Glenn (Ghanababa) Warren
Rhythms Of Happy Feelings

Devoted fans of Abel Tesfaye were left in a spin when the latest The Weeknd album dropped out of the blue, offering up lead singles 'Sacrifice' and 'Gasoline'. The expansive reach of Tesfaye's musical world knows no bounds, straddling pop, rap, electro and much more besides on a quest for life-affirming, show-stopping songs that burrow straight into your heart. The cast of collaborators on this record is staggering, from Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, Quincy Jones, and Oneohtrix Point Never to Jim Carrey and Swedish House Mafia, would you believe. Through it all, Tesfaye's dazzling persona shines through, making for another classic from one of the most unique artists in the premier league of contemporary RnB.

One of Andy Narell's most exciting and unpredictable albums, Light in Your Eyes ranges from the exuberant to the quietly introspective. Narell, who embraces electric keyboards and acoustic piano in addition to his main instrument the steel pans, is undeniably inspired on everything from the driving post-bop number "A Stitch in Time" to the poetic, South American-influenced "The Strayaway Child" to the somewhat Joe Sample-ish title song. World music has long been one of the charismatic Narell's strong points, and on this fine CD, he looks to locations ranging from Africa to South America to Trinidad (where the steel pans originated) for inspiration.

Comet Records presents the Tony Allen & Africa 70 reissue series with the classic late seventies first four solo albums of Tony Allen remastered and restored: Jealousy, Progress, No Accomodation for Lagos & No Discrimination, all coming in an heavy Deluxe Tip-On Jacket.Recorded with Afrika 70 at the height of their power as Fela Kuti’s band, these are seminal recordings in the pantheon of Afrobeat history. Once again, Comet Records has the opportunity to shine a light on the sheer musicality and originality of the humble drumming giant. Tony Allen’s passing in April 2020 sent a shockwave across the world, as fans and collaborators from Lagos to Brooklyn and everywhere in between mourned the loss of a generous and powerful being, the kind of being we thought would live forever. Thankfully, we have the gift of Tony’s timeless music, starting with these four special solo albums, through which his musical voice guides our dancing feet and full hearts forever.Produced by Fela Kuti in 1975, Tony Allen’s first solo album with Afrika 70, Jealousy, is like the man himself: light on its feet yet deeply settled, spacious yet bursting with magical talent. On the title track “Jealousy,” Tony is joyously in his element, conducting one of the mightiest bands in the world - he is the head chef, and the band is cooking. The second track, “Hustler,” features one of the most iconic solos in drumming history, a rare glimpse into Tony’s gift of musical phrasing - it is possibly the best example of Tony’s ability to literallyspeak through his beloved drumset.Tony Allen possessed magic within him, which he spent his entire life sharing with us through his drumming hands, tapping feet and generous heart. That magic is ever-present and strong on these formative solo albums - they are must-haves for Afrobeat fans across the globe.

John COLTRANENaima (Record Store Day RSD 2021)Major KeysThe Major Keys label takes classic album tracks and gives them the respect they deserve across their own 12" pressings. And few musicians deserve such special treatment as John Coltrane, who follows on from an early release on this imprint from Herbie Hancock. Now, the king known as Trane has his gorgeous 'Naima' served up in all its tender glory. On the flip is the much more uptempo and energetic 'My Favourite Things' with all its expressive and squealing trumpet leads and busy drums. Both come on this heavyweight slice of wax, exclusively for Record Store Day 2021.

Linda “Babe” Majika’s insanely brilliant Don’t Treat Me So Bad is a tight six tracks of blistering electro-flavoured bubblegum and synth-drizzled solar-powered machine-funk. It has become increasingly hard to find, with copies currently moving for over £200. But this is definitely a case of eye-watering price equalling heart-thumping quality.The enormous “Let’s Make A Deal” is probably the best known track here, and it’s definitely the best one if you ask us. Linda’s vocals drip with attitude over warm, breezy synths and an urgent, edgy electro beat to create a timeless club-ready bomb that sounds as fresh as ever. But the rest of the album is far from filler.Don’t Treat Me So Bad is the work of one badass woman who can hold her own, and then some.