MINT

Reginald Omas Mamode IV is set to release his self titled debut album via Five Easy Pieces.The cult Peckham soul artist caps the release of three highly praised EPs with an album featuring his most confident songwriting to date. The album paints a collage of dusty drum hits, Sly Stone-esque bass lines and Mamode’s own one-take vocals. Themes go from the personal, such as relationship communication breakdown, to the universal, in the anti-war theme of ‘The Value’.It remains grounded in a love of syncopated drums, played out in the Dilla-esque ‘Talk To Me’, or the free jazz of ‘Omas Sextet’. Elsewhere, on album opener ‘Bruk Out’, the broken beat scene collides with the groove based jazz fusion of Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters, whilst on ‘Drums Of The Positive’, Mamode channels the “slave island music of my father’s heritage… Maloya, Sega, Nyabinghi”."Nowadays music seems to be used more as a crutch for humanity.. Most people seem to have forgotten it's a life blood of our species. The natural rhythms of our hearts beating and the melodic instrument 'the voice' gifted to us at birth, are some physical examples of how inherent music is within our being. We all need this thing we call music. Just as all our ancestors did." - Reginald Omas Mamode IVThis past year has seen Mamode perform live and DJ at the relaunch of London’s Jazz Cafe, Shapes, Ronnie Scott’s, Gottwood festival and dates in France, Netherlands and beyond. Headline UK and EU live dates will follow the album’s release in the autumn.Part percussive ancestral music, part post-Dilla funk, Mamode’s debut album is a galactic, joyful, and above all funky record. It is a statement of intent from this rising underground star. “A man of simple pleasures: soul sounds, peoples and stories, brothers, friends and family” Gilles Peterson“Spiritual similarities to the likes of D'Angelo, Theo Parrish, J Dilla, and John Coltrane” Dummy Mag“Cosmic-soul super talent. You need this guy on your radar” Stamp The Wax“The equivalent of an aural hug” Boiler Room“Imbued with the sounds of funk, Latin, soul, African Nubian music” Hyponik

Long overdue for a vinyl pressing, Kenny Dope’s extended mix of “Shy As A Butterfly” by The Mighty Sceptres is now available on a proper 7in. The B-side features a killer dance floor-ready cumbia rework of “Nothing Seems To Work Right” by Spark Arrester.With a well-received debut album under their belt and notable song placements in shows such as Ray Donovan on Showtime, The Mighty Sceptres drop a new 7in single featuring Kenny Dope’s extended mix of “Shy As A Butterfly”, previously only available as a bonus on their digital album. With collectors, record shops, and fans alike clamoring for a vinyl version, the 7in was hands down the preferred format of choice. Hailing from Blacksburg VA where he’s been a mainstay of the local music scene and purveyor of all things funky, Spark Arrester’s cumbia rework is a perfect fit on the B-side rounding out a single that’s sure to keep bodies moving on the dance floor all summer long and beyond.

Barcelona based Alma's 3rd hearkens back to the root of Afrobeat, extended, elegant arrangements, socially & politically charged lyrics, & irresistible grooves. B side f/ remixes from DJ Farmo, DJ Quiet, DJ Phader, Los Kalakos, & Ray Lugo.

Limited edition black 12" vinyl housed in a black paper polylined sleeve. B-side 'Together' is exclusive to the 12"

Gatefold 180 gram vinyl 3xLP + 2xCDOriginal Ghanaian Highlife & Afrobeat Classics 1967-1981 ?Ghanaian highlife master and “The Golden Voice Of Africa”, Pat Thomas,returns with his first full career retrospective on Strut this Autumn, covering his late ‘60s big band highlife recordings through to the “burger highlife” movement of the early ‘80s. Growing up with music around him (“my uncle, King Onyina, was an important highlife musician”), Thomas was inspired to become a singer after hearing vocalist Joss Aikins: “He sang with Broadway Dance Band and Decca in Ghana chose him to sing with any group that came into their studios.” When a new incarnation of Broadway Dance Band was created in ‘67, led by Ebo Taylor, Thomas received his first big break. “Ebo started to write new songs. I added the lyrics and sang them and it worked well.” The partnership with Taylor would become one of the enduring forces in Ghanaian music during the ‘70s, creating a fresh, progressive new highlife sound. They played with the Blue Monks band before, in 1974, forming Sweet Beans with the backing of Ghana’s Cocoa Marketing Board: “The album, ‘False Lover’, was the first under my own name and my first for Gapophone,” Pat reflects. “Reggae was “on” at that time - Jimmy Cliff was the guy - so I tried reggae fusions and brought in some soul.” The album established Thomas across Ghana. Sweet Beans disbanded but the musicians stayed together as Marijata. “The guys initially used Jewel Ackah as their vocalist but they involved me and I re-vocalled the album. This became the ‘Pat Thomas Introduces Marijata’ LP. At that time, I would go to George Prah at Gapophone to ask for money and he would say, ‘if you want me to pay you, go and write a song!’ So, tracks like ‘Coming Home’ came about that way, written on the spot.” A second Marijata album followed before a damaging coup in Ghana in 1979. “Jerry Rawlings’ “house-cleaning” was designed to stop corruption but it seriously damaged our country’s music culture.” Thomas left for Berlin and stayed true to his highlife roots, becoming the first Ghanaian to record highlife there. “In Ghana, people ex-pats living in Germany called themselves ‘burgers’, so the scene became ‘burger highlife’.” Thomas travelled to Togo and London, before settling in Canada: “I ended up there for ten years playing for universities, Ghanaian societies and festivals.”Pat is now back with Kwashibu Area Band and touring worldwide: “Today, highlife has become the world’s music and I am proud to still bring it to so many people.” ‘Coming Home’ is released on 2CD, 3LP and digital and features exclusive photos and a full interview with Pat Thomas.First ever career retrospective of key Ghanaian highlife figureCovers ‘60s highlife to heavy ‘70s Afrobeat and later highlife disco periodfull official release, produced in conjunction with Pat Thomas. Many tracks released internationally for the first timeincludes two previously unreleased tracks: ‘No Money, No Love’ and ‘Sack The Devils’ recorded with Ebo Taylortouring around album globally with Kwashibu Area Band during 2016-7

Boutique French house label Vibes And Pepper come through with a Various Artist outing that pairs the new school talents of Tomska and New Jack City with the old school and enduring qualities of James Duncan and Jeremiah. James Duncan goes first with 'Track #2', a soulful affair with lazily jazzy chords and muffled vocals bottled up into a teasing house groove. The drums feel alive and the repeated melodic phrasing brings some nice tension to proceedings. Tomska's 'Stolen Moments' is a typically thick cut track with solid kick drums underpinning spoken word musings and colourful little melodies. It's physical and will make you dance without losing the important human connection. Jeremiah's 'Keep On' is much the same: this one has a classic feel to it, with warm pads softening the effect of busy, live sounding percussion. Some firing vocals help set the groove alight and re-call the classic days of 90s house with relying on the same tried tropes. Finally, 'Slow It Down' does not slow it down, but instead invites you to move your body with huge rubbery kick drums and shuffling claps. Dulcet vocal tones and garage-inflected percussion make this a hugely vibey affair to finish off another timeless house EP.