What you do is a fundamental question. But it's how you do something that ultimately determines the effect." — Julian Sartorius
With 'RLLRLRLLRRLRLRLRLLRLRLR', Swiss drummer and sound artist Julian Sartorius presents his third album in three years. Together with 'Ensemble This | Ensemble That' Sartorius has created a mesmerizing 39-minute percussion album that conclusively expands his artistic output. For the first time, an ensemble plays an idea conceived by Sartorius, while he assumes the role of an interactive conductor, manipulating the sounds made.
Sartorius is known for his fluid and versatile solo performances in which he continually modulates the sound of his instruments, adding objects and progressively unfolding his sound world. The idea of expanding this practice was already gestating when the 'Ensemble This | Ensemble That' invited him for a collaboration. Together with the drummers and percussionists Brian Archinal, Victor Barceló, Miguel Angel Garcia Martin and Bastian Pfefferli the concept was further explored, elaborated upon in detail, and finally realized.
'RLLRLRLLRRLRLRLRLLRLRLR' is both title and score for the ensemble's four percussionists. The pattern, consisting of 23 individual beats, is played continuously by the ensemble while Sartorius gradually makes alterations to the instruments played. The result is a piece that has a sustained rhythmic flow yet is perpetually changing. Sartorius' interventions and the precise musicality of the ensemble allows the listener to discover an expansive array of moods and intensities.
The album is structurally recursive but develops an almost mystical magnetism through an odyssey of diverse musical landscapes. Sartorius explains: "It amazes me deeply how much the sentiment can change based on a musical mood - this sense of curiosity is made audible with this album." The album recording itself is designed as an endless loop: at the end of the recording, the ensemble's sound has returned to its starting point, thereby completing an endless, self-contained cycle, with no beginning or end. In this way, Sartorius also echoes his 2021 album 'Locked Grooves'.
Julian Sartorius' precise and multi-layered rhythmical patterns are keen excursions into the hidden tones of found objects and prepared instruments, bridging the gap between organic timbres and the vocabulary of (experimental) electronic music. He has released numerous solo albums, creates audiovisual art works, collaborates with musicians, writers, and artists, and performs live in intimate venues and on festival stages.
Ensemble This | Ensemble That (ET|ET) have established themselves not only as interpreters of contemporary music, but also as collaborators to a wide range of artists including projects like Zimoun, Myriam Bleu, Strotter Inst., Lê Quan Ninh, Marko Ciciliani, Jürg Frey, and Michael Maierhof, amongst others.
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“Dual Realms of Sounds” emerges as the latest vinyl masterpiece from the enigmatic Soul Button, an audio diptych that distills the essence of his sonic signature. This meticulously curated double-vinyl collection showcases the dualistic nature of Soul Button's artistry, encapsulating the dynamic range of his most compelling works across two distinct auditory domains.
The first vinyl pays homage to the night - a pulsating journey through Soul Button's most successful, club-oriented anthems. Here, the beats intensify and the rhythms beckon you to the dance floor, with tracks like the fiery "Incendiary" and the enigmatic "Qabila" poised to ignite the crowd.
Vinyl 2 presents a shift in narrative to a more introspective realm, featuring the most melodious and soul-stirring hits from Soul Button.
The ethereal "Utopia" and the haunting "Wraith”, stand as cornerstones of this auditory expedition, channeling the essence of deep house with a dreamlike introspection, steering away from the dance floor and into the vast landscapes of the mind.
“Dual Realms of Sounds” is more than a mere collection of tracks; it is a portal to contrasting universes where rhythm and emotion converge. This release invites you to secure your passage and delve into the duality of rhythm and melody that defines Soul Button's unique sound.
Demi Riquisimo’s ‘A Lifetime On The Hips’ sub-label returns to make it a hat-trick of releases for2023 with the impressive ‘Body Move' V/A featuring eclectic club cuts from Dreamrdreamr, SY, Papa Nugs, Elfenberg, ABSOLUTE. & YSANNE.
Dreamdreamr’s emotive ‘Zone 4 Booty Call’ kicks off the a-side. A track that effortlessly fuses elements of deep house, trance, and R’n’B, it sets the tone perfectly for an EP not bound by the borders of genre. The title track ‘Body Move’ by SY is up next. A no nonsense house chugger with flourishes of Italian 90’s progressive and acid - a perfect modern interpretation of a foundational strand of club music. The A-side wraps up with one of 2023’s most exciting prospects Papa Nugs and the vocoder infused, percussive, twisted jam 'Loosey Goosey’.
The flip picks up right where the A-side left off with Elfenberg’s ’Solarplexus’, a cosmic, evolving and psychedelic interpretation of house. UK mainstay ABSOLUTE. is up next with ‘Devastating Rhythm’, a peak time techno floor filler that sounds like a Frankenstein mix of seminal imprints Dance Mania & D’jax-Up-Beats’ output - proper gear. Drawing the curtain on the ‘Body Move’ V/A is YSANNE’s ’Tisno Tango’. A slightly more introspective cut but with more than enough groove to make you dance, a perfect closer.
Varhat unveils fresh music for his Up The Stuss debut ‘Breaking Out’, with Canadian favourite Paolo Rocco returning on remix duties.
When it comes to artists who have managed to carve out and command their own unique place within the modern minimal and house scene, French DJ/producer and live artist Varhat is a name you have to include at the top end of your list. The creative behind an endless list of aliases, plus multiple Unknown Artist projects and mysterious labels via Paris’ illustrious Yoyaku, he now readies an impressive outing on Chris Stussy’s Up The Stuss imprint, delivering an eclectic selection of house cuts for all hours and settings.
From the delicate electronics and hazy tones of the opener and title cut ‘Breaking Out’ to the acid-laced, driving rhythms of ‘Nobody’ and the slinking, signature sounds found within ‘Mopho’, the EP is a celebration of all things house music from one of its modern contemporaries. Add in a deep, dubby and cosmic trip from the returning Paolo Rocco on remix duties, and there’s a slice of genius here for everyone to enjoy. Tip!
V-House Sound boss, AJ Christou is next to make his Hot Creations debut with the two-tracker ‘Babaloop’.
Hailing from Manchester, AJ Christou stands as a testament to artistic accomplishment with his unwavering commitment to his evolving craft and sound. The success of his new label, V-House Sound, has made this year particularly significant for him, with unshakable support from industry heavyweights like Marco Carola, Joseph Capriati, and Jamie Jones, backing his reputation as one of the most sought-after DJs in the game. With another impressive year behind him, December now marks his debut on Hot Creations as he delivers two club ready gems in his ‘Babaloop’ EP.
The bumping two-tracker kicks off with ‘Babaloop’, a lively late-night house cut featuring entrancing male chants and a bouncing bassline that captivates the listener with its groove. ‘No Fear’ follows up with a funky bass riff, alluring female vocals and deep stabs, radiating prime-time resonance and bustling club energy.
Club U Nite Records is excited to announce the 4 Track EP "Deep Trax Volume 2"
Side A, Track 01: Blak N Orange - Feeling Real Good
Blak N Orange delivers a deep house masterpiece with "Feeling Real Good." This track features a mesmerizing baseline that harkens back to the old-school era of house music. The irresistible vocal example “Feelin’ real good” will make you feel really good on the dance floor!
Side A, Track 02: Black Chunes - Don't Hold Back!
"Don't Hold Back!" by Black Chunes is a house-stomper that combines minimalism with a powerful punch. Its dope and dirty beat is a secret weapon that will ignite dance floors, making it a standout track on this release.
Side B, Track 01: Black Chunes - Feel The Flow
Black Chunes returns with "Feel The Flow," a track that exudes a jazzy, soulful, and groovy vibe. It's a feel-good masterpiece that is sure to bring positive energy to any dance floor, setting the mood for a night of musical delight.
Side B, Track 02: DMA - That Crazy Thang
DMA's "That Crazy Thang" takes us on a journey through classic organ house territory. With a straight, deep, and kicking groove, this track is both timeless and contemporary. Jazzy vocal samples add an extra layer of dopeness to this minimal yet highly effective dance floor weapon.
"Deep Trax Volume 2" is a testament to the enduring appeal of classic house music. Club U Nite Records is proud to present these four tracks, each offering a distinct experience while paying homage to the roots of the genre.
A command across genres has distinguished Yasushi Ide’s work as a DJ and producer since emerging from the multiscene spawning big bang that was Tokyo’s highly influential club milieu of the 1980s. His productions draw variously from hip-hop, dub, house, punk, jazz dance, exotica and electronic music - and at their most expressive, synthesize sensibilities within a single track. The respect Ide’s earned is well evident in the impressive roll call of collaborators he’s accrued over the years - Masters At Work, Tom Verlaine, Don Letts, James Chance, DJ Krush, Pharaoh Sanders, U-ROY, and Bongo Herman, just to name a legendary few.
Now available for worldwide distribution from Love Injection Records in both digital and 7-inch 45 vinyl formats, the Yasushi Ide “A Place In the Sun (Kaoru Inoue Remix)” is paired with the equally gorgeous “A Place In the Sun (Dub).” On the former, Inoue’s treatment largely strips away the track’s beats, anchoring it to a subtle percussion pulse that emphasizes the composition’s irresistible melodic qualities. The latter finds Yoko Ota at the controls restoring and pushing reverb-soaked drums to the forefront of the mix, accentuating Ide’s affection for the sound system aesthetic while exercising just the right amount of spacial arrangement flourishes to inject some brawn amidst the beauty.
These serendipitously rediscovered renditions of a back catalog deep cut are just the latest examples of Yasushi Ide’s artistic reach. In addition to recording such acclaimed albums as 2020’s Cosmic Suite and its 2022 sequel (for which Love Injection has remixed a track), his work has spanned music supervision of some 200+ compilations for major labels, artist management, his Grand Gallery shop/gallery proprietorship, and books showcasing the depth of his archival sensibilities, including vintage t-shirt and ephemera curation. Perhaps most inspiring, however, is that Ide is still winning new appreciators and collaborators in unexpected ways four decades into a revered career that continues to evolve and expand.
Closely following a busy 2023, GiGi FM announces her brand-new record label, offering “Kiwi Synthesis Diary Vol. 2” to mark the debut. Sea~rène takes aim at dreamlike and ethereal electronic music to reconnect the subconscious and the cosmos through immersive storytelling. As the identity quote of the label says itself “We are Sea~rène swimming in-between supernatural tides, forever following the emotional waves of the universe”.
Already quite accomplished in her milieu through an acclaimed release on Bambounou’s Bambelabel, where she explored the relationship between bodily technologies and music, as well as through her residency on NTS Radio where she explores inter-dimensional sounds and shares her own musical palette, GiGi also continues to perform at strings of performances in the past years in settings like Berghain, Rural Japan, Draaimolen, Fabric, De School, Primavera, The Bunker New York, and Sustain Release. The French/Italian artist takes her productions further with this first release of her imprint. A continuation of her first self-released project, “Kiwi Synthesis Diary 21k,” in 2021, GiGi FM celebrates the exchange between her, as the owner of the journal, and its reader through euphoric soundscapes and vibrant psychedelia. Taking a step back from lockdown introspections, blurred lines between dream and reality like ambient and drony atmospheres, GiGi gives us a bent club record full of colors and life.
GiGi FM guides us through dreams of sonic environments and the adventures to be had through them. Some are characterized by evolving fractals and shifting landscapes like in the healing mushroom journey of ‘Amadamushies’ and the mythical Japanese Heron ‘Tsuru’. Combining steady rhythm and immersive ambiances, the result intends to soothe into a state of openness through kindly familiar territories. Sifting through the tracks, we find ourselves traveling fast through cosmic ecosystems like in the spiritual and cosmic teaching that “Tevora'' represents, as well as ‘Househopping (Keroppi)’ and “Sly Xupete Di Barcelona,” conveying the urgency to feel and create, even within difficult circumstances, while “Spazio Teletrasporto'' takes us on a hypnotic whirlwind trip into the depths of the cosmos and our inner consciousness. Through these chapters of a journey, a connection between the mind and the beyond is implied, and its importance is highlighted.
Deeply influenced by astrology, philosophy, and the cosmos; for GiGi, music is both a tool for expression and introspection. As a multi-hyphenate artist, she continues on her quest to push artistic boundaries and hold space for unique audience experiences. Whatever medium she may adopt, the result is a rich embodiment of the interconnectedness of sound, color, movement, and metaphysics.
T4T LUV NRG presents “Call Me G”, the new album by Brooklyn’s Russell E.L. Butler, their first full length LP since the release of 2018’s critically acclaimed “The Home I’d Build For Myself and All My Friends” on Left Hand Path. In the intervening years, Russell has experienced an accumulation of personal subjective experiences which are explored through captivating musical modalities and expressions on this sprawling, gorgeous, and deeply emotional album. Russell’s work on “Call Me G” can be described as a unique amalgam of early NY house music, dub techno and poetry. The album’s title track, as well as its instrumentals, are a kind of storytelling for histories that continue to exist without observation as well as for secrets and the power they hold in spite of their truth being obscured and sometimes lost.
Storytellers like Russell have the ability to collapse the past and future into discrete experiences of non-linear time through the emotional landscape of music and voice. Each song contains a palatable loneliness and hurt to which many in this modern world can relate, but each track also suggests the possibility of genuine connection and the formation of the self through communing and reintegrating with the natural world. These parallel concepts are the subject of “Accumulation”, a writing by Russell which accompanies the release of the album. The emotions, conflicts and resolutions that accompany Russell’s storytelling are felt acutely on tracks such as “I’m Dancing No One Is Watching” and “Stare Into The Light Beam”, among others.
On the title song, which closes the album, Russell sings “Can you call me? Will you call me? All that I want is for you to call me by my name...My name is G.” Context is part of interpretation and thus it is left to the listener to feel in the music and lyrics the concept that what may seem erased never truly dies, the traces still exist in the thing that takes its place. The T4T LUV NRG label is in part a continuing effort to facilitate the documentation of true stories that don’t get told—rather than representing a singular vibe or genre. Russell’s album is a stunning and profound entry in this evolving catalog of music and art. The beautiful cover of “Call Me G” is based on a hand drawn portrait of the artist by Diego Guzman.
This release is also a reflection of my musical past combined with lots of field recordings made in the last two years. But for this release I wanted to have a combination of deeper, more abstract dancefloor minded compositions and experimental rhythmic noise. A journey for that open minded people. Trying to blend a mixture of tribe, goa, techno but also rhythmic noise, ambient and drone.
The title name is based on this cycle of reincarnation, but getting back to earth again and starting a new life. So there is not a new entry into the next realm or dimension, hence the name "Kept in Reality". Also your soul wants to go at some point, somewhere it seems your are not ready or not allowed
- A1: Pool Boy - Movie Night Cancelled (Domenique Dumont Ambient Remix)
- A2: Fertita - A Lo De Antes
- A3: Reuben Vaun Smith - Milky Joe
- B1: Brothers Of Eternal Love - The Best Is Yet To Come
- B2: Scissorwork - All Good Things
- B3: Bowaswell - Something Else
- C1: Golf Trip - Sweet Life
- C2: Jah One - Morning Friends
- C3: Jesper Ryom - Alone
- D1: Marvin Horsch - Deen
- D2: Sonny Ism - These Days
- D3: Tell - Floating Lands
Over the past few years, we have strengthened our ties with photographers to showcase music we stand for.
Art Curation is deeply rooted in Délicieuse’s DNA. It all started with our Youtube channel where we have been showcasing the music we love for 10 years now. Parallel to music curation, our curiosity and appeal for aesthetic imagery brought us to enhance the music with photographs, illustrations or cinematic scenes. As a result, our Youtube channel has been the laboratory of our collaborations with photographers from all horizons such as Yosigo, Victor Costa or George Natsioulis.
Following that path, the Chambre Noire Compilation tends to expand the synergy between music & imagery. The idea is to highlight a photographer’s work & make the compilation a gallery in itself. For this first episode we are collaborating with Yosigo, a well established photographer from Barcelona. The art direction and graphic design side is imagined in collaboration with Brazilian art director Hermes Miranda.
The compilation contains 12 exclusive tracks released digitally and physically across a double vinyl edition. The physical edition includes an A6 photo booklet aiming to highlight Yosigo’s work while exploring the compilation concept.
Musically speaking the compilation follows Délicieuse’s travels and features a blend of established & emerging artists from all over the globe featuring the likes of Tell, Domenique Dumont, Fertita, Logh, BowAsWell, Pool Boy, Scissorwork, Jesper Ryom, Marvin Horsch, Jah One, Brothers of Eternal Love, and Golf Trip oscillating between Balearic, Deep House, Electronica, Electro & Indie Pop.
Get ready for an immersive and captivating musical experience with Chambre Noire.
Repress!
'You got the stuff' is not 'Lovely day' - that much is true. This one's a wigged out, extended, trip into deep space from 1978 that is truly baffling.
Of course, it features Bill singing for the first half of the track but then all of a sudden we're launched into a cosmic wormhole as everything just falls back and the track is stripped of any earthly qualities. People find themselves asking 'this...... this is Bill Withers' as lazer guided synths and rock solid drums pull us into the sonic vortex. Truly amazing. Obviously a nugget like this has not gone unnoticed and has been edited and chopped and sampled deftly by the more sarcastic, left-field oriented crate diggers out there but it has never been reissued legitimately - Until now!
A hugely sought after and collectible gem right here, backed with the wistful slow jam 'Look To Each Other For Love' as per the original 1978 Columbia promo 12" version. This left-field, cosmic classic has been legally reissued by Above Board distribution in conjunction with the legal rights holders - Sony Music Entertainment. This high quality repress features original Columbia pink label Disco 12" artwork and has been remastered from Sony's original sources by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK.
Andrew Macari joins up with Paka Project for a first outing on the fledgling Greenhouse Recordings labels here and delves deep into some true-school deep house. 'Beeston Fields Drive' is a warm and diffuse opener that rolls on loopy drums with balmy chords melted over the top.
'Hold Dat' has jazzy motifs and funky bass riffs down low that remind of early West Coast tech house sounds from the likes of Fresh & Low and 'All We Need' then layers up r&b samples and even more smooth and silky late-night chords into a real smoocher.
'PR Process' ends on low-slung and lumpy drums and spoken word samples run through with dubby chords.
*Repress*
An artist as imaginative and unique as Ana Mazzotti doesn’t come around often. Dubbed a “super-musician” by fellow Brazilian virtuoso Hermeto Pascoal, Mazzotti’s short but rich musical career culminated in just two studio albums: Ninguem Vai Me Segurar (1974), and Ana Mazzotti (1977). Outside circles of Brazilian funk aficionados, these two gems of spellbinding samba-jazz, lysergic funk and trippy bossa have remained relatively obscure. This was partly as a result of Mazzotti’s premature death (she lost her battle with cancer in her mid-thirties), but also due to financial restraints and the prejudice she faced as a female songwriter in a fundamentally sexist society.
Born in Caixas, in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul municipality, Mazzotti began to play the accordion aged five, before moving with prodigious ease onto the piano. By the age of twelve she was already conducting her convent school’s choir, and at twenty-one she led her city’s premier chorus, the Coral Bento Goncalves. When rock and roll hit South America in the sixties, a young Mazzotti was one of the early adopters, fronting various guitar groups including an all female Beatles cover band, and an eclectic, eight-piece psychedelic group Desenvolvemento. Before moving to Sao Paulo to start her career proper, Mazzotti met drummer, producer and fellow music educator Romido Santos, who she would later marry. Romildo introduced Mazzotti to jazz, and music by the likes of Chick Corea and Hermeto Pascoal who she would later befriend and perform with.
In 1974 Mazzotti recorded her first album Ninguem Vai Me Segurar (1974), enlisting the in-demand arrangement talents of Azymuth’s original keyboard maestro Jose Roberto Bertrami who co-wrote several of the tracks and plays organ, piano and synthesizers on the album. It also features Azymuth’s bassist Alex Malheiros and percussionist Ariovaldo Contestini, with Romildo Santos who produced the album on drums. Recorded in Estudio Haway around the same time Azymuth recorded their debut album there, it’s no wonder the samba jazz-funk pioneer’s distinctive aesthetic is present throughout, and Mazzotti’s sensational compositions are made even more beautiful for it.
Kicking off with the swirling samba-jazz-dance masterpiece ‘Agora Ou Nunca Mais’, the album hosts several groove-heavy Brazilian cult-classics including ‘Roda Mundo’ and ‘Eu Sou Mais Eu’. Deeper moments come in the form of the alluring future soul synth sounds on ‘Bairro Negro’ and ‘Sou’, and Mazzotti’s tender, hallucinatory version of ‘Feel Like Making Love’ (made famous by Roberta Flack) perfectly reflecting the idiosyncratic genius Mazzotti achieved with Bertrami’s visionary arrangements, and Romildo’s impeccable production approach.
Far Out Recordings is proud to present the official reissue of this cult favourite Brazilian treasure. Remastered and pressed to 180g vinyl, Ninguem Vai Me Segurar (1974) will be available on vinyl LP, CD and digitally from 13th September.
One more year, we are now working tirelessly on our beloved label. Just as we did last year, this 2023, we are back with our 'ANAØH INVITES' series.
Last year we had the wonderful presence of James Ruskin and Ben Sims as guests of honor, that wonderful 12' vinyl sold out in a few weeks, however it is time to present our second volume, where again Dig-It and Fixon as hosts of the label invite 2 artists to join them and release original 4 tracks on a special edition 12' vinyl. In this second chapter we have the presence of a veteran whom we respect and love deeply, one of the main people responsible for the classic hardgroove sound , Mark Williams.
As well as one of our wonder boys, the virtuous CRAVO.
We feel honored and moved to have this second collaboration, which we hope will please everyone! Thank you for all the love and support during these first 7 years of adventure.
From México with Love. Fixon & Dig-It
On March 26, 2015, a surprising announcement sent shockwaves through the Belgian music scene. Noe?mie Wolfs declared her departure from Hooverphonic, the band she had fronted as the lead singer for over five years. She described it as the end of an incredible chapter in her life and expressed her desire to forge her own musical path, which she did by releasing her critically acclaimed debut album "Hunt You" a year later.
In February 2020, the long-anticipated second solo album by Noe?mie arrived, titled "Lonely Boy's Paradise," brimming with melancholic hues. Taking her time to craft and record this album, Noe?mie delivered a collection of songs that resonated even more deeply with her. At the production helm was Yello Staelens (also known as Yong Yello). With "Lonely Boy's Paradise," her confidence grew, allowing her to embrace risk and unconventional ideas. However, the international lockdown soon threw a spanner in the works, as the society shut down a day after her celebrated sold-out release show at the Ancienne Belgique. Rather than sit by, she therefore retreated to her home studio to work on new music.
Making music from the heart has always been in the DNA of Belgian singer Noémie Wolfs and yet this time it is a tad different as she's gearing up to release her third album, "Wild At Heart," in November. This time around, she joined forces again with her partner in crime, Simon Casier (of Balthazar and Zimmerman), to write and produce the album in their home studio. Despite being in the business for years, the upcoming project also immediately presented a challenge for her because this time she was involved both as a writer, but more importantly as a producer, giving the album an even more personal touch. Everything was done from an emotion or a vision, you notice and hear the love for enchanting arrangements immediately.
The ten tracks on "Wild At Heart" promise a distinct sound, enriched with meticulous attention to detail. The melodies are interwoven with dreamy, melancholic strings and an array of synths, revealing a new facet of Noémie's musical evolution. The new sound of Noémie evolved from a hip-hop-oriented use of samples on her second album "Lonely Boys Paradise" to a more electronic approach, where danceable beats with analog synths join forces with big orchestrated strings to capture the different facets of a love story.
"Strings are actually very hopeful or often form a warm blanket for many people, but can also be very frightening, oppressive, dark, and sad. It might even be my favourite instrument, which is why I definitely wanted to use them on this album. Sometimes you can even hear 42 violins at the same time, with which we wanted to capture the grandeur of Hollywood," she says about including strings.
The upcoming album is not a sonic continuation of her previous albums, but a deliberate exploration of what has always inspired her. "Wild At Heart" tells the story of two lovers who cannot live with each other, but also cannot live without each other. The dramaturgy of the album also reflects itself musically, which is immediately evident with the first single "Lonely Heart". In almost eight minutes, you feel the matchless passion in her music and her voice remains the narrative thread that makes you forget time and space around you for a moment. Noémie Wolfs' new music is therefore the perfect way to take a break from the daily grind and digs deep into all forms of romance.
"Wild At Heart" is Noémie Wolfs' reintroduction and her most personal project so far. For dreamers, lovers, and travelers.
In apartheid-era South Africa, gospel music provided solace and served as a tool for covert communication to circumvent the censorship of the settler regime. By the 2010s, South African gospel, deeply ingrained in the soul of Soweto, assumed a new role—as a heartfelt cry against persistent failures and shortcomings, a cry mourning a South Africa that never materialized.
A new South Africa needed a new gospel sound.
In 2016, nine young men from different parts of Diepkloof, a celebrated neighbourhood brimming with talent within Soweto's sprawling township, came together to form the sound of a new South Africa under the name Diepkloof United Voice.
Diepkloof United Voice's music has gone viral multiple times on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook, garnering between 60,000 to 2 million views. The comments section displays flag emojis from Brazil to India, showcasing the global reach of their music.
This album was recorded on site in Soweto, in an abandoned classroom of Lebowa Elementary School in Diepkloof Zone 3, where the choir rehearsed for years. Amid rolling blackouts, Diepkloof United Voice poured their heart, soul, and vocal chords into their debut record, combining classic South Africa gospel, Soweto's own kasi soul, American blues, and Zulu flavor, to present the contemporary gospel sound of a changing South Africa.
The promise of a new South Africa might finally be realized, as Diepkloof United Voice guarantees the country's future is guided by the truth, uttered with each gasp of breath from their inimitable voices.
- A1: Niet Of Nooit Geweest
- A2: Groeten Uit Maaiveld
- A3: Laat Me Slapen
- A4: Ren Lenny Ren
- A5: Mooi Liedje
- A6: Vondelpark Vannacht
- B1: Het Regent Zonnestralen
- B2: Als Je Bij Me Weggaat
- B3: Totdat Ik Jou
- B4: De Kapitein Deel Ii
- B5: (Noem Me) Oud Verdriet
- B6: Als Het Vuur Gedoofd Is
- C1: Lopen Tot De Zon Komt
- C2: Dag Esmee
- C3: De Kapitein
- C4: Brussel Moeten Heten
- C5: Lena (Live)
- C6: Schoolplein (Live)
- D1: Morgen Is Ze Weg
- D2: Jaren Ver Van Hier
- D3: Vandaag Ben Ik Gaan Lopen
- D4: De Stad Amsterdam
- D5: Verkeerd Verbonden
- D6: Een Spaanse Moslim Groet Zijn God
L+P-2 is Rivet's second album following his acclaimed debut, On Feather and Wire, released on Editions Mego in 2020. The wheels were already in motion for a subsequent album on the same label, but tragedy struck. Peter "Pita" Rehberg, the legendary owner of Editions Mego, suddenly passed away at only 53 years old, leaving the experimental electronic music community in a state of pitch-black grief. Rivet was among the many deeply affected by this loss. The inspiration and support from Rehberg had propelled Rivet to create at a level he himself was uncertain he had mastered. For Rivet, Rehberg's death felt like the death of music.
However, that brooding sentiment was abruptly shattered when Rivet's beloved dog and companion, Lilo, was diagnosed with incurable cancer just a couple of months later. They were inseparable, and now they would be separated nonetheless. The only way Rivet could cope with this double blow was to compose—for Lilo, for Pita, for his own sanity. L+P-2 is the result.
While the album naturally emerges from a place of despair, it's remarkably comforting. Partly, this stems from Rivet's singular ability to make machines not only sound human but also act human—sincere and warm, yet flawed. In more than one track on L+P-2, you'll encounter a distinctive melody and a gnarly bassline dancing hand in hand with Rivet's eccentric and captivating drum patterns. Then, seemingly on a whim, the melody takes off on its own, leaving the faithful bassline behind—much like a dear friend that suddenly vanishes from your life without warning. Yet life goes on, and so does the music. But never unchanged. Never.
L+P-2 is an album of lamentation, yet also of resolve—a dedication to those who go through life losing more than their share because they always carry too much.
Following up last year’s Acrobatic Thoughts album, Panoram delves even deeper into his own musical universe with Keep Looking Where The Light Comes From. We find the producer in confident form, exploring the fuzzy fringes of beauty and chaos. The result is an album that sounds even more like himself and yet surprising at each turn.
Opening track Feathers sounds like only Panoram can, buzzy arpeggiated distortion takes flight somewhere in the direction of a distant multiverse where Animal Collective and Boards of Canada soundtracked Koyaanisqatsi. But the psychedelic drift is all Panoram’s own, conjuring a stark sense of the uncanny with the repeated phrases. The digital guitar and vocal loops of I Can Only Repeat Your Love are practically on the brink of collapsing in on themselves, to the point where the structure begins to shift like a collapsing monument. Flat Stones nods towards ASMR, as flute and woodwind tones caress the ears and a whispered voice teases out an altered state.
It’s this dreamlike mood that pervades the whole album, a maximal effect that’s wrung from minimalist compositions. The Wide House picks up the baton from Laurie Anderson to trip gently through different states of awareness, while the piano patterns of Blank Sheep float through the synth ambience like ideas entering an empty dream. There Is A Hole Here is another mutant loop that unravels as it proceeds - the rhythms turn into a pulse, and despite what the lyrics say, it does indeed mess around with your brain.
Panoram balances dance tropes, classical composition, ambient drones and a washed out, fuzzy twist on avant garde pop, and manages to transform it all into a uniform whole that fits all those puzzle pieces together. Yet such is the assuredness of Panoram’s production that it sounds effortless. At this point, the music is more like a midwife, manifesting your future self‘s enlightened consciousness with surreal effect.




















