DJ Format - Statement of Intent
(CD/2LP) Project Blue Book Records 2012-02-27

The new DJ Format album is coming out on Feb 27th but it's already been playing on repeat @ Paris DJs for a few weeks! The man is one of the most interesting and groovy DJs from the England, fresh, funky and shining like none other on the island. With his friend Simon James, DJ Format has released as The Simonsound in may 2010 an astounding album, Reverse Engineering, and if you slept on this one it's high time waking up! We deeply wanted to host a Simonsound mix on Paris DJs, but since Format was in between albums, preparing this Statement of Intent, we finally agreed on publishing a DJ Format & The Simonsound mix, blending psychedelic and electric records with a hip hop spirit. 6.000 people downloaded the mix and we hope they'll be at least as many to buy the vinyl (or the CD if there's no vinyl, or the digital release if you don't mind paying for owning nothing). Anyway now's the time for the DJ Format album and both old school b-boys and psychedelic music nerds will be more than pleased. This is really heavy shit, and with many guests: The Simonsound, of course, Sureshot La Rock, Edan, Mr Lif, Nostalgia 77, Beta Hector... Prized choices for us in this orgasmic collection of music are the two Simonsound collaborations, the retro-futuristic psyched-up breakbeats of Battle of The Planets and the party-people-ready Beyond disco which we'll be spinning very very soon in our monthly Bag of Goodies mix, and the over-groovy James Brown-esque Horse Power.

Between his releases under the Nostalgia 77 name (with a fourth album released earlier this year on Tru Thoughts Recordings, The Sleepwalking Society), collaborative projects such as the afro-jazz of Skeletons, the Afro-Latin of The Rhythmagic Orchestra, or the Funk-Rock of The Broken Keys, producing music for Alice Russell, Lizzy Parks, his own UK jazz label Impossible Ark Records… and a plethora of remixes, Benedic Lamdin just seems unstoppable. He's at the forefront of today's Jazz musicians in the UK while always exploring new styles. His new album is empowered with overtones of blues and...

Various - World's Funkiest Covers
(CD/LP) Cultures of Soul Records, 2011-11-15

Carefully selected by Deano Sounds, World's Funkiest Covers features some of the funkiest covers from around the world and throughout time. The album includes a wide range of styles including deep funk, latin soul, hard salsa, soul, afro beat, and cumbia. From the Ebony Rhythm Band's deep funk cover of Light My Fire to the soulful version of Purple Haze by Johnny Jones and the King Casuals, the unforgettable tracks keep on coming. There's also plenty of hard pounding salsa with Ray Barretto's cover of Pastime Paradise, Mongo Santamaria's cover of Cloud Nine and Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra's cover of Spoon's I Turn My Camera On. More recent artists include Mighty Mo and the Winchester 7 and Nostalgia 77 covering The Message and Seven Nation Army, respectively. This Cultures of Soul collection features unique versions of classics songs not easily found in the marketplace today and we'll publish tomorrow (nov 22) the free companion mix to this compilation, because this labl nicely knows how to Molest Laura the Paris DJs way!!

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

Various - Label Love Vol.3
(Free Digital Compilation) Label Love, 2011-08-01

Label Love is an eclectic yet unified bundle of unique sounds compiled simply for the love of sharing them with the universe - each track plucked and presented by label heads from Decon Records, Fat Beats, One-Handed Music, Stones Throw, Tru Thoughts, Wah Wah 45s, and Wax Poetics. Each label evokes its own signature giving this collection a diversified and interesting flow of genres. Label Love consists of nostalgic classics, unreleased gems, and exclusive selections with the goal of expanding minds to new musical styles. Feel free to blog, play, tweet, blast, post, etc. Please share the love!

Go download on labelloveworldwide.bandcamp.com

PS Aja West & Cheeba from The Mackrosoft remixing Chico Mann from Antibalas…

Nostalgia 77 - Beautiful Lie
(Digital Single) Tru Thoughts TRUDD030D, 2011-07-25

The Beautiful Lie EP, out on 25th July, is a follow-up to Nostalgia 77's fourth solo album The Sleepwalking Society. The album came out in March, gaining high acclaim and support across BBC 6 Music, Radio 1, Radio 2, NME Radio and beyond, and this EP expands on the new sound with a selection of exclusive new bonus cuts. The original album version of the Bert Jansch-influenced Beautiful Lie leads this EP, bringing the crystal-pure vocals of Josa Peit to the fore; and a selection of exclusive bonus versions expand on the new sound in all directions. The Natural Magnetic Remix, recorded especially for this release, sees Nostalgia 77 himself, along with label-mate Natural Self and Rory Simmons of Fringe Magnetic, reworking the track with the addition of lush, evocative strings and the spacious hum of lilting, reverb-heavy bass; this is folk for the post-dubstep age. Other treats for your ears include an uplifting psychedelic folk remix by Examples Of Twelves of album track Golden Morning, live versions of Beautiful Lie and Golden Morning, and the Dexter Remix of Simmerdown (the first single, which has had over 70,000 YouTube hits). The rising German producer's takes this timeless part-gospel, part-soul song into the realms of contemporary electronica. Also being released alongside the EP is a video to the album track Hush.

Nostalgia 77 - The Sleepwalking Society
(CD/Digital/LP with CD) Tru Thoughts TRUCD227, 2011-03-30

The long-awaited fourth studio album from Benedic Lamdin a.k.a. Nostalgia 77, producer for Alice Russell, Impossible Ark Records, Lizza Parks, The Broken Keys (with Natural Self), Skeletons... featuring the vocals of German singer Josa Peit, is out on 21st March 2011 on Tru Thoughts. The Sleepwalking Society'comes almost four years after Everything Under The Sun - the last Nostalgia 77 studio album proper - in which time Benedic Lamdin has been busy as producer, engineer, musician and more on projects involving Keith and Julie Tippett, Jeb Loy Nichols, Lizzy Parks, Larry Stabbins, Alice Russell, Sara Mitra, Fringe Magnetic, Golden Age of Steam and his own Octet. Nostalgia 77's fervent fanbase has been clamouring for his return and can now rest assured that it has been worth the wait, as the spoils of those extra-curricular excursions inform a refreshed stylistic palette and intensity on the new LP. Although Nostalgia 77 is widely known as a jazz producer (with plaudits including John Peel' 'Play More Jazz' award, and Gilles Peterson's Jazz Track of the Year) The Sleepwalking Society'is rich with overtones of blues and folk and runs the whole range of influences from the different styles of music that he loves. "It feels great to provide another chapter in the Nostalgia 77 story…each time I return with more ideas and experiences from working on projects with other musicians", says Lamdin.

The Rhythmagic Orchestra - The Rhythmagic Orchestra
(CD/LP/Digital) Impossible Ark/Unfold UNFOLDCD012, 2011-03-28

The Rhythmagic Orchestra is a collaboration between acclaimed jazz producer Benedic Lamdin aka Nostalgia 77 and Hugo Mendez of World-renowned tropical music collective Sofrito, based on their shared love of jazz, Afro-Cuban, Latin and tropical sounds. The band comprised a young crop of London's finest jazz musicians and a team of Cuban percussionists. Comprising members of the Nostalgia 77 Octet, the Alex Wilson Band, Jazz Jamaica, the Heliocentrics and Ska Cubano, together the players combine years of experience with innumerable jazz and Latin greats, and had the chops to lay down a session that would have made the dancers at the Palladium ballroom proud. The finished album features a selection of classics of the jazz and Latin canon from the ë50s, with new compositions that stand up proudly alongside. Paying tribute to the giants of Afro-Cuban jazz like Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo and Machito; combining traditional arrangements with Cuban bata drums and a fresh outlook on the Latin jazz sound, all cooked up in 21st century London, the album continues a great musical tradition and adds its own flavour to the melting pot of jazz and non-western music.