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The next installment of MFM's popular multi-artist compilation Virtual Dreams: 'Virtual Dreams - Ambient Explorations In The House And Techno Age, Japan 1993-1999'. As with Part One, released in 2020, 'Virtual Dreams II' shines a light on house and techno-adjacent music that helped redefine the definition of ambient music during the 1990s.

The focus of Part One heavily fell on music from techno and house producers in Europe, eagerly exploring new soundtracks for chill-out rooms and re-imagining the potential future of club culture from new perspectives. For Part Two, we narrow the lens to focus on a unique time and place, namely Japan between 1993-1999. Despite missing out on the 'Acid House Fever', club culture was beginning to take shape in Japan during the early '90s. In contrast to the rest of the world, where ambient techno / IDM emerged as a by-product or response to the scene, 'listening techno', as it is known in Japan, was a central pillar of the culture right from the start.

'Virtual Dreams II' aims to shine a light on this unique moment in time where the thread of ambient music weaved its way through the music of an emerging club culture. This period saw the birth of many great Japanese techno labels such as Sublime Records, Transonic Records, Syzygy Records, Frogman Records, and Form@ Records, following in the late '90s. 'Virtual Dreams II' features ambient, chill-out, and intelligent techno from these leading labels alongside other lesser-known but equally influential imprints, as well as ambient deviations from Japanese house producers. Much of the music featured has only ever been released on CD.

'Virtual Dreams II' is compiled by Eiji Taniguchi and Jamie Tiller, who have worked closely together on previous Music From Memory releases such as 'Heisei No Oto' and 'Dream Dolphin - Gaia'. It is also the final project Jamie Tiller worked on before his tragic passing in 2023. Jamie had been researching, planning, and compiling this version of Virtual Dreams even before the first chapter was released, believing that there were many great tracks in Japan that fit the concept of the series. Knowing how much love and energy he put into compiling it gives it an extra special place in our hearts.

Compiled by Jamie Tiller and Eiji Taniguchi with artwork by Kenta Senekt, design by Steele Bonus and liner notes by Itaru W. Mita,

Expansion’s most successful and longest running compilation series returns with its 2020 collection. It’s the 20th Anniversary edition. The concept remains, the tracks better than ever, fifteen must-have modern soul room gems telling the story of the past 12 months. Tracks here have topped UK soul charts including many that have not been available in all formats. Participants this year include Charlie Wilson (biggest dancefloor spin before lockdown), Tower of Power, Will Downing, Randy Hall, JB Rose The Weather Girls, and Sam Wills all prolific on soul radio through the summer with other artists delivering signature songs of 2020. Then there’s the biggest revival track of the year from Johnny Baker, “It’s Your Night”, the 300 copy limited edition 7” pressing now exchanging hands upwards of £50 a copy.

In 1969, singer and police lieutenant Pedro Gregorio López started recording a series of instrumental tracks and songs on the MAG record label in Peru, ranging from guaracha to cumbia, all cooked with musical eclecticism and simmered to appeal to a wide audience. Many of these musical ingredients combined on the 1971 album entitled "Cocinando", in reference to the similarities between Peruvian cooking and tropical music. López began his career as a singer and orchestra conductor many years earlier, when he joined the backing singers for Lucho Macedo's Sonora. After completing his police training, he adopted the stage name Martín López, in order to preserve the anonymity his job required. Between 1969 and 1971 Martín López y sus Estrellas recorded all the tracks comprised on this album, including salsa, guarachas, rumbas, chichas and boleros, proving their knowledge and mastery of the tropical music lexicon. It is not surprising since the orchestra was made up of the most talented label’s session stars: including the double bassist Joe di Roma, singer Pablo Villanueva "Melcochita", percussionists Ñiko Estrada and Coco Lagos, and trumpeter Tito Chicoma. "Cocinando" is an epic historical treasure that captures the explosive impact of the tropical music movement on Peruvian culture.

DJ Support: Massimiliano Pagliara, Lauren Lo Sung, Make A Dance, ADMNTi, Jeremy Sylvester, Locky, SUCHI, Daisy Moon, Martyn Bootyspoon, Storm Mollison

Beeyou Records proudly presents False Promises, the latest EP from Dennis Quin, an artist known for his timeless, soul-moving House music.

First up on the A side Reactivate delivers a high-energy garage vibe with punchy basslines and crisp percussion. This is then followed by Diamond Hunting is a bumpy 4x4 track that works on every dancefloor.

Flipping on the B side Dennis opens up with Accidentally that blends classic House grooves with playful modern production, followed by False Promises (Original Mix) bounces with a lovely vocal and vibrant House energy. The EP finishes off with Well Conducted a track that howcases Dennis’ other styles with a downtempo, chilled vibe.

A sense of destiny hangs over Sentir Que No Sabes, Mabe Fratti’s fourth solo-credited album released in a five year span. Her work has always possessed a finely tuned sense of drama capable of expressing a range of emotional states, and across this new album, she conveys the struggle to process various relationships or situations–and the actions that come next. Sentir Que No Sabes is urgent and clear, poppy, generous and approachable, while showcasing a considerable emotional hinterland. It is also, as Fratti is quick to mention, “groovy.”

Written and recorded with her partner, multi-instrumentalist, and co-composer Héctor Tosta (I.La Católica, Titanic), Sentir Que No Sabes is the result of an intense, detail-oriented process. Fueled by a new confidence gained in their collaborative project, Titanic, and its critically acclaimed 2023 LP, Vidrio, the two hunkered down in the familiarity of their studio (aka Tinho Studios) to bash out the initial sonic coordinates of her new record. “We talked and talked, and discussed ways of playing and recording, until things became inevitable,” Fratti explains. “We recorded a bunch of demos at our home studio and that meant we had a lot of time to re-edit and experiment. We really dug in. We were super focused on detail.” Tosta also took up the controls as producer and arranger-in-chief for all additional instruments. The album was later completed at Willem Twee Studios in Den Bosch in the Netherlands, and Pedro y el Lobo Studios and Soy Sauce Studios, in Mexico City.

For the final studio recordings, the pair were joined by drummer Gibran Andrade and trumpetist Jacob Wick to fill out and expand on Tosta’s percussion and brass arrangements. This small group of friends were able to work quickly and openly, and without fear: a testament to the exhaustive groundwork put in at Tinho Studios. This can be heard in three short, intermediary tracks that also manage to be the most aggressive on the record: “Kitana” (a scratch-laden instrumental that acts as a strange prelude for the last track, “Angel nuevo”) and a pair of two-minute instrumental interludes, “Elastica” I and II. None are throwaway mood pieces; rather they act as emotional cue cards, and hint at the way Fratti and Tosta created the overall atmosphere of Sentir Que No Sabes.

A strong sense of rhythm irrigates the sound from the jump, as heard on the glorious opening track, “Kravitz.” Here, the brilliant plucked cello line acts as a bassline and props up the steady thump of the kick drum. The cello’s growl serves as a conduit for a set of slightly paranoid lyrics that tell us “Quizás haya oídos en el techo” (“maybe there are ears in the ceiling”), while the song also introduces another staple of the record: the clever brass stabs, whistles, parps, and other interjections that paint a canvas of traffic in a city. It’s a postmodern, widescreen sound that for some might recall The Blue Nile’s Hats.

Sentir Que No Sabes is a record full to the brim with a modern pop sensibility, invoked by the sort of magpie spirit that ensnares anything it can find, repositioning sounds for the here and now. The keys and melody on the melancholy “Pantalla azul” (“Blue screen error”) transport us back to the glossy mid-1980s. “Oídos” (“Ears”) is a beautiful slice of contemporary, hybrid pop, in which Fratti’s vocal lines delicately spin themselves around the lean structures erected by the brass and drums, and the descending “plink” of a set of piano chords. Then we have a gloriously strong ending with the swell of “Angel nuevo” (“New angel”), another cinematic track full of gentle, instrument-rich swells and eddies that manages to be almost endless in its range–and yet intensely personal, as Fratti’s voice is close, almost whispering in your ear. A much needed lullaby for our fractious times.

The lyrics, for their part, have a stop-start quality to them, and hint at the small, incremental emotional taxes we pay through just living our lives. They circle around the music like birds waiting to swoop. There is something of the spiritual in all of Fratti’s work that expresses itself in a form of yearning: she looks to new horizons while personal dramas find themselves internalized, contextualized, and then dealt with through metaphor. Here, she was keen to mention Tosta’s constant encouragement in her finding a path to best sing or phrase her words to impart their maximum effect. “Hector was super inquisitive about my lyrics and asked me questions about what I meant, which sometimes is something you don't wonder so much about in isolation,” Fratti explains. “Besides, he is a great poet, and you can see that in what he did on the Titanic record. This made me go deeper into my lyric writing and definitely transformed it into something that I feel super happy about now.”

Take “Enfrente” (“In Front”), a track that initially comes across as a languid, glossy number, with plucked cello strings standing in for a bass line and brittle synth parts. Soon we catch on to a brilliant minor chord switch, which mirrors the fear and doubt expressed in the lyrics as someone “trembles up to the podium” in a “search for meaning.” There’s also the startling introduction of a vocoder in “Quieras o no” (“Whether you want it or not”); it comes precisely at the point Fratti sings “Quieras o no es un desastre” (“Whether you want it or not, it's a disaster”). Moments like these leave room for interpretation and, over time, create a strong bond between the listener and the record.

In fact, across Sentir Que No Sabes, each phrase–whether instrumental or vocal–becomes at some level emblematic of acts and moods that impart deep emotional significance. We see this best on “Intento fallido” (“Failed attempt”), which could be the score to feeling trapped in self-doubt, only to suddenly be sprung free by the song’s gloriously upbeat ending. On “Márgen del índice” (“Index margin”), the quicksilver switch between initial disharmony and a beautiful melody is breathtaking, all augmented by evocative arrangements, textured production, and the slightly playful, gnomic lyrics. The track’s emotional ecosystem allows another brilliant ending, which uses the simple repeated phrase, “Cómo lo va a ver?” (“How are you going to see it?”).

So what to make of Sentir Que No Sabes? High gloss Pastoralism? The sound of a city-bound, post-post modern soulscape? No matter the emotions evoked, it's the work of an artist coming into their own, and creating a benchmark record.

Open Space is proud to present our first ever full-length LP by LA’s newest 3-man band, Puli. Some words from our dear friend Matt McDermott below:

In recent years, a cadre of musicians from the east side of Los Angeles have reestablished the city of angels as the first city of Balearica. Alex Ho’s “Move Through It” followed in the lumbering footsteps of Project Sandro’s “Blazer.” Now, there’s a new landmark for the floating west coast sound. Swirling, the first album from LA supergroup Puli.

If you’ve got your ear to the ground you know the names involved here. Drummer and producer Damon Palermo’s pedigree stretches back a good 15 years or so, starting off with dub punks Mi Ami. Phil Cho is one of the busiest DJs, musicians and advocates for the deep stuff in LA, throwing legendary hillside parties under the Third Place banner. John Jones, the preternaturally talented guitarist and electronic tinkerer, records as AV Moves, is a key member of the Suzanne Kraft and Baba Stiltz live configurations and plays in The Trilogy Tapes-affiliated act Geo Rip.

But this listing of personnel and credentials puts too fine a point on it. Puli are three close friends who go to parties, DJ and get tacos together, repairing to their Chinatown studio a few times a week and coming out with remarkably textured, idiosyncratic downtempo jams. Building off the solid foundation of their 7-inch of heavyweight dubs for Melbourne’s Constant Delay, Swirling is an exploration of new horizons in chill out.

“Ramona” acts a statement of purpose—with halftime/double-time dub-tinged rhythms, hazy yet bright synth motifs and atmospheric guitar from Jones, not terribly far from the expansive approach of Japanese dub aesthetes Pecker. “Cloudy,” meanwhile, is a sort of deconstructed and bittersweet Balearic pop featuring Cho’s ethereal vocals. “Bongo Springs” is steppers’ house not far from close LA peer Benedek or the Mood Hut crew up north.

But what truly sets this record apart is the space and layers in the production—while it’s nominally an electronic record, Puli is a band that has slowly crafted these songs in the rehearsal space. “Havana Jam” cruises along a sliding roundwound bass guitar take with dubby chords and textural guitars. Palermo’s hand drums and live percussion enmesh perfectly with icy pads on “Leech Seed Dub.” Cho is back on the mic for the gorgeous closer, “C.S.B.”, underpinned by breakbeat and trunk-rattling sub bass. Puli doesn’t sound like anyone else, and is ultimately reflective of the city itself. Listening to Swirling feels like navigating a warren of side streets in the eternal sunshine. Take the drive and dive.

Willie Roy Turner a native Mississippian, migrated with his family to the South Side of the city of Chicago during the 1950’s. Initially taking up employment at the Golden Rod Ice Cream Company, his first foray into secular music arose when he was accompanied by Muddy Waters Band at Smitty’s Corner Club and performed an impressive recital of the 1959 Big Jay Neely standard “There’s Something On Your Mind” at an Open Mic Night sometime in 1963. A regular talent show entrant, Duke would eventually meet and befriend fellow Mississippian, Garland Green. Green himself had been spotted at the Trocadero Theater by the then husband and wife team of Mel Collins and “Joshie” Jo Armstead, who signed him to their Giant Enterprises production company where he recorded several excellent singles for MCA’s subsidiary, Revue and Uni labels. Green’s third Revue single release, “Ain’t That Good Enough” was composed by Jo Armstead, brothers Howard and Walter Scott and session drummer Ira Gates. It was Green who introduced Duke Turner to the Scott Brothers. The Scott Brothers Review (later known as The Scott Brothers World), one of Chicago’s most respected bands, operated their own production company, Capri Productions, producing songs on both their own and other labels artists. With the Scott’s, Duke recorded his first 45, the upbeat funk mover “Doggie Dog World” b/w “Put Some Soul In Your Dance”. The tracks penned by Duke and respected arranger Johnny Cameron was released on Don Clay’s Omega label in 1968.



Duke then formed his own company, Spinning Top Records, initially releasing “Shake Your Rang-A Tang (Rang-Dang-Du) to be followed by a second single “(Let Me Be Your) Baby Sitter”. Originally intended for release with a b-side entitled “Friendship Or Friends” the studio engineer on the project Ed Cody persuaded Duke to drop “Friendship” in favour of a part 2 version of “(Let Me Be Your) Baby Sitter”. “Friendship Or Friends” was sadly never revisited and with Duke moving to several different addresses across the ensuing years, the tapes eventually became lost. Fast forward half a century, and following a conversation with collector Malcolm Collins who divulged the existence of a acetate of “Friendship Or Friends” won on e-bay by a British collector Russell Gilbert (now living in the Netherlands), the idea of releasing the song was born. When contacted, Russell was only too happy to loan to us the acetate as a mastering reference. Upon receipt of the acetate, we realized in addition to the unreleased “Friendship Or Friends” the version of “Baby Sitter” was a longer and different mix to the released 45 version. After confirming and reacquainting Duke with his long-lost masters a licensing deal was struck which will see the long overdue release of “Friendship or Friends” along with the alternative mix of “(Let Me Be Your) Baby Sitter” as part of a 3- track EP courtesy of Soul Junction Records that also includes the original 1974 version of “Give Me Some Sugar, Baby”, a song now finding favour with the ‘Lowrider’ scene. “Give Me Some Sugar, Baby” became Duke’s signature song, which he recorded again in 1983 under the title of “Sugar Baby Your Love” with his then band ‘Torch’, which included two young musicians that Duke had previously mentored, Terry Coffey and Jon Nettlesbey, the successful 90’s songwriting partnership responsible for several RnB/Pop hits for Howard Hewitt, Alexander O’Neil, Teddy Pendergrass and Keith Washington. Their credits also include Joey Diggs “Always Coca-Cola” hit commercial jingle.

“Wild Boy …” is a reissue of the well-known 2016 release curated by Brian Chidester, renowned researcher and biographer of Eden Ahbez. Especially for this album, Brian wrote an interesting text about Abi’s life, which definitely became the decoration of the release.
With the new 2020 re-release, we went a little further and kept what is commonly referred to as studio cuts. It’s a few more minutes in the studio with ahbez himself, full of emotion and life. In addition, to the delight of fans, the edition includes an additional composition Nature Boy (Mantovani Orchestra).
Especially, it is worth noting the outstanding mastering prepared from practically decomposed tapes by the Grammy-nominated Jessica Thompson, which guarantees the deepest and warmth possible sound. Jessica a huge ahbez fan and we’re highly appreciated for what she has done to save his music for the future.
Eden Ahbez is definitely at the origin of psychedelic music and this release can be taken as further proof. Over the past twenty years, the iconic figure of the world’s first hippie Eden ahbez has become famous primarily for his 1948 song “Nature Boy”, praising universal love, and his amazingly solo album from the 1960s called “Eden’s Island” – one from the first concept albums in the history of music and probably the first psychedelic music album. “Wild Boy: The Lost Songs Of Eden Ahbez” deepens understanding of the origins of the psychedelic movement in the 1950s.
The disc contains a musical selection of works by Eden ahbez himself, written by him in the period after Nature Boy. The inclusion of songs such as “Palm Springs” – Ray Anthony Orchestra and “Hey Jacques” by Erta Kitt gives the listener the chance to discover for the first time the little-known recordings of world-famous artists composed by Eden ahbez. Through “Wild Boy” and “Surfer John” you can hear the author’s handling of absurd rock and exotic experimentation, as well as sweet psychedelic pop like Monterey (with Paul Horn on flute). Overall, Wild Boy: The Lost Songs Of Eden Ahbez offers an overview of the lost works of 1949-1971 with seven unpublished recordings and eight rare singles.
If in 2020 you are missing the hallucinogenic content in Eden Ahbez, it amazingly makes up for that deficiency with simple chords, expansive arrangements, and lyrics about travel, relaxation, free love, and spirituality. Thus creating the standard of psychedelic music. Eden Ahbez’s songs weren’t only fantasy and his personal philosophy was the real thing that he lived.

reviews:

“This carefully and extensively researched compilation culls covers by top notch mainstream artists juxtaposed with unreleased Eden recordings. What might sound like a mixed bag is actually more like a chronological, musical non-fiction novel about Eden Ahbez. While Eden was writing hundreds of songs and performing live and making recordings in various styles, his songs were also being picked up by popular artists like Nat King Cole and Eartha Kitt who recorded with a more polished mainstream style. There are also some early rock n roll style recordings here. Eden’s professionally recordings often end up as Novelty Pop records such as “Child of Nature” and “The Clam Man” but if you read between the lines and listen to the lyrics it is pretty eye-opening that he is singing about Eastern-religion-style and pre-hippie philosophies about being at one with the planet Earth.
All of this is explained in the lengthy liner notes inside the lp along with a few choice photos that establish Eden as a founding father of Southern California mystic/psychedelic music.” – Tiki_News
“Eden Ahbez’s life philosophy was summed up in the lyrics of his most famous song, “Nature Boy,” a 1948 hit for Nat King Cole: the song describes a “strange enchanted boy” who wanders the world in search of truth. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn,” he concludes, “is to love and be loved in return.” Ahbez was a pre-cursor of California’s beatniks and hippies, and an exalted icon of ex-otica via his rare 1960 album Eden’s Island. Beyond “Nature Boy” and Eden’s Island, though, there were nu-merous lesser-known Ahbez record-ings. Ahbez biographer Brian Chidester has been doing an exemplary job of archiving and documenting that catalog of work. The Exotic World of Eden Ahbez (reviewed in UT#38) appeared a few years ago, gathering together 14 Ahbez-related rarities” – Ugly Things

Matching breezy, Bossa nova-tinged sophistication with softly spiralling psychedelia, Testbild! arrive in the Quindi lounge as though they've always been there. On their 12th album, Bed Stilt, the Swedish collective cast their attention back to the earlier days of their 25-year trip through sweetly mysterious pop-not-pop rendered in warm tones and shot through with surrealism. It's tricky to get a precise fix on the story and structure of Testbild! The project was spearheaded by Petter Herbertsson in his hometown of Malmö in the late 90s, although the story on their website credits the inspiration and source material to a chance meeting and unpublished manuscript from a retiring scientist. The collective's evolution since then is a tangled web of facts and fiction spun by a revolving cast of collaborators including Siri af Burén, Katja Ekman, Rikard Heberling, Douglas Holmquist, Mattias Nihlén and Petter Samuelsson. Along the way, their music has touched on chamber pop, post-punk and modern jazz with the elaborate harmonies and catchy songwriting charm of the Canterbury scene. The tracks which make up Bed Stilt were in fact track recorded in Malmö back in the mid- 00s, lying in wait for the right opportunity to be brought to light with some delicate overdubs and finishing flourishes in the here and now. The core musicians working on the record were Herbertsson and Douglas Holmquist on a similarly expansive list of vocals, guitars, bass, synths and keys, Siri af Burén on lead vocals and Mattias Nihlén on synths and additional mixing. Meanwhile Tomas Bodén - better known as Civilistjavel - lent some additional synth work as well as mastering the record. Musically, Testbild! stay true to their idiosyncratic approach on Bed Stilt with six immaculately rendered sojourns through lilting harmonies and brushed rhythms, feeling nostalgic but beguiling in equal measure. Theirs is a luxurious sound, not least on the opening strains of 'The First New Years Eve,' which purrs to life draped in silky Rhodes and chiming vibes. Behind this comfortable veneer the enigmatic lyrical themes unfurl through Herbertsson, Holmquist and af Burén's vocal harmonies like fractalized puzzles waiting to be solved. The finger-picking delicacy and languid harmonica of 'Streams' strike a pastoral mood neatly countered by the elegant slide into dislocated ambience for the track's final stretch. By contrast, 'And Her Eyes Are Red' surges with a big beat urgency which plays beautifully with the mellow jazziness of the chord sequences, boldly toying with song structure to dart down curious tangents without losing the immediate impulse of a great pop record. Somewhere in this tension between clarity and chaos we can understand the addictive charm of Testbild! - a band steeped in the considerable craft of making accomplished and unconventional music so very easy to sink into. If that doesn't make for a perfect addition to the Quindi catalogue, we don't know what does.

On Savor Music 025, we summoned a fine selection of remixers to rework Franco Cinelli's "Tracks from the Vault Part 2."

"Tribute To Miles Davis," where Cinelli merges jazz and electronic elements into a hypnotic sonic journey was reinterpreted by Chicago Legend DJ Jes adding a trippier, loose house interpretation, infusing the track with an extra jazzy twist while maintaining its original spirit. Pablo Minuto & Guillermo de Caminos made a minimalistic take on the same cut, transforming the track into a groovy, hypnotic experience with a focus on rhythmic and atmospheric elements.

"Electronic Funk" original’s pulsating bassline, crisp percussion, and intertwining synth melodies are further enriched in Jorge Savoretti’s remix, which introduces an extra layer of synth action, giving the track’s a deeper interpretation.

There are few people across the globe, who will have not been touched by the work of Frankie Knuckles. Forever regarded as ‘The Godfather of House’ for his unrivalled contribution to the house music we know today; what started as an underground movement in Chicago has grown to international heights thanks to Frankie. His records earned him recognition on a global scale, allowing him to work with some of the globes biggest names including the likes of Diana Ross, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.

Frankie passed away in Chicago on 31st March 2014 leaving behind one of the greatest house music legacies spanning almost four decades. Now he is commemorated by long time writing and production partner Eric Kupper. Eric, himself a seasoned DJ producer and writer, has worked on over 116 Billboard #1 Dance Records and played a pivotal role in many of Frankie’s productions. Having both worked together for many years they established themselves as ‘Director’s Cut’ from 2011 and set about producing original releases and remixes based on the classic ‘Def Mix’ sound while sharing equal credits for their creations.

Together they re-produced and re-purposed classic cuts for modern dancefloors, with reworks including tracks from Marshall Jefferson, Ashford & Simpson, Artful & Ridney and The Sunburst Band, alongside Frankie Knuckles originals. These releases have now been brought together by Eric to feature on special album called ‘The Directors Cut Collection’ on SoSure Music.

For the third volume classic cuts such as Inaya Day & Robin S. - Right Now (A Director’s Cut Master) and Marko Militano - Good People (Director’s Cut Signature Mix) are nestled alongside equally absorbing Directors Cut mixes of Vintage Lounge Orchestra covering 'Dreams' and Art Department pres. Martina Topley Bird feat. Mark Lanegan & Warpaint covering 'Crystalised'.

The Director’s Cut Collection is a fitting tribute to commemorate the seventh anniversary of Frankie’s passing whilst giving Eric a platform to tell his side of the creative story. This album is to be released in collaboration with The Frankie Knuckles Foundation who work to continuing Frankie’s legacy well into the future.



DJ Feedback:

Dixon - 5/5 - "Classic"

The Black Madonna - 5/5 - "Love you Frankie!!!"

Laurent Garnier - 5/5 - "“niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice OHHHH SOOOOO NIIIIIIIIIIIIICE !!!!!”

Honey Dijon - 5/5 - "Iconic!!!!!!"

Axel Boman - 5/5 - "It's all about love - not about emotions!!!!

Adam Beyer - 5/5 - "<3"

Space Dimension Controller - 5/5 - "Always"

Tensnake - 5/5 - "Classic Love It"

Jonny Rock - 5/5 - "Hot!!!"

Prins Thomas - 4/5 - "very nice! fresh take on an all-time classic"

Len Faki - 5/5 - "It's been a while listening to this masterpiece - and yes - it's timeless and I love the new touch on the new version. thanks Frankie!"

robdabank (Radio 1) - 5/5 - “One of my all time faves and great mixes here!”

Severino Panzetta (Horse Meat Disco) - 5/5 - "OH YASS!!"

Matthias Tanzmann - 5/5 - "Can't believe it has been five years already. Legendary

Michael Serafini - 4/5 - "Excellant Retouch on this!!!"

Ease-Nightmares On Wax - 4/5 - "Timeless classic for a true legend RIP x"

Timo Maas - 5/5 - "well...classic!"

Tiefschwarz - 5/5 "bless Frankie Knuckles!!"

Red Rack'em - 4/5 - "Love this new version. Really tasteful. Well done!"

Cobra & The Brotherhood of the Grape is a celebration of friends making music together for many years. An album conceived in the Clot neighbourhood and recorded in Barcelona, Mallorca and Buenos Aires. An "All Stars" occasion where many of the musicians who have played in STA over 20 years have come together to contribute.

The album features digital dub, dark roots and other sunny and bright tracks. Experimental and electronic, but also analog and dense in textures, and delicate in showing it.

After 20 years of the first CD, STA follows their personal path to make Dub. A special mention deserves the album's art by Tomás Spicolli, an old friend and collaborator of STA. Cobra & The Brotherhood of the Grape is the sixth LP in vinyl format within a production that also has several CDs, 7'' and cassettes.

A completely self-produced album. All original riddims. Dub for adults.

“We kick the label off with our inaugural release from label head Drum Dance; an eclectic four-tracker opening with ‘Zani!’, an outernational cosmic head-nodder meets Chicago footwork influenced ode to the great Zani Diabaté. Low-slung Latin flavoured boogie number ‘Body Heat’ switches up the tempo but keeps those limbs moving with its percussive four-to-the-floor beat, steamy disco vocals and jazzy keys. 80s jazz Balearic goes to Kingston for a bass-heavy dub makeover on ‘Venus Dub 2’.

Signing things off is ‘Adan On Dòt Soley’, a personal dedication to the beautiful country of Gwadloup. A common farewell in the local tongue, it translates poetically as “until another sun”. The track begins with off-kilter spaced-out synths and emerges into a dubby percussive jam featuring the gorgeous keys of Andy Wileman. Field recordings capturing glimpses of birds singing, waves lapping and the sound of gwo ka on the beach close things out, until another sun.”



Full sleeve artwork printed on reverse board
Mastered and cut by Beau Thomas at Ten Eight Seven Mastering
Pressed and printed by The Vinyl Factory

"This is a live album that was taken from the tour for YTILAER. Songs tend to mutate after they"ve been recorded. These songs were mutating faster than usual. Like whatever happened to Bruce Banner in the lab - I knew these songs were about to get superpowers. As far as I was concerned, this change needed to be documented. The best thing about documenting something is that it gives the creator permission to move on should they wish to move on. I usually prefer to move on. These songs were recorded in Chicago, America"s heart. And at one of the best clubs in the country - I try to only work with venues that are not entangled with LiveNation/Ticketmaster. Thalia Hall, baby. Stay free. The date was mid-point in the tour, so I knew we"d be as hot as we were going to get. Not too green, not too brown. There was the thought, "let"s take this op to make it something special." So we took advantage of Chicago"s easily accessible players - we got Nick Mazzarella to add alto sax to one song, and from the opening band, Pascal Kerong"A to sing on a song, and Nathaniel Ballinger on piano on one song - and I couldn"t pass up the opportunity to invite Joshua Abrams and Lisa Alvarado to play on "Natural Information." The hardest part of making the record was cutting songs out - it could have been a triple album. But I don"t know, maybe the show should have been this short?" - Bill Callahan

fabric Records to announce the highly anticipated release of *fabric presents Confidence Man*, set to drop on 23rd August 2024. The mix features Confidence Man’s innovative sound and includes two exclusive tracks from the band, alongside new music from renowned artists Joe Goddard, Joshua James, and Mona Yim.

Confidence Man, celebrated for their infectious energy and distinctive style, bring their unique flair to this mix, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the future of dance music. The exclusive tracks, “BREAK IT DOWN (ON THE BASSLINE)” and “Let Them Bells Ring,” showcase the band's signature blend of high energy and catchy grooves, promising to be instant dancefloor favorites.

Complementing Confidence Man’s contributions are cutting-edge tracks from Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard, whose production mastery continues to redefine electronic music. Joshua James, known for his deep house and techno expertise, delivers a track that captures his club-ready sound. Mona Yim adds her ethereal touch with a fresh composition that embodies her innovative approach to electronic music.

fabric presents Confidence Man* stands as a testament to fabric Records’ commitment to curating pioneering music that pushes the boundaries of the genre. This release not only highlights the versatile talent of Confidence Man but also features some of the most exciting contemporary artists in the electronic scene.

The album will be available for digital download and streaming across all major platforms on 23d August 2024.

The widely beloved Romanian producer and DJ Barac delivers his new EP ‘Hypnotic Grayscale’ via Yecad this May, comprising three original compositions across the vinyl only release.

Since his debut release over a decade ago, Bucharest, Romania’s Barac has grown to become one of the most prized producers and DJ’s in the microhouse movement coming out of his home turf. A name synonymous with high quality, subtly nuanced and hypnotic grooves tightly woven together to create a sound that’s distinctly his and has found a home on many reputed labels such as Meander, Pressure Traxx, Adam’s Bite and of course his own Shamandrum. Here though, we see Barac joining the roster of Yecad, a fledgling London based imprint that has played host to music from Sepp, Vlad Arapusu, Mihai Pol, Dragutesku and Constratti since its inception in 2023.

The title-track ‘Hypnotic Grayscale’ opens the EP and encapsulates all that is loved about Barac’s productions, delicately unfurling atmospherics, haunting voices and softly reverberated chimes intertwined with airy dub chords and stripped back drums.
Following to open the B-Side is ‘Everything that is seen comes from the unseen’, stripping things back to a rawer, percussive driven state with crisp drums and a bubbling acid- tinged bass line carry the groove while sporadic resonant flutters and vocal murmurs ebb and flow within. ‘He restores my soul’ then rounds out the EP and sees Barac explore his more experimental side, fusing together ghostly synth melodies, echoing chords, spiraling resonant swells and a hypnotic Romanian spoken word vocal.

There is propably no single event that has as potent of an
effect on the german Techno- scene as the fall of the Berlin
Wall. A city divided suddenly, in one single night, became
uni¦ed, opening up both sides for the new experiences and
ways to view life the other might have. Berlin’s eastside with
it’s empty, unused warehouses proved to be a fertile breeding
ground for free spirits and those carrying a newfound ¦re in
their eyes. This was the zero hour. The Consolidation. And it
is this mindset, spirit and ¦re of Consolidation that Shaleen
conjures on her debut EP of the same name. The title track
opens up by sampling John F. Kennedy’s legendary “Berlin”
speech from 1964, before absolutely caving in the concrete
with a beyond-heavy kickdrum and a very stripped down but
effective 909-percussion section. Spursed in along the track’s
runtime are droning sirens and JFK continuing to beckon you
to lose yourself in the metropolitan bowels. This is the
anthem of a past revolution. On Deconstruction, Shaleen
goes down a slightly more basement oriented route. The
Percussion shares the title track’s stripped down
effectiveness, but the Groove is more rolling, the Vocal
samples are more distorted and there are sharp synths
cutting through the beats like shards of broken glass. Of
course, a revolution wouldn’t be complete without a mob so
both Cadency aka Hector Oaks and New Frames have put
their spin on the EP’s title track. Mr. Cadeny is up ¦rst and,
being no stranger to revolutionary anthems, has given
Consolidation an almost contemplative mood in his Remix,by adding a very subtle melody. This doesn’t mean it hits any
less hard, mind you, there is an incredibly strong drive to the
track, paired with an almost constantly looping vocal and the
sirens going into overdrive, this would be the track to drive
crowds into a frenzy. Meanwhile New Frames’ track is the
kind of thing you wouldn’t want to encounter alone in a dark
alleyway. The sub-basses are heavy enough to terraform
Mars, the Jungle-esque Synthlines roar and snarl at the
listener and every drop feels like a right hook to the chin. The
original’s vocal is cut in a way that it only adds to the
stomping rhythm, putting you in a mood to throw bricks. So
while this record showcases an aggressive sound and a
mood for revolution, it is important to remember it’s title.
Consolidation. It echoes a message of uni¦cation. Of
standing together. Because together we are, have been and
will always be stronger than by ourselves.

Los Angeles-based video artist and producer Laskfar Vortok makes his first appearance in the EVAR catalogue with "Erbsat Esrhosc." An unusual title that reflects the artist's interest in the bizarre, whether he's making music or producing videos and visuals, "Erbsat Esrhosc" bristles with erratic patterns, anarchic atmospheres and glitchy soundscapes. The Mexican-born talent explores ideas based on the hypothetical concept of a planetwide city, otherwise known as an ecumenopolis, weaving such ideas against a cinematic backdrop, nodding to his long-running love for cinema. Across the five-track EP, he also draws inspiration from the heated and hectic energy of L.A, where he's resided most of his life.

Produced in memoriam of Michael Gregory Harrison, aka Bad Timing, and following a period of introspection and creative and personal challenges, Laskfar Vortok began work on "Erbsat Esrhosc" in 2018. The EP honours Michael's brilliance as an artist and a friend;the title being an anagram of a phrase that they shared between them.

"Eclipse" opens the EP on a haunting note. A spidery melody and chilling pads punctuate the witchy soundscape before syncopated sequences collide with snafued textures, signifying a sharp left turn into breakcore. With its nebulous atmosphere, this track offers the first glimpse into the concept of an ecumenopolis. On "Hyperdrive", frenetic percussion dominates while zappy noises and a doomsday melody slink in and out of earshot. Bursts of broken wub exacerbate the uneasy mood while cinematic, almost ethereal chords twinkle in the background.

"Base" offers a moment to recover one's brain cells after the nosedive into the near future. A lugging kickdrum and broken, woody percussions swirl around the troposphere while creepy pads convey a sinister aura. "Mutation" catapults us back into chaos with claustrophobic polyrhythmic structures, smatterings of kickdrums, and a sporadic mad-scientist-type synthline, adding a jittery layer. An unexpectedly orchestral outro completes the bizarre nature of the track.

Closing out on "Send Off", Laskfar Vortok blends freezing-cold chords with snaggy synth notes and a tangle of drum constellations tied up with a gossamer melody and splattered across an eerie terrain.

Using Bitwig Studio, orcλ, TidalCycles and Renoise as his modus operandi, Laskfar Vortok produces a trip that intrigues but disturbs, serving a shimmering yet terrifying squint into a technoid-led utopia. And we're only just getting started.

Fledgling label Shadow Pressings already made a mark with their debut release in March entitled the Chicago EP, garnering love from Hunee, Terry Farley and Luke Solomon to name a few.

Striking while the iron is hot, the label are serving up four more heavyweight club tracks which include acidic edits, crunchy deep house, 808 electro grooves and dusty breakbeats.

Lead track Find A Friend jacks up the perennial classic with 808 rims and toms and additional synths but keeps things loopy and rolling.

Holding One Shoe continues with the 808 theme whilst injecting a healthy dose of acid resulting in what sounds like a long lost Yazoo B side filtered through a lysergic lens.

Train Of Fools decontextualises a well known acapella making for a deep and techy basement jam which will keep the floor moving and the speaker pumping.

Closing out the EP we have More Music In The Night, which chops up some familiar samples and layers up an 808 electro groove and breakbeats for a fresh take on early 90’s house.

DJ Support: Danny Howard, Annie Mac, Mistajam, Pete Tong, Charlie Hedges, Kraak & Smaak, Maxinne, Todd Terry, Alex Preston, Full Intention, GW Harrison, DJ Rae, Rudimental, Alaia & Gallo, Illyus & Barrientos, Johan S, David Penn, Sam Divine, Riva Starr, Claptone, Nice7, Dario D’Attis, Mousse T, S-Man, Huxley, KC Lights, Friend Within, Dombresky, Gorgon City, Chris Lake, Format:B, Pirupa, TCTS, Alan Fitzpatrick, Low Steppa, Mat.Joe, Raumakustik, Eskuche


Kicking things off on our next 4-track vinyl sampler series is Toolroom's very own Martin Ikin who returns to the label with ‘Make U Sweat’! He was the Best-selling Tech House artist on Beatport in 2020 and 2021 and has over 1m monthly listeners across streaming platforms. Recent studio collabs have included Noizu and Joshwa and tours have seen him travel far and wide to the US, Brazil, Bali, Ibiza, Italy, Croatia and of course, his hometown of London. This new record is the follow up to 'Oscill8' that dropped in March 2023 and sits in a similar lane, in that it's pure, unadulterated club weaponry! Next up is Italian house legend Flashmob with the frenetic, high-energy club vibe of new cut ‘My Body’. Flashmob's sound, production and go-for-broke DJ sets have changed with the game, embracing the vitality of new house music rather than hankering after sentimental sunsets. His ethic and aesthetic move relentlessly forward, using the old and new to craft unique sonic alchemy from big festivals like Tomorrowland to the intimacy of small clubs on the international circuit. ‘My Body’ is typical of Flashmob's current sound, combining solid drums and some insane synths and fx, alongside an earworm vocal sample that results in yet another memorable club cut from an established master. Canadian Tech House maestro Nathan Barato debuts on Toolroom kicking off the B-side to the vinyl alongside studio partner, Matheo Velez with 'Weapon'. A record that has already caught the attention of the underground elite with Michael Bibi premiering the track at his first appearance back at DC-10 in Ibiza last Summer. Both artists are enjoying great success across key labels such as Viva, Circus, Snatch and RAWthentic. This is an addictive, bumpy club track

that packs a huge punch on the dance floor and actually features Nathan's very own 'Move me… Rock me' vocals! Rounding things off is UK DJ/producer duo, Jenn Getz & Alfie who are residents at Dubai's #1 nightlife destination, Soho Garden, where they warm up for legends such as Sonny Fodera, MK, Claptone, Solardo & Fisher on a weekly basis. In their relatively short 3 year career they have already released on Solotoko, Abode and Toolroom Trax and now debut on Toolroom with 'Vibration'. Both girls are incredibly passionate about house music and are also big advocates for a life centered around well-being and meditation, and the idea of this record was to combine their 2 passions in life, so they proceeded to co-write these original lyrics to accompany the track, which in itself is very inspiring! This is a super cool club record that will excite fans and DJ's alike, welcome to the Toolroom Family, Jenn Getz & Alfie!

Countless radio plays on Radio 1 from Danny Howard, Sarah Storie, Pete Tong Other notable radio plays – Kiss FM, Toolroom Radio, Sirius XM, Data Transmission Radio, Radio 1 Dance Anthems, Radio 1 Party Anthems, Rinse FM, Select Radio, Tomorrowland Radio

2024 repress

“The doors are where the windows should be, and the windows are where the doors should be”. If you had been in one of the more open minded all night raves in the early 90s you are likely more than familiar with Earth Leakage Trip’s ‘No Idea’.

You could write several pages about the 'Psychotronic EP' and still not nail it as well as Discogs user covert_operative's description of 'urban, British psychedelic music.' The Acid House narrative is all about ecstasy, but for many, especially outside of London, there was a lot of LSD involved. Things were edgier, too, with parties in derelict, liminal spaces. By the time this record came out in 1991, the rave was properly diverging from its house music beginnings.

The Psychotronic EP was the first release on the legendary Moving Shadow label. Its lead track 'No Idea' is both the perfect entry point to the catalogue and something of an outlier. Neil Sanford had been writing music for a few years before playing some demos to Rob Playford in his car outside a nightclub in Wood Green. Simon Carter got involved, and the pair went to Playford's studio to manifest the madness they'd been sketching with rudimentary gear.

'No Idea's use of samples was wholly inspired and far more surreal than so many of the dark-side tracks that were to follow it. A friend of Neil's had given him a record called 'Happy Monsters' and the lead track, 'Adventures in the Land of Ooog,' lent the unforgettable children's vocals. Neil initially had his doubts. Had they gone too far? However, while working on the track, Rob Playford's girlfriend ran in shouting, "you HAVE to use that!" And so it came to be.

As a footnote, the track did prove to be strong medicine, with at least one documented account of a promoter having to be talked down by his friends after hearing it when psychedelically altered.

The Psychotronic EP is a truly visionary piece of work, standing poised on the edge of the rave's burgeoning future and entirely outside it. As such, it's never not been a cool record, as appealing to lysergic adventurers as it is to house heads, hardcore ravers, or experimental music pioneers. And it has now been lovingly reissued by Blank Mind, for which I'm eternally grateful, seeing as my copy is battered beyond belief.


Written by Piers Harrison

Remastered by Graeme at the Exchange

Licensed with permission from Moving Shadow

Played by Autechre, Colin Dale, Colin Faver, Orbital

The A Side is one of the most adventurous synthed out peak hour spiritual- level boogie rager. Flip Side is another psychedelic disco freak out stomper. Hasn't sold on Discogs in almost 15 years. Test presses co-signed by fellow Chicago disco Kingpins MARK GRUSANE and DARRYN JONES.

DJ Support: David Penn, DJ Mes, Kevin McKay, Sebb Junior, Art Of Tones, Robbie Rivera, Moon Rocket, Peter Brown, Hatiras, Johnick, Dam Swindle, Jimpster, Disclosure, Ricardo Villalobos, Luke Solomon, Nightmares On Wax, Laurent Garnier, Louie Vega, Steve "Silk" Hurley, Terry Hunter, DJ Sneak

A1 – Vinyl opens on serious anthem by one of Chicago’s greatest also known Stacy Kidd. 'Music For You – MF Mix' encaptures the soulful power of music and the silly energy of garage house dancefloor. This already classic banger track got some little twist for 2024 re-release, and we are honored to be able to release such a nice House track on wax eventually, almost 18 years after Original release (2007)

A2 – Fouk is serving some powerful deep house disco driven music, with a clear inspiration taken from the Garage house spirit of the 90’s-2000 golden era. The result is Cobalt, an impressive dancefloor weapon delivered by the acclaimed duo from Netherlands.

A3 – We are honored to welcome Michele Chiavarini into closing A side on a deeper touch – Vibe We Share. If michele is known for its musicianship and craft capacity that brought him to work all around in the music, he delivers here an interestingly deep house track, with beautiful vocal addition that bring a modern flare to the classic soulful house sound.

B1 – B Side open on a disco banging track, and who better than the jackin house hero Angelo Ferreri to get ourselves shaking heavy on another disco cut ? All Time Disco is probably a track that will have a strong connection with hectic dancefloor. What a delight

B2 – Some very delicious vibes follow on with Marc Cotterell addition to the compilation – Paris By Night. Here goes a journey to soulful house and organ ride with many garage house hints & breaks, Marc brings here a very musical track that might fit easy listening session and dancing hours both with ease and elegance.

B3 – Last of the list comes Teuteu with Kong. Emerging artist and newer to the scene than most of the previous artists, teuteu is noneless bringing some awefully interesting vibes on his B3 closing with a heavy Jazz House track. Organ jazz solo, deep chords, broken house patterns, all you needed to wrap up our Gravity compilation with adequate taste and charm.

Airtime Records returns with the latest installment of its vinyl-only series, featuring the incredibly talented artist Tommy Chikara and a remix by Just Jam.

The A-side kicks off with "Input", where Tommy Chikara wastes no time unleashing a barrage of garage beats and hypnotic stabs. Layering up rock-solid kicks and steel-sharpened hi-hats, he creates an energetic rave-up that will leave you breathless. Next up, "Output" takes the intensity to another level with its electrifying exploration of sound, captivating listeners with its irresistible groove and infectious bassline.

Flipping over to the B-side, Chikara presents "Make The Thing", a testament to his unparalleled creativity and innovation. With its dreamy melodies and energetic rhythm, this track is to set the tone in the late night scenes. To top of the release, Just Jam delivers a stunning remix of "Input", adding depth and complexity to the original track while retaining its essence.

These tracks have already left an indelible mark on dancefloors around the world, with support from artists like Chris Stussy and Enzo Siragusa.

Limited run, Vinyl Only.

Mood Child Presents 'Various Moods Vol. 2' VA; six multi-mood tracks from artists including DJ Sneak, Antss, Marian (BR), and more.

Mood Child, the brainchild of Manda Moor and Sirus Hood, is back with ‘Various Moods Vol. 2’, a captivating collection of six tunes, each possessing its own distinct mood and power.

The VA kicks off with ‘Pakit Ban’ a timeless percussive and funky anthem. Brazilian talents Marian (BR) and Freenzy join forces to create this highly requested track, which has graced not only Manda and Sirus’ sets but also those of Jamie Jones and The Martinez Brothers.

House legend DJ Sneak returns to Mood Child with ‘Wemen’s Groove’. Prepare to be hooked by Sneak’s bouncy rhythms and to feel a masterclass with the massive buildup and incomparable vibe. Making his debut on the label, Barcelona-based artist Dafgal delivers ‘Gozando’. This high-energy tune features a universal groove and a captivating female vocal that will undoubtedly get anyone in a good mood.

UK rising star Antss drops ‘La La Lala’, a simple yet immensely effective track. Its powerful bassline, combined with playful voices, is tailor-made for electrifying crowds.

Brazilian duo Rokke & Techin present ‘Diamonds’, a shiny gem. Its addictive bass-led loop is complemented by an unforgettable bubbly synth, leading to a drop that etches memories.
Riffel & Jack Baron’s ‘Flute’ boasts an irresistible groove, complete with wonderful flute melodies. It’s auditory candy for discerning listeners.

2024 Repress

2LP gatefold with liner notes, 180gr vinyl. 'Funky Chimes' is a two-hour collection of excellent and unique grooves. It contains 27 of the most interesting yet long forgotten Belgian dance tracks from the seventies.

'Funky Chimes' is a two-hour collection of excellent and unique grooves. It contains 27 of the most interesting yet long forgotten Belgian dance tracks from the seventies, when a generation of extremely gifted and versatile musicians experimented with funk, jazz, latin and other grooves.
'Funky Chimes' is in many ways the logical follow up to 2014's highly acclaimed compilation 'Funky Chicken'. Uncovering a blind spot in Belgium's musical heritage and unearthing a diverse collection of hidden treasures. 'Funky Chicken' has induced a renewed interest in Belgium's rare grooves from the seventies, which until then had never been regarded a genre worth mentioning. Having said that, this second instalment is much more than just a fast sequel or a batch of leftovers. The music's quality matches that of its predecessor, but the treasure hunt was even more adventurous, and the stories behind some of the nuggets even more gripping.

2024 Repress
Tooflie keeps up deep-vein research instinct to remake and remodel the hidden gems of the worldwide archive quirks to tomorrow's dancefloor. Label's best-kept secret anonymous producers return with a highly anticipated funk-driven four-tracker voyage to pan-Asian crates, from Bollywood to China with a journey to Uzbekistan and Southeast Asia. They're here to take you on a gleeful joyride around their collective musical imagination: the A side sweeps in with a hypnotic feel via psychedelic swells, tension-building textures, and a bumpy, hardy rhythm, while the next cut is softening sharp edges of Bollywood original and adding sophisticated melodic expression into dancefloor territory. Do the flip to find two more bright refixes' of Chinese and Uzbekistan tunes. The bubbling 303-driven rhythms of the 'B1' are packed with sleazed-up keys, thumping bass injections, and resonant chants. The latest cut goes full-on ecstatic disco mode and finishes the release with a clean, floor-filling edit of a rare uplifting slice of Uzbekistan's celestial magic. Vinyl-only and in a very limited quantities as usual!

WOLFDRIFTA returns to his own Wolves That Drift imprint for its sophomore release via the ‘Control The Code’ EP, complete with remix from Phone Traxx’s Rob Amboule.

The EP kicks off with the titular ‘Control The Code’. A versatile track which seamlessly fuses elements of early Detroit electro and techno with a classic Chicago-esque groove packaged with modern dynamics and functionality. GOSU affiliate and Phone Traxx member Rob Amboule steps up to remix the aforementioned ‘Control The Code’, adding his trademark breakbeat and minimal stylings to proceedings. Closing out an impressive second outing for the burgeoning imprint is the haunting, hardware driven ’Twilight Zone’ to complete the hat trick.

It’s True What They Say is the debut EP from Edinburgh-based, husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), aka Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced “McLochlin”).

“Sarah and I both have a love for nostalgia,” explains Shaun. “We watched that amazing old 80’s Sci-Fi, (John) Carpenter movie, Starman, a few months back. Myself and my brother David used to watch it all the time. We must have been, roughly, 5-7 at the time. I remember loving the movie but the end, you know, with the beautiful, atmospheric, synth ending, I love that particular moment the most - best part of the movie, you know, when he goes home… It’s heartbreaking but stunning, all the same. It’s the music that moves you most… It did when I was 5 and it still does to this day. It must have had some form of a (much deeper) impact on me.”

The duo narrates stories across themes of love, hope, family, friends, dreams and sadness - the good that comes with the bad in everyday life, not just on a personal scale but within a community as well.

“Starbed is the first song I have ever written and just came out of the blue really, with Shaun playing a melody and me singing along,” says Sarah. “It’s simple and just about two people in love. Love songs are always the best songs, after all… Music has been a big part of my life from a young age. I was unwillingly dragged to piano and violin lessons, which I’m thankful for now! I’d say the first band I really became obsessed with growing up were the Beatles, and on the back of that a lot of 60s music and fashion. From then on, I had a love for music.”

“Shaun definitely opened my ears to a lot of sounds and got me thinking about soundtracks and all the noises that can be made,” she goes on. “We love just spending time experimenting in the house with instruments, pedals etc and Ali is a real magician to work with, too…”

The recordings took place over the summers of 2022 and 2023, with fellow Delta Mainline member Ali Chisholm (aka Jaguar Eyes) plus long-term friend and collaborator Gavin King. Further collaboration then came via the ‘net from the (international) likes of Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty), Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz) and Daniel Land (The Modern Painters), among others (see a full list of credits below).

Both Sarah and Shaun have a love for uber-soundtrack producers such as Hanz Zimmer, Max Richter, Cliff Martinez plus live acts such as Beach House, Spiritualized, M83, Suicide, Moby and OMD (to name a few). Shaun also credits the work of Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (from Survive) on the Stranger Things score… “Even a moment in a movie, whether it be just 30 seconds during a particular scene, it grips you,” he says. But there’s something much deeper at play as well. “Music is a healer,” he goes on, “and I write from my own perspective but more so for others. Once I've done my bit, it doesn't belong to me any longer. It belongs to whoever wants it or needs it.”

The result is a cinematic, synth-wavey, dream poppy and downright beguilingly beautiful body of work. And they’re just getting started…

REVIEWS/RADIO/FEEDBACK:

“Starbed is folky, flavoured by pedal steel, cello, and brass. Dust Tears, in stark contrast, is a mini synth-pop rave epic. Part Bicep. Part Human League. Keep Your Eyes Closed summons a mood that’s romantic, but also dark and potentially doomed – like David Lynch’s Twin Peaks meets Cliff Martinez’s Drive score. My pick though is It’s True What They Say, whose interwoven jangle and picking recalls New Order’s more introspective moments (Love Vigilantes, Love Less… ). Drums crashing, cathartic. Guitar raising dramatic arcs. Its chorus a rush, like a reprise of Pains Of Being Pure Of Heart’s ‘Higher Than The Stars’.” BAN BAN TON TON
"Dust Tears sees them sharing vocal duties over a synth foundation reminiscent of Moby’s Go - Artist Of The Week” THE SCOTSMAN
"Woozy pop" NEMONE (Mary Anne Hobbs Morning Show, BBC 6Music)
"Nice one, very David Lynch meets Euro dream pop" YOUTH (Killing Joke, Paul McCartney, U2, The Orb, Spiritualized etc)
"Music sounds killer! Real emotion” DAVID HOLMES
"I’m enjoying it” TIM BRINKHURST aka LONDON (IKLAN, Young Fathers, Callum Easter)
“Oh, this is lovely!” SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"It’s totally my cup of tea with milk and biscuit" BRENT RADEMAKER (Beachwood Sparks/GospelBeach)
"Beautiful, ecstatic electronica! Short and to the point" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized, Julian Cope, Soulsavers, BE)
"Makes me wanna sit in the sun and sip an Arnold Palmer" CHRIS DIXIE DARLEY (Father John Misty)
“Really beautiful - Cocteau Twins / Spiritualized vibes but has its own thing going on, too - worth checking out!” JULIAN CORRIE (Franz Ferdinand, Miaoux Miaoux)
‘Sounded nice on a sunny day, makes me think of Twin Peaks, nice moods’ EAMON HAMILTON (Sea Power)
"Dealing in nostalgia, no bad thing at all, great to play that (Dust Tears) for you” RODDY HART (BBC Radio Scotland)
“I'll give the vocal tracks a spin before the release." VIC GALLOWAY (BBC Radio Scotland)
"Rather good!" IAIN ANDERSON (BBC Radio Scotland)

CREDITS:

Lyrics, Guitars, Keys, Synths, Drums, Drum Programming, Percussion, Mandolin, Glockenspiel: Shaun McLachlan
Lyrics, Vocals, Keys by Sarah McLachlan
Guitars, Synths, String Arrangements, Drum Programming, Engineering: Jaguar Eyes Percussion/Drums/Effects, Fire Extinguisher: Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz)
Guitars by Daniel Land
Slide Guitar by Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty)
Brass by Bruce Michie
Keys, pre-production & engineering on “It’s true what they say”: Gavin King
All produced by Jaguar Eyes and Shaun McLachlan and then mixed at Glasgow’s Chem19 Studios by David McCaulay (From Scotland With Love, Rick Redbeard, BBC TV’s Attenborough and The Mammoth Graveyard score).
Artwork: Jamie Walman (Fourteen Admirals)

MORE INFO:

Although Shaun released a pair of solo singles (When We Dance and Give Your Love To Me) during Lockdown, he will be better known to many via his work as the multi-instrumentalist in Edinburgh band Delta Mainline. With two albums released to date, Oh! Enlightened and Bel Avenir, both rapturously received by fans and critics alike, Delta Mainline have developed an international, cult following. Oh Enlightened (2013) achieved widespread critical acclaim on release, earning the band comparisons to Arcade Fire and Echo & The Bunnymen, while 2019’s Bel Avenir pulled in references to The Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and krautrock. A third DM album is currently being mixed and due for release later this year…

Mood Child unleashes Sirus Hood and Trangaz’s ‘Ghetto Corazon’ EP, a blazing fusion of African, Latino, and Asian influences.

Label father Sirus Hood and Mood Child favourite Trangaz join forces to craft two original bangers, ‘Ghetto Corazon’ and ‘Boothy’, while Manda Moor, Mood Child's mother, spices things up with two different versions of remixes of the second track.

‘Ghetto Corazon’ is one of those tracks that ignites the dancefloor and highlights a DJ set. It’s primal, unique, tribal, and groovy. It has a Techno vibe with its high BPM and killer kick drum that has the power to tremble any dancefloor.
We can sense the Latin roots with the Spanish vocal singing "mi corazon" and the African flair with its broken swing percussion pattern.

‘Boothy’ is a playful acid-led tune enhanced by a unique hi-hat game, with vocals from Trangaz himself talking about the DJ booth adventures. The vocal depicts situations that are bound to happen in any club.

Manda Moor delivers two different remixes of ‘Boothy’: a ‘Punchy’ and a ‘Spicy’ remix. Her ‘Punchy’ rendition is vinyl only and adds a dirty punch to the original, while her ‘Spicy’ version has all the essence of the ‘Manda Moor groove’ - an addictive drum pattern with her unique style that is recognised right away. She is known for her picante sound, adding the perfect spice to this EP.

This release showcases the best of the heat from three minds with different roots. An irresistible melting pot, with early supports from all stars like the king Carl Cox and The Martinez Brothers.

Sirus Hood & Trangaz ‘Ghetto Corazon’ EP drops via Mood Child on 22nd March 2024.

Record Kicks presents Keep It To Yourself, the new album by premier Dutch soul band The Tibbs, out next January 26th.

Dutch vintage soul combo The Tibbs are back with their highly anticipated new album Keep It to Yourself, to be released on LP, CD and digital format next January 26th on Milan-based label Record Kicks. Produced by Paul Willemsen (Michelle David) and mastered in Nashville by soul veteran Bob Olhsson, who used to cut vinyl for Motown back in the day, the new album Keep It to Yourself is the band's third Long Play. It contains 12 fresh 'n vibrant tracks that once again will take you back to the golden days of soul music. Prepare to be swept away on a groovy, soulful odyssey with one the most sensational and enchanting soul bands from the Netherlands!

From the very first note, The Tibbs' musical prowess exudes a soulful, funky energy that is nothing short of mind-blowing. Among the 12 new tracks of Keep it To Yourself, we find the first single "Ain't It Funny", a high-energy stomper that sets the tone for the entire album, the New Orleans funk inspired "Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks" and "Chicken Bones, "In Orbit", an emotional and heartfelt love ballad that allows the velvety vocals of singer Roxanne to take center stage or the northern soul belter "Give Me A Reason".

Lyrically, Keep It to Yourself is a poetic wonderland, delving into the depths of love, heartache, but also social issues and the need to preserve the world we're in. Roxanne's vocals, rich and velvety, take you on a euphoric journey through the peaks and valleys of human emotion. The harmonious blend of the horn section weaves an exhilarating tapestry of sound that can only be described as a symphonic supernova. The rhythm section is an unstoppable force, driving each track with a pulsating groove that is pure sonic adrenaline. Keep It to Yourself is a true tour de force, a symphony of soul that will leave you awe-inspired, foot-tapping, heart-soaring, and utterly enthralled.

Based around Amsterdam, The Tibbs is a group of seasoned musicians who draw inspiration from the timeless music of the 1960s, channeling the emotional depth and raw authenticity of that era's classics. Led by their charismatic female vocalist and backed by a powerhouse lineup of drums, guitar, bass, organ and a three-piece horn section, they have been wowing audiences with their live performances. They took off in 2012 working right from the start with producer Paul Willemsen (Beans & Fatback, Lefties Soul Connection, Michelle David & The Gospel Sessions). In 2016, their first LP Takin' Over marked their debut with Milan-based imprint Record Kicks. In late 2018, singer Elsa Bekman decided to focus on a solo career and The Tibbs duly began their search for a truly worthy successor, bringing astonishing vocalist Roxanne Hartog and the band together for the first time with their sophomore album Another Shot Fired, released in November 2020. Now, with their third album Keep It to Yourself, a testament to their dedication to keeping the soulful spirit alive, The Tibbs are once more ready for lift off.

Groove To Grave Records is back with a second vinyl release, and for this one they are welcoming the Parisian trio Kitchen Plug.

From ghetto house to break and minimal these 3 silly boys love to produce tracks with nasty bass, metallic acid and raw drums. For their first solo EP on vinyl, they wanted to add a early 2000’ electro vibe to their ghetto style for a brainless result. Get ready for 4 bangers, including a tremendous remix from Karaba.

Our travel start with Hm that bass that tells the delicious story of a young pretty cuistot who discovers the secret for a round and saucy gourmet bassline. Next we have Amor da Franceca who is the class clown of this promo. Ready to throw all hopes of a bright future away only to entertain the class. Despite its quite chill demeanor, Meleee packs a devilish punch and boisterous accents of childhood, lost but not forgotten. And last, Karaba’s remix for melee, emphasises the french cancan aspect of our 3 majorettes. Dark red light, pale skin, round booties, dark blue eyes on a shady scene.