Various
The Famous Sound Of Three Blind Mice Vol. 1

From their place at the bottom of the world, outside of the traditional jazz and soul centres, Australia’s groove-led musicians have struggled for recognition on the world stage. But all of that is changing as increasingly the country’s vital community of close-knit, broadly adventurous players command the attention of international audiences.Bouncing off the selections of independent radio DJs and esoteric record store collections, these musicians jump across African diaspora music traditions – from funk to house music, hip-hop to Ethio-jazz – before pollinating those rhythms with a uniquely Australian flavour.This magpie-like curiosity forges new sounds and forms – all of which can be found on Seven Wonders, a new compilation by Plug Seven Records and Wondercore Island.Seven Wonders is testament to Wondercore’s relentless support of Australia’s forward-thinking beat makers and neo-soul bands; and to Plug Seven’s commitment to the magic of analogue music, as seen at its Melbourne record store and nearby studio.

Originally released on EMI Sweden in 1970, this was Doris’ lone solo album. A Swedish funk / psych / jazz rarity, it attracted little attention upon its initial release and seemed doomed to obscurity, but thanks to crate-digging DJs and a Mr Bongo 1996 reissue, it has since seen a new lease of life as a highly prized cult classic amongst record collectors.The album presents a unique blend of pop, jazz, funk and soul, containing more than a hint of Joni Mitchell, Led Zeppelin and the like. Backed by her husband Lukas Lindholm on bass Doris was able to lay down some seriously funky bass lines on tracks like ‘Don't’ and ‘Beatmaker’. On ‘You Never Come Closer’, an experimental track that was way ahead of its time, Janne Carlsson unleashes a fearsome sound on drums helped by Bernot Egerladh on organ.‘You Never Come Closer’ was sampled on ‘Closer’ by influential hip-hop producer Madlib for Quasimoto. This has led to Doris' work becoming increasingly popular amongst underground hip-hop fans.‘Did You Give The World Some Love Today, Baby’ is more than just a curiosity, it’s an overlooked gem, showcasing a singer with a distinctive voice, great range and charm.

The unreleased 1984 follow-up to the groundbreaking albums Kakashi and Mariah's Utakata No Hibi, Kiren is Yasuaki Shimizu's work for experimental dance music. Employing cutting edge production to create lush new wave soundscapes, it bridges the gap between his early 80s recordings and his later work with the Saxophonettes, filling a key lost chapter in his discography. Full liner notes in English and Japanese by Chee Shimizu.