The black butterfly is a symbol of hope, renewal and inevitable change. Brooklyn Funk Essentials’ eighth studio album marks the band’s continued groove r-evolution. Black Butterfly - the album - is a group collaboration highlighting and expanding BFE’s signature style and musical prowess. Recorded live-in-the-studio, Black Butterfly finds the cadre of stellar musicians exploring a bounty of multi-rhythms, analog instrumentation, funky jams and winsome arrangements. Brooklyn Funk Essentials once again deliver a full length journey of songs within a lyrical framework of love, respect, inclusion, hopefulness and dreams.

Etta James kindles a roaring fire of pure heart and soul in her 1968 album, Tell Mama. For her seventh studio album and second project for the Cadet imprint, James agreed to record with Rick Hall at the storied FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The distraction-free environment paired with the improved technology at the studio resulted in one of the greatest albums of the 1960s. The clarity on the 12 tracks of this record are remarkable, showcasing the emotion and passion she invokes with her unforgettable voice. Tracks like “Tell Mama,” “Just A Little Bit,” and one of the most successful tracks of her career, a cover of “I’d Rather Go Blind,” paint a powerful portrait of the legendary Etta James.

Another in a series of superb wandering groove albums from the premier sweet soul singer. He took the standard three-minute pop soul song and expanded the format. It is Gaye that is responsible for today's smooching urban r&b; he was for much of his career many years ahead of the game. This has been described as his oral sex album, not that the others were not; this has the erotic edge. Built around the title track, the album is a theme album and as such should be played as a whole. There are no "Too Busy Thinking Bout My Baby's on this; it is a much more challenging but satisfying work.

Long-running jazz, soul, and funk project Nostalgia 77 is the work of British producer, composer and guitarist Benedic Lamdin. Since 2022, he has been blending vintage gear, techniques and sounds with hip-hop production and electronic synths on the likes of Try Thoughts. When The Light's Gone is a reflective set of simple, primary-coloured songs after a period away from personal releases (we hear another album is also planned this year). This one reunites him with Berlin-based singer Yosa, whose earlier collaborations with Nostalgia 77 were hugely popular. Their chemistry is close, with Lamdin describing the record as carrying a "dreamlike, childlike" quality influenced by the transition into family life. A lovely, luminous listen.

The Offering is the forthcoming collaborative album by bassist and multi-instrumentalist Oteil Burbridge (acclaimed bassist for Dead & Company, the Allman Brothers Band) and vocalist Lamar Williams Jr., recorded in December 2024 at Flóki Studios on Iceland’s north coast and produced by drummer, bandleader, and Soulive co-founder Alan Evans. Across its eight songs, The Offering centers on melody, groove, and message rather than genre, drawing together Southern soul, gospel harmony, improvisational rock, and African-rooted rhythm carried through Burbridge’s banjo explorations into song-driven ensemble music.

Jacklyn records is famed among soul record collectors as the home of three great Darrow Fletcher 45s issued on the label in the mid-60s. The imprint was owned and run by his father, Johnny Haygood, and though it served as a stepping stone in Fletcher’s extensive career, it was launched for a different artist and provided Chicago soul fans with several great discs over its seven-year existence.

The healing power of music is more than just a mantra for The Nth Power, it’s an energy that drummer Nikki Glaspie, guitarist Nick Cassarino and bassist Nate Edgar harness with intent in the recording studio. When preparing to bring their fourth studio album ‘Never Alone’ to life, they converged on a remote farmhouse studio in Colchester, Vermont at the personal invitation of Phish bassist Mike Gordon. Over the course of two weeklong sessions overlooking a quiet bay of Lake Champlain, they tapped into what Cassarino calls “The Great Spirit” – a creative, driving force behind their genre-defying, soulful music.

9-piece powerhouse Nubiyan Twist embark on a fresh musical odyssey with their vibrant fourth album Find Your Flame. Over 12-track the band seamlessly weaves together global grooves, soul and jazz; expertly intertwined with electronic elements, horn-led melodies and spontaneous improvisation. The album marks a significant evolution for the group as they welcome Sheffield based vocalist Aziza Jaye to the forefront, adding a fresh dimension of Patois and RnB to their sound.

Ntjam Rosie announces her first self-titled album – a return to what really matters. After a decade of development with albums such as Elle, Breaking Cycles, Home Cooking and ELLE – Reworked, Cameroonian-Dutch artist Ntjam Rosie is entering a new phase of clarity and creative purpose. Her ninth studio album, simply titled Ntjam Rosie, will be released on 24 April 2026 – a deeply personal, soulful statement shaped by faith, identity, motherhood and artistic freedom. ‘It’s not about arriving,’ says Rosie. ‘It’s about returning – to what really matters.’ This feeling forms the basis for a warm, honest album created with humility, intention and joy.

Last year Ace Records (in collaboration with Acid Jazz) shone a new light on Spring Records’ illustrious catalogue with their “Spring Revisited” project, which opened up the label’s vaults to some of the most credible names in dance music to work on new versions of records that had lit up their life.

The Best of Chesky Songwriters Vol. 1 is now available on Chesky com! It features a selection of some of our favorite songs written by the same artists who recorded them.

Until We Are Free is the debut album from fabric, a collective of musicians from diverse backgrounds united by a shared goal: to fuse irresistible rhythms and grooves with a direct, socially conscious message that draws vital attention to the contradictions of modern life. The project's name itself evokes the idea of a living, dynamic ensemble—a creative intertwining of different threads, from musical genres to founding musicians and guest collaborators, all actively woven into the social fabric. The record blends funk, soul, and Afrobeat with a sharp, contemporary urban attitude, resulting in a sound that functions simultaneously as sonic resistance and an invitation to the dancefloor.

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Son Little expands his musical palette on his album, Cityfolk. Blending elements of soul, folk, and blues, Son Little captures his signature sound along with expressive yet personal lyrics. Cityfolk is a reflection on love, loss, and finding peace in the chaos. It's about holding on, letting go, and learning to breathe again when the world feels heavy.

Big Crown Records is proud to present the sophomore full-length from Les Imprimés, Fading Forward. Spearheaded by self-taught multi-instrumentalist and producer Morten Martens, the album explores mortality, escapism, and a myriad of experiences associated with love.

For the first time in his career, Mario Biondi, in the twentieth anniversary year of "This Is What You Are" and "Handful of Soul," releases a project entirely in Italian. A work that sees him as the undisputed protagonist not only as a performer, but also as a writer and composer, in addition to his responsibilities as arranger and producer. Twenty tracks to celebrate the anniversary of an extraordinary artistic journey.