The end of the year is approaching fast so before going into the best of selections of singles, compilations, albums, mixes, here's the last playlist of the year, covering all the records we received during the last two months. Thanks to all the cool labels:
Buyú Records, BBE Music, Compost Records, Ninja Tune, Tru Thoughts, Olbap Music, Goodfellas, Mukatsuku Records, Family Groove, Out There Records, Büro.9 Music and
Tramp Records. You've been sending us records, we've been listening, playlisting, reviewing, sharing, facebooking and tweeting. Wish you were all doing the same with the
Paris DJs music
The November/December 2013 Paris DJs Playlist : ALBUMS : 01.
Bahama Soul Club - The Cuban Tapes (CD/2LP, Buyú Records, 2013)
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juno "The 4th album, once again deeply drenched into latin-jazz. But this time the focus is not on the dancefloor rhythms, more on the melodies. Think Cuba. Think Jazz. It's the mid-60s. Late at night. Smoke is filling the club. A band is playing on a small scene…"
02.
Bilal - A Love Surreal (CD, BBE Music, 2013)
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juno "Eclectic, sensual and warm 4th album from the Philadelphia singer who delivers creative and unique cosmic neo-soul/R'n'B with psychedelic soul & jazz undertones."
03.
Ensemble Du Verre - The Light Gets In (CD, Compost Records, 2014)
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juno "We've been talking about the future soul jazz productions of Ensemble du Verre
for years, and their first album for the Compost label is their most achieved work. A captivating & refrreshing breather. Lie down and enjoy."
04.
Hartley and Wolfe - Bespoke Future (CD, BBE Music, 2013)
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juno "21st century soul at its best. Hip hop producer DJ Vadim and singer Greg Blackman are killing it on this full-length!! Sometimes buying a new album at a record store is as cool as digging some old soul gem…"
05.
Illum Sphere - Ghosts Of Then And Now (CD/2LP, Ninja Tune, 2014)
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juno "Ryan Hunn aka Illu Sphere, from Manchester, has been releasing EPs since 2009 on Fat City, Young Turks, Pinch's Tectonic and Martyn's 3024 labels… This is is first album, electronic bass/synths music just like you heard in movies recently. Perfect androids dream music, fabulous for those who love the 'Blade Runner' vibe."
06.
Kraked Unit - Casse-Tête Chinois Soundtrack (CD, Believe Recordings, 2013)
info "Featuring Mike Ladd, Lyrics Born, Lateef, Hugh Coltman, 20syl and Gary Mudbone Cooper, it's a marvelous blend of cinematic & dramatic Soul, Hip Hop and Blues, produced by Paris DJs co-founder Loik Dury with Christophe 'Disco' Minck."
07.
Kon - On My Way (CD/2LP, BBE Music, 2013)
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juno "After many Kon & Amir compilations and a string of edits of funk/soul classics, crate digger Kon has released a soulful house/disco/early 80s funk album with some though boogie grooves. One that's been produced with love by a DJ, for the DJs!"
08.
Lee Bannon - Alternate Endings (CD/2LP, Ninja Tune, 2014)
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juno "After a few years deeply into hip hop and many recent Bandcamp releases, NYC-based producer Lee Bannon adds another cornerstone to the recent Jungle/Drum'n'Bass resurgence (check the Congo Natty & London Posse reviews in the
april playlist), adding some atmospheric influences from L.A.'s beat scene and dubstep. Fascinating."
09.
Peshay - Generation (CD, Tru Thoughts, 2013)
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juno "At the opposite end of the current drum'n'bass revival, legendary producer Peshay offers an alternative, using live musicians from the German band Tounion, exploring jazz, funk, soul, early electro and latin-house realms. An edgy take on American music by an Anglo-Italian Londoner with a touch of class."
10.
The Butch Cassidy Sound System - Dubs And Rarities (Digital album, Olbap Music, 2013)
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bandcamp "This collection of new dubs, unreleased dubs and deleted vinyl only b-sides, following up on the '
Echo Tone Defeat' album release last year is a must-have for all fans of Lee Perry and King Tubby. Olympic games of 21st century roots reggae production might see Grant Phabao, Ticklah and the Butch Cassidy Sound System on the podium!"
11.
The Last Skeptik - Thanks For Trying (CD, BBE Music, 2013)
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juno "A mostly instrumental soulful hip hop album filled with experimental explorations in chillout melancholia, orchestral arrangements and cinematic sounds. Dope from start to finish."
SINGLES : 12.
Funky Mama - Funky Mama EP (12"/CD EP, Goodfellas, 2013)
info "A welcome addition to the Italian funk scene, blending heavy horns funk, acid jazz and afrobeat on their first EP. Vintage grooves with a southern Italian touch."
13.
Grant Phabao presents Echo Minott - Push It (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2013)
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junodownload "Real Reggae music never ages. So when you put Grant Phabao, one of the rare dominant producers of this era of Reggae music, and Echo Minott, a Jamaican singer in love with a girl so beautiful, you unavoidably get a timeless Reggae love song."
14.
Grant Phabao presents The Jays - Agatha (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2013)
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junodownload "While still shining a bright light on the traditional roots reggae sound of 70s Jamaica, with a Rockers, stomping, Roots Reggae original version that's gonna bring a BIG smile to one foot jumpers in the dancehalls, French producer Grant Phabao keeps on twisting the Caribbean Island vibe with a Heavy Rock remix for all the bluesy bourbon-drinking heads out there, holding The Jays as fresh as ever!!"
15.
Grant Phabao - Reggae Reworks Vol.1 - Masters Of Soul (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2013)
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bandcamp "Always celebrating the end of the year with xmas mixes, best-of lists and gifts, Paris DJs has prepared a series of free EPs, gathering the best reggae reworks that have been offered on their Virtual Releases podcast in high-quality audio, starting with a 'Masters Of Soul' selection of heavyweight legends: Stevie Wonder, George Clinton, Michael Jackson and Ce-Lo Green."
16.
GUYNAMUKAT vs EUFORQUESTRA - Ogun EP (12", Mukatsuku Records, 2013)
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juno "Eufórquestra is an eclectic world-beat ensemble from Iowa City, IA, who released in 2006 a superb album 'Explorations In Afrobeat', a fusion of Nigerian and Cuban music rooted in Yoruba tradition. Their banger track 'Ogun' gets re-issued it in 3 different, re-edited versions, a dramatically shortened edit, focusing on global dancefloor efficiency, an afro disco version, for those into alittle bit more housey world grooves, and a dubbed-out, more minimal disco version. A blast of an EP!!"
17.
Harleighblu - Let Me Be (Digital Single, Tru Thoughts, 2013)
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juno |
etchshop "This second single from Nottingham's Rn'B/soul singer Harleighblu superb album 'Forget Me Not' sounds as if Portishead were tackling soul. Nuff' said!"
18.
Howeefeel - People Of The World (Limited 7", Family Groove, 2013)
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juno "Wanna feel good with some new old stuff? Here's a 1977 previously unreleased soul gem with a massive drum break from Chicago's Davis Import, in their earlier incarnation as Howeefeel."
19.
MUKAT EDITS - Vol.4 Tropical Funk 45 (Limited 7", Mukat Edits, 2013)
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juno "Act fast if you want to grab one of those beauties! A-side is an edit of the people's Calypsonian Brother Valentino and his 1980 Carribbean afro-disco bomb 'Ah Wo (Brand New Revolution)', focusing on the instrumental parts of the original, the groovy breaks and solos, leaving the crusty cheese of the original vocals on the side, making it an even more potent dancefloor weapon."
20.
Popsanova - Não Vem Que Nem Tem (Digital Single, Jewpop Records, 2013)
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junodownload "Here's the first Popsanova track, some kind of 'homenagem' to Wilson Simonal, Brigitte Bardot, and Marcel Zanini's moustache! Expect sexy Parisian girls moaning as the lead female vocalist Désirée Lachose sings the original lyrics, backed by Captain Détendu's band. Enjoy three versions: Grant Phabao fabulous Kingston's touch under The Mighty Blunts guise, David°F kinky Jerk mood, or The Joslyns' Tropical Pop. As would Wilson Simonal say: Alegria, Alegria!!!"
21.
Wilson Legendre - Soca Music (Limited 10", Out There Records, 2013)
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juno "Originally released on seven inch in 1979 on Semp Records, the deeply funky cosmic afro Caribbean disco of Wilson Legendre's 'Soca Music' gets reissued by Belgium label Out There Records."
COMPILATIONS : 22.
Five Years Büro.9 Music - a Label Compilation 2009-2014 (CD, Büro.9 Music, 2014)
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juno "This indie label from Cologne has been one of the discoveries of the year for us, this best-of & unreleased selection of their first five years of activity. Covering the soul, reggae, hip hop, jazz and latin spectrum with a lot of humor in the choice of covers (here: The Cure, AC/DC or some German pop…) and a knack for pop production without clichés, we can only expect 5 more years of great tunes coming from Thomas Berghaus aka Shareholder Tom's Büro.9 Music!"
23.
John Morales - The M+M Mixes Vol.3 (3CD/2x2LP, BBE Music, 2013)
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juno "Two years in the making, this greatly mastered collection of floorfillers clearly aims for the dancefloor with superb extended re-arrangements by legendary New York disco DJ John Morales. All DJs should find some tasty stuff to play in their sets in this huge amount of definitive versions of many well known club classics from the 70s and the early 80s. Essential for the funky dance music lovers!"
24.
John Morales - The M+M Mixes, Vol.3 Instrumentals (2CD, BBE Music, 2013)
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juno "Maybe even better for all the sound lovers out there is the instrumental remixes version. Who's ever heard those kinds of dubs with THAT sound before? A delight to investigate, revealing its subtleties slowly but surely in an hypnotic cosmic disco way. John Morales creatively focuses on everything but the original songs themselves, making this collection a spellbinding experience."
25.
Santa's Soul & Funk Christmas Party Vol.2 (CD/LP, Tramp Records, 2013)
info | juno |
bandcamp "Two years ago Tramp Records released the 'Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party' compilation. Honestly we never expected a second volume. Jan Kohlmeyer, however, did an amazing job and comes up with an even more exciting selection on this second part. And to top it all, he also cooked two
new mixes to share some holiday love…"
Contact us to be featured in this monthly playlist or send us records at :
Julien Lakshmanan / Paris DJs
240 rue de Belleville
(gardien au 55 rue du Telegraphe)
75020 Paris, France
