Groove 3

www.facebook.com/naomisheltonandthegospelqueens
www.daptonerecords.com
Buy it here: http://bit.ly/1DemFJw

Buy on iTunes

Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens "What Have You Done"

Don't Speak

Red Moon

do it afraid

spin cycle

Love You Like That

For her fifth studio album, Hollie Cook is returning to Mr Bongo almost fifteen years since the Brighton label released her debut album. Entitled Shy Girl, it’s a sun-drenched exploration of love in all its guises and marks her most authentic body of work to date. The second single from the release is the title track and provides the perfect opener for the album. It’s a buoyant and elastic slice of lovers rock that bubbles with a charisma and positivity that Cook radiates.  

Written and recorded in a moment of spontaneous intuition at Relic Room Studios in NYC, with the finishing touches written in Echo Park, LA, ‘Shy Girl’ is a snapshot into the vision and meaning behind the album as a whole. “I’m not a natural show-off,” Cook explains. “The Shy Girl theme is me. It’s just about being my most vulnerable self and being as true to the music that I love as possible.” 

Across three glorious minutes, shimmering guitars sit atop a groove-heavy, dubby bassline, and organ bubbles, as Hollie effortlessly serenades in her soft-hued tones. A song speaking of letting one’s guard down and opening up to love, it’s a signature example of the ‘tropical pop’ sound that Hollie has made her own.


Shy Girl

Lyrics:

You know me well
Still hard to tell
What’s going on
Cause I fall from grace
Each and everyday
Oh drop the hat
But I don’t wanna lesson
No, I’m only confessin’
That I might just be

A difficult love
A difficult love
A difficult love
I’m so difficult

Cause when I’m rocking the place
I’m never far away
From a mess again
(Mess again, mess again)
But you stay by my side
I’m left wondering why?
Cause I know that I’m obsessive
(Oh I’m obsessive babe)
But you are my main obsession
(Ooo)
Still I might just be

A difficult love
A difficult love
A difficult love
I’m so difficult

(Difficult)
Ooo but am I pushing you outta reach?
(Difficult)
Tell me baby how long is my leash?
(Difficult)
Ooo well tell me how long?
Oh how long?

Oh but I don’t want any lessons
I’m only now confessin’
That I might just be

A difficult love
A difficult love
A difficult love
I’m so difficult, difficult
(Oh I’m a difficult love)
A difficult love
A difficult love
A difficult love
I’m so difficult

Liner Notes:
Written and Composed by Ivan Hartle and Matt Storm
Electric Guitar | Lead/Backing Vocals by Ivan Hartle
Conga | Electric Guitar | Backing Vocals by Matt Storm
Drums by Trent Otter
Bass by Yamil Chain-Haddad
Engineered | Mixed | Produced by Matt Storm
Additional Engineering by Rory Macdonald
Mastered by Greg Mindorff at Suite Sound Labs
Recorded at Electric Maple Tree
Cover Design by Evan Miller

Difficult

This one was an unexpected treat. Two of our favourite contemporary musicians, Finn Rees & Sholto coming together and collaborating on a double dose of celestial, cinematic alchemy.

At Mr Bongo we are massive admirers of drummer, musician, and producer Sholto (Oscar Robertson). His two albums on Funk Night Records and DeepMatter Records, had both been highlights of their respective years. We’d gotten to know Oscar and sent him a few records. Included in the package was Australian pianist-composer Finn Rees’ debut album, Dawn Is A Melody, which was one of our favourite releases on Mr Bongo in 2024.

In Oscar's words 'For me it was a standout modern jazz record - encapsulating a spiritual / hazy dreamy soundscape which hugely resonated with me. Glissando keys and harp with lush melodies, I was instantly intrigued.”  

The pair started following each other online and as luck would have it, Finn was staying in London for the summer season, so they arranged to meet. The pair instantly clicked and said it felt like they'd known each other for years. After 40 minutes of chatting, they started to jam. 

'Love In Memory' and 'Bluebell' were recorded over two days - a track a day in Oscar's SFJ studios. Laid down on mostly analogue equipment, the pair utilised Wurlitzer’s, mellotrons, and ribbon mics through Oscar’s ‘70s Studer desk. Composed and crafted without any real intentions, other than a shared appreciation for the same style of music and approach, the tracks started to take shape. The results were as lush, nostalgic and textured as you’d expect from these two brilliant musicians, with a classical feel inspired by artists such as Piero Piccioni, Piero Umiliani, and Henry Mancini. 

For the beautiful string arrangements, the pair recruited the talents of Sholto's long-time friend and collaborator Clementine Brown (Penguin Cafe Orchestra) and Matthew Hayes of 30/70, Allysha Joy, Xpress Point, Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange fame, was brought in to play bass on 'Bluebell'.

So here we have it, a chance collaborative project built on two musicians' mutual respect for each other's outputs. The result is truly breathtaking.


Finn Rees & Sholto - Bluebell

Finn Rees & Sholto - Love In Memory

🎂 Mixtape #100 by the full BPM crew @leblogdespepitesmusicales (@groove-garden-1 @vibes4yoursoul @dekalemusic @frangiparis @pamplemousserosee @oldchap-2)

Pour la 100e, on a voulu marquer le coup avec une mixtape spéciale réunissant tous les membres du collectif pour célébrer l’événement. 

For the 100th, we wanted to make it special with a mixtape featuring all the collective's members to celebrate the occasion.

Tracklist >> https://www.instagram.com/p/DOyi3BjDZy9/

Follow BPM :
> Soundcloud : @leblogdespepitesmusicales
> frangi. : @frangiparis
> dékalé : @dekalemusic
> Pamplemousse Rose : @pamplemousserosee
> Groove Garden : @groove-garden-1
> Vibes4YourSoul : @vibes4yoursoul
> Oldchap : @oldchap-2
> Facebook : www.facebook.com/leBlogdesPepitesMusicales
> Instagram : instagram.com/leblogdespepitesmusicales
> Spotify : open.spotify.com/user/bpm_
> Youtube : www.youtube.com/channel/UCrdTlhXmJseMKg_8kS-AKEw
> iOS app : apps.apple.com/fr/app/frangi/id1550449936

•••••••••••••••••••••••

Cover designed by @dekalemusic
> www.dekalestudio.com

Tracklist

tape #100 • BPM crew

Taurus – Root of Gold Ft My Music (DJ Ruction Remix)

In Orbit

Available February 24th on Wick Records (A Daptone Records Subsidiary). Pre-order at http://bit.ly/2kk1aJT.

-----------------------
WICK Records is back with a precious platter from Brooklyn stalwarts, The Jay Vons. Much like the combos of yore, The Jay Vons have built a small empire of single-only releases spread across a variety of labels from exotic lands such as Canada, Spain, and New Jersey. Now they are ready to share their catchy brand of soulful pop with the home team.

Side one boasts a hook-laden mover dressed in a cloak of Clavinet (courtesy of the incomparable Dave Amels) reminiscent of the baroque-pop leanings of The Left Banke. The bouncy groove gives way to a cheerful shuffle with a singalong hook that lands somewhere between a crisp morning and a cool afternoon.

The flip highlights the more soulful side of The Jay Vons' repertoire, with a mid-tempo number seasoned with a reverb-heavy horn line performed by Billy and Freddy of The Extraordinaires. Written in a Canadian Tavern over an afternoon of delectable consumption, the Boys find themselves pondering Man's greatest quandary: Will love tear them apart? Tunes about coming up short have never felt so right!

The Jay Vons - Want You Tomorrow

Daptone Records

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