Tuesday, 23 June 2026

With roots in early jazzy broken beat, STREETON bring you a new movement is sectors with David Kayode, Lucy Sparks and MIFE - get ya dancin' shoes ready
!



Hot on the heels of his inclusion on 'Maintain Altitude' compilation (see review HERE) and even hotter, Detroit Rising - Lush Grooves (see review HERE), British producer and DJ STREETON unveils the opening chapters of 'Iridescence' — a debut album project shaped by broken beat culture, jazz harmony, Afro-Latin rhythms, soulful house, and the collaborative energy of London’s contemporary music scene.

Originally hailing from the rural surroundings of Hertfordshire before relocating to London almost a decade ago, STREETON has steadily emerged as a distinctive voice within the UK bruk and future-jazz underground. His productions combine warm musicality, bouncy basslines, rich chords, and percussion-led grooves with the kind of club-focused energy that makes his sound equally suited to dancefloors, headphones, and late-night listening sessions. Coming to prominence through releases on respected labels including Dance Regular, Darker Than Wax, To The Rock, and Boogie Café — alongside appearances at We Out Here Festival and broadcasts for Rinse FM and Voices Radio — STREETON has become part of a new generation carrying broken beat traditions into new territory while remaining deeply connected to their roots. That balance between dancefloor energy and detailed songwriting ultimately led to the creation of 'Iridescence', due March 2027 on Sonar Kollektiv.

As STREETON explains: “I’ve always been interested in the idea of storytelling, whether that’s in productions or DJ sets, and after releasing a string of EPs and singles, I was really keen to create a longer-format project where I could really have the space to explore a theme or a concept.” Born from the vibrancy and interconnected communities of London’s music culture, Iridescence explores identity, belonging, movement, and creative growth through a wide-ranging but deeply cohesive sonic palette.

The first single, 'The Waters' featuring Lucy Sparks and Berlin-based saxophonist and producer MIFE, introduces the warmer and more reflective side of STREETON’s sound. Opening with glowing keys and fluid percussion, the track unfolds through fractured but groove-led drum programming, soulful vocal interplay, swirling saxophone textures, and rich harmonic layers. Speaking about the collaboration with Bristol-based vocalist Lucy Sparks, STREETON says: “We connected through common friends and a shared love of broken beat. I was already a fan of their music and her super soulful, raw vocal style. After sending her a few demos she sent back the first take for The Waters and I was truly blown away.” Alongside Lucy’s vocal contribution, MIFE — the alias of Berlin-based saxophonist, producer, and composer Efim Braylovskiy — adds another dimension to the track with his jazz-informed improvisational approach and electronic sensibilities.

Where “The Waters” leans into warmth and atmosphere, the second single 'Where We Started' pushes more directly toward the dancefloor. Featuring London-born saxophonist, composer, bandleader and Tomorrow’s Warriors alumnus David Kayode, the track builds around relentless percussion, hypnotic spoken-word motifs, rolling basslines, and bright synth textures. As the tape machine clicks into action, Kayode’s bold and expressive saxophone lines weave through the rhythmic intensity, gradually transforming the track into a meditation on cycles, roots, and return. STREETON explains: “I was already a big fan of David and a friend of mine, the broken beat producer Cengiz, put me in touch after he recorded on his track MOTF. I sent him the demo for Where We Started and it’s safe to say he absolutely nailed it — particularly the Afrobeats line that instantly made the hook of the track.” As warped synths and slowed tape textures eventually collapse back into silence, the track mirrors the wider themes explored throughout 'Iridescence': the search for identity and place within an increasingly saturated and fast-moving world. Growing up surrounded by jazz, funk, soul, jungle, and house music before discovering London’s deeply interconnected creative communities, STREETON views the album as a reflection of both personal growth and collective experience.

“I think the album represents the journey of getting to that point, the vibrancy and colour of pursuing your art and the growing sense of identity that comes with finding your place and people within that.” Together, “The Waters” and “Where We Started” present two complementary sides of STREETON’s artistic identity — one soulful and fluid, the other driving and club-focused — while establishing Iridescence as one of the most exciting forthcoming projects emerging from the UK’s soulful electronic underground.
  
BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER:  https://bio.to/STREETON


Artist: .STREETON
Title: Where We Started ft. David Kayode / The Waters ft. Lucy Sparks & MIFE
Release date: 23rd June, 2026
Label : Sonar Kollektiv
Catalog Number : SK575S2
Format:  Streaming / Digital / Bandcamp
Posted by Gerry Hectic | File under :

Detroit Rising brings us a 3-phase "Cosmic Jazz-Funk Adventure" that's got many 'Lush Grooves' lined up - old and new!



Following on from label's recent album by Mark Adams & The Ubiquity Band (see review HERE) (Mark being Roy Ayers' band's Musical Director for 25 years), here's the expanded version of 'Lush Grooves'; having already reported on Vol. 1 (see review HERE) with remixes by Jimpster, Kaidi TathamKai Alcé, DJ Spinna and Matica (represented here with a Funk Dub and a Love Dub!)

Such a collection of world-class musicians owes much to legacy of Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith and other founding fathers of soul-jazz, jazz-funk dance that Adams has spent decades preserving, promoting and enhancing. His 'This Is Neo Soul' project, was a three‑year undertaking featuring artists who have performed with Chaka Khan, Luther Vandross, Gloria Gaynor, Chic, Gil Scott-Heron and more. It blended re‑worked classics with new compositions, from the strident 'Sweet Tears' to the meditative 'Day Dreaming' and the cosmic uplift of 'Expansions'

DownJazz Records weren't going to miss the chance to further develop the project by picking some of the best in deep, soulful house, broken/bruk and more and in addition to those already mentioned, there's EVM128 (jazz-funk-house 'Open Letter'), Makez ('Dre's World' and the jumpin' and pumpin' 'Open Letter'), Bruk Rogers ('Talking Walls'), Don Surf ('Don't Look Back' is a monster) plus 'Man Of The Moment', Streeton (as recently seen on Soul Quest - see HERE - and Sonar Kollektiv - see HERE) and if you wanna "get ready", you need his Shakedown Edit of 'Dre's World': "Should be longer" you say, don't worry, there's the instrumental too!)

It's cool that some 'duplicate' tracks are included as a head-to-head remix-off, but there's no padding in the 20 tracks here as it's a compilation (vocals, instrumentals/dubs) without being a compilation; and just to re-emphasise, Vol. 1 is now a firm favourite with it's 'star' remixers!

I must say that I was a little concerned that having a three volume release would be a dilusion but it's actually a stronger fusion of 'Lush Grooves' as a package of 3; a weighty celebration of past and future of R&B, downtempo, nu-jazz, electronica in a fusion that will last as long as there's a dancefloor and millions of folks that have heard Roy, Lonnie and Mark over the years. 



Artist: Detroit Rising 
Title: Lush Grooves Vol. #1/2/3
Release date: 26th June, 2026
Label : Downjazz Records
Catalog Number : DJRLUSH001/2/3
Format : Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp


It's been a couple of years since know your funk soul brother will want to know where your 'Space Soul Mother' but it's been worth the wait for the No'West remix of the Suddenly WOW! 'out there' track!



Thankfully, we're still not all going to the moon but it seems some folks are still obsessed with 'space' and 'conquering' but back on the earthly relms of the No'West studios, here you'll find "Darren Morris’s exquisite instrumentation provides the perfect underlay for Otti Albietz’s carpet of celestial vocal layering whilst Ashley Beedle’s drum programming firmly roots the vibe in early 80s funk. Jo Wallace navigates the track through asteroid belts and beyond landing the track in a lunar landscape of pulsating disco beats" - as they say, "What’s not to love?"

You recall the WOW!'s (aka Otti Albietz and Darren Morris) released the album 'Plastic Life' (see review HERE) having entered their own dystopian space cowboy journey to where Sun Ra feared to tread and the re-tread version super synth funk fuelled with jet streams (that work particularly well on the instrumental all with some Peech Boy NYC era references).

To quote Ms. Wallace, "Suddenly WOW! will transport you to the outer corners of the musical Universe"  and whilst it'd be great to find a 12" Disco-Mix version for the DJ booth, get supporting this one - out soon!  Well, (Suddenly) WOW!




Artist: Suddenly WOW!
Title: Space Soul Mother 
(No’West Remix) EP 
Release date: 26th June, 2026
Label: Ramrock Red Records
Cat. No: RRR097
Format: Digital / Bandcamp


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Swiss alternative neo-soul artist MISS C-LINE returns with a delicate message on the new single, 'Delicate' with 'partner', Gabiga for some nu-neo-soul-R&B!


After previous singles 'Mellow Heart' (see review HERE) and 'Trust' (see review HERE) and as MISS C-LINE x Gabiga (Gabiga on production that is), the Swiss duo reflect "growth, healing, and trusting your own timing. Blending alternative R&B and Neo-Soul, the track captures the feeling of stepping into a new chapter after years of doubt, perseverance, and self-discovery".

Instead of chasing perfection, “Delicate” is about protecting your heart while continuing to move forward with purpose. MISS C-LINE turns vulnerability into strength, reminding listeners that real growth comes from patience, faith, and not giving up on yourself.

The track comes alive through the collaboration with producer Gabiga, whose warm and atmospheric sound adds depth and emotion to the record. “Delicate” is a reminder that staying true to your vision can lead you exactly where you are meant to be.

Swiss alternative neo-soul artist MISS C-LINE, also known as Carolina, is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer and rapper based in Basel, Switzerland. Winner of the Swiss Music Awards in 2026, MISS C-LINE has been selected as Apple Music‘s NEXT UP artist in 2026. She has been attending the SRF Bounce Cypher for multiple years, and since her latest Album Releases “Mellow Hearts” 2025 and “MISS C-LINE & The Rabidz” 2023, her music made it onto remarkable radios like BBC6 (UK), SRF (CH), JazzFM (UK), FIP (France), KRCW (USA), Sirius XM (USA), MiSoul Radio (UK) and gained recognition all over the globe. She has been performing extensively within Switzerland since 2016, playing over 400 shows, opening for artists like Julius Rodriguez, ONYX and Reverie and since 2024 has had the opportunity to perform internationally (UK, Cameroon, Spain, Slovenia, Greece, México). MISS C-LINE has collaborated with international artists like Casey Benjamin, as well as Swiss artists KT Gorique and Nik Bärtsch, with whom she performed a showcase live at SRF .

Gabiga is a producer and multi-instrumentalist with Brazilian and Italian roots, working in neo-soul, R&B, hip-hop, and jazz-influenced music. Drawing on guitar, bass, and keys, his sound blends modern innovation with timeless influence (Anderson .Paak, Tom Misch, FKJ, Kaytranada, Pharrell). To date he has reached over 12 million streams across his own releases and productions for others. He has worked internationally with Shuko (Grammy-nominated, multi- platinum producer for Kanye West and Anderson .Paak), My Anh (first Vietnamese artist at Coachella, 88rising), Flenn (1.5M Spotify followers, top-5 MENA Spotify Wrapped), Cardellino (716K+ monthly listeners), Kwesi Arthur (BET nominee), Cráneo (Spanish lo-fi rap pioneer), and Nao Yoshioka (first Japanese artist on Billboard’s UAC chart).



Artist: MISS C-LINE 

Title: Delicate
Release date: 26th June, 2026
Label : muve recordings
Catalog Number: MV27478
Format: Digital 

Friday, 19 June 2026

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If you add NYC saxophonist, Nils Frahm and Thundercat's drummer into the jazz mixer, I don't think even then you'd get something as tasty as Alden Hellmuth's 'Tether' that's altogether essential.



Regular readers will have more than a passing interest in jazz from the extremes of that last in the J-Jazz series of Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1970-1988 (see review HERE) to Thundercat's 'Apocalypse' (see review HERE) to the NYC train transit of Zachery Berns (see review HERE) so if there's one 'free-jazz' album to get this year that has elements of all this 'jazz', 'Tether' is IT.

Following her German Jazz Prize winning 2024 debut album 'Good Intentions', there's little wonder that Nils Frahm's signed her up for his LEITER imprint to release 'Tether'.  Not only that, the album features Justin Brown (Thundercat) on drums and the double of Logan Kane and Miller Wrenn, both on bass so that 
even then, it's experimental, improvised, punk plus 'free': these guys aren't 'Fake(rs)', with it's tweaky electronica that's also a feature of the opener 'Microfictions' with that bass double up.

'Definitely Not Friends' adds trumpet (Yakiv Tsvietiskyi) thus giving the track an Alyer Brothers touch with a great drum and bass (jazz, not DnB) section that could be on the extremes of broken?

Another guest is Paul Cornish (piano) on 'Witness' that's OST-noir-avant-garde-burlesque and we haven't said 'spiritual' yet when there's a cover of a John Coltrane track, 'Satetlite (K)'.  that swings like the great man himself and with this awesome bass-set up it was always going to stand-out.  I'd like to know why it's not longer than the sub-4 minutes here as you can sense an even bigger letting-go blow out could develop after the climax 

It's not 'Guesswork' who is Hellmuth's influences and whilst she's a leader here and written all tracks apart from the one mentioned above, even in an improv environment, she's not cocky or showy which makes the album even more absorbing. 

The album ends with 'Face The Wall' (the 'push and pull' single) which encapsulates the vibe in a further mix of Dilla as Albert Ayler/Coleman/Cherry with JMMR (see review HERE) as a big 'n' heavy climax.

We're told that she says, "This album is simply me and my love of music, It’s wholly authentic and that’s all that will ever matter.” - love it and it must be fantastic live!

Alden Hellmuth - Live Dates:
June 20th - Philadelphia, PA @ Solar Myth/Ars Nova
June 23rd - Brooklyn, NY @ Seeds
July 2nd - Brooklyn, NY @ Close Up w/ Sylvie Courvoisier Trio
July 8th - Basel, CH @ Bird's Eye Club
July 10th - Frankfurt, DE @ Jazzclub Montez
July 12th - Rotterdam, NL @ North Sea Jazz Festival
July 13th - Berlin, DE @ TBA
July 14th - Mantua, IT @ TBA
July 22nd - Brooklyn, NY @ Close Up (Tether Album Release Show)
August 13th - Brooklyn, NY @ Jazz Gallery w/ Sylvie Courvoisier
August 15th - Stowe, VT @ TBD w/ Anthony Wilson Nonet

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Tether | Alden Hellmuth


Artist:  Alden Helmuth 
Title: Tether
Release date: 26th June, 2026
Label: LEITR
Catalog Number: TBC 
Format: Limited Edition 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp


It may be a simple idea - two tracks per Volume, one deeper and more musical, the other direct and club focused - but it still needs to be executed; get ready for Phillippa's 'Panther Cuts'.
 


We've loved Berlin-based Phillippa's previous releases on Best Works (Phillipa's 'Don't Lose The Fire' - see review HERE), Freerange, Local Talk and more. 

Probably due to her jazzy leanings, her tracks do have that edge; perhaps it just comes as 'Second Nature'; "a loopy, piano-driven house track built on hypnotic repetition and subtle harmonic movement, balancing drive, tension and a shadowy, sample-led aesthetic

And as a second nature, Séna is also Berlin based with roots in jazz and live perfermance so this is the one for focus in the club?  Well, it's definitely focused on any club  the YAM office attends as it's got that Balearic beach groove with busy percussion and synths to get you in an expanded Lonnie Liston Smith state of mind in 2026: can you feel it too?

Its out-of-bodiness comes to life in the dub! 

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Panther Cuts Volume One | Philippa


Artist: Philippa
Title: Panther Cuts. Vol. 1 
Release date: 19th June, 2026
Label :Panther Cuts
Catalog Number: TBC
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Thursday, 18 June 2026

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First Word Records got their summer solstice spiritual jazz-soul-acid-bruk beach wear on as Last Nubian introduces us to Ships Of The Pharaohs and this single, 'Sun Is Rising ft. Red Bird! 



Nearly a year to the day that the label reeleased Georgie Sweats sophomore album 'I Swear To You' (see review HERE), here's the first glimpse into the Ships Of The Pharaohs sessions.  'Sun Is Rising' features guest vocals from Red Bird with "soaring hooks with warm synth textures, live instrumentation and a driving 140bpm pulse. Equal parts sun-soaked and dancefloor-ready, it balances the spontaneity of the group's jazz roots with the momentum of contemporary club music". 

So we've got the idea that this London-based collective are influenced by the jazz-adjacent worlds of Co-Op (see review HERE) and Afro-futuristic Sun Ra (see review HERE) plus some jazz-house stylings via Lonnie Liston Smith/Minnie Ripperton!

So as they say, "The Ships of the Pharaohs are about to set sail for what is sure to be an exciting journey ahead": perhaps they've get to the House of the Rising Sun?



Artist:  Ships Of The Pharaohs 
Title: Sun Is Rising
Release date: 18th June, 2026
Label: First Word Records 
Cat. No: TBC
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Wednesday, 17 June 2026

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Chicago based Blue Earth Sound have moved south, even, deep south to give us 'The St. Louis Sessions' and it's ....


Following on from the album 'Cicero Nights' (see review HERE), Blue Earth Sound,  know for as an experimental, cinematic jazz project led by composer James Weir have travelled from Chicago to St. Louis, Missouri with some friends and collaborators.

Centred around the newly built home studio of drummer and long-time collaborator Austin LeMoine, the single 'Chartreuse' featured local St. Louis horn players Jawaad Spaan and Josiah Burton and they manage to capture a rough Miles of a spiritual jazz with is in keeping with the 'live' vibe.

Apparently the session was less improv and more workshop; there's even a Wurlistzer in the studio!  And the 'Japanese Green' is nothing like the recent J-Jazz compilation (Vol 5 - see review HERE) as it's influence was 90s R&B but it's a special groove.

And talking grooves, 'Fresh Air' goes Big Band Dilla-esque whilst 'Missouri Midnight' has that late night crickets vibe and it's a shame it's not a longer track.

I don't know how they've done it but there's a special sound to this one that quite intoxicating - expect support in all quarters.



Artist: Blue Earth Sound
Title:  The St. Louis Sessions EP
Release date: 19th  June, 2026
Label : DeepMatter Records
Catalog Number : TBC
Format:  LP Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

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You won't be surprised to find a Jon Dixon remix makes this 12" more essential than it already was - it's like visiting Detroit!



Whether it be DFRA on Trusted Rhythm Records with 'Give Me' (see review HERE) or on MATE as a DFRA Experience (see review HERE) you know that  when it comes to blending soul, jazz and classic house, you know that Diego Ruiz (aka DFRA) has got more than a finger on the buttons. 

Added to that, Berlin-based label Ascension on Wax can call on Detroit’s Jon Dixon (who we've just hear on Seven Davis Jr's new album - see review HERE) for a remix, this is a big bonus.  Taking the best track on the 12", 'Charlene', onto the "distinctly Detroit" metro as he strips the track back and rebuilds it with deeper textures and signature keys; "Dixon channels the spirit of Underground Resistance while pushing into more meditative territory, bridging jazz improvisation with machine-driven rhythm".  It's spell-binding stuff.

The Colombian Ruiz is currently based in Buenos Aires where it must be like 'A Quiet Storm' anticipating the World Cup but here, the track itself as a slice of sultry sax to the evening stroll at the Plaza de Mayo.

'Strings' completes this 4-track EP and is the feels like the Lonnie Liston Smith jazz-funk on a fast track and I don't care who 'Charlene' is - its house jazz at its best. .



Artist: DFRA 
Title: A Quiet Storm EP (Inc. Jon Dixon Remix) 
Release date: 19th June, 2026
Label : Ascension on Wax
Catalog Number:  AOW005
Format: 12" vinyl Pre-Order / Digital / Bandcamp

Gabriele Poso brings us his own view of the 3 wise monkies as "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" as a dancefloor promotion of moral integrity and avoidance of negativity.



Nearly a year to the day that Mr Bongo released the compilation, Gabriele Poso presents Ritmo Italiano ‘Unspoken Sounds of Italian Tamburo’ (see review HERE), renown digger Poso brings his sixth album in his own right.

Like the Soundway album 'Batik', you've got a mix of dancefloor friendly jazz, Latin, world, folk where the multi-instrumentalist plays percussion, guitar, kalimba as well as vocals like on the previous single 'Contifo Mi Vida'.

And then there's a leaning toward 70s Italian disco (like '01 Am' that should be like twice as long as a 'Salsoul' percussion workout), the even more space-synthed Candido-esque 'Drum Flow' and the slo-mo-funked title track.

The 7 tracks of his trade-mark "global rhythm traditions, the record blends Mediterranean warmth, Afro-Caribbean percussion and jazz sensibility" were recorded live to tape in an analog studio in southern Italy, with Rhodes, Hammond and full brass sections like a Mediterranean mix of Mod-Nicola Conti vs. GUTS vs. Kiko Navaro, the album "delivers an organic, joyful sound built for both deep listening and global dancefloors"; like 'Be Water My Friend' (Ed. think Bruce Lee) and 'Me Parece Un Sueño'.

As Ramrock's Jo Wallace once told me, 'Italo new went away' - I think we can now safely say, 'Italo is definitely back' as 'Maraviglia' and in the 'extended' (nearly 9 minutes) track 'Therapy', it's got the wise monkies doing the 2026 Afro-jazzdance!



Artist: Gabriele Poso
Title:   Maraviglia 
Release date: 19th June, 2026
Label : AC Records
Catalog Number : TBC
Format: LP / Digital / Bandcamp