International Juno Download

FEATURED RELEASES

Introducing Electric Jalaba, the coming together of Moroccan Gnawa master Simo Lagnawi, Italian-English drummer Dave De Rose, and four musical brothers; Henry, Oliver, Nathaniel and Barnaby Keen. As the band explains, they bring with them a traditional folk sound that weaves itself through elements of percussion and earthly funk grooves with the added boost of analogue effects and warped guitars. With these nine-tracks crafted in their south London studio, El Hal/The Feeling brings with it remnants of West African dialects - Bambara from Mali, Fulani and Hausa from the Sahel region - to Senegalese mbalax inspirations and dubby odes to Allah. Our picks, "Shabakru", "Diamla" and the dancefloor heavy "Cubaili Ba".

Nubiyan Twist

Freedom Fables Strut

Twelve-piece jazz, funk and soul ensemble outta Leeds in the UK swiftly follow up their Jungle Run LP - released on Strut in 2019 - with their brand new album Freedom Fables. Taking in guest contributions from the likes of Cherise, Ego Ella May, Soweto Kinch, Pat Thomas and more, each vocalist on this record is said to explore their own memoir in a move that Nubiyan Twist says reflects on the power of narrative. With some beautiful artwork evoking images of exploration, allow Freedom Fables to take you on a trip through an exotic highlife of broken beat, blunted hip hop, Latin jazz, afro soul and UK love.

X-ray Ted / Various

Funk N' Beats, Vol 8 (Curated By X-Ray Ted) Bomb Strikes

Following fine outings from Fort Knox Five, the Allergies, Smoove and Marc Hype, amongst others, Bomb Strikes' reliable Funk N' Beats compilation series returns with rising star X-Ray Ted at the controls. In keeping with the series' heavyweight, funk-fuelled style, the Bristol-based DJ and beat-maker has gathered together a killer collection of soul, hip-hop and funk club cuts, with a smattering of more laidback numbers to keep things fresh. Highlights are plentiful throughout, with our picks including the boom-bap brilliance is Aldo Vanucci's tidy remix of 'All Down' by Mr Doris and D-Funk, the dancefloor jazz heaviness of Nostalgia 77's 'Changes', the cut-and-paste craziness of Double Dee & Steinski's 'Jazz' and the disco-funk masterclass that is X-Ray Ted's own 'Party Time'.

Jungle Fire

Firewalker EP Razor-N-Tape

irst released on vinyl three years ago and now finally available on digital download, this must-check EP showcases a quartet of killer re-rubs of back catalogue tracks by L.A-based Afro-Latin funk fusionists Jungle Fair. The headline attraction is undoubtedly a pair of reworks by Ashley Beedle and Rob Mello's reborn Black Science Orchestra project - their first revisions for over 15 years. They first serve up a wonderfully percussive, analogue bass-propelled deep Afro-house remix of 2014 cut 'Culebro', before reaching for the delays and delivering an arguably even better dancefloor 'Dub'. You'll also find JKriv re-imagining 2013 single 'Firewalker' as a bumpin' chunk of horn-heavy dub disco, and a cracking Latin disco take on 'Village Hustle' courtesy of Bosq.

exclusive

Le Funk De Demain Kraak

Olivier Cohen & Roland Vongo are OR - landing on Kraak with Le Funk. A French duo who met in London whilst roving the city's vibrant disco scene. Now the two combine in a wealth of knowledge and dancefloor experience which they show off in Le Funk De Demain. The original burns like disco should only to be kept at a simmer through sheer coolness! Furthermore, there's the chill mix that throws down some ice cold bassline funk, ad-lib percussion and clap tracks for that extra Kraak and smack effect.

Various

Outlines ANMA

Cognitiva and ANMA Records present Outlines - a snapshot of a new generation of exciting producers from across Europe, collaborating and mixing it up with jazz, broken beat, house and funk forms in exciting and adventurous ways. There's some S?hk? Recordings royalty to be found in Future Jazz Ensemble & XL Regular's "Astral Sorcery" next to some synthesised street funk, soul and disco sessions of Quiroga & 291out's "Fantasia Melange". With the most overt electronic number coming through Contours & Werkha's "Sweat", spoken word and smoke filled soul finds a place in Domenico Sanna & Gio Iacovelli's "Evidente". With something a little more looped up and overdubbed in Slowaxx's "Le Tapis Bleu", some more rhythms and rhodes can be be found in Roy Vision's "4411" alongside a sleeping hit in Footshooter's "Hibiscus". The real deal.