Back catalogue:

Review: A tale of two sides, Azimuth's classic "Manha" should be recognisable to many; taken from their self-titled LP in 1975, its golden harmonies and lavish, lolloping Bob James style jazz are as timeless as they were 40 years ago. Flip for "America Latina". Conjured by prolific collaborator Osmar Milito (whose discography features the likes of Sammy Davis Jr, Spanky Wilson and Liza Minelli), its striking, sing-along charms are no accident... It was actually created for 70s Brazilian soap opera Selva De Pedra.

Review: In 2011, Banda Achilifunk & OJO served up Gitano Real, one of the year's most essential albums. It was caned far and wide by funk lovers, in particular Craig Charles on his 6 Music show. Now, two cover versions taken from the essential album have been pressed to limited edition translucent yellow vinyl. First up, 'I Believe in Miracles' is an overwhelming take on the Jackson Sisters classic with plenty of happy Latin vibes and rumba funk rhythms. Flip it over for a more abstract version of McFadden and Whitehead's seminal 'Ain't No Stoping Us Now' which is a soulful disco number packed with sunshine.

Review: Jane, Roberto, and Sidey Morais - Brazil's Os Tres Morais - are placed alongside the wonderful Claudia for the latest all Brazilian showdown courtesy of the always point-side Brazil45 series from the Mr. Bongo label. The latter gives us the mythical "Garra", a tune that sits very nicely next to the likes of Marcos Valle and co, and the singing trio get a reissue of 2006's "Freio Aerodinamico", a gorgeous blend of samba, disco, and something perfectly exotic and vintage. Heart-warmers.

Review: The charming 'Xango' by Magalhaes from his 1986 album E Sua Guitarra on Gravasom Records is an electrifying Lambada track with haunting vocals and infectious energy that now gets reissued as part of the superb series from Mr Bongo. It is a guaranteed dancefloor rescuer for DJs worldwide and has in fact been building momentum in recent years. It remains a favourite for its driving rhythm and captivating intensity and on the B-side is 'Lambada Pauleira' by Os Panteras, which was released in 1987 on Gravasom. Known for Joutro Mundo's popular re-edit, this original version stands out with its quirky charm and undeniable appeal and is a staple for renowned Brazilian DJs, including Augusto Olivani (aka Trepanado).

Review: Peggy O'Keefe's 1966 recording, made during her six-year residency at Glasgow's Chevalier Casino, captures the Australian-born pianist's true musical talent. Her rendition of 'Cubano Chant'ioriginally popularised by Art Blakeyiremains a stand-out, a highlight in jazz dance circles ever since. Praised by jazz legends such as Cleo Laine and Oscar Peterson, O'Keefe's piano playing is rich with skill and passion, demonstrated to full effect in these two tracks. Now rediscovered and presented on 7", this gem has been hidden away for nearly six decades but is now ready for a new audience.

Review: Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy's debut album Mam Yinne Wa was a real triumph. A sensuous fusion of international rhythms, gospel vocals and jubilant vibes that was an instant hit with lovers of world music. His new single is said to be a teaser for a seance upcoming album and is another masterpiece from Frafra Gospe, a legend of this genre. First up is 'Doose Mam,' a repetitive rhythm that goes right for the hips. The big horns bring the character and sensuous vocals are the icing on the cake. On the flip is 'Gure Yose Me,' a tune rooted in reggae rhythms thanks to the work of Josie Coppola, Europe's No.1 reggae drummer.

Review: Insanely funky business from Senegal's famous Orchestra Baobab (who are still touring and toiling 40 years later), "Kelen Ati Leen" is a really sweaty, heavy slab of funk that stares west for inspiration and a mild psychedelic Hendrixian sheen. "Souleymane", released three years after the A-side in 1978, takes more of a Latin influence as the horns get steamy over a rigid highlife spine to create a detailed and very physical groove.

Review: Arakou, situated over 400 km north of Cotonou, housed the Orchestre Anassoua-Jazz de Parakou. Through the 1970s, they recorded several singles and EPs for Albarika and a few others, but never completed a full album.Their 1975 45rpm release is exceptionally rare; no copy has surfaced on eBay, nor is it listed on Discogs. Beyond rarity, 'Bakassine Gabou' offers a highly-charged, hypnotic dance track perfect for DJs, while 'Moumouni Bassina Borou Fo' intensifies with layered guitar, vocals, and percussion. What's more, this version finds both tracks were meticulously transferred, restored, and mastered from the original 1/4 inch tape.

Review: Benin funk supergroup Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou have an essential discography that takes in some of the most definitive afro-funk sounds you can hear. The Acid Jazz label serves up a couple of such betters here with 'Kpede Do Gbe Houenou' layering up the driving grooves, killer horns and wild keys into something intoxicating. Less intense but just as good, 'Ma Wa Mon Nou Mi O' brings the guitar work to the fore, with plucked and funky riffs underneath the imploring vocal work that's up top. Both tunes have been restored and remastered.

Review: Acid Jazz Records' has got a licensing agreement with legendary Benin label Albarika Store that is seeing them put out some of the best music to have ever come from West Africa. Benin's almighty Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Dahomey made plenty of it. This latest 45 is another stunner with plenty of raw screams, wails and grunts all adding extra life and vitality to the already trilling guitars and bustling drum rhythms. Add in heavy percussion and you have a real heavy Afro psych-funk tune. The flip is more deep and soulful, and just as good for different reasons.

Review: Following persistent requests, Mr Bongo has finally relented and dedicated an edition of their popular Brazil 45s series to Orlandivo Honorio de Souza, a composer, singer and percussionist whose 1977 album Oelandivo remains high on my collectors' wants-lists. Wisely, their A-side pick is 'Onde Anda O Meu Amore', a cosmic and spacey fusion of samba-soul and jazz-funk rich in ethereal flute lines and intergalactic keys. This time round it comes backed by the equally as impressive 'Gueri Gueri', an insatiable samba-rock number wrapped in heady accordion, jangly acoustic guitar and punchy horn sounds.

Review: Mr Bongo's crucial Brazil series hits a 94th volume here with vocal and instrumental group Os Carbonos from Sao Paulo. The band had a long and fruitful career that started in the 60s and ran on into the 80s. This offering is a tune from later on in their time and it is a prime slice of Brazilian boogie with funk drums, vamping chords and hip swinging claps all designed to bring the good ties and the sunny vibes. The bass-driven a-side is the one, but the flip from Sandra Sa is a special kind of sentimental soul sound.

Review: For the latest edition in the label's superb Brazil 45s series, the Mr Bongo crew has decided to reissue one of their all-time favourite tracks, Os Devaneios' 'Embala Differente'. Situated here on side B, the track is one of the funkiest and heaviest samba floor-fillers going - a 1978 workout that adds punchy horns, disco-boogie bass, strong male lead vocals and mazy organ solos to an infectious and percussively dense rhythm track. A-side 'A Beleza E Voce Menina', a slightly later recording, is equally as impressive, with the obscure Brazilian band adding elements of soul, South American boogie and AOR to their funky-as-hell samba template. Another essential instalment in one of the most on-point reissue series around.

Review: Samba flavours do not come more authentic than this. The sixth in Mr Bongo's Brazil 45 series, here they unearth two foundation pieces from Rio collective Os Origianais Do Samba. Forming in 60s Rio, they're still highly active today and have a discography peppered with Brazilian gold. This 45 does well to showcase their breadth... "La Vem Salgueiro" is quintessential samba. Heavy rhythm, punctuated vocals and a dynamic that leaps from bold and delicate in a flash, it charms you instantly. "Tenha Fe" has a softer soul as it strums and sways and more of a folky sensation, tight harmonies and alluring naked instrumentation.

Review: It was the iconic Copacabana Records that put out this classic MPB back in 1964. That makes 'Um Balanco pra voce' by Os Rouxinois one of the oldest releases in Mr Bongo's Brazil45 series and it is also one of the best. Arnaud Rodrigues wrote the tune which is a superb mix of exotic funk, bossa nova rhythms and quirky melodies from a five-track 7" of tunes that the band originally used to play on TV. On the other side, 'O Viajante' is the sort of irresistibly sunny sound that quickly wins your heart and is sure to light up any dancefloor.

Review: Seminal cosmic afro record from 1976, this Mancuso staple regularly passes hands for triple figures and has been bootlegged (badly) many times over the years. Here we find the deeply spiritual and reasonably prolific troupe in all their glory. Mystic, restrained, paced and laced with an insistent almost hypnotic Buddhist mantra. "Anambra River" takes us six years closer to the floating crystal city of Budatan, shire of West Heaven with a Morricone sense of drama and emotion. Unleash your inner hippie.

Review: The high class Melodies International reissue label co-run by Floating Points and Elliot Bernard is back with the seance in its Melodies Record Club series. This time it is blistering club DJ Ben UFO who gets his pick after Four Tet had his go earlier in the year. The two tunes he pick have long been staples in his set either though on the surface of it neither are typical club tunes. They have never before been available on vinyl for that reason but we're glad they are now. 'Drums' is off Laurie Spiegel's 1980 experimental album The Expanding Universe and is all oscillating synths and computer generated percussion while Olof Dreijer from the Swedish band the Knife offers 'Echoes From Mamori' on the flip, a more tropical and whimsical cut of new age licked house made from arpeggios and frog samples.

Review: Correcciones Calypso returns from a generous hiatus with the fourth edition of its acclaimed edit series, replete with four re-edits that veer from the subtle to the downright brazen. Thomass Jackson and INigo Vontier invite the French duo Youkounkoun to open proceedings with an insane early 80s edit full of big drums and exotic touches that's been blowing dancefloors all around the world for the past years - and definitely resides in the brazen category, despite a lot of work having gone into it. Olta Karawame make their debut on the series with a powerful, compact edit full of ballsy keyboard riffing and a military-sized kick drum that is guaranteed to have heads banging . To complete the release label bosses Thomass and INigo deliver edits of their own with their characteristic sound, giving this EP maximum a value for money factor and entertainment from start to finish.

Review: 'Independance Cha Cha' was something of a historic anthem that immortalised Congo's independence and marked the debut release from a Congolese-owned record label, Surboum African Jazz, under the guidance of Joseph Kabasele. This pioneering move sparked a wave of new record labels in 1960s Kinshasa, led by the era's many musical luminaries. Planet Ilunga's Les editeurs Congolais series pays homage to these trailblazing label owners, starting with this, Les Editions Populaires, founded by Franco Luambo Makiadi in 1968. This compilation of 16 tracks from its early years showcases Franco's vision, spanning rumba, Lingala ballads, Kikongo traditionals, and even Yoruba influences, alongside American funk pastiches.

Review: Antonio launched his own label Tribal Winds all the way back in 1998 so big up to him for still serving up new releases over a quarter of a century later. This one is a killer, too - a worldly melange of influences from house to Afro, disco to funk. 'Nibakhulu' kicks off with a hefty tribal feel then 'Ashe' (feat Morris Revy) gets more percussive. 'The Old Ones' (feat Taola) rides on funky drum patterns with lush string sounds and big claps powering it along and last of all 'Africa Me Llama' (feat Ziphezinhle Celeste) comes with fresh percussive patter and jumbled drum funk. Each of the tunes gets a side each to play out and really make its mark.

Review: Following 2012's fourth volume that celebrated the existential work of Tim Maia, here we find Luaka Bop exploring the legacy of William Onyeabor. A high chief and Kenyan diplomat who allegedly refuses to discuss his music, he self-released eight albums in the 70s and 80s and these are some of the many highlights. Stretching from the New York-influenced post-punk synth funk of "Good Name" to the most authentic Afro fusion of "Why Go To War", Onyeabor's range not only reflects his clear creative skill, but also the ever-developing international language of music during the fruitful period he was active. Who is William Onyeabor? Press play and find out yourselves...

Review: A lesson in how to follow up an incredible album: Tomorrow followed Onyeabor's incendiary Atomic Bomb immaculately. The title track instantly set the scene with more emphasis on electronic elements and studio techniques as William sermonises without pomp. "Why Go To War" is as insistent as its message thanks to a dense lolloping groove of highlife guitars and spiralling keys. "Fantastic Man", meanwhile, takes a leaf out of Parliament's playbook, rolls it up and smokes its own and "Try & Try" closes the show with country subtlety thanks to its slide guitars and blushing keys.

Review: Even by the consistently high standards of Analog Africa, this release is something special. It consists entirely of previously unheard music by Orchestre Abass, an obscure outfit from Togo who released a handful of singles on Polydor Ghana in the early 1970s. Remarkably, all bar one of the tracks on "De Bassari Togo" were found on a long forgotten reel of tape that had sat on a shelf in a Ghanaian warehouse for the best part of 35 years. That was ten years ago; it's taken that long to track down the remaining members of the band and license the material. In truth, the tracks have aged exceptionally well, with the band's infectious, organ-led sound adding distinct Arabic influences (a result of the band members' time spent studying in Islamic schools) to their heavy funk rhythms and riotous Afro-funk vibes.

Review: Originally released in 1980 on the Alberika label, Orchestre Les Volcans du Benin Vol. 1 has long been a 'holy grail' LP for Afro-Cuban aficionados. It now sees it's first official reissue on Acid Jazz Records, with four infectious tracks across the two sides, including Oya Ka Jojo - latin dancefloor dynamite and a DJ must-have. Remastered by Nick Robbins at Sound Mastering and presented in a wonderful colour sleeve, it's an opportunity to finally own this special and highly sought after LP.

Review: Acid Jazz has got an ongoing deal to issue and reissue music from Benin funk supergroup Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou and the latest fruits of that is this reissue of their Le Sato album. It is a follow-up to the one they dropped back in 2021 and is another section of traditional voodoo ceremonial music from the group from the mid-seventies. The name of the album is taken from the large ceremonial Sato drum, which is played with wooden stick beaters at special ceremonial occasions. Here it can be heard in all its glory making traditional rhythms and deeply ritualistic grooves that will leave you in a trance.

Review: Orlas, a father-son duo consisting of Victor Chicri and Vic Delnur, offers a vibrant blend of Brazilian musical traditions on their debut album Viver o Mar. Named after the Portuguese word for "shores," the project is a heartfelt tribute to the ocean, weaving together elements of samba-jazz, bossa nova, fusion, and disco-funk. Victor Chicri, a seasoned maestro and pianist with deep roots in Rio de Janeiro's 70s music scene, has collaborated with legends like Gal Costa and Seu Jorge. His extensive experience, including performances with the Quincy Jones Orchestra at Montreux Jazz Festival and a Latin Grammy win, shines through in the album's sophisticated arrangements. Vic Delnur, a versatile multi-instrumentalist and producer, brings a modern touch to their sound, drawing on his global experiences playing with artists like Sessa and Mahmundi. The result is a dynamic fusion of old and new, enriched by an eight-piece orchestra that adds lush textures to the grooves. The title track, 'Viver o Mar,' is a smooth, breezy fusion of samba-jazz and disco-funk that captures the spirit of the sea. 'Alagoas,' the second single, is a soulful tribute to Delnur's grandmother, celebrating the simple joys of life in the tropical paradise of her homeland. Viver o Mar is a celebration of Brazilian music's rich heritage, delivered with a modern flair.

Review: Caracoles propels Orquesta Akokan's GRAMMY-nominated mambo into the contemporary era here with sounds infused with akokan-a Cuban Yoruba term for heartfelt expression. Led by producer Jacob Plasse and pianist Michael Eckroth, the album is their third and it delves deep into mambo's rich tapestry. Collaborating with Cuban artist Kiko Ruiz, who is known for his work with Buena Vista Social Club, the album intertwines everyday Cuban narratives with Palo Mayombe spirituality that adds layers of depth. Rooted in the traditions of Benny More and Perez Prado, Caracoles revives mambo's essence as both celebration and prayer here while invoking spiritual resonance through impassioned grooves.

Review: The unearthing of Orquesta La Solvencia's sole album epitomises El Palmas label's mission to preserve Venezuela's salsa heritage by reviving the bold, authentic music that laid the foundations of the genre. Originally released by Corpodisco in 1980, this record featured guaguanco, guaracha, son, and merengue, pre-dating the definitive salsa label. According to Felipe Diaz, La Solvencia's lead singer, numerous orchestras of this kind thrived in Venezuela to entertain communities during patron saint festivities. La Solvencia's irresistible grooves, coupled with lyrics portraying everyday life, endeared them to the Venezuelan salsa aficionados, and us.

Review: Amghar: The Godfather Of Tuareg Music Vol 1 by Abdallah Oumbadougou is a superb trip into the heart of the ever fascinating sound of Tuareg music. Oumbadougou, revered as the godfather of this rich musical tradition, delivers a spellbinding collection of tracks that showcase his mastery of desert blues. Each composition is a testament to the deep cultural heritage and spiritual resonance of Tuareg music. They blend hypnotic rhythms, intricate guitar work and haunting vocals all with a melancholic and seductive feel from the soul-stirring chants of 'Afrikya' to the infectious energy of 'Tabsiq Dalet'. This album transports listeners to the vast landscapes of the Sahara, evoking a profound sense of wanderlust and timeless beauty as it does so.