Squid Nebula [2021] - Live Set [Live]

Whilst posting Akosia's latest single this live set (25 Feb 2021) from another Melbourne band called Squid Nebula came up on my YT feed which I left playing in the background.

I've not come across them before and thought there may be others in the same boat, so I've decided to share it as it's a bit quiet as far as new releases go.

From what I can ascertain they have released three singles: "Ricochet", "Serious", "Golden Lover" and two EP's: "Squid Nebula" and "Connectivity" since 2017.

The live performance is 33 mins long and consists of the five tracks, two from their latest EP "Connectivity" ("Losing You" and "Golden Lover") and three new tracks not released so far: "Losing You",  "Sunflower", "What's Mine Is Yours",  "Temper" and "Golden Lover".

The lead singer is Amy Dowd aka Bumpy.

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Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul / Blue-Eyed
Format:	Live Set
Media:	Digital
Label:	Unreleased
Cat No:	None
Year:	25/02/2021
Value:	£-

Akosia [2021] - ISO [Self Released]

Akosia (Sabet) is yet another new artist from Melbourne. Her parents emigrated to Australia from Ghana when she was 2 yrs old.

"ISO" is the third official release (2 Jul 2021) since her debut single "Don't Say" in 2019 and follows "Speechless" from last year. Videos for all her singles have been posted below.

Akosia is also an actress having appeared in two movies to date "Winchester" 2018 (which starred Helen Mirren), "Insomnia City" 2018 and the mini series "Secret Bridesmaids' Business" 2019.

It would appear that there is another female artist with the same name which Deezer and Amazon have incorrectly merged into one. Apple & Spotify have got it right!

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Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Year:	02/07/2021
Key/BPM:	11A/69
Value:	£1

Alanna Royale #1 on Amazon

Great to see the SoulStrutter Selection of the Week Alanna Royale "Fall In Love Again" currently topping the Amazon Hot New Releases chart today (15 Jul 2021).

Also Estee Pierce "Celebrate You", which I had a world exclusive on at the end of June is currently #4.

Note that the chart changes hourly so may not still be there if you look later.

Click to expand

The Chateaus [2021] - Moanin' / Seven Come Eleven [Sound Stage 7]

Something a little different! Just released digitally from The Chateaus on 16 Jun 2021, which was originally released in 1965 on Sound Stage 7 (issue/stock copies have never sold on Discogs indicating that it might be quite scarce on issue copies?).

The Chateaus were a white pop group from Louisville, Kentucky who released four singles between 1965-67, this single is instrumental on both sides, all their other singles are pop vocals.

The top side "Moanin'" was written by Bobby Timmons who recorded it in 1963 but it was recorded first in 1958 by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers when Timmons was the pianist with the band. According to Second Hand Songs there are at least 158 versions recorded. 

The Jazz Messengers alumni includes many jazz greats such as Chuck Mangione, Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd, Chick Corea,  Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner amongst many others.

The flip side "Seven Come Eleven" sounds very similar, to me, to Monga Santamaria's "Watermelon Man" which was released earlier in 1963, or a cross between "Watermelon Man" and The Mar-keys "Last Night" from 1961.

I'm not sure why this is now getting a digital release, and can only assume that it's 'in-demand' from one scene or another, perhaps the Belgian popcorn scene? Both sides are termed as boogaloo 'titty shakers'!

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Details

Rating:	7.4
Genre/Style:	Boogaloo
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sound Stage 7
Cat No:	None
Year:	1965/16/06/2021
Key/BPM:	5B/151 : 7B/128
Value:	£1.98

Lynda Dawn [2021] - Roses (XL Middleton Version) [Extra Soul Perception]

A track originally released last year as part of a five track EP "New Tangents In Kampala, London and Nairobi, Vol. 1" on Extra Soul Perception which featured various artists.

On 23 Jul 2021 "Roses" is being reissued with three different mixes, the original mix and XL Middleton Version vocal and instrumental. The XL Middleton Version version ups the tempo and takes what was essentially a ballad and gives it a 90s steppers vibe. 

It is also being released on vinyl for £6 via BandCamp.

Lynda Dawn is Cybil Charles-Nelson from SE London who debuted in 2018 on a "Gilles Peterson Presents: Brownswood Bubblers Thirteen" album with "Move".

Most of the tracks I've listened to from her all have a retro 80s/90s feel to them. I've posted a track from her 2019 EP "At First Light" called "Any Way You Want" along with a live session recorded in 2019 which features "Move", "Fonk Street" along with a nice cover of a track "Come With Me" which I've always loved originally recorded by Tania Maria in 1983.

.

It would appear that she has done some fashion modelling under the name Cybil Charles-Nelson.

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Original version

Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Extra Soul Perception
Cat No:	None
Year:	23/07/2021
Key/BPM:	N/A
Value:	£3

Phyllis Hyman [2021] - Hottest Love Around [Soul Music]

Back on 21 May I posted a forthcoming Phyllis Hyman nine CD box set "Old Friend The Deluxe Collection 1976-1998" being released by David Nathan's Soul Music label which is due at the end of this month (30 Jul 2021). It is her full album discography which includes all the deluxe editions of her albums.

One of the tracks, "Hottest Day Of My Life", featured only on the Japanese edition of "Prime Of My Life" in 1992 as a hidden bonus track. (Note this does no include it's inclusion on at least two later compilations ("In Between The Heartaches - The Soul of a Diva 2003" and "Deliver The Love (The Anthology 2017)") as pointed out by a reader (thanks to Andrew) in comments).

It's a good modern soul tune with hints of jazz.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Jazz
Format:	Album Track
Media:	CD
Label:	PIR/Soul Music
Cat No:	None
Year:	24/02/1992/30/07/2021
Key/BPM:	N/A
Value:	£10/£40

Portrait [2021] - Afro Trees Japan (Bonus Edition) [Soul Japan]

Back on 25 Feb 2021 the album "Afro Trees" from 90s group Portrait was digitally released (originally released in Jan 2020 on vinyl). On 12 Jul 2021 an additional, presumably previously unreleased, four tracks have been released titled "Afro Trees Japan (Bonus Edition)".

It's not available on Spotify as yet so I've linked to a YT playlist for the four tracks.

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Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	Soul Japan
Cat No:	None
Year:	12/07/2021
Value:	£3.96

Ashanti Munir [2021] - Early Morning Love [Self Released]

The first new release for a few years from Ashanti Munir (Note: name is spelt incorrectly on DSP's as Ashati, something to be aware of if you go searching for it). "Early Morning Love" is a soul/jazz style tune released on 6 Jul 2021.

Ashanti Munir is an independent artist from Boston, MA, now living in Charlotte, NC. She released her debut album "Balance" in 2008 (from which "I'm Staying Home Tonight" was a modern soul biggie) and followed it up in 2010 with "Soul Of A Woman", both were well received in the UK achieving soul chart top ten status. Her third album followed in 2016 "Lady Munir". She was awarded 'Best New Artist' by SoulTracks in 2010.

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Details

Rating:	8.1
Genre/Style:	Soul / Jazz
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Year:	06/07/2021
Key/BPM:	4A/105
Value:	£1