Sweet Free Association is a new label from London DJ, broadcaster, compiler and record weasel. Sam Don. Following from three stellar compilations on Athens of the North, he's sallying forth under his own steam. This first release is a reissue of 1984's 'Carter Lake' b/w 'Must be the Beat' and it's looking pretty, pretty good...

The original pressing is a ghost of a record with every box ticked to get the collectors and Discogs hounds hot and bothered. The only release on a Japanese label of American keyboardist & vibraphonist Carl Moore. Despite having rubbed shoulders with bonafide legends like Phyllis Hyman, Jean Carn, Janet Jackson, and the 'King of Gospel,' James Cleveland, Moore's discography is small and obscure. The OG four-track seven-inch (!!) places Moore firmly in the soul cannon but as unafraid to try his hand at other styles and flavours. Witness the busted reggae crossover jam 'Urban Reggae' and Mogodon ballad 'What a Day'.

Sam has skimmed the cream and cherry-picked 'Must be the Beat' and 'Carter Lake' for this reissue. The former is skittery, dusted drum machine soul, and the latter is a jazzy, esoteric dancer. It's two and a half minutes of uptempo energy for soul boys with an ear for the unusual. Mastering comes from legit wizard Frank Merritt at The Carvery, who has performed his usual magic, taking lo-fi recordings and giving them plenty of oomph while retaining the originals' dusty charm.

Essential, esoteric, left-leaning soul dance jams on a cute 7". The only bad thing is that they end too soon, but you can just pick the needle up and play them again and again and again...

'Carter Lake / Must Be The Beat' will be released on March 15th on Sweet Free Association