Review: Linda Mirada - Qué largo es el verano (Lovemonk)

Fans of Linda Mirada's last album "Con Mi Tiempo Y El Progreso" with its Lovemonk Latin disco synth-pop must have been wondering if there was ever going to be a new one: lucky 13 years on, it's here as 'Qué largo es el verano'.

Lovemonk Records, the Madrid based label, most well known for being the home of Gecko Turner and Chip Wickham together with the more recent Commonsur and Keita Sano & Sauce81, have gone the extra mile to catch the current wave of 80s pop in southern Europe with flashes of Italo disco" with Linda's support of North Satellite on production, mixing by Metro Area’s Bart Davenport and Daniel Collás of The Phenomenal Handclap Band who recently released 'We Are Worlds Away' (see review HERE) and you hear more than a faint echo with 'Qué largo es el verano' (which is a good thing).

It's a collections of songs (7 in all plus a remix) which pay to listen to chronologically as it starts of a bit 80s synth pop ('Bajo un mismo techo') and building up to a bit of Wham horn section ('Si la brisa es buena) as it "moves between intimate hedonism and gentle melancholy".  I'll have to take the label's work for it as my Spanish is more than limited but if you were digging for an album/period that was at the sohphisted Euro-pop of 80s with early electropop and "splashes of disco" at the poolparty that isn't old hat, 'Qué largo es el verano' is it.

And to a large part of this 'fresh/current' sound is due to the input of the Brooklyn ears of The Phenomenal Handclap Band members and the reason I was a little coy about the remix earlier is tha if you know there's a PHB Dub remix (Si la brisa es buena), you'd head for it in all it's magnificence.

Kind of hope they do some more as disco dub if ready for the beach if the breeze is nice and we know how good they are on the remix buttons as they popped up on Peter Matson's 'Hotel PM' album on Bastard Jazz (see review HERE).

The spirit of Kid Creole & Chic Cocconuts lives on - where's me Hawaiian shirt and pina colada? 

BUY LINK: Qué largo es el verano | Linda Mirada

Artist: Linda Mirada
Title:   Qué largo es el verano (w/The Phenomenal Handclap Band Remix)
Release date: 19th September, 2025
Label : Lovemonk Records
Catalog Number : TBC
Format:  Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: The Jade - Love Harder (Lovemonk Records)

If you can remember the group Change, 'Change!' by The Jade is in that disco/jazz ball park and is perfect for you.

We've already been Introduced to The Jade by the singles ‘Change!’ and the follow up, the glorious Latin/jazz/samba/fusion ‘Si no me quieres esperar’ with vocals by Cuban singer Ale Gutiérrez (of Habana Abierta and El Combo Batanga) but we should have guessed the album, 'Love Harder', would be even harder from a project led by Casbah 73's Oli Stewart outta Madrid.

 

It's got a huge heritage of Brit-jazz-funk bands Incognito, Light Of The World and more which is clear from the opening tracks 'Le' t The Light In' and 'Change!'.  And if you remember Sun Palace's 'Raw Movements'/'Rude Movements', you're going to love 'On That Strange' and all the other tracks (11) on the album. 

And then on 'Space Lines' they out do the big hats of Jamiroquai and 'What It Takes' will fill up the disco/funk charts.

The band is superb with Chavi Ontoria (keyboards), David Salvador (bass), Josué García and Dani Herrera (horns), Deborah Ayo and Nia Martin (vocals) and, from Montevideo! Nico Ibarburu on guitar along with Josh Hoyer, Angela Gooding, Ale Gutiérrez, jazz trumpet player Malcolm Strachan; 'At The Queensboro' being particularly jazzy-funky - did somebody say, "Donald Byrd!"

Lovemonk know what's needed in the summer and this fits the "Afro-Latin jazz-dance and Iberian funk" bill perfectly.

BUY LINK: https://onerpm.link/101104305573

Artist: The Jade 
Title: Love Harder
Release date: 20th June, 2025
Label: Lovemonk Records 
Cat. No: LMNK86
Format:   Digital / Bandcamp

Review: The Jade - Change! / Si no me quieres esperar (Lovemonk Records)

If you can remember the group Change, 'Change!' by The Jade is in that disco/jazz ball park and is perfect for you.

Introducing ‘Change!’ (out today) is the first single from The Jade's debut album, a brand new live and studio project from Casbah 73.

Out early next month is the follow up, a Latin/jazz/samba/fusion ‘Si no me quieres esperar’ with vocals by Cuban singer Ale Gutiérrez (of Habana Abierta and El Combo Batanga)

The album, 'Love Harder' drops in the summer and is bound to be in numerous DJ's summer sounds charts. 

BUY LINK: https://onerpm.link/101104305573

Artist: The Jade 

Title: Change! / Si no me quieres esperar 

Release date: 4th June, 2025

Label: Lovemonk Records 

Cat. No: LMNK86DG2 / LMNK86DG3

Format:   Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Keita Sano & Sauce81 - Feeling Alright (Lovemonk)

Lovemonk latest single on 7" make us feel more than just alright as it's takes Keita Sano & Sauce81 to the now.

Japanese electonic music has a rich history and to find itself on the Spanish label outta Madrid is not such a cultural jump as what it once may have been.

In fact, these two producers have gone dancefloor ninja on their debut as a duo having separately released tracks on diverse labels as Cosmocites (France), Star Creature (Chicago), Eglo (London), Local Talk (Sweden) as well as their home country.

With the vocal and instrumental versions this is synth-boogie disco house for the big crowds.  The raw vocals might not be to everyone's taste but there's no doubt about it, there's a big 'Feeling Alright' dancefloor bounce to this.

This is quite a bit different.to previous Lovemonk releases we know, like Soulnaturals' 'Give Me The Strenght To Be Me' (see review HERE), but no less welcome.

Artist: Keita Sano & Sauce81 

Title: Feeling Alrightt

Release date: 28th March, 2025

Label: Lovemonk Records 

Cat. No: LMNKV119

Format:  7" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Soulnaturals - Give Me The Strength To Be Me ft Chalibrann (Lovemonk)

The musical Madrid / London divide is more than fused as one with this deep soul challenge to 'Give Me The Strength To Be Me' featuring the vocals of Chalibrann.

You'll recall the album on Lovemonk by Gecko Turner, 'Somebody From Badajoz' (see review HERE) from earlier this year, but the strength of Soulnaturals' latest 7" featuring the incredible vocals of Chalibrann are worth waiting for.

Beautiful strings surround the funky-soul with added synth-shots (which are more evident on the b-side instrumental) and big horns make this a party season head turner; and I can guarantee it's the type of track that folks at next years' festivals, particualary thinking WeOutHere (Ed. nominated for festival of the year and we know you DJ'd there Hectic) will be eager to know what this knock-out track is.

Very much an update on 70s soul classic productions of the likes of Norman Whitfield, Curtis Mayfield et al with the feeling of a Michael Kiwanuka - yep! it's that good.

Artist: Soulnaturals

Title:  Give Me The Strength To Be Me ft Chalibrann 

Release date: 1st December, 2023

Label: Lovemonk Records 

Cat. No: LMNKV112

Format:  7" / Digital / Bandcamp