Scorchers from Miami, Brazil, Studio One, Chicago and Enugu. Are you ready?
Sunshine, light air and Lonnie Liston Smith on the stereo. Monday is doing alright folks. The Flying Dutchman label are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Smith’s gorgeous Expansions LP with a very sharp new pressing. Using the original album master tape, they decamped to Frank Merritt's East London studio, the Carvery, for an all Analogue cut - and we can concur that it has never sounded better. The tip-on laminated gatefold sleeve also allows Jack Martin's original painting of Lonnie to shine as never before. There are so many lush spiritual vibes, but the opening title track is worth the attendance fee alone, an all time banger. 
A right rare-groover next with Mr Bongo reissuing the self-titled Coke album. A heavy hit of Miami Latin-funk, with soul and psych influences in the mix. It was released in 1972, but sadly never really moved out of the South Florida scene - in no small part due to a potential threat of lawsuit from the red can sugar drink wallys. But, the grooves are just too evocative and this one was never gonna stay in the dark forever. They lock into a rhythm, but stylistically there is tons going on and it all makes for a heady old listen. Great stuff.
We did mention a couple of additions to the Dinked Archive this week. Firstly, Perfect Teeth was the seventh and final studio album by the Washington, DC indie band Unrest. Having just clocked 30 years since release, 4AD and the band have revisited it with a fresh pressing, plus, a celebratory double album of Perfect Teeth / Extra Teeth for Dinked with the album remastered plus a bonus disc of EP tracks, singles and rarities. Last couple!
We did also work with Chrysalis to produce a 20th Anniversary Edition of Athlete’s Tourist, but we are afraid they have long sold out.
Seefeel’s debut Quique album gets a brand-new remaster from Abbey Road. It sounds fantastic and really shows off how full and flowing the arrangements were across electronic hues and acoustic ripples. Really evocative music.
Soul Jazz Records have produced a new expanded edition of the iconic Studio One Showcase 45 compilation, with a roll call of legends to include; Horace Andy, Cormel Campbell, Bob Marley and The Wailers, Jackie Mittoo, The Heptones and The Skatalites. This new edition includes eight bonus tracks. Scorchers.
Originally released in 2014, Strut re-introduces Hardcore Traxx: Dance Mania Records 1986-1997, the highly sought-after definitive retrospective of one of Chicago’s most important and innovative house music labels. This is the squelchist compilation of all time, absolute lethal energy from the start to the stop.
Volcanic Tongue was a record shop that existed in Glasgow from 2005 to 2015, run by David Keenan and Heather Leigh. It championed contemporary DIY music from around the world, and to celebrate Keenan’s new book of the same name, he has paired up with the esteemed Disciples label to celebrate twenty ‘tips of the tongue’. As eclectic as anything you’ll hear, a proper primer to mind expansion.
Oh, one more actually. The Horse Meat Disco Presents: Disco & Boogie From Brazil Vol.1 has just landed and is prime stereo summer energy. 13 years in the making, this is Brazilian disco and boogie finds from the legendary London disco connoisseurs.
Also this week, Boom Chaka Boom Boom was Charlie Megira’s self-reflexive final album. We have the Dallas leg of Sex Pistols Live In The U.S.A 1978 series. The self-titled Motörhead release has been slightly delayed, more ASAP on that.
Lastly, cometh the sunshine, cometh the William Onyeabor. We have new (very limited, colour vinyl) pressings of Body and Soul and Atomic Bomb and have been enjoying playing those loudly in the shop. In fact, loudly is the mantra this week, we’ll get back to blasting them out so just come and see us yeah.
