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Right here, right now ADF are the most important band in Britain. NME 1997
Rafis Revenge originally peaked at number 20 on the UK Albums Chart and was shortlisted for the 1998 Mercury Music Prize, with Bobby Gillespie hailing them at the time as the best live act in Britain. This 21 year anniversary reissue includes a limited edition, coloured 2xLP plus expanded digital & CD editions with bonus tracks selected by Adrian Sherwood. To celebrate the release the band are playing at Rich Mix, London on 28th March.
By the time they recorded Rafis Revenge in 1998, Asian Dub Foundation were primed to explode. Having initially emerged from East Londons grassroots Community Music project as a largely studio-based collective, the band had galvanised themselves into a riotously exciting touring machine by the late Nineties. Their extraordinary live shows around this period were electrifying to witness, kinetic and dynamic, incendiary and euphoric, confrontational yet celebratory. For sheer roof-raising energy, they were unrivalled. ADF have evolved enormously over the last two decades, of course, but their breakthrough album remains a fascinating chapter in the real, complex, unwritten history of Britpop. Expanded and enlarged for this anniversary edition, these multi-layered musical treasures still dazzle and delight with their grandiose ambition and riotous energ

hvmble is a newly-formed Berlin-based collective engaged in house music production and label work. Merging ideas in a fresh way is the intent of our approach and sound.
Exchange in a diverse community is key to our spirit. hvmble aims at staying versatile. hvmble"s debut-EP series "Textures" features an eclectic practice where diverse elements
of dance music are teamed playfully. Hypnotizing groove structures, vibrant Hi-Hats and a sublty-formed Bottom-End unite and stimulate the bodymind. Textures invites the listener/dancer to float through skillfully meshed patterns and dreamy layers, to
experience promising new spaces.
The sounds appearance and cover-artwork was created by visual artist Peter Aurisch. Textures is a collective creation.

The New Creation were a local Los Angeles group who during 1974 recorded the H.B. Barnum produced 'The Fish Song' a tribute song dedicated to the door to door fish sellers of Whiting H&G. With the flipside again a tribute song dedicated to Elijah Muhammad the leader of Afro-American religious and political movement ,The Nation Of Islam. At the time of release the song received little radio airplay due to the radio stations deeming it a commercial song and demanding spot payments for it's promotion. Undeterred the group self promoted and distributed the 45 amongst the local community and the audiences at their shows. The group continued to perform right through until the early 1980's often sharing the stage with Philadelphia's The Delfonic's, L.A,s own The Youngheart's, New York's Cool & The Gang (who also recorded a LP track dedicated to Whiting H&G). Fast forward to the present and 'The Fish Song' and it's flipside 'Elijah Knows' has become a very desirable and sought after 45 (although most copies of the few copies found are not in great shape) amongst Lowrider, Crossover, Sweet and Group Harmony collectors both in Europe and the 45's native USA.

* Five years have passed since the first release of Nowadays Records.Launched with Fakear's signature (seen on Ninja Tune), the label founded by oOgo and Chomsky from La Fine Equipe has seen the growth of many projects such as Clément Bazin, Everydayz, Phazz (who produced for Travis Porter, did remixes for Soulection, Interscope and Mad Decent), Leska, Jumo and many others, all of them carried by the irreplaceable quartet of La Fine Equipe.

Five years during which Nowadays Records released 75 EPs and LPs, toured in and outside of France, and generated several hundred millions stream plays.With its heart in the right place, its eyes on the emerging scene and its ears open on the world, Nowadays built itself a singular and racy identity through the time. Fed by inspirations like Stone Throw, Ninja Tune or Warp, the label places itself as an ambassador of a fast growing scene, defending it through its shows, releases, and events like the two Boiler Room shows in Paris and London.Without sticking itself to a musical gender, Nowadays keeps on widening its horizons by working with foreign artists and mixing the inspirations through its releases, driven by its sound and visual trademarks and aesthetics.

In order to celebrate those five years spent defending as many projects as musical crushes they had, and to thank its community made of more than 150 000 followers around the world, Nowadays unveils the 'Nowadays V', double album with a digital and physical release on November 30th.Through this compilation, Nowadays gathers on one side the tracks that marked its history and, on the other side, unreleased tracks that sometimes lead to collaborations such as the one between Clément Bazin and Leska, or the one between Fakear and La Fine Equipe.

First Word Records are thrilled to announce a brand new addition to the label - LA beatmaker and producer 14KT.

Known for his deft, soulful hip hop production, KT has broadened his palate for his FW debut to create 'For My Sanity', the first offering from his jazz-influenced project IAMABEENIE.

The album will be released in early 2019, but we couldn't wait that long to share this taster of what 14KT created as a form of escaping from his "normal" ways of making music. Case in point: the first single taken from the project - 'The Power of Same' feat. Muhsinah.

Strongly rooted in KT's spiritual practice, 'The Power of Same' is a bass and synth-heavy ode to consistency and unconditional love, laced nicely together by his signature drum lines, harmonious guitar riffs (played on the track by Stro Elliot) and the unmistakable sound of James Poyser (The Roots). Vocal powerhouse Muhsinah adds layers of emotion via her endearing delivery of the core message, and, deep in the background you can hear KT sharing a very personal routine with us all - giving thanks to God.

How much of a personal project this is, in 14KT's words "This was inspired by a bible study plan I was reading called The Power of Same. It spoke about the power of being consistent in our lives. I thought about how consistently God's love and my family's love have gotten me through my journey of life. Once I made a "skeleton" of the song, I reached out to the brother James Poyser who I was extremely blessed to work with. My brother Stro Elliot was living right down the street from me at the time. One night he walked over to my house, I played the record for him, he picked up my electric guitar and played the first thing that came to mind - which was perfect. I played the record for my brother Tall Black Guy, who suggested I reach out to Muhsinah to add vocals. I sent the record to her and two days later she sent me exactly what you hear. Amazing. That was definitely the spirit of God working. Huge shout out to my Playlist family. Love y'all."

To date, 14KT has released seven solo albums, as well as his collaborative hip hop album, 'Takin' Ls' with emcee Ozay Moore, R&B/soul album, 'Saturn Return' with singer/songwriter AB, and 'The Big Knock', together with Mayer Hawthorne as Jaded Incorporated.

Last year saw another duo collaboration album with Michigan rapper Ro Spit, entitled 'RSXGLD', a project held in high regard by the global hip hop community.14KT is also part of Jazzy Jeff's Playlist Retreat, alongside our very own Eric Lau, Tall Black Guy and Kaidi Tatham, who also turns out an unmistakably dope remix on this 7" single.

A very warm welcome to the family, KT!

'The Power Of Same' is available on 7" and all digital platforms on March 1st 2019.

For The Best Part Of Two Decades Now, South London Afro-dub Dons Soothsayers Have Been Preaching Their Politically Charged Good Vibrations To A Growing And Loyal Fan Base. Their Live Shows Are Legendary And Vary From Off-the-cuff Community Friendly Gigs In Brixton, To Festival Headline Slots And Tours Across Europe And Beyond. Having Recently Filled London's Jazz Caf To Much Acclaim, And In Anticipation Of Their New Album, Tradition, Out On Wah Wah 45s In June, Soothsayers Unleash The Second Single To Be Taken From It. It's A Double Header Of Sorts That Shows The Band's Knack Of Reinterpreting A Cover Version Or Two For The Dance Floor.

Sleepwalking Is A Take On Fela Kuti's 1971 Classic Black Man's Cry. It's A Chant Of Frustration Aimed At Disenfranchisement From The Process And Features Afrobeat Ambassador Dele Sosimi On Guest Vocal Duties.

It Questions If We Are Sleepwalking Into The Abyss, And Is A Revolutionary Song About Taking Power Back Into Our Own Hands! Although It's Challenging To Do Justice To A Bob Marley Cover, On Natural Mystic Soothsayers Cradle The Spirit Of The Originator And Turn It Upside Down, Transforming The Familiar Into A Journey Back To Africa Via Their Trademark Groove.

Spiritual Jazz Flutes And Percussion Combine With The Floating Vocals Of The Mighty Cornel Campbell, While The Song's Main Melody Is Emphatically Reproduced By Soothsayers Horn Section To Stunning Effect.

collecting orders for repress

The Messthetics are an instrumental trio featuring Brendan Canty (drums), Joe Lally (bass), and Anthony Pirog (guitar). Brendan Canty and Joe Lally were the rhythm section of the band Fugazi from its inception in 1987 to its period of hiatus in 2002.

This is the first band they've had together since then. Anthony Pirog is a jazz and experimental guitarist based in Washington, D.C. One half of the duo Janel & Anthony, he has emerged as a primary figure in the city's out-music community.

The trio's debut includes nine songs recorded at Canty's practice space throughout 2017, live and mostly without overdubs. It's a snapshot of a band dedicated to the live ideal, where structure begets improvisation.

Brendan Canty: drums
Joe Lally: bass
Anthony Pirog: guitar

HVMBLE is a newly-formed Berlin-based collective engaged in house music production and label work.

HVMBLE is a newly-formed Berlin-based collective engaged in house music production and label work. Merging ideas in a fresh way is the intent of our approach and sound. Exchange in a diverse community is key to our spirit. HVMBLE aims at staying versatile. HVMBLE'S debut-EP series 'Textures' features an eclectic practice where diverse elements of dance music are teamed playfully. Hypnotizing groove structures, vibrant Hi- Hats and a sublty-formed Bottom-End unite and stimulate the bodymind. Textures invites the listener/dancer to float through skillfully meshed patterns and dreamy layers, to experience promising new spaces. The sounds appearance and cover-artwork was created by visual artist Peter Aurisch. Textures is a collective creation.

It took a while before it was this. It was a place to find clothes made by people lost in a minefield of ideas who liked to party. It was a place for temporary visions that turned out to happen and were then forgotten. It was always a place to find a new circle of friends. A place for expression where the throttle had been loosened and we all careered into the next day and the day after that. We all need to meet in the flesh away from the pixels and connect our first thoughts. Somewhere to ruffle our own feathers and take off on a phantom flight. It has been all this and it still is. Only now there is a record label to try and actually document a little of all of that. Welcome to Sameheads.

This record is a morsel from the community. Novo Line, Twoonky, Kruton, Kris Baha and Antoni Maovvi and Balance Crew aka Dane Close & L. Zylberberg. Six acts whose sweat is in the carpet and who all owe more than seven euros to the place for one reason or another. Six songs that electrify a new way to no wave. Don't forget, this a mince based dish. Enjoy.

J R Seaton aka Call Super

Official, remastered reissue of this disco tinged, afro funk treasure and the first time the 'Karam Bani' single has been cut to 12' - maximising every ounce of highlife soul from Sidiku Buari's productions.

That undeniable US funk flavour coupled with Buari's Ghanaian rhythms bring a zest to these grooves even the tangiest of forbidden fruits couldn't draw out. Those fuzzed keys and dusty highlife guitar licks sprinkle the West African flavour, whilst drumming demi-god Bernard Purdie provides the wizardry behind the infectious, yet precision like beats that make the track so unique. Purdie's killer breaks combined with Buari's jubilant vocals give a spirituality to this cut that'll liven up any dancefloor - alongside being a gold mine for samples.

Flip it over and you're hit with the joy filled jam, 'Ye Koaba'. Tribal drums lead the way for a chorus of jubilant chants supplemented by glistening synth sounds and funk fuelled guitar riffs. It's a feel-good slice of Ghanaian sunshine, capturing that community spirit and good-hearted nature Ghana's famous for.

Two afro funk sensations sure to put a smile on your face, even when the skies are grey and you're 5000 miles away from the glorious West African coastline.

2018 played host to a bumper crop of sounds from some of Philly's grittiest, including Great Circles mainstays M//R and Chaperone. To close out the year that was, we are pleased to present Heckadecimal's 'Murder Tape.'

A Minneapolis-based producer and acid auteur, Heckadecimal has been a fixture within the vibrant Midwestern electronic music community for nearly 20 years. Founder of the legendary 'Anti-human' events and co-curator of the ever-prolific Always Human Tapes imprint - alongside Ryan Wurst and Peter Lansky - Heckadecimal's reputation is one of unrelenting creativity and tireless advocacy for sonic experimentation. His work has found its way to light via a slew of pseudonyms and stage monikers, including The Worm, noface and Wonder Sirens.

In short - Heckadecimal lives and breathes the sonic matter that he leaves pouring out of studio monitors, busted bar systems and finely tuned rave stacks, wherever his travels take him.
Live performance lies at the core of Heckadecimal's practice. When he stormed through Inciting HQ in Philly earlier this summer, he took command over an arsenal of hardware that reminded us of how Octave One or Shawn Rudiman might show up. These were machines that he had lived with; touched with custom modifications, hand-drawn stickers and pockmarks incurred in battle, one got the sense that the gear was a personal extension of the artist.

Perhaps it's a bit maudlin, but we feel a certain kinship with this project. Indeed, these tracks at times feel very much of a piece with the gnarled tonalities in which our stable typically traffics; all low-slung riddims that reach at equal lengths towards mutated IDM aesthetics and post-Packard Plant techno extrusions. These are future perfect grooves that glide along under the vast Midwestern sky, providing a fertile communication conduit with the City of Brotherly Love.

Give thanks for acid. Great Circles will see you in the New Year..

Split album by Joe Corfield and Slim, two of UKs most promising beatmakers. It's the follow-up to the 'KO-OP 1' album by Smoke Trees and Juan Rios on KO-OP, the sub-label and community dedicated to the art of beatmaking founded by reknown hip-hop label Melting Pot Music from Cologne, Germany.

When we started KO-OP in the summer of 2017, little did we knew where this journey would take us to. Ever since we had the pleasure to work with 21 artists from all over the world and have put out almost 80 tracks on lp, tape and digital. Now we are happy to share with you KO-OP 2 - a split album by two of our favourite producers from the UK: Slim and Joe Corfield. Slim is one half of London rap group Summers Sons. The Sons are signed to MPM where they have released two albums ('Undertones' & 'Uhuru').

In February 2019 Summers Sons will play their first German tour together with Children of Zeus. Slim has released instrumental cuts on KO-OP, Brownswood and Banoffee Pie, plus a beattape on Yogocop Records. Joe Corfield hails from Birmingham and has released a string of albums via Radio Juicy and Yogocop.

He is coming with his very own sound. Futuristic and soulful, with a great ear to detail. It was actually Flofilz' idea to have them both on one record. 'KO-OP 2' will be released on one LP with two individual covers by Rahel Süßkind, a Berlin based artist (and part of Money $ex Records) who is responsible for all KO-OP artwork.

AF Trax = Against Fascism Trax and is a new label project instituted by JD Twitch/Optimo Music. Its aim is to make a musical and cultural protest in opposition of rising far right politics and ideology in the world. Encouraging artists to make music intended to interrogate these toxic ideas, and with all label profits donated to Hope Not which campaigns to counter racism and fascism. Against Fascism Trax's intent is to provoke conversation, inform and financially support the opposition to fascist thinking. Its simple idea is that we must do something more than just talking. The moral thing to do is to act.

AF Trax plan to release 10 Eps in 2019. The first release is a 4 track EP from Logtoad, channeling UK hardcore but in a 21st century way.

Logtoad is a performance artist, sound designer, DJ and veteran of Glasgow's music community, active since 1992.

He has performed live music a handful of times under a variety of aliases. He currently lives 225m above sea level, less than 50km from Hunterston B nuclear power station.

Raised in the outskirts of Paris, his career has embraced music, fashion and film and established Kiddy as a key figure in Paris's LGBTQ community and the voguing and ballroom scenes.

'One Trick Pony' sees Kiddy working with such talents as Rouge Mary (Hercules & Love Affair) Be Honest, Burn The House Down & One Friend and Crookers Dickmatized. Citing gospel and hip-hop, 90s Chicago and Detroit as influences,

Kiddy has delivered an album with house DNA at it's core whilst embracing a pop sensibility. It explores intimate, personal topics - unrequited love, paternal desertion and acceptance of one's body.

'I define myself as a house-music artist. Queer is limiting. My music reflects my everyday life. I talk about me and being black and gay. My songs are about love. They're not political, but my work is.

The lead single Dicktamized is about 'toxic relationships, the ones you know you would be best to remove yourself but you're almost hypnotised into thinking if the sex is good you should carry on.' 'It is taken from the soundtrack

of Gaspar Noe's latest and critically acclaimed movie 'Climax' premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival and also featuring Kiddy. Kiddy Smile is supporting Beth Ditto around Europe from May to July 2018.

2018 played host to a bumper crop of sounds from some of Philly's grittiest, including Great Circles mainstays M//R and Chaperone. To close out the year that was, we are pleased to present Heckadecimal's 'Murder Tape.'

A Minneapolis-based producer and acid auteur, Heckadecimal has been a fixture within the vibrant Midwestern electronic music community for nearly 20 years. Founder of the legendary 'Anti-human' events and co-curator of the ever-prolific Always Human Tapes imprint - alongside Ryan Wurst and Peter Lansky - Heckadecimal's reputation is one of unrelenting creativity and tireless advocacy for sonic experimentation. His work has found its way to light via a slew of pseudonyms and stage monikers, including The Worm, noface and Wonder Sirens.

In short - Heckadecimal lives and breathes the sonic matter that he leaves pouring out of studio monitors, busted bar systems and finely tuned rave stacks, wherever his travels take him.

Live performance lies at the core of Heckadecimal's practice. When he stormed through Inciting HQ in Philly earlier this summer, he took command over an arsenal of hardware that reminded us of how Octave One or Shawn Rudiman might show up. These were machines that he had lived with; touched with custom modifications, hand-drawn stickers and pockmarks incurred in battle, one got the sense that the gear was a personal extension of the artist.

Perhaps it's a bit maudlin, but we feel a certain kinship with this project. Indeed, these tracks at times feel very much of a piece with the gnarled tonalities in which our stable typically traffics; all low-slung riddims that reach at equal lengths towards mutated IDM aesthetics and post-Packard Plant techno extrusions. These are future perfect grooves that glide along under the vast Midwestern sky, providing a fertile communication conduit with the City of Brotherly Love.

Give thanks for acid. Great Circles will see you in the New Year..

'Sounds from the Great House! Outernational Sounds proudly presents a Nimbus West spirit jazz essential: the Creative Arts Ensemble's classic debut One Step Out. Mastered at 45rpm on double vinyl for enhanced sound, this release features all tracks at full length for the first time on wax.

One of the most sought after and highly regarded titles to have appeared on Tom Albach's celebrated Nimbus West imprint, the Creative Art Ensemble's One Step Out is a timeless work of spiritualised jazz. A true gem from the Los Angeles jazz underground, the album was pianist and composer Kaeef Ruzadun Ali's first recording as leader of the Creative Arts Ensemble, the only large ensemble group that emerged directly from Horace Tapscott's legendary Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra community jazz group.

A Los Angeles native, Kaeef was introduced to the Tapscott circle in the late 1970s. His first experience of the Arkestra's ethos was through PAPA tenorist Michael Session, who took him to the famous 'Great House' at 2412 South Western Ave., LA - a large mansion house which members of the Arkestra had taken over as a space for communal living. Life in the Great House was a continuous stream of music, dance and community events. 'When I walked in there,' recalled Kaeef, 'it was like this whole rush came over me, just from going in the front door...It was like a very, very warm feeling of love. I went and I came out with 'Flashback of Time', and that was my first arrangement.'

Kaeef quickly became a significant contributor of compositions to the Arkestra's songbook - his piece 'New Horizon' would be recorded by Horace Tapscott for the latter's Tapscott Sessions series. But 'Flashback of Time' would eventually appear on One Step Out, played by the new group he had put together from stalwart Arkestra members. Inspired by both Tapscott's example and by the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Kaeef had wanted to follow their lead by assembling a larger unit. 'I would like to form a group that would be an extension of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra,' he told Tapscott. The group was to be known as the Creative Arts Ensemble, and One Step Out, released in 1981 by Nimbus West, was their debut.

Featuring seasoned Arkestra regulars including reedsman Dadisi Komolafe, drummer Woody 'Sonship' Theus and altoist Gary Bias, with veterans Henry 'The Skipper' Franklin on bass and George Bohannon on trombone, One Step Out is a key document of the Los Angeles radical jazz underground. Featuring the sanctified vocals of Kaeef's sister, B. J. Crowley, the album is a tour de force of spiritually energised independent jazz music. Community uplift and sacred vision straight from the Great House, back on vinyl for the first time since 1981!

Freedom To Spend's first catalog wide deep dive into an artist's career focuses on four albums from Rimarimba, beginning with 1983's Below The Horizon, followed by 1984's On Dry Land, 1985's In The Woods, and finally, the once-imagined, now-realized assembly of 1988's Light Metabolism Number Prague.

Somewhere out there around the turn of the 1980s, to the left of the post-punk crew, to the right of the minimalists, and surfacing with a friendlier face than the dour industrialists of the time - there existed, seemingly unbidden, an entire, networked, tape-trading community; a community that crossed continents and oceans, that relied on the postal service to do its bidding; a community full of humble visionaries and lost, misunderstood, or just plain ignored home steeped genius.

Exploring that thicket of weirdness in the UK wild, you'd likely stumble across labels like Cordelia, Hamster, and Unlikely; compilations like the should-be-legendary Obscure Independent Classics series, or the Real Time cassettes; and inexplicable one-offs like The Deep Freeze Mice, Jody & The Creams, R. Stevie Moore, Leven Signs, Jung Analysts, and Rimarimba.

Rimarimba was the project of Robert Cox, based in Felixstowe, on the seaside in Suffolk, UK. Rimarimba was not Cox's first entry into the world of recorded music, but was the first time he explored, most perceptively, the parameters of a particular musical mode: one where minimalism is removed from its 'high-art' mantle, Cox inveigling its practices in amongst the doit-yourself creativity of a burgeoning and beguiling underground, letting the music breathe - and most importantly, letting it play, gifting it with imagination.

The first in the Rimarimba series, 1983's Below The Horizon, feature Cox in exploratory mode, figuring out exactly how to make his music. There's a pleasure in hearing how he feels out the parameters of his aesthetic, here - there's a boxy minimalism, slightly clunky and charming with it, that reflects the home-spun, improvisatory tenor of the compositions. It's ambitious music, though, wanting to do the most and the best it can with its limited resources. Cox himself admits to not being 'pre-wired' to making this music, but that only makes it more compelling: 'Were I to be properly musical, it wouldn't actually work as well in some ways; it'd be just another album of contemporary clattery music.'

On October 5, Freedom To Spend will offer Below the Horizon in a one-time edition of 750 copies, followed On Dry Land and In The Woods on January 8, 2019 and February 22, respectively. Each album features artwork reinterpreted from its original edition by Will Work For Good, and accompanying abstracts by Jon Dale.

After a break of 6 years, Atlanta based electronic musician, producer and sound designer Richard Devine returns with a new album 'SortLave' on Venetian Snares' Timesig imprint. Recorded between 2016 and 2017 using Richard's custom built Eurorack modular system and two Nord G2 Modular units, SortLave features 12 tracks of intricate electronica that ranges from abrasive percussive experiments such as 'Revsic' to 'Astra's dazzling juxtaposition of sounds and onto the radiant ambience of the album's closer 'Takara'.

Talking about the album's genesis Devine explains 'I've been using modular synthesizers since I was 17, but have never written complete tracks using these newer systems. This was my first experiment to see if it would be possible and I probably spent about 5 years building up the systems that I used on this album.' 'I wanted the record to sound very different to my previous works which had been more cold, digital, clinical even, and had all been made using computers. The aim here was the complete opposite, to create something that felt very organic, detailed, spacious, big and warm and just as importantly, a record that you could put on and play all the way through that flowed in a seamless way.' This new approach was to prove fruitful and enabled Devine to create music in an entirely new way. 'I really wanted to break free from timeline-based music creation and do things with my hands on the fly,' he explains. 'So the tracks are more like captured snapshot performances where I could experiment and play around with the idea of probability-based sequencing for every patch, string multiple sequencers together that would feed other sequencers to come up with interesting rhythms and melodies. It was really fun coming up with new sounds this way too, I felt like I created several I haven't heard before with this album. Some of the tracks on the album were complete accidents and evolved from something that happened spontaneously. In the end I feel this is one of the best records I have released to date, so I'm very excited to share it with the world.'

Making his debut in 1995, Devine's releases for labels including Schematic, Warp Records and Detroit Underground have established him as one of the leading figures within the electronica community. In addition to his musical productions, Devine has enjoyed a lengthy and successful career in sound design, developing patches for many of the world's leading music technology businesses and working with companies such as Google and Nike.

Love Not Sex is the second Stubb 12" from Paper Recordings' Ben Davis.

The original is a melancholic slice of sunshine that draws inspiration from MOR and blue-eyed soul with a hefty dose of Balearica.
Acoustic guitars, Rhodes, live drums and strings plus Crazy P's Tim Davis on bass provide the perfect cinematic backdrop for the plaintive vocals of Huw Costin (Torn Sail) and Rachel Foster.

Japanese edit hero Mori Ra delivers his first ever remix and its a doozy. Keeping the bones of the original track, he takes it in to dark psychedelic waters with the help of former_airline's tripped out guitar.
A spoken vocal tips it in to full balearic wonkiness that will have the likes of DJ Harvey and Bjorn Torske getting hot under their disco beards.

Bergen's Leca employs his trademark stripped back crisp production for a warm, dreamy remix. Steel guitar, clicks, whirrs and a Nordic playfulness make for a cosmic journey in to the Northern Lights.
The 12's will be a limited run of 300, screen printed in West Yorkshire by The Egg Factory with artwork by artist Rachel Johns in a project that celebrates community and collectivism.

Produced by Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak. LP is on coloured coke bottle green vinyl + inclues download code and 12x12' lyric sheet/ liner note insert.

Madeline will be on tour throughout the UK and Europe this Autumn.

'Building from understated beauty to dense guitar theatrics. It reminds me of Chicago circa '93 as remembered in a dream — a little bit of Liz Phair 'Exile In Guyville' - rendered in soft-focus with the graceful confidence of a young master. ' STEREOGUM

In January of 2018, five months after the release of her debut album Night Night at the First Landing, Madeline Kenney traveled from Oakland, California to the woods outside of Durham, North Carolina to record her sophomore album with a new collaborator, Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner.

The choice was a conscious decision to explore new methodology in writing, recording, production and even genre. Perfect Shapes sees Kenney leaping headfirst into fresh and adventurous territory, largely eschewing conventional rock structures in favor of theme and melody. Its ten songs are full of surprises big and small - from vibrant synth lines to taut bass figures and subtly modulated vocals - that instead of feeling fussed over, reveal Kenney's penchant for elegant and abstract composition.

Kenney's 2017 debut, Night Night at the First Landing, was a guitar-centric rock album, produced by friend and collaborator Chaz Bear of Toro Y Moi, Perfect Shapes leans on the foundational pieces of Night Night - fuzzed-out guitar tones, coy wordplay and Kenney's notably strong voice - but with an unconventional approach that allows them to bloom, reincarnated. Perfect Shapes marks Wasner's first foray into producing another artist's work and is permeated by the pair's collaborative spirit. Both Wasner and Kenney play multiple instruments on the record, and engineered the session alongside Kenney's touring percussionist, Camille Lewis.

An eagerness to explore and experiment is apparent from start to finish, as Kenney and Wasner weave endless sonic curve balls into the arrangements. From the delightfully warped percussion on opening track 'Overhead' to the burbling synths on the R&B-tinted 'The Flavor of the Fruit Tree' and the left-field trumpet solo in 'Your Art,' these rich and inventive ideas echo Yo La Tengo's everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mentality, as well as the surging soundscapes of Tame Impala and Wye Oak at their most impressionistic. Lead single "Cut Me Off" is a surprise of its own - the most pop-forward song Kenney has written yet. 'Bad Idea,' finds her balancing fragility as foil; later, 'I Went Home' manages to evoke both frustration and affection in a single breath.

The complex and open-ended questions that lay at the core of Perfect Shapes mark Kenney's arrival into a hard-hitting reflective space: How do you love another when it hurts to do so What is the physical limit to which one can carry the emotions of others How does a modern female artist reckon with the expectations demanded of her femininity Yet for all the notes of doubt and fear that Kenney raises, she delivers each song with confidence and poise, grounded by the pointedly laid and surging soundscape.

Kenney has always had a penchant for curiosity and experimentation. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, she began studying classical piano and dance in kindergarten, and grew to believe her future lay in modern dance choreography. Not one to be tied to a singular pursuit, however, Kenney took a hard left in college, studying Interpersonal Neurobiology and supporting herself with a career in baking. Music remained a constant however, and after moving to the Bay Area in 2013, Kenney quickly found footing in the supportive arts community in Oakland. There, she met and began collaborating with Chaz Bear (Toro Y Moi), which led to the production of her Signals EP and later her debut album, Night Night at the First Landing. Both releases were received with great critical acclaim, and saw Kenney exploring the sounds within her self-proclaimed twang-haze genre, defined by cathartic fuzz breakdowns and lyrical sensitivity.

After years of playing with the Moroccan community of Brussels, music maker and jazz musician Luc Mishalle knows every trick of the cross-fertilization of gnawa music, jazz & brass. Gnawa is the Northern African islamic sufi music with healing vibrations and spiritual lyrics, played by the descendants of African slaves. The album title 'Beats & Pieces' refers to the collaborations with Belgian percussionist Roel Poriau (Think of One, Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra), Tunisian electronic producer Sofyann Ben Youssef (Ammar808, Kel Assouf) and Moroccan-Belgian gnawa master Maalem Driss Filali. 'The album is significantly less 'jazz' than past collaborations with Byron Wallen and Trevor Watts,' explains Mishalle. 'It's based on gnawa songs I transcribed and arranged together. Half of the songs contain vocals, which makes it more radio-friendly.' There are also fragments of Beninese traditionals and which bring us to another thread through the album: trance. You can find it in gnawa music and even more in Benin, the cradle of voodoo. 'Trance music aims to create obsession through constant repetition. We kept the essence of that music, adding jazz and brass colours,' Mishalle finds these musicians in Brussels, and together they search for the sound of this city known for its hyper-diversity. 'Brussels' context is unique, in Belgium and beyond. Our metropole has quirky vibrations. To catch them, you have to fully submerge.'

By now, the story of how Jlin went from working in a steel factory in Gary, Indiana to being one of the most widely appreciated electronic musicians is well known. 'Black Origami' was one of the most reviewed and lauded albums last year. Seriously prolific and seriously hard-working, she has toured constantly since its May 2017 release and despite being involved in a wide range of projects, still manages to find a balance and 'do some personal healing and growing.'

Here we are over a year later with 'Autobiography,' the score for her collaboration with renowned British choreographer Wayne McGregor arranged by Unsound. This isn't technically her third album (that's due to arrive in 2019 or 2020), but the soundtrack stands up on its own with all the emotional peaks and troughs of a well-sequenced longplayer.

For Jlin, making music for dance is the fulfillment of one of her lifelong dreams - and remarkably, Company Wayne McGregor's performance was the first show she'd ever seen. She describes the process of working with Wayne: 'We first met face to face in October 2016 in a downtown Chicago hotel, talking for about a solid two hours. Immediately, I saw Wayne was very friendly and energetic. He's brilliant, witty, and knows exactly what he wants; an absolute gem to work with. Before I even started composing for Autobiography, Wayne told me so gently that he trusts me completely with my direction of creating the score. That was the best feeling in the world. I would wake up at two in the morning and work until six in the evening until I completed all the pieces. We were both very happy with the outcome. Creating the score for an impeccable piece of work such as Autobiography changed my life as an artist.'

'Autobiography' is a highlight in an evolving and growing career. During the last year, Jlin has also become an in-demand remixer, securing her place among a roster of music heavyweights. Unsurprisingly, given her positive and outgoing nature, she also developed friendships with the artists she has remixed such as Björk, Max Richter and Ben Frost.

Jlin will be touring with Company Wayne McGregor performing 'Autobiography' this year in addition to completing a commission for the Kronos Quartet titled 'Little Black Book.' She still approaches every performance 'with the same attitude of doing my best to execute a good show, no more, no less. Doing my best is what's most important to me.' She also still lives in Gary, Indiana, which keeps her grounded. She notes with her typical humility, 'The local community is a little more knowledgeable of me now. But I don't mind my community taking its time.'

This is already our seventh Deep Love compilation and we dare to say our most complete yet in sound and flow. The ten pieces on this sampler blend in perfectly with that laid back 'late' summer mood. We are very pleased to welcome yet again some new acts to Dirt Crew with the likes of 'Jaxx Madicine', 'Ouer', 'Times are Ruff' and 'S3A'. We cross many borders not only in genres but also country wise. From the heavy Disco sampled jam by French producer 'S3A' to the Jazz and Funk laden epos of the Italian 3 piece 'Jaxx Madicine' over to the Dutch deep house boys 'Times Are Ruff' who are well known from their, same named, label and finally to the Berlin duo 'Ouer' who also run an own label and released with our good friends at 'Heist Recordings', delivering an ecstatic electronic floating tune here.

This is all completed by some excellence from long time Dirt Crew artists. '25 Places' have been with us for many years now and their two Ep's have gotten so much love from the deeper deep house community. Here they drop an epic almost IDM techno like tune that closes this great album in the best possible way. Our Icelandic stall wart 'Felix Leifur' drops a heavy hitter named 'Buster'. After his recent 'Bobby Donny' Ep earlier this year we are thrilled to have him back on Dirt Crew! 'Harry Wolfman' and 'Ponty Mython' need no introduction really, they are adding Electro/ Disco/ Electronica fuelled cuts that form a great middle part to this mix of tunes. Harry going in very smooth and relaxed, something else than his usual House workout which we really loved to present to you. 'Ponty Mython' drops an irresistible 'good times' indie acid track in his unique 'free' style.

Last, we must of course not forget 'Dan Only' and key wizzard 'Lorenz Rhode'! With another beautifully smooth cut 'Dan Only' follows up on his latest debut Ep with us. Again a smart cross over in Techno and House with a distinct relaxed groove and atmosphere to it. Lorenz is back 'On Top' here after his super successful first offering to the Deep Love series last year and his 'And I Said' EP which stormed many charts. In the middle of touring and working with Detroit Swindle on their 'High Life' album we are super happy that he found the time to make another gem with that raw n funky live feel to it... We couldn't have started this compilation off with a better joint than 'Marakuja'.

Enough words for now ... just put these vinyl on your decks or stream/play it on the go and don't forget to drop them at a sweaty club night. Deep Love is here to stay!

Southern Lord Is Excited To Bring Forth The Debut Album By Los Angeles-based Rock Trio, The Primals, Founded By Current And Former Members Of Darkest Hour, The Explosion, Dead To Fall, And More.

All Love Is True Love, The Primals' Debut Album, Features Ten Infectious Tracks Produced By John Reis (rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes) And Completed With Cover Art By Laura K. Giron.

Fans Of Wand, Ty Segall, Nirvana, And The Pixies Are Especially Recommended To Tune In.

he band's first full-length, All Love Is True Love, will see release on September 7th, the label this week sharing the first single, 'Fortune & Sons.'  'Fortune & Sons' Now Streaming

About the track the band note, ''Fortune & Sons' is one of the heaviest songs on the record. Though the album offers a plentiful dose of dynamic variety, we wanted to kick you off with a ripper.'

The Primals is comprised of vocalist/guitarist John Henry (vocalist for Darkest Hour), bassist Chad Fjerstad (formerly of Dead To Fall), and drummer Andrew Black (formerly of The Explosion). The band's fuzzy execution is equal slabs ripping guitar heaviness and infectious pop sensibility. Concocted by a seasoned group of thrashers with a historical backbone in D.C. punk community. The disintegrated spirit of grunge rises from the ashes, revitalized in a new light.

Fernando Sanz has been steadfastly dedicated to the craft of beats and breaks since he was a young sprout of 14 years in the sun baked southern Spanish port city of Algeciras. Under the imprint Orbe Records, Sanz has cultivated his own thriving techno community as artist and label head. Since 2014 Orbe Records has been lashing the block rocking techno of Sanz's comrades Eduardo De La Calle and Steve Stoll, but mostly of Sanz's own prolific moniker, Orbe. As DJ and producer Orbe keeps the mood surreal and dreamy while deploying understated drum machine patterns to hammer the platonic solids that keep his beloved community in tact.

His forthcoming 3-track 'Hohenheim' EP for the Barcelona label, Lone Romantic, keeps the Orbe buzz rolling. 'Hohenheim' kicks the record into motion with the resounding thuds of a multilayered big-room kick while bright synths and sharp edged sci-fi machinery climb the walls in obscure and narcotic patterns. 'Shimano's Tribute' is a study in the fundaments of techno that lull the listener with an extended 4X4 intro into a state of high mental absorption, just in time to drop the centre piece of the track, an eloquently ovular stutter sliced percussion sample. 'Edelweiss' sets the record on a outward course for somewhere between the hypnotic dance floor bliss of a pre-dawn Sunday morning and the impending angst beholden to glimpsing the dystopian sprawl of civilisation when flying out Monday morning.

One of our humble imprint's closest allies and a longstanding pillar of Philadelphia's electronic music community, Billy Werner has been a constant presence in the booth at parties throughout the Northeast Corridor since 1998. We debuted his M//R alias in 2014 with the 'Gathering Response Data' 12" . Since he's been busy bringing the grit to points beyond the City of Brotherly Love, putting in work for the likes of DetailsSound, L.I.E.S. and JackDept. Most recently, he turned out a remix of Karen Gwyer's 'Why Does Your Father Look So Nervous' for the 'Rembo' remixes on Don't Be Afraid, as well as another for Chaperone's 'Grit Neglect' on the aforementioned 'SnapbackBalaclava'EP.

Written, recorded, and mixed over a period of 15 months,'Among The Methods' is in no small part a reflection of the affinities and sensibilities Billy holds as both selector and producer. Referencing a variety of influences from jazz to dub to electro, the album's allure stems from his deft ability to recontextualize those genres' disparate aspects into a familiar-yet fiercely idiosyncratic-musical context.The end result is at once wildly fractured and precision-focused as 'Among the Methods' finds its own seductive rhythm within a matrix of dub echoes and modulated low-end. It's heady ground,to be sure;as well as the most declarative aesthetic statement fromM//R to date.
Presented without further comment. The music is the message








s

2025 Repress

After a wildly successful collaboration on Thatmanmonkz's 'Turn It Out' from the LP, Columbus-ing, Dave Aju suggested they should continue their production streak for a new percussive tracks project. At the same time, Aju had finally kept his word to legendary Bay Area club/underground MC and personality, Foxxee aka Foxxee Brown aka Lawrence Petty, to work on a track together as well. Petty being a core part of the infamous Ya Mama's House radio show on 106 KMEL alongside Pete Avila and David Harness that introduced legions of young Bay Area DJs to real House Music, includ-ing Aju, in the early 90s. While Aju & Monkz had originally been working on more of a slick club romance narrative angle over some robust tumbling drums, some very tragic news had struck their hometown - at an under-ground event in Oakland California, more than 30 people including many dear friends and stalwarts of the local dance music community had been trapped inside a building and killed in a fire that broke out while doing what they love, in the now-infamous Ghost Ship. Lawrence and Aju immediately acknowledged and agreed that the track should serve as a tribute to the event and the loved ones affected by it. But decidedly, rather than it being a solemn requiem of sorts, it should reflect the communal power, strength and uplifting spirit of the underground scene they all helped build and knew so well. At first entitled They Sleep We Live, a representative reference to the iconic arm tattoo of the late Jonny Igaz aka Nacht, one of the more well-known and active DJs whose life was lost that tragic evening, and a lyrical direction idea for Lawrence for a direct tribute to the SF Bay Area scene,

Bluestaeb's Evolution From A Beatmaker To A Producer Is His Sophmore Album everything Is Always A Process'.

He Is One Of The Key Figures Of A New Generation Of Up And Coming Hiphop Beatmakers, Who Have Emancipated From Genre Thinking And Instead Merge Old School Aesthetics With A New School Attitude And Organic Instrumentation.

Everything Is Always A Process Re-iterates Bluestaeb's Overall Approach To Life (and Thinking), But Also Has Direct Reference To The Making Of The Album Itself, Which Began With Moving From Berlin To Paris In 2015 In The Search Of New Influences And A New Creative Environment.
Created Between 2015 And Early 2018, Eiaap Embodies The Process Of This Transition - As Well As Collaboration With Instrumentalists And Vocalists From All Over The World And Recording In Different Studios In Paris, London & Berlin.

"meeting All Those Musicians And Trying Out New Ways Of Producing By Using Real Analogue Synths, Rhodes, Drums And Percussion Etc. Made It Possible To Overcome The Creative Boundaries Of A Home Studio With Just A Midi Keyboard" / Bluestaeb

Influenced By Madlib's "shades Of Blue" And Trained In African Drum Techniques Such As Djembé And Daruka, Bluestaeb Had Been Crafting His Own Beats Since His Teenage Years And Gradually Found His Sound Identity Through Experimenting With Hiphop And Jazz - First To Be Heard By A Broader Music Community In 2013, When He Released His Debut Album "1991 Extraterrestrial" (radio Juicy). Since Then The Prolific Young Artist Has Released Numerous Solo And Collaboration Projects ("b.l.u.e. Friday" In 2015 And - sidekicks With S. Fidelity In 2016). In 2016, He Produced Collaborative Album "lit - Lost In Translation With Rapper Juju Rogers, A Keen Manifesto Against Racism, Xenophobia And The Rise Of Anti-heroes Such As Donald Trump.
Today, Bluestaeb Lives And Works In Paris And Berlin And Is Set To
Release His Third Solo Album everything Is Always A Process', A
Smooth Neo Soul-induced Epic Featuring Artists Such As Noah Slee, Harleighblu And Melodiesinfonie, Via Jakarta Records In 2018.

The long awaited debut release from Melbourne based producer / personality Mousse is here! Until now, Mousse aka Simon Barry has kept his craft close to his chest and we finally hear the result of years of hard studio labour in the bungalow. Barry has been a crucial part of Melbourne's dance community for the past five or so years, co-hosting the legendary disco party 'Misty Nights' with Danny Hotep as well being a fixture at The House De Frost and Animals Dancing parties.

On the A side we have the anthemic 'Sex and Acid' and 'Big Fat Party Popper' two raw house tracks with links to early Chicago classics. Quirky sound effects and catchy vocals simmer on top of hot acid bassline to give you a couple of the summers most memorable bangers! But don't be fooled, Mousse is no one-trick-pony. On the flip we step out of the bungalow and into 'Afternoon Bloom' where jazzy pianos dance around a playful machine rhythm. Rounding out the four tracker 'Bare With Me' delivers an evolving house jam with a conversive synth line and dubbed out chords.

A killer debut release from one of Melbournes rising stars.

Somewhere between electro soul and melodramatic pop. Music focused towards the youth set in some strange dream. Not sugarcoating anything.
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Aset was a collective founded by a group of individuals deeply involved in community improvement initiatives and the struggle for justice and equality. A project that would link motivated adults with talented young people in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

The compilation takes songs from three released projects of Aset, and one semi-unreleased single. Latonya, a spunky 11 year old kid singing about divorce, love, and dancing. The poster child of Aset. Treo, a trio of high school gals in harmony singing about love and relationships. Whax, the high school boys who were a bit stranger, the silly side of Aset. All backed by The Aset Players.

Release comes housed in a newly designed jacket with inner sleeve containing info on the label/artists and an interview with the label director, Mba Mbulu.

AZZUR owner, Melokolektiv returns on Galaktika with his first solo vinyl Ep on the imprint 'Where Are You Earth '.

A side brings three amazing original tracks to the table made of synthetic melodies, spacey beat and acid basslines. "Control the Night" and "How to be Drawn" will, with no doubt, pleased the dancefloor while "Where are You Earth" presents something deeper and melancholic.

On the B side, we are happy to welcome two of our all time favorite producers.

First, Langenberg, who offers us a sublime reinterpretation in the line of his deep and organic releases on Liebe*Detail, Drumpoet Community and Poker Flat.

Then, UK legend Mark E who delivers a functional, raw and hypnotic reinterpretation. Definitely something which will please Dj's. Timeless!

Hugo Manuel is better known by his musical alias Chad Valley. A product of Oxford's prolific
creative community, Chad Valley has amassed a catalogue that spans four studio releases,
numerous collaborations and dozens of remixes. His 2010 debut — a self-titled exploration
in swirling synths and sunburnt melodies — laid the groundwork for 2011's Equatorial
Ultravox, which gave his downtempo productions a decidedly more pop-leaning twist. It
was with Equatorial Ultravox, and his 2013 album Young Hunger, that Chad Valley's profile
sprung forward, strengthened by a string of key touring slots supporting the likes of
Erasure, CHVRCHES, Active Child and Passion Pit, and by his collaborations with El Perro Del
Mar, Glasser, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Twin Shadow. After releasing 2015's
sparkling Entirely New Blue and continued touring extensively, as he now prepares to
release his third full-length album in 2018. Imaginary Music includes the previously released
singles Up Again' and LA in August,' both of which bolster one of the strongest batches of
material Chad Valley has yet delivered.
Press coverage via Pitchfork, The FADER, SPIN, Gorilla vs. Bear, The Line of Best Fit
Tours supporting CHVRCHES, Erasure, Active Child, Passion Pit, Twin Shadow
Collaborations with El Perro Del Mar, Glasser, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Twin
Shadow

- Limited editions LP are pressed on 'sunset' color vinyl

After successful releases with labels such as Rawax, Taped Artifact & Thule Records, the two Icelandic techno titans bring us yet another intriguing release.A Ohm is best known for his releases on Force Inc with his long-time partner Exos and as an inventive techno DJ. Octal Industries, a veteran who has already gained a reputation within the IDM community under his Ruxpin pseudonym, returns yet again to his origins with collaborating with Ohm, a pioneer of the within the Icelandic scene. Bardo EP offers us four enigmatic & atmospheric techno tracks with intricate soundscapes and otherwordly chords. From the ethereal sounds of Bardo to the hard hitting Flow Machine,A this EP works as an essential choice for both the dancefloor as well as for dancefloor within your mind.

Kingswood Drive and Accidental Return were an early teaser of this new set, due in April. Displaying their signature analogue sounds and arpeggios, alongside broken beats and soul, you wouldn't be alone in hearing the influences of Dam Funk, Herbie Hancock or Bugz In The Attic coming through on these two.
Elsewhere more jittery, playful rhythms underpin Croydon Rooftop Café Culture. As well as in the calming and ethereal Prints On The Heath, a subtle tribute to mutual hero Prince, who passed away on the unusually prolific day this and two other, currently unreleased, tracks were written and recorded.Throughout the EP the duo nod at their London home from the "Heath" to Kingswood Drive and more obviously Croydon itself. The sound of South London is threaded throughout this record with pride.
Even down to the mechanical sunset sound of EP finale Thorns, capturing some of the essence of the studio view over London from their high point on the hill in Thornton Heath.
The first EP from Albert's Favourites co-founders and synth-production duo Modified Man focused on throwing out heavy editing, recording music with as few processes as possible and grabbing performances as single takes. Blending warped cassette recordings that touched upon early jazz-funk/brit-funk influences with the energy of broken beat and experimental electronica, won them support from Patrick Forge, Osunlade, Thris Tian, Yam Who and Titeknots to name a few.
Since that release they premiered new track Thorns live on Boiler Room, going on to deliver a full, three-hour live performance and DJ set for the infamous global community.They also provided remixes for Dele Sosimi, Amp Fiddler, Makadem & Behr and Hector Plimmer, meanwhile, busily preparing a series of four, six-track vinyl EPs which will be released over the next 18 months.

Hospital are honoured to present the last known piece of new music from Rob Dickeson, aka Apex. Released in his memory, in association with Help Musicians UK, all proceeds

will go to their incredible work on the Music Minds Matter campaign. Available as a digital download, and limited-edition 12-inch vinyl, which features Unknown Error's 'The Yearning' (Super VIP mix), which is exclusive to the

physical format. Drum & bass has lost a number of unique talents in recent years, and we can only hope this release will be a positive force to raise awareness surrounding mental health issues within the music industry, and also as a fitting tribute to

Rob's memory. 'I hope that this record will raise awareness that help is out there. If you, or someone you love, finds themself in a situation where life just seems impossible, don't forget that you are not alone, and that there is help.' - Katerina (Apex's

partner). Help Musicians UK is the leading UK charity for professional musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement. Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Music Minds Matter is a support line and service for the whole UK music community.

* C. Scott is an MPC virtuoso who first started producing in 2009, inspired by the hypnotic, jazz-influenced sound of hip-hop's golden era. Having refined his craft, he jumped head first into Pittsburgh's music community, maintaining a strong presence in the hip-hop and dance music scenes. After his 2016 debut release on Lumberjacks in Hell, this is Charlie's return to vinyl with a seven track EP with a range of tempos and vibes. The EP includes a remix from LA DJ/Producer Aaron Paar, who is 1/2 of the legendary Teflon Dons.

Belgium-based Composer Christina Vantzou's Fourth Full-length For Kranky Ventures Further Into The Uniquely Elusive And Evocative Mode Of Ambient Classical Minimalism Which Has Become Her Signature: A Fragile Synthesis Of Contemplative Drift, Heady Silences, And Muted Dissonance. In Regards To The New Album She Speaks Of Focusing Particular Attention On The Effects Of The Recordings On The Body, And Of 'directing Sound Perception Into An Inner Space.'
No. 4 Took Shape Across Roughly Two Years, Incorporating A Diverse Array Of Musical And Conceptual Collaborators, Including Fellow Kranky Artists Steve Hauschildt And John Also Bennett (of Forma) As Well As Angel Deradoorian (ex-dirty Projectors), Clarice Jensen, Beatrijs De Klerck, And Members Of Belgium's Echo Collective. During The Creation Process Vantzou Wanted To 'blur Lines Of Hierarchy,' And Thus Allowed All Ensemble Members And Technical Assistants To Add Or Delete Elements. Despite Such A Spectrum Of Input The Eleven Tracks Feel Distinctly Cohesive, Weaving Elegant Textures And Resonant Open Spaces Within A Twilit Landscape Of Eclectic Instrumentation: Piano, Harp, Vibraphone, Voice, Strings, Marimba, Synthesizers, Gong, And Bells.
Vantzou Describes The Recording Process As One Of Prepared Spontaneity: That Is, 'having Plenty Of Ideas Ready To Explore Going Into The Session, But With Enough Time To Depart From Those Ideas And See What Happens.' This Mindset Of Premeditated Exploration Informs The Album's Emotive Textural Intuition, With Hushed Drones And Delicate Gestures Eliding In The Periphery Of The Mix. She Cites Sleep And 'the Loosening Of Time' As Two Formative Practices In Her Private And Professional Life, Which Manifests In The Quietly Hallucinatory Properties Of Vantzou's Music. No. 4 Feels Both Endless And Ephemeral, Immersive And Immaterial. It's A Music Of Horizon Lines And Half-light, Mapped With Feeling And Foresight.
Recorded In New York City And Brussels. Mixed In Berlin.
A Portion Of This Work Was Funded By A Generous Grant From The Flemish Community In Belgium.

Techno Album of the month March 2018 in Mixmag UK!

Central to the Israeli club scene, Deep'a & Biri have long been defying expectations even within a community they helped construct. Serving as resident DJs, activists and bookers for Tel Aviv's legendary Barzilay Club, the pair helped build a transcendent club scene. Hugely influential artists such as Robert Hood, Derrick May, Rødhad, Ben Klock and Moritz Von Oswald passed through the club, enjoying legendary crowds and what they could surely sense was a genuine air of anarchy, rebellion and unadulterated rave pleasure.

As the duo held down dozens of parties with dozens of DJs, there was no 'eureka' moment for their emerging sound; just a steady stream of brilliant, inspiring electronic music, much of which left an indelible imprint on the pair. Now based in Berlin, for Deep'a & Biri, things are much the same, even if the landscape and the city is different. Always rooted in the fertile ground between machines and emotion, on their second full-length LP, 'Dominance', the duo demonstrate their unique grasp of the sensitive, unfolding relationship between man and machine. Steadfast in their insistence never to remain in one lane in terms of their sound, 'Dominance' flawlessly segues between forcefulness and weightlessness. From beginning to end, this is not a record afraid to show its teeth with an uncompromising, instantly recognisable techno palette that kicks the foundations of any sound system with menace, anger and determination, particularly on tracks such as the dense 'Voltage' and pulsing throughout the more industrial flourishes of 'Ecole De Nancy' and 'Seeking Solace'.

Beyond these grittier, although never mindless, moments of authority, a sense of escapism and curiosity imbues the album. 'Alpha Cephei' offers the first hint of Deep'a & Biri's more wistful concepts, producing a smoke trail of twinkling electronics out of a smudged but distinctive bassline. That understated sense of emotional catharsis carries throughout, to be found between the complex-yet-familiar bells that drive 'Flow Diverter's' rhythm to a Detroit-indebted landscape that will surely instantly elasticate any keen dancers, while 'False Memories' offers big-room techno fulfillment with none of the character or sincerity removed for cheap thrills. Saving the most remarkable moments for last, the pair sign off 'Dominance' with the poignant and purifying 'Astral Trails', fusing an ethereal, ambient landscape with the more pronounced rhythms of their hardware.

The album's distinctive artwork comes from the studio of Jewish orthodox artist Avraham Guy Barchil, who forged a powerful connection with Deep'a, both was immediately drawn to 'weird atmosphere, amazing technique and emotions involved with his work'. Perhaps one of the most interesting painters from Israel, Avraham is known for his unique perspective, taking his inspiration from the Zohar - the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. The ambiguous figures represent mystical aspects of the Torah (the five books of Moses), as well as material on mysticism and mythical cosmogony.
Ensuring their natural, conscious touch always remains at the forefront of this unapologetically machine-driven music, Deep'a & Biri have produced an album in the lineage of their heroes and greatest influences. Cerebral yet satisfying, deep yet always engaging, 'Dominance' both reasserts and evolves Deep'a & Biri's forward facing and singular sound.

In an interview with Jazz Magazine in the early 1970s, Dharma, as a collective voice, outlined their method: 'we try to reach, within free jazz, the same sort of rhythmic cohesion as in Bop, a cohesion based not exactly on tempo, but something which feels like tempo. A kind of underlying pulse'. Evidence of these ideas can be heard immediately on listening to Mr Robinson, the first album by the Dharma Quintet, for whom community living seemed obvious, in order to add to the aforementioned cohesion. Through this, the group members played together on a daily basis, trying out things which were worked on day in, day out. They were also listening to a lot of records, with of course a preference for free jazz, but not forgetting Miles Davis in his electric period, notably for the keyboards of Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea. To which should be added esthetical-political concerns based on a refusal of hierarchy, and a desire to escape from a restrictive academic approach... It was within this framework that Jef Sicard and Gérard Coppéré (saxophones, flute, bass clarinet), Patricio Villarroel (electric and acoustic piano), Michel Gladieux (bass) and Jacques Mahieux (drums) formed the first version of a collective united by structured intentions. Because, within Dharma, individual improvisation cannot be envisaged outside of a clearly designated framework, even non-tempo. The result is a beneficial cohesion, and moments of great beauty born of a collective excitement and giving rise to ambiances which seemed almost possessed. The use of modes could seem to link Mr Robinson to the spiritual jazz of the past but that is without taking into account the fact that the benevolent spirit of Eric Dolphy seems to watch over this album. In France, a similar desire for cohesion could be found in the Cohelmec Ensemble, who had parallel preoccupations, to the point where their bassist, François Méchali, ended up by joining Dharma: there is unfortunately no recorded trace of this, just the memories. As a quintet, with however some personnel changes, Dharma recorded three albums (there is also one as a trio, under the name of Dharma Trio), which are all of fundamental importance (Dharma would also accompany, and to great effect, the songs of Jean-Marie Vivier and Colette Magny). Individually, the members would record with musicians passing through (notably Anthony Ortega, Dave Burrell) and participated in other key groups including Machi Oul and Full Moon Ensemble.