The Brkn Record is a new project led and produced by Jake Ferguson, the co-founder and bass player for the UK’s foundational deep jazz outfit the Heliocentrics. With fellow Heliocentrics co-founder and legendary drummer Malcolm Catto, Ferguson has been a regular collaborator with globally recognised artists including Archie Shepp, Mulatu Astatke, Melvin Van Peebles, Orlando Julius and many others.

The Architecture of Oppression Part 1 represents Ferguson’s debut as a bandleader and orchestrator, and manifests as a committed and soulful response to ongoing and systemic anti-black racism, social oppression and state violence both at home in London and across the globe. Combining poetry, testimony and song with rich and cinematic backdrops, Ferguson has produced a sui generis sound that conjures flavours of Arthur Verocai, Ennio Morricone, classic library productions, Madlib-style deep-jazz beat science, and psychedelic soul. With bandmate Malcolm Catto on drums, Ferguson draws on their long years of collaborative experience in the Heliocentrics to build an album of striking texture and depth. 

But the album does not only reflect Ferguson’s full-spectrum musical prowess, experience and vision. It is equally a manifestation of his longstanding and high-profile work as a frontline activist for racial justice and social equity in London and beyond.

Alongside Malcom Catto, contributors to the album are drawn from the intersecting worlds of community activism, cultural education, politics and music, and include singer and political activist Jermain Jackman, Zara MacFarlane; Chicagoan activist, poet and singer Ugochi Nwaogwugwu; Lee Jasper, longstanding worker for racial justice and former advisor on equalities to the Mayor of London; acclaimed performance poet Dylema; Hackney community leader Janette Collins MBE and Leroy Logan MBE, founder and former chair of the Black Police Association, and the subject of Steve McQueen’s Small Axe episode ‘Red, White and Blue’.

The Architecture of Oppression Part 1 is a singular and urgent chronicle of the black British experience, an upful expression of Pan-African creative unity and community solidarity, and a militant and unbending missive from the frontline in the great tradition of The Impressions’ This Is My Country, Irreversible Entanglements Who Sent You?, Max Roach’s We Insist - Freedom Now Suite, or Linton Kwesi Johnson’s Bass Culture.

A broken record repeats itself, and never plays through – the music is interrupted or trapped in a cycle by damage to the grooves. But The Brkn Record is a work of healing and protection, and a chance to let the full story be heard – all the way to the end, no skips.

The Brkn Record - Hackney Ain’t Innocent (feat. Yolanda Lear)

New Album 'Curiosities' Available November 12
<a href="https://bastardjazz.bandcamp.com/album/curiosities">BUY ALBUM</a> (CD, Vinyl, Digital)
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/curiosities/id732812842">BUY ON iTUNES</a>

Bastard Jazz Recordings is proud to present the sophomore album Curiosities by New Zealand multi- instrumentalist and producer Lord Echo (aka Mike Fabs). An enticing sonic excursion that effortlessly transcends genre and geography, the release finds Echo flexing his dual-mastery of 60's production techniques and modern dancefloor aesthetics, while also highlighting the vocal prowess of his soulful compatriots through a flowing blend of boogie-laced Funk, disco-primed Dub, futuristic Soul, and timeless African rhythms.

Fabs, known worldwide for his production work with NZ’s biggest Reggae export The Black Seeds, drew a groundswell of excitement around his debut solo album Melodies in late 2010. The independent release became a cult classic strictly through word-of-mouth, championed by tastemakers like Gilles Peterson (who played it repeatedly on his BBC Radio 1 show), Oliver Wang (Soulsides) and Richard Dorfmeister. Re-issues of the album soon followed in Japan and Europe, with vinyl copies quickly becoming a hot commodity among discerning collectors around the globe. Echo was introduced to Bastard Jazz’s DJ DRM in 2011 (via Detroit producer Recloose), and a limited 7” vinyl release on the Brooklyn-based imprint soon followed in 2012, precipitating this full length release with the label.

Curiosities picks up right where Melodies left off, with the sun-drenched psychedelic dub sounds of tracks like “Bohemian Idol” (featuring vocals by Toby Laing of Fat Freddy's Drop), and the jerky funk vibes of cuts like “Digital Haircut” and “Street Knowledge”. The album provides a wealth of DJ fodder, with forward thinking 70s-inspired disco tunes such as “Molten Lava” (featuring the soaring vocals of Leila Adu), as well as analog Afro-infused burners like “What Is That Feeling” and “Put It In My Head” (complemented by the golden-voiced Mara TK of Electric Wire Hustle fame). Down-home spiritual jazz/electronic meanderings ("Ghost Hands", “Arabesque”) provide a counterpoint to Echo's driving cover-version of the Pharoah Sanders & Leon Thomas classic “The Creator Has a Master Plan”. His inspiring take on the track is uplifted by the soulful singing of Lisa Tomlins (who's notable vocals on Echo’s rendition of Sister Sledge’s “Thinking Of You” made it a standout hit from his Melodies album).

The finely-tuned collaborations throughout Curiosities underscore Lord Echo's pivotal position in the thriving New Zealand music scene. "I generally only work with people I know quite well personally", says Echo humbly. That personal and organic approach to creating his music is revealed as the album unfolds, layer by delectable layer. "I made this record primarily with DJs in mind," he continues. "They are generally people who really love music and are often obsessed with various aspects of it. I'm not making music for people for whom it's just some background noise in their lives, I'm making music for people for whom it IS their lives. And for better or worse, I guess I am one of those people."

A diverse, yet grounded LP chock full of head-turning sounds, Curiosities further pushes Lord Echo’s repertoire into the realm of the inimitable, and is sure to pique the interest of discerning music lovers from down-under to the big apple.

Buy on iTunes

Lord Echo - Street Knowledge

Free The Robots (Alpha-Pup, LA) remix BT3 tune from their latest LP - TOAST 

http://butteringtrio.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS2fGLLERDE

TOAST LP

Buttering Trio - No Joke (Free The Robots Remix)

It's Friday Again!

Dinking in the Shadows of Zizou

Down River

Rivalling their legendary output from the 70’s onwards, Brazilian jazz-funk pioneers Azymuth’s latest album Fênix saw the band on top form, with their trademark samba doido (crazy samba) sounding as slick as ever. Since then, Far Out Recordings has comissioned a special one-off remix for the project, from Chicago deep-house legend Ron Trent, who has long cited Azymuth as musical heroes and one of his biggest influences. With a toughened groove and gorgeous swirls of synth and pad embelishments, Ron’s remix takes Azymuth’s futurist disco even deeper.

Fenix- Azymuth (Album Version)

NEW EP OUT NOW on My bro Sonny Daze's label D81

Grab VINYL
https://division81records.bandcamp.com/releases

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m76waO0-p1M



Beat-making wizard Radius creates a journey through the genre-morphing LSD release. Encompassing the Boom Bap of his Hip-Hop origins, To the Pulsating rhythms of House, and Techno. The LSD pt.1 and Division 81 draw profound influences from Chicago, Berlin, Brooklyn, and everywhere in between. The release features artist Lailah Reich of Dia.L, The Twilite Tone and Division 81 label owner, Sonny Daze. This Release is the first release from the Brooklyn based label. Vinyl Features extended version of Know Self Division 81 Re-Work.

LSD PT. 1

Lopotsaves (Remix of Daedelus' Sevastopol) LSD PT.1 OUT NOW!!!

A window into the full-blooded, captivating spirit of music from the Andes, ANDINA shines a fresh perspective on Peru’s multifaceted heritage. A co-release between @tigers-milk-records and @Strut Records, the album is selected from records originally released between '68 and ‘78, upending clichéd ideas of Andean music and bringing to light the divergent, exciting traditions to have emerged from Peru’s strip of the iconic mountain range. Encompassing steady-grooving, Peruvian cumbia rhythms, transcendent folkloric harp recordings and Lima big band groups taking influence from their highland neighbours, it boasts a diversity that will appeal to fans of jazz and Latin as well as tropical-minded DJs and deep-digging collectors.

ANDINA was never intended to be a definitive overview of Andean music.The selection sees the debut release of many tracks (since their original vinyl release on Peruvian labels like Iempsa, Sono Radio and El Virrey) and reflects, what we think are, the most exciting insights into Andean musical culture. Not restricted to bands based in the Andes, there are entries from outsiders, in particular from the coastal city of Lima, artists who took cues from their compatriots in the mountains. The sound most represented is that of Peruvian cumbia where groups imbued a tropical, Colombian style with Andean huayno rhythms and rock-influenced electric guitars. The album also reflects the huge numbers of traditional folk records released during this era that left a bounty of atmospheric, harp-plucked huayno and carnaval to be discovered.

An avid DJ and record collector, Martin Morales (Ceviche/Andina) has once again teamed up with Tiger’s Milk co-founder Duncan Ballantyne (former Soundway label manager) and Peruvian crate digger Andres Tapia del Rio to create a series which starts with ANDINA but will later include discoveries from the Amazon and the coast of Peru.

Reflecting on his connection to the Andes, Martin Morales remembers: “Growing up in the coastal city of Lima, it was my grandmother who kept our family’s connection to the mountains alive. Our visits to her home high up in the Andes in the province of La Libertad and the fascinating 18 hour trips we made to reach her passing through villages and towns, sounds and flavours, imparted in me a strong sense of the Andes’ traditions, creativity and rich artistic textures.” The Andes’ different cultures have resulted in a myriad of ever-evolving hybrids as shown by this collection, which opens the door onto just a few of its most fascinating musical examples.

@tigers-milk-records is part of Ceviche and Andina, launched by award-winning Peruvian chef, DJ, music and art collector and restaurateur Martin Morales in 2012. It encompasses 4 award-winning London restaurants, a record label, an art gallery and works alongside a charity called Amantani.

In October 2017 Quadrille will publish the cookbook ANDINA: The Heart of Peruvian Food, by Martin Morales:

www.hyperurl.co/AndinaCookbook

Andina

Preorder Album

Exclusive Premiere: Lucho Neves y su Orquesta "Caymenita" (Tiger's Milk Records)

Theme from 'Ranger - Portable Presents- RANGEr'

Portable Presents: RANGEr

Ranger - Bazonkonwaba

Portraits feat. Cherise

If Only feat. Ruby Wood

"Small Label Of The Year" at AIM Awards 2021. Beefing up your crates since the late 90's.