Crucial Material – Best Releases Of The Week (May 6th, 2019)

Reeling ‘Em In.

Slo-mo Balearic, blissed-out Kraut rock, Deep Nu Disco, Ethno Ambient, Latin Porno Disco, Party rockin’ edits, Synth-wave and Jazz all on offer from last week’s picks.

As always, if you like something you hear, buy it. Your purchase supports the artists and labels whose work you enjoy.

Ishmael Ensemble “A State of Flow”

Genre: Jazz / Electronic
Label: Severn Songs
Buy: Digital / Vinyl
Stream: Spotify

Following a string of brilliant limited-edition seven-inch singles over the last year, the Bristol-based quartet Ishmael Ensemble have released their highly-anticipated full-length debut, titled ‘A State of Flow’. Led by multi-instrumentalist and producer Pete Cunningham, the recording nicely blends together jazz melodies, hypnotic atmospheric tones, electronic synth grooves, and driving breakbeat rhythms.
– Selected by TJ Gorton

9th Creation “A Step Ahead”

Genre: Funk / Soul
Label: Past Due Records
Buy: Vinyl / Digital
Stream: Spotify

An incredible lost album from the legendary Northern California-based funk band has just resurfaced with an official release through Chicago’s Past Due Records. The 1980 record was originally thought to be lost when it was learned that the Modesto studio the group was using was run by drug dealers. This came to light when the studio was raided by DEA agents halfway through the recording session. Luckily, one of the band’s horn players saved cassette mix-downs of some of the sessions, leading to this eventual release 39 years later.
– Selected by TJ Gorton

Greg Foat “The Mage”

Genre: Jazz
Label: Athens of the North
Buy: Vinyl / Digital
Stream: Spotify

For Greg Foat’s 9th album, and first for the Scottish-based Athens of the North label, the British jazz jpianist teams up with soundtrack and library music legends Duncan Lamont, Art Themen, Ray Russell, and Clark Tracey, as well as rising London jazz star Moses Boyd and Heliocentric’s drummer Malcolm Catto. The music fuses downtempo folkscapes, post-bop jazz melodies, atmospheric textures, and soulful cosmic tones.
– Selected by TJ Gorton

Torbjorn Langborn & The Feel Life Orchestra “Feel Life”

Genres: Jazz-Fusion / World / Disco
Label: Pardonnez-Nous
Buy: Vinyl

Up-tempo Disco meets Latin Jazz-fusion ala Sweden lands on Pardonnez-Nous’ second release. ‘Feel Life’, by Torbjorn Langborn and The Feel Life Orchestra, was originally recorded in 1986 for their self-titled, and sole LP. Having received big plays by Hunee in recent years, and after landing on Chee Shimizu’s Obscure Sound guide, ‘Feel Life’ finally gets a much needed reissue. Bonus – Dimitri From Paris Remix, Ooh La La.
– Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Patrick Michaud “Synthetiseurs Samplers & Polarweiss”

Genres: Experimental / Cold Wave / Synth
Label: Delodio
Buy: Vinyl

Recorded between ’88 and ’92, ‘Synthetiseurs Samplers & Polarweiss’ are the collected, unheard works of French studio musician Patrick Michaud. Taking inspiration from Jean-Michel Jarre, the work, according to Monsieur Michaud, is “generic John Carpenter, 8-bit melodramas, the anticipation of what will later be the success of Boards of Canada… delivered late in a beautiful gift package”. The timely compilation comes from Delodio records and is limited to 300 copies.
– Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Susana Estrada “Amor Y Libertad”

Genres: Funk / Soul / Disco / Boogie
Label: Especial Discos
Buy: Vinyl

Model, singer, actress Susana Estrada played a key role in Spain’s ‘Transition’ period in the ‘70s. Through erotic films, nude stage plays, magazine spreads, and even a sex column, Susana pushed social norms in her home country. In her stage work, she often paired performances to funky, slo-mo disco grooves and this would eventually lead to studio recordings. Most notably, an LP from 1981 titled ‘Amor y Libertad’. Very rare and very good, the original pressing fetches bux, but, thanks to Especial Discos, a reissue has arrived.
– Selected by Jake Stellarwell

COEO “COEO Edits”

Genres: Disco / Afro / Boogie
Label: Razor-N-Tape
Buy: Vinyl

Munich duo COEO land on Razor-N-Tape with 4 fun-lovin’, party-rockin’ edits that’ll loosen up the stiffest of joints. Arriving in time for warmer weather and longer days, the EP is primed for a daytime shindig. Feel good music to synchronize swim or mow the lawn to… or, yes of course, gleefully dance to with a group of friendly strangers as the sun sets against the horizon.
– Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Ron Trent “Warm”

Genres: Balearic / Downtempo / Kraut Rock / Nu Disco
Label: Future Vision
Buy: Vinyl

As always, Ron Trent is in fine form. He’s been dishing out top notch productions for nearly 30 years now, and his latest may be one of his most surprising in recent years. ‘Warm’ sees the producer switch gears completely, swapping out his tried and true deep, spiritual take on House for his deep, jazz-infused take on Nu Disco, slo-mo-Balearic Kraut Rock, and Latin Jazz-funk fusion. This is a side of Ron I’d love to hear more of, and I’m sure he’s got plenty more in the works, hopefully an LP worth.
– Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Gigi “Illuminated Audio”

Genres: Ambient / Experimental / Jazz / Dub / World
Label: Time Capsule
Buy: Vinyl

Kay Suzuki’s Time Capsule imprint presses Gigi’s ‘Illuminated Audio’ to vinyl for the first time. Released on CD in 2003, the project comes from Illinois born studio wizard Bill Laswell and Ethiopian singer Ejigayehu Shibabaw aka Gigi. The husband and wife duo bring to harvest an abundance of worldly New Age, twirling ethno Ambient and uplifting Afro-jazz. Kay’s curatorial expertise is here confirmed once again, and for me, this is the best Time Capsule release to date.
– Selected by Jake Stellarwell