Review: The Secret Garden - Spirals ft. Cordelia Olwen (Ramrock Red Records)

Let's see what's in The Secret Garden this summer.  Dizzy after Mrs Ramrock's  vocals for 'Names In The Sky', this time is 'Spirals' on the beach, litterally, as that's where Cordelia Olwen's vocals were recorded!

You will recall the previous release by The Secret Garden, 'Names In The Sky' that featured the vocals of Jo Wallace, the boss at Ramrock HQ (see review HERE), that got worldwide plays and was championed by Don Letts at BBC 6 Music.

Well, this time the vocals by Cordelia (50% of Clone + Cord) were recorded so close to the sea that you've got authenic wave sounds on 'Spirals' that give it more than a synth-pop Balearic vibe that's deep. Plus, there's some proper lazy days lyrics here and that's enhanced by the "dreamy" instrumental version.

Apparently, the seed of this collaboration was planted last summer at a rare The Secret Garden gig in the Chiltern Hills where Alex and Cordelia met.  Since then, after some serious file swopping, 'Spirals' will be spinning your head and feet.  

I hope this will be released on vinyl at some point so we can get it played at Chilled Cider (Ed. that's the one that overlooks the sea) but until then, it's yet another summer winner from Ramrock, perfect timing as ever.

 

Artist: The Secret Garden

Title: Spirals ft. Cordelia Olwen

Release date: 28th July, 2025

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR087

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Number - Le Boucle Nouveau EP (Ramrock Red Record)

Your Number is up as Ramrock Red Records release numbers 84 and 85 with Le Boucle Nouveau EP and 'Le Boucle Nouveau' Duncan Gray Remix.

It's a busy week at Ramrock HQ as The Secret Garden's latest single 'Spirals' featuring Cordelia Olwen and Joseph Malik's 'Adult Contemporary' (Shuya Okino + ROOT SOUL Rework EP) are both coming out soon.  But, when Mrs Ramrock, Jo Wallace, was approached by Rich Thair and Ali Friend (co-founders of Red Snapper) with a brand new project from their band, Number, room had to be found in the busy schedule.

We are told that the pair have performed all over the globe and been on the bill supporting some of the biggest bands as you'll likely to name but their real lust was to recreate "dirty disco bass lines, noisy drum machines, wonky percussion, leering live drums, jagged guitar melodies and uplifting soulful songs of the 80s".  And it's fair to say they've managed to do that on the teaser from their forthcoming album - the brand new single ‘Le Boucle Nouveau’.

Do you wanna add dub to that lot? You can in the form of a the Duncan Gray remix that taps into Andrew Weatherall's legacy and Sean Johnston's 'A Love From Outer Space' sensibilities.

As a fan of 'Weeds Up To Me Knees', any album titled 'Pollinate' is going to get the YATM office excited. If you need a bit of a 101, their first album, in 2020, was on Sunday Best, and 'Binary' featured the track 'Face Down In Ecstasy' which was lauded by Lauren Lavern, featured an acclaimed video by Leo Nicholson and got onto the coveted BBC 6 Music playlist.

It would seem the pollinators have done a number on the duo as they've moved on from Sponge Bob's Square Talkin' Head animations.

 

Artist: Number

Title: Le Boucle Nouveau EP/ Le Boucle Nouveau (Duncan Gray Remix) EP

Release date: 25th July, 2025 / 8th August 2025

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR084 / RRR085

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: DB Cohen - On Target (Ramrock Red Records)

Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake vs. RAF Target, what's your modern flava? The wise heads at Ramrock Records have gone with the target in these smoke free enlightened days but that's not to say DB Cohen isn't on fire!

But if you've seen DB Cohen and band giging this summer you'll know that there's much more to their set that a symbol.   And from their recorded works on Ramrock from the start of the year the indie-pop 'For the Love Of Ella' single as a follow-up to 'Manchild' - see review HERE) drenched in  Americana, Thames Delta Blus, ska and more. 

Cohen was born in London and lives in Canada with a zest for a trobadour lifestyle so you get the lot from Essex Billy Bragg to Dylan to country Small Faces Mod and Canvey Island Dr Feelgood rockers Woody Guthrie; when did you last hear "brolly" in lyrics - Chas & Dave?

Let's see what the man himself says, "Filtering life through the blues, I write, play guitar/ harp and sing on all my records and smash it up live with a seven piece band formed with a who’s who from the Ottawa Blues scene. We’re playing all this summer all around Ontario & Quebec including the Capital Fair in August. I’m also planning a Canada/U.S tour around my forthcoming L.P release ON TARGET out on Ramock Red Records July 2025. ON TARGET is a real UK/ Candian collaboration, and produced in part by legendary producer, Mark ‘Snowboy’ Cotgrove. The record covers many sub genres within the blues sphere - Chicago Blues, Bluegrass, Rhythm & Blues, Traditional Folk and a smattering of Ska for good measure.  Maple Blues winning bassist Laura Greenberg, guitarist Murray Kinsley (Wicked Grin) as well as some of the UK’s best blues talent- Steve West Weston & Darrel Higham – all feature on the album. See you at the bar’"

If you missed the Bandcamp Listening Party last night, you missed what sounds like a late alternative 'Album of the Week' as this is 'On Target' in so many ways.

Artist: DB Cohen 
Title:  On Target
Release date: 25th July, 2025
Label: Ramrock Red Records
Cat. No: ,RRRLP013
Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Yesterday's Princess - Tomorrow's Yearning (Root Records)

If you had the mind to get Surprise Chef and Sven Wunder vs. Lalo Schfrin and David Axelrod vs. Lonnie Liston Smith and George Benson (CTi period) with DIlla vs. Madlib on the knobs, you could well end up with some jazz library hip-hop beats of Yesterday's Princess - couldn't get much better than that!

The duo of Fredrik Bregsten and Marcus Larson might sound like Celtic's new Scandinavian signings but they've been producing music for over 10 years and 'Tomorrow's Yearning' is a mere four tracks to tease us with as jazz OST beats a la KPM/de Wolfe/Creed Taylor.

'Anemoia', 'Not Today (Maybe Tomorrow)' (the early single - see review HERE), 'Bygone' and 'Meanwhile' are all recorded with real instruments including drums to replace the old skool sample pack and a bass player brought in to join the Fender Rhodes and electric guitar. 

 

If you know the standard of 'Dirty Harry', 'Death Wish', 'Hill St. Blues' themes and along with the forthcoming work of Pink Butter (see review HERE soon), this is a brilliant jazz-funk warm-up that's as much retrospecitve and forward looking at the same time.

 

Artist: Yesterday's Princess
Title:  Tomorrow's Yearning

Release date: 25th July, 2025

Label : Root Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: Cee ElAssaad & Beatkozina - Beauty is Magic (Ensouled)

Latin Afro-futuristica house on the beach makes this a beautiful single release!

We know of Beatkozina after the release on Afroterraneo, 'Nusrat Passion' featuring Abirah Shah (see review HERE), the 'Merhba EP' feat. El Mago & Axel Camil on Compost (see review HERE) and if you can imagine tthat along with Cee ElAssaad's 'Ore Yeyo O' (see review HERE) you're not going to be too far from 'Beauty is Magic' for a post jazz-funk generation.

I expect the vocal will be on this months' "Best Of" Colour & Pitch Sessions mixtape with Sumsuch but I there's also the instrumental and radio edit.

BUY LINK: https://ensouled.bandcamp.com/

Artist: Cee ElAssaad & Beatkozina

Title: Beauty is Magic

Release date: 25th July, 2025

Label : Ensouled

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: Tigerbalm with Giorgio Lopez - Nayar (Ubiquity Records)

Ubiquity Records take on Tigerbalm as they reel under the tango, bango, mango, commando, wango tropical disco madness of 'Nayar'.

You'll remember Tigerbalm's album 'Profunda Alma'  on Razor-N-Tape that came out at the end of last year (see review HERE) as Nicola Robinson unleashed her Afro-Latin obession on the dancefloor

Ubiquity have previously released Tigerbalm's 'International Love Affair' album that attracted some name remixers like Chico Mann, Daniele Baldelli, Emperor Machine and Bustin' Loose (aka Tom Lilly at the Disco Express - see interview HERE) so they should know what they've let themselves in for?

But I'm not sure even Tigerbalm herself had some idea as our Londoner has caught the Italo-synth-wave house revival teaming up with Naples' Giorgio Lopez (like 'Mystic Jungle' see review HERE) with some J-pop vocal chorus.

Known for her "kaleidoscope of global influences", I'm not sure the remixes by Elado (turns up the synths), Bernado Pinheiro (adds some atmospheric Latin percussion from the rainforest, that could have gone more dubby) and Piek (mainroom Spanish house with disco lazers)

We're told this is a mere taster for Tigerbalm's next album, 'Bubblegum Discos' that's due out next years so we're likely to have these 4 versions of 'Mango-Bango' disco all summer long. 

BUY LINK: Nayar | Tigerbalm

Artist: Tigerbalm with Georgio Lopez

Title: Nayar
Release date: 23rd July, 2025
Label : Ubiquity Records
Catalog Number : TBC
Format :  Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Farhot - RAQS (105-118BPM)(Kabul Fire Records)

From Afganistan to Hamburg, DJ Farhot has found 'RAQS' to share on the dancefloor.

It seems a lifetime ago, 20 years in fact, that I firsts spotted the name DJ Farhot on the production/engineer credits on Nneka's album 'Victim Of Truth'.  That was on CD, the album was re-issued a couple of years ago as a double LP, and the power of her vocals still stands up today.

And not only has Farhot had a hand in most of here subsequent albums, he runs his own label Kabul Fire Records, he's half of 'Die Achse' (with Bazzazian) along with production credits for Giggs, Kano, Talib Kweli, LOC and many more along with his own Kabul Fire Vol. 1 & 2.

Hip-hop meets Batov Middle-Eastern vibes on this 5 track EP as 'MARS' set that 'RAQS': which translates as the Dari word for "dance"; in Arabic, three root letters, ra, qa, sa = to dance.

In true underground hip-hop fashion, you'll find samples from Egypt, Lebanon, Somalia and further a far as these tracks take on a synth, psych Wedding dance celebration for the Flute Gang, particularly 'Ya Saghira' which has a very sharp ending.

For Afgan-Hamburg House, 'Hooyoo' (with Siriusmo) is the most WOMAD friendly - especially as it's the longest track with sing-a-long chants, a funky guitar lick, a wicked organ and a bit of dub echo; what more do you want?

'Yana' (with Daniel Kimaz, the flautist on The Mighty Mocambos' album 'A Higher Frequency' that was released last month, see review HERE) and 'Al Quds' (with Bazzazian) which both have a touch of Stones Throw 'golden era' about them as if Daedelus was transported to North Africa.

 

The vinyl is super limited so get your feet off the ground and onto your likely suspect record shops quick before they run out.

BUY LINK: https://idol-io.ffm.to/raqs105118bpm

Artist:  Farhot

Title: RAQS EP

Release date: 25th July, 2025

Label : Kabul Fire Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Kʒːlu – Standing Ovation (Fish Go Deep Remixes) (Creeping Curtain Records/Tangential Music)

Fish Go Deep say, "We don't do many remixes - only when a track really grabs us...[and] this one did!", prepare to get grabbed.

Sounds a little ironic as the YATM Office like a Fish Go Deep remix (see review HERE of La Deep's 'Risk It All' on Wooden Discos) as that grabbed us only last week.

Kʒːlu is the solo project of Cork-based musician Patrick Hatchett who is influenced by global beats, late-night moods and wild natural surroundings. 

'Standing Ovation' gets deep (no pun etc) with the remix with some squiggy synth boogie and echo units.  So, you think, this would be cool as a 'Standing Ovation dub mix'; and here it is and clocks in at 7:34 as a couple of minutes longer of bing-bong fun under the LSP influence.

Kʒːlu (curlew) had an album out back in 2021 that featured Idris Rahman (Ill Considered, Soothsayers etc and brother of Zoe) so lets keep our eyes open for a 'Standing Ovation' album version; but in the meantime, let yourself be grabbed by the dub.

BUY LINK: https://bfan.link/standing-ovation-2

Artist: Kʒːlu 

Title: Standing Ovation (Fish Go Deep Remixes)

Release date: 23rd July, 2025

Label: Creeping Curtain Records / Tangential Music

Catalog Number:TBC

Format: Digital

Review: Till Brönner - Viva La Felicità (earMusic / Edel)

Till Brönner is a big name in jazz, particularly European jazz, even before the 'Só Danço Samba' remixes by Mousse T and Nicola Conte came out and hit the dancefloor; time for an update?

Brönner has worked with countless jazz musso's over the years (including Bob James, 'On Vacation' 2020) and his 2008 'Rio' album caught the ear of Italian Latin jazzdance expert Nicola Conte (he of Schema Records, last seen HERE) there was no surprise Conte would want to get onboard for the remix.

It comes as little surprise then that when the Hamburg-based trumpet thought of an album entitled 'Italia' he'd think first of Conte as a producer for his lounge jazz easy listening exotica OST in a 'la dolce vita' groove.

'Viva La Felicità", a cover version of theme from "Il Signor Rossi Cerca La Felicità", a 1970s Italian cartoon series is the first single from the album and whilst Till's horn is as amazing as ever, along with, what sounds like the Schema house band, why the fade out?  Can only hope there's an extended version on the album itself.

A what a great cover too!  Deserves a 7" vinyl release at least.  

BUY LINK:

Artist: Till Brönner 

Title: Viva La Felicità 

Release date: 23rd July, 2025

Label: earMusic / Edel

Cat. No: BAM001RE

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: ventoux^ - Loop Dreams (Independent)

As it's the day after the afternoon before, the 112th edition of the Tour de France has climbed Mont Ventoux and we can now have a musical 'rest day' so to speak and dream of loops with ventoux^'s new album!

ventoux^ (aka James Risevero) has gained a '^' after his debut album in 2006 that was a heady mix of future jazz, dub, ambience that featured David Jean-Baptiste and included a version of on Mongo Santamaria's classic track as 'Afro Blue In Five'.

Such eclecticism caught the attention of Glyn 'Bigga' Bush (see review interview HERE) and whilst there's been a couple of collaborations, we've had to wait until now for the new album.

Ten tracks of nu-jazz, ambient Latin beats - a bit of a cross between Azymuth, Lonnie Liston Smith and Madlib's lounge: how good is that!

Biggabush played 'Del Toro' on his recent 'Friends & Family' Big Dig 1BTN show (see below) but 'This SIde Of Sunshine' brings some funk to the flute gang groove, the dreamy 'Free Fall' and the cosmic vibes of 'Les Balieues'.  'Neon Cars' is a bit synth pop-easy Swingle Singe rs and here's one for the Chilled Cider guys, 'Love Was All Around' featuring saturnVille on vocals with some understated 'Richie Rome' electronic jazz-dub leanings.

If you're struggling on the lower slopes like most mere mortals, here's an album that you can only dream of before you reach your own summit - grab your bidon and ride with this one.

BUY LINK:  

ventoux^ · Loop Dreams

Artist: ventoux^ 

Title: Loop Dreams

Release date: 16th July, 2025

Label : Independent
Catalog Number : TBC
Format:  Digital