There’s a rare tenderness to the way Byron The Aquarius makes house music. Across every release, the Alabama-born producer brings a deep sense of humanity - chords that breathe, basslines that sway, and melodies that seem to remember. On 'One of a Kind (Love Affair)', his debut for Hard Times, that emotional clarity shines through once again.
A master of the keys with a discography that spans Eglo, Signature, Apron, Axis, and more recently Skylax and Star Creature, Byron has long blurred the boundaries between jazz, soul, and machine groove. Here, he builds four tracks that each glow with feeling and finesse.
‘A New Life' opens with uplift and propulsion - crisp kicks and fluid sax lines circling around tender vocal refrains. 'The Last Mile of the Way' drifts inward, its spoken-word cadence and pulsing rhythm turning reflection into hypnosis. On the flip, 'I Be Like Dat' pushes forward with a tougher, more percussive edge. A laser-guided club moment that still hums with soul. Finally, '4 Mike Huckaby' closes the record as both elegy and celebration: shakers, muted horns, and shimmering keys floating in quiet reverence for a lost friend and inspiration.
As its title suggests, One of a Kind (Love Affair) is less about romance and more about devotion.
Buscar:c i a records
Supercoole Debüt-7"-Single von Marco Benevento, einem echten Klaviervirtuosen, der schon seit seinem siebten Lebensjahr spielt. Seine Karriere hat ihn schon oft um die ganze Welt geführt, wodurch er eine umfangreiche Diskografie und einen Ruf als gefragter Session-Musiker aufgebaut hat. Leon Michels, Mitbegründer von Big Crown und Grammy-Gewinner, hat Marco zum ersten Mal während der Aufnahmen zum Album ,Adult Themes" von El Michels Affair ins Boot geholt. Seitdem hat er sein Talent in unzähligen Big Crown-Projekten eingebracht. Außerhalb des Labels ist Marcos unverwechselbarer Stil unter anderem auf Alben von Clairo, Kevin Morby und Freddie Gibbs zu hören. Aber genug davon, was er für andere gemacht hat - diese Veröffentlichung zeigt Marco von seiner besten Seite: Er macht sein eigenes Ding und das richtig gut. Die A-Seite ,Frizzante" ist pure Feierlichkeit, eingefangen auf Vinyl, die darauf wartet, von der Nadel befreit zu werden. Es ist ein energiegeladener, gut gelaunter Kracher, bei dem Marco Melodien mit sich selbst über einem unerbittlichen Groove austauscht. Von der ersten Note an zieht dich der mitreißende Topline-Riff in seinen Bann und macht Platz für kaskadenartige Klavierläufe, üppige Bläserarrangements und Schichten von E-Piano und Synthesizern, die die Energie immer weiter steigen lassen. Es gibt keine Pause, keine Entspannung - nur einen richtigen Soul-Jazz-Tanz. Auf der 2. Seite zeigt Marco mit ,Turnadot" eine ganz andere Seite seines Sounds, zusammen mit der italienischen Sängerin Marianne Mirage. Der Song ist eindringlich schön und filmisch und passt perfekt zwischen Portishead und Serge Gainsbourg. Mariannes Gesang schwebt über Marcos perfekt ausgewogenem Arrangement - seine Produktion ist sowohl zurückhaltend als auch ausdrucksstark und macht den Song universell fesselnd, unabhängig davon, ob man Italienisch spricht oder nicht.
Big Sigh brings together the best of Marika's previous works as an indie musician and adds a new layer of epic sounds and full-bodied production. Big Sigh is the "hardest record" Marika has ever made. As the title suggests, it is a relief of sorts - of sadness, of stress and lust, but mostly relief. Co-produced with Sam Petts Davies (Frank Ocean, Radiohead, Red Hot Chilli Peppers) & Charlie Andrew (Alt J, Wolf Alice, London Grammar). Lyrically there's always romance a longside grief, with elements of vulnerability and feeling trapped. "This album took a long time I got to the end of it I was quiet. I wanted to be away from it and let it sit in its own space. Now the dust has settled and I've got to re-enter the world of big sigh, and I'm excited." Stepping into a new world, moving forward, chipping away. Breath in, breath out. Big sigh."
We have sourced a whole bunch of original stock from Charles Webster's very tidy Miso label. This is one of them from 20 years ago, but the sounds still have a future edge. It's deep, dubby, minimal, but with meaningful and intricately crafted melodies that bring astral energies. Lo Rise's 'Life Goes On' is the source material for a quartet of tasty remixes. Charles Webster & Martin Iveson mix it into a fleshy, techy dub with a jazzy vocal, Dean DeCosta brings more bump to the drum and glitch to the texture, and Markus Enochson strides into classic 00s tech house. Jimpster shuts down with a sparkling and jazz-inflected dub.
NRV010 welcomes back Jay Tripwire with a focused, four-track EP that leans into what he does best: groove-led, understated club tools built for long blends and sound systems.
The release is anchored by Tripwire’s signature restraint and flow, alongside a Sublee remix that strips the material back even further, emphasizing hypnosis, reduction, and low-swing momentum.
This is functional, confident material — no excess, no forced moments — designed for selectors who value flow, patience, and control over obvious drops.
For DJs who play: minimal / microhouse / deep tech-influenced selectors who prioritize groove, tension, and longevity over peak-time theatrics.
The strongest Japanese covers of Grover Washington Jr. and Kool & the Gang's representative songs are now available on 7-inch vinyl for the first time!
Side A, "Ja Ashita Ni Sureba?" is a cover of Grover Washington Jr.'s famous soul/R&B song "Just the Two of Us," released in 1980. The song depicts the human weakness of putting off troublesome tasks, with lyrics that play on the ears, and an arrangement that retains the atmosphere of the original song while still being danceable, making it a superb track. Side B features a cover of the legendary funk band Kool & the Gang's 1981 hit "Get Down On It," titled "Netanone." This powerful double-sided single will have you intoxicated by the gap between the cool, danceable sound and the humorous lyrics!
The strongest Japanese cover of Jackson Sisters and Dan Hartman's signature song is now available on 7" for the first time!
Side A, "Milk Suki" is a soul number that boldly covers the Jackson Sisters' very famous song, "I Believe In Miracles," and explains the importance of milk. The B-side is a cover of Dan Hartman's "Relight My Fire," a dance classic. The gap between the humorous lyrics and the tasteful arrangement is sure to get you hooked!
The strongest Japanese cover of Earth, Wind & Fire and KC & The Sunshine Band's signature song is now available on 7" for the first time!
Side A, "Seppun No Theme," is an up-tempo dance tune full of love for Earth, Wind & Fire's well-known classic "September," while side B is a funky cover of a dance classic, KC & The Sunshine Band's "That's the Way (I Like It)." The B-side features "One-box No Owner," a funky cover of the dance classic KC & The Sunshine Band's "That's the Way (I Like It)" that addresses the woes of one-box car owners. The gap between the high quality sound and the surrealistic, empty-headed lyrics is intoxicating, making this a super-powerful double-sider!
In conjunction with the 2025 re-pressing of the Nora Guthrie "Emily's Illness/Home Before Dark" 7-inch single, we have here, in the same format, a lovely cover of the latter tune, performed by Eddie Marcon, a band based in Himeji, Japan. The band's vocalist Eddie Corman and musician/producer Shintaro Sakamoto wrote the Japanese lyrics for this gorgeous version, recorded in 2024 and originally unintended for public release; however, this slice of sweetness, delivered by the full band comprising guitar, keyboards, bass, percussion and wistful winds is now available to the lucky listener. The flipside, recorded in 2025, is an intriguingly ghostly recomposed version for cello and flute by TORSO, a Tokyo instrumental duo, who used the basic tracks from the Eddie Marcon version of "Home Before Dark" as a 'guide' before finally deleting the basic tracks.
- A1: Just Like Honey
- A2: The Living End
- A3: Taste The Floor
- A4: The Hardest Walk
- A5: Cut Dead
- A6: In A Hole
- A7: Taste Of Cindy
- B1: Never Understand
- B2: Inside Me
- B3: Sowing Seeds
- B4: My Little Underground
- B5: You Trip Me Up
- B6: Something's Wrong
- B7: It's So Hard
Gold Swirl Vinyl[23,74 €]
- A1: Just Like Honey
- A2: The Living End
- A3: Taste The Floor
- A4: The Hardest Walk
- A5: Cut Dead
- A6: In A Hole
- A7: Taste Of Cindy
- B1: Never Understand
- B2: Inside Me
- B3: Sowing Seeds
- B4: My Little Underground
- B5: You Trip Me Up
- B6: Something's Wrong
- B7: It's So Hard
Black Vinyl[22,27 €]
- A1: Making Time
- B1: Try & Stop Me
- C1: Painter Man
- D1: Biff Bang Pow
- E1: If I Stay Too Long
- F1: Nightmares
- G1: Life Is Just Beginning
- H1: Through My Eyes
- I1: How Does It Feel To Feel
- J1: Tom Tom
- K1: Midway Down
- L1: The Girls Are Naked
- M1: Bony Moronie
- N1: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
- O1: For All That I Am
- P1: Uncle Bert
- Q1: Cool Jerk
- R1: Ostrich Man
- S1: Can I Join Your Band
- T1: I Am The Walker
Snorkel Records proudly presents the fourth release in its 12'' single series: Gran Tropo by Raaja Bones. Palmbomen II on remix duties. Need we say more?
- A1: Paying The Cost To Be The Boss (Ft. Christone "Kingfish" Ingram)
- A2: Don't Answer The Door (Ft. Marcus King)
- A3: To Know You Is To Love You (Ft. Michael Mcdonald, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks)
- A4: Let The Good Times Roll (Ft. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Noah Hunt)
- A5: Sweet Little Angel (Ft. Buddy Guy)
- B1: When It All Comes Down (I'll Still Be Around) (Ft. Larry Mccray)
- B2: When Love Comes To Town (Ft. Slash, Shemekia Copeland, Myles Kennedy)
- B3: The Thrill Is Gone
- B4: Watch Yourself (Ft. Jimmie Vaughan)
- B5: Why I Sing The Blues (Ft. Bobby Rush)
- C1: Sweet Sixteen (Ft. Jimmy Hall, Larry Carlton)
- C2: Don't You Want A Man Like Me (Ft. Larkin Poe)
- C3: I'll Survive (Ft. Keb' Mo')
- C4: Heartbreaker (Ft. Trombone Shorty, Eric Gales)
- C5: There Must Be A Better World Somewhere (Ft. George Benson)
- D1: Chains And Things (Ft. Gary Clark Jr.)
- D2: How Blue Can You Get (Ft. Warren Haynes)
- D3: You Upset Me Baby (Ft. Chris Cain)
- D4: Ghetto Woman (Ft. Ivan Neville)
- D5: Night Life (Ft. Paul Rodgers)
- E1: Ain't Nobody Home (Ft. Jade Macrae, Robben Ford)
- E2: Bad Case Of Love (Ft. Joanne Shaw Taylor)
- E3: Never Make A Move Too Soon (Ft. Dion)
- E4: Three O'clock Blues (Ft. Marc Broussard)
- E5: Think It Over (Ft. Train, Chris Buck)
- F1: It's My Own Fault (Ft. Kim Wilson)
- F2: Every Day I Have The Blues (Ft. D.k. Harrell)
- F3: Please Accept My Love (Ft. John Németh)
- F4: So Excited (Ft. Aloe Blacc)
- F5: When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer (Ft. Dannielle De Andrea)
- F6: Playin' With My Friends
The Mad Geezers are basically F-Spot mainstays Night Owls’ Dan Ubick, Dave Wilder, and Roger Rivas, but with long-time friend and drum guru, Oliver Charles (Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Gogol Bordello) behind the kit. It’s safe to say that these four musicians love their Ska, Rocksteady, roots, and dub, but for this lineup, the four Mad Geezers collectively decided to explore their other obsession... early Jamaican Dancehall.
First on producer Dan Ubick’s To Do list was to channel the fun, attitude, and natural talent on records by Jamaican legends like Yellowman, U-Roy, Sister Nancy, Barrington Levy, Bunny Wailer, and Freddie McGregor. Secondly, find a song that no Jamaican artist has covered, but every DJ on the planet loves, and flip it into a Dancehall groove. Hmm… What about Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love”? Ooh! That’s it! So, The Mad Geezers broke out synths, Syn drums, and invited some friends to the party, stepping up to the plate with the brand-new F-Spot Records 45 “Genius Of Love” b/w “Genius Of Dub (Roger Rivas Dub Version). Featuring vocals by one of Jamaica’s shining jewels, Ranking Joe & Oakland’s chosen daughter, Destani Wolf (who many will recall from top-selling Night Owls singles such as “After Laughter” and “Let’s Stay Together,”) this 7” is a sure shot.
With its iconic bass line and catchy synth hook, this 1981 decade-long crate essential is in the collective unconscious at this point. Whether you found it as a Talking Heads fan, or as a rap music fan via Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde’s “Genius Rap” or Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “It’s Nasty,” the groove is infectious. It’s hard to imagine no one had yet infused this punk-disco powerhouse with a dancehall injection… until now.




















