Suche:80 s lab

Domenico Niki is the man charged with the curation of the Echoes From Disco label and it will all be with a focus on rediscovering and re-editing disco, boogie and jazz from across the world. The inaugural outing features four re-edits that cover a wide array of styles. 'Through That Door' is jazz-funk with twanging guitars and sunny piano keys while 'African Horns' is a deep Afro-funk cut with fluid rhythms soon getting under your skin. 'Copacabana' is a busy, relentless and sax-laced funk banger and 'Follow Me' then slows things down with a more 80s-sounding downtempo soul vibe perfect for early evening sessions.

Straight off the back of his first live headline tour, 1-800 GIRLS continues his journey of binding genres through emotion with his debut EP ‘That’s Just How I Feel’ on Seb Wildblood’s label all my thoughts.

Mirroring his previous works, this four-track collection is a tapestry woven around themes of transformation and progression. Evolving with each production, this release is a strong statement of intent for how he means to go on.

The EP itself is made up of 4 scantily clad, lovestruck dance tracks that feel purpose built for the summer festival run. Proudly bearing all the hallmarks of a UK production, pitch vocals are inked onto the body of each track with detail and care. He demonstrates his ability to stir emotion with simplicity, and seasons each production with tastefully chosen found sound recordings.

On August 16, Toronto-based musician and producer David Psutka aka ACT! (fka Egyptrixx / Anamai / Ceramic TL) will release his latest project ‘Face to Face, Day by Day’ for his own Halocline Trance imprint.

This is is Psutka’s third album proper as ACT! following the release of the “sonic mixtape” ‘Universalist’ in 2018 and the augmented reality soundtrack ‘Grey Matter AR’ in 2021; a series of Snapchat filters created by artist Karen Vanderborght and soundtracked by ACT! which explored the poetic and existential potential of AR and social media.

“Aesthetic accidents in the periphery of the ‘work’ can be the message. In 2018, at an Egyptrixx concert at Bagni Misteriosi de Teatro Franco Parenti - a gorgeous, sprawling outdoor pool theatre in Milan - I had a clarifying moment. Gigs around then had mostly been in pummelling, dark music venues, so I wasn't prepared for this expansive space (and the thoughtful work of the organisers who had layered sheets of plastic film on the pool to parallel eco-materialist themes from a previous album). It was the midday soundcheck that struck me most - brittle digital sounds from the set echoed off the colonial Milanese facades and ricocheted down the Via Carlo Botta, pinging off buildings in the distance and clashing with the noise of traffic, tourists and whatever else. It was a strange, collisionist moment, and a reminder that my essential approach to music is, above all, a preoccupation with the materiality of sound. 

Everything on Face to Face, Day by Day began as an improvisation. Openness to accidents and the emotional complexity that comes from centering them in composition has become important to my work, and helps the music go beyond the possibility of what is playable, imaginable. I also wanted to channel adventurous solo pop records of the 1970’s and 80’s, like Yasuaki Shimizu, Jon + Vangelis and Stevie Wonder. These came from an interesting era in commercial music as studio production techniques became increasingly formalised as compositional devices, like AMS RMX16 percussion sounds and early digital stereo effects. 

Like many musicians, I’ve been travelling and performing less since the pandemic and as a result, have wanted studio sessions to feel more collaborative and improvisational. There were great writing and recording sessions for this album. Vox, synth, sax and guitar jams - much of what ended up on the record isn’t edited much, if at all. I jammed a sm57 into Colin Fisher’s sax bell and created feedback loops using various preamps and distortion units. The clunky sounds were sampled and used as percussion elements. I also had a great synth jam session with Jeremy Greenspan at Barton Building Studio in Hamilton, which was recorded by filmmaker Liz Adler. 

I’ve had a few months to sit with this album and see clear throughlines connecting it to previous projects. There are aspects of the experiential and structuralist sound design ideas from the EGYPTRIXX records; and also some arrangement tricks borrowed from ANAMAI - specifically, the use of interruptionist sound events. Perhaps most of all, it feels connected to the Ceramic TL + Ipek Gorgun record ‘Perfect Lung’ and its splattered take on musical complexity. “ (David Psutka)

In addition to ACT!, Psutka has released music with numerous projects including Anamai, Egyptrixx and Ceramic TL, he has collaborated widely with artists such as Junior Boys, Ipek Gorgun, and Kuedo as well as Jessy Lanza (2016) and an official remix for Massive Attack’s ‘Hymn of the Big Wheel (2012). The contributions on this album, from Robin Dann and Ben Gunning, reflect the deeply collaborative nature of the Halocline Trance label and the Toronto creative scene more broadly.

Many of Psutka’s releases have received critical acclaim from media outlets such as Pitchfork, Exclaim, The Quietus and Resident Advisor. As a live performer, he has toured extensively including performing at Sonar Festival, Roskilde, Mutek, MOMA PS1 Warm-UP and CTM Festival. He’s also presented sound installations at various institutions such as Galeria Civica Commune di Modena, and Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).

In 2015, Psutka launched Halocline Trance as a home for his various sound projects, events and collaborations. Now a creative collective and label, it has grown to include a diverse array of artists including Casey MQ, Xuan Ye, Myst Milano, Colin Fisher and others. The label is described as “genre-agnostic” and conceptually open, supporting work across a wide spectrum of creative fields including soundtrack recording, AR design and traditional artist albums. Their impeccable roster also includes, theorist/improviser Eldritch Priest, and AR/VR artist Karen Vanderborght. In recent years, Halocline Trance has established itself as a platform that facilitates many of Canada’s most exciting creative music projects. Many of the releases have received critical acclaim from outlets including Pitchfork, Exclaim, Bandcamp and Resident Advisor.

This one’s for the steppers!

Gene Harris, the American jazz pianist, appearing on over 50 albums in his career, including on labels Blue Note & Concord Jazz, known for his warm sound and known for his warm sound and blues and gospel infused style that is known as soul jazz.

Originally released in 1974 on the classic soul jazz album Astral Signal, Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong gained a second wave of popularity when it was played as part of the London centric, Rare Groove scene in the late 80’s.

Remastered and lovingly reissued on the increasingly ‘buy or cry’ Selector Series label, this seminal laid back stepper is available for the first time In over 45 years!

"King Yellowman is the 1984 Columbia Records debut album by Yellowman. The artist, whose real name is Winston Foster, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist who first became popular in Jamaica in the 80s. After he rose to prominence in his home country, he released this record under the Columbia label. Yellowman is considered to be one of the pioneers in reggae and hugely contributed to Jamaican musical culture and the internationalization of reggae. King Yellowman is available as a 40th anniversary edition of 1000 numbered copies on yellow coloured vinyl."

The impact, influence, and importance of Run-D.M.C.'s self-titled debut – the album that invented hardcore hip-hop and bridged rap, rock, and funk in then-unparalleled ways – cannot be measured. The first full-length record released by Profile Records, the 1984 set permanently changed the sound of music, broadcast streetwise wisdom to every corner of the country, and made the notion of a one-man band a distinct reality. Bolstered by an incendiary blend of staccato deliveries, stark beats, aggressive exchanges, evocative hooks, and socially conscious messages, Run-D.M.C. still hits listeners in the jaw with the same intensity it did nearly 40 years ago when it could be heard booming from ghetto blasters carried around city blocks nationwide.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's 180g SuperVinyl 33RPM LP is the definitive-sounding version of the groundbreaking work cited by Rolling Stone as the 378th Greatest Album of All Time. This reissue also represents the first time this gold-certified effort has been presented in audiophile quality. Benefitting from the ultra-low noise floor, superb groove definition, and dead-quiet surfaces of SuperVinyl, Run-D.M.C. now plays with a clarity, immediacy, punchiness, and directness worthy of the artistry, urgency, and intellect of the trio's material.

The brilliance of Russell Simmons and Larry Smith's production comes into view as if the music is being broadcast on a giant system in a small club — only more focused, lively, and unlimited. Free of dynamic constraints and fatiguing harshness, this LP invites you to turn up the volume and experience the raw, rough, invigorating songs that changed the look, sound, and feel of hip-hop overnight. Think the trio’s sparse framework of drum machines, tag-team rhymes, keyboard accents, and turntable scratches is stuck in the mid-80s? Spin MoFi’s SuperVinyl LP and gain new appreciation for the music, messages, and production on display on Run-D.M.C.

Recorded in the wake of two successful and pioneering singles, both included on the album, Run-D.M.C. effectively took a sheet of coarse-grit sandpaper to the polish, sheen, and linear presentation of all the hip-hop that preceded it. Stripped to bare-bones foundations, the songs grab your attention and shake you by the collar with a combination of industrial-leaning rhythms, staggered deliveries, dance drama, and hard, minimalist percussion. Then there are the lyrics.

The LP broadcasts a smart mix of boots-on-the-ground reports, uplifting advice, and then-nascent b-boy culture. In one fell swoop, its narratives and music rendered the scene’s proclivity toward glamor and softness passé. Run-D.M.C.’s tough, cool-minded fashion sense showed the trio walked its talk and gave fans — particularly those living in long-ignored urban areas — heroes which with they could identify. Kangol hats, black jeans, leather jackets, Adidas sneaks, and gold chains were the new currency.

In every regard, Run-D.M.C. signifies the birth of modern hip-hop. Never more obviously than on the groundbreaking “Rock Box,” where rap and rock were first fused. As the first hip-hop video to receive regular rotation on MTV, the track eviscerated racial and social boundaries, awakened musicians and listeners to new possibilities, and redefined both popular music and, ultimately, popular culture. As the Roots’ Questlove has stated, it “ knocked down many obstacles, enabling hip-hop to become the new gospel."

Such teaching includes the real-world scripture of “Hard Times,” utopian hopefulness of “Wake Up,” and observational truths of “It’s Like That.” Released as the group’s debut single well before its eponymous album, the latter tune established themes and outlooks Run-D.M.C. would embrace during its career. Namely, the keen awareness of various prejudices, economic ills, and disruptive violence as well as the knowledge that education, self-motivation, and hard work were the ways to escape disadvantages and disillusionment.

Inspired and inspirational, the song reflects the spirit and shrewdness that courses throughout Run-D.M.C. That includes a detailed account of the trio’s not-so secret weapon (“Jam-Master Jay”), purpose statement (“Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)”), and a revolutionary hybrid autobiographical narrative-dis track (“Sucker M.C.’s (Krush-Groove 1)”) widely regarded as one of the best hip-hop songs ever created. The same can be said for every moment on Run-D.M.C.

MoFi SuperVinyl
Developed by NEOTECH and RTI, MoFi SuperVinyl is the most exacting-to-specification vinyl compound ever devised. Analog lovers have never seen (or heard) anything like it. Extraordinarily expensive and extremely painstaking to produce, the special proprietary compound addresses two specific areas of improvement: noise floor reduction and enhanced groove definition. The vinyl composition features a new carbonless dye (hold the disc up to the light and see) and produces the world's quietest surfaces. This high-definition formula also allows for the creation of cleaner grooves that are virtually indistinguishable from the original lacquer. MoFi SuperVinyl provides the closest approximation of what the label's engineers hear in the mastering lab.

After releasing my album 'ÖÐRUVÍSI,' which was a very personal and emotionally challenging project, I felt the need to make something weird and energetic for the club. I’m really into tunes that feel both slow and fast simultaneously.

The first track on the EP, 'Let’s be Havin u,' was initially hard to place genre-wise, i ended up sending it to Darren, who loved it and wanted to sign it. Releasing on Exit kinda feels like earning a black belt as a producer hah. I never imagined that a decade after buying Exit 12”s in 2014, I’d be releasing my own music on the label.

When I started making the EP, I had just begun performing again. I often saw people on the dance floor, too out of it to enjoy the music and often some of them having to be carried by their friends to backstage. This made me wanna make tunes for the dance floor as a bit of a statement on this. I first tested 'Let’s be Havin u' at Prikið in Reykjavik, sounded mad on the little old funktion one. The moment I knew that I was onto something with the EP was when I was Performing in Bristol at Thekla for my friend Boofy. It was wild, the ceiling started leaking during the show. I Love Bristol, feels like home to me.

Most of the percussion and hats on the EP are made with an Elektron Model Cycles, and the synths and pads are from a 80s Yamaha hybrid FM/sample synth I found at a thrift store. It doesn’t have MIDI, so I have to record perfect takes for chords and melodies. I often use pedals afterwards or resample the sounds for more tonal control.

I enjoy digging for records with unique breaks to sample, as I feel this is lacking nowadays. I usually make all my drums from scratch but when I use breaks I like it to be something I haven’t heard before. The alien percussion sound in the last track is actually me biting my teeth together, resampled repeatedly and ran through pedals and interfaces. I also recorded myself chewing gum for the second track to give it that hand on the hip feel. Most of the EP is made with hardware, outboard gear, or real-life recordings.

I’m not concerned about the EP fitting a specific genre or playlist. Too many artists play it safe by focusing on their Spotify stats and abandoning projects that don’t work instantly. I think also Obsessive nostalgia stifles innovation, keeping things stuck in a loop by replicating to the tee, tunes from 2 decades ago. I get it, but there has to be a middle ground sometimes.

"Dance With Me Volume 4" is the fourth compilation record from Salon Recordings’ artists and affiliates. Features thirteen tracks from twelve artists including label founder Damar Davis, residents Sevyn, Oye Manny, Grandfather, and Bobby Cabbagestalk. Salon’s yearly compilations are a showcase of musicians across the globe who understand the unique elements that make up the Salon sound. From the most atmospheric corners of house music to up-tempo beats designed for the dance floor, Salon Volume 4 stays true to the signature soulfulness of the independent label. Featuring a tight line-up of new and familiar producers from all the US and beyond the compilation is a sampling of the best that the label has to offer. The tracks range in tone from hypnotically entrancing to beautifully ruminative, each an offering from artists shaping the dance music scene as it navigates the post-lockdown age.

Bomp Records of Burbank, California was likely the most significant American independent record label of the 1970s. In 1979 Voxx was founded as a subsidiary of Bomp as a specialty label for '60s-styled garage and psychedelic inspired music and was home to the debut album of the Pandoras. The Pandoras really got started back in 1982 when triple threat Paula Pierce (guitar, vocals AND songwriter) met singer and guitarist Debbie Mendoza at Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga, one of those dozens of small communities that make up the greater Los Angeles area. According to stories told around the campfire, Paula had posted an advertisement on the bulletin board inside the college's cafeteria. The ad was both simple and direct: Wanted: female musician to jam with. As legend has it, the ad also stressed a keen interest in 60's garage punk music. Debbie answered Paula's ad, and soon the two girls were bringing guitars to school and holding impromptu jam sessions between classes. A little later that year, Paula brought in Gwynne Kahn on keyboards and second guitar, and Debbie convinced drummer Casey Gomez to join. People who were around at the time pinpoint December 1982 as the official beginning of the Pandoras as a band. The Pandoras didn't waste any time getting down to business. They started gigging regularly, and their repertoire of tasty garage nuggets expanded substantially, fueled both by Paula's talented songwriting and also no doubt by her relationship with Unclaimed frontman Shelley Ganz and his extensive knowledge of obscure 60's gems. The Pandoras unleashed their first recordings on the world in 1983 with the "I'm Here, I'm Gone" EP on Moxie records. It was a meaty slab of girls in the garage punk rock, and while maybe not as polished as subsequent efforts, it clearly showed off the talent of the band. Greg Shaw had been alerted to the band a few months earlier, and always one to know a good thing when he heard it, he quickly signed them. "It's About Time" saw the light of the day in 1984 on Voxx Records and became one of the first and best efforts of authentic 1960's-styled garage punk to emerge from the revival scene. It was pure garage gold! Today, 40 years after its original release date, we are thrilled to reissue this essential '80s garage punk gem as part of a series of releases celebrating Bomp! 50th anniversary. Our issue includes 3 bonus tracks and liner notes by Gravedigger V's John Hanrattie. "Paula Pierce refused to play it cute. On The Pandoras' debut album she out-snarled, out-screamed, out-fuzzed and out araged the male-dominated competition-like a well-aimed go-go boot to the jugular." - Mike Stax, Ugly Things Magazine "As good a '60s punk record as any contemporary combo is likely to make." - Trouser Press

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF'S FIFTH ALBUM 'LITTLE MAN' REMASTERED &
REISSUED WITH 3 BONUS TRACKS.A vein of melancholy runs throughout
The Pineapple Thief's fifth studio album 'Little Man'
nspired by the theme of loss, 'Little Man' was the first Pineapple Thief album to
ruly establish the band on the musical map, earning them the support of the
Kscope label & endorsements from prog figurehead Steven Wilson (Porcupine
Tree) to boot. Now remastered by revered mastering engineer Steve Kitch, this
vinyl edition of 'Little Man' delivers an immersive & definitive, listening experience.
An astounding emotional, atmospheric and satisfying piece of art." 5/5 Sputnik
Music
The Pineapple Thief were formed in 1999 by founder & chief songwriter Bruce
Soord & have since released a total of 16 studio albums, 6 EP's & several live &
compilation albums. The lineup now includes Gavin Harrison of Porcupine Tree/
King Crimson following his permanent joining for 2018's 'Dissolution'. In February
2024, The Pineapple Thief released the critically acclaimed 'It Leads To This'
which reached #2 in the UK Independent Albums Chart.
This edition of 'Little Man' is presented as a CD digipack with 4- page printed
booklet & includes 'Dead In The Water', 'God Bless The Child' & live favourite
Snowdrops', plus 3 acoustic bonus tracks.

Urbanatribù was an extremely interesting project based in Alessandria, deep North-Italian province. Formed by bassist Flavio Gemma and cyber wizard Massimiliano Bocchio, the outfit had a distinctive way to interpretate electronic and dance music.
Gemma founded some key Italian 80's wave groups like Viridanse and C.O.D.E.X. with some late digressions in the punk scene with Peggio Punx. Bocchio had its debut on the seminal imprint Minus Habens Records in 1994 under the moniker Klange, reflecting the unique and radical sound of the label.
Inspired by John Carpenter movies, rough basslines and british ghost stories, Urbanatribù records camed out against any order.

Pink Rhythm was one of John Rocca"s mid-80"s solo side projects and a somewhat evolution of his pioneering early-80s band, Freeez. After Freeez ended, John still had some ideas left over which he explored with Andy Stennett of Freeez. John also re-worked one of the final jazz funk songs written (but unused) by Freeez called "India". He named the project Pink Rhythm after his self-funded, entrepreneurial record label that he used to launch Freeez. Pink Rhythm lasted a brief year or two, between 1984 and 1985. In 1985, three singles were released, including "Melodies Of Love, which has become a cult favorite. It has been described as "timeless drum-machine soul music" and a "cult funk slow jam". Over the years, John Rocca"s music has been sampled by many, including Jamie xx, Empress Of, Brandy, Burial, Todd Terry, Coolio, Cut Chemist and more. Often credited as one of the pioneers of brit-funk, John"s music is iconic and has been used in TV/Movies like; Better Call Saul, Midsommar, Irma Vep plus the fashion world for brands including Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton and more. "Melodies of Love" - though never a pop hit - was recently been used the Joaquin Phoenix film Beau is Afraid as well as in the acclaimed British Film Blue Jean. It was also recently featured in a high-end ad campaign for Piaget. It is pure, smooth 80s drum machines, it is synth sounds, saxophones and keyboards.... it"s retro, but it could also be current. Either way, it"s as refreshing now as it was then.

Mazandaran was born from an idea to make protest music that shone a light on the experience of the Iranian diaspora, many of whom were displaced by the current regime. All members share Iranian heritage and the lyrics and imagery speak of the ancient Persian mythology of The Shahnameh, with passages about the legendary hero Rostam slaying the Div-e Sepid, or White Demon, and overcoming evil. Musically, the band delve into the deep and rich history of Japanese and Skandinavian hardcore punk of the 80s, as what better type of punk is there to make you feel like you are battling demons and about to fuck shit up? Dedicated to the brave women and men of Iran suffering 44 years of oppression from the current theocratic, fascist, and fundamentally anti-Iranian regime occupying our ancestral home.

Zusammen mit Bands wie Hans-A-Plast und Der Moderne Man gehören Rotzkotz Anfang der 80er zum Umfeld von No Fun Records, einem hannoverschen Label aus der linksalternativen Szene. Zunächst spielen sie klassischen Punk-Sound, den sie auf ihrem zweiten Album um elektronische Sounds und teils dadaistisch anmutende Texte ergänzen: Mit Lebensfroh + Farbenfroh veröffentlichen sie so 1981 eines der spannendsten Alben der alternativen deutschsprachigen Musik der 80er Jahre. Gute 40 Jahre später wird das Album jetzt inklusive der zwei Songs der "Kein Problem"-Single (ein kurzer Ausflug zum Major EMI) wiederveröffentlicht - neu gemastert und ergänzt um ausführliche Linernotes sowie bisher unveröffentlichtes Bildmaterial. Zwischen Punk und Avantgarde, zwischen elektronischen Sounds und digitaler Dystopie, zwischen Majorlabel-Deal und No Fun Records, zwischen 70ern und 80ern - Rotzkotz sitzen zwischen allen denkbaren Stühlen und schaffen es dabei, mit Farbenfroh + Lebensfroh ihre Nische auf eine auch heute noch außergewöhnliche Art zu besetzen.

Renowned New Zealand musician Nathan Haines announces his eleventh studio album and first solo album since 2014. Nathan’s vibrant career has solidified his status as a leading figure in contemporary jazz and electronic music, and throughout his career he has distinguished himself as a masterful saxophonist, flautist, and composer, celebrated for his innovative fusion of jazz with elements of soul, funk, and dance music. Notes maintains the jazz sound he is famed for, whilst also seeing the artist embrace the electronic/house and disco scene.

A labour of love, work on the album started several years ago alongside the now deceased UK producer Phil Asher who had produced Nathan’s two most successful albums Sound Travels and Squire For Hire. Regarded as one of the finest DJ’s and producers to emerge from the UK, playing a pivotal role in bridging the gap between 4/4 and broken beat, this was the first time Nathan and Phil had worked together in over eighteen years. Phil passed away during the recording of the album, but he appears on a number of tracks, and his spirit and influence can be felt throughout the entire release.

The album features a number of guest vocalists, including UK soul-diva Vanessa Freeman (Bugz In The Attic, 4 Hero, Kaidi Tatham, Kyoto Jazz Massive), and exciting young talent Ajuna Oakes, Ruby Cesan, La Coco and EO (NZ). Alongside Nathan’s own musicianship, the album also features bass from Razor-N-Tape label founder Jkriv and electronic jazz pioneer Mark de Clive-Lowe, with both bringing a wealth of collaboration and musicality to the project. Long time collaborator and much respected UK based producer Marc Mac (one half the highly influential and respected duo 4Hero) provides beats for a number alongside Nathan’s father Kevin on acoustic bass.

Highly respected DJ and producer Frank Booker (Razor and Tape) drops his signature beats on three tracks which fits nicely alongside Asher’s drum work. The album’s one cover see’s Nathan teaming up with vocalist Rachel Clarke on their version of Storm by US 80’s vocal group Rare Silk - this track is entirely acoustic and is one of the album’s special moments both artistically and musically.

The past years have seen Haines continuing to establish himself as one of NZ's best DJs and live performers, working on releases and remixes with the likes of Chaos in the CBD, Frank Booker, JKriv, Ray Mang and many others. He has also just released a solo album on Goldie's Metalheadz label under his Sci-clone alias co-produced with DJ A-Sides to excellent reviews and featuring a wealth of talent and musicianship.

Nach dem triumphalen Erfolg ihres 50-jährigen Jubiläums bereiten sich BLUE ÖYSTER CULT auf die Veröffentlichung der mit Spannung erwarteten "50th Anniversary Live - Second Night" vor.

Dieser elektrisierende Auftritt, bei dem das zweite Album der Band "Tyranny and Mutation" aufgeführt wird, verspricht eine spektakuläre Fortsetzung des historischen Drei-Nächte-Auftrittes der Band in der Sony Hall in NYC zu werden. Im September 2022 begeisterten BLUE ÖYSTER CULT ihre Fans mit einer einzigartigen Trilogie von ausverkauften Shows, die jeweils einem ihrer ersten drei Alben gewidmet waren.

Gründungsmitglied Albert Bouchard hatte an allen drei Abenden einen besonderen Auftritt und verlieh dem historischen Meilenstein eine
nostalgische Note.Fast drei Stunden lang lieferte die Band an jedem Abend ein fesselndes Set, das sich durch die gesamte klassische erste Albumtrilogie zog und die Fans mit einer Mischung aus Fan-Favoriten, Deep Cuts und klassischen Hits verwöhnte. Die Atmosphäre war elektrisierend, und das Label Frontiers hat die Magie eingefangen und wird jeden Abend als individuelles Package veröffentlichen.

Vibes player Johnny Lytle was one of the heroes of the early acid jazz club circuit, with his cut 'Selim' being an anthem of the scene.

The Ohio born player had made his name at Riverside where his 1965 album "The Village Caller" made him a star. When Riverside ceased trading, owner Orrin Keepnews collaborated with Lytle on two albums which came out on the Detroit label, Tuba

Ace reissued the first album “The Loop” last year (HIQLP 115). We are delighted to now put out the second, “New And Groovy”. The line-up features Milt Harris (organ) Wynton Kelly (piano), George Duvivier (bass) “Peppy” Hinnant or Jimmy Cobb (drums) Montego Joe (congas) and Lytle on vibes. The band power through a selection of original material such as ‘The Snapper’, ‘The Pulpit’ and ‘Screamin’ Loud’. The album also contains Lytle’s radical reworking of Miles Davis' 'Miles' which Lytle retitles 'Selim'. With poor distribution, “New And Groovy” barely made it to the shops back in 1967 and was ignored for twenty years until DJs such as Bob Jones and Gilles Peterson started playing it in the 80s making it a sought-after LP.

The popularity of “New And Groovy” has remained, and this is first time it has been legally reissued on vinyl. “Snapper one up…!”

One look at the axe-wielding marauder (drawn by famed heavy metal illustrator Edward Repka) on the front of this album and you know it’s not for the faint of heart. Canadian metal band 3 Inches of Blood’s musical attack (an appropriate term indeed) featured a unique, dual lead vocal line-up of Cam Pipes on “clean” vocals and Jamie Hooper on “screaming” vocals, with bludgeoning guitars (okay, axes) provided by Sunny Dhak and Bobby Froese (Dhak, Froese, and drummer Matt Wood left after this album to form Pride Tiger). Though this record came out in 2004 on the Roadrunner label, it wears its ‘80s metal allegiances on its sleeve, harkening back to the vein-popping intensity of vintage Judas Priest and Accept. Remastered on its 20th anniversary for an orange and black “ashen dawn” vinyl pressing, with a full-color inner sleeve sporting lyrics. Storm the castle!

First official vinyl reissue under Sonor music production license - numbered to 500 copies.

Outstanding Italian Library session from the desirable Nike private label owned by Bruno Battisti D'Amario and featuring the great Silvano Chimenti on guitars and Edda Dell'Orso scats. Amazing, refined Score music released for TV and documentaries music production with superb loungy and soft sounds inspired by Western landscapes and natural panorama. Moody and bluesy jam with a mixture of various guitar tones, trippy atmospheres and themed descriptive music with addiction of soft Psychedelic moods, Easy Listening and allegro vibes alternated by sweet melodies. The cult maestro and Morricone's collaborator D'Amario here provides one of his highest masterwork in composition with its classical guitar added by Chimenti's Psychedelic notes and some mindmelting Edda Dell'Orso's scat numbers. Several exquisite Spaghetti Western inspired themes, maybe used as original score for obscure movie in the '70s / ethereal LSD Psychedelic vibes with isolated distorted Wah Wah / Lounge moods throughout with nature inspired themes / Folk & Blues influences / trippy Scat vocals / 70s Easy Listening and panoramic descriptive music for a very complete Library session. Great album!

Comes with insert and download coupon.

Imagine a Latin remake of Back to the Future. The mad scientist is Arsenio Rodriguez (the godfather of salsa) and the young student who travels through time with him is Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers). This album can only be described as the perfect soundtrack for that movie that never was.

After the massive buzz generated by his first solo album, Mentallogenic, Alex Figueira got back in the studio to work in a more collective fashion this time, carefully assembling the second album of his largest project to date, Conjunto Papa Upa; a team of 6 musicians, spanning 3 generations of some of the best talent in the Latin and avant-garde scenes.

In an era where tropical music is dominated by purely electronic and rhythmically uniform sounds, the ten songs encompassed in “Fruta Madura” (“Ripe Fruit”) wander through the most diverse tempos, rhythms, and motifs effortlessly. A real breath of fresh air that gracefully incorporates soul, funk, jazz, psychedelia, and electronics into a solid tropical, irresistibly polyrhythmic foundation, without ever succumbing to the many genre clichés.

The distinctive production and catchy songwriting of Figueira shine in a very distinctive light on this second full-length. Living up to his reputation (Miles Cleret, founder of Soundway Records, called him “one of the scene's truly authentic and eccentric producers”), he takes the opportunity to show he’s not afraid to keep walking his own path.

Taking the band for a wild ride through the traditions of Africa, America, and the Caribbean; contrasting them with a ridiculously wide plethora of vintage, contemporary, and futuristic sounds, and pivoting on the exuberant musicality displayed by his musicians; the result leaves no doubt: this album is destined to be considered a future classic of the exciting tropical psychedelic music of the 21st century.

Addressing the most diverse themes in this new collection of songs, things take on a much more mature tone, as the title clearly suggests.

The opening track “El segundo es más sabroso” (“The second one is tastier”) sets the tone in the most assertive way imaginable, with the band boldly declaring, through multiple metaphorical references (laid upon a crazy mix of Dominican merengue, Detroit techno, classic and free jazz, dub, and electro), that the bar will be set higher with this second album.

The remaining compositions touch upon the most diverse subjects, with a fair dose of humor, sarcasm, and postmodern “magic realism”. “El Algoritmo” (The Algorithm) is a parranda-cumbia hybrid (for lack of a specific term) about the omnipresence of technology in our lives. The sophisticated Latin soul of the titling track “Fruta Madura” makes a case for the beauty of the maturity process. Some key philosophical teachings of Marcus Aurelius (the role of causality, the impositions of “the logos” and the importance of self-control) get a twisted cumbia treatment on “Reos del Deseo” (Prisoners of Desire). “No le pongas Coca-Cola” (“Don’t put Coca Cola in it”) shows us the most satirical side of the band, accusing those who mix Coca Cola with Rum of committing "sacrilege", on a powerful base of Dem Bow (the grandfather of Reggaeton), intertwined with touches of soul, salsa, and Cuban comparsa.

"Háblame Claro" (“Talk to me clearly”) is a story of heartbreak that evokes in its first part the spirit of the erotic salsa of the 80s (a subgenre deeply despised by purists), and after an unexpected samba interlude, leads to the hardest salsa of the 70s (a subgenre adored by purists), to end up in the surprising form of pure Afro-Cuban ceremonial music.

“Tu mamá tenía razón” ("Your Mom Was Right") is an attempt to exalt the spirit of the Latin American soap opera in the key of “acid bachata”, to recount a real-life case, witnessed by the band on countless occasions: the partying woman who arrives at the show accompanied by her bitter husband, who obviously does not like to dance. A very cheeky song to talk about the very serious and pertinent topic of female empowerment.

“La misma vaina” (“The same thing”) with its indescribable blend of bantú, candomblé, and Mozambique rhythms with abstract synthesizers, is an ode to adventure in favor of the aversion to taking risks and seeking predictability.

“Amigas picadas” (“Salty friends”) is another humorous song recounting another real-life case witnessed by the band on countless occasions: a love encounter sabotaged by the girlfriend's friends, who all happen to fancy the same guy. A jazzy take on the ancient Dominican rhythm of pambiche (grandfather of merengue), with generous psychedelic touches, resembling the classy late 60s releases of Guadeloupe's legendary producer / label owner Henri Debs.

“Vinimos a hablar” (“We came to talk”) takes sarcasm to the highest level, to ridicule the absurdity (also experienced by the band firsthand) seen in live music venues where people pay a ticket to go and have conversations that could be carried out much better on any bar, where no band is playing. The music alternates between a delicate melody with loose, sparse percussion and a full-on, pumping Angolan semba, with a techno kick drum included; bringing things to an apotheotic grooving finale, where the peculiar swing of Venezuelan calypso from the Callao region is thrown on top of all the precedent elements; closing the album in the most uplifting, “end of the carnival parade” feel.

The artwork is a delicate and impactful oil painting by Colombian artist Kevin Simón Mancera, who has collaborated many times with the label before (“Maracas, tambourines and other hellish things” tape and the Lola’s Dice LP).

What the experts are saying:

“Alex (Figueira) dove into this work with a brutal cohesion between lyrics and synths. Timbre poetry, sound poetry (you name it). And that, superimposed on his always impeccable percussive base, confirms the title of “avant-garde visionary of our beautiful Latin music”".
EBLIS ALVAREZ (MERIDIAN BROTHERS)
“Papa Upa's infectious quirkiness is a balm against boredom. A mature album, but without an expiration date”.
GLADYS PALMERA

“Here there is a lot of strength, drum, cadence and psychedelia, lost dance rhythms, united in an intercontinental Latin/African/and Caribbean journey, a unique winning combination that we could consider the new “Ritmo Figueira”.
DISCODELIC

Conjunto Papa Upa are: 



Alex Figueira - Timbales, percussion, vocals. 

Gerardo Rosales - Congas, percussion, vocals. 

Ramón Mendeville - Bongos, percussion, vocals. 

Randy Winterdal - Bass.

Andrew Moreno - Guitar.

Nico Chientarolli - Organ, piano, synths.



All songs written by Alex Figueira. 

Arranged and performed by Conjunto Papa Upa. 

Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Alex Figueira at Heat Too Hot, Amsterdam.