The Witzard

"This is a sampling of Daptone Records' output over the past 20 years, including an Amy Winehouse track The Dap-Kings played on and a single from German group, The Poets of Rhythm. The Daptone Family Tree is huge and varied, so honing in on just a few tracks is tough! From the Desco Records years to today's Penrose Records imprint, Daptone has put out everything from raw Funk to Gospel and Cinematic Soul to Afrobeat. I chose a handful of my favorite tracks from each of the label's major acts to showcase the breadth of the label's output. Although, I'm a hardcore Sharon Jones fan, some of my favorite tracks on [the playlist] are from other artists—check out The Altons' "When You Go (That's When You Know,)" bassist Benny Trokan's hypnotic "Turn Back You Fool," and Dapttes Saun & Starr's "Sunshine (You're Blowing My Cool.)" - Jessica Lipsky (@itaintretro) "It Ain't Retro is a powerful reminder...

Daptone Records announced yesterday they'll be re-issuing The Poets of Rhythm's 2001 sophomore album, Disceren / Define. It was previously released on Ninja Tune & Quannum Projects and has been extremely sought-after within the two decades since. Daptone's updated version of Discern / Define boasts a deluxe gatefold jacket with re-imagined artwork. It appears to feature a newly-unearthed Bonus Track by way of twelfth track, "Eulogize The Source." Daptone shares: "Celebrating the album's 20th anniversary, Daptone Records is pleased to present the first vinyl re-issue of The Poets of Rhythm's galactic, Funky masterpiece, Discern / Define." Discern / Define by The Poets of Rhythm "As pioneers in the burgeoning Modern Funk scene of the 90's, The Poets of Rhythm created new standards, transcending the parameters lesser groups were defined by. With Discern / Define, The Poets took their brand of Classic Funk to the next level by ble...

"I could have made you mine. But no, it wasn't meant to be and see, I wasn't made for you and you weren't made for me... I'm on my own sh*t now. Let me tell you how it feels to be f**king great. I feel great," Rex Orange County laments on his latest Zane Lowe -premiered #ROCKMUSICFOREVER second single, "BEST FRIEND." Rex Orange County is the recently adopted alter-ego of Alex O'Connor , a self-loathing 18-year-old "bedroom" musician hailing from the outskirts of London in Haslemere, Surrey . "Being in a picturesque, but culturally void town didn't stop him from admiring fellow do-it-yourself producers Thundercat and Toro Y Moi , or falling in love with Frank Ocean 's Channel ORANGE ; "if I could do anything close to that musically, then that's it," O'Connor beamed within a recent press release. I would best compare Rex Orange County's unique half-sung half-rapped style to "Loser" -er...

"After repeatedly being visited by a strange messenger in his dreams while on tour in the islands of Greece , Toby Pazner became consumed with a vision to tell the stories of The Olympians through music. Chosen by the gods as a messenger for not only his musical gifts, but for his unique position at the center of the Daptone family, Toby built a home studio from scratch and employed some of the top Soul musicians in the world to help him breath life into this album," reads a fragmented chunk of The Olympians' on-site Bandcamp press release. Tobias "Toby" Pazner 's musical journey with the Daptone/Truth & Soul/Big Crown Records -affiliated family dates back as far as 2005 and his piano-vibraphone credits include records by Lee Fields & The Expressions , Lady, El Michels Affair , Lady Wray, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings , Menahan Street Band, Aloe Blacc , Bronx River Parkway & Candela All-Stars, Ultimate Breaks & Beats , and The Bus...

"Daptone [Records’] newest imprint, WICK, has been established to create the kind of records that fans want from a truly Rock "N" Roll record label. Using the same recording techniques that have made the likes of Daptone Soul legends Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and Charles Bradley, Daptone’s House of Soul has been developing a sound as exciting and authentic as anything you’ll hear on the airwaves today. WICK Records will be a go-to destination for fans of Rock "N" Roll and the release schedule will include quality archival releases, along with the latest swingin’ combos," Daptone's newly-formed sister imprint, WICK Records wrote within a powerful mission statement affixed to their Soundcloud page; "Follow Me Down," the lead single from New York-based greenhorns THE MYSTERY LIGHTS, was amongst their first batch of inaugural releases, along with well-received 7-inch "Too Many Girls/Too Tough to Bear." I first, rather unknowing...