubunto - a DJ and producer with over 10 years in Brazil’s electronic music scene. Putting an electronic tropical twist on a Brazilian classic, Ubunto reinterprets Dorival Caymmi’s sublime folky MPB song ‘O Vento’ from 1959, into a modern-day dancer. 

And other highlights (Ed. but it's all great) include the little known soul group The Trinkas, 'Remember Me', Tommy McGee's 'Now That I Have You' that might owe something to 70s disco-soul, the slow-mo Wilfred Luckie ('My Thing') and where did the 7 and a half minutes of Mac Mathunjwa's 'Give Us More Love' come from?

And not content with that, there's some digital bonus tracks you don't want to miss out on, particularly the lovers/reggae mix of Take Three's 'Can't Get Enough Of Your Love' and DJ Nature (remember him from Golf Channel?) with an edit of 'Straight Forward (Non-Stop)' by P.J.City as a new synth-disco-funker big tune.

Of course, there's at least one from the leftfield that becomes an earworm like the magnificent Urias' 'Vontade De Voar' - very cinematic!'

By coincidence, I came across Mr. Bongo Record Club Vol 1 and it's an interesting comparison as to how this series has grown from including, for example, well known/sort after tracks like 'KM110' and Big Youth's 'Mammy Hot, Daddy Cool') to 'Freak' by "No.1" Tapper Zukie (him again!) 

I strongly suspect Vol. 8 will sound as good as Vol. 1 (2016) in 10 years time - and longer!

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER:  https://bfan.link/mr-bongo-record-club-vol-8

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Mr Bongo Record Club Vol.8

Release date: 26th June, 2026 

Label : Mr Bongo 

Catalog Number : MRB335

Format : 2 x LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Ella Thompson - Promise To Keep / Change Of Heart (Mr Bongo)

We normally have to wait for a Record Store Day to get a 45 as good as this Mr Bongo release as Ella Thompson has a promise to keep and avoid a change of heart that's got SOUL! 

You'll recall we met Ella with her 'Ripple On The Wing' album (see review HERE) that came out on Hopestreet Recordings, the Naarm/Melbourne based label. 

Being based in the area, she collaborates with members of Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo plus trumpeter/composer Liam McGorry (Temporary Blessings) joins her as co-writer/producer with Henry Jenkins (JNBO) recording the track (Ed. talk about a 'College Of Knowledge'!)

Fans of Timmion, Daptone Soul/R&B will love this as it's as much classic as contemporary, especially 'Change Of Heart' (like Amy Winehouse?  On the A-side, 'Promise To Keep' is more 60s pop-soul that could fit a Modern Northern room; or sould that be Southern?  Or Belgian Popcorn.

There's an album coming out but this is definitely more appeal that DJ 45 soul buyers - recommended.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: https://ellathompson.bandcamp.com/album/promise-to-keep-change-of-heart

Artist: Ella Thompson

Title: Promise to Keep / Change of Heart 

Release Date : 26th June, 2026

Label : Mr Bongo Records

Catalog Number : MRB7237

Format: 7" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp