MUSIC

Helado Negro returns with This Is How You Smile, an album that freely flickers between clarity and obscurity, past and present geographies, bright and unhurried seasons. Miami-born, New York-based artist Roberto Carlos Lange embraces a personal and universal exploration of aura – seen, felt, emitted – on his sixth album and second for RVNG Intl.

Although it is difficult to classify, "A Way In" lends itself to the worlds of Afrobeat, Cumbia, Salsa, and Soul– a stirring of potent rhythms and enigmatic melodies that make Mitchum Yacoub’s sophomore album stand tall in the world of groove music. Syncopated dance tracks, definitive horns, and steady backbeats carry tales of anguish, love, and uprising. It is a record that reveals the human spirit: a confluence of thoughtful introspection and earth-shaking ritmo.

Yacoub recorded, produced, and mixed the album, ensuring the meticulously layered sound first heard on his debut, Living High in the Brass Empire. His formidable horn section–Travis Klein, Bradley Nash, and Wesley Etienne–returns in full force and with a range of masterful spotlights. Longtime friend and collaborator Divina also returns, offering understated, soulful vocals on "Hurtin’", "When I’m With You", and "Gold". Panamanian vocalist, Lourdes Iri, stamps her debut on the resistance anthem 'Profecía" and the sensual upbeat Cumbia, "Deseo Celestial". These vocal tunes fit into a kaleidoscope of instrumentals, including "Away", found in the echoes of Ethio-jazz, and Sala, which feels like Hermanos Gutiérrez meets Willie Colón–after sharing a smoke and a listen to "Water No Get Enemy".

The diversity of vocal and instrumental pieces is unified by an understanding of vintage production styles and Afro-Latin musical sensibilities. Yacoub credits his father–who immigrated to Detroit from Egypt in 1968–for opening his ears to an array of global music. His childhood home resonated loudly with the sounds of Ali Farka Touré, Oum Kalthoum, Keith Jarrett, Santana, Toumani Diabaté, Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, etc. Later, while attending UCSC, Yacoub studied African music with Karlton Hester–a tenor saxophonist and former student of Joe Henderson–who introduced him to Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. After hearing the hypnotic force of James Brown-infused funk with Yoruba drumming, Yacoub knew there was no turning back.

It wasn’t just Fela’s sonic phenomena, but the summoning of a higher power in the call for justice. A Way In channels the spirit of Afrobeat and imbues the many genres mentioned above with an angle of self-reflection. In a time when artificial music is rising and originality risks being buried, this album offers a refreshing dose of soulful dance music–meant to bring people together, and inward.

"I think I have never met anybody, with the exception of Brazilian guitarists Baden Powell and Toquinho, as connected to his instrument as Agustín Pereyra Lucena" – Vinicius de Moraes Agustín Pereyra Lucena was one of South America’s outstanding guitarists. Hailing from Buenos Aires but obsessed with the music of neighbouring Brazil, Agustin abandoned his architecture studies to pursue music full-time, earning friendship and collaborations with Brazilian music's greatest figures including Vinicius de Moraes, Baden Powell, Toquinho, Dorival Caymmi, Maria Bethania and Chico Buarque. Originally released in 1975, Ese Dia Va A Llegar (which has also been issued under the title Brasiliana) finds Agustin and band—which includes key collaborators Guillermo Reuter on contrabass, and Carlos Carli on drums and percussion— at their most blissfully laid back. The album features idiosyncratic renditions of classics by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, João Donato and Agustin’s personal hero and friend Baden Powell, alongside Agustín's own works which ooze with captivating mystical wonder. The analog warmth of the recording is such that it feels like you’re there in mid-seventies Buenos Aires, on a balmy late night session at Estudios Audión, with a group of phenomenally impressive musicians. The heat generated is offset only by the cool temperament of everyone involved. On the handful of vocal tracks on the album, Agustin’s gentle voice is responded to by the liquid smooth vocals of Laura Hatton, Luis Maria Cosenza and Patricia Scheuer. Agustin’s unique position in the annals of his continent’s musical history has been lovingly maintained by Agustin’s nephew Jose Luis Pereyra Lucena, who has entrusted Far Out Recordings to preserve and re-release Agustin’s works. The music has been professionally remastered, directly from the original master tape, at London’s Metropolis Studios.

Mapache presents the first solo album by Tim Bernardes, singer and composer of Brazilian band 0 Terno. A magical Chamber Pop album that can be totally explained with just a word. Beauty. Sao Paulo talented jack-of all trades, Tim Bernardes Recomegar shines exquisitely from head to toe. So, cut off the overheads, turn on a lamp or light a candle, perhaps some incense, and listen to it. Might we suggest starting with “Quis Mudar” a breathtaking folk song punctuated by crystalline eruptions of strings and horns. Bernardes’ voice is truly next level. – J. Steele, Aquarium Drunkard

Limited white vinyl specifications. This is the second solo album since the masterpiece "Recomecar" by Tim Bernardes, the vocalist / guitarist of São Paulo's soul / guitar rock band O Terno, who is attracting attention as the bearer of the new generation of Brazilian music. His father is Maurício Pereira, a musician who is also a member of Os Mulheres Negras, which was also recorded in the Brazilian compi "Outro Tempo: Electronic And Contemporary Music From Brazil 1978-1992" of , and his unusual musical sense is the same. Outstanding in the generation. It has been praised by the original Tropicália, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa and Tom Ze, as well as recent free folk music such as Fleet Foxes and Devendra Banhart from outside Brazil, as well as David Byrne. He also participated in O Terno's 7inch release on in Japan with Shintaro Sakamoto and Devendra Banhart. Love songs, sadness songs, change songs, and inclusive singing voices resonate with emotions and provide healing. Expected work that will be able to enjoy the talent that can be called the flag bearer of this Neutropicaria!

Money Chicha, the Austin-based collective featuring members of the Grammy-winning Latin orchestras Grupo Fantasma and Brownout, unveils their third full-length album, “Onda Esotérica”.

Psychedelic cumbia amazónica with South Texas swagger. “Like taking a hit of acid, downing a couple shots of tequila, and hopping a plane to 1960s Peru” – KUTX.

Haruomi Hosono's Tropical Dandy receives its first-ever international reissue. Originally released in 1975, Tropical Dandy is a cult classic that marked Hosono’s shift toward genre-blending, fusing exotica, jazz, and pop to lay the groundwork for Japanese City Pop – described by none other than Van Dyke Parks as "cinematic romance with sonic texture."

Classic black and limited edition Ocean Blue. 180-gram vinyl, pressed in the US featuring exclusive OBI and a new translation of Haruomi Hosono's 1975 liner notes.

This compilation ‘Pas Un Pas Sans… The Boleros of O.K. Jazz 1957-77’ is a selection of songs from what is one of the most unique and passionate music genres on earth, the Congolese bolero. Of all Congolese bands venturing into the bolero, the O.K. Jazz orchestra is by far the king of this musical style which originated in the late 19th century in Cuba. In its nearly forty years of existence, the illustrious band released dozens of boleros, with beautiful compositions, mainly by Franco and Vicky, and occasionally from Kwamy, Edo, Simaro and Mujos among others. The slow form of the bolero allowed Franco, who said in various interviews that he loved all forms of ‘slow music’, to express his most profound soul stirrings and create a style of his own. With the suave voice of Vicky and the breathtaking and dramatic guitar touch of Franco, O.K. Jazz was able to capture the true essence of the bolero. The favorite theme in the bolero songs of O.K. Jazz was, without doubt, the joy and pain of love, but it also touches on friendship, city life in Kinshasa, laments, politics and even advertising for a shoe brand like the remarkable song ‘Pas Un Pas Sans Bata’ featured on this compilation. All of the songs, except one, were restored and remastered from the original 45 rpm or 78 rpm release. The selection chronologically presented here consists – as always – for a good part of songs never reproduced after their original release.

Reissue, originally released in 1963. Ellis Regina one of the greatest Brazilian interpreters of all time. Originally released in 1963 when she was not even 20 years old, this was her fourth album and second for Columbia Records. Still a few steps before she became a star, here Ellis Regina's fresh and extremely ductile voice shines on top of sophisticated jazz arrangements by Astor Silva and a mixed repertoire based on charming romantic songs and vibrant sambas, all composed by Brazilian authors, among them a couple of highlights such as Baden Powell's "Se Você. Quiser" and "O Ben do Amor" the title track composed by guitarist Rildo Hora. This is an early and fine statement in Regina's fast way to the peak of Brazilian music history.

Clube da Esquina is a 1972 double album by the Brazilian music artists collective Clube da Esquina, credited to Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges. Considered one of the greatest Brazilian albums and an important record in the history of Brazilian music, it features arrangements by Eumir Deodato and Wagner Tiso, and conductions by Paulo Moura. The album garnered high attention for its engaged compositions and miscellany of sounds. Indeed, the LP was considered in the list of the Brazilian version of Rolling Stone as the 7th best Brazilian album of all time. In 2022, the album was ranked number 1 on the Discoteca Básica podcast's 500 Greatest Brazilian Music Records list and Spin ranked the album at number 19 in its list for the 50 Best Albums of 1972. Despite popular belief, the photo on the album cover does not depict Borges and Nascimento as children. It was taken by a member of the collective, Brazilian photographer Cafi (Carlos da Silva Assunção Filho), on the side of a road in the rural northern Rio de Janeiro state.

Elis and Tom is a bossa nova album, released in 1974, recorded by Brazilian singer Elis Regina and singer-songwriter Antônio Carlos Jobim. Recorded over a 16-day period at MGM Studios in Los Angeles, California, the album was an old wish of Regina, who always wanted to record a full album of Jobim's songs with him. This finally came true in 1974, when Elis was celebrating her 10th anniversary as an artist of Philips Records. The label approved the project as a gift for her.

10 Anos Depois is the tenth album by Brazilian musical artist Jorge Ben, released in 1973. It is a collection of popular songs from the first decade of his career re-recorded as medleys.

A mutant beat manifesto from Miami luminaries Jonathan Trujillo (Jonny from Space) and Pablo Arrangoiz (El Gusano, DJ Fitness, Baüzer Vep), Crespi Drum Syndicate’s Colada Talk follows the duo’s debut on Sonido Isla with a freshly freaked collection of percussive oddities. Rooted in foundational clave rhythms and avant-garde experimentation, Crespi Drum Syndicate emerges from the amphibious underbelly of Miami’s Latin-infused club scene with their singular electro-acoustic vision. Extensive live recording sessions, free improvisation, and a ritualistic studio practice — countless hours spent twisting and rearranging sounds from found objects and Buchla modular systems — coalesce into new rhythmic forms. Atonal saxophone, bass clarinet, and slide whistle further expand upon Trujillo and Arrangoiz’s ever-evolving sonic palette, while NYC’s AceMo lends a hand on the heavily syncopated “Siu,” and closer “Boubow” might be the duo’s most hook-driven production to date with its mangled pop vocal and lewd drum-line bounce. Landing somewhere between Steve Reich’s polyrhythmic “Six Marimbas,” Moebius & Plank’s industrial Krautrock sessions, and Ricardo Villalobos’ hypnotic techno minimalism, Colada Talk delivers on a world of subtropical rhythmic futurism and experimental body music that’s as heady as it is culo-shaking. -Phil Cho

“Milton,” released in 1976 by Brazilian music legend Milton Nascimento, is a profound masterpiece that blends MPB, bossa nova, and Latin jazz. His deep and gentle vocals, combined with Toninho Horta’s delicate guitar arrangements, create a sound that is both urban and rooted in tradition. Featuring lyrics in both English and Portuguese, the album is recognized as a symbol of MPB’s maturity and international reach.

A collection of ten hypnotic guitar renditions that dive deeply into the traditional compositional musicality that underpins Harakami’s hallucinatory beatscapes before reconsidering them under a fresh, innovative and engaging new light. River: The Timbre of Guitar #2 Rei Harakami signals a new level of awareness and understanding of both Rei Harakami’s significance and Ayane Shino’s undeniable talent.

Boas festas ✨ Wishing you all a beautiful Christmas and a strong, joyful start to the new year from Groningen & Luanda. We’re very happy to finally share some long-awaited news: after five years, we’ve completed the order for the "Turma Da Benção" album at the pressing plant — and the vinyl is officially on its way! It’s been a long journey, but we’re incredibly grateful for everyone’s patience, trust, and support along the road. Pre-orders are now open. To celebrate the season, we’d love to share “Boas Festas” & "Réveillon" two incredible tracks from this forthcoming album, a project rooted in the legacy of Conjunto Angola 70 and co-produced by Paulo Flores. They are included in the vinyl pre-order. More details about the album and upcoming release will follow soon. For now, we hope this track brings you a moment of warmth, reflection, and celebration over the holidays. Thank you for your support during this journey. Onwards into the new year 🖤❤️ Much love, Keep On Pushin Records

A disciple of mambo innovator Perez Prado, the Cuban-born Modesto Duran was a pivotal figure in Latin dance music’s transitionary mid-century period. His gentle slaps can be heard across dozens of 1950s mega-sellers, from Esquivel to Belafonte, Eartha Kitt to Lena Horne. On his 1960 solo debut, Duran gathers a who’s who of conga-men, including Mongo Santamaría, Willie Bobo, and Juan Cheda, delivering a cinematic and percussive melange of afro-cuban, cha cha, and exotic jazz styles for the discerning listener.

Introducing the 1st Volume of Super Biton of Segou’s Afro.Jazz.Folk collection, led by Malian conductor Amadou Bah, also known as “The Armstrong Malian”. Mieruba is thrilled to present this collaboration with Deviation Records, showcasing the diverse musical roots of 1970s Mali, combining Afro-Latin percussion, Mandingo songs, jazzy brass, and funky guitar. . . The Super Biton orchestra has been around since the 60s. Like Ségou, the Super Biton orchestra has always set itself apart from what was being done in Bamako and other major African cities. Ségou is a crossroads between the Bambara, Peul, Mandingo and Somono cultures, and Super Biton has drawn on all these traditions to create a repertoire that is extremely rich in rhythms and lyrics. The Ségou orchestra developed and integrated amplified instruments that mingled with brass instruments, in particular electric guitars, symbols of modernity at the time. It opened up to Cuban music, with congas and bongos completing the orchestra's sound, as some of the musicians had completed their training in Cuba. The group developed a unique sound, a perfect balance between tradition and modernity, thanks to its modern, sophisticated compositions. As a result, Super Biton triumphed at the 1972, 1974 and 1976 National Biennials and has become the best-known and most sought-after Malian orchestra outside the country's borders. Afro Jazz Folk Collection presents previously unreleased tracks by the legendary orchestra that have been confided to Mieruba by members of the orchestra in order to bring them back into the limelight.

Formed in 1968, Mauritania's National Orchestre was the official band of the post-colonial desert country. Led by the young Hadrami Ould Meidah and trained in Guineau Conakry under the guidance of the Bembeya Jazz, the Orchestre National was both musical group and idealogical symbol - sharing many of the aspirations of the young country. To the Mauritanian classical music, with its rigid and complex modal system, the group unabashedly added electric guitars and brass sections. Traditional epics were adapted with contemporary sounds. Multi-lingual compositions honored the diverse ethnic groups throughout the country. The life of the National Orchestra would parallel the events shaping the nation, lasting from 1968 to 1975 - shortly before the military coup which would spell not only the end of the Orchestra, but the end of a democracy. Recordings are hard to come by. Aside from the few copies of the 7" that still exist, no other commercial releases were ever made. The remaining legacy of the Orchestra consisting of live performances and radio broadcasts, was nearly destroyed during the coup d'etat of 1978. Under orders to burn any and all recordings related to the Daddah regime, the radio archive was looted by loyal military forces. During the chaos, one heroic radio engineer snuck into the archives and salvaged the reels of the music contained here which were sequestered in his home for the past decades. Working with Hadrami Ould Meidah, radio archivists, and former members of the band, these selections highlight some of the remaining recordings of the prolific L'Orchestre National de Mauritania.

Nara Leão is known as "the muse of bossa nova”. Already as a teenager in the late 1950s, she became friends with several singers and composers who took part in Bossa Nova's musical revolution, including João Gilberto, Vinicius de Moraes, and Antônio Carlos Jobim. By 1963, after singing as an amateur for a few years, she became a professional and toured with Sérgio Mendes. In 1968 she appeared on the album “Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses” together with artists including Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Os Mutantes and Gal Costa, performing "Lindonéia”, which appears as first track in this album, published in the same year.

On October 15th and 16th, 2020, drummer Daniel Villarreal was joined by guitarist Jeff Parker and bassist Anna Butterss for two afternoons of recording in the backyard of Chicali Outpost in Los Angeles. For all three musicians, it was the first ensemble recording session they’d done in-person since the pandemic locked the world down just seven months prior. Some choice moments from these sessions made it onto Villarreal’s critically-acclaimed 2022 album Panamá 77, but most of the music remained unreleased. Lados B is a deep dive into the high-level spontaneous music made by Villarreal, Parker, and Butterss across those two days in 2020. Villarreal is heard leading the group through various rhythmic modes and structures for improvisation – flow as informed by the Latin funk of Fania Records as it is by the otherworldly humanity trance of Brain Records – while Parker and Butterss draw on their extensive experience playing free together (as heard on Parker's recently-released Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy, and the LA side of Makaya McCraven's 2018 LP Universal Beings) to build harmonic buoys for their spontaneous melodicism. The result is a beautifully vivid illustration of context, creativity, and collective composition from a particularly rich moment in history.

A landmark debut released in 1976, Jaco Pastorius’s first solo album forever changed the history of the electric bass. Featuring an all‑star lineup including Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, and Don Alias, it remains a timeless masterpiece that continues to be regarded as the ultimate bass bible.

Following Léve Léve Vol. 1, this second volume continues a long-term exploration of the popular music of São Tomé and Príncipe, with a clear focus on rhythm, movement and dancefloor energy. Curated by Tom B., Léve Léve Vol. 2 brings together emblematic recordings from the 1970s and 1980s, carefully restored and remastered, designed as much for close listening as for DJ use. The compilation deepens and completes the first volume by returning to key groups such as Sangazuza, Conjunto Equador, Africa Negra and Pedro Lima, while also unveiling previously unreleased or hard-to-find tracks. Across the record, puxa and socopê rhythms unfold with remarkable intensity, capturing these bands at the height of their powers: tight arrangements, driving grooves and a strong sense of collective momentum. Beyond celebration, Léve Léve Vol. 2 also reflects a precise cultural and political context. Several songs reference Luso-African independence struggles, spirituality, love and everyday life, anchoring this music in a history shaped by resistance, circulation and hybridization. Recorded in São Tomé, Luanda or Lisbon — often with the involvement of key figures from the Lusophone diaspora — these tracks reveal a modern musical landscape that has long remained under-documented. Conceived as a living record rather than a static archival object, this compilation speaks equally to DJs and curious listeners. It once again affirms Bongo Joe’s approach: bringing powerful, popular and complex music back into circulation, without nostalgia or exoticism, and making it fully present today.

Following Léve Léve Vol. 1, this second volume continues a long-term exploration of the popular music of São Tomé and Príncipe, with a clear focus on rhythm, movement and dancefloor energy. Curated by Tom B., Léve Léve Vol. 2 brings together emblematic recordings from the 1970s and 1980s, carefully restored and remastered, designed as much for close listening as for DJ use. The compilation deepens and completes the first volume by returning to key groups such as Sangazuza, Conjunto Equador, Africa Negra and Pedro Lima, while also unveiling previously unreleased or hard-to-find tracks. Across the record, puxa and socopê rhythms unfold with remarkable intensity, capturing these bands at the height of their powers: tight arrangements, driving grooves and a strong sense of collective momentum. Beyond celebration, Léve Léve Vol. 2 also reflects a precise cultural and political context. Several songs reference Luso-African independence struggles, spirituality, love and everyday life, anchoring this music in a history shaped by resistance, circulation and hybridization. Recorded in São Tomé, Luanda or Lisbon — often with the involvement of key figures from the Lusophone diaspora — these tracks reveal a modern musical landscape that has long remained under-documented. Conceived as a living record rather than a static archival object, this compilation speaks equally to DJs and curious listeners. It once again affirms Bongo Joe’s approach: bringing powerful, popular and complex music back into circulation, without nostalgia or exoticism, and making it fully present today.