Sincere, sarcastic and unassumingly seminal: Glasgow's answer to Basic Channel, Southside's answer to Pub and Sandy's answer to those endless afters. 2s on the balcony and runs to the shop. An ode to the skyline; a symphony for the local legends; a tapestry of downtempo dreamscapes - from Shawlands to Neukölln and the world beyond. A warm dose of future-proof emotion. Strap in, this is one for heads, the lovers and all those along the way. Welcome to the layer cake son. Forever yours, Dream_E.
A focal point for the unique punk-funk that was coming together in Bristol as the bridge from the 70s to the 80s arrived, Maximum Joy was formed by Glaxo Babies multi-instrumentalist Tony Wrafter and 18 year old vocalist Janine Rainforth. Soon they drafted in additional Glaxo Babies in the form of drummer Charlie Llewellin and bassist Dan Catsis, along with guitarist John Waddington, fresh from The Pop Group. The group set about making a one-of-a-kind mix of funk, punk, pop, jazz, dub, soul, afrobeat and reggae; creating a brilliant burst of danceable tunes wrapped around elastic basslines and complex percussion, punctuated by melodic horns and stabs of guitar, all of it highlighting Rainforth’s naturally enthusiastic vocal style. They immediately took their place on the rosters of influential labels like Y and 99 with iconic debut single Stretch, as the band had clearly captured something special.
Entering 1982, Kevin Evans had replaced Catsis as Maximum Joy set out to make what would be their only full length LP. Recording at Berry Street and The Lodge with producers Adrian Sherwood (On-U-Sound legend), Dave Hunt (Flying Lizards, Pigbag, This Heat) and Pete Wooliscroft (Kate Bush, Talk Talk, Peter Gabriel, OMD, This Heat) the band would mix practiced grooves with imaginative improvisation. The results were absolutely jaw-dropping.
Station M.X.J.Y. kicks things off with Dancing On My Boomerangand promptly sets forth the blueprint for bands like !!! and The Rapture to capitalize on nearly twenty years later. In fact, those bands can only dream of the mix of driving percussion and spectral shards of guitar that Maximum Joy has clearly already mastered. Do It Todayannounces itself immediately with Rainforth delivering a looping and infectious vocal melody that the others dance around playfully, as handclaps keep the stomping groove intact, leaving a dancehall hit for outer space circling your turntable.
If you ever wondered what it would sound like if ESG and The Slits combined forces, Let It Take You There has the answer for you. Llewellin periodically delivers a cascade of marching band percussion while Waddington’s classic R&B riffs are transformed into a slithering snake trying to keep pace with Evans locked in groove as Rainforth’s singsong vocals are reduced to whispered echoes. They close out side one with the delicious slab of pop that is Searching For A Feeling. Clearly pronouncing the band’s intention to find the positives in a dire time for England, they look to rally those around them to focus on making real change in the face of opposing voices via one of Rainforth’s most delightful deliveries.
Side two sees Wrafter stretching out on Where’s Deke?, showcasing what had already been obvious, as he is the band’s secret weapon, often coloring each tune with his horns, sometimes in several styles just seconds apart. He underlines that feeling with the raucous and bouncy Temple Bomb Twist, before they hit a straight groove in Mouse An’ Me, like a dub infected Train In Vain. Well, if The Clash had ever allowed themselves to properly lose their minds on the dancefloor.
A funky afrobeat flute and guitar battle breaks out (way cooler than it sounds) before Rainforth rallies the troops to not only fill up the disco, but also the surrounding streets in political resistance to Thatcherism via All Wrapped Up. It is entirely genuine and their activism has none of the menace of the others in their scene, but rather a feeling of sharp optimism amongst this danceable masterpiece. It is that optimism that always set Maximum Joy apart, and makes their grooves all the more irresistible today.
Sadly, the upward trajectory of the band was cut short as Rainforth left the group, and soon afterwards seemed to stop making music altogether. The reasoning seemed destined to remain a mystery, until earlier this year when she gave a brave interview to The Guardian where she revealed that an assault by someone in the industry caused her to retreat entirely from music for nearly three decades. Luckily, Janine has embraced music once again, and she refuses to let the magic that was Station M.X.J.Y. be lost as well.
Another West-End sure-shot! This sublime piece of early electronic Boogie has always worn it's "classic" badge with a relaxed sense of pride since it's release in 1982, perhaps it's the languid synthed out groove supplied by studio maestros Nick martinelli & David Todd or Brenda Taylor's sublime vocals reminding us all that the game of love is always a 2 way street that are to blame
Whatever it is, this is a solid, classic slice of Disco gold, more on the down to mid-tempo tip but still big enough to keep the dance-floors packed from the Garage to the Loft & beyond with ease! The production simply sounds years ahead of it's time (still does!) & it has the FUNK in bucket-loads, this is as essential as it gets, the real deal. Featured here are all the original mixes that were on the 1982 pressing (Yes! There's a dub mix!).
Re-mastered, re-pressed & re-released for 2015 with all original West End Records label artwork intact. Done in conjunction & with the permission of all right holders.
Celebrating live music and record store culture.
After having completed the first run of shows for their recent album "2066" through UK, France and Germany, the Mighty Mocambos did an intimate performance at world-renowned Groove City Record Store in their hometown Hamburg.
Not content with just playing stripped down versions of existing material, the band wanted to step up a notch from the "tiny desk" type concert idea and decided to record unreleased tunes for a vinyl single capturing the live energy and crowd atmosphere with analog studio techniques. After having warmed up with a couple of songs from "2066", a cheerful crowd in the packed shop witnessed the band tracking magic takes of unheard songs directly to tape.
"St. Pauli Second Line", an instrumental live favourite with simple but irresistant swamp funk ostinatoes turned into a frenetic call and response chant workout midway of the song. Singer Nichola Richards' tune "Keep It Movin'", a mainstay of the band's live repertoire for years, was cut with great energy, finally finding its way onto wax. "Something's Missing" is a brand new tune with a raw sister funk vibe - written and arranged for the occasion, rehearsed once and performed live for the first time in the version you hear on this record.
While many live recordings a are mere mix of crowd noise and neglectable renditions of well-worn tunes that are unusable for DJs and hardly appealing to the dedicated listener, THE MIGHTY MOCAMBOS - Live At Groove City au contraire is a treat for turntableists and a testimony of the spark that a well-attuned live band can light up, combining the vibes of a concert with the no-nonsense analog sound of their well-loved studio recordings.
Kajunga is proud to release unheard material from the wise and honorable Heckadecimal. “Critters” is a collection of 5 unique hardware built tracks that scurry from moody and contemplative to charged and frantic.
“Bat Silk Stunt” starts the record off with resonant acid bass lines creeping through a rich forest of analog drums. “D’etre” shifts the tone into a pool of moody progressions, dissonant sequences, and syncopated grooves. Living up to it’s namesake, “Acid Tenders” provides an exciting exploration of unbridled 303 energy. “Digital Foam” picks up the pace with frantic and squiggly textures that skitter about as a deranged synth-line takes command. “The Luminous Flesh of Giants” rounds out the journey with a 4/4 crawl through wistful melodies and iridescent chords.
Heckadecimal has been a fixture of the Minneapolis DIY electronic music scene since Time Untold, or around the turn of the century. He’s been an unwavering force and advocate for sonic experimentation, known for his energetic live sets of pure machine fun, from bouncy electro to breaky techno and acidic wiggles galore.
Heckadecimal has released on Great Circles, Electric Music Foundation, and his own label, Always Human Tapes, co-run with Ryan Wurst and TML. Past projects and collaborations include: The Worm, Two Human, noface, Clavin Klein, Joshua Michaels & Allen Smithee. Recently he’s dropped hours of live material via Bandcamp spanning 8 releases. He’s thinking of learning how to DJ
For the third time, we smash the history books with remasters of some absolute classic Sublove tracks. Some of the best in his catalogue, but thats no surprise, Sublove is an artist with no duds. Limited double vinyl as always, bound to sell out as always...This EP comes with 6 much sought after classic tunes, with the added bonus of a recently discovered version of the huge underground anthem..er…”Underground” as well as a brand new remix of 140 by Luna-C & Lowercase. All In all, an essential double pack for any true old skool lovers.
‘Reality Tunnels’ is a concept that was originally introduced by Robert Anton Wilson in his 1983 book ‘Prometheus Rising’. In essence, the concept of a reality tunnel relates to an idea on how we create our own perspective – the subjective filter that we each apply to the world around us; the things we perceive and what our consciousness deems worthy of attention, IE what we see and hear is entirely relative to what we do not.
At points angular and uncompromising with levels in the red, frequencies pushed out and EQ curves stretched into strange new shapes, Pinch mixes both low and hi fi on this boldly distinct sonic statement. It sees him flexing years of production skills – but unconventionally so – knowing well that safe predictability and rounded polish don’t get the most interesting results.
Dark trip hop Bristolia segues into blistering jungle on album opener ‘Entangled Particles’, before planet-hopping onto the spiky insidious grimestep of ‘All Man Got’, featuring the rugged rasp of OG warhorse Trim.
Beginning a triptych of future techno, ‘Accelerated Culture’ offers the album’s most relatively straightforward moment, albeit one of scorching, anthemic dancefloor heat. Delving deeper into the vortex is the synapse sparking wobbler ‘Returnity’, before ‘Finding Space’ reaches to the cosmos’ far-flung, glowing outlands.
Back to an urban reality is ‘Party’, where a subtly menacing sense of dread is ignited by Killa P’s incremental flow, which ramps-up and pairs-back the intensity in unexpected ways. Still moving freely between different realities, ‘Back To Beyond’ is beautiful gloaming ambience, executed with equal fine-tuned grace as the genre’s masters.
Jamaican vocalist Inezi lends sweet tones to the slow burning, roots-meets-modern-bass spiritual ‘Change Is A Must’, and on ‘Non-Terrestrial Forms’ an atmospheric, misty steppers intro segues stealthily into fiercely dystopian, amen-fuelled jungle tekno; marking one of several surprise attacks on the album, where a subtle-slight-of hand shoots the intensity level dynamically up.Closing as it begins, the album is bookended by a piece that recalls the dark, intricate soundscapes of Massive Attack’s ‘Mezzanine’ and Tricky’s ‘Maxinquaye’ – found here in ‘The Last One’s scorched, smoky rocker.
Hit the vinyl double pack for an exclusive and quite unique sounding 120bpm glitchy techno roller featuring man like Trim once again and live cello recordings.
‘Reality Tunnels’ is a concept that was originally introduced by Robert Anton Wilson in his 1983 book ‘Prometheus Rising’. In essence, the concept of a reality tunnel relates to an idea on how we create our own perspective – the subjective filter that we each apply to the world around us; the things we perceive and what our consciousness deems worthy of attention, IE what we see and hear is entirely relative to what we do not.
At points angular and uncompromising with levels in the red, frequencies pushed out and EQ curves stretched into strange new shapes, Pinch mixes both low and hi fi on this boldly distinct sonic statement. It sees him flexing years of production skills – but unconventionally so – knowing well that safe predictability and rounded polish don’t get the most interesting results.
Dark trip hop Bristolia segues into blistering jungle on album opener ‘Entangled Particles’, before planet-hopping onto the spiky insidious grimestep of ‘All Man Got’, featuring the rugged rasp of OG warhorse Trim.
Beginning a triptych of future techno, ‘Accelerated Culture’ offers the album’s most relatively straightforward moment, albeit one of scorching, anthemic dancefloor heat. Delving deeper into the vortex is the synapse sparking wobbler ‘Returnity’, before ‘Finding Space’ reaches to the cosmos’ far-flung, glowing outlands.
Back to an urban reality is ‘Party’, where a subtly menacing sense of dread is ignited by Killa P’s incremental flow, which ramps-up and pairs-back the intensity in unexpected ways. Still moving freely between different realities, ‘Back To Beyond’ is beautiful gloaming ambience, executed with equal fine-tuned grace as the genre’s masters.
Jamaican vocalist Inezi lends sweet tones to the slow burning, roots-meets-modern-bass spiritual ‘Change Is A Must’, and on ‘Non-Terrestrial Forms’ an atmospheric, misty steppers intro segues stealthily into fiercely dystopian, amen-fuelled jungle tekno; marking one of several surprise attacks on the album, where a subtle-slight-of hand shoots the intensity level dynamically up.Closing as it begins, the album is bookended by a piece that recalls the dark, intricate soundscapes of Massive Attack’s ‘Mezzanine’ and Tricky’s ‘Maxinquaye’ – found here in ‘The Last One’s scorched, smoky rocker.
Hit the vinyl double pack for an exclusive and quite unique sounding 120bpm glitchy techno roller featuring man like Trim once again and live cello recordings.
"WOLF Music" offer up something a little different to their usual tip, enlisting the warm dusty reverberations of four-piece, jazz-not-jazz collective Velour for a 7" of hazy, genre traversing rhythms. Alongside being producer for the Velour project, long-standing member of the WOLF pack Mr. Fries gives his own distinctive house touch to the flip side remix.
Perfectly capturing the new school of jazz, Essen-based Velour crisscross genres drawing on elements from each yet anchoring their roots in the richness of jazz’s deft melodies and percussive touches. Head-nodding down the open road, ‘Pose’ is that undeniably soulful, first swig of summer many tracks strive to be. Morphing into a woozy affair as the sun sets midway through, Velour’s songwriting talent well outstrips their years. Throw WOLF pack member Mr. Fries into the mix, kneading in his signature production style and the freshly baked result straddles the intersection between jazz, broken beat, house and soul.
Fries then takes on remix duties for the flip, maintaining that dusty demeanour yet going for a full frontal Moodymann-esque house interpretation. The smokey jazz bar sax, background hustle and weighty beat make for a summertime heater served straight from
the grill, garnished just right with Mr. Fries own vocals over the top.
Dievegge emerges again in the darkest hours for the second
instalment. Ouvrijster returns with three soulful house tracks
on the Amsterdam based label and comes back with a definite
improvement in production skills. The first track “Make Me
Move” is a deep disco groover that levitates you with vocals
longing for body movement. The deeper sounds empower the
desire to escape everyday life. “Konkelfoezen” then funks
things up with a groovy baseline and rich sounding stabs. It
yearns for bringing back the modern take on the 70’s sound
into the clubs of today. The slow burner “Sleazy Saints” rounds
up the record with an ode to the sleazy sounds, pleading for
the return of these saints. By its slower pace and unfolding
atmosphere it moves away from the easy heaters and
enriches the messages of these tracks. This second Dievegge
Recordings vinyl only release shows again the goal of this
project and the sound that Dievegge cherishes.
THE definitive collection of one of dance music's most enduring and infamous left-field anthems, across 2 x 12"s and 1 x bonus 33rpm 7"!
The collaborative team of Arthur Russell and Steve D'Acquisto crafted some of the best wonky disco not disco cuts during their short lifespan and 'Is It All Over My Face' is one of their crowning glories. Collected here, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this gloriously weird record, are all the best versions from then, and now. Even a quick dig in the archive yielded some treats with the male and female acapella appearing for the first time EVER, featuring on a specially 33rpm cut 7" alongside Larry Levan's promo 7" mixes. Also, the instrumental version has never been released before, but it is here for this very special limited package in it's full, unedited glory. This is one for the heads, an essential do-not-miss RSD special edition for those who are still 'love dancin' 4 decades later, housed in a classic special West End disco-bag. Don't sleep!
Produced in collaboration with Sony / Above Board distribution, 2020.
Limited to 300 units.
Project founded in Mallorca circa 2015 releasing 'Four Seasons' by the end of that year, it was a digital and musical tribute to nature itself.
Then based in Barcelona on december 2017 came out an EP/Anti titled 'Continental', 41 minutes of pure melancholic weird dreams with crunchy beats.
On may 2019 Diürn presents 'Una Història Hologràfica', one hour of experimental electronic music that expands through downtempo, techno and ambient. The album pushes the sound boundaries further by exploring the consciousness of the unknown.
Rich NxT returns to FUSE to open June with his latest EP, ‘The Swish Cheese’.
A quintessential member of the FUSE family since its formation, longstanding resident label favourite Rich NxT may well currently be in one of his finest periods of musical output to date. With recent releases and remixes via the likes of Moxy Muzik, S .A.S.H. and his own NxT Records, and fresh from his stand out remix of Planetary Notions head honcho Joe Rolét on Infuse, the London-
based DJ, producer and label boss now returns to his home imprint of FUSE in emphatic fashion to deliver three fresh original productions in the form of his ‘The Swish Cheese’ EP.
A-side and title cut ‘Swish Cheese’ is a low-slung effort that layers rumbling sub-bass and squelchy stabs beneath icy snares to reveal a twisting and hypnotic opener, whilst on the flip ‘Your Time’ welcomes rich organic percussion arrangements, soft chords amongst tripped-out vocal snippets and further warping basslines. To close, the slick ‘Heaven Base’ shapes up the package with authority as swinging drum grooves meet soaring vocals and arpeggiated synths lines, offering up yet more trademark no-nonsense Rich NxT sonics via the ever-impressing London imprint.
Carving out an enviable reputation across the globe for his distinctive and highly personal brand of House music, Kiko Navarro's voyage of sonic discovery has been going strong for almost three decades now. From London to the Far East, Kiko has travelled far and wide with his music, embracing sounds from each continent as he goes. Kiko's new album, Afroterraneo- also named after his music label- defines the sound of his home. The album incorporates sounds touched by the Mediterranean Sea, drawing influences from Europe, Africa and his roots in the Balearic Islands. Afroterraneo is all about fusion. It includes Afro-Cuban songs like "Okere", "Karabali" and "Ekobio Monina", Midwest-African flavour on "Ihabogi Rawaly" and "Beréde", Flamenco with "La Fatiga", Balearic emotions with maestro Joan Bibiloni on "El Salto Del Martin" and "Vida", South African vibes on "Olwakhuthando", Afro Mbira lines with European TB303 acid blips on "Cacao Ceremony" and it all ends with his own tribute to his mother on "Para Mama". Born on Mallorca, Kiko's sound reflects the sun-drenched, slow living atmosphere of the Balearic island he still calls home. Obsessed from an early age with the more soulful side of US House music, Navarro's DJ skills soon attracted the attention of nightlife behemoth Pacha who offered him club residencies both in Palma and in Ibiza. Next came a monthly gig at Space Ibiza and the rest, as they say, is history. A true Renaissance Man; now also a family man, today's Kiko Navarro is perhaps even more focused and dedicated to his life in music than ever before. An album tour this year will see him play DJ sets in Italy, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, Japan, South Korea, China with many more to be confirmed. Whether in the studio crafting records or in the club controlling the dance-floor, Kiko's musical mission has become the habit of a lifetime.
Our second release this year yet again explores the deep side genres of electronic music and deep house.
The man SMBD aka Simbad has been on our wish list for quite a while now and we are super delighted that It finally worked out to welcome him for a full release on our label after his contribution to the first Dampé Ep we did last year. After a string of releases on labels like Apron, Freerange and BBE there is not much introduction needed for this house veteran.
These five tracks range from soulful house to darker break beat material and ambient soundscapes. Especially the great title track “Purple Winds” is a beautiful emotional piece of music. The closing track “Man Madol” for us is very reminiscent to early Detroit electronic music. “Piano Lick” and “Glory” are packed with soul, funk, disco and basically just good times on the dancefloor while the moody and acid break beat excursion “ – 8 – “ is winding deeper and deeper and deeper …
Not much more needed to be said here, we will let the music speak and let you enjoy these excellent tunes!
The vinyl edition is limited to 300 copies and comes in a sealed heavy old-fashioned cardboard sleeve. A free download code plus a BJINT logo sticker round up the packaging.
Paris-based producers Alcynoos & Parental (of Kalhex) present their collaborative effort "Shapes" on Beat Jazz International. Expect some super mellow tunes with producer guests like Remulak, Parental's brother Lex (de Kalhex), Ødyssee, Aywee Tha Seed and others. Scratches are provided by Debonair P. and DJ Soul Intellect.
Rising Manchester star FINN takes the helm for the next release on Ruf Kutz with two hyper-real contemporary raw bangers crafted for maximum emotional impact backed with remixes from RK big guns RUF DUG & GLOWING PALMS.
Even though he's a comparative youngun, this is by no means Finn's first time at the rodeo - he's a label boss, an NTS pioneer, a Boiler Room veteran, a Defected Records Old Boy and also holds down the coldest twitter account on the information superhighway. It's a big deal to us that we managed to snare him for a release on his ascent to whatever accelerated dimension he is headed for.
Purposely conceived as raw club tracks after a heavy Paul Johnson listening session, TRICK TRICK and BELLE THEME contain many of his beloved hallmarks while also showcasing new creative pathways - the title of the EP surely alluding to what Finn is about to pull from up his sleeve...
Opener TRICK TRICK is many things all at once - a raw turbo-jacker, a hugely emotive bassline roller, a super-fresh club banger that has few elements, yet uses them with such efficiency it's impossible not to be drawn up into its vapour trail.
BELLE THEME winds the pace & harmonic tension up with manic abandon as we find ourselves in Finn's familiar 130-plus territory but while the tempo is slamming he somehow manages to drape everything in a lacy coating, as if we were playing a bonus level from a lost Studio Ghibli PS1 beat-em-up.
Back in the real world we flip the record for 2 textbook Ruf Kutz remixes. First up label boss RUF DUG guts Trick Trick and serves up the fillet on an unashamedly tech-house bed, purpose-built for DC10 circa 2009 - meanwhile Ruffy's partner in crime GLOWING PALMS dips into his secret stash of double doves and takes Belle Theme for an unforgettable night out in a Burnley warehouse.
Of the release Ruf Dug says "It's been a big thrill to follow Finn"s development over the years since we first met. I've been hoping to collaborate with him for quite a while so for it to be finally happening especially at this stage in his career is a genuine mega buzz!"
Finn says: "Been a keen Ruf Kutz fan since Rachel's Team in 2016! So happy to contribute to the label with two rough (ruf) and ready club tracks - late night/early morning hymns"
After nine years of quality assured house music, FINA Records hits release number 30 with another of its forward looking offerings, this time from red hot young Frenchman Armless Kid.
Well known on his native Paris circuit, Armless Kid is now breaking out on the wider international scene. He's released his bustling, heart felt house grooves on Rekids and the legendary Classic Music Company, is a Rinse FM regular and has an anything goes approach that has won him high profile fans like DJ Harvey and The Black Madonna.
Opener Shadows is a superbly warm deep house cut with real drive in the silky smooth drums. It's perfect for cosy dance floors, while Lost Days picks up the pace with raw and hurried kick drums and dusty piano keys bringing real beauty to the groove. Brute Factor Disco pumps any party with its urgent drum programming, explosive sense of energy and dazzling disco chords and last of all, NaturaL FL Groove slips into a funky bass riff, with organic licks and authentic old school production values that make it a timeless classic in the making.
Legendary Detroit Techno collective, Scan 7's 'Burdens Down' release from 2017 was a true testament to their brilliant ability to merge the soulful house textures with the analogue mechanics. The addition of Maurice Jackson's outstanding vocal stylings topped off the original with a perfect human element. Following the global success of the original version, Elypsia Records has enlisted some of the scene's top tastemakers to deliver a remix package worthy of the original, featuring that same calculated combination of soul and steel.
Leaders of the Parisian underground, DJ Deep & Roman Poncet, provide the first remix which is all about building incredible tension. A tightly squeezed kick drum, short synth chops and cleverly placed vocal samples drive the groove. As the track grows, additional hats and synths arrive, leading up to a quick break before all the floor-rocking energy bursts free. Big!
Dutch Techno legend Orlando Voorn steps up next for his first of two remixes, this one leaning towards a very House-centric shuffle with warm, friendly key stabs and the full use of Maurice's vocals. A truly joyful work of dance music magic here, with a relentless rhythmic drive keeping the party happening at full force.
Underground Resistance's very own Mark Flash takes the remix responsibilities for the B1 with his gorgeous synth-saturated rework of the original. An energetic and stomping kick drum powers perfectly alongside future-facing melodies which shine brightly on top of the tune. This one is guaranteed to serve as an earworm for days after the party has ended.
Rounding out the EP is the 2nd remix from Orlando Voorn, this time peering into the underground with a stripped back jackin' track utilizing a looped key melody on top of carefully placed vocal samples and claps. Some unexpected synths appear at the second half of the tune, putting a bit of new-age funk into the party stomper.
