More material of South American origin in December? Yes, it’s cold – let’s consider something associated with warmth – which Gabriel Da Rosa’s new one, Bandida, has in spades. Indeed, this single (produced by Mario Caldato of Beastie Boys’ production fame), in all its summery bossa glory, very much channels the spirit of João Gilberto. Also it turns out, Brazil-to-L.A. transplant
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Monthly Archives: December 2022
GABRIEL DA ROSA: Bandida
CAMILO AZUQUITA: Borombon/ PANAMA BRASS: Con La Mano En La Biblia (Vinyl 7″)
Your heating costs more than your mortgage and it’s barely been above zero degrees all week; what you need my friend is some vintage Latin heat! Which means you’ve lucked out because Matasuna Records is here with a new vinyl 7″ featuring two sides of Panamanian heat from 1969. The A-side vocal cut is Camilo Azuquita’s version of Javier Vasquez’ boogaloo number Borombon – a sinuous
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BREAKBEAT PARADISE: Christmas Bootleg Bells Vol. 3
It’s nearly Christmas; it’s time to get seasonal on your ass! At least that’s what the Breakbeat Paradise crew have been thinking with the dropping of Christmas Bootleg Bells Vol. 3. Well kind of anyway since, unlike last year, they’re not celebrating Christmas with breakbeat booties of Christmas songs, just breakbeat booties of, well, non-Christmas songs. Actually, bar one – but
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SURPRISE CHEF: Education & Recreation LP
Rating: 
Surprise Chef’s Education & Recreation LP was a while coming wasn’t it? Almost as long as this MB post on it, in fact, with time for new fewer than six single releases in a lead-up lasting six months. It was worth the wait though. And that’s despite the fact that the ‘cinematic soul’ genre has arguably never been more popular. Time was when the idea of
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THE SLINGSHOTS: Break Out!
‘Is This Soul?’ Barcelona’s The Slingshots asked on their 2014 debut LP and the answer from the monkey was a very much an affirmative. Fast forward eight or so years and they’ve just dropped their latest release – four-tracker Break Out! on which you’ll be happy to hear that the soul is still very much in effect. The first half kicks off with Got My Own Time – a lilting uptempo affair with
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OMEGAMAN: Universal Rhythm
Oz producer Omegaman’s been around for a long time now, never disappointing and his new Universal Rhythm four-tracker might just be his most varied and ambitious release yet. Opening proceedings, for example, is blues-breaks number The Traveller featuring regular Omegaman vocalist collaborator Pat ‘Patou’ Powell holding forth over fat drums, throbbing bass, slide guitar
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THE ALLERGIES: Treat You Right
Well, I woke up this morning/ Na nana na na/ To an Allergies’ blues song/ Na nana na na/ I couldn’t believe it/ Na nana na na/ But it don’t sound wrong/ Na nana na na/ If you was to hear it/ Na nana na na/ Maybe you’d think it too/ Na nana na na/ But thooooose Allergies boys…done…got…the blues! That’ll be new Allergies bump, Treat You Right then – a blues-influenced affair which finds
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