BeatCaffeine’s Favorite Compilations of 2021
When it comes to organizing a record release, there might not be something more challenging than compiling music for a compilation. Unlike a Spotify playlist, these releases require sourcing and licensing the music, which is often much more challenging than selecting the tracks. That being said, compilations play an important part in telling a story about either a time period, a region, a sub-genre of a sub-genre and many times, all of the above. They often also serve as musical “gateway drugs” into whole worlds of lesser known music for listeners, in which they can continue to explore well beyond each release.
This year, there were many incredible compilation releases, especially ones that explored rare Japanese jazz and funk, Reggae, Latin-American and South African music from both the past and the present, European jazz, Afro-funk and more. Shoutout to all the compilers and labels that put so much tireless work in putting these essential and timeless musical artifacts together for us all to listen, learn, and enjoy.
Here are BeatCaffeine’s ‘Favorite Compilations’ of 2021.
15. WAMONO A to Z Vol. III: Japanese Light Mellow Funk, Disco & Boogie 1978-1988
(Wamono Series)
Following the highly acclaimed WAMONO A to Z volumes I and II compilation releases featuring some of the most rare jazz, funk, soul, and disco music to come out of Japan since the sixties, renowned remixer, compiler, and producer DJ Yoshizawa Dynamite and fellow DJ/record collector Chintam, teamed up again to dive into some of the more mellow disco-leaning grooves of the late seventies through the eighties. There are definitely some solid AOR and City Pop vibes happening on this excellent compilation. Fully licensed, this is the first time that many of these tracks have ever been made available outside of Japan.
14. For The Love of You Vol. 2
(Athens Of The North)
Edinburgh’s Athens Of The North label follows up last year’s amazing exploration into the world of Lover’s Rock, with an equally brilliant second volume. Compiled by Sam Don, this superb 12-track release includes strictly soul covers featuring interpretations of Grover Washington Jr., Midnight Star, Meli’sa Morgan, Simply Red and others. Here is hoping that there is at least one or two more volumes in this essential series forthcoming in the near future.
13. Rocksteady Got Soul
(Soul Jazz Records)
For well over twenty years, there hasn’t been a more definitive collection of releases highlighting the legendary reggae label Studio One than what London’s Soul Jazz Records has managed to curate through expansive compilation releases, exclusive singles, and never-before-heard gems. Their latest release Rocksteady Got Soul is an absolutely brilliant collection of uplifting rocksteady and soulful reggae from the late 1960s and early 1970s featuring an unbelievable lineup of legendary reggae artists, including Alton Ellis, John Holt, The Heptones, Jackie Mittoo, The Ethiopians, Sound Dimension, Lee Perry and many others.
12. Ritmo Fantasía: Balearic Spanish Synth-Pop, Boogie and House (1982-1992)
(Soundway)
Venezuelan producer, DJ and record collector Trujillo (aka Andres Astorga) takes listeners on an incredible journey through forgotten 1980s and 1990s era Balearic Spanish synth-pop, boogie and house music. Featuring 21 superb tracks that have been compiled over a decade’s worth of record collecting, the 3xLP release dives deep into some the rarest and most unique dance music to have come out of Spain during this experimental period.
11. Edo Funk Explosion Vol.1
(Analog Africa)
For the last two decades, the German-based label Analog Africa has consistently released some of the best compilations and retrospective recordings, highlighting the many unique styles of music that have come out of both Africa and South America. That certainly continued to be the case in 2021, putting out a number of great records, including two featured on this “favorites” list, starting with volume 1 of their much-anticipated Edo Funk Explosion compilation series, highlighting some of the greatest recordings from the genre’s pioneers, Osayomore Joseph, Akaba Man, and Sir Victor Uwaifo. Born in Nigeria’s Benin City in the late 1970s, Edo Funk emerged with the fusion of native Edo culture and the funky electric sounds coming from the West African nightclubs. Incredible from start to finish, this essential twelve-track compilation brilliantly highlights these Edo funk originators
10. Remixes JID010
(Jazz Is Dead)
For the final chapter in the initial run of absolutely brilliant Jazz Is Dead releases, JID masterminds Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad tap some of the most forward-thinking DJs, producers, and musicians including Cut Chemist, DJ Spinna, Georgie Anne Muldrow, Akili, Shigeto, Pink Siiffu, Dibiase, Natureboy Flako, and Kaidi Tathum to rework selections from the first eight releases. As the series has successfully celebrated legendary greats with fresh modern sessions, it’s only fitting that the first wave of JID releases concludes with such an innovative release.
9. Cameroon Garage Funk
(Analog Africa)
Another fantastic collection of music released by Analag Africa, the German-based label unearthed a collection of incredible DIY seventies recordings from an adventist church in Cameroon’s capital city of Yaoundé. Even though Yaoundé was a buzzing city with a strong music scene in the 70s, the region unfortunately lacked the infrastructure to support the musicians with proper recording facilities. Luckily an engineer, Monsieur Awono, at one of the local churches was able to convince the priests, in exchange for cash, time to record a number of cutting-edge artists in the area. These remarkable recordings, featuring some brilliant African funk, psychedelia, and highlife grooves. The lo-fi and rawness of the single microphone recordings only add to the overall live energy of each track, giving them a “garage rock” like feel that definitely resonates.
8. Journeys In Modern Jazz: Great Britain
(Decca)
Compiled by longtime British jazz collector Tony Higgins (aka “The Jazz Dad”), whom is one of the two individuals that has selected tracks for BBE Record’s brilliant three-part J Jazz compilation series, this incredible new compilation features selections from some of the greatest and most sought-after British jazz recordings from the sixties and seventies. The double-LP recording features fourteen adventurous hard-hitting post-bop gems from pioneering British jazz greats like Don Rendell, Ian Carr, John Surman, Ken Wheeler, Michael Garrick, Neil Ardley, Dick Morrissey, Harry Beckett and more.
7. Swave Villi Us: Independent Soul 1971-84
(Backatcha Records)
An absolutely brilliant sixteen-track compilation featuring some of the hardest to find independent soul gems recorded between 1971-1984. From breezy seventies Californian psych-folk, to mid-tempo groovers, downtempo ballads, sweet soul, and dreamy cosmic selections, this 2xLP release features top-shelf rarities from start to finish that will even have soul 45rpm aficionados scratching their head. The compilation also includes two previously unreleased versions of Nature’s Choice “Never Get A Chance” and Watch Tower’s “Forever, Together.”
6. Indaba Is
(Brownswood Recordings)
Following the release of two groundbreaking compilations in We Out Here and Sunny Side Up that explored the current thriving scenes in London and Melbourne, Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label turned it’s attention to exploring the current wave of forward-thinking jazz artists coming out of Johannesburg. Conceived and produced by two leading figures on the South African music scene, pianist Thandi Ntuli and singer Siyabonga Mthembu (The Brother Moves On, The Ancestors), this brilliant compilation brings together eight incredible Johannesburg groups featuring Ntuli, Bokani Dyer, Lwanda Gogwana, The Brother Moves On, The Wretched, Sibusile Xaba, The Ancestors, and Iphupho likaBiko.
5. J Jazz Vol. 3: Deep Modern Jazz from Japan
(BBE Music)
Early in 2021, London’s BBE Music released the third volume of it’s phenomenal J Jazz compilation series, continuing to shed light on some of the most incredible and obscure modern Japanese jazz recordings from the 1960s through the 1980s. Since issuing the first volume in 2018 and the follow-up in 2019, plus a number of essential album reissues, there has not been a more comprehensive and impressive output of releases dedicated to this region’s historic jazz scene. As with all releases in the series, this brilliant 13-track triple vinyl compilation was compiled by collectors Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, and covers a lot of ground musically. From post modal grooves, to jazz dance cuts, spiritual selections, and Brazilian-inspired gems, this recording showcases the versatility and forward-thinking approach from these composers and musicians.
4. Club Coco
(Bongo Joe)
This past year, Amsterdam-based label Bongo Joe and Worldwide FM radio DJ Coco María teamed up to release one of the dance floor records of the year with a brilliant new Afro-Latin compilation, titled Club Coco. This incredible compilation includes eleven hot-sizzling selections featuring some of María’s favorite Latin-influenced artists right now, including exclusives from Nico Mauskovic, La Perla, Meridian Brothers, Frente Cumbiero, and Malphino. She also provides her own production “Me Veo Volar”, which is arguably the record’s best track. Superb from start to finish, this is compilation will turn up the heat on just about any dancefloor.
3. Cuba: Music And Revolution — Culture Clash In Havana Cuba:Experiments In Latin Music 1975-85
Vol. 1 & Vol. 2
(Soul Jazz Records)
In 2021, Gilles Peterson and Stuart Baker teamed up to release two massive compilations exploring the fusion of jazz, funk, Brazilian, Tropicalia, and disco with Latin and Salsa that emerged in Cuba in the 1970s and 1980s. This expansive compilation series coincided with a new deluxe large 250-page book, also curated by Peterson and Baker, highlighting cover art from the 30-year period following the Cuban Revolution, titled Cuba: Music and Revolution: Original Cover Art of Cuban Music: Record Sleeve Designs of Revolutionary Cuba 1959-90. Between the book and two compilations, this might arguably make for the most expansive exploration of post-revolution Cuban music that’s ever been released.
2. Color De Trópico Vol. 2
(El Palmas Music)
Following the release of last year’s incredible Color de Trópico compilation (which made the list of BeatCaffeine’s “Favorite Compilations of 2020“), the Barcelona-based label El Palmas Music returned with the highly-anticipated second volume of the series, further shining a light on some of the most obscure gems out of Venezuela during the sixties and seventies. Compiled by DJ El Palmas and El Dragón Criollo, this eight-track recording continues to document an important time musically in the country based on monumental changes in the economy and government policies, and the desire of artists in this region to form their own unique identity after years of dictatorship. This compilation brilliantly captures some of greatest music to come out of this period, with superb selections that blend together elements of jazz, rock, salsa, funk, psych, reggae, samba, disco and beyond with the region’s more traditionally-rooted sounds like guajira, cumbia, cha-cha-cha, and joropo.
1.One Night in Pelican
(Matsuli Music)
For over a decade, Matsuli Music, have unearthed and reissued some of the most essential South African recordings ever made. With their first compilation release, the UK-based label turned their attention to the incredible story and sounds behind Soweto’s first nightclub, known as the Pelican Club. This incredible 10-track release celebrates the eclectic sounds that were present in this thriving venue during the musically fruitful period of 1974-1977. Established during the height of apartheid, the Pelican Club was located in an industrial park on the western edge of Orlando East, Soweto and provided a gathering spot for many of the most forward-thinking musicians in the area to explore the fusion of South African jazz with the western-influenced funk, disco, and soul music. Featuring all the key groups and players during this time, the compilation includes tracks by Abacothozi, Almon Memela’s Soweto, The Black Pages, Dick Khoza and the Afro Pedlars, The Drive, Ensemble of Rhythm and Art, The Headquarters, Makhona Zonke Band, the Shyannes, and Spirits Rejoice.
