The good people at Strut records have dropped another bomb on us. This is more than just another collection of rare records though, this is a living movement. The DJs who make up Sofrito (Hugo Mendez, Frankie Francis & The Mighty Crime Minister) have been throwing warehouse parties in East London and across Europe for 5 years. Unfortunately I haven’t been, but hearing this record makes me regret that deeply. For their first official compilation they’ve pulled 15 dancefloor scorchers, old and new, from Colombia to the Congo and beyond. Highlights on here include an exclusive new Quantic cumbia and a foot stomping re-edit of an old Victor Uwaifo song that enlists the help of producer Sinbad. I’m also sharing a Hatian Disco track (maybe Tabou Combo?) off one of their re-edit 12″ releases- exclusive dubplate mixes like these are a regular part of the party. And if all that wasn’t enough to make you a believer, check out the insanely stunning poster art for all their events, done by designer Lewis Heriz (take your time and scroll through this guys’ catalogue, you will thank me for it).

Victor Uwaifo –       Ohue (Frankie Francis & Sinbad Edit)

Unknown –       Tabou For The People (Sofrito edit ft. L. Barrabas)

and here’s the great mini-mix from Hugo Mendez to help tide you over til you can purchase the whole comp on Jan 18th

Sofrito Strut Mini Mix by Hugo Mendez and Frankie Francis

Sorry for the lack of activity. I’ve had a difficult week and a half. Thanksgiving day I was throwing an impromptu dance party in the kitchen for my family, when my little sister knocked a tall glass of mango-orange juice into the back of my beloved laptop. The music stopped, the screen flickered and then went black… On my way to the computer repair spot, my car was backed into by an oblivious driver and the hood was nicely crunched. Then to top it all off, I came home to find my brother’s dog, stricken with diarrhea, decided it would be cool to drop his enormous soggy load in my laundry bag. There’s more, but I think you get the point. This week, blues is definitely appropriate.

Apparently (according to the data recovery dudes I visited), my hard drive with all my music and files is ok (still waiting to get this back), but it may be a little while before I’m fully back on track. Stay tuned.

Bobby “Blue” Bland :       Cry &       I Pity The Fool
both from his excellent LP Two Steps From The Blues (1961)

Once in a very blue moon, I still manage to find time to digitize my vinyl. I wish it happened more often, but I’m a busy man these days. I’m still sneaking into record stores and scouring flea markets when I get the chance, but it definitely ain’t like it used to be. These are some recent discoveries that reminded me to never give up the search. If any of these songs manage to inspire the baking of a pumpkin pie, or the eating of one for that matter, I will feel like I’ve accomplished something very valuable.

M’bamina :       Nosi Zole &       Mbongui (Cogolese afro-disco-boogie anyone?)
from the album Experimental on Fiesta (1978)

R.D. Burman & Asha Bhosle :       Pyar Karnewale (moog + breaks + Hindi = good)
taken from the soundtrack to  Shaan on Polydor (1980)

Alma Y Vida :       La Morada (funky Argentinian psych-rock – Murphy’s Law I see you!)
from their self-titled album on RCA (1971)

Jimmy London :       Bridge Over Troubled Water (Paul Simon gets skankified)
      Make The Night A Little Longer &       Walk With Love (sounds from Jamaica)
taken from Bridge Over Troubled Water on Impact! (1972)

Saturday night I had a friend in town for her birthday. For some reason, I once again decided it might be a good idea to try every different type of liquor behind the bar- absinthe, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, bourbon… Somewhere towards the end of the night I had a cocktail with eggwhite in it, which really sealed the deal. Sunday morning I felt like this (see photo above- which I actually took at a Baltimore warehouse party that I performed at like a year ago, but it’s appropriate). As we’re reminded by old man Newton’s first law of physics, in times like that, it takes a tremendous external force of funkiness to move a body at rest. These songs provided me with just enough energy to make coffee and get an Excedrin, and for that I am thankful. Get your hands on the full releases in case you should come across an unruly morning like that yourself.

Pablo Sanchez & Watch TV :       Sunstar (Zeb Remix) &       Release Da Freak (Simbad Remix)
both releases and more from Mr. Sanchez available here

Dhundee :       ShoShot
get the full Bastard Jazz Hear No Evil Vol.2 compilation right here

Boohgaloo Zoo :       Testify (Soulphiction's Boogie Version)
from the  Lovemonk 12″ available here

I get so many music promos sent to me, it’s a dirty rotten shame how few I end up having time to properly listen to. When I come accross something truly great, totally out of my range of knowledge, I remember why I love keeping this site alive. I’m sure there’s a couple thousand other great songs amid my unread emails, but at a certain point I have to trust that the best tunes will rise to the top- or that my finger on the mouse will be magically guided to click on the right promo email as if guided by the forces of ouija. That’s how I found today’s picks, which as you can hear, are pretty varied. So are my tastes, and so is Mixtape Riot.

Amtrac :       Distant Heartbreak &       In Love
find more from him here

Return To Mono :       Framebreaker ,       Song Of The Beast & Seeker Circuit
find more from them here

Noisettes : Saturday Night
these guys have a site here

Fool’s Gold : Nadine (Memory Tapes Remix)
to be fair, I knew about these guys and have posted their music before, but this remix is nice

Bing Ji Ling : Sunshine Love (Ray Mang Remix)
this guy is part of The Phenomenal Handclap Band, nuff said

Something struck me today during my visit to Ameoba records Hollywood: compilations of highly obscure niche music from foreign countries is on the brink of becoming mainstream. When did it become normal for American music shoppers to battle between spending their hard-earned $18 on 70’s Iranian psych-funk or “Electro New Wave Dance Music From South Africa”? I used to think I was a weirdo for seeking this type of thing, but based on the plethora of compilations spilling off the shelves offering these very genres, it would appear that I’m far from alone today. Look, I’m definitely not complaining, and god bless the label folks for giving some much deserved shine to artists such as Charanjit Singh who apparently single-handedly invented “Indian Acid House” back in 1982 (for a very enthusiastic and hilariously geeky review peep this), but I also am left to wonder- is there anything left to dig for? Call it digger’s envy I suppose, but like I said, I’m not hating, just flabbergasted. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if life on another planet was finally revealed, not in a news report about some powerful satellite telescope, but in the press release for a new Andy Votel compilation of “Martian Moog Proto-Disco”. Liner notes excerpt: “apparently a copy of Manu Dibango’s Soul Makossa found it’s way to Mars via a failed Nigerian rocket launch and the Martian party scene just exploded”. Well, because I am still that weirdo who loves this stuff, here’s a selection of recently compiled mind-melting music from around the world.

Zia :       Helelyos
Parva :       Mosem-e Gol
both taken from Pomegranates

Kamal Ahmed ft. Noor Jehan :       I Am Very Sorry
from The Sound Of Wonder!

Zinja Hlungwani :       N'wagezani My Love (check out the video for this song here)
Tiyiselani Vomaseve :       Vanghoma
taken from Shangaan (and read here for more info about the scene)

Omar Souleyman :       Hafer Gabrak Bidi (I Will Dig Your Grave With My Hands)
&       Dazeitlak Dezzelli (I Signal
from Jazeera Nights

Charanjit Singh :       Raga Madhuvanti &       Raga Megh Malhar
taken from Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat