Big Crown Records (USA) :: BC117-45 :: BACAO RHYTHM RHYTHM & STEEL BAND

Raise It Up b/w Space

In the wake of their new album Expansions Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band drop another must have two-sider.

On the A side they take on the J DIlla produced Slum Village club banger “Raise It Up” and give it the BRSB treatment. SV fans will lose their shit when this comes on. Heads will be nodding from the first beat of the opening drum break and when they start playing the top line on the pans it’s a wrap. Now that they have your attention they take the tune and expand on it changing the arrangement and lacing it with brass and guitar parts that keep pushing the tune to higher and higher levels of energy.

The B finds BRSB taking on the infamous Galt MacDermot tune “Space”. Made famous in the hip hop world when it was sampled for Busta Rhyme’s classic “Woohah Got You All In Check” it is about to receive another boost from Bacao’s version. Both sides of this 7” are going to be mainstays in DJ sets for years to come.

Big Crown Records (USA) :: BC095-LP :: BACAO RHYTHM RHYTHM & STEEL BAND

Expansions

Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, the mysterious steel pan outfit hailing from Hamburg, Germany have amassed a cult following around the globe. With a slew of classic 7”s and two critically acclaimed full length albums, they set a high bar for themselves, one they clearly intend on pushing even higher with this new offering. On their third album, aptly titled “Expansions”, BRSB are back with more of the same, but more of the same with them is inherently different. Covering songs that span genres and range from mega hits to album cuts, they make them their own with their unique approach to the traditional steel pans of Trinidad and Tobago.

Part of the allure of a new record from Bacao is finding out what covers they chose. However, die hard fans are also waiting to hear the original numbers like the stellar album opener “Tough Victory”. Its airtight rhythm section, brass arrangements, and layers of steel pan melodies make the term “cover band” a shoe that could never fit Bacao. Within the next three songs they go from Jazz (Galt MacDermot), to Hip Hop (Slum Village / J Dilla), to a dance floor classic (Grace Jones) taking them all on with their signature style, expanding on the originals. An easy crowd favorite is their gritty, gully, and neck snapping cover of the Timbaland produced Jay-Z club hit “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”. The infamous crushing Bacao drums start the show and the moment they start playing the top line on the pans, all bets are off. Sure to become a dance floor filler is their bottom heavy, four on the floor version of Sylvester’s classic “I Need Somebody To Love Tonight”. They venture into some gutbucket funk with Ike Turner’s “Getting Nasty” and bring the steel pans to Minnie Riperton’s Jazz classic “Les Fleurs”. Digging deeper in the modern canon and paying tribute to a tribute, they cover Erykah Badu’s homage to the late great J Dilla, “The Healer”. This is the type of thing to make Spice Adams jump on his kitchen counter and scream. From the second the beat drops they give the original Madlib production a run for its money, shaking subwoofers with the eerie tremolo bass while the pans play E. Badu’s vocal melodies.

By the time the album is through Bacao has taken the listener on a journey that spans a myriad of energies, tempos, and moods while somehow managing to keep it all under one umbrella. For all that, these songs are alive, and they will be taken out of the context of this album and sewn into the fabric of DJ sets around the globe for many years to come. Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band is breathing renewed life into the originals and continuing to push the boundaries of steel pan music, or, as the title suggests, expanding on it.

Big Crown Records (USA) :: BC105-45 :: BACAO RHYTHM RHYTHM & STEEL BAND

BC105-45Dirt Off Your Shoulder b/w I Need Somebody To Love Tonight

Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, the kings of “wait, what is this!!!” are back with another two-sider that has a little something for everyone. Both of these songs are pulled from their forthcoming full length album Expansions.

The A side is a gritty, gully, and neck snapping cover of the Timbaland produced Jay-Z club hit “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”. The signature crushing Bacao drums start the show and the moment they start playing the top line on the steel pans all bets are off. They push the tune to new heights and places adding brass arrangements and working around the original riff never losing the groove. The way they walk the line between the original and making it their own will woo Hip Hop heads and Funk enthusiasts alike.

The B side finds BRSB taking it straight to the discoteque and ushering everyone to the floor as they cover Sylvester’s underground classic “I Need Somebody To Love Tonight”. While Bacao have laid down a few four on the floor numbers on previous albums this is the first one making its way to a 7” and we are sure it will get their music into a new sector of DJs playboxes.

45-1057 :: ELEVEN76

eleven 76The Scarab’s Quest b/w The Hornet’s Nest

Sci-Fi and library funk specialists Eleven76 return with an otherworldly breakdance double-sider. Their debut album ‘Space Voyage’ for Warner’s music library covered extra-terrestrial spheres and found its way into many films, TV programmes and documentaries. The scarce promo vinyl copies on Mocambo Records are already priced collector’s items among DJs. This 45s contains two hot slices of insect-themed outernational grooves with tropical and arabian flavours. Vintage synthesizers and hot tape-recorded drums continue to lead Eleven76’s mystique travels through unknown funk territories, all while frenzied percussion-heavy break beats keep b-girls and b-boys moving on the floor.

45-1056 :: THE DIASONICS

45-1056Sirocco b/w Nymphea

The Diasonics from Moscow, Russia bring two dope sides of what they describe as “hussar funk” – a style that seamlessly blends infectious deep funk instrumentals, east european flavours and psychedelic echoings. On this 7inch, their mystique vibe is complemented by a Koto – a japanese zither – that adds a samourai flic twist to the sovietsploitation groove of the band. File under “outernational” or “unusual funk”.

45-1055 :: THE MIGHTY MOCAMBOS

45-1055_MM_Live_at_JAM_PDM_DIGITAL_FrontLive At JAM PDM!

German funk stalwarts The Mighty Mocambos unleash another sample of their explosive live energy, a 7″ of two brand new tunes recorded straight to 8-track tapeduring JAM PDM! Breakdance Battle at Fabrik Potsdam on February 1st 2020.
“Arabesque Breakin’ Suite” on side A is an original instrumental medley written for the occasion and delivers the raw, heavyweight sound that has made The Mighty Mocambos a staple of b-boy battles the world over. Side B is a cover of the Axel F Theme from Beverly Hills Cop, taking the tune from 80s synth-heavy electro-pop to soulful, tropical-flavored b-boy funk.
In these peculiar times without concerts, these live recordings are a real labor of love that capture the special vibes of a Mighty Mocambos performance while remaining suitable for DJ-use and enjoyable to the dedicated listener.
The 45 comes in a beautiful picture sleeve – a reproduction of the tape box used for the recording with a b/w photo from the event.

45-1054 :: PIGALLE CONNECTION

45-1054aCasino & Church b/w Vendetta James

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.

Big Crown Records (USA) :: BC097 :: BACAO RHYTHM RHYTHM & STEEL BAND

a0204967013_10My Jamaican Dub b/w The Healer

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.

45-1053 :: THE MIGHTY MOCAMBOS

45-1053_MM_Live_at_GC_DIGITAL_FrontLive At Groove City

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.

45-1052 :: THE MIGHTY MOCAMBOS

45-1052aSuperstrada b/w Concrete Stardust

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.