May 20, 2024
→ This week! Celebrating French much refined multi-instrumentist and producer Quiet Dawn's new LP Celebrate with the celebratory and positive single "It's All About Freedom". Uplifting! Mexican singer Pahua gets her album Habita remixed via the Brooklyn based Razor-N-Tape team, and featuring Montréal-based Poirier on this one ("Espantapájaros", which also features Colombian vocals of La Perla). Atlanta-based producer Nikki Nair and his fascinating raw dance music is back with Snake EP, somehow reminding the roughness of early Daft Punk works. Invigorating! Hot Casa Records finally treats us with the second volume of their compilation series Togo Soul, excavating yet another round of gems from Togo, including the afro-disco "Sumga Ma Bacci" from 1980, by one of my favorite female voices from the continent, Akofa Akoussah. Wrapping this up in Colombia, paying tribute to the last cacique of the gaita ensemble Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, who passed away this week - he has been playing the purest original form of music, mixing mainly african and indigeneous elements from the Carribbean Coast of Colombia - this one is from the 2017 project led by the Llorona Records (Bogota) team, Dub de Gaita, where UK producer Adrian Sherwood turned Los Gaiteros's music into a Jamaican dub version. Unfortunately the track chosen here uses accordion instead of gaita but that's the track that fit best for Le Mellotron's Heavy Rotation.
It's All About Freedom
Quiet Dawn
Espantapájaros - Poirier Remix
Pahua, La Perla, Poirier
333333
Nikki Nair
Sumga Ma Bacci
Akofa Akoussah
Amanezco Bailando - Dub Mix
Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto
May 13, 2024
→ This week! NYC's cumbia not cumbia band Combo Chimbita is back with the atmospherico psychedelic "Margarita", Moonshine collective from Montreal provides afro-house amapiano banger "Sakila", Philadelphia vibraphone maestro Angelo Outlaw presents his new LP Axis of Time with the sunny and cosmic instant classic "Free My Mind" (Roy Ayers fans will love it). Flying to the Caribbeean for more sunny tropical vibes, listening back to Junior Delgado's roots reggae classic "Movie Star" and The Beginning of the End's B-side "Fishman" turned A-side by Strut (re-issued in 2018)
Margarita
Combo Chimbita
Sakila (feat. Mwamba & Fédération Internationale du Bruit)
Moonshine, Spilulu, Gafacci, Mwamba, Fédération Internationale du Bruit
Free My Mind
Angelo Outlaw
Movie Star
Junior Delgado
Fishman (Original 45 Version)
The Beginning Of The End
January 30, 2024
→ This week! Brand new single "Loved" by British producer Four Tet, who's been lately seen working with the likes of Fred Again and Skrillex, here back with a much more laid-back work, mixing trip-hop like drums with ambient synths. Also British producer Seven Davis Jr just released a new LP which includes this fun, invigorating "Used to Jock". Always been digging his vocals very much. Flammer Dance Band! This one from Norway was released a while back in April 2023, totally missed out last year. Brilliant LP from A to Z, was hard to pick one track, but "Fri" it is! Afro funky psych raw energy, hope to see them live soon, must be something! Venezuelan 70s independent salsa with Ray Perez's "Campesino Nuestro", highly infectious, re-issued by Barcelona-based El Palmas Music. Wrapping it up with another re-issue by Numero Group of a couple of 7" records by American pianist and keyboadist Gene Russell's Trio on LA based Kris Records, probably end of the 60's before he went on to found Black Jazz Records in 1969. "Doin' the Snake Hips"!
Loved
Four Tet
Used To Jock
Seven Davis Jr.
Fri
Flammer Dance Band
Campesino Nuestro
Ray Pérez y El Grupo Casabe
Doin' The Snake Hips
Gene Russell
January 22, 2024
→ This week! Texas Khruangbin has a new single, new instant classic "A Love International"! So moving and elegant... Most featured and played band ever on Le Mellotron, Souleance released their 4th album "Beautiful" beginning of October. "Out Of Touch" with Kit Sebastian is such a killer I remember shazaming it when Ladies on Records played it during the most beautiful (indeed!) sunset the day of its release, with Souleance around as well :D Keeping catching up with 2023 releases, with already iconic cinematic funk project Whatitdo Archive Group, second album and the mesmerizing "Forbidden Cove". We're paying tribute to the great Marlena Shaw who passed away last week... "Look at Me, Look at You (We're Flying)" from here 1977 LP Sweet Beginnings, beautifully produced by Bert DeCoteaux. Amazingly crafted record! "Where Can I Go?" was released on another LP by Shaw, "The Spice Of Live", released on Cadet in 1969. Many classics on that one, from "Woman of the Ghetto" to "California Soul", but "Where Can I Go?" strikes a special chord.
A Love International
Khruangbin
Out of Touch
Souleance, Kit Sebastian
Forbidden Cove
Whatitdo Archive Group
Look at Me, Look at You (We're Flying)
Marlena Shaw
Where Can I Go?
Marlena Shaw
January 15, 2024
→ This week! Another great cover by German steel band Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band (thanks Guts!). This time covering Musa Masa's classic Love$ick. As addictive as the original! Belgium's best not-so-secret weapon Lefto released his first single out his first upcoming LP, somehow reminiscent of Thundercat, with those ethereal background vocals, featuring Simbad on saxophone, especially digging this housy rework by DJ ADHD, great mix of flavors here! Another rework, Australian this time by Oyobi, of a track by The Modern Artefact, for a great soulful funky electronica result. Floating Points's label Melodies International re-issued such a catchy soul number by obscure act Cinnamon Soulettes, which also includes a great flute solo! Ending this week selection in Cuba, out from the great Jazzanova compilation "Nueva Vision - Latin Jazz & Soul From The Cuban Label EGREM / AREITO" back in 2007 with Grupo Tema IV, eponymous track. Such a Brazilian vibe in this track, hard to believe this one's from Cuba!
Love$ick
Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band
I Sing To Find Peace Of Mind (feat. Simbad) - DJ ADHD REWORK
LEFTO EARLY BIRD, Simbad, DJ ADHD
Apollonia (Oyobi Rework)
The Modern Artefact, Oyobi
Wishing On A Wishing Well
Cinnamon Soulettes
