Tag: Private

This album came about as studio wiz Chop whittled down hours of recordings created over a period of years to a selection of the most inspired moments. Heliocentrics drummer Malcolm Catto’s rhythm tracks were edited off-the-grid until they became more Neu than James Brown, more driving than syncopated; Bill Ryder Jones from The Coral stepped in for the lead guitar parts, which lent a powerful psychedelic 60s rock sound to the proceedings; Chop repurposed a range of obsolete musical gear to renewed ends, in line with his desire to search for a future imbued with the innocence of the past.

Unsurprisingly, Illuminate traverses a number of moods. The jackhammer pounding of ‘Building Blocks’ segues into the moody but serene ‘Picture Box’. The futuristic soundscape ‘Arcane Future’ takes an uplifting melodic turn, revealing Chop’s hopes for a more perfect tomorrow. These songs have a life of their own – equally electronic and human.

Download: Chop – Illuminate

Edward “Apple” Nelson is best known for the small clutch of 45s he released under the Apple and The Three Oranges name on local Los Angeles labels in the 1970s.
His run with his own Sagittarius contains six unimpeachable soul and funk numbers released under the Apple and The Three Oranges banner and one issued under his own name, Ed. (sic) Nelson. We at Now-Again are privileged to present Nelson’s complete works in our Free and Easy anthology. His is some of the most unique American funk and soul music we’ve ever come across.

Download: Apple and Three Oranges – Free and Easy.

Manhattan-born and Los Angeles-based, Cook Classics presents a series of songs that combine live instrumentation, modern and vintage synths, programmed beats and live drums. Rich and layered, many of these tracks have a hip-hop backbone – built from samples within the Now-Again catalog – upon which Cook adds pop-music elements. It’s no wonder that Cook’s music has been synched in ads by Pepsi and has been heard in major movies, television and awards shows.

Download: Cook Classics – Cook Classics Vs. Now-Again.

The Heliocentrics have been playing together for over a decade and their collective drive is to find an individual voice. Back at Now-Again after creating amazing albums with the likes of Mulatu Astatke and Madlib with their new 13 Degrees of Reality, the Heliocentrics have returned to develop this epic visi withn of psychedelic funk, while exploring the possibilities created by their myriad influences – Latin, African, and more. Thus, the electro-Latin fusion of “Descarga Electronica” sits next to weeping strings piled atop “Collateral Damage’s” chunky rhythms, which nearly misses the undulating swing of “Wrecking Ball,” a dirge as irresistibly funky as it is devastating. 13 Degrees of Reality is one of the most distinctive musical statements you’ll hear all year.

Download: Heliocentrics – 13 Degrees of Reality.

Rhythm Machine’s mid 70s soul/funk opus is expanded here with previously unreleased tracks. This band sprung from Indianapolis funk legends (and Egon’s Funky 16 Corners impetus) The Highlighters’ proverbial ashes. James Boone and James Brantley, determined to make a go of it as a show band, assembled another high-energy group of musicians to record three singles and an LP over the course of a seven year span. This album is full of charm – featuring synth-lead ballads, danceable Kool & The Gang styled funk, and snappy soul music. It’s one of the highest regarded albums in the independently-issued soul/funk canon and we’re pleased to present the definitive version now.

Download: Rhythm Machine – Rhythm Machine (Deluxe Edition).