Following contributions by DJ Deep and DJ Hell, Tresor Records are proud to present the third instalment in their Kern mix-series, this time headed by Berlin based producer Objekt, his first release following his 2014 debut album Flatland for PAN. In keeping with the series mission of showcasing a more personal approach to mixing Hertz describes his process as such;
Kern Vol. 3 is made up of tracks that I know I will play and love for years to come. Some of these records have been in my bag for years; others are almost as new to me as they are to you. A handful are by lesser known artists whom I admire and who I think deserve wider recognition. Planned, recorded, embellished, reworked, tweaked and chiselled away at over a period of 6 months, the mix was gradually carved out in a way that makes use of new and old techniques alike, presenting itself primarily as a DJ mix but settling in a sweet spot between live recording and studio trickery. The tracklist spans styles, decades and BPMs in an attempt to craft a mix that's unpredictable and compelling in equal measure - one that draws from the more adventurous corners of my club sets, but above all, one that's a pleasure to listen to.
Clocking in at 75min across 36 tracks, Kern Vol. 3 delivers on Objekt's promise, stitching together everything from the playful breakbeats of Beatrice Dillon's "Halfway" to Kirk DiGiorgio's classic techno "Nebula Variation" and the lightspeed IDM of Aleksi Perälä and Ueno Masaaki without missing a beat. A descent through ambient bliss, thundering cello drones and vocal contortions (courtesy of Anna Caragnano, Yair Elazar Glotman and Senyawa's Rully Shabara respectively) give way to the stoned haze of Sensational vs Sotofett and metalwork of Machine Woman and Skarn, rounding up a highly eclectic and adventurous mix which also includes previously unreleased tracks by Bristol's Shanti Celeste, rising Brooklyn producer Via App and accomplished electro technicians Clatterbox and Polzer.
The sixth release on Deep'a & Biri's Black Crow label welcomes another new name into the fold: Nico Campanella has been quietly building a stellar reputations for himself over the past few years, working under a variety of aliases to explore a sound that much like Deep'a & Biri draws deeply from techno's Detroit heritage as well as the propulsive dub techno of Basic Channel. With releases for several high quality under-the-radar European techno labels, including Construct Re-form, CLFT, Monnom Black and his own label Subosc, Campanelli's Kaelan and 2030 projects in particular have won him some ardent admirers & plenty of tips as a talent to keep an eye on. It's as 2030 that he joins Black Crow, for the Timeworm EP, which is completed by remixes from FXHE's Luke Hess and the label's Tel Aviv-based founders. The EP's original track are a pair of lushly-produced classic Detroit-influenced excursions, redolent of the cascading ambient textures and string melodies found within the work of the city's first wave pioneers. A1 cut 'In aeternum' could easily be mistaken for a lost early 90s classic in the best possible sense, while the title track also draws on a similarly timeless quality. With the original track ensuring the EP package will win other home listeners, it's the remixers who shape them for the dancefloor. Luke Hess's 'In aeturnum' remix is powerful dancefloor workout that retains a softer edge, recalling the producer's recent collaboration with OB Ignitt. On the B side, Deep'a & Biri offer two of their own interpretations of the title track, pulling the track across the dub techno galaxy with their trademark dexterity. Completing a truly exceptional package is beautiful hand drawn artwork by Israeli artist Avraham Guy Barchil.
Favorite Recordings proudly presents this new official album reissue of Shine the Light of Love by Googie & Tom Coppola: A beautiful soaring soul album sublimely produced with a sweet LA groove!
Thomas Wilkinson Coppola (aka Tom Coppola) is a pianist and arranger, known for being a principal member of the funky prog-jazz group Air (not to be confused with the French duo). He began working as a musician in Manhattan in the 1960s, where he met Carolyn Brooks (aka Googie Coppola). If they only released one self-titled album with Air in 1970, and Shine the Light of Love as a duo in 1980, these two amazing talents have collaborated with artists such as Herbie Mann, Lenny White, Flora Purim, Ray Barreto or Jeremy Steig to name just a few.
Shine the Light of Love was also released in 1980 on Columbia, after the couple left Air to become born-again Christian. A real lack of promotion from the label caused the record to disappear, however it was, in many ways, years ahead of their contemporaries. Googie's vocals are an absolute delight - with a Minnie Riperton-esque sort of feeling - and the overall album's got some nice jazzy touches and a sublime, sophisticated approach to the overall sound, while never falling into commercial.
An underrated masterpiece that definitely deserved more attention, which is why Favorite Recordings is deeply honored today to present it in a fully remastered version, housed in a fine gatefold sleeve including original notes.
When Kompakt came across Amsterdam-based Harm Coolen and Merijn Schotte Albers aka WEVAL back in 2014, we were blown away when we heard their slow-burning, darkly emotive tracks.
Their debut EP 'Half Age' on Atomnation featured painfully intimate and surprisingly kinetic electronic chamber pop that convinced us they were a perfect fit in Kompakt's family. Following two widely acclaimed EPs for Kompakt and playing numerous festivals including DGTL, Reeperbahn, Iceland Airwaves and Piknic Electronik, we now see the two tackle their self-titled debut full-length WEVAL. What you have before you is not a mere collection of tracks, but a complete listening experience with organic flow, emotional heft and a narrative thread.
Smitten with WEVAL's uniquely personal and catchy approach to producing dark electronic music, it didn't take much to win us over... and so came WEVAL's acclaimed 2014 label debut EASIER EP (KOMPAKT 318), followed by the bold and beautiful 2015 offering IT'LL BE JUST FINE / GROW UP (KOMPAKT 344) which saw the two soundsmiths digging deeper into the granularities of electronic funk than ever before. However, Harm and Merijn's music - while astonishingly fully-formed even in its earliest stages - always seemed destined for more, a bigger format, more space to explore the nooks and crannies of their rapidly evolving sound cosmos. Simply put, they needed to think about an album and their beloved living room studio wasn't cutting it anymore.
An old school building became WEVAL's new home, repurposed to house small creative businesses - but in the summer of 2015, it was abandoned most of the time, with everybody out in the sun while our heroes turned the building's attic into a sweet spot to make some noise, have 24-hour access and lose track of time. And apart from a sketchy tenant being evicted, the occasional soccer game with friends and live gigs across Europe, there really was no interruption to the focussed vibe. It's not like they were looking for distraction anyway: "working on the album all by ourselves in this bloody hot attic was all we had on our mind", the artists admit. And they decided that their album shouldn't sound too clean: "We try to find the beauty in imperfection. It makes things sound more human".
Weval draw their inspirations from no single genre of music but a cumulation of music that inspires them. The results present an astonishingly coherent vision - cuts like the dramatic THE BATTLE, bass growler I DON'T NEED IT or the trippy epic MADNESS share the same DNA of zestful nostalgia, a knack for immersive sound-sculpting and that certain kink in the groove. They also feed on deeply personal experiences and moods, as exemplified by the haunting electronic ballad YOU'RE MINE, the carefully layered, polaroid-tinted JUST IN CASE or the beautifully voiced closer YEARS TO BUILD. And sometimes, it's just an old, out-of-tune piano that stands in the hallway: "Whenever I'd pass by it, I couldn't resist playing it", says Merijn, "so Harm decided to start recording and it became an integral part of YOU MADE IT (PART I)". No doubt about it: this is WEVAL's most powerful and organic material yet - which means a lot, considering the amount of skill already on display in their small, but weighty portfolio.
(de) Als sich 2014 in Amsterdam Kompakts Wege mit denen von Harm Coolen und Merijn Schotte Albers aka WEVAL kreuzten, waren wir sofort Feuer und Flamme für ihre schwelenden, emotional aufgeladenen Tracks. Ihre Debüt-EP "Half Age" auf Atomnation präsentierte intimen und überraschend kinetischen, elektronischen Kammer-Pop, der wie angegossen zu Kompakt zu passen schien. Nach zwei vielbeachteten EPs auf dem Label und einer Reihe von Festvialgigs (inklusive DGTL, Reeperbahn Festival, Iceland Airwaves und Piknic Electronik) nehmen Weval nun mit dem gleichnamigen Release ihr erstes Album in Angriff. Und legen dabei nicht einfach nur eine Ansammlung von Tracks vor, sondern kreieren eine komplette Hörerfahrung mit organischem Flow, emotionalem Gewicht und einm roten Faden.
Angetan vom einzigartig persönlichen und mitreissend düsteren Klang WEVALs brauchte es nicht viel um uns zu überzeugen... und so kam es 2014 zum gefeierten Labeldebüt EASIER EP (KOMPAKT 318), gefolgt vom kühnen und wunderschönen 2015er Release IT'LL BE JUST FINE / GROW UP (KOMPAKT 344), für das die beiden Soundtüftler tiefer denn je in die Granularitäten des elektronischen Funks abtauchten. Nichtsdestotrotz - und obwohl sie schon von Anfang an ausgereift klang - schien die Musik von Harm und Merijn auf dem 12"-Format stets bestimmt für mehr: mehr Freiraum um auch die äussersten Winkel ihres rapide expandierenden Soundkosmos zu erkunden. Sie mussten schlichtweg zum Langspielformat wechseln, und ihr heissgeliebtes Wohnzimmerstudio konnte da nicht mehr mithalten.
Ein altes Schulgebäude wurde schliesslich WEVALs neues Zuhause, umfunktioniert für kleine Kreativunternehmen - doch im heissen Sommer 2015 stand es zumeist leer, da alle draussen in der Sonne badeten, während unsere Helden im Schweisse ihres Angesichts das Kellergeschoss in ein lärmfestes Aufnahmestudio verwandelten. Mit Studiozugang rund um die Uhr liess es sich bestens die Zeit vergessen. Und abgesehen von der Räumung eines zwielichtigen Nebenmieters, dem gelegentlichen Fussballspiel mit Freunden und natürlich Live-Gigs in ganz Europa, gab es auch keine Ablenkungen vom hochkonzentrierten Kreativfluss. Ablenkungen, die das Duo ohnehin nicht suchte: "ganz allein in diesem verdammt heissen Keller am Album arbeiten war alles, was wir im Sinn hatten", geben die Künstler zu. Und sie entschieden sich, dass ihr Album nicht zu sauber klingen sollte: "Wir versuchen die Schönheit im Makel zu finden. Es lässt die Dinge einfach menschlicher wirken."
Weval beziehen ihre Inspiration nicht aus einem einzelnen musikalischen Genre, sondern eher aus einer Akkumulation von Musik, die sie inspiriert. Die Ergebnisse zeichnet eine beeindruckend kohärente Vision aus - Aufnahmen wie das dramatische THE BATTLE, der Bassknurrer I DON'T NEED IT oder die Trip-Saga MADNESS teilen diesselbe DNA aus schwungvoller Nostalgie, einer Schwäche für immersive Klangschnitzerei und einer gewissen Delle im Groove. Sie nähren sich auch aus zutiefst persönlichen Erfahrungen und Stimmungen, wie zum Beispiel bei der eindringlichen elektronischen Ballade YOU'RE MINE, dem vorsichtig geschichteten, polaroid-gefärbten JUST IN CASE oder dem wunderschön gesungenen Schlussakt YEARS TO BUILD. Und manchmal ist es nur ein altes, verstimmtes Klavier, das im Flur herumsteht: "Immer wenn ich dran vorbei lief, musste ich darauf herumklimpern", erklärt Merijn, "also wurde es ein zentraler Bestandteil von YOU MADE IT (PART I)". Kein Zweifel: dies ist WEVAL's stärkstes und organischstes Material bisher - was durchaus was bedeutet, wenn man das Talent bedenkt welches bereits in schmalen, doch gewichtigen Portfolio der Band steckt.
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Shaw Cuts is happy to present its third release, which includes 4 tracks produced by Farron under the title 'Death Duel'. The story of this chapter is simple: The Third Master is respected as the unrivalled and undefeated swordmaster of the day. His strength and skill saw many opponents who sought to slay him and win his title. All failed. There was only one rival who might sever his crown. It is only a matter of time until the ultimate duel... 'We Don't Make No Sense' rings in combat with a dirty break-beat drum pattern combined with deep, melancholic pads, circling the scene before one of the masters makes the first attack. Warmer in tone, 'Tangency' is the first intermission, a lull in bloodshed and impending annihilation. Short-lived... The B-Side brings back battle mode with 'Centro', a rough and rolling thunder with churning synth action and distorted drums. The duel ends with 'Par 2', its sharp percussions, goliath bass drum and spheric pads reverberate victory. An open breast and sword glazed red. Fatal hemorrhage...
Heavyweight soul providers Fat Freddy's Drop are about to take flight once again with the worldwide release of new album Blackbird on 24th June 2013. Blackbird is the third full-length release from the New Zealand band and will see Fat Freddy's Drop exceed half-a-million album sales worldwide, the result of playing over 800 shows in their career-to-date, clocking up 412 appearances in Europe, 27 Australian Tours and over 300 shows in their homeland.
Fat Freddy's Drop celebrate a decade of European touring by releasing Blackbird in East London. The already sold-out show at Village Underground attracted over 4,000 hopeful ticket ballot entries in just 24 hours for only 500 lucky spots.
Featuring nine tracks, Blackbird was written and recorded at Bays, the band's own studio, which was one of the last vinyl pressing plants in New Zealand and then an apostolic church. Fitchie says, 'What you hear on the album is the sound of Bays, the room itself, the vibe of the place and the performance we can get out of the band in there.'
'Blackbird is truer to FFD's musical philosophy than anything else we've done', says Chopper Reeds. 'The song structures are open and unruly - just like our live shows - whilst we've pushed ourselves to deliver rich and deeply layered arrangements that showcase Joe Dukie's exceptional voice. We feel totally at home melding together this unholy mix of disco, rootsy dub, blues, soul and electronic funk - it's what we do.'
Fat Freddy's Drop have released two studio albums, 'Based On A True Story' (2005) and 'Dr Boondigga & The Big BW' (2009), two live albums, 'Live At The Matterhorn' (2001) and 'Live At Roundhouse' (2010) and a stash of limited edition vinyl singles, including the now legendary 'Midnight Marauders' and 'Hope For
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Kevin Arnemann and Daan Kemp's Taped Artifact label clocks up its fourth release with a three track offering from Outlaw Rec boss and key part of the Italian Serendipity club, namely Matthew Oh. Matthew has previously released on his own label and others like Side Off, and eloquently marries dub, techno and house into smooth and sensuous sonic landscapes. The opening track 'Psycho Hub' is an atmospheric and spacious roller with dubbed out drums and pads, coupled with incendiary hi hats urging you along. 'Shroud' is seven minutes of slick and spaced out deep techno with liquid synths and clacking hits all racing along and making for a frictionless groove that sucks you right in. Finally, 'Get in the Fridge' slows the tempo down and becomes an even more widescreen and roomy roller with suspensory pads, smeared synths and aqueous sonic details that make you feel like you are floating in sound.
It all began with a demo from Siberia in 2011...the rest is history..
With his fulminant debut ep "Untitled Dubs", RAWAX became over
night an incredible focus in the techno scene worldwide. Unbroken Dub aka Denis Safiullin was let's say the co-founder of it and still a very close friend of the label. No wonder that we're happy to present you Denis' 7th release and follow up to the first one called "Untitled Dubs 2"!
More raw, stripped back, jackin' Chicago sounds from deep within the vaults of DJ International for RSD.
Chip E's seminal 'Like This' originally from 1985 is one of the most recognizable & loved records from the first wave of House & is an all-time classic. A rhythm track' anthem is based upon ESG's Moody, this still rocks a dancefloor today!
Cyclo is relaunching with an absolute classic track from its extensive back catalogue. Produced by Derrick Carter & Chris Nazuka the Chicago house classic Rednail Kidz "Do My Thing" was an underground smash when it was first released at the end of the 90's. Clubs nights such as Space at Bar Rhumba rocked hard to the incessant groove of this track. We have included a remastered original with 3 remixes:The Nacho Marco remix takes "Do My Thing" into big room territory. Nacho works closely with Roland and on this remix you can witness Big 303 lines and huge bass that will rock most discerning floors.Hallo Halo (Jon Dasilva & Jonas Nilsson) remix the track superbly and add their trademark warm tech sound.Mystic Bill creates a stunning, deep, Chicago inspired, sonic journey of a remix where less is, most certainly, more. Your Only Friend (AKA Tres Manos) adds some warm acid lines and some extra synths for his remix (digital edition only).
We hope you will enjoy these tracks as much as we are !
Soma's Italian connection, Roberto Clementi, makes a welcome return opening his 2016 account with the solid, Wall Of People. Including a top notch remix form Ilian Tape label heads, Marco & Dario Zenker. Robert has slowly been building his credentials in the Techno world with some fine releases and this driving number is another to add to increasing discography with Soma.
The Zenker Brothers remix opens the EP as the Munich based duo lend their deep and highly refined production talents to Wall Of People. Ruptured beats play havoc with a shimmering high end and rattling percussive elements all tied in with a pulsing, modulating synth hook that keep the track feeling fairly dark. Clementi's original shows a much harder edge to his previous work with big, sub heavy beats worked around a more pumped up rhythm and tearing synth line
Pomalo, means 'take it easy' in Croatian Dalmatia region's slang, is the latest addition to the Burek/Barba family.
A 12" by CL Dawkins titled 'Affirmation Of Love' comes as a wonderful postcard from Detroit. Written and produced by Alex Israel, remixed by Amp Fiddler, and with a vocal contribution by Lavell Williams, the record features three different generations of Detroit artists.
Alex Israel, here debuting his CL Dawkins moniker, is a mechanical engineer and synth aficionado with a deep respect for soul music.
Since 2011, Alex has released a string of successful releases under his real name on labels such as Creme Organization, Stilove4music, Night Gallery and W.T. Records.
In tune with the mood and title of the label, Alex delivers two mid-tempo jams which are hard to ignore. 'Affirmation Of Love' is a soulful tune that works equally as the last song of the night, in your living room, or at a boat party.
Mr. Williams, whose vocals envelop the song, is vice president of the Detroit Sound Conservancy, an organisation deeply involved with Detroit's musical heritage education.
CL's second tune on the record is 'Blue Falconry', an instrumental with a subtle synth line reminiscent of Alex's previous work threading through the whole length.
Finally, Amp Fiddler contributes his take on the vocal cut. Fiddler's career connects the worlds of George Clinton, Sly and Robbie, Prince, and Brand New Heavies to artists like Moodymann, J Dilla, Theo Parrish, and A Tribe Called Quest.
A one-man musical hub, and an artist whose impressive biography would take up more space than we have here, spins the title with a dancefloor edge while retaining all the things we love about the original, a soulful Detroit house take that leaves a lasting impression...
With their next carefully curated release, the Opilec Music label begins to shine a light on the roots of Italo with the reissue of an ultra rare and obscure synth Italo disco track by A. Avenue from 1984.
This is a special Record Store Day 2016 release and of course, Opilec Music has remastered the original vocal and instrumental versions and here include I-Robots reconstructions and two Flemming Dalum's reworks.
This is a track many labels wanted, but only Opilec Music have been granted official rights to this cult re-release. Originally released on Discover Records, this is the only EP
A. Avenue (aka Dario Ancona and F. Feleppa) ever put out and it now fetches high prices on Discogs. Once you hear the music, you can understand why: The lovably naive and innocent vocal version is seven minutes of cosmic and psychedelic grooves with perfectly retro melodies and pixelated chords that take you into outer space.
Mid tempo drums are full of funk and drive and the two part vocal—one crisp and clean, one filtered and dehumanised—really lend the whole thing a special robot feel that is second to none. As well as a stripped back instrumental, there is a fine I-Robots Reconstruction that is quicker and more driving.
The vocals are also more prominent, soaring up top above reflective synths and rainy xylophone style melodies. It is a real Italo disco gem that is followed by a spacious and tripped out version from Danish DJ and producer Flemming Dalum, who has been devoted to Italo all his life and works with labels like Mothball, Bordello A Parigi and Disco Modernism.
He also layers in more cowbells, punchy drums and claps that refresh it for a modern club, and buy the EP digitally and you will get a second Dalum edit that is the deepest of the lot - 100% true to the original.
This reissue will make many record collectors and Italo disco fans truly happy, and is just the start of some brilliant new projects to come.
In autumn 2015, Swedish dream-pop duo Korallreven bid us all farewell by releasing the "round-the-world-in-a-day" sounding final single Here In Iowa, alongside memorable shows in New York City and Scandinavia. Now, they return for one last time with a disco dub dream remix of said song by the mighty Peaking Lights. This forms part of a 12" EP released by Be With Records. The record - limited to just 500 copies - will see its worldwide release for Record Store Day on 16th April 2016.
The 12" will also, for the first time on vinyl, include Korallreven's breathtaking cover of Guns & Roses' November Rain from 2014 as well as Shine On, the duo's rework of their own 2010 single Honey Mine, featuring Taken By Trees' Victoria Bergsman.
From the guys:
"Hard to say if Here In Iowa was an end or a start of something new. You'll see! Whether or not, we hold it as one of our highest heights and, after this beautiful season, we truly deeply madly felt that it was worth some extra limelight. And hey! Thanks for the remix, Peaking Lights! It's so wonderful! Life surely is."
Incl. Trus'Me Remix! Early supported by Loco Dice, Ame, Marcell Dettmann, Ben Sims, Ben Ufo, Fred P, Dj Tennis, Reboot, DVS1, Kevin Saunderson, Marco Carola, Truncate, Osunlade & many more..
Abstract Theory is back with a great new EP from Italian bangers Dirty Channels in team with the talented Eternal Entropy, who built up two ghetto house inspired bombs. The package includes a solid techno-dub Remix from Prime Numbers boss TRUS'ME and a lovely deep version from Francesco Bonora & Marcello Arletti.
After music from Terrence Parker, Boo Williams, John Tejada, Tony Lionni, Mike Shannon and Vince Watson, with this new release Abstract Theory confirms to be one of the finest italian labels to watch this year.
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James K is a stranger to obviousness. Over the past few years the New York native has quietly honed her sound and peculiar aesthetic. Equally organic and electronic, her sound is a combination of odd dreams, industrial beats and vocals, both incomprehensible and appealing, with a thick layer of glitter on top of it. James K is a concentrated dose of emotion mixed with sorrowful iciness, which in turn ties together ripped, broken, morphed and enchanted samples. James K stands for a fusion of visual and sonic elements, deeply rooted in conscious art practice and downright freak-out. James K creates a mythology of her own.
'PET,' her first LP due out in early 2016, will be a co-release with Dial and her own label, She Rocks! A special edition of the album with added bonus tracks and interludes with be released on cassette through Canadian label 1080p.
In James K's words: 'The underlying desire of 'PET' divides into two parts: an escape into ethereality and a mischievous denial of my own experience. It narrates my search for honest expression by means of the premature denial- a childish excursion into a world of monstrosity and innocence.
PET reflects my mental state during its production - as a person, I was owned, objectified and hurt by other, and that wound I then unwillingly internalized. I turned to my music as a way to dissect these thoughts. The product became my possession, or 'pet.' In retrospective, this process gives me strength over myself; love—knowledge and wisdom enacted. The arrangement of the music and the PET itself relates to my endless struggle, namely, my attempts to reclaim myself.'
Her 'Sokit' 7' is a double track single for her album, which she released last Spring. James K is featured on the recent compilation released by Dial Records for their 15-year anniversary, and a mini LP of her noise pop project SETH (along with producer Gobby), was also recently released by label 1080p in June, in cassette and digital form. She rocks.
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Modelisme is proud to welcome the french talented and prolific artist Anaxander we use to
see on labels as Pokerflat, Tasteful Nudes, Quintessential, Local Talk to name a few..
House - Techno moods have no secret for him, and for this 30th release on the label, he
delivers a surprising and solid EP based on House Music mainly.
B1 - « Turn Out » is a great boogie house track, plenty of Disco Funk influences built on a fat
groove with a slight mainstream vocals.
B2 - « Party Track (Midnight In Malmousque Mix) » is an exceptional Slow Deep House
Techno with a slight Soul Electro Funk touch, solid and floating, warm bodies and sunglasses
ready to make dance under early sunrise or smoked club dance floor inside.
A1 - « Party Track (Kai Alce Remix) » remixed by one of Deep House fathers Kai Alce,
NDATL label Boss and author of numerous Eps on Track Mode, Mahogani Music, FXHE,
Deep Explorer.. This superb remix is in classical Deep Chicago House vein, close to some
Glenn Underground works, Jazz Funk influences and subtle grooves.
Already Supported by Jimpster, Ooft, Kelton Prima, Grego G, Jee, Mugwump, Hardrock
Striker, Oyvind Morken, Dj Steef, Jona Saucedo, Michael Zucker, Hydergine, Kriss
Liferecorder, Dawad & Mokic, Virgo Music, La dame Noir & more...
An intense introspection of sound deconstructionism and spacial dissonance presented in this 4 track (plus 2 lock grooves) EP entitled Nonharmonic Beautifault. The A Side is introduced with the track 'Blank Hand', a sludge fuelled walk into dusty audio bites and asthmatic rhythms, topped with screaming hoovers and TV static that at once builds up, collapses into beautiful cacophony. Leading us into the 'Body Molecule' - A rushing pad and sparkling percussion pinned to a rolling kick pattern that drives this track toward a central point of attacking synths and swarming soundscape. The run out locked groove features a deep distorted kick that loops into infinity. The other side starts with 'Angular Beautifault'. Acidic Rhythms and Buzz Saw Synths all washed together into a shimmering reverberated cavern that explodes with high powered clap patterns and bubbling 303 lines. Following this we have 'The Burin' - an uncompromising, high paced assault of power kicks and slanted percussion. Incessantly driving and unyielding towards the final lock groove of distorted sub loop. Nonharmonic Beautifault represents a shift in Positive Centre's work that aims beyond the delicate ambience into harder and darker sound territories.
Long an unsung hero of the underground, Langenberg (a.k.a Max Heesen) has a string of quality releases to his name, both on his own solo as a part of his Ribn moniker with Manuel Tur. This outing on Dessous Recordings provides yet another string to his bow; 'Shadows' is a supremely soulful outing featuring the vocal talents of Blakkat. Liquid deep and balanced perfectly between euphoric and melancholic, 'Shadow' sees Mark Bell (Blakkat) deliver an emotional invocation over a beautifully crafted track, with echoes of the master Larry Heard clearly present. Also included on the vinyl release are two extraordinary remixes - UK legend Atjazz providing a sumptuously realized fusion of melody and driving, dance-floor urgency. Brooklyn's house veterans Frank & Tony (Scissor & Thread) drop a huge remix of their own to complete the package - serving up their distinctive and timeless NYC deep and raw vibes to complement Langenberg's original fully.
First released in 1988, a huge year in House Music History on unknown Chicago Label: Critical House Records. Produced by Billy "Jack" Williams using a minimal gear list including Roland's TR-707 drum machine, Casio SK-1 Sampler and Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer. Billy Jack went on to create the Global smash hit "Warehouse Days Of Glory" by New Deep Society. Official 2016 re issue!!
Embracing Disco, Techno and House music in all its declinations, What Ever Not introduces now British artist Reformed Society, project started by house producer Harsh Puri as a consequence of djing and collecting records since 1998, debuting with a four track old school house EP, Optimistic Chaos coherently fitting with the Italian imprint philosophy. 'Hope' has that solar, yet dusty groove folding distorted rhythmics and joyful pads around an insistent lead dubby pattern and shimmering synths. 'Optimistic Chaos' is again smooth but lightly gloomy, until a pause intoxicates one's body and mind filling them with inebriating ambients. 'Incognito' delivers a deep driving atmosphere here, featuring dogged, crisp drums together with minimalist, yet momentary cosmic motives. For the closing cut 'Detracid', the artist cooks up a brew of acid lines with the usual charming synths and vivid hats, building a light sense of tension fired up by the warm, heady sound scapes. Each track is similar to the last, stiffening the musical timbre of the label, confirming the producer's strong artistic identity as a consequence.
Heady and spaced out seductive techno by J.C. aka Jose Cabrera who made a storming debut with his fine album on Fred P's Soul People Music some time ago and released on labels such as Tresor, Deeply Rooted, Symbolism. Now he is launching his own new label, Cabrera. Starting with his personal project, but with releases in the pipeline by Tadeo and Population One. This 1st release that includes a strong remix by Jonas Kopp will be the starting point of an adventurous fresh new Techno label that is promissing to reach for the dark corners of the dancefloors! A rich and varied Ep that launches the new Cabrera label in a great manner
Deep Purple are Proud to announce the reissue of their 1970 classic album 'Deep Purple in Rock', which sees all tracks fully remastered by Andy Pearce and Matt Wortham and released on a 1LP vinyl. The Album is the first in which every song is credited to the five Deep Purple band members, whilst it is still to this day credited as the prime essence of deep rock music. The title includes singles such as 'Child in Time' and notably the full length version of 'Speed King'. This album has been cut at half speed by Barry Grint at Alchemy, please be aware this is a key point over the other available editions
Following two EP releases on Delusions Of Grandeur the time felt right for thatmanmonkz to get working on his debut LP. The Sheffield b-boy is no newcomer to production having been releasing music since the mid-noughties but has seen a definite rise in interest the last few years following essential releases on his own Shadeleaf label as well as remixes and productions for the likes of Classic, Kolour LTD and Kon's StarTime.
With his first musical love being Hip Hop it's easy to understand how his approach to house turns out so refreshing. Inevitably MPC's, big, bold samples, Jay Dee inspired grooves and a raw, underproduced sound all play a big part and never one to shy away from an interesting collaboration he has enlisted the skills of several vocalists including Detroit MC Ta'raach (whose credits include Slum Village and Jill Scott), Erik Rico (collabs include Ron Trent and DJ Spinna), Khalil, Dave Aju, Pete Simpson (as A Brother Is...) and Malik Ameer.
Things kick off with a low-slung soul jam entitled Air featuring Kahil Anthony complete with sparkling Rhodes arps and a dub-wise bassline underpinning a beautifully lazy groove. Jus Anutha Wunna Deez follows with a rough and ready house jam that clearly doffs its cap to those old Sound Signature and Mahogoni Music releases we know and love so much. Next up we have Boogie Down with Erik Rico rocking some Parliament inspired vocal business bringing the feelgood vibes to this rolling P-Funker. Some Ol' Nex' Ish goes for a jazz samba meets house fusion whilst A Fly New Tune goes strictly old school with a classic combo of dusty break, filtered fusion rhodes n bass sample, movie dialogue snippets and a masterful flow delivered by Ta'raach. Dave Aju steps up next on Turn It Out laying down a unison vocal refrain to compliment the bumping disco groove complete with a call and response section for some singalong party participation!
As we continue, Another Night Under The Glitterball sees thatmanmonkz back in familiar territory with a rock solid, deep jazz-house jam. On I Can Hardly Breathe we're treated to a downtempo gospel-infused affair which leads us perfectly into the most bumpy club- friendly track of the LP For Bae. Moon On The Hill is a collaboration with Italian DJ Kali and his Raw Standard crew and treats us to some distinctly mid 90's Kruder and Dorfmeister vibes to zone out to before heading off in an altogether more bonkers, psychedelic dancehall direction on Vampires. Baked is another classy thatmanmonkz take on Hip Hop featuring Malik Ameer on the mic. Take U 2 My House sounds like something Prince might have made in the mid-80's if he'd just come off a 3 day bender at Panorama Bar. And closing the show in perfect style and fashion we have For Those I've Lost Along The Way which is a blunted yet beautifully optimistic number that has echoes of Lonnie Liston Smith and a brilliant spiritual vocal sample which provides the perfect closer to an amazing debut LP.
Coming from Geneva (Switzerland) but "napoletano" by heart, Pascal Viscardi is a new face in the deep-house panorama. The 31 years old fellow started his career (as a producer) a few years ago with 2 twelve inches on "The Exquisite Pain", including remixes from some heavy weights : Mark E, Session Victim and Agnes.
For his debut on "Frole Records", Pascal kicks in with a single track. "The Warmest Color" is the kind of cut you might play when the sun shows up and the bodies are ready for the slower and sexiest loops. In a totaly "Modern Swiss Vibe" (Did you say Agnes...) this double kicked tune offers you a straight, extra-shuffled, moodygritty and dubby moment. Is this Love at first sight! Yes, it is...
Our new friend didn't come alone, chosing carefully his remixers to complete your wax in a most accurate way.
On the A side - together with Pascal's "Original Swiss Swing"- we're proud to present you the greek berliner : Kindimmer. If you ask Ralph Lawson (2020 Records), the boss could tell you how talented the young dude is... At least, his record on the inconic label proves it all. Here on our release, Kindimmer offers a subtle and minimalistic approach to satisfy all your germanic house needs.
The B side starts with the german puncher Manooz, well known for his bangers on labels like "Tomorrow is Now Kid!", "Morris Audio", " Housewax ", and more... His version is a devastating big room nugget you should drop if you wanna see your dancefloor burning.
On B2 we have the third remix which comes from a really interesting outsider, our french mate : Toni Be. His releases on "Courtesy Of Balance Recordings", "Soul Notes" and "Rawthenticity" have truely convinced the genre specialists. Concerning his tune : dont look further, here you have the deepest cut of the bunch.
Gone with the flow - after a little break the German musicians Julius Steinhoff and Abdeslam Hammouda revived their musical adventures and left all electricity untouched this time. For their new acoustic project the duo has chosen the alias Tonight Will Be Fine - a name that is familiar to those who followed their work in the past years. As Steinhoff & Hammouda they used the name for their first 12" on Smallville Records, the worldwide acclaimed house and beyond label and record store that Steinhoff co-runs. Now they reheated the phrase and chose it as the alias for a bittersweet acoustic singer/songwriter project. Their wonderful, captivating new musical venture came into life due to happenstance and old ferventness. After their trips into house music the duo parted geographically. Hammouda moved away from Hamburg while Steinhoff strengthened his label Smallville, built up a global DJ career and produced acclaimed house records on diverse labels - solo" and with his buddy Dionne as Smallpeople. In all the time Steinhoff and Hammouda never stayed out of touch, bound together through deep friendship.
At some point they met again for musical missions and started to record music that had nothing in common with their prior work. Steinhoff re-activated his self-taught guitar abilities and entered the studio of his friend Lawrence in the back of the Smallville record store to capture some steeldrums and vibraphone sounds. Hammouda brought more instruments like a banjo, a violine and tablas and they just started to record sketches and songs. Hammouda's musical backround leads to a widespread range of influences while growing up, before he got into producing hip hop and electronic music. For Steinhoff, the transformation from an electronic music producer into a singer/songwriter wasn't that new too, as his first musical steps have been routed in band music. Until his late teenage years, when he discovered house and techno, he played drums in a local indie group in Freiburg and for Tonight Will Be Fine he now also freed his old drum kit from cellar dust.
After the duo felt that their musical communication elevates into something more profound then a session thing, they provided themselves with additional instruments like new guitars, claves, an accordion, a piano and more. Initially the songs were very rough and sketchy. Musical ideas that did not have a real song structure. Then we started to arrange the tracks and added our voices and lyrics.' both reveal. Their charming singing covers almost the whole album with a characteristic sense of deep winking melancholy. Their lyrics are exercising the possibilities of words and are inspired by life, the world and all the those questions a human can ask in his time on earth. At some point both started to show their new songs to some friends and they liked it and encouraged the duo to move on. Somehow one of the tracks landed in Toshiya Kawasaki's mailbox. He instantly fell in love with it and asked if they would like to do an album for Mule Musiq. They did what was asked and after some reformatting and reinventing Tonight Will Be Fine originated 13 songs full of sweeping acoustic guitars, airy rhythms, piano melodies, gloomy accordion emotions, touching voices and a bunch of other exotic instruments, done without the help of electronics. They all form Elephant Island' - an incredibly inspirational place where impressionistic lyrics dance gently with kinetic acoustic music that comes out of plain jamming fun. The melange of a structured song base and free improvisation injects all songs a loose feeling. And shows two handsome fellas carving out their own musical utopia. It is a warming one, full of hope and musical freedom powered by an unabashed instrumental playfulness.
nstrumental playfulness.
Over the course of five albums, Manchester based trumpeter, composer, arranger and band-leader Matthew Halsall has carved out a niche for himself on the UK music scene as one of it's brightest talents. His languid, soulful music has won friends from Jamie Cullum and Gilles Peterson to Jazz FM and Mojo as well as an ever-growing international following. His new album Into Forever, puts the spotlight on Halsall the composer, arranger and producer. Halsall draws on a diverse range of influences from Alice Coltrane, Dorothy Ashby, Phil Cohran and Leon Thomas to the more contemporary sounds of The Cinematic Orchestra, Max Richter and Nils Frahm to deliver his most complete recording to date. Into Forever features renowned Manchester based soul poet Josephine Oniyama and rising star vocalist Bryony Jarman-Pinto (Werkha) as well as regular collaborators, flautist Lisa Mallett, harpist Rachael Gladwin, koto player Keiko Kitamura, pianist Taz Modi, bassist Gavin Barras and drummer Luke Flowers (The Cinematic Orchestra) and two percussionists Sam Bell and Chris Cruiks. The result is arguably Halsall's finest record, asublime melding of stripped back soulful funk and deep, minimalist, spiritual jazz, that will take you on a journey deep into forever!
Confirmed reviews Mojo, BBC Music Mag, Jazzwise, Record Collector Independent On Sunday, Guardian, Quietus, all main jazzy blogs, Airplay from Jamie Cullum, Gilles Peterson, 6 Music, Jazz Line-up, Patrick Forge, Ross Allen and many more
9 date national tour including Liverpool Capstone Theatre Oct 1, Bristol St Georges Oct 15, Manchester St Peter's Church Oct 23, St Mary's Hastings Oct 28 and London Union Chapel Oct 29 plus Uber Jazz Hamburg Oct 31
This deluxe overview Of Boston's creative jazz scene is presented as a double LP Set, packaged in deluxe box with each piece of vinyl housed in its own euro-style glossy jacket. Also Included is an 8 ½ x 5 ½, 80 page book documenting the rich history of the music with in-depth analyses and photos. Check!
In the 1970s Boston was a fertile ground for a very creative jazz scene. Small, independent venues ranging from lofts to churches to clubs opened up to support this thriving backdrop while jazz musicians set up their own labels. One man was there through it all, playing music and documenting the musical landscape. His name was Mark Harvey and here is his story....
Mark Harvey and Deano Sounds pulled together the most comprehensive package of Boston
Jazz released to date. The album has been assembled as a deluxe package that includes, in
addition to the music, an 80-page book documenting the rich history of this music scene with in-depth analyses and photos of the jazz musicians involved.
The music on this album is culled from rare private press Jazz LPs that were pressed in small
quantities of a few hundred for members of the band and the local jazz community at the time.
The music here runs the gamut of funky jazz from Arnie Cheatham's "Thing" to the deep free jazz
of the Phill Musra Group or the spoken word brilliance of Worlds, to the complex metric structures of Stanton Davis' "Play Sleep." This is a collection of very rare eccentric jazz pieces for your
enjoyment!
'Sidetracking - Part 1: Prologue' is the first vinyl taste of Jona's de- but album project for Alex Niggemann's forward-thinking AEON la-bel. The musical puzzle will be completed in February 2016 with the release of a second vinyl instalment, featuring 6 more original tracks, and the full 10-track album on CD format. Created over the course of two highly creative years, the concept for 'Sidetracking' was for Jona to invite some of his musician and producer friends to collaborate with him in the studio and compli- ment his album's solo productions. This impressive coming together (to be fully revealed over the coming months) features Varoslav (Rue de Plaisance, Paris), Usio (Studio Barnhus), David K (Cocoon), Bo- livian percussionist Daniel Aguilar, Italian pianist Giovanni Verga, and Edinburgh-based producer The Reverse Engineer. Driven by his desire to explore new sound perspectives and ideas, Jona has carefully forged his career path by consistently creating exciting and forward-thinking music. His previous label outings: 'Traffic' on 'Lost Tapes Volume 1' (AEON010) and 'Gemini EP' (AE- ON016) have seen him fine-tune his own unique sound. By incor- porating a wide range of styles into his tracks, Jona strives to break down unnecessary boundaries and explores new ideas and ways to ignite that hallowed dancefloor flame. It is therefore no wonder that his collaborative creations for 'Sidetracking' have yielded such stimulating aural delights. Fittingly, the album prologue opens with a track whose style is heav- ily influenced by the jazz music that Jona was so in love with dur- ing his formative years. Calling on the somewhat mysterious Usio (whose 'Kuwa Huru' LP on Studio Barnhus should be checked by everyone) to join him in a studio jam, has resulted in 'The Chase', an utterly compelling afro-beat influenced percussive groove, topped with swirling funk-fuelled stabs and strings, mesmerising chiming piano, and a large helping of pure, hip-swinging goodness. Taking 'The Chase' on an entirely different and yet perfectly com- plimentary twisted trip, AEON family members Simone Sinatti and Marco Paladin (aka Speaking Minds) conjure up a futuristic technoid disco demon that is all about throbbing energy, sweat, darkness and hissing smoke machines - perfect ingredients for an unforget- table strobelight serenade. Changing the mood entirely and cutting the tempo to a dublicious skank, 'Transmission Breakdown' sees Jona's experimental creative juices in full flow, as he teams up with Edinburgh-based digital com- poser and sound artist Dave House (aka The Reverse Engineer) for a delightfully hazy downtempo jam. Both as an artist and a DJ, Manchester's Marcus Intalex has been at the forefront of soulful, musical drum & bass for what seems like forever. A passion for techno has always run deeply through his music and under his Trevino moniker he is also a powerful creative force (check his recent 'Front' album to get the full picture). Here, he takes 'Transmission Breakdown' on a magical excursion, filled with subtle, hypnotic, evolving energy, anchored with an irresistible pul- sating bassline throb - a perfectly synergetic interpretation to round off Jona's 'Sidetracking' album prologue in style.
San Fransisco meets NYC for the third release on Fifth Interval.
Rose Bay from Federsen sets the tone for the record: drenched in tape hiss, the warm pads and delays create a richly textured environment for deeper club sets or for 2am sessions on headphones.
Dub Techno luminary Brendon Moller offers up two versions of the title track to complete the EP - one in his own name and the second under his Ecologist guise. Fans of the label will no doubt be well aware of Moller's formidable discography, which includes 10 albums under a variety of aliases, exploring the outer reaches of dub music.
Coaxing two captivating versions from his studio in upstate New York, Moller focusses on the chord stabs from the original for the Echologist Dub, pushing the stabs and percussion through the desk, twisting the tails through tape delay and creating new vistas through crafty use of panning and bona fide dub production techniques.
Closing with the outstanding Tidal Dub, Moller dons his Beat Pharmacy cap and pushes the mammoth bassline to near speaker-crushing levels to create a deeply hypnotic groove that is accentuated by waves of ferric pads and fractured percussion.
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Fokuz Recordings returns with their 78th vinyl release where none other than Break flips ''Now You're Gone'' by Facing Jinx and Alexsia Louca into a monstrous, deep roller.
We continue on the B side with an exciting collab by Soligen, Type 2 and Vandera where soul meets techy beats and basslines. ''Lost Soul'' will def get the heads moving, quality sounds by producers you should keep an eye out for.
After the Alma EP' by Shanti Celeste, secretsundaze' s 19th release comes from another UK home grown favourite Wbeeza.
Beeza is a firm part of the secretsundaze family and although it's his first release on the label, he has been a regular fixture at the parties now for 5 or 6 years playing at both the London events and touring internationally with Giles and James as a live act, as well touring extensively by himself.
We hope his music needs no introduction - his sound is quite simply fresh; an amalgamation of so many things from house, techno, jazz, hip hop to more UK leaning garage vibes. Born and bred in South London and the youngest of 6 brothers he has dance music pumping through his veins.
Black Moon EP is up there with the very best of his work and all 3 tracks show a level of maturity that comes from releasing over 14 EPs and close to 2 LPs (his second LP entitled Visions of Love drops next month on Third Ear)
Title track Black Moon is a murky, growling techno workout with syncopated lo fi beats, a thunderous bass line that is eq'd to within an inch of its life, and white noise FX. Within the right hands this should be a deadly weapon.
Like Butta is a hazy, percussive tool that keeps the tension high while B side track Ferguson is arguably the strongest track of the EP. Referencing the Ferguson case in Missouri that sparked vigorous debate about the relationship between the police and African Americans, the track is a timeless groove, coming on like a modern day version of Maurizio's 'M4' with its heads-down, hypnotic deep techno flow that one could simply listen to on repeat. Wbeeza on secretsundaze.....Need we say more!
Following on from his well received Foreign Parts LP this Summer, Seb Wildblood releases new four
track EP 'Submarine', on the SW catalogue. The DJ, producer and co-founder of south London's
'Church', delivers four dreamy house cuts with a remix from 1080's Project Pablo.
As the title of the release suggests, all four tracks submerge the listener in Wildblood's deep, melodic
grooves. Lush soundscapes are complimented with subtle 4/4 beat structures . The EP is out December
4th.'Seb Wildblood has a penchant for making bubbly, feel good house music' - mixmag 'Seb Wildblood shows a more chilled-out side to Church, employing an old school yet very fresh style to
great effect throughout.' - DJ Mag 'Seb Wildblood has been bubbling away on the underground, catching the attention of some of the most prolific names in the house and techno scene including the likes of Seth Troxler and Maya Jane
Coles to name but a few' - iD Mag
New John Jastszebski & Second French artist on Syncrophone Recordings.
John Jastszebski release with Drone EP his superb Murphy Law title, is emotional deep track included remix by Aybee (Deepblack), The last track 'Little' Moody Jazz deep track ever played by Fred P on his last podcast. Ace EP.
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Due to the release of Dial Record's 15 years compilation "All" one track seemed to be the most particular and praised: Dawn Mok's "Like Thought Or Moments We'll Fall"- an intensely touching piece produced by Berlin based artist Felix Mura. The label is honored to release the full length debut album "Eternal Love" a journey into deep and dark shades of future R'nB. Within a year of production and sound design, including the the mixing of Finland's Ville Haimala aka Renaissance Man, Dawn Mok created a milestone of contemporary dance musicand beyond. The Mastering by Rashad Becker (Pan Recordings) brings the longplayer to perfection and a disturbing artwork by artist Dan DeNorch completes a wonderful & surprising release.
(en) French duo THE SILENT ONES aka Aalik and Fred Traverso have specialized in their own brand of indie-infused electronic pop, putting a modern spin on vintage cold wave and minimal synth influences. MAGICAL PARTY is a prime example for their distinct melange of swirling melodies and catchy songwriting, an iridescent piece of dreamy musical drama with lots of charm. Known as incurable romanticist, fellow countryman JONAS BERING was the obvious choice for a remix, finally returning to Kompakt after his 2008 release CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU (KOMPAKT 172) - his immersive rework successfully trims the vocals and transplants the original's delicacy into a deep, but buoyant mover geared up for the distinguished floor. Pushing for a trance-inducing throb, the BEN WATTS mix is a fitting companion cut, promoting a slightly bouncier approach and seasoning its propulsive beats with tension-building synths for that special whiff of epic broadness.
(de) Das französische Duo THE SILENT ONES alias Aalik und Fred Traverso hat sich auf eine eigene Variante von Indie-geprägtem, elektronischem Pop spezialisiert, eine zeitgemäße Übersetzung von klassischen Cold-Wave- und Minimal-Synth-Einflüssen. MAGICAL PARTY ist ein herausragendes Beispiel für ihre individuelle Melange aus wirbelnden Melodien und mitreissendem Songwriting, ein irisierendes Stück verträumtes musikalisches Drama mit viel Charme. Bekannt als unverbesserlicher Romantiker, ist ihr Landsmann JONAS BERING eine offensichtliche Wahl für einen Remix - eine langerwartete Rückkehr zu Kompakt nach seinem 2008er Release CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU (KOMPAKT 172). Seine einnehmende Neubearbeitung stutzt die Vocals zurecht und verpflanzt die Zartheit des Originals erfolgreich in einen deepen, aber lebhaften Schieber, bestens gerüstet für anspruchsvolle Tanzflure. Dank eines grossen Interesses an Trance-induzierendem Pulsschlag entpuppt sich der BEN WATTS Mix als ein äusserst passender Begleiter der eine eher federnde Gangart einschlägt und seine treibenden Beats mit spannungsgeladenen Synthies abschmeckt - für das gewisse Extra an epischer Breite.
Absence Seizure Is a new Limited Edition vinyl NYC imprint. Brought to you by NYC's own Matuss and Abe Duque. This EP includes four beautiful late night tracks, deep and hypnotic, with a bit of dark funky spice. Musical art combined with one of a kind Rorschach artwork by Anastasia Podolskaya. Deep Techno, Soulful Minimal, Shallow House, Mesmerizing Music, Absence Seizure!
Alex from Tokyo presents new label world famous debut release from Tokyo Black Star - Edo Express EP out in October, 2015
Paris-born, Tokyo-raised, New York-based international eclectic French DJ, music producer and sound designer Alex from Tokyo is very excited to announce the October 2015 launch of his record label 'world famous" with a new Tokyo Black Star EP (the first release in three years)!
The four different straight up house music club tracks here on the "Edo Express EP" showcase Alex from Tokyo's versatile and funky DJ style and come from a very special fun jam session that took place in January 2015 at Isao's Tokyo Black Star and phonon studio with the help of their great musician/analog equipment otaku friend Kenichi Takagi leading to Kenichi san officially becoming the third Tokyo Black Star member, bringing along some of his favorite old, new and handmade (modular) synths into the mix.
The stunning artwork for the release is done by long-time collaborator the very talented New York based Japanese artist Tomokazu Matsuyama, who has been creating the Tokyo Black Star visual identity since their first release on Innversions in 2005.
Working in harmony with music partner and sound/mastering engineer Isao Kumano in Tokyo, Alex from Tokyo formed Tokyo Black Star in 2000 while remixing Big Moses feat. Jan'elle's house classic "For you" for Kerri Chandler's label Bassmental records. Since then Tokyo Black Star has released five EPs including the first-ever release on high-profile Berlin label Innversions (the "Psyche Dance EP," 2005) and their full length debut album 'Black Ships' (April 2009, also on Innervisions), an EP on DJ Deep's Deeply Rooted House label and remixes for artists like Tony Allen (P-Vine records Japan, 1999), Carl Craig (Psyche 'Neurotic Behavior' on Planet E, 2011), Phenomenal Handclap Band (Tummy Touch Records, 2013), Bing Ji Ling (Lovemonk), and Kuniyuki (mule music), and among others.
Always looking for new challenges and sonic adventures, in the summer of 2010 the Tokyo Black Star duo were joined by top Japanese audio professionals at Isao's studio in Tokyo, leading to the creation of a new 'revolutionary' audio brand called phonon , which makes exceptional pro-audio equipment for studio and DJ use.
Tokyo Black Star's last release, in 2013, was a special musical contribution called "X" for a unique celebratory 10th anniversary compilation for Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas fashion brand Y-3. Alex from Tokyo co-directed the exclusive compilation
world famous will be presenting a wide range of dance floor and eclectic music by Tokyo Black Star, Alex from Tokyo's collaborative projects with other artists and his affiliated japanese and international connections! Mastering for all releases will be done by Isao Kumano.
Following almost two years of driving bass music promotion, in the form of compilation albums, free download round-ups, reviews, guest mixes & mix series CDs, the time has come to transcend from what first began as an online blog into our very own music label. After working with renowned artists such as El-B, Quest, BunZer0 and Phaeleh, as well as fellow promotional platforms FatKidOnFire & Deeper Vibrations - the Albion community has developed and grown to become recognised across the board of the bass music spectrum. This extension of our brand will help in pushing this music even more, enabling us to curate a fundamentally diverse sound beside the culture that we so passionately enjoy.The launch of Albion Collective Recordings is to be set in motion with In Pieces, a collaborative down-tempo effort conceived between Vaun and Jafu which is radiant in textural soundscapes. This particular piece has been doing the rounds as a clip on Deeper Vibrations' YouTube channel since 2013, inducing longing excitement for the song to finally surface.
Bristol based Daniel Brown, aka Vaun, has prospered into one of the scene's most prolific producers, covering multiple styles and turning out numerous releases for MindStep Music, Redshift-One and Soulstep Records. After recently hinting at the imminent release of an album, Brown can also reap in the keepsake of ALBION001 alongside Canadian artist James Fuller, aka Jafu, who likewise has blossomed astutely alongside his soulful Chord Marauders collective.In Pieces falls somewhere amongst immersive trip-hop and jazzy 2-step, an affectional arrangement that makes wonderful use of Marvin Gaye's a cappella in his classic Sexual Healing. The composition will certainly induce healing of the cerebral kind, with its stripped and delicate percussion work, dubbed out horns and soothing string sections. Encapsulated within Vaun & Jafu's musical offering is our label's statement of intent. That is, to champion unique music that emanates elegance such as this collaboration - and such as J.Sparrow's remix treatment. Ryan Wild aka Jack Sparrow, a Deep Medi Musik signee and one half of dubstep extraordinaire duo Author, has granted the scene with his tenacity to build profoundly stunning electronic music. Wild has the tempo notched up for his In Pieces edit but remains true to Vaun and Jafu's approach in the sense of its lavish spatial touch. The atmospherics breeze over with a soft vibrancy, as the electronic guitar solo recording from the original plays over the initial main section charmingly. This is all resulting in a simply sumptuous mix which goes right up there with his top drawer remix work for Annie Drury and De Niro & Y. To compliment J.Sparrow's sublime contribution and to also complete the package, the Black Butter Records assosciated and Bristol-based outfit Sly-One have whipped up an outright banger of a remix. Joe Cannon, Dave Constant and Oliver Read can already boast an admirable set of releases in the four years since they've joined forces, featuring on Shifting Peaks, Lost In Translation and 877 Records. Add that to a rude collaboration with fellow Bristol head & rasta emcee Buggsy and a remix for Bad Mojo on Meanbucket, Sly-One had clearly meant business from the offset - and have shown absolutely no let up for us at Albion Collective. Served with a side order of the trio's classic subtle cowbell hits, their 2-step/bassline fusion works wonders with the vamped-up vocal sample and is ready and waiting to rumble clubs & festivals for this summer and beyond. Early DJ support for the release has been noted from artists including Phaeleh, Quantum Soul, Thelem, J. Robinson, Walsh, K-Man, Nanobyte, Syte, Trashbat, Majora and D-Operation Drop & Foster. Radio airings to date stand at Sub FM on the BunZer0's legendary FOB Show, BBC Introducing showcased the release and Monki played the Sly One Remix on BBC Radio 1 Extra. The almighty
Dubstep duo Truth added the J.Sparrow Remix to their recent 'Chronicles' mixtape on Soundcloud, which was posted to their 75,000 plus following, Biscuit Factory Records owner and dubstep legend Walsh opened the edit on his latest podcast and J.Sparrow is set to showcase the version in a mix for the iconic Deep Medi label. Support is confirmed from digital publications such as FatKidOnFire,
GetDarker, Trusik and MTV Wrap up, which will involve a number of featuresm reviews, track premieres and artist spotlights. A review will also be printed in November's edition of Mixmag on Tomas Fraser's Grime/Dubstep page
Over the past years Bézier has seen releases under the Dark Entries record imprint with the most recent 'Telomeres' EP this year. The title track or pronounced 'mina' translates from Japanese to 'Everyone'. Mina is a journey through space with the initial ascent marked by a moody window of time in which uncertainty dominates the mindset of the passengers. Once they break through the atmosphere and are proceeding as planned they land on the final destination, an interplanetary discotheque. Mina was recorded this year with Mark Pistel on the helms for mixing and features SF drummer Kevin Woodruff of Tussle fame providing live drumming for the last portion of the track. Along with the title track the b-side includes tracks previously released on compilations but appear here for maximum record playing enjoyment. 'Serengeti Drive' which appeared on Honey Soundsystem's earlier HNYTRX compilation of queer dancefloor artists is the slow burner of the group. 'Mysteries of the Deep' which appeared in the JACKTONE cassette compilation of Bay Area electronic stars is the soundtrack to an underwater expedition. Both tracks were recorded, produced and mixed by Robert in his home SF studio in 2009.