Highlife World Series: Cuba

First up, we’ve the first in Auntie Flo & Esa‘s latest project Highlife World Series – a collaborative snapshot of sound from various places of interest around the world. HIGHLIFE01 is the culmination of a handful of studio practice sessions with local Cuban musicians and vocalists via Flo and Esa’s time spent in Havana early last year, and as always it’s a sound worth buying into. With all profits from sales going back to the supporting artists and the next two instalments documenting their collaborative efforts from Kenya and Uganda (and you get a snazzy press sheet included in the package too), HWS is a tantalising prospect indeed.

 

Wbeeza – Can of Worms EP

This EP has it all. Low-slung steppy goodness via ‘Can of Worms’, blistering disco-house via ‘Circles’, 80s future funk via ‘If I Ever’, and just straight deep house via my personal pick of the bunch ‘Upside Down’. Not many producers nail this kaleidoscopic variety like Wbeeza, whether in his production or in his sets – his warm-up for Black Coffee at Fabric last year similarly played with a number of different sounds and styles around that signature bouncy funk. Keep it coming Warren.

 

The Traxxmen – Nothing’s Stopping EP

Chicago house has been thrust back into the limelight of recent times via various high profile projects and represses from seminal labels Dance Mania and Trax Records. Something I’ve been waiting a hot minute for some tasty repress action is Armando, Deeon and Milton aka. The Traxxmen‘s Nothing’s Stopping, a record that, like most from the era, has been commanding some silly prices on Discogs of late. It’s big, it’s crass, and it straight bangs on a system. Just check Theo Parrish rinsing the shit out of ‘Emergency’. Speaks for itself really!

 

Eamon Harkin and Justin Carter: Weekends and Beginnings Sampler Vol. 1

And finally, the Mister Saturday Night crew are back with a new project and it’s as eclectic as ever. The polarity of the three tracks couldn’t be more astute: we’ve got Maurice Fulton‘s euphoric rework of Alice Smith’s ‘Love Endeavour’ on one side, ‘Green Marimba’s tribal assault via UK-based artist Nebraska on the other and somewhere in the middle, Bass Clef‘s pensive, synth-laden ‘Ghost Kicks in the Spiral’. Another carefully curated selection for both feet and minds. And hey – they’re having a whale of a time so why the hell shouldn’t we?

 

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