King Brasstards Feat. Lisa Millett & Gary Davis [2021] - Up All Night (Original Vocal) [Ramrock Red #RRR019]

King Brasstards new single "Up Al Night" is due for release on 17 Aug 2021 with four different mixes. If you pre-order the full EP consisting of Original, North Street West, Dub and Instrumental mixes you get the original mix now and the others on release.

Available only from BandCamp (at present), but you can listen to all the mixes on SoundCloud.

King Brasstards are seven-piece band who started out busking the streets of their home town Leicester  in 2015. They are currently working on their third album due for release next year.

Credit for finding this one goes to 'my neighbour' Leigh Taylor who played it on his Leigh the Flava's Gourmet Soulful Music show.

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Genre/Style:	Nu Funk
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Ramrock Red
Cat No:	RRR019
Year:	17/08/2021
Key/BPM:	N/A
Value:	£4

Silk Sonic [2021] - Skate [Aftermath Entertainment]

Well here we have it, almost five months since "Leave The Door Open" the follow-up from Silk Sonic, "Skate", was released today (30 Jul 2021) which has that same 70s feel as the last one. The purists will hate it, but here we have a policy of 'music without prejudice' and if it's good enough, it's good enough regardless of who recorded it!

For any who've been living in a cave for the last few months, Silk Sonic are Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak.

It's only been out a matter of hours and already the video (which looks like it was shot on a Caribbean island) has attracted almost 2m views! ... so another smash on their hands guaranteed. It hardly needs any further promotion, but here it is for your delectation!

UPDATE: less than 24 hours after posting this, the YT video now has 6.5m views! ... and another 24 hour later (18:15 on 1 Aug) it has almost 11.5m views ... if this isn't #1 all over the place next week I'll be amazed!

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Year:	30/07/2021
Key/BPM:	7B/112
Value:	£1

Secret Night Gang [2021 - Captured [Brownswood Recordings]

Manchester's nine-piece jazz funk band Secret Night Gang released their debut double-sider "Journey / The Sun" at the end of May. They follow it up with a new single "Captured" released last Friday (23 Jul 2021) which 'captures' that late 70s / early 80s brit funk sound.

Both singles have been released on Brownswood Recordings owned by Gilles Peterson.

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Details

Rating:	7.9
Genre/Style:	Jazz Funk
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Brownswood Recordings
Cat No:	None
Year:	23/07/2021
Key/BPM:	9A/121
Value:	£1

Mark Stephens Feat. Amin El & Audrey Wheeler-Downing [2021] - Rockabye [Groove Junkie Records]

A great new single "Rockabye" with an old school feel from Mark Stephens featuring Audrey Wheeler-Downing (Mrs. Will Downing) and new artist Amin El.

Mark Stephens is from L.A. and is a Grammy nominated keyboardist who's performed with many industry heavyweights such as Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, George Duke, Boney James and James Ingram.

He's released three solo albums since 2008 and this is only his second single, which was released on Monday (26 Jul 2021)

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Details

Rating:	8.8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Groove Junkie Records
Cat No:	None
Year:	28/07/2021
Key/BPM:	3B/92
Value:	£1

Leela James [2021] - See Me [BMG] (Full Album)

The highly anticipated new album from Leela James, "See Me", dropped today (30 Jul 2021).

Already three singles have been released from the album "Complicated" (17 Feb), "Put It On Me" (11 Jun) and "You're The One" (16 Jul).

The album kicks off with deep ballad (with rap), "Break My Soul" and finishes with the most 'instant' which will probably get most airplay "Rise N Shine" where she sounds very like Aretha on the intro! 

It's a great, highly recommended, album as all the tracks in between I can't fault. There's something for everyone from deep soul ballads such as the lead track (tarnished a little with a rap by Mumu Fresh) to the bouncy dancer as the last track. It seems a bit churlish highlighting the standouts as we'll all have different favourites. She is fast becoming one of my favourite female artists who has featured several times on the blog.

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Details

Rating:	9
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	BMG
Cat No:	None
Year:	30/07/2021
Value:	£8.69