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HARDT ANTOINE is a London based DJ producer of French and West Indian descent, who continuously combines his hugely colourful and eclectic taste in music. He has also made a name for himself with his Reculture label and club nights.

His KOMPAKT debut clearly shows why he’s one to watch in the years to come. “Nobody’s Watching” is a dark grooving beast with bending synth lines and a haunting vocal; counterbalanced with uplifting Eastern analog pads. It’s from this rare breed of tracks that shine in a frantic peak time set and sexy late night moments alike.

“All We See” follows a similar path. Its mandatory bassline and dark melody evolve into something uplifting, as if to say – ‘We always see light at the end of our tunnel’.

Radial takes a more cinematic approach and largely neglects the dancefloor in a classic KOMPAKT 3-track EP fashion, following a lovely tradition that began with Dettinger’s KOM 2 and later on spawned the Pop Ambient movement.

Hardt Antoine proves himself a jack of all trades… Keep an eye on him!

HARDT ANTOINE ist ein in London ansässiger DJ-Produzent französischer und westindischer Abstammung, der seinen äußerst farbenfrohen und vielseitigen Musikgeschmack kontinuierlich durcheinender wirbelt. Auch mit seinem Label Reculture und Clubnächten hat er sich über London hinaus einen Namen gemacht.

Sein KOMPAKT-Debüt zeigt deutlich, warum man ihn in den kommenden Jahren im Auge behalten sollte. „Nobody’s Watching“ ist ein düsteres, groovendes Biest mit verzerrten Synthielinien und einer eindringlichen Stimme; mit erhebenden östlichen Analog Pads ausbalanciert. Es ist diese seltene Art von Tracks, die in einem hektischen Peak-Time-Set und sexy Late-Night-Momenten gleichermaßen glänzen.

„All We See“ geht einen ähnlichen Weg. Die zwingende Bassline und die dunkle Melodie entwickeln sich zu etwas Erhebendem, als ob sie sagen wollten: „Wir sehen immer Licht am Ende unseres Tunnels“.

Radial verfolgt einen filmischeren Ansatz und vernachlässigt die Tanzfläche weitgehend – in klassischer KOMPAKT-3-Track-EP-Manier, einer schönen Tradition folgend, die mit Dettingers KOM 2 begann und später die Pop-Ambient-Bewegung hervorbrachte.

Hardt Antoine erweist sich als Alleskönner … Behaltet ihn im Auge!

Tears are in the eyes of Xabiib Sharaabi, nicknamed the Somali King of Pop when he entered the stage of Berlin’s HKW. It is a mix of nostalghia, pain and joy. Like many Somalis he had been deprived overnight of both glamour and friends, the war in his homeland had sent him into exile. The glamorous discos and beachfront stages Mogadishu had once been famous for, had disappeared as the city was bombed to the ground. The King of Somali pop found himself stranded in Sweden, others like the members of Dur-Dur Band Int. ended up in London which until today has the largest Somali diaspora in Europe.

In the last decade many early recordings of Somalia’s funk, soul and disco era have been reissued. This record is not a reissue. The Berlin Session – is the first studio album of its kind since the golden days of Mogadishu came to a halt three decades ago. It is the living proof that Somali music is hot, funky and (!) well alive.

The record captures a historic reunion which took place in 2019 in Germany’s capital Berlin. London-based Dur-Dur Band Int. an eight-piece powerhouse of Somali live- music unites with three legendary Somali singers: Xabiib Sharaabi, Faduumina Hilowle and Cabdinur Allaale for a concert at Berlin’s HKW. Fueled with a restored sense of pride, the freshly reunited musicians decided to get together in a Neukölln studio for two amazing days of recording.

Female vocalist Faduumina Hilowle opens the album with an invitation to kickass: “Let’s shake off the dust, boys!” (Inta ka hurguf). Grooving with such a strong accent on the off-beat, any non-Somali listener may think of Reggae. But when you ask the musicians, they tell you: “They took it from us! It’s Dhaanto! It’s our rhythm”. Originating from the Ogaden region (now in neighbouring Ethiopia’s borders), Dhaanto dates back to the era of “clap & chant”. Some say it is an imitation of the camel’s bounce. Xabiib Sharaabi was once nick-named Somalia’s King of Pop for the body language and magnetising voice with which he incorporated the latest global musical trends - even recording two disco albums entirely in English. On the album Xabiib chooses to sing his Somali adaptation of “Lady” originally by Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Not unlike the Motown Sound of Detroit and Kingston’s Studio One: a small scene of musicians were fueling that new Somali Disco scene in Mogadishu. Cabdinur Allaale, the third vocalist on the album comes from neighbouring Djibouti. In the heydays the leader of then famous Sharaf Band was a frequent visitor, flying back and forth between Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Kismayo & Djibouti entertaining his fans on the Horn of Africa.

Dur-Dur Band Int. ‚The Berlin Session‘ brings the spirit, joy and hope of this era back: In the last decades Somalis stars have lived among us, spread all over the world, it is time to see them step into the limelight again.

Nicolas Sheikholeslami:
In 2015 Berlin-based Nicolas Sheikholeslami became fascinated by Somali music and ended up compiling a mixtape to share his passion. He did not know that his tape Au Revoir, Mogadishu Vol. 1 - Songs From Before The War would spark a massive international interest for Somali music. Soon later Nicolas co-compiled Sweet As Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes from the Horn of Africa for Ostinato records which got a Grammy-nomination in 2017. Berlin’s venue HKW took notice and asked him to set up a show with a selection of Somali artists from the golden era. This lead to this remarkable reunion. A studio was booked and within 2 days this album was recorded. The Berlin Session captures this emotional moment. In 2021/22 Nicolas Sheikholeslami finally sat down and mixed the recorded material. This record is the living proof that Somali music is hot, funky and well alive.

On Al Hadr, Sabrina Bellaouel taps into myriad influences: from spirituality, astrology to club culture, romance, the body and self-love. Creating a balance between places, identities and sounds is a huge part of the charm of Al Hadr. As a true Libra, she’s finding a balance between honoring her roots and carving out her future.

Following two solo EPs, also on InFiné — 2020’s We Don’t Need To Be Enemies and 2021’s Libra — the French-Algerian producer and vocalist’s unique style of electronic R&B blossoms with Al Hadr, a 13-track album featuring collaborations with dance producer Basile3, experimental club DJ and writer Crystallmess, jazz musician Monomite and pop singer Bonnie Banane, among others.

Born, raised and based in Bagneux, outside the southern périphérique of Paris, Bellaouel lives between worlds. At home, her Algerian heritage and Muslim faith have fused tight familial bonds and a keen sense of history and culture; as “Berbers”, she speaks French and Arabic. In her headphones, she finds comfort in the sparse experimentalism of Radiohead and romantic tales of Jill Scott. On the hot club dance floors of Paris, driving house beats connect her to her body.

In swirling these private and public passions together on Al Hadr — which translates from Arabic as “the present time” — Bellaouel is the most vulnerable she’s ever been on record. Classic neo-soul and silken R&B blend with club electronics. Tender harmonies are sung and rhymes are spoken in English, French and Arabic, exploring love, faith and identity. Samples of drum machines are the backbone for wisps of woodwind, strings, keys and environmental ‘found sounds’, including Bellaouel’s own live recordings.

Creating a balance between places, identities and sounds is a huge part of the charm of Al Hadr. As a true Libra, she’s finding a balance between honoring her roots and carving out her future.

Clear Vinyl

Kate Fagan took the Chicago punk scene by storm in the early 80's with her self-released single "I Don't Wanna Be Too Cool", which became the best-selling single ever by a local artist at the legendary Wax Trax! Records. Today, Captured Tracks is thrilled to present an expanded, re-mastered edition of I Don't Wanna Be Too Cool as a full-length vinyl album. Fagan wrote "I Don't Wanna Be Too Cool" after moving to Chicago from New York in the late 70's. The track is a critique of the emergent "hipster" attitude of the disco crowd and the posturing she was witnessing among her peers in New York. With its surf-inspired drum machine, irresistible melody, and defiant lyrics, "Too Cool" was immediately embraced by club DJs, radio stations, and independent record stores. Its b-side, "Waiting For The Crisis," also gained notice for its raw musical style and politically charged Reagan-era lyrics, which still resonate today. In the years that followed, Fagan continued to break new ground In 1980, she co-founded the enormously popular ska band Heavy Manners (whose dance parties are still legendary), and with them opened shows for The Clash, Grace Jones, Peter Tosh, The English Beat, and many more. The "Too Cool" single became a sought-after rarity among record collectors for decades after its initial release, until Manufactured Recordings gave it a proper reissue in 2016. Captured Tracks' expanded 2023 follow-up features four unreleased songs, which encapsulate the gutsy, new wave energy that pulses through the original single. The final track, the reggae-tinged "Say It", features production from the reggae legend Peter Tosh and Bob Marley's guitarist Donald Kinsey, who flew in from Jamaica to record with Heavy Manners after witnessing their impassioned live show. While the 2016 reissue re-established Fagan's cult-classic status for a new audience, this new expanded release solidifies her place in a tradition of trailblazing, powerhouse frontwomen.

Brandneue Dance-Hits deiner Lieblingskünstler für die intensiven Club-Momente in den frühen Morgenstunden. Zusammengestellt von Denis Stockhausen (KOMPAKT) zum 11-jährigen Jubiläum seiner renommierten Partyreihe "MY DEAR" im Gewölbe, Köln.

"My Dear,

ich möchte mich auf diesem Wege für deinen Besuch und diese unvergessliche Nacht in meinem Lieblingsclub bedanken. Mit Dir zu tanzen und dabei nicht nur das Gefühl für die Zeit, sondern auch alle störenden Gedanken loslassen zu können, war so erfrischend und kostbar für mein Seelenleben! Noch immer trage ich den einen oder anderen Ohrwurm und all die schönen Erinnerungen in meinem Kopf.

Der wilde Höhepunkt der Nacht hat so viel Spaß gemacht, doch je mehr sich das Ende des Raves abzeichnete und der Morgen langsam anbrach, desto wundervoller wurden Musik und Atmosphäre. Alles wirkte auf mich so befreit und wahrhaftig und ich hatte den Eindruck, dass es den Menschen um uns herum genau so ging. Es kam mir vor, als wären wir alle mit unserer Sehnsucht in diesen irren Rausch der Musik eingetaucht, um schließlich bedingungslos darin zu versinken. Selten hatte ich so intensive Glücksmomente auf einer Tanzfläche. Pure Magie!

Gut, dass eine Klubnacht auch ein Ende hat, sonst wäre mein Herz an diesem Morgen wahrscheinlich für immer verloren gegangen. So klingt der Soundtrack meines Lebens und ich brenne darauf, ihn wieder zu hören!

Bis bald und vergiss nicht: After The Rave Comes Sun (and after the sun comes rave again) !

Umarmung aus Köln"

Skins is a producer/DJ based in Leeds with an active history in dance music that goes back over 10 years. He cut his teeth DJing regularly at the legendary former Oxford nightclub The Cellar. He played here as part of the Subverse Radio collective as well as for other favourite local promoters, alongside a regular radio show on the aforementioned station which he co-founded. After moving to Leeds in 2016, Skins focused his attention on music production and self-released a string of white-label techno EPs which garnered support from artists such as Djrum, Jane Fitz and Mike Schommer of Deepchord.

More recently Skins has moved away from the dub techno sound with which he had become associated, with an EP from speed garage newcomers Spin City on heavy rotation with DJs including Evan Baggs, Andrew James Gustav and Sugar Free. His latest explorations have found him returning to the futuristic jungle stylings which originally drew him into the world of electronic music in his teens.

Whether it’s in the studio or behind the decks, Skins draws on a wide range of influences from hip hop, deep house and techno through dubstep and grime to jungle, with a preference for playing vinyl over three turntables. He has performed alongside the likes of Willow, Batu, Answer Code Request, Levon Vincent and Ben UFO.

First Word Records is extremely proud to welcome the legendary New Sector Movements to the label, and the first new release from this moniker in 15 years! A 5-track EP for 'These Times', comprised of street soul, hip hop, jazz and bruk-tinged vibes.

Founded, headed and produced by DJ & musician IG Culture (CoOp Presents / LCSM), this all-new quasi-group project also features the vocal talents of Allysha Joy, Mike City and Natalie May with additional accompaniment from Wonky Logic, Wayne Francis, Alex Phountzi and the NSM Fusion Starship!

New Sector Movements (aka NSM) were the first out the gate at the dawn of the original broken beat movement, releasing their first single 'Groove Now / New Goya' on the People label in 1997, then releasing several singles and EPs through to the late noughties, and dropping a classic album on Virgin entitled 'Download This'. The previous incarnation featured several other artists from the bruk foundation era, including Kaidi Tatham, Izzy Dunn, Julie Dexter and Eska Mtungwazi amongst others.

Awarded a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at the 2019 Worldwide Awards, NSM's IG Culture is a hugely pioneering prolific artist in the UK music scene. His catalogue of releases over the years has seen numerous aliases, collaborations, remixes and productions. Appearing on the scene in 1990 as part of Dodge City Productions, to producing several solo albums throughout the noughties, to recent years with his hugely-acclaimed cosmic jazz outfit LCSM (Likwid Continual Space Motion), additionally to co-running the CoOp Presents label, continuing the legacy of the award-winning club night whilst showcasing new artists, IG Culture has been omnipresent at every corner of British black music for three decades deep, influencing many a sound.

This is all additionally to projects like NameBrandSound, Likwid Biskit, Da One Away and Son of Scientist to name just a few. His work has appeared on releases by Roots Manuva, Young Disciples, Les Nubians and Monday Michiru, while remix work over the years has included Gang Starr, Femi Kuti, José James, Miraa May, Slum Village, Digital Underground, Luniz, Naughty By Nature, Airto Moreira & Flora Purim.

As a DJ, he's shut down dances all over the world, recently at places like Fabric, We Out Here festival and Summer Dance Forever in Amsterdam, as well as regularly rocking the airwaves on Worldwide FM and combining the two at BBC 6 Music's All Points East stage in the Summer. IG Culture also founded Selectors Assemble; a collective of forward thinking DJs and producers.

So, as we head towards Winter 2022, New Sector Movements has returned (but don't call it a comeback!). After a turbulent few years in the world, it seemed a poignant moment to reinvigorate the soul, and reflect upon 'These Times'. Here we have five brand new tracks, each illustrating a pertinent mood and attitude representing the current climate. Allysha Joy leads the vocal on EP opener 'These Times', a sumptuous slice of street soul with a deeply infectious horn hook. 'Stand' is next - uptempo boom bap for the dancers, this one featuring the soulful pipes of Mike City. 'Hope' is a midtempo jazz-funk dub again feature vocal licks from Allysha, and introducing the mysterious NSM Fusion Starship into the fold. 'H.E.A.T.' picks up the pace with some infectious jazz-bruk business, this one lead by Natalie May on the vocals, who explains "heat = movement, motion". And finally 'Bless' with closes the set on a four-four riddim with bruk sensibilites, inviting Mike City back with an uplifting vocal requesting we "bless the people just trying to make it".

An essential EP of cross-genre vibes to resonate cross-generations, New Sector Movements do not ramp. IG Culture and crew proceed to give you what you need for 'These Times'.

'These Times' is released on vinyl and digital worldwide via First Word Records late February 2023.

Tape

The next issue in the on-going Mastermix series features a centerpiece of Frankfurt’s club history: Wild Pitch Club.

A predecessor to the esteemed Robert Johnson and a stepping stone for Panorama Bar’s very own nd_baumecker.

Founded by Playhouse masterminds Ata and the late Heiko M/S/O it was a Thursday club night that heavily featured house music as a prescription to the ongoing techno fever. Enamored with the US-American roots of it and all things deep, it not only presented the right records, but also their creators and protagonists. With a string of guest DJs from Robert Hood and Claude Young to Kerri Chandler and Theo Parrish as well as talent from the UK and Europe, it was one of the culture’s hubs at the time.

Here you have its testimony. Selected and mixed by Ata and nd_baumecker, it’s an authentic snapshot of the club’s vibe and spirit, spread over a collectable tape (download included) and a pleasant streaming version, it’s the full dosage. Like Roach Motel confessed: Wild Pitch, I love you.

WAX series of 12+1 London (TPO) first artist doesn't need introduction, Alex Arnout, for those still do not know this iconic music selector from U.K., he started his DJ career in Spain, and in the humble surroundings of many a local bar. The nineties were spent learning the basic skills so often lacking in today's break-through 'DJs'. Eventually catching the ear of someone that mattered, Arnout began playing more familiar outposts like DC:10 and Pin Up in Ibiza, Dance Valley in Amsterdam and CircoLoco in London, for whom he has been resident for the last few years. This is just the beginning of more than 20 years of history. Higher Orbit is his last work, an EP including three original tracks, 'What I Mean', 'Aabstrkt Mind' and the main hit 'Higher Orbit' also remixed by the head-honcho of the imprint U Z Z V.

The next issue in the on-going Mastermix series features a centerpiece of Frankfurt’s club history: Wild Pitch Club.

A predecessor to the esteemed Robert Johnson and a stepping stone for Panorama Bar’s very own nd_baumecker.

Founded by Playhouse masterminds Ata and the late Heiko M/S/O it was a Thursday club night that heavily featured house music as a prescription to the ongoing techno fever. Enamored with the US-American roots of it and all things deep, it not only presented the right records, but also their creators and protagonists. With a string of guest DJs from Robert Hood and Claude Young to Kerri Chandler and Theo Parrish as well as talent from the UK and Europe, it was one of the culture’s hubs at the time.

Here you have its testimony. Selected and mixed by Ata and nd_baumecker, it’s an authentic snapshot of the club’s vibe and spirit, spread over two 2x12” volumes, a collectable tape (download included) and a pleasant streaming version, it’s the full dosage. Like Roach Motel confessed: Wild Pitch, I love you.

KARMATÜRJI - das ist eine Kollaboration zwischen den Musikern Petra Nachtmanova und Ceyhun Kaya und der DJ-Ikone DJIpek Ipekcioglu. Entstanden ist dabei ein elektronisches, mehrsprachiges Album - eine erstaunliche und seltene Mischung, die Türkisch, Polnisch, Englisch und Deutsch miteinander verbindet. Getragen von den Beats und der klaren, beeindruckenden Stimme von Petra Nachtmanova kommt es einem immer wieder so vor, als würden sich die Sprachgrenzen völlig auflösen und wir könnten verstehen, über jede Sprachbarriere hinweg. In den Songs geht es um den Alltag des 21.Jahrhunderts, um nostalgische Sehnsucht nach erträumten Heimatländern, die dann ja letztlich in dieser Form gar nicht existieren, und natürlich geht es immer wieder um die Liebe. Karmatürji lassen dabei musikalisch ganz bewusst anatolische und osteuropäische Lieder einfließen, verwenden immer mal wieder Volksmusik-Instrumente, um daraus dann einen vollen elektronischen Pop-Sound zu kreieren. Kurz & knapp könnte man sagen KARMATÜRJI ist ein elektronisches Projekt in verschiedenen Sprachen mit Rückgriffen auf anatolische und osteuropäische Volkslieder. Was dabei rauskommt ist ein deeper, tanzbarer und internationaler Elektro-Pop-Sound.

V.I.V.E.K announces his second release on the self-named VIVEK label. Known for his cult label, SYSTEM MUSIC, this label focuses more on eclectic 140 bpm outside the realm of the dance floor.

The 4 track EP explores broken beat, ambience, melody and rhythm at 140, something that has been missing over the last few years within the genre. Colours is not only the EP title, but a reflection of the diversity of the tracks. Musicality sits at the heart of this with a nod to easy listening.

“The main focus of this release was to take me out of my musical comfort zone. I wanted to work with other musicians as well as push myself to inhabit new creative ideas.” - V.I.V.E.K

Whether it’s as an artist, label owner, a deep-drawing world-touring selector or system-building soundman behind some of London’s most important dances, V.I.V.E.K has an inherent drive to push things forward and contribute to the craft of music with serious attention to detail. A life-long frequency student dedicated to soundsystem culture, he has total respect for the heritage, value and rich variety of true music, an ability to totally arrest your full attention and imagination with his music... And has done so since he emerged in the early 2000s.

Musically pressed and blessed on key imprints such as his own System Music, Deep Medi, Tectonic and iconic reggae imprint Greensleeves, V.I.V.E.K’s creations are a crucial brew of bass styles encompassing everything from heavyweight bass hypnosis to flighty, steppy garage hybrids via sweet dub soul and all-out low-end pressure. His self-built custom soundsystem, SYSTEM, meanwhile, is a unique force of nature in UK bass music culture; the most prominent modern system to be established this decade, it’s a whole new chapter in the UK’s longstanding and illustrious history of barrier-breaking soundsystem communities. As such, it attracts committed fans from around the globe and selectors from across the system spectrum.

His label System Music has the same treasured, trusted status; not only as a source of legit never-to-be-repressed artefacts that prize the real value of music, but also as a key platform for encouraging forward-thinking, powerful system music from across the OG – freshmen continuum. Karma to Kromestar, Sleeper to SP:MC, LAS to Egoless: System Music’s celebration of bass music’s sonic scope and nurturing of talent and craft ensures its consistent buy-on-sight ranking.

Most importantly it’s as a selector that V.I.V.E.K’s position is the most vital. The selective tailor of rich, immersive and eclectic sessions, few DJs dig as deep, join the dots or draw for dubs quite like this West London operator. Accentuating his influence as a producer, engineer, dubsmith, label curator and system builder; his creative excursions as a DJ, both on the dancefloor and the airwaves as a broadcaster on the likes of Rinse FM, galvanise his status as one of the most respected, influential and singular artists who is driven by nothing but craftsmanship, unity and the sense of culture that UK bass music needs to thrive and inspire.

Following up on the success of House Of Riviera released in 2019, Mona Musique releases House Of Riviera Volume 2 curated by label head Nick V, a compilation that pays homage to forgotten gems of the classic Italian House scene, circa 1991-1994. 9 tracks from the artists and record labels that were central to this seminal era of House music, including two never released cuts from Ricky Montanari, Davide Ruberto and Ivan Iacobucci.

In the early 1990s, Italy hosted one of the most prolific scenes in the burgeoning world of House music. Whilst the majority of Europe was only just beginning to digest the arrival of this new musical genre born in the US, Italian clubs, DJs and labels were hot on the heels of their counterparts in the already established scenes of New York and London. The clubs of the Adriatic coast, also known as the Italian Riviera, were full every weekend, hosting the major US and UK Djs of the time, but also seasoned resident DJs that had been honing their trade since the early 80s. By the early 90s, Italian House music was regularly exported around the world with labels such as UMM, MBG, Flying, Palmares, DFC, Oversky, Zippy, D:Vision, Irma - and its sublabels Antima and Calypso, releasing tracks inspired by the original New York House and Garage sound, but with a very different, unique and emotional take. This was the specific aesthetic that was to become the House sound of the Riviera, the soundtrack to the golden era of Italian House music.

With all releases between 1992 and 1994, House Of Riviera Vol. 2 unites a selection of 9 tracks that encapsulates the atmosphere, the energy and creativity that reigned during that era. Including 2 previously unreleased tracks from Ricky Montanari and Davide Ruberto, and Ivan Iacobucci, both in the vaults since 1992, the compilation spans the different shades of the genre : from classic deep vocal house by Ricky Montanari and Sound Set, to the more dubbier late night dance floor cuts by Workin’ Happily and Night Communication, with Mental Detector and More Heavy Soul bringing some well chosen disco samples to their contributions, without forgetting the characteristic deep Italian dream house style by Green Baize. Artists featured are iconic producers and DJs from the day : Ricky Montanari & Davide Ruberto, Alex Neri & Marco Baroni, Ivan Iacobucci, Workin’ Happily and More Heavy Soul.

A true Balearic classic. One of a handful of records that can comfortably boast this title, Elkin & Nelson's 1979 classic 'Jibaro' sits in the canon of selections that enlightened the ears of the jet-set and globe trotting music fanatics in the heady and much storied years of the White isle in the 1980's. The Colombian brothers Javier and Leon Marin Velez brought their own rustic brand of folksy-Rock-Psychedelia to the listening public in 1974 with their debut LP 'Angeles Y Demonios' on Columbia records. The brothers had relocated to Spain, snared a major label deal and ran with it. The first of 3 LP's it proved a big hit in later years with adventurous DJ's and selectors. A cult record you might say. Of course, this LP featured 'Jibaro' in all it's forms, but it is this 1986 reissue 12" promo pressing with it's iconic, distinctive jacket that was the coveted slab sonic adventurers were seeking. Fully sanctioned and legitimately remastered from the original sources and packaged in it's original Columbia promo sleeve 'Jibaro' is back on the shelves, still an incredible record that gets pulled by the most discerning selectors across the globe. A true classic, featured here in it's long and short versions as per the '86 release. Absolute top-shelf stuff here, essential, must own and classic.

Pink Vinyl
Canadian producer Dylan Khotin-Foote has kept his Khotin alias going for the better part of a decade; the impressionistic electronic project shifts with the movements in his life. Sometimes it leads, like when the club-friendly grooves of 2014's Hello World immersed him in the heart of Vancouver's underground dance scene, and sometimes it follows, like 2018's Beautiful You, a downtempo salve for DJ fatigue His melodic sensibility and playful ear for atmosphere remain the rippling core of the project's fingerprint; whether beat-driven or ambient, a foggy smear or a dusted and pristine print, a Khotin track has a distinct and instantly recognizable swirl. During and after the 2020 release of Finds You Well, his second LP on Ghostly International, Khotin-Foote settled back into a slower vibe in his hometown of Ed- monton. Even before the pandemic, his pivots to softer production, and away from DJing, left him with fewer opportunities in Vancouver and club bookings overall, and as a self-identifying introvert, he was fine with that. But the change of pace did open space for Khotin-Foote to grapple with concepts of adulthood and career. At his lowest, he almost walked off this musical path altogether; instead, he doubled down on the craft _ the tone, pacing, and dynamism of new material _ arriving at a definitive full-length. With Release Spirit, Khotin releases himself from the pressure of expectation, fusing and refining everything we know about his music. The warmth and familiarity of Khotin's dreamy, dulcet style meet new ideas and frameworks, a natural progression, a modest revelation; Khotin confirms it is okay to move slowly and he's never sounded better doing it. The album title borrows from the "release spirit" mechanic in the video game World of Warcraft. When players die, they are prompted to release their spirit and return as ghosts to find their corpses and come back to life. Khotin sees it as a worthy metaphor for the impending change his return home presented and the resulting process of purging artistic expectations to find his creative self again. On this go- around, he is freer, more playful, and more intentional within his palette of warped synth, breakbeats, and piano sounds _ including the classic Casio SK-1 presets he's used since the start _ mingling with wistful samples, field recordings, and other abstract snippets. For the first time, he enlisted Nik Kozub to do the mix and assist with sequencing. Khotin-Foote has long worked with the Edmonton-based musician and engineer in the mastering phase, as well as their days co-running the label Normals Welcome, and this time was able to involve his ears earlier given their newfound proximity. "I think it's my best sounding record to date." We begin on "HV Road" or Happy Valley Road, where Khotin-Foote spent time during a family vacation in British Columbia's Okanagan Lake. His plans to record crickets at night are quickly foiled by his younger siblings; the cute exchange orients the listener to a core memory of sorts, setting the tone of universally understood warmth and wonder that has defined some of Khotin's most transportive tracks. Hazy percussion takes hold, and we are swept further into the wisp of "Lovely," a grooving, melodic standout built on the interplay between the beat and human voice-like hums. Khotin knows this zone well; equally suited for a reverie or a club warm-up. The bubbling atmosphere and absurdity of "3 pz" offer a cosmic/comic interlude and also speak to reflections on his family's move to Canada two generations ago, and the audio tutorials they used to learn English. "I can only imagine my grandpar- ents repeating some of the bizarre phrases." "Fountain, Growth" finds Khotin in collaboration with Montreal's Tess Roby (Dawn to Dawn) for the project's first-ever vocal track. Roby's soft cadence echoes atop spiraling air pockets of rhythmic production, lending a breezy, almost shoegaze pop feel. Throughout the single and the album, wind gusts between the compositional layers, akin to the roaming spirits of its namesake, curving around the birdsong of "Life Mask" and seamlessly reaching "Unlimited <3." The latter bumps in slow motion; disembodied whirrs from his Casio collide with 808 drums and sub-bass for a vibe that teeters on trap and instrumental hip-hop. Release Spirit rests in a dream sequence. Oscillating synth lines dance around the heartbeat of "Techno Creep," a hyperactive REM state before the digitized ambient sprawl of "My Same Size." In the final pass, Khotin imagines transcontinental travel from the glow of his screen. He recorded "Sound Gathering Trip" to soundtrack a genre of YouTube videos he's taken to that follows train routes through Europe and Japan. The scene is serene and moving; piano keys warble as static-filled sound design shimmers off the rails, from cityscapes to the countryside, an introspective ride through a world beyond his bedroom. It doubles as an apt parting image for Khotin's project as a whole: dreaming big but happiest when riffing on the details, shaping environments from the inside out. Over the last decade, he has stretched from his core in Edmonton, leaving a trace in Vancouver and beyond; but when all signs point home, he loops back to see it all from a different vantage, revitalized, refined, and free.

Canadian producer Dylan Khotin-Foote has kept his Khotin alias going for the better part of a decade; the impressionistic electronic project shifts with the movements in his life. Sometimes it leads, like when the club-friendly grooves of 2014's Hello World immersed him in the heart of Vancouver's underground dance scene, and sometimes it follows, like 2018's Beautiful You, a downtempo salve for DJ fatigue. His melodic sensibility and playful ear for atmosphere remain the rippling core of the project's fingerprint; whether beat-driven or ambient, a foggy smear or a dusted and pristine print, a Khotin track has a distinct and instantly recognizable swirl. During and after the 2020 release of Finds You Well, his second LP on Ghostly International, Khotin-Foote settled back into a slower vibe in his hometown of Ed- monton. Even before the pandemic, his pivots to softer production, and away from DJing, left him with fewer opportunities in Vancouver and club bookings overall, and as a self-identifying introvert, he was fine with that. But the change of pace did open space for Khotin-Foote to grapple with concepts of adulthood and career. At his lowest, he almost walked off this musical path altogether; instead, he doubled down on the craft _ the tone, pacing, and dynamism of new material _ arriving at a definitive full-length. With Release Spirit, Khotin releases himself from the pressure of expectation, fusing and refining everything we know about his music. The warmth and familiarity of Khotin's dreamy, dulcet style meet new ideas and frameworks, a natural progression, a modest revelation; Khotin confirms it is okay to move slowly and he's never sounded better doing it. The album title borrows from the "release spirit" mechanic in the video game World of Warcraft. When players die, they are prompted to release their spirit and return as ghosts to find their corpses and come back to life. Khotin sees it as a worthy metaphor for the impending change his return home presented and the resulting process of purging artistic expectations to find his creative self again. On this go- around, he is freer, more playful, and more intentional within his palette of warped synth, breakbeats, and piano sounds _ including the classic Casio SK-1 presets he's used since the start _ mingling with wistful samples, field recordings, and other abstract snippets. For the first time, he enlisted Nik Kozub to do the mix and assist with sequencing. Khotin-Foote has long worked with the Edmonton-based musician and engineer in the mastering phase, as well as their days co-running the label Normals Welcome, and this time was able to involve his ears earlier given their newfound proximity. "I think it's my best sounding record to date." We begin on "HV Road" or Happy Valley Road, where Khotin-Foote spent time during a family vacation in British Columbia's Okanagan Lake. His plans to record crickets at night are quickly foiled by his younger siblings; the cute exchange orients the listener to a core memory of sorts, setting the tone of universally understood warmth and wonder that has defined some of Khotin's most transportive tracks. Hazy percussion takes hold, and we are swept further into the wisp of "Lovely," a grooving, melodic standout built on the interplay between the beat and human voice-like hums. Khotin knows this zone well; equally suited for a reverie or a club warm-up. The bubbling atmosphere and absurdity of "3 pz" offer a cosmic/comic interlude and also speak to reflections on his family's move to Canada two generations ago, and the audio tutorials they used to learn English. "I can only imagine my grandpar- ents repeating some of the bizarre phrases." "Fountain, Growth" finds Khotin in collaboration with Montreal's Tess Roby (Dawn to Dawn) for the project's first-ever vocal track. Roby's soft cadence echoes atop spiraling air pockets of rhythmic production, lending a breezy, almost shoegaze pop feel. Throughout the single and the album, wind gusts between the compositional layers, akin to the roaming spirits of its namesake, curving around the birdsong of "Life Mask" and seamlessly reaching "Unlimited <3." The latter bumps in slow motion; disembodied whirrs from his Casio collide with 808 drums and sub-bass for a vibe that teeters on trap and instrumental hip-hop. Release Spirit rests in a dream sequence. Oscillating synth lines dance around the heartbeat of "Techno Creep," a hyperactive REM state before the digitized ambient sprawl of "My Same Size." In the final pass, Khotin imagines transcontinental travel from the glow of his screen. He recorded "Sound Gathering Trip" to soundtrack a genre of YouTube videos he's taken to that follows train routes through Europe and Japan. The scene is serene and moving; piano keys warble as static-filled sound design shimmers off the rails, from cityscapes to the countryside, an introspective ride through a world beyond his bedroom. It doubles as an apt parting image for Khotin's project as a whole: dreaming big but happiest when riffing on the details, shaping environments from the inside out. Over the last decade, he has stretched from his core in Edmonton, leaving a trace in Vancouver and beyond; but when all signs point home, he loops back to see it all from a different vantage, revitalized, refined, and free.

For the third in its fifth anniversary release series, Stroboscopic Artefacts brings together tracks from Xhin, Tommy Four Seven, Kangding Ray and Dsrcd. Xhin's Blade Moth', previously released digitally by Meerestief, finds today new (and remastered) life on SA. It is deep and propulsive, with scattershot percussion reverberating around finely tuned kicks and sci-fi oscillations. The detailed sound design and experimental quirks are typical of the producer; they made for a stunning debut album on SA in 2011, and here elevate the functional 4x4 skeleton into a fantastically ethereal piece of dance music. On 'FFFFF', an incessant bass groove channels pounding kicks and high-end distortion into powerful form. Tommy Four Seven's experience in the DJ booth informs the less-is-more approach, as carefully selected elements roll dynamically and to gripping effect. Flip the record over and Kangding Ray provides the most dramatic offering in 'Luna'. Warehouse-style synths slide from behind drums and throbbing pulses of sub bass, driving the track forward with vigour. 'Luna' closes with an extended and euphoric outro, it heightens the peak-time force and lends itself to spellbinding mixes. Parisian act Dscrd end the EP with slow, grinding techno cut 'Apparition Hill'. It opts for tension over release, ebbing and flowing with restrained arrangement and masterful guile. Illusory vocal samples and washes of noise rise from the murky atmosphere, filling the mid-range with harsh textures. Dscrd's contribution offers something slower and more heady, finishing a special record with finesse.

Dublin-based producer Moving Still further blends both his Saudi Arabian and Irish heritage on 'Kalam Hub', a triumphant new EP that marks the fifth release on CWPT/Cooking With Palms Trax. Following a series of 12” edits and original productions that have put his sounds in the record bags of DJs including Hunee, Nabihah Iqbal and Esa Williams, 'Kalam Hub' presents an ambitious expansion of the Moving Still sound, delving into his identity and background to open up imaginative, universal new corners for club culture.

This potent musicality is immediately evident from the first notes of 'Kunafa King'. Taking its title from a traditional Arabic dessert, analogue midi sounds deliver a skewed take on the traditional Saudi rhythms of the artist's youth, before expanding into a wistful diversion for any self-respecting dance floor. It's a trick Moving Still pulls off again on the pulsing 'Hayati 89', which transforms from a traditional aesthetic into a blistering, neon-tinted Italo banger, the kind of track designed to compliment an accelerated spin in the car gracing the eye-catching cover of ‘Kalam Hub’, a collaboration with the artist alongside Manchester-based graphic design studio, Dr. Me.

Concluding the record's A-side, the rhythms take a trippier turn for the duration of 'La Titasil Feeya'. Translating to “don't call me!” and making sonic reference to teenage years immersed in rock, metal and general angst, it unfolds as something akin to Middle East-tinted techno with a formidable kick drum, before exploding in colourful, organic breakbeats. Immediately on the flip, the sense of wonder returns in a sonic mirage for 'My Bosa Is For You', weightless rhythms blending with an electric organ and charming, lightly psychedelic breakdowns.

Further sonic tricks fall from Moving Still's delicately-tailored sleeves on 'Haram Odyssey', where an almost impossibly tight bass line provides the function for contrasting synthesis and unpredictable percussion, drawing parallels between the sometimes confusing aspects of the artist's dual-cultural life as a child, through to the music he makes as an adult. Fittingly, the record concludes with ‘Kalam Hub', a triumph of minimalist percussion and traditional instrumentation that pays tender tribute to the Moving Still's grandmother, translating simply to “Love Talk”.

Back in 2010 Caribou's Dan Snaith hosted a remix competition for his track 'Sun' from his then-new album Swim. The winner was an unknown producer called altrice.

Hailing from Tucson, Arizona of Iranian/Mexican descent, altrice took the bright euphoric highs of the original and crumbled them into rumbling lows, the crystalline edges becoming rough and undefined. Along with a bursting goody-bag of prizes, Snaith also provided altrice with the stems for the rest of Swim and the offer to remix the whole album track-by-track, creating 'stem'. Aside from a further dream-come-true remix of Radiohead, this is largely the last we heard from altrice in the past 12 years.

A year and a half ago though, having kept up correspondence with Snaith over the years, altrice began sending new material. With encouragement from Snaith he eventually wound up with an EP which has since become essential DJ material for Snaith and the cohort of friends he's shared it with, as well as appearing in Leon Vynehall's Radio 1 Residency, KH (Four Tet)'s recent Essential Mix and more.

With three tracks already released from the EP receiving further DJ support from Avalon Emerson, Floating Points, Yu Su, Sofia Kourtesis, Mano Le Tough and more, today the EP is released in full officially via Snaith's own Jiaolong label. compciter is a collection of music that for the first time is entirely altrice's own sound, alluring and off-kilter, a wealth of sounds and styles that are tied together by an irresistible warmth.

Speaking of the EP, altrice says:

"This EP is the result of allowing my stylistic boundaries to be nudged in a new direction, putting away a self-inflicted notion that I’m only fluent in certain subgenres of electronic music. I made some production choices that, for better or worse, will make this project stand out. I’ve been overwhelmed by the reactions in clubs and at festivals, and individuals reaching out with kind words about the music. It’s surreal."
From the huddled and obscured yet comforting vocal samples - described by Pitchfork as "a beacon of light in an uncertain landscape" - of 'bda creature' to the swinging 90s eurodance drums of 'places faces' and the way the welcoming guitar melody and soulful vocals of 'eyes' gives way to a full on bass pummel, the tracks that have been released so far from the EP are already causing a stir both on and off the dancefloor. Today, the chopped up vocals and vast roomy sound of 'yoni' along with '1609km' - which would almost be straightforward house if it didn't pull the rug out to make way for delicate piano and harmonica flourishes - complete a set that fulfils a promise 12 years in the making..

Behold! Yes, Blue Butterfly, one of the absolute stunners on the revered Selected Sound, is finally available for all the beat-heads. Heavyweight library funk with a psychedelic touch, the super in-demand Blue Butterfly from *deep breath* Hardy's Jet Band, Orchestra Klaus Wuesthoff, Jan Troysen Band and Orchestra Gary Pacific - was originally released in 1971. Incredibly ahead of its time, it's been rare and sought-after for decades.

For many aficionados, this is the best Selected Sound release. Loaded with fuzzy wah-wah guitar, deep flute-lines atop soulful psych-rock breakbeats and huge organ action, its uncompromising funk will blow you away. Sampled for many hip hop beats and dropped by well known rare groove DJs around the world, one jewel in particular from this glorious German vault needs little introduction. The intro to Orchestra Gary Pacific's mesmeric "Soft Wind" rides the illest, crispest drum break you've perhaps never heard - like, the drum break to end them all - alongside a smooth, deep bass line from the heavens. It featured notoriously on the beloved Dusty Fingers comps of the 90s and was brilliantly sampled by Pacewon for his eternal "Sunroof Top". Just listen and be dazzled.

Beyond this mini-masterpiece, the other killer tracks offer brilliance in abundance. Hardy's Jet Band take control of the full A side, and it's full of dynamic psych-funk bombs. Hard, "big city" industrial groovers. In particular, the initial one-two of "Sorry, Doc!" and "Wind It Up" provide thrilling funky-blues rock instrumentals showcasing relentless guitars, flutes, sax and organ, the latter containing gorgeous, hypnotic breakdowns; these tracks just slay. The title track, "Blue Butterfly" is a real deep strut of a track with fantastic soloing from guitar and flute over crisp drums whilst the highway banger "What You Call To Be Free" certainly sounds a lot like unbridled, rhythmical liberty.

On the flip, the ghost-riding "Lady In Space" is a string-drenched acid-western foxtrot. Yep. “Pop Happening” by Jan Troysen Band is a heavy, druggy psych-fuzz organ groover whilst their slow beat-organ-flute gem "A Blue Message" is a gorgeous psych floater conjuring deeply strange frontier lands. Preceding their monster "Soft Wind", the soulful, uptempo groover “Ghetto Gap” by Orchestra Gary Pacific contains solo piano and flute whilst closing out the set is the free-and-easy samba beat of "So Far".

Founded in the late 60s by German composer and musician Klaus Netzle (who recorded under the alias Claude Larson for Sonoton) Selected Sound began as a production music company specialising in jazz, orchestral and electronic recordings. You can’t miss those early LPs in their iconic glossy metallic copper sleeves with minimal German typography. Serious, classy stuff.

The audio for Blue Butterfly has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis whilst Richard Robinson has handled reproducing the glossy metallic (iconic) original Selected Sound sleeve. Essential.

Repressed On translucent blue vinyl! Too many people sleep on Tougher Than Leather, Run-DMC’s fourth album. But hear us out as we plead the case for this amazing LP. By 1988 there was a lot more competition in the rap game – Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B. & Rakim, Ice-T and many more had given Hollis, Queens’ prodigal sons lots of competition. But Joe, Darryl and Jay were still at the top of their game, and hip-hop fans should never let this classic – chiefly produced by their Queens neighbor, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Davy DMX – get lost in their crates. For starters, the album’s first single, “Run’s House” b/w “Beats To The Rhyme” is arguably the most powerful one-two punch of the trio’s career, showing contenders to the rap throne that they could still destroy a beat, tag-teaming with power at any speed. Not to be lost in the shuffle, fans were also reminded on both sides that Jam-Master Jay remained one of the world’s best DJs, flexing the pinnacle of what would be called “turntablism” a decade later. Both songs show a musical telepathy between all three that has rarely been equaled. The second single, “Mary, Mary,” driven by an infectious Monkees sample, took a different approach, shrewdly ensuring that pop fans who jumped on the Raising Hell bandwagon had something to chew on. But, like “Walk This Way,” the song wasn’t just bubblegum – there was an edge to it, and the lyrical gymnastics were very real. It wasn’t selling out, it was allowing fans to buy in. “Papa Crazy,” driven in concept and by a sample from the Temptations’ “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” followed a similar pop-leaning path. Overall, the lyrical content on the album was a step up from the group’s first three LPs. It’s easy to infer, looking back, that they were feeling the heat from their younger competitors in the rap game. The genre was changing fast, and they were up to the challenge. On cuts like “Radio Station” they bring substance to the grooves, by attacking Black Radio for its continual denigration of rap. “Tougher Than Leather” reminds the world that they were still the Kings of Rock, with hard guitars to drive the point home. And “They Call Us Run-DMC” and “Soul To Rock And Roll” both bring things back to their early days, with sure-fire park jam rhymes and killer cuts. Tougher Than Leather, which went platinum up against a lot of competition, perfectly bookends the ‘80s output of one of the decade’s most important groups. It encompasses the full range of the trio’s capabilities, and reminds us that Run-DMC should never be forgotten as both pioneers and party-rockers. And so, we say, long live Joe, Darryl and Jay! A1. Run's House A2. Mary, Mary A3. They Call Us Run DMC A4. Beats To The Rhyme A5. Radio Station A6. Papa Crazy B1. Tougher Than Leather B2. I'm Not Going Out Like That B3. How'd Ya Do It Dee B4. Miss Elaine B5. Soul To Rock And Roll B6. Ragtime

RSD vinyl now available for everybody and now slightly cheaper too!! "Unavailable on vinyl for decades, Select Records presents 2 Hype in an opaque white pressing exclusive to RSD Black Friday. For a certain generation of hip hop fans, just the mention of Kid ‘n Play brings on a wave of nostalgia. The group released three full-lengths between 1988 and 1991 with a focus on positive lyrics and pop friendly production. The success of the group’s music lead to countless House Party films, a Saturday morning cartoon show and even a series of comic books for Marvel (so, technically speaking, are Kid ‘n Play are part of the Marvel Universe?). It all started here on the 1988 full-length 2 Hype which features “Do The Kid 'n Play Kick Step”, the musical accompaniment to their trademark dance, “Rollin’ With Kid ‘n Play” which hit number 11 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart and of course Kid's now classic hi-top fade haircut, which measured up to over six inches high at its peak. Producer Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor, instrumental in the success of Salt-N-Pepa, was certainly a factor and the full length went on to chart in the Billboard Top 200 and to RIAA certified gold status."

The Soninke collective consciousness finds its origins in a founding myth, a blood pact: the legend of Biida and the decadence of the empire of Ghana or Wagadu (evoked by Léopold Sédar Senghor as a land of plenty in his poem Le Kaya Magan). From the 3rd century AD, gathered in the region of Sahel, on the edge of the Sahara desert, the Soninko ruled over their kingdom and its capital Kumbi Saleh. According to folklore, they were blessed with abundant rain and nuggets of gold could be picked directly from the ground.

They owed this prosperity to a providential but cruel protector: the Wagadu Biida, a seven-headed serpent who lived at the bottom of the Kumbi well. Every year, as a reward for his favours, the Biida demanded an offering: the life of the most beautiful virgin woman in the community. Sacrifices took place for generations, until the 13th century AD, when fate chose Siya Yatabéré, Maamadi Sehedunxote's sweetheart...

Centuries later in 1977, Gaye Mody Camara, a young Soninke raised in Mali's Kayes region, settled in France to found his own empire. Initially selling wax, kola nuts and other goods in his Parisian outlets, he rapidly started distributing cassette tapes and eventually producing a multitude of recordings for his own label: Camara Production.

Crossing paths and collaborating over the next four decades with legendary artists, griots and industry moguls like Boncana Maïga, Jean-Philippe Rykiel, Ganda Fadiga, Diaby Doua or Ibrahima Sylla, Camara became one of the great independent music producers of his generation, and a pilar of the Parisian Soninke diaspora.

Released in close collaboration with Gaye Camara and with the assistance of Daouda N'diaye, one of A.P.S' (Association pour la Promotion de la langue et de la culture Soninké) historical members, this selection of songs and accompanying notes aim to shed a light on an intricate culture and its modern music, injustifiably unknown outside of West Africa and the various Soninko diasporas around the world.

From Malian Zouk to Mauritanian Reggae and other psychedelic groovers originally released on cassettes or digitally, we have given the utmost attention to bringing this music to a new format. It has been carefully remastered and pressed on a couple of 180g vinyls, with riso printed liner notes.

Portuguese multi-instrumentalist, DJ and producer Pedro
Ricardo releases his debut album, Soprem Bons Ventos, on
Soundway Records.
Currently based in Berlin, Pedro Ricardo has been releasing
music for the past eight years under different aliases via labels
such as Wolf Music and his own imprint Hear, Sense and Feel.
An eclectic DJ and selector, he hosts a radio show on South
London’s radio Balamii, guested on Mafalda’s NTS show and
can be found playing in clubs across all Europe.
Stylistically, Ricardo became entranced with jazz from an early
age, while also becoming enamoured with folk music – rooted
in his Portugal childhood, now encompassing sounds from
Cape Verde, Brazil, and Spain along the way. He intertwines
these instrumental influences with field recordings, and
electronics, on Soprem Bons Ventos.
“The album translates to ‘Good Winds Blow’, shares Ricardo.
“This idea of good winds blowing is intertwined with the
feeling of missing something, and sadness. On a positive note,
there is still an overarching sense that happiness also lies
ahead. Soprem Bons Ventos represents an ode to the past, to
those who came before me, connecting with my present and
imagining the future."

As one of the three co-founders of Washington D.C. production and DJ trio Black Rave Culture, James Bangura is no stranger to situating electronic music within its most purposeful and potent contexts. With this new duo of tracks, however, Bangura taps into a deep, personal internality, metabolising visceral experiences and personal transitions into unexplored phases of his musical life.

The bass-forward “Harrar” is a complex organism which operates on two planes: a sweat-drenched 150pm symphony of synth pulses, fidgety percussion, shimmies and distorted vocals, that falls into lockstep with a
meditative, dubby bass tone that calmly swells and recedes. Emerging out of Bangura’s high intensity hardware jam sessions with friends and collaborators, both the depth and energetic fizz of “Harrar”’ are signified by its name, borrowed from Harrar Coffee & Roastery--a beloved Ethiopian coffee house and community meeting place in Washington D.C. that radiates warmth and familiarity.

“Witness Dub” occupies less of the senses, exploring a state of liminality through a contemplative deep house signature. Having emerged from an extended period of active duty in the military, Bangura had to navigate civilian life for the first time, causing him to process multiple culture shocks that stretched across culture, language, communication and identity. “Witness Dub” finds Bangura at this crossroad, juxtaposing the steady propulsion of kicks and drums with pensive minor key chords, as he begins to explore the other side of the self, letting the energy guide the music.

With their head-bopping, hip-thrusting, zalghouta-inducing tunes, Restless Leg Syndrome have tastefully-crafted a mélange of global references and in their work. The Vienna-based group is made up of longtime DJ and producer d.b.h and turntable maestros Chrisfader and Testa.
Over the course of 2021, RLS dropped four eclectic EPs that seamlessly fuse long-forgotten tunes with foot-stomping breaks

We've selected two hits from "Totem" and crafted this delicious 7" inches!
Side A sees the standout track "Represent the Fucking Planet", that really underscores the trios' appreciation for drums that knock.
On the B side we take a deep dive into our most hidden inner-self with the hypnotic "Spirit".

Orange Vinyl

With their head-bopping, hip-thrusting, zalghouta-inducing tunes, Restless Leg Syndrome have tastefully-crafted a mélange of global references and in their work. The Vienna-based group is made up of longtime DJ and producer d.b.h and turntable maestros Chrisfader and Testa.
Over the course of 2021, RLS dropped four eclectic EPs that seamlessly fuse long-forgotten tunes with foot-stomping breaks

We've selected two hits from "Totem" and crafted this delicious 7" inches!
Side A sees the standout track "Represent the Fucking Planet", that really underscores the trios' appreciation for drums that knock.
On the B side we take a deep dive into our most hidden inner-self with the hypnotic "Spirit".

Korea Town Acid (Jessica Cho) is wildly creative. She is an electronic artist at her core, but that barely scratches the surface of what her sound encompasses. Citing influences as UK future bass, glitch, jungle, and alternative hip hop, KTA fuses these sounds with concepts of movement and texture, to create multi-faceted works that go beyond the club. Born in Seoul, Korea, Toronto based DJ/Producer Korea Town Acid maintained a fierce but mindful schedule amidst pandemic induced lockdowns. With the ease of restrictions and the gradual return to a version of normalcy, KTA continues to thrive, without hitting pause. In 2021 she released her full length LP Metamorphosis, a self produced ten-track record, featuring collaborations from Toronto based artist DESIIRE, U.K based Korean pianist and rapper Pianwooo, Seoul rapper PNSB, L.A beatmaker Dreamdave, and New Jersey MC, L.J The Alien. She swiftly followed that up six months later with the release of Cosmos, another self produced full length LP that boasts the 2022 Juno Award nominated track, ‘Sobriety’. She also contributed to Cadence Weapon’s 2021 Polaris Prize winning record Parallel World, producing the track ‘Play No Games’. Despite touring restrictions in 2021, KTA delivered a notable hardware set as part of Hinter Live, showcased at POP Montreal, and continued her monthly online residency at The Lot Radio in New York. Korea Town Acid released her latest LP, Elephant in The Room, via URBNET. The twelve track self produced and mixed album, was mastered by East End Mastering in Toronto, ON, and features a lineup of Canadian guest collaborators, including Zander Miller, Khrono K, and Hood Joplin. In anticipation of the release, KTA has been actively securing live performance sets to showcase new tracks, with recent appearances at Vancouver’s Wonderment Festival, Montreal’s MUTEK Festival Toronto’s Summer of Seoul festival at the TIFF Atrium, Peprally, and Promise Cherry Beach series

UK jazz dance hero Paul Murphy teams up with BBE Music to deliver his first compilation on the label: a blazing selection of up-tempo jazz titled ‘The Jazz Room’.
Lauded by none other than Gilles Peterson as “the original messenger of jazz who found almost every dancefloor classic”, Paul began DJing in 1970s London. His passion and unique playing style placed him at the epicentre of an emerging jazz-dance scene in the city, popping off in spots like The Horseshoe (aka Jaffas), The Wag, The 100 Club, The Blue Note and The Electric Ballroom, where he founded the now famous ‘Jazz Room’, after which this album is named.

Louie Vega is launching a trio of Double Pack 12” releases that includes special unreleased versions of select titles from the Expansions In The NYC album project. Each package also features unique customized art by celebrated artist Andrew Thiele who also created the art for the album jacket as well. This package is a tribute to two of Louie’s musical heroes, namely the late Patrick Adams and Larry Levan. Legendary producer Patrick Adams was the writer of Chimi and Atmosphere Strut, and equally legendary DJ Larry Levan was instrumental in breaking Bernard Fowler’s early releases with The Peech Boys at The Paradise Garage before Bernard was catapulted into worldwide fame as one of the featured back up singers on tour and in the studio for the Rolling Stones. Chimi and Atmosphere Strut also feature collaborations with Louie’s renowned Elements of Life band and New York based House and Hip Hop DJ / Producer extraordinaire DJ Spinna.

London-based DJ and producer 1991 has emerged as one of the most exciting artists in dance music. Since starting the project back in 2016, within a year he'd won the 'Best Newcomer' award at the 2017 Drum & Bass Awards. He has held down a steady release schedule of hits, collaborating with the likes of Sub Focus and Netsky, and remixed Axwell, Chase & Status, Claptone and Basement Jaxx. His touring schedule has seen him travel across the globe, with sell out tours across Europe, North America, Japan and Australia & New Zealand.

In a Hip Hop match-up as heavy as Freddy vs Jason was to horror cinema, Los Angeles emcee's Mykill Miers and Pawz One have announced a collaborative album titled "Double Homicide". The project is packed with multi-syllabic lyrical barrages and DJ cuts as gritty as the boom-bap backdrops for a journey through the dark underbelly of the city of angels.

Mykill Miers, the self-proclaimed "Hitchcock Of Hip Hop" has been a threat on the mic since the late 90's, coming up in the same circle as notables including Planet Asia, Dilated Peoples and Phil The Agony. Pawz One has been releasing music for the past decade has been repping hard for the real ish. Speaking on their initial link-up Pawz recalls "I had obviously known of Myk for a while from killing it on the "Wake Up Show" to all the work he dropped. I was circulating around shows in LA a few years back and we ended up on the same bill a few times. We exchanged contact and did a few songs and I felt like it was a combo people would like to hear more from."

Production on the album includes work from Default Beats, Big Bob, Phaisrok, DJ Ray Swift, Science and Mykill Miers himself. Turntablists including DJ Rhettmatic, DJ Merk1200, DJ Breeze, DJ Romes and DJ Fastcut lend their skills and emcees including Ruste Juxx, Mic Handz, Edo.G, El Da Sensei, King Magnetic and Buddah.

Composed of rhyme-vets Pawz One and Evolve are Random Act Of Violence! The duo's self-titled release is chock-full of grimy bars over bangin' beats for the head-nodders.

Lead single "Sixteen Shots" is a boom-bap bar-brawl set to a crackin' instrumental (produced by EQ) with DJ Eyeball adds cuts to and featuring additional lyrical firepower from none other than Copywrite.

Another track from the project is "Vaultures". Speaking on that track Pawz revealed "the concept of that one was inspired by seeing a lot of these types in the game. The hook was inspired by Mobb Deep, these half-way-crooks bunched up to make each other feel tough and validate themselves."

Hailing from Los Angeles Pawz One has been repping the real and releasing music for the past decade. Most recently he teamed up with 90's West Coast vet Mykill Miers for the aptly named "Double Homicide" album and has also appeared on tracks with such notables as Ruste Juxx, Sadat X, Percee P, Shabaam Sahdeeq and DJ Rhettmatic.

Based out of Donna, Texas, Evolve has released over twenty albums through his Boom Bap Masterpiece Records label. He has collaborated on tracks with such notables as Chino XL, Fatlip (of the Pharcyde), Esoteric, Mickey Factz, Blueprint and many more. Touring the country over the past decade he has also shared stages with the likes of Raekwon, Murs, R.A. The Rugged Man, Masta Ace and Immortal Technique among others.

Clear Splatter Vinyl

We are proud to present this long player in our catalog. Zolex is one of the most influential and groundbreaking artists of the European Techno scene. He produced many classic anthems like 'Time Modulator' -one of the first underground techno tracks played on MTV (back in the days MTV still played music)-, Beautiful Inside, Yes & No,... But also under various aliases and groups like Carat Trax,
Asphyx, Dirty Jackers.

Zolex is still an active DJ and he has played on major techno events all over the world. For this release we selected 8 brand new tracks. All of these tracks are in his typical style. This package is like "the finest wine". We are not going to explaining all tracks separately, that would downgrade this promo-text. All tracks are unique, groundbreaking, massive, vicious, top notch and true gems. What we dare to say: buy it and you will play them all! And off course : Play it LOUD!

2023 Repress

Bump 'n Grind Wax strikes again in 2022! A close friend of the Bump 'n Grind camp, Jacques Renault brings disco flare and funky house to two infectious edits on this limited release 7". One to make the vinyl diggers salivate.

The Let's Play House records boss shows off his affection for the baby-powered dancefloor on the A-side, "That's What You Are". A progressive tune that eventually leaves the listener swinging from a disco ball suspended from lush clouds overhead. Playful cymbals and guitar stabs decorate the sing-a-long hook, reminding us: we are all diamond-drenched dancing fiends.

Jacque's B-side edit of "My Love is Guaranteed" is a funky chokehold of a groove. A driving bassline of love leaves no doubt. A song filled with golden horns and a glimmering sample becomes the perfect selection for a DJ playing at a massive festival... or a wedding. Versatility!

Tardam Records was born out of a collaboration between the Southern Italian City of Taranto at the top of the Puglian isthmus and Amsterdam, the far more northerly metropolis. The label was founded by DJ Goffredo Santovito and musicians Fabrizio Carrieri and Mikel Van Der Meulen. They were passionately motivated to release the music of a select set of European groups that were capturing a new sound in retro soul and R&B. Over the next four years they released nine singles from groups including the Mighty Typhoons, The Spinshots, The Ska related Uppertones and the raw R&B sound of the Working Voodoo Club, which resulted in dance floor winners, rare 45s and many great moments.

In celebration Acid Jazz asked their friends from Tardam if they could release a compilation of their work, and when they said yes, the label commissioned an exceptional mid-Century style illustration by Dutch illustrator Emanuel Wiemans to wrap it all up in.

Following the success of his 2022 mod-club, soul-jazz adventure with Mick Talbot, on 27 January Acid Jazz Records will release Chris Bangs' compendium of dance-floor fillers and Latin dynamite. Chris, who coined the term 'acid jazz', has created a new solo album of 10 tracks that takes his unique spin on jazz DJ-ing and turned it to producing an album that is totally reminiscent of the classic '80s era on the UK dance scene.

Recent single 'Firebird' (Jazz FM's Breakfast show 'track of the week') encompasses a lifetime of Chris's musical influences to present a jazz-tastic smorgasbord of bossa, fusion, bop jazz funk, salsa and a myriad selection of other jazz stylings all delivered with his trademark ear for the grooves and melodies to go with it. Paying tribute to his roots, 'East Coast' is the distinctive sound of jazz-funk fusion which spread through UK clubs in the early '80s, whereas 'Dinamita's heavy duty percussion-led Montuno Salsa groove tips its hat to the sound of '70s NYC via Puerto Rico.



Elsewhere the album features a tough Batucada rework of Dom Um Romao's 'Kitchen (Cosina)', the bossa of Cal Tjader's 'Samba Do Sueno', Brazilian disco funk-jazz 'Sambara' via the epic samba fusion 'Lifetimes'. Firebird features an array of in-demand and exceptional musicians, including jazz guitarist Nigel Price (Van Morrison, David Axelrod, JTQ), supreme jazz piano stylist Janette Mason (Seal, KD Lang, Robert Wyatt), trumpeter Dave Priseman (Jeff Beck, Imelda May), bassist Ernie Mckone (Boogie Back), saxophonist Simon Bates (Elvis Costello, Chaka Khan, Carleen Anderson), and fresh from his remix work with Paul Weller, vibesman Roger Beaujolais. This brilliant team of collaborators have helped a remarkable musical maverick create a truly unique and incredibly exciting album. Independently self-produced and composed, Firebird is a set of tunes better than any Chris Bangs had ever done.

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

After 9 full length studio albums and playing their asses off at over 800 shows, the Finnish disco metal machine Turmion Kätilöt is ready for the next level in their world dominance. Their 10th full length studio album “Omen X” will be released in 36 countries on 13th January 2023 via Nuclear Blast. The touring cycle starts in Finland immediately after the release of Omen X. Band will play its biggest show ever in Helsinki Ice hall on 14th January 2023. After couple of shows in the home country “Omen X” will be served all over Europe with 20 gigs inFebruary 2023 – see the full show schedule below.
”In the Omen X production, we encountered only positive problems. Due to the closures caused by Covid 19, there were so many songs available this time that it was even painful to choose only one album of songs from them. The amount of material and the difficulty of selection seemed to take up an unnecessary amount of valuable studio time at times. Otherwise, making the album went smoothly as always. From the artist's point of view, the album got a hell of a new sounds and atmosphere. A very cleansing experience. The tenth prophecy has been given. You're welcome!” - MC Raaka Pee
Turmion Kätilöt was formed in 2003 in Finland by MC Raaka Pee and Dj Vastapallo. Soon they were joined by the other members of what would become Turmion Kätilöt: Master Bates, Run-Q, DQ and Spellgoth as a second vocalist. With a couple of line-up changes as Dj Vastapallo left the band in 2009 replaced by Bobby Undertaker on guitars (ex-Deathchain) and Spellgoth leaving in 2017 replaced by Shag-U (Fear Of Domination) on vocals, Turmion Kätilöt has become the mean disco metal machine they are today.
From the very beginning Turmion Kätilöt has had a reputation of being a great live band. Disco beats from the 90’s, metal to the pedal, melodies, sing-a-longs, you name it – there are no rules. Yet still if you peek under the skin you can find the darkness pointing its finger to you. Their live shows have been praised to be the fiercest and craziest mayhem to be witnessed creating the twisted world of Turmion Kätilöt.