Over the last years a lot of '90s Italian tiny labels (or sublabels) gained a lot of attention from djs and collectors worldwide, starting a curious lottery of blind-buys and sleepless digging session.
Mammut Records is certainly one of the most persued and elusive, proposing a distinct and recognizable dark sound. A good part of the label's productions are still unknown.
Evasione Digitale is excited to release the first reissue of this great catalogue.
For this special release he provides 8 cuts of advanced techno, from mental and hypnotic to broken and industrial or simply arpeggiated and beatless.
WHEN THE UNCANNY ARISES starts with No Gender Role an elastic mental exercise with metallic and processed components flying over a solid kick and white noise percussive elements add some hypnotic pads and you have a powerful mind and body tool.
Blue follows in a similar approach, clean drum programming, bleepy synth lines and a progressive arrangement constantly evolving and changing Flipping the vinyl, it’s time for the broken rhythms of Feel and understand combining distorted kicks with gummy sequences again administered in a quite wise structure.
Klonger closes the B side with obsessive metallic hits repeating until madness, a powerful industrial beat for the experienced dj’s out there.
The second vinyl slice begins with Negative One, returning to the martial beat combining a precise drum workout with floaty and liquid components, followed by Anonimo coercitivo exploring the deepest side of techno using textures and drones to spice the relentless beat.
Zero opens the C side, providing a solid distorted groove with metallic details and sci fi interstellar bell like sequences, proper futuristic vibes here.
Saying goodbye, the beatless Nothing To fear, an arpeggiated synth solo reminiscent of the old Berlin School of electronics from the seventies.
A touchable proof of his craftsmanship in the studio by one of the key figures in the European techno scene.
"Relax Your Body" is a killer slice of narcotic, mid-tempo Italian heaviness from way back in the late 80's.
Coming out on Italy's Full Time label, an Italo Disco imprint that embraced the burgeoning house scene in Italy, and finding favor across Europe and the UK with DJ's like Andrew Weatherall, it's KLF sampling groove and spoken, authoritative, mantra-like lyrics no doubt sound tracked some of the headiest moments in the corners of darkened, dry ice filled dance-floors throughout 1989 and beyond.
"Relax Your Body" is a record that still sounds incredible today, it's still in the bag of contemporary DJ's like Ricardo Villalobos and gets regular airings from those unafraid to inject some old school into their DJ sets.
A true Italian House classic, now re-mastered and re-pressed in conjunction with Full Time Records and made available again for 2014. Essential.
Soundscape Versions presents the 4th release on sub-label Analog Versions and welcomes Laslo, DJ and Producer from Hungary. On this record he explores the lower tempo territories in a minimalistic way, fusing jazz influences with dub music and downtempo. The release was influenced by early electronic music released on the infamous hungarian label, UGAR and early nu-jazz records. Musically the main goal was to have a human, imperfect feel to the drums. As usual, everything was recorded live on the mixing desk. Instead of sequencing most of the synth parts were played live and additional guitar atmospheres were dubbed over some sections.
Cycles is a concept which is deeply intertwined with everyday life, both on a micro and macro level. They manifest in various natural, biological and societal processes, influencing our daily routines, behaviours and the world around us. Unconventional rhythms and time signatures, complex patterns, evolving modulations and shifting textures were created and used to present it (Cycles) as an integral part of our existence, shaping how we navigate to the world, make decisions and experience the passage of time..." Kostas Giazlas (Onepointwo). Kostas hails from Thessaloniki, Greece, and describes himself as a keen record collector, who is "always trying to emulate a musical journey into space, time, memories and frequencies". With Influences ranging from late 50s electronic experimental sounds, motorik krautrock bands, lush shoegaze melodies and modern electronica, Onepointwo seeks to crystallise this musical backdrop via judicious use of minimal arrangements, abstract and distorted shortwave radio signals, dystopian soundscapes made up of both digital and analogue sources, all punctuated with heavily affected percussive sounds. The listener is drawn in by the psychedelic impact achieved through repetition. Onepointwo's previous discography ably demonstrates his consummate skill in this field. Keene (Poeta Negra) / SANS (Lotus RecordShop Editions), plus various appearances / remixes in domestic label compilations. He has also clocked up an number of releases on UK labels, including Miracle Pond, Woodford Halse, Werra Foxma and Subexotic Records across various formats; plus several live performances/dj sets and a host of rave reviews including Electronic Sound Magazine.
Most of Gen X-ers who grew up in the mid-1980s Indonesia must have seen Soedjarwoto Soemarsono, known with his nom de guerre “Gombloh” performing on a state-run television station, playing some of his biggest hits from that era, pop gems like “Kugadaikan Cintaku (I Pawn Off My Love)”, “Setengah Gila (Half-Crazy).”
But of course, it is not fair to judge Gombloh only from these hits. Dig deeper and you will find buried treasure in his early stuff from Indra Records, and there are many of them.
His album with the band Lemon Tree’s Anno ‘69 (yes, that’s the name of the band) is all remarkable, but what he did for Chandra Records was no less spectacular. How can you go wrong with songs like “Kebyar-Kebyar”, the unofficial national anthem for Indonesia, dan “Berita Cuaca” one of the better epic songs in a catalogue full of epochal songs? These were all long out of print and in our journey to source the original master for these albums we met Bob Djumara of Nirwana Records, the Surabaya, East Java-based label which broke Gombloh into the mainstream in the mid-1980s. Almost all albums Gombloh recorded for his early labels, Indra Records and Chandra Records were critically acclaimed, but commercially they bombed, big time. Nirwana Records came up with an ingenious plan. What if they recorded Gombloh performing live and release it as is. After all, the first song in Gombloh debut record Nadia & Atmospheer is him strumming on his guitar backed by the cheering of a crowd, who could be heard going wild when he hurled that epithet “bastard” at the end of the song
The end result is a brilliant recording which despite being recorded live the sound quality so pristine leading many to doubt the claim of being live. Regardless, Nirwana shipped a decent number of units and Gombloh could buy his first car, a Katana Jeep, with money from the royalty.
One of the best things about Live Gila is its perfect sequencing, beginning with Gombloh’s social commentary on the rich’s debauched lifestyle of preying on young boys and girls, one of the most popular subjects allowed by the censoring machine of the New Order authoritarian government. The second song “Untuk Persada” is a soaring ode to the nation. For this song, Gombloh could be heard drawing his inspiration from The Police, which was undoubtedly popular in the early 1980s, even in a faraway port city like Surabaya.
Listening to this record as a whole (we omitted the last song from the original master tape “Bagimu Negeri” which sounds too jingoistic), we could not help but point to some of similarities it has with Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks. Not a single composition in this record sound indigenous (the Malay-influenced rock of Panbers or Koes Plus come to mind); they all sound modern and effortlessly catchy, and had it not been for the language, this album could be mistaken for a musical output from someone growing up in Laurel Canyon or Southern France.
There are only limited copies of vinyl records in the second-hand market today available for Gombloh music, if at all. For his ardent fans, they have to scavenge for old cassettes to continue to be able to enjoy his music and have to pay top dollar for that. In Indonesia, where he was a superstar in the early 1980s, Gombloh was largely forgotten. With this project, we can only hope that the time is ripe for Gombloh to reemerge and now, more than ever, his music could speak to a bigger audience.
2023 Repress
On the West Coast, gangsta rap held sway in hip-hop as the 21st century began. The alternative and conscious rap music of the early-to-mid-90s had all but faded into the underground. The scene was set for a comeback, perhaps as a backlash to the perceived violence and misogyny of gangsta rap's content. Leading the resurgence of alternative hip-hop were groups like Jurassic 5, and recentsignees to Capitol Records, a West coast trio that had been building steam underground since the early 90s called Dilated Peoples. Anticipation was high for the release of the debut album from Evidence, Rakaa, and DJ Babu. (Of the influential turntablist collective Beat Junkies.) When The Platform arrived in May of 2000 it was met with critical and underground acclaim, as well as affording Dilated Peoples their first Billboard chartings. It featured a back-to-basics sound with a heavy debt to the old-school hip-hop ethos, the kind of sound that harkened back to the early days of legends like De La Soul & A Tribe Called Quest. Hits like "No Retreat" and "The Platform" were bolstered by Evidence & Rakaa's subtle, abstract wit, and swift, adroit wordplay, while DJ Babu provided production chops and dextrous scratches. On The Platform the trio were joined by the likes of B-Real, Tha Alkoholiks, Everlast, Planet Asia, and many more providing guest vocals, while boasting guest production from The Alchemist & Kut Masta Kurt, among others. Since its 2000 release this influential record, which heralded the return of alternative hip-hop, has never seen a vinyl reissue. With that, Get On Down-always on top of giving the greatest hip-hop albums their due-is proud to present this re-release of The Platform. The rhymes are still fresh, the production is still pristine, and the album is now back on vinyl for the first time in 17 years.
- Includes songs from Mackjunt., Tommy Martini, YungGrunge, and Professor Creepshow.
-This is the fourth album of Jazz Playaz.
-Similar artists are Mackjunt., Dam Funk, Knxwledge, ohbliv, DJ Harrison, DJ Screw, J Dilla.
-Limited edition of 250 solid baby blue colored vinyl.
This album presents a fresh perspective on the current state of modern and contemporary jazz music, thanks to the innovative contributions of the quartet. Their unique blend of styles seamlessly merges the smooth, dreamy sounds of vaporwave with the bold, rhythmic beats of hip-hop, creating a truly captivating listening experience. The result is a dynamic fusion of genres that pushes the boundaries of traditional jazz and appeals to a wider audience. The quartet's masterful musicianship and fearless experimentation make this album a must-listen for anyone interested in exploring the ever-evolving world of contemporary jazz.
STARRING: Mackjunt., Tommy Martini, YungGrunge, Professor Creepshow.
tom Ravenscroft at 6music amongst others. And now, in true AMO1 creative fashion they are presenting an off-shoot release of that album, one completely reimagined by the man, the myth: Ricardo Villalobos.
Much has been written and talked about when it comes to producer/DJ Ricardo Villalobos over the years.
The mercurial Chilean-German artist has consistently redefined the boundaries of techno and electronica over the past 30-years as a producer, whilst also traversing the world and expanding minds as a DJ who can equally delight as he does challenge.Like a great jazz drummer (he was a percussionist before discovering mixing records), Villalobos has not so much as broken “the rules” of structure as just created his own unique approach. One that is often surprising, ever open-minded, and clearly lead by whatever happens to be inspiring him at any given moment. Watching him work or hearing him play music always feels live and free. He’s an artist. And that is exactly how this (perhaps unlikely) collaborative album has come to light – but then this is Ricardo, so maybe we should all know by now that anything is possible.
Villalobos explains, “In my scientific search for some electroacoustic musical landscapes, the offer of remixing ‘Black Apple Pink Apple’ was just perfect for me… In general, the song writing is so very good and particular, with all the instruments played into a sequencer, so it was very inspiring to strip down these pop songs into my dubby extensions, taking only the drums, bass, and vocals of the song.” Expanding further, “After delivering the first remix, Mo and myself came up with the idea of reimagining the whole album in a new way, mixed simple with other ears and my inspirations, with a new and different point of view of what instruments are important to hold the song to bare itself.”
It says a lot, and somehow captures the essence of Ricardo’s approach to music (and life), that one remix soon evolved into a whole plethora of reimagined works, driven by a creative slipstream and a clear connection to the songs created by A Mountain of One.
Mo Morris provides more insight into his own connection with Villalobos, “I lived in Berlin back in 2002-04 and used to religiously go to dance to Rici at the after (after) hours parties: little, tiny events. And he just used to blow my mind, I hadn’t heard anything like it before (or since). Ultra-modern and forward thinking.”
Mo continues, “A good friend connected to Ibiza happenings introduced me to Ricardo as it transpired that he was a fan of our early material, so I sent him some demo’s when we were in the studio creating ‘Stars Planets Dust Me’ and he loved ‘Black Apple Pink Apple’. The relationship and collaboration grew from there really, and I hope that this release is still at the start of what we can all create together.”
Focussing in on the album at hand – ‘Ricardo Villalobos reimagines: Stars Planets Dust Me’ – we are treated to a concept listen that guides us from dreamy daytime Balearic pop – staying very true to the original songs – all the way through to completely original deep dubby techno excursions. And to Villalobos fans, it will perhaps surprise (and hopefully delight) how light a touch he has provided to the opening tracks, focussing more on enhancing the sonics, and allowing the originals to shine brighter through remastering and mixing down. It’s in these moments that we see Ricardo as a pure music fan, needing not overly change or alter what’s already been created, but simply doing what he can to maximise what’s already there.
What will certainly delight Ricardo fans are the four full ‘klub’ remixes provided of ‘Black Apple Pink Apple’, ‘Make My Love Grow’, ‘Softlanding’ and ‘Dealer’ that each boldly explore the outer regions of the dancefloor in a way that only Villalobos can.
Mo rounds off, “From an electronic and sonics standpoint he’s kind of out there on his own. It’s such a unique sound. Weatherall also had this, and Harvey has that unique flavour, and also people like Nils Frahm and Max Richter have this gift. It’s not an easy thing to produce. Ricardo has his own personal cosmic trademark.”
Indeed he does. Take a trip with him around the stars and planets and see for yourself.
Flying Objects is the new collaborative project from indie heavyweights Smoke DZA and Flying Lotus - featuring Black Thought (The Roots/Jimmy Fallon), Estelle, Conway The Machine, and more. Smoke DZA is a popular independent rapper from New York City who has worked with Big K.R.I.T., Wiz Khalifa, Action Bronson and ASAP Rocky among others, and is a founding member of the Smokers Club. His album, Rolling Stoned was awarded the High Times Doobie Award for Hip Hop album of the year for 2011. Other popular album releases include Rugby Thompson (produced by Harry Fraud), Dream.Zone.Achieve (features from Cam'ron, Joey Bada$$, Ab-Soul, Wiz Khalifa, Curren$y), and Don't Smoke Rock (produced by Pete Rock). Flying Lotus is a producer, DJ, filmmaker and rapper from Los Angeles who has worked with Kendrick Lamar, Danny Brown, Mac Miller, Chance The Rapper, Blu and more. He is also the founder of the record label Brainfeeder. He has released seven studio albums. His debut project 1983 dropped in 2006 on Stones Throw Records and his next six projects all came out on Warp Records - to critical acclaim.
The debut album of soul singer, Maiiah is also the third full-length by Hamburg collective, Angels of Libra, following on from the success of their collaboration with Irish singer, Nathan Johnston.
Maiiah is a singer with roots in the Balkans but residing in Düsseldorf, the city of the legendary Unique Club and the label of the same name. Soul left its mark on her early on, and when she met Hamburg producer, musician and composer Dennis Rux (Hamburg Spinners/Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Studios) during the pandemic, the two realized they shared a similar musical vision. Their common love of soul music and old rhythm & blues brought them together, and they started recording music together in Hamburg with the Angels of Libra. Lo and behold, their first single together "Obey" got into rotation at tastemaker station Radioeins and confirmed them as a winning team.
Following in the footsteps of many a classic soul tune, second single, "No No No (I'm So Broke)" is a social critique and commentary. In it Maiiah literally wears her heart on her sleeve, as she sings about the back- breaking job she was working at the time and the poor earnings as a hotel service employee.
But naturally life has more to offer than just work and so a large part of the songs on this record revolve around love. Maiiah gives her own spin to the classic "I'm A Good Woman", which the spirited singer has performed live many times. The story goes that the late DJ and Unique Records label owner Henry Storch sent Maiiah the original song by Barbara Lynn to comfort her after a heavy heartbreak. The song thus holds a very important place in Maiiah's heart, and it was released as the third advance single, recorded during her tour with Nathan Johnston at Bekegg Studios in Rastede, Lower Saxony.
With Dennis Rux at her side and the powerful arrangements of the Angels of Libra, Maiiah has found the right partners for her personal debut. On "Kava" & "Plenty of Life", Hamburg's jack-of-all-trades Carsten Meyer aka Erobique is featured as a guest on the keyboards, so here the rhythm section of the Hamburg Spinners comes together again. The love for old soul, rhythm & blues and the analog sound of the sixties is also fully expressed on this album. The longings and deep feelings in Maiiah's lyrics are carefully picked up musically, whether as a classic R&B song as in "Please Come Home" or in boogaloo party mode as in the Croatian-sung "Kava", the fourth single. "Plenty of Life" is a song for self-cheering and a call to open up to the beautiful sides of life despite all adversity. In "I wanna go", on the other hand, Maiiah longs for her Croatian homeland. The crowning finale of the album is the intense "Infinity" about life's phases and the recurring ups and downs as the essence of human existence.
The ingredients of Maiiah and the Angels of Libra's recipe are authentic lyrics, to the point arrangements, tight horns, rousing background vocals and the spirit of the golden age of soul music, as it was shaped by labels like Motown and Stax. Recorded in part with original equipment from the 50s. Producer Dennis Rux says, "We wanted to create a record that people would go dance to at the Komet" (a neighborhood club on St. Pauli in Hamburg, the band's second home). The joint album combines the Hamburg soul of the Angels of Libra with the passion of Maiiah, who can fully live out her temperament on the mic.
Synth pioneer and musical polymath, Wally Badarou is a genius. But you know that already. A vinyl version of his majestic Colors Of Silence has been craved by the Balearic cognoscenti ever since its low-key 2001 release. Indeed, when we first started work on Be With, we asked some pals with exquisite taste what their dream release would be. We asked Balearic legend Moonboots and, without hesitation, he said Colors Of Silence by Wally Badarou. We didn't know Wally had made this album. And most still don't. But that's about to change.
Colors Of Silence is ostensibly a new age album. As ever though, Wally's sophisticated synth textures and expressive keyboard runs are so full of character, so full of life, that this work of art transcends any easy genre categorisation. It's simply stunning, throughout. It sounds like A.r.t. Wilson or Suzanne Kraft, with traces of CFCF and Jonny Nash. But it was made a good decade earlier than the work of these modern giants. Sometimes, it doesn't seem far from some Larry Heard albums.
Island Records founder Chris Blackwell's friend Nathalie Delon asked Wally to provide music for the yoga DVD she was to release. Lack of time on both sides made them agree on using "quality demos" Wally had in his ideas bank. It's understandable why Colors Of Silence remains somewhat of a lost gem. As Wally explains: "Total lack of promotion made it an 'intimate' release, which was exactly what I was looking for: just a buzz-maker and time-buyer that would allow me to concentrate on the real thing as soon as I'd have time, which could also turn into a rare collecting item later, once the final versions made their way to success. You never know."
Over the years, Colors Of Silence has become a true cult record for the ambient/Balearic heads.
The beguiling but brief "Dance In The Dust" is the shuffling, hyper-percussive, hypnotic opener. It gives way to the deep serenity of "Amber Whispers". It's a gliding, divine, mini melodic masterpiece. It'll make you swoon in its extreme beauty. The bright and breezy "Where Were We" follows, a tropical, reggae-tinged bounce through the islands.
The uptempo groove is maintained on the keys-drizzled soca-funk of "The Lights Of Kinshasa" before Side A is rounded out with "Pictures Of You". It starts with stately, melancholic, unadorned piano and this alone would make for a beautiful song. But Wally always gives us that bit extra and he effortlessly introduces warm, dreamy pads and minimal, slo-mo percussion to augment a frankly stunning piece of work.
Ushering in Side B, Wally's mesmeric piano playing is to the fore again, in the intro to uber-chilled "Serendipity For Two". The playing becomes more mellifluous as the track progresses and adds warmth through exotic percussion, woodwind, sweeping synths and digi-drums. It has echoes of, er, Echoes. It segues seamlessly into the more propulsive, wavy "Smiles By The Millions". If you're not nodding and grinning along widely to the gently throbbing bassline underpinning this, we can't help you. The meditative "Higher Still" follows, cinematic in feel and ever so slightly sinister with the strings. It sounds particularly Badalamenti-esque, if you ask us.
That unmistakable, almost peculiar Badarou funk - so lyrical, so texturally rich and so rhythmically spacious - is all over "Oriental". Next up, "Days To Wonder" brings the serenity back, insistent yet melodic keys, as if played in a place of worship, coupled with birdsong, conjure a kind of instant nostalgia for halcyon days of youth. The contemplative "Dawn Of Europa" is a sombre, beatless, ambient journey whilst the glorious, too-brief "Crystal Falls" features soft percussion and sparkle before fully glistening with some gentle head-nod beats. Wally brings this incredible collection to a mellow, tender close with the graceful "Purple Lines".
There can be few artists more under-appreciated given their vast influence than Wally Badarou. His solo work practically defined the sound of the Balearic DJs of the 1980s, and thus the more sophisticated sound of dance culture thereafter. A synth specialist, Badarou was the long-time associate of Level 42. He was one of the Compass Point All Stars (with Sly and Robbie, Barry Reynolds, Mikey Chung and Uziah "Sticky" Thompson), the in-house recording team of Compass Point Studios responsible for a series of albums in the 1980s recorded by Grace Jones, Tom Tom Club, Mick Jagger, Black Uhuru, Gwen Guthrie, Jimmy Cliff and Gregory Isaacs. Badarou's keyboard playing could also be heard on albums by Robert Palmer, Marianne Faithfull, Herbie Hancock, M (Pop Muzik), Talking Heads, Manu Dibango and Miriam Makeba. He also produced Fela Kuti. Phew!
Meticulously remastered and cut by both Simon Francis and Cicely Balston respectively, it has been pressed to the highest possibly quality at Record Industry in Holland. Special thanks must go to Apiento from Test Pressing who first introduced us to Wally and facilitated all those early zoom meetings. It couldn't have happened without his help. Not least on pulling the art together, too, which features striking original photography by Mads Perch. Benji Roebuck of Roebuck Press did his thing brilliantly in art working the whole package to completion. All in all: essential.
New release for 'To Pikap Records' by Raj Pannu, British producer, DJ and long-time collaborator of electronic music pioneers Coldcut (Ninja Tune). This fiery 5-track EP will make your brain blush and your body sweat with its sexy, futuristic blend of everything considered danceable. Coming straight from the underground, these sick compositions of hypnotic new born grooves are here to heal our cosmic souls with fluid dynamics, rumbling bass and bubbling repetition which some would consider illegal. It's a must have.
This performance by Waylon Jennings was no April Fool's joke. This was the "new" Waylon, both personally and professionally. He had kicked a 20-year drug habit, split with RCA and signed a new deal with MCA Records. He discovered a passion for songwriting, teamed with legendary producer Jimmy Bowen, and produced some of the best work of his 30-year-plus career. He credited his wife and soul mate, Jessie Colter, for much of his inspiration. This was Waylon's second trip to the ACL stage, but the one that best captures the raw edge and driving urgency that pushed country music way past its Nashville boundaries starting in the mid-1970's. He was described as the leader of the country "Outlaw" movement, which he often dismissed as just another marketing scam, but there's no denying that he turned the music on its head and took it way beyond its rural southern roots. This West Texas boy who worked as a DJ and started his own band at 14, then later played with Buddy Holly, left an indelible mark on the music he loved. He was a class act, this man called Hoss. -Terry Lickona (Producer Austin City Limits®)
Encore!? Say no more.. Plush number 4 is here!
Elusive local live hero JCow soft launches into the arms of Plush Records, bringing a modern day classique to the underground masses. The Berlin based producer & DJ has been humbly making waves amongst prancers and dancers; unless you’ve been living under a rock!
“Wish U Were Here W Me” is a pupil dilating, rump shaking sunrise anthem; a melodic masterclass with a bassline that puts funky town to shame. Vocals expertly extracted from Brandy’s “Long Distance'' which soar like silk over a breathtaking breakdown.. tugging at heartstrings across the globe. The Emotional Breakdown mix is catering to the softies out there, stripped back and filling up your cup, pure natural ecstasy.
Close your eyes and get lost in the groove.
NEA Jazz Master, Toots Thielemans, is widely considered to be the preeminent jazz harmonica
player. It is safe to say that before him, the harmonica in jazz was simply not done, and Thielemans
can be credited with legitimizing the instrument in the genre. Born in Brussels, Belgium in 1922.
Theileman’s excelled on accordion as a small child, before picking up the guitar as a teenager after
hearing Django Reinhart. Along the way, he taught himself to play harmonica as a hobby. In 1948,
during a visit to the US, he sat in on guitar with a jazz group at small club in New York and was
“discovered.” Engagements soon followed with the likes of Benny Goodman, Charlie Parker, Miles
Davis, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones and more. As the story goes, in response to a
musicians’ union restriction, Thielemans was forbidden to play guitar at a gig. So, he pulled out his
harmonica. The rest, as they say, is history. He went on to have a long and prolific career on the
instrument, as both a band leader and session musician. With his unique sound, he became a go-to
for film scores in the 1970s (The Pawn Broker, Midnight Cowboy). Perhaps most notably, Thielemans
is unconsciously known to generations for having played the melody on Sesame Street’s famous
closing theme. Organized as a purely jazz session, the date here prominently features a young Joanne
Brackeen on piano. It is perhaps Brackeen’s presence that makes this set so interesting. As an
avant-garde player she provides the vehicle for Thielemas to explore more advanced ideas. The
album covers a wide range of material, including two originals by Brackeen, alongside standards by
Coltrane, Ellington, Mercer and Mancini.
Prozpektiva reaches its fifth release so far, and on this special occasion, we are proud to present the rising talent from Ukraine - Aliana.
With a remarkable debut on Variable Records in 2021, swiftly followed by a standout LP (an album for only her second release) for Finest Hour, and a series of co-produced tracks under the alias Midibasics, Aliana now brings us her latest four-track solo EP. Get ready for dubby grooves, plenty of swing, and some serious heads-down action.
REPRESSED 2x12" now with bonus download code! Heavy, heavy tunes! Studio One instrumentals are the foundation of Reggae. These rhythm tracks became the basis for all Dancehall as countless artists and producers re-versioned these classic Studio One instrumentals.
REVIEWS: "Sheer volume of output from Studio One is astonishing, combined with the fact that the quality of the recordings never seem to diminish. These instrumentals touch on ska, rocksteady, dub, and begin to hint at the reggae sound of the late '70s. Each instrumental is perfect and has the feel that it could hardly be improved upon. Soul Jazz has once again put together a wonderfully rounded collection of music from Studio One" - All Music.
"I think if a nuclear family could have a soundtrack, ours would be the Soul Jazz comp Studio One: Scorcher. I wouldn't say it's the best record ever made, but if I heard it every single day for the rest of my life, I'd be 100% cool with it." DJ. & "Compilation of essential & rare Studio One instrumentals" - Hard Wax.
"Studio One Scorcher is the latest of these, collecting instrumental tracks spanning the years from the late 60's rocksteady vogue through the onset of dancehall and digital rhythms in the early 80's featuring The Skatalites, trombonist Don Drummond, Pablove Black and others." - Billboard.
Artefacts is the second part of the diptych of 2 albums by Hihats In Trees, pseudonym for Belgian drummer, producer Lander Gyselinck
HHIT’s unprecedented experiments with rhythm and acoustic textures on its debut album ‘Disleksikon’, released in 2019, was well received. On Artefacts HHIT takes it a step further. A truly sensational sonic realm is explored.
Hihats In Trees’ obsession with singular physical objects, materials of wood, stone, metal evokes a dark dystopian sentiment and a recurring melancholy. A poetic expression of the solid object. In Artefacts, through this language with materials, the physical objects come to life sonically. The 10 compositions revolve around this peculiar vocabulary of texture and rhythm, balancing between the dance floor and a solitary ritual, reminiscing on HHIT’s major influences of gqom, detroit techno, hiphop and experimental ambient.
Fashion designer Dries Van Noten was fascinated by HHIT’s musical experiments, This resulted in a collaboration with photographer Viviane Sassen for his Spring Summer collection in 2021 with music by HHIT, partly from Disleksikon, partly tracks later to be released on Artefacts. Artefacts is released on the Brussels based label Maloca Records, run by dj, producer Le Motel.
Since the early days of electronic music, white label records have been inextricably linked to DJ culture and the ways in which underground music has been disseminated.
unknown - untitled draws on the white label concept, initially withholding details about the producers behind the tracks and leaving listeners to draw their own conclusions about what they’re hearing. The innovative concept record label is back with its eighth release, delivering an expansive six-track vinyl that pushes the limits of techno as we know it, offering a glimpse into the ever-evolving world of sound design and sonic landscapes. With online personas often eclipsing the focus on music itself, here lies a return to form.
Glasgow’s iconic and highly influential progressive house label Limbo Records celebrates it’s 30th anniversary. An incredible compilation across two 12”s in an expertly designed gatefold sleeve with a poster insert that takes a look back at some of the biggest tracks that graced the label over the past three decades.
A true collector’s item, showcasing the power and presence of this Scottish stalwart, lovingly remastered by Davie Forbes and reissued for a whole new generation of listeners. The compilation kicks off with Havana - Schtoom, the record that started it all given the remix from legendary Scottish duo Slam, before the party anthem ‘Buruchacca’ from Mukkaa aka Kiltie and Crichton gets a signature remix Apollo 440.
Elsewhere Gypsy hit with undeniably one of the highlight tracks in the Limbo catalogue ‘I Trance You’ and Sublime serve up another of Limbo’s classic releases, the dance floor banger ‘Transamerican’ which topped all the charts at the time.
Take to side 3 and you’ll find the second release on Limbo a percussive drum laden epic from Havana entitled ‘Shift’ that planted Limbo firmly in the must buy section of record shops across the UK. Another highlight on side 4 sees legendary Glasgow DJ Harri of Sub Club fame with his debut on Limbo – a superb slice of hard to house.
All in all, this is a serious slice of history that every collection should have nestled in its racks.
incl Kai Alcé Mix + Emanuele Inglese Rmx
GIM Records is back from the Moon bringing a new release "In The Music" signed by the Italian team "Groove In Mind" aka GIM Productions (Onda Records).
The original track is a dancefloor oriented anthem with a groovy bassline and a House vibe feeling, fueled by magnetic Rhodes keys and flute.
Included are a couple of very hot remixes by the well-renowned Kai Alcé (NDATL Muzik) and the Italian Dj Emanuele Inglese (Cocoon Rec).
Limited Edition 12 Inch - 140 grams standard black vinyl with generic jackets
Anton Bogomolov is a producer and sometimes a DJ. He has been releasing music on vinyl since 2018 and used to perform at local parties and festivals. Scruscru has recently released music on labels such as Slothboogie, Outplay, Omena, Ltd, W/lbl, Deeppa, Minor Notes, and more. He has also launched his own imprint called Scruniversal Records. He has received DJ support from artists like Moodymann, Dj Muro, Session Victim, and Disclosure, among others. His new EP, 'Cyber Love,' for N&B, is a collection of tunes recorded strictly on the train ride home after his weekend gigs during the summer of 2022.
Assiko Golden Band de Grand Yoff is the sprawling drum collective tearing up Dakar's nightlife scene. Senegalese poet Djiby Ly (Wau Wau Collectif) is backed by fourteen different percussive instruments plus horns, winds, balafon, and the occasional accordion, combining Count Ossie's spiritually elevated polyrhythms with Fela Kuti's orchestra and Tony Allen's groove. Based in the impoverished neighborhood of Grand Yoff and operating as a mutual aid group for the larger community, the band builds its songs on ancient rhythms passed on from Senegal, Cameroon and the infamous Gorée Island. In both Wolof and French, Djiby preaches a message of uplift and cooperation rooted in the Sufi teachings of the Mouride Brotherhood, as well as Christianity and animist religions. "Senegal, my life my joy" is the call and response chanted over cascading, infinitely layered drum patterns on opener "La Musique Du Coeur." "We build our own country" the band proclaims in Wolof on "Xarritt." For twenty years and across three generations of band members, Assiko have played raucous all-night jams at weddings, secret parties, and political rallies. Grainy cellphone footage of their live shows have spread online. But this is their first album, the result of a collaboration with Swedish musician and archivist Karl-Jonas Winqvist (Sing A Song Fighter), who met the band in Dakar in 2018 and facilitated recording sessions and overdubs via Whatsapp (no small feat with so many musicians). This is vital, exciting and innovative music, alive with energy and purpose, a band rooted in a very specific community but speaking to the world.
You're on a tough desert trek and you come upon an oasis -- with water, lush green, and a diverse group
of fellow wanderers eager to welcome you in. It's a dance party. And the LA- based DJ Markarian,
proprietor of Take 5 Music, is there to spin records ideal for this life- affirming setting. Welcome to Oasis
Lounge Vol. II, a joyous mix of music.
After glowing reviews of Dreaming Forever 001 and club plays from Ben UFO, Skatebard, Michael Mayer and many more, we are very proud to announce 002. Berlin based DJ Marie Lung is a regular performer at some of the best venues in the house and techno capital. After discovering Marie Lung’s set on HÖR and being blown away by her performances on the channel consistently, we contacted the artist to see if she had any demo tracks for us. The resulting tracks were two timeless and evocative house records that we play constantly in the Dreaming Forever offices. A spaced out remix from the inimitable Vril and a super classy rework from Matthias Reiling, one half of Session Victim, makes up the release. We are proud to release Marie’s inaugural record.
Next up on Rocky Hill is a limited edition, vinyl only white label, featuring 2 edits licensed from Terrestrial Funk and Darone Sassounian's compilation from 2021, and two original tracks from LA - based DJ and producer, Lara Sarkissian. The A side (Silk Road Side), features two previous exclusives from Darone's compilation on Terrestrial Funk titled, 'Silk Road: Journey of the Armenian Diaspora (1971 - 1982)'. The two edits on the A side were only available digitally, on CD, and Cassette formats. A1 features an edit of Marten Yorgantz's "Ammenain Serdov De Tout Coeur" from NY-based DJ duo, Fundido. A2 features an edit of Jozeph Sefian's "Karoun E Yegel" from Darone Sassounian. The B Side (Lara Sarkissian Side), features two original tracks sampling duduk (Armenian woodwind), songs - named as Lezginka Dance Scene and Ojakhum Nightmare. The tracks are reworks of the originals from 2016 - 2017, when Sarkissian began the creation of her own unique process of synthesizing duduk as percussion, bass and voice. Both tracks have been used in her early live sets from 2017 - 2018. They're finally available now only on vinyl. This is Rocky Hill.
Forging acclaim for their fiercely unrelenting sound production, New Frames are no stranger to shattering the parameters and caveats within electronic music with their masterfully curated approach to chaos. The collaborative project of Berlin-based David Frisch and Mathis Mootz (aka The Panacea) sees the duo engineer their hybridised palette of maximalist yet modular techno music in both their DJ and live sets. Pulling influence directly from dance floors both contemporary and from raving's genesis, New Frames' all encompassing signature of ferociously layered sonic weaponry promises to leave no stragglers in their wake. Presenting their debut double long player 'Scherben' - the body of work demonstrates the pair's eclectic merging of cataclysmic pure and raw techno, ominous vocals and distorted sound design across the eight track LP. Nimble mixing interbreeds New Frames' quintessential cacophony of instrumentation, laminated with bombastic drum-beats and carnal vigour. Additionally with appearances from Eva Vuillemin, fellow BITE Records protagonist Omon Breaker as well as label co-founder Phase Fatale, the album comes as a natural progression following two previous EP releases on BITE as well as featuring on the labels fifth anniversary compilation record 'Shedding Skin' .
Giorgio Gordano and Giorgio Dolce originally produced ''KKK'' back in 1983, and the track was taken into the hearts of the blossoming Balearic scene hovering around DJ Alfredo at Amnesia. It's as gentle and sweet natured as Italo disco can be, and of course it makes perfect sense that Best Records would dig it out of the archives and give it the shiny new reissue it deserves. The ''Club Mix'' of ''KKK'' is a feast of simple, charming programmed melodies and crisp drum machine rhythms with the innocence of the early 80s in its heart. The ''Dub Mix'' and ''Bonus Beats'' on the flip are handy for the technical DJs out there, but the ''Club Mix'' is where it's at for the lovers.
Repress!
Debut single by 'TURBO Q 3000', a project by Turbo Sonidero (Grupo Jejeje / Kumbia Net) & Principe Q (Kumbia All Stars / Royal Highness)
Turbo Sonidero is a music producer and record collector from San Jose, CA who blends Cumbia Sonidera (sound system) with Rap. He is a co-founder of Grupo Jejeje and also the-founder of Kumbia Net/Kumbia Obscura, a collective that promotes new and up-and-coming cumbia producers from Mexico and beyond. Turbo Sonidero is a pioneer who continues to lead the reemergence of cumbia globally. He has been featured in Vogue MX, The New Yorker, Fader, Vice MX, Afropop Worldwide, KQED, and XLR8R, among others.
Music producer/DJ Svani Quintanilla (aka Principe Q) is noted as the creator of "Screwmbia", pioneered by his duo Royal Highness (with DJ King Louie). "Screwmbia" is his modern take on cumbia, blending trap drums with slowed down cumbia rhythms. Bringing cumbia in to the modern times is an homage to his aunt, Selena Quintanilla-Perez, who also did so in the 80's and 90's. He is the oldest son of Kumbia All Star founder A.B. Quintanilla III and has recently joined the band as a percussionist.
Limited to 500 7" copies
Exclusive artwork by Jaime Ruelas
• Following on from the highly successful first two editions of
Dance Masters featuring the classics mixes from maestros
Shep Pettibone and Arthur Baker, the spotlight turns to
another remix legend, John Luongo.
• Boston born, John is one of the truly legendary DJ's and
remixers of the Disco era. John got his break at Epic by
overdubbing percussion from salt shakers and spoons onto a
promo and then passing them back the tape. This resulted in
him being flown to New York, and put in a studio (of his
choice) to mix and produce Melba Moore`s “You Stepped
Into My Life”. From this point everything he touched was a
hit. He went onto remix Disco classics by Jackie Moore –
“This Time Baby”, Dan Hartman “Vertigo / Relight My Fire”
and Patti Labelle “Music Is My Way Of Life”.
• However, John was not afraid of remixing artists that didn’t
fit into the disco genre and this attitude is borne out by the
tracklisting of this compilation, on which Gladys Knight and
The Pips rub shoulders with Fine Young Cannibals and
Billy Idol, and Baltimora appears alongside Banararama
and Serge Ponsar.
• “…if you played this whole thing, just put it on and didn’t
tell anyone it was me, they’d say ‘boy, what a great group of
songs this is!’” - John Luongo
• This cut down 16 track essential edition in pressed on 140g
black vinyl and features foreword by Arthur Baker and an indepth essay written by Alexis Petridis (Rock and Pop
reviewer for The Guardian).
• All tracks remastered by Nick Robbins at Sound
Mastering
Ambition ist das zweite Studioalbum des amerikanischen Rappers Wale. Es wurde am 1. November 2011 von der Maybach Music Group, Allido Records und Warner Bros. Records veröffentlicht. Es ist der Nachfolger seines Debütalbums Attention Deficit, das 2009 veröffentlicht wurde.
Die Produktion des Albums wurde von mehreren Produzenten übernommen, darunter Lex Luger, T-Minus, Tha Bizness, DJ Toomp und Diplo. Das Album enthält außerdem Gastauftritte von Rick Ross, Lloyd, Ne-Yo, Big Sean, Miguel, Meek Mill, Kid Cudi und Jeremih.
III is the third studio album by French DJ Bob Sinclar. First release February 2003, and reached number 24 on the French albums chart. It features the hits : "The Beat Goes On" and "Kiss My Eyes" An Uncut review from May 2003 found that while Sinclar"s music is "frothier and camper than ever" on III, he "has a new-found focus and vitality ... Whereas so much electroclash lacks melodic thrills, there"s an abundance of crisp, pulsating tunes here. And despite the disco flashbacks, Le Friant favours twisted re-interpretations over dead-handed pastiches". The review concluded by noting that "fans of Daft Punk"s Discovery will love it". Jack Smith, writing for BBC Music, felt that III is Sinclar"s homage to French disco artist Cerrone, given Sinclar"s compilation Cerrone by Bob Sinclar (2001), and his collaboration with songwriters Lene Lovich and Alain Wisniak on III, both of whom previously composed several songs for Cerrone. While acknowledging Sinclar"s intention for a "new sound" after being an "international man of mystery" on his first two records, Smith opined that "herein lies the problem... III, his latest opus, is nothing less than average, and at times dull", summarising that the album"s "pluses are few and far between".
Action Pact were a punk rock band from Stanwell, an isolated village right under the flight-path of London Heathrow Airport, inspiring this album title-song.àFormed in 1981 by guitarist Wild Planet, bassist & lyricist Dr. Phibes, and the then 15-year-olds drummer Joe Fungus and singer George Cheex, still school-kids when their Heathrow Touchdown EP was released in October 1981. BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel played the single many times and booked them for their first session, recorded February 1982.àSigned to Jungle's Fall Out Records imprint, Action Pact"s label debut Suicide Bag EP went to the top of the British punk chart in July 1982.àFive more singles entered the indie charts including Yet Another Dole Queue Song, and a reworked London Bouncers, along with two albums, 'Mercury Theatre - On The Air' and 'Survival of the Fattest'.àA second John Peel session in '82 and a David Jensen BBC session in '83 were also recorded and broadcast - all collected together here for the first time.
Structured Records presents the continuation of their previous work, signed by The Wire Alliance, untitled "Mathspace."
The new EP consists of 4 solid and impactful Techno remixes, where the diversity within each track defines this 12-inch as the perfect tool to set the dancefloor on fire.
Silez, Swarm Intelligence, Rommek, and Irrational Language dive into a whirlwind of drones, aggressive rhythmic patterns, exquisite basslines, and other sonic elements that creatively and deeply dissect the original songs.
A compilation that at times sounds reminiscent of early 2000s Birmingham, while at other times injects a sound closer to IDM, all without straying from its own essence: precise Techno execution, without frills or pretensions but with a lot of personality and a clear direction—to provide timeless material for the most demanding DJs.
Structured Records' new release is here to stay in your record collections. And we're not just saying it, just hit play. We love what we do. Enjoy it.
Breezy headwinds, orange-tinged skies, hazy, serene bliss – just some of the profound feelings to be had on the latest release from Oath, a masterclass in melody and mood from one of the finest ever to do…..
Italian producer and DJ Jacy remains one of the stand-out musical characters from a dazzling ensemble of atmosphere builders who were so prevalent during the late 80s and early 90s. His craftsmanship is simply legendary, his music quite simply some of the finest to exude from this period of time, and of which is still making waves in the collective sands now. His dedication to the creation of emotive sweeps, gorgeous rippling tones and easy going, freeing atmospheres has remained a cornerstone of his sound, from the early days through to his excellent work on his imprint Home of House, along with sublime releases on Kalahari Oyster Cult and Hot Haus Recs. Jacy’s sound was broadcast to the world once again via Safe Trip’s ‘Welcome To Paradise’ compilations, where his inclusions were something that lingered long in the memory – an essential component of what is known as the ‘Dream House’ sound. It’s difficult to convey into words exactly how a Jacy record can take the listener, but perhaps it’s different for everyone – one thing can be agreed on though, it’s an experience like no other.
‘Night Fantasy’ is Jacy’s first EP in 4 years, and much like his other records, this one blesses us with warmth, delight and joy, in the softest and most subtle of manners. The title track, which opens up the record, greets the listener with a familiar drum pattern, one which then gives way to the rock-hard bass line, and then the pads arrive. Heavenly angelic in form, their presence is complimented by the arrival of the breathy vocal sample, which evolves to provide a wondrous narrative with the cascading synth line that comes soon after. As a combination its intoxicating, with the breakdown giving us time to get to know this mixture very well, indeed, before powering home with excellence. ‘Just Change’ comes on next, and this one opens up with that classic and explicitly dreamy chord sequence we all know and cherish, with Jacy allowing us to soak up this goodness before shifting the perspective to the rhythm. The interplay that occurs here between keys and drums is something different, before everything transitions into a sequence to close your eyes too. ‘Dat Tape’ shifts perspective to more of a swing in terms of the groove, with sweeping background pads doing much to tug at the heartstrings. The vocal sample is so very effective at crafting an audial narrative, inviting the listener to swim deeper into the goodness, with the subtle transitions doing much to keep things ticking over. Finally, we have ‘Come On’, and this one keeps a spacious feel between the keys and the drums, and it works ever so well. The bass line occupies the bottom ends superbly, with interchanges in chords and some ever-so-familiar vocal samples thrown into the mix – and its simply wonderful.
To convey deep set feelings is to have faith in musical dexterity, to understand the grooves in the record, to follow instinct and trust in the process and precedent. Jacy has always found the sweet spot in his music by following this approach, it seems, and this new record of his is an accumulation of a lifetime of dedication and passion to music and all of its many flavors. Soaring, effective melodic undulations and rapturous, fluctuating rhythms, coupled with atmospheres to drift into – what more could you wish for? Lets get lost within it once again….
Alex Wilcox drops an expansive eight-tracker for his debut on bbbbbb recors, ‘BANG BANG BANG!’
Alex is a distinctive and quirky DJ/producer and live artist whose unique take on electronic music has welcomed curiosity and intrigue from a wealth of leading talents within techno, electro and leftfield territories.
Fusing his own brand of eclectic club music with a self-described style of DJ sets that come as a ‘genre-less, chaotic whirlwind’, it’s no surprise that his next adventure finds a perfect home on Bjarki’s bbbbbb recors - a label known for entrancing, idiosyncratic future-focused output without limitations from distinctive talents across the globe.
“When I first approached Alex about releasing on bbbbbb, he reminded me, "I sent you those tracks years ago”. I regret overlooking them. That mistake won't happen again. I'm thrilled to include him in the bbbbbb narrative. His music exudes a punk essence and undeniable quality. Alex also has a playful side, which is refreshing. I've grown weary of the prevailing scene. The stereotypical, intense techno DJs are resurfacing, making it even more special to have Alex as part of our label's fresh lineup. His sound aligns seamlessly with the likes of Skrattar, Volruptus, and other artists, solidifying his place within our collective.” - Bjarki.
Entering into the bbbbbb universe stacked with an unconventional eight-track selection of chaotic, fun-fulled and eccentric records built for the dancefloor, through to sonics that could soundtrack even the most unhinged and peculiar of scenarios and situations, Wilcox’s ‘BANG BANG BANG!’ is an exhilarating, endorphin-induced, helter-skelter rush through styles and sounds - showcasing an oddball trip into his mind and welcoming a fun-filled yet impactful selection of productions undeniably at home on the label. As always with bbbbbb, expect the unexpected and enjoy the ride.
Alex Wilcox ‘BANG BANG BANG!’ drops via bbbbbb records on 27th October 2023.
Copenhagen’s Terry Tester (Brownswood / BBE) serves up five slabs of deep and gritty Detroit-inspired house on new outing ‘Walkin’’ for Creak Inc., seamlessly weaving snappy snares and crunchy kicks into soulful chord progressions in his trademark MPC-infused sound. For fans of Kyle Hall, Zopelar, DJ Spinna, Jason Hogans or Jay Sound
Within Terry Tester’s two-decade long career as a turntablist and beatmaker his eminent take on house, hiphop and soul has been commissioned by Gilles Petterson for his ‘Bubblers’ compilation series on Brownswood, Jahi ft. singer Dwele, and Marc Mac on BBE remixing alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Terry’s latest efforts has yielded spins from influential selectors such as Carista, Sassy J, Alexander Nut, Mr Beatnick, Soulection and FS Green.
Walkin’ releases via sonic soulseekers Creak Inc. – a Copenhagen-based label specializing in groundbreaking Danish music.
After a quarter-century hiatus, the legendary jungle artist M-Beat has resurfaced with Mekatune, his newly established label. Mekatune serves as a platform for unveiling not only his extensive back catalog but also fresh, innovative material from himself and other luminaries of the jungle music scene.
This exclusive boxset comprises five vinyl records, each elegantly housed in a black paper sleeve ensconced within a high-quality, 3mm-spined card housebag. Renowned DJ Mag designer Martin Brown has lent his artistic touch to each housebag, featuring a captivating montage of M-Beat's illustrious history spanning three decades. The reverse side of these housebags reveals an in-depth interview conducted by Dave Jenkins, delving into M-Beat's origins, his prolific career, and the enigmatic disappearance that kept fans in suspense for so long. The five housebags nestle snugly within a beautifully crafted card slipcase, forming a stunning piece of jungle and drum & bass history.
Moreover, each track in this boxset has undergone meticulous remastering by Dapz at Compound Audio and precision vinyl cutting by Beau at Ten Eight Seven Mastering, ensuring an unparalleled audio experience. These 20 handpicked gems represent the pinnacle of M-Beat's discography, each highly sought after and commanding a premium on Discogs. With a limited run of just 500 units, the majority of which have already been claimed through pre-sale, this is a rare opportunity to own a piece of music history. Once sold out, there are no plans for a repress, making it an essential addition for collectors and jungle music enthusiasts alike.
Vol.3[25,17 €]
Through 35 hedonistic highlights stretched across three volumes, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac delivers the first ever deep dive into The Netherlands’ colourful house sound of the 90s and the under-celebrated producers and record labels whose music soundtracked a countrywide cultural movement.
Plenty of books and documentaries have celebrated the riotous raves, legendary clubs, high profile DJs and promoters who shaped The Netherlands’ hedonistic house scene throughout the 90s. Music For The Radical Xenomaniac dares to challenge these narratives by shining a light, for the first time, on those who created the scene’s kaleidoscopic, game-changing and globally influential soundtrack.
Leading the charge were a disparate group of key creators who not only forged links with their counterparts in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom, but also became celebrated figures on the worldwide electronic underground (Eric Nouhan, Aad De Mooy, Orlando Voorn, Stefan Robbers and Steve Rachmad). Alongside key underground imprints (Stealth Records, Basic Energy, ESP, Prime and Outland Records included) and lesser-known producers, these pioneers gave flavour to a radical musical movement via open-mindedness, unheard-of creativity and a genuinely futuristic ethos. All of these artists and labels are represented throughout the series.
So, what defined this hedonistic house sound from The Netherlands? Stylistically, it was varied – as the series so emphatically proves – but was defined by a set of distinctive sonic characteristics: emotive musical motifs, high-frequency synth sounds, mellow basslines, pulsating rhythms and more than a touch of hallucinatory intent.
Volume 2 contains a wealth of notable tracks and slept-on gems. These include Q’s ‘From Within (Body Mix)’, a lesser-known cut from the trio better-known as Quazar (Gert van Veen, R.o.X.Y co-founder Eddy De Clercq and Eric Cycle), Eric Nouhan’s melodic masterpiece ‘Technobility’, which is appearing on vinyl for the first time since 1994, and a rare collaboration between regular production partners Maarten van der Vleuten and Mike Kivits (better known as Aardvarck), which was initially released on a special R&S Records’ offshoot set up by the label’s co-founder, Renaat Renaat Vandepapeliere (Integrity II’s ‘Living In Fantasy’).
Other highlights include Exposure’s ‘Love Quest’, a highly sought-after 1991 track by The Hague-based DJ/producer Maurits Paardekooper, and an ambient-infused Andrew Weatherall favourite originally released by Stealth Records in 1993, Hole In One’s ‘Spiritual Ideas For Virtual Reality’.
Packed full of forward-thinking 90s gems remastered for today’s dance floors by Alden Tyrell, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac Volume 1 is a life-affirming celebration of a distinctly Dutch musical movement, whose rich textures and melodies are still inspiring new generations of DJs and dancers today.
Vol.2[25,17 €]
Through 35 hedonistic highlights stretched across three volumes, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac delivers the first ever deep dive into The Netherlands’ colourful house sound of the 90s and the under-celebrated producers and record labels whose music soundtracked a countrywide cultural movement.
Plenty of books and documentaries have celebrated the riotous raves, legendary clubs, high profile DJs and promoters who shaped The Netherlands’ hedonistic house scene throughout the 90s. Music For The Radical Xenomaniac dares to challenge these narratives by shining a light, for the first time, on those who created the scene’s kaleidoscopic, game-changing and globally influential soundtrack.
Leading the charge were a disparate group of key creators who not only forged links with their counterparts in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom, but also became celebrated figures on the worldwide electronic underground (Eric Nouhan, Aad De Mooy, Orlando Voorn, Stefan Robbers and Steve Rachmad). Alongside key underground imprints (Stealth Records, Basic Energy, ESP, Prime and Outland Records included) and lesser-known producers, these pioneers gave flavour to a radical musical movement via open-mindedness, unheard-of creativity and a genuinely futuristic ethos. All of these artists and labels are represented throughout the series.
So, what defined this hedonistic house sound from The Netherlands? Stylistically, it was varied – as the series so emphatically proves – but was defined by a set of distinctive sonic characteristics: emotive musical motifs, high-frequency synth sounds, mellow basslines, pulsating rhythms and more than a touch of hallucinatory intent.
Volume 3 is packed with in-demand tracks and hard-to-find gems, including a previously CD-only cut from Dutch techno originator Orlando Voorn (1999’s ‘Still’), a genuine rave classic from The Hague by hardcore DJ Charly Lownoise as Fluxland, and a killer cut from prolific producer – and genuinely influential pioneer – Aad De Mooy AKA D-Shake. He’s represented on this volume by Paradise 3001 cut ‘Surfin The Cuban Waves’, which first appeared on ESP Records in 1993.
Other highlights include Direct Movement’s ‘Natural Chemistry’, a sought-after slow house cut produced by Dennis Buné, who had an enormous impact on the Dutch house scene as Jaimy, and ‘Delphi (Rewaxed)’ by NYX, a highly regarded and hard to find single from former new wave and synth-pop producer Bart Barten, and occasional studio partner Hanz Meyer.
Packed full of forward-thinking 90s gems remastered for today’s dance floors by Alden Tyrell, Music For The Radical Xenomaniac Volume 3 is a life-affirming celebration of a distinctly Dutch musical movement, whose rich textures and melodies are still inspiring new generations of DJs and dancers today.
Paisley Park Enterprises, in Partnership with Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Records, announces expanded reissue of Prince & the New Power Generation’s multi-platinum album Diamonds And Pearls. This 12LP+ Blu-ray features 47 previously unreleased tracks and over two hours of live filmed concert footage in high definition.
Following the successful release of the 1999 Super Deluxe Edition (2019), and Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition (2020), the Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition represents the third deep dive into Prince’s vault. It includes a total of 75 audio tracks across 7x CDs and 12x 180g vinyl records.
The set offers a newly remastered version of the album, plus 15 of the incredible remixes and B-sides from the era, including the never commercially released “Gett Off (Damn Near 10 Min.)” mix. The Super Deluxe Edition also features 33 previously unheard studio gems from Prince’s Illustrious vault, ranging from alternate versions of album tracks to numbers Prince gave away to other artists, and songs recorded while on the road in 1990.
Prince & The NPG previewed the Diamonds And Pearls Tour at Prince’s Minneapolis club, Glam Slam, on January 11, 1992. The sweaty, sold-out, last-minute show captures the sheer joy and sense of endless possibility that came to define this era. This previously unreleased live concert performance has been mixed from the 24-track master and rounds out the audio content of this 12LP set.
This same previously unreleased concert is also presented in stunning 2K video on the Blu-ray disc that accompanies both Super Deluxe Edition formats, in Stereo, 5.1 Dolby True HD, and Dolby ATMOS audio formats. The Blu-ray also features Prince & The New Power Generation’s performance at The Special Olympics at the Metrodome in Minneapolis in July 1991 (also in Stereo, 5.1, and ATMOS), as well as a previously unseen soundcheck.
The Blu-ray is completed by the long out of print Diamonds And Pearls Video Collection, originally released on VHS and LaserDisc in 1993. The 120-page hardback book which accompanies the SDE set features unseen photos by Randee St. Nicholas, and essays by: author & broadcaster Andrea Swensson; Archivist and Senior Researcher for the Prince Estate Duane Tudahl; British music critic and Prince expert Jason Draper; De Angela L. Duff, an Industry Professor at NYU Tandon School of Engineering in Brooklyn; Social Media Personality KaNisa Williams; and an introduction from Public Enemy founder, Chuck D.
Supported by Roger Gerressen, Andrey Pushkavev, E.Wan, Hermanez, youANDme, Philipp Priebe, Ohm, Jason Kendig, Barbara Preisinger
French Berlin-based producer and DJ Anthony Georges Patrice returns to his own Ausblick imprint this October with 5NRG accompanied by a remix from the much loved Playhouse artist LoSoul.
Throughout the past decade France's Anthony Georges Patrice has been steadily unveiling his productions on the likes of Berlin's Lossless, Ghetto Rhythms Records and of course his own Ausblick where he returns here, all the while honing his skills as a DJ through regular appearances on his adopted home turf of Berlin and further afield to Amsterdam, Paris and beyond.
Here, Anthony makes awelcome return to Ausblick with a new 12" release and leading the way is on the a-side is the original mix of ‘X5NRG’, a DJ tool like clubcut fuelled by trippy vocal loops, murky atmospherics, a throbbing bass groove and resonant synth sweeps all underpinned by a crisp4/4 rhythm.
On the flip-side Germany's groove maestro LoSoul flips the original with his own unique twist, laying down a near twelveminutes of subtly unfurlinghypnotisminhis signature fashion. Fragments of the originals atmospherics and vocals are dubbed out while LoSoul's raw, skippy rhythmic style and unfaltering drive keeps listeners locked in
throughout.
On the second sampler the first gem on the A side is undoubtedly one of the greatest pearls and trance compositions of the 90's, released on the prestigious German label that all current techno producers revere: Le Petit Prince. Microwave Prince 'Eternal Light' was, upon its release in 1995, already an extremely difficult record to find. 28 years later, this has not changed in the slightest. Closing the A side we have the essential DJ Wout remix of Dave Kane's 'Zero Plus', an enormous hit in the early 00's in clubs like La Bush, La Rocca, etc.
The B side brings us the legendary Delerium 'Innocente', reinterpreted by Mr Sam in his iconic and now timeless 'The Space Between Us Remix' and the German techno gem 'Don't Stop' by Mark N-R-G.
The C Side features 'Miracle', one of the most beautiful trance records ever made coming straight from Germany in the person of Taucher, undoubtedly one of the best producers of his generation. With S'N'S 'Conflicts' the C side brings us another true genius, a future prodigy of progressive and melodic house at the time of this release: Sander Kleinenberg. An emblematic record at Extreme on Mondays if there ever was one.
The D Side is taken up by two tracks that take us even deeper into the essences of trance music with the enigmatic track 'Together We Can Learn' by Awa. This mid 90's English trance gem was already a collector's item upon its release, so it's our privilege to have it on this sampler in 2023. As is the case with the second track 'Lonely Casseopaya' by L.S.G., composed by one of the true pioneers of trance: Oliver Lieb. This record is a treat for those who listen to it closely and feel the classic 'after' vibe of our golden age of Belgian clubbing.
Long-time house music producer, DJ and journalist Anthony Teasdale is back with a new four-track EP for London’s Pamela Records.
The lead track is ‘Tango de la Boca’, an uplifting house tune with an unforgettable piano line and a groovy disco beat. Named after the barrio of La Boca in Buenos Aires, the tango feel is supplemented with layers of percussion, electric guitar stabs and moody strings. So far, it’s been played in clubs and on the radio by DJs like Rocky, David Holmes and Richard Sen.
“I think this is the most uplifting record I’ve ever made,” says Anthony. “Hearing those piano lines come in on a club system is a massive buzz.”
Second up is ‘A Pavement in Palma’ – a chilled jazz-house track. Inspired by lazy afternoons in Majorca’s capital, its swinging beat is joined by electric piano chords, live bongos and a bassline you can’t help but move to.
On Side B, we set sail on the good ship disco for ‘Deep in the Forest Something Stared’. Opening with bucolic bird noises – referencing the title – the track adds ’80s-style bass, glockenspiel melodies and soothing strings. It ends with a haunting piano motif that’s well worth the wait.
Finally, we return to 2023 with ‘It’s 5am Somewhere’, which blends old-school Roland 909 drum beats with minor chord synth stabs and rumbling piano melodies – plus an atmospheric breakdown guaranteed to excite any dancefloor.
Anthony says: “The EP reflects the music I’m listening to at the moment – which goes from classic techno to uptempo disco-house (and lots of synth pop!). The fusion of beautiful, often brittle, melodies with percussive house beats sets these records apart. And they sound as good on a dancefloor as they do in headphones when you’re relaxing at home.”
Following their sold-out launch at London’s iconic KOKO, Mercury Prize-winning MC, producer and creative Skepta and
renowned Lord Of The Mics founder Jammer are keeping things moving in impressive fashion as they continue to establish their new Más Tiempo project. Taking the sound from London to Miami and Milan via high-profile DJ sets before returning to Ibiza for the collective’s debut at the World’s #1 Club Hï alongside The Martinez Brothers, the co-founders unite once again as they deliver the second instalment of their house-focused imprint.
Set for release on 30th June 2023, the BBK mainstays are joined by British singer-songwriter and OddChild Music favourite Etta Bond, who reunites with the Big Smoke Records boss following their 2012 record ‘Mastermind’, as they serve up a resonant and soulful anthem built for the summer months with ‘Touching My Body’ - showcasing a deeper, more profound side to their sound.
Harnessing Bond’s alluring and absorbing vocals and weaving rich sun-soaked melodies, crisp percussion arrangements and
sweeping, warping leads around them to create a captivating journey through sounds, ‘Touching My Body’ welcomes a
production built for bustling daytime terraces and memorable early hours moments in equal measure.
Welcoming another new name to the Más Tiempo family, the B-side brings an impactful label debut from fellow Grime talent and London-based musician/producer Jus Jammin, who steps out under Jammin and showcases his own explorations into house music. Here on ‘Down Shovel’ he draws for sharp snappy drums, zig-zagging synths, bubbling leads and warped vocals, serving up a heavy slice of dancefloor ammunition that has been making some serious noise in Skepta’s recent DJ sets.
INDUSTRIAS MEKANIKAS returns to the fray, and comes with force, with this new release from producer CUTE HEELS.
This Colombian producer and DJ based in Berlin, and who has published in labels like; Dark Entries, Moustache Records or Schrödinger’s Box, lands in the Madrid label to present us his latest work “Steel Field”, a 12″ of six tracks in mini LP format, where the producer shows us his darker side.
All his tracks converge in styles with a very marked influence of EBM and the most hypnotic Techno, along with the treatment of his vocals with distortion and delay effects, as well as lyrics with a very devastating message,
His new Mlp “Steel Field”, will make you travel from the beginning to the end, will take you to the darkest and murkiest worlds of electronica, will make you can not stop dancing, playing, thinking and moving between the sensations and the most recondite desires of your mind.
Repress.
If God had a disco, the DJ would be playing California gospel-soul group The Supreme Jubilees. 'We won't have to cry no more,' the tuxedo-clad group would sing, in high, angelic vocals over smooth grooves. 'It'll all be over.' Prepare to dance and contemplate death all at the same time.
A band of brothers and cousins, the group was founded from two familes: brothers Joe and Dave Kingsby plus Dave's son David Kingsby Jr., and keyboardist Leonard Sanders plus his brothers Phillips (drummer), Tim (bassist), and Melvin (tenor). The Sanders clan grew up singing together in the Witness of Jesus Christ church in Fresno CA, where dad Marion was pastor. Guitarist Larry Price-who belonged to neither family-completed the line-up that recorded the group's first-and, prophetically, only-album, It'll All Be Over.
Released in 1980 on the group's own S&K (Sanders & Kingsby) label, It'll All Be Over pinpoints a fatalistic mood exemplified by the title. Its lyrics drawn from the Old Testament, its sound from the church by way of the disco, and it's a feel captured by the album cover-a low, orange sun setting over the Pacific ocean. It is, as Jessica Hundley observes in the brand new liner notes, 'both apocalyptic and seductive.'
Making the album was not easy. Sessions began in Trac Record Co, a country and western studio in Fresno, CA, where the engineer was so put out by the group's requests for heavier bass in the mix, he stopped the session and kicked them out. They left with four songs-one side of the album-and the record was completed at Sierra Recording Studio in Visalia, CA. Leonard Sanders reported having a spiritual encounter in his sleep while in Visalia; the next day he recorded his part of the album's title track in a single take.
After the LP was pressed, the group took their music on tour, first in California, where they played with acts including the Gospel Keynotes, The Jackson Southernaires, and the Mighty Clouds of Joy, and then on an ill-fated trip to Texas. A follow-up album was planned for 1981, but it never materialized; having slept sometimes a dozen to a room in Texas, the men in the band were reluctant to leave jobs, wives, and kids for the hardship of the road. The group simply fizzled out, even if the friendships never did.
A copy of the album sold to a fan on that Texan tour made its way to a San Antonio record store, where it was discovered nearly three decades later by collector David Haffner (Friends of Sound). He managed to track down the Kingsby-Sanders clan at a Fourth Of July barbeque in Fresno in 2004. And he eventually introduced the group to Light In The Attic Records, which now presents the album, restored, remastered, and available to the public for the first time.
Red Vinyl[26,47 €]
South London ne-er-do-wells Meatraffle make huge strides forward with this third album of funky trumpet-laced street pop combining a caustic wit with a tender heart. “The best band in the country bar none!” Fat White Family // “A collective of individuals who refuse to be pigeonholed…..they conjure a rich, imaginative and often simply funny world” The Quietus // “Humorous alt-punk…potent…surreal” CLASH // “Their direct and confrontational attitude has not been seen since punk really grabbed England by the balls” FAR OUT // “Your mind will be liberated” Louder Than War // Meatraffle are thrilled to announce they will be releasing 'Base and Superstructure', their third studio album on Blang Records on 29.09.2023. Recorded during lockdown, produced & mixed by Meatraffle keyboardist Chris OC, Dante Traynor (SWEAT, Fat White Family 'Feet'), additional mixing by Angelica Björnsson (Hi - Texas feat. Wu Tang Clan) and mastered by Dean Honer (Eccentronic Research Council, I Monster, The Moonlandingz), ‘Base and Superstructure’ marks a new sonic departure for the band rightly acknowledged as godfathers of the now infamous South London scene, centred around the Windmill in Brixton. The band will be touring in support of the new album later in the year. Founded in 2014, Meatraffle have toured extensively across the UK and Europe as both a headline act and support to the likes of Fat White Family, Sleaford Mods and Warmduscher. Festival appearances include SXSW, Green Man and Liverpool Psych Fest. In addition to their previous two LPs ('Hi Fi Classics' and 'Bastard Music'), the band have released singles on Dan Carey's Speedy Wunderground and Moshi Moshi, plus numerous remixes including 'Meatraffle on the Moon' by the one and only Andrew Weatherall. The band have also played sessions for Marc Riley (BBC 6Music) plus regular plays from other 6Music DJs including Iggy Pop, Gideon Coe and Amy Lamé. “We were looking for labels for a while, sending out demos to small ‘indie’ labels to which we often had the response, “we really like it but we’re not signing anyone at the moment”, which feels like the new “don’t call us we’ll call you!”... We knew we had a good record so didn’t get knocked back and knew it would be a climb as many of these small and large ‘indie’ or ‘alternative’ labels can be even more conservative than the mainstream, I guess having less money and therefore having to ‘play it safe’. We bumped into Blang one night at The George Tavern and instantly had a good feeling about them…and guess what? They loved the music!” - Meatraffle frontman, Zsa Zsa Sapien. Genre-bending independent label Blang Records is a wildly non-commercial label firmly rooted in the DIY/anything goes attitude of punk and antifolk, and has remained consistent in its commitment to releasing outsider music by the likes of David Cronenberg's Wife, Jack Medley's Secure Men, Brix & The Extricated, Milk Kan, Thomas Truax and many more. Live Dates: 13th July 2023 - Peckham Audio, London w/SLEAZE, Brian Destiny, Neuro Placid (headline show).
Black Vinyl[23,11 €]
South London ne-er-do-wells Meatraffle make huge strides forward with this third album of funky trumpet-laced street pop combining a caustic wit with a tender heart. “The best band in the country bar none!” Fat White Family // “A collective of individuals who refuse to be pigeonholed…..they conjure a rich, imaginative and often simply funny world” The Quietus // “Humorous alt-punk…potent…surreal” CLASH // “Their direct and confrontational attitude has not been seen since punk really grabbed England by the balls” FAR OUT // “Your mind will be liberated” Louder Than War // Meatraffle are thrilled to announce they will be releasing 'Base and Superstructure', their third studio album on Blang Records on 29.09.2023. Recorded during lockdown, produced & mixed by Meatraffle keyboardist Chris OC, Dante Traynor (SWEAT, Fat White Family 'Feet'), additional mixing by Angelica Björnsson (Hi - Texas feat. Wu Tang Clan) and mastered by Dean Honer (Eccentronic Research Council, I Monster, The Moonlandingz), ‘Base and Superstructure’ marks a new sonic departure for the band rightly acknowledged as godfathers of the now infamous South London scene, centred around the Windmill in Brixton. The band will be touring in support of the new album later in the year. Founded in 2014, Meatraffle have toured extensively across the UK and Europe as both a headline act and support to the likes of Fat White Family, Sleaford Mods and Warmduscher. Festival appearances include SXSW, Green Man and Liverpool Psych Fest. In addition to their previous two LPs ('Hi Fi Classics' and 'Bastard Music'), the band have released singles on Dan Carey's Speedy Wunderground and Moshi Moshi, plus numerous remixes including 'Meatraffle on the Moon' by the one and only Andrew Weatherall. The band have also played sessions for Marc Riley (BBC 6Music) plus regular plays from other 6Music DJs including Iggy Pop, Gideon Coe and Amy Lamé. “We were looking for labels for a while, sending out demos to small ‘indie’ labels to which we often had the response, “we really like it but we’re not signing anyone at the moment”, which feels like the new “don’t call us we’ll call you!”... We knew we had a good record so didn’t get knocked back and knew it would be a climb as many of these small and large ‘indie’ or ‘alternative’ labels can be even more conservative than the mainstream, I guess having less money and therefore having to ‘play it safe’. We bumped into Blang one night at The George Tavern and instantly had a good feeling about them…and guess what? They loved the music!” - Meatraffle frontman, Zsa Zsa Sapien. Genre-bending independent label Blang Records is a wildly non-commercial label firmly rooted in the DIY/anything goes attitude of punk and antifolk, and has remained consistent in its commitment to releasing outsider music by the likes of David Cronenberg's Wife, Jack Medley's Secure Men, Brix & The Extricated, Milk Kan, Thomas Truax and many more. Live Dates: 13th July 2023 - Peckham Audio, London w/SLEAZE, Brian Destiny, Neuro Placid (headline show).
Green Vinyl[16,39 €]
We are thrilled to kick off our label endeavors with one of the rarest and simultaneously best-recorded independently released German new wave singles in history: "Jede Nacht derselbe Traum" ("The Same Dream Every Night") by Total.
Back in late 1983, Total found themselves in a pivotal rendezvous with CBS Records in a Frankfurt hotel lobby. The entire band was present, along with the esteemed NDW manager Jim Rakete, who had played a role in launching Nena to national and international stardom. Also in attendance were the A&R representatives from CBS. It was on this day that Total was presented with the opportunity to ink an album deal with CBS. However, since they had only recorded the titular song thus far, negotiations hit a snag. CBS insisted on a full album rather than a standalone single.
Ultimately, the band decided to independently issue a limited 7" run of "Jede Nacht derselbe Traum" under Günther Mannschreck's Schreckschuss label in January 1984. These vinyl copies became the band's currency for pursuing record deals and promotional prospects. However, despite the potential to achieve commercial success and garner radio airplay, the song and the "Total" project gradually waned from the music landscape. Regrettably, only a few vinyl copies have managed to endure over time. This NDW "holy grail" may have prompted a fair share of dreams for serious vinyl collectors, as to this day, not a single physical copy has been put up for sale on platforms like eBay or Discogs. Interestingly, Maisenbacher has even fielded an offer of over 400 Euros for an original copy, although he regretfully couldn't fulfill the request due to possessing just a single copy himself.
The song itself is a fusion of diverse musical styles. Crafted using the Oberheim OB8 system, complete with the DMX drum machine and a bassline woven from a Jupiter 8 keyboard, it carried a groove reminiscent of New York's electro hip-hop sound in "The Message," setting it apart from typical German new wave productions. Additionally, a Korg Polysix was integrated, and guitar effects were layered to finalize the infectious synth-pop instrumental. Newcomer to the band, Andrea Ströbel, laid down a flawless vocal layer that steered the song towards a straightforward NDW direction, giving it a resonance that surely resonated with mainstream and radio audiences. To complete a B-side for the original vinyl single, the legendary state-of-the-art L480 Lexicon reverb was used. In the more experimental "Maxi Mix," now known as the "Dub Mix," Mannschreck expertly manipulated the machine. The outcome stands as a historical example of incredible studio craftsmanship and the cutting-edge techniques of the 80s.
For the new 12" release, Mannschreck unearthed an alternative mix of the song on the original tapes, featuring a distinct introduction, break, and exciting edits. In addition, DJ Friction, who contributed to the transfer and mastering for the release, treated us to a superb edit that cleverly melds all versions of the song while incorporating a few extra bassline groove elements.
The captivating reissue cover spotlights vocalist Andrea Ströbel, who gazes with determination. A hand reaches out to grab her shirt, attempting to pull her down. Symbolizing the song's theme, it embodies the unsettling dream conveyed by the lyrics-yet she steadfastly resists.
In summary, we are elated to present a significant gem for vinyl enthusiasts: a splendid mid-tempo tune that dances on the boundary of synth-pop, new wave and electro. The new 12" single underwent meticulous mastering, and the outcome is nothing short of astounding, surpassing the sonic quality of the original pressing.
Black Vinyl[14,24 €]
We are thrilled to kick off our label endeavors with one of the rarest and simultaneously best-recorded independently released German new wave singles in history: "Jede Nacht derselbe Traum" ("The Same Dream Every Night") by Total.
Back in late 1983, Total found themselves in a pivotal rendezvous with CBS Records in a Frankfurt hotel lobby. The entire band was present, along with the esteemed NDW manager Jim Rakete, who had played a role in launching Nena to national and international stardom. Also in attendance were the A&R representatives from CBS. It was on this day that Total was presented with the opportunity to ink an album deal with CBS. However, since they had only recorded the titular song thus far, negotiations hit a snag. CBS insisted on a full album rather than a standalone single.
Ultimately, the band decided to independently issue a limited 7" run of "Jede Nacht derselbe Traum" under Günther Mannschreck's Schreckschuss label in January 1984. These vinyl copies became the band's currency for pursuing record deals and promotional prospects. However, despite the potential to achieve commercial success and garner radio airplay, the song and the "Total" project gradually waned from the music landscape. Regrettably, only a few vinyl copies have managed to endure over time. This NDW "holy grail" may have prompted a fair share of dreams for serious vinyl collectors, as to this day, not a single physical copy has been put up for sale on platforms like eBay or Discogs. Interestingly, Maisenbacher has even fielded an offer of over 400 Euros for an original copy, although he regretfully couldn't fulfill the request due to possessing just a single copy himself.
The song itself is a fusion of diverse musical styles. Crafted using the Oberheim OB8 system, complete with the DMX drum machine and a bassline woven from a Jupiter 8 keyboard, it carried a groove reminiscent of New York's electro hip-hop sound in "The Message," setting it apart from typical German new wave productions. Additionally, a Korg Polysix was integrated, and guitar effects were layered to finalize the infectious synth-pop instrumental. Newcomer to the band, Andrea Ströbel, laid down a flawless vocal layer that steered the song towards a straightforward NDW direction, giving it a resonance that surely resonated with mainstream and radio audiences. To complete a B-side for the original vinyl single, the legendary state-of-the-art L480 Lexicon reverb was used. In the more experimental "Maxi Mix," now known as the "Dub Mix," Mannschreck expertly manipulated the machine. The outcome stands as a historical example of incredible studio craftsmanship and the cutting-edge techniques of the 80s.
For the new 12" release, Mannschreck unearthed an alternative mix of the song on the original tapes, featuring a distinct introduction, break, and exciting edits. In addition, DJ Friction, who contributed to the transfer and mastering for the release, treated us to a superb edit that cleverly melds all versions of the song while incorporating a few extra bassline groove elements.
The captivating reissue cover spotlights vocalist Andrea Ströbel, who gazes with determination. A hand reaches out to grab her shirt, attempting to pull her down. Symbolizing the song's theme, it embodies the unsettling dream conveyed by the lyrics-yet she steadfastly resists.
In summary, we are elated to present a significant gem for vinyl enthusiasts: a splendid mid-tempo tune that dances on the boundary of synth-pop, new wave and electro. The new 12" single underwent meticulous mastering, and the outcome is nothing short of astounding, surpassing the sonic quality of the original pressing.
Caution Alert ! The Brilliant Italian producer made in peruggia Simoncino is back on Skylax records again with a remix featuring the great Larry Heard aka Mr Fingers. You already know his ability to create sounds that are deeply imbued with the Chicago sound, you sometimes might think you 're hearing some lost gems from the great Armando. In short, no need to add more, this item is essential for any normally constitued dj. Pure Gold.
Gatos Negros, aka Madrid DJs/ producers Christian C. & Iván Smoka, second album 'Hi Score' is a texture and abstraction gambling project now on sale via Vasco Ispirian's Made in Green Records label.
'Hi Score' sees the duo sailing ethereal ambient soundscapes, shady alt rock waves, experimental grooves almost horizontally danceable, acid electro-pop & avant-garde electronica- all in an utterly smart, consistent, and effective vocal fashion.
Die Musik von Arabrot ist zeitlos. Gerade wenn man glaubt, einen Einfluss oder Bezugspunkt ausgemacht zu haben, entzieht sie sich dem Zugriff, dreht und wendet sich in unerwartete Richtungen und formt einen Sound, der wirklich einzigartig ist. In den letzten zwei Jahrzehnten hat sich Arabrot durch mehrere Iterationen gewandelt; sie haben verschiedene Formen und Größen ausprobiert, verschiedene Stimmungen aufgenommen und die Außengrenzen verschiedener Genres erkundet und klangen dabei nie weniger als ganz sie selbst. 2023 erscheint ihr zehntes Album, Of Darkness and Light - ein Grund zum Feiern. Kjetil Nernes war der Kern und die Konstante von Arabrot, und seit einiger Zeit schlägt neben ihm ein weiteres Herz im perfekten Gleichklang. Karin Park, eine Partnerin im Leben, in der Liebe und in der Musik, trägt seit zehn Jahren in unterschiedlichem Maße zu Arabrot bei, und auf Of Darkness and Light ist ihre Präsenz sowohl gefestigt als auch verstärkt. Die beiden leben zusammen in einer Kirche in dem schwedischen Dorf, in dem Karin aufgewachsen ist, und haben sich ihr eigenes Reich geschaffen, in dem sie ihre Kinder, ihr Handwerk und ihre kreativen Visionen pflegen. Of Darkness and Light brauchte einige Zeit, um Gestalt anzunehmen. Der Lebenslauf von Produzent Alain Johannes liest sich wie ein Who's Who der Rockmusik. Er ist selbst ein versierter Musiker (er spielte mit PJ Harvey, Queens of the Stone Age und Them Crooked Vultures und hatte auch seine eigene Band Eleven) und verfügt über langjährige Erfahrung als Produzent. Es war seine Arbeit an Mark Lanegans Album Straight Songs of Sorrow aus dem Jahr 2020, die Kjetil auf ihn aufmerksam machte, bevor Kismet eingriff und die beiden zusammenbrachte. Alain erklärte, dass "mein Bauchgefühl immer richtig ist" und zog im August 2022 ins Djura Missionshus, auch bekannt als die Kirche von A°rabrot, um mit der Arbeit zu beginnen. Das Trio verbrachte mehrere Wochen damit, die Arbeit mit dem Familienleben zu verbinden und die Puzzleteile zusammenzusetzen, aus denen sich Of Darkness and Light zusammensetzt - ihr erstes Album, das komplett in der Kirche aufgenommen wurde. Das Ergebnis ist ein echtes Rockalbum - unter der elektrisierenden Fassade aus flirrenden Synthesizern und raffiniertem Glitzern schlägt ein schweres Rockherz. Die Worte werden dem unbändigen, konkupiszenten Verlangen kaum gerecht, das sich hinter ihrem Schlachtruf We Want Blood verbirgt - einem hymnischen, mit den Füßen stampfenden Vorstoß, der in der Mitte des Albums liegt. An anderer Stelle stehen düstere Mörderballaden neben feierlichen "Fuck Yeah"-Momenten der Freude; ihre reduzierte Herangehensweise an die Instrumentierung schmälert nicht den Reichtum ihres Sounds. Für Freunde von SWANS, KILLING JOKE, WOVENHAND, CHELSEA WOLFE, THE MELVINS, CAPTAIN BEEFHEART, NINE INCH NAILS Ltd Pink Single Colour LP (We Want Blood Edition), Gatefold Cover
Shortly after the great Envision EP (Xistence 001) Dublin based Phil Robertson DJ/Producer alias Arbilla back with it’s second release on his own imprint Xistence Records. This 4 tracker EP brings some dark Detroit Techno where classic meets the modern sound. The title track “Moving Forward” is from the deeper side of techno, futuristic synth melodies with heavy claps and bleeps.
Detroit’s techno legend, lifetime member of Underground Resistance, master of the darkness James Pennington aka Suburban Knight on remix duty... pure Detroit machine funk, more groove oriented version with filthy bass. Flip side track called Windjana is solid but with a classic claps/hihats which driving by a massive bassline.
Life Scenario with dark melodies,heavy percussions, and killer bassline inspired by James’ sound and shows mad respect & much love for Motor City underground.
Introducing the eagerly awaited second instalment of Fabio's meticulously curated collection of liquid Drum & Bass classics - 'Generation Liquid.'
Fabio, a true legend in the music industry for over three decades, kickstarted his illustrious career as a Pirate Radio DJ in the mid-80s. Throughout the years, he masterfully evolved his style across various musical genres, ranging from Dub and Hip Hop to House, until he ultimately solidified his position as one of the pioneering forces behind Jungle and Drum and Bass. Fate played a remarkable role in Fabio's extraordinary musical journey. Serendipitously, he landed a pivotal spot on the pirate radio station Phase One, all thanks to a connection through a close friend. This opportunity allowed Fabio to showcase his raw talent and hone his early skills. As destiny continued to guide him, Fabio formed a powerful partnership with Grooverider, and together, they soared to fame, headlining numerous major outdoor raves and orbital M25 parties during the late '80s acid house boom. The duo's magnetic presence and innovative sound captivated audiences, setting them apart as trailblazers in the electronic music scene.
As club culture blossomed, Fabio and Grooverider became the distinguished residents at the iconic club night RAGE, hosted at Heaven in the heart of London. Their influence was immense, as they were credited with moulding the early Jungle sound and orchestrating the world's first-ever weekly Jungle night. Fabio's unwavering passion and dedication to music have not only left an indelible mark on the industry but have also inspired countless aspiring artists. His boundless creativity and willingness to push the boundaries continue to shape the ever-evolving landscape of electronic music, solidifying his status as a true pioneer and a living legend.
After the Jungle scene declined and underwent a distinct shift in sound and style, Fabio took the initiative to establish London's first dedicated soulful deep Drum and Bass night, known as Speed. Week after week, Fabio shared the decks with LTJ Bukem, and their skilful sets eventually garnered immense popularity, drawing in not only junglists but also celebrities, club kids, record label A&R representatives, and the who's who of the West End at that time. When the curtain fell on Speed Fabio's legacy continued to flourish with the inception of his legendary Swerve weekly residency at The Velvet Rooms, which later relocated to the iconic club, The End. The influence of Swerve was profound, serving as a catalyst for the creation of influential labels like Hospital Records, Tony Coleman (also known as London Elektricity) became a regular attendee, further contributing to the scene's growth and innovation.
The term 'Liquid', was born out of Fabio's deep admiration and support for his protégé, the talented Northern Irish producer and DJ, Dominick Martin, famously known as Calibre. This inspiration led to the creation of his acclaimed 14-year radio show on BBC Radio 1, 'The Liquid Funk Show', which drew from Calibre's masterful productions that Fabio likened to "liquid gold" for the ears. Through this show, Fabio played a crucial role in breaking numerous iconic records, and artists such as Chase & Status, High Contrast, and many many more.
Now, 'Generation Liquid' takes the baton from the legacy of Speed, Swerve, and 'The Liquid Funk show', capturing the essence of the era and the soulful, deeper music that Fabio has championed throughout his illustrious career. This meticulously curated collection celebrates records that embody the spirit of soulful D&B, making it a must-have for anyone who has followed Fabio's musical journey since the vibrant days of the 1990s up until now.
The second volume of this immersive exploration into the soulful realm of Drum & Bass is just as indispensable as its predecessor. It boasts a curated collection of rarities, timeless classics, and straight-up anthems from the vibrant liquid D&B scene. Esteemed artists such as DJ Marky, Calibre, Calyx & TeeBee, and dBridge all contribute to what is undeniably becoming a seminal anthology of the subgenre. The track selection and seamless programming are expertly guided by none other than Fabio himself, providing listeners with a nostalgic glimpse into the electrifying atmosphere of being right on the dance-floor at iconic events Speed and Swerve.
“Bumpers” is the latest EP on T4T LUV NRG by DJ Autopay, the alias of musician and DJ Russell E.L. Butler. All of these tunes were written with DJs and blending in mind—like bumper cars, they are fun yet emotionally charged and built for unexpected collisions of sound. “More Femme, More Masc” is a queer non-binary anthem with heavy Baltimore-influenced vibes, written by Russell during the pandemic in a time of peak vulnerability, their voice cracking throughout. The track is an interpretation of “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman and “Sometimes I Rhyme Slow” by Nice & Smooth but sounds like nothing we have heard before. Tropes 1, 2 & 3 are all house instrumentals in the spirit of the golden age of American house music yet interpreted through Russell’s unique lens. These cuts would have been as at home on Guidance records years ago as they are today on T4T LUV NRG, evoking the swinging dance beats and heady vibes of producers like Callisto and the early Large records by Kerri Chandler and DJ Rasoul. Russell has created something truly special for the contemporary dance floor with this timeless EP.
Didattica is the first album from Zetas, a female rap duo coming straight out of the city of Salerno, on the south west coast ofItaly. Entirely produced by beatmaker, rapper and DJ/producer Tonico 70, a true veteran of Southern Italian hip-hop,the full-lengthdebut isreleased on DJ's Choice, a partner label of Four Flies Records.
Born between the 90s and 2000s, rappers Annarella and Miriade were exposed to the world of underground hip-hop from an early age, jamming and freestyling. Rather than going for the sounds of trap and auto-tune that are so popular in their age group, however, they immediately embraced the spirit of old school rap, withitsboom bap vibes. As suggested by the album's title itself (which translates as 'teaching' or 'learning') they view of rap as a school – that is, as an art form where constant training is key if you want to stay true to your values and identity.
With the help of producer Tonico 70, Zetas have created a record that is fresh and contemporary, while paying tribute to the past.They rap about everyday urban life in the exuberant dialect and slang of their native city, delivering raw rhymes with a tightand very expressiveflow, while Tonico70 uses a classic sampling approach but also incorporates real instruments into his beats–Antonio D'Apolito's guitar, Peppe Maiellano's keyboards, Giuseppe Desiderio's bass and Giuseppe Limpido's drums.
The result is an excitingcombination of funk, soul, dub, R'N'B, reggae, and even electronic influences,one where deep bass and syncopated rhythms blend wonderfully with the melody, urgency and authenticity of dialect rhymes.
Presenting the third volume of forward-thinking electronics and peerless Jungle / D&B expressionism from iconoclastic Bristol producer and DJ, Krust. An artist who has always been pushing the sonic envelope while keeping dancefloors fully locked.
Introducing 'Irrational Numbers,' a meticulously curated collection of five parts, available on both vinyl and digital formats. This compilation is a treasure trove of hand-picked records and archival gems from Krust's extensive discography, thoughtfully remastered and presented anew for both devoted fans and newcomers.
'Irrational Numbers' features a dizzying array of self-released 12" cuts, exclusive unreleased VIPs and dub-plates, alongside epic major label widescreen classics. It's an unmissable journey through the sonic output of one of the UK's most distinctive and forward-looking producers.
Volume 3 serves us a plethora of unmissable highlights from Krust's enviable back catalogue. From the raw jump-up chaos of 'Rukus', the early rolling business of 'The Resister' to the epic genre defying voyage that is 'Soul In Motion', no stone is left unturned on what is - once again - an essential purchase for any serious lover of electronic music.
For longtime Krust enthusiasts, this project serves as a fond reminder of the boundless creativity and originality that flourished during the early 1990s and beyond. For those new to his work, it presents an enthralling introduction to innovative electronic music that has comfortably set the tone for generations to come. Get ready to experience the evolution of sound and immerse yourself in the visionary artistry of Krust.
Three 6 Mafia fans canget their hands on Hypnotize Camp Posse's one and only album on limited edition vinyl. Originally released in 2000 only on CD and cassette, Get On Down gives this southern Hip-Hop classic a proper release on vinyl. Featuring all The Hypnotize Minds affiliates DJ Paul, Juicy J, Project Pat, Lord Infamous, Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo, La Chat, T-Rock, & Koopsta Knicca.
Budabeats Records turned 15 this year, to celebrate the occasion label bosses Dj Gandharva and Von Yodi hand picked 14 songs from artists belonging to the extended Budabeats family. If you are familiar with the the label you may alraedy know that they really do not care about genre limits, and as you would expect, Waves of Budabeats is a prime example of this attitude. The double LP includes mellow but tight dowmtempo tunes by WaTa and Kobza Vajk (remixed by BéTé), midtempo weirdness by Mytron, mature hip-hop by Son of Sam, vintage Japanese pop sounds by Erik Sumo and the Fox Fairies, dreamy and straighter dancefloor material by Oneeyedman, M.W.D and the Chillum Trio, weird electronics by Kovacs The Hun, and, of course, the obligatory jazz and funk delivered by Dokkerman and The Turkeying Fellaz and The Premecz Organ Trio. The vinyl compilation is limited to 300 copies, most of the songs have not been released before on any format, but all of them are pressed on vinyl for the first time.
Since his career started over three decades ago back in 1981, The Chicago house veteran Boo Williams has been heavily involved in the house music industry, racking up highly strong reputation with his massive discography which includes a wide range of influences.
Hooking up with Mr Green Velvet, aka Curtis Jones’, much celebrated Relief Records in the mid-‘90s, the hard, jackin’ sub-label of Cajual, and later releasing on the tough-as-nails Dutch label Djax, 1996 saw Boo produce his seminal album with the bouncy house of ‘Home Town Chicago’, the first of a series of reissues by Anotherday Records.
Boo has since gone on to record for reputable imprint such as Ovum Recordings, Relief Records and Rush Hour.
For those who have religiously followed Boo over the many years, he continues to deliver as promised, once again bringing the driving beats and textured etherial soundscapes as you'd expect from the master‘. And for those who are just tuning in for the first time, Boo will open up your ears to a new level of sound.
Many things have been said, written and rightfully attributed to DJ and Producer Boo Williams' monumental career: "innovator".
As Boo Williams said: «House music will never die! Love, peace and hair grease».
Label owner, Adrien Calvet, is in charge of the B side. Always trying to push boundaries of raw sounds and electro glitch.
Purple[23,49 €]
For this album Ghetto Kumbé has enlisted an all-star roster of artists from four different continents, they’ve put together a fresh version of their debut album that’s been specifically geared to the world’s diverse slate of dancefloors, whether at home or in the club, this double 12” 45 RPM is the perfect format to experience this music. There's no denying the power of the drum. It's primal, it cuts across borders and most importantly, it makes you want to move. Ghetto Kumbé don't just understand that they celebrate it, and it's why the tambor was at the heart of the Bogotá-based trio's 2020 self-titled debut album. Rooted in mysticism and the Afro-Caribbean rhythms they'd grown up with all their lives, the critically acclaimed LP thrillingly updated the traditional Latin template, folding in elements of modern hip-hop, house and bass music while also delivering a transportive Afro-futurist vision. On Clubbing Remixes, that vision has been further amplified, as Ghetto Kumbé who were already one of Colombia's most prominent alternative acts have now gone fully global; enlisting an all-star roster of artists from four different continents, they've put together a fresh version of their debut album that's been specifically geared to the world's diverse slate of dancefloors. As the title implies, the new LP is meant for the club, which is why Ghetto Kumbé have turned to Latin music heavyweights like Trooka a multiple Grammy winner whose resume includes work with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Residente and Monte (a.k.a. Bomba Estéreo founder Simón Mejía), along with top-shelf DJs like Nickodemus and Uproot Andy, two NYC artists who've spent decades championing Afro-Latin rhythms. True to the LP's global spirit, the record also includes reworks from batida maestro DJ Firmeza, fellow Afro-Portuguese outfit Studio Bros and Parisian house groovers Les Enfants Sauvages, plus genre-blurring remixes from sonically adventurous Colombians Montoya (himself another ZZK artist) and Cero39. Even the artwork on Clubbing Remixes is a remix, as Ghetto Kumbé have tapped Uganda's Denzel Muhumuza to transform the cover of their debut album into a new, explicitly Afro-futuristic illustration. Depicting a strong Black face and glowing neon fauna beneath a sparkling moonlit sky, the fantastical image speaks to both the ritual magic and Afro-indebted heritage of Ghetto Kumbé's music, and thanks to Clubbing Remixes, the group's passionate, drum-fueled sounds will soon be blasting out of soundsystems around the globe.a
Next up on Toolroom’s 4-track vinyl sampler series is a juicy selection of the hottest new releases from 2023. Long-standing member of the toolroom family, Martin Ikin lays down an absolute stomper on with ‘Oscill8’. German DJ and production duo Raumakustik and French DJ and producer Tony Romera, land with their deep club weapon ‘That Groove’.
One of dance music’s hottest acts right now Low Steppa, drops his seriously exciting debut collaboration with label favourite Crusy - ‘BFG’. Rounding off the package is another main label debut from Eden Prince who arrives with new single, ‘Get Down’.
original[14,08 €]
Roy Davis Jr. & Byron The Aquarius and Jamie 3:26 & Danou P remix Radio Slave’s Wildlife.
‘Wildlife’, released a few months back, found Radio Slave tapping into his house and disco roots. It proved a dancefloor smash that got support from a wide array of artists, from DJ Bone and Tim Sweeney to Roman Flugel and Axel Boman. As such, the artists chosen to remix come from similar backgrounds and bring all new perspectives to this irresistible gem.
First up are Chicago house legend Roy Davis Jr. and keys playing maestro Byron The Aquarius. Both make the sort of dusty, feel-good deep house that will never grow old and have done so on the scene's best labels. Their sizzling seven-minute rework of 'Wildlife' has jazzy, life-affirming keys and smeared synths that bring the warmth. The drums are rubbery and inviting, and the whole thing brings real musicality to the floor.
The second remix is from original Chicago innovator, deep digger and edit king Jamie 3:26 and a young Dutch artist he has long since mentored, Danou P. Between them, they have cooked up gems like 'What It Is' together on Shake Records and remixed for Defected, all with a healthy respect for disco, funk and soul from the 80s onwards. Their take on 'Wildlife' is a piano-laced and upbeat party starter. Noodling bass riffs,zippy synth details and lavish chords make for a sophisticated sound that will swell the heart.
"Dance My Hurt Away" is the first single from the upcoming debut album by The Faithful Brothers from Tel Aviv/Israel. Is there a Northern Soul scene in Tel Aviv? The surprising answer is - yes, there is. If you're a soulie and in town, look for the Tel Aviv Soul Club, and you might find yourself swaying across a talcum-powder covered floor to Tel Aviv's own unique blend of classic Northern Soul 45s and early 1960s R&B sounds. Chances are that those 45s will come out of the record boxes of one of the brothers Neeman, Johnnie and Bin. Tel Aviv Soul Club, aka TASC, is the brainchild of Yashiv Cohen, a DJ who, in 2006, lured the brothers Neeman, whose massive soul collections been hitherto confined to their respective living rooms, into playing their records to the Tel Aviv public. Yashiv is also the lead singer of Men of North Country (MONC), a Tel Aviv band with a distinct sound, blending rock, British pop and soul. Since Neeman means Faithful in Hebrew, Yashiv woke up one morning with the crystallization that MONC must create a spin-off, a more puristic soul band, called the Faithful Brothers. It took a few more years, but gradually the brothers succumbed to their fate, to continue their musical progression, from collectors to DJs to musicians. Johnnie took his guitar, Bin took to the piano, and the brothers began pouring out some of their influences, creating new songs. It is finally all coming together now.
Jakob Mäder is a DJ and producer based in Stuttgart. Very close to Johannes Albert (Frank Music). He has been multiplying his releases in the last years. His universe is a subtle mix of house, italo and even trance. And it’s some good house music with some slightly trancy touches which are in the spotlight on the first track of this EP for our beloved label Skylax Records: The fabulous „Chord Anthem“. This excellent opener reminds us the mid 90’s finest hours when there were no genre barriers. A title designed to last! To be played without moderation as well as in a house, italo or trance DJ set. “The Essence”, a solid and smooth title, receives the „Shan“ (from Running Back) treatment. “Magic Pitch” is eyeing the side of Chicago with always this hovering and acid side. And to close this EP, the uptempo “There Is Hope” because yes there is indeed a lot of hope for this young producer full of future. Note that on the label’s bandcamp, with the purchase of the vinyl, you can get 3 exclusive bonus tracks (!): „Always A Dreamer“, „The Essence“ (original version) & Universe.
LB aka LABAT reflects on the back catalogue of his Poumpet Records imprint with a special gatefold 3x12’’ release.
Since the launch of Poumpet Records back in February of 2022 French producer, DJ and live act LB aka LABAT has steadily unveiled a series of singles from himself and remixes from the likes of KiNK, X Club, Partiboi69, Sally C and KETTAMA, all of which feature on this special vinyl issue spread out across three records in a gatefold package.
The vinyl release also coincides with LB aka LABAT’s All Night Long tour which sees him travelling across Europe with dates in France, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, the UK and Scotland.
Bristol's soul jazz kings The Jazz Defenders release a new vinyl 45 single this autumn as a taster for their third album, which is destined for release in spring 2024. Once again, they are bringing together their love of 1960's soul jazz and golden era 90's hip-hop, just as they did on a couple of tracks on their last album "King Phoenix" (Haggis Records 2022). This new single sees them reunited with London MC/rapper Doc Brown, who guested on the track "Perfectly Imperfect", and his flow sits so naturally over the Jazz Defenders' music and beats, you'd think he's a permanent band member.
The A-side "Rolling On A High" is a real old school boom bap style party hip-hop jam. Big beats, rolling bassline (acoustic double bass), Ramsey Lewis soul jazz piano vamps, funky Hammond organ and some punchy horn section business, all topped off with Doc Brown bouncing bars back and forth with that laid back vibe he always brings to the mic. A guaranteed dance-floor bomb, whether you're a breaker, a jazz dancer or simply a Saturday night disco shuffler. The B-side "Looking Back" takes the tempo right down. An 'end of the night' number when the lights in the club are low, the last drinks are being drained and you're thinking and reminiscing about times gone by. The good times and bad, successes and mistakes. And made even more poignant and reflective halfway through when the mellow strings come into the song (once again excellently arranged by pianist/bandleader George Cooper). If "Rolling On A High" is the fire then "Looking Back" is definitely the ice. Proof that the Jazz Defenders can rock the party and grab the dancers but also dig deep with emotive tunes that draw in the discerning listener.
The Jazz Defenders, led by keyboard maestro George Cooper from The Haggis Horns, have been building a reputation as a great musical unit since their debut Blue Note/hard bop-inspired album "Scheming" appeared on Haggis Records back in 2019, which received a huge amount of praise from critics, and subsequently went on to spend 5 weeks in the top ten of the American jazz charts In 2021, their double A-side vinyl single "The Big Man/Love's Vestige" got them the breakthrough they deserved. It garnered heavy support on radio from top folks like Craig Charles (BBC6 Music), Helen Mayhew (Jazz FM), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), and Worldwide FM resident DJ's Ashley Beedle and Colin Curtis. They further enhanced their reputation as a rocking band with album number two "King Phoenix" and by electrifying audiences at sold out live shows across the UK, including the legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London.
Album number three is well on its way but for now, check out this tasty limited edition 45 single on Haggis Records. The JDs and Doc Brown...the perfect combination, still keeping that sweet jazz/hip-hop love affair alive today.
What comprises a dream?
An astral plane of our own making where thoughts, love, and desires of the inner mind abound with irreverence - ripe with connection & perspective beyond constraints of time, set, and setting.
Azu Tiwaline exists within the wonders of these interstitial worlds, diving deeper towards inner sanctums of mystic imagination, sublime intrigue, & profound understanding on her second full length LP “The Fifth Dream”.
Released again through her beloved partnership with I.O.T Records, “The Fifth Dream” finds Azu painting an expansive vision towards unified multitudes, mercurial realities, & abundant inner sanctums.
Where her first album “Draw Me a Silence” was a loving ode to her family & upbringing in the form of an elegant diptych, “The Fifth Dream" is the enactment of actualizing her roots into new routes, taking her multifaceted identity into new means of communication towards herself, the world, & the cosmic unknowns that surround her.
Throughout The Fifth Dream’s 54-minute runtime, we hear all elements of the uniquely transcendental sound that Azu is beloved for worldwide. “Antennae Opening”, “Blowing Flow”, & “Amen Dub” embody her talents for tectonic, dubwise soundscapes that channel the innately maternal elements of bassweight into bold & abstracted pulsations, indebted to the most psychedelic & body activating ends of dubstep.
Still attuned to the spatial awareness of dub sonics but giving way to the hypnotic syncopation & synaptic frequencies of techno, “Reptilian Waves”, “Long Hypnosis”, & “Mei Long” bring forth her spectacular expertise for entheogenic rave rhythms - guiding us warmly towards trance-inducing hyper states of dance & delight. Fluctuating between an adventurous velocity and enveloping stasis, the expansive abyssal planes of “Golden Dawn”, “Night in Palm Tree”, & “Canope Imaginaire” conjures a wondrously invigorating rhythmic enlightenment & celestial comprehension - simultaneously moving us forward, inwards, & outwards through Azu’s uniquely omnidirectional & kaleidoscopic musical visions.
Adorned with sampled field recordings of her deeply inspiring home in the desert of El Djerid in South Tunisia, Azu opens a portal into the synergistic inner sanctums of being, self, and the world around us that’s essential to her work as an artist - from the macro levels of humanity’s naturally intimate connection to the Earth we share, down to each of our own micro levels of culture, ancestry, and belonging. All of this is alchemized through a combination of timeless Saharan knowledge & modern cybernetic tools, creating new dimensions of bewitching, euphonious sonic energy. This is music that gives back as much as the listener wants to give themselves unto it - detailed and layered, orbiting a steady core as ethereal swirls and intonations of the natural world embrace us warmly within a spellbinding journey.
8 of the album’s 9 tracks feature a deep level of collaboration from innovative Franco-Iranian percussionist Cinna Peyghamy. Cinna’s use of Tombak, the principle drum of Iranian music throughout time, is beautifully sonorous - channeling the passion of centuries of Southwest Asian rhythm & expression into his own personalized flourishes, with Azu adding her own electrifying frequencies & undiluted artistic freedom to their shared interplay. This profoundly communicative diasporic essence is transmuted between Azu & Cinna, their expression, & the listener. Both are music lovers, intimately connected to their respected Iranian and Tunisian cultures - concurrently acknowledging the wisdom of their resonant pasts, while proudly bringing the sounds of their heritage into the present & future.
“The Fifth Dream” embodies a cosmic anodyne for those feeling caught in between life’s abyssal inbetweens, whilst aiming for a consonant awareness of where our home truly lies in the swells of life’s spiritual maelstrom. This dream belongs at once to none & to many, that of a common language unified in concentric depth - finding beauty in all aspects of our world, and ultimately, within oneself.
Schicksal is the alias of Rudi Huybrechts coming from Hoboken, a small town near Antwerp. He started experimenting with synths and drum computers in 1982. Heavily inspired by Front 242 first album “Geography”, DAF’s elektronische körpermusik “Alles Ist Gut” and Kraftwerk’s “Man Machine” and “Computer World”, Rudi spent lot of hours programming and composing at home with just some gear and a tape recorder. Some of these tracks appeared on local compilations but it was not until the hype of New Beat in Belgium that Schicksal gained a real attention. In 1988 Rudi persuaded Marc Grouls, the resident DJ of discotheque Prestige in Antwerp, to play the track “24 hours”. All the people on the dancefloor just got wild and the next day Schicksal signed a contract with Maurice Engelen for the release of a maxi-single on Subway Records. This new edition includes all original tracks plus two new remixes of “24 Hours” and the new track “Fate”
Juliet Mendoza's official debut EP after first being introduced to the world as a feature on Julio Bashmore's 2015 LP. Since then she has shared the stage with artists the likes of Peggy Gou, DJ Heather, Hot Since 82, Osunlade, Dennis Ferrer and more. She was also one of Defected Records Unsung Heroes Contest winners in 2022. This is her first worldwide solo project.
Several Years Ago, the Disco Records Dj Crew Members Got Their Hands on a Couple of Original 70s Obscurities, While These Standout Records Shone Brightly in Their Own Right, the Team Finally Decided to Put Them Out as Those Obscure Old Records Fetch Eye-Wateringly High Prices on the Second-Hand Market. Due to Popular Request & Lovingly Mastered to the Highest Possible Standards, They Are Now Available to Play and Share in Very Special Moments at Parties Around the World. This Will Surely Be One of the Most Keenly Anticipated Disco Release of the Year. for Our First Release, We Are Extremely Proud to Bring You at Last, Three Very Hard to Find Disco Anthems on Sides a & B in Their Glorious Full Extended Versions...
Drumfunk/braindance don dgoHn (John Cunnane) returns to Love Love for a collaborative 4 track EP, 'Talk To The Planets', alongside avant-garde experimentalist Danish friend Oliver Duckert. Oliver is an electronic evangelist and the founding member of chameleonic cyberjazz group Badun, created in Århus, Denmark, but often found tuning in and out of the space/time hyperlink. John who needs no introduction at this point makes his first appearance on the label since widely-lauded 2020 album 'Undesignated Proximate' and follow-up 2022 remix project which featured an array of peers such as Skee Mask, Djrum, Meat Beat Manifesto and Equinox.
The Good People, consisting of producer Saint and lyricist Emskee, hail from Brooklyn, New York. The dynamic duo brings a fresh take on the nostalgic elements of East Coast hip-hop. The Good People are coming off of two acclaimed albums, each showcasing their soulful instrumentals and flawless lyricism. In 2019, the duo dropped Good For Nuthin’ featuring Large Professor, Lilí Fame, Sadat X, Napoleon Da Legend, Cella Dwellas, G-Roc and Red Alert. They followed up with The Greater Good in 2021 featuring Lords of the Underground, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Craig G, Rasheed Chappell, DJ C-Reality, DJ Ace, Tone Spliff, Mikey D, Skanks the Rap Martyr, John Jigg$, DJ Eclipse, Rockwelz, Mouf and Nam Nitty. Now, The Good People bring you the new limited edition run of A Good Year. In 2022 they dropped a new single digitally every month which would become the tracklist for the new album. The new 12-track album features Dinco D, Charlie Brown, Makeba Mooncycle, John Jigg$ and Bobby J From Rockaway and is the perfect addition to their growing catalog
Available again this first pressing of this reissue is on neon yellow vinyl. Chapter Music presents a vinyl reissue of Australian post-punk icon David Chesworth's mutant punk-funk second album, 1981's Layer On Layer. After his revered 1979 debut 50 Synthesizer Greats (reissued by Chapter in 2017), David swapped the solo home-recorded synths for something very different - infectious, percussive art-funk weirdness. Aged 21, David recorded nights and weekends at the studio in his university's music department, building Layer On Layer from the ground up, using non-instruments like telephone directories, cardboard boxes and car parts. He created an art-damaged sound world, driven by irresistible rhythms but emphasizing chance and experimentation. Robert Goodge, Chesworth's bandmate in the celebrated Essendon Airport, contributes his trademark cyclical guitar, with Tsk Tsk Tsk's Ralph Traviato on sax and other Tsk members Philip Brophy, Jayne Stevenson and Maria Kozic on backing vocals. Layer On Layer was the beginning of David's investigations into rhythm, and remains one of his most striking works. His 70s/80s records and productions have become sought-after collectors' items and DJ holy grails. Chesworth is now a renowned composer sound artist. For digital bonus tracks, David has revisited Layer On Layer tracks to create mutant DJ versions. Also Available From David Chesworth: 50 Synthesizer Greats LP
Daniel Ögren is one of the key artists in Sweden’s contemporary, underground music scene. He has already accrued quite the back catalogue, both as a member of the sensational quartet Dina Ögon and also as a solo artist with eight albums already under his belt. ‘Fastingen-92’ was originally released as a limited-edition vinyl pressing in 2020 on the independent label Sing A Song Fighter Records (the same label that first introduced us to Dina Ögon's music). The album came to our attention after hearing Daniels' solo band performing live at the Stockholm Jazz Club, Fasching. The band featured Love Örsan and Christopher Cantillo of Dina Ögon fame (who also records with the incredible Sven Wunder), and their sensational genre-busting set blew us away. It convinced us that this now out-of-print album needed to reach a wider audience.
‘Fastingen-92’ doesn't sit in one genre, it draws from Daniels's love of South American folk music, soul, Nordic folk music and film soundtracks, resulting in something unique, dreamlike and transformational.
It features 'Idag’, an epic, beautiful, cinematic song that introduces the ethereal vocalist Anna Ahnlund. ‘Idag’ has gained a cult following and Daniel has stated that it was the spark that started the Dina Ögon project. Tracks like 'Annalena' and 'Kristinehamn by Night (for Christopher)' sound like a new club sound that hasn't yet been invented (which Nicola Cruz would spin in his DJ sets), mysterious, hypnotic, and engaging. Other songs like 'Maj (for Tintin)' and 'Picasso' venture into blissed-out Scando-Balearic realms. Daniel's love of nature and the inspiration he draws from the geographic environment of the Swedish countryside can be felt in these tracks, they take you to other places and times and are simultaneously familiar, ancient and alien.
Alongside the collaborations with Anna and Christoper, the album features Josefin Runsteen playing the drums on 'Idag' and Swedish musicians Edvin Nahlin and Ulrik Ordin. The majority of the album was played, recorded and mixed by Daniel. For the Mr Bongo edition, we have added the bonus track 'April’, which was previously only available digitally. ‘Fastingen - 92’ is a truly remarkable record that gets into your soul, so please delve in!
Millia, real name Akeem Asani, was born and raised in the Midwest and is now based in the Windy City. With his dancefloor-ready solo project seeing releases on Sweat Equity, Knightwerk, and a string of self-released singles online, Millia has received support from NTS regulars Re:ni & Laksa, Bradley Zero, and Otologic, as well as club and festival plays from Nick León, Tammo Hesselink, Gramrcy, LCY, and Shanti Celeste.
For his latest offering, Millia readies two rich organic and dub-influenced tracks for Roy Mills’ Local Knowledge imprint. ‘ACAB Break’ combines psychedelic samples with tripped out breaks, deep subs, and dense, spacey atmospheres. On the flip, ‘Trip Dub’ delves further into dubwise territory, delivering a tense percussive affair of cavernous soundscapes and weighty drums that stretch effortlessly across the B-side.
Elsewhere, with Kindtree and Concave Reflection, Akeem is part of the downtempo super-group Purelink, who enjoyed acclaim with their ‘Bliss / Swivel’ 12” and followed with their debut EP on UwU Dustbath and a performance at New York festival Sustain/Release. Akeem picked up Resident Advisor’s ‘Mix Of The Day’ for his Motion Ward mix in 2022, and has featured DJ mixes with Animalia, Knekelhuis, Warning and c-.
Cover versions of international songs have long thrived in South Africa’s music industry. Often unable to license the original tracks (until the early 90s the result of an international boycott of the country) labels instead hired producers and session artists to re-record them for the local market. Early house music in SA was no different.
When Ron ‘Robot’ Friedman, former bass player for local rockers Rabbitt, was winding down his label On Records in the early 90s, he reached out for new inspiration as the popularity of ‘bubblegum’ disco waned. For one of the label’s final releases he hired young DJ/producer Quentin Foster, obsessed with the new soulful house sound coming out of the US, to take the reins on a studio project dubbed Citi Express.
On Robot’s insistence it included a cover of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Living for the City’ (from 1973’s Innervisions) as the title track. Foster set to work in his home studio, dubbed Tone Def, selecting and re-working other US and UK tracks — ‘It’s Too Late’ (originally released in 1989 by Kelli Sae), ‘Love is the Message’ (influenced by the 70s soul anthem and credited to Gamble & Huff but bearing a closer resemblance to Better Days’ 1990 release written by Steve Proctor), ‘People of The World’ (recorded by Sorell Johnson in the UK in 1990) and ‘Victim of Your Love’ (released in 1990 by Gary Vonqwest as ‘Victim of Love’) — adding some signature South African touches in the process that foreshadow the imminent rise of kwaito. One original composition was added for good measure, ‘Open Invitation’.
The result offers a glimpse into those early days of house, a uniquely South African take on a global sound that still resonates today — reissued for the first time on Afrosynth Records.
Daniel Ögren is one of the key artists in Sweden’s contemporary, underground music scene. He has already accrued quite the back catalogue, both as a member of the sensational quartet Dina Ögon and also as a solo artist with eight albums already under his belt. ‘Fastingen-92’ was originally released as a limited-edition vinyl pressing in 2020 on the independent label Sing A Song Fighter Records (the same label that first introduced us to Dina Ögon's music). The album came to our attention after hearing Daniels' solo band performing live at the Stockholm Jazz Club, Fasching. The band featured Love Örsan and Christopher Cantillo of Dina Ögon fame (who also records with the incredible Sven Wunder), and their sensational genre-busting set blew us away. It convinced us that this now out-of-print album needed to reach a wider audience.
‘Fastingen-92’ doesn't sit in one genre, it draws from Daniels's love of South American folk music, soul, Nordic folk music and film soundtracks, resulting in something unique, dreamlike and transformational.
It features 'Idag’, an epic, beautiful, cinematic song that introduces the ethereal vocalist Anna Ahnlund. ‘Idag’ has gained a cult following and Daniel has stated that it was the spark that started the Dina Ögon project. Tracks like 'Annalena' and 'Kristinehamn by Night (for Christopher)' sound like a new club sound that hasn't yet been invented (which Nicola Cruz would spin in his DJ sets), mysterious, hypnotic, and engaging. Other songs like 'Maj (for Tintin)' and 'Picasso' venture into blissed-out Scando-Balearic realms. Daniel's love of nature and the inspiration he draws from the geographic environment of the Swedish countryside can be felt in these tracks, they take you to other places and times and are simultaneously familiar, ancient and alien.
Alongside the collaborations with Anna and Christoper, the album features Josefin Runsteen playing the drums on 'Idag' and Swedish musicians Edvin Nahlin and Ulrik Ordin. The majority of the album was played, recorded and mixed by Daniel. For the Mr Bongo edition, we have added the bonus track 'April’, which was previously only available digitally. ‘Fastingen - 92’ is a truly remarkable record that gets into your soul, so please delve in!
The story of the invention of the term, 'deepfunk' is probably only known among fans and practitioners of this niche-genre. In short, it all started in the 1990s when DJs like Keb Darge, Mark 'Snowboy' Cotgrove and others began spinning obscure and feral Funk 45 RPM singles from local American bands, ostensibly generating another sub-category branch off of the mighty Northern Soul tree. The dance-club phenomenon inevitably spilled over to contemporary groups on the funk scene which immediately tried to record their music the way their idols did. The 'rare groove' and 'acid jazz' movements had run their course and there was a concerted effort to reinstate primitive idiomatic styles and techniques into the music, most notably by 90s funk collective The Poets of Rhythm. As more years passed by the number of bands steadily increased (although in tiny numbers, compared to the mainstream market). Almost every country had a representative with the majority of them coming from the United Kingdom. The deepfunk sound was still a niche, however a very few bands made it onto the mainstream charts, most notably Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings.
At the height of the retro-soul movement a questionable development took place. As more bands arrived on the scene, the production became more and more polished and pop-ish. Some of that squeaky-clean tidiness began to creep into the recordings, encouraged in part by the signature sounds of the digital recording technology available at that time. Some bands even tried to jump onto the possibility of promoting their music as 'deepfunk' although they were actually playing slick, funky pop music. This way some people who thought they were listening to raw, energetic funk actually felt quite ambushed when hit with real deepfunk. In fact, a certain percentage of funk music produced within the past 20 years does not deserve to be described as 'deepfunk' at all. Fortunately there were (and are) some pleasant exceptions which did not just imitate but actually rendered amazing funk music just like some of the finest funk combos of the 1960s and 70s.
One of those creative minds is without a doubt Joel Ricci aka Lucky Brown. Originally from Seattle, Washington, USA, he has enriched the deepfunk community since the mid-2000s with his stellar abilities. He is not only an amazing musician playing multiple instruments, but also a brilliant composer, arranger, and producer too. But for us here at Tramp he is much more, a close friend and remarkable human being. Whenever we were struggling, whether with the label or in private life, Joel and his musical work helped us to overcome everything and to keep going our path.
So here we are in 2023. The songs you are listening to right now are the complete Space Dream collection, split into two parts, representing the two living-room recording sessions from which his 2011 Tramp Records debut was compiled. Each fully remastered album contains unreleased material and comes with brand new, beautifully reimagined artwork by Ricci himself, housed in an authentic 1960s tip-on cover. A first class product from a first class musician for the discerning funk enthusiast.
The story of the invention of the term, 'deepfunk' is probably only known among fans and practitioners of this niche-genre. In short, it all started in the 1990s when DJs like Keb Darge, Mark 'Snowboy' Cotgrove and others began spinning obscure and feral Funk 45 RPM singles from local American bands, ostensibly generating another sub-category branch off of the mighty Northern Soul tree. The dance-club phenomenon inevitably spilled over to contemporary groups on the funk scene which immediately tried to record their music the way their idols did. The 'rare groove' and 'acid jazz' movements had run their course and there was a concerted effort to reinstate primitive idiomatic styles and techniques into the music, most notably by 90s funk collective The Poets of Rhythm. As more years passed by the number of bands steadily increased (although in tiny numbers, compared to the mainstream market). Almost every country had a representative with the majority of them coming from the United Kingdom. The deepfunk sound was still a niche, however a very few bands made it onto the mainstream charts, most notably Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings.
At the height of the retro-soul movement a questionable development took place. As more bands arrived on the scene, the production became more and more polished and pop-ish. Some of that squeaky-clean tidiness began to creep into the recordings, encouraged in part by the signature sounds of the digital recording technology available at that time. Some bands even tried to jump onto the possibility of promoting their music as 'deepfunk' although they were actually playing slick, funky pop music. This way some people who thought they were listening to raw, energetic funk actually felt quite ambushed when hit with real deepfunk. In fact, a certain percentage of funk music produced within the past 20 years does not deserve to be described as 'deepfunk' at all. Fortunately there were (and are) some pleasant exceptions which did not just imitate but actually rendered amazing funk music just like some of the finest funk combos of the 1960s and 70s.
One of those creative minds is without a doubt Joel Ricci aka Lucky Brown. Originally from Seattle, Washington, USA, he has enriched the deepfunk community since the mid-2000s with his stellar abilities. He is not only an amazing musician playing multiple instruments, but also a brilliant composer, arranger, and producer too. But for us here at Tramp he is much more, a close friend and remarkable human being. Whenever we were struggling, whether with the label or in private life, Joel and his musical work helped us to overcome everything and to keep going our path.
So here we are in 2023. The songs you are listening to right now are the complete Space Dream collection, split into two parts, representing the two living-room recording sessions from which his 2011 Tramp Records debut was compiled. Each fully remastered album contains unreleased material and comes with brand new, beautifully reimagined artwork by Ricci himself, housed in an authentic 1960s tip-on cover. A first class product from a first class musician for the discerning funk enthusiast.
Andres Klein alias Ackermann hails from beautiful Stuttgart and has been in the music producing biz for about 20 years. He's been running is own imprint Traktor records for a long time, churning out House, Techhouse, Techno and anything in between. His tune „I Got My Man“ got remixed by italian Mattia Borriello aka M.I.T.A. for Marco Faraone's Uncage label. This tune got heavy play by quite a few A-list Techno DJs around the globe, one of them Answer Code Request who couldn't stop dropping that diva drama belter in his sets in „The Big House“ in East Berlin. That's where it caught All That Jelly label head Mr. Fonk's ear and so it had to get pressed on hot waxxx! The 12“ is accompanied by two equally cheerful Techno slammers with a groovy House edge. You're gonna love 'em!
The first physical release from Supa Records featuring two tracks: 'Pleasure Seekers' & 'Uptown'. Founded by Jungle DJ and producer Supa Ape, Supa Records is a UK based Jungle / IDM imprint dropping original rave compositions with a cinematic feel and focus on melody. Whilst remaining true to many of the core elements comprising heavy Jungle music, Supa Records aim to deliver a unique take on this typically sample lead genre.
The Faithful Brothers
Soul and R&B from Tel Aviv
"It's so difficult to produce the feel and the excitement of the classic northern sound, but The Faithful Brothers were born to do it and they do it so well." Craig Charles, The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show, BBC Radio 6 Music.
Is there a Northern Soul scene in Tel Aviv? The surprising answer is – yes, there is. If you're a soulie and in town, look for the Tel Aviv Soul Club, and you might find yourself swaying across a talcum-powder covered floor to Tel Aviv's own unique blend of classic Northern Soul 45s and early 1960s R&B sounds.
Chances are that those 45s will come out of the record boxes of one of the brothers Neeman, Johnnie and Bin. Sons of an Israeli diplomat, they travelled abroad extensively as children, in the 1960s and 1970s, discovering the wonderful world of rare soul music on the way. Tel Aviv Soul Club, aka TASC, is the brainchild of Yashiv Cohen, a DJ who, in 2006, lured the brothers Neeman, whose massive soul collections been hitherto confined to their respective living rooms, into playing their records to the Tel Aviv public. Yashiv is also the lead singer of Men of North Country (MONC), a Tel Aviv band with a distinct sound, blending rock, British pop and soul, that has recorded two albums for the London based label Acid Jazz Records, and toured Europe numerous times.
Since Neeman means Faithful in Hebrew, Yashiv woke up one morning with the crystallization that MONC must create a spin-off, a more puristic soul band, called the Faithful Brothers. There the biological Neeman/Faithful brothers would be joined by some of the members of MONC and a few more musical brothers from Tel Aviv to create new, original soul and R&B music. With a nod to the Northern Soul slogan "Keep The Faith", the name seemed too perfect to waste. The fact that the Neeman brothers were collectors, and not musicians, did not bother a man of vision like Yashiv. One day, he sent Johnnie some lyrics he wrote, asking him to compose music for it. Well, Johnnie called Bin, and they met in Johnnie's record room. With Johnnie playing some of the few chords he knew on his dusty old acoustic guitar, out came Teenage Frost, the first-ever musical composition of the Neeman brothers, recorded by MONC.
It took a few more years, but gradually the brothers succumbed to their fate, to continue their musical progression, from collectors to DJs to musicians. Johnnie took his guitar, Bin took to the piano, and the brothers began pouring out some of their influences, creating new songs. It is finally all coming together. The Faithful Brothers – now an eight-piece band, complete with a mighty brass section – release their first album "The Faithful Brothers".
“The one-man disco machine and pop superstar in waiting” – NME “a euphoric celebration of nightlife”- GQ “One of the most sought-after music makers in the game” – Notion
Der britische Sänger, Produzent und DJ SG Lewis veröffentlicht am 27.01.23 sein zweites Album „AudioLust & Higher Love“.
Ganz im Stil von SG Lewis überzeugt auch das zweite Album durch seine musikalische Vielseitigkeit und schafft einen gelungenen Spagat zwischen 80’s, Dance und Pop-Sound.
Auf 15 Tracks spannt Samuel Lewis einen Bogen von dem vom Nachtleben und Raves geprägten Sound von AudioLust bis hin zur zeitlosen Pop-Ekstase von HigherLove. Als Features auf dem Album sind u.a. Tove Lo, Lucky Daye, Ty Dolla $ign vertreten.
SG Lewis hat sich in den letzten Jahren als einer der gefragtesten Produzenten etabliert – so kollaborierte er bereits u.a. mit Elton John, Clairo, Khalid, Aluna, Chad Hugo und vielen mehr. Auch schrieb er an Dua Lipas Hit „Hallucinate“ von ihrem Hitalbum „Future Nostalgia“ mit. Sein Debütalbum „times“ (VÖ 2021) wurde von Kritikern und Fans gleichermaßen gefeiert und bescherte ihn die Nr. 1 der britischen Dance-Charts.
„AudioLust & Higher Love“ erscheint auf Doppelvinyl.
SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree is the electrifying new album from jazz legends Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter, following the success of their eponymous Grammy-nominated debut and acclaimed EP Guilty Pleasures featuring Nate Smith. With a vocal range that seamlessly blends jazz, R&B, and funk, Elling is a virtuosic showman and deep collaborator with a comedic edge. Hailed by The Washington Post as the most daring, dynamic, and interesting singer in jazz since the mid-1990s, he and Hunter have pushed the boundaries of jazz and lyrics to create a one-of-a-kind sound that is uniquely their own. Teaming up with hip-hop masterminds Corey Fonville and DJ Harrison (Butcher Brown), Elling and Hunter showcase their virtuosity, showmanship, and musicianship to offer a deluge of roisterous funk, indelible beats, and all-too-current lyrics that will have you grooving like never before. SuperBlue is more than just another jazz album. It's a punch in your face, take no prisoners masterpiece that showcases the sheer talent, passion, and unpredictability of these extraordinary musicians. Get ready to be blown away by the brilliance of Kurt Elling and his collaborators in this groundbreaking project!
The last time Canadian underground techno tastemaker Rennie Foster had a record on a French label it was the historic F-Communications. Back then Rennie’s penchant for bringing warehouse nostalgia together with hi-tech futurism was a consistent theme and in 2023 this fusion based musical concept is realized further toward the future through a new EP release, Cryptic Layers on Parisian imprint Skylax Records.
The record opens with Let It Go, a simple title for a complex and dreamy piece of lo-fi rave house featuring clattering breaks, ear worm vocals and a drastic bassline driving the whole custom vehicle. Then the similarly, simply titled Just Do It explodes into action with an inspired mix of Detroit inspired dub techno chords, fierce amen breaks and a hip-house energy akin to both current urban style and authentic musical roots. These tracks sound like they could have been released at any time during the past decades but still sound current, or even futuristic. Apparent is craft, design and an understanding of dance music from the perspective of obsession, experience and passion.
The remixes come from absolute legends in the world of techno, representing Rennie’s other home-base territories, the techno cities Detroit and Tokyo. Japanese electronic music icon Ken Ishii provides a storming acid remix of Just Do It with liquid 303 bass, anxious and trip vocal snips, and punchy drums that will sound absolutely ace in a club. Detroit third wave pioneer Sean Deason closes out the record with a crisp dose of hi-tech funk that is sure to be a DJ weapon with it’s hypnotic energy and timeless production style.
The digital only portion of Cryptic Layers begins with a second version from Ken Ishii, this time sans vocals leaving the acid stripped down and bare. Two more original tracks by Rennie Foster are also on offer. Sadlands is an organ laden deep house, synth-wave, contrasting piece of melancholic dream dance while I Say Peace signs off the project in a layered classic house style with early rave stabs and grooving after-hours appeal.
Repress.
RAWAX proudly welcomes Ian Pooley to the artist family!
Overthirty years into his career, Ian Pooley continues to be a favourite of house & techno fans and DJs, remaining a highly respected figure within electronic music.
He is enjoying one of the most fruitful periods of his career, with fresh material drawing more house and techno lovers to his fanbase, while classic older cuts are being reintroduced to new generations.
We are pleased to present you in future some of his timeless past & present releases. Starting with "Relations". This 2x12" came out originally in 1996 on iconic Definitive Records, runned by Richie Hawtin & John Acquaviva. The re-mastered version will be available on solid 180 Gramm vinyl
The first release on deadbeat Records comes in the shape of an EP by Rnbws. Pressed on ltd edition 140g vinyl. Only 300 records pressed. All profits will go directly to the artist for this release.
DJ Support:
Jay Carder
“Rnbws wake up / don’t say a word - sweet Jesus what belters”
Adam Curtain
“Tracks are sounding wicked btw! Will play the A1 for sure, it's a great EP”
Adam Shelton
“DOPE trax! full support on this BOMB!”
Farsight
"Rnbws release is sounding sick! Been playing 5321 and Spinner"
Adam Antine / Dawn Razor
"Great release mates!"
Oldfield
"Sick release - been playing 54321 out loads"
Toronto-based producer and DJ Ciel is renowned for a style of dancefloor material that’s as heady as it is visceral. The Xi’an-born artist’s ascendant profile has seen her cutting- edge and club-ready EPs released on UK labels Peach Discs and Coastal Haze, as well as Stateside imprints Spectral Sound and Mister Saturday Night.
As a member of the renowned collective Discwoman and the creator of femme-forward party Work in Progress Ciel’s thoughtful narratives are clear, running in parallel to the perception-altering sounds that are consistently woven deeply into her wide-ranging sets, beloved mixes and inventive collaborations. Now the Parallel Minds label co- founder is crystallising her imaginative and omnivorous sound with her !K7 Records debut, ORLANDO.
Written during her emergence from an uncharacteristic bout of writers’ block, the three original tracks of Orlando chart a return to the musical self, spurred along by a cinephile’s embrace of film, a love of classic literature, and a curiosity for the oddest corners of popular culture. “SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE” might share a name with the episodic series, but is rather a nuanced critique of the modern rite of union, moving through structured chapters, and mirroring the un-static nature of longtime love.Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s radical novel, and its superphysical protagonist, “ORLANDO” considers the cult literary figure who lived from the renaissance to the modern age, and embodies both sides of the sex binary.
The thrown sounds and aural illusions of “EL CALIFA” create the effect of a beckoning, beguiling psychedelic experience. To complete the EP, Ali Berger, Ciel’s recent collaborator on the Jacktone Records’ release Damn Skippy! repurposes the mind-bending flourishes of “El Califa” into a noodly and spacious deep house production, replete with pillowy, gauzy pads.
Perth-based artist hub 823, led by the extraordinary producer / creator Ta-ku joins forces with Berlin's Jakarta Records for the release of Godblesscomputers's fourth full-length LP, "Faded Views." The LP melds bright electronic flourishes with laidback synth-driven backdrops, weaving tapestries of mellow folktronica and groovy jazz harmony with continuous sonic intrigue that will keep you grooving into a tropical disposition. Paying homage to his musical moniker, the Bologna-based producer makes timely metallic interjections amidst lush, effortlessly groovy soundscapes. Explore a world of found, recycled, and synthesized sound on "Faded Views" out everywhere September 8.
Bologna-based producer, DJ, and sound collector Godblesscomputers (122k Spotify listeners) has returned with the release of his fourth full-length record, "Faded Views." Godblesscomputers's latest LP "The Island" (2020, La Tempesta Dischi) earned him placement on Spotify playlists like "Brain Flood" and "Coffee Club." Since then, his appearance on Willie Peyote's track "La colpa al vento" landed GBC on "Best of Indie Italia 2022." On "Faded Views," it was Godblesscomputers's creative project to explore the sonic potentials of his direct environment, picking up recordings and threads of inspiration from the most commonplace occurrences. A sonic scavenger, Godblesscomputers explored the expanses of his-both digital and physical-soundscapes. "Faded Views" does the work of crafting a unified, yet complex compilation of the noises that mark the experience of being digital natives in ever-expanding dimensions.
Godblesscomputers's use of musique concrète and found-sound composition melds curiously with his undeniable electronic and techno acumen. Superimposing metallic electronica onto esoteric sound bytes creates the occasion for complex sound collage. "Faded Views" marks a decade since the genesis of the Godblesscomputers project; the entire LP testifies to how time warps perception and sound. Godblesscomputers's music seems to decorate time, both commemorating the moments passed with mind-melting sonic collages and looking forward to the infinitudes of the future with frenetic electronic experimentation.
Themes of impermanence and transience-hence "Faded Views"-pervade the record. Godblesscomputers blurs time as each track seeps into the next in what feels like a seamless transition. He makes these swift passages in genre as well-the record opens on "Colors" with a rich horn section which frictionlessly becomes a lo-fi dance groove. It is this melding of the analog and the electronic that makes sense of his found approach to beat-making: Godblesscomputers marries the found and the synthesized; the creator and the created; the past and the future. The process of sonic dissection and recomposition that drives much of Godblesscomputers's creative process yields not only assertive breakdowns and animated dance tracks, but also complex tapestries of sound that keep the listener ever-intrigued-piano, saxophone, and modular synthesis all find a natural home on tracks like "Hello." In an apt description, the producer's work has been described as "sounding like wood, metal, and microchip."
Godblesscomputers's artistic objective lies in blurring definitive lines, constantly shifting perspectives, genres, and origins of inspiration. On "Faded Views," this design cultivates a folktronica record that truly evades definition.
Feelgood lead single "Mirrors" is out June 30th and features a rich meld of warbling layers, mixing upbeat dance music with complex instrumentation. Stream second single, "Above the Lake," for a mellow summer cut on July 21. Finally, the effortlessly groovy third single "You Feel Me" captures a genre-warping foray into folktronica. Listen to "You Feel Me" on August 11.
All LP artwork and stunning single visualizers were single-handedly put together by multi-disciplinary designer Michael Norman. "Faded Views" will be available everywhere physically and digitally on September 8, 2023. Be sure to listen for focus track "Hello" that captures the vast scope of Godblesscomputers's musical prowess. Find the LP, CD, and digital release on 823's and Jakarta Records's Bandcamp and local record stores.
ATA Records are proud to announce this new double A-side from The Sorcerers featuring, on the flip, the first release by The Outer Worlds Jazz Ensemble.
Exit Athens marks the start of a new era for The Sorcerers. Continuing their investigations of Ethio-Jazz and 60s and 70s European library music, the group is now formed around Joost Hendrickx (Kefaya, Shatner's Bassoon, Abstract Orchestra), Richard Ormrod (saxes, flute & keys) and ATA label head, bassist Neil Innes. Exit Athens features a driving funk engine room with exotic percussion, vintage keyboards, and the classic Addis Ababa combination of vibes, flute and horns. The aim is to double-down on previous album successes The Sorcerers and In Search of The Lost City of The Monkey God, expanding their tonal palette whilst tightening their focus, with the intention of producing multiple albums of solid analog cuts, every one of which will appeal equally to DJs and audiophiles alike.
On the AA side, Beg, Borrow, Play marks the debut of The Outer Worlds Jazz Ensemble. The first in an ongoing series of 45s and LP issues, each Outer Worlds release will feature the immaculate grooves of the hard-working, unsung sidemen of the Leeds Funk, Latin and Ethio/Afrobeat scenes. The Outer Worlds series was conceived to feature visiting soloists who have made a beeline to ATA in search of a specific setting for their material, and represents ATA's ambition to encompass the very best in contemporary jazz/club/rare groove/exotica sounds.
Beg, Borrow, Play kicks this off with ATA veteran Chip Wickham on baritone sax, and a slice of jazz exotica that owes as much to New Orleans Street Beat as to the Eastern moods of artists like Yusef Lateef and Ahmed Abdul-Malik. The result is loose and limber, with horns reminiscent of classic Art Ensemble of Chicago, and will appeal to fans of contemporary Afro-Futurist fusions
Love Love continues the LOVLTD series with a follow up from Bristol based producer Ben Pest. In a similar vein to his previous 12" on Love Love, 'On The Three', it's an all out techno affair with 4 high powered tracks geared for destroying peak-time dancefloors.
DJ support from:
Tariq Ziyad (Life Support Machine), Doc Scott, TMSN, Alland Byallo, Vell (Boiled Wonderland Records), Manfred Reckers, Shcuro, Hassan Abou Alam, Miley Serious, Zoltan Balla, Jensen Interceptor, Luke Sanger, Mumdance, Clouds, Piezo, Elena Rioboo, Jossy Mitsu, Yorobi, Blutch, NVST, Snuffo, Om Unit, Black Cadmium, Kreggo, Prettybwoy, Gene Farris, Timothy Clerkin, Danielle Moore, Sun People, JVK, Mad Miran, Stillhead, Nala, Brown, Monotronique, Syz, Appleblim, SDR, Wes Baggaley, Hrdvsion, Marco Zenker, Hooverian Blur, Roi, Mamiko Motto, Fear E, Giant Swan, Minor Science, Extrawelt, Second Storey, Toshiki Ohta, Hudson Mohawke, Nachtbraker, Mani Festo, Radioactiveman, Formally Unknown
“Mr Pest never ceases to bring the dirt.. Always top notch and 1 step ahead.. :) Proper”
"Oui Bitte", das elfte Studioalbum von Station 17, wurde in intensiver Arbeit und nicht selten bis spät in die norddeutsche Nacht auf dem Forellenhof in Nordhastedt produziert. Mit müden Augen saß das Musikerkollektiv so für gewöhnlich zu vorgerückter Stunde beisammen und hörte die Takes durch, die das Tagwerk hervorgebracht hatte. Ist der zwingende Rhythmus als Königsdisziplin der 1989 gegründeten Band in ihrem Werk immer schon angelegt, ergab sich spätestens beim housigen "Hausmann" kollektiv der Wunsch: hier muss ein Remix her! Der Wunsch wuchs und legte sich über das gesamte Album ... Remixalben haben dabei in der über 30 Jahre währenden Geschichte des Kollektivs bereits Tradition: 2001 erschien beim legendären Label Mute Records, das nicht nur Depeche Mode zu Ruhm verholfen hatte, das Album "Mikroprofessor" mit Remixen von etwa DJ Koze, Thomas Fehlmann, Justus Köhncke oder To Rococo Rot. Im Jahr 2011 folgten die "Goldstein Variationen Remixes", darunter Versionen von Erobique, Tobias Thomas, aber auch von Ada und Mense Reents, die uns auch hier wiederbegegnen. Zaghaft fing die Band also an, ihre Lieblingsproduzent/innen anzufragen, die ohne Umschweife komplett zusagten. So stand schon bald ein hochkarätiges Remixalbum mit dem Who-is-Who der hiesigen Landschaft elektronischer Musik im Raum. Und auch, wenn die Grundlagen der Stücke wiedererkennbar sind, ist hier ein gänzlich neues Hörerlebnis entstanden, das durch die Versiertheit der Beteiligten und ihre Expertise zu einem eigenständigen Werk gewachsen ist, das sich auch losgelöst vom Ausgangsmaterial genießen lässt. Wie von Zauberhand entsteht ein zugleich stringenter und abwechslungsreicher Vibe, der "Oui Mixe" zu mehr macht als nur eine Ergänzung zu "Oui Bitte".
Part of Tele Music Reissue Campaign, 2023 first time reissue, 140g vinyl
Wow! Pierre-Alain Dahan & Mat Camison's Rythmiques is another iconic release in the hallowed Tele Music catalogue. First appearing in 1973, it features tense funk, blunted jazz and heavy breaks all the way. Considered the rightful sequel to Continental Pop Sound, it's a vital album for producers and DJs; and you can probably guess that RHYTHM is central to the record's presentation. And you can really taste what's rhythm, to borrow a phrase. French drummer, percussionist and composer Pierre-Alain Dahan was a key member of the legendary Arpadys, Disco & Co, Voyage, Tumblack (with Wally Badarou, Mallia et al!) and Jef Gilson Septet whilst his partner here, Mat Camison, was a pioneering synth LORD. So, you know this Be With reissue is absolutely crucial.
The album picks up from where Continental Pop Sound left us, opening with the tense, stabbing thriller-funk of "Rythmiques N° 4". The dubbier "Rythmiques N° 5" is no less electric and definitely has a spacey air of wonky funk about it with the slightly off-kilter rolling piano. "Rythmiques N° 6" is more percussive-focussed with a brilliantly hypnotic opening that really stretches the drama out. “Rythmique N° 7” alternates between fast-paced, skipping drums and slo-mo funk, always with the clavinet high up in the mix. Wicked. The dope jazz of “Rythmique N° 8” truly mesmerises with licks of electric piano, funky bass flourishes and varied percussion. “Rythmique N° 9” has great, sloppy-yet-hard intro drums which sound like something Daft Punk could've pilfered circa Human After All, punctuated by a guitar rock refrain that repeats til the end but is never overdone. The A-Side closes with the beautiful, melancholic "Piano + Piano", a reflective jazzy piano track which could easily open a wide-ranging set this autumn and many after it. Stunning.
Opening Side B, "Auto Rythmiques" is a hectic yet compelling funk workout but it's all about the frankly devastating breakbeats on “Rythmiques N° 10 & N° 11” with effortlessly twisted funk bass lines over open drum breaks and enough tension and rhythmic switch-ups to keep your neck-snapping and your mind lifted. Downright essential. Taking leave from the heavy funk break action, the pastoral "Océan Horizon" is perhaps an unfairly overlooked highlight. A gorgeous, softly-aquatic, ambient gem, it's gently percussive with warm, floaty keys decorating the mellow rhythmic bed. The mercifully brief "Super Carrousel" is harmless fun-fair-funk but perhaps best skipped over whilst the intriguingly titled "Gay Shopping" is another throwaway exercise in inexcusable jaunt whilst. To close out this memorable set, thankfully, we're left with "Suspense N° 1" to get us back on course with its unsurprisingly tense mix of urgent stringed instruments that flirt with rhythm and melody yet the longer the track goes on. Deep.
One of the very best French drummers ever, Pierre-Alain Dahan began his career at the Blue Note in Paris with Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon and Daniel Humair. Some start, eh?! He also participated in the recording of Serge Gainsbourg's cult album 'La Ballade de Melody Nelson' before going on to make countless KILLER library funk records and be a key member in the legendary Arpadys, Disco & Co, Voyage, Tumblack (with Wally Badarou, Sauveur Mallia et al), Jef Gilson Septet (alongside Henri Texier) and many more. Some pedigree.
The audio for Rythmiques has been remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the original, iconic Tele Music house sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.
In 1972, a foursome of design students set out to make a record. This was, in many ways, a strictly creative endeavor. The quartet — composed of Dave Pescod, Alan Lewis, Phil Rawle, and Ted Rockley — were all trained, not as musicians, but as creatives. Art school heavyweights, the four were well-versed in the methodology of intentional experimentation, in the delicate balance of pushing the limits without completely unmooring oneself from a guiding creative intention. Emboldened by a high-brow familiarity with thoughtful experimentation and all the non-conviction of non-musicians, Bowes Road Band’s stint in the world of popular music yielded a record that is as much mind-melting as it is a direct product of its time. Their sprawling LP “Back in the HCA” embodies the exigence “art for art’s sake,” but it is for art’s sake that this record, however off the deep end it seems to travel (hear: “Doctor, Doctor”), remains a unified, and stunning, body of work. The LP’s do-ityourself garage rock noisemaking meets highfalutin creative processes. “Back in the HCA” is warbling psychedelic freakout (“Two Fingers,” “Doctor, Doctor”), Donovan-esque English countryside folk stylings (“Inside My Head,” “Goodbye to Rosie”), and avant-garde jazz improvisions (“Grass is Grass,” “Tomorrow’s Truth”) in one luminous release.
Originally an 9-track LP, Jakarta, Uno Loop, and Bowes Road Band decided to mine the six most cohesive tracks for the reissue, though the extras may be released somewhere down the line. Cohesion efforts aside, “Back in the HCA” stands alone in its singular conception of a genre-bending continuum — it evades definition. That said, the LP can easily be situated in the sonic environment in which it was conceived. By the end of the 60s, England was crawling with blues-based rock outfits that were starting to venture into prog rock territory. You can hear this popular dint cast over the folkier side of the LP. But Bowes Road Band was armed with their non-musicianship: they existed completely liberated from the motivating yet ultimately paralyzing lust for stardom. Enjoying this liberation, Bowes Road Band was utterly free to make noise. This freedom meant drawn out sax interludes amidst sweetly folk stylings (“Grass is Grass”) and Shaggs-like fuzzed-out freakouts that spiral into a void (Doctor, Doctor). This freedom also meant straight-forward tuneful cuts like “Goodbye Rosie” that conspicuously introduce heavily distorted auto-organ accompaniment mid-track amidst poignant lyricism. Bowes Road Band crafts a unified sound and then cracks it open.
With a completely off-the-radar status, Bowes Road Band could only press 50 copies of the record — 10 for each of them and 10 for the school. The band’s lifespan was to end there, or so they thought. “Back in the HCA” was the accidental fruit of a Berlin flea market treasure hunt by Jannis Stürtz, DJ and co-founder of Habibi Funk and Jakarta Records. After finding and sharing the LP with a few colleagues, Stürtz managed to get in touch with the band, get ahold of the master tapes collecting dust in Ted Rockley’s attic, and start the reissuing process. The record is still adorned with its original cover art designed by Alan Pescod, both reminiscent of bygone school days and the Zoom calls of yesterday — in short, reunion. Its re-discovery was happenstance and ought to be listened to as such. That is, “Back in the HCA” was not made to be listened to on a broad scale, or, at least, was not made with this goal in mind; it is neither in its time nor of its time. Of course, the group explicitly cites the folk tunes of the English countryside, the distorted rock groups that reigned during the record’s conception, and the fringes of psychedelic music that only the uber-underground might recognize (e.g., “Dreaming of Alice”). Yet still with these obvious influences, “Back in the HCA” always existed beyond the domain of both traditional musicianship and conventional commodification. Bowes Road Band’s DIY musicality beams through in technicolor across “Back in the HCA.” The vinyl includes an 8-page booklet detailing the albums creation and interviews with the band.
Lead single “Grass is Grass,” out July 14 along with album pre-order, encapsulates the record’s range: the track unfurls into a sprawling sax-driven trip following a sundrenched, Donovan-esque intro w/ lyrics “naively about parks and gardens, not marijuana!” The keyed-down folk cut “Goodbye to Rosie” is single 2 and elevates stripped-down acoustics with golden tinges, out August 4th. Focus track “Tomorrow’s Truth” constructs the fuzzed-out underbelly of acid folk. Listen for echoes of late Beatles, Mark Fry, and Donovan (if they were armed by an unshakabele willful naiveté). Like Sgt. Pepper’s on a shoestring budget—take a trip to the underground with LP “Back in the HCA,” available everywhere physically and digitally on September 1st via Jakarta Records and Uno Loop.
Besides online promotion from label profiles, the album will be further promoted by external agencies within the UK and US.
Under the alias 4E, producer Can Oral created his own unique sound of raw, futuristic acid-electro. The A-Side tracks "Ask Isadora" and "Conga Banana" first appeared on the album, Blue Note, released on Home Entertainment in 1996. On the flip are two unreleased tracks picked from his extensive archive and edited by FIT Siegel. These were also recorded during this era, which Can describes below:
"In the 90s I moved to NYC to start a band with Jimi Tenor. I had a small flat in the East Village with the apartment number 4E and that became my artist name for the downtempo and electro material I was working on. The style I called Futuristic Electro because I didn't want to relate to the old school with this. I had my studio on the kitchen floor and pretty much only used EMU SP-1200, TB-303, TR-808 and SH-101 by good ol’ Roland. In a way NYC was still developing because it was all about house music. In 1995, I opened Temple Records in Manhattan with Dr Walker from Air Liquide and DJ DB from Smile Communications. The record shop was inside the Liquid Sky clothing store. After a fire in the shop, along with a falling out with the owner I decided to talk to a fortune teller to find out what the future held. Her name was Isadora, and she had a TV show called "Ask Isadora." She told me on live television to move out, have my own shop and be independent, so I did. Thanks Isadora!"
“Orlando Furioso is a haunting, one-of-a-kind statement, from an important new voice in improvised music.” - Steve Lehman
“…imagining instruments that haven’t been invented yet: space harps, cosmic gamelan, Venusian banjo. It’s the purest distillation of Atria’s musical language, simultaneously grounded and unearthly.” - Stewart Smith for The Wire (November 2022)
“Making liberal use of microtonal harmony and hypnotic, ostinato rhythms – as well as the occasional stylistic smash-cut, reminiscent of John Zorn – Orlando Furioso announced itself on Wednesday as a punchy, creative force on the New York scene. (…) Atria’s rhythms had a welcoming, social propulsion, and the microtonality of his writing for keyboard proposed an individual – even insular – language.” - Seth Colter Walls for The New York Times.
Early European composers felt that their work reflected in its structure the divine nature of the material world. Via tuning, form, and contrapuntal alchemy, these musicians sought to illuminate and edify the complex and perfect order of existence. The music recorded here also reflects the contours of an ordered world, but it is no place any of us has ever visited. By assembling far-flung building blocks from the detritus of a 21st-century musical vocabulary, Orlando Furioso brings the listener into a bizarre new cosmos. The result is deeply expressive music that speaks not with the voice of a narrator or memoirist, but with that of a cartographer.
Like a science-fiction Dante, the listener is taken on a tour of many diverse and colorful provinces of an alien world. Though each composition references its own set of real-world musical locales (from the Andes to Indonesia to Italy to New Orleans), they are bound by stylistic consistency into a coherent, continuous geography. Permeating this world is an uncompromising commitment to microtonal harmony, rhythmic intensity, and an ability to deploy the esoteric (Nicola Vicentino's notorious 31-tone temperament) and the head-smackingly obvious (a surprise djent breakdown) with equal conviction. Though Vicente's compositions are steering the ship, serious recognition is due to all the players on the record for their ability to meet these demands.
Our omnivorous musical diets offer real abundance. They enrich our craft by providing access to limitless approaches from which to choose - more masters to study, traditions to absorb, and techniques to hone than is possible in multiple lifetimes. They can also inflict heavy and often contradictory burdens of influence. When every corner of the map has been charted, it becomes difficult to find a new direction in which to travel. One solution I hope to see more often is the one pursued on this record: breaking down distinct musical worlds into component parts and reassembling them into a language. When completed with precision and with no stone left unturned, the seams between the pieces vanish and the listener is deposited somewhere beautiful and strange, left to assign their sensations meanings of their own. - Mat Muntz
Orlando Furioso is led by Vicente and features David Acevedo, David Leon, Andrew Boudreau, Alec Goldfarb, Daniel Hass, Simón Willson, and Niña Tormenta. Orlando Furioso celebrated its release at Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn, NY, as a part of Wet Ink Ensemble's 24th Season opening concert, a performance which The New York Times heralded as "virtuosic", "punchy, creative" and "even revelatory."
Winner of the Deutscher Jazz Preis: Best International Debut Album 2023
Das neunköpfige australische Spiritual-Jazz-Ensemble Menagerie um Produzent, Songwriter, Gitarrist, DJ und Aufnahmeleiter Lance Ferguson expandiert seinen Sound weiter in das Musikuniversum. Das neue Album 'The Shores Of Infinity' ist ein zukunftsweisender, rhythmuslastiger Ausdruck des zeitgenössischen Jazz, der, tief in der Tradition verwurzelt, sich jeder Genre-Schublade entzieht. Inspiriert sowohl von der Post-Coltrane-Generation der 70er Jahre als auch von der aktuellen New Wave Of Jazz haben Menagerie international große Wellen geschlagen und bei Worldwide FM, Jazz FM und Jazzwise mehrfach ausgezeichnet.
'So well - and lovingly - executed that it's ultimately impossible to ignore.' - Jazzwise
"There is an overarching sense of profound amazement throughout it all.' - Blues & Soul
'A stunning work, full of integrity and class… Essential.' - Echoes
'Wonderful record, full of some great Kamasi/Donald Byrd/even Art Blakey moments!' - The Guardian
repressed !
Undesignated remixes is an expansive project containing 12 remixes of tracks from dgoHn’s iconic 2020 full-length by some choice artists from in and around the Love Love sphere. Remixes that take dgoHn’s unique razor-sharp original productions and send them through a loop and round the twist, some stripped down, some messed up, most but not all maintaining the speedier tempos that dgoHn likes to work around. The result is a collection of seriously futuristic electronic music with some stylistic leanings towards labels like braindance or drumfunk or jungle but completely genre-eluding as a whole, reshaped from the minerals of the original LP by some absolute dons of their craft.
Opening the album Equinox does a fantastic job highlighting the lushness of ‘Puppet’ layering sky-high sunshine pads before sliding into Meat Beat Manifesto’s heavy sci-fi acid dub version of ‘Daisy Takes Two’. A woozy remix of ‘Lucky Gonk’ by Macc & dgoHn marks the first new material from them as a duo since ’09 and Wisp also makes a rare appearance bringing his inimitable post-rephlexian vibes on an agonisingly wonderful, melody-heavy remix of 'Electryon'. Skee Mask’s choice of remixing ‘Robin’s Windmill’ turns the original into a bundle of writhing rhythms organically unfolding with swelling ambient tones. Homegrown heroes Rognvald & Scrase both opt for pumped up post-breakcore in unconventional time signatures while Djrum emphatically provides the LP’s dose of peak jungle choppage, tempering the drum breaks of ‘Ninnyhammer’ with a blistering amen. Also featured on the LP are crisp and beefy drum workouts courtesy of Coco Bryce and Forest Drive West, visceral and apocalyptic half-time bass from Activia Benz affiliated duo Quavis and virtuosic noir-jazz tearout from fellow East-Anglian Carl Brown.
Rare Jazz-Funk album from 1978 by Headhunters founder.
Featuring an all-star line-up including Herbie Hancock.
Originally released in 1978 on Tobisha EMI Japan.
First vinyl reissue outside of Japan released in collab w/Totown Records. Comes with double side insert.
Paul Jackson (born in Oakland, California in 1947) needs little introduction. Paul began playing bass at the age of nine and was considered by many of his teachers to be a musical prodigy. Jackson was known as a “Musician’s Musician” and shaped a sound that launched a new direction in contemporary music: the so-called ‘Pulse Playing’, a trademark sound of close-meshed funk grooves combined with sensational rhythms. With this innovative approach, he influenced entire generations of jazz and funk musicians to come. Paul’s compositions were sampled by big acts from the likes of Prince, TLC, Mobb Deep and NWA…just to name a few.
Paul Jackson was a founding member of the Headhunters under Herbie Hancock (THE group responsible for their ground-breaking fusion and jazz-funk compositions that took the world by storm in the 70’s). The solid union between Hancock and Jackson has been especially evident in the many international tours they have made together…not to mention that he participated on most of the Headhunters albums and Herbie’s solo albums.
Paul has also worked as a producer and as a studio/live musician alongside acts such as Santana, Sonny Rollins and The Pointer Sisters. He was a frequent guest performer at renowned international festivals such as the Montreux and Newport events. Jackson’s composing has not gone without recognition and was nominated for Grammy Awards in 1974, 1975 and 1976. Like other highly talented, creatively motivated engineers of music, Paul has expanded his career to other mediums such as playing on blockbuster movie soundtracks such as “Death wish” and “Dirty Harry”.
Paul Jackson also wrote five solo albums worth listening to – including the monster of an album that is known as “Black Octopus” which is considered to be a kind of lost Headhunters album.
His debut album “Black Octopus” saw the light of day in 1978 and is a total piece of art filled with abstract sticky funky grooves, floating electric piano playing, strong thumping bass lines, raw heavy drums and amazing vocal acrobatics (Jackson himself takes vocals in 3 out of 5 songs, and his soulful singing voice strikes an emotional chord that does not go unnoticed).
On “Black Octopus” you’ll also find some of the best all-star musicians from the likes of Alphonse Mouzon (Roy Ayers, Betty Davis, Azar Lawrence)…and last but not least fellow Headhunters Bennie Maupin and Herbie Hancock himself.
With “Black Octopus” Paul Jackson wrote the book on how a jazz-funk-fusion album should sound like. The fact that the album was only distributed in Japan at the time (Jackson resided in Tokyo since the late 70’s, where he passed away in 2021) continues to increase its reputation as an album that is VERY hard to find. This is a must-have gem…not only for fans of jazz, funk and rare grooves, but also for DJs and collectors around the globe.
For our latest project, on side A you'll find 3 tracks, here Ian Ash's cover of I Want to Thank You, originally sung by Ms Alicia Myers and here performed by Ella May. Surrounded by fantastic musicians such as Mathieu Karcher, Olivier Magarotto and Jérôme Billeter, I was able to give my all to offer my vision of this track! No samples, everything is played from A to Z! Welcome to Ian Ash's "Boogievision"
The remix of my cover of I Want to Thank You, originally sung by Ms Alicia Myers, by the offensive combo of Mr Doris and D-Funk. I've always loved the energy Mr Doris puts into his dj sets, his science of the dance floor and his always positive attitude. I've also always been a fan of D-Funk's productions & the instrumental version
On the B-side, originally created by Fostin with Jessie Wagner, I was able to get permission to do my own Acid-Jazz version. Jessica needs no introduction, thanks to her enormous vocal prowess. She has toured the world with the Famous "Chic" , Lenny Kravitz , Kid Rock and Duran Duran. To name but a few & the instrumental version
Following a string of releases from Future Times to Opal Tapes, US producer Huerco S. takes on the full-length format for NY based Mexican Summer Records. Such releases and a hectic tour of DJ sets has enabled him to carve out a reputation for high quality, lo-fi recordings, and for a producer keen on exploring a broad aural palette, there’s every chance to push the boundaries on new LP ‘Colonial Patterns’.
After a bit of a hiatus, BLKMARKET MUSIC is back in action for it's 13th release 'The Beauty Of The Dark' featuring the sophomore release on the label by New York legend Reade Truth.
We are thrilled to have the veteran DJ, producer and label boss of his imprint Path Records, back for his follow up release to Violent Rose that was released in 2019 on the label.
This new 6 track EP, showcases the different realms of Reade's heavily influenced sci-fi productions, crossing Acid, House, Industrial and Techno territories.
d B1. TXM Trance Ecstacy Machine - 5m 33secs
Cryovac 27 opens with the driving sounds of Max Watts. Max has a brash commitment to a spartan drive of bass and kick. Watts captures a sense of urgency by making use of his synth stabs and eclectic, erratic melodies. “Watts Groove” is a rambunctious tool for the competitive DJ. “Santa ana” smoothes out the ride with an electro groove that pulls an elegant funk into a freaky shakedown. Watts adds emotion to a classic break style while staying firmly grounded in space.
The B side hosts, A.Garcia and M.Kretsch, continue their lab work on a couple of well rounded bangers that blend the talents of this duo into an effective sound collaborative. Infectious percussion moves a tasteful mix of rich silky synth lines manifesting “Layhee”. Diving in on a heroic bop through the confusion of synth and breakdown is "indianagiver". A rugged rocker with spacious atmosphere held together by a backbone of bass and hi hat. Garcia and Kretsch put forth a well built product for a disposable age.
Finally coming!
Dusty Donuts strikes back with the second part of their Weapons of Choice series. Put together by DJ Robert Smith, Marc Hype, Naughty NMX and DJ Goce it features classic 90s golden age intox-icated beats, a long intro selection and five skipless scratch effect tracks made for phrase cutting, all produced to fit together perfectly. This battle tool was created to cater for the portablist and 45 club DJ alike. It’s one of those records, that just stays in the crate of every dedicated Hip Hop 45 DJ!
Limited to 300 copies. The Groove Connection formed in Medway, Kent during the early '90's, amongst the Acid Jazz heyday, playing clubs, pubs and festivals up and down the land with their urban jazz-funk grooves. The band comprised of usually six to eight members over the years, including Mark 'Bertie' Gilbert, the former (initial) bass player from The Milkshakes, and was originally an instrumental project, with vocals added later giving the band further appeal. Recording/releasing their first CD EP in 1996 (In Full Pursuit), described by Blues & Soul as 'an impressive debut set', The Groove Connection also released a 7" vinyl single in 1998 (What It Is), which was produced by respected DJ and percussionist Snowboy. A year later, their first album 'Infiltration' was released. All releases were via their own NeuJaz label. As well as working with Snowboy, the band also supported Jamiroquai twice in 1997 (at Finsbury's Jam in the Park and the Phoenix Festival), as well as playing to a full house at the Jazz Cafe, Camden on many occasions, and the band toured the UK as part of the Messin' Around Jazz Cotech collaboration. In 1999, the band found themselves on the Verve Records' released compilation 'Messin' Around Presents Root Down', alongside Lalo Schifrin, Jimmy Smith, The JBs, and Roy Ayers to name just a few. In 2001 the band recorded, and released their second album 'Back To Brooklyn', introducing vocalist Laura Knight and guest hammond virtuoso Gary Baldwin, a ten-track full-length, CD-only release. Other tracks were recorded in the same session… Two tracks that didn't make the last album were 'Can You Hear Me' and 'When I'm With You', both vocal filled, and we've decided to capture them onto two continuous 'grooves'.
There are few people across the globe, who will have not been touched by the work of Frankie Knuckles. Forever regarded as ‘The Godfather of House’. A Grammy Award winner, Frankie had a street in Chicago named after him where the old Warehouse once stood to commemorate the first ever Frankie Knuckles Day on 25th August 2004. Five years ago, Frankie passed away in Chicago on 31st March 2014 leaving behind one of the greatest house music legacies spanning almost four decades.
Now he is commemorated once again by long time writing and production partner Eric Kupper who will release part II of the special commemorative album on vinyl around this date. Eric, himself a seasoned DJ producer and writer, working side by side with Frankie on many his seminal classics, as well as personally working on over 116 Billboard #1 Dance Records. Having both worked together for many years they established themselves at ‘Director’s Cut’ from 2011 and set about producing original releases and remixes based on the classic ‘Def Mix’ sound while sharing equal credits for their creations.
The album features some of Directors Cut’s best works with the Re-Directed version of the seminal classic ‘Baby Wants To Ride’ plus their re rubs of Inaya Day, Sybil, Hardsoul and Lou Rawls - You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine (Kenny Summit, Frankie Knuckles & Eric Kupper Unreleased Anthem).
This album is to be released in collaboration with The Frankie Knuckles Foundation who work to continue Frankie’s legacy whilst focusing on music in schools, LGBTQ youth homelessness, AIDS research / prevention & diabetes research / education.
Ron Maney also known as DJ Skull lived in the Southside of Chicago (IL, USA). His musical career started during the summer of 1986, while recovering from a broken bone. During the following years he homed his craft, DJing first at basement parties, building his reputation to go on to larger events such as, loft and hotel parties, and eventually the infamous Music Box and Power Plant clubs. At the age of fifteen Ron shopped his first demo at Trax Records.
There he first met Chicago's legendary DJ Ron Hardy, working as A&R for Trax Records. Two years, and a new alias later (DJ Skull) later while at the Power Plant, Chicago's own Steve Poindexter heard a DJ playing one of Rons tracks, and met Ron. Steve was now A&R at Saber Records and invited Ron to release some tracks. So in October of 1991 DJ Skull's first record "N.R.G. Music" was released.
In 1993, he released the EP "The Stomping Grounds" on Djax-Up-Beats, which was more noted than the first one. Over the years that followed DJ Skull released lots of EP's on several labels. He has become well-respected producer and DJ in the Techno industry.
A historic collaboration by two of jazz music's greatest artists on 180g Double LP Set! Impex Records' deluxe production captures the amazing outdoor acoustics with fine detail and wide dynamic range. The beautiful gatefold jacket is coated in a vintage high-gloss lacquer.
The White House Sessions, Live 1962 contains inspired performances of classic tunes "Take Five", "Castilian Blues", "Lullaby of Birdland", and "I Left My Heart In San Francisco".
"Bennett's vocals are particularly natural and present-sounding... Brubeck's group in its prime, with Paul Desmond on Alto, Eugene Wright on bass and Joe Morello on drums... Bennett/Brubeck is nonetheless a record I found myself playing more times than I expected to before sitting down to write this. There's something about a live performance from a time when life was so much simpler, even if more jittery and dangerous because of the cold war, that makes you want to go back in time and enjoy it all again."
This two LP set is beautifully re-mastered and the original artwork has been carefully replicated.
Two remarkable visionaries at the peak of their powers, Dave Brubeck and his quartet and Tony Bennett (both with his group and with Bennett with trio) give hot performances of some of their biggest hits: Brubeck's revved up "Take Five," and Tony Bennett's soulful "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."
Playing the popular White House Sessions concert on the Washington Mall for President John F. Kennedy, these titans of popular jazz have a great time informing, joking and playing the lights out. You'll want to play the grooves out of Impex's impeccably produced issue of this lost treasure. Quiet surfaces, incredible dynamics, full frequency responses and deluxe packaging will provide years of listening and viewing pleasure.
Immerse yourself in blissed-out melodies, masterful sampling and improvised synthesis in four diverse clubready tracks by Melbourne based producer and live electronic artist Skinny Wizard. With a background in keyboards and improvisation, and a strong career in the Australian live music scene, Skinny Wizard ¦rst emerged in 2019 with a live show featuring a collection of drum machines, sequencers and synthesisers, and quickly became a sought-after live artist and DJ in the Melbourne club scene. "Off Lead EP" showcases his further development in bridging the gap between his unique improvised live sound and studio productions.
First released in late 2016, flamingo tripper is a rough-hewn, glowing piece of after hours house music which continues to charm years later.
Originally described as "near perfection" by dj mag, this revisited edition features a remaster of the title track alongside fresh reinterpretations of the original ep.
A side: ninja tune’s letherette bring a sublime golden-era 90bpm instrumental, newcastle duo ten sticks craft kaleidoscopic dub techno of the ~scape records ilk.
B side: dream cycle & edmondson provide low end-heavy, panoramic club tracks - crisp, hi-res sonics and smoked-out atmospherics in the outer ukg realm.
This compilation takes us on a journey to the Colombian coast where the passion for African music burns bright.It's impossible to understand this love affair without first looking to San Basilio de Palenque - the first free town in colonial Latin America, established in 1691 as a place of refuge and autonomy for black slaves. It's a place where pride in African heritage and culture could be kept alive, just 50 km away from Cartagena de Indias.
The Afro Caribbeans' connection to their roots gave rise to the "picós" - artisanal, high-powered sound systems akin to those found in Jamaica. These music aficionados have a keen ear for African melodies, leading to a vibrant collector's scene that brought Afro sounds to the streets of Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Santa Marta. This compilation showcases the best of Kenyan Benga music - a unique style with a distinct guitar-picking method that draws from traditional instruments like the nyatiti and orutu. Learn everything about the history and stories behind these African tracks, from the carefully guarded "exclusives" to the piconema - the practice of renaming songs in Spanish based on their lyrics or the reaction of the dancefloor.
The project has been led by Spanish vinyl collector Joan Pujol aka Golfo De Guinea surrounded by a team of passionate music lovers including Don Alirio, a musicologist from Barranquilla who offered a coastal perspective, and George Ouma, a Kenyan DJ, collector, and Benga advocate who helped with track selection and securing rights. The result is a compilation that captures the joy and energy of sub-Saharan polyrhythm, bringing together a vibrant mix of genres that are sure to move your feet. So sit back, turn up the volume, and let yourself be transported to the vibrant streets of the Colombian coast and the shores of Lake Victoria.
REPRESS
Codek is the brainchild of Jean-Marie Salaun who grew up in Paris influenced by the folklore of the inner city. In 1978 he joined art rock group SpionS alongside Gregory Davidow and recorded two singles. Diving into the Paris post punk scene he met Claude Arto and designed the artwork for Claude's single on Celluloid Kwai Systeme / Betty Boop.' Robin Scott (M Pop Music') had produced the SpionS first single and wanted to collaborate further. With Claude, Jean-Marie wrote Me Me Me', intended for a choir, for M. Then SpionS split and Robin was off to Switzerland to record an album to follow-up his hit single. That left Jean-Marie alone in London, where he began working as Codek, a play on the brand name Kodak The Me Me Me' single was released by MCA Records in 1980. Back in Paris, now with some studio experience, Celluloid Records hired Jean-Marie to produce records for Artefact and Les Orphelins. Over the next 2 years he began working on ideas for the next Codek single Closer / Tam Tam'
Closer' started its life as an electric baseline played by Jean-Marie. Claude Arto sequenced the floating synthesizers. Laurent Grangier and Frédéric Lapierre of reggae band Immigration Act played the horns. The lyrics Hard to say. Easy to do. We don't need to say what we do' were a statement on creation as narration expressed Jean-Marie's ennui, I'm tired with it.' Tam Tam' was inspired by Burundi drummers playing on the plaza in front of Beaubourg where the song was recorded. Jean-Marie enlisted one of the drummers from the circle, Georges Atta Dikalo, to lay down percussion for the song. The female singers were from the French Caribbean and added falsetto tribal chants. JM was part of the the African night scene in Paris, remixing Xalam's Kanu' and Touré Kunda's Salaly Muhamed.' Claude achieved complex rhythmic patterns using a modular synthesizer and heavy processing. Jean-Marie recorded himself beating his chest for the thump noises. The recording of Tam Tam' and Closer' spanned over two years. They started on 16-track in Studio d'Auteuil, where JM blew the woofers, before resuming in Studio Centre Georges Pompidou with an added 8-track recorder. Jean-Marie was producing other bands, and a lot of this was recorded on "borrowed" studio time. The single was released in 1981 on West African Music, a tiny label from the Ivory Coast, and was re-released a year later by Island Records in the UK (where the B-side was re-named Tim Toum'). Both tracks were staples in the DJ sets of Beppe Loda and Daniele Baldelli, finding a spiritual home in the Cosmic scene of Italy.
Both songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is an exact replica of the 1981 edition with artwork by Angela Boy, inspired by primitive electronics and African paintings. Each copy includes an doubles-sided insert with photos and liner notes by Jean-Marie Salaun.
Codek is the brainchild of Jean-Marie Salaun who grew up in Paris influenced by the folklore of the inner city. In 1978 he joined art rock group SpionS and collaborated with Robin Scott (M 'Pop Music'). He began working as Codek, a play on the brand name Kodak with the 'Me Me Me' single released in 1980. In 1981 the 'Tam Tam'/'Closer' single was released on West African Music, a tiny label from the Ivory Coast, and re-released a year later by Island Records in the UK (where the B-side was re-named 'Tim Toum'). 'Tam Tam' was inspired by Burundi drummers playing in the plaza in front of Beaubourg where the song was recorded. Jean-Marie enlisted one of the drummers from the circle, Georges Atta Dikalo, to lay down percussion for the song. The female singers were from the French Caribbean and added falsetto tribal chants. Claude Arto achieved complex rhythmic patterns using a modular synthesizer and heavy processing. Jean-Marie recorded himself beating his chest for the thump noises. The recording of spanned over two years. They started on 16-track in Studio d'Auteuil, where Jean-Marie blew the woofers, before resuming in Studio Centre Georges Pompidou with an added 8-track recorder.
In 2017 we reissued the 'Tam Tam'/ 'Closer' single and shortly after the 24-track master tapes were discovered in Paris by original engineer Gérard Chiron. We arranged for graphic designer Maycec to pick up the tapes and immediately began to think of remixers for this project. First up is producer and DJ Daniele Baldelli who gave the original single a spiritual home in the Cosmic 80s scene of Italy. Here he's teamed up with Marco Dionigi for two remixes. Remix A goes full on funky disco baseline while Remix B a more balearic affair. We remember Justin sharing a memory of DJing the original Island Records promo at the Mudd Club in 1981 so we had to ask him for remix. He teamed up with his Whatever/Whatever production partner Bryan Mette and delivered an hypnotic pulsing house remix and an extended edit. All songs have been mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is new twist designed by Eloise Leigh on the 1981 edition artwork by Angela Boy, inspired by primitive electronics and African paintings.
Be With present the first ever reissue of the ultra rare double pack DJ promo of Malcolm McLaren & Bootzilla Orchestra's "Call A Wave". Originally slipping out in 1989 to a select few, there were rumoured to be only ever 300 copies pressed. Indeed, the entire package never got a proper release and now goes for a small fortune.
Say what? Bootsy Collins, Jeff Beck and Malcolm McLaren, all in one band, composing over a Barry White sample? And that's just the original. But you can forget about that for now. Here we have the incredibly sought-after "DFC Dance Mix", mixed by Massimino Lippoli of Morenas / Sueño Latino fame for the legendary DFC Italy. It's a throbbing, vital, dramatic slice of dreamy ambient house. A deep, entrancing track that's both blissful and dancefloor dynamite. It features the iconic, disaffected female vocal chopped up over elegant piano snatches, Beck's ace guitar stylings over rolling, heavy drums and a killer, hypnotic bassline with sparkling harp coming and going. It's exotic, otherworldly and brimming with that very special late 80s/early 90s Mediterranean vibe. Yes, it's Balearic, it's House. Above all else, it's a pure uncut slice of halcyon summer days, pressed on wax.
But on side B we also have the mesmeric "Breakdown Mix", again mixed by DFC Italy. For some, *this* is the mix to have - and who are we to argue? This time, the vocals are treated so they're uttered backwards, contributing to the wonderfully disorienting magic of this particular mix.
And how could we forget the equally iconic "Orbital Mix"? Not by the actual group Orbital, but courtesy of S'Express's Mark Moore & William Orbit, no less. A brilliant, beautiful remix that's perhaps more musical. They make more obvious use of the sample from the original Barry White track ("I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby") that Malcolm was inspired by. Flip over to Side D to find the duo's uber-horizontal "Return To The Deep Ambient Mix", a floaty, beatless gem that'll leave you swooning.
To round out this quite astonishing package, the "New Age Mix", again coming from the DFC Italy camp, elegantly sends us off into the cosmos with minimal percussion and maximum vibes.
Every mix on this DJ double pack is truly killer. Simon Francis remastered the original audio for this release and Cicely Balston's precise cut for Alchemy at AIR Studios ensures this 2x12" well and truly pumps. The immaculate Record Industry pressing will ensure this incredibly sought-after masterpiece finds a home in many more DJ boxes this and every summer. For the artwork, we've recreated the original DJ promo, a plain white gatefold sleeve complete with the iconic burnt orange hype sticker. Hold tight. Roof down, tops off.
Raised on Colombia's Caribbean coast and united by its capital, Bogota, Ghetto Kumbé combines the rich musical heritage of their home, to invoke the spirit of digital rumba in audiences all over the world. The secret behind their irresistible electronic ritual lies in their powerful percussion base; Caribbean house beats and traditional afro-Colombian rhythms inherited from West Africa. The album's co-producer, The Busy Twist, adds all the legacy of UK's Bass scene to the Afrofuturistic sounds of the 3 Colombians. Inspired by the different revolutionary movements emerging all over the world, Ghetto Kumbé will release their first full-length album in July 2020 on pioneering Latin Ameri-can electronic label ZZK. Their self-titled debut is visceral, committed, and rebellious, denouncing through frantic rhythms the inequalities and abuses imposed by corrupt governments, while simultaneously enticing listeners to join in the fight. Dance mingles with awareness to create a global community, where family, friends, and strangers come together through our shared love of music and activate change amongst themselves. Using musical motifs from Africa and Colombia's Caribbean coast such as the gaita, call-and-response vocals, and an array of hand drums and rhythms, coupled with the elegant electronic production of Tech/House, Ghetto Kumbé creates an Afro-futurist soundscape with lyrics to motivate, elevate, and inspire. Their first single to come out, `Vamo a Dale Duro', is a fluorescent criticism of the unjust divide between the poor and the rich, the rising prominence of dirty politicians, and the ethics of the capitalist sys-tem while encouraging people to stand up and fight for a dignified existence. The al-bum's tone fluctuates fluidly between tracks that include ancestral chants, voices both deep and resounding, and anthems to uplift and inspire, as well as features by up-and-coming Réunion island artist Melanie and the Palenque-based folk/hip-hop band Kombilesa Mi. In the Americas, Ghetto Kumbé has become one of the most important alternative groups to come out of Colombia. They've played Barranquilla's world famous Carnival, Bogotá's recent Boiler Room, and have even opened for Radiohead. The ancient yet modern sound of the three powerful musicians has made them a legitimate representative of the new Afrohouse scene burgeoning all over the world.
The 3rd vinyl produced by Southwax, a collective of DJ Producers and Graphic Designers based in Marseille, London, Lille and Liverpool.
Side A, a compo by the White Knight , a producer based in Marseille, in collaboration with James Bacon, cut for the dance floor with a heady sample taken from a classic French film from the 70's whose melody is easily recognisable by Vladimir C., an inspired tribute to the tradition of French Touch tracks with a Kick worthy of Chicago House.
Side B - French Disco Machine, produced by James Bacon in the style of Justice/ Sebastian, with a big techno kick and a disco sample that is destructured and filtered to the extreme. James Bacon is best known for his techno productions under the name LENSKID on Analog Records for the legendary DJ Fresh. For Southwax he has produced a sonic UFO that will shake the walls.
Maxi 45 rpm blue vinyl pressed by French sound craftsmen La Manufacture des Vinyles in Annecy.
Volume 1[24,79 €]
Volume 2 - Red Vinyl[31,72 €]
Volume 3 (Red Vinyl)[29,37 €]
There are few people across the globe, who will have not been touched by the work of Frankie Knuckles. Forever regarded as ‘The Godfather of House’ for his unrivalled contribution to the house music we know today; what started as an underground movement in Chicago has grown to international heights thanks to Frankie. His records earned him recognition on a global scale, allowing him to work with some of the globes biggest names including the likes of Diana Ross, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.
Five years ago, Frankie passed away in Chicago on 31st March 2014 leaving behind one of the greatest house music legacies spanning almost four decades. Now he is commemorated by long time writing and production partner Eric Kupper. Eric, himself a seasoned DJ producer and writer, has worked on over 116 Billboard #1 Dance Records and played a pivotal role in a many of Frankie’s productions. Having both worked together for many years they established themselves at ‘Director’s Cut’ from 2011 and set about producing original releases and remixes based on the classic ‘Def Mix’ sound while sharing equal credits for their creations.
Together they re-produced and re-purpose classic cuts for modern dancefloors, with reworks including tracks from Marshall Jefferson, Ashford & Simpson, Artful & Ridney and The Sunburst Band, alongside Frankie Knuckles originals. These releases have now been brought together by Eric to feature on special album called ‘The Directors Cut Collection’ on SoSure Music. It includes the Director’s Cut reworks of Frankie’s classic cuts such as ‘Your Love’ and ‘Take You There’ with Jamie Principle, alongside Frankie’s first #1 single - ‘The Whistle Song’ on which Eric shares writing credits.
Within a multitude of classic reworks, highlights include a previously unreleased version of Ashford & Simpson’s ‘Bourgie Bourgie’ and a huge Director’s Cut Retro Signature mix of Marshall Jefferson’s 'The House Music Anthem (Move Your Body)' featuring Curtis McClain.
The Director’s Cut Collection is a fitting tribute to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Frankie’s passing whilst giving Eric a platform to tell his side of the creative story. This album is to be released in collaboration with The Frankie Knuckles Foundation who work to continuing Frankie’s legacy well into the future.
Having performed across Europe, South America, Australia and Russia, Attanasio is well-versed as a DJ whilst as a producer he is been releasing music for nearly a decade. However the last few years have been particularly pivotal for the Italian whether releasing on labels like Monnom Black or his Letters From Jerusalem imprint, which has acted as a platform for much of his sought after tracks, including remixes by And, Ancient Methods and Headless Horseman. He now adds Involve Records to his discography, following appearances from artists like Alignment, JKS, Fabrizio Rat, and Z.I.P.P.O.
She may be making her first appearance on NuNorthern Soul, but Zeynep Erbay is no newcomer. A classically trained pianist who took a turn towards the dancefloor while at university, the Turkish DJ/producer earned her first release on Compost Records way back in 2007 after taking part in 2006’s Red Bull Music Academy programme. Since then, her career has been on an upwards trajectory, with releases on Fools Gold and Soul Clap Records confirming Erbay as a genuine rising star of underground electronic music.
On the Healer EP, the Istanbul-based producer showcases the more atmospheric, sun-kissed end of her productions, taking a turn away from synth-powered, disco-leaning club tracks towards something more suitable for al-fresco events, sun-down sets, and sofa-bound listening sessions.
Inspired by a poem inscribed on the back cover of the EP, Erbay’s two original instrumental tracks simply ooze with emotion. The poem tells the story of a whale searching for her family while helping others along the way, which acts as a metaphor for our wider search for belonging and acceptance.
This aural narrative unfolds firstly across ‘Heart of a Healer’, a slowly unfurling stunner in which emotion-rich chords, gentle electronic melodies and Erbay’s poignant and picturesque piano motifs, gently rise above a chunky dub disco bassline and mid-tempo, triple-time drums.
Delving further, the effortlessly emotional, life-affirming composition ‘Healer Whale’, where Erbay’s impeccable piano playing ushers in languid, jazz-flecked drums, dubby bass, sumptuous synth-strings and colourful, slow-moving chords.
On remix dutires, NYC-based Italian Danilo Braca, who also mastered the release, provides a fine club-focused fix of ‘Heart of a Healer’, laced with crunchy machine drums and undulating TB-303 acid lines. NuNorthern Soul regular Marshall Watson handles ‘Healer Whale’, first delivering a fine ‘Remix’ version that effortlessly blurs the boundary between dub disco and Balearic nu-disco, before serving up a shorter, ambient ‘Reprise’ version.
Revered house mainstay Junior Sanchez makes his debut on Carl Craig’s renowned Planet E Communications imprint today with the digital release of his latest EP ‘‘Art O Fact’ out now with a 12” to come this July. Hailing from New Jersey, Sanchez remains a pioneering force in house music for over three decades and a close ally of Craig’s.
‘Art O Fact’ is an exemplar of the energized rhythm and infectious groove that has become synonymous with Sanchez’s work and genre defining productions. The package seamlessly connects scenes and eras, paying homage to the soulful sonic atmosphere of Detroit, Junior Sanchez’s says:
“Art O Fact -- was created purely and simply out of creative inspiration. I walked into the studio one morning not really knowing what to do, so I let my inspiration guide me and my inspiration really was Detroit. I thought about that city, what it meant to me and what techno really meant to my heart. I have loved so many records by Carl Craig, DJ ROLANDO, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson and Juan Atkins, so the result is something really beautiful and organic, and the fact that it's coming out on Carl Craig's planet E imprint is such an honor.”
In addition to the original mix, the ‘Art O Fact’ EP features a bouncy ‘Luv4Detroit’ Dub, energized edit, and melodic reprise.
Sanchez’s eclectic palette can be credited in part to his time spent in the sonic melting pot of New York City in the 1990s. A pillar of the underground club scene, Junior Sanchez began DJing at iconic New York City institutions such as Limelight and Club USA at the mere age of 13 and released his first track on iconic house imprint Strictly Rhythm at age 15. Sanchez went on to co-found Da Mongaloids collective, composed of the likes of Daft Punk, Armand van Helden, LaidbackLuke, and more which laid the foundation for him to form multi-generational turntablism trio S-Men alongside Roger Sanchez and DJ Sneak.
Sanchez's extensive repertoire of collaborators includes Madonna, Ariana Grande, Good Charlotte, Azealia Banks and more while his own imprints Cube Recordings and Brobot Records have seen releases from the likes of Felix Da Housecat, Sébastien Léger, and Steve Mac.
Led by legendary Detroit techno pioneer Carl Craig, Planet E Communications has been an integral force in shaping electronic music for the past thirty years. Standing testament to the timeless spirit of techno, over the past two years alone Carl has released the leftfield ‘Attenuator’ jazz fusion project from himself and Moritz Von Oswald, DJ Holographic’s multi-genre Detroit Love Vol. 5, and the first electronic music album from Mexican-American percussionist Francisco Mora-Catlett. Planet E continues to transcend the dance floor, as it perpetuates the unifying spirit and unwavering creativity of Detroit.
Irish DJ and producer, Ben Prophet, has caught the attention of some of the electronic scene’s most influential names in recent years. Currently residing in the underground music hub of Newcastle, his dark and exhilarating tracks have proven to captivate dancefloors. Now the artist is set to embark on his most monumental release to date, with the four track EP ‘From Dusk’. Staying distinctly true to himself, the EP channels Prophet’s love for bassline, electronica, and techno, whilst placing a key focus on mechanical vocals that add a mind-bending element that listeners can get lost in. ‘From Dusk’ will be released to the world via HAAi and Alice Pelly’s Radical New Theory label, a proven base for projecting emerging talent.
‘From Dusk’ is an EP that serves as a bold declaration. Prophet was determined to take listeners on a journey across the four tracks. Never resting on his laurels, the artist ventured into many corners of the dance world, whilst maintaining a core signature sound. Opener ‘Telepathy’ Sees Prophet build an emphatic, heavy hitting techno track, centring around a manipulated spoken-word vocal. It’s a sound that holds nothing back and is showcased again on ‘Down The Rabbit Hole’. Equally dark in its design, Prophet once more places distorted vocals at the forefront, this time displaying an industrial take on breakbeat. On the flip side, we see ‘Ocarina’ and title track ‘From Dusk’ turn the dark energy on its head with a distinctly melodic approach which adds a touch of psychedelia and high emotion to the EP. What’s clear is there’s something on ‘From Dusk’ for anyone that loves club music.
Speaking on the release, Prophet states:“HAAi has been one of the biggest inspirations for my sound, so to have become friends and to release my music on her label Radical New Theory is a massive moment for me. I’ve taken a different approach on each track, but each has my signature sound and is ready for the dance floor.”
HAAi also offers an insight into why she wanted to release ‘From Dusk’ on Radical New Theory: “Ben Prophet’s tracks have such a driving force and a dark energy to them, which is so powerful in the club. I’m extremely excited to get this record out in the world.”
Prophet’s previous releases ‘Hyper Funk EP’ and ‘King Of Rock’ on Chapeau music and Happy Wax Records respectively reached dancefloors across the world with regular plays from the likes of Mall Grab, Skream and VTSS. His gritty and energetic productions are born for the peak-time dance floor where its power creates intoxicating effects. No longer a hidden gem of the North East, the artist's music has gathered serious momentum and ‘From Dusk’ might well be the record that makes Ben Prophet a household name.
‘From Dusk’ is the third release on Radical New Theory, a label created in 2020 by HAAi and Alice Pelly which aims to shine a light on unique emerging talent, and the inevitable stars of tomorrow. Last year the label released LUXE’s debut ‘Belonging EP’ which was championed by MaryAnn Hobbs on BBC 6Music, and the artist has since gone on to tour across Europe. Whilst Ozzy, who released the labels first record ‘Een’, has since released on Barnt’s Schalen imprint. Radical New Theory was born out of a love for the craft of dance music and the careful consideration of what they release ensures the highest standards. A safe space for emerging talent, be sure to keep your eyes out for what comes next from the label
Taken from the album ‘Strata Records – The Sound of Detroit – Reimagined by Jazzanova’, BBE Music, DJ Amir and 180 Proof records present the 3rd single from this monumental project. This release features remixes by Japanese Club Jazz pioneers Kyoto Jazz Massive, and Genre Blending New Yorkers, musclecars. Kyoto Jazz Massive were enlisted to remix the Jazzanova reimagining of Sam Sanders’s iconic song Face at my Window. Their mix adds an intimate Jazz Club feel to vocalist Sean Haefeli’s recording, which highlights the dynamics of Sean’s voice. The subtle tempo increase maintains the feel of the original and adds a punch to the brass section, making the track an entirely new experience. musclecars add that traditional New York / Chicago House vibe to Jazzanova’s reimagining of Kenny Cox’s ‘Beyond the dream’, and the result is a skippy afro/latin dancefloor filler which can go on forever. musclecars demonstrate their genre blending superpowers on this mix which adds a garage swing to a jazz record, definitely going to be a jam for the dancefloors in 2023. Both remixes showcase the importance of DJ Amir's unearthing of these strata gems, and Jazzanova’s reimagining, how they have breathed new life into one of Detroit’s hidden gems - Strata Records. They will definitely on board new audiences to the treasure trove that is Strata, and the iconic stories surrounding the often overlooked record label.
Repress!
"One Step Forward" is the debut album from Brighton based DJ and producer Cut La Vis aka David Lavis. Raised on a healthy diet of 90s hip hop, roots reggae and ska, Cut La Vis debut album for NICE UP! is a melting pot of exactly that - the sounds and culture he grew up around whilst learning his trade. Starting off as the DJ for a reggae band in his hometown of Hereford, he soon gravitated to the turntablist explosion of the mid 90s, competing in local competitions and B-Boy jams. At the same time, his love for dub and roots reggae led him into trying his hand at the fertile reggae mash-up scene, making a name for himself with an array of dancefloor shaking blends of classic hip hop tracks infused with a feel good skank, as well as remixes for for artists such as Blend Mishkin, Dreadsquad and Max Rubadub. Making the transition from mash-up maverick to original producer, you can still expect the same reggae infused bangers, dubwise hip hop and ska shakers complemented by an impressive array of guest vocalists plus a little help from a tight band of session musicians. Following their summer hit "Still Have The Love", London-based reggae/soul singer Maddy Carty appears on a number of tracks, as well as Bristol songstress Eva Lazarus who has been bothering the top 40 recently alongside Etherwood (Hospital Records). Roots Manuva collaborator and Speech Debelle's Mercury-winning producer Lotek blesses the mic on the bouncing "Rinse & Repeat" as well as UK Dancehall legend Tippa Irie who crops up on "Love My Music" pus an appearance from regular collaborator Mystro who opens the album with "Hit Me One Time". Rounding things off are JA dancehall MC Peppery and vocalist from Origin One, Parisa - giving the album a healthy balance of established artists and newer talent. With a cheeky nod to the classic Max Romeo track, "One Step Forward" also refers to this being Dave's debut album and making his first step into the future whilst retaining inspiration from the past.
Named King of the Edit since the 1980’s, pioneering Manhattan DJ Danny Krivit’s (aka Mr K) latest 12” delivery instils the title bestowed upon him some 30 years ago. An esteemed selector Danny’s prolific remixing and production capabilities have touched hundreds of records – with his signature flare shaping the New York City sound. Opening the A-Side of the release, is Danny edit this summer’s seminal track The Vision’s ‘Heaven’, interweaving a gloriously groovy bassline with Andreya Triana’s vocal to produce an extended, DJ friendly mix that he sent crowds wild with at Dekmental Festival.
On the flip, Mr K delves a little deeper into the Defected catalogue, trying his hand at The DangerFeel Newbies’ ‘What Am I Here For (Original NDATL Vocal)’. Danny’s stripped back version extends the jazzy, percussive original, as velvety smooth vocals and elegant keys bring this expressive and sophisticated release to a close. A true master of the edit, music as good as this deserves to be heard on wax.
Second album from Elias Mazian.
While his debut album Vrij Van Dromen hinted at the work of a bedroom producer, Elias Mazian never was the person to hide. After becoming a resident DJ at the now gone club Trouw ten years ago, he spent many nights playing records at clubs, and today he is as visible during the day as selector and host on FM radio. With this follow-up record he does one more step out of obscurity: moving from low to high fidelity, into more sincerity.
The songs on Alleen Bij Mij comfortably sit next to the songs he shares with friends on Private Hearts, Mazian's radio show dedicated to pop melodies. Like classic sixties records, the LP clocks just above thirty minutes, while also sharing their harmonic approach. Additional influences can be traced back to seventies krautrock, Dutch disco dub from the eighties and the storytelling of mid-2000's Dutch rap. Channeling these sounds into his own after hour tales, Elias Mazian created the perfect album for late bike rides and night trains alike.
Seconded by his good friend and multi-instrumentalist Anton Pieete and the all-knowing engineer Eelco Bakker, the album is produced and mixed for Mazian's melodies to shine. Combining observations from daily life with the big themes of pop music, this mixture results in eight songs ready for radio play.
red LP[24,79 €]
LP includes Poster.
When Sacred Bones first began their Mort Garson reissue project in 2019 with a proper reissue of Plantasia, the Garson-naissance began in earnest. Soon after, you could hear Mort Garson and his Moogs bubbling up on TV shows, documentaries, podcasts, hip-hop tracks, or anywhere else, the man a cultural phenomenon once more.
Like a perennial that returns with each new spring, the Mort Garson archives have brought to bear yet another awe-inspiring bloom.
Journey to the Moon and Beyond finds even more new facets to the man's sound. There's the soundtrack to the 1974 blaxploitation film Black Eye (starring Fred Williamson) alongside some newly unearthed music for advertising. Just as regal is "Zoos of the World," where Garson soundtracks the wild, preening, slumbering animals from a 1970 National Geographic special of the same name.
The mind reels at just what project would have yielded a scintillating title like "Western Dragon," but these three selections were found on tapes in the archive with no further information. The crown jewel of the set is no doubt Garson's soundtrack to the live broadcast of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, as first heard on CBS News. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for Moogkind. But for decades, this audio was presumed lost, the only trace of it appearing to be from an old YouTube clip. Thankfully, diligent audio archivist Andy Zax came across a copy of the master tape while going through the massive Rod McKuen archive.
So now we get to hear it in all its glory. Across six minutes, Garson conjures broad fantasias, whirring mooncraft sounds, zero-gravity squelches, and twinkling études. It showcases Mort's many moods: sweet, exploratory, whimsical, a little bit corny, weaving it all together in a glorious whole.
Maybe at the time it scanned as crass and opportunistic for Garson to apply his keyboards to subjects like astrological signs, the occult, hippiedom, houseplants, or the moon landing. But more than most other electronic music pioneers of his ilk, Garson foresaw the integration of such electronics into our daily lives, how they would allow us to engage with the world.
black LP[21,22 €]
LP includes Poster.
When Sacred Bones first began their Mort Garson reissue project in 2019 with a proper reissue of Plantasia, the Garson-naissance began in earnest. Soon after, you could hear Mort Garson and his Moogs bubbling up on TV shows, documentaries, podcasts, hip-hop tracks, or anywhere else, the man a cultural phenomenon once more.
Like a perennial that returns with each new spring, the Mort Garson archives have brought to bear yet another awe-inspiring bloom.
Journey to the Moon and Beyond finds even more new facets to the man's sound. There's the soundtrack to the 1974 blaxploitation film Black Eye (starring Fred Williamson) alongside some newly unearthed music for advertising. Just as regal is "Zoos of the World," where Garson soundtracks the wild, preening, slumbering animals from a 1970 National Geographic special of the same name.
The mind reels at just what project would have yielded a scintillating title like "Western Dragon," but these three selections were found on tapes in the archive with no further information. The crown jewel of the set is no doubt Garson's soundtrack to the live broadcast of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, as first heard on CBS News. That's one small step for man, one giant leap for Moogkind. But for decades, this audio was presumed lost, the only trace of it appearing to be from an old YouTube clip. Thankfully, diligent audio archivist Andy Zax came across a copy of the master tape while going through the massive Rod McKuen archive.
So now we get to hear it in all its glory. Across six minutes, Garson conjures broad fantasias, whirring mooncraft sounds, zero-gravity squelches, and twinkling études. It showcases Mort's many moods: sweet, exploratory, whimsical, a little bit corny, weaving it all together in a glorious whole.
Maybe at the time it scanned as crass and opportunistic for Garson to apply his keyboards to subjects like astrological signs, the occult, hippiedom, houseplants, or the moon landing. But more than most other electronic music pioneers of his ilk, Garson foresaw the integration of such electronics into our daily lives, how they would allow us to engage with the world.
Bevor Saturday Night Fever einschlug, gab es bereits Underground-Disco. DJs in ganz Amerika zogen los und fanden die passende Musik, Tänzer gingen raus und fanden die Clubs. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt, in den frühen Siebzigern, war die Disco noch der Veranstaltungsort und keine Musikrichtung. Der Sampler 'Tribal Rites Of The New Saturday Night' ist der Soundtrack zur Story in der Disco begann und eine Hommage an die Underground-Clubs von Brooklyn und Queens. Saint Etienne's Bob Stanley hat diese Sammlung wieder zusammengestellt und dabei das recherchiert, was in den Jahren 1974 und 1975 tatsächlich in den Clubs von Brooklyn gespielt wurde. 'Supernatural Thing Part 1' von Ben E. King oder 'Wake Up Everybody' von Harold Melvin waren kosmisch großartig und beide sind hier enthalten, neben Underground-Favoriten wie 'Helplessly' von Moment Of Truth oder Ivano Fossatis unglaubliches 'Night Of The Wolf' hat Fans in nördlichen Soul-, Disco- und Prog-Kreisen. 'Tribal Rites Of The New Saturday Night' malt eine Szene in voller Blüte. Dieses Album ist der Sound von Disco, bevor er von der Öffentlichkeit als Disco wahrgenommen wurde.
A superb gatefold Sleeve by Mad Karma and a clean powerfull mastering by Stefan ZMK
The music brings a Banging Electro Hardcore, with a solid story telling and lots of sparkling Electro bright frequences... A bit like that Teknosuck 100% DJ Y.
But more in a live-set mode...
An OVNI in the actual music production. And then... A pure pleasure of course !
La Bestiole comes back with her dancefloor eclectism: 4 tracks celebrating friendship with various producers & musicians and different approaches.
BEST006 musical journey begins with a classic sample-based latin house track, including a cheesy Pleyel grand piano introduction. An oriental & electronic downtempo track follows, to bring some mystery on the classic foor of the floor pattern.
B-side changes the rhythm with two breakbeat productions: deep & sweet electro on B1, and a funky jam to conclude, with the help of Paris jazzmaster Anthony Honnet for the fire synth solo.
As always, a bunch of loops are included, for the skilled DJ to play with and to do your remix yourself.
Limited to 100 copies with stencil handsprayed cover art.
Vol.3[25,00 €]
Ok here we go again boogie nuts!
The fourth volume of Full Beam's infamous "For Gees Only" series is finally upon us...
Another 8 nuggets from the depths of Pharaoh Brunson's pyramid suite presented in a super fresh screen printed gatefold sleeve...
You know the drill by now. One press - Vinyl Only - No digital - No tracklist - No sound clips - No problemo !
Strictly for radio and DJ use only.
Red Laser Corp.
Baldini Records is a brand new edit-centric imprint out of Naples inspired, you might guess correctly, by the legendary DJ, producer and cosmic house innovator Alessandro Baldini. It kicks off with two disco versions that he would surely be happy to reach for. They come from Alex From Utopia - he is a party impresario and a so-called DJ's DJ. Both of these have already been getting plenty of high-profile plays from the likes of Lovefingers, Jonny Rock and Ivan Smagge. 'Story Of Devotion' has a proto-deep house feel to it with nice analogue drums and a silky vocal, while 'Ask Ives' is slower and more psyched out.
When Transform-I was released in 2009, Bristol’s Dubkasm were unmistakably prominent on the reggae scene but it is this LP - their tenth release - that put them on the map and cemented their status as outernational roots innovators and one of the most creative outfits in reggae. By 2006, Jah Shaka had been rinsing their percussive vocoder smash ‘Zulu Dawn’ (track 15) at the end of every dance for close to three years. Dubplates from the LP became firm favourites on some of the greatest soundsystems in the world, including Aba Shanti-I, Iration Steppas, and Channel One.
DJ Stryda and producer Digistep’s reputation grew still further when the pair managed to get an extremely rare vocal from the legendary Dub Judah, who at the time had not voiced a tune for many years. The resulting 7”, ‘From the Foundation’ (track 2) was the first tune to be released from Transform-I, an album which took the music world by storm with its singular blend of a deep, conscious roots reggae sound with instrumentation that drew on Digistep’s Brazilian heritage.
As the great DJ and journalist Steve Barker said in his rave Wire magazine review of the initial release, ‘Like many innovations heard for the first time, you wonder why this has not been done before’. Indeed, the LP’s blend of percussion instruments like zabumba, cavaquinho, and cuica with an absolutely stellar cast of vocalists including Tenastelin, Christine Miller, and Ras B, with a pre-Reggae Reggae Sauce fame Levi Roots recording from his living room, became timeless the moment it was released. Barker praised the album for being ‘more orthodox than expected’, by which I think he meant that the album is a completely authentic roots record, rather than an attempt to mix musical flavours to conceal a lack of ideas. Instead, ideas flew back and forth across the Atlantic, as basic tracks were laid in the Dubkasm Studio (then in Brazil, now in England) and overdubs and vocals were recorded in London, Nottingham, Bristol and Norway, with the final mixes being done at the Daddy Roots studio in Bristol. The combination is seamless both because Digistep grew up with Brazilian music, courtesy of his father, and because Dubkasm have lived and breathed reggae since their formation in 1994 – just go and listen to early releases like ‘Chemical Reaction Dub’ (1996) or ‘Hornsman Trod’ (2003) and you’ll hear heavyweight productions with a Rasta ethos immersed in U.K. soundsystem culture.
Since the album’s release, Dubkasm have gone from strength to strength and collaborated with a dazzling array of artists. Transform-I was remixed by some of Bristol’s best electronica producers in 2010, and 2013’s 12” ‘Victory’ became a huge soundsystem hit around the world, before being voiced by two of the greatest singers of all time, Luciano and Turbulence, and being remixed the following year by one of the world’s finest dubstep producers, Mala (who in 2016 released his own project fusing Latin music with electronic bass – the excellent Mala in Cuba).
The first project of its kind, beautifully reissued in its original format by Dubquake (the outfit behind France’s incredible OBF Soundsystem), Transform-I is the LP that launched Dubkasm on their current trajectory and has truly lived up to its name.
"Almost two years after the multi-charted and heavily played 'Player's Paradise' EP, Lex returns to B2 Recordings, marking the milestone 10th release for Bengoa's rising Athens - based imprint.
The Greek artist has had quite a joyride since then, with releases on Delusions Of Grandeur, Samosa Records and his debut LP on Leng, which brought worldwide attention. Here we see him deliver his latest work, 'Fast Jags' - an unmistakable piece of his trademark nu-disco-meets-house excellence. Popping organic percussion, shaking funk-infused bass lines and an amalgamation of wandering trippy synthesisers and cinematic strings.
For this anniversary release, B2 Recordings could have no other than the man of the moment, prolific DJ and producer Felipe Gordon on remix duties! The highly acclaimed Colombian musician delivers an outstanding ten-minute journey into deep, funk & heart warming house music, playing along with jazz-tinged bass lines and intricately intertwined keys, strings and synth licks.
Rounding things up, label-head Bengoa adds a bit of rawness to the original, effectively bringing up natural percussion and trippy synth stabs, creating a club-ready house roller that you never want to end.
A perfect package for the anniversary tenth release by B2 Recordings.
For the last twenty years, Sami Yenigun has DJed, thrown parties, released records and built community in Washington DC. He lived in and helped produce the underground event space Subterranean A. He's a co-founder of the DC mega party ROAM. He started the label 1432 R alongside Joyce Lim and Dawit Eklund. He's made music for Future Times, World Building, Rhythm Section, and Ghostly International. He’s produced for Dreamcastmoe and jammed with the Lifted crew.
Sami's also an award-winning journalist and Executive Producer of the largest afternoon news broadcast in radio, All Things Considered. He's won a Peabody, a Murrow, A World Press Photo Award and a National Press Club Award for his work, which includes creating a show with the legendary DJs Stretch and Bobbito, serving as editor of NPR's podcast about race, Code Switch, and covering elections, epidemics, insurrections, and of course, music.
It’s a lot, but whether finding a flute that fits, an extra battery for his Marantz, or the energy to make beats after a week of telling stories, Sami's enthusiasm for life, and the people in it, make it work.
The latest record, Elevate, is a testament to that enthusiasm. Four tracks that crackle and pulse with the same electricity that runs through all of what he makes. Just as Sami's interests in his personal and professional life are ranging, so are his tastes for club fare, and you can hear it on this release.
Four views of mother nature: a forest and a mountain range; a wicked city and a well. Traced from house and techno, through a lens and back.
It's a body of work that continues to branch and build. Elevate is a step into Sami's next chapter: Where flutes, stories, queerness and truth curve together.
Shapes of Rhythm is proud to present the self-titled debut LP of Turkish psychedelic pop from MLDVA & Çınar Timur. This record is a celebration of the classic music and culture typically of the 70s and 80s, but which also leans into western jazz funk and soul jazz moments. If you're into the Turkish music legends of the 70s and 80s such as Barış Manço and more recently Altın Gün or Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, you've come to the right place.
MLDVA were formed in Krakow, Poland in 2013 as a DJ and production outfit. Under the influence of Greek and Turkish folk and psych-rock music they began to transform into a band, taking up instruments including the Saz which is one of the most recognisable trademarks of the Turkish sound. Two years later in 2015 they invited Turkish instrumentalist Çınar Timur to join them and this completes the line up on their debut. This electric album is packed with excellently-recorded expansive tracks which are full of energy, psychedelic deep grooves, hard-hitting breakbeats and everything else you'd expect with classic Turkish sounds.
The instrumental double-header of Neşat Erkaş' Zülüf Dökülmüş Yüze, moving into the time-honoured traditional Kozan Dağıis the perfect opening track. The introduction is an overture of sorts with two minutes of Çınar Timur's pondering guitar. This tees up the record perfectly before heading into a break-beat driven workout with the band matching Çınar's evocative and energetic riffing. The result is a tight sound and a heavy groove that sets the tone for what's to come.
With the band unveiled, Sarı Çizmeli Mehmet Ağa, written by Barış Manço (a legend in Turkish popular music), hits a relaxed, deeper and more psychedelic groove, dominated by Wojciech Długosz's dreamy Rhodes piano, set against choppy wah-wah guitar licks that characterize that classic electric Turkish pop sound. We're introduced to Ulaş Çıbuk's vocals for the first time, telling the historic tale of a charitable village lord Mehmet Ağa from 19c Anatolia known for his generosity. He shared his fortune with people inneed and as a result, died penniless. This track also features the unique sound of Çınar's Mictrotonal electric guitar.
Bir Adım Öte is MLDVA & Çınar Timur's magnificent mellow moment, marking the halfway point in their debut. The group shows that it's not all about the frenetic in a nod to western Soul-Jazz constructs. They showcase restraint, emotion and that joy in repetition of a wonderful guitar refrain. Not content with holding this down, Wojciech Długosz's Rhodes solo steps into a world that's US-influenced Soul jazzand is a lesson in reduction and feeling. Çınar Timur then takes a solo turn, keeping it western-influenced with an on the spot improvisation. When the three minutes of solos are over, we're brought back out of thedream and towards the East again.
Adımız Miskindir Bizim kicks off like a hip hop/funk crossover tune, until the chord changes muscle in, to remind you where you are in the world. As with other tracks on the debut, the tune is marked by recurring motifs, this time from Çınar's microtonal electric guitar. We've more solo Rhodes action, thist ime busier and more urgent. The lyrics–originally written by Yunus Emre – criticizevalues such as holding grudges that destroy ideas of love, friendship and peace among people which causes hostility. Adımız Miskindir Bizim concludes with an uplifting vocal vamp which switches it up unlike any of thetracks on the LP.
In Fesupanallah– made most popular by Erkin Koray – Ulaş Çıbuk sings about the simple subject ofbeing patient with never ending problems in life, and trying to find a solution for them. This cut takes a rhythmical side-step to the rest of the album. The kick drum maps out a solid four-four, but the vocals and guitar lines move around it to impose Fesupanallah as being the record's most traditionally Turkish-sounding cut.
The album's closing track Ölüm Allah'ın Emri (another Manço classic) was recorded live in the band's more familiar surroundings of Krakow's Cheder Cafe during 2020's Jewish Culture Festival. The lyrics tell the tale of someone who has accepted death but cannot accept the separation that comes with it. We open with a dreamy, psychedelic mood before progressing into a heavy-riffing rock feeling with probing synths. Ulaş delivers his vocals over the top of a stripped back, shuffling groove. As the track progresses towards a frenetic conclusion, drummer Szymon Piotrowski cuts loose, combining with Grzegorz Dąbek's synth lines.
MLDVA & Çınar Timur's debut LP is not the sound of a band starting out. Taking time to hone their craft and let influences across the global spectrum of music mature, this is the result of years of jamming, gigging and collaborating. Now, after prestigious festival appearances and their place on Saz Power – an essential modern Turkish music compilation – they're making a lasting contribution to a rich, time-honored culture. MLDVA & Çınar Timur releases Friday 30 June 2023 on limited edition vinyl LP and digital download/streaming services on Shapes of Rhythm. Global distribution by Kudos Records.
Don Glori, a.k.a multi-instrumentalist Gordon Li, returns with a remix EP that tears open five tunes from his groundbreaking debut, Welcome.
Taking an opportunity to sink into some of the ideas explored on the original album, the five remixes featured here sees some of Europe and Australia’s finest throw open the shutters and shine a light on Li’s inventive compositions and remarkable instrumentation.
Rosie from the Block, a.k.a Belgian multi-instrumentalist, producer and DJ Roselien, leans right into the percussion and drum kit playing that made Welcome so infectious, layering this with cheeky bubblegum-beat bass lines that lend the whole affair an incredibly smooth, street-soul styling.
Other key players include Swedish duo Mount Liberation Unlimited, lending their take on things an introspectively dark, brooding atmosphere that evolves into one of their trademark acid-house extended journeys; Australian radio DJ and producer Ennio Styles working alongside Liam de Bruin, hip-hop/soul duo Man Made Mountain, led by MC Cazeaux O.S.L.O, and an insanely infectious organic house take on hit single Dlareme by one of Melbourne’s finest, Teymori.
A perfect companion to an album that broke open the Melbourne scene and laid out new parameters for the quality of jazz, samba and funk-inspired music emerging from that city, Welcome Remixes breathes fresh life into this incredible album and reminds us just how goddamn fun making, playing and performing music can be.
"Bills past due, what you gon do?"
2lanes is part of the latest resurgence in Detroit's techno underground whose infamy is built via amorphous live appearances / DJ sets, collaborations with contemporaries like AceMo and John F.M., and a steady, hilarious and blunt presence on Twitter. PGS is proud to present 2lane’s 2nd piece of wax, the AA side "Baby's Born To Fish'' / "Impish Desires'' following the "Giving & Receiving" EP on NYC's Ceramic Records, February 2020.
2 Lanes first appeared in Detroit ~six years ago and quickly made a name for himself in the local scene, promoting shows with international artists and friends from NYC, all while making an effort to respect the city's unique musical identity and history. He carries the tradition of Detroit's electronic pioneers who pursued new ideas in production and gear, bringing perfection to the craft, and developing unique twists in his process.
Participating in the contemporary electronic music world required splitting your time between 2 places at once: Online, always-on, in constant engagement with friends + foe alike; In Real Life, physically traveling city to city, DJing and collaborating, all while maintaining a sense of self. And now, all that's different.
"Lately, I've been, going, going through some changes"
Releasing a club-ready 12" in the midst of a global pandemic? That's the 2 Lanes. We heard an earlier version of "Baby's Born 2 Fish" what feels like 10 years ago, rinsing "Impish Desires" when there were still gigs. Do you remember the Apollo Masters plant fire in early February? How long were pressing plants closed, again? How long have we been living in this new reality? 2lanes hopes that the messages of this music; fear, isolation, friendship, love and how we exist at this intersection comes through for the listener.
"Baby's Born To Fish" / "Impish Desires" is a heavy hitting AA side, rejuvenating, explosive, off your face. They're ready for the eventual return 2 the dance floor, and sooner for your streaming DJ set. We don't know when we can see you IRL, but we know it'll be in mixes for decades to come.
"You’re gonna cast your reel out and you don’t know if you’re gonna get a fish that day, but you’re still gonna cast it out." - 2 Lanes
S Transporter is Izaak S and Ryan Spencer, a pan-American duo of exact origins unknown. With roots spanning from Detroit to San Francisco, the project is somewhere around four years old, though no one remembers exactly when it started. The songs were initially demoed in Ryan's bedroom and promptly forgotten about in the chaotic whirl of both members’ efforts in other music projects, DJing, and party-throwing ventures until Ryan played them at his weekly, Monday Is The New Monday (co-founded with PGS' Ben & Zach). Immediately, the songs burst with new life into our ears, and we excitedly requested to hear more. In a tale every creative can relate to, Ryan simply didn't know if they were any good. We found them extraordinary.
What followed were several months of additional recording sessions in a collective effort to finalize the tracks, done at Ryan's apartment in Southwest Detroit, Izaak's in SF, and the Portage Garage in Hamtramck. Bay area DIY underground luminary Anya Ghiorzi joined the group and contributed her vocal talents to the songs, which began to exhibit a sound representative of the genre-collisions featured at MITNM– from krautrock and boogie to trance, acid, and house– in a way other PGS releases have hinted at, but have not fully expressed until now.
S Transporter is the name of the EP, the project, and all four songs. A maximalist sound with a minimalist presentation, naming the songs - so many years after their inception - would, perhaps, take away from the feeling that struck all three of us the first time we heard them on a club-grade sound system.
Izaak S and Anya Ghiorzi are San Francisco residents, musicians, and DJs in the Loveshadow dance collective.
Ryan Spencer is a Detroit resident, DJ, co-founder of Monday Is The New Monday, and is a member of Freakish Pleasures.
"S Transporter 1"
Uptempo, backspin-laden electro/acid with a winding 303 bassline that reveals itself slowly over the pulsing breakbeat backbone. Immersive, haunting and enchanting.
"S Transporter 2"
Downtempo electro. Slap bass. Heavy boogie. Sensual vocals reminiscent of early Chris N Cosey carry you through this industrial funk heater. Heavy synth lines and rhythmic grooving guitar that is club-ready for dance floors of all kinds.
"S Transporter 3"
A fast paced, percussion forward adventure with balaphone melodies and bending synth pads. Spoken words guide the journey, arriving at a movement inducing Juno ascension that dances into a calm end.
"S Transporter 4"
Encompassing the seemingly disjointed, individualistic styles of S Transporter 1-3, ‘4’ combines elements of the entire release into one final gesture. ‘4’ could be Byrne/Eno ("Regiment"), but it's something else - the product of decades of dance music history, distilled by two musicians & DJs into one song.
credits
releases July 19, 2019
PGS 010
S Transporter
"S Transporter"
EP
2015-2019
Written, Mixed and Produced by Izaak S & Ryan Spencer
Vocals by Anya
Bass on “2” by Lucas De Leon Turner
Percussion & additional production on "3" by Shigeto
Percussion on “3” by Julian Spradlin
Mastered by Josh Bonati at Bonati Mastering
Recorded at Izaak's apartment in San Francisco, Ryan's apartment in Southwest Detroit and the Portage Garage
Records Pressed at Archer Record Pressing, Detroit, MI
Design by Will
MMXVIX
Rollover Milano is back with another killer release from Lorenzo Morresi entitled ‘Isla’ EP. The label is still kicking up the cosmic disco dance dust at their longstanding weekly party at the Apollo Club, Milan.
This glam affair has hosted a long list of luminaries, which is mirrored on the labels roster and output of dark disco, deep house, and Italo space funk. Lorenzo Morresi, a producer, and DJ who is constantly searching for new sounds, blending genres, merging analog and new technologies. With releases on 22a Records, Fly by Night Music, Roots Underground, Wall of Sound, INRI, and SuperEclectic, his sound spans other worldly vibes, jazz-funk sonics, and blazing electronica as a DJ and live performance. Isla is one of the main protagonists of the movie ‘The Holy Mountain’ by Alejandro Jodorowsky.
She is a companion of the Alchemist who tries to find the Holy Mountain to find the secret of immortality. This whole EP is inspired by Jodorowsky’s work. Morresi imagines transforming the dreamlike atmospheres that accompany Jodorowsky’s dystopian vision into music, bringing them to the club, primed to be played at high volume, in dark light, on discerning dancefloors. 'Jodo' is recorded live, and flows between electronica and experimental jazz, but with a dark and ritualistic core.
'Odissey Venezia' originates from studio recordings that Lorenzo made while playing the Loutar – a Moroccan stringed instrument - combined with a deadly dancefloor backdrop made up using a Roland TT303. 'Isla' is based on slower rhythms, organic percussion, and decontextualized voices of old sampled records. The 'Outro' uses some quotes from Jodorowsky’s books, robotic and digitally generated phrases combined with a rhythmic beat that encapsulates the meaning of this EP, being Lorenzo Morresi’s life long focus on the fusion between dance rhythms, psychedelia, and musical transcendence.
Renowned Italian spiritual jazz master, DJ, producer, guitarist, and bandleader Nicola Conte proudly presents his new album Umoja via London based label Far Out Recordings.
A joyous exultation across ten tracks, Umoja taps into the abundant well of knowledge Conte has amassed over his career as connoisseuring compiler and archivist of deep jazz, latin, afrofuturist, bossa-nova and soul music from around the world. Expressing unity, oneness and harmony in Swahili, Umoja coalesces universal feelings through the multifaceted global music Conte has spent his life studying and researching.
Having released music with Blue Note, Impulse! and Schema records, Nicola Conte’s relationship with Far Out began over a shared love of hard-edged bossa-nova and swinging samba-jazz. Between 2009-2013 Nicola Conte compiled five volumes of forgotten 60s Brazilian music for his Viagem series. He then released his critically acclaimed Natural album: a collaboration with vocalist Steffania Dippiero, featuring jazz standards alongside covers of lesser known Brazilian gems.
The music of Umoja draws on the deep-dug 70's independent spiritual and free jazz sounds, private-press soul records, and African and Afro Caribbean rhythms in Conte’s collection. But he equally recognises his debt to many of the decade’s more celebrated musical icons, such as North American cosmic jazz masters Lonnie Liston Smith and Gary Bartz, and Afrobeat originators Fela Kuti and Tony Allen.
Since founding the Bari-based bohemian cultural movement and club night Fez at the dawn of the nineties, Conte has proven to be a pillar of the contemporary, international soul-jazz scene. Composed alongside his long time friend, guitarist Alberto Parmegiani, Conte brings together a dazzling host of guests from around the world, including award winning British vocalist Zara Mcfarlane, acclaimed Finnish saxophonist Timo Lassy, french vibes player Simon Mullier, US vocalist Myles Sanko, rising South African drummer Fernando Damon, former Roy Hargrove bassist Ameen Saleem and Serbian flute sensation Milena Jancuric.
Proudly revivalist, Umoja was recorded direct to analog tape, with just two takes for each track. “Searching for an unadulterated, spontaneous, almost improvised feeling”, Nicola made sure that the few overdubs were also transferred to tape in order to retain the colour and warmth of the analog sound. “Very little post production or editing has been added, so what you hear is largely what happened in those magical live sessions”.
Long time Leng recording artists 40 Thieves are back with one of their most notable singles to date – a surprise collaboration with two NYC disco originals, storied vocalist Cinnamon Jones and multiinstrumentalist/producer Gary Davis.
San Francisco outfit 40 Thieves has been serving up cosmic, dubbed-out and otherworldly contemporary disco treats since the mid 2000s, and have been part of the Leng family since 2011. The crew, headed up by Layne Fox, Jay Williams and Corey Black, have released countless killer cuts on the label, as well as an expansive
debut album, 2014’s The Sky Is Yours.
They’ve worked with other artists before, but nobody at the same legendary level as Cinnamon Jones and Gary
Davis. The latter cut his teeth as a musician working with iconic disco producers Patrick Adams and Peter Brown at their P&P Records stable, before becoming a producer and artist in his own right writing and arranging the disco classic ‘Got To Get Your Love’ performed by Clyde Alexander & Sanction.
Jones, meanwhile, has enjoyed a hugely successful career both in her native New York (as Joyce Jones, an original member of First Choice) and on the West Coast, where she not only became an in-demand performer, but also snagged a role in the Supremes biopic Dream Girls.
‘The Gift’ is one of Jones’ most cherished solo songs – a joyful celebration of a new day dawning that has long been popular in her live sets. With input and instrumentation from Davis and a fantastic delivery of her own lyrics by Jones, 40 Thieves has successfully re-framed the track as a sunrise-ready future Bay Area free party
favourite; a dubbed-out, suitably cosmic creation that’s presented in three potent versions.
Leading the charge, and stretched across side A of the vinyl version is the band’s ’Disco Mix’ which boasts a fully realised instrumental arrangement and extensive use of passages from Jones’ vocals. Not all the lyrics are present as the Bay Area band has chosen to focus on selected lines that most neatly fit their musical vision and
celebrate the joys of dancing at sunrise. There are more spaced-out keyboard solos, sharper guitars (smothered in effects in true 40 Thieves fashion) and sound design that’s as immersive as it is heady and intoxicated.
On the flip is the ‘Disco Dub’. A bona-fide dub disco chugger rich in relentless synth-bass, addictive guitar licks, echo-laden vocal snippets, sparkling nu-disco electronics, tactile, deep house style electric piano stabs and cosmic effects aplenty, it’s a track tailor-made for slowly shuffling while the sun peeps over the horizon.
To complete an inspired package, 40 Thieves have also included a killer DJ tool: a ‘Beats’ take that wraps energy packed percussion hits, trippy electronic noises, trailing dub delays and sparse melodies around a metronomic drum machine beat. It’s a wavy, groovy and pleasingly mind-altering way to conclude one of 40 Thieves’ most magical EPs to date.
Voitax continue their forward thinking, explorative musical and visual output with the latest release on the label from the dynamic and multi-talented DJ and producer Giordano. Italian-born and Berlin-based, Giordano has established himself as a genre-defying selector whose vibrant, charismatic sets deliver unsurpassable energy via old-school rave, retooled UK bass wobblers, acid-dripped electronica and clever club experimentalism. On this six-tracker his sophisticated production skills and vast musical knowledge burst to the forefront, forging an irresistible path to all four corners of the dancefloor and beyond. Following previous releases on the likes of Soma and Savy Records, here Giordano reaches a new production zenith with "Transmute", crafting a metamorphosing set of breaks-infused bangers and carefully-sculpted rhythmic grooves.
Following a 2020 debut on DJ Monchan’s Dailysession Records, Tinker’s Knob returns with a five-tracker on a new imprint, Pinehurst Music. “These edits were selected from projects dating back to 2017,” he explains, “and most of the revisions have to do with structure and arrangement, which are indispensable. I’m beholden to the original musicians and producers for providing the ‘bones’ of these edits. Some of the recordings are uncommon, some less so, but each has elements of magic, sparks blowing off of a burning branch that drove me to follow them into the night.”
Highlights from the collection include: “Juice,” an early Tom Moulton mix refreshed and dripping with strings (fiddle, not philharmonic); “Thief,” a looped-up boogie number with a break that goes all the way across the urban highway; and “Happy Air Dance,” a heartfelt homage to the late Hamilton Bohannon. Limited to 212 copies.
INTERSPECIES RECORDS, an inter-disciplinary label that brings together not only DJs and producers, but also visual artists, electronic instrument engineers, and other specialists in sound and space, is proud to release its fourth 12-inch record!
For our latest offering we present the return of Recloose, a veteran producer who has created numerous masterpieces on labels like Planet E, Rush Hour, Peacefrog, and other global imprints since the late 1990s. He continues to explore his sound in this ambitious work, blending old and new influences, samples and synths, delivering two anthems for the dancers and heads alike.
This release also includes stellar remix work from Middle Point, DJ NORIZM and kashi, the label crew of INTERSPECIES RECORDS. In the spirit of their label, each remix presents a unique twist on the original by pushing musical boundaries, fusing elements of Balearic, Loft House, Dub, UKG, Jazz House, and African sounds.
As is the case with the world’s best DJs, this is a piece of music that conjures a new, unknown world by freely mixing without restraint.
The collaborative bi-coastal project between Andi (NYC) and Machino (LA) is dark, spiraling music that conflates the tension of running EBM basslines with the monstrosity of electro-saturated, industrialized beats. In 2021, Andi and Machino began sending music back and forth to each other virtually—thousands of miles apart—as they built upon their passion for creating off-the-cuff, dangerously degenerate dance tracks.
Parafernales, their first release out this summer on Mannequin, is a conceptual EP that deals with power struggles: love and lust, strength and destruction, dominating and domination. Andi's vocals are spoken, whispered, and yelled simultaneously, as if to mirror the mania of having control and losing it at the same time. The EP title, Parafernales, is a nod to Machino's first language of Spanish and stems from the idea of miscellany: it is parafernalia for drugs, or, simply, accessories for unsavory activities. With inspirations from turn-of-the-90s erotic thrillers to the Chilean post-punk band, Los Prisoneros, the duo collide in a manner that is unadulterated and, at times, completely unhinged.
Machino is an electronic performer and music producer from Mexico based in Los Angeles who started out making moody ambient, techno and has now pivoted towards industrial music. He has released several EPs on different labels such as Tresor and X-IMG. Andi is a DJ, producer and music journalist based in NYC. She runs the nine year strong label/party SYNTHICIDE in NYC.
DJ Clear X DJ Kurtiss Featuring Alicia Keys DJ Clear and DJ Kurtiss (Curtis Vodka) team-up for a double dose of fresh remixes of this soulful slept on classic interlude. Taken from the multi-platinum sophomore album The Diary of Alicia Keys released back in '03, these remixes breathe new life into this incredible Alicia Keys production.
The label is crated by Mathtiiaas Rosén (Mattias Lindgren) AKA Microman in 1995 in Stureby outside south of Stockholm Sweden.
in the beginning as a way of getting out things that Plumphuse Records did not...
After moving to UK in 98 more got in to it´s own "style" much because of London and that market, ...The label is just Microman´s backyard for experiments and try fix the holes in a dj set, the tunes needed in between the other. A techouse deep house funk house techno hybrid, now lately with the Ahab 13 taking the jump in to Brake Beat and Jungle looking back paying respect to 1998 old school.
Ahab 15 is here and Microman is on the case with a four track ep called: Freja - With a melodic yet stomping sound for both the bar before the gig.
A1: Stoopid Geneie 126 BPM a dark random bass and motion progressive rhymes.
A2: Omberg 122 BPM deep house soft rumble bass positive cords... To the more Techno style.
B1: Freja 132 BPM hybrid techouse journey with a brake down after 03:30 going into strings and full bass line revealed.
B2: Lite mer forskning 130 BPM balearic style sound with electric live bass and steel guitar melancholic melody.
Jackie Mittoo is one of the defining figureheads of reggae music!
From forming The Skatalites, at age 15, alongside Don Drummond, Roland Alphonso, Tommy McCook and others, to his work as writer, arranger, producer at Studio One records during the sixties,
writing and playing for artists such as Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths and The Heptones (to name a few), to his career as a solo artist as well as leader of bands such as The Soul Brothers, Soul
Vendors and The Sound Dimension, Jackie Mittoo is at the heart of reggae music. He was one of the instigators of Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae. In the seventies, DJ music and Dancehall were based
upon classic rhythms of the sixties, many using the instrumental tracks that Jackie Mittoo created at Studio One at this time.
Cosmic afterburners dialled up to the max, Pamela Records voyage out to the ends of existence with their latest four track trip from Jo Sims. Taking the lead leap of faith is esteemed producer, remixer and DJ David Holmes, who provides a signature cinematic remix of the title track ‘Bass – The Final Frontier’. Like the climax of a sci fi space odyssey, Holmes molds the track into a synthtastic epic with otherworldly vocal refrains ringing around your brain and body. The original mix is up next, a new beat flexing stomper that will have any crowd begging for more.
Flip it for darker, twisted chugathon in the form of ‘Demons Of Dance’ before the trip hop tinged, downtempo delight with a distinctly space age touch ‘Mumbo Jumbo’, takes the final slot.
DJ Feedback:
AXEL BOMAN
Ouff amazing 12" !!!!!!! love love love it
JD TWITCH/ OPTIMO
Excellent stuff!
RON BASEJAM
Ruddy hell, Holmes with the spirit of weathers. love the hi-fi mixdown too, the music providing the power. epic.
JACQUES RENAULT / LETS PLAY HOUSE
Wow, demons of dance and the final frontier...killer 4 tracker
HOT TODDY/ CRAZY P
The David Holmes mix is superb!
EDDIE C/ RED MOTORBIKE
I love this!! The David Holmes Remix is outstanding!
JUSTIN ROBERTSON
Loving this very much
MAKE A DANCE
Huge yes from me. Loved the first release on this label so nice to see it back with more fire
PBR STREETGANG
Really feeling this e.p. every track is strong, and the DH remix is stunning. Can’t wait to play them out.
JKRIV / RAZOR-N-TAPE
I really like the machine boogie vibe of the original Bass and that remix really takes its time and builds to a beautiful peak. All winners here
SUB CLUB HARRI
Lovely stuff
LEO MAS/ AMNESIA
The Final Frontier (David Holmes Rmx) is great, love it
JAYE WARD
YES!!! Glad there’s another Pamela! David Holmes mix is deep and lustrous.. REALLY love the OG’s tougher more dance orientated version.. love the other two tracks too especially mumbo jumbo.. brilliant release!!!
Three timeless tracks from the esteemed D.C. LaRue back catalogue get brand new remixes from three equally exciting producers to give a modern spin to these ‘70s classics.
LaRue joined the music industry by recording two top 40 pop records influenced by the teen-idol era. In his early adulthood, he began writing songs about the fast-growing club and bar subculture he frequented where the most outcast of society’s young and marginalized could safely congregate after being ostracized in work, church, school, and often family. In this relatively brief selection of LaRue classics, contemporary remixes paradoxically bring out the timelessness of his songs, in tone, message and musicality.
First up, ‘Do You Want the Real Thing’ gets a fresh update from re-edit royalty Opolopo in the style of the lush yet sharp Motown and Philadelphia production pieces that inspired the arrangement originally, still resonates as a nightly inner dialogue or negotiation, another of LaRue’s literary signatures.
‘Let Them Dance’ greeted in its time as a one of the breakthrough moments of new music technology, is reinterpreted by Dr Packer mainly with its live acoustic tracks, also retaining bright, rhythmic synthesizer hooks with results that are still true to his intentionally oblique lyric, a novelistic portrayal of the drug dealers, the LGBTQ+ underground community, and the powerful upper class elite that made up the multi-racial, socially integrated crowds on the dance floors at the height of disco.
Last up, ‘Indiscreet’ from LaRue’s 1976 concept album, ‘The Tea Dance,’ tells much of the story about how disco had already birthed its own far more popular and influential successor form, Hip-Hop, by the time it was declared dead by the superannuated establishments of the radio, media, and record businesses. Released in a highly limited, personally inscribed 12-inch 45 rpm edition for a select list of top disco DJs, its complex, elastic polyrhythm made it as irresistible to younger black DJs and breakdancing teens as any of the year’s other big street breakouts. Only Good Vibes Music head honchos and Scotland’s finest The Knutsens give it the magic touch for the modern dancefloor.
