Autumn 2017

Another New Day (Little Big Beat Studio Live Session)

Featuring the combined talents of Allysha Joy, Hidden Spheres AKA Tom Harris and Finn Rees the single ‘Trust the Feeling’ is the first release from the trio’s upcoming album Solina and is a track that gives us a very real insight into the Balearic House, Street Soul, Alternative RnB and Jazz influences that interweave throughout the album to create a musical landscape that speaks to the heart, spirit, body and mind with intention.

Trust the Feeling is a track that persuades us to slow down to make love, to make sense of yourself, to be in connection to others, in connection to life, an intimacy with all things, as a way of moving with closeness and in deep breath, where light touches and draws us closer.

All three artists have an amazing musical pedigree having between them worked as part of such innovative acts as 30/70 Collective, Close Encounters and on numerous collaborations with bands, artists and producers from across the globe. All have had releases on highly regarded international and independent music labels and have played and appeared on major festival line-ups including We Out Here.

Trust the Feeling is the first digital single release on BBE Music from the Joy Spheres Rees album, Solina, upcoming on vinyl and digital.

CLICCK HERE TO PURCHASE THE FULL ALBUM (VINYL / DIGITAL)  - https://orcd.co/solina

Trust The Feeling [BBE Music]

Presenting the first single taken from Gabriele Poso’s forthcoming compilation on Mr Bongo, Ritmo Italiano ‘Unspoken Sounds of Italian Tamburo’. Tony Cercola ‘Lumumba’ is just one of the mesmerising tracks that Sardinian multi-instrumentalist, percussionist and producer, Poso, has curated for this captivating new compilation. It’s an under-the-radar, percussive Italo-disco / proto-house dancer, originally landing on the Italian label Tendance in 1987.

“How can one not be overwhelmed by the energetic force of Tony Cercola? An incredible artist who emerged in the 1970s within the so-called Neapolitan Power movement,” Gabriele mentions. Cercola’s track ‘Lumumba’ showcases the vibrance of Italy’s cultural crossroads, with influences from the Mediterranean, Africa and Europe all rolled into this dynamic tribal whirlwind.

Built upon a foundation of gated snares, flavourful bongos and a driving synth pop bassline, ‘Lumumba’ oozes ‘80s dancefloor energy. Reverberating chords and deft keys are layered up in masterful fashion, as earworm chants and a hypnotising lead vocal draw you in deeper. It's a perfect crossover track for a leftfield electronic dancefloor set and is tailormade to ramp up the intensity when the time is right. 


Lumumba

The 18-piece Afro-Cuban jazz big band New Regency Orchestra set out their stall last year with an electrifying debut self-titled album. Inspired by the musical fusion that bubbled up in NYC in the 1950s, they breathe fresh life into this golden era with a host of London’s best contemporary Latin and jazz musicians.

Recording an album with such an abundance of players meant there was a wealth of multitrack stems accumulated from the recording sessions. NRO’s artistic director, Lex Blondin and Mr Bongo thought what better way to utilise this archive of music, than to offer up the parts so that anyone could try their hand at a remix. The winner would have their remix released on Mr Bongo. An incredible range of remixes were submitted from all over the world with all manner of different genres in the mix. It was a tough decision but one stood out from the rest…

More than a simple remix, The Process (aka Jonny Cuba & Ollie Teeba) alongside Washington emcee J Scienide, have totally flipped NRO’s track ‘Pregon’. In true hip-hop fashion, they’ve picked a small section, put their stamp on it, and made it their own. Chopping and sampling the horns in expert style, they’ve layered them over a brand-new beat that channels the golden age boom bap sound. It’s the perfect foundation for J Scienide to step up to the mic, with a flow that takes the track to stratospheric heights.

As Lex Blondin mentions, “Listening to all the remixes coming back was so much fun. A big thanks to all who have participated, there were some really great remixes, but we have a clear winner here. The Process with J Scienide, who remixed our intro track called Pregon, takes it away! Originally written by Chico O'Farrill as the opener of 2nd Afro Cuban Suite, this track was begging for a backbeat and the way they've flipped it gives it just the bop it needed. This remix is pure boom bap goodness...I love how they've chopped up the horn line and peppered it around the chorus. Class work!”

London-based production duo, The Process, are no strangers to the world of music. Both Jonny and Ollie have been pioneers of underground UK music for years, coming up in the mid-1990s as DJs and artists on Ninja Tune. Ollie, being a member of the iconic Ninja Tune band The Herbaliser, and working with emcees such as MF Doom, Roots Manuva, and Rodney P. Jonny, as a partner in Dynamic Syncopation working with the likes of Phi Life Cypher, Chill Rob G, and Mass Influence and going on to form the group Soundsci. On this remix, they are joined by emcee J Scienide whose pedigree has seen him collaborate with hip hop heavyweights on the mic and production, including DJ D Styles (Beat Junkies), Daringer (Griselda Records/Action Bronson), Conway the Machine, Blu, Rome Streetz, and Kev Brown.


Pregon (The Process with J Scienide - Out in the World Remix)

n an ever-expanding musical universe, Azymuth have long existed as a celestial giant, drawing countless artists, musicians and followers into their orbit. Marking fifty years since their 1975 debut album Azimuth, their new album Marca Passo proves that the band’s alchemic brew of Brazilian jazz-funk and cosmic samba soul remains as vital as ever, as the group honours the profound legacy of their departed founders.

Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Marca Passo is the first full-length release since the passing of founding drummer Ivan "Mamão" Conti in 2023, following the earlier loss of keyboardist José Roberto Bertrami in 2012. Alex Malheiros, the sole remaining original member, sees his stewardship of the band’s musical legacy as his spiritual duty. He is joined by the equally devoted Kiko Continentino (Milton Nascimento, Djavan) on keyboards, who has been with the group since 2016, and new recruit Renato Massa (Marcos Valle, Ed Motta) on drums.

Yet since their earliest recorded music, Azymuth have always been far greater than the sum of their parts. The "three-man orchestra’s" unmistakable sound is rooted in Brazil's MPB studio scene of the 1970s and early 1980s—a time when artists blended traditional Brazilian rhythms with global jazz, rock, and emerging psychedelic and progressive elements. Marca Passo continues this legacy, seamlessly fusing Brazilian musical traditions with global influences while showcasing the exceptional musicianship that powers Azymuth's distinctive, multi-dimensional sound.

The album is produced by studio mastermind Daniel Maunick, responsible for Azymuth’s two previous studio albums, Fênix in 2016 and Aurora in 2011. Daniel’s credits also include albums by Marcos Valle, Sabrina Malheiros and Terry Callier. Azymuth also invited Daniel’s father, British jazz-funk royalty Jean Paul “Bluey” Maunick, of Incognito, to play guitar on a new version of Azymuth’s eighties classic “Last Summer In Rio”, in tribute to the song’s composer, José Roberto Bertrami. Equally, “Samba Pro Mamao” is a new composition dedicated to Azymuth’s beloved original drummer, Ivan “Mamão” Conti.

Marca Passo releases on limited edition blue, red & black vinyl LP editions, CD and digitally on the 6th June 2025, via Far Out Recordings, supported by European and North American tours.

Azymuth - Andaraí

Azymuth - Arabutã

Proudly presenting ‘Transe’ the first single taken from Zé Ibarra's forthcoming second album. You may be familiar with the hypnotic entrancing tones of Zé’s vocals, through his work in the four-piece, Latin Grammy award-winning Brazilian powerhouse, Bala Desejo and the band Dônica. Zé has also toured with Brazilian legend Milton Nascimento on vocals and guitar, a real honour but also a reflection of Zé's craft to be selected in the band by such a musical titan.

A classic singer-songwriter, 'Transe' sees Zé starting as the song would have been written, simply an acoustic guitar and his voice flowing in an intimate dance. It’s an instantly comforting tone reminiscent of classic Brazilian songs from the past (think Caetano Veloso), before the song builds with ghosty string arrangements, vocal overdubs, and percussion. The energy in Zé's voice intensifies to a climax, as the dial swings in a more contemporary direction powered by a grooving bassline. 

Speaking about the song, Zé mentions, “This song represents, at this moment, a side of me that is still little explored and more intimate. It moves between pop and conceptual, creating an experience closer to a film than a traditional song. This effect is reinforced by the guitar and bass of Frederico Heliodoro, who is also part of Milton Nascimento's band."

‘Transe’ therefore shows a more experimental side to Zé beyond the scared partnership of voice and guitar. Mixing elements of jazz, MPB, and progressive rock, it’s rich and dynamic with a cinematic feel that is full of suspense. A stunning single and a taste of what is to come from one of the finest modern-classic musicians in Brazil’s blooming contemporary scene.


Transe

Proudly presenting Maravilhosamente Bem the powerful, female-centred third album by Brazilian singer, songwriter, actress, and creative director, Julia Mestre.
Alongside being a member of the Latin Grammy-winning Brazilian supergroup, Bala Desejo, Julia has been steadily building a solo career where her unique vision and alluring soft, sultry voice take centre stage. Drawing inspiration from ‘80s ballads, MPB, pop and disco productions, each song on this third album finds Julia creatively exploring different characters and tones.

A love-song-driven LP at its core, Maravilhosamente Bem holds a playful mirror up to blissful days gone by, artfully reimagined with Julia’s own modern twist. An album filled with love and nostalgia, it pays homage to her love of classic female disco divas such as Donna Summer, Sade, Alcione, Lady Zu, and the Brazilian rock queens Rita Lee and Marina Lima. Of that latter pairing, the late iconic Brazilian vocalist and musician Rita Lee (Os Mutantes) is referenced in the music video for the first single, ‘Sou Fera’, blessing Julia with a magical guitar. Marina Lima then provides guest vocals on the album’s closing track, ‘Marinou, Limou’, with her name transformed into a mantra by Julia.

Channelling a lo-fi ‘80s ballad aesthetic, Julia navigates a multitude of themes across the nine sublime tracks. From the sexy, whispered performances on vintage horror movie-inspired tunes ‘Vampira’ and ‘Pra Lua’, to the delicate, fragile love lullabies of ‘Sentimento Blues’ and ‘Cariñito’, and the seductive disco diva embodiment on dance tracks ‘Veneno de Serente’ and title track ‘Maravilhosamente Bem’. Another hidden highlight is the palette-cleansing mini-suite, ‘Interlúdio dos Amantes’. A luscious strings instrumental piece that lends to the beautiful Sade-esque ‘Seu Romance’.

Produced by Julia and longtime collaborators Gabriel Quirino, Gabriel Quinto, and João Moreira, Maravilhosamente Bem sees Julia embarking on a new era of her musical career. This sensational third album is a captivating showcase of the creative vision and versatility of one of Brazil’s finest stars. Released on Mr. Bongo (ROW) and Altafonte (Brazil/Portugal).


Julia Mestre - Maravilhosamente Bem

Ain’t For Me

Ruby Rushton return with cinematic new single “Walk to Regio's”, the lead single from the London UK jazz quartet’s highly anticipated 'Legacy!' album on 22a Records.

As a bandleader, flautist, saxophonist, producer, DJ and label boss, Tenderlonious has earned his polymath stripes. On "Walk to Regio's", Ed takes inspiration from multi-talented legend Isaac Hayes, in particular his ‘Shaft’ soundtrack. 

“I’ve always been obsessed with film music and it’s played a key role in my approach to composition. Issac Hayes’s ‘Shaft’ soundtrack is one of my favourites and has had a big influence on my music over the years. “Walk to Regio’s” is my salute to Issac Hayes and is a nod to one of the coolest films ever made!”

Ruby Rushton trade the hustle and bustle of 1970s Harlem for the restless, ever-shifting energy of contemporary South London. A hypnotic piano motif sets the tone, locking into a deep groove laced with crisp horns and percussive layers. The rhythm section stays tight and purposeful, giving space for quick bursts of improvisation - each solo a snapshot of raw, soulful musicianship. It all circles back to that familiar refrain, closing with a flourish that feels both grounded and soaring.

'Legacy!' marks the fifth full length outing from the Ed ‘Tenderlonious’ Cawthorne led group who helped pave the way for the recent wave of jazz that has ignited the capital and enchanted the world. 

“Walk to Regio's” is released across all digital platforms on 31st July and you can pre-order ‘Legacy!’ on LP / CD / download on this day as well.

Pre-Save

Exclusive Premiere: Ruby Rushton "Walk to Regio's" (22a Records)

Positive K - A Good Combination - Back To The Oldschool

Buy / Stream the album 'Boxer's Fracture' in full: https://BBEmusic.lnk.to/boxerfra
Following up last year’s genre-bending EP ‘Red Light Syndrome’ which garnered support from Ashley Beedle and Craig Smith among others, Ziggy Funk returns to BBE with his debut solo album, ‘Boxer’s Fracture’. An accomplished DJ in his own right, Ziggy makes up one half of Rhemi, the London production outfit currently riding high on the Soulful House scene thanks to stellar collaborations with Joey Negro, Louie Vega and Opolopo. But, as evidenced in this eclectic collection of original tracks, Ziggy Funk’s musical roots reach far beyond house music.
Light on samples, heavy on musicianship, ‘Boxer’s Fracture’ is clearly the work of an accomplished multi-instrumentalist. Starting out on the guitar from an early age, Ziggy played in various bands over the years, taking in funk, reggae, blues, jazz and even rock influences, all of which were added to his vibrant musical palette. The raw, improvised feel of live music finds it’s way into ‘Boxer’s Fracture at times; several tracks sound almost like a talented band jamming together for the sheer joy of it. At other points the album appears highly polished, with timely soul/jazz cut ‘Stop Scrolling and Connect’ and bass-heavy broken beat title track ‘Boxer’s Fracture’ letting Ziggy’s production skills take centre stage.
Currently DJing regularly both in London and further afield, producing more Rhemi material and running an eponymous label alongside partner Neil Pierce, you can expect to hear a lot more from Ziggy Funk in the future.

Boxer's Fracture

Ziggy Funk - Boxer's Fracture

'Live Slow' is the product of friends @notronblanco and @trp111 teaming up after a drunken night in Berlin. The downbeat summer groove winds up the second release on @smallville-records' sub-label @downbythelake.

Read more & buy: http://www.stampthewax.com/2017/09/11/premiere-ron-blanco-trp-live-slow/
Listen on Youtube: http://bit.ly/ronblancotrp

Live Slow

Listen on YouTube

Ron Blanco & TRP - Live Slow (STW Premiere)

Mercury (BIOS Remix)

New album 'DREAMER', released 01 March 2023 on Ninja Tune: nabihahiqbal.lnk.to/dreamerSo

'Weighing of the Heart’ Out Now -
Ninjashop / Stream / Download: https://nabihahiqbal.lnk.to/wothSO

Taken from ‘Weighing of the Heart’ released 1st December 2017 via Ninja Tune.

Follow Nabihah Iqbal  -
Spotify: http://found.ee/nabihah-sp
Apple Music: http://found.ee/nabihah-am
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Soundcloud: http://found.ee/nabihah-sc

Something More

De Lux - 875 Dollars (Juan Maclean’s Casa De 707 Remix)

Join the BBE Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/yfBFX

Founded in 1996 by Peter Adarkwah, Barely Breaking Even (BBE Music) started life as a London club night, taking its name from the eponymous Disco record by the Universal Robot Band.

The label grew from the vibrant early 90's club scene with its first release, Stop & Listen compiled by Dr Bob Jones in 1996, opening the door to iconic series' such as All Back To Mine & Late Nite Tales.

A tonne of releases followed, ranging from Disco to Funk, Jazz to House. In the year 2000, the label celebrated Masters at Work's 10th Anniversary with a mighty box set that featured near 80 tracks.

A year later BBE Music spawned the Beat Generation Series of artist albums, notably introducing J Dilla (Welcome 2 Detroit) & a young Will.I.Am's first solo outing, alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff, Madlib & DJ Spinna, all of whom contributed to this seminal set of long players.

A quarter of a century and well over 500 titles later, having worked with Mark Ronson, Roy Ayers, Questlove, Hugh Masekela, DJ Premier, Dimitri from Paris, Joey Negro, Kon, RZA, Laurent Garnier, Black Coffee, DJ Shadow, David Rodigan and John Morales among many others, BBE Music looks to the future, celebrating its rich heritage while continuing to release a bounty of fresh titles.

The label’s most recent projects include an expansive reissue series from pioneering Nigerian label Tabansi, new imprint ‘Batakari’ in association with Boddhi Satva and the critically acclaimed ‘J Jazz’ Japanese Jazz multi-album project, not to mention the recent landmark 500th label release: a brand new version of 'Barely Breaking Even', featuring Leroy Burgess, Patrick Adams and Louie Vega.

In 2021 BBE Music is celebrating its 25th anniversary. To mark this milestone, the label is offering up some special projects, from the 20th Anniversary edition of J Dilla’s ‘Welcome 2 Detroit’, through David Bowie tribute album ‘Modern Love’, to a special new ‘Worldwide’ compilation from old friend Gilles Peterson. BBE Music will also be looking to the future with more exciting original artist projects, plus merch collaborations events and more...

Ziggy Funk - Boxer's Fracture

BBE Music

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