Crucial Material – Best Releases Of The Week (January 4th, 2019)

Time to turn the page on 2018, musically a truly outstanding year on so many fronts. From Jazz, Rap, Experimental to more Club-driven Sounds the amount of incredible music was staggering!

Thankfully, our Crucial Material is slowly but surely becoming one of the best weekly recaps in the world scanning the hundreds of new releases and sharing only the cream of the creap.

So here it is, Crucial Material for the week of January 4th 2019!

NEW ALBUMS & EP’s

Commodo “Rykers EP”

Label: Deep Medi
Genre: Dubstep
Purchase Link

It would be easy to question Dubstep relevance in the 2019 musical landscape but this heavy heavy 12″ drops in a reminds us why we fell in love with it in the first place. Commodo is in my opinion the best there is the Deep Dubstep lane (I would also put Gantz in that category). This EP is the jolt of energy you need to start the year right!
– Selected by Lexis

DJ Sotofett “Dub Off”

Genres: Dub / Electronic
Label: Honest Jon’s
Purchase Link

In chatting with Lexis on this release, we both agreed that Sotofett’s work has reached a buy-on-sight status. Dub Off, now sold out on Juno, is probably my favorite release from him – not an easy thing to say. The reason, it’s the most direct production from the producer I’ve heard. He is so experimental and gifted, and with this production his talents are streamlined to perfection. It’s a simple, beautiful tune that I can listen to over and over again, hopefully you can too.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

DJ Sotofett & Maimouna Haugen “C’est L’Aventure”

Label: Honest Jons
Genre: Dub
C’est L’Aventure 10′ – Purchase Link

2 new Sotofett releases on the same week you say?! Not to repeat what we just said above but really, act quick because this one will sell out in a matter of days.

Jeff MILLS “Str Mrkd”

Label: Str Mrkd
Genre: Techno / Detroit
Purchase Link

Hot off an incredible 2018 filled with projects like the Tony Allen collaboration and the Spiral Deluxe jazz x dancefloor electronic project, the masterful Jeff Mills starts 2019 with a very strong EP for his newest label project, Str Mrkd – a sub label of the now legendary Axis imprint. 4 tracks that touch on many emotions and musical angles. Cutting edge as ever!
– Selected by Lexis

Myele Manzanza “Love is War for Miles / 7 Bar Thing”

Label: Sound Signature
Genre: Jazz / House
Purchase Link

Speaking of “buy on sight”, Sound Signature is a label that over the years has a flawless record of putting out progressive dance-floor records. This time Theo Parrish nabs New Zealand drummer Myele Manzanza for an EP right at the crossroads of Jazz x Club culture.
– Selected by Lexis

REISSUES

Zohra “Badala Zamana”

Genres: Folk / Disco
Label: Music Take Me Up
Purchase Link

Late 70’s Arabic language Folk/Disco from France. I first became aware of this one via my pals at Beach Freaks. At the time, I couldn’t afford to cop the OG and wondered when I’d find an affordable copy. Alas! It’s been reissued and is a 10th of the price of an original copy, both my wallet and my record bag are overjoyed.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Dhaima “Sweat ‘Till Your Body’s Wet”

Genres: Downtempo / Dub
Label: Miss You
Purchase Link

The reissues droppin’ on Miss You, sub-label from the Sound Metaphors posse, have been pure fire. This single from Dhaima is no different. Vocoder Funk/Dub of the dankest order here. This one will get many rinse cycles from me in 2019.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Duke Pearson “I Don’t Care Who Knows It” (Deluxe Expanded Remastered Edition)

Genres: Jazz, Brazilian
Label: Blue Note, Wallenbink
Purchase Link

This once lost Blue Note finally gets the treatment it deserves. Recorded over ‘68 to ‘70, released in ‘96, in full on CD but just in part on vinyl, Pearson’s LP really shines now, with the heavy versions of Brazilian classics, “Upa Neguinho”, sung by Flora Purim, and “Captain Bicardi”, available on vinyl for the first time, remastered from the original RVG tapes to 180g wax!
– Selected by Oli Brunetti (Boom Music / Colectivo Futuro)

BONUS PICKS: STUFF WE MISSED FROM THE LAST FEW WEEKS!

Suff Daddy “Bakers Dozen”

Label: Fat Beats
Genre: Beats / Instrumental Hip-Hop
Purchase Link

The Bakers Dozen series of instrumental records has quickly become one of the best ongoing projects in the “beat scene” which is much in need of energy to keep evolving and stay fresh. Previous bakers in the series included Dibiase, Exile, Elaquent, Ras G and now Germany’s Suff Daddy steps in with 13 absolute treats. Unmissable for all the beat heads!
– Selected by Lexis

9th Wonder “Zion III”

Label: Self-Released
Genre: Beats / Instrumental Hip-Hop
Purchase Link

Speaking of beat tapes, here’s another one we missed at the tail end of 2018. Lord of the soulful chop, 9th Wonder delivers the third volume of his Zion series featuring 42 beats. Like the two previous volumes this is beautiful, soaring, uplifting record that I would suggest you start your day with.
– Selected by Lexis

Ambiance “Ebun”

Label: High Jazz Records (Reissue) original 1979 on Da Mon Records
Genre: Jazz
Purchase Link

Ambiance’s first album released in 1979 on Da Mon Records, Los Angeles. Amazing private spiritual jazz-funk/fusion LP, now hard to find. Finally available again, fully licensed and remastered, with original artwork. This album is magnificent in its entirety, no fillers. Some of the best fusion on record!