Bastard Jazz US レコード& CD

Review: Steel City electro-funk wizard BusCrates shows that not only American counterparts like Dam Funk can lay down seductive funk smoochers with his second full-length album, Control Center. Soraya Watti is on hand to provide smooth and soulful tones on 'On My Way', the only track with a voice, and its beautifully downbeat gem that harks back to classic Erykah Badu tunes from days gone by. Elsewhere there are whimsical synth laced daydreams like 'Four Track Mind' and sax-led slow motion funk wigglers like 'Prisms'. It's a gorgeous album for both background play and up front listens.

Review: F.I.D.E.L (Further Individual Delusions) is the avatar project of Paris-based composer, producer and A&R, R. DIlouya; UK funk and soul and Northern soul legend John Turrell; and French hip-hop, soul and jazz force majeure Sly Johnson. Hailing from North Paris and Northern England, F.I.D.E.L release their latest project Out Of Sight to the great post-disco, boogie and new wave pop that shaped the world's collective unconscious at the twilight of the Thatcher / Cold War Era. F.I.D.E.L takes this as a jumping off point and channels its sound through the care and the musical craft of the past to a yet more modern soundscape using Prophet Synthesizers, Clavinets and Drum Machines to create a fast, nervous, funky, ironic and intoxicating satire of post-COVID Western society. While most of the musical heavy lifting is done by Dilouya himself, Turrell lays down socially anchored lyrics, rooted firmly in the gritty, no-nonsense world of a working-class man. Recorded over two week-long studio sessions in Paris, Out Of Sight showcases Dilouya's timeless songwriting and bold production style, setting ground for Turrell's classic vocal performances and Sly Johnson's revered musicianship.

Review: Daniel David (FKA Trailer Limon) makes a great impression on Bastard Jazz with his first solo record. This 7" finds him link with the Jazz Mafia for a feature after he has done plenty of work with the legendary San Francisco duo the Pendletons. Because of that he is credited with helping to kickstart the Bay Area's modern funk resurgence but here he shows he has plenty of his own skills too. 'Tambor De Cura' (with Guinu) is bustling jazz that is vibrant and vivacious with big horns, steamy jungle atmospheres, humid pads, bird calls and many other great details that form a hefty groove. 'Devotion' is then a funky jazz fusion with cosmic pads and lush vocals.

Review: Trailer Limon and E Da Boss (he of Myron & E fame) have been recording as The Pendletons for the best part of a decade, serving up occasional slices of revivalist electrofunk and turn-of-the-'80s soul. They're at it again here, popping up on Bastard Jazz with a double dose of goodness made with the assistance of some of the Bay Area's finest musicians. The headline attraction is undoubtedly the Howard Johnson hook-up "You Do You", a rich and evocative chunk of mid-tempo disco-soul blessed with mix-friendly drum breaks, seductive instrumentation (think glistening funk guitars, toasty bass, punchy horns and fluid pianos) and a slick, smooth lead vocal. "Life To Me", a more sugary affair built around distinctive slap bass, sustained chords, relaxed drums and subtle synth flourishes, is similarly impressive.