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Rising Amsterdam-based star Esther Duijn leads the charge with a hypnotic, understated slice of dub techno that grooves in all the right places. Label boss Brothers' Vibe then steps up with a sharp-edged, percussion led workout that blooms into a fulsome, acidic jam laced with techno futurism and pure machine soul. German production duo youANDme are regular collaborators with Brothers' Vibe, and here they join forces for the tough, drum-pounding Playing With Toys. Rodriguez also takes the opportunity to unveil the Silent Rodgerz alias, championing the Toad Red vision with a daring, experimental trip through abstractmodular-synthesizer processes that build towards a jacking rhythmic throw-down.

Acclaimed Russian producer, DJ and live musician Kito Jempere is back with a stunning second album, this time on Italian label Hell Yeah. Entitled Sea Monster and due for release in early 2017, the nine track album is a fantastic fusion of live instrumentation and electronic production.

Kito Jempere is a musical polymath. The Russian artist, producer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader has been involved in many projects over the last ten years plus. These range from rock to acid jazz to electronic bands and often call upon a rotating cast of other members who are all equally talented.

From playing in small bars to headlining big shows for thousands of people in Saint Petersburg, he has put out a number of albums and singles on labels like Freerange, Room With A View and Hell Yeah and DJs around Europe.

Jempere plays live as the Kito Jempere Band, and here he calls upon his bandmates for their many skills to lend the album a richly musical feel.

Mixed and co-produced by band member Roman Urazov, the album features Artemiy Gunbin aka Noteless, the voice of the Kito Jempere Band and front man of his own rock band Videatape, as well as Ruslan Gadzhimuradov, a long time drummer on many projects, plus Matvey Averin, the bassist but also co-producer for cult group Manizha and finally Sergey Lipsky who here plays guitar and is also half of Simple Symmetry as well as having played for Kito's other project Saint Petersburg Disco Spin Club group.

Sea Monster kicks off with Lifetime Theme, a heavenly groove with loose drums and percussion and gorgeous keys. Form there, Artemiy Gunbin's ethereal and crystal clear vocals take centre stage amongst balearic guitars on album single 'Ampa', and then 'To Talk' is a deeper cut with bumpy drums, long tailed pads and shiny synths all making for a curious and whimsical atmosphere.

'Grid Cells' is a lush instrumental track with clever revel and echo adding a sense of grandeur to the freeform jazz drums and frazzled synths, 'Uohha' is as sunny and laid back as an afternoon on the beach and 'Puzzled' then layers up scuzzy basslines, popping hits and suspenseful synths into something smooth and seductive.

The final third of the album closes out with blissful guitar licks, lazy broken beats and brilliant drum playing that all have you wishing it was summer again.

This is an album with elements of jazz, house, disco, balearic and many more sounds all smoothly blended into one coherent and captivating album full of soul and musical skill.

* Following the completely sold out Imagine - A - Nation reissue, Anotherday is very excited to announce a series of releases from the enigma that is Spencer Kincy, AKA Gemini - we are very proud to present Gemini's first 5 releases, lovingly re-mastered and pressed back onto vinyl! First up is Le Fusion.

* Originally released on Cajual in 1995, Le Fusion pairs Gemini's signature edgy techno tinged house bump with live instrumentation and frantic vocals over 3 untitled tracks in one of his most interesting releases.

* As one of Chicago's most mysterious and revered characters, the story of Gemini, aka Spencer Kincy has become something of a myth in recent years - blazing a trail throughout the 90's, prolifically releasing over 200 tracks from 1994 to 1999, Spencer's music had shades innovation and soul few of his peers could match. Then, suddenly, at the peak of his career, he disappeared.

* As before, this release has been licensed directly from the man himself, so unlike some other reissues out there, the money made from its exploitation will go directly to him.

* Imagine - A - Nation sold out almost instantly, and this is set to go the same way, so get your orders in early to avoid disappointment.

the label say: What is soul really The answer to that is a various as the music that claims it. We here at WPH HQ do not know the answer either, but we do know an exceptional piece of music when we hear it. Enter Fabrice Lig, Belgian techno legend with his roots in our little country and his ears definitely in that place called Detroit.
Respected by his techno peers and his Detroit inspirations alike, Fabrice's music is always full of funk and emotion. These two qualities are very much in demand in WPH circles, so it was only a matter of time before Fabrice joined the family.
On 'Border 2 Border' Fabrice brings us two tracks, the title track funkin' and swingin' like nothing else and with a big dose of Motor City chords, making for a true mental dancefloor anthem. Word has it that label boss Red D wrote lyrics on the spot when he heard this one out loud...so who knows what's coming in the near future... On the flip side 'Ocean Rising' goes for arpegiatted bliss and a bass line to rumble you out of your bras or pants. Welcome to WPH Mr Lig!

REPRESSED !!
Originally released in 2005, this sought after 12' from West End offshoot West End Blue gets an exclusive reissue for 2017. A four track slice of night time Detroit Soul comes backed with a remix from fellow Motor city resident Theo Parrish.

After sending out these tracks last summer and getting great reactions from DJs and dancers alike, Hell Yeah is pleased to finally officially release virtuoso musician Verdo's Little Blue EP, complete with a remix from Lauer. Fully remastered for vinyl, the likes of Lexx, Chris Coco, Soft Rocks, Leo Mas and many more have all be playing these tunes with great results.

The talented Verdo runs the famous Gratis Club in Senigallia on the Italian east coast. It is a place he calls home, and that has really allowed him to hone and sharpen his DJ skills so that now he is a slick, unpredictable and singular DJ with many tricks up his sleeve. Bjorn Torske, DJ Fettburger, Prins Thomas, Kenji Takimi, Glenn Underground and more have all played there in the last decade and Verdo himself is a skilled pianist who has played for Zero7 singer Mozez in the past. He has worked with Hell Yeah before now, as well as releasing on Danny Was A Drag King, and here serves up his biggest bit of dance floor dynamite to date, including his previously digital only cut 'Big Fish' (mixed by DJ Rocca).

Opener 'Little Blue' is a perfectly sunny track with hip swinging claps, bobbling bass and boat party vibes that soothe your soul. Rich with instrumentals and golden synth lines, it's a perfect beat that gets followed up by the retro disco pump of 'Sazerac', another tropical cut with loose drums and rubbery bass to get you up on your toes.

The massive 'Big Fish' then hits hard with its tin pot percussion and wild synths all making you flail your arms like you just don't care. Jumbled jungle vibes and big chords all swell your heart as your feet skip about down low.

Closing out the package is Phillip Lauer (Tuff City Kids), one of the most in demand stars of the day, and his version is a direct house jam with percolating and rugged synths and slapping hits, all demanding you ditch your cocktail and get up and groove.

"all good stuff here! OG for early / mornings and Lauer for peak. really nice release! " Piers - Soft Rocks

"Big fan of Verdo! great tunes here as expected. Sezarac fav at first listen." - Dream Chimney

"Little blue is super nice!!" - Phil South (Golf Channel)

"Yes, some great stuff here. Sezerac and the Lauer mix are really great, perfect sunshine session material." - Chris Coco

"I love Big Fish's keyboards! strong!!! Arigato!!!" - Chida

"Little Blue and Big Fish are fun for sure, def will play em on a rooftop sooooon" - Jacques Renault

"Yeah, feeling Little Blue, heavy rotation this Summer! " - Jason Boardman (Aficionado)

"Little Blue, i like." - Lexx

"This is tremendous. Driving peak time track that you can imagine Joe Claussell really working the dancefloor with." - Andrew Pirie

"killer ep guys!!!" - Discodromo

Following the recent reissues of Pop Impressions, Super America,
Soul Impressions, and Chorus, Underdog Records label follows
up to the series with another brilliant album by French underrated
composer and producer, JANKO NILOVIC.
JANKO NILOVIC certainly was one of the greatest studio talents of Europe in the 70s!
He is a musician who devotes himself to music, which resulted in a great number of published works, but most of them made for library music labels and also not available for sale. His oeuvre stretches from classical, jazz and funk to pop, psyche
and easy listening. And has been sampled many times by hip-hop
artists such as JAY-Z, DRE, DAFUNIKS or GUTS...

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Fit of Body (aka Ryan Parks) is part of a new generation of ATL producers; underground artists who draw on the space and grit of Southern hip hop and team it with curveball electronica discovered on late night, weed-fuelled web trawls.Having honed his sound on a string of feted self-released cassettes released on his own Harsh Riddims label - which has also put out everything from bizarro hip hop to gleaming synth pop - and dropped a hyped 12' released on the CGI imprint, the Healthcare EP finds Fit of Body delivering his most accomplished work to date. Five woozy original tracks jammed out on second hand drum machines, bass guitar, cheap mics and creaking synths, this is techno as it was first imagined; raw machine soul made for strange times and unknown futures.
Finding a commonality between Arthur Russell's vocal delivery, Jermaine Dupri's club shaking bass, and the militant drum attacks of Underground Resistance, the EP ghosts past rigid categories, instead taking a journey through heat and haze. On the A side, Parks switches between the languid analogue house of 56k, the melancholic Drexciyan electro of Ridin 2 That Trap or Die, and the lo-fi post punk grooves of 770-997-2341. On the flip he offers the late night 808 soul of Antonio Girl, followed by the uptempo techno ballad All This Time (Since), a song sad and euphoric in equal measure. On 12', the EP is closed with a remix from fellow ATL producer Divine Interface who stretches 56k into a glistening shard of time-stretched trip hop.

We're back from hibernation after releasing the third Roundup at the end of 2016 and we're starting off with a new signing. Milan based Parker Madicine joins Heist with some high tech funk with a serious nod to the 'D' and we've got Byron the Aquarius delivering a great jazzy remix. You'll be more likely to find Parker Madicine browsing through boxes of old jazz and soul records than you'll see him showcasing his social media skills. He's a real vinyl junky and moreover a hip hop fanatic and probably loves his synthesizers more than his mother. Apart from promoting funk and soul oriented parties in Milan, he founded CT-HI records, short for 'Contemporary Theories of Hip Hop Influences". A few years back he teamed up a.o. with his buddies Veez-O and Turbojazz to create some Dilla and early 90's inspired hip hop and these influences are clearly present in his EP for Heist. With Heartbreaker, he lays down a dreamy but heavy groove for the first minute or so, arpeggiating its way to the moment where the airy pads make room for a looser than loose groove where synth stabs and bass line dance around each other creating a killer vibe. Zawinul starts in the same manner, rough kick, loose and degraded hi-hats and dreamy Rhodes chords. The tracks build further with some lovely brassy hits and arps, whereas Placebo is the most stripped back but high tempo track, where an airy and delayed bassline does most of the work to set the mood. We're really happy to have Byron the Aquarius reworking one of PM's tracks.

Wizards of Ooze was a Belgian band that released 3 albums between 1994 - 1999 and toured the whole of Europe. The bands sound is a mixture of different genres, combining elements from primarily soul, fusion and psychedelica. The Dipster was the bands debutalbum.

Wizards of Ooze was a Belgian band that released 3 albums between 1994 - 1999 and toured the whole of Europe. The bands sound is a mixture of different genres, combining elements from primarily soul, fusion and psychedelica. On their second album Bambee! the band took it even further. Press-quote: "What can you expect Take the best fusion-band ever (Chick Corea's Return to Forever), some James Brown funk, synth-fun like Tangerine Dream and even a bit of hardrock, and you're getting close. This is Zappa, the Flemish Zappa: cool, nervous, funny, sad, difficult, ... No record for those who love the traditional verse-chorus-verse, and so probably as uncommercial as it can get."

Wizards of Ooze was a Belgian band that released 3 albums between 1994 - 1999 and toured the whole of Europe. The bands sound is a mixture of different genres, combining elements from primarily soul, fusion and psychedelica. Their third album Almost ... Bikini is regarded as the more open and accessible one.

Wizards of Ooze was a Belgian band that released 3 albums between 1994 - 1999 and toured the whole of Europe. The bands sound is a mixture of different genres, combining elements from primarily soul, fusion and psychedelica. For this album The unheard tales of ... Helga Schröder, the two front-Wizards Wim Tops and Peter Revalk put together a compilation of un-released tracks from the recording vaults.

Sheffield's thatmanmonkz is quite the sonic force to be reckoned with. With an impressive discography across the board, dropping his most recent album "Columbusing" on Delusions of Grandeur in 2016 and running his own successful imprint "Shadeleaf", we're very happy to welcome him to Dirt Crew and present his latest EP "Shade Throw". Kicking things off rough and ready in true Detroit "Hight Tech Jazz" style, "Manna for Poppa" is a Saxed up dance floor bomb ready for the taking. "Intrinsic Divine", a sonically soaring breakbeat outing lightens the mood a little, think classic trip hop meets modern deep house. The cinematic string arrangement is accompanied by freestyle piano and licks of ad-libbed sax over a steady kit. "Space Jam 2017" sees thatmanmonkz team up with New York City's Clyde Phalanx to create a pure psyched up space house outing. We can picture this one over a sun-drenched Balearic scenery or deep in a dark and smokey basement somewhere. Jazzy freestyle drums underpin a live guitar improvisation that gets truly nasty on this interplanetary journey. Slow and sexy is the tempo for the closing track. "Evolver" is a soulful disco burner reminiscent of Idjut Boys, grooving along with smooth RnB vocals and salacious keys while intoxicating strings lift the energy to pure cosmic goodness.

The Willow Band were singers and musicians under the direction of Jesus Alvarez of the group Shirley & Company. As 'Alvarez' his Polydor his rare groove Sooner Or Later' was on the Step inside My Soul' CD collection, but this much sought after funky project with The Willow Band' has not been reissued since the original Epic 7' came out in 1976.

Omar has a totally unique, individual style and sound still marks him out as a future thinking and utterly unrivaled artist, who has collaborated with so many legendary names that it would be foolish to deny his worldwide reputation - who would dare contradict the likes of Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Carleen Anderson, Angie Stone, Common and fellow fans and followers like Maxwell and Jarrod Lawson

Following on from 2013's album The Man, 2016 sees his new long player further cement this undeniable reputation. Love In Beats is Omars' 8th studio album of his long, illustrious career and may just be the most eclectic & varied to date. Somewhat more electronic in it's conception and sound than it's predecessor, Love In Beats incorporates soul, Caribbean rhythms, an undercurrent of funk, with touches of zouk, a jazzy waltz, spoken word and also features collaborations with Us soul legend Leon Ware, Blue Note pianist Robert Glasper, grime MC Ty, Guadeloupe born singer Jean-Michele Rotin, and Uk soultress Natasha Watts, The Floacist and Mayra Andrade, the Cape Verdean born singer who lives and records in Paris.

Co produced by Scratch Professer, Omars Grammy winning brother,this collection should create excitement worldwide, the sounds are varied - but all have Omars' unique fingerprint on them, style and substance beautifully merged!

For the past four decades, a growing cult of soul music collectors have sought two obscure LPs and a handful of extremely rare 45s released on the vanity record label LAD Productions, Inc. between the late seventies and the mid eighties by the mysterious South Side Chicago singer/song writer Larry Dixon.
Larry's raw songs capture the transition from R&B to boogie-down as disco was rapidly becoming extinct.
They also perfectly illustrate Larry's ability to overcome his environment and discrimination, transcended by his determination to write and produce music. With the support of his faithful musicians, Larry's success was only hindered by lack of airplay and promotion, but his talent shines through.
This is the story of Larry Dixon, his label LAD Productions, Inc., and his friends and family throughout four decades of music in Chicago's toughest neighborhoods.
Jerome Derradji is proud to reactivate Past Due Records - the boogie funk division of Still Music to release this fantastic archive - what many consider to be the Holy Grail - of Chicago Funk, Boogie and Soul.

'This is a journey into sound...,' These familiar words, accompanied by the rumble of a distant train, signal the opening of 'Let's Take A Trip', the sophomore album from Terrel Wallace aka Tall Black Guy. Since 2013's '8 Miles To Moenart' TBG has cemented his position as a standard bearer for the current hip-hop / beats scene. Born in Detroit and now residing in the UK, Wallace's signature style of incredibly clever sample flips and deft production chops has won fans across the globe including Gilles Peterson, Lefto, Jazzy Jeff and House Shoes.

Since his debut release in 2011 (a daring and addictive flip of Fela Kuti), TBG has become revered for his unique take on soulful hip-hop production. The swing of the drums, the textures of the instrumentation as well as a fearlessness in taking on the classics (his Soundcloud page includes flips and chops of tracks from James Brown, De La Soul and Michael Jackson) have marked him out from the crowd. One of the best-kept secrets in the scene, his singular talent is now beginning to get the recognition it deserves. In the last 12 months he has remixed Little Dragon and been invited to take part in Jazzy Jeff's Playlist Retreat alongside the likes of Eric Lau, James Poyser, Ali Shaheed Muhammed, Questlove and countless others.

For this album Wallace had a simple inspiration: 'This album is all about taking a journey. As simple as that. Be it physical, emotional or spiritual. It's asking and answering personal questions from myself within some of the tracks and also touching on social issues i.e. racism, inequality and privilege...that have been at the forefront of my mind over last three years.' Sonically there is also a shift: 'Jazz has definitely been more of an influence in this project, as I have been really inspired by so many up and coming musicians who I've been blessed to connect with'. Some of these musicians, including Kenny Keys, Miles Bonny, Diggs Duke and Dee Jackson feature on the project as well as regular collaborators Ozay Moore and Mario Sweet and fellow Playlist alumni Daniel Crawford and Masego. But this is one man's vision, and for Tall Black Guy this trip is just the beginning...,.

Ron Bacardi joins RNT with a 4-track inferno of disco edit heat! The A-side races out of the gate with the galloping 'Back For More,' followed by the soulful bounce of 'Circles,' which loops a gritty guitar-driven hook to perfection. The B side kicks off with 'Music Play,' an easy-breezy synth-string, electric piano, and horn-laden affair. Swirling percussion and soaring falsettos take us home on 'Never Dance,'but don't get it twisted: with Señor Bacardi at the controls, dance you WILL!

Touching down for the inaugural release on the newly formed label, North of 7 Sounds, is the mighty Rumbleton - a true heavyweight with over 2 decades immersed in sound system culture, running the Stand Firm Hi-Fi label and releasing music on Scientific Wax, Rupture LDN, Outsider, and Samurai Music to name but a few. A true master of his sound, we are extremely proud to have Rumbleton set the bar for future North of 7 excursions. A New Day' takes you on a journey filled with haunting pads, razor-sharp drum kit clashes, and infinite amounts of low-end. Bottomless swathes of atmospherics respire in and out of the mix, culminating in a breathtaking breakdown - crafted with utmost devotion to the Godfather of Soul himself. A truly honourable homage to jungle's roots in sample culture and breakbeat science.Conscience' on the flipside is weightiness refracted in minimalism. Rumbleton fully submerges your mental space in a cavernous, dubwise fog, while militant, scorched-earth drums power the tune forward. A warm, subterranean bassline churns endlessly beneath, all the elements occasionally exhaling and collapsing under their own weight, only to regenerate once again...

Breakbeat Paradise Recordings is turning back time to the early 70s when funk music was made by talented musicians joining forces in bands with the objective to create the next big funk anthem. So many big tunes and classic funk productions came out of this era and it also harnessed a new breed of funk bands across the globe who is dedicated to continuing the legacy of the funk music in the new millennium.

Breakbeat Paradise Recordings has proudly collected 4 bands to represent the new era of funk from various parts of Europe. German based Grand Slam, Swiss funk band Grand Mothers' Funck, Nasa Funk from Greece and A Man About a Dog from the UK has all provided original funk jams to this groovy 12" vinyl.

Leading the way on the a-side is Grand Slam who has created a big summer tune which sits in well with some of the current radio funk jams and will be sure to bring the ladies on the floor. Grand Slam has been around since 1985 by incorporating various flavors from Rock, Jazz, Soul and Hip Hop. The Get On Down jam from their upcoming release due May 2017 shows just how its done to do classic oldskool P-Funk which sounds as fresh as anything else on the radio here in 2017! Produced by (and featuring) veteran P-Funk legend Gary "Mudbone" Cooper!

Grand Mother's Funck means business on the straight up funky The Dog tune taken from their brand new album Take The Money. A special edit was done for this release as they are celebrating their 12th album release from a legendary veteran funk band who has been tearing up the Swiss funk scene for over 23 years now.

On the flipside the funk is riding equally high as Nasa Funk rolls in their Stand Up jam. Straight outta Thessaloniki, Greece comes this 5-man band with vocalist George Perin leading the way. This tune is produced with old friend of label Basement Freaks.

Last but certainly not least we turn our attention to the UK where the band A Man About a Dog has cooked up a latin-inspired and jazzy funk tune called Pollos.

That sums up the first all original funk release to be dropped on Breakbeat Paradise Recordings. After digging in a sampling so many great funk tunes over the years, this seemed like only right way to pay our respect to the genre of music we love and cherish so much.


[B] A2 | Grand Mother's Funck - The Dog (Throw Me A Bone Mix)

Repress

After last years slick selection for the series from MCDE, Young Marco steps up with a great set of obscurities. Top Tip!
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Born Marco Sterk, he certainly doesn't come from a standard DJ background. A former skate rat who grew up loving American post-hardcore and '90s hip-hop as much as early Warp Records, he's been affiliated over the years with Amsterdam institutions such as Rush Hour, Red Light Records (where you'll find him most weekdays!) and, of course, Dekmantel itself. Still, there's no question that he's always followed his own path, even during the years that playing his favorite records meant that he was occasionally clearing dancefloors.

Things are different these days, of course, as Sterk now regularly plays around the globe and has been widely hailed not just for his DJ talents, but also for his digging prowess and uncanny ability to pluck jams out of genres, eras and geographies that even veteran DJs will often ignore.

Still, Marco's entry in the Selectors series isn't some soulless collection of 'Holy Grail' rarities. 'Where's the fun in that' he explains. 'Anybody with an internet connection can check what flavor-of-the-month records are in demand.'

Just like the first Selectors compilation, this is not a mix CD, but a collection of hand-picked, unmixed tracks that Sterk has personally chosen from his own vinyl archives. Moreover, Marco has put together a collection of tracks that represent not only how he plays music, but also how he makes music himself. The songs here are melodic, electronic and bound together by a refreshing sense of naiveté. Nothing sounds overly calculated; the tunes here span several decades and include dollar-bin records, avant-garde records, club records and yes, a few things that collector types have likely been looking to get their hands on. It's not meant to be a grand statement, as Marco would rather provide an honest snapshot of his musical tastes and share a few of his favorite tracks and artists in the proc

''The Polish soul brother Satl returns to Fokuz Recordings for the Lovers EP wich features three compelling Drum & Bass cuts with his signature sounds plastered all over. Quality soulful dnb!''

Jerome Meyer AKA Von D is a master craftsman, well-known for releasing dubstep and bass music since 2009. On an increasingly prolific trajectory since last year, recent 12's on Infernal Sounds, Trojan Audio and Scotch Bonnet have signaled his renewed focus on dubwise productions. We are proud to say that Von D's Khaliphonic debut sees him fully committing to reggae and dub - in his words, going back to my musical roots.'

Politricks' is a masterwork, cut from the same living rock as the classic Cuss Cuss riddim, a simply huge bass and drum workout that is truly one for the ages. Politricks is an anthem for now, a call to avoid the dead-end of politics-as-usual and a warning to beware of the lies politicians tell to keep themselves in power - full of promises but changing nothing. Von D says that working with Don Cotti was very natural,' and their easy relationship is audible - the tune fits the vocal like a glove, and Cotti's instantly-recognizable singjay style gives even more gravitas to an already heavy track. The dub version spools out Von D's signature saturated echoes even further, and opens up spectral chambers of reverb that shimmer and glow.

The B side Ygrec' is an equally massive tune, just as compelling if more meditative and mysterious, coming in both one drop and power-steppers mixes for maximum versatility and vibes. Both tunes and their versions feature an incredibly robust, warm, human sound - one that simply can't come from machines alone - live drums, bass, and kete drum among other instruments maintain the tradition of live musicians in dub - to say nothing of expert desk-based mixing and deployment of live analog effects the way the elders intended. Both tunes dial in at 140 making them perfect for roots and dubstep selectors alike.

Von D got his start as a drummer and engineer outside Paris, in the heady days of original jungle. Early releases on Disfigured Dubz, Hench, Boka, Black Acre and the seminal V Recordings, as well as his reggae-oriented Liquid Wicked project, cemented his reputation. Don Cotti is a prolific producer, DJ and MC with releases stretching back to 2006 on labels as varied as Bass Face, Studio Rockers, and Soul Jazz.

Mastered by Lewis at Stardelta. Art & design by Polygon Press.

Fresh off Son Of Sound releases on Delusions Of Grandeur and Local Talk, New York based Henry Maldonado is back on his District 30 label with Son Of Sound 05 / The Love Up Beat Down. This 3-tracker features something for everyone, as Jackin' House, Disco-Chug and even Detroit Techno are well represented. Kicking things off on side A is 'Bout Love Again, an adrenalin induced shot of disco house served up the old fashioned New York way. MPC style loops, chop-ups and breakdowns give a nod to the '90s House 2 House style tracks Henry produced on Strictly Rhythm. Not falling too far from that tree is the disco-house chugger Need Each Other.
Rhodes chords accompany a bed of sliced-up New York Disco, for an infectious groove that will denitely keep that 120BPM momentum.Lastly we round out this EP with Inuence Is Bliss. This one will denitely appeal to lovers of Detroit Techno and House alike. Pounding drums, 16th note ride cymbals, arpeggiated synth lines and ghostly soulful chord progressions effectively distract you from the fact this track doesn't even have a bassline.

Outta the shadows and into the strobe-light, Alex Lewis aka Turinn debuts on Modern Love with a highly rinsable debut double-pack of sawn-off brukbeats and anxious, nerve-riding grooves brewed in the ravines of North Manchester. Turinn emerges from a new generation of producers in the city that include longtime spar Willow, and upcoming producer Croww, soon to offer up his own debut recordings.
Crooked and rugged AF, but tempered by an acute emotive sensitivity, 18 1/2 Minute Gaps renders a bleedin' cross-section of mongrel, hybrid style 'n pattern in a breathless, deceptively freehand fashion that comes riddled with an electric blue energy all of its own.
Committing ten trax of fractious, mutant funk and sore feels, 18 1/2 minute Gaps serves to cap Turinn's formative phase of production like a lead lid on a nuclear rave implosion; trapping original 'ardcore 'nuum, Detroit booty and dank post-punk elements in a perpetual flux of in-the-pocket grooves which ravenously attempt to split at the seams, alternately pushing into Muslimgauze-like buffer zones of distortion or resoundingly wide ambient dimensions, and often both at once.
On the first plate, this ambiguous dichotomy is epitomised between the rare surge of quick/slow torque in Ovum, which almost sounds like Chris Carter sparring with Burial Hex, and then in his nod to the Italian new wave with Elba, which seems to find the square root between Lorenzo Senni and some skudgy as heck Kassem Mosse grind, whereas the bittersweet soul of 1625 finds compatible links with his close peer, Workshop's Willow as well as Japan's Shinichi Atobe and scene enabler Move D, while Parratactico swaggers into quantum dancehall meters.
The second disc is no less deadly: the album title track runs at a nexx level Detroit momentum like DJ Stingray flipping Derrick May and Carl Craig's Kaotic Harmonies, before ESO cuts in like a super cranky El-B wearing itchy Primark underwear, and the bone-rattling hardcore jungle of Spawn soon enough gives way to the sweetlad couplet of Petrichor and Ondine, where his elusive, distressed melodic touch really shines thru.

Simbad (aka SMBD) is a stalwart of the underground music scene in UK and because of his vast arrays of releases it's very hard to put him into any box or music category. Since his 2007 album Supersonic Revelation & his worldwide acclaimed dancefloor hit Soul Fever, the London based frenchy has been constantly travelling the five continents entertaining delighted clubbers with his super energetic dj skills or producing and recording various artists from many different genres including deeper Dubstep don Mala (DMZ), UK Hip Hop star Roots Manuva, Cuban songstress Dayme Arocena, Detroit House producer Kai Alce, Berlin based deep Techno artist Fred P, Seun Kuti from Afrobeat's most famous family, Brazilian superstar artist/actor Seu Jorge and being production mentor for the king of cool, radio DJ Gilles Peterson (who made him one of the resident at his Worldwide Festivals). With the Moon Theory EP Simbad demonstrates his talent on some deep analog frequencies for the very solid & ever growing label that is Apron Records. As the music wizard puts it himself : 'im just trying to make some timeless shhhhh man, soul in all forms really, trying anyway ! And I guess that the best is yet to come.

I admit I wasn't familiar with this album, so many just pass us by, but as I sat back and listened, I slowly realized that this isn't just any soul LP, its a masterpiece, full of passion and tenderness, it was like a huge hug from long lost lover... Beautiful... Enjoy it

Adrian Younge presents: The Delfonics is quintessential sweet-soul from The Delfonics lead vocalist William Hart produced by Adrian Younge. From the very beginning, it was Younge's intention to create an old-school Delfonics vibe but offer a very hip-hop-informed perspective. There are distinguishing musical elements that Delfonics fans will recognize, like the electric sitar guitar, the French horn, string arrangements, and the tympani. Recorded and mixed by Adrian Younge at Linear Labs, the preeminent analog studio of Los Angeles, CA.

Singer, Producer and DJ Seven Davis Jr returns to his underground Soulful and House roots while fusing flavors from various eras in this uptempo sophomore album. "Live From The Other Side", plays like the soundtrack to a lovely weekend with visual designs inspired by underground festival culture and contemporary art. Dedicated to his fans, Sev hopes this album will conjure up good vibes and enhance sessions, from living room to club, for generations.

'A Paraiba Não É Chicago' is a smasher from the very first beat! Golden era Brazilian boogie by Marcos Valle from 1981, with a brilliantly hooky chorus section. Originally released on his 'Vontade De Rever Voce' LP. 'Não Quero Mais' is VERY reminiscent of The Doobie Brothers 'Long Train Running', delivered in a Brazilian style - vintage disco-boogie vibes but with
a more soulful chorus section. Originally appeared on Don Beto's 'Nossa Imaginação' LP from 1978.

Side A, put the needle to the groove for an opening introduction to the sound of Midu aka Nicolas Midulla (Funky Monks Records) - "Salcame Selva" is the name of the track and we are presented with some deep, soul-washed house, laced with delicate, shimmering chords and propelled forward by an infectious, rhythmic -baseline. On to track A2 and we find ourselves listening to the unmistakable sound of Tommy Vicari Jnr. Cooking and reshaping the original "Salvame Selva" in a cauldron of bubbling-funk, spring-loaded drum-beats and seasoned with just enough bounce, to elevate the most static of dance-floors. Turn the record over to the B side, where you will find the sound of Prang aka Quitter (Ammo84 / Charmin / Les Temps Difficiles). Meeting you head on and slicing through your consciousness like a scalpel blade, "Last Few Bars" has been designed with precision and intent, to direct the dance floor, enchant and hypnotize, with consuming charm. The finale for the labels second release, comes from Frankfurt, Germany - from the mind of Nils Diezel (Nixwax). "Moody Sundays" plays host to a track, which appears to invoke ecstatic and magical rites, elevating your mind, enveloping the senses and leaving the listener in a dream like state.

With this record, New York Trax furthers its mission of presenting to the world the upcoming talents hailing from the New York scene. New York Trax 03 is the first release of the talented Manhattan-based producer Alex Alben. The A side has 'Irin' and 'Chimera', two very mean prime time techno bombs. 'Kamikiri' rounds up the EP with its relentless tribal beat and arpeggio that will cheer up even the darkest souls. ONLY on vinyl!

A real rarity! 1977's "Stepping Out" by obscure Oliver Sain produced Funk/Soul outfit The 13th Floor has always been a tough LP to catch, the only release by this lesser known St.Louis outfit showcased a unique blend of jazz, funk and soul that has intrigued hardcore collectors of rare grooves and black music since it's release. Released on the highly collectable Blue Candle sub label of Miami's TK Disco empire, "Stepping Out" features lots of different musical flavours - from the languid, Ohio Players-esque "Hang loose" and the incessant mid-tempo burner "Leanin" to the dance-floor groove of "Sweet thang", the LP showcases across it's 9 tracks show a band at the top of it's game, completely in tune with each other and firmly in the pocket. This should be no surprise when you consider the opening track of the album is co-written by a young Chaka Khan and members of the band went on to form parts of her band Rufus and played alongside artists such as Patti Austin, Maxayn Lewis, Ronnie McNeir and High Voltage. The overall feel of the album is one of amazing musicians keeping it gritty, soulful and most of all, funky! This album has always demanded high prices on the second hand / used vinyl market and is a truly lesser spotted gem, which is surprising considering the eye catching sleeve artwork!
This is the first time that The 13th Floor's "Stepping Out" has been reissued on vinyl, fully remastered from TK's original tapes, represented the way the the LP was issued in 1977 with all original cover and label artworks intact. Now, almost 40 years after it's original release the album has now been made available again for 2016, fully licensed in conjunction and with the full permission of Henry Stone music / TK Disco, Miami, FL.

Returning to Hypercolour with a second volume of his Sugar Cane Chronicles, Gary Gritness lays down more devastating funk and classy riffing over his trusty Roland 606. After the first volume, released last April, sold out its vinyl run, Gritness delivers more explorations and adventures into his unique and soulful world. Having elusively built his reputation as an outstanding session player, live producer and fantastically dressed Funkateer, Gritness has delivered a handful of releases on labels like Clone Crown Ltd, Nyami Nyami and his own DIY and cassette-only Slikk Tapes. "Steady Choosin" gets downright fusion-jazz and Gritness fires out seductive melodies and latin piano playing of the highest order whilst "Countin Up With Starr" delves into a darker well of synth mania, with a sexual groove reminiscing of Rick James, all the while retaining Gary's signature licks and riffs. "Runner Joe's Revenge" on the flip ramps up the hysteria for a gritty and colossal production that typifies his love of cyberpunk soundtracks and the drama and narrative to be found in this style. "The Sugar Cane Chronicles Vol. 2 closes with the low-slung "Pool Shark Loot", wrapping up on a mysterious and captivating tone; its wandering bassline and melodic touches carrying all the signature Gritness sounds, with the P-Funk sleaziness on top.

Klyne first caught everybody's attention with their critically acclaimed debut Paralyzed EP for Aesop, as well as their maiden remix, a rework of Disclosure's Omen feat. Sam Smith. Water Flow is their follow up to the acclaimed Don't Stop, their Because Music debut released earlier this year; its stunning video was directed by acclaimed choreographer and film maker Holly Blakey (Florence and the Machine, Jungle, Coldplay, Young Fathers) and is nominated for a UK Music Video Award. The duo supported Years & Years and label mate Christine and the Queens on tour this year, and performed their first UK headline show for the sold out Dummy presents Because Music event at the Ace Hotel, London in the summer. More shows will be announced shortly. Vital Sales Points: "mellow electronic pop that's like a long-lost cousin of Jai Paul" - The FADER "infectious and effortless... groove-laden soulful masterstrokes" - VICE / Noisey "minimalist vibes, captivating vocals... impeccable melodies" - Pigeons & Planes "gorgeous electro-pop" - Spin "more fire from the young Dutch duo... the boys are off to a strong start" - i-D

Stirred up from deep within, from an abstract spiral of sound and movement, from a sensation of time and space absolving and converging at once, the Black Flower musicians have molded a tangible matter: the album Artifacts. Their second full album sounds international and ageless. Eastern influences, Ethiodub and jazz effortlessly merge. Fantasy and reality seem to fuse. In a word: nourishment for body and soul.

"Psyche-delicious and accessible 20th century Ethiodubjazz. As if John Zorn put on Fela Kuti's shoes and imbibed Mulatu Astatke's whirls."

Piloted by saxophonist /flutist /composer Nathan Daems (Ragini Trio, Dijf Sanders, Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra), this instrumental band aims for originality. Fellow musicians and 'brothers down the road' are Jon Birdsong (dEUS, Beck, Calexico) on cornet, Simon Segers (Absynthe Minded, De Beren Gieren, Stadt) at the drums, Filip Vandebril (Lady Linn, The Valerie Solanas, Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra) at the bass and Wouter Haest (Los Callejeros, Voodoo Boogie) playing keys.

For many of us, the Ethiopian aspect once made known to the world by Mulatu Astatke will stand out. Still, Black Flower further adds oriental scales, Afrobeat à la Fela Kuti, jazz in a John Zorn way and varied western music traditions such as rock and dub. The resulting melting pot is undoubtedly inspired by Nathan's distant travels and the multifariously colorful city of Brussels.

...Pretty legit if you ask me - LeFto, Studio Brussel

After their well-received debut album Abyssinia Afterlife (2014, W.E.R.F. / Zephyrus Records) that created an atmosphere of mythical figures and psychedelia, Black Flower now reflects on ancient and modern cultures. The album title Artifacts refers to centuries-old fragile objects or tools that empowered the development of human culture. The world today would look entirely different without those artifacts. The seemingly brittle suddenly becomes a powerful welding cornerstone. Add the musicians' personal musical backgrounds and the result is an album with an ageless mystique. Artifacts is the synthesis of different cultures, of the past and present, and personal and collective memories. It is the soundtrack to modern reality, based on the elements that connect us.

Brilliant - Gilles Peterson, BBC Radio 6

One of Belgium's Best Bands of these past years (...) Black Flower does not simply play a tune, they always groove! - Kurt Overbergh, Ancienne Belgique

Uncomplicated originality, plenty of space for fantasy and an organic tone: those are the ingredients for Black Flower to lay claim to an age-old human ritual: dancing! Still, Black Flower also stands out in various other settings. Their audience at a jazz club will have felt exalted, their audience at a late-night show will not have resisted dancing. The band wields influence over their surroundings in a way only heart-and-soul musicians can. This mastery has repeatedly taken them to United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Germany.

The mysterious Cecil Moses & The S.G.'s (Oliver Klomp - drums, Colin Higgins - guitar, Bob Heinemann - bass, and Marc Hager - keys) unite with deep funk pioneer Lucky Brown to interpret Lucky's original "Mesquite Suite," a collection of spiritual folk/jazz modal melodies fused with earthy and arcane rhythms composed in the summer of 2015 in an ashram in the Texas Hill Country.

The S.G.'s, who specialize in their own brand of great quartet instrumental soul ala Booker T. & The M.G.'s and The Meters, adapted quickly to Lucky's experimental, rudimentary, vernacular, and minimalist approach. One thing you will notice in these tunes is that the vast space created by the musicians and the composition is what allows the FEEL to filter through, and for Lucky Brown, FEEL is what it is all about.

This first single presents the themesong of their collection, a deep tribal shuffle, "Mesquite Beat," upon which Jason Cressey - trombone, and Thomas Deakin - sax, offer their own explorations. The flip is an upbeat and minimal pentatonic anthem entitled "Justice," featuring Lucky Brown himself on funk flute.

With this release, we are proud to introduce the first installment of the "Mesquite Suite" collection on Tramp's own special limited imprint: "Tramp Tapes," a suite of original, raw deep funk inspired as much by Mulatu Astatke as it is James Brown.

Gatupreto release their sophomore "Distino Di Nos Vida" on TINK! Music! The duo from Lisbon's hinterland return with a second round of their impeccable, futuristic theory on modern club music after the acclaimed "Modo Di Trabadja" EP, released in 2015. The tropical taste of Cabo Verde, the cool of that Lisbon dance floor fusionism, the appeal of classic vibes. Tracks too dark and twisted to be called "Afro", too sexy and melodic to be called "Techno", too smart and freaky to be called "House" and too cool and mature to be called "Kuduro", it is simply Gatupreto.
On the A side "I Became Me", deep afro dub with a killer sub bass and endless echoes, starring Portuguese soul and hip hop legend NBC as guest vocalist and a remix by afro Dutch master and fellow TINK! artist Philou Louzolo - who turns "I Became Me" into an irresistible deep house with african undertones.
On the flip side, the dark dramatic stomping tracks "Afrowerk" and "Gatu Di Noti", the first an eerie, irresistible peak time banger, and the later a stormer with sounds from natural Africa, harpy acid lines and an off kilter beat.

Bruno Patchworks' Hovart is one of the top producers of today's groove music scene. After playing as a bassist and guitarist for various bands, he started producing in the mid-nineties and has kept on mixing today's technologies with the raw spirits of House, Electronic, Disco, Funk, Soul, Reggae & Jazz music's golden years since then.

Following the trail of success left by his various projects as Patchworks, and under many aliases, he's proved his musical ubiquity and unexpectedly stroke in various genres. Many House music diggers would indeed remember that before Favorite Recordings was launched in 2006, Patchworks produced many deep-house tracks on various labels.

On this new EP, he's back as Mr President with 2 new banging titles brilliantly mixing House music atmosphere, with Soul and Disco vibes. He's also teaming up again with Sabba MG on vocals, following to their great Give My Love' efforts, released on EDR Records 3 years ago. As Going to a Go Go' is a fully exclusive work reminiscent of the early House music scene from New-Jersey or Chicago, the nice Disco flavors of Night Time' also come to announce Mr President's upcoming new album in 2017.

Italian Roberto Clementi has really struck a chord in the hearts of Northerners, with releases on Scottish Soma, Danish Echocord Colour and Swedish Kontra-Musik. Perhaps it's his ability to create evolving and often emotional melodic landscapes over raw, punchy beats that's especially appreciated north of The Wall. This is very much true for True Rotary Recordings, in any case, bringing Roberto Clementi in for the label's second release. 'To Balance a Tide' is perfectly set in the True Rotary Recordings universe, combining analogue warmth with genuine musicality. There's no question Roberto Clementi has soul and has willingly poured some of it into this release, the music has a considerable thickness to it that's very pleasing to the ear, yet it's still exceptionally artful. Clementi's soul seems to be an ancient one, given the timelessness of his tracks - old SVEK releases come to mind but with an added futuristic twist. This is music for dancing and music for dreaming, all in one package.
True Rotary Recordings is run by Joel Alter and Ena Cosovic. Stemming from a longstanding mutual appreciation for the combination raw techno with more seductive sounds, the label is a natural development of Joel's and Ena's musical and personal partnership. True Rotary Recordings represents their mutual musical vision and vibe that they love. Keeping it raw and genuine.

Translated from Spanish as 'The Shade', Chip Wickham's debut album La Sombra drops after a 25-year career touring, recording and experimenting across three decades of jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop, Latin and electronica. La Sombra is a monumental record for Chip as it symbolises the moment he stepped out into the light as a director of his creations with freedom to explore his roots, express and tell his version of jazz and pay testament to his heroes Roland Kirk, Yuseef Lateef & Harold McNair.

Now living in Dubai after an intense and productive six years in Madrid, it was Manchester where Chip studied in the late '80s and became enmeshed in the chaotic and thrilling music scenes emanating from one of the world's most culturally prominent cities of the time. Recording and generally 'keeping things real' with Manchester's hip-hop collective Grand Central Records, Rae & Christian, The Pharcyde, Fingathing, Nightmares on Wax, Graham Massey (808 State), Chip was in a city that was undergoing a music revolution with the Haçienda as its temple. Yet it was the headlights of the M62 motorway and not the strobe lights that were lighting Chip's path during his student years ('88-'92). The lure of the jazz and funk clubs of Leeds, where The New Mastersounds were breaking out and building the blocks that would lead them to UK funk royalty status, proved too strong.

In the 1990s Chip continued to refine his craft in the rainy city and the gigs booked were growing in stature. It wasn't long before he was on the road with Roy Ayers and Badly Drawn Boy. Around that time Chip met up with trumpeter Matthew Halsall that was the beginning of a friendship that lasts to this day. Chip was a recording artist on Matthew Halsall's breakout album Sending My Love and continues to work with him, with live dates confirmed in spring 2017. This close connection with Halsall gave rise to other collaborations, such as with Nat Birchall and Go Go Penguin's Rob Turner.

Three decades after his late night excursions to Leeds, Chip found himself recording with Eddie Roberts from The New Mastersounds in Madrid, as part of their new band, The Fire Eaters, which he'd formed soon after he moved to sunny Spain in 2007 - the same year he released the Fried Samba album under his moniker Malena, his electronic Latin band that became a hit at the turn of the century for Freestyle Records. During his time in Spain he connected with the local scene and brought together many of his musicians colleagues from the UK to Spain and it was for a local and well established label, Lovemonk, that he released two 45s blending raw funk and Latin. These new roads and musical leanings led to an invitation to play for the prestigious Craig Charles Fantasy Funk Band. Based on a poll from Craig Charles' top rated BBC6 radio show, Chip was chosen to play alongside the cream of the UK funk & soul scene: James Taylor (JTQ), Snowboy, The Haggis Horns (Mark Ronson), John Turrell (Smooth & Turrell), and Mick Talbot (The Style Council).

La Sombra takes an altogether more rooted direction than Chip's recent collaborative work, with the jazz of the late '60s and early '70s a dominating influence to the recordings. Comprising of seven tracks recorded in Madrid with musicians assembled by Chip from Madrid's jazz scene, it combines contemplative explorations akin to Yusef Lateef's early work on tracks like 'La Sombra' and 'Pushed Too Far'. There's a fiery cover of Camarón de la Isla's classic 'La Leyenda Del Tiempo' and tracks like 'Sling Shot' and 'Red Planet' are locked in a groove harking back to Freddie Hubbard's Blue Note era and Luv N Haight's Nathan Davis.

Recorded in 1969, the fourth album from Sly And The Family Stone, "Stand!" was the crowning musical statement by this unisex, multi-racial rock and soul combo from the Bay Area of San Francisco, featuring four chart hits, including the number one smash "Everyday People", "Stand!" virtually invented the 'progressive' funk of the 1970s and 80s, jettisoning the trappings of 60s soul and paving the way for a new sound that would influence other artists to this day.

Here's something to get excited about: a cracking new cut from Detroit deep house legend Alton Miller, backed with a 'Sound Signature' translation from the equally revered Theo Parrish. Miller's version of "Bring Me Down", is something of a treat: a sparkling, starry deep house epic that's blessed with immaculate vocals from soul chanteuse Maurissa Rose. Parrish's translation is equally as stretched out and similarly enjoyable, but is far looser and dustier in feel, with warmer bass and beats that naturally tend towards the jazzier. It's naturally more in keeping with Parrish's work than Miller's, but retains enough of the latter's touches to be counted as a fine remix.

Keep on keeping on, that's what they say. We are here at Hizou. So we are delighted to be back with this the ninth release on our main label, another exciting various artists affair and a follow-up to the well-received limited edition EP, Keepin' The Legacy.
 
First up is the house music equivalent of a heavyweight tag-team in the shape of respected veterans Chez Damier and Abacus, producers with credentials so impressive and lengthy it's eye-watering, alongside the rising talent that is Jorge Caiado (Balance/Groovement). The trio's dub mix of their cut Closer is proper deep-down-and-dirty bumpin' house of the old-school kind.
 
Another man with an impeccable pedigree, in-demand musician and producer James Duncan (Le Systeme/Real Soon), makes a welcome return to the label with the hypnotic 416 Zone Dub, an irresistible groover aimed squarely at the more discerning dance floor.
 
Making his debut here at Hizou is yet another seasoned artist, Jacksonville, owner of Doppler Records and gun-for-hire with the likes of Atmospheric Existence and Inner Shift. Having eyed his chugging and infectious Twilight Industries from afar, we are delighted to finally nail it onto our vinyl.
 
Keeping the fire burning and more than holding his own in such fine company is label head Satore, who unleashes his inner disco diva with the groovy, soul-drenched Keep On.

Clear Vinyl

Khemia Records the new imprint from Kaos London announces the fourth and final edition in their current series. A limited edition, transparent vinyl (333 copies): The 'Winter Solstice Edition' featuring Codex Empire and MARMO.
* On the Solar side British born, Vienna based, industrial techno pioneer Codex Empire delivers 'Sevde' an experiment in long-form techno written specially for the label. A massive, propulsive beast, punctured with hammered rhythms and sub-aquatic bleeps, a maelstrom of whiplash cracks, disembodied voices and electrostatic, reverberating across an insistent techno groove.
* On The Lunar side MARMO present 'Alchimia' a track written specially for this release. MARMO is a conceptual, straight-forward, complex music sculpture. 'Alchimia' unfolds an epic sonic journey across vast swathes of desert.
* Intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of life.- Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
* Credits: 'Sevde' written and performed by Codex Empire 'Alchimia' written and performed by MARMO Mastered by Andrea Merlini, Utrecht Produced by Khemia Records, London Distributed by SRD Artwork commissioned from REIN VOLLENGA X LVM Khemia Records London
* Credits: 'Sevde' written and performed by Codex Empire 'Alchimia' written and performed by MARMO Mastered by Andrea Merlini, Utrecht Produced by Khemia Records, London - Distributed by SRD Artwork commissioned from REIN VOLLENGA X LVM Khemia Records London



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Moody Collective is proud to present the first release on their new imprint Moody Records. Clemens K. is taking us on a journey from brazil-infused downtempo over heavy jungle rhythms to psychdelic disco and soul. Dorado (Downpitch) created a remarkable reinterpretation of the Intro Track "Estate" that is opening up the clouds to 80s space. Photographer Carolina Pimenta has created limited edition art prints for the EP, that will be available at the release party in Lisbon as well as in selected partner stores.

REPRESSED !!

Device Control is Jake Reif's new solo production outlet which draws equally from the pools of early Wax Trax and Medusa's with the hybrid pit jack of early Farris or Rush. Machine made yet with a soul, all four cuts are for the true hyper jackers on the floor, tested and recomended.
Born in New York and spending his formative years in the mid-West, Jake Reif has served time amongst some of the best, producing alongside both Mystic Bill as well as Reade Truth; releasing well recieved 12s on Rong Music and a break out remix on Snuff Trax in recent years. Back in the day you could catch Jake clocking hours working at Sonic Groove Records among a motley crew of heavy hitters whilst honing his talents.

This is the second 12" of a 2-part series of 12"s that will be released digitally as a full-length LP.
After a split single with Muslimgauze and a single of their own on Optimo Trax, we are delighted to present the first Optimo Trax album release by Italy's Underspreche. The album is split across two four- track EPs, released two weeks apart (and also as a complete digital album).
We try to avoid over-hyping our releases, but this one is really fully deserving of the hyperbole I am about to bestow on it. Underspreche first sent me some music a few years ago and seeing them grow and develop has been nothing short of astonishing. I think this is some of the most nuanced and advanced music that Optimo Trax has ever released. There are several dancefloor destroyers here but also music for more developed/leading-edge floors too, as well as some music simply designed to make one's mind melt.

It is very rare that I listen to 4/4 music at home, but this album has been a constant on my hi-fi since it was sent to me.
Super-advanced, organic sampling, inspired vocalisations, acute psychedelic modular sequences, forward- thinking drum programming, this is exactly what I hoped Optimo Trax would be about when I started the label.
From Underspreche's souls to yours.

Our official first time full lenght vinyl release of the James Walsh Gypsy Band album I've got the feeling has been a huge success and are now sold out from the label. As an answer to the demand, we have now pressed a small run of 7" single for the 45 collectors and Dj's. Limited run of 500 only. The 45 is special designed på Hans Jørgen Wærner who also did the original cover art.

Side A: The fantastic uptempo AOR Modern Soul track, I've Got The Feeling was an easy choice as the A side. Smooth soulful sounds for the dancefloor or travelling along the coust of California. The track was also featured on the fantastic Americana - Rock Your Soul on BBE Records.

Side B: Caves of Altamira is a fantastic mid tempo cover of the Steely Dan track. Funky, smooth soulful version with the Tower of Power horns make this as a runner up of the best version of the track.

Here is a review from Juno Records of The James Walsh Gypsy full lenght album, Ive Got The Feeling:

The James Walsh Gypsy Band is kind of the outfit to go to if you're looking for some blue-eyed soul but, just like Ned Doheny and his sublime reissue on Numero, the band never fully came out of its shell and they were limited to just one album on RCA Victor, 1998's self-tiled LP...until now. I've Got The Feelin' was recorded a year later, in 1979, at the legendary Muscle Shoal Studios, but it never made it out onto the shelves apart from a seriously limited CDR run. Norway's Preservation has thankfully done the right thing by pressing it up on vinyl, and the opening title track is as just as wonderful as the first time we heard - a true soul masterpiece with a clear LA influence. "Looks Like You Got Down In Love" is a funkier, more soulful version of Credence at their deepest, while other highlights include the supremely majestic "It's Over Now", and the tear-jerking "Alabama Eyes". It's a road album, the sort you want to really take in properly. Recommended.

Rotterdam based 25 Places are back on Dirt Crew with a bang! since their "Love More" release in 2015 the boys have been hard at work and have just released an EP for Chez Damier on his "Prescription Records" sub label "Balance". The bounce begins with "Party In The Hills" hosting a huge kick, loopy Rhodes, squelching bass, Ragga flavoured vocal and squeaky lead, it's straight up good times right from the get go. An infectious groove on this one! "Closing Title Song" heads into deep soaring territory, it's forward house beat and pulsing synth lead intertwine with loose tropical percussion and a rhapsodic horn hook. On the flip we have Laurence Guy who does not really need an introduction anymore, the man has been all over the place since this years releases on "Cin Cin", "Outplay" and the imminent "Church" where he dropped two big EP's "Bamboo" and "Kojak". Here he takes on the soulful deep Chicago House of 25 Places and turns it into a 90's breakbeat acid galore of ecstasy tingled UK House. 25 Places wrap up the rave session with "Backyard Stories", a raw and bouncing, bass face inducing jam. Uplifting and dirty in one stroke, its thumping kick and feverous melodies make it impossible not to move.

Virginia-born singer/songwriter Nicole Wray has everything you'd want in a singer: an infectious Jackson-5-family-member flare, a range like Aretha's, and a church upbringing that's brought a pure, healing texture to her voice. But the struggle she's been through has made her more than a singer. Nicole Wray is an artist. When talking about Queen Alone, her first solo album in some time, Nicole explains, It's a reflection of my soul. It's who I am today.' And aptly so. Nicole is writing and singing songs about her life. And yet to even start to know her soul, you have to go back to the beginning. Growing up in Portsmouth was tough at times for Nicole. However, at the age of fifteen, life opened up quickly when Missy Elliot paid a visit to Nicole's family home to audition her on the spot. Missy was there on the rumored strength and quality of her voice. Instantly blowing her away, she signed and left with Missy that night. Two years later, at age 17, she had a hit gold single off a solid debut album (Make It Hot). Suddenly she was part of a team that included late '90s R&B and rap royalty: Missy, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Playa, Timbaland and Magoo. She made it, and fast. However, as rapidly as she achieved success, Nicole then found herself needing to re-make it. By late 2001, her time with Missy and company had run its course. They amicably parted ways and Nicole, once on top of the R&B world, was unsure of what was next. It was a very low, but important, point in her life. While neck-deep in this struggle, Damon Dash and Roc-A-Fella Records called. They signed an album deal and by 2004, in what was starting to be a pattern, just as things were looking up Roc-A-Fella suddenly (famously) split. Nicole found herself in a familiar situation. In 2013, Nicole paired up with London vocalist Terri Walker and released the album Lady. Once again, Nicole was tested. Terri parted ways with the group to pursue her own projects shortly after the album's release. Fast forward to now-the transformation from singer-for-hire to pure artist is evident in this new full-length solo release, Queen Alone. The record was written and recorded in 10 days at the legendary Diamond Mine Studios, in Queens NY with Leon Michels and Tom Brenneck handling production. Nicole says she is Singing out loud now-singing from the stomach.' Back in 1998 she was coached how to sing, and told to stay in a pocket that never let her show her range, power, and passion. Today, after stutter-stepping in and out of the industry, there is a new soul and substance to her songs-all of it from her life. They Don't Hang Around", tells the story of her post Roc-a-Fella days, Guilty", is about her brother's incarceration, Make Me Over" tells the relatable story of being broke with expensive taste, and 'Let It Go', a perfect way to end the record, is about the simple act of letting go and moving on. Almost echoing her new record, Nicole says, You have to go through something for it to be real.' She has been living with one foot in fame and the other in real life. The result is clear: she's feeling something real in her music again. And it's hard for us as listeners not to follow suit.

POP AMBIENT - our longest-running compilation series after Total - sees a new instalment for 2017, featuring exclusive material from acclaimed genre veterans and series newcomers JENS-UWE BEYER, YUI ONODERA & SCANNER, MAX WÜRDEN, LEANDRO FRESCO, THORE PFEIFFER, KENNETH JAMES GIBSON and SOULSAVERS remixed by WOLFGANG VOIGT.
Following his own cues from preceding entries, Pop Ambient chief curator Voigt again strikes a perfect ratio of established producers and debuting guests: our complete Pop Ambient solo album crew makes an appearance, from JENS-UWE BEYERs atmospheric soundscapes on the tracks FINAL 9.1 and FINAL 10, to THORE PFEIFFERs glitch romance GOOD LIFE, LEANDRO FRESCOs beatific drone fests SONIDO ESPAÑOL and EL ABISMO, as well as KENNETH JAMES GIBSONs melancholic epic HER FLOOD KNOCKED ME TO THE GROUND (BUT I WAS ALREADY THERE. Other returning artists include ANTON KUBIKOV of SCSI-9 fame (with electronic reverie DEKKA) and Cologne soundsmith MAX WÜRDEN, who was last seen releasing wonderfully immersive albums on BineMusic and Wolfgang Voigt's very own Exponate series. His guitar-infused, dubbed-out cut FERNFELD and the mysterious electronic mantra 186.000 MILES PER SECOND are particularly striking renditions of the rich sonic narratives possible in Pop Ambient.
For the 2017 release, we welcome Tokyo-based Pop Ambient novice YUI ONODERA with his tracks CROMO1 and CROMO2, which both serve as opener: a trained musician and architectural acoustic designer by trade, Onodera embeds diverse influences from traditional sound design, film scores, contemporary composition and electro-acoustic experimentation in his work, resulting in intricate drone sculptures and sound skylines. This skill set gels naturally with the sonic sensibilities of iconic experimental composer SCANNER who teams up with Onodera for the cut LOCUS SOLUS - it's an incredible honour to have such a towering figure in advanced electronic music on board. Wolfgang Voigt himself makes an appearance as remixer, turning the track HAL from electronic-rock-gospel duo SOULSAVERS' 2015 album "Kubrick" into a voluptuous and immersive sound journey. It's the cherry on top of a particularly fluffy cake that will prove irresistible to any connoisseur of ambient music.

This is the first 12' of a 2-part series of 12's that will be released digitally as a full-length LP.
After a split single with Muslimgauze and a single of their own on Optimo Trax, we are delighted to present the first Optimo Trax album release by Italy's Underspreche. The album is split across two four- track EPs, released two weeks apart (and also as a complete digital album).
We try to avoid over-hyping our releases, but this one is really fully deserving of the hyperbole I am about to bestow on it. Underspreche first sent me some music a few years ago and seeing them grow and develop has been nothing short of astonishing. I think this is some of the most nuanced and advanced music that Optimo Trax has ever released. There are several dancefloor destroyers here but also music for more developed/leading-edge floors too, as well as some music simply designed to make one's mind melt.

It is very rare that I listen to 4/4 music at home, but this album has been a constant on my hi-fi since it was sent to me.
Super-advanced, organic sampling, inspired vocalisations, acute psychedelic modular sequences, forward- thinking drum programming, this is exactly what I hoped Optimo Trax would be about when I started the label.
From Underspreche's souls to yours.

Another off-the-books mission to the OUTERZONA !
Consistent best-sellers, these little collections of secret weapons have made many friends out there on the floor
No.6 delves once again into the ammo cupboard, but reassembles this devastating array of weaponry into altogether more potent smart-bombs
From a wigged-out Jazz-Rock monster to familiar & timeless symphonic Disco licks, to a hidden mid-Seventies Soul rewire Once again, Outerzona refresh the parts other edits cannot reach !These are never around for long, so you know what to do

Das britische Produzentenduo Letherette veröffentlicht sein lang erwartetes zweites Album auf Ninja Tune!
Das britische Produzentenduo Letherette veröffentlicht Ende November sein zweites Album "Last Night On The Planet" auf CD & Vinyl via Ninja Tune. Zehn Songs, die die volle Bandbreite zwischen Hip Hop, 80er R&B und straighten House bis hin zu deepen Downtempo-Momenten abdeckt. Neben Stones Throw's Pyramid Vritra finden sich auf dem Album auch Rap-Features von Rejjie Snow und Ubiquity Records' Jed & Luca.CD im Digipack, Die Erstauflage erscheint als gelbes 180g Vinyl inklusive - Downloadcode.

After a considerable career releasing on numerous labels, as well as being co-founder of Essen based label Mild Pitch, Langenberg finally drops his first album under this alias. Max Heesen, (who is also one half of Ribn with Manuel Tur) delivers the smartly titled 'Central Heated House' for Steve Bug's Dessous Recordings. The LP format suits Langenberg's hypnotic house classicism well, allowing time and space to stretch out the grooves and moods over four sides of vinyl - working both for the DJs and perfect as a soundtrack for the autumn. The LP kicks off with 'Jade', a melancholic, tape saturated introduction to Langenberg's deep tastes. 'Room 210' maintains this atmosphere, with fizzing percussion and warm Detroit-esque melodies. 'Groove 26' is perfectly timed for the hot summer, as lush Rhodes chords and KDJ style vocal snippets provide the heat for the openair vibes. The single from earlier this year 'Shadows' features the talents of vocalist Blakkat, and caused some serious response when it hit airwaves and dancefloors alike. 'Never Worry' is a heads down roller, built around a simple but perfectly executed bassline, while 'Dreamliner' is trippy laidback sunshine house all the way. 'I'll Be Late' and 'Planitz Proposal' step back into the club, with Langenberg's signature crisp percussion, crunchy hits and analog synth wizardry on full display. 'Rain & Roses' closes out the album in a similar way to how it started wistful, thoughtful house music with soul.

Claes Rosen makes a welcome return to Local Talk after his 'Daydreaming' release back in 2013.
For his new release Claes has written a beautiful house jam that's got after hours written all over it. It's melodic, soulful, spiritual but still mighty uplifting. Fans of Glenn Underground or Blaze should listen carefully. On the flip we've got something truly special for all the real house heads - Lars Bartkuhn & Marek Bartkuhn aka Needs are back on the house circuit.
Yup, it's true! Needs are back once again and agreed to deliver a remix for Local Talk. Back in the late 90's and early 2000's Needs was a huge breath of fresh air to the house scene with their melodic Chicago inspired House sound. The remix delivered here is again something timeless and unique, sounding simultaneously classic and new! It's a real builder, so let this one run its full course. Trust us, you'll be rewarded big time!

It's been five years since his acclaimed debut 'Severant' and time has proved it prescient, its futuristic trap influence is now ubiquitous. 'Slow Knife' seems to return to where 'Severant' left off, but with the intricate sound design of last year's haunting EP 'Assertion Of A Surrounding Presence' subsumed into the compositions, making them more exacting and beautifully crafted. Between albums Kuedo has been working as a sound designer and composer for hire and the application of intent and widescreen rigour that commercial work requires has definitely found its way into the new album. 'Slow Knife' has the subtlety, ambition and pacing of a brilliant soundtrack - a sense of an album of scenes, that easily lends itself to an impressionistic narrative. But, as with 'Severant', the title suggests relationship unease, with the slow knife being a metaphor for the building resentment in any close relationship. 'Slow Knife' is almost two albums, the first half, according to Kuedo, invokes the seduction of the city, taking the music of Michael Mann's 'Manhunter' as a cue, with the latter half being inspired by the bloody starscapes and voodoo wilderness of films such as 'Angel Heart', 'Night Of The Hunter' and more recently the 'True Detective' series. Both halves of the album are also in thrall to Mica Levi's inspiring 'Under The Skin' soundtrack, especially in the turbulence of the mid-section. The songs of the albums first half are synthetic and seductive, a gelatinous veil with shades of the pseudo-sophisticated trance of Enigma, of all things, underpinned with dusky unsettling shadows and atmosphere. 'In Your Sleep', perhaps surprisingly, features the vocals of Hayden Thorpe from Wild Beasts, who settles his dark, whispered vocals into the moonlit shadowy atmosphere. 'Floating Forest' is the first track to allow back some of Kuedo's experimentation with the Southern rap template, which he explored before it became commonplace, with echoed drum splashes and a sinister repetitive motif, ending with a haunting growl. The second half of the album enters wilderness territory with 'Approaching's slow descending notes, before 'Broken Fox - Black Hole' throws the record into the cathartic darkness, as undulating chords play hide and seek with riotous reeds and scratchy strings grown from challenging collaborations with cello player Koenraad Ecker (from Lumisokea). 'Breaking The Surface' shivers and coils, before metal and strings dominate while 'In Your Skin' feels like being lost in a vast hinterland before 'Warmer Light' introduces some memories of sunshine, with its plucked bassline and spiralling dub. 'Halogen Light' opens with the sound of crickets and a clear piano, cleansing the soul before 'Lathe' brings things down to earth with a short, yet powerful coda.

Marquis Hawkes sound ranges from club-ready weapons of slamming and sleazy to swinging and acid-laced, beholden to vintage US house music and jacking dance floor jams.
After the monumental success of his debut album 'Social Housing', a recent live Boiler Room appearance, Resident Advisor mix and a 9/10 album review in Mixmag, Marquis Hawkes returns with an absolute beauty of a package alongside the indisputable queen of RnB & Soul, Jocelyn Brown.
The release also includes two remixes from producers at the top of their game, house legend Paul Woolford and close friends, Polish duo Catz 'N Dogz, each tackling the crystal clean house anthem 'I'm so Glad' turning in monumental dance anthems which will be heard across dance floors for some time to come.
Cut and Mastered by Matt Colton at Alchemy Mastering.

Aussie rare groove ensemble Kerbside Collection's second album of instrumental funk and jazz grooves "Trash Or Treasure" (released May 2015) gets the remix, rework and re-use treatment with a variety of re-interpretations with everything from downtempo hip- hop/neo-soul and dusty analogue lounge beats, to fuzzy, Balearic electronic club workouts and even some broken beat flavours.Kicking off this limited edition 12" vinyl, AV artist/DJ/Producer Sampology lights up the sitar disco vibes of "Strawberry Fields" taking the track into sizzling Balearic, club work-out territory with added afro percussion, squelchy wobbles and effects, perfect for summer festivals and hazy end-of-night vibes. Vinnie Laduce's follows with his cruisy vocoder and lo-fi indie beats reconstruction of "Shake 'n' Bake", while another local Brisbane producer TwoDee (who also appears on "Mind the Curb" remixed) delivers an eighties, electro break flavoured re-work of 'Rabbit Hole'.Side B starts JNBO (The Cactus Channel bass player) and his unique wonky, analogue and quirky touch to the title track for a fuzzed out, analogue electronics burner for fans of Floating Points, Cro Magnon, Dabrye and Dimlite (bounced to tape no-less for added bump!). Closing in on this special vinyl is Kerbside's drummer Paprika who takes the coastal groove of 'Bogangar' to the afro side with his 'Mountain Air Afro- dub', recreating a low slung, Tony Allen styled afrobeat groove with added melodic movements and dubby effects, while he adds another remix taking "Trash Or Treasure" into future jazz/broken beat territory with added percussion, moog bass and a surprise heavy change up at the end, almost reflective of some classic Fat Freddy's Drop!

(180gr pressing) The incredible first album by Tim Maia - Brazil's greatest soul star in the 70s, and for good reason too - given that Tim was one of the few who could match the depth of American soul and funk at the time!

Absolutely classic double header of brand new mixes from the mighty Mike Maurro! A Detroit classic goes head to head with another solid gold Philly classic on this 12" of exclusive mixes lifted from his "Peak Hour remixes" project, all produced from the original master tapes. The Spinners evergreen Soul classic "I'll Be Around" takes up the A-side with Mike's trademark respectful flourishes evident - a restrained, classy version of this all-time anthem is what we're treated to by someone who truly understands the originals and feels the music. A must have for all serious Soul lovers out there. On the B-side we have The Trammps stellar "The Night The Lights Went Out", a long time favourite that has been extensively sampled by numerous House artists and The Trammps paean to the infamous city wide blackout during the summer of '77 in NYC that ended up subsequently reshaping popular culture as we know it. Maurro's mix, as always, has respectfully rearranged the track in such a way that he's managed to put a new spin on a legendary disco classic focussing on the incredible arrangements of Norman Harris' original. Simply put, another set of essential mixes from a modern day master! File under - *Essential Disco*

Digging deep into the annals of Gospel now, the name Pastor TL Barrett should be familiar to the eagle eyed crate diggers amongst you. An extremely "colourful" character from Chicago's Southside neighbourhood who found himself on the wrong side of the law for his involvement in some activities of a dubiously illegal nature, more importantly, besides this the pastor was widely known for his community activism and positive sermons preaching love and responsibility. Shady past aside, this fantastic 1976 LP entitled "Do Not Pass Me By" is a real Gospel beauty and features 8 tracks of resplendent hands in the air rejoicement. Having never been reissued before this rare as gem is finally back out in the open, complete with it's incredible untampered with sleeve artwork and design. Barrett's unique voice and message is timeless and instantly recognisable, you can't help but become one of the congregation whilst listening to these wonderfully rousing and positive paeans to the lord almighty. Saying that, even if you find yourself to be a non-believer, the soul, funk and jazz stylings (with the odd flourish of synth!) the good pastor is laying down will be equally as alluring to those of you who dig those particular sounds. "Do Not Pass Me By" was originally released on Miami's TK Disco offshoot Gospel Roots, it's the Pastor's second release on the label and is a beautiful snapshot of how things might have gone down at his "Mount Zion Baptist Church of Universal Awareness". A unique LP with with a somewhat lo-fi charm, the tracks contained run the gamut from slow, downtempo ballads to roof raising, danceable Disco-esque anthems.
This is the first time that "Do Not Pass Me By" has been reissued on vinyl, fully remastered from Gospel Roots/TK's original tapes, represented the way the the LP was issued in 1976 with all original cover and label artworks intact. Now, almost 40 years after it's original release the album has now been made available again for 2016, fully licensed in conjunction and with the full permission of Henry Stone music / TK Disco, Miami, FL.

Hinter Anohni verbirgt sich Antony Hegarty, die Sängerin von Antony and the Johnsons. "Hopelessness" ist ein Dance Album mit Soul-Gesang und politischen Texten, die staatliche Überwachung, Drohnen-Krieg und Umweltzerstörung thematisieren. Indem Anohni zeitgemäße elektronische Musik mit politischen Inhalten kollidieren lässt, wirft das Album gängige Erwartungen an Pop-Musik über den Haufen. Passend dazu erschien die erste Albumauskoppelung, "4 Degrees", zur Pariser Weltklima-Konferenz im Dezember 2015, was der "Guardian" mit "Hugely affecting (...) instantly earns its place in the pantheon of great musical protests' kommentierte. Im selben Fahrwasser bewegt sich auch die zweite Single. Musikalisch wunderschön, inhaltlich erschütternd brutal: "'Drone Bomb Me' is a love song written from the perspective of a young girl in Afghanistan whose family has been executed by unmanned U.S. drones. She dreams of being annihilated." Visuell wird das Ganze von einem atemraubenden Clip des bekannten Musikvideo-Regisseurs Nabil (Foals, Bon Iver, Bruno Mars, Kanye West) unterfüttert, in dem Naomi Campbell in der Hauptrolle zu sehen ist. "Hopelessness" entstand in Zusammenarbeit mit Oneohtrix Point Never und Hudson Mohawke.

"This one goes out to all the city people. To those who get inspired by the beauty of the reflections that the urban evening sun paints onto naked concrete. To those who know that there is a soul in all the things. We are with you."

With the release of fourth album Crown Posada, Smoove & Turrell cement their position as one of the UK's most exceptional soul acts with their innate ability to deliver hard times social commentary in a dancefloor friendly medium. Proudly working class as a band - this album celebrates love, life, politics and the lows and the highs of growing up and raising families in the North East of England.

Gritty and powerful, the band make no attempt to sound or look like anyone else - not for them the sharp suits and trumpet twirls of some of their peers. Instead you get a wildly talented and vital crew of larger than life Geordie lads taking their rightful place on the international soul scene having already become figureheads within the UK.

The DBA DUBS series returns with a fresh tropical house roller from Samrai backed by a remix from Michigan resident James T. Cotton. Khadi brings together Samrai's tough drums and ethereal sun-kissed fx with a helping of keys from an anonymous local collaborator. On the flip JTC, the artist behind Dabrye, Sound Murderer and a host of other cult catalogues reinvents Khadi as a Detroit house stepper.

Manchester resident via the Midlands, Samrai makes up 50% of the Swing Ting production unit. He's released with distinguished labels such as Keysound, Niche & Bump and UTTU as well as collaborating with Ruf Dug, Murlo, Brackles & Hyperdub's Okzharp. His DJ sets take in x-amount of styles, always system-friendly with an emphasis on the soulful side of things.

The first instalment in our new 'Mr Bongo Record Club' compilation series - a selection of favourites, recent discoveries and sought after obscurities, which form the basis of our DJ sets and our radio show of the same name. Including cuts by Claudia, Cortex, Dave Pike Set, Fruko, Neno Exporta Som, Connie Laverne, Barbosa and more. The original concept for 'Mr Bongo Record Club' was a radio show that allowed us to air our treasured record collections, recorded and broadcast once a
month. We wanted to create an outlet free from any genre or BPM restrictions, not constrained by the need to beat-mix every record, a space where we could play latest finds alongside favourites. The only self-imposed rule being that
it had to be played from vinyl. We have always DJ'd across-the-board, but playing in an eclectic way hasn't
always been easy. Recently DJ's such as MCDE, Floating Points, Nick The Record, Leon Vynehall, Four Tet, Jeremy Underground, Antal (Rush Hour), Sassy J and Young Marco - to name a few - have opened things up with very diverse sets to
younger audiences; Brazilian samba-rock, next to modern soul, highlife, disco, boogie, jazz, house, techno and beyond.  
We're seeing a rare groove like sensibility. A shift towards the attitude of legendary club nights hosted by the likes of Mr Scruff and Gilles Peterson, where you could hear house, hip hop, Turkish funk, boogie, jazz, dub and Latin
back to back. At the same time it isn't a nostalgic or retro movement, people have a progressive attitude and a thirst for new-old music. It is a vibrant and exciting time - we are proud to be a part of it.

With half a century of existence, Beninese band Poly-Rythmo can easily be considerate as legends of the African music alongside Sela Kuti and Tinariwen. Drawing their name from the extensive mix of influences that forged their sound (American soul and funk, Nigerian afrobeat, French chanson, Congolese rumba, etc.), they are known to be impressively productive as they released from 1969 to 1980 hundreds of EPs and dozens of albums. In 2014, orchestra conductor Florent Mazzoleni visited the band and decided to produce this new album recorded in the legendary African studio Satel. With its warm tone and mastery of rhythm variations, 'Madjafalao' ("watch out") will instantaneously become a classic of afrobeat and Poly-Rythmo will share their warm joie de vivre with thousands of people during their European tour starting in late October.

Taken from the acclaimed "Migration" album, "Kypoli" sees Poirier sharing production duties with fellow Ninja Tune alumni and hot property Machinedrum. Taking vocal samples from Aleisha Lee (co-writer of Tinie Tempah's recent smash "Girls Like" amongst others) and twisting, chopping and manipulating them into a completely new composition, the pair create a brooding post-dancehall/soul fusion, gaining the perfect balance between ethereal beauty and heavy dancefloor menace. Bukem-esque pads and deep dub elegance give way to pounding kicks and floating harmonies, relentlessly building a wall of sonic beauty.

Remixes come from France's dub mad scientist Moresounds, who ups the jungle influence with a classic Reese-style bassline and signature rolling snare chops, whilst retaining the balance between dark & light and Montreal-based newcomer Thomas White who flips the vibe completely for a slo-mo Soulection style builder.

'Ela Mandou Esperar' is a stomping, soulful Brazilian funk taken from Cassiano's sought after 'Imagem E Som' LP from 1971. A big hint of Northern Soul to this one to!

'Uma Vida' - big drums, piano and lush backing vocals as you would expect from Dom Salvador - a dramatic start that flips into joyous call-and-response funk/ soul. Taken from the awesome 1971 'Som, Sangue E Raça' LP.

Passion for Jazz and Soul Music.
Reekee, a remarkable young and talented artist from Modena (Italy) not only plays the keys as an extention of his mind but his true and pure sound makes you feel warm and connected from first notes. A mixture of broken beats with soulful melodies & analog drummin' and reminds early Mr. Fingers tracks.
You often get a Nu-jazz feeling and can clearly hear the jazz influences between the funky House beats. Because it's so difficult to describe the feeling you get listening to his music, you should hear it yourse.

finally repressed

Back in February 2013, shortly after their impressive first release as a label, Music Is Love launched a double VA entitled Lovebox: an 8 track double-vinyl release that included tracks from 8 talented up-and-coming producers on their roster. By innovatively previewing the producers in this way, the label laid the foundations for what listeners could expect for each artists' subsequent EPs. The artists who released on it were not hyped up flavours of the month, but rather emerging talents who sat perfectly with the label's musical ethos - quality and original underground house with a contemporary, dynamic feel. Since the VA, the label have gone from strength to strength and have firmly established themselves as one of the most brightest house labels around in the UK.

Just over a year later and following in the success of its predecessor, MIL return with their second VA and with that, a chance for listeners to hear the new additions they've acquired, in addition to some already known faces. Liam Geddes opens proceedings with Untitled. A deep sense of soul permeates the whole track as a rumbling baseline imbues the beat with an ever-present sense of groove that never lets the head stop nodding. Geddes has really fine tuned and matured his sound over the past year, and this track is further evidence of his quality as a producer. The subtle percussive rhythms, electronic bleeps and synth nuances give this track a natural flow, as Geddes conjures something altogether more hypnotic, dark and purposeful.
Mr.KS, one of the newcomers to the label, outlines his coolly crafted style with track (Music) Makes Me Stronger. Brittle drums and deep warped synths suck you in and out and shape the structure of the beat, while afflicted chord patterns combine with the hypnotic repetition of a vocal sample to give the track a gesture towards techno but with a flow that pulls in house elements. Cassio Kohl introducers himself with a warm, melodic house number; rumbling synths circulate in the background of the track while ticking hi-hats and snares play off against the sumptuous vocal sample, which builds and falls back nicely into its original path until electronic glitches sporadically ease in and move the beat forward.

Jamie Trench has been making some serious headway of late and his track I Want You with Rebel serves a timely reminder of a producer on top form. A heavy, rolling baseline resonates intently, building against murky vocal samples, shuffling snares and off-beat key stabs that grow in presence and intensity - a track that will no doubt prove a high point in any DJ set. Label boss Oli Furness has a raw knack for creating crisp, heavy sounds and Take Monday Off remains on a similar path, albeit the beauty lies in the subtlety of arrangements rather than bigger hitting sounds. Chopped shimmying keys tease, filter and build fluently with urgent hi-hats and swinging drums that flourish harmoniously together, while an understated baseline adds weight and rhythmic groove typically inherent in Furness' work.

Italian heavyweight Tuccillo has released on some of the most reputable labels on the circuit - releases for 20:20 Vision and Freerange is evidence enough of his provenance - and this time he brings his baleric house sound with the impeccable sounds of DubFlanged Gru. Shimmering percussion shakes meander against the bumping bassline while the endearing, muffled vocals that threaten to break out are superseded by breeze-block keys that filter and descend into a chattering groove. Dutch producer U Know The Drill brings things back into heavier house territory with a no-nonsense, stripped-back stomper, the type of track we've been used to hearing on Dutch affiliates New Jack City's material. Heavy snares kick with a punch, and the deep drone-like vocal swings against the wobbling baseline and tapestry of electronic bleeps. Other sampled vocals and glitches weave in with the juxtaposing elements playing off one another to huge effect, ensuring that sheer energy pervades the track.

Jackson Ryland rounds off the heavy 8 track VA - scattering hi-hats and swirling pads build, while the shuffling drums roll on until fleeting chord flourishes and a musky vocal hook bring the track into wistful nostalgia. The elements of track balance superbly and are propelled forward by the intricate drum arrangements and well-crafted hi-hat/vocal combo.
The difference in approach and outcome from each artist results in yet another highly impressive outcome, with 8 high grade tracks that show another side to Music Is Love. The sounds are tougher and the mood is darker, but the premise of the whole MIL concept remains more apparent than ever with this release: sourcing fresh underground talent, curating original electronic music and evolving artists already on the roster.

Growing up in a royal household in Nigeria, Joni Haastrup began his musical journey performing for his brothers band Sneakers and was quickly snapped up as a vocalist for Orlando Julius Ekemode and his Modern Aces' Super Afro Soul LP, one of Afro-beat's formative LPs. Soon after, Ginger Baker of Cream fame replaced Steve Winwood with Joni on keys for Airforce's UK concerts in '71 and the success of the collaboration led to further shows with Baker as part of the SALT project before he returned to Nigeria to set up MonoMono. Back in London in 1978, Joni recorded his solo gem Wake Up Your Mind for the Afrodesia imprint. Coming in a Deluxe gatefold Replika LP with printed sleeves.

The poised, confident 'Stranded' remains the favourite for many fans of the band's earlier works and it's not difficult to see why. From the hurtling urban alienation of album opener 'Street Life' to the soulful, contemplative closer 'Sunset' it's a perfect example Roxy's expert balance between style and substance. To all intents and purposes it's probably the most Roxy Music' of the band's peerless catalogue.

The debut vinyl release of Detroit underground mainstay Sterling Toles features tracks produced between 1998 and 2006, recently unearthed by Sector 7-G Recordings. Sterling emerges from a scene of producers that prided themselves on sampling distressed vinyl and lo-fi analog production as a reflection of the mental and physical environment of the post-industrial city. Sterling carries that sonic dialect with him as he nomadically incorporates the language of other genres, variously exploring soul, ambient, Detroit techno, and folk sensibilities. From the ambient/folk impressions of "grace, i will now let go..." to "inga 135" sounding like 90's jazz-inspired hip-hop having a ghettotech dream, "Archival Arteries" is grounded in the sonic palette associated with Detroit's ethereal and minimalist boom bap hip-hop style. These tracks hold the imprints of Detroit's expansive musical institutions such as The Electrifying Mojo, The New Dance Show, and CBC radio's Brave New Waves. Created with just an Ensonic EPS sampler and a VS 1880, this EP captures the fluid musings of this indelible artist

RAWAX is very honoured to welcome a true House legend to the family. Mr. Roy Davis Jr joined forces with us to present some of his greatest releases re-mastered & back on vinyl!
We're starting with "The Wild Life E.P." from 1994.

Added on board the Chicago house production team Phuture, as a replacement for DJ Pierre, Roy Davis Jr. later followed his mentor to New York and worked at Strictly Rhythm, recording his own singles for Force Inc., Big Big Trax and Power Music. Originally born in California, Davis moved to Chicago's south side early in his childhood. After being turned on by legendary acid-house pioneers like Phuture and Lil' Louis, he became a DJ and began producing as well, with his first single, "20 Below," recorded for the Jack Trax label.

Roy describes the music that he makes as "soul electrica"; soul music mixed with electronics. His style has changed and grown up through the years as he has been going back to his spiritual roots in house music, away from the sound that he once was associated with - Phuture's "acid" and "wild pitch." The sound he is working on is expanding more on the soulful side combining an unmistakable deep funk sound of Chicago.

Gerd Janson and Phillip Lauer are creatures of habit. Every week, the two club veterans meet up at Phillip's studio and spend an entire day making tunes. And while Gerd often likes to joke that his role in the arrangement is limited to making coffee and looking at his cell phone, it's clear that the two men have forged a potent partnership, one that's been responsible for an astonishing amount of dancefloor heat over the past few years.

Incredibly, this German pair has managed to maintain a relatively low profile, despite the steady stream of music they've released via well-respected labels like Unterton, Delsin, Internasjonal, Permanent Vacation and Live at Robert Johnson. And then there are the remixes—Azari & III, Scuba, The Juan Maclean, Fort Romeau, Avalon Emerson, Massimiliano Pagliara and Sinkane are just a small sampling of the artists who've enlisted Tuff City Kids to work their studio magic.

Throughout it all, there have been whispers of a proper Tuff City Kids album, and now that Adoldesscent has arrived, it will be all but impossible for the duo to linger in the background. After all, the LP is anything but shy—thanks in part to hooky vocal turns from the likes of Annie, Joe Goddard, Kelley Polar and Jasnau—and even the album's instrumental cuts feature some clear nods to various eras of dance-pop, from the boogie-inflected funk of 'Wake People' to the breakbeat techno of 'Boilered' and the tweaky rave nostalgia of 'Nordo.' Elsewhere, first single 'Labyrinth' is an infectious bit of new wave, while the guitar-driven 'Scared' recalls the gloomier side of '80s pop and 'Tell Me' is perhaps the record's most playfully soulful moment.

DJs will likely gravitate toward the darting strings of 'Aska' and breezy vibes of 'Farewell House,' yet Adoldesscent isn't entirely focused on the dancefloor. Dreamy opener 'Ophmar' evokes the legacy of John Carpenter, while the crunchy 'R-Mancer' offers up a sort of psychedelic synth freakout.

Much like the Tuff City Kids themselves, Adoldesscent isn't about any one style or sound in particular. It is, however, a cohesive effort, along with proof that the different corners of the electronic spectrum have a lot more in common than we'd all like to admit. More importantly, it's a whole lot of fun, and isn't that what dance music is supposed to be about anyways

The Sound of Detroit by one of it's unsung heroes, Amp Fiddlers new album Motor City Booty comes straight off the D Funk assembly line, a full on dance floor affair from Motown to P-Funk, Techno and Neo Soul.
This 11 track album produced by Yam Who & includes the massive Soul Fly sounding like a Mark Ronson production had he been hanging out with George Clinton's Parlet followed by the bonafide P-Funk anthem 'Steppin' both featuring the stunning vocals by the Dames Brown girls.
Amp Fiddler is credited for taking both a young J Dilla and also Q-Tip under his wing teaching them Akai MPC techniques, setting the path for some of Hip Hops finest recordings which have defined the shape of things to come.

Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home is the third studio album by American Blues artist Taj Mahal. A double album, the first disc (Giant Step) is electric, while the second (De Ole Folks at Home) is acoustic.

The nine cuts on Giant Step feature support from the instrumental trio of Jessie Ed Davis (guitar/keyboards), Gary Gilmore (bass) and Chuck Blackwell (drums). The arrangements are unique and offer the artist's distinctive approach.

Those who are searching for an introduction when discovering Taj Mahal's voluminous catalogue are encouraged to consider Giant Step as a highly recommended starting point.

Third release of Dancing like Quagmire, italian white label (vinyl only) born to make you dance shouting 'GIGGITY GIGGITY GO'!!! Mini-album with five tracks deeply rooted in 20th century Russian culture in which Neotnas is showing his poetic music style wandering between rough drum patterns, old dusty samples (hard to dig for sure) and hypnotics saxophone melodies. A-side starts with dreamy downtempo intro Elin, followed by crispy broken rhythms of Colourful Tension and closes with breezy and fluffy Don't Rush with Dubjazz. B-side contains mighty deep house trip Morning Way, and outro Come, where the main character is undoubtedly Ivan Pona's magic sax which created an illusory atmosphere over Neotnas's soul beat.

Stutter & Twitch Records proudly presents the first in an exclusive series of 7" record releases, debuting two previously unreleased tracks on vinyl, from Latino Funk crusaders, Bugalu Foundation. These two spellbinding sides combine the irresistible fusion of Reggae, Funk and Soul with the beats of 'El Barrio' and the Hispanic traditions of Latin America.
Sounds amazing. Blown away. Great studio sound. Heavy!" - Snowboy it's the latin sound done seriously well, this is the real deal" - Craig Charles, Funk and Soul Show, BBC 6 Music
As well as attracting the attention of Craig Charles, appearing as his support act at Hull's Freedom Festival and being regularly played on his Radio 2 and 6 Music shows, Bugalu Foundation have been busy increasing their following with a number of high profile appearances across the UK, including at Gateshead International Festival, supporting Riot Jazz at legendary venue Antwerp Mansion, and opening the 19th Manchester Jazz Festival to glowing reviews.

Based out of San Francisco, Extra Classic is a unique live band formed with a keen appreciation of vintage reggae & vintage sounds. The aesthetic, and certainly the skilled method of their production, is an ode to the art of that classic style as referenced to the term coined by the Cool Ruler himself. Recording in their own studio, Nopal Recording, the band employs a taster's choice of analog equipment and is devotedly tracked, spliced and mixed in-house direct to tape. However, as the group's name itself implies, there is a dose of something extra and new in this swirling mixture of space echo, heavy phase, and emotive, psychedelic California-soul.Built upon the rock of an early-era dancehall swing, their first single in conjunction with Brooklyn-based imprint Names You Can Trust entitled In This Life, is a perfect slice of lover's rock gone sideways, a decidedly left-coast piece of roots and bliss driven by Adrianne deLanda's lovely lead vocals and the steady, dusty echoes of the locked in players. Presented in the traditional format with a version as per NYCT fashion, the dub mix incorporates a soothing dose of synare beams and underwater instrumental dreams.

A great step forward for the legendary Tim Maia - working here in a style that's even tighter and more sophisticated than before - yet still equally filled with funk and soul! The arrangements are a bit bigger than before, and the production a bit more professional - but that change only brings Tim into even more heavenly soul territory - with a mix of grooves and strings that lays somewhere between the best early 70s work on labels like Curtom or Motown! Tim's got a new sense of majesty on the album - and also sings in English in a few spots - at a level that makes us wonder why he was never able to crack the American soul market at the time. An essential record from the man who brought American soul music to Brazil - with tracks that include "Over Again", "New Love", "Balanco", "Reu Confesso", "Preciso Ser Amado", "Amores", and "Do Your Thing Behave Yourself".

No light at the end of the tunnel. No helping hand to pull you out of the hole. No second chances. No God to cure this deadly disease. No heaven to save your soul after your final seconds... Hope will hold on, but in the end, death shall claim it.

All this, we understand a little more, day by day.

We will experience our absolute zero, and the stages of life that come as close. We think that we will never recover and that we are not strong enough to fight against it. Our immaculate, peaceful souls, that we begin our lives with, start to bleed, and slowly get torn into, bit by bit by the cold hard truth that breaks our protective walls.

We learn to handle and accept this even as pieces of us shatter and die every time a little bit more inside us. To give light, we must endure burning. But what if everything we are able to burn is gone
There is no other way... We are falling apart a bit more, every day...
Dedicated to this state of mind.

Having effortlessly chalked up 10 stunning releases, the SHADELEAF crew decided to let the catalogue do the talking loud and proud with some remixes from the cream of the Deep House crop ! Byron The Aquarius, Al Zanders, Luke Solomon & Inkswel all provide sophisticated but raw reinterpretations of some choice Shadeleaf catalogue cuts, bringing a new lease of life to these predominantly vocal jams and putting new flesh on the Soulful bones in the process An incredible start for the label, celebrated in fine style with some heavyweight re-do's - yes indeed ! Top drawer isht
Another Shadeleaf sureshot !

*Partial Records are proud to announce their 50th release!
*This one features the melodic and soulful vocals of El Indio - an ex-member of Reality Souljahs - who gives us a history lesson in true traditional roots and culture reggae style.
* This rides a cut of the same steppers rhythm featured on Danny Red's `False Preacher Man' (PRTL7033).
* Backed with a ruff and tuff dub version entitled `Royal Legacy Dub'.
* Produced by Liam McGurk and mixed by Dougie `Conscious Sounds'.