This past month was quite heavy on the Afro side of music, we've published and prepared many mixes, with more than 3 hours to be aired soon. We've also reviewed 12 records (check our monthly playlist), two of those got played in this short mix (half an hour) that Loik and Djouls recorded this weekend one day before the 2nd round of the election. As usual this is a live thing, a spontaneous recording plunging into a month's worth of vinyl/CD records and downloads from the Parisian duo, just a few tracks from their bags… but a few tracks with a lot of Funk groove, of Blues sweat, of Swinging...

Each month we're selecting 12 records (vinyls, CDs) out of the ones labels, artists and distributors have nicely sent to us. Contact us is you want to be listed in this section next month. We rarely find the time to go through watermarked CDs and CD-R, but listen to every piece of vinyl we receive.

This april selection is heavy on the afro, funk and soul, but since this is exactly what we're producing in our own studios right now, it fits perfectly our current mood - we can only hope you're on the same kind of wavelength… As always, we strongly advise labels to check our Community Management services to learn how and why it's useful to get indexed, played or reviewed on Paris DJs… here are only 12 free spots every month for a review, and once again we've chosen to feature first our friends, Akalé Wubé, Analog Africa, cool vinyl from Nik Weston/Juno, Super Hi-Fi or Versus, plus the amazing new Dr. John album on which also we have friends playing, the new Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars produced by Ticklah, and we've added some nice goodies sent to us by cool labels Kindred Spirits, Ubiqity or Légère Recordings…

Super Hi-Fi - We Wil Begin Again / Polyrhythmics - Pink Wasabi
(Special split 7” with download card for mp3 and bonus remixes) Electric Cowbell Records EC021, 2012-04-21

From our Parisian point of view, every new Electric Cowbell 45 we receive is killer material. This new split 7 inch doesn't break the rule, even if it's not a dancefloor winner. On the A-side you'll find the Brooklyn, NY-based live dub band Super Hi-Fi, already featured in those pages with their previous single Single Payer. Their 45 edit of We Will Begin Again is heavy quality cinematic afro-dub that could fit downgtempo programs as much as deep dub rantings or even spiritual afro selections. B-side comes from Polyrhythmics, an "all original 8-piece funk and worldbeat orchestra comprised of some of Seattle’s finest rhythmic and melodic musicians" as they present themselves. They've already self-released and EP and an album (available both on their bandcamp), and last november The Imposter, an infectiously groovy 7 inch on the newly launched Kept Records label. Their Pink Wasabi track -already released digitally on their 2010 EP- is another deep afro affair, which we'll play in our next 21st Century Afro Extravaganza next weekend, and which would also easily fit in a thriller/blaxploitation/bank robbing job soundtrack. Well 2 afro-cinematic gems on a limited edition 500 copies 7 inch - that's hard to miss. But that's not all, with this nice 45 you'll also get a download code, with some nice smoking bonus dubs by DJ Trainwreck and Prince Polo!

Afrobeat is a form of music that's already been perfected and there are many bands who are just trying to attain that, most of the time writing their own compositions which reflect their own influences. Sometimes they'll play a Cuban clave or something else which somehow or other still fits. So unless Fela comes back to them and says Don't play Afrobeat, they're gonna keep on doing it. Here's our second spectacular selection of new cool afro grooves from some of those bands, with a second exclusive track from the Grant Phabao Afrobeat Arkestra, to be released on a limited 7 inch in september,...

Record Store Day 2012 - April 21st 2012

This year's edition of Record Store Day is quite event with the rise of vinyl sales, with a lot of labels pressing some limited goodies for the occasion. Well of course the major ones are rushing on this marketing thing to try and sell the same music they've been selling for years over various formats, but some indie labels are very inventive and it was not easy to make a selection of records to check. The absolute must buy is the vinyl edition of the new Dr John album, produced by a Black Keys guy and featuring Max Whitefield from the illustrious Whitefield Brothers on drums. Trust us, this vinyl, while maybe not that limited, is the record to get on this 21st of April! We've also found some very nice goodies from Adrian Younge vs. Adrian Quesada (!), Anthony Joseph, DJ Format, Charles Bradley, CSC Funk Band, a Dark Star from 1972 in Paris from the Grateful Dead, the first Phish album Junta, Marco Benevento, Quantic & Alice Russell and more…

Super Hi-Fi - Single Payer
(7 inch/Digital Single) Electric Cowbell EC019, 2012-02-11

When Ezra Gale, bass player for Super Hi-Fi, contacted us last december, announcing the upcoming release of their 45 on Electric Cowbell Records, and describing the band as "a Brooklyn, NY-based live dub band", we were immediately hooked. Ezra is also playing bass for Aphrodesia, a heavily recommended 11-piece Afrofunk band from New York and San Francisco, which we already played twice in some of our much-respected 21st Century Afro mixes. Electric Cowbell Records are friends of ours who release some of the most eclectic and tasty music coming out from Brooklyn these days. And on the flip on the 45 there's also a dub heavy remix by Victor Rice... On paper you must admit that this 7 inch is supposed to be fantastic. Well it is. If you bring together the Fela Kuti influence of Aphrodesia, add some King Tubby kind of live dubbing, and put it out on vinyl through a supa-innovative label, that's what you get: incredible afro-dub greatness. The single will also be available digitally as an unedited 7mn version, with no less than 3 dub remixes. You need this and we'll prove it to you by playing the A-side in our next 21st Century Roots Reggae Spectacular coming up February 11th, a few days prior to this single's release. This is just the kind of band we wouldn't hesitate a second to go and see play live, so promoters move your asses and bring them to Paris asap!

Is this the 12th volume of the 21st Century Roots series? It's been a long time since we plunged into all those new roots reggae, dub, dancehall, ska and hip hop grooves that are getting released all over the world. We've included the stellar reggae remix of Selah Sue by our operator Grant Phabao for those who haven't got the free virtual release yet, and a superb unreleased remix from our irie Greek collegue Blend Mishkin, who graced us with a visit last year and should be back for the World People series of mixes on Paris DJs very soon. This is a 15 track selection out of thousands listened...

We're opening a new section on the site, with each month a selection of records that labels, artists and distributors sent to us. By records we mean vinyl LPs, 12 inches, 10 inches, 7 inches, and CDs. Not the pay-to-listen-but-you-don't-own-anything kind of digital files, but the real treat, which is a LOT more work than the standard mp3. Expect to find some already released albums and singles (some labels happen to be late sometimes, and some others it's our fault cos' we need to find the time to listen to the records properly), and of course some exclusives that haven't been featured anywhere else yet thanks to our ever-growing friendly network… Contact us is you want to be listed in this section next month.

Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band - Rubber Orchestras (Heavenly Sweetness) info | mix 1 | mix 2
Bio Ritmo - La Verdad (Electric Cowbell) info | mix
Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming (Dunham/Daptone) info | video
Garage à Trois - Always Smile but Stay Evil (The Royal Potato Family) info | interview
Lucas Santtana - Sem Nostalgia (Mais Um Discos) info
Mr. Chop - Switched On (Now-Again) info & discography
Ocote Soul Sounds - Taurus (ESL) info | remix
Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra - World Of Funk (Ubiquity) info | interview
The Greg Foat Group - Dark is The Sun (Jazzman) info | interview | mix
The Natural Yogurt Band - Tuck In With... (Now-Again) info | mix | interview

Did you pass on La Verdad, the latest Bio Ritmo album released at the end of the summer on Electric Cowbell Records? If that's the case, then you've missed the Salsa album of the year, no less. The only letdown of this fantastic & frantic record is its length - under 40 minutes - definitively too short, but explainable by the fact that it's also available on a (heavily recommended) vinyl. Rei Alvarez, one of the main forces of the group, prepared for Paris DJs a mix of his old vinyls, the only kind of records he's got... and a he's got a lot of it!. It's a selection of music that has...