Search:bro

18 freshly baked instrumental Hip Hop tracks from the best of the global underground.
To celebrate Volume 10 we've cooked up something special...
Limited edition 12" vinyl will also come with issue 1 of a 3 part Cheeba comic series illustrated by

Soul entwickelte sich gegen Ende der 1950er Jahre aus Rhythm"n"Blues, Gospel, Blues und Jazz. Im folgenden Jahrzehnt war Soul ein Synonym für schwarze Popmusik. Kennzeichnend dafür waren vor allem die Produktionen von Motown Records, zum Beispiel Diana Ross & The Supremes oder Sam Cooke. Seither sind herzergreifender Gesang und groovige Vibes die größten Stilmerkmale des Soul. Zu den weiteren Ikonen des Soul gehören Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Barry White, Sam Cooke, Al Green und viele mehr. Deren Erfolg ist eng mit dem Kampf der US-amerikanischen Bürgerrechtsbewegung gegen Rassentrennung und für Gleichberechtigung verbunden. 1969 benannte man die Rhythm"n"Blues- in Soul-Charts um. Der Soul-Orkan, der während der Sechziger in den Charts tobte, ebbte jedoch wieder ab, kam aber runderneuert in den 70ern als Phillysound wieder zu erneuten Hitparadenehren. 1982 änderte man die Chart-Bezeichnung von Soul in Black Music. Die vorliegende Kompilation vereint die legendären Stimmen des Soul mit ihren unvergesslichen Hits.

With his debut EP Mo Wrights delivers a jazz-focused and narrative-driven record navigating the inner dialogue of a creative struggle of inferiority, abstraction and commitment. The story finds him enlisting some friends along the way to advance from one act to the other.

With the title track - ‘things2proof’ - Mo tries to combine his myriad of influences in a 6-minute record that weaves together elements of jazz, broken beat, acid jazz, fusion, hip-hop and hints of rock. The coherence comes from his poignant narrative, which resembles a four-act structure, telling the story of alienation and his internal experience of inferiority, creative frustration, and his eventual recognition of a solution, concluding by finally permitting himself to simply ‘be’. And for that we thank him!

The b-side ‘proof of concept’ follows the title track, Mo embraces a more laid-back approach, sitting sonically closer to his beloved broken beat sound. Amsterdam-based pianist Misto Kay delivers a long soul-felt piano solo that carries the track into untold dimensions of groove. With this offering the soul feels both heard and yearned for. It’s as if desire and satisfaction are in conversation with one another. You can’t help but be gripped, pay attention, and listen.

As a co-founder of the Amsterdam-based music platform Steppin’ Into Tomorrow, whose ethos is anchored in the principle of collaboration and unification of the Dutch scene is a deeply felt sentiment throughout Mo’s EP. He enlists a slew of emergent local legends, such as QUANZA, drummer Jamie Peet, flutist Han Litz, bass player kotokid and pianist Misto Kay to embellish and remix his creation. The remixes also illuminate other bright creatives the local scene has to offer, with remixes by the likes of - Kofi the Unknown, LYMA, Misto Kay and Jazz n Dance.

tapetopia 006 In 1983, some more subdued sounds began to waft from the GDR punk underground into the second half of the ’80s. At five to the end of time, it was perpetually striking midnight and the occasional punk band would mix a little laudanum into their potential for aggression. Portents in this vein preceded a dark wave whose foamy crest would break on fog walls of dry ice. Especially in Leipzig and East Berlin, a chain-rattling zeitgeist produced bands that drew from a dark well. Many of these bands arose from the still hot or already cold ashes of punk. The two founding fathers of Neuntage Alt, René Glofke and Taymur Streng (nicknamed “Strangler”), knew each other from the East Berlin punk scene. The third man aboard, Mike Sauer, played drums in the early 1980s for Sendeschluß, a punk band that, lost in thought somewhere in the no-man’s land between punk and post-punk, faded away in 1984. Punk was no longer the order of the day, but it was a form of expression among many and easy to combine. Glofke and Streng found common ground in experimental set-ups with such otherworldly names as Medusa Brahma or Die zeitweilige Erscheinung.
From this far-flung point of departure, a short tunnel led straight into the black light of Neuntage Alt, the coldest star in the low-hanging sky above East Berlin. Neuntage Alt appeared at the end of 1986, during the last blackout phase of the GDR, on the threshold between the underground and the so-called “other bands” – a scene that used the non-socio-critical approach of German Wutwave (“anger wave”) in order to be allowed to perform publicly. In the context of this scene, Neuntage Alt did not belong to the inner circle. Moreover, the band’s subcultural base was initially in Mahlsdorf, on the south-eastern edge of East Berlin. This was where the DIY sound studio of amplitude apostle and great modulator Taymur Streng was situated. Strangler held the position of house electrician and keyboard god in various projects. One of them had the bland alias Mahlsdorfer Wohnstuben Orchester, behind which the avant-garde court chapel of the bungalow studio was concealed. There Taymur also conspired with the East Berlin underground band Ornament & Verbrechen (tapetopia #001). Ronald Lippok of Ornament & Verbrechen remembers how once, at the opening of a joint session, he and his brother Robert attended Taymur’s engaging slide show of his collection of test patterns. Afterwards, they created a piece with the psychedelic title “Das sentimentale UfO”, which sheds an iridescent light on the bizarre atmosphere in the studio. Taymur’s obsession with technology was legendary. The home studio was also his living space; a circuit, a machine park of screwed and soldered equipment, a single keyboard orgy. His own creations were also based on circuit diagrams found in the radio amateur magazine “Funkamateur”. Its somewhat clueless subtitle “Praktische Elektronik Für Alle” (Practical Electronics for All)

The making of Congo Funk!, our long-awaited journey to the musical heart of the African continent, took the Analog Africa Team on two journeys to Kinshasa and one to Brazzaville. Selected meticulously from around 2000 songs and boiled down to 14, this compilation aims to showcase the many facets of the funky, hypnotic and schizophrenic tunes emanating from the two Congolese capitals nestled on the banks of the Congo River.

On its south shore, the city of Kinshasa – capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo, the country formerly known as Zaïre – is often seen as Africa’s musical Mecca, the city that spawned such immortal bands as African Jazz, O.K. Jazz and African Fiesta, and the place to which aspiring musicians from throughout the continent would go to make a name for themselves.

But the city of Brazzaville on the north shore of the river – capital of the Congo Republic – played an equally important role in spreading Congolese sounds continentally. In addition to producing legendary bands such as Les Bantous de la Capital, it was the powerful transmitters of Radio Brazzaville that allowed the unmistakable groove of Congolese Rumba to be heard as far away as Nairobi, Yaoundé, Luanda and Lusaka thus turning the electric guitar into the continent’s most important instrument!

Although the musical landscape of these cities had been defined by a core group of bands in the late 1950s, the modernisation of Congolese music has been steadily evolving until the events surrounding the Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman boxing match marked a turning point. The promoter of that event known as “Rumble In The Jungle” was none other than the notorious Don King who needed 10 millions dollars to get Ali and Foreman into a boxing ring. The only candidate willing to put this kind of cash on the table was Mobutu Sese Seko, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mobutu - the megalomaniac dictator who got to power with the support of the United States and Belgium in exchange for unlimited and affordable access to the riches of the country - had a soft spot for music and it doesn’t come as a surprise that he agreed to a three-day live music festival being organised prior to the “Rumble”. Zaïre 74 - as the festival was dubbed - was meant to hype the boxing match and many stars were invited.

Although a myriads of artists flocked in for the occasion, it was the performance of James Brown on Zairian soil that caused havoc among the younger generation, inspiring hundreds of would-be musicians to take up their electric guitars and reverbs cranked to the max in search of a new sound in which hyperactive Rumba was blended with elements of psych and funk. While the results were very different from the popular music of the three Musketeers - as Tabu Ley, Franco and Verckys were known - they weren’t a complete break with tradition.

These new sounds emerged at a time when the Congolese record industry – previously dominated by European major labels – was experiencing a period of decline due to rising production costs and needed a radical change. The void was filled by dozens of entrepreneurs willing to take chances on smaller scale releases. It was the beginning of a golden age for Congolese independent record labels, and the best of them – Cover N°1, Mondenge, Editions Moninga, Super Contact – preserved the work of some of the region’s finest artists, while launching a generation of younger musicians into the spotlight.

The movement was greatly helped by legendary radio shows but it was the dynamic productions of Télé-Zaïre that set the dynamite on fire. Legend has it that TV shows were so huge that president Mobutu himself ordered RTV du Zaïre to put on daily concerts since it halted criminal activities for the duration of the evening.

Congo Funk! is the story of these sounds and labels, but most of all it is the story of two cities, separated by water but united by an indestructible groove. The fourteen songs on this double LP showcase the many facets of the Congolese capitals, and highlight the bands and artists, famous and obscure, who pushed Rumba to new heights and ultimately influenced the musical landscape of the entire continent and beyond.

Octave One stride into 2024 with a fresh four-track EP that once again showcases their unique take on techno with three new versions of classic tracks alongside an all-new cut.

Detroit's legendary Burden Brothers had a big 2023 that saw them release their superb Never On Sunday album, which was a nod to their 90s downtempo project of the same name. The bumper collection traversed deep techno, house, and tech in their usual inimitable style while the pair themselves continued to push techno forward with their incomparable live show at the world's most notable clubs and festivals. They now show that their creative reserves continue to run deep with four more essential tracks.

The first one is a new Mothership Remix of 'Price We Pay' with long-time vocal collaborator Karina Mia. The original appeared on Never on Sunday and this version comes on strong with vast rubbery kicks powering a deep and seductive groove. Muted synths roam down low while twinkling melodies fall from above next to the controlled, soulful vocal. The superb 'Mirror Image' is a new track that rides a heavy broken beat. Downtempo chords are melancholic but stirring and have a dramatic sense of finality to them.

'A Better Tomorrow' also gets a new Mothership Mix following its original release on the Burn It Down album back in 2015. Here it is a surging cut with funky guitar riffs and bleeping synth sequences that bring to life the thundering low end. It's a hi-tech and soulful fusion of the organic and the synthetic that will blow the roof off.

Last of all is a Mothership Instruments version of 'Price We Pay' that powers along on thudding drums with edgy synth stabs riding up and down the scales. Deft keys shine and twinkle and signature Octave One arps break out at the midpoint to take things to a higher level.

These are four more classic techno sounds steeped in great synth craft from The Burden Brothers.

Revision of new beats on the horizon
Every 20 years or so, certain musical movements come full circle. Young musicians are inspired by genres dating back two decades, channelling them through their modern sensibility. The legendary J Dilla’s Donuts album was released in 2006 and instantly marked a starting point for the work of musicians worldwide, laying the foundations especially for the beat scene in Los Angeles. A whole young generation of musicians brought up on the new, instrumental and abstract hip-hop has carried jazz into a new era. The four London-based musicians who make up Uniri have gone one step further by abandoning the idea of a jazz band and "bedroom production" in favour of collective composing, creating a new look at the new-beat aesthetics, framing it as a road novel set in an unspecified time and space.

Uniri translates as ‘one unified dream’ and is the key driving motto of the project conceived by Chiminyo (Cykada, Maisha), the band's founder and head honcho. The project materialised in his private studio, where he invited fellow jazz musicians Amane Tsuganami (Jorja Smith, Maisha), Al Macsween (Nubya Garcia, Gary Bartz, Kefaya) and Luke Wynter (Nubyan Twist, Golden Mean) to spontaneously compose together. Hence, despite this being the band's first album, it wouldn't be right to call them rookies. The result of Uniri's collaborative work is the psychedelic, rhythmic album Infinite Reflections, packed with cosmic and warm synths, which neatly balances hip-hop beat and jazz composition. It's safe to say this music is even more appealing when played live, although it's equally suited to the club dancefloor.

UK Jazz has become a permanent fixture in the London landscape, but also across Europe and the US. Today, the musicians who shape the new wave of jazz are drawing on more and more genres, reducing solo improvisation for the benefit of composition and increasingly drawing on influences from the beat scene. Among such formations are the British NOK Cultural Ensemble, the Polish Błoto, the Belgian ECHT!, and the Dutch Comité Hypnotisé. Uniri is part of this emerging yet already international trend, creating an entirely fresh aesthetic that echoes artists such as Flying Lotus, Samiyam, Dorian Concept, Ras G and Nosaj Things oriented around the Californian 'new beats generation' scene.

The title Infinite Reflections alludes to a phenomenon observable on the open sea or during intercontinental flights. Gazing at the horizon blurs the boundary between the ocean and the sky, forming an infinite palette of blue shades. This inspiration sparked an elusive musical narrative, navigating between a sea voyage and an astral journey, destination unknown.

From the propulsive immediacy of the bass and drums’ taut groove, it’s clear something has changed in Broken Chanter's world. Thudding, powerful odes to the strength of collectivity and togetherness, David MacGregor’s Broken Chanter bristle with energy and empathy on their incendiary third album Chorus Of Doubt. Recorded (and produced) by Paul Savage over 2023’s spring and summer months in Chemikal Underground’s in-house studio Chem 19, Chorus Of Doubt is fuelled by a burning desire to resist an encroaching, global tide of misery, informed by a wide-eyed sense of solidarity and the searing truth that a universal humanity is the only path out of darkness.

Featuring frequent collaborators Charlotte Printer, Bart Owl and Martin Johnston, Broken Chanter’s world is populated by hope and vitriol rendered in ecstatic rock music, terse agit-Funk and soaring choruses.

The most immediate Broken Chanter record to date, Chorus Of Doubt is David MacGregor’s open love letter to never giving up, a personal road map out of collective lethargy.

Bartees Strange has been one of the most significant indie artists to break out in the post-Pandemic era. He debuted with ‘Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy’, an album length collection of The National songs released in March 2020, on the cusp of the Pandemic. Later that year came his first LP, ‘Mustang’, which was named in endless year-end Best Of lists, including those from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Rolling Stone and NPR Music. He quickly signed to 4AD, and his debut for the label, ‘Farm To Table’, turned him into a club headliner and an arena-sized opening act with genre-defining artists such as The National, boygenius, Phoebe Bridgers and Courtney Barnett. The vinyl-exclusive release, ‘Magic Boy’, represents the Bartees story before this story began -33 1/2 minutes of recordings created before he entered the public eye, with eight out of ten never previously released. It finds his ever-malleable sound touching on genres like coffee house folk (‘IDK’, ‘Best Of You’, ‘You’re Here’), emo troubadour (‘Count It Back’, ‘Little Brother’), and wigged-out experimentation (‘Eat Your Heart Out’). Appended with two tracks previously available only as digital Bsides from ‘Say Goodbye’ (‘HAGS’, ‘Going Going’), ‘Magic Boy’ reads as a kind of ‘lost’ album for someone shaping up to be a major voice in indie music.

For fans of: The Menzingers, Green Day, The Lawrence Ams, Joyce Manor, Teenage Bottlerocket, The Flatliners, Pop-Punk. Broadway Calls begins their 2024 campaign with another big support tour and more new music to go along with it. This time we've packaged it with their other recent singles to make a nifty 4-song 7" EP. These Oregonian lumber-punks live in the woods and probably eat squirrels, so they thought it would be funny to put a mom with a machine gun on the cover. Uhhh, try that in a small town?

repressed !

'Due to an unforeseen pricing increase at the pressing plant, this products price has been updated. Any copies purchased before the pricing update will be honoured at the original price'

Arriving at the height of the antipodean summer, after the traditional series of short delays – and where would we be without delay lets face it – we here Echo Chamber Sound and Run It Red are proud to present the vinyl component of our first compilation LP. Featuring 9 tunes across two plates, and including exclusive tunes from from Bukkha and LQ, as well as a showstopping remix from RSD and star turns from X-Nation Pugilist & Tamen, this is our most ambitious statement to date, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed pulling it all together.

The Cover Ups vinyl edition is a double LP consisting of the first Cover Ups (digital only release 2016) and the new Cover Ups 2 (released April 2023).

Recorded mostly on Flunk's annual Christmas parties, "julebord" in Norwegian, with a big dinner and plenty of drinks, rounding off with an acoustic recording of a favourite cover version.

Cover Ups / LP1 consists of coversongs from New Order, Yazoo, Depeche Mode and Fink.

Cover Ups 2 / LP2 consists of coversongs from Rod Stewart / Everything But The Girl, Simon & Gafunkel, Jesus and Mary Chain, The Stranglers, Soft Cell and Radiohead, and some new acoustic versions of old Flunk-songs.

The acoustic downbeat version of Yazoo's "Only You" was featured on the Designated Survivor TV-series.

Limited reissue of the classic Exaltics 2011 release on Creme Eclipse aka The Living Planet. Housed in a full sleeve with fantastic previously unreleased artwork by Godspill. Dont miss this masterclass in brooding and dark electronix tech-fi. It may sound scary at first but lucky for you it all ends in a crop circle rave!

When Bob Vylan won the first MOBO award for Best Alternative Music Act in 2022, the punk-grime duo took to the stage and used the platform to speak about how they managed to achieve the impossible as independent artists in a genre-defying space. “We released an album this year that we produced entirely, mixed entirely, recorded entirely, all from my bedroom…so everybody that’s here, bigging up Atlantic and bigging up Warner, fuck that, us man did it ourselves”.

It was an acceptance speech that rattled the room and built anticipation for their next projects.

Humble as the Sun, the forthcoming album from Bob Vylan continues with much of the rage and urgency that they have come to be known and loved for, but this latest project shows that they are now stronger and wiser, bolstered by the wins and learnings that they have fought hard for along the way. The resulting tracklist aims to leave the listener feeling power alongside their anger, and brings a fresh and compelling blend of punk, rock, grime and rap together in an experimental way.

Following on from the last album, Bob Vylan Presents the Price of Life, the message woven throughout Humble as the Sun remains dark in places but is high-energy, defiant and unapologetic in its critique of a broken social and political system that so many have fallen victim to, but feel powerless against.

This album is for the underdogs, the ones who come out swinging and those who refuse to be defeated in the face of injustice, and aims to remind listeners that anger is a fire that can be harnessed and put to use. The album creation started from a conversation with the sun, which is, after all, a big ball of fire that sustains life.

From masculinity to myths about the G Spot, the themes and topics explored on Humble As The Sun make for an often humorously empowering celebration of the peoples ability to endure, overcome and bring about change.

The lyricism on this album is even more layered than their previous projects, still darkly humorous, anti-establishment and unforgiving but at times pauses to deliver much-needed words of afrmation to listeners, “You are loved. You are not alone. You are going through hell but keep going.” Bobby assures the listener, ofering an antidote to the state of the world, aiming to give some power and agency to those who hear it. At a time when so little trust or faith exists between the people and the powers that be, Bob Vylan ofers out a hand in the despondent darkness that has overwhelmed so many in the shadow of a burning planet. They guides the listener to a place where they can see some light and feel empowered to do something, to fight back, to continue pushing forwards despite the challenges faced along the way.

Mixing all of the best quintessentially British - and Jamaican - musical elements from punk to drum and bass, grime and rock, Bob Vylan creates a sound that reflects the state of the nation, at once voicing the frustrations that normal people have, while also highlighting one’s ability to persevere, overcome hardship and to change.

Twentysix artists, lots of wine and pizza, no agenda. This compilation is a collection of vibes and memories from our PLYGRND Beat Retreat in Tuscany, Italy, wrapped in songs. Featuring tracks by Kiefer, Sara Kawai, Flozigg, Adia, Kaelin Ellis, Molly McPhaul, Burrito Eats, DAO, Desh, Dhanya, Elaquent, Elijah Fox, Glimlip, Joe Bae, K Le Maestro, Louk, Mad Keys, miamore, Miri, Nokiaa, Paul Grant, DEOVI, Relyae, Saltyyyy V, Sebastian Kamae, and Tom Doolie. Driving up a hill lined with pine trees and grapevines, arriving at a beautiful arrangement of terracotta colored houses embedded in an unreal scenery made of grapevines and verdurous greens. Roaming this area, worrying about nothing but the day that lies ahead. Bumping into fellow creatives who share the same passion for music and art. Collaborative energy coming out of this; exploring new sounds with new souls. You capture yourself getting lucky, and think to yourself: Don’t take it too seriously, it’s not that deep. But also, make some beautiful stuff, if you can. This year's compilation is a testament to the rich diversity of talent on display. The PLYGRND Beat Retreat Compilation 2023 is not just a collection of tracks; it's a celebration of the artists who brought their A-game to our event. Get your hands on this exclusive gatefold-vinyl, and immerse yourself in the sounds that defined the PLYGRND Beat Retreat 2023. Limited edition, high-quality, and a must-have for any music enthusiast.

Zweites Album der Art-Rock-Experimentalisten Drahla aus Leeds. Aufgenommen mit Matthew Benn und Jamie Lockhart im Jahr 2023, folgt angeltape dem von der Kritik gefeierten Debüt Useless Coordinates aus dem Jahr 2019 und ist ein avantgardistisches Dokument der Ereignisse, die sich in der fünfjährigen Pause zwischen den Alben entfaltet haben. Eine Vielzahl von Veränderungen - gute und schlechte - lenkten das berufliche und persönliche Leben der Bandmitglieder in unbekannte Bahnen. Doch anstatt sich den Widrigkeiten zu ergeben, tauchen Drahla mit angeltape wieder auf. Sängerin und Gitarristin Luciel Brown, Bassist Rob Riggs und Schlagzeuger Mike Ainsley erweiterten ihren Sound mit Gitarrist Ewan Barr und klingen nun wesentlich dunkler, komplexer und konzeptioneller. Drahla beschreiten neue klangliche Wege und experimentieren dabei mehr als je zuvor mit der Form der Musik. Das berauschende Zusammenspiel von treibenden Bass-Riffs und aufgeladenen Schlagzeugmustern bildet einen fesselnden Kontrast zu Browns melodischem Sprechgesang. Die einhüllende Atmosphäre, die von dem Quartett ausgeht, wird durch die eindringliche Saxophonbegleitung des langjährigen Mitstreiters Chris Duffin noch verstärkt. Die Band beschäftigt sich mit Themen wie Trauer und Trauma, während sie gleichzeitig Momente der Sentimentalität und Unterstützung in schwierigen Zeiten zelebriert. Eine unwiderstehliche und unerschütterliche Kraft durchzieht dieses meisterhafte zweite Album. angeltape ist eine herausfordernde, tröstliche und letztlich lohnende Platte für Künstler und Publikum.

Having built a loyal local Antwerp following off of the success of their 2019 debut self released album, ‘Forgotten Kingdom’, and growing reputation for electrifying stage performances, Kolonel Djafaar achieved worldwide recognition in 2021 for the ‘Cold Heat’ EP on Batov Records, attracting praise from Music Is My Sanctuary (“triumphant), and support from Gideon Coe on BBC 6 Radio Music, and DJs across Worldwide FM, Soho Radio, Le Mellotron, and KEXP.

The group overcame busy schedules and frequent quarantine periods to hit the studio in February 2022 to lay down four tracks. However, the creative itch persisted, leading to an intense writing session in August, deep in the heart of a tranquil forest. From noon until midnight, the band immersed themselves in the creative process, embracing the freedom to make noise without restraint.

Fueled by hearty breakfasts, unwavering focus, and the ambient clucking of chickens roaming the studio, Kolonel Djafaar crafted the majority of ‘Getaway’. This period marked a pivotal shift as a number of new band members joined just in time for the August sessions.

Membership changes, including Emiel Lauryssen joining on trumpet, alongside guitarist Philip Matthhijnssens, the band's palette has broadened and new sounds are able to break through. From psychedelic rock and soul influence of the Daptone Records’ affiliated Budos Band, surf rock (“Urban Dweller”), Morricone Spaghetti Western guitar, and Afro Cuban (“Kelmendi”), alongside the brassy Afrobeat and Ethio jazz vibes the group have been known for.

The broader dynamics of ‘Getaway’, and the band’s more cinematic and experimental approach, is particularly apparent on "Siren’s Glitch" and "Phil’s First Tear". The latter, first conceived by drummer Anton Van Hove, features the lead guitar doubling up with the bass guitar for added impact. Whilst the origins of "Convoi Exceptionnel", a brass & synths stomper of a march, trace back to a jam session during the band's Hungarian tour, another vital period of prolonged time together, capturing the organic essence of their experiences on the road.

Each track on ‘Getaway’ holds a unique connection to at least one band member, and all benefit from a collaborative approach to songwriting. "Sparking Clover'', an Ethio-inspired psych & soul groover penned by tenor saxophonist Doyin Smith, carries a poignant undertone inspired by personal loss, while psych rock leaning tracks like "Apologies in Advance" showcase the band's evolution and increasing professionalism in crafting a distinct sonic experience.

The curious cover art depicts a lone individual heading down an empty city street towards a large mysterious glowing object, evoking the common emptiness and struggle of urban life, and the search for meaning or just something better. The band envision the object to represent this album, offering a beacon to like-minded listeners. Kolonel Djafaar invite music enthusiasts on an immersive journey, to ‘Getaway’ from the daily grind of life, on an album reflecting diverse influences and marking a new chapter in their musical exploration.

If 2022’s The Children Of Scorpio was the debut album that turned people onto the world of Project Gemini aka Paul Osborne, Colours & Light is the body of work that will be buried deep into their hearts. It is a majestic album, bringing together the worlds of folk rock, psych soundtracks and hazy cinematic funk.

A growing confidence and ease emanate from the writing and production of this sophomore LP, bolstered by the reception to his standout debut. “It’s a more layered and diverse record” Paul mentions, “with a more outward-looking, global sound, born out of the records I was listening to and the musicians I was lucky enough to collaborate with”. It feels relaxed yet self-assured, with a kaleidoscope of sounds that twist together in a mesmerising fashion.

The theme of the album developed naturally through the lyrics Paul began writing. A creative process both plagued and fed by insomnia, nourished by relationships, entwined in emotions, nights out, nights in and the after-effects on the human condition. Relatable themes yet seen through the prism of a soundscape that takes in many a different culture and scene. From acid folk to psych-funk, Francophile elements to Anatolian and Eastern inspirations, all interlocking and rotating as one.

Drawing inspiration from those he admires, Colours & Light radiates with collaborations. The title track, which tips its hat to a live 1973 TV version of Pentangle’s ‘Wedding Dress’, features the folk rock, guitar brilliance of Jack Sharp from Wolf People/Large Plants.

Elsewhere, two tracks are blessed by the sultry, smokey French vocals of Gloria’s Wendy Martinez, ‘Extra Nuit’ and ‘Entre chien et loup’. The former echoes Paul's love of classic French psych-pop from the late ’60s and early ’70s and artists such as Laurance Vanay, Calcium, Leonie, and Serge Gainsbourg. Martinez's sublime vocal work nestles perfectly within Paul's psych-folk-funk productions, as her Gloria partner, Alexis Morel (aka Kid Victrola) sprinkles a dose of entrancing guitar line magic on proceedings.

The list of collaborations extends further with Raz and Markey Funk, drummer Tony Coote and percussionist Paul Elliott all featuring. Regular collaborator and underground icon Barrie Cadogan (Little Barrie) returns along with Bert Page from The Cromagnon Band, who between them provide a hit of whacked-out, fuzzed-up country guitar and Moog madness respectively on ‘Lost In The Woods (Bacchanal)’.

Rounding off the record Paul’s daughter, Olivia Osborne, supplies the keyboard intro on the penultimate track ‘Twilight’. Dorian Conway from The Soundcarriers (whose bandmate Paul Isherwood returns on mixing duties) then layers echoing heavy flute parts to magically capture the psychedelic sunrise images brought to mind.

Balancing light and shade on this record, there is beauty and tension all wrapped up in Paul’s vivid and visceral, storytelling gift.

If 2022’s The Children Of Scorpio was the debut album that turned people onto the world of Project Gemini aka Paul Osborne, Colours & Light is the body of work that will be buried deep into their hearts. It is a majestic album, bringing together the worlds of folk rock, psych soundtracks and hazy cinematic funk.

A growing confidence and ease emanate from the writing and production of this sophomore LP, bolstered by the reception to his standout debut. “It’s a more layered and diverse record” Paul mentions, “with a more outward-looking, global sound, born out of the records I was listening to and the musicians I was lucky enough to collaborate with”. It feels relaxed yet self-assured, with a kaleidoscope of sounds that twist together in a mesmerising fashion.

The theme of the album developed naturally through the lyrics Paul began writing. A creative process both plagued and fed by insomnia, nourished by relationships, entwined in emotions, nights out, nights in and the after-effects on the human condition. Relatable themes yet seen through the prism of a soundscape that takes in many a different culture and scene. From acid folk to psych-funk, Francophile elements to Anatolian and Eastern inspirations, all interlocking and rotating as one.

Drawing inspiration from those he admires, Colours & Light radiates with collaborations. The title track, which tips its hat to a live 1973 TV version of Pentangle’s ‘Wedding Dress’, features the folk rock, guitar brilliance of Jack Sharp from Wolf People/Large Plants.

Elsewhere, two tracks are blessed by the sultry, smokey French vocals of Gloria’s Wendy Martinez, ‘Extra Nuit’ and ‘Entre chien et loup’. The former echoes Paul's love of classic French psych-pop from the late ’60s and early ’70s and artists such as Laurance Vanay, Calcium, Leonie, and Serge Gainsbourg. Martinez's sublime vocal work nestles perfectly within Paul's psych-folk-funk productions, as her Gloria partner, Alexis Morel (aka Kid Victrola) sprinkles a dose of entrancing guitar line magic on proceedings.

The list of collaborations extends further with Raz and Markey Funk, drummer Tony Coote and percussionist Paul Elliott all featuring. Regular collaborator and underground icon Barrie Cadogan (Little Barrie) returns along with Bert Page from The Cromagnon Band, who between them provide a hit of whacked-out, fuzzed-up country guitar and Moog madness respectively on ‘Lost In The Woods (Bacchanal)’.

Rounding off the record Paul’s daughter, Olivia Osborne, supplies the keyboard intro on the penultimate track ‘Twilight’. Dorian Conway from The Soundcarriers (whose bandmate Paul Isherwood returns on mixing duties) then layers echoing heavy flute parts to magically capture the psychedelic sunrise images brought to mind.

Balancing light and shade on this record, there is beauty and tension all wrapped up in Paul’s vivid and visceral, storytelling gift.

One of the greatest, heaviest, and most sought-after guitar records from 1970s West Africa, available on vinyl for the first time in over a decade!!!

Bamako, Mali, 1973: Rail Band, the official orchestra of the Malian state railway, drops their self-titled LP. It’s a relentlessly soulful and hypnotic blend of American funk, jazz horns, and Afro-Cuban music, reflected through centuries-old Mandé tradition and blasted at top volume by some of the continent’s greatest artists.

Led by legendary trumpet and saxman Tidiani Koné and held aloft by the intricate web of Djelimady Tounkara’s rumbling, reverb-soaked guitar, Rail Band’s sprawling compositions embody West African storytelling traditions while exulting in the technology and modernity of a newly independent Mali. Vocalists Salif Keita and Mory Kanté, two heroes of African music who would achieve global fame as soloists, are endlessly emotive, oscillating between silky ballads and funk screams. The band’s sound is filled out by layers of percussion, rolling guitars, and melodic horns filtered through the Caribbean.

Starting in 1970, Rail Band played five nights a week, from 2 pm til the early hours, at the Buffet Hotel de la Gare. Their audience was an international array of businessmen, young partiers, and people of the Bamako night. The band was incredibly versatile, switching genres, rhythms, and styles to meet their crowd. It was a volatile mix, one that would fall apart soon after these recordings were made, with Salif Keita’s departure to start the rival Les Ambassadeurs. Though Rail Band continued in many distinguished forms, the eight songs on this album reveal one of the greatest bands to ever exist, at the height of their creative powers.

On “Duga”, a composition dating back to the 13th century and passed on through oral tradition by the jelis (griots), the Rail Band replace balafon with the interplay of Cheick Tidiane’s speaker-rattling bass and Alfred Coulibaly’s tasteful organ. “Marabayasa,” with its iconic sax intro and Mory Kanté channeling James Brown, is a deep-cut favorite of DJs around the world. Part of a long and regal lineage of Malian guitar orchestras initially tasked with translating the region’s traditional music to modern instrumentation, Rail Band morphed and reenvisioned those traditions with a style and energy that has never been matched.

'Mei Semones' sweetly evocative blend of jazz, bossa nova and math-y indie rock is notonly a way for her to find solace in her favorite genres, but is an intuitive means ofcatharsis. "Blending everything that I like together and trying to make something new -that's what feels most natural to me," says the 23-year-old Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and guitarist. "It's what feels most true to who I am as an artist." Plinking guitar tones and asymmetrical time signatures exemplify her forays intoangular indie rock more now than ever before, especially on her debut Bayonet Recordssingle "Wakare no Kotoba"_its wide-interval arpeggios in odd meters being some ofthe most technically difficult guitar work Mei has ever implemented in her songwriting.Translated to "parting words'' in English, the self-described "anti-love song" serves as afarewell to a toxic friendship, complete with orchestral swells and crashing guitars. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Semones began playing music at a young age,starting out on piano at age four before moving to electric guitar at age eleven. Afterplaying jazz guitar in high school, she went on to study guitar performance with a jazzfocus at Berklee College of Music. College is where she met her current bandmates,including string players Noah Leong and Claudius Agrippa, whose respective viola andviolin add softness and multidimensionality to Mei's intricate guitar work. After releasinga slew of singles and an EP in 2022, coinciding with her move to New York City, Mei andher band have since gone on to collaborate with post-bossa balladeer John Roseboroand embark on their first-ever tour with the melodic rock outfit Raavi. Semones chronicles infatuation, devotion, and vulnerability in her songs, complete withsweeping strings, virtuosic guitar-playing and heartfelt lyrics sung in both English andJapanese, that have all become part of her sonic trademark: ornately catchy, genre-fusing compositions serving as the backdrop to tender lyrics touching on theuniversalities of human emotion.

We’re hugely excited to announce the brand new album from Dee C. Lee - ‘Just Something’, out 22 March on Acid Jazz. It follows the incredible response to the new single ‘Walk Away’ and last year’s double-sider ‘Don’t Forget About Love’ / ‘Be There In The Morning’, marking the return of one of the UK’s most revered soul singers. Dee is known for her work with The Style Council, Wham!, Slam Slam and Animal Nightlife, and an illustrious solo career (including the Top 3 hit ‘See The Day’). ‘Just Something’ is her first new record since 1998, and her debut for Acid Jazz. Available on LP and CD, all pre-orders from the Acid Jazz Store will be signed by Dee.

‘Just Something’ features 11 songs: nine originals co-written by Dee, a song penned by her daughter Leah Weller, a successful singer/songwriter in her own right, and two inspired covers. Produced by Sir Tristan Longworth, the album is a soulful collection that frames her instantly recognisable vocals in luxurious horns, percussion and keys, and heritage soul with a disco backdrop. While making the record has been a collaborative process, ‘Just Something’ is nevertheless the sound of a singer in charge of her own style and direction. Her vocal delivery and phrasing steal the show throughout, bright and lilting one moment, passionate and ringing the next. She cites Chaka Khan and Jean Carn as major influences, but Lee’s voice is resolutely her own, the product of a life lived.

Inspired by classic Motown, current single ‘Walk Away’ was written by Dee with one of her ‘brothers from another mother’, former fellow Style Council member Mick Talbot, and features Talbot’s distinctive piano and Wulitzer playing on the track. Talbot also plays on another of the album’s many standouts, the Leah Weller-penned ‘Everyday Summer’.

Three of the album’s songs, opener ‘Back In Time’, first single ‘Don’t Forget About Love’ and ‘How To Love’ were co-written with Michael McEvoy and Ernest McKone, whom Dee wrote with back in the 1980s. All three songs channel her musical past, from the thrill and excitement of those early Wham! days, going out and partying, to The Style Council’s trademark jazzy soul, and expressive balladry and killer choruses, which places Lee in the lineage of classic soul singers.

Elsewhere, on ‘Anything’, co-written with Paul Barry, Dee sings her heart out on a song full of optimism and hope for the future, while ‘For Once In My Life’, the oldest song here dates back to 1998, is effortlessly commercial and has hit written all over it, with Lee empowered and regal sounding over a warm blanket of bassy funk.

The album’s two covers, meanwhile, were both suggested to Lee by Acid Jazz’s Eddie Piller. In Lee’s hands, Renee Geyer’s ‘Be There In The Morning’ is pure celebration, taking its cue from the Norman Connors version from 1979. ‘I Love You’, written by Don Blackman and recorded by Weldon Irvine in 1976, could have been written with Lee in mind. A big club tune, Dee recalls hearing it everywhere she went and I wanted to keep as close to the original vibe as she could.

Dee’s relationship with Acid Jazz the goes back to The Style Council days, and it was the 2019 documentary ‘Long Hot Summers’ that renewed Dee’s friendship with label founder Ed Piller and director Dean Rudland. We’re honoured to release this record and be a part of Dee’s return to the forefront of UK soul music.

Fabiana Palladino announces full details of her hotly anticipated self-titled debut album. The UK vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer releases ‘Fabiana Palladino’ via Paul Institute / XL Recordings. Made in the wake of the end of a long relationship, the album is an intimate record that sees Fabiana Palladino confront complex questions about love, loneliness and normativity in relationships. The result is a 10-track full-length of shapeshifting sonics that draws inspiration from the big R&B, soul, pop and disco studio productions of the 1980s and 90s and filters them through a modern lens.

Written and self-produced by Palladino, the album features performances from renowned musicians and close friends including Paul Institute co-founder Jai Paul, her father and legendary session bassist Pino Palladino, brother and Yussef Dayes bassist Rocco Palladino, renowned drummer Steve Ferrone and strings from Rob Moose.

Speaking on the new music and forthcoming album, Fabiana Palladino says: “A central theme of the album is aloneness. Whether it’s a song where I’m searching for connection with someone else, or trying to embrace the aloneness, it tends to come back to me, who I am when I’m alone, what I feel when I really look inwards. I’d say it’s a pretty introspective record overall. The songs are often about trying to go deeper into yourself, exploring your true feelings and how they then relate to and affect your relationships with others

"During the past 50 years, tenor-saxophonist Scott Hamilton has been one of the most consistent jazz artists, always taking thoughtful and swinging solos while displaying a warm tone. His 2004 live recording brought a top-notch quartet to the Jazzclub De Tor at Enschede, the Netherlands. Accompanied by pianist Rein de Graaf, bassplayer Marius Beets and on drums Eric Ineke, Scott Hamilton plays six jazz tracks from the set including ""Rhythm Riff"", a 12-chorus solo that gradually builds in excitement. In the beginning of 2024, Scott Hamilton started his worldwide tour, playing in selected jazz clubs. Live At De Tor is available on vinyl for the first time as a limited edition of 500 copies on translucent blue coloured vinyl, contains liner notes on the back-sleeve by jazz journalist/author Scott Yanow. "

Live At De Tor by Scott Hamilton, released 4 April 2024, includes the following tracks: "Peace and Harmony ", "Dreadlock ", "Autalene ", "Wah Go Home " and more.

This version of Live At De Tor comes as a 1xLP.

The vinyl is pressed as a translucent, blue disc.

Second Compilation Of New Music By Ex-Sarah Records Bands! Under The Bridge 2 is the sequel to the celebrated 2022 compilation album that reunited groups and songwriters who had once recorded for cult label Sarah Records. The new album showcases the continuing creativity of a special group of musicians who have never rested on their laurels. Bigger and more expansive than the first album, Under the Bridge 2 is a double LP, containing twenty brand new tracks. There is a huge range of material here, from intense, dark chamber pop to dense shoegaze to out-and-out indiepop. Exciting new groups are unveiled: The Gentle Spring (a new project by Michael Hiscock of The Field Mice); Vetchinsky Settings (a collaboration between Mark Tranmer and James Hackett of The Orchids); and Mystic Village (which features new songs by Robert Cooksey of The Sea Urchins). You will also see familiar starry names like Even As We Speak, The Orchids and Secret Shine - bands whose line-ups have remained mostly unchanged since the 1990s. And there are established bands who didn't appear on the first album but are now represented - bands like Action Painting! and The Hit Parade. Most of the tracks are exclusive and unreleased: there's the first new song from The Catenary Wires since 2021, a brand new fizzbomb from Jetstream Pony, a haunting instrumental from GNAC. The emphasis of Under The Bridge is on the new. The bands' shared history means they have a shared aesthetic, even a shared ethos - they all believe that the future is more important than the past. They are as independent and as uncompromising as ever, but they are still uncynical - and still excited about what Pop Music can be. Under The Bridge 2 is available as ltd vinyl double LP, CD and digital download. It will not be on streaming sites. CDs and LPs include a 12 respectively 24-page illustrated colour booklet.

Cool Rasta is an album by The Heptones, which consisted of Earl Morgan, Barry Llewellyn, and Leroy Sibbles. Brought up in the Trench Town area of Kingston, their first successful record was “Fatty Fatty”, first released in 1966. Since then, they have had several hits including “Country Boy”, “Mama Say” and “Book Of Rules”. At the guiding hand of top producer, Harry Johnson they recorded Cool Rasta, which came out in 1976.

The title track of the album is a typical example of The
Heptones at their brilliant best.


Cool Rasta is available as a limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on orange coloured vinyl.

The Beloved Harmony Jamaican Group The Ethiopians Released Their Debut Album Engine 54 In 1968. Train Imagery Is The Main Focus On The Album, With Excellent Falsettos And Consistent Music From The Prime Of The Rock Steady Period. "train To Skaville" Is The Hit Classic Which Appeared On This Specific Album. It Made An Huge Impact Overseas And It Brought The Group Their First Tour In The Uk.

The Ethiopians Was One Of Jamaica's Most Popular Bands During The Late Ska, Rocksteady And Early Reggae Periods. The Band Was Founded By Leonard Dillon, Stephen Taylor And Aston Morrison.

After several EP’s and collaborations with artists - such as Elderbrook, Hayden James and Novaa – the producer and singer releases his solo debut album "Aniimals" on April 5th.
With great attention to detail, Moglii creates his very own genre „organic electronic“, defined by a modern mix of warm beats, analogue synthesizers and soulful vocals. Each track explores the relationship between intelligent life forms and humans, such as "Fungii," "iinsects," or "Roots“, aiming to draw attention to the incredible organic diversity on this planet.

„Aniimals“ represents biodiversity in each track named after a wonderful and inspiring creature, that Moglii relates to. This DIY-release campaign includes a limited bio-vinyl pressing and a sustainable merch edition.
Why biodiversity? The extinction of many species (often undiscovered) is perhaps the most underestimated problem of our time. There is a lot of public debate about CO2 budgets, but according to experts, the basis of our survival as humanity could also depend significantly on the preservation of genetic diversity in our limited planetary garden. Due to destruction of nature, the loss of species will continue to worsen unless there is a cultural rethink.
Moglii proves his appreciation for animals of any kind and fascination for other intelligent life forms in a very impressive musical way with his debut album, aiming to create an emotional bridge between our urban lifestyle and the animals that inhabit this planet with us.

After the highly acclaimed first release Serenity Now is back presenting the debut EP by OP Boombox @op-boombox. An electronic duo formed by brothers Orion and Phoenix Jarvis out of Dharawal Country on the East Coast of Australia.

The new EP Initial Artifacts is an honest and unique collection of raw, yet grounded, dancefloor tracks performed and recorded live through their vast collection of hardware synths, drum machines and FX pedals. Expect a deep journey through breezy coastal house landscapes with slight nods towards dub and trance where bass is absolute key.

A versatile EP for every mood of the night, taking it all the way from downtempo chuggers to peak time hard hitters making this a longtime “stay in the bag” sure shot.

Transparent Yellow w/ Black Splatter Vinyl. Since founding Swedish synthpop duo KITE in 2008, singer Nicklas Stenemo and keyboardist Christian Hutchinson Berg's brooding fusion of cinematic electronics and anthemic pop has steadily elevated into a spectacle of passion, atmosphere, and communion. Their debut double-A vinyl single for Dais Records, Don't take the light away / Remember me captures KITE at their most urgent, thrilling and apocalyptic."Don't take the light away" is a song about "the war between energies," with singer Stenemo's wounded croon leading a rising tide of stabbing strings, pulsing percussion, and looming bass orchestrated by keyboardist Hutchinson Berg, surging to a mass-chanted chorus both desperate and triumphant ("dance, let them dance into me / people versus people can't see / hands should be holding hands"). "Remember me" was written following the band's 2017 US tour, capturing the intense feelings of burnout and exhaustion. "Remember me, Won't you remember me, Promise you'll remember me."Words only tell half of the story; smoke spills across the stage, and the melodies become a battle cry. Our worst fears eventually boil over, turning into hope and resilience. Like the best of KITE's music, "Don't take the light away" and "Remember me" fuse theater and catharsis into anthems of universal yearning, born of "the struggle to keep a flickering candle lit in a very dark space."

Billy Joels erstes Live-Album, ursprünglich am 14. September 1981 veröffentlicht. Enthält Live-Versionen von "Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway) und "She's Got a Way". Auf schwarzem Vinyl.

11 Years Voodoo Down Records celebrates a decade-plus milestone of music from the titular label, which was launched by three friends in Brooklyn in late 2012 and later split across both sides of the Atlantic.
Their 17th vinyl release is their first double 12”, compiling tracks from a selection of the artists that helped them hone their sound: STL, who featured on the first release on the label; October, a recurring favorite who came out of a techno hiatus to cut demos for this release; Tobias., who first appeared on the label in 2015; JXTPS, the recent roster addition from Melbourne; MadderModes, the Manchester duo who debuted on the Empirical Evidence EP; and as always, the label founders themselves: L’estasi Dell’oro, 12 x 12, and N’conduit.
These tracks run the gamut of sounds that have been a staple of the label over the years: upbeat drone techno from L’estasi Dell’oro leading off the release with “Get GOO ing”, dusty dub techno courtesy of STL on “Dungeon CeLL”, head-trip hypnotic techno from Tobias. on “Public Eye”, downtempo melodic from 12 x 12, punchy peak-time techno from JXTPS and N’conduit, and a raw acid techno groover from October.

This release celebrates a decade plus of music on the label. It also marks the return of STL, Tobias., and October to the label with all original material. October coming off a long hiatus, and will follow up with a mini-album later on the label.
The first 2x12” compilation released on the label, and along with the release we will be adding the label’s back catalog on major digital streaming platforms.
Touring by 12 x 12 and L’estasi Dell’oro planned in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia during the last weeks of 2024, and in LA, NYC, Denver following later in the year.

"Joe Pernice has been writing for a long time—most of his life, in fact—and has crafted a remarkable catalog that boldly reinterprets and recasts classic American pop. Who Will You Believe may be his most moving and nuanced album yet; it’s certainly his timeliest. “These songs were all written during the same time period,” he says, “and they all seemed to tap into a mood I was in at the time. I go through spells where I’m a certain way for three or four months. I might be more reticent than usual, or more outgoing. With all of my records—and especially with this one—the songs all feel like they belong together, probably because they all arrived during the same stretch of time.”

In a single six-month stretch he was left reeling from the deaths of three close friends, including David Berman, poet and songwriter for Silver Jews and Purple Mountains, and Gary Stewart, the Rhino Records co-founder and tireless Pernice Brothers supporter since their first album in 1998. “That was such a bad patch when David and Gary both took their own lives. And my cousin Joe Harvard, who started Fort Apache Studios in Boston and was like a brother to me—he died, too. It was such a tough year. I was thinking about them a lot and watching how divided America had become. I was doing my best to try and take nothing for granted.

”

Pernice has been releasing albums for over 25 years. And with age comes a greater patience and an immense appreciation for the act of creation. Who Will You Believe showcases a beautiful balance between such sadness and moments of solemnity with warm humor and camaraderie."

-Entire album produced by HAVOC of Mobb Deep.

-Having a West Coast lyrical perspective by Ras Kass on this production is like having Kendrick Lamar on a QTip track.

-Features from Method Man, Twista, Philly Freeway, Fame (MOP) Kurupt (Dogg Pound) Raekwon the Chef, and more.

-Appearances by Sway, DJ Kid Capri, KD Aubert, Kxng Crooked, and other celebrity personalities.

GUTTR is not only a collective of respected legendary Hip Hop emcees and up and up-and-coming artists, but also a mindset. GUTTR is a collective, and in a sense, Rap’s first unionization. The entire project was produced by HAVOC from Mobb Deep and spearheaded by Executive Producer, Storm. This debut project is front-manned by West Coast renowned lyricist Ras Kass and Philly's newest buzz, R.J. Payne. The two share sharp bars along with a star studded list of stellar guest features. With HAVOC supplying the entire album's soundscape, the music is respectfully reminiscent of the classic Mobb Deep albums we all know and love. Having a West Coast lyrical perspective by Ras Kass on this production is like having Kendrick Lamar on a QTip track. This combination creates a sound that is different, unique, and magical.

To quote Ras Kass, "We all miss P(rodigy) and that classic Mobb Deep Energy, there is no replacing that or him, period! I did want to pay homage to them and channel that vibe. Havoc being on board to set the musical canvas on an entire album for brothers to paint these bars has been the opportunity of a lifetime."

Coming in hot with 11 tracks of straight up BARS, this album marks a once-in-a-lifetime collab that has been years in the works.

Smudge All Stars is Richie Stevens' audio intelligence collective. Richie is the son of the late John Stevens, a pioneer of British free jazz, and a gifted drummer, percussionist and producer in his own right. His talents have found him in constant demand, working with everyone from Horace Andy and Joss Stone to Boy George and Damon Albarn. Now, with Smudge All Stars, Richie leads a funk/soul ensemble that draws on his friendships with many leading black British, Jamaican and US musicians.

Smudge All Stars is Richie’s musical vision writ large. This is a party album in the old school P-funk tradition, all instrumentation is recorded live with Stevens calling on the original Horny Horns Fred Wesley and Peewee Ellis to help build a fat brass groove for the authentic P-Funk vibe and George Clinton vocals for the ultimate seal of funk approval.

The 8-track musical extravaganza commences with ‘Brutal Funk’; a rousing psychedelic funk workout that encompasses a delicious groove cooked up by the famed Jamiroquai member DJ D-Zire and the powerful vocals of British soul singer Mary Pearce. ‘Up is Just a Place Feat. George Clinton’ continues the party vibes by bringing none other than the P-Funk master himself together with Mary Pearce, MWS, Derek 'Dr Mouthquake' Green and the decorated British soul singer-songwriter Omar for a full flavoured aural delight. Cue tight rapping, funky beats and scratching alongside slap bass and a slice of synth for good measure.

Other highlights include, ‘Freaky Toe’ which opts for a smoother groove than its predecessors with seductive vocals courtesy of Soul II Soul’s Charlotte Kelly. ‘B Side’ sees Mary Pearce join Derek 'Dr Mouthquake' Green for another upbeat affair, accompanied by the legendary American trombonist Fred Wesley (James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic) who adds a distinctive touch to the track.

Lewis Brooker: A Collaboration between Andy Lewis and Hugh Brooker. Andy Lewis was one of the founding fathers of legendary Camden night Blow Up and was recruited by Blur to DJ on their Parklife tour. Always a musician as much as a DJ, Andy played bass for Pimlico, Spearmint and later spent eight years performing with Paul Weller. He also signed to Acid Jazz Records in 2002 for whom he’s recorded a number of albums and singles. Hugh Brooker founded The Night Trains in 1987, who became one of the first acts signed to Acid Jazz records. He also formed The Humble Souls with UK rapper and Fatboy Slim cohort MC Wildski and released the all-time classic single “Beads Things And Flowers”, still played on the jazz dance scene to this day.

Repress!

He made remixes matter more than the original songs. He introduced dramatic, forceful horns to rap’s sonic discussion. It almost goes without saying that Pete Rock is among the greatest hip-hop producers of all time, and Soul Brother #1 is still crafting timeless music. Now back on vinyl for the first time in years, Pete’s acclaimed album NY’s Finest features an impressive lineup of vocalists, including Wu-Tang emcees Raekwon and Masta Killa, Jim Jones, Little Brother, Styles P, Redman, Max B, Papoose, and more. Entirely produced by Pete Rock, the album is a modern masterpiece from a legendary artist. This repress also includes the bonus track “It’s So G” featuring Roc Marciano, a lost treasure from the NY’s Finest sessions that wasn’t on the original tracklist.

2024 Repress

Siberian born and since 2010, a proud resident of Naples where her musical journey began, Anfisa Letyago has brought to the next generation of techno DJ/producers a sincerity and passion few others can. Of which she is successfully channeling to an incredible growing fanbase. From her releases on Drumcode, Rekids and her newly minted imprint N:S:DA, Kompakt are ecstatic to welcome her to our long running SPEICHER series.

“Keep Flight” is bare and punishing. Taking cues from the greats – think early Hood, Broom or Surgeon – Anfisa takes us down a relentless wormhole fortified by a pulsing vocal and EBM synth. In contrast, the flip side “Rhythm Tension” is a more slowed down, acid squelched affair where Anfisa’s vocals keep the vibe fully in check for those feel good moments everyone is currently needing in a DJ set.

Anfisa Letyago stammt ursprünglich aus Sibirien und ist seit 2010 stolze Einwohnerin von Neapel, wo sie auch ihre musikalische Reise begonnen hat. Sie hat der nächsten Generation von Techno-DJs und -Produzenten eine Aufrichtigkeit und Leidenschaft vermittelt, die nur wenige andere haben. Diese Leidenschaft hat sie erfolgreich an ihre stetig wachsende Fanbase weitergegeben. Nach Veröffentlichungen auf Drumcode, Rekids und ihrem neu gegründeten Imprint N:S:DA freuen wir uns sehr, Anfisa als Gast in unserer langjährigen KOMPAKT Extra/SPEICHER-Reihe begrüßen zu dürfen. "Keep Flight" ist so einfach wie gnadenlos. Erinnerungen werden wach an einige der ganz Großen - an den frühen Hood, Broom oder Surgeon. Anfisa führt uns in ein unerbittliches Wurmloch, dessen Sog durch eindringliche Vocals und EBM-artige Synthies noch verstärkt wird. Im Gegensatz dazu ist die Rückseite "Rhythm Tension" ein entschleunigter Acid-Mahlstrom, bei der Anfisas Gesang für genau die Wohlfühlmomente sorgt, die wir alle derzeit in einem DJ-Set brauchen.