Over the last few years, NuNorthern Soul has established a number of traditions, most notably annual releases that provide a snapshot of the label’s output while also considering their suitability for certain seasons. Perhaps the most popular is founder Phil Cooper’s Summer Selections series, which each year showcases warm and sunny gems mined from a range of forthcoming releases.

The 2021 edition of the sampler, the third in total, may well be the best yet. Six tracks deep and as subtly varied as you’d expect, the entertaining set features tracks from a mixture of exciting newcomers, experienced producers and long-time members of the NuNorthern Soul family.

To kick things off, Cooper introduces us to Marshall Watson, an American producer who later in the year will release two five-track EPs on the label. ‘A Door To The Sky’, which will feature on the Sunsets On Larkin Part 1 EP, is sumptuously sun-kissed, with delay-laden electric guitar textures and sparkling electronics reclining over a tactile electronic groove. Lova’s ‘Echoes of Memories’, the track that follows, recalls the atmospheric, synthesizer-sporting new age Balearica popularised by Quiet Force in the late 1980s. The Italian producer was signed after bringing a USB stick of productions to one of Phil Cooper’s gigs in Ibiza; his Gypsophilia EP will be one to check when it drops later in the year.

GusK’s ‘Sketch #4 - Anafi Nights’ is seductive and exotic. It’s a crackling and atmospheric musical painting that daubs starry stabs and yearning melodies atop a bubbly, lo-fi drum machine beat. It provides a perfect snapshot of the Greek musician’s Mediterranean Sketches EP, which gathers together home recordings made between 1997 and 2003. 

Arguably even more immersive and enveloping is ‘Aqua Blancas Sunrise’ by Tambores En Benirras, the musical project of Cumbrian selector DJ Gripper. A slow-burning delight full of intricate musical flourishes –think drifting female vocalizations, Indian-influenced percussion, twinkling pianos and haunting clarinet motifs – the track is one of the many highlights on the Barrow in Furness-based producer’s forthcoming debut album for NuNorthern Soul.

To round things off, Cooper has chosen to offer-up cuts from two very experienced artists. George Solar (real name Georg Boskamp) is an Ibiza-based German producer who has been collaborating and releasing music since the late 1980s. ‘Infrared’, his contribution to Summer Selections 3, is a languid and glassy-eyed slab of slow-motion Balearic dub. His Los Rayos Del Sol EP will be one to look out for later in the year and is his debut solo release.

The sampler’s final missive fittingly comes from long-time friend of the family B.J Smith, a regular contributor to NuNorthern Soul releases who has reunited with Huw Costin – a vocalist he previously worked with on Smith & Mudd releases for Claremont 56 – for a double A-side single due later in 2021. ‘Sun When You Come’ is as warming and hazy as you’d expect and features Costin’s emotive, reverb-laden vocals and mazy electric piano solos rising above a suitably horizontal groove. It provides a stunning, sunset-ready conclusion to another superb set of Summer Selections.

Track Listing

Marshall Watson - A Door In The Sky 7m 06s
(Taken from Sunsets On Larkin Part 1 EP NUNS033D)

Lova - Echoes Of Memories 7m 02s
(Taken from Gypsophila EP NUNS035D)

GusK - Sketch #4 Anafi Nights 6m 38s
(Taken from Mediterranean Sketches [Home Recordings 1997 - 2003] EP NUNS037D)

Tambores En Benirras - Aguas Blancas Sunrise 6m 54s
(Taken from Orbe Dotado LP NUNS039D)

George Solar - Infrared 4m 16s
(Taken from Los Rayos Del Sol EP (NUNS040D)

B.J. Smith & Huw Costin - Sun When You Come 6m 32s
(Taken from Sun When You Come / Shinrin-Yoku NUNS041D)

LOVA - Echoes Of Memories

Dario Aiello’s first EP for NuNorthern Soul as My Friend Dario, Cosmic Sailing, was one of the label’s most inspired releases of 2020 – a six-track musical voyage into the unknown that cannily combined elements of Balearic disco, ambient, turn-of-the-90s Italian dream house, horizontal jazz-funk and colourful synth-boogie.

With such strong musical motifs and instrumentation to work with, NuNorthern Soul boss Phil Cooper decided to ask some well-established producers and friends-of-the family to put their own spin on the Sicilian producer’s EP. The result is Cosmic Sailing Remixed, a four-track set of reworks that takes Aiello’s mesmerising, atmospheric and enveloping cuts to whole new musical places.

Crazy P’s Chris Todd dons his now familiar Hot Toddy guise for an EP-opening revision of ‘Neve Su Acireale’. Todd makes the most of Aiello’s Pat Metheny style jazz guitar motifs, teasing the track in via an ambient intro that recalls both the Orb’s earliest singles and Steve Reich classic ‘Electric Counterpoint’. After building tension through loose-limbed, progressively more intense drum fills, Todd unleashes a glorious Balearic disco groove that carries the track forwards towards a blissful conclusion.

Cosmic Sailing Remix EP

Neve Su Acireale (Hot Toddy Remix)

BUY or STREAM

My Friend Dario - Neve Su Acireale (Hot Toddy Remix) SAMPLER [NUNS037]

Dario Aiello’s first EP for NuNorthern Soul as My Friend Dario, Cosmic Sailing, was one of the label’s most inspired releases of 2020 – a six-track musical voyage into the unknown that cannily combined elements of Balearic disco, ambient, turn-of-the-90s Italian dream house, horizontal jazz-funk and colourful synth-boogie.

With such strong musical motifs and instrumentation to work with, NuNorthern Soul boss Phil Cooper decided to ask some well-established producers and friends-of-the family to put their own spin on the Sicilian producer’s EP. The result is Cosmic Sailing Remixed, a four-track set of reworks that takes Aiello’s mesmerising, atmospheric and enveloping cuts to whole new musical places.

Those seeking extremely immersive, mood-enhancing music will be thrilled by Blair French’s tactile, sunrise-ready take on ‘Malvisa’. The Detroit-based musician and soundtrack composer draws heavily on the kaleidoscopic but mellow synthesizer textures of Aiello’s original version while continually adding new layers of percussion and electronic melodies. The result is a swirling, calming remix that should delight home listeners and slow-motion dancers alike.

My Friend Dario - Malvasia (Blair French Remix) SAMPLER [NUNS037]

This is a 5 minute sampler of the 10 minute extended Ruf Dug edit that is on the vinyl reissue.

Bandcamp pre-order
https://mynunorthernsoul.bandcamp.com/album/tabu-re-issue-with-ruf-dug-edit


Bianca Binky only ever made a handful of records, the majority of which have long been forgotten by all but the most dedicated fans of late-‘80s European synth-pop and crossover house. ‘Tabu’, her final solo single from 1990, is different: a gorgeous, tactile chunk of piano-sporting Balearic house from the time when dancing under the stars at Amnesia was a rite of passage for clubbers from all over Europe, has undoubtedly stood the test of time. Something of a sought-after classic, with keen collectors willing to spend hundreds of Euros on an original 12” single, ‘Tabu’ remains a loved-up, life-affirming dance-floor gem.

It also happens to be a firm favourite of NuNorthern Soul founder Phil Cooper, who has gone to great lengths to produce a deluxe reissue of the hard-to-find Balearic anthem. Original producer Felix B Mangione, head of Blanco Y Negro Records, had long since lost the original master tapes, so Cooper flew from Ibiza to Barcelona to pick up one one of the only mint copies still available, before forwarding high-quality digital transfers on to Robin Lee for remastering.

The results speak for themselves. The original mix, a breezy, sun-soaked fusion of synthesised marimba melodies, spine-tingling piano riffs, dreamy chords, Chicago-style TB-303 bass and Binky’s sensual spoken word vocals, naturally opens proceedings, and is joined on the A-side of the 12” by the original, alternative ‘House Mix’ – more club-friendly version that beefs up the beats, emphasises the undulating bass=line and offers occasional blasts of spacey synth.

This reissue edition also includes an exclusive, never-before-heard re-edit of the legendary ‘Caribbean Dub’ – first featured on the flip-side of the original release – from Manchester’s finest, Ruf Dug. Tough, effects-laden, bass-heavy and positively epic, Ruffy’s version is arguably the ultimate version of a piano-laden, TB-303 driven Balearic house classic: ten minutes of rising and falling, saucer-eyed dance-floor bliss that’s surely destined to be one of the most-played tracks of summer 2022.

Bianca - Tabu (Ruf Dugs Extended Caribbean Dub) Sampler [NUNS044]

Pete Herbert has done a little edit of his own around the Ron Basejam rework of Ragz Nordsets 'You Started It All' - Original remixes available here -http://mynunorthernsoul.bandcamp.com/album/sleepdancing-remixes

Original Remixes Here

Ragz Nordset 'You Started It All - Ron Basejam Rework PH Vox edit

LUZ - KEN FAN REMIX

LUZ - BEACH MESSIAH REMIX

This summer, NuNorthern Soul celebrates its tenth birthday via the release of a lusciously packaged vinyl box set. After that, there’s the small matter of the label’s 50th release, a gorgeous, download-only EP from Bali-based Joey Fitzgerald AKA Gold Suite. Given that NNS was based for many years in Bali, and Fitzgerald and label boss Phil Cooper are old friends, it seems a fitting way to notch up half a century of releases.

Fitzgerald scored something of an underground hit with his self-released debut EP as Gold Suite, Hideaway – a set of tracks that Mixmag Asia praised to the hilt and ended up reaching Bandcamp’s list of bestsellers following its release in the spring of 2021. It was by no means his first foray into production – he’d previously delivered a handful of well-regarded edits and remixes – but it signalled a new chapter in the career of a DJ/producer who was previously better known for soundtracking sunsets and late night audio excursions at such iconic Bali venues as Potato Head Beach Club, 40 Thieves, Karma Beach and Mano Beach House.

The four tracks showcased on the On My Horizon EP do a terrific job in distilling his influences and inspirations into a colourful, sunset-ready and undeniably Balearic personal style that avoids easy categorization.

He begins with ‘The Cowboy’, a head-nodding and hazy chunk of dub-fired downtempo brilliance rich in warming bass, glistening guitar licks, spacey synth sounds and tropical lead lines, before brilliantly joining the dots between mid-‘80s Mediterranean synth-pop, relaxed nu-disco and Jose Padilla style Balearica on the kaleidoscopic wonder that is ‘Blue Lagoon’.

As the EP progresses, Fitzgerald skips merrily towards the dancefloor whilst retaining the inherently hot and humid atmosphere that marks out his music. ‘Slip On’ is a killer slab of Balearic boogie piled high with delay-laden drum machine hits, dreamy pads, undulating synth-bass and BB&Q Band keyboard riffs, while ‘On My Horizon’ sees Fitzgerald charge towards peak-time dancefloors via a mixture of weighty, Idjut Boys-esque dub disco grooves, flash-fried funk-rock licks and jangling, Gunfight at the O.K Corral guitars. Daniele Baldelli would approve.

As well as being NuNorthern Soul’s 50th release, On My Horizon is also the latest volume in the label’s Myths of Ibiza series – a set of eight EPs to be released throughout 2022, each of which features bespoke artwork from Ibiza-based illustrator Emily McGuinness. Her images for Myths of Ibiza all draw inspiration from folkloric tales of the White Isle. Depicted on the front of Gold Suite’s first NuNorthern Soul EP is “the familiar”, a mythical small goblin born from the stem of an herb that legend says only grows on the night of San Juan, under the old bridge of Santa Eulària des Riu. According to locals, if you manage to pick one of the short-lived plants and take one of its stems, it will come to life and turn into “the familiar”.

THE COWBOY

SLIP ON

ON MY HORIZON

BLUE LAGOON

Ever since he remixed Abimaro & The Free’s ‘Mark’ back in 2014, NuNorthern Soul boss Phil Cooper has kept in touch with Daniel Stenger, the producer and self-taught multi-instrumentalist behind the Flashbaxx project. Cooper was always convinced that Sanger would be capable of crafting a very special release for the label but was willing to give him time to come up with something special.

With Take Care My Friend, a mini-album inspired by the German producer’s deeply rooted love of jazz-funk, Stenger has repaid the faith shown in him. He’s delivered a collection of quality cuts marked out by audible warmth, effortless musicality and memorable, sun-soaked songs.

As he makes clear in the liner notes included with the vinyl version of the mini album, the project began with the recording of luscious, Rhodes-laden opener ‘Alright’. After staying up all night recording the track, Stenger not only decided to continue recording with the same relatively limited set of instruments (think bass and electric guitars, drums, piano, electric piano, organ, hand percussion and a handful of synthesizers), but also stick to a hybrid sound that added a subtle Latin shuffle to his Balearic-minded take on jazz, funk and soul fusion.

We’re biased of course, but there’s no denying that Stenger’s creative choices have resulted in a superb set of tracks. While the restricted kit list provided focus during the music-making process, there’s still plenty of musical variety across the six tracks that make up the set. 

For proof, compare and contrast the jazzy, loose-limbed headiness of ‘It Just Happens’, where simmering synth-strings, twinkling melodic motifs and glistening guitar licks rise above smooth jazz-funk bass and a gentle broken beat rhythm, and the slow-motion soul brilliance of ‘Strangers’, where Kathryn Kempf’s evocative and poignant lead vocals rise above a sumptuous downtempo groove and heart-aching piano lines.

This subtly varied but musically coherent vibe continues across the mini album. Stenger indulges in a bit of New York daydreaming on ‘Brooklyn Love Boat’, a wonderfully musically detailed chunk of 1970s style jazz-funk heat that offers knowing nods to Roy Ayers, Herbie Hancock and the jazz-fusion stylings of Azymuth, before opting for a deeper, slower and even more seductive sound on the Hammond-sporting bliss of ‘Take Care My Friend’.

Closing cut ‘City Lights’, a gorgeous, soft-focus affair smothered in echoing Rhodes riffs and immersive chords, has the feel of an underground classic in waiting: a stirring, string-drenched future sing-along whose emotion-packed lyrics are delivered brilliantly by Glasgow-born singer/songwriter Chris Pookah. 

Despite the song’s subject matter – the painful final breakdown of a relationship – there’s something strangely uplifting about the combination of Pookah’s pitch-perfect vocal delivery and the absorbing warmth of Stenger’s comforting and sonically detailed music. It provides a fittingly impressive finish to a mightily immersive mini album.

BUY HERE

ALRIGHT

***RELEASED 21st JULY ON NUNORTHERN SOUL RECORDS***

A little over a year ago NuNorthern Soul brought you BJ Smith's gorgeous cover versions of two Hip Hop classics. Last time out he tackled Mos Def’s  ‘Umi Says’ which Gilles Peterson proclaimed as the ‘soundtrack to sunsets for years to come’ and The Pharcydes ‘Runnin’ Away’; this time he is bringing his unique touch to the recently-reunited Outkast.

Andre 3000 and Big Boi are hitting the festival circuit during the summer; this celebration of their greatest work should tide you over until they get back into the studio. And would they approve of these two radical re-interpretations of their music? We like to think so, see what you think.


BJ Smith - Hey Ya!

Cover versions are always at their best when they take the original song to places it never went before, which this version of Hey Ya! most certainly does. Imagine Adventure Time's Jake and Finn bursting out into song and what comes out of their animated mouths just happens to be a cover of Outkast's most enduring hit 'Hey Ya'. If sunshine could be captured on vinyl, it would sound like this.

Starting with an acoustic guitar, Hey Ya! builds into a rich collage that goes through folk, onto balearic and bounces to a close with a reggae groove. It is best enjoyed at sunset or sunrise with a cool drink in hand.


BJ Smith - Prototype

Prototype is made for Mr Smith's style; essentially it always was a wistful, dream-like folky number. However, after a fairly faithful start, things eventually end up in a very different place as this version becomes a fuller, more wholesome experience.

BJ Smith takes it right out of Atlanta folk territory and into Philly Soul with brass stabs, string sweeps and keys supplementing the already gorgeous bassline. Extra harmonies and playful guitars also add to the heady, '70s style. Later in the track it is the 1990s that provides the inspiration as the familiar brass riff from the early Outkast classic SpottieOttieDopaliscious makes a very welcome appearance, a moment any hip hop connoisseur will relish.

Early Support...

KEV BEADLE, SunCeBeat, SPW, Mindfluid, UK - So good to see the very talented BJ Smith is back turning two more heavyweight hip hop tracks on their head and taking them off on a folk/soul tangent again. Big music for summer '14 Played on Mindfluid 17th June 2014 http://bit.ly/1piixVh

LEFTO, Belgium - Prototype is the one!

ALFREDO, Ibiza Legend - I really love it both of the tracks and this is a serious statement! Great versions, I like so much the Brazilian feeling on them…

STEVE COBBY, Fila Brazillia, UK - Interesting, I like the interpretations. Not what I expected. Very easy on the ear.

DOM SERVINI, WahWah45, UK - the new BJ Smith is outstanding! Will be smashing that at Southern Soul this year!!!!

BILL BREWSTER, DJHistory.com UK - I really love a cover version that turns a tune on its head... I really rate this... Thats got Sunsets at Cafe Del Mar written all over it. (Hey Ya!)

JON OLIVER, The Main Ingredient Radio Show, NYC, USA - Played on 17th June 2014 http://bit.ly/1ilKElF

QUNICY JOINTZ, Germany - Very nice.

KET SHAH, Mucho Soul, Back2BackFM, UK - Prototype is incredible.

EMA NOSURAK, UK - BIG BIG BIG !!!!!! Have passed over to Craig Charles’ radio team.. I’m supporting ! 

ANDY TAYLOR, We Are Sunset, UK - These sound great. Ben's a top musician - Every project he gets involved with is pretty special.

MARK MILZ, Further In Fusion, Germany - Lovin’ It!!!

GRAEME PARK, UK - Lovely stuff…

MARK 'CHINNEY' DAVIS, Cowbell Radio, Alfesco Festival, Blackpool, UK - Got to admit when I saw 'Hey Ya!' my eyes rolled, refreshingly good though and will defo play next time I am on air and give it a big plug.

PAUL KAMINSKI, Birmingham, UK - It's really hard to pick a favourite out of these 2 as they are both just awesome! I'll definitely be playing these all summer.

Buy HERE

BJ Smith 'Dedications to the Greats part 2' [OutKast Covers] Sampler

Over the course of a 19-year career, Marshall Watson has released all manner of musical treats for a similarly wide array of labels, yet it’s the effortless beauty of his downtempo works – and particularly his ambient and Balearic excursions – that have often left a lasting impression.

It certainly caught the attention of NuNorthern Soul founder Phil Cooper, who brought the West Coast producer to the label in the summer of 2021. That EP, Sunsets on Larkin Parts 1 & 2, was undeniably special. The same can be said about his belated return to the label, Foothills, an EP packed to the rafters with slow-burn melodies, sustained chords, becalmed textures and gently unwinding grooves.

Watson’s distinctive take on Balearic naturally comes to the fore on EP opener ‘High Desert’, a soft-focus delight where languid electric guitars, starry electric piano lines, echoing chords and gently pulsing electronics stretch out across a shuffling groove. While tailor-made for watching the sun set off his beloved Pacific Coast – and over the Mediterranean Sea – ‘High Desert’ offers a dose of hazy sonic sunshine that can brighten up even the greyest of days.

Fittingly, the accompanying remix comes from long-time friends of the label Seahawks, whose textured, layered and atmospheric productions similarly blur boundaries between Balearic, ambient, pitched-down dancefloor grooves and glassy-eyed psychedelia. Employing opaque, shape-shifting pads, effects-laden guitars, subtle spoken word snippets and yearning, almost melancholic chords – all atop a crunchy, head-nodding beat and toasty bassline – the duo deliver a remix that’s as emotive and sonically stunning as Watson’s original mix.

The EP’s three other tracks amply demonstrate the subtle variety within Watson’s downtempo output. Vocalist Julie Childe makes her mark on ‘Sweet Sounds’, a brilliant blend of warming deep house and laidback Balearic nu-disco that sports subtle hints to his work as one half of synthwave duo Causeway, while ‘Open Sky’ brilliantly wraps undulating TB-303 acid lines and echoing Spanish guitars around a hypnotic, locked-in dancefloor groove. 

Then there’s ‘The Landscape’, a deliciously saucer-eyed slab of breakbeat-powered, TB-303-sporting genius that evokes the immersive, early morning waviness of the ambient house era, the beach party psychedelia of San Francisco’s free party movement, and the bleeping wonder of turn-of-the-90s UK dance music. Like the rest of the EP, it’s an enveloping, head-soothing and mind-expanding treat.

High Desert SAMPLER

Robin Lee (Faze Action) and Ed Begley combine for this West Coast soft psych extravaganza...

Details - http://bit.ly/NUNS006-Bandcamp

Buy here

Dos Palos 'I've Been Around' [NUNS006]**

Robin Lee (Faze Action) and Ed Begley combine for this West Coast soft psych extravaganza.

Details - http://bit.ly/NUNS006-Bandcamp

Dos Palos 'Lady Of The Westway' [NUNS006]**

Throughout 2022, NuNorthern Soul unveiled a swathe of releases under the Myths of Ibiza banner – a set of digital-only EPs featuring cover artwork by illustrator Emily McGuinness, based on her interpretations of folkloric stories from the Balearic Isles. Now the series is set for its’ belated epilogue, courtesy of North of the Island – the Balearic-minded alter-ego of long-serving Mancunian DJ/producer Neil Scott.

The Feeling Free EP, which features additional production and mixing from PBR Streetgang’s Bonar Bradberry, was originally scheduled for release last year, but major changes in Scott’s life – not least a move to Australia, where the nu-disco scene stalwart now resides – meant pushing it back until he had time to finish the tracks. It was a shrewd move, because the EP now contains some of Scott’s most magical, kaleidoscopic and atmospheric original productions to date.

Proof arrives immediately via opener ‘Sioux You’, a gorgeous mixture of stirring, melancholic synth chords (think Pet Shop Boys’ ‘West End Girls’ and you’re close), deep sub-bass, lilting lead lines, head-nodding drums and layers of Latin-tinged percussion. It’s a terrifically tactile affair that adds a shuffling, sunset-ready lens to Scott’s vibrant, nu-disco-influenced trademark sound.

It's followed by ‘I Feel’, a squelchy, slow-motion, delay-laden nod to synthesiser and drum machine-driven Balearic gems of the 1980s that first featured on NuNorthern Soul’s Summer Selections Four EP this time last year. Blessed with the boldest of synth basslines, authentic drum machine percussion and effects aplenty, it’s an impressive slab of nostalgic retro-futurism.

Scott reaches for glossy, near huggable FM synth melodies on the gorgeous ‘System Junk’, slowly and subtly building up a loved-up groove laden with intergalactic electronics, head-nodding drums, shimmering riffs and a yearning, rising and falling bassline. Even better is astonishing closing cut ‘Tired Sunrise’, a slowly unfurling dusk soundscape rich in clicking drums, yawning pads, echoing effects, blissful synth sounds and the most impeccable of piano solos. It feels like a future Balearic classic.

Emily McGuinness’s cover artwork for the release depicts Hierbas Ibicencas, the “famous spirit of Ibiza” made of local herbs. Hierbas Ibicencas can trace its roots back to monks who lived on Ibiza in the Middle Ages. They grew wild herbs and once preserve them in alcohol, with the resulting liquid being used as a medicinal remedy. According to tradition, Hiberas Ibicencas can only be made with an odd number of herbs – which should preferably be gathered on the morning after a full moon, before the day of San Juan, to guarantee good luck and “add some extra magic to the potion”.

BUY ON BANDCAMP

3 NOTI - Sysytem Junk SAMPLER

2 NOTI - I Feel SAMPLER

1 NOTI - Sioux You SAMPLER

12" vinyl and digital release.

On its’ release in November 2022, Daniel Stenger’s debut mini-album as Flashbaxx, Take Care My Friend, won plenty of plaudits for its’ enticing blend of jazz-funk instrumentation, audible warmth, effortless musicality, and memorable, sun-soaked songs. Now the set returns in remixed and reworked form, with a sextet of artists taking it in turns to put a new spin on the German producer’s carefully crafted and immaculately executed tracks.

The six-cut vinyl version boasts two revisions that have already made waves on digital download: a genuinely life-affirming hip-hop-soul take on ‘Strangers’ courtesy of East Midlands’ maestro Atjazz, where Katherine Kempf’s smouldering lead vocals rise above head-nodding beats, woozy electric piano chords, yearning horn arrangements and smooth bass guitar, and a sublime Moods mix of ‘Love Boat’ that re-frames the track as a languid, groove-fired shuffle through Balearic jazz-funk territory.

The other four reworks, which are exclusive to this EP, are similarly inspired. Chris Pookah collaboration ‘City Lights’ is given the remix treatment not once, but twice. First NuNorthern Soul regulars Mike Salta and Mortale re-imagine the track as a gently breezy, dusk-ready blend of bouncy, samba-influenced grooves and colourful Balearic nu-disco, before BJ Smith – the first artist to release music on Phil Cooper’s imprint way back in 2012 – takes the track into semi-acoustic, blue-eyed-soul-meets-Balearic jazz-funk territory. Gentle, tactile and vibrant, it’s a stunning, soul-stirring revision.

To round off the EP, two producers renowned for creating atmospheric, sunrise-ready soundscapes deliver their versions of Stenger’s kaleidoscopic, musically rich aural visions. Marshall Watson handles ‘Alright’, smothering a languid, slow-motion drum machine beat in jazzy double bass, delay-laden electric piano motifs, lazy jazz guitars, rising synth strings and the dreamiest of pads. 

Then, to round things off in considerable style, Tambores En Benirras reworks title track ‘Take Care My Friend’, teasing out the track’s inherent musical colour and warmth whilst adding his own distinctive spin. Pleasingly hard to pigeonhole, his remix makes extensive use of deep, dubby bass, Latin-style percussion, leisurely beats, blossoming synth sounds and all manner of effects-laden instrumental flourishes – including guitar solos that recall some of Dave Gilmour’s most laidback, eyes-closed moments. It provides a genuinely brilliant conclusion to an effortlessly impressive set of remixes.

Flashbaxx - Strangers [Atjazz Remix] SAMPLER

As we come to the end of the summer we announce POSTA DE SOL which is SUNSET in Catalan.
Its a collection of tracks, some exclusives, some sneak peaks at whats to come, and some bits and pieces from the back catalogue.

Artists features include Flashbaxx, George Solar, B.J. Smith, One Half of Bent, North of the Island, Zeynep Erbay, Tambores En Benirras, LOVA, Joan Biblioni, & Sól. And includes remixes and reworks by Flowriginator, Chris Coco, Marshall Watson, JIM & Ken Fan.

Its a CD, yes a CD, something for you to hold, touch, something tangible and something we can get creative with. This is a very limited run.

Season One, and we hope there will be many more is curated and mixed by label boss Phil Cooper and NuNorthern Soul artist, Tambores En Benirras

BUY NOW

10 Sól - Rayo De Luz [Ken Fan Remix] SAMPLER

09 Joan Biblioni - Badia On​í​rica [JIM Instrumental Version] SAMPLER

08 LOVA - Art Of Kintsugi [SAMPLER]

07 Tambores En Benirras - Mi Sueño Vive En Reverb [SAMPLER]

06 Zeynep Erbay - Healer Whale [Marshall Watson Beatless Remix] SAMPLER

05 North of the Island - Tired Sunrise [SAMPLER]

04 One Half of Bent - Lament [Beatless Mix] SAMPLER

03 B.J. Smith - Big Sur [Stripped Mix] SAMPLER

02 George Solar - UV [Chris Coco Sundown Dub] SAMPLER

01 Flashhbaxx - Take Care My Friend [Flowriginator Remix] SAMPLER

Ben Smith return with a raft of solo material after his debut release on NuNorthern Soul back in 2012. The Movedrill projects saw Ben weave between rock and folk roots and this latest projects sees Ben push the folk sound he has become known and respected for. Renown as a multi instrumentalist B.J. Smith is perhaps best known for his wonderful ‘Dedications to the Greats’ release which have seen him cover Mos Def, The Pharcyde and OutKast in his own unique style, Ben is also half of Balearic super duo, Smith & Mudd and one third of White Elephant with Jim and Chris from Crazy P.

This release forms part of a series of x3 12”s and will include mixes from Jonny Nash and A Man Called Adam.

Between Ship and Shore is a selection of folk songs that Ben has been crafting between his London home and summers spent in Cornwall and the results speak for themselves. One man and his guitar and his tales of time spent by the wonderful coastline of the South West of the UK and a hint of the Scottish Highlands.

JJ Cale, Terry Callier and John Martyn all influence and inspire Ben, and this is apparent in his subtle yet powerful tales.

'Hold On To It' utilises Ben's harmonious vocals and guitar playing skills to set the mood and building towards the main body of the track which unleashes a barrage of drums and percussion, the calm before the storm one might say, while the nagging vocal refrain of ‘Hold On To It’ urges the listener to do just that… 

'We Can Sail’ once again see’s Ben show his great vocal skills, this sublime relaxed outing washes around the listeners like the gentle waves lapping the shore. Ben adds brass stabs and harmonies that take this tracks soaring into the blue skies and adding plenty of space to allow it to soar and swirl like a gull on the sea breeze.

Jonny Nash takes ‘Hold On To It’ and adds his unique and prestigious style to proceedings, creating an ambient journey of early morning fog bound coastlines with haunting guitar work that ebbs and flows like the tide and adding off kilter, muted vocals to create the erie ambience of solitude and calm.

B.J. Smith Hold On To It Jonny Nash Remix [NUNS007A]

***Released on the 20th July limited edition 180 gram vinyl and digital***

Ben Smith return with a raft of solo material after his debut release on NuNorthern Soul back in 2012. The Movedrill Projects saw Ben weave between rock and folk roots and this latest projects sees Ben push the folk sound he has become known and respected for. Renown as a multi instrumentalist, B.J. Smith is perhaps best known for his wonderful ‘Dedications to the Greats’ release which have seen him cover Mos Def, The Pharcyde and OutKast in his own unique style, Ben is also half of Balearic super duo, Smith & Mudd and one third of White Elephant with Jim and Chris from Crazy P.

This release forms part of a series of x3 12”s and will include mixes from Jonny Nash and A Man Called Adam.

Between Ship and Shore is a selection of folk songs that Ben has been crafting between his London home and summers spent in Cornwall and the results speak for themselves. One man and his guitar and his tales of time spent by the wonderful coastline of the South West of the UK and a hint of the Scottish Highlands.

JJ Cale, Terry Callier and John Martyn all influence and inspire Ben, and this is apparent in his subtle yet powerful tales.

'Hold On To It' utilises Ben's harmonious vocals and guitar playing skills to set the mood and building towards the main body of the track which unleashes a barrage of drums and percussion, the calm before the storm one might say, while the nagging vocal refrain of ‘Hold On To It’ urges the listener to do just that… 

'We Can Sail’ once again see’s Ben show his great vocal skills, this sublime relaxed outing washes around the listeners like the gentle waves lapping the shore. Ben adds brass stabs and harmonies that take this tracks soaring into the blue skies and adding plenty of space to allow it to soar and swirl like a gull on the sea breeze.

NuNorthern Soul welcomes Jonny Nash to the label as he takes on ‘Hold On To It’ and adds his unique and prestigious style to proceedings, creating an ambient journey of early morning fog bound coastlines with haunting guitar work that ebbs and flows like the tide and adding off kilter, muted vocals to create the erie ambience of solitude and calm.
For those that are not familiar with Jonny’s outputs, he is a musician and label owner and specialises in his unique guitar playing and sound. As one half of ‘Land of Light’ with Kyle Martin their debut album in 2012 reached critical acclaim. He has also released tracks on the Music From Memory label and collaborated with artists such as Tornado Wallace and he also runs his own imprint, Melody As Truth.

Buy on Bandcamp

B.J. Smith Between Ship and Shore Part One Sampler [NUNS007A]

A cover of Mos Def's classic track 'Umi Says'. Originally released January 2013.

B.J. Smith - Umi Says [10 Year Anniversary Limited Edition Red Vinyl]

We are eclectic, we are not a SOUL music label, but a label for music with SOUL.

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