Ebony Evans - "Loving You Is All I Wanna Do" (4:38)
Lewzarius - "Step Up" (4:54)
Review: Ebony Evans is a superb soul talent who for this single worked with Manny Campbell who wrote and arranged. Originally recorded in 2004, 'Loving You Is All I Wanna Do' appeared on the Luv's Fire CD Maxi Single and later on a full album in 2006 through Coastal Records but now debut on vinyl thanks to Soul Direction. On the flip side, Lewzarius' 'Step Up" shines as a rich collaboration between Campbell and Haran Griffin, who is best known for 'Movin' Much Too Fast.' Atlanta-born Lewzarius recorded this track during his time at Coastal Records in the late 90s.
Review: Lady Wray delivers a powerful two-sider here as she hooks up with Grammy-nominated producer Leon Michels of Clairo and El Michels Affair for another single as they put the final touches to her upcoming album. The A-side, 'Be A Witness,' features Nicole's soaring vocals gliding over deep drum machines and Nick Movshon's funky bass which makes it a smooth mid-tempo groove about destined love and good vibes. On the flip, 'Best For Us' explores love, commitment and perseverance with lush synths and harmonies floating over Homer Steinweiss' tight drumming. They provide the perfect setting for Lady Wray's standout voice and get us excited for the full length.
I Don't Know What It Is But Keep That Light Shining On Me (Keith Lawrence Refix version 1) (4:26)
I Don't Know What It Is But Keep That Light Shining On Me (Keith Lawrence Refix version 2) (4:32)
Review: Keith Lawrence is a DJ and producer from Brixton in South London with plenty of credentials, and here he serves up a pair of refixes of 'I Don't Know What It Is But Keep That Light Shining On Me', a reggae jam with an edge. The first one is laden with hooky guitar riffs and has soaring call-and-response vocals expanding the sound up top. The second is more raw and a little stripped back with a focus on the timeless rhythms and sounds. Two tunes that demand to be played loud and with bass - obviously - pushed to the max.
Barbara Lewis - "Baby What Do You Want Me To Do" (2:36)
Tony & Tyrone - "Please Operator" (2:48)
Review: US American soul singer and songwriter Barbara Lewis had a smooth style that very much influenced rhythm and blues during her 60s heyday. She began writing songs at the age of just nine and as a teen, recorded with producer Ollie McLaughlin. Her best known tunes club high in Billboard charts and include 'Hello Stranger' and 'Baby I'm Yours' but here it is the swinging sounds and swooning stings of 'Baby What Do You Want Me To Do' which gets pressed up alongside Tony & Tyrone's Northern Soul gem 'Please Operator' which is more raw and urgent soul.
Review: Like many of the best tunes from the Northern Soul era, this is a revered gem and a highly sought-after original which has been known to trade hands for well over 2000 English pounds. As such it is extremely collectible with both sides offering up monster tracks. 'Love Finds A Way' is a big raw lung buster with snappy drums and lush harmonies adding plenty of soulful warmth. On the flipside, 'I Need Some Loving' is another big one with all the right textures, rhythms and hooky vocals.
Review: We're excited by this fresh repress from the fine folks at PVine because it brings back to life an iconic cut from the widely beloved Hawaiian AOR album Lui. This classic gentle sound is also known for its stunning artwork and has long been a fav of collectors and diggers. Alongside 'Oh, Oh (I Think I'm Fallin' In Love)' on the A-side, you can find 'My Lover' on the flip and it is another showcase of the smooth, mellow grooves that appeal to free soul and AOR enthusiasts. These two timeless and once 'contemporary Hawaiian' songs from the 70s feature plenty of local musicians and have subtle influence from the US West Coast sound.
Review: Polish producer Latarnik and American vocalist Anthony Mills collide on this new album for Polish label Astigmatic to explore lo-fi hip-hop, soul, dub and experimental electronics. Mills's falsetto vocal brings great Neo-soul warmth to Crack Rock with emotionally charged tones soaring over the production which ranges from sugary and 80s-tinged disco and boogie on 'Crack' to deep, seductive and gooey on 'Passive Lover' which is a more romantic sound. Latarnik's work is often minimal yet immersive which creates space for Mills' voice to shine and is delivered in equal parts spoken word, chant and soulful croon. The hypnotic, slow-burning soundscapes that result are both intimate and confrontational, ready to make you dance but also often just to feel. Unapologetically raw and deeply human, this one lingers long after the final track ends.
Review: It was back in 197 when Denise LaSalle's remarkable debut album landed on Westbound Records. It very much catapulted her to the world stage and introduced us to her unyielding power in the world of soulful blues. The album has not been reissued for more than 50 years and for this occasion gets remastered by Dave Gardner. Blending her Chicago Blues roots with soulful, contemporary arrangements, the album spawned massive hits and showcased her impeccable songwriting and powerful voice to the world. It remains an enduring classic of the genre that will surely lure in a new generation of blues and soul lovers.
Review: Denise LaSalle's remarkable debut album first landed on Westbound Records in 1971, and soon launched her onto the global stage and established her as a powerhouse in soulful blues. Now, more than 50 years later, the album is reissued with remastering by Dave Gardner. Fusing her Chicago blues roots with soulful, modern arrangements, the record produced major hits highlighting her impeccable songwriting and commanding voice. An enduring classic of the genre, this album continues to woo audiences and is poised to attract a new generation of blues and soul enthusiasts as well as reaffirming LaSalle's legacy as one of the greats.
Review: Noa Lauryn is a soulful r&b artist known for her honest lyrics and feel-good energy. She crafts neo-soul influenced by Jazmine Sullivan, Anderson .Paak and Mahalia and blends acoustic and electronic sounds backed by her jazz and hip-hop-rooted band, The Incredibles. Coin Collection is a wonderful window into her sound that will appeal to fans of the likes of Fatima and D'Angelo. It has lush drums and whimsical chords with romantic melodies and super smooth, emotive vocals from Lauryn. Some cuts ride raw like 'Bubble' while 'Head On (feat Josimar Gomes)' are deep, empowering grooves.
It Don't Have To Change (feat The Stephens Family)
Live It Up (feat Miri Ben-Ari)
So High (feat Lauryn Hill - Cloud 9 remix)
Review: US crooner John Legend's debut album came 20 years ago and soon set him on his way to the superstar status he enjoys today. It was a superb introduction to his soulful voice and unique blend of r&b, pop and hip-hop influences which is why it received widespread acclaim with its smooth, heartfelt lyrics and rich, piano-driven production. Tracks like 'Used to Love U' and the Grammy-winning classic 'Ordinary People' showcased Legend's ability to blend storytelling with emotionally charged performances. Get Lifted not only launched Legend's career but also marked him out on a path to becoming one of the most influential artists of the 2000s.
Review: New Zealand collective Leisure collides many different musical worlds on their genre-blurring sophomore album, genre-blurring. Soul, r&b, rock and pop all get taken in and worked into a lush sound defined by its experimental energy. There are several standout tracks like 'Money' and 'Feeling Free' that showcase their signature sun-soaked vocals and smooth grooves. Elsewhere, Twister brings a bold, modern take on funk, which has won over both fans and critics with 'On My Mind' a prime example of their boundless creativity and knack for warm textures and adventurous spirit. As such, it's a record that cements the group's place as contemporary innovators.
Could It Really Be? (feat Alex Wilson & Tony Momrelle)
All For Love
World Is Ready (feat Ursula Rucker)
Teflon Don (feat Jon Culshaw)
David (Goodbye To You)
All As One
Fragile Heart
I Saw You In My Dreams (feat Omar)
Courage To Change
Review: In 1990, Level 42 co-founder Mike Lindup released his first album, Changes, a blend of smooth jazz, quiet storm, synth-pop and Latin influences sprinkled with nods to gospel and other Black American religious music. This belated sequel once again pushes Lindup's vocals and colourful synthesisers to the fore, but musically it's a refreshed palette of influences, with the UK jazz-funk legend leaning more into soulful house, fusion, boogie, broken beat, hip-hop-soul and what would once have been considered acid jazz. It's a very good set all told, with dancefloor-friendly workouts and eye-catching collaborations (see Ursula Rucker hook-up 'World Is Ready' and Omar spotlight 'I See You In My Soul') being joined by glossy downtempo numbers.
Review: London Fog is the name of a live album by The Doors, but is also the name of a rock band who brought all new energy back in their day in the 1960s. In 1965, the buzz of 'swinging London' saw the opening of the Goldfinger-inspired 007 Club at the London Hilton. Harold Sakata, famously known as Oddjob, served as the host with Mick Mortimore spinning records as the DJ. Tony Craig and the Men About Town were the resident band and were captivating audiences at the city's most sought-after venue. Craig later formed the band London Fog and continued to perform regularly at the 007 Club while also recording this album full of soul and hard rock.
Review: German-Filipino singer, songwriter and producer Ray Lozano's new album perfectly captures life's contradictions. If finds her diving into the tension between connection and detachment while offering a sonic embrace for those navigating the chaos of modern emotions. It is rooted in classic loved-up r&b with a particularly breezy edge and seductively smooth vocal style. The title says it all:' Silk' offers warmth while 'Sorrow' delivers an emotional punch. This album isn't polished or trendy-it's raw and real, perfectly fits in with Neo-soul greats of days gone by and really hits where hurts, but also offers healing as a soundtrack to late-night introspection and survival guide for life's beautifully messy moments.
Review: German-Spanish duo Lisa Michele Lietz and Jordi Arnau Rubio unite as Luna Soul, making a swashbuckling Ruy Lopez with their debut album First Move. Lietz, a musicologist with roots in Schwerin and a musical education under Ernst Ulrich Deuker of Ideal, brings a thoughtful lyrical sensibility, while Rubio - originally a dancer from Barcelona - compositionally channels a lifetime love of blues, jazz, soul and funk. Already having toured widely across Germany, Spain and France since 2019, the duo rewires that same live energy into the recorded unit, producing a modern Med soul nostalgia record whose temporality we'd find difficult to place on first listen. Such moments are anchored by cuts like '1979', 'Hold On', and 'City Lights', where reflections on grief, resilience and fleeting connection find vivid expression.
Wayne McGhie & The Sounds Of Joy - "Fire (She Need Water)"
Cougars - "Right On"
Eddie Spencer - "You're So Good To Me Baby"
The Hitch-Hikers - "Mr Fortune" (feat The Mighty Pope)
Noel Ellis - "Memories"
Wayne McGhie - "Here We Go Again"
Review: Working in partnership with Light in the Attic and curated by Grammy-nominated producer, DJ and journalist Kevin Howes this wonderful new collection chronicles a vital musical migration: in late-1960s Toronto, Caribbean immigrants infused the city with ska, rocksteady and reggae and recorded some of the era's toughest tracks. Originators from Studio One, Treasure Isle and Trojan Records all united and broke racial and cultural barriers to build an influential yet under-appreciated Canadian reggae scene that is now showcased with a 20-page booklet with archival images, artist bios and essays on this double vinyl set.
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