Total oddball production that has left a terrifying wake of mystery throughout many online digger circles which eventually even led to a mini documentary explaining the origin of the crown jewel “Dirty Cowboy” sound which is featured in this release along with another one of Richard Plasko’s tripped out involuntary lo-fi excursions on the B-side. Ron Hardy and the Village People walk into a bedroom studio...Thoroughly remastered from master tapes and brought back to life on vinyl for the first time.
The multi-faceted producer and DJ, and one of electronic music's most respected, Calibre releases his brand new record 'Planet Hearth' on November 29th. An album featuring exclusively new material, and dedicated to a very close friend who passed away last year, this is by far the most personal and poignant record he has ever made.
First coined in 2015, the album has taken four years to complete and in his own words 'part of a slow metamorphosis that I have wanted to do for a long time'. Escaping to Valentia on the West Coast of Ireland, he sought solace away from the grind of modern living to write music and draw inspiration from his surroundings. It was during this time that he experienced great personal loss, which can be felt throughout the record, forming an emotional narrative that will make even the hardest of hearts shed a tear upon listening.
The title track 'Planet Hearth' was made in Belfast a few weeks before losing his close friend, and in his own words: "I remember this one feeling very automatic and emotionally engaging, the timing for me has great meaning". Whilst the track 'Five Minute Flame' was written in five minutes one morning in Valentia with the sun streaming in and the coffee being made, showing just how he can draw inspirations at any moment of the day, "I love the immediacy of writing music very much" he states. Largely ambient, there is a nod to his drum and bass roots with 'Walking in Circles', a track that can, and has been played in one of his dnb set. Whilst the album has been playing throughout the year in different club settings, opening the night with the sound that he so loves, the record wasn't made for the club as such, 'originally the idea was to put music together that didn't need to be played in a club, that it could be whatever I wanted.'
This is an honest and pure record that steps away from Calibre's drum and bass persona that he's so synonymous with. A somewhat melancholic and atmospheric piece of work, it still has that signature Calibre sound, attesting to incredible diversity of the man. A true master of his craft, his ability to constantly create and consistently deliver with such honest expression is staggering. A chameleonic creator in the purest form - as a painter, fine artist, multi-instrumentalist, writer and producer - he has a career stretching over two decades with over fifteen albums of varying genres.
To coincide with the release of the album on November 29th, it's perhaps fitting that he makes his return to XOYO - the London venue he resided in for 10 weeks from July through to September - as he plays on the Dekmantel Soundsystem residency, who he passed the baton onto for the Autumn Winter season.
This is Calibre in his rawest, purest and exposed form, delivering a body of work that he cares about the most.
First vinyl issue from this french label, artisan of the Eurotrance revival. Compilation of contemporary producers' works, deeply rooted in the 00's.
Played by Ellen Allien, Nina Kraviz, in among others.
Thanks to a perfect balance between a good dose of madness and genius, Union Trance Mission has become the playground of some of the rising talents of the european rave scene in a few years.
Launched in 2018 by DJ Reiz & Tonni 3000 with the desire to take the techno scene off-balance, UTM quickly laid the foundations of an hybrid style where oldschool vibes perfectly combine with contemporary sounds. A colorful and formidable cocktail of efficiency, where techno blithely rubs shoulders with nostalgic trance synthesizers.
After a couple of years of digital releases (singles, EP and compilations), UTM decides to take another step by releasing its first 2x12", gathering the residents DJ Reiz, Tonni 3000, Red Scan and Walfroy on one hand, and the guest artists Pawlowski, Jaëss, Tranceman2000 and Alpha Tracks on another hand, in a wish of being eclectic and exploring Trance music in all its forms.
Utter presents 'Citizen Void' by Celestial Mechanic, a special collaboration between celebrated author Rian Hughes, Kevin Foakes (DJ Food) and Saron Hughes. The deluxe package was designed by Rian and contains the LP and 7" on yellow vinyl plus an art print and press release.
Rian Hughes' novel "XX" includes a review of a fictional album based on a mysterious signal of extraterrestrial origin. DJ Food and Saron Hughes were tasked with the job of taking this review and making the album a reality. In what may be a first, the review actually preceded the music.
"XX", a Novel, Graphic, was published by Picador (UK) August 20 2020, Overlook Press (US) November 2020.
"The best genre novel of the last 25 years"
—Grant Morrison
‘This is a book which only Rian Hughes could have created, which should make us all eternally grateful that he did.’
—Kieron Gillen
‘A novel that is novel in so many ways. A brilliant co-mix of text and graphic design in which sign, symbol and word are linguistically intertwined and reinvented.’
—Steven Heller
‘Rian Hughes is a luminescent pop culture demon.’
—David Quantick
Audionik hit back with their eagerly awaited return, Flantastic EP a solid collaboration from Yaya & Nacho Bolognani alongside heavy hitters in the remix bussines: Steve O’ Sullivan and Mahony,
Early Support: Priku, Andrey Pushkarev, Arapu, Franco Cinelli,
Do not miss this one!
Kurtiss is a shadowy and enigmatic figure working on the boundaries of civilization. A sporadic figure on the House music scene with eccentric habits, Kurtiss’ music is a rarified sonic experience for those who seek it out. The Ameri-can artist is hard to pin down and his music is a tantalizing little secret only for adept diggers who appreciate the style of Hi-Def House music that the artist has cultivated. Although he’s a known Soundcloud fixture, he’s only put out a handful of digital singles as Curtis Vodka in the past, with Mutual Intentions facilitating his latest and immortalizing his music on their next set of releases. A nomadic artist, who’s worked on music ranging from Ghetto Tech to House, his music has spanned the known musical spectrum, forging uncanny relationships with everything from 50 Cent to Mall Grab. Under the pseudonym Kurtiss (or Curtis Vodka), he’s all about HIGH-Fi House, life, aliens, Jazz and no trends. It’s an attitude that he lays bare on this rare contribution to the physical, recorded format for Mutual Intentions on ‘The Curtis Vodka EP’. The EP weaves classic House music influences through a penchant for vintage sound machines and arrangements that evoke a solemn air. Elements of Gospel and New York’s deeper inclinations in House music seep through his sound as archived vocal samples and noisy machines give his work its defining character. Glistening keys and strings that slither through airy textures create dense aural experiences on ‘The Curtis Vodka EP’, calling to mind the musical masterpieces of House music’s golden era when the likes of Kerri Chandler and Mas-ters At Work were producing som
Brazilian music at it's finest! 2x7" set with four beautiful songs from Piry Reis.
Disc one is a reissue of his 1975 "Heroi Moderno" and includes the sought after 7inch version of "Cisplatina". The second holds the rare cuts "Reza Brava" & "Céu De Manágua". The project came together with the blessing of Piry Reis himself and is released on the sub-label of Rush Hour recordings, New Dawn - set up for less electronic but equally adventurous releases by artists we love.
Artwork by Amsterdam's Sekan with a touch by Megin Hayden.
Auch ZYX Italo Disco: Best Of Vol. 2 gibt es wieder als 2LP-Set
in farbigem Vinyl. 16 unvergessene Hits und Raritäten aus den 80er Jahren in bester analoger Soundqualität. Mit dabei sind diesmal: Radiorama, Fake, Den Harrow, Hysterical Fit, Jonathan Gable, Italian Boys, Scotch uvm.
A well-known figure of the Roman nightlife, resident of the city's iconic Goa Club and its infamous Ultrabeat nights, Simona Calvani, aka DJ Red, steps up on Danza Tribale with 'The Prophets Are Smiling' - her first material to surface since the release of her 'Raw Cacao' EP on Wolfskuil in 2016, here featuring an exclusive revamp from local hero Lorenzo D'Angelo, alias Lory D.
Fitting the label's trance-triggering ethos to perfection, this new record finds the Italian DJ and producer rushing headlong into tropicalised techno grounds, halfway ethno-ritualistic music and a future-ready kind of big-room churn, primed for Berlin's fiercest subterranean raves as much as ayahuasca-induced rituals in the heart of a misty rainforest.
Dipping its toes in teeming beds of organic textures and ancient rhythmic tribalisms, 'The Prophets Are Smiling' fully gears toward awakening your senses and elevating your mind to a broader and further acute state of consciousness. Bathed in a mystique-imbued atmosphere, the track steadily oscillates betwixt a no-nonsense steely swing, glazed industrial tints and epic-sized primitive chants to better daze and confuse its audience.
Hopping on remix duty, Italian techno legend Lory D provides the wares with implacable efficiency, as he reveals the more intricate side of DJ Red original's cogs and wheels to turn it into a proper off-axis floor crusher. Rolling onto a more classic and functional pathway, 'Moon' is a paragon of hypno-tech efficiency. Channeling the pulsating energy of a thousand dancing hearts through a distinctively rich and deep melodic prism, DJ Red confirms her status as one of the Roman scene's most gifted pacesetters.
After several years of silence, Schema Records co-founder Luciano Cantone in collaboration with Gianluca Petrella and a new group of musicians, present The Invisible Session's second album "Echoes of Africa" on the newborn Space Echo label. This new chapter is borne out of afrobeat, Africa 70's records and Tony Allen's drumming; furthermore, other influences come into play, with melodiescentred on Eastern pentatonic scales, as well as funk, afrobeat, psychedelia, modal and Ethio jazz, plus forays into pop and cinematica. Ancestral melodies intersect and weave, encouraging escape and deeper feelings. Conceptually, "Echoes of Africa" deals with pacifism, human rights, anti-racism, nature and ecological themes. This is an album to be absorbed in its entirety – have a good listening!
Special Request continues his impeccable run of form with a typically fervent entry into the DJ-Kicks mix series. His adventurous 25 track mix takes in personal favourites, new school classics and of course a selection of his own brand new and exclusive edits, dubs and reworks next to some overlooked gems. Leeds based Paul Woolford dares to go where few others do. He can do face-melting underground bangers, peak time piano anthems, ambient cinematics or chart climbing crossover hits. What unites his work as Special Request across labels like Houndstooth and R&S, though, is precision engineering, but never at the expense of real, raw emotion and visceral impact. He is an artist who very much pours his heart into everything he does, and has been on such a prolific run in recent years that it has been impossible to keep abreast of all his many projects. Even in this mix, he hints at yet more new sides and sounds. As always with Special Request, this is an emotional, full spirited ride through the musical mind of one of the most accomplished artists of the day.
Dawns Early Shadows By Berlin's Ubahn Platforms, Desperately Running From His Own Shadow Into The Arms Of A Lover Not Found. Eva Is A Warm Soul From The Past Trapped In A Ice Cold City Reliving A Modern Neues Sehen. We Are Proud To Present His Fragile Story & Namesake Ep / Single Title 'einsam' Which, In Our Opinion, Is A Romantic-wave Masterpiece. Flip To The B Side, The Beginning Of Eva's Loveless Story Actually Starts Here With 'the Gitter' Gearing To Machine Funk Territory And A Naive Outlook On What Could Be In-store For Him. Finally P808 Takes Us Into The (sub) Consciousness Of His Mind, Just As The 808 In The Name Suggest, Toms Pulsate Like His Brain Scanning Neurons Over And Over, Searching For The Answer, 'who Will ...who Will Love Me'
Los ingenieros oníricos se sirven de los artefactos para poder manipular su conciencia y diseñar mundos oníricos por los que viajar. De origen incierto, los artefactos se encuentran dispersos entre planos y han intentado ser rediseñados en nuestro mundo mediante el uso de frecuencias, convirtiéndose en elementos de estudio plenamente funcionales para el ingeniero onírico del plano físico. La correcta correlación de uso entre artefactos permite al onironauta saltar entre los diferentes estados de la experiencia para la formación de universos.
El artefacto Onirógeno es capaz de inducir al sueño. Sirve de puerta de enlace al mundo onírico y está presente en un estado de semi-consciencia. Dicho artefacto esférico, de naturaleza cromada, reproduce de manera cíclica el proceso de encendido de la máquina de sueños por un operador en un espacio ilusorio. El ingeniero sucumbe a un estado aletargado que permite el vínculo con otros artefactos al ser testigo de una de estas reproducciones.
El artefacto Hipnagogia es capaz de provocar alucinaciones visuales de intensidad creciente. Permite formar protomundos inconexos. Es un artefacto propio del plano semi-consciente. Debido a lo efímero de los protomundos formados, el ingeniero es incapaz de controlarlos y dotarlos de sentido.
El artefacto Efialtes es uno de los más inestables y volátiles. Este ente del plano semiconsciente provoca la incapacidad transitoria para realizar movimientos voluntarios durante la transición entre el sueño y la vigilia. Permite al ingeniero crear un canal al plano transitorio. Su presencia o interacción puede darse en los primeros o últimos estadíos. Está muy presente en el mundo semi-consciente y puede ser atraído por el uso de otros artefactos. Emite un zumbido muy característico cuando interacciona.
El artefacto Proyector, toroide derivado de Efialtes, solo presente en el plano transitorio. Crea un canal y permite al ingeniero ingresar, precediendo a la separación física, y materializar la consciencia en el nuevo plano.
Extracorpóreo es un derivado del artefacto Proyector, presente en el plano transitorio y con influencia en el plano físico. Permite a la conciencia materializada del ingeniero comunicarse con los impulsos básicos motrices y órdenes cerebrales del plano físico, traduciendo los diferentes protocolos implicados.
El artefacto Vacío es un espacio unidimensional que interconecta el plano transitorio con el plano onírico.
El artefacto Arquitecto, presente en el plano onírico, forma y diseña espacios acorde con las órdenes del ingeniero onírico en el caso de que el canal de comunicación sea lo suficientemente consciente. Es una pequeña recreación esférica del universo elevado a infinito en forma de fractal.
El artefacto Escultor, de hormigón y presente en el plano onírico, crea las diferentes imágenes e inteligencias que habitan el mundo onírico en construcción. Aunque puede ser controlado, a menudo actúa con un mayor libre albedrío, creando imágenes recurrentes.
El artefacto Programador, de código en cascada y presente en el plano onírico, es la inteligencia encargada de dotar a los mundos oníricos de acontecimientos.
El artefacto Devoramundos es el artefacto más inestable conocido y con mayor rango de influencia entre planos. Destruye el mundo creado como un agujero negro engulle todo a su paso.
El artefacto Cordón, de plata y presente en todos los planos, sirve como nexo entre el cuerpo físico y la consciencia materializada. A menudo, debido al influjo de otro artefacto, o a la inestabilidad en el canal creado por correlación, es capaz de obligar a la regresión, clausurando el canal de comunicación. Existe un artefacto Cordón que une cada una de las conciencias proyectadas con sus correspondientes cuerpos así como del cuerpo físico. Se desconoce que ocurre en caso de fisión.
El artefacto Regreso, presente en el plano transitorio-semiconsciente permite al ingeniero recuperar la consciencia y restablecer sus signos vitales.
Informed by a highly influential early 1980s electronic music classic, the title track literally mind-sets the theme of Llewellyn’s latest release, kicking off with a euphoric vibe and drums shimmering with digital artifacts. At times almost dreamy cinematic pads, upfront with energetic Moroder-esque propelling bass lines, are the sound signatures of Llewellyn’s journey through a warm and synthesizer laden EP, reviving the sound aesthetics of both the post-discoid VHS and today’s club era with a contemporary touch. Finishing off with a laid-back facet, this four track EP contains enough warmth and drive to get you safely through the cold months, into a warm and promising future.
Llewellyn is one of Martin Enke’s producer’s monikers, who is closely associated with the Riotvan crew and also known as Lake People. Past releases can be found on labels like Riotvan, Uncanny Valley, Permanent Vacation, Mule Musiq and others.
"I am sitting in a garden, I haven't left the property in weeks, someone is dropping off food once a week. I haven't seen a human being in ages, I feel like a reverse Schroedinger cat - do I exist when nobody sees me? I must be somewhere in France but I don't remember. I have lost my consciousness again. When I wake up I hear a broken record looping somewhere in the mansion. A washed-out opera. Behind the trees I see the dilapidated hermaphrodite sculpture in a field of verdant nettles and fern. I hear gunshots far afield, aeroplanes in the sky, sirens on the main road.
When unconscious I dreamt of sitting on the Concorde observing the scarab blue ocean and iridescent clouds from above, an erstwhile receding memory. Sometimes I hear the organ of the nearby Renaissance Cathedral merging with the Russian Church bells.
I am hallucinating again. Someone's humming in the kitchen? Singing? A Radio? I overhear two young women talking about art galleries in the neighbour's garden. Bees attack, again…..again and again. The hairspray finally intoxicates them. An amphoric japanese voice is whispering in my head saying I will die soon. Someone (something?) bangs on the vases. The fountain's water turns dark red.
Fleur calls and says mum died. The funeral will be televised on tuesday. We opt for the synthetic choir for the service. The call is suddenly interrupted. Mold is slowly taking over the house.
I go back inside."
Une Fille Pétrifiée is the debut album of new Black To Comm related entity Mouchoir Ètanche (after one recent 12" on Richter's own Dekorder label). Combining real and fake acoustic instrumentation, sampling, field recordings and excessive yet inaudible post production this is another sublime and ethereal statement. Influences are ranging from (French) Classical & Opera to the anecdotical compositions of Luc Ferrari, Chinese Opera, Chanson, Sacred Music / Church Music, JG Ballard and Surrealism.
Marc Richter records as Black To Comm for Thrill Jockey, Type and Dekorder and as Jemh Circs for his own Cellule 75 imprint. He also produces soundtracks and acousmatic multichannel installations for institutions such as INA GRM Paris, ZKM Karlsruhe and Kunstverein Hamburg.
The sublime songs comprising Los Angeles-based musician Ana Roxanne's second release, Because Of A Flower, germinated gradually across five years, inspired by interwoven notions of gender identity, beauty, and cruelty. She describes her process as beginning with “a drone element and a mood,” then intuiting melody, syllables, and lyrics incrementally, like sacred shapes materializing from mist.
The experience of identifying as intersex informs the album on levels both sonic and thematic, from spoken word texts borrowed from tonal harmony textbooks to cinematic dialogue samples and castrati aria allusions. It's an appropriately interstitial vision of ambient songcraft, a chemistry of wisps and whispers, sanctuary and sorrow, conjured through a fragile balance of voice, bass, space, and texture.
Despite a background studying at the prestigious Mills College in Oakland, Roxanne's music rarely feels conceptual, instead radiating an immediate and emotive aura, rooted in the present tense of her personal journey. She speaks of the flower in the title as a body, singular and sunlit, as many petals as thorns, an enigma beholden only to itself. But whether taken as surface or subtext, Because is a transfixing document of a rare artist in the spring of their ascension.
Long-time Phonica favourite Lo Shea follows on from his excellent contribution to the recent 'Ten Years Of Phonica' compilation with the four track 'Adverse Camber EP' on Phonica White. The 'Adverse Camber EP' sees Lo Shea taking his already unique take on Techno and House in new directions while remaining firmly focused on the dancefloor. The 12' starts ominously with the dark Techno monster 'Lights, Plants, Action', all deep growling bass and drums, the only brief glimpse of light cutting through halfway before dropping back into the murk. The relentlessly heavy 'The Wind' follows up and is a pounding yet melodic mini-master-piece, perfect material for the darkest of clubs. Flip over and the shuffling percussion and sub-bass of 'MuVin' kicks things off with an infectious abstract UK Garage/Techno hybrid sound. Finally, the stripped-back 'Snake Inn' is pure bleak British Techno, masterfully produced as only Lo Shea can! Lo Shea aka Liam O'Shea has had a particularly productive few years, completing his ten release 'Seaghdha' imprint in impressive style with the 'A Deich' 12' & 'Distance' CD package. That is on top of his 'Steel City' 12' on 100 Years as well as remixes for Mixed In Sheffield and Tamed Musiq. His track 'Home' was one of the highlights of Phonica's 2014 compilation 'Ten Years Of Phonica'.
Limited vinyl pressing. Hand stamped. Special artwork by Pedro Carvalho de Almeida.
A MAJOR EXPLORATION OF TOKYO'S CUTTING EDGE 80S SOUND THROUGH THE MUSIC OF CULT JAPANESE LABEL NIPPON COLUMBIA AND ITS BETTER DAYS IMPRINT, SELECTED BY BRITISH RADIO PRESENTER AND DJ NICK LUSCOMBE.
‘Tokyo Dreaming’ is a superb selection picked from the highly collectible Nippon Columbia label and its Better Days sub-label. For the occasion, we’ve teamed up with journalist and Japanese music expert Nick Luscombe who was granted rare access to the much-guarded Nippon Columbia's vaults for a masterful selection encapsulating the fascinating sound of Tokyo in the late 70s and 80s. The selection mixes electro, synth-pop, funk and ambient and features such artists as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Mariah, Shigeo Sekito, Juicy Fruits, Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama and Yumi Murata. The tracklist includes many sought-after rarities and hidden gems which have never been released outside of Japan and the set has been newly remastered by Nippon Columbia. The album has been designed by famed London-based designer Optigram and is annotated by Nick.
Nippon Columbia, one of Japan's oldest music labels is also one of its most collectible thanks to its sub-label Better Days which, in the late 70s, became a hotbed for Tokyo's new generation of pop artists eager to experiment with ambient, electro and funk. Armed with a string of new Japanese-made synthesizers and drum machines that would soon take the world by storm, they made cutting-edge music, which has since become highly sought-after by a new generation of Japanese music lovers. Nick Luscombe, who has long been a leading advocate of Japanese music from this era, has handpicked a selection of some of the sharpest music released on these labels at the time.
According to Nick, “Tokyo Dreaming is a look back to an incredible era of Japanese music, that still sounds and feels like the future. It was a moment when brand-new music tech from Japan helped forge new ideas and experiments that permeated pop, soul and jazz and helped create new forms of music including electro and techno. The perfect meeting point that would help create a new soundtrack for modern living.“
?The selection starts with "The End of Asia" by Ryuichi Sakamoto from his 1978 ground-breaking debut "Thousand Knives Of" (reissued last year by Wewantsounds). The track became a staple of Sakamoto's and YMO's live shows and was even re-recorded by the group for their 1980 album 'X Multiplies'. The track is followed by Mariah's cult Armenian folk flavoured synth pop classic "Shinzo No Tobira" (1983), which first spread outside of Japan when the Scottish DJ duo Optimo started playing the track regularly at their shows.
?Chika Asamoto's "Self Control" (1988) and Jun Fukamachi's "Treasure Hunter" (1985) are perfect songs in the synth-pop canon, while Yumi Murata's rendition of Akiko Yano's "Watashi No Bus" and Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama's "Rainy Driver" both from 1981, move closer towards the slicker, funkier sound of City Pop.
?'Tokyo Dreaming' superbly showcases the breadth of 80s Japanese music and the way electro pop was a playing ground for musicians to experiment with many styles, as showcased by Akira Sakata's dub-enfused "Room" from 1980, Kazumi Watanabe's discoid "Tokyo Joe" (1980) and Juicy Fruits' "kawai" robotic Techno pop song "Jenie Gets Angry".
?The selection flows effortlessly between many shades of synth and ends with two cult classics in the form of Yasuaki Shimizu's "Semi Tori No Hi" and Shigeo Sekito's ambient-jazz masterpiece "The Word II" from his highly sought-after album "Kareinaru Electone (The Word) Vol.2" which, although recorded in 1975, perfectly announces the synth revolution to come. Tokyo Dreaming showcases the groundbreaking sounds of a city turned giant sonic lab which was restlessly inventing the music of the future.
Nick Luscombe is a highly respected and in-demand music influencer who discovers great music from all over the world and shares it internationally through his many radio shows and DJ sets. He has been in charge of music selection for various radio programs since 1999, and from 2010 - 2019, was the DJ for the popular BBC Radio music program "Late Junction”. He has also curated and presented music shows for Monocle and British Airways radio stations. He has worked as both Chief Music Editor at iTunes and Director of Music at London’s Institute of Contemporary Art, and is the founder of MSCTY.
We celebrate our 20th release on Amphia with "Shattered Glass", a new EP from Amorf.
The first track, "Glass", debuts with a subtle piano motif that sets the mood, paving the way for a wide array of musical instruments to come into play. Throughout its steady development, rich modular sounds, rhythmical bass sequences, and synthesizer lead sounds can be easily discerned. A pivotal point of the track is its middle part, defined by the intertwining of a second rhodes motif and a distorted synth lead. Going full circle the track ends with a similar motif. "Shattered" is mostly based on improvisation and spur of the moment ideas. Quirky break beats and dense textural pads blend together to create an exciting pattern that immerses you further into the soundscape. The arrangement is a bit more straightforward and, because of that, the track's dynamics keep you invested from beginning to end.
For this occasion we have an original song by the well-known artist The Hacker, who this time signs it with his alter ego Amato in which he has already published on labels such as Pinkman, Return to Disorder (Helena Hauff), Cititrax….
The rest of the Ep is completed with three remixes. One of the increasingly powerful Years of Denial that have made a voice adaptation. On the other hand, there are the world-renowned Spaniards within the Esplendor Geométrico industrial scene. And to finish a remix of Orlok 101 with a more track-focused theme.
The above references have already been supported by artists such as Dave Clarke, Phase Fatale, The Hacker, Lokier, NX1, Unhuman, Alienata, Reka, and many more.
Milan Records is pleased to release this stunning vinyl edition of the soundtrack to the hit anime series Cowboy Bepop.
Originally aired in 1998, Cowboy Bebop became a critical and commercial success both in Japanese and international markets (most notably in the United States), garnered several major anime and science fiction awards upon its release, and received wide acclaim for its style, characters, story, voice acting, animation, and soundtrack
Seatbelts’s repertoire covers not only jazz but also rock, electronic, funk, blues, heavy metal, country and Jpop
Leo was born in 1972 and at the age of 15 discovered his passion for electronic music creating his first loops thanks to his Commodore Vic 20 and 64, spreading his own sound in the city when it was impossible to find in Rome any trace of electronic beats.
Soon after he became a true collector of analogue synthesizers with a serious approach in the study of modular synthesis which led him to develop unique skills as we have recognition of them from his early works for ACV records: Attack Random, Riders Of the Future, Noise Generation, Muta, Cannibald and Aeon are still a milestones for nowadays electronic music aficionados.
1989 marked the birth of The Sound of Rome, when Leo met Lory D in a small garage bringing life to a universal and alternative music movement who diffused Techno Music in Rome and all over Italy, pushing these two wizards behind the decks playing along the like of Dave Clarke, Joey Beltram, Robert Armani and UR among others.
In 1995 Leo decided to cut his relationship with ACV records and moved to Rephlex, Aphex Twin’s record label, starting touring with the Rephlex group after the Void album. Ten years later Leo recorded his first single for a new project: Cannibald Records. Back to Life main target is to focus on house and techno classics reissue, and the mission continue with the official reissue of 1991 Leo's Noise Generation, a true special record that snaps an unforgettable highlight in the rave scene. BTL004 will be available with a special insert, black version and very limited white press to delight every serious vinyl collector.
Leo was born in 1972 and at the age of 15 discovered his passion for electronic music creating his first loops thanks to his Commodore Vic 20 and 64, spreading his own sound in the city when it was impossible to find in Rome any trace of electronic beats.
Soon after he became a true collector of analogue synthesizers with a serious approach in the study of modular synthesis which led him to develop unique skills as we have recognition of them from his early works for ACV records: Attack Random, Riders Of the Future, Noise Generation, Muta, Cannibald and Aeon are still a milestones for nowadays electronic music aficionados.
1989 marked the birth of The Sound of Rome, when Leo met Lory D in a small garage bringing life to a universal and alternative music movement who diffused Techno Music in Rome and all over Italy, pushing these two wizards behind the decks playing along the like of Dave Clarke, Joey Beltram, Robert Armani and UR among others.
In 1995 Leo decided to cut his relationship with ACV records and moved to Rephlex, Aphex Twin’s record label, starting touring with the Rephlex group after the Void album.
Ten years later Leo recorded his first single for a new project: Cannibald Records. Back to Life main target is to focus on house and techno classics reissue, and the mission continue with the official reissue of 1991 Leo's Noise Generation, a true special record that snaps an unforgettable highlight in the rave scene. BTL004 will be available with a special insert, black version and very limited white press to delight every serious vinyl collector.
Wu Hen is the sophomore album from Peckham visionary Kamaal Williams -- an invitation to elevate to a higher state Cinematic strings from Miguel-Atwood Ferguson and virtuoso saxophone from Quinn Mason are textural additions that make for a deeper, multi-layered experience than previous releases.
Bringing groove back to the forefront, Wu Hen oscillates between celestial jazz, funk, rap and r&b reinforced with the rugged beat-heavy attitude of grime, jungle, house and garage - a self-styled fusion Kamaal describes as Wu Funk.
New players on this record include LA’s Greg Paul on drums (of Kalayst Collective), Rick Leon James on bass, Quinn Mason on saxophone alongside vocal features from cult rapper Mach-Hommy and Kaytranada collaborator Lauren Faith. Multi-talented renaissance musician Miguel Atwood-Ferguson (who has worked with Ray Charles, Flying Lotus, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, and Seu Jorge) contributes signature strings, which add vivid colour and rich depth, evoking vintage David Axelrod.
Kamaal rose to prominence with the hugely acclaimed Yussef Kamaal alongside drummer Yussef Dayes and a catalogue of 12”s for imprints such as MCDE, Eglo, and Rhythm Section as Henry Wu that became essential DJ tools. In 2018 he launched Black Focus Records with the Kamaal Williams debut The Return, which charted in the UK and saw sold out shows and festival appearances across Europe, North America and Asia.
In these turbulent times we have managed to release six pieces of wax to date.This is something to be proud of, and of course we are.
For this sixth slice of plastic we have Kalter Ende on board and it’s a real pleasure. From his bunker hidden somewhere in the middle of the peninsula, he runs his label Concerns Music and his mastering studio Reborn.
On the production side he has lately gone into modular, and you can clearly feel the machines in his productions and in his amazing live act.
For this release he has cooked up five cuts of modern and complex techno, carefully crafted, nothing easy or predictable. Mujo, the opening track, is a clear example.
Jōshahissui follows slow paced grooves, crispy analogue percussion, linear hypnotic sequences and a wise and dynamic arrangement. You can feel the circuits singing in this one.
Sengoku introduces distortion and harshness, a diffused kick drum and processed synth lines running together from the beginning until flanged sequences come on top, a weird marriage of overdrive and deepness.
Closing the release, Senran explores the profound side of techno, clear synthetic drums, liquid synths, elastic bleeps, again on a complex and wise arrangement.
As digital bonus we include the track Ran, again a precise electronic workout made of continuous synth lines and sharp rhythms.
Five timeless pieces of danceable electronic music, away from trends, far from the easiness, done by professionals for professionals. Touchable, collectable and physical as every piece of vinyl is.
Spanish producer Pedro Vian is dreaming of the sea on “Ibillorca”, his third studio album.
Vian, whose Modern Obscure Music label is at the heart of the Barcelona electronic scene, moved to Amsterdam in 2018. While the Dutch capital has embraced this inventive producer and DJ, Vian says the new album is inspired by a feelings of absence and longing for his Mediterranean home. “On this album I explore my feelings of missing the light,” he says. “Ibillorca is a journey to a utopian island, a journey to a new state of mind.”
You can hear this displaced utopia on songs like “Can Mortera”, a dreamy reflection on house music, recorded in Ibiza in summer 2019, that brings to mind Larry Heard at his most meditative; or “Medusa” (featuring artist Rosalie Wammes), which sounds like Tangerine Dream drifting over the sea.
The Quietus called Pedro Vian’s debut album “Beautiful Things You Left Us For Memories” “the soundtrack to walking around the city at night”, while his eponymous second album was both deeply personal and more suited for the dance floor. “Ibillorca” is his Mediterranean album. “I love the Mediterranean sea,” Vian explains. “I come from there and I miss the light, the sun and the smell of the sea, so I dedicated this album to this feeling.” Fittingly, “Ibillorca”’s enigmatic cover art, painted by Spanish artist Blanca Miró, depicts the Mediterranean islands of Ibiza & Mallorca
“Ibillorca” is also Vian’s most varied release to date: “The Destiny Manifest” nods to drum and bass - albeit a touchingly Iberian take on the genre - while “Western Snow” has a hint of Erik Satie’s piano minimalism. Vian’s new home in The Netherlands also played a role in shaping “Ibillorca” .Vian recorded the album during his residency at HetHEM, a new contemporary space in Zandaam, 30 minutes from Amsterdam. “I have my studio at the top of the building, from there I can see all the boats going up and down the river IJ,” Vian says. “The art space is located in an industrial area, everything is grey, also the sky.” All the better, then, for dreaming of the sea.
Straight out the gate, Nas dropped a classic. Since the release of the seminal ‘Illmatic’ album in 1994, critics and fans have been wondering if Nas peaked too early and if anything in his subsequent catalogue could be held up against this masterpiece. To be fair, it’s hard to follow up something this flawless, a project that allied his most insightful, pitch-perfect heartfelt rhymes with the work of the best hip-hop producers on the east coast.
DJ Premier, Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest and Large Professor all take their turns on the album, along with the unsung L.E.S., but it’s Pete Rock in his prime who provides the stunning backdrop for the cinematic ‘The World is Yours’. It’s a perfect nugget of a single, weaving in the brashness of Scarface, the repetition of a snatch of T La Rock’s early Def Jam gem ‘It’s Yours’ and piano courtesy of Ahmad Jamal’s ‘I Love Music’ from his own timeless ‘The Awakening’ album (1970).
Presented for the first time on 7”, the vocals of the album version and the instrumental on the flip provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy and compare the work of two masters at the top of their game. Pete Rock’s seamless weaving of disparate samples into a compelling whole, the then little-known Nas’ statement of intent. With a maturity beyond his tender years, Nas put himself straight at the top of the pile, this Queensbridge chronicle hinting at the ambition and greatness he harboured within himself.
The iconic Derrick May on absolutely killer form here, "Sinister" is a must have rare Detroit Techno classic, hands down. Originally released on KMS off-shoot Pheerce Citi well over 20+ years ago.
Every track on this EP is essential, this is the sound of Detroit being beamed back at us from the mists of 1988! This records has long been sought after by Techno fans worldwide and is at the top of many peoples want-lists. Now's the chance to own a piece of history.
Buy on sight.
Re-mastered, re-pressed and re-issued in conjunction with Pheerce Citi.
Maxx Mann were the gay New Wave duo of Frank Oldham Jr (vocals, lyrics) and Paul Hamman (music) from New York City formed in 1981. Frank studied voice and acting at the Herbert Bergdorf School idolizing Eartha Kitt, Nancy Wilson, Johnny Mathis and Shirley Bassey. Paul was playing piano for a cabaret singer at a bar in Greenwich Village where Frank met him and their friendship began. Paul and Frank worked together 3 to 4 times a week recording their debut self-titled album released in 1982, limited to 500 copies.
Songs provide interesting insights into the homosexual experience before the AIDS crisis: cruising backroom bars, BDSM and one-night stands. The music is "Neo-realistic rock" heavily influenced by punk, titillating, synthesized body and soul with Frank’s dramatized vocal stylings. The original press release sent to radio stations stated, "Because this is a completely innovative sound, we hope you will give it several listenings. It is adventurous, daring, and certain to cause reactions from your listeners.” For this first time vinyl/CD reissue we’ve added two bonus instrumental tracks, so the album now contains all four original vocal cuts and their corresponding instrumental versions. Paul sadly passed away in 1986 aged 33 from AIDS-related illness and we dedicate this reissue to him. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. Each copy is housed in an exact replica of the 1982 jacket and includes a fold-post poster with photos, lyrics and notes by Frank Oldham Jr.
Continuing a run of highly eclectic and quirky but consistently individual releases (most recently GAMING's internationally lauded Scenes From A Deserted City 2x12" LP, out Nov), the Hobbes Music label is very excited to welcome Jacksonville aka Yorkshire-born, Edinburgh-based artist Chris Lyth, to the fold. He has carpet-bombed the last few Hobbes Music events at Edinburgh's Bongo Club with his excellent live sets and the release has been in the pipeline for some time.
The 'FON' EP (caps intentional) combines a love of classic electro and techno with dub reggae, sound system culture, the UK's contemporary bass scene etc. Mastering was done by Optimum in Bristol, who did a really lovely job, with loads of width in the mix.
This release follows Jacksonville's 'Machines Of Loving Grace' EP which dropped in November via Inner Shift. He has a pedigree spanning some 20 years plus via releases for the likes of 2020Vision, Hizou, Doppler, Thug, Plastic City, Leftroom, A.E.R, Shanti and Dan Curtin’s Metamorphic. This record's a bit of a departure for him.
While we're deeply saddened by the knowledge that there's no chance now of us ever hearing Andy Weatherall play it out, we're kinda heartened by the idea that he would have probably dug it.... RIP.
Phil is welcoming us with a repress of three collectors item tracks by Klovn - the studio partners of Trentemoller & one half of the most successful Danish electronic live act 'Lulu Rouge'.
'Cover Up' is a tough club track which drifts to a subtle, 'less is more' principle, where PF blends the organic sounds into the dreamy electronics but yet qualifies as a very functional opening anthem.
Melvins Beats rounds the release off with it's cinematic & shoe-gaze approach. Yet another, meticulously composed repress from this label with an idealist character, a must have.
We are proud to release ‘Fortunate Isolation’ the sophomore album from Borusiade. Born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, Borusiade aka Miruna Boruzescu started DJ-ing in 2002 as one of the very few female DJs in the city’s emerging alternative clubbing scene. Influenced by a classical musical education, a bachelor in film direction and fascinated by raw electronic sounds, Borusiade first combined these universes in the construction of her DJ sets and starting 2005 also in her music production. A sound of her own has slowly crystallized, often dark with poignant bass lines, obsessive themes and by all means melodic. She has released EPs on labels like Pinkman, Unterton, Cititrax, Correspondant and Cómeme, who released her debut album ‘A Body’ in 2018.
‘Fortunate Isolation’ is perhaps Borusiade’s most personal release to date. Eight songs that capture a bystander witnessing the world as it undergoes drastic changes. We have disconnected ourselves from ecology, humanity, preservation, care for what surrounds us, for what is still alive. Borusiade adds, “| know that this place, our home has went through so many other extinctions, but | believe things will find their own way on this planet only once we are gone. Entropy creates a time-line but also a transformation - a new beginning.” The album’s sound is gloomy and powerful mixing sonic film sequences, rhythmic excursions and soothing yet obsessive vocals that touch one’s deepest senses. Lyrically the songs tackle themes of forgotten memories, spirituality, mortality, and destruction. All songs have been mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each copy is housed in a jacket designed by Eloise Leigh with decaying daguerreotypes against a rust color palette and includes an insert with lyrics.
Shcuro is the alias of João Ervedosa a DJ, producer and graphic designer based in Lisbon. He also runs the record labels Sombra and Paraíso, makes music as Jose Acid and hosts a show on Rádio Quântica. His first contact with a DJ setup happened at age 15, and that’s when Shcuro decided to buy his own turntables and mixer; and started producing his own beats, too. He’s since released music on Basal, Circus Maximus, Obscuur Techno, Golden Mist Records and his most recent collaboration with Photonz for Future Déjà Vu.
‘Particle of Memory’ is a hypnotic 6-track EP that explores new territories in contemporary dance music. Sonically Shcuro paints his sounds blending moody techno with industrial noises alongside fast, apocalyptic electro and breakbeat. He is influenced by Portuguese rave culture that was born in the mid-90s at Lisbon clubs Alcântara-Mar and Kremlin and the country’s first electronic label Kaos Records. Shcuro continues to expand and morph this rich dance heritage to create something entirely different. The bouncy, lead track “Afterlife” features vocals and lyrics by London's ELLES followed by a Decadent Dub rework. All songs have been mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. Housed in a die-cut jacket designed by Eloise Leigh reminiscent of ‘90s escape/sci-fi films with futuristic bright pink pop flourishes
LAs the first release on Phonica White back in 2009, 'Galaxy' by Japan's Iori is an expertly crafted piece of dancefloor-focused Techno, led by a rolling bassline and crisp hi-hats, with hypnotic melody patterns skittering off the surface. As we described it upon release, it's a trippy but accessible heads-down affair that has the depth and the bite to do damage at peak-time and in the after-hours alike. A decade later, those words still ring true and as it's now one of the most sought after records on Phonica White it's the perfect time to revive it - with a twist.
This time we have freshened up the record by swapping original B-side 'Urge' with a previously unreleased remix of 'Galaxy' from Lord Of The Isles, the producer behind two of Phonica's best received 12's on the main label, 'Year Of The City' & 'Greane / Gigha'. Countering the original's functional sonics, his remix takes the track in a deeper, widescreen direction, swirling the original's components around immersive pads and piano.
To keep collectors of the first pressing happy as well as to differentiate the two versions, the label artwork is the same Pedro Carvalho de Almeida design yet inverted and slightly tweaked to reflect the new tracklist and catalogue number.
