Some heavy heavy stuff, plenty else and The Thin White Duke.
We start this new week with an absolutely incredible library album of funk and ambient magic from genius producer-arranger Dennis 'Blackbeard' Bovell. The dub pioneer composed cLOUD mUsIc in two halves, a journey from slinky disco funk energy on the A-side, into some serious dub wobble on the B-side. This first ever vinyl pressing, on Be With Records, features 8 new, deep, never heard heaters, initially created for UK library label FOLD. Ludicrously good.
We have an absolutely stunning benefit compilation album in stock on the Western Vinyl label. Passages: Artists in Solidarity with Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers features contributions from Alan Sparhawk, Oneohtrix Point Never, Lambchop, Marisa Anderson, Lonnie Holley, Bonnie Prince Billy, Dirty Projectors, William Tyler, Tim Heidecker, and many others. 
The week’s other compilation of note is just amazingly good fun. Soul Jazz turn their gaze to Old Skool Ragga, D&B and Jungle with JUNGLIST! We can’t just keep saying heavy, but this is such a heavyweight stereo workout. A trip back to 1993–95 and the explosion of an amazing scene. Dead good.
Released on vinyl in two parts for maximum playability, First Floor (Part 1 and Part 2) was the debut album from Detroit/Chicago auteur Theo Parrish. Singed with raw and atmospheric beats, it has such a lush groove without ever feeling like it’s in a hurry. Peacefrog Records have also done such a gorgeous job here, with both pressed on smoky coloured vinyl and wearing a stunning OBI strip.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of her seminal The Greatest album, Cat Power releases a very limited new Redux EP. Pressed on 10” vinyl (with a gorgeous but hard to photograph mirror board sleeve), it includes a brand new re-recording of James Brown’s chart-topping classic Try Me.
To mark its 15th anniversary, Jane Weaver reissues The Fallen By Watch Bird as a special expanded edition, with The Watchbird Alluminate, featuring reinterpretations by Demdike Stare, The Focus Group, Anworth Kirk, Emma Tricca and others. Such a lush album, still sounds not much like anything else.
Lastly this week, still sounding utterly vital on its 50th anniversary, my favourite David Bowie album, Station to Station, gets a Half Speed Master edition and man did we ever rock this one earlier today. When Bowie passed away, our good friend Roger came to see us the following day and we played Station to Station over the stereo whilst we all chatted, still reeled from the news. That playback is forever etched in my mind, a powerful and cathartic experience.