V/A – the Original Sound of Cumbia pt 1, Soundway

Soundway set sail for Colombia once again, delving deeper into the South American country’s rich musical past. 55 tracks spread over two triple vinyl releases. The Original Sound of Cumbia is Soundway’s definitive guide to the origins of Colombian cumbia and porro and the result of five years pain staking re-search by Will ‘Quantic’ Holland. 1500 copies limited worldwide..

Triplepack 1 tells the story of some the earliest Colombian cumbia recorded, a genre that captured a nation, spreading from its birthplace on the Caribbean coast in land to central Colombia and the capital Bogata.

After five years of becoming slowly submerged in Colombian musical culture, learning the accordion, setting up a band and a studio, and scouring the country in search it’s recorded legacy, Will ‘Quantic’ Holland (Quantic Soul Orchestra & Quantic y su Combo Barbaro) has compiled the fruits of his labour into this unique compilation that tells the story of cumbia in the years of the phonograph record’s supremacy. Along with good friend and head of Soundway Records, Miles Cleret, Will Holland has condensed hundreds of 78s, 45s and LPs into just over two and a half hours of the finest Colombian cumbia.

Gold – Gold, Jazzman

Lost treasure from 1974: A 24k Nugget of Previously Unreleased Psychedelic Soul, remastered from the original tapes comes this long-awaited album! Unheard by human ears since 1974, this is the sound of psychedelic soul, dancefloor funk and soulful ballads astonishing for their power and beauty !

Catalyst – Complete Recordings Vol 2, Porter Records

Reissue from this LP by the 1970s Philadelphia band from Odean Pope, Sherman Ferguson, & Eddie Green, who drew from a wide range of musical styles; jazz, funk, R & B, avant garde & fusion. With the given talents of Catalyst they could have and should have been bigger but sadly they found themselves with little promotion or recognition outside the proximity of Philadelphia. Thankfully Catalyst were able to leave behind four extraordinary recordings that will appeal to both jazz heads and those in the hip hop community. Sought after by both jazz heads & those in the hip hop community.

Kankick – From Artz Unknown, HHV

An intriguing and surprisingly deep album from West Coast producer Kankick. Responsible for the beats on the album, the instrumentals between tracks work magically, creating a good mix between beats and lyrics for an album intended to showcase his production skills. Lots of jazzy compositions here, complete with trumpets, classical guitars, flutes, organs, rolling basslines, and some classy MCs. The Visionaries, Krondon, Planet Asia, Declaime, Phil da Agony, Dr. Oop, and Wildchild from Lootpack all drop verses. Overall, this album was well thought out and put together, an enticing combination. Kan Kick is a hip-hop producer from Oxnard, CA. He was once a member of Lootpack, but has gone on to work with Declaime, Tha Alkaholiks, and DJ Babu, among others.

GZA – Liquid Swords, Get on Down

According to legend, when the Wu-Tang Clan formed like Voltron on their debut album in 1993, GZA happened to be the head – an appropriate place for a man also called “The Genius.” Yet at the time few could have predicted that his 1995 masterpiece Liquid Swords would be considered “one of the most substantial lyrical journeys in hip-hop history” (Chicago Tribune). At the peak of his powers as a producer, Wu-Tang mastermind RZA crafted the album’s distinctive soundtrack at his basement studio in Staten Island, a haunting landscape of dusty samples, sharp snares and menacing urban gloom, with frequent interludes of dialogue from the classic Samurai flick Shogun Assassin. Cerebral, strategic and precise with his words, GZA crystallizes a range of influences—from chess to kung-fu films to mob flicks and Eastern philosophy—into sharply delivered rhymes. The album features appearances by the entire Wu-Tang Clan, and includes the auspicious debut of Killah Priest on “B.I.B.L.E.” Acknowledged as one of the “100 Best Rap Albums” (The Source) and “Top 100 Records of the 1990s” (Pitchfork.com), Get On Down presents Liquid Swords as it was intended to be experienced, on doublevinyl with audio remastered from the original source tapes and [the original iconic cover artwork from DC Comics artist Denys Cowan].

El Rego – El Rego, Daptone Records

El Rego is a true legend of African Soul Music. Here for the first time on album are 12 of his greatest recordings from the late ’60s and early ’70s hand-picked by Daptone Records !

Afro-Soul collector/DJ Frank Gossner had spent years combing West Africa tracking down 45’s by Theophile Do Rego (aka El Rego) before finally meeting him face to face in his home in Benin. From that relationship came this album, featuring El Rego’s own story of his life and music along with pictures from his personal collection and artwork from his original 45’s. The music has been remastered with great care, and the vinyl contains an exclusive Bonus 45’ (while supplies last) of Se Na Min, one of his most sought after afro-funk tracks, backed with E Ma Non Tin Me, a beautiful and somewhat more traditional song about two blind men who agree to go together and leap to their deaths into a river.

The music of El Rego varies astoundingly in style and rhythm: traditional rhythms of Benin played with modern instruments, John Lee Hooker-esque blues, Fela Kuti inspired afro-beat, afro-cuban claves, and straight-up James Brown style funk. However, there is a common musical thread that runs throughout. The music has a raw soulfulness and a unique flavor that can be attributed beyond the sound of Benin, to the sound of El Rego himself. There is a timelessness to the recordings that ties all of the traditions that inspire them directly to the grooves that were dominating the radios and jukeboxes of the early ’70s. The record is teeming with breaking drums and twanging guitars, twisting basslines and undulating percussion. But most importantly. the rhythms are all crafted by a man that not only performed, but also owned nightclubs and had an intimate understanding of the importance of dancing.

Theo parrish – Parallel Dimensions, Ubiquity

In 2000, Theo Parrish released his second full album, Parallel Dimensions, on his own Sound Signature label. 4 Years later S.A.’s Ubiquity issued the tracks from the CD version, and repackaged the album on a quality 2LP pressing (plus again on CD). It was around this time (2004) that Theo was being picked up a much wider audience and reaching notable acclaim outside the House circles in which he’d already firmly established himself. This could be seen as the album that brought Theo Parrish into many people’s consciousness. This pivotal album has, up to now, been out of print and highly sort after – We are very pleased to announce this full re-issue from Ubiquity Records. TIP!

The 2004 Text Read: Theo Parrish’s early album Parrallel Dimensions finds a proper reissue on Ubiquity. Don’t be fooled because the vinyl version holds different tracks than the original release from a few years ago. This album holds the Ultra rare, but ultra dope ‘Summertime Is Here’ others trks incl. Serengeti Echoes, Reaction To Plastic, So Now What, Nefarious Stranger, Brain, Space Ghosts, Violet Green, Anansies Dances.

Nina Simone – Here comes the sun, 4 Men with Beards

1971’s Here Comes The Sun follows the success of her previous studio album, To Love Somebody, with another batch of pop songs, from the Beatles and Dylan to Jerry Jeff Walker and Paul Anka.

Fantastic new and adventurous arrangements, along with Nina Simone’s unique vocal interpretations, keep this from just being a covers record.”

Philip Cohran & the Artistic Heritage Ensemble – Armageddon, Tizona Record

Yet another masterpiece from the archives of Phil Cohran. Armageddon was conceived in 1958 and written down in 1963. After performing with Sun Ra and benefiting from the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Phil Cohran’s compositions changed decidedly, and he began to focus on cosmology and culture. This particular performance was recorded live at the Afro Arts Theater at 3900 S. Drexel in Chicago on February 11th, 1968. It has never been released and practically unheard in over 40 years

Mayer Hawthorne & the County – Live, Stones Throw

In celebration of Stones Throw Records 15-year anniversary, the label is hosting a series of shows with Stones Throw artists recording live, directly to vinyl, in front of an intimate audience at Capsule Labs studio/pressing plant. Each series is invite only to 100-150 lucky fans. The sets are recorded straight to vinyl LP in real time. No computers, tape, or digital gear are used in the recording. Side D is blank. Limited to only 500 units on vinyl!

The County is Topher Mohr – Guitar; Joe Abrams – Bass; Quincy McCrary – Keys; Quentin Joseph – Drums; Todd Simon – Trumpet; David Moyer – Saxophone.