Seven songs by Rully Shabara and Wukir Suryadi, rootsily mystical and vividly al fresco, spiralling from peripheral sites beside rubbish dumps and rice fields, into a busy market at the heart of Yogyakarta, from dawn till dusk.
A Lagos fuji session sets Diplo tearing up walls and stomping across the ceiling; a fragment of afro-folk percussion triggers the Generals’ brilliant futurism; and two sumptuous cuts of the original deal.
Surprisingly the first time on 12” for this brassy, string-laden, modern/Northern crossover classic, more Philly than NYC. Beautifully written by Thom Bell, expertly remixed by Tom Moulton.
A terrific, bountiful seasonal single — with Bonnie Prince Billy in his cups on one side, and Mike Heron from The Incredible String Band on the other, with a Boxing Day ghost story. Beautifully sleeved, limited.
Luminously upful mid-seventies roots.
Scunna’s bro King Tubby dishes up a heavy dub.
Lovely record.
Tastily off-kilter mid-seventies roots excursion on Artibella.
Sublime. With Augustus Pablo.
Olive ‘Senya’ Grant makes Horace Andy’s Please Don’t Go her own.
Family Man at the controls, on Clive Chin’s ticket.
Hypnotic, infectious space-funk from Chicago’s south side — and some bedroom funk on the flip — produced by Staple Singer’s engineer Don Greer in 1980.
Blimey.
The legendary flamenco singer Manuel Mancheño Peña — aka El Turronero, The Nougat — full throttle over a flanged, action-packed disco-funk bassline, metronomic beats. soaring and layered female backing vocals, intergalactic synth sounds and stirring strings. The flip is looser, groovier, and warmer, with still funkier bass, spiralling seventies synths, sweaty drums, and exotic touches.
DJ Harvey specials.
Tougher-than-tough instrumental by the Links house-band, featuring Joe White and Ken Boothe on keys, and killer guitar and trombone by Harris Seaton and Derrick Hinds. Same circle of heaven as tunes like Sidewalk Doctor and Tight Spot. Something new, ushering rocksteady out the door, into the past.
Lovely, upful, Chi-Town, rare groove vibes, with falsetto singing, horns and chorus. Produced by BB Seaton; originally out on Golden Heart in 1974.
Rocksteady murder, both sides.
Val Bennett wails over a brilliantly percussive, troubled, fresh rhythm, with descending, prowling bass; Roy Man leads the heart-broken flip, with piano riding east, and rocking horns.
From the master tapes. It’s a must.
Over several years, Far East Records in Japan has faultlessly reissued more than fifty classic Treasure Isle sevens. Expert selections; impeccably restored labels, beautifully colour-matched, often using metallic inks; and great sound.
Over & Done With is out here for the first time, and it’s murder. Riding a banging bottom-end, with thunderous drum rolls, and magnificent horns with superb soloing, Monty coolly lays out his dignified, devastating dissection of a break-up, with the cutting, expository verve of prime Lord Kitchener.
‘When you came to my rescue, I gave all that I could give. Now that your purse is empty, you’ve left me the same way you came. Loving you is useless, you’re a waste of time, you’ve got no love, no sympathy on your mind… My darling, it’s over and done with.’
Baba Brooks leads the way on the flip, which sounds a lot better here than the original pressing. Killer, tear-up ska.