Black Pepper

For sale on our online shop:
https://invisiblecityeditions.com/products/stephen-encinas-disco-illusion-ice-004r-pre-order

For many this is the ultimate Disco Illusion; a record that should have been epoch making in its day, something that would have been a staple for David Mancuso, Larry Levan & Ron Hardy had it ever gotten distribution when it was originally released 34 years ago. Somehow time passed it by and it was only re-discovered in a warehouse in Trinidad last year. Since then it has been gaining momentum fast, with DJ support from Moodymann, MCDE, Floating Points & Kon, as well as original copies selling for four-digit sums. Part of the illusion is in the structure of the record. The A-side begins with a beautiful hazy disco song, but suddenly an Egyptian sounding bridge turns things inside out and the song opens up into stripped back proto-house jam complete with bubbling Sun Ra synths and Black Ark tape delay action. Then there’s the b-side, which sounds like Bob James after he had a taste of callaloo, with deep electronics and a mind-melting steel pan solo.

For distribution contact: info@invisiblecityeditions.com

©℗ Invisible City Editions
ICE 004

Stephen Encinas - Lypso Illusion (CLIP) (ICE 004)

Monologues Edits: Ben Gomori's Afro Caribbean Selections EP
Label - Monologues
Format - Vinyl/Digital
Released - 25th October 2024
BUY FROM - https://www.juno.co.uk/products/ben-gomori-marumo-monologues-edits-ben-gomoris-afro-vinyl/1049665-01/
https://www.deejay.de/Various_Monologues_Edits:_Ben_Gomoris_Afro-Caribbean_Selections_M12014_Vinyl__1101203

Monologues boss Ben Gomori has found acclaim far and wide with his official edits of African gems for labels like Sterns Music and Analog Africa (for artists including Orchestra Baobab, Amadou Balake, Oby Onyioha). Here he rounds up four of his reworks of tasty tracks from artists across the Afro-Caribbean spectrum on four edits licensed from the good folk at Mr. Bongo, Soundway Records and Analog Africa.

South African legends Marumo's joyous 'Khomo Tsaka Deile Kae' gets a good juicing, full of triumphant energy, while Black Truth Band's infectious 'Umbala' is stripped back to a slinky, bumping disco groove. An exuberant slice of 1980s Camerooon comes from Emmanuel Kahe Et Jeanette Kemogne on 'Ye Medjuie', where rousing trumpet refrains meet undulating bass funk. Peter Britto's gorgeous lo-fi soca anthem 'I Want Your Love' rounds off the package, its sweet melancholy given an extra bit of energy for maximum dancefloor effect.

Support comes from the likes of Gilles Peterson, The Blessed Madonna, Make A Dance and Tigerbalm.

Support --
https://www.instagram.com/bengomori
https://soundcloud.com/bengomori
https://www.youtube.com/@bengomoridj

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PREMIERE: Marumo - Khomo Tsaka Deile Kae (Ben Gomori's Family Affair Edit)

Volume four in Strut's South African compilation series Next Stop Soweto is out March 9th on Strut.

iTunes: http://geni.us/NextStopSoweto4
Strut Store: https://strut.greedbag.com/buy/next-stop-soweto-4-zulu-rock-afr/

The Movers - Soweto Disco [Next Stop Soweto 4]

http://www.mrbongo.com/product/a-night-at-the-jazz-rooms-compiled-by-russ-dewbury-cd-1236

21 years after starting what is the world’s longest running consecutive club session – the Brighton Jazz Rooms – comes this celebratory compilation album on Mr Bongo Records presented by its founder Russ Dewbury.

Musically the Jazz Rooms did not follow any fad or fashion. Rather it created its own and this has been the key to its success and is reflected in the album's track selection. If it's good, it gets played at the Jazz Rooms.

Over the years, just about everybody in the scene has manned the decks at the night. Luminaries include Gilles Peterson, Baz Fe Jazz, Paul Murphy and guests from all over the world such as Rainer Truby, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Espen Horne and many more. Legendary US keyboardist Weldon Irvine described it as "an international brotherhood" while Straight No Chaser Magazine called it "a legendary affair that all should attend."

Originally signed to BGP Records as A+R chief, Dewbury was instrumental in the rediscovery of artists including Jean Jacques Perrey and Terry Callier, who he subsequently managed. His own albums include the compilations Africa Funkand Club Africa on Strut Records and Freedom Time and Jazz Bizniz on Counterpoint Records. His last compilation Pulp Fusion/Africa Funk released on Harmless Records achieved significant sales around the globe.


Sarah Webster Fabio - Sweet Songs

Annette Peacock Survival

A retro-modern funk and soul collection built around groove, warmth, and storytelling.
Driven by deep basslines, electric piano riffs, and expressive vocals, these tracks blend classic funk energy with modern soul production. From laid-back late-night grooves to uplifting dancefloor moments, every song leans into rhythm, feel, and melody.

This album celebrates the timeless spirit of funk and soul — music made to move, reflect, and connect.

This is The Hopefire Way…
…And This Is Why I Started Music.


A Hundred More Songs - I Need A Cigarette

Never Alone

Available on vinyl LP, CD and download https://www.mrbongo.com/products/mr-bongo-record-club-volume-one-vinyl-2-lp-cd-1

The first instalment in our new ‘Mr Bongo Record Club’ compilation series – a selection of favourites, recent discoveries and sought after obscurities, which form the basis of our DJ sets and our radio show of the same name. Including cuts by Claudia, Cortex, Dave Pike Set, Fruko, Neno Exporta Som, Connie Laverne, Barbosa and more.

Mr Bongo Record Club Volume One

Buy from mrbongo.com

11 Mavis John - Use My Body

When it came out in 1984 the far-out album Sweet Sweet Dreams by Trinidad & Tobago’s Shadow (aka Winston Bailey) was described as “way ahead of its time”. Undeservedly it was panned by critics and, unable to reach markets, disappeared into the dusty record collections of a few music aficionados. Now, more than three decades later that cosmic dance-floor UFO is about to take off again, change all that and set the record straight. Remastered and cut by Frank Meritt at The Carvery the album is truly a masterpiece.

But who is this Shadow behind Sweet Sweet Dreams? Shadow is a man of understated magnitude. A truly enigmatic artist, he first emerged in Trinidad and Tobago during the 1970s, becoming a part of the tapestry of Caribbean music and reinvigorating calypso at the time. Calypso, the indigenous folk music of Trinidad and Tobago, has roots in West African kaiso rhythms, French Creole influences, and the hardships endured by the African slaves brought to Trinbago, whose descendants still use it as a tool for satire, self-expression,  and social commentary. Calypso has also given birth to several other music genres, including soca, with its uptempo beats and festival context. Shadow effortlessly moves between both.

Accoring to Carl "Beaver" Henderson, one of Trinidad's veteran producers; “Shadow broke all the traditional musical rules and made his own and that made him a musical giant. He changed the face of Calypso music in 1974 with the release of "Bassman" a tune in which Bass and magnificent horn line took central stage changing Soca music for ever. What Shadow did with his music was to put calypso on the International Dance circuit, giving it a totally different groove. You could take his music and swing it in any direction; Disco, Pop, Calypso, you name it. His music was different from anything that existed before”. 

This inert creativeness culminated in Sweet Sweet Dreams which was arranged by Shadow and deals with burning and ever-relevant themes like love and the ups and downs of relationships. a surprising fact for someone mainly known for his satirical and political lyrics. It prompted his manager to wonder if Shadow had written the lyrics while in a state of ‘tabanca’ (a word used in Trinidad and Tobago to describe lovesickness). 

Sweet Sweet Dreams was recorded at the legendary SHARC studios, located on a hill in Chaguaramas (near Port of Spain) and despite a fantastic sound and monster Soca-boogie tunes like “Lets get it together”, “Lets Make it Up” and “Way, Way Out” the album was a commercial flop, probably due to the fact that it didn’t sound like anything else coming out of Trinidad & Tobago at the time: It fused a range of different rhythms and new sounds, primarily heavy synth riffs.

Shadow took the album’s lack of success in his stride with usual aplomb:
“When I did Sweet Dreams I expect something could happen. But nothing big happen because I have no big market and no distribution and all this thing now. So I just cool myself and move on to another song. I wasn’t doing just one song. I used to always have plenty songs at the one time. And be writing music”.

What Shadow didn’t realise back then was that the proto-electronic cocktail he had mixed in 1984 would only find the recognition it deserved three decades later. Life has swung full circle: Sweet Sweet Dreams has come true and been elevated to holy grail status becoming one of the most sought-after Caribbean disco records in existence. Asked about this turn around Shadow mused  “I’m trying to understand that part. A lot of people ask me for it over a few years now. But I never give anybody it. That music wasn’t for then. It’s for now”.

Sweet Sweet Dreams

Get the Record

LETS GET IT TOGETHER - SHADOW

Available on vinyl 2LP and CD from https://www.mrbongo.com/products/mr-bongo-record-club-volume-two-vinyl-2-lp-cd-1

This instalment follows on from our acclaimed ‘Volume One’ – Lauren Laverne’s ‘Compilation Of The Week’, supported by the likes of Disclosure, Horsemeat Disco, Hunee and Laurent Garnier. ‘Volume Two’ picks up where the last one left off — with a touch more soul and disco — records we’ve been spinning in our DJ sets and on the radio show of the same name, that inspired this series.

Compiled by David ‘Mr Bongo’ Buttle and Gareth Stephens, plus a few personal favourites from Gary Johnson, Ville Marttila and Graham Luckhurst.

TRACKLIST, VINYL 2-LP: A1. Elbernita ‘twinkie’ Clark – Awake O Zion (full length, original version) / A2. Dee Edwards – Put Your Love On The Line / A3. Anubis – Ecology / B1. Guy Cuevas – Ebony Game / B2. Kiru Stars (Julius Kang’ethe) – Family Planning / B3. Teaspoon & The Waves – Oh Yeh Soweto / C1. Leny Andrade – Não Adianta / C2. Rosa Maria – Samba Maneiro / C3. Tom & Dito – Obrigado Corcovado / C4. Inezita Barroso – Maracatu Elegante / C5. Joao Diaz – Capoeira / C6. The Equatics – Merry Go Round / D1. Elias Rahbani And His Orchestra – Liza… Liza / D2. The Beaters – Harari

TRACKLIST, CD: 1. Luiz Henrique – Mas Que Nada / 2. Elbernita ‘twinkie’ Clark – Awake O Zion / 3. Guy Cuevas – Ebony Game / 4. Kiru Stars (Julius Kang’ethe) – Family Planning / 5. Kelenkye Band – Jungle Music / 6. Effi Duke & The Love Family – The Time Is Come / 7. Anubis – Ecology / 8. Dee Edwards – Put Your Love On The Line / 9. Teaspoon & The Waves – Oh Yeh Soweto / 10. Oby Onyioha – Enjoy Your Life / 11. Leny Andrade – Não Adianta / 12. Rosa Maria – Samba Maneiro / 13. Tom & Dito – Obrigado Corcovado / 14. Inezita Barroso – Maracatu Elegante / 15. Joao Diaz – Capoeira / 16. Elias Rahbani And His Orchestra – Liza… Liza / 17. The Beaters – Harari / 18. The Equatics – Merry Go Round