Juno Recommends International April 2019

Review: Originally released in Kenya way back in 1987, "Hinde" was the sole single from an obscure outfit called African Vibration. The track has since gone on to become something of a sought-after gem; a sparse, drum machine-driven, synthesizer-sporting jam that offers a uniquely tropical and wholeheartedly East African take on electro/synth-pop fusion. Happily, Soundway has decided to issue it on 12" for the first time, having previously included in on 2016's superb "Kenya Special: Volume 2" compilation. The brilliant original comes accompanied by a fresh Julian Dyne rework that makes more of the original's fluttering, sun-kissed synths and rainforest sound effects. It's a little deeper, dreamier and exceptionally blissful; in fact, you could almost describe it as being "Balearic".

Review: Under the Guts guise, instrumental hip-hop beat-maker turned tropical soul enthusiast Fabrice Franck Henri has become one of Heavenly Sweetness' most reliable artists. "Philantropiques" is Henri's first album for three years and could well be his most expansive and adventurous to date. The set's 14 tracks are as colourful and musically rich as you'd expect, with the storied producer and a range of vocal collaborators conjuring up tracks that draw influence from a myriad of Central American, Caribbean, South American and African styles. The results are uniformly excellent, with highlights including the tropical shuffle of "Mucagiami (feat Vum Vum)", the sun-kissed French Caribbean funk of "Daddy Sweet (feat Pat Kalla)", the Afro-Tropical rush of "Kenk Corner" and the synth-powered brilliance of "Shake It & Rise Up".

Review: Last year, Amsterdam-based Turkish band Altin Gun delivered one of the most potent - and arguably overlooked - debut albums of the year, "On". 12 months on they return with album number two, "Gece", an inspired fusion of heavyweight Turkish psychedelia, funk, freak-folk and intergalactic rock. While the songs and recordings are brand new, the band's choice of instrumentation - vintage Moog synths, gnarled funk-rock guitars, skittish drums and fuzzy bass guitar - and 1960s style production gives the whole thing a deliciously retro feel. It's a recipe that guarantees thrills and spills, with "Yolcu", "Sofor Bey", "Derdimi Dokersem" and spacey "Gesi Baglari" among the many highlights.

Review: It's been a fair old while since we last heard from Tropical Jam, the sneaky re-edit imprint from Vakula and Aussie crate digger Daniel Lupica. Surprisingly, this is the duo's first 10-inch missive of humid, floor-friendly revisions since the summer of 2018. They begin in a suitably sunny mood, offering up an on-point rearrangement of a cheery, sax-laden Afro-synth workout that sounds like it originated in the early 1980s. The A-side also boasts a second bubbly synth workout, possibly of a South African cut from the same period, where jaunty Clavinet lines and male/female vocals rise above a sparse but funky groove. Side B, meanwhile, contains a more Balearic-minded electronic cut rich in lo-fi drum machine beats, dreamy chords, chiming lead lines and glassy-eyed vocal snippets.

Review: Originally released in 1975, "Back To Rhythm" is one of the crowning glories of Akira Ishikawa's glittering career. The Japanese drummer turned his hand to countless wonderful records over his career, but this one was surely one of the best. Mr Bongo seem to think so, and they're giving it a proper reissue treatment. There are funk breaks galore embedded in this joyously upbeat, irresistibly groovy sound, where the horns parp with clarity and the guitar licks cartwheel through airy mixes. Managing to be both fulsome and loud without coming over too heavy, Ishikawa's sprightly take on instrumental funk has never sounded better than on this release.

Review: Nickodemus steers the well-travelled Wonderwheel in the direction of Chad, a country often overlooked in global music conversations. After an invitation to travel to the country's capital, N'Djamena, to teach DJing and production, Nickodemus and DJ Buosis set up a pop-up studio to record unique sessions between young musicians from Cameroon, Chad, Congo and Togo. The end result of this cultural melting pot is Desert To Douala, a rich and varied document of sparkling, original tracks with danceable punch and joyous energy in droves. You won't have heard music quite like this before, such is the nature of the project, and that makes it all the more exciting. Alongside an 11-track CD album, this wonderful double pack 7" release cherry picks some of the compilation's highlights and commits them to wax.

Review: Long before digging South American and African music became popular, Patrick Forge and Chris Franck were serving up club-focused jams that drew heavily on the musical traditions of both continents. It is, then, a good time for them to return from a five-year hiatus with a brand new EP. It's every bit as colourful, vibrant and floor-friendly, with all three cuts hitting the mark. Leading the charge is fantastic A-side "Oba Lata", a supremely sun-kissed Afro-beat affair rich in Africa 70s style guitars, Tony Allen-esque drum patterns and life-affirming vocals. On the flip you'll find a punchy, off-kilter broken beat revision from contemporary bruk hero Namebrandsound, as well as the deep, languid and Rhodes-laden shuffle of "Dakar", a more considered number that nevertheless leaves a lasting impression.