We celebrate our 20th Anniversary with a year-long slate of new releases and reissues.
2023 is a special year for Record Kicks: the Milan-based label turns 20 years old. Set up in 2003, side by side with similar imprints like Daptone, Big Crown or Colemine Records and under its motto “The explosive sound from Today’s scene“, the independent record label and music publishing Record Kicks has proudly been representing the contemporary funk & soul scene from day one.
Its catalogue has been source of inspiration to many Rap superstars that sampled Record Kicks releases during the years. Starting with Jay-Z, thanks to whom the label received a Grammy nomination in 2017 for his use of Hannah Williams & The Affirmations‘ “Late Nights And Heartbreak” as backdrop for his “4:44” album title-track, and proceeding with Dr Dre, who sampled “I consigliori” by Calibro 35 on the track “One Shot One Kill feat Snoop Dogg” on his famed “Compton” album, and Tyler the Creator, who sampled Hannah Williams on his single “Ziplog”.
Many are the albums that made the label’s history in the past twenty years. Beginning with the above-mentioned “Late Nights and Heartbreak” (2016) and “50 Foot Woman” (2019) from British “soul hurricane” Hannah Williams & The Affirmations, and continuing with “Traitors” (2013), “S.P.A.C.E.” (2015) and “Decade” (2018) from Calibro 35, which brought the Milan band the reputation of masters of the “cinematic funk” scene. Other essential RK albums are “Soul Run” (2017) and “The Gumption” (2019) from Canadian R&B artist Tanika Charles, thanks to which she received two nominations at the Juno Awards (the Canadian Grammys) and competed with The Weeknd for best R&B/Soul album of the year. Key self-titled debut albums were “Baby Charles” from 2008, which was praised by Pitchfork and Mojo Magazine together with Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators “Keep Reaching Up” on Timmion Records as the albums that defined the new European funk scene of the 2000s, and “The Diplomats Of Solid Sound feat. The Diplomettes” from 2009, which featured in the soundtrack of Hollywood blockbuster movie “50/50” with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and which now counts over 30 million plays on Spotify. Equally important releases are “Return Of The Iron Monkey” (2008) by Steve White’s (Style Council) and Damon Minchella’s (Ocean Colour Scene) “Trio Valore” soul jazz project, “Take From Me” (2012) by Australian funkateers Dojo Cuts, “Tribute To My Soul Sisters” (2017) by James Brown’s original soul diva Martha High with Japanese Osaka Monaurail or the 12 volumes of the iconic “SoulShaker” and “Let’s Boogaloo” compilations.
To celebrate this great achievement, Record Kicks has prepared a year-long slate of new releases and reissues. The first one to be announced was a limited edition “Rare Box Set” that retraces the story of these past 20 years and which contains 20 tracks on 10 “rare” 45 vinyl and in digital format, out on March 03. Following the boxset in the RK schedule is the reissue of a 15th Anniversary Edition of Baby Charles’ iconic deep funk debut album on LP and digital deluxe edition with bonus tracks on March 17, while on March 31, in collaboration with Universal Music, “The Album”, the landmark debut effort from Giuliano Palma and The Bluebeaters, a band that RK has re-launched in 2015 with the release of “Everybody Knows, will receive a first-ever vinyl release. Record Kicks has also just released “Yours Truly”, the third album by anglo-french “enfant prodige of Soul” Alexis Evans on February 03, and has just announced the new signing of US Indie Soul combo The Sextones, produced by Kelly Finnigan of The Monophonics. In the making are also the new albums by Hannah Williams & The Affirmations and by The Diasonics, produced by Henry Jenkins (Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo). Nicolò Pozzoli, Record Kicks founder and A&R shares: “For a boutique label like ours to have managed to reach this milestone is almost incredible. We’re grateful to still be doing what we love and we have to thank all the artists, producers, distributors, record shops, PRs, djs and fans for this. The list is long and so is our love”. Happy 20th Anniversary Record Kicks.
