Ring The Alarm playlist August 18

Aretha Franklin - Won't be long
Freddie Scott - Am I grooving you
Fontella Bass and Bobby McClure - Don't mess up a good thing
Aretha Franklin - (Sweet sweet baby) Since you've been gone
Donnie Ebert - Sweet baby
The Demures - Raining teardrops
Gloria Jones - Tainted love
Four Tops - Sad souvenirs
The Superbs - Wind in my sails
Aretha Franklin - Rocksteady (Danny Krivit re-edit)
Dalvanius and the Fascinations - Who said that
Luther Vandross - She loves me back
Millie Scott -Prisoner of love
Whodini - Magic's wand
Sly & Robbie - Boops
Manasseh and Natty P - Skenga
Bjorn Torkse - Dub vendors
Kolab - Sideways (Dub Asylum remix)
Dele Sosimi - Me no fit touch am dub
Karl Hector and the Malcouns - Sahara swing
Lee Dodou and the Polyversal Souls - Basa basa
Concept Neuf - The path (Sofrito edit)
Anthony Joseph - On the move
Brassroots - Good life
Teremoana - Four women (DLT remix)
DA - Sunshine of your love
Universal Robot Band - Dance and shake your tambourine
Kid Creole and the Coconuts - Annie Im not your daddy (Soul Mekanik edit)
Aretha Franklin -  Get it right

Ring The Alarm playlist August 11

Don Pullen - Asseko
Joe Torres - Soul cha
Jimmy Smith - Fungii mama
Ananda Shankar - Dancing drums
Ted Taylor - Rambling Rose
Candido - Soul limbo
Howard Tate - That's what happens
Percy Sledge - Baby, help me
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons - Beggin' (Pilooski edit)
Doris Troy - Just one look
Garnet Mimms -and the Enchanters - Cry baby
The Blossoms - Good good loving
The Jamaicans - Chain gang
Jackie Mittoo - Put it on
Donovan Carless - Be thankful for what you've got
Lennie Hibbert - Real hot
Bigga Bush - Deep Eastwood (DJ Fitchie remix)
Sampology feat Jordan Rakei - My place
Nicola Conte and Gianluca Petrella - Nigeria
Bronx River Parkway - La valla
Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band - Can't get no satisfaction
Soul Brothers Six - You better check yourself
Family Tree - Family tree
Nolan Thomas - Yo little brother (vocal/dub mix)
L.T.D. - Back in love again
Skipworth and Turner - Thinking about your love
Peaches and Herb - Freeway
Five Star - Let me be the one
Aretha Franklin - Touch me up
Shirekback - All lined up

Ring The Alarm playlist August 4

Rufus Thomas - Funkiest man alive, Tutti fruitti
Booker T and the MGs - Melting pot
Meters - Chug chg chug a lug pt1
Fred Wesley and the JBs -Watermelon man
Incredible bongo band - Ohkey dokey pt2
Sly and the Family Stone - Runnin' away
War - Me and baby brother
Biologia - Too bad
Cameo - Rigor mortis
Collision - Run run run
Fat Freddys Drop - Hope (Sonsine remix)
Sly n Mo - Sensisms
Bob and Gene and the Inversions - I can be cool
The Lions  -Think
Dizzy Gillespie - Soul kiss pt1
Billy Vera and Judy Clay - Really together
Delphonics - Down is up, up is down
Edwin Starr - He who picks a rose
Gladys Knigth and the Pips - Everybody needs love
Dottye Fultz - Jesus is a soul man
Inez Andrews - I hear music
Betty Harris - Cry to me
The Cookies - Stranger in my arms
Durand Jones and The Indications -You and me
The Hesitations - Nobody knows you when you're down and out
Phil Upchurch Combo - You can't sit down pt1
Mongo Santamaria - Louie louie
Cal Tjader - Fried bananas
Latin blues band - Lay an oz on my baby
Pucho and the Latin Soul Brothers - Canteloupe island
Willie Bobo - La descarga del Bobo  (MAW remix)

Bacao east west

New album coming soon from Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band, here's the first single...

"Side A is a cover of the Dr Dre hit “XXplosive” done up in proper BRSB fashion, smashing drums and steel pans playing the lead and bass lines. They take this one into new territory by adding synth parts and dubbed out horn lines playing Nate Dogg’s infamous vocal hook melodies.

Side B takes on one of NYC’s grimiest Hip Hop club anthems, Mobb Deep’s “Burn”. We decided to do this tune and demoed it out long before the unfortunate passing of Prodigy. Unfortunately, he will never get to hear this cover, and that has been one of the nicest things in covering some of these more current Hip Hop tunes. Rest In Peace P."

Ring The Alarm playlist July 28

Bobby and Valerie Capers - West 4th St
Cliff Nobles - My love is getting stronger
Sister Sledge -  Love don't go thru no changes on me
Jimmy Hughes - Slipping around with you
Ike and Tina Turner - Somebody somewhere needs you
Major Lance - Investigate
Eloise Laws - Love factory
Erma Franklin - I get the sweetest feeling
Detroit Emeralds - Baby let me take you in my arms
Clarence Wheeler and the Enforcers - Hey Jude
Wood Brass and Steel - Welcome to the party
Jocelyn Brown - Hands off
Booker Newberry III - Love town (short version)
Hipster Wonkas - Jupiter jam
Bootsy Collins - The Pinocchio theory
Lord Echo - Just do dub
Cave Circles - Azmoni
Opensouls - Hold you close dub
Foxy Brown - Fast car
Dillinger - Cocaine in my brain (Groove Corp remix)
Cutty Ranks - Retreat
Ninja Man - Murder dem
Vin Gordon - Steady beat
Marcia Griffiths - Feel like jumping
Migs and Jelly - Dub selecta
BB King  -The BB Jones
Barbara Lynn - Don't be cruel
Len Barry - Like a baby
Tommy James and the Shondells - Hanky panky
The McCoys - Fever
Billy Karaitiana - Cool jerk

Ring The Alarm playlist July 21

Ramsey Lewis -  Living for the city
Clarence Wheeler and the Enforcers - Right on
Rufus Thomas - The funkiest man alive
Mavis Staples and William Bell - Love's sweet sensation
Barkays - Sang and dance
Five Stairsteps - Change of pace
Harvey Averne Dozen - Think it over
The Astors - Twilight zone
Bill Deal and the Rhondels - What kind of fool do you think I am
Barbara Lynn - I remember that feeling
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - I tried
Temptations - Ball of confusion
Freda Payne - Unhooked generation
Leonard Charles - Neil's rainbow
Benny Tones feat Mara TK - On my way
Mephisto Jones - Chocolate hot sauce
Kaidi Tatham feat Dego) - It's a world before you
Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids - Tinoge ya ta'a ba
Tony Allen - Moyege (Mark Ernestus dub)
Shogun Orchestra - Mifune
Herbs - French letter dub
International Observer - London dub
Derrick Morgan - I'm the ruler
African Head Charge - Dobbyn joins the Head Charge
Tackhead - Ticking timebomb dub
Mandrill - Mango meat
Executive Suite - You've got that kind of love
Charles Wright - Doin' what cums naturally pt2
Bunny Sigler - Let the good times roll

Ring The Alarm playlist July 14

Sly & Robbie meets Dubmatix - Burro Saturday
Restless Soul - Turn me out
Augustus Pablo - East of the River Nile
Manasseh - Pharaoh's dub
The Professionals - Chapter 3
Black Harmony - Don't let it go to your head
Ballistic Bros - Prophecy reveal (James)
Round Four feat Tikiman - Find a way
Melaaz  -Non non non
Sister Nancy - Big beat bam (Stretch Armstrong and Daddy Reef remix)
Pimps of Joytime  -PJTs high stepping
The Controllers - Hello
The Emotions - From toys to boys
Doris Troy - Just one look
Marvin Gaye - Little darling, I need you
Little Stevie Wonder - Workout Stevie workout
Donnie Elbert - Hey sweet baby
Patrice Rushen - Haven't you heard
Frantique - Strut your funky stuff
Peaches and Herb - Roller skating mate
Evelyn King - Love come down
Jimmy Castor  - E-man boogie 82
Undisputed Truth - You + me = love
Riyuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian - Bamboo houses (remix 2000)
Fat Freddy's Drop - Mother mother (Theo Parrish translation)\

Ring The Alarm playlist July 7

Chaka Khan - Whatcha gonna do for me
Chakachas - Jungle fever (Greg Wilson edit)
Little Beaver - Funkadelic sound
Helene Smith - You got to be a man
Gwen Mcrae - 90% of me is you
Hawk - Don't judge a book by a cover
War  - Galaxy
Art of Noise - Moments in love
Human League - Being boiled
Boot & Tax  -Good Fela
Mala - Como Como (Theo Parrish remix)
Recloose - Why I otta
Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band - Look-a-py-py
Dub Traffik Control - Fresh prince of Babylon
New Age Steppers - Love forever
Augustus Pablo -Skateland rock
Gregory Issacs - Give a hand
Junior Murvin - Roots train
Steel n Skin - Afro punk reggae dub
Clarence Reid - Nobody but you
James Brown - Soul power pt1
Barbara Lynn - Don't be cruel
Marv Johnson - Why do you want to let me go
Mel Davis - Just another smile
Larry Laster - Go for yourself
Bobby Womack - Find me somebody
Tina Turner - Whole lotta love
Gianmarco Liguori - Beat instrumental
Oliver Sain - London express
Incredible Bongo Band - Okey dokey pt2
Flying Stars of Brooklyn - My god has a telephone

Ring The Alarm playlist June 30

Grant Phabao, Lone Ranger, Carlton Livingston - Message to you Rudie
Overproof Sound System - Get with it
Noiseshaper - All a dem a do (Adrian Sherwood remix)
Rhythm and Sound with Willi Williams  -See mi yah
Beat Pharmacy with Spaceape - Ghostship
Cesaria Evora - Angola (Get down dub by Pepe Bradock)
Tall Black Guy  -The motor is running
Khruangbin - Two fish and an elephant
Sly and the Family Stone - You caught me smilin'
Bobby Womack - Nobody knows you when you're down and out
Sun Ra - Where pathways meet
Johnny Hammond  -Tell me what to do
Mike Nock Underground - Space boogaloo
Robert Glasper - Black radio (Pete Rock remix)
Little Dragon - Constant surprises
Brockaflower - Simply
Eru Dangerspiel - Coq au vin
Ikebe Shakedown - Hard steppin'
Ray Charles  -You're just about to lose your clown
Supremes - Love is like an itching in my heart
Jackie Wilson - The who who song
Lee Fields -Problems
Dapkings - Casella walk
Ramsey Lewis Trio - Wade in the water
Durand Jones and the Indications - You and me

Kaidi Tatham new album ‘It’s A World Before You’ out June 29

Tasty new album from Kaidi Tatham, out on vinyl/cd/digital soon...

"First Word Records is very proud to present a brand new full-length album from Kaidi Tatham, ‘It’s A World Before You’.

Following on from two EPs released on First Word last year (‘Changing Times’ and ‘Hard Times’), Kaidi has delivered us thirteen tracks that deftly illustrate his various talents as a multi-instrumentalist.

Kaidi is probably best known for his work with Bugz In The Attic, though his musical contributions over the years have also included Amy Winehouse, Slum Village, Mulatu Astatke, Soul II Soul, Moonchild, Leroy Burgess, Amp Fiddler, Chris Dave, Macy Gray, King Britt, DJ Spinna, Mr Scruff and IG Culture to name but a few!

In recent times, he’s worked with DJ Jazzy Jeff on a variety of projects, including his most recent album ‘M3’, touring Europe for Jeff and Will Smith’s reunion shows, and on the PLAYlist album 'Chasing Goosebumps', with Glenn Lewis, Stro Elliot (The Roots), Masego, Maimouna Youssef, Rich Medina, Daniel Crawford and more.

All this in addition to heating up dances around Europe with his inimitable DJ sets, and working heavily with First Word label-mate, Eric Lau (who also mixed this album) on a variety of projects, and adding releases to his already impressive catalogue on 2000 Black, Eglo and Theo Parrish's Sound Signature, with regular compadre, Dego (who features on the album’s title track).

This album personifies Kaidi’s diverse palette of sounds – bar Eric & Dego’s features, every piece of music is played by himself. Largely flowing on a broken beat rhythm section, Kaidi effortlessly incorporates washes of afro, latin and funk throughout."

Ring The Alarm playlist June 23

Prof Oz- Waves and sun (Grant Phabao remix)
Nightmares on wax - 70s/80s (Scientist remix 1)
Freddie Cruger - Running from love
Ballistic Bros - Prophecy reveal (James)
Fat Freddy's Drop - Hope (3 generations walking remix)
Luke Vibert - Officer's club
Eddy Senay - Cameo
Billy Preston - Can't she tell
A.A.B.B. - Pick up the pieces one by one
Lyn Collins - Mama feelgood
Leroy and the Drivers - The sad chicken
Nadine Brown - Leave me alone
Patti Jo  - Make me believe in you
Holland Dozier - Don't leave me (inst)
Rufus Thomas - Down ta my house
Sam & Dave - Said I wasn't gonna tell nobody
Stevie Wonder - You met your match
Howard Tate - That's what happens
Monica -I don't know nothing else to tell you but I love you
Deee-Lite - Deee-Lite theme (global village mix)
Janet Jackson - Young love
TS Monk - Bon bon vie
Kid Creole and the Coconuts - I'm a wonderful thing baby
Futura 2000 with The Clash - Escapades of Futura 2000
Kaidi Tatham feat Uhmeer - Cupid
Pharaoh Sanders - Astral travelling (Boozoo Bajou remix)
Pitch Black - Flex (SonSine remix)

Ring The Alarm playlist June 16

Philadelphia Allstars - Let's clean up the ghetto (Mr K edit)
O'Jays - Message in our music (Jimmy the twin re-edit)
Issac Hayes - Zeke the freak (Todd Terje edit)
Nina Simone - Seeline woman
Teremoana - Four women (DLT remix)
Charles Wright and Watts 103rd st rhythm band  - Can't get no satisfaction
Laura Lee - If you can beat me rocking you can have my chair
Gene Chandler - No peace, no satisfaction
Barbara Acklin - Just aint no love
Marv Johnson - I'm not a plaything
Durand Jones and the Indications - You and me
The Delphonics - Down is up, up is down
Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels - Little Latin Lupe Lu
The McCoys - Fever
 Detroit Emeralds - Baby let me take you in my arms
Thomas Newman - Six Feet Under theme (Rae and Christian remix)
Piero Umiliani - Mah na mah na (Gak Sato tiki mix)
Funkadelic - Undisco kidd (Gay Marvine edit)
Chuck Higgins and the Wild Bunch  - Funkyfied
Collision - You can dance
Mara TK - Run
Hollie Smith and Mara TK - Autumn rain
Sheelahroc -If I gave u th' mic (Phat beats down mix)
Morningsteppa - Lesson one
Lord Jackson - One two ting
Salmonella Dub - Problems (Son sine remix)
Beat Pharmacy feat Paul St Hilaire - Sunshine

Ring The Alarm playlist June 9

Pointer sisters -Yes we can can (Bobby Busnach edit)
Gwen McCrae - 90& hanging out (Jim Sharp edit)
Willie Mitchell - The champion
Mel and Tim - Backfield in motion
Shirley Ellis - Soul time
Ben Aiken - Satisfied
Bobby Womack - Find me somebody
Esther Phillips - Catch me I'm falling
Patti La Belle and the Bluebelles -You forgot how to love
94 East  - If you feel like dancin
Prince - Girls and boys
Millie Scott - Prisoner of love
Peaches and Herb - Freeway
Ladi6 - Royal blue (Silent Jay, Sensible J and Leigh Fisher remix)
Jonny Drop - The looking glass (Julien Dyne remix)
Benny Tones feat Joe Dukie - Home
Che Fu - Machine talk
Sharon Jones & the Dapkings - Giving up
Watts 103rd - 65 bars and a taste of soul
Lyn Collins - Put it on the line
Melodians steel orchestra - Voodoo Ray
Stephen Encinas - Lypso illusion
Guest set from Dirty Hairy, of Yugoslav/Croatian breaks
Boki Milosevic  -Signal, Suton Na Jugu
Soul Sound Band - Ja Te Uzalud Ljubim (I'm your vehicle)
Leo Martin - Ima Vremena
Radmila Karaklajic - Volecu I Sutra
Elipse - Za One Sto Na Licu Nose Bore
Darko Domijan - Zlatokosa
Korni Grupa  - Bube
Safet Isovic - Nujo Kuje Konja

Hampshire and Foat - Nightshade library music vol1

"Athens Of The North released Nightshade on June 5th, another chapter in Greg Foat and Warren Hampshire prolific collaboration. Drawing inspirations from the library sound of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Nightshade is a testament to the artists deep passion for that era

This new Hampshire and Foat project should not come as too much of a surprise to those familiar with Greg and Warren's music, influenced heavily by not just jazz but the library sound of the ‘60s and ‘70s along with film soundtracks from the same golden era.

Greg and Warren are avid collectors of this music, with Greg sending me links night and day to LPs he has picked up digging on his travels. This constant search sends him down new musical pathways and often sparks whole new concepts for projects. .

We had talked for a long time about doing a library style LP (something Greg is very passionate about) so during different recording sessions Greg and Warren started laying down various tracks, which eventually were selected for Nightshade Side one is 5 tracks in very distinct styles, musical paintings for the big screen. The vast sound of the Japanese influenced ‘Jasmine’, The Spaghetti Western melancholy of ‘Mariposa Lily’, The call to action that is ‘Antonio's Theme’, the breezy vintage sports car in the sun that ‘Coastal Drive’ portrays, and ‘Lost in Nostalgia’, a late night Poirot-esque piece.

Side B is a classic library suite, which Greg describes as a “Detective's theme with different variations on the motifs”.

Ring The Alarm playlist June 2

Amerie - One thing (Mr K organ mix
Donald Byrd - Love has come around (Combo re-edit)
Stro Elliot - Feel 4 Chaka
Fred Wesley and the JBs - You can have Watergate....
Sly & the Family Stone - Thank you for talkin' to me Africa
Sharon Jones & the Dap-kings - Better things
Johnny Osbourne - Budy bye Kenny Dope remix (extended)
Sly n Robbie - Make em move
Shinehead - Raggamuffin dub

Tribute mix to Bobbylon (listen above):
Hallelujah Picassos - Rewind
2R2S - Homegirl
Trip To The Moon - I can change (DLT remix)
3 The Hard Way feat Bobbylon - Hiphop holiday
2R2s - Take you home
Unitone Hifi feat Bobbylon - Turn around
Halleujah Picassos - Yardy

Reggie Stepper - Cuh oonu
Super Beagle - Dust a soundboy
Jr Reid - Bubblers
Horace Andy - Just say who
Gregory Issac - All I have is love
Barrington Levy/Beenieman - Murderation
Nextmen - Blood fire
Rebel MC - Champion DJ (Shy FX mix)
Rebel MC - Comin on strong
Jazmine Sullivan Need u bad (Moody Boyz remix)
The Equals - Black skin blue eyed boys
The Clash - Revolution rock