PARIS DJS BEST OF 2014

It's already february 2015 and this article comes late - which always better than never! Digital sales have now become a thing of the past for many, since a bit of notoriety gets your music available for free in just a few hours after release, and since the taxation has now changed in Europe for exporting digital products (that's a 20% downfall for us in France on digital exports). Most have already gone back to authentic, quality, original records and music and we're focusing on those here, with a big bag of musical goodies composed of 25 vinyl, t-shirt or CD singles, plus 30 vinyl or CD albums and compilations. Add to that 32 of our own Paris DJs releases and you've got a digest of what's happened on www.parisdjs.com during the past year, a subjective selection of everything we released as a label (in auto-celebration mode, obviously), and of every record (CD and vinyl) we received as a media.

BEST VINYL or TSHIRTS SINGLES OF 2014
BEST VINYL OR TSHIRTS SINGLES OF 2014

On the vinyl front, 2014 was the year Paris DJs started to be active, and for a first year seven 45s and three T-shirt singles is not a bad score at all. Obviously, even if we'll try to do even better in 2015. Especially since those vinyl are selling out like pancakes, considering the small pressing quantities we put out. Other labels sending us vinyl singles have been only a few this year, but, among others, we received some very cool disco stuff from Cultures Of Soul records, some groovy funkiness from Mukatsuku or Soul Garden records, and some deep latin soul from Peace & Rhythm records.

10 VINYL OR TSHIRTS SINGLES FROM PARIS DJS :
Alice Russell - Seven Nation Army / Humankind (Grant Phabao Remixes feat. The Lone Ranger) (Limited 45, Paris DJs, 2014)
Brownout - Grant Phabao & Renegades Of Jazz Remixes (Limited 45, Kept Records/Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao & AFRODYETE - Itchin' For Your Love / Feelin' You Feelin' Me (Limited 45, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao & RacecaR - Rock Your Boat (T-shirt/Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao & The Jays - African Man b/w Adrian Quesada Remix (Limited 45, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao, The Lone Ranger & Carlton Livingston - Imitation Sounds / Weh Reggae Come From (Limited 45, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra feat. AFRODYETE - The Wow! (Ahw!) (T-shirt/Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra feat. Sandra Nkaké & Jî Drû - Talking & Singing (T-shirt/Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2014)
Jungle Fire - Firewalker / Tokuta (Grant Phabao Remixes) (Limited 45, Paris DJs, 2014)
The Beta Club - Brassa Nova (45/Digital, Cartel Records/Paris DJs, 2014)

5 VINYL SINGLES MORE FROM OTHER LABELS :
Joanne Wilson - Got To Have You (12", Cultures Of Soul, 2014)
Nik Weston presents Lost Soul & Funk Gems Volume One (7", Mukatsuku Records, 2014)
Nik Weston presents Orlando Julius & His Afro Sounders (10", Mukatsuku Records, 2014)
Peliroja - Situaciones (7", Peace & Rhythm Records, 2014)
Stepak-Takrow - Phat Fat Jackson (7", Soul Garden Records Japan, 2014)


BEST CD or DIGITAL SINGLES OF 2014
BEST CD OR DIGITAL SINGLES OF 2014

This is a tricky category, because there aren't many CD-singles or CD-EPs anymore, so it's mainly about digital singles we're talking about here (with a few exceptions). On the Paris DJs front, well 15 new singles in 52 months is respectable. Once again, we'll try to do better in 2015 of course. A label getting much of our attention & respect singles-wise is Tru Thoughts. Those guys have been sending us promo CD-singles of their digital releases regularly, and it's always a refreshing ringbell announcing some cool new tunes landing at the door. Etienne de la Sayette's self-released Baeshi Bang project was also a nice surprise, which got us to signing a deal for the man's upcoming solo projects to be released on Paris DJs. And we wanted to shine a bit of light on on friends from Karl Hector & The Malcouns, whose series of limited 12 inches is simply essential psychedelic afrofunkiness….

15 DIGITAL SINGLES FROM PARIS DJS :
Captain Détendu - Détendu (Digital Single, Jewpop Records, 2014)
Etienne de la Sayette - I'm So Cool In Seoul / Lord Bougainvillard (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2014)
Franck Biyong - Liyomba (Digital Single, Afrolectric Music/Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao - Reggae Reworks Vol.2 - The Queen & The Abstract (Digital EP, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao - Reggae Reworks Vol.3 - Dynamite B-Boys (Digital EP, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao - Reggae Reworks Vol.4 - Solid Gold B-Boys (Digital EP, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao - Reggae Reworks Vol.5 - Sisters Of Soul (Digital EP, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao - Reggae Specials Vol.6 - Jamaican Icons (Digital EP, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao & RacecaR - Return Of The Dig-Fu (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao & RacecaR - We Do Anything feat. Taiwan MC (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao & The Jays - Zion Holy Place (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2014)
Grant Phabao & The Lone Ranger - African Land (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2014)
Suzanna Choffel - Guardians (Grant Phabao Remix) (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2014)
The Beta Club - Brassa Nova (Grant Phabao Remix) (Digital Single, Cartel Records/Paris DJs, 2014)
The Downtown Rulers Club - EP (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2014)

10 CD SINGLES FROM OTHER LABELS :
Baeshi Bang - Old School K-Pop Revisited (CD EP, Bruit Chic, 2014)
Bixiga 70 - 100% (Digital Single, self-released, 2014)
Karl Hector & The Malcouns - Coomassi (12", Now-Again Records, may 2014)
Nostalgia 77 - Your Love Weighs A Tonne (Digital single, Tru Thoughts Recordings, may 2014)
Quantic - Duvidó feat. Pongo Love (12", Tru Thoughts, 2014)
Quantic - La Plata feat. Nidia Góngora (Digital Single, Tru Thoughts, 2014)
Quantic - You Will Return feat. Alice Russell (Digital Single, Tru Thoughts, 2014)
Harleighblu - Sittin' By The Window (Digital Single, Tru Thoughts, 2014)
Lost Midas - Head Games feat. Audris (Digital Single, Tru Thoughts, 2014)
Prince Fatty Meets Nostalgia 77 - Medecine Chest Dub (Digital Single, Tru Thoughts, 2014)


BEST CD OR DIGITAL ALBUMS REISSUES AND COMPILATIONS OF 2014
BEST CD OR DIGITAL ALBUMS, REISSUES & COMPILATIONS OF 2014

Even if everyone (ourselves included) is talking about the vinyl resurgence, the CD format is far from being dead, even though it's getting sold more more online and/or directly than before. Consumers seem to be quite conscious of what they're doing, which is getting all the digital music they want for free, and choosing which artists and labels to support, buying their CD and vinyl records if the experience, the interaction has been enjoyable and respectful. The central point still being that the music they're after feels so damn good of course.

5 CD OR DIGITAL ALBUMS & COMPILATIONS FROM PARIS DJS :
Antoine Berjeaut WasteLand feat. Mike Ladd - Remix LP (CD/Digital album, Paris DJs)
Paris DJs Soundsystem - A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand - Tropical Grooves & Afrofunk International Vol.5 (Digital compilation, Paris DJs, 2014)
Paris DJs Soundsystem - Killas, Thrillas & Chillas - Foot Stompers & Freaky Soul Vol.1 (Digital compilation, Paris DJs , 2014
Paris DJs Soundsystem - Spirituality & The Supernatural - Kaleidoscopic Jazz & Mind Bending Poetry (Digital compilation, Paris DJs, 2014)
Paris DJs Soundsystem - Take The Chains Off Your Brains - Psychedelic Hip Hop, Funk & Jazz Grooves (Digital compilation, Paris DJs, 2014)

20 CD ALBUMS, REISSUES & COMPILATIONS FROM OTHER LABELS :
Akalé Wubé - Sost (CD/LP, Clapson, 2014)
Antoine Berjeaut "Wasteland" feat. Mike Ladd - s/t (CD, Fresh Sound Records, 2014)
Black Flower - Abyssinia Afterlife (CD, Zephyrus Records, march 2014)
Brownout presents Brown Sabbath (2LP/CD, Ubiquity UR336, 2014)
DJ Oil - Phantom (CD/2LP, BBE, 2015)
Doctor L - Wisdom Of Life (2CD, Comet, 2014)
Don Gardner - The Story Of (CD/2LP, Tramp Records, 2014)
Henri-Pierre Noel - One More Step (CD/LP, Wah Wah 45s, 2014)
Ikebe Shakedown - Stone By Stone (CD/LP, Ubiquity Records, april 2014)
Jungle Fire - Tropicoso (CD/LP, Nacional, 2014)
Quantic - Magnetica (CD/3LP, Tru Thoughts Recordings, may 2014)
Shawn Lee - Golden Age Against The Machine (CD, BBE Records, may 2014)
The Afrorockerz - The Afrorockerz (CD, Buda Musique, 2014)
The Excelsiors - Control This (CD/2LP, BBE, 2014)
The Grits - Make A Sound (CD, BBE, 2014)
Third Coast Kings - West Grand Boulevard (LP/CD, Record Kicks RKX047, 2014)
Toumani Diabaté & Sidiki Diabaté - Toumani & Sidiki (CD, World Circuit, 2014)
Various - DJ Bongohead presents The Afrosound of Colombia Vol.2 (2LP/CD, Vampisoul, 2014)
Various - Footprints - Previously Unreleased Tracks by Label Artists, Friends & Family (CD/LP, Jazz & Milk Recordings, 2014)
Various - Tropical Disco Hustle (CD/2LP, Cultures Of Soul, 2014)


BEST VINYL ALBUMS REISSUES AND COMPILATIONS OF 2014
BEST VINYL ALBUMS, REISSUES & COMPILATIONS OF 2014

OK now things get serious. This is THE heavily expected category in this best of 2014 digest. VINYL. Large pieces of plastic wrapped up in beautiful sleeves that are GOOD FOR YOU. Of course the cost of sending promotional vinyl copies to a niche media on the web (even if publishing since the mid-90s and getting millions of downloads on the podcasts) being so high, this is predominantly a selection of amazing records from friends of ours. But records we would have bought if they hadn't landed on our doorstep. Stream those records if you haven't already, and get yourself a copy of your favorites!

2 VINYL COMPILATIONS FROM PARIS DJS :
Paris DJs Soundsystem - Dis Is Reggae Soul Vol.1 (Limited 2LP, Paris DJs, 2014)
Paris DJs Soundsystem - Vinyl Is Good For You (Limited 6x45 Boxset, Paris DJs, 2014)

10 VINYL ALBUMS, REISSUES & COMPILATIONS FROM OTHER LABELS :
Batsumi - Batsumi (LP, Matsuli Music, 2013)
Batsumi - Moving Along (LP, Matsuli Music, 2014)
Bio Ritmo - Puerta Del Sur (LP/CD, Vampisoul, 2014)
Jungle By Night - The Hunt (CD/LP, Kindred Spirits, 2014)
Lord Paramour - Par Amour (LP, Stereophonk, 2014)
Mestre Cupijó e Seu Ritmo - Siriá (LP/CD, Analog Africa, 2014)
The Bombay Royale - The Island of Dr Electrico (CD/LP, HopeStreet Recordings, 2014)
The Souljazz Orchestra - Inner Fire (CD/LP, Strut Records, 2014)
Verckys et l'Orchestre Vévé - Congolese Funk, Afrobeat & Psychedelic Rumba 1969-1978 (CD/2LP, Analog Africa, 2014)
Various - Peru Bravo: Funk, Soul & Psych in Peru's Radical Decade (CD/2LP, Tiger's Milk Records, 2014)


BEST LABELS OF 2014
BEST LABELS OF 2014

Considering the quality and quantity of releases we've put out this year, we're proud to say our little Paris DJs label, which is basically 2 guys in an appartment with a few friends helping and an international network of artists involved, has been the number one killer label in 2014. Of course this is from our own viewpoint, totally biased, but 100% sincere nonetheless. Next comes Tru Thoughts Recordings in the UK, who've been hitting us all year long with new & classy singles and albums. BBE records, also from the UK, is third, with a lot of releases coming our way during those 12 months, and many fantastic ones, more oriented on the album/compilation format than the two previous heavy hitters.

Other noticeable labels in 2014 were Mukatsuku Records, putting out vinyl singles one after the other, Cultures Of Soul in the US with some very cool reissues and compilations, and a few others who have been featured a lot in our pages during the last 10 years already: Ubiquity, Analog Africa and Tramp records. Those are really trustworthy people who have very good taste in music. To complete this list we have two "newcomers", the Matsuli label of African reissues and the Peace & Rhythm one focusing on latin grooves from the present and the past. Keep it up guys!!

They also nearly made the list : Vampisoul, Soul Garden, Kindred Spirits, HopeStreet Recordings, Strut & Tiger's Milk records. Cool stuff coming sparsely from those labels…

01. PARIS DJS
02. TRU THOUGHTS
03. BBE
04. MUKATSUKU
05. CULTURES OF SOUL
06. UBIQUITY
07. MATSULI
08. ANALOG AFRICA
09. TRAMP
10. PEACE & RHYTHM

Original post on Paris DJs