Romperayo is at the forefront. Pedro Ojeda gives the impression of being involved in just about every exciting aspect of the cumbia scene, from the Meridihna Brothers and Frente Cumbiero to Los Pirañas and Ondatrópica. His remix of Captain Planet is also great. The timeless charm of the cumbia groove. (Original Japanese text by Saito)

The latest release (2024) from the highly anticipated Conjunto Media Luna, following in the footsteps of Meridian Brothers and FRENTE CUMBIERO. Two 7-inch singles from Little Beat More—which blends global folk music with beat music—have arrived. They feature a rough-and-tumble slow cumbia groove, the festive atmosphere of a seedy bar, and a psyched ...Read more (Original Japanese text by Saito)elic sensibility filtered through dub and electronic music. Two tracks—“Conjunto Media Luna” and “Perdí mis temores”—featuring Colombian rappers N. Harden & Mismo Perro, with raw, rough-edged vocals! (Original Japanese text by Saito)

A masterpiece album that blends the traditions of dance music from the streets and carnivals—featuring percussion instruments like the guacharaca and accordion, which have long been used in “bajenato” and “cumbia”—with an alternative sensibility. Featuring guest appearances by Mexican punk-cumbia band Son Rompe Pera, Eblis Álvarez of Meridian Bros, ...Read more (Original Japanese text by Saito) Bogotá’s world-renowned rapper N. Hardem, Mismo Perro, and Muupy (aka Mutsumi Kobayashi) + MC HYDRO as BNJ from Japan’s “Folk Crusaders,” among others. You won’t find anything better than this! Grab it while you can.

▫️information▫️
『Take part in the sound of Bogota's eclectic cumbia scene that permeates the ritual sonido of 'Noches de Medialuna', the latest album by Conjunto Medialuna out now on Little Beat More!
Enter the labyrinth that transcends the danceable and psychedelic, guided by the Colombian accordion and ecstatic percussion of their slow-pitched beat. A tribute to the power of guacharaca, and the street parrandas where each song becomes a discovery of new archetypes of what has always been traditional but today makes part of the urban tribes of Latin America and the world.
Collaborations with artists such as N. Hardem, Mismo Perro, Son Rompe Pera, MC Hydro, or the Japanese-Latin connection with percussionist Muupy elevate this musical journey to a universal level that transcends cultural boundaries.

The album is available on 12-inch vinyl or digitally, don't miss it!』 (Original Japanese text by Saito)

Beloved by Giles Peterson, Coco Maria, and Tina Edwards, and often featured on numerous compilations and bootlegs, this track is hailed as a “lost masterpiece of the acid jazz era”— The masterpiece “Foot In The Door” (sample 1)—a light, percussive fusion jazz-funk and boogie track that served as a prototype for Brit-funk, with listeners drawn in an ...Read more (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)d guided by its soaring horn intro— and the Brazilian boogie track B1, “Samba Doo Bonnay” (sample 2)—which incorporates a percussive batucada beat reminiscent of Airto Moreira’s style—is also great!!! And the intense, killer mambo-jazz track B2, “21st Floor Mambo” (sample 3), is simply spectacular!!!
This album features three tracks reportedly recorded in the same studio and around the same time as SADE’s “Diamond Life.” (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)

A masterpiece—the 2018 debut album from Uniting Of Opposites, a highly anticipated band centered around sitarist Clem Alford (known for Magic Carpet) and UK-based Indian tabla player Manjit Singh Rasya, featuring a lineup of musicians connected to the South London jazz scene.
Featuring sitar, tabla, electronic bass & double bass, clarinet, and ...Read more (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)drums—along with Rhodes piano, synthesizer, and tampura—along with dub-electronic elements—to create a unique sound. The album features eight tracks that evoke a distinctly Eastern European melodic sensibility.
Spanning genres from jazz-rock and krautrock to raga-jazz, dub, and cosmic jazz, this album offers a psychedelic, meditative, and progressive musical experience. It also represents a new pinnacle of modern ethnic jazz that resonates with the current wave of UK jazz. (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)

The latest release from BEAUTY & THE BEAT—the team behind the official remastering of tracks from AKIYO’s hard-to-find album *Mouvman* (1993)! An album from LOOPCINICO, a trio project that blends live percussion with electronic programming, is here! A stimulating Latin-Brazilian dance production born from connections to São Luís, a city renowned as ...Read more (Original Japanese text by Akie) the reggae mecca of Brazil. By blending eight distinct traditional rhythms from the state of Maranhão with shamanic narration, vocals, and electronic elements like synthesizers and bass, the tracks are elevated into a rich, tribal dance sound perfect for the dance floor. This all-out 2x12-inch release features a bass-heavy alternative remix with a strong dub influence by VIDOCK—head of 〈ABSTRACK RECORDS〉, who has also produced hits with the band project THE BALEK BAND—as well as a remix by veteran LEONIDAS that infuses the track with disco vibes! (Original Japanese text by Akie)

名門〈Black Truffle〉のオーナーとして数々の傑作を出版し、自身も80年代から活動し精力的に作品を発表し続けているオーストラリアの音楽家Oren Ambarchi。これまでも共演のあるスウェーデンの二人、ベーシストのJohan BerthlingとドラマーのAndreas Werliinと編成した、トリオでは初となるグルーヴ工房『Ghosted』。2018年にストックホルムのスタジオで行われた一発録りというライブレコーディング。ドン・チェリーとも共演した伝説的なジャズ・ミュージシャンChrister Bothénが西アフリカの弦楽器ドンソ・ンゴニで客演。アンバーチのエフェクターを駆使したギター、ウッドベースのミニマルなフレーズの地平に、最後はドローンで沈んでいく。そしてⅡ、Ⅲへと続きます。 (足立)

95〜96年にオレゴンの自宅にてrecされた実験的アルバム。フォーク、ブルース、カントリー、古典音楽、民族音楽などの影響下のギターながら、アメリカ原風景的暗さがコアに。好きな人にはたまらない世界です。 (Shhhhh)

A mysterious and sexy atmosphere created by a unique sound that blends exotica, Latin and Brazilian rhythms, jazz, and easy listening—all distinct from the mainstream jazz of the time. Saxophone, vibraphone, marimba, various percussion instruments, and vocals—Don Cunningham’s virtuoso-like performance, in which he single-handedly switches between a ...Read more (Original Japanese text by AYAM) vast array of percussion and keyboard instruments, is a must-hear.
This self-released album, limited to 500 copies and sold only locally and at the club, was recorded while performing at “The Living Room” inside the Playboy Club—a members-only nightclub and restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri, founded by Hugh Hefner, the creator of *Playboy* magazine. Years later, “Tabu” (sample_1) received heavy rotation at the legendary UK event “Talkin’ Loud And Saying Something,” hosted by Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge, and in the late ’80s&# x301C;90s. It also spread throughout Japan’s rare groove and jazz DJ scene. The album features a tropical jazz arrangement of the classic exotica track “Quiet Village” (sample_2)—a cover of Martin Denny’s well-known song— “Quiet Village” (sample_2), and the refreshing jazz-dance track “Samba De Orpheu” (sample_3)—a cover of a samba song by Brazil’s Luiz Bonfá that runs over seven minutes—are among the seven tracks included on this album. Now that the boom has died down, this is your chance to get your hands on it. (Original Japanese text by AYAM)

A self-produced project by Mistura Pura, who served as a resident DJ in Milan, on the island of Panarea in the Aeolian Islands, and in Sicily from the late ’90s through the early 2000s, gaining immense popularity as a lounge music selector. Even before becoming a DJ, she had experience playing in bands, writing poetry and songs, and constantly sing ...Read more (Original Japanese text by AYAM)ing the melodies that came to mind. This album features a selection from her long-standing repertoire, re-edited and reconstructed over time. Featuring pianist and co-arranger Alberto Napolioni and flutist Carlo Nicita, the album boasts exquisitely breezy and psychedelic arrangements. (Original Japanese text by AYAM)

A duo album by Sudeshna Bhattacharya, a sarod player based in Norway who began playing the sarod at age 4 and studied under the master Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, and Mosin Kawa, who began learning the tabla at age 3 and has been sharing Rajasthani musical culture with the world. Based on the Hindustani modal system—which includes 22 microtones—this albu ...Read more (Original Japanese text by Adachi)m features the smooth melodic shifts of the sarod and the sharp, delicate rhythmic responses of the tabla, all unfolding within a sense of time distinct from that of Western music. It features three extended tracks that flow with raw yet modest depth and profound spirituality. A prescription for the soul. (Original Japanese text by Adachi)

Two of Panorama's best tracks. A reissue as a 7-inch single. (Original Japanese text by Saito)

A masterpiece from the renowned label 〈SONOR MUSIC EDITIONS〉, which handles a wide range of projects—from reissues of works by the master ALESSANDRO ALESSANDRONI to the release of the current Neapolitan synth-boogie track “PARBLEU”! This four-piece band consists of accomplished session musicians whose names appear in the credits of historic recordi ...Read more (Original Japanese text by Akie)ngs by such renowned masters as NINO ROTA, ARMANDO TROVAJOLI, GIANNI FERRIO, ALESSANDRO ALESSANDRONI—and played a pivotal role in defining Italian film music from the 1960s through the 1970s. “S.M. 2001,” the final installment in a 16-album series originally released on their own label, 〈NELSON RECORDS〉, and later continued on 〈SILVER MUSIC〉, and *S.M. 2002*—a compilation of carefully selected tracks—has been reissued! Spanning a wide range of genres from jazz to Latin music and classical, these tracks create a rich atmosphere reminiscent of the cinematic world through their evocative vocals. The final two albums in this series, in particular, showcase a diverse range of musical directions, and this reissue comprehensively captures that variety of styles. Since the original releases are so rare that they’re nearly impossible to find, this reissue is a major event for collectors. (Original Japanese text by Akie)

Greece's own musical culture — the Arabic-European melodic lines of ancient traditional music rooted in Greek mythology, fused with Byzantine chant — meets Greg Foat's talent to superb effect, yielding a supple modern sensibility and jazz-funk approach that wraps you in a strangely addictive, wondrous ease, odd scales and shifting meters and all. A ...Read more (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA) Greek Balearic chill-out ambient modern jazz title worth watching. Nine captivating tracks that faintly evoke the Penguin Cafe Orchestra and post-rock-tinged modern jazz. Alongside the plaintive tones of the duduk, which somewhat recall the late Djivan Gasparyan, the nostalgic, homesick Greek ambient pieces are deeply flavorful.
The long-awaited new album from maverick keyboardist Greg Foat, whose energetic run of releases explores a rich musical sensibility beyond the confines of jazz and pushes UK jazz into new territory. Limited-edition black vinyl LP. Highly recommended. (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)

Cumbia Rebajada exists in a context quite different from Argentina’s digital cumbia.
At a sonidero (sound system) in Monterrey, local DJ Gabriel Dueñas was spinning records at a party when the equipment short-circuited, causing an accident so severe he nearly suffered an electric shock. However, one theory holds that when the turntable started ...Read more (Original Japanese text by Shhhhh) up again, it spun at a much slower speed than usual, transforming both the cumbia’s rhythm and melody into something unusually slow—and the dance floor went wild. In Mexico City, there’s a theory that Marco Antonio Sedillo of the legendary sound system team Sonido Imperial developed a mechanism to significantly slow down records by modifying the turntables.

In any case, this created a unique world where the bass became even lower and heavier, the melodies stretched out, the sharpness of the percussion was dulled, and ghostly voices sounded like vocals. This album, deeply influenced by that culture, is absolutely fantastic.
By the way, “Mayahuel” (sample 2) refers to the maguey (agave) plant from Aztec mythology—in other words, mezcal.
Blast this on the dance floor. (Original Japanese text by Shhhhh)

Launched in 2014, Bristol-based improvisation collective TEZETA, led by pianist DANIEL INZANI, has finally released an album on the independent label and record store KLANG TONE! Originally formed to perform the works of MULATU ASTATKE, the band has quickly developed its own unique style, blending bluesy pentatonic scales and sensual shuffles with ...Read more (Original Japanese text by Akie)DANIEL INZANI's luscious keys to create a unique groove. The album has received rave reviews from UK jazz guru DON LEISURE and BBC's DEB GRANT. This is one of my personal favorites of the year, and should be on your track list. (Original Japanese text by Akie)

DJ Ramon Sucesso’s long-awaited second album—an analog format that expands upon the short-form impulses born on TikTok—is released once again by Brazil’s Lugar Alto, a label worth following. Masterfully utilizing a DJ controller to scrap and rebuild in real time, this is a nonstop collision and rupture flowing from the bedroom to the dance floor. A ...Read more (Original Japanese text by Adachi) back-and-forth of his own shouts and vocal samples that appear and are cut off before they can form any meaning. Centered on Afro-Latin rhythms and the physical groove unique to Funk Carioca, this intensely stimulating collage-mix style shatters any pretense of sticking to genre boundaries. “Rompendo o Espaço-Tempo (Breaking Through Space-Time)” and “Distorcendo o Universo (Distorting the Universe).” This release is another masterpiece. (Original Japanese text by Adachi)

A laboratory run by the well-known Ebiris Álvarez, aka the Meridian Brothers, and Camilo Lara, also known as the “Mexican Sound Institute.” Camilo Lara, a DJ and producer based in Mexico City, is—believe it or not—the head of EMI Mexico (I thought it might be a hoax, but it turns out to be true), and he served as music director for the children’s f ...Read more (Original Japanese text by Shhhhh)antasy film *Coco*. He’s also released collaborative albums with musicians from around the world—from Sly & Robbie to Cornelius—as part of his world music project “Compass,” living up to the institute’s name with his busy schedule.

This tropical futurism is brought to life by these two extraordinary talents from Mexico and Colombia, alongside electronic cumbia pioneer Rigo Tovar and his band. Members of Rigo Tovar’s original band also joined in; reportedly, the moment they entered the studio, they grabbed synths and immediately began improvising, even sharing their love for progressive rock. It’s not just cumbia—Cuban danzón, son, and cha-cha-cha intertwine with experimental electronic sounds. This “mutation” of old-school Latin music is a signature Ebiris move, but the magic lies in how the cozy, laid-back vibe of the original ’50s–’70s Latin sounds is crafted—somehow—into something incredibly stylish without ever veering into pop-song territory. Scenes featuring a former EMI executive and musicians from that era improvising feel strangely cinematic. It’s a cliché, but it’s the epitome of South American psychedelia. BECK (sample 2) feels like a supporting actor, but he plays his part to the hilt and adds just the right amount of spice. It’s the best. (Original Japanese text by Shhhhh)

This mix CD was produced in conjunction with the Resist Underground Party (((33333))), held at CLUB METRO and connecting Kyoto and Tokyo. It features three DJs: SOGURAGURA, the label head and mastermind behind Tokyo’s underground scene, SHUN145, Kyoto’s premier music seeker, and JUDY, a young, talented psychedelic lover also based in Kyoto. These t ...Read morehree DJs present three distinct DJ mixes—each a cosmic musical journey of the imagination—drawn from their unique, genre-defying outsider perspectives.
In this era of streaming dominance, the label has boldly defied the trend by releasing this 3-disc MIXCD set as a strictly limited edition of 194 copies (each hand-numbered). All cover artwork was supervised by SOGURAGURA.