Booker T. & The M.G's - Melting Pot, LP Vinyl (Stax Records)

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Melting Pot from Booker T. & The M.G.’s marked a turning point for the influential instrumental group. Released in 1971, it was the final studio album to include the original lineup of the longtime Stax house band (Booker T. Jones on keyboards, Steve Cropper on guitar, Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass guitar, and Al Jackson Jr. on drums). Comprised entirely of original material, Melting Pot finds the four-piece digging deep into some expansive Memphis soul jams.

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Meet You At The Jazz Corner Of The World: Vol. 2, LP Vinyl (Blue Note)

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The legendary NYC jazz club Birdland was sacred ground for drummer Art Blakey who recorded 3 live albums for Blue Note at the venue between 1954-1960: A Night at Birdland, At the Jazz Corner of the World, and Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World. This last date featured one of the greatest lineups of Blakey’s powerhouse outfit The Jazz Messengers with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Bobby Timmons on piano, and Jymie Merritt on bass.

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Meet You At The Jazz Corner Of The World: Vol. 1, LP Vinyl (Blue Note)

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The legendary NYC jazz club Birdland was sacred ground for drummer Art Blakey who recorded 3 live albums for Blue Note at the venue between 1954-1960: A Night at Birdland, At the Jazz Corner of the World, and Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World. This last date featured one of the greatest lineups of Blakey’s powerhouse outfit The Jazz Messengers with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Bobby Timmons on piano, and Jymie Merritt on bass.

Dr Dre - 2001, 2xLP Vinyl (Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope)

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Available again on double vinyl and also as the Explicit Version. 2001 is the second studio album by Dr. Dre. It was released on November 16, 1999, by Interscope Records as the follow-up to his 1992 debut album The Chronic. The record was produced primarily by Dr. Dre and Mel-Man, as well as Lord Finesse, and features several guest contributions from fellow rappers such as The D.O.C., Hittman, Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Xzibit, Eminem, and Nate Dogg. 2001 exhibits an expansion on Dre’s debut G-funk sound and contains gangsta rap themes such as violence, promiscuity, drug use, street gangs, sex and crime.

DJ Shadow - Our Pathetic Age, 2xLP, 2xCD (Mass Appeal)

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DJ Shadow releases an ambitious double album - Our Pathetic Age - on Mass Appeal. Our Pathetic Age is the result of an intensely creative period that found the hip-hop and electronic innovator delving further into original composition and experimentation. The first half of Our Pathetic Age features 11 new instrumental works that balance some of Shadow’s most menacing sounds with beams of hope, including his first fully composed orchestral piece.

The second half of Our Pathetic Age is a full album of vocal collaborations, ranging from Run The Jewels, Nas and Dave East to Sam Herring, Paul Banks and Wiki, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon. Shadow notably reunites with his early Solesides collaborators Lateef The Truthseeker and Gift of Gab (Blackalicious). It also features St. Louis MCs Rockwell Knuckles and Tef Poe, fellow Bay Area musicians Fantastic Negrito and Jumbo is Dr.ama, and Brookyln MC Stro.

Brainstory - Buck LP Vinyl, Coloured Vinyl, CD (Big Crown Records)

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What is Buck?

Buck is a state of mind, a way of life, a demeanour that gets you through the good times and the bad. If you ask Brainstory, it is also the energy that permeates their debut album.

Kevin, Tony, and Eric are a trio of brothers bounded by blood, fate, and a small town with nothing to do. Their story begins in the long lost lands of the San Bernardino Valley, in the twilight zone known as Rialto, California: an arid wasteland of boredom and empty lots. Through punk rock and skateboarding they found temporary liberation from the local monotony. However, it wouldn’t be long before a hunger for more led them to explore musical realms beyond that of the hardcore punk they admired. After stints at music school and steady disappointment trying to navigate their local jazz scene they moved to Los Angeles and Brainstory was born.

Through a introduction from Chicano Batman’s bassist, Brainstory caught the ears of Big Crown head honchos Danny Akalepse and Leon Michels. Shortly thereafter they were on their way to Queens, to record at The Legendary Diamond Mine with Michels at the helm. An instant chemistry yielded 10 songs in 10 days and now Brainstory has gifted the world with one hell of an introduction to all things Buck.

Mndsgn - No Maps, LP Vinyl (Mndsgn Limited)

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2011's No Maps traces a transitional period between two coasts, soundtracking Mndsgn’s transplant from New Jersey to Los Angeles. The 15 tracks take their own detours, in and out of soft synth compositions, textured loops and hard bops to illustrate relocation and it’s reflective nature. Collage by Yuk.

Cloud One - Spaced Out: The Very Best of Cloud One, 2xCD (P&P Records)

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Produced by the legendary Patrick Adams, the studio-bound disco unit Cloud One made its debut in 1975 with the spectacular Atmosphere Strut and throughout the seventies, became the centrepiece for P&P, Queen Constance, Golden Flamingo, Heavenly Star, and Sound of New York, all labels ran by Peter Brown & Patricia Gilyard. At a time when most music was recorded with a full army of studio musicians, Cloud One records were mostly played, arranged and mixed in their entirety by Patrick Adams himself!!!

The ability to "work on his own" allowed the music to feel more experimental than the work he did on major labels at the time. While there' s been other compilations, this is the first official P&P collection dedicated to the work of Patrick Adams as Cloud One. Spaced Out compiles the best of Cloud One' s output with songs from their Atmosphere Strut LP, their Funky Disco Tracks EP and a number of known 12" singles as well as some hard-to-find titles like "Patti Duke", "Don' t Let My Rainbow Pass Me By", and "Flying High".

"Spaced Out" is not only a good addition to fans of the P&P Catalog, but also the perfect introduction to the work of Legendary Disco Producer Patrick Adams.

James Brown - Sho Is Funky Down Here, CD (Now-Again)

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Sho is Funky Down Here and The Grodeck Whipperjenny are a pair of albums that are the result of an unlikely but highly productive musical relationship between James Brown, a superstar at the creative and commercial peaks of his long career, and David Matthews, a then young arranger-musician whose limited professional experience had little or nothing to do with the funk and soul of his collaborator.

Sho is Funky Down Here is James Brown’s psychedelic album, created by his then-bandleader David Matthews, and issued at the same time as Matthews’ classic The Grodeck Whipperjenny. Underground, fuzzy, rambling psych-funk. The genesis of Brown’s “Talking Loud And Saying Nothing,” a 1990s hip hop sample staple, informing A Tribe Called Quest, Large Professor, Brand Nubian and others.

The Grodeck Whipperjenny – The Grodeck Whipperjenny, CD (Now-Again)

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Contains an extensive booklet with full annotation, liner notes by Brown historian Alan Leeds and never-before-published photos.

First issued in 1970. Sho is Funky Down Here and The Grodeck Whipperjenny are a pair of albums that are the result of an unlikely but highly productive musical relationship between James Brown, a superstar at the creative and commercial peaks of his long career, and David Matthews, a then young arranger-musician whose limited professional experience had little or nothing to do with the funk and soul of his collaborator.

A psychedelic classic, created by his James Brown' s bandleader David Matthews, the first album issued on Brown' s famed People imprint. As progressive as it is funky, this album was issued in tandem with another Matthews project issued under Brown' s name - Sho Is Funky Down Here.

One of the deepest albums in the Brown catalog, its story is finally told. Lacquered directly from the original master tapes at Capitol Studios. This is the first official reissue of both of this rare titles.

Benny The Butcher – The Plugs I Met, CD (Griselda Records)

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Griselda Records' own Benny The Butcher released his Tana Talk 3 project in the winter of 2018, the album was produced entirely by Griselda mainstay Daringer and Alchemist and included appearances from his Griselda/Shady Records label-mates Westside Gunn and Conway and Royce 5’9” and Meyhem Lauren.

The Plugs I Met, which was released on compact disc in late July, features collaborations with Pusha T, Jadakiss, Conway, RJ Payne, Alchemist and Daringer. Benny also released the projects first single, “18 Wheeler,” which features Pusha T. Now under the management of Roc Nation, The Plugs I Met is further proof that the future is now for Benny The Butcher.

Elcamino & Oh Jay - Where's My Pyrex? CD (Air Vinyl Records)

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2019 has been a banner year for Griselda Records. From recording their highly anticipated record for Eminem’s Shady Records to Benny The Butcher signing a management deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, they have made some major moves. However, the young shooter of the crew, Elcamino, has been largely ignored by the press and masses alike.

While the name may not be instantly recognizable to North American fans, Oh Jay is well known in The Netherlands and throughout Europe. The veteran DJ and producer has been a part of a number of Hip-Hop acts since as early as 1990. In fact, he received a Gold record for his contributions to the Brainpower album "Verschil Moet Er Zijn." Much more recently he handled production duties on Milano Constantine’s criminally slept-on Attache Case full-length.

Let’s just say that what Elcamino and Oh Jay put together for "Where’s My Pyrex?" is about to have Griselda fiends falling out worldwide.

Flee Lord & 38 Spesh - Loyalty & Trust, CD (Air Vinyl Records)

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38 Spesh and Flee Lord both have deafening buzz right now, so what better way to satisfy their hungry fans than to do a joint album? The two have put together their brands, Trust Comes First and Loyalty Or Death, to create the must-have project of the Summer, Loyalty + Trust. It’s Rochester meets Far Rockaway and the game will never be the same again. The lead single, “Perfect Plate,” exemplifies the duo’s synergy as Flee speaks his mind over Spesh’s Golden Era sound.

Flee Lord & eto - RocAmerikkka, CD (Air Vinyl Records)

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Flee Lord and Eto both have the streets on fire right now. So, the announcement they were working on a joint album dubbed “RocAmeriKKKa” sent fans into a frenzy. The title alludes to the duo’s hometowns of Rochester and Far Rockaway, as well as Ice Cube’s classic “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted.”

These two venom spitters recruited many of their regular collaborators to provide the soundscapes on this offering, including V Don, godBLESSbeatz, Tricky Trippz, Fith, and Big French. However, to spark off the LP they got a beat from the god Green Lantern! Further, they kept the guests to a minimum, choosing to only invite 38 Spesh and singer Imanii Skyy to get down.

When New Crack Era and Loyalty Or Death connect, you know it’s gonna be trouble!

Various - 38 Spesh Presents: 1994, CD (Air Vinyl Records)

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Featuring Benny The Butcher, Conway, Elcamino, RJ Payne, Che Noir, Eto, Flee Lord, Fred The Godson, Rome Streetz, Planet Asia, Hus Kingpin, and many more!

To celebrate the 25th year anniversary of one of the best years in Hip-Hop, 38 Spesh has put together a special compilation titled “1994.” This album features literally every important name in underground Hip-Hop right now and they are all rhyming over classic beats from 1994. However, this isn’t a mixtape, Spesh actually went a remade each beat and added his own flavor.

For the first single Spesh enlisted the Griselda gods Conway and Benny The Butcher to scorch his take on Scarface’s hit “Never Seen A Man Cry.” 38 throws down his own verse down as well to cement the win.

Termanology & Dame Grease - Set In Stone, CD (Brick Records)

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Termanology has been creating classic streetwise boom-bap hip-hop since the late 90s. One of the most prevalent figures of the worldwide underground rap scene, Termanology has earned widespread critical praise and garnered a cult-like following through his music, and has performed with acclaimed legends such as Kool G. Rap, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, and DJ Premier, and is a frequent collaborator with his ‘Showoff Radio’ (on Sirius XM Radio’s Shade 45) co-host DJ Statik Selektah. He has released over 30 highly-regarded albums across various formats, while his own imprint ST Records has produced records for fellow underground-denizens like Shortfyuz, Ea$y Money, and Superstah Snuk.

Dame Grease, an NYC native, first made waves when he produced several songs on The Lox's Bad Boy Records debut album, Money, Power & Respect, including the hit “We'll Always Love Big Poppa” featuring Puff Daddy and Faith Evans. He followed that with work on Mase's quadruple platinum album Harlem World and on DMX's debut It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, on which he produced thirteen of its nineteen tracks. The 2000s saw Dame establishing his own label, Vacant Lot, and making hits for the likes of LL Cool J, Slick Rick, Ol' Dirty Bastard, T.I., Cam’Ron, Juelz Santana, Curren$y, French Montana, Riff Raff and many more.

The two legends have collaborated on a full length album, Set in Stone.

David Axelrod - Seriously Deep, LP Vinyl (Get On Down Reissue)

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The rediscovery of the music of David Axelrod in the 1990s was a revelation to the scores of hip-hop and breakbeat DJs that sampled him, but his composition genius was on display as early as the 1960s. After producing and arranging major critical and commercial hits for Lou Rawls, The Electric Prunes, David McCallum, and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, he was encouraged by Capitol Records to record and produce solo material. Coming right on the heels of The Beatles' revolutionary 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band, Axelrod would produce a slew of instrumental baroque pop records, which were intricately orchestrated, fused elements of jazz, psychedelic rock, chamber music, and neo-classical, and tackled issues of mental enlightenment, environmental impact, and would be hailed by critics as highly ambitious pieces of conceptual art.

The albums Song Of Innocence (1968), Songs Of Experience (1969), and Earth Rot (1970) are most often hailed as David Axelrod's finest moments, but little is mentioned of the producer's 1970s material. Among these records is Seriously Deep, his lone album recorded for Polydor, and an unheralded gem of jazz-rock fusion. On Seriously Deep, Axelrod dispenses with the heavily orchestrated measures of previous works to conduct a powerhouse crew of session musicians, including Leon Ndugu Chancler of Santana on drums, Mailto Correa on percussion, Jim Hughart on bass, Joe Sample on electric keys, and many others, with production from frequent Axelrod collaborators Cannonball Adderley and Jimmy Bowen.

Seriously Deep is an obscure release, but also one of David Axlerod's tightest, and most exploratory ones. Across six tracks, Axelrod and his collective of players dip in and out of bounding jazz-funk, Afro-Latin grooves, cinematic flourishes, psychedelic synth washes, and blaring big band horns. It's a singularly insular curiosity of musical impressionism that's equal parts brooding and joyous, a definitive part of Axelrod's discography, and a well of sample material for tracks by Mobb Deep, Large Professor, The Black Eyed Peas, and Beanie Siegel, among others.

David Axelrod - Earth Rot, LP Vinyl (Now-Again Reissue)

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The last in his capitol trilogy, Earth Rot is visionary composer / arranger / producer David Axelrod’s third album. Recorded as a concept album about the decrepit state of the environment in 1970 Los Angeles, and scheduled for release on the first Earth Day, it features choral vocals and marks a departure for Axelrod’s signature sound, which would take on a jazzier feel in the 1970s. This definitive version of Earth Rot, overseen by Now-Again’s Eothen Alapatt in conjunction with Axelrod’s Estate, fulfills a request Axelrod made while alive –to see the instrumentals of this album, never before released, issued.

This is an audiophile reissue, with the vocal version lacquered directly from Axelrod’s original master tapes at Capitol Records by Ron McMaster. The master was approved by Axelrod’s son Michael,who adapted ancient lyrics for the album in one of three collaborative projects he did with his father.

Contains a 28 page booklet that delves into Axelrod’s incredible life and music, replete with never before published photos and an interview.

David Axelrod - Earth Rot Instrumentals, LP Vinyl (Now-Again Reissue)

Instrumental LP Vinyl 18.99 Add to basket

Earth Rot is visionary composer / arranger / producer David Axelrod’s third album and the last of his Capitol trilogy. Recorded as a concept album about the decrepit state of the environment in 1970 Los Angeles, and scheduled for release on the first Earth Day, it marks a departure for Axelrod’s signature sound, which would take on a jazzier feel in the 1970s. The instrumental version of Earth Rot was first issued by Now-Again , overseen by the label’s Eothen Alapatt in conjunction with Axelrod’s estate as a limited double LP offering.

The instrumentals are now available for the first time ever as a stand-alone LP. The master was approved by Axelrod’s son Michael, who adapted ancient lyrics for the album in one of three collaborative projects he did with his father.

Contains a 28 page booklet that delves into Axelrod’s incredible life and music, replete with never before published photos and an interview.

Atomic Forest - Disco Roar, LP Vinyl (Now-Again Reissue)

LP Vinyl 22.99 Add to basket

The re-discovered third album by India’s best known psychedelic-rock ensemble, presented in its entirety. The companion piece to Atomic Forest anthology "Obsession". Covers of Deodato, Stevie Wonder and “Spectrum,” the heaviest Indian psych-funk jam unearthed to date. Over the course of four years, culminating in 2011, Now-Again Records assembled the Atomic Forest anthology "Obsession", which delved into and told the story of India’s 70s rock underground and this psychedelic ensemble’s story. At the time they issued "Obsession", they were not aware of the third album that the Atomic Forest had recorded, issued under Kanga’s name as "Disco Roar".

'That Disco Roar album was the first time we were doing anything like that. It was the first thing we did. It progressed into the "Hit Film Themes" album. Then these guys came with more commercial potential songs (which became "Obsession ’77"). But originally it was just a band, the live performances that we did, that made us very popular, these simple songs,' guitarist Abraham Mammen recalls. Atomic Forest’s story stands in for the untold stories of many of India’s underground bands, bands remembered vividly by those who witnessed their performances, bands that often homemade, cassette recordings – that have been lost to time. Mammen, now a traveling preacher splitting his time between India and the United States, reflects on the unlikely reissue of the Atomic Forest’s recordings: 'What’s left of the Atomic Forest? It’s just like smoke: smoke on the water.’ With the release of Disco Roar, that smoke keeps rising.

Bro David - Bro David Remixes, 12" Vinyl, Extended Reissue (Cultures Of Soul Records)

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Belizean artist Bredda David Obi set out to put Belizean music on the map in 1984 with the release of his debut LP No Fear. With this album he introduced the world to a new Belizean groove he called kungo (or cungo). A mélange of traditional Belizean brukdown music and sprinklings of the rock, funk, calypso and reggae. He would further develop this modern tropical sound on subsequent albums, integrating more and more elements from Belizean niche genres like sambai and paranda.

Years later DJs and record collectors found his records in basements of record stores in Los Angeles and Brooklyn. These DJs incorporated his music into their DJ sets to the excitement of dance floors all over the world.

The DJs and remixers on this 12" took it a step further and edited and remixed David's music. DC based DJs - Sol Power All-Stars morph "Dancin'" from an electro brukdown breakbeat into a four on the floor acid house track with an afro-caribbean feel. Los Angeles based DJ and record collector DJ Duckcomb tastefully melds both the dub and original versions of "Experience" into one epic reggae discomix. My Rules Records owner and DJ/producer Justin Van Der Volgen uses his heighten production skills to turn Bro David's "Sunshine" into a heady trippy cosmic version of the track. Last but not least LA-based Heatwave DJs turn "Cungo Music" into a dancefloor tested and approved extended anthem.

Bro David - Modern Music From Belize, Gatefolded Vinyl LP (Cultures Of Soul Records Compilation)

LP Vinyl 19.49 Add to basket

The Caribbean has long been an incubator for the sounds that will animate and shape the culture of the rest of the world for decades to come: From the rhythms of Cuba helping to shape American jazz, blues and rock n’ roll, to Trinidadian calypso introducing a bouncy lightness and gaiety to American party music, to Jamaica’s reggae showing a new way to rebel against convention. But what about the music of Belize, the Caribbean nation that holds the odd position of being a former British colony on the coat of Spanish-speaking Central America? Most people don’t know about the country at all, let alone about the rich sounds it has to offer.

Bredda David Obi set out to change that in 1984 with the release of his debut LP No Fear, and the introduction of a new Belizean groove he called kungo (or cungo). A mélange of traditional Belizean brukdown music and sprinklings of the rock, funk, calypso and reggae he had played in various bands during his years as a journeyman musician in the United States. He would further develop this modern tropical sound on subsequent albums, integrating more and more elements from Belizean niche genres like sambai and paranda.

Cultures of Soul is proud to take part in documenting Bredda David’s journey into the soul of Belize with an anthology of his early recordings including tracks from No Fear, Cungo Musik (1987) and We No Wa No Kimba Ya (1990) albums.

Space Cats - Something New, Vinyl LP (Cultures Of Soul Records Reissue)

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After the phenomenal response to their previous survey of disco and boogie sounds from early eighties South Africa, Cultures of Soul decided to wade a bit deeper into the pool to focus on one of the most compelling acts to emerge from that theater, the Space Cats.

Hailing from the small, insular music scene in the coal-mining city of Witbank, the Space Cats were a five-man band fronted by singer/bassist Themba “T’Rex” Mzwakali and singer/guitarist Santy Dladala. Operating as a semi-professional live combo rather than a studio-driven aggregation, they stood out from the slick, highly polished conventions of the day. And when they took the stage they offered a take on disco that was stripped-down, raw, rugged and inspired by afro-rock groups like Harari and Hedzoleh Soundz. While the Space Cats’ moment in the spotlight was short-lived—the band played together for barely a year before management issues necessitated a breakup—they managed to produce one endearing document of their brief career. Something New, their first and only album, released in 1981, features ten tracks of jittery, hard-edged disco-boogie-funk that capture the flavor of their performances in the rollicking dancehalls of Witbank.

Issued on the tiny Rejoice imprint, Something New had a very limited distribution reach even within South Africa and has remained heard by very few people over the last thirty-eight years. So we’re proud to make it available for the first time to the wide audience it surely deserved upon its initial release.

Anything Box - Peace, LP Vinyl (Get On Down Reissue)

LP Vinyl 24.99 Add to basket

12 Track Reissue Of 1990 Album With Insert.

Previously only available on vinyl in Brazil and Mexico (1990), this is the first US vinyl pressing of Peace ever. Yeah, this was more a personal project for some of us, hopefully it will connect with some. For fans of Book Of Love, OMD, Human League and Duckie.

Herbie Hancock - Dedication, LP Vinyl, Limited RSD Issue With Obi-Stripe (Get On Down)

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Record Store Day 2019 release.

Vinyl has never been officially issued outside of Japan. 3000 made worldwide. "Dedication" is a unique Herbie Hancock outing in more ways than one. This is a solo Hancock release, all sounds heard on this recording are Hancock at the keyboards, be it an acoustic piano, a Fender Rhodes or a synth. The result being a recording that' s full of air and space, yet thoroughly funky. The project was recorded live in Tokyo in July of 1974 and never saw release outside of Japan until well into the 21st century. No official vinyl issue has ever happened outside of Japan where the LP has been out of print for decades. For Record Store Day 2019 Get On Down presents the first ever US vinyl release of this important piece of Hancock' s artistic legacy. Tracks : A Side: 1. Maiden Voyage 2. Dolphin Dance B Side: 1. Nobu 2. Cantaloupe Island

Groove Theory - Groove Theory, 2LP Vinyl (Get On Down Reissue)

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The neo-soul movement of the late 1990s, which fused classic soul sounds with contemporary elements, heralded the arrival of some of the greatest R&B recordings of the decade. Albums like Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo's Brown Sugar, and Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite were all born of this trend, while artists such as Mos Def, The Roots, and Common whole-heartedly embraced the sound, creating some of their most timeless material in the process. These are some of neo-soul's great successes, but a slew of underground acts were what set the initial blueprint for their more pop-friendly acquaintances to follow. Acts such as R&B duo Groove Theory.

The New York pair, consisting of singer/songwriter Amel Larrieux, and producer Bryce Wilson, (A veteran of the legendary 80s electronic group Mantronix) helped set the tone for neo-soul via their lone studio release, the self-titled Groove Theory. The nearly hour-long record features 14 tracks of Wilson's smooth soul arrangements and atmospherics merged with golden era boom-bap beats, and Larrieux's siren-quality vocals, inspired equally by a combination of Native Tongues, peak Marvin Gaye, Joan Armatrading, Soul II Soul, as well as elements of breakbeat, jazz fusion, and even trip hop. It's a definitive, but often overlooked classic of the 1990s, which helped expand contemporary R&B's sound, render Billboard hits out the tracks "Tell Me" (Which peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100), "Keep Tryin'", and "Baby Luv", and even found the time for a Todd Rundgren cover.

On the cusp of Groove Theory's 25th anniversary, Get On Down is proud to bring you this vinyl reissue of an underrated 90s gem. The original record has never been re-released on wax since its 1995 debut, but is now presented here with fully remastered audio, and bundled in a full-color insert sleeve with complete lyrics and liner notes.

Gary Davis - A Taste Of Chocolate: The Very Best Of Gary Davis, 2LP Vinyl Compilation (Traffic)

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"Straight outta Camden, NJ it's Chocolate Star. Starting in 1980, Chocolate Star served as the outlet for the music of Gary Davis. Gary started Chocolate Star with his long time Camden compatriot Dennis 'DJ' Jones after a few years spent under the wing of Peter Brown at P&P Records. But Gary's storied involvement in music goes back further than that, having studied composition and arrangement with the late jazz great Manny Albam. Gary's musical education actually started earlier than that as one of the people he learned the most from was his uncle, famed jazz organist Richard 'Groove' Holmes. When you combined the funk Mr. Davis inherited from 'Groove', with the street-sense of Peter Brown with the skillful composition and arrangements learned from Manny Albam, you've got Chocolate Star. Playing with a band composed of (very talented) people from his Camden neighborhood Davis released cut after cut of solid funk filled dance music. They're all compiled here, from the Joe Sample-inspired 'Gee Dee', to one of first commercial releases to lay the beat down with a drum machine in "The Pop". Of course prominently featured is the legendary mover 'Gotta Get Your Love.' A Taste Of Chocolate: The Very Best of Gary Davis has been assembled with Mr. Davis and whenever possible using Gary's original masters. These cuts bridge the disco era, into hip hop and the earliest forms of house. Talented, versatile, and still able to get you out of your chair and shaking your behind...this is Chocolate Star. This is the very best of Gary Davis."

Various - LAMP Records - It Glowed Like the Sun: The Story of Naptown's Motown 1969-1972, 2LP Gatefolded + Booklet (Now-Again Records Edition)

2LP 180g Vinyl 49.99 Add to basket

Gatefold jacket with OBI. Contains a 24 page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos.

The Collected Soul, Funk, Gospel and Rock Releases From Indianapolis’ Greatest Label.

Sometimes, all it takes is one man to recognize a city’s potential for an industry. In Indianapolis, that man was Herb Miller, and his business was soul and funk. He came to prominence long after Indy’s allure as a jazz destination waned. He founded LAMP Records in the late 1960s to wake Naptown from its musical slumber. Miller served a critical role in city’s burgeoning soul and funk scene, providing not only financial backing, but acting as a one-stop, record-making shop for artists that had, to that point, been doing it all themselves. He’s the Berry Gordy you’ve never heard of. His roster – national acts like the Vanguards and Ebony Rhythm Band alongside talented, regional acts such as the Moonlighters, Montiques, Pearls and the Words of Wisdom Truth Revue – rivaled that of any American independent and paved the way for the ascension of 80s and 90s hitmakers Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Antonio “L.A.” Reid, both of whom cut their teeth with LAMP alumnus.

Various - Greg Belson's Divine Disco Volume Two: Obscure Gospel Disco 1979-1987, Gatefolded 2LP (Cultures Of Soul Records 2019)

2LP Vinyl 28.99 Add to basket

Although gospel and disco music seem like polar opposites—one is secular while the other has embraced a hedonistic culture—the marriage of the two genres has birthed the uplifting spirituality and dance floor thump found in gospel disco. By the mid-'70s many established and independent gospel artists started creating records with a tight four-on-the-floor beat that touched both churchgoers as well as patrons of the drug-fueled establishments of the '70s.

Cultures of Soul Records is proud to present the second installment of Greg Belson's Divine Disco. Belson is one of the world's leading authorities on the funky gospel sound; for this collection he dug deep into his crates to undercover the rarest independent and private press gospel disco records ever recorded. Greg Belson's Divine Disco sound is one that's been heard around the world from his DJ appearances at Glastonbury's NYC Downlow stage to LA's Funky Sole to soul nights across Europe.

Many tracks are under the radar or recently discovered such as Harrison Jones - On that Other Shore, Converters, I've Been Converted and the super limited self-released 45 by Mr Jesse R. McGuire – Jesus Is On the Mainline. Only 50 copies were ever pressed. This volume even includes gospel disco from the UK with Paradise's brilliant "Keep the Fire." This compilation also includes remixes and edits by Steve Cobby (who was a member of Fila Brazillia) and the Divine Situation production duo of Greg Belson and Paulo Fulci.

Sabrina Rich - Smooth Operator, 12" Vinyl, Picture Sleeve (Cultures Of Soul Records Reissue)

12" Vinyl 12.99 Add to basket

Reissue of this killer tropical reggae cover of Sade's 'Smooth Operator'. Recorded at Circle Sound Studios, Miami, the backing track was recorded by members of the famous reggae outfit Inner Circle with vocals by local area rising star at the time, Sabrina Rich. Killer reissue via Cultures Of Soul!

Laika Speaks - Red Rocket Right Return, LP Vinyl (Mountain of Leopards 2019)

LP Vinyl 21.99 Add to basket

Modern composers, from Holst to Suzanne Cianni to Sun Ra, differ in how space is represented sonically. There are as many interpretations as there are composers willing to engage the search. A common thread weaves between them: space created instead of space filled. The sounds of space are limitless in a vacuum. But how can they be experienced if not from a safe haven? Laika Speaks, so named for the famed Russian dog, approaches this question with a minimalist approach to modular synthesis and a healthy dose of electronic delay. Their debut album, Red Rocket Right Return, is an interpretation of the sounds of the cosmos as imagined through the perspective of the titular Sputnik canine; a record that questions just what Laika might have heard during her journey around the Earth. Additional inspiration comes from from a truly eccentric grab bag of sounds, including Space Race-era satellite transmissions, morse code, and HAM radio. The listening experience of Red Rocket Right Return is evocative of drifting, the isolation of space travel, the lonely emptiness of the unknown, and the vastness of the universe. An album for the Voyager Spacecraft in your life.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Flat Tummy Tea b/w Bandana, 12" Vinyl (Madlib Invazion)

12" Vinyl 12.99 Add to basket

“Flat Tummy Tea” b/w “Bandana” feat. Assassin, with instrumentals and bonus beats “Flat Tummy Tea” is from the forthcoming album Bandana.
Other tracks are exclusive to this 12-inch release.

Ghostface Killah - Ghostface Killahs, LP Vinyl & CD (Music Generation Corporation)

CD 10.99 Add to basket
LP Vinyl 23.99 Add to basket

Ghostface Killahs marks the return of Ghostface. After several side projects, GFK returns with his first true solo album in years. He is joined by fellow Wu-Tang members Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna, and Masta Killa. Other guests include Harley, Sun God (Ghosts first born son), Solomon Childs, Shawn Wigs, and Eamon. Production is handled primarily by Danny Caiazzo. Iron Man Tone continues his onslaught of colourful wordplay, and harsh street realities, as the laser beam vocalist tells it. This album sounds like vintage Ghostface and will prove worthy amongst any true Hip Hoppers. Proving the Wu Tang is truly forever, this is a must for any Wu fan as well as every Ghostface Killah fan. The veteran wordsmith, known for his prolific and versatile catalogue, delivers another classic album to the Ghostface and WuTang legacy.

Nas - It Was Written, 2LP Vinyl, Gatefolded (Get On Down Reissue)

2LP Vinyl 30.99 Add to basket

Illmatic, the 1994 studio debut of Nasir "Nas" Jones, was more than just a critical success for the Queensbridge-based rapper. At a time when East Coast hip-hop was increasingly being taken less seriously than their West Coast counterparts, Illmatic's raw jazz and soul-based production, dire atmosphere and lyrics, coupled with Nas' uncompromising flow was integral in restoring interest in the East Coast as a hotbed of hip-hop artistry. Along with key releases from Wu-Tang Clan and Notorious B.I.G.,it shifted attention away from the funky, dayglo synth-based G-funk coming out of California and back to the grimy streets of New York. After such an unprecedented debut record, expectations were understandably high for Nas' follow-up.

It Was Written was not hard up for top-tier guests either, featuring major guest turns from Lauryn Hill and Joel "JoJo" Hailey of K-Ci & JoJo. It also introduced the world to The Firm, the brief Nas-led supergroup featuring rappers AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega. It even managed to cause some minor controversy in the hip-hop community for its collaboration with West Coast producer Dr. Dre, at a time when the East Coast/West Coast rap feud was reaching a fever pitch, briefly attracting the ire of one Tupac Shakur.

Not only was It Was Written received warmly by critics, but became a major commercial success, reaching the top of the Billboard 200 charts, reaching platinum sales status four times, and alongside albums like Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, helped usher in the era of mafioso rap in the mainstream. It rendered chart hits out of singles like the Eurhythmics-mimicking "Street Dreams", and the Grammy-nominated "If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)", and proved to be a major influence on artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco, and many more.

Darondo - Legs Pt. 1 / Let My People Go 7" Vinyl (Luv N' Haight)

7" Vinyl 9.99 Add to basket

Double A-side 7in featuring Darondo's most dance-floor worthy tune "Legs Pt.1", a slice of proto-Prince type funk with the powerful and conscious ballad "Let My People Go" on the flip.

Liam Bailey - Champion / Please Love Me (Acoustic), 7" Vinyl (Big Crown Records)

7" Vinyl 8.99 Add to basket

Big Crown records is proud to present the first 45 from the label's newest signing, Liam Bailey. Liam is an English singer and songwriter from Nottingham with Jamaican roots but a style and sound completely his own. The first 7" is taken from his upcoming album and was produced by long time collabo- rator, Leon Michels. The pair fist worked together 10 years ago on the song, "When Will They Learn" which has since become a club favorite at reggae nights around the globe.

Side A, Champion, is a song that is in a class all by itself and certainly a slight departure for Liam and Leon. Thumping Juno bass and drums fortified with an 808, this reggae tinged banger is designed to bust up woofers and blow out dance floors. While Liam waxes poetic about a type of girl that is as prodigious as she is pulchritudinous, the rhythm is a hypnotic groove that begs to be played over and over again.

Side B, Please Love Me Again, finds Liam in a place that most people might know him for. A beautiful written song with nothing more than stunning vocals and acoustic guitar. Liam's performance on this one that will move anybody with a pulse.

Bobby Oroza - Down On My Knees b/w Strange Girl, 7" Vinyl (Big Crown Records)

7" Vinyl 8.99 Add to basket

In the wake of his instant classic album This Love, Bobby Oroza drops a new tune they cut during some downtime between tours. This is something of a Big Crown family affair as they cover The Shacks tune “Strange Boy” giving it that signature Bobby sound and flipping the title to “Strange Girl”. Once again the winning combo of Bobby and Cold Diamond & Mink come out swinging, and to add to the family affair we enlisted our very own Leon Michels to do horns on the track.

Side B is one of the killer ballads pulled from the album, “Down On My Knees” is already a hit with the slowie crowd and pressing it to this 7 is sure to make a bunch of the sweet soul collectors happy.

Holy Hive - Hypnosis / Broom, 7" Vinyl (Big Crown Records)

7" Vinyl 8.99 Add to basket

The lead single from Float Back To You, the upcoming debut album from folk newcomers Holy Hive, presented by Big Crown Records. On the A-side, ‘Hypnosis’ is a paean to hedonism and balancing responsibility with leisure, while on the B-side, ‘Broom’ is powered by a rare ‘zim-gar’ drum machine and speaks of finding true love.

La Coka Nostra Presents ILL BILL - Black Metal, CD & Smoke Clear 2LP+ 7" Vinyl (Uncle Howie Records)

CD 14.99 Add to basket
2LP + Bonus 7" Vinyl 34.99 Add to basket

Limited Edition Smoke Clear Double Vinyl + Bonus 7inch!

7" comes with 3 non album tracks pressed on clear vinyl.

For First Time On Vinyl!

Black Metal was the forecast of what was to come with the introduction of La Coka Nostra. Non Phixion front man ILL BILL had recently joined up with Danny Boy, Slaine and others to start working on a new powerhouse group. With friends from both coasts like Sick Jacken, Q-Unique, Killah Priest, Jeru The Damaja, O.C. and more joining in, this release takes a look at the music BILL was recording after Non Phixion disbanded and as LCN was forming.

MF Doom - Special Herbs Vol.5 & 6, 2019 Release (Nature Sounds)

CD 14.99 Add to basket

2019 Reissue with New Cover Artwork!

MF DOOM is the man in the iron mask. The most mysterious figure in hip-hop has also become one of the most popular, supplying beats and rhymes for Gorillaz, De La Soul, Madlib, Danger Mouse, and Wu-Tang Clan, and drawing praise from heavyweights like Just Blaze, Nas, and Mos Def. Since 2002, DOOM has released numerous volumes of Special Herbs, one of the longest-running instrumental series in hip-hop history. With obscure loops and dusty samples galore, Special Herbs Vol. 5 & 6 is a must-have for any DOOM fan or hip-hop head.

MF Doom - Special Herbs Vol. 3 & 4, CD 2019 Release (Nature Sounds)

CD 14.99 Add to basket

2019 Reissue with New Cover Artwork!

MF DOOM is the man in the iron mask. The most mysterious figure in hip-hop has also become one of the most popular, supplying beats and rhymes for Gorillaz, De La Soul, Madlib, Danger Mouse, and Wu-Tang Clan, and drawing praise from heavyweights like Just Blaze, Nas, and Mos Def. Since 2002, DOOM has released numerous volumes of Special Herbs, one of the longest-running instrumental series in hip-hop history. Now, volumes three and four of the acclaimed series are available on vinyl for the first time in years. With obscure loops and dusty samples galore, Special Herbs Vol. 3 & 4 is a must-have for any DOOM fan or hip-hop head. Also includes a limited-edition bonus 7 , featuring two beats from DOOM's days as a member of 90s hip-hop trio KMD. TRACK LIST LP: 1. Agrimony 2. Arabic Gum 3. Benzoin Gum 4. Bergamot Wild 5. Calamus Root 6. Dragon's Blood Resin 7. Elder Blossoms 8. Styrax Gum 9. Blood Root 10. Star Anis 11. Lemon Grass 12. Four Thieves Vinegar 13. Galangal Root 14. Spikenard 15. Cinquefoil 16. Hyssop TRACK LIST 7 : 1. Humrush 2. Garbage Day #3

NF - The Search , 2LP Vinyl (Capitol)

2LP Vinyl 31.99 Add to basket

The Search is NF’s fourth full-length album. It follows the independently released Perception (NF Real Music / Caroline), which took the music industry by surprise when fans propelled it to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 upon its release. Clocking in at four minutes, 11 seconds and 777 words, lead single / title track The Search gives fans plenty to unpack, as NF lays bare his psyche, revealing some of the darker corners he’s found himself in and mapping out the ambitious quest that lies ahead.

Your Old Droog - Looseys, EP Vinyl (Nature Sounds)

EP Vinyl 17.99 Add to basket

With transcendent lyrical skills, an impossibly perfect rap voice, and a uniquely cool, calm, and collected flow, Brooklyn rapper Your Old Droog is one of the brightest young stars in hip-hop today. His latest offering is "Looseys", a collection of tracks that lit up blogs but never made it onto any of Droog’s acclaimed projects. The 6-track EP features collaborations with Joey Bada$$, Styles P, and Rast RFC, plus stellar production from famed producers like Alchemist, Oh No, Black Milk, and Statik Selektah.

Mr Muthafuckin' Exquire - Mr Muthafuckin' Exquire, Vinyl LP (Chocolate Rabbit)

LP Vinyl 18.99 Add to basket

Brooklyn-based rapper Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire has returned with a new self-titled LP released under his Chocolate Rabbit label. The 12-track project features the likes of Kiwi, KAST, and Iceberg Black.

The album is a return to form for the artist, not only harkening back to his independent roots, but it also marks a turn in eXquire‘s life after a career filled with drugs and debauchery. “My new record is just me sober, healthy, happy and free,” he wrote on Twitter. “Chocolate Rabbit is my moms nickname. A rabbit is the symbol of longevity, enduring & abundance. The 19’s were ahead of their time in their design & underrated, just like me.” He even notes that after the release of Kismet, he can’t remember the other projects he released for a while.

GA-20 - Lonely Soul, Limited Red Vinyl LP (Karma Chief & Colemine Records)

LP Vinyl 21.99 Add to basket

For Fans of JD McPherson and The Black Keys. GA-20 was formed by friends Pat Faherty and Matthew Stubbs in Boston, MA in 2018. The project was born out of their mutual love of heavy traditional Blues, R&B, and Rock and Roll of the late 50s and early 60s. Faherty and Stubbs bonded over legendary artists like Lazy Lester, J.B. Lenoir, Earl Hooker, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush and Junior Wells. Feeling a void in current music, the duo have set out to write, record and perform a modern version of this beloved art form. Live, GA-20 is a trio of 2 guitars, vocals and drums. Raw, passionate and honest performance, both on stage and in the studio, is the only goal. Lonely Soul, the title track to their debut album embodies their sound: raw, cutting, and authentic.

The Foreign Exchange - Connected, 2LP 180g Vinyl, Reissue (The Foreign Exchange Music)

2LP Vinyl 29.99 Add to basket

Representative of how the Internet can aid in creating music, The Foreign Exchange started when Little Brother rapper Phonte heard a beat on Okayplayer.com by Dutch producer Nicolay and asked if he could lay some vocals over it. Nicolay agreed, and the song "Light It Up" appeared shortly after as the B-side to "Whatever You Say" off Little Brother's 2003 album, The Listening. Relying mainly on Instant Messenger and email, the duo continued to work together, with Nicolay sending beats to Phonte, who would add vocals and send them back until they had enough tracks together to form an album. Not once during the entire process of making their debut, Connected, which came out in 2004, did the members of the Foreign Exchange speak over the phone or in person

Blue Sky Black Death & Jean Grae - The Evil Jeanius, LP Vinyl (Babygrande)

LP Vinyl 21.99 Add to basket

Tsidi Ibrahim, better known by her stage name Jean Grae, is one of the most respected female rappers around, her career stretching back to the mid-Nineties. Her 2008 album The Evil Jeanius, produced in tandem with Blue Sky Black Death and considered one of her finest records, now gets a release on wax for the first time. It was controversial upon release, though, as her label Babygrande (also responsible for this vinyl re-issue) used Grae’s vocals without her permission.

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders, LP Vinyl 2019 Reissue (Jive, We Are Vinyl)

LP Vinyl 19.99 Add to basket

Third and last of the "classic" Tribe records it is arguably the group's most musically sophisticated album. The tracks balance jazz, soul, and even reggae influences with pure hip-hop to arrive at a completely distinctive Tribe sound, the logical evolution of the bop-inflected hooks which characterised Low End Theory. Production-wise, Tribe graduates from a cool school aesthetic to an electric jazz sound (reminiscent of fusion-era Miles Davis). Lyrically Midnight Marauders finds the group's abstract poetics in excellent form as usual, and Phife is miles ahead of the Mayor-Flavour rhymes of Can I Kick It.

Kool Keith - Computer Technology, Orange Translucent LP Vinyl (Junkadelic Music, Fatbeats)

Orange LP Vinyl 21.99 Add to basket

Kool Keith is an educated man, boasting a pair of doctorates -- one in dooomology and another in octagon mathematics. With this immense medical and scientific background at his disposal, Keith has come to operate. Production on Keith's albums is eerily evil; his music is an LSD experience gone horribly wrong. Bizarre, ethereal sound effects and tight, piercing drum loops prepare the listener for a down and dirty lyrical delivery that's been cultivated since Keith first arrived on the rap scene with the Ultramagnetic MCs. Verses contain unique rhyme structures and original metaphors, and range from classic emcee braggadocio to tales of robbery and street sex. Keith's latest LP "Computer Technology" entirely produced by Junkaz Lou is yet another work of art. No MC on the planet is so grimy and yet so polished -- after years in the rap game, Kool Keith's as unique as ever.

Durand Jones & The Indications - Morning In America / Cruisin to the Park, Gold Translucent 7" Vinyl, Limited (Colemine Records)

7" Vinyl 9.99 Add to basket

When Durand Jones & The Indications released their sophomore LP, American Love Call, there was a bundle version of the album available that included a bonus 7" with "Morning In America" on the A-side and a true bonus B-side, "Cruisin' To The Park." That B-side, an homage to lowriders everywhere, has become a theme for a whole new generation of sweet soul lovers. So we are proud to present this heater of a 45. Let's cruise....

Now On Stock! Beastie Boys - Root Down, EP Vinyl, Reissue (Virgin)

EP Vinyl 22.99 Add to basket

Root Down is an EP by legendary hip hop group Beastie Boys, released in 1995. The first three tracks are variations of the track “Root Down,” from the Beastie Boys’ 1994 album Ill Communication. The remaining seven tracks were recorded “live in Europe, winter 1995.”

Tracklists

SIDE A

Root Down (Free Zone Mix)
Time To Get Ill
Heart Attack Man
The Maestro
Sabrosa
Root Down (PP Balloon Mix)

SIDE B

Root Down (LP Version)
Flute Loop
Time For Livin'
Something's Got To Give

Black Milk - Dive, EP Vinyl (Mass Appeal) Ft. BJ The Chigaco Kid, Sam Austins And Else.

CD 11.99 Add to basket

EP 21.99 Add to basket

DiVE serves as proof that Black Milk remains one of hip-hop’s most consistent artists. This 11-track EP follows the rappers journey of betrayal, self-forgiveness and maneuvering through life’s toughest lessons.

Machine Gun Kelly - Hotel Diablo, Vinyl LP (Bad Boy Records)

LP 19.99 Add to basket

Dave drops his debut album Psychodrama. The rapper has taken his time over the release, building a vivid, unique voice across a flurry of releases that have gained more than 600 million streams. Hitting number one on the charts with Funky Friday, the rapper's debut album is one of the most anticipated British albums in 2019.

Dave - Psychodrama, Blue Vinyl Double LP (Neighbourhood)

Blue 2 X LP 28.99 Add to basket

Dave drops his debut album Psychodrama. The rapper has taken his time over the release, building a vivid, unique voice across a flurry of releases that have gained more than 600 million streams. Hitting number one on the charts with Funky Friday, the rapper's debut album is one of the most anticipated British albums in 2019.

Tyler, The Creator - IGOR, LP Vinyl (Columbia) Gatefolded

Vinyl LP 22.99 Add to basket

Tyler the Creator's unleashes his fifth album. It’s a record about love and love lost, but Tyler conveys it as much through the warm synths and ‘70s soul drums as he does words. It's a highly textural album that never gets obsessed with its own feel. Tyler imbues the work with just enough of an edge to let the rhythms and progressions work on their own, using these various voices as extra tools, garnishment upon the broken beats and melodies searching for a bit of sunlight on a cloudy day.

The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble - Build Bridges, Coke Bottle Clear Vinyl LP, Limited (Colemine Records)

Clear Vinyl LP 23.99 Add to basket

Build Bridges combines stellar musicianship with unlimited drive and lag proof swing-ability. You can hear the maturity of their sound, which inadvertently allows you to appreciate their previous recordings even more. They're all in the same ballpark yet seem to be on a completely different playing field. Tim Felten's lineup not only shows his keen ability to pick top choice artists, but also shows his sense of direction and investment to high quality musicians. The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble is a staple of the west cost soul / jazz / funk scene and with their third LP, they solidify their position. Heavy grooves and drums, with top tier musicianship and writing. Build Bridges is just as sophisticated as it is soulful and funky!

Peter Rock & CL Smooth - They Reminisce Over You (Altered Tapes Remix), 7" Vinyl (Heat Rock Records)

7" Vinyl 11.99 Add to basket

The 2nd release from Heat Rock focuses on the golden era Hip-Hop track They Reminisce Over You by Pete Rock and CL Smooth. Taking care with a revered classic, Altered Tapes' remix ups the ante with B-boy drums, fleshed out with additional elements from various original sample sources. Includes an instrumental B-side for your juggling pleasure!

Neal Francis - Changes, LP Gold Vinyl, Limited (Karma Chief & Colemine Records)

Gold LP 19.99 Add to basket

"I just wanted to be honest about everything, from my musical influences to my story," muses Neal Francis. After years of dishonest living - consumed by drugs, alcohol, and addiction - such sincerity is jarring from the 30-year-old Chicago-based musician. Liberated from a self-destructive past and born anew in sobriety, Francis has captured an inspired collection of songs steeped in New Orleans rhythms, Chicago blues, and early 70s rock n' roll. There is a deep connection between Francis's childhood - his obsession with boogie woogie piano, his father's gift of a dusty Dr. John LP - and the songs he's created. The result is an astonishing collection of material without parallel in the contemporary funk and soul scene.

Gold Vinyl, LP, Album

BJ The Chicago Kid - 1123 LP Vinyl (Mo Town Records)

LP Vinyl 16.99 Add to basket

The wait is over for R&B fans all across the globe as BJ The Chicago Kid releases his highly anticipated sophomore album. The album is a star-studded affair and features from Anderson .Paak, J.I.D, Rick Ross, Afrojack and more! It also features production from Cool and Dre, Danja, Dre Harris and longtime collaborator, Jarris “J.Mo” Mozee. The soul music legend-in-the-making has made quite the name for himself already, averaging over 100 million streams this year, in addition to collaborating with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Solange, Travis Scott, Common, Kehlani, ScHoolboy Q and Chance The Rapper among countless others.

Brainstory Dead End / Mnemophobia, 7" Vinyl (Big Crown Records)

7" Vinyl 8.99 Add to basket

Brainstory is a tale of brothers bounded by blood, by fate, and a small town with nothing to do. Born and bred in Rialto, CA, the trio is made up of two brothers, Kevin & Tony Martin, and drummer Eric Hagstrom. Their music is a mix of jazz, funk, and psyche- delia shrouded in a cloud of weed smoke and California soul. Their entire debut album is produced by Leon Michels, so you take the Cali sunshine and mix it with Michels NYC aesthetic and you get a killer record. Here’s the first two songs.

The A side 'Dead End' is a sublime slow burner about trying to let go of a person and trying to let go of parts of yourself that are dying with that relationship. In the words of Kevin, “It’s kind of like confronting death, but through relationships and coming to terms with who you are in the mirror of another person.” With Kevin’s sublime falsetto floating atop Tony and Eric’s unflappable and unmistakable backbeat, this tune is sure to become a favorite with the ballad heads, the low-riders, the slowie collectors, and anyone who’s cord is not unplugged.

The B side Mnemophobia is a fateful pairing with the plug- side, as if written later on when the heart heals and you start to get out there again. Mnemophobia is the fear of memories. Brainstory weaves up a tale of hesitation, limbo, then bravery where the choice of love is made in the face of fear.

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Indestructible LP Vinyl Reissue (Blue Note)

LP Vinyl 19.99 Add to basket

The word "Indestructible" perfectly fits the legacy of the Jazz Messengers, the power of Art Blakey, and the music on this thrilling Blue Note album. Lee Morgan (who had recently succeeded Freddie Hubbard), Wayne Shorter and Curtis Fuller made an unbeatable frontline while Cedar Walton and Reggie Workman join Blakey in the rhythm section; talk about an all-star group!

Performing their own originals, the band mixes together hard bop, soul jazz, modal music and funk to create a style that could really only be played on this level by the Jazz Messengers. The solos are exciting, the ensembles are powerful, and the passion of Blakey's drums pushes each of the young musicians to play at their most creative. This album is full of musical magic, more of which is revealed in each listen.

Freddie Hubbard - Hub-Tones LP Vinyl Reissue (Blue Note)

LP Vinyl 19.99 Add to basket

One of the greatest trumpeters of all time, Freddie Hubbard emerged on Blue Note in the early 1960s. Originally inspired by Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown and Miles Davis, Hubbard soon had his own sound, a virtuosic style, and an exuberant solo approach that always found him taking wild chances and creating thrilling music.At the time that Hubbard recorded Hub-Tones in 1962, he had recently become a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

He teams up with altoist-flutist James Spaulding for the first time on this album (they would have a group together a few years later) in a quintet also featuring Herbie Hancock. In addition to reinventing 'You're My Everything,' they perform four of the trumpeter's originals. The music looks ahead to the future while always swinging hard.

Whether caressing the melody of his heart-felt tribute to the recently deceased Booker Little 'Lament For Booker' or sounding explosive on 'Hub-Tones,' Freddie Hubbard is dazzling throughout, causing many sparks to fly and creating superb music. This is one of his early classics and the sound quality of Hub-Tones has never been better than on this essential reissue.

Sounds of Liberation - Unreleased [Columbia University 1973] LP Vinyl and CD (Dogtown Records)

LP Vinyl 24.99 Add to basket
CD 14.99 Add to basket

Sounds of Liberation was a band – and a social movement – formed in 1970 out of the Germantown and Mt Airy neighborhoods of Philadelphia. The band consisted of seven members: Khan Jamal (vibraphone), Byard Lancaster (alto saxophone), Billy Mills (bass), Dwight James (drums), Monnette Sudler (guitar), Omar Hill (percussion), William Brister (percussionist, aka Rashid Salim).

Originally conceived and formed by Khan Jamal, the arrival of Byard Lancaster in 1971 helped shift their focus and efforts into a higher gear. Jamal and Lancaster would work together in different configurations throughout the decade.

This five-song session of original music (with compositions penned by Jamal, Lancaster and Sudler) has never been released and has been prepared for this important and long-overdue LP package by group members, in collaboration with Brewerytown Beats Records in Philadelphia. This is stunning, deeply emotional free jazz – termed black liberation music by band members – created with passion and purpose by masters of the art form, and it sounds as powerful today as it did back upon its original commitment to tape.

The Alchemist and Oh No - Welcome to Los Santos 2LP Coloured Vinyl (Mass Appeal)

2LP Coloured Vinyl 29.99 Add to basket

'Welcome to Los Santos' was the soundtrack to Grand Theft Auto V, which was released on 14 April 2015. The album was put onto a fictional in-game radio station called 'The Lab' to fit with the rest of the in-game music.

Paul & The Tall Trees - So Long Coloured LP and CD (Big Crown Records)

LP Vinyl 18.99 Add to basket
CD 9.99 Add to basket

Paul Schalda is a poet, perhaps a bit of a tortured soul, a hopeless romantic, and a guy from Staten Island. That last bit might not make sense to people who aren't from New York. Let's say that it puts the blue in his collar and sticks his feet to the ground. Paul's music seems to embody the unexpected overlap of The Band's Americana, Ian MacKaye's unhinged emotion, Otis Redding's raw soul, and the doo-wop melodies his father, Bill Schalda Sr. (a member of Brooklyn vocal group, The Montereys) raised him on. His sophomore album is produced by long time collaborator and old friend Tommy Brenneck and Big Crown's own Leon Michels. For the people who are already fans of Paul's debut Our Love In Light, the growth and maturity will be impossible to miss.

GZA/Genius - Pro Tools, 2LP Blue Vinyl Reissue (Babygrande)

2LP Blue Vinyl 27.99 Add to basket

Special edition blue vinyl double LP. 5th album from the legendary Wu-Tang Clan member. It serves as his first release since his collaboration album with DJ Muggs, Grandmasters (2005), and follows six years after his last solo effort, Legend of the Liquid Sword (2002). Production for the album took place during 2008 and was handled by several record producers, including RZA, Bronze Nazareth, Preservation, Mathematics, Black Milk, Arabian Knight, True Master.