Crucial Material – August 24th, 2020

We’re all on vacation mode so for the month of August we’ll be releasing our Crucial Material every two weeks

So here you are with a double dose of that strictly crucial material! Our favorite EP’s, Albums and Reissues of the moment.

As always we hope you make some nice discoveries and feel free to encourage these artists/labels if you do! Enjoy and have a great week.

CLUBISMS

Reuben Vaun Smith — Warm Nights

Soundway Records released a brilliant debut album from London-based producer Reuben Vaun Smith. This seven-track recording will help mentally take you on that tropical vacation you were hoping to experience this summer, with a nice blend of synth-based balearic grooves, mid-tempo lo-fi electronic beats, and sun-drenched sonic landscapes.
– Selected by TJ Gorton

Tenderlonious — Quarentena 

Brilliant jazz-into-electronics sound of Tenderlonoius and a skeleton crew of assisting musicians, among them 22a regular, Nick Walters. Updates that 90s house meets soul vibe that emanated out of Chicago, led by Larry Heard et al. Understated but strong vibe on this one. Check!
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

Ikonika — Hollow EP

Ikonika’s been on a tear lately. Fresh off her techno/lectro leaning EP titled “Bodies”, she returns to Hyperdub, her first home for another fresh and diverse pack of heavy tunes touching on grime, dancehall, UK Drill.
– Selected by Lexis

JAZZ

Nubya Garcia — SOURCE

Following two sought after EPs and an increasingly lengthy CV, London saxophonist Nubya Garcia releases her debut album on the long-running US label, Concord Jazz. SOURCE sees Garcia brimming with confidence, showcasing her full, warm, melodic tone, tapping into the sounds of the African diaspora, be it dub, afrobeat, even cumbia, aided by keys-whiz Joe Armon-Jones, bassist Daniel Casimir and drummer Sam Jones, with minimal guest appearances (La Perla, Cassie Kinoshi, Ms Maurice). Essential.
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

Bryony Jarman-Pinto – Fish Factory Sessions – EP

Jazz & soul singer Bryony Jarman-Pinto transcends her debut album on this concise EP of live recordings from London’s Fish Factory studios. Five songs from her more “produced” ‘Cage and Aviary’ album are given the “live” treatment by Bryony and her incredible band, featuring Steam Down’s Wonky Logic on Rhodes, giving them a firm footing in jazz to step to. Digital for now, but the three best songs will feature on an vinyl EP with added remixes by Dego this October.
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

HIP-HOP & BEATS

Kay Young — Middle Matters

British MC, singer, songwriter, and producer Kay Young has been to watch for a while already. On ‘Middle Matters’, she showcases her distance style. Musically drawing on multiple hip hop vibes, from boom bap to the modern day, soul, jazz, even DnB, to bedrock her melodic delivery, British but clearly with no shortage of international appeal. 
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

JSOUL- LEVELS

Calling ‘LEVELS’ “beats” doesn’t really do it justice. Jazz, hip hop, electronics and whole lotta soul have all gone into the recipe that produced this brilliant mini-album from producer, singer, song-writer, JSOUL. Here, however, he lets his music speak for itself, the only vocals coming from the the brilliant Greenspan and B Jamelle.
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

SOUL & FUNK

Various — ‘Soul Love Now: The Black Fire Records Story 1975​-​1993’

Strut records has just released a great new compilation celebrating the seminal spiritual jazz and conscious soul label Black Fire, spanning 1975 to 1993. Best known for releasing recordings from the legendary African-influenced jazz group Oneness Of Juju, the record also highlights many of the other lesser known artists and collectives associated with the iconic label. 
– Selected by TJ Gorton

Various — Attack Of The Chicago Boogie

Beautiful compilation expertly curated by the Star Creature Universal Vibrations team. 4 rare obscure Chicago boogie records, remastered and mixed for this special 12’ format. Expect a lot more coming from Tim Zawada & Kool Hersh.
– Selected by Walla P

Mofak & Temu — On The Come Up b/w Baby Girl 

2 Modern Funk anthems by two of the most accomplished/respected producers in the Modern Funk scene. Limited 100 copies, courtesy of Italian based label The Sleepers Recordz. Don’t sleep on this one, they are flying out fast. 
– Selected by Walla P  

OUTERNATIONAL

Meridian Brothers — Cumbia Siglo XXI

Eblis Alvarez is back! His latest album literally does what it says on the tin, 100%, updating Colombian cumbia for the 21st century. Absorbing all the technology and influences at hand, “drum machines, guitars and synths, algorithmic software”, slang and subject material to recontextualise the classic sound with a completely revolutionary spin
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

Romano —  رومانو

Brilliant 4-track EP that somehow fits a 45! Romano approaches the classic sounds of funk and boogie, whilst drawing on Turkish, Egyptian and Greek folk music, surf and Mediterranean rock. Track-for-track, the resulting East-meets-West blend is an irresistibly fun psychedelic groove
– Selected by Oli Brunetti

Radius Etc — Seen

This is by far my record of the week (even though it’s from a few weeks back) however I feel like I would need a couple extra spins for my description to do it justice. Produced by Radius Etc, hailing from Chicago (probably the most interesting in the US for the past few years) this incredible spiritual record sits somewhere at the crossroads of dub wizardry and the beat tape approach.
– Selected by Lexis

LEFTFIELD & EXPERIMENTAL

Duval Timothy — Help

The multi-disciplinary artist from Sierra Leone / UK steps in with his fourth release in the last five years. “Help” might be his most accomplished work yet, which is saying a lot become I’ve loved every single he’s released. On constant repeat since it dropped!
– Selected by Lexis

Vladislav Delay & Sly Dunbar / Robbie Shakespear — 500-Push-Up

3 legendary dubsters come together on this pretty far out excursion from Finland to Jamaica!
– Selected by Lexis

Lisa Lerkenfeldt — Collagen

Highly recommended super deep listening.
– Selected by Lexis