Surprise Chef
Friendship

Freestyle dig out another rarity in the form of a DIY brit-funk 7" from Highway Motion aka David Humphrey (a session drummer who played with Sparks, and with PiL on the iconic Metal Box LP & Death Disco 12"). Tinged with raw post-punk edge and 70s library music-style synth leads, this 45 is quite simply massive amounts of fun.

“Soul Is My Salvation" is a collection of dance friendly gospel songs. The mission is to simply uplift your spirit through music and word. Dance floor’s around the world mirror the reactions of Churches from the 70’s and 80’s when experiencing these recordings.” - Tone B. Nimble.Released as a series of eight limited vinyl-only 45, when assembled together the covers reveal a beautiful design courtesy of designer Charlotte McCrae. A true collectors item.Chapter 1 includes the brilliant but incredibly tough pull, Rev L. Weaver’s rendition of a Sister Sledge classic. Side two is an Al-Tone extended version of The Pink Family’s Don’t Give Your Life Away.

For Majid Soula music is more than just entertainment. He considers himself an activist through music, and foremost a “chanteur engagé”, as he says of himself: “I am not a politician. If I can deal with art and culture it’s already a lot. Above all, I am an artist whose first concern is to present a quality artistic work in order to contribute, however modestly, to the development and enrichment of our cultural heritage. When I fight, for example, for the defense of the Berber culture, it is not by political spirit. It is a natural act. I am against violence wherever it comes from and I do not support injustice. If the essential freedoms were granted, the Algerian artists would have no reason to take on this burden and this mission. They could, like all other artists of the world, devote their talent to making people dream.

Freestyle Records reissue a DIY 7" from 1980 by short-lived all-female group Spoilsports. Existing at the intersection of post-punk, jazz-rock and modern soul - these two political yet playful numbers were laid down by a band formed from a range of players active in London's feminist and improvised music scenes at the time, and represent the groups only recordings.

SPEC1821 - US - 1982/2021RPUnadulterated funk-styled boogie bomb from ’82 by Laurice Hudson, ‘Feel My Love’ is a monster cut whether you’re hearing it for the first time or 50th and with a price tag of upwards of £60 on an original, an officially licensed remastered, reissue was clearly in order. Infectious basslines, coupled with juicy layers of funk strumming and sensuous vocals from Laurice, co-written by Curtis Hudson, with Pure Energy on production its a classic through and through.

Record Kicks unleashes a "15th anniversary" edition of British outfit Baby Charles' self-titled landmark debut album, out on March 17th on ltd edition LP and digital deluxe version with bonus tracks.