Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: After years of silence following the loss of Sonny Knight in 2017, former Lakers members Blair Krivanek and Cy Pierpont return with their new project, Ace Box Shift. The duo have made plenty of standout contributions to the soul revival scene before now and here they debut on Secret Stash Records with another pair of fiery instrumental cuts that work exceptionally well for DJs and dancefloors alike. They find Krivanek's jazz-infused guitar work meeting Pierpont's pounding rhythms with raw, funk-driven results that make for a bold, high-energy comeback that pays tribute to their roots while also moving things onwards.

Review: Bristol beatmsiths and remixing duo The Allergies have been hot since '16, quietly pushing the buttons, twisting the dials and raising the throw levers on their resident soul console, Jalapeno Records. This time, though they've not revealed their sources, the boys have once again delivered on their promise to scour the waxen depths of Philly filler-upper funk, with 'Bye Bye Baby' panning a mammoth breaksoul gold rush, and 'Heartbreaker' offering a counterpoint in longing body percussions and "please don't leave me"s.

Review: This orange 7" is a miniature monument to one of soul's most quietly influential figures. Roy AyersiLos Angeles-born, jazz-schooled, funk-mindedicrafted 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine' not to dazzle but to dissolve. It moves with a drowsy clarity: shimmering synth, near-whispered vocals, and a lazily tumbling bassline that never quite lands. Released during a golden run of Ayers' mid-70s material, the track has since become shorthand for warm-weather introspection, equal parts ease and ache. The instrumental version on the reverse keeps the spirit intact, offering a meditative glide through the same terrain. Limited to 300 copies, this orange pressing pairs a low-lit groove with a deepening sense of legacyiAyers' influence isn't just heard, it's felt in the space he leaves behind.

Review: Few recordings capture the easy intensity of a summer afternoon like 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine'. Released in 1976 and wrapped in slow-drifting synths and soft falsettos, the track became a touchstone not just for Roy Ayers, but for 70s soul and beyond. Born in Los Angeles, Ayers helped define the jazz-funk crossover, placing the vibraphone at the centre of a sound both hazy and sharply detailed. The original vocal take on the A-side still melts under its own warmth; the instrumental on the flip uncovers the careful architecture beneath. Issued here on 7" black wax following Ayers' recent passing, this reissue feels like both a keepsake and a quiet honouring of an artist who shaped a whole way of listening.

Review:  London-based DJ and composer/producer Phil Mison revisits his Ambala project with a fresh collection of immersive, sun-drenched soundscapes, weaving together breezy rhythms and luminous synth work. A defining force in Balearic music, Mison has long explored the genre in various guises, including Reverso 68 and Cantoma, the latter earning a place in chillout's informal "most revered albums" section. On this second Ambala release, he refines his approach, balancing crisp electronic foundations with warmer organics. A cast of collaborators from the Music For Dreams label join, including guitarist Santino Surfers (Jonas Krag), whose fluid solos range from sultry noir to Mediterranean reverie, composer Troels Hammer, and ambient producer The Swan And The Lake. The result is a dreamlike blend of melody and plunge-texture, perfect for late night reflection or hazy afternoons by the sea.

Review: Hailing from Atlanta, Andre 3000 continues to redefine the contours of musical experimentation with his latest sonic offerings. On 'Moving Day', a piece first showcased in last year's short film documenting his recent work, the OutKast veteran trades in his usual genre-defying flow for the smooth, ambient tones of a cosmic flute. The track unfolds like a slow-motion dream, where the melodies drift in and out of focus, capturing the disorienting yet soothing experience of moving through transitions. Then comes the reversed version, 'Day Moving', which inverts the gentle flow of the original, adding an unsettling, almost ghostly quality as the music warps and loops. The third track, 'Tunnels of Egypt', brings in an unexpectedly grounded yet still vast atmosphere, with its deep, resonant percussion and sparse instrumentation evoking a journey through both time and space. Andre's recent forays into the abstract have seen him abandon his commercial past in favour of an introspective exploration that challenges both him and his audience. Across these three tracks, he once again demonstrates his ability to balance complexity with restraint, creating something both otherworldly and deeply personal.

Review: Born in Kent and central to the UK's 70s jazz modernism, Neil Ardley composed with the precision of a scientist and the vision of a cosmic philosopher. This long-overdue reissue from Analogue October captures a project that translates planetary orbits into a nine-note harmonic systemitoo vast for acoustic instruments, brought to life instead through early synthesisers. 'Arcturus' and 'Spiral Nebula' interlace fluid sax work from Barbara Thompson with John Martyn's signature reverb-drenched guitar, while Geoff Castle's synths evoke deep-space drift. 'Rainbow Four' channels modal funk, and 'Neptune' floats into ambient abstraction. Produced at Morgan Studios with a full ensemble of jazz heavyweightsiTony Coe, Ian Carr, Billy Kristian, Richard Burgess, and Trevor Tomkinsithis is a record that swings between science fiction and symphonic elegance. For all its high concept, it remains rooted in groove and human touch. A meticulous AAA cut from the Decca master tapes seals the experience: a bold and beautiful reminder of how far British jazz once dared to travel.