Somewhere Soul : Rituals Volume 02
MRBLP339PPre-Order Item. Release Date Subject to Change.
Label: Mr Bongo
Release Date: 13th November
Josh Mason-Quinn's Somewhere Soul uses the power of the doomscroll for good as he finds himself as an old school curator ala Gilles Peterson or John Peel, pushing the music from sometimes hard to reach areas and pulling it to the forefront. His blogs, DJ sets and instagram videos are about human connection to music outside of algorithms with a leaning towards jazz, hip hop, ambient, experimental, Brazilian, African, funk and a broad global pallete of sounds designed to move you on a dancefloor or spiritually. His second 'Rituals' comp find him further establishing himself as a truly great curator and storytelling in compilation form.
Mr Bongo welcomes Somewhere Soul to the label for the second volume in his Rituals compilation series.
A carefully curated collection of exclusive, genre-spanning tracks from his most hotly tipped, contemporary emerging artists and underground forerunners. Start to finish it takes listeners on a 24-hour journey from morning to the dancefloor. Moving through soothing and gently bubbling ambient folk, jazz and soul, to sunlit Brazilian MPB, atmospheric instrumental psych and dancefloor-friendly electronic productions.
From humble beginnings as a music blog, Somewhere Soul has grown into a global go-to for music discovery with close to a million followers on Instagram alone. Unlike many with the influence that Josh Mason-Quinn holds, his outlook and format have remained the same - showcasing music that he loves and providing a platform for artists from all corners of the world. In a world increasingly overrun by AI, Josh says, "it's far more memorable discovering music from another human than some instant algorithm recommendation that's devoid of context". As with all the best compilations, Rituals is a step back to tradition, a direct dialogue between compiler and listener, the simple message being 'this is amazing music, and it deserves to be heard'.
Soundtracking the progression of Josh's daily listening habits, the compilation draws on different sides of music to support you wherever you are and whatever you're doing. The Rise side opens with 'Bath of forgiveness in the moonlight' by Naissam Jalal - a sublime, gentle wake-up call before the bustle of life begins. The tranquility of Blue Lake 'Skyview' follows, a special track written with a brief in mind from Josh. Elsewhere, French- Brazilian artist Tiago Caetano brings a wash of calm with the dreamy 'Prisme Latin'. The energy of the day builds across the Radiate side with Mediterranean jazz funk, breezy boogie, UK jazz fusion and Afro-Latin grooves from the likes of Gianni Brezzo, Joao Selva, Fr1th & Simon Jefferis, Konkolo Orchestra and Ireke. As the sun sets the Retreat side takes listeners through that hazy transition. String arranger Miguel Atwood-Ferguson works his magic on Kennebec and Tristan de Liege's exquisite instrumental, as harpist Rachel Kitchlew's 'A Path To You' offers a dose of serenity. The twilight grooves grow with tracks like 'Tide', a cinematic soul- jazz cut from Mikoudi and China Bowls, and Gentle Nature's rich, retro lean-back jam 'New Faces'.
Signalling the final Release, the closing side is a perfect blend of dancefloor heat. Turkish city pop from Peki Momes marinates with Daniel Monaco's signature tropical disco and an infectious deep house cut from Australia's Alexander Flood. Finally, Reuben Vaun Smith's (Sons of Sevilla) new Landing Eagles project delivers an anthemic breakbeat street soul ender with 'Be On My Side'. The contemporary music scene is bursting with creative talent from all directions. Access to new music is easier than ever, but amazing artists still struggle to cut through the noise. Josh has constructed a collection to help counterbalance this, an expression and celebration of underground music in its many forms. In his own words, "During these strange times where the floodgates have opened to AI music, I hope this compilation serves as a reminder of the vital role music plays in our lives and how much human-made music is worth fighting for".
1. Naissam Jalal - Bath Of Forgiveness In The Moonlight (Duet Version)
2. Blue Lake - Skyview
3. Ines Loubet and Sofia Grant - Work of Art
4. Tiago Caetano - Prisme Latin
5. Verushka - Please Have Something to Say
6. Gianni Brezzo - Nuova Magia
7. Joao Selva - Futuro
8. Fr1th & Simon Jefferis - High Tide
9. Konkolo Orchestra - Divine Intervention
10. Ireke - Got A
11. Kennebec and Tristan de Liege - Willow (feat. Miguel Atwood-Ferguson) 12. Rachel Kitchlew - A Path To You
13. Mikoudi Feat China Bowls - Tide
14. The Offline - Les Vagues
15. Gentle Nature - New Faces
16. Peki Momes - Ahs\u0327ap Kutu
17. Daniel Monaco - Good Times
18. Alexander Flood - OUTLAW
19. Landing Eagles - Be On My Side