UK

Africa Seven is taking its first trip to Germany... Well Germany via Cameroun. Charlie Kingue Soppo is better known as Charly Kingson, cousin of Manu Dibango and a Cameroonian emigrant in the 1970s. Charly first headed to Paris and then found his way to Munich in 1978. He recorded two albums in his career, "Born In Africa" in Munich in 1978 and "Dance To The Music" two years later in New York.For this outing we focus on his debut "Born In Africa". It was recorded in Union Studios in Munich with some of the city's finest (and surprisingly funky) session musicians of the day.The LP opens up with "Nimele Bolo" a trademark Africa Seven sound if ever there was one… early growling analog synths, big stabby brass and afro rhythms. Add in Charlys vocals and it is easy to see why this track was a highlight of our recent African Airways 04 Funk compilation. Next it is time for smooth ballad, "Makakane Masu" and its smooth jazz overtones. Next "Manyaka" the suspenseful string section, octaving keys and percussive horns drive the wah wah guitar and Charlys brooding song.On the flip side we open up with the rolling bass and swinging brass of lead track "Born In Africa". This track was a single and it's the perfect microcosm of the album elements in one track. It even manages to name check all the big afro musicians of the time. "Nanga Boko" and its big smiles all around for the good time synth-boogie funk. We close off the LP with "Reviens-Moi" a pensive ballad about Charly's forlorn love. He wants her back of course.After Charly moved on from recording in the 1980s he stayed in Germany, performing in a series of local jazz and funk bands. We tracked him down in 2016 and we really pleased to be re-releasing his debut long player at Africa Seven. It sounds just as relevant (if not more so) in 2018 as it did 40 years ago in 1978.

First ever official reissue of the positively sublime and very rare Butterfly LP, recorded in Tokyo in 1979 by Japanese songstress Kimiko Kasai and jazz legend Herbie Hancock.Due to its super-rare status as a Japan-only release, this exquisite collection of covers never got the recognition it deserved at the time, despite incredibly inspired performances from Kimiko, Herbie and the supremely talented musicians assembled for the project. From heavenly drummer Alphonse Mouzon and renowned organist Webster Lewis to bassist Paul Jackson, reedman Bennie Maupin and the master percussionist Bill Summers, the legendary performers crafted amazingly good vocal versions of Herbie / Headhunters jazz-funk. Unsurprisingly, it has been heavily in demand for many years.The LP opens with Kimiko's highly desirable version of "I Thought It Was You", an elegant take on Herbie's own anthem. Other superb re-workings include the delicately soulful "Butterfly", jazzy groover "Sunlight", the smooth and sexy "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" and the beautiful ballads "Maiden Voyage" and "Harvest Time". A wonderful example of perfectly understated and masterful jazz-funk soul fusion that shouldn't be missed, the set closes with a jaw-dropping version of Stevie Wonder's "As".This lovingly curated reissue enables a long overdue reappraisal of this hitherto unavailable masterpiece. The stunning artwork which adorned the original jacket - complete with OBI strip and sumptuous 4 page folded insert - has been faithfully restored. Simon Francis' sensitive mastering elevates the sound throughout and, as ever, it has been pressed at a reassuringly weighty 180g. Essential.

Fifteen' celebrates the work of Ben Lamdin - the musical maverick behind the Nostalgia 77 guise - with an eclectic compilation of tracks spanning fifteen years of jazz, hip hop, blues, funk, downtempo, soul and psychedelia. Lamdin’s work has gained him fans from a range of musical backgrounds and earning him praise from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Lauren Laverne and Jamie Cullum.It’s been Fifteen years since we put out the first Nostalgia 77 record, so to celebrate we’re releasing this amazing 2xLP featuring some of Ben Lamdin’s best work. There’s a variety of styles and genres on here, ranging from his jazz work, to the Country Soul of Jeb Loy Nichols, the dub sounds he created with Prince Fatty and also the folk leaning work from the N77 records A Journey Too Far and Sleepwalking Society. It also features the massive collaboration with Alice Russell, covering Seven Nation Army.Handpicked by Nostalgia 77 and Tru Thoughts, this retrospective showcases the best recordings and remixes from the respected producer, composer, songwriter and guitarist, spanning a range of projects. Featured on this fantastic anniversary release, are classics like Prince Fatty’s “Medicine Chest Dub” and the second to none take of “Seven Nation Army” featuring the phenomenal vocals from the ever-soulful Alice Russell. Also included on the retrospective, the beautiful tripped out hip hop take on “Sleepwalker” from fellow Brightonian producer Ambassadeurs, and a track from Lamdin’s country soul project with acclaimed songwriter Jeb Loy Nichols.The vinyl is housed in a gatefold sleeve and is printed on reverse board, which really highlights the wonderful image on the front cover (taken by Steve Glashier). The record comes with a download card that includes extra tracks. Please get in touch to set a dealer price. There’s no CDs for this release, just leading with the vinyl.Key Marketing Points:- Best Of compilation featuring tracks from across Nostalgia 77’s career, under various guises and across a diverse range of genres.- Available on 2xLP, housed in gatefold sleeve, printed on reverse board.- Previous radio support from Lauren Laverne (BBC 6Music), Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan (BBC 6Music), Gideon Coe (BBC 6Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC R2), Guy Garvey (Elbow/BBC 6 Music) + more.- Previous press support from The Guardian, Uncut ,The Telegraph, The Wire, Clash, Q, DJ Mag, Record Collector, Blues & Soul and more.- Download card includes an extended version of the album, with extra tracks.- Previous winner of ‘Jazz Album of The Year’ at Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards (2006).

Keep the Fire Burning and Funky Sensation by Gwen McCrae, two tracks synonymous with the soul, boogie, rare groove and modern disco scenes, are finally being reissued on Expansion Records after a long-anticipated wait. Keep the Fire Burning, originally released in 1981, is a remake of the Willie Hutch original. This reissue of the U.S 12” pressing at its full length - 6:54 - is sure to galvanise any dance floor and lift spirits immeasurably. After achieving relative notoriety within the underground scene, notably after being played by Danilo Plessow - a.k.a Motor City Drum Ensemble - during his London Boiler Room in 2015, Keep the Fire Burning has since been one of the most sought after records of the past decade, seamlessly bridging the gap between rare-groove and underground dance-music. Whats more, recent price-hikes on online vinyl-distribution websites denote the way in which the market for this record has grown exponentially, a testament to its new-found popularity among the worldwide dance-music diaspora. Funky Sensation, moreover, possesses a timeless and universal groove, a song which has cemented itself as a darling of the boogie-scene, while gaining traction from the likes of Dam Funk and Nu Guinea. Furthermore, Funky Sensation is a traditionally popular record amongst the UK Soul scene, after seeing airtime on London Pirate-Radio stations during the 1980’s. Keep the Fire Burning has since been sampled by Star Slimlinger, Marcus Gauntlett and the Hustlers Convention among others and has seen heavy rotation within the underground circuit, owing to its popularity among certain U.S and European DJ’s such as Ron Trent, Marcellus Pittmann, and Sam Shepherd. Funky sensation is well-affiliated within the Hip-Hop scene, after providing the musical framework for songs produced by Africa Bambaata, Ghostface Killah and L.L Cool J to name a few. Own both original 12” versions for the first time this January as licensed in their entirety by Atlantic Records.

A timeless deep house track with a powerful message, Manchild (In The Promise Land) is a brand new creation from two of Chicago House music’s true architects, Ron Trent & Lono Brazil.Getting his start as a DJ in the mid 80s while still a teenager, Ron Trent quickly turned his hand to production, studying percussion and keyboards, skills which define his distinctive, melodic compositions to this day. Founding Prescription Records with Chez Damier in ’93 and sister label Balance soon after, he helped introduce talents such as Moodymann, Pevan Everett and Luke Solomon to a global audience.Ron Trent’s career has gone from strength to strength over the last three decades, DJing all over the globe while continuing to push boundaries with his productions and remixes.Mentored by none other than Frankie Knuckles and a close associate of the great Ron Hardy, Lono Brazil’s musical roots touch the very foundations of House Music. A true cultural ambassador, over the years Lono has produced shows with legendary artist Keith Haring, worked as an executive for Capitol/EMI and helped kick-start the recent disco revival from a small dive bar in Chicago’s North side, not to mention walking the runways of New York, Milan, London and Tokyo as a high fashion model.Afro-centric house in its purest form, Manchild (In The Promised Land) is characterised by Lono Brazil’s golden voice and original spoken word poetry which paints a moving picture of urban deprivation and stolen childhood. Subtle synth chords shimmer behind the jazz influenced bass-line and warm percussion that seems to play ‘call and response’ with the vocal. Fresh from appearing on Boiler Room Tokyo back in April, talented and in-demand Japanese husband and wife duo ‘Dazzle Drums’ provide a deep and tribal dub version of ‘Manchild’, steadily building up a compelling drum groove before taking flight into synth-heaven.

Ernesto Chahoud’s ‘Taitu’ is a collection of soul-fuelled stompers straight from the dancefloors of 1970s Addis Ababa.A breathless journey through the unique Ethio sound that bands were forging at the time, the 24-track compilation is the result of the Lebanese DJ and crate digger’s decadelong love affair with the ‘golden age’ of Ethiopian music.Among the musical gems featured are 7”s by some of the heavyweights of the scene including the godfather of Ethio jazz Mulatu Astatke and Alemayehu Eshete, the vocalist dubbed the ‘Ethiopian Elvis’, alongside tracks by more obscure artists such as Merawi Yohannis and Birkineh Wurga.For ‘Taitu’, Chahoud has selected 24 of his essential Ethio-Soul 7”s, that never leave his DJ box, and together they capture this opportune moment in Ethiopian music history that saw bands experiment with an armful of influences: gliding through R&B, rock & roll, jazz, funk, soul and boogaloo. What came out was a distinctly Ethiopian interpretation: pentatonic scales, horn-driven melodies and soul-shattering vocals sung in Amharic.The songs are difficult to box in to one genre but they share a simplicity and rawness, added to by their lo-fi quality – with many recordings made in rudimentary studios with only a couple of mics for the entire band. From the R&B stomper ‘Honey Baby’ by Alemayehu Eshete to Astatke’s swaggering ethnic-jazz instrumental ‘Emnete’ and the bluesy melancholic vocals of Hirut Bekele on ‘Ewnetegna Feker’, ‘Taitu’ is a window in on the exciting records being made in Ethiopia in the 1970s.– An extensive guide to an experimental period in Ethiopia’s music history during the 1960s and 1970s– A diverse compilation that takes in everything from Ethio jazz and soul to dancefloor clappers and rhythm and blues– The debut compilation from Lebanese DJ and crate digger Ernesto Chahoud who’s hunted down these treasures for years– Rare Ethiopian tracks, many of which are compiled and released on vinyl for the first time– Full press, radio and digital media campaign in all key territories

After decades in the making Finders Keepers Records present the first-ever pressing of Serge Gainsbourg’s most elusive and coveted soundtrack studio recordings - co-written, arranged and orchestrated by the genius Jean-Claude Vannier (Histoire De Melody Nelson) during what many consider to be the dynamic duo’s most definitive creative period.Believed to have been lost in a studio fire by Gainsbourg enthusiasts for over forty years (a myth that also shrouds Morricone’s lost Danger Diabolik soundtrack) the misplaced master-tapes for the drug-fuelled/Mai 68 cash-in/road-movie Les Chemins De Katmandou have been widely considered the final audio jigsaw piece in an immaculate discography/filmography thus earning this soundtrack bone-fide Holy Grail status amongst the most avid disc detectives.Featuring the original crack team of Paris based players now recognised as French library music royalty, this LP epitomises the inimitable musical direction and expert psychedelic pop musicianship that graced classic Gainsbourg/Vannier soundtracks like La Horse, Cannabis and Sex Shop. Laying the stylistic, future-proof foundations for subsequent decades of forward-thinking Gallic funk mastery.Comprising Vannier’s signature recipe of thick plucked bass lines, close-micced drums, biting Clavinet and Eastern influenced strings and percussion (and a sprinkling of subtle traditional French instrumentation) the soundtrack to Les Chemins De Katmandou (aka The Road To Katmandu or The Pleasure Pit) captures Vannier and Gainsbourg in the first year of their creative partnership capturing their unique embryonic energy.