Back catalogue: Funk

Review: Germany's funk collective expand their sound on this release, recorded live at the MPS studio in the Black Forest. The raw, break-heavy foundation remains, but the album ventures into jazz, soul, and psychedelia, capturing an organic energy that feels both spontaneous and precise. Tracks like 'Open The Gate' blend punchy brass with intricate rhythms, while 'Spinning' layers folk-psych guitar and cinematic horns, creating a fluid dialogue between the musicians. 'Back And Better' highlights Nichola Richards' soulful vocals, adding depth to the sparse beats. The album also explores playful experimentation, with 'Sparks of Joy' embracing a swampy groove, and 'Phantom Power' introducing an electric phin, nodding to world jazz influences. Carlton Jumel Smith's performance on 'Can't Stop This Fire' and the gospel-tinged 'Homebound' anchor the album, grounding its expansive journey. The result is a cohesive and evolving soundione that truly captures the clearly audible joy of collaboration.

Review: Mixed by Japanese producer and DJ Muro, who has a background in hip-hop, this connoisseur is never short on deep cuts and takes us on a journey through soulful, vintage AOR sonics from his home country. Whilst no two tracks are by the same artist, there's a cohesion to the tracklist thanks to Muro's ear in pulling out things that sit so well together. Asakawa Mak's 1988 cut 'American Night' is a smooth nod to sophisti pop greats Prefab Sprout; whilst Seri Ishikawa's elegant and lush number, 'Eternal 1/2', highlights how innovative she was in forging new sounds back in 1985. These two cuts are just the tip of the iceberg, yet this compilation is an ideal entry point to some of the finest Japanese music of the late 20th century. You can bank on Muro delivering the goods.

Review: The Middle East has always invoked a sense of wonder and escapism, even if a singular tag for a vast and varied global region is an instant disservice. So it's not much of a surprise to find many countries currently in the throes of an explosive rediscovery of psychedelic sounds. Ouzo Bazooka is just one example of the kind of bands we're talking about. Originally solo project from Uri Brauner Kinrot - a musician, scientist and producer - the vehicle quickly grew into the fully fledged group we have loved over the last five albums and ten years, give or take. Widely considered pioneers of the burgeoning scene, Kapaim (Hebrew for 'palms') cements their status as a cut above most psyche rock bands anywhere on the planet. Informed by jazz, soul, blues, and indigenous musical traditions of the South Eastern Mediterranean, it's a smooth and intoxicating ride.

Review: Two cornerstones of rare Amazonian (!) cumbia appear together on 7" for the first time, as Vampisoul resurrect these wildly sought-after versions of 'Sonido Amazonico'. On one side is a hypnotic, percussion-heavy take by Ranil Y Su Conjunto Tropical, first and only released on LP. Led by Raul Llerena, this Iquitos band helped forge the sound of psychedelic cumbia through Llerena's Producciones Llerena imprint, now a holy grail label for collectors of such trove-bound tropical rarities. On the inverse comes Los Wembler's de Iquitos - of equal stature as one of the genre's most enduring groups - bringing their stomping rhythmoids to the same track; it also just so happens to remain one of their most defining anthems. The UK's not the only "jungle scene" out there - just listen to these killer, understoried sonic forests.

Review: The third full-length from London nine-piece Soul Grenades distils over a decade of performance into slick, high-impact modern funk. Their sound - sharp brass, syncopated rhythm, deep-pocket bass - owes as much to the horn-driven grooves of the Meters as to the tightly orchestrated grit of early 2000s revivalists. But it's the band's songwriting, honed through years of gigging, that carries the weight here. 'Dopamine' is an instant opener, kinetic and bright, while 'Jealousy' draws from vintage soul drama with horn stabs and raw vocal flair. On 'Star Gazin'' and 'Be Mine', they shift into a softer register without losing rhythmic tension. 'Death At The Disco' ups the stakes, laced with cinematic flair, and 'Suga Mama' punches through with high-speed strut. Elsewhere, the slow-burn closer 'A Better Day' leans into gospel-funk catharsis, building tension in restrained waves. Everything is dialled in - arrangements tight, solos concise, vocal harmonies blended without fuss. While earlier records mapped out the group's energy on stage, this one moves with the confidence of a studio band in full control. As far as raw pleasure goes, they've hit the brief.

Review: This third collaborative album between Scream & P. Rock takes inspiration from a trip to Brazil, where they collected samples in Rio. As such the sounds blend Brazilian grooves, bass synths, live percussion, funky drums, guitar solos and vintage breaks with raw, experimental touches into an album full of life. The duo's signature sound is a fusion of their own DJing and music production and is ever more refined, having been crafted over the course of a year. Cinematic arrangements and a fresh approach to sampling make this another great chapter in this duo's musical story.

Review: Zambian psych rock trailblazers Witch - formed in 1971 and led by Emmanuel Chanda - endured decades of dormancy but enjoyed a new lease of life over the past few years. This follow up to their 2023 reunion album, Zango, sees them continue their blossoming relationship with the Desert Daze festival's label arm and Partisan Records, which is the label that broke Fontaines D.C. A notable producer of the album is Finland's Jacco Gardner, who has dabbled in myriad projects including an impressive solo career and what he's been able to oversee here is remarkable. The rabble-rousing garage rock opener, 'Kamusale' sees fuzz-laden guitars intertwine with Chanda's raw, energetic command as a frontman and we are quickly cast into their spell. Another highlight is the eye opening 'Queenless King' where a kraut-funk bass groove sets off a free-spirited psychedelic tapestry, bursting with bright ideas and soulful charm.

Review: Zamrock pioneers WITCH continue their remarkable second act with Sogolo, a suitably fuzz-driven follow-up to their 2023 reunion album Zango. Recorded in Berlin during a rare break in their busy touring schedule, the album peers confidently into the future (its title drawn from a Zambian word meaning just that) without losing sight of the raw psych-funk energy they helped define in the 70s. Lead single 'Queenless King' sets the tone: perky, funky and full of bite, with frontman Jagari Chanda's powerful energy driving the band forward. The track explores the fallout of a bad marriage, anchored by a sublime bassline from producer Jacco Gardner and spaced-out synths from founding member Patrick Mwondela. WITCH are still pushing forward, turning decades of invention into something timely, vital and completely their own.