Veteran downtempo beatmaker, Jon Kennedy, finally returns this week with his long-teased new album HA! – his seventh full-length affair in a music career which effectively began with the new millenium when he was discovered by Mr Scruff. Curiously, this was around the time that the 90s trip-hop/ downtempo bubble began to burst and we entered what the Guardian was pleased to
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JON KENNEDY: HA! LP (2017) + HA! video
WHIRLWIND D: Falling EP (2017) + ‘Nothing’s Better’ video
With it being the season for atmospheric disturbances, what better time for Dudley Jaynes, a.k.a. Whirlwind D, to make his return than by brewing up a Brit-hop storm on his new Falling EP. ‘Falling’ D? Something tells me this isn’t going to be all cheery verbals over party drum breaks and it certainly isn’t, for here is a four-tracker that pulls no punches with regard to the current state
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FOLD: Written in The Sky EP (2017)
You’ll have heard of ‘conscious’ hip-hop of course, but while Leeds four-piece Fold might be influenced by this genre of music, that’s not what they are. Calling them conscious soul would be more accurate – though there’s a strong chance using such a term would net you a spell in ‘Pseud’s Corner’ should Private Eye get wind of it, not to mention a slap from everyone else within earshot
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TRAMP RECORDS: Countdown To Soul (2017)
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Some might feel that launching a new compilation series when you’ve already got multiple vintage funk, soul, rnb and jazz ones on the go is a bridge too far. And it’s certainly true that Tramp are currently spinning myriad plates – Feeling Nice for example, not to mention Movements, Praise Poems, Santa’s Funk & Soul Christmas Party, the Story Of… artist-
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SON OF SAM feat. SOUNDSCI: Put It On Ya (2017)
What has proved to be a ‘summer of Sam’ continues into the early autumn as Tom Caruana’s live hip-hop outfit Son Of Sam drops yet another single, Put It on Ya, featuring Soundsci, off the forthcoming Cinder Hill long player. Put It On Ya follows Prince Po-collab. Flying Fist and the Masta Ace & Large Pro-featuring Come A Long Way. The track finds Soundsci lyrically – er
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JAY DOUGLAS & CHRIS BUTCHER: Messengers (2017) + Video
Rating: Stand by for massive rootsy old school funky reggae as Jay Douglas and Chris Butcher get together to lay down the positivity vibes with new single Messengers. Jamaica-to-Toronto transplant Douglas has been doing it on Canada’s reggae scene since the 70s and has most definitely still got it, while trombonist Butcher leads the Heavyweights Brass Band and has
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DELIA ‘DEE DEE’ GARTRELL: I Must Be Doing Something Right b/w Fight Fire With Fire (Vinyl 7″)(2017)
Rating: Is it me or are Rocafort Records on fire at the moment? They’re certainly doing everything right in terms of dropping this huge re-press of double Delia ‘Dee Dee’ Gartrell delights I Must Be Doing Something Right b/w Fight Fire With Fire. Turns out that back in the day, Delia was banned from singing rnb by her mother. Happily, mum hadn’t reckoned on the arrival of
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THIRD ROOT: Reflection Of The Times/ Soul Force (Vinyl 7″)(2017)
Next up from Dinked Records is this tasty seven inch hook-up between the label and Texas hip-hop outfit Third Root featuring two of the dopest cuts from the latter’s Libertad album. The crew consists of ‘black and brown’ members Easy Lee, Mexican Stepfather and DJ Chicken George whose lyrical reflection of the times on A-side – er – Reflection Of The Times hits hard over funky organic beats
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PAMA INTERNATIONAL: Love & Austerity (2017)
Time to rock the rocksteady once more and not before time either since Pama International’s latest LP Love & Austerity has been out a month already. Mind you, it’s not like the band themselves don’t know a thing or two about tardiness since this LP – their tenth – is their first in seven years. But what can we expect of these former BBC Radio 6 Rebel playlist winners who in
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THE ALLERGIES feat. ANDY COOPER: Main Event/ Buzzsaw (7″ Vinyl)(2017)
Rating: And today’s main event is The Allergies’ new 45 off recent LP Push On entitled Main Event and featuring Ugly Duckling emcee and unofficial third Allergy Andy Cooper himself. Man, that is a main event! Expect boom-bap drums, lashings of horns and hook-filled party lyrics. What’s that Andy? “Don’t wear expensive clothes/ When the heat’s up you’ll sweat right through
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