BLACK HOLE Vinilo y CD

Review: The latest deep dive into Galaxy Sound Co.'s Black Hole series is another carefully dug out delight featuring three essential jazz-funk-psych cuts. Joe Pass' 'A Time For Us' opens with beautiful cinematic strings, sparse drums and ghostly guitar that has been famously sampled by J Dilla and the Slum Village crew, and sounds powerful in situ here. Milt Jackson & Ray Brown's 'Enchanted Lady' follows with hypnotic modal swing, again famously flipped, this time by Pete Rock, De La Soul and Knxwledge. Closing out is Archie Whitewater's 'Cross Country', which is a funky, soulful groove with brass and keys that have been immortalised by Kanye and Common, but remains a burner here in its original form.

Review: If you like your jazz mystical and spaced out then you're on the right page with this one. The Blackhole label returns with a sixth self-titled offering that is buy on sight. 'More Love Songs' has whimsical leads disappearing off into the cosmic ether over mic jazz-funk drums with some breezy vocals finishing it in style. 'Searching The Circle' then take off on another carefree and breezy groove with far-sighted melodies and gorgeous vocal harmonies that melt you to your core. Beautiful stuff.

Review: Blackhole drops a vital new 7" that features a pair of tidy edits of some classic cuts. First is a Dorothy Ashby masterpiece that has been remastered and is awash with lush, golden harp sounds and gently broken drums. It's a charming escape to heavenly melodic worlds. On the flip is 'Gold' with some masterful guitars and Donny Hathaway on piano. This is the first time this cut has been on its own 45 rpm and is one that has been sampled by greats like hip-hop kings Jay DIlla and Pete Rock.