soul final cut

The unique sounds of Ray Phiri's Stimela are showcased on this gem of a 12” EP from 1986. It was originally released only in South Africa on Gallo / CBS Records, although a 12" featuring the track 'I Hate Telling A Lie' was previously released on Plum Records in 1983. It has now become a sought-after item due to its addictive and original-sounding Balearic disco / cosmic boogie-esque nature.

Stimela were a popular and successful Mbaquanga / fusion outfit led by the guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, producer and arranger Ray Phiri; who was previously a member of the legendary band The Cannibals. The musicians would go on to gain global fame after featuring on Paul Simon's iconic 'Graceland' album and the mega tour that followed. 

Kicking off the EP is a magical track that floored us from the first moment we heard it and one that has since become a Mr Bongo firm favourite. ‘I Hate Telling A Lie’ is a slow, infectious building groove that sits somewhere between lowdown jazz-funk, soul, reggae and gospel with shades of new wave pop and Balearic. It’s a truly stunning track that is hard to pigeonhole and all the better for it. 

Another highlight from the EP is the monster instrumental, synth-boogie sound of 'I Love You'; championed by DJs such as Jeremy Spellacey (Crown Ruler). This hypnotic groove bubbles to perfection and is a slo-mo chugger extraordinaire.

Stimela - Rewind

***SAMPOLO***

New records that we sell in the <a href="http://www.mrbongo.com">shop and on the website</a>. Updated weekly.

Mr Bongo Weekly Selections

Stimela - Shaka Doo Ba

Stimela - I Love You

Stimela - Where Did We Go Wrong

Stimela - I Hate Telling A Lie

Education & Recreation

Iconoclasts

The second single to come from the ‘The Globeflower Masters Vol.2’, and with a title such as 'Moogs Over Jupiter’ it’s not only literal, but also a jumping off point that enables Mark and Glenn's musical imagination to go wild. It takes the listener on a journey covering some distance – all the way to the moon! Not just any moon, but a moon orbiting the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter. 

Mark’s Mini Moog and Jupiter 8 synthesiser are the stars of the show here, providing the perfect combination of depth and frequency to soundtrack their space-scape. Add to that some heavily effect-laden guitar from Glenn and the slow-but purposeful drive of the drums and Milo Fell’s percussion and we’re travelling without moving. 

The imagery of space travel echoes throughout this laid-back excursion. If a Moog pioneer such as Jean-Jacques Perrey had jammed with a contemporary, headsy beat-maker, the results may have been similar to this floaty as helium, cinematic, spacefaring jaunt.

Glenn Fallows & Mark Treffel - Moogs Over Jupiter

‘Glance’ is the second single to be taken from SOYUZ (COIO3) forthcoming album, ‘Force of the Wind’. It was the only song written between the sessions for the band’s previous album ‘II’ and ‘Force of the Wind’ that made it to the album in its original form. 

It’s a song inspired by measured life in the low-rise and village-like Minsk, which is the band's composer Aleksey Chumak’s hometown. It references Lo Borges' debut album and the work of Burnier e Cartier. Breezy as a summer east wind, gentle Fender Rhodes swirl, guitars sway whilst Alex's gentle ethereal vocals surf the bassline. Over too soon and akin to waking up and trying to remember a dream, the images of the song tickle away leaving you wanting more.

SOYUZ (СОЮЗ) - Glance (Мгновение)

Sounding simultaneously from the past, the present, and the future, the debut album 'MLDE' by Marxist Love Disco Ensemble seeks to eradicate both the trite from disco and the sobriety from political music. Half poetic, half tongue-in-cheek, this stunning compact eight-track album is influenced by Eastern European and Mediterranean 70s disco records. In the words of band member Paolo, ''it was written in response to hearing 'I love America' by Patrick Juvet. The song prompted the question: why does disco, a genre originally created by oppressed minorities, eventually become synonymous with Western capitalist excess?" MLDE seeks to break this connection.

Merging disco, post-disco 80s pop, and boogie into the fold, 'MLDE' was recorded using only analogue instruments, giving it warmth and space. Recorded on cassette, ½ inch tape, this gives moments of lo-fi abstraction between the beats of an aggressive, tight drum kit. Instruments used for this recording range from saxophone, trumpet, harpsichord, guitar, and rare analogue synthesisers. The bass sound is shaped by early 80s boogie records, whilst the influence of artists such as Hamlet Minassian can be heard in some of MLDE's more driving-disco outings, such as 'Hues of Red'. In the tradition of Soviet vocal group records, which the band has studied, some songs are sung by a vocal quartet in homage to this tradition. 

Tracks such as '1905' and 'Brumaire' have a greater pop aesthetic, with Paolo's vocal style on these more pop-driven songs evoking early 80s bands such as Orange Juice and Chas Jankel. 

The format and message of pop and disco are commonly viewed just to entertain and move bodies around a dancefloor; however, lyrically, the subjects range from dialectical and historical materialism, class struggle, Marxist theory and praxis, as well as the concept of Marxist disco music. 

Adding the icing to the cake, mastering don Joker aka Liam McLean dusted the album with his magic, giving the songs space where the room is needed, as well as the kick and punch demanded by the modern dancefloor.