Joseph Salvador's impressive young Universo Positivo label returns with a new EP from the boss himself alongside Europe mainstay Orlando Voorn. The dynamic duo serve up four cuts that perfectly embody their timeless sound. Salvador has been at the heart of the underground since the 1990s. He is deeply involved on the scene on many different levels from running the cult Tomorrow Is Now Kid! nights in Amsterdam to labels like TINK Records and also working as part of house acts like Black Tulip & Wendell Morrison, Thyone Girls, Digital Cartel and many more. His music always operates at the sharp end of the spectrum and has come on labels like Tribal America, EMI and Sony Columbia. Orlando Voorn is equally as vital to the evolution of techno. His sound famously builds a bridge between Detroit pioneers and the contemporary European sound and he has worked with greats such as Blake Baxter and Amp Fiddler. He recently remixed South Bay Jams on this label and has also dropped music on the likes of Rush Hour, R&S and Housewax. 'Every Man Loves' brings lavish disco strong stabs to a mid-tempo groove that is packed with warmth. Funky bass riffs and jumbled toms all bring it to life next to an exquisite diva vocal that brings the soul. 'Slap My Funk' hits harder with raw drum loops and a touch of filter house energy. Chopped vocal stabs keep things driving with more live funky bass next to jazzy chords. The steamy 'So Well' is a fulsome house sound with big trumpet stabs and smart vocal samples worked into a heavy, party-starting but emotional groove. Last but not least, 'Break It Down' layers up freeform Rhodes jams with crashing drums and smeared synths to make for a real dance floor weapon. These are four potent and expressive new house gems from this dynamic duo. Limited yellow coloured vinyl!

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Inaugural release from the Universo Positivo records label featuring Orlando Voorn alongside the late Amp Fiddler on a very soulful house tip. Contains remixes from Wade Teo and Soul Clap.

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Tracklisting
A1 Samm - Does It Matter
A2 Samm - Imagine
B1 Samm - Does It Matter (Ajna remix)

Sales Note
Magnifiks Samm (BE) is here to lay down his first EP ever. Coming from Belgium, Antwerp , he always said at one point in his life he'll start releasing music. Well here we are - Samm's sound is carved in a way harmonics and groovy percussion lines are build in a way there's no stopping it on the dancefloor. 'Does It Matter' has an unique warmth and musicality across the vocal and melodic production, 'Does It Matter' is one of those repeatable tracks for your listening ear. At the other side of the door there's 'Imagine' wich is doing some club damage for a while now. Tested and approved on Magnifik Showcases and gigs globally, 'Imagine' has an organic melody line with a rising afro percussion line that's setting the mood for any clubs, beaches or even festivals. We're sure to say 'Does It Matter' EP is an essential add to any dj's USB or your favorite playlist.

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Impressive Collective & BBE Music announce an exclusive vinyl 45 single by Omar Lyefook MBE to celebrate signing the legendary UK soul star.

This new partnership continues Omar’s long standing collaboration with Impressive Collective’s Greg Boraman, which began in 2013 on Freestyle Records with the critically acclaimed ‘The Man’ album and continued with ‘Love In Beats’ and ‘The Omar Anthology’. To mark this auspicious news, we proudly announce the release of this limited-edition vinyl single featuring 2 tracks that is only available on this exclusive 45.

A side – ‘Lovey Dovey’ is box fresh but also classic Omar, and features his trademark assured vocal delivery over a bumping rhythm and synths provided by The Scratch Professor. The flip ‘This Thing Called Life’ is an opulent and epic instrumental piece, featuring swooping cinematic strings, over a funk laden arrangement that is part film soundtrack, part dancefloor filler.

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Born in 1989 in Bamako, Mali, Nfaly Diakité is a member of the Donsow, Bambara animist hunters. Nfaly Diakité is named after his grandfather, the late Nfaly Diakité, one of Mali’s most respected donso chiefs. His grandfather did not play, but as a leading figure in the donso brotherhood, he was always accompanied by musician Yoro Sidibé. Nfaly grew up alongside Yoro Sidibé, who became his first master of the donso ngoni, a type of eight-stringed antelope skin harp. After leaving school to devote himself to his instrument, Nfaly continued his apprenticeship with Diakaria Diakité and Oumar Sidibé, two donso masters from the Wassolo region.

He quickly made a name for himself in the donso community and was much asked to play at the traditional ceremonies of his brotherhood. He then met percussionist Ibrahim Sarr and joined the BKO Quintet, with whom he recorded an album and toured Europe and the United States. His virtuosity on the donso ngoni soon attracted attention, and he took part in numerous music and dance festivals in Mali and abroad, with the aim of raising awareness of this little-known traditional instrument.

Nfaly Diakité is also a Kônô, meaning that he is responsible for passing on the history and culture of the Bambara people through music and song. He pursues his mission by combining tradition with more contemporary sounds and by collaborating with artists from a wide range of musical backgrounds. For him, music is a means of conveying messages of peace, love and harmony, and his compositions evoke the values of respect, tolerance and open-mindedness.

‘Tribute to Toumani Koné’ is Nfay Diakité’s first solo album, recorded in Bamako in June 2020. On the album, Nfaly is the only singer, providing backing vocals and playing the donso ngoni and keregne. The album is a tribute to the storyteller and poet Toumani Koné, the greatest donso ngoni player since N’gonifo Bourama. Nfaly Diakité is a representative of the new generation of donso ngoni players and he wishes to pay tribute to Toumani Koné, who throughout his long career has been a symbol of courage, daring, loyalty and honesty.

The nine-track of this solo album leaves no room for hesitation. Three instruments (donso ngoni, voice and keregne) manage to carry one into another dimension without ever tiring. The fitting and precise rhythm is a deep but melodious transe. Nfaly’s voice plays between expressive urgency and calm wisdom, and the choruses with his own voice multiply the planes of dimension of the music. The donso n’goni, of which Nfaly is an excellent player, sounds rough and earthy but always clear and sharp. All the strength of a music that does not belong to a single musician but to a long cultural tradition of which he is the spokesman is expressed here. The young Nfaly, thanks to his experience and sensitivity, succeeds on his own in pushing us into this world without feeling the weight of tradition but only the liberation of music that sounds all the more contemporary. This album is to be listened to in its entirety as one tight journey between repeated formulas, highlights and moments of rest within the same relentless rhythm. The densest moment is probably found in the heart of the album, between the tracks Nankama (the predestined one) and Mogote Diabeye (no one can please everyone). Here, the message, which can be deciphered from the translation of the lyrics, seems to transcend language barriers and intepret us directly about our human condition, urging us to move our bodies to the dense rhythm of life.

A1 - Negue Tigui
A2 - Ngon
A3 - Donso
A4 - Mougoukan
A5 - Nankama
B1 - Mogote Diabeye
B2 - Sadionan
B3 - Ngoni
B4 - Dounoukan

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Brooklyn Highs Edits are back with another killer 7-inch release, featuring two exclusive versions from Ilija Rudman—reimagining the work of one the greatest Soul Men a.k.a Black Moses.
Limited edition, Buy or Cry!

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On the imprint’s latest record, Oath is proud to present the audial wizardry found within the sound of Sable Blanc, who presents a collection of tracks that evoke warmth, introspection, and touch upon the heartstrings…

Blanc has always found new and exciting ways to further incorporate sounds within his audial universe, with each release showcasing his broadening of horizons. Blanc’s musical roots formed within the spheres of Jazz and through drumming lessons, and upon discovering house music in his teens, he quickly sought to manifest his array of interests into a concise yet wide-reaching musical output. Blanc brings together the sensibilities of Jazz laden grooves and melodic patterns with the up-tempo energies of House in such a way as to always provide the feeling of forward thinkingness, but never losing sight of the smaller things that make life worthwhile. In his own words, his music is ‘home-listening’ in feel, and the grooves and keys find their way into every corner of homes in which listeners press play on one of his records. Soulful, bountiful and emotive, Blanc’s music is profound in its sensibilities and quietly brilliant in which it demonstrates. It fosters connections and provides specific soundtracks for specific places, but its diversity allows for new meanings to be found in it, wherever it might be listened to.

‘New Places’ fits very much within his musical lexicon, and was inspired by new surroundings in the South of France, and by becoming a father for the first time. ‘Banana Candy (Intro)’ provides the stage for which this record is to play out, and the identifiers come into view very quickly indeed. The light drumming pattern forms a bedrock for the playful piano loop to wish the sunrise a good morning, and when the bass and full drum kit land, everything begins to flourish. It’s the little textures and lines that persist on the peripherals of the track that add so much to proceedings – bird song and guitar, all wrapped up in one feeling. ‘Epitome’ arrives next, and this one begins with a gorgeous piano lead. The drums that land are crisp and precise, with evolving melodic sweeps adding depth in the backdrop. Everything lands in exactly the right place, giving over just the right amount to move the composition onwards. A head-nodder with a morning coffee.

‘Canvas’ arrives next, which features Wes Maples, and this one begins speaking very softly. The low end feeling unravels into a sublime groove, with the next phases surfing the horizon line with ease. The breakdown focuses on the sax, and its food for the soul, a full buffet of all you could ever wish for. ‘Fleur De Sucre’ lightly treads into view next, with the piano and light hats joining forces. The vocal work adds to the top ends, before unraveling into a bountiful bouquet that touches upon all the senses. The arpeggio that comes into view provides a sense of surprise, in all the right ways, as the track sees itself out into the morning sun.

‘Remember the Feeling (of Love)’ lands next, with the energy being topped up here. The hats land quickly, providing the basis for a rich and dense rhythmic pattern to emerge. The bassline and vocals that come into view align themselves with this deepness, with the melodic elements also following suit in adding to the enriching array of sound. To wrap things up, we have ‘Soft Seasons’, and the energy is pitched up for this one. The vibe is distinctly house-laden, with the bass line and core chord pattern doing much to tap along at the soul. Graceful, purposeful and evolving, it’s a perfect ender to a record of such richness and thoughtfulness – the kind of vibe that persists as you look out from the balcony.

Sable Blanc makes music that chimes to the energies of life, bringing together a myriad of feelings and channeling them into his craft. ‘New Places’ may speak of places and experiences new, but it’s a quintessential reflection of Blanc as an artist, a pure expression of his sound and what he aims to evoke through his music. Perhaps tomorrow morning, grab a coffee and watch the sunrise with this absolute pearler – it’s perhaps the best way to start a day…..

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Recorded around 1978 is this wonderful slice of Seattle soul by the group Poppeye.

"Never Gonna Give You Up" is all set and ready like a loaded gun for the dancefloor. It's on that right side of feeling good soul music without being too disco or too cheesy. Lovely synths get it all up and running but its the light and airy guitar rhythm backed with stabbing horns and the group's harmonies that keep it all together , with James Clifford's vocals floating long like a Mac Davis "Im In Love" outtake. Wonderful stuff!

"Be Mine Baby". is like yacht rock on the next level. Rasping echo guitar riffs and a head nodding baseline kick it all off. The tightness of the horns by these well accomplished musicians is all here. Dont really know what to say other than its KILLER!

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Scruscru has launched a new label called Tunes Delivery and it is back with another banger here in the former of LTF's Fine Tuning album. It comes hot on the heels of some sublime Soviet jazz-funk sample madness on previous works and is another production masterclass. These are deep-cut funk sounds with cooling organ chords, hints of Money Mark vibes and psyched-out synths, wah-wah guitars and plenty of rawness to keep things authentic and timeless. The jazzy flutes of 'Bokeh' make it one of our favourites here but there isn't a single bad jam, truth be told.

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Moton Records celebrates its 50th release!

We are proud to announce our 50th release sees a return for The Mighty Zaf, who did Moton 38 back in 2018 - our biggest selling Moton release to date. After four years of inactivity, largely due to the passing of best friend and genius engineer Phil Asher, Zaf has teamed up with Linkwood and created a spellbinding EP every bit as good as his previous Moton release.

‘Things Could Be’ is gospel soul funk killer and was made before its original creator Quincy Jones passed away recently; ‘Connect Here’ is one for the disco funk boys; ‘Gee Oh Dee’ is an obscure left-field disco gospel banger.

Moton’s fiftieth release promises to be special!

DJ Feedback

Colin Dale - I love this 3 tracker. In a sea of so many faceless and monotonous tracks this EP stands head and shoulders above the rest. Music drenched in soul, blues from a more innocent age from back in the halcyon days of black music. Music to ease your soul.

Rocky x press 2: Another mighty 3 track ep of killer cuts from Moton. Perfect companion to the Ghosted Edits 49th release. Loving all 3 edits but Things Could Be is a worthy a side and definitely my favourite. A tribute to the late Quincy Jones and a little nod to Phlash on the label. Class all the way. Massive props to Zaf and the Moton crew.

Jeremy Underground: Uplifting outro that takes you to a higher dimension!

Norman Jay: Does some justice to Q’s work..

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YSE Saint Laur'Ant returns with Saudade, an EP that digs deep into groove-rich territories, effortlessly blending genres and inspirations. Side A opens with an intriguing cut that merges gospel flair with ESG-inspired rhythms, driven by raw beats and a bassline that hooks instantly. Following up is Special, where YSE’s long-time collaborator adds soft, spacey vocals over a supremely laid-back groove, creating a floating, heady vibe. Flipping to Side B, New York Boys offers a curious, spaced-out pulse with a touch of big-city grit, setting up the EP's final track, Gone Fighting. This midtempo closer stands out with an infectious Slavic sample infusion that rounds off Saudade on a note that's both groovy and reflective.

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The latest House of Underground 12" presents a brilliant collaboration between UK legend DMX KREW and French young blood DVDE. including 2 vocal featurings by none other than the iconic Fingers vocalist Robert Owens!

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