Premiere: Natty Reeves -5:23am (Feat. Marnix FJ)

Abstraction

Music Is Healing

Calling

2 Steppin'

Buy/Stream the album here: https://orcd.co/onceagainchildren

Gather together beneath the sun as we journey through the rhythmic sands of time, Paul Hillery, an esteemed collector and vinyl hunter, presents his follow-up to the highly acclaimed ‘We Are The Children Of The Sun‘. Andrew Male of MOJO Magazine calls the album “One of the most emotionally uplifting and hazily beautiful compilations of recent years.”

“Once Again We Are The Children Of The Sun” is a shimmering collection of rare finds, reminding us that we have more to connect us than to divide us. The music encompasses a broad range of sounds, starting in Cajun country with Will & James Ragar, their handmade acoustic guitars allowing for soaring vocals. Along with many of the tracks featured on this compilation, “As the Day Grows Tired” is reissued on vinyl for the first time.

Experience the previously unreleased cover of “Milk and Honey” featuring Kat Barnard and Greg Foat, a versatile mainstay of the UK jazz scene. Discover the first-ever vinyl release of “Kayenta Crossing” by William Eaton Ensemble, capturing the austere presence of Monument Valley. Immerse yourself in Wendy Grace’s jazz-folk masterpiece “More Than Hope” and the acoustic ambience of “Golden Hour” by Aria Rostami.

Paul Hillery and BBE present a compilation of styles and genres, fusing together to make private press wants accessible as a springboard for further listening pleasures. “Once Again We Are the Children of the Sun” is an eclectic selection mixing styles, year and tempo, painstakingly gathered and presented with a great deal of love.

Cunningham Corner - Free And Easy

The popularity of Brazilian music from the 60s, 70s and 80s has experienced quite the renaissance; artists such as Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil, Arthur Verocai, Joyce et al, have become household names to an international audience passionate about global sounds. However, even for die-hard fans and collectors of Brazilian music of the past, discovering contemporary Brazilian artists is not always easy, nor accessible. But, if you know where to look, you will see that there is a resurgence well underway that can be epitomised by an exciting new wave of Brazilian artists beginning to break through and gather momentum overseas. It’s with thanks to Sound and Colours, a website devoted to promoting Latin American music and culture, that we can help shine a light on one particular collective, bursting with creativity and camaraderie.

‘Hidden Waters: Strange and Sublime Sounds of Rio de Janeiro’ is compiled by Joe Osborne (founder of specialist Brazilian music platform Brazilian Wax) and Russ Slater (editor at large of Sounds and Colours). Focusing solely on the 'Rio Scene', rather than taking on the mammoth task of tackling Brazil as a whole, this collection presents 20-plus ground-breaking artists selected from Rio’s resurgent music scene. By presenting a snapshot into the pulse of the city and the vibrant musicians that live in it, ‘Hidden Waters’ collates tracks from a wide spectrum of musical genres from the avant-garde edge to bossa nova, samba, Candomblé, lo-fi rock, jazz and funk.

‘Hidden Waters’ showcases musicians such as iconic Rio mainstays Negro Leo & Ava Rocha, Brazilian jazz upstart Antônio Neves, critically lauded Avant-pop trailblazer Thiago Nassif, breakthrough artists Ana Frango Elétrico and Letrux, lo-fi psych rocker Lê Almeida, plus the Latin Grammy-winning Bala Desejo who are set to explode onto the world stage. 

The music featured on ‘Hidden Waters’ is unequivocally Brazilian, swelling with samba, bossa nova, funk, and jazz. But it’s within the album's blend; from sunny psychedelia to dusky synth-pop via experimental electronics, that marks the compilation as the sound of modern, multicultural Rio. Fans of Brazil’s fertile 60s and 70s will spot the antecedents in Tropicália. Not only in the experimentation but also through the similar political context: back in the late 60s there was Brazil’s military dictatorship, and up until the end of 2022 it was Bolsonaro’s censorious premiership. Here are a group of musicians writing and reflecting on another colourful chapter within Brazil’s musical history.

This comprehensive compilation comes with album artwork designed by Rio music’s leading album artwork designer, Caio Paiva. It features essays by professor and music critic Bernardo Oliveira and music journalist Leonardo Lichote, plus extensive notes on each track by the artists themselves.

Joana Queiroz - Dois Litorais

Holysseus Fly releases stunning new single ’Bloom’ featuring B-side ‘Marigold’, taken from forthcoming debut EP ‘Birthpool’. ‘Bloom’ arrives on 7th July via Severn Songs.

The first song written for her debut EP, ‘Bloom’ sees Holysseus Fly taking ownership of her own creativity. Feeling a pressure in lockdown to write again after recovering from treatment for breast cancer, Holysseus sings ‘I’ll bloom when I choose to’, a statement of determination to create for only herself. Powerfully brought to life with a video shot by director Jack Lilley after her double mastectomy surgery, Holysseus Fly challenges negative perceptions of herself, taking ownership of her narrative, claiming her space and adorning her new body in paint like a living work of art.

Sentiments are echoed sonically as ‘Bloom’ progresses from a skeletal beat through to a deep, harmonically-rich drop, driven by Holysseus Fly’s captivating vocal, encompassing both strength and beautiful vulnerability.

‘Bloom’ is a remarkable window into what this stand-out artist has to offer, its breathtaking beauty will be available to all on 7th July and her debut EP ‘Birthpool’ follows later in the year on 3rd November when Holysseus Fly will also be embarking on a UK Tour.

Bloom

Interstellar Fantasy

The Lonely Robot

SOYUZ (СОЮЗ) stole our hearts back in 2022 when we released their album Force Of The Wind to critical acclaim. Here we proudly present the predecessor to that LP, the band’s sophomore long player from 2019 that was previously only available digitally. It captures a pivotal evolving period in the band's career, the recordings giving a snapshot of what would become their sound on Force Of The Wind, yet with echoes of avant-psychedelic-pop footprints from yester years.

Produced at a time when band leader Alex Chumak had moved from Minsk to Kyiv, torn between the need to try something new and the homesickness it brought about. Travelling back to Minsk almost weekly, Alex joined fellow band members Mikita Arlou and Stanislav Murashko to lay down II at Studio 42. The album captures these transient feelings, contextualised through the broad scope of influences the band were nourished by. From MPB to Ethio-Jazz and the Italian library soundtracks of Piero Piccioni and Piero Umiliani, the album shines with touches of joy from across the globe.

The opening track 'Verocai' is a tribute to the Brazilian maestro and 'Mirouze', whilst being named after a French favourite of the band, Jean-Pierre Mirouze, pays clear homage to Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges. A ghostly sample and invisible connection to music made miles away in a different era that has influenced and become part of the band’s lives. This is further reinforced in the album's enchanting closer, the aptly titled 'Nascimento', another nod to the great Brazilian musician and singer.

The beginnings of the cinematic, soul-laden jazz SOYUZ are now known for, are on display across the likes of ‘Lyric’ and 'Motive I'. The latter an orchestrated jazz instrumental with sensuous string sections, all of which were recorded on the warmth of a Studer reel-to-reel and waltzing Rhodes keys.

SOYUZ’s wide-ranging palate is further demonstrated in tracks like ‘Business Partners’ with its Krauty, kosmische, new wave production featuring Inturist, and the oh-too-short Anatolian-influenced interlude 'Corrida'. Elsewhere, 'Tezeta' and ‘ES-2 Jazz’ hint at the psychedelic haze of soul-funk, with the former featuring verses from Serbian rapper Petar Martic.

For this new physical and digital release, the whole album was mixed from scratch by Ryan Power before Joker worked his magic on the remaster. More excellence is to come from SOYUZ, but in the meantime, we are thrilled to present this essential recording from the band’s foundational years, mixed to a level that does it the justice it deserves.

SOYUZ - Verocai (Remastered)

From the debut MABUTA album 'Welcome To This World' - (Out now)
Featuring guest artist Buddy Wells on tenor sax

Log Out Shut Down (featuring Buddy Wells)

Real Time

Control

Keys and vocals @ishmaelensemble
BIRTHPOOL OUT NOW
https://holysseusfly.com

As the vocalist, co-writer and pianist with critically acclaimed collective Ishmael Ensemble (whose most recent album Visions Of Light has amassed 10 million streams), Holysseus Fly has already made a powerful impression as a solo artist. Last year’s singles, including ‘Marigold’, ‘Bloom’, and ‘Teach Me’ (which was added to the 6 Music playlist) caught the attention of everyone from BBC 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins to Annie Mac, Craig Charles, Huey Morgan, and Jamz Supernova, while her recent UK tour which took in dates in London, Manchester and Bristol to rapturous reception.

With more releases planned across the year, and work currently underway with the teams behind the likes of Madonna, Lorde, Wolf Alice, and Florence & The Machine, 2024 looks set to be another stellar year for Holysseus Fly, as she continues to cement her status as on the UK’s  most exciting new talents.

Line Of Best Fit - “her artistic blend of vulnerability and empowerment is refreshing, both untouchably glossy, yet completely approachable”

BBC 6 Music - "Breathtakingly beautiful"

METAL - “Holysseus Fly has carved her own path, one brimming with hope, and optimism”
holysseusfly@gmail.com

Bloom

Holysseus Fly

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