Summer is at its peak, and this month's batch of new arrivals has been all over the map. From brand-new soul and groundbreaking jazz to reissues that truly complete your record collection: these are our personal favorites from July. Check them out in the webshop.
Nectar Woode — Naturally
Soul with a brand-new face. British-Ghanaian Nectar Woode is having a dream year — from a BBC Radio 1 Hottest Record with 'Lights Off' to a sold-out headline tour — and with Naturally, she delivers her first major statement on record. A nine-track mixtape that plays as a single entity: from frustration and restlessness to love and acceptance, with the title track as the denouement. Warm, intimate, and composed from start to finish; exactly the kind of record that grows with every listen.
An extra reason to dive in NOW: she's even playing in the Netherlands at the beginning of July. Good chance this record will already have a permanent spot on your turntable by then.
Shabaka — Of The Earth
Perhaps the most adventurous record of the month. Shabaka Hutchings, for years the beating heart of Sons of Kemet and The Comet Is Coming, completely changes course here: he wrote, played, produced, and mixed this album entirely himself. Flutes and saxophone float over self-made beats and electronics, recorded on the go with portable equipment — and for the first time in his career, he also grabs the microphone and raps, inspired, by his own account, by André 3000's audacity.
The result is difficult to pigeonhole: partly jazz, partly electronic, partly a diasporic journey. Released on his own label, on black and cornflower blue vinyl with an artwork insert. A grower for those who love the unexpected.
Olivia Rodrigo — You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love
One of the biggest releases of the year, and now available from us too. The third album from the three-time Grammy winner, in the vein of SOUR and GUTS, and according to her, "a time capsule of a relationship" — told from two sides, hope and heartbreak in equal measure. For collectors, this is a special treat: the album was released in a laundry list of color and execution variants, from picture discs to marbled and colored vinyl with different covers. Something to pay close attention to which version you get your hands on.
The Aggrolites — Super Atomic
Time for some sunshine in the groove. LA's undisputed kings of "dirty reggae" are back with their first full-length album since Reggae Now! in 2019. Years of non-stop touring have honed the band to a razor's edge: Hammond-drenched grooves from the 1969 era, sharp as a knife, with Jesse Wagner's rich soulful voice on top. Pure energy, and exactly the kind of record that brightens up a grey day. This one also came out in some beautiful colored pressings.
Afro-Cuban All Stars — A Toda Cuba Le Gusta
And speaking of sunshine: this 1997 classic, from the famous Buena Vista family and led by Juan de Marcos González, is finally widely available again. Cuban son in big band format, with multiple generations of musicians on one record — brass, piano, and percussion that can't sit still for a second. The ideal summer record for those who open the windows and turn up the volume.
Eagles — One Of These Nights
We conclude with an undisputed classic. This 1975 album is the moment the Eagles traded their country-rock for the slick, polished West Coast sound that made them immortal. With the title track, 'Lyin' Eyes', and 'Take It to the Limit', there isn't a bad song on it. A cornerstone for any collection, and this reissue in the form of a box is the chance to get it on vinyl.
You can find all these records in the webshop. Do you have a favorite that isn't listed here? Let us know — who knows, it might be on the list next month.
Enjoy the music,
Major9
Luister