International Recommendations September 2016

Review: Launched in June last year, the Radio Martiko label has reflected the international flavour of funk, soul, jazz and more that have made the Ghent collective's DJing and online mixes so memorable. On this third 7", Radio Martiko head into the boogaloo with some newly remastered Peruvian afro jazz floor burners. Up top is "Boogaloo Girl" from Alfred Linares, originally issued as a B-side from the period the cult Lima musician was residing in Cali, Colombia. It's a real boogaloo gem and deserves a belated A-side billing here thanks to Radio Martiko. Fans of the Vampi Soul label might recognise Charlie Palomares Y Su Yuboney's "Vives Boogaloo" after it opened their 2007 compilation, iGozalo! Bugalu Tropical Vol. 1. It appears on 7" for the first time as far as we can see and is a wonderfully harmonic little number.

Review: Beautiful Brazilian soul from 1978, timely reissued by Mr Bongo: Eloah comprises something of an all-star cast of musicians and poets who have worked with the likes of Perfume Azul Do Sol, Vinicius de Moraes, Alcyone and Nelson Goncalves. Their work is soft-focused, folky and charming with a timeless spirit that, if anything, has matured to sound even better almost 40 years later. From the soul-stirring percussion and flute ballad of "Nanan" to the much more upbeat dusky post carnival sound of "Xango" or the ballroom swoons of "Logun Ede", the album offers something fresh on every listen as layers of percussion and instrumentation are weaved delicately with soul and dreamy detail.

Review: Having impressed on its' CD release earlier in the year, Nicola Conte's collaboration with Italian singer Stefania Dipierro finally comes to vinyl. We're used to the veteran bossa-nova and jazz composer seemingly dropping albums at will, but Natural is undoubtedly a cut above some of his recent sets, thanks largely to the focus provided by Dipierro's breathy, sweet and atmospheric vocals. Delivered in a trio of languages (English, Italian and Portuguese), the singer's delivery sits somewhere between classic jazz and Astrud Gilberto, making it a perfect foil for Conte's jaunty, life-affirming instrumentation. As a result, Natural feels like a contemporary Brazilian classic - even if it was forged in Italy - and boasts all manner of bossa, samba and soul-jazz treats.

Review: Compilation specialists Wewantsounds return once again; this time their focus is squared on the Bossa Nova movement. Popularised in the 1960s, Bossa Nova's roots actually took place in the prior decade and this 20-track collection looks to chronicle the movement's emergence properly. Artists readily associated with Bossa Nova of course feature, but the Wewantsounds crew have dug a bit deeper to highlight some of the lesser known, cult practitioners too. Therefore you get a nice blend, from Joao Gilberto to Celso Murilo via Elza Soares and Orlann Divo. Featuring sleeve notes from French music journalist Jacques Denis, Bossa Nova is a fine introductory compilation for those who wish to discover more about the subtle differences between early bossa and the more relaxed samba Cancao.

Review: Global Pop First Wave, a subsidiary of Berlin's Corvo Records, is back with its third chapter of revolutionary hippie anthems form the golden days of trailing and psychedelics, this time taking us along the Pakistani route. Don't get it twisted, this is free spirited hippie gear but there re plenty of moments where you think "...what? How was this stuff even conceived way back then?". The percussion on songs like 'Saturday Night" by Nahid Akhtar are intricate and singular, the singing deep and moving. The answer lies in the freedom and hedonism with which these artists expressed themselves, something that struck a chord with the folks travelling and looking for the meaning of life. Trust us, sit back and listen to this, you won't even need to resort to the psychedelics.