Weldon Irvine
Mr. Clean

Notes on a Journey gives a very well executed reissue treatment to Brunno's 1992 album '3'. The A-side of this Brazilian pearl has four electronic-tinged tracks with the use of digital drums and synthesizers, blending pop with samba-reggae at times. Quite catchy and groovy arrangements that have lovely vocals with themed lyrics all over. The B-side leans more towards songs with acoustic instrumentation within the MPB aesthetic. A captivating and diverse album that is very well produced.Pressed on 180 grams vinyl this album comes with an additional lyric insert. The record is housed in a tip-on sleeve and comes with a printed inner sleeve with background information about each song.

Mysterious Sydney songstress Justine recorded one album in ’79, which was never officially released. Left Ear have chosen two tracks for a 45 RPM 12” single, which they feel best highlights Justine’s unique vocal talents and songwriting ability. Here the crafty songstress wields melancholic soul and a funky Jazz inspired number with personal and reflective lyrics, both with an intimate and honest approach.Elusive Sydney songstress Justine (Bradley) almost entirely wrote, produced and arranged her sole LP in ’79, an album that was funded by a radio station as the beneficiary for emerging talent. The music was created specifically for radio play without any intention of being manufactured. Luckily however, a friend with ties to a pressing plant known aptly as ‘Midnite Flite’, managed to sneak into said plant one evening and press up a small number for the enjoyment of family, friends & those involved.Left Ear have decided to release what they consider to be the two most significant tracks from this release onto a 12” single, now for the enjoyment of all. The A-Side will feature the haunting ‘Wordless Songs’, a melancholic soulful number which according to Justine explores the “capacity to comprehend a partner’s internal quest for authenticity and connection”. The B-side ‘Mama Didn’t Tell Ya’ is more uplifting in both tempo and arrangements comprising an extended outro, while the lyrics remain just as personal and reflective.

Elia and Elizabeth Fleta were two Colombian sisters who briefly lit up their country’s music charts in the early 70s before disappearing, disenfranchised with the music industry, to pursue respective careers in teaching. This retrospective, compiling tracks from the two LPs they produced alongside ace arranger Jimmy Salcedo, suggests that the Latin music world lost a major talent with the change in vocation. While the lyrics are shot through with a wide-eyed naivety (Mis 32 Dientes – My 32 Teeth – is a song inspired by the number of gnashers Elia had), there’s assured songwriting and a sophisticated ear for melody at work on the breezy, whimsical bossa-inspired pop of Alegria, Soy Una Nube and La Gran Ciudad. Additionally, the Gal Costa-esque screams on Ponte Bajo El Sol suggest that a more fiery brand of music may have been just around the corner. Alas, it was not to be, but this fine collection makes a worthy celebration of prodigious talents and may just be the Latin discovery of the year.