Bastard Jazz US レコード& CD

Review: We've been steadily teased by Bastard Jazz with a slow flow of singles but the time has come to reveal B Bravo's whole debut album... And he hasn't disappointed. A supreme cosmic boogie experience throughout, Bravo flexes around the funk/house/hip-hop axis with sunshine synths, loose swinging drums, heavyweight talkbox action and oodles of funk and timely displays of sensitivity. Highlights that really showcase the soul spectrum B Bravo explores range from the Chromeo-style party jam "I'm For Real" to the horn-hazed tinkling "LA Nights" to the dreamy west coast house struts and wriggles of "Summer Love". Sure fire summer silver lining.

Review: Adam Mori aka B.Bravo is back like a thick gush of smoke filling up the dance floor, and the Brownswood-Bleep associate is in no mood to wait till the warm up set is done. These two new smokers for the Bastard Jazz imprint are pure class, every bit as sexy and seductive as we've come to expect from the producer, starting with the sultry claps and bass of the excellent "Im For Real", a sun-scorched killer of a tune, fit for riding shotgun and turing the rooftop down. On the flipside, Mr Carmack detunes "Stay The Night" down to a funky, mid-tempo level, and it's just about the grooviest of boogie tracks that we've heard in a while. Think Daft Punk meets Willie Hutch. Wonderful.

Review: He may now have ditched the '16 Bit Orchestra' (as his sometime imaginary backing band was called), but Orlando Marshall AKA Buscrates is still a master of revivalist, boogie-influenced synthesiser workouts. For proof, look no further than 'Internal Dialog', a kind of deep house lover's take on the revivalist synth-funk sound of Dam Funk rich in dreamy chords, squelchy synth bass and sun-splashed lead lines. He takes this warming, picturesque, analogue-rich boogie-not-boogie sound further on flip side 'Early Morning', a sunrise-ready slab of laidback Balearic boogie that comes from a similar headspace as Sven Atterton's brilliant 2015 single 'The Cove'. In a word - beguiling!

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: 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: Stark sonic simplicity... The Elder Statesman comprises two brothers Christopher and Daniel Yeabsley. Playing piano and double bass respectively, they're joined by fellow New Zealander Lord Echo on drums and production duties. Between them they have created the beautiful fusion of instrumental jazz and soul that's instantly soothing yet ultimately dancefloor charming. "Montreux Sunrise" is the deeper, smokier of the two while "Trans-Alpine Express" rides with a more persistent percussive message.

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: The artist also known as Mike Fabulous follows up 2010's Melodies with this equally far-reaching exploration of funk and soul. Less of a curiosity and more of an essentiality; the album tells a tale of modern music through a pair of glasses that belong to someone from the 70s. The best examples of this 40 year spanning sound include the cosmic disco bubbles and jaunty synth quirks of "Digital Haircut", the dubbed out mild skanks and piano-pounds of "Motlen Lava" and the whirling, twirling sub aquatic struts of "Ghost Hands". Curious yet? You should be....

Review: Lord Echo is the brain child of multi-instrumental producer fellow, Mike Fabulous. Mike has a penchant for reggae, disco and funky brass sections with a twist of dubwise tomfoolery. On this 45 Lord Echo gets to grip with a repetitive but irresistible disco laid groove on "Things I'd Like To Do". On the flipside you'll find ''Long Time No See'' on this dinked 45, with rhythmic handclaps offset by a lone trumpet and frenzied timbales/flute for a sunshine drive through tropicalia. A fine release and certainly an artist to watch for 2012.

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.

Review: E Da Boss and Trailer Limon, two of the US' most hyped boogie maestros, are back with a new EP for Brooklyn's Bastard Jazz Recordings, under The Pendletons moniker, and we have to say that it sounds like some pretty dope material from the get-go! The lead track "Funk Forever" is a downpour of funky pop vibes guided and charged by jazzy nuances, and the following "Don't Be Late" is a certified tune for the lovers. On the B-side, "Telling Lies" slows the tempo to a majestic r&b swing, filtered through fat boogie bass, while "Set Sail" features the vocals of Ishtar in what is a proper boogie slammer, and "In The Mood" is all about the slow, sensual sound of endless, blissful synths. Gorgeous.

Review: Nick and Astro, known collectively as Potatohead People, join forces once again on a tantalising teaser 7" from their upcoming album, Eat Your Heart Out'. Featured on 'Paradise' is the highly hyped Canadian artist Diamond Cafe, whose velvety vocals grace this early 80s-inspired blend of digital sex funk that will remind you of Sade, El Debarge, and Prefab Sprout. Describing his music as "bathing in a cloud of honey on a very foggy night," Diamond Cafe's performance is nothing short of magic here. On the flipside, Nick Wisdom puts his spin on the track, infusing it with dub elements and enhancing the bassline.