Search:dj rhythm

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.

BOTANICA is the newly established Japanese label created by DJ/ Producer, Iori Wakasa. It was formed for him to utilize it as a foundation for the realization of his own unique, artistic expression.
And now, he has the pleasure to announce his label’s inaugural title with the release of his own BOTANICA EP.

Born in 1988 in a rural Japanese city surrounded by mountains and the sea with a mild climate, Iori grew up playing RPGs with a father who was a devoted game aficionado. And he was introduced to electronic music through game music from an early age and formed his musical sensibilities through playing the classical piano around the same time.

Influenced by the spirituality and idiosyncrasies of punk rock and ethnic and indigenous music in his youth, also gradually influenced by the Tokyo club scene and the music, it didn't take him long before
he made the choice to start DJing at the age of 17 and soon afterwards, started exploring the path of music production as a form of self-expression.

Iori set up Botanica to convey 2 main concepts of 'presenting music that provides each listener with their own viewpoint' and ‘to construct a fusion between 'nature' and 'man-made objects and human
activity’. Through the experience of traveling around Japan, Europe and Asia and connecting with people of different languages and cultures, he became to appreciate that music transcends all languages and grooves, and the framework in which he would like to shape his perspective and embody it as his way of life is what he envisions as the vital expression for BOTANICA, The two tracks and the artwork included in this first EP are the first steps towards hopefully chronicling the story of the vortex that he resides in now and the new forest that he plans to weave in the future with his label.

'The Pure Land' means in Japanese 'Gokuraku-Jodo (= a space where you can live in bliss)', but in English it is closer to 'utopia' or 'paradise'. However, 'The Pure Land' is a musical work that evokes a
hypnotic and pleasant euphoria through the gradual layering of multiple rhythms and soft particles of spatial sound design. It is also shaped with the aim of liberating the listener and guiding them towards their primal self.

In contrast, 'Lunar Down' expresses the changes that occur in the human state of mind during the extended period from moonrise to moonset especially when the moon sets from its zenith and is completed with a focus on maximum dance floor impact via an inner voice that resonates in the brain that echoes throughout a well-textured bass line and rhythm track.

The artwork for the front cover of this EP was created by SHINOZAKI HILOSHI, an illustrator who has been traveling and painting to express his true way of life that he learnt in the 10+ years of commuting between Tokyo (the end) and the Hawaii Islands (the beginning), and the graphic designer hiro, who stands by Iori`s side as his life partner and as the person who understands him the best. Iori`s first steps are complemented by the label design and art direction by graphic designer hiro, who stands by his side as his life partner and most understanding partner, and the proof is the physical cut, which is presented as the foundation for the future.

Weaponize your DJ record bag again with fresh ammo from the Greek studio machine, Aggelos Baltas does it again with another volume of remixes to the Sound Metaphors re-issue catalogues, an invigorating contemporary club touch to a wide range of dance floor material that was originally produced in the early 90s and late 80s. A new patina layer formed by the aging acid baths and chemical reactions of the experienced studio magician. Aggelos' signature atmospheric grandiosity and big room sound once again delivered with precision and high efficiency for the caring modern dancefloor. Can't go wrong.

The house of Sakskøbing is witnessing a spawn of a sub label with the catalogue code RVZ. This is a coastal part of the main city, with abundance of nature & clear water, the rhythms in Zealand as one may say. The number one comes together as a four track Various Artists and consists of long-term friends of Sakskøbing as well new faces welcomed to the label.

The side A comes from a hardware live project Cattle Freq consistent of three musicians SIL, Keroz and BRTS. The trio have launched the project called Cattle Freq with performance of all original material recorded & rehearsed in the outskirts of their hometown in the end of 2021. Following up is the close friend of the label the Tommy Vicari Jnr, an artist highly praised not only in his native city Sheffield but is consistently played by hard working dj’s in the whole world. With “No matter what” the gentleman returns to label for the second time since 2016 which marks for a special date.

2023 Repress

Taking the basics from the past we seed our future. Apparently the songs hosted in this 12" are just techno tracks but the man behind them knows what he is doing.

Expect the unexpected: trap breaks, Chicago swinged rhythms, epic breaks and a lot of cowbell. All out of the ordinary to surprise the crowd, the listener and your neighbor if you play it loud enough during lockdown. All written and produced by one of those underrated genius who has studied and mastered the history and culture of rave music.

Dj Plant Texture is a sublime vinyl DJ, he owns a record store in the south of Italy and his prolific producer catalog along genres speaks for itself. Honored to have him in this second edition of Música Techno para Discoteca Presenting his new alias A.662

Disruptive techno music for believers, disc-jockeys and collectors. Play under your own risk.

"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".

Minor Science—aka UK-born, Berlin-based musician Angus Finlayson—makes his Balmat debut with Absent Friends Vol. III, the third installment in a shape-shifting series across a variety of formats and platforms. And with it, he pushes forward his vision of ambient music as neither static vista or merely mood-setting atmosphere, but rather a dynamic matrix of textures, sensations, and even rhythms.

The first two Absent Friends—a 2014 set for Blowing Up the Workshop, and a 2017 cassette and web player for Whities (now AD93)—were hybrid affairs, part DJ mix and part collage, mostly featuring music made by other people. Then, in 2020-21, Finlayson developed the project into a live show of his own material. Armed with hundreds of bespoke stems created in his studio—idiosyncratic FX chains, feedback loops through cheap rack gear, heavily post-processed field recordings, found voices, etc.—he would improvise on four CDJs, mixer, FX, and live synths, extending techniques he learned as a club DJ into a live context, accompanied by visuals by Stockholm-based artist Paul Witherden.

Absent Friends Vol. III is an album of studio versions of the music developed for the live show. But in Minor Science’s world, even a category as simple as “studio versions” is slightly opaque. “Most of these tracks weren’t ‘composed’ in the studio,” Finlayson explains: “The sounds started out as stems and source material for the live show, and might not have been intended to go together—but then through performance, they settled into shapes that worked. I then recreated those performances in the studio.” That organic process of ideation and realization might help explain the unusual coherence of the album, in which sounds and textures flow seamlessly from one to the next, sometimes seeming to stand still, and sometimes looping back. There are virtually no melodies, few recognizable motifs or riffs, yet the eight-track album nevertheless moves with a distinctive logic and a determined sense of purpose, from the frozen-in-time shimmer of the opening “Introduction” through the early cuts’ studies of space and light; from the seemingly autobiographical “Summer Diary” through the rushing trance (yes, trance) arpeggios of “Contingency” and on to the dulcet denouement of the closing “Gather Your Party (Dispersed Mix).”

NEW 45 BY DEEP-FUNK PIONEER LUCKY BROWN RECORDED DURING THE NOW LEGENDARY SPACE DREAM SESSIONS!

In around 2001, Joel Ricci, the trumpet player/composer behind his former stage alias, Lucky Brown, went traveling on a worldwide "quest for funk". During that pilgrimage, he went to London England in time to attend Keb Darge's 'Legendary Deep Funk' 6-year anniversary at Madame Jojo's. While in the middle of the dancefloor, he was moved so significantly by this obscure brand of 'deep funk' Mr. Darge was unveiling, he became overcome by a mystical sense of 'coming home'. Additionally, he spent a week at Camden's Jazz Cafe to meet The Poets of Rhythm, The Breakestra, The Sugarman Three, DJ Snowboy, DJ James Trouble, and others. When Joel mentioned the nature of his quest to Neal Sugarman, he warmly invited him to come visit Brooklyn and kick it with members of Antibalas, Binky Griptite & The Mellomatics, and the Dap Kings. But before the trip back to the states, Joel spent some time in Paris playing his trumpet at a club called 'Cithea' where they would host weekly 'rare groove' jam sessions. During the jams, Parisian students of Tony Allen would overtake the stage with their instruments and their full African clothing, chant the word, 'Fela', and begin to play this intense free improvised funk and afrobeat. While traveling by train from Paris to the south of France to visit family, Joel began hearing this inspiring polyrhythm swirling in his inner ear and mixing with the "clack-clacka" of the train moving down the track. As soon as he arrived at his destination, he sat down at a piano and jotted down the polyrhythm, bass line and fundamental horn cluster on a piece of sheet music paper. The simple tune was finally rendered to tape ten years later with Lucky Brown's Crawdad Farmers aka The Funk Revolution on the Magik Carpet at drummer Olli Klomp's Lakeside log cabin in Stanwood, Washington. The tune became the title track to Lucky's first full-length on Tramp Records (Lucky Brown's Space Dream, TRLP-9011).

Space Dream is so titled in part to commemorate a soulfunk masquerade party Joel threw at a temporary all-ages Bellingham Washington music venue called 'The Pickford Dream Space'. This is Joel's stripped-down tape-only remix and re-edit which has never before appeared on 45RPM and commemorates the re-release, remaster and repackaging of upcoming Tramp LPs, "Space Dream" and "Don't Go Away", the fully realised 'director's cut' featuring Ricci's early group funk experiment: "The Funk Revolution."

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.

“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

Toying with the familiar but not afraid to break with expectations, AVEM presents a versatile range of works that make up his debut album.

Dream State was largely written and produced in times of the pandemic, specifically during lockdown periods — a context that grants the album an air of melancholic isolation. Offering seven songs on a double LP, it marks the collective imprint LOKD’s vinyl premiere. Merging sounds of Electronica, House and Techno, LOKDLP001 finds its place neatly outside of common categories.

In the past years, the Swiss DJ, producer and live act has made a name for himself with a steadily growing catalogue: not only through a handful of EPs, but also by releasing countless singles, remix- es and live recordings. In autumn of 2023, the Basel– based artist now reveals his first studio album.

Instrumentation ranges from studio percussion re- cordings, synthesizer & drum machine classics, all the way to ethereal piano and vocal performances; all performed and recorded by the artist himself.

Familiar structures of House and Techno are introduced, only to be broken again by gleam- ing twists and turns. A focus on percussion is ap- parent throughout the album, be it in the dynamic texture of drum recordings or in the evolving break- beat rhythms of a guiding bass drum.

Dream State tells an ephemeral tale of the uncertain, treading through an unique territory of opposites — from rapid progression to outright hypnosis, from weightless yearning all the way to euphoric catharsis.

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.

The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series Entry #1: JJ Whiteeld (Poets of Rhythm/Whiteeld Brothers/Karl Hector) takes on Ethiopian Jazz and Psychedelic Funk. This is the first in a series of music library releases, with future volumes produced by DJ Muggs, J-Zone, and Karriem Riggins, among others. The series starts here, with JJ Whitefield’s Ethio Meditations/Drama Al Dente. The Madlib Invazion Music Library Series was created by Madlib and Egon to give their creative friends a chance to stretch out and indulge in whatever type of music they wanted. This music was created for easy, one-stop clearance in film and television synchronization usage and for sampling. You can also enjoy these albums in the way that many do with the best of the best vintage library catalogs – listen, ponder, repeat.

Limited - no repress

London-based DJ and producer Rommek releases on 47, showcasing his signature brand of seething, fragmented techno in this formidable label debut. "Arkho" opens the EP with rolling drums before a heavily distorted synth line pierces the atmosphere, evoking tension and unease before launching into a furious lead. On "Silverlock," broken drums skitter across a droning soundscape, while a glitched-out melody adds a dark tint. "Decipher" squirms with a similarly syncopated rhythm and ice cold textures, topped with crisp hi-hats. Closing track "Synthetic Dream" is threatening but never overly dark, stitching weighty drums between tactile, warped-out synth notes. A chilling cut that conveys Rommek's shadowy aesthetic all the way through.

Repress!

‘Little Orphan Boy’ is the second single taken from album ‘This Is Brian Jackson’, presented with remixes by Two Soul Fusion, a.k.a. Louie Vega and Josh Milan.

The veteran artist’s first true solo LP in over 20 years, ‘This Is Brian Jackson’ is produced by Phenomenal Handclap Band founder Daniel Collás. Collás lovingly re-frames and updates ideas and demos that Jackson first laid down back in 1976, right around the time he recorded ‘Bridges’ with Gil Scott-Heron, for a solo project that never saw the light of day… until now.

Alongside his ‘Two Soul Fusion’ partner Josh Milan, Louie Vega gives the album’s closing track ‘Little Orphan Boy’ two truly vintage remix treatments, taking the song on an eclectic, soul-stirring, timeless journey. The extended ‘Two Soul Fusion’ mix calls to mind the golden era of Masters at Work productions, featuring a Latin-infused percussion groove, shimmering organs and in-the-cut funky guitar lines. The ‘Downtempo’ remix lets Brian Jackson’s vocals ride over a head-nodding, stripped back, yet equally soulful arrangement.

“A dream to work with Brian Jackson” says Louie Vega. “I mean, he’s a big part of our musical landscape and has been a huge inspiration in our lives. From way back to my early years in the Bronx, through to my DJing and producing career, into productions like Nuyorican Soul, Elements of Life, Kenlou, Brian and Gil have always been with us! Now to work on such an amazing song with Brian’s keyboard work and lead vocal, it made it so much easier for Two Soul Fusion (Josh and I) to find that pocket and groove. We had to create an epic piece and take you on a trip through several styles, it was calling for it. That’s due to the original work of Brian Jackson, a true Master at Work & Two Soul Fusion hero!!! I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next on the horizon with us and the one & only Brian Jackson.

Brian Jackson: “I have always loved the musicality and the rhythmic power that surges through the artistry of Louie Vega since I first heard him in Masters at Work. I made a silent wish that one day I would hear one of my songs given that special treatment. Imagine my elation to know that it would finally happen – with a song I wrote and recorded 45 years ago for a solo project that might have never happened if not for producer Daniel Collás and BBE chief Peter Adarkwah! Louie, along with Two Soul Fusion partner Josh Milan and I are alike in so many ways, I knew that if we ever got together, magic would happen and well… here’s to magic! My love and gratitude to Louie, Josh, Daniel, Peter and the beautiful BBE family.”

"Don't Stop" is the third album retrospectively released by Ghia. As the subtitle "Early Works & Artefacts 1984-1987" implies, it features some of their earliest compositions as well as tracks that were recorded during the same period as their "Curaçao Blue" LP.

The album is a fusion of diverse music styles. Listeners will delight in a range of genres, including electro, funk, soul, jazz-funk, synth pop, and even rap/hip-hop, all woven together as a cohesive work that remains mostly instrumental. As a whole, "Don't Stop" represents Ghia's funkiest and most experimental release to date. Notably, the LP features a rap version of Hermann Hesse's controversial German poem "Armer Teufel am Morgen nach dem Maskenball" ("Poor Devil the Morning After the Costume Ball") from 1926, accompanied by a drum machine rhythm and funky guitar. This poem depicts a person who drank too much the night before, telling the story and describing his hangover. The title track "Don't Stop" and the thrilling minimal electro-funk tune "3 A.M. at Moëf Gaga" both evoke old-school electro influences. The latter references the Spanish discotheque Moëf Gaga, located on the Balearic coast, which the dynamic duo of Lutz Boberg and Frank Simon frequented during their 1980s holidays. While the exact music played at 3 A.M. is unknown, listening to Ghia's track will undoubtedly capture the mood of the place.

One of the key tracks of the album is "Message From The Other Side", which could easily be noted as one of the nicest European synth-funk instrumental pieces ever. The track is based on a sick synth bass line, sparkled with DX7 chord hits, funky guitar, and a delightful "marimba" solo in the last third. The solo was actually played on Boberg's keyboard, using a special sound cartridge. This particular track had to be edited and technically revised by Marian Tone and DJ Scientist as the existing demo version of the song could not be used as is. With its stunning groove, this track will surely be a DJ's favorite.

Listening to the complete album, there is more of Boberg's keyboard wizardry: could you believe that the trumpet solo on "Jump In The Water" as well as the short but stunning slap bass solo on "Talk Too Much" were both played by on the DX7? However, this new release, unlike the jazzy "Curaçao Blue", is not about solos or virtuous playing - it clearly shows the duo's direction towards more electronic composition and clear song structures. The versions of "September Garden", "When The Rain is Falling" as well as "Talk Too Much" are actually instrumental mixdowns of vocal songs. And again, we get a blissful take of "Close To You", here a version from 1986. This soulful jazz-funk ballad could already be heard on "Curaçao Blue" while the final vocal version with singer Lisa Ohm can be found on the recently released "This Is" LP. This shows that the Ghia composers, Boberg and Simon, were perfectionists - tracks were reworked again and again, making them better and better.

The album was mastered and restored with great care, and we are pleased to provide you with a perfect example of mid 1980s home-recording pleasures, tinged with a youthful spirit and providing a sound that cannot be recaptured anymore nowadays. Alongside "This Is" and "Curacao Blue" it should be another perfect addition to any 80s groove collection as well as a great pick for DJs that love and play disco, leftfield electro and funk. The LP is limited to 500 copies.

Today, powerhouse mande jazz ensemble Balimaya Project announce
their second album When The Dust Settles to be released by New Soil in partnership with Jazz re:freshed on July 21, 2023
A dynamic maturation of the group's thrilling big band sound, When The Dust Settles is a personal and cathartic expression of grief, rage, love and joy.

Fusing West African rhythmic tradition with the energy of London's jazz continuum, the album celebrates the restorative power of Black male brotherhood among diaspora communities in London.

Led by composer/arranger and UK-based Djembe player Yahael Camara Onono, Balimaya Project have established themselves as one of the most exciting and forward-thinking ensembles in Britain.
Enlisting guest vocalists Afronaut Zu, Obongjayar and Fassara Sacko across ten groove- laden and punchily percussive tracks, each song on When The Dust Settles engages intentionally with the significance of folkloric rhythms to illuminate themes that include the death of Camara Onono's older brother, losing a child, becoming a father, migration, survival and a search for truth.

As Camara
Onono describes: "One thing that's really linking us is that concept of family and the bonds are getting stronger every time ... It was important to me to go deeper and address not just tradition and culture, but also address emotion."

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.

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.

Southener Hiatt dB makes his debut on RNT with a 6 track mini-LP of swampy dance floor cuts. Born in Texas and based in New Orleans, Hiatt delivers a unique offering with “11pm-Til’” that bridges the gap between House, Breaks, Acid, Disco, Funk, and Boogie.

Having established his name with releases on Rhythm Section and his own Mystery Zone label, this record is his strongest musical statement yet, packed with live instrumentation, and vibrant organic productions that make for both a perfect listen and a groovy club spin!

DJ Support:

Charles Webster, Justin Robertson, Blair French, Moplen, Dicky Trisco, Nick The Record, Lex, Lars Behrenroth, Willie Graff, Ravanelli Disco Club, Androosh, Max Essa, & Massimiliano Pagliara

2023 Repress

King Tubby's and Channel One were two of the great studios that produced so many of the great reggae rhythms in Kingston.Jamaica find themselves here for one night only battling for the trophy.
So who would be better placed to compare the Dub Soundclash from the two great studios then Bunny Lee himself.
Throwing rhythms over at Channel One who had enlisted the great DJ Jah Stitch to return the fire.
So sit back and enjoy two great institutions of the Reggae sound ,battling it out for sumpremacy.
The winner...we will leave that decision up to the listener.
But in this Dub Soundclash there is no loser...
All killer..No filler...Enjoy

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.

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.

Wisdom Teeth co-founder K-LONE returns with his second full length project, ‘Swells’: a kaleidoscopic and expansive record that looks to deep house, synthpop, leftfield R&B and beyond for a spellbinding masterwork of melodic electronica.

His debut LP ‘Cape Cira’ became the accidental soundtrack of the long strange summer of 2020 - its lush marimbas, hazy atmos and synthesised bird calls providing the ideal soundtrack for some much needed collective escapism. The record was widely deemed one of 2020’s standout electronic LPs, gaining glowing reviews in Pitchfork, DJ Mag, Mixmag and Resident Advisor, and ranking highly in end of year lists by Crack Magazine.

Approaching its follow up, the Brighton-based producer felt a fresh perspective was needed. Originally landing on the name ‘Swells’ as a secret pen-name to write the record under, the intention was to keep the project as separate as possible from ‘Cape Cira’ to avoid settling into familiar territories - but as the record took shape it became clear that it made perfect sense amongst his already diverse discography.

Like ‘Cape Cira’, there is a distinct and intentionally limited sound palette at play on ‘Swells’. Looping vocal cuts, rich cluster chords and undulating arpeggios sit front and centre here - as does the lo-fi plonk of of the CR78 drum machine. But while the record clearly takes influence from a range of vintage sound sources, its overall aesthetic is unmistakably contemporary. Sounds are not artificially degraded nor obscured under washes of sampled tape hiss. Rather, everything is processed with a gloss, hi-fidelity sheen. The record’s rhythms are bright, dry and snappy, and its melodies are processed with a neon poppy glow.

The producer’s unabashed love of contemporary pop music is most obviously exemplified by the appearance of British singer-songwriter Eliza Rose. The pair met for a session at a North London studio back in 2021, and the now Brit Award-nominated singer’s warm, emotive vocal takes became an immediate source of inspiration early in the record’s conception. As such, Rose’s voice is heard in various states of manipulation throughout its duration - initially as reduced and looped phrases, and then finally in full form on ‘With U’: a low-lit, dubbed-out slice of leftfield R&B that beckons comparisons with Tirzah, Little Dragon and even Erykah Badu.

Elsewhere, there are references to G-Funk (‘Oddball’), Autonomic drum and bass (‘Shimmer’), hip-house (‘Love Is’) and even Metronomy-era electro pop (‘Love Me A Little’).

As always, the true magic of K-LONE’s artistry is to present complex, subtle and original ideas in ways that feel familiar and immediate. Melodies are introduced as effortless earworms, only to be twisted out of shape into strange and unusual formulations. Looping rhythms unspool into washes of hazy, dubbed-out ambience before rebuilding themselves. Refined and endlessly creative, ‘Swells’ marks a captivating next step for a producer and record label that have both reliably positioned themselves at the very forefront of contemporary electronic music.

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.

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.

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”.

In the debut EP 'We Are The Ones/Fire/Forever', Chicago DJ legend Rahaan collaborates with an incredibly talented group of musicians, including Marcus J. Austin on lead vocals, Nancy Clayton on backing vocals, Carnell C. Newbill (also known as Spike Rebel) on keyboards and backing vocals, Todd Swope on guitar, and Lou Terry on bass. Together, they create a 3-track EP that perfectly showcases Rahaan's production skills and the musical talents of the entire group. Rahaan's experience and expertise as a DJ and producer are evident in each track, with grooves that are sure to keep the dancefloor moving. The title track, 'We Are The Ones', is a story of adventure and return, with a twist. Created by Rahaan and The Ones while under the influence, the track was lost for years as it was unnamed on his computer. However, Rahaan's determination to find it paid off, and with the help of Ohio Players' Kenny Anderson on the horns, he built upon the elusive skeleton track. With Marcus J. Austin on lead vocals and Nancy Clayton on backing vocals, 'We Are The Ones' delivers a soulful, 4-to-the-floor anthem that showcases the vocal talents of the group. And in 'Fire', Todd Swope's guitar skills shine through, creating an epic production that draws spiritual inspiration from traditional AfroBeat rhythms. It's worth noting that The Ones features some truly talented musicians, including Carnell C. Newbill (Spike Rebel) on keyboards and backing vocals. Spike Rebel is a well-known producer and musician in his own right. With his soulful vocals taking center stage, Carnell Newbill leads the charge on "Forever," he also superbly delivers on bass, keys, percussion, and guitar. Expertly mixed by Rahaan, this track is sure to become a dance floor anthem. In summary, 'The Ones' EP is an impressive collaboration between some of the most talented musicians in the Chicago underground House and Disco scene. With Rahaan at the helm, this project is sure to be a hit with anyone who loves to dance. Mastered with Love by the Grammy nominated The Carvery Studios, this is one for any worthwhile DJ’s record bag.

C-Mantle skillz for three Speedcore/Breakcore mental tunes, complex structures and rhythms, a true innovative happening in the world of Hardcore ! But at first you'll get a mental Dubcore 180 BPM, long thick fat weapon to play with Dj Scud Soot tune :) - Pressed at 200 – 150 only for sale.

Our label is thrilled to share yet another mind-blowing electro/proto-techno track by Art Programming (Art P), following the release of "Genscher Pull N Push". This track was originally the final piece on their self-titled album, released on cassette in 1983 under the P.A.P. label from Bremen.

To this day, the track remains almost completely unknown within collector's circles. However, let's take a moment to imagine what might have happened had the recording been released as a vinyl 12" back in 1983. Could it have been a game changer? We will never know for sure. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: with its punchy Roland 808 rhythms, and catchy synth lines and vocoder, it undoubtedly qualifies as a classic German electro track, and one of the earliest techno/proto-techno recordings.

At almost 8 minutes in length, this track includes one of the most exhilarating breaks in electro music of that era, showcasing extensive drum editing and effects. It strongly resembles the sound that Detroit would become famous for in the years to come, but make no mistake - this record was produced straight out of Bremen, a relatively small city in Northern Germany.

For the flip side of the single, we enlisted Alexander Arpeggio, the owner of Mond Musik und Eine Welt label, to edit the track while preserving its original spirit. As a member of the acid techno project Aufgang B and the synth-pop minimal duo OTTO, he not only has a deep understanding for this kind of music but also possesses the ability to give the song a different feel with greater dancefloor appeal. He has slightly reduced the tempo of the track and emphasized the instrumental and break parts, resulting in an exciting remix that is DJ-friendly and has everything you could ask for.

The 12" release comes with the original Art Programming logo in a vintage style, packaged in a generic black sleeve with hype sticker. It is limited to only 200 copies. This is a serious gem that you won't want to miss out on, so act fast!

Who did Aretha Franklin not want to miss out on when she recorded
her most inspiring albums in the early Seventies? Who gave Steely
Dan the beat? Who did Isaac Hayes, Donny Hathaway, BB King,
‘Sweet’ Lou Donaldson and Joe Cocker give the chair behind the
drums? No drummer has seen the inside of a studio as often as
Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie.
 Not for nothing do colleagues attribute the ‘funkiest soul beat on the
scene’ to the drummer, and consequently, Purdie has never relied on
the genre of jazz alone, but rather curiously looked beyond the
borders. Sessions with The Rolling Stones, James Brown, Jimi
Hendrix or Tom Jones are no problem for him, whose precise and
sensitive playing is synonymous with drive and groove. This is
probably one of the reasons why his rhythms are still sampled by
many DJs today.
 Released on CD back in 1996 and 1997 (and now out of print), the
two ‘Soul to Jazz’ recordings have a cult factor today and sound as
fresh as they did back then. Now both albums are released together
for the first time as a 3LP set.
 These recordings are peppered with lots of prominent star guests
from jazz and soul, from Eddie Harris, Michael Brecker and Nils
Landgren to Hank Crawford, Stanley Turrentine and Cornell Dupree.
 Purdie’s ‘Soul to Jazz’ project takes two different approaches: The
first part focuses on the renowned WDR Big Band led by Gil
Goldstein. Soul classics such as Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’,
‘When a Man Loves a Woman’, Eddie Harris’s ‘Freedom Jazz Dance’
and Lee Morgan’s famous groove tune, ‘Sidewinder’, are interpreted
in large scale sound. One discovery of these recordings amidst all the
renowned guest soloists is the New York-born singer, Martin Moss.
 The great success of this first album, released under ‘Soul to Jazz’,
led to ‘Soul to Jazz II’, a more intimate record, but one that picks up
where the first recording left off, by exploring similar themes. Again,
Purdie has called together a notable band of kindred spirits, including
saxophonists Hank Crawford (BB King, Ike and Tina Turner, Ray
Charles), Stanley Turrentine (Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott) and Vincent
Herring, as well as guitarist Cornell Dupree (King Curtis) to pianists
Benny Green and Junior Mance.
 Bernard Purdie’s ‘Soul to Jazz’ is a timeless classic and a blueprint of
the soul jazz genre in all its facets. Above all, it is a portrait of one of
the most influential and best drummers in the world, who made jazz
groove with his inimitable funky soul beat

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.

Foundation music are proud to present our second project with the formidable talent that is Crooked Man aka Parrot, known to his mother as Richard Barratt.

The DJ turned producer from Sheffield, founder and resident at the seminal Jive Turkey night, member of Warp’s Sweet Exorcist, musical partner with the late great Richard H Kirk (Cabaret Voltaire), producer to such maverick talents as Roisin Murphy and Add N to X, longtime Jarvis Cocker collaborator and remixer to a myriad of artists over several decades.

More recently, Parrot's project with internationally renowned Jazz singer Lady Blackbird, Athletes Of God, released two singles on Foundation Music ‘Don’t Want To Be Normal’ and the clubland hit ‘Fontella’ that were both playlisted by 6Music.

Lady Blackbird now flies the nest, with the divine Earth Angel swooping into her place. A seminal, reclusive, heavenly voiced singer, also from Yorkshire and with deep roots in the soul and dub scenes… And no, it's not Lisa Stansfield!

A project that has its roots way back in the Sheffield’s Blues parties and Jive Turkey itself. The club being a home to all forms of exciting new Black music, from ’85 through to the early days of the UK’s dance explosion. It sees Parrot take all that he has achieved, written and learnt over the years at the cutting edge of electronic, dance-inflected, production and DJing returning to those heady days of down tempo, body moving, speaker shaking music that would move the British underground soul/funk scene in the mid to late 80’s.

Call it 'street soul', '80’s soul', 'electro soul'… Earth Angel is all of those things but it is also very firmly rooted in the NOW! Not some retro pastiche, it incorporates so much more. With elements of techno, bleep, dub and any other studio trickery that Parrot cares to employ in order to suck you into Earth Angels’ druggy, hypnotic, sexy, “Mogadon Soul”. A four songed, eight tracked vinyl EP, featuring some classic songwriting from the glory days of soul and Crooked Man’s bass heavy electronic rhythms.

Welcome to the heavenly world of Earth Angel, the journey starts here.


DJ Support:

Luke Una, Ross Allen, Sean Johnson (ALFOS) & Kebal.

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.