After releasing the singles, ‘Reflection/Bird Mess’ and ‘The Itch/13:6:35’ on their own Hippoflex label, Belleruche have now found a perfect home for their debut album with Tru Thoughts. Their style combines hip hop beats and funk and jazz breaks with the smoky blues vocals of Kathrin deBoer. Think of a UK version of Erykah Badu and you won’t be too far off the mark. This is a consistent set throughout but for me it lacks a particular standout moment. Well worth investigating though.

Andy Allen

Elektrons are Justin Crawford and Luke Cowdrey, AKA The Unabombers of Manchester’s famed Electric Chair club night and acclaimed Electric Souls re-edit series. As with Electric Chair, ‘Red Light Don’t Stop’ incorporates a variety of dance-floor styles taking influence from the rich heritage of UK underground club culture but giving it a unique modern twist. The talented but under recorded vocalist Pete Simpson graces five tracks including the hip hop/funk of ‘Get Up’ which also features Soup of Jurassic 5, ‘The Source’, an infectious nu disco cut and the brilliant house track ‘Joy’ with its old school piano chords. Other guests include Eska who fronts ‘Dirty Basement’ and the superb electro soul of ‘Be With You’, Mpho Skeef on the catchy R&B flavoured ‘Classic Cliche’ and Holy Backler who has worked with Secret Stealth. With the right airplay this album could well see some commercial success.

Andy Allen

Released on Victor Records in Japan earlier this year, Soil & Pimp Sessions’ ‘Pimpoint’ now gets a UK issue via Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label. There are no real surprises here just the kind of quality furious horn driven jazz we’ve come to expect from this sextet. Their version of Freddie Hubbard’s ‘Red Clay’ is certainly one of the highlights but check ‘Makuroke’ with its twisted cosmic keys making it sound like a 70s cop show theme and the feel-good funk of ‘Funky Goldman’. Also included as a bonus track is the brilliant ‘Sahara’ from their ‘Pimp Of The Year’ set. Look out for the track on 12” with a remix from Zed Bias.

Andy Allen

Rong Music have built a solid reputation for releasing quality deep house in its various guises. Be it slow motion disco, electro, ambient or Balearic it’s always interesting. This two disc compilation showcases a selection of their output so far. Disc one is mixed by DJ Spun and kicks off with the mid-tempo jazzy groove ‘Slow And Low’ by Bits Breaks And Beats moving perfectly into ‘Set It Up’ from Projections before ending on the gorgeous ‘Damn Flu’ by Mudd. The second disc is unmixed and features delights such as DJ Harry’s funky ‘Aquarium Man’, the boogie bomb ‘Outhere’ (Instrumental) by Projections and the almost modal ‘Kerry’s Caravan’ again by Mudd featuring the legendary jazz drummer Chico Hamilton. Rong Music it may be but it feels so right!

Andy Allen

Compiled by Rainer Truby, Theo Thoennessen and Roland Appel, the hosts of Munich’s long standing club night Maiden Voyage, this set focuses on some of the classic soul and boogie cuts which have been favourites at the night. It kicks off with ‘Lihue’ a tropical 2 stepper from Hawaiian songstress Nohelani Cypriano, before moving through gems such as Raw Soul Express’ ‘The Way We Live’, Diana Ross’ ‘Tenderness, Cameo’s ‘Love You Anyway’, ‘She’s Gone’ from Norman Connors, ‘Very Special’ by Debra Laws and her brother, Hubert Laws’ ‘Land Of Passion’. As if that wasn’t enough there’s also James Mason’s ‘I Want Your Love’, Alicia Myers’ ‘I Want To Thank You’, the original and best version of ‘Georgy Porgy’ from Toto, and the irresistible ‘Love Is On The One’ by Xavier’. Many of these tracks are what got me into the scene initially and it’s an absolute pleasure to hear them put together on this excellent compilation.

Andy Allen

The second installment of ‘Underground Hits & Exclusive Bits’ includes recent highlights from the Wah Wah 45s label like the bright and breezy soul/jazz swinger ‘Love Untold’ by Sesong, Speeka’s ‘Bend’ featuring Ben Parker, PTH Projects’ ‘What The Sun Brings’ and ‘It’s Only Perfect by Man/Boy (Talc) featuring Girl. Of the exclusive bits there’s another offering from Talc who serve up the Steely Dan inspired ‘Wonder Bar’. ‘Melancholic (Your Love Blinds Me)’ by Luna & Bazis, is a solid bass heavy jazzy groove, as is Jamie Finlay’s ‘Any Given Sunday’ featuring a powerful spoken word message from Dwayne Morgan. The highlights for me though are the tech-soul of Landslide’s ‘Solitary’ featuring the delightful vocals of Ernesto, ‘Blow The Man Down’, an acoustic folk outing from London based singer/songwriter Rosie Brown and Scrimshire’s ‘Warm Sound’ featuring Inga Lill Aker, a stunning orchestrated soul/jazz piece reminiscent of 4hero.

Andy Allen

The latest release from Japanese jazzers Sleep Walker is essentially a compilation featuring tracks which haven’t made it on their albums plus their remixes of other artists’ material. It kicks off with two tracks from the new 12" released on Especial, ‘Quiet Dawn’ and the amazing ‘Wind’ featuring Yukimi Nagano. The Bembe Segue fronted ‘River Of Love’ is also included along with their rework of Kyoto Jazz Massive’s ‘Eclipse’ and a new take on ‘Waltz For Moe’, the original of which appeared on ‘The Room – 10th Anniversary’, a four track EP released in 2003. Their re-work of Jazzinho’s ‘Sim Ou Nao’ is a worthy inclusion but check their blissful remix of Victor Davies ‘Don’t Believe A Word’ from his recent ‘Hear The Sound – Remixed’ set.

Andy Allen

It’s been a long time coming but Dalindeo’s debut album is now finally with us. The Brazilian influenced Finnish jazz sextet impressed with their first 12" ‘Poseidon/Solifer-Lento’ and their follow up ‘Go Ahead, Float/Voodoo’. Sadly though ‘Go Ahead, Float’ hasn’t made it on to the album at all and ‘Poseidon’ and ‘Voodoo’ only appear on the CD version. There is however plenty here to keep your attention such as the beautifully orchestrated ‘Samba Da-Li’ and ‘Non-Stop Flight’, a gorgeous bossa cut featuring Japanese vocalist Michiko. Michiko also graces ‘Tsunami’ and the immaculate waltz ‘Empty Fruits’, which for me is the album’s finest moment.

Andy Allen

Originally issued in 1972 on Cotillion Records, ‘Prelude To’ was Barbara Massey and Ernie Calabria’s one and only album together. Due to the growing interest in the folk-funk sound this has become much sought after piece in recent years so top marks to Fallout for this timely reissue. Orchestrated by Eumir Deodato and featuring players such as Grady Tate, Ralph MacDonald, Joe Beck, Keith Jarrett and Richard Tee, it effortlessly fuses elements of psychedelic pop, folk, funk and jazz to create an outstanding collection. It includes the in demand ‘Play With Fire’ and ‘Somebody To Love’ but equally as good are ‘Searching The Circle’, and ‘My Love & I.

Andy Allen

Teressa Edwards was born and raised in Trinidad but now resides in England. Her My Space page states that this is both her debut and second album so I’m a little confused! Whatever the case may be ‘Days Ahead’ is a solid R&B/soul set which showcases Tersessa’s sweet honey voice perfectly. She particularly shines on the nu-soul orientated tracks ‘No More’ and the title track, a simple but effective mellow groove with warm key chords.

Andy Allen