Crucial Material – October 6th, 2020
Hope you are doing well and that some of these records will make your day!
Here are our favorite EP’s, Albums and Reissues of the past week. As always we encourage you to buy digital or physical releases if you discover a release you love. Support artists and labels!
JAZZ
STR4TA — Aspects 12″
Inspired by pioneering bands like Freeez, Atmosfear, Light of the World, and others, this debut 12inch single from London’s STR4TA blends together late 70s and early 80s Brit-funk and jazz-fusion grooves, with soulful hypnotic vocals and spacey-synth melodies.
— Selected by TJ Gorton
Kibrom Birhae — Circles
Notable last week, this incredible EP deserves attention. Ethiopian-born jazz musician Kibrom Birhane leads an elite group of LA-based musicians and he reinterprets Ethiopian jazz with a post hip hop ear for spiritual jazz classics such as Joe Henderson’s “Earth”. On digital plus vinyl still available as I type.
— Selected by Oli Brunetti
Honorable Mentions
SOUL & FUNK
Bless The Mad — Bless The Mad
Genre is really immaterial at times. Chicago’s best kept secret no longer, Bless the Mad is a case in point. 3 beatmakers, raised on golden age hip hop, collaborate with local (I believe) musicians, singers and MCs to create a beautiful album that ticks ALL the boxes. Hip hop. Spiritual jazz. Neo-Soul. Gospel. Head to Bandcamp and support this movement.
— Selected by Oli Brunetti
Buscrates — Blasting Off
The Pittsburgh producer delivers his 1st full-length LP, on Bastard Jazz, and it definitely lives up to his reputation. Pure Modern Funk vibes combined with Boom Bap flavours, with a slew of featuring artists such as Sally Green, Tony Ozier, Dj Epik, just to name a few.
— Selected by Walla P
Giovanni Damico — Fall In The Groove
The Italian producer returns once again with another exquisite release on the Chicago label “Star Creature Universal Vibrations”. Perfect blend of Boogie, Disco, Italo & Afro Disco. All tracks stand out, no fillers on this one.
— Selected by Walla P
Honorable Mentions
HOUSE & TECHNO & CLUB-ISMS
Black Motion — The Healers : The Last Chapter
The last opus of Black Motion has finally arrived! For their big comeback, this duo from Tshwane in South Africa delivers a staggering LP (41 tracks) that satisfy all afro house lovers. Everything is there, from the melodious Marry Me (feat. Msaki) and I Wanna Be (feat. Brenden Praise) to Sibusiso an instrumental Gospel, and the very spicy Trap En Los plus the Homeboyz Ven Pa Ka rework. The wait was long but it was worth it.
— Selected by Akpossoul
Hagan — Waves
Hot on the heels of multiple Afrobeats-indebted club smashers (with Yenko still in heavy rotation on NTS and Rinse), Hagan drops his most futuristic and UK-sounding work yet on Mr. Mitch’s Gobstopper Records without forsaking his roots. [UK Funky, Grime, Afrobeats, Broken Beat]
— Selected by dileta
Skelecta — Goosebumps
London’s Skelecta drops one of the finest Purple Grime EPs to this day. It’s got all the elements perfected: glacial R&B vocal chops, kaleidoscopic (sometimes chiptuney) synth arpeggios and massive forward rhythms. Everything to make you and your whole family jump around the living room while shedding a few nostalgic tears.
— Selected by dileta
Domu — Domu Demos
Broken Beat royalty Domu shares a treasure trove full of his unreleased demos, covering the full spectrum of the Domu sound. From intricate bruk / rhythm science, to downbeat headnodders and a few 4/4 joints too. Unmissable for all the Broken Beat heads!
— Selected by Lexis
Female — Pleasures That Kill
Killer retrospective of the works of Peter Sutton aka Female, who has been a key underground figure in UK techno since the mid 90’s.
— Selected by Lexis
Sun Palace — Rude Movements (Moodymann & Kenny Dope Remixes)
The landmark Mancuso / Loft classic, “Rude Movements” gets its very first two official remixes ever and none other than the legendary KDJ and KDope. As someone who has been playing the track for over 15 years, I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Mr. Sunpalace himself, Mike Collins is bumping this in the heavens i’m quite sure!
— Selected by Lexis
Honorable Mentions
- DJ Plead – Going For It
- Surgeon – Europa Code
- Hanna – Champion EP
- Loraine James – Nothing EP
- Parris – Terrapin EP
- SW. – TRUElipS
- Frits Wentik – Double Man
- Legowelt – Unconditional Contours
- Rian Treanor – File under UK Metaplasm
RAP & BEATS
Westside Gunn — Who Made The Sunshine
After a plethora of critically acclaimed projects, the Fly God releases his debut album on Eminem’s Shady Records. Producers Alchemist and Darringer have kept the minimalist grimey sample based approach that has become Gunn’s signature and provide the perfect sonic landscape for his sordid street tales. Boasting an impressive feature list including Jadakiss, Black Thought, Busta Rhymes and 2(!) Slick Rick appearances this rock solid album is a perfect introduction to a modern boombap sound that is carried by Gunn and his Griselda labelmates.
— Selected by ASMA
21 Savage & Metro Boomin — Savage Mode 2
The long anticipated follow up to 21 Savage’s career launching project arrives out of the blue with Pen & Pixel cover art and Morgan Freeman narrated skits to boot. Slightly less dark and moody than the first opus, this album still proves that a solid producer MC duo is a successful formula. With features from Young Thug, Young Nudy and Drake Savage Mode 2 is a cohesive album for an artist who has been nothing but consistent since his debut.
— Selected by ASMA
Honorable Mentions
OUTERNATIONAL
Baba Zula — Hayvan Gibi
Brilliant album from Turkish psych powerhouse Baba Zula. Whilst deeply rooted in Istanbul’s folk-indebted psych scene they have remained open, even incorporating dub and working with Mad Professor. Baba Zula went into Artone Studios to cut this record straight-to-disc for Night Dreamer on their vintage gear, marrying live on-stage energy with precision sound recording.
— Selected by Oli Brunetti
Honorable Mentions
We also invite you to check out our main five playlists where you’ll find our current favorites across Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.
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