Cerca:cafe groove

Stülpdeckelschachtel (316 X 316 X 45 Mm) Mit Banderole & Edlem Satin-hebeband, 6 X Lp-kastentaschen Mit Spotlack & Schwarzen Innenhüllen, 36-seitiges Lp-booklet, Download-code, Sticker.

Another Taste is back with their follow up album: Another Taste II delivers eight new cuts of boogie, funk, and obscure disco influenced productions, recorded live to tape. Comes with Download code.

After lighting up renowned clubs like KOKO London, Jazz Café London,Tresor Berlin, New Morning Paris, and festivals like Love Supreme (UK), Lost Village (UK), Nuits Sonores (FR), Hamburg Jazz (DE), Lowlands (NL), ADE Amsterdam - the band has surfaced from the studio anew, mixing myth with music.

If their debut record in 2024 was an introduction to their musical range, Another Taste II is the full immersion. The two-sided album plays like a neon-lit cab ride where the radio is set to groove. Expanding their palette with sharper songwriting, denser arrangements, and a fictional universe.

The album showcases Another Taste’s collective at full strength: Barend Lippens, Bobby van Putten, Bob Roche, Teun van Zoggel, Sarina Voorn, Diogo Carvalho, and Florian Verhagen. Together they summon a sound that is electrifying, communal, and unmistakably theirs, joined on “Peace Call” by Arp Frique and the Perpetual Singers, and bolstered throughout by a dedicated brass section.

Another Taste II is engineered and mixed by Bobby van Putten, mastered at The Carvery by Frank Merritt, with artwork and design by Timo ter Braak, Walt van der Veen and Robert Reinartz.

The new album presents a collaborative creation that’s both timeless and unpredictable, pulling listeners deeper into the band’s universe with every spin.

A welcome return for Boogie Café on vinyl with one of the standout moments from Piers Kirwan’s COLLABS series receives a high-spec remix package from the legendary Sean McCabe.

Sean McCabe delivers three distinct flavours: the main vocal remix provides a sophisticated, club-ready pulse; the Cosmos Dub shifts gears into syncopated, bruk-leaning territory; and the Instrumental offers pure groove utility.

This physical release features a Vinyl-Only Exclusive Dub, making this a must-have.

Italian multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and vocalist Alex Puddu is returning with at brand new album "Francia Meccanica" A strong set of songs with catchy hook lines and up tempo groove. Taking us back to the late ’80s and early ’90s disco-house production with refined, sexy vibes that introduces eroticism in both Italian and French. It’s a perfect cocktail mix that pairs seamlessly with Alex’s voice and performance, beats, funky bass, acid sax, and sultry French spoken words. Alex Puddu brings pop disco and retro vibes back in trend — always essential to his style and musical world — and sweeps us into wild French nights blending transgression and romance.

Daniele Baldelli
Considered one of the first DJs in Italy, Daniele Baldelli began his career in 1969 mixing vinyl at the Tana Club in Cattolica (his hometown),
predating the birth of the modern DJ by several years. In the following years, he solidified his talent and technique at histor such as the Tabù Club, Baia degli Angeli, and Cosmic. From 1979 to 1984, Baldelli created his unique and eclectic style, blendi ic clubs ng seemingly distant sounds and musical styles, complementing them with tempo adjustments (bpm) and deliberately extreme equalization,
creating a truly distinctive sound, known as "Afro Disco." Soundscapes and tribal percussion blend with early electronic music experiments, and Baldelli's sets become truly mystical experiences, where, for the first time, the temples are replaced by the dance floor.
The documentary film "A Cosmic Life" has just been released, starring Daniele Baldelli alongside other illustrious guests from the nightclub scene, recounting the history and formation of this movement from the 1970s to the present.
Gaudi
A producer/musician among the most highly regarded on the international dub/electronic scene, over the past 30 years Gaudi, from his
London studio, has contributed significantly to expanding the boundaries of musical genres with high-profile releases and innovative
music production techniques. Recently nominated for a Grammy Award with 'Mass Manipulation', the album he produced for the reggae
band Steel Pulse, and also nominated for a World Music Award with his album 'Dub Qawwali' with Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali
Khan, Gaudi has collected a series of number 1s on the international charts: Billboard - with the album 'Heavy Rain' by Lee "Scratch"
Perry, 'Vessel of Love' by singer Hollie Cook and with 'Mass Manipulation' by Steel Pulse -, UK Chart n.1 with the album 'Prism' by the
band The Orb (with whom he has collaborated as a producer and keyboardist since 2008), with 'Blue Monday' - by Gaudi himself with
the band Dub Pistols -, UK Dance Chart n.1 with 'Jus Come rmx' produced with DJ Angelino for Cool Jack. He also reached no. 41 the UK charts with the album ‘Midnight Rocker’ by reggae singer Horace Andy (known to the general public for his hits with Massive in
Attack), no. 13 with the album ‘Dubwise 2’ by the band Dreadzone and no. 5 in the Italian charts with the song ‘Lasciala Andare’, written
by him for Irene Grandi. With 19 solo albums and 350 remixes and productions under his belt, Gaudi, with his artistic versatility, has
worked with Groove Armada, UB40, Simple Minds, Brian Ferry, Devo, Big Audio Dynamite, Damian Marley, Seun Kuti, Mad Professor,
Trentemøller, Grandmaster Flash ft KRS-One, Lamb, Don Letts, The Beat, Deep Forest, African Head Charge (in which Gaudi is a keyboardist and dubmaster), Elisa, Scientist, Dub FX, Roedelius, Caparezza, Caravan Palace, EMF, Sizzla, Jovanotti, Sly & Robbie, Piero Pelù, Youth of Killing Joke, and Maxi Priest, to name just a few. Capleton,
Daniele Baldelli & Gaudi
DJ Daniele Baldelli and producer Gaudi first met three years ago at the Jazz Cafe in London. Mutual respect and an innate need to
create new stylistic fusions were the catalysts for Baldelli and Gaudi, leading to a series of subsequent meetings that inevitably culminated in the need to create music together. The project began at Gaudi's Metatron Studio in London using analog equipment and later
moved to Baldelli's studio in Cattolica, where the two organically defined their sound, also inspired by Baldelli's precious record collection. The duo consolidated a powerful compositional symbiosis, and the project, born from a simple initial groove, later transformed
into an entire EP consisting of four original tracks and a highly innovative sound, featuring fusions of psychedelic-funk, tribal-dub,
electronic-disco, and, of course, "Afro-Cosmic"! Daniele Baldelli and Gaudi began their sonic collaboration without setting any stylistic
direction and with the intention of not creating pre-established goals to achieve; it is a project of pure artistic freedom guided by their
compositional instinct and their experience. Constantly active with their evenings and live concerts, Baldelli and Gaudi have performed
individually in many of the best international clubs and festivals.

On his sixth studio release Roulette, the prolific producer, songwriter, pianist and MC Alfa Mist has created his own sci-fi universe - a vast dystopia where themes of revenge, forgiveness and redemption loom large.

Alfa Mist’s albums have always tackled big themes. This time, however, he explores an imagined near-future in which reincarnation is discovered to be a potent tool linking dreams and past lives. But with this discovery comes consequences: ethical, moral and philosophical. “If reincarnation is real, how does that shape society?” he explains. “If reincarnation means accumulation of knowledge, would you share it and enable everyone to understand more about the world? Or do you struggle for power? And do some people want to stop others from remembering who they were?”

Over 15 tracks, Alfa explores these ideas with heady potency. Each song is a spin of the wheel – a different song and character. The musician’s signature is still there – lambent keys, intuitive groove, free-flowing jazz improvisation – but Roulette is imbued with a smoky psychedelia. An immersive listen, this album is designed “to feel” on every level, says Alfa. It also contains some of his most impressive arrangements yet - see the eight-minute title track that effortlessly flips through time signatures – “because life’s like that,” says Mist; it’s not always linear.

Roulette underlines Alfa Mist as one of the most forward-thinking composers in UK music, with poignant, plaintive melodies that lodge deep in your psyche. “I’m exploring different parts of myself,” he says. “But obviously, as I grow, all of those parts change. Music is a constant; it’s my state of mind that I constantly chisel and work on and make sure that’s always growing and staying interested in new things. As long as I do that, it’ll come out in the music.”

On his sixth studio release Roulette, the prolific producer, songwriter, pianist and MC Alfa Mist has created his own sci-fi universe - a vast dystopia where themes of revenge, forgiveness and redemption loom large.

Alfa Mist’s albums have always tackled big themes. This time, however, he explores an imagined near-future in which reincarnation is discovered to be a potent tool linking dreams and past lives. But with this discovery comes consequences: ethical, moral and philosophical. “If reincarnation is real, how does that shape society?” he explains. “If reincarnation means accumulation of knowledge, would you share it and enable everyone to understand more about the world? Or do you struggle for power? And do some people want to stop others from remembering who they were?”

Over 15 tracks, Alfa explores these ideas with heady potency. Each song is a spin of the wheel – a different song and character. The musician’s signature is still there – lambent keys, intuitive groove, free-flowing jazz improvisation – but Roulette is imbued with a smoky psychedelia. An immersive listen, this album is designed “to feel” on every level, says Alfa. It also contains some of his most impressive arrangements yet - see the eight-minute title track that effortlessly flips through time signatures – “because life’s like that,” says Mist; it’s not always linear.

Roulette underlines Alfa Mist as one of the most forward-thinking composers in UK music, with poignant, plaintive melodies that lodge deep in your psyche. “I’m exploring different parts of myself,” he says. “But obviously, as I grow, all of those parts change. Music is a constant; it’s my state of mind that I constantly chisel and work on and make sure that’s always growing and staying interested in new things. As long as I do that, it’ll come out in the music.”

The magic of A Vision of Panorama returns with the new album Serene Architect — a meditative yet rhythmic journey through luminous musical structures. This is a record about space: physical, internal, emotional.

Known for his soft Balearic touch, coastal synths, and an almost telepathic sense of groove, A Vision of Panorama offers something more here — a designed world where every sound functions as a piece of sonic architecture.

The album features tracks previously released on the legendary Café del Mar — On Avance, Baby Konyawa, Rumbabuena, Golden Sand, Neon Whispers - now reimagined in exclusive versions created specifically for vinyl. These new interpretations sound deeper and more expansive, subtly reinforcing the album’s architectural concept: to renew the familiar without destroying its essence. Architecture of calm, harmony in motion - Serene Architect designs sound for open skies and slow dances beneath the sun.

When The Style Council’s debut album Café Bleu was released in 1984, Weller and wing-man Mick Talbot unveiled a cosmopolitan blend of jazz, soul, and pop that felt effortlessly sophisticated and daringly fresh. Café Bleu was more than a debut—it was a statement of intent, redefining what British pop could sound like in a new decade.

Since then, fans have been waiting for a deep dive into the Style Council vaults eager to hear any unreleased material. And now the wait is over.

The Café Bleu Special Edition is a treasure trove for Style Council devotees and music lovers alike - an immersive journey into one of the most inventive eras of Paul Weller’s career. This lavish release unveils a wealth of previously unheard material, including early demos, alternate takes, and unreleased songs that showcase the band’s restless drive for experimentation and evolution.

Isle of Jura teams up with French digger Switch Groove on the next compilation titled ‘Archipelago – Cosmic Fusion Gems from France (1978-1988)’.

Switch Groove explains the concept “When I seriously began to search for and collect records, I was mostly interested in sounds from african-american, afro-latin and UK contemporary scenes. Sounds from distant territories, faraway from my native Massif Central, a highland region in the middle of France. The grass is always greener, I guess however, as I was digging in fleamarkets in the early sunday morning light, as well as spending regular sessions in second hands record shops, I began to discover hidden treasures, underground gems and side-projects of an unknown French musical repertoire.

French music is often reduced to its most famous musical forms, characters and signatures : French songwriting and voices, 60s yéyé, prog rock concept albums and soundtrack explorations, 80’s indie rock scene or more recently electronic French touch. All these sounds have a common feature : a geographical link, forged on mainland French territory, following the contour of the so-called Hexagone, the border that shapes the grounds for an homogeneous cultural expression. But beyond this showcase lie more complex, hybrid and global French productions. From French Caribbean Antilles to Parisian suburbs - especially during the ‘Sono Mondiale’ era -, in French areas outside urban cultural centers, musicians have created fusion and cosmic musical expressions. As the mid-seventies meant a greater freedom to make and record music, a wider use of electronic instruments like synthesizers and drum machines helped to deliver some magical projects you could only find lost in the middle of cheap records during a sunny record digging session. I selected these tracks, in an attempt to shape an ARCHIPELAGO that highlights significative contributions of African diasporas and ultramarine territories into French musical borders. It is the map of a land I have gradually drawn, thanks to deep listening of amazing cosmic and fusion tunes. I hope you enjoy the journey.”

2025 LTD repress ! BE FAST !

Since the first releases of ECHT!, one question has been on everyone's lips: does this act belong on a live stage, or is their music best experienced through a set of powerful speakers in a packed, sweaty club? With their third album, 'Boilerism', the band finally settles the debate, diving headfirst into the heart of club culture and bringing the ecstatic energy of the dance floor to the live stage.



Since their debut with the EP DOUF (2019), followed by the full-length albums Inwane (2021) and Sink-Along (2023), ECHT! has consistently been building a reputation for redefining their musical standards, blending deep grooves and adding raw textures. With 'Boilerism', they pick up the pace, exploring genres like acid, drum & bass, footwork, and UK garage. all while retaining their signature love for the unexpected. The album features tracks filled with sudden shifts and twists that keep listeners on their toes. Known for transforming electronic, hip-hop, and jazz influences into live-performed compositions, ECHT! continues to deliver a fresh perspective on electronic music that feels both innovative and uncompromising.



The album's title, a nod to the underground club scene and its unifying energy, captures the album's spirit: music that challenges limits, encourages experimentation, and unites through its intensity.



Opening with tracks like Boilerbeek, Wacky Wave, and the single Highed, the band builds upon the foundations of their two previous albums. However, it's with Mtwk Parts 3 & 4, a direct continuation of earlier chapters, that the energy kicks into higher gear. Midway, the album ventures into harder, more intense territory, showcasing the band's confident evolution. A brief but intricate interlude, Black Sablon, offers a layered moment of respite before the intensity returns. From there, ECHT! fully embraces their club-oriented sound with acid-infused bangers like Klaas Rescue and the provocatively titled BK-hole. These tracks leave no doubt about their intent, delivering straight-up, relentless dancefloor energy that captures the essence of their live performances.



The album concludes with Penguin Alfred, a thoughtful and emotive finale that seamlessly transitions between ambient soundscapes and delicate breakbeats, highlighting the band's dynamic range and creative depth.



It's been three years since ECHT!'s debut album Inwane, followed by their second LP Sink-Along in 2023, both released on Sdban Ultra. Their music has garnered acclaimfrom notable outlets such as Mixmag, DJ Mag, and Tsugi while earning support from respected DJs including Lefto, Gilles Peterson, and Jamz Supernova on BBC Radio 6. ECHT! has performed at iconic venues such as the Jazz Café (London), AB (Brussels), Melkweg & Paradiso (Amsterdam), and Gretchen (Berlin). Their most recent tour spanned 14 countries, including Mexico and India.

Torn Hawk is no newcomer…he’s been lurking in the corners, creeping in and between various arts worlds for well over a decade: spoken word slice of life narrations as heard on NTS Radio and Trilogy Tapes; more guitar-oriented song structural work on Mexican Summer; extensive videography (PPU Party Volumes One and Two along with music videos for Torn Hawk as well as Bicep, Xosar, and more); and more beat-focused work as seen on Unknown To The Unknown and as is featured here on his 12” for Fixed Rhythms.

Euphoria in a concrete rainforest. The joys of plumbing the depths of your own inner darkness. 80s synth sounds with soaring guitars and police sirens and rhythmic vocal snips. Distorted bass line bombers. S l o w e d down breakbeats. Offkilter, stomping grooves for the seasoned freaks. Mid-tempo heavy hitters fit for those thirsty for slime and hungry for grit. Step inside and get your fill!

Credits:
Mastered by Dietrich Schoenemann.
Design by Nick Owen.
Distributed by One Eye Witness.

Season by season, we raise a toast to our artists and guests by creating a new collection of sounds. Cafe Soda Selects Volume One captures all the memories of the past year. The A-side starts with Crymes . The track captures the essence of summer with its vibrant dub rhythms and sultry 90s vibes, featuring irresistibly sexy vocals that embody pure feel-good energy. A2 sets the stage for Ben Balances , a vibrant track that seizes the eclectic energies of people, weaving together dynamic rhythms and the deep essence of souls. It is a musical journey that celebrates the unique spirit and rhythmic soulfulness inherent in us all. On the flip, check out the two originals from FMN, the latest project by Frag Maddin and Najeh. is a catchy groove that easily grabs every dancer with its rolling bassline. The song has no breaks, allowing ravers to stay in trance. With , B2 celebrates a raw house anthem with a memorable theme, thick kick, banging clap, and a wild hi-hat swing. An homage to the 90s powerhouse era.

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

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


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

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

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

Luca LTJ Trevisi (LTJ Xperience) began his dj/producer career in the 80s. As resident dj in two of the most famous Italian clubs of the
time, Kinky in Bologna and Cap Creus in Imola, he was one of the first Italian jocks to spin House and to re-propose those black music,
jazz and latin-bossa classics from the 70s that at the end of the same decade would have given birth to the Acid Jazz and Rare Groove
movements. His first single release in 1988, titled First Job, together with Kekkotronics, was also the first release ever on Bologna
based Irma Records. It was featured in a lot of compilations of the time and entered several playlists, rapidly reaching cult status for
many UK and US djs. During the early 90s LTJ delivered a couple of singles in a kind of pre-breakbeat style: Dont Stop The Sax, released all over Europe, and Funky Superfly. He also produced US singer Tameka Starrs single Going In Circles, always for Irma Records, still a classic in the downtempo/r&b field. In the second half of the nineties Luca began to produce acid jazz bands like Bossa
Nostra, still today one of Irma Records main acts. Their first album had Vicky Anderson as special guest and today is still considered
one of the most important European acid jazz albums. In the following years he concentrated on developing his activity as collector
and rare vinyl merchant, which gave him the chance to get in touch with djs from all over the World and to discover many forgotten
gems from the past years. Thanks to this experience he was able to create two extremely successful rarities series on Irma Records:
Groovy and Suono Libero. In the meanwhile LTJ started to dj outside Italy too, performing in important venues like the Blue Note and
Jazz Café in London, Giant Step in New York and Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. In 1999 saw the release of his first solo
album under the LTJ Xperience moniker. The album was produced with the collaboration of fellow Irma artist and producer Ohm Guru
and had Taka Boom and Jackson Sloan among the guests. Two of the main tracks on the album are brazil house classic Sombre
Guitar and title track Moon Beat, which became a true hit of the Chill Out genre, featured in dozens of important compilations.
After making countless productions for Irma Records, including their second album When The Rain Begins To Fall (with the participation
of the historic Spanish-American singer Joe Bataan), and the recents singles as ORGAN MIND / I LOVE YOU (favorite track by Larry
Heard ) & ON THE FLOOR / SOUND MACHINE, LTJ is devoted almost exclusively to re-edit and reconstruct tracks from the past with
the addition of sounds and rhythms in post production for labels like SUPER VALUE, SMALL WORLD DISCO, HOT GROOVY RECORDS, OH CRISTO! increasing the production of this new musical genre that is currently defined as beatdown/slo-mo, working with
international labels such as Far Out Recordings, Sleazy Beats, Future Classics, E.A.R. Music For Dreams, Apersonal Music, Roam
Recordings, !K7.

The latest three CDs on the Irma label “I Don’t Want This Groove To Ever End” (2012), “Ain’t Nothing But A Groove” (2013), “Don’t Let
The System Get You Down” (2015) and “Beggar Groove” (2017) show the funkiest and grooviest side of LTJ !
In the last years LTJ has literally toured the world, some really important and popular Festivals have booked him for his reknown DJ
Set performances, Scottish Soul Weekender (Dumfries, Scotland), Mareh Festival (Boipeba Island, Brazil), Garden Festival (Tisno,
Croatia), Jazz Refound Festival (Vercelli, Italy)
And visiting Cities like: Tel Aviv, Skopje(Macedonia), Belfast e Derry (Ireland), London, New York, Berlin, Bucarest, Amsterdam, Paris,
Marsille, Barcelona, and Vilnius (Lithuania). just to name a few.
Deepening of a Groove is the new album, the fifth dedicated to the research of sounds Disco Funk from its origins revisited by today's
rhythms and the dancefloor feeling of 2000. For the first time on this album 4 sung songs appear. Bad Side (already released in single
version) and Infiltrator are sung by Anduze, soul singer from Los Angeles also known for his collaboration with Parov Stelar. I'm Gonna
Funk U and Stranger are sung by the Marche singer AdniL for the first time in collaboration with LTJ.

From playing chaotic house parties in their home city of Oxford to becoming major festival headliners across Europe, Foals' trajectory has been remarkable. They've earned critical acclaim (NME and Q Award wins, plus Mercury Prize, Ivor Novello and BRIT Award nominations) and fan devotion (1.7 million sales of their four Gold-certified albums) in equal measure. And while the majority of contemporaries have fallen by the wayside, Foals continue to hit new peaks.

After more than a decade in the game, Foals again embrace that love for the unconventional with the bravest and most ambitious project of their career: not one, but two astonishing new albums: 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost'. A pair of releases, separate but related, they share a title, themes and artwork. 'Part 1' will be released on March 8th, with 'Part 2' following later in the year.

'They're two halves of the same locket,' frontman Yannis Philippakis explains. 'They can be listened to and appreciated individually, but fundamentally, they are companion pieces.

Fundamentally tethered but possessing their own personalities, the two bodies capture the most compelling, ambitious and cohesive creations they've ever produced. Eager to break the traditional pop song structure which they felt they were becoming increasingly tapered to, the 20 tracks defy expectation. There are exploratory, progressive-tinged tracks alongside atmospheric segues which make the music an experience rather than a mere collection of songs. Yet the band's renowned ability to wield relentless grooves with striking power and skyscraper hooks also reaches new heights.

The album's lead single 'Exits' is a case in point, featuring Philippakis conjuring the image of a disorienting world via a contagious vocal melody. It's a fresh anthem for Foals' formidable arsenal, but also an ominous forecast.

'There's a definite idea about the world being no longer habitable in the way that it was,' says Yannis. 'A kind of perilousness lack of predictability and a feeling of being overwhelmed by the magnitudes of the problems we face. What's the response And what's the purpose of any response that one individual can have'

'Exits' signposts what to expect thematically from both instalments of 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost'. The title is a warning that anything - from the tiniest fleeting moment of inspiration through to the planet's own biological diversity - can be under threat of being irrevocably erased.

It's a theme that permeates throughout the album's material, as Foal mirror the public neuroses that have been provoked by our current cultural climate. Paranoia of state surveillance Fear of environmental collapse Anxiety over Trump's next potentially cataclysmic move It's all there in these apocalyptic songs.

'Lyrically, there are resonances with what's going on in the world at the moment,' summarises Yannis. 'I just feel like, what's the utility of being a musician these days, if you can't engage with at least some of this stuff These songs are white flags, or they're SOSs, or they're cries for help... each in a different way.'

The new albums' journeys began as the 'What Went Down' era ended. Founding bassist Walter Gervers departed on amicable terms after playing the Festival Paredes de Coura in Portugal in August 2017. Foals felt that he couldn't be replaced - a decision that ushered in a period of recalibration, reorganisation and, ultimately, rejuvenation.

After taking a little time out, Foals - completed by Jimmy Smith (guitar), Jack Bevan (drums) and Edwin Congreave (keys) reconvened - with Yannis on production duties, who, together with Edwin, also covered the bass parts. They began by writing in a rehearsal space before exporting those sketches into the recording phase at 123 Studios, Peckham, with the assistance of engineer Brett Shaw. They'd repeat the cycle between the two spaces, effectively creating an ongoing feedback loop as they sought to push every new idea to the finish line.

1 x 12" black vinyl 180gsm
- label 4/c
- discobag on reverse board with matt varnish
- gatefold on reverse board with matt varnish
- shrinkwrap

Palmier is producer and rapper Rocé's new album. At the crossroads of Sade and Rakim, the album unfolds an impeccable flow over gentle melodies, the mellow sound of the saxophone softening the sharpness of the spoken truths. Rocé delivers a melody of hope, and appreciation of determination in the face of the impossible. "La Voie Lactée" features the captivating voice of Natacha Atlas and the sublime orchestrated violins of Samy Bishaï, the whole thing wrapped up in the style reminiscent of Isaac Hayes' soul and Portishead's trip-hop. "Laisse les enfants courir" reveals a soulful hip-hop, between powerful groove and relentless flow, where Rocé blends political lucidity and poetic verse while Cisko's subtle arrangements sculpt an organic, sensitive landscape, poised between tension and serenity. On "Lunaire", Rocé surprises us right away, with a sharp and melodic flow. Driven by powerful imagery and sharp lyrics, the track transforms anger into creative energy. It portrays an artist outside the mainstream, aware of the world's failings but determined to create his own haven. Palmier embodies themelancholy of unfinished struggles, perseverance, and the promise of a brighter dawn.FEAT. NATACHA ATLAS & LE VIOLONISTE SAMY BISHAI

Aufgenommen am 25. Juni 1962 live im Tsubo, einem Café in Berkeley, Kalifornien, zeigt „Full House“
den legendären Gitarristen Wes Montgomery auf dem Höhepunkt seiner Kreativität, begleitet von einem
beeindruckenden Ensemble mit dem Tenorsaxophonisten Johnny Griffn und dem Wynton Kelly Trio, das
durch seine Zusammenarbeit mit Miles Davis gereift war – dem Pianisten Wynton Kelly, dem Kontrabassisten Paul Chambers und dem Schlagzeuger Jimmy Cobb.
All About Jazz beschrieb das Album später als „einen Vorgeschmack auf das, was kommen und viel zu früh
verloren gehen sollte“, und die Darbietung wird diesem Versprechen gerecht. Was den Umfang angeht,
ist auf „Full House“ für jeden etwas dabei. Montgomerys lyrische Zurückhaltung kommt in „I’ve Grown
Accustomed to Her Face“ zum Tragen, während der mitreißende Bebop von „Blue ’N’ Boogie“ und der
lateinamerikanisch angehauchte Groove von „Cariba“ die ganze Bandbreite des dynamischen Zusammenspiels der Gruppe offenbaren. Untermalt von einem begeisterten Live-Publikum bleibt „Full House“ eine
der zugänglichsten und mitreißendsten Aufnahmen Montgomerys.
Diese Neuauflage des Albums erscheint als Teil der Original Jazz Classics Series auf 180-Gramm-Vinyl,
gepresst bei RTI, mit vollständig analogem Mastering von den Originalbändern bei Cohearent Audio und
einer Tip-On-Hülle, die das Original-Artwork originalgetreu nachbildet.

Shake Stew ist mehr als eine Band - sie ist ein Ereignis. Seit ihrer Gründung durch Bassist und Komponist Lukas Kranzelbinder umweht die Formation ein Hauch von Magie und Energie, der sich live in eine hypnotische Kraft verwandelt. Zwei Schlagzeuge, zwei Bässe und drei Bläser erzeugen einen Sound, der zwischen tranceartigen Basslinien, eruptiven Grooves und fragilen Klanggebilden oszilliert. Die Jury des Preises der deutschen Schallplattenkritik sprach von "etwas Kultischem", das den Jazz bereichert, während MOJO begeistert: "Shake Stew twists, blisters and burns like a fevered dream!" Ob im Club oder im Wiener Konzerthaus - die Band zieht alle in ihren Bann. Mit dem Jubiläumsprojekt TEN ONE TWO öffnet sich Shake Stew noch weiter: neue Klangfarben, freie Improvisationen, Kooperationen und eine Besetzung, die mit Yvonne Moriel eine aufregende Stimme integriert. Nach zehn Jahren, zahllosen Konzerten und internationalen Auszeichnungen ist klar: Shake Stew definiert Jazz als lebendige Kunstform - kompromisslos, visionär und voller Dynamit.

Rufus Wainwright's I'm a Stranger Here Myself - Wainwright Does Weill is a compelling tribute album that delves into the rich and complex songbook of German-American composer Kurt Weill. Known for his theatrical flair and vocal prowess, Wainwright brings a unique interpretation to Weill's compositions, which are celebrated for their fusion of classical, cabaret, and jazz elements. Premiering in May 2023 at New York City's Café Carlyle, "Wainwright Does Weill" marked Wainwright's first extensive exploration of Weill's repertoire. Rufus Wainwright’s fascination with Kurt Weill’s music goes back for decades — in his early twenties he wore out the vinyl grooves of Teresa Stratas’ famous Weill album. While Weill‘s musical influence can be heard in Wainwright‘s own songs, he had never dedicated an entire evening to singing the German musician’s songs, until now. With the Pacific Jazz Orchestra under the baton of Chris Walden, he has expanded the orchestral palette for his approach to Kurt Weill.

First time reissue of this French cold-wave / minimal-synth treasure.



November 1981 – In the heart of autumn, we set off in two cars along the Nationale 1 (!) to reach Choisy-le-Roi, where a 16-track studio was waiting for us—a place where, over the course of a weekend, we would finally be able to carve our own grooves into vinyl. We were quite nervous, as Guerre Froide had already been around for a year and a half. Our elders in Kas Product had already released two EPs—one with four tracks, the other with three—in 1980, even though they’d started only a few months before us. Admittedly, there wasn’t really a sense of urgency—some of us came from the punk movement, where the prevailing mood was still very much No Future, even if we’d long since stopped believing in it... And yet others had truly lost everything, like those from the generation before us. The reasons, ironically, were often the same: heroin and/or love—hard drugs, in both cases.

Speaking of which, I had a terrible stomach ache—due to nerves or some form of tension—which forced us to make a pit stop in the Oise region so I could rush to the toilet of a local café. That same stomach discomfort would hit me again once we arrived at the studio—whose name, incidentally, I’ve since forgotten...

We had gotten there thanks to the generous initiative of a friend, Sylvain S., known as “Perlin” (what a phonetic coincidence!?), who had specifically created the Stechak Products label to produce our record. Stechak because it was consistent with his earlier association called Tchernoziom, and Products as a plural tribute to the trailblazers from Nancy.

Guerre Froide originally consisted of four members: Fabrice Fruchart on guitar-synth (Korg MS-20), Patrick Mallet on bass, and Gilbert Deffais, known as “Bébert”, on Korg drum machine. At the time, I was already singing in a rock/post-punk band called Stress, and that’s how Guerre Froide picked up the bad habit of rehearsing in the same basement in Amiens as Stress. Within a month or two, we had half a dozen songs. We then had the opportunity to record a 4-track demo with a friend from Radio France Picardie, and to perform in October at a festival held at the Amiens municipal circus. Then came the now-legendary concert on November 11 at B.J.’s Club. After that, we self-produced and released 50 completely DIY copies of a cassette titled Cicatrice. A few concerts later—after Jean-Michel Bailleux had joined us on bass and Patrick had switched to guitar, which felt more natural to him—and with more concrete plans starting to take shape, we had to find a new rehearsal space and start renting a room.

Then came the moment when Fabrice told us he was leaving to go study in Lille... After the June 19, 1981 concert, which was naturally dubbed “Farewell to 2F,” Marie-José, Bébert’s wife, offered to take over on synth.

That’s when Perlin, who was a close friend of the Deffais couple and a great fan of our music, offered to fully finance the production of a 4-track 12-inch EP—covering the studio time, mastering, pressing, and artwork. What up-and-coming band would have turned that down? An improvised contract was signed with each member of Guerre Froide. The first step was choosing which four songs we would record. Berlin 81 was an obvious pick, having already become the group’s flagship track. We wanted to avoid reusing songs from Cicatrice, so the focus shifted to new material—some written before, some after Fabrice’s departure. Ersatz, for example, was his composition, but Mauve and Peine Perdue, which were also selected, were both written by Patrick.

WRWTFWW Records is extremely happy to present the official reissue of Safari's self-titled album from 1984. The Japanese jazz-fusion super gem is available now as a limited-edition transparent vinyl LP housed in a heavyweight sleeve with obi.

Originally released on fabled label VAP, Safari is a one-of-a-kind city pop-adjacent summer blend of AOR, smooth jazz, and sun-drenched boogie. The sole album from the all-star outfit was the brainchild of keyboardist Toshiyuki Daitoku and Japan-based Californian jazz-funk-latin-fusion bassist Gregg Lee. Together with a large team of experienced musicians, they created a lush, immaculately-arranged 8-track cruise filled with poolside grooves, breezy rhythms, and feel-good vocal harmonies.

Safari features the well-known title track which acted as the theme song for an 80s sports program on Fuji Television, the night-swim chill music tune "All Right in The Night", and the fan-favorite buoyant vacation hit "The Morning After".

The official reissue is fully licensed and sourced from the original masters, with an audiophile cut by Sidney Meyer at Emil Berliner Studios, ensuring the warm, pristine sound this lost treasure deserves.

Safari is the second release from WRWTFWW's City Pop Series, following Momoko Kikuchi's beach classic Ocean Side, also available on transparent vinyl LP. The series, complete with a visual identity designed by Lopetz/Büro Destruct, also comes with a limited merch capsule, and more sun-soaked gems lined up for the future.

Born from a chance encounter in a Villejuif squat over a decade ago, Ciccio & 2mo have cultivated a singular musical language through spontaneous and genre-defying collaborations — notably around cult French band Cheveu.
The duo brings together two key figures from the fringes of the European underground: Olivier Demeaux (aka 2mo), a pioneer of France’s electronic avant-garde, leading projects like Heimat and Accident du Travail (Teenage Menopause, Bruit Direct), known for his explorations across lo-fi synthwave, spectral post-punk, and drone-infused textures; and Francesco Pastacaldi (Ciccio), a jazz-punk drummer and member of the explosive trio Jean-Louis and the angular groove unit Abacaxi (Carton Records), also a longtime collaborator of the maverick performer Fantazio.
Their debut album 24 96 (The Trilogy Tapes, 2021), born from a series of abrasive studio improvisations, was followed by a sold-out show at London’s Café OTO. That performance, released as Maremoto, captured the duo’s raw, physical energy in its purest form.
Since then, Ciccio & 2mo have brought their visceral live act to stages across Europe — from Sonic Protest in France to the Meakusma Festival in Belgium, where their live set was released as Live at Meakusma Festival 2024.
Now, the duo returns with Bouc & Rouages, a bold and hallucinatory second album commissioned by Hublotone. This new opus introduces three singular voices into the mix: operatic singers Léa Trommenschlager and Bianca Iannuzzi, and genre- blurring rapper Pauline Sampler (aka Frizzy P, known for her work with M. Cole). The result is a soundscape in constant tension — pulsing drum machines, organic percussion, saturated synth layers, and hypnotic, looping riffs.
Equal parts physical and disenchanted, the music of Ciccio & 2mo traces a thrilling, unstable path through noise psychedelia, industrial memory, and experimental pop.
Imagine Cosey Fanni Tutti rubbing up against pop, with Charles Hayward (This Heat) on drums — and you’re getting close.

Hot summer rain hits the cracked pavement in uneven rhythms. A neon sign flickers above a café that never seems to close, its warm white light reflected in the wet ground like a fever dream. The air smells of summer and the world hums with an easy tone, as if the city itself is holding its breath. A light flooded film noir-ish scene, that needs a soundtrack like "POOL JAMS", the new album of INIT, the Berlin based duo, that already caused quite a stir with their albums for Hivern Discs and Optimo Music. This time, they bring their latest creations out on R.i.O. - a label, with whom they are deeply associated. Their fourth longplayer is a playful one. One that brings trip hopping feelings. That has r'n'b grace, without catering regular trademarks of the genre. Dub, trance, drone, is all there too. Yet, nothing is present in pure definition. Rather suggested, interwoven, or newly twisted in a songwriting style, that haunts and seduces. On top the voice of Nadia D'Alò dances, steps and hums tempting to the grooves she created with her partner in crime Benedikt Frey. Together they fashioned a record, that, as INIT puts it, is "some kind of old photo from an old dry empty pool that got faded by sunlight ". A dreamy, sunny piece of song art, made for endless smoky LA freeway drives, and other adventures that seek for infinite riddance. You can dream it. You can trance it. You can't escape it, as soon as it rotates in your dream device for sound and vision.

Discover the Sound of IBIZA with our new vinyl collection ! One double vinyl focussing on Techno with gems from Laurent Garnier, Stve Bug, Chrstopher Just... One double vinyl dedicated to House Music with perls from Ultra Naté, Kings of Tomorrow, Bob Sinclar...

YES! Originally released in 2000, Mark de Clive-Lowe's Six Degrees captures the early essence of what would later be known as broken beat, club-jazz and future soul; bridging the sounds of 70s jazz-fusion, jungle, hip-hop, house and Afro-Cuban rhythms. With fender rhodes, synths and an MPC2000 at the core of his production, de Clive-Lowe blended live musicianship with beat-driven sensibilities in a way that was ahead of its time.

Originally released in New Zealand via Kog Transmissions, the album found its way onto the global stage when Universal Jazz UK picked it up. Now, 25 years later, Be With is proud to present a special anniversary vinyl reissue, celebrating a landmark album that laid the foundation for an international career spanning continents, collaborations, and countless musical evolutions. Limited to just 400 copies for the world, these are gonna fly.

In 1998, a 23-year-old Mark de Clive-Lowe set off on a year-long journey that would shape his career and musical identity. Fuelled by an insatiable curiosity and a grant from New Zealand supporting emerging artists, he traveled across the globe — digging through record stores in San Francisco, immersing himself in the rhythms of Havana, collaborating in London’s underground studios and experiencing the jazz legacy of New York. Along the way, he crossed paths with pioneers, mentors and kindred spirits who would deeply influence his sound.

Six Degrees is the sonic diary of that transformative year — a musical world tour distilled into one groundbreaking album. It's both a snapshot of a pivotal moment in de Clive-Lowe’s life and a timeless statement of creative exploration.

The jazzy jungle vibes of "Roundtrip" opens proceedings, inspired by de Clive-Lowe's deep love of drum & bass. It kicks off with a rhythm pattern picked up in Havana, combined with Lonnie Liston Smith-style Rhodes textures and a rolling jungle breakbeat. Sublime. Up next, "La Zorra" is a moving tribute to the folkloric 6/8 rhythms he was surrounded by in Cuba. Afro-Cuban music had a huge impact on his sound and this track reflects those deep grooves brilliantly. Hip-hop has also been a major influence since de Clive-Lowe's teenage years and Manuel Bundy’s scratches bring an essential turntable element to "Melodious Funk", giving it that raw boom-bap edge.

Underground favourite "El Día Perfecto" came about by de Clive-Lowe wanting to write something as catchy as Incognito’s "Colibri", combined with his deep love for Lonnie Liston Smith. Effortless as it sounds, it pretty much wrote itself, seemingly. "Cosmic Echoes" is a nod to house music, but on the chiller side. Named after Lonnie Liston Smith’s band, with bouncy bass, a steady 4/4 groove and chopped tabla percussion, the mood this track conjures up is special. The deeply soulful "Day By Day" became the biggest track from the album, partly thanks to DJ Spinna’s remix and Café del Mar featuring it on their compilation. Cherie Mathieson’s vocals shine here. The lyric came to de Clive-Lowe while hanging out at Cause Célèbre in Auckland: “Day by day, side by side, hand in hand, no turning back.”

"Restless" is a jazz-funk jam built on a classic drum break, heavily influenced by Roy Ayers and the Mizell Brothers. Named in homage to Phil Asher’s Restless Soul moniker, his impact on de Clive-Lowe's journey can’t be overstated. Following on, "Mindscape" is a darker, rawer drum & bass track. The chopped-up drum break and moody synths channel everything he loved about the deeper, more atmospheric side of the genre. "Control" continues the jungle influence — this one’s all about the heavy grooves and deep bass, inspired by nights out listening to Jumping Jack Frost and Grooverider in packed basement clubs.

"Por La Mañana" is a musical snapshot of walking the Malecón in Havana in the morning sun. The city had such a profound impact on de Clive-Lowe and this track captures some of that energy and movement. Penultimate gem "Motherland" is a nod to his Japanese heritage. The melody draws from Japanese scales, shifting between moody introspection and uplifting harmony. Built on a chopped live drum break he recorded in Tokyo years earlier. We end with "El Día Perfecto (Reprise)", a stripped-down reprise featuring percussion, vocoder, Rhodes and synths — leaving the listener with a warm, uplifting final moment.

Speaking to Be With, de Clive Lowe explained just how much celebrating the 25-year anniversary of this album means to him: "Since then, I’ve released so much more music, but Six Degrees still resonates — it captures a really special moment in my life. A turning point, a fork in the road that ultimately changed everything. It’s amazing to reflect on where this journey has taken me, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. I still remember the night I finished "El Día Perfecto". I took a minidisc of it to my friend Cian’s DJ set at Galatos in Auckland. He plugged it in, and I watched the dancefloor move to something I’d just created hours earlier — it was a magical moment.

When Six Degrees was first released, the internet was still in its early days. There was no YouTube, no streaming, no instant global access to new sounds. The album was my way of bringing together all the music and places I had experienced over that year, blending them into something uniquely mine. It introduced me to listeners around the world and opened the doors to a career that would take me to more countries, collaborations and experiences than I ever imagined.

25 years later, I’m so grateful for everything this record set in motion. It’s a document of a moment in time, but it still feels alive — and I’m thrilled to share it again in this special anniversary edition."

Mastering for this 25 year vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry. The original artwork has been lovingly brought back to life by de Clive-Lowe himself, with updated liner notes written specially for this landmark reissue.

Based in São Paulo and formed in 2017, TaguaTaguais lead by songwriter and producer FelipePuperi. Felipe, having fronted space groove rock band WannabeJalvafor several years, has an extensive indie resume. Having played at Lollapalooza Brazil, supported shows for Pearl Jam and Jack White. He's also been featured on KCRW, NY Times, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan and WFUV.

Tagua Tagua's 3rd full length LP and 3rd release on Wonderwheel following 2024's Todo Tempo EP and 2023's Tanto LP

Upcoming tour plans include SXSW and Lollapalooza Brasil in March 2025

Lead singleLado a Ladofeatures James Petralli frontman of the Austin, TX based rock band White Denim

White Denim were founded in 2008 and have shifted through genres like post-punk, soul, garage, and psychedelic rock and have released music on labels such as Bella Union, City Slang, and Downtown

2024 was a big year at radio as Tagua Tagua filmed and recorded a live sessions for NPR's World Cafe (US) and Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Basement on Worldwide FM (UK)

Embarked on a 10 date Brazilian tour in Spring of 2024 playing to capacity crowds each night in 400-500 cap rooms

Recent tour history includes two stints in the US for New Colossus Festival in NYC and SXSW March 2024 and November of 2024 in Miami, New York, and Philadelphia as well as a headline tour throughout Europe in September and October of 2024

Significant press coverage from publications like NPR Alt Latino, Remezcla, FIP, Bandcamp, and Sounds & Colours to name a few

Huge worldwide radio support from stations like KEXP, KCRW, KUTX (US) Inter, FIP, Nova (FR), RinseFM, Soho Radio, Worldwide FM (UK), 3RRR, 2SER, RTR (AU), RTP Antena 3, TSF Rádio Notícias, Rádio Oxigénio (PT) iCat, Radio 3 (ES) RBB Radioeins (DE) and many more

On their second record as The Convenience, Like Cartoon Vampires, New Orleans multi-instrumentalists Nick Corson and Duncan Troast embrace a hypnotic physicality and collage-y, spur-of-the-moment approach to composition. The result is an avant-rock soundworld, peppered with spidery, atonal guitar work, pointy rhythms, and strident feedback, which may strike as a total reinvention following the sugary funk-pop of their 2021 debut album Accelerator. With their second LP, following their inspiration meant creating with their hands much more than buttons or switches. Sessions were characterized by gnarly, improvisational jams as they tinkered with everything from cassette loops, found sounds, and 808s. Tracks like "Target Offer" and "Fake the Feeling" quake with ear-splitting guitar feedback, while "Pray'r" and "Rats" eschew their groove worship in favor of haunting minimalism. Song after song, Accelerator's pop influences are traded in for more eccentric frontiers, with the clear common denominators of their first two records being the duo's spellbinding, funky instincts and a mastery of texture. Lyrically, Like Cartoon Vampires collects dispatches from a dying empire-characters are devoured by alienation and vanity, though society doesn't bat an eye. But make no mistake, these songs are not merely disaffected ennui-music-making and collaboration are intensely emotional practices for The Convenience, and they reflect a shrieking lust for life.

On their second record as The Convenience, Like Cartoon Vampires, New Orleans multi-instrumentalists Nick Corson and Duncan Troast embrace a hypnotic physicality and collage-y, spur-of-the-moment approach to composition. The result is an avant-rock soundworld, peppered with spidery, atonal guitar work, pointy rhythms, and strident feedback, which may strike as a total reinvention following the sugary funk-pop of their 2021 debut album Accelerator. With their second LP, following their inspiration meant creating with their hands much more than buttons or switches. Sessions were characterized by gnarly, improvisational jams as they tinkered with everything from cassette loops, found sounds, and 808s. Tracks like "Target Offer" and "Fake the Feeling" quake with ear-splitting guitar feedback, while "Pray'r" and "Rats" eschew their groove worship in favor of haunting minimalism. Song after song, Accelerator's pop influences are traded in for more eccentric frontiers, with the clear common denominators of their first two records being the duo's spellbinding, funky instincts and a mastery of texture. Lyrically, Like Cartoon Vampires collects dispatches from a dying empire-characters are devoured by alienation and vanity, though society doesn't bat an eye. But make no mistake, these songs are not merely disaffected ennui-music-making and collaboration are intensely emotional practices for The Convenience, and they reflect a shrieking lust for life.

On their second record as The Convenience, Like Cartoon Vampires, New Orleans multi-instrumentalists Nick Corson and Duncan Troast embrace a hypnotic physicality and collage-y, spur-of-the-moment approach to composition. The result is an avant-rock soundworld, peppered with spidery, atonal guitar work, pointy rhythms, and strident feedback, which may strike as a total reinvention following the sugary funk-pop of their 2021 debut album Accelerator. With their second LP, following their inspiration meant creating with their hands much more than buttons or switches. Sessions were characterized by gnarly, improvisational jams as they tinkered with everything from cassette loops, found sounds, and 808s. Tracks like "Target Offer" and "Fake the Feeling" quake with ear-splitting guitar feedback, while "Pray'r" and "Rats" eschew their groove worship in favor of haunting minimalism. Song after song, Accelerator's pop influences are traded in for more eccentric frontiers, with the clear common denominators of their first two records being the duo's spellbinding, funky instincts and a mastery of texture. Lyrically, Like Cartoon Vampires collects dispatches from a dying empire-characters are devoured by alienation and vanity, though society doesn't bat an eye. But make no mistake, these songs are not merely disaffected ennui-music-making and collaboration are intensely emotional practices for The Convenience, and they reflect a shrieking lust for life.

Edinburgh-based three-piece funk band High Fade are set to release their debut album 'Life’s Too Fast'.

Capturing the raw, on-stage energy that has been the driving force behind High Fade’s meteoric rise was never going to be easy, but that’s exactly what Harry, Oli and Calvin set out to do with a clear creative vision to record their album live at the iconic RAK Studios in London.

'We recorded in RAK Studios, with the desk built for the Rolling Stones in ‘76, with the same cigarette burns still on the faders. It instantly had a vibe of raw energy and liveliness to it that matched the way we wanted to record - live.' – Calvin

The result? 'Life’s Too Fast' – a blistering 10-track debut from one of the UK’s most exciting bands that manages to deliver the same tight, groove-laden funk rock that has put the group on the radars of Jack Black, Cypress Hill and Rage Against the Machine’s Brad Wilk, has seen them tour with The Cat Empire, and tick off iconic venues including Glastonbury, Jazz Cafe, and Boomtown Festival.

'We decided to record the album live rather than through the normal single track overdubbed method – we felt this would help to fully convey the band’s power, sound and energy across to the listener! More like we’re playing a gig and having it recorded – it was a tough process, but we went about it in the best way for both us and the audience, to ensure they’re getting the most authentic High Fade sound and experience possible.' – Oli

Having spent much of the last three years on the road seeing to a punishing tour schedule, 'Life’s Too Fast' is a chance for the band to stop and take stock, to reflect on their whirlwind success, and create an artistic milestone that demonstrates who High Fade are today. 'It’s the most accurate representation of what High Fade is, what we sound like, and who we are' explains Harry. Telling a clear story that matches their own experiences over the last few years, the album is a snapshot taken by a band who are accelerating towards real success and recognition.

'I’m glad we finally have a body of work that we’re proud of and feels like a collection of songs that nicely represents where we are right now. It’s organised chaos and shows that we like to play, but can also write a catchy tune.' – Calvin

Launching into proceedings with the effortlessly uplifting 'Take Me To The Floor', every track is a demonstration of the band’s technical prowess and broad sonic palette. A forward-facing selection of completely original material, the album also gave the band the opportunity to re-imagine fan-favourite 'Sharpen Up' as a stripped-back cut that reflects the band’s current lineup.

'Honestly, I kinda feel like I could explode with excitement about getting it out for everyone in the world to hear because it has been a long time in the making! A culmination of what all the singles have been working towards! I guess the album represents us and the direction we’re taking the music, it represents us as a trio and the gel that is High Fade.' – Oli

MACROCOSM is BALTHVS' first LP.

The name implies the diverse nature of the music, the substantial genre blending throughout, and the general psychedelic vibe of the songs.

It's a cross-continental trip across time, styles, languages, and rhythms.

In just five years, BALTHVS has carved out a unique space in the global music scene, emerging as Colombia’s most prominent alternative international act. Blending psychedelic grooves with hypnotic funk, the band has captivated audiences across three continents, performing in 56 cities throughout 19 countries. Their ever-expanding reach is backed by over 45 million streams, 10,000 vinyl records sold, and a relentless touring schedule that has seen them grace stages at premier festivals such as Austin City Limits, Outside Lands, Electric Forest, and SXSW Sydney. As three-time SXSW alumni, they’ve cemented their presence in Austin’s thriving music circuit while remaining a staple at Colombia’s top festivals, including Rock al Parque and Estéreo Picnic. With critically acclaimed releases and appearances on influential platforms like KEXP, Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Café, and the BBC, BALTHVS continues to redefine modern psychedelic music with a sound that is both immersive and irresistibly groovy.

From the deepest trenches of deadstock 45s and the unsung annals of soft rock infamy, we present SR4HT02: (Till You're) Back In My Arms.

Universal Cave and the Street Road Band cover Dan Strimer with Insured Sound's cult anthem (Till You're) Back In My Arms which was originally released as a 45 in 1977 on Lost Nation Records out of Guysville, Ohio. When Universal Cave featured Back in My Arms on Soft Rock for Hard Times Vol 8 in 2023, we reached out to Dan Strimer to tell him how much we loved his record, and quickly made a friend who helped us release a cover of his song 47 years after it first came out. Dan is still making music to this day and there are even rumors of some unreleased recordings making their way out in the near future.

On vacation in Hawaii when we released Soft Rock for Hard Times Vol 8, Alex Tebbs Mitchell of Universal Cave kept coming back to Dan's catchy, rural classic rock tune. When Alex returned to Philadelphia, he assembled the Street Road Band to record a laid back, 'southwestern Balearic' cover version with André Ethier on vocals, Charles Simon on guitar, Jesse Spearhawk on Pedal Steel, Alex Tebbs Mitchell on Rhodes and bass, Ryan M. Todd on synthesizers, and Shawn Ryan and Brian Cassidy on additional programming and arrangement. The result is a blissful soft rock ballad inspired by the likes of Chris Rea and Mark Knopfler.

After recording the cover, we called in the UK's finest Balearic maestro's Coyote to take the multitracks to the White Isle and back for a remix worthy of Cafe Del Mar. Coyote send the song into a dreamy, dubby, deep house groove, confirming that the record is, in fact, Balearic.

Mixed by Alex Tebbs Mitchell
Mastered by Mat Leffler-Schulman

‘Dynamic Movements - Music for Exercise & Relaxation’ is the new album by the Swedish electronic music producer/remix duo of Johan Agebjörn and Mikael Ögren, lovingly released on Ltd. cassette via Lo Recordings.

Back in the 1980’s there was an exercise craze, people wore lycra bodysuits and headbands. All over the world people were making ‘Dynamic Movements’, determined to change the flow, turn their lives around and step into a bright new future. At the same time the New Age movement was blossoming and meditation was the way forward. Meditation and deep relaxation with maybe some crystals and Unicorns, just for fun.

Inspired by these exercise tapes of the 70s/80s and in tribute to those times and movements, Johan and Mikael worked with producers from around the world to create an album of diverse interpretations, bringing us an album of deep sonic nourishment. Sometimes throbbing and at other times gently lapping at your toes, the result is a lavish cassette contrasting ‘music for exercise’ on side A and ‘music for relaxation’ on side B.

Kicking off side one is the duo’s own ‘Dynamo Dance’, a resonant, pulsating slice of electronic pleasure, which gives way to tracks by acclaimed collaborators like the crisp, cruise control groove of Causeway, the dub chug delight of Jarle Brathen and the irrepressible majesty of ‘Lovelock’ (Steve Moore), before Johan and Mikael return with a tribute to the late great Florian Schneider of Kraftwerk.

Side two’s sumptuous drift into a world of soft pads, rippling arpeggios and sultry saxophone (all the saxophone on the album is by the aforementioned Steve Moore) is initiated by Seahawks, with their lysergic ‘Phase Induction’ leading to the extended Cafe Del Mar beach bar ambience of the legendary Fax records maestro Dr Atmo, continuing with the impossibly lush shimmer of Mary Yalex, the gravity defying drift of One Million Eyes and the divine dream world of Patricia Wolf.

For this fifth album, the musical frequencies emitted by Vaudou Game have spread beyond the confines of the city and country, crossed the Atlantic, and reached Colombia. Drawn like magnets, tropical waves traveled along the equator from Latin America to Togo, arriving at the doors of the OTODI studio. They, too, wanted to join in and take advantage of its legendary analog equipment. Welcomed by Peter Solo, they weren’t the only contributors to the band’s renowned hypnotic groove.

The sedans parked outside tell their own story. From Lomé’s bustling market, the Nana Benz of Togo arrived to weave the delicacy of their beguiling vocal harmonies into call-and-response exchanges with Peter Solo. Meanwhile, Lomé Vio, a youth group whose instruments were provided by Peter during turbulent times, lent the strength of their trio of voice, guitar, and accordion.

Still operating under the supreme authority of funk guided by the esoteric and mystical essence of the Vaudou scale, Vaudou Game brings together the hands of highlife and cumbia in perfect unison. With guitars, percussion, horns, and future-vintage keyboards setting hips in motion or creating the most intriguing atmosphere, Peter delivers his messages hidden behind his iconic, inextricable mask. Whether political, human, or environmental, these messages are always wrapped in thick layers of sarcasm and humor, cleverly disguised to serve the exclusive purpose of joyful, dance-driven trance.

With the subliminal mantra to repay Africa—its people, its land—Vaudou Game calls out: FINTOU!

Repress!

Compilation of 80s Turkish-Swiss band Café Türk, featuring selected works from their discography as well as previously unreleased recordings!

Café Türk's unrestrained sonic palette explores new wave, psych, disco and reggae with influences from Anatolia and Azerbaijan.2xLP includes a 4-page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos.

Café Türk are an inimitable Turkish-Swiss band formed in the 1980s, whose genre-bending sonic palette draws from Anatolia, the Caucasus and Western Europe. The group’s frantic trajectory connects Switzerland and the Turkish city of Kars with a background story as rich and unexpected as their sound. After three decades since they disbanded, Zel Zele Records have collaborated with Turkish crate-digger Grup Ses to give the music of Café Türk a new lease of life. This eponym compilation features original album tracks, singles and previously unreleased takes that trace the outline of the group’s history. From the rolling disco of the group’s debut recording “Haydi Yallah”; to the previously unreleased kosmiche of “Yıldızlar”, “Ali Baba From Istanbul”s Azeri grooves and German language vocals, to the psyched-out interpretation of Causaccian folk tune “Şamil”, Café Türk showcases the endless stream of ideas the band had during their time together between 1983 and 1989. Tracks come with an unrestrained spirit, weaving in the crackling energy of new wave, rock, disco and reggae with influences from Turkey and Azerbaijan.

This fascination in pulling different worlds together goes right back to the formative days of Metin Demiral, founder of Café Türk. Metin grew up in Kars, a provincial town in the Northeastern part of Turkey. Kars was once known for its multicultural communities; where you could hear locals speaking a range of languages, from Turkish to Azeri, Russian and Kurdish. In 1983 Café Türk won a contest set for Turkish groups based in Europe, organised by the label Türküola, home to Turkish stars like Cem Karaca, Selda Bağcan and Barış Manço. The resultant recording sessions gave birth to his new band and debut LP, Pizza Funghi. But Metin turned down Türküola’s offer to put the record out and instead self-pressed 1000 copies on his own Sound Concept label - driving as far as Berlin to sell them face-to-face to record shops. The record was picked up by a member of the German city of Nuremburg’s Cultural Department and soon Café Türk were invited to play for the local workers’ unions, many of whom represented immigrants from Turkey. These events only grew in popularity, the group ultimately spending five years touring similar shows in Europe, alongside more conventional tours and festivals. Metin had hoped to bring his new record to audiences in Turkey again, however, he found it impossible to get any of his songs played on state-sponsored radio, something he attributed to the infamously strict supervisory board of TRT, Turkey’s state-funded broadcaster. TRT tended to not accept songs that blended both western and traditional Turkish music in order to avoid “degenerating” Turkish folk music. Cafe Türk tried to fight this conservative mindset, but progressively resigned themselves to the political restrictions of the time

Andrew Macari's next offering comes on the small but already well-formed Vessel Recordings label and it delves into some super deep house sounds. 'U Hold Me Tight' is a shuffling, gently percussive number with swaying drums and the sort of groove to lock you in. 'Don't Make Me Wait' is a slower groove with drums that drag their heels in an intriguing way then 'Hana's Jazz Cafe' gets more funky with some playful swing. 'Curiously' shuts down with a nice raw and dusty sound topped with some freaky vocals.

Lennon & McCartney. Simon & Garfunkel. Ralf & Florian. Enema & GeJonte. The inventors of modern pop music as we know it. Joining forces in 1988, Orebro duo Kai Parviainen and Jonas Ohlsson put out four cassettes and a split album with Frak under the Enema & GeJonte guise, all teeming with clever and funny electronic pop songs. The sound? Imagine Duet Emmo jamming out with the Residents on a wheat field on Narkeslatten. Or picture early Severed Heads covering lost Philemon Arthur & The Dung tapes. Kai pushes his Sequential Circuits Pro-One synthesizer to its limits while Jonas makes discerning observations on everyday life in a Swedish small town. Mostly sung in Swedish, sometimes in English, but always with a touch of sweet naivety and innocence on par with lo-fi punk/pop geniuses Dan Treacy and Daniel Johnston. Typical song subjects: A friendly game of five-a-side football. The joy of rising at the crack of dawn to get on with the tasks of the day. A bus journey to Odensbacken to savour a semla at a local cafe and some small talk with the gas station manager. All delivered with a playfulness and ecstasy more commonly found on the records with Swedish Christian music Kai so devotedly collects than in contemporary industrial or electronic music. When Jonas moved to Amsterdam in 1996 the boys ceased making music together, leaving behind a treasure trove of unreleased material, some of which appeared on a couple of cassettes in the 00's. But the best stuff has remained buried until now. How dada pop gems like ''Joxa med trasan'' and ''Underground'' could dwell in obscurity for thirty-ish years beggars belief. Other standout tracks on this compilation: ''Plan 714 till NYC'', a wonderful waltz time instrumental performed in the vein of a drunken Bob Hund, and the En Halvkokt I Folie style cut up experiments of ''Gasten Harry''. So get ready for a glorious blast from the past, as the Swedish pioneers of the hypnotic groove cordially invite you to a sonic journey as adventurous and memorable as a trip on the lansbuss to Odensbacken. Get on board, grab a seat and enjoy the ride. Liverpool. New York City. Dusseldorf. Orebro. // Ulf Osterstrom

"Since 2017, Thirdface has intrigued their audiences and peers alike with their raw, intense technicality. The Nashville quartet consisting of drummer Shibby Poole, guitarist David Reichley, bassist Maddy Madeira, and vocalist Kathryn Edwards bring an atypically musical approach to hardcore with release after invigorating release. Thirdface takes the most harrowing elements of punk, grindcore, and death metal and fuses them into a ferocious sound that is quite considerably their own. From their inception, Thirdface has developed consistently, culminating in their new release Ministerial Cafeteria, due through stalwart unconventional rock label Exploding in Sound Records.

Thirdface is decidedly remarkable in their dedication to Nashville DIY. Edwards runs the beloved all ages venue Drkmttr; Poole is a go-to recording engineer for local bands; and all four members have played in various other projects over the years. Within the constellation of Nashville’s DIY scene, Poole, Reichley, and Madeira were already well acquainted with each other’s playing styles through a previous band. Starting as a side project in 2017, the three shifted gears and began leaning toward a more intense sound requiring a vocal presence unburdened by an instrument. Since then, the release of 2021’s self-recorded Do It With A Smile led Thirdface to regional tours with the likes of Touché Amoré and City of Caterpillar.

On Ministerial Cafeteria, Thirdface loosens the reins only a little more than on Do It With A Smile, but the small change makes a profound difference. Thirdface’s onslaught of blasts and D-beats are no less present than ever, but now ‘grooves’ are allowed a little more life, stretching for an extra measure or for a full repetition before they’re snatched away. Simply, Ministerial Cafeteria gives more space for the dancers, but their faces will still be on the ground as they try to process what they’re hearing."

PYJÆN is the reflection of 5 souls. Their joy, their happiness, their worries and experiences come together in one unified higher identity. PYJÆN’s story will be expressed not only musically but also with other visual arts.

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Consisting of guitarist Dani Diodato, trumpeter Dylan Jones, saxophonist Ben Vize, drummer Charlie Hutchinson and bass player Benjamin Crane, PYJÆN have been touring in the UK this year with dates at iconic venues such as the Jazz Cafe, Vortex Jazz Club and Ronnie Scott’s as well as playing Glastonbury, Love Supreme and Brainchild Festival.

Described by Jazz Wise Review as having “a groove propelled with dynamism and formidable technique”, PYJÆN seamlessly meld funk, afro-beat and contemporary sounds with nods to hip-hop and disco, whilst acknowledging the traditional era of 1920s jazz and dance music.

Their debut self-titled album ‘PYJÆN’ was released on 20th September 2019, both digitally and physically with 300 limited copies of Vinyl being distributed across selected UK record stores, as well as Bandcamp.
The album will also be supported by a graphic novel, which will tell the story of PYJÆN and the influences and stories behind the songs.

Craft Latino taucht für dieses seltene Latin-Funk- und Soul-Juwel tief in die Fania-Archive ein, um eine remasterte Neuauflage des Albums Café zum 50-jährigen Jubiläum herauszubringen. Der legendäre MeisterPerkussionist und Bandleader Ray Barretto produzierte Café, das einzige Album der gleichnamigen New Yorker Rock-, Funk- und Soul-Band, das auf dem gleichnamigen New Yorker Rock-, Funk- und Soulband, das 1974 bei der Fania-Tochter Vaya Records erschien. Das Album enthält Songs in englischer und spanischer Sprache, wie zum Beispiel das Eröffnungsstück ”Sí Dame Tu Amor”, bei dem sich Funk-Grooves durch die Arrangements ziehen - und es klingt wie etwas, das Barretto selbst veröffentlicht hätte. ”Identify Yourself” ist ein absoluter Ohrwurm.

YESYESPEAKERSYES is the first vinyl release of the remarkable collaboration between Chicago foot-work founder Kavain Wayne Space (aka RPBoo) and London duo experiment XT (drummer Paul Abbott and saxophonist Seymour Wright). The trio’s synthesis of rhythms, sounds, strategies, technologies and traditions collapse genre, distance, boundaries and preconceptions into a total, and totally unique, brain-body music.

Its two 15-minute vinyl sides are cut from a 60-minute live set at Cafe OTO, London on Friday 8th October, 2021 also available as digital download. This was the fourth meeting of the trio followed, instead of being followed by*, an RPBoo DJ set.

Each time the trio play it pushes further into new technical, emotional and creative space. The collaboration needs ears, instruments, imaginations and bodies to be used in new ways. This need is transformative. Together they – and we – learn. This unique trio combination is rooted in deep conceptual foundations, that push into real and imaginary spaces of innovation and learning in a creative practice of 'interruption' far beyond genres or what is supposed to be. And what emerges each time is a trio technology - a total dance technology for any and all bodies.

Kavain, Paul and Seymour share a fascination with the musical history of Chicago – a source of which is of continual nourishment to their ongoing practice. While Kavain’s pioneering footwork work develops the rhythmic structures of Chicago house and the samples, grooves and melodies of 60’s/70’s Chicago soul, disco and R&B, Seymour and Paul share a fascination with these musics, and bring to this lineage a long-term engagement with Chicago’s jazz traditions, from Baby Dodds to the AACM through their unique prism of club, dance, free-jazz and improvised club structures, technologies and musics.

The LP was expertly mixed by Billy Steiger and mastered by Amir Shoat. Every purchase comes with a bonus download of the full, unedited live set from Cafe OTO.

The album includes artwork by Benedict Drew and text by Edward George.

Thanks to the success of his productions and his remixes, all the works printed on vinyl made by Luca LTJ Xperience Trevisi have been snapped up among his fans and DJs from all over the world.

From his past catalog there was still a complete album released only in Compact Disc and in digital format in 2013: Ain't Nothing But A Groove, left behind not because it had anything less than the others but simply to alternate new releases with catalog ones.

Now it is finally being printed.

The album, strictly in the DJ Friendly version, double vinyl with only two tracks on each side, contains some of his Nu Disco Funk pearls such as: What I Feel, Linear Funk and Get Down. Luca LTJ Trevisi (LTJ Xperience) began his career as a DJ and producer in the 80s.

As resident DJ of two of the most famous Italian clubs, the Kinky in Bologna and the Cap Creus in Imola, he was one of the first Italian DJs to play House Music and to revive that particular selection of Black Music called Rare Groove mixed with Jazz and Latin-Bossa who gave birth to the Acid Jazz movement at the end of the 80s.

His first official release was in 1988 and was titled First Job, paired with Kekkotronics, and was also the first album from Irma Records. The song was included in many compilations and many DJ playlists around the world. In the following years, among his singles we find some song forms that anticipated the Breakbeat genre such as Do n't Stop The Sax and Funky Superfly. He produced Tameka Starr's single Going In Circles, also for Irma Records, which has become a classic of the Downtempo/R&B genre.

In the mid-90s he produced some Italian Acid Jazz groups such as Bossa Nostra and Live Tropical Fish and began to select Rare Grooves compilations that have become classics such as Groovy and Suono Libero. At the same time he also started playing outside Italy, in particular at the Blue Note and the Jazz Café in London, at the
Giant Step in New York and at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. In 1999 he released his first album under the pseudonym LTJ Xperience entitled Moon Beat which featured Ohm Guru in
the production and Taka Boom and Jackson Sloan as vocal guests. Two tracks from the album have become club classics:
the Brazilian House version of Sombre Guitar and the chill out Moon Beat. His second album in 2003 entitled When The Rain Begin To Fall features Joe Bataan in the reinterpretation of his most famous song Ordinary Guy which has become a Gilles Peterson classic.

After some singles including Organ Mind / I Love you (Larry Heard's favorite track) he dedicated himself to the world of the Nu Disco genre, releasing 5 albums in the genre to date. The latest Deepening of A Groove contains Bad Side with the American singer Anduze on vocals, which is one of his most popular hits, adored by Moodyman so much that he included it in the music of Playstation's Gran Theft Auto which sees him as the protagonist with his avatar.

Mexican sensation Pahua comes to Razor-N-Tape via a huge remix project featuring some of the hottest producer names in current outer-national dance music. This special 7 inch version features two newcomers to the RNT remix roster.

On the A side, global groove merchant Poirer delivers a stripped down and hypnotic mix in his signature style Pahua’s uptempo anthem ‘Espantapájaros”.

On the B side, Detroit Latin production legend John Beltran adorns the melancholic ‘Flor de Jazmin’ with a samba-inflected rhythmic foundation and a lush horn arrangement that transports you straight to Cafe del Mar, Ibiza.

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

Currently celebrating ten years of releasing music on vinyl & cassette and following hype for recent releases from Moscow (via Tallinn)’s Galun (glagol album) and Osaka's Kiji Suedo (Hosek EP & Riot album), Edinburgh's Hobbes Music label continues to mine a leftfield seam with this brand new album from singer/songwriter George Demure (Tirk, Output) aka DJ/producer George T (Greco Roman, Optimo), better known as George Thomson to his mum. And it’s another absolute peach if you have a taste for post-club sounds of a more leftfield persuasion.

This is the follow-up to his 'The Record Store' EP which came out via George's own All Noise imprint in 2021. He has also released the Roll On, King's Cross single via Hobbes Music under his George T moniker last November (plus various bits for the Paradise Palms and Ramrock labels in the interim).

“It all began with the Record Store EP in 2021,” explains George. “Limit my options. No samples, one drum machine, two analog synths (mono and poly), computer simply to record. I was so happy with the results I began with what you hear today. Same drums, same machines (or lack thereof) maybe some real percussion and melodica but hey, I only answer to me.”

Imagine, if you will, Scott Walker jamming with Kruder & Dorfmeister in a very small studio…

Bonus Album ‘Dandy In Dub’ features dubs, instrumentals and bonus tracks, with yet more regular flashes of pure brilliance. Be sure to check out opener 'After' and closer 'Blue Lou', which sound like George might well have sound-tracked some French 80s flick of the 'cinema du look' period (Betty Blue, Diva et al) in another life. Plus ‘Mr Minilogue’ with its clarinet-like synth.... Does it really get any better than this?!!

Sleeve art by the amazingly talented Bernie Reid, another local legend.

Feedback/Reviews to date:

'He's so talented!' JD TWITCH (Optimo)
'Love the LP. Sounds really together, production is awesome. I love the aesthetic. Vocal tracks sit nicely with instrumentals. Vocals sound light-hearted' THE MAGHREBAN
"On a bobbled and float-y, light sunbeam dappled vapor of deep house, garage, electro, kosmische, leftfield pop electronica, dub and new wave (both the German and UK’s), the Edinburgh DJ/producer and singer-songwriter George Thomson continues the good work he laid down on the last EP... It’s a most lovely, swimmingly blend of motivations, feels and deep grooves that effortlessly comes together in a generous offering of electronic music: the very epitome of the Hobbes label’s remit in delivering leftfield unique visions of now techno, house and club sounds." MONOLITH COCKTAIL
‘I love the album’ LEO MAS
‘Lovely stuff’ S/A/M (Music For Dreams/DK, Cafe Del Mar, Pikes, Playasol Radio and many more, Ibiza)
Plus play/s from Andy Wilson on ‘Balearia’ Ibiza Sonica Radio
+ DJ Dribbler (Pikes, Ibiza // Paradise Lost, Red Light Radio, Pure)

Andy Sharrocks started writing songs in 1976. He found a vehicle for these songs with punk band Accident On The East Lancs. This started out as a covers band, but Andy soon became frustrated when the other members wanted to stay that way. The band disintegrated but Andy retained the name, forming a new cutting edge four piece playing his songs. He financed their first single in 1979 on his own label Roach Records. This was a double A side as one of the sides was a ditty called We Want It Legalised. The other side was a Bo Diddley kind of groove called Tell Me What Ya Mean, which Record Collector magazine recently said sounded like a song The Strokes should cover. This line up fell apart when immediate success failed to arrive, but Andy formed another band out of the ashes of local band Wilful Damage, and the guitarist out of the original covers band. They recorded and released on Roach Records another double A sided single in 1981 as well as an album released on cassette tape on Cargo Records. The singles now exchange hands on the collectors market for over seventy pounds, the album has been rereleased on vinyl twice, once on a German label, and once on UK’s OZIT/MORPHEUS Records which came with a bonus live album The singles have been released on many punk compilations and We Want It Legalised is about to be released on a new Manchester punk compilation on Cherry Red Records. They played many free festivals including Deeply Vale three times, and did many great supports including The Fall, Tractor, Here And Now and Crass. Andy left the band in 1982 for personal reasons, and had a one single deal with I Believe In Love on the Vibes and Vibes record label in 1985. Refusing to compromise and do covers, Andy found it impossible to make a living doing his own material which was now primarily Americana, after discovering alt.country through Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett in 1985. He went on the road as a tour manager, which is where he met Hilly Briggs, who went on to produce Andy’s first solo album in 2004 called Walking In Familiar Footsteps, which featured ex Rolling Stones Guitarist Mick Taylor, Bluesband and Manfreds frontman Paul Jones and Bobby Vee’s sons Jeff and Tommy on drums and bass respectively. Andy was now living in London and was gigging regularly on his own or with a revolving circle of musicians going under the collective title of Andy Sharrocks & The Smokin’ Jackets. He played over five hundred gigs all over London and the UK. He also did many supports for Mick Taylor, Buddy Whittington, Steve Gibbons, The Strawbs, Curved Air, and supported John Mayall on a UK nationwide tour, and played the Jazz Café in Camden twice with John. He also played The Hells Angels Bulldog Bash three times, The Skegness Rock n Blues Festival, The Herelbeke Blues festival in Belgium and The Colne Blues Festival. In 2009 he released another album called Dirt with The Smokin’ Jackets, which came out to great critical acclaim. Andy is now releasing a triple album of truly magnificent UK Americana, called Country Rock n Roll n Durty Blues. Press Quotes : "Country Rock ‘n’ Roll ‘n’ Durty Blues is a sprawling album of original rock and blues which takes you from Muddy Waters to modern Americana" – Nigel Carr, Louder Than War // "Good honest earthy rock ‘n’ roll done the old fashioned way with passion and aplomb" – Mark Radcliffe, BBC // "Country Rock ‘n’ Roll effortlessly lives up to its title … and more" – Pete Feenstra, Get Ready To Rock // "As a listener it really is bloody good fun - Briticana, Americana with a very English voice

A real soul gem from 1970 on the James Brown affiliated Deluxe label, the first and only album by this mysterious singer: Marie Queenie Lyons.
It is perhaps apropos that Queenie Marie Lyons’s best known song is titled ‘See And Don’t See.’ For all the acclaim that song has accrued, and all the times it has been compiled, reissued and, yes, bootlegged — for all the times it has been seen — Queenie herself has somehow remained unseen. How did a singer from Ashtabula, Ohio record one of the great female-led soul albums and then simply fall off the map, never to record or perform again? Queenie was a natural performer and a gifted singer. At the age of fifteen, she was doing three shows a week at a local venue. In early 1962, Queenie moved to Queens and was soon playing gigs across the city — an early engagement was with Gene Krupa at the famous Metropole Café in Times Square — as well as touring with established acts like Fats Domino and Ray Charles. The following year, Queenie made her debut recording, for a subsidiary of RCA called Groove, credited to an entirely fictitious “Shelley Shoop and the Shakers.” It remained Queenie’s only presence on wax until early 1968, when a Nashville-based label called Sims gave her her first accurately attributed single, “A Minute Of His Goodtime / Good Soul Lovin’.” Although the 45 is now a highly collectible part of the Northern Soul and Lowrider Oldies pantheons, it made no impact at the time, as Sims was focused on more typical Nashville sounds. A few months later Queenie was back in New York City, performing R&B and pop covers with her band when a man passed her his business card at a performance. The card read James Brown Enterprises. James Brown “was my idol,” she says, and someone whose business acumen and stage presence she strove to emulate. Although Queenie ended up on tour with James Brown for only a month or so, when the group reached Cincinnati in mid-’68 she entered the King Records studio there to record what would become the
album you hold in your hands. The songs were a combination of covers, some of which she’d been doing in her live shows, like ‘Fever’ and ‘Try Me,’ and originals written by producer Henry Glover and pianist Don Pullen, who was the bandleader on the session. The album opener, ‘See And Don’t See,’ was also recorded by the veteran R&B singer Maxine Brown, but Queenie’s version blows hers away. “Soul Fever” is a supremely funky and soulful affair, with Queenie’s powerful and captivating voice magnetically attractive, with an urgency that is impossible to ignore. ‘Your Thing Ain’t No Good Without My Thing,’ ‘Your Key Don’t Fit It Anymore,’ and ‘I Don’t Want Nobody To Have It But You’ are as funky and soulful as the best of Tina Turner and Aretha — a statement not to be made lightly!
The album was critically acclaimed — the October 10, 1970, issue of Billboard listed it as their sole “four star” pick in the Soul category — but perhaps due to the tumult at Starday-King, whose stewardship had turned over several times in only a few years, it never seemed to be able to break through to a larger audience.

Coltrane, Shorter, Hubbard, Davis & Perkins from a Latin perspective! The Mantecas represent one of the finest concentrations of experience and talent in Latin and Jazz music ever to be based in the UK. A pure uplifting Latin Jazz music celebration. NOT-TO-BE-MISSED!! Recorded at different locations in London during 2022/23. Mixed at Abbey Road Studios in March 2023. The Mantecas (formerly known as "Manteca") is an eight piece, London-based, Latin Jazz, Soul and Boogaloo band well known for creating a party mood at festivals and gigs everywhere they go, from Glastonbury, Ealing Festival and Tropical Pressure Festival to The 606 Club and The Jazz Café in London. They have a particular ability for bridging the culture gap with any audience getting all crowds up hitting the dance floor in a jive. The Mantecas will blow your mind with a mesmerising mix of salsa, Cumbia, Funk, Latin jazz and Boogaloo. For this new release album, the band is exploring the legacy of some of the Jazz giants through a Latin lens, reworking timeless pieces by Coltrane, Shorter, Davis, Hubbard and Perkins, giving them the infusion of Latin rhythms while remaining true to the Jazz language. The band is made up of some of the best musicians in the Latin, Jazz and Pop scenes in London: TRYPL HORNS: Paul Booth (Incognito/Brand New Heavies), Trevor Mires (Jamiroquai/Incognito), Ryan Quigley (Gregory Porter/Beverly Knight) Dave Oliver: Keys (Lisa Stansfield/Snowboy) Satin Singh: Percussion (Jazz Jamaica/Roberto Pla/Pucho and the Latin Brothers) Javier Fioramonti: Bass and arrangements, MD (Alex Wilson/Jack Costanzo/Joe Bataan/Salsa Celtica) Flavio Correa: Vocals (Omar Puente/New Regency Orchestra) Will Fry: Percussion (Tom Misch, Tony Allen) Rob Luft: Guitar (Dave O'Higgins, Byron Wallen) "Expect loads of hard-hitting salsa, exploding drums and outrageously funky boogaloo". Time Out * "Ripping new Latin Jazz band from the finest musicians of London". Fact Magazine * "One of the best Latin Jazz-funk bands working the scene today". The Jazz Café, London Ltd Ed.

Trym Søvdsnes is a relative newcomer to the scene, but he’s been putting in work in and around Bergen for years, scoring a residency at the infamous Café Opera, where he snagged the attention of local house legend Bjørn Torske. Soon, the duo were DJing, producing and performing together, eventually running the monthly radio show Pigs in Space where they would go head-to-head for six hours at a time, plumbing the depths of their immense record collections.

It’s this lust for bottom-of-the-crate oddities that guides Søvdsnes’ self-titled debut album, a concoction of dub techno, hard-swung house and percussive club music that positions itself a few paces away from any conventional modes. Basically, a perfect fit for Le Jazz Non.

‘Gølles Dans’ opens with a filtered acid bassline and bone dry kick that’s like some psychedelic, slower variant of Basic Channel’s ‘Enforcement’, slicing into the groove with gristly acoustic percussion that drags it up from the basement. The producer leans into asymmetry on ‘Døgnrytmen’, wrangling 303 squelches with booming Berghain kicks and tight snares, enhancing the psychedelic potential by layering ticking percussion into loopy spirals. If you’ve ever caught an extended Dozzy set, this is the kind of ruff-edged gear he would likely play an hour before sunrise. ‘Ordnings Mix’ is weirder still, slopping chirpy bleep/rave stabs into a jazzy hybrid that sounds like a bossa meltdown.

Søvdsnes saves his most cosmic mettle for last, on ‘Cowboy Acid (Solstikk Dub)’ he strips the kickdrum to a faint knock, before building up into a sort of screwed Metro Area mirrorball that sounds brilliantly out of time.

NEW 45 BY DEEP-FUNK PIONEER LUCKY BROWN RECORDED DURING THE NOW LEGENDARY SPACE DREAM SESSIONS!

In around 2001, Joel Ricci, the trumpet player/composer behind his former stage alias, Lucky Brown, went traveling on a worldwide "quest for funk". During that pilgrimage, he went to London England in time to attend Keb Darge's 'Legendary Deep Funk' 6-year anniversary at Madame Jojo's. While in the middle of the dancefloor, he was moved so significantly by this obscure brand of 'deep funk' Mr. Darge was unveiling, he became overcome by a mystical sense of 'coming home'. Additionally, he spent a week at Camden's Jazz Cafe to meet The Poets of Rhythm, The Breakestra, The Sugarman Three, DJ Snowboy, DJ James Trouble, and others. When Joel mentioned the nature of his quest to Neal Sugarman, he warmly invited him to come visit Brooklyn and kick it with members of Antibalas, Binky Griptite & The Mellomatics, and the Dap Kings. But before the trip back to the states, Joel spent some time in Paris playing his trumpet at a club called 'Cithea' where they would host weekly 'rare groove' jam sessions. During the jams, Parisian students of Tony Allen would overtake the stage with their instruments and their full African clothing, chant the word, 'Fela', and begin to play this intense free improvised funk and afrobeat. While traveling by train from Paris to the south of France to visit family, Joel began hearing this inspiring polyrhythm swirling in his inner ear and mixing with the "clack-clacka" of the train moving down the track. As soon as he arrived at his destination, he sat down at a piano and jotted down the polyrhythm, bass line and fundamental horn cluster on a piece of sheet music paper. The simple tune was finally rendered to tape ten years later with Lucky Brown's Crawdad Farmers aka The Funk Revolution on the Magik Carpet at drummer Olli Klomp's Lakeside log cabin in Stanwood, Washington. The tune became the title track to Lucky's first full-length on Tramp Records (Lucky Brown's Space Dream, TRLP-9011).

Space Dream is so titled in part to commemorate a soulfunk masquerade party Joel threw at a temporary all-ages Bellingham Washington music venue called 'The Pickford Dream Space'. This is Joel's stripped-down tape-only remix and re-edit which has never before appeared on 45RPM and commemorates the re-release, remaster and repackaging of upcoming Tramp LPs, "Space Dream" and "Don't Go Away", the fully realised 'director's cut' featuring Ricci's early group funk experiment: "The Funk Revolution."

. It started in a cafe in Chico, California, with a flier, covered in glitter, wires, feathers, and assorted melted items, with a three-word advertisement: “Noise person wanted.” It wasn’t a sign. It was a sample. A tiny piece lifted from the visionary environment that the band XDS would continue building over the next couple of decades, hoarding an eclectic stockpile of collage materials/influences/approaches for assembling psychedelic dance-punk jams played with homemade instruments, blown-out samples, off-kilter drumming and dub baselines. Shoko Horikawa had come from Japan to (the small, music-crazy college town) Chico for school, and responded to Jesse Hall’s mysterious flier and a pitch to collaborate on making interesting sounds. The partnership would end up featuring her syncopated polyrhythmic drums alongside his vocals (through a duct tape-and-PVC-pipe mic) and custom-built Guitar-o-bass, plus synths/samplers and various noise-making devices. The two-piece Experimental Dental School eventually morphed into XDS as the duo moved the operation from Chico to Oakland to Portland and back to Chico, touring the world (playing alongside the likes of Deerhoof and other innovators) and releasing 11 recordings (on Cochon Records, German label TCWGA, etc.) as they went. On the new XDS album, Bicycle Ripper, the band’s genre-bending roots are as deep as ever, but the goal now is to be less “noise” people and more “fun” people. The songs are weird yet cohesive, with jittery grooves and inventive hooks. Throw a dart at the album and hit “Hot Panther, Cold Moon” for one random sample: an unrelenting fuzzed-out bass dances with a insistent drums; a sharp turn into sparse tin-can-guitar break; then a return to the dance floor with a bonus overdriven bass riff and full-throttle drums. The Panther stays hot whether she’s under the “hot hot sun” or the “cold cold moon.” It’s all very irresistible and, yes, really really fun

Limited to 300 copies. The Groove Connection formed in Medway, Kent during the early '90's, amongst the Acid Jazz heyday, playing clubs, pubs and festivals up and down the land with their urban jazz-funk grooves. The band comprised of usually six to eight members over the years, including Mark 'Bertie' Gilbert, the former (initial) bass player from The Milkshakes, and was originally an instrumental project, with vocals added later giving the band further appeal. Recording/releasing their first CD EP in 1996 (In Full Pursuit), described by Blues & Soul as 'an impressive debut set', The Groove Connection also released a 7" vinyl single in 1998 (What It Is), which was produced by respected DJ and percussionist Snowboy. A year later, their first album 'Infiltration' was released. All releases were via their own NeuJaz label. As well as working with Snowboy, the band also supported Jamiroquai twice in 1997 (at Finsbury's Jam in the Park and the Phoenix Festival), as well as playing to a full house at the Jazz Cafe, Camden on many occasions, and the band toured the UK as part of the Messin' Around Jazz Cotech collaboration. In 1999, the band found themselves on the Verve Records' released compilation 'Messin' Around Presents Root Down', alongside Lalo Schifrin, Jimmy Smith, The JBs, and Roy Ayers to name just a few. In 2001 the band recorded, and released their second album 'Back To Brooklyn', introducing vocalist Laura Knight and guest hammond virtuoso Gary Baldwin, a ten-track full-length, CD-only release. Other tracks were recorded in the same session… Two tracks that didn't make the last album were 'Can You Hear Me' and 'When I'm With You', both vocal filled, and we've decided to capture them onto two continuous 'grooves'.

Gerade erst Grammy-nominiert als “Best New Artist” haben Tank And The Bangas ihr drittes Studioalbum aufgenommen. Zu dem vor R&B-, Hip-Hop-, Jazz-, Funk- und Soul-Grooves aus allen Nähten platzenden
Album luden sie diesmal Gäste wie Questlove, Lalah Hathaway, Big Freedia, Jacob Collier, Trombone Shorty, Jamison Ross und Wayne Brady ein.

Die in New Orleans ansässige Band mit der energiegeladenen Frontfrau Tarriona “Tank” Ball wurde 2017 durch den NPR Tiny Desk Contest auf YouTube berühmt (sensationelle 12,5 Millionen Aufrufe). „Red Balloon“ entstand jetzt in Folge der pandemiebedingten Unterbrechung des anstrengenden Tour-Pensums der Band. Die Pause gab den Musikern Raum zum Atmen und die Chance für ein kreatives Kräftesammeln. Das Werk zeigt die Band auf einem neuen künstlerischen Level, produziert wurde es von der Band selbst
und aufgenommen in New Orleans und Los Angeles.

Shapes of Rhythm is proud to present the self-titled debut LP of Turkish psychedelic pop from MLDVA & Çınar Timur. This record is a celebration of the classic music and culture typically of the 70s and 80s, but which also leans into western jazz funk and soul jazz moments. If you're into the Turkish music legends of the 70s and 80s such as Barış Manço and more recently Altın Gün or Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, you've come to the right place.

MLDVA were formed in Krakow, Poland in 2013 as a DJ and production outfit. Under the influence of Greek and Turkish folk and psych-rock music they began to transform into a band, taking up instruments including the Saz which is one of the most recognisable trademarks of the Turkish sound. Two years later in 2015 they invited Turkish instrumentalist Çınar Timur to join them and this completes the line up on their debut. This electric album is packed with excellently-recorded expansive tracks which are full of energy, psychedelic deep grooves, hard-hitting breakbeats and everything else you'd expect with classic Turkish sounds.

The instrumental double-header of Neşat Erkaş' Zülüf Dökülmüş Yüze, moving into the time-honoured traditional Kozan Dağıis the perfect opening track. The introduction is an overture of sorts with two minutes of Çınar Timur's pondering guitar. This tees up the record perfectly before heading into a break-beat driven workout with the band matching Çınar's evocative and energetic riffing. The result is a tight sound and a heavy groove that sets the tone for what's to come.

With the band unveiled, Sarı Çizmeli Mehmet Ağa, written by Barış Manço (a legend in Turkish popular music), hits a relaxed, deeper and more psychedelic groove, dominated by Wojciech Długosz's dreamy Rhodes piano, set against choppy wah-wah guitar licks that characterize that classic electric Turkish pop sound. We're introduced to Ulaş Çıbuk's vocals for the first time, telling the historic tale of a charitable village lord Mehmet Ağa from 19c Anatolia known for his generosity. He shared his fortune with people inneed and as a result, died penniless. This track also features the unique sound of Çınar's Mictrotonal electric guitar.

Bir Adım Öte is MLDVA & Çınar Timur's magnificent mellow moment, marking the halfway point in their debut. The group shows that it's not all about the frenetic in a nod to western Soul-Jazz constructs. They showcase restraint, emotion and that joy in repetition of a wonderful guitar refrain. Not content with holding this down, Wojciech Długosz's Rhodes solo steps into a world that's US-influenced Soul jazzand is a lesson in reduction and feeling. Çınar Timur then takes a solo turn, keeping it western-influenced with an on the spot improvisation. When the three minutes of solos are over, we're brought back out of thedream and towards the East again.

Adımız Miskindir Bizim kicks off like a hip hop/funk crossover tune, until the chord changes muscle in, to remind you where you are in the world. As with other tracks on the debut, the tune is marked by recurring motifs, this time from Çınar's microtonal electric guitar. We've more solo Rhodes action, thist ime busier and more urgent. The lyrics–originally written by Yunus Emre – criticizevalues such as holding grudges that destroy ideas of love, friendship and peace among people which causes hostility. Adımız Miskindir Bizim concludes with an uplifting vocal vamp which switches it up unlike any of thetracks on the LP.

In Fesupanallah– made most popular by Erkin Koray – Ulaş Çıbuk sings about the simple subject ofbeing patient with never ending problems in life, and trying to find a solution for them. This cut takes a rhythmical side-step to the rest of the album. The kick drum maps out a solid four-four, but the vocals and guitar lines move around it to impose Fesupanallah as being the record's most traditionally Turkish-sounding cut.

The album's closing track Ölüm Allah'ın Emri (another Manço classic) was recorded live in the band's more familiar surroundings of Krakow's Cheder Cafe during 2020's Jewish Culture Festival. The lyrics tell the tale of someone who has accepted death but cannot accept the separation that comes with it. We open with a dreamy, psychedelic mood before progressing into a heavy-riffing rock feeling with probing synths. Ulaş delivers his vocals over the top of a stripped back, shuffling groove. As the track progresses towards a frenetic conclusion, drummer Szymon Piotrowski cuts loose, combining with Grzegorz Dąbek's synth lines.

MLDVA & Çınar Timur's debut LP is not the sound of a band starting out. Taking time to hone their craft and let influences across the global spectrum of music mature, this is the result of years of jamming, gigging and collaborating. Now, after prestigious festival appearances and their place on Saz Power – an essential modern Turkish music compilation – they're making a lasting contribution to a rich, time-honored culture. MLDVA & Çınar Timur releases Friday 30 June 2023 on limited edition vinyl LP and digital download/streaming services on Shapes of Rhythm. Global distribution by Kudos Records.

A tale of two Indians recorded in Cologne, Stockholm & Berlin.
Anurag Choudhary & Pawas Gupta are Non Solo.
Friends from more than two decades, these gentlemen decided to bring together their knowledge of music at Anurag's apartment in Stockholm back in 2008. Anurag’s life journey took him to Stockholm,
Sweden and Pawas’ culminated in Berlin, Germany; both cities a cultural and a musical powerhouse in their own right. Anurag, a professionally trained Flautist (bamboo Flute or “Bansuri”) in the traditional Hindustani Classical Music and Pawas, someone who has been exploring the realms of electronic music since 1997 as a DJ and releasing records under different monikers since 2007 decided to bring in their forces on a gloomy Stockholm afternoon.

You may ask, why Non Solo? Well, for obvious reasons!
In traditional Indian classical music you are trained as a soloist, mastering a single instrument and each instrumentalist has a deep understanding of the common syntax and rules of engagement that produce some brilliant duets. Both Anurag and Pawas have been pursuing their solo music careers and mastering their craft. However, ‘Non solo’ brought these two (soloists) together to collaborate on something that has not been done before in this way so two soloists coming together and forming NON SOLO.
It all started over a “Fika” which translates to “ a concept, a state of mind, an attitude and an important part of Swedish culture. Many Swedes consider that it is almost essential to make time for fika every day.
It means making time for friends and colleagues to share a cup of coffee (or tea) and a little something to eat” in Anurag’s favourite Cafe, not to forget his exquisite palette for Coffee. After a short brainstorming on how to create something new and fresh without it being too cliched and with the help of impeccably roasted coffee beans that were freshly brewed, the men decided to jam it out to see where this goes.

The first attempt resulted in the second track on the record “Svar” which means “note or tone” which was a one take track. Motivated and excited, they both decided to continue working on this project.
A few months later Anurag visited Pawas' previous Studio in Cologne to record, where Sarang, Tandav and Bhoop were born. Even though the creation had happened, they felt it wasn't the right time to put
it out there just yet. However, time flew by and after almost 14 years of waiting, the men came back to what they had created and decided it was now the time to release it.
The title track “Sarang” is inspired by raga Brindavani Sarang, where Anurag infuses the romantic and mystical flavour of this raga with his flute and Pawas brings his deep repertoire of electronic grooves and
atmospheric sounds to create an intelligent track that touches the listeners.
Svara is inspired by raga Hansadhwani (translated ‘svan song’ or ‘sound of swan’) is an endearing melange of Indian classical and house music.
Tandav is a high energy track based on a variation of Sarang raga. With Pawas’ in-depth knowledge of both Indian classical percussion and electronic music….. This track combines multiple rhythmic layers
manifesting in one exhilarating track that is filled with polyrhythmic cadence and interludes.
Bhoop is melancholy and nostalgia infused into one melodious offering inspired by raga Boopali laid over a bed of organic drums and bass.

The Feel:
Svara is falling in love, the feeling you get when you are walking after that first wonderful date, smile on your face and so much anticipation and joy in the heart for all that excitement that is about to come.
Sarang is being in love, when you start to experience all those emotions you didn’t know even existed inside your heart. It is a complete journey.
Bhoop has a tinge of melancholy, longing and missing each other , while Taandav is coming back together after a long time away from each other. Re-discovering each other and re-experiencing all those
emotions at an even deeper level and celebrating the togetherness, be it in friendship or relationship.
Non solo is first in its kind to bring the melodious/musical depth inspired by the raga traditions to the exhilarating rhythmic world of deep house and electronica.
Available now in your favourite digital store and on limited edition Vinyl with an exquisite typographic artwork by Shantanu Suman in collaboration with Masala Movement's Manoj Kurian!

Gianni Brezzo, the jazz affiliated band / studio project led by Cologne-based producer maestro Marvin Horsch, has a diverse musical profile that is reflected both in his genre-hopping as well as his creative output. Along with producing for Cologne bands like Keshavara, Woman and Xul Zolar, Gianni has released a number of EP and LP’s since 2017, including 2021’s “The Awakening” which featured vocal appearances from Berlin/Tel Aviv based singer / producer J.Lamotta and soul singer Otis Junior from Louisville, Kentucky. Gianni’s 2022 LP “Tutto Passa,” released on Jakarta Records, was a meditation around Marvin’s relationship to Italian culture, accompanied by research into Italian composers of the 60’s / 70’s such as Piero Umiliani, Stelvio Cipriani and Armando Trovajoli to more recent work by Sven Wunder. This was quickly followed up with EP “Amoria,” an extension of the themes grown from “Tutto Passa.” Gianni’s tracks have consistently placed on Editorial Lists including Spotify’s “State Of Jazz” (509k Likes) and “Café / Croissant” (200k Likes), and “lofi beats” (4.8M Likes) and most recently was synced in an episode of Gossip Girl for HBO US. Gianni’s latest excursion, “Soundscapes Vol. 1 – Music for Harlequins” is a special kind of release, one that ventures into worlds familiar, yet undeniably foreign and exciting. Gianni journeys through baroque pastures and medieval acoustics to bring forth an aural palette of colorful, timeless arrangements that fit comfortably in the sonic pocket. Featuring lush and nuanced instrumentation, all seamlessly melded together within Gianni’s groove-driven framework, the tracks on “Harlequins” present thematic moods that act as sonic windows into an enduring past. Jakarta is ecstatic to share such a project, with limited 300 vinyl initially pressed, arriving March 10th, 2023.

Combining disco pulse with Turkish/Kurdish music and the energy of Marseille"s multi-cultural hipness, Biensüre brings a cool edge to the musical landscape of the mediterranean city and the dancefloors of the world. The group"s music, inspired by the personal stories of its singer, Kurdish Hakan Toprak, speaks of impossible loves, friendship and exile and is wraped up in an unmistakable groove. The eponymous album is the group"s first release, written, composed and produced by the four musicians and it is composed of seven groove-infused tracks that will please all global music lovers. Marseille in one of the coolest cities in France: The cafés, the terraces, the clubs, the Mediterranean sea and the mountains not far, make for a perfect setting for the wildly creative rebellious youth to express their art in a world of perpetual change. This is the setting in which Biensüre was born. Biensüre"s influences are varied and transcend generations and borders. Ranging from the Anatolian pop scene of the 70s and 80s with key figures like Erkin Koray and Baris Manço to 70s Jazz, Disco and early electro, their music is at the intersection of several musical continents.

Luca LTJ Trevisi (LTJ Xperience) began his dj/producer career in the 80s. As resident dj in two of the most famous Italian clubs of the time, Kinky in Bologna and Cap Creus in Imola, he was one of the first Italian jocks to spin House and to re-propose those black music, jazz and latin-bossa classics from the 70s that at the end of the same decade would have given birth to the Acid Jazz and Rare Groove movements. His first single release in 1988, titled First Job, together with Kekkotronics, was also the first release ever on Bologna based Irma Records. It was featured in a lot of compilations of the time and entered several playlists, rapidly reaching cult status for many UK and US djs. During the early 90s LTJ delivered a couple of singles in a kind of pre-breakbeat style: Dont Stop The Sax, released all over Europe, and Funky Superfly. He also produced US singer Tameka Starrs single Going In Circles, always for Irma Records, still a classic in the downtempo/r&b field. In the second half of the nineties Luca began to produce acid jazz bands like Bossa Nostra, still today one of Irma Records main acts. Their first album had Vicky Anderson as special
guest and today is still considered one of the most important European acid jazz albums. In the following years he concentrated on developing his activity as collector and rare vinyl merchant, which gave him the chance to get in touch with djs from all over the World and to discover many forgotten gems from the past years. Thanks to this experience he was able to create two extremely successful rarities series on Irma Records:

Groovy and Suono Libero. In the meanwhile LTJ started to dj outside Italy too, performing in important venues like the Blue Note and Jazz Café in London, Giant Step in New York and Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. In 1999 saw the release of his first solo album under the LTJ Xperience moniker. The album was produced with the collaboration of fellow Irma artist and producer Ohm Guru and had Taka Boom and Jackson Sloan among the guests. Two of the main tracks on the album are brazil house classic Sombre Guitar and title track Moon Beat, which became a true hit of the Chill Out genre, featured in dozens of important compilations.

After making countless productions for Irma Records, including their second album When The Rain Begins To Fall (with the participation of the historic Spanish-American singer Joe Bataan), and the recents singles as ORGAN MIND / I LOVE YOU (favorite track by Larry Heard ) & ON THE FLOOR / SOUND MACHINE, LTJ is devoted almost exclusively to re-edit and reconstruct tracks from the past with the addition of sounds and rhythms in post production for labels like SUPER VALUE, SMALL WORLD DISCO, HOT GROOVY RECORDS, OH CRISTO! increasing the production of this new musical genre that is currently defined as beatdown/slo-mo, working with international labels such as Far Out Recordings, Sleazy Beats, Future Classics, E.A.R. Music For Dreams, Apersonal Music, Roam Recordings, !K7.

DJ Fucks Himself showcases his versatility on the "WEISSE WESTE EP": a nod to the producer's hi-vis getup when he gets up behind the decks.

The four-tracker kicks off with a Jungle-infused club tool: "Cafe del Mardcore", which combines a relaxing vocal with sweet synth harmonies for a zen-like rave atmosphere. "Ausgefallen" carries you further into the groove with its sublime sampling and eery vocals.

On the flip we have "Dream Team", where influences of Electro and Footwork can be heard combined with ethereal pads and sizzling percussion. B2's "Take It", which rounds out the release with a mystic 140 bpm roller, whose uplifting chords and infectious vocal make their way out of the club and into your heart.

Nuovo singolo per Luca Trevisi con il suo alias LTJ Xperience.
In questo nuovo EP sono stati raccolti quattro dei più riusciti remix prodotti da LTJ dal catalogo IRMA negli ultimi anni.

I brani non sono mai usciti su vinile prima di questa pubblicazione.
Gli artisti remixati sono: Papik & Sarah Jane Morris, The Soultrend Orchestra, Black MIghty Wax e Vasquez. Luca LTJ Trevisi (LTJ Xperience) began his dj/producer career in the 80s. As resident dj in two of the most famous Italian clubs of the time, Kinky in Bologna and Cap Creus in Imola, he was one of the first Italian jocks to spin House and to re-propose those black music, jazz and latin-bossa classics from the 70s that at the end of the same decade would have given birth to the Acid Jazz and Rare Groove movements. His first single
release in 1988, titled First Job, together with Kekkotronics, was also the first release ever on Bologna based Irma Records. It was featured in a lot of compilations of the time and entered several playlists, rapidly reaching cult status for many UK and US djs. During the early 90s LTJ delivered a couple of singles in a kind of pre-breakbeat style: Dont Stop The Sax, released all over Europe, and Funky Superfly. He also produced US singer Tameka Starrs single Going In Circles, always for Irma Records, still a classic in the downtempo/r&b field. In the second half of the nineties Luca began to produce acid jazz bands like Bossa Nostra, still today one of Irma Records main acts. Their first album had Vicky Anderson as special guest and today is still considered one of the most important European acid jazz albums. In the following years he concentrated on developing his activity as collector and rare vinyl merchant, which gave him the chance to get in touch with djs from all over the World and to discover many forgotten gems from the past years. Thanks to this experience he was able to create two extremely successful rarities series on Irma Records:

Groovy and Suono Libero. In the meanwhile LTJ started to dj outside Italy too, performing in important venues like the Blue Note and Jazz Café in London, Giant Step in New York and Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. In 1999 saw the release of his first solo album under the LTJ Xperience moniker. The album was produced with the collaboration of fellow Irma artist and producer Ohm Guru and had Taka Boom and Jackson Sloan among the guests. Two of the main tracks on the album are brazil house classic Sombre Guitar and title track Moon Beat, which became a true hit of the Chill Out genre, featured in dozens of important compilations.

After making countless productions for Irma Records, including their second album When The Rain Begins To Fall (with the participation of the historic Spanish-American singer Joe Bataan), and the recents singles as ORGAN MIND / I LOVE YOU (favorite track by Larry Heard ) & ON THE FLOOR / SOUND MACHINE, LTJ is devoted almost exclusively to re-edit and reconstruct tracks from the past with the addition of sounds and rhythms in post production for labels like SUPER VALUE, SMALL WORLD DISCO, HOT GROOVY RECORDS, OH CRISTO! increasing the production of this new musical genre that is currently defined as beatdown/slo-mo, working with international labels such as Far Out Recordings, Sleazy Beats, Future Classics, E.A.R. Music For Dreams, Apersonal Music, Roam Recordings, !K7.

The austrian musician and Live-Act / DJ Lukas Poellauer has been establishing a distinct production style with recent releases and remixes on Luv Shack Records, Fine Coincidence, Fortunea Records and Schönbrunner Perlen, melting classic house with airy, catchy melodies and mature songwriting.

“I Don’t Care” is the name of his first single for an upcoming release on Luv Shack Records and features the austrian funk Band Mary Jane´s Soundgarden and the piano player Valentin Zopp. The vastly featured musical talent of the Band makes the track oscillate between tight, club ready production and earthy, live-jazz café vibes, with the hazy voice of singer Tanja Peinsipp at its core.

For his second track Lukas Poellauer teams up with legendary singer Hubert Tubbs of "Tower of Power" fame. Tubb´s remarkable vocal timbre perfectly contrasts the light footed instrumental, as he sings about "When A Groove Is In Control". The actual groove itself is reduced and rather laid back, but Lukas Poellauer manages to bring in both dramatic and quirky overtones with a plethora of mallet, brass and string melodies.

On the flip, Patrick Pulsinger & Sam Irl deliver a fabulous dub rendition of “I Don’t Care” with a mad wobble bassline and classic reggae stabs, sitting comfortably between Grace Jones’ electronic tango and the hazy studio wizardry of dub emperor Lee Perry.

Luv Shack´s very own Space Echo put their spin on “When A Groove Is In Control”, opting for a cold and eerie vibe with the help of digital bell pads and a tight, stripped down four to the floor groove.

Rounding off the package, we have the Pulsinger & Irl Dub Instrumental which really makes the fantastic arrangement and mix shine even more.

Released for the first time in CD and Digital format in 2017 this is the sixth album by Luca Trevisi LTJ Xperience.

It contains some of his most played songs such as Get Down, Let There Be Groove, Put Me Down and the one that gives the title to the album Beggar Groove here in its two versions.

The release is in a limited edition double album on White vinyl. Luca LTJ Trevisi (LTJ Xperience) trained as a producer DJ in the late 1980s. Resident first at the Kinki Club in Bologna and then at Cap Creus in Imola, he is one of the first Italian DJs to program house and above all to re-propose Black Music, Jazz and Latin Bossa, all the genres that then over time gave way to Acid Jazz and Nu Jazz.

He began his work as an artist and producer with Irma Records and in the 90s also his activity as an international DJ who saw him play at the Blue Note and the Jazz Café in London, at the Giant Steps in New York and at the Jazz Festival in Montreux.

In 1999 he released his first solo album under the name LTJ Xperience. To date he has released 7 albums all on Irma Records, several compilations, many singles and remixes also collaborating with international labels such as Far Out Recordings, Sleazy Beats, Future Classics, E.A.R., Music For Dreams, Apersonal Music.

Cologne-based, multi-instrumentalist and creative jazz powerhouse
Gianni Brezzo presents his full-length LP “Tutto Passa,” arriving via
Berlin’s Jakarta Records May 5th.
Gianni Brezzo is the jazz affiliated band / studio project headed by
Cologne-based producer & creative maestro Marvin Horsch, whose diverse musical profile is reflected both in his scene-hopping as well as his creative output. Besides producing cologne bands like Keshavara, Woman and Xul Zolar, Gianni has released a number of EP and LP’s since 2017, culminating most recently with “The Awakening” EP in 2021 on Jakarta Records. While Gianni’s works are usually instrumental only, “The Awakening” featured vocal appearances from Berlin/Tel Aviv based singer / producer J.Lamotta and soul singer Otis Junior from Louisville, Kentucky. Gianni’s tracks have consistently placed on Editorial Lists including Spotify’s “State Of Jazz” and “Café / Croissant”, and most recently was synced in an episode of Gossip Girl for HBO US.

Gianni’s new LP, “Tutto Passa” is a meditation around Marvin’s relationship to Italian culture, accompanied by research into Italian composers of the 60’s / 70’s such as Piero Umiliani, Stelvio Cipriani, Piero Piccioni and Armando Trovajoli to more recent work by Sven Wunder. Sonically rich, the album rides a sonic wave similar to some Matthew Halsall, Surprise Chef, El Michels Affair and BadBadNotGood all rolled into one beautifully luscious work. Jakarta is ecstatic to share such a career-defining work, arriving May 6th, 2022.

The albums 1st single, “Il Sole” will be released Wednesday, March 2nd with the LP pre-order announcement that Friday, March 4th to capitalize on Bandcamp Friday. The track is a perfect sonic voyage that encapsulates the growth of Gianni’s sound and gives a sonic peak into the LP. Subtle, yet lush layers of synths, horns, keys and strong, beat-driven percussion all ebb and flow together, bringing to mind the finest Library Themes of Umiliani, Sven Wunder, Janko Nilovic and others. Visualizer accompaniments for all singles provided by Robert Winter and his DIE OTTOS crew that perfectly captures the sonic mood.

The LP’s 2nd single, “Capture This,” will be released March 30th and is a splash of pure, groovy, jazz-funk. Instantly catchy, the track will have you imagining yourself in a movie that perfectly captures the musical themes: playful flutes, crisp, fluid guitar riffs, heart-pulling strings, all held together by a strong, swingin’ drum groove.

The third single is the stunning, swirling, thematic track “Rising Of My
Mind.” Careful layers of harmonized brass, flutes, percussion ebb & flow, bubbling up to the acoustic surface like sonic ripples effortlessly bursting from Gianni’s auditory palette. Only reaching the tracks full crescendo more than 2 minutes in, “Rising Of My Mind” is on that finest jazz tip, raising Gianni’s musical caliber into the skies.

Focus track is the effortlessly smooth, soulful jazz-funk piece, “Torino.” Certified fresh, the progression gives you that euphoric, elated feeling, like you’re finally arrived at that special place you never knew existed, but were always meant to find.

“Tutto Passa” is a project with a variety of moods ranging from Arthur
Verocai and David Axelrod inspired arrangements to lush, thematic jazz progressions with a swingin’ percussive edge. It’s a timeless release, one that would sit just as well in 1972 as it does in 2022, and one that, as Gianni says:
“…reflects exactly the feeling I had last year when I was in Italy with my own family. As a musician, I was looking for the challenge of a more orchestral approach on this album, which I hoped to achieve with my arsenal from the Cologne jazz scene and the support of musicians from around the world.”
Besides online promotion from the label and artist profiles, the album will further be promoted by external agencies within the US, UK & Italy

Black Truffle is pleased to announce Live Hubris, documenting the hypnotic and electrifying live performance of Oren Ambarchi’s 2016 LP Hubris by a fifteen-strong band at London’s Café Oto. Over three days in May 2019, Oto toasted Oren Ambarchi at 50/Black Truffle at 10 with Ambarchi and a large group of close friends and collaborators in a series of performances that interspersed existing projects with new collective endeavours, culminating with this: fourteen members of the extended Black Truffle family together on stage, joined by one special virtual guest, to translate the intricately studio-constructed layers of Hubris into a muscular live band workout.

Operating with only the bare minimum of pre-gig preparation after the planned afternoon rehearsal had to be wrapped up prematurely due to noise complaints, the gargantuan group lurches into motion with a 21-minute rendition of ‘Hubris Part 1’, powered by the pulsating electronics of Konrad Sprenger (the ‘ringmaster’ at the ensemble’s core) and no less than seven electric guitars spinning a web of intricately interlocking palm-muted polyrhythms. The layers of closely related but metrically distinct lines create ripples of shifting accents, flickering changes in emphasis that ricochet along the endless central pulse. Gradually building in density, this motorik continuum becomes the backdrop for the haunting tones of Eiko Ishibashi’s processed flute and an extended feature from long-distance guest Jim O’Rourke on guitar synth.

After the brief interlude of the second part, where Albert Marcoeur-esque guitar arpeggios accompany a halting attempt at phone conversation, the full ensemble gears up for the epic side-long rendition of ‘Hubris Part 3’. Now joined by the astonishing triple drum line-up of Joe Talia, Will Guthrie and Andreas Werliin, the layered pulse of the opening piece becomes a burning funk-fusion groove. Beginning on a medium simmer, the ensemble initially stick to its pulsating one-note mantra, over which Ambarchi unfurls a beautiful example of his signature shimmering Leslie-toned guitar harmonics, eventually joined by Ishibashi’s flute and some brooding, distorted dissonance from Julia Reidy’s guitar. Building steadily for the first nine minutes, the heat then rises dramatically with a first, gloriously loose chord change: with the all drummers now rolling and tumbling like a twice-cloned Jack DeJohnette circa 1970, Mats Gustafsson enters on baritone, his tortured roars and shrieks driving the band to peaks of insane intensity. Finally, the exhausted ensemble drops out, leaving only the jagged, skittering fuzz of Ambarchi’s guitar, brought to an abrupt conclusion at the command of crys cole. Arriving on hot pink vinyl with artwork by Lasse Marhaug and an extensive selection of live photos by Ivan Weiss and Fabio Lugaro, Live Hubris brings this ambitious and outrageous evening of music to the safety of the home stereo.

You have to know how to move away from the rich, strong and noisy streets, if you want to discover another Havana. A Havana far from the tourist circuits and preconceived images. A Havana where one discovers bucolic, but hard and stripped too after slow journeys in the crowded buses, a Havana with which Al Quetz maintains a passionate history since more than fourteen years.
Installed in one of those neighborhoods that can only be reached by going deeper into the alleys, from the open window of the studio comes the sound of banging drums and thumping bass. The sound reaches the streets on which the day rises.
The place wakes up in a growing tumult, with some rare engines coughing, conversations under the windows, songs of the street vendors , an urban ballet sets up as the sun darts its rays.
Far from the musical clichés with percussions and horns, Cuba is an island bombarded with influences that one discovers.
An island which vibrated for the jazz, the soul, the psychedelic rock , from the waves coming from the Caribbean to those of the bulky neighboring ogre.
A musical flowering as varied as abundant that the glorious post-revolutionary label Areito has on thousands of recordings,
and that Al Quetz has designated as the sole source of his samples to compose Habanologia.
From the ambiences that punctuate the local daily life caught by his samplers, he let the melancholy infiltrate his hip hop beats, the nostalgia melting in the depths of his grooves. Nostalgia in the Cuban air, even during moments of intense laughter, which never totally disappears.
Habanologia restores these moments when the song of the birds has extinguished those of the cars. Where, sitting on a doorstep, we comment on the life of the neighborhood, we watch the women's swaying at eye level. The whole day if necessary, the coffee at one peso, after a certain hour, which leaves its place to the Planchao rum. Wandering through its streets where a chance encounter can itself bring others and lead to the essence of the habanera life. From Regla, after a short trip on the bus-boat that crosses the bay, savor the end of the day, observe the capital from afar, let the nocturnal insects ensure some arrangements and drift towards mysterious horizons, bringing to the contemplation of the place and the moment.
A flute, a keyboard, percussions or a voice. Al Quetz also invited his friends from the island or elsewhere to decorate his productions with their live touch. To share with him this Havana for which he covered his tracks, mixed times and distorted space-time to make it timeless.
To write with Habanalogia, a declaration of love to the Cuban capital, to make Havana, His Havana.

Skyline Recordings is only releasing another long-awaited killer from the musical masters that are The Family Fortune
“ANDY’S CAFE” is a head-nodding, horn-driven, up-tempo, sassy, dancer.
Produced by the geniuses that are The Easy Access Orchestra; Andy’s Café is a great DJ tool with its killer, horn-driven, funk groove on the A side and if that’s not enough, there’s the Hammond and the Clav on the flip.

Following critically acclaimed releases with Dance Regular and Rhythm Section (releasing under SAUL with Jack Stephenson-Oliver), London-based producer/DJ Footshooter lands on Astral Black with his full-length debut, the 'Southside Hymns' LP.

'Southside Hymns' is a decadent tribute to the community, club nights and culture of London that Barney Whittaker (Footshooter) is intrinsically a part of. This ethos is embodied in the skippy, broken-beat of the MA.MOYO featuring 'Passing Clouds' (a tribute to the community-ran venue of the same name), whilst the piercing synth stabs and horn laden grooves of 'Juno Café' is a nod to the South East London club space it's named after.

Following the Albertina-featuring single 'Twilight', the EP transitions from a dusk drive through the city - taking in the sights and sounds of Whittaker's favourite foliage-flaunting haunts, to parking the listener firmly on the dance floor with the trunk rattling bass of 'Untether' and the Natty Wylah featuring 'Bloom'.

Through enlisting a guest cast including the likes of vocalists MA.MOYO, Natty Wylah & Albertina, guest instrumentalists and long-term collaborators Wilf Petherbridge, Isobel Risk, Ebyan Rezguli & James Mollison, as well as artwork by Illustrator & NTS resident Anu Ambasna - Footshooter has ensured that 'Southside Hymns' at once embodies the contemporary London music community that it is also a dedication to.

'Southside Hymns' drops October 1st on 12" vinyl & digital DL via Astral Black Records.

A few years ago, Don Zilla was sat alone in an internet cafe teaching himself FL Studio, dreaming of becoming one of Africa's greatest music producers. These early experiments evolved into 2019's "From the Cave to the World", an EP that showcased Zilla's rare fusion of eerie industrial electronics, lurching bass and constantly-shifting East African rhythms. Now the manager of Kampala's Boutiq Studios, Zilla returns to Hakuna Kulala with his eagerly-awaited debut album "Ekizikiza Mubwengula", a labyrinthine album that weaves freewheeling dance sub-genres into a bejeweled tapestry, signaling a path to the future. There's the cybernetic 'nuum funk of dBridge, Emptyset's overdriven, cacophonous anxiety, the hyper-paced airlock club ofShanghai's Hyph11E and the confrontational intensity of Dreamcrusher; everything is melted into a groove-fwd whole that's tough to resist. Tangling trap into slippery, atmospheric doom-step on 'Buziba', experimenting with uptempo, Slikback-esque rhythmic complexity on 'Tension' and reshaping noisy industrial ambience on 'Shots', Zilla uses the album to continuously challenge expectations, folding sounds in on themselves Inception-style and allowing fresh rhythms, textures and forms to peek through. It's a bold step from a central character in East Africa's rapidly-growing stable of paradigm shifting experimental club producers.

2LP on crystal clear vinyl. In these trying times, where intimacy and closeness are fraught with danger, Dans Dans (Dance Dance) brings you the sound of connection, communication, passion and togetherness.

In these trying times, where intimacy and closeness are fraught with danger, Dans Dans (Dance Dance) brings you the sound of connection, communication, passion and togetherness.

Dans Dans unites the talents of three of Belgium's most prolific music makers in Bert Dockx (Flying Horseman), Fred 'Lyenn' Jacques (Lyenn, Lanegan band) and Steven Cassiers (Dez Mona, DAAU). An utterly unique musical collective, the trio are set to release new album 'Zink' on the 23rd April via Ghent based independent, Unday Records.
From jazz, psychedelic blues and ecstatic noir soundtracks to spacey rock 'n' roll, Dans Dans cut their teeth on the cool jazz cafe scene in Flanders, Brussels with their sensational live performances and have since gone on to become a mainstay on the flourishing Belgian musical landscape.

Releasing their self-produced, eponymous debut album back in 2012, their highly distinctive, intuitive mix of musical styles and their ever-imaginative live shows caught the attention of discerning music lovers, journalists and promoters. A relatively unknown tour de force outside the Benelux region, Dans Dans have built a solid fan base since their inception with limited edition runs of early releases becoming collector's items among vinyl enthusiasts.

Well-received appearances at Cactus Festival, North Sea Jazz and Pukkelpop, as well as Gent Jazz, Ljubljana Jazz and Jazz Middelheim have confirmed their reputation as one of the most unique and exciting bands to come out of Belgium. In recent years, the group has been touring throughout Europe, garnering enthusiastic reactions beyond the Belgian borders as well. There's a case to be made that Dans Dans even played a key role in breaking down the wall between the Belgian jazz scene and the pop/rock circuit (years before pop journalists began referring to a New Wave of Belgian Jazz).

Opening with the moody noir rhythms of 'Cinder Bay', Dans Dans look to construct their own musical universe across 'Zink'. 'Naiad' unfolds into a devastating explosion of heavy feedback and wild, crashing drums before subtle electronica and baroque art-rock collide on 'Anemone' giving a good indication of Dans Dans' eclecticism. There's unquestionably a deep, underlying filmic beauty to the music, an evolving darkness and a perpetual sense of dread and paranoia. Elsewhere, 'Ravine' is intoxicating, provocative and uncompromising while the beatific 'Shell Star' is an infectious exploration of hypnotic grooves, atmospheric sounds and mind-bending melodies.

Producer Christine Verschorren (Philippe Catherine, Ivan Paduart) accentuates the music's wondrous fluidity throughout 'Zink'; the intriguing interplay; the subtle ties; the deep layering. Musical styles and influences are being blended organically and sublimated into what can only be called Dans Dans-music. "This is no fusion, no rock or jazz or ambient. This is the sound of the searching, intuitive human; of a timeless, mysterious dream; of the heart, the gut and the soul," says Dockx.

• When David Bowie and Iggy Pop relocated from LA to continental Europe, taking trains to Berlin, Paris and Warsaw, they would have come across new music that was very different to the burgeoning disco scene they left behind. “Cafe Exil” – named after one of Bowie’s favourite Berlin haunts – imagines the soundtrack that would have informed “Low”, “Heroes” and “Lodger”. It’s an awesome mix of electronica, Krautrock and experimental treats.

• There are key tracks from members of Can and Tangerine Dream, fascinating obscurities by German act Streetmark and Italian library maestro Piero Umiliani, the Herzog-soundtracking Popul Vuh, and highly collectible avant-strangeness by Annette Peacock. Czech-born Jan Hammer’s beautiful, light, atmospheric groove is among myriad surprises.

• “Cafe Exil” has been put together by Saint Etienne’s Bob Stanley and Jason Wood, author of multiple books on cinema and programmer at Home in Manchester. It fits in with other recent Ace compilations such as “English Weather” and “76 In The Shade” – it creates a mood, a time and a place. You’re right there, sat next to Bowie, drinking his Pernod and black, in a darkly lit Berlin bar.

• This 2LP set features a bonus track from Edgar Froese.

Fusing dexterous hand-percussion, hypnotic guitar riffs & soaring melodies, Waaju rise from London’s rich cultural palette with their latest album ‘Grown’, proving UK Jazz doesn’t have to sound the way we expect it to. Led by drummer and percussionist Ben Brown (Alfa Mist, Dizraeli, Ashley Henry), the band comprises percussionist Ernesto Marichales (Jordan Rakei, Sigala), guitarist Tal Janes (Nubiyan Twist, Bahla), Sam Rapley (Fabled, Maria Chiara Argiro) and Joe Downard (China Moses, Judi Jackson), each with their own strong presence on the UK’s extensive music scene. Waaju’s refined and divergent sound connects the dots between the likes of Ali Farka Touré, Alain Peters, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Oscar D’Leon and Beth Carvalho. Waaju formed as a means of exploring music’s hidden connections, from trance-inducing Moroccan Gnawa to Caribbean carnival music, and embracing them to reflect different shades of London’s own musical culture. It was the band’s love for Mali’s folk music – and Ali Farka Touré’s stylistic prowess in particular – that first set the project in motion. London’s Jazz Cafe invited Waaju to reinterpret classic tracks from Farka Touré’s catalogue to sold-out audiences in 2018 and 2019. According to Brown: “Ali’s one of the best. He has such a unique sound. His playing is so gnarly. His spirit and attitude are things I always think of when making music.” Waaju (meaning ‘to urge, inspire or influence to take action’ in Malian language Bambara) blends pulsing Latin polyrhythms, psychedelic Malian blues licks and cinematic textures. Following the group’s 2018 self-titled debut record, Grown presents a group more unified and distinctive-sounding than ever with six fresh, bold compositions. The record begins with Moleman, a potent reminder of the intricacy and energy Waaju’s become known for. Gritty, clattering metal defines the landscape for sizzling builds, hinting at rave culture styles like Bashment and Jungle. Listening Glasses follows and it’s clear why this is the album’s lead single – its Afrobeat-like energy and joyful interplay between guitar and tenor sax lies somewhere between Tony Allen’s grooves, Chimurenga guitar and Headhunters’ funk. On late night jam Rollando, Joe Downard’s skulking bass frequencies rule and wonkiness reaches new heights as heavy dub grooves almost tear themselves apart. Time’s Got a Hold was co-written by Waaju and Jordan Rakei for a show together in November 2018. Kicking off side B, this version features special guest vocalist Will Heard over bouncing triplets evocative of 1970’s Sega from La Reunion. A kind of looseness found only at night, the quiet drive of Wassoulou is sparse yet purposeful. Pulling back the tempo and dimming the lights, cavernous percussion fills each corner of the room, springing back as spectral reverbs. The title and final track shows the many dynamic sides of the outfit’s far-reaching sound, with its expansive harmonies and explosive psychedelia, spanning Yoruba Andabo to Hendrix, signing off an exciting and energetic second LP from Waaju at their most scintillating.

Ragoo Records celebrates its debut on wax with an highquality record, “Break It Down”. The release features an
original cut from Astratto & Brine plus three stunning
remixes from the best young talents in the Italian house
scene. Recorded and fully composed on the first day they
met in the studio, the Original Mix is a dusty deep house
jam perfect for the club or for chillin’ wherever you want
to. For Astratto, Ragoo Records co-founder, this
represents his first official vinyl release. Brine has
delivered hot tracks through the infamous Irma and has
recently appeared on Boogie Cafè Records and Trend
Records. On the A2 Sam Ruffillo offers an impressive
remix that merges the Original to the land of jazzy vibes
with some smooth Rhodes and an extra groovy bassline.
Over the last years Sam Ruffillo has been releasing great
EPs via Irma Records and the Bristol-based Boogie Cafè.
DJ Rou’s remix occupies the flip side with a real classic
deep house joint full of warm pads and rolling drums. Chief of L'Archivio record store in Bologna, charismatic DJ and
outstanding producer, DJ Rou has released his music
through labels such as Bosconi Records, Cognitiva, Red
Rooster and Daphian Prod. The B2 remix is produced by
D’Arabia, Red Rooster founder and House of Disco
affiliated artist, who accomplishes an hot groove
explosion, with a special Jamiroquain feeling, perfect for
burnin’ the dancefloor. This EP is intended to be a
snapshot of Bologna’s house music scene. All artists
featured on it are based in the city and contribute to its
musical landscape.

Following on from Myele Manzanza's acclaimed 2019 jazz album, 'A Love Requited', we have a 2020 addendum to that project; an EP of remixes by a set of diverse musicians from all corners of the globe.

Detroit legend Theo Parrish starts off the proceedings. Theo & Myele have previously worked together on various projects over the years, such as with live outfit, The Unit, whilst Myele's 'Surgery Session' of Theo's track 'Moonlight' was picked up by The Vinyl Factory last Summer as well. On his remix of 'Itaru's Phone Booth', Theo maintains the tempo & structure of the original track, whilst tempering the horns and adding some spaced-out keys & a little low end theory to the equation, making this a flip seasoned with Theo's unique flavour.

Mark de Clive-Lowe follows with the most uptempo track on the EP, a delightful bruk refix of 'Big Deal'. Fellow New Zealander, regular collaborator (notably on Manzanza's sophomore album 'OnePointOne') and hugely respected musician in his own right, MdCL delivers a hefty groove direct for the clubs; heavy drums & sci-fi synths lead the way atop of the original's powerhouse horns, switching up with some MAW-esque 4/4 tribal business to close out.

Cardiff's finest, Earl Jeffers & Don Leisure, aka First Word label-mates Darkhouse Family, kick off the flipside with their take on the appropriately titled 'Family Dynamics'. Fresh from their solo & combined projects (producing for Kamaal Williams, running house label Melange, and creating beat-tapes like Halal Cool J & Shaboo), the duo turn out some punchy boom-bap vibes which pulsate throughout the track, accompanied by some sweet vocal hooks, transposing the original into a plucky heads-down neo-soul tinged stomper.

Borrowed CS is another New Zealand artist that's been bubbling away in the underground NZ electronic scene for several years now, as a DJ and a musician. He ends this selection of remixes, taking the original jazz components of 'Pencarrow' and transforming it into a synth-boogie lead piece of brooding broken beat - a 'Clear Path Depiction' even.

Released on Worldwide Award-winning UK label, First Word Records, the original album was also co-produced by another antipodean label-mate, Ross McHenry, who released a new album recently.

The son of a Congolese master percussionist, Myele Manzanza's roots in jazz and African rhythm are well established. Adding his long-time influences of hip hop and dance music into the mix, this EP exemplifies his approach to fusion, and his persona as an ever-evolving artist, drummer & composer. Since his days as part of Electric Wire Hustle, he had his debut release on BBE, has released three solo albums, and done tours & collabs with folks like Jordan Rakei, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Recloose & Amp Fiddler. Since moving to London from New Zealand late last year, he has already shared stages with Hiatus Kaiyote, The Bad Plus & Alfa Mist, rocked The Jazz Cafe & Ronnie Scott's, and ably demonstrated his DJ side-hustle chops at stations like Soho Radio, Worldwide FM & NTS, as well as behind the decks in a few danceries across the capital, and behind his drum kit daily.

Already hard at work on brand new material, expect to catch Myele Manzanza live at various shows & festivals across the UK & Europe this coming Summer.

'A Love Requited - The Remixes' is available on 12" vinyl & all digital outlets from March 6th 2020.