Crucial Material – Best Releases of the Week (October 26th, 2018)

Every single week our minds are blown at the number of good releases that get put out.

As always, you can trust us to distill the hundreds of weekly new releases and boil them down to the best. So here you go, another serving of Crucial Material. Open your ears, your heart, and maybe your wallet!

NEW ALBUMS & EPs

Makaya McCraven “Universal Beings”

Genres: Jazz / Beats
Label: International Anthem
Purchase

Makaya McCraven is back with his most complete jazz excursion yet. With Universal Beings, the Chicago drummer explores new sounds (like harp in Queen’s Intro) and brings in his usual genius arrangements in powerful escapades such as Black Lion. McCraven, one of the most consistent and vibrant voices in modern jazz has laid an extremely solid album for fans to absorb and appreciate.
– Selected by Asma

Kyle Hall “Equanimity”

Genres: Deep House / Broken Beat / Nu Jazz
Label: Wild Oats
Purchase

Wild Oats marks 10 years with 4-tracker from Kyle Hall. Equanimity, a concept EP, features 4 stunning works split in two parts: Solar Side, Lunar Side. Katastematic Pleasure leads the EP thanks in part to Glenn Undergrounds exacting engineering work.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Kaidi Tatham “In My Life”

Genres: Soul / Broken Beat / Jazz
Label: 2000Black
Purchase

The ever-prolific keyboardist and broken beat producer drops another essential EP of futuristic jazz funk peppered with touches of hip hop, soul, boogie and Latin percussion, featuring vocalist Nadine Charles.
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

Sandman Project “Royal Family EP”

Genres: Jazz / Ethio-Jazz / Afrobeat
Label: Batov Records
Purchase

West African rock, psych, Ethiopian jazz, Sun Ra, improv, etc are all thrown in this Tel Aviv pot, creating an very enjoyable EP, whilst opening track Hamsa is destined to rock dancefloors.
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

Pellegrino “Zodyaco”

Genres: Jazz-Funk / Boogie / Disco
Label: Early Sounds Recordings
Purchase

Early Sounds co-founder, Pellegrino Snichelotto, returns with follow-up to Periplo after two-year hiatus. Zodyaco, a 5 track mini LP, sees the producer in fine form yet again; this time with a Jazz-Funk affair of the highest order.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Pilar Zeta “Moments Of Reality”

Genres: Postmodern Classical / Experimental Electronique
Label: ULTRAMAJIC
Purchase

A sort of Modern Classical affair inspired by the aesthetics of 80’s Postmodernism, so let’s call it Postmodern Classical shall we? Really reminds me of something Visible Cloaks might put out, and could have fit nicely on Orange Milk Records. Become your favourite shape and get down!
-Selected by Mike Jones

Thom Yorke “Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino Film)”

Genres: Soundtrack / Thom Yorke Music
Label: XL Recordings
Purchase

Thom Yorke da G.O.A.T. for this 1! Besides being a massive fan of Thom and also Radiohead as whole, I’m also a massive fan of Italian movies and their soundtracks. So this one be turnin’ me crank like nobody’s business. Slowly Downward!
-Selected by Mike Jones

Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler ft. Dames Brown “The One”

Genres: Funk / Soul / Disco
Label: Sessions Sounds
Purchase

CHOO CHOO! Heavy Party Jams Coming Thruuu! Grown. Mature. Confident. Proper. A Good Time. Funk it up with the Detroit-based masters featuring female vocal trio Dames Brown. Let’s go!
-Selected by Mike Jones

Felbm “Tape 1 / Tape 2”

Genres: Minimalism / Jazz / Ambient
Label: Soundway
Purchase

Under the name Felbm, Dutch multi-instrumentalist Eelco Topper releases a great new two-part project through Soundway Records titled “Tape 1 / Tape 2.” The music featured on the 15-track album takes very minimalistic approach, combining beautiful piano-based melodies with subtle jazz drums, electronic beats, and atmospheric tones.
-Selected by TJ Gorton

Georgia Anne Muldrow “Overload”

Genres: Soul / Beats
Label: Brainfeeder
Purchase

Georgia Anne Muldrow releases her new album – a modern soul classic in the making – titled “Overload” via Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder record label.

Moxie Presents Volume Four

Genres: Deep House / Techno
Label: On Loop
Purchase

The fourth instalment of Moxie’s compilation series is back, presenting 8 exclusive new tracks from a thoughtfully curated line-up of artists. Featuring friends of On Loop, up-and-coming producers and prominent names alike, Moxie Presents Volume Four is due for release as a limited run on vinyl alongside a digital download.

Demdike Stare “Passion”

Genres: Experimental / Club / Electronic
Label: Modern Love
Purchase

Spaced out experimentations reconstructed with the structures of contemporary club genres. For those who look forward to dancing all night on the weekends but also like to get a little nutty in the meantime.
-Selected by Mike Jones

Max Graef “Lo Siento Mucho Pero No Hablo Tu Idioma”

Genre: Electronic / Ambient / Beats
Label: Tartelet Records
Purchase

A truly engaging album from the prolific producer and beat maker. Trippy beats, fuzzy synths, yet melodic and groove orientated. Seemingly lo-fi at times, but ambitious and broad in its concepts. Don’t let this pass you by!
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

REISSUES & COMPILATIONS

Grupo Controle Digital “A Festa É Nossa”

Genres: Brazilian / Synth Wave
Label: Soundway
Purchase

The Soundway label has just reissued the highly obscure 80’s lo-fi synth album ‘A Festa É Nossa’ by Grupo Controle Digital. Originally released in 1988, the recording features heavy synths and cruising bass lines with an overall tropical Brazilian feel. The record’s title track was featured on the incredible ‘Onda De Amor: Synthesized Brazilian Hits That Never Were (1984-94)’ compilation that came out earlier this year.
-Selected by TJ Gorton

Spaceark “Spaceark”

Genres: Soul / Jazz / Funk
Label: Mr. Bongo
Purchase

Spaceark, a self-titled private press release from ’75, gets reissue ala Mr. Bongo. Formed in ’73, the LA quintet recorded only 2 albums before disbanding in ’79. AOR-tinged Soul and Jazz-Funk courses through the veins of this 10 track long player.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Venezuela 70 “Cosmic Visions of A Latin American Earth VOLUME TWO”

Generes: Eclectic
Label: Soul Jazz
Purchase

Soul Jazz Records have done it again, compiling a 2nd volume of scarcely known Venezuelan cosmic & experimental music from the ’70s and beyond. There’s more than enough for a 3rd volume if you ask us.
– Selected by Miguel Colmenares