Review: Levitation Orchestra - Sanctuary (5dB Records)

If you can have a new favourite "10-piece cinematic jazz fusion collective", Levitation Orchestra at it and their latest album, 'Sanctuary' is where it's at.

Formed in 2018, this is their third album and the 'Embrace' and 'Imladris' have been played on BBC Introducing, Radio 3 and Worldwide FM with a gig as part of EFG London Jazz Festival on 17th November at Islington Assembly Hall.

We know this is a project Mackwood is involved in, real name Harry Ling (drums) is involved with (see HERE) but there's also other leading lights on the UK jazz scene like James Akers (tenor sax - also with Nadav Schneerson, see HERE), Maria Osuchowska (harp), Lluís Domènech Plana (flute) and Plumm (on vocals).  It sounds very 'Tomorrow's Warriors' as founder/trumpeter/leader/arranger, Axel Kaner-Lidstrom created the team from a "non-elitist approach to creativity" workshop.

If anyone is looking to have a modern day Pharoah Sanders/Sun Ra view of 'Sanctuary' from a Cinematic Orchestra jazz sperfective, there's no better place to look than these eight tracks with the meditatve title track to starts things off along with tracks like 'Breath' and 'Home'; a track featuring Plumm vocals and the harp making it closer to the Alice Coltrane 'school' (Ed. or should that be 'ashram'?).

'Home' links with 'Within Us, WIthout Us' as they gets their cinematic rocks on alongside BRUK leanings and the horn attack giving the group a modern Big Band amalgum  Hardly live from the Mecca Ballrooms as 'Imladris' is the intermediate step to the other extreme, 'Premedetatio Malorum' boarders on jazz-dance sounds with the vibes echoing more Ruth Underwood (Zappa) than Roy Ayers whilst there's a bit of a Spanish theme going on: JazzCoTech dance sweat!

All this is a build up to the 9 minute opus 'Another Way' - a ambient-folk-jazz-rock statement if there was one (I hope one day we'll hear a live version where the closing paino riff gets extended into a full on Van der Graf Generator blast out).  

No surprise then that all the big heads are on this, Craig Charles, Gilles Peterson, Jez Nelson, Robbie Vincent as there's something for everyone.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER Vinyl: Sanctuary | Levitation Orchestra

Artist: Levitation Orchestra 

Title: Sanctuary

Label: 5dB Records

Release date: 14th November, 2025

Cat.No.: TBC

Format:Vinyl /Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Perth Lewis - Moments In Time (NuNorthern Soul)

NuNorthern Soul are on the beach yet again.... or are they?

Back in August, we had the "daytime" remixes of Tambores En Benirras' 'Ondas Horizontales' (see review HERE) and then a further four remixes that had something about the night about them (see review HERE) but now the NuNorthern Soul-ers find themselves in Autumn it's time to seek out ten tracks that are pure 'Moments In Time'.

And this time it's from a Sydney-based DJ/producer Luke Fugar (aka Perth Lewis) who loves dreamy drum machines and the electric guitar with various efx that sounds a little Japanese, like 'Reverie' but especially 'Two People' (Ed. no relation to '2 People Remixes'; see review HERE), a little 80's ambient and a little field recording.   

Described as "a beautifully understated record that captures the same warm, introspective feel that ....[we] felt it deserved a proper release and a wider audience" that is clearly different from his own previous releases - the twangy guitars of 'Below The Surface' hitting that Balearic beach in waves.

'To Want, Not Have' and 'Drawing The Shades' stand out but equally, the whole album could be a mixtape as it moves towards a climax of 'A Change In Seasons', 'A New Day' and 'The Perils Of Indifference'.

As we edge towards/find ourselves in  that seasonal period, this is the anti-dote to 24hr Party People over indulgence whilst having a reduced side-way's 'Snow Goose' vibe at the same time purposely tuned to re-set yourself.

A very welcome addition to the NuNorthern Soul sound machine.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Moments In Time | Perth Lewis

Artist: Perth Lewis

Title: Moments In Time

Release date: 14th November, 2025
Label : NuNorthern Soul
Catalog Number : TBC
Format:   Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Jeb Loy Nichols - This House Is Empty Without You (Timmion Records)

The mid-Wales soul cowboy is back again with the brand new album that needs a home with you as 'This House Is Empty Without You' is now out on Timmion Records.

You'll recall the "American singer-songwriter, writer and artist, born in Wyoming" has now  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.

It still sounds a fantastic turn of fate that Timmion Records in Finland, home of the magnificent house band, Cold Diamond & Mink (see review HERE) has found Jeb Loy Nichols so confortable with his cowboy boots now well under the table with the previous single 'Step In' / 'Coming Home Love', we've got the equally fantastic album

There's a further eight tracks on the album that's full of southern soul traditions with Nichols’ intimate songwriting and distinctive voice, creating a warm, reflective sound including 'Good Morning Monday,' 'Here With You,'Black Water Girl' (nice harmonica on here) and 'No Rest Without Love' are full of lost love, returned love and reflection.

The gentle guitar riffs meet breezy soul arrangements with background vocals by Emilia Sisco (she of the 'Introducing Emilia Sisco' from last year - see review HERE) which makes this album stand out for all the right reasons.; there's no time of your hands to get this album so get it now!

BUY LINK: This House Is Empty Without You | Jeb Loy Nichols

Artist: Jeb Loy Nichols 

Title:  This House Is Empty Without You

Release date: 7th November, 2025

Label : Timmion Records

Catalog Number : TR753

Format:  Limited Edition Vinyl / CD / Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Dan The Drum x Carmy Love ft. Darren Morris - Hurt So Bad - The Remixes EP (SJJL, Terry Jones, Leo Zero, and No'West Mixes) (F*CLR Music)

Dan The Drum x Carmy Love's version of 'Hurt So Bad' ft. Darren Morris with guests Joseph Nesbitt Larkin + Carl Davies on the original version are joined by the Terry Jones, Leo Zero and No'West remixes on this HUGE tune. Grab your limited copy by pre-ordering now - delivery expected in February 2026.

When the original version of this was released on F*CLR, that's the cover version (see review HERE), not the 1965 original of Little Anthony & The Imperials'  'Hurts So Bad', we knew that the chances are that a remix EP would be on its way, but could it be even better?

Well, we've got the orginal vocal mix, Terry 'Village Soul' Jones, over 7 minutes of Leo Zero and a 'No'West 'Survival '78' Vocal remix topper.

See order link below:

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: FCLR042 - Dan The Drum x Carmy Love ft Darren Morris - Hurt So Bad (The S.H.L.J Mixes) by Dan The Drum, Carmy Love, Darren Morris

=================================Regular readers will know that we are big fans on Dan's cover version on 'JazzCazz' (see review HERE) as a disco-jazz-house cover version that featured Emma Noble on vocals only to be followed by a curve ball 'duet' with Stuart Patterson (Deviant, Faith and best mate of Terry Farley) and the history lesson that is 'UK House Sermon' (see review HERE), so what hurts so bad on this new release?

On the 60th anniversary of the original, you recognise that Little Anthony and the Imperials' back catalog has been raided before primilary for their hits that made it big on the Northern Soul scene back in the 60s and then in the Casino/Ballroom years; notably 'Better Use Your Head' and 'Gonna Fix You Good (Every Time You're Bad)'.

So a bit of a surprise that 'Spursy' Dan (see interview HERE) gets all jazz-funk soulful on the 'Hurt So Bad' cover with Carmy Love doing her usual excellent vocals, Balearic sax (Carl Davies), electric guitar groove (Joseph Nesbitt-Larking), strings plus the addition of Darren Morris (in a totally different guise to his Union I & II sets - see review HERE) and a Latin poolside vibe.

We know "dyed in the wool" Northern Soulers can be a bit elitist about "their music" and whilst I may have made it sound a bit of 'kitchen sink' approach, in reality it's so smooth and additive I'm not sure why this is 'EP1'; we're told, "there is also a series of exciting remixes forthcoming from soul guru, Terry Jones, remixer extraordinaire, Leo Zero, and Disco renegades, North Street West."  

All I can say is that they're going to have to be bloody good to touch this version!

Artist: Dan The Drum x Carmy Love ft. Darren Morris
Title:  Hurt So Bad - The Remixes EP (SJJL, Terry Jones, Leo Zero, and No'West Mixes)
Release date: February, 2026
Label: F*CLR Records
Cat. No: FCLR046
Format:  Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Dina Ögon - Dålig teve / Margaretas sång (Playground Music)

Dina Ögon are a fourpiece who certainly have their own identity and Swedish post-folk swagger with a pop-Tuung groove!

You may recall as part of our continuing series of 'What's going on in Sweden', we dipped into Dina Ögon summery jingley/jangley sixties pop sensibilites last year with thier single, 'Orion' (see review HERE).  And they're back with a double A sider 'Dålig teve' ('Bad TV') and 'Margaretas sång' ('Margareta's Song').

Whilst the cover looks like a lost clip from 'Annika Strandhed' a TV series based in Scotland staring Nicola Walker (with it's 'stolen' look of Nordic Noir), we're tolda Anna Ahnlund's voice "has never sounded this ambivalent before, and the lyrics have never been so fantastically bittersweet. While the lyrics capture a relationship in decay and regrowth".

That said, what really caught our ear were 'Magareta's Song' with the instrumental highlighting a bit of seasonal bell jingling.  And by coincidence, I'm told our favourite Swedish jazzers, Coco Chatru Quartet have a new "Christmas" album coming out soon; quite a jump from their last album (see review HERE) you'd have thought.  And, just incase you didn't know, guitarist Daniel Ögren played on Sven Wonder's recent album, 'Daybreak'!

Just in case you've ever listened to the BBC Radio series 'The Cold Swedish Winter' that revolves around an Anglo-male living in Sweden with his Swedish wife and young son, you'll have some sort of knowledge of how complicated life in Sweden is; Dina Ögon's fourth album 'Människobarn' due out in early 2026 will cheer up any ex-pats.

BUY LINK: https://dina-ogon.ffm.to/dalig-teve

                  https://dina-ogon.ffm.to/margaretas-sang

Artist: Dina Ögon

Title:  Dålig teve / Margaretas sång 

Release date: 7th November, 2025

Label : Playground Music

Catalog Number : -

Format: Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Fatspoon - Pensei Ser Sensei (Independent)

For a beautiful jazz-funk offering from Porto collective, you need Fatspoon's 'Pensei Ser Sensei' that features some really impressive musicianship throughout, offering a superb taste of the emerging Portuguese scene.

The album is produced by Miguel Pinto and André Indiana and  performed by Jake Miagra, David Bruno, Bruna Moreira, and Tiago Nacarato, with vocals by Edu Mundo (Fogo Fogo, Cordel) and Helena Neto (Expensive Soul) over a two year period.

With the benefit of Latin and Prince influences, this is a real funked up pot of jazz-rock 

grooves with the benefit of experimentation like the strings on 'Erótico & Sensual' featuring David Bruno or the 8 minute live recording of the track, 'Slide'.

With the organ tuned in to a Brian Auger vibe with the full-on horn section a la New Orleans funk blues, 'Stride' is the stand out track.

Apparently, there's more to come and if you're in the area of Porto's go to venue, Mr. Bean's, look out for the Fatspoon jam sessions. 

BUY LINK: https://linktr.ee/fatspoonmusic

Artist: Fatspoon

Title: Pensei Ser Sensei 

Release date: 7th November, 2025

Label: Independent

Catalog Number TBC

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: SoulParlor - Day By Day (Atjazz Record Company)

SoulPalor takes us through the diary 'Day By Day' as if there's 8 days in a soulful week!

You might say, picking up where Atjazz left us with the Alexander Flood "monster", 'Vibração' (the one with the Kaidi Tatham remix - see review HERE).  Not that this is typically BRUK but it certainly fits in with the current return to the deep soul hip-hop "post-Lonnie Liston Smith vibe and add to that a post-Bruk Tatham remix"; possibly as it feature such prominent vocalists like LyricL ('Find Myself') and Desney Bailey ('Thinking About You').  Both these tracks representing the 'new', one being retrospective and the other, hitting the dancefloor.

And the 'plethora' of folks that share the bill with SoulParlor (aka Frank Jensen and Tobias Müller) further include Colonel Red (title track), Mavis Acquah, Leona Berlin, Nico Hearing and Amalia) as "a testament to their enduring passion for forward-thinking beats, broken rhythms, and timeless soul".

As with 'We Never Give Up' (featuring Acquah on vocals) and 'Splently4Ya' (featuring Amalia) both being very cutting edge Co-Op period.

Fans of Jazzanova's 'In-Between' (re-issue and remixed - see review HERE), Sonar Kollektiv, Compost and all things Black Forest, you'll know that Frank and Tobias are at the heart of soulful electronica in Mainz and their contact book over the past 25 years is nearly as big as thier long-time mate Martin Atjazz.  And I do like how the album evolves from the raindrop cool of the opening track, 'Pull Me Close' (featuring Berlin) to the jazz-funky keyboard led tracks featuring Nico Hering; 'Vintage Adventure' and 'Elevator Jazz Dance'. 

If you remember Gilles Peterson's prime time BBC Radio 1 'golden era' shows, this album sounds like it's a template for the best show ever, Worldwide Winner that you can't stop thinking about!  Boudoir Desney!

BUY LINK: Day By Day | SoulParlor

Artist: SoulParlor

Title: Day By Day
Release date: 7th November, 2025
Label: Atjazz Record Company
Catalog Number: ARC253AD

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Bad Colours - Promise (Bastard Jazz Recordings)

Much like the label itself, indeed the label's name, Bad Colours' 4th album is a further refining genre warping into 15 new tracks that fits the dancefloor and headphones; I promise!

Fans of Bad Colours won't be surprised to hear that his own fans are supporting this album as we've got Cor.Ece ('The Stranger'), Marcus Harmon ('Now Or Never' and 'Take My Lovin'), Julieanna Marie ('Kiss'), Ninjasonik ('Freaks'), Jarv Dee ('Nightcap'), Life On Planets ('We Never Choose'), KAS ('Speed') and Brandon Markell Holmes ('Moment Of Silence').

The appearance of Brandon Markell Holmes (as seen on Disko Cowboy - see review HERE) makes any record stand-out in our books and he does it again on 'Moment Of Silence'.  Which thankfully isn't silent at all and stands up to previous single, 'Speed' (but not a pacey), the flute-gang friendly as 'Now Or Never' or the ironically entitled, 'Static'.   

Just to emphasise, for the avoidance of doubt, 'Moment Of Silence' is special and is very Brandon Markell Holmes!  

And that's the first thing you notice on this album, the hip-hop/rap tracks, or tracks with rapping on, are not exactly hip-hop so much that they don't fit in with the rest of the album, so that 'Nightcap' includes some non-radio type lyrics and 'Freaks' with a strong adult theme; whilst 'Kiss' (with a very sharp edit) and 'Take My Lovin' falling between the two extremes .

Such that in very sharp contrast, the title track that features UK harpist Rachel Kitchlew (which echoes Alina Bzhezhinska's 'Fire' - see review HERE) and it's a shame it's not a longer track and her brief appearance at the end of the closing track, 'Take My Lovin' is a bit of tease.  But speed is a big element of these 15 tracks with only 2 tracks clocking in a just under 122bpm; 'We Never Choose' peaking at 127!  And you'd never think a Jill Scott 'tribute' like 'Home' would race along the railtracks like this one or the F1, 'Static'.

A 'deluxe edition' of the album would be cool with some instrumentals and a non-vocoder 'Safe & Sound' and 'Underwater' mix but if fast'n'chugging dance rap Brooklyn style is your thing, get under orders, the race is on!

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: https://ffm.to/promiselp.HGW US + separate UK/EU/ROW distribution

Artist: Bad Colours

Title:Promise

Release date: 7th November, 2025

Label : Bastard Jazz Recordings

Catalog Number :  TBC

Format: Vinyl (pre-order) / Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: Pat Lok & Megan Vice - Spectrum (Toucan Sounds)

We love everything and everyone on toucan sounds (Brooklyn, NYC) including this new release that's 'Spectrum' positive that's not a waste of time.

Even so, this is not exactly like the last release we featured on YATM, Disko Cowboy (with Brandon Markell Holmes) on vocals - see review HERE - as Brooklyn, NYC hosts Vancouver’s Pat Lok and Berlin-based Megan Vice meet "at the crossroads of R&B, House, and electronic club culture"

And that's pumpin' grime/punk up ya volume expecially on the extended instrumental versions of both tracks, 'Spectrum' and 'Waste My Time'.

If you're lucky enough to be in Brooklyn on 5th December, there's a release party at 'Dead Letter No. 9', 63 Grand St, New York, NY 11249-4110.

Come celebrate this release with us in Brooklyn Dec 5 at Dead Letter No. 9 - get tickets here ***
BUY LINK (Tickets): https://posh.vip/e/class-9-cargo-series-pat-lok-kita-robert-pm-first-fridays-free-dead-letter-no9

BUY LINK (Download): https://music.toucansounds.com/spectrum

Artist: Pat Lok & Megan Vice
Title: Spectrum
Release date: 28th October, 2025
Label: Toucan Sounds
Cat. No: YTCW155DJ
Format:   Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Let Me Down Easy: Echoes From Cheri Records (Miles Away Records)

Don't be surprised that you're thinking, who are/were Cheri Records as they were a subsidiary of Springboard in New Jersey focusing on soul and gospel in the 70s/80s: but what will surprise you is how good these 14 'unknown' tracks are that DJ Colin Curtis has dug up from his base 'Miles Away' in Northern Soul/Jazz-funk danceland.

From a limited catalogue of a mere 11 releases between 1975-82, you'd have thought you'd have to be let down easy in quality but when you've got a rosta including Julius Brockington (he of 'Sophisticated Funk' and 'The United Chair' - see review HERE), the surprisingly overlooked Roslyn & Charles, Rare Pleasure,The Family Tree and more.

After the first couple of track on this album, you'll say to yourself, this has peaked too early: but then they proove you so wrong.  If you're funk bones don't get movin' and groovin' to 'Boogie Man Pt.1' by Brooklyn People, there's no hope for ya bootie.  

There's lots to praise the lord about with this album, obviously 'God Is' and the totally amazing 'Brand New Day' by The Family Tree (being Brockington with an truly outstanding array of vocal talent; plus Ron Carter on bass!)   And they also do the most challenging version of Stevie Wonder's 'As': what would J. Rocc play? Or Dilla for that matter?

The album finishes with a 12" version of the label's best known/cross-over disco hit, Rare Pleasure's 'Let Me Down Easy' that came out in the 70s on DJM, the label best known for releasing Elton John records at he time.

It was around the mid-70s that 'down South', there was birth of Punk and "up North", Blackpool pioneers like Curtis were slowly introducing disco into the Northern Soul which you can no doubt read in the vinyl's gatefold sleeve liner notes that features interviews with Colin "From Northern Soul to Dancefloor Jazz, touching Street Soul, Boogie and Disco along the way"* Curtis and David Morales.  

And as Curtis was doing that, it marked the birth (or perhaps more acurately, the seed of) 'the Modern Room' as 'Don't Make Me Sorry (For Loving You)' by Sherman Nesbary (Ed. Who?) swings you around the dancefloor at slower pace.

I wonder if they'll say that Chicago is the birthplace of gospel (which I read recently whilst researching something else; remember kids, don't believe everything on the Internet) and whilst it would be even more of a push for any New Jersey claims, remember that it's said that DJ Tony Humphries was playing out the Joubert Singers' 'Stand On The Word' at 'Zanzibar' in New Jersey before Larry Levan go his hands on it: so who knows how far back this goes? 

 

This is going to save loads of time for diggers (well, perhaps not as that's what they like to do) and money to have such a great collection all together that's agelessly good; make yourself happy and get this as you didn't know how happy you could be.

We're promised more in format of influencial labels that have left their mark in an 'Echoes From' and no doubt they'll all be as good as this one.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER:  VARIOUS - Let Me Down Easy: Echoes From Cheri Records CD at Juno Records.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Let Me Down Easy: Echoes From Cheri Records

Release date: 7th November, 2025

Label: Miles Away Records

Cat. No: MALP 002/MACD 002

Format: Limited Edition LP Vinyl / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

*Dom Servini, WahWah45s