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The tune entitled 'Smite Dem' is a fully self-produced release that we had made entirely in a remote collaboration style between both our own studios (Selah Dub Studio & Blak Nile Studio) where we had both decided on doing 2 different grooves on the project after initially working tirelessly on the original one drop groove version (which you can hear mixed on the first 2 mixes of the record). This is what set the way for inspirations with the dubs to let loose after one morning waking up and messaging Mali together a serious warrior style steppas pattern for the project. He did that without fail as that being his forte. At this stage it then led us to both be very ecstatic with the outcome of the creation at hand.

With great honour we are pleased to share with you the fully completed first wave of collaborations from this booming link-up ready to blaze up plenty of sessions worldwide! The message is here and the word is clear; let us live in love and not have any fears! Keep your shining light bright for all mankind, oh Jah!

A holy grail for fans of French boogie, early hip hop, Arabic funk and Balearic bops,"Ettika" has been seriously sought after since Vidal Benjamin found it in the 1€ bin back in 2006. Teasing the ears of the underground via Vidal's 'Balearic Nightmare' mix for Noncollective, copies of the original were soon snapped up completely, and the later adopters were sated by a Blackdisco edit from Alexis Le-Tan (himself gifted Vidal's second copy), which is now also rare as hen's teeth. The fervour for the track is easy to understand.

Underpinned by an endlessly buoyant bass groove, chanted female vocals dart out the speakers like a post- modern mantra while synth vamps flare in stuttering stereo.

Middle-Eastern motifs add an air of mystery, but this truly belongs in a dance floor utopia. That the track was the product of a 'back-to-work' scheme aimed at unemployed immigrant youth in Rouen only adds to the appeal. Led by teacher Bernard Guégan, a quartet of students delivered lyrics in French and Arabic inspired by their rejection letters, serving a little social commentary and a lot of funk. If you're mad on Ahmed Fakroun and Shams Dinn, or even those folks in the Bush of Ghosts, then this is a must have for you.

2024 Repress
Alberto Pascual, also known as Ribe is a well seasoned veteran in the Spanish scene. An expert synthesist and modular weirdo, his sound palette is amazing. If you have been so fortunate to enjoy his live PA before these turbulent times, you've got the precision and hypnosis he always provides.

This release has a physical side and a digital one, with four and seven tracks respectively, including two Oscar Mulero remixes.

"Palette" opens the release, a lone kick drum squashed in reverb sets the pace on the first bars while abstract details appear randomly and a continuous sequence grows from below. The tension is kept all over the arrangement, not additional percussive elements, just the few principal elements going back and forth.

"Shapes" has a Basic Channel approach soundwise, texturized techno as its best, exploring the dark corners of sound design, and again all relaying on a linear and mental arrangement.

"Ad Infinitum" is remixed by Oscar Mulero in his first remake, transforming the formerly broken and abstract Ad Infinitum is a danceable intelligent weapon.

Original version of "Ad Infinitum" follows, providing the experimental slice of the EP. Broken rhythms, shuffled components and low rated tempos.

DirtybLends 13 comes from these 2 misfits that split the 4th edition on the label which is Zodiac and The Jak..Zodiac kicks off the a-side with a Thanksgivin beat...food is served and your stone cold munching.
Fuk Christopher Columbo and the pilgrims. It's all about eating p@#$$.

Stuff your gullet with this heat and be thankful..

The flip side of this disc come from the leader of the the klan as “Itz In Ur Mind” is created strictly for Ron Hardy as this is the 3rd conceptual idea to follow “Hardy’s Haunted Box” from the 2nd edition of dirtybLends.

Glasgow based Seated Records return with more 1980s Scottish Post-Punk / New Wave material. In this 8-track mini compilation the label introduces the work of Stirling band 22 Beaches, offering a deep dive into music recorded between 1980-1984 - the majority of which has never seen the light of day!

22 Beaches formed in Stirling in the late 1970s as an evolution of the short lived group ‘Alone at Last’ - drummer Fred Parson’s and guitarist Stephen Hunter being the two who spanned the divide. Out of the six members of 22 Beaches, many were school friends, and the rest naturally fell together. The band toured extensively and played at a truly diverse set of venues across the UK: from a local swimming pool boiler room, to small nightclubs and university parties, to several fundraisers for the miners strike. Maybe most notably of all, drummer Fred Parsons described playing at what he calls “the Grangemouth International”, organised by local promoter Brian Guthrie and which featured an all-star lineup of 22 Beaches, The Exploited and the first incarnation of The Cocteau Twins. A coach was hired to ship the audience to Grangemouth from Stirling, the cost of which was included in the ticket. The gig then paused halfway through for a 'help yourself' buffet. Young promoters take heed. This is how it's done!

Over the course of the 80s the band released music on three different, and now sought after, various artists compilation cassettes. “What Day Is It?” and “Sadie When She Died” were released on a compilation of local Stirling artists 'The A.N.K.L.E File'. The track from which the current record takes its namesake - “Dust” - was initially released on a compilation-tape for the fanzine 'Another Spark'. And ‘‘Zoo” (also featured on this record) was first released on Glasgow label Pleasantly Surprised via compilation, 'An Hour Of Eloquent Sounds', where 22 Beaches rubbed shoulders with early music from Scottish names Primal Scream, Cocteau Twins, The Wake and Sunset Gun. Unfortunately, 22 Beaches never met the same level of commercial success as these others and decided to retire the project in 1984 - leaving their recordings and demos to gather dust (hehe)…until now!

This compilation, “Dust: recordings 1980-1984” follows the band's journey and the changes in their sound over the years. It moves from the raw, punk energy of early DIY recordings through to the A Certain Ratio style Balearica of their later pieces. The record's opener and title track “Dust” is perhaps the most shining example of the latter. Characterised by the plenitude of sonic space in the mix, “Dust” has an almost dub sensibility that is communicated through centrality of Parsons’ drums, McChord’s percussion, and Fildes’ Bass while the harmonising vocals of Sharkey and McGregor chant over the top to give the track its distinctive psychedelic edge. This is an atmosphere only exacerbated by the lofi quality of the recording which sits the vocals in the same aural realm as much 1960s psych-folk. On “Cartoon Boy”, the band strips things down further. A droning bass line persists through the tape fuzz and is accompanied by the sounds of a sole looping guitar chord sequence and McGregor and Sharkey’s vocals - respectively and carefully dancing around one another before harmonising in the most beautiful way. The result is a haunting and abstract Marine Girls style heartbreaker. ‘That Girl’ again delivers a dub adjacent rhythm section similar to that of “Dust”. However, on this instance crisp guitar chords, a distant, phased organ and blue-eyed soul vocal delivery, produce a track that could easily have been a lost Orange Juice recording from their sessions with Dennis Bovel. On “Somebody Got It Wrong” and “One Of Us” the band employ a more macro approach where a jangling guitar with an almost highlife-influenced tone, vocal ad-libs and syncopated percussion give the music a Talking Heads-esque swagger.

Taken together these tracks illustrate a clear trajectory in the band's sound, moving from from the high energy no-wave quality of early recordings towards a more dub influenced, and stripped-back sound - a sonic trajectory followed by so many bands of the time, not least those emerging from the diaspora of Manchester’s Factory Records.

On “Breathing’’ we hear the beginning of this transition, with the strong influence of the oddball NYC disco styles of Was (Not Was) and ZE records. All of this is meshed together with the residual punk rock energy of 1980s UK. This combination is employed to excellent effect with the addition of the distinctly Scottish (and what the band confirmed to me to be spontaneous) vocal delivery of: “Do you love me? Do you want me?” “Aye!” “Do you love me? Do you need me?” “Naw!”.

On the record’s closing tracks, “Zoo” and “Talent Show”, we hear early examples of the band’s work, playing with their rawest all-in-one-take live energy where Hunter’s spiralling guitar riffs and McGregor's distorted vocal exclamations lead the charge. The band recalls that these initial-forays did not always translate so well into multitrack recording and overdubbing: “the deconstruction took away some of the band's natural feel”. On “Talent Show” the record ends with Sharkey delivering an almost unintelligible spoken word section over the top of the track, making for one final, disorientating, almost manic slice of post-punk.

These tracks from 1980-1984 chart the progress of a unique contribution to the world of Scottish Post-Punk and New Wave, encapsulating not only the musical trajectory of 22 Beaches but also echoing the broader sonic landscape of 1980s UK, a testament to the adaptability and creativity of the UK’s underground music of the time.

Repress!

The release of Crosstown Rebels’ SPIRITS compilation is always a bastion moment for the label. The first edition came to prominence in 2017 and we’ve been graced with an annual compilation ever since, showcasing a consistent habit to champion established artists and breakthrough ones alike. Now, Crosstown Rebels’ lauded SPIRITS series will see the light of day once more in June, with the release of SPIRITS V.

NYC-native Layla Benitez leads proceedings with Fides, a progressive-leaning, introspective number that retains an inherent danceability throughout. It kicks off the compilation with a driving energy, one that’s perfectly matched by Trabajar - the Crosstown Rebels debut of recent Hot Creations inductee Mr.Diamond.

A techy-inspired cut, punchy four-four drum patterns create a distinctive late-night feel, as UK-talent Denney soon arrives with Kill The Soundboy. Showcasing the groove-laced house sound with which he’s become best known, the near seven-minute piece is sure to light up many a club setting this year, paving the way for Talk To Me. It’s a collaborative venture between Munich-based artist ASK:ME and El Muerto, with Soulfoot featuring on vocals. Retaining a vintage Detroit style, the fast-paced tempo creates a natural excitement before Romanian-born mainstay GruuvElement’s gifts us the minimal-toned Boom Room.

Building with tribal-like percussion and salsa-inspired instrumentals, it’s a playful excursion into dance music’s outer realms, paving the way for young Peruvian producer Chinonegro with My Moment. Whether it be the pluck of a guitar string or a jazzy trumpet solo, there’s an inherent authenticity to the six-minute piece, as a mid-track breakdown gives way to whispering hats and a rhythmic underlying backbone.

The penultimate offering comes from French-born, London-based regular Maglia, who serves up the enchanting Rayiys. The chirping of birds resides atop an ever-changing bassline, leaving us open and ready for the VA’s closing saga: Thanks Moon, by Spain’s I AM JAS. A heady combination of beautiful lyrical contributions combines with softly moving electronic elements, to leave us in a state of calm, inward reflection. Rounding off proceedings on a note of quietude, it reminds us of the final moments in clubland, transporting our psyche to sunrise, fond memories and everything in between.

Over a period of nineteen years, Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels has evolved into a world-renowned institution, garnering global audiences thanks to a consistent schedule of quality releases. In years since it’s earliest beginnings, the likes of Maceo Plex, Art Department, Seth Troxler, Ali Love, Mathew Jonson, Pier Bucci, Acid Pauli, Dennis Kurtel, Francesca Lombardo, Glimpse, Aphrohead, Fur Coat and a plethora of other figureheads have all found their home on the label.

The roster is international, showcasing how Crosstown has shaped a truly global scene. Releases are born in different continents by artists who hail from different countries, resulting in a sound that resonates worldwide. Perhaps most pivotal to the label’s success is its musical output: no part is governed by boundary or genre. It’s underpinned by a truly eclectic sound, one that reflects the diversity of Damian’s love for music itself. An album from drum and bass icon DJ Krust here, a maiden LP from Audiojack there… traversing genres has been Damian’s forte for decades - and Crosstown epitomises that as a result.

Singer, songwriter and producer Johnny Burgos returns with veteran producer Jeremy Page (Kendra Morris, Czarface, MF Doom) for "Hit Me Like," the
instrumental is dripping with retro soul nostalgia, serving up the drums and bass-forward and funky, under
a blanket of buttery guitar chords. The production carries Burgos' silky smooth and heartfelt delivery
effortlessly, offering a brilliant take on a timeless-sounding, soul-inspired love song.

Singer, songwriter, and producer Johnny Burgos returns with

veteran soul producer, Jeremy Page, (Kendra Morris, Czarface, MF Doom, That Handsome

Devil) for "Get Back." The fourth single off of the duo's upcoming album titled, 'All I Ever Wonder,' is a vulnerable retrospective of a love gone cold, with hopes of rekindling the

magic that once kept its flame alive. In true Neo Soul form, the song is driven heavily by the

drum and bass groove, distinctly reminiscent of an early 2000's J Dilla beat. Page's signature

colorful chords evoke the struggle in Burgos' story, as he confronts his inability to accept the fate

of his relationship and let go of the magic it once embodied.

Johnny Burgos is a Brooklyn - born singer, songwriter, producer & engineer. His brand of retro-soul embodies a

raw uncompromising sound revealing beauty from pain, hope from despair, and the will to keep fighting.

Influenced by his uncle and world-class percussionist, Andre Martinez, growing up Johnny developed a

fascination with the percussive rhythms of salsa and soul music, eventually manifesting into a devoted passion

for hip-hop production using an Akai MPC. With influences from Michael Jackson, OutKast, J Dilla, Lauryn Hill

and D'Angelo, Johnny's music draws upon the core principles of R&B, while encompassing elements of

hip-hop, funk, pop, salsa, and reggae. Collaborations include artists such as DJ Skizz, Mobb Deep & M.O.P.,

Marco Polo, Frans Mernick, and Liza Colby (The Gold Setting) and his band Bridge City Hustle, with whom he

toured nationally.

As a solo artist Johnny debuted with back-to-back brand endorsements from French's Mustard and Samsung

US, using them as a platform to launch his 2018 EP Love Through it All. In March 2021 his debut album Gone

Into The Grey received critical acclaim and has since been added to multiple editorial playlists by Spotify, Apple

Music and Tidal, resulting in an ever-growing listening fan base. In 2022, Burgos' song "Wild About You" was

then used as the soundtrack for Neiman Marcus' It's Your Moment global streaming campaign.

At its best, Bristol's scene has been marked out by the artists with an independent spirit. Not just the self-reliant DIY approach to getting the music out there, but a unique, inventive slant on emergent sounds which feed into the city's storied reputation. Flynn & Flora embody that idea, having come up in the nascent Bristol jungle scene while offering something wholly different to their peers in fabled crews like Full Cycle and More Rockers.

The duo were absolutely connected to the wider community, but they followed their own path, and the records reflect that. They're not as widely name checked as the likes of Roni Size, Krust, or Smith & Mighty, but their legacy is just as rich with personality and flair, offering that indefinable twist which sets West Country rhythms apart from the sounds in London or elsewhere. City Road wanted to recognise that fact with a modest 12" which cherry picks four crucial early cuts from Flynn & Flora's archives, before they went on to produce three LPs and a series of 12"s up to the mid 00s.

"We knew as much as anyone else at that particular time," recalls Flynn. "Samples, hip-hop breaks, bass lines. You've got your synth, your drum machine. It's all you needed. So that's what we did."

It’s approximately been a year since Antoine lost what would have been his debut album, ironically dubbed ‘Humour. Positivity & Affection’. In its wake, stemmed the idea for the producer to reform his conceptually based project (Mise En Place) into a vinyl only label.

The Land Down Dunder EP being the first, of hopefully, many releases throughout this new imprint. The label head feels there is no better way to start this campaign, than with a body of work, entirely inspired by the modern, timeless TV Sitcom - The Office (US).


The opener ‘Australian Reds’ looks to bridge the gap between Progressive House and Antoine interpretation of Minimal. Matched with Ghanian inherited grooves of course.

‘Colombian Whites’ as suggested by its title, widens the eyes and warms the soul with its textbook, 90’s House inspired Kicks, Hi’s and Baseline. Synthy melodies run throughout the mid(s) of the track to marry the ensemble together. Fitting for all terrains, but would be highly favoured in the Summer.

The B-Side flips the script in tone, tempo and texture - pulling on Antoine’s repertoire for groove laden Techno - ‘Cafe Disco (AK’s Rare Groove Dub)’ brings you to the after hours of any setting with it’s full bodied percussive rhythms, beautifully automated soundscapes and highly persuasive swing. Lastly, the EP is capped off by ‘Threat Level Midnight’. A nod to Antoine’s versatility within the realms of House and Techno. An incredibly versatile track, structurally inspired by the producers love of Hip-Hop. A cacophony of ethereal chord progressions run throughout the track alongside one moody baseline, as well as solemn drum patterns which progress in both body-feel and stature.

"Creation" is the debut album by British songwriter, singer & pianist James Sayer and includes the three singles "Living It Up", "Chemistry" and Cherry".

After spending many years playing for others, Sayer says that "writing my own music happened completely by accident. But I'm so glad I recorded that one demo which ultimately spurred me on to create a full album all this time later." Sayer, often called an old soul due to his love of classic song writing and bygone eras comments that although technology has changed the landscape of the musical world today, making a record organically was still a must for him.

Originally from Birmingham, Sayer's fascination and love of music began at a very young age when he learnt all thing rhythm & blues and rock'n'roll from his dad's music collection of artists such as Elton John or Jerry Lee Lewis, later also finding a love of soul artists such as Michael McDonald, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison and Earth, Wind and Fire. Sayer moved to London in 2012 where he began performing almost every night in piano bars, clubs and pubs; spotted by the likes of Tom Jones whilst holding down a residency at the world-famous American Bar at the Savoy hotel.

About recording "Creation" he says: "I've tried to capture all the styles I love - Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Gospel and classic pop music – but still create a sound that is all mine".

Splatter is a new vinyl and digital underground techno label from Austrian artists Luca Tresque, Joe Haensn and Rotary Motion.

'Exceed Limits' follows their special prequel EP and launches the label catalogue in style.

Florian Meindl is a Berlin-based artist who runs the FLASH record label and who has appeared outside of his own imprint on labels like Stephan Bodzin's Herzblut to Oliver Koletzki's Stil vor Talent. "Gridlock" is a true jackin' cut with a multitude of mechanical elements and raw analogue energy.

Linear System is a Spanish artist who has released music on esteemed labels like Edit Select, Ben Sims' Symbolism and Dynamic Reflection. "Taurinom" is a moody, rolling groove with gripping suspense and haunting touches from gothic effects and an eerie atmosphere.

Leipzig is the home of JANEIN, a respected artist known for releasing on Index Marcel Fengler, Slam's Soma, Fiedel's Fiedeltwo, Exos' Planet X and Electric Rescue's Skryptom. "Neowise" is punchy and percussive track with a metallic, siren-like hook and infectious energy.

Daniel Heinrich is also from Berlin, and shows himself to be a top talent following his EP's on Elektrotribe to Inherit with remixes by Arnaud Le Texier an Hadone. "Close Your Eyes" has a pacey style with superb stabbing chords that create an old-school feel alongside vocal chants for extra impact.

Stuttgart-based Egotot runs the Schimmer label and also lists BCCO, OECUS and Ketch's SYXT in his quality back catalogue. "Name It As You Want" has a quirky, bouncing beat with Detroit-style stabs and a light-hearted vibe ready for the dance floor.

Following his debut EP ‘En clair-obscur’ and a series of singles earlier this year cementing his place as a rising name in the world of cinematic soul & funk, Hamburg’s finest cinematic soul artist ‘The Offline’ announces his debut album 'La couleur de la mer'.

Reminiscent of film scores from the 60s and 70s, The Offline worked with co-producer Tim Liztenberger to channel the influence of film composers such as Francois de Roubaix and Brian Bennet, creating his own soundtrack on ‘La couleur de la mer’. Inducing images of manorial, fog-swept villas at the sea's edge, silhouetted sailing boats and cigar-chomping villains attempting to thwart the mission of an imaginary hero, the record is a masterfully composed sonic journey. Experimenting with themes and atypical song structures, the music moves from dramatic cues to fragile romanticism. It incorporates psychedelic spaciness, retro soul and hip-hop sensibilities informed by The Offline’s extensive record collection and crate-digger status.

“Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by the soundtracks from the 60s and 70s, and I always wanted to make an album in the film score direction. I wrote about 30 demos, kicked half of it and stuck to the ones that felt right in the dramaturgical structure of the ‘movie'. Interestingly the main theme was set early on while writing the album, which made the writing process much easier.”

Aptly named, ‘Thème de la couleur de la mer’ opens proceedings, establishing the core motifs of the record. Haunting flutes and xylophones lead the way into Khruangbin-esque guitar lines, which sit against a hip-hop canvas that returns on boom-bap head boppers like ‘Quelque chose reste’. Retro soul revival takes precedence on deep cuts like ‘Un bout de chemin’, with wah-gated guitars interacting with emotive cello lines and symphonic string & horn sections.

The Offline came to life when composer and photographer Felix Müller travelled the Atlantic coastline in the south of France with his analogue camera, capturing beach life on film. After coming back to Hamburg, he started writing songs as the sonic counterpart to the analogue visuals. His Debut EP ‘En Clair-Obscur’ includes five tracks that capture the essence of his journey and the feeling of a cool summer soundtrack.

If you love groove, irresistible basslines, and a sonic universe that dances between Italo house, Balearic, and funk, consider it as a new hit for your playlists:

“Euro Nettuno – Après Le Paradise” on POLYAMORE Records.

The first single is titled “Si Fua,” exotic rhythms blend with tropical sounds to produce Calypso vibes, yet charged with positive energy. Absolutely not to be missed is the remix by the well-established DJ and producer ELADO, who offers listeners a total immersion in drum solos that transform the dancefloor into a tribal dance.

The second single, on the other hand, is titled “Il Diavolo” (“The Devil”). Magic cults, esoteric sects, and dance floor devotees all come together for an unrestrained dance. The perfect fusion of house and Italo disco creates a true anthem for those who never stop when it’s time to dance. To close this fantastic EP, the remix of “Il Diavolo” by Marvin & Guy will teleport you on a mystical journey where dark yet colorful sounds alternate with a combination of astral rhythms that will lend sensuality and vigour to the powerful basslines of this remix.

Probaly no one will tag Rockets into the Italo Disco movement as this is very well know Progressive Rock band. But Tino Silvestri made two incredible remixes from the Atomic album in 1983 in a super italo disco mood. A really hard to find re-issued on yellow vinyl (like the original release, Orange and black vinyl). Don't miss it, It's a imited numered release.

The Issues label keeps up its fine early momentum with a new EP from Pau Roca with a remix from Crue. It is another tasteful 12" that comes on the heels of a deep outing from Dubbyman and an inaugural release featuring fresh versions of Joan Bibiloni by Kiko Navarro & Willie Graff.

Opener 'Daradada' is a spiritual deep house cut with swirling pads and classic vocals drifting next to the jazzy keys. It's expansive and cosmic in design and one that touches the heart on many levels.

'Here Comes The Moon' is another cut that shows off Roca's mastery of astral melodies. His gorgeous chords and delicate keys rise up to the stars as warm, dynamic drums bring the weight down low and spoken words unfurl in a seductive fashion. The Crue remix of 'Daradada' then brings more drive with harder but still organic house drums and hits.

The chords take on a melancholic quality and an elastic bassline pumps the party with a playful sense of energy. Last of all is 'Get Down' which once again sinks you into a beautifully warm and heady world of soft focus chords and late-night synth work.

Commissioned and curated by Flora Yin Wong for her label and publishing house Doyenne, ‘Venus Rising From The Sea’ is a collection of love-themed cover versions featuring Teresa Winter, Susu Laroche, Alex Zhang Hungtai, aya, Maria Minerva, Christina Vantzou, Spivak, Salamanda, clare rousay, Wild Terrier Orchestra, Dania and Flora Yin Wong herself covering songs by The Cure, Robert Wyatt, Mariah Carey, The Cranberries, Pentangle, The Carter Family, Spiritualized, Debussy and more.

‘Venus Rising From The Sea’ takes its cues from the classical deity Aphrodite - whose name literally means “sea foam” - for an ever necessary expression of love in the modern age. The label asked friends and collaborators to interpret “love” in whichever way they saw fit, be it obsession, self-love, unrequited, unconditional, whatever. But despite the open brief, and the vastly different modes of execution, all the artists involved somehow ended up linking hands with a shared determination to smudge the original songs into bleary-eyed, uncanny traces of the originals.

To open, Pentangle's jaunty 'No Love is Sorrow' is puffed into stormy clouds by Teresa Winter, who retains the original’s unmistakable bass twang and teases Jacqui McShee's siren song into a saturated buzz of layered, obfuscated words. Verses twist into verses, lines into echoed-out lines, capturing the song’s boundless yearning, rather than tracing its exact contours. Next, Susu Laroche yields one of the set’s highlights on a brilliantly nuanced, highly impactful version of Nina Simone’s take on folk standard ‘Black is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair’, turning the original’s multi-faceted Appalachian/Scottish routes into a heart-stopping, Nico-esque fuzz we haven’t stopped playing for weeks. Christina Vantzou (the CV ov CV & JAB) is joined by pianist Ezra Fieremans in the absorbingly filmic scenes of ‘Hot Springs’, while Maria Spivak's interpretation of Robert Wyatt's 'Just as You Are' finds her singing Brazilian vocalist Mônica Vasconcelos' words with reverence, smearing them into a hypnagogic fantasy.

Flora Yin Wong takes an inconspicuous approach on her love-letter to Mariah Carey's 'The Roof (Back in Time)', itself a melodramatic interpolation of Mobb Deep's Herbie Hancock-sampling 'Shook Ones, Part II'. The unmistakable piano line is frayed into a granulated gurgle, fleshed out by gauzy cries; Mariah's ecstatic diva logic haunts the edges like a furtive glance, hanging beautifully behind Wong's dense soundscapes. Alex Zhang Hungtai's take on the 1927 standard 'Me and My Shadow' is even more atomised, reduced to a disembodied vocal that oozes around a clattering woodblock.

Always a standout, aya's tribute to The Cure's 'Lovesong' infuses the 1989 classic with the same self-investigatory charm she exhibited on 'im hole', slowing it down to a giddy, infatuated lurch, and replacing the guitars with eerily-tuned oscillations and drums with hollowed-out, electrically charged thuds. "I will always love you," she moans through a wall of static, like some lost “Pop Artificielle” addendum. The album’s biggest surprise is saved for last, however, a cover of The Cranberries' 'No Need To Argue' from Paralaxe Editions boss Dania Shihab. Already a poignant memory of a faded romance, Dania's version is even more glacial, her tender voice gusting over inverted guitars and looping, wordless moans, guiding us ever so gracefully into the nether-world.

‘Venus Rising From The Sea’ is a gooey, emotionally raw set of recollections and affirmations from some of the scene's most open-hearted operatives. In the end, the love that's most evident is the love each of the artists has for their source material, somehow binding loose threads into a rich tapestry that will leave you gasping, perhaps a little tearful too.

Forest Green Vinyl

Seafood Sam is a futuristic artifact. If that description might sound confusing at first, it matches the eclectic dualities found in true originals. With his effortless cool and timeless style, the North Long Beach native defies convention and exact comparison. He's a virtuosic rapper, a stop-you-in-your tracks singer, and a symphonic producer. Welcome to the lavish life of a laid-back transcontinental man of mystery, rolling in old school Cadillacs, eating caviar with a blade in his pocket, and making plays in vintage Pelle Pelle gear. A blaxploitation icon for the Instagram age, blessed with the bars of a `90s legend and 23rd century swagger. Seafood Sam is a true hero of modernity. On his full-length album debut for up-and-coming label drink sum wtr (Kari Faux, Deem Spencer, Aja Monet) debut, Standing on Giant Shoulders, Sam splits the difference between Snoop Dogg and D' Angelo, Curren$y and David Ruffin. The songs reveal a forward-thinking sensibility rooted in ancestral soul. He creates spiritual hymns for the streets that tap into universal ideals and irrepressible groove. In an era plagued by short-term thinking, his ambitions reveal a crate-digging depth of music history and a meticulous ear for detail. The giant shoulders in the album's title refer to James Brown, Bobby Brown, and Miles Davis - the holy trinity who inspired Sam's process. From the Godfather of Soul, Sam took a perfectionist's rigor and focus. The example of Bobby Brown lent an unshakeable confidence and self-belief. While the constant artistic left turns of the trumpeter that birthed Ccool offered an aspirational archetype. The story starts in the glory days of Long Beach hip-hop. As a young child, the G-Funk era soundtracked rides in Sam's father's car. Some of his earliest memories are trying to memorize Snoop's verse on "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang." Beyond gangsta rap, the LBC has historically doubled as a capital of lowrider soul and carwash oldies. At any intersection, you could hear Dogg Food or Brenton Wood, Warren G or Barbara Lynn. This too was absorbed via osmosis. It also just so happened that the art of performance was always in Sam's blood. So at family functions, he and his sister supplied entertainment by singing karaoke renditions of The Isley Brothers. While his Harlem Shake remains a thing of local lore. Long Beach is a culturally diverse mecca of skate parks and gang life, street fashion and tricky dance moves. This is the place that raised Sam on a diet of Wu-Tang and Nelly Furtado, Lil Bow Wow and Allen Iverson. He was the middle ground between his two older brothers: one who gangbanged, the other who graduated with a master's degree from UC-Santa Barbara. But it wasn't until the end of high school that Sam started to take rap seriously. Alongside long-time collaborators like Huey Briss and Reaper Mook, Sam's name began to make waves on the northside of the city, but he was partially distracted by a modeling career that paid the bills and took him all to way to walk in Paris' fashion week. The first turning point arrived with 2018's "Ramsey," a self-produced, slick-talk anthem with over 10,000,000 streams across all platforms. With each subsequent release, Sam showcased his peerless consistency, building buzz both online and in the city streets. Spin hailed his "smooth and unhurried cadences and understated lyricism_ that sounds like nothing else in Long Beach." Clash raved about Sam's "evolution as an artist, cruising through nostalgic production with slick, witty rhymes." The culmination arrives with Standing on Giant Shoulders. It's the evidence of a master, a young sensei in the model of Quincy Jones. All rhymes, singing, production, and arrangements were handled by Sam - with an assist from his close Long Beach kinsman Tom Kendall from the group Soular System. It's hard-edged and lyrical enough for disciples of Larry June and Roc Marciano, but orchestral and melodic enough for fans of Anderson .Paak and H.E.R.

On 24th May, 2024, the exact day of its Golden Jubilee, Diamond Dogs will be issued as a limited edition 50th anniversary half-speed mastered LP. The first single from the album, ‘Rebel Rebel’, reached number 5 in the UK and the album would also reach similar heights on both sides of the Atlantic reaching number 1 in the UK and number 5 in the USA.



This new pressing of Diamond Dogs was cut on a customised late Neumann VMS80 lathe with fully recapped electronics from 192kHz restored masters of the original master tapes, with no additional processing on transfer. The half-speed was cut by John Webber at AIR Studios



The writing of the album was influenced by Bowie not being able to secure the rights for a theatrical production of George Orwell’s 1984 and the work of William S. Burroughs, whom Bowie had interviewed for Rolling Stone in November 1973. The songs on the album created an urban apocalyptic scenario with Bowie appearing on the cover as a controversial half-man, half-dog hybrid painted by the Belgian artist Guy Peellaert from photos by the world-renowned photographer Terry O’Neill. Since its release, tracks from Diamond Dogs have been covered by artists such as Beck, Tina Turner, Duran Duran, Def Leppard, Joan As Police Woman, Dead Or Alive and The Struts.

"Deep Dancefloor Jams of African Disco, Funk, Boogie, Reggae & Proto Electro Music 1977-1986reggWhen a passionate DJ and crate digger intuitively selects music for a DJ compilation, without artistic compromise and without the burden of trends, AfroMagic vol.1 emerges from the depths of his soul. Herewith we present the new favorite phonomancer’s tool for all the DJs who experience the dance floor as a sanctuary and a source of freedom and love.

The most fundamental thing that defines African music is that it was created for dancing. In African dance, there is often no clear distinction between ritual celebration and social recreational entertainment – one can seemlessly merge with the other. Because dance and rhythm have more power than gesture and more richness than words, and because they express the deepest experiences of human beings, dance is in itself a complete and self-sufficient language. It is truly an expression of life with all of its emotions – joy, love, sadness and hope – without which there is no African music and dance. For the African people, dance and music are integral parts of the body and soul, thus depicting the expression of life, current emotional states, visions or dreams. Through hypnotic repetitive music and dance, people communicate with each other and with the souls of the dead, the animals, the plants, the stars, the Gods… They free the body and the spirit through ecstatic states, reaching a healing sense of freedom, happiness, and satisfaction.

Throughout history, this transcendental perception of rhythm and dance originating from Africa, influenced popular music worldwide, thus creating new living and breathing forms of musical genres – freeing them from their industrial mold. Funk, disco, soul, boogie, reggae, dancefloor jazz etc., developed in parallel all over the world. It is foolish to perpetually discuss where they originated from and who were the creators of all these fiery dance floor genres – being obvious that they directly or indirectly originate from the African continent and its people who were as well, over the centuries, influenced by disturbing socio-cultural factors of colonialism. However, no one can enslave the soul. The seeds of free and uninhibited dance and rhythm, true to their original form, initially first sprouted onto the USA’s fertile fields of clubbing and popular music while later evolving in other parts of the world.

The disco funk club culture manifested itself as a phenomenal explosion of artists and grooves in the second half of the 70s in the USA. Shortly it spread around the world continually reigning over charts in its various forms – to this day. Clubs emerged where the DJ is an almighty shaman and the dancers are a tribe united under one roof. This urban ritual had and still has a single goal: togetherness, freedom, and love. Clubs have evolved into temples where we free ourselves from the burden of a consumerist lifestyle and suppressed emotions – a place where we receive love and give love – to be who we really are.

Disco funk clubbing was such an influential global phenomenon that its influence can be observed in various other genres from the disco funk era i.e. progressive rock, which mutated by layering complex rock arrangements with a disco funk groove resulting in hybrids, highly sought by today’s diggers, producers and collectors. The profit-hungry music industry of the 80s very quickly commercialized the original disco funk sound by amputating of its original Afro groove to be able to easily ‘sell’ it globally. So, the original disco funk groove became underground again, and it has remained so until this day. Today, for a DJ to unearth that ravishing groove that will lead the dancers to the stars, he must dig passionately like a true musical archaeologist in search of that groove that picks you up after just a few initial beats. That groove which forces the atoms in your body to vibrate, that groove which unites the body and releases the burden.

The AfroMagic compilation series is created as a tool for real DJs who stick to the aesthetics and essence of clubbing.

This continuation of the Afromagic compilation by DJ Borovich was created in a private jam session which served as an escape route from intense and complex love problems.

Unconsciously driven by intuition and emotion and following a live mix tape framework where many tunes are arranged instantaneously, Borovich narrates his story with a strong rhythm that cuts loose even the most blocked off energy nodes and restores happiness to the spirit and the body.

The musical experience of the groove is completed by the lyrics of the songs, which symbolically give DJ Borovich universal answers to his questions arising from questioning the boundaries, nuances and other forms of love.

When considering that Borovich’s selection was created to facilitate an escape from the burdens of reality through rhythm and dance, we can be sure that Afromagic Vol. 2 will have a 100% uplifting, energized and spaced-out effect on the listeners.

The intro to A1, “Feeling Happy” by the Apostles, introduces us to an experienced and slow, cool and irregularly tight groove containing a confidently sung chorus that instantly gives a sense of freedom and hints at the remainder of Afromagic Vol. 2: “I’m gonna feel happy, ´cause I know I’m gonna be myself.” After the anthemic song mantra of the Apostles, Aigbe Lebarty uncompromisingly continues with a dirty disco rhythm. Acidified by accented synths that elevate it to shamanic levels and held together by a female tribal choir, we embark on an uncompromising ritual disco journey. Without a moment to take a breather the prog funk band Mighty Flames and their Road Man launch a highly vicious and raw, thick funk groove spiced with acid synths and dirty RnR breaks, raising the bar for the A side. Jimi Hendrix himself would surely praise it given the ultimate freedom and virtuosity in the solo sections. With the last tune on A side DJ Borovich decides to burn the floor with Geraldo Pino’s psychedelic, acid furious groove and lyrics which describe this HEAVY part of love problems: “The way she walk, the way she talk, the way she does a funky dances, she is really really heavy – that woman”.

While the A side represents a compact intoxicating afro groove machine that separates us from reality and lifts us up to the stars in over 23 minutes, the B side is a treasure trove of proto sub-genres gems. This selection represents the mission of the Afromagic: to find singular events in African recorded discography of popular music from the 70s and 80s that give evidence to the birth of new modern genres on the Dark Continent even before they emerged in the U.S.A. or Europe. The beginnings of electronic music influenced genres are represented back to back with 80s synth jazzy pop, all painted in African colours.

The B side opens big with Jake Sollo and a huge reggae blues number singing about the humiliation of a man – goosebumps guaranteed! “You think I’m nobody that’s why, you don’t know the way for me, I’m somebody I know, I found myself at last”. Adolf Ahanotu then enters the scene with a hard sliding tackle at B2 and an exotic rare disco funk dancefloor napalm. A ‘Sensation’ that would ignite even the coldest of introverts. While we approach the end of the compilation the narrative revolves again and takes a different turn. No less and no more than to the proto-electro that Baad John Cross serves us in “Give Me Some Lovin´”. The fat and repetitive broken electro synth groove, championing many early 90s electro tracks, is presented here without hesitation and with constant tension accompanied by a mantric chorus “Gimme some, gimme some, gimme some looooovin’, EVERBODY!!!”. Finally, we’re guided to the end of Afromagic Vol. 2 by Eji Oyevole’s 80s synth pop style presented in an authentic afro manner, giving us a glimpse at yet another released Afromagic edition, as well as giving an answer to DJ Borovich’s love problems. A smoothly broken electronic rhythm resembling electrified highlife sounds, carried on the wings of a virtuoso dreamy saxophone on top of which Eji presents the most intimate parts of himself. Finalizing the track with a symbolic chorus, on the surface referring to the dancefloor and simply having fun, but in actuality referring to the skill and happiness of living: “I´m a dancer, I can dance”. So, get up and dance among the stars with DJ Borovich and Afromagic.

The discography of the phantom Gruppo Sound exceeds over thirty titles published in an undefined time frame between the Eighties and the Nineties. However, there is very little information about this curious pseudonym. it is possible to find a library music album by Gruppo Sound inside the Canopo, Deneb, Flower, Monosound Records and Teams catalogues, all managed by Flipper Music publishing group, but both the creators and the musicians have never been the same. Gruppo Sound is only a collective name, maybe to identify a certain number of 'new' productions characterized by an electronic background And, not by chance, the author of “New York City” is a single artist, the multi-instrumentalist Gabriele Ducros. Son of the prolific composer Remigio Ducros, he first followed his footsteps in the field of music libraries and soundtracks and then become the author of many tracks for television commercials of a certain relevance, winning some international awards.

“Some of these tracks may have been associated with a pornographic film. Others were, however, made as brief comments for a theatrical show, perhaps never made”, remembers Gabriele Ducros. What unites the thirteen pieces is the same musical language, which derives from a widespread funk and jazz matrix. Both genres are thus declined through a different approach and taste, in line with the fusion trends of the time, when the early synthesizers were used by few artists. A handful of electric guitar notes for a 'urban' mood, the acoustic ones from a dreamy morning awakening. Electronic keyboards to arouse a sense of nostalgia in the listener, while flute and saxophone always punctuate different atmospheres. A computer melody, a theme for children and a sophisticated ode to the fusion sound of the Big Apple, perhaps true source of ispiration of the work. “New York City” is not a concept album, but one of the best cross-sections of Gabriele Ducros' great creativity.

After a long absence, Forbidden Teachings returns with a new vinyl
release from artist Mind I Matter. This EP can be interpreted as a
reflection of the current era, where inequality and injustice have
become the norm. As hope begins to fade, the artist proposes a
journey into the heart of the workings of the human mind which could
relate to the origins of this situation. Is humanity imperfect at its core, or is our condition the direct consequence of an imperfect world? Could it be that, in the midst of all this pain and suffering, we all have an individual responsibility? With four cutting-edge tracks, Mind I Matter offers a window into what these questions might imply. Ultimately, this EP testifies to the label's commitment to offering experiences that transcend our earthly senses

Repress!

DEE DEE SHARP was born Dionne LaRue in Philadelphia in 1945 and broke the Billboard Hot 100 while still a teenager with Slow Twistin'' (performed with Chubby Checker) in 1963. Follow-up hits included Mashed Potato Time' and Ride' which both earned her Gold discs. In 1967 she married Philadelphia producer Kenny Gamble who signed her to his fledgling Gamble label, co-owned by his writer/producer partner Leon Huff.
Ms. Gamble (nee Sharp) is no stranger to the UK Northern and Rare Soul scene having enjoyed over 40 years of DJ action with Comin' Home Baby', Deep Dark Secret', Standing In The Need Of Love' and in more recent times with The Bottle Or Me' and Happy 'Bout The Whole Thing'. She was also a featured vocalist on the Philadelphia International All Stars hit Let's Clean Up The Ghetto' alongside Lou Rawls, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, The O'Jays and Archie Bell. BUT, without doubt, it is her 1968 recording What Kind Of Lady' that continues to pack dance floors across the country. First played at the legendary Golden Torch in Stoke-on-Trent, almost as a new release at the time, heralding the seventies and Northern Soul's golden years. The song was penned and produced by Gamble and Huff and released in September '68 while the duo were still hot from their million-selling Cowboys To Girls' by the Intruders, released in March of the same year. What Kind Of Lady' has remained a firm club favourite and is reissued here, for the first time, coupled with the aforementioned The Bottle Or Me'.

A mysterious release, not only for its unique expressive style but also because it isn't even known when it was initially recorded let alone its release date. According to non profit Studio Piccolo owner Vincent Bruley, it could have been recorded during the 70s and eventually released in the early 90s, sometime throughout Nilton Castro's time in Paris making music for contemporary dance classes (often led by his wife). This album was originally intended for accompanying dancers in classes with an emphasis on rhythm and coordination. Given Nilton's background and expertise in percussion, the focal point of this album is to present an array of Afro Brasilian rhythms performed by himself with additional moments of choir, flute and keys/metallophone. Effortless due to Nilton's prowess and unburdened by typical financial pressures (often behind the release of a record), the result feels like charmingly unadulterated and pure expression throughout the entire album. But what really takes the listener to places of unheard-of bliss is “Ondes (Les Vagues)” a track that has plagued the curiosity of diggers and collectors for a while now. With its harmony crescendos elegantly coming and going as per the title, overlayed on Nilton's subtle percussive patterns, an aural landscape of illusory beauty - listening is believing. Remastered and officially re-issued with its original artwork.

2024 Repress

Witness the fusion of two distinctive creative forces in the "Demons & The Ghost" EP, an unparalleled collaboration between VOXNOX's core artists, Blame The Mono & DLV.

This groundbreaking 4-track EP is an explosive blend of raw energy and unmatched creativity, designed to ignite dance floors across the globe. Prepare yourself for a sonic journey as Blame The Mono & DLV unleash a bold and unforgettable testament to the VOXNOX sound. Don't miss it - destined to become a classic.

The Passion has always been a track that resonated deep within me, a true gem by the infamous 90s duo GTO, also known as Technohead. It is a classic that has been a constant source of inspiration and emotion in my musical journey.

I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to rework this timeless track into a modern Techno anthem that embraces Peaktime and Psy elements, infused with my signature production style.

‘Unknown Fate’ is the debut release from UF - the collaborative live project between German experimental techno artist OAKE and British producer and live performer Samuel Kerridge.
Self-described as the ‘power metal techno’ duo, the project was initially born from an Atonal commission. Now, OAKE & Kerridge present two EPs ‘Unknown’ and ‘Fate’, culminating in 9 tracks of unadulterated sonic warfare for their LP release.
Of the project UF say "Forged through friendship, addiction, and debauchery, UF is the sum of our parts. It’s taken over a decade to formulate these ideas and the noise is palpable. Pack your end of world survival bags and prepare yourselves for the ensuing riot.”
Samuel Kerridge and OAKE started creating music together when they shared a studio in Berlin and have been making music together for a decade. This is the first time that they have released music as a duo and it’s been a long time in the making.

• Limited LP 180g White Vinyl – 300 copies only

• UK marketing and global PR teams engaged - recent coverage: Hypnotic Groove, Expansion Radio, Metal Junkbox and Skreen B

• Samuel Kerridge is a pioneering & well-respected British electronic music producer and DJ recently featured as Resident Advisor’s ‘Mix of The Day’.

• Berlin based OAKE aka Eric Goldstein is recognized for his dark, atmospheric soundscapes that blend elements of techno, industrial, and ambient music

Next up on Subterranean Odyssey is Braik with Los Dos Caminos. Hailing from Montevideo, Uruguay he shows his versatility and talent as a producer with another well rounded 4 track EP. It has been getting plenty of support and plaudits from top artists before release and will no doubt continue to do so in the coming months. Artwork design by Irene.av.

When all you want to do is be the fire part of fire… say it to yourself and then say it again. Repeat it like a mantra. It’s what UTO did.

Anyone familiar with the UTO’s lauded 2022 debut Touch The Lock, which Pitchfork praised for its “prismatic synth pop”, will be aware of the variegated nature of what they do. This album is just as colourful, with Neysa’s vocalwork sparking similarities to Kim Gordon’s off-kilter vocals, which they both ceremoniously jets through a post-electronica blender mixing stylized indie sleaze productions with 90s breakbeats.

While they might appear as a singular entity to others, UTO wrote large sections of this album apart, converging by the fireside to discuss the day’s work before coming together to hone and finish the songs. 2023 was, by their own admission, a difficult year, and that’s reflected in the Dantean themes expressed in songs such as the lead single ‘Zombie’, which arrived at the end of November as a taster for the new record; the latter’s dark heart is belied by the skittering beats, glitchy electronics and pummeling sequencers that elevate it from the void.

From fire, early man’s discovery, to AI, humanity’s next great adventure - with all of the wonders and complexities of human relationships in between - When all you want to do is be the fire part of fire really is about life, the universe and everything. Just remember, be the flame, not the moth.

This new opus marks a major comeback for Samuel Sanders, who made a name for himself in the 2000s with his first productions alongside Max Walder on Ghoststyle, whose track "Cyclone" was covered by big names such as Ken Iishi, Marco Bailey, Frank Biazzi, Technasia, Marco Carola ... but also on the Invasion label with "Dependance" (N.E.W.S label) and among others on the Kevlar "Illusion" label, where this EP received great support from Dave Clarke, Carl Cox, Chris Liebing ... He also produced alongside Manu Kenton on the Kentek, Frenchtek and Fanatix labels. With N.O.B.A, he returned to production, choosing Vibes Addikt for his comeback.

The A-side "Do You Like ... 2024" is a remake of a track he and N.O.B.A created in 2008 on Reaktion, in a much more Hard Techno version with a spirit all its own.
Side B is dedicated to Samuel Sanders himself and presents his new productions:
B1 "Desolation" a hypnotic spirit with a touch of Acid on the cover for lovers of this spirit
The B2 "Don't Be Afraid" is close to Hard Techno with a more clubby style for fans of this style.

The Knights of the Zodiac, always on the attack...

Saint Seiya, also known as the Knights of the Zodiac, is a Japanese animated series created by Masami Kurumada in 1986. It tells the story of the Knights of Bronze who fight to protect the goddess Athena. The series was a huge success and spawned an extensive franchise, with TV series, films, video games, figurines and toys.

2026 Repress

DJ Support from Danny Howard, Annie Mac, Mistajam, Pete Tong, Charlie Hedges, Kraak & Smaak, Maxinne, Todd Terry, Alex Preston, Full Intention, GW Harrison, DJ Rae, Rudimental, Alaia & Gallo, Illyus & Barrientos, Johan S, David Penn, Sam Divine, Riva Starr, Claptone, Nice7, Dario D’Attis, Mousse T, S-Man, Huxley, KC Lights, Friend Within, Dombresky, Gorgon City, Chris Lake, Format:B, Pirupa, TCTS, Alan Fitzpatrick, Low Steppa, Mat.Joe, Raumakustik, Eskuche

Next up and with a label debut is one of the leading Female artists on the circuit, Tini Gessler! Tini dropped some straight-up club fire on our sister label Toolroom Trax earlier in the year alongside Juliet Sikora and digs deep into her clubby roots once again with 'Do What You Want'. After releases on the mighty Drumcode, Sola and Kittball in recent years, her 10 year career is going from strength to strength which is seeing her DJ all over the Globe on a weekly basis and her music production is making huge waves within the industry, and rightly so. Next up Italian born DJ and producer, CASSIMM is back on Toolroom with a straight up club weapon! After laying down the delicious disco number last year called 'Get On The Funk' with Kid Enigma, this follows suit perfectly and fuses chunky beats, disco licks and has Bruno Blanc sharing some sentimental lyrics about how important house music is to all of us. Last but not least, French artist Tony Romera is back on Toolroom with another slice of Tech House fire. Tony Romera first stepped onto the scene 10 years ago as a fresh-faced 20 year old looking to make waves and disrupt the electronic music world with his unique style and French-house inspired beats. Since then he's been busy releasing music and experimenting with different sounds and styles, putting out music on a range of powerhouse labels and gaining support from the likes of Diplo, Fisher, Chris Lake, Fatboy Slim, Deadmau5, Vintage Culture, Adam Beyer and more. House Y'all's distinct character is built upon a warped, creeping bassline and tough, relentless beats providing an irresistible pulsing backdrop as the familiar chanted vocal emerges. A sonic trip that transports you deep into the heart of the underground.

Countless radio plays on Radio 1 from Danny Howard, Sarah Storie, Pete Tong Other notable radio plays – Kiss FM, Toolroom Radio, Sirius XM, Data Transmission Radio, Radio 1 Dance Anthems, Radio 1 Party Anthems, Rinse FM, Select Radio, Tomorrowland Radio

ERICA FALLS & VINTAGE SOUL - UP b/w MAKINGS OF LOVE

UP by New Orleans songstress ERICA FALLS is considered by discerning real soul heads to be one of the finest soul tracks from last year.

From the intro and opening line ‘Baby take me for a ride on your magic carpet. 747 glide through the clouds baby, be my pilot….’ you just know UP is going to be special. The incredible soulful vocals ascend in harmony until reaching the apex, and if you don’t want to come down, simply play it again - It’s ‘classic in the making’ tag ensures freshness upon multiple listens!

For the B Side we have dipped back into Erica’s catalogue and hand picked the exquisite MAKINGS OF LOVE from her 2017 Homegrown album.

Real modern day Nola Soul make this an essential 7”.

Since releasing on Reinforced at the age of 16, Dominic Stanton has always remained one of most influential producers in the west London broken beat scene. Those early adventures via numerous successful aliases laid the foundations for Dom's sound, eventually leading to the launch of 'Sonar's Ghost' in 2013.

Welcoming Sonar's Ghost to Metalheadz is now long overdue, so it's a pleasure to be showcasing 'The Fall and Rise Of...' as part of the Metalheadz Platinum series this July. Consisting of 5 collabs, 4 of them making the vinyl cut, the release draws inspiration from the rich heritage of jungle and breakbeat, effortlessly weaveing together intricate rhythms and immersive textures. Outrage & Scale feature on 2 tracks each, whilst Acid_Lab also gets in on the virtual collaboration bringing together a complimentary selection of styles.

Unavailable for over 20 years, In The Beginning There Was Rhythm was Soul Jazz Records first foray into post-punk and punk-funk in the UK and captures the groundbreaking and seminal groups that crossed the divide of punk and dance music for the first time.

" In the Beginning is essential missing-link history – and body-rockin' fun" The Guardian

" In the Beginning doesn't have a single limp tune. It'll amaze new listeners and give old ones some hard-to-find tracks. Buy it." Pitchfork

"There's no denying that In the Beginning There Was Rhythm is a great gateway into this expansive, fruitful, trailblazing era." All Music

First released in 2001, this album is fully remastered, remade and presented once more in its entirety and features A Certain Ratio, Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle, The Human League, The Pop Group, Gang of Four, The Slits, 23 Skidoo and This Heat.

This album comes as a limited-edition one-off pressing double coloured vinyl (red and blue) complete with two bespoke inner bags containing extensive sleevenotes and original photography.

As Muzik magazine noted on its initial release 'In The Beginning' is a choice selection from the fertile post-punk period when bands thought nothing of combining politics and philosophy with imported dance rhythms and edgy industrial angst.


The bands featured come (mostly) from the then bleak post-industrial North of England - Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds as well as Bristol and London, and yet all show a fascination with black American rhythms and an experimentation in sound that was completely unique at the time.

The title of the album comes from The Slits track of the same name.

This album is produced with all the original photos and full extensive sleevenotes.

Repress!

If there is one artist that has truly become synonymous with Jazz re:freshed over the years, it is the energy, the skill, the showmanship, the innovation, the genius that is Kaidi Tatham.

The vibe behind the west London/broken beats/nu-jazz scene as a core member of Bugz In The Attic, Kaidi's 5ive continues the lineage of jazz, fusing it with his own twisted funk, boogie and eletronica.

The 10 year anniversary of its first release sees Kaidi's 5ive presented for the first time ever on vinyl.

After more than 6 years of silence, Abschaum is finally back with a new album, and it was about time because this new opus is sublime!!

‘Shamanic’ Chris (Abschaum’s mastermind), made alone this magnificent piece of Folk, Ambient, Kraut music, that he carefully recorded in the mountains of Jura, experimenting with his guitar and a little electronic set-up, composing beautiful melodies and singing French lyrics with powerful voice to bring us to another level of harmonies, the all merged with special atmospheres that are not without remembering Eno or Froese sometimes. In our opinion, this record could easily been recognise as a timeless masterpiece in the future.

Standard version on 2LP black vinyl in gatefold sleeve. ‘Lefto presents Jazz Cats' is back with volume 3 and still doing what it does best: putting you in the front row of what the thriving Belgian jazz scene currently has to offer and revealing a melting pot of the musical talent.



'Lefto presents Jazz Cats' is back with volume 3 and still doing what it does best: putting you in the front row of what the thriving Belgian jazz scene currently has to offer and revealing a melting pot of the musical talent coming out one of the smallest countries in Europe. Never change a winning team they say, so we're happy to have Belgian DJ and eclectic connoisseur Lefto on board again.

Although you expect thecompilation to be talking jazz, volume 3 explores a broader array of styles, genres, and sounds than ever before, arriving at a point where the 'young cats' of today don't bother no more. It may focus on the Belgian scene, but let's face it, seeing the influences, this one could be compiled from all over the world. From the empowering and bittersweet voices of Oriana Ikomo and Adja, over the more acoustic-electronic productions of Moodprint, Ciao Kennedy, Kassius and echofarmer. It's even expanding the Jazz Cats universe to dub and bass-heavy tracks with Kin Gajo and Le Ministère, Ethio-jazz from Azmari, while sending you back to earth with bodies' swirling sax and drums. That saxophone still rings in your ears when you end up in the orbit of the march-like drums of Bodem, Orson Claeys' piano testing your ability to follow him, slamming the breaks to go smooth cruisin' with HONEY (Morricone meets Khruangbin, anyone?), to crashing in a raging tempo on that last track of Bruno x Soet x Moene. And there you are, back with us.



2018's 'Lefto presents Jazz Cats' included tracks from some of Belgium's biggest hitters, including Black Flower, STUFF. De Beren Gieren and Glass Museum who have all gone on to receive global acclaim. The album was given the accolade of 'Album of the Week' on Worldwide FM and also received further radio support from Jazz FM in addition to numerous glowing reviews. The 2022 follow-up 'Jazz Cats volume 2' paved the way for a new generation inspired by its peers, entering another era of very talented individuals and collectives. Maybe even more so than 4 years before. It uncovered a beautiful balance of more established but also obscure musicians and artists. Opening up to electronics and dance, enter bands like ECHT!, Stellar Legions and TUKAN. Thrilling innovative soundscape grooves and jazz fusion with Bandler Ching and L?p?GangGang, not to forget about the weaving musical odyssey that is M.CHUZI. In addition, there's the balanced unease of One Frame Movement, the laidback 'acoustic electronica' of Boombox Experiments, the classic funky jazz stylings of Cargo Mas and cinematic The Brums, all of these have set volume 2 on the map as an essential release for any jazzhead with a passion for new sounds.

Tastemaker, selector, curator, DJ and producer, these words often get mentioned when Lefto's name pops up in discussions. And rightly so. If you've ever had the pleasure to listen to one of his incredible Boiler Room sets or one of his many radio shows, you'll know why. Famed for his gloriously eclectic taste on the decks, he switches effortlessly between hip hop, funk, breaks, neck-snapping beats, future bass, South-American influences, bruk riddims, some wild African rhythms and of course, jazz.

Growing up as a child, his father would have the sounds of jazz flowing through the speakers. Which led him to bars around town to hear the latest jazz ensembles. Falling in love with the genre, he would later refine his knack for record digging and fine ear for music working at Belgium's legendary Music Mania record store in his hometown Brussels. Which makes that Lefto is consistently a couple steps ahead. He doesn't wait for the next thing to land in his lap, but actively seeking it out.

Lefto on Jazz Cats volume 3:
"Another release in less than two years! I am very impressed by the amount of creative "jazz" talent we've managed to compile over the last couple of years. Thanks to the internet, young musicians find inspiration from around the globe and incorporate diverse influences into their work. Given the history and heritage of jazz in this country, it has managed to create a healthy jazz scene supported by festivals, venues, press, and labels. Therefore, I am very proud to present to you the thirdinstallment of Jazz Cats. This compilation is dedicated to the young and hardworking musicians who are the present and the future of Belgium's jazz scene."

Mint Condition - A record label focused on excavating the outer fringes of classic House and Techno. Unreleased mixes, classics, overlooked gems and never heard before material, mined from the last 30+ years of contemporary dance music are the order of the day. From Chicago, Detroit and New York to London, San Francisco and beyond. Mint Condition have got their digging hats on to bring you exclusive heat and those rarer than rare jams that have been in your wants list for years. Dig in!

A serendipitous encounter at an SF record store in the early 90s brought together local music aficionados DJ Dan and Jim Hopkins. Their collaboration birthed the legendary Electroliners project, channeling their shared passion for underground and funky sounds into the iconic left-coast rave anthem, 'Loose Caboose', now firmly nestled in your hands. Pooling their musical prowess, Dan and Jim embarked on a journey of sonic exploration, meticulously crafting their signature sound by dissecting samples and breakbeats, infusing the musical landscape with a revitalizing energy. As their reputation grew within the local scene, they found themselves tasked with supplying a track for a promotional CD-ROM by a burgeoning software company.

Through marathon sessions of digging, slicing, sequencing, and exchanging snippets over phone calls, Electroliners hit their creative stride. It was only natural to unveil their creation in the raw intensity of a live rave setting. Thanks to a connection with DJ DRC, they seized the opportunity, and the rest is history. Copies of the record flew off the shelves by the thousands locally, and its overseas acclaim, spearheaded by licensing through XL Recordings in the UK, cemented its status as a bona fide underground classic. But what exactly is an Electroliner you might ask? Jim sheds light on the inspiration: “I delved into books on trains at the public library,” he reveals. “Among them, 'Electroliner' caught my eye, a train line in the Midwest. Given the track's pulsating train horn, 'Electroliner' and 'Loose Caboose' simply clicked.”

'Loose Caboose' is an all-time classic, and still causes much damage on the dancefloor today. Yet another unmissable addition to the MC reissue catalogue, fully licensed from the artists, mastered and cut by Curve Pusher, and available once again available for purchase. Do not sleep.

The first track of the EP is a prog-heavy requiem, laced with warped synths and a percussive softness inviting you to take it straight to the dance-floor. 'Wandt Uncorked's' sonic agility is framed by the kind of driving energy that only swells more as you move, offering a new rhythm layer by layer.
Offering dreamy synths with echoes of 'A Hundred Days Off'-era Underworld, 'Gottesfuß' bends into a sprawling, sexy-weird five minutes of bliss. Building with a familiar-feeling vibrato and the cosiest anchor of bass, the second track from Niklas is your backdrop for mid dance-floor moments and after-hours alike in love.
The B-side to Wandt’s latest EP glides through every unchartered subaquatic realm imaginable. Slick breaks blend evenly into myriad underwater drones and/or extra terrestrial cries to form a deftly cast soundscape that truly highlights Wandt’s prowess as a percussionist.

With a mysteriously unknown release date, “Photochrome” could have been originally put out somewhere between the late 70's to early 80's on the Italian Idea label, which although only boasting a minuscule catalogue of mainly 7”s has gotten the attention of many collectors of European disco obscurities for releases such as “Flavio – Drum Explosion” and “Aleo's Band - EOE”. “Photochrome” features a very organic sound with hints of early electronics that might have been making their way into studios at the time. A fast passed driving bass line layered with what almost sounds like an early 303 bass line and spacey/cosmic vocals. Dry drum recordings give it a naive DIY feel which coupled with the experimental tricks on the vocals results in a very unique sound that has put this release on the radars of diggers world-wide. Now available once again at an affordable price with a new two part bonus beats remix that starts off as a more DJ friendly tool but soon embarks into a questionable full-fledged acid house excursion. Originally only released in 7" format but now re-issued in remastered 12" format.

The story of Ultrasonic Grand Prix is one of two vintage 60s guitars and their owners. I love my 1967 Vox Grand Prix guitar,” declares multi-instrumentalist/producer Shawn Lee - creator, among other feats, of the soundtrack for Rockstar video game classic Bully, and one half of Ultrasonic Grand Prix. “It is a serious beast and an important part of my arsenal. Every tone you need…’For guitar maestro Barrie Cadogan - of Nottingham Freakbeaters Little Barrie, best known for the main title theme of ‘Better Call Saul’, The The, Liam Gallagher and playing on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’ - it was the Vox Ultrasonic, also from the same period, that caught his eye. “I first became interested in Vox guitars because of people who used them like Spacemen 3 and the James Brown band of the late 60’s”, he explains, “but it was when I was part of a recording session at Anton Newcombe’s studio in Berlin that I had chance to get to know the Vox gear better. I was borrowing an Ultrasonic from a friend for a while and Shawn already had his Grand Prix. I thought it would be a good name for our project whenever we got it going.’ It was with this shared passion for these weapons of vintage, psychedelic gold that the suave, velvety, and off-kilter cool of INSTAFUZZ was born. While a project born of recent times, the flames of INSTAFUZZ were first ignited all the way back in 2010, where the two met during mixing sessions for Little Barrie’s 2011 LP King of the Waves. Snap forward a decade and we find Cadogan ripping guitar licks on Instagram, the workaholic Lee using these as inspiration to lay down rhythm tracks on analogue drum machines. And not long after that, cut to the two trading files back and forth furiously online, birthing music together in ever more completed forms. And the music that did emerge was weird, startling, and insatiably groovy. With one foot dipped in the organ-warbling garage of 60s psych, and the other vibrating in the mind-expanding fractals of the British Acid House boom, INSTAFUZZ plies the earthly quintessence’s of blues, rock, soul and jazz, against the preternatural discomforts of programmed drums and unhinged synthesisers to produce something distinctly and nostalgically futuristic

DJ Support: Enzo Siragusa, Wodda, Make A Dance, Chris Stussy, Seb Zito


We're thrilled to announce the latest release from Chris Gialanze, 'Gunna Bee' – a track that has already set dance floors alight and is poised to become the anthem of the year. This standout release, tested and celebrated across multiple venues, festivals & showcases. Accompanying 'Gunna Bee' is ‘So Criminal’ & ‘Tough Cloud’ to complete the EP, striking the perfect balance between Downtempo and Breakbeat vibes. Each song is a testament to Chris's versatility and craftsmanship, promising an auditory journey that's as refreshing as it is exhilarating.

2024 Repress

The gang of four have a new waxed weapon in their arsenal and as expected, it bites. Three slices of complex futuristic beats with no mercy.

As in previous sound exercises, they have collided in the studio, each one with his preferred tools, recording bites, mutating audios, twisting frequencies, and this is the result:

"MG009" is a mechanical tool constructed over a concrete drum architecture, surrounded with bleeps, distorted drones and cutting hi hats. All the elements come and go wisely creating an obsessive atmosphere.

"SQMD3" follows on similar parameters, fast, distorted, enforced with the essential layers of sound required to make massive damage on a proper sound system.

"SNT0073" closes B side as an extension of the message proposed on the previous cuts: a few elements fighting in a frequency range quest in order to destroy any sign of easyness and vulgarity.

Only for the brave.

Fierce and forlorn, Swarm Intelligence’s “The Shattered Self” delves into the complexities of human existence in an era dominated by technological advancements. In this thought-provoking exploration, the artist challenges listeners to confront the consequences of a near future where physical and mental augmentation are commonplace. In a world where limbs can be upgraded, where consciousness can be uploaded, where memories can be digitally archived and shared on social media, where our AI clones can liberate us from menial tasks… What remains of our selves? Who is our self?

Swarm Intelligence draws influences from black metal, industrial-tinged dub and post rock, splicing these with his distinctive take on techno to devastating effect. "Dejected," the inaugural track, unleashes grinding walls of feedback against a relentless broken beat, its foreboding atmosphere heightened by a menacing low growl of distorted bass that permeates the unease. It's a disquieting overture that sets the stage for the tumultuous journey ahead.

The second track, “Eros” envelops the listener in a visceral soundscape, where haunting atmospheres intertwine with grinding feedback and pounding percussion. Initially tense, the track evolves into an unexpected and almost euphoric climax, adding an unforeseen emotional depth to the sonic narrative. Yet, beneath the surface, an undercurrent of tension remains—an ever-present reminder of the fragility of our self.

On the flip side, "Inciter" channels inner fury through a guttural chant punctuating a Birmingham-styled broken beat, marching forth with unyielding force.

Finally, "Portal" offers a moment of quiet introspection, as haunting pads echo a mournful refrain while micro recordings of whirring machinery are assembled into the percussion section. It serves as a poignant curtain-closer.

Through "The Shattered Self," Swarm Intelligence challenges listeners to reconsider their perceptions of identity, consciousness, and agency in an age where the machine and the human converge. It's a haunting and profound journey—one that invites introspection and contemplation long after the final reverb tails fade into silence.

White Viny 2024 Repressl

Following the fiery motion and ecstatic energy of their first release, Riga-based imprint 'Tooflie' are back for round two.

Paying tribute to 90s Eastbloc low-brow pop music, four anonymous producers are breaking new ground and breathing new life into the lipstick traces of the kitschy melodies of the era in their edits for 'Tooflie'. 'LKA' boasts galloping percussion, funktastic breaks, and infectious vocals in an epic but sensual dance floor trip. 'KFE' turns into a deep, slo-mo house jam with sharp melodies and soulful vibes.

On the flip side 'MAXIM VS. TDJ' is as high and steamy as it gets with the whole thing sure to boost and uplift any crowd. Building up to its explosive finale 'LIND' goes in slow, with thrilling beats, haunting overtones and a yearning female vocal that slowly but surely rises into bliss.

'Tooflie' is a label that's squarely on the spot, re-imagining unknown sounds from all over the globe into the new sonic grooves for dancefloors and diggers' collections.

TMD Volume 1 kicks off with 4 tracks of sure fire, rare as …. NYC tracks from THEEEEEE golden era of NYC house that saw David doing his Red Zone thang, along with Simonelli, Frankie and all the other leading the way.
These 4 to the floor house dub gems are taken from the legendary Tommy Musto’s DAT vaults, remastered just for you.

Feedback Waves - the new imprint from independent label Rings of Neptune - is proud to present Trill, the first and only album by Palomatic. Almost thirty years after its original release on CD in 1995, this beautiful nine-track work is now available on vinyl for the first time.

Palomatic is an alias of Koji Takahashi, an active member of the bubbling Japanese electronic music scene of the early-to-mid 90s. Besides his solo work, he was a core member of Takahashi Tektronix (with Nic Yoshizawa) and Mutron (with Kiyoshi Hazemoto, aka Interferon), as well as working as a synth programmer for supergroup Denki Groove.

Following the release of his debut track 'Halo' on Syzygy Records in 1993, Takahashi made a series of contributions to compilations on the scene-defining Transonic label. His first and only full-length album, Trill, combined these tracks with original material to form an absorbing and versatile standalone statement of the Palomatic sound.

From the oscillating lilt of 'Flutter', which opens proceedings at a measured 104bpm, through to the symphonic epilogue of 'Soar', Trill is rooted in the fertile territory between organic and synthetic sounds - ground that was nourishing the work of many likeminded producers worldwide at the time. West Coast psychedelia and East Coast funk, the moody bass weight of Bristol trip-hop and Sheffield bleep, and the chemical rush of German techno and Belgian trance: with a distinctly Japanese sensibility, Trill drew these strands together into an elegant musical tapestry. The result is timeless - indeed, album centrepiece 'Foaming Waves' would sound right at home on the faster-paced dancefloors of today.

This double LP features an alternative artwork by Feedback Waves co-founder Max Binski.

As warmer times approach Caruan and his Deset label have crafted a package which will undoubtedly be welcomed with open arms, adding to the brighter months ahead with this innovative release from tastemaking live performer and artist, Mathew Jonson. It is to no surprise that his “SOS” EP addresses an array of beautiful textures as he moves gracefully between refined jazz textures, ethereal ambience, and minimalistic moods. Jonson’s acute attention to detail has seen him remain an influential figure amongst the world of pioneering electronic music.

In spring,
Again.
But it's true this time.

In Spring is the second record by Tara Clerkin Trio, a Bristol-based group who appeared to emerge from below the radar of near-all in early 2020 and in the presence of one of the most captivating records of that year. This latest 23 minute, four song collection, recorded in various stages and locations over the last twelve months, does nothing to detract from those first impressions, refining the woozy and shimmering oddness of their debut into an avant-pop sensibility that is increasingly their own.

If the group did arrive fully formed, what that form was did feel supple and hard to grasp. They were, in a sense, essentially new sounding, or at least ghosts between the established lines, and with this new record have doubled-down on their inherently Delphian instinct. At its heart, In Spring is a record of subtle contrasts, experimental yet familiar in its intimacy, obviously modern though tied to certain lineages, and driven by a pop logic which is also free-form and seemingly improvised. Their approach to sound is perhaps the guiding principle here, less concerned with genre as it is texture and feeling, drawing from jazz, folk, modern composition, trip hop and downtempo electronica, yet evading all of those categorisations. Tara Clerkin Trio are too generous of heart to be ripping up any rulebook, they simply seem oblivious to its need.

Their geography does provide some context. Bristol's progressive sonic heritage inescapably bleeds into these four tracks, the enclave of open-minded artists around Planet Records in the mid 90s perhaps the closest point of comparison. There's that same magpie spirit which is both futuregazing and aware of its past, though is mostly set on finding its own path. This is in essence what defines Tara Clerkin Trio, feeling their way through freedom of instinct and curiosity, forging their own desire lines. Not so much taking the road less trodden, just walked at their own winding pace.

"Done before,
And I'll do it again"
Ringing in my head
While I try
To feel

DUBFIRE INVITES CHRIS LIEBING, TRUNCATE, CARL CRAIG, DRUMCELL, NADIA STRUIWIGH & MORE TO HIS REMIX ALBUM
EVOLV is a visionary window into the mind of Dubfire, the journey of the ‘hybrid’ being and its evolution. Last year in October, an 11-track debut album was released on his long-standing SCI+TEC imprint. And now, just over a year later, Grammy award winning producer Dubfire returns to that sonic discourse, drafting in an impressive array of names to re-interpret the material, and accompanied by Dubfire's new audio-visual EVOLV show which picked up where the critically acclaimed electronic performance experience HYBRID had left off.
The eclectic package will include such notables as Glaskin, Arjun Vagale, Nadia Struiwigh, Mathimidori (dub alias of Mathias Kaden), Maral, Decka, DEAS, Carl Craig, Truncate, Drumcell, Chris Liebing, and Luke Slater as L.B. Dub Corp who have all given the original music in their own unique style.
With a career spanning over 3 decades, Dubfire has achieved global success as an artist with relentless drive, talent, and intuition. Pioneering commercial notoriety came initially as one half of the Grammy Award-winning (2001) duo Deep Dish, before embarking on a truly groundbreaking solo career in 2007. A career filled with timeless tracks include his early works, ‘RibCage’ (2007), ‘Emissions' (2007), ‘Roadkill’ (2007) and the highly acclaimed ‘Grindhouse’ (2009) remix from Radio Slave which led to a host of other notable projects over the years.
Collaborative work highlights include projects with Miss Kitten, Luke Slater, Flug, and Oliver Huntemann, as well as co-producing two songs on Underworld’s Barking album. A true artist, he has always been heavily invested in exploring performance technology, unveiled to wide praise with his HYBRID live show. A two-year world tour commenced in 2015 and was followed by his retrospective album, A Decade Of Dubfire (2017), a celebration of his immense output during the first 10 years of solo artist stardom. EVOLV is Dubfire’s debut solo artist album.

Adiel's "Il Significato Delle Parole Remixes" EP Returns with Captivating Remix Package includes Donato Dozzy & Pinch

In the ever-evolving landscape of electronic music, where sonic landscapes morph and intertwine, Adiel's "Il Significato Delle Parole" EP stands as a testament to the power of artistic collaboration and sonic exploration. Now, this boundary-pushing release returns with a mesmerizing remix package, featuring reinterpretations by acclaimed artists Donato Dozzy, Pinch and Adihell.

Originally conceived as a collaborative effort between Adiel and musician Flavio Accorinti, "Il Significato Delle Parole" delves deep into the intersection of techno and experimental sounds. Its tracks serve as conduits for a journey through fragmented realities, weaving together elements of cyberpunk futurism and introspective dreamscapes.

Leading the remix charge is none other than Donato Dozzy, whose masterful touch breathes new life into the EP's ethereal atmospheres. His reimagining of "Nulla Resta" takes listeners on a hypnotic voyage, layering intricate textures over a pulsating rhythm, while maintaining the track's emotive core.

Joining him is Pinch, a visionary producer known for his genre-defying approach to bass music. His Remix of "Sospesa" injects the track with a sense of urgency, blending dark trip-hop aesthetics with futuristic sound design to create a truly immersive sonic experience.

The EP also includes Adihells' captivating remix of "Nulla Resta," returning after leaving an indelible mark on the original release. This rendition adds another layer of depth and intrigue to the already mesmerizing collection. It's worthnoting that Adihells isn't merely an alias but rather a darker iteration of Adiel, embodying a distinct sonic persona.

Adiel is a visionary artist whose sonic explorations defy conventions and push boundaries. With a keen ear for intricate soundscapes and a fearless approach to experimentation, she continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

With these remixes, Adiel's "Il Significato Delle Parole" EP transcends its original boundaries, inviting listeners to explore new dimensions of sound and emotion. As words continue to shape our understanding of the world, this release serves as a reminder of the transformative power of music to unite and inspire.

Embrace the journey and let the music speak for itself.

Ellaxation is a synthesis of the RR sound, a fusion of rhythmic allure and rhyming loops. Over a year of collaboration between RR and ad Sol has led to the birth of an unbounded, nostalgic and sentimental four-track EP.

In the annals of German techno history of the early 90s, Mannheim's Milk Club was always something like the dirty little brother between Berlin's Tresor and Frankfurt's Omen - not as cocky as the two big siblings, but secretly all the more clever. Less pretentious than the Äppelwoi metropolis, less dirty than the capital and, despite squaring the circle, less straightforward than both together. Instead, they delight with breakdancers of almost Wigan Casino-like elegance. Very British, even in the musical mix of house, techno and breakbeats, breakbeats, breakbeats. A club like a kind of mother raising the nightclubbers with her milk.

Devi g. pay tribute to this club with their MILK EP. on Pudel Produkte.
Devi g. are Dirk Mantei aka Dman (DJ and former manager of the Milk Club) and Oliver Bradford (one half of Thee Church Ov Acid House and resident DJ at the equally legendary Brückenkopf parties in Mainz). Pudel Produkte because, well, Golden Pudel Club - Legend binding.

A four-part promenade mix is on offer that has it all. It contains house, techno and, yes, breakbeats, breakbeats, breakbeats.

For the second release of the Back to Back series of Stolen Goods goes for two stables of the scene: label manager and old school pillar of the Italian scene Lele Sacchi and Italo Spanish beat master Bawrut.
After B2B1 saw the funky deep sound of Rogue D feat Joe Le Groove and the raw house grooves of Ruff Stuff got played by Laurent Garnier on his show and by peeps like Jamie Jones and Oliver Dollar in their sets and chosen by Beatport in most of their weekend picks here we are ready for two bangers for clubbing prime time! Bawrut's fame goes a long way back to in the best of Europe's crossover of electronic dancefloor music and indie and urban flavours. An album on Ransome Note, hits for Life & Death, Correspondant and tracks supported by Dixon, Jennifer Cardini, Ricardo Villalobos Sven Bath and playing B2B with Kink and Skream in festival and clubs like Sonar, Nuits Sonores, Fabric, Sub Club, Nitsa, etc. and now this massive hands in the hair, goosebumps in the back monster of retro future rave piece of music!
Lele Sacchi is known to have an ear for bangers having been behind the decks all over the world for nearly 30 years, so whenever and with various aliases he turns into producer is quite normal to find his music out on labels like Snatch, Soul Clap, Nervous, Internasjonal, Crosstown Rebels, Pokerflat, Rebirth and more and more classic underground dance stables. This time he keeps his know funkier deep groove but adds a kille stab in the breakdown to represent a vein of peaktime monster attitude.
Again a message 'From Clubbers to Clubbers' as we love to say here at Stolen Goods records.

The VA theme on the LP series under the name Untitled || continues to explore the subject of 8 different minds from different corner of the globe connected by the principle and love for the audio frequencies in line with Exarde. Featuring two artists which already dear to label due to the fact of past releases on it and six new ones who have become instant people of love and admiration for me.

From the more deep and mellow to the higher pressure for the brain this double disc shall meet your demands. The art theme of this one is blobs & globs from space, whether they are emerging, fighting with their own shadow, or just simply floating and co-existing. This shall conclude my rambling for this body of work as I go and put these eight essences through my ear canals once again. Great deal of thanks for the hard work and dedication of these talented conductors.

Sleep Now Forever is the second and final album released by Sorrow, the post-Strawberry Switchblade group fronted by singer Rose McDowall. Originally released in 1999 and long since deleted it is a cornucopia of pastoral, elegiac folk music, swirling atmospherics, hymnal compositions and above it all the alternating towering and fragile vocal performances of McDowall. Recorded in the late 90s with fellow band member and co-songwriter Robert Lee, Sleep Now Forever is the definitive statement by the now defunct group and Rose McDowall’s most complete long-form work to date.
Released through the group’s own Piski Disk Records, Sleep Now Forever was distributed by World Serpent which struggled through the early 2000s with financial woes, eventually folding due to bankruptcy in 2004. Due to the company’s troubles, Sleep Now Forever was never distributed widely and was a victim of the company’s failure. Released on CD only, original copies are now rare and only traded on second hand channels. Remastered by Mikey Young for a limited vinyl release, Sleep Now Forever will be released on April 20th on double vinyl format, with one side an exclusive etching by Glasgow artist Holly Allan.
Despite its rarity, Sleep Now Forever enjoys a firm cult following. The album’s textures are expansive, lush, deliciously detailed and celestial. Recorded in home study Velvet Hole by Rose McDowall and then-husband Robert Lee, the album enlists an array of players from the underground Neo-folk / industrial scene: Nigel McKernaghan (Uilleann pipes, Whistles), Susan Franknel (Bassoon), John Contreras (Cello) and Lawrence Frankel (Oboe, Cor Anglais). The eleven songs here revolve around McDowall’s instantly recognisable voice. Brought up singing in the Catholic Church, McDowall’s vocals are impeccable and angelic, particularly on tracks like Turn Off The Light where her experiences with religion are canted over soaring oboe and guitar backing. By far the most evolved and realised version of Sorrow’s vision, it feels somewhat criminal that music this beautiful could be lost to time until now.
McDowall’s lyrics throughout Sleep Now Forever deal frankly with mental health, depression, altered states, death and redemption. Wave upon wave of harmony drench each song, McDowal’s vocal multi-tracked and imperious. Opener Soldier benefits from Robert Lee’s use of the studio as instrument, summoning forth a lilting group performance of sparkling guitar and percussion that recalls the Velvet Underground. Mikey Love’s master treats the compositions to brand new frequency dynamics and space. Harmonium and string drones form the counter to McDowall’s vocal on Love Dies, a slow, lurching lament that feels transcendent. On Haunting, the arrangement is orchestral and aching, bleeding into Fear Becomes You, with chord and harmony structure that recalls the baroque sixties pop of West Coast Pop Experimental Art Band or the 60s psychedelic folk movement. A towering, beautiful statement, this elegy for times lost and moonlit-illumination is finally resurfacing from the darkness.

One day early in the global lockdown, Frédéric Blais scribbled four words on a Post-It note and pinned it up in his studio. When he headed to a studio in the mountains north of Montreal to start work on his fifth album as Fred Everything, those words went with him. They would not only provide inspiration during two weeks of isolated music-making, but ultimately provide the subsequent album with its title: Love, Care, Kindness and Hope.

Those sentiments – a positive mantra during a period of personal and collective vulnerability and isolation – resonate throughout the album, a gorgeously warm and beautiful affair that counts as Blais’s most personal, musically expansive, mature and sonically detailed set to date.

While each of the tracks began as a rough sketch laid down during Blais’ retreat, they evolved considerably over the months that followed. Blais reached out to a handful of carefully selected guest vocalists and collaborators, including Stereo MC’s, Robert Owens, Sapele, James Alexander Bright, Wayne Tennant, string arranger Pete Whitfield and multi-instrumentalist Finn Peters. He also lent his voice to several tracks, a first in a career that stretches back to the 1990s.

The results are magical, with Blais not only offering subtle variations on his own trademark deep house sound, but also nods to complimentary music styles and classic electronic albums from the late ‘90s and early 2000s.

Naturally, much focus will fall on the album’s high-profile guests, whose contributions work perfectly with Blais’ cultured dancefloor electronica and soul-soaked broken house grooves. Robert Owens – “the voice of house” himself – expertly delivers lyrics full of compassion and reassurance on recent single ‘Never’, Sapele infuses ‘A Long Time Coming’ with lashings of soulful spirituality, and UK hip-hop/soul legends Stereo MC’s make their presence felt on the subtly Latin-infused dub house excellence of ‘Soul Love’.

Then there’s ‘Breathe’, where UK singer-songwriter James Alexander Bright and backing vocalist Wayne Tennant rise above punchy broken house beats, Blais’ trademark square-wave bass and Pete Whitfield’s swelling strings on ‘Breathe’. By the time kaleidoscopic, sun-down breakbeat brilliance of ‘A Good Day’ arrives to draw proceedings to a close, you’ll be overflowing with Blais’ “love, care, kindness and hope” – just as he intended.

Mexican sensation Pahua comes to Razor-N-Tape via a huge remix project featuring some of the hottest producer names in current outer-national dance music.

Remixers on this 12” includes both staples and newcomers to the RNT production stable. Label co-head JKriv turns in a late-nite bass mix of the exceedingly popular ‘Porque Yo,’ Captain Planet delivers a percussive & thumping afro-house flip to “‘Espantapajaros’, Tigerbalm brings her chugging international disco flair to ‘Pa’lante,’ Prince of Queens digs deep with a housey dub of ‘Calla,’ and Londoner Clive From Accounts takes ‘Cana Brava’ into moody nu-disco meets amapiano territory.

With a collection of remixes as prolific and solid as these, RNT opted for an expansive 12” and 7” package which features seven of the remixes across two slabs of vinyl, with gorgeous artwork that flips the moonrise eclipse motif of the original Habita album cover perfectly in a slick device that reveals a crescent moon as the record is removed from the jacket.

This package honors the essence of the original music, while flipping it in quintessential RNT club-ready fashion.

DJ Elephant Power (Nicolas Baudoux) based in Brussels, Les Octaves de la Musique awarded musician, is returning with his new EP ‘Blowing From Above’ on May 2024 with limited edition vinyls. The abundantly creative producer never tires of exploring the possibility of new sounds and rhythms. This time he delves deep into numerous genres from breakbeat to bass and he added more colours on each track which composed, performed and produced by himself. Mastering was done by Beau of Ten Eight Seven Mastering in UK. This new EP will be the first page of the upcoming album in June 2024.

‘Blowing From Above’ feat Eunsol

Now you entered the city where you can feel the atmosphere of heat with full of energy. Under the welcome sign of breakbeat and bass, you breathe the dopamine of electronic dance deeply. Alongside baseline skyscrapers covering the sound of this city, mysterious Korean words lead you to hyper pop buildings. Across the traffic lights with barking dog and staccato synth arpeggio on the road, you reach the futuristic bridge between jungle and grime.

‘I Got You’

Under the repeated street lights of ‘I Got You’ scratch samples, you are in the car passing through continuous cowbel 808 sounds on the techno road. In front of the funk graffiti wall, a powerful metal guitar sprays the paint with no compromise. Buildings of synth grab you to follow the new banging club anthem.

‘Shades’

Curly hair architect, who is well known for perfectionism of repeated linear, built a new Mantronix satellite laboratory. This is located on the mountain of Detroit and built on the solid ground of analogue synth signals. Filtered synth and bassline are the main columns of the building. In the main lab, the next satellite has been developing on woah woah sound mattress. Visitors can experience zero gravity in the room in the middle of kick and snare which provides perfect unbalance.

‘Infinity’

A colourful new dish is ready for you. You will feel beautifully balanced and harmonious tastes of progressive techno, trap and bass. This astonished dish was sourced the very best of heavy bass and synth melody for well balanced scent with thoughtful contacts. Geomungo, a traditional Korean string instrument, enhances and amplifies stunning ingredients and it makes a highlight with amazing pairings.

10 Years Anniversary compilation LP.

Ten years ago, on 21 April 2014, Russian enclave of the Baltic Kaliningrad-based trio Blind Seagull started off its adventure in the soon to be known as Sovietwave aka Russian post-punk underground. Tean years later they have accomplished to release nine full-length albums on all sorts of limited edition formats such as LPs, CDs, tapes with most of them being sold out for years.

It was time to bring many of these tracks back to life, picking up the best among them and reissuing for the global post punk/darkwave niche.
Fifteen cuts previously released by labels like Detriti, Sierpien, Pine Hill through which the band led by Denis Zarubin has shaped its own brand of icy coldwave, one pretty classic and extremely fresh and contemporary at once. On top of these we have one more track exclusive to this release which is a eurodance-oriented remix for their minor hit Animals Die in the Scaffolding. Think of a bunch of goth kids screwing around at the local carnival and you’ll get the vibe!

Decade Of Effort is due on April 21, 2024 on white vinyl LP limited to 300 with fairy-tale artwork by the band enhanced by the magical lettering of young Spanish artist Sara Fornés.

Northern California psychedelic sorcerers Carlton Melton are brain surfers, mind trippers, … “psychlists,” if you prefer. The band will take your head for a ride, occasionally rushing at superluminal speeds through a wormhole or gliding softly on a gentle breeze in a leafy glade. Sometimes your brain needs to rage, and sometimes it needs to repose. For a decade and a half, the band has yo-yo’ed, almost schizophrenically, between these two modes: walloping space jams with furious guitar solos in one hemisphere of the brain and ethereal, feather-light splashdowns in the other. Not to mention a track here and there that builds from the latter into the former. But with two new releases in 2023, the band has evolved. Whether psych rock or ambient trance, their sound remains driving, organic, and flowing. With the addition of Anthony Taibi (White Manna, DDT), however, the group’s metal freak-outs are Hawkwindier and their droning kraut trances are Spacemen 3-er. In January, the quartet released the playfully spacey Resemble Ensemble, recorded in Taibi’s home studio 3D Light. October now sees the band Turn To Earth, a work with scents of Autumn, a season of death and transition. The cover art evokes a vine-covered, electric crucifix. The sound is, well, earthy but also gritty and striving towards change. The album was recorded in Fall 2022 and now harvested in Fall 2023. Phil Becker (Terry Gross, Pins Of Light) contributed drums and percussion to a few tracks on Turn To Earth, recording the album at El Studio in San Francisco.

With Becker at the helm, the synths have become more prominent (“Cosmicity,” “Roboflow,” “Migration”) and the tone heavier on the doom (“Cloudstorming,” “Unlock The Land,” title track): several moments could even serve as background music for epic dark fantasy films like Conan the Barbarian, Fire and Ice, or Heavy Metal. As exquisite as Turn To Earth is, Melton are best appreciated as a live act: their recordings as well as their gigs are largely improvised – not so much composed as birthed. And yet their most recent tour ended abruptly and perilously. The group had to cancel its final three shows once members were admitted to Arnhem hospital in the Netherlands. Five years later, reinforcements have strengthened the band and restocked its arsenal of great tracks. After the rockus interruptus of that 2018 tour and the tantric tease of the intervening Covid lockdown, Melton have some unfinished business. An October 2023 tour is poised to set the freshly minted quartet back onto the stages of Europe and within the cerebral folds of its fans. Turn To Earth, sure … but keep your head in outer space. Carlton Melton is: andy duvall – drums/gtr; clint golden – bass; rich millman – gtr/synth; and anthony taibi – synth/gtr.

2023 sees the return of multi-talented Norwegian producer Espen Horne to Wah Wah 45s, after a 24 year hiatus. The man behind the label's very first release, the now seminal Magnetica, never lost his connection with the imprint and has remained very much part of the Wah Wah family, making a comeback this year with his first solo material under his own name since that club classic from 1999.

Back in the spring, the first single from the project, the gorgeous soul-jazz beauty Bakeren, featuring the stunning vocals of Resonators' Faye Houston, quickly found a home on Gilles Peterson's internationally renowned BBC Radio 6 show as well as that of Jazz FM legend Robbie Vincent, Bandcamp Weekly and the Fresh Finds Jazz Spotify playlist.

Following that, Bergen Sunrays, became a weekly fixture on the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show on BBC 6 Music, with the limited 7-inch of both singles selling out within hours of release.

Next up was the wistful Den Franske Gitaren, a lugubrious soul-jazz piece with drum & bass leanings featuring Bergen based MC and vocalist Aich, which found favour with legends Laurent Garnier and Jazzanova as well as hot Japanese production outfit Dazzle Drums.

This was closely followed by the final single to be taken from the album, the stunning and outspoken vocal jazz waltzer Nada Pode Me Calar (which roughly translates to Nothing Can Shut Me Up!) featuring the sublime talent of Olav Wöllo on vocals and Juno - anotherr big one with Gilles Peterson on Worldwide FM and Deb Grant on BBC 6 Music.

And now the full album, entitled The Anatomy Of Serene Eloquence is available for your aural delectation. Recorded largely during lockdown, the LP is a sophisticated and composed piece of work that sees the Norwegian producer make connections with musicians from across Europe, and some closer to home, to collaborate on this sedate and peaceful collection of songs.

The aforementioned Faye Houston also appears on the soulful, dub flavoured Don't Fall Asleep, a piece of music that explores the feeling of being isolated whilst sharing a mutual love and drive to explore new sonic possibilities.

Elsewhere, Olav Wöllo pops up again too, this time on O Mar E A Lua and once again singing in Portuguese to give this track a certain Tropicalia feel, as Espen explains:

"Olav Wöllo is a close friend, an excellent musician and vocalist, and a capoeira professor here in Bergen. He has spent much of his life living in Brazil and speaks Portuguese fluently. He wrote the lyrics for this tune years ago and had just been waiting for the right collaboration to come along.

We went to his lovely studio out on this remote island, made a massive gyoza meal, had some serious good wine and stayed the whole night to record his vocal harmonies and outspoken lyrics."

The single Bergen Sunrays also appears on the album in instrumental form with featured keys courtesy of London based player Rory More - here entitled Rory's Sunrays. His Lowrey organ adds a more melancholic feel to the track, as it does on the stunning Belle Époque, alongside the ivory work of Eirik Blåsternes - an emotional, contemplative and atmospheric track that was tested and shaped in the eclipse of Covid.

As with Belle Époque, La Psychosomnie is a playful yet explorative cut that examines insomnia, paralysis and hypnosis courtesy of some enigmatic French spoken word spinning around a framework of drums, bass and swirling keys.

And finally, the album offers up an alternative version of the single Den Franske Gitaren, this time featuring Martin Halla, a vocalist out of the Bergen Grieg Jazz Academy and winner of the Norwegian version of The Voice back in 2012! The perfect flip to Aich's more mournful interpretation of this bass and drum future classic.

To describe an album as "electronic music" has long been an understatement. "Romanticismo siempre" is a good example. Recorded mainly using synthesizers, the album travels a territory that borders on the experimental and the dancefloor, entering at times in both fields.

Andrés Téllez, Delone, states in its title a clear commitment: "an ode to life, to never lose that passion that is the engine that pushes everything, no matter how many obstacles there are along the way, such as love, madness or death". The need to express this is at the origin of the record.

His musical language is rich and varied. Among synthesizers, analog experimentation, drones and psychedelia, many of the subcultures that have shaped what was once called "electronic music" appear. Flashes of trip hop, new age and proto-electronics are amalgamated throughout the album, together with hints of mutant house, breakbeats, IDM and trance. Other genres peripheral to club sounds, such as post-rock or kraut, also appear.

The idea of creating something that could almost be considered a soundtrack is present, but Delone's singularity has taken the album down a different path, using his own musical vocabulary to articulate a narrative that leads him towards his desired destination, keeping experimentation and dance culture, constants in his career, very much in mind.

In 2014 and together with his partner and friend Carlos Trujillo, Andrés created Riverette, a record label that became a record store in the center of Madrid, with his studio in the basement. From there he unleashed his productions as Dos Attack and his first works as Delone. Riverette quickly became a key creative pole in the Spanish electronic underground, and the label has released records by Legowelt, Kornel Kovacs or HAAi.

Throughout the eleven tracks of "Romanticismo siempre", a story materializes in which the protagonism falls on the adrenaline of passion. Through a very personal sound, with a certain introspective vocation, Andrés tells us a wonderful tale with the help of exquisite arrangements and a rich expressiveness.

"Romanticismo siempre" is a polyhedral album that can change with every listen, with every track, and reinterpret itself almost with every playback. It is a complex record, delicate and full of nuances, at the same time charged with a powerful and primitive energy.

Veteran is the second studio from renowned Baltimore rapper, JPEGMAFIA. It was released on January 19 2018 by Deathbomb Arc and Republic Records. The album was released to widespread critical acclaim and brought JPEGMAFIA to the forefront of contemporary and experimental hip hop. NME, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Noisey, and Spin all listed Veteran in their top 100 albums of 2018. In 2019, Pitchfork listed it at number 171 in their list of best albums of the decade. The album features JPEGMAFIA's most streamed song, 1539 N. Calvert.



As described by Pitchfork: "Entirely self-produced, Veteran is a remarkable exercise in sound and texture. At its best the production makes the frayed edges of each element part of the atmosphere, a mess of distortion that works percussively and melodically." JPEGMAFIA has since established himself as one of today's premiere contemporary and experimental hip hop artists, with over 1.5M monthly listeners on Spotify, and 500K+ Instagram followers.

The package, posted from Inglewood in California, dropped through my letter box…
I was looking forward to seeing this, the VHS of the then relatively ‘unknown’ but now legendary live show at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. But when I fed it into my VHS player, I was disappointed. I could not quite figure out why. The band were tight, each musician sounded great, the product of being on the road, year after year, club after club in the States, sometimes playing five shows a night, all propped up by one of the best soulful voices we had ever heard, the maestro Frankie Beverly.
It took a second play of the VHS to realise what was missing. It was ‘too comfortable’ an atmosphere. A few wealthy customers sat around coffee tables quaffing champagne. It seemed to me that this audience, somehow, did not fit the band.
Paul Fenn at Asgard promotions received the contract from the band to appear live in London and Manchester. I became more and more convinced that his UK fans were going to be a lot more responsive than those from New Orleans.
We put the word out with just a couple of exclusive ‘shout outs’ by Robbie Vincent on his Radio London Soul programme. Those two plugs were enough to sell out all four shows at London’s premier music venue, the Hammersmith Odeon. The ticket office was rammed and the queue six deep, stretched halfway down Queen Caroline Street.
“I have never seen anything like it” expressed the manager of the theatre as he rolled down the shutters and turned on the “Sorry, SOLD OUT” notice above the theatre box office.
I was curious, so I went up and stood in the wings of the Hammersmith stage on that first show. Frankie, introduced to the stage by his sound engineer, Greg Blockman, sauntered past me, strumming his rhythm guitar, dressed in a casual dark green towelling suit, a brown leather visor and flip flops…and then five seconds later, he suddenly stopped. He seemed suddenly to be aware of the thunderous ’Welcome to London Maze’ roar, circling around the theatre about to engulf him. He slapped every black and white hand offered up to him that night, with a huge smile as he circled the edge of that stage. We wanted to get next to him, even if it meant climbing over rows of seats in front of us to do so.
That was the beginning of our love affair with Maze and Frankie Beverly. It certainly wasn’t New Orleans comfort; it was more like a crazy, but friendly, London riot.
Five albums on from the “Live in New Orleans” LP, Frankie sauntered into the California recording studio, probably with the same swagger as in London, to cut the delightful A-side here, “Somebody Else’s Arms”, from his aptly named ‘Silky Soul’ album. Along with the B-side, ‘Love is’ (from the “Back To Basics” CD, 1993) both are so delicious you might want to relax and pour yourself that London glass of champagne, 1983 vintage. Tell your mates your Maze/Hammersmith story too. You deserve it.

2024 repress

Melody As Truth founder Jonny Nash returns to action with his first solo album in four years.

Over the course of eleven mesmerising tracks, Nash points the compass gently inwards, casting aside any conceptual frameworks in favour of exploring an imaginative and idealised “personal folk music” that combines elements of traditional acoustic music with the producer’s richly immersive interpretation of ambient, a sound he has been developing for well over a decade.

From the smudged acid-folk bliss of ‘Theories’ and ‘Eternal Life’, to the layered acoustic guitars of ‘All I Ever Needed’ and the delay-soaked, Durutti Column-esque ‘Light From Three Sides’, a wide variety of musical textures weave their way throughout the album.

Point of Entry is much more than a mere ‘guitar album’ – it draws on a rich and diverse palette to achieve its purpose. The delicate saxophone work of ambient-jazz contemporary Joseph Shabason swells on ‘Ditto’ and ‘Light From Three Sides’. Cascading piano lines ripple through the crystal clear sonic waters of ‘Face of Another’, whilst echoes of Nash’s work with Gigi Masin and Young Marco as Gaussian Curve appear in the dancing synth sequences of ‘Ditto’ and ‘Golden Hour’. Nash’s reverb-laden voice also appears for the first time since 2016’s critically acclaimed Exit Strategies, used delicately throughout the album to conjure up a world of dusk and golden light.

Combining the delicate human touch and naivety of earlier Melody As Truth releases with widened scope and vision, Point Of Entry is arguably Nash’s most complete work to date – an album that’s as much a statement of his “personal folk” vision as a future ambient classic.

The Rave Doctor – a pseudonym of Dave Wallace, who had a huge input and impact in the UK rave, hardcore, jungle and drum & bass scenes under numerous names such as Mad Dog, Fugitive as well as Aquasky, plus many, many others!

This is the second EP under his Rave Doctor alias that was originally released in 1993 on the Southampton label Adrenalin Records, that was run by Stu J (who also had a release on Vinyl Fanatiks a few years back). Featuring the track ‘Ruff In The Jungle’ that went on to become an anthem in Tenerife where 10,000 ravers will all throw their hands up and cheer when its dropped at a festival. I am reliably told that the track is bigger than Liquid’s ‘Sweet Harmony’ over there which came as quite a surprise to Dave who only recently found this out.

All four tunes are anthemic party tracks with that Dave Wallace melodic midas touch. If you like this, then grab a copy of The Rave Doctor ‘Lost In Bass’ EP which is still available via Sequence.

naive's 20th release epitomizes what the Lisbon-based label, run by Violet, has become cherished for: imaginative yet timeless, soothing yet moody, melodic yet sonic music. Entitled 'Computer Hermetics', this new record is an EP by UrbnMowgli, a fairly new Berlin-based artist who began releasing music in 2020. The opening track, 'Fast Love Life', is a 145 bpm electro-bred, breakbeat-driven emotive dancefloor banger. It features menacing stabs juxtaposed with beautiful pads and acid-drenched arpeggio motifs that lend it a oneiric quality. 'Oracle Algorithm' picks up the 303 spirit and delves into trippier territories, densening the dreamlike, expansive atmosphere while infusing the record with electro-driven grit. Closing side A is 'Warschauer Rush-Hour', a futuristik, high-tempo twisted electro banger that's both tough and playful. 'Immaterial Desires' inaugurates side B--an ode to adventurous drum programming and intricate sound design in the form of a percussion-punctuated curveball belter. 'Digital Dawn' brings it all back home to the heart and closes the record with its deepest, most immersive moment, giving us big bass lines that alchemically converse with angelic bleepy melodies as if soundtracking a soulful sci fi movie that doesn't exist yet.

One of the most consistent new labels around, Cyphon Recordings, marks double figures with another standout release that gleans from the past, but faces the future. This time they look to the talents of Emotive Technology, a new alias from Chilean Massiande who provides a five-track EP of machine-wielding, soul-rousing techno from across the spectrum.

Although this may be the first release under his new moniker, Massiande has spent the last decade putting out productions with labels such as Housewax, Phonica, Freerange and Groovin. Firing on all cylinders from the get-go, ‘Rise’ kicks off the Walk Into The Light EP. A hyperspace melding of new beat, Italo and arp-operating techno that opens out into a slice of peak-time revelry.

The swirling textures of ‘It’s On’ follow, pushing you into the next dimension. A hypnotic, entrancing and arresting heads-down powerhouse. Crunchy and considered it's the kind of strobe-stuttering basement jam that turns heads inside out.

Two Detroit-leaning tracks ‘Your Zone’ and ‘Walk IntoThe Light’ are up next. The former is a heavyweight machine workout. Layered synth lines and crisp drum programming transfix, as that grooving low-end powers bodies into bedlam. The latter, a Motor-City-influenced tour de force. One that sees Massiande recode the circuitry to hit with a piano-laden stunner, balancing power and presence, with emotion and nuance.

Closing out proceedings, ‘The Swing’ sucks you in deeper. A resonating world of synth stabs, pulsating basslines and atmospheric electronics.

Doing the Emotive Technology namesake proud, Walk Into The Light is machine music hardwired with a heavy sense of soul.

It’s True What They Say is the debut EP from Edinburgh-based, husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), aka Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced “McLochlin”).

“Sarah and I both have a love for nostalgia,” explains Shaun. “We watched that amazing old 80’s Sci-Fi, (John) Carpenter movie, Starman, a few months back. Myself and my brother David used to watch it all the time. We must have been, roughly, 5-7 at the time. I remember loving the movie but the end, you know, with the beautiful, atmospheric, synth ending, I love that particular moment the most - best part of the movie, you know, when he goes home… It’s heartbreaking but stunning, all the same. It’s the music that moves you most… It did when I was 5 and it still does to this day. It must have had some form of a (much deeper) impact on me.”

The duo narrates stories across themes of love, hope, family, friends, dreams and sadness - the good that comes with the bad in everyday life, not just on a personal scale but within a community as well.

“Starbed is the first song I have ever written and just came out of the blue really, with Shaun playing a melody and me singing along,” says Sarah. “It’s simple and just about two people in love. Love songs are always the best songs, after all… Music has been a big part of my life from a young age. I was unwillingly dragged to piano and violin lessons, which I’m thankful for now! I’d say the first band I really became obsessed with growing up were the Beatles, and on the back of that a lot of 60s music and fashion. From then on, I had a love for music.”

“Shaun definitely opened my ears to a lot of sounds and got me thinking about soundtracks and all the noises that can be made,” she goes on. “We love just spending time experimenting in the house with instruments, pedals etc and Ali is a real magician to work with, too…”

The recordings took place over the summers of 2022 and 2023, with fellow Delta Mainline member Ali Chisholm (aka Jaguar Eyes) plus long-term friend and collaborator Gavin King. Further collaboration then came via the ‘net from the (international) likes of Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty), Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz) and Daniel Land (The Modern Painters), among others (see a full list of credits below).

Both Sarah and Shaun have a love for uber-soundtrack producers such as Hanz Zimmer, Max Richter, Cliff Martinez plus live acts such as Beach House, Spiritualized, M83, Suicide, Moby and OMD (to name a few). Shaun also credits the work of Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (from Survive) on the Stranger Things score… “Even a moment in a movie, whether it be just 30 seconds during a particular scene, it grips you,” he says. But there’s something much deeper at play as well. “Music is a healer,” he goes on, “and I write from my own perspective but more so for others. Once I've done my bit, it doesn't belong to me any longer. It belongs to whoever wants it or needs it.”

The result is a cinematic, synth-wavey, dream poppy and downright beguilingly beautiful body of work. And they’re just getting started…

REVIEWS/RADIO/FEEDBACK:

“Starbed is folky, flavoured by pedal steel, cello, and brass. Dust Tears, in stark contrast, is a mini synth-pop rave epic. Part Bicep. Part Human League. Keep Your Eyes Closed summons a mood that’s romantic, but also dark and potentially doomed – like David Lynch’s Twin Peaks meets Cliff Martinez’s Drive score. My pick though is It’s True What They Say, whose interwoven jangle and picking recalls New Order’s more introspective moments (Love Vigilantes, Love Less… ). Drums crashing, cathartic. Guitar raising dramatic arcs. Its chorus a rush, like a reprise of Pains Of Being Pure Of Heart’s ‘Higher Than The Stars’.” BAN BAN TON TON
"Dust Tears sees them sharing vocal duties over a synth foundation reminiscent of Moby’s Go - Artist Of The Week” THE SCOTSMAN
"Woozy pop" NEMONE (Mary Anne Hobbs Morning Show, BBC 6Music)
"Nice one, very David Lynch meets Euro dream pop" YOUTH (Killing Joke, Paul McCartney, U2, The Orb, Spiritualized etc)
"Music sounds killer! Real emotion” DAVID HOLMES
"I’m enjoying it” TIM BRINKHURST aka LONDON (IKLAN, Young Fathers, Callum Easter)
“Oh, this is lovely!” SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"It’s totally my cup of tea with milk and biscuit" BRENT RADEMAKER (Beachwood Sparks/GospelBeach)
"Beautiful, ecstatic electronica! Short and to the point" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized, Julian Cope, Soulsavers, BE)
"Makes me wanna sit in the sun and sip an Arnold Palmer" CHRIS DIXIE DARLEY (Father John Misty)
“Really beautiful - Cocteau Twins / Spiritualized vibes but has its own thing going on, too - worth checking out!” JULIAN CORRIE (Franz Ferdinand, Miaoux Miaoux)
‘Sounded nice on a sunny day, makes me think of Twin Peaks, nice moods’ EAMON HAMILTON (Sea Power)
"Dealing in nostalgia, no bad thing at all, great to play that (Dust Tears) for you” RODDY HART (BBC Radio Scotland)
“I'll give the vocal tracks a spin before the release." VIC GALLOWAY (BBC Radio Scotland)
"Rather good!" IAIN ANDERSON (BBC Radio Scotland)

CREDITS:

Lyrics, Guitars, Keys, Synths, Drums, Drum Programming, Percussion, Mandolin, Glockenspiel: Shaun McLachlan
Lyrics, Vocals, Keys by Sarah McLachlan
Guitars, Synths, String Arrangements, Drum Programming, Engineering: Jaguar Eyes Percussion/Drums/Effects, Fire Extinguisher: Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz)
Guitars by Daniel Land
Slide Guitar by Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty)
Brass by Bruce Michie
Keys, pre-production & engineering on “It’s true what they say”: Gavin King
All produced by Jaguar Eyes and Shaun McLachlan and then mixed at Glasgow’s Chem19 Studios by David McCaulay (From Scotland With Love, Rick Redbeard, BBC TV’s Attenborough and The Mammoth Graveyard score).
Artwork: Jamie Walman (Fourteen Admirals)

MORE INFO:

Although Shaun released a pair of solo singles (When We Dance and Give Your Love To Me) during Lockdown, he will be better known to many via his work as the multi-instrumentalist in Edinburgh band Delta Mainline. With two albums released to date, Oh! Enlightened and Bel Avenir, both rapturously received by fans and critics alike, Delta Mainline have developed an international, cult following. Oh Enlightened (2013) achieved widespread critical acclaim on release, earning the band comparisons to Arcade Fire and Echo & The Bunnymen, while 2019’s Bel Avenir pulled in references to The Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and krautrock. A third DM album is currently being mixed and due for release later this year…

This batch of releases is what Deeper Knowledge Records is really all about - showcasing and making available fantastic music that has been rarefied, but with no correlation to its quality. That is to say, music that we feel is every bit as great as well known, much-loved and canonized classics, but just never reached the ears of as many folks, only due to its unavailability. And the music made by the close-knit foursome of Trevor Byfield and Clive Matthews as artists, and Norman "Fox Fire" Vassell and the late Clinton "Percival" Williams as producers, is just that. Starting in the late '70s and into the early '80s, this foursome cut some of the best and heaviest roots reggae tunes of the era. We will be issuing eight great singles from these folks. Trevor Byfield's "Tell Me That You Love Me" is one of the most dread love songs that we've heard, and the flip is one of the most truly psychedelic, heavy and unique Tubby's dubs ever mixed. In fact, the crew liked this rhythm for this song so much that they cut three tunes on it!

This batch of releases is what Deeper Knowledge Records is really all about - showcasing and making available fantastic music that has been rarefied, but with no correlation to its quality. That is to say, music that we feel is every bit as great as well known, much-loved and canonized classics, but just never reached the ears of as many folks, only due to its unavailability. And the music made by the close-knit foursome of Trevor Byfield and Clive Matthews as artists, and Norman "Fox Fire" Vassell and the late Clinton "Percival" Williams as producers, is just that. Starting in the late '70s and into the early '80s, this foursome cut some of the best and heaviest roots reggae tunes of the era. We will be issuing eight great singles from these folks. Clive Matthew's "Live Not For Vanity", a serious warning given thru a heavy tune, backed with a great dub mix.

repressed !

● Essential 14 track collection of "WaJazz" music selected and compiled by renowned Japanese jazz expert Yusuke Ogawa, owner of the Universounds record store in Tokyo.

● Gatefold 180g heavy double vinyl LP. Comes with extensive track-by-track liner notes by Yusuke Ogawa.

● All tracks licensed by Nippon Columbia, Tokyo, Japan.

● Mastering and lacquer cut by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting Lab, Helsinki, Finland.

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Universounds, HMV Record Shop and 180g team up for an exceptional release: from blazing hard bop to free jazz, to introspective saxophone solos and massive big band sounds, renowned Japanese jazz expert Yusuke Ogawa presents an essential 14 track collection of "WaJazz" music taken from the Nippon Columbia vaults. Featuring Jiro Inagaki, Minoru Muraoka, Hiroshi Suzuki, Hozan Yamamoto, Count Buffalo, Takeshi Inomata, and much more!

"Japanese jazz has been recognized and celebrated by music lovers worldwide for decades. The origins of this trend may be traced back to the rare groove movement that flourished in the 1990s, but its current deep and wide popularity seems to be connected to the fact that Japanese people have been reevaluating their own jazz since the mid-2000s, locally referred to as WaJazz ("Wa" meaning Japan but also theShōwa emperor period, from 1926 to 1989). Since the beginning of the 2000s, there has been a growing trend to move away from the DJ-focused perspective and to appreciate jazz with a deeper understanding. Nowadays, there is more and more interest in the background and roots in which jazz has developed in Japan, with Japanese jazz as a whole now considered as its own distinctive genre.

Of course, even if we speak about "WaJazz" as one genre, there is a truly wide variety of styles within it. However, when Japanese musicians play, there is something uniquely Japanese flowing through that creates a kind of synergy. It may be the melody, the rhythm, or even something deeper, like an inexpressible flicker. I would be happy if some of its charms and secrets emerge from the fourteen tracks included in this collection." (Yusuke Ogawa)

Yusuke Ogawa has been running the Universounds store in Tokyo since 2001, specializing in jazz and second-hand, rare, and collector records. He is also a reissue supervisor, label manager, DJ, and music writer. Known for his vast musical knowledge, eye for detail, and archival skills, Ogawa has worked on more than 250 reissues and compilations – including the highly praised Deep Jazz Reality and Project Re:Vinyl series. He is the co-author of the Wa-Jazz Disc Guide and the Independent Black Jazz of America books.