Sonia Santos Marcia Maria
Marraio / Oh! Man

Having previously released on RNT as part of duo Balako, Diogo Strausz now makes his solo debut on the label with an absolutely stunning offering of electronic Brazilian jazz. A São Paulista now living in Paris, Strausz made international waves earlier this year with his piece ‘Pausa,’ a grand and sprawling orchestral work written and recorded by musicians around the world in isolation.The two songs on Strausz’ new Emancipação EP showcase his gift for instrumental composition that feels at once both fresh and timeless, informed heavily by the classic Bossa Nova and Samba repertoires of his native Brazil, yet translated through a modern production lens, and executed with exceptional musicianship. The end result is an undeniably unique sound that will fit equally well in the collections of jazz and MPB aficionados, as in the crates of modern DJs and listeners alike.

CLP1214 - DE - 2019RP

A new title in the series of full-album reissues that Vampisoul is releasing (co-produced in collaboration with Little Butterfly Records) as a valuable addition to our largely acclaimed compilation “América Invertida”, focusing on the obscure leftfield pop and experimental folk scene from ‘80s Uruguay, making some of these elusive and essential albums available again.Only album (1983) released by this all-female trio, Travesía, an essential asset of the effervescent scene of experimental Uruguayan artists who at the time mixed folklore, the avant-garde and pop under the influence of bossa nova and tropicalia.The minimalist instrumentation highlighted the trio's complex and ethereal vocal arrangements resulting in a beautiful album, released almost forty years ago but that could have been made yesterday. Perfect listening for fans of the ethereal pop by artists like Antena or Les Disques Du Crépuscule’s sound and lovers of vocal harmonies in the tradition of bands like Free Design.Travesía’s members Mariana Ingold and Estela Magnone would later release outstanding solo albums that have also become very much in-demand in recent times.

An unexpected slice of psychedelic Caribbean jazz, with acoustic piano, steel drum and tripped-out conga solos. The soundtrack of that crazy dream where you hang out with Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock and Mongo Santamaría, sipping up the juice of a freshly squeezed watermelon, under the palm trees of a beautiful beach in Port of Spain.Building on the success of his Fumaca Preta and Conjunto Papa Upa projects, and a stint playing percussion for Altin Gun, Alex Figueira leads his “one-man funk band” motto into uncharted territory. Constantly looking for ways to expand his sonic palette and musical abilities, he takes on the self-imposed challenge of creating a more danceable and decidedly Caribbean approach to jazz. The result, for those familiar with his output, delivers on all fronts.“Juicy” is groovy, catchy, trippy and leaves you wondering what exactly it is you're listening to. Drop this song at the beginning or end of any session and watch people come to you with a mixture of awe and joy, wondering which record this is. It will equally please casual dancers, obsessive vinyl heads and anybody looking for music that defies classification.The flip side showcases once again Figueira’s irreverent production style. Imagine Jamaican melodica icon Augustus Pablo, calypso jazz godfather Ciryl Diaz and Brazilian legend Jackson do Pandeiro hanging around barely lit bars of questionable reputation in an unknown city, randomly placed in the extensive Kingston - Salvador da Bahia axis. They meet a group of lifelong skateboarders and receive a stoic sounding piece of advice that lifts their moods significantly: “to learn, you have to fall”. Words repeated incessantly since the dawn of time are delivered here, most likely for the very first time, over a swinging mix of melancholic calypso jazz, traditional forró, roots rockers reggae and guaguancó.The unlikely mix of Latin American genres gets an unexpected Afro-Cuban twist towards the end and Figueira takes over the mic to speak directly to the listener. “You thought it was instrumental, right? Haha none of that”. Alex explains, “I was here mixing this song and when this part came I thought, what this needs is a little chorus”, emphasizing that it must be a “very tasty” one.Lastly, he explains the origin of what he is about to sing, revisiting his childhood in Caracas “when I was a kid, the oldest skaters, those who did all the tricks, used to tell us, “to learn, you have to fall””, before the chorus break out, raising the song’s spiciness to its maximum heat reminding you how essential it is to “learn from your mistakes”.

Viento Sur by Various ArtistsLet yourself go with the overwhelming musical output of Argentina’s very own Melopea Discos, in a selection of songs that explore fusion with an air of mystery and a side of exquisite sensitivity across 11 carefully curated leftfield synth pop, experimental folk and ambient tracks.“Viento Sur” has been compiled by Argentine DJs and collectors Bárbara Salazar and Alejandro Cohen (dublab) based in Buenos Aires and Los Angeles respectively.Most of the songs are reissued here for the first time and many of them were previously unavailable on vinyl.Includes a 4-page insert with liner notes and photos. Remastered sound.