Chaabi — ‘of the people’ — has its roots in the Andalusian music of Moorish Spain, spreading to North Africa with exiled Jewish and Moorish communities; but it really took off in post-WWII Algiers…

‘one of the most charming idiosyncrasies I have heard all year… where truth is seized accidentally and musical shambles are sweet, virtuous and silly… like watching early Bunuel without subtitles’ (Plan B).

Soulful American folk: a gorgeous, heart-stopping mixture of the longing you get in saudade — singers like Cesaria Evora and Joao Gilberto — and political protest. Will Oldham’s in there; so is Dionne Warwick.

From this veteran of the Count Ossie group and The Light Of Saba — ‘These are my recordings from the last couple of years, blazing grounation roots reggae.’

Like a dream, but authoritatively, this remix from Jamaica magnificently crosses the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti with the grounation reggae tradition of Count Ossie.

‘Lovely… another gem from Nashville’s underground’, Word; ‘one of the finest pop records ever made by a Nashville band’, Nashville Scene.

‘If you are poor, you walk in your shoes, you lean.’ Three Unity revive 12s in today, remastered and in spanking new sleeves. Altogether, as a label, the greatest UK digi there ever was.

Exhilarating reggae music from Stoke Newington, north east London, made by soundboys on a Casio and a drum machine, in a room over Eddie Regal’s record shop.

‘Three years ago Honest Jon’s put out her late ‘60s and early 70s recordings and it’s the most unimpeachable collection of heartbreak you’ll ever hear. This new album is just as good’, NME

An exclusive mix, featuring the original Light Of Saba drummers; with two new instrumentals, one in a more laid-back grounation style, the other blood-and-fire; and a chant, upful and defiant.

This mix by Mark Ernestus — one half of the Basic Channel, Maurizio and Rhythm And Sound teams — kicks off our series of reworkings of tracks from Tony Allen’s Lagos No Shaking album.

‘10/10… fucks your brain so hard you’ll feel like a vegetable afterwards’ (Vice).
With guests including Mark E. Smith, Dalek, Steve Beresford and Sensational.

‘***** beautiful, deeply affecting… hard to beat as the year’s most worthwhile reissue’, The Guardian; ‘magnificent… wonderfully austere’, Time Out.

Originally released by Epic in 1953.

Originally relelased on the Moondog label in 1955.

‘*****’, The Independent; ‘a vibrancy and energy that make it impossible to sit still’, Metro; ‘shines from Shina to Shina’, The Beat; ‘CD Of The Week… astonishing’, Daily Telegraph; ‘incendiary’, The Observer.

‘*****’, The Independent; ‘captivating… Q Recommends’; ‘there is no end of exhilarating music on this beguiling album’, The Sunday Times; ‘full of heartstopping musical twists and turns’, The Beat.

With the Loose Lips MC in full flow, and complete with a Spinna house version. On percussion, Miguel Fuentes brings classic Philly vibes courtesy of the MFSB family.

Essential Afrika 70 recordings, produced by Fela Kuti.

Full, bone-heavy horns, swirling organ and rocking nyabinghi drumming; and with a storming dub.

West London broken beat meets JA dancehall. A Co-op classic by this Bugz mainstay.

Tearaway soca from the studio of Darryl Braxton, mixing it up with ragga and rave vibes.

Thirteen and twenty-two minute slices of carnival thunder and lightning from the hill above Port Of Spain in Trinidad. Lengths of steel, assorted bits of metal, African drums. An Honest Jon’s recording.

‘a terrific soca compilation… a vital contemporary follow-up to London Is the Place for Me’, Village Voice; ‘*****, Compilation Of The Month’, Touch; ‘chaotic and compelling… an ace selection’, Time Out.