For all intents and purposes, Karl Hector might as well be another nom-de-plume of Jay Whitefield (producer and guitarist for the Poets of Rhythm and the Whitefield Brothers) who, along with Thomas Myland and Zdenko Curlija, founded Karl Hector and The Malcouns in the early 2000s. Alongside Bo Baral, other members of the Poets of Rhythm and crack Munich-based session musicians, Whitefield, Myland and Curlija crafted nearly twenty tracks for their debut, Sahara Swing, an album that swung with influences from across the African diaspora. zhe trio has since released two vinyl-only EPs: Coomassi will be the last, and is the opening volley of their Unstraight Ahead album, which will see release in summer 2014. As with the release of Tamanrasset and Ngunga Yeti Fofa, these seven songs demonstrate The Malcouns’ deft handling of musics from Eastern and Northern Africa alongside Western psychedelia, jazz and funk. EXCLUSIVE VINYL-ONLY EP BY THE WORLD PSYCH-FUNK ENSEMBLE, ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY KEVIN LYONS, SCREEN-PRINTED BY ANTIDESIGNS USA “…simultaneously loose-limbed and rigorous, generating a joy tempered by humid paranoia. It’s party music that sets you on edge–and it’s crucial.” (XLR8R) SIDE A 1. Ombele Reprise 2. The Cave 3. Beyond Squares 4. Chess Break SIDE B 1. Coomassi 2. Irtijal 3. Medium Rare Pt. 1