Marvin Gaye Bonnie Pointer
A Funky Space Reincarnation / Free Me From My Freedom

The Balek Band and Abstrack Records's first album, Médecines, is the product of a magma of influences, the emanation of large decade of music infused lives.The emotional tessitura is wide: the dark meadows of “The Balek Bad” reach us through like a mantra from the end of a dark tunnel, while just three track earlier it was a caribbean Zouk euphoria which ruled the world. Inbetween, it’s a wide spectrum of hybrid epiphanies : "Hagen & Again" is a progressive Dub jewel, even Krauty to an extent, where the instruments play the lead role. "Cosmic Barry" is across the Channel : thick and broken club music, sweating with subs, yet always disputing it to the Funk accent of the the keys and the slap bass.This list of geographical and stylistic hybridations simplys goes on, and it’s the 54 minutes of the album that put an end to it. But beyond the never-ending list, this first album is alive: its gets us breathing the therapeutical air which fills the world of its creators.

Recorded at Omega studios in Maryland, the album marked a transition forthe band with lead vocalist Jackie Eka-Ete recording her last sessions with Plunky and Virtania Tillery taking over lead vocal duties. “‘Make A Change’was always designed as a slightly more commercial entry in ourdiscography,” says Plunky. “We approached the sessions in the same waythat we had approached all of our music since the early ‘70s. We playedextended jams because we would always find something within thoseexplorations. The songs had enough organic qualities to be consideredR&B and enough rhythm to be Afro funk.”After catching fire in Washington DC clubs through local record pools, thedancefloor favourite ‘Every Way But Loose’ famously became an anthemfor Larry Levan at New York’s Paradise Garage, kick-starting internationalsuccess for the track. Other album cuts like funk workout ‘Higher’ and thewistful stepper ‘Always Have To Say Goodbye’ have remained staplesamong soulful DJs worldwide. “The songs and lyrics on this album havecome back around full circle,” continues Plunky. “With songs like ‘(Family Tree) Make A Change’ and ‘Every Way But Loose’, we don’t have tochange one word for them to be relevant all these years later. The positivemessages are universal and timeless.”This definitive edition of ‘Make A Change’ features the full original albumalongside five previously unheard studio takes, all remastered by TheCarvery from the original tapes. Bonus tracks include extended studioversions of ‘Every Way But Loose’ and ‘Always Have To Say Goodbye’and a previously unheard version of ‘Time’. Package features brand newliner notes by bandleader Plunky Branch.

L’incroyable duo d’Austin Black Pumas avait marqué les esprits en 2019 avec son premier album éponyme, un véritable concentré de soul psychédélique et électrique qui les avait rapidement propulsés aux sommets ; une ascension fulgurante avec 7 nominations aux Grammy Awards, plus de 450M de streams pour le désormais classique ‘Colors’ ainsi que des tournées mondiales à guichets fermés. Ils sont enfin de retour avec un deuxième album : Chronicles of a Diamond. Le groupe y élargit sa palette sonore en incorporant une étendue éblouissante de genres musicaux : des touches de pop céleste, des excursions étonnantes dans le jazz-funk ainsi que des balades gospel aériennes semblant tomber des étoiles. Encore plus sauvage et extravagant, Chronicles of a Diamond est l'expression la plus complète de la créativité frénétique et de la vision illimitée d’Eric Burton et Adrian Quesada.

Trust the maestro to reveal all as Beppe Loda invites partner in dance Trent to unite generations under their shared love for disco. Together, they deliver four masterful edits of rare and obscure Italian disco gems, perfect for spaghetti aficionados. Balancing between balearic sleaze and peak-time ecstasy, this dynamic duo knows how to keep the dance floor moving.