Hymne à la Vie, Pat Kalla & Le Super Mojo
“Pat Kalla & Le Super Mojo propel us into a whirlwind métisse of African groove and Caribbean funk, Afro-disco, Afrobeat, Makossa … (Their music) dances with the musicality of political poetry, all expressed through a storyteller’s Creole.” (FIP) Pat Kalla’s second full-length LP released on Heavenly Sweetness is as the title says, a hymn to life. Showcasing his band, the ‘Lyon-based groovers’, le Super Mojo and a select group of guest from West Africa, Hymne à la Vie has a real lightness to it – both in terms of instrumentation, the light picking guitar and punctured drums – that resembles movement of a dance; moreover, this music is made for the stage, and a dancing crowd before it.
Siempre Afro-Latino, Los Kenya
Música Infinita (Olindo) presents the raw and uncompromising Afro Latin sound of Ray Perez and Los Kenya, one of the most interesting groups to spring out of the Venezuelan salsa scene in the late sixties. Boasting a repertoire of groovy original compositions, a killer lineup of musicians and an uncompromising and raw approach to their music, Ray Perez and his band Los Kenya stood out during this golden era of Afro-Latin music in Venezuela.
Boston Boy Vol.2 – Above Board, DKMA
A posthumous series of compilations that focus on Dana Kelley’s visionary works produced under his alias DKMA during his most creative phase, 1997-2002. The compilations themselves are collated from an incredible and far reaching archive of over 20 of Dana’s original DATs which were respectfully sourced, restored and compiled courtesy of the Kelley family and Above Board Projects. In the archive, some of Dana’s most sought after and cherished works were uncovered, restored and meticulously assembled alongside previously unheard archival material. These compilations celebrate the life, vision and art of one of house music’s most hallowed producers. Unique and essential, these collections pull together DKMA’s most coveted works.
With Love: Volume 1 – Compiled by Miche, Various Artists
Mr Bongo kicks off a new compilation series with an absolute gem that features a selection of hard-to-find records and some that have been hiding in plain sight all along. They all share common qualities, being that they are beautiful, soul-quenched songs that sing of love, peace and unity. ‘With Love: Volume 1’ has been compiled by Miche and presents a curated selection of rare Brazilian, gospel, modern soul and jazz-fusion fire. We have Brazilian rarities by Alcione and Quintâessencia, UFO gospel by Keith Chism & Light, the jazz-funk/AOR sounds of City Lites taken from a Radio Station album, and the anthemic feel-good emotional soul of Belita Woods to name but a few.
Joe Armon-Jones & Mala, A Way Back
London-based multi-hyphenate Joe Armon-Jones has been accumulating a number of soulful releases on his very own Aquarii label since starting it in 2021. With over a year passed since its inception, he is picking up the pace, unveiling a flurry of music projects he’s been diligently working on since the beginning of 2020. Teaming up with legendary dubstep pioneer Mala, who for the past year has steadily dropped an avalanche of remastered singles from his back catalogue, the two join forces calling back to the golden age of dubstep with incredibly organic sonic palettes.
Sweet Vibration, Charles Amoah
Following on from the runaway success of Soundway‘s release of Kiki Gyan’s “24 Hours In A Disco”, another Ghanaian legend looks to have his time to shine. One of the most well-known disco and burger highlife artists of the time, Charles Amoah originally began his career as a drummer. Playing with Alex Konadu’s band, as well as the Precious Jewels and Nana Tuffour, he then moved to Germany in the early 80s. His first album ‘Sweet Vibration’ spawned several hits which went on to be released as separate singles, namely “Scratch My Back” and “Shake Your Body To The Beat”. Remastered and reissued for the first time on vinyl.
