Soul Strutter: 05/02/23

Tuesday, 2 May 2023

Acantha Lang [2023] - Beautiful Dreams [Self Released] (Album Promo)

Acantha Lang has just announced the release date for her debut album "Beautiful Dreams". It is set for release on 30 Jun '23 and will be available digitally, on CD and vinyl. You can pre-order now via Bandcamp.

Not surprisingly amongst its 13 tracks, it includes all of her 7 singles along with the title track of her "Sugar Woman" EP (which, in addition, contained 3 singles and a cover of the Film Night theme Billy Taylor Trio's "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" later sung by Nina Simone in 1967 on "Silk & Soul").

That leaves four new (unreleased) songs and an interlude. Essentially it reflects her whole release catalogue. However, Ms Lang has covered over 100 songs on her YouTube channel under the banner "Standing On The Shoulders Of ... " which has achieved almost 10m views.

Coincidentally, or not as the case may be as she has an album to promote, she was the guest on Craig Charles' BBC Radio 6 Music Funk & Soul Show last Saturday.

For anyone in and around London on Thursday (4 May), Acantha will be performing songs from the album at The Forge in Camden and then at Ronnie Scott's on the 7th, The Great Escape Festival, Brighton on 11th and Blues Kitchen, Manchester 18th. Tickets HERE.

Each single is suffixed in the order it were released.

01 - Sugar Woman (4 EP)

02 - Come Back Home

03 - Beautiful Dreams

04 - Eventually

05 - He Said / She Said (1)

06 - A Word From My Momma - Interlude

07 - Lois Lang (2)

08 - River Keep Runnin' (5)

09 - It's Gonna Be Alright (6)

10 - Carry The Weight (7)

11 - Whatever Happened To Our Love? (3)

12 - Keep On

13 - Ride This Train (Extended Version) (8)

In anticipation of the albums release, below are music videos for all the singles plus one for "Eventually" (recorded in 2013) and "Keep On". So that's 10 of the 12 songs (discounting the interlude).

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Southern Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital / CD / Vinyl
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	30/06/2023
Price:	£7.99 / £10 / £20

Dinner Party, Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper & Kamasi Washington [2023] - Enigmatic Society [Sounds of Crenshaw] (Full Album)

One we had shortlisted amongst the hoard on return from vacation but just realised that we never got around to posting it. Initially we found the single "For Granted" feat. Arin Ray released on 7 Apr, a week before the release of the album "Enigmatic Society".

It's the second album from Dinner Party (following their self-titled 2020 debut) in collaboration with Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper and Kamasi Washington and a host of guest artists such as Phoelix, Arin Ray, Ant Clemons, 9th Wonder and Tank.

The album fuses jazz instrumentation with soulful R&B melodies over classic hip-hop production.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul / Jazz
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sounds of Crenshaw
Cat No:	None
Date:	14/04/2023
Price:	£6.49

Misha & Deborah Bond & Jussi Halme & Soul Food Horns [2023] - A Night In Rio Pt. 2 [feels right]

"A Night In Rio" was released on 14 Apr credited to Jussi Halme, Misha & Soul Food Horns as an instrumental. It has now been released as "A Night In Rio Pt. 2" last Friday (28 Apr) with Misha taking lead billing and with the inclusion of Debórah Bond on vocals which elevates it considerably.

Jussi Halme is a composer/pianist from Finland. Misha (Mika Kurvinen) has featured here on numerous occasions and is a producer from Helsink. The Soul Food Horns is a collective of horn players from Austin, Chicago and Amsterdam. Ms Bond is from Washington D.C. who we last heard from in Oct '22 with a set of Fastlaine Remixes of "compass:I" tItled "COMPASS:1.5".

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Soul Jazz
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/04/2023
Key/BPM:	4A/90
Price:	£1

Will Downing [2023] - Till We Meet Again [Sophisticated Soul]

Following his very well received album "Pieces", Will Downing releases fresh material today (2 May '23) in the form of a new single titled "Till We Meet Again" which is dedicated to his daughter (watch video below).

What can we say? It's the normal quality soul/jazz fare that we have come to expect from the man who is now approaching 40 years in the business.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Soul Jazz
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sophisticated Soul
Cat No:	None
Date:	02/05/2023
Key/BPM:	10A/93
Price:	£1

Lee Fields [2023] - Waiting On The Sidelines [Daptone Records]

Last week we reported that a new 45 from Lee Fields was due on 12 May. The A side "Waiting On The Sidelines" has been released digitally today along with a music video for it.

It's his first release since his recent album "Sentimental Fool" last Oct.

The flip on the vinyl release will be "You Can't Count On Me" which was only previously released on a limited edition five track 12" EP "Ordinary Lives" in 2022 which was only for sale at his shows or direct from Daptone.

The vinyl is available to pre-order from several vinyl stockists (e.g. Simply Soul and Juno).

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Daptone
Cat No:	DAP-1150
Date:	02/05/2023
Key/BPM:	8B/70
Price:	£1

Ariel [2023] - Wishing Well [S.A.D.I.E. Independent]

The first release from Ariel (Sanders) from Vancouver (Canada) since her sophomore single "Layaway Love" in May '22 which is bundled with her new single "Wishing Well" released today (2 May '23) as it would appear that she has an EP "Symfonia" forthcoming.

She debuted with a single "First" in June '21 followed by a full album "Libra" in July '21.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul / Blue-Eyed
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	S.A.D.I.E. Independent
Cat No:	None
Date:	02/05/2023
Key/BPM:	2A/80
Price:	£1