Timeless Legend are a soul group from Columbus, Ohio. Their 'Synchronised' album from 1980 is one of the rarest 'rare grooves' and both original copies and the single 'I Was Born To Love You' currently sell for over £1,000 a copy.
For RSD, Love Vinyl in conjunction with Expansion bring you an earlier 1979 single 'Everybody Disco' (itself worth over £200), a remix and 'I Was Born To Love You' on a 12' single limited to 750 copies. The remix of 'Everybody Disco' is by The Mighty Zaf & Phil Asher who command major respect from the current disco scene and have transformed the song into what will become one of the most significant disco style dance releases of 2018. This is the first and only time for these tracks on 12' single.
The 12' you're about to read a few lines about is a laconic introduction to the music of an elusive new musician on Antinote. Biographical details about him would probably not help comprehend his music and might even seem slightly contradictory with the music itself, as Reigi / Haipa has been produced in Reims - at least, it would have been much more accommodating if the capital of Champagne was located somewhere in-between Sheffield and London...
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Indeed, at first listen, Slowglide's music seems deeply rooted in a very British history of dance music. Reigi, on the A-side, unfolds a cavernous syncopated kick on which relies a compressed, flangered, smart but somehow handcrafted sound with an extra Kraftwerkian treatment (the obsessive robotic arigato gozaimasu' and the pocket calculator' bleeping melodic line), enlightened by discreet synth waves appearing in the middle of the track.
Haipa, the atmospheric B-side, is an even stronger throwback to a time when Intelligent Dance Music was ruling over electronic music, the likes of Aphex Twin and his fellow Warp-affiliates were about to be crowned kings and Ghost In The Shell was establishing itself as one of the most culturally significant pictures of the late past century.
Slowglide's music is not backward-looking, though. There's something that relevantly resonates with today's diffracted musical landscape, as the French producer gathers and updates bits and pieces from a thirty-andsomething yearlong history of electronic dance music. The result is probably Bass Music', something that one might have been tempted to describe as the future of Dance Music' a few decades ago - to quote these prophetic words written many times. It's probably not, but these two songs are certainly fresh and futuristic.
Rotate's fourth release brings back, once again, a collaborative project between two in-house artists that share a strong vision about music, how it should be created and ultimately, experienced: French artist Leiris, and Italian talent Lapucci.
In a connection that seemed instantaneous, Patrice and Mattia joined forces in 2017 over two long and very efficient studio sessions that culminated in a collection of musical treats that speak on behalf of their own personal vision of contemporary dance music. Shadows Talk' is Lapucci & Leiris's debut on Rotate, and it comprises four micro-housey cuts heavy on detailed percussion, mind-bending bass and cosmic synths.
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* Idealz has been involved with Kniteforce since the early Influential days, all the way through KFA and into this new relaunch of Kniteforce Records. This EP is a long time coming - Idealz should always have had a Kniteforce release under his belt, as he has always been, and remains, a distinct sound within the label. This EP brings his unique sound to its perfect place - proper Jungle / D'n'B, but in the old style, and on vinyl where it deserves to be. Run The Tune is one of the best examples of this style released this year, and would fit in perfectly in any 1994-96 jungle set. It is a classic slice of precision jungle, one that moves the dance floor and the mind equally.
On the flip side, Ice Breaker and War On Jungle take the same themes but twist those vibes into other directions. This release, and Mannik's (KF73) really put the flag in the sand for Kniteforce. We do old skool the way it should be done, and embrace all the styles. This is a proper EP for the real underground!
Club / DJ Support
Billy Bunter, the Fat Controller, Glowkid, Slipmatt, Dj Jedi, Dj Luna-C, Dj Brisk, Clayfighter, Jimni Cricket, Bustin, Sc@r, Doughboy, Saiyan, Dave Skywalker, Ponder and many others
* This EP contains four stunning tracks, covering various styles of hardcore, and its the absolute bomb. For a start, Sanxion brings the piano flavor with a track that lives and breathes the traditional Kniteforce sound, bought to a fine shine the way a truly skilled artist can. Meanwhile, Nicky Allen destroys the dance floor with his hyper hardcore track, one that I have been playing at everyone in the vicinity for the last few months or so. Flip the vinyl over and we move into darker territory. TNO is a more recent signing to the Kniteforce label and his first offering is all dark and atmosphetic, but with a relentless pace and undeniable energy. And to round the EP off, Mannik mentasms the hell out, and gives you a small taste of what his forthcoming EP will be like - crazy, dark, authentic old skool that breaks all the rules and shows true skill and panache.
Club / DJ Support
Billy Bunter, the Fat Controller, Glowkid, Slipmatt, Dj Jedi, Dj Luna-C, Dj Brisk, Clayfighter, Jimni Cricket, Bustin, Sc@r, Doughboy, Saiyan, Dave Skywalker, Ponder and many others
* Paul Bradley is a long time hardcore soldier, someone who has lived and breathed the breakbeat scene since its inception, and who finally took the plunge into producing relatively recently. His music is direct and uplifting, with no time for subtlety or overly clever trickery. Each track on the EP is dedicated to moving the dancefloor into a state of euphoria, frenzy, or both. Pounding breaks and piano lines are compliments by some strange and amusing sample choices, leaving you never quite sure of what will happen next.
Club / DJ Support
Billy Bunter, Slipmatt, Dj Jedi, Dj Luna-C, Dj Brisk, Bustin, Sc@r, Doughboy, Saiyan, Dave Skywalker and many others
Hailing from sunny California, Subtle Mind have been making not so subtle waves in the US bass scene for quite some time. Their debut release on Subaltern Records brings in a different style to the imprint with a flavourful, melodic yet weighty selection.
Tracklist:
A: Ambitions feat. Ill Chill
Opening the EP, and featuring Bay Area artist, 'Universal Future MC' Ill Chill on the vocals, lounge vibes greet the listener before sinking into a bathe of bliss and bass. Words and synth lines transcending with low frequencies and space, 'Ambitions' is floating above clouds and diving in the deep ocean at the same time.
AA: Gelato
Subtle Mind are putting the classic 808 drum kit through its paces in 'Gelato'. Mellow pads disguise the heaviness at first, but once the ground shaking bass-line hits, there is no doubt that this one is a tactical weapon; it carries the dance easily while satisfying your melodic desires.
AA2: Standard Strain feat. Saule
With this high-grade collaboration we are welcoming the incredibly talented San Francisco-based Saule to the imprint. Carried by airy bells and soulful vocal hits, Standard Strain brings a jazzy twist to the table. Contrasted by dark synth shots and a bumping bass-line this track is an excellent showcase of the producers' musicality.
The Lucid Dream return in April with the release of new single 'SX1000', the first taster from the recently completed 4th album.
Driven by fans raising £10,000 to hell replace all equipment robbed after a Paris show in early 2017, a new album became the instant focus for The Lucid Dream in the summer of 2017.
The track is a slice of pure acid house, and will again see them acknowledged for venturing into pastures new, setting themselves apart from 'genres', 'scenes' or what any other band are currently doing.
'SX1000', as with the whole album, was penned over the summer by Mark Emmerson (vocals/guitar/synths), using only the classic Roland 303/808 synths, bass and vocals as tools for writing.
Inspiration for the writing was formed via continuous listening to the Chicago to UK acid house works of 1986-1992, the focus predominantly on the groove. 5 months on from those writing sessions and The Lucid Dream have competed their 4th album in 5 years, this track a perfect indicator as to what awaits. A record made for the dancefloor.
The Lucid Dream formed in Carlisle, Cumbria, in 2008. A string of sold-out 7s was followed by the debut longer player, 'Songs Of Lies and Deceit', in August 2013. The album gained critical acclaim from the likes of Uncut, Q, Rocksound, Clash, The Quietus, and leading French culture magazine, 'Les Inrocks', to name a few. The initial vinyl pressing of the debut album (500 copies) sold out within 2 days, and was backed by a main stage slot at Kendal Calling, and supports to Death In Vegas and A Place To Bury Strangers (full UK tour).
The bands 2nd album ('The Lucid Dream') was released in March 2015 to further acclaim. This included 2 BBC 6 Music sessions, and press from Uncut, The Skinny, Louder Than War, and Drowned In Sound, who named the album #7 UK album of 2015. Further supports to Clinic and A Place To Bury Strangers coincided.
3rd album, 'Compulsion Songs' was released in September 2016, on Holy Are You Recordings. The vinyl pressing of the album sold-out within a day, prompting an immediate 2nd press, with pre-sales of the album topping 1,000 before release. The album was backed by a headline UK tour, and a main slot at Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia (for which they were singled out for major plaudits from The Quietus, The Skinny and Drowned In Sound). The album again received acclaim from the likes of Mojo, Uncut, Classic Rock Magazine, BBC Radio 2 (Huey Morgan) and across the board on BBC 6 Music (Lauren Laverne, Marc Riley, Tom Ravenscroft, Gideon Coe, Stuart Maconie).
This is the 2nd various artists compilation from the esoteric Black Lodge collective out of Los Angeles, showcasing a variety of sounds one is likely to hear at their monthly gatherings. This comp contains a mixture of acidic jacking warehouse bangers from veteran producers TX Connect and Jasen Loveland alongside a more acid chicago house inspired jakbeat track from Black Lodge co-founder Kosmik and an EBM/electro dance cut from the Belligerents.
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15th release of the strong Barba records! And its FBK who's back featuring a remix by none other than Claude Young - a Detroit heavy-weight who's been particularly selective with his output. Kevin's previous record for Barba, a 2016 twelve titled "Screaming Her Name", also featured a remixes by Terrence Dixon and Plural. Between then and now Kevin managed to put out a track for "The Cast Project" VA and a solo EP for Radio Slave's "Rekids" imprint. As we mentioned earlier, "Eclipse" features two original tracks, the title one and "To A Place I Know". "Eclipse" track is closer to the sound we've come to associate to FBK's productions - equally banging and meditative. This track takes you for a spin with hypnotizing lead synth, distorted acid lines and drums that intensify the vibe as the track progresses. It's dark and moody, but perfect for those moments when the dancefloor is ready to dive really deep. "To A Place I Know" starts on the similar note but as soon as the sampled vocal loop takes the lead it takes the song to a much happier place. Hypnotizing element is still unavoidably present but here the synth line is more subdued and plays a supporting role to the vocals. Something you would play when you need to dive out from the deep and feel some sun on your skin. Finally, Claude Young's remix of "Eclipse" is a fairly different affair, focusing on the meditative aspect of the original quite literally, and taking it to a whole other level. It is an exercise in restraint and patience, with a slowly-rising tension masterfully achieved by a piano line, ambient pads and synth textures subtly exchanging roles throughout the whole length of the song. Simply wonderful. All that, pressed onto a heavy duty 180 gram vinyl and beautifully packaged in an original artwork traditionally featuring local artists
Dapayk Solo, Berlin based producer and veteran of the minimal techno scene, announces the release of his 10th studio album 'The Calling'. This latest project will be the producer's first solo album since
2015. The 8-track double 12inch LP will be available via Dapayk Solo's label Mo's Ferry Productions and comes with a free download voucher for the extended 12-track digital album.
The first track on this LP 'The Calling' shares its name with the album and starts off with a pang of energetic, chopped beats before exploding into a brassy melody, continuously gaining momentum.
'Blackout' immediately announces itself as a next generation Detroit House anthem. The rolling synths, hi hats, and vocals make this one of the most outstanding tracks on the album. 'Aurora' stays true to its name with a buildup composed of throbbing ethereal synths that give the track an otherworldly vibe. 'Flood' transports listeners to the dancefloor with its pulsating bassline combined with Komplement's quaint vocals.
The second part of the album begins with 'After All', one of the most enticing tracks on the album. It combines the groovy rhythm of four to the floor percussion with tantalizing vocals by VARS before New Release Information 'Low Tinnitus' reverts to Dapayk's signature minimalist sound. The transition into 'Wanderer' continues the momentum built up by the previous tracks. The closing 'Walk With Me' is a deep-house jam that features a rhythmic shaker layered under Mental Bend's powerful vocals.
Dapayk Solo, alias Niklas Worgt, isn't afraid to try new things. With 5 aliases under his belt, he continuously strives to experiment with different styles and production techniques to create innovative sounds. Throughout the span of two decades he went from producing drum'n'bass to house to ultimately crafting the groovy, edgy techno sound that he's now known for.
With more than ten LP releases and over 70 single releases on his record, he is one of the main protagonists in the world of underground electronic music. In 2017, he released an LP titled 'Harbour' with his wife Eva Padberg under one of his many projects, Dapayk & Padberg. While that album aimed to steer away from traditional club beats, 'The Calling' sees Dapayk reassume his deep, dark, and infectious sound. While Dapayk is often categorized as a minimal producer, the LP proves that he is capable of extending beyond the scope of a single genre. 'The Calling' is just another example of why Dapayk has managed to stay in the scene for so long: he loves electronic music and he's great at
making it, too.
Molten Moods releases another finely curated various artists record with tracks by Skee Mask, Kessel Vale, Jonas Yamer and Konrad Wehrmeister. Kessel Vales opening track Voguing Geisha' is an unconventional breakbeat masterpiece following his sense of harmony and rhythm already shown through previous releases on Tanstaafl Records and Rhythm Nation. As the track unfolds it reveals musical storytelling by integrating a technoid polyrhythmic loop structure into melodic synth figures, slowly deconstructing in the end. Skee Mask collaborated with Molten Moods labelhead and Carl Gari member Jonas Yamer on Fanta Ocean', it being the first release ever outside of his Ilian Tape homebase. The outcome is a moody IDM piece with cinematic qualities, complex but soothing. The B-Side begins with Xenomorph' by Konrad Wehrmeister, who is known by his releases on Public Possession and SVS Records. This trancy yet distorted and detailed electro banger surely takes on the role of the records dancefloor highlight. The closing track Insgeheim' is delivered by Molten Moods head honcho Jonas Yamer. Here groovy kicks, distorted chords and a psychedelic pad are woven into one compelling 10 am techno track. The common thread of Molten Moods 4 is four young Munich artists going on a joint trip into idiosyncratic electronic music. The resulting tracks intertwine as one modern and diverse techno record. Out on 12 vinyl and wav by the end of March 2018. In the tradition of Molten Moods' cost-conscious design strategies by Paul Bernhard, the record comes with a xeroxed low budget sticker set.
Mastered by Manmade.
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Includes 12' Vinyl and Deluxe CD album, 30 page hard back book
Now that I've been to Nashville,' Kylie Minogue says with audible affection, I understand. It's like some sort of musical ley-line...'
Golden, Kylie's fourteenth studio album, is the result of an intensive working trip to the home of Country music, a city whose influence lingered on long after the pop legend and her team returned to London to finish the record: We definitely brought a bit of Nashville back with us,' she states. The album is a vibrant hybrid, blending Kylie's familiar pop-dance sound with an unmistakeable Tennessee twang. It was Jamie Nelson, Kylie's long-serving A&R man, who first came up with the concept of incorporating a Country element' into Kylie's tried-and-trusted style. That idea sat there for a little while, with Minogue and her team initially unsure about how to bring it to life. Then, when Grammy-winning songwriter Amy Wadge's publisher suggested Kylie should come over to collaborate in Nashville, a city Kylie had previously never visited, something clicked. You know when you're so excited about something,' she recalls, that you repeat it an octave higher and double the decibels I was like that. 'Nashville! Yes! Of course I would!'. I hoped it would help the album to reveal itself. I thought 'If I don't get it in Nashville, I'm not going to get it anywhere.''
Kylie's Nashville trip involved working alongside two key writers, both with homes in the city. One was British-born songwriter Steve McEwan (whose credits include huge Country hits for Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood), and the other was the aforementioned Amy Wadge, another Brit (best known for her mega-selling work with Ed Sheeran). It was then a truly international project: Golden was mainly created with African-German producer Sky Adams and a list of contributors including Jesse Frasure, Eg White, Jon Green, Biff Stannard, Samuel Dixon, Danny Shah and Lindsay Rimes, and there's a duet with English singer Jack Savoretti.
However, the album's agenda-setting lead single Dancing was, significantly, first demoed with Nathan Chapman, the man who guided Taylor Swift's transition from Country starlet to Pop megastar. If anyone knows how to mix those two genres, Chapman does. Nathan was the only actual Nashvillean I worked with. He's got a huge studio in his house, which is probably due to his success with Taylor... there's plenty of platinum discs of her, and others on his walls.' There's something of the spirit of Peggy Lee's Is That All There Is, of Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, even of Liza Minnelli's Cabaret about Dancing, a song which not only opens the album but sets out its stall, providing a microcosm of what is to come. You've got the lyrical edge, that Country feel, mixed with some sampling of the voice and electronic elements, so it does what it says on the label. And I love that it's called 'Dancing', it's immediately accessible and seemingly so obvious, but there's depth within the song.'
The experience of simply being in Nashville was an overwhelming one, before Kylie had even arrived. Once I knew I was going to Nashville, people talked about the place with such enthusiasm. They said without doubt I would love it and, I would come back with songs. They were sending lists of restaurants, coffee shops and bars. It really was a beautiful and genuine response and it felt like I was about to have a life changing experience and in a way, I did.' The reality came as something of a surprise, when she found a far more modern metropolis than the vintage one she'd envisaged. I thought it would be like New Orleans: little houses and bars, with music spilling out onto the street. It reminded me more of Melbourne: apartment blocks going up everywhere! The main strip, Broadway, where the honky tonk bars are, that's where the street was filled with music and it was just amazing.' Mainly, Minogue remembers the heat and humidity. It was 100 degrees. It was like it was raining with no rain.' She also relished the chance to wander around unrecognised, visit a few venerable music bars and soak in the atmosphere. I didn't get to the Grand Ole Opry or the music museums but I managed to go to a couple of the institutions there like The Bluebird Cafe and The Listening Room, and just by being there, through some kind of osmosis, you get this rejuvenated respect for The Song, and the writing of The Song. There's no hoo-hah around it. There's a singer-songwriter there, talking about the song and singing the song, to an audience who are there to listen. Although, I have to confess I was guilty of starting to clap too soon during a long pause at the end of one of the songs. The guy made a bit of a joke out of it and got a laugh from it, but I thought 'Of all people in the audience, no...''
It's probably no coincidence, therefore, that every track on Golden is a Kylie co-write, making it arguably her most personal album to date. The end of 2016 was not a good time for me,' she says, referring to well-documented personal upheavals, so when I started working on the album in 2017, it was, in many ways, a great escape. Making this album was a kind of saviour. I'd been through some turmoil and was quite fragile when I started work on it, but being able to express myself in the studio made quick work of regaining my sense of self. Writing about various aspects of my life, the highs and lows, with a real sense of knowing and of truth. And irony. And joy!'
The songwriting process allowed Kylie to get a few things out of her system. Initially, she admits, it was cathartic, but it also wasn't very good. I think I was writing too literally. But I reached a point where I was writing about the bigger-picture, and that was a breakthrough. It made way for songs like Stop Me From Falling and One Last Kiss. It also meant I had enough distance to write an autobiographical song, like A Lifetime To Repair, with a certain amount of humour. The countdown in that song: 'Six-five-four-three, too many times...'. I don't know if that will be a single, but I can just imagine a girl with framed pictures of past boyfriends, and kind of going 'Oh god, when am I going to get this right'' When she listens back to Golden, Kylie can vividly hear the Nashville in it. It is, she'll agree, probably the first time that a Kylie album has sounded like the place it was made. You wouldn't normally relate my songs to the cities. Can't Get You Out Of My Head sounds more like Outer Space than London. But Shelby '68, for example, was written in London but it was done with Nashville in mind. It's about my Dad's car, and my brother recorded Dad driving it! I don't think I'd have written a number of the songs, including Shelby '68 and Radio On without having had that Nashville experience.'
The latter, she says, is about music being the one to save you.' Throwing herself into the making of the record, she says, crystallised that idea. If there's one love that will always be there for you, it's music. Well, it is for me, anyway.' That song, in particular, carries nostalgic echoes of the golden age of Country, as heard through Medium Wave transistors and tinny home stereos in the distant past. Like any child of the Seventies, Kylie had a basic grounding in Country music, mainly absorbed from older family members. My Step-Grandfather was born in Kentucky and though he lived most of his adult life in Australia, he never stopped listening to his beloved Country artists.' If there's any classic Country singer whose imprint can be heard on Golden, it's Dolly Parton.
Kylie saw Dolly live for the first time at the end of 2016, at the Hollywood Bowl. It was like seeing the light,' she beams. It was incredible. Everyone, whether they know it or not, is a Dolly Parton fan. When I was in Nashville, I did pick up a T-shirt that said 'What Would Dolly Do' Maybe that should be my mantra.' And, whether consciously or otherwise, there's a timbre and trill to Kylie's vocals on Radio On that is distinctly Parton-esque. My delivery is quite different on this album,' she says. A lot of things are 'sung' less. The first time I did that was with Where The Wild Roses Grow. On the day I met Nick Cave, when I recorded my vocals, he said 'Just sing it less. Talk it through, tell the story.' This album wasn't quite to that extreme, but a lot of the songs were done in fewer takes, to just capture the moment and keep imperfections that add to the song. I remember on my last album, a lot of producers were trying to take out literally every vibrato they heard. And that's not natural to my voice. I mean, I can make myself sound like a robot, but it's nice to sound like a human!' Working within the Country genre also gave Kylie permission to write in the Nashville vernacular. Because we were going there, I wasn't afraid to have lines like 'When he's fallen off the wagon we'd still dance to our favourite slow song', 'Ten sheets to the wind, I was all confused', 'I'll take the ride if it's your rodeo'. The challenge of bringing a Country element to the album made the process feel very fresh to me, kind of like starting over. I started to look at writing a different way, singing a different way.'
If ever Kylie lost confidence in the Country-Pop concept, and found herself pondering This is great, but back in the real world - my real world - how will this work', Jamie Nelson was there to badger her into sticking to the path. We found a way to make it a hybrid with what we'll call my 'usual' sound. It had to stay 'pop' enough to stay authentic to me, but country enough to be a new sound for this album. The closer we zoomed in, and the more we honed it, I knew Jamie was right. We sacrificed good songs that weren't right for this album, because we wanted it to be as cohesive as possible. The songs that were hitting the mark were these ones, so we decided to be strong, and that's how we wrapped up the album. What he said, that stuck with me, was that 'I'd hate to get to the end of this and really wish we'd gone for it.'' Having worked with Kylie for so long, Nelson was able to put this latest shift of direction into perspective. He said 'You've traditionally done it throughout your career. You had your PWL time, then you did a complete turn when you went to deConstruction, then another complete turn with Spinning Around, and R&B dance-pop, and then another turn with Can't Get You Out Of My Head, icy synth-pop, and this is another one.' He was right. It felt like the right time to have a change sonically. New label, new stories to tell, and a new decade almost upon me.'
Kylie Minogue will, it's scarcely believable, turn 50 this year. This looming milestone is partly behind the album's title, and title track. I had this line that I wanted to use: 'We're not young, we're not old, we're golden' because I'm asked so often about being my age in this industry. This year, I'll be 50. And I get it, I get the interest, but I don't know how to answer it. And that line, for my personal satisfaction, says it as succinctly as possible. We can't be anyone else, we can't be younger or older than we are, we can only be ourselves. We're golden. And the album title, Golden, reflects all of this. I liked the idea of everyone being golden, shining in their own way. The sun shines in daylight, the moon shines in darkness. Wherever we are in life, we are still golden.' One of the album's shiniest moments is Raining Glitter, an exuberant banger which ventures closest to Kylie's traditional dance-pop comfort zone. Eg White, who is one of the producers and writers and a great character, was talking about disco one day. I said 'I love disco, but you know the brief.' We needed to be going down the Country lane, so to speak. But we managed to bring them both together. When I wrote it, I was thinking about the Jacksons video for Can You Feel It where they're sprinkling glitter over everyone. And I think there's a Donna Summer record that's got that feel to it. I think that's my job: I basically leave a trail of glitter after every show I do anyway.'
Kylie is looking forward to the challenge of incorporating the Golden material into her live shows. Mixing these songs in with my existing catalogue is going to be fun. And it could be fun to do some of those songs with just a guitar. It'll make my acoustic set interesting...'Her incredibly loyal fans - to whom one Golden song, Sincerely Yours, is intended as a love letter' - will, she believes, have no problem with her latest stylistic shift. My audience have been with me on the journey, so I shouldn't be afraid that they won't come with me on this part. I've had fun with it, and I'm sure they will too.'
The time spent making Golden has, Kylie says, been a time of creative and personal renewal. I've met some amazing people, truly inspiring writers and musicians. My passion for music has never gone away, but it's got bigger and stronger.' And if there's an overriding theme to the record, it is one of acceptance. We're all human and it's OK to make mistakes, get it wrong, to want to run, to want to belong, to love, to dream. To be ourselves.'
I was able to both lose and find myself whilst making this album.'
The second of Alma Negra's 12 Rhythms Series is dedicated to the Maloya sound from La Réunion, a tiny island where a
melting pot of cultures is reflected strongly in its music. Maloya's roots go back to the time of slavery, its quick tempo and raw
energy making it not only a popular dance music but also a powerful protest through movement.
On their Maloya EP, the Basel collective pay tribute to the hypnotic rhythms that were feared both by the Catholic Church and the French government for the musical form's subversive part in the rebellion against colonialism.
The release revolves around two contrasting Alma Negra re-workings of Lindigo's Tany Be. The first takes a classic call &
response structure in 12/8 and 6/8 rhythms, adding a driving bass line and guitar licks. A solid 909-kick locks things in step,
along with a sax flourish and FM synths. Their re-imagining of African and Tamil influences for modern dancers is a triumphant
manifestation of the music's origins.
With the main reworking focusing on a rolling dance floor groove, the Dub Mix concentrates on trance-inducing aspect of
Maloya. Using a modular set up to pick apart layers of percussion, it is a dense and heady trip into the spirit world.
The B side focuses on Christine Salem, one of today's stars of the Maloya scene. Without wanting to squeeze the soul from her
deep tones, Kabaré is slowed down a notch, with drums added sparingly. This sensitive treatment gives the track just enough
weight and tension to punch in on todays dance floors without losing the intent of the original.
The source material for this EP has been road tested from the very beginning of Alma Negra's journey. The collective have gone
to great lengths to ensure the original creators are on board with their treatment of their music and are honoured to be given the
chance to distil their own ethos into a record that is bubbling with today's dance floor drive. Their reverent treatment aims to
preserve the power and beauty of the source material, to bring uncovered gems to a new audience.
DJ Katapila's Aroo EP is the latest addition to the iconoclastic producer's catalog of fast-paced, pan-West African-influenced dance music. From a young age, Ishmael Abbey was a beloved local DJ in Accra, Ghana's competitive and rapidly-evolving music galaxy. DJ Katapila's debut release with Awesome Tapes From Africa, 2016's reissue of Trotro, ignited international acclaim for the Ghanaian DJ and producer: The New York Times, Pitchfork, Resident Advisor and FACT heaped praise on his work. Katapila launched a touring career beyond his grueling schedule of all-night parties around Ghana's southern coast and neighboring countries, heading to Europe and the UK, where he performed at festivals and clubs the pasty two years. Katapila brought Ghana's street party culture to audiences overseas, a wave of joy and happy dancers were left in his wake. The song Aroo' uses his earlier song Cocoawra' as a jumping off point and expands upon its endearing quick-rhythmed interplay of vocal hiccups and percussive clinks. Katapila thinks of Aroo' as a simple math equation: Francophone rhythms plus techno equals so hot and danceable.' While traveling this past summer in Europe, he continued to work on the minimalist electronic music steeped in his hometown rhythms that has made him a growing and singular voice in West African music. Having never travelled outside his region before, the contemporary sounds of London impacted his sonic palette, triggering new song African Techno.' He explains, In Europe and the UK they like these techno songs and house music. They have songs that sound like African music, and we have songs that sound like house music and techno music.' Ghana Baby DJ' references his ongoing development of Ga dance music style gbe ohe. It also conjures his daughter's voice and inimitable vibe and blends it with the characteristic clave rhythm of this. The EP's final cut is a track released with a an eye-catching music video this summer called "Monkey." Following radio play in Ghana and demand from fans online, this track makes its debut on vinyl. Awesome Tapes From Africa is proud to present new music from this unmistakably original artist with an honesty and unpretentiousness that feels good at this current point in history.
Ichisan's 2017 Aperitiv was so good that we've decided to return for a second helping from his sumptuous album. Four choice cuts have been selected and reworked with a specific instrument focus. The harpsicord version of 'Hotel' keeps the intoxicating melody of the original but allows beats to relax as notes shine with an incandescent brilliance. Drums put their feet up for the Rhodes version of 'Modri Tunel.' Deep stings and lounging lines mingle in this work of smoke swirling seduction. 'Kozmetika (Trumpet Version)' dances to a different tune. Rich bass is again central but this time brash and bold brass intertwine with funk filled bars. The last waltz arrives with the piano version of 'Terminal E.' Alluring notes ascend, rising and falling against heartwrenching guitar strings for a finale to end this ballroom inspired beauty.
Gabber Eleganza was born as a curated blog archive in 2011, an open research about rave subcultures mainly focused on the gabber and post-rave aestethic. The central ambition of the web archive was to become a source of research material on different topics: contemporary folklore, suburban euphoria and post-rave phenomena, revaluing a denigrated subculture through a new cultural lens.Over the years, the magnitude of the project has reached individuals far beyond the hardcore scene. Alberto Guerrini, the Italy and Berlin based founder, has since taken his project offline by producing zines, radio podcasts and garments. He currently tours as a DJ act or with a live performance dubbed The Hakke Show - an old-skool rave/hardcore DJ set with gabber dancers performing onstage: fast, air cutting moves, powerful thanks to their primitive intensity.In the past year Guerrini has brought the Hakke show to festivals: Club to Club (Turin), Resonate (Belgrade), performed as a DJ alongside Lorenzo Senni (Warp Records) and toured cities including Oval Space in London, Niebo in Warsaw, Janus/Berghain in Berlin, Ex Dogana in Rome, Empty Gallery in Hong Kong, etc. Guerrini has hosted radio shows on three London stations: RinseFM, NTS and Radar Radio.
Three clean-cut anthems for the studio debut of Gabber Eleganza, the anticipated new form for the archival and performative project created by Alberto Guerrini in 2011. Now updating the contemporary folklore with his analog grit. Try not to get your attention diverted once again. And keep calm under pressure.First volume of the Never Sleep series. Limited edition vinyl. Includes DL card.
Running Back welcomes Andreas Grosser for the start of it's non-dancefloor series 'Running Back Incantations'. Think Tornado Wallace's 'Lonely Planet' or Suzanne Kraft's 'Missum' who both would have been good and early contenders for a series like that, and you are half way there. Andres Grosser though, was 'there' and that way before. Probably best-known for his 1987 collaboration 'Babel' with Klaus Schulze, Grosser is a bit of a dark horse in the universe whose big bang was krautrock and that went on to be called cosmic, space music or simply new age.
A native East-Berliner, Grosser crossed the Wall in 1981 and next to studying piano, his day job was to advise, sell, maintain and invent electronic music instruments. Naturally, Grosser had a good connection to and support from local Berlin musicians and groups, while working at night in his own studio and in those of others. Fast forward 37 years and Andreas is now one the worlds leading microphone technicians specialising in German and Austrian vintage types.
'Venite Visum' is an anthology of recordings made between 1976 and1980. Released in 1981 on UK's York House Recordings as a cassette tape only, it features some of the most out there, hypnotic and still state-of-the art space music ever to be known to man. For the first time transferred onto vinyl, compact disc and available as a digital download, it was perhaps best described by one reviewer at the time as; "powerfully relentless, repetitive themes which are constantly embellished and subjected to variations in tone colour and instrumentations. The music surges, coming in waves that approach and recede, but with each surge the waves seem to be higher up the shore.'
Now carefully transferred from an archived tape, remastered and compiled on a double album for the first time, it features the previously unreleased and not less mesmerizing 'The Quantum Leap'. Come and visit the hidden and almost forgotten
Toby Tobias has a lengthy history of disturbing the peace. This is his second offering for the ESP Institute. On side A, Second Stimulus stirs shimmering staccato chords, roaming pipes and detuned robotic sighs into quite the disorienting stew—the loose arrangement remaining fragmented over 9 minutes of touch-and-go 808 programming, picking up a pseudo bassline assembled from sub toms, introducing a gritty break loop and eventually blissing out into oblivion. With side B's Synchro Surfer, Toby plays with the notion of suspense by gently teasing a muted kick and percussion rhythm under washes of white noise, bleeps and sirens that are tape-dubbed and which, over time, begin a dialogue with each other, as if the machines have declared mutiny on the garage. Toby continues to stretch his limits with his output for the ESP Institute, possibly headed toward a full-fledged devolution of conventional dance music. These two songs may have you arrested for public nuisance.
Damian Lazarus' magical live project The Ancient Moons returns today with their new single Five Moons.
The band led by Lazarus, is comprised of Ben Chetwood on drums, Rob Gentry on keyboards, and new vocalist J Appiah. On Five Moons they are also joined by the Australian punk sensation Chela for a dubbed out, soulful excursion into the darker recesses of the dancefloor.
The Ancient Moons first debuted in 2014 with Lover's Eyes, and followed that with the acclaimed album 'Message From The Other Side', dubbed a 'a journey into techno's dreamiest recesses' by The Fader and a 'psychedelic masterpiece' by Vice. Since then The Ancient Moons have travelled the world with their highly immersive live show, supported Roisin Murphy on tour and played at Glastonbury festival and Melt! amongst others.
Last year the band resurfaced, after locking themselves away to record in the Italian countryside, with I Found You, which nabbed a BBC Essential New Tune and stunning remixes from Black Coffee and Patrice Baumel. Today Five Moons offers another glimpse into this summer's forthcoming album..
Logistics, one of Hospital Records' most prolific artists, is back with his seventh studio album 'Hologram'. Inspired by his travels to Hong-Kong and New Zealand, this universally admired drum & bass figure presents a vibrant 16-track collection soaked in his signature groove, soul and liquid-funk stylings.
Opening track 'Lotus Flower' sets a warm springtime tone with fluttering harp-like arpeggios and atmospheric pads. 'Broken Light' follows on from the success that singer/songwriter Thomas Oliver brought on Logistics' collaborative LP with brother Nu:Tone. A sombre tone matched with melancholic lyrics bring a blissful beat to the album.
Keeping true to the craft, 'Chant' flips to Logistics' jungle style with molten-hot flair. A powerful punch of expertly sliced breaks and vocal stabs are the ingredients for this dancefloor weapon.
It's safe to say that this has been worth the wait. Although titled from the ever-growing illusion of the digital-age, 'Hologram' is an example of Logistics' very real talent and is a welcomed addition to his impressive repertoire of drum & bass classics. Quantity, quality and a fierce musical character is everything we have come to expect from this Hospital staple.
- guest appearance by US hip hop legend Masta Ace
- limited to 300 copies
- both cuts taken from the forthcoming album "Golden Hits", to be released July 6th, 2018
Masta Ace goes Munich underground! The legendary US rapper teams up with the heads of Primatune to deliver a monster King Kong rap epic, fresh and full of energy - Hip Hop at it's best. This is what happens when Munich musicians celebrating the golden age of the 90s collaborate with one of their heroes!
On the B-side, Blockboy, another outstanding Munich underground producer, pulls out of his hat a funk groove instrumental, which is truly a dancefloor killer!
Both tracks are a foretaste of the upcoming compilation "Golden Hits - ten years of Munich underground Hip Hop from 2005 to 2015", which will be released on Tramp records July 6th, 2018. If you like these two tracks - be warned! Two LPs loaded with the most entertaining, fresh, real, and deep Hip Hop you haven't heard for a long time are waiting for your turntable. Hard to believe this music was flying totally under the radar, until pearl diver Tobias Kirmayer, Tramp head honcho, brought these treasures to light, out of the shallows of today's polluted musical ocean. Stay tuned!
Spread across two 180g discs, spanning 24 cuts and served in a gatefold sleeve designed by members and affiliates, the Young Echo LP is a capsule intended for cementation through time.
It's been almost five years since their last album. As a group, extended radio submissions, prolonged studio sessions and notorious club nights make up the cogs of time. Over the course of these years, the network has grown continually, both as one, and with singular, multi-directional paths from each of the 11 artists that make up the Young Echo collective, counting Jabu, Vessel, Kahn, Neek, Ishan Sound, Ossia, Manonmars, Bogues, Rider Shafique, chester giles and Jasmine towards the crew, with projects such as Bandulu, FuckPunk, O$VMV$M, Gorgon Sound and ASDA adding to the table in their individual ways.However, this record aims not to be judged on any single producer or vocalist. It is most effective as a whole, simply titled Young Echo. Of course each of the artists has an important part to play, but it is very much about the act of balance, accepting individualism to form a greater whole.A good example is the welcome addition of new energy coming from Jasmine (1/3 of Jabu) who injects endless space with her vocals, perfectly answered by the cool-killin' wordplay of Manonmars - who makes his long awaited debut here - sharing stage with the immediate poetry of ASDA's very own chester giles, along the mighty sound of Rider Shafique, and Bogues' versatile style that can flit between rap & song within seconds. Five very different vocalists that could've tried to find a compromise, but instead choose to connect in different ways, finding their niche in the equal range of rhythms and sounds that sprawl in this shared space, the juxtaposition.
Detuned soundsystem stylings, love songs swaying in hacked up ambience, skeletal dancehall, microphone technique, dread electronics, outsider pop, this record manifests the outcome of the shapeshifting anarchy which rears it's head when no one idea can rule, embracing the diversities when one path must be made up of many.
* Brazilian producer L-Side releases his highly anticipated new album 'Carnal Mind' on the 6th April.
* Featuring American rapper Jeru The Damaja, British rapper DRS, dancehall/grime artist Lady Chann, and drum and bass vocalists MC Fats, MC Darrison and MC Conrad, the release is via the legendary drum and bass record label, V Recordings.
* Taking his influence from Hip Hop artists such as Jazz Liberatorz, The Pharcyde and Tribe Called Quest, L-Side is making his mark in the world of raw dancefloor focused drum and bass. Originally producing hip-hop beats before branching into Drum and Bass, he is known for his meticulous mix of upfront and aggressive sounds merged with funk and soul styles, forging a flawlessly fresh take on drum and bass.
* Leonardo de Jesus Silva, aka L-Side, began his career as a DJ and Producer in 2008 and the Sao Paulo born producer has gone on to cement himself as one of the most formidable producers to hail from the flourishing and highly respected Brazilian drum and bass scene, which is home to some of the most inventive and funkiest contributors to drum & bass this century.
* As a nation bursting at the seams with prolific and highly talented producers, L-Side has managed to emerge as one of the most exceptional and 'Carnal Mind' proves the point.
* 'Holding On' ft. Lady Chann, is a dark, brooding, half time number, full of menacing atmosphere - infusing elements of dancehall and grime, complemented perfectly by Lady Chann's ferocious, trademark vocal delivery while tracks like 'High Times' unleash unrelenting breakbeat right from the gate. Pulsating synths add momentum, channelling subterranean depths as MC Fats patois-tinged vocals ride overhead. The dark storm clouds clear briefly, allowing celestial pads to momentarily reset the atmosphere before hurling the listener straight back into the thick of it.
* Having released music on such labels as Philly Blunt, Chronic, Celsius and Soul Deep, his music has been supported by DJs from around the world, including DJ Marky, Bryan Gee, LTJ Bukem, Bailey and Doc Scott, while new single 'Holding On' received it's first official play from Mista Jam on BBC Radio 1Xtra.
* In addition to his solo recordings, L-Side has collaborated with fellow V producers, Subsid, Andrezz and Critycal Dub among others.
* The legendary drum and bass record label, V Recordings, was set up in 1993 by Jumpin' Jack Frost and Bryan Gee. Few record labels can claim to have changed the face of their respective scene. Celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2018, since its birth, the label has released over 100 cuts from the likes of Marky & XRS, Krust and Die, Adam F, Lemon D, Scorpio, Dillinja and Roni Size
Cover with laser-cutting and printed inner sleeve, ltd. to 500 copies, incl. mp3A Score for Darling is both the sound track for the Danish film "Darling" (2017) as well as a collection of outakes from it. Raúl Pastor Medall (Rauelsson) and Erik K Skodvin (Svarte Greiner & 1/2 of Deaf Center) were paired together to work on the accompanying music after the director, Birgitte Stærmose wanted to try a new direction. Both together and individually they have created a highly affecting collection of pieces to a film that is not afraid of pushing the emotional content to the max, centered around the story of a dancer on the rollercoster ride of her life. This is also the first time either of them have made a full lenght sound track, making it their debut on the big screen.The music and instrumentation heard on the album is brimming with dynamics and diversity, featuring violin by Christoph Berg, cello by Anne Müller as well as a mass of other sounds like church organs, synths, guitar amp violation, electro-acoustics, piano and more, all layered together into 15 beautiful and devastating fragments of mood. The final piece of the album "Breathe" - featuring Otto A Totland on piano and Katinka Fogh Vindelev (We like We) on voice - can be seen as their own lamenting end title to a longer period of work with this album, finally finished.
Taking advantage of his first Japan tour, Ortella is back with a strong EP rich in styles. Believe is mixing memories and fantasies, each track gives a deeper journey with a panel of emotions and feelings, keeping the french man own solid base with dance-floor oriented drums and enhancing them with some cosmic trippy loops, a very special romantic mood and a drop of acid : the perfect formula for evasion. Dancing is great, tripping is better!
Portuguese artist Ka§par gives Parisian label Escapade its third release. The four tracks span across a wide range of electronic sounds, telling a story that calls on many emotions. 'Wail Of A Loon' opens the record with an experimental atmosphere. After this laid back introduction, Ka§par goes into a much stronger style: 'Rigged's energy and catchy, twirling melody make it a total banger. On the B side, the mood gets much warmer and groovy. 'Vital' is the perfect tune to warm up a dancefloor, thanks to a swinging rhythm, mesmerizing vocal samples and funky synth lines. 'Alma D'Ouro' rounds up the record with strong jazzy vibes. Beautiful chords and piano solos never dissapoint!
For those who love digging into the dancefloor world but haven't discovered the pleasure of Detroit Nu-Disco and Afro Spiritual Funk yet, the duo Conte/Petrella has just delivered their brand new 12-inch EP "Sun Song / Nigeria", just a few months the previous Conte&Petrella EP "African Spirits / New World Shuffle" (SCEP 480). A release that brings to the fore the value of new musical encounters and expresses the artists' desire to constantly dig, discover and share their endless love for music.
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Ghanaian music legend Ebo Taylor returns with perhaps his finest album to date.
But don't take our word for it. That's coming straight from the man himself.
And he should know after more than 60 years in the business.
The 81-year-old composer, arranger, guitarist and vocalist has been a key figure in the evolving afro-funk sound since the Seventies, working with the likes of Apagya Show Band, CK Mann and Pat Thomas.
Famously, he rubbed shoulders with Fela Kuti while studying in London in the Sixties, before going on to lead the Ghana Black Star Band (featuring Osei and Sol Amarfio from Osibisa) and later the Uhuru Dance Band back in Ghana. Like Fela, he is always pushing forward, constantly reconceptualising his sound and
attuning it for a new generation. Part teacher, part messenger.
Listen to Yen Ara and you will not only hear the high-energy afrobeat, sweet highlife, jazz and konkoma influences that he's famous for. There is also a disco pulse and hard-hitting percussive edge to the tracks, which were produced by Justin Adams (Tinariwen, Rachid Taha, Robert Plant) and recorded in the live room at Electric Monkey Studio in Amsterdam. An Ebo Taylor for these times, you might say.
His group, the Saltpond City Band, are all handpicked local musicians featuring two of his sons. An appropriate line-up on an album whose titles means we'.
And they are on fine form, ripping through tracks such as 'Krumandey' (a surefire party starter) and 'Mind Your Own Business' (a simple message delivered over a frenetic drum rhythm).
Elsewhere, 'Aboa Kyirbin' will please fans of tough afrobeat grooves, while Taylor could well be inciting a riot at his next gig with 'Mumudey Mumudey', We hear him calling for 'preshaaah' and leading us into a call and response as the trumpet takes us higher. And the lift of those horns on 'Ankoma'm' evokes some
of his finest work such as 'Love & Death' and 'Come Along', the latter recorded with the Pelikans and featured on a recent Mr Bongo reissue.
The latest release on Francis Harris' Scissor & Thread label out of Brooklyn is another exercise in deep and meditative atmospheres. The label, comprised of a tight knit collective of multi-faceted composers, vocalists and instrumentalists, always strives to develop new projects based on a shared aesthetic, and this five track EP is both boundary pushing and fully synchronized with the label's approach. With Melquíades' 'Blue Caves' Melbourne based Composer and Sound Designer Alexander Albrecht presents his solo debut EP following on from the 'Tidal River' album he released as part of the Albrecht La'Brooy duo. The title track 'Blue Caves' is a skittering, weightless exploration of space, seemingly built around lush field recordings and fragments of melody developing out of the ether. 'Avlemonas' flows from a similar source, but crystallizes around an off kilter rhythm and occasional subby bass, balanced against swooping pads and piano motifs. 'Morning Breeze' seems to revel in the evocative nature of its title, with hand played percussion backing more wistful, emotive piano sketches and wandering bass notes, before the track settles into a hypnotic groove. Label head Francis Harris provides another take on the track for his Re-form version, a more dancefloor aimed excursion that draws deeply from the classic deep house of the New York and Detroit masters. Ending the relases is 'Patio', which drifts back towards the ambient territories of the opening tracks, with exquisite, understated instrumentation and a melancholic yet elated vibe.
LA's Private Selection imprint returns, this time to shed light for the first time on a producer from Argentina who goes under the guise of 'Crash ID'. All 6 tracks on PS003 are primed for the dance floor, touching on a kind of ritualistic, electro industrial body music that feels right at home with the labels current catalogue and event series.
Inside Out is a brand-new series that invites DJs and producers to blur the boundaries between traditional artist albums and mix compilations. Coming from Aus Music label head and DJ-Kicks curator Will Saul, the concept encourages artists to showcase their own music and or the music of those in their own individual circles. The mix will be release digitally and on CD, while a selection of the tracks will also be available on double gatefold vinyl.
Each instalment will feature 100% new and unreleased music. It is a chance for artists to take sole creative charge, A&R as they see fit and then commission brand new music specifically for the cause. Depending on who is at the helm, Inside Out will take different forms: producers may wish to represent their own sound with only music they have made themselves or with close collaborators, while DJs and label heads may wish to reflect the sounds and scenes that surround them. The results will be a window into an artist's world that works as a coherent mix, but also as a treasure trove of fresh new music that steps outside the usual lines of a dance album.
The idea stems from Will Saul's own approach in the club, which often finds him seeking out brand new and unheard music to play for the first time. That feeling of taking people into the unknown is one that reminds him of the energy and excitement of his early days as a dancer.
For Will's mix he enlists an array of artists who he's worked with over the years, many of whom have released on one of his labels in that time. These include the likes of Lone, Pearson Sound, Move D, Gerd, Youandewan, Martyn, Falty DL, Dauwd, Appleblim and Marquis Hawkes.
To celebrate New Flesh Records 20th release to date, French veteran DJ Umwelt (Shipwrec, Falling Ethics, Rave Or Die) returns to his own label with a mind blowing LP!
Built like the soundtrack of a dystopian movie where main characters evolve in a hopeless future, Sci-Fi Abandon In Place delivers no less than height cinematic masterpieces half-way between electro and ambient registers.
From the menacing sirens of opener Void Of Nothingness to the melancholic synths of closing Galactic Wreck, passing through the Blade Runnerish vision of Celestial Matter, this soulful album depicts nothing but the extinction of mankind in a ending world.
Besides its terrific message, Abandon In Place showcases the unlimited talent and incredible versatility of Umwelt, a mighty producer able to split from the most cutting edge music on New Flesh Records to a more radical, straight to the dancefloor approach on Rave Or Die.
A gloomy journey through apocalyptic tones, slow yet deep basslines, industrial touches, cold and un- compromising emotions! Umwelts most forward thinking opus to date sum up in once sentence: By the end of the day, all is dust.
All tracks written & produced by Umwelt
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A - 45 rpm - cozy - Get Used to Me'
An emphatic anthem from the mouth of a young woman with something to prove, this track is a bold first statement, both in production and lyrical content. With this track on wax, Im gonna be around for a while, so you better Get Used to Me!
B1 - 33 rpm - cozy - Useful'
A piece created by someone tired of being underestimated, Useful might come from a place of frustration, but overall its a reclamation of power and agency. You havent been utilizing my ability to its greatest potential'
B2 - 33 rpm - cozy - Hip Hopity'
A funky closing piece to this EP, Hip Hopity just wants you to shake your thang around! Encouraging those of all dance ability to move their body and have a good time with their friends.
cozy is a songwriter, rapper, producer, and musician who currently operates out of Vancouver, British Columbia. Originally hailing from the small village of Cumberland, cozy has small town roots that have heavily influenced her art. With her music, cozy hopes to bring people into her world of experiences and give them as clear a picture of her perspective as she can. Throughout her songs, cozy weaves strong lyrical themes of femininity, sexuality, and reclamation of personal identity within a vulnerable context of self examination.
It was chance that brought about the release of One/Three, Dabrye's debut album. Early demos were tucked on the B side of a cassette Tadd Mullinix passed to Sam Valenti in 2000 while working at the Dubplate Pressure record shop in Ann Arbor. Mullinix had spent the late '90s producing jungle, techno, house, hip-hop and more using the All Sound Tracker software as a primary instrument. Each style pulled from a similar sound palette as Mullinix used limitations to define the contours of di-erent musical personalities. Dabrye was his hip-hop wildstyle, a captivating collage of sparse instrumentals inspired by the laid back vibes of midwestern hip-hop and east coast boom bap, the futuristic funk of Umma-era Jay Dee, and the calculated subtlety of Detroit dance music. Released in 2001 as the first in an intended trilogy, One/Three announced Dabrye's arrival with an unavoidable contribution to Detroit hip-hop. Ghostly International is reissuing the album in 2017 for the first time, including a long overdue vinyl edition.
On its release One/Three was the rare album that appealed to both fans of Slum Village's smooth yet rugged hip-hop and enthusiasts of the distinct American IDM released by labels like Schematic. Over the following decade, the inadvertent demo submission turned into a body of work that placed Dabrye alongside innovators such as Prefuse 73 amid the cannon of a new generation of producers. Today, One/Three remains a concise and intriguing study in instrumental hip-hop that helps join the dots between J Dilla and Flying Lotus.
One/Three is a record that says much with little. There are no obvious hip-hop tropes. Instead Mullinix captures the ingenious minimalism of '90s hip-hop instrumentals to build tracks both supple and hard, joyous and melancholy, full of sharply angled rhythms and warm rubbery basslines: 'The Lish' throws a sickly sweet saxophone against digitally fragmented melodies, 'How Many Times (with this)' draws you in with an irresistible, clipped guitar groove, the rhythmic stutter of 'Smoking The Edge' makes your head spin with pleasure. Playing with his inspirations, Mullinix injects omitted downbeats for imagined rhymes and repurposes the intricacy of ragga jungle for breakdowns.
But what really defines One/Three is the rhythmic sensibility and metric modulation of Detroit's school of hip-hop production, which Mullinix was a fervent student of. The beats feel like they're constantly escaping a rigid tempo grid even though they are, in fact, pretty tight. A lot of it is nuance,' Mullinix explains. I've been known to say that I'm not impressed by spectacle. I think that nuance is what really captivates people.'
If you like your beats with a dash of class, do not miss this. An essential purchase of the highest order.' -BBC
- First time all tracks from the original 2001 release appear on vinyl.
- Remastered by Daddy Kev
- Standard weight black vinyl is inserted in to 3.5mm matte finish vinyl jacket.
- Download card includes free download of the Payback EP
Daytoner are a 7 piece funk & soul remix band based in Cornwall, UK fronted by Lucy Richards and led by 'vintage breaks' producer, Moss Daytoner. They have been touring UK festivals since 2016 playing stages including Bestival, Boardmasters, Boomtown, Wilderness, NASS along with special events such as the opening of the Blue Whale exhibit at The Natural History Museum and supporting Craig Charles at his Funk & Soul Club nights.
Daytoner's debut single release as a band features 2 live favourites: the new northern soul stomp of 'Needed You' and the remake of a 60s jazz dance classic 'Sicka' delivered by the southern soul powerhouse that is Lucy Richards, backed with a unique 6 piece band. A second single appropriately titled 'Second Stomp' is to follow on 7' vinyl in May ahead of Daytoner's debut LP in their full live band line-up. Daytoner head off on an LP tour in April, taking in festivals such as Shindig, Great Estate & Boomtown plus support gigs for The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show.
Radio Airplay: 4 plays on The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show on BBC6 Music // BBC Introducing Feature on BBC Radio One // Repeat daytime plays on BBC Radio Cornwall and evening on BBC Introducing in Cornwall
DJ Support: Smoove, The Allergies, Renegades Of Jazz, Mr Bird
Rudy returns to Faze Action Records with an all-new collection of atmospheric and evocative tropical sounds. Last August saw the release of the By Nature EP that encapsulated the steamy and exotic textures of the Balearic sound.
This time, Midnight Safari takes up where on the beaches of Formentera, where the last EP left us. This time setting sail on a Midnight Safari with Marimba's and chugging rhythms underpinning sophisticated Piano' melodies. Following this we drop anchor and appreciate the evening breeze of In The Air with its haunting 'Cello, endless drifting arpeggio's and tropical percussion with a hint of North Africa. Reach Backless points the way squarely to the dance floor with chunky drums and synth bass, synth hooks galore and that piano solo that launches into starry evening skies. It's back down to earth with the settled quiet bass guitar harmonics of Windchimes before heading into the more soulful and synth melodic territory of Solar Plex.
