2018

Amazing private spiritual jazz-funk/fusion LP, now hard to find. Finally available again, fully licensed and remastered, with original artwork. This album is magnificent in its entirety, no fillers. Very strong record in the genre.

Two late 1980s Ghanaian digital highlife cuts by Jon K. and Pat Thomas, in original form difficult to find.. Here pressed on a 12'' and cut at 45rpm for that LOUD DJ play!After much online hype shrouded in mystery, Soundway presents the first in a new series of 12” releases which will make available many hard-to-find and in-demand dancefloor tracks on loud, DJ-friendly pressings.On this first 12” are two late 1980s Ghanaian highlife cuts taken from the catalogue of Nakasi Records. Nakasi was run by the late producer Nana Asiedu (Big Joe) - a well-known figure in the Ghanaian and African music community of 1980s London. The A-side showcases a track from Jon K’s second solo album, which was a re-working of a traditional Fanti language Asafo company song Asafo Beesuon. Made famous by C.K.Mann on his seminal album ‘Funky Highlife’, this version very much reflects the more westernised late 1980s sound of highlife music recorded in the UK, Holland, Canada and Germany for both ex-pat Ghanaian audiences and those back home in West Africa.The album features the stalwart session musician Alfred Bannerman, the go-to Ghanaian guitarist known for the classic cut of ‘Let Me Love You’ by Bunny Mack, among many other tracks over the last 40 years, including his work on contemporary releases for Soundway such as Konkoma and Ibibio Sound Machine.On the B-side, Pat Thomas (the brother in-law of Big Joe) needs little introduction having been touring the world extensively in recent years with the Kwashibu Area Band. Somehow this dancefloor-heavy cut has eluded recent compilations and reissues. With horns arranged by long time friend and collaborator Ebo Taylor, it’s an instantly recognisable sound that also features Rex Gyamfi - himself a well-known purveyor of 1980s ‘burger-highlife’.

“John Yancey” is the second album Illa J will release on Jakarta Records, following the successful release of HOME last year. The project is the second collaboration with Los Angeles based producer Calvin Valentine, who once again contributed all of the production for the long player. While “Home” was largely inspired by Illa’s native city of Detroit, “John Yancey” now focuses on his time in California.“(This album is) Definitely more personal than all of my projects, nothing specific, but I basically talk about about the ups and downs of all my relationships over the past 10 years, still grieving about my bro, etc. This one is trippy because the first single comes out a day before my 32nd birthday and the original title was 32 because this is a special year to me because my brother died at that age so it had a lot of meaning. But it makes sense that it ended up being called John Yancey because for so long in my career I felt like I was tryna be me and my brother, and I'm finally at peace, like I'm not J Dilla's younger brother Illa J, I'm James younger brother John.” While the story of the album might have changed, there are certain continuities as well, built around the strong foundation of the combination of Illa’s voice and Calvin Valentine’s soulful sample based production. The previous album already saw Illa J incorporate more singing into his raps and he goes down this path even further: “I wanted to emphasize the singing but use more of my natural singing voice, as well as rap more than on HOME.” In regards to the music, Calvin wanted to make the project sound “a bit more polished where HOME was purposely rough around the edges.” Still, the production remains soulful and rich with layers to leave things interesting for the listener, the more spins you give the record.The cover was created by Robert Winter, a Cologne based photographer who was also behind the visual appearance of HOME.

Danny Krivit has been holding this edit release for a special occasion. Now, his secret Garage classic is revealed. Remastered specifically for Vinyl and Sound Quality; tested and approved by Danny with Shorty’s award winning SBS system in NY. This is another dancefloor hit which Danny has been playing for a long time, people keep asking him ''What Is It?'' You can get it now on Vinyl only! Joey took out the vocal and turned it into a instrumental disco track. It makes you dance from the beginning and keeps building till Dancers lose their minds!!

Jovonn returns to his Body N'Deep label to release the album 'Timeless', his first since 'Blaque House' released on Code Red back in 2009. With releases on such labels as Clone, Apollonia and Dogmatik the last few years, Jovonn set up his Body N'Deep label in 2017 to release tracks from himself and other like-minded producers. The album focusses on the deeper side of house and Jovonn's trademark New Jersey house sound, with contributions by Patrick Mangan (violin) on 'Hesperia Soul' and Cassioware on 'Turnin Me Out'.

An All Star team for edits of Jovonn classics! Ian Pooley, DJ Deep and Mike Huckaby revisit 3 of Goldtone Records finest for Clone Royal Oak.

London’s Release/Sustain imprint returns this May with the ‘A Says Hello’ EP from Detroit’s Alton Miller, Chaos In The CBD step in on remix duties. Detroit’s Alton Miller has been in the game for the past three decades coming up alongside luminaries Derrick May, Chez Damier and the late Frankie Knuckles and releasing material on the likes of Peacefrog, Moodymann’s Mahogany Music, Theo Parrish’ Sound Signature and Clone amongst others. Suffice to say, Miller stands as an extremely important figure in the history of authentic, soul-drenched house music. Title-track ‘A Says Hello’ opens the package and as expected we’re treated to an elegant slice of house.