SEALED

Introducing the eagerly awaited 2nd installment in Zaf LoveVinyl's brilliant Holy Grail Series, following King Tutt's “You Got Me Hung Up/Dancin'”. BBE are proud to bring you the super rare 12" by Martin Dumas Jr “Belief, Attitude & Determination / Non-Stop To The Top”. Slightly Re-edited by Zaf LoveVinyl to keep the value of the original intact this record is available for the first time on 12" Vinyl exclusive to BBE licensed from the estate of Martin Dumas. A Limited edition pressing, fully re-mastered and sounding amazing, pressed loud & with the original artwork. Limited highly collectable 12” vinyl only release Original copies sell for USD 2000+Zaf's previous forays into compilations include the popular Americana series on BBE, Private Wax (keep your eyes peeled v2 coming soon) as well as compiling the whole of the P&P series on Sussd records and the Deep Disco Culture series WEBLINKS www.

Favorite Recordings proudly presents this new official single reissue of “Glow of Love”, by Dave Baker. A scorching Caribbean-Disco version of the classic anthem by Change and Luther Vandross produced and released in 1980 on Black Jack Records.Black Jack was a UK based reggae label active between 1978 and 1982 and ran by Jamaican singer and producer Danny Ray. After recording for MCA Records and Trojan Records in the early 1970s, he later set up Black Jack label, producing mostly his own music and a few others singers such as Christine White and Shirley James.During these short 4 years of activity, Danny Ray and Black Jack also produced a few isolated singles by more famous Jamaican singers like Winston Francis or Jackie Edwards. Amongst them was also this hot lovers-rock version of “Glow of Love” by the great Dave Baker, famous member of The Techniques and half of the duo Dave & Ansell Collins.Pursuing his collaboration with Favorite Recordings and the recent reissue of Lamar Thomas single (FVR099), this very rare record is coordinated for reissue by French DJ and collector Waxist.Remastered from the master tape in its original 12inch version for the occasion, the vinyl single package also includes an exclusive extended Dub version finely edited by Waxist.

After the Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds compilation, Favorite Recordings follows-up with the concept, this time focusing on its homeland language. Digging into the mysterious Charles Maurice’s vinyl collection, the label and the DJ extracted 10 amazing hidden dancefloor hits, all produced between 1975 and 1984 within the French music scene.In the late 70s, like most part of the world, France was deeply touched by the influence of American music. The Disco sound therefore quickly reached the French Pop charts, and as always, a creative and prolific independent scene emerged in the shadow of this trend, with quite unequal results, but also some obscure real classics.Helped by a close connoisseur friend, DJ and collector Charles Maurice presents a fine selection of what he thinks represent best the amazing energy and quality of this specific movement and period. With 10 rare titles, he draws a perfect picture of the different styles and productions you could find in French record stores at that time;On one hand, tracks by Overdrive, Marché Noir, Didier Makaga or France-Lise, were mostly composed and produced by underground artists and labels from the French Caribbean and African community, and also filled with the raw spirit and power of this Tropical stamping. On the other hand, tracks by Beckie Bell, Kelly, Le Club, or Bernard Guyvan, were all released by major French labels such as Trëma, Carrere, Disques Vogue, or Pathé Marconi, and created by confirmed independent producers, acting not only in France, but also in Canada and the US.For example, Philippe “Honeyman” Renaux was the founder of Clever label and has credits for Grace Jones, Sheila & B. Devotion, or Gino Soccio to name a few. Canadian composer and producer George Thurston is internationally known as Boule Noire, with his worldwide success “Aimer d’amour”. And Pierre “Berjot” Jaubert was part of the famous Lafayette Afro-Rock Band, before becoming a prolific producer who revealed the Disco diva Chantal Curtis among others, collaborated on recordings for Motown or Tom Moulton, and even scooted the lead singer of Vladimir Cosma’s most famous hit, “La Boom”.With all this talent and “savoir-faire”, each of these 10 forgotten songs had nothing to be ashamed of compared to some majors’ Disco hits and productions, but unfortunately didn’t get the same fate. Today, Favorite Recordings and Charles Maurice are very proud to shed some light again on these gems, and hopefully offer them a new life on your turntable.

2 years after the release of his first solo album, Favorite Recordings proudly presents SOLAR, second album by acclaimed Brazilian composer Lucas Arruda.Lucas Arruda’s born in 1983, in a Brazilian state called Espírito Santo, near Rio de Janeiro. Coming from a musical family (his dad and older brother are musicians) he started playing and listening to music very young. At the age of 13, he was also playing professionally already. After studying electric guitar and playing in various bands, Lucas passion quickly turned into Rhodes and keyboards, expanding his musical range of skills.At the same time he started his own home-studio and a real musical career in Brazil, playing and producing for various projects with his older brother Thiago, and gaining great local support from people like Ed Motta, William Magalhães (Banda Black Rio), Robert Lamm (Chicago) or Hyldon (Brazilian soul legend).In 2012, Fabricio Di Monaco (from Modo Solar) introduced Lucas’ music to Favorite Recordings’ head honcho, Pascal Rioux, who was immediately seduced by Lucas’ demos and talent. One year after, Favorite Recordings released Lucas Arruda’s first solo album titled Sambadi, and received great supports from many international DJs and media, who all acclaimed Lucas’ natural skills for composition and arrangement.Following this successful first effort, here comes SOLAR, new and second solo album by Lucas Arruda. Pursuing the sound established with Sambadi, this new project is again fully composed by Lucas, and filled with his fusion style, mixing influences and elements from his Latin musical background, with his genuine admiration for Jazz, Soul and Funk music; On “Melt the Night” for example, Lucas asked legendary producer Leon Ware for his help, reminding his collaborations in the 80s with Marcos Valle, when they perfectly merged together the sophisticated Boogie and AOR touch from California, with the blazing sense of rhythm from Brazil. For “Uma Onda”, he invites Alex Malheiros, bassist of the famous Jazz band Azymuth, for a splendid tribute to their specific fusion sound and influence on the Brazilian music scene. Finally the song “Agua”, co-written with his longtime friend Fabricio Di Monaco, is a beautiful ballad which illustrates perfectly Lucas’ passion for Soul music stars such as Stevie Wonder or Curtis Mayfield.On top of these great collaborations and a few more surprises, SOLAR also differs from its predecessor by a lot more elaborated production process, offering an authentic and warm sound, faithful to Lucas’ heroes and inspirations. Mostly recorded at Sala A Studio in Brazil, many drums parts were also taken at the fully analog Ambience Studios in Finland, by label mate drummer Jarkko Lepisto. The entire mix was also done in Finland on a Neve 8108 console from 1978, and under the direction of Andre Solomko and Petri Asiala, using only analogic technology and a Studer master tape to record the final pre-master.The result is a timeless album, which should definitely established Lucas Arruda as one of the greatest and most talented Brazilian musicians these days.SOLAR will be released as a deluxe gatefold double LP and limited CD edition on May 4th 2015.

The second 12” off Bosq’s upcoming sophomore full-length takes on a darker and more agressive tone, enlisting the help of frequent collaborator Kaleta to get their powerful message across. The A-side features the familiar pairing of Bosq and Benin born & Nigerian raised singer Kaleta (formerly of Fela’s Egypt 80) on their heaviest collaboration to date. Kaleta laments the struggle of the common man on the first half of the song before both the music and the lyrics strike back urging a “take over” of those oppressive systems. The incessant rhythm and driving groove laying the perfect foundation, echoing Fela’s “Music Is The Weapon Of The Future” mantra. The B-side is another heavy slab of dense percussion and an afrobeat style horn section with a groove that falls somewhere between afro-latin, dancehall, and house. Horn genius Evan Laflamme handles the entirety of the section as well as ripping a Baritone solo that anchors the track in the middle and perfectly walks the line between musicality and groove. The 12” was envisioned and carried out during a time of immense frustration for the very politically minded Bosq and that emotion colors the sound of the record through both tracks.

Limited Edition 12" released in conjuction with the forthcoming compilation, Tropical Disco Hustle Volume Two - COS 13-LP.

Indonesian native, Midnight Runners, transmits 8 songs from the city of Bandung, where the industrialized creative community and the island's tropical rainforest meet. Check! Known in circles for disco/funk sample based music, Midnight Runners has transformed the studio with the vintage analog gear that he used to sample, giving the multi-instrumentalist the ability to arrange and preform in the ways of his teachers on record. Open labs is dripping wet with deep grooves built on foundations of live drums and drum machines twisted together to light the fuse on explosive synth arrangements and thick baselines. For dance floors and lifestyles alike, each song is masterfully crafted with a sensibility that uniquely molds industry and nature harmoniously. Interweaving synth and slap bass lines with hard sultry melodics, carrying listeners through the rubble of city life to the mist of the tropics, on a path to where the vantage point enjoys both.

Following the runaway success of their re-release of James Mason's cult classic "I Want Your Love" a few years back, Rush Hour asked the legendary disco-soul producer whether he had any unreleased material in the archives. After rooting around, he unearthed enough material to fill an album, Recollection Echo, which hits stores later in the year. Before that, Rush Hour present two previously unheard gems; the breezy, soulful disco brilliance of "The Rhythm of Life" (which, brilliantly, features Bernard Purdie on drums, and Fonda Rae on backing vocals), and "Up Jump", a brilliantly strange - and thrilling - combination of pitched-down electro beats, vocoders and spiraling soul vocals. That album should be pretty sensational; until it's released, these two tracks will more than suffice.

The title says it all: Joia rara...Rare jewels. The well-established and authoritative knowledge and enthusiasm of Mojoknights blog comes correct on this collection of boogie, funk and soul rarities from the Brazilian motherland. From the staccato narrative and slinky boogie guitars of Jackson Goes "Variacoes" to the Parliament-style chants, heavy percussion and Chic/Sugar Hill references of Bons Tempos "Sao Paulo" to the velvet lounge-lashings of Brasil Show's piano-happy "Lagrimas", the whole collection sparkles with myriad sunny-side soul grooves and Latin heat that has largely been unavailable until now. Universal.

At long last, the instrumentals to Blu and Exile’s modern classic Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them. Available for the very first time on vinyl, limited.