Gboyega Adelaja
Colourful Environment

The Selenites Band returns with a Live album ahead of their 3 Studio album, due for release in late 2024. 8 tracks of psychedelic jazz influenced by Ethio-groove, Swinging Addis and pentatonic grooves, recorded in analog on tape recorders during two concerts between 2021 and 2023. These recordings are an opportunity to discover 5 previously unreleased tracks, as well as live versions from the previous album "Behind The Mask". The Selenites Band are first and foremost a live band, and we've seen them at the New Morning, in Paris, in Belgium, as well as opening for the prestigious group GONG, on their only date in France, and at many other festivals. The Selenites Band's lively style takes us into a world of traditional music, Shamarnic grooves, spicy jazz and bewitching rhythms. A melodic universe, a music of heady modal trance, a cinematic space of energetic jazz punk! . All compositions are by Antoine "Obi Riddim" Laloux, with the exception of two tracks by Seyoum Gèbrèyès and Tlahoun Gèssèssè.All sleeves are hand-silk-screened and numbered / limited edition

Soul Sugar drop their own reggae version of Marvin Gaye’s "I Want You".French outfit Soul Sugar – the brainchild of Guillaume “Gee” Metenier – deliver yet another soulful reggae 12”, this time a cover version of Marvin Gaye’s 1976 classic "I Want You". Jamaicain native Leonardo Carmichael sings lead vocals and legendary drums and bass duo Sly & Robbie add their flavor to the mix, with two versions on side B.Marvin Gaye’s single "I Want You" was a big step forward for his sound & vision and marked a change in direction – from hip Motown Soul to a more sultry, Disco sound. Marvin's vocals are notably intimate and the lyrics are more explicit, more personal. An original soul classic, "I Want You" is memorable for its unique combination of lush harmonies, a mesmerizing groove and the apparent sexiness of the theme itself. Soul Sugar's Discomix version combines a smooth mixture of reggae, soul and funk over beefy bass lines, designed for heavyweight sound systems. Sly & Robbie, rhythm duo known for their studio work on countless reggae classics since the 1960s deliver their version, taking us back to the golden age of Reggae, the days when it was typical for Jamaican musicians to record their own versions of American soul tunes ... Ace producer Jahno dubs the mix live and direct to tape, from his very own ' N.O.F Studio'.

A fantastic 5th album of the sensational french Jazz band from pianist Florian Pelissier, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio (New Jersey, USA), mixed by Jordan Kouby at Question de Son (Paris) and mastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery (London, UK). Hard Bop 2021 at his best, available as Deluxe Tip-On Vinyl LP! Florian Pellissiers tells the story:"How did we get here? In this tropical daze, contemplating the surrounding landscape, the luxuriance of nature, with the ocean and her ballet of gentle waves, caressing the sand - timidly gaining a few inches with each passing adagio. The temperature, as if perfectly adjusted to the most precise degree by an artful yet mercurial hand knowing full well that it could, with idle ease, sway the fragile quality of this luscious and suave atmosphere...However, just a few months before, the course had been set for New Jersey. More specifically; to Rudy Van Gelder's studio: one of jazz’s greatest unstitutions. This pilgrimage was to both celebrate and crown the twentieth anniversary of the Quintet. An unchanging line-up that yielded four albums, with this fifth recording intended to be our artistic culmination before moving onto something else. New adventures, on different roads perhaps. Van Gelder's studio, long revered to be a chapel for the artists who passed through it with it’s exceptional acoustics, was the place to be. Its woodwork seemingly encrusted with thousands of hours of Blue Note recordings, still pulsating with years of incantations from past sessions…now we too were going to make our own mark. By lighting the voodoo fire there, we would submerge the place in a collective trance. Dark and dense. Did we seek to summon voodoo? Of course not. It is the Loa of music who decides whether or not they will be present. Yet this record, or more, the one that I originally dreamt of, was so raw. The one I initially visualized to be messy, rich and spiritual actually clashed with the creative reality of the moment. The energy, the dynamics of the group were, at that time, not parallel with those tempestuous qualities so when we pushed, something resisted.We strived to sink into darkness - yet reality lead us back again and again towards an ever more sensitive space of grace and elegance. We arrived wanting to take out the machete, but finesse, in the end, called out to us. Obviously, the sessions saw new trails emerge, basked in a serendipitous and welcoming light. Rather than battling, we instead turned our compass towards the calmer latitudes of Capricorn and Cancer. It was then the Quintet embarked for tropical promenades in the newfound tranquillity of this legendary studio.So how did we get there? By not upsetting the creative forces that willed the powers of voodoo against taking our souls, at least this time anyway. From afar, my faithful creative daemons came galloping out, like gazelles, from the groove and gracefully forged a rhythm machine, encased with futuristic vibes that I myself then layered with synthesizers. At once intoxicated by all these sultry elements and ful filled by our orchestral solstice – I thought of Rio.And this one’s to my Rio."

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.

Beatsqueeze presents two original electro funk tracks produced by the legendary producer Crazy B from Birdy Nam Nam. Limited vinyl to 500 copies with sticker included.

MÚSICA PARA BOLICHE takes us to Argentina. Along the journey, we will discover that Maradona is not the only thing we have in common with our cousins across the ocean.Let’s dive into the 1980s Buenos Aires scene, a time straddling dictatorship and disco music, in search of dusty gems forgot-ten even in their homeland.The EP contains four tracks spanning Italo, electro, and proto-house, carefully selected by Jack Bulgaro, restored, and edited by DJs from Italy and Argentina.