World-beating Sydney based producers Hermitude have been busy in the studio cooking up a new album. They’ve dropped the single ‘Get In My Life’ for free through the Elefant Traks site, it’s yet another Hermitude monster. This blog can’t wait for the new record – their fourth full-length – to arrive.
Hermitude – ‘Get In My Life’
Sixties and seventies heads will want to know about the Soul Jazz Records series: New Orleans Funk. Versions 1 & 2 feature classic vintage hits from names like Lee Dorsey and Robert Parker to The Meters and Betty Harris. Definitely a compile series for anyone who’s a fan of a healthy horn section.
To the UK and First Word records are getting into the modern afrobeat affray with their release from the Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra. The Leeds based 8 piece “arkestra” have been busy fusing afrobeat, jazz and funk in a regular late night café session. This is the album’s lead single, a cover of Hendrix’s ‘Crosstown Traffic’:
San Francisco’s legendary record store Groove Merchant turns 20 years young this year. To celebrate they’ve released a compliation of some of their favourite funk rare soul and funk gems. There’s fourteen selections on the disc, all hand-picked by Groove Merchant’s Chris Veltri.
DJ Soulist and Gilles P fave Fulgeance team up on another one of their Souleance projects. The Soupape EP takes in Brazilian flavours, breaks and boogie style vibes. It’s out on the First Word label; without a doubt one of the brightest shining music factories in the world.
Soupape EP sampler
DJ Asparagus is back with a 12” on Gamm. ‘Open Ur Eyes’ is a re-work of Bobby Caldwell’s feel-good soul anthem ‘Open Your Eyes’. Asparagus’ version ups the tempo so you can segue it neatly into your house or disco sets. The release also features the butter-smooth grooves of James Ingram’s ‘100 Ways’ for all the vintage soul heads out there.
DJ Asparagus – ‘Open Ur Eyes’
And to close on a Scando disco tip Todd Terje has been back in the studio putting together an edit of Isaac Hayes’ ‘Zeke The Freak’.
Soul Sedation 