Review: Sampology - Ripen EP Vol. 1 (Middle Name Records)

Sampology's 'Ripen', "Sounds like my back garden sitting in the summer house (if only) - he's cracked it with them strings - looking forward to the EP" and now, here it is! 

There's so much great music from Australia at the moment including one of the leaders in the Hip-hop/beats/BRUK/World/Jazz-Funk/Soul field, Sampology and we've now got his 5 track  'Ripen' album to prove it.

You'll already know the two previous singles, the get up Latin jazzdance of 'Morning Sun' and 'Ripenning' featuring NMMWL (Ed. nice 'warm up track' if you're going to play any Minnie Riperton's 'Lovin' You' at any festival near you soon).

And you get a bonus of vocal and beats tool version of 'Morning Sun' which is DJ cool but there's a vibes friendly with 'Samba Sampo' (Ed. great title) that features Charlie Hill on drums (he of the 'Yore EP' of a couple of years ago, see review HERE), that'll move a Latin dance floor with Mike Sammes style vocals and some squiggy synths: plus it's one for the Flute 

Gang!

So that's all amazing but what about 'Marigolds For Movement', the musical equivalent of Gardeners' World and Yoga For Health mix for a boogie-jazz-funk dancefloor.

This might sound like its been sampled from Sam's pseudonim but check out below the artists on this, it's really has a modern Lonnie Liston Smith meets Charles Stepney in Brisbane feel to it, 'Morning Sun' - too hot!

BUY LINK: Bandcamp

Artist: Sampology

Title: Ripen EP Vol. 1 

Release date: 4th July, 2025

Label : Middle Name Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp 

Vocals - Tiana Khasi
Vocals - Hannah Macklin
Vocals - Kalila
Violin - Flora Wong
Violin - Sam Andrews
Viola - Julianna Kim
Cello - Hannah Harley
Trumpet - Tristan Rogers
Saxophone - Cassandra Whitehead
Bass Guitar - Sam Maguire
Double Bass - Ken Poggioli
Conga & Timbale - Gustavo Cereijo
Drums *Samba Sampo* - Charlie Hill
Vocals *Ripened* - NMMWL

Keys, Synths, Vibraphone, Drums, Percussion - Sampology

Here's your digital promo of 'Ripened', the new single from Sampology coming out 6 June on Middle Name Records

• Sampology shares 'Ripened', the second single from his upcoming Ripen Vol. 1 EP, featuring the recording debut of South Sudanese-Australian poet, activist, and artist NMMWL

eleases July 4, 2025

Review: Charlie Hill - Yore EP (Middle Name Records)

You can see why Sampology is into this as jazz-loop-trip that Sun Ra would be proud of as Charlie Hill releases his 'Yore EP'. 

There's so much great music coming out of Brisbane (and New Zealand) as 'Philly' is another great mix of BRUK/World/Jazz-Funk and our favourite, 'Space For Space' as spiritual jazz meets hip-hop vibes that so popular these days.

And Charlie likes his house too as 'Orleigh Sun' is his 4x4 drives to the classic Carlos Niño/Daedelus/Life Force Trio period and 'Her Four Thorns' is a little bit more experimental.

'Yemlaad' (Ed. is that a Black Country saying?) is more bass wobble-ish meets Mia Toi Dodd so that's one more for clubs/NTS than say, TWR but there's loads here to keep Charlie HIll in your charts for a while yet.

Artist: Charlie Hill

Title: Yore EP 

Release date: 15th September, 2023

Label : Middle Name Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp