Wild by nature, the Does of the Florian Pellissier Quintet could never be contained in a creative pen that would have forced them never to cross potential geographical limits. Travelers, spending their energy without restraint to let the hard bop of their jazz wander and export itself wherever the groove guided them, they went as far as Africa or South America, from the Cape of Good Hope to Rio. Rio, precisely where, for their last appearance, exposure to a brief electric current had carried them into outer space. A revelation.
Furious strides, exhausting gambols, the Does had done so much that they could not escape the obvious call of calm and serenity. Freed from distances, and after a stop in Colombia to mingle with the crowd at the Barranquilla carnival, it was California and its Pacific coast they reached, to rest before the peaceful immensity of the ocean.
One hundred sixty-five million square kilometers, an infinite expanse to contemplate in order to fling wide open the gates to an even vaster space. A spiritual domain conducive to the search for new sounds. That of the open sea, where measuring miles is neither relevant nor meaningful, and where the only compass becomes the musical tracks the Does follow.
Beneath their coppery hooves, to the crystalline sound of the Fender Rhodes and the sweep of electric layers, the path to take revealed itself in this meditative and abstract realm they had never before explored. Invited to join the purely organic textures, the synthetic notes distilled a few aromas of sweetness into an album of ten tracks, where the FPQ abandoned written scores on some pieces in order to be guided only by the inspiration born of a newfound freedom.
Blue when they began their journey five albums ago, their coat has now taken on the colors that illuminate the Pacific coast. That moment when, as you gaze at the horizon swallowing the sun, only glowing shades filter through—reddish, orange, violet.
Departing without haste or frenzy from one of the shores bordering the ocean, the voices of Archie Shepp, Iggy Pop, and DjeuhDjoah still resonating in their antlers, the Does may now be on the opposite shore. Carried all the way to the Japanese coast by Hokusai’s wave…

TRACKLIST:
A1. The Weed
A2. Carnaval de Barranquilla
A3. Archie et John ft. Archie Shepp
A4. The Movie Critic
A5. La Naissance de la Comédie
B1. Wonderful World Leaders
B2. Pacifiques Biches
B3. Only Fan ft. Iggy Pop
B4. Où C’est Qui sait ft. DjeuhDjoah

Bonus Track (Only on CD)
10. Jazz Myst (Pacifiques Biches Original Sketches)


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Hot Casa Records present Togo Soul 2: Selected Rare Togolese Recordings from 1974 to 1989 .
A treasure-trove of rare and unusual recordings mostly recorded in Lomé during the 70’s and 80’s . A fusion of traditional
voodoo chants, raw soul and even Electro Funk . Finding these tracks and their rights holders hasn’t become any easier
even after few trips all over this west African country bordered by Ghana , Benin & Burkina Faso. After 8 years, We , at Hot
Casa Records with the kind help of Roger Damawuzan decided to select thirteen tracks, a snapshot of some hundreds
of rare and often forgotten tapes from the most prolific, professional and exciting phase of the country’s recording history
included international stars like Akofa Akoussah, Gregoire Lawani to Roger Damawuzan compared as the James Brown
from Lomé to forgotten tapes and brilliant songs in Mina, Kabyié and Fon language.
Many of the tracks featured here are peppered with innovation and experimentation highlighting how diverse, the music
scene in Togo was at the time even if the political context influenced their creation. Many of the original albums these tracks
are taken from high prices online due to their rarity and so it’s with great pleasure that we present a selection here that
evokes a golden boomtime in Togolese music history.
Includes biographies and rare photos
Remastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery


A1 - Ali Bawa -Yansama
A2 - Napo De Mi Amor - Kissakpiou
A3 - Alognon Degbevi & Les vétérans jazz - Baba Na Mi
A4 - Mamo Lagbema - Fati Waka
B1 - Koffi Ottytana Bebli - Doka
B2 - Gregoire Lawani - Habie
B3 - Deg Dos - The End Of All
B4 - Tomede Ehue - Bella Bellow
C1 - Mawuli Decker - Hlomede
C2 - Palete Wawa - Assini
D1 - Akofa Akoussah - Sumga Na bacci
D2 - Roger Damawuzan - Miziqui
D3 - Agboti – Agaza Gbona

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Reissue of one of the Ultimate Soukous banger !
Originally recorded in 1992 in Paris , « Eki Bis « is a party classic. The chorus « 100 % 100% » became a common expression all over the world helped by the hypnotic guitars of the maestros Diblo Dibala and Rigo Star and a smashing uptempo electro acoustic drum beat.

Le Cobra de Sundama is a famous singer from Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo ) who composed more than 12 albums backed by great band such as Empire Bakuba , and was considered as The voice like Kofi Olomide or Papa Wemba mixing lingala and French street expressions.

After many concerts and tours allover the continent , he finally settled in Angola . The B side features a Dj / radio edit with the addition of few electro synths . Produced in Paris by the great producer Jacky Toto and now officially licensed . Remastered by The Carvery and pressed on limited 500 Deluxe vinyl copies

A1 - Eki Bis
B1 - Eki Bis (Dj Julien Lebrun Edit)

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Tribute to the Soul brother of Benin with Rare Afro- Funk and Digital Soul songs from the Maestro .

Following the tremendous «!Dans le Tchink System «!reissue album, we wanted to celebrate the legacy of one the greatest singer from Cotonou .
Owhaaou ! is an original 4 tracks 12 inch vinyl taken from the extremely obscure , futuristic and now expensive record «!Metamorphose!» released in 1985, recorded on 24 analog tracks channel with an incredible backing band such as Hilaire Penda on bass, Daniel Bentho from Poly Rythmo de Cotonou to name a few .

The B side is a Dj friendly Edit of the dance floor burner «! Zemidjan «! recorded in 1991 . A composition done to pay tribute to the Taxi moto of Cotonou .The last track «!Mi Tchinker!» is a typical Stanislas Tohon hit with a mix of Tchink Rhythm , Soul and funky melodies .

Stanislas Tohon aka Papy Grande was born in the “Country of the kings” (Benin), in Abomey , December 30 th 1955. He’s “Chevalier de la legion d’honneur” in Benin for his brilliant musical career .The famous soul singer from Cotonou started his musical career at this age of 9, played with the greatest such as Gnonnas Pedro and recorded almost 35 albums.
Influenced by the traditional “Tchingoume“ music , he invented his own rhythm called “Tchink Système”, a mix of soul and Beninese traditional rhythm .

Sang in Fon, his native language from Benin, this EP is a soulful call for Peace respect and unity in Africa, a real definition of Afro Soul music!

Sadly died in February 26 th 2019 in Paris, this Ep is a tribute . Remastered by The Carvery (UK), officially licensed and strictly limited to 1000 copies.
Enjoy!

A1 - Owhaaou !
A2 - Magnifirec
B1 - Zemidjan (Radio Edit)
B2 - Mi Tchinker

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2+ is the 3rd album of DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson. A new sound stopover in their funky trip since their beginning with T’es qui ? album in 2015. This new building stone prolongs their critically acclaimed album Aimez ces airs released in 2019.

What’s new? 15 tracks , eclectic, soft, deep, and funky, where electro, soul even afro beat touches , or bossa nova live together harmoniously. DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson make praise of slowness (« Pas si vite »), address environmental issues (« Coeur béton »), social statements on (« Police », « Raie publiques », « clic »), childhood on (« Bola Mba ») , the post colonial relation between Africa and the other continents. Love is also really well presented ( « Thé à la menthe «, « Ping Pong ») and why not sailing to Essaouira in Morocco ?

During the summer of 2020 , when the french national radio asked them to perform a live cover , our french funky duo chose the famous « Né quelque part » by Maxime Leforestier released in 1987. Their Suave interpretation, haunting beat and spatial & languid atmosphere give a fantastic tribute to this beautiful melody and strong lyrics. They found a very intimate link with chorus in Zulu, harking back to the strong connection they made with South Africa during their last tour.
It became clear that they needed to put this track on their new album , as their now club remix classic « Bwe Dlo « performed with their friend David Walters.

After their tour in South Africa, they met « Cool Affair », the musician and electro house producer in Johannesburg who made a beautiful remix of « Aimé Césaire » which close perfectly this new opus. Recorded at « Le triangle des Bermudes » the home studio of Lieutenant Nicholson, produced and mixed by him with a electro analog sound dear to them. Horns, live drums, percussions and vocal choir were recorded at Bastille village at the label basement , even during the pandemic… On 2+, we can also hear the swirls of Antoine Berjeaut at the trumpet and bugle, magic keys from Florian Pellissier , two new flagships of the French jazz scene.

Once again, DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson push the boundaries of the traditional « French song « to make the world dance. They want to keep their international audience , from Australia, Japan, Usa, South Africa to name a few the dance floors of the world will ignite with this new album . The French touch will still shine !

A1 - Pas si vite
A2 - Coeur béton
A3 - Thé à la menthe
A4 - Clic
B1 - Caipirinha
B2 - Planète
B3 - Police
B4 - Continent de joie
C1 - Bola mba
C2 - Raie publique
C3 - Ping Pong
C4 - Essaouira
D1 - Né quelque part
D2 - Bwe dlo
D3 - Aimé Césaire (Cool Affair Remix)

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Since his introduction in the 60’s, he has lit stages on fire, whether it be with The Rickers Orchestra or with The Melo-Togo Orchestra (taking home 2nd place for the first National Festival of Tologese Music).

His first seven-inch vinyl, “Wait For Me,” is a holy grail for diggers all around the world. It was such a hit that Togolese music is and will forever be stamped by Roger Damawuzan. He was principal in introducing Gazo, Akpesse and Kamou rhythms to modern day soul music. In Avépozo - a few kilometers from the capital, Lomé. Though Tropicana Hotel has been closed for years, the many European tourists who were lucky enough to visit have not forgotten the nights that Roger Damawuzan set ablaze throughout the years. Indeed, in their collective memory is nostalgic of his flaming spirit and the rawness of his rigorous funk. He is timeless: since 1987, the Tropicana is no longer but Damawuzan roars on.

In response to requests from his studio and his label, “Tropicana Sounds”, which, during 80s, was responsible for releasing his work, Damawuzan also gave his expertise and was a major influence on the evolution of hip-hop and Tologese electro. Relentless and unstoppable, Roger Damawuzan is now making a comeback with SEDA. Afro. Soul. Funk. Vaudou. This album may be described, but it cannot be explained. Only through listening to this disk at a high volume will one completely understand, at its full scope, Roger Damawuzan’s emotions, his complaints, his cries, and all his evisceration when he takes the mic.

Such a force of nature, Roger Damawuzan could have been supported by only one group. Led by Peter Solo, the members of the Vaudou Game and Lomé’s most talented musicians are at Damawuzan’s disposal for this album. The bass thunders in his honor, the brass escorts his arrival through the drums' rhythmatic steps, and the guitars riff so perfectly to serve as the ideal bedrock. Such a force of nature, this album could have been only captured, if not mastered, by one studio.?

Such mission was accomplished by the legendary studio OTODI (Office Togolese of Disks) by utilizing solely analog equipment to translate and to breath all of Damawuzan’s soul into this album. In Mina, Roger Damawuzan’s native tongue, SEDA means “listen.” And this is neither advice nor a suggestion - it’s an order!

A1 Need My Money
A2 Why Why
A3 See Your Face
A4 What Time Is It ?
A5 I'm Crying

B1 Paris
B2 Fine Fine
B3 Juliana
B4 Shut Up
B5 Mama

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The funky French duo is back with a new 7 inch!
Once again, DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson push the boundaries of the traditional "French song"
to make the world dance. Two funky electronic flow, ready to electrify clubs worldwide. Our two
"chansonniers" are the leaders of "Afropeanité" and the Creolity.
The song "Pas si vite" champions deceleration and positivity during our complex period.
"Caipirinha" is a soft tribute to Bossa Nova, the dream of hot and sweet destination in a cold winter.
Recorded at « Le Triangle des Bermudes » the home studio of Lieutenant Nicholson, produced and
mixed by him with a electro analog sound dear to them. Horns, live drums, percussions and vocal choir
were recorded at Bastille village at the label basement, even during the pandemic…
Mastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery ( London). Singles taken from the album 2+

TRACKLIST:
A. Pas Si Vite
B. Caipirinha

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Since his introduction in the 60’s, Roger Damawuzan has lit stages on fire, whether it be with The Rickers Orchestra or with The Melo-Togo Orchestra (taking home 2nd place for the first National Festival of Tologese Music). His first 7" vinyl Wait For Me is a holy grail for diggers all around the world. It was such a hit that Togolese music is and will forever be stamped by Roger Damawuzan. He was principal in introducing Gazo, Akpesse and Kamou rhythms to modern day soul music. Relentless and unstoppable, Roger Damawuzan is now making a comeback with a heavy funk 7 inch!

This release contains an unreleased single from the album Seda , which will be available on October 14th 2022. Such a force of nature, this album could have been only captured, if not mastered, by one studio. Such mission was accomplished by the legendary studio OTODI (Office Togolese of Disks) by utilizing solely analog equipment to translate and to breath all of Damawuzan’s soul into this album. Roger Damawuzan could have been supported by only one group. Led by Peter Solo, the members of the Vaudou Game and Lomé’s most talented musicians are at Damawuzan’s disposal for this new soul DJ friendly vinyl.

TRACKLIST:
A. Fine Fine
B. Red Light

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A classic and essential Hi-Life & Afro Funk album from one of the greatest Ghanaian singers and
composers reissued for the first time!
The legendary Alhaji Kwabena Frimpong's fantastic rare album was recorded in 1984 in Germany
and originally produced and distributed from Hamburg. K . Frimpong was born on July 22nd 1939 at
Ofoase in the Ashanti - Akim district, died Oct 18th 2005 in Kumasi (Ghana).
He entered right into music after elementary school by joining "Star de Republic" and later "Oko's
band" after which he left for K. Gyasy's band where he worked for more than 6 years. As a prolific
songwriter and singer, here's the reissue of his amazing album, a modern fusion of Hi-life and Soul . The
excellent background is given by the famous Cubanos Fiesta with members of Vis-A-Vis band such as
the famous Sammy Cropper on guitar or Slim Manu on bass.
Originally produced by Atakora Mensah in Hamburg, this four songs recording is a blend of
danceable and spiritual Soul and straight Hi-life. A must-have vinyl of percussive Afro Funk for all the
music connoisseurs, Abrabo is a true masterpiece, so hard to find and reaching crazy skills for a decent
copy affordable.
Remastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery. Pressed on Replika format. Fully licensed by the Alhaji
Kwame Frimpong Family.

TRACKLIST:

A1. Abrabo
A2. Abusuafo
B1. Enaa
B2. Susu Dwa W'Anum

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TRACKLIST:
A1. Boafo Ne Nyame – 7.05
A2. Ma No Nye Ansa – 5.25
B1. Asem De Ye So – 8.02
B2. Sesa Wosuban – 5.57
B3. Odo Koo Ye Akye – 5.53

A spectacular Hi-Life album with funky digital touches from the great Ghanaian producer Frimpong Manso.
Recorded in 1987 at Ghana Films Studio in Accra, the album Boafo Ne Nyame, that we can translate as “Helper is god”, is led by the great and sweet voice of K. Adusei.
Five long tracks filled with hypnotic hi-life grooves and many funk inflections that go way beyond lots of standard riffing of modern Afro Funk. The track “Asem De Ye So” (There's problem on us) is a dancefloor friendly song, already known from connoisseurs and maybe a future anthem when the clubs will reopen!
Manso Frimpong was born Feb 21st at Nkawkaw and sadly died Nov 23rd 2016 in Kumasi.
Official licensed by his son Kwaku Frimpong
Remastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery. Pressed on Replika format.

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Me Da A Onnda by K. Frimpong and his Cubanos Fiesta isclassic and essential Hi-Life & Afro
Funk album from one of the greatest Ghanaian singer and composer, finally reissued for the first time!
This legendary K Fimpong's fantastic rare album was recorded in 1980.
K . Frimpong was born on July 22nd, 1939 at Ofoase in the Ashanti - Akim district and entered right
into music after elementary school by joining "Star de Republic" and later "Oko's band" after which he left
to K. Gyasy's band where he worked for more than 6 years. As a prolific songwriter and singer, here's
the reissue of his amazing album, a modern fusion of Hi- life and Soul.The excellent background is given
by the famous Cubanos Fiesta with members of Vis-A-Vis band.
Originally produced on the major Polydor, this four songs recording is a blend of danceable and
spiritual Soul and straight Hi-Life. A must-have vinyl of percussive Afro Funk for all the music
connoisseurs, K. Frimpong backed by Cubanos Fiesta LP is a true masterpiece, so hard to find and
reaching crazy skills for a decent copy affordable.
Remastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery. Pressed on Replika format. Fully licensed by the Alhadji
Kwame Frimpong Family.

Tracklist:

A1. Daben Ni
A2. Me Yee Owu Den
B1. Nye Mea
B2. Me Da A Onnda

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African, funky, sarcastic, bewitching, green, ecstatic: these words collide to describe
Vaudou Game and all of them are true. Bella is the first vinyl single derived from the
upcoming album called Noussin, due to be relased June 11th 2021.
"Bella" is a smashing summer hit, sang in Mina and french. It's an ode to the nature and
love in this hard times. "Be My Wife" on the B side, is a trip into a rock /funk universe with
an uptempo twist rythm, sang into the voodoo harmonies.
Composed in Lyon on 100% analog equipment during the lockdown, those two songs
might be the funky nuggets of all DJ's and radio playlists .

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Hi-Life & Afro-Funk essential from Ghana! The legendary K. Frimpong's fantastic rare second album recorded in 1975 at Ghana Films Studio.


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After a few other successful projects, Franck Biyong, French-Cameroonian Afrobeat composer, guitar player and singer is back on Hot Casa with a hot futuristic Afro-Brazilian club anthem.
TRACKLIST:

A1. Anywhere Trouble (Club Mix) 6.04
A2. Trouble (Beats) 3.40
B1. Anywhere Trouble (Radio Edit) 3.58
B2. Anywhere Trouble (Instrumental) 5.24


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Amazing Afro-beat album from a Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s disciple. A sublime spiritual & political session recorded at Phonogram studio (Lagos, Nigeria) in 1979, on a 16 tracks.
After the critically acclaimed second album we're very proud to present the first and really hard to find vinyl reissue of Kingsley Bucknor. Also know as "King Bucknor" the famous Nigerian producer, arranger and singer delivered two brilliant, hypnotic and long traditional afro-beat tracks .All the ingredients of the afro-beat definition are here, killer drums, straight riff guitars, hypnotic bass, heavy horns chorus, strong political lyrics with beautiful melodies.
Ultra-Rare, unique, Essential!

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DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson is a French composers and afro-soul singer’s duo. T’es qui ? is their first album, fruit of an intense collaboration during many years, on stage and in studio. They call their music as “Afropean songs”, a collection of Jazzy-Pop melodies, Afro-Soul and Funk arrangements. They'll be back in November with a tremendous Afro-Jazz and Funky album titled Aimez ces airs. Until then, they present “El Nino”, an Afro-Funk gem about climate change, and “Fontaine”, an Afro hit with a great combination of analog take and electronic dancefloor ingredients. After massive support from national radios and prestigious DJs such as Gilles Peterson, it could be the funky summer hit 2018!
Limited press on a deluxe vinyl designed by the artist Felix.

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Mindblowing Afro-Soul music from Ivory Coast served up by Deke Tom Dollard, an obscure artist who only recorded two albums in 1979 and 1981 but who created an original funky fusion with Bété langage. A Selection of four amazing tracks recorded in Abidjan on two different records label called War Records and As Records. The music here is a mixture of Funk with heavy basslines, traditional percussions, funky guitar riffs, nice horns section and lyrics in Beté. The song “Demonde” is inspired by harmonies of the famous “Dance to the Drummer Beat” by Herman Kelly.
Those two rare records were found by Afrobrazilero (aka Djamel Hammadi) and never appeared on the vinyl market. It's almost impossible to have infos about this singer and composer neither the musicians involved in the recording sessions. Most of the traces of the recording session were lost by the labels we licensed the tracks with. Unique, pressed on a deluxe vinyl, remastered by The Carvery, this very Funky album is a must have for all the Afro Funk lovers!

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The Afro-Funk side of the Latin Soul maestro! Born in Gao (Mali), Boncana Maïga is one of the most talented and popular producer of West-African music since the 60's. He studied flute and Latin arrangements in Cuba during the 60's and founded the famous “Les Maravillas du Mali” in 1968.
He became orchestra leader for the national Ivorian TV in Abidjan in the mid-seventies, and toured all over the world with the famous Africando band. During his recording sessions in NYC at the beginning of the 80's with a lot of “Latin musicians” from Puerto Rico, Venezuela or Colombia, Boncana Maïga also recorded few rare Funky tracks with heavy breaks! With the artist, we decided to reissue four rare tracks from 1978 to 1982 dedicated to dancefloor, including a really rare soundtrack for the oil company of Ivory Coast called “Petroci”. In 2018, he'll be back on tour with “Les Maravillas du Mali”, still have a weekly TV show on TV5 Monde and with this reissue will continue to warm your Afro-Funk parties!
Fully licensed, 12inch vinyl (45 RPM) including interview. Remastered by The Carvery!

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Tracklist:
1.Weejuns (intro) ft. Will Stowe
2.Beautiful BLACK
3.One Hand Washes The Other feat. lojii
4.Crossroad(s)
5.Negroni (Skit)
6.FireFly feat. Fatima
7.Nothin’ to Say
8.UPtown Mami (Skit)
9.Manuva(s) feat. Joe Armon-Jones
10.Driftin’ Interlude feat. Pearl De Luna
11.Chase The Sunrise feat. Yaya Bey, lojii, Fatima 05:01
12.First Dates
13.Quiz Interlude feat. Salimata
14.Lizards / Dancin' With The Devil feat. Jaydonclover & The Hotel
15.Mind, Body, Spirit feat. Seafood Sam
16.FOREVER POOH


Preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rESM76i97BM

Goya Gumbani loves getting dressed, guided not by stylists or trends but by his own research and self-expression, an excitement for fabrics, fits, and fundamentals. The Brooklyn-born, South East London-based artist approaches Warlord of the Weejuns, his first LP on Ghostly International, after years of acclaimed self-releases with the same mentality. Rather than simply recruit beats to rap over, he's now embodied both the narrator and the conductor, developing a shared musicality with various changes in scenery, players, producers, and guests — including Fatima, lojii, Seafood Sam, Yaya Bey, and many others — outfitting his flow between London's new jazz generation and New York City's hip-hop storytelling legacy. Goya borrows the album title from a magazine headline once placed upon Mile Davis (given how well he wore the iconic Weejun loafers). Here, he channels not just that storied style from the king of cool but an artistic ingenuity and timeless sensibility, redefining his recording project with rich, full-band arrangements. Marked by unguarded ambition and introspection, Warlord of the Weejuns is a triumph of taste, heritage, and pride from one of rap music's most dexterous talents.

Before and during sessions spread across London, Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles, Goya leaned into his jazz collection with a heightened sense of awareness, reflecting on Davis' legacy in the context of intention and growth. "His appreciation and love for music but also clothes, taking pride in your image. Not feeling restricted in your music or your fashion. He kept redefining himself, moving the goalposts. It just opened my eyes to the ideology that there are no bounds; you can't get boxed in, there's no wrong turns. Every turn just leads you somewhere else."

Taking cues from the intuitive and often wordless expressions of jazz as well as the rhythmic meditations of reggae, Goya let the music lead. "I didn't want to fit 100 words in 16 bars; it was more about making the voice part of the instrumentation, to sit at ease in the mix, like laying in the water, letting the current wash over." Even when more reclined at the mic, he remains an evocative and boldly vulnerable lyricist, allowing the material to form around life's impressions — "slight changes to the input," he says. "The things that I would pour into myself, my views, my mornings waking up, breaking up with girls, meeting new people, it's all these things. When I listen back to it, I can hear where I was, and I can hear where I'm going."

Threads of affirmation and self-worth — unlearning past constructs, manifesting knowledge and power from within — run throughout Warlord of the Weejuns. After the swaggering, a capella intro ("All I do is write, rap, scribble, scat, wear long coats with pressed slacks…."), the horn-backed "Beautiful BLK" sets the celebratory tone. Produced by Franky Bones, the track radiates pride with lush keys, bass, and brass as Goya declares, "It's time to redefine" above emboldened excerpts from a speech by Yosef Ben-Jochannan. He wrote the song after visiting his mom's birthplace far outside of London, and his uncle's recording studio in Nottingham and hearing him talk about Bob Marley's influence, realizing the lineage of it all. "I was just looking at him and looking at myself, and I thought, this is generational." He further unpacks the track: "I wanted to make something that could speak to Black kids from anywhere in the world, just love yourself, know your worth. Like, you got it. What I would have told myself: you are beautiful."

Goya welcomes a wide range of artistry across the spacious collection, replete with vibe-shaping skits and interludes. "I feel honored to have everyone on this album and understand how all these elements, these ingredients, come together to make the greatest gumbo. These collaborations made me remember the importance music has not only to me but to all of us."

London-based Swedish soul singer Fatima appears in two singles: first, there's "Firefly," a cosmic R&B groove that captures the rawness of a recent breakup. "Fatima came and just laid the hook, and I was like, damn, you're embodying how I'm feeling," says Goya, who built it out with contributions from Swarvy, Omari Jazz, Les Lockheart, and his Ghostly labelmate quickly, quickly. Fatima returns for the crew jam, "Chase Tha Sunrise," joined by Yaya Bey and lojii (also in his second appearance). Hovering above guitar lines and beats, they take turns in a weave of gratitude. Goya explains, "Yaya recently lost her father, a hip-hop legend ??[Grand Daddy I.U.]. He influenced one of my favorite rappers, Roc Marciano, who made me really get into lyricism and rapping and speaking. Then to get lojii on there, and Roc also influenced him, so it felt like the fullest circle moment just to give that kind of ode to the parents, to our ancestors."

He recorded the hypnotic "Crossroads" with Maxwell Owin in his South London studio at 4am; "It was winter time, and a window was broke, and it was f*cking cold, but something in my head was like like these are the hard times in the dirt that you're gonna look back on and be like, bro, you made a diamond."

Goya wraps Weejuns on the gospel-tinged outro, "FOREVER POOH," produced with Omari Lyseight. Surrounded only by soulful hums and strums, his closing remarks cross the looseness of a freestyle with the poignance of something greater, a 21st-century artist deeply in the pocket of his pleated craft.

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In honour of fifty years in the performing arts—dating back to the founding of the legendary band The Pyramids in 1972—Idris Ackamoor proudly presents “Artistic Being” for Record Store Day 2025. This special recording features celebrated San Francisco actor, activist, and author Danny Glover, alongside renowned stage actress Rhodessa Jones.

TRACKLIST
A1. AFRO FUTURISTIC DREAMS 13.10
A2. IN GOD’S COUNTRY 4:42
B1. CHINA LANE SUITE 17:36
C1. TEMBEKA 7:50
C2. GRANDMA COLE STORY 10:44
D1. NOW! 8:49
D2. MOONLIGHT AND SUNSHINE 9:41


Listen: https://listen.k7.com/47891699-1332-4a17-bc6b-cdfe1c0ad93d

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Florence Adooni Unleashes A.O.E.I.U. – An Afro-Futuristic Highlife Odyssey: Step into the future of highlife with Florence Adooni's debut album, A.O.E.I.U. (An Ordinary Exercise In Unity). Rooted in the rich traditions of Ghana's Fra Fra culture and propelled by cosmic production from Philophon Records' visionary Max Weissenfeldt, this release is a bold fusion of ancestral rhythms and forward-thinking grooves. Across seven transcendent tracks, Florence's luminous vocals lead the charge, weaving through celestial saxophone lines, syncopated highlife guitar riffs, and pulsating basslines. From the ethereal echoes of Mam Pe'ela Su'ure (My Heart is Pure) to the hypnotic funk of Uh-Ah Song, A.O.E.I.U. is a sonic journey where tradition meets innovation, connecting the past, present, and future in a single breath.

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Few sounds transcend time and space quite like the driving pulse of Afrobeat, and few artists, for that matter, have defined their own domains quite as profoundly as Tony Allen—the very beat of Afrobeat itself. In 2011, Allen recorded one of his inimitable rhythmic dialogues as part of the Afrobeat Makers Series for the Parisian imprint Comet Records. Charged with the same fervour for uninhibited expression that defined his trailblazing career, Tony Allen’s drumming, free from convention and charting its own course, emanates a cadenced stream of consciousness that speaks its own truth.

If Allen’s language was his beat, then on this record, La BOA—La Bogotá Orquesta Afrobeat—becomes his latest and most fitting interlocutor. What began as a tribute—a song named after Allen—now feels like the prelude to a deeper dialogue in a meeting that seems more like fate than mere happenstance.

Led by producer Daniel Michel, the ever-evolving band has spent over ten years embodying the fluid, transformative spirit of Afrobeat, imprinting it with their distinctly Colombian sensibilities. From Casa Mambo in Bogotá, Michel’s Mambo Negro Records has become a cornerstone of Colombia’s underground scene championing Afro-Colombian and independent music throughout that time.

Across this LP, Allen’s recordings lay down the canvas upon which La BOA paints its own vision of Afrobeat—raw and expansive, locking step with his drum tracks while building around the unmistakable blueprint of their Colombian rhythms: exuding Caribbean beat, rolling with Pacific groove, and, above all, shaped by the rarefied air of the Andean melting pot that is Bogotá. What ensues is an enduring conversation that crosses eras, borders, even life and death—a celebration of the passing of the baton and the boundless nature of Afrobeat as a genre that refuses to settle. Where the beat of Lagos meets the brass of Bogotá, so too La BOA meets Tony Allen.

A1 - Ale
A2 - Tambor
A3 - Patas Arriba
A4 - Cuento Feat Bejuco
B1 - Interludio
B2 - La Maquina De Tony
B3 - Poder
B4 - Tarifa Plena Feat. N. Hardem
B5 - Te Voy A Ver

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SAULT's masterful combination of soul, funk and gospel has made them a major underground phenomenon and that's a position that this, their 11th album, only helped to reinforce when it emerged in December 2024. Helmed by producer Inflo and featuring Cleo Sol's velvety vocals, the album unfolds as a seamless 32-minute suite of nine tracks, brimming with lush instrumentals and poignant themes of love, connection and resilience. While it leans less on the political sharpness of 2020's Untitled (Black Is), the album's spiritual undertones and hopeful messages shine with equal brilliance. From the Marvin Gaye-esque syncopations of opener 'I Look For You' to the jazz-infused 'Set Your Spirit Free', each song flows effortlessly into the next. Tracks like 'Soul Clean' and 'Someone To Love You' evoke 70s funk with wah-wah guitars and vibrant percussion, while the sensual, gospelly closer 'Pray For Me' wraps the album in shimmering strings and heartfelt intimacy. Despite its repetitive moments, the dynamic arrangements and Cleo Sol's stirring delivery keep the momentum alive. For those seeking solace or upliftment, Acts of Faith offers a cohesive and soul-nourishing experienceiits blend of genres and meditative beauty, a comforting reminder of music's power to heal.

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Translucent Tangerine Vinyl!

Australia’s world-renowned cinematic soul outfit Surprise Chef return with new album Superb. A record that represents a change in their creative approach and turns up the heat in their music. Trading in their meticulous writing and recording techniques for a looser and less planned approach with the intentions of bringing more levity to the process, and it comes through in spades. The high caliber musicianship is still front and center, but they push their sound into a more energetic and fun place on this album.

Album opener “Sleep Dreams” is the closest thing to a Surprise Chef tune one would come to expect, but then lead single “Bully Ball” comes on and you get the picture that they came to kick in the door on this one. The song’s gritty drums thunder through the speakers and get covered with percussion, keys, bass, and guitar chanks that stay in the pocket and bring the funk with them. The band pushes the boundaries of arrangement with tunes like “Body Slam” that starts off like a sweet soul track then pulls a 180, turning dark and haunting, centering on a sound they created by tucking a timpani into a bathroom two doors down from the mixing board. That same sense of experimentation comes up again on “Fare Evader” where they pepper another neck breaking rhythm track with synth notes that sound like robot sound effects from a 70s sci-fi film. The fellas turn up the tempo for the dance with tunes like “Consulate Case” and “Tag Dag”; the former pulling influence from afro-funk and the latter from jazz-funk. They take us deep into the beautiful world of Surprise Chef ballads on “Websites” and double down on their abilities to make beautiful and ethereal tracks with “Dreamer’s Disease”.

With their new album Superb, their new approach, and plans to tour the world, we are about to see Surprise Chef take the step from the underground’s most beloved to a household name and we are definitely here for it.

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When she started her career just over a decade ago, Cleopatra Nikolic AKA Cleo Sol was considered a singer-for-hire within the international deep house community. Now, with the assistance of beat-maker Inflo, she's decided to strike out on her own via a quietly impressive solo debut that re-casts her as a genuinely fresh and exciting soul talent. Beginning with the layered acapella vocals and deep, jazzy grooves of stunning opener "One Love", the album sees her brilliantly deliver heartfelt and thoughtful lyrics over hazy backing tracks that brilliantly join the dots between jazz, neo-soul and R&B. While she's undoubtedly the star of the show, Inflo's stripped-back, partially acoustic and largely soft-focus production is also worthy of high praise.

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70s Nigerian psychedelic soul rock to be filed next to Shuggie Otis’ Inspiration Information.
Some albums are more than the sum of their parts. This is one of them. Nothing quite explains the luscious layers of sounds. The wholesome feeling that exudes from the first note to the last. Shuggie Otis meets Grotto/Ofege is what comes to mind.
The band was a ragtag band of teenage musicians who hung around Federal Palace Hotel in classy Victoria Island, listening to the resident band, led by the incomparable Yom Yem with Papa Doe and Gboyega Adelaja on keys. Frank who had some experience stringing around studios in Lagos, approached the George Veira (Vocals, Guitar), Nadi brothers (Clifford and Gerrard) with the idea of making a record. Odion Iruoje had enjoyed massive success with Ofege and Frank knew he might be open to the idea of producing the band.
“It happened very fast, as Georges had songs already written or half completed. We started jamming with a few gigs at Surulere Night Club, which was run by Tee Mac at the time. Odion heard the material and did not need any convincing. We Then we went into the studio to lay the vocals, drums and guitars. The keys and further production was done in London.
“My routine at the time was to finish records in London, at Abbey Road Studios. It was the best way to get the sound I wanted and allowed my use London based musicians which brought a special flavour. I liked to lay the rhythm tracks and vocals at our Wharf road studio in Lagos. That was the core of the work”.
Mr Odion Iruoje
(Resident A&R exec/Producer, EMI Nigeria)

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Across a remarkable run of releases in barely half a decade, London’s Loraine James has established her identity through a blend of refined composition, gritty experimentation, and unpredictable, intricate electronic programming. While titles released under her given name on the esteemed label Hyperdub tend toward IDM-influenced, vocal-heavy collaborations, James reserves her alias, Whatever The Weather, for a more impressionistic, inward gaze. On Whatever The Weather II, rich worlds of layered textures flow seamlessly from hypnotic ambience, to mottled rhythms, to cut-up collages of diaristic field recordings. The result is a uniquely fractured beauty, born from a compelling union of organic and human elements, processed through a variety of digital and analogue methods.

James titled Whatever The Weather pieces based on an innate sense of their “emotional temperature” at the time of recording, but she notes that often, upon revisiting them, they will feel somewhere else entirely on the thermometer; such are the whims of the environment. Compared to the album’s predecessor and its Antarctic imagery, though, Whatever The Weather II is a warmer outing, as signaled by the desert clime of its cover photo which is once again shot by Collin Hughes, and the package designed by Justin Hunt Sloane. Also common to both albums is the mastering work of friend and collaborator Josh Eustis (aka Telefon Tel Aviv), who lends his keen ear to James’ complexities, to craft a strikingly three-dimensional sonic experience.

“1°C” opens the album with James speaking through thick static, idly pining, “Bit chilly, innit… Can’t wait for it to be summer,” as a bed of granular tones and scattered vocal samples emerges. This ineffable mood carries through “3°C”, where high-frequency oscillations flutter across the stereo field, a vigorous, minimal kick rattles through a broken speaker cone, and spacious synth harmonies burst and fade into mist. “20°C”, the longest entry in the collection, daydreams through a din of conversation and minor-key chords, before blossoming into a series of glitchy, staccato percussion patterns. “8°C” rides a sole, wandering keyboard line adorned with minimal counterpoint. In these moments, James effortlessly draws order from a diffusion of ideas, and an air of playful spontaneity creates the common thread.

In discussing this project, James notes that the first Whatever The Weather LP (Ghostly, 2022) was created concurrently with Reflection (Hyperdub, 2021), and that there was some degree of stylistic cross-pollination between her two musical frames of mind. At the time, she shared her feelings on genre with Pitchfork’s Philip Sherburne, noting, “Yeah, I might look different from most people who make IDM, and I’m from a different time period, but I don’t really care about the term being negative or positive. I feel my music is IDM and I do my own spin on it, being inspired by other stuff and fusing it all together.” This go around, she dedicated several months of focused energy to the alias, and to the development of its distinctions: no collaborators, fewer beats, and a process based primarily on instinct and improvisation.

The album’s singular sound arises from James’ favoring of hardware over software, as her battery of synths is modulated, transformed, and reassembled through an array of pedals with few or no overdubs, effectively anchoring each arrangement to its precise moment of creation. The greatest effort in post-production was given to sequencing, on which the artist places the utmost importance; taken as a whole, the suite ebbs and flows with a fitting sense of seasonal flux and naturalistic grace.

The final act of Whatever The Weather II offers some of its most affecting moments, beginning with “9°C”, where the haunting echoes of children on a Tokyo playground break through intermittent bursts of static, steeped in a bath of off-kilter, bubbling tones. Here, James displays one of her many strengths: a fearless approach to sonic collage, elevated by ambitious experimentation and pacing that manages plenty of surprises. Never content to remain in the same sonic space for too long, “15°C” follows with soft pads and glistening countermelodies, abruptly joined by a jarring, cyclical rhythm that mimics a loose part inside a whirring machine. Like much of James’ work, it bears an internal logic that only makes sense in her hands.

Closing track, “12°C”, drifts from bustling human spaces into a concrete groove, weaving melody and texture into a truly unusual, soul-stirring fullness. In its final moments we hear, for the first time, a languid acoustic guitar and gentle, finger-tapped beat over her pitch-shifted voice, a callback that ends the album with wry ambiguity, and a hint of more to be found beyond the horizon. Whatever The Weather II is full of such passages, where formal composition appears like a film in negative, and conventions are upturned with wit, intelligence, and skill.

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