Back in stock: Soul

Review: The recent Tokyo Dreaming compilation on Wewantsounds was a huge success so the label does the right thing and follows it up with another collection of sounds from the Far East. This one again looks into the fascinatingly niche city pop sound with expert digger DJ Notoya at the wheels. He delves into the Nippon Columbia catalogue and turns out all manner of breezy and laidback gems from Hiroshi Sato, Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama, Midori Hara and more. In many cases, these tunes are making it tot vinyl for the first time. What's more, the audio has been newly remastered in Tokyo for this reissue making sure it sounds as good as possible.

Review: The Cosmologist's Under The Influence series returns with a soul 7" especially for RSD! "Child Of The Street" by Sam Dees originates from 1973 and comes dripping with socio-political undertones, which remain intact on The Cosmologist's 2015 tweak which subtly embellishes the groove into something close to a hip hop beat. Face down and we go back a decade to 1968 and the outright soul gem "Same Girl" by Barbara Acklin, twisting it up with the lesser known piano version from Young Holt Unlimited for 5 minutes that will nice up any dance!

Review: Soul fans are in heaven this month, just from the releases of Soul Direction alone. The label has been hard at work serving up plenty of golden nuggets and next in the spotlight is Joe Adams. 'That's Not Half Bad' is his stunning version of the Gene Woodbury classic. This is another lost tune that was found on a DAT tape recording made from material that was laying around in an old basement. It comes steeped in rich Philly soul and with gorgeous vocals that for us outshine the original. On the flip, it is backed with an equally sublime mid-tempo heart-wrencher for those tender moments.

Review: Originally recorded and released in 1993, On The Move was the last studio album James Brown collaborator Bobby Byrd recorded during his lifetime. While it may have been recorded after Byrd's 1970s heyday, musically it offers full-throttle funk - albeit with slicker and more expansive musical arrangements - of the kind that he and Brown used to deliver in their sleep. It's a great set all told, with this (delayed) 30th anniversary edition also including instrumental versions of all eight original tracks. It also boasts a couple of rare non-album tracks recorded at the time: the slow-motion, horns-and-guitar solo laden 'Sunshine' and the effortlessly funky, low-down and addictive 'Don't Throw Your Love in the Garbage Can'.

Review: Through his work with revivalist soul band the Indications, Durand Jones has already proved that he's a serious talent - a vocalist and lyricist whose impressive range and impassioned, emotive delivery mark him out as a genuine star in the making. Wait Till I Get Over, his debut solo album, will only enhance his reputation. Framed as a love letter to his hometown of Hillaryville, with thoughtful lyrics that reflect not only on his own intriguing life story but also the history of the town's black community, the collected songs veer from string-laden, socially conscious ballads and fuzzy rhythm & blues workouts, smoky slow jams, nods to Sly Stone and righteous, reverb-laden gospel winners.

Review: After his hugely well received lovers' rock compilations for this label, Sam Don digs deep into the rich world of UK sweet soul on this - typically - excellent new compilation from the wondrous ashes of the North. He comes up with plenty of mega hard to find and expensive musical treasures that have all been painstakingly researched and tracked down. It was a short lived but fertile scene in the underground back in the 90s and if you didn't; know that already you will after one listen through of this - the sounds are highly danceable with silky, low-lit melodies and steamy and seductive vocals for loved up late night dancing.

Review: British soul singer Dee C Lee started her career singing backup for Wham and the Style Council, before embarking on a solo career that included an early release on Mo Wax. By the late 90s, she'd pretty much stepped back from music though - making this new album for Acid Jazz a genuine surprise (it's her first new release for over a quarter of a century). It's rather good, too, with Lee's sublime and emotion-rich vocals soaring above 'heritage soul' style tracks that variously offer nods to bossa-nova ('Don't Forget About Love'), disco/jazz-funk fusion ('Be There In The Morning', with its excellent horns and fluttering flutes), and Motown-style stompers (the uplifting excellence of 'Walk Away').