Buscar:dj slick

Tamango Records boss Yaya heads to TRMNL Records as he unveils his latest EP on the imprint, backed by remixes from Salty Nuts head honcho Fabe and label resident Vito.

Heading up his Tamango Records imprint while serving up killer cuts and remixes on Desolat, Moan, Revival New York and more, Yaya is a man in high demand across the globe. With his take on house music bridging influences from Africa to Italy, his percussive-driven and slick sound has made him a favourite for those looking for productions leaning towards the more energetic yet minimal end of the genre. That style is on show once more as he adds a new label to his catalogue. Joining the likes of Djebali, East End Dubs, Ray Mono and Samu.l, late July brings the release of his new EP ‘Para Siempre’ on UK imprint TRMNL Records, accompanied by a slick pair of remixes from Fabe and Vito to shape up the package.

Title track ‘Para Siempre’ is a skippy and bouncy lead effort as crisp drums, a zippy bassline, and warped vocals go to work to showcase a production bursting full of vigour, while ‘Umbrella Corps’ leans towards more organic, rolling percussion arrangements, shuffling rhythms and elastic melodies guide things towards the later hours. On the flip, Fabe steps up for the first remix as he brings his signature groove-led style to proceedings for a swingfuelled slice of funk, before Vito’s crisp take on ‘Umbrella Corps’ closes the show with a final injection of early hours goodness.

Early DJ Support:
Joseph Capriati, Marco Carola & ALISHA

Repress!

KNTXT signs hotly-tipped techno artist Indira Paganotto for a new EP that showcases her unique sound across four compelling tracks.

Indira's father was a DJ in the iconic Goa scene in India in the 90s, so she grew up surrounded by colourful, emotive techno and psytrance. She has brought that to her own DJ sets and productions ever since she moved to Madrid to pursue her career. Now Indira is coming out with her best EP to date.

“I got to know Indira Paganotto when we opened up for demo submissions earlier this year,'' says KNTXT label boss Charlotte de Witte. “She immediately caught my attention with her unique take on psy/techno music. It feels very good to have her on board and I'm curious to see what the future holds for her.”

Indira adds, "I understand music as a state of trance where each track develops a journey and a story. Himalaya EP is the reflection of everything I learned since my childhood until today, the heritage and passion for Psytrance, the experiences in India, the connection with nature, as well as the feeling of freedom and strength like the gallop of a horse, the synths of Goa music, the love and the truth, which is what fills my life. Thank you Charlotte for understanding my language in such a true way. Ours is a real connection in such a sincere mental embrace, and I am proud to be part of your KNTXT family and to be able to show everyone who I am."

The EP ́s opening track, 'Takeshi', is a slick techno roller that is rippled with psychedelic melodies and bright acid lines. They bleep and squeak up top to create a hypnotic effect as the drums march on. 'Sultans Of Mountains' contains intense psychedelic synths waning about the mix. The drums are stripped back and urgent, and crashing hits and smart filters bring real tension as this one unfolds in an arresting fashion. On the other hand, 'Himalaya' has a deep and sleek techno atmosphere where astral pads and heavenly vocal coos make for a cinematic sound that will cast a real spell on the crowd. Last, but certainly not least we have the edgy and heavily textured 'Cobra' with its unrelenting drums, slapping hits and futuristic, psytrance-tinged melodies all designed to mess with your mind.

This is an EP packed with fresh techno, straight from the breakout star Indira Paganotto.

With a vast catalogue of releases under his belt, Netherlands mainstay artist TWR72 debuts on Room with Narrow EP, delivering an impactful, seriously effective release that's well accompanied by an immense remix from the up-and-coming Mathys Lenne.


The title track "Narrow" sets the tone for what's to come on the front side, with a rumbling kick and low end, destructive vocals and bleeps that make up a perfect tension builder for peak time slots. Adding his own sturdy, fiery and visceral vision of Techno, the young French artist proposes his version of "Narrow", adding an atmospheric tension and swank drum work to the original. Not for the faint-hearted.


On the B-side, TWR72's very own, characteristic sound brings "Generous" and "Exact", two slick, drummy and useful tools that will surely fit into a lot of DJ's bags.

SHDW & Obscure Shape return to their mothership label From Another Mind with their six-track 'Vergessene Welt' EP, signalling the first material on the imprint for 18 months.

Founded in 2015, the launch of SHDW and Obscure Shape's label From Another Mind saw the Stuttgart-based DJ/producers establish themselves via a wealth of self-released material while welcoming a long list of high-profile remixers, including Rodhad, James Ruskin and Dax J. However, the pair's evolution saw new ventures explored and attention focused wider afield with the launch of their second label Mutual Rytm in 2022. Utilising their A&R skills, the label has seen the duo curate and invite a selection of up-and-coming and established names while also delivering their first EP on the label in Summer, 'Poetic Justice'. Exploring the techno sounds of tomorrow while drawing on influences of the past, the label quickly turned heads and has become a go-to for many. Following a brief hiatus, the attention is now turned back towards From Another Mind as the pair explore their origins and the signature FAM sound once again, opening the New Year with six fresh productions across their 'Vergessene Welt' EP.

Opener 'Planet Der Sturme' is an exhilarating ride through driving basslines, menacing synth lines and hard-hitting percussion to march towards the peak hours and set the tone for what's to come. 'Der Urknall' is a trippy and murky dive through off-kilter textures and regimented percussion, while 'Das Gefallene Konigreich' ups the energy levels further with sharp metallic tones, skittering hats and subtle haunting melodies launching deep into the late night hours.

On the flip, 'Geburt Der Erde' brings a slice of paired-back, groove-led techno as a slick acid line takes control and ebbs and flows throughout the track's six-minute duration, before closing the physical record via the delicate yet compelling sonics of title cut 'Vergessene Welt' - showcasing a deep dive into far-reaching corners of the genre.

Green Splatter Vinyl

Attention… There has been a sighting of an unidentified spinning object in the area. It’s splattered green and black, waxy, 12 inch in diameter and contains two extremely dangerous peak time recordings that have been causing destruction on dancefloors the world over. Proceed with caution, as these are two super slick takes on tracks you may or may not have heard before, you’re mind is at risk of reaching pure euphoria.


DJ Support: Marco Carola, Sepp, Arapu, Nu Zao, Bodeler, Ben Sterling, Archie Hamilton, Rossi.

Kenny Summit revisits Lectroluv’s ‘Dream Drums’ for a brand-new remix package, welcoming fresh interpretations from Joeski, Roberto Rodriguez, Eric Kupper, Lenny RX and Summit himself.

Originally released by Lectroluv, aka Frederick Jorgio, in 1993 and championed by Junior Vasquez before becoming a worldwide anthem across dancefloors across the globe, ‘Dream Drums’ holds a place for many as one of the truly iconic house records from the early 90s. Now almost 30 years on, Good For You boss Kenny Summit presents a carefully curated remix package as he revisits and pays homage to the seminal record. Welcoming fresh interpretations from Freerange regular Roberto Rodriguez, NYC house legend Joeski, Plastik People Recordings boss Marc Cotterell, and his own take alongside longstanding Brooklyn rave staple Lenny RX and Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum-selling recording artist Eric Kupper, the expansive package arrives via his sub-label Afternoon Delight.

Opening the package, Roberto Rodriguez’s take builds on the original’s iconic vocals and slick drums through sweeping melodies and airy pads to offer a hazy, paired-back interpretation of the production. Next up, Joeski’s remix lays the focus on percussion as he introduces Latin and Afro influences for a euphoric peak-time production set to get crowds moving, while Marc Cotterell delivers a signature blend of garage-led organ chords and two-step arrangements for a vibrant, sun-soaked cut. To close, the trio of Eric Kupper, Lenny RX and Kenny Summit join forces for a special ‘NYC Never Sleeps’ remix, introducing a killer lead line and warping synths to shape things up in style.


Early DJ Support:

Solomun, Claptone and Black Coffee

Armed with hefty kicks, slick metallic drum licks, and rolling low-ends alongside a sample flip at the heart of both records.

DJ Support:

Jamie jones, Marco Carola, Loco Dice, Michael Bibi, Seth Troxler.

UK rising star Alisha joins the Eastenderz family for her first EP on the label. Expertly translating her ability to read a dancefloor’s demands, she’s created four classy cuts of top tier tackle that sit perfectly within the Eastenderz sound.

‘Visions’ opens, a heads-down roller centered around a hypnotic bassline and deft synth touches, before ‘Hallucinate’ hits with a driving slice of late-night power. On the B side, a twisted melting pot of punchy grooves, synth contortions and tripped out vocals via ‘Burnen’.

The full frontal ‘Offenn’ closes out proceedings - swung, slick and stylish with a pumping bassline and wiggly textures to keep the crowd entranced.


DJ Support :

East End Dubs, Enzo Siragusa, Toman, Seb Zito, Joey Daniel, Okain

Repress!

A MAJOR EXPLORATION OF TOKYO'S CUTTING EDGE 80S SOUND THROUGH THE MUSIC OF CULT JAPANESE LABEL NIPPON COLUMBIA AND ITS BETTER DAYS IMPRINT, SELECTED BY BRITISH RADIO PRESENTER AND DJ NICK LUSCOMBE.

‘Tokyo Dreaming’ is a superb selection picked from the highly collectible Nippon Columbia label and its Better Days sub-label. For the occasion, we’ve teamed up with journalist and Japanese music expert Nick Luscombe who was granted rare access to the much-guarded Nippon Columbia's vaults for a masterful selection encapsulating the fascinating sound of Tokyo in the late 70s and 80s. The selection mixes electro, synth-pop, funk and ambient and features such artists as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Mariah, Shigeo Sekito, Juicy Fruits, Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama and Yumi Murata. The tracklist includes many sought-after rarities and hidden gems which have never been released outside of Japan and the set has been newly remastered by Nippon Columbia. The album has been designed by famed London-based designer Optigram and is annotated by Nick.

Nippon Columbia, one of Japan's oldest music labels is also one of its most collectible thanks to its sub-label Better Days which, in the late 70s, became a hotbed for Tokyo's new generation of pop artists eager to experiment with ambient, electro and funk. Armed with a string of new Japanese-made synthesizers and drum machines that would soon take the world by storm, they made cutting-edge music, which has since become highly sought-after by a new generation of Japanese music lovers. Nick Luscombe, who has long been a leading advocate of Japanese music from this era, has handpicked a selection of some of the sharpest music released on these labels at the time.
According to Nick, “Tokyo Dreaming is a look back to an incredible era of Japanese music, that still sounds and feels like the future. It was a moment when brand-new music tech from Japan helped forge new ideas and experiments that permeated pop, soul and jazz and helped create new forms of music including electro and techno. The perfect meeting point that would help create a new soundtrack for modern living.“
?The selection starts with "The End of Asia" by Ryuichi Sakamoto from his 1978 ground-breaking debut "Thousand Knives Of" (reissued last year by Wewantsounds). The track became a staple of Sakamoto's and YMO's live shows and was even re-recorded by the group for their 1980 album 'X Multiplies'. The track is followed by Mariah's cult Armenian folk flavoured synth pop classic "Shinzo No Tobira" (1983), which first spread outside of Japan when the Scottish DJ duo Optimo started playing the track regularly at their shows.
?Chika Asamoto's "Self Control" (1988) and Jun Fukamachi's "Treasure Hunter" (1985) are perfect songs in the synth-pop canon, while Yumi Murata's rendition of Akiko Yano's "Watashi No Bus" and Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama's "Rainy Driver" both from 1981, move closer towards the slicker, funkier sound of City Pop.
?'Tokyo Dreaming' superbly showcases the breadth of 80s Japanese music and the way electro pop was a playing ground for musicians to experiment with many styles, as showcased by Akira Sakata's dub-enfused "Room" from 1980, Kazumi Watanabe's discoid "Tokyo Joe" (1980) and Juicy Fruits' "kawai" robotic Techno pop song "Jenie Gets Angry".
?The selection flows effortlessly between many shades of synth and ends with two cult classics in the form of Yasuaki Shimizu's "Semi Tori No Hi" and Shigeo Sekito's ambient-jazz masterpiece "The Word II" from his highly sought-after album "Kareinaru Electone (The Word) Vol.2" which, although recorded in 1975, perfectly announces the synth revolution to come. Tokyo Dreaming showcases the groundbreaking sounds of a city turned giant sonic lab which was restlessly inventing the music of the future.
Nick Luscombe is a highly respected and in-demand music influencer who discovers great music from all over the world and shares it internationally through his many radio shows and DJ sets. He has been in charge of music selection for various radio programs since 1999, and from 2010 - 2019, was the DJ for the popular BBC Radio music program "Late Junction”. He has also curated and presented music shows for Monocle and British Airways radio stations. He has worked as both Chief Music Editor at iTunes and Director of Music at London’s Institute of Contemporary Art, and is the founder of MSCTY.

FUSE resident Seb Zito returns to home turf to close October as he delivers his ‘Trying To Start’ EP. A key member of FUSE since its inception ten years ago, London-based DJ and producer Seb Zito has remained at the heart of the city’s scene featuring as a core resident for the brand across their homes of Village Underground, 93 Feet East and beyond, whilst also serving as the A&R of sister imprint Infuse. Following a busy summer that welcomed outings and remixes on the likes of Four Thirty Two, Play It Say It, ORIGINS RCRDS and Moxy Muzik, plus material via his own Seven Dials Records and two collaborations as part of Enzo Siragusa’s ‘A Decade Of Rave Volume 2’, Zito now returns to FUSE to deliver his second solo EP of the year on the label as he unveils four new cuts in the form of his ‘Trying To Start’ EP. Title cut ‘Trying To Start’ opens proceedings with authority as bright vocals meet skipping percussion, bubbling sub bass and slick hats, whilst ‘Arped Edge’ harnesses a slightly more stripped back aesthetic, introducing infectious vocal snippets amongst hazy pads, sci-fi electronics and menacing low-ends. Next, ’10AM Fuse’ takes cues from its title as snaking bass patterns go to work alongside sharp drum licks to reveal a cut primed for some huge early morning moments, before rounding out the package with ‘Geo Theory’, a lively peak-time production armed with shuffling drums and a signature driving bassline at its core.

Mid-July signals the arrival of Rossko’s debut solo EP on his home imprint FUSE, delivering two tracks accompanied by a remix from Burnski in the form of his ‘Blossom’ EP.

An artist immersed within London’s rich electronic scene for the last 20 years, Rossko remains a central figure at the heart of the city’s ever-evolving sound. A DJ first and foremost, known for his slick and powerful sets and his ability to unearth forgotten gems from across the electronic sphere, his journey as one of FUSE’s core residents now stretches over 10 years, with the Berlin-based talent also featuring as a head resident DJ and A&R for the label’s sister imprint Infuse as well as heading up his own label ‘Late Night Skanking’ and ‘Arkityp’, the project with Archie Hamilton. Following on from his recent collaborative EP alongside Swedish talent Per Hammar on Infuse, here we him step out on home turf to offer up his debut solo EP and the most complete and matured example of his sound to date via the aptly titled ‘Blossom’, whilst Constant Sound boss Burnski also joins on remix duties.

A-side production ‘The Step Up’ opens the EP in slick fashion, as rolling organic percussion arrangements weave amongst slinking bass licks to reveal a stripped back yet dynamic lead cut. Next up, second original ‘Cerca Trova’ takes things a little deeper as off-kilter sonics and vocal murmurs work amongst skipping hats and rich low-end tones, before Burnski’s remix of ‘The Step Up’ sees the production paired back even further to reveal swinging drum grooves, floating, hazy melodies and playful synth flourishes throughout.

DJ Deep's Deeply Rooted label once again spotlights rising French talent Marina Trench for the second instalment of 'Signature featuring remixes from the boss and Hugo LX. Arriving on Deeply Rooted in March with the slick sounding 'Signature EP1', since then Trench has debuted at Rex Club where she played alongside Kerri Chandler, further bolstering her rising reputation as one of the Parisian scene's most exciting names. She now returns to Deeply Rooted bringing another instalment of classy House music - perfectly suited to the respected label's aesthetic. She shows off her knack for jazzy keys on the lively, raw-edged 'Thema Urbain' which oozes late night soul and effortlessly intimate house vibes. The equally excellent 'Ahead' is a surging house cut with well-crafted synth stabs fleshing out an off balance groove while a twanging bass riffs props things up from below. It's perfectly propulsive but has a real sense of heart. The third sublime original is 'Navigo', a bottomless track with splashy hi hats and suggestive string stabs up top. A rasping bassline brings texture to the smooth grooves as they keep rushing over you to make this another fresh and original offering from Trench. Remixing 'Ahead' is Hugo LX, who cruises from downtempo beats to soulful electronic sounds on the likes of Balance and NDATL Muzik. His classy version is a dubbed out classic with a musical bassline tumbling down the scales as you're sunk ever deeper into his pillowy pads. Deep himself then steps up to flip 'Navigo' into a driving deep techno number that surges on soaring synth smears and prickly percussion. This EP is set to take Trench to the next level and confirms she is one of 2019's brightest new stars.

Label head Enzo Siragusa teams with Ibiza resident Nima Gorji for the slick 'Foreal EP'; the original mix (VINYL ONLY) rolls deep, building nicely with a warming pad whilst subtle tripped out sounds flicker throughout the mix. Djebali offers up more of a bassline friendly mix on the flip whilst Fuse mainstay Seb Zito dusts it down with a phatt kick drum and ups the PHUNK on his version.

Australian label Nightime Drama, run by Peter Fincher (aka Vibrio) and Shaun Franklin (aka Trebek) now serves up its second standout release of 2016. This four track affair comes hot on the heels of the last by Yoshihiro Arikawa, and is a second release on the label by Aussie live act, DJ and producer Trinity, with Steven Tang and Italian based Andee on the remix. Trinity has also released on OOC, Coincidence and Android Muziq and regularly performs all round Europe. His sound deep and cosmic, heady and hypnotic, as the fresh tracks here prove. Cascade Drive is seven minutes of direct and elastic house with spacey pads and driving drums carrying you through the cosmos. From the Earthmothern label and one half of RK's, Andee strips it back to a slick rubber kick drum then layers in a forceful acid line and icy hi hats to really get you under its spell. The longform groove is physical and cerebral in equal measure. The next original is Expansion, and again finds Trinity serving up a hi tech and soul infused deep techno sound that is lithe and liquid, smeared with great pads and truly timeless. Emphasis boss Steven Tang is the perfect man to remix given his style, and his version flips the cut into a more heavyweight and banging techno effort, but one that is just as littered with sci fi sounds, spaceship trails and intergalactic energies.

GRAMMY-prämierte Rap-Ikone Nas und DJ Premier – zwei der einflussreichsten und angesehensten Persönlichkeiten der Hip-Hop-Geschichte – veröffentlichten ihr mit Spannung erwartetes Kollaborationsalbum „Light-Years“ am 12. Dezember digital über Mass Appeal Nach den limitierten Day Ones Editionen gibt es nun die regulären Editionen mit Artwork, ab 20. Februar 2026.

Nach jahrzehntelanger Vorfreude ist „Light-Years“ die Wiedergeburt einer 30-jährigen Zusammenarbeit. Die Partnerschaft von Nas und DJ Premier ist tief in der DNA des Hip-Hop verwurzelt. Ihre Geschichte begann 1994 mit „Illmatic“, das Hits wie „N.Y. State Of Mind“, „Memory Lane“ und „Represent“ hervorbrachte. „Illmatic“ etablierte Nas als Ausnahmetalent und festigte Premiers damals aufstrebende Karriere. Ihre musikalische Chemie vertiefte sich im Laufe des folgenden Jahrzehnts durch Klassiker wie „I Gave You Power“, „2nd Childhood“, „Nas Is Like“ und „N.Y. State Of Mind Pt. II“.

Angeführt von Mass Appeals bahnbrechender Reihe „Legend Has It…“, die einige der wichtigsten und einflussreichsten Hip-Hop-Künstler aller Zeiten feiert und ins Rampenlicht rückt, präsentierte die Reihe ein ganzes Jahr lang historische Veröffentlichungen von Kultur prägenden Künstlern wie Slick Rick, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep, Big L und De La Soul. Mit „Light-Years“ liefern Nas und DJ Premier den krönenden Abschluss dieser legendären Reihe, in der ihre unbestreitbare Synergie nach wie vor einzigartig ist.

2006 zierten Nas und DJ Premier das Cover des Scratch Magazine und kündigten ein gemeinsames Projekt an, das die Begeisterung der Fans erneut entfachte und die zwei Jahrzehnte währende Vorfreude beflügelte. Letztes Jahr taten sich Nas und Premier zusammen, um das 30-jährige Jubiläum von „Illmatic“ mit der Veröffentlichung des neuen Tracks „Define My Name“ zu feiern, mit dem sie erstmals ihr wegweisendes Kollaborationsalbum ankündigten.

„Light-Years“ ist ein wahrer Beweis für den Einfluss beider Künstler, ihr Vermächtnis und die Zeitlosigkeit ihrer gemeinsamen Musik.

GRAMMY-prämierte Rap-Ikone Nas und DJ Premier – zwei der einflussreichsten und angesehensten Persönlichkeiten der Hip-Hop-Geschichte – veröffentlichten ihr mit Spannung erwartetes Kollaborationsalbum „Light-Years“ am 12. Dezember digital über Mass Appeal Nach den limitierten Day Ones Editionen gibt es nun die regulären Editionen mit Artwork, ab 20. Februar 2026.

Nach jahrzehntelanger Vorfreude ist „Light-Years“ die Wiedergeburt einer 30-jährigen Zusammenarbeit. Die Partnerschaft von Nas und DJ Premier ist tief in der DNA des Hip-Hop verwurzelt. Ihre Geschichte begann 1994 mit „Illmatic“, das Hits wie „N.Y. State Of Mind“, „Memory Lane“ und „Represent“ hervorbrachte. „Illmatic“ etablierte Nas als Ausnahmetalent und festigte Premiers damals aufstrebende Karriere. Ihre musikalische Chemie vertiefte sich im Laufe des folgenden Jahrzehnts durch Klassiker wie „I Gave You Power“, „2nd Childhood“, „Nas Is Like“ und „N.Y. State Of Mind Pt. II“.

Angeführt von Mass Appeals bahnbrechender Reihe „Legend Has It…“, die einige der wichtigsten und einflussreichsten Hip-Hop-Künstler aller Zeiten feiert und ins Rampenlicht rückt, präsentierte die Reihe ein ganzes Jahr lang historische Veröffentlichungen von Kultur prägenden Künstlern wie Slick Rick, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep, Big L und De La Soul. Mit „Light-Years“ liefern Nas und DJ Premier den krönenden Abschluss dieser legendären Reihe, in der ihre unbestreitbare Synergie nach wie vor einzigartig ist.

2006 zierten Nas und DJ Premier das Cover des Scratch Magazine und kündigten ein gemeinsames Projekt an, das die Begeisterung der Fans erneut entfachte und die zwei Jahrzehnte währende Vorfreude beflügelte. Letztes Jahr taten sich Nas und Premier zusammen, um das 30-jährige Jubiläum von „Illmatic“ mit der Veröffentlichung des neuen Tracks „Define My Name“ zu feiern, mit dem sie erstmals ihr wegweisendes Kollaborationsalbum ankündigten.

„Light-Years“ ist ein wahrer Beweis für den Einfluss beider Künstler, ihr Vermächtnis und die Zeitlosigkeit ihrer gemeinsamen Musik.

2026 Repress

DJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop. With his fourth album Rhythm-Al-Ism he created his masterpiece, a perfect hip-hop album. As Quik explains, “the name Rhythm-Al-Ism alone tells you what I was doing. I was mixing up rhythms. I was meshing R&B with hip-hop and jazz. And a little bit of comedy”. It’s absolutely sensational and as with a lot of mid-90s albums those original vinyl copies are now rare so here’s the Be With re-issue.

A preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta rap classics. He’s released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Quik has always been quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically. An old-school funk producer at heart, he’s also incredibly nice on the mic. His raps often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his trauma. Partying and pain, all mixed up. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from age 14, Quik’s tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Compton’s more typical nihilistic hedonism. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to drift out over sun-soaked barbecues.

Released in 1998 on Profile, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the closest Quik ever got to making a commercial splash. “You’z A Ganxta” and “Hand in Hand” made radio waves across the country and the less radio-friendly tracks like “Medley For A ‘V’” were bumping out of car stereos. Combining his soulful, jazzy P-Funk/G-Funk beats with his effortlessly smooth flow, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the quintessential West Coast Party. Squelchy synths, bouncy bass, monstrously knocking drums and freaky keys - this is peaking acidic party-rap, straight out the gate. Music for gliding, for skating, for time with your people and your poison. Sunshine. No cares. BBQs. Heavy smoke in the air. Dripping with wit and good humour. A real swing to the vibe.

The album opens with Quik setting out his mission statement with “Rhythm-Al-Ism (Intro)”, telling us what this is all about before the self-explanatory “We Still Party” rocks the spot. It’s definitely all about the party here, complete with Quik’s signature head-nod/body-moving beat. Next up, the undeniable laidback funk and dripping swing of groove-laden “So Many Wayz”. This positively slaps.

Then we get to the three huge singles. The R&B-tinged radio-friendly minor-hit “Hand In Hand” closes the first side only for the flip to get straight into the rolling and scratching of bleepy computer-funk banger “Down, Down, Down” (featuring a particularly nice use of Howard Johnson’s epochal “So Fine”). The effortlessly smooth, flute and guitar-laced “You’z A Ganxta” completes the trio. Next up the fast-paced, vocoder-enhanced, woulda-beena-global-hit “I Useta Know Her”. This coulda (shoulda) been a single too. Head-nod funk workout “No Doubt”, with its ace sample of Prince's “Sexy Dancer”, closes out the second side.

“Speed” races out the gate on the second disc, sampling Edwin Birdsong’s “Rapper Dapper Snapper” in a harder, better, faster, stronger way than those daft Parisian punks. Amphetamine-swift raps over soaring, string-drenched b-boy beats. A total anthem. Up next, the staggering, near 8-minute laconic, lounge-y sax-rap of “Whateva U Do” cools things down and smooths things out with its flute wrapping around a sample of Smokey Robinson’s “So In Love” and some oh-so-classy lounge-piano tinkling. And speaking of smooth, things don’t get much smoother than the blissfully melodic glider-anthem “Thinkin’ ’Bout U” riding that ace flip of SWV’s “Use Your Heart”. Exceptional.

The exquisite funky-flute-slapper “Medley for a ‘V’ (The P***Y Medley)” opens the fourth and final side, with star turns from Snoop Dogg and a typically suave Nate Dogg. It’s followed by the supremely skanked-out “Bombudd II”, a beautifully sweet reggae-fuelled ode to the herb. “Get 2Getha Again” is slick funk. Stunning.

This 2022 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. Unusual for the time, Rhythm-Al-Ism was originally pressed as a double and we’ve reproduced the original LA vibe picture sleeve and insert to match.

As that original front cover says, this is “over 70 minutes of commercial free music” and it’s absolutely perfect from start to finish. There are no stand-out tracks here. It’s all gold.
: Rhythm-al-ism (2LP)

Hot Creations latest Vinyl Sampler featuring four of the Hottest recent release on Hot Creations.

Fresh off his Paradise debut with ‘Way U Move’ alongside Jamie G, Manchester’s Goosey steps up solo on Jamie Jones’ Hot Creations with ‘Funky Shit’ featuring Dope Earth Alien, with wobbly subbass
pulses and Dope Earth Alien’s catchy vocals, sweeping you into a full-body groove!

Murphy’s Law return to Jamie Jones’ Hot Creations, joined by label debutant Sam Curran and Harry Unsworth,on the collaborative banger, ‘Proper Whopper’. ‘Proper Whopper’ brings booming low-end that demand attention while soaring sirens and charismatic vocals build the track’s energy and pave the way for a thundering bassline to command dancefloors.

London-based DJ/producer Sidney Charles is back on Hot Creations with ‘Disco Bumping,’ a slick House cut that blends Aleya Mae’s lush vocals with Sidney’s warping sonic textures and immersive synth work.

Brazilian nocapz delivers the huge anthem ‘Getting Heard’, driving forward with quick, bouncy
beats and heavy synths that build a wave of intensity to the dancefloor.