Review: Session Victim - The Disconnect (Rhythm Section International)

Too much World Cup?  Don't be a Session Victim, get 'The Disconnect' to get connected! 

On the back of an epic 3-part triple release series 'Sidequests' (see review HERE & HERE), Session Victim keep the collaborators "in tow" with their new project, 'The Disconnect' EP, featuring the talents of Kenneth Scott, Rossano Snel and Quarion

You've got two with Mr. Scott, the openers 'Hey, Activate (Modern Mix)' and 'Dream Theory' and both have the under-lying funk groove with jazzy/reggae snippets in 'Hey, Activate' and racing dream keyboard twinkles and summer dubby sax on 'Dream Theory'.

On the B-side. it's a shame thier 'Loom' with Quarion dubby/jazz/beats on the stripped downtempo is a little short but the rest of the EP certainly makes up for that cos.... are you ready DJs Perry Louis, Colin Parnell, Paul Murphy?   "Indebted to old soul jams with bongos", 'Open Minds' with Rossano Snel (she of 'And I Miss You'/'Kena' - see review HERE and forthcoming 'The Fire In The Forest' EP) is for a upbeat jazzdance for a laid-back Balearic mind-set!  Parnell, definitely has an open jazz mind?

Even more beach vibes is the 'Flotsam' that comes surfin' in that's said to be a la Cassius and old Herbert.

Can you believe that this is Session Victims 40th EP?  Well, with the collaborations, Berlin-Hamburg duo Session Victim, Freer and Reiling prove once more their house music mastery and that RSI is a perfect for them; and if you're ever in Peckham, check out label boss Bradley Zero's Jumbi bar!

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: The Disconnect | Session Victim

Artists: Session Victim

Release: The Disconnect

Release Date: 3rd July, 2026

Label: Rhythm Section International

Cat. No. TBC

Format: Vinyl 12" / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Rejoicer and Nitai Hershkovits - Cinema Royal (Rhythm Section International)

What would an ECM album be like if it was done by Mulatu Astake under the supervision of Rudy Van Gelder and Lalo Schifrin? 

I don't know either but you'll recall Shay Hazan's album 'Wusul وصول' on Batov Records where we said that the killer track 'Sunflowers' (featuring the keys of Nitai Hershkovits) fades ,,, into a Mulatu afro-jazz groove (see review HERE) so this is an album we've bee with Nitai's long time collaborator Rejoicer is one we've looking forward to.

And to prove us right, 'Affair In Redondo' have been described as "a calm Mulatu in the jazz lounge watching a ITC screening" with 'Food Bowl' and 'Her, I' as the Afrobeat Fela versions.  

This years' Kruder & Dorfmeister of 'out there' where East Asian zithers and synths get funky on the big screen OST fronted by Nitai's piano backed with Rejoicer (aka Yuval Havkin); a veteran with releases on Stones Throw and Raw Tapes who adds the beats heritage to the project.

The more cinematic downtempo moments are captured on 'Apry's Velvet Dress' and some sort of waltz in the med, 'The Orchard Dreamer' (great to hear an accordion as always think of Daedelus on the MF Doom/Madlib track - also see Pro-Teens MF TEENS - see review HERE).

Hard to believe it's been over 10 years since Rhythm Section International started with Al Dobson Jr's Rye Lane project, FYI Chris and Prequal; particularly liked 'Midnight In Peckham' by Chaos in the CBD and with my tenuous South London connections, this label was a big influence of Futuristica Music/Jazz Chronicles playlists.

And they still are when in the Cinema Royal, sounds like a posh hotel where the piano lounge is the best you've ever heard. 

Artist:  Rejoicer and Nitai Hershkovits

Title: Cinema Royal 

Release date: 14th March, 2025

Label: Rhythm Section International 

Cat. No: RS068

Format: LP Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp