Nucleus was an influential psychedelic jazz-rock band led by Scottish trumpet player, composer, writer Ian Carr. Active from 1969 to 1989, the band has been described as the inverse of progressive rock legends Soft Machine: “If Soft Machine was a rock group that veered towards jazz, Nucleus can be seen as a jazz group that veered towards rock.” In fact, many members from Nuclues would end up joining Soft Machine. Roots is the band’s 1973 masterpiece featuring iconic breakbeats, trip-inducing effects, deeply funky grooves, swirling Rhodes, extended ambient intros, and bamboo flute. The title track was sampled by Madlib for Lootpack and Quasimoto’s “Loop Digga.” The bizarre ’70s sci-fi penthouse album cover is of course amazing and impossible to ignore…