UK-based DJ Luke Una curates brilliant and highly eclectic new compilation ‘É Soul Cultura’
UK-based DJ, radio broadcaster, and selector Luke Una, who made his mark in the underground scenes of Manchester beginning in the mid-80s, has teamed up with the Mr Bongo label and record shop for a brilliant and wildly eclectic new compilation, titled É Soul Cultura.
Featuring a wide selection of new, old, rare, and even dollar bin finds, this incredible 15 track release features everything from Brazilian grooves to cosmic jazz, street soul, balearic, and just about everything in between. In very much the same vein as his widely popular four-hour WorldwideFM radio show, the compilation features tracks by Yusef Lateef, Airto Moreira, Crooked Man, Henri Texier, Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti, The Brand New Heavies, King Errisson and more.
As the press release for the compilation states, it’s best described by Luke himself, who writes: “As the 5AM city sleeps and the strobe lights are slowly turned off, we gather on the wrong side of town in a transcendental journey alone together. We are the late night disenfranchised holding on in various after parties, flats, lofts, random kitchens and basements into the outer cosmos with É Soul Cultura. Music from exotic tear jerkers, Afro-spiritual jazz, cosmic Brazilian celestial grooves, machine street soul, dark horses, lost B-sides, £1 bargain-bin bombs, hidden gems, late night Italo dubbing, deep velvet N.Y.C garage, bass buggin’ sonic futurism, wrong speed 33BPM pitched up +8 new beat, majestic sunset strings, sweet vocals from heaven, no half steppin’ jazz dancing in outer-space and odd numbers. Yes… magical moments, together, holding on in witness protection suburban cul-de-sacs and Castle Court flats. Cosmic É high, 3000ft above the city getting evangelical to murky, wonky timeless beautiful music. This thing of ours dreaming of better days. Fail we may, sail we must, the sun will come up again.”
The compilation is already receiving a ton of well-deserved praise, including the Album Of The Week on WorldwideFM and Compilation Of The Week on Lauren Laverne’s BBC6 Music show. It even received it’s own special edition beer by Verdant Brewing Co. commemorating the release. Overall, the remarkable release is definitely one of the true gems of 2022!
Various — ‘Luke Una Presents É Soul Cultura’
(Mr Bongo)
- Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti – “Eva”
- Chêne noir – “Le Train”
- Metropolis – “Every Time I See Him”
- The Brand New Heavies Featuring N’Dea Davenport – “Stay This Way (The Lunar Dub)”
- Typesun – “The P.L. (Extended Edit)”
- King Errisson – “Space Queen”
- Yusef Lateef – “Robot Man”
- Daniel Humair, François Jeanneau, Henri Texier – “Le Cyclope”
- Airto Moreira – “O Galho Da Roseira (The Branches Of The Rose Tree)”
- Francisco – “Waché”
- Nar’Chiveol – “Apocalypse Now Ho”
- On – “Southern Freeez”
- Soylent Green – “After All”
- Crooked Man – “B&E”
- Michael J. Blood & Samizdat – “Love Locked”
