Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Steve Leach's Ocean Potion, set for reissue on Be With Records, is a hidden gem of Balearic beach-funk from 1976, featuring Leachiknown today as Seasick Steveiin his earlier incarnation. Originally released exclusively in France on Philips, this LP is a funky AOR and blue-eyed soul masterpiece, brimming with vibrant, pop-funk energy. Recorded with the Crystal Grass Orchestra, the album boasts a lush orchestral sound that perfectly complements Leach's smooth vocals and the rich harmonies of a stellar ensemble of backing singers. The supporting musicians are legends from the French music scene, including Don Ray as arranger and synth player, Marc Chantereau on percussion, Slim Pezin on guitar, Andre Ceccarelli on drums, Christian Padovan on bass, and Pierre Halation on flute. Their combined talents create a groove that is both immediate and infectious, making it hard to believe this record has remained relatively obscure. The reissue by Be With Records has been carefully remastered by Simon Francis, ensuring the sound quality is impeccable. Cicely Balston's expert cutting preserves the record's integrity, while the original sleeve artwork, featuring a topless Leach reclining on a piano-laden flatbed truck at the beach, has been beautifully restored. This long-overdue reissue brings Ocean Potion back to the spotlight, where it rightly belongs.

Review: New York-based multi-instrumentalist/producer/film composer Steve Moore's Lovelock project returns to woo us all once more with Washington Park. This is yet another unctuous suite of instrumentals that are best categorised as lounge music heightened with plenty of magical and exotic synth sounds. This time, Moore is in a more mellow mood than ever before with soothing melodies and gently unfolding arrangements that offer a cathartic place to hide, well away from the dark dystopian of modern day life. This might be an album that is low-key in terms of design, but it is certainly high impact emotionally.