Crucial Material – Best Releases of the Week (November 9th, 2018)

A fruitful week indeed!

As always, you can trust us to listen to the hundreds of weekly new releases and boil them down to the best. Looking for a new favourite album? Try one of these…

NEW ALBUMS & EPs

Waajeed “From The Dirt”

Genres: Techno / House / Hi-Tech Soul
Label: Dirt Tech Reck
Purchase

After 20 years of being at the center of countless projects like Platinum Pied Pipers, Slum Village and collaborating with some contemporary Motorcity legends like Dwele, Theo Parrish, Carl Craig it’s incredible that “From The Dirt” is actually Waajeed’s first solo LP. Let me tell you it does not disappoint. 10 tracks of pure high-tech soul from one of Detroit’s most inspiring voices. Just Dirt!
– Selected by Lexis

The Kount & Falcxne “Shakedown b/w Bungalow”

Genre: Modern Funk
Label: Voyage Funktastique
Purchase

Toronto producer The Kount teams up with Montreal’s Falcxne on Voyage Funktastique’s second 7inch outing. ‘Shakedown’ is dripping with The Kount’s signature polyrhythmic molasses, while the slowburning groove and bumping bassline of ‘Bungalow’ is the perfect way to get the dancefloor warmed up.
-Selected by Walla P

Harvey Sutherland “Amethyst EP”

Genre: Jazz / Broken Beat
Label: Clarity Recordings
Purchase

Melbourne-based keyboardist and producer Harvey Sutherland teams up with London saxophonist Nubya Garcia, who is one of the most groundbreaking musicians in Jazz right now, to produce a great new single that blends Garcia’s virtuosic playing with broken beat rhythms and Sutherland’s spacey-synth lines. On the flip, features the uptempo cosmic groover “I Can See” from Sutherland and his trio.
-Selected by TJ Gorton

Tension “Call Me / Your Sunshine”

Genre: Modern Funk / Boogie
Label: Star Creature
Purchase

Chicago’s finest, Star Creature – Universal Vibrations, dig up two gems from Edinburgh’s Hidden Groove. ‘Call Me’ and ‘Your Sunshine’, originally digi only, get a well deserved, 45 pressing with wider distribution. Two polished, synth-heavy funk bombs for the 45 box; essential dance-floor tools for the most discerning of DJs.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Free The Robots Presents: “Tempo Dreams Vol. 5”

Genres: Beats / Jazz / Breaks
Label: Bastard Jazz
Purchase

Bastard Jazz call upon the curation of one of the LA Beats Scene’s finest, Free The Robots, for Volume 5 of their ongoing “Tempo Dreams” compilation series. 15 previously unreleased gems from emerging & underrated young talent from across the globe in the styles of Beats, Jazz, Experimental Electronic and so forth. Killin.
-Selected by Mike Jones

Maisha “There Is A Place”

Genre: Jazz
Label: Brownswood
Purchase

The latest breakthrough Jazz release from Brownswood comes from the London-based ensemble Maisha, featuring drummer/band leader Jake Long and saxophonist Nubya Garcia. The six track album varies from Spiritual Jazz melodies to Afrobeat and Caribbean influenced rhythms.
-Selected by TJ Gorton

Sarathy Korwar “My East Is Your West”

Genre: Jazz / Indian / Improvised Music
Label: Gearbox Records
Purchase

Sarathy Korwar turned unease with how many of his favourite spiritual jazz records borrowed tokenistically from Indian music, into an unforgettable 3 hour concert at Church of Sound, re-balancing these two worlds as equal music partners. Now Gearbox have made that powerful performance available for all to hear.
-Selected by Oliver Brunetti (Colectivo Futuro)

Reissues & Archival Releases

The Scorpions & Saif Abu Bakr “Jazz, Jazz, Jazz”

Genre: Jazz / Funk
Label: Habibi Funk
Purchase

Habibi Funk reissues the highly obscure 1979 Soulful Jazz recording from the Sudanese group The Scorpions. This incredible album is solid from start to finish, blending Sudanese-rooted music with powerful horn arrangements, funky rhythms, Soukouss influences, and soulful vocals.
-Selected by TJ Gorton

Nature Boy “Unreleased Ruffness 1991-1992”

Genre: House / Deep House
Label: Nature Boy
Purchase

Unreleased Ruffness 1991-1992 is a 6-track collection of previously archived Nature Boy recordings that were discovered while Milo Johnson was gathering master tapes for the reissue of his most sought-after NB material. These 6 pieces, some of which are demo versions, were recorded during the artists fruitful Ruff Disco period. Fans of the NB catalog, myself included, are grinning ear to ear now that these dusty old tapes are being released publicly for the first time. Rough, raw, loose and quintessentially – Nature Boy.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

V/A “Unusual Sounds”

Genres: Library / Soundtrack / Jazz
Label: Anthology Recordings
Purchase

A deep dive into the strange and wonderful world of Library music. Pop it in your headphones, go out for a walk, and turn your everyday life into a movie… royalty free! Keep your ears open for a couple golden lööps hidden in there as well.
-Selected by Mike Jones

Dreamscape “Welcome To Our New Age House”

Genre: Deep House
Label: World Building
Purchase

Two highly sought after EPs from the mid-90’s get distilled, remastered and reissued ala Ari Goldman’s World Building imprint. “Welcome To Our New Age House” sees works of NYC photographer Eddie Marshall get the proper treatment they deserve. Deep, optimistic body and mind music for heads and dancers in 2018 and beyond.
-Selected by Jake Stellarwell

Brownswood Bubblers “Thirteen”

Genre: Eclectic
Label: Brownswood
Purchase

Bubbling since 2006, this series curated by Brownswood founder Gilles Peterson returns for its 13th edition. As always expect a wide range of styles, moods, tempos and some of the best new musical talents.