SEALED

Magic Source is a new project led by producer Björn Wagner (Mighty Mocambos, Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band…), who is renowned for creating an authentic raw funk sound. Following a few single releases on Favorite Recordings over the past few years, the French label deeply wanted to collaborate further with the German combo, for a special and exclusive project bringing their music on new paths. This new project is a step towards a new style: Analog-Electronica, or so called Cosmic-Disco sound. Magic Source creates its very own all-live version of Cosmic. Though you will rarely hear anything similar from any other band, there's hardly an eclectic style that sounds more natural than the wonderful that is Earthrising.

avorite Recordings proudly presents this new official album reissue of Music Life by Crystal: A killer LP produced in 1983 by Georges Debs (GD Productions), and mixing elements of zouk and tropical influences from the French West-Indies, with heavy disco and funk flavors. Crystal was an 8 piece combo from the French West-Indies islands led by Franck Donatien. With Crystal, he released 2 albums between 1984 and 1985, both today very hard to find and famous for including some amazing tracks. If Funky Biguine, Crystal’s second album, is mostly a 1 track LP with few other moments, Music Life is truly a brilliant album from first note to the last, including climax titles such as “Music Life”, or “Santo Domingo”. Today, Favorite Recordings is deeply honored to officially make this forgotten treasure available again for all.

Essential vinyl repress of the STRUT classic Nigeria 70: Sweet Times.“A landmark collection that remains a compelling journey into a time and place: Nigeria in the 1970s, when American soul and funk (along with Anglo-American blues-rock and psychedelia) infected the roots of traditional and popular West African musical styles like highlife, juju, fuji, and apala.” Dusted magazine Strut announce a brand new repress of the third instalment in the pioneering ‘Nigeria 70’ compilation series, compiled by series curator Duncan Brooker. Excavating another choice batch of rare grooves from Nigeria’s label archives, the new edition places the spotlight on some of the deeper fusions happening across the country during the 1970s as traditional guitar highlife blended with jazz and funk, hypnotic juju grooves became more progressive and young Nigerian bands came through with their own heavy West African take on U.S. soul, funk, disco and rock. As within much of the ‘Nigeria 70’ album series, all of the featured selections are previously unissued outside of Nigeria. Tracks range from the dynamite big band workout of Alex Ringo’s Moneyman & The Super 5 International to the Congolese guitar-drenched ‘Henrietta’ by the late Ali Chukwumah, former member of Stephen Osita Osadebe’s Sound Makers. Darker psych grooves from Don Isaac Ezekiel sit alongside a languorous highlife jam by the legendary Victor Olaiya and juju legend Ebenezer Obey cooks up a lilting, deeply beautiful mid-tempo groove from 1970 in a musical plea for peace. ‘Nigeria 70: Sweet Times’ is another essential celebration of the glut of incredible music that surfaced in post-independence Nigeria. This is the third edition in the acclaimed ‘Nigeria 70’ series. The first volume, released in 2001, was the first compilation of its kind to explore in depth the myriad of funk and soul fusions emerging from Nigeria during the 1970s. Strut followed this with a second edition, ‘Nigeria 70: Lagos Jump’, in 2008. ‘Nigeria 70” Sweet Times’ is compiled by Duncan Brooker and features extensive sleeve notes by writer and broadcaster Max Reinhardt.Limited new re-press of classic highlife, juju and afrobeat collection, 500 copies onlyDefinitive format: 2LP set including CD version as bonusOne of the most influential of all recent African music series which helped spawn a new market for African rare groovesAlbum fully remastered for this reissue

Charles Bradley is set to release his third album, Changes, on April 1st on Daptone Records. Rolling Stone named Changes one of the "Most Anticipated Albums of 2016," stating "The ageless, limitless 'Screaming Eagle of Soul' swoops back with Changes, an album named after Charles Bradley's affected rework of Black Sabbath's 1972 piano ballad."The remarkable against-all-odds rise of Charles Bradley since the release of his 2011 debut album No Time For Dreaming has been well documented. He transcended a bleak life on the streets and struggled through a series of ill-fitting jobs before finally being discovered by Daptone Records. The year following the release of No Time For Dreaming was one triumph after another including a breakthrough performance at SXSW, several television performances and having the album named to many year end "best of" lists. The soul singer's ascent continued with the 2013 release of his triumphant second album Victim of Love, which saw Bradley emerging from his past heartaches stronger and more confident, overflowing with love to share. With Changes, the powerhouse performer brings music fans of all ages another unforgettable set of songs and will continue to bring his live show to stages around the world.

Another classic compilation from the BBE back- catalogue gets re-stocked for the first time, in celebration of their 20th anniversary.The 'Strange Games' series which began in the summer of 1997, represents the blueprint for modern R&B and rap music. It joins the dots between 70s soul, 80s rare groove and 90s hip hop. This compilation contains a wide variety styles, from classic dance-floor fillers to lesser known gems. A more accessible 'digger's delight' with an emphasis on quality tracks, not just songs only worth having for a 2 second sample. Featuring a much more worldly selection than its predecessors, tracks by the multi platinum selling War and Sylvia (Founder of Sugarhill Records) sit side by side with world music icons like C.K. Mann and Francisco Aguabella. This volume is the 5th in a series of legendary 'Strange Games…' records, this time compiled by the one and only DJ Spinna.