Funk / Soul
Available: 8th January 2021
a1. The J.B.'s - (It's Not The Express) It's The J.B.'s Monaurail
a2. The J.B.'s - Here We Come, Here We Go, Here We Are
a3. The J.B.'s - All Aboard The Soul Funky Train
a4. The J.B.'s - Transmograpfication
b1. The J.B.'s - Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself And You Be Yours
b2. The J.B.'s - Taurus, Aries & Leo
b3. The J.B.'s - Things & Do
Available: 18th December 2020
Floating Points’ personal collection of global soul, ambient, jazz and folk treasures form the latest in the warmly revered Late Night Tales series.
Sam Shepherd aka Floating Points’ music taste is notoriously tricky to define, ranging from ethereal classical at one end to coruscating techno at the other, united only in a firm belief in the transcendental power of music to move hearts, minds and – yes – feet. Similarly, his production career has ranged from early experiments in dance music with breakout records such as the ‘Shadows EP’ and collaborating with legendary Gnawa master Mahmoud Guinia to his expansive album ‘Elaenia’, which met with critical acclaim upon its release in 2015.
This Late Night Tales excursion into the depths of the evening reflects his broad tastes. The globally-travelled producer has collected untold treasures on his travels from dusty stores in Brazil to market stalls near his hometown. There’s the gorgeous ‘Via Làctea’, culled from Carlos Walker’s debut album, Abu Talib’s (Bobby Wright) plaintive ‘Blood Of An American’ and Robert Vanderbilt’s gospel reworking of Manchild’s ‘Especially For You’. Raw soul and feeling oozing from each song’s pores.
At the other end of the music scale are the modernists, such as Québécoise Kara-Lis Coverdale who weighs in with the indelible ‘Moments In Love’, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith whose ‘Milk’ is an exercise in tranquility, while Sarah Davachi’s meditative mix-opener offers respite from a weary world.
We have some tracks exclusive to Late Night Tales; alongside Davachi’s offerings there is also Toshimaru Nakamura’s ‘Nimb #59’, as well as the now traditional cover version. Shepherd delved into his childhood memory for this one, a track taken from the first album his parents bought him, Kenny Wheeler’s ‘Music For Large & Small Ensembles’: Sam offers up his interpretation of ‘Opening Part 1’. Wheeler also contributes horns to Azimuth track The Tunnel, written and performed by Norma Winstone and John Taylor who, coincidentally, are the parents of Floating Points’ drummer Leo Taylor. Closing the album, Lauren Laverne reads the suitably nocturnal poem ‘Ah! Why, Because The Dazzling Sun’ by Emily Brontë.
“I tried to find music that reflects the stillness of night. And because my musical interests lie all over the place, it’s quite difficult to distil that notion down to just a few songs. I was quite keen to have some electronic music in there but I also really wanted to have some soul music mixed in, so I had to try and find a pathway between all of this different music.”
- Sam Shepherd (Floating Points), 2019
a1. Sarah Davachi - Untitled (live In Portland - Excerpt)
a2. Carlos Walker - Via Lactea
a3. The Rationals - Glowin'
a4. William S Fischer - Chains
b1. Max Roach - Equipoise
b2. Abu Talib - Blood Of An American
b3. Sweet & Innocent - Express Your Love
b4. Robert Vanderbilt & The Foundation Of Souls - A Message Especially From God
c1. A Message Especially From God - A Message Especially From God
c2. Alain Bellaiche - Sun Blues
c3. Alain Bellaiche - Sea Fluorescent
c4. Kara-Lis Coverdale - Moments In Love (Excerpt)
d1. Azimuth - The Tunnel
d2. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - Milk (Excerpt)
d3. Toshimaru Nakamura - Nimb#59
d4. Floating Points - The Sweet Time Suite" (part 1 - Opening - Exclusive Kenny Wheeler Cover version)
d5. Lauren Laverne - Ah! Why, Because The Dazzling Sun (Exclusive Spoken Word Piece)
Release Date 22nd February 2019
Rescued from a haze of drugs, alcohol and questionable women comes a potent blend of heavy Chicago Funk, Modern Soul & Psychedelia. Influential recordings from the group's sought-after Funk classics have been sampled by Beck, The Chemical Brothers, Jim Jones, Raekwon & Leaders of The New School.
Previously unreleased Rasputin's Stash from the forthcoming Stash album due out in April. 'Make Up Your Mind' is a contagious rhythm with Jimi Hendrix-style fuzzed out guitar riffs echoing sweet soul vocals and a brass section tight enough to please any Tower of Power fan. On the b-side is a slow-jam Soul-Steppers classic 'You Are My Everything'
Cut directly to vinyl from the recently found master tapes, this music presents material from the band at their artistic peak and the last recordings before Rasputin's Stash members went on to record Crystal Winds First Flight and Attitude, Belief & Determination
a. Make up Your Mind
b. You Are My Everything
Release Date - 21st December 2018
Wahever Records in association with Alex Dayo Drumming School proudly presents Gùndo Fara, the debut EP by Zantogola.
Inspired by the West African heritage of popular rhythms and songs, Zantogola are at the same time masters and explorers of the plenguedey music: a fusion between elements of mandingue, highlife and afrobeat with hip hop, reggae and jazz.
The band mixes traditional African-percussions rhythms with brass, voices, guitars, balafons and ngonis to create contemporary, reflective, joyous and highly danceable songs.
The Zantogola project was born in 2016 with the meeting of Alex Dayo and Matteo Boyero, and has grown up into a full scale band and human adventure. Among the members of the band there are musicians like Alai Sanfo, Hien Narcisse Moustique Piqué, Robert Goldsmith, David Kemp, Nick Onley, James MacPhail, Owain Arthur, Moussa Dembele and Shreya Rai.
Alex Dayo is a drummer/percussionist from Burkina Faso, former musician of the Kouledafourou National Ballet and leader of Wountey, the band who initiated Plenguedey music. Alex moved to London in 2008 where he set up a drumming school.
Shreya Rai is a 25 year old singer from Nepal. She is the main female singer for Zantogola, and also performs with other bands such as Namlo and Makindu (WAHEVER 004). She is a highly creative and dedicated artist, and a composer in her own right: look up her name for future releases.
This EP also features some special guests: violinist John Garner, Rafael Anker on EVI (electro valve instrument), Togo Clément Palé on bass, Sophia Mogapi on snare/cymbals, Marta Badia Marin on background doundoun and Dabaiyah Fidel on backing vocal.
Zantogola means “the greatest in everyone” and it’s the name of a character in Burkina Faso’s folklore. There are many tales of his extraordinary powers. He plays his percussion louder than anybody in the country, so loud that you could hear him from all the other villages.
He can devour a whole village’s food supply for a year in a single day, but his appetite is matched by his generosity: he will farm all the fields for the whole village single-handed. He also sleeps for a whole season unless the village needs him.
Zantogola also inspires a message of humbleness. In these dark times, Zantogola stands against growing nationalism and the tightening of borders to create a spirit of common purpose and brotherhood.
Gùndo Fara means “secret revealed” in Bambara, one of the most widely spoken languages in French speaking West Africa.
This 45 rpm loud cut 12’’ EP is an introduction to an eleven track album to be released in spring 2019, it is limited to 300 copies and comes with B side drum mixes that will not be included on the spring album release.
Composed and arranged by Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo
Produced by Matteo Boyero and Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo
Recorded by Matteo Boyero at Wahever Records, except drums on “Tare” recorded at the Alex Dayo Drumming School, and bass and electro valve instrument on “Taré”, recorded at Dondoli Studio by Joseph Sangare
Mixed by Peter Soldan at Dada Studios
Mastered by Simon Davey at the Exchange
Artwork by Sandra von Hazelberg
Musicians
Seli:
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: lead and backing vocal, drum set (congas, djembe, cymbals, high hat and calebasse), bass bara, doundoun, kenkeni & top bell, sabar, tama, maracas
Shreya Rai: lead and backing vocal
Dabaiyah Fidel: backing vocal
Abdoulaye Sanfo: djembe solo
Moussa Dembele: balafon (xylophone)
Hien Narcisse Likite Moustique Piqué: medium bara
James MacPhail: bass
Owen Arthur: electric rhythm and lead guitar
Robert Goldsmith: baritone sax
David Kemp: alto sax
Nick Onley: tenor sax
Matteo Boyero: drum machine kick programming
Taré:
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: lead and backing vocal, balafon, rhythm djembe 1, drum set (congas & djembe 2), bara, sabar, cowbell, shekere Abdoulaye Sanfo : djembe solo, rhythm djembe 3
Hien Narcisse Likite Moustique Piqué: kenkeni and top bell
Marta Badia Marin: background doundoun
Shreya Rai: lead and backing vocal
Pale Togo Clément: bass
Raphael Anker: EVI (electro valve instrument)
John Garner: violins
Robert Goldsmith: baritone sax
David Kemp: alto sax
Nick Onley: tenor sax
Matteo Boyero: drum machine kick programming
Sya drums (musicians present in the full version of the track not included):
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: rhythm djembe 1 & 2, djembe solo, drum set (congas & djembe 3), maracas, woodblock, doundoun, kenkeni & top bell, criquet Sophia Mogapi: drum kit (snare and cymbals)
Abdoulaye Sanfo: djembe snare
Matteo Boyero: drum machine kick programming
Special thanks to Peter Soldan at Dada Studios, Joseph Sangare at Dondoli Studio, Sandra Von Hazelberg for the artwork, Finsbury Park Art Club and all the students at the Alex Dayo Drumming School.
Notes by Alex Dayo:
Seli” means “pray”: whatever our beliefs as human beings, let’s pray to know ourselves so that we can gain a better awareness of humanity’s needs. “Taré” means “majesty”. How great is your mother’s love. How great is a lover’s love. It’s your choice to find the balance: as we cross many rivers, we encounter many mothers and loved ones. The greatest, they are in my heart majestically, I shall never forgot them. Not all women give birth to a majesty. I’m talking too and dedicating Tare to her Majesty, my mother Sita Sessouma, my mother by the river Kalpana from Nepal, and to all you great women from all over the planet.
I specially dedicate this EP to all my students.
a1. Zantogola - Seli
a2. Zantogola - Taré
b1. Zantogola - Seli Drums
b2. Zantogola - Sya Drums
Release Date: 10th November 2017
Despite being a part of the music industry for decades, releases that bear Akira’s name have been few and far between, with most of them coming from his post-punk heydays in São Paulo in the mid 80’s.
40% Foda / Maneirissimo’s very first vinyl release is a showcase of tracks from that era, unearthed cassette tapes that have been mastered and pressed to vinyl and are being brought to the public. All of the material is old but unheard and until now unreleased.
a1. Honda San
a2. Miami Vice
a3. Sagrada Familia
b1. Congonhas
b2. Laranja
b3. 92-XYZ92
b4. 92-7p4
Release Date: 20th October 2017
‘Fires of Quidel’ is the culmination of Son Swaggas first year as a band, a year spent refining their music, building connections as bandmembers and friends, and finally recording at Greenfield studios with analog gear to bring their sound to life. With this album Son Swagga present themselves to the world and showcase the passion they bring to music as well as the individual talents of the bandmembers.
a1. Fires Of Quidel
a2. Isenman
a3. Calling All Tribes
b1. Galactic
b2. Yamanu Emerges
Released 26th May 2017
Second release from the label offers up broken rhythms, jacking grooves and deep spirituals. Hold Me explores lyricism within tight repetitious rhythm, on which saxophonist Tyrone Isaac-Stuart explores hook lines and story telling whilst bassist Jordan Christo maintains control over the low-end spectrum.
That He Man Of Hers melds jacking, upbeat tempo with romanticism and melancholy on top, with Louis Ktisti providing guitar accompaniment. One's Own Permanent Faith, on the other hand, provides for a moodier and more subdued spiritual dance rhythm, which warms one up before the spiritual explorations in Would You Tell Me About You. In this final track, the guitar rhythms provided by Jabriel AlSuhaimi and spiritual exorcism of the saxophone by Tyrone Isaac-Stuart present a different angle in the approach towards discovering the endless groove.
Credits:
Written Simas Savickas
Produced by Arnheim
Alto Saxophone by Tyrone Isaac-Stuart (A1, B2) Guitar by Jabriel AlSuhaimi (B2)
Electric Guitar by Louis Ktisti (A2)
Electric Bass by Jordan Chriso (A1)
Recording Sessions Engineered by Ato Ayerra Published by Barbara’s Soul Body Music Manufactured by Well Tempered
Distributed by Unearthed Sounds
a1. Hold Me
a2. That He Man Of Hers
b1. One's Own Permanent Faith
b2. Would You Tell Me About You
Released 24th March 2017
The Disco Theatre of Manhattan Delivers!
a1. Sold my Sylver - Spring Break Edit
b1. Piano Scarf - Spring Break Edit
Released 21st July 2017
Bristol based 'Arkist' has always been a versatile producer and as a result has an impressive rage of releases under his belt, with revered imprints such as Hotflush and Hypercolour. Recently he has been experimenting further in the studio and is ready to present his first 12inch in few years, under a brand new alias - Astrocat.
In this debut, self-titled EP it is instantly apparent that vocoder-infused funk and disco of the highest order can be expected from this new Astrocat guise. The EP is full of vintage talk box vocals, warm spacey chords and infectious basslines that bring classic records from the likes of Zapp and The Rah Band into mind.
With 5 tracks this EP has a lot to offer. Wether it be the raw, funked up james of the opener 'Small Talk' and title track 'Astrocat' or the more chilled, woozy grooves of 'Nightflare'. With features from Mr Woodnote and a dub remix from Appleblim this EP's roots sit firmly in the South West. Local legend DJ Die even lent his vocoder to the studio for some of the recordings.
a1. Small Talk (featuring Mr Woodnote)
a2. Nightflare
a3. Astrocat
b1. Only
b2. Nightflare (Appleblim Remix)
Billy Woods goosebump enducing "Let Me Make You Happy" is not just one of the most incredible 45's ever played on the Northern Soul scene, it comes with a typical weird world of Northern Soul fable with it too.
An original (beware recent bootlegs) 45 on the USA Sussex label will set you back £5,000 if you can find anyone willing to part with a copy, but let's talk about the music first, not the rarity..
Produced, arranged and co-written by the late great Van McCoy, "Let Me Make You Happy" showcases perfectly his genius at fusing magical melodies,angst driven lyrics,wondrous lead vocals supplemented by in-the-pocket backing singers,and pull you like a magnet to the dancefloor groove. Sufffice to say it manages to overshadow his other great Rare Soul gems from the likes of The Vonettes, Sandi Sheldon,The Ad Libs and Chris Bartley.
It's rarity is based on Sussex losing its distribution deal with A&M the week it was due for release in the mid 1970's.. A handful of copies were found at the time by record dealer extraordinaire John Anderson, who duly sold them to key Rare Soul DJ's and a legend was born.
This is the first time it has had a UK release courtesy of Sussex, and the flip is another gem from the label. The Decisions "I Can't Forget About You", produced by Detroit studio kings Dennis Coffey and Mike Theodore epitomises hardcore male group harmony uptempo Soul beloved by the Northern scene. It was actually released on a UK A&M 45, and is subsequently not a big dollar rarity, but sounds like it should be £5,000 worth
a1. Billy Woods - Let Me Make You Happy
b1. The Decisions - I Can't Forget About You
a1. Roses
a2. Corn Maze
a3. Mouth
a4. Graphs
a5. Slow Go
a6. We Need A Simple Way
b1. Barber’s Pole
b2. Lo
b3. Don’t Talk Now
b4. Cocktail Paint
b5. Real Scene
b6. Goodbye Flute