MoFi James Brown Sex Machine (180g 33RPM 2LP)

The Godfather of Soul at His Peak

Sex Machine captures James Brown and his bands delivering electrifying performances that helped define funk music. Ranked among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, the 1970 double album is a testament to Brown’s inimitable energy, vocal power, and the virtuosic skill of his ensembles. From sweat-soaked grooves to feet-moving rhythms, Brown demands you get into the music — and you can’t help but obey.

Audiophile Reissue: Mobile Fidelity Edition

Mobile Fidelity presents a numbered-edition 180g 33RPM 2LP set, sourced from the original analog master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket. This reissue delivers explosive dynamics, vibrant immediacy, and full-range perspective, bringing out the brassiness of horns, the snap of snares, and the swell of organs with pristine clarity. Brown’s vocals are rendered with naturalism, transparency, and incredible presence, letting you feel every shout, moan, and croon as if you were there.

Live and Studio Energy Combined

Although marketed as a live album, Sex Machine combines studio recordings with later crowd overdubs alongside live tracks captured in October 1969 at Augusta, Georgia. This hybrid approach preserves the spontaneity and excitement of Brown’s performances while showcasing the precise chemistry of the newly formed J.B.’s, anchored by Bootsy and Catfish Collins on bass and guitar, respectively.

Iconic Tracks and Funk Mastery

The album includes funk landmarks like “Get Up I Feel Like Being Like a Sex Machine,” “Brother Rapp,” and “Give It Up or Turnit a Loose,” which highlight Brown’s ability to transform every instrument into a percussive tool. Hits like “I Don’t Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing” and “Licking Stick” display infectious grooves and relentless energy, while “Spinning Wheel” and “If I Ruled the World” reveal the band’s instrumental sophistication. The closing pair of “I Can’t Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)” and “Mother Popcorn” delivers a final, electrifying punch.

A Testament to Funk and Musical Genius

Whether live or in the studio, Brown’s performances on Sex Machine are uncompromising, inspiring, and endlessly funky. The combination of audience interaction, instrumental virtuosity, and Brown’s larger-than-life presence ensures that this album remains a defining moment in funk, soul, and R&B history — an experience that’s as thrilling today as it was over 50 years ago.