Review: Various Artists - XPRESS Singles Vol. 1 (The Disco Express)

After the excitment of The Disco Express - TDE100 - we're still on a Special Service as the XPRESS Singles Vol. 1 service is "packed with fresh originals and hand-picked gems, the compilation blends funk, soul, nu-disco, house, and electronica".

If you missed The Disco Express 100 (see HERE), the exhibition (see HERE) and our interview with Bustin' Loose Tom of last year (see HERE), you'll want to catch up with the timetable for post-100 TDE starting with this Singles Vol. 1 release.

Bustin' Loose kicks off from the South London terminal with 'Soulbound' which also gets a Dam Swindle remix - stunning stuff that's not going to stop at the end of the line.  These guys have totally refurbished the engine of 70s disco into an modern rapid transit.

Backed by the equally impressive 'Abracadabra' by Magnolia & Sam Karlson featuring Relaye as an original version plus a 'stripped back' Phil Weeks Ghetto Mix and a housey La Felix remix.

All seal TDE as a must have fun party release; need I say more?

BUY LINK / Vinyl Pre-Order: Soulbound: https://go.protonrad.io/rlF3tLpn4furY

                                                Abracadabra  https://go.protonrad.io/rlkj2h-kyjdFU

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Artist: Various Artists (Bustin’ Loose, Magnolia, Sam Karlson, Dam Swindle, Phil Weeks, Relaye, La Felix)

Title: XPRESS Singles Vol. 1

Release date: 27th March, 2026
Label : The Disco Express
Catalog Number : XPRESS107
Format:  Vinyl / Digital / Streaming / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Sweet 16 Mixtape x Stuckey & Sensible J (Hopestreet Recordings)

Fans of Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, Ziggy Zeitgeist, Godtet, JK Group and the rest of Melbourne hip-hop / jazz / soul /funk massive that'll looking for a present that'll survive the Xmas hols, look no further than this 16th Birthday mixtape compilation .

The Hopestreet Studios are 16 and to celebrate, here's a special mixtape: one side featuring brand-new MPC edits and remixes by producer Sensible J and the other side being a seamless all-vinyl DJ mix by Lachlan Stuckey (Surprise Chef / College of Knowledge Records).

Since 2009, the artist based co-operative have released 50 records and fostering a community spanning soul, R&B, funk, Latin, Bollywood psychedelia and more.  And who doesn't love a mixtape?  

Diggin' deep into the Hopestreet vaults as far back as Zillanova, Emma Donovan & The Putbacks, Zretro and The Putbacks, while Stuckey’s side curates long-loved 7” staples from The Cactus Channel, Danielle Ponder, Karate Boogaloo and beyond.

 

If you mix the spirit of West Coast / Stones Throw or catch their current day south coast Aussie neighbours with this party tape.

BUY LNK /PRE-ORDER: Sweet 16 Mixtape | Hopestreet Recordings

Artist: Various Artists

Title:  Sweet 16 Mixtape 

Release date: 12th December, 2025

Label : Hopestreet Recordings

Catalog Number :  HS

Format:  Cassette Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Various Artists - Wah Wah 45s Remixed 3 (Wah Wah 45s)

Wah Wah 45s see out 2025 with a whopping thirty track compilation, showcasing some of the finest remixes and reworks that have been released on the label in recent years, as well as a dozen brand new, never heard before cuts!

The new 'Wah Wah 45s Remixed 3' is the first remix compilation on the label in seven years and what an impressive choice 'leader' Dom Servini has made from the wealth of producers, DJs and musicians that have worked with over the years.

From the most recent Sunbörn Meets Clap! Clap! project (with 'Vuvuzela Dourada' on the Cengiz remix) to Jamie Finlay with the album opener, the Quiet Dawn remix of 'Family' (originally on the album 'Sun Dogs' - see review HERE).

Of course you can't miss out Dele Sosimi who seems busier than ever with gigs in Bristol and London's Fox & Firkin early in the new year.  The album 'The Confluence' (see review HERE) with The Estuary 21 didn't need any remix, but Dazzle Drums are more than up to the task on 'E Si Mè dò' (and if they're listening, Dom, Chris Long and me are still awaiting the FB3 Dazzle Drums Remix - please). And so influencial Dele is, you'll the project with Medlar (see review HERE) and there's the Dele Sosimi x Medlar 'Full Moon' Dam Swindle remix and then Medlar's own remix of their 'All About The Dance' and Daz-I-Kue on 'Gudu Gudu Kan'.

And there's a heavy Afrobeat heritage presence with Raz & Alfa Sackey, Isaac Birturo & The Rail Abandon, Eparapo (with a WheelUP remix - check out his new album, 'Inner Light, see review HERE) plus the Sam Remore remix of 'Black Lives Matter'; Brum's finest Redmore having had Dele Sosimi guesting on his track 'Home' (see review HERE).

The label, like Dom's DJ sets and radio shows, are always varied, fun and quality and that's what's the feature of this collection, especially as long term artists like the always impressive Soothsayers ('Natural Mustic' Sarathy Korwar remix), Bev Lee Harling (Aroop Roy remix HERE and Hardkandy HERE) to the 'historic' TALC, The Reflex Revision of 'De Gui Ding' (see review HERE) and you'll know Afrikanz On Marz as Ashley Beedle who we understand will be recuperating from home soon with his F*CLR/Ramrock musical family and another of Dom's old mates, Espen Horne's 'Bergen Sunray's being remixed by Session Victim (see review HERE).

Even then, names that perhaps are not so familiar stand out, like Land Of Echos', 'What We Want' (remixed by disco guru Delfonic - fresh from his Roy Ayers 12", see review HERE) as they've "got it".

With all these tracks and seven years of remixes to pick from this is a collection that you'll be more than happy to say that you've got it!

BUY LINK: Wah Wah 45s Remixed 3 | Wah Wah 45

Artist: Various Artists

Release: Wah Wah 45s Remixed 3
Release Date: 28th November, 2025
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: TBC
Format: Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Various Artists - The Chicago Boogie Vol. 4: Comin' At Ya’ (Star Creature & The Boogie Munsters)

Can you think of something less Halloween than a 4 track EP on Star Creature? I can't either when it's Vol. 4 of 'The Chicago Boogie' series, no scary 'star' creatures here!

Well its taken 3 years since Chicago's Boogie Munster Crew teamed up with Tim Zawada (head honcho of the Star Creature label out of Chicago) for the Chicago Boogie re-issue series.

The likelihood is that only these mega deep diggers will know these tracks so to have them remastered, given a "beefed up" TZ Extended edit and available is reason alone to get out up to date with the windy city's finest.

And it won't take you long to 'Fallen Into Love' by Motherfox and you won't know Tiger Jack's 'Let's Bounce', originally on the Ajana label (Ed. Who?), that only ever had 2 releases.  'Let's Bounce' might not have the most cerebal depth of lyrics but it moves feet which is the main thing.  

And talking of cerebal lyrics, if you think AI is the future via ChatGPT (al a Hawksby & Jacobs' "cheap" version), 2025 chat bot vocals were all the 'future' rage back in 1983 as Pyramid Plus get vocoded up with 'Comin' At Ya' to the "spaced-out boogie".

Getting back to Side A, the set is completed by the 'rare as hens teeth', at the time of writing, "never sold on Discogs", gold that was passed onto the label by the Numero Group (more Chicago based brotherly love) that is, Soul Invaders' 'Give Me You': what a mouthful!

Any of my avid followers will know, I've never been to Chicago (see The Tonerarm, 02.10.25 with the interview of Lynyn HERE and his album review HERE) but this is encouragment in itself to cross the pond and get this package on vinyl.

BUY LINK:  The Chicago Boogie Volume 4: Comin' At Ya' | Star Creature Universal Vibrations

 

Artist: Various Artists

Title: The Chicago Boogie Vol. 4 

Release date: 31st October, 2025

Label: Star Creature

Cat. No: TBC

Format:  Limited 12" / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Apparel Music B-Day 15 (Apparel Music)

You don't normally have a huge birthday party at 15 but you can see why Apparel Music have decided to go large on this one to celebrate!

No room for Lukus' 'Love Andeavour' (see review HERE) as it's crammed with slippery customers like Osunlade, last seen with Fred Everything on his label with Robert Owens (see review HERE), LYMA (as on Marcel Vogel's label, see review HERE) and Inkswel (last seen on Compost, see review HERE with Andre Espeut).

And probably best describe by the label themselves, "From the USA with Osunlade to Australia with Erin Buku & Inkswel; from Denmark with Ghosten (featuring Francesca Touré and IZZY NU) to Italy with 2KS and Kisk; Argentina and Brazil with Eduardo and HNQO (with Collateral Lab), Spain with Tuccillo, Germany and The Netherlands with Marcel Vogel & LYMA. It's about exploring genres, diving into far-off worlds, being curious about other places, other people and figuring out how to make them all feel comfy under the same roof, chilling in the same room. A room we've been furnishing for a while with our little treasures, some fancy furniture, some not-so-fancy, but always with passion. There’s more music to make, more stories to discover, more people to meet. Apparel Music is not just a label anymore, it’s a big, instinctive, unplanned love letter to everyone who’s been and who’ll be a part of it". 

As you can tell, founder Kisk's 'worldwide' vision of Apparel from Milano is a big mix start with his own track, 'I Wanna Dance With You' and it's non-strop until the last track 'SayNoMore' (Ed. did you see what they did there?) by 2KS .

Ten years ago they released a 20 track compilation, 'Jazzy Soup' and we're still licking out lips for more Apparel Music - Happy 15th B-day!.

BUY LINK/PRE-ORDER: https://apparel-music.lnk.to/BDAY15

Illustrated by Tu

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Apparel Music B-Day 15

Release date: 6th June, 2025 (Vinyl)

Label : Apparel Music

Catalog Number : APPPAREL007 APL007W APL007APDIllustrated by TuEXTRA055

Format:    Vinyl White (150 copies) / Vinyl Black (150 copies) 

                Digital / Bandcamp (Release date: 15-08-25)

Buy / Pre Order: https://apparel-music.lnk.to/BDAY15

Review: Various Artists - Fermented Grooves Volume 4 (Stereo Ferment)

Stereo Ferment's 'Fermented Grooves' compilation series is now on Volume 4 and is now also available in debut double vinyl pressing!

Following on from Volume 3 from a couple of years ago (see review HERE), the latest is another chunk of worldly funk-disco-dancee compilation with influences from Afrobeat, flamenco, disco, funk and all inbetween in a mere 9 tracks.

And it doesn't take long before you get excited that this is on DJ friendly vinyl kicking off with Josh Ludlow's 'Vikram' for some yogic disco: you may recall Ludlow from his big hit 'Bumper Thumper' (with a Medlar Remix) from earlier this year and he's still hot and sweaty.

In keeping with the health and fitness theme, Kraftwerk goes 'Y.O.G.A.' with Oreku who you'll recall went "NaNaNa" of 'Little Fly' from Vol. 3.  And since then, The Patchouli Brothers have shown us what they can do on JKriv Razor-N-Tape's edit 12" (see review HERE) and they're at it again with 'Sidi_93'  (Ed. is that some sort of road cycling shoe?) that's big on the Indo-piano house bang (that's how they roll).

In fact, there's quite a bit of an Indo-vibe with Anish Kumar's 'Unity Drum' before you get to 'Deli Gönül Neylersin' by FOC with it's mod-psych-funk organ.

Joint label boss (with Oreku), Coy Haste (he of 'Bancha Bounce' (see review HERE) who goes all Gwen Stefani macarena (and more) bouncing but I'd prefer the Turkish-space-funk of 'White Lights In Summer' by Dialtone or the big room of 'Shamim' (by the inappropriatly named Moving Still).

These guys love to experiment and have a smile on their face at the same time and this is another joyous release.

Many thanks to DJ Bob Hill and his Illicit Grooves crew for pointing this one out to us.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Fermented Grooves Vol 4

Release date: 3rd April, 2025

Label : Stereo Ferment

Catalog Number : SF017

Format:  2xLP Vinyl / Digital / ONLY available on Bandcamp 

Review: VA - The Original Sound of Mali 2 (Mr Bongo)

Thinking about a Mr Bongo Record Club compilation that focuses on the original sounds of Mali, this new compilation adds to 2017's Vol. 1 digging deeper into incredible sounds from the 70s and 80s.

French journalist and African music expert, Florent Mazzoleni joined forces with Mr Bongo's David Buttle to bring you this amazing, if not magnificent dozen of tracks by such household names as Ousmane Kouyaté & Ambassadeurs Internationaux, Rail Band, Les Messagers du Mali, Mystère Jazz de Tombouctou and many more.

Drawn from the 70/80s post-independent Mali, the freedom of traditional musicians with modern instruments went to their heads and ended up in the melting pot: none more so than Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako with 'Get Up James' - this is not a one track album, I repeat, definitely NOT as one track album, but if you love James Brown, this is one to get up to - it's 'James NOT James' to mis-quote.

Hotels in Bamako were the place to party back in the day and now it's a hot bed of recording studios due to the Tinariwen effect and those Ambassador's know how to switch to that camel jazz walk 'n' blues ballad ('Matou Kagni').  Of course there's lots on international visitors to the Hotels bringing western music and it's possibly best asseminated in the opening tracks 'Kefimba' and Bouba et Sakona Sacko's 'Mamaniya'. 

'Yayoraba' and 'Moussokéléyato' by Allata Broulaye are marvellously 'rock-guitar' based mixed with wailing vocals  you can see why Robert "I'm a Brummie" Plant is such a fan of Malian music.

And not to be outdone, there's a couple of jazz bands, Malian style of course; Mystère Jazz de Tombouctou and Tentemba Jazz du Mali and possibly our favourite, the Rail Band ('Massaré Mousso') as Bamako would be for the rail terminous and all the hotels; that's how it all works.

And if there's any mod-revivalists still tuned in, the cover version of 'Midnight Hour' by Tjiwara Band de Kati to end on is pretty sharp in its own way; great guitar and drum solos which just about excuses the vocals not being up to Mr. Pickett soul quality. 

So whilst Vol. 2. still has the Mali/desert blues feel of Vol.1 . Zani Diabaté et Le Super Djata Band, Alou Fané & Daouda Sangaré et al, but if you do get it only for 'Get Up James', you won't be sorry.  And if you get the album for the other tracks, you won't be sorry either: Win - Win! And get on up and add this album to the collection. 

BUY LINK: https://www.mrbongo.com/products/the-original-sound-of-mali-2-vinyl-2lp-cd

Artist: Various Artists 

Title: The Original Sound of Mali 2

Release date: 7th February 2025

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRBCDLP278

Format :  2xLP Vinyl / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - We Wah 25 (Part 10/32 - Jamie Finlay - 'Daylight' feat. Ellen Beth Abdi) (Wah Wah 45s)

Regular readers of YATM will know that we go a long way back with Wah Wah 45s and Mr. Dom Servini so for the 25th Birthday Party compilation that came out last week, here's a bit of a selective retrospective!

Especially as there's a massive 32 tracks to celebrate 25 years (Ed. Wonder who thought of that equation?) and part of the celebrations was Wah Wah 45s stage on the Friday at WeOutHere Festival with Jamie Finlay and band that travelled all the way from Manchester to Dorset, starting out in 'Daylight' and ended as one of the gig's of the day in the Tomorrow's Warriors Big Tent (Track 10. on the compilation - see below as he was due to be the star turn at the London Jazz Festival launch  back in November, 2008).

Somebody called 'Speedy S' gave us an update; Speedy S eh!

Europe: City Guides/Events						FLY HOME NEWS AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST ASIA/PACIFIC CARIBBEAN EUROPE -Features -Reviews -City Guides/Events LATIN AMERICA US/CANADA - - - - - - FLY VIDEO FLYkr GALLERIES FLY CD SHOP (UK) FLY CD STORE (US) www.flickr.com what is this?
Wah Wah!! London Jazz Festival Launch (Cargo, 14.11.08) The best ever London Jazz Festival has the best ever launcher, its Dom Servini and a bunch of his favourite Wah Wah 45 folks.
It’s not that long since the brilliant Meanwhile… from the Wah Wah 45’s Part-Time Hereos but Mr. Servini and the boys now bring us the official London Jazz Festival launch and the Jaime Finlay album launch all rolled into one! You’ll recall Jamie Finlay (composer, producer, musician, DJ from Manchester) released the ‘Little Trumpet’/’Temperature’ 12” three years ago so the debut album Pocket Science is definitely long awaited especially as he’s been picked as ‘one to watch’ for sometime; comparisons with Prince, Plantlife, George Clinton and, legendary producers, the Mizell Brothers no less. In support are the London based funk band, The Filthy Six (sort of half of a Dirty Dozen?) that find their influences in the golden age of late 60’s Blue Note artists such as Lou Donaldson, Grant Green, Jimmy McGriff, Donald Byrd and other Droppin’ Science types. Currently hosting a monthly night at the world famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, London and other gigs across town, they now get a chance to burn up the Cargo dancefloor with their mix of original material and classics. They’ve got their own debut album Knockout ready to drop soon so it’ll be a double launch nigt. On the DJ front, Pete Isaac makes the long trip up from the West Country from the home of Jelly Jazz for a rare London appearance (so get there early) and your usual Wah Wah 45’s residents will also be on hand to entertain you. Looks like Wah Wah’s out to make the rest of the LJF an anti-climax! Links www.myspace.com/jamefinlay www.wahwah45s.com LIVE: JAMIE FINLAY & HIS ORCHESTRA + THE FILTHY SIX DJS: PETE ISAAC + WAH WAH RESIDENTS (DOM SERVINI, SIMON GOSS & CAPSTONE) 8-3am £10 adv, £6 before 9, £12 on the door www.cargo-london.com 83 Rivington Street, EC2 www.myspace.com/thefilthysix www.jellyjazz.com London Jazz Festival - Fri 14th - Sunday 23 November 2008 londonjazzfestival.org.uk www.bbc.co.uk/radio3 —Gerry Hectic Friday 7 November 2008

Review: VA - Family Affair Vol. 4 (Razor-N-Tape)

The NYC to the world present that comes via those trendies at Razor-N-Tape (now on Vol. 4) is the compilation that gives the most for the dancefloor that's 'Family Affair'.

If you've been a fan of Razor-N-Tape's yearly round-up of friends and family since Vol. 1 in 2021, the first thing you'll notice about this years' Vol. 4 is they've swopped the black frame album art theme for a snappy pop-art-ish 3x3 tile, which would work great if they created drinks coaster products (Ed. we'll want 10% of future sales).

You'll also notice that the quality of Vol. I's "affair", like heavyweights Dimitri From Paris, DJ Rocca and the then lesser known, Clive From Accounts (who only last week had his Fred Everything remix released on Lazy Days Recordings - see review HERE), is still being used as the formula.

There's two options, a 5-track 12" featuring DJ Rocca's comptemporary in the cosmic disco style, Ilija Rudman ('Discoteka Parmida'), Yasmin ('Real High'), Barcelona's Arnau Obios ('Pagan Mambo', a lively Afrobeat), label co-maestro JKriv's rework of Bessa Simons' 'Sii NaNa' plus one of our 2024 favourites, Vincenzo with 'Love Accurate' (also see the incredible Vincenzo remix of 'Free Born Man' by Sumsuch & Will Brock - see review HERE and his own 'Extrasolar' on Be Adult Music - see review HERE).

The digital 10 track also features future names like the Underground System's "Afro-Punk-Disco" (very NY), Dennis Liber and Yasmin Kademian on Latin-Italo-disco ('Baila Exotica') and Misiu's 'Belsize Funk' (too good to be influence by Belsize Park 80s jazz-funk? And Mike Misiu who was on Family Affair Vol.2 with Philippa who has just has a remix released on Best's Friends - see review HERE) and on Vol. 3, Yuu Udagawa who had her tracks remixed by JKriv and Fred Everyting earlier this year (see review HERE).

So it's clear that those that you don't know on Vol. 4 now will probably go on to get better known within the Family Affair dispora of dance so get it now to get ahead of the game and enjoy this wide ranging festive get together.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Family Affair Vol. 4
Release date: 13th December, 2024
Label : Razor-N-Tape.
Catalog Number : TBC
Format :  12" - 5 track vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

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Review: Fred Spider presents.. Chakalaka Jazz - A Selection of South African Gems (Heavenly Sweetness)

Heavenly Sweetness have got Fred Spider to put together a compilaton called 'Chakalaka Jazz', a selection of South African gems' and gems they are.

DJ Spider, aka Fred “Voom Voom” Spider moved from France to Spain and kept heading south until settling in Cape Town in 2010 where he set up Voom Voom Records to re-issue rare soul, funk, disco, boogie, and jazz.

'Chakalaka Jazz' firmly concentrates on jazz (Ed. no surprise there then) and perhaps, unlike some other compilations of South African Jazzkind, as Fred lives there, he's been able to digg for those musical nuggets that featuring locals, exiles and expats with "a reverent nod to the golden years of the '70s" and spiritual awakenings; although the actual tracks span 1969 to 2003!

So don't expect Hugh Masekela (the "father" of South African jazz), Dollar Brand/Abdullaah Ibrahim or Soweto boot bashing as these tracks are more at the The Indigenous Afro-Jazz Sounds Of Phillip Tabane And His Malombo Jazzman end of obscurity (and pricey).

Clarence Wilson, Gibson Kente, The Soweto Boys, The Drive, The Cliffs featuring Mankunku Nogozi, The Four Sounds, The Jazz Ministers, The Tailfeathers (thier track, 'The Tailfeathers' is pretty 70s soul-jazz funk and as obscure as you're likely to get) are all new names to me and it's all exceptional.

Cassidy Clarke Band's 'Doctor AL' is prime 70s Rockford Files era TV theme (like The Clarke / Duke Project but better!) and picking up on the current love of spiritual harp (Ashby - Coltrane - Alina Bzhezhinska - Amanda Whiting), you've got Zim Ngqawana's fabulous 'Kubi'; very Coltrane, John & Alice!

Not so keen on the chanting parts of closing track, the 13 minute long 'Magwaza' (Johnny Dyani) but the solos are as good as any Riverside/Blue Note/Impulse!/Prestige etc classics so, this is clearly YATM's 'Album Of The Week'.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Fred Spider presents.. Chakalaka Jazz - A Selection of South African Gems

Release Date : 1st November, 2024

Catalog Number : -

Label : Heavenly Sweetness

Format:  2 x LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Mr Bongo Record Club Vol.7 (Mr Bongo)

How do Mr Bongo keep releasing such fantastic tracks?  We don't know but it's a good job their Record Club releases the annual compilation (now on Vol. 7) so we've got all the top tracks all in one place.

We've already had a sneak peek at this with SOYUZ featuring Asha Puthli & Sven Wunder and 'Spring Has Sprung' (see review HERE) so now Autumn has arrived you even more summery Latin love from Mr Bongo and from further a-field on this 21 track compilation.

Not only is there chilled out Latin jazzdance classics, some stormin' U.S. disco funk (particularly The Duncan's 'Too Damn Hot' and 'Love Games' by Thandi Zulu & The Young Five) and the best disco track you've always wanted to get your hands on, 'Come Inside' by The Shades Of Love.

I like this Latin/disco-funk 2-genre theme that's a little reflective of other recent Mr Bongo comps like the John G​ó​mez and Nick The Record Present TANGENT (see review HERE - these two DJs were really good a the recent WOH Festival even though the clouds were gathering at the time) and the 'With Love' series by Miche (see review HERE - who was at many stages at WOH but I saw him mostly at the Near Mint record fair). 

Not so keen on the 'Between The Sheets' cover version but as to endorse and merge the themes, the closing track is a rare one, classic and BIG all at the same time- a Studio Rio version of 'Lovely Day' with Bill Withers himself!  You'll all have a lovely day listening to this from beginning to end and back again - highly recommended.

PS. also worth revisiting, Mr Bongo Record Club Vol 6. (see review HERE).

Artist: Various Artists 

Title: Mr Bongo Record Club Vol.7

Release date: 4th October, 2024

Label : Mr Bongo

Catalog Number : MRBCDLP304

Format :  2xLP Vinyl / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Be Adult Music 8th Anniversary (Be Adult Music)

It doesn't seem like a year since we were celebrating Be Adult Music 7th Anniversary but here's another compilation of all the best in a Be Adult Music world. 

In truth, it's been a little over a year since (see review HERE) but they've treated us to many a great release in the meantime that's emanated from the Ibizan beaches.

Typical of this is the dreamy opened, Hovak's 'The Day Before' and the ever present St. Ego (here with 'Stay') Also check out his Midnight Workouts remix of 'Losing Me', see review HERE) as the exclusive David Ol remix fits in so well here. 

 

Can't say I know the work of T.Picker, Erdi Imak, Viel and Death On The Balcony (their track, 'Follow The Beat' is a bit of a beachside Carrib steel pan-gospel grower) but it all has that Be Adult dancefloor quality.

Back to another artist we know, Julian Marazuela from the recent 'Seven Islands' release (see review HERE), and talking of the seaside, 'Atlantic Creatures' is a glorious multi-house genre firework of a track that wraps up this collection.

No surprise that there's much of a Balearics Island heat to all this and it's definitely one you should pack for your summer hols with the tan lotion and flip flops.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Be Adult Music 8th Anniversary 

Release date: 15th August, 2024

Label; Be Adult Music

Catalog Number: BAM375

Review: Various Artists - CITY MUSIC TOKYO Liner Notes by Nick Luscombe (Gearbox Records)

In a post Record Store Day week of re-issue frenzy (for some), here's a chance to catch up with something retro but brand new to most of us, apart from eminent musicologist Nick Lusombe with CITY MUSIC TOKYO. 

I best declare an interest (albeit some years ago) I first met Nick after winning a Bestival Competition on his XFM radio show 'Flo-motion' when he'd be playing all the best in the underground scene of Jimpster (still going, see review HERE), Solar Apple Quarktette (sort of still going, see review HERE), One Deck &  Popular (half is still going, see review HERE) and Break Reform (now more of a record shop in Launceston as Crates Is High!)

From these beginnings, Nick  moved up in the world having been very active as a producer/presenter on BBC Radio 3 & 4 with jazz and other things leftfield before move to Japan working with field sound recordings and more - most recently the excellent tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto (see link below: Sony Award material)  So, you'd think, why is this compilation, CITY MUSIC TOKYO, focus on J-pop; or as Nick would call it, City Pop.

Mostly sung in Japanese, this compilation has tracks dating back to the late 70s but to the non-expert ear it kind of sound generically 80s pop-soul with elements of soft rock, jazz-funk, easy listening (some great strings on here), synth-pop/new wave, R&B/hip-hop and anything else that was going at the time.

And for that reason, this is a great album as you never know quite what's coming next from Jodoes' 'Stardust Night' (sounds a bit Kid Creole/Dr Buzzard), 'Futari Bun No Atsui Yume' (Yasushi Nakanish) has a cracking Stevie Wonder type harp solo or the Deodato-ish jazz-funk of Escalators 'Fly High' and the post-Spandau Ballet cool of 'Samugari' (Tomoki Kikuchi). 

Don't get me wrong, this is far from a mish-mash, it's all got the Japanese electronic precision that you'd expect from the archives of Nippon Columbia and a culture that produced the top high end Hi-Fi, the Jazz Kissa and Karaoke!  And, in truth, there's a touch of the 'Baker Street'/'Moonlighting' with the Crescent Moon track and smooth jazz Nanako Sato's track is super dreamy with full on strings.

Clearly, this isn't in competition with the BBE J-Jazz Series, the latest release in the Masterclass series by the ski Takase Trio, 'A Song For Hope' (see review HERE with 'the' book, 'J-Jazz - Free and Modern Jazz Albums from Japan 1954-1988' with a forward by Terumasa Hino coming soon) but if you thought that the home grown market was not worth investigating beyond YMO, Sadistic Mika Band, Koyto Jazz Massive, Soil'n'Pimp "Sessions" and United Future Organization - think again.

BBC Radio 3 - Nick Luscombe presents "Sakamoto - Art Is Long, Life Is Short"

Artist: Various Artists 

Title:  CITY MUSIC TOKYO [Curated by Cunimondo Takiguchi]

Release date: 4th April, 2024

Label : Gearbox Records

Catalog Number : GB1593

Format: 2xLP with OBI strip / CD / Digital / Bandcamp