Psychedelic Funky Afro-Rock from Nigeria: Ofege - Try and Love (1973)

Ofege's debut album from 1973 is now re-issued on cd & vinyl by Academy Annex, so go out and get your copy of this psychedelic afro-rock fest! You might have heard them already on Soundway's Nigeria Rock Special (with the tune Adieu from their second album), Nigeria's most famous student band in the first half of the seventies recorded two wonderfull albums, which both sold pretty well. Ofege (local slang for describing an act of defiance) recorded their debut when they were still in high school (aged 15-17) and the 5-piece band consisted of Melvin Ukachi (vocals), Paul Alade (bass & vocals), Felix Inneh (Guitar & vocals), Mlke Meme (drums & vocals) and Dapo Olumide (keyboard). The guitar tracks were dubbed in the studio by Berkley Jones, guitar player for psych afro-rock legend Blo (check out the Afrostrut release Blo: Phases 1972-1982) and production was done by Odion Iruoje. Sweet harmonies are combined with psychedelic guitars and afrobeat drumming, with Melvin Ukachi being the principle songwriter. I must admit that at first I didn't like the vocals too much, but after a few more spins, the record started to show his strength. And by now, the lamenting and youthfull voice of Melvin tends to hypnotize me. After Try and Love, the somewhat more polished sounding Last of Origins (synth was added in London) was released in 1975. Two more albums were recorded in the latter half of the seventies: Higher Plane Breeze (1977) and How Do You Feel (1978). Check their myspace for soundsamples.

Tracklist: Nobody Falls, Whizzy Llabo, Gbe mi Lo, Try and Love, It's Not Easy, Ofege, You Say No, Lead Me On.

P.S.
The Academy Annex label (based in a Brooklyn recordshop) is gonna release 2 more Nigerian gems this spring: SJOB Movements with A Move In The Right Direction and The Mebusas' Blood Brothers.

Rumba Catalan: El Gitano Portugués on Discophon 1970-1973

Born Joaquín Caldera Cardoso, El Gitano Portugués is one of my personal favorite Catalan rumberos. Between 1970 and 1973 he released 8 singles and one full album (El Gitano Portugués 1972) on the spanish Discophon label. He might not be as famous as The King of Catalan Rumba, Peret, but certainly doesn't lack the quality. Especially the two songs featured here never stop to amaze the listener and always shake up the dancefloors. Similar to El Noi (one of my other unjustly unknown favorites), El Gitano Portugués loves to add latin percussion (plus piano and brass) to his Rumba-Flamenco strumming, and combined with his raw pleading vocals (and therefore reminiscent of the gritty southern soul voices), will touch your heart and move your body. Flamenco purists will hate it, but you just cannot deny the funk in it. In short, it just gives you another reason to love Barcelona. Check out the tunes below and listen where Manu Chao got his inspiration!
El Gitano Portugués

Side A: Procura (Joaquín Caldera)
Side B: Odio (Deths-Ruiz Padilla)
Label: Discophon (1970)


sample: Procura

El Gitano Portugués

Side A: Que No, Que No (J. Garcia Moreno-Carlos Caballero)
Side B: Solo (J. Garcia Moreno-M.A. Espionosa-Ruiz de Padilla)
Label: Discophon (1972)


sample: Que No, Que No

other singles:
El Gitano Portugués - Fui a Bahia/Los Limones (Discophon 1970)
El Gitano Portugués - Rebola Bola/O Belen du pai (Discophon)
El Gitano Portugués - Es de Portugal/Dalila (Discophon 1971)
El Gitano Portugués - Chando Mio/Lloro (Discophon 1972)
El Gitano Portugués - Buenas Noches/Pena Pena (Discophon 1973)
El Gitano Portugués - Caray, Caray/Ya Hay Amor (Discophon 1973)

CREAM OF THE CROP

The days that reggae was solely a Jamaican thing are long gone, and regarding the new releases from the little island, I must say that it is most fortunate that they are. Making my way through yet another pile of "new releases" I find myself dissapointed more often than I used to be. If a tune isn't molested by those hideous "Cher" vocoders, chances are you'll be listening to yet another update of a 90's ragga riddim, a dragging lovesong or, the newest trend, an acoustic version. Obviously there's nothing wrong with the latter, they're often beautiful songs, but I'm not too sure people would like to see me play one of these in a dance. In a few years time though, I'm sure, Jamaican produced reggae will be back at the top of the game. Like economics, reggae has its high- and low points.

Luckily though, the reggae virus has spread steadily and globally and I'm happy to say that the Netherlands, in which I reside, has got a vast amount of high quality artists on its soil who produce more than decent tunes. The most famous is ofcourse Ziggi, who had his big breakthrough last year when he was signed to VP/Greensleeves and hasn't stopped charting international hits ever since. Others that had sizeable hits are Irieginal Abraham (who's seminal "Ganja Gun" was the only serious contender to Alborosie's version on the riddim based on Zap Pow's "Last War") and Beef, who are still going strong as Holland's biggest "middle of the road" reggaeband, reaching new audiences with their sound and opening doors for many new artists.

A REGGAE BOMB, a monthly party hosted by Skank Around Sound, have compiled a beautiful mix to present the finest in Dutch reggae, and it is a job well done. As well as presenting the bigger names and hits, dj Dab dug deep and found some promising talent lurking in the background as well. Dj Ivoryman blended them all together in an uplifting mix.

Here's the CREAM OF THE DUTCH CROP:

1. Beef / Kenny B : On my own
2. Ziggi : Need to tell you this
3. Kalibwoy : World war
4. Fullanny : Why
5. Dredda Youthz : Uma no crey
6. Mizmay : No vacancy
7. Maikal X : The best in you
8. Mischu Laikah : I wish
9. Joggo : She wants to dance
10. Strawl : In this time
11. Fullanny : Garden of eden
12. Black Prophet : Mama africa
13. Smiley / Junior Kelly : Dem a wonder
14. Maikal X : Nothing less
15. VC - Babylon soldier
16. E-Man : Angel eyes
17. Lady K-Wida : So much trouble
18. Mizmay : Wrong world
19. Dredda Youthz : Widjigidjing
20. Brother Marcus : Conquering lion
21. Smiley : Rush
22. Ziggi : Blaze it
23. Irieginal Abraham : Ganja gun
24. Barka Moeri : Mash dem down
25. Ziggi : Fade away
26. Ivoryman : Dangerous
27. Irieginal Abraham / Kirk Davis : Live it up
28. Joggo : Beware
29. Benaissa : Coconut water
30. Black Marshall : Mr. Politician
31. Barka Moeri : Faya fe Rome
32. Beef : Straight through the roof
33. Kenny B. : Baby true
34. Kalibwoy : Dem nah change
35. Benaissa : Believe
36. Black Prophet : Doubting me
37. Brother Marcus : Who is to blame

Download the mix here

Hope you enjoy it!

Psychedelic Funky Folk: Sixto Rodriguez on Sussex 1971-1972

Sixto Diaz Rodriguez was born in 1942 to Mexican immigrant parents in Detroit, Michigan. He was discovered by Dennis Coffey and his production partner Mike Theodore while singing in a Detroit club facing the wall. Impressed by his sound, they took Sixto to Sussex boss Clarance Avant, who signed him immediately. He released two albums on Sussex: His debut, Cold Fact, is a hidden gem, containing psychedelic protest song, not unlike Dylan’s, but edgier and funkier. The famous Sugarman can be found on this album. The second Sussex releases is called Coming from Reality, recorded in London and not as captivating as Cold Fact.

Sixto Rodriguez – Cold Fact (Sussex 1971)
Tracklist: Sugar Man, Only Good For Conversation, Crucify Your Mind, This Is Not A Song, It's an Outburst:Or, The Establishment Blues, Hate Street Dialogue, Forget It, Inner City Blues, I Wonder, Like Janis, Gommorah (A Nursery Rhyme), Rich Folks Hoax, Jane S. Piddy.
The funky psychedelic folk masterpiece Cold Fact was recorded in the fall of 1969 with Dennis Coffey on Guitar, Mike Theodore on keyboards and Funk Brothers, bassist Bob Babbit and drummer Andrew Smith, as rhythm section. It also contains the killertune Sugarman, where Coffey and Theodore experiment freely with backward tape delay, creating a psychedelic landscape for Sixto's songs. Unfortunately, at the time of release the records didn't sell, but over the years it grew into a rare classic. Lovingly re-issued in 2008 by Light in the Attic.

Sixto Rodriguez – Coming From Reality (Sussex 1972)
Tracklist: Climb Up On My Music, A Most Disgusting Song, I Think Of You, Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour, Silver Words, Sandrevan Lullaby - Lifestyles, To Whom It May Concern, It Started Out So Nice, Halfway Up The Stairs, Cause.
Although his first album did't sell very well, a second Sussex album, Coming from Reality, was released in the fall of 1971. This time recorded in London with British producers Steve Rowland and Chris Spedding replacing the Sussex crew. Which resulted in an album way more folkier, more poppy and unfortunately less funky due to the abscence of the Coffey-Theodore duo and the Funk Brothers rhythm section. Including Halfway Up The Stairs, the first song Rodriguez ever wrote. The album will be reissued in may 2009 by Light in the Attic, and also includes three previously unreleased bonus tracks recorded in Detroit in 1972 with Theodore & Coffey, representing the last thing the trio ever did together.

For more info on Sixto check http://www.sugarman.org/
For more info on the Sussex label check: http://www.sussexlabel.blogspot.com/

FORWARD THE SOUND

The sampler, one of the most revolutionary instruments since the invention of the electric guitar, was not only a key player in the evolution of hiphop and dance, it also spawned a whole new way of listening to records. I'm always interested in, or rather, intrigued by interviews with producers who unravel their "sacred" records when they talk about sampling (Wax Poetics makes for good reading on this topic), especially when those records turn out to be some sort of freejazz gems that are impossible to listen to (for me) due to the sheer noise and seemingly random rhythm patterns that features them. I'm intrigued because people actually buy these kind of records and listen to every nano-second of it not so much because they like the music, but because they are in search for that one little sound or break that hasn't been sampled yet. And although not all songs that have been sampled are worthwhile listening to, it's always fun to trace a sample because you never know what you might find. And that is the true art of sampling: it became a two-way street with producers on the lookout going one way and sample tracers going the other.

I'm not a hardcore sample chaser, really. Every now and then, when I listen to a record, some familiar sound may pop up that grabs my attention. If that occurs, I'll begin my search for the original, which basically involves me frantically scanning hundreds of 7"s and records because "I'm sure I've heard that sample before, but I just can't figure out what it is." Here are some of my recent findings. Who knows, maybe there's a gem in there you've never heard before?

Zomby - Spliff dub samples Billy Boyo - One spliff a day
Billy Boyo was one of the many teenage stars the Jamaican music industry has spawned. With some tunes released on the Greensleeves label his future was looking bright for a moment but unfortunately for Billy his (international) career never really took off. Billy died of a brain tumor in the year 2000, after which some more of his musical legacy was unearthed. The album "The very best of me" (released on the Jah Guidance label ) included his biggest hit up to to date "One spliff a day" which, although being an avid reggae collector, I only discovered after hearing the epical Zomby track: "Spliff Dub."

Burial - Broken Home samples Sizzla - Just one of those days
Dubstep superstar Burial has been making quite a name for himself with two albums full of beautiful tracks in which the human voice are key elements. The human voice keeps the cold, computerized tracks from freezing below the subzero level and gives a tune an often well deserved amount of emotion. In "Broken Home" Burial utilizes two tiny snippets of Sizzla's hit tune "Just One of those days" (aka "Dry Cry"), providing the tune its wings to fly with. In terms of approach the two tunes are quite the opposite of eachother, which makes it even more interesting to link them.

12th Planet - Control samples Mikey Dread - Saturday Night Style & Gregory Isaacs Allstars - Crops
12th Planet's banger Control uses two reggae tunes to provide the song with its seductive hooks. The "Control" bit is taken from the song "Saturday Night Style," the first tune of the most sampled reggae album ever: "African Anthem Dubwise" by Mikey Dread. This album was a showcase of his legendary radio show, in which Mikey never talked but used self produced "jingles" instead. These jingles ("you make me feel so goooood;" "Brand new, good for you!;" "Brothers and sisters goodnight, I hope you're feeling allright;" "Is that a turntable? Well get on it, it's your turn;" "You're disckjockey? huhuhuh, what's that?" and loads more) are still being used on a regular basis.

The keyboard part of "Control" is taken from a song called "Crops" (or "Crofs" as it is often credited), which is the dub version of Gregory Isaac's "Word of the farmer" from the Cool Ruler album.

ConQuest - Forever samples Barrington Levy - Here I come
This one took me ages to find. Forever by ConQuest, one of the most beautiful dubstep tunes ever, clearly leans heavilly on a Barrington Levy sample, an artist that has been a prolific "sample victim" from day one. But unlike all the other jungle, drum 'n' bass and dubstep tracks out there, using mainly Barrington Levy tracks like "Here I come", "Under mi sensi" and "Murderer," the vocal part in "Forever" didn't ring a bell, and yet, sounded strangely familiar Even hardcore Barrington fans, struggling with the same dilemma, couldn't identify it for me. In the end, though, I found the tune on the net. If you listen to the sample, you'll hear some heavy hissing which, I figured, may very well stem from an audience. After checking the net for Barrington live performances I found out "Forever" does sample the song "Here I come," but a live version of it, and instead of using the chorus, Conquest uses a part in which Barrington Levy rides the riddim in a brilliant freestyle, boasting about his woman: "She give me love."

The Qemists - Dem Na Like Me sample Morgan Heritage - Uncomfortable
"Stop that train, I wanna get on, my baby she is leaving me noooooow.." It was a rocksteady hit for Keith & Tex in 1967, was an international smash in 1982 when Clint Eastwood & General Saint launched their remake of it, and it was again heavily in rotation in 2004 when the Big Yard label released a stunning one-drop version of it: Stop that train is one of those riddims that never seem to fail.

The 2004 edition of the riddim enjoyed its biggest succes with a Morgan Heritage cut, called "Uncomfortable" (aka "Hail up the lion") which is exactly the version that can be heard in the Qemists (featuring Wiley on vocals) hit "Dem na like me" which is hitting it big right now. You can hear the guitar part quite well, but listen carefully and you'll also hear the "ow!" part with which Morgan Heritage start off their tune.

Probably more to come in the future!

RETURN OF OF THE BOOGIE

Last year I wrote about famous dubstep producer Skream hitting it hard and surprising the hell out of his listeners, when he decided to play a disco and boogie set on one of his Rinse FM Stella radio sessions. At the time it seemed like he was the odd one out, a lonely soul with a taste for late 70's/early 80's disco 'n boogie, but the last couple of months the disco sound is resurfacing more and more often. Either in its original form, most notably sported by Danish producer and dj 2000f, or in an updated style: a synth laden kind of dubstep that's been getting a whole lot of support in the scene lately.

Bristol based youngster Joker is one of the key players in the latter category. His sound is created by a whole heap of fat, blazing synthesizers that are literally on, and over the top of everything. What his sound may lack in thick, heavy (wobbling) bass, is more than made up for by such outgoing and, dare I say it, corny melodies and arrangements that truly haven't been heard in this extravagant form since the day the boogie was still legal on the dancefloor. Like disco, the new disco influenced sound proved often to be too extravert for many hardcore dancefloor lovers, but it's also gaining the dubstep scene a bunch of new fans who seem to be taken in by the melody, the more uplifting sound (whereas older dubstep is raw, dark and a bit evil) and the openess of the songs as a whole. A Joker song like "Snake eater" could very well pass as a disco-hit remix: It screams, sighs and invites; it's just over the edge but not too far and it's incredibly sticky. Once heard, it'll remain in your heart and your mind for days on end. Again, like disco, that can both be as annoying as much as it's fun. And that makes it a proper hit.

Taking things even further is Copenhagen based 2000f. Like Joker, this versatile producer is utilizing the heavy synthesizer sound as well, although he tends to mix it down a bit further. 2000f is somewhat of a pioneer in the dubstep scene, he was one of the first outside the UK to pick up on the new sound from south-London, but none could have guessed he would be as far ahead of the times as he recently turned out to be. His epic "You don't know what love is" tune (co-written an co-produced by JkaMata) is due to come out on the Hyperdub label, is setting the world on fire as a dubplate, is eagerly awaited by many, many fans and....is two years old already. With the resurfacing of the synthesizer sound in the dancehalls, the tune, available as dubplate only to a small group of lucky ones, proved to be some kind of missing link and was finally understood for what it really is: ultra funky, proto-dubstep disco. Call it whatever you want, the tune is so good it comes as a surprise to me that no one, not even outside the dubstep scene, was interested in it at the time of birth. Guess it's aquired taste and it needs some maturing? Funilly enough, for all it's popularity and long stretch, the tune now seems to be guarded to the extremes because it is nowhere to be found on the net, accept in a few mixes here and there. Watch out for the proper release and make sure you listen to it by then.

To complement the "new wave of funk," and perhaps encouraged by Skream's Stella disco session, 2000f has unleashed a series of oldie-disco mixes that are a must have for anyone who's into disco, funk, house, proper mixing and good music in general. Three mixes have surfaced so far, but more will undoubtly follow. And if that is the case, I'm praying 2000f includes Donna McGhee's "Do as I do" somewhere. All 10 sighing, whispering, moaning and excellent minutes of it...

Untill then we'll make do with volumes one, two and three of 2000f's excellent Fyraftensboogie series. Download them here:

Part One
Finis Henderson - Skip To My Lou
Jackie McClean - Doctor Jackyll and Mister Funk
Grey and Hanks - You Fooled Me
Patrice Rushen - Number One
Slave - Stellar Fungk
Central Line - You Know You Can Do It
Tom Browne - Funkin' For Jamaica
Don Blackman - Never Miss A Thing
Trouble Funk - Good To Go (instrumental)
Rick James - You Turn Me On
Precinct - Shining Star
Odyssey - Inside Out
Mystic Merlin - Just Can't Give You Up
Syreeta - Can't Shake Your Love
Funkadelic - (Not Just) Knee Deep
Fat Larry's Band - Act Like You Know
D-Train - Keep On
Shirley Lites - Heat You Up (Melt You Down)
Yvonne Gage - Doin' It In A Haunted House

Part Two
Light Of The World - London Town
AM-FM - You Are The One (Instrumental)
AM-FM - You Are The One
Junior - Mama Used To Say (American Remix)
World Premiere - Share The Night (Club Mix)
Edwin Birdsong - Son Of A Rapper Dapper Snapper (Dub Mix)
The Dazz Band - Single Girls (B-Beats)
Ex Tras - Haven't Been Funked Enough (Ex Tras Special Version)
Savana - I Can't Turn Away
Conversion - I Can't Stop Dancin' (Dance Version)
Ohio Players - Fast Track
Inner Life - Let's Change It Up (Extended Version)
Brooklyn Express - (Spank) Sixtynine
Al Hudson & The Soul Partners - Spread Love
Johnny Hammond - Los Conquistadores Chocolatés
Al Johnson - I Got My Second Wind
George McCrae - I Get Lifted

Part Three
Kool & The Gang - Summer Madness (live at the Rainbow Theatre in London, England)
Don Blackman - Holding You, Loving You
Eddie Kendricks - Intimate Friends
Con Funk Shun - How Long
Aleem feat. Leroy Burgess - Think
RAH Band - Cloud Across The Moon
S.O.S. Band - Just Be Good To Me
Kinkina - Jungle Fever
S.O.S. Band - High Hopes
T-Connection - Saturday Night
Kongas - Anikana-O
Jeanette 'Lady' Day - Come Let Me Love You (Instrumental)
Trouble Funk - Trouble Funk Express
B B & Q - Riccochet (Club Mix)

Groovy Movie Mix 1966-1976

Happy New Year everybody! The first new mix of the new year features groovy soundtracks from 1966 till 1976, all recorded straight from crackling black wax. Blaxploitation mixed with raunchy European stuff, some of the movies you undoubtedly already know, check out 70 minutes of their sounds below. Including rare movie samples!

Once Upon A Time In The West - Man with the Harmonica - Ennio Morricone (RCA 1969)
The Spook Who Sat By The Door - Revolution - Herbie Hancock (UAR 1973)
Black Belt Jones - Main Theme - Dennis Coffey & Luchi de Jesus (WH 1974)
Truck Turner - Main Theme - Isaac Hayes (Stax 1974)
Shaft in Africa – Theme - Johnny Pate (ABC 1973)
They Call Me Mr Tibbs – Call Me Mr Tibbs - Quincy Jones (UA 1970)
Gordon’s War - Hot Wheels (The Chase) – Badder Than Evil (Buddha 1973)
Slaughter’s Big Rip Off – Slaughter Theme – James Brown (Polydor 1973)
La Horse – Serge Gainsbourg - La Horse (??? 1969)
The Godfather – Theme - Nino Rota (Paramount 1972)
Un Homme et Un Femme – Theme - Francis Lai (UA 1966)
Trouble Man – Main Theme – Marvin Gaye (Motown 1972)
Coffy – Coffy is the Colour - Roy Ayers (Polydor 1973)
Foxy Brown – Theme of Foxy Brown – Willie Hutch (Motown 1974)
Sandokan - Instrumental Theme – Guido & Maurizio de Angelis (RCA 1976)
Daktari – Theme – Shelly Manne (Atlantic 1967)
Uptight – Children, Don’t Get Weary - Judy Clay (Stax 1969)
Turks Fruit – Dat Rooie Mistige Beest - Rogier van Otterloo (CBS 1974)
Emmanuelle – Emmanuelle Song – Pierre Bachelet (Warner 1974)
Superfly - Gimme Your Love – Curtis Mayfield (Curtom 1972)
The Mack – Brother’s Gonna Work It Out - Willie Hutch (Motown 1973)
Shaft - End Theme – Isaac Hayes (Stax 1972)

Essential Pressure Sounds Release for DubHeads : Jimmy Radway’s 1975 Dub I

According to our Rough Guide To Reggae, Jimmy Radway's Dub I is one of the heaviest dub albums ever released. And, as usual, the're right. Former painter and political gunman Ivan Jimmy “One Foot” Radway (born Kingston, 1947) recorded a bunch of wicked tunes in the early seventies for his Capricorn and Fe Me Time labels. He gets his first hit with Errol Dunkley’s Black Cinderella in 1972, written by Radway himself. He returns to the charts in 1973 with Leroy Smart’s Mother Liza, and releases several other tunes with deejays I Roy, Big Youth and Scotty. By 1975, he also did an entire dub album, filled with the tough riddims of his earlier tunes, all mixed in a day by mixing desk wizard Errol T at Joe Gibbs. A the time only 300 copies were pressed (the Micron label had folded), making it a sought-after item on the collecter’s market. Adding to the mystery, the album carries many different names such as Dub I, Micron Dub, Hug a Dub, Dubwise Shower and Fe Mi dub. Now, this mythical dub album gets a proper re-release in his original sleeve by Pressure Sounds, who again deserve praise for their work in uncovering Jamaican gems. No tricks here, the horns with lots of echo, the basslines with lots of crunch, heavy and grim dub, reflecting the dark and violent circumstances of Kingston’s ghettos at the time. Dub versions to afore mentioned Black Cinderella (and its deejay and melodica cuts from Big Youth, I Roy and Augustus Pablo) and Mother Liza, plus dubs of Scotty Bells’ Black Am I, Leroy Smart’s Happiness Is My Desire and Desmond Young’s (later known as Desi Roots) awesome original cut Warning, toasted by Big Youth as Wolf In Sheep’s Clothin. Radway also recut Glen Brown’s Slaving as Wicked Have To Feel It. Musicians include Jamaica’s finest session players: Carlton and Aston Barret, Alva Lewis, Tyrone Downie, Bobby Ellis, Vincent Gordon, Dirty Harry, Tommy McCook and the mighty Cedric “Im” Brooks. His vocal work of the early seventies can be found on the Keep the Pressure Down compilation on Prestige records, recorded at Randys and Dynamics 1972-1976. After the Dub I album, Radway decided to quit the music business and retired to the countryside. By 1996 he was down on his luck living in Ocho Rios, unable to afford a mobile phone. Hopefully this beautifull re-issue will get him some more of the attention and financial reward he deserves.

Listen To: Black Rights Version (sample)

Listen to: Wicked Have To Feel It (sample)

Tracklist:
1. Black Rights Version
2. Cinderella Version
3. Micron Way Version
4. Hell & Sorrow Version
5. Awn Yah! Version

6. Mother Liza Version
7. Back To Africa Version
8. She’s Mine Version
9. Wicked Have To Feel It Version
10. Black I Am Version

JARRING EFFECTS GOES CHRISTMAS

French label Jarring Effects, are Santa Clausing once again: they're giving away a free cd stacked with 18 Jarring Effects goodies. Well worth checking out for anyone into bassheavy, experimental dance music!

Tracklist:

1) Bassnectar - Heads Up
2) Caterva- Monkey
3) Filastine - Hungry Ghosts
4) Ghislain Poirier - Diaspora
5) Debmaster - The Last Robot
6) Zol - Syphilisupastar (Borgias edit)
7) Tony Oheix - Galaxy on the table
8) Dub Gabriel ft No Surrender - Rundown
9) Ben Sharpa - B to the E
0) Oddatee - Not even one
1) France Loisir - Le Peuple est une fiction
2) Trash von Traxx - Zona Zero
3) Stormfield - Inner silence outer violence
4) Opti & Ohmwerk - Hammering
5) m3t4 & Myrkur - Wobble diktat
6) Von Magnet - Mostar Angels
7) Professor Psygrooves - 24/7
8) Josef Bilek Experience - New Genesis


Go deh and support: http://www.jarringeffects.net/jfxbits3

Mitty Collier - Shades Of A Genius (Chess LP 1965)

Although I love their cocktails, Milano is actually way to much fashion for me. Lots of posh shops that is, however, there's also Via Padova. A street with lots of people hanging around and police patrolling heavily. And it is here where I found Dischi Metropolis, an old basement filled with second hand vinyl, also equiped with very helpfull personell. Browsing through the bins I encountered Mitty Collier's 1965 album Shades of a Genius on Chess Records for 7 euros. Earlier this year I already noticed the Ace/Kent compilation Shades of Mitty Collier (focusing on her 15 singles for Chess), and was impressed with the powerfull soul-gospel voice of Mitty. Chicago’s Chess label hosted a whole bunch of great female soul voices, eg Etta James, Fontella Bass, Jackie Ross and Sugarpie de Santo. Somewhat more obscure is the here featured Mitty Collier, best known for her hit I Had a Talk With My Man Last Night, released in 1964 on Chess. Mitty was born in 1941 in Birmingham, Alabama, sung in church and toured with gospel groups The Hayes Ensemble and the Loyd Reese Singers. In order to earn some money for her college education, Mitty started singing r&b in the local clubs. In 1959, she won Al Benson’s Talent Contest and a year later, she got signed by Ralp Bass for Chess records at age 20. She stayed with Chess for eight years, releasing 15 singles and the here featured album, 1965’s Shades Of A Genius, a set comprising songs originated by or associated with Ray Charles (three songs are written by him). The album includes her first 1961 single Gotta Get Away From It All, arranged and produced, by Riley Hampton and Roquel “Billy” Davis and the 1964 classic I Had a Talk With My Man Last Night, a gospel song written by James Cleveland (and produced by Billy Davis), substituting the word “God” for “Man”. No Faith, No Love was another 1965 minor hit inspired by James Cleveland’s No Cross No Crown. Shades of a Genius provides us with excellent mid sixties soul, with a deep gospel undercurrent. Most tunes are slow, but things also get funky with Willie Dixon’s My Babe. As usual, the Chess production created tastefull brass sections and bluesy guitar licks. The woman on the album cover is not Mittie Collier, and although it was a withdrawn album cover, it managed to be pressed and released in Italia. Her highest charting single was released a year after the album, Sharing You, also covered by Dusty Springfield, Inez Foxx, Shirley Brown and Marva Wright. Her Chess swansong, released in 1968, was a new version of Gotta Get Away From It All, recorded at Fame Studios in Alabama with producer Rick Hall. Mitty left Chess after releasing Everybody Makes A Mistake Sometimes, a song recorded at Muscle Shoals. She then recorded five singles for William Bell's Peachtree label, in 1969, releasing True Love Never Comes Easy and You Hurt So Good. In 1972, Mitty departed secular music and began singing gospel music, releasing veral albums : The Warning, featuring I Had A Talk With God Last Night (1972), Hold The Light (1977) and I Am Love (1987). She is now the pastor of the More Like Christ Christian Fellowship Ministries, Chicago.

Listen To: I Had A Talk with My Man Last Night

Listen To: My Babe


Tracklist:
1. Come Back Baby
2. I Had A Talk With My Man Last Night
3. Would You Have Listened
4. I Gotta Get Away From It All
5. My Babe
6. Halleluja (I Love Him So)

7. Drown In My Own Tears
8. No Faith, No Love
9. Together
10.Let Them Talk
11.Little Miss Loneliness
12.Ain't That Love

Mittie Collier with the Bar-keys on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPcKJSw92a0 (introduction by Otis Redding)

DIGGIN' THE DUSTY BINS OF ITALIA Nov 2008

Just got back from bella Italia and made a quick mix from the stuff I encountered in the dusty record bins of Milano (If you're around, be sure to visit Dischi Metropolis), Genova and Roma. A wild bunch of sixties girls, deep soul, dirty funk, surf, cumbia, rumba, salsa, samba, bossanova and Italian classics. Have fun...


Rita - LOVE ! (Barclay 197?)
Rita Pavone –Datemi Un Martello (If I had a Hammer) (RCA 196?)
Caterina Caselli – Tutto Nero (Paint it, Black) ( CGD 196?)
Françoise Hardy – Quelli Della Mia Eta(Tous Les Garçons)(Vogue 1962)
Oscar Toney, Jr. – A Love That Never Grows Old (Bell 196?)
Rita Pavone – Scrivi (RCA 196?)
Mina – TaRaTaTa (Rifi 1966)
Patty Pravo - La Bambola (Arc 196?)
Rodolfo Y Su Típica - La Colegiala (RCA 1983)
Latin Brothers - Las Calenas Son Como Las Flores (Discos Fuentes 197?)
Manolo Escobar - El Porompompero (Belter 1960)
Rita Pavone - La Sai Troppo Lunga (RCA 196?)
Mina - Cartoline (Rifi 1967)
Caterina Caselli - Nessuno Mi Puo' Guidicare (CGD 1966)
Rita Pavone - Gira, Gira (“I'll be there”) (RCA 196?)
Willy Mitchell - 30 – 60 – 90 (Hi 197?)
Syl Johnson - Take Me To The River (Hi 1975)
Mitty Collier - My Babe (Chess 196?)
Mina – Le Mille Bolle Blu (Italdisc 1961)
Marcos Valle – Os Grilos (EMI 197?)
Jorge Ben – Ay, Ay, Caramba (Philips 1964)
Clarence Carter – Making Love (Atlantic 196?)
Brunetta – Dove Vai? (Summer Wine) (Rifi 1967)
The Champs – Twenty Thousand Leagues (London 196?)
Celia Cruz – Guantanamera (Tico 196?)
Los Corraleros de Majagual – La Burrita (Discos Fuentes 197?)
Rita Pavone – Cuore (RCA 1963)

Annie Philippe - J'ai Tant De Peine (Barclay 7inch 1965)

This last year I really learned to appreciate French music, and in particular, the works of Serge Gainsbourg. Which inevitably lead to the discovery of the French yeye girls of the sixties. So fate smiled upon me when encountering the here featured Annie Philippe 45 in the bins of our favourite local recordshop Da Capo. Never as big as Gainsbourg-Girl France Gall, with whom she was often compared, Annie Philippe recorded a bunch of really groovy tunes in the sixties, combining angelical French Yeye with American Girl Group and British Sixties garage sounds. From Phil Spector arrangements with a cute-girl style delivery to French pop ballad orchestration with fuzzy guitars, including handclaps. Annie was getting noticed by the time of her 1965 third EP, that included tunes like J’ai Tant de Peine, Trois Petites Tambours, Lui and Le Souffleur De Verre. Covering a broad diversity of styles, however not always with satisfying results, some recordings being too cheesy, even for me. For more of her work, check out her 2Cd compilation L’Integrale Sixties on Magic Records. Listen to J'ai Tant De Peine below:



Born on 17 december 1946, in the Ménilmontant district of Paris, and already taking dance classes when young, she became a DJ, aged 17, at the Twenty One Club, located at the Rue Balzac near the Champs Élysées, and it was here where she met Paul Mariat. Mariat had already worked with Charles Aznavour and would later enjoy huge success with L’Amour Est Blue, launching the career of the Greek-German Vicky Leandros. After auditioning for Mariat, performing songs by Leny Escudero, Marie Laforêt and France Gall, he got Annie her first recording contract on the Riviera label, a sublabel of Barclay, and she released her first EP in 1964 (produced by Paul Mariat and Yzi Spighel, owner of the Twenty One club), including Vous Pouvez Me Dire (in the UK performed by Lulu as He Don’t want your Love Anymore), Une Rose (Presley’s Love Me Tender), Qu’il Le Dise and Je Chante et Je Danse. Unfortunately, she failed to make any impact initially. Her Second EP contained tunes like J’ai Raté Mon Bac, the France Gall-sounding Tout finit à Saint-Tropez, C’est Loin Domani (from the movie Le Rolls Royce Jaune) and a super-cute French version of the Supremes classic Baby Love. Annie was getting noticed by the time of her 1965 third EP, that included tunes like J’ai Tant de Peine (written by Guy Marchand), Trois Petites Tambours (Private John Q by Roger Miller), Lui and Le Souffleur De Verre. The follow up EP contained the handclapping garage stormer On M’a Toujours Dit, Tu Ne Comprends Rien Aux Filles, Quand L’Amour Est A Deux Pas and her biggest hit Ticket De Quai, a sweet ballad which charted in March 1966. After changing to the Philips label, she recorded the dramatic Pour Qui, pour Quoi, Tchakaboum and Cause Donc Toujours, while returning to the charts with the laidback Mes Amis, Mes Copains. Next was the fuzzy Swinging London–like (and one of my personal favourites) C’est La Mode in late 1966 (The EP also included the loungy Ca Fait Pleurer, Soeur Angelique and Le Temps de Poupees) and Le Mannequin in early 1967 (also including tunes like Pas De Taxi, Sensational Jeffrey and Tu Peux Partir Où Tu Voudras, a French version of Mama Cass’s Go Where You Wanna Go. Following her success she recorded an complete album in 1967, containing her hit C’est La Mode, a different version of Pas de Taxi and 2 unreleased songs (Bon Vieux Carillon and Ma Liberté). Now working with Christian Gaubert, the follow up EP, Lettre Pour Annie, also included Coeur Brisé, Coeur En Tête, De Ce Cote De La Riviere and the excellent Pour La Gloire. Next, she recorded the title track for the movie La Blonde de Pekin and the orchestral Les Enfants de Finland, which turned out to be her last chart entry. After her last Philips 1968 EP Une Petite Croix, including Laisse-nous Tranquilles, Bonjour, Bonsoir Et Au Revoir and Le Flingue (written by Frédéric Botton), failed to make an impression, she started working with Claude François on his Flèche label in 1968, releasing tunes like Le Même Amour (again written by Guy Marchand), Croix De Bois, Croix De Fer, Oiseaux de Novembre and Boeing Jet Et Caravelle. Her second Flèche EP included Je Découvre Tout and Laissez Votre Chapeau Monsieur Lee (Move in A Little Closer Baby by Mama Cass). However, sales were disappointing, and she continued to release some work in the seventies but her glory days had passed.

PS
Watch Annie's Le Jouet Extraordinaire on Youtube, I know this tune sucks, but just check the magician in the studio.

90 Minutes of Global Chicano Rock 1970-1978

If you don’t like screaming guitars and lots of percussion, don’t go any further. Latin Soul, Jazz , Rock & Funk, a deft balance between percussive rhythms, instrumental passages and emotional (and romantic) singing in both Spanish and English. Carlos Santana has risen to superstardom with these ingredients. However, there are much more bands, who in the wake of the Chicano Power movement of the late sixties got inspired and started to playing this music. Obviously all over U.S.A. and Latin America, but also as far as the Netherlands (check out the Massada track).

Anikulapo - Global Chicano Rock 1970-1978 by Anikulapo on Mixcloud

download here
http://www.mediafire.com/?r4868579sx938yc

The Boogaloo Combo – Nappy Head (Epic 1972)
Eddie Benitez - Hey Girl (Vaya 1976)
El Chicano - Ron Con Con (Shadybrook 1976)
Toro – Ramona (Coco 1975)
Santana – Oye Como Va (Colombia 1970)
Seguida – Mambo Rock (Fania 1974)
Chango - Mira Pa’ca (ABC 1975)
Coke Escovedo – Te Amo Mas (Sound Triangle 1975)
Azteca – Azteca (Colombia 1972)
Sapo – Can’t Make It (Bell 1974)
Katunga - Bailando Despacito (RCA 1973)
Bwana – Motemba (Caytronics 1972)
Tierra – La Feria (20th Century 1974)
Antiques - Chauca (Sound Triangle? 1973)
Cesar 830 – Azucar (Flying Dutchman 1975)
Massada – Nena (Kendari 1978)
Malo – Oye Mamita (Warner Bros 1972)
Flash & The Dynamics – Electric Latin Soul (Tico 1971?)
Macondo – Cayuco (Atlantic 1972)
Black Sugar – Viajecito (Sono Radio 1970)
Harvey Averne - Cucara Macara (Heavy Duty 1971)

Starting off easy with The Boogaloo Combo from Brazil, doing War´s Nappy Head. Their 1972 album Con Muito Ritmo also features a killer version of James Brown’s Hot Pants Road. Guitarist Eddie Benitez was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Europe, and at the age of 10 his family moved to New York City. Eddie started his musical career back in 1976 when he was signed to Fania/CBS Records at the age of 14. His first release NightLife soared the Latin and jazz charts and he became a West Coast Hero of Latin Rock. Hey Girl was produced by Fania ‘s Louie Ramirez. El Chicano was one of the biggest names on the scene, only second to Santana. This tune is from their later period on an independent label, their albums from the early seventies are also very enjoyable. New York based Toro is next with Ramona, produced by Harvey Averne, who returns with his own band later in the mix. Released in 1972 on Harvey’s Coco label. The Master himself Santana kicks in next with a cover of Tito Puente’s Oye Como Va. Always difficult to chose from such a vast volume of groovy recordings he made in the sixties and seventies. Seguida were a 20 piece latin orchestra from New York, that stood out at the time for combining sythesizers and electric guitars alongside the traditional percussion and brass. Mambo Rock is a serious dancefloor mover, produced by Fania’s Larry Harlow. One of the few latin rock acts on the Fania label, which normally was dominated by salsa. From U.S. East Coast comes the six-piece band Chango. The God Chango is the representative of unbridled sexuality, and here they deliver Mira Pa’Ca in rather West Coast way. After Azteca disbanded, Thomas “Coke” Escovedo toured with Stevie Wonder and signed to Mercury for his formal solo debut: Coke appealed to Latin, jazz and soul listeners. However, with disappointing sales, Escovedo rejoined Santana in the late 70s and played with Herbie Hancock during his disco-funk phase. The earlier mentioned Azteca, was a large Latin Rock band (up to 25 people!), based in San Francisco and including former Santana percussionists such as the brothers Pete & Coke Escovedo (Sheila E. also belongs to the Escovedo family) and Victor Pantoja. The group also included the horn section of Tower of Power and Neil Schon (of Journey) on guitar. They released only two albums in the early seventies on Colombia before disbanding. Also from San Franciso, Sapo, with Richard Bean on vocals, they enjoyed some chart success with Can’t Make It. Katunga hail from Argentina, but recorded most of their tunes in Peru. Balando Despacio, recorded in 1973, is a fine example of South American fusion of funk and rock. Also from the South American continent are Bwana, a mysterious six piece outfit from Colombia with an insane psychedelic Latin Afro-Funk-Rock sound; heavy keyboard grooves, moaning guitars, tribal vocals and conga madness throughout the album. Just as the song featured here, Motemba, the album is filled with long break-filled tracks. Back to the Sunshine State, there The Antiques from Miami, recording for the Sound Triangle label the edgy latin rocker Chauca. Tierra were one of a number of bands formed out of the growing Chicano movement in California. The group featured mainly a Latin-Rock sound, but funk is added in the stormer La Feria. Bolivian pianist-bandleader Cesar Ascarrunz and his group recorded the terrific Cesar 830 album for the Flying Dutchman label. With help of legendary jazz producer Teo Macero (who also did Miles Davis' Bitches Brew and Dave Brubeck's Take Five), he created an exceptional blend of Latino jazz rock fusion. Coming far from the typical Chicano environment, Massada, are an Indo-Dutch band (who sing in English and Spanish!) with a heavy Latin Fusion sound. The tune Nena is from their first and best album Astaganaga, released in 1978 on Kendari. Malo will always be known as the band of Carlos Santana’s brother Jorge, however, in the early seventies they released a series of quality albums, almost sounding fresher than Santana at that time. Oye mamita comes from their second album, simply called Dos, released in 1972. Back in the Big Apple, Flash and the Dynamics, (aka The Sons of El Barrio) combine latin funk & soul and boogaloo with tripped out psychedelic guitars. Electric Latin Soul is food for the brain, please listen to it. Macondo, from Southern California, took their name came from the novel 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Sergio Mendes discovered and produced their 1972 album. The featured tune, Cayuco, again is a Tito Puente composition and you can hear again Victor Pantoja, former member of Santana and Azteca playing congas. Black Sugar is a funky 9-piece Latin-rock band from Peru, released two albums (both with the famous Coco Lagos on percussion). Influences from groups like Tower of Power, Blood Sweat & Tears and Chicago mixed with latin funk flavor, here performing the epic Viajecito. And finally, 70’s latin funkrock frenzy from NY latin mastermind Harvey Averne. Cucara Macara holds lots of percussion, electric guitars and soulfull vocals, resulting in the tasty Nuyorican sound, arranged by Marty Sheller. That´s all folks……. Hasta la proxima.

LES SANGANAS

Last week I was in for a nice surprise when my uncle called, telling me to come by and pick up his record collection. He didn't want anything in return for it, but I wasn't allowed to leave anything behind either. Obviously I didn't, which left me with an almost complete back catalogue of punk and new wave's finest. And while jiving to oldies but goodies like the Clash, the Jam, The Undertones and all them, I found a little pile of 7"s, tucked in between some records. One of them was by a group called "Les Sanganas," wrapped in a "not too promising" sleeve, you might know the kind: musicians in traditional clothing, masks, hats and drums all over the place...Very much like those terrible "world music" records that flooded the market in the mid 80's. Some further investigation of the sleeve learned that the two songs weren't recorded in some dusty studio in say..Lagos or Accra; nope, they were caught on disc in 1977 in a little studio in "funky" Breda, the Netherlands, by a producer named Tony Dirne (who recorded a lot of dutch groups in the 60's and 70's, some pop, some rock but most of them traditional dutch folk and easy listening.)

Yeah...I guess it's safe to say I wasn't expecting too much of this little gem when I finally put it on.
And then it blew me away...

Opener "Sibily Day" is nothing short of an afrobeat anthem pur sang, opening with- and superbly riding an ultra funky guitar riff, this song shreds all the way untill the very end. It's harbouring influences from blues, soul, funk, high life and gospel and it simply has got it all. It's more Orlando Julius than Fela Kuti, it's more proto type afrobeat if you'd like, but therefore more than welcome in my musical world. Fela was brilliant, but he's got way too many clones who simply copied his music without adding anything to it. Frankly: I'm tired of hearing the same song over and over and I just quit listening to newer afrobeat bands if their first few notes sounded anything like Fela. Orlando Julius was one the musicians that influenced Fela when he created his unique blend. Les Sangaras clearly were influenced by Orlando & Fela too, as they were also by James Brown and probably some others we never heard of, but this here, this is the kind of afrobeat I like hear. For all the reasons above.

B-side "Satata" follows the same formula as the A side, and it does so in the same effective way. It sounds like a traditional african folk song being funkified to the max. The whistle is silver, the break is golden, but I bet the song didn't make platinum at the time...

A search on the net didn't really give me any info about "Les Sanganas", unfortunately. Credits on the 7" are given to "Nganga, Joseph, Delvis" and "Nkeoua Ali M" but I couldn't find anything on them either. Too bad really...I guess I'm now the proud owner of a very obscure afrobeat treasure.

Well..here it is. Enjoy!

Sibily Day


Satata

R.I.P NORMAN WHITFIELD

Legendary producer and songwriter Norman Whitfield died on september 16th at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 67 years of age. Whitfield had struggled for months with complications from diabetes, and his prognosis had been day-to-day for several weeks. He had recently emerged from a coma. With collaborator Barrett Strong — himself in a Detroit hospital recovering from a stroke — Whitfield co-wrote many of Motown’s biggest hits, including its single most successful song, “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” recorded by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips. (source: freep)

Norman Whitfield first came to my attention listening to the Impressions' "Pyschedelic Shack" lp. The song that most notably "did it" for me on this album is called "Take a stroll through your mind," an epic, psychedelic and ganja flavoured musical epos, clocking in well over 8 eight minutes. Surely, that was not something I expected to hear from a Motown group with sweet hits to their name such as "It's allright", but dammit, this song struck me! It got to me big time and I just kept playing it over and over again. Soon I discovered that it was the producer, not the group, who was responsible for my newly beloved sound and I found myself digging for more of those psychedelic Norman Whitfield productions. Some were good, some were great and some dazzled me: I still remember the day my fellow Lock it Down writer Elephant Soundz put on the Jackson 5 version of "Hum along and dance" for me, which simply left me in awe...

Although certainly not all his productions are my cup of tea, Rose Royce's "car wash", for instance, is really a step too far for me, but it is without doubt that Norman Whitfield was a true talent. One of the kind that don't come up too often. A remarkable sound originator, a very gifted songwriter and, on a more personal level, one of the few producers who managed to create a signature sound that keeps me digging for more and more. His musical input is still greatly appreciated over here at Lock it Down. Think I'm gonna play the Velvelettes' "Needle in a haystack" some more....or "Ball of Confusion" or "Cloud Nine" or...

World's largest record collection drama

The Archive from Sean Dunne on Vimeo.

In today’s world, everyone downloads and buys music from the internet, making physical record albums obsolete, which is very sad news for Paul Mawhinney. Paul has the world’s largest record collection that he has been accumulated throughout his lifetime. He used to run a record store, and he would always put away the last copy of an album for himself. Due to his declining health and old age, Paul has decided to put the collection on sale for a mere $3 million when it was appraised at a whooping $50 million, yet no one has given a solid offer. Regardless of our technological advances, sometimes holding an album in your hands just feels a little bit different.

thanx to PVC for the link!

Dub Echoes Trailer

more info: http://www.dubechoes.com/

a little Tribute to Joe Gibbs R.I.P. mix

As a tribute I made a nice little mix of some of my Joe Gibbs Productions. May Joe Rest In Peace! check it below
(see http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080226/ent/ent4.html)

Roy Shirley- Hold them
Sylford Walker - Burn Babylon
Shorty the President - Natty pass his CGE
Clint Eastwood - Badda Than You
Barrington Levy - My Woman
Dillinger - Take a Dip
Soul Sisters - Wrecka Buddy
Lady Ann - Murderer
Prince Mohammed - Bubbling Love
Dennis Brown - Let Me Live
Dennis Brown - Ghetto Girl
Joe Gibbs - Entebbe Affair
Culture - I'm Not Ashamed
Lee Perry - The Upsetter
Sammy Dread - Dreadlocks Girl
Eekamouse - Virgin Girl
Junior Murvin - Cool out Son
Lui Lepke - Love from Jamdown
Jacob Miller - I'm Just A Dread
June Lodge - Someone Love You

HIPLIFE TAKING OVER?

In 2008 Ghana’s youth is no longer dancing to "highlife," the music that was so popular back in the sixties and seventies, but to Hiplife, the local mix of Hip-Hop, Highlife, Reggae and Dancehall. Hiplife gained prominence about 10 years ago with Reggie Rockstone, who is known as the “Godfather of Hiplife” and was the first to rap in Twi, the most common language in Ghana. Hiplife is everywhere in Ghana now; it has developed into one of the most popular music styles in the country and has broadened into several sub-genres.

Out Here Records’ Georg Milz (also of the Munich-based Daladala Soundz sound system), compiled an excellent sampler, called: "Black Stars – Ghana’s Hiplife Generation," containing some of the most popular Hiplife artists. And you'd better believe us when we boldly state that anybody out there who enjoyed the "African Rebels" and "Lagos Stori Plenti" samplers should certainly check out this new release, or better yet: buy it instantly. Black Stars is a more than welcome supplement to said samplers, continuing the high standard, both musically as informationwise, all Out Here records display and on top of that: the music is kicking arse! Picture the mighty M.I.A. making an african album, add a bunch of fun and a complete own look on nowadays popular music and you'll get a slight idea of what HipLife sounds like. If this is to vague, which it probably is, but hey: I'm trying, go check out the samples on the OutHere Black Stars page or, if you're a Myspace user, link up at Ghana's Hiplife Generation It's worth it..

NNEKA NO LONGER AT EASE

Originally scheduled for release in january 2008, the new and eagerly awaited second outing of souldiva Nnneka got postponed and postponed, but it finally seems to be finished: The album "No longer at ease" will be unleashed on the 25th of april on YoMama records.

Prior to the forthcoming album, the new single "Heartbeat" will be released as well, showcasing Nneka going further down the musical road she has succesfuly been trodding. Heartbeat is quite an impressive single: Nneka's performance is stumbling and frankly, spoiled as we are, we wouldn't settle for less. The hectic drumming gives the song its heartbeat and works perfectly together with the songlines. I've seen Nneka on stage quite a few times and it seems that she succeeded to haul the energy she and her band display on stage into the studio and on tape. If this is what the album is going to sound like, I take it that fans around the world will not be dissapointed. Bring it on, Nneka!

Go catch her live on stage whenever she in the hood!