Various - Holy Church Of The Ecstatic Soul - A Higher Power: Gospel, Funk & Soul At The Crossroads 1971-83Available on Record Store Day, 22nd April Soul Jazz Records new Holy Church of the Ecstatic Soul: Gospel, Funk and Soul at the Crossroads 1971 83 is a one off limited edition heavyweight special edition coloured vinyl pressing + download code exclusively for Record Store Day 2023. The album draws upon the extensive links between black American gospel music and soul music, showing how the sensibilities of gospel artists such as Shirley Caesar, Dorothy

At a time when the world shut down

Because drop a needle on any record and-to their great credit-it takes several songs before you're convinced it's Thee Oh Sees

While Ray Davies-smirks and Kevin Ayers-wit abound

On these occasions the album veers magnificently towards the psychedelic

“Butterfly effect” blue / pink / purple LP *

Before long Bitori was being asked to share his musical talents

They’ve risen to the challenge admirably

the anti-capitalist stuck at a desk job

the minimal

Denise Johnson and Matt Steele

Recorded entirely in 2021

from pounding uptempo dancers to big city cry ballads