2016

Erasmo Carlos E Os Tremendões is greater than the sum of its pop-rock spitballs. It’s a creative, and at times experimental and groundbreaking album that remains a thrilling listen.Erasmo Carlos has no counterpart in the universe of Anglophone pop music that could begin to hint at his relevance, popularity and his complex relationship with the only Brazilian pop star more universally recognized than himself, Roberto Carlos. He may be a beloved pop star and household name in Brazil, but hardly because of the music found on the three albums reissued by Light In The Attic. While in retrospect they can be appreciated as some of his most creative, consistent and personal albums, they were also some of the least commercially successful and underappreciated of his long career, at least until recently. Embracing the artistic freedom of the global counterculture of the late sixties and early seventies, over the course of these three albums, Erasmo evolved from his bubblegum beginnings into a sophisticated seventies singer-songwriter. Erasmo Carlos E Os Tremendões (1970), Carlos, ERASMO . . . (1971) and Sonhos E Memórias 1941-1972 (1972) collectively find this maturing teeny-bopper delivering a mix of world class psychedelic Rock, traditional Rock ‘N’ Roll, Soul, Funk, Folk, Bossa Nova, and Samba-Rock to an unsuspecting Brazilian audience.Collectively, the songs on Erasmo Carlos E Tremendões sound like an attempt to appeal to nearly every relevant genre of Brazilian popular music at the turn of the decade. From the cover tunes alone there’s a Caetano song “Saudosismo” (Tropicália), an Antônio Adolfo song “Teletema” (Pilantragem/art-pop), and not just any Ary Barroso song, but the unofficial Brazilian national anthem “Aquarela Do Brasil”. Of the new songs, “Menina” is a Soul ballad and “Jeep” brings the Funk. Maybe it was exactly that, a chance for Erasmo to stretch his creative muscles in a lot of different directions as it became clear his Jovem Guarda character and sound had run its course, along with the TV show of the same name.

Travelling extensively across Asia and Africa between 1974-1985 to study music, Roberto made many field recordings and collected many instruments on his travels which he would then combine with synthesizers and electronics back in Italy.Music From Memory returns with their penultimate release of 2016, this time bringing together a compilation of works by the Italian composer and musician Roberto Musci. Whilst studying guitar and saxophone in his hometown of Milan, Musci developed a deep fascination for non-western music and set out to travel across India, Asia and Africa, which he would do extensively between 1974-1985. During his many journeys Roberto would become deeply embedded in each unique world of rhythms, scales and approaches to making and performing music. Throughout this period of travel he would make many field recordings as well as collect and study many traditional and indigenous instruments that he would then later combine with synthesizers and electronics on his return to Italy.Combining personal documents of music and sounds deeply connected to the history and cultures of those lands, with his own explorations and experiments with cutting edge sound technology Roberto Musci would develop through his music a very unique and at times wholly mystical space, where ancient and modern would evolve into a new musical language.As well as making his own music, during the 1980’s and 1990’s Roberto would also regularly broadcast radio shows of experimental and indigenous music on Italian radio stations such as Rai and Radio Popolare. Deeply connected to the arts he would also compose and perform numerous pieces of music for theatre, dance and performance art pieces as well as soundtracks for film and television.‘Tower of Silence’ brings together a double LP of material from Roberto Musci’s solo recordings commencing with the Loa of Music sessions from 1984 up until later very recent works. The compilation also includes a number of collaborative pieces, many performed and written in collaboration with Giovanni Venosa, such as material taken from their ‘Water Messages On Desert Sand’, which as an album was Grammy-nominated in in the UK in 1987. A unique and at times intensely mesmerising musical world ‘Tower of Silence’ offers an introduction to the work of a unique and visionary artist.

On their new 45, Mako & The Hawk take you back to a time when breaks were funky and rappers knew how to rhyme for a massive double dose of fresh original boom-bap. With beats forged from previously un-sampled (and legally cleared!) vintage funk breaks and emcee Chima 'The Doctor' Anya delivering lyrical wisdom, The Devil Made Me Do It and Strut Your Stuff are a pair of block-rocking jams to turn any party out!Mako & The Hawk bio.They might sound like a seventies cop show but Mako & The Hawk are always on the cut, producing and spinning floor-filling dirty funk and soul, old school hip-hop, reggae and party breaks.Since forming in 2009, the pair have had vinyl and digital releases on Breakbeat Paradise, Freestyle Records, Funk Blasters and Tour of Booty, garnered frequent radio plays on Craig Charles' BBC Radio 6 Funk And Soul Show, supported the likes of JStar and The Bongolian and held down a never-less-than-packed seven year long residency at Mr Wolf's in central Bristol.The Hawk is bassist for mod-funk legends and BBC Radio 2 darlings Big Boss Man, while Mako also produces as one half of Mako & Mr Bristow and is the long-running editor of music site monkeyboxing.com.This autumn will finally see the long-awaited vinyl seven inch release of their throwback boom-bap double A-side featuring rapper Chima Anya on beats created from never-previously-sampled early 70s Stateside funky soul."I've got a real soft spot for what this pair get up to!" (Craig Charles, BBC Radio 6)Chima Anya bio.Chima Anya is an internationally renowned emcee who time and again has proven to be ahead of the curve while simultaneously staying true to the foundation. When not blessing mics worldwide, he moonlights as a medical Doctor in the depths of south London.

Syrupy Instrumental Electro-Funk full-length from Devonwho on Leaving Records featuing vocal contributions from Zackey Force Funk, I, CED, andn Pink Siifu.

Alma Negra is a Swiss collective that consists of four musically driven friends, the Figuiera Brothers Dersu & Diego whose roots are established firmly in their Cape Verdian heritage, Dario with his half and half Portuguese/Italian mix and finally Mario with Spanish roots.They are all passionate diggers who love playing music from all over the world, something that's evident in their productions as well. Encompassing Jazz, African and Latin sounds to Soul, funk, Disco, House and even Techno. As far as inspiration goes they mention Donald Byrd, Fela Kuti and Theo Parrish.Their creative output has let them to release on such fine labels as Sofrito, Highlife and most recently Basic Fingers. Fans of Alma Negra include: Gilles Peterson, Ben UFO, Axel Boman, Detroit Swindle, Africaine 808 and Tim Sweeney.Now they are back with Digger's Workout, a fresh and exciting instalment in the Basic Fingers catalogue - divided into three parts with remixes from Esa & Santuri, Osunlade aka Yoruba Soul and Rainer Trueby & Corrado Bucci present TRUCCY.Digger's Workouts, Part 3 is the final release in the series and continues where the first two volumes left us but that's not all, included is also a remix by the hot duo Rainer Trueby & Corrado Bucci present TRUCCY.Another essential release in the Basic Fingers catalogue.

A Tribe Called Quest - Q-Tip, Phife Dawg (who passed away on March 22nd, 2016), Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jarobi White - the groundbreaking 90's group that forever transformed the urban music landscape reunited on their first and last studio album together in eighteen years. Guests on ''We got it from Here...Thank You 4 Your Service'' include, Kendrick Lamar, Elton John, Jack White, Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes, Consequence, Anderson.Paak, and Talib Kweli.