April 22, 2025
→ This week! The French duo Souleance - our most played artist on Le Mellotron! - is back with a new EP of Turkish funk, Kebab Discotheque, due May 2 - "Halumi" opens the dancefloor on a cheesy note, with Turkish singer Özgür on vocals. Colombian house producer Felipe Gordon releases new EP Profundo, with the beautiful jazzy "Takes Time" on Clone Records. Out of Ghana, Kwashibu Area Band, who has worked on two albums with the great Pat Thomas, releases highlife-jazz LP Love Warrior's Anthem on London's Soundway Records. Also from Ghana, Y-Bayani and Baby Naa & their Band of Enlightenment Reason & Love, released the beautiful Nsie Nsie back in 2020 on Philophon, with a more soul and reggae influence. Wrapping this week up with Panamanian singer Sylvia de Grasse and her enchanting "La Cita", released on Ansonia in 1959. Enjoy!
Halumi
Souleance, Özgür
Takes Time
Felipe Gordon
M'akoma Nnwom
Kwashibu Area Band
Rehwe Mi Enyim
Y-Bayani and Baby Naa & their Band of Enlightenment Reason and Love
La Cita
Sylvia de Grasse
April 15, 2025
→ This week! D.D. Mirage duo from Sydney has a new LP Exotic Illusions out on the Isle of Jura imprint, with the super hypnotic "Piranesi". UK duo Kassian is back with the LP Channels and the balearic house influenced "Metro". Soul sensation Jalen Ngonda is releasing the beautiful single "Just As Long As We're Together" ahead of his upcoming LP on Daptone Records. BBE releases volume 4 of the amazing "If Music presents" serie, curated by Jean-Claude, the owner of the If Music London records shop. Really digging that take from Ginger Baker, taken from his 1977 LP Eleven Sides Of Baker. The Jamaican, reggae legend, Max Romeo passed out a few days back. Paying tribute with "Norman" from his classic 1976 LP War Ina Babylon, produced by the other legend Lee "Scratch" Perry.
Piranesi
D.D. Mirage
Metro
Kassian
Just As Long As We're Together
Jalen Ngonda
N'Kon Kini N'Kon N'Kon
Ginger Baker
Norman
Max Romeo, The Upsetters
February 5, 2025
→ This week! Two interesting collaborations to begin with! British producer Joy Orbison teams up with British rap artist Joe James for the brilliant "bastard" out on XL Recordings. French project lead by Emile Omar, Roseaux, releases third single "My People", ahead of their third LP Roseaux III (due March 7th), featuring Nigerian afrobeats prince Ghetto Boy. Los Angeles based Mocky (who's been producing and writing with Feist, Jamie Lidell, Vulfpeck) just released a beautifully raw version of "Just a Little Lovin'" (written by Cynthia Weil & Barry Mann with versions by Dusty Springfield and Carmen McRae). Heading to the French Carribbean island of Guadeloupe for another project lead by Emile Omar in collaboration with Hugo Mendez, the third and final compilation of the Disques Debs International serie on Strut Records. This one is dedicated to the 80's era of the label, first track out is "Come On Baby", a zouk song by Dominique Panol originally released in 1984. Wrapping this week up in Italy with the disco classic "Wishbone" by Tantra, produced by Celso Valli and originally released in 1979. Enjoy!
bastard
Joy Orbison, Joe James
My People
Roseaux, Ghetto Boy
Just a Little Lovin’
Mocky
Come On Baby
Dominique Panol
Wishbone - 7 Inch Mix
Tantra
January 29, 2025
→ This week! Heading to Colombia for a couple of new releases from the land of Magic Realism! The first one is a new collaboration between French trumpeter Etienne Sevet's project The Bongo Hop and the great Nidia Góngora, "La Pata Coja", such a beautiful track! If you're in Paris, don't miss out on The Bongo Hop's show at le New Morning tonight 29/01! Bogota based Los Pirañas's fifth LP is on its way, with first single "El Nuevo Prometeo" out now! This is one of the projects from Mario Galeano aka Frente Cumbiero, check out his set for Le Mellotron! Hyper productive band from Margate, UK Thandii releases new LP Halo including the ethereal "Past", reminiscent of Portishead. Heading back to our dearest Southern hemisphere with our obsession of the moment, Bedeu's "Onde E Que Fica", released in 1998 in Brazil, and Cuban Los Britos's latin psychedelic "Cuando Llego A Mi Casa" back in 1977. Enjoy!
La Pata Coja - Radio Edit
The Bongo Hop, Nidia Góngora
El Nuevo Prometeo
Los Pirañas
Past
Thandii
Onde É Que Fica
Bedeu
Cuando llego a mi casa
Los Brito
January 22, 2025
→ This week! Brand new upbeat, feel-good single "Keep Me Satisfied" by British band Jungle (and its music video beautifully choreographed by Shay Latukolan). France based Brazilian singer João Selva releases new LP Onda including "Maré Vai Subir", composed and produced by ubiquitous Patchworks (Voilaaa). South London broken beat and house producer Footshooter releases "Cycles" ahead of his upcoming album The Oasis, featuring Ezra Collective saxophone player James Mollison. Such a great track! Heading to the Southern hemisphere with some Cape-Verdean reggae (being obsessed by it these days!) with "Love I Need" by Africa Star (1980), and Brazil with Wando's "Lamento Do Capoeira" from his first LP Glória A Deus No Céu E Samba Na Terra out in 1973 on Beverly. Enjoy!
Keep Me Satisfied
Jungle
Maré Vai Subir
João Selva
Cycles
Footshooter, James Mollison
Love I Need
Africa Star
