Paraphrasing the Soul Sonic Force and sorting through today`s releases for tunes that could have graced Alfredo Fiorito & Leo Mas’ Amnesia dance-floor…

Future Sounds Of Kraut Vol 2 / Compost

The second volume of Compost’s Future Sounds Of Kraut finds compilers, Fred und Luna, further selecting modern sides influenced by the strain of `70s German rock that we might, more politely, call “Kosmische”. The full album is up for pre-order, however the promo has teased with just a couple of tracks. Thomas Felhmann’s Permanent Touch dates from 2010, but could easily pass for one of his classic early `90s “ambient house” collaborations with The Orb, such as, say, Sun Electric’s O’Locco. Featherlight dub techno tones and fidgeting, fractal melodies coming together over a chugging, sort of moonwalking beat, while tuned-in, turned-on computers click, and snap, their fingers. Lucas Croon’s Krautwickel, on the other hand, is a brand new bit of motoring motorik, with driving drums and a boisterous bass-line. Along the way cymbals crash, synths squelch, and guitars emit a sinister scratching. Keys are a mixture of flickers and vintage Wasp-like crescendos / noise. The cracking end result is kinda Cavern Of Anti-Matter, and kinda Emperor Machine. 

Ras Tweed / Liard N Theef / Samuel Records

On this fine 45, reggae joins forces with afrobeat, and, united, they call out corrupt, greedy governments, and call for revolution. The music infectiously struts its stuff somewhere between Fela Kuti’s Sorrow, Tears, And Blood, and The Haggis Horns’ The Traveller. On the flip there’s a brass-blasted Part 2, where triumphant trombone, trumpet, and jazzy sax, take it in turns to lead. 

Ada Kaleh / Unravelling / R&S

With an almost identical message Ada Kaleh samples Fela’s I.T.T. (International Thief Thief) for a bionic blow straight to the head of political / corporate corruption and oppression. Unravelling, a single forthcoming on R&S, is still “afro”, but a completely electronic mix of muted machine loops, given a human touch by the free-sounding sax of former Prince collaborator and sideman, Eric Leeds. 

Roberto Lodola  / Watamu / Bandcamp

Afro / cosmic legend Roberto Lodola also takes a trip to Africa, but his Watamu is much, much lighter in tone. The only action it wants is for you to dance. Firmly four-to-the-floor and boasting big old school house b-line, coloured by timbales and hypnotic ringing guitar, the tune’s obviously a nod to `80s floor-filling stuff like Mory Kante’s massive Ye ke Ye ke. Both share a catchy afro chant and totally uplifting vibe. Maestro Lodola even lets loose a little lithe acid toward the end. Wellworn tropes? Yeah, but it’s put together with such care that it doesn’t` sound anywhere near cheesy.

Rio 18 / Cachet​ó​n / Recordiau Agati Recordings

The last record I heard by Carwyn Ellis’ Rio 18 was the brilliant collaboration with The BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Yn Rio. That was all swooning strings and gentle Bahia beats, from which the new single, Cachet​ó​n, is a radical departure. Robotic rather than romantic, with vocoder vocals, it’s a carnival Cumbia groove, hyped with enthusiastic shouts, and rich with rolled Latin Rs. An excellent exercise in eccentric electro exotica. Anchored by steady bass, and rocked by spontaneous synths. Breadminster County Council’s Elijah Minnelli, no stranger to Columbia’s biggest musical export himself, delivers a more stripped back dub, that swaps those synths for melodica. 

Ambala / Amor Bailar / Music For Dreams

Ambala also draw some inspiration from South America on their latest outing, Amor Bailar. A super shiny and polished, uptempo production, it borrows from Brazilian boogie, with its fiercely funky Clavinet and mad fusion keys. Far from a chilled out sunset score, while wordless, save ethereal sighs and a short spoken section, the piece is a proper composition, packing verse, chorus, bridge, and middle-eight. Making space for sweeping orchestration, and cool and breezy jazz guitar.