Discognosis’ Hardware Edits Vol. 1 offers a whirlwind of disco-infused energy across its four tracks. 4 wacked-out, psychedelic disco reworks with added hardware drum machine and analog synthesis for maximum dance floor impact. From the minds behind New Orleans’ most cosmic, coked-up disco party Discognosis.
Surfing on the wave of 1980’s Nippon’s bubble of electronics and economics, fashion and the femme fatale, explosion of its pop culture and computerized technopop, and the world’s sudden fascination with everything Japan, a group of young studio musicians stemming from Tokyo’s downtown of Akihabara and Kanda came together for ad hoc recording sessions between 1982-1986. Their goal… produce the next domestic hit album, a travelogue of city pop inspired by the urban yet lonely sprawl of now globally admired Asia. Yet their vision of the concept album under the City Heights moniker ever came to see the light due to the group’s sudden disbandment after the tragic loss of love. Led by the guitarist come arranger-producer Hasegawa Jô and keyboardist Katsuragi Mariko, the City Heights sessions drew form Tokyo’s musical melting pot of early 1980s with a distinct blend of jazz, funk, boogie, spiced with a local touch of Nippon’s finest electronic instruments. Now, restored, remastered and occasionally redubbed by Japanese music connoisseur Sten Saluveer aka MILDHANS, this second, highly anticipated volume will take you on a journey through the love-longing nights of Aoyama, to the festive matsuri bustle of Jô’s hometown of Kanda, the Jasmine dreaming of Taipei, and a quirky nod to a then legendary musical superhero.
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. Hot Casa Records, with the kind help of Roger Damawuzan, selected 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.
Second in a series of reissues from Pierre Jaubert’s Parisound studio archive on Strut Record is Lafayette Afro Rock Band’s elusive funk/Afro original album, ‘Soul Makossa’ originally released in 1973. Drawing inspiration from Motown’s work ethic, Jaubert initiated regular rehearsals with Ice. The band, residing in Paris and immersed in the African-dominated Barbesse district, began infusing African elements into their music frequently performing with Paris-dwelling Camaroonian and legendary composer Manu Dibango. Rechristening themselves Lafayette Afro Rock Band, the group’s musical direction shifted towards predominantly instrumental compositions, characterized by a weightier, more intricate Afro-funk sound. Their debut recording under this new moniker, ‘Soul Makossa,’ made a powerful impact with a dynamic rendition of Dibango’s classic, coupled with the intense break of ‘Hihache’ and the contagious ‘Nicky.’ Initially released by Musidisc in France and later in the U.S. via Editions Makossa, the album omitted the title track due to publishing clearance issues.
First in a series of reissues from Pierre Jaubert’s Parisound studio archive on Strut Record is Lafayette Afro Rock Band’s elusive funk/Afro original album, ‘Malik,’ originally released in 1974. Drawing inspiration from Motown’s work ethic, Jaubert initiated regular rehearsals with Ice. The band, residing in Paris and immersed in the African-dominated Barbesse district, began infusing African elements into their music frequently performing with Paris-dwelling Camaroonian and legendary composer Manu Dibango. Under the new moniker Lafayette Afro Rock Band, the group’s music transitioned to predominantly instrumental compositions, featuring a denser Afro-funk sound. Their inaugural recording with the new name, ‘Soul Makossa,’ included a compelling rendition of Dibango’s classic and the impactful break in ‘Hihache.’ The subsequent release a year later, ‘Malik,’ refined their sound with the percussive Afro party jam ‘Conga,’ the atmospheric vocoder and piano-led piece ‘Djungi,’ and the robust funk of ‘Darkest Light.’ Despite a limited impact upon its initial release, ‘Malik’ found appreciation as hip-hop culture flourished in the ’80s, establishing itself as a rich source of samples and riffs. ‘Conga’ was featured in the ‘Ultimate Breaks And Beats’ series, while the opening horn line from ‘Darkest Light’ became a pivotal hip-hop motif, employed by Jay-Z, Public Enemy, Wreckx ‘N’ Effect, and many others
The making of Congo Funk!, a journey to the musical heart of the African continent, took the Analog Africa Team on two journeys to Kinshasa and one to Brazzaville. Selected meticulously from around 2000 songs and boiled down to 14, this compilation aims to showcase the many facets of the funky, hypnotic and schizophrenic tunes emanating from the two Congolese capitals nestled on the banks of the Congo River.
Continuing Four Flies’ dedication to delving into lesser-explored periods of Italian music, Africamore takes us on a captivating journey into the intersection of Afro-funk and the Italian soundscape during the six years between 1973 and 1978 – a time when disco was looming on the horizon and the nightclub market was rapidly expanding. Before reaching Italian shores, the infectious sound originating from African and Afro-Caribbean roots traversed both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, landing on New York dancefloors, where DJ Dave Mancuso discovered “Soul Makossa” by Manu Dibango. In 1973, from Mancuso’s Loft parties, the song’s hypnotic groove spread to the rest of the globe, including in Italy, where it sparked a wave of imitations and variations. Tribal influences thus found their way into Italian soul-funk and early-disco productions released between 1973 and 1978. Combining feel-good vibes with driving rhythms, world-style percussion, and even synths, all these productions pushed the boundaries of dance music at a time when disco had not yet taken over. In doing so, they sowed many of the seeds of the later Italian cosmic scene and its unique mixture of African elements, disco-funk and electronic music.
The track ‘Abyadh Aswad’ is a manifestation of Ali’s self-described Middle Eastern beats with Southeast Asian twists, specifically influenced by Indonesia. It offers tropical cruising vibes and tranquil melodies, incorporating Arabic lyrics and repetitive desert-like riffs. Floating melodies and background vocals inject a psychedelic element into the track. The lyrics themselves translate to ‘Black and white in one vision.’ On the B-side, there is an instrumental track titled ‘White Stallion.’ It’s a simply cinematic funk track with psychedelic elements and hypnotic repetitive riffs. This track aims to capture the adventurous landscape of Indonesia through music, offering a flat, chill, and contemplative vibe that would suit a cinematic soundtrack.
The Debut Album “Latin Freaks” by Funkool Orchestra is finally out. Get ready for another dose of Neapolitan Funky Disco Boogie madness with a Latin touch. The Long Playing is a mixture of Rare Grooves, Napoli Sound, Disco Boogie, Latin Soul and Boogaloo, ideal for a trip to Nueva York and back to Naples just to say hello to your Puertorican uncle Manolito “Gennaro” Marròn.
Larry Manteca’s Zombie Mandingo album arrived back in 2013 and in the danced plus has only ever been available digitally. Now it makes its debut on wax and remains a bold listen that was devised as a soundtrack to a non-existent exploitation film. It fuses funk, jazz, and Afrobeat influences with plenty of niche cinematic references such as the zombies in Lucio Fulci’s horrors and Umberto Lenzi’s cannibalistic adventures. The resulting mash up is beguiling to say the least with horror-tinged exotica next to Fela Kuti rhythms and elements of Italian Library music and colourful psychedelia. A boundary pushing work to say the least.
The last of the Konduko series from Emotional Rescue arrives now. His ‘Fantasy’ saw him work with Larry Dermer aka Der Mer on what is an effective and catchy electro jam that operates at the higher end of the tempo chart with some classic vocoder vocal action to really make it pop. Despite being released originally in 1984 this one still bangs with its emulated TR-808 beats and nagging melodies. The instrumental heightens that and then the Jonny Rock Discomix shuts down with long-form rework that shows why the DJ, editor and all-round amiable bloke is so well regarded.
Strut presents a reissue of Mary Greer Mudiku & Oneness of Juju’s album “Black Love Alive Again”, first released on Back Fire Records.
First 7” release from Dressel Amorosi, the duo of Federico Amorosi (bass) and Valerio Lombardozzi (keys, synth & programming). Halfway between cosmic-funk and Italo-disco, the two tracks on this release are infused with the fusion- and electronic-oriented spirit of late ’70s and early ’80s Italian soundtracks and library music. “Synthporn”, on side A, is a midtempo instrumental with a voluptuous electronic feel, a mixture of glamour and retrofuturism driven by Amorosi’s pulsating bass and Lombardozzi’s elegant oscillators. “Cargo”, on the flip side, brings infectious ’80s dance vibes to the table with a warm slice of synth-pop that can fit any scenario and filmic mood, from action to comedy.
“Turkish Disco Folk – Volga Nehri” is a fantastic Turkish psychedelic disco folk track that sounds from the original 1970s. Funky sound with moog organ, bass guitar even fat synth bass riffs and double drum tunes. Carefully reworked from the master tape by Arşivplak, Olgay Neke and SIRS.
The Church EP features four high-energy dancefloor tracks in the signature Bootybass style, by the one ”Swoze” guaranteed to get everybody moving. With Westcoast and G Funky vibes throughout, this EP delivers the perfect mix of fast-paced grooves and soulful melodies that will leave you either pimpin or craving for more.
The album Malaka is Ali’s desire to incorporate Middle Eastern culture (specifically music) with the elements of 70s Indonesian rock, cinematic soul, funk, disco, and afro beat to create a new groove and sound straight from the contemporary and vibrant Indonesian music scene. The title “Malaka” itself, represents the entrance where the Middle Eastern first come to Indonesia through trading in Malacca Strait / Channel many centuries ago. With all lyrics written in Arabic, this album builds on the influence of Middle Eastern art and music, which over centuries has assimilated itself deep into Indonesian culture and way of life. This album is trying to capture those long journeys, the “cultural dialogues” of our ancestors way back in the past, and bringing it back with modern touch through musical language. Malaka promises to deliver diverse and unique sounds (experience), with the mix between Middle Eastern and South East Asian cultures, in term of music. Which can’t be found in any other parts of the globe.
Four years after Nuova Napoli, Nu Genea are back with Bar Mediterraneo, a new album and journey, which projects the sounds of the Neapolitan duo formed by Massimo Di Lena and Lucio Aquilina even further. Nu Genea’s Bar Mediterraneo is an idea of a shared place where people meet and fuse together; a space that leaves its doors open to travellers and their lives, always exposed to the whims of fate. Some of this can be experienced through the multitude of sounds that come together in the tracks, layers of different acoustic instruments, voices and synthesizers merging in a unique musical blend. Opening up to the voices of many different people, separated by languages but united by the sea and the music, Nu Genea’s hometown, Napoli, becomes a true place of encounter.
A wide selection of Oriental Turkish funk music for listening and dancing. The tracks are ranging from traditional Turkish Folk to funky belly dance sound and from electrified bouzouki beats to exotic fuzzy riffs. Mostly traditional tracks are taken from the zourna & hanging drum playing style that is practiced in this kind of music and in fact it usually plays at the weddings. Here played with the western instruments including bass guitar, hammond organ and drum set.
Arp Frique returns with a new album after a string of releases, leaving the cratediggers and dancefloor tastemakers with underground classics like Nos Magia, Voyage and Nyame Ye. On ”Analog People Digital World’ he embraces the digital coldness of Yamaha’s classic DX7 synthesizer to create a refreshing listening experience using only the FM synthesis-based sounds from this machine to find new heat for an analog world, reflecting on the digital revolution we are living through. The album features Ghanaian songstress Mariseya (Omampam, Jah Kingdom, Digital World, Roi Salomon), Cape Verdean OG Americo Brito (Go Now Wetiko) and Surinam funkstar Sumy, who joins the record on the opening track “Spiritual Masseuse”. Arp Frique closes the album with “Duncan Truffle”, a very intense and wobbling instrumental echoing Bootsy and Bernie Worrell on a solo exercise. Expect an analog-digital exploration of lofi funk, highlife, zouk and reggae.
Nation presents 4x LP and Zine (ft. photos, historical text and track narrations by the artist) set. An essential delve in to the retrospective works of SSPS.
The Hipodrome Of Music 