Sanctuary - I Am Going To Love Him [1983]

Sanctuary proves to be our most elusive artist yet; all that's known about him - or her, or them - is that they released this single, I Am Going To Love Him, in 1983 on the Los Angeles label Montage Records. Mixed by legendary pop producer Nick Martinelli, the record is classified as boogie, which is a soulful, downtempo form of disco that will appeal to fans of Quincy Jones' pioneering work on Off The Wall. The joint male/female vocals are catchy but ultimately overshadowed by the immediately ear-grabbing production. The groovy, bass-driven instrumental, sounding like something a young MF DOOM would have sampled, was well ahead of its time with its layered synth and guitar melodies.

Little Stevie Wonder - Castles In The Sand [1964]

The iconic Stevie Wonder is beloved for his string of timeless singles spanning more than six decades, and especially his 70s streak of classic albums. Much less attention, however, is given to his early period as Little Stevie Wonder, a moniker which he employed for his first four albums and dropped in time for his breakthrough single Uptight in '65. His final album under the name, Stevie At The Beach, came at the height of the Beach Boys hysteria. Indicative of his long future in genre-defying, he built on his earlier jazz, soul and rhythm & blues influences by further incorporating pop, rock n' roll, and even doo-wop. Castles In The Sand does a brilliant job of opening the record as a 14-year old Stevie delivers his heartfelt pleas over a gorgeous string section.

Irfan - Day To Pray [2015]

Irfan are a five-piece band from Sofia, Bulgaria that have released three genre-bending projects since their inception in '01. The Eternal Return, their most recent effort, is a masterful melting pot of Western, Middle Eastern and Balkan influences - combining neoclassical darkwave, Balkan folk music, Persian classical music and ominous Byzantine chants into a coherent and gripping package. With the rhythm and atmosphere of a well-orchestrated black metal track, Day To Pray is slightly more militant than the rest of their catalogue but still leaves the listener with an accurate impression of their foreboding, theatrical sonic arrangements.

The Nonce - Keep It On [1995]

The Nonce aka Da Nonce aka Topology Crew were an L.A. hip hop duo that blessed us with merely one album before disappearing - World Ultimate. This record was released during the height of the jazz rap trend that had permeated the entire country, but like much of the genre it tends to sound east coast due to the instrumentals and flows. Though one can clearly see how state-mates like Digital Underground, Souls of Mischief and The Pharcyde had a hand in influencing their spontaneous, free-flowing sound. The album never received quite the same reverence as projects from these groups but the mellow, nocturnal vibes showcased here on Keep It On are just as potent. The two MCs may not be the most technically proficient but their Phife & Tip-like energy and chemistry are more than enough to compensate for that.