Crucial Material – September 21st, 2020

Back on the weekly pace. 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!

SOUL & FUNK

SAULT — UNTITLED (Rise)

SAULT has surprised us again with a brilliant new full-length, titled UNTITLED (Rise). Building on the same important themes of their last album UNTITLED (Black Is), the UK collective continue to use their music to speak out against racial injustices and police brutality globally. Production wise, this might be their best recording to date, fusing together post-disco “ESG-like” grooves, funky hip-hop percussion breaks, synth-based melodies, electronic beats, and soulful melodies.
— Selected by TJ Gorton

Steve Arrington — Down to the Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions

The King is back!! Steve Arrington surrounds himself with a slew of talented producers, such as Knxwledge, Benedek, Brian Ellis, Jamma D. Smooth Funk & Soul vibes all over this project.
— Selected by Walla P

Diamond Ortiz — 4 Really Tho

Talkbox superstar Diamond Ortiz continues his hot streak of releases, this one on Spanish label Neon Finger. Pure Funk slaps, available on 7’ format as well.
-— Selected by Walla P

Demae — Life Works Out… Usually

Damae’s (fka Bubblerap and ⅓ of the excellent Hawk House project) debut project is yet another example how UK Soul is in a very good place right now. Lots of London’s finest talents (Ego Ella May, Fatima, Wu-Lu, Jake Milliner, Eun, Joe Armon-Jones, 10.4 ROG, Nala Sinephro) contribute to making this a very strong first solo outing. Huge shouts to our friends, the Touching Bass imprint, for being the catalysts behind so many great projects lately.
— Selected by Lexis

Tesla Rosa — Cruise Control

Producer duo Lowpocus and DJ Manifest have joined forces to deliver a solid EP of 80s synth based funk. The almost all-instrumental project showcases a more club oriented approach to the classic boogie sound and is sure to get dancefloors packed once the confinement is over.
— Selected by ASMA

JAZZ

Huw Marc Bennett — Tresilian Bay

London-based producer and bassist Huw Marc Bennett releases a brilliant new full-length, titled ‘Tresilian Bay’ on Albert’s Favourites. Inspired by the music of Tim Maia, Augustus Pablo, Idris Muhammed and London’s thriving jazz scene, the record fuses together South London electronica, Brazilian funk, Nigerian Afrobeat, Ghanaian Highlife, reggae and Welsch psychedelia.
— Selected by TJ Gorton

Takuya Kuroda — Fly Moon Die Soon

Following two albums on the Universal/Blue Note/Concord group, trumpeter and composer Kuroda has delivered an incredibly refreshing album for First Word records, weaving electronic music , plenty of soul music AND vocals (from Corey King) into his melodic. trumpet led sound.
— Selected by Oli Brunetti

Butcher Brown – #KingButch

On their 8th album, Butcher Brown step up to the major league on ‘#KingButch’, their first for Concord. Brilliant musicians with a keen ear for the classic hip hop, ’70s fusion, ’60s jazz and funk, song craft, selection & production reach new heights and trumpeter & saxophonist MC Marcus “Tennishu” Tenney has greater space to flex his also impressive MC skills & songwriting.
— Selected by Dennis Parham

Corto.alto — Live from 435, Vol  5

Led by Glasgow trombonist Liam Shortall, corto.alto have been sharing videos & songs online to increasing acclaim and a keen following. Bristol’s newly-minted Worm Discs has picked up the latest and most compelling volume. Laid-back, hip hop inflected jazz, with star turns from respected saxophonist & MC Soweto Kinch and one-to-watch vocalist Luca Manning.
— Selected by Oli Brunetti

Other noteworthy releases

• Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah – Axoim (OB)
• JD Allen – Toys / Die Dreaming (OB)
• Mammal Hands – Captured Spirits (OB)
• Florian Arbenz & Greg Osby – Reflections of the Eternal Line (OB)
• Richard Spavens – Spaven x Sandunes (OB)
• Kibrom Birhane – Circles (OB)

CLUBISMS

LV VA 12-1 — Various

Enjoyed a lot of EP’s on the electronic front (see below in noteworthy mentions) but couldn’t resist this vinyl-only EP on Lava Lava Records featuring some of that rawness, will be ready in my record box when the dancefloors do finally come back! Massive tracks from Lurka and also NKC x Bakongo (Roska) where that Hard Bass sound meets its maker. (UK Funky forever!)
— Selected by Lexis

Horatio Luna — Boom

Melbourne’s excellent bassist / producer steps in with his most dancefloor focused outing yet. Pulling off the organic approach to club music isn’t easy but this one certainly deserves its place in the same breath as key records in that lane like Amp Dog Knights, Detroit Experiment, Osunlade’s “Paradigm”. Highly recommended record!
— Selected by Lexis

Various Artists — Door the Cosmos

Hot on heels of the a Dancefloor Sampler, composed of entirely different songs, On The Corner drops a triple LP, 25 track compilation, cementing its place “on the corner” between jazz and, increasingly, electronic music with both a dancefloor AND experimental bent, looking back , but facing forward. Featured artists include Azu Tiwaline, Uffe, Dengue Dengue Dengue, Ariwo, Collocutor, and Afrikan Sciences.
— Selected by Oli Brunetti

Other noteworthy releases

• Parris – Polychrome Swim (L)
• HAAi – Put Your Heads Above Your Shoulders (L)
• Powell – Notes on a folder (L)
• Opolopo – Sicka, Pt. 2 (OB)
• 30/70 – Fluid Motion Remixed (OB)
• Hidden Speres – Breathing Deep (OB)

HIP HOP & BEATS

Cookin Soul – Whateva, Vol. 3 Beats

More laid back beats from Cookin Soul for you to kick back to. Grooves for days. Check.
— Dennis Parham

LEFTFIELD

Tvii Son — Tvii Son

A brilliant debut for MIC Records from this Kyiv & Berlin based trio.  An experimental but highly accessible sound rooted in punk, dub, raw & industrial electronics. Think Pan Sonic, Cousin Cockroach, Kevin Martin (King Midas Sound/The Bug), Liaisons Dangereuses.
— Selected by Oli Brunetti

Monzanto Sound – Time Lapse EP

Superb debut EP from an intriguing London-based five-piece for brilliant independent None More Records. Drawing on kosmische musik, trip hop, funk, psych, jazz and neo-soul; a wonderful mixture that somehow succeeds. Sienna Bordello’s vocals fit snuggly over the basslines, sparkling keys and snares. Reminiscent of Portishead and Bahla to Neu! and Moodymann, whilst clearly distinctive.
— Selected by Dennis Parham

Other noteworthy releases

• Sarah Davachi – Cantus, Descant (L)
• Jon Hassell – Seeing Through Sound (Pentimento Volume Two) (OB)
• Giuseppe Leonardi – MenteMente (OB)
• Mildlife – Automatic (OB)

GLOBAL

Sababa 5 (feat. Yurika) – Tokyo Midnight

Hipshaking rhythms, lilting guitars, trippy keys and soaring vocals connecting the Middle Eastern to the Far East. Mizrahi music mixed with psych, surf rock & funk, creating a very modern Middle Eastern groove with the incredible addition of Yurika’s distinctive vocals, sung in her native Japanese.
— Selected by Dennis Parham

Other noteworthy releases

• Gitkin – Safe Passage (OB)
• Caixa Cubo – Angela (OB)