Erick Cosaque - Kominiké

I first heard this track on the amazing Kouté Jazz compilation on Heavenly Sweetness and it acted as my introduction to both Erick Cosaque and more widely the music of gwo ka. One of my all-time favourites that I never tire of. I spent a month travelling in the French West Indies in 2023 with my love of Erick Cosaque’s music acting as inspiration for me to visit his homeland of Guadeloupe where I spent 2 weeks, with a further 2 weeks in Martinique. This gem of a tune and my time in Guadeloupe was a big inspiration behind ‘Adan On Dòt Soley’ on my new record ‘Zani!'

Alain Peters - Rest' La Maloya

From the music of one former French slave colony to another… Alain Peters was my introduction to the amazing music of maloya from Réunion in the Indian Ocean. A compilation of his music also titled Rest' La Maloya is one of my most played records, full of gems, but this track in particular is my pick of the bunch that I repeatedly go back to. Absolutely beautiful even if I don't understand the lyrics! Goosebumps everytime.

Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians

Vivid but also hazy memories of long drives in California with my family as a kid with this on repeat on the car stereo, dipping in and out of sleep with this as the soundtrack. Definitely ingested on some deep level in my brain. Rediscovered again in later life and now one of my all-time favourites. Incredible piece of music that will forever conjure beautiful images of California for me. The track linked to here is just one part of the continual hour long album that needs to be enjoyed in full to really get lost in it.

Sun Ra - Door Of The Cosmos

I couldn’t do one of these without including Sun Ra! Sun Ra & The Arkestra’s music, imagery, afrofuturism is a really big inspiration for me and a big influence on my Into The Cosmos project. This track is from probably my favourite album of theirs, Sleeping Beauty, which is back to back incredible. Hard to pick a favourite but this one is an absolute beauty and a great introduction to the world of Sun Ra.

Fabian - Prophecy

My good friend and great DJ Bolts first got me onto this one. Years later hearing Jah Shaka play it on his full soundsystem at Positive Vibration in Liverpool was an unforgettable experience. Never have I skanked harder. He played the original and then flipped it over for the dub version. Absolute shivers down the spine! Incredible heavy roots tune and a rallying call for the ages as relevant as ever.

Khan Jamal - Breath of Life

This beautiful blissful track is from Khan Jamal’s Drum Dance To The Motherland album which was the inspiration for my Drum Dance moniker. I was blown away when I first heard it. Its not quite like anything else I’ve ever heard and must have sounded even more unique in the early 70s when it was made. The krautrock of Can meets spiritual free jazz meets the heavy dub delays of a Lee Scratch Perry record. Really inspiring blissed out track which I can happily listen to over and over again.