Somewhere Soul : Rituals Vol. 02 / Various

Mr Bongo welcomes Somewhere Soul to the label for the second volume in his Rituals compilation series. A carefully curated collection of exclusive, genre-spanning tracks from his most hotly tipped, contemporary emerging artists and underground forerunners. Start to finish it takes listeners on a 24-hour journey from morning to the dancefloor. Moving through soothing and gently bubbling ambient folk, jazz and soul, to sunlit Brazilian MPB, atmospheric instrumental psych and dancefloor-friendly electronic productions.From humble beginnings as a music blog, Somewhere Soul has grown into a global go-to for music discovery with close to a million followers on Instagram alone. Unlike many with the influence that Josh Mason-Quinn holds, his outlook and format have remained the same - showcasing music that he loves and providing a platform for artists from all corners of the world. In a world increasingly overrun by AI, Josh says, "it's far more memorable discovering music from another human than some instant algorithm recommendation that's devoid of context". As with all the best compilations, Rituals is a step back to tradition, a direct dialogue between compiler and listener, the simple message being 'this is amazing music, and it deserves to be heard'.Soundtracking the progression of Josh's daily listening habits, the compilation draws on different sides of music to support you wherever you are and whatever you're doing. The Rise side opens with 'Bath of forgiveness in the moonlight' by Naïssam Jalal - a sublime, gentle wake-up call before the bustle of life begins. The tranquillity of Blue Lake 'Skyview' follows, a special track written with a brief in mind from Josh. Elsewhere, French-Brazilian artist Tiago Caetano brings a wash of calm with the dreamy 'Prisme Latin'. The energy of the day builds across the Radiate side with Mediterranean jazz funk, breezy boogie, UK jazz fusion and Afro-Latin grooves from the likes of Gianni Brezzo, João Selva, Fr1th & Simon Jefferis, Konkolo Orchestra and Ireke. As the sun sets the Retreat side takes listeners through that hazy transition. String arranger Miguel Atwood-Ferguson works his magic on Kennebec and Tristan de Liège's exquisite instrumental, as harpist Rachel Kitchlew's 'A Path To You' offers a dose of serenity. The twilight grooves grow with tracks like 'Tide', a cinematic soul-jazz cut from Mikoudi and China Bowls, and Gentle Nature's rich, retro lean-back jam 'New Faces'.Signalling the final Release, the closing side is a perfect blend of dancefloor heat. Turkish city pop from Peki Momés marinates with Daniel Monaco's signature tropical disco and an infectious deep house cut from Australia's Alexander Flood. Finally, Reuben Vaun Smith's (Sons of Sevilla) new Landing Eagles project delivers an anthemic breakbeat street soul ender with 'Be On My Side'. The contemporary music scene is bursting with creative talent from all directions. Access to new music is easier than ever, but amazing artists still struggle to cut through the noise. Josh has constructed a collection to help counterbalance this, an expression and celebration of underground music in it's many forms. In his own words, "During these strange times where the floodgates have opened to AI music, I hope this compilation serves as a reminder of the vital role music plays in our lives and how much human-made music is worth fighting for".