Universal Beings is jazz drummer / producer Makaya McCraven's new album - his most ambitious, elegant and refined work yet. Recorded at 2 intimate live sessions and 2 pop-up "studio" sessions across the "new" jazz hotbed cities of New York, Chicago, London, and Los Angeles, Makaya collaborated with an all-star cast of improvisers (15 musicians in total, including Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia, Jeff Parker, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson,Tomeka Reid, Brandee Younger and Carlos Niño) to create source material for the signature style of "organic beat music" production he debuted on the groundbreaking 2015 release In The Moment. The result is this epic, 2xLP set that represents another breakthrough in Makaya's career as a recording artist, as well as a definitive new work of the exciting global groundswell of next-generation, Black musicians re-vivifying and re-articulating "jazz" in 2018.
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Recommended equipment and accessories
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Nagaoka MP-110H Cartridge
Features a high-quality elliptical stylus that provides excellent tracking and minimizes distortion, delivering a detailed sound reproduction with an output voltage of 5.0 mV
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Edifier R1280DB Powered Speakers
Combining classic design with modern Bluetooth connectivity, built-in amplification and versatile inputs, these speakers deliver rich, balanced sound.
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Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
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Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
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Audioengine A2 Plus
Precision-engineered 2.75-inch woofers and a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter, featuring built-in DAC and Bluetooth connectivity for seamless integration.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
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Ye Vagabonds All Tied Together
River Lea Records
January 30, 2026 -
Hello Cosmos Come Out Tonight
Universal UK
December 12, 2025 -
Poppy Empty Hands
Sumerian Records
January 23, 2026 -
Tailgunner Midnight Blitz
Napalm Records
February 6, 2026 -
Charles Wesley Godwin Live From The Steel City [3xLP]
Big Loud Records
December 12, 2025 -
Eye of Melian Forest of Forgetting [2xLP]
Napalm Records
February 20, 2026 -
AVRALIZE liminal (Clear, Violet, Blue Splatter)
Arising Empire
December 5, 2025 -
Aesop Rock I Heard It's a Mess There Too (Red)
Rhymesayers
December 12, 2025 -
Haerts Laguna Road [50xLP]
Haerts
December 19, 2025 -
Fuzz Lightyear Zero Guilt
Nice Swan Records
December 19, 2025 -
Tyler Ballgame For The First Time, Again
Rough Trade
January 30, 2026 -
Howling Bells Strange Life (Red)
Nude Records
February 13, 2026 -
Gary Numan Telekon (45th Anniversary Expanded Edition; Sparkle Rainbow) [2xLP]
Beggars Banquet
December 12, 2025 -
Armor for Sleep There Is No Memory
Equal Vision Records
January 16, 2026