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Thisisnegentropy's fourth outing looks all the way to Bangkok's own DOTT who runs the More Rice Record store in Bangkok and has studio skills to spare. He heads down a minimal path here with 'Dem Swing' a kinetic mix of dry hits and well swung kicks and tripped-out FX. 'Mind Designer' then gets deeper, with more lovely hits this time landing on tight drum patterns that are detailed with whirring synths and chopped-up vocals. The flip side is taken up by 'Trouser In The Heat', a more manic cut with dense percussive layers and edgy synths that never settle and always keep you guessing. Another fine statement from this top Thai talent.

1st press sold out
LTD repress soon

Following Chicago’s tradition in special edits and dj personal reworks to extend crucial parts and surprise the dancers, Theo Parrish has always sparkled his legendary sets with his own versions of classic and obscure disco, funk and soul cuts to maximum effect! Some of those were available to fans in mid 2000s via the Ugly Edits series, now it’s finally time for the LOVELY EDITS.

Officially licensed and using the original parts from the master tapes, here we have Theo’s takes on two absolute staples: BT EXPRESS ‘Peace Pipe’ and GEORGE DUKE ‘I Want You For Myself’.

2024 Reissue

Baricentro is an Italian funk-rock band founded in 1976 by two brothers Francesco and Vanni Boccuzzi; after the release of two albums in mid seventies (Sconcerto and Trusciant) for the major record company EMI; they recorded in 1983 the single "Tittle Tattle" representing a clear innovation in sound from their past, without believing that would receive a positive response in the New York City underground music scene and soon becoming a Paradise Garage and Loft classic. Best Record Italy today came out with this special reissue-project as a Limited Edition Ep, remastered from the original master tapes and containing for the first time all the versions from 1983 and 84 including the unreleased dub that was previously available as an acetate cut only for deejay play.

2024 Reissue

Alphacut Records reloads its third wave with an upfront jungle plate. Meticulously selected over the years since the last allover amen statement Fundamentals EP as of cat.nr. ACR 3001, these four new killer tunes take no prisoners as well.

Sumone (with his Planet Mu fame) and Dan Miles (formerly Skubi like on Modern Ruins) as the midwest cowboys meet the North Sea sailors Istari Lasterfahrer (running his Sozialistischer Plattenbau) and Ill_K (on Nord and re:st)to execute this smashing Darka Mentors EP!

"Wicked Man Sound" is one of the most sinister jungle sciences we came across lately. Choppage on point, layerslike spread, stabbing basses, dark percussion, oldskool pads - you name it. "Crash!" feels like a UK hardcore banger, but is refreshingly switching breakbeats instead of gabba kicks. "Echo Chamber" drops an irresistible rave stab into the dubber dungeons and "Kuro" celebrates a very samurai style of a halftime cut to round up this breaksfest menu with ease.

Alphacut operates on a non-profit level, most releases cover their costs, if even. Half of any returns will be donated to Webster's Amen Break Gesture campaign II raising funds for the original creator of The Winston's Amen Brother breakbeat: Richard Spencer. With the deepest respect for this milestone of a sample!

A Gilles Peterson-approved deep jazz-rap classic.

2024 first time vinyl release, 140g double vinyl, remastered audio with restored artwork.

Limited and Non-Returnable.

Holy grail hip-hop alert! Superstar Quamallah's Invisible Man was never released on wax so, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this astounding record, we present the first ever vinyl edition. A stunning record which gained accolades upon its initial release, such as a prominent feature on Gilles Peterson's renowned Best Of 2009 show, it's one of the most essential jazz rap albums of all time.

Deep jazz rap on that mellow-melodic tip, Invisible Man is an unforgettable album with nothing but dope beats and dope bars. There's a strong chance this album has passed you by but we truly believe it to be a lost hip-hop masterpiece. It supremely captures the essence of a golden age classic without being slavish to the past. No, this ain't some facile throwback rap. It's a fresh and deeply soulful, original album shot through straight from the heart. Perfect to chill to, Invisible Man is profoundly jazz-oriented and captures with simplicity and sincerity the essence of hip-hop circa 1983-1994. It sounds like vibing with your nearest, dearest and oldest friends on a long hot summer night as the tantalising thought that anything is possible fills the air. You know what, we can just call this "magic hour rap" and we think you'll know what we mean. It's just beautiful. Just Listen.

Brooklyn-born, California-based emcee, DJ, and producer Superstar Quamallah was active in the West Coast underground scene throughout the 90s and recorded extensively with such revered names as Defari and Tajai. His parents were some serious artistic heavyweights, too; his father was soul organist Big John Patton, a giant in the jazz world known for his releases on Blue Note whilst his mother was an active designer. However, he remains relatively unknown. Invisible Man, named ostensibly after the classic Ralph Ellison novel, could also refer to how he is viewed by the public at large. With close affiliations to the Hieroglyphics, Dilated Peoples and Likwit crew, his debut EP "Don't Call Me John" arrived in 1999 on ABB Records, after which he took a sabbatical from recording which included graduate school, travelling, teaching at Inglewood High and eventually a professorship of African Studies at Berkeley.

With a laidback flow and deep, relaxing presence on the mic, Superstar Quamallah is equal parts Big Daddy Kane, Rakim and Guru. Invisible Man is refined, soulful, feel-good hip-hop of the old school. Its wise, spiritual and literate sound, combined with the summertime vibes projected by the smooth beats and the nostalgia-inducing samples and vocal scratches, created jazzy boom-bap rap reminiscent of prime De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr.

Irresistibly bouncing opener "You Need Knowledge" loops sparkling pianos, horns and a nagging whistle refrain with scratched vocal refrains from Slick Rick, Mobb Deep and Guru. The super-smooth head-nod classic "88 Soul" also utilises a beautifully swelling piano line and dusty breaks whilst Quamé reminisces about his childhood in NYC. Deeply moving, the silky, sultry "Black Shakespeare" is built around an elegant piano loop and goes hard on the superman lover tip whilst "For My People...It's Spiritual" is transcendental rap in conversation with Rakim and older gods. The "Moment Of Truth"-sampling "Lonely At The Top" is striking for its undiluted boom-bap stylings and the staccato flute-hop of "Just Listen" is riddled with soulful refinement. The deeply-affecting, wistful-yet-triumphant bells and horn-drenched single "California Dreamin'" is top-tier rap of unimpeachable quality. What a flow!

Another highlight is the rich melodic piano-rap of "Purity", a beautiful ode to the foundations of rap and those keeping the culture authentically alive. Beautifully played instruments and spiritual jazz samples elevate the deep thinking present on "Kunta Kente" whilst the darker jazz-tinged battle-rap of "93 Shit" goes super hard both in a lyrical sense and with its no-holds drum punches. The breezy Rhodes and string loops that serve as the sonic backdrop to the slinky jazz rap of "We Got Plots" are just gorgeous as our hero evokes Common's "I Used To Love H.E.R." with a head-spinning tale of crime, deception and double crossing. And some twist! "Do Win-Dis" has a tense crime-funk backing and rolling beats which complement Quamé's flow perfectly before the record is rounded out by the tough yet jazzy brilliance of rap confessional "Hope She Remembers Me". Just sensational.

Upon its original release, Quamallah himself declared: "My favorite time period for Hip Hop music was definitely between 1983 and 1994 with 1988 and 1993 being two years that standout as extremely impressive years musically and culturally. The fashion, slang, movies, TV shows and vibe during those years was incredible. While totally submerged in the feelings and music of that entire time period, I went to work on Invisible Man and I am excited for people to hear the result! It is an album that I would want to hear from some of my favorite artists of the past and present today. This is not a RETRO trip for me; this is me at my best lyrically and spiritually using the accessories of the 80s and 90s to fuel me. I am a 88 soul as the song states!"

This album goes deep. It goes all in. When Invisible Man first came out it had a real hold on us here at Be With HQ. We couldn't stop listening to it. We'd venture to say it's one of the top 25 rap records of the 2000s. In the years since its release, it has remained a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We sincerely hope this first time double LP release will go some way to correct this.

It's been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. Finally available on the format it should always have been on, it must never be rendered invisible again.

Feline analog techno cuts by this French label. Strictly limited pressing 100 copies only !

Introducing Jahnah Camille (pronounced Hannah), a young artist emerging from the DIY scene of Birmingham, Alabama. Camille's songs capture the rollercoaster of teenage angst, heartbreak and introspection over a well-made bed of driving guitars and catchy, compact melodies. A five-track EP infused with anxiety and grit, i tried to freeze light, but only remember a girl, is a shining introductory project smoothed over by Camille's sugar-sweet voice and cutting lyricism. Much of the EP's songs were written and recorded while Camille was still in high school, taking trips back and forth from Atlanta to record. In the time following, Camille dug into the local DIY scene, steadily gaining an impressive resume of opening slots as she cut her teeth supporting acts like Clairo, Soccer Mommy, Cryogeyser and Wednesday as they came through town. Now 19 years old, Camille delivers an excellent snapshot of those uncertain and wildly hopeful late teen years. i tried to freeze light captures Camille approaching heartbreak and self-perception from a variety of angles-each track playing slightly with genre and cadence and infused with influence from her musical heroes, like Liz Phair and Fiona Apple. The EP pulls at a range of alternative rock and pop threads, there's the 90s alternative rock opener "flesh" and the country-gaze-tinged "roadkill." Camille then softens on the swooning synth-layered ode to love lost, "elliot," before relaxing into a folksy, acoustic "paper doll."I wanna talk and not spill out carnival sounds" Camille confides on closer "carnival sounds"--a track that illuminates the singer's art-pop influences and knack for revealing tender and at times searing admissions through her lyricism. While misunderstandings color the emotional sentiment of the EP, Camille's artistry and expression come through clear as day on i tried to freeze light, presenting her as a promising young voice with real talent and a hunger for musical experimentation.

After ‚Running in Waves‘ the Cologne based label ‚Serial Sound’ is back with the second release. ‚´till things ghost‘ is going to be Jonas Landwehr´s debut solo EP. After publishing collaborative works or various artist EPs he is now ready to take the next step. The newest project is tied around the idea of a diverse taste and inspirations while it’s centered around playing with different rhythms. Multiple styles such as House, Techno or Reggaeton as well as various tempos come together on this project. ‚ginko‘ serves as an intro and shows what kind of contrast the rest of the record will be about with it’s airy chord pads that cut to a growling bass accompanied by a slow burning reggaeton groove. ‚disaronno straight‘ adopts this idea but gives it a faster UK influenced twist with a wobbly bassline and chopped vocals ready for the club. ‚sin tí‘ closes the A-Side and aims for summer vibes and floating lightness. ‚overcome?‘ opens the B-Side with a hypnotic pulsing bass and percussion interaction and leads into ‚something about u‘, a soulful vocal feature from LAINE which sits on a broken beat with deep chords and House accents. ‚seeds‘ is closing off the record with an aggressive, faster paced metallic Dancehall rhythm contrasted with enthralling pad sounds.

Break 3000 present this special vinyl re-issue of some much sought after Electro Clash classics from the period 1998-2003.
Available now on limited Red Marbled Vinyl for the first time again since almost 25 Years ago!

After the fast selling “Emolotion EP” on Italy’s “Mondo Phase” imprint and the “The Rise of Poseidon 1” on the Argentinian label “Calypso’s Dream” released last year we present you the final chapter of the early 00’s Electro and Electro Clash gems produced by Break 3000 while living in Maastricht and Cologne.

The first track is a remix made for the legendary “Pocketgame” label from Germany in 2003 that was run by Maru & Comix, released on the “We Are He-Man EP” by “STR & Tim Tycoon” that also featured a stellar “Legowelt” remix. This one is an absolute belter of a track and to this day is one of Break 3000’s favorite tunes he ever produced. Followed by the cool, dark and Cold-Wave’esque Electro cut “The Wait” that was released on a massive Compilation on “Pocketgame” that same year called “Bonuslevel One – North and South” with such amazing artists on it like “Steril”, “Ladytron”, “Mutron”, “Nitsch and Gleinser”, “Hong Kong Counterfeit” and of course the label heads “Maru & Comix”.

The B-side looks back in time even further. “Electric Blue” and “Spacemachinenreise” were released on “Meuse Muzique” from Maastricht and were on the “Maastricht-Liege EP” and the “Electric Kingdom EP” from 2002 and 2003. Lastly “Lectrolite #2” was released on a one-off vinyl release on Break 3000’s own “Casa Nova” imprint in 1999. And especially this tune marked the start of his Electro endeavors the following years.

So get your hands on these fine tunes once more with this special packaged and limited re-release. All tracks have been carefully re-mastered from the original tapes and sound better than ever! Play it LOUD!

All tracks are re-mastered by Salz Mastering in Cologne. Music, Photography & Art by Break 3000.

In the new duo MISTRA, two extremes in the Norwegian music industry collide - Pop queen Benedicte Adrian and metal pioneer Anders Odden. Their first single "Waltz of Death" was performed in the 3rd semifinal of Melodi Grand Prix (the Norwegian Eurovision Song Contest) Benedicte Adrian is back in MGP 40 years after the success of Dollie de Luxe. The duo, which consisted of Benedicte and Ingrid Bjørnov, won the competition with "Lenge Leve Livet". They followed up the success with the album "Rock vs Opera" and have composed music for several musicals together. They released their last album as "Adrian/Bjørnov". As a solo artist, Benedicte has, among other things, sung the role of Queen of the Night in "Tryllefløyten" at Den Norske Opera, released the solo album "Desember" and guested on various stages both as a pop artist and a classical singer. Anders Odden has a long life behind him in black metal. In 1990, his band, Cadaver, debuted with Norway's first death metal LP "Hallucinating Anxiety". Since then, Cadaver has released six albums and gained cult status worldwide. Anders has also toured the world as a musician for other bands such as Celtic Frost. He has also collaborated with famous musicians such as Ronni Le Tekrø, Ledfoot, Hank Von Hell and Tony Harnell. Produced and mixed by Adair Daufembach in Studio Tomb, Norway

The music released as Amulet (or The Amulet Edition) is Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson's semi-secret testament. Originally available in exceedingly limited quantities at live shows and via direct mail-order in 2008 as a hand-assembled 4 miniCDR set housed in a circular Thai Amulet case and never properly distributed, the material finally receives the wider re-release on vinyl and CD it so richly deserves.

Only the second and sadly already the final release in his post-Coil solo guise as The Threshold Houseboys Choir "Amulet" sees Christopherson in a more playful mood than ever, don't be fooled by reviews calling this suite of songs "incomplete" or "working stage", these are rough little diamonds, often imbued with a bittersweet melancholy joy, unsurprisingly reminiscent of some of the final Coil offerings, but additionally steeped in exotica, inspired by his new East Asian home and the ghostly voices of his digitally generated choir ("a vocalist that wouldn't crash", as he would say). At times these tracks sound like a warmer, less analytically complex counterpart to the work he created simultaneously with CoH's Ivan Pavlov in the celebrated Soisong project.

Bonus tracks feature rare earlier THBC compilation tracks and a few previously unreleased exclusive sketches. Let's be perfectly clear though, "Amulet" is not some half-finished cutting-room floor left-overs, it's a genuine but very little heard fully fledged album released by Christopherson with some of the tracks performed live on his last ever tour, the unforgettable intimate Evenings with Uncle Sleaz.

The Infinite Fog edition, presented as a 3LP in a triple heavy Gatefold sleeve and a 2CD Digipak, both including a poster of Peter Christopherson in his infamous Cruella Deville coat has been respectfully and expertly remastered by grammy-nominated Jessica Thompson. Artwork by Oleg Galay overseen and with additional guidance from "our man in Thailand" Peter Jenx.

Malmö’s Mod Sens arrives on Programm LDN with an electric intersection of soundsystem styles and taut techno and electro. Pushing inventive, bassweight dance music through his Melt club night in the city he calls home, the wildly talented Swedish producer brings an international outlook to his subtly crafted workouts.

“These four tracks were all made at a time in Malmö when electro was completely dominating the underground scene,” says Mod Sens. “That had a strong influence on the creation of these tracks, but I was definitely more urgent to create my take on ‘UK’ Sounds.”

The sound on Misperceptions EP is introspective by design, cast in melancholic pads which balance the rugged impact of the crafty drums and upfront low-end. Mod Sens himself describes exploring the tension between wanting to run and feeling ‘stuck’, and that yearning sensation culminates in four elevated cuts that uphold Programm’s commitment to advancements in club music.

Visual director Blackwall and graphic designer Alfie Allen responded to the tangible mood of the EP, resulting in an accompanying visualiser and sleeve design which round out the emotion Mod Sens was reaching for while working on the music. As a complete package, it’s an audio-visual statement which leaves a lingering impression, as any art worth making

repressed !

Kavinsky’s ‘Odd look’ is one of those songs which will haunt you for a long time after hearing them, one of Kavinsky’s acclaimed ‘Outrun’ highlights for sure.

The deep, raw and soulful instrumental brings a cinematic sound which has the power to litterally put you in a virtual movie just listening to music ! And SebastiAn’s vocal part on top is a unique rendering, somewhere between Stevie Wonder and HAL.



The Weeknd was invited to sing on the song by Kavinsky himself. As a big fan of his singing skills, the zombie wanted him to give his song the real soul touch that he’d had in mind for ages. His performance reminds of Michael Jackson, a fast and swinging vocal line, extremely addictive !



A-Trak who has been Kavinsky’s pal for years now delivers a banging remix with bass & drums and a beautiful & strange vocal hook. The kind of tune that can be played in a NYC hip hop party, as well as in a techno warehouse in Berlin with the same effect : arms up ! A-Track rules it as always.



Midnight Juggernauts have taken the spacey-progressive path for their approach towards ‘Odd Look’. Trancey sounds built around those Scarface-like choirs surround you and bring you back to the early 9O’s chill out era, It’s emotional music, as on their recently released ‘Uncanny Valley’ album.



Prince 85 is the newcomer of this selection of X-tra strong producers. His new-hip hop sound fits Kavinsky’s moods perfectly, adding a brilliant re-cut work and some exquisite additional keyboards. Real drinving music, that’s the deal.



Surkin has the recipe for producing absolute club anthems, his re-do of Kavinsky’s tune is one more proof of his skills. Sirens, brilliantly produced vocal excerpts and his signature synth sounds alltogether create a happy and hysteric mood that one could imagine create club riots !

Berlin underground authority Stefan Braatz returns to Nu Groove with a four-track EP showcasing his timeless sound – Outlaw. An established club DJ and producer who has donned many hats in his 30-year career, Stefan Braatz is known for his expansive knowledge that defies genre convention, with his previous Nu Groove collaboration ‘Everyman Jack’ featuring Chicago legends Virgo Four combining his respect for the old school with new school techniques. Opening the EP is the eponymous track ‘Outlaw’, featuring vocals from Chicago house pioneer Harry Dennis – a contemporary of Ron Hardy, the late Frankie Knuckles and a member of Jungle Wonz alongside Marshall Jefferson. As Braatz’s relentless synth energy powers through, Dennis’s unmistakeable free flow guides the composition with ease. What follows are three solo tracks that summarise the Berlin expert’s opposition to the genre restraints; ‘Conversation’ opens a dialogue between synth strings and piano that loops in ecstasy, while ‘Dingy Thoughts’ and ‘One More Dream’ are darker club cuts that bubble with intensity in the lower registers.

Drumcode hits 300 releases as the brilliant Mha Iri returns to the label for her second EP, 'Bombay'. Since debuting on Drumcode just a year ago with 'Never Go Back To Sleep', (her contribution to the debut Elevate compilation series and one of the best-selling techno tracks of 2023), the Scottish producer has rapidly established herself as one of Drumcode's most exciting new artists. A stellar debut EP followed in September with 'The Unexpected', before 'Bell' her cut on A-Sides Vol.12 charted #1 in Beatport's techno Top 100. Due to its success Drumcode chose it for the Change The Beat remix competition, and the remix from YOZÉ is a highlight on the latest 'Elevate Vol.II'. Amidst an impressive touring schedule which will include Awakenings main stage, Junction 2, Tomorrowland and Drumcode's Mysteryland main stage takeover this summer, Mha Iri has been active at Drumcode showcases, playing Watergate in Berlin and more recently the massive Drumsheds show in London. It was there her spit-fire new EP 'Bombay' shined in the huge halls of techno. A hypnotiser of the highest order, the title track is a fully-loaded barrage of tribal techno, crushing drums and vocals that unite for arguably Mha Iri's strongest track on DC to date. We can't wait to see this one launch. Pairing beautifully is 'Existence', a galloping slice of peak-time fare elevated by a rousing vocal.

Compiled by label founder Dom Ore Miles Away: One is a collection of tracks that spans continents, era and genres. Rooted in soul this compilation features recordings from legendary musical figures side-by-side with perhaps lesser-known soulful gems – all beautifully bought together in one cohesive long player. Setting the tone is Idris Muhammad's spiritual-jazz recording I'm A Believer before moving into the modern soul and funk selections Miles Away have built their reputation around. We have the crossover-soul rarity Yes It's You by Eugene Smiley, the remarkable foot-to-the-floor soulful dance cut She's So Good by Solid Gold Revue, enduring soul funk explosion No Communication by True Transfusion, the gospel-infused Fantasy Ride by Uneda Dennard & the full length extended version of Superstar by Ruth Waters. Many tracks appearing here for the first time since their original release. On the second disc the compilation begins to weave a slightly different direction compared to the...

Info: The soulful power of Asabi Goodman's vocals is finally on vinyl! Blunted Stylus ft. Asabi Goodman s' "Rhythm's Got Soul" has "groove and style" reminiscent of the back-to-back, wall-to-wall packed dancefloors of the fever-pitched disco era, steady spinning in at 115 BPM. The highly anticipated collaboration between the renowned singer/ songwriter Asabi Goodman, and producer/arranger Geoff Boardman A.K.A. Blunted Stylus brings authority and intrigue to the dance floor, with soul.... "Free your mind and the mirror ball will follow".



Side A "Rhythm's Got Soul bursts through the stratosphere 'all frequencies blazing!"

Treating the listener to pitched horns, filtered drums, those sultry Asabi vocals, reinforced by the everlasting bass from Andrew 'Bigfoot' Leslie.

Momentum steps up with the rhythm guitar of Dave VHS, accompanied with vamp keys and hectic percussion.

The SOULICITORS are the band on this release 'sitting in the groove', syncopated and loose after the MPC4000 sample treatment, a sort of new paradigm of band-samples soul-fusion exploration!



Side B "Rhythm's Hot" (Afro Instrumental) is a monster cut on the flip, a relentlessly persuasive percussion groove, well timed transitions spread smooth like butter, akin to Midnight Marauders chords, styled across 'A Taste Of Honey' bassline for example, on an Afrocentric trip building up to the disco-fever instrumental strut.



Asabi Goodman is an American born (Oklahoma), entertainer now calling Australia home, consistently performing in stage and screen productions, and touring with bands and Broadway musicals (Hairspray! The Musical, CHICAGO). Asabi's vocal ability effortlessly elevates from 'sweet and soulful' to 'commanding and powerful', all the while showing unmistakably that her passion for the audience, and respect for the song is at the heart of every performance.

Geoff Blunted is an Australian producer, avid record collector, and co-founder of the ground breaking sample-funk group the 'RESIN DOGS' (1996-2005) extensively touring and producing. From the early days in the 80's of cutting his teeth in mixtapes, and volunteering at community radio at 4ZZZ in 1988 (arguably the golden era of hip hop) hosting Australia's first dedicated Hip Hop show "Just2Def" that aired for 1 year. Four Jazz-funk sample albums under his belt, 'Rhythm's Got Soul' arrives cued-up ready! The track highlights Geoff's ability to blend his time proven sample ethic into a resonating dynamic disco experience.

Reel People Music breaks new ground, in more ways than one, with the launch of fresh compilation series Broken, Deep & Dope. A spin-off from acclaimed compilation brand Soulful, Deep & Dope – introduced back in 2015 – this new series sees the much-loved independent imprint pushing further at the boundaries of soulful music. All with that customary Reel People feeling.

Broken, Deep & Dope 2024, the series’ first instalment, unleashes 20 superlative examples of the soulful ‘bruk’ (broken beat), nu beat and nu jazz sound that has so innovatively informed contemporary dancefloors around the world since its inception back in late Nineties West London.

Bringing together classic cuts from the Reel People Music stable (including those by Daz-I-Kue, Monkey Brothers and Reel People) and key productions from some of its closest affiliates and biggest inspirations (such as Vikter Duplaix, Jazzanova, Bugz In The Attic, Kaidi Tatham, and Sean McCabe), this white-hot selection nips and tucks beautifully between stuttered Latin and Afro rhythms, deep house-edged jams and soaring flights of soul-jazz fancy.

Reel People Music is a label borne out of the soulful success of acclaimed collective Reel People but representing so much more. Launched in late 2009, the imprint has built a fiercely loyal international fanbase through its passion for artist development, musicianship, song-craft and authentic soulful groove.

Broken, Deep & Dope 2024, with its scattered yet compulsive beats, frisky basslines and acrobatic melodies, promises to further expand Reel People Music’s reputation for soulful depth and drama. Gathering old and new favourites from some of the world’s finest taste-making DJs and producers, this is another scorching, oh-soul essential hustle. End of.

Octave One continues to visit some classic Never On Sunday tracks with a second installment of their Messages From The Mothership series. This latest 12" finds the pair release two different Mothership mixes of 'The Bearer' and 'Contemplate'.

The pioneering Detroit brothers have shown a different side to their sound with the Never On Sunday project, both back when it was devised in the early nineties, and more recently when they have looked back over some of the project's key tracks and added a contemporary spin to them. Already this year the Burden Brothers have offered up new takes on 'Price We Pay' and 'A Better Tomorrow' as well as dropping brand new cut 'Mirror Image' and now their fine form continues on this latest release on their own 430 West label.

The A-side features a new Mothership Remix of 'Contemplate' from 2022 that unfolds over an epic 11 minutes of enthralling deep techno. The synths bring classic Detroit soul and the impassioned vocals layer in emotion to the sleek, compelling drums. The Instruments Version strips out the vocals and places more focus on the sublime rhythm and drums.

On the B-side, ' The Bearer' from the 2023 album Never On Sunday gets a fresh Mothership Dub. It is another masterful and almost 12-minute journey that rides on compelling drums and is lit up with a majestic vocal that soars up high while the warm, dubby undercurrents keep things moving in dynamic fashion and smeared cosmic synths bring a great sense of scale. A Mothership Instrumentals version closes out the package.
These are for more fresh perspectives on timeless house and techno fusions from the ever-innovative Octave One.

Ralph Session is a producer who has been making his mark on the house music scene dropping quality underground house music since 2009. The New Yorker, now based in Barcelona, has racked up well received releases on some of the hottest labels around including Razor n Tape, Local Talk, Nervous, Moulton Music, Large and Exploited and continues to head up his own label Half-Assed as a platform to curate the culturally deep sound of his native New York City. For his Freerange debut he’s joined forces with LA producer and vocalist Juliet Mendoza who can also be found dropping gems for the likes of Planet E, Ocha and Shaboom.

Freak sees Ralph stay true to his roots once again with all the US house hallmarks present and correct. Muscular beats keep things punchy and with plenty of weight and energy whilst the simple stabs and vibraphone hook and just the right touch of musicality without getting in the way of the all important groove. Juliet Mendoza adds the icing on the cake with her spoken word urging you to cut loose on the dance floor.

Detroit’s own Ladymonix steps up for remix duties and turns the Freakometer up to 11. Fresh from output on her own Frizner Electric label as well as Planet E, Toucan Sounds and Studio Barnhus, she twists things into an otherworldly house jam which will lock you into it’s minimal groove. By glitching out the vocal and keeping the groove stripped to the core Ladymonix has created a club track that will stick in your head long after the lights come up.

In addition to these two versions we also have Ralphs own Brooklyn Bounce Mix and an instrumental to get your teeth stuck into.

Brand new six track EP collaboration from two original man in the business, Lloydie Slim and Cornel Chin of Son's Junior sound system. A-side has the sweet voiced Cassandra Chin doing her rendition of a '60s classic, followed by horns and dub cuts. The B-side has New York's number one sax man Jerry Johnson blowing on another updated classic, followed by version and dub cuts. Brand new productions straight from Brooklyn NY by veterans still at it!

Player below will play samples of all tracks in sequence. click the link below the player to go to soundcloud and play tracks individually.

Rock n Roll Star! zeichnet Bowies Weg zu Ziggy Stardust nach. Angefangen bei frühen Demos für zu Hause, über Radiosessions und Live-Auftritte bis hin zu Session-Aufnahmen, Outtakes und alternativen Versionen von den Aufnahmen zum Album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust ROCK 'N' ROLL STAR! enthält 29 unveröffentlichte Tracks, darunter frühe Songwriting-Demos, Aufnahmen von Davids Band The Arnold Corns, Proben in Bowies damaligem Zuhause Haddon Hall, BBC-Sessions, Singles, Live-Auftritte sowie Outtakes und alternative Versionen von den Original-Aufnahmesessions des Albums, die vom ursprünglichen Album-Produzenten Ken Scott neu gemischt wurden. Zu den unveröffentlichten Highlights gehören eine alternative Version von "Lady Stardust", eine ungehörte Version des Deep-Cut-Klassikers "Shadow Man" und eine Up-Tempo-Aufnahme von The Who's "I Can't Explain", die er später verlangsamt und für das PIN-UPS-Album gecovert hat. Die reine Audio-Blu-Ray enthält das definitive Remaster des Original-Ziggy Stardust-Albums aus dem Jahr 2012 in 96kHz/24bit PCM Stereo, das Album und zusätzliche Mixe aus dem Jahr 2003 in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sowie die Singles, Outtakes und alternative Versionen in 96kHz/24bit PCM Stereo. Die Blu-Ray enthält außerdem eine Version des ZIGGY STARDUST-Albums namens WAITING IN THE SKY (BEFORE THE STARMAN CAME TO EARTH), die von Trident Studio-Bändern vom 15. Dezember 1971 stammt und eine alternative Reihenfolge sowie vier Songs enthält, die es nicht auf das endgültige Album geschafft haben. Diese wird auch als limitierte Vinyl-LP am 20. April 2024 zum Record Store Day erhältlich sein. Außerdem gibt es eine 1-LP-Version von ROCK 'N' ROLL STAR! mit den alternativen Aufnahmen und Abmischungen.

Following on from our previous successful Little Feat releases: "Waiting For Columbus" Super Deluxe in 2022 and "Sailin' Shoes" + "Dixie Chicken" Deluxe Albums in 2023 This new offering from one of Rhino's Top 100 Off Roster artists includes the original studio album cut from the analog tapes for the double LP, and a remastered version plus a previously unreleased live show recording on the 3CD.

Both configurations include a rarities disk of previously unreleased studio outtakes that were once thought lost when the recording studio, located on a boat in Maryland, sank in the late '70s. While it's true that some of them sank, this is what remains of those sessions.

The previously unreleased live show on the CD is from the Warner Bros. Music Show tour of Europe in January/February 1975. This is the tour where Little Feat's star really rose in Europe and where LF routinely swept their tour mates off the stage - including the Doobie Brothers, Tower of Power and Montrose

First full length since 2020. Produced by Dan Luscombe (The Drones, Amyl and the Sniffers). Mixed by Josh Block (White Denim, Leon Bridges). Guest vocalist Carla Geneve. Within the first few seconds of the opening song on Australian troubadour Peter Bibby’s latest album, we get an unvarnished look at the man behind the music as he observes the late-night scene of a local watering hole with increasingly bleary eyes:“No one seems to want to talk to me / ‘cuz I’m the arsehole, probably.” Indeed, that lovable ambivalence is at the heart of Drama King, Bibby’s fourth studio album for Spinning Top Records. The project was produced by first-time collaborator Dan Luscombe (The Drones, Amyl and the Sniffers) and mixed by White Denim’s Josh Block a frequent collaborator with Leon Bridges. An artist who has been celebrated as inherently working-class and wholeheartedly independent, Bibby comes by this caution honestly, having cut his teeth in the rough-and-tumble underground rock scene centered around Perth’s Hyde Park Hotel in Western Australia. Bibby’s affable personality has gotten him plenty of mileage as a live act. He’s toured the U.S. with Pond and performed at the infamous open mic night at Pappy and Harriet’s in the California desert. He’s also taken the stage at international festivals such as Laneway, Falls, All Points East, South by Southwest and South Africa’s Rocking the Daisies while notching his fair share of rowdy headlining shows

All-woman garage rock band from Phoenix return to pour another down one’s throat. Continuing to tour relentlessly around the world. Produced by Mark Rains (Hooveriii, Death Valley Girls, Hunx and His Punx). The Darts can’t stop, won’t stop! Hot on the heels on last year’s groundbreaking album Snake Oil, The Darts have returned guns blazing with a brand-new album, Boomerang! While on a break from their intense international touring schedule, the band stopped at
Station House Studio in Los Angeles to work with producer Mark Rains (Hooveriii, Death Valley Girls, Hunx and His Punx) with the mission of capturing the band’s raw rock spirit. From the opening chords of “Hang Around,” listeners are launched into an explosive garage party, with the Farfisa organ bringing a carnival and snarky gang vocals adding to the fray. The band doesn’t let up from there. With Nicole Laurenne on vocals and Farfisa, Christina Nunez on bass and backup vocals, Meliza Jackson on guitars, and Mary Rose Gonzales on drums, the tight lineup fuels the album’s themes of resilience and empowerment. Each track on Boomerang packs a punch, drawing the listener into a world of infectious hooks and soaring riffs. “Boomerang is a reference to the fact that, right after we released Snake Oil, we turned right around and went back into the studio to do a whole new full-length album! I can’t stop writing songs! But ‘boomerang’ also refers to a lyric on the album that describes toxic people and things that keep coming back into your life despite your repeated attempts to fling them as far away as possible. This album is my manifesto about finding strength the kind of strength it takes to do what you personally need to do to be peaceful and healthy. For me it meant cutting a lot of stuff out of my life, and that was really hard, but it also meant adding a lot of amazing stuff I never thought I’d see. I’m in a better place than I’ve ever been, and I think you can feel that power in this record.” – Nicole Laurenne

Dieses raffinierte und mit Hooks versehene neue Album ist ein eigenständiges Universum, ein Feuerwerk an einfallsreichem, viszeralem Death/Black Metal, bei dem schwindelerregende Experimente auf kopfnickende Hingabe treffen - obszön verdreht und süchtig machend, herzzerreißend in seiner Tiefe der Gefühle.

Nach einem Vierteljahrhundert gemeinsamen Musizierens haben sich Hoggard/Saint Merat als eine der stärksten Gitarren-Schlagzeug-Kombinationen im Extreme Metal etabliert, und ihre Musik hat sich organisch zu etwas völlig Eigenem entwickelt. Cutting the Throat of God" ist das bisher bestproduzierte ULCERATE-Album und strotzt nur so vor unvergleichlichen Rhythmen, den fließendsten Übergängen, der überzeugendsten Phrasierung der Band und wahrhaft atemberaubenden Riffs. Der berauschende, flüssige Fluss wird durch eine zerstörerisch dynamische Performance von Sänger/Texter Paul Kelland gekrönt.

"Cutting the Throat of God" erforscht ein zusammenhängendes lyrisches Thema, das sich um den Bruch der Moral, die empfindliche Grenze zwischen Verderbtheit und Extremität und den unumkehrbaren Abstieg in die Dunkelheit dreht.

"15 sizzlin’ surf guitar cuts recorded at the crest of the genre! Brothers Richard and Thomas Frost, more known for their work as Powder, shred through these surf-rockin’ standards – all tucked away until now!

Turning in a smoking rendition of studio guitarist Jan Davis’ “The Fugitive,” later covered by the Ventures (and much later, Laika & the Cosmonauts), they also lay down a hot version of “Opus Twist” – also by way of the Ventures, written by Tommy Allsup and J.I. Allison of the Crickets. Three other instrumentals came from the Let’s Hide Away & Dance Away With Freddy King album: “San-Ho-Zay,” “Just Pickin’,” and “Sen-Sa-Shun.” He delivers a lovely “Sleep Walk” sans Santo & Johnny’s steel guitar, and converts pianist Floyd Cramer’s “Last Date” to guitar.

Balancing out the program are live tracks from Big Al’s Gas House in neighboring Belmont, showing the emergence of British Invasion along with credible renditions of R&B warhorses “Linda Lu” and “Come On.” “Route 66” is obviously the Stones version, with Rich playing the Keith Richards guitar solo – “and ‘Roll Over Beethoven,’ you could tell it was the Beatles’ version because my guitar licks are George Harrison.”

Vividly illustrating the band’s meld of R&B and surf are the two versions of “San-Ho-Zay” – the relaxed groove in the bedroom versus the furious live rave. Lord knows what’s going on in “The Fight” – a typical set-opening/closing riff breaking up a brawl?

Though they never released even a 45, these live cuts and “Bedroom Tapes” prove without a doubt that they’d have been up to the task had the opportunity presented itself."

First time on vinyl!
Newly remastered. LP housed in a gatefold jacket.
Featuring Herbie Hancock, Martha Reeves, Alphonse Mouzon, Chuck Rainey, Patryce “Choc’let” Banks, Carlos Morales, and members of The Pointer Sisters.

In the 1970s, Betty Davis defied genre and gender by pushing her voice to extremes and embracing the erotic. She articulated a kind of pre-punk, funk-blues fusion that had yet to be normalized in mainstream music – a style that few musicians have come close to replicating. As one of the first Black women to write, arrange, and produce her own albums, Betty was a visionary who disregarded industry boundaries and constraints. Raw, unapologetic and in full control, Betty paved the way for generations of future artists who said “funk you” to the music industry and social norms.

In 1979, when Davis entered an L.A. studio to record her fifth and final album, she was reeling from a series of setbacks. Three years earlier, after recording her fourth album, Is It Love Or Desire, Davis was dropped from her label and the LP was subsequently shelved. In 1978, her beloved band Funk House went their separate ways. Looking for a fresh start, Davis relocated to Hollywood to focus on songwriting. Before long, British manager Simon Lait (Toni Basil), offered to fund her next project.

With renewed vigor, Davis reunited with former Funk House guitarist Carlos Morales and brought together industry veterans like fusion drummer Alphonse Mouzon and session bassist Chuck Rainey. Old friends Anita and Bonnie Pointer (The Pointer Sisters) and Patryce “Choc’let” Banks joined Davis on vocals, as did Motown legend Martha Reeves. The resulting album, Crashin’ From Passion, was her most musically diverse, blending elements of reggae and calypso (“I’ve Danced Before”), jazz (“Hangin’ Out in Hollywood,” “Tell Me a Few Things”), dark synth-pop (“She’s a Woman”), and even disco (“All I Do Is Think of You”). Equally exploratory are Davis’ vocals, as she trades in her signature sass and snarls for more nuanced stylings.

Among the album’s few funk tracks is “Quintessence of Hip,” in which Davis hails musicians like Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Stevie Wonder, and John Coltrane, while deftly integrating elements of their work. The song also offers a moment of stark vulnerability, as she sings, “Isn’t rich? Isn’t it queer? Losing my timing so late in my career.” It would prove to be a prophetic line in the months to follow.

The mixing process was mired by artistic differences and then cut short, amid the death of Davis’ beloved father. Bereft and exasperated, Davis returned home for the funeral, setting into motion her retirement from the music industry. Crashin’ From Passion, meanwhile, would be shelved for 15 years and licensed for a CD-only release, without Davis’ consent, in the ‘90s. This 2023 edition of the album, made with Davis’ full approval and cooperation, marks its first official release and first time ever on vinyl. The package was designed by GRAMMY®-winning artist, Masaki Koike, while the album cover features an incredible shot of Betty captured in London in the mid-1970s by renowned photographer Kate Simon.

Crashin’ From Passion was remastered by Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters and pressed on vinyl at Record Technology, Inc. (RTI). The accompanying booklet includes a treasure trove of rare photos from the era, plus lyrics, and new liner notes by writer, ethnomusicologist, and Betty’s close friend, Danielle Maggio, who integrates interviews that she conducted with Davis, marking her last ever interviews.

Recorded in 1961 and released by Contemporary Records the same year, Maggie's Back in Town!! Is the second album released on the label by jazz trumpeter Howard McGhee. Also featured are the players Phineas Newborn Jr, Leroy Vinnegar and Shelly Manne. This new edition, released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a tip-on jacket.

Celebrating its 30th, Seal releases a deluxe edition of his second studio album on 2CD + Blu ray, along with a 2LP Black vinyl set it includes the original album newly remastered, alongside a mix of alternate versions of albums cuts, previously unreleased music, and some unexpected yet satisfying covers.

Seal burst to the top of the pop charts with the release of his self-titled debut album in 1991. In 1994, he returned with a stylistic advance and another collection of pop, dance, soul fusion and electronic gems – all meticulously assembled on yet another self-titled album. Seal II, as It has come to be known, features the International mega-smash Kiss From A Rose, as well as the Wendy & Lisa featuring track Bring It On and a rare appearance by none other than Joni Mitchell on If I Could.

"In the wake of SQUID PISSER’s “Vaporize A Neighbor” EP and Comic Book Set and “Vaporize A Tadpole” Collection comes “Dreams of Puke”, the band’s second full length album. Weighing in at a meaty 12 songs and cut at a lean 45 revolutions per minute, “Dreams of Puke” refuses to let up or let down - emitting climax after scintillating climax - a bounteous bouquet of dayglow viscera and tumor-filled sonic snot.

“Dreams of Puke” is the face ripping, dolphin-loving, anthropomorphized mountain of nuclear sludge intravenously injected with methamphetamines that listeners have been clamoring for. Tommy Meehan's use of effects pedals and sonic textures create a dense soundscape of intestinal debris, mortared with a grout of pus, goo, gummy candy and pure, unadulterated insanity. Meanwhile, Seth Carolina's all out, rage-fueled and categorically pummeling approach to slamming the beats down lays out a visceral scene of absolute intensity - a great white shark attack on The Mall of America.

Tommy explains “The writing sessions for this album resulted in about 100 songs... Demos, seedlings, and scraps were strewn about everywhere. Then Seth and I assembled them into a viable and tangible fruition. I tracked all of the guitars, bass, and vocals myself at Los Angeles’ Castle Barf Studios. The drums we did at Sea Horse Sound downtown”.

“Dreams Of Puke” is an aural DMT trip that will leave brains boggled. Its atonal anthems of slime are a kaleidoscope of brilliant, bespeckled rage that, in the end, will scalp the world & mutate the throne.

Glass Mastered Compact Disc includes Mystery Matrix Message and comes packaged in a Six Panel Tri-Fold Jacket with corresponding Fold-Over Lyric Insert. LP and CD formats each sport unique, subliminally different cover art by painter Gregory Jacobsen of the band Lovely Little Girls. Parental Advisory: Explicit content"

At the frayed bottom-edge of Indiana - just a moderate bike ride north of Louisville, Kentucky - multi-instrumentalist, artist and songwriter Ryan Davis' Americana-noir soundwaves have been emanating for years in a myriad of forms. As driving force for the lauded State Champion, long-running member of Tropical Trash, administrator of the esoteric and excellent Cropped Out festival, and lone proprietor of the Sophomore Lounge label, Davis lays down his first proper 'solo' release with Dancing On The Edge, a rich, 2LP tapestry of tunes that absolutely glows over seven expansive cuts. It's a pure collage of modernity and heritage. Recorded in early 2023 with help both in-studio and remotely from peers like Joan Shelley, Catherine Irwin (Freakwater), Will Lawrence (Felice Brothers, Gun Outfit, John Early), Jenny Rose (Giving Up), Christopher May (Mail the Horse), Elisabeth Fuchsia (Footings, Bonnie "Prince" Billy), and Aaron Rosenblum (Son of Earth, Sapat), the results herein are melancholic, gentle, minimal yet colorful in mood: a lilting highway accompaniment of crisp instrumentation and a relaxed, amiable approach to vocals with rhapsodic wordsmithery. Fans of the aforementioned artists as well as those of Souled American, David Berman, Kurt Vile and 'Comes A Time'-era Neil should all easily find bounty. While bare-boned and uncluttered in presentation, many of these pieces track over 6 minutes allowing a fair amount of expansiveness. Dancing On The Edge stares down into the navel of the American Experience underbelly with a fair amount of outward reach. Besides the Kosmische-synth and violin stabs reaching into a European element, stately organ swells build a musical bridge between 1969 Southern California and Felt's latter era smooth moves, with layers of intelligent gesture taking this well beyond the realm of its archetypal indie troubadour/acoustic songwriter tag. Music and mint juleps never went down so well together." Originally released via Ryan's own label, Sophomore Lounge, in the US late 2023, it picked up some incredible reviews: best of 2023 in both Pitchfork and Rolling Stone, 9/10 lead review in Uncut, and a raft of other notable publications. "This is the sound of someone bearing a torch." - Bill Callahan (Smog) - RIYL Silver Jews, BPB, Lambchop, Cass McCoombs, Sparklehorse.

Continuing the re-issue program on STD Black LP - Rolling Stones No.2 - The second UK Rolling Stones studio album, released in 1965 following the success of their 1964 debut album The Rolling Stones. A huge success in the UK, the album was number one on the charts for 10 weeks and includes the band’s cover of ‘Time Is On My Side’ and ‘Everybody Needs Somebody To Love’. The album also contains three compositions from the still-developing Mick Jagger/Keith Richards songwriting team (‘What A Shame’, ‘Grown Up Wrong’ and ‘Off The Hook’), with all the other songs being covers of American R&B and rock and roll numbers, like the first album. December’s Children (And Everybody’s) US - The fifth American studio album, released in December 1965. The last Stones album in which cover material accounted for 50 percent of the content was compiled from a variety of singles, British LP tracks, outtakes, and a cut from an early 1964 U.K. EP. The album demonstrates the continuing development of Jagger & Richard’s songwriting with a further two pop classics – the string-laden affecting ballad – ‘As Tears Go By’ and ‘Get Off My Cloud’.

Continuing the re-issue program on STD Black LP - Rolling Stones No.2 - The second UK Rolling Stones studio album, released in 1965 following the success of their 1964 debut album The Rolling Stones. A huge success in the UK, the album was number one on the charts for 10 weeks and includes the band’s cover of ‘Time Is On My Side’ and ‘Everybody Needs Somebody To Love’. The album also contains three compositions from the still-developing Mick Jagger/Keith Richards songwriting team (‘What A Shame’, ‘Grown Up Wrong’ and ‘Off The Hook’), with all the other songs being covers of American R&B and rock and roll numbers, like the first album. December’s Children (And Everybody’s) US - The fifth American studio album, released in December 1965. The last Stones album in which cover material accounted for 50 percent of the content was compiled from a variety of singles, British LP tracks, outtakes, and a cut from an early 1964 U.K. EP. The album demonstrates the continuing development of Jagger & Richard’s songwriting with a further two pop classics – the string-laden affecting ballad – ‘As Tears Go By’ and ‘Get Off My Cloud’.

"Today! is Skip James’ second album, originally released in 1966. The album features James solo on all but one track, “How Long,” which includes Russ Savakus on bass. This 180-gram LP pressed at QRP includes an obi with notes by Scott Billington, a paper-wrapped jacket and (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab. AllMusic asserts, “wonderful vocals, superb guitar and a couple of tunes with tasty piano make this essential.” "

On Yard, Wisconsin-bred, Chicago-based four-piece Slow Pulp nestles comfortably into pockets of nuance, impressions, contradictions-sonics and lyrics finessed together to bottle the specific tension of a feeling you"ve never quite been able to find the right words for. In that regard, listening to Slow Pulp can feel like being in a room with someone who"s known you so long that they can read your every micro-expression and pinpoint exactly how you"re feeling before you can. Perhaps this spawns from the band"s own shared history and chemistry; in various ways, the four of them grew up-are still growing up-together. The dreamy songs of the Midwest (United States) indie rock outfit draw on moody shoegaze, hooky grunge, and intimate lo-fi fare. The band made their full-length debut with Moveys in 2020. After the downcast 2021 7" Deleted Scenes, they put the focus on hooky grunge pop for singles like 2021"s "In Too Deep" and 2023"s "Cramps". After their label debut single the band toured throughout Europe and the UK earlier this year as main support for Death Cab For Cutie. The new album "Yard" is their second full-length album and first for ANTI-.

Budapest’s Alley Catss wants m Helux to serve as both a new station in their work and an homage to the new age-influenced and sample-heavy synthesis of previous albums (such as 2020’s "compassion & paralysis", 2016’s ℶ, or 2021’s "exophage"), and it already feels like a genre unto itself: Absurd Ambient. Inspired by the emptiness and silliness of theatrical sets left empty, devoid of action, still and incomplete, m Helux is an awkward place of bleak humour; poured over and yet frozen.

Produced by Máté Janky over the course of late 2023 through to early 2024, this is an unpredictable collage of hefty symbolic audio mysticism, 90s sampling, dub influences, fractured R&B vocals. It’s nonetheless interspersed with the knowing cheesiness of new agey bells and chimes, at times cut up to cartoonish levels, melding their most laughable and wonderful connotations.

Influenced by the likes of Klein, Alley Catss’ collaging and sampling techniques seek to sonify utopic scholastic visual concepts –poking a dose of fun at them along the way.

These seven tracks shimmer and shake, but never rumble. Alley Catss’ sui generis approach creates a beautiful parody of reference genres. Myriad tropes are desiccated and reworked into an exquisite corpse of blissed out sounds and voices. This is maddening music that’s monstrous and pretty, often all at once.

The mercurial talent that is SW. back in the building with a new album, and if it weren’t already apparent, OYSTER45 goes some way to assert his place in the pantheon of pioneering producers. In fact, nobody can question his position right at the vanguard of forward-facing dancefloor dynamics.

myDEFINITION part II catches the SUED co-founder as vital as ever. Keeping it on that dusty, low-key flex that has long been his trademark, it harnesses ingenuity to conjure some of the most intriguing gear you’re likely to hear from a limited studio setup. Gone are the hi-tek jazz and ambient flourishes of the near-mythical ‘Untiled’ album, opting, instead, for pure dancefloor headiness. Precision-tooled breakbeats, opulent IDM cybernetics, tuff bleep n’ bass and late nite electro across 10 distinct trax.

Side quests into more abstract realms are fleeting. Dappled melodies evoke warmth in hues of pink and orange but any ambient-dub ephemera quickly dissipates into the peripheries in favour of club-ready pressure. The spectre of mid-‘90s dance music looms large but the SW. blueprint, with its captivating free-form approach, spins those vintage tropes into a distinct sound unto itself. Masterful, cinematic and hallucinatory.

Often drawing comparisons with B12’s seminal brand of ambient techno, SW. will surely be a stylistic reference point in his own right for years to come. Such is the indelible influence he has cast on contemporary electronic music.

One can hardly imagine the genre-busting, culture-crossing musical magic of Outkast, Prince, Erykah Badu, Rick James, The Roots, or even the early Red Hot Chili Peppers without the influence of R&B pioneer Betty Davis. Her style of raw and revelatory punk-funk defies any notions that women can’t be visionaries in the worlds of rock and pop. In recent years, rappers from Ice Cube to Talib Kweli to Ludacris have rhymed over her intensely strong but sensual music.



There is one testimonial about Betty Davis that is universal: she was a woman ahead of her time. In our contemporary moment, this may not be as self-evident as it was thirty years ago – we live in an age that’s been profoundly changed by flamboyant flaunting of female sexuality: from Parlet to Madonna, Lil Kim to Kelis. Yet, back in 1973 when Betty Davis first showed up in her silver go-go boots, dazzling smile and towering Afro, who could you possibly have compared her to? Marva Whitney had the voice but not the independence. Labelle wouldn’t get sexy with their “Lady Marmalade” for another year while Millie Jackson wasn’t Feelin’ Bitchy until 1977. Even Tina Turner, the most obvious predecessor to Betty’s fierce style wasn’t completely out of Ike’s shadow until later in the decade.



Ms. Davis’s unique story, still sadly mostly unknown, is unlike any other in popular music. Betty wrote the song “Uptown” for the Chambers Brothers before marrying Miles Davis in the late ’60s, influencing him with psychedelic rock, and introducing him to Jimi Hendrix — personally inspiring the classic album Bitches Brew.



But her songwriting ability was way ahead of its time as well. Betty not only wrote every song she ever recorded and produced every album after her first, but the young woman penned the tunes that got The Commodores signed to Motown. The Detroit label soon came calling, pitching a Motown songwriting deal, which Betty turned down. Motown wanted to own everything. Heading to the UK, Marc Bolan of T. Rex urged the creative dynamo to start writing for herself. A common thread throughout Betty’s career would be her unbending Do-It-Yourself ethic, which made her quickly turn down anyone who didn’t fit with the vision. She would eventually say no to Eric Clapton as her album producer, seeing him as too banal.



Her 1974 sophomore album They Say I’m Different features a worthy-of-framing futuristic cover challenging David Bowie’s science fiction funk with real rocking soul-fire, kicked off with the savagely sexual “Shoo-B-Doop and Cop Him” (later sampled by Ice Cube). Her follow up is full of classic cuts like “Don’t Call Her No Tramp” and the hilarious, hard, deep funk of “He Was A Big Freak.”