Various Artists - Ouroboros (Innovative Leisure)

Happy Easter y'all! I've awoken to another slight hangover here at Crescent Head on the coast of eastern Australia, but have found solace in the one album I have actually purchased this month - and believe me there's a very good reason why.

Ouroboros is, according to Wikipedia, an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. And so lays the foundation for Innovative Leisure's 2012 compilation of the same name, with a clear musical context, as quoted on their website:

“The Ouroboros often represents self-reflexivity or cyclicality, especially in the sense of something constantly re-creating itself, the eternal return, and other things perceived as cycles that begin anew as soon as they end. It can also represent the idea of primordial unity related to something existing in or persisting from the beginning with such force or qualities it cannot be extinguished.”

Whilst I missed it first time around, 'Ouroboros' is a compilation of some of the best electronic dance I've heard in ages. Featuring SLL faves such as Machinedrum and Sweatson Klank, the album is a mash of addictive deep techy beats, pads and atmospherics - a true soundscape of an album - a true reinvention. It's hard to pick the sound as it feels so fresh, but think Freerange, Luomo and you're in the ballpark. On heavy rotation. Go buy!

'Ouroboros' is out now. | innovativeleisure.net

Mr Bird - Birds Birds Birds (Vital Force)

It's been a productive week so far! I'm again delighted to announce another hook-up for the blog, this time with soulful broken beat stable Fat Bird Records.

We start with an album from label head honcho Steve Bird (aka Mr Bird) with 'Bird Bird Bird'. Released in February this year on Vital Force, the album is a 13-tracker of original material, a slight departure from the remix work for which he's famed. His third album release, 'Birds...' explores Steve's new found influences having moved from Newcastle to Lisbon, Portugal several years ago.

The album is a rich soundscape of dancefloor-orientated beats, jazzy percussion-led jams and soulful downtempo - personal faves include 'The Eskimo' and 'Wanna Be Good', two of the more loungy tracks from the album. Given the intense atmosphere felt throughout the tracks, it's hardly surprising that Mr Bird fits his own production work around a day-job writing original music for TV, documentaries, dance and theatre. The whole album has splashes of Scruff about it, which is why I'm super excited to hear more from Mr Bird, particularly a new album due to drop at some point this year on BBE. A really exciting artist to keep a watch out for.

Birds Birds Birds is out now on Vital Force. Grab it from Juno Download [here].

Caroline Lacaze - En Route (Légère Recordings)

I recently featured Caroline Lacaze's new single 'L'Etrange' on the Stop.Look.Listen. Podcast, but am since ashamed to admit I only included the instrumental (*blush*). For some reason vocals sang in a different language have always jarred with me in the past. Thankfully, having just received Caroline's full-length album, I'm delighted to say it's finally time to put those demons to rest.

'En Route' is Caroline's first album and comes following a string of successful 45 releases and live appearances, including a spot on Craig Charles' famed Radio 6 Funk & Soul Show. The album is truly eclectic and soundtracked as a roadtrip mixtape - as I grapple to find the most suitable adjectives to describe the album, let me quote the press release directly: 

The mixture on “En Route” is eclectic: nonchalant 60s beat, mysterious psych-pop, raucous funk and longing French chanson, all held together by the energetic raw soul sound and the skillful ‘mise-en-scene’ of the Mocambo Electric Sound Orchestra.

I couldn't have put it better myself. ;-)

Safe to say this is a wonderfully inspired and inspiring selection of tracks spanning a multitude of moods and styles. Looking forward to hearing much more from the 'swinging mademoiselle' in the future - a rising star for sure!

En Route is out 19th April on Légère Recordings | lounge-records.de

Various Artists: Cloud Watching Volume 1 (Riddim Fruit)

Again I'm overjoyed to announce another new label tie-up for the blog - this time with the Riddim Fruit imprint based in Devon, UK. Typically a region famed for its glorious range of dairy products, this relatively new label has been churning out its own unique brand of soul food since 2010.

With a discography focussed on sun-drenched West Coast-inspired beats and downtempo, the best bit is not just the amazing quality of the music, but also that they've started putting out compilation albums of their material completely free. 

'Cloud Watching Volume 1' is an incredible mash of lo fi hip-hop, broken beat and dub, with funk-filled cuts and captivating melody at the heart of every track. Such an incredible soundclash is a result of the label looking to artists right across the globe to source its material, with the resulting sound something really very special. Personal faves on the album have to be 'Humble Love' by Kalamari Beats and Kill Emi's 'Don't Love With Hatred'. 

I tip these guys for very big things, so be sure to get your download on and check their back cat too. Oh, and there's a Volume 2 of 'Cloud Watching' as well which I'm really looking forward to getting round to.

Cloud Watching Volume 1 is out now as a free download [here] or via Bandcamp above. | riddimfruitrecords.co.uk

Osmojam - 80 EP (Bandcamp)

By complete surprise, I got an email from an upcoming Parisian nu soul artist called Osmojam this weekend. Safe to say there's been few releases that have blown me away in quite the same way.

Osmojam is the beautiful Nadia Henry, who is currently working as a Commercial Manager in a French energy utility, but just happens to moonlight as one of the finest soul voices I've heard in a very long time. With her influences including names such as Kurt Elling, Omar and Jamie Cullum, Nadia has been practicing music from the tender age of just 5, becoming a long-term violinist before turning her hand to singing in a gospel choir alongside her studies. 

On this insanely free release, Nadia has turned her hand to reworking some classic 80s numbers from Wham!, Madonna, Janet Jackson and Phil Collins (three of my favourite artists of all time, so I'll admit I was skeptical at first). 

It's always incredibly difficult to add something to tracks that are so embedded in popular culture, but Osmojam strips everything right back to basics to let her incredibly captivating and powerful verse come right to the forefront to reinvent each record effortlessly. Intricate acoustic guitar and slick rhodes lines provide the perfect backing, as supplied by Fabien Coronada and Kelyan Horth. Expect big things from this girl in coming months.

Watch out for new album 'Echappée' due to drop exclusively on BamaLoveSoul very soon.

The Impellers - Do What I Wanna Do (Légère Recordings)

I've recently been hooked up with Légère Recordings out of Hamburg, purveyors of some serious sexy nu funk (think big Craig Charles-eque fodder) and this latest release has cemented them as one of my favourite new labels.

The Impellers are a 10-strong heavy soul and funk band who released their first album on another SLL label fave - Freestyle - in 2009. The guys are already famed for their multitude of styles and influences, both across their original material and covers - a perfect blend of deep funk, latin and afrobeats for the more upbeat floors.

Their latest release is the typically wicked 'Do What I Wanna Do' (as featured on this week's Podcast), with the guys again putting the 'fun' into funk with massive piano and guitar riffs meeting crazy afro adlibs and a peak-time singalong vocal. The package comes with an equally bonkers video from a band who clearly know how to bring the party - check the vid above.

'Do What I Wanna Do' is out now on Légère Records. | theimpellers.com

Various Artists - Sonic Boom Vol. 3 (Giant Step)

I only found out last week that those cheeky music pushers over at Giant Step have been releasing some amazing free soul compilations since last year. The latest installment is in the shape of 'Sonic Boom Vol. 3' and the quality of the content is exactly what you'd expect from one of the best nu soul sites out there.

Smooth, infectious beats, incredible sampling work and flawless vocals are aplenty on this 12-tracker, with my favourite cuts including a wicked cover of Frank Ocean's 'Pyramids' and the uber-funky 'I-69' by a new name to me - Roman GianArthur (check it out on this week's Podcast).

Maybe I'm showing my age but it still feels somehow wrong to be able to grab such amazing music for free, particularly when I used to spend around £10 a piece for singles of this quality on vinyl. Either way, that's progress I guess, and it's sounds sweet!

Scrimshire - Convergent (Wah Wah 45s)

'Convergent' is the first cut from Scrimshire's much anticipated third album 'Bight', out in May.

Adam has been keeping his fans bang upto date at every stage of the album-making process, which was only finished a few short weeks ago. As such, it's great to hear this first release, a slight departure from his previous long-player with more of a electronic feel and a truly unique dark and melancholic vibe (think James Blake, Jamie Woon territory). That said, 'Convergent' still maintains all of the character of Scrimshire's previous releases, with gorgeous guitar work and razor-sharp production providing a perfect showcase for the man himself on vocals. Can't wait to hear the album!

'Convergent' is out on 15th April via Wah Wah 45s. Mixes will be coming from Yosi Horikawa, Mazoulew and more.

Pre-order your copy here: scrimshire.bandcamp.com/album/convergent
Or via iTunes: itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/scrimshire/id218734487