Buscar:ad

To celebrate 40 years since the release of their first ever recording, Soft Cell are set to re-issue their seminal debut EP Mutant Moments.

Originally released as limited run of 2000 7” EPs in October 1980 on the band’s own Big Frock imprint, the release sold out immediately. Apartfrom various unofficial bootlegs, this much-revered and influential slice of electronica has been unavailable on vinyl for nearly four decades.

Soft Cell, aka Marc Almond and Dave Ball, went on to release their debut single proper, Memorabilia, cited as one of the most influential club records ever. This was followed by the multimillion-selling single Tainted Love, which topped the charts in 17 countries worldwide in 1981. The band have released four critically-acclaimed albums, including the genre-defining Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret. After a 17-year hiatus, Soft Cell returned in 2018 for a sold out show at London’s O2 Arena, and are currently working on new material.

This new edition of Mutant Moments is pressed on deluxe 10” clear vinyl to upgrade the sound quality from the original 7”. In addition, the four tracks have been remastered especially for vinyl using the most cutting-edge digital technology available.

Soft Cell’s Dave Ball has personally supervised the remastering process, and comments: ‘A vintage slice of lo-fi Polytechnic synthpop, lovingly remastered for you’.

It's auspicious that Sonic Boom-the solo project and nom-de-producer of Peter Kember (Spectrum, Spacemen 3)-returns in 2020 with its first new LP in three decades. Kember's drawn to the year's numerological potency, and this intentionality shines into every corner of All Things Being Equal. It's a meditative, mathematical record concerned with the interconnectedness of memory, space, consumerism, consciousness-everything. Through regenerative stories told backwards and forwards, Kember explores dichotomies zen and fearsome, reverential of his analog toolkit and protective of the plants and trees that support our lives. Sonic Boom's second album and first for Carpark began in 2015 as electronic jams. The original sketches of electronic patterns, sequenced out of modular synths, were so appealing that Stereolab's Tim Gane encouraged Kember to release them instrumentally. "I nearly did," confesses Kember, "but the vibe in them was so strong that I couldn't resist trying to ice the cake." Three years later, a move to Portugal saw him dusting off the backing tracks, adding vocals inspired by Sam Cooke, The Sandpipers, and the Everly Brothers (which he admits "don't go far from the turntable pile"), as well as speculative, ominous spoken word segments. His new home Sintra's parks and gardens provided a different visual context for Kember's thoughtful observations, and he thematically incorporated sunshine and nature as well as global protests into the ten resulting tracks. "Music made in sterility sounds sterile," he says, "And that is my idea of hell."

Salt Lake Citys Indie-Pop-Lieblinge Choir Boy melden sich nach vier Jahren mit der Veröffentlichung ihres neuen Albums "Gathering Swans" zurück. Mit der emotionalen, kraftvollen und von Pop-Nostalgie durchfluteten Platte, treiben Choir Boy ihren unverwechselbaren Sound auf eine neue Ebene. "Gathering Swans" steckt voller mitreißendem Herzschmerz und zeigt die Band von einer zärtlichen, romantischen Seite. Choir Boy startete als das Projekt von Sänger Adam Klopp, mit ständig rotierenden Bandmitgliedern. Inzwischen haben Choir Boy eine feste Besetzung bestehend aus Klopps langjährigem Wegbegleiter und Bassisten Chaz Costello, dem Saxophonisten und Keyboarder Jeff Kleinman und dem Gitarristen Michael Paulsen. 2016 veröffentlichten Choir Boy ihr, von der Kritik gefeiertes, Debütalbum "Passive With Desire", auf welches 2018 die Single "Sunday Light" folgte. Nach einer Reihe von Tourneen mit Acts wie Cold Cave, Snail Mail und Ceremony begannen Choir Boy mit dem Schreiben ihres neuen Albums. "Gathering Swans" erweist sich als ein würdiger Nachfolger und baut auf Choir Boys mitreißendem Sound mit poppiger Sensibilität auf. Das Album überzeugt mit seinem berührenden "Choral-Pop"-Klang, der zu einem Markenzeichen von Choir Boy geworden ist. "Gathering Swans" ist kreativ, authentisch, leidenschaftlich und schrill. Hinter dem melancholischen, tief emotionalen Grundton von "Gathering Swans" zeigt sich eine helle und hoffnungsvolles Aussicht.

Legendary Detroit Techno collective, Scan 7's 'Burdens Down' release from 2017 was a true testament to their brilliant ability to merge the soulful house textures with the analogue mechanics. The addition of Maurice Jackson's outstanding vocal stylings topped off the original with a perfect human element. Following the global success of the original version, Elypsia Records has enlisted some of the scene's top tastemakers to deliver a remix package worthy of the original, featuring that same calculated combination of soul and steel.

Leaders of the Parisian underground, DJ Deep & Roman Poncet, provide the first remix which is all about building incredible tension. A tightly squeezed kick drum, short synth chops and cleverly placed vocal samples drive the groove. As the track grows, additional hats and synths arrive, leading up to a quick break before all the floor-rocking energy bursts free. Big!

Dutch Techno legend Orlando Voorn steps up next for his first of two remixes, this one leaning towards a very House-centric shuffle with warm, friendly key stabs and the full use of Maurice's vocals. A truly joyful work of dance music magic here, with a relentless rhythmic drive keeping the party happening at full force.

Underground Resistance's very own Mark Flash takes the remix responsibilities for the B1 with his gorgeous synth-saturated rework of the original. An energetic and stomping kick drum powers perfectly alongside future-facing melodies which shine brightly on top of the tune. This one is guaranteed to serve as an earworm for days after the party has ended.

Rounding out the EP is the 2nd remix from Orlando Voorn, this time peering into the underground with a stripped back jackin' track utilizing a looped key melody on top of carefully placed vocal samples and claps. Some unexpected synths appear at the second half of the tune, putting a bit of new-age funk into the party stomper.

Adamant Scream back on PRSPCT XTRM with her 2nd Vinyl EP.

We would like to write an amazing funny as fuck promo text again but were simply not in the mood. This whole Corona thing is one massive mood killer isn't it? Like the ultimate No Fun Virus! At least most people with HIV for instance had a ton of fun while contracting the disease. With Corona however there is no fun part anywhere from start till finish which makes it way worse + putting on one massive condom still won't allow you to go out raving. Shit is fucked pff...

Ok, well, on to the promo text we go:

Adamant Scream's brand new 4-tracker contains everything great about Industrial Hardcore. Proving once again that there actually is a movement working hard to "make hardcore great again".
Malin Kolbrink is one talented producer and this EP proves that. Sure she might be a woman but here at PRSPCT we don't give a fuck about what your downstairs mix-up situation is. All we care about is how banging your tracks are and damn these 4 tracks are BANGING!

75% solo tracks + 25% collab with Thrasher = 1000% awesome.

This Breaks My Fucking Heart EP is one of those records you need to own on black gold, so buy this fucker while you're still alive & kicking and not stuck to some breathing machine!

2x12"

It’s taken Yotam Avni a little while to get to his debut album; almost a decade, really, since his debut 12”, “That’s What The World Needs”, on California’s Seasons Limited imprint. During that time, the Tel-Aviv based producer has refined his productions, tightening the groove and paring everything back to bare essentials; the power in an Avni cut is its combination of piston-pulse propulsion and a deep, but gently applied, musicality. This combination gives his techno productions added heft on the dance floor, but also a lyrical sensibility that places him squarely in a tradition of techno legends who somehow manage to make the four-to-the-floor a space of poetic intensity, of rigorous joy.

Avni’s been on Kompakt’s radar for a while, first appearing on the label last year, with his Speicher contribution, “Mañana Mañana”. (“Track For Agoria”, from that EP, also appeared on Total 19.) The connection immediately made sense – dance music that managed to feel both lush and streamlined across the same great gasp of late-night energy. But with Yotam Avni Was Here, he’s taken a huge leap. After a brief intro, Avni sets his stall with “Beyond The Dance”, which features slow-moving vocal melisma over sculptural, melting tonalities, a tintinnabulating, harpsichord-like two-note phrase pacing out the track. Then “It Was What It Was” comes into view, its strip-light textures suddenly placed into sharp relief by a muted trumpet figure that hangs in the air, melancholy and pensive.

It’s no surprise, at this point, to discover that Avni’s inspirations for Was Here took in the histories of both techno and jazz. “I wanted to try something more around Detroit Techno meets ECM,” he reflects, when explaining the motivating forces behind the album. “Carl Craig’s Just Another Day EP and Kenny Larkin’s Keys, Strings, Tambourines came out during my high school years and had huge impact on me.” Avni’s also appeared on Transmat compilations, and remixed artists like the Midwest’s Titonton Duvanté, and Orlando Voorn – the latter particularly important for the way he connected the Detroit and Amsterdam techno scenes – his career path is marked by ongoing connections, direct and indirect, to Detroit’s storied history.

“I always wanted to go back to those hi-tek soul roots on a full album,” he continues, and he’s definitely exploring that terrain here, with the sky-strafing brass on “Free Darius Now”, morse-code keys on “Vortex” and glitchy, microhouse tickles of “Know Hope” all contributing to an oblique narrative that seems to arc across Was Here – one fleshed out by guest musicians, who include dop and Gerog Levin on vocals, and trumpets by Greg Paulus (of Beirut and No Regular Play). The cover art makes the jazz connection explicit, riffing on the text-based, minimal design of The Modern Jazz Quartet’s 1955 album for Prestige, Concorde. But the way Avni has gathered around him both inspiring musicians and intriguing reference points makes me think of his broader career as well, the collectivism behind his AVADON nights in Tel-Aviv, his many and wide-ranging releases on labels like Innervisions, Hotflush and Stroboscopic Artefacts, and the openness of his productions, which seem to be all about the multiple, the possibilities of cross-pollination, of fusing this with that, of adding and subtracting, all under the pulsating thumbprint of techno.

Good things, after all, are worth waiting for.

Hailing from the Voodoo backwoods of Benin, Oladele Franck Komolou, founded the band Frankosun And The Family in Helsinki 2013. Since then, the band has conquered peoples hearts with their amazing music, shows and energy. Heavily influenced by the rhythms and history of the Nago.

The word “Nago” derives from the word “Anago”, a term Fon-speaking people use to describe Nago – Yoruba speaking people residing in Benin. The Nago–Yoruba community is characterized by the masked dance called Guèlèdè – a special dance rich in songs, music, epic and lyrical poems under the rhythms, and sounds of tam-tams.

The band excellently combines 70’s and 80’s style beninese and nigerian afrobeat with afrofunk and afrorock. The awaited- debut album “Frankosun And The Family” will be released in Spring 2020 in Vinyl- and Digital Formats!

Ground Tactics returns to Midgar Sands for his second release on the IDM/Leftfield focused side catalogue of Midgar Records. Over the past five years, Midgar has developed its sound through inventive records by the likes of Wata Igarashi, Forest Drive West, Susumu Yokota, and Retina.it, among others. Having developed from a music producer into a sound alchemist and tuning fork practitioner, Ground Tactics (aka Colin Tobelem) is moving beyond sound, Ground Tactic’s treatments inspire the addition of symbolic values in life – devoted to the purpose of seeking deeper meaning and knowledge of one’s self, to serve in the process of humanity’s transcendence. In a world uniting for self-reflection as a necessary step to spark our precious virtues into Light, Reality Implant symbolizes the start of a techno-prophecy: introducing the coming of a new era in which multiple realities and timelines merge together.

As Ociya, hardware freaks Tin Man (Johannes Auvinen) and Patricia (Max Ravitz), come together in unholy acid matrimony on a definitive double-album, Powers Of Ten.

We know both sides well. Over a prolific run of records for Acid Test and his own Global A, Auvinen has expounded upon the promise of "Nonneo" (recently named one of Resident Advisor's 2010-19: Tracks Of The Decade), unearthing new, emotional vistas from the Roland TB-303. Ravitz, meanwhile, matches Tin Man in studio ethic, establishing himself as one of North America's hardware masters on records for Ghostly and Opal Tapes.

What we couldn't have predicted is how well the parts merge. Cuts like "Ghost Moons" channel the hazy IDM legacies of the past, while "Hopeful Galaxy" mixes a plaintive Rhodes motif with a hopeful 303 line for the perfect "tears on the dance floor" cut. The track titles on Power Of Ten— a perfect melodic techno LP generously spread across two records—are celestially minded ("Gravity Knots," "Star Scraping") and indeed, the cosmic metaphor is apt or the newly-formed duo. On Powers Of Ten, Tin Man's acid lines rocket through space like brilliant, shooting stars. His signature orchestral acid moments are given the perfect backdrop, the nebula of Patricia's rich atmospherics and melodies.

The album was recorded live to 2 track in Patricia’s studio in New York, no edits.

Volker.live ’s debut and final release
“My Love Will Set You Free” Final release? We see the question mark popping up over your head. Well yes, these four tracks are a time capsule, a historic cache which takes you back to one hot summer of 2019. When this care-free boy band formed and made it their goal to climb up the world’s stages to play an all-hardware live set & have f.u.n. while doing so. This endeavor went swimmingly. Festival gigs were pocketed and crowds intrigued. The stand-out track of their gigs was always “My Love Will Set You Free”, an acid-house stomper with uplifting, yet melancholic vocals from their friend ÆN.
Friends and neighbors were quick to re-interpret the song and the idea of a record took shape.
Lehult’s Lucky Charmz propels the listener into the void by upping the acidity. Closing in on a playtime of 10 minutes, we’re readily giving up our sense for time and space. Whirring drum hits meet feedbacking tape delay while riding the rock solid bass line.
Erobique liked the song so much, he quickly drew up two versions of his own. His “Disko Mix” oozes that saccharine, danceable magic mélange of days past. Warm keys, hand claps, and Aen’s intimate voice are stirred into an exquisite cocktail. You know that Carsten Meyer would never forget the umbrella on top. He’ll keep the cherry though.
The “Black Velvet Mix” closes the curtains for a slow dance. This is personal, it’s just between you and the song. Sub rosa.
In the meantime, Volker.live decided to follow separate paths of their adventure, but everyone agreed to release these songs into the world. May they serve as a reminder of what can be created out of care-free energy that’s driven by a deep connection to music. Please check out their other musical undertakings as Echoel and Goodmemory.live .

Tyyni is the third album by Finnish-born sound artist and musician Cucina Povera aka Maria Rossi. The second album recorded using a more studio-based scenario – as opposed to last year’s Zoom, a collection of in-situ, spontaneous recordings – Tyyni feels like a slowly unfurling mediation on the clash between nature and mechanical living, a rumination on the complexities of modern life that begin to unveil more about the inner landscape of the artist as it progresses. A Finnish word referring to still, serene weather, the title belies a new note of turmoil in Cucina Povera’s soundworld. Tyyni represents a more detailed focus on the sculpting of sounds that curl around Rossi’s hymnal vocal performances. It’s a more adventurous work than Rossi’s previous output that goes further into noise elements and vocal abstraction while maintaining the balance and ecclesiastical ecstasy of her debut Hilja.

While tension at the core of Cucina Povera is always prevalent, previously it was organic sounds that were used to counterpoint Rossi’s singing but on Tyyni these are often replaced with aggressive synths and distortion, profane clashes with the seemingly sacred hymns. Whether close mic’d and intoning in a loop or in full flight, Maria Rossi’s voice remains in the foreground, set here against a more synthetic backdrop. This development builds new worlds for Cucina Povera, a digital environment which brings in a sense of the alien for Rossi’s vocal to duel. The effect is often dazzling. On Salvia Salvatrix, an ode to the medicinal plant used to ward off evil spirits, Rossi’s invocation is encircled by a distorted synth sound tearing at the fabric of the composition. It’s an inspired juxtaposition, leaving the listener to appreciate both sounds as separate and as a duet. Anarkian kuvajainen embraces a sense of chaos, an accidental transmitting mobile phone’s pulse is swept up gently with looped synth swells as Rossi’s prayer-like vocal rhythmically teases the composition into loops that embrace and then drift apart. Teerenpeli flirts with a minimal beat rendered by sampler and processed, layered field recordings of capercaillies, while Side A ends with one of Rossi’s most beautiful, simple tracks yet recorded. Varjokuvatanssi is an a cappela recording built on top of a wordless glossolalia, a shadowy interplay which foregrounds the solo vocal.

Pölytön nurkka is the most melodic song yet recorded by Cucina Povera. While it still maintains an off-the-cuff performance style, the synthesized chimes and 4/4 beat are smothered by a distorted synthesizer which almost replicates the bravado of an electric guitar feedbacking into the night. Rossi’s subject matter talks of trying to start anew, getting rid of extraneous material, perhaps still feeling powerless to affect positive change. On Haaksirikkoutunut, the protagonist vocal is lost, a vessel rudderless on the ocean, buffeted by waves metaphorical or real, digital, atonal chords gurgling and splashing against the bow, a storm forever brewing on the horizon. Saniaiset recalls Coil in its eldritch, nocturnal tone and digital-bell like synth, Rossi’s half-spoken/half-sung voice attaining a creepy tone before flipping into flight. Album closer Jolkottelureitti uses an escalating, sequenced synth that splinters into both abrasive tones and harmonising chords creating a kosmische effect, reminding the listener of Kluster or synth-era Popol Vuh, all the while elevated by Rossi’s searching vocalising.

For an artist with such a singularly unique musical language, Cucina Povera is continually teasing new strands and emotive tones from an evolving palette. Most importantly, Tyyni appears to be pulling back the veil to uncover an artist finding a synergy between her own emotional inner world and practice. As such, on her third album, Maria Rossi has found a third way between abstraction and extraneous emotion, personal experience turned inside out to reveal more about the listener.

hree years on from their debut collaborative album “Passive Aggressive“, Jonny Nash and Suzanne Kraft return with "Knife", the lead single from their forthcoming album, “A Heart So White”.

The single comes with an exclusive bonus digital track, "Processing The Negative", which will not appear on the full album.

“A Heart So White” represents a continuation of the working philosophy adopted during the recording of their debut; immersion in an unfamiliar recording environment with a limited set of tools and the goal of exploring the possibilities that lie within these limitations.

The album was written and recorded in the Willem Twee Concertzaal, a converted synagogue in Den Bosch, Holland. Whilst “Passive Agressive” explored virtual instruments and environments, “A Heart So White” shifts the focus to acoustic instrumentation, breath, air and physical space. Using the hall’s mechanical drawer organ and Steinway piano, the pair craft a delicately balanced suite of compositions, stripping things back to reveal the bare essence of their shared musical language.

Time Lapse is out May 8th on 180 gram transparent forest green vinyl and compact disc.

A must for fans of artists such as GAS, Explosions in the Sky, or Bioshpere's earlier deep works.

Time Lapse is the 7th proper album from Bradford UK based worriedaboutsatan and third since the project has returned into a solo effort by Gavin Miller. Time Lapse is also the project's first album for North American emotional electronics stable n5MD.

For well over a decade, worriedaboutsatan has effortlessly nurtured a muzzled amalgamation of ambient, techno, and post-rock. The project is a go-to for its adaptation of dark, slow-churning, humanistic techno. Labyrinthine guitars, swelling 303s, and deep pulsing 808s all are utilized in the satan arsenal to realize some of the murkiest forward-moving soundscapes of the last decade. Time Lapse is quintessential worriedaboutsatan, filled with sprawling slow-burn arrangements bathed in velvety reverb tails.

New SheweyTrax 12"!! Introducing SoCal artist withNme. A-side features three lyric jams full of lush indie-pop, catchy vocals, and electronix. Opener "Early Girl", a young women's struggle to make it and doing what she needs to do for a better future. Feature track "Window Sill" is your favorite cat chasin' birds without a care or just letting the wind in the sail take you away. "Skywalker" closes out sideA as a sneak peak track from the forthcoming withNme album. "Window Sill" is additionally featured on Side B, with club vibes by developing producer Delicate Instruments. Two solid deep house selections: "DELINSTR Chasin' Remix" and bonus instr mix. Vibe record leading into summer 2020!

Repress

Leading lights of the neo ambient rhizome alongside Huerco S’ West Mineral label, Experiences Ltd has already amassed a cult following after just one release - ULLA’s ‘Tumbling Towards A Wall’, now returning to relay a sublime, probing debut of crackling, cross-continental communications from mdo, Ultrafog, and Nikolay Kozlov, aka Folder.
Weft from dematerialised ambient tropes spooled between their respective bases in Kansas City, Tokyo, and Samara in Russia, ‘New Path’ slots fuzzily into an expanding prism of contemporary ambient music which echoes the purpose and effect of the original thing via traces of ‘90s/‘00s experimental techno and minimalist rhythms. Their sound effectively recalls K. Leimer’s systems music as much as the Pole’s eerie dub malfunctions; running a lushly frayed and decentralised style that embraces a gently psychedelic sort of chaos and lysergic, hallucinatory vision in an up-to-the-moment way shared by the likes of Huerco. S and uon.
If original ambient was analogous to THC and LSD, and in the ‘90s MDMA, then the effect of Folder’s music, and that of their peers, adds the putative, lushly dissociative effect and non-linearity of Ketamine and psilocybin to that formula. As such ‘New Path’ attempts to follow new routes through your neurons, sparking at new junctures of style and form that better reflect and counter a current psychic state of stasis and anxious anticipation.
Coming from the label behind those cult ‘bblisss’ volumes of 2016-2018, listeners can trust their needs for relaxation and otherworldly curiosity will be sated by ’New Path’, as it courses from iridescent ambient noise in the titular opener, to the laminal diffractions of ‘Plasma’, and soothing textural abstraction of ‘Reset’, shoring up in ‘Node’ as though oceanic ambient currents have individually lead them to this bobbing buoy inthe middle of a noumenal ocean.

Minimal olschool DJ Tool Tribe sound.

Back in the XXth ceintury and one of the very first CZ sound....
Bloody early techno time-line... And Adam Vandal first records on what is "Dual Cyclo Trial" Record !

Banging acid fuckerz !!!

Active since the late 1990s, Brussels-based Frenchman Sylvain Chauuveau is an unsung pioneer of a now burgeoning scene and was making elegant post-classical compositions years ahead of celebrated current peers like Max Richter, Nils Frahm, Olafur Arnalds, Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka.

Now reissued in a remastered, first-ever vinyl edition, ‘Simple’ was originally released in 2012 as a CD collection of Sylvain’s works for cinema - a set of out-of-print, rare, and unreleased tracks composed between 1998-2010 that span stark / minimal electronic drones, processed guitar explorations, chamber pieces, solo piano and two 40-piece string orchestra recordings.

Chauveau’s work here sounds as fresh and relevant today as it did back then and its author is long overdue some recognition / reappraisal of his role in helping prepare the ground for today’s scene. His music has been praised by numerous peers - Ryuichi Sakamoto listed ‘Nocturne Impalpable’ as one of his Top 5 records; Hauschka and Peter Broderick have admitted his influence and Jóhann Jóhannsson, Adam Wiltzie (A Winged Victory / Stars Of The Lid) and Fennesz have also praised his work.

“Occupies the twilit area where downbeat, muted experimental electronic music melts into downbeat, muted chamber music” - Pitchfork “One of the most brilliant minds of French Music” - Les
InRocks

For fans of Max Richter, Olafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm, Johann Johannsson, Erik Satie, Arvo Pärt, Labradford, Mogwai, Peter Broderick and Hauschka.

2x12"

„Room With A View“ sees Rone returning to his musical roots and the set-up of his early albums: purely electronic, solitarily conceived without any musical collaborators. At the same time he was able to leave his comfort zone through a new kind of artistic liaison. The album was produced alongside a live show commissioned by the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and developed together with choreography collective (LA) HORDE and 20 dancers of the Ballet National de Marseille. This new kind of collaborative approach allowed Rone to produce his most sincere and far-reaching music in some time. Inspired by discussions of collapsologie and climate change, „Room With A View“ offers food for thought on how to deal with one of the most pressing issues of humanity.

The Fenchman manages to let his trademark sound shine in a new light, pleasing early fans as well as every electronica enthusiast. Typically melodic beats like „Ginkgo Biloba“ nestle against tracks that exhibit classic influences from Boards of Canada („La Marbrerie“) to SAW-era Aphex Twin („Raverie“), euphoric dancefloor rhythms sit next to contemplative synth work. Tracks like „Sophora Japonica“ showcase Rone’s mastership in atmosphere, which sometimes requires no drums at all. Elsewhere, Rone is clearly reviving the club-centric vibe of „Tohu Bohu“ and experimenting with elements of dub. It all makes for and adventurous and rewarding listen.

Most importantly, Rone is redefining the notion of „organic“ in electronic music through use of field and voice recordings. Be it his own child chattering, Aurelien Barrau or Alain Damasio debating, or the dance troupe rehearsing and discussing the show. "Because the writing process of the album was very machine focused, it seemed appropriate to feed back a human touch into the music and to still have bodies involved". Thus „Esperanza“ uses the steps of the dancers as a rhythm to start a new track, while in „Human“ they serve as a choir. This idea of extended human collaboration becomes apparent also on the album cover.

2x12" Marbled Vinyl

„Room With A View“ sees Rone returning to his musical roots and the set-up of his early albums: purely electronic, solitarily conceived without any musical collaborators. At the same time he was able to leave his comfort zone through a new kind of artistic liaison. The album was produced alongside a live show commissioned by the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and developed together with choreography collective (LA) HORDE and 20 dancers of the Ballet National de Marseille. This new kind of collaborative approach allowed Rone to produce his most sincere and far-reaching music in some time. Inspired by discussions of collapsologie and climate change, „Room With A View“ offers food for thought on how to deal with one of the most pressing issues of humanity.

The Fenchman manages to let his trademark sound shine in a new light, pleasing early fans as well as every electronica enthusiast. Typically melodic beats like „Ginkgo Biloba“ nestle against tracks that exhibit classic influences from Boards of Canada („La Marbrerie“) to SAW-era Aphex Twin („Raverie“), euphoric dancefloor rhythms sit next to contemplative synth work. Tracks like „Sophora Japonica“ showcase Rone’s mastership in atmosphere, which sometimes requires no drums at all. Elsewhere, Rone is clearly reviving the club-centric vibe of „Tohu Bohu“ and experimenting with elements of dub. It all makes for and adventurous and rewarding listen.

Most importantly, Rone is redefining the notion of „organic“ in electronic music through use of field and voice recordings. Be it his own child chattering, Aurelien Barrau or Alain Damasio debating, or the dance troupe rehearsing and discussing the show. "Because the writing process of the album was very machine focused, it seemed appropriate to feed back a human touch into the music and to still have bodies involved". Thus „Esperanza“ uses the steps of the dancers as a rhythm to start a new track, while in „Human“ they serve as a choir. This idea of extended human collaboration becomes apparent also on the album cover.

‘Garlands’ was the Cocteau Twins’ debut album, released in the early autumn of 1982. It was the only album they made with original bassist Will Heggie. Describing it as “haunting,” “spellbound,” “diaphanous” and discerning a “frosting of sweetness,” the critics wore out their adjectives; this was rock music - just - but it was conjured in the unlikeliest environment from the strangest of material.

This is ‘Garlands’ first vinyl pressing in over ten years, remastered from the original analogue tapes, pressed on 140g black vinyl and includes a digital download code. ‘Victorialand’, Cocteau Twins’
fourth album, was released in spring 1986. The largely acoustic, nonpercussive album was made with Elizabeth and Robin, while Simon was working on This Mortal Coil’s second album.

Dif Juz labelmate Richard Thomas guested on tabla and saxophone. The Guardian said “It’s not quite ambient, but it’s definitely not rock’n’roll even by the Cocteaus’ standards, building on the moments of guitar shimmer from the previous years’ EPs, while also stripping back at points to where it’s nothing but a Guthrie guitar line and Fraser’s voice.

‘Victorialand’ is remastered from the original analogue tapes,
pressed on 140g black vinyl and includes a download code.

Originally recorded in 1977, following a limited release in 1979, Ghédalia Tazartès debut album, Diasporas, introduced listeners to the surreal, mysterious and truly unclassifiable statement of Tazartès and his out-of-time place in the French avant-garde canon. Born in Paris in 1947 to Judaeo-Spanish parents of Greek descent, Tazartès spent his early career as an autodidact utilizing his knowledge of repetition and collage, coupled with his Ladino linguistic heritage, to create some of the most unique recordings of the late 20th century. Interest in the works of Tazartès truly sparked when artist Steve Stapleton included his follow up album, Tazartès' Transports, in his famed "Nurse With Wound List," thus adding endless curiosity to the folklore behind Tazartès and his mystical entrée.

From the onset of Diasporas, looping incantations seemingly pile up at the behest of Tazartès. In almost a prayer-like decree, Tazartès chants to the gods in an undefined whail that is both haunting and spiritually divine. Tazartès unique use of tape loops to capture the disappearing traditions of his family's past creates an atmospheric texture that unexpectedly complements his cut-up, manipulated vocal experiments. While contemporaries within the French avant-garde maneuvered academic theory and rigid tradition, Diasporas strays away from these boundaries, working in Tazartès' invented practice of 'impromuz', a method in which he endlessly records for hours and edits only the moments that display any sense of spontaneous enlightenment. Further emboldening the obtuse nature of Diasporas are the seemingly random recitation of poet Stéphane Mallarmé and the traditional 'Parisian-style' piano accompaniment of experimental composer Michel Chion.

Since its initial release over 40 years ago, both Dais Records and Alga Marghen have released reissues of Diasporas in various formats, all of which quickly fell out of print. Dais Records presents an official reissue, newly remastered by Josh Bonati, utilizing the original artwork of Diasporas in its sole album form, for the first time in over four decades.

Born in Paris, raised in Vienna, resident in Ibiza, saxophonist and composer Muriel Grossmann embodies the borderless, pan-continental energies of contemporary European jazz. Her music emerges from the lineage of European jazz that's absorbed the progressive music of Coltrane, Dolphy and Sanders. Today, she cites players such as Illinois Jacquet and Lester Young in the same breath as the masters of the avant-garde, and her playing marries the directness and eloquence of the older generation with the questing, spiritualised playing epitomised by Coltrane. The roster of musicians she has played with is long, and includes veteran European avant-gardists including Joachim and Rolf Kühn, Wolfgang Reisinger and Thomas Heidepriem, and she works tirelessly with contemporary groups and big bands across the continent.

Since her first recordings in the early 2000s, Grossmann has released a dozen albums as leader, featuring sounds ranging from hard-swinging modernist jams to free improvisation, expansive spiritual work to rhythm-focussed Afrocentrism. But at the centre of her work is a thread of pure and heartfelt spiritual music in the modal tradition defined by Coltrane and close collaborators like Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane. You can't play this music successfully if you don't mean it – like the music of her contemporary Nat Birchall, Grossmann's engagement with the Coltrane tradition is sincere and deep. Her music resonates within the tradition – more than just a style, it adds a new chapter to the story of modal and spiritual jazz in Europe.

This Jazzman set draws a selection from her 2016 album Natural Time ('Your Pace', 'Peace For All') and from 2017's Momentum ('Elevation', 'Chant' and 'Rising'). Featuring her regular quartet of Radomir Milojkovic (guitar) Uros Stamenkovic (drums) and Gina Schwarz (bass), the music on Elevation is pure sound, soul and spirit!

- LP only with thick tip on sleeve- Download card included inside

"Timeless and innovative... a musical genius" Mike Gates, UK Vibe

"A listening experience akin to transcendence" Andrew Jones, Down Beat

"Vibrant, passionate, exhilarating. A monument of spiritual jazz" Mark Sarazzy, Impro Jazz

"A journey that takes off like missile, passes through meditation, reaches nirvana and ends with thanksgiving" Elliot Simon, NYC jazz records

"Timelessly beautiful" Christian Bakonyi, Concerto

Iconic cultural engineer and prolific music pioneer Daniel Miller, aka The Normal responsible for the timeless post-punk / wave classic “Warm Leatherette” and founder of Mute Records, collaborates with avant-techno artist Nicolas Bougaïeff to instigate another revolution with the inaugural release as Populist on Avi Caspi’s newly founded imprint The Temple and The Low Dive. Miller and Bougaïeff provide four purist modular techno explorations that are prepared to carry the listener into stellar dimensions. Introductory A1 track “Center” is a sophisticated, minimalist, stripped down piece with dynamic elements and a cinematic aesthetic that introduces the mood of the entire EP, defined by spectral micro movements and a touch of liquid textures.

Further navigation through the EP reveals more of the aesthetic intent while, at the same time, retaining a specific uniqueness found in each track. There is a definitive interstellar cosmic feeling throughout that brings the future back to the present and with B2 track “Temple” we discover that Miller and Bougaïeff are no strangers to a provocative and discerning dancefloor. “Temple” guarantees ecstatic dance floor moments that define experience. The digital bonus track “Dogma” continues to keep up the pace and here is what will be imminently essential for any serious purveyor of explorative techno to include in their repertoire.

This first installment on The Temple And The Low Dive gives us something that is as special as it is unique, paying homage to one of electronic music culture’s most admired artists and icons, and introducing the world to new artists and proponents of the global electronic scene, Caspi and Bougaïeff. TIP!

Your fundamental natural nature is pure chaos, without any concepts being added to it. The actions you perform were formed when time began. And so the light is merely a temporary twin of the darkness. And therefore evil is a part of you. Do not try to seperate it from you , for then it is given agency. Permisssion to be.

Embrace the tiger that exusts within you, it will only strike from a distance.

In Zen, the sword that kills is used to kill that which can be killed. To remove that which can be removed.

That which gets in the way of nature.

Veteran Techno producer *’Heretic’ returns with his solo project CATHARSIS and has evidently succeeded in refining his musical vision. With INTO THE HEART OF NOTHING he compliments a soundasthetic which had been initiated with his previous release A Purging of Demons.

Mastered by Black Mononlith Studios…

Compositions and lyrics by Conny Fornbäck. Eurorack, LYRA-8, speech synthesis and vocals by Conny Fornbäck. Additional drums on Geosmin by Zeke. Produced, recorded and mixed at Grappling Hook Studios, Stockholm, Sweden. Mastered by Rude 66. Curation and executive production by Mika Hallbäck Vuorenpää. Artwork by Titta Kallio and Fredrik Möller. Photograph: “Attentive gaze - Painful attention” (detail) by Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne.

“When I was asked to put my hands on the original tracks of Blancmange I was instantly excited. They were one of my favourite Bands when I grew up as a teenager in the 80’s. Listening to their music walking around with my Walkman back then was adventurous. Mainly because I was already in love with the aesthetics of synthesisers and drum machines. But also because it was unusual pop music with an extraordinary energy that made it in the charts. Remixing a favorite Band is challenging but I’ve tried to keep the free spirits and playfulness in my mix that makes Blancmange still so special after all these years” – Roman Flügel

Roman Flügel remixes the cult 1980s classic that is ‘Living On The Ceiling’, and the result is a killer, off-kilter slice of club-focussed machine funk that contains the same wonderfully bizarre cocktail of traits, that Blancmange always boasted in spades. Eerie and schizophrenic but also both bright and triumphant. Also features the original and sought after extended mix.

The first in a new series of ‘London Records Remixed’ releases on 12” and digital. Now at its new home as part of the Because Music Group the London Records catalogue is being revisited by pioneering, contemporary electronic producers.

On his third solo album, following the success of "Éternel été", the founder of the electro duo Nôze is exploring, through piano and synths, the encounter between poetry and song. In this new work he has set to music verses by William Shakespeare, Victor Hugo, Pablo Neruda and on three songs, those of the poet Marceline Desbordes-Valmore, a pioneer of romanticism who notably influenced Verlaine and Baudelaire.

But what does this Oh !, giving its title to Ezéchiel Pailhès' third solo album, stand for? Is it an Oh ! of surprise, admiration or pain? "It is rather the Oh ! found in romantic poetry" says the French composer and singer with his deep and sweet voice. "An interjection that refers to a form of lament", even though it can convey other emotions such as complaint, nostalgia, a sad delight or a longed-for solace.

In Tout va bien, his previous album released in 2017, Ezéchiel Pailhès had set two Shakespeare sonnets to music. One of them, "Eternal été" has become a great success, thanks to its lines tinged with spleen and bliss. "Poetry, and its musicality, have always been part of my universe. For this new album, I therefore wanted to explore further the adaptation of poems into songs. "Bien Certain" is, once again, taken from William Shakespeare. "Tu te rappelleras" comes from Pablo Neruda's collection La centaine d'amour. "Oh ! Pourquoi te cacher ?" is from Victor Hugo. As for "Sans l'oublier", "La sincère" and "J'avais froid", they were all written by Marceline Desbordes-Valmore, a 19th century French poetess, still fairly unknown".

With Oh !, Ezechiel Pailhès has become more of a singer than ever before, through seven songs and four instrumental compositions, with intimate and warm modulations, carried by hypnotic piano melodies, instruments with unusual timbre and a subtle electronic production that recalls his past productions with his former duo Nôze.

"I wanted to expand my music further into songs" Ezéchiel adds, "to work more with my voice as a solo instrument and to limit the overlapping of voices and choirs found in my previous records". Produced in his Montreuil home studio, Oh ! is nevertheless imbued with an emotion found in his previous albums, close to 'saudade' or a slight melancholy, sometimes enhanced by chosen texts that evoke the disappointment of love, the longing, the distance between two people, or even men's weakness. "These poems evoke themes that may seem far from the concerns of our times. Yet, they are timeless and eternal; they manage to convey emotions that can often be difficult to say or write."

Among the texts chosen for this new album, the verses of the poet Marceline Desbordes-Valmore (1786-1859) are on a par with William Shakespeare's sonnets or Pablo Neruda's poem found on the same record:

" Sans l'oublier, on peut fuir ce qu'on aime.
On peut bannir son nom de ses discours,
Et, de l'absence implorant le secours,
Se dérober à ce maître suprême,
Sans l'oublier ! "
(…)
" Sans oublier une voix triste et tendre,
Oh ! que de jours j'ai vus naître et finir !
Je la redoute encore dans l'avenir :
C'est une voix que l'on cesse d'entendre,
Sans l'oublier ! "
"Without forgetting, we can run away from what we love.
Banish their name from our conversations,
And, begging the absence for consolation,
Escape the grip of this supreme master,
Without forgetting! "
(…)
"Without forgetting a sad and gentle voice,
Oh, how many days have I seen rise and fall!
And still I fear from the future:
A voice that can no longer be heard,
Without forgetting! "

Although less known today than her male counterparts, Marceline Desbordes-Valmore marked her times and the Romantic movement through the quality of her texts and her formal inventions, which Balzac admired, and whose influence seems to have been decisive on Verlaine and Baudelaire.

"Marceline Desbordes-Valmore's poetry is highly musical," says Ezéchiel with admiration. "Her artistry with rhythm and repetition sounds very good and takes on a new dimension when set to music. She even meant for some of her texts to become songs"

As Ociya, hardware freaks Tin Man (Johannes Auvinen) and Patricia (Max Ravitz), come together in unholy acid matrimony on a EP (here) and definitive double-album, Powers Of Ten (coming up on april 27).

We know both sides well. Over a prolific run of records for Acid Test and his own Global A, Auvinen has expounded upon the promise of "Nonneo" (recently named one of Resident Advisor's 2010-19: Tracks Of The Decade), unearthing new, emotional vistas from the Roland TB-303. Ravitz, meanwhile, matches Tin Man in studio ethic, establishing himself as one of North America's hardware masters on records for Ghostly and Opal Tapes.

The album was recorded live to 2 track in Patricia’s studio in New York, no edits.
This 12-inch simply called Acid Test 15, ill be released before the album and also features remixes from Plasmic Eddy

The Advent (Cisco Ferreira) delivers his first full-length Electro album in 17 years. Released this May on Sync 24's burgeoning Cultivated Electronics label, 'Life Cycles' finds the past meeting the future. Because, to get a truer feel for this new long-player, we should head back even further to a 1995 classic - The Advent's debut album, 'Elements Of Life'. In fact, fans will recognise a nod to the original artwork of that seminal release, as 'Life Cycles' takes us full circle, containing unreleased Electro gems from the '90s, available for the first time.

"I have been making electro music for nearly 3 decades now and excited to see that it is in demand with this new wave of talented producers out there. 'Life Cycles' is an album where I explore my older past and connect with the future, 2020 and this new electro generation," says Cisco. Ever since Cisco Ferreira discovered Acid House in the London clubs he frequented, his journey has been about making his mark on the electronic music scene.

Fresh from college he landed a job as assistant sound-engineer in several recording studios where he learned the art of translating feelings to frequencies, recording high profile artists from the world of Rock, Pop, Dance and Reggae. When acid label, Jack Trax moved in next-door, Cisco started recording for the likes of Adonis, Fingers Inc, Marshall Jefferson and Derrick May.

These rendezvous sparked the inspiration for his first EPs on R&S and Fragile. By 1994 Ferreira had signed a record deal for 12 EPs and 3 albums together with Colin McBean. This was the beginning of an era during which the duo set a worldwide standard for high quality underground Electro and Techno.

They hit the world with a refreshing sound, both as The Advent, and G Flame (Cisco) and Mr G (the alias Colin still uses today). Nowadays The Advent is a solo project for Cisco as he bombards crowds around the world with his trademark raw, energetic sound.

As much as The Advent is known for uncompromising Techno, so his Electro has been a huge influence for a lot of young Electro artists today (including his own son and sometime Electro collaborator, Zein) and when you listen to 'Life Cycles' you'll understand why. From the moment the beats kick in on track 1, 'Music Is Life' we're met with full on Advent power. The album explores classic old-school Electro vibes from the tough machine funk of tracks like 'This Is Not' and 'Vast' to the acid excursions on 'Panda', via some the ghetto boogie of 'L.U.' or 'Stasis V2'. And lest we forget what an amazing live performer The Advent is, there's even the deeply hypnotic 'Live@Motor 1998'.

The collaboration between Gino Pavan and Guido Frezzato began in 1995, with the creation of the soundtrack of Giancarlo Marinelli's movie "Scano Boa - Dannazione".

Gino Pavan recorded and produced, in his own "Noi Studio", the music of Frezzato, then given to an ensemble of 15 musicians, among them a strings quintet, and the folk ensemble Marmaja, along with the ethnic suggestions of the percussions by African Brothers. In the following two years, their collaboration would lead to the production of two albums for African Brothers: "N'der Tangana" and "Voodoo".

Followed by the soundtrack of "Alla ricerca dell’uno” (Searching for the One) with the musicians of the Compagnia dei Popoli, and the music for the dance-theatre performance of Belgian dancer Thierry Parmentier. Also worth mentioning, the album by Luca Xodo & Frezzato "Didjeridu", later to be used as a soundtrack for the movie "Case" (Homes) by Rodolfo Bisatti (Ipotesi Cinema). After twenty years spent piling up autonomous musical experiences, Pavan offered Frezzato to try their hands at a musical project that sees them, for the first time, composing music together.

The result is the "NOT LINEAR" project, a musical dialogue between electronics (Pavan) and acoustic instruments (Frezzato), using an "online" form of composition.

Recorded in separate locations, between December 2017 and February 2018 and subsequently mixed at "New Frontiers” studio by Ugo Bolzoni, "NOT LINEAR" collects, within these first 6 tracks, the fruit of this artistic collaboration.

"NOT LINEAR" is enriched by the collaboration of Pavan and Frezzato with two internationally-acknowledged, exceptional artists such as Giulio Aldinucci and Eraldo Bernocchi, each one interpreting a track of their choice out of all those initially selected out of the studio sessions, in a furrow of continuity of the "non-linear" concept that inspires this work. NOT LINEAR design has been curated by renowned visual artist Petulia Mattioli.

Following her 2019 debut Womanhood, Klein Zage makes a triumphant return with new EP Tip Me Baby One More Time. With plaudits and endorsements from Pitchfork, Resident Advisor, Bradley Zero, DJ Python, Mr. Mitch, Femme Culture and more in tow, she presents a record inspired by her beloved service industry. Her cut-throat lyrics, razor-sharp beats and wry humor carry through from the housey menstruations of Womanhood to Tip Me Baby's anthemic exposé of the server/guest dynamic.

Zage sees the restaurant as club, the service floor as a dance floor - a place for performance one in the same. If the A-side presents Zage 'clocked in', on the B-side, she's 'clocked out' - transporting the listener to the inner workings of her mind with the help of Joey G ii on 'I'm (Almost Certain That I'm) Here’ -- hailed by Tip Me Baby remixer Facta as 'one of my favorite songs this year'.

In light of the impact that the Covid-19 crisis is having on the restaurant industry, all profit from this release will benefit Restaurant Worker's Community Foundation Covid-19 Emergency Relief Fund as well as New York's 'Service Worker's Coalition'. Now more than ever this industry needs you to 'Tip! Baby One More Time'.

4 obscure early 80s library tracks (industrial/synth wave/italo)

ADULT. make a triumphant return after their 2018 album "This Behavior", dubbed "_one of the best records of their career_" by Ryan Lathan of Pop Matters. This chilling continuation takes the form of "Perception is/as/of Deception", an anxiety fueled cyclone of pandemonium that only ADULT. would know how to harness. While "This Behavior" was recorded in the isolated snowcovered woods of northern Michigan, "Perception is/as/of Deception" was given life in a temporary space the duo created by painting their windowless basement entirely black, with the sole intention to deprive their senses, question their perceptions, and witness the resulting ramifications. With over 23 years and a sprawling discography left in their wake, Adam Lee Miller and Nicola Kuperus have spent their entire career as ADULT. obscuring any defined genre or style. With a history as uncanny as ADULT., the pieces that making up "Perception is/as/of Deception" might be perceived as their most punk-infused and introspective work to date. The elements of frustration and apprehension that have consistently woven throughout their material are at full mast, although augmented by a strident and more "head-on" approach. Tracks like "Have I Started at the End" successfully maintain the duo's classic EBM signatures and synthesized aggression, cradled by a suspicious mantra that questions_.what's the point? "Why Always Why" offers a disorienting mutation of the heralded sounds of classic dance music, like a remix that escaped prison and is on the run. The dystopian anthem, "Total Total Damage", comes in full force with an frantic energy which jolts any bystanders to attention, with only the defiant chants of Kuperus' vocals outlining the ever-degenerating state of societal affairs. The dramatically glam synth parts scattered throughout the album, while at times ominous in nature, seem to also act as a merciful reminder that through the journey of "Perception is/as/of Deception", one can still enjoy the chaos. With the rampant sense of emptiness on the minds of many these days, there continues to be few attempts at scoring these common, unfortunate human qualities with pure sincerity. Thankfully, ADULT. has a long-standing reputation for creating the soundtrack for our insecurities, and "Perception is/as/of Deception" further solidifies their apprehensive position.

LTD. GREEN VINYL

ADULT. make a triumphant return after their 2018 album "This Behavior", dubbed "_one of the best records of their career_" by Ryan Lathan of Pop Matters. This chilling continuation takes the form of "Perception is/as/of Deception", an anxiety fueled cyclone of pandemonium that only ADULT. would know how to harness. While "This Behavior" was recorded in the isolated snowcovered woods of northern Michigan, "Perception is/as/of Deception" was given life in a temporary space the duo created by painting their windowless basement entirely black, with the sole intention to deprive their senses, question their perceptions, and witness the resulting ramifications. With over 23 years and a sprawling discography left in their wake, Adam Lee Miller and Nicola Kuperus have spent their entire career as ADULT. obscuring any defined genre or style. With a history as uncanny as ADULT., the pieces that making up "Perception is/as/of Deception" might be perceived as their most punk-infused and introspective work to date. The elements of frustration and apprehension that have consistently woven throughout their material are at full mast, although augmented by a strident and more "head-on" approach. Tracks like "Have I Started at the End" successfully maintain the duo's classic EBM signatures and synthesized aggression, cradled by a suspicious mantra that questions_.what's the point? "Why Always Why" offers a disorienting mutation of the heralded sounds of classic dance music, like a remix that escaped prison and is on the run. The dystopian anthem, "Total Total Damage", comes in full force with an frantic energy which jolts any bystanders to attention, with only the defiant chants of Kuperus' vocals outlining the ever-degenerating state of societal affairs. The dramatically glam synth parts scattered throughout the album, while at times ominous in nature, seem to also act as a merciful reminder that through the journey of "Perception is/as/of Deception", one can still enjoy the chaos. With the rampant sense of emptiness on the minds of many these days, there continues to be few attempts at scoring these common, unfortunate human qualities with pure sincerity. Thankfully, ADULT. has a long-standing reputation for creating the soundtrack for our insecurities, and "Perception is/as/of Deception" further solidifies their apprehensive position.

Mr Derek Carr needs very little introduction in Deep House circles these days. He’s a veritable underground powerhouse; cranking out one stellar record after the other, everything adhering to his cinematic, Detroit influenced style. He returns to Love Notes for a second time with The Anti Virus EP, which also serves as the milestone of Love Notes 20th release.

The A side has the strings and the aforementioned Detroit influences, and things get dark on the b-side, and even take in some dub influences on the B2. This is every bit as stellar as you’d expect Carr’s second release on Love Notes would be.

* The original sister label to Ram Records from the old Ram HQ studio in Essex, Liftin’ Spirit Records now celebrates it’s 25th year with a special ‘RELOADED’ limited vinyl series of remastered classics, alongside rare and previously unreleased tracks since the beginning in1992.

* DATs from artists such as Andy C, Ant Miles, Shimon, Joint Venture, Interrogator and Red One have been located in the archives. Also from the Ram & Liftin’ HQ came tracks for the Deep Seven label in 1993 and all these rare DAT masters have been located and now re-cut by Simon, the original Ram & Liftin’ vinyl masterer at ‘The Exchange’. Initially, Deep Seven remasters will present on a printed white label and unreleased tracks will have a black label.

* Further out from the early 90’s these two 1998 tracks still exemplified the established D&B Junglist vibe that Ant Miles (Liftin’ Spirits) adored and honoured. Only recently located in the DAT tape archives, it’s focused production of twisted up organic bass lines has a foot in the present as well as the past.

Promotion across chosen internet websites and Hardcore/Jungle/Drum & Bass 12” vinyl communities.

ALBUM: I came up with the album title after watching a YouTube video by the channel "Watch Mojo" entitled "The Top Ten Dead Music Genres". In this video, they claimed that Synthpop is dead. Since everybody said I was a Synthpop artist, I was astonished to discover that the genre I play is considered "dead". It's relatively tongue in cheek because I don't believe any musical genre is dead and everything can be revisited and everything evolves. That being said, this is an album in which, at least musically, I am working within the boundaries of this genre, while at the same time starting to experiment with other, more modern sounds and concepts. Thematically, I tackle various topics: dysfunctional childhoods (Shortcut), heroic love in a dystopian nightmare (Billions of Years), self-destructive behaviour (Drink and Drive), unrequited, criminal love (House Arrest) and many others.

BIOGRAPHY: Glitter, glam and good vibes from the heart of Berlin! Stephen Paul Taylor (SPT) is a Canadian artist who went viral in David Bowie's old stomping grounds and has played hundreds of concerts, festivals and weddings all over Europe. He makes Synthpop-Art-Punk with undertones of New Order and Talking Heads.
Taylor was in Post-Art Synth-Folk duo, Trike, for five years before branching off into his solo project in 2014. Trike won a $20K award from "The Gong Show" (in Vancouver) in 2011, toured 22 countries, recorded an album in Denmark and Belgium and played hundreds of shows. Taylor then went solo and began playing all over Europe, from Denmark rooftops to weddings in East Germany. He gained a name for himself after achieving viral status and has continued to play all over Europe ever since. Well known for being a street musician, he essentially quit playing in the street in 2018 and focused exclusively on playing on the stage
His music is a blend of both old and new. A strong beat pulses beneath the catchy melodies and captivating lyrics float atop the whole ensemble. His bittersweet words often contrast the happy melodies within the music. He tackles unique subjects that reflect the 'ennui' our our current cultural climate. His newest album "Synthpop is Dead" is an ironic interpretation of the notion of musical genres actually "dying". Did Synthpop actually die or did it evolve? His new album also touches on other themes, from our dependance on fossil fuels to our addiction to self-destructive activities, like drinking and driving. The album uses healthy doses of humour to hammer down its themes
A year after going solo, SPT went viral with his song "Shi*t's F*cked" (His channel has 7.5 million views on YouTube) and appeared on many TV shows and well-known media outlets, from RBB to Arte to Comedy Central. He was also featured on Germany's "Das Supertalent" in 2016. He has 1.5 million listens on Spotify. He's been on the radio in Italy, Latvia, Canada and Australia, to name a few. He was also signed with Budde publishing and his racord label, "SPT Records" is a subsidiary of "Shitkatapult Records"
Dieter Bolle said his "80's influenced" music was "sehr geile" (very beautiful). Electric Six frontman, Dick Valentine, said he's "a firecracker".

BERZERKER LEGION was founded in 2016 by guitarists Tomas Elofsson (Hypocrisy) and Alwin Zuur (Asphyx) with a vision to create death metal of the most belligerent quality, they recruited a line-up of solid well-known musicians consisting of James Stewart (Vader) on drums, Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath) on vocals and Fredrik Isaksson (Dark Funeral) on bass to complete the Legion. Alwin Zuur (guitars/songwriter) comments: « During the recent years Tomas and I met each other at shows and festivals regularly. Much of our conversations were about music and styles. During these meetings we found out that we really had a lot of common musical interests . Music wise ‘Obliterate the Weak’ displays the perfect balance between brutality, melody and harmony. Being a fan of the early 90’s Swedish Gothenburg style, with bands like At The Gates, Eucharist, a Canorous Quintet, as well as being a die-hard fan of brutal old school death metal style with bands like Bolt Thrower, Obituary, I have always wanted to write songs showing a mix of such different death metal genres. The great musical cooperation between Tomas and me has made ‘Obliterate The Weak’ a variously solid diverse album where you can expect 11 songs of violent pounding riffing in a massive wall of sound mixed with immense melodies and thrilling harmonies.» Vocalist Jonny Pettersson explains the lyrical theme of ‘Obliterate the Weak’: « The lyrical concept is based around how religion is poisoning the world, and even after so many years of evolution, development , we still have huge parts of the world that believes in a fairytale, people who believe that this fairytale is worth going to war over, worth killing for and uses as an excuse for truly malevolent acts. These are weak minded sheep that will do anything in the name of whatever god they believe in. 'Obliterate the Weak' draws from the will to eradicate all forms of religion and tells a story of atrocities made in the name of a fiction. » Saying the album songs transpire massively produced invigorating heavy death metal is an understatement. BERZERKER LEGION knock out with warlike triumphant, powerfully addictive harmonies that will turn them into an unstoppable beast in a live situation and on record.

Fieldwave is the new compilation from Nonclassical that unearths new compositions with field recording at their heart. Curated by DJ and sonic adventurer Nick Luscombe (Late Junction, Musicity), it highlights a new wave of sonic artists incorporating natural sound into their work.

The idea for this new compilation series is to reflect a burgeoning area of sonic creativity that has gone from very niche to something much more commonplace. As a DJ at BBC Radio 3's Late Junction, Nick would receive music every day that contained some element of field recording. Many of the artists contained within have received airplay on Late Junction as well as on Late Junction and other experimental programmes. The release features sound artists Kate Carr, Mark Vernon and Hojo+Kraft, singer-songwriter Daren Hayman (Hefner), and accordionist Tuulikki Bartosik.

Mannequin Records is delighted to present their fourth full length of Polices des moeurs, the Canadian minimal synth duo formed by Francis Dugas and Manuelle Gauthier. With PÉRIL, Police des moeurs expands its sound and ventures into mysterious, bewitching and enigmatic landscapes. The foundation is still synthetic, minimal and punchy, relying on mechanical rhythm, powerful bass and catchy melodies, but it's now combined with more elaborate arrangements, punctuated by delicate textures and depthful laments with uncertain but sincere meanings.

Formed in 2010 in Montreal, Police des moeurs got noticed right from the start with its infectious and direct synth pop. The band has released several recordings, including Péril, their fourth full lenght album on Berlin's Mannequin Records. The Canadian group has performed in Mexico, the United States, as well as in ten European countries, and has share the stage with The Damned, ADULT., TR / ST, Xeno & Oaklander, Automelodi, Essaie Pas, Xarah Dion, Duchess Says, to name a few.

»KAMILHAN; il y a péril en la demeure« is the conclusion of a 5-part cycle of works by artist Grischa Lichtenberger which was initiated with the album »LA DEMEURE; il y a péril en la demeure« in 2015 and continued with the triple EP release »Spielraum, Allgegenwart, Strahlung« in 2016. In addition to the concept of „demeure“, ones residence as a symbol for the joy and artistic possibilities one can find in isolation, Lichtenberger places a further emphasis on the expression of the voice, represented by the word „Kamilhan“. „Kamilhan“ is a non-existent word, an expression that Ernst Bloch once mentioned in an anecdote about his childhood. Fascinated by its sound but without knowing its meaning, it remained vivid in his memory in its purely „material“ form. Lichtenberger also refers to this childish perception of language. Words that we do not know, but repeat in our thoughts until they become insignificant. Lyrics in a foreign language that we do not understand and still sing along and imitate. With computer-generated voices, Lichtenberger tries to reproduce these experiences. In his tracks we hear syllables and phrases that are similar to words and that seem familiar to us, but whose meaning remains a secret. As on the previous album, the tracks on »KAMILHAN« are constantly torn apart and reassembled. Borrowings from hip-hop and even pop are unmistakable, desired, and yet delusive. Rhythms that are repeatedly broken in order to re-organize themselves into new temporal patterns. Melodies that are pierced by precisely these intricate rhythms. Voices that lack any empathy due to their artificiality. Lichtenberger himself describes these tracks as „crooked ballads“, which, by deliberately following classic pop song structures, try to sell us the absurd as the normal, and in turn smuggle some hope of recognition into the absurd. »KAMILHAN; il y a péril en la demeure« will be released on May 08, 2020 on CD and as a limited double vinyl edition including a handmade and signed silkscreen print.

Studio Mule drops “Anthologia”, the final chapter of a close look on the work of the Tokyo born DJ and producer Takayuki Shiraishi, a jack of all trades, that sways through Tokyo’s vast music scene since the late 70’s, a time when post punk grooves called the tune. As part of the band BGM he released in 1980 the album “Back Ground Music” on the legendary Osaka based underground label Vanity. Last October Studio Mule reissued BGM’s no wave, free funk mini-mal treasure. A few Month earlier Studio Mule already published “Missing Link”, a thrilling retrospect on Takayuki Shiraishi's unreleased material from the late 1980s, a creative period of which only a little ever saw the light of the day.

And now “Anthologia”, a record that is dedicated to his work during the years 1990 to 1996, a time span, in which Shiraishi moved on to produce house, downbeat and playful electronica. In 1995 he released the ambient/techno 12inch “Spectral Colours” on the R&S sublabel Apollo under the alias Planetoid. Two years later he manifested his techno leaning creativity under his given name on the album “Photon”, a record that helped launching Japan’s techno scene. It was followed by two more long players, that display his wide musical taste with ambient, house, breakbeat and other genre blending styles. Besides producing, Shiraishi was also a prominent figure of Tokyo’s club nightlife, DJing alongside Jeff Mills as well as Krautrock icons like Holger Czukay.

“Anthologia” features three unreleased tunes of this lapse of time, as well as highlights some work Shiraishi produced together with his friend Jun Sonohara as Musica Nova and a hidden gem he tuned in for the “Isolated Audio Players 1” compilation, published by the Tokyo based Pickin' Mushroom Recordings label in 2000.

The three unreleased tracks display his love for diversification. “Distant Thunder” is a drone driven ambient voyage, that slowly melds into a gentle rhythmic sensation driven by loose hi-hat patterns and a soft chord crescendo. On the opposite, “Lapis Lazuli” comes around as a mellow melodic downbeat trip enlarged with twisted rhythms and cosmic infiniteness. “A Voy-age” shows his love for house music with a grooving arrangement that comes close to the kinky house gems of contemporary producers like Lowtec. Also, the already known “Isolated Audio Players 1” compilation tune “Flicker” is located in the house spheres, delivering nervous jacking minimal vibes emerging from a precise produced dance of melodies, grooves and sound effects.

In comparison, the four Musica Nova tracks show again another side of Takayuki Shiraishi’s many musical talents. “Birds in Paradise” is an elegant triphop tranquilizer, while tunes like “Nocturnal Tribes” and “Green on Green” express his passion for electronic arrangements that think out of the box with airy melodies, slow-motion big beat rhythms, jazz particles and an overall cosmic sound complexion. The tune “Shifting Sand” goes the same direction, while adding esoteric reverberations and a touch of Drum and bass.

Together the eight tracks turn “Anthologia” into something more than just an anthology of Takayuki Shiraishi’s work. In association, all compositions work like an album that overwhelms with a reasoned story-arc, who slowly rises to a hypnotizing peak, from where all downswings to a calm finish, that makes you want to start all over again.

It goes without saying that the global metal scene would not be the same without Sepultura. For 35 years now, the Brazilian icons are not only a band revered worldwide; they have been, are and forever will be at the very forefront of Thrash Metal, trailblazing ever since they released their long-since legendary debut album “Morbid Visions” in 1986.
While quickly establishing themselves as leaders of the second wave of Thrash already in the late eighties, to this day they never came even close to stagnation. “Quadra”, their mighty new undertaking, is proof of a will unbroken, a thirst unquenched and a quality so staggeringly high it’s a wonder this band doesn’t implode. Now three albums deep into what may very well be their strongest incarnation yet – uniting the talents of old-school members Andreas Kisser (guitars, vocals) and Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. (bass), vocal force of nature Derrick Leon Green (vocals) and drummer Eloy Casagrande – Sepultura are an unleashed power to be reckoned with, uniting bucketloads of experience and youthful vigour in a totally revived way.
“On ‘Quadra’, we felt the urge to revisit that old thrash feeling of ‘Beneath the Remains’ or ‘Arise“,’ only seen through the eyes of today,” Andreas Kisser utters the magic words. “Add to that the tribal percussion, the orchestral elements, the choirs, the melodies and the clean vocals and you get a thorough run-through of our entire career, backed by a very contemporary approach.” Fuelled by an energy almost uncanny for a band that has been active for so long, Sepultura storm through a contemporary thrash monument, backed by sublime melodies, a very eerie atmosphere and a fiendishly high level of technicality. Kisser is appreciating these compliments, still maintaining his very down to earth approach. “We don’t heed the past and we don’t try to be preoccupied by the future too much,” he shrugs. “We’re in the now, trying every day to make Sepultura a little bit better. That’s what keeping us strong.”
And that’s what they have been doing for the last 30+ years. Album after album, tour after tour, no gap in between records longer than three years. “Music is all we do,” Kisser states matter-of-factly. “If it wouldn’t be for Sepultura,” he laughs, “I would be a sad and lonely guy. Sepultura is what we are.” And “Quadra” is living testimony to that. The old Sepultura echo through the very fibre of the songs in all its raw and morbid splendour, but yet it’s the present, the experienced and refined beast that is Sepultura in 2020 that’s blasting out thrash metal anthems for a fucked-up age.
With now 15 albums under their belts, Sepultura are the work horses of the metal world, always ready to attack. In many ways, “Quadra” broadens the vision the Brazilian thrash troopers had on “Machine Messiah” (2017), again relying on the impeccable talent of Swedish producing giant Jens Bogren and his Fascination Street Studios. “He is so full of passion, it’s unbelievable, man,” Kisser raves. “He’s really there, he really cares about the projects he’s doing. For Sepultura, he’s like the fifth member of the band. The chemistry was so amazing, 99 percent of what we were trying do to actually worked. That was insane!” Even after more than 30 years at the forefront of international thrash, guitarist Kisser sounds positively baffled by working with Bogren. “We felt like we were in our rehearsal room.”
Bringing together a monumental grandeur and a wild, untamed ferocity, Sepultura stepped up their game musically – and conceptually as well. “We were possessed by the number four, by the numerology of it”, Kisser starts to explain. “I divided the album into four parts as if we were doing a double vinyl. Side one is the pure and raw thrash side. Side two brings in the rhythms and percussion from our ‘Roots’ era. Three is getting a bit experimental and four brings forth the melodies and the acoustic guitars.” With John North’s book “Quadrivium” as a further source of inspiration, Sepultura dive deep into a mystical world full of hidden meanings. “You have four seasons and twelve month in a year just to pick one example. A lot of stuff in our culture is divided like that.”
Plus, Quadra also is the Portuguese word for ‘sport court’ that by definition is a limited area of land, with regulatory demarcations, where according to a set of rules the game takes place,” he adds. “We all come from different Quadras. The countries, all nations with their borders and traditions; culture, religions, laws, education and a set of rules where life takes place.” In the Quadra of thrash, however, we all are the same. And we bow our heads in unison to the mighty leader that is Sepultura.

Gigantic producer/DJ from Scotland, Creep Woland, lands back on the Astral Black heli-pad with his 'Chamberlain' EP. Four blistering breaks-led, club ready, jungle tracks intended as an ode to the rolling bass and rainy days that raised him. Picking up near enough where his Close Reading debut left off, Chamberlain sees a more refined and honed execution of the hard hitting electronica Woland has become known for.

Informed by the experience of playing to dance-floors, as well as educational journeys down to London for radio sets, these new tracks are fine tuned and bass heavy - perfect for existential club experiences or the driving of sports vehicles. The subdued intrigue of EP opener 'Imposter Syndrome' sets the mystical and reflective tone of the record, while down the line junglist anthems 'Medieval Draw' and '0800-Falkirk Triangle' call for slow motion gun finger. Written at a time of personal hardship and mastery of oneself, the hopeful promise of closer 'Lord Chamberlain' acts as a sonic representation of the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel of this particular time in Woland's life.

Recently, Chamberlain EP's 'Imposter Syndrome' has been receiving early radio support from Rinse FM's Jossy Mitsu & Impey on NTS, whilst his debut release Close Reading received radio support from the likes of Josey Rebelle (in her award-winning Essential Mix), Om-Unit and JD. Reid as well as critical acclaim from FACT, CLASH & Hyponik. In addition to its various accolades, Close Reading also lead to Woland being handpicked by Lanark Artefax as the opening act for his 'Enter The Gateway' performance, and has since performed alongside the likes of Om-Unit, Proc Fiskal, DJ Storm and more.

2x12"

Having made initial waves on Cold Recordings and Osiris, Eric Baldwin returns now to Tectonic to release his eponymous album ’Cocktail Party Effect’, bringing his South London roots to Berlin for an all-weekender, under strobe lights.

Drawn by his appetite for powerful rhythmical forms and inspired by the likes of Daphne Oram, The Residents and Captain Beefheart - Eric takes uses background in sound design, knowledge of hacking VST software and adapted spring reverbs and other hardware, to create a truly unique vision of contemporary electronic music. It sits somewhere between Jeff Mills, Aphex Twin & Squarepusher - held together by a connective UK Bass Music spinal chord. A weird but intriguing beast.

We open the track with Japanese cocktail recipes, before moving into the only vocal track of the album, ‘Talking To Bricks’ featuring Bristol vocalist Redders on fine form - charged with disjointed energy and run ragged across a technologically charged dancehall style beat. The LP progresses through the rolling breaks and bleeps of ‘For The Memory Exchange’, into an IDM side-step in the shape of ‘Brutalism’, moving into the gentle, beautiful flickering glitches of ‘PDA’, before we get to the hyperactive twitching alien charge of ‘War On Codex’.

Taking a leap in another direction, we reach ‘Cause For Bad Shelving’, which sounds a bit like Squarepusher when he was on late 90s, immaculate form - taking the tempo up a few notches, while building melancholy. ‘Lack Of Wrong Format’ then gives us a moment to breathe, before diving into ‘Deerhorn’ which brings us right back to the dancefloor. Things are then turned inside out with the jittery wonder of ‘I Get It (Lost Banknote)’, redirected via the industrial clangs of ‘Low_Rise’, before rounding off our sonic adventure with the ponderous tones of ‘Loner’ - which leave you glowing and drifting off into space.

A bold album that’s just brim with a strong sense of originality, direction and grand narrative. From international dancefloors to post-clubbing ear-worms, Cocktail Party Effect is just getting started and you’ll be hearing his name more and more now.

Industries Of The Blend is the latest project from Dj Luna-C, and it a step back into the original sounds of 1990 and 1991 old skool. Slower bpm and all hardware lead to an entirely authentic sound for this EP, and that authenticity continues with the style of sleeve (Spined like an old Euro EP) and in the overall concept. Proper underground, original, rave music. For those who know.

Billy Bunter, the Fat Controller, Glowkid, Slipmatt, Dj Jedi, Dj Luna-C, Dj Brisk, Clayfighter, Jimni Cricket, Bustin, Sc@r, Doughboy, Saiyan, Dave Skywalker, Ponder and many others

A1 - Bitch - Late Nite 'DUB' Addict (Original Mix)
Is a Deep / Jackin House track with driving drum parts, deep old skool organ stabs, with lots of MPC style swing. The track is an energetic groover that could well be another hit for the (Late Nite 'DUB' Addict) who owns / runs (Digital Label) (DEEP 'N' DOPE RECORDS (UK).
If you like artists / DJ's such as (DJ Sneak / Phil Weeks / Black Loops / Dub Striker / Dumuir / Demuja / Kerri Chandler /Todd Terry / Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez / Justin Martin / Scott Diaz / Sebb Junior + Filta Freqz) This track might be for you.


A2 - Fight For Your Rights - Late Nite 'DUB' Addict (Original Mix)
Fight for you right is most definately got the potential to become a future house anthem.
The track has allready recieved support and airplay from (London's Own) FANTASY FM
+ Groove City Radio (Scotland / Glasgow). This can only be described as deep / classic (U.S) style Garage / House / Banger, This Deep Underground but classic house track carries an abundance of energy, the track contains spoken vocals from a influential but controversial leader which gives the track an edge which just help build atmosphere and builds tension in the track - But definately in a good way. This track is a stand out groover that screams Anthem.
If you like DJ's like (Kerri Chandler / Mr V, Karrizma / Phil Weeks / Black Loops, Art Of Tones / Sebb Junior / Louis Vega, Mood II Swing / Dub Striker / DJ Pierre / Andres /Dan Shake then this energetic / warm (90's) style classic house number will be right up your street


B1 - Confessions Of A 'DUB' Addict - Late Nite 'DUB' Addict (Original Mix)
This track is a minimal style (Deep House) track that has been influenced by the early (Rave) era and early (Chicago + Detroit) House + Techno scenes. The track has a slightly darker edge but still remains jumpy and is definately made for the danecfloor in the early hours of the morning, and has a certain wharehouse 'Feel' to it. The track contains bleeps, stabs, and 808 + 909 compressed drums. The track contains poly rythums and drums which evolve and give alot of movement within the track. This is another "Big Track" from the (Late Nite 'DUB' Addict) that has also recieved support from the (legendary) FANTASY FM.


B2 - Heroes In Our Own Home - Late Nite 'DUB' Addict (Original Mix)
The (Late Nite 'DUB' Addict) states it is no secret that his productions are heavily influenced by the (U.S) Garage / House scene of (New York) in the early (90's).
An era that he said was huge in the way the house scene defined the (Deep House + Classic House) scene that is still massively current today. The DJ / Artis's that has influenced him the most from this era is (Todd Terry / Kenny Dope / Dennis Ferrer /
DJ Sneak / Mood II Swing + MK + Kevin Saunderson. This Hip / House track is the
(Late Nite 'DUB' Addicts) take on the Garage House scene / Hip House scene of
this special era!!!

*More downbeat wickedness on the excellent Fasaan!*

This double A-sider is the fruit of a long gestating collaboration with fellow Malmö-based record collector/selector & producer Simon alias Rizzolo DJ (alias Moisture). Closely intertwined with the label in various ways since the start, his path to producing started with re-edits and a more wild-haired approach to deejaying, finally landing into his own groove with the 2018 album A Freak Is Born. Released as a privately pressed cassette, the album featured two tracks co-produced with Fasaan founder Prins Emanuel.

On that first album, the palette was a lo-fi reverie of minimal waves crashing into depths of goth and heights of camp. Here for the 12" format, we instead get the full onslaught of power tools gleaming in the blast of strobe lights. The weight of GAMMUT unfolds and delivers exactly what the title suggests: a complete scope of percussive barrage unleashed in tight locked grooves and smattering reverberations. In addition to that, we are treated with a spine-tingling re-imagining of the concept of a bass drop.

For ORGONE, a 1984 track by Norwegian group Fra Lippo Lippi serves as the backbone of the composition. Championed by cosmic DJ Daniele Baldelli and here pitched down to wrongspeeder tempo, Moisture uses the original song to bridge the gap between his roots in the re-edit scene as well as in the cosmic tradition. Thedry mechanical bassline is flanked by hollow percussion that eventually propels into a crystal-chimmering microcosm of orgone energy.

In 2016 Patrick Doyle relocated from London to LA, midway through writing his new album – the follow up to his recent acclaimed release as Boys Forever. The self-titled Boys Forever album was Patrick’s debut as a solo artist after years of playing in well-loved indie bands including Veronica Falls, The Royal We and Sexy Kids.

On moving to LA he continued working on the songs for his next record – emailing them to Helen Skinner (who toured as a member of the Boys Forever three-piece live band, and now plays in Barry) who added a bass line to the songs and sent them back to Patrick. They continued to finish writing the record via email and in February 2017 Helen joined Patrick in LA to record Keeping Up Appearances. They recorded the album over four days in February 2017 at LA’s Golden Beat Studios – with Patrick once again teaming up with Andrew Schubert who produced Boys Forever.

2011 album available on vinyl for the first time. Master percussionist Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah joins forces once again with dubmaster Adrian
Sherwood at the controls and a whole host of guest musicians, including contributions from dancehall pioneer Jazzwad and electronics from Adamski.

All the elements of a classic African Head Charge album are present: spaced out dub, tribal chants, ecstatic trance but updated with a rugged sound system undercarriage. Arguably some of the hardest hitting AHC rhythms laid down in the studio to date.

Cut as a double LP for maximum dynamics by King Kevin Metcalfe. Includes digital download card for full contents and double-sided poster insert containing new interview with Bonjo on the making of the record.

Kicking off the new decade, Control Freak co-founder Customer Service makes his production debut with five tracks of adventurous outsider electronics.

On the A-side, ‘Dance First, Think Later’ is a bass-heavy dancefloor destroyer guaranteed to send the club west. It's followed with the ethereal sound design and off-kilter rhythms of ‘Recalcitrance’.

On the flip, ‘Betty’s Audition’ takes the pace down a notch with rolling, hypnotic drum programming and plenty of low end punch, whilst ‘B1SM’ deploys a skeletal breakbeat - one for the early hours. Rounding things off, ‘Exquisite Corpse’ locks into a rigid 4/4 groove combining acid with delicate, textured pads.

Control Freak Recordings is the sister label of London-based party Cabin Fever. They are next at The Cause on 20th March with Inga Mauer and Dark Entries. In April they head to Corsica Studios with Anthony Linell and Barker.

In 1981, London-based E.G. Records released the debut album from a young Ghanaian group called Edikanfo. Edikanfo quickly rose to international notoriety following the release of “The Pace Setters” because of the infectious, forward-looking highlife meets afro-funk synthesis the band committed to tape. But the album also caught an additional wind of publicity due to its producer, the already legendary British musician and sound conceptualist Brian Eno. During that time, Eno was researching and openly propagating West African musics. He often mentioned his love of Fela Kuti and called his own rhythm-driven experiments the search for a “vision of a psychedelic Africa.” He had recently been collaborating with The Talking Heads on their Avant-funk masterpiece “Remain in Light” and with The Talking Heads frontman David Byrne on “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts,” an album which foretold the sort of cross-pollination and global music interconnectivity that today we take for granted. Eno and Edikanfo’s work together at Studio One in Accra (Ghana) was yet another inspired morphing of soundworlds and processes and a significant touchstone for both artists. As Brian Eno recently noted: “the actual recording sessions were joyful - the band played with such verve that you couldn't resist.”



But just when the sky seemed the limit for Edikanfo, the coup d’état in Ghana on the last day of 1981, tragically put the brakes on the band’s quickly developing fortunes. For years after that, the country endured enforced curfews at night, which of course ultimately gutted the live music scene in Accra and elsewhere. Because of this and other financial setbacks, the band ceased activity and its members spread out in exile, all over the world. It clearly seemed as though the story of Edikanfo, one of Ghana’s greatest bands of that era, had come to a premature end.



Now, almost four decades later, Edikanfo has returned. And with its surviving members gearing up to reissue and tour their classic 1981 album, “The Pace Setters,” the band is once again excitedly pointed towards the future.

Ital Tek (a.k.a. Alan Myson) returns to Planet Mu with his sixth album ‘Outland‘. The album was written during a period of new beginnings following a move out of the city to a quieter space and the birth of his first child. During this time of self-imposed isolation Alan recorded a huge amount of source material and spent weeks and months sitting up at night with his newborn, listening back and making notes on how the new record should take form, focusing and developing ideas to shape this lean ten-track album.

Alan talks of the record being a collaboration between two parts of himself, something that definitely comes across as the album unfolds. Textures are something Alan excels at and on his last album, the largely beatless ‘Bodied’, it felt as if he was building a new sound-world. On ‘Outland’ he expands upon this. The album brings together the extremes of Alan's sound, contrasting roughened bass and beats with starker more detailed atmospheres and emotions.

The most beat-driven song here is ‘Deadhead’, with its gnarled bouncing bass, angular distorted melodies and cavernous textures. On tracks like ‘Bladed Terrain’ the contrasts are even more defined with buzzing drones and razor sharp drums plunging into a grainy fog, giving the track a dramatic 3D feel.

Then there are the stop-start pauses of ‘Leaving The Grid’, where the song evaporates into space before reemerging with shuddering rhythms and ghostly textures. Melodies crawl around these tracks as if they’re just waking up, as heard on the atmospheric ‘Angel In Ruin’.

The sleep-deprived fraying of the senses became Alan’s routine and one which he says gave him a renewed creative energy; half-asleep, working through the night, and then into the daytime super-focused but exhausted. Prone to audio hallucinations whilst writing the album, he aimed to capture these distortions in his perception of pitch and time, and you can hear these effects interpreted on tracks like ‘Endless’ and ‘Open Heart’ as melodies phase and slip out of time like an emotional Doppler effect.

This is also true of the soaring atonal synths at the peak of ‘Diamond Child’, which feel like the aural equivalent of eye floaters. These intuitive feelings and functions are a difficult thing to capture in sound, but Alan manages it beautifully and always makes the result feel warm and adventurous, heartfelt and epic.

Portuguese- Italian Producer "Vhycepicks" up where he left off,
once again teaming up with the talentedvocalistYves Paqueton Kraak & Smaak's very own Boogie Angst imprint.

He's already got an impressive list of top DJ fans in the shape of
Pete Tong, Claptone, Gorgon CityandSatin Jackets, and it's no surprise given his clean, pop aesthetics and catchy dancefloor sensibilities.Indeed it has led to releases on some of today's most respected dance labels like Kitsune, Future Disco and Casablanca Sunset.

As well as collaborating on their previous single 'Duran Duran' together, Brazilian born soulful vocalist Yves Paquethas previously collaborated with the likes of Aeroplane,and scored #1 in the Belgian dance charts with The Subs. He provides the perfect foil to Vhyce'sbeats with just the tonic – a melodic toplineall about the good times, having a drink and getting high…

In addition to the original mix there's another special treat as stepping up to provide a stellar remix is none other than PrinsThomas, a true pioneer of 'space disco' and regular bandmate of nu disco royaltyLindstrømin their imaginatively titled project 'Lindstrom & PrinsThomas'.

Yes, he takes his arpsynth lines out for a spin and serves up a prime cut of good time, ethereal, dancefloor fire. With all the hallmarks of his crisp and upbeat spacey productions it's not one to miss out on.

For those who are all about the beats, fear not we got you covered as there's an instrumental safely stowed in there too …

You have reached the Infolines. Tonight, you will be given links to preview a reverence to the venues that helped shape an industry and generations of musical technological wizardry. ‘Packard’ features a compilation of cuts fitting to the experiences by those who once frequented the halls of Detroit’s urban decay.
Bendersnatch, kicks things off with a ‘Homage’ fitting of the mainstay venue paying reverence to the classic Detroit Techno sound. ADMN’s Machine 8 shows a lust for a bass grind synonymous with the engines machined in the halls of its urban decay. Remote Viewing Party’s minimal break ‘fuxwiddit’ whistles echo to us through the warehouse former machine shops. Maxlow makes sure you ‘heard’ what they must say pushing air from the subs ensuring you feel the room.
Keep an eye on this space and be sure to call in for the waypoint to the party.

Reconnected is compiled from Harold Lucious’ addictive 1990 release Connections, a visionary mix of soulful house, New Jack Swing and RnB, an American predecessor of street soul.

Deeply connected to music from an early age, Harold started his music career in the early 70s at the age of 16. He sang in his first group, The Final Seconds, who pressed a 7” single in New York City in 1973. The group would go on to record a full album called Neo Cosmic Blues, but never had the chance to press it. They would continue to perform and write together throughout the 70’s and searched in vain for a label to work with.

During that time, Harold landed a guest spot on the legendary Brother Ahh record Move Ever Onward, set up by his manager who was Brother Ahh’s sibling. Harold is listed as having played koto, but really he provided background vocals. Throughout the 80’s, Harold worked at WBI radio programming talk shows. On air, he would act out modified scripts to Richard Wright novels like “The Outsider”.

Connections was his effort to finally release a record after years of recording and playing music. Experimenting with dance music he came up with an album that was inspired by his love of house music and RnB. He sold the record out of his backpack, ending up with boxes of copies that were eventually destroyed when he had to move from his long-time apartment in Brooklyn. Few of the original LP remain, and it has become almost impossible to find.

Reconnected is a remastered redux with four songs taken from the original LP, and pressed onto a loud 45rpm 12” for maximum dance-floor potential. Mixed Signals is honoured to introduce Harold’s music to a contemporary audience around the world.

Inspired by the nocturnal city life, Syntax Error emerges from the dark and lights up your ears with a bunch of new techno shooting stars. Clearly, it is time for a night rave – of course all Syntax Error style.
For all vinyl lovers, he pushes four full-flavored techno tracks through the turntables. Already the first beats of A1 “Finnisage” hit right in the middle of the dusty underground heart. Starting with a pure beat, he builds up level by level and creates his signature sound – an energizing drive, wobbly bass lines all wrapped in spherical sounds. The following tracks “Powder”, “Vegan Monster” and “DT Style” continue this exciting symbiosis of dramaturgy and driving beats.
In the digital version, Syntax Error adds four tracks and enlarges his vinyl ep to a digital album. “Deep Saw” clearly keeps its promise, “Elakt” and “Future” go with full steam ahead through the night, whereas “Test1” finally hijacks you into an experimental sound conglomerate just ready for dawn.

Unglued’s reputation for producing serious bassweight across the D+B spectrum continues in 2020 with his ‘Zen’ EP. He spans through silky smooth sounds on ‘Zen’ ft. Cimone, bouncy funk on ‘Mic Strangler’ with the legendary MC GQ, sharp-edged grizzle on GLXY collaboration ‘Algorithm’, and tearout heat on the soundsystem slayer ‘Datafile’. Setting things in motion is the lyrical weapon ‘Mic Strangler’, with OG host and MC extraordinaire GQ, who’s spent three decades leading the game. Unglued deals out damage on the beat with MC GQ’s playful twists, wrapped up in a big bruiser of a bassline.

Title track ‘Zen’ is a mesmeric stream of atmospherics, rolled out in perfect tandem with the angelic vocals of rising singer/songwriter, Cimone. GLXY joins the fold for ‘Algorithm’ - a techy rattler that’s stripped back in design but packs a punch. Rounding off the EP is the darkest addition, ‘Datafile’, Unglued takes no prisoners as he unleashes this lethal stepper. Unglued has had a steep and steady rise in drum & bass after signing to Hospital Records and releasing his sought after solo material, as well as his iconic remix of High Contrast’s anthem ‘If We Ever’.

This infamous rewiring caught the attention of major players, from Andy C to Annie Mac - who also selected his track ‘Born In ‘94’ as her Hottest Record in 2019 on BBC Radio 1. Unglued’s jungle knowledge has him in regular international demand, in 2019 alone he tore up sets at Glastonbury, Rampage, Boomtown, Let It Roll, ADE and on Med School’s final tour across Australia and New Zealand. He’s showing no signs of slowing down in 2020 with back-to-back bookings, including support at Wilkinson’s London headline show, Kings Of The Rollers’ Printworks Royal Rumble showdown and Hospitality On The Beach 2020.

Columbia Records release the eagerly anticipated new album (first in seven years) from US indie/rockers. This is the band's sixth studio album and was recorded at Shangri-La studios in Malibu (produced by Rick Rubin). A 9 track album, which includes the singles "At The Door", "Bad Decisions" and more. Released on vinyl and CD.

Recent UK promo trip and live date. Ads, features, interviews and reviews across all press. Video plays at MTV/Vevo. Radio support across R1, R2, 6Music, Radio X, Beats 1, Absolute, Virgin, ILR. Radio ad campaign. Online/social media activity. Poster campaign and database mailout.

Columbia Records release the eagerly anticipated new album (first in seven years) from US indie/rockers. This is the band's sixth studio album and was recorded at Shangri-La studios in Malibu (produced by Rick Rubin). A 9 track album, which includes the singles "At The Door", "Bad Decisions" and more. Released on vinyl and CD.

Recent UK promo trip and live date. Ads, features, interviews and reviews across all press. Video plays at MTV/Vevo. Radio support across R1, R2, 6Music, Radio X, Beats 1, Absolute, Virgin, ILR. Radio ad campaign. Online/social media activity. Poster campaign and database mailout.

Danish duo Bremer/McCoy-Morten McCoy keyboards and loops and Jonathan Bremer acoustic bass-make music that is a meditative and intense blend of jazz and dub created entirely via analog process. No computers involved; they record everything straight to tape in their own studio.
These two childhood friends tour with their own soundsystem, originally left over from a dub band they were both in, to ensure adequate depth in the lower frequencies

On his new record "Companionship", London-based Soft-Rock, Soul and Disco artist Joel Sarakula keeps the mood easy and the grooves deep. Ten new songs see Sarakula develop a deeper, more introspective lyrical style from his previous works as he celebrates and laments friendships, love and loneliness. Interspersed with a few standout up-tempo tracks to keep the ship sailing, "Companionship" is a chill-out album and listening experience of the highest order.

"Companionship" opens with "Midnight Driver", a driving soft-rock fantasy where the narrator laments his partner's nocturnal habits: 'When she's coming up, it gets me down'. The Californian sun-kissed guitars, vocal stylings and percussion all help to set a cinematic mood which unsurprisingly also makes it a great driving song. On the introspective "King Of Clowns", Sarakula creates a pop song that calls to mind the craftmanship of Hall & Oates and Elvis Costello. Both an admission of guilt and an unapologetic statement of intent, his low vocal careens in the dangerous divide between self-pity and self-parody: "My bad decisions worked out for a while, I'd do my dance tried to make you smile, I'll never wise up it's just the way I am". These confessions all occur over a down-tempo funk groove complete with some vintage synthesizer musings that makes the track ready to be sampled for a hip-hop record.

"Sunshine Makes Me" steps straight out of its mid-1970s swimming pool, heavily dripping in jazz fusion to dry off in the cold light of today's sunshine. The chorus is a mantra of desire, needs and reality that sees Sarakula sing 'Sunshine makes me lose my mind, thirty degrees and my eyes get so wide. Dreaming big and living slow, don't you know that time is on our side". On "Companionship", Joel Sarakula, prolific writer, producer, performer and multi-instrumentalist finally unleashes his chill-out pretensions. In this follow up to the critically acclaimed "Love Club" (2018) he develops a deeper and more mature compositions and production style. His love of all things vintage extends to a devotion to analog synthesizers and on "Companionship" you can hear a genuine love of synthesis that at moments is reminiscent of 70s synth production pioneers Todd Rundgren and George Duke.

Joel Sarakula will tour "Companionship" through Europe and the UK this Spring and Summer 2020 with his musical companions. Born in Sydney, based in London and a true internationalist, Sarakula tours with pickup bands sourced from each territory he plays in: a Barcelona band for Spain, a Berlin band for Germany and so forth. This cross-cultural exchange is a sly nod to the golden era of the 1960s and 1970s when travelling US pop, soul and blues artists would do the same.

► One half of duo Lumisokea and persistent sonic explorer ANDREA TAEGGI (Opal Tapes, SM-LL, Type, Präsens Editionen) debuts on OOH-sounds with a new solo album under-the-influence of mushrooms.

► Recorded at Willem-Twee synthesis studios in Holland, Mycorrhiza is a lucid excursion into a new form of 'ritual-computer-music' — gamelan from the future.

►Master + Cut by Helmut Erler, D&M Berlin. Limited Edition of 200, 12" black vinyl housed in gold cardboard sleeve with 'ad-hoc' fluo sticker.

Of course this is not the first album born under-the-influence of mushrooms, but apparentlyTaeggi doesn't take them here as he rather observes the cognitive and intelligent behavior of mycorrhizal fungal roots—one of the great mysteries inhabiting the forest soil, and from which a network of beneficial underground relationships with plants sprouts. Known as Mycelium, this fascinating wood-wide-web very much resembles the intricacy of the human neural system—transporting carbon, water and nutrients from one tree to another. A mutualistic symbiosis that Taeggi similarly establishes with the rather rare arsenal of sound machineries he had access to at Willem-Twee synthesis studios in Holland—a center for experimentation inspired by Berio and Maderna's Studio di Fonologia RAI in 1950s Milan.

In the process of tweaking and feeding electric impulses and sound signals into instruments of the likes of the iconic ARP 2500/2600 and a number of testing/measuring units from the 50/60s—originallynot conceived as musical instruments—Taeggi engages into an exchange of nutrients and information, while abruptly sabotaging un-welcome elements, hence accelerating the sound superhighway towards spectral psychedelic tension—a process he seems to be extremely in control of. Taking a step aside from his usual minimal approach to address more complex structures and augmented mind-sets, Mycorrhiza sounds at times like gamelan from the future: a lucid excursion into a form of "ritual-computer-music" with a conspicuous penchant for detail,alluding to a continuitybetween pseudo-cerimonial and laboratory-like computer music, steering clear from any reference to a specific creed or religion—imagine Stockhausen drinking the Amazonian sacred brew Ayahuasca..

The swarming micro-movements of "Cuttleburrs" multiply in a series of crescendos marked by sudden falls, saturated drums incursions and tense sonic clusters, introducing the more explicit gamelan percussive tones and compositional forms of "Kodama" and "Icaro". Recorded on the ARP 2500, "Mycorrhiza" uses white noise generators, resonant bass and spring reverb to conjure up a magical fungal diorama, which expands into the spooky shadows of skeletons and demons of "Phantasmagoria" and the spectral mystics of "Oculus Cordis"—the Eye of the Spirit — in which Taeggi grapples with the same sine-wave generators that Stockhausen used in his seminal "Studie I" and "Studie II".

The first installment in Fu Manchu’s 30th Anniversary vinyl 10” series, Fu30, Pt.1, includes 2 new original Fu Manchu songs, as well as a cover of The Doobie Brothers’ “Takin’ It To The Streets.” The band will be releasing 2 more editions in this 10” series over this year making a total of 30” of new Fu Manchu music for the Fu30 anniversary.

Each release will include 2 new original compositions and a newly recorded cover. Like the band’s most recent album, Clone Of The Universe, Fu30, Pt. 1 was recorded at The Racket Room in Santa Ana, California by Jim Monroe (Adolescents, Ignite) and co-produced with Fu Manchu.

This ltd. edition 2500 unit run is pressed on translucent orange sunshine vinyl at 45 RPM for maximum heaviness with a package design that pays homage to the cover of the Doobie Brother’s original single.

SC016 sees the re-issue of four tracks taken from a little known cassette only release ‘Diet Of Germs’ by British artist and friend Adam Oko. Originally released in 2015 on the now defunct Astro:Dynamics label the four tracks were recorded in Adam’s bedroom studio overlooking Clissold Park in Stoke Newington, London.

Now based in Tokyo but having spent most of his life living between London & Canterbury, as well as producing music and running a regular radio show on NTS radio, Adam also makes mixed media artwork and designs installations & interiors.

All instruments on ‘Diet Of Germs’ were performed by Adam himself except the solo on Suketo which was played by Raven Bush - Kate Bush’s nephew & was actually recorded in Kate’s old studio in South London.

UNCAGE’s label owner Marco Faraone drops his second album on Rekids, focusing on an unrestricted, unfiltered soundscape inspired by childhood, entitled ‘No Filter’.

Since his initial appearance on Radio Slave’s esteemed imprint in 2018, Italian artist and label boss Marco Faraone has continued to enthuse techno communities across the globe, playing at the likes of Awakenings, Caprices, Tomorrowland and Kappa FuturFestival. With previous releases on Ovum, Drumcode and Be As One, the Tuscany-born artist has garnered the support of Len Faki, Rodhad, Laurent Garnier and many more.

‘Force Deep’ and ‘Iconic’ give the senses a relaxed flush of ecstasy and lofi-esque rhythm, while tracks like ‘Night Ride’, ‘Addiction’ and ‘No Filter’ lean more on a stripped back, beat focused dub techno tip. ‘Frogface’, and ‘Time Equals Eternity’ then flurry with signature drum programming, and otherworldly synth stabs. Finally, ’Trust Me’, propel forward with after dark atmospheres, giving this versatile and luscious album that mainstay place amongst any unique techno set.

Who put the dance into Factory Records?”

Be With would like to refer you to FAC 59.

Working with founding member Tony Henry, we’re honoured to present the reissue of 52nd Street’s crucial debut single “Look Into My Eyes”, backed with “Express”. Originally released on Factory Records in Summer 1982, this ultra-rare 12" is a double-sider in the truest sense. Unrivalled Manchester jazz-funk-boogie-soul.

Both “Look Into My Eyes” and “Express” came out of a five day recording session in the spring of 1982 at Revolution Studios in Cheadle Hulme, just outside Manchester. Rob Gretton had just signed the band to Factory, snatching them from under the noses of RCA and WEA Records who had been sniffing around and seemingly ignoring Tony Wilson’s concerns that Factory might not be the right home for a black soul act. Rob clearly thought different.

The band of Tony Henry on guitar and vocals, bass player Derek Johnson, drummer Tony Thompson, lead vocalist Beverley McDonald and John Dennison on keyboards were put in the studio with A Certain Ratio’s drummer Donald Johnson producing the sessions. The band also found themselves with an interesting new member.

The back cover of the finished record credits synth F/X to a mysterious “Be Music”. Turns out that’s Bernard Sumner. Yes, that one. Tony Henry explains that bringing Bernard in was another part of Rob Gretton’s plan, “Barney was a real soul boy at heart and had always wanted to produce and work with black artists… with 52nd Street, he was an honorary member”. The results suggest he fit right in.

“Look Into My Eyes” squeezes so much aural pleasure into one side of a 12" single. A strutting, rich, soul-gliding funk with bass and guitar high in the mix above twisted, bubbling synths. Like Nile and Barney drenched outside the Haçienda that first summer. How can something be this liquid loose whilst sounding so, so tight? The hypnotic, naïve-cum-insouciant vocals from McDonald, backed by her fellas, only add to the track’s charm. Put simply, it sounds like nothing else.

On the flip, “Express” is sheer drama on wax. Tony’s opening lesson in good manners (“Excuse me miss, is this seat taken?”) sees us strapped in for a wild, chaotic, rhythmic ride. All bold keys, synth brass blasts, insistent bells and a galloping groove giving *that rush* atop a bassline to die for. No surprise it was a Frankie Knuckles favourite. Blistering heat.

The 12" was Paul Morley’s single of the week in the NME but his approval did little to get daytime radio play or to sell the record when it was released. It probably didn’t help that, in Tony Henry’s words, Factory were a label “notorious for not promoting their bands, not wanting any communications with the written press and not answering their office phones.” It came and went with none of the fuss that music this good deserved.

But in the near-40 years since they were released, these two tracks have gone on to become cult underground hits for those in the know. Of course that means those original 12"s have gotten rare and pricey. So here’s your chance to own this particular piece of post punk Factory Records funk.

But this record isn’t just a vital slice of Manchester soul history. Tony’s not shy about just how important he thinks the collaboration between 52nd Street and Bernard Sumner was: “this worked out quite well for us in the band but even better for New Order and Factory Records as Sumner studied grooves, rhythms and how to write and construct funk and dance music from 52nd Street and producer Donald Johnson”. You just have to listen to Blue Monday to hear what Bernard did when he started putting what he’d learnt into practice.

“Look Into My Eyes” and “Express” come from a chapter of the history of Factory Records that no-one seems to have gotten around to writing. Working with Tony to reissue the original 12" is the start of putting that right. The story of 52nd Street is more than just a footnote.

One Sided 7", Limited edition of 200 copies on black vinyl, handstamped whitelabel with additional photo inlay.

Tribe'n'Bass? Tech'n'Bass? Drum'n'Tech? Whatever you might call it, the first ever vinyl release of the freshly launched imprint Freebreakz.FWD is a quite trip, a journey into the unknown and unexplored.
For their conjunctional studio effort that is „Alien Swamp“ we see Hamburg's baze.djunkiii and Berlin-based Donna Maya draw influences from spiralling TribeTekno and the freeform approach of the teknival scene, pay homage to their love for advanced, experimental Drum'n'Bass and fuse these elements with a stripped down high tech vibe somewhat reminiscent of early Minimal Techno coming out of Motor City Detroit. Imagine all these bits falling together at breakneck speed and with a well psychedelic notion and you'll be
captivated by one of the most unique dancefloor cuts from a space-exploring future, the electroid soundtrack for illegal raves taking place under the two suns of life-bearing exoplanets in binary star systems far far away.

Part I (Disc 1)

The Taiwanese artist Yutie Lee covers six Chinese folk songs about Flowers.
Tuberosa, Rose, Jasmine, Plum Blossom, Orchids & Chamomile all are odes to the beauty of the plant. The flower also being a metaphor for something we are desperately longing for, but can never quite get. However you may want to interpret the songs, they are all telling a story of something pure and indestructible. In the end nature will prevail?
Romantic thoughts created in a time long before the current state of the world.
By artificially mutating her voice, Yutie Lee successfully manages to transfer the songs into 2020s arguably much more complex, dystopian reality. She does this not without a bow to the past, prevailing something of the original songs sweet essence, even adding a layer of humour… in the end leaving the listener with a feeling of good hope.

Part II (Disc 2-3)

To complete the package Yutie Lee’s versions have been remixed by, Alva Noto, Bell Towers, Laura Groves, Oceanic and Suzanne Kraft.

Pressed On Limited Edition Black And White Vinyl! Available on 2LP, with the look of a silk-screened jacket we are excited to bring to you these Liquid Swords Instrumentals. There are many reasons why Wu-Tang Clan rapper GZA's second solo album Liquid Swords is considered one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time. Critics and historians point to GZA's raw, and starkly poetic lyrics which featured references to chess, crime and philosophy, as well as superb guest performances from his Wu-Tang Clan contemporaries. One can't comment on Liquid Swords' brilliance however without touching upon the production, courtesy of Wu-Tang's own mastermind RZA. Behind a hazy and murky backdrop of rare samples and classic boom-bap beats, RZA crafted a bleak atmosphere of urban dystopia for GZA's esoteric rhymes to flourish in,cribbing from a wide panoply of sources ranging from the dusty soul of The Bar-Kays and Ohio Players, the nostalgic jazz of Cannonball Adderley and Willie Mitchell, and even the experimental weirdness of Mothers Of Invention. In a retrospective 5-star AllMusic review of Liquid Swords, writer Steve Huey said of RZA’s production: “The Genius' eerie calm is a great match for RZA's atmospheric production, which is tremendously effective in this context; the kung fu dialogue here is among the creepiest he's put on record, and he experiments quite a bit with stranger sounds and more layered tracks.” These instrumentals, peppered with frequent interludes of dialogue from the classic samurai flick Shogun Assassin, became the core of the GZA’s acclaimed sophomore LP. The full Liquid Swords instrumentals are now available in a white and black vinyl pressing, a nod to the chessboard art synonymous with the album’s cover art. All tracks have been restored, with re-mastered audio from the original source tapes.

Gilles Peterson announces the launch of his new imprint Arc Records with a reissue of cult record “Musica Infinita” by Mexican drummer- and composer Tino Contreras.

A psychedelic, experimental jazz record, originally released in 1978, it marked a daring step forward by the Mexico City-based musician & is now re-released for a chance to get the widespread dues it deserves!

A ltd. private press, copies of the original are highly sought after, despite the drummer being much overlooked in both his home country as well as abroad, with a career that started in the 1950's & which has seen him share stages with many of the greats – including Dave Brubeck, Cannonball Adderley & the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Thembisa’s Hot Soul Singers were formed in 1975 by promoter and producer Sam “Jiza Jiza” Mthembu. In the early years the trio was called the Thembisa Happy Queens and consisted of sisters Ntombifuthi and Nombuso Mabaso and Lindiwe Ndlovu. The trio would start out playing Jive, Zulu Disco and other popular sounds of the 70s . In 1979 they became the Hot Soul Singers and would begin a career in the emerging Disco scene which their group name was now more fitting for.

Their first single under the new name was a tribute to their producer Sam, and their first album “Together” would come 2 years later in 1981. It contained their Lamont Dozier rip off from a year earlier, and biggest hit to date “ Give Me My Love Back” which was playing in jukeboxes across the country. At this time the Hot Soul Singers were also gaining popularity due to their demand as an opening act for American groups. Sam’s ongoing pursuit to be a successful promoter also helped to ensure they were always in the headlines and playing shows. It would be in 1983 that the group would temporarily step away from a major label and go onto record their first Maxi single with the independent Raintree Records new Lyncell Imprint.

Like most places in the world the early 80s was a fast changing time in music for South Africa. Although the Maxi had a disco standard for years in other parts of the world it had only recently been popularized in South Africa. Thanks to the Brenda and the Big Dudes smash, Weekend Special, the maxi took over as the preferred format for pop music, replacing the cheaper but time restricting 7” single. Singles were being pushed to the limits in the early 80’s with running times of 4+ minutes a sides by some labels. The Maxi allowed for groups to extend their grooves onto a full side and later album art containing smiling musicians infant of cheesy backdrops became the norm. Synthesizers had been used in pop music for years already but the DX7 wouldn’t land in the country for another year. Drum machines were being used but had yet to fully replace live drummers like would happen in the years to come. The recording of this new single would require a full band resulting in it being one of the gems of the crossover period before the complete midi takeover. Durban’s Graham Handley was recording some of the best upcoming Disco sounds for labels like Heads Music and groups like Kabasa and Masike Mohapi and was tasked as engineer. Other known musicians in the session would be Jimmy Mgwandi from the group Image, who’s signature bass playing can be heard on both songs. A young Daniel Phakoe aka “sox” was also present and took care of the male parts of the vocal line. Both musicians have writing credits along with lead singer Nombuso. Other possibilities of musicians would be Thami Mduli aka Professor Rhythm who had been with the group since their early days as well as a young Chicco who was best friends with Jimmy at the time.

The single, which was packaged in a customized but simple company disco sleeve, went on to do quite well. Less than a year later they would feature on a track with Sunset which would lead to them singing with Sounds of Soweto records label. The group would enjoy the growing fame when tragedy struck in 1984. On their way to a show in Mpumalanga they were involved in a car accident which took the life of Nombuso and left her husband Sam with a leg injury he limps with to this day. Upon recovering Sam would organize a tribute concert at Soweto’s Jabulani Amphitheatre. Even though the tragedy left the group broken and without a member the band went back to work to record their second full length album. They worked with Mac Mathunjwa who had written Nombuso’s favourite song “Going Crazy”. This album would be released with two different names and covers. One took the former singer’s favourite song as the album name and used a photo consisting of all three girls where the other released under the name “ A Tribute” and would only have the remaining members on the cover.

Although the tragedy never halted the group, moving forward the trio of singers would see a few members change. Lindiwe would leave to join Freeway and then become Linda “Babe” Majika so by the time they were ready to record in1986, now with Teal records, the only original member was Ntombifuthi. She would also shortly leave the group and provide backing vocals to other artists including her old band mate Linda. The Hot Soul Singers would be kept alive by Jiza Jiza and go on to record 5 more albums before calling it quits in 1990 after a successful 15 year career. Today the only core member left is Sam Mthembu who still lives in Thembisa and is occasionally promoting live events. Even though he did produce a handful of artists back in the 70s, his most significant additions to the music industry were the Hot Soul Singers and his event promotions, which is what he is best known for and will most likely be the legacy of his career.

Following the success of their last collaboration with Isaac Chambers and Dub Princess, their multi-million streaming remix of ‘Kryptology’, they’ve returned the favour and refried their 'Back to my Roots' track, adding their own special dubwise flavours to the easy skanking original.

This Record Store Day Dubmission Records are releasing a limited run 7” vinyl featuring both vocal and dub cuts.

"I'm Always Right“ by Imagination is an unreleased jazz rock LP recorded in 1977, 3 years before their sought after “Shake It” debut from 1980. Comprised of five tracks with a playtime of roughly 30 minutes, you will hear one of the finest German late-70s rock-tinged electric jazz albums of the era. The recording is a delightful stand-out with unique compositions, aspiring solo work, and a soulful spirit throughout. Additionally, the album veritably glows with exceptional sound quality, as it has been remastered from original tapes that were cut more than four decades ago at the WDR Funkhaus, Cologne.

Pilo returns to BNR in 2020 with the “A.R.E.A.” EP. Since his first release for the label in 2013 at a very young age, each subsequent record could be seen as a milestone of growth - the “A.R.E.A. EP” feels confident, produced with consummate skill, focusing on the LA-producers strongest themes and devices. This is not, however, the sort of “maturity” that sees things get boring, more restrained. Pilo’s drum is the beat of LA’s unhinged underground techno scene - they don’t do boring - and this drum is always banging.

A-side examples: “Acid by Mouth.” A stuttered kick and a gated, uncanny valley voice form the backbone for increasing layers of texture and percussion. It’s a rollercoaster, as viscerally satisfying on the way up as on the way down. Pilo’s production journey has been increasingly cinematic, and you can see the songs here - “Acid by Mouth” is suited for a Gaspar Noe nightclub scene, and you love to hear it as long as no one gets murdered. “Ruhig” is tribal, made for spaces with 4 story high ceilings and sparse but blinding flashes of light. You can hear steel beams buckling under pressure, a breath too close behind you. The workers of the factory in fit of madness started raving to the sounds of their own machines. They’ve been dancing, without pause, for years now.

The B-side opens with “Exit the Artificial.” Headbanging broken beat kick, aggressive Skinny Puppy snares, ghost voices in hallucinatory bursts too short to confirm to be real. The draw-distance of the stereo spread seems infinite - listen at the very edges and a whole other (ominous) world is taking place. The ghosts mock you in gated laughs by the end. “Adapt Tactics” leads you out - low tempo, hissy percussion, haunted again at the fringe. Things break down, reduced to grain - brain short-circuits, “will I feel like this forever?” It’s a warning - turn back, there’s nothing for you out there. You embrace the madness, and start Pilo’s “A.R.E.A.” EP again from the beginning.

The awesomeness of this record can’t simply be denied and without a doubt, Chained To Oblivion will more than likely be my doom album of the year. I just don’t know how anything can top this. So please, give it a listen and enrich your life with it’s vibrancy" - NEW NOISE.
"Spirit Adrift’s 'Chained to Oblivion' Is An Epic Tale of Doom Metal Redemption" - VICE "This doom metal massif is as heavy as the Himalayas, and the passion involved is second to none." - METAL INJECTION "This is an album that will get people through tough times. You can feel the authenticity, which is a very powerful thing in the days of unending sarcasm and ironic creation" - TOILET OV HELL.

Yet more fresh heat from the Soundscape Versions camp and this time round with a special tentrack compilation by different artists across the globe with wide scope of electronic music produced and performed using all analog hardware gear. Release comes out on
c70' cassette and digital.

'Banoffee Pies Records' drop their 12th release in the original series with a solo EP from New York based Tristan Arp. With a string of intricate music on the likes of Human Pitch and a recent LP entitled "Suggested Forms", which offers a wider exploration into his work, Tristan's passion for sound design echoes in this record.

All four tracks offer an environment somewhere between a feeling &
a dancefloor with obscure influences in polyrhythmic drum patterns and a clear combination of digital and analogue processing. "Swept Thru" opens proceedings with a spiral of rhythms and heavy percussion leaping in energy throughout, before the spooked out Vox takes control on "Oblique House" with deeper movements in a haunted club tune. The B side opens with the title track "Slip" in a powerful whirlwind arrangement of sub bending sounds before the final colour is added to the palette in "Circling Music'' with emotive jingles in a more retained and patient mood.

You can hear Tristan's other work within the Asa Tone project - a trio group well worth the trip, offering a deep variety of works exploring field recordings taken and formulated in Indonesia beneath a tree canopy deep in the jungle. This same energy and mood spills into this release. Music for feeling. Much love BP x

Mastered: Optimum, Pressed: MPO & Distributed by KUDOS.

Jon Tye and Pete Fowler have been making music as Seahawks for a decade now. Given the sounds they’ve been exploring over those ten years it was a cosmic inevitability that they would be asked to contribute to the catalogue of the legendary library label KPM.

They replied with Island Visions, an exploration of sound for vision where they construct “audio micro-worlds to explore and inhabit”. A way to transport the listener away from the everyday without the bother of getting on an aeroplane. Mind travel is space travel after all, and much better for the environment.

Mostly recorded at The Centre Of Sound in Cornwall, with additional recording at Studio 34 in London, Jon and Pete’s travelling companions on this particular trip were boogie wunderkind Sven Atterton on fretless bass and keys, Nick Mackrory on percussion and the Seahawks live team of Dan Hillman and Alik Peters-Deacon.

From the grooves of Brian Bennett to the moog vibrations of Mike Vickers, the lush textures of Les Baxter to the experimental sounds of Delia Deryshire and David Vorhaus, this new music channels sounds and moods from across the KPM universe.

The spacious “Hot Sand Shuffle” opens the record with some of Seahawks’ familiar “deck-shoegaze”. The slinky digi-dub of “Sky Blue Sky” follows, gently encouraging us to lay back and relax. “Mystic Beach” is a refreshing ocean spray of a synthetic groove that clears the head, priming a pathway to receive “Crystal Forest”, a new age house groove of birds and flutes.

Dense, deep and dreamlike, “Distant Shore” is ambient rainforest house with a 90s vibe, its dense foliage clearing to let us bask in the shimmer and shine of “River Run”. Hang drum, electric gamelan, flute and loon close side A.

Side B bounces into being with “Catch A Wave”, an upbeat beach groover of synthetic guitar, effervescent synth and snappy drums. Equatorial bubbler “Paradise Bird Bath” soon glides in with marimba, crisp beats and fat synth bass. Fender rhodes, space echo and fretless bass make “Smooth Runnings” a laid-back poolside groove.

“Spirits Have Flown” conjures a hazy vibe with marimba, sax, synth funk bass and chilled beats before “Rolling Deep” serves up a light cocktail of sultry rhythms, refreshing textures, cooling sax and fretless bass. Almost-title track “Island Blues” brings the horizontal poolside feels with melodic chimes, oboe and more fretless bass for maximum vibrations. The marina drone of modular electronics, celestial trumpet and jungle ambience pay the album’s final respects to the cosmos on “Sun Salute”.

Like many KPM suites, this is a record of two distinct sides. The sunrise of side A brings a deep meditation, a journey within to renew the jaded self. Side B refreshes with cocktails by the pool and a chance to groove away the evening at some sunset beach party before dancing under the stars in the house of dreams.

Pete’s front cover for the LP is part map, part postcard: “the record has five different sections and I wanted to reference those in the worlds they created, musically and physically. From beach campfire, to poolside hanging and nighttime dancing. A kind of portal to those places and the pictures they inspired in my mind. All places we’d like to be in this turbulent year”. The track descriptions on the back help guide the way.

2020 marks 10 years since Ocean Trippin’, the first Seahawks release, and Island Visions is the perfect distillation of the sounds, sights, textures and moods that Jon and Pete have been exploring over the last decade. Sunrise to sunset condensed to two sides of an LP. The normal rules of space and time don’t apply here.

This is the first time Be With has worked with Seahawks, but individually Jon and Pete have been members of the extended Be With family since forever (Pete did those posters for our Ned Doheny tour and we worked with Jon on the vinyl version of Hatchback’s Colors Of The Sun). Of course we were going to put this out on vinyl.

Mastered by balearic engineer of choice (and Be With’s regular audio co-pilot) Simon Francis, cut by the legendary Pete Norman and pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry, the sonic frequencies of these Island Visions have been precision tuned and encoded for optimum travelling conditions. Take the trip.

We’ve worked with Ian Willson to reissue his insanely good, self-released West Coast classic “Straight From The Heart”. Privately pressed and originally released in 1985, this is the only album Ian ever put out. A magical blend of AOR/sophisticated funk/synth-boogie/spiritual jazz and modern soul, it’s a spellbinding record of many colours.

You might already know “Straight From The Heart” for the dubby-disco paranoid-balearic anthem “Four In The Morning”, and it’s easy to assume this is probably just another one of those one-track LPs. But trust us when we say it’s definitely not. This is an impressively slick record from start to finish, just ask those modern soul DJs and AOR collectors who’ve managed to find a rare copy in the last 35 years. It could’ve (should’ve?) been number 1 all over the world back in 1985.

Album opener “Think About It” is all sorts of right. It’s emotional. It’s tops-off. It’s funk in its purest form. And take the proto-modern-funk of the title track (half Dâm-Funk / half Dâd-Funk).

The shimmering, spiritual Bossa-Jazz of “If I Were You” serves as the album’s soaring centrepiece. A gorgeous suite of Cosmic vibes to get Gilles frothing, it sounds like nothing else on the record which makes sense given that it was recorded a couple of years earlier, and is the only track on the LP that wasn’t recorded in Ian’s own studio.

Side B opens with the propulsive ode to love that is “Two Is Better Than One”. Wonderfully sparse when it needs to be, it’s also richly percussive and that special kind of California-warm. Frenetic, speaker smashing synth and horn workout “Funk Invasion” dares you not to dance and “A Game Called Love” is heavily indebted to Prince with its lush, deep funk stylings. The sweeping sax-drenched instrumental “Song For Katelyn” is head-nod, beat-heavy AOR for that melancholic magic hour we spend our days longing for. It all adds up to the ultimate BBQ record.

Almost all of “Straight From The Heart” was recorded over a few months between 1983 and 1984 on Ian’s brand new Otari 8 track in the Oakland, California studio he built just the year before. Only “If I Were You” was recorded elsewhere, at Bay Sound in 1982.

A “full time poor musician” at the time (and he says he still is), Ian produced the album himself and played all of the instruments, except for guitar. That’s Peter Fujii you can hear, his good friend from growing up together.

Tower Of Power, Average White Band, Earth Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder was the list of influences Ian gave us when we asked. No wonder the record’s just so easy on the ears.

And why did he put the record out himself? Simple, he had no idea how to go about getting a record deal.

When we first got in touch with Ian he had no idea that “Straight From The Heart” had become something of a cult record, let alone that there were those of us out there that thought the album deserved to be pressed again. The original tapes have long since been lost so this re-issue was only made possible by remastering Ian’s one and only pristine copy of the finished LP.

The end results have been worth the work, including reproducing the original’s unmistakeable sleeve. Ian Willson’s “Straight From The Heart” is yet another Be With release that will find an easy home on the shelves of those of you who up to now have only dreamt of finding a copy and also those of you who who never knew it even existed.