It’s been a while. Moving back to the ‘Mecca of Cool’ that is Dalston has meant we’ve been out of touch for a min but that’s all sorted now. The Live365 radio stream is now being constantly updated with newness, a new radio show/podcast should be joining the already crowded market that is onine streaming audio (fingers crossed, even if we have to host it ourselves) and work has started on a brand new website (expect that sometime in 2012!)

In the meantime, here’s some of our recommended Londoncentric sessions for people that like the music that we do. There are still some of you out there right? Or have you all started listening to Kings of Leon?

First up… Ladybugz Heavyweights birthday Party @ East Village

Absolutely heavyweight lineup if you like your beats somewhat left of centre and your house underground. Featuring the the likes of Mr Phil Asher, DJ Cosmo, Afronaught, Seiji, Rap Saunders and the Ladybugz (Katie Barber, Marcia Carr, T Maronie and Miss Callie) in the East Village basement and Andy Bird, Johnny Reckless, Toni Rosanno, Bopstar, Souled and DJ Bones upstairs in the Deco Lounge, this has the potential to be a huge night. 9pm until 4am. Its £6 before 11pm and £8 thereafter.

Nonsense w/ Cooly G, Josey Rebelle and Katie Skills @ Plastic People

Saturday, sees the return of Nonsense to the little club with the BIG system, Plastic People, for a ladies special. Alongside residents Judah, Benny Blanco and Mr Wonderful, you also get the talents of Hyperdub’s Cooly G (Download her recent MTV Brazil Tranquera Mixtape here…  some serious proto-dubstep-house goodness) plus Josey Rebelle and Katie Skills. Expect big things in a afrosouljazzhiphopdubstepdetroitboogiedisco kind of way. 10.30pm-4.30am. £6 all night. Bargain.

Sunday is all about The Soul Power Party, a collaboration between supreme Put Me On It blog, Eric Lau‘s Sunday residency Pause and independent magazine Shook to bring you a special event centred around last Summer’s “Soul Power” film. If you haven’t caught the film yet you’re in luck as there’s a limited number of discount tickets for a screening of the film at The Electric Cinema on Portobello Road at 3pm Sunday.Tickets are on sale now. Drop a line to info@putmeonit.com to cop the discount (if there’s any left).

The film itself is an amazing documentary about the three day festival which took place in Zaire in ’74 prior to the infamous Ali/ Foreman “Rumble in The Jungle” fight, and featured performances from James Brown, BB King, Bill Withers, Miriam Makeba, Celia Cruz, the Fania Allstars and more. Loving a bit of Latin and afro funk ourselves, we really should get on it, and probably will.

To complete the weekend, and make Monday a chore, there’ll be a free after party for the film at Market Place Sunday evening featuring DJs Charlie Dark (Blacktronica), Eric Soul (Afrogroov), Bemi (Amplified), Eric Lau, Juven and H!ts (Pause). In line with the film’s themes, you can expect a soundtrack of afro/funk/soul music from ’74 to ’09 plus there’ll also be an Afroboutique and in-house stylist for all your beauty needs(!). You’ll also be able to pick up the latest issue of Shook #6 which came out last week plus some free isht namely t-shirts and DVDs, which  should be floating about along with a few more surprises.

Whatever you end up doing, have a good one. It’s looking like a monster weekend for us.

Been a crazy month so far what with Ibiza and boat parties, and this weekend it doesn’t seem to want to let up. Here are some of the Soul-Identity recommended sessions to tempt you out in this disasterous London weather this weekend.

First up… CDR Special @ 93 East – Free Fridays!

CDR Special @ 93 East - Free Fridays!

The CDR/Burntprogress crew branch out from their well received monthly club night at Plastic People to bring you a one off special in one of Brick Lane’s most renowned spaces, 93 Feet East. Joining CDR founder Mr Tony Nwachukwu on the decks on the night will be the Spacebass crew featuring Floatingpoints from Eglo Records, responsible for the massive Soul-Identity favourite “Love Me Like This”, alongside Liamski, Ben V (Shook Magazine), Davin (Werk Discs) and Chris CTOP. Further DJ support comes from those Soundspecies guys, whose immense self  titled debut was released on the Burntprogress label earlier this year. Not heard it yet? Then go grab the Ahu-voiced treasure “Can We Call It Love” for free from the Burntprogress Soundcloud, then go and give the LP a listen and order it from IfMusic.  Entry is free and tied into the bargain you get three mighty live acts, namely She Is Danger, Phantom and The Mighty Jeddo. Sounds alright don’t it. I’ll be down from 9pm. Come down, say hello and I’ll buy you a pint.

Friday also sees the return or Todd Terje to these shores. If you’re up for something a bit more disco orientated, everyone’s favourite re-edit king is playing at East Village. Entry is £6 before 11pm, £8 after.

Saturday, Greg Wilson plays the Special Needs 5th Birthday Party at The Lockside Lounge (Free b4 8pm, £5 after), Chicago’s favourite disco son DJ Rahaan is making a rare UK appearance for Love Fever set in a secret Shoreditch loft space (this is sold out, but holla at andy@birdsongmusic.com and beg cos its gonna be one ridiculous party) and finally our man from Here & Now Recordings, JC, presides over what seemingly is  to be the final Afrobeat Vibration at The Empowering Church in Dalston. It now appears that I’ll be mainly behaving myself in a grown up capacity around  strangers that night, although in all fairness all three of the above suggest something nice to these old ears, so if you’re at a loose end and around the area you really should try and support.

Here’s to another great weekend in London Town.