Search:a link

Strut team up for the first time with respected French label Heavenly Sweetness for the brand new album by the inspired poet, novelist and musician, Anthony Joseph.The Caribbean is an influence that runs through Joseph's discography, obliquely or headon, suggested or on full display. It resonates on each of his albums, from the furious trance of 'Bird Head Son' to the more polished 'Time'. On 'Caribbean Roots', he has now decided to turn a guiding thread and a reference point into a communications cable - a powerful bond that makes light of distance and braves the seas to link his island to that of his friends in the Caribbean arc, dancing to the strains of tumbélé and mendé only a few miles
from Port of Spain where people live it up to rapso and soca beats. Caribbean Roots' represents a return to his roots for Anthony Joseph, who has always remained true to a powerful, deep-seated sense of his Caribbean identity. Having started
out as a joint project with the outstanding percussionist Roger Raspail (Cesaria Evora, Papa Wemba, Kassav), 'Caribbean Roots' swiftly grew into a creative force incorporating
the rhythms, sounds and vibes that rock the Caribbean from San Fernando, Scarborough, Kingston and Les Abymes to Port-au-Prince and Havana. Backed by a band made up
of a blend of local musicians, the album attempts to unite the different islands into a single entity whilst ensuring that the identity of each is in no way diluted by the mix instead creating a richer and stronger alloy. The saxophones of Shabaka Hutchings (The
Heliocentrics) and Jason Yarde, the trumpet of Yvon Guillard (Magma), the bass of Mike Clinton (Salif Keita) and the trombone of Pierre Chabrèle (Creole Jazz Orchestra) all combine to form a group of Caribbean All Stars to which Andy Narrell, the master of the steel pans, brings ringing drum beats. The album features bursts of catchy rhythms and slow percussive riff progressions, as on a film soundtrack, incandescent voodoo funk and rhythmic high-speed frenzies shot through with free-jazz sax. This reunion of the Caribbean diaspora was never meant to come up with a formula divisible into eleven separate tracks - its goal was to explore and discover new sounds. And all of this under Anthony Joseph's guidance, as he spins his lyrical blend of afro-futurism and surrealism, commemorating the Caribbean people's sometimes violent resistance to colonialism. Anthony Joseph, one moment a chronicler reciting his text against a background of simple percussion, the next a storyteller possessed by the power of a hypnotic bassline, then an adventurer chanting among mangroves where the rhythm section and the brass have created an impenetrable thicket. At turns, an MC too, strutting to a fat, throbbing groove in vocal tandem with Sly Johnson or David Rudder to pay tribute to Mighty Sparrow, the undisputed and indisputable king of calypso

Our next release is by a young Brussels based artist that will be a new name to most of you.
Foreign Material has been into music since his youth. After studying percussions at the Conservatory and graduating in history, his interest in dark atmospheres led him to techno music. The spirit of his music is a mix of ancient myths and futuristic visions. Conceptual music, both mystical and cosmic, with a link between past and future. Here's what he had to say about his EP:
"'Omega System' is a journey to deep space and beyond, to the unknown destinations allowed by the mythical and mysterious Omega relay that's been turning around Omega's red sun since ages. But beware, the path that you will follow is dangerous and nobody ever came back. Some say that you will find death. Others that you will find great treasures. But some wise people think you will finally find Truth."
On remix duties are label friends Hiver, also known for their residency at Milan's Dude Club. Whereas the original tracks are more deep and floating, the Hiver remixes will be of high interest to many a dancefloor, you can trust us on that one.
First pressing on marbled vinyl.

DJ FEEDBACK
Early support from
Sven Väth: Nice spacey sounds !
Len Faki: awesome deep down grooves! beyond omega system are great. thX Len
Ame (Kristian): thanks
Marcel Dettmann: thx
Nick Höppner: I'm really into Hiver recently. Remix 2 is beautiful, will play for sure!
Locked Groove: great stuff
Baikal: remixes are nice especially 2
Pablo Bolivar: Serious tracks here, Hiver remix 2 is my pick!
Bruno Dietel (Radio Fritz / BLN.fm): Hiver Remix 1 is my favourite!
Tomaz (22tracks): love both hiver mixes
Deg (Fuse club): Thanks Tom !

The Links EP is Blackhall & Bookless' latest outing for their increasingly renowned Jaunt> Records imprint. A highly personal release, the EP is a homely affair, celebrating the boys' upbringing in Whitley Bay with a gusto that's indicative of the area's unique charm.A A "Links" serves up a dreamy, atmospheric landscape - and one that reflects the location around which the EP is titled. Don Williams' interpretation goes down the rabbit hole further still, teasing the listener thanks to a range of slashing echo chords and clever sub bass techniques. The duo's second original is "Vision", aAdark techno jam that manifests into a stunning tribal hypnodrome.AClosing out the EP is "Cognition", another highly atmospheric track that keeps the listener locked thanks to its many dexterous capabilities. The striking artwork, meanwhile, showcases a black and white image of where the pair would hang out as teenagers. In that essence, the image echoes their production style, with the two sides of the links joining at the bridge and working together in unison.A JR004Ais dedicated in loving memory to Ian Blackhall.A

The next installment on Aus Music sees the return of a relatively new addition to the roster Rob Glassett aka Fold. Throughout previous 12s on Manmakemusic and Electric Minds and on his outstanding 'Netflix & Chill' debut for Aus last year - Fold has laced together dusty House grooves built with a classic approach to sampling Funk, Disco and Soul records. Next up - his 'Lenny's Jam' EP starts up with a dub techno groove built with delayed and panned stabs and sharp, pacy drums. 'Rosie Lea' lays out a rich and sunny groove as a playful sample filters into focus over deftly treated drum kit samples and a buoyant bass line. 'Tracksuits and Tennis Shoes' then follows up with a no-nonsene party jam - a short funk link is set over a booming kick that closes up a nicely varied package".

Due to popular demand; a double A side from the one and only, Marcos Valle. This is the second time he has appeared in this Brazil 45's series LINK'Democustico' is a lush, uptempo MPB constructed from guitars, rolling percussion and soaring woodwind. Taken from his 1972 LP 'Vento Sul' on Odeon Brazil.

'Freio Aerodinâmico' is an uptempo piano driven, bossa/MPB, laden with hooky vocals, strings and horns, underpinned with a funk drum groove. Aeroplane sound effects thrown in for good measure! Taken from his 1970 self-titled LP on Odeon Brazil.

I started this album simply writing a script, I think it is important that an album has a continuity that gives the album a cinematic sense, basically this must to tell you a story. For this time I chose the topic of: the development of human evolution in the future.'
I find it interesting to experiment with the sound and textures of the classical music, but not with the idea of how to adapt a techno track with classical instruments, I prefer to writing scores from scratch for each of the instruments and adapting synthesizers as part of that orchestra. I think that all this brings us an epic ingredient, that from the beginning I think it was the link between classical and techno music.
Besides the classical music, I have been experimented with different kinds of recording and synthesis, also I created almost all the sounds from zero. I have included different fx sounds, developed it with techniques as morphing and overlapping layers of sound, all to setup the tracks with a complex and rich textures, but with care about do not obtain something pasty.
I worked a lot with the space' in the tracks, trying to place each sound in a particular three-dimensional situation with clean reverbs, also the feeling of tension' is highly significant in this work, but ultimately the most important thing has been to build on a script written -as I said before- so that the narrative is a fundamental part of the album.

When commissioning remixes, the best labels think outside the box. That's exactly what Firecracker's Lindsay Todd did when seeking out producers to rework tracks from Linkwood's excellent Expressions album. On this second 12" in an ongoing series, that faith has paid dividends. Whereas the original version of "Ignorance Is Bliss" was a warm, woozy, sun-kissed deep house affair, Healing Force Project has reinvented it as a stargazing chunk of 21st century space jazz, complete with twinkling chords, low-slung double bass and reverb-laden drum solos. The Musephased interpretation of "Love Lost" by Kimochi label head Area sticks closer to the ultra-deep, melancholic vibe of Linkwood's original, but adds a frisson of excitement via bubbling, Detroit-influenced electronics and hypnotic rhythms.

Finale Sessions is really pleased to launch new series Finale Sessions Limited with Berlin up and coming act Arcarsenal. Duo comprised of Alan Mathias and Etienne Dauta, both founders of Bass Cadet Records and its dedicated vinyl store located in the heart of the german capital, they are also active members of the large Underground Quality family. Arcarsenal have already started to establish themselves as proponent of a crossover sound, mixing many influences from jazz, house, ambient to dub and techno. They are always giving a prominence to jam, improvisation and textures work in their studio routine. This EP called « Dark Skies & Wetlands », even if slightly grittier than usual, is no stranger to the rules of the duo. The opening track « Different Planet » is an epic dark deep house cut which develops itself over a course of 8:40. Starting with a stamping ground bassline and hazy atmosphere, the track opens up with synth attacks, dub echoes and slowly brings in a blissful melody that ends up linking all the elements. « Substance Of Arjuna », the following track on the A-side, is a-contrario a short but intense ambient work. Shot in one take, this subtle cut showcases the kind experimentations that Mathias and Dauta can end up doing late at night in front of their machines. The b-side of the EP leaves all the space to « Racoons », one of the weirdest and yet most powerful work of the duo to date. Tribal techno could be a short try to define what they achieved here, but the track goes far more than this. Built on a gritty mental acidic bass and a huge drum kick, the frenchmen bring over aggressive synth work that could sound like an orchestra on rehearsal, pachydermic screams or an overdriven guitar larsen. Underlined by a complex percussion pattern recorded live in their nest and chopped up to the best effect, the track ends up in a looping transe from which the listener might not leave in a normal state.

The second release on Modern Cathedrals includes an original mix by Altstadt Echo supplemented with remixes crafted by Donor, Luigi Tozzi, and Asop. The inclusion of Donor's remix represents a continued effort to link together the Detroit and Brooklyn scenes, while the Luigi Tozzi remix connects Modern Cathedrals to the ghastly, dark styles of techno that Italian artists have become so respected for. As a core member of the Modern Cathedrals team and a primary force behind the label's event series, Asop's remix is the very first public release of work by this incredible new Detroit-based artist.

But while the artist names change from record to record, the philosophy does not. We continue in a desperate attempt to generate meaning during the short spasm of a lifetime we are given in a world that seems to conspire to prevent this effort's realization. This situation might be inescapable, but through the rejection of complacency and dogma, we can approach our end with the bitter comfort that we were at least willing to be honest about our situation.

Requiem for a dreamstate. It's possibly somewhere between heaven, hell and high water, down the Thames Delta towards Eden. It may involve techno and a distorted state or simply mates sat listening to music together, drifting on the open sea of their minds. This is Jon Hopkins' world, not so much joining the dots as colouring the whole damn picture in.

After releasing his debut album 'Opalescent' at the rookie age of 21 in 1999, he's gone on to work with Brian Eno and David Holmes, produced King Creosote and via Eno, worked on three Coldplay albums. He released the breakthrough album 'Immunity' in 2013, which was nominated for the Mercury Prize.

The story arc with which Hopkins succeeded on 'Immunity' makes its appearance on Late Night Tales too with a perfectly sculpted excursion on this widescreen mix. . Opening with the unreleased 'Sleepers Beat Theme' by composer Ben Lukas Boysen, ghostly pianos skip elegantly hither and thither, among rising strings, as on Darkstar's 'Hold Me Down'. Nils Frahm is here, his sonic palette perfect for the job, while labelmate A Winged Victory For The Sullen contribute 'Requiem For The Static King Part I'. Sigur Ros offshoot Jónsi & Alex's heroic 'Daniell In The Sea' sends us forth towards the Baltic with tears streaming.

Beats occasionally appear, as on the Grace Jones-sampling 'Yr Love' by Holy Other or the pair of Black Country acts Bibio and Letherette, whose 'After Dawn' is almost spry in comparison to the minor key symphonies on display here. The perfect contrast to this comes from Alela Diane's wistful 'Lady Divine' or even Four Tet's mesmerising 'Gillie Amma I Love You', with its enchanting kids' choir. Exclusive to this release, Jon Hopkins provides a startlingly vulnerable new piano version of Yeasayer's 'I Remember'.

Poet and fellow Brian Eno collaborator (their joint album 'Drums Between The Bells' was released by Warp in 2011) Rick Holland narrates the exclusive spoken word closer 'I Remember', underpinned with additional sound design by Hopkins.

"Putting this album together was a unique opportunity for me to present music that I have been listening to for years, free from the constraints of a club setting or from trying to stick to one genre. I chose tracks not just because they have been important to me but because of how they sit together, putting as much thought into the transitions and overall narrative as I did into the track choices. I mixed by key and by texture more than anything else, using original sound design, pivot notes, and often recording new synth or piano parts to link things together in a way that flows as naturally as possible." - Jon Hopkins, December 2014

PAULINE MURRAY , LEGENDARY VOCALIST OF MUCH LOVED PUNK BAND PENETRATION.
GUEST MUSICIANS JOHN MAHER (BUZZCOCKS) and VINI REILLY (DURUTTI COLUMN).
PRODUCED BY THE GOD-LIKE MARTIN HANNETT.
ARTWORK BY PETER SAVILLE AND TREVOR KEY
LINER NOTES BY JON SAVAGE
The double vinyl edition also includes a bonus CD featuring instrumental versions of all the album tracks (a must for students of Hannett's unique production sound), along with alternate takes of key singles.
Les Disques du Crepuscule presents a deluxe remastered edition of Pauline Murray and the Invisible Girls, the debut album by post/punk icon Pauline Murray, produced by revered sonic architect Martin 'Zero' Hannett.
Recorded at the famous Strawberry Studios in July 1980, the album offered epic electronic pop written by Pauline and partner Robert Blamire and marked a radical departure from their shared past in pioneering punk band Penetration. 'This is sophistication,' enthused Paul Morley in NME. 'Lovely songs of anxiety, malaise and self-doubt.' According to Melody Maker the album was 'unquestionably a musical highpoint of this year or any other.'
As well producer/arrangers Martin Hannett and Steve Hopkins (aka the Invisible Girls), the album features a stellar cast of guest musicians including John Maher (Buzzcocks) and Vini Reilly (Durutti Column). Indeed Pauline Murray and the Invisible Girls presents almost a Factory record, exquisitely sleeved by Peter Saville and Trevor Key. Stand-out tracks include the popular singles Dream Sequence and Mr X, with the newly remastered Hannett tracks now augmented on CD by a wealth of bonus material including non-album singles, live recordings (from tours in 1980 and 1981) and a John Peel session (1980). The liner note is by Jon Savage.
'It's a bit of a missing link album,' says Pauline today. 'Written and recorded after punk, but before Martin Rushent and the Human League made airy pop respectable again. We chose the other Martin in 1980 because we wanted the incredible sounds he achieved for Joy Division and Magazine. Thundertunes, basically.'

The Tenses is a duo comprised of Ju Suk Reet Meate and Jackie Oblivia, two veterans of the weirdo art collective that is known as the Los Angeles Free Music Society. They also form the core of legendary experimental juggernaut Smegma.

The LAFMS have been a singular force in DIY culture ever since the early seventies and encapsuled an endless string of projects and bands that married a sort of proto-punk with trashy guitars, avant-garde music, tape manipulations, free jazz, improv and absurd vocalizations into a hyper original and singular form of music. They're seen by many as the originators of noise music, and have been an immense influence on bands like Sun City Girls, Merzbow, Wolf Eyes, No Neck Blues Band, etc...

The Tenses is one of the latest vessels for Ju Suk and Jackie to explore the outer realms of sound and space. Compared to the mothership that is Smegma, it is a more compact and intimate project where turntables, tape collages, distorted surf guitar and coronet are used to create elaborate, haunted atmospheres.

After releases on Harbinger Sound and their own Pigface Records, The Tenses now add another chapter to their history with 'Howard', their new LP on Belgian imprint audioMER. 'Howard' is a mind expanding tour de force that scrambles spoken word deconstructions and spontaneous freak outs into a musical non-sequitur; a strange and disorienting trip.

Loops of voices from long lost instruction movies, shortwave radio dramas that get overrun with sirens, various non-instrumental sounds, and an bewildering stretch of Link Wray-like guitar riffs; 'Howard' is a record that oozes paranoia, the perfect soundtrack for making explosives in your basement.

Comes in a limited edition of 300 copies with artwork by Wouter Vandevoorde and design by Wouter Vanhaelemeesch and Jeroen Wille.

TERRANOVA returns to the fore with the HEADACHE EP, another impressive assortment of floor-ready house weaponry - after the sublime sophistication of the PAINKILLER EP (KOMPAKT 262) and its accompanying remixes (FM X/PAIN 001), the new material shoves the pendulum back into more rugged club territory, showcasing the sort of sonic urgency and rawness the legendary project has become known for in the first place.

As missing links between the dystopian pop of TERRANOVA's turn-of-the-century work and the slick kinetic drama of their current incarnation on Kompakt, the three cuts of the HEADACHE EP congenially continue the multi-layered, nifty thrust of 2012's house nouveau epic HOTEL AMOUR (KOMPAKT 248 CD 95), but also manage to evoke the wonderstruck immediacy of an act burning through its first speakers. This becomes particularly manifest with the deployment of CATH COFFEY as vocalist for title track HEADACHE (also a primer for TERRANOVA's upcoming full-length). A member of iconic British rap outfit Stereo MCs in the early 90s and collaborator of Tricky, the singer was featured on TERRANOVA's initial outings and is a well-established presence in their early work. On the new 12", she reintroduces her unique brand of battle-hardened, deadpan soulfulness to the searing funk of the reinvigorated project.

HEADACHE, a cover of a song from Birmingham's iconic and controversial postpunk outfit The Au Pairs, as well as its instrumental sequel HEADLOCK are both fuelled by the propulsive beats and upscale hooks we've grown to expect from TERRANOVA, but there seems to be something else at work, too - a somewhat darker undercurrent that may or may not be part of the actual arrangement. In any case, this adds much-needed depth to today's dance floors, providing them with a riveting soundtrack for the most intense of prime times. There's no need for EP closer TOURETTE to hide behind its compatriots, either: it's a full-blown thrill ride in its own right, brimming with jittery sampling, arresting percussion and some pretty rad bassline abrasiveness thrown in for good measure. A well-placed shot at the dancer's solar plexus, this wraps up the HEADACHE EP nicely, giving players and punters another perfectly valid reason for post-apocalyptic celebration.

'Last summer I moved from Chicago to London, and this EP followed me through the madness!' Kate Simko tells us about how her sensual Get Physical debut, 'Lost In London EP' came to be. 'I started the songs in Chicago last spring, and was feeling full of ideas and urgency to get them recorded. I guess I was thinking that somehow things might be forgotten after all of the hustle of moving...' Kate has seen her previous releases span catalogues from Leftroom to Scissor & Thread. She has a solid following of vinyl loving fans - nearly all of her releases selling out in short notice. We expect 'Lost In London' to be no different. 'Then it was time to ship my studio by boat to the UK. It took about 6-8 weeks to arrive, and in that time I did a lot of exploring (aka getting lost) in the city of London.' By the time the studio arrived, I'd absorbed the sounds of the city and I think they came through in the music, especially in 'Lost In London'.' ''Closer feat. Jem Cooke' is the follow up song with Jem Cooke after our collaboration from last year, 'Go On Then' (Leftroom). We recorded the vocals at Royal College of Music; I think the musical vibe of the place put her at ease that day. She's an amazing person and her voice is incredible. So happy to have linked up with her.' Kate's groove and rhythm heavy sound shines throughout the release - from the chords of 'Closer feat. Jem Cooke' to the bass pump of 'Out Of Order'. We're super happy to have her on board, and looking forward to hearing more from her in the near future!

New Chico Mann remix single ahead of his forthcoming full length album 'Magical Thinking' !
Featuring the sultry vocals of New York based Kendra Morris, the slinky and catchy album version of 'Same Old Clown' is joined here by deeper re-workings from USA DJ and re-edit king Kon (Kon & Amir, Nitetime), who provides both a vocal and dub remix as well as UK producer Linkwood, known in underground circles for his groundbreaking mix of future-boogie, house and detroit techno on Scotland's excellent Firecracker Recordings imprint.
Guitarist with the band Antibalas, multi instrumentalist and guitarist, Chico Mann (AKA Marcos Garcia) has in the past worked with the likes of TV On The Radio, The Roots and Dam Funk as well as remixing Little Dragon and Alice Russell amongst others.

Tablon is a new France based independent record label. Supporting artists with a characteristic style, tablon releases music by passion, developing its own vision of today's and tomorrow's dance music.
After a first EP by Arnaud linked in a certain way to Greece, tablon 002 will come from Istanbul. Far from us the idea to make a worldwide music label or refer to any old war between two countries. It just happened like that. Sarp makes amazing music and we are proud to present his new EP. It is called "I care because you don't", the artwork is made by Nefelie and the mastering by Mathieu Berthet in Paris. As we care a lot about the vinyl thing, our releases appear first on 12" and then in digital.
"Hi, I am Sarp Yilmaz. No, not your household name, not the next megaDj, not the chart topper, just a guy with some machines and a passion in his heart, who is supported by some other guy who runs this young, fresh label, who is mad enough to release music that is not bassline obsessed, not fitting any of the genre slots of your favorite online store, that is as much hip hop and jazz as it's house. No, this will not destroy your dancefloor, nor will it make you dance like there's tomorrow, it's moody, sometimes even depressive, but I made it with a smile on my face. It's trippy, it's glitchy and it's slow. Music, I make to cure the sicknesses of my heart. Hope it puts a smile on your face too. I care because you don't".
Sarp Yilmaz - I care because you don't EP

UK stalwarts Jamie Anderson and Owain K team up again for another sumptuous slice of contemporary house music on Steve Bug's Dessous Recordings. Jamie Anderson has been exploring and manipulating the links between house and techno for over 15 years, having released on numerous influential labels, both solo and as a collaborator with other top artists. But it's his work with Bristolborn hot-property Owain K that is currently exciting discerning dancefloors worldwide. 'Do You Know', their latest collaboration, sees Jamie and Owain drop some serious sunshine grooves - shuffling hi-hats and a classic, Chitown synth let you know that this is all about the good times. The spoken word vocal pays homage to forgotten jazz legends - the uplifting vibe sure to put a smile on the faces of dancers all summer long. Jamie and Owain switch it up on the other main track in this release. 'Keep It Pumping' drops the tempo to 118bpm and digs its toes into the sand for a balearic-tinged nu-disco stomper. Disco toms fire, the sub bass rumbles, and spacey synths and vocal samples wash over this expertly crafted sunrise/ sunset groove. A dub of 'Do You Know' rounds off the release from this hugely talented combo.

Following on from the irresistible debut of Die Vögel's Blaue Moschee, DJ Koze and Marcus Fink continue on in their quest to push the envelope and fill the dancefloor with Pampa Records' second release.