Review: Bajune Tobeta (& Friends) - Sergio Mendes Tribute (CROIX JAM)

It's not every day (or night) you get a Japan/Brazil collaboration that's a tribute to the genius that is Sergio Mendez - headed by Bajune Tobeta with guests and friends of the late Mendes, this is a must for all, night and day!

 

Sérgio Santos Mendes passed on 5th September 2024 and whilst on this earth, he was instrumental in he promotion and populization of Brazilian/Latin music all over the world.  As a small example, those that know DJ Colin Parnell  (Shiftless Shuffle - see review HERE, Stomp Radio Jazz Show, Chilled Cider) will often say on hearing many a record, "I prefer the Sergio Mendez version" as Mendes was indeed proflic producing albums often full of cover versons in 'his' style.  And it's his style and tracks that made Mendes the household name that Japan's Bajune Tobeta celebrate here on the anniversary.

Apparently Tobets's father's copies of 'Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66' and 'Look Around' were played endlessly on the family turntable, creating timeless memories and this love is evident through all the tracks 

 
"This project began with a single wish: to hear Gracinha sing 'Mas Que Nada' once more," Tobeta says. "In the studio in Los Angeles, when her voice met her husband's signature song again, the room went quiet in a way I will never forget. Everything else on this album grew from that moment."
 
From there, the project continued to grow in scope into a tribute project that is both approved by the Mendes family as well as the Mendes estate. It was recorded across Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, and Los Angeles, where the sessions with Gracinha Leporace, Mendes' wife and musical partner of five decades, took place at Hans Zimmer's Remote Control Productions.
 
Leporace's blessing for the project was important for Tobeta, and her active participation in the collaboration instills an authenticity and direct line to Mendes' history that can be felt throughout the release. Ahead of the album's release and the second anniversary of Mendes' passing, she delivers a heartfelt message about the project here.
 
Additionally, in support of the new release, Tobeta and his collaborators have released the third single with "Inutil Paisagem." The track is a partnership with Brazilian singer Paula Morelenbaum and penned by Antonio Carlos Jobim, known as the subject of the 2001 album Casa from Ryuichi Sakamoto. Here an authentic bossa nova lineage meets Bajune Tobeta's quiet sonic architecture, pushing the classic to futuristic new places.
 
The liner notes for the album were written by Jin Nakahara, one of Japan's foremost authorities on Brazilian music, who has spent decades introducing Brazilian music to Japanese audiences. His presence signifies the blessing of the Brazilian music world on the Japanese side, just as Gracinha and the estate bless it from the Brazilian side. A veteran critic, Nakahara is the longtime selector for J-WAVE's celebrated Brazilian music program "Saudade! Saudade" and his notes beautifully articulate the story behind this unique tribute. They can be found in English, Japanese and Portuguese versions. 
 
Other guests on the 'Sergio Mendes Tribute' in addition to Gracinha Leporace and Paula Morelenbaum include Lisa Ono, Black Prez, Atom Heart (AtomTM / Señor Coconut), Filo Machado, Saigenji, Febian Reza Pane, Thais Motta, JOCA, and Kazuo Yoshida.
 
Atom Heart contributed to the arrangement and programming, connecting the record to the electronic-Latin lineage. The album was mixed in part at Abbey Road Studios by Paul Pritchard and mastered by Denis Blackham. 
 
The Sergio Mendes Tribute closely follows Tobeta's recently released artist album Anechoic, a separate body of work in the ambient and modern classical world. He studied and worked alongside Ryuichi Sakamoto, and his three-decade career spans game music (the Katamari Damacy series), contemporary classical and electronic work, and a lifelong engagement with Brazilian music. 
 
Throughout his career, Tobeta has collaborated with 'names' like Christian Fennesz, Arto Lindsay, Joyce Moreno, and Jaques and Paula Morelenbaum. 

With Brazil being home to the largest Japanese diaspora in the world and with a deep connection between the two countries, the cross-cultural tribute is a meaningful one to Tobeta both personally and historically. The album is structured as a single memorial ceremony from overture to farewell.

I must admit, the version of 'Look Of Love' (solo piano by Febian Reza Pane) and 'Night and Day (feat. Thais Motta & Filo Machado)' brought a tear to my eye but this multi-lingual celebration of Medes is great; like a variation on Seu Jorge meets David Bowie of some years ago.

And how did I get through that lot without mentioning Gilles Peterson or Higgins/Pedens' J-Jazz compilations on BBE?

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDERS:  Sergio Mendes Tribute | Bajune Tobeta

Artist: Bajune Tobeta (& Friends) 

Title: Sergio Mendes Tribute 

Release date: 5th September, 2026

Label: CROIX JAM

Catalog: TBC

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Eleven76 - A Day Of Unrest (Légère Recordings)

Extend your summer with a soundtrack to the movie that's yet to be made from 60s surf to funky soul OST circa 70s and early 80s, that's what you find in Eleven 76's 'A Day Of Unrest'  - and a whole lot more!

It's been a while since Légère Recordings' released Al Sunny's 'Summer End' (still a good 'un to catch up with this time of year - see review HERE) but imagine travelling through coniferous woodlands tinged with yellow gorse that lead to eroded cliff faces and soft sand wet from the ominous waters of the North Sea, this part of the Northern Hemisphere - the East Coast of the U.K. with its mythical stories of underwater villages, beasts that terrorised clergymen and Bond-Villain-style nuclear facilities seem like an unlikely location for a musical partnership drenched in European cinema soundtracks, American B-movies, oddball funk and a DIY post punk aesthetic. But this is the place where we find Paul Elliott and Dan Smith, known collectively as Eleven76.

Nestled in their respective studios, experimenting and developing sonic textures, firing files across the internet and coming together to lay the foundations of compositions and to finalise mixes, Eleven76 have a process of work that marries the best parts of the analogue and digital worlds. Live instruments, spontaneity and a love for music are key to their workflow.

With their four albums 'Space Voyage' (2018), 'Occhio Occhio' (2022), 'Synchronization' (2023) and now with their latest episode “A Day Of Unrest’”, Eleven76 transports the listener to parallel universes. Creating the soundtracks to films that do not exist is no mean feat. With smart compositions utilising vintage instruments whilst keeping an eye firmly set on the groove, the pair have been able to teleport the listener to retro-futuristic space missions, the cool sun-drenched European cities of the late 60s and 70s, through to intense dystopian b-movie thrillers of the early 80s.

With 'A Day Of Unrest', Eleven76 produce a soundtrack album that fuses 70s US cop drama with Italian ‘giallo’. There’s tension, intrigue, moments of light and heavy groove, making “A Day Of Unrest’” a body of work that reveals itself more upon each listen. This thematic record draws you from imaginary scene to imaginary scene and your mind’s eye can see the narrative unfold in front of you as you listen.

Working together for almost two decades, the work of multi-instrumentalists Paul Elliott and Dan Smith has included composing for TV, film and commercials, as well as writing and performing in both studio and touring bands. Paul began DJing in his early teens and has since developed a reputation as a wide-ranging collaborator and his projects have intersected with artists including Asha Puthli, Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band and Shawn Lee, reflecting a practice built on exchange, groove-led thinking and a creative instinct that continues to inform his approach today. Similarly Dan Smith has continually been a top tier co-writer and collaborator for both commercially minded, left field and avant-garde musical projects, which have seen him reach the top of UK charts with the Noisettes and for seven years become an integral band member of The Heliocentrics and now the Crazy World of Arthur Brown who he currently tours and records with. A musical architect, His genre-spanning ability and depth of knowledge is second to none.

Their sound is built on a friendship and trust of musical taste, spontaneity, improvisation and an evolving collaboration. Eleven76 have a system … and it works..

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: https://eleven76.bandcamp.com/album/a-day-of-unrest

• 
  

  September 4, 2026 at 7:00 PM GMT+1 Join Eleven76 for the listening party of "A Day of Unrest"and enjoy an  album length of fun & funk, insights & stories.

 

Artist: Eleven76

Title: A Day Of Unrest

Release date: 4th September, 2026

Label: Légère Recordings

℗ Legere Recordings 2026

© Legere Recordings

Published by Mr. Mellow's Music

Composed by Paul S. Elliott, Daniel Smith

Cat. No: LEGO417

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Finest Wear - For The People EP (Minor Sounds)

UK based Italian Cenzo Scoglio loves to turn minor sounds into major sounds for his label, Minor Sounds! Put on ya best tucker for Finest Wear's latest 4-track EP, 'For The People'.

Following on from 'Good Vibrations' EP (see review HERE) and  'The Obsidian EP' on Closer To Truth (see review HERE),  Finest Wear returns with his fifth release on Minor Sounds, presenting to you - For The People EP, landing on 4th September 2026.

Staying true to its title, 'For The People' is a collection built for the dance floor while remaining firmly rooted in the underground. Blending deep house and garage house influences, the EP showcases Finest Wear's signature sound warm analogue basslines, crisp drums, rich synth textures, and infectious grooves that move effortlessly between intimate late-night sessions and peak-time club moments.

Leading the release is the title track, a synth-laden journey driven by tight percussion, warm analogue low end, and the unmistakable rolling energy that has become synonymous with Finest Wear's productions.

Next up is 'Keep On Lovin'', where smooth, rolling beats powered by the new LM Drum combine with trademark basslines, lush synth patterns, and tasteful garage inspired vocal cuts to create an irresistible groove.

The third cut, 'Midnight Kiss', explores the deeper and more melodic side of Finest Wear's sound. Built around classic 4x4 rhythms, a gentle rolling bass line, soulful vocal textures, and a sweet, hypnotic acid line running throughout, it delivers a warm late night appeal making it a perfect weapon for those after-hours moments.

Closing the EP is Deep Down, The darkest offering of the four, Diving into deeper underground territory, it pairs hypnotic moody synth stabs work, a rolling low-end, and cool oldskool vocal snippets.

Finest Wear continues to refine his distinctive blend of deep house and garage influences, delivering four cuts designed with one purpose in mind, keeping people moving from the first track to the last.

If you like what you hear please show some love and support in your Radio Shows, Live Streams, Clubs/Bars & DJ Charts.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER:  https://minorsoundsmusic.bandcamp.com/

Artist: Finest Wear 

Title: Good Vibrations EP 

Release date: 4th September, 2026

Label : Minor Sounds

Catalog Number : MS005

Format: Download / Beatport / Traxsource / Bandcamp

Review: Peter Gall - Drum Seeds (Compost Records)

Compost Records have had their eyes on Peter Gall for the past seven years since his debut album and now its the time to release the jazz drummers' unconventional  album, 'Drum Seeds': watch them grow!

A couple of years on since the Peter Gall 'difficult' second album 'Love Avatar' you'll recall that project recorded with top musicians from the European jazz scene which got top reviews (see review HERE), led to successful tours and performances at renowned jazz festivals and won the German Jazz Award for “Album of the Year” in 2025.

The temptation to repeat a winning formula must have been, quite literally, tempting!  But jazz drummers are not typically typical so when drummer/producer Peter Gall says he's doing a solo album, 'Drums Seeds' is much more than just a drum statement.

The groundwork was actually laid by Compost label head Michael Reinboth: He had long wanted to produce a pure drum album with Peter Gall. So they met at Jan Krause’s (Beanfield) studio, where Peter Gall had also recorded numerous albums for the Compost universe with the spiritual jazz supergroup WEB WEB. In this familiar atmosphere, hours of material emerged—ranging from beats and grooves to layered drumkits and, in some cases, orchestral drum-and-percussion arrangements. On DRUM SEEDS, Gall’s drumming is more prominent than on any of the roughly 50 albums the 42-year-old has recorded to date for various bands and artists. Nevertheless, he remains averse to sheer, virtuoso show-off drumming. “For me, it’s more about the feeling and the story a simple groove can tell,” he says.

Peter Gall’s love for vintage analog synthesizers then derailed the original plan to let only the drums take center stage on the album. And suddenly, the mantric beats evolved into partly song-like tracks with immersive sound collages that evoke associations: with the ambient works of Aphex Twin, the dancefloor bangers of Caribou, the jazz of the ’60s and ’70s, with The Streets, Boards of Canada, the soundtracks of David Lynch or Blade Runner, but also, time and again, to Gall’s earlier jazz albums—with compelling melodies, profound harmonies, and an imaginative, spiritual atmosphere.

PS. Did I not say 'Groove Receiver' and 'Super Truth' are amazing?  Kraut-Rock-Returneth!

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: https://petergall.bandcamp.com/album/drum-seeds

Artist: Peter Gall

Title: Love Avatar  

Release date: 4th September, 2026

Label: Compost Records

Cat. No: CPT 635 1-2-3

Format:Vinyl LP + Download Card / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

673794268019 > LP
673794268026 > CD
673794268033 > Digital

Review: Blurry The Explorer - Clear Blue Mind (Nublu Records)

Blurry The Explorer's cleans up the blue book with an album of 'Clear Blue Mind' experimentation that's oceans deep and Latin too!

Hot on the heals of Guri Assis Brasil debut solo album as 'Animal Invisível', "an instrumental project fusing 70s Brazilian grooves, jazz, and psychedelic rock" (see review HERE), Blurry the Explorer (aka experimental composer Jeremy Gustin) returns with 'Clear Blue Mind', his third album, featuring Rodrigo Amarante, Tenniscoats and Annakalmia Traver. 'Clear Blue Mind' is Jeremy's most expansive work yet: a borderless musical journey, recorded at the legendary Marini Studio in Rio de Janeiro.

So a bit of Brasilian trend going on at Brooklyn's Nublu Records we think, especially as this 10-track album expands the project's borderless sonic world with contributions from an international cast including Rodrigo Amarante (Brazil), Tenniscoats (Japan), Annakalmia Traver (Rubblebucket, Kalbells), and Lola Parda (Argentina). Following tours and intensive work with legendary Brazilian producer Kassin, Gustin assembled core collaborators Ricardo Dias Gomes (Caetano Veloso), guitarist Ryan Dugre (Rubblebucket, Joan As Police Woman), and producer/guitarist Leo Abrahams (Brian Eno, Paul Simon and fond memories of 'The Grape & The Grain' - see review HERE) for focused but spontaneous recording sessions embracing intuition, chance, and the joy of not knowing where the journey leads.

"More often than not, the songs are born out of improvising over simple ideas one of us brings" Gustin explains. "We always leave space for...something. This unknown element is always exciting and confusing. " The album's diverse vocal palette creates what Gustin describes as "a full world of colors, shapes and sounds. " From Rodrigo Amarante's intimate storytelling to Tenniscoats' ethereal harmonies, Annakalmia Traver's expressive range, and Lola Parda's haunting beauty, each voice brings distinct character to the sonic journey. Vocalists Katy Pinke, Lip Talk, Tall Juan, and Tigra Rose (recorded in a Bali hostel after a traditional Hindu puppet show) round out the international ensemble.

The recording sessions themselves seemed touched by serendipity. While browsing the record shop beneath Marini Studio—home to underground venue Audio Rebel—Gustin discovered a recording of his grandfather performing Mozart's Bassoon Concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. "I don't know what this means besides a deep feeling of being in the right place at the right time, " he reflects.

The name Blurry the Explorer comes from an unexpected source: a fleeting reference in the complete, unedited Diary of Anne Frank, discovered by Gustin during lockdown in a silent Manhattan. Frank mentions writing an amusing story for a friend called “Blurry the Explorer” a phrase that struck Gustin instantly. It perfectly captured the spirit of the project—an entity constantly exploring, undefined, and intentionally unclear, revealing itself slowly through experience.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER (Super limited edition vinyl LP housed in full color jackets w CMYK Labels, arrival dust sleeves, and pressed on Laguna eco-mix vinyl. Only 200 Made for the world!): https://blurrytheexplorer.bandcamp.com/album/clear-blue-mind

Artist: Blurry The Explorer

Title: Clear Blue Mind
Release date: 4th September, 2026
Label : Nublu Records
Catalog Number: TBC
Format:  Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

CORE BAND:
Jeremy Gustin – Drums, keys, vocals
Ricardo Dias Gomes – Bass, keys
Ryan Dugre – Guitar
Leo Abrahams – Guitar [Hectic, Gerry (1 February 2009). "Reviews: The Grape and the Grain"Fly Global Music. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.]

ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS:
Jake Sherman – Vibraphone (track 8), Keys (tracks 5, 6, 8, 9)
Will Graefe – Acoustic Guitar (track 10)
Kassin – Lap Steel (track 9)

GUEST VOCALISTS:
Começo – Ricardo Dias Gomes
Wiggle Room – Annakalmia Traver
There On The Moon – Lip Talk
Sete Velas – Rodrigo Amarante
Clear Blue Mind – Aaron Roche
Fondo Del Azul – Lola Parda
Forever Dusk – Tall Juan
It's OK Paul – Tenniscoats
Laut – Tigra Rose
In My Garden – Katy Pinke