Absolutely breathtaking, TIDES is the debut album by the band Native Dancer from London. Their sound is the fresh aspect and most modern iteration I’ve heard of what you could refer to as UK Soul music. Drawing inspiration from Funk, Jazz, Soul and R&B, Native Dancer has the perfect blend of these. The mixing and mastering are perfect, the vocals are spot on and the music is super fresh. The project is probably one of our favorite that came out in the recent months. Please don’t skip this.
This album was actually recorded by RAI (the Italian public broadcasting company) in 1976 for a documentary and Black Sweat Records blessed us last Summer with a new press on vinyl. Don Cherry brings together the world in one album, with different musicians from every continent the African core of the music expands in an international way in Om Shanty Om. A very spiritual journey that will take your mind away and floating around the most beautiful places of this world. Big recommendation here! check it out.
Here’s the Key Elements debut album that was released in 2020 at the Berlin based label Sonar Kollektiv. Key Elements is a trio formed by Marian Tone (DJ/producer), Waldi (drums) and Jim Dunloop (keyboard & Bass). With this album they delivered an exciting experience inspired by hip hop, jazz, ambient, electronic and funk music. This is a super enjoyable album to listen and vibe to. Check it out!
New York based Japanese Jazz musician and producer Takuya Kuroda released his new album with the label First Word Records a few months back. The album is filled with positive vibes and hits exactly the right spots when it comes to our music needs right now. This is a perfectly arranged album, the project for Fly Moon Die Soon started in 2018 and took about 2 years to complete. The result is astonishing. Have a listen.
Etuk Ubong is a Nigerian Trumpeter and band leader. His music draws from Jazz and African inspirations, he developed his own genre he call “earth music”. With a strong message his music flows perfectly. The album released with the label Night Dreamer was captured live and directly pressed into disc at Haarlem’s Artone Studio, an incredible studio equipped with amazing vintage setup. This method of recording takes us back at least half a century ago. Providing one of the purest form of sound. Thanks to the incredible sound engineering work it’s like you’re sitting in the recording studio with the musicians. Collaborating with Michael Awosogo and musicians from the UK & Netherlands. The album was recorded just in one sitting from start to end on the last day of a five days session. The result is simply breathtaking.
Berlin based Swedish saxophonist Otis Sandsjö returns with the sequel of his album Y Otis. Released on the Finish label We Jazz Records. The album is absolutely exceptional, taking jazz into the future with beautiful and modern free-form inspired by contemporary electronic music but entirely instrumental. It’s a lovely piece of music and comes on this awesome “glow in dark” psycore edition. One of the highlights of 2020!
Originating from Peru Dengue Dengue Dengue is a duo of producers that transcends electronic music with integrations of ritualistic and traditional influences. Their album Continentes Perdidos (translating into Lost Continents) take us into the breach to an alternate universe. Creating a mesmerizing atmosphere through polyrhythmic score, the album creates a soundtrack filled with mind blowing tunes. Don’t miss this incredible piece of work yet again released by the brilliant label “On The Corner”.
Released on the brilliant First Word Records, “Nothing Remains Unchanged” is the new album by the incredible Aussie producer and multi-instrumentalist Ross McHenry. Joined on this album by jazz luminaries Eric Harland (drums), Ben Wendel (saxophone) and NYC-based Australian pianist Matthew Sheens. Recorded over the course of three intense studio days in New York. The album is flowing like a gentle river it feels relaxed and energized at times offering a great listening experience. Without a doubt one of the highlights of the year 2020!
Hailing from Wellington, New Zealand Cory Champion’s Jazz project, Clear Path Ensemble releases his debut album via the New Compositions record label with the assist on vinyl distribution by HHV records. Cory’s already known for his left field, techno and house music productions and this is his first project into Modern & Spiritual Jazz. The album will take you on a personal journey following into the artist’s story telling through improvisations and free form. A liberating experience, like being transported into an imaginary world filled with music and instruments.
Lapalux returns this year with his fourth album released on Flying Lotus’ label Brainfeeder. Hailing from London Lapalux aka Stuart Howard brings us an incredible futuristic themed album that binds in electronic, ambient, sound design and cinematic music into an album that illustrates (in his words) the continuum of life cycle and the universe. Listening to this I’m taken into an imaginative visual driven sci-fi journey. It’s easy to lose track of time when exploring this album it will take you by surprise. The vinyl album itself is a beautiful piece of modern art with the vinyl itself looking amazing. This is without a doubt an highlight for electronic music in 2020. Don’t miss this.
