Monday, 18 August 2025

NuNorthern Soul are on the beach again with some killer remixes of Tambores En Benirras' 'Ondas Horizontales' - even the artwork has been given a make over.


 
At the start of the month, NuNorthern Soul released Roots Artefact's 'Different Perspecitive' (see review HERE) with that Tallinn view of NuNorthern Soul.  At the other end of the month, you could say that they've got the test cards out, retuned Tambores En Benirras' 'Ondas Horizontales' with four remixes that ouze chilled, world, Balearics boogie.

Originally released in 2023 on the album 'Ondas Horizontales' was all the work of Tambores En Benirras (aka Graham Newby) apart from the fantastic artwork by Johnny Kavannagh and recorded in the dual centres of Ibiza (obviously) and most unlikely, Barrow-in-Furness!

Ruf Dug has stepped up to the plate for a remix of 'Mi Suno Vive En Reverb' with some early morning beach yoga session, can you have one in Manchester?   Good job Mr. Dug is also based in Ibiza and you know he's a man of sound choice if you recall his feedback on Yuu Udagawa's 'Beat Sculpture' (see review HERE) as, "OG is 1000000% the one here!"; pretty cool as Coflo is on the remix! 

Talking of influencial trend setters, 'Extensor Entrgado' gets a remix by none other than Steve Cobby, he of Fila Brazillia and inspriation for Third Attempt's 'We Are All Connected EP' on Beatservice (see interview HERE).  This is a great remix for over 9 minutes of synth heavy Balearic funk groove and worth the price of the 12" in itself.

I can't say I'm as familir with Andres Y Xavi ('Templos Del Sol') or Simon Sheldon ('Un Placer Celestial) but as you can guess from the titles, both track are looking skywards.   'Templos Del Sol' as remixed is bouncing its way around the Iberian space lab dancefloor (it's a bit adictive) and is far away from the origin's dreaming Japanese-synth garden (with spoken word).   

Simon Sheldon has a history with electronic music goes back many decades and his remix gets us back in the chill tent with downtempo Massive Attack whispering so closing this EP as  a proper 12" release for DJs and home listening.

Newby contacted 12 of his favourite artists to request reworks – a mix of Balearic heroes, rising stars and friends and this remix collection is definitely a different perspective to the orginals, ('Different Perspectives' being the order of the day at NuNorthern Soul, see the last release on the label by Roots Artefact - review HERE).  

This EP is the first in a series of remix specials of the original album that'll be available in digital format so book in for the 'Listening Session' for this week - see below links.


Ondas Horizontales Remixes One Listening Session 
Listening Party August 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM GMT+1 (book in HERE]

Artist: Tambores En Benirras
Title: Ondas Horizontales Remixes One 
Release date: 22nd August, 2025
Label : NuNorthern Soul
Catalog Number : NUNSTEBR001
Format:   Digital / Bandcamp







Sunday, 17 August 2025

Posted by Gerry Hectic | File under : , , , , ,

Boddhi Satva is definitely his own man when it comes to producing music being the originator of 'Ancestral Soul' and at the same time, he likes  collaboration: so it's always a good time to 'Manifest Everything'.



We know from Boddhi's and Dino D'Santiago's 'Moda Boddhi' (see review HERE) that the Satva blend of Afro-house-soul in an 'Ancestral' way  is quite unique and this album confrims this.

In double gatefold format, there's 13 tracks that run from soul-pop to deep funky house ('In That Funk' stands out) together with collaborations with soul legend, Raheem DeVaughn plus Davi Lorenzo & Mr Luu, J'Something, Spilutu & Kaysha, Zaki Ibrahim, Jorge Bezerra and his mate from Pangea, Feddy da Stupid (see review HERE).

Sartva has been mates with long term fans of Masters At Work, Osunlade, Black Coffee
Louie Vega, Gilles Peterson’s BBC 6 Music and Worldwide crews. 

Artwork:  Jean-Michel Basquiat


Artist : Boddhi Satva  
Title : Manifest Everything
Release Date : 11th July, 2023
Catalog Number : BAT011ADG
Label : BBE Music 
Format: Vinyl / Digial / Bandcamp

Friday, 15 August 2025

Posted by Gerry Hectic | File under : , , ,

It's always worth repeating,
in the Land Of Echo, 'Almost Music' is coming out this week, 
 'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week.



This is Land Of Echo's debut album but when you're told it is the 'return of the' Rob Mac, he of Jumbonics, Gum Drop, Speeka, Matt Smooth & The Easy Rockers on many labels including Tru-Thoughts, Altered Vibes, Sonar Kollektiv and Wah Wah 45s.
 
So a like bit of a home coming on the label with a 9 new tracks of "altered disco, downtempo soul and experimental electonics aided by the synths and violins of Lucy Wilkins, having herself played with Massive Attack, Radiohead and Roxy Music.

The centrepiece track 'Freedom In Our Rhythm Parts 1 + 2' is Massive Attack-eques a go-go so that's a winner on its own!

The vocals are provided another returnee from a career break, Sheffield's Kathy Diamond (Morgan Geist, Hercules & The Love Affair, Soul Clap and many more) and Tokyo born/London based Ayana Homma (Tokyo Riddem Band & Sound Anthropology).  And whilst we're at it, Angus 'yes i'm related' Mac in on bass and if you can't dance to the opening track, 'What We Want' with the groovy bassline, disco synths and string and sing-a-long vocals; there's no hope for you.

There's definitely some hang-over from the 'Hi-Falutin' Gum Drop album, which is a good thing and you can bet that they're already lining up outside Wah Wah 45s North London HQ for the remix options (Kay Suzuki on a dub? A Kelley Polar 'symphonic-disco' rewerk? etc) but that's a no-go for now as there's some real highlights here like 'Lean Into Your Own Breath', 'Never To Never' (I'll forgive the "bah, bahs"), 'Don't Talk (Just Dance)' and 'I Want'.

So the Land of Echo is on repeat in the office - don't miss this one.



Artist: Land Of Echo
Title:  Almost Music
Release date: 15th August, 2025
Label : Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number : WAHLP034
Format: Vinyl /Digital / Bandcamp
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Afro-futuristica J-House from St. John's Newfoundland! Surely not?



The eastern Canadian label get some Trans-Canadian - Japan business with Tokyo-based producers Yoshi Horino, M-Scape and Werner Niedermeier on the "rhythmic 2-step percussion, growling deep basslines, and ethereal synths with swinging vocals" 

As the label's 23rd release 'Fall' is a collaborative two track EP, 'Fall' and 'Don't You' that's got some elements of classic Japanese deep house business from one side of the pond to the other. 

'Don't You' in particualar is a mix of synth vs. Lonnie Listron Smith cosmic jazz-funk a la Ron Trent vs. Bugge Wesseltoft.



Artist: Yoshi Horino, M-Scape and Werner Niedermeier
Title: Fall
Release date: 15th August, 2025
Label : Yung Dumb
Catalog Number : YD023 
Format: Digital / Bandcamp  
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Laurent Garnier is still a fan and here's another EP that shows us why as 
Böhm communicates with people
!



It's been a little while since we got on the Chicago Loop via Citi Beat and the 'This Is Citi Beat' EP (see review HERE) and regular readers will know that any track called 'Train Ride' is going to get our attention in the YATM office!

But 'Crystal 727' goes one further in the Techy-old skool house and there's a bit of a New Order bass, a bit Italo keys and some very old skool jazz-funk whistle blowing that is just magic!  Or is that a train guard blowing his whistle? 

The other two tracks, being 'Country' and the title track he just as much fun and the perfect introduction to Böhm.

PS. You might have guessed from the oranje artwork, Böhm is Dutch.
 


Artist: Böhm 
Title: People Communicate EP
Release date: 15th August, 2025
Label :Morris Audio 
Catalog Number: MA133
Format: Digital
 / Bandcamp
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The Disco Express 'Summer Heatwave' Season continues with La Felix drivin' the  disco train.


 



Following on from he 'Best Of 2025' releases (review review HERE) it's hard to keep up with TDE tribe, especially as their can't be many Korean born, New Zealand-based nu-Disco producers like La Felix.

Ths six track EP, including long and short versions of a DE SOFFER remix of a track called 'Hot' (and it is, almost melts itself), has got rythmn and is, would you believe it, HOT!  

'Bassline Jump', 'Do It Like That', 'Locked In' and 'Just Need Your Love Now' are all quality disco tracks that'll get the party started with 70s reverance to the limit; 'Locked In' is rediculously good.
.
As they say, this is ready for the heatwave and all you We Out Here Festival attendees demand to dance to this today.



Artist: La Felix
Title:  Bassline Jump EP 
Release date: 15th August, 2025
Label : The Disco Express
Catalog Number : TBA
Format:  Digital / Streaming / Bandcamp

An international supergroup that sounds like Acoustic Ladyland is no bad thing in 2025; and they rock too!


A self-titled EP with saxophonist Alex Hitchcock (London, UK), pianist and synth/soundscapes Maria Chiara Argirò, double bassist Michelangelo Scandroglio (Italy) and drummer Myele Manzanza (Wellington, New Zealand).

This is  a busy EP, as track like 'Jorge's Vision'. "a polyrhythmic whirlwind" that's a tribute to Jorge Vistel, the  Cuban jazz trumpeter, brother of jazz saxophonist Maikel Vistel versus 'the Anchor', descibed by Myele as “Something that could be as much at home at an avant-garde performance at Cafe Oto as it could be in a Madlib beat tape.”.

Indeed, 'The Anchor' is something that boarders a dub of a noir jazz TV theme that could have been done by an extended The Bad Plus.

This is deep and a far cry from 'City Of Atlantis', my favourite track by Myele Manzanza featuring Charlie K & Ladi6 but all good stuff and it can't be a co-incidence it was at this time last year that corto.alto made a their name at We Out Here festival: you heard it here first?



Artist:Ivdf
Title:  Ivdf EP
Release date: 15th August, 2025
Label : Bridge The Gap
Catalog Number : TBC
Format: Digital  


Thursday, 14 August 2025

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On the same day that Sholto takes to he Main Stage at Gilles Peterson's We Out Here Festival, here's a sneak preview of the forthcoming album coming out later this year.



Nearly two years since ' SHOLTO's double album, 'Letting Go Of Forever' (see review HERE), which instantly became a Gilles Peterson favourite with a Worldwide FM live session, he's back with a single from the forthcoming album 'The Siren'.

Fans will know that the SHOLTO studio in Hackney is where the spirits of David Axelrod and Lalo Schrifin with the Cinemation Orchestra with "the Australian revisonists" Surprise Chef, The Pro-teens, Karate Boogaloo supporting: how good does that sound?

Don't forget, you can go for a swim at the festival in The Sanctuary area to reinact the artwork!

We Out Here Festival: Thursday Main Stage 
13:00 - 15:00Tina Edwards
15:00 - 16:00Sholto
16:40 - 17:40Hermeto Pascoal
18:20 - 19:20Florence Adooni
20:00 - 21:00Horace Andy & The Dub Asante Band
21:45 - 22:50Noname

Artist: SHOLTO
Title: Persephone's Perception
Release date: 14th November, 2025
Label :  Deep Matter Records
Catalog Number :TBC
Format: Digital / Bandcamp 


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Tru-Thoughts are the new Stones Throw?



Following their celebrated self-titled debut and its accompanying remixes, LA-based trio, Catpack, comprised of Amber Navran (Moonchild), Jacob Mann, and Phil Beaudreau, return with ‘Meowmixes’, a fresh spin on their own material, with each member offering a personal reinterpretation of a track from the record.

The tracks are short jazz-funk hip-hop beats reminiscent of early Flying Lotus with Dilla/Madlib going on with touches of Daedelus' electric 1930s swing fixation.

In short it's purr-fect for an fans of summer Pusheen. 

 



Artist: Catpack
Title:  Meowmixes 
Release date: 14th August, 2025 
Label : Tru-Thoughts
Catalog Number : TRUDD662
Format : Digital  / Bandcamp 

Wednesday, 13 August 2025

Posted by Gerry Hectic | File under : , ,

'Motivate Your Mind'.. "and your ass will follow" as wise men might have said in the world of 1970s Funkadelic - they'd probably say the same thing today.



Struck as we are by San Francisco's Coflo  and his Who The Frequency EP' (coming out on Freerange Records soon but we've got to sort this one out first,

Kumo is a DJ/producer based in Manchester and runs his own Wayout Records that went 'Space Funk' mad in 2021 with releases that featured Byron The Aquarius (as last seen on Igor Jadranin's 'Contemporary Outdoors' -see review HERE).

No need for BTA here as 'Deep Inside' is the jazzy keys dub banger that'll take the rest of the summer on the wall ('Band' or otherwise)  It's not hard to imagine Ron 'Lift Off' Trent on this one in the Bowl at We Out Here Festival as it's getting late; or early morning for that matter. 

You don't have to have a Reiki Master's fire head massage to 'Motivate Your Mind', the title track that's also on the dubby side but take's more influence from Lonnie Liston Smith's expanded mind of Cosmic Echoes. 

But the big tune, is the opener 'Loosen Up' which has the best elements of the other two tracks with "rolling conga" and some big strings in support.

Jamie Odell (Jimpster) at Freerange is on such a roll at the moment, as this falls between the Coflo EP (as mentioned above) and Black Loops, Milton Jackson & Brian Kage's 'Fire Emoji' (see review HERE) and the Lisbon City to City (see review HERE). 

Definitely time to loosen up and motivate your mind, and your cosmic dream will follow.


Artist: James Kumo
Title: Motivate Your Mind EP
Release date: 15th August, 2025
Label: Freerange Records
Cat. No: FR308 
Format:  Digital / Bandcamp