Randa & The Soul Kingdom - What You Need
(CD/LP/Digital) Freestyle Records FSRCD088/FSRLP088, 2011-09-26

Hailing from Perth and firmly at the forefront of the Australian funk and soul scene are Randa And The Soul Kingdom led by Jordanian born and Australian raised soul sister Randa Khamis. With producer Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos, Cookin On 3 Burners, Lanu, Black Feeling) at the controls of the debut self titled album, the result was bristling with edgy, gritty funk and soul. Instead of flying straight back to Australia after the tour, Randa spent 6 months residing in London collaborating with funk/soul artists to write her second album. Inspired and influenced by the music and musicians in London, the second album What You Need was born. Finally back in Melbourne, Australia she went straight into The Shed Studios where the songs were recorded and produced by Lance Ferguson and John Castle (Megan Washington) once again at the controls. Whilst retaining the funk undercurrent, this new album also often incorporates elements of 60's and Northern soul, 70's disco and some more down tempo, reflective moments within what is a varied and mature collection of songs.

Lack of Afro - This Time
(CD/LP/Digital) Freestyle Records FSRCD089, 2011-09-19

Lack Of Afro (Adam Gibbons) has achieved a startling amount in the few years since his first Freestyle releases. Playing live and DJ-ing across the world, producing and remixing everyone from Tom Jones, The Pharcyde, The New Mastersounds through to Kraak & Smaak! In 2011, as well as collaborating on an album project with Eddie Roberts of The New Mastersounds, having also produced and played on the album, Colours by Freestyle label mate Frootful, Adam somehow found time to create what is, without doubt his strongest album yet: This Time. A wide ranging and eclectic, progressive musical outlook has always been the Lack Of Afro approach, and on this collection the music pulls together several strands into a fantastic, homogenous journey with almost too many highlights to mention! This Time is the Lack Of Afro album we have all been waiting for. Considered, soulful, contemporary yet retro, accomplished certainly and setting standards in modern music others will struggle to follow.

Lack of Afro - A Time For feat. Wayne Gidden
(7"/Digital) Freestyle Records FSR7069, 2011-08-15

Taken from the forthcoming third album This Time from multi-instrumentalist/DJ/remixer & producer Lack Of Afro (Adam Gibbons), this new touching and super catchy single is a beautiful collaboration with UK singer/songwriter Wayne Gidden, which invokes the feel of classic soul artists such as Al Green & Smokey Robinson. An accomplished songwriter, Waynes'own previous singles, Whatever I Choose I Lose & I've Changed My Ways have both enjoyed heavy rotation on BBC Radio 2. Together, these two highly creative young musicians have come up with an unforgettable song for summer 2011… an instant hit of neo-classic, old school Soul just like those guys at Dunham/Daptone Records do!!

The Fantastics! - All The People
(CD/LP/Digital) Freestyle Records FSRCD091/FSRLP091, 2011-08-08

The Fantastics! first began to take shape in 2003 after organist/pianist Greg Boraman departed the ranks of the acclaimed deep funk outfit The Soul Destroyers (Jazzman Records) and answered the call to fill the keyboard seat in Reverend Cleatus & The Soul Saviours, the previous incarnation of the band that released their debut album 2LBs Of Funk on French label Soul Cookers Records. Changing their name to The Fantastics!, Freestyle Records founder Adrian Gibson picked up the band and the resulting debut album Mighty Righteous won plaudits from entities such as Wax Poetics... Now in 2011, The Fantastics' second album is another step in the London band's long musical journey where they have finally arrived at their musical destination with a sound for today which pays respect to the past without being shackled to it.

Black Feeling Volume Two
(CD/LP/Digital) Freestyle Records FSRCD090/FSRLP090, 2011-07-11

Back in September 2007, Freestyle Records released Black Feeling an album project brought to life by Australian musical supremo Lance Ferguson, the man responsible for Freestyle soul-jazz organ trio Cookin On 3 Burners, as well as The Bamboos & Lanu projects on Tru Thoughts Recordings. Here's the follow up album. The main concept with the Black Feeling cover versions is that the finished product should not just be some kind of carbon copy of an established classic and Lance explains his approach further: "The initial study of the original recordings enables me to be freer with interpreting, re-arranging and changing them for the final album. Often I will make changes to make a track a little more attractive or usable for DJs and the dancefloor in general." The entire album sparkles with energy and display an intelligent and varied approach to reworking much loved classic as Lance states: "I think it's really important to flip the cover-versions up and offer the listener something new so often I'll change instrumentation around to achieve something unique." And something unique is what he and his crew of top musical talent have achieved - welcome to Black Feeling Two!

The Shaolin Afronauts - Flight of The Ancients
(CD/LP/Digital) Freestyle Records FSRCD085, 2011-06-27

The mysterious afro-soul of The Shaolin Afronauts first echoed across the dance floors of Australia in late early 2008. Heavily inspired by the sounds of 1970's West Africa, Ethiopia and the pioneering avant-garde jazz artists of the same period the Shaolin Afronauts draw on the this highly innovative and sometimes volatile era in music, using it as inspiration to create music with the same fire and intensity. Their spirited performances have fast gained a reputation as some of the most exciting live shows around. Though there is something refreshing and original about the Afronauts, their music could be described as somewhere in between the heavy Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and the Ethio-Jazz of Mulatu Astatke. The key to the Shaolin Afronauts unique sound is the line-up, which comprises of a three piece horn section, 5 piece rhythm section and three percussionists, and this polyrhythmic approach layers the groups sound with a mesmerizing and hypnotic texture. Kicking off with Journey Through Time (also released as the A side of the limited edition 12 inch vinyl single: FSR091) the multiple layers of percussion and rhythms indeed unleash an unstoppable groove, which is nicely balanced against the albums slower, more introspective moments, such as Rise With The Blind which along with haunting, mellow Scarab prove that contemporary afrobeat rooted music doesn't always have to be an unrelenting, uptempo assault on the senses and can provide moments of sheer beauty and reflection. This added element of subtlety sets The Shaolin Afronauts music apart from much of the recent crop of other bands with similar influences, that said, these guys are still a collective capable of burning some stone cold classic and killer grooves, The Shaolin Afronauts are the band to watch out for in 2011!

The Fantastics! - Somewhere... Finally
(12"/Digital) Freestyle Records FSR093, 2011-06-27

Never really comfortable with tightly defined and rigid musical pigeon holes, The Fantastics! have always been pushing the boundaries and honing their musical eclecticism since before their first Freestyle releases back in 2008. As a primer for their second Freestyle long player All The People (FSRCD/LP091) which will see release August 2011, the band present this brand new three track 12 inch single which only hints at the incredible range of sounds, genres and styles that they forge into their own particular and highly individualistic approach that looks backwards, forwards and up and down at the same time... Teaming up with stunning vocalist Sulene Fleming, on the recommendation of DJ, promotor and all round musical guru Lubi Jovanovich, the band set to writing with Sulene (who first came to attention on The New Mastersounds' first album, with the funk club banger Turn This Thing Around) and the results speak for themselves!

Randa & The Soul Kingdom - The Things
(12"/Digital) Freestyle Records FSR092, 2011-06-13

Born in Jordan, raised in the working class suburbs of Perth, Australia, singer Randa Khamis caught the black music bug early. At the age of 12 she was talking her way into local clubs, desperate to dance to the sounds of James Brown, Parliament, Kurtis Blow, Ann Sexton and Aretha Franklin. Totally entranced by the music she heard, Randa decided then in her early teens that she could, would, and must become a soul singer. Randa and the Soul Kingdom released the self-titled debut album on Freestyle Records to great acclaim, and sell out shows in the UK and Europe soon followed. Now in 2011 Randa returns with her second album, produced by Aussie music legend Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos, Cookin On 3 Burners, Lanu), What You Need (FSRCD/LP088) which whilst still tinged with a gritty funk feel also delves into the 1960's stomping soul arena, but this track, The Things also taken from the forthcoming album, allows Randa works out her disco diva muscles to quite stunning effect! Squelchy synths rides over an insistant disco beat, whilst Lance Ferguson's scratchy guitar evokes the heady, hedonistic era of Chic, Studio 54 and Bianca Jagger riding a white horse across the dance floor! The flip side it the totally exclusive OK_Ma Flavours version, beautifully excecuted by Randa's co writer, London based saxophonist and producer Jake Telford. This happening 12 inch single and download must surely be a big summer club anthem of 2011.

Black Feeling Volume Two - Sampler 45
(7"/Digital) Freestyle Records FSR7068, 2011-06-06

Do you remember Black Feeling, the 2007 album (and singles) released on Freestyle Records, which looked like a compilation of funk/soul covers by unknown bands, but was indeed all pseudonyms for various bands directed by Australian funk/soul guitarist/producer/DJ Lance Ferguson a.k.a. Lanu: The Bamboos, Cookin' On 3 Burners, etc.? It was quite a fantastic project and now here's its follow-up, Black Feeling 2!! Well... first things first, here's the 45 taster from that upcoming compilation, starting with an irresistible funk'n'rushed cover of Burning Spear, originally by Richard Evans (The Soulful Strings/Cadet Records). Try to imagine George Benson competing with The JB's to whom will play faster... The b-side is another monster track, a cover of Johnny Pate's blaxploitation classic Shaft In Africa, not as much exciting but nearly perfect too. If the album's as good as this single it's gonna be a monster one!!!

Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers - Mi Watusi
(CD/LP/Digital) Freestyle Records FSRCD087, 2011-06-06

Rays' teenage years in New York saw him immersed in the vibrant Big Apple music scene, working as a roadie, band manager, studio engineer and label manager before taking to the stage in alternative rock and latin ska bands in the early 1990s and eventually forming Kokolo Afrobeat, who established a worldwide reputation through touring and recordings, Ray never lost that love for latin music he had experienced in his early years and often talked about a possible latin music project when he could find the time. In 2010, he finally achieved that dream. Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers were born! For the record, boogaloo was the New York fusion of latin music, rhythm & blues and soul which immediately became the soundtrack for second and third generation Puerto Ricans raised on son, guaracha, bomba and plena but who equally loved Tamla Motown, James Brown and Ray Charles! With it's English and often double entendre lyrics and street-slang, it appealed to everyone. It didn't matter if you were black, white, brown, Latino, Italian, Jewish or African-American... anybody could dance the boogaloo! On this album, Ray's repertoire consists of classics from the likes of El Gran Combo, Willie Rosario, Ray Barretto, and Mongo Santamaria though Ray has re-arranged some tracks and added new lyrics and choruses to others. From the opening track Soy El Rey Del Boogaloo to the final song Lugo's Boogaloo, this album proves in the 21st century, boogaloo is still alive and kicking in New York City and Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers are the leaders of the new school! Viva La Nueva Generacion!