As one third of one of the most iconic jazz-funk bands of all-time Azymuth, Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti has established himself as one of the most skilled drummers in modern music. Experimenting with a variety of sounds throughout his career, it was his ‘samba doido’ (crazy samba) philosophy, which warped the traditional samba rhythms with jazz…

Talented Malmö producer and beatmaker Moose Dawa comes through with a soulful new project on one of my favourite labels at the moment Ninetofive Records. It’s titled The Swap EP and features 6 of the smoothest and most soulful production I’ve heard so far this year. With its bass-heavy grooves and an emphasis on key…

It has been a day of fascinating discovery today. Amsterdam-based label Guruguru Brain focus on underground music in Asia. Having released Kikagaku Moyo’s critically acclaimed 2018 album Masana Temples, the label is back with a new release from a Thai quintet named Khana Bierbood. Strangers from the far east is their excellent debut album, a…

A resolution I should have for 2019 is to post and support more prog and psychedelic rock music. There were some really stellar releases I missed last year and thanks to my friend and talented artist Scott Xylo, I’m reviewing a gem of an album. Kikagaku Moyo/幾何学模様 are a Japanese psychedelic band based in Tokyo.…

Signed to French label Nø Førmat, the French-Cuban septet Que Vola? are set to release their debut self-titled album on the 25th January. The origin of the name come from the Cuban street slang greeting ‘What’s up?’ The group was formed when French jazz trombonist Fidel Fourneyron traveled to Havana in order to fully immerse…

London-based singer, songwriter, guitarist, all-round dope musician Oscar Jerome comes through with another soulful single titled “Misty Head / Sunny Street.” Produced by the legend Maxwell Owin, the single is is equally smooth as it is hard-hitting and dynamic. The infectious, groovy bassline is accompanied by stellar drumming and electronic synths which swirl in and…

It’s always a pleasure covering music from my home in Switzerland, especially when the album cover of the project is that of Lake Geneva and there is a track titled “Montreux.” DRWN. is a producer I have been following for a while now, having covered his music in the past. XV​-​XVII was one of my…

Al Dobson Jr. is a producer, composer, selector and DJ hailing from South London. Having worked with labels such as 22a and Rhythm Section, releasing stellar projects such as Rye Lane Volume II & III, his sound has always represented the city in such a profoundly captivating manner, with gorgeous compositions and grooves that are…

A new Sunday means a new weekly playlist! It been increasingly difficult trying to sequence these ones due to the variety of genres present on the list. From London-based neo-soul and hip-hop to 70s and 80s classics, this week is a good one. Listen to it via Spotify below! TracklistKojey Radical – The Garden Party…

Karavelo is a talented producer hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. This new album Ghost Lover is my first introduction to his music and I’m really glad I discovered him. This new project from him is a vibe, and I’m really looking forward to following his journey as he continues to grow further. At…

Gaijin Blues consists of Polish-based musician Naphta and his bandmate Playstation Yoga Music. Soon they will be releasing a self titled EP, a tribute to Japanese pop culture, manga and video games, which is a result of them touring to different regions of Japan and spending time in record shops, as well as playing classic…

Simply put, to me Johnny Hammond was the greatest soul-jazz organist of all time. Born in Louisville, Kentucky on the 16th December 1933, he began learning piano as a child, idolizing the likes of Bud Powell and Art Tatum. After moving to Cleveland in the fifties, Johnny familiarised himself with the talents of Wild Bill…

London-based musician Dominique Octave comes through with her brand new EP titled Adore You. It is actually her first studio project, though my first introduction to her music was through her 2017 single “You Make Me,” a track I discovered just a couple of months ago through Spotify. On this new EP, she excels on…

You know them albums that completely stun you on first listen and make you rewind again and again to try and grasp every single detail? One of London’s finest Kojey Radical did just this with his sublime 2014 project Dear Daisy: Opium, a powerful album I still remember listening to for the first time all…

Originally written for Aural Grove David Bowie knew he was going to die. Though he did suffer from liver cancer throughout the last 18 months of his life on our planet, the aura and mysticism he possessed was beautifully translated on his 25th and final studio album: Blackstar. It was an album that looked into the…

If you don’t know about KOKOROKO, get familiar. They released what was one of the best singles of last year in “Abusey Junction,” which was part of a Brownswood Recordings compilation that has garnered an astonishing and well-deserved 18.5 million views on YouTube and 3.5 million streams on Spotify. Their aura and infectious energy is…

Every Sunday we are releasing a new weekly playlist highlighting some of the music that have been playing through our headphones and speakers. It includes 10 tracks selected by Martin Boev and 10 tracks selected by our newest writer Saif Alavi, who has a phenomenal blog titled Aural Grove, where he writes in-depth articles on…

As part of the thriving jazz scene in London, Theon Cross has been able to create a sound that is stepped in both New Orleans jazz influences as well as a more dynamic, hip-hop and grime inspired energy that can be felt throughout his music. With the help of fellow collaborators Moses Boyd and Nubya…

Connecticut producer Foisey. comes through with a new short project titled refinemint​.​ep following a few of my favourite beat tapes and projects last year with spirit_whops. (Feminine Edition), spirit_whops. (Masculine Edition)  and EA7+ & NowOrNvr. Dope loops and samples as well as incredibly soulful production is all I can say, really. The additional basslines and synths…

Diskotopia is a Tokyo-based record label run by producers A Taut Line and BD1982. For a good five years now, the label has released free compilations at the end of the year to celebrate all musicians affiliated with the label and those who have contributed heavily to the electronic and dance music scene in Japan. DSK F/W 2018-2019…

Happy New Year to absolutely everyone who has supported us throughout these years. 2019 is promising to be one hell of a year, and we’re kicking it off with a weekly Spotify playlist containing 20 tracks we have been listening to on a weekly basis, from new to old releases. It will be released every…

Gonza is a beatmaker who currently resides in Stockholm, Sweden. Signed to one of my personal favourite record labels and communities NINETOFIVE, Extras is Gonza’s fourth release on the label, and it includes some of the best hip-hop production I’ve heard in a while. With 23 songs spanning 46 minutes, Gonza finds his groove on…

There’s just something about debut projects this year, man. I’ve been left speechless on a number of occasions listening to music, and honest to god the project I’m about to talk about is one of those magical musical moments for me. Tulin is a super talented musician associated with Plus TRBE, having been featured on…

Italian-based producer Odeeno comes through with a new tape titled Diamond Sand. 18 tracks long, the tape meanders between soulful loops and samples, really highlighting Odeeno’s personality effortlessly through his music. As he describes it, this is a new story, a new meeting of sounds that envelop into a lighter tone that we have come…

First Word Records have had an exceptional year, releasing some stellar music from artists such as Children Of Zeus, Kaidi Tatham and Yazmin Lacey amongst others. Apart from giving a major shoutout to all the amazing musicians releasing such great music this year, a special shoutout should be given to its founder, DJ Gilla for…

The Mud SE have been hands down my favourite discovery of 2018. The experimental lo-fi hip-hop group from Greenwich, London have released some excellent music this year, namely their EPs SUNGAZER and HOME BY THE AM. They are back with a new EP titled today, before tomorrow, and it’s safe to say they have bagged…

The enigmatic and introspective New York emcee is back with another 13-track mixtape titled War in my Pen. Having included renaissance man in my ‘honourable mentions’ list for albums that have defined 2018 for me, MIKE is someone I have recently discovered this year. Through his experimental, lo-fi and jazz inspired beats, MIKE’s detailed account…