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ncoming for the second release on House Music label Ascension on Wax, AoW's co-founder Lavan is dropping his 'For The Love EP.' This raw, authentic, party-ready release is arguably his best to date and pushes the purity of the old-school house music sound, whilst bringing it into the present. Lavans notorious usage of MPC sampling and borrowed synthesisers is flowing throughout the release alongside gorgeous jazz elements. Hydro-trip specialist Black Eyes closes the EP with a subterranean, downtempo roller of a remix which gives a nod to the iconic Detroit sound championed by the late Mike Huckaby amongst many others.

'For The Love EP' follows Lavan's 'It's Happening EP' on SlothBoogie released earlier in 2024 and his feature in DJ Mag's emerging artists section. This is a gentleman who is proving his dedication to his craft.

Während die FOGHAT Fans bereits sehnsüchtig auf den Nachfolger des jüngsten Chartstürmers "Sonic Mojo" warten, veröffentlicht die Band den brandneuen Tribut-Song, "On Tonsils & Sneakers", welcher dem im Jahr 2000 verstorbenen Leadsänger und Gitarristen Lonesome Dave Peverett gewidmet ist.

Die Inspiration für den liebevolle Titel des Songs stammt von Peveretts charakteristischem Bühnen-Intro "...and on tonsils and sneakers, I'm Lonesome Dave" und ist eine Hommage an die kultigen, silbern oder golden glänzenden Turnschuhe, die er immer auf der Bühne trug.

"Black Days & Blue Nights", die B-Seite der 7" Single stammt von "Sonic Mojo. Der Song wurde von der aktuellen FOGHAT Besetzung im Gedenken an Rod Price, den 2005 verstorbenen, ursprünglichen Slide-Gitarristen der Band komponiert.

Gründungsmitglied Roger Earl hält die Musik von FOGHAT weiterhin am Leben, wobei er den Wurzeln der Band stets Respekt zollt und das bleibende Vermächtnis von Dave und Rod zu würdigen weiß.

Black Zodiac is a science-fiction sonic piece in which the oblique movement of harmonies allows conversations with other existences. It is a galactic chant created by the words of Manah Depauw and the web of sounds of Ben Bertrand

We're back with another heavy release for the soundsystems.

This time we welcome Boomarm Nations own Gulls to the label.
Hailing from his dojo in Portland, Oregon, Gulls delivers us a
meditative dub hybrid, combining elements of dub, hip hop and contemporary electronica. The tune is called ''So Blessed'' and is topped by the fine voice of Wayne Daniel outta Kingston, Jamaica.

''So Blessed'' got exactly the vibe you'll need in this challenging time. Keep your head up, feel gifted for what you've got and give something back to the people around you. This tune's backing you up.

If that wasn't enough, the Portland rapper Madgesdiq steps pon the mic for some blazin' bars in his signature conscious style.

Get lost in this wicked production while heading right into the dub version to exceed the border between music and meditation.

To feel the sound through your body and soul, LXC lifted the frequencies again.

True Sneaker Social die-hard Etch returns with a monumental new album. Scream of the Butterfly shows the depth and breadth of one of the illest producers operating across the many spheres of club music with a distinct “you ‘kay?” slant.

From the moment the low-end pressure and loaded samples rear their heads on the opening track, Zak Brashill demonstrates his intent to sculpt Scream Of The Butterfly as a proper album — an end-to-end listening experience full of peaks and troughs which focus on sonic storytelling much more than club functionality. Throughout his imperious output to date, the man like Etch has displayed an affinity for sound design to match his instinct for what bangs on the spectrum of dubstep, garage, jungle and hip-hop, but now he’s gone postal on soundworld-building, with a grip of heavyweights drafted in to help set the scene.

Fellow Sneaker alumnus J-Shadow lends his maverick footwork science to ‘Star Fallen’, while UK rap anti-royalty Lee Scott brings his unmistakable Runcorn drawl to dusky head-nodder ‘Not Surprised’. UK bass-synth-ambient enigma E.M.M.A drops in for the moody, meandering midpoint ‘Stepford Lives’, and Killa P and Emz deliver blazing bars to the double dose of ‘Prayer Wheel (Left You Fi Dead)’ and ‘Heat Map’ respectively.

Elsewhere Brashill follows his own razor-sharp instincts into warping stop-start drum science, widescreen downtempo with teeth, seasick synth studies, moody-but-cosy 140 and lots more besides. Nothing comes as standard, but Scream of the Butterfly is ruff when it wants to be, subtle and spacious if the vibe demands it, and consistently packed full of the detail and intrigue that we’ve come to expect from one of the most inventive and reliably sick producers in the contemporary bassweight firmament.

Gospel melts into Soul in this dazzling collection of sides originally released by the Chess subsidiary.


Devised by the same team supporting the likes of Muddy Waters and Etta James at Chess, the vintage of Checker Gospel celebrated here is distinguished by its expertly raw, rugged, live feel — thumping bass and pounding drums, bluesy guitar and horns — and its keen engagement with contemporary realities and politics, with an underlying, unwavering commitment to the Civil Rights movement. Not forgetting its sheer, startling, richly diverse soulfulness.

Key architects of the Chicago Sound and Motown are amongst the scores of contributors: Charles Stepney, Gene Barge, Eddie Kendricks, and Leonard Caston Jr. are in the house… Morris Jennings, drummer on Curtis’ Superfly and Terry Callier’s What Color Is Love… Louis Satterfield from The Pharaohs and Earth Wind & Fire… Ramsey Lewis’ guitarist Byron Gregory… Phil Upchurch… Laura Lee…

Producer Monk Higgins joined Checker in 1967, bringing his experience of R&B and Gospel hit-making for the labels One-derful and Satellite, together with a loyal cohort of musicians. A protege of Willie Dixon, engineer Malcolm Chisholm set up the Ter Mar studio as if preparing for a live gig, carefully teasing measures of bleed into the microphones. With Ralph Bass from King Records running A&R, they knew exactly what they were after. ‘I’m using horns and an R&B sound in gospel recordings,’ said Bass. ‘We have no charts. All the musicians are given the chord changes. I want the cats to think when we’re cutting. I want spontaneity, and that’s what we’re getting.’ And: ‘There is more to gospel than just finding solace in the church. This follows the same message of Martin King, who was fighting for a new way of life. Kids are tired of hearing Jesus Give Us Help. They want a positive message.’

Focussed on the late sixties and early seventies, the twenty-five recordings here are all killer no filler, but try these four, random entry points: the heavy funk ostinato of the Violinaires’ Groovin’ With Jesus, working itself up into a post-James-Brown brass frenzy, sure to knock your socks off; Cleo Jackson Randle’s title track, for those who like their Gospel straight-up and hard-core; Eddie Kendricks’ achingly timely choral call-to-arms, Stand Up America, Don’t Be Afraid; the East St Louis Gospelettes’ heart-stopping, fathoms-deep rendition of Bobby Bland’s I’ll Take Care Of You.
A beautiful gatefold sleeve; a full-colour booklet with excellent notes by Robert Marovich; top-notch sound. Another knockout selection by Greg Belson and David Hill.

A shoo-in for soul compilation of the year.

Music from Pierre Chindemi archives. Ivrea born and based, founder and member of Drink To Me band.
Under several aliases (One Eye, Vülvá, Low Waves, Sui, Hawaii8, Bitch Volley) he produced more than one hundred tracks between 1999 and 2021.
Some were released on Stupro brucio Records, others online.
Many of them remained unreleased.
Cassettes, multitrack tapes, lost hard disks.

It was time to open this archive.

Matthew Dear's Black City Can't Be Found On Any Map. It's A Composite, An Imaginary Metropolis Peopled By Desperate Cases, Lovelorn Souls, And Amoral Motives. Like Most Literary Gothams, Black City Is A Place To Love And Hate, As Seedy As A Nightclub's Back Room And As Seductive As The Promise Of Power. Matthew Dear, The Musician, May Live In New York City, But The Matthew Dear Of Black City Inhabits A Sound-world Unlike Any Other: A Monument To The Shadowy Side Of Urban Life That Bumps And Creaks, Shudders And Wakes Up Screaming In The Middle Of The Night. Black City Is Matthew Dear's Third Album On Ghostly International, And It's His Darkest And Most Engrossing Work To Date.

From The rst Notes Of Album Opener "honey", It's Clear That The Love-obsessed Matthew Dear Of 2007's Asa Breed Has Given Way To A More Existentially Paranoid Entity, As Creeping Tempos Dominate, Cavernous Atmospherics Envelop The Listener, And Strange Distortions Crackle On The Horizon. In Black City, Nothing Is At It Seems: Leadoff Single "little People (black City)" Is A Nine-and-a-half Minute Disco odyssey, subverting its gleaming electronic lead with eerily giddy backing vocals and cryptic, ominous lyrics ("a frozen wasted heart / has died", "love me like a clown"); "You Put a Smell on Me" is a sordid sex romp set to hysterically chattering percussion and a serrated synth line that will set your teeth on edge; "More Surgery" at rst recalls the barely-there Krautrock of Harmonia in its burbling minimalism, until Dear's chanted chorus of "Alter genetics / to make my body glow / I need more surgery / there's so much more to know" sends the track hurtling into a dystopian future.

And yet, for all the foreboding moods on Black City, it's the album's sweeter moments that illustrate Matthew Dear's growing maturity as a songwriter. "Slowdance" is a futuristic lullaby in which Dear articulates a lover's helplessness ("I can't be the one to tell you everything's wrong") over breathy, Arthur Russell-esque cello swishes; the album-closing "Gem" is an achingly simple, reverb-drenched piano ballad that ends with a long, slow fade. Even in Matthew Dear's Black City, there is hope.

An appetite for the unknown" - Daniel Lanois

No collaboration is unlikely when the end goals are the same. A meeting of two artists who illustrate different corners of the musical landscape, come together to create a new statement that takes their collective strengths to higher elevations and encompasses new terrains.

So it is on the first collaborative journey of Canadian musicians Venetian Snares and Daniel Lanois. What started as mutual respect for one another's work, led to several years of a creative germination resulting in an eight-track full-length exploration released May 4th on Timesig/Planet Mu.

The path began in 2014, after Lanois reached out to Venetian Snares (Aaron Funk) as a fan of his work. The project started to take root in Summer of 2016, after Funk hung around Toronto between shows. Taking his gear to Lanois' studio, the two began to play for the first time together in what would prove to be a formative moment in their creative journey together.

I love making music with Dan, he has a real understanding of how to create a world and build what may exist within that world. Bassdrums are trombones and they are a colossal whale which floats on clouds of leaves speaking to the blast furnace feeding the mammoth. A small painting of forest horses hangs in the cranium of the sea horse.' - Aaron Funk

Recorded live in a former Buddhist temple-turned-studio in Toronto,
'Venetian Snares x Daniel Lanois' travels to new zones in what Lanois describes as a body of work driven by exploration'. Like all the best collaborations, it's brought something new out of both musicians. Equipped with their production acuity, they let their natural workflow guide them through uncharted waters. Funk laid the groundwork with drums while Lanois rode the pedal steel, weaving their sounds together in a new sonic tapestry. The two ultimately landed at their destination, their work ready to be shared with those willing to explore.

In Daniel Lanois 'own words:
"To come upon a new form reassures the head that frontier lives on The unlikely pairing of Venetian Snares and Daniel Lanois may very well have provided us with a nice new pair of shoes to walk to new sonic frontier A melange of gospel and electronics As madness of the world trips over its heels these Canadian sonic innovators prepare for travel A body of work driven by exploration, brings to us in our modern times what we remember and admire from the Jazz explorations of the 50s A splintering An appetite for the unknown"

Here at Mr Bongo we have been inundated with people asking us to reissue this release. Ana Frango Elétrico's petit cult classic masterpiece 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' from 2019, which was only ever released on vinyl and CD in Brazil and Japan, has fast become a collector's item.

Well received by fans, DJs, and reviewers on release, The Needle Drop expressed "Ana Frango Elétrico's authentically vintage fusion of chamber pop, rock, samba and jazz is a real blast!" listing it as one of its Top 50 Albums of 2019. The album's reputation has been slowly building ever since, gaining a Latin Grammy nomination in 2020, and now solidly cementing itself as a gem of contemporary Brazilian music.

Across the albums nine tracks, Ana blends elements and influences from MPB, Tropicália, indie rock, punk and pop, forging them together with a sumptuous dose of her signature style. The finesse of 'Saudade' kicks off the LP, one of Ana's most known tracks to a non-Brazilian audience. A sublime opener, beginning with a spellbinding piano solo before transcending into a beautiful dream-laden slice of warmth, complete with luscious jazzy horns and deft vocal delivery. ‘Promessa e previsões’ follows, the only track on the album not to be written by Ana, instead being penned by Chico França. It’s a swelling and sweeping twilight groover, building and breaking across absorbing peaks.

Other highlights on the album include the anthemic 'Chocolate', which was a firm favourite with a packed sing-along crowd when we heard Ana perform it live. Elsewhere, 'Se No Cinema' hits with its quirky allure, charm and catchy melodies before transforming into a carnival spirit.

Tapping into the richness of Brazil’s new wave of musical energy, the album also includes a heavyweight lineup of collaborations with artists such as Dora Morelenbaum (Bala Desejo), Tim Bernardes, Antonio Neves and Guilherme Lirio to name but a few.

A short, sweet and refreshing record, that leaves nothing to waste, marrying playful ideas with poignant themes. 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' is a future classic and will beguile fans of ‘70s Brazilian recordings, Gal Costa, Mac DeMarco, Stereolab, Superorganism, Caetano Veloso and more.

Proudly presenting, ‘Калі ты запытаеш (If You Ask)’, a brand new, blissed-out pop production with a ‘70s AOR touch, by the ever-on-point SOYUZ (СОЮЗ). Coming at a period between albums, the single features guest appearances from the sensational musicians, Biel Basile (O Terno, Sessa) and Anthony Ferraro (Toro Y Moi, Astronauts, Etc.). Friends of the band, they add their signature touch on the drums and synth respectively. To complete the package, SOYUZ back the title track with a short but sweet, Wurlitzer-laden, MPB-tinged number, ‘Tenório’.

‘Калі ты запытаеш (If You Ask)’ tells the story of lost dreams. A track that can be interpreted either as a bittersweet longing for childhood times, or for a native place you can’t return to. For the writer Alex Chumak he suggests, "In my case, as in the case of many Belarusians, it’s both".

For this song, Alex chose to sing in his native Belarusian tongue. As he explains this language "to me feels underrepresented in pop music, also it’s a beautiful legacy and sonority that I wanted to share with the listeners of our project around the world". One of the key inspirations was a Belarusian band “Песняры” (“Pesniary”), who produced a host of great progressive folk, jazz fusion and AOR, from the ‘70s to the ‘90s, predominantly sung in Belarusian.

Another key influence was the music coming out of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais in the ‘70s, drawing inspiration from the sentimental and harmonious music of Beto Guedes, Lô Borges, Fernando Oly and Wagner Tiso.

Having parted ways with their drummer Anton, SOYUZ needed to find a new way to produce songs. The answer was to go remotely. Alex contacted the brilliant Biel Basile, who had recorded Sessa's contemporary classic ‘Estrela Acesa’, in which Alex also participated. Utilising Biel and Sessa’s newly built studio in São Paulo, SOYUZ had Biel record the drums directly to tape to get the rich sound they were after. Adding the final magic into the mix, California’s Anthony Ferraro provided a beautiful Solina String Ensemble synth arrangement, with drummer/recording engineer Albert Karch expertly assisting with the production.

To capture the essence of the single visually, Alex and the Brazilian one-man-industry visual artist Gabriel Rolim, spent a blazing sunny May day in Berlin shooting film and stills – one of which became the perfect cover image. We hope you enjoy this little nugget of SOYUZ mastery, a sweet taster to savour while the new album is recorded.

DJ support from: Alix Perez, Hybrid Minds, DJ Marky, Wilkinson, Fabio, Pola & Bryson, Kasra, Halogenix, Youngsta, Coki, Disclosure, EPROM, Ivy Lab, Hamdi and more.

2024 was an amazing year for 1985 Music as they kicked off the year selling out the ironic Roundhouse London and released a record number of releases. SUCCINCT brings together all the key tracks from the year putting them on wax for the first time. Including tracks from the label's head honcho Alix Perez and exclusive artists Visages, Monty, Trail to name a few.

Radio support: Tom Ravenscroft BBC 6Music, Charlie Tee BBCR1, Mary Anne Hobbs BBC 6 Music, Fred V KissFM, RinseFM, KoolFM and more.

DJ Support: Jimpster, Terry Farley (FAITH), Bill Brewster, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Laurent Garnier, Black Coffee, Jazzanova

Fred Everything’s latest album, 'Love, Care, Kindness & Hope', came out last May to critical acclaim, gaining support from various players such as Laurent Garnier, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Jimpster and Jazzanova to name but a few.

Not content with having an A-List cast of guests on the album (Stereo MC’s, Robert Owens, James Alexander Bright…) Fred also enlisted top Remixers for the singles. We decided to put 4 of the best ones on a Vinyl sampler for record lovers.

Osunlade leads the pack here with his Yoruba Soul remix of Never feat. Robert Owens, keeping things steady for the dancefloor with his signature sound. Waajeed takes the same track and flips it into a different territorry, both musically and sonically, with his Hi-Tech Jazz feel.

Next, we have the enigmatic Clive From Accounts, re-imagining Soul Love featuring Stereo MC’s, with his precise and soulful beats. And to close the EP, Rocco Rodamaal takes Breathe featuring James Alexander Bright and turns it into a solid floor burner.

Si piensas en sonido de Valencia y en los 90 fácilmente te vendrán estos dos temas a la mente. Dos clasicazos indispensables en cualquier fiesta noventera compilados en un solo vinilo. Edición limitada.

Musician and Zoitrax record label owner ZOiD, also known as Daniel Jacobson, announces the release of his sixth album, ZOiD Vs Musicians Vol 2.

Featuring thirteen tracks digitally, seven of which will be released on a 12” purple marbled translucent vinyl album distributed by Rubadub, ZOiD Vs Musicians Vol 2 will be available in record shops and on all streaming services and Bandcamp starting Friday, 22 November 2024.

ZOiD Vs Musicians Vol 2 is an electronic music album showcasing ZOiD's global collaborations with jazz musicians, creating a unique form of electronic jazz. Notably, his work with jazz drummer and brother Matthew Jacobson shines on the first single “Fit In Tree” debuting on September 13. Building on this momentum, the second single, "Module Bone, " featuring jazz trombonist Colm O'Hara, will be released on September 27, followed by the third single, "ZVSW, " featuring saxophonist Steve Welsh, on October 11. A special REMIX EP by Kirk De Giorgio, Sunken Foal, Americhord, and TR-One will be out on October 25.
Expanding the album's diverse sound, ZOiD collaborated with Dublin vocalist, composer, and jazz improvisation specialist Jenna Harris on “ZVJH” and with Niwel Tsumbu, a Cork-based Congolese guitaristwho tours with Rhiannon Giddens on “ZVNT.”

ZOiD Vs Musicians Vol 2 is further enriched by the talents of Shane O’Donovan (H-Ci), who combines electronic and jazz elements, Australian saxophonist Daniel Rorke, US-based free improviser Catherine Sikora, Galwegian multi-instrumentalist Matthew Berrill, Dublin saxophonist Matthew Halpin (flute), and trumpeter Bill Blackmore, a key figure in Dublin's jazz scene.

ZOiD released his debut album, ZOiD Vs The Jazz Musicians of Ireland Vol. 1, in 2007. Production of ZOiD Vs Musicians Vol 2 began soon after, taking nearly 17 years. For Vol. 2, some musicians recorded their parts independently, while others recorded in Arad Studio with Les Keye and ZOiD's Dublin studio.

The album artwork is by New York-based artist Shane Ingersoll. The front cover displays black-and- white illustrations of Dublin in the year 2116, a city at war centred around a bold purple "ZOiD" logo, with the title "ZOiD Vs Musicians Vol 2" on the upper left. On the back cover is a 12-panel comic book story (originally written by ZOiD using stick figures) and a glowing robotic hand.

Here it is, the first masterpiece by the exceptional Italian artist Gigi D‘Agostino. Before Gigi became an international electronic music icon with hits like „Bla Bla Bla“, „The Riddle“, „L‘Amour Toujours“ and conquered the international charts, he released his legendary „Gin Lemon E.P.“. Already back then, his typical style, characterized by catchy, danceable rhythms and superb melodies, was impressive. Now, „Gin Lemon E.P.“ is finally available again on 3 colored vinyl records.

Warehouse Find!

Limited 2024 Black Vinyl Repress

Osaka based psych-rock three piece Hibushibire return after a long break, with a new line up and a stunning third album. Produced by Acid Mothers Temple/Mainliner guru Makoto Kawabata who also guests on the album.

Following the successes of their debut album 'Freak Out Orgasm!' (2017), the follow up ‘Turn On, Tune In, Freak Out’ (2019) and two very well received UK tours. The band headed home to Osaka, Japan and then, the pandemic hit.

During this downtime, guitarist/vocalist Changchang decided to create a new power trio. Enter Tetsuji Toyoda (Bass/Vocals) & Aoi Hama (Drums/Vocals). The new trio have spent the last three years writing new music, playing live and honing their sound in Japan, and a short well received tour of Taiwan with Riot Season labelmates Dope Purple. And now finally, Hibushibire mark 2 is born properly.

“Hibushibire has returned after a change of members. A psychedelic, progressive work, suitable for a new beginning"

Entering the studio with Acid Mothers Temple/Mainliner guru Makoto Kawabata in the producer chair (and also as a guest musician) once again, the band recorded album number three, 'Magical Metamorphosis Third Eye’. Makoto also adds some of his own trademark guitar howls throughout the album, perfectly complimenting Changchang’s own growing prowess.

Here the band have taken their trademark psych-rock blasts and blended them perfectly with some more trippy, dare I say sweet progressive psychedelic sounds.

“The idea of this album is based on the theme of "occultism and mysticism". But it's not a serious thing, it's about the things we like (UFOs, pyramids, psychic phenomena, shamanism etc) and we all had fun while making it. In terms of what makes it different from the previous Hibushibire albums, it’s where AOI HAMA's vocals are present. I had wanted to use a female vocalist for a long time, so it was a good feeling!”

Like the band's first two albums, 'Magical Metamorphosis Third Eye’ is very much an album of two halves. Side one again is full of killer shorter tracks, while side two is reserved for a blinding majestic 20 minute epic ‘Ayahuasca Witch Abduction’. Perhaps the biggest musical surprise here though is probably track two, the beautifully mellow tripped out ‘We Won't Go Back To The Past’, which sounds like it’s been beamed straight out of the late 60s/early 70s.

The band also tip a nod to the Beatles psychedelic classic ‘Tomorrow Never Ever Knows’, but with their own twist of course.

It’s clear with the line up changes, Changchang has decided to expand the band's musical pathway, and he’s achieved stunning results.

The band plan to return to the UK and Europe in 2024 to see friends old and new.

Into The Light is the new 2LP Black set from Whitesnake, and is based on David Coverdale's three solo records. The Into The Light album was originally released as David Coverdale’s 3rd solo album, in September 2000, and was his first solo record in 22 years. With an impressive musical lineup, David is joined on Into The Light by guitarists Earl Slick and Doug Bossi, bassist Marco Mendoza, who would later join Whitesnake, legendary drummer Denny Carmassi, who as well as Whitesnake, has played with Montrose and Heart, and Mike Finningan on keyboards, who had previously played with Jimi Hendrix in the 1960s. As well as plenty of unreleased songs and bonus tracks, the set includes “Too Many Tears,” a song David wrote with Adrian Vandenberg and originally featured on Whitesnake’s Restless Heart album. Also included is “River Song,” David’s tribute to Jimi Hendrix, and “With All Of My Heart,” a song David wrote for his wife, and in his own words, one of top ten songs that he’s written. Into The Light also features the singles “Slave,” “Love Is Blind” and “Don’t You Cry.” The box set will also include David’s first two solo records, WhiteSnake MCMLXXVII from 1977 and NorthWinds from 1978, the two titles he recorded immediately after leaving Deep Purple in 1976, in both remixed, expanded and remastered form.