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Kissey Asplund – Move Me/99 Bottles (Record Breakin’ Music) US 7”
Quick on the heels of her debut album ‘Plethora’ (R2 Records) neo soul songstress Kissey Asplund comes with a very tasty 45 on DJ Junior’s Record Breakin’ Music. ’99 Bottles’ is a catchy groove featuring rappers Stuff Daddy and Bless 1 but it’s the flip side, ‘Move Me’, a gorgeous soul stepper with infectious squelchy bass synths, subtle flute stabs and of course Kissey’s dreamy vocals which makes this release an essential purchase.
www.myspace.com/kisseyasplund
www.myspace.com/recordbreakin
www.recordbreakin.com
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Hundred Strong – Gravestones feat. Joseph Malik/How Good It Is feat.J. Todd (High Noon) UK 7”
In anticipation of Ben Dubbuisson’s (AKA Hundred Strong) forthcoming 3rd album he teases us with this superb two track 7”. Joseph Malik appears on the funky hip hop/soul cut ‘Gravestones’ which is built around an old ragtime style piano loop but the real winner here is ‘How Good It Is’ featuring vocalist J. Todd, a killer 70s influenced 2 step soul cut reminiscent of Bar-Kays or Ohio Players.
www.myspace.com/hundredstrong
www.myspace.com/highnoonbristol |
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The Rebirth – Love Issue (Walk Talkin/Mahasa Music) US 12”
The Rebirth are back with their distinctive brand of feel-good boogie soul in the shape of ‘Love Issue’. There’s nothing groundbreaking here but as the saying goes “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” and when you’ve hit on a winning formula as these guys have then keep on doing what you’re doing I say. Also included here is J. Boogie’s remix of ‘Shake It’ and the Domu remix of ‘Talkin Me Down’ which should also prove successful on the more discerning dance-floors.
www.myspace.com/therebirth
www.therebirthlive.com
www.myspace.com/mahasamusic
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TM Juke – Electric Chair EP (Tru Thoughts) UK 12”
I presume that ‘Electric Chair’ is TM Juke’s tribute to the now defunct Manchester club night of the same name. Whatever the case may be this track would certainly have been a favourite there had it been released six months earlier. This is a killer mid-paced head-nodder with skippy programmed beats, a boogie bass-line, infectious keys and falsetto vocals from Elmore Judd. Also included is an instrumental version plus a version of the Holland-Dozier-Holland penned ‘My World Is Empty’ featuring Alice Russell, Zumen’s broken remix of ‘Come Away’ and the Afro-beat influenced Wyndham Earl mix of ‘Pencils For Dolphins’
www.myspace.com/tmjuke
www.tmjuke.co.uk
www.myspace.com/truthoughtsrecords
www.tru-thoughts.co.uk
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Belleruche – Northern Girls (Tru Thoughts) UK 12”
Although I wasn’t overly impressed with ‘Turntable Soul Music’, the debut album from Belleruche, this latest remix package redresses the balance. Along with the original album mix of ‘Northern Girls’ is the more dance-floor friendly mix from DJ Vadim and a monster rework of ‘It’ll Come’ by Yam Who? who transforms this cut into a sophisticated boogie bomb with plenty of jazzy Rhodes touches.
www.myspace.com/belleruche
www.belleruche.com
www.myspace.com/truthoughtsrecords
www.tru-thoughts.co.uk
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Scrimshire – Warm Sound [Aaron Jerome Remix]/When The World Was Young Pt. 2 (Wah Wah 45s) UK 12”
Scrimshire’s ‘Warm Sound’ was certainly one of the highlights from the Wah Wah 45s compilation ‘Underground Hits & Exclusive Bits 2’, mainly due to the beautiful vocals of Inga-Lill Aker. Although this techy remix from Aaron Jerome certainly gives the track more dance-floor appeal it unfortunately omits much of the vocal. ‘When The World Was Young Pt. 2’ however is a brilliant orchestrated broken-jazz excursion complete with haunting vocal choruses which gives it a certain ethereal quality.
www.myspace.com/scrimshire
www.myspace.com/wahwah45s
www.wahwah45s.com
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Tyrrell – Robofucius (Etage Noir) Austrian 12”
On ‘Robofucius’ DJ/producer Tyrrell throws together elements of house, broken-beat, boogie and oddly enough some Hank Marvin like guitar licks but somehow it works to create one hell of an infectious ass shaker. As if that wasn’t enough, check out the blissful down-tempo groove ‘As I Listen’ featuring the delectable voice of Nanar.
www.myspace.com/djtyrrell
www.tyrrell-online.com
www.myspace.com/etagenoir
www.etagenoir.com
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Low Motion Disco – Love Love Love Pt.1 (Eskimo) Belgian 12”
The debut single from Low Motion Disco comes in a variety of mixes across two separate 12s ‘Love Love Love’ is best savored though in it’s original form which actually appears on both 12s. From the Balearic extended intro it drops into a killer nu disco jam which utilizes Rene & Angela’s ‘I Love You More’ to great effect. Pt.1 also includes a solid remix from L.S.B.
www.myspace.com/lowmotiondisco
www.myspace.com/eskimorecordings
www.eskimorecordings.com
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Love Is In The Air – Welcome (Wetmusic) US 12”
Brand new California based label Wetmusic launches in fine style with ‘Welcome’, the debut release from Love Is In The Air. The original takes us into disco house territory with live bass, funky guitar licks, strings and all topped off with a diva like vocal and male spoken word touches to keep the party vibes flowing. On the flip is the equally solid remix from D. Jesus who drops the tempo to create a classy 80s boogie bubbler.
www.myspace.com/wetmusicrecordings
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Soulphiction – Do You Overstand?! (Sonar Kollektiv) German CD
The ever prolific Sonar Kollektiv keep the pressure on with the new album from Soulphiction AKA Michel Baumann. ‘Do You Overstand?!’ throws nu jazz, house, disco and soul into the pot resulting in one of the most interesting albums I’ve heard for some time. It opens with ‘Chevy Estate’, an orchestrated jazz outing which gradually builds with subtle house rhythms and features the haunting vocals of Suzana Rozkosny. Then it’s on to ‘Ghana Wadada’ where Eastern modality meets a disco bass line (taken from Janette Renee’s ‘What’s On Your Mind’ I believe) through to the bossa influenced ‘Sun Children’, the stripped down funk of ‘Prison Song’ and bumping broken-soul in the shape of ‘Touch From The Past’. There’s also ’Reminisce All Over You’ with it’s old school garage vibe, boogie business on ‘Whizzdom And Understanding’ and string laced psychedelic soul on ‘Soul Print’. If you liked the recent Kira Neris set on Futuristica Music then this is most definitely for you.
www.myspace.com/soulphiction
www.myspace.com/sonarkollektiv
www.sonarkollektiv.com
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LTC – A Different View (Ricky-Tick) Finnish CD/LP
With two singles already under their belt the Italian jazz trio LTC now deliver their debut album. ‘Easy Does It’, ‘Meninos Das Laranjas’ and ‘Just Give Me Time’ from the singles are present but stronger in my opinion is the their take on the modal masterpiece ‘Anthony And Cleopatra’s Love’ and the blistering dancers ‘A Different View’ and ‘Shibuya Crossing’. Another classic from Ricky-Tick!
www.myspace.com/ltctrio
www.myspace.com/rickytickrecords
www.ricky-tick.com
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Mia Doi Todd – GEA (Kindred Spirits) Dutch CD
Released on City Zen Records in North America and Kindred Sprits in Europe ‘GEA’ is Mia Doi Todd’s seventh album to date and for me her most accomplished. As with her previous outings this is firmly rooted in the acoustic folk tradition but with production by Carlos Nino there’s definitely an air of deep jazz about it. This is particularly evident on the haunting ‘Night Of A Thousand Kisses’ which has already had air play from Gilles Peterson. But also pay attention to the enchanting ‘River Of Life/The Yes Song’, ‘Big Bad Wolf & Black Widow Spider’, ‘Sleepless Nights’, ‘Esperar Es Caro’ and ‘Can I Borrow You?’ which is reminiscent of Ellen McIlwaine’s ‘Jimmy Jean’.
www.myspace.com/miadoitodd
www.miadoitodd.com
www.myspace.com/kindredspiritsrecords
www.kindred-spirits.nl
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The Rongetz Foundation – One Leg Dancer (Heavenly Sweetness) French CD
Trumpeter with Metropolitan Jazz Affair Stephane Ronget steps out on his own to deliver the immaculate jazz set ‘One Leg Dancer’ for the faultless Heavenly Sweetness label. Amongst others he is accompanied by John Betsch on drums on a set of largely self penned tracks (other than his great versions of Billy Paul’s cult classic ‘East’ and John Coltrane’s ‘Spiritual’). From the funky opening cut ‘Five Tigers’ you know this is going to be a rewarding listening experience and things just get better with the beautiful waltz ‘Antoines’, the heavy percussive dancer ‘NY Timbuctu’ and the aforementioned ‘East’ and ‘Spiritual’. Also look out for the 10” which features tracks from the CD plus a stunning Afro-beat flavoured remix of ‘East’ by Patchworks.
www.myspace.com/rongetz
www.myspace.com/heavenlyssweetness
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Guttorm Guttormsen Quartet – Soturnudi & Albufeira (Plastic Strip) Norwegian CD
This is a great reissue package which features two albums from the little known jazz saxophonist/flautist Guttorm Guttormsen. ‘Soturnudi’ and ‘Albufeira’ which were originally released in 1975 on MAI and 1979 on Octave respectively both make reference to Latin and spiritual jazz. The results are devastating, particularly on the firing dancers ‘Ny Latin’, ‘Sol Fa’ and ‘Sors Samba’. Guttorsem is equally at home though on the mellower cuts such as the modal ‘Soturnudi’, ‘Poset’ and the melancholy ‘I Ro Og Mak’. With both of the original albums being extremely rare do yourself a favour and pick up this superb CD.
www.plasticstrip.no
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Various – The American Boogie Down (BBE) UK CD
Still Music’s subsidiary label Past Due has already built up a strong reputation for releasing super rare or previously unreleased disco and boogie cuts complete with remixes on 12”. Now label boss Jerome Derradji teams up with BBE and selects ten tracks for ‘The American Boogie Down’. Some of the tracks have already been out on Past Due but even if you’ve got them there’s plenty here to make this an essential purchase. Highlights include ‘Get It’ by The Morning After, The Right Direction’s ‘Midnight Rhythm’, Devarne’s ‘You Are Number One’, the P-Funk flavoured ‘Get Up Get Down And Let Your Body Pop’ from Geyship Daviz, DIT’s slick ‘You Bring Out The Best In Me’ and the infectious synth laden ‘Galaxy’ by Visions Of Tomorrow’. There’s also a bonus disc featuring all ten tracks mixed by Derradji himself.
www.myspace.com/bbemusic
www.bbemusic.com |
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