Isadora [2024] - Sink or Swim [Chinese Man Records] (Full EP)

Whilst re-listening to the Dabeull album when drafting the post for it, this little ear worm crept up on our Spotify stream. A poppy dance tune and then at around 50 seconds the hook kicks in that you will recognise immediately.

The track is called "Tinder Date" from an EP "Sink Or Swim" by Belgian artist Isadora De Boosere who emerged in 2020 with a self titled EP. 

We weren't intending to post the full EP but there may be a track or two of interest to the neo/future soul enthusiasts but it sounds more like indie pop to our ears. The link to Dabeull is that she featured on "Touch" a track on his 2022 EP "Cosmic Fonk".

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Details

Rating:	N/A
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Chinese Man Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/04/2024
Key/BPM:	10A/112
Price:	£5.94

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Dabeull [2024] - Analog Love [Roche Musique] (Full Album)

Parisian producer David Said, under his musical alias Dabeull, heralded his latest album "Analog Love" with the single "Body Heat", and a tongue in cheek video, last month.

The album arrived on 12 April. As well as his regular cohorts Holybrune (Laura Chaudet) and DJ/producer/musician Rude Jude (Julian Getreau), he is assisted by Reva DeVito, Jordan Lee, Ferdi and Dezzy Hollow. 

As anticipated, the album has and 80s retro vibe which Said claims in his video trailer was recorded on the same analogue mixing console used for Michael Jackson's Thriller album. Whether true, or he's spinning us a yarn, we're left to guess.

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital / CD / Vinyl
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	12/04/2024
Price:	£8.91 / £13.99 / £29.99

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Danni Mayers [2024] - Monday Blues [Word Up Music]

Birmingham's Danni Mayers (Reid) has spent over 20 years paying her dues backing reggae artists such as Sugar Minott, Uroy, Tristan Palmer, Susan Cadogan and Tippa Irie as well as Loose Ends and Omar.

She now steps out into the spotlight with her own material and her latest single is a self written song "Monday Blues".

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Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Word Up Music
Cat No:	None
Date:	10/04/2024
Key/BPM:	8A/73
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Jalen Ngonda - New UK Tour Dates

As we relayed to you last week, Jalen Ngonda's current UK dates have all been postponed owing to illness.

Thankfully Jalen is on the mend and has now announced the rescheduled dates. If you have bought tickets for the postponed dates then they will be valid for the rescheduled dates and your ticket provider will be in contact with more details.

May

22 -  London, Koko

30 -  Brighton, Concorde 2

June

07 -  Newcastle, University

08 -  Manchester, Band On The Wall

09 -  Manchester, Band on the wall

13 -  Leeds, Stylus

21 -  Birmingham, The Crossing

23 -  Bristol, Trinity Centre

July

10 -  Edinburgh, Summerhall

11 -  Glasgow, Oran Mor

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Sūn Byrd [2024] - Sūn Byrd [Vaco Records] (Full Album)

Sūn Byrd is a newly formed six-piece band from Oslo consisting of Johan Helland (vocals), Audun Reknes (keys), Kristoffer Lippestad (sax), Lyder Røed (trumpet), Markus Hafsund Gundersen (bass) and Bård Berg (drums).

They released their debut single "Half The Truth" on 11 Jan which we rated highly and announced that they will be releasing their eponymous debut album on 12 April. In between they released a further three singles from the album which were bundled with the first as an EP "Hey Love" in March.

Based upon what we had heard from the band in the form of the four singles we were looking forward to the full album and have not been disappointed. Right from the outset, "Waiting For The Rain" is a well crafted jazz funk style song, The debut single "Half A Love" is followed by the funky "Hey Love", both of which have appeared previously along with the album closer "Free Yourself".

From the new songs, our picks are the mellow ballad "Night & Day" and the more uptempo "Keepin' Up" which has a bit of nod to the 80 pop. 

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Vaco Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	12/04/2024
Price:	£8.91

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Raffaella Zago [2024] - Love Letters [Groovin Recordings] (Full Album)

Milan based Raffaella Zago began studying piano aged eight becoming a classical pianist and then studied opera singing. She attended the CPM Music Institute in Milan where she received a degree in pop-rock singing presenting a thesis titled 'Black music from the 90s to today'.

Raffaella Zago released her third single "Zoso", in March. It, along with her previous singles,  "Money Trees" (Oct '23) and "Open Your Heart" (Dec '23), feature on her debut album "Love Letters" (12 Apr).

We first came across Ms Zago  when she featured on a cover of Mystique's "If You're In Need" last year with Italian producer duo Crossroads.

All songs are co-written with Max Greco and it's the opening two tracks "Fly Away" and "Still Here" in particular that are doing the business for our ears.

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Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Soul Jazz
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Groovin Recordings
Cat No:	None
Date:	12/04/2024
Price:	£7.99

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Donald Byrd & 125th Street N.Y.C. / Gerald Levert [2024] - Everyday / The Top Of My Head [Jai Alai #JAR #14]

The second Jai Alai release this month is an unlikely and perhaps unusual combination. 

The top side is "Everyday" from Donald Byrd's "Words, Sounds, Colors & Shaped' album from 1982 with 125th Street, N.Y.C. The album was produced and arranged by Isaac Hayes. 

For more info on Byrd we did a Donald Byrd Profile for what would have been his 90th birthday in Dec 2022.

The flip side is "The Top Of My Head" by Gerald Levert from his seventh solo album "G-Spot" in 2002. Tragically, Levert died of an accidental overdose of prescription and over-the counter drugs aged just 40 in 2006 but not without leaving a huge legacy of music with his brother Sean and Marc Gordon in Levert, eleven solo albums and three LSG albums as a member of supergroup Levert, (Keith) Sweat and (Johnny) Gill.

Available now from Soul4Real.

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Jazz Funk / New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Jai Alai
Cat No:	JAR14
Date:	17/04/2024
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Maze feat. Frankie Beverly [2024] - Somebody Else's Arms / Love Is [Jai Alai #JAR13]

The UK's love affair with Frankie Beverly goes way back to his 60s Philadelphia recordings as the lead man of Frankie Beverly & The Butlers and one elusive recording in particular revered on the Northern Soul scene, "If That's What You Wanted".

We won't wax lyrical about Frankie Beverly & Maze as we did a Frankie Beverly Profile in 2022 to celebrate his 76th birthday and a Maze Feat. Frankie Beverly - The Best Of... in 2020.

Beverly announced his retirement this year with a farewell tour (which commenced at the end of March) but the members of Maze continue under the name TMF The Music Forever who, in case you somehow missed it, have just released their debut album "The Music Forever, Vol. 1".

Soul4Real has paired two tracks from their last two albums for release on 7" vinyl for their Jai Alai imprint. "Somebody Else's Arms" from "Silky Soul" (1989) along with the "Love is" from the "Back To Basics" (1993).

Available now from Soul4Real website.

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

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Jai Alai
Cat No:	JAR13
Date:	17/04/2024
Key/BPM:	8B/86 / 10B/92
Price:	€14

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Sharisma [2024] - Trouble Trouble // Something Wonderful / Love Is The Way [Soul Direction #SD021]

The latest vinyl release from Soul Direction consists of three songs by Sharisma that were released digitally for the first time in Aug '22 on a compilation "Emandolynn Music Presents: Rare Soul, Vol. 3".

The compilation had nine tracks with three of them from Sharisma who were a 2 male, 2 female quartet from Wilmington, Delaware. They met Emandolynn's Manny Campbell (Soulville Productions) at a show in 1969 and then travelled to Philadelphia to record with him in the hope of completing an album. They started recording an album in 1969-70 at the famed Sigma Sounds studios but before it was completed the group disbanded because some members were drafted for the Vietnam War. 

The first two songs, “Love Is The Way" and "Something Wonderful” , were recorded as demos at Upper Darby Studios in 1969 with the last "My Son Trouble Trouble" recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in 1970 and was intended to be the group's debut single. It was engineered by Sigma's Joe Tarsia and included musicians who would later become members of The Trammps.

The single will be available to pre-order from Soul Direction on 29 Apr for release on 7 May.

The lead side, "Trouble Trouble" is a mid tempo Northern Soul / Crossover sound with "Something Wonderful" sounding like something that The 5th Dimension / Friends Of Distinction may have recorded at the turn of the decade. The ballad "Love Is The Way" having more appeal to the Lowriders and sweet soul lovers.

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul / Sweet Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Direction
Cat No:	None
Date:	07/05/2024
Key/BPM:	8B/123 / 4A/88 / 9B/86
Price:	£15

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved