Rimon
I Shine, U Shine

For their latest missive, Rock A Shaka have decided to offer up a new pressing of The Chosen Few's early '70s classic "I Love The Way You Love", a slab of languid, soulful sunshine recorded at a time when reggae as we know it today (rather than rocksteady or ska) was still a nascent musical form. While the original vocal version has featured on a number of the Jamaican band's albums over the years, the accompanying flipside "Version" by producer Prince Tony Robinson AKA The Groove Master has previously been frustratingly hard to find. It's worth picking this up just to get it, as Robinson's additional musical flourishes - think Tommy McCook style sax, fluttering flute solos and harder rhythm guitar - lift the band's fine riddim to even higher heights.

As a fine collector of Jazz-Funk and Fusion for many years, Charles Maurice selected some of his favorite forgotten productions, as he previously did for the AOR Global Sounds, French and Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds compilations series.This time, recordings come from Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand, Uruguay, Spain and France, from artists and bands mostly known in their local scenes. You'll hear here the best elements of the Fusion and Jazz-Funk genre: breezy vocal arrangements reminding Flora Purim in Return To Forever or George Duke's albums, sweet and virtuosic Fender Rhodes (kind of common thread of the comp), melodic spiral-shaped fuzzy synthesizers leads, or irresistible basslines, altogether bringing a unique groove to life.

“In The Thick Of It” is the brainchild of Spencer Kenney under the moniker SPK, marking the 2nd release from JT Donaldson’s New Math Records. Hailing from Dallas’ famed Booker T Washington High School (read Erykah Badu, Norah Jones, Edie Brickell & Roy Hargrove), Spencer has been fine tuning his craft in several bands since graduating and is now releasing his debut EP for New Math Records. “In The Thick Of It” is parts Psychdelia, Electronica and Indie Pop, mixing Surf’s Up-era Beach Boys, Mac Demarco and Flying Lotus on a sonic journey spanning 7 songs. This release has already been recommended by Flying Lotus.

Leoparden dive into the summer with the warm, lovely space anthem “høyt oppe” and the dancing synth-disco groove “Løpebass” on the B side.Vocal: Y. ChangeziDrums: O. GravklevKeys: D. ApalGuitar: J. JelsMastered by Deckdaddy.Recorded at Hausmania for Lyskestrekk Records.

Ahemaa Nwomkro, which means queens of Nwomkro, are Victoria Osei and Theresa Owusuaa. Nwomkro is an old Ashanti musical style, which played an influential role in the origin of the typical more roots-like Highlife style of Kumasi, the cultural capital of Ghana in the middle of the jungle.On this release the two singers have teamed up with the young generation of Highlife muicians of Kumasi. On guitar is Akule Pepe, who served for years in the group of Highlife legend Alex Konadu, the most on demand band in its time. The two songs are a rare example of how good pure Nwomkro gets together with typical Highlife.

Numero Group re-issue of the prized AOR/Disco/Soul/Yacht Rock masterpiece by Archie James Cavanaugh from 1980. White raven vinyl versions.