Founded by three record obsessives in 2003, the Numero Group specializes in releasing obscure soul, lost folk and forgotten disco from around the globe. The concept is simple: salvage lost recordings and release them to the public to general adoration. The label "offers an aesthetic. A shelf of Numero discs feels less like a 'record collection' and more like a library. The library to date is a mix of thrift shop soul, skinny tie pop, Belizean funk, and hillbilly gospel."
This year alone the Group released the baroque pop of English chanteuse Catherine Howe, a lost gem which disappeared before hitting shelves in 1971, a Cult Cargo release Grand Bahama Goombay and four albums worth of Eccentric Soul compilations rediscovering the lost soul of Miami's Deep City, Chicago's Twinight label, unlikely soul capital Columbus, Ohio's Prix records and The ABC's of Kid Soul: Home Schooled, a collection of funky adolescent groove from the early 70's.
While 2007 has surely been a banner year for the Numero Group, one of their best releases is the first in their Cult Cargo series, which explores what happens to blue eyed American soul when it gets in the hands of outsiders. Cult Cargo: The Belize City Boil Up is a heady stew of Caribbean soul infused with reggae rhythms and disco beats. Two of my favorite artists from this compilation are Lord Rhaburn and The Harmonettes, who bring some of the hottest funk the Caribbean has ever seen. Once again soulful disco reggae, get on it.
Lord Rhaburn- Disco Connection
Lord Rhaburn- More Love Reggae
The Harmonettes- Can't Go Halfway
The Harmonettes- Shame Shame Shame
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