Search:d formed

Marbles is the legendary 1970 proto punk / dance classic from John McLaughlin’s US debut album 'De?otion', recorded at the time in which he played on Miles Davis' Bitches Brew and taped the Record Plant session with Jimi Hendrix.
Marbles didn't just deliver jazz rock's most danceable 4/4 beat, played by Band of Gypsies / Electric Flag drummer Buddy Miles. It is also centered with a once-in-ageneration bass line performed by Billy Rich. Larry Young's otherworldly Hammond textures predate a lot of what synthesizers were about to do much later, and the blowtorch energy emanating from John McLaughlin's cranked amp went beyond what most would had dared during the defining era of heavy rock guitar. An apex achievement at the intersection of jazz rock, guitar rock and dance music without parallel, before or since.
Background: John McLaughlin arrived in New York in 1969 to join Tony Williams' new group Lifetime which also featured Larry Young and eventually Jack Bruce (of Cream). On the second day in town he found himself in the studio with Miles Davis, recording 'In a Silent Way.' His playing would also take center stage in Bitches Brew, Jack Johnson, On The Corner and several other Davis key works of his much beloved first electric era. In between a busy schedule with Lifetime and Davis, McLaughlin also recorded two solo albums in 1970, 'De?otion' with an all-electric group and ‚'My Goa|’s B?y?nd' as its acoustic counterpart. By the time he formed his group Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1972, John McLaughlin was firmly established as the most important practitioner of his instrument of his generation within and well beyond the emerging jazz rock / fusion genre, and he has continued to evolve and surprise until today.
Here, a thorough remaster is supplemented by a new and throbbing techno version by Stefan Goldmann.

2025 Repress

Running Back’s Double Copy subsidiary for house music history returns with four musical masterpieces from Chicago, London and an international cast from Italy on its first various artist sampler.
Originally released on Roy Davis Jr.’s Undaground Therapy outlet, Destination Heaven by the enigmatic Earth Boys project delivers a piece of cloud-nine-deep-house that was a staple at Frankfurt’s Wild Pitch Club and during the early days of its successor Robert Johnson. Produced by Cloudy Eyes and Cole Brooks, we unfortunately have never heard from the duo again. Luckily, Family of Few have been a little bit more productive. Also known as Mind Readers, Kevin Elliot and Billy ‚Jack“ Williams produced some of the more tender moments on Detroits 430 West label. Intervoles is amongst the most peculiar and catchy tracks that slow-burning dance floors can hope for.
The flip side turns the attention to the conclusions that Europe drew from its US-role-models. Released in 1992 on Rena Records with the involvement of New York’s JoVonn (a distinct genius of deep grooves himself), the keyboard skills of Pierre Audetat and the production work of I. Betti, M. Clemente and W. Brown, Dummy Head is one of a kind. Swirly echoes, dubby textures and a heavy bass line mate on the Edit Mix of I Have Been Wanting You to create one of the very first examples of fully formed dub-house.
Similar pioneering properties can be ascribed to the work of Rob Mello. We don’t have enough room here to list all his merits, but rest assured that the UK’s house scene wouldn’t be the same without him (Luxury Service Records, Classic et al). Under the Karim guise, Mello delivered a unique stroke of genius. Distilling the essence of deep house, while looking far into the future, In My Mind is many things at once: broken beat, electro, house with embracing chords, and – if you will – a warm-up banger. and does, what all the tracks in here do: turning heads then, turning heads now. Hardcore Deep House!

Parade Ground has always been the duo of brothers Jean-Marc and Pierre Pauly from Brussels, Belgium formed in 1981. Taking cues from Post-Punk, Coldwave, Dada and Surrealism, Parade Ground channeled suffering, tension and rage through pulsing synthesizers, skeletal guitar, severe bass and Jean-Marc’s expressive vocals as the most melodic and emotional instrument. The Golden Years is an 11-song, career-spanning collection of Parade Ground’s long out-of-print 7” and 12” singles as well as rare compilation tracks from the pioneers of electronic body music created during 1982-1988.

Parade Ground first appeared on the Nationale Rockmeeting LP in 1982, striking straight to the heart with the passionate plea “I Shut My Eyes.” Later that year the brothers met Daniel B. and Patrick Codenys of Front 242 beginning a collaborative partnership that continues to present day. In 1983 they released their debut 3-song 7” EP Moan On The Sly on the New Dance label, musically a hybrid of Joy Division and Fad Gadget. 1984 brought further explorations into the world of electronic body music with the 3-song Man In A Trance EP and 2 tracks on the live concert compilation Mask Promotion both records released on Front 242's Mask Music label. The following year the single Took Advantage/Moral Support 12” was released incorporating then, state-of-the-art modular synthesizers programmed by Daniel B. and back-up vocals from Flo Sullivan (A Formal Sigh, Shiny Two Shiny). Then in 1987 the brothers collaborated with Colin Newman of British post-punk band Wire, who produced and lent his vocals, guitars and keyboards to two songs ("Moans"/"Action Replay") while Daniel B. produced flipside "Gold Rush" on the Dual Perspective EP that stands alongside 80s anthems from Tears for Fears, Modern English, Echo & The Bunnymen. Finally in 1988 their debut album Cut Up was released on Play It Again Sam Records and featured the singles Strange World and Hollywood. In 1993 the brothers wrote and composed the vocals on two Front 242 albums Up Evil and Off. After 15 years of silence the boys released their second album Rosary in 2007 and continue to write new material and tour with their extensive catalog of dark dance classics. Each LP includes a 6-page press kit with lyrics, discography, photos and liner notes by Daniel B. of Front 242. The history of Belgian electronic music would not be complete without a trip through “The Golden Years” of Parade Ground.

A Strangely Isolated Place presents a long-lost collaboration between Polish artists Olga Wojciechowska and Tomasz Walkiewicz as Monoparts—a partnership formed many years ago that resulted in an album once destined to remain unreleased.

Olga Wojciechowska, known for her modern-classical masterpieces such as Infinite Distances (2019) and Unseen Traces (2020), as well as her 2022 collaboration with Scanner, breaks all known expectations with Soothsayers. In a dramatic departure, Olga unveils a new and unexpected side, debuting her haunting vocals—a delicate, spellbinding performance that recalls the golden era of trip-hop, and comparisons to the sounds pioneered by Tricky, Massive Attack, and Martina Topley-Bird.

With Tomasz adding layers of depth through intricate beats and electronics, Olga’s voice becomes the emotional core of the record, conjuring an intimate and nostalgic atmosphere.

"This album is like becoming one with the earth itself—feeling the rawness of the wood, tasting the earth in your mouth, and sensing the presence of ancient spirits. The music carries a deep, primal energy, like being part of the forest, with creatures watching you from the shadows." - Olga Wojciechowska

To complete the journey, ASC lends his signature touch with a stunning drum’n’bass reinterpretation, amplifying the album’s nostalgic essence. Soothsayers emerges as a spellbinding ode to times gone by, in more ways than one.

Featuring artwork by Moon Patrol, with mastering and lacquer by Andreas LUPO Lubich.

90’s House Nostalgik duo “ No Hype DJ’s ” formed by DJ Stenn and DJ Stanic is coming back with new dancefloors heavy weapons, this time in ghetto house style like they used to make those Dance Maniacs bad Boyz .
Pure tribute to the Chicago House Pioneers Paul Johnson, DJ Deeon or Robert Armani and all the devoted.

Written, Mixed and Produced by ‪St. David‬ at TOW Records Studio in collaboration with No Hype Studios and Wildbox.

Here comes a first EP by Josh Ludlow for Toy Tonics. Mastermind of Make a Dance aka M.A.D. records. London’s best kept secret (or not so secret anymore) of new underground dance weapons that are played by everybody who counts in the scene.

Josh delivers a hot 4 -tracker that will move people on dance-floors worldwide. Combining 1990es filterhouse influences, 2000’s indie dance and some of the edgy contemporary funk moods that are lighting up clubs these days. The post - techno generation likes it funky and Josh delivers. Fitting perfectly with the vibe of Toy Tonics this EP will find a lot of friends. In fact Josh knows how things work.

Josh Ludlow has been steadily honing his craft over the past 15 years. Starting out releasing Drum & Bass under the ‘Squash!’ moniker in the late 2000’s whilst also playing drums in bands. The former gave way to live touring and it was only in 2020 when Josh resurfaced with some new electronic music.

The impetus for releasing this new material was when Josh Ludlow & Ben Lewis formed there beloved project ‘Make A Dance’ (which then went on to establish the imprint) M.A.D. Records during the pandemic.
Since then M.A.D have made a big impact on the underground scene, become regulars at places such as Fabric, Heidegluhen, Gottwood and gained DJ support of propel such as Laurent Garnier, Optimo, Palms Trax and Peggy Gou and across BBC Radio1 and regularly Cover show’s on NTS for Long Running Host’s Moxie and Apiento.

This is just the beginning.

Ring the alarm - multi-instrumentalist Jimi Jules scheduled for the album „+“ in 2022, executive produced by Innervisions label boss Dixon. The album features the most sought after and requested tracks of the last month including „My City's On Fire“, revolutionary „Der Aufstand“, dancefloor romance „Burning“ and „Clinomania“ featuring Joy Tyson, and fabulous Lily Allen / Elton John drummer Nathan Curran. The artwork concept is developed and designed by iconic graphic artist Trevor Jackson, whose multi-disciplinary works formed the graphical identities of design, music, fashion, and art by the likes of Soulwax, HFD / Comme des Garcons or Apple Music. Jimi Jules’ second album signifies his return to future-focussed album concepts. A welcomed novelty and venture. Exploring themes such as free thoughts and togetherness after a period of interpersonal absence. Better Together Forever.

A unique character in the electronic music scene, Jimi Jules is a multi-instrumentalist and school-trained musician with much more to offer than the standard four-to-floor sound. Jimi plays nearly everything from drums to trumpet and sings almost all the vocals himself. The talent probably lies in his roots, as many of his family members are known for their playing in jazz bands and classical ensembles. Most recently awarded a silver disk marking 200,000 copies of the 2020 track “Pushin On” in the UK, Jimi Jules also commenced a new collaborative partnership with Berlin-based booking agency, Temporary Secretary, earlier this year.

As the new era is underway for Innervisions, Jimi Jules “+” takes center stage of the label’s fundamental core - artist first, label second. For Jimi Jules especially, this new project represents the beginning of a whole new platform and innovative space for collaborations and symbiosis of mixed media.

2025 Repress on clear orange Vinyl!

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Callisto's impactful debut album, Svart Records is proud to bring it to you for the first time ever on wax! Callisto is a post-metal band from Turku, Finland formed in 2001. They've headlined several tours in Europe, opened for High On Fire on their UK tour, and showcased in Canada and the United States. Whilst their early works are hardcore and metal, the debut album True Nature Unfolds has a strong sludge metal and doom influence. It was recorded in 2004 by the late Mieszko Talarczyk (Nasum) and introduced to Earache Records a year later through Johannes Persson (Cult Of Luna), earning the band worldwide distribution. True Nature Unfolds was originally released only on CD in 2004 by Fullsteam Records in Finland and Earache Records in the US and UK a year later. The album delivers a breathtaking mix of atmospheric soundscapes, heavy riffs, and haunting melodies. Each track invites you on an emotional journey, blending post-metal intensity with introspective lyricism. Don’t miss this powerful musical experience—let the journey begin! The 20th anniversary edition of True Nature Unfolds is presented on double vinyl in a glorious gatefold cover, with new album art by the band's drummer Ariel Björklund. Available versions are the Svart exclusive green/red/black marble vinyl, limited golden yellow vinyl, and classic black vinyl. Release date December 13th, 2024.

Globetrotting Texan trio Khruangbin are set to release ‘Hasta El Cielo’, the band’s glorious dub version of their second album ‘Con Todo El Mundo’. The full album has been processed anew along with two bonus dubs by renowned Jamaican producer Scientist.

The band’s exotic, spacious, psychedelic funk aligns with the dub treatment particularly well. Indeed, keen fans won’t fnd this a surprising release. Dubs of tracks from their frst album ‘The Universe Smiles Upon You’ appeared on limited vinyl releases of ‘People Everywhere’ for Record Store Day 2016 and ‘Zionsville’ on the Boogie Futuro remix 12”. The especially eagle-eared willhave caught a dub of ‘Two Fish And An Elephant’ playing over the credits of the track’s celebrated video.

“For us, Dub has always felt like a prayer. Spacious, meditative, able to transport the listener to another realm. The frst dub albums we listened to were records mixed by Scientist featuring the music of the Rootsb Radics. Laura Lee learned to play bass by listening to Scientist Wins the World Cup. His unique mixing style, with the emphasis on space and texture, creates the feeling of frozen time; it was hugely influential to us as a band. To be able to work alongside Scientist, a legend in the history of dub, is an honor. This is our dub version of Con Todo El Mundo.”- Khruangbin.

Formed of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald “DJ” Johnson on drums; Khruangbin’s sounds are rooted in the deepest waters of music from around the world, infused with classic soul, dub and psychedelia. Their 2015 debut album ‘The Universe Smiles Upon You’ was heavily influenced by 60’s and 70’s Thai cassettes the band listened to on their long car journeys to rehearsal in the Texan countryside. 2018’s follow up ‘Con Todo El Mundo’, which received hugely positive critical reactions and radio play around the world, took inspiration not just from South East Asia but similarly underdiscovered funk and soul of the Mediterranean and the Middle East, particularly Iran.

Since the album’s release, the band have continued their almost non-stop approach to touring, playing over 130 dates in 2018 alone. They return to the UK this summer for festival shows at Green Man, Latitude, Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival and Barclaycard British Summer Time.

KingCats are a German Show Band from West Germany, formed in 1972 first as AristoCats. They became KingCats in 1976. The lineup was Peter "Pit" Kurz and Norbert "Knox" Rieger on vocals and guitar, Theo Wild (and later, Hans-Jörg Koch) on keyboards and vocals, Eberhardt "Lupp" Krieg on bass and vocals, and Rolf Knauss on drums and vocals. French drummer/singer Patrick Buchmann, alias "Sdinganuff", joined the band in 1980 upon recommandation from Claus Backhaus (Studio 2000, Mannheim, Germany) and saxophone superstar Peter Drischel, alias « Pete Tex ». Before Buchmann’s departure to Los Angeles to study at Musicians Institute, he suggested they record an LP to document some of the band’s compositions which led to the original self titled "KingCats" album in January of 1983.

This rare album was recorded and mixed in Strasbourg, France at Omega Studio by sound engineer Francis Adam, the LP showcases a variety of 80’s unique compositions by Buchmann, Kurz and Rieger. The song "Down In California" gently made its way to the public ear since. Luckily, Francis Adam found the original 16 track, 1 inch tape in early 2024 and saved the original project from desintegration. This long awaited discovery led to this freshly edited, remixed and remastered 2024 version of "KingCats". Produced by Francis Adam, Patrick Buchmann and Peter Kurz, no instruments or vocals were added, and no animals or vegetables were harmed during this process. We hope you will like this new limited edition of "KingCats" !

La Pointe debut on Damian Lazarus’ Secret Teachings with ‘Umbra’, featuring remixes from Nathan Fake and Jonny Rock. The experimental label opens its 2025 schedule on 24th January with the Geneva-based trio’s warping original backed by a pair of late-hours remixes from two of the best in the scene.

Emerging from a confluence of rave culture and artistic mastery, La Pointe make an impressive label debut on Damian Lazarus’ Secret Teachings imprint with the enigmatic ‘Umbra’. The release, set for 24th January, is accompanied by stellar remixes from revered producer Nathan Fake and the ever-versatile Jonny Rock, delivering a sonic journey that transcends the ordinary. La Pointe, a trio formed by Geneva-based techno pioneers Crowdpleaser and Entlet alongside New York City’s Jonny Sender, represents a fusion of cultural and musical legacies. Rooted in the dynamic after-hours scenes of Geneva and New York’s underground club culture, the trio creates music that is both innovative and steeped in tradition. Their studio, located in an old factory by the meeting point of the Rhone and Arve rivers, lends its name—and its industrial inspiration—to their project.

The original mix of ‘Umbra’ is a hypnotic exploration of light and shadow, blending atmospheric melodies with deep, pulsating rhythms—a testament to their ability to craft soundscapes that resonate emotionally and physically. Nathan Fake’s remix ventures into intricate, textural layers, marrying ethereal tones with electronic intensity. Jonny Rock injects a raw, off-kilter groove and late-hours energy into his reinterpretation, blending his eclectic influences from disco, funk, house, and beyond. The genesis of La Pointe is as captivating as its sound. Crowdpleaser and Entlet are celebrated architects of Geneva’s rave scene, running the legendary after-hours party The Shark for over a decade and hosting luminaries like Alexander Robotnik, Boo Williams, and Sonja Moonear. Jonny Sender, a stalwart of New York’s downtown music revolution in the 80s to 00s and bass player of post-punk band KONK, brought his unique perspective honed in venues like Mudd Club to the trio when he moved to France. This debut appearance on Secret Teachings is not just a collection of influences but a narrative woven from decades of underground culture and musical exploration - making it a perfect fit for Lazarus’ label as he continues to champion boundary-pushing artistry, curveball signings and inspired remix curation.

'La Quinqui' / 'Llora' is Gipsy Power Band's debut single, where they merge flamenco rumba, rock and funk astonishingly, evoking a unique era of Spanish music.

Formed in Madrid in 2022, Gipsy Power Band was originally conceived to pay live tribute to the music of the Spanish exploitation film genre known as "cine quinqui", performing tracks from those movies and many other foundational songs: hits, some flops and hidden gems released in Spain from the mid-70s to the early 80s. Rock, funk, disco and flamenco rumba productions by Los Chichos, Las Grecas, Los Chunguitos and Los Chorbos, among others.

After two years setting the Madrid stages on fire and making the public dance to this vintage repertoire, the time has come to move to the next level. The band has evolved and now they are releasing their first own songs: a dramatic love story told from two points of view worthy of a period "cine quinqui" movie, the spirit of which inspires the compositions.

After four years of solo festival appearances, the duo formed by Rebeka Warrior and Vitalic is making a grand comeback!

The release of the new album is planed on january 24 and a European and French tour, including a sold out show at the Olympia (Paris) in April 2025 and at Zénith Paris - La Villette on November 5th, 2025.

Following Anna Kohlin & Basement Space’s bold split EP on her recently formed Inside Out imprint, the Stockholm native brings a smörgåsbord of delectable treats from fellow Swedes - Basement Space & Måns Glaeser, Eric OS, Baby Rollén and Anna Kohlin herself. 002 is packed with quirky dancefloor tones that span from Anna’s own inimitable techy-house sounds, through to the experimental melodics of Basement Space. Baby Rollén brings a dusty balearic track with moving pads and Eric OS dishes up a punchy club workout!

You Are The Morning was formed amid personal upheaval in 2021. "I came out as trans to my nearest and dearest," she says, "Some did not accept me, but some did." Jasmine got divorced, and a difficult home life meant she was writing while experiencing homelessness and precarious housing, sleeping on friend's couches and relying on community support. Despite the pain of some of its background, the record is an uplifting look at t4t love. Jasmine describes her first trans romance as the first time she experienced joy in a deep sense, because of her experience of living as a woman. First single `Skin on Skin' explores the new joy of physical touch. Usually a quick writer, it's a rare song that grew over time, during which a close connection with a friend began to form. "Sticking to the physical boundaries we wanted to have with each other became increasingly difficult. We were spending lots of time together, then falling in love. This song became a celebration of healing and physical catharsis found through unrepressed queer love." The first UK signee on Saddest Factory Records, the album was produced by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. Jasmine and her band travelled to L.A. to record at Sound City Studios. It was made across 12 days in a highly collaborative and emotional process, and because Jasmine sees her songs as fluid and ever-changing, the recordings carry that free and spontaneous spirit. jasmine.4.t is supported by an all-trans band, Phoenix Rousiamanis contributes piano and strings, with Eden O'Brien on drums and Emily Abbott on bass. With Jasmine's voice and songwriting at the centre, the record incorporates a wider cast of voices. `Best Friend's House' features a chorus including her bandmates, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus ("the girls and the boys"), Saddest Factory Records label-mate Claud, Becca Mancari and E.R. Fightmaster. The song carries the communal spirit of the record's creation. On the closing track, `Woman', she is backed by the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, a cross-generational group of trans singers who, like Jasmine, use their voice as a source of communal power. The song blossoms from solo performance to wider group catharsis. All the while, Jasmine sings unwaveringly about the power of knowing yourself at a core level: "I am, in my soul, a woman". The writing of You Are The Morning pulled from dark moments to tell its story. Surrounded by friends, the recording process was full of light. Through her performances, activism and artistry, jasmine.4.t is ushering in a new dawn.

Ambient explorers SWIMS come up trumps with the debut record by London musician and visual artist Loz Keystone, and Glaswegian electronics tamperer and jazz trumpeter Christos Stylianides.

"Craobh Haven" is the dreamlike product of a week's residency in a little cabin in the Scottish village of the same name. Driving around the surrounding countryside each day to gather field recordings, evenings were spent by the duo assembling their findings into tape loops. These little rotating sculptures - containing stones and the rushing waters of the Craignish peninsula, the voices of locals and the cabin's oven timer - formed the basis for one track per night.

While Keystone's whirling touches of Moog, guitar and space echo suggest the murky, placid vastness of the record's setting, the pitch-shifted, probing trumpet of Stylianides soars and stacks countermelodies like vapour trails braided in the atmosphere.

For a record made out of loch water, Hebridean slate and mud - it is surprisingly tuneful and sometimes almost groovy. Recommended if you like Jon Hassell, Roméo Poirier, Spillage Fete.

'Cupar Grain Silo' is Sam Annand's first release on the Blackford Hill label. Its nine tracks blur the lines between ambient electronica and sonic history, as synthesised melodies and rhythms reverberate through the extreme acoustics of the disused Cupar Grain Silo in Scotland. Built in 1964 as a sugar store, the silo towers 60 metres above the surrounding Fife countryside. Its industrial life was short: in 1971 it was closed, and barring a short period as a grain store, remained empty for decades.

In 2014, Sam Annand was given access to the silo as part of the Resono project, set up to study a series of highly reverberant locations across Scotland. The ambitious industrial architecture of the Cupar Grain Silo has given the space a reverberation time of 36.5 seconds. This measurement describes the time a sound takes to decay or 'fade away' in a closed space. To put this in perspective, the Cupar Grain Silo reverb time is around three times longer than that in cathedrals like York Minster and St Paul's.

"The acoustics are immediately noticeable when climbing the ladder into the main chamber", Sam says. "The sound of your voice begins to circle around and above you, inviting you to shout, clap and bang objects to excite the space into revealing its intimidating architectural voice."

Sam began to experiment with musical compositions which responded to the unique acoustics of the silo space. He used impulse responses – a short, sharp sound like a gunshot – to record these acoustics, allowing him to experiment with the silo's reverb in his production. Sam's compositions were performed using a modular synth system, a Roland Juno-6 polyphonic synthesizer and a bowed ride cymbal.

"Chords can be constructed in time by hanging successive single notes in the air," Sam describes, "The flutter echoes from the immediate cylindrical walls can be used to create bursts of scattering spatial imagery and harmonic blooms, following short percussive moments."

Originally recorded on 21st May 2016, 'Cupar Grain Silo' is now released on 12" vinyl with an accompanying booklet of imagery and essays. The compositions are at once true to the unique architectural acoustics of the silo whilst also being playful and experimental with the creative possibilities it offered. Arpeggiated melodies ebb and fall across extended call-and-response shapes formed by the silo's reverb; modular drum patterns crackle like dying machinery; whilst bowed drones waver and wash over.

"We all love reverberation," reflects Prof. Peter Stollery, Professor of Composition and Electroacoustic Music at the University of Aberdeen, on the project. "As kids, we play in it – yelling in forests and caves, surreptitiously dropping objects in huge churches – mouths wide open at the lingering smears of sound which come back to us."

In 'Cupar Grain Silo', Sam Annand has harnessed the extraordinary acoustics of the disused silo to tap into this sense of joy and amazement that reverberation can bring.

Formed by LA-based drummer Tommaso Cappellato in conjunction with pianist Alberto Lincetto and bassist Nicolò Masetto, the group is known for their experimental blend of eclectic jazz, funk, downtempo beats, and vintage Italian library music. On this release, they are showcasing their foray into Italian vocals. The A-side "Luce" is a vibrant track that combines 80s jazz funk elements with a touch of boogie in an extended multi-rhythmic version that keeps the energy grooving. Flipping to the B-side, "Luna Gioia" offers a modern interpretation of downtempo Brazilian-funk and slow disco, accompanied by an instrumental version that allows the music to shine on its own.

Biomontana is just another moniker of the succesful duo formed by bassist Flavio Gemma and Massimiliano Bocchio (Urbanatribù). Based in Alessandria and devoted to all kinds of electronic wizardry, Biomontana, compared to Urbanatribù, is more related to their Progressive/Goa side. According to the artist, both records were only released as 2 different promo eps for just a few djs that were playing in the Indian state. As in the best "Goa tradition" the record had, on the flip side, a great slow tempo and acid infused number. Unfortunately the projects never had an official distribution until nowadays.

As the tenth candle flickers atop the torta alla panna, Archeo Recordings play the Uno reverse card, breaking with tradition to give us a gift in celebration of its birthday: the first in a series of exquisite EPs on which the label's favourite contemporaries pay homage to past masters. Each re-polished gem is plucked either directly from the beatific back catalogue of the fine Florentine label or is at least Archeo-adjacent, perhaps a sign of future wonders to come. Like a musical version of Janus, who can be found at the heart of Bertoldo di Giovanni's frieze in the Medici villa, Archeo Recordings will continue to look forwards and backwards to provide sublime sounds for us all.
Pepe Maina officially joined the Archeo family in 2019 with the much-needed reissue of his 1979 masterpiece Scerizza (AR015), but his astounding music has been a constant companion to label head Manu for much longer. An inter-dimensional, multi-instrumental maverick, Maina weaves the frayed edges of prog rock, new age, organic jazz and global minimalism into a shimmering tapestry all of his own. The results are spread across fifty years and almost as many albums, largely self-released and always absolutely untarnished by commercial concerns.
Based in a small village in the hills of Brianza, just north of Milan, Maina translates the beauty of his surroundings into transformative tone poems, and the folkloric fusion of "The Infinite", originally released on his 2014 CD Tales From The Hill, is the perfect example of his practice. It opens with a recitation of Giacomo Leopardi's 1825s poem "L'Infinito" by famed Italian actor Vittorio Gassman. A leading figure in the romantic movement, Leopardi explores the idea of time and space within the natural world, and the peace that comes with an appreciation of the immensity of eternity. Manu, longtime digger and now a burgeoning producer, expands upon the original with tribal percussion, chirping electronics and a spheric bassline, folding Maina's elegant strings and gossamer pads into a new arrangement suited for a slow dance under the stars.
Unless you had a well-trained ear tuned to Italy's avant-jazz scene, chances are your first encounter with innovative flautist Roberto Aglieri came via the 2017 Archeo reissue of hisalmost untraceable LP Ragapadani (AR011). It's a true testament to Manu's digging credentials that he snatched this masterpiece out of the esoteric atmosphere and brought it attention it so richly deserved. A delicate union of digital synthesis and versatile flute - be it soft and silvery or
brilliant and clear - the 1987 album was a shapeshifting masterpiece, replaying scenes from Virgil, Verdi, Visconti and Pasolini with a neon glow. Quintessentially Italian, but uncanny and previously unimagined - Penthouse and Portico perhaps. Powered by a percolating prototechno sequence, cascading keys, hallucinogenic vocal snippets and a variety of tonal timbres from Roberto's reed, "Danza N. 1" long deserved the praise reserved for Jean-Luc Ponty's pinnacle, so many thanks to Manu for our collective introduction. The tall task of reinterpreting this particular paragon falls to Perugian polymath Daniele Tomassini AKA Feel Fly, whose peerless skills as both producer and musician have delighted DJs and dancers alike. Hot on the heels of his diverse and definitive remixes of Tony Esposito for AR027, Daniele delivers a radical rework of "Danza N. 1" perfect for both day rave sunshine and full moon party alike. Enhanced by snapping breaks and a rattling kick, the bassline gurgle emerges as a progressive powerhouse, laying the foundation for the trilling flute and circular keys to cast a psychedelic spell. As the slow-Goa revival picks up pace, this one is way ahead of the pack.
Archeo take us all the way back to the start of its story here - well almost. Though it bore the stamp AR001 (2015), this Radio Band reissue actually hit shelves months after Tony Esposito's "Je-Na' / Pagaia"; a false start perhaps but a true classic all the same. Radio Band were a group of DJs from Florence who all sailed the airways of Radio Fantasy in 1984 and whose one and only release was this super groovy slice of Italo-boogie. Following the example of Milanese DJs Band of Jocks but far surpassing their formulaic funk fizzle, Radio Band employed an intergalactic bassline, cosmic keys and that undeniably Italian style of rapping to deliver a sophisticated party-starter which even found its way to disco deity Ron Hardy. Back to the here and now, and if you've found yourself pumping an ecstatic fist to a supercharged Italian epic of late, chances are its from the mind of the mysterious Radiomarc. Operating on the ascendent Popcorn Groove imprint, this shadowy figure steers his country's lost classics into peaktime territories, finding a sweet spot between late Italo-disco, early Italo-house and contemporary cool. Pushing the tempo with a club-ready 4/4, setting the sequencer to stun and supplementing the original melodies with a series of synth riffs, the mystery producer send this one into orbit. Radio Band - Radio Rap - Radiomarc, the circle is complete.
Few have done more to develop cross-cultural musical exchange than Futuro Antico. A collaborative venture from musician, archeologist and ethnomusicologist Walter Maioli, keyboardist and tonal theoretician Riccardo Sinigaglia and multi-disciplinary artist and composer Gabin Dabiré, Futuro Antico formed in Milan in 1979, combining ancient international folkloric traditions with otherworldly electronics. The result is an arresting melange of Mediterranean, African and Asian instrumentation, mimicked by esoteric synth tones and hypnotic minimalism, which the group perfected on their acclaimed 1990 LP Dai Primitivi All'Elettronica. The meditative and transportive "Pan Tuning" belongs to their largely overlooked 2005 CD only release Intonazioni Archetipe, and has been amongst Manu's most loved tracks from the first moment he heard it. Who else is better placed to reshape this evocative opus into an immersive, transcendental dance floor journey than label favourites Mushrooms Project? The duo sows the original elements into a sprawling fifteen minute fusion of séance and science, at times propulsive with a ritualist rhythm of tuned percussion and crunching drum machine at others drifting off into ethereal ambience. Mushrooms Project continue to push the boundaries of the Afro-cosmic style, and this remix marks a new zenith.