Spacetalk Records’ first compilation, Beauty, offered listeners the chance to take a trip through the record collection of noted Parisian crate-digger and DJ Jeremy Underground. It was a runaway success, so the label has decided to repeat the exercise. This time, though, they’ve turned to a lesser-known hunter of rare and obscure records, namely Crown Ruler Records co-founder Jeremy Spellacey. Don’t be fooled by Spellacey’s lower profile: amongst those who know, the Melbourne-based New Zealander is widely regarded as a seriously dusty-fingered digger, capable of unearthing and championing ridiculously good records from all four corners of the globe. Spellacey has previously shied away from sharing the secrets of his extensive record collection. Crown Ruler Sound, then, is a rare treat: a gloriously colourful, sun-baked compilation of tropical treats from Africa, the Caribbean and beyond. From synth-laden Zambian reggae and sumptuous orchestral Afro-soul, to humid Trinidadian boogie and horizontal Italian jazz-funk, Spellacey offers a whirlwind trip through the most kaleidoscopic and exotic parts of his epic collection.
