At the vanguard of Melbourne's bustling underground music scene you’ll find Surprise Chef. A band very much on the rise, who with two exceptional albums under their belts, are picking up a rapidly swelling fanbase across the world. Working out of the College of Knowledge stable (their home / studio / record label namesake), the band’s take on instrumental cinematic soul and funk has connected with listeners across multiple scenes and genres. Their intoxicatingly laidback sound, which pairs expertly crafted hooks with a seriously funky, watertight rhythm section, has earned them a wide appeal and made their tracks ripe for interpretation.

When floating ideas for potential remixers, two names came to the fore, Masters At Work and Harvey Sutherland. MAW have a long history with Mr Bongo having remixed the Brit-funk classic ‘Dancing In Outer Space’ by Atmosfear for the label in 1997, and releasing the original track, ‘Brazilian Beat’ in 2000. With their studio collaboration now back in full swing, it was the perfect time to inject the MAW magic back into the label. They picked ‘Crayfish Caper’ from the band’s first album ‘All News Is Good News’ as their choice of track to remix. The ’Nuyorican Broken Remix' sees MAW stepping into their Nuyorican Soul guise. A Latin shuffle meets an afro-beat rhythm and some very chunky broken beats, which all underpins an infectious melody constructed around the original track’s bassline. They pair this with horns and synths that add a flourish and reveal new layers as the track develops. It’s a sound that is uniquely Nuyorican Soul and a welcome return for fans of this aspect of their phenomenal output. The 'Masters At Work Remix’ is straight up vintage MAW in House mode. It takes many of the same elements found in the 'Nuyorican Broken Remix' and points things in a House direction. It’s 4/4, but the beats have that Kenny Dope trademark swing. Tough, but oozing soul. Add to that heavy bass, vocal cuts, fierce horns and saxophone, layered synths, and that undeniable MAW bounce. 

Rounding off the package is the remix from Harvey Sutherland. Having made international waves since 2013 with his unique take on dance music, Harvey has long been on Mr Bongo’s remix radar, but until now we hadn’t managed to get that ambition over the line. This time around the stars aligned perfectly. Surprise Chef and Harvey Sutherland are both Melbourne residents and they had already been working on projects together. The band set things up and Harvey chose to remix ‘New Ferrari’ from their latest album, ‘Daylight Savings’. His take on the track sees things venturing into dubby-disco territory. A dreamy, cosmic, bass-heavy, sweeping synth-led workout, that retains yet reinterprets the catchy-as-hell hooks from the original track. A roller with serious muscle!

Masters At Work & Harvey Sutherland Remixes

PREMIERE : Surprise Chef - New Ferrari (Harvey Sutherland's Weird Flex)

This fabled 11 minute+ version of Brazilian icon Joyce's groundbreaking "Feminina" was recorded at Columbia Studios, New York in 1977, for the as yet unreleased Natureza album. Produced, arranged and conducted by the great Claus Ogerman (Frank Sinatra, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Billie Holiday... the list goes on), Natureza would have ostensibly been Joyce's big break to international stardom, but mysteriously, it was never released. With Joyce came fellow Brazilian icon Mauricio Maestro, while Nana Vasconcelos and Tutty Moreno were already living in New York, and Ogerman employed North American jazz legends Joe Farrell, Michael Brecker, Buster Williams, Mike Manieri and a full orchestra for the sessions.

In anticipation of the monumental forthcoming Natureza album release via Far Out Recordings, this astonishing version of a true classic gets its first proper 12" vinyl release for Record Store Day 2022. In the spirit of making the release special for Record Store Day, rather than leave it as a single sided 12", Far Out boss called up Joyce to talk about the recording, recorded the conversation, and got it pressed onto the B-side.

Joyce - Feminina (produced, arranged and conducted by Claus Ogerman)

Today’s premiere comes from Ugly Mac Beer, who shares the bossa meets boom bap instrumental “Dolce Vita” with us. 

French producer Ugly Mac Beer, known for his contributions to the breakbeat scene and for founding Beatsqueeze Records, is releasing a new solo album titled ‘The Valley of the Kings’. 

Set for release on January 27, 2023, the album features a collection of obscure samples from around the world, repurposed into heavy boom bap instrumentals. 

With inspiration from 90s productions by genre masters such as Madlib, DJ Shadow, and RZA, the album's concept centers around the search for the ultimate and perfectly heady loop. 

A concept album, ‘The Valley of the Kings’ tells a story of a journey back to the time when the pyramids were built, and is described as Ugly Mac Beer's own "old movie about Egypt".

The Valley Of The King

Bandcamp

Exclusive Premiere: Ugly Mac Beer "Dolce Vita" (X-Ray Productions)

'Atlantis' is a smouldering jazz-funk, cinematic excursion courtesy of the Brazilian maestro, Daniel Salinas. A conductor, pianist, arranger, and producer, he has worked across several genres within Brazil’s rich musical tapestry, including the Beatles-inspired Jovem Guarda movement, jazz-funk, and MPB to name just a few. He featured on records by Franco, Célia, Perfume Azul Do Sol, Wilson Simonal, Juca Chaves and a whole host of Brazilian greats.

Released in 1973 on Top Tape Records, 'Atlantis’, features one of Salinas’ best-known recordings (at least in Europe), his much-loved interpretation of 'Also Sprach Zarathustra’ entitled 'Straussmania’. It was inspired by Eumir Deodato's global hit of the same year and went on to be adopted by various scenes becoming a classic within rare groove circles as well as amongst breaks and beats diggers.

Other highlights include the only original Salinas composed track on the album; the driving, orchestrated Brazilian groover, 'Baião', and an epic, head nod breakbeat interpretation of Donovan's folky 'Atlantis'.

Daniel Salinas - Like A Rainy Night

For Phillis Wheatley

Brownswood Recordings and The Steve Reid Foundation celebrate the life and spirit of one of the world’s greatest jazz drummers – Steve Reid – via a deluxe 12” featuring a brand new interpretation of the classic ‘Lions Of Judah’ by emanative & Ahmed Abdullah backed with a Four Tet re-edit. 

Steve Reid was an amazing drummer with a long and illustrious history that stretched from working with James Brown, Miles Davis and Fela Kuti through to his own Steve Reid Trio and more recently working with Kieran Hebden (Four Tet). He died from throat cancer in the US in April 2010 without the money for treatment that could have saved his life. 

The Steve Reid Foundation was established by Gilles Peterson in memory of his friend. The aims of the foundation are to fundraise on behalf of struggling musicians in need of help and support. All profits from the sale of the ‘Lions Of Judah’ 12” will go to the foundation.

gillespetersonworldwide.com/gilles-peterson/the-steve-reid-foundation/


Greedbag: http://brownswoodrecordings.greedbag.com/buy/lions-of-judah/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.fr/Lions-Judah-Four-Tet-Re-Edit/dp/B006A9XSJK/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1370360040&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=emanative+judah

emanative & Ahmed Abdullah - Lions Of Judah

certain things

Melbourne funk four-piece Karate Boogaloo cover a James Brown classic as part of their Christmas tribute to Soul Brother Number 1.

Part of our 2019 charity Advent Calendar in aid of War Child.

Download & Donate: http://bit.ly/Day7_Karate

All money raised through Bandcamp sales goes directly to War Child, so please give generously.

Download + Donate

Day 7: Karate Boogaloo - Doing It To Death

Honeyed soul from Sydney duo Hugh B & @setwunsound on @outertimeinnerspace.

Read more & buy: https://www.stampthewax.com/2020/05/29/premiere-hugh-b-setwun-sweet-sweet/
Listen on Youtube: https://bit.ly/otis-sweet-sweet

Yeah Definitely

Listen on Youtube

Hugh B & Setwun - Sweet Sweet (STW Premiere)

Being big fans of Contours, we are delighted to premiere his brilliant edit of "Mangroves" for Pyramid Project for ADA Records. 

Brought together by ADA label boss, Lasta, Pyramid Project finds Contours in collaboration with some of Kenya's most accomplished musicians, such as drummer Katumba, percussionists Abaki Simba Masta and Inspekta, and pianist Mutoriah. The full EP is released on November 13.

Perfect as an early dancefloor builder as well as in a Global Jazz set, Contours’ understanding of rhythm and tension really brings his edit of "Mangroves" to life.

With the original recording being a dramatic piece of Swahili Jazz, Contours uses the grittier elements of the composition to deliver an edit perfect for a cosmopolitan setting. Maintaining the driving elements of the bassline and rhythm section, the tension of the edit is developed by Contours’ synth work and a minimal choice of Mutoriah's riffs to build a more direct arrangement.

Pre-Order

Exclusive Premiere: Pyramid Project "Mangroves" (Contours Edit) (ADA Records)

'Cactus Dance' the opening single from 'III' is the distillation of the GODTET sound. Part Dub, part Funk and any other musical adjective available to categorize this uncategorizable sound. Godriguez's latin roots shine their brightest vicariously through the band on 'Cactus Dance' as his guitar playing acts as needle and thread weaving and tying the fabric of GODTET.

Out December 4th. Find out more here:
http://www.musicamacondo.com/2020/10/premiere-godtet-cactus-dance/

III - Beat Tape

Premiere: - GODTET - Cactus Dance

Record label. Record shop. Film label. Since 1989.

Daniel Salinas - Like A Rainy Night

Mr Bongo

Recent comments

Dust Down Records

Related tracks