Crucial Material – Best Releases of the Week (October 5th, 2018)
No time to rest, the new releases keep coming in! Whoever said “they don’t make em like they used to” should stop complaining about the state of music, stop looking backwards and realize: there is a shit ton of amazing music being put out every single week!
As always, you can trust us to distill the hundred of weekly new releases and boil it down to the best. So here you go, another serving of Crucial Material. Open your ears, your heart and maybe your wallet!
NEW ALBUMS & EPs
1000 Kings “Raw Cause”
Genres: Jazz
Label: Jazz re:freshed
Purchase Link
The London-based Jazz re:freshed label, known for showcasing some of the best young jazz talent in the region, has just released the debut album from 1000 Kings. The band, featuring bassist Karl Rasheed Abel, drummer Kwake Bass, and an “unnamed saxophonist” that sounds similar to Shabaka Hutchings (hmm…), are a hard-hitting trio that blends jazz with elements of rock and avant-garde.
– Selected by TJ Gordon
Ill Considered “Crawled Back Home/ Soul Provider”
Genres: Jazz
Label: Jazzman
Purchase Link
The third installment of the Jazzman label’s “Jazz45” 7” series features two great new tracks from one of the most dynamic and creative quartets in the UK jazz scene right now. Limited to only 600 copies.
– Selected by TJ Gordon
First Touch & Yvonne Gage “Tonight’s The Night”
Label: Star Creature
Genre: Modern Funk
Purchase Link
German Modern Funk Duo First Touch are back with their smooth signature funk arrangements and they have enlisted the help of vocalist Yvonne Gage. Gage who has sung backup for Stevie Wonder, Ashford & Simpson & Janelle Monáe is finally put to the forefront and the result is stunning. With such slick production and solid vintage vocals this banging 2 sider 45 is sure to get the dancefloor humming and bring the boogie to any party.
– Selected by Asma
GhostFace Killah “The Lost Tapes”
Genre: Hip-Hop
Purchase Link
This compilation of unreleased tracks is everything you would hope for from Ghostdini. Horn stabs, soulful samples and dramatic strings are prevalent throughout a tape that features the likes of West Coast royalty Snoop Dogg, Rass Kass & E-40, underground hero LA the Darkman and the Wu family Raekwon, Masta Killa, Cappadonna a& Raekwon as well as a verse form living legend Big Daddy Kane. The Los Tapes is the unreleased Ghost mixtape you never knew you needed until now.
– Selected by Asma
FOXTROTT “Meditations I-II-III”
Packing a bucket of austere hip-hop beats that slide eerily into EDM territory, the Montreal singer and producer FOXTROTT uses dub foundations and her striking vocal arrangements to make Meditations I-II-III, an essential get.
– Selected by Channel Subtext
Domenique Dumont “Miniatures de Auto Rhythm”
Label: Antinote
Purchase Link
So it turns out the “enigmatic French artist whose existence cannot be confirmed nor denied” is actually comprised by Latvian duo, Arturs Liepins and Anete Stuc. I think I would have preferred if they kept the secretive project a secret. However, on the musical front: I loved the debut EP from a few years back and under the right setting this record is a quite lovely one. Tropical pop chillwave balearic [insert more cool sub-genre buzz words here] vibes!
– Selected by Lexis
Shungu “Exile Dreams”
Genre: Beats
Purchase Link
It really does take a lot these days to get me excited about a beat tape, sometimes it feels like what was a once a thriving scene is running around in circles. ShunGu is a different cat though, he’s the Dusty Jazz Loop Digga! “Exile Dreams” is a perfect tape to bump in the walkman on a nice autumn walk.
– Selected by Lexis
Sam Wilkes “Wilkes”
Genre: Jazz
Label: Leaving Records
Purchase Link
LA’s Leaving Records is just one of those labels that I trust and buy into anything they put out. I discovered Sam Wilkes through his collaboration with Sam Gendel (highly recommend their “Music For Saxophone and Bass Guitar” album) and Louis Cole / Knower. His 6 track debut solo EP is so breathtakingly beautiful that I would recommend you play it first thing next morning and you’ll have a much better day for it! One for the Spirits Up Above!
– Selected by Lexis
Lefto Presents “Jazz Cats”
Genre: Jazz
Label: Sdban Records
Purchase Link
The beauty of a great compilation is when you flip the record around and know 1-2 artists out of 16 but you are intrigued by the concept. Most importantly, it’s about trusting the lead curator behind the project, in this case Belgian DJ, eclectic connoisseur and MIMS homie, Lefto. 16 incredible tracks showcasing what’s popping these days on the Belgian Jazz scene who are certainly making a strong case with this to be considered alongside vibrant youthful scenes like London, Los Angeles, Chicago and Australia.
– Selected by Lexis
Garies “Dull Clunk”
Genre: Electronic / Leftfield
Label: Major Problems
Purchase Link
Had the pleasure of meeting the good folks at the Major Problems label in their home city of Dublin, Ireland and I’ve been keeping a close eye on them every since. Absolutely loving this 8 track EP that works the angles between leftfield electro-techno, abstract, ambient and disco-not-quite-disco. Highly recommended EP from Garies aka New Jackson (All City, Hivern) + Lumigraph (MPR, Opal Tapes).
– Selected by Lexis
Kelela “Take Me Apart, The Remixes”
Label: Warp
Genre: R&B / Beats / Electronic
What sets Kelela apart from the thriving contemporary R&B scene is her sharp ear for collaborations and close ties to underground club culture. Remix albums rarely get me excited but once again, “Take Me A Part Remixes” stands above the typical remix project with a hefty 20 track package featuring a nice mix of underground A-listers (Kaytranada, DJ Lag, Serpentwithfeet, Princess Nokia) and upcoming talent.
– Selected by Lexis
COMPILATIONS
Various Artists – “Nouvelle Ambiance !!!”
Genres: Tropical/ African
Label: Nouvelle Ambiance
Purchase Link
Co-founder of the renowned tropical dance label Sofrito, Hugo Mendez releases an incredible new compilation off of his Nouvelle Ambiance imprint featuring twelve rare tracks exploring the underground Pan-African music scene centered around Paris in the 80s. Drawing on influences from the French capital, Francophone Africa, and the Caribbean, the music is a heavy blend of Rumba, Bikutsi, Soukous, and Afro-boogie.
– Selected by TJ Gordon
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