Lanu - Roosevelt Blues & Acoustic EP
(Digital single) Tru Thoughts TRUDD038, 2011-12-19

Out digitally on 19th December, this third single release from Lanu's acclaimed Her 12 Faces album brings the limelight to rest on the beautifully folksy Roosevelt Blues featuring Megan Washington, an infectiously fanciful and evocative song telling imagined tales of soirees spent rubbing shoulders with ghosts of gangsters and Charlie Chaplin at the eponymous LA hotel. Inspired by a US DJ tour taken by Lance Ferguson (aka Lanu), Roosevelt Blues is as much a product of the crazy urban legends and history he delighted in soaking up, as of the records he delighted in buying, digging into both the crates and the culture of America's West Coast. Perfectly complementing the leftfield folk stylings of the lead track, this release also brings a set of four absolutely beautiful new acoustic versions of other songs from the album. All voiced by Washington, the tracks reworked here include the two previous singles, Beautiful Trash and Fall; plus Hold Me Down, a modern twist on a heart-rending Bacharach-style ballad; and the delicate, lo fi indie/electronica of Wire, transformed by glorious finger-picked guitar in this incarnation. The latter three are exclusive and previously unreleased.

Various - When Shapes Mix Together - Compiled and mixed by Rob Luis
(Mixed CD/Digital) Tru Thoughts Recordings TRUCD244, 2011-11-21

Produced as a giveaway mix for the huge Tru Thoughts night at Koko in London, this mix was so good they had to offer it for general sale. This mix shows the future direction of the label, with new signings alongside the long-standing Tru Thoughts family. It opens with a hip hop influence: Hint goes space-age hip hop with rapper T Fly; Quantic's Cumbia project covers Missy Elliot; and London legend Rodney P drops a track with a positive message (which we released after the UK riots in 2011) featuring Mighty Moe and other big hitters in the scene. Anchorsong takes us into slow disco/boogie territory before Beta Hector roughs it up with his psychedelic bass basher (helped by an Alice Russell classic scream) followed by Nirobi dropping the Bollywood beats. Sleepin' Giantz is a heavyweight project from Zed Bias, Rodney P and Fallacy, and the track you hear in this DJ mix has been a huge anthem in club sets for the DJs who have managed to get hold of an advance copy. The album it is taken from is one of the best hip hop albums you will hear! Zed Bias is then joined by Mark Pritchard (Warp / Harmonic 313 / Global Communications) for a bass anthem before we move into Debruit taking the Brazilian groove of Saravah Soul down a heavy club route. Hint shows his versatile production styles with his remix of Lanu before we hit drum & bass territory with A Sides' remix of Mark de Clive-Lowe. The set finishes off with the more mellow side of Tru Thoughts. Ambassadeurs take Nostalgia 77 through some synths and basslines; Kinny shows her powerful voice to full effect, and then Belleruche unveil their new style. I just had to include a snippet of the title track off the Quantic & Alice Russell album (you need to check the full version to appreciate those strings) and we finish off with a classic from Maddslinky's influential first LP. Please make sure you check out the other releases by any artists whose tracks you are particularly into on this DJ mix, as there is plenty more good music to be heard from them all." (Rob Luis)

Nostalgia 77 - Sleepwalker
(Digital Single) Tru Thoughts TRUDD035, 2011-11-21

The bluesy, catchy and downright addictive Sleepwalker, out digitally on 21st November, is the third single to be taken from Nostalgia 77’s highly acclaimed fourth solo album The Sleepwalking Society, which came out in March on Tru Thoughts. The lead track on this digital package is joined by a diverse selection of hot new remixes from label-mates Mark de Clive-Lowe and Lanu, and AmbassadeursJalapeño Records). The ramshackle, bluesy Tom Waits-esque rhythm section stomp on Sleepwalker is paired with horn textures reminiscent of Duke Ellington and the incredible vocals of the album’s secret weapon, German chanteuse Josa Peit. On this song, a co-write with Nostalgia 77 main man Ben Lamdin, Peit’s rich, soulfelt timbre rings out as clear as a bell, imparting some simple truths with a wryly playful overtone. At once catchy and with a lasting, solid appeal, this track has become one of the most popular on the LP.

Various - Shapes 11:01 - Compiled by Robert Luis
(2CD/LP with 2CD) Tru Thoughts TRUCD/LP239, 2011-10-10

The new bi-annual Shapes compilation from Tru Thoughts Recordings is coming out in october and once again it's full of classic tracks, new signatures and exlusives for a very cheap price tag. The first CD is a nice selection of horizontal grooves, songs & electronica from the vast palette of style from the label's recent output. Among the discoveries : new signings Anchorsong from Japan, and his trippy live downtempo music, Lossy from East London, a duo of jazz-infused electronica, groovy, soulful and uplifting trip hop, a new track from songstress Kinny, the kind of perfect sweetness for the ears to rub yourself into, the glorious reggae interpretation of the Dr Who Theme by the Smerins Anti-Social Club (only available on a strictly limited 45 for record store day before) and of the Dr. Dre hit Nuthin' But A 'G' Thing cover in cumbia mode by Quantic Y Su Conjunto Los Miticos Del Ritmo (only available on a limited Serato 12 inch before). The second disc is a more clubby, uptempo affair, with a tendancy towards crunchy or bassy speed-ambient. Among the notable new stuff are the afro-wobbly remix by Débruit of Saravah Soul is killer bouncy electro deconstructivism, Hint bringing hard to describe, crazy & addictive dance thingies to the table, and label honcho Rob Luis alias Nirobi who's also there with his heavy bass and percussive dancefloor beats to rock the roof off. Djouls - Paris DJs

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.

Paris DJs Soundsystem - This is Kiwi Music - Pacific Sounds from New Zealand (MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) 2011-09-03 The world stares at New Zealand as the Rugby World Cup begins on September 9th. The All Blacks try again to win a trophy they miss since the first edition of the Cup in 1987. But Aotearoa ('The Long White Cloud', New Zealand in Māori) is not only a great country for rugby, it's also a great country for music, especially its first-class electronica-reggae-dub scene located in Wellington (Trinity Roots, Fat Freddy's Drop, The Yoots, Benny Tones, The Black Seeds...)....

Lanu - Fall feat. Megan Washington
(Digital single) Tru Thoughts TRUDD028, 2011-08-15

Fall featuring Megan Washington is the 2nd single to be lifted from the new Lanu album, Her 12 Faces released on Tru Thoughts Records. Lance Ferguson a.k.a. Lanu is the producer and guitarist of The Bamboos, Kylie Auldist, Cookin' On 3 Burners, Randa & The Soul Kingdom...

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!

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!!!