MJ HC Soul II Soul
Remember The Time / Back 2 Life

Just one year after the release of Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds’ compilation, Favorite Recordings presents the 2nd edition of its acclaimed series. At the control this time is French DJ and producer Charles Maurice, digging again in his collection and travelling to Brazil for the occasion in order to find some local hidden treasures. The result comes as nine additional obscure hits from the Brazilian Funk-Boogie-Disco scene during the years of 1977 to 1984. At that time musicians and arrangers such as Lincoln Olivetti, Robson Jorge, and Oberdan Magalhães along with Banda Black Rio were responsible for the new music scene. They’d dominated the studios with sophisticated and original arrangements that have forever transformed Brazilian musical. This music, at that point, had gained a new style and great international respect that has remained still. Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds Vol.2 pays tribute to this great era, coming out in a deluxe vinyl edition with old-school tip-on jacket, including notes and original artworks.

Favorite Recordings presents this new official album reissue of State of Emmergency by French band The Fizz: A real underrated, complete and intriguing album, originally released in 1986 as a private-press LP and quite hard to find in good conditions nowadays.The Fizz is mostly the result of Patrick Jouanneau, a French musician, composer and producer who’s still active today. He remembers: “In the early 80's I had a recording studio allowing me to easily fulfil my desire to create songs. It was then that I began to compose and write songs, in French or in English in this case. State Of Emergency (spelling on the LP is a mistake), is born from a fierce will on my part, and the other four have followed, but it was not easy, the musicians, you have to get them out of bed! I have to say that Richard Larozé, the pianist, was a very strong guy with harmonies, and has somewhat changed my first version, much more oriented in Soul and R&B.”And when asked about his main influences, Patrick says: “It’s always difficult for me to speak about influences, out of respect, and humility especially, but they nourished us and nourished this project; Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, Earth, Wind & Fire, and so on, were and still are important to me and this was the case for the entire FIZZ group.”At the end, State of Emmergency by The Fizz is a very interesting and brilliant album with great inspiration in melodies and compositions. And who knows, listening to the title "A So Called Being", it could even have inspired a certain “King of Pop”...

"An utterly bonkers slice of new wave, post-disco and mbira wizardry." - TheVinylFactoryIn the mid-70s, musician and songwriter Phil Arosa fled Southern Rhodesia's apartheid (now Zimbabwe) to settle in the Netherlands and pursue his musical career under more mundane skies. Alongside his partner Marga, he started the band Zimba which played for ten years in clubs around the country. During those years, Baleka was the only studio recorded song and was released in 1983. This record went unnoticed at the time but this minimal and powerful mix of African rhythms with a New-Wave voice and an irresistible mbira gimmick deserved better. We are happy to revive this track and have asked our London friends from The Comet Is Coming and Blackjoy (Siwo) from Paris to revisit this piece. The results are two very different versions of “Baleka” but definitely carved for the dancefloors.

Hailing from the hills of Montmartre (Paris) the man behind Soul Sugar, Guillaume "Gee" Metenier, is regarded as one of Europe's most prolific keyboard players. His passion for the Hammond B3 has led him to study under the guidance of legendary Jazz master Dr. Lonnie Smith. The heavily vintage sound is no coincidence, as other classic keyboards like the Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, or Minimoog round out his studio arsenal. His influences include a vast heritage of Soul and Jazz greats such as Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Booker T, Art Neville, or Reggae legends Jackie Mitoo and Augustus Pablo."Gee" was an integral part of Electronic outfit, Seven Dub, which gained certain notoriety in the emerging French scene in the late 90s, releasing a number of singles and albums as well as remixes for artists such as Femi Kuti, King Tubby vs. Horace Andy, and Sly & Robbie, to name a few. As a musician, Guillaume has collaborated with the likes of The Last Poets, Alain Bashung, Kid Loco, Grant Phabao, Gizelle Smith, The Mighty Mocambos, Blundetto and many more. He also released a handful of notable singles as Soul Sugar, such as "Ritual" (Mocambo Records), "East Of The River Nile" or "Why Can't We Live Together" (Gee Recordings), and an album called Nothing But The Truth (Freestyle Records).The latest outing from Soul Sugar, Chase The Light, is a fusion of roots Reggae, Psychedelic Soul and Funk grooves, showcasing heavy instrumentals and powerful songs. Recorded in France and Kingston (Jamaica) with Yvo Abadi on drums, drummer dubmaster Jahno, and guitarist extraordinaire Thomas Naim, with vocals by Courtney John, who's falsetto stylings and lyrical poetry features on two tracks (one including a special appearance by Dr Lonnie Smith) and Leonardo Carmichael, over a heavy riddim revision of the classic "Why Can't We Live Together". The analog production delivers solidly, taking no prisoners and keeping the groove alive, the whole collection of tracks simply rocks... Chase The Light brings together a bombastic blend of timeless sounds, highest level of cool for impeccable taste. CD comes with bonus dub versions of all the tracks.

For its second release, NUBIPHONE is proud to present you SUNSHINE, a privately pressed Afro-Jazz-Folk UFO album recorded in 1980 by the Cameroonian Singer, Musician, Actress, Seamstress & Poetess LIZA NGWA.Individually-numbered Official Deluxe Edition, limited to 500 copies!Comes with a beautiful exclusive poster, a handwritten insert from Liza Ngwa herself with the lyrics of the album and a download card.