BeatCaffeine’s Weekly Record Rundown 06.28.24
As we move into the middle of summer, we see a slew of standout new releases, including a collection of Joaquin Joe Claussell remixes featuring selections from Nicola Conte’s 2023 full-length Umoja, the brilliant debut from UK producer and multi-instrumentalist David Lyn, the latest Best of Various 12inch from Steve Conry’s Ten Lovers Music, and the fourth and arguably best recording from K15 and Culross Close. Let’s go swimming!
BeatCaffeine’s Record of the Week
Nicola Conte — ‘Umoja (Joaquin Joe Claussell Sacred Rhythm Music & Cosmic Arts Remixes)’
(Far Out Recordings)
London’s Far Out Recordings has just released a superb collection of 10 exclusive remixes by legendary New York house music icon Joaquin Joe Claussell, featuring selections from Italian jazz pioneer Nicola Conte’s highly-acclaimed 2023 album Umoja. Aimed directly at the dancefloor, Claussell has turned up the heat on each track, while not loosing the foundation of the original, while providing additional percussion, guitars, keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming and more. Definitely one of the dancefloor records of the summer and beyond!
More BeatCaffeine Recommendations
David Lyn — ‘The World I Hear (Essence Of Life)’
(Music Without Labels)
UK producer and multi-instrumentalist David Lyn has released a brilliant debut album, titled The World I Hear (Essence Of Life), that is the first in a series that explores the elements of fire, earth, water and wind with focuses on the twin entities of love and water. This 12-track recording features a heavy dose of rhythmic percussion and a wide range of globally influenced grooves, from jazz dance and Afro-house to spiritual meditative melodies, soul, Latin and beyond. The session also includes a number of notable special guests, including Born 74, Dr Bob Jones, Gee W and others, along with vocal contributions from Vuyelwa Mgatyelwa, Elena Rogozhina, and Arema Arega. Without a doubt, one of the year’s best and most breakthrough releases.
Various — ‘Best of Various’
(Ten Lovers Music)
The latest in the incredible Best of Various vinyl-only series from Steve Conry’s Ten Lovers Music features a wide array of stellar tracks from some of today’s most forward-thinking producers and musicians from around the globe, including Stefano De Santis, the Batavia Collective, Cormac Fulton, Mike Perras, Future Jazz Ensemble, and Takahiro Fuchigami. Primed for the dancefloor, the music ranges everywhere from jazz dance and soulful Chicago house to G-funk, cosmic explorations and everything in-between.
Culross Close — ‘Learning to Let Go’
(Esencia)
Led by London-based producer, remixer, and Kieron Ifill (aka K15) and an impressive ensemble of musicians, Culross Close returns with their fourth and possibly last album, titled Learning To Let Go. Featuring eight standout tracks, the recording is, according to the group, a meditation on releasing and accepting, grounding and surrendering and eventually, moving always and only forward along the current of life’s happenings. The full-length blends together spiritual jazz with cosmic textures, cinematic arrangements, and rhythmic grooves.
