BBE Music is thrilled to announce the release of Modern Love, a diverse compendium of specially commissioned cover versions of rarities and classics in tribute to David Bowie.

Featuring an array of artists such as Jeff Parker, We Are KING, Meshell Ndegeocello, Helado Negro, Khruangbin, Matthew Tavares, Nia and more, Modern Love seeks to champion Bowie’s lesser-known connection to soul, R&B, jazz, funk, and gospel. The prominent jazz influences throughout Bowie’s final album, Blackstar, were a key inspiration for curating this collection of reimagined Bowie songs with these artists. The resulting album is an eclectic tribute featuring a group of artists who not only fit together creatively, but who, like Bowie, straddle different worlds musically, with soul and jazz at their core.

Modern Love offers a fresh look at Bowie’s trailblazing career, aiming to highlight the often overlooked relationship between his back catalogue and musical genres traditionally pioneered by artists of color. The project was curated by music executive and DJ Drew McFadden, alongside BBE Music founder Peter Adarkwah. “I felt that the connection between Bowie and R&B, jazz, funk, gospel and all things soulful, had never really been explored before — at least not so much in covers, which tend to lean more towards rock and pop,” says McFadden. “Certainly, there’s been plenty of Bowie covers over the years, but none that have really tapped into what seems to have been a big part of his core musical
style and direction.”

Modern Love is an interactive sonic map. Here, seventeen artists make their way into the varied regions of his sundry catalog and circle back with seventeen unique re-imaginings of both his cornerstone and lesser-known tracks. Some, in atmosphere, feel like a sly alternate take from original sessions (Khruangbin’s ethereal, funk infused version of “Right” from Young Americans); others nod at the source, then wink before diving into the deep waters of another musical stratosphere (Sessa’s sexy Tropicalia-drenched “Panic in Detroit” from Aladdin Sane). Still others take tunes down to the studs and then re-arrange the moody interiors: Meshell Ndegeocello’s pensive “Fantastic Voyage” from Lodger and Tavares’ clever take on “Heroes” which is restructured into a kinetic hardbop-esque backdrop, fronted by ice-cool, held-back vocals. The bullseye these artists aim for is Bowie’s fearlessness. “Fame was an incredible bluff that worked,” he once reflected. “Very flattering. I’ll do anything until I fail. And when I succeed I quit too.”

Modern Love packs us off on a journey that balances on risk’s sharp blade. Track-to-track, it explores what happens when a musician throws out notions of should and safe and stretches beyond the known. These artists use Bowie both as a guide and a prism: A way of being and seeing. Their offerings, widely divergent, explore the inheritance from an artist who freed himself from labels, genres and, consequently, pigeonholes. While he was at it, he decimated fixed notions about territory (or terra) itself; boundaries hemmed-in his creative process, but his essence remained free to roam. He may have vanished in earthly form, yet, as he also promised in the lyrics of “Modern Love,” But I never wave bye-bye . . .” This compilation assures us that his spirit swirls around us. His force is alive to all of us and, here, it is summoned with an incantation that celebrates possibility.

Kit Sebastian - Lady Grinning Soul

Connan Mockasin - Please Turn Me Into The Snat

This release is a special one; a moment where the two halves of the Mr Bongo record label unite, our heritage re-issues and our contemporary artists roster. 

Minoru Muraoka’s 'The Positive and the Negative’ is a firm favourite at Mr Bongo. It sees a master of the shakuhachi, a traditional bamboo Japanese flute, flex his prodigious skill resulting in a unique mix of breakbeat jazz and Japanese folkloric music. 'The Positive and the Negative’ featured on the 1970 'Bamboo’ album, which Mr Bongo reissued in 2019. Heralded by DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Egon, and many others. The record’s cult status had us thinking how could we pay further homage to a sublime track such as this. The opportunity came to us in an email from Melbourne’s Surprise Chef with a link to the fabulous reinterpretation of the track which they had just recorded. 

"Minoru Muraoka’s ‘Bamboo’ LP has long been a fixture in our record bags, mostly for the killer shakuhachi funk cut The Positive and The Negative. The record is possibly our favourite from Mr Bongo’s extensive catalogue of reissues, and certainly the most influential to Surprise Chef; The Positive and the Negative’s cinematic atmosphere paired with the wonky drum feels and dramatic performance makes it a near-perfect amalgamation of what we try to capture on Surprise Chef records. We’ve borrowed an element or two from the tune over the last few albums (such as the percussion on ‘The Limp’), so it felt right to go head first into reinterpreting the entire track for ourselves. We recorded the tune in Karate Boogaloo’s attic studio with our man Henry Jenkins at the controls and Hudson Whitlock on percussion. We spent an entire day trying to get the take; we felt such a deep responsibility to capture the intensity of the original, we must have done 20 or 30 takes before we were finally happy. We stuck a fork in it late into the night, satisfied that we’d had our best crack at paying homage to a masterpiece by the great Minoru Muraoka.” - Surprise Chef

Forged in their signature sound, "The Chef" have made 'The Positive and the Negative' their own whilst simultaneously treating the original with utmost respect. The shakuhachi and koto have been replaced by synths and guitars, but the breakbeat psychedelic vein flows richly through both instruments  

The 7" vinyl format was the right fit for this release, so the original Minoru Muraoka recording which clocks in over nine minutes has been edited into a 7” version to accompany Surprise Chef’s new take.

B. Minoru Muraoka - The Positive And The Negative (Mr Bongo 7" Edit)

The lead single from the next instalment of the best-selling Mr Bongo Record Club compilation series.

When one of our most revered artists offered us the chance to include an exclusive track we of course jumped at the chance. As expected, what we received blew us away and we knew it had to be the lead single from the compilation. 

Hearing the Swedish outfit Sven Wunder for the first time is as refreshing as an ice-cold Limoncello after an Italian meal. One of those artists that feel instantly familiar like an old friend, yet simultaneously fresh and new. Having released three stunning albums adored by a rapidly growing fanbase, and a host of critical acclaim from the likes of the New York Times, Pitchfork and the Quietus to name just a few, the expectation of what is to come next from this wonderfully unique artist is palpable. 

Mosaic' — conceived for Mr Bongo Record Club Vol.5 — merges jazz and rock, by building a detailed pattern garnished by regular and irregular pieces containing guzheng (also known as the Chinese zither), baroque harpsichord and driving drums all framed and contrasted by lush strings, brass and woodwind. The result stands in some way between Wabi Sabi (2020) and Natura Morta (2021), a perfect exploration point for a unique sound that appeals to both psych and prog listeners, folk or jazz aficionados and as well the gourmet hip hop connoisseurs.

Sven Wunder - Mosaic

full album -- https://trancefarmers.bandcamp.com/album/for-whom-the-scarecrows

Jeans Dream

First time on 45 for Hawaiian boogie queen Nohelani Cypriano. Previously an LP only track and a killer at that, flipped with one of my favorite under the radar tracks but Nohelani, Essential. Properly licensed from the lady herself. 

Soon - Athens of the North 007

Nohelani Cypriano - Lihue   (Athens of the North 007)

まともがわからない- Don't Know What's Normal - Shintaro Sakamoto

久保田麻琴と夕焼け楽団   星くず

Harry Hosono and The Yellow Magic Band – Paraiso

London On Key is a 12 track comp, showcasing some of the best pianists in the capital. Out on 29th March, the release coincides with Piano Day, an annual worldwide event which falls on the 88th day of the year (after the number of keys on a piano).

Buy the album and screen prints of the artwork by Duval Timothy: https://lnk.to/LondonOnKey

Artists include longstanding figureheads to members of some of premium bands like Yussef Dayes Tio, Ruby Rushton, Vels Trio and The Comet Is Coming.

久保田麻琴と夕焼け楽団星くず

Yuji Nagao

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Toshihiko Kawai

Toshihiko Kawai

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久保田麻琴と夕焼け楽団 星くず

Yuji Nagao

Recent comments

Toshihiko Kawai

Toshihiko Kawai

Related tracks

久保田麻琴と夕焼け楽団星くず