Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Two long players in the space of 12 months? 2013 really has been a great year to be a Heliocentrics fan. While Now Again appear to be filing this under 'EP', with nine tracks and an alluringly cyclical intro/outro narrative it's so much more than your conventional extended player. Highlights abound throughout this fuzzy, far-away psychedelic session but the distorted bass runs and muffled moaning guitars is a cosmic jam of Woodstockian proportions while "Thunder & Lightning" takes the dark art of reverberation to a whole a new spaced-out level. Press play and prepare to be consumed.

Review: The sounds of Johnny! have played a significant part in the popularity of afro beat over the last fifteen years. Quietly and tastefully, JJ Whitefield has been responsible for releasing a plethora of Ghanaian rock, including the country's most recent sensations, the incredibly talented Ebo Taylor. Since the 90s, this guys hasn't stopped releasing heat for a single minute, and his collaboration with Now Again has been one of the best and most consistent partnerships of the last decade. Along with Ebo Taylor, his on Henry, and percussionist-singer, Eric Owusu, Whitefield's Johnny! can do absolutely now wrong and, if this new single "Ago" is anything to go by, these guys are among the few making quality afro rock in the present day. The tune is rugged, lo-fi and a little hazy, bringing together elements of Zamrock and psych in the best possible way; there's also an instrumental for you on the flip.

Review: Egon's Now Again imprint prime us for the forthcoming airing of a previously unreleased album from 70s Iowan funk outfit Split Decision Band. "Watchin' Out" was the band's most successful single and has previously passed hands for over $1000 between collectors. Thundering drums, insistent guitars and cool vocal dynamics that know when to let the music do the talking, both versions will slay any dance just as they did 35-40 years ago. We can't wait to hear the album!

Review: Candido Y Su Movimiento's cult favourite album Palos De Fuego album is a rhythmic journey through the vibrant landscapes of Afro-Cuban jazz and Latin music that was first released in the 1970s. It superbly showcases the virtuosity of Candido Camero, a percussion maestro often hailed as the "Father of Modern Conga Drumming" as the album pulsates with infectious beats, intricate rhythms, and soulful melodies, all of which embody the essence of Afro-Cuban traditions while embracing contemporary influences. As a testament to Candido's enduring impact on the genre, Palos De Fuego stands tall and is a timeless exploration of percussive brilliance that continues to captivate and inspire Latin jazz lovers worldwide.

Review: Two albums deep, Karl Hector's troupe continue to join the dots between territories, decades and genres with hypnotic aplomb. A frenzy of Middle Eastern arrangements, densely weaved psychedelic motifs and super-tight instrumentation, each track spins a gorgeous hazy yarn. From the sunset serenade "Spirit Of Gine" to the fuzzier, off-kilter freneticism of "Transition T" via the overlapping melodies and yearning flutes of "Samai Thaqil" and the proggier, guitar-led "Nibunga", Unstraight Ahead carves a very clear path deep into the most unique, timeless pastures.

Review: US eight-piece Heliocentrics have long been regarded as talented musical mavericks - an exceptional live outfit whose freakish, psychedelic blend of influences results an intoxicating fusion of freestyle jazz, dub, funk, Afrobeat, hip-hop, post-punk disco and cinematic atmospherics. This fourth full-length is arguably their strongest yet, thanks principally to their experimental, no-holds barred approach. Out-there, atmospheric and inventive throughout, 13 Degrees of Reality sounds like an unlikely jam session between Sun Ra, Material, Ennio Morricone, John Carpenter and early Cinematic Orchestra. There can be no better praise than that.

Review: High school band directors used to press up their bands' performances to vinyl, & none made as much sweet noise as this "Texas Thunder Soul." Deluxe gatefold package as well as some previously unreleased live music, plus a bonus documentary.

Review: Unsung funk and soul songwriter who worked with Barry White, Al Green, Eddie Kendricks and many more, Richard Marks' 15 year repertoire is delivered in one full strength package for the first time courtesy of Now Again. Over seven years of hard researching, negotiating and compiling (he never released any albums or even granted interviews), this is the ultimate collection of a hard working musician who did all the right things but never got the spotlight his peers experienced. From the hazy blues funk of tracks like "Funky Four Corners" to the slap-happier struts and shakes of tracks such as "Never Satisfied" via the more poignant, heartfelt reflective compositions like "Ups & Downs". Unsung... But certainly not forgotten, this entire document is a detailed and respectful work of art in itself.

Review: The long-lost disco-soul-funk album You Can Be by the Music Makers Band is finally seeing the light of day on vinyl once more with new mixes from original multi-track tapes by Kenny Dope. Forgotten in a linen closet in Macon, Georgia since 1979, this reel-to-reel treasure contains recordings from the group that previously released 'Black Gold' as The Mighty Chevelles in 1977. By 1979, now known as Music Makers Band, they captured this disco-funk gem at Capricorn Studios and here each track shines anew thanks to the fine work of funk lover Kenny Dope's work.

Review: The Now Again reissue mission overseen by brother Egon returns to the UK for more contemporary jazz and library sounds from the ever excellent Natural Yoghurt Band. The Stones Throw offshoot was responsible for a much called for 2009 reissue of the duo's first album Away With Melancholy - released in typically limited quantities via Jazzman. Two years on and the duo come forth with some fifteen tracks of new material which is delightfully presented across two ten inches housed in a veritable book of a gatefold sleeve. Inside you get a typically expert range of dusty funk, retro psychedelia and library breaks with the final neck snapping track "Biscuits" a particular highlight.

Review: This new comp is a year-end exclusive, and chronicles only the best psych-funk and soul from the genre's heyday, the early 70s. The follow-up to Now-Again's most well-loved compilation 'Forge Your Own Chains', this compilation, like that one, has a conceptual backbone, loosely ruminating on what might befall the human race after COVID. With only 3000 copies pressed worldwide, the bands featured on this comp range from teenage Icelandic garage wannabes to Krautrock legends.

Review: Loving On The Flip Side compiles overlooked ballads from the flip sides of funk 45s in the Now-Again and Truth and Soul vaults, all presented in the same format as the Soul Cal anthology. This collection showcases incredible music that pairs heavy funk with sweet soul to create a sound the label calls "sweet funk." The journey began nearly a decade ago with the discovery of the Darling Dears and Funky Heavy's unique two-sided single which sparked a search that led to their full inclusion in this anthology. The process unearthed other soulful gems and now culminates in an essential exploration of black American creativity and musical innovation.

Review: Cold Heat: Heavy Funk Rarities 1968-1974 Vol 1 is a vibrant compilation album that encapsulates the essence of early funk music during the late 1960s to the early 1970s. Featuring obscure tracks from that era, it showcases the raw energy, infectious rhythms, and soulful grooves that defined the funk movement. From big, fat basslines to horn sections that pack a punch, each track immerses you in impossibly catchy rhythms so you journey through the golden age of this genre. With its diverse selection of rare gems, Cold Heat offers a glimpse into a musical era characterized by innovation.