Review: Wanda Felicia - Stuck On You / Flowers In The Garden (Timmion Records)

Wanda Felicia shares 'Flowers In The Garden', taken from her double-sider 'Stuck On You b/w Flowers In The Garden'.

Backed by Cold Diamond & Mink, the single highlights Wanda’s soulful vocals and mature songwriting.

The A-side is an uptempo soul shuffler that's timing to link-up with the summer madness news re-cycle of the re-emergence of Northern Soul "is back!" - you don't have to be from Wigan, Blackpool, Cleethorpes, Deptford or Bristol to know it never went away as this sound is 'Stuck On You' you could say.

'Flowers In The Garden' is a mellow midtempo groove, the song uses blooming garden metaphors to reflect on relationships and emotional growth, featuring harmonies, a soaring chorus and a graceful sax solo by Pope Puolitaival.

Beautiful lyrics and sax, luv to Wanda in the garden. Late summer soul chill and perfect back up to Jeb Loy Nichols' new single, 'Step In' / 'Coming Home Love' (see review HERE).

Cold Diamond & Mink perfect as always.

Artist: Wanda Felicia

Title:  Stuck On You / Flowers In The Garden 

Release date: 22nd August, 2025

Label : Timmion Records

Catalog Number : TR762

Format:  Limited Edition 7" / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Jeb Loy Nichols - Step In / Coming Home Love (Timmion Records)

The mid-Wales soul cowboy is back with another essential 7" so step in and stay a while as he's found a great home on Timmion Records.

Followers of the "American singer-songwriter, writer and artist, born in Wyoming" will know that he's been resident in Wales for over 40 years and in that time he's had released on labels as varied as Adrian Sherwood's dub/reggae/punk On-U Sound, the jazz label Impossible Ark Records, City County City and Rough Trade.

After all that, Timmion Records label; one of the homes of Jimi Tenor (see review HERE) and the magnificent house band, Cold Diamond & Mink (see review HERE) seems to be a idea place for JLN to kick off his cowboy boots and settle down in his soulful home (not litterally of course).

Both tracks give you that warm glow on Mid-West/Southern comfort such that it's only a matter of time before those bad boys of the refrito, The Flying Mojito Bros. (see review HERE) get their hands on him so to speak.

Big things are just around the corner for Jeb Loy Nichols - as long as he doesn't step in it.

Artist: Jeb Loy Nichols 

Title:  Step In / Coming Home Love

Release date: 8th August, 2025

Label : Timmion Records

Catalog Number : TR753

Format:  Limited Edition Transparent Red 7" / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Rosettes - Lifestyles (Timmion Records)

Hey, the lets 'Make Jazz Smooth Again' campaign gets another kick in the right direction as Lifestyles gets a badge of distinction with Rosettes.

Released on the influencial Timmion Records label (one of the homes of Jimi Tenor - see review HERE), Rosettes tone down the funk of Cold Diamond, up the soul of SAULT and re-find the smooth of Sade.

At the jazzy end of Emilia Sisco (see review HERE), not surprisingly, Jazz FM and BBC 6 Music will be playlisting this one and apparently they'll be in Shindig! Magazine with their psych soul side!

I wonder how long it'll be before they get featured in Lifestyles Magazine?

Artist: Emilia Sisco 

Title:  Lifestyles 

Release date: 4th April, 2025

Label : Timmion Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format:  LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Emilia Sisco - Introducing Emilia Sisco (Timmion Records)

Is this the best Christmas present there is this year? Emilia Sisco's debut album being released on Timmion Records is perfect for the advent calender.

Following singles with Cold Diamond & Mink like, 'Let Me In' (see review HERE) and the album opener, 'Say Yes', Emilia Sisco makes a late bid for debut album of the year.

As deep and soulful as you'd imagine from Timmion Records with the house backing band (you'll recall this years' album by Jimi Tenor - see review HERE) are as perfect as any New York Daptones or the equally improbable new soul/funk guys outta Melbourne like Audrey Powne,Tamil Rogeon or even The Pro-Teens. 

All of these tracks are mini-masterpieces or potential singles.  'Your Girl' is particularly strong but this is vintage soul quality; 'Love So Devine' is a prime example but there's no duff track here, from the horns, guitar and sweet gospel harmonies, 'Certainly', 'Too Late' and 'In These Binds' excell.

The label are keen on 'Don't Let Nobody' but by the end of the ten tracks, you'll be in love with the sound of Emilia Sisco and her songs of love and pain; we're already in love with the Cold Diamond & Mink guys.  

I'm feelin' a bit like Joe Tex after this which is a bit weird as Emilia's voice is so pure but it indicates how well she delivers these emotional songs - amazing for a debut album.

Artist: Emilia Sisco 

Title:   Introducing Emilia Sisco

Release date: 6th December, 2024

Label : Timmion Records

Catalog Number : TRLP12016

Format:  LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Emilia Sisco, Cold Diamond & Mink - Let Me In (Timmion Records)

'Let Me In' is not a tribute to footie fans bangin' on the pub doors for early orders - this is pure soul.

This is totally different from the label's last release, Jimi Tenor and Cold Diamond & Mink's LP,  'Is There Love In Outer Space?' (see review HERE) even though the 'house' band is featured in that they've gone deep south for a soul that matches Emilia Sisco's vocals perfectly.

Artist: Emilia Sisco and Cold Diamond & Mink

Title:  Let Me In / Way Past Midnight (Let Me In (Instrumental))

Release date: 9th August, 2024

Label : Timmion Records

Catalog Number : TR760

Format: 7" / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Jimi Tenor and Cold Diamond & Mink - Is There Love In Outer Space? (Timmion Records)

Is there a more consistent jazz space cowboy from Finland than Jimi Tenor? We very much doubt it and the new album with label house band,  Cold Diamond & Mink, is packed with 110 year old Sun Ra spaceways.

Sun Ra might be a founding influence but these six track are far more ingrained with 60s soul with the added benefit of Jimi's flautist excellence.

There might only be six tracks but if you were after some space funk 'n' soul, hip-hop roots this is the place to start a modern appreciation.

Long time fan, Gilles Peterson (BBC 6 Music and lots more) recently played 'What Are You Doing' on his Saturday show  and it's a stand-out 'Saturday Night' ESG/post-punk funk party as the title track is deep blue eyed space soul-jazz.

Cold Diamond & Mink are the Finnish version of Daptone, Menahan Street Band or more recently JJ Whitefield & Forced Meditation (and when I say recent, their album, 'The Infinity Of Nothingness' is out today! - see review HERE) and whilst the vocal/instrumental 'Gaia Sunset ' Parts 1&2 is ideal '45' sized retro space funk, the reduced opus is lo-fi-minimal Motown at it's best.

'Orbiting Telesto' and 'Laputa' are more OST/Joe Meek sideways psych tribute at the Gates of Dawn by cosmic Jim and regular readers will know I not a huge fan of "La, la, laars" but that a  minor gripe when you see them "sweaty and hot" with BBC Radiolab synth alarms ('What Are You Doing').

Jimi always looks to me like a jazz-mod that's lost his space-ship (which is a good thing) and whether it's Jimi's work on the Philophon label, (a label run by JJ's brother, Max Whitefield) like the recent 'My Mind' (see review HERE) or this collaboration, he's an absolute star in our eyes and this is a definite 'Must Have' for 2024.

Artist: Jimi Tenor and Cold Diamond & Mink

Title:  Is There Love In Outer Space?

Release date: 31st May, 2024

Label : Timmion Records

Catalog Number : TRLP12014

Format: LP / Digital / Bandcamp