Review: NOVINE - Shot Me Down / Therapy (ft. Braxton Cook)

When it comes to titles, I think I'd prefer 'Knock Me Down' but you'll more than  likely knocked out by the vocals on 'Shot Me Down' with Novine's R&B soul vocals - if not in need of some therapy.

Berlin based, Heldelberg born and raised by German dad and Jamaican mum, a little surprising that NOVINE has such a mid-Altanic neo-soul vocal a la Sade.  This is not a put down, this lady is cool.

It's a shame 'Shot Me Down' has such a sharp ending but that's more than mad up for by 'Therapy' that features a great sax solo by Braxton Cook.

BUY LINK: https://tr.ee/R_nyDr9SPf

Artist: NOVINE

Title: Shot Me Down / Therapy (ft. Braxton Cook)

Release date: 16th October, 2025

Label : -

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Sunbörn Meets Clap! Clap! - Earth Is Begging (Wah Wah 45s)

Here's the full album from Danish-Italian collaborative project Sunbörn Meets Clap! Clap! which features a host of guests, including Dele Sosimi on the title track, as well as Afro-Italian vocalist Oumy, Nigerian trumpeter Etuk Ekbong and Brazilian Da Lata vocalist Carolina Lelis.

Sunbörn Meets Clap! Clap! will play a full live show along with Wah Wah 45s club night at the Jam Jar in Bristol on Friday November 14th, with Sunbörn horns and percussion playing as part of Wah Wah Live at Lockside Camden in London on November 15th and a full European tour to follow in the spring of 2026.

Danish instrumental sextet Sunbörn—winners of four Danish Grammys—join forces with acclaimed Italian producer/DJ Clap! Clap! (Paul Simon, Warp) for a boundary-blurring new album: Earth Is Begging. Releasing in autumn 2025 on Wah Wah 45s, the project is a vibrant celebration of global culture and sonic fusion. It’s a place where Afrobeat grooves meet Middle Eastern textures, subtle Bossa Nova influences, jazz harmonies and clubby beats - with everything lit up by a keen Nordic sense of melody and space. Less about genre and more about energy, it’s dance music built from curiosity and connection. That’s the world of ‘Earth Is Begging’

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Sunbörn says “We want listeners to feel part of something bigger: a cultural mix, a global rhythm, a shared pulse. Whether you're dancing in your kitchen, zoning out on a train, or experiencing it live with others, the goal is connection—to yourself, to the world, and to the moment”
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The album came together as a musical exchange between Sunbörn in Copenhagen and Clap! Clap! in Florence. Sharing ideas back and forth for months, building grooves, melodies, field recordings, and textures; some tracks started as beats, others as horn riffs, and some were born on the road from voice memos recorded in airports or after gigs.

The team also invited Afrobeat ambassador Dele Sosimi, Brazilian singer/songwriter Carolina Lelis, Nigerian trumpeter Etuk Ubong, and AfroItalian vocalist Oumy to join them in collaboration.

“As musicians from Denmark, we carry a certain Nordic clarity and coolness in how we write and arrange - that kind of musical openness is a very Danish thing” says Sunbörn.

“We were also inspired by our guests on this album - each brings deep cultural knowledge and emotional range.
Collaborating with them reminded us that we as musicians don’t just need to play well - we need to listen well”
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The album title itself reflects an underlying theme: the planet is calling out - for unity, for care, for attention. Through sound, they try to channel both the beauty and urgency of that message. ‘Earth Is Begging’ is a reminder that music doesn’t need a passport. It travels freely, carries stories, and
connects people across distance and difference.

Known for their sunshine grooves, virtuosic horns, and genre-defying warmth; Sunbörn have performed on stages at Reeperbahn Festival (DE), Jarasum Jazz (KR), Jazz à Ouaga (BF), and Roskilde Festival (DK). Recently awarded a Grammy for “Best Live Band” in Denmark, Sunbörn describe their music as “for the body, mind, and soul – speaking to our shared humanity in a time when the world needs to come together”
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Clap! Clap! (Cristiano Crisci) is celebrated for his electrifying blend of electronic production and global field recordings. He contributed beats to Paul Simon’s ‘Stranger to Stranger’ and his music has appeared in GTA V, PES 2019, Apple TV’s Wolfboy, and more. With five world tours and appearances at Primavera, Dour, Mutek, Boomtown, and Printworks, Clap! Clap! is championed by Bonobo, Gilles Peterson, and Lefto, amongst others. His standout albums include ‘Tayi Bebba’, ‘A Thousand Skies’ and ‘Liquid Portraits’.

Sunbörn Meets Clap! Clap! play The Jam Jar in Bristol on November 14th; Sunbörn horns and percussion play Lockside Camden on November 15th and the full band have a European live tour is set for spring 2026.

Personnel:

Sunbörn are Gustav Rasmussen: trombone and guitar, Michael Blicher: saxophone and flute, Aske Drasbæk Philipsen: saxophone, Casper Mikkelsen: drums, Johannes Buhl Andresen: Rhodes piano and Moog bass, Magnus Jochumsen: percussion
Clap! Clap! (Cristiano Crisci): Programming, synths, production
Dele Sosimi: Vocals
Carolina Lelis: Vocals
Etuk Ubong: Trumpet
Oumy: Vocals
Simone Graziano: Rhodes

Review: Iron Curtis - Dial Me In (Hudd Traxx)

If you've been wondering where Iron Curtis has been of late, he's been completing the first ever full-length album for Hudd; Traxx so now he's ready, so 'Dial Me In'!

It's been 10 years since Iron Curtis (aka Johannes Paluka) has featured on YATM as a solo artist (see review HERE of The K.M.S. Years) but that doesn't mean he is prolific, far from it.  No only being excessively active on the remix circuit, he's contributed more tracks across the Hudd Traxx label's catalogue than anyone else so an obvious choice for head honcho Eddie Leader to pick to have their first full-length album release with.

The album is very 'Berlin' techno,house as the ten track cover various aspects of deep, ambient, electronic groove all with that Detroit edge; especially the title track that's like a "phone box autobahn"?

By the time you're mid-point, the opener's ambient mix of 'Speak To Me Baby' and '1Up' are the warm-up 'set' so when 'Troubles' hits with it's too-slow-to-gospel-acid, it's almost hands up time (Ed. whatever happened to mix CDs?)

If you want to get the dancefloor moving, there the heavy synth of 'Tensione' plus some energy laiden 'Bodycode' and 'Dance Inc' before peaking with some dubbed out 'Signal Signal' and the 'Slipstream' climax.

As we approach 20 years of Hudd Traxx, this is a fitting testament to their diverse impact on the dancefloor around the globe.

BUY LINK:  IRON CURTIS - Dial Me In: LP Sampler Vinyl at Juno Records.

 

Artist: Iron Curtis

Title: Dial Me In 

Release date: 17th October, 2025

Label: Hudd Traxx

Cat. No: TBC

Format:  LP / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Megatronic - There's Truth In Gospel (Razor-N-Tape)

Ever since Larry Levan 'discovered' the Jobert Singers in church, disco/house has been one of the built on foundation stones formed out of the sound of gospel; as Megatronic says, 'There's Truth In Gospel'!

Following on from Jkriv's 'Intuition' (see review HERE), the title track featured Megatronic, she's also turned up on 'City To City: Lisbon' (see review HERE) and then on the city's FOLDER label with Cavo on 'Just Us'.  

We've now got her on a 6-track EP that is full of truthful soul house aided by Fawziyya Heart ('All I See' and 'In Our Soul'), Aku ('Let's Go To Work') and Chico Cadidi ('Mother') to give the soul and full on praise to the Lord joy.

If you say "I Need You" with spacey jazzy funk, I need you to be longer; so apart from the title track is being disappointingly cut short, this is a monster of a release, especially the Fawziyya featured tracks.

'All I See' races along with some subtle strings and synth boogie and rejoice to 'Something' as it pumps with a flutey steam train: did someone mention Rocksteady Disco.

Things have moved really fast for Megatronic since las years' 'Do I Belong To You' but in terms of ownership, this new EP is 'In Our Soul' already like 'Mother's milk.  Full of hope and praise lets go to work,

P.S. did someone say Retromigration remix.

BUY LINK: https://razor-n-tape.lnk.to/TheresTruthInGospel

Artist: Megatronic 

Title: There's Truth In Gospel
Release date: 17th October, 2025
Label : Razor-N-Tape.
Catalog Number : RNT127
Format :  12"  Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Ilhan Ersahin's Istanbul Sessions - 'Galata' / 'Karaköy' (Nublu Records)

Ilhan Ersahin's Istanbul Sessions is world's away from the last release on New York’s legendary Nublu Records!
 

The Phenomenal Handclap Band's 'We Are Worlds Away' (see review HERE) is nothing like this collision between New York Jazz Club and Istanbul's Sessions is update on David Murray's 'Blues For Memo' with Swedish born-Turkish heritage-NYC living saxophonist-club owner Ilhan leading on a single ahead of an album early next year, 'Mahalle'.

If you recall the jazz-rock-fusion of Acoustic Ladyland with cross-genre influences, these two track have a sophisticated punk element where 'Galata' goes funky and 'Karaköy' whips up some speed spiritual that crashes traditional east-west thinking.

As someone might have said, "We must get closer to the essence of life" and I've said it beow about this label, they are going places, even worlds away?

'Karaköy' is jazzdance gold in my book; did anyone mention Jazz Chronicles? 

Love the cover photo, reminds me of a water polo tournament in Sliema many years ago

BUY LINK: https://ffm.to/galatasingle

Artist: Ilhan Ersahin's Istanbul Sessions
Title:   Galata / Karaköy
Release date: 14th October, 2025
Label : Nublu Records
Catalog Number : SI-NUB-069
Format:  Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Soul Clap Records vs. MoFunk Records (Soul Clap Records)

Appaulse for this San Francisco funk up with a cast of thousands on this 3-track EP.   Well, "thousands" is an exaggeration but this host of friends got together and put together 'Brand New' as they've never met before.

In the Bay's Area we have XL Middleton with the voice of MoFunk, Moniquea plus Soul Clap's Charles Levine, FSQ's Chuck Da Fonk; you'll recall FSQ's 'Freak Out For Fitness' (see review HERE).

Moniquea's big house vocal on 'Brand New' is closely matched by XL Middleton's piano-Ital-meets wailing synths. 

There's quite a bit of gospel going on at the moment and Soul Clap loves to celebrate gospel roots, out of NY and NJ (Ed. stay tuned for a monster compilation news out of New Jersery coming HERE soon and check the new Megatronic 12" HERE).

We know FSQ are fit with Soul Clap (see review HERE) and it's a good job they are as 'Feeling Wide' goes to a different time when post-punk-funk-disco could get into national charts and Moniquea handles it with the same ease; with hints of synths to George Clinton's early eighties 'Atomic Dog', this just gets better and better with a low-slung Caserta dub verson! 

What with the instrumentals, that a heady package in itself but you've also go and absorb the Charles Levine remix of a track called 'Red Light' as it's a warning for all Californian underground sideshow car culture fans; and big at Detroit's Movement this year: full throttle murder in the house.

BUY LINK: https://xlmiddleton.bandcamp.com/album/soul-clap-records-vs-mofunk

 

Artist:Various
Title: Soul Clap Records vs. MoFunk Records (Moniquea, XL Middleton, FSQ, Soul Clap, Charles Levine)
Release date: 15th October, 2025
Label: Soul Clap Records
Cat. No: TBC
Format: Bandcamp / Digital

 

Review: Don Philippe - velvet breaks (Sonar Kollektiv)

Lo-fi vet, Don Philippe takes a smooth look at beast with a full album on Sonar Kollektiv as 'velvet breaks'.

All as you'd imagine, analog beats defined by multi-instrumentalist/producer and hip-hop pioneer in Germany, Don Phillippe (aka Philippe A. Kayser) and as a mate of Max Herre (as in Web Web x Max Herre - see review HERE) there's a big touch of jazz with cinematic soul, boom-bap and OST all weaved in tie the Rhodes keys and drum loops.

This is for the serious diggers and if you're a fan of the Blackpool Wurlitzer Organ sound, go straight to 'torn' and jazzy bass, 'exposed'.   

But all the 16 tracks on this album are fantastic 'postcards' of sound that would challenge Dilla, Madlib et al. 

BUY LINK: https://sonarkollektiv.lnk.to/velvet-breaks

Artist: Don Philippe

Title: velvet breaks

Release date: 10th October, 2025

Label : Sonar Kollektiv

Catalog Number : SK540LP

Format: Vinyl LP / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Saha Gnawa - Saha Gnawa (Pique-nique Recordings)

Moroccan Gnawa tradition meets NYC jazz and subtle electronica in a transcendent debut that explores spirituality through sound - where centuries-old rituals dissolve into hypnotic, dance-infused grooves.

Co-led by Maâlem Hassan Ben Jaafer (Innov Gnawa, son of the legendary Maâlem Abdullah Ben Jaafer of Fes) and drummer/composer Daniel Freedman (David Byrne, Angélique Kidjo), the group bridges ancestral rhythms and contemporary improvisation

The eight-track record builds on the legacy of Innov Gnawa’s GRAMMY-nominated collaboration with Bonobo ('Bambro Koyo Ganda'), expanding it into new dimensions through late-night Brooklyn sessions

Featuring an international ensemble including Jason Lindner, Guilherme Monteiro, Gilad Hekselman, Nels Cline, Donny McCaslin, and more, Saha Gnawa channels the healing spirit of Gnawa: it's Tuareg Tinariwen 'Sufi Blues' for the modern age .

This is magic - another one set to dominate dancefloors as a early warm-up to the return of WOMAD next year (Ed. don't forget Hectic's Radio WOMAD overnight mix - HERE).

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER VINYL (ships 31.10.25): Saha Gnawa | Saha Gnawa

Artist: Saha Gnawa 

Title: Saha Gnawa 

Release date: 10th October, 2025
Label : Pique-nique Recordings
Catalog Number : TBC
Format:   Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Hollie Cook - Shy Girl (Mr Bongo)

It's hard to believe that Hollie Cook's self-title debut album on Mr Bongo came out in 2011 with a mix of bouncy pop-reggae-lovers rock as this 'Shy Girl' is still at it with Horseman and... some great 'grown-up' tracks! 

That debut album was produced by Dennis Bovel and latter, Prince Fatty gave it a full dub overhaul.  Fatty himself co-wrote much of that album with Cook whilst the lead track, 'Milk & Honey' was co-written with some jazz influene including Ben Lamdin (he of Nostaligia 77 - see review HERE).

The last time we saw Ms. Cook was with the 'Move My Way' (see review HERE) but 'Shy Girl' is her fifth album to date and a return to her debut roots with MC Horseman after her collabI with Mykal Rose on the the last dancehall/soundsystem album. 

A twelve track 'tropical-pop' album recorded in London, LA, NYC and Spain (Vejer de la Frontera) over 3 years with the General Roots Band it's obvious that this 'Shy Girl' isn't shy whilst the song are full of vunerability, love, loss, melancoly, just your normal teen-pop subject matter; and I say that in the best of ways as her singing voice still sounds young and pure (Ed. not a bit of the image of Dad's Sex Pistol period or Hollie's own 'Lil' Slit period).

Radio DJs watch out for 'In The PIctures' which is my current favourite with some jazzy vibes and a slip of a dub button (in more ways than one) and it's almost directly ready for a version, but not a single status.  The first single is going to be 'Night Night' but I'd have gone for the deep 'Frontline' that's more Black Uhuru than, say, the 'competition' of Rhoda Dakar's 'Version Girl' project.

'Take Me In Your Arms' is a great reggae doo wop (that's another one that's going to be great version) and the horns on 'Crying Wolf' are so good, it's like Rico's back in The Specials, at a slower pace.

This album is bound to get support from the Rodigan's, Letts' and Peterson's of the BBC 6 Music playlists and it (and Hollie) deserves to be a huge hit; 'River Runs Deep' and We Share Love' after all.

Shy girl no more me thinks.

BUY LINK: Shy Girl | Hollie Cook

Artist: Hollie Cook

Title: Shy Girl

Release Date : 10th October, 2025

Label : Mr Bongo Records

Catalog Number : MRBCDLP323

Format: Vinyl LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Eje Eje - Primordial Soup (Batov Records)

Talking about going back to your roots, Batov Records find the 'Primordial Soup' with their latest release, the latest album by Eje Eje (aka Itamar Kluger).

The album follows 'Five Seasons' from a couple of years ago (see review HERE) and it's more high quality Middle Eastern pysch funk pysch folky global grooves

Crossing some Door goth into their psych rock funk with some Turkish trad folk, this is incredible as Kluger plays most to the instruments himself.

We're told the album was "Inspired by the scientific theory of life's origins, the album is a 'primal fusion' of contrasting elements -traditional instrumentation meets beat-driven textures in an imaginative and emotionally charged soundscape" and I don't doubt it.

WOMAD is back next year, let's keep the campaign for a whole Batov Records Stage; wouldn't that be great!

Artist: Eje Eje

Title: Primordial Soup

Release date: 3rd October, 2025

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR127

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp