Crucial Material – February 2nd, 2021

We’re back on track with our weekly record rundown. Starting 2021 in fine style!

Here are our favorite EP’s, Albums and Reissues of the past week. As always we encourage you to buy digital or physical releases if you discover a release you love. Support artists and labels!

SOUL

William Stuckey — Love Of Mine

The ever-consistent Athens of the North release fantastic reissue of William Stuckey’s rare southern soul LP. Love of Mine see’s the blind multi-instrumentalist produce a fine set of heartrending tunes flashing between dancefloor-friendly soul, string-laden disco jams and deep soulful ballads. Sound quality is assured with AOTN securing (and repairing) the original tapes. — Selected by Dom Ore 

Robohands — Shapes

Andy Baxter aka Robohands returns with a follow up to his 2019 LP “Dusk”. Cinematic soul-funk with a touch of psych rock, it’s another future classic in the Robohands catalog. As usual with his releases, the vinyl’s already sold out but the repress is on the way! — Selected by Spacewalker

JAZZ

Nick Walters & The Paradox Ensemble — Implicate Order

London composer, trumpeter, and member of  Ruby Rushton, Nick Walters returns with a brilliant new album featuring his expansive 11-piece group The Paradox Ensemble. The recording blends together spiritual jazz grooves and Eastern-influenced melodies with layered horns, West African rhythms, and a fusion of electronics. — Selected by TJ Gorton

Sitka Sun — All The Way West

Oakland-based cosmic psych jazz ensemble Sitka Sun, led by bassist Patrick Murphy, releases their highly-anticipated sophomore album ‘All The Way West’ on The Long Road Society label. This brilliant new recording blends together meditative rhythms, interwoven melodies, cosmic grooves, and psychedelic textures featuring a wide range of both acoustic and electric instrumentation. — Selected by TJ Gorton

Gerry Weil — The Message

Olindo Records’ launch sister label Música Infinita with a reissue of the highly obscure 1971 jazz fusion recording from pianist and organist Gerry Weil featuring 15 of Venezuelan’s best musicians. The six-track recording blends together the influences of ‘Bitches Brew’ era Miles Davis, the psychedelic sounds of Jimi Hendrix, the funk grooves of Tower of Power, and Weil’s raspy Tom Waits-like vocals. — Selected by TJ Gorton

Binker & Moses — Escape The Flames

Gearbox returns to the dynamic sax & drums duo’s incredible 2017 album launch at London’s now sadly defunct Total Refreshed Centre to present the essential companion piece to ‘Alive in the East?’, also drawn from that show.  An essential moment in time when two of London’s most exciting young jazz musicians narrowed the gap between the city’s esteemed improv scene and the dynamic sounds of a new generation that has since taken the world by storm. — Selected by Oli Brunetti

Marcos Resende & Index – Marcos Resende & Index

The little-known Brazilian jazz fusion stars behind the rare ’78 classic ‘Festa Para Um Novo Rei’ had previously recorded and shelved this incredible album of forward-looking electric jazz that stands up well next to era classics such as Azymuth’s ‘Light As A Feather’. Far Out Recordings has done a great service saving it from obscurity . — Selected by Oli Brunetti

HIP-HOP & BEATS

Madlib — Sound Ancestors

Prolific producer extraordinaire Madlib has too many releases to even keep track . However, this recent output has brought us back to the essence of his masterful sample selection and unique sense of drum patterns. The suave “Latino Negro” and ephereal “Road of the Lonely Ones” brings us back to the Madlib we all grew to love and worship — Selected by ASMA

MFP — Natural Law

— Selected by Lexis

Mr. Santé — Trees

Lo-fi beatmaker Mr.Santé has just completed his debut EP for German imprint Vinyl Digital. Influenced by the mighty forests of his native northern Quebec, this hypnotizing project lulls the listeners with off kilt sequencing and careful sampling. Unique soundscapes breakaway from what can be a dull genre and make for an immersive listening experience. — Selected by ASMA

Dolenz – Electric Fence

Exit Records artist, DJ & producer makes his debut on Potent Funk. The beatmaker provides the perfect antidote to the swarming mass of so-called ‘lo-fi’ producers piddling dangerously close to coffee shop muzak, whilst avoiding the EDM trap on the flip. Dolenz’ beats bang hard and loud and contain a special funk that compliments the label’s name. Blighty MCs Dabbla & Black Josh, and DJ Matt Frost, contribute killer verses & cuts to the potent brew too. Check! — Selected by Oli Brunetti

ELECTRONIC

An Avrin — ADY

London’s An Avrin casually dropping his best material yet! This EP is bouncing fun from A to Z: wonky bloop-heavy Breakbeat, UK Funky and Electro beats sprinkled with memorable granular vocal stabs, glitzy New Wave reminiscing synths and all the wriggling you ever wanted. — Selected by dileta

Henry Greenleaf — Taking First

Well of course I was going to talk about this one, possibly my most anticipated release of the year. The chief roller-coaster operator of leftfield bass/techno graces us with 4 heavily modulated, labyrinthinely structured mind-twisting corkers. It only takes one listen to the elastic resonating leads in ‘Taking First’ and ‘Rumble’ to get hooked. Also, special mention to the Cando remix of ‘Rumble’ that transforms it into a colossal drumming venture with a vocal one-shot that you won’t forget soon. — Selected by dileta

dBridge — Weak or no signal

— Selected by Lexis

LEFTFIELD

[indistinct voices over PA] — UNREST

Montreal’s amazing label Unlog brings us a haunting cinematic dirge for our current times, slowly walking you through desolate nocturn landscapes until the heart-stopping finale of ‘A beam of shadow (شعاع من الظل)’ — Selected by dileta

Mu Tate — Let Me Put Myself Together

— Selected by Lexis

Mica Levi — Blue Alibi

— Selected by Lexis

University Challenged – Oh Temple!

The Netherlands-based trio weave kosmische musik, electronic experimentation, deep spiritual jazz, modern classical and pastoral guitar soli together, with beautiful, meditative results. Think CAN for a hangover. It’s been a calm joy absorbing this album and it is thoroughly recommendable. Out now on the ever-on-point Hive Mind Records. — Selected by Oli Brunetti

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We also invite you to check out our main five playlists where you’ll find our current favorites across Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.