Review: Omary, Amal Ben - Mekkaoui (Ostowana)

Old cricket fans will recall that Umpire David Shepherd had a ritual of jumping up nad down when the score of the batting side reached 111, known as a 'Nelson' - now Ostowana celebrate their release OST111, they've made sure you'll be jumping up and down to 'Mekkau'.  

DJ & Producer Omary has teamed up with singer Amal Ben for a mesmerizing combination of  Gnawa heritage songs with modern electronic and Afro House influences, it's got something of the raw Malian blues of Tinariwen mixed with 'best of' compilation, Ostowana Of Afro House Vol. 1 (see review HERE) at the same time as being a bit funky too!

Sticking with their strategy of releasing African and Middle Eastern culture at its best, 'Mekkaoui' "is a must-listen for anyone who appreciates the fusion of traditional sound and modern vibes".

Artist: Omary, Amal Ben

Title: Mekkaoui

Release date: 23rd May, 2025

Label: Ostowana

Catalog Number: OST100

Format: Digital

Review: Cee ElAssaad & Le Croque feat. Aquarius Heaven - THE JAM (MIDH)

When it's as hot and sticky as this, 'THE JAM' needs to be in capital letters.

Last year, the original version of 'Ore Yeye O' (see review HERE) was fast on the heels of  Cee's 'TRIBE' featuring Masaki Morii (see review HERE) so giving us two monster tunes for the summer: and there's the soon to be released Doug Gomez remix of 'Ore Yeye O' (stay tuned) 

So 'THE JAM' takes us on a Acid space ship ride into to future Afro-house in extended and instrumental forms.

Boil it up, put it in jars,put it on ya sandwiches and lap it up!

Buy / Pre Order: https://li.sten.to/midhthejam

Artist: Cee ElAssaad  & Le Croque feat. Aquarius Heaven 

Title: THE JAM  
Release date: 23rd May, 2025
Label : MIDH

Catalog Number : MIDH091

Format: Digital  

Review: Gerardo Frisina - Insight Vol. 2 (Schema Records)

I didn't see this coming, Gerardo Frisina's new album 'Insight' is now on Vol. 2 already - get into jazz spectrophotometry now!

Following on 'Insight ' that came out in April, as big fans of the Schema 'school' of Afro-cuban, Brazilian, Latin and all points south of the Italian base of the label for many years we knew Vol. 1 was going to be great and it's now Vol. 2's time to shine.

So what's a Volume 2 got?  Four brand new tracks that are cutting edge, particularly the opener 'Uzuri', an alterative arrangement of 'Mindoro' and a killer Indo-dub version of 'Tarab' plus an extended version of 'Mystical Funk'.

Hard to believe Frisina's debut on Schema Records since the debut album 'Ad Lib' in 2001 co-leading Italian jazz dance, fusion, Latin funk and soul with Nicola Conte with both benefiting from the new wave of Italian jazz including Gianluca Petrella.

So, it's still been a couple of years since his last album, 'Joyful Sound' (see review HERE) and we got excited about the collaboration of Frisina & Toco featuring Luzia Dvorek 'Deixa Passar' (see review HERE) but it's even better that we've got Vols. 1 and 2: Vol 3 anyone?

BUY LINK: Gerardo Frisina IN SIGHT Vol. 2 [23.05.2025] – Ishtar

Artist: Gerardo Frisina 

Title:  Insight Vol. 2

Release date: 23rd May, 2025

Label : Schema Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: LP vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Artist: Gerardo Frisina 

Title:  Insight Vol. 1

Release date: 4th April, 2025

Label : Schema Records

Catalog Number : SC550

Format: LP vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Astels - The Meeting (Astels)

"Quirky", I hear you say?  Yes, that's the Astels (no relation of the legend Jeff) as this is the French spelling as they deliver their debut album, 'The Meeting' that's packed with Soul, RnB, pop-house as the explore a wide range of genres.

Théo (multi-instrumentalist and producer) and Camille (singer) have only been the Astels for a couple of years which makes this 13 track album more than impressive together with festival appearances at Le Weekend des Curiosités and La Crème Festival.

'Lonely' and 'Give Up On You' have the surprise appearance of the vocoder but we've got great vocals and production throughout and is it me, has this got a touch of Daði og Gagnamagnið vs. Amy Winehouse vs. Jill Scott vs. Sade about this?

Definitely hard to pin-down which makes it that much more interesting and it makes it a grower even if the album picks up a pace with 'Promised Land', ' Appetizers' (it's a bit cheeky this one) and the more obvious 'All Nite Long'.

These guys might not be musical hustlers (Ed. I wouldn't play pool with 'em) but your going to meet the Astels this year for sure.

Artist: Astels
Title: The Meeting

Release date: 23rd May, 2025

Label: Astels

Cat. No: ASTELS004

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: The Ercons - Planet Fantastique (Ramrock Red Record)

It must be true, The Ercons are coming to take over the world to make earth the Planet Fantastique - to be read in a introduction to the War Of The Worlds/Journey To The Centre Of The Earth/Orson Wells narrative voice.

Yes, people of the earth, the DJ Shadow meets Jimi Hendrix on a hip-hop beats jazz concept album is back courtesy of The Ercons.  Did it ever go away?

And exactly are The Ercon's I hear you ask?   Well, you'll recall from the single that dropped  featuring Laura Vane (see review HERE) that Jo Wallace (head honcho at Ramrock) that she was introduced to their stunning 2023 album 'Planet Fantastique' via Eamon Murtagh (aka Blackwax) which is a collaboration between producer and keyboard player Phillip Williams and Darren Banton (bass) "to explore space funk, hip-hop and soul" and includes great covers of jazz/funk classics 'Mystic Brew' and 'Maiden Voyage'.

And she's not kidding, when you're told 'Mystic Brew' (Ronnie Foster) is a hot cauldron of a cover version and then there's Herbie's 'Maiden Voyage' (he of Rob J. Madin's '4 track an album' fame, see review HERE; albeit 'Maiden Voyage' was in Hancock mid-60s Blue Note '5 track an album' period).

So you're not going to argue with Ms Wallace but if you get Madin, you'll absorb 'Massive Growing Mushrooms' like a fungi of 70s jazz-funk.

There's comparisions with the recent Lewis Daniel album 'Defective Disk' (see review HERE) on tracks like 'M.I.A' featuring Tendayi which reminded us of Soweto Kinch's 'A Life In The Day Of B19: Tales Of The Tower Block' (2006).

The publique annoucement service en francaise spoken word hides a Shakatak/Level 42 launch pad of the title track which is perfect for a dancefloor of today.  

So fantastique are The Ercons, there's  super limited 'Planet Fantastique' vinyl LP is on Bandcamp HERE and there's a Bandcamp Listening Party on the 27th May.

Artist: The Ercons

Title: Planet Fantastique

Release date: 30th May, 2025

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRRLP016

Format:  Bandcamp / Digital

Review: Yuu Udagawa - Beats Sculpture (with Coflo Remix) (Trusted Rhythm Records)

Not one but two Yuu Udagawa releases in one month and 'Beat Sculpture comes with a Coflo remix!

Following on from the 'Golden Glow' EP (see review HERE), I know you'll be impressed with the lead track 'Beats Sculpture' but wait 'till you here the Coflo remix - you'll recall his Kerrier Collective 'Life Wants To Live' remix, see review HERE - but what's going on in San Francisco?  The original isn't exactly industrial but it seems to have hit some Carl Craig Detroit machine workx!

Both tracks are great and expect all the big head DJs to have it in their set lists for the summer.

BUY LINK: Yuu Udagawa - Beats Sculpture (Coflo Remix) [Trusted Rhythm Records] | Music & Downloads on Beatport

Artist: Yuu Udagawa 

Title: Beats Sculpture (with Coflo Remix) 

Release date: 23rd May, 2025

Label: Trusted Rhythm Records

Cat. No: TRR027

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Euro Nettuno & Bruno Belissimo - Bruno Boogie (Polyamore)

This is almost as mad as the artwork as a 'tribute' to Bruno and his boogie.

Le Dune's 'Sugar Remixes' (see review  HERE) - Italian! Dan The Drum x Stuart Patterson's 'UK House Sermon' via the No'West remixes (see review HERE) - sounds Italo, then 'Italo-electro-disco', very Italo: even Bristol's Northern Soul Club have been to Italy this year! 

Do you get the feeling, Italy is the place to be; even the Pope left Chicago to get to Rome.  All we need now is Internationale to we the European Champions League and it's game over.

So what's all this got to do with Euro Nettuno and Bruno Belissimo's 'Bruno Boogie'.  Well if the artwork reminds you of something a bit Batov, the 'temple' (sorry disco) looks a bit like an Indian Restaurant in Southampton, throw that in with a disco ball, big strings and Bruno himself and you've got a dance floor hit of 'Disco Jazz' proportions (and on that subject, don't forget Rob J. Madin's 'Monstro' - see review HERE).

The Daniel Monaco Latina Wannabe Remix is pretty Latin but loses non of the madness and I can't make up my mind which I prefer; both are brilliant.

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

Artist: Euro Nettuno & Bruno Belissimo 

Title:  Bruno Boogie

Release date: 23rd May, 2025

Label : Polyamore Records

Catalog Number : PA020

Format: Vinyl /  Digital / Bandcamp   

Review: Jasper James - House It Up (Chiwax)

Is Chi-Town ready for Jasper James on Chiwax?  Do you play house in Frankfurt? Are you ready to House It Up?  Here are 4-tracks  that go deep and answer these questions are more.

Once you start on 'No Metronome' you can tell that Frankfurt's Chiwax label have found an EP that can sit aside previous releases by 'big heads' like Felipe Gordon (not forgetting his recent collaboration with Bob The Egoist on 'I'm Still The Same Person' (see review HERE), Ron Trent, Steve Bug, Ian Pooley and James himself.

The Glaswegian has be housing it up on Steel City Dance Discs, ESP Institute and other influencial labels since his debut EP release in 2014.

It's been said that 'Do You Play House' sounds a bit 'French Kiss'-era Lil Louis (which it does) but you need to get on the electric funk train of 'Mission 770' and the "retro-futurist Chicago jack" on the title track.

Artist: Jasper James 

Title:  House It Up EP

Release date: 23rd May, 2025

Label : Chiwax

Catalog Number : CWX04

Format: Vinyl /  Digital / Bandcamp  

Review: MELONYX - Soul Glow Remixes (No'West, Ten Thousand Nights, Tyler Daley, Dub-Liner & Riffz Remixes) (Tru-Thoughts Recordings)

Nottingham is the home of the pairing of Georgia Copeland and Nadia Latoya (aka MELONYX) and their 'Slow Glow' remixed project is out today featuring the No'West team, Ten Thousand Nights, Tyler Daley, Dub-Liner & Riffz.

Originally on the Joe Buhdha produced album 'Slow Glow' from 2023, it's a good time to release as 4 different remixers/7 tracks with vocal and instrumental versions plus two dub versions; how does that work out?

Taking pride of place is our favourite No'Westers (aka Ashley Beedle, Darren Morris and Jo Wallace) with their own pack of 3 as vocal, instrumental and dub.  Fresh from their 'Black Market' remixes of Dan The Drum & Stuart Patterson's anthem, 'UK House Sermon' (featuring Carmy Love - see review HERE), their 'Soul Glow' is very different as they stick with a R&B, Hip-hop, lovers rock slow jazz groove - perfect summer love.

At the other extreme, there's the Tyler Daley (Children Of Zeus) UKG-bass wobble whilst Ten Thousand Nights heads to the skies with "Butterflies" that's nicely dancefloor out-there with some Theo Parrish influence.

What you don't really expect is full on DnB as a vocal and extended dub from Dub-Liner & Riffz.  And even if I say so myself, as it follows the style of BiggaBush's 'This River' (the Gerry Hectic Towpath Extension that is also on Tru-Thoughts) it makes these two remixes particular favourites.

MELONYX have acquired to all your usual DJ fanbase, on BBC 6 Music alone, they include Craig Charles, Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Jamz Supernova and then there's also some guy called Elton John!  Elton currently fighting the Government about artist royalty issues, he's cool be to love and be loved by once again.

P.S.  And Children of Zeus have worked with Georgie Sweet who has her Jazz Cafe gig next month (see review HERE).

Artist:  MELONYX
Title:  Soul Glow Remixes
Release date: 20th May, 2025
Label : Tru-Thoughts Recordings
Catalog Number  TRUDD582
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Thierry Tomas - Why Why EP featuring Fred Everything Remix (Deepa Records)

Thierry Tomas is a name that you'd expect to see at the Highbury Museum but he's flying down the win with some jazzy deep house.

If you go and pre-order this (and 'Why Why' wouldn't you) it says, "recommended for those who like Franck Roger": and if this is AI in action, check the 'Can U Believe' EP by Mr. Roger (see review HERE), but there's the link, Fred 'Love, Care, Kindness & Dubs' Everything;

Both the original and the remix is heavy on the jazzy horn and it's definitely one/two that stands out in the set - not only that, the vocal sounds so familiar.

And on the flip, 'Life's Great' gets us in UK shuffle mode with 'jazz club' trumpet soloing, 'Blue Bird Fly' (cool piano jazz with a touch of dub) and 'Dad's Vinyl' gets the jazz-funk sampler warmed up for some more echo chamber (watch out for the 'European' singing - Ursula Dudziak next time?)

So remember, 'Life's Great' with the 'Why Why' EP 

BUY LINK: www.juno.co.uk

Deeppa Records · Thierry Tomas - Why Why EP (feat. Fred Everything remix) [DEEPPA11] preview

Artist: Thierry Tomas 

Title:  Why Why EP featuring Fred Everything Remix

Release date: 19th May, 2025

Label : Deepa Records

Catalog Number : DEEPA11

Format: Vinyl 12" / Digital / Bandcamp