Led by French B3 Hammond maestro Guillaume Metenier and featuring an all-star lineup of musicians from the extended Mocambo fam, Pigalle Connection connect the dots between instrumental funk, b-boy breaks and cinematic soundscapes. After their celebrated and battle proven 45 “Paris Breakdown”, this fantasy funk supergroup is finally back with a new double delight on 7 inch wax. “Casino & Church” / “Vendetta James” is a nod to Peter Thomas and Ennio Morricone, two massively influential score composers who both sadly passed away in 2020.
A-side “Casino & Church” is a blistering blend of afro-boogie, breakbeat funk, blaxploitation and eurocinema, led by hypnotic percussion and an infectious guitar.
Flip to the B-side for “Vendetta James”, where Mediterranean funk meets Italo Western and b-boy breaks in a sequence of hazy atmospheres and alluring moods.
Recorded live to 8-track tape with vintage equipment and instruments, both sides of Pigalle Connection’s new 45 showcase the band’s unique sound and deep appreciation for great film scores and heavy funk.
Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band is back with another crushing two-sider that is guaranteed to set dancefloors on fire and get heads nodding around the globe. The mysterious steel pan outfit hailing from Hamburg, Germany has become a staple in DJ sets from Europe to Japan, from the US to Brazil, and anywhere else these tunes have found their way to speakers. They have released a slew of classic 7”s and two critically acclaimed full length albums. With that they have set a high bar for themselves, one clearly they intend on pushing higher with this new offering.
Side A is BRSB’s take on Grace Jones’ nightclub classic “My Jamaican Guy”. They take the tune to a new height from the first beat, laying down an infectious groove that will get people out of their seats immediately. Heavy duty drums and bass shake the speakers through the intro then the pans reveal what they are covering as they play the instantly recognizable top line of the original. Rhythm guitar, heavily echoed percussion hits, and the different pan sets all combine to make this yet another instant classic from Bacao.
After having completed the first run of shows for their recent album “2066” through UK, France and Germany, the Mighty Mocambos did an intimate performance at world-renowned Groove City Record Store in their hometown Hamburg.
Not content with just playing stripped down versions of existing material, the band wanted to step up a notch from the “tiny desk” type concert idea and decided to record unreleased tunes for a vinyl single capturing the live energy and crowd atmosphere with analog studio techniques. After having warmed up with a couple of songs from “2066”, a cheerful crowd in the packed shop witnessed the band tracking magic takes of unheard songs directly to tape.
“St. Pauli Second Line”, an instrumental live favourite with simple but irresistant swamp funk ostinatoes turned into a frenetic call and response chant workout midway of the song. Singer Nichola Richards’ tune “Keep It Movin’”, a mainstay of the band’s live repertoire for years, was cut with great energy, finally finding its way onto wax. “Something’s Missing” is a brand new tune with a raw sister funk vibe – written and arranged for the occasion, rehearsed once and performed live for the first time in the version you hear on this record.
While many live recordings a are mere mix of crowd noise and neglectable renditions of well-worn tunes that are unusable for DJs and hardly appealing to the dedicated listener, THE MIGHTY MOCAMBOS – Live At Groove City au contraire is a treat for turntableists and a testimony of the spark that a well-attuned live band can light up, combining the vibes of a concert with the no-nonsense analog sound of their well-loved studio recordings.
Funk 45 champions The Mighty Mocambos deliver another colourful record in their favorite format. Both break-heavy psychedelic soul score theme Superstrada and battle proven b-boy jam Concrete Stardust are from the much celebrated album “2066”. By popular demand, here they come in exclusive DJ-friendly uncut/extended versions. A hard-hitting double-sider set to be a resident in your 45 case.
In 2019, The Mighty Mocambos returned in fine form with their new album “2066”, played a storming European tour and celebrated a colourful year delivering their own true style of funk, Afro, hip hop with cinematic compositions and storytelling.The mean streets groove and furious drums versus car chase workout of “Golden Shadow” and the joyous instrumental stomper “Preaching To The Choir” were soon identified as DJ favourites. So here they are on glorious golden 7inch vinyl to jumpstart in 2020 with.
In a world awash with negativity and fear, you are invited to climb aboard the Mocambo mothership where all colours and creeds are celebrated. The Mighty Mocambos have returned – stronger, tighter and hungrier than ever. Carrying blistering funk lines in their fingers and worldly influences in their hearts, the unique and distinctive Mocambo sound is not one to be confused with retro bands trying to recapture an era.
Eschewing traditional recording methods, this DIY crew are committed to driving forwards, and 2066 sees them at the height of their powers, broadcasting a call for unity.
After reaching new audiences worldwide and earning critical praise for their two long players on Brooklyn’s Big Crown Records in their tropical guise as Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, the band have reassembled and refocused in their original form, the workhorses behind dozens of 45s on the Mocambo label and beyond. Crossing generations, this album introduces some of the world’s youngest funk talent to step up and rub shoulders with soul and rap legends, soul sisters, an elder statesman composer/arranger and a brand new emerging artist out of New York.
As with all Mocambo releases, the two sides of the record have been meticulously sequenced by the band. Side A welcomes us aboard with joyous instrumental stomper Preaching To The Choir, and a call to build bridges from Mocambo chanteuse and percussionist Nichola Richards, duetting with emerging rap talent, NewYork MC JSwiss.
B-girls and b-boys are called to the dancefloor as Superstrada and Concrete Stardust commence, all buzzing synth lines and relentless drums. New Jersey legend and Big Crown associate Mr Lee Fields is guest of honour for Where Do We Go From Here before a horn workout brings us to a close with Macumba. It’s time for a breather.
The B side kicks off with the grand return of the Golden Girl of Funk, Gizelle Smith, a sister who’s been busy taking on the world. Composer and presenter Peter Thomas narrates a Return To Space to mark the centenary of the debut of his score to sci-fi show Space Patrol, which first broadcast in 1966. We’re back down to Earth and the mean streets for the furious drums and car chase workout of Golden Shadow.
Today slows down the pace for a reflective ballad with Nichola front and centre – and here’s the next generation: the Mocambo Kidz sing along to their parents’ instrumentation for Here We Go, a new kids’ block party anthem… with no sleep ‘til bedtime. The album closer makes it clear that the Mocambos are nowhere near powering down as Ice T and Charlie Funk bring their A-game for an old school attack which, since you’re up bouncing anyway, gives you no excuse not to flip the LP and drop the needle right back on to Side A. Onwards!
A summation of their journey so far and a celebration in anticipation of what’s to come, the album is set
to take its place in a legacy of open minded, organically recorded music, showering listeners with the crew’s maze of tantalising sounds pulled from funk, afro, hip hop with cinematic composition and storytelling.
Little is known about the ensemble that is Sun Atlas. It’s not certain whether you’d find them in Los Angeles, New York, Addis Ababa, Marrakesh or in outer space. Maybe non, maybe all of the above. Their only proof of existence is banned on this 45. Their razor-sharp mixture of afrobeat, ethiojazz, surf, cinematic soul, crime jazz & funk/hiphop breaks speaks for itself. Only on vinyl.
Solar Flame / Ulysses 3000 b/w Star Equalizer / Cosmogony
Original library synth funk sci-fi soundtracks. This promo EP from the vaults of Warner Chappell’s production music archive offers four more tracks from Eleven76’s mystique Space Voyage recordings. Originally intended for film synchronisation usage as part of Warner’s music library, their unique mélange of analog synthesizers, breakheavy drumming, trippy fx and euphoric-melancholic instrumental fantasies has gained them a cult following among witty beatmakers, DJs, cratediggers, tape recording freaks and space age afficionados.
Produced by Paul Elliott, director of The Library Music Film, this promotional vinyl 45 was made to support the library album SPACE VOYAGE and to make the music available outside of film usage. Limited quantities available as most of the pressing is used as giveaway for clients in film, TV and advertising.
By popular demand, Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band is back with another must have of a two sider. Two tracks finding their way to vinyl for the first time that were cut during The Serpents Mouth sessions but only made it to the cd and digital release. A lot of people wrote us asking for it, and here it is, a 7 inch release that lives at the intersection of Funk, Soul, and Hip Hop.
The A side is Bacao’s crushing cover of the Jackson 5’s B-Boy classic “Great To Be Here”. A tune that a lot of people proba- bly thought had steel pans on the original version, a miscon- ception that lead to BRSB choosing it for their inimitable treatment. They open the tune with a chunky open drum break that gives way to the steel pan work banging out the infec- tious and instantly recognizable guitar lines from the J5’s version.
The B side finds Bacao diggin deeper into the hip hop crates again and coming up with a monster of a Gang Starr track to cover. Taking on their underground street anthem they cut for their Full Clip compilation, “All 4 Tha Ca$h”. BRSB tease the tune in with the two top notes of the riff for the first 8 bars catching listeners ears and giving the DJs a record to work with. When the whole riff drops and they give away what the tune is they are covering awww shits & ooooooohs are sure to be heard out in the crowd.
DJ, producer, singer-songwriter, one-half of world-touring soul duo Myron & E (Stones Throw), founder of boogie outfit The Pendletons (Bastard Jazz), part of electro-funk duo Lucid Paradise, and an endless string of collabos. Over 2 decades in the game means multi-faceted artist Eric Boss knows his way around music. Having been there, done that, gotten the t-shirt and watched the fat lady sing, it’s finally time for E to take center stage and deliver his finest effort yet with solo record “A Modern Love”, an effervescent collection of raw funk, sweet soul, west coast vibes and classic hip hop, produced by Björn Wagner and Steffen Wagner (The Mighty Mocambos / Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band).
“A Modern Love” has all the ingredients of a future classic. High-profile guests? Check: with Gift Of Gab (Blackalicious) rapping on “I Wanna Ride”, a track with more bounce than a lowrider chevy on Santa Monica boulevard, and soul siren Gizelle Smith featuring on “Spiders”, a spooky number that will get you jumping out of your seat like you’ve been attacked by giant 8-legged arachnids.
Need some dancefloor action? “Get Next To You” gets down to serious bizniz with crisp drums and a catchy hook guaranteed to get the partystarted.
Something for lovers? We’ve got it covered with “Is It Love”, where Eric waxes lyrical about his sweetheart over a honey-drenched soul beat.
From reggae-flavored vibes being served in inspirational number “Your Life Is Up to You” to the slow-burning grooves of “Merry Jane” which features singer Ishtar, the 10 tunes on “A Modern Love” all attest to Eric Boss’ talent and versatility.
Judging by how quickly the limited edition 45 of album opener “Closer To The Spirit” sold out when it was released, it seems safe to say Eric Boss is a king Midas with the golden touch when it comes to providing fresh grooves for contemporary ears, and “A Modern Love” is set to prove so once again.
Casino & Church b/w Vendetta James
