Clutching At Straws is a brand new label established by Brian Ring. Born in Cork, Ireland. Ring has been residing in Berlin for over 4 years, during which time he has lent his dancefloor-focused, predominantly house sounds to a range of renowned labels including Freerange. Running Back and Bordello A Parigi. A producer who values a vehement quality-over-quantity approach, Clutching At Straws represents the first time Ring has helmed his own imprint. Featuring two originals as well as a remix from London producer Kiwi, the Reflections EP is most definitely deserving of the wait.
We kick off with 'Acid Sunrise', a classy house cut that envelops the listener in a warm glow from the off. Full of colourful motifs throughout, it's part acid/part Balearic-tinged sound is the perfect antidote to Europe's current climes. Characterised by a nimble, catchy-as-hell baseline, this one is pure dynamite of the sort that will sound at its most pronounced as the first signs of morning begin to enter the dancefloor.
Next up is Kiwi, a producer who's been making power moves of his own lately thanks to a host of well-received cuts for the likes of Jennifer Cardini's Correspondent, Tennis' Life & Death and Optimo's Optimo Music. His dramatic reinterpretation of Ring's 'Forest Walk' , is a highbrow gem that's full of gorgeous melodies and all-round positive vibes, with the man in charge changing the narrative quite exceptionally toward the track's final phases.
Culminating the record is the sounds of 'Emergency Tool', a real statement track that's sure to leave DJs and dancers in a frenzy over the next few months. An upfront banger of the sort that wonderfully incorporates both house and techno elements, it starts off on a fairly innocuous tip before unfurling into an uptempo beast. Full of clever bells and a vocal that demands us to 'move!' (as well as a wailing cop siren that only heightens the sense of mania), 'Emergency Tool' is a track that's destined to be used by discerning DJs when they really have to step things up a notch.
Limited to 150 copies.
Suche:dj dan
Erol Alkan welcomes Joshua James to Phantasy for his debut release 'Coarse' featuring The Bunker NY producer Justin Cudmore on remix duties.
A fixture of London's dedicated queer club scene, James maintains a trio of distinct residencies, including XOYO, the notorious 'Savage' parties, as well as fortnightly on Rinse FM. On this unapologetic and upfront track, the DJ-turned-producer instantaneously captures the raw energy and sexuality that underpin his life by night, backed by a remix from a key figure in the US underground, Justin Cudmore.
Designed with sweatboxes and serious sound-systems in mind, 'Coarse' wastes no time in establishing its rude intent; hammering jack-bass, orgasmic cut-up vocals and larger-than-life synthlines flirt expertly from the off, before the track descends into outright sleaze in the spirit the of gnarlier edge of acid-house. Only a series of breathless gasps indicate you've safely reached the other side... A personal weapon for James each week behind the decks, as well as for Phantasy founder, Erol Alkan, 'Coarse' is a powerful dancefloor paean with only one (well, maybe two) things on its mind.
Having turned heads with his own uncompromising acidic perspectives on labels such as The Bunker NY, Phonica White and Honey Soundsystem, New York-based DJ and producer Justin Cudmore unfurls 'Coarse' in a trippier, deeper direction, nonetheless still bumping in a style that subtly recalls the peak-time sound of classic 90s NYC clubs like The Tunnel.
Schmer has tried to stop, we've all gone into therapy, but there's no hope, short of setting the world ablaze: we can't stop smoking! 2019 see's Schmer pressing TECHNO records in the EU and PRICED in Europe as a domestic release. As if the continent didn't already have enough problems, here we come with our latest COMPILATION!
First to drop a match is Amber Shoshona aka Bastet. She is a live electronic music performer and DJ based in Baltimore, MD USA. Her live set is coarse-grained and atmospheric, developing a slow-burning, hypnotic groove. In the studio she creates genre bending electronic experiments. For Schmer she made 'Torn', which sneaks right up to you and lights you up.
Delivering oil to the blaze from deep in the Russian arctic is Maxim Makarenko aka 777minus111. The unknown hero from the Russian Techno label he remains in the shade and keeps it real! He runs underground parties in Moscow and is a member of Vinyl Ambulance project in India. He keeps our compilation 'Getting Dirty Quick' with his Dan Bell inspired MINIMALISM.
On the flip the fires start with Vague Audio Tapes label head Dominic Martin aka Hero/Victim. Hero/Victim is a sonic attempt at translating unanswered and unheard emotions. Visceral and physical; so as to both, engage and purge the evolving dissonance. Never content. With sound as a context-sensitive metaphor, stories are heard. He also makes weird electronic music and then Schmers all over us with a 'New Stress'.
Schmerhead BPMF hides a track from another release in this inferno. Its super short as in it goes on FOREVER with a LOCKED GROOVE at the end. If you're gonna be an emcee, do it in a Wormhole on a LOCKED GROOVE so that the rock will never stop.
Liza Weinstein, Zach Vietze and Jason Szostek were Jack Move. In 1994 they may have made two tracks together, but this is the only one we found lying around in the basement floor. Long before the skinny jean hipsters were rocking beats deliberately designed to confuse the dance floor with their lack of flow, The Jack Movers were experimenting with cryptic funk... It was a Jack Move on their part and they immediately ran out of town to escape retribution, leaving behind their 'Krippy Shit'.
We Can't Stop Smoking so you'll always be able to find us because where there's smoke, there's fire... and where there's TECHNO there's SCHMER!
The 'Insights' EP is Spinscott's second release on the US based Elm Imprint label, as a highly anticipated follow up to the internationally successful 'Make It Funky / Lovelight' single. 'Insights' features 3 tracks that represent a progression of styles, and satisfies the demand for Classic Jungle sounds, fresh Drum And Bass, and deep '160' flavors.
Side A: 'Phaseout' - This forward-thinking Drum And Bass tune starts out with a moody & mixable intro, staccato drums and bass hits, before dropping into a precisely arranged dancefloor rhythm. Impact exceeds maximum threshold after the break, with the injection of an unexpected layered kick pattern, which has proven to leave no one standing still! But don't mix out too soon... the final phase features an exclusive drum break sourced from a family 45 pressing, circa 1968, sliced and reworked for it's debut appearance here. Phaseout has moved audiences during pre-release plays at Spinscott performances in the US, UK, and beyond.
Side B1: 'Rocker' - This 160 BPM tune was meticulously crafted using drums, effects, and other sounds from multiple genres of dance music, and engineered to make people move! Starting out on a jazzy tip with 808s, sax notes and various fx elements, it doesn't waste time getting to an onslaught of swinging drums and vocal artifacts. Rounding out with some classy Rhodes melodies, strings & short-cut Amens, 'Rocker' delivers an audible message for people to rock, swing, and move to the music! DJs will enjoy cutting in and out of this one, with many changes and elements to mix & blend with.
Side B2: (vinyl exclusive): '#7' - This oldschool style Jungle track FINALLY appears on the vinyl version of this release to satisfy over 5 years of relentless demand! Originally filmed as one of Spinscott's Real-Time Jungle videos, '#7' is the one that opened the floodgates to international recognition and performances worldwide. (see link below) Previously only available in video or performed live at shows, Spinscott has produced a full length 'dj friendly' version, featuring all the original elements of the original performance. '#7' was created and produced 100% on the MPC 1000 (as seen in the video), and features classic drum chops and layers, reverse bass, raw pads, and more.
Hot On The Heels On Our Favourite Boy Wonder From Kazachstan Command Strange, Fokuz Now Presents Intelligent Manners Straight From St Petersburg.
This 12inch Perfectly Defines His Funky Style And Is A Great Addition To The Liquid Vibes Of Fokuz.
C - Never Wanna Be Alone Again
Intelligent Manners On The Emotional Tip, Great Piano Work On This One And The Melody Will Bring You In The Mood For Hot Summer Nights.
D - Get Back
The Lost Track Of This Wicked Double Pack Is Probably The Most Dj Friendly One. Big Beats And Another Melodic Master Piece Will Bring The Vibe On The Dancefloor And The Girls Screaming For More!
Lebanon Hanover's bassist William Maybelline is back with his solo project. After the debut album Sable from 2015, Qual strikes back with a three-track 12' maxi-single. Each one of these new songs explore a different dimension of Maybelline's approach to Body/Wave electronics.
The title-track Cupio Dissolvi is what we may already call classic Qual: gloomy and throbbing, synth-driven and labyrinthine. A Bloody Blob explores new martial slants, with war-like timpani and a marching robot gait. Rape Me in the Parthenon is a 8 minute long dancefloor mayhem anthem scanned by some pounding techno drumbeat and EBM snare and pads. The most alert of you already checked this in some Ancient Methods DJset. By far the most extreme track Qual recorded so far.
'Buried in flowers with hands of gold / Buried together we'll never mold' shall be thy epitaph here, as well as your message engraved on virgin vinyl.
New edition of 300 on clear wax!
Italian duo Neverdogs mint their brand new label Bamboleo Records with a powerful four-track EP that serves as a fine statement of intent.
The label will focus on house, techno and minimal with a funky edge. As well as their own material, it will release big names from the international scene and aims to inspire and generate new emotions for the dance floor.
Up first is the thrilling 'Underground Activity', a dubbed out deep techno roller. It has warm chords bringing plenty of scale to the slick, kinetic drums.
The superb 'Solution' is a more churning, lively tech cut with wobbling hooks and metallic drums. It's one to get the floor moving, with dark vocals finishing it in style.
Keeping up the dynamic dancefloor vibes, 'Stop Talking' slips into a moody and stripped back house framework, with dry hits echoing out into a cavernous atmosphere. With real swagger and cosmic overtones in the keys, it's another excellent side to this pair's sound.
Last of all, 'Destination' is a dramatic vocal DJ tool with broad synths and molten bass all warping round each other.
Lisbon pals Photonz and Shcuro are two of the city's most active DJs and music makers, sharing a penchant for a moody yet electrifying brand of dance sonics. They've created Shermanworx together in the studio, recording machines live using an ethos of improvisation while relying on their fine-tuned dancefloor intuition. The Sherman Filterbank was the go-to piece of equipment, appearing in every track and eventually naming the EP.
Tribal techno swirls menacingly backed by dark melodies in the opening track, a hypnotic yet vivid peak-time belter that could go on and on.
A synth so textured you can almost touch it is the centrepiece of Sherman2, another driving club beast complete with modulated arpeggios and industrial-tinged percussions.
The record comes to close with a dreamier exercise in Sherman3: a dubby electro beat conducts melodic mutant synth lines and pads to achieve a slow-burning, expansive euphoria.
DJ Overdose is back again on your favorite record label, Dalmata Daniel, this time sharing a record with an old-school legend from the land of Dalmatas and Daniels, Sematic4.
Both sides are full of great tunes of hard-hitting electro, but both are a bit different in mood and sounds.
The style and sound of DJ Overdose is so distinctive, you can spot it from miles away. The first track has a groovy title, with a car symbol and silly characters. Great music for driving your white convertible in the Detroit sunset, it's dark, repetitive, the usual genius with impressive drums. The title of Funky Mess is no lie, it's a funky song with a Japanese telecom sampler resembling the Detroit underground scene. The last track RZ-1-DMX is classic electro with some nice slow melodies, that you can nod to.
Sematic4 is operating with more classic electro elements on Dream Creator with some spacey tunes, while North Star '78 is a rather hard-hitting club music with a nice groove, interesting drums and some super melodies. One Nite In Heaven recalls the atmosphere and soundscape of the golden days of the Hague electro scene - a way of showing respect to the era.
Sematic4 is an oldschool dj and producer from Hungary, who started spinning records in the 90s, a well-made and active dj, who started buying his own gear and all kinds of gadgets, and producing music on his own. A real music geek, who lives for music with releases on Bass Agenda, Tropical Underground and legendary Dave Clarke plays his songs.
And you all know DJ Overdose.
Soundway Records present a special summer tribute double a-side 12" with two tracks from African musicians that both passed away within a couple of months of each other at the end of 2013 / start of 2014. Both tracks are perfect smooth summer tropical DJ fodder for the dancefloor.
On the first side South African singer Shaluza Max's massive Mashkandi / house anthem from 2002 gets a first release on vinyl. This track was a huge hit in South Africa and around the world on its release. With a soaring Zulu vocal and big sound it's a fitting reminder of a very talented musician who worked as a very well respected producer, composer and arranger who died tragically young at the age of 47 in January of 2014.
On the flip we drop a fairly unknown track from the mid 1980s from one of the biggest names in African music, Tabu Ley Rochereau. With a kind of almost balearic proto-house congolese pop cut with drum machines, and trademark sweet congo horn section, Hafi Deo is a beautiful track that fell into obscurity by perhaps being too smooth for the world music crowd in the mid 80s. Tabu Ley passed away in November 2013 in his late 70s with over 250 albums and 3000 songs to his name. A true pioneer of the congolese soukous sound, he was also one of the most influential African musicians of his generation.
Taken for the widely played and adored Lenny Williams Spark of Love Album, which was released during the Disco Era of 1976 and featured disco hits like, 'You got me Running', I still Reach and 'Midnight Girl' comes 'Changes.'
Edits and Overdubs Produced and Performed by Joaquin Joe Clausell; Changes is the tune that was mostly ignored from the extensive Lenny Williams music catalogue.
Similar to his past works where he chooses songs that are mostly un popular to the outside world but classics amongst himself and his siblings at home, Joaquin Joe Claussell takes this Jam that he used to groove to at home as a young teenager, lifts it out from obscurity and turns it into something that will sure be played by most DJ's who are into the Lenny Williams Sound, soulful disco and beyond.
Listed at a time length of (5:03) Joe cleverly up lifts this soulful disco composition and extends it to a time of (9:01). He achieves this, as usual, with respecting the original composition and with never anyself-masturbation. In the end, the results are a New Disco Classic that drives with relentless energy and enough soul for anyone who's seeking more soul that hailed mostly from the urban side of American disco music.
So, listen, dance and spin.
Lenny Williams - Changes Edits & Overdubs by Joaquin Joe Claussell will be the first single to come out from the forth coming Joaquin Joe Claussell Presents Edits & Overdubs PT 2 2XCD and Special Limited 7Inch.
Alk-e-d is one of the longest standing Kniteforce artists, always bringing a perfect blend of dancehall, jungle and techno and mixing it into something fresh. His EP contains both the genesis of his style and some of his largest hits. Absolutely Flying was a cheeky release, the flip side to his debut 'selecta', which is included here via the epic Dj Ham remix. Meanwhile, his two jungle classics, 'Shine On Me' and 'Shining Bright' show two very different ways of approaching that genre, but both remain as fresh and current as they were in '94
* Walton kicks off 2019 for Tectonic with 4 cuts of pirate radio infused dancefloor orientated DJ tools. 'Inside EP' follows on from Walton's exceptional 'Black Lotus' LP, which dropped on Tectonic last summer, gaining widespread acclaim - even rated as The Guardian's 'Contemporay Album Of The Month'!
* What we have here is 4 tracks that all sit around the 130bpm mark, providing grime sonics to a techno compatible form. Built for those who don't really give a f**k if you call it techno, grime or bass blah blah so long as it bangs in the dance and moves those feet.
* Sampling snippets of MC's chatting between tracks, each track takes a mostly functional approach, building raw elements in a simple but effective fashion. 'Bullet #2' sets the scene, kicking off with a radio style wheel up - before dropping into rolling 4/4 square wave power moves. 'Inside' follows the mood, building towards a more rolling technoid construct. 'More Cowbell' bangs out like an old 4/4 grime anthem with a contemporary production sonic, while 'Gunshot Clap'
closes out the EP, with its swooping square wave stabs and background shouts from behind the mic.
Names You Can Trust presents the second installment of Rueda de Bullerengue, a collaborative series with NY-based Bullerengue collective, Bulla En El Barrio. Named after the group's ongoing monthly performance and workshop in Brooklyn, Bulla's collaborative spirit and dedication to the tradition of los bailes cantados has made an indelible mark on the bubbling tropical music scene of New York City, and in turn, found their way into the crates and sets of DJs and vinyl aficionados via their first 7-inch release on NYCT in 2017. Since those initial moves, Bulla has continued to grow and add working members while maintaining a philosophy and connection grounded in the traditions of their Colombian origins. They've studied and collaborated with elders and legends like Emilson Pacheco and Darlina Sáenz, and this past year embarked on a recording with Barranquilla-based collective Tonada Baile Cantado — the focus of this edition's recording and release.
Considered one of the premier groups advancing the tradition of Bullerengue within Colombia, this incredibly talented group of young musicians are a rarity for their skill and age. In a region where there are ongoing festivals celebrating the tradition of Bullerengue that still command massive audiences and performers, Tonada is a true representative of what can happen when such an amazing tradition is passed forward to an eager next generation. Produced by Bulla members Camilo Rodriguez and Diana Herrera (aka Carolina Oliveras) in between their time smashing stages across the U.S. for Combo Chimbita, this is a carefully nurtured and powerful bridge to the beloved traditions of Colombia's Caribe region.
Without further ado, here lies Volume 2 of Rueda de Bullerengue, featuring Tonada Baile Cantado, a new generation of traditional Colombian dance music transmitted directly from Barranquilla — Four dance floor crashers in the styles of fandango and chalupa, ready-made for your 45 spins in the inimitable style of Names You Can Trust.
Belgium DJ / Producer ED1999 kicks off the debut release for his newly minted 'Porpax' imprint with 'Melodius Hubbub, a 4-track EP of hypnotic dark Techno saturated with modular wizardry. The release confidently displays ED1999's production power as well as the serious direction the label is aimed at taking. The music featured clearly inspired by the energy found in Tbillisi, Berlin, Detroit and anywhere else heavy duty underground music is celebrated.
'Path Of Hope' is a punchy mover heavy on the reverb, with washes of metallic gray atmospherics floating in and out of the steady analogue drum patterns. The track grows in energy throughout with additional claps, hi hats and melodies generating an absolutely effective tension building weapon.
Title track 'Melodius Hubbub' is pure hypnotic Techno at its absolute finest. Black as midnight elements drive the energy to dark territories. ED1999's perfectly positioned sonic peaks and valleys of thick musical textures ensure the dancefloor never loses a moment getting lost in the incredibly positioned hypnosis of sound.
'Winding Course' is centered around a gurgling synth ride which gives the track an uneasy and twisted vibe throughout. Additional melodic effects join the main synth, adding a romantic sense of danger and dancefloor movement. Akin to ED1999's brilliant ability to keep his music restrained and effective for serious club-goers.
'Sleazy Nook' is the darkest of the dark tracks found on the release, with shudder inducing effects and ice cold soundscapes residing alongside the winding rhythms. A truly intense breakdown midway through the track generates a clever sense of sinking, with only the kick drum returning to keep people safe from going under.
The latest transmission from Francis Harris' exquisite Scissor And Thread imprint showcases the many talents of Tokyo's Tomi Chair aka Tominori Hosoya. The DJ and producer goes by both names, and here presents five tracks of lush, emotional music veering between ambient excursions and dance floor heaters. The original version of title track 'Tropical Imagination' opens the EP, and is a deep and thoughtful dance floor number. Elegant chords set the tone while the percussion adds a silky funkiness that's impossible to ignore. The 'Dream Version' strips the track down to its pads and atmospheres. Next up is Tomi Chair's 'Heat Exhaustion' - an exceptionally beautiful beatless piece that drifts through droney pads and occasional fragments of minor key melody. Using the Tominori Hosoya moniker, side B begins with 'We Are Here' - another powerfully restrained piece that merges woody percussion with low key pads and field recordings to create a magical whole. Francis Harris adds his touch to 'Heat Exhaustion' with his respectful Reform version, adding skittering percussion and underpinning the piece with a leftfield ambient house edge that builds and builds. Another essential addition to the Scissor And Thread catalog
- 1: Heartbreak
- 2: Remember
- 3: Love
- 4: (Sigh)
- 5: Bill
- 6: Devils Angels
- 7: Lee
- 8: Danger
- 9: Fail We May Sail We Must
- 10: Love Lost
- 11: Crash Boom Bang
- 12: Boy And Girl
- 13: If
'Sometimes it's hard to say how you feel,' says songwriter-vocalist
Jade Vincent. 'These songs are vulnerable stories for me to tell -
they're things I couldn't say out loud. But I found that I could sing
them. And then I closed my eyes when they would listen.'
Listening to Vincent's songs were her partner - producer/composer
Keefus Ciancia - and DJ and producer/composer David Holmes.
Together, Vincent, Ciancia and Holmes make up Unloved, the musical
project that evolved out of a late-night Hollywood bar in 2015,
releasing a stunning debut album the following spring and this year
crafting the soundtrack to Phoebe Waller-Bridge's acclaimed new
series 'Killing Eve'.
Introduced to Ciancia through soundtrack work, Holmes found
himself invited to DJ one night and to curate other nights at the
Rotary Room. To invite Holmes to DJ is to unleash a kind of whirling
dervish of musical enthusiasm but through those nights the trio
discovered a shared love for 60s girl groups and French pop and film
noir soundtracks, Brigitte Fontaine, Shuggie Otis, George 'Shadow'
Morton, Bruno Nicolai, Lee Hazlewood and Jack Nitzsche, along with
a tremendous desire to work together.
Their debut EP - 'Guilty Of Love' - and the full-length, self-titled
album that followed in the spring of 2016, offered a quite remarkable
thing: a sound at once hauled out of the silty depths of the past and
simultaneously wholly modern. There was the soft hiss of a lo-fidelity
recording - the murky crackle of sample, beats and half-remembered,
long-lost favourite tunes. However, much of the songs' success
belonged to Vincent's sublime voice and lyrics, both possessed of an
aching, rich-smoked tone of loss and love.
Unloved's second album, 'Heartbreak', is about love. The album plays
out each song like a vignette of nothing but love. The songs that rose
up were in some ways surprising, but also felt insistent. 'They're real
feelings and real experiences that I had the guts to finally say, but
always ambiguous, this is very important to me,' she explains, 'and
always about love, one way or another.'
LP pressed on red coloured vinyl with digital download code.
Rich, Deep, Percussive Soulful Folk Album From Master Togolese Singer, Akofa Akoussah.
The Album Moves Through Uptempo Afro-folk-funk On 'tango' To Deep Ballads Of 'ramer Sans Rame' And 'i Tcho Tchass' And Lighter Moments On 'g Blem Di' And 'mitso Aseye'. Akofas Exceptional Songs And Soaring Vocals Are Decorated With Percussion, Guitar Lines, Subtle Backing Vocals And Horns To Create A Unique, Rich Sonic. The Album Was Recorded For Release By French Label Sonafric In 1976. Produced By Gérard Akueson; Founder & Owner Of African Record Label, 'akue', Based In Paris.
Music Was Truly In The Blood Of Julie Akofa Akoussah. She Began Singing At The Age Of Three, Inspired And Led By Her Mother And Older Sister And Became Principal Soloist In Her School Choir, St. Peter & Paul Choir Of Our Immaculate Conception Parish Of Nyékonakpoé, At The Age Of 8. From There Her Career Blossomed, And Singing Often Took Precedence Over Her Studies. In Order To Master Her Art She Spent Time Studying And Working Closely With Local Groups Including Mélo Togo, Rocka Mambo, Rio Romamcero, Ok Fiesta, Eryco Jazz, Afro Cubano, Los Muchacho, Elégance Jazz And Togo Star Amongst Others. In Her Own Words: 'luck Opened The Door In January 1966 Where I Had The Honour Of Being Selected To Share The Stage With Bella Below - One Of The Best Voices Of
Africa - At The 1st 'negro Arts Festival' In Dakar. On My Return, I Was Approached By Ambroise Ouyi, The Highly Respected Singer & Poet, And We Wrote 'tu Ne M'écris Plus', My Very First Opus.'
The Popularity Of Her Work Led To An Increased Exposure For Togolese Music Outside Of The Country, In Neighbouring Ghana And Benin Most Notably. During Her Career She Collaborated And Performed With Greats Including Manou Djibango, Queen Pelagie, Abeti Massikini, Aycha Koné And Myriam Makeba. Akoussah Was Also Dedicated To, And Widely Recognised For, Her Work For Social Causes, Championing And Nurturing Young Musical Talent, And The Fight Against Aids. She Was President Of The National Union Of Artists Musicians Of Togo (unam) Before Sadly Passing Away In April 2007 After A Long Illness, At The Age Of 57.




















