Alemayehu Eshete The Polyversal Souls
Feqer Feqer Nèw / Portrait Of Alemayehu (Daytime)

Black Vinyl Edition.Somewhere Between: Mutant Pop, Electronic Minimalism & Shadow Sounds of Japan 1980–1988 hovers between two distinct poles within Light In The Attic’s acclaimed Japan Archival Series - Kankyō Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980–1990 and Pacific Breeze: Japanese City Pop, AOR & Boogie 1976–1986. All three albums showcase recordings produced during Japan’s soaring bubble economy of the 1980s, an era in which aesthetic visions and consumerism merged. Music echoed the nation’s prosperity and with financial abundance came the luxury to dream.Expertly curated by Yosuke Kitazawa and Mark “Frosty” McNeill (dublab), Somewhere Between is a collection of music, much of it released for the first time outside Japan, that is bound more by energetic vibration than shared history, genre or scene. They are the sounds of transition and searching—a celebration of the freedom found in floating.Note: The track “Days Man” by Yoshio Ojima is only available on the LP and Cassette versions.

Kalita unveil the first ever compilation focussing on ‘Burger Highlife’, a crossover of West African melodies with synthesisers, disco and boogie that took over Ghanaian airwaves during the 1980’s and beyond. Highlighting key recordings from genre-defining artists including Thomas Frempong and George Darko, as well as more obscure sought-after tracks by elusive bands such as Aban and Uncle Joe’s Afri-Beat. Spread over a double-LP housed in a gatefold sleeve. Accompanied by a 16-page booklet featuring extensive interview-based liner notes on each artist and never-before-seen archival photos.The 1970s had witnessed an increased Western airtime and physical presence in Ghana introducing funk, soul and disco sounds to the region. By the turn of the decade the country was also enduring economic turmoil, with rising poverty, military dictatorships and long periods of enforced curfews (amongst other factors) making it impossible for artists to survive.As a result, many Ghanaian artists with a broader outlook began to pursue their careers in the West, moving to both Europe and America in search of stardom. It was here that Ghanaian musicians developed a digitised version of highlife music which fully embraced Western contemporary music styles and newly introduced technology such as the DX7 synthesiser and various drum machines.

Far Out reissue of Jose Mauro's masterpiece 'Obnoxious'. Deep album, holding a couple of classics 'Obnoxius' & 'Apocalipse'. Essential Brazilian music.

Hot Mule comp dedicated to Guinea-Bissau bandleader José Carlos Schwarz, ft. killer track "Na Kolonia" & some great traditional West African songs.Schwarz wrote in Portuguese and French, but sang in Creole. In 1970, he formed the Cobiana Djazz band with a group of friends. After the independence of Guinea-Bissau, Schwarz became the director of the Department of Arts and Culture, and also the responsible for youth matters. In 1977, he started working at the Embassy of Guinea-Bissau in Cuba. On May 27 of the same year, Schwarz died in a plane crash near Havana.Hailed by african giants like Orchestra Baobab, Letta Mbulu or Miriam Makeba (with whom he recorded his first and only solo album), “Zé Carlos” and his poetry won a lasting position in the annals of Guinea-Bissau. However, this collection of songs remains relatively unknown outside the country and its diasporas.Hot Mule present the first official reissue on vinyl, remastered and pressed on heavyweight wax.

Beautiful deep & immersive folk, jazz, ambient LP on International Anthem. Highly recommended.

Amazing Honest Jon's comp of latin, jazz, calypso, highlife from young black London. One of the best from the series. Big tip!