quête:dj ac

The second single to be pulled from upcoming BBE album ‘Strata Records – The Sound of Detroit – Reimagined By Jazzanova’, ‘Saturday Night Special’ features remixes by Kai Alcé and DJ Amir & Re.decay, as well as The Lyman Woodard Organization’s 1975 original. Possibly the best-known piece of music from the Strata label’s diverse and innovative catalogue, the unique, low-fi, moody, understated aesthetic of ‘Saturday Night Special’ has captured the hearts of music fans and DJs worldwide. “When I first heard the Lyman Woodard Organization ’Saturday Night Special’,” says DJ Amir, “I thought it was a song from a Blaxploitation soundtrack. Once I realized that Lyman was from Detroit, I immediately thought that if there was ever a ’theme song’ for Detroit that ’Saturday Night Special’ would be it. There is such a cinematic vibe to the song full of grit, rawness, and determination that just soaks into your veins. This album/song will always be in my bag of records to survive the apocalypse with!’” When DJ Amir and Jazzanova began work on the ‘Reimagined’ project, breathing new life into the Strata Records archive, this jazz-funk classic was right at the top of the list of ‘musts’ for the band to re-interpret. “I had no idea what direction they were going to go, musically” says Amir. “The original song had been sampled more than a few times, but in my opinion, it was never done tastefully. However, from the first practice session, I knew that they were spot on with the right direction! Their version is the perfect blend of Detroit and Berlin!” Kai Alcé’s ‘NDATL’ remix of ‘Saturday Night Special’ (named, like his label, after his three hometowns of New York, Detroit, ATLanta) brings a sure-footed lightness to Jazzanova’s version of the song, making the absolute most of the track’s stellar horn solos. “After hearing the unreleased Kamasi Washington/Gregory Porter remixes he did, I knew I had to reach out Kai” says Amir. “With this remix, he stretches out the track into a seven minute groove, in the direction of a soulful house/future jazz interpretation.” Alongside his Berlin production partners, Re.decay DJ Amir turns in a low-slung rework of ‘Saturday Night Special’, using as many parts from the Jazzanova version as possible. “We tried to emulate the intro to one of my favourite jazz dance tracks, ‘Expansions’ by Lonnie Liston Smith” says Amir. Mission accomplished.

One of New York's early pioneers of techno and DJ culture, Reade Truth has been an integral part of the cities' techno history. His first of over two dozen releases came out in 1994 on the Brooklyn underground acid label, Direct Drive. Since then, his releases have made many a mark on labels like Planet E, Strictly Rhythm, Sonic Groove, Instinct, Pomelo, Wurst, N-Syde, Path Records and so on. Basic Moves continues the New York vs. Belgium love story with six carefully selected tracks (never released before!) out of Reade his personal archive. (NOTE: original liner notes will be written by his best friend Adam X)

On his debut 12" EP, Chicago producer and bike messenger DJ HANK captures the feeling of racing against traffic and, as he puts it, "trying to make it out alive with the chaos of the city going around you."

DJ Hank grew up in North Carolina, Eastern USA. As a teenager, he began making rap beats on pirated music software while also DJing and playing keyboards in experimental punk band Whatever Brains. In 2011, at age 18, Hank moved to Chicago to pursue a career as a bike messenger. In a city dominated by 21+ clubs and venues, Hank gravitated to the famous footwork hub Battlegroundz due to it's all-ages inclusivity and raw energy. DJ Rashad, DJ Spinn and other luminary figures of the footwork community spun weekly, while dancers spanning multiple generations and crews battled it out on the dance floor every Sunday.

Through the underground network of Chicago footwork events, Hank became a close and frequent collaborator with international footwork collective Teklife. He has released music on Teklife's record label but isn't a member of the group itself. In similar fashion, he's loosely affiliated with dance group Take Ova Gang (TOG) founded by DJ Manny. Hank maintains a fluid relationship with the footwork culture from which his sound draws. Beyond collaborating with his friends, Hank has collaborated with Chilean rapper Catana, Berlin-based DJ Paypal, and Floridian DJ Orange Julius.

On "Traffic Control," however, Hank explores a wide range of sounds, from melodic to experimental, influenced by everything from UK Garage and Grime to Ghetto House and Snap music (or Southern Hip hop production in general). Artists like Kode9, MachineDrum, and Sherelle have been supporters of Hank's music, playing his tracks throughout multiple recorded sets. In a live setting, Hank has shared the stage with such influential acts as Loefah, DJ Deeon, Sporting Life, DJ Spinn, Traxman, and pioneering footwork artist Jana Rush, who has been both a friend and mentor to Hank during his formative years in Chicago.

Israeli artist Moscoman returns to Damian Lazarus' Crosstown Rebels imprint with Adventura, featuring a collaboration with alternative and electroclash band Zoot Woman and a remix from Love Attack label bass Alan Dixon. Transmitting twinkling house to emotive indie dance, each artist leaves a stellar stamp on Moscoman's sinuous release.

As summer draws to a close, Moscoman looks forward to the next chapter in his trajectory, undeterred by the change of seasons. The title track opens with a muscular kickdrum and organic percussion before an enchanting melody glide between the beats, igniting a dreamy, tripped-out feel. It's made for an open-minded dancefloor. Moscoman collaborates with Zoot Woman on Reinvention feat. Zoot Woman, blending the airy vocals of Johnny Blake with a shimmering synthline. One for the indie heads. Alan Dixon's remix follows suit with a cosmic disco offering, reworking the stems with verve and serving a slice of strut energy.

Moscoman is a producer, DJ and label boss. He heads up the imprint Disco Halal, showcasing the sounds of house, nu-disco and post-punk supplied by artists from all walks of life. With an ear to merge traditional tones from different dance music cultures worldwide, Moscoman garners an explorative approach to Disco Halal. So far, the label's discography boasts tunes by Simple Symmetry, Red Axes, Trikk and Auntie Flo. His DJ sets slink into long, storytelling sessions of low-slung grooves and post-punk flavoured beats, as heard in Space Miami, Panorama Bar, Glastonbury and Pacha Ibiza, amongst other iconic spots. British act Zoot Woman consists of seminal producers Adam Blake, Johnny Blake and Stuart Price. Since the mid-90s, the group have produced and performed electronica, alternative, electroclash, rock and synthpop. Acclaimed for their scintillating live shows, the group remains one of the most remarkable bands from the UK. London-based Alan Dixon is a producer and DJ celebrated for his disco edits. Labels like Watergate, Life and Death, Keinemusik and Pets Recordings have released his tunes alongside his own imprint, Love Attack.

Warped vision; the time spill is source of our distortia, in recognition we recalibrate. It neither predicts an age nor remembers an era, the function is the flow - not parallel but actual. The set points swim in a fever dream, a pink mist which echoes both signal and version. Detangled, decrypted, explained - it could be primal truth, except for endless reality...New message from the Mirror Zone, signals here cast by DJ Ungel who summons mystic breakbeat and shamanic acid from deep fractal wells of pan-consciousness. Charged mantras echo and gate amongst pulsating Megadog trance, whilst waves of ERP and Stinsonian electro roll into the ambient dub of Higher Intelligence Agency, Universal Egg, and other Artificial Intelligence like Banco De Gaia and Sandoz

With so much going on in the world right now, it's safe to say we need to spread far more Joy then is circulating…

And who else deliver's Joy of this magnitude? The king of disco, Dr Packer. The Legendary Champion Records has enlisted the mirror ball man of the last decade to flip this absolute classic from Staxx and the gorgeous vocals of Carol Leeming. Perfect for sunsets AND sunrises, charge your cocktails!


DJ Feedback:

David Guetta - tasty update

Utah Saints - Minitsry Of Sound / FFRR - Cool groove. Production on point

DJ Kue - Dope!

MING - Nice one, I'll Play !!!

Steven 'Sugar' Harding - Milk & Sugar / M&S Recs - Love it!

DJ Rae - Good memories, nice work

Ember - Huge!

D.O.N.S. - Cool House tune. Support!

Black Legend - Defected / Simma Black - big one

Ruben Mandolini - Snatch! / Mother / Saved - Nice!

Sugarstarr - Defected / Toolroom / Vienna - Excellent

Tommie Sunshine - PACKER ALWAYS DELIVERS!!!

Vanilla Ace - Nice sounds

Kyle Kinch - Realm / Solotoko / Farris Wheel / HUGS - groovy

Severino - sweeet

MB Mgmt - top draw !

Jerk Boy - I've been eye'ing of this for a reboot for years ! I played this to death back in the day!..great remix !

Yolanda Be Cool - Sweat It Out / Club Sweat - cool...

Another Terra Magica release is coming! The new ‚Axisdance‘ - Various Artists (TERRAM003) double-vinyl 12″ compilation coming out this summer August/September on Terra Magica Rec.

With artists from all over the world such as Poly Chain, Mogwaa, Jacques Satre, Jai, DJ Normal 4, Imogen Soundsystem – Ilija Rudman and Antonio Zuza, Gee Dee, Rambal Cochet, Listensport, Johnmon and Hektisch Sprengen DJs.

Every track has its own spirit, in a kind of a 90s journey way. The compilation is a fascinating mixture of weird cosmic and slow goa vibes to more emotional places with powerful bassdriven downtempo techno and slightly trance influenced anthems as well as distinctive tribal acid easiness with epic melodies. Furthermore it involves faster loaded minimal hypnotic synth sounds and dark UK-House with a big-beat touch to it. Raw liquid floating old skool breaks melts into rave stompers which are inhabited by sensitive living microbes vibrating jungle atmospheres.

After Jose Manuel’s highly acclaimed album Janara on Optimo Music and the curation of the V.A. compilation Milagros Del Ritmo, he returns with his new EP Alchemy, the second vinyl release on Archaic Future Sounds.

It’s a queer psychedelic trip through electronic reinterpretations of tropical ritual chimes from South East and Southern Asia with a touch of Tribal and Acid House. Chugging beats seasoned with percussive flutes are enveloped by warm synthesizer sounds, heavy basslines and exotic melodies.

The antithesis is the trippy remix produced by Front De Cadeaux, who released on Antinote, a dub influenced future classic of deconstructed club music and as a wrong-speeder you can always choose your own tempo! Influenced by 90s Afro Cosmic Music, magic mushrooms and LSD it’s perfect for all passionate DJs, clubs and dancers!

Industrialyzer drops ‘Snake Whisperer’ on Rekids, backed with two Radio Slave remixes

Industrialyzer, real name Ricardo Rodrigues, is a Lisbon-born, Amsterdam-based DJ and producer who has released music on the likes of Ben Sims’ Symbolism, Tronic, Suara, and his Groove Matters imprint, under both his Industrialyzer alias as well as one half of The Advent. Arriving on Radio Slave’s Rekids for the first time, the DJ/producer delivers one hard-hitting original track backed by two stellar remixes from the label boss.

The original mix of ‘Snake Whisperer’ leads the release, bringing floaty bleeps, pounding drums, and grinding synths across the A-side. For the first of his remixes, Radio Slave extends elements of the original into a 10-minute trip with hypnotic low-end colliding with razor-sharp percussion. Rounding out the release is Radio Slave’s ambient version, which sees the Rekids head honcho stripping all percussion and emphasising the gorgeous pads and vast, reverberant atmospherics.

For the first time on CD and LP, an anthology celebrating the work of composer, arranger, producer and pianist Webster Lewis from his time at Epic Records. The era of 1976-1981 is one of polished, luxurious jazz funk and soul, defined by Webster across his four albums at Epic supported by an array of guest musicians, lush string sections and often uncredited singers. This collection contains the artist’s signature tracks “Barbara Ann”, “Give Me Some Emotion”, “El Bobo” and recently uncovered gems from the vaults “Reach Out”, “Boston” and “Japanese Umbrella”. The CD features an exclusive essay written by Will Fox with unique insights from the legendary DJ Patrick Forge. The recently discovered recordings appear on vinyl for the first time on the LP edition.

2023 Repress

When the reopening is slowly approaching, chaos is slowly dissolving. We pushed the button to try the new reality and for the soundtrack we've got for one of the more club oriented releases we have made till date.

Dakar's newest affiliate midnight menace starts the release with his already known schranz alike beat, dark and acidic pushing the Dance floor limits.

Cressida strikes with a funk push which could have totally fit in a Black Nation record from 2002, one of the very few produces using swing in his tracks these days. Freshness guaranteed.

Debuting the Spaniard Jheal Bashta deliver a hyper futuristic song, amen breaks, autotune, which year is it again?

Closing the issue, we warmly welcome to the legend Deeon, who deserves no introductions. Ghetto-punk. For disc-jockeys and collectors.

We spit on your plate f*kers
#oftenplusneverminus8

Denmark’s breakthrough producer, DJ and label manager S.A.M. brought their signature sound to dancefloors this year with ‘Spotlight’, featuring striking vocals from Sarah Ikumu. This fresh take on Jennifer Hudson’s original receives an anticipated vinyl release, following the track’s widespread support from tastemakers across the globe, including Danny Howard on BBC Radio 1, and esteemed club DJs like Chris Stussy and Simon Dunmore. After its initial success, ‘Spotlight’ went on to receive remixes from two major players of the dance music scene. One of Defected’s nearest and dearest, Sam Divine brings in a driving beat and catchy melodic bass to work alongside the vivacious vocal. Lastly, the Grammy nominated remixer Mousse T. has no qualms delivering trademark Shizzle and Discoid mixes, showcasing their innovative production style.

In the Beginning (Vol. 2) continues the treasure trove of the early works of Declaime & Madlib, the longtime collaborators who helped usher in a new sound and style from the city of Oxnard, Calif. This collection is brimming with previously unheard tracks from this beyond-creative duo that blends hip-hop with funk, jazz, soul, and psychedelia to lay the groundwork for so many other emcees and producers.

For Declaime (a/k/a Dudley Perkins), this series serves as a way to honor his friends and the city that raised them. He shouts out names like The Almighty Metaphor (aka MED), Oh No the Disrupt, DJ Romes, Kazi, and more, who he says “created a lane for the city of Oxnard to get the recognition it deserves.” Some of them make an appearance in one form or another on this collection, too—Romes, for example, mastered the project—that compiles 10 previously lost tracks that were recorded from 1993 to ‘96.

In The Beginning (Vol. 2) is entirely produced by Madlib, who provided all the cuts as well. His instrumentals are on that raw and dusty vibe as they move freely through genres and sounds, like on standout cuts “Bandwagon,”WLIX,” and “Signs (feat. Wildchild).” Those are all highlights for Declaime, too, and they demonstrate his ability to blend his observations of the world with bravado and third-eye insights. Even as young kids just getting their feet wet in the studio, these two were firmly on their path.

That path started, in a way, when the two became friends as young kids. “I first met Madlib when he moved across the street from me; I was around nine years old at the time,” Declaime says, adding that their fathers were friendly with one another. Despite the two losing touch after Madlib’s family moved, they reconnected just a few years later and the rest is musical history.
In The Beginning (Vol. 3) is set to drop via SomeOthaShip Connect in partnership with Fat Beats. This alliance will include several new albums and previously unreleased projects from the Cali veteran that have yet to appear on vinyl, in addition to new releases from the SOS artist roster.

Griselda's Rick Hyde release's Plates 2 w/ features by Benny The Butcher, Conway the Machine, Westside Gunn and others With Griselda rhymer Benny The Butcher having what seems like an endless run of Ws, his BSF Records imprint appears to be getting more attention by the day. Rick Hyde is one of the top benefactors. His new project Plates II, a sequel to his independent mixtape Plates, positions Hyde as one to watch in the Griselda-wave 2.0. Sporting production from the likes of Daringer, Sha Money XL, Harry Fraud and the late DJ Shay (who the album commemorates by its release date falling on the anniversary of his death), as well as verses from Benny, Heem, Skyzoo and Westside Gunn, Hyde flexes his connections and curates a solid body of work.The project's shiniest gems include some of the singles that have already hit the net. "Hustler's Prayer" features Hyde and Heem interlocked in a battle to see who can drop the most street flexes, complemented by The SoulMonsters' grainy production. Another noteworthy cut is the DJ L-produced "Alone" featuring Benny and G Herbo -- which, aside from the DJ Shay-produced outro "Black Sinatra," is possibly the project's most replayable track.One thing that comes across crystal clear is Hyde's lyricism. He holds his own alongside a formidable tracklist of guests and shows a lot of diversity with his delivery. Look no further than the "Sarah Freestyle," where the subdued DJ Chopz and Skrilla loop provides an atmospheric backdrop to a relentless, two-minute onslaught.

Repress !

Selva Discos returns to the LP reissue game with a bang – by giving a new life to the stunning and very sought-after Memória das Águas album by Fernando Falcão. Originally recorded in 1979 in Paris but only released independently in Brazil in 1981, the album comes complete with genre-hopping explorations that swirl around ambient soundscapes, lively jazz, experimental-leanings, Afro-rhythms and a unique blend of Latin grooves and French pop with a Brazilian accent, but it also comes with a story as deeply unique as the music.

To make a long story short, after participating in the political movements against the military regime in 1968 in Brazil, Fernando Falcão left the country and moved to France, where he lived in exile for 15 years. There, after working in music, acting, and sculpting, he involved himself in Jérôme Savary's legendary Grand Magic Circus, where he met his first wife, Valérie Kling. It was from this relationship that a partnership began between the musician and his father-in-law, the artist François-Xavier Lalanne, who guided Falcão in the process of inventing sound sculptures such as the balauê – a horizontal version of the berimbau string instrument whose sound was influenced by a water stream (since there was a hose soaking parts of the balauê wet during the performances). Much of this exploration and experimentation resulted in the album Memória das Águas.

The album still sounds like little else from the time. As audacious and experimental as it is seamlessly listenable, it takes in immersive textures one moment before breaking out into Fela Kuti-esque brass-soaked grooves the next. It’s ultimately a record that captures the spirit and rhythm of Falcão’s homeland combined with the lush production and art-pop approach associated with his exiled home; It’s a polished, well executed and glistening record. Its fusion of African, Brazilian, jazz, pop, classical and avant-garde collides to create a record that spans as many continents as it does genres.

Remastered from the original master tapes, not only the sound but the artwork of Memória das Águas was completely and faithfully restored. Also, the reissue comes with unprecedented liner notes featuring rare photos of the musician and his sound sculptures plus articles that help to explain who Fernando Falcão was and where Memória das Águas sits among other staples of Brazilian music, including one from DJ and selector John Gómez – who helped to connect Selva Discos' Augusto Olivani with Diana Lion, Fernando Falcão's daughter (since the musician died in 2002), for this project. After Memória das Águas, Selva Discos will also reissue another long lost Fernando Falcão LP album – Barracas Barrocas.

PRODUCED BY GRAMMY® AWARD-WINNING ANDREW WATT

MUSICIANS ON EVERY LOSER: TAYLOR HAWKINS (FOO FIGHTERS), ANDREW WATT (GRAMMY® AWARD WINNING PRODUCER), DAVE NAVARRO (JANE’S ADDICTION), CHAD SMITH (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS), TRAVIS BARKER (BLINK 182), STONE GOSSARD (PEARL JAM), JOSH KLINGHOFFER (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, PEARL JAM), CHRIS CHANEY (JANE’S ADDICTION), ERIC AVERY (JANE’S ADDICTION), DUFF MCKAGAN (GUNS N' ROSES)

ABOUT IGGY POP

Iggy Pop is a singer, songwriter, musician, author, record producer, DJ, and actor whose epic body of work has earned him both worldwide critical acclaim and fanatic cult success

Credited as “The Godfather of Punk”, spearheading the ‘70s punk and ‘90s grunge movements

PRODUCED BY GRAMMY® AWARD-WINNING ANDREW WATT

MUSICIANS ON EVERY LOSER: TAYLOR HAWKINS (FOO FIGHTERS), ANDREW WATT (GRAMMY® AWARD WINNING PRODUCER), DAVE NAVARRO (JANE’S ADDICTION), CHAD SMITH (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS), TRAVIS BARKER (BLINK 182), STONE GOSSARD (PEARL JAM), JOSH KLINGHOFFER (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, PEARL JAM), CHRIS CHANEY (JANE’S ADDICTION), ERIC AVERY (JANE’S ADDICTION), DUFF MCKAGAN (GUNS N' ROSES)

ABOUT IGGY POP

Iggy Pop is a singer, songwriter, musician, author, record producer, DJ, and actor whose epic body of work has earned him both worldwide critical acclaim and fanatic cult success

Credited as “The Godfather of Punk”, spearheading the ‘70s punk and ‘90s grunge movements

Over the last decade-and-a-half, C Joynes has ploughed a singular furrow through solo guitar, with a body of work incorporating English folk-tunes alongside North & West African music, and lifting proto-minimalist and improvised techniques from the European classical and avant-garde traditions.

His new release, ‘Poor Boy On The Wire’, is his first full album dedicated wholly to the electric guitar. Through a typically wide-ranging set, Joynes exploits the instrument’s potential by placing intricate parlour music alongside overdriven garage blues throw-downs, wiry electric folk and the brittle ringing tones of free improvisation. However, these explorations of the tones and timbres of close-mic’d guitars and amplification retain an overall coherence and unity through the deliberate use of a limited palette of budget instruments and vintage equipment.

With ‘Poor Boy On The Wire’, Joynes has released 9 albums to date, including ‘The Borametz Tree’ (2019), recorded with long-term fellow travellers Dead Rat Orchestra, and ‘The Wild Wild Berry’, a collaboration with singer Stephanie Hladowski (MOJO Top 5 Folk Albums 2012, fROOTS Editors Choice Album Of The Year 2012). He has played extensively across the UK, Europe and the USA, sharing bills with performers including: Shirley Collins, Martin Carthy, A Hawk And A Hacksaw, Marc Ribot, Alasdair Roberts, Richard Dawson, Jack Rose, Josephine Foster, Sir Richard Bishop, Six Organs Of Admittance and 75 Dollar Bill.

“As much Conlon Nancarrow and Ali Farka Toure as Blind Lemon Jefferson, the compositional mind at work here can take apparently disparate threads of modernism and ethnic tradition and treat them as though they were all archaic blues styles learnt from dusty 78s.”
BRUCE RUSSELL, THE WIRE

“An inheritor to Davy Graham; a lone operator prone to unexpected collaborations, with a repertoire that crosses continents and timezones with consummate ease, and dashed off with a phenomenal, yet lightly applied technique.”
ROB YOUNG, THE WIRE

“His epigrammatic re-castings and re-readings of widely-travelled folk melodies and rhythms from a variety of traditions suggest shared memories that might be intensely universal while seeming strangely out of reach.”
KEVIN MACNEIL BROWN, DUSTED MAGAZINE

Producer and multi-instrumentalist Ben Marc, who's emerged as a key figure of London's cutting edge jazz scene, has just announced his debut full length, a follow up to last September's widely acclaimed Breathe Suite EP (heralded by NPR, Pitchfork, The Wire, The Guardian, and more)

Glass Effect is an assured and accomplished 13-track realization of a singular vision that unifies a multitudinous profusion of influences (free-jazz, broken beat, hip-hop, electronica and beyond) into a sublime whole, underscoring the evolution of his quest for a distinctive sound: lambent, low-key, and yet dizzyingly intricate.


It's a rare talent that can link Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, Ethio-jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke, Afrofuturists Sun Ra Arkestra, and grime legend Dizzee Rascal, but Marc has long blurred musical worlds and criss-crossed boundaries. One of the reasons that he started writing Glass Effect, says Marc, was going to nightclubs in Ibiza and experiencing the heady sun- dappled euphoria of a summery dancefloor, as well as the beat-driven production of artists like Four Tet, Bonobo, Machinedrum, DJ Shadow, and Madlib.

If, among the Afro-Peruvian music groups that have emerged in recent years, there is one that has dared to take the sound to new dimensions, it is Perkutao. Heirs to the best Afro-Peruvian tradition, they have been able to integrate Afro-Cuban elements and various contemporary popular styles, which they play with amazing with speed and precision. "Mis ancestros", is their debut album for Buh Records. Perkutao is an Afro-Peruvian percussion ensemble founded in 2005, directed by Percy Chinchilla, musician, percussionist, zapateador and teacher of young generations of percussionists. "Mis Ancestros" (My ancestors) is their first record under the production of Manongo Mujica and is the fourth title of the collection "Perspectivas de la Música Afroperuana" (Perspectives on Afro-Peruvian Music). Chinchilla shares the artistic direction of Perkutao with William Nicasio 'Makarito', another outstanding percussionist. Both grew up in the famous Callejón del Buque, in the district of La Victoria, a spot preferred by bohemians and known by local music partying -jaranas criollas. Both were also formed in Perú Negro, an emblematic Afro-Peruvian ensemble, and both carry in their blood the cult of percussion and Afro tradition. Chinchilla comes from a family of Afro-Peruvian musicians including Caitro Soto and Ronaldo Campos. And Makarito is the son of Macario Nicasio and grandson of El Niño, legendary Cuban percussionist in charge of introducing congas and bongo to Afro-Peruvian rhythms. Perkutao arose precisely from the merging of these traditions, Afro-Peruvian, Afro-Cuban and Caribbean music, and have become one of the most sought-after percussion ensembles due to the intensity of their sound and their powerful performances that include stage movements and surprising acrobatic skills. In addition to Chinchilla and Makarito, the ensemble is completed by Edu Campos, Andree Liendo and Víctor Sánchez Pitín. "I follow in the footsteps of my ancestors, to the beat of the cajita, the quijada and the cajón, to the rhythm of a zamacueca, a festejo and a good landó". This is an excerpt of the lyrics of "Poema", the opening track of the album, the rhythmic base accompanies Chinchilla's voice and then increases in a crescendo that announces the paths to be explored by Perkutao. "Azañero Colorao", "Trucutum Kiti Pa" and "Cancha con Sabor", composed based on minor percussion (cajita, quijada), zapateo and cajón, respectively, are compositions that serve as an introduction, a tribute to the essential instruments of the Afro-Peruvian tradition. The last one in particular already defines Perkutao's style: a trepidant and orgiastic rhythm, hypnotic and hard hitting, Dionysian and cathartic. With "Madre Africa" and "Al Tayta Bukense", for djembes and congas, respectively, we find Perkutao retaking the Afro-Cuban heritage embedded to the Afro-Peruvian sounds, abakuá and festejo. "Lloraré", a version of a famous Cuban song, mirror the ensemble's fascination with Caribbean music (salsa is another genre cultivated by its members). "Mis ancestros" is an album about a tradition, but it is also a renewal. Perkutao opens a new direction for Afro-Peruvian music, its sound is an evocation and the here and now, it is deep-rooted but freely flowing percussion. Perkutao are Percy Chinchilla, William Nicasio "Makarito", Edu Campos, Andree Liendo y Víctor Sánchez Pitín. Produced by Manongo Mujica y Daniel Mujica. Recorded and mixed by Juan José Salazar at La Encía del Leopardo Estudio, Chorrillos, Lima, Perú. Mastered by Mario Breuer en Sensei Mastering, Córdoba, Argentina. Cover and Design by Yerko Zlatar.

If it's really a post-genre world, why does everything sound the same? The two halves of Tampa rap duo They Hate Change_Dre (he/him) and Vonne (they/them)_first came together in front of the apartment complex where they both lived as teens. Dre had just moved down from Rochester, NY; Vonne was trying to sell him bad weed. It was clear from the start that the two listen to music differently from most people_they're sonic omnivores, obsessive deep-divers, lovers of rare and radical sounds. Starting as kids trawling the internet for tracks, they've been collecting music from around the world and across the decades, amassing a shared sonic knowledge so deep that "encyclopedic" barely begins to cover it _ not just the East Coast hip-hop that Dre grew up on, or the hyperlocal bass-music variants like jook (the Gulf Coast's twerkably raunchy answer to house) and crank (think "Miami bass meets NOLA bounce"), but also drum `n' bass, Chicago footwork, post-punk, prog (they're, like, seriously into prog), grime, krautrock, emo, and basically any genre on the map. Once they graduated to DJs on the Tampa DIY scene _ which includes everything from punk rock house parties to the black "teen nights" that pop up in rec centers and ballrooms _ they figured out how to pull all these disparate sounds together into a cohesive style. More importantly, they figured out how to make it something people will actually move to. When they made the transition to rapping and making beats, they brought that pleasure-seeking approach to sonic experimentation with them. "With this album, Vonne says, "it's really like, okay, you know how you talk about the internet breaking down borders? Here's what that actually sounds like. It's not just a hip-hop record with a couple more weird sounds. You want homegrown DIY? This is a record that was written, produced, and recorded in a 150-squarefoot bedroom from the least cool city you could think of." Finally, New is what a truly post-genre musical landscape is supposed to be: building deep connections that transcend outdated distinctions between them, spilling over with the joy of exploration and possibility, and daring other artists to think broader, go deeper, take bigger risks. Let the rest of them keep playing by the old rules_They Hate Change will keep changing the game.

Marijus Aleksa is a Lithuanian cross-genre drummer and music producer who has spent his last decade touring and in session with some of the contemporary jazz greats including Joe Armon- Jones, Ashley Henry, Bill Laurance, China Moses and many more. Manfredas is a key figure in Lithuanian electronic music community, internationally acclaimed club DJ, owner of Radio Vilnius, music producer and remixer on releases by Andrew Weatherall, Metronomy, Erol Alkan and more.

Rui Fradinho has been DJing and record collecting since the age of 15, having played drums and keyboards on several different projects and starting his electronic music production journey in 2001, when he made his first ever original track – A Bright Future (release number 1 on the label).

Lover of music of all sorts, Rui’s musical base stems across different genres, including House, Drum N Bass, Hip Hop, Footwork, Bass Music, having more recently nurtured a deeper devoted passion for all things Jazz, Fusion and Broken Beat / Nu Jazz.
There are undeniable major influences from Jazz, Soul, Funk, Latin, African, Brazilian and Global music on his productions and Rui has released remixes for several artists on several labels such as Str4ta for Colin Curtis Presents, Nimbus Sextet for Acid Jazz, Luiz Gabriel Lopes for Da Lata Music, Momenta for Lazy Robot Records, Various artists for MJDC – Modern Jazz Dance Classics, David Borsu for Broadcite, Makala for Orrua Diskak and Ray Lugo for Ammonite Records.

Highlights of his DJ career include a 6 year residency at Sociedade Anonima club in Portugal, then Bicaense Café and Lux Club in Lisboa. Earlier in 2017, he did a stint on London’s Back2BackFM, playing at Dalston’s Club Makossa, the BBE Store in East London, closing the Chill Out Gardens stage in Portugal’s Boom Festival 2018, DJ’ed at Gilles Paterson’s first edition of We Out Here festival, currently guests at Birmingham’s Bruk Up Broken Beat night and opened the Portuguese festival LisbOn - Jardim Sonoro in 2022.

Needwant Records arrive with the latest in their ever-evolving roster showcasing the sounds of underground city life, proudly presenting label newcomer NATE08's kaleidoscopic debut LP, 'Furaha'.

London-based label Needwant Records have been tirelessly advancing dance music's esoteric fringes for well over a decade, with their immaculately curated catalogue routinely moving dancers and garnering respect and plays from the industry's most revered tastemakers. Here, the newest recruit to the label's glittering line-up, Mumbai-based musician, producer, and DJ, NATE08 brings forth his breathtaking inaugural album.

Equally adept as a producer, session bass player, and genre-spanning selector, Nathan Thomas has become an irrepressible force in India’s blossoming underground music scene. The Mumbai-based musician’s solo project, NATE08, treads the groove-oriented territories of funk, r&b, and house – with his elegantly spun productions firmly rooted in dance music's glorious heritage while imbued with a future-facing production gloss.

Title track 'Furaha' blissfully sets the tone for what's to follow, with dextrous Latin guitar gliding over intricate percussive waves as heavenly chords fill the sun-kissed panorama. Upping the energy just a touch, Azamaan Hoyvoy's honeyed vocal enlivens the summer haze of 'Trigger Fool', arriving over evocative chords and laser tight four/four rhythms to create a stunning slice of low-slung future house deepness.

The funk-flecked bump of 'Bunker' sees Nathan's bass mastery arrive in full force, with spirited slaps propelling misty chords and sublime guitar licks across a loose-limbed beat. Continuing the horizontal sensations, the captivating chord progressions of 'Hold Up' soar over thick, rolling bass notes and shimmering synth swells.

Lead single 'Sunrise Sundown' is a stunning example of NATE08's organically spun deep house prowess, with Jitwam's soul-drenched vocals cascading over succulent chords and dancing synth melodies as smokey beats and pulsating bass cement the heads-down groove. Next, hypnotic fusion guitar refrains soar over lively percussion and gentle pads for a life-affirming Balearic voyage, maintaining the carefree spirit while enlivening the senses as the arrangement heads for the horizon.

The 'Let's Go To Ibar' interlude makes way for the mesmerising deep house flex of 'Want You', where Megan Murray's yearning vocal provides the seductive hook as acidic bass notes bounce over glistening chords and propulsive beats. A prime example of NATE08's futurist intentions arrives in the form of r&b-meets-house hybrid 'Feel It', with Lojal's striking performance flitting between searing soul and street-ready swagger powers over an intoxicating, organ-infused bed.

The forward-thinking two-step rhythm of 'Cold Muse' sees broken drums drive emotion-heavy chords and bewitching guitar licks over sensual bass, before closing track 'Primrose' sees the album home with a fitting flourish. Here, Naisha's heartfelt vocals sail across an ocean of glassy chords and staccato synths, with kinetically charged congas enlivening the groove as the magnetic bass adds body to the celestial instrumentation.

Tombolo Rumble Vol I. is here! The first volume of a list of selected releases by different artists from around the globe. Proud to be presenting four tracks by four upcoming and established legends on the panorama of electronic music: Unknown Mobile, DJ Dog, Poly Chain and Abdul Raeva.

First artist on the list is Unknown Mobile, an amazing producer and dj based in Montréal, Canada. You may know him well from his well received releases across some of the dance sphere labels like Planet Euphorique or Pacific Rhythm among others. What you can find in his track is a 4×4 upbeat house atmosphere that goes along with crazy synths, and a beautiful armony creating a perfect melting for the dancefloor. Second track is by DJ Dog, the fun aka of DJ Fett Burger, a Norwegian legend based in Berlin founder of projects such as Sex Tags Mania or Trushmix. He comes with a downtempo, jumpy track, with very fun percussions and synths that will make you feel as if you are walking on Mars. Third track is by Estonian duo Abdul Raeva. Huge track for the club, upbeat techno with acid baselines on a fast bpm percussion. And last but not least, we have Poly Chain, a Ukranian artist that is getting a lot of attention due to her strong mixes as well as her productions, delivering some fat broken beats with acid baselines as well.

I'm talkin' about Beatmasters, but not the late 80s crew that saw collaborations with the Cookie Crew etc, I'm talking about the legendary Bristol beatmaster Boca 45 who has mastered, honed and polished his creative techniques and his distillation of beat making over the last 25+ years. Born out of hip hop and rooted firmly in the Bristol scene of Massive, Wild Bunch, and Portishead, Boca 45 aka Scott Hendy has successfully navigated an ever changing musical landscape with an unwavering connection and honest adherence to those very roots and ethics. It's what makes Bristol such a special place for art of all forms in the city, a DIY, earthy and passionate sound and vision that runs through all the artists that call Bristol home.
And so it continues with Boca's only 45 release this year in ‘22. It’s strictly Limited to 300 copies on High Quality Yellow wax with each copy stamped & numbered.
On this Bomb Donut he teams up with NYC Native Tongue OG Bam of The Jungle Brothers on hype vocals duties for 2 dancefloor burners.
The A side '(Do It) Fluid' goes straight for the jugular with an immediate phat rubbery bassline that precedes a beat that charges and swings between 4 to the floor and wild breaks. Everything else within the track is supporting that drum & bass, heaping bucket loads of flavour into the mix. And to make it even more tasty, the arrangement is a clear 'DJs Choice', eminently cut-able, mixable, and double up-able! The intention of this (and the flip) is most definitely to stick 'nasty faces' on everyone on the dancefloor.
So if you weren't already bleeding from a torn jugular from the A side, then the B side is going to do some serious damage to what is left of your vascular system. Picking up the tempo with a heavy-duty breakbeat that drives ever forward, 'Another Dimension' is peppered with fuzzed up riffs, Bam's hype vocals, and spacy flourishes. The result is a blistering dancefloor nugget heavily laden with urgency and vigour that DJs, dancers and breakdancers alike will be seriously wigging and poppin' out to. Ultimately these are classic Boca productions, full of the energy and verve we all know and love, honest, funky, raw, they have it all.
Both tracks are a step up from cut-and-paste, yet that ethic is loud and proud throughout (and has been a trademark of Boca's beats over the years).
It's perfectly reasonable to predict that this 45 will be going straight into the play crates of DJs across the world. And you can quote me on that.

2nd installment in RZA's brandnew 2022 Bobby Digital Trilogy on Electric Blue vinyl! Rza returns with the second of his three record Bobby Digital Trilogy, coming on the heels of his critically acclaimed first installment "Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theatre Rza vs Bobby Digital, Produced by DJ Scratch! The album is also the soundtrack and addition to the new Bobby Digital comic of the same name. "Dating back to the 1990's RZA has been using Bobby Digital as a pseudonym for various solo projects. These are not strictly outside of the Wu-Tang Clan diaspora as various members make cameos or co-produce, but they've allowed Diggs to explore musical and lyrical ideas that fight better with his alter ego. Bobby Digital can be considered a comic book superhero, fighting evil in both the physical realm and the virtual world of cyberspace, achieving a "meta" reality long before Facebook thought to trademark the term." - rap revies 2022 2022 release. The founding member of the multimedia supergroup, The Wu-Tang Clan, introduced the world to his alter-ego in his 1998 album Bobby Digital in Stereo. With lush digital orchestral sounds and inventive beats, he was putting the love of comic books on full display through it's concept and execution. Now, exactly 23 years since it's original release, RZA announces a partnership with Z2 Comics to give the character a story in the medium which inspired his creation! Bobby Digital: Pit Full of Snake pairs RZA with White Noise Studios member Ryan O'Sullivan, whose last collaboration with Poppy was widely celebrated by fans and critics alike, with Sound & Fury artist Vasilis Lolos rounding out the team to bring the world of Bobby Digital to life.

First Word Records is very proud to bring you a brand new album from Takuya Kuroda!

Takuya Kuroda is a highly respected trumpeter and arranger born in Kobe, Japan and based in New York City. 'Midnight Crisp' is Takuya's seventh studio album, entirely self-produced and following 2020's highly acclaimed 'Fly Moon Die Soon', also released on UK label First Word (winner of the Worldwide Award's Label of the Year in 2019). Consisting of six new tracks, this once again sees Takuya displaying his unique hybrid sound, blending soulful jazz, funk, post-bop, fusion and hip hop.

After following the footsteps of his trombonist brother playing in big bands, he relocated to New York to study jazz & contemporary music at The New School in Union Square; a course he graduated from in the mid-noughties. It was here that Takuya met vocalist José James, with whom he worked on the 'Blackmagic' and 'No Beginning No End' projects.

Following graduation, Takuya established himself further in the NYC jazz scene, performing with the likes of Akoya Afrobeat and in recent years with DJ Premier's BADDER band. Premier said "The BADDER Band project was put together by my manager, and an agent I've known since the beginning of my Gang Starr career. He said, 'What if you put a band together that revolved around a trumpet player from Japan named Takuya Kuroda? He's got a hip-hop perspective and respect in the jazz field…"

Takuya Kuroda is already incredibly prolific, releasing six albums in the past decade and fortifying a solid reputation in the global jazz scene. 2011 saw the release of Takuya's independently-produced debut album, 'Edge', followed by 'Bitter and High' the following year and 'Six Aces' on P-Vine in 2013. Takuya was signed to the legendary Blue Note Records in 2014 for his album 'Rising Son', as well as appearing on their 2019 cover versions project, 'Blue Note Voyage'. He released his 5th album 'Zigzagger' on Concord in 2016, which also featured Antibalas on a reimagining of the Donald Byrd classic 'Think Twice'.

His last album was the afore-mentioned 'Fly Moon Die Soon' on First Word, which received plays and support from the likes of Pitchfork, Earmilk, Bandcamp Weekly, Worldwide FM, All About Jazz, Apple Music, Tidal, Stereogum, Treble, Brooklyn Vegan, FIP (France), Tony Minvielle, Jazz FM, Huey Morgan (BBC 6 Music), BBC Radio 3, Novena Carmel, KCRW and tons more DJs, tastemakers, selectors, radio stations, bloggers & magazines.

The new project 'Midnight Crisp' will be released October 21st 2022 on vinyl, CD and digital, worldwide via First Word Records.

2022 Repress

The Godfather of Hardcore, Marc Acardipane, needs no introduction. His outstanding releases over the past 30 years speak for themselves. He has been instrumental in helping to electronic music history, with countless well-known productions which have been unsurpassed by any other artist of this calibre.

His timeless masterpieces have been and always will be heard at hardcore raves spanning the circumference of the Planet. With 9 Is A Classic, Slaves To The Rave, Pitch-Hiker, Stereo Murder and We Have Arrived, just to name a few, he clearly proves who's the boss. "The Most Famous Unknown" is a well compiled collection of Marc's music, which showcases a mere portion of what he has composed and produced since the early nineties!

The vinyl and digital selection of "The Most Famous Unknown" features remixes by Body Sushi a.k.a. VTSS & Randomer, Dasha Rush, Gabber Eleganza feat. Delirio, Jasss, Kilbourne, Minimum Syndicat, Nina Kraviz, Perc, Solid Blake, Stranger, Umwelt and VTSS, which all deliver excellent interpretations of tracks they have chosen to revamp.

All original tracks have been re-mastered to the highest possible standard of quality.

Light Blue Vinyl 2022 Repress

Schwefelgelb is a Techno duo from Berlin, known for their raw but precise and cutting productions. Their reputation for a strikingly energetic live show brought them into clubs and festivals around the globe.

It seems almost ironic that in the midst of a pandemic their new 4 track EP "Der Rest Der Nacht" ("The Rest Of The Night") appears to be their clubbiest release ever. Massive kick drums, rave-like leads and hard-hitting impacts encapsulated in a detailed production - a sound that makes you long for dark concrete industrial clubs.

NPLX002 comes on 140 g colored vinyl and a download code and will be released 28th of May. The digital version contains a bonus remix by Randomer. (Presale starts 7th of May.) Previous releases on aufnahme+wiedergabe, Fleisch Records and Minimal Wave Records' imprint Cititrax have been frequently played by acclaimed DJs (Phase Fatale, Randomer, VTSS, Amelie Lens, Regis, Helena Hauff, Veronica Vasicka, Silent Servant to name a few).

The first album in 7 years from seminal electronic music pioneers and twice Mercury Prize Nominated, Leftfield. Currently reaching a new audience through Idris Elba’s Gucci ad, this will be their 4th album in their 28 year history. The new single will be featured in the soon to launched eFootball by Konami (previously PES).

Their last tour (in 2017) featured 7 sold out UK shows (including 2 X Brixton Academies), a sold out world tour and various festival headlines.

Quote from Neil Barnes: "I wanted ‘Pulse’ to be the first statement from the new album. It felt strong. Dance floor. Human. Positive. And I love the bass. It’s Leftfield."

Full pitch notes with bio to come

CULTURE

Leftfield (originally comprised of Neil Barnes and Paul Daley), have been at the cutting edge of dance music since the 1990s, releasing albums that have become some of the most influential electronic records of all time around the world with their debut LP 'Leftism' being widely regarded as one of the most boundary-pushing electronic LPs ever released.

In 2010, Neil Barnes reignited the Leftfield name, and went on to release an acclaimed new album (Alternative Light Source) touring the world with the full live band. Neil has also been cementing his reputation as a top-tier DJ and record collector unleashing modern dance floor weapons, selling out venues, headlining festivals and creating some amazing nights with his sets.

100% Analogue 33RPM 180g 1LP
Remastered from the Original Analogue Stereo Masters for the First Time!

Hear this album as it was meant to be heard! Absolutely Stunning!
The greatest assembly of musical talent ever on one album! Features Performances by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Ben Webster & 27 More Jazz Greats!



In 1958, a young, successful French composer-arranger with a major infatuation on American jazz, worked his way to New York and convinced the very best players of the time to record an album of largely jazz standards. Michel Legrand would go on to win numerous prizes and accolades (3 Oscars, 5 Grammies, 2 Palmes D'or, etc.), but little of what followed matched the sheer brilliance of Legrand Jazz.

Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Ben Webster, Phil Woods and practically every other session man in town signed up for sessions with Legrand to record his idiosyncratic arrangements of standards ("Django", "Don’t Get Around Much Anymore", "Night in Tunisia", etc.). Instead of regurgitating then current bop styles, he reinvented the very nature of orchestral jazz band repertoire to make a unique and forward-looking statement on the genre.

The sound of Impex's all-analogue LP preserves the wide soundstage of late 50’s Columbia recordings while creating intimate spaces between players on the stage for maximum definition. This rare, highly-praised recording has never sounded as good as it does now. Go big with Legrand Jazz.

Legrand Jazz was greeted by an enthusiastic review in the magazine Down Beat. Dom Cerulli awarded it five stars out of a possible five.

The meticulously recreated outer jacket is packaged in a gatefold with an original photo montage inside honoring Michel Legrand's masterpiece of reinvention and sublime fan-boy enthusiasm.

"The music is luscious and this just may be one of the best-sounding records you'll ever hear." - Ken Kessler, Hi Fi News, Rated 95/100 Sound Quality!

After 15 years of active dj-ing and general love for music. Antonio Zuza, head owner of Imogen Recordings, home of many worldwide acclaimed producers, decided to present his own vision of original music that was brewing for many years inside of him.
As in his eclectic sets his house sound is widely connected with origins of dance music. There is no surprise that giants like Ian Pooley and Don Carlos jumped in on this material to make mixes of their perception witch perfectly blends with Antonio's vision of Jupiter Deep EP. There is no better place than releasing Antonio's first outing than on Imogen Recordings.
Jupiter Deep is just a first release of many more Antonio has prepared in near future.

The wait is over! Delgado, the ten-track collaboration album by Flee Lord & Roc Marciano is now available on vinyl with bonus tracks from the delxue digital version! Originally released in August of 2021, Delgado was produced entirely by Roc Marciano, with the veteran artist / producer providing a blend of versatile beats for the Lord Mobb General to spit his patented street raps over. With features from long time collaborators such as Conway the Machine, Ransom, Stove God Cooks and DJ Boogieman, Delgado received both commercial and critical acclaim and now this fan favorite is available on wax! HotNewHipHop had this to say about the album: “On this one, Flee is in absolute beast mode, bodying each instrumental that Marci serves up with fire and fury. At this point, it’s going to be hard to deny Flee a spot at the best current lyricist table, especially after he delivers inspired performances on ‘This What Ya Want?’ and the minimalist ‘First Kill’.”

London-based leftfield electronic label BleeD makes a worthy return from a lengthy sabbatical, reinvigorated with a diverse collection of tracks from Berlin-based talent, Lårry. Having previously established trusted relationships with leading artists including Daniel Avery, DJ Nobu and Peder Mannerfelt, BleeD ably assists in delivering on the promise of one of the most notable young talents currently working on the fringes of contemporary techno. Thus far showcased on impeccably curated labels such as Uncertainty Principle, Super Hexagon, Fusion Diagnostics and Awkwardly Social, their flair for surgical sound-design and off-kilter arrangements puts them in good company with equally exciting contemporaries such as FFT and Panarorman/Patrick Conway.

The EP covers a lot of ground across 6 tracks, from the gloomy atmospherics of 'Plunicceteh' and 'CMml CoE3", and the peak-hours stomp of 'systems_component' on the A-side, to the warmer and more uplifting B-side tracks, 'Ria Ilso', 'We Are We Are' and 'Over The Why'. It's a fine showcase of an artist with a broad range of influences who with each successive release is carving out a genuinely unique sound.

Emotional Response presents Elektronik Body Girl, a musical alter-ego of artist Shelbatra Jashari, with production by soFa elsewhere. Spontaneously born out of 2 souls in an imaginary industrial wasteland of earthly survivors, this Belgo-Albanian postpunk extravaganza is perfectly suited for our unreal times.

Infused with raw attitude and improvisational approach, Shelbatra is an artist, dancer, performer, and singer in search of challenges and expressive forms into new territory, with an individual way in dealing with the ""empowering feminine" and its representation - a vision central to her artistic creation.

Teaming up with Brussels based soFa DJ, they debut an EP of challenging story-telling comes backed with a wonderfully conjured beatdown remix by label associate, Tolouse Low Trax, to act as a seal of (dis)approval.

First known as a DJ and selector and then compilation curator of the "elsewhere" series of albums across multiple labels - including Emotional Response (ERS042) - soFa recent collaborations as Mameen 3 on Bongo Joe, CCCVVV on Strangelove Music and the highly praised album with Houschyar and Okay Temiz on Second Circle, has established him as a producer of repute in an incredibly short time space.

Taking a production backseat to underpin Jashari's performance, his percussive, atmospheric oeuvre allows her vocals to explore roots in both Kosova and Belgium, molding a focus on the art of "the other" or the outsider. Outside the "normality"", a different energy is heard. Exploring elements of the human body, the human condition and its representation in various "thinking" systems and political contexts, EBG is manifestation in sound and movement.

Spanish DJ, producer and Night Shift records boss Javi Frias presents a new EP of disco edits that take the vibes of the 70s and re-fit them for the current dancefloor. As you might imagine, each of the four tracks seemingly has PARTY stamped across it in giant capital lettering, from the opening stomper 'Hot Damn!' with its bright-as-a-button brass section and the wah wah guitar of 'Dance To The Music' to the proto-house of 'The Spirit'. But the best is saved to last - the bendy funk bassline gymnastics of 'Feel Good', quite irresistible.

Soft Raw is a new label from Danielle – a natural extension of the Bristol-based DJ’s expansive tastes within contemporary club music. Over the past few years the NTS resident has become a leading light in the multifaceted world of modernist techno abstractions, ably balancing soundsystem pressure and propulsive rhythmic intensity with experimental textures and explorative energy variations. Soft Raw seeks to continue that mission with releases which will progress stylistically from one approach to another, taking in exciting, emergent producers unique in their approach but bound together by the idiosyncratic curation of Danielle – a faithful reflection of her proven skill as a selector.

The label launches with a six-track drop from Slacker. Sam Black has been winding up a potent strain of needlepoint techno which leans towards jungle and half-time D&B in its tempo and structure. Across a selection of various releases, Black’s sound has evolved into an accomplished and detailed style which draws on moody atmospheres and advanced engineering in the grand tradition of UK soundsystem music. Across this EP the Slacker sound matches up to the spirit of Soft Raw, balancing fierce kinetic energy with delicacy and finesse and leaving some space for outright ambience. At times he locks into a half-step warm-up mode, while elsewhere the amens creep in for a more pronounced jungle rinse-out.

It’s a strong opening statement for this new label, but crucially this doesn’t spell out the future in absolute terms. True to Danielle’s broad outlook, subsequent releases are set to take in everything from straight up 4/4 and acid to footwork and electro, with a narrative binding each release together according to her internal logic and the tension between soft and raw qualities explored across consistently cutting-edge tracks.