De Sluwe Vos (Dutch for 'The Sly Fox', a name derived from Aesop's fable of the Fox and the Crow) is the newest addition to the Dutch house and techno scene. His productions are supported by artists such as DJ Sneak, Joy Orbison, Boddika andBicep. Moreover, De Sluwe Vos has a packed tour schedule and travels many miles for all his national and international gigs.
With strong hooks and dirty kicks as his specialities, De Sluwe Vos has released multiple tracks on labels like 4Lux and Slapfunk. Lately, this cheerful producer from Dutch city of Deventer has even been gaining a foothold in the pop scene. His gig at Noorderslag did not go unnoticed: national music platform 3voor12 named him the best act of the festival.
De Sluwe Vos mixes various styles to create his own 'signature sound' with which he manages to constantly keep himself at the center of attention. His 'OG Anthem' is possibly one of the most notable tracks of the moment, this underground hit found its way to the surface and received airplay on both Dutch radio station 3FM and BBC Radio1.
With his discography, De Sluwe Vos is constructing a steady career. But he's not one to stay hidden away in the studio: he's at his best when dominating dance floors in clubs and at festivals. His ultimate goal is to bring the crowd to a higher state of mind, where worries simply disappear and the music takes over. Time and time again, De Sluwe Vosprovides proof for the big bang theory with his performances. Whether it's at Awakenings Festival in the Netherlands or at Together Festival in Cardiff: during his shows he is pure energy. His duet between his Roland TR- 909 drum computer and turntables is always a bold endeavor, just like his stage diving.
The fact that he is a fixture of the club scene is proven by his monthly international gigs, his own night The Core and his notorious live act. With the audiovisual show 'Kontra live', De Sluwe Vos is well underway to becoming 'one of the greats'. And that's no fable!
Buscar:d air
"2015 was probably the busiest of my career, during the course of the year I lived many hours of flights and delays at airports, stayed at hotels with wonderful views immersed in nature and others, on the contrary, very urban. I must admit that many of these scenarios were the kick start of the creative process of "Oscillators EP. This is an EP conceived strictly for the Dancefloor, and its creation was a perfect combination between air and land, as all the tracks began on a plane and were developed on land. A very important part of the creative process when youre working on a track is the mood youre in, and there is always an extra excitement before, during and after each show, the space where you work. I take advantage of that moments and translate those feelings into music." - Flug
Fresh off the heels of the success of their 'Waiting Ground' EP, the boys in black, Frank & Tony, are skating back onto the scene with another four track summer stomper, 'Under the Jaguar Sun'. The A-side starts things off with the titular track, a rollicking deep house number primed for sunset raves. A bouncing and lush bass line is the back bone of the track, as crisp hi-hats, distant, yearning pads, and shimmering bells propel dancers forward into eyes closed euphoria. Things ramp up quickly into peak-time ecstasy on the Breakaway edit of Solo Andata's A Ballet of Hands.' A whirling dervish of delicate music boxes, bowed guitars, delicate music boxes, and distant horns swirl around and weave in and out between a skipping drum pattern, pushing and pulling alongside a gruff and stuttering bass, perfect for those late night rooftop ventures. The B-side takes listeners into early morning after hours territory, starting with the groovy Difficult Loves.' An airy and luscious double bass keeps things bouyed as introspective pads shimmer alongside pillars of aquatic synths. Backed by a classic, shuffling NY House drum groove, this one is best served late into the evening. The boys wrap things up on a high note with the latin vibes of Sargasso.' Crisp tambourines keep things light as dense kicks and a bass line deeper than the deepest canyon pull dancers deep into the floor with a warm embrace. The star of the show is the bouncing and earnest synth line, which is partnered up with a pair of playful toms in a game of cat and mouse, making this track a weapon anywhere you place it in a set.
The eight tracks on 'Versus' exemplify a remarkable cross-pollination of genres, a true testament to the intense, 'it takes a village' spirit of collaboration among the artists in the Wolf & Lamb aquarium.
The LP kicks off with "Real Love," an electronic duet with San Francisco's PillowTalk. A sparse, airy kick and lackadaisical, scale-climbing bass line complement a vocoder-drenched croon, evoking nothing less than an R&B version of Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works. In the album's next track, "Fo Porter," butter soft vocals from Voices of Black ("I want it/I need it/I just can't get enough/I hold it/I squeeze it/I just won't give it up") complement lush orchestral arrangements, doing for hip-hop inflected dance music what Metro Area does for disco.
"In The Morning," an after the after party, hands to the air entry into the house of god, will instantly conjure up for those lucky enough to have visited the Marcy the familiar image of Gadi's hands feeling up the wall in ecstasy while Zev soldiers through the groove. "Weekend Affair," perhaps the real standout of an all-round exemplary album, punctuates stuttering, oscillating synths with a ferocious cowbell and moaned vocals, continuing a long-standing New York tradition of sexualized Downtown funk.
The gorgeous "Serpentine," with it's kettle-drum compression worthy of Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight" and atmospheric vocals from French chanteuse Rap Lisa, is rounded out by the it's a perfect ending to the album, a moment of calm before the sharks, always on the move, start circling again.
Real name Fernando Cappelletti, the Rosario native's early releases arrived on AirDrop Records, followed by appearances on Esperanza before launching
Savor Music alongside Jorge Savoretti in 2011. Since then the label has hosted the likes of Felipe Valenzuela, Martinez, Kastil, Marcman and Franco Cinelli whilst garnering a reputation as one of Argentina's key purveyors of house and techno.
The album's subterranean aesthetics are present from the beginning, with mesmerising tape echoes in 'The Real', deep pads in 'Trb' and the rhythmic energy of 'Rainforest'. 'Geibi' then demonstrates intricate pops and glitches before 'In Amour' settles for a compelling groove. 'Flavor' is then a percussive number with a hypnotizing appeal until 'Faiser' concludes the album with a punchy, dancefloor driven workout.
We've had our eyes on Obas Nenor for a while and after his disco-meets-Detroit affair on 'Mahogani', and some great releases on his newly started own label 'Nenorian music' and 'Sol Power', we're happy to share his work for Heist with you. 'The Ceaper Buing EP" features 4 original cuts and a remix by Swedish "Mr. Tophat" that navigates somewhere between really weird, and really groovy. If you've seen any of his studio videos, you'll see he's has a great mix between live instrumentation, and sampling on his MPC, and each track on this EP has so many great elements working together, that it will be hard to pick a favourite. "The doors" has a great filtered funk loop going on with some roughed up disco percussion, whereas the Tophat remix twists and turns the original into somewhat of a tribal(ish) drum workout that is probably best enjoyed in a really really dark room. "Glimpse of light" has some really interesting sampling going on with a feel that is almost 'rock', but gets more and more disco with some lovely synth work as the track progresses. As a counterpart to the first part of the EP, 'Wacky' slows things down to give you a summery, afro inspired track that we forced him to send us after we saw a short clip online of him jamming away on his Korg x-911. UV lights is a somewhat special track for us that you wouldn't expect on Heist at first, but makes for a great addition to our musical world. It's perfect 'hands-in-the-air' end of the night material, with a serene and emotional vibe that is really hard not to love. Altogether, it's a great EP that we're really happy to share with you. Sincerely yours, Lars & Maarten
Favorite Recordings proudly presents this new official album reissue of Shine the Light of Love by Googie & Tom Coppola: A beautiful soaring soul album sublimely produced with a sweet LA groove!
Thomas Wilkinson Coppola (aka Tom Coppola) is a pianist and arranger, known for being a principal member of the funky prog-jazz group Air (not to be confused with the French duo). He began working as a musician in Manhattan in the 1960s, where he met Carolyn Brooks (aka Googie Coppola). If they only released one self-titled album with Air in 1970, and Shine the Light of Love as a duo in 1980, these two amazing talents have collaborated with artists such as Herbie Mann, Lenny White, Flora Purim, Ray Barreto or Jeremy Steig to name just a few.
Shine the Light of Love was also released in 1980 on Columbia, after the couple left Air to become born-again Christian. A real lack of promotion from the label caused the record to disappear, however it was, in many ways, years ahead of their contemporaries. Googie's vocals are an absolute delight - with a Minnie Riperton-esque sort of feeling - and the overall album's got some nice jazzy touches and a sublime, sophisticated approach to the overall sound, while never falling into commercial.
An underrated masterpiece that definitely deserved more attention, which is why Favorite Recordings is deeply honored today to present it in a fully remastered version, housed in a fine gatefold sleeve including original notes.
When Kompakt came across Amsterdam-based Harm Coolen and Merijn Schotte Albers aka WEVAL back in 2014, we were blown away when we heard their slow-burning, darkly emotive tracks.
Their debut EP 'Half Age' on Atomnation featured painfully intimate and surprisingly kinetic electronic chamber pop that convinced us they were a perfect fit in Kompakt's family. Following two widely acclaimed EPs for Kompakt and playing numerous festivals including DGTL, Reeperbahn, Iceland Airwaves and Piknic Electronik, we now see the two tackle their self-titled debut full-length WEVAL. What you have before you is not a mere collection of tracks, but a complete listening experience with organic flow, emotional heft and a narrative thread.
Smitten with WEVAL's uniquely personal and catchy approach to producing dark electronic music, it didn't take much to win us over... and so came WEVAL's acclaimed 2014 label debut EASIER EP (KOMPAKT 318), followed by the bold and beautiful 2015 offering IT'LL BE JUST FINE / GROW UP (KOMPAKT 344) which saw the two soundsmiths digging deeper into the granularities of electronic funk than ever before. However, Harm and Merijn's music - while astonishingly fully-formed even in its earliest stages - always seemed destined for more, a bigger format, more space to explore the nooks and crannies of their rapidly evolving sound cosmos. Simply put, they needed to think about an album and their beloved living room studio wasn't cutting it anymore.
An old school building became WEVAL's new home, repurposed to house small creative businesses - but in the summer of 2015, it was abandoned most of the time, with everybody out in the sun while our heroes turned the building's attic into a sweet spot to make some noise, have 24-hour access and lose track of time. And apart from a sketchy tenant being evicted, the occasional soccer game with friends and live gigs across Europe, there really was no interruption to the focussed vibe. It's not like they were looking for distraction anyway: "working on the album all by ourselves in this bloody hot attic was all we had on our mind", the artists admit. And they decided that their album shouldn't sound too clean: "We try to find the beauty in imperfection. It makes things sound more human".
Weval draw their inspirations from no single genre of music but a cumulation of music that inspires them. The results present an astonishingly coherent vision - cuts like the dramatic THE BATTLE, bass growler I DON'T NEED IT or the trippy epic MADNESS share the same DNA of zestful nostalgia, a knack for immersive sound-sculpting and that certain kink in the groove. They also feed on deeply personal experiences and moods, as exemplified by the haunting electronic ballad YOU'RE MINE, the carefully layered, polaroid-tinted JUST IN CASE or the beautifully voiced closer YEARS TO BUILD. And sometimes, it's just an old, out-of-tune piano that stands in the hallway: "Whenever I'd pass by it, I couldn't resist playing it", says Merijn, "so Harm decided to start recording and it became an integral part of YOU MADE IT (PART I)". No doubt about it: this is WEVAL's most powerful and organic material yet - which means a lot, considering the amount of skill already on display in their small, but weighty portfolio.
(de) Als sich 2014 in Amsterdam Kompakts Wege mit denen von Harm Coolen und Merijn Schotte Albers aka WEVAL kreuzten, waren wir sofort Feuer und Flamme für ihre schwelenden, emotional aufgeladenen Tracks. Ihre Debüt-EP "Half Age" auf Atomnation präsentierte intimen und überraschend kinetischen, elektronischen Kammer-Pop, der wie angegossen zu Kompakt zu passen schien. Nach zwei vielbeachteten EPs auf dem Label und einer Reihe von Festvialgigs (inklusive DGTL, Reeperbahn Festival, Iceland Airwaves und Piknic Electronik) nehmen Weval nun mit dem gleichnamigen Release ihr erstes Album in Angriff. Und legen dabei nicht einfach nur eine Ansammlung von Tracks vor, sondern kreieren eine komplette Hörerfahrung mit organischem Flow, emotionalem Gewicht und einm roten Faden.
Angetan vom einzigartig persönlichen und mitreissend düsteren Klang WEVALs brauchte es nicht viel um uns zu überzeugen... und so kam es 2014 zum gefeierten Labeldebüt EASIER EP (KOMPAKT 318), gefolgt vom kühnen und wunderschönen 2015er Release IT'LL BE JUST FINE / GROW UP (KOMPAKT 344), für das die beiden Soundtüftler tiefer denn je in die Granularitäten des elektronischen Funks abtauchten. Nichtsdestotrotz - und obwohl sie schon von Anfang an ausgereift klang - schien die Musik von Harm und Merijn auf dem 12"-Format stets bestimmt für mehr: mehr Freiraum um auch die äussersten Winkel ihres rapide expandierenden Soundkosmos zu erkunden. Sie mussten schlichtweg zum Langspielformat wechseln, und ihr heissgeliebtes Wohnzimmerstudio konnte da nicht mehr mithalten.
Ein altes Schulgebäude wurde schliesslich WEVALs neues Zuhause, umfunktioniert für kleine Kreativunternehmen - doch im heissen Sommer 2015 stand es zumeist leer, da alle draussen in der Sonne badeten, während unsere Helden im Schweisse ihres Angesichts das Kellergeschoss in ein lärmfestes Aufnahmestudio verwandelten. Mit Studiozugang rund um die Uhr liess es sich bestens die Zeit vergessen. Und abgesehen von der Räumung eines zwielichtigen Nebenmieters, dem gelegentlichen Fussballspiel mit Freunden und natürlich Live-Gigs in ganz Europa, gab es auch keine Ablenkungen vom hochkonzentrierten Kreativfluss. Ablenkungen, die das Duo ohnehin nicht suchte: "ganz allein in diesem verdammt heissen Keller am Album arbeiten war alles, was wir im Sinn hatten", geben die Künstler zu. Und sie entschieden sich, dass ihr Album nicht zu sauber klingen sollte: "Wir versuchen die Schönheit im Makel zu finden. Es lässt die Dinge einfach menschlicher wirken."
Weval beziehen ihre Inspiration nicht aus einem einzelnen musikalischen Genre, sondern eher aus einer Akkumulation von Musik, die sie inspiriert. Die Ergebnisse zeichnet eine beeindruckend kohärente Vision aus - Aufnahmen wie das dramatische THE BATTLE, der Bassknurrer I DON'T NEED IT oder die Trip-Saga MADNESS teilen diesselbe DNA aus schwungvoller Nostalgie, einer Schwäche für immersive Klangschnitzerei und einer gewissen Delle im Groove. Sie nähren sich auch aus zutiefst persönlichen Erfahrungen und Stimmungen, wie zum Beispiel bei der eindringlichen elektronischen Ballade YOU'RE MINE, dem vorsichtig geschichteten, polaroid-gefärbten JUST IN CASE oder dem wunderschön gesungenen Schlussakt YEARS TO BUILD. Und manchmal ist es nur ein altes, verstimmtes Klavier, das im Flur herumsteht: "Immer wenn ich dran vorbei lief, musste ich darauf herumklimpern", erklärt Merijn, "also wurde es ein zentraler Bestandteil von YOU MADE IT (PART I)". Kein Zweifel: dies ist WEVAL's stärkstes und organischstes Material bisher - was durchaus was bedeutet, wenn man das Talent bedenkt welches bereits in schmalen, doch gewichtigen Portfolio der Band steckt.
Mammal Hands are a trio of like-minded musicians: Nick Smart piano, Jesse Barrett drums and tabla, and Jordan Smart saxophones. Floa is their second album for Gondwana Records and in the 18 months since their debut, Animalia, they have carved out a growing following both here and abroad for their hypnotic fusion of jazz, folk and electronica: winning fans from Bonobo and Gilles Peterson to Jamie Cullum. Landmark live performances have included shows at King's Place in London and the RNCM in Manchester, as well as a barn-storming debut at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Drawing on a rich well of influences from Sufi and shamanic African trance music, Irish and Eastern European folk music, to Steve Reich and Philip Glass and more contemporary electronica influences, their music is built around deceptively simple sounding ideas that are lent power through the use of repetition and rhythmic loops. They have been compared to both Portico Quartet and GoGo Penguin for the way in which they navigate the choppy waters between contemporary dance music and jazz. Floa (an old Norse word that means to deluge or to flow) is the sound of a more confident, experienced band: one that has grown together naturally through touring and gigging and through mammoth writing and rehearsal sessions where all three bring rhythmic, improvisational and melodic ideas to the table. Floa was recorded at Gondwana's home from home, 80 Hertz Studios in Manchester, reuniting the band with producer Matthew Halsall and features some of the Gondwana Orchestra strings who played on Halsall's acclaimed album Into Forever. Together they have crafted a wonderful sounding record, the richness of which perfectly illuminates the band's music. Artwork is from Gondwana's in-house design maestro Daniel Halsall whose artwork of symbols created from older symbols perfectly illustrates the creative ideas that drive the band's music.
The release is supported by an extensive UK tour including dates in Norwich, Bristol, Brighton, Manchester and beyond. The band support Matthew Halsall at St John's Hackney on May 26th and have their own head-line show at the Jazz Cafe, Camden on 31st May. Confirmed airplay from Jamie Cullum BBC Radio 2, Gilles Peterson 6 Music, Radio 3 Late Junction, BBC Scotland Jazz House, Jazz FM, John Kennedy X and full servicing to all specialist and online radio stations. Reviews from The Guardian, Mojo, Record Collector, Jazzwise, Nos Magazine, Nowthen and local press. Online support from AllAboutJazz, Quietus, Access All Areas, Bebop Spoken Here and beyond.
How time flies. There are only a few months left till the summer begins. Right on time there is a new record on forTunea coming out too. Therefore we present our new members on the label. JAKOBIN & PELETRONIC will release this may their new EP called "Girlo"! The title track from this sympathetic Vienna based duo is a fluffy laid back tune, that will fit perfectly for this year's open air season. While the second track on the A-side features a more harder and faster version by Klaus Benedek. On the other hand "The Ghetto Code" focuses more on a darker note with its use of minimalistic drumpatterns, deep heavyweight synths and a thought-provoking speech. Last but not least on B2, MPC wizard Roman Rauch did a remix of that track aswell. In total a good diversified record that has useful material for everyone!
Limited to 300 copys --- Mastering by Patrick Pulsinger
At this moment, Global Bass music is an intimate circuit in the electronic music landscape. Airplane tickets and the internet serve to connect producers and artists in every imaginable combination. Spanning across Africa, Europe, India, the Caribbean, and the Americas, allowing for the birth of new forms of collaboration. At the nexus of the Tropical music monsoon is producer Thor Partridge, aka Thornato. Born in Sweden, Thor grew up in a household filled with traditional Greek, African, and Carribbean music. Moving in early childhood to Queens, New York, the borough's diversity further influenced his style and taste. Thor added to his rich musical palette by studying classical piano, jazz guitar, and bluegrass banjo. A passion for electronic music production, remixing, and music of the entire globe soon developed. Thor's debut EP "Things Will Change" is an amalgamation of his global influence, coupled with strong roots in dance music culture. His music is not a product of samples downloaded from the internet, but from his driving wanderlust and ability to hand select musicians to work with on location in the countries where they are from. By recording in the field with a mobile studio, Thor captures the real essence and soul of the music and where it's coming from. The EP kicks off with "Chapinero", a bass heavy joint with an infectious Colombian Gaita melody. Handclaps and chopped vocal samples make for a booming floor rocker. "Deux a Duex" turns towards the African dancefloor incorporating infectious guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies courtesy of Kongo Electro from Cape Town. "Koz Kazah" heads to the Middle East with it's violin melodies, thick sub-bass, and Arabic vocals courtesy of Karen Be. Finally, "Tera Dewana" lands us in the Indian subcontinent with it's driving beat, tablas, and Hindi vocals from Vasanth S & AKS. Thornato's "Things Will Change" EP shows that while indeed the music does change, the soul and the heart of sounds from all over the world remain consistent, and that dancefloor music is universal - no matter where in the world you are!
After the first Ricardo Tobar remix edition (featuring remixes by John Tejada and Fairmont) on Cocoon Recordings we are proud to present the next chapter with remixes by Lawrence and Midnight Operator (Mathew and Nathan Jonson). 2016 seems to continue as we started it: With high quality music by great artists presenting us amazing techno in an unique and tasty style. Midnight Operator, the joint project of the two Jonson brothers, picked Tobars Angora' for their remix and the result appears very fresh and housey. Their bassline programming adds a nice italo-disco vibe to their version of Angora". Together with their strings and melody-parts the Midnight Operator remix is turning into the perfect soundtrack for the upcoming spring nights: We hear flowers, birds, butterflies and feel the warm air ... not to mention that our feet start moving and dancing. Dial mastermind Lawrence contributes the fourth remix to Tobars album: His version of Red Light' explores the emotional side of techno and house. We dive into deep spaces, spheric melodies and an atmosphere close to the vibe of the great works of Kraftwerk - this is impressive! Lawrence Red Light' version presents the musical side of techno to us - a timeless piece of music with a chill-out flavoured beat and synth programming.
been to long' - the well remebered chorus of a successfull parisian duo´s single hit comes easily to mind while thinking of the latest internasjonal release. after a long hiatus - which feels like surely way long - we restart with one half of the formerly well known milanese pair - boogie drama - and it´s very own lele sacchi. deejaying since 1995 sacchi has been and is still one of italy´s and especially milan´s musical icons - at least for electronic and alternative worlds, presents himself in his signature style. high on the heals of the success with rebirth´s smash Lele Sacchi Vs Blonde Redhead - You're Only Kosmiquest' is dark and cryptic, with a mean but very neat and elegant bassline plus an unmatched groove and feel for the floor. this time well balanced with a tad into psycheledic strinig heaven, wich combined with electronic effects is his ultimate kosmische' quest. the whole thing is contered by an airy and superbright no less danceable ' lauer version' and a fantatsic relaxed italo take on kraut which can propably be non done much better than byprins thomas walking on that lunga strada' !
he second time around: fred p aka fp-oner is back on mule musiq with another record that demonstrates the many cosmic qualities of his deeper shade of soul.
it is the second part of a trilogy that features his detailed sonic landscapes that are full of mystery and power. while his last fp-oner album 5' was leaning more to the jazzier, relaxed and atmospherically side of his artistically deep house expressions, the runner-up grinds even deeper into spherical worlds that enhance deep meditative highs.
they are not made for club use only. in fact all eleven compositions work also massively without big speakers. again the new york city native that is working on his very own music for almost 20 years produced a journey inwards that is compelling, mesmerising and enchanting.
you find cosmic dust in it as well as dark entropies, percussive power, sweet seducing melodies and rolling bass power that shakes your inner and outer profoundly. the tracks are listening to names like awakening co creator', alternate reality' or adjusted perception' and the album title 6' stands for a meaning,
that fp-oner describes like this: 6 represents the number of man and his or her limitations, weakness and imperfections.
this body of work examines and looks towards one awakening. adapting to a new way of being creating an alternative and reaping a higher state of mind and being. enhanced by love and serenity, satisfaction and joy.'
all tunes are produced around the world, as he is a guy who never stops feeling in sound. that is why he caries his studio around to get up in the middle of the night or right in the morning after a sweaty party to transfer his emotions directly into sound. the result is massively powerful music with slow, intimate passages for treacly melodies, stirring synth-lines and little rhythmical quaintness.
an almost lyrical house journey that works like a musical sculpture in which organic machine grooves float along keys on air. the evolution of the each track is impeccable and their power grows with any new listening session. fp-oner himself characterizes his art like that: 'my music is designed to enhance deep meditative, or altered states, to allow the listener to personally connect to the creator of all that exists in the universe.
my music style is to first create a foundation using cyclic, polyrhythmic music, then build several layers of improvised leads and rhythms that allows you to transcend time and space... we have memories of past lives that reverberate in our hearts like echoes from ancient caves'.
there is nothing more to add, except that those who do not know fp-oner so far should know that he danced in his younger years in legendary new york city clubs like the red zone, sound factory or tunnel to dj sets of larger-than-life selectors like david morales, frankie knuckles or danny tenaglia.
during those nights he learned that sometimes less is more. and that he should rather listen to your heart and soul, then to the susurrus of the music market. most of the eps and albums that he produced under his other monikers like fred p or black jazz consortium have been released via his very own label soul people music, which exists since more then ten years.
as fred p he also dropped 12inches on jus-ed's underground quality imprint as well as on toshiya kawasaki's mule musiq label. for the latter he now is working on a trilogy under the fp-oner alias. this little paper introduces the second part of it. the final one will hit your heart and soul in an unwritten future. whatever circumstances of life will be around by then: you can be sure that fp-oner will transfigure them into a dynamic emotional and spiritual terrain.
140-gram 4xLP, heavyweight package including CD. One time pressing of 500 copies worldwide. The follow-up to highly acclaimed Sailing Off The Grid album
"Expect the story of life as a self-reinforcing structure that never reaches the perfect balance. The concept behind the album is to bring awareness that the balance is an illusion and that's why it's called 'At The Turn Of Equilibrium'. Petar Dundov
Petar Dundov, a stalwart of the Croatian scene and a fine purveyor of sophisticated melodic techno, has been a prominent and respected name within underground dance music for over two decades. Throughout his career, the gifted Croatian has achieved much praise and recognition through releasing no less than four acclaimed artist albums ('Sculptures 1-3' in 2001, 'Escapements' in 2008, 'Ideas From The Pond' in 2012 and 'Sailing Off The Grid' in 2013) and performing at some of the world's best clubs and festivals such as, I Love Techno (BE), EXIT (RS), Awakenings (NL), Berghain (DE), Womb (JP), Air (NL), Fuse (BE) and Space Ibiza (ES).
The inspirational eight-tracker, 'At The Turn Of Equilibrium', is Dundov's fifth long-player and encompasses all of the inimitable production qualities of his previous albums whilst exploring a broader set of moods and themes, delivering what feels like his most accomplished work to date. Dundov explains, "This time, in addition to using more sound textures I introduced parts with classical instruments like piano and strings. As the album is about life and how it evolves, from purely a physical body to a thinking person, the songs are sequenced from faster, simple-rhythmic, cyclic, body moving tracks to slower, more complex layered, beatless mind tracks."
The album's impassioned opener, 'Then Life', commences the release by taking us on a captivating journey of complex melodies and soothing ambient textures. The album continues by showcasing a wealth of hypnotic masterpieces such as the dark and slow-burning 'The Lattice', the thought-provoking 'Before It All Ends' and the Kraftwerk-esque 'Midnight Orchestra'.
Other highlights include, the Vangelis-influenced up-tempo groover 'Mist', the lush ambient soundscape 'New Hope', the uplifting and emotional 'Missing You' and the hugely stimulating synth-driven melodic work-of-genius 'Everlasting Love' which concludes the album.
'At The Turn Of Equilibrium' is a very absorbing and imaginative album that's been driven by Dundov's eternal quest of translating sound into emotion. Developed like a well-constructed DJ set, the album has not only been designed to invoke personal insight for music to be the catalyst for understanding but also make sense as a listen, highlighting Dundov's unparalleled talent, depth and versatility as a DJ/producer.
Parisian DJ & producer's duo, Cléon & Jazzy Pidjay, are back as Last Bongo In Paris, with a hot new 12inch filled with Latin & Brazilian soul-funk vibes... With raw drums, heavy breaks and jazzy flavor, these 5 tracks EP should quickly become a hit for all groovers and dancefloors!!
A landmark in Brazilian music the first album ever from arranger Moacir Santos, and a groundbreaking blend of jazz, larger arrangements, and Brazilian rhythms still as fresh today as it was back in the 60s! The group's a large one with instrumentation that includes vibes, guitar, saxes, percussion, and trombone but the music seems to hang magically in air, suspended on light waves of sound and space that encircle the recording with incomparable warmth. Santos' conception is a highly rhythmic one but the recording differs greatly from other bossa and samba sessions of the time, and comes across as a masterpiece of understatement, thanks to impeccable production from the great Roberto Quartin! Titles include "Coisa No 4", "Coisa No 10", "Coisa No 1", Coisa No 8, "Coisa No 6", "Coisa No 2", and "Coisa No 7".
You can call them a »supergroup«, but Moderat understands that it's the »group« aspect that makes them interesting.
Gernot Bronsert, Sebastian Szary (aka Modeselektor) and Sascha Ring (aka Apparat) have been working together as a trio almost as long as their two separate projects have existed. We've seen their collaboration grow from »laptop boy-band,« (as Ring playfully puts it) in 2003—with computers synched using software Ring himself had written, because at the time, »there was just no live performance software around.«
Ring confesses that Moderat wasn't »really meant to be a recording act ,« with Bronsert agreeing that, »it was really just about fun.« This maybe explains the six-year break that followed Moderat's first EP before they finally returned in 2009 with their selftitled debut album. Intent on creating something that contrasted with their own projects, the group started the cycle which blossoms on their second album, aptly titled II, culminating now in the trilogy's completion, III. Whereas I was the combination of two separate entities, II brought the members closer together, and in III, the final chapter in the trilogy, Moderat sounds like one band.
Both Szary and Ring will tell you that Moderat moved progressively from making tracks towards a more traditional writing approach of making songs - a process more fully realized on III. That's partly why the vocals have become more prominent. Mostly, you hear Ring singing (there are no guests this time), as he so often does as Apparat, but listen closely to »Ghostmother« to hear Bronsert and Szary backing him up. Stepping out of their comfort zone is the kind of thing that helped create their interplay between pop and electronics; doing it right won them the Resident Advisor Best Live Act honor as early as 2009, and they continue to gain popularity while remaining independent and underground.
Szary describes the idea behind Moderat as, »imagin(ing) yourself sitting in the cinema and watching a movie with an incredible soundtrack.« This is true with Moderat in general, but III in particular pairs an emotional pull with sensual imagery, creating dynamic sound and depth with lyrics such as »the calming scent of lavender fills the air,« or »burning bridges light my way.« You'd have
to ask them whether they're intending to manipulate the listener in the same way that John Williams or Hans Zimmer might with traditional orchestras.
One of the best parts of Moderat is their use of electronics to achieve orchestral diversity. They update the songwriting tradition with an intriguing palette, borne of careful attention and skill, informed by their »experiences with sounds of nearly 25 years of suband club culture.«
Let's not forget that these three were brought together by Berlin's now legendary rave scene. With this as their common foundation as individuals, III signifies Moderat's maturation in modern pop — an achievement shared under their collective belt.
Bronsert explains that, »the new album isn't based on jams. We went into the studio and knew exactly what we needed to do.« This is reflected in the sophisticated themes explored in the music. Take »Ghostmother,« which ponders inner peace, acceptance, fear of the unknown and how facing that fear often reveals something not so scary. Or »Running,« which is about being part of a mass that constantly needs to move to function, but doesn't have the power to decide the direction of motion. Or how about the wisdom of »Reminder,« which recognizes the world for its flaws and our role we've each played in that, but choosing to act differently and light the way to something better.
Given that, it's a bit of an understatement when Bronsert says, »I'd say our music has definitely matured.« Successful in their own endeavors, now they've mastered the »group«. It doesn't mean the end of Moderat, but it does mean they'll have to find something else to excel in.
- A1: Pastor T. L. Barrett - After The Rain
- A2: Camille Doughty - Elijah Rock
- A3: The Howard Lemon Singers - For The Children
- A4: The Fantastic Family Aires - Tell Me
- A5: Jean Austin & Company - Spirit Free
- B1: The Jordan Singers - Will You Save Me
- B2: The Phillipians - Never Say What You Want
- B3: The Fabulous Luckett Brothers - Help Me To Carry On
- B4: Bright Clouds - I've Got To Make A Change
- C1: The Fantastic Family Aires - Troubled Mind
- C2: The O'neal Twins - Wake Up Everybody
- C3: Rev. T.l. Barrett - Said It Long Time Ago
- C4: The Fantastic Family Aires - The Color Of God
- C5: The Brooklyn All Stars - Blessed Be The Name Of God
- D1: The Original Sunset Travelers - On Jesus' Program
- D2: Reverend Edna Isaac And The Greene Sisters - Christians Catch Hell
- D3: The Fountain Of Life Joy Choir - Thank You
- D4: The Fantastic Family Aires - Glory
Utterly magnificent, sublimely soulful survey of the Gospel Roots label, subsidiary of the mighty TK Records at the height of the Miami Sound. Beautifully presented... the LPs with a 12"-square, full-colour, sixteen-page album of photos and original artwork. Check!!
A&R was co-ordinated by Gospel legends Ira Tucker — from the Dixie Hummingbirds — and Ralph Bass, veteran producer with Savoy, King and Chess. The label was run by Timmy Thomas, who had recently smashed with Why Can't We Live Together, for another TK spin-off, Glades. Operations were overseen by Henry Stone himself, unlikely King of Disco, who had recorded a young Ray Charles, and pushed forward James Brown. They drew in artists from all over the US, from St. Louis, Columbus, Memphis, Brooklyn, Cabrini Green in Chicago: unknowns like Camille Doughty, reluctant to jeopardise her job at GM ('Generous Motors') in Detroit, and huge-sellers like the revered Brooklyn All Stars, who started out on Peacock in 1958.
Choral belters, deep ballads, harmony quartets, epic city-blues, gritty funk, powerhouse female soul... Killer-diller Philly like a scorching version of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' Wake Up Everybody, and Jean Austin's raw Spirit Free, co-written by Ronnie Dyson, produced by Jesse James at Future Gold. Chicago Sound like The Fantastic Family Aires — named after the family's furniture store on North Cicero, but reminiscent of the Staple Singers at their best — through to the full-blown glory of The Fountain Of Life Joy Choir, led by Marvin Yancy from The Independents, and featuring Natalie Cole... Singers like Versie Mae Gibson, from the Jordans, by rights up there with Irma, Etta and Ree... Bangers 100%-guaranteed to find their way into Theo Parrish sets, and mortal delirium for the prissiest of soul and gospel purists.
- A1: Donuts (Outro)
- A2: U-Love
- A3: Hi
- A4: Bye
- A5: Last Donut Of The Night
- A6: Welcome To Show
- A7: Workinonit
- B1: Waves
- B2: Light It
- B3: The New
- B4: Stop!
- B5: People
- B6: The Diff'rence
- B7: Mash
- C1: Time The Donut Of The Heart
- C2: Glazed
- C3: Airworks
- C4: Lightworks
- C5: Stepson Of The Clapper
- C6: The Twister (Huh, What) (Huh, What)
- C7: One Eleven
- C8: Two Can Win
- D1: Don't Cry
- D2: Anti-American Graffitii
- D7: Dilla Says Go
- D8: Walkinonit
- D9: The Factory
- D3: Geek Down
- D4: Thunder
- D5: Gobstopper
- D6: One For Ghost
10th ANNIVERSARY EDITION / Drawing cover, UV sleeve, 2XLP, first-ever gatefold jacket / When Donuts came out, on J Dilla's birthday, February 7, 2006, it was with this drawing cover (scribbled up by Jeff Jank). As some years passed, the vinyl was eventually reissued with "the smile" photo cover, and the drawing cover eventually went out of print. Here's the 10th anniversary edition of the album. Drawing cover, new drawing on the back, UV coated sleeve, gatefold with liner notes by Jordan Ferguson, containing an excerpt from his book Donuts 33 1/3 about the making of the album.




















