SEALED

Kalita Records present the first ever official reissue of the Sophisticated Ladies sought-after 1980 New York disco single 'This Ain't Really Love' backed with a Mighty Zaf extended B-Side edit.Kalita Records are proud and honoured to announce the first ever official reissue of the Sophisticated Ladies' sought-after 1980 New York disco single 'This Ain't Really Love', backed by a Mighty Zaf extended edit of their 1977 release 'Check It Out', and accompanied by interview-based liner notes. Here, the single will be available in its true 12” format, saving collectors and DJs alike from spending triple-digit figures on an original copy.First formed in 1955, the Sophisticated Ladies started their recording life as the R&B girl group The Bobbettes, originally consisting of five female vocalists (Jannie Pought, Emma Pought, Reather Dixon, Laura Webb and Helen Gathers). The group were signed to the Atlantic record label and were most known for their 1957 hit single ‘Mr. Lee’, which peaked at #6 on the Billboard Pop singles chart and remained #1 on the R&B chart for four weeks. They were in fact the first girl group to have a #1 R&B song which also was placed in the top ten of the singles chart.However, by the mid-1970s and with the emergence of the disco era, the Bobbettes changed their name to the Sophisticated Ladies. As Emma Patron (nee Pought) recalled to me in the winter of 2017, The Bobbettes’ success with ‘Mr. Lee’ had been both a blessing and a curse – on the one hand it had provided them with international fame, yet by the 1970s it had become a constant weight and drag upon the group, type-casting and inhibiting their development as artists. Thus, upon the suggestion of their managers and producers Joe Webb and Frank Fair, the name The Bobbettes was lost, replaced now by the Sophisticated Ladies. Not only did this provide the opportunity for a clean sheet, but it also allowed them to have an image change from a girl group to a female disco outfit, as Joe recalls, ‘when we changed the name and gave the band a more soulful, disco sound, it made a huge difference’.The Sophisticated Ladies (by this time consisting of Emma, Laura and Reather) released two singles between 1977 and 1980. They toured the southern states of America (whilst also touring internationally as the Bobbettes) and received radio airtime throughout the country. Here we have chosen to highlight their scarce, choice cut ‘This Ain’t Really Love’ and have invited The Mighty Zaf to re-work their version of Bobby Womack’s ‘Check It Out’, making it perfect for modern disco dancing.- First ever official reissue of sought-after New York disco 12” single- Accompanied by an extended edit by The Mighty Zaf of their 1977 release 'Check It Out' engineered by Phil Asher- Includes extensive liner notes based on interviews with band member Emma Pought and manager/producer Joe Webb

After opening for Roy Ayers, a packed out Euro tour and features on Moodymann’s illustrious DJ-Kicks, jitwam comes thru with a funky dose of luscious bass and hand-clapping soul – back from the shadows and into the purple

British producer Ross From Friends aka Felix Clary Weatherall returns with his debut album on Flying Lotus’ label."Family Portrait" is characterised by a perpetual desire to experiment and Felix's obsessive attention to detail, somehow marrying an intricately layered production style with warm, heavily saturated sonics that elevate, rather than stifle, his melodious funk.“Family Portrait” showcases his ability to shift and evolve, moving from the world of lo-fi to the world of FlyLo, he demonstrates a versatility exemplified by the ease in which he can switch between playing shows with Little Dragon, holding down a peak-time slot in Berghain’s Panorama Bar and performing live at Maida Vale for BBC Radio 1.The album title - “Family Portrait” - also nods to a very specific personal aspect of the record: the influence of his parents. Dance music has always been a feature in Felix's life, with early memories of his dad producing music on his analogue set-up, or pumping out hi-NRG tracks on the turntable, he grew up discussing, sharing and learning about music from his dad. “My dad has been hugely influential to the whole thing,” he explains. However it was with the emergence of some old family VHS tapes, and the story of how Felix’s parents came to meet, that the true significance became clear.Having built up a sound system in the 1980’s while playing at various squat parties around London (including the then derelict Roundhouse) Felix’s dad decided he wanted to get out of the capital and see some of Europe. He got his hands on a bus and started putting word out through a network of like-minded friends and acquaintances. At the time just a friend of a friend, the trip caught the attention of Felix’s mum-to-be, who offered to document the whole thing in return for a seat, and in 1990 they loaded up the sound system and hit the road. Travelling through France, Belgium, West and East Germany (though returning through a unified one) and beyond, setting up in towns to share their passion for the sounds of hi-NRG dance, Italo disco and proto-Techno through spontaneous parties in whatever venue they could find.

The first in a series of compilations by Jura Soundsystem is a blend of Dub, Ambient, Downtempo, Boogie and Proto House with a focus on music never before released on Vinyl, sought after out of print titles and some special versions edited specifically for the album.The intention with this project was to delve deeper into the reissue pond and unearth some lesser known tracks and artists. Highlights include Smackos (AKA Legowelt) Ambient epic ‘We Can Watch Alf In The Hotel Room’, never before released on Vinyl, the Dub / Psych hybrid of Minus Group’s ‘Black Shadow’, Kash’s sought after ‘Percussion Sundance’ and special edits of Ken Dang and Tabou Combo. The end of the album includes some soothing Ambient tools.