Karma Chief US レコード& CD

Review: Long-faced Boston blues trio GA-20 deliver a swampy, bluesy take on Dolly Parton's classic, 'Jolene'. While the original Parton number's lyrics dealt in the instantly-memorable theme of a queen bee stealing the singer's beloved - "just because you can" - the original song could nonetheless be accused of obscuring the melancholic feel of the lyrics, by lending them an uptempo dance backing. GA-20 might be credited with fixing that problem here, stripping things back to a lilting blues plod, convincingly reworked into a vintage, boxy, sepia-toned context.

Review: Ghost Funk Orchestra are a mystery. Plain and simple. Dirty, soulful production, verbed and fuzzed out guitars, mysterious vocals that feel like a lost score to a Quentin Tarantino film. Here Karma Chief do thorough justice to this elusive troupe's efforts, bringing together two excellent psych-funk encounters, 'Walk Like A Motherfucker' and 'Isaac Hayes'. The A is an incredible take on, well, "ghost funk", evoking a kind of Creedence-via-Khruangbin wash, in which we can only vaguely register the lyrics as a kind of subliminal, unconscious message (they really are that drowned in echo). The B is even more dreamlike, blurring various boundaries between hallmarks of 60s exploitation film music, modern dream pop and what can only be described as math funk.

Review: Seth Applebaum's NTC outfit Ghost Walk Orchestra originally released 'Brownout' on the Night Walker tape in 2016, distilling their hazy, psych-leaning funk sound into a perfect two-minute groove that shows off the band at their best. Now Karma Chief have pulled the track out of cassette obscurity and given it a pressing as a 7", backed up by 'Boneyard Baile' released the same year as a digi-only drop. If you love a moody funk jam played with finesse by a crack team, this record is a must.

Review: Pale Jay's latest album, Bewilderment, is once again picked apart for this new single package on Karma Chief. It features two cuts from a record which again showcased his ability to craft rich sonic tapestries that are a mix of pure bliss and deep introspection. If you haven't heard it, you should, and you will want to after hearing these two singles. The A-side is a slow disco gem for extroverts and the flip has a lovely falsetto vocal over some nice and dusty rhythms. It's got pulsing bass but laid back groove and is a perfect soul sound for those who like to dream.

Review: Well on from his startling 2021 debut 'The Celestial Suite', Los Angeles' neo soul production maestro Pale Jay has since gone on to proffer many a 7" record, of which 'In Your Corner' is the latest treat to feast your ears. Both shorn ahead of time from his latest LP, Bewilderment, 'In Your Corner' and 'Bewilderment' are pensive retro soul falsettoers, both of which feature Jay's own, longing vocals, and evince a mood of being caught in between two difficult paths in life. The A uplifts with its surrounded Hammonds and righteous get-through-it lyrics, concerning self-discovery amid self-judgment. The B-side, by contrast, tells the story of the disintegration of a family, and skews more lo-fi, vintage hip-hop.

Review: Pale Jay's latest LP Bewilderment spawns two more treasure here on this new and essential 7" from Karma Chief Records. Up first is an Afro-beat tinged cut, 'In Your Corner' with a subtly uplifting rhythm although listen deeper and you'll get locked in to the lyrics which detail an internal struggle for self-acceptance. On the flip is the album title cut which showcase Jay's signature sounds - silky falsetto over soulful harmonies and dusty hip-hop beats. This one also tell a story, this time about the breakdown of a family and the journey into self that ensues.

Review: Vocalist Pale Jay and producer/instrumentalist Okonski now freshly join the Karma Chief roster - a sub-label of Colemine focusing on modern funk and soul. In collaboration, the artists demonstrate mastery over their select brand of smooth neo-soul, with Okonski slaying on the keys (building on their talents accrued as part of the acclaimed band Durand Jones and the Indications) and Jay slaughtering it on the vocals. 'By The Lake' is the result of an organic and spontaneous process, where Pale Jay sampled Okonski's piano track Runner Up and wrote lyrics inspired by a conversation with a friend who was dealing with a love dilemma.

Review: Karma Chief is a sub-label of the excellent Colemine and here they welcome back Trans-Atlantic trio Say She She. The group is made up of Londoner Piya Malik, New Yorker Sabrina Mileo Cunningham and DC native Nya Gazelle Brown and this is their third single from their debut album Prism. Once again it deals in loose-limbed funk grooves and crystal clear vocal top lines with plenty of talented soul musicians also involved. Members from the Daptone label have helped to produce this one which pairs a 1970s early soul vibe with fresh modern production.

Review: Say She She are emergent stars of the NYC scene, pooling considerable talents from various parts of the world into a brew which feels wholly appropriate for the Big Apple. Upholding the open-hearted values of the downtown scene, they turn their hand to dexterous disco-not-disco get-down on ‘Reeling’ without ever sounding referential. Meanwhile on the flip they sink down into a more sultry mood, riding dusty, delicate drums and radiant Rhodes as a vehicle for some unreal vocal harmonies and a sound so cosy you could wrap it around you to stave off the winter.