As we said, this week’s compilations provide such an abundance of riches, we just couldn’t help but to take a little bit of extra time to tell you all about it!

The Mighty Congo River, smouldering LA R&B, Tokyo City Pop and all the gorgeous energies with REACH...

We start off this week on ‘The Shores Of The Mighty Congo River’ with the absolutely outrageous Congo Funk! On Analog Africa. The AA team undertook a hugely ambitious trawl through some two thousand funk songs (making two journeys to Kinshasa and one to Brazzaville) to compile this effervescent set of swirling Funk goodness from 1969 to 1982. We won’t paraphrase any of the stories as there are fantastic liner notes and this is a trip (down river) that you should really take-in yourselves. Great stories, stunning art and music to shake the limbs. This is a 10/10 comp.

Another fascinating edition of Numero’s Eccentric Soul series this week with Consolidated Productions Vol. 1. As they explain, Mel Alexander’s Consolidated Productions was among the longest running Black-owned independent record conglomerates of the 20th century (1961-1991), and the 28 absolutely smouldering R&B cuts here from the various imprints are quite amazing. All remastered from the original 1/4” tapes, this is decades of gold.

+ Available on double ‘Car-A-Mel’ colour vinyl.

Gearbox Records have taken to Tokyo for a heady mix of 70s and 80s funk, soul, disco, AOR, R&B and Pop… City Music! Curated from the extensive Nippon Columbia catalogue by Japanese renaissance man Cunimondo Takiguchi, this compilation chronicles the hottest cuts from the most innovative originators of the City Pop genre. As ever, Gearbox have really smashed the production too, this one sounds pretty incredible.

So lastly on today's compilation special, we have a second offering from the heads at Numero and this one is really glorious stuff… “The only LP guaranteed to save your life during humanity’s apocalyptic demise.” REACH is a postmodern mixtape of 12 micro-genres, songs bound by their soaring spirit and adventurous approach. Stirring strings, Birdsong, tranquil jazz hues and soothing soul; this one is a beautiful headspace.

+ Pressed on ‘Open Heart Red’ colour vinyl.

Go get exploring!