Buscar:the talent crew

The original cut of the Althea and Donna 'Gone to Negril' track. Released by Pressure Sounds in 2005 and then deleted. Back by popular demand. Presented now with original Talent 77 label in a hand stamped bag. Produced by Tommy Cowan and more on the roots tip than the playful Althea and Donna cut.

Kapote presents: ITALOMANIA Vol. 4.

Toy Tonics Italomania Vol. 4 is a compilation dedicated to new ITALIAN DISCO. Not ITALO DISCO.

10 new tracks made by young producers from Italy, exclusively made for Toy Tonics. All songs with Italian vocals.

Made with a lot of love by

Cleeeo, Giorgio Lopez, Magnolia, Juan Soto & Sam Ruffillo, KOKO, Luca Averna, Ricardo Baez, Euro Nettuno, The Cube Guys and Paccone.

The Italomania compilation was initiated by Mathias ‚Kapote‘ Modica. Creative mind behind Toy Tonics and half italian producer himself.

The series is a manifesto to show the status of Italian disco of today.

Kapote invited the most relevant producers to show different new styles of modern Italian disco and house music.

With a wide range of influence: Live disco, indie dance, italo pop, and italo house.

Italian disco is not Italo disco. The last few years saw a big revival of the trashy pop music of the 1980s called Italo disco, mostly with English lyrics.

But this compilation is about something else. It is about this new Italian disco. Toy Tonics wants to show a new way to combine Italianity with dance culture.

The Italomania Vol. 4 Artists

Cleeeo - Come Tocchitu: A sexy and sophisticated disco house track by 22 year old newcomer DJ and producer Cleeeo. Driven by a warm, uplifting groove and strong dancefloor energy. The record is dedicated to Brazil. The vocals move between Italian and Portuguese. This creates a natural bridge between two cultures.

Giorgio Lopez - Italiani Brava Gente: Giorgio Lopez is an important player from the much talked about new music scene from Napoli.

For "Italiani Brava Gente," he teams up with Los Angeles artist Sueño. The track is a tongue-in-cheek take on the stereotypical Italian male. It pays homage to late Italodisco legend Pino D’Angiò. The story unfolds from the perspective of a foreign tourist navigating the contradictions of self-proclaimed Casanovas.

The Cube Guys - Saper Ringraziare: The legendary italo house duo shows their Italian vibes and musical taste with “Saper Ringraziare”. The track captures the warmth of summer and the infinity of urban nights. A combination of early Italo disco elements mixed with their typical groovy beats.

Magnolia - Vesuvio: Magnolia’s “Vesuvio” is a cover version of a song from the 1960s by artist E’ Zezi. While the original is more in a folk vibes, the new version is an irresistible piano house track with groovy, sun-soaked vibes. It is made for the dance floor. This track blends Mediterranean roots with the euphoric energy of modern house. Some might know the vocals already from another cover version by Nu Genea from the previous album.

Juan Soto & Sam Ruffillo - Italomexicano: What happens when a Toy Tonics artist hangs out in Mexico city and teams up with the local scene? The result is here. A blend a Toy Tonics sound and tons of vintage synthesizers and some additional production by Mexican producer talent Juan Soto.

You get "Italomexicano". A fuse of the mystique of Mexican mariachi with the magnetic pulse of Italo disco.

KOKO feat. Elena Moroder - I Can't Understand: This melancholic piano house track is a serious floorfiller! Goosebumps! Italian DJ and producer KOKO teams up with Elena Moroder on "I Can’t Understand". Elena delivers a captivating vocal performance. The track explores the misunderstandings of a relationship where emotions were never fully expressed. It blends an iconic piano melody with warm, uplifting grooves.

Luca Averna - Le Luci Della Pista: Luca Averna is a DJ, producer, and resident at the iconic Pikes Hotel in Ibiza. "Le Luci Della Pista" is an energetic track designed for peak-time Ibiza moments while keeping a strong groove and a playful spirit.

Ricardo Baez - È Venerdì: Ricardo Baez is an Italian-Venezuelan DJ and producer. He is known for his distinctive blend of house, dark electro, italo disco, and leftfield electronics. Well respected in Italy's contemporary electronic scene he has been releasing on labels such as Running Bag, Permanent Vacation, Bordello a Parigi, Correspondant, Mule music, Live at Robert Johnson.

Euro Nettuno - La Notte Chiama: These guys are hot! Part of the Polyamore Crew, one of the rising italian new disco collectives their sound mixes Italo house from the 1990ies, electro and Pop in a very cool new way.

Paccone - J'Adore Napoli: Vincenzo Paccone is a DJ, producer but also very renowned graphic designer. He is co-founder of NSS. A fashion agency that is by now one of the leading italian fashion crews. He has been also working as a designer for Circoloco Ibiza for many years and organizes some of the hottest parties in Napoli currently. He makes his official debut as a producer with “J’Adore Napoli”. It is a vibrant tribute to the house music culture born in Naples. The track draws inspiration from the late 1990s and early 2000s. And is part of a NSS campaign about the ’new coolness of the city of Napoli“.

Australia's Dancing in Space crew have thus far kept their vinyl releases to a minimum, reappearing every so often with a fresh batch of their own excellent disco edits. Here they try something different, delivering a typically assured two tracker from one of the most talented and productive scalpel fiends in the business, Chicago scene stalwart Rahaan. A-side 'Allright' is a typical Rahaan rub, with the talented re-editor skilfully rearranging and lightly dubbing out what sounds like a turn-of-the-80s fusion of classic disco, synth-splattered boogie and soaring jazz-funk. On 'My Strategy', he successfully breathes new life into an old Philadelphia International favourite, opting for a largely instrumental extension that subtly pitches the track up, tempo wise, for greater dancefloor pleasure.

Jack’s House Recordings kick starts 2026 with a brand new VA featuring talent from all corners of the globe, with artists coming from Portugal, to Australia, the USA and Ibiza !

First up is Alex Arnout with “Baby Let You Know” which is another solid production giving punchy and techy energy with a baseline that will wake you right up when it drops in ! It’s dark, edgy, and has a powerful signature sound that is perfect for the big dance floors as well as your underground intimate ones. Alex is no stranger to the imprint, having been the first artist signed to the label which is about to celebrate it’s 10th year as an independent record label.

Next up, we welcome back popular and talented producer Carlo Gambino with “Time Of Need” which takes you through 6 and a half minutes of a lovely gritty underground groove, and vocal snippets of the track title throughout the arrangement with his warm and unmistakable signature sound.

Then we have AMO (um) & Mills with the more minimal track of the VA, “Therapy” This is a stripped back track but instantly memorable after just one listen. Driven by a simple kick, snare, haunting fills and a riding dark baseline, the track also presents a conversation between two Women having a slightly confusing conversation in a therapy session.

Last up, it is a pleasure to introduce and welcome USA’s Jordan Bernardo & Sharktooth from the Tasteless Thieves crew to the label with their excellent collaboration on the track “So Sorry” This is the light on the VA with this massively uplifting infectious groove. The track is giving skippy swinging beats, filtered vocals which tease in and out of the arrangement, and a great energy that takes you back to the early 2000’s era.

In a nut shell, this fresh Jacks Tracks VA offers 4 unique tracks that can serve any DJ at various points of the night, from warming up, a hands up moment, 3am pushing energy, and a perfect afterparty vibe too. That is always the aim with the Jacks Track VA series, to give vinyl buyers a bit of everything while maintaining talent and the nature of the underground.

One of the UK’s rising talents in recent times, J6 continues his upward trajectory with an enormous four-tracker on underground fan favourites, Locked In Dam. The party starting crew go hand in hand with the refined J6 ethos, as he delivers a dynamite selection of tracks for your record bag. His familiar low end driven sound, combined with tinges of acid and futuristic textures moving between house and modern electro, shapes the ‘Devil Baby’ EP into a cohesive and powerful statement.

The title track is built upon powerful drums and squelchy, spaced-out tones, combined with trippy vocal stabs from Martina, who features on the record. This is prime J6 territory and not to be underestimated. Next up, ‘Biohazard’ introduces mysterious synths that create a transcending atmosphere, shifting the dance floor into the next gear with further twisted acid movements. On the flip side, the Manchester based beatmaker teams up with Ben Gough for ‘Time Capsule’, delivering pacey energy that never lets up, driven by nostalgic tech house drums and icy hi-hats. Rounding off the EP, ‘Emergence’ simmers with an emotive dark energy throughout; if we weren’t dancing with the devil before, we certainly are now.

A certain tip for the tastemakers amongst us, these are four dynamic dance floor cuts to be shared deep within the dark realms of the night.

One of the industry’s rising stars, Ariane V is known for her widespread knowledge of music and an ability to weave together different subgenres of House in her DJ sets. Her “Safe Travels” EP represents a sampling of the tracks on her forthcoming compilation on Nervous Records, and spotlights a crew of highly talented producers who are part of the community who are keeping the House Music genre fresh and current.

nagoyaka na kaze / 和やかな風 (quiet wind): a collection of forward-thinking electronic experiments sourced from central Japan - co-curated by Nagoya artist abentis for Facta & K-LONE’s Wisdom Teeth imprint.

The project profiles a close-knit community of music makers operating in and around the Japanese city of Nagoya: one of the country’s most populous and industrial cities, but one all too often overlooked in terms of its cultural significance.

Curated in close collaboration with local scene organiser Yuya Abe - aka abentis - the record seeks to capture the creative energy of a community of artists making hard-to-define, future-facing electronic music away from the clamour of the bigger cities. “In Nagoya, there’s a strong culture of supporting artists. Even if you pursue music in your own way, as long as it’s good, you’re encouraged to keep doing what you want”, explains abentis. “Within that environment, my generation has been able to freely bring in elements we like from all kinds of genres, combine them in our own way, and express ourselves individually. If you go to Tokyo or Osaka, that kind of freedom isn’t something you can take for granted.” Spiritually, Nagoya fits the mould of cultural hotbeds like Bristol, Detroit or Melbourne, showing that some of the most innovative creative communities form away from the glare of the capital cities. Like Detroit, Nagoya is principally known for being a major auto manufacturing hub, famous for being the home of Toyota Motors - but behind the scenes, it is quietly harbouring one of Japan’s most vibrant and forward-thinking electronic music scenes. “In a good way, Nagoya is a bit removed from the cutting edge, so you find people making all kinds of music”, explains Karnage. “If you’re making music, you feel like part of the crew, and people of different ages mix together without much hierarchy.” The city’s music scene is characterised by a freedom to mix genres and an open-door approach to creatives of all disciplines. The artists featured come from a diverse set of backgrounds, ranging from hip-hop to noise music, but have found a common collective identity in their omnivorous approach to genre. As such, the record moves fluidly between shimmering ambient and new age (Am Shhara, DHYAN, daiki hayakawa), psychedelic minimal house (Methodd, abentis), abstract, low-slung downtempo (baptisma, Nasty Soupman) and spaceage steppas (Karnage). “I’d say the way ambient, new age and that kind of sound design are blending nicely with dance music feels somewhat new”, says baptisma, the crew’s eldest member and de-facto scene leader. Responsible for bringing artists like Basic Channel, Mala and Jan Jelinek to the city, baptisma has been crucial in establishing underground electronic music in Nagoya since the 90s, and now helps cultivate the next generation of local talent. “Artists and DJs are seamlessly mixing ambient and new age with techno, house and bass music. I think that’s a really interesting development.” nagoyaka na kaze has its roots in a one-off event held in October 2024 as part of the 10 Years of Wisdom Teeth Japan tour. Curated by abentis in collaboration with Facta & K-LONE, the showcase featured live sets from eight artists based in and around Nagoya at one of the city’s key dance music hubs, Club JB’s. Each of the artists features again here, on record, presenting an original commission produced especially for the project. The record’s art direction was led by Yudai Osawa - in-house designer for Kankyō Records, the much-loved Tokyo record shop run by H. Takahashi - and features original photos by Hayato Watanabe.

DJ Support: Raresh, Marco Corola, Jamie Jones, Joseph Capriati, Chris Stussy, DJ Seinfeld, D'Julz, Djebali, Voigtmann, Arapu

For Amsterdam’s Julian Anthony, club culture has always been about movement - between sounds, between scenes, and increasingly, across continents. Rooted in the Dutch underground, his path has taken him from intimate local spaces to international stages, with appearances at institutions such as Berlin’s Hoppetosse, Ibiza’s DC10, and London’s fabric. Along the way, he’s formed close ties with crews such as Slapfunk, VBX, Half Baked, and S.A.S.H, while recent tours across South America and Australia have further widened his reach. His connection with Enzo Siragusa and the FUSE family is longstanding, having previously dropped his track ‘It’s Showtime’ on sister label LOCUS while making appearances at both FUSE and LOCUS events across Europe, including this year at FUSE Malta, during ADE, and November’s fabric takeover. Now, his ‘Missing Pieces’ EP extends that relationship further, marking his fi rst release on FUSE and off ering a natural progression while showcasing his versatility as a producer.

In his productions and his sets, Julian threads together house, techno, and electro infl uences with a playful touch, resulting in a style that feels fl uid yet sharply defi ned. Title track, ‘Missing Pieces’, sets the tone with a heavyweight bassline at its core, coupled with a hypnotic groove and percussive drive, while ‘Endless Echoes’ stretches into more atmospheric territory, weaving rolling rhythms with cosmic textures. On the fl ip, ‘No Sleep’ ups the intensity with zipping synths and sharp drum programming built for peak-time play, before ‘TTS’ closes the record on a captivating note, fusing deeper house nuances and playful rhythms into a late-night trip.

With a growing catalogue across respected imprints such as Dungeon Meat, X-Kalay, and Bee You, and a touring schedule that continues to expand globally, Julian’s first outing for the London favourites highlights his talent for crafting tracks that are simultaneously precise, playful, and built for the club.

DUSTY DONUTS ISN’T JUST A LABEL — IT’S A TURNTABLE MANIFESTO.

Since its inception, the collective of vinyl scientists behind Dusty Donuts has been applying their signature "Dusty Formula" to every cut – a potent blend of deep crate knowledge, razor-sharp edits and roots firmly planted in the Hip-Hop culture. Each 45 is crafted with the instincts of seasoned DJs and the ears of lifelong diggers, spinning like a secret weapon on the decks: restructured classics and forgotten gems, reimagined with just the right bounce for today’s dance floors.

Now, with their new imprint DUSTY DONUTS CLASSICS, the crew levels up – kicking things off with a standout collaboration featuring the incredibly talented Emma Noble, who they first crossed paths with at the legendary Mojo Club. Emma’s soulful style and versatility made her the perfect fit for the launch of this new venture.

Second release from Zaragoza’s underground label, Senoidal Records. Just like with their debut, Senoidal 002 brings together a diverse crew of artists, blending generations and styles from the deeper ends of electronic music.

Side A (the info side) kicks off with Wreckoning by 3morph. With a clear UK influence, this track comes loaded with groove and attitude the kind of tune that gets you moving without asking twice.
Up next is Silenzi Imbarazzanti by Italian producer Vikkei: introspective, heavy, and full of intent. Bassline mastery and a top-tier kick make this a pure Acidcore statement.

We turn the record over with Les Enfants Sages and their Magnitude 13.12 sur l´échelle de Deter´, which operates with surgical precision the richness of a powerful kick and the play it can bring.
Closing the record is Mafia Business by Lemurian. A trancecore gem packed with energy, magic, and razor-sharp creativity.

Senoidal Records doesn’t follow trends. We’re not here for algorithms. We’re here to support raw talent, leave behind a worthy musical legacy, make something that truly lasts.

“O(c)tavio’s EP brings together a global crew of producers who all share the same name and a passion for high-quality techno. The A1 kicks off with “Fadeface” by NY based producer Otavio aka Fadeface, a rolling, driving cut that balances weight with groove. A2 follows with a no-nonsense loopy techno heater by Octavio, 1/3 of the Paraguayan group LPZ — pure dancefloor pressure, stripped and effective. On the flip, Argentinian artist Octavio Octavio brings a bit more swing with a groovier B1, still rooted in the floor but with a fluid touch.

Closing things out is a collaborative B2, combining all their styles into one cohesive, heavy-hitting statement. Pressed to vinyl and wrapped in stunning artwork by the talented Brazilian graphic designer Otavio Santiago. Turns out, putting a bunch of O(c)tavios in the studio results in one hell of a techno record.”

Drumcode stalwart Bart Skils drops two exciting debut collaborations with both SUDO and Drunken Kong, for Japanese techno infused ‘Sakura’ EP.

As a crucial Drumcode Records crew member, Dutch producer Bart Skils is world-revered for his best-selling powerhouse techno releases like ‘Roll The Dice’ and his mesmerising sets. But he likes to pay it forward too, finding and nurturing new talent for Adam Beyer’s label, hence SUDO’s (Japanese brothers Isao & Takashi) hugely successful recent Drumcode debut EP ‘Real World’. Skils collabs with SUDO on ‘Nexus’, and with Drunken Kong (‘Dee’ Singh & DJ Kyoko) on ‘Set It Right’, who are globally respected Tokyo techno maestros, WOMB residents, and Beatport chart regulars, who had their Drumcode debut in 2023 with ‘I Want To See’ EP.

Open Space is proud to present our first ever full-length LP by LA’s newest 3-man band, Puli. Some words from our dear friend Matt McDermott below:

In recent years, a cadre of musicians from the east side of Los Angeles have reestablished the city of angels as the first city of Balearica. Alex Ho’s “Move Through It” followed in the lumbering footsteps of Project Sandro’s “Blazer.” Now, there’s a new landmark for the floating west coast sound. Swirling, the first album from LA supergroup Puli.

If you’ve got your ear to the ground you know the names involved here. Drummer and producer Damon Palermo’s pedigree stretches back a good 15 years or so, starting off with dub punks Mi Ami. Phil Cho is one of the busiest DJs, musicians and advocates for the deep stuff in LA, throwing legendary hillside parties under the Third Place banner. John Jones, the preternaturally talented guitarist and electronic tinkerer, records as AV Moves, is a key member of the Suzanne Kraft and Baba Stiltz live configurations and plays in The Trilogy Tapes-affiliated act Geo Rip.

But this listing of personnel and credentials puts too fine a point on it. Puli are three close friends who go to parties, DJ and get tacos together, repairing to their Chinatown studio a few times a week and coming out with remarkably textured, idiosyncratic downtempo jams. Building off the solid foundation of their 7-inch of heavyweight dubs for Melbourne’s Constant Delay, Swirling is an exploration of new horizons in chill out.

“Ramona” acts a statement of purpose—with halftime/double-time dub-tinged rhythms, hazy yet bright synth motifs and atmospheric guitar from Jones, not terribly far from the expansive approach of Japanese dub aesthetes Pecker. “Cloudy,” meanwhile, is a sort of deconstructed and bittersweet Balearic pop featuring Cho’s ethereal vocals. “Bongo Springs” is steppers’ house not far from close LA peer Benedek or the Mood Hut crew up north.

But what truly sets this record apart is the space and layers in the production—while it’s nominally an electronic record, Puli is a band that has slowly crafted these songs in the rehearsal space. “Havana Jam” cruises along a sliding roundwound bass guitar take with dubby chords and textural guitars. Palermo’s hand drums and live percussion enmesh perfectly with icy pads on “Leech Seed Dub.” Cho is back on the mic for the gorgeous closer, “C.S.B.”, underpinned by breakbeat and trunk-rattling sub bass. Puli doesn’t sound like anyone else, and is ultimately reflective of the city itself. Listening to Swirling feels like navigating a warren of side streets in the eternal sunshine. Take the drive and dive.

**Big Tip. Wild (fully licensed comp of truly all sorts - put together with love**

Over the course of the last few decades many wonderfully talented musicians have made some amazing, unique, and sometimes lost music. Here is some!
Spanning Gospel, House, Zouk, Experimental, Techno, Disco, Folk & Electro 'Second Chapter' in the 'Compassion Cuts' Compilation Series

The first bunch of remixes for Kito Jempere's Green Monster. The album itself was a versatile journey thought all music styles and patterns you can imagine, remixes are keeping the same direction.

EP opens with a remix from multi-talented and prolific studio genius Ewan Pearson, the man behind hundreds of remixes, production and studio engineering duties for artists like Tracey Thorn, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, The Chemical Brothers and many many more. And Mr Pearson is taking Kabwato on a journey! Originally recorded as two and half minutes as some say mid-album filler, this boat (kabwato in chewa language) is going deep down the tropical river and through breezy morning rainforest valleys. A perfect trip for your midday staying home alone errands or for your early morning ray of light at the bar with a beautiful panorama.

Same track is getting treatment from the mighty Cable Toy! Unmistakable peak time euphoria manifest - going back to my roots-esque piano meets 90s cable tv dance show house party!

On the flip is the remix by The Dawless. The Dawless are Ramil' Goddeem from LAUD and Sergey Gol'd, producer and owner of GoldxFish Music studio. They recently released their debut album "Broken Aux" on System 108, got remixed by DMX Crew and became residents of LOUD BOYZ label. The project has simple ethics: computers not allowed, only real gear and vibes. The duo has created a true rage rave anthem for Kito Jempere now. Having already been played in a lot of DJ-sets blasting through packed warehouses, now it became available to everyone.

EP closing opus is by Kito's frequent collaborator - UK born and Japan based producer Max Essa. Every Kito's album was accompanied by Max's remixes and this time he's delivering pure beauty again. Creating some Golden-era "8 1/2 weeks" vibes, Max transforms the track into a post-summer voyage anthem.

Mary Yuzovskaya's vinyl-only Monday Off imprint delivers the sixth instalment of its various artists series, calling in a crew of talented artists to explore deep, cosmic anomalies and soothing modular soundscapes. Kicking off the compilation is Poland-via-Berlin artist Blazej Malinowski, a true wizard with sound, whose 'Ocean' sees rich textural synths crash like waves onto driving low-end. The Gods Planet, Svreca's Semantica, and 012 artist is followed by Nonplus+ and Blank Slate's Michal Wolski, who delivers 'Essence', a track boasting squelchy sequences, subtle acid and swirly psychedelia.

'Black Moss' is next, a minimalistic tripper by Xhato that expertly weaves rolling synthlines into sturdy drum work. It's a constantly evolving, deep space adventure before Milena Glowacka closes the EP with distant, foggy wastelands and dubbed-out hypnotics in 'Dystopia'. Volume 6 of Monday Off's compilation cements itself as another must-have collector's item for those venturing into the trippier side of techno.

Repress!

Let the celebrations begin, 10 Years of a vision Anané created and called Nulu, her independent label letting the world know about a genre we now know as Afro House, today after many years of dedicated work you'll find it as main stream.

Nulu means 'Nothing Ultimately Leaves Us' and just in time for Winter Music Conference in Miami Nulu presents a special vinyl sampler including 4 tracks representing 'Past, Present & Future' of the labels sound.

Side A includes an elegant and melodic remix of 'Ubatuba (Roots Mix)' by Grammy Award winner Louie Vega & Agev Mungsen feat. Anane, originally produced by Brazilian Soul Crew, where the fusion of Afro House and Soul help to soothe the spirit, followed by the African duo AMRoots aka Filipe Narciso and Fresh Nunas who deliver a fantastic combination of melodies and sounds ready to make dreamers dream with a fresh remix of their original release back in 2009 'Old Times At Barracuda (Cielo Roots 09 Remix)' and was also the first release for Nulu.

Side B includes a superb beat and unmistakable touch of Dj Angelo, bringing you straight to dance floor on a journey you'll wish to never leave and finish this 4 track sampler is the incredible talent of Manoo always setting the contemporary route of Afro House music with his modern style, creativity and authentic sound. The special vinyl sampler will be available exclusively at Winter Music Conference 2019 in Miami, and later for all Nulu followers. Take your time to know the Past, experience the Present and understand the Future of Nulu, a pioneering label of Afro House Music.tti

Our journey begins with one of the main crew members guiding you into our secretly hidden realm.

With two engaging original themes that capture the essence and musical vibes of the label, get ready to experience an alternate dimension that will change your perception of space and time.

In this initial journey he has the companionship of two already established and very talented fellow artists, Vern and Lulla, each one with an individual reinterpretation of this trip.

Join the Third Space!

Free-roaming French techno talent Angioma lands on Lady Tazz's Mind Medizin with a new single that comes remixed by the legendary Kaiser, Fixon and Toru Ikemoto.

Angioma does it all from peak time and hypnotic techno to jacking house, all with his own signature exotic twist. He is currently Berlin-based and has released on Made of Concrete, but also co-runs with BLANKA the Room Trax label and Room Lab, contemporary local art and networking space. With increasingly high-profile sets in clubs like Egg London and Anomalie Berlin, Angioma is an ever more crucial part of the modern techno landscape.

The brilliant 'Unusual Suspect' is darkly seductive with its high-pressure techno rhythms and silky synth lines. Pulsing keys bring late-night hypnosis, and the icy hi-hats draw you in further to this shadowy and tunnelling groove. It's a warm, Mills-inspired sound that is stylish and dynamic.

The A Side also features a heart stopping Detroit infused remix courtesy of Mexican based Fixon (part of the Illegal Alien crew). On the flip and Gianluca Caiati aka Kaiser has been tearing up the techno scene for 15 years. His superb remix pairs things back but the pummeling, rubbery drums remain the focal point as whip-snapping snares lash about up top, incendiary hi-hat pressure grows, and the sleek synths intensify the trip. Finally, Japanese Techno hero Toru Ikemeto delivers an off-kilter slice of driving take on the original.

Adam Beyer's Drumcode juggernaut attracts more fans and critical plaudits with each passing year. Holding firm on its future facing ethos, techno's number one label presents a new volume in its acclaimed A-Sides series with 20 prime tracks to signify its 20th anniversary.

Such is the volume of quality music Adam Beyer receives throughout the course of the year, releasing all of it would be impossible. Enter the blue chip A-Sides series: a chance for the quality-obsessive label head to issue a collection of outstanding tracks that couldn't fit in their regular EP release schedule.

With an eye on future talent, as much as the label's established roster of heavy-hitters, the compilation showcases the full breadth of Drumcode's multifaceted techno sound, equal parts inspiring and functional.

Led by the stealth techno funk of 'Nine of You', Beyer's deft collaboration with Mark Reeve, the compilation takes in exciting highlights from big guns such as Alan Fitzpatrick, Dustin Zahn, Bart Skils, Pleasurekraft, Luca Agnelli, Jay Lumen, Kaiserdisco and Gary Beck.

The rich vein of form displayed by emerging techno talent is similarly given prime position. Rising DJ/producer Boxia makes his Drumcode debut, fresh from a well-received warm up set for the crew at the hugely successful Junction 2 festival in London, while the likes of Enrico Sangiuliano, Juan Sanchez, Ian O'Donovan and Timmo also drop fire, establishing their credentials as some of the most promising talent breaking through the ranks in 2016.


Reinforcing the global scope of the label, artists such as The Junkies from Toronto and Layton Giordani from New York, prove techno is winning a place in the heart of the new generation of artists coming out of North America.

For the latest instalment in the Apollonia story we look to Argentina and the talented producer Federico Molinari. Having been based in Germany for the last couple of decades, Federico has refined his sound, developing a strong signature through his DJ sets and his studio productions, most of which he has released via his label OSLO. Federico's ability to craft effortless grooves and timeless rhythms is evident here on this killer new three-tracker. Side A is the eight-minute long roller 'Congo Toys'. The focus here is on a crisp 4x4 beat, which keeps things simple - under this lies a sturdy bassline. All the while, the low end is accompanied by a series of bleeps, which could almost be the chatter between two archaic computers, modulated and weaving in and out of the beats and bass. On the flip, we have two more dance floor-ready joints. Like ' Congo Toys, 'Tres Cuartos' is focused around a simple foundation, with layers of unusual effects - an overriding sense of playfulness comes through in Molinari's production, perfect for the boogie down crew. Last up, 'Joyfex' takes us further into leftfield, hypnotic, hazy atmospherics draw us into their web and we're tangled up in a mesh of vibrating whirrs and echoing, distorted voices. Sublime business from an Apollonia favorite

“An amazing new project…” Tony Minvielle, Jazz FM

“A lush, heatwave-friendly piece of dancefloor innovation…” Clash Magazine


First Word Records is delighted to bring you the debut EP from Ships of the Pharaohs.


Ships of the Pharaohs are a London-based collective led by producer Last Nubian, who’s had releases in his own right on labels like CoOp Presents, Eglo Records & Touching Bass. Blending jazz, soul, bossa nova, d&b and house-influenced grooves, the band also consists of vocalist Achanté, keys player Goldbar & bassist, Dougan.

The 7-track EP kicks off with the high-energy, vitamin D-saturated lead single ‘Sun is Rising’, featuring the guest vocals of brilliant Berlin-based singer Red Bird, who appears on three tracks on this project (‘For You’ and ‘Seasons’). ‘Can’t Quit’ follows on a smooth soulful house/bruk tempo, and invites in the thought-provoking spoken word prose of AKEEM. ‘Seasons’, ‘For You’ and recent single ‘Joys’ add another element to the band’s eclectic take on fusion, leaning heavily into the bossa side of the quartet’s influences. The latter track sees Achanté’s soulful harmonies gracefully float across a warm bed of keys, percussion, guitar picks & synth strings. We take a short jazzy breather on the ‘Interlude’ cut, featuring the resplendent sax of multi-talented Norwegian artist, Bror Havnes, who also features on the outro cut ‘One’ - this one seeing the crew ride out with a sonic salute to jungle/d&b, closing this first opus from the group with the energy levels remaining high.

Tre Wright (aka Last Nubian) explains “Our debut EP is a reflection of who we are, both individually and as a collective. Drawing inspiration from jazz, jungle, bossa nova, house, r&b and the music that's shaped us, we've explored our own interpretation of these sounds and how they come together in a way that feels true to us. It gave us the space to experiment without boundaries, trust our instincts, and create something that genuinely reflects where we are creatively right now.”


Originally conceived to perform Last Nubian material live for a Touching Bass showcase at We Out Here festival in 2023, the project soon took on a life of its own, as the group effort unleashed a unique chemistry & sound of its own merit. Thereafter followed numerous sessions in a studio-converted bedroom of a Brixton flat, developing this new sound. The finishing touches were taken care of at the infamous Total Refreshment Centre in North London, resulting in the formation of captivating new original material, which appears across this first extended release.

Ships of the Pharaohs have additionally performed live across London at Brick Lane Jazz Festival, House of KOKO, Jazz on Wick Festival, Peckham Levels, 91 Living Room & GROW in Hackney. Developing their powerful stage presence has gone hand in hand with the creation of their own material.

The initial singles from this project received praise & support from a variety of DJs, press outlets & tastemakers from the worlds of jazz, soul and clubland, including Shy One (NTS), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM), Rohan Rakhit (Worldwide FM), Somewhere Soul & Clash Magazine to name a few.


With sonics somewhat reminiscent of Acid Jazz legends Incognito, merged with the class of Nuyorican Soul, and the dynamic fluidity of 4Hero, the 4-piece have cooked up a set of style & flavours uniquely their own, fresh for modern dances, incorporating organic improvisation with more contemporary club sounds.

The Ships of the Pharaohs are about to set sail for what is sure to be an exciting journey ahead.

‘Part 1’ will be released on 12” vinyl & all digital platforms on September 18th 2026.

The talented Mr. K continues to build up the most comprehensive collection of DJ essentials to hit the 7-inch format with this latest offering of two beloved classics from the golden era of neo soul. First up is Jill Scott’s self-empowerment anthem ‘Golden’, here the original version stitched together with an unreleased 2005 breakdown remix by London crew Blackbeard. Using sweeping strings from the Blackbeard version, dramatically building to a tambourine acapella & original track makes for a masterful edit, one even more impressive when it’s done as seamlessly as this. The flip side ups the tempo with Mos Def’s ‘Umi Says’, a unique hybrid of broken drums, swirling keyboards (courtesy Weldon Irvine Jr. and Will.I.Am!), a propulsive bassline, and those instantly addictive vocals. Mr. K adds a solid minute of intro, giving the song the room it deserves to breathe, and just lets things simmer without distraction. Another masterclass at the edit board, and another gem to add to our growing treasure trove of work from Mr. Krivit in maximum sonic fidelity both for their first appearance in a 7-inch format.

,Future Development" ist das dritte Album von Del The Funky Homosapien und war nach seinem Weggang vom Major-Label Elektra sein erstes Solo-Album für sein Independent-Label Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings. Ursprünglich 1997 auf Kassette veröffentlicht und später 2002 auf CD und Vinyl neu aufgelegt, stützte sich das Album größtenteils auf Dels eigene Produktion sowie Beiträge von Hiero Crew-Mitgliedern A-Plus, Opio und Toure. Der einzige Gastbeitrag auf dem Album stammt von Crew-Mitglied Casual, der Del auf dem energetischen ,Checking Out The Rivalry" begleitet. Klanglich schlägt ,Future Development" eine Brücke zwischen den funklastigen Stilen von Dels Debüt und den dunkleren, futuristischeren Texturen, die er auf ,No Need for Alarm" erkundete. Textlich verfeinert Del sein rasantes Wortspiel mit einer schärferen thematischen Ausrichtung und beschäftigt sich mit dem Leben in Oakland, gesellschaftlichen Beobachtungen und der Hip-Hop-Kultur - alles mit einer Mischung aus Humor, straßenkluger Einsicht und mehrsilbiger Gewandtheit. Letztendlich fängt das Album einen Schnappschuss seiner Entwicklung vom rohen Talent zu einem konzeptionell gereifteren Songwriter ein. Es bleibt ein bedeutendes und unterschätztes Kapitel in Dels Entwicklung, das die frühen Keime der Kreativität und Unabhängigkeit zeigt, die einen Großteil seiner weiteren Karriere prägen sollten.

Welcome to the mind-expanding 1968 jazz recording of Bill Plummer and The Cosmic Brotherhood—where Eastern and psychedelic influences meld together to produce one of the trippiest jazz albums on Impulse Records. This LP is a much-sought-after sonic travelogue, with the pop-psych spoken-word sitar freakout of “Journey To The East” to Bill Plummer’s swinging, rapid fire/cool jazz compositions, to his covers that go straight to the heart of any 60’s genre-crossing jazz fans. Featuring an incredible who's who of the high-caliber talent bubbling over in the Los Angeles music scene at the time: Carol Kaye (legendary bass player of The Wrecking Crew), Maurice Miller (drummer in The Jazz Corps), Dennis Budimir (guitarist with Chico Hamilton Quintet, Ravi Shankar & Frank Zappa), Mike Lang (Piano with Flamin’ Groovies & Hal Blaine), Tom Scott (Saxophone with Gabor Szabo & Thelonious Monk), Ray Neopolitan (Bass for The Doors & Leonard Cohen), Milt Holland (Percussionist with The Wrecking Crew &
Captain Beefheart), Bill Goodwin (Drums for Mose Allison & Tom Waits).
Housed in a beautiful gatefold sleeve with iconic liner notes by Frank Kofsky, who comes out swinging hard in favor of the album, while shaking the dust off any jazz snobs left in the '60s who still were not ready to embrace the future of jazz. Produced by Bob Thiele who produced everyone from John
Coltrane, Art Blakey to Charles Mingus, this sonic rarity is yet another impressive vinyl reissue from the folks at Jackpot Records.

Auf ihrem Debütalbum ist eine lange Liste von Elite-Musikern aus der Daptone-Familie zu hören, die alle mit ihrem Talent dazu beigetragen haben, Pazners kreative Vision zu verwirklichen. Das Album wurde mit großem Beifall aufgenommen und erlangte schnell den Ruf als eines der besten Instrumental-Soul-Alben des Jahrzehnts – mit Rezensionen von Pitchfork, American Songwriter, Brooklyn Vegan, Rolling Stone u.v.a.. Im digitalen Bereich wurde das Projekt durch ein unglaublich starkes organisches Wachstum bei den DSPs unterstützt, wobei die Streaming-Zahlen alle Erwartungen übertrafen und es zu einem Durchbruchserfolg sowohl für Daptone als auch für Pazner machten. Nach dem Erfolg seines Debütalbums verbrachte Pazner die nächsten Jahre damit, den musikalischen Kosmos zu erkunden – er schrieb Songs mit Lee Fields und begleitete ihn als Keyboarder auf Tournee. In dieser Zeit gründete er auch eine Familie. Diese Reihe von einschneidenden Lebensereignissen bereitete den Boden für das kommende Album „In Search of a Revival“ (Daptone Records).
Dieses Mal, ganze 10 Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung des selbstbetitelten Debütalbums, komponierte, arrangierte und produzierte Pazner das gesamte Album selbst. Mit einer Mischung aus Musikern, die bereits auf dem Debüt zu hören waren, sowie einer Handvoll Freunden und Mitwirkenden, die er auf seiner musikalischen Reise kennengelernt hat, bildete er ein 17-köpfiges Ensemble aus den besten Musikern der Szene. Während „The Olympians“ stark vom klassischen Soul-Stil von Curtis Mayfield und James Brown beeinflusst war, lehnt sich „In Search of a Revival“ an die goldene Ära der Wrecking Crew, die üppigen Texturen der Gold Star Studios, Vintage-Filmmusik und die eher unbekannten Ecken der cineastischen Klanglandschaften an. Von den kaskadenartigen Harfenklängen, die „Sirens of Jupiter“ eröffnen, bis hin zur treibenden Horns von „Sagittarius By Moonlight“ liefern The Olympians einen ganz eigenen neuen Sound: einen alten Traum vom fernen Griechenland, gemalt in üppigen, filmischen Arrangements über harten Rhythmen. In Search of a Revival ist auf dem besten Weg, ein weiterer Daptone-Klassiker zu werden – ein Album, das nicht nur die Traditionen des Instrumental-Soul würdigt, sondern auch einen kühnen neuen Standard für das Genre in den kommenden Jahren setzt.

Auf ihrem Debütalbum ist eine lange Liste von Elite-Musikern aus der Daptone-Familie zu hören, die alle mit ihrem Talent dazu beigetragen haben, Pazners kreative Vision zu verwirklichen. Das Album wurde mit großem Beifall aufgenommen und erlangte schnell den Ruf als eines der besten Instrumental-Soul-Alben des Jahrzehnts – mit Rezensionen von Pitchfork, American Songwriter, Brooklyn Vegan, Rolling Stone u.v.a.. Im digitalen Bereich wurde das Projekt durch ein unglaublich starkes organisches Wachstum bei den DSPs unterstützt, wobei die Streaming-Zahlen alle Erwartungen übertrafen und es zu einem Durchbruchserfolg sowohl für Daptone als auch für Pazner machten. Nach dem Erfolg seines Debütalbums verbrachte Pazner die nächsten Jahre damit, den musikalischen Kosmos zu erkunden – er schrieb Songs mit Lee Fields und begleitete ihn als Keyboarder auf Tournee. In dieser Zeit gründete er auch eine Familie. Diese Reihe von einschneidenden Lebensereignissen bereitete den Boden für das kommende Album „In Search of a Revival“ (Daptone Records).
Dieses Mal, ganze 10 Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung des selbstbetitelten Debütalbums, komponierte, arrangierte und produzierte Pazner das gesamte Album selbst. Mit einer Mischung aus Musikern, die bereits auf dem Debüt zu hören waren, sowie einer Handvoll Freunden und Mitwirkenden, die er auf seiner musikalischen Reise kennengelernt hat, bildete er ein 17-köpfiges Ensemble aus den besten Musikern der Szene. Während „The Olympians“ stark vom klassischen Soul-Stil von Curtis Mayfield und James Brown beeinflusst war, lehnt sich „In Search of a Revival“ an die goldene Ära der Wrecking Crew, die üppigen Texturen der Gold Star Studios, Vintage-Filmmusik und die eher unbekannten Ecken der cineastischen Klanglandschaften an. Von den kaskadenartigen Harfenklängen, die „Sirens of Jupiter“ eröffnen, bis hin zur treibenden Horns von „Sagittarius By Moonlight“ liefern The Olympians einen ganz eigenen neuen Sound: einen alten Traum vom fernen Griechenland, gemalt in üppigen, filmischen Arrangements über harten Rhythmen. In Search of a Revival ist auf dem besten Weg, ein weiterer Daptone-Klassiker zu werden – ein Album, das nicht nur die Traditionen des Instrumental-Soul würdigt, sondern auch einen kühnen neuen Standard für das Genre in den kommenden Jahren setzt.

Love International launch new vinyl-focused imprint with a 12" from Adam Curtain including a remix from Mr. Ho.

Revered party crew Love International expand their enterprise, channeling the buzz from another stellar year into a freshly minted sub-label: the 'Love International Floor Series'.

As the name suggestions, the series zeroes in on the dance floor, giving some form and shape to misty memories forged across protracted sessions at Barbarellas, The Olive Grove and The Beach in Tisno.

In to inaugurate the project is London based Adam Curtain - an artist focused on flexing the boundaries of UK club music who has been gathering steam as a nifty selector and a talented producer. A familiar face on both sides of the booth at Lion & Lamb, Fabric, Gottwood and of course - Love International - Adam nails the brief in delivering a record that is sharp, direct and eminently playable.

Musically - the tunes bridge old and new, nestling in that sweet spot between Breaks, Electro, UKG, Acid and Minimal. Stepped grooves, crisp snares, angular synths and oozey bass lines all unify to render a sound that's simultaneously psychotropic and crystal clear.

The cherry on the cake comes as a remix from the venerated Mr. Ho of Klasse Wrecks fame. Often paired with Luca Lozano, Mr. Ho is a master of organising chaos and here he does exactly that - rousing his machines and churning the original into a sludgy, fractal brain scrambler.

Benjamin Hudson returns to Acroplane, following his last projects with us as Ebola (Wrong Music) and one half of Baconhead, with 'Slime'… and he's brought a load of his talented mates to collaborate with him.

Artwork by Everything Alllways

Mastering by James Forde Stewart @ Sorting Room Studios.

Brain Rays is part of queer collective, DOOMSCROLL, and Devon art & party crew, Bizarre Rituals. He is also a co-founder of Wrong Music alongside DJ Scotch Egg and Matt Lambert (Roger Species).

Known for his hectic, high pressure output with Quiet, and film soundtrack work (as part of Unknown Horrors) collaborating with director Dean Puckett (The Severed Sun, The Sermon, Satan's Bite) and Rhys Chapman (Wonderkid). As a DJ he has performed all over the world, including Transmediale Festival (Berlin), Today's Art (Den Haag) and Boomtown Fair, as well as two live sessions at Radio 1's legendary Maida Vale Studios. As a producer he has garnered support from the likes of Mary Anne Hobbs, ETCH, Huw Stephens, Drumskull, Annie Mac, and Nikki Nair.

“New York’s Harlem River Drive is a dividing line, a highway where the rich zip past the poor,” says singer Jimmy Norman. Eddie Palmieri’s Latin-funk band of the same name tackled these hard truths, playing prisons and speaking to the common man. Ultimately, Norman and Palmieri made a powerful socio-political statement that continues to resonate to this day." Pablo Yglesias/Wax Poetics. When initially released in 1971, many critics panned Eddie Palmieri’s album Harlem River Drive. Those critics were wrong. Regardless of critical opinion, the release was not the crossover success Palmieri and Roulette Records had hoped for, at least in the immediate. Over the years the release has developed a following among listeners, DJs, and aficionados of rare-grooves. The record may have been recorded towards the end of the Latin soul era, yet it features that genre's wonderful mix of Puerto Rican soul, Spanish Harlem Latin, and New York funk. Palmieri worked with an incredibly talented crew of Latin and R&B session musicians to create this quintessential New York vibe, a synthesis of funk and Afro-Cuban sounds. Contributors include Victor Venegas from Mongo Santamaria’s band, Palmieri’s brother Charlie, an accomplished musician in his own right, Bruce Fowler who went on to join Frank Zappa’s band, Dick Meza who went on to great things with Tito Puente, Ray Barretto and Celia Cruz, as well as Andy Gonzalez who’s pedigree includes recordings with Barretto, Johnny Pacheco, Willie Colon and even Chico O’Farrill. Also appearing Randy Brecker and one of the all-time greatest of the greats Bernard Purdy. An over-arching theme of Harlem River Drive is the thought that, as Palmieri puts it “The U.S. is richest country, all this immense wealth, side by side with the most intense poverty, racial prejudice; how is that possible?” A question that’s perhaps more even more relevant today than it was in 1971. A question that can be further explored with Get On Down’s reissue of this seminal recording.

Cody Currie with a new EP! Jamiroquai in the studio with Masters at Work and Todd Terje and u got the vibe!

The London super soul talent did 5 more tracks for his label Toy Tonics. Being part of the Toy Tonics crew since day one almost.. he has been sharing studio, stages and free time with the Berlin label bunch for more than 5 years now. The new EP shows his talent as a musician who plays bass, guitar and keyboard on the highest level again as well his skills as a superb electronic producer. The new sound for the edgy dancefloor of 2025. It's not dancefloor tools, it's real music for dancers. Taste & quality.

Alex Williams revisits his favorite ‘80s Hard Rock songs and gives them some Outlaw Country grit on his third studio album, Space Brain. Inspired by the classic Skid Row, Cinderella, and Mötley Crüe CDs he discovered in his dad’s collection as a kid. What began as a nostalgic conversation during an acoustic session in Illinois quickly turned into a full-fledged passion project. With support from his label and the creative guidance of longtime friend and producer Ben Fowler, Alex spent months reworking his favorite songs from the decade — peeling back the distortion to uncover the lyrics and emotion at the heart of the originals. Backed by a talented crew of musicians, Space Brain captures the spirit of the '80s with a fresh perspective and a deep respect for the music that shaped his youth.

Detroit’s own Brian Kage returns with Timeless Times Remixed, a interstellar re-imagination of his album "Timeless Times" featuring an all-star lineup of remixers. Timeless Times Remixed brings together some of the finest minds in house and techno, delivering deep, timeless grooves with Detroit soul.

Brian Kage, a staple of Detroit’s electronic music scene, brings together a heavyweight lineup of producers to rework key tracks from his latest album. The legendary Delano Smith infuses Detroit Techno City with his signature deep and hypnotic touch, while Scotland's Milton Jackson reworks Just The Groove with a dose of his classic rolling house energy. The collaborative Reference (Luke Hess & Brian Kage) Remix of Nordhouse leans into peak time dub-techno atmospheres, while Detroit's newest and finest young talent from the Submerge crew Max Watts takes Galaxian into raw, driving 808 Electro terrain.
This essential four-tracker bridges deep house, techno, electro, and dub, while staying true to the classic and timeless sounds of Detroit’s roots.

"Chasing the funky symphonies that filled my head and my dreams..."

December 25th, 2023 - an Instagram post. Stimulator Jones shared half a dozen FIRE tracks from his beat tape archive. We were immediately drawn to the rough hewn boom bap.

"I'd release that", Rob commented.

Hours of material was shared and the result is this: Cool Green Trees (1999-2005). A collection of beats and loops Stimulator Jones created between the ages of 14-20 at home in his basement, bedroom and computer room in Roanoke, Virginia.

You will not believe the profound soulful genius contained within these naive schoolboy melodies.

December 25th, 1998 - 25 years ago to the day and his much-coveted Yamaha SU10 sampler was finally bestowed upon young Stimmy AKA Sam Lunsford: "I immediately hooked up a CD Walkman to the input jack and looped the beginning two bars of Grover Washington Jr.'s "Mercy Mercy Me". I don't know what exactly was so thrilling about hearing two measures of music repeating over and over but it was so infectious and hypnotizing and enthralling to me. I'll never forget that ecstatic rush of making my first loop - an uncontrollable, gleeful smile plastered all over my face." When you hear the pocket breakbeat symphonies featured here on Cool Green Trees, you'll feel the same sense of frisson.

In the wake of his Stones Throw breakthrough - Exotic Worlds & Master Treasures - Stimulator Jones was pegged by many as a 90s throwback artist. However, he literally IS a 90s artist. He's been recording music most of his life and he's now 40. He created the bulk of Cool Green Trees as a teenager. Everything before 2004 was recorded when Sam was still in school. He was in 8th grade when he made the 1999 tracks - he didn't even have his learner's permit. This album is a snapshot of a young man in a simpler time. Things were still mysterious back then and he was flying blind, relying on his ears and having to figure things out for himself: "I had no road map for becoming a beatmaker. I have been collecting music since I was a kid, I am a lifelong digger and seeker of cool and interesting sounds. I was there in the golden age of Hip Hop, and while I may have been a suburban white kid in Roanoke, Virginia, I was tuned in and I bought so many classic albums when they came out. I was attracted to Hip Hop because of the musical and poetic quality. I was hypnotized by the rhythms, partially because I was a drummer. I didn't brag about collecting my breakbeat records or making beats - it was something I did in isolation. It wasn't something I generally wanted to bring attention to and it didn't really score me any cool points. I certainly wasn't flexing on social media about it."

Hell, he can do that now!

Opener "Pharoah Jones" was inspired by Yesterday's New Quintet and Madlib's ability to capture that classic 70s sound whilst playing all the instruments. Sam created this one stoned afternoon by laying down a 2 bar loop and a shaker loop on his Yamaha SU700 sampler. He hung a microphone from the ceiling and played his Yamaha Stage Custom drum kit over the top before adding ender Rhodes and playing his dad's Selmer tenor sax through an Electro Harmonix Memory Man echo pedal. Yes! Up next, "Ghost Gospel" utilises a dope loop from a gospel record and adds some soul-funk drums overtop, whilst working that filter knob. Says Sam: "The loop reminded me of something Ghostface would rap over. The sample was in 3/4 waltz time but I flipped it for a 4/4 groove, a technique I picked up from RZA. "Ill Feeling" uses sped-up pieces from a dusty old funk record and putting them over a classic NOLA drum loop; gain chopping up a slow, bluesy 3/4 time signature and bending it to a 4/4 groove. Classy shit. "Capital Punishment" features drums tapped in live, inspired by MF Doom's Special Herbs series. "Do Not Adjust" consists loops found on a compilation of 70s French music at Happy's Flea Market, a classic Roanoke digging spot.

The sublime, evocative title track, "Cool Green Trees" was created when Sam was still living at home. He dumped samples off his SU10 into the family desktop and arranged them in a demo version of Pro Tools: "This track was sort of my ode to the DJ Shadow style of sample based production. Super spacey, slow, and moody. The heavily filtered drums were inspired by Alec Empire's 'Low on Ice' album. I later added some scratches and sounds from a Spider Man storybook record." "Chill Scratch" snags the final bit of a bossanova record and pairs it with a drum loop before adding experimental scratching run through an Electro Harmonix Memory Man echo pedal. "Poisonous Fumes" was made using a sampler, mixer and a turntable; a kind of mixtape beat collage with added scratches and sounds from various records. Using dialogue from superhero records was a nod to Madlib. "Welcome Aboard The Starship" is dark, downtempo trip-hop with a spooky bent. Sam paired a slow, hard drum loop with a guitar sample grabbed off a psychedelic rock record. To finish, he added various backwards sounds and weird atmospheric effects and a little scratching. Swoon.

Side B opens with "Keep On Runnin", made on a borrowed Roland SP202 sampler. Having always loved the sound of the Lo-Fi filter on those machines, reminiscent of the Emu SP1200, Sam always imagined Del or another of the Hieroglyphics crew rapping over this beat. You can certainly hear why. "Sounds Impossible" sees Sam experimenting with layering multiple kick samples at different volumes to create patterns similar to those heard by Showbiz and Lord Finesse during their God-level 1995 period. "Painted Faces" was made by chopping up a REDACTED record which he had gotten from Happy's Flea Market and paired it with a REDACTED drum loop. By the time Sam recorded "The Knew Style", he had acquired a shitty old 1960s portable turntable off eBay. It didn't function properly when he bought it but his brother opened it up, cleaned it out and got it working: "I remember he told me that there was a bunch of sand inside of it when he opened it up, as if its previous owner had taken it to the beach. I would take that turntable on my Happy's Flea Market digs so I could preview records...that's how I found this loop."

"Chicken Wing Blues Sauce" loops up a classic blues joint and pairs it with some REDACTED drums. A bit of filtering and arranging et voilà! "Kool Breeze", from 1999, is one of Sam's oldest surviving beats, as is "Sexx Bullets". The Roots sampled the same record, leaving Sam frustrated yet vindicated. "Soul Child" was an early SU10 creation, looping a dusty old Soul Children 45 and pairing it with 70s rock drum loops to great effect. "Take Off Runnin" was another loop found digging with a portable turntable. Paired with some boom bap drums it makes for a hypnotic head-nod groove. "Centurian" was intended to be a little beat interlude a la Pete Rock. The sample is from a sun-dappled soft-psych record and it's paired with a Robin Trower drum loop that just happens to fit perfectly. Sometimes you slap things together kind of haphazardly and magic happens. "Bozack" was the first beat Sam made using Pro Tools, his first foray into using chopped sounds instead of loops, an exciting new world. "Church" is beat interlude using a Phil Upchurch loop with the "Long Red" drums - a favourite break of Dilla et al. Sam was really on a tear in late 2004, probably because he was unemployed and phoneless and able to just make beats all day. He made "Splash One" on a borrowed Yamaha SU700 and again was experimenting with tapping the drums in live with his fingers, instead of using a loop or sequenced pattern. Channeling 9th Wonder, Sam used a water splash sound effect from a Batman record as a percussive element, hence the title (also a 13th Floor Elevators reference). The main loop is a backwards portion of one of his favourite Roy Ayers songs.

"Hank" is another fun little beat interlude thing, created on a borrowed Roland SP202 sampler with the fantastic Lo-Fi effect that resembled the Emu SP1200 at a fraction of the price. "73 goatee", from 99, is another of his oldest surviving beats, created in his bedroom with his Yamaha SU10 and his brother's Vestax MR-300 4-track recorder: "This one will always feel special. I can remember having a feeling all the way back then on the night that I created it that this was a solid beat with a catchy loop. There was something in the Fender Rhodes melody that resonated with me emotionally, and I had never heard a producer sample that portion before. I felt like I had found my own unique sound, my own unique loop. It came from an Ahmad Jamal '73. I actually even recorded myself rapping and scratching over this beat way back then, I still have that version in all its imperfect sloppy glory."

Sam explains just how much these tracks mean to him: "They all have immense historical and sentimental value and I'm proud of them. These beats come from an innocent, simple time when I was just figuring out how to craft these sounds. They're something very personal to me. They are the initial part of a journey that I really was taking *alone*. There was no YouTube. I couldn't Google shit. I didn't even know any other beatmakers, producers or DJs in my town that could teach me anything. It was always just me, alone, in a room with some equipment - chasing the funky symphonies that filled my head and my dreams. What I was doing wasn't cool. Most of my peers thought I was a weirdo and couldn't care less. Creating these sounds was an anti-social endeavour. In a sense, I felt like it was me against the world, and all I had to instruct and assist me were the recordings produced by my heroes - RZA, DJ Premier, Erick Sermon, Beatminerz, Showbiz, Diamond D, Beatnuts, Prince Paul, The Bomb Squad, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, E-Swift, Mista Lawnge, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Peanut Butter Wolf, El-P and so many more...I dedicate this collection to them, and to my older brother Joe who has always been a musical and technical guiding light for me.

This was a time before every kid was a self-described producer and beatmaker, before everyone had a DAW, before Kanye and "chipmunk soul", before Red Bull beat battles, before there was any social media beyond chat rooms and AOL Instant Messenger, before Soundcloud, before SP-404 mania, before lo-fi beats to study to, before Splice, before targeted ads for MIDI chord packs, etc. In 99 when I told people that I had a sampler and made beats I was mostly met with bewildered confusion and indifference. Kids and adults alike would wonder why I got this weird machine for Christmas instead of something worthwhile like a Playstation or a mountain bike or even a guitar for that matter because at least that could be used to make "real music". Back then, sampling was still not widely respected as an art form - it was seen as lazy, talentless and unoriginal at best and outright criminal theft at worst. I had gotten respect for playing drums and guitar and things of that nature but this was a step in the wrong direction in the eyes of many."

The cover photo is a picture of Sam standing on his back porch in the latter part of 1998, just before he got his first sampler. He was 13 years old, in 8th grade. His dad took the picture with his 35mm film camera: "I actually wanted to be pointing my dad's .22 pistol at the camera lens but he wouldn't let me. He gave me an old walking cane to use instead. The Tommy Hilfiger puffer jacket came from the lost and found at William Fleming High School where my mom worked as a secretary. I was thrilled when she brought it home because we never spent money on expensive name brand clothing like that - we were for the most part strictly a sale rack, bargain bin, thrift store, yard sale, flea market kind of family when it came to clothes. My watch is some cheap off-brand fake gold department store watch." Mastering for this vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry.

On its tenth anniversary outing, Sofia Records doesn’t just mark a milestone - it distills its essence in a four track EP. The compilation reunites the original, 25 year strong, pBPM crew and the fresh talent of Impe´rieux.

KiNK delivers a dancefloor juggernaut “Let The Bass Kink” - raw, kinetic and unmistakably his.
KEi counters with “Killing God Theme“ - a deep, hypnotic slow-burner, rich in emotion that evolves with patient intensity. Then we have the debut of Tegav - a new alias from the pBPM forming member Kalin Baychev with “Stomper“ - an edgy melody on top of a percussive backroom swagger. Impe´rieux, ever the outlier, continues his quest for dance music’s future with “Jarka”, a leftfield yet playful groove that breaks convention while rattling the floor.

With a smiling family snapshot, framed in smoke, strobe light and sweat, Sofia shows how to throw the needle where it matters - squarely pointed to the future.

The ASM trio return this year with their most sophisticated and focused work to date: "The Frenzy of Bacchus". An album that combines the vivid imagery and lyrical talent of MCs FP & GT Lovecraft with the richly orchestrated production of beatmaker Rhino, and the participation of The Hot City Horns, Harleighblu (British-born soul singer who has worked with Tru Thoughts & Illa J) and Mattic (long-time collaborator of ASM and the ?FFKILTR crew).

Recently appearing alongside Ibrahim Maalouf on the show “Improbox” (TSF Jazz), or as the opening act for Vulfpeck at Jazz à Vienne 2024, Sampling is Beautiful Trio is made up of: Zajazza on turntables and samplers (produced for Gaël Faye, HomeboySandman...), Yacha Berdah on trumpet and bass (Grand Corps Malade, Ibrahim Maalouf...), Japhet Boristhène on drums (Saïan Supa Crew, Chassol, Shibuuya).

Sampling Is Beautiful is: “A trio, a collective, a vibe, a freedom, ...”
These are the words of the artist Kaynixe in the introduction to this record.
Each “captured” sample is highlighted, cherished, reversed, modified… and finally used as a melodic or rhythmic basis to construct a new piece. With a certain black magic or piracy, this first album is a photograph of the Trio's musical moment, filled with homages to sampled composers, nods to Jazz and film music.
Yacha, Japhet and Zajazza, surrounded by many talented artists, share here this colorful musical picture of samples and each person's journey.

Japanese talent DJ Koco aka Shimokita is a hardcore 45rpm devotee. They are his chosen tools as a beat-juggling DJ who can do logic-defying things with his grooves. He is a regal on Bloom and already dropped serious heat in January with 'World Famous'. This time he is back with a fresh take on 'Made In New York' which is a 1985 classic by renowned Brazilian funk and jazz pianist Tania Maria. He brings his signature hip-hop flair and creativity with his trusted crew, 45trio, and enlists the dynamic saxophonist King TJ (DA-Dee-MiX) to elevate things further.

Demi Riquisimo brings together a motley crew of label favourites and newcomers alike on the ‘Love State’ V/A, the 22nd release on his Semi Delicious imprint.

The EP brings together the talents of Demi himself with Clint, Swoose, Lulah Francs, Dukwa, Anastasia Zem & Asa Tate across six discerning cuts exploring modern club music, rooted in the traditions of what came before.