Setenta
Paris To Nueva York

2024 REISSUEBoogielicious Synth Pop made in Napoli! "Acqua Di Sale" is the first mini-album of the mysterious Rosa. Recorded at the West Hill Studio, this is the umpteenth creation of the well known Neapolitan production team which inaugurates the "Pegaso Series" on Periodica Records."A deserted beach and a rendezvous at the bar, with waves crashing gently in the distance and wine glasses catching the last rays of the setting sun. The seductive panorama of Posillipo unfolds before the eyes, evoking the charms of a photo-novella, though something mysterious lurks in the emerging dark, leading to unavoidable questions and temptations of the soul. This is the Napoli of the heart…no longer a physical manifestation, but instead, a stage for clandestine encounters and forbidden desires, where the most vivid emotions take the form of notes on the staff."

After a convincing self-released EP in 2019 and a first introduction on BMM Records with a track feature on the "Groove Dingueries Vol. 1" compilation, Swiss quartet mohs. present their debut album "Mirage", an ode to creativity.Guitarist Erwan Valazza, trumpeter Zacharie Ksyk, bassist Gaspard Colin and drummer Nathan Vandenbulcke distill jazz, hip hop and afrobeat elements in an ocean of blissful synths while keeping a wary eye on the sound texture. From the funky instrumentation surrounding Fang The Great's vocals on "Heartbreaker" to the the nostalgic guitar loops of "Mirage", all the way to the relaxing, almost ambient soundscapes of "Lonely Cowboy", this album will comfort your ears like a warm blanket.

A uncompromisingly afro psych-rock testament. Christening themselves War Head Constriction, the trio started playing shows, flaunting a gutsy, dark proto-metal sound that refracted Black Sabbath and Deep Purple through an afro-rhythmic prism. In no time, the group was snapped up by the progressive record label Afrodisia and they cut a single, ‘Graceful Bird’ b/w ‘Shower of Stone,’ released in early 1973. Alas, the War Head gleeful discordance might have been a tad too progressive for the commercial audience; the record died on the vine, precipitating a crack-up within the group. War Head Constriction managed to play their biggest show, opening up for Fela & the Afrika 70 at the National Stadium, Lagos before calling it quits. Still, there was no time to mourn the old group, as new ones were constantly forming at St. Gregory’s.“At Greg’s I started jamming with Soga Benson, my cousin Skid, and Ben Bruce,” Amenechi says. “We all just used to jam, write, explore and perform where we could.”“Martin and I were kind of rivals since he was in KC and I was in Greg’s,” Benson remembers. “But when Martin came to Greg’s, we became very, very close.”Soga Benson(lead guitar, vocals)Benson kept pursuing the hobby and remained busy as a guitar for hire, joining Ofege for their second and third albums in 1975 and 1977. Yet, his main group Grotto had still not yet been in a recording studio until EMI Records—the premier label for afro-rock—took an active interest in 1977.“Odion Iruoje was the A&R manager at EMI at the time,” Benson says, “and he auditioned us, liked he material and signed us.”“I remember the Grotto audition, they were a bit cocky, St Gregs boys, they had some material that they thought was great but I felt otherwise. Grotto was a rock group but we needed to get them somewhere original. That was the challenge, not to sound like Ofege or some British rock group, but for them to sound like their authentic self. I was into youth bands at the time; I felt they offered something fresh. Most pros were into reggae, which I hated (not as a genre but in the way it was aped) and youth bands allowed me to experiment; I gave them something and they in turn gave me something, which I could take to the next project. They made me in a way. EMI Nigeria did not really get the emergence of the youth market, they thought I was fooling around with kids’ bands”.Mr Odion Iruoje(Resident A&R exec/Producer, EMI Nigeria)

New Parisian label, Disques Messager, presents its new and second release. As its name suggests, the label has a simple leitmotiv: to place itself among the best messengers for rarities and sought-after gems of the international rare groove. A mission which began like fire last year with a 7inch reissue release including two Brazilian Disco bangers by Cristina Camargo. For this second efforts, the label doesn’t deviate from the artistic and quality path taken, however also making quite a U-turn, this time presenting 2 underrated kind of musical UFO, both from the French scene.Not many info can be found about Yoanson & Karamie, two young artists from the French African diaspora, who randomly met with Nessim Saroussi and his label Ness Music in the late 80s. Nessim himself doesn’t remind much about the 2 guys, except that he quickly offered to produce them, which resulted in their only EP release, Kalimba (1988). Part of this EP, “African Leaders” is a stunning track melting Afro-Tropical percussions, Disco bass, Early-Electro beats and Leftfield vocals in a way that could remind of Dinosaur L or Arthur Russel productions.On the contrary, Philippe de Lacroix-Herpin (aka Prof Jah Pinpin) has a long musical career started in the mid-70s and became a renowned saxophonist playing and recording for many famous French acts such as Jean-Jacques Goldman, Alain Chamfort, FFF, or even rap band NTM. In 1994, he moved definitely to the Reunion Island where he quickly launched the Prof Jah Pinpin 4tet, in his own words willing to play “free/funk/jazz/rock/tropical” music… Quite a vast and large musical tag, but which immediately make sense when listening to the surprising “The Final Bird” track. Only released as CD in 1996, this instrumental production has indeed a unique sound and flavor mixing all kinds of elements together (even samples of Weather Report).Well as you can understand, words are not the best way to describe these 2 hidden treasures, so we strongly recommend the spinning to make your own view!

Born to a French mother and a Burkinabe-Senegalese father, Jennifer "Hawa" Zonou bathed from a young age into the world of the Afro-American music. Approaching its 20th anniversary, she shows a real talent as a singer and naturally begins his musical training with the best school, Gospel. She then entered the Soul-Hip-Hop scene from Lyon, multiplying gigs and collaborations.During a show in 2008, Hawa made the acquaintance of Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart (Metropolitan Jazz Affair, Uptown Funk Empire, Mr Day, Mr President) and in the same time of Pascal Rioux and Favorite Recordings label. Seduced by what he hears, Patchworks offered her his services and in 2009, Hawa revealed to the public with a remarkable cover of "D.A.N.C.E." by Justice, and fine appearances alongside Mr Day or Mr President.Naturally, the duo nourishes the common desire to embark further and in June 2011, Hawa presented her first solo album entitled My Little Green Box. Collecting first the support and praise from many French media (France Inter, FIP, Nova, Telerama, etc ...), the groove of the album will also trigger a long series of festivals & concerts throughout France. Hawa reveals herself with a genuine stage presence, spontaneity and ability to move, that will fulfill every audiences encountered, whether in Blues, Jazz, or Contemporary Music’ a stages, and whatever generations it was. This is also an opportunity for her and Patchworks, to surround them with a cohesive group, composed with the finest musicians of the Jazz and Soul scene from Lyon.With this positive environment around her, Hawa also starts writing her new album with exalted inspiration. Once again produced by Patchworks, Another Tree marks an important evolution for Hawa, both in sound and production, writing, or influences. Deliberately more live, the entire production is made both with analog equipment and tape recorder, and with the participation of the live band members.A perfect background to enhance Hawa’s songs, which are significantly looking towards Memphis, crossing the genres between Soul, Folk, or even Rockabilly. The sound of the album also permeates the footprint of artists like the Staple Singers, Isley Brothers, or Shirley Ann Lee, labels like Hi Records, Sun, or Stax, and finally great producers like Willy Mitchell, Jack Nitzsche, or Phil Spector. Hawa happens to be more direct and confident, but also more sensitive and more deep. And without a doubt, it makes her songs just more intense, original and elegant.