Crucial Material – Best Releases Of The Week (November 23rd, 2018)

Good music just keeps coming out!

Some important releases and reissues this week from all across the map (physically and stylistically speaking). As always we listened to hundreds of releases and have selected our favourites. Let’s get into it!

NEW ALBUMS & EPs

Hazards of Prophecy “Minnie & Marcos”

Genres: Broken Beat / Balearic
Label: Tiff’s Joints
Purchase

This 12” has it all – over three tracks we can hear broken beat style percussion, balearic synth textures, deep modern funk. Another essential 12” from London favourites, Tiff’s Joint’s.
-Selected by Oliver Brunetti (Colectivo Futuro)

Jay Daniel “Tala”

Genre: Detroit / House / Broken Beat / Fusion
Label: Watusi High
Purchase

One of brightest voices in Detroit electronic music returns for his sophomore album on his own Watusi High label. 10 tracks fusing Jazz and Ambient with Broken Beat, Techno and House. Progressive electronic music for a more discerning audience. The next evolution of Detroit Beatdown!
– Selected by Lexis

Waltaa “Lose Control”

Genres: R&B / Slow Jamz
Label: NBN Records
Purchase

Ride slow with these ones from France’s Waltaa (aka Walter Mecca) for the second release on Onra’s own NBN Records. Lo-Fi and syrupy R&B that fits perfectly in the cassette deck with beats that are full-bodied and effective while staying surprisingly minimal. Lose Control.
-Selected by Mike Jones

Mofak “Drunk Of Funk”

Genres: Modern Funk
Label: The Sleepers Recordz
Purchase

Mofak is finally releasing his first full length LP, and the wait was definitely worth it. Lots of slappers on this one, including my favourite ‘Low Low’. You can also get the full instrumental versions.
-Selected by Walla P

Mumdance “Shared Meanings”

Genres: Ambient / Industrial Techno / Experimental Electronic
Label: Shared Meanings
Purchase

Big Mumzie gives a hard-hitting ode to the past and present of today’s electronic club music and its peripheries in this 32 track continuous mix / compilation vinyl set. Look out for track 20!!
-Selected by Mike Jones

EABS “Kraksa / Svantetic”

Genre: Jazz
Label: 22a
Purchase

A limited-edition release from the 22a label, featuring two Jazz dance groovers from the Polish Jazz septet EABS and special guest Tenderlonious on soprano Sax and flute. These tracks, which were written as a dedication to Polish Jazz legend Krzysztof Komeda, were recorded live and straight to tape at Radio Opole in Poland.
-Selected by TJ Gorton

Oneohtrix Point Never “Love In The Time Of Lexapro”

Genres: Electronic / Experimental Electronic / Folk
Label: WARP
Purchase

In the style of a “B-Roll & Outtakes” of his most recent “Age Of…” album, OPN continues his most recent otherworldly narrative of a place (possibly in the future) where electronic instruments are just as present in traditional folk music as are any “natural” instrument. Everything he puts out gets your gears turning upstairs, just how it should be!
-Selected by Mike Jones

 

Reissues & Archival Releases

A. Hawkshaw / B. Bennett “Synthesizer & Percussion”

Genres: Jazz / Funk / Soul
Label: Be With
Purchase

15 incredible slices of music from the Themes International archive are made anew via the Be With imprint. “Synthesizer & Percussion” is a collection of library music recorded by Alan Hawkshaw and Brian Bennett in 1974. The recording is an astounding mix of leftfield Jazz, Funk, Soul and Disco-Not-Disco motifs all created with an ARP and various percussion. These were the sounds of the future and are the sounds of now.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Louis Xavier “Ladja”

Genres: Jazz / Latin / Jazz-Funk
Label: Rebirth On Wax
Purchase

Rebirth On Wax breathe new life into Louis Xavier’s “Ladja”, a 6 track album of Caribbean Jazz-Funk from ’81. Adda, a label funded by the French government in support of emerging recording artists of the time, originally released what seems to be Xavier’s only solo LP, an LP inspired by and dedicated to saxophonist Jo Maka.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Henri Texier “Amir”

Genres: Jazz / Folk / Experimental
Label: JMS
Purchase

Henri Texier’s “Amir” is now affordable thanks to JMS. The French label, formerly Disques JMS, originally reissued Henri’s freshman LP back in 1979, three years after it was first released. Now, simply titled JMS, they are back with a much-needed second reissue of this in-demand Jazz / Folk classic.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Various Artists “Soul Of A Nation 2: Jazz Is The Teacher, Funk Is The Preacher”

Genres: Jazz-Funk/ Spoken Word
Label: Soul Jazz Records
Purchase

Soul Jazz Records releases volume two of their “Soul Of A Nation” compilation series, which coincides with the “Soul Of A Nation” exhibition, originally shown at Tate Modern. This compilation features righteous Jazz-Funk, Afro-centric grooves, and socially conscious street poetry during the Black Power movement of 1968-79. Artists include Art Ensemble of Chicago, James Mason, Funkadelic, Don Cherry and more.
-Selected by TJ Gorton

Moulay Ahmed El Hassani “Atlas Electric”

Genres: Moroccan / Arabic / Folk / Psychedelic
Label: Hive Mind
Purchase

A collection of works by Moulay Ahmed El Hassani on the brilliant Hive Mind Records – Moroccan folk forms meet urban modernity of drum machines, subtle loops, synths, vocodered vocals, with Moulay’s signature psychedelic microtonal guitar. This album is a real trip!
– Selected by Oliver Brunetti (Colectivo Futuro)