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The music on this EP was conceived in China, between 1989 and 1993. The original tracks were mixed to DAT in real time, in a small neighbour-proof studio inside my apartment in Macau, a 19th floor with a view to the hurricanes. There's a small, unexpected or improbable story behind each track, some little magic fused with the local atmosphere, certainly guaranteeing their lasting authenticity 25 years later.

TAIPEI DISCO
Late 80s Guangzhou was an exotic city where the traditional past coexisted in harmony with the present and even already with the future.
I'd rather spend my weekends in Guangzhou than diving into Hong Kong consumerism - as most ex-pats in Macau did. I took a cab at the border and travelled 150 Km through chaotic roads with family and friends until reaching the hot, humid, mega South China metropolis.
We ate on street joints in the evenings, went on to a karaoke bar and ended up at Taipei Disco, the only proper club in town. All the others were inside hotels and played generic music or they were seedy, sleazy, smoky cabarets.
Taipei Disco used to be a cinema and played cantonese pop music and anglo-saxon pop/rock (that was new). The spacious dance floor was generously lighted, the atmosphere was airy and modern. Boys and girls were in the habit of dancing in pairs, one in front of the other, observing a respectful yet sensual distance. When the girl took a few steps back, the boy went along and vice versa. With legs and feet (more than the upper bodies) synchronized with the music, they never exceeded in extroversion. Cool.
I always carried a MicroComposer and a portable DAT recorder in my travels through China and weekends in Canton. Any spontaneous musical idea was imediately recorded and memorized. The MicroComposer allowed multitrack recording, which was very handy on the road. Based on the emphatic choreography of Taipei Disco's dancers, i started to compose a rhythm track while sitting at a table, with headphones, listening to Cantopop in the background. As if by magic - not a rare occasion in music - everything began fitting together. Odd as it may seem, the track ended up sounding more germanic (Kraftwerkian) than Cantonese pop.

The story ends in a circle: the cantonese DJ at Taipei Disco, whom i used to ask to play certain records, wanted to play my music at the disco when it was basically only just a rhythm track and little else. From a cupboard under his set up he took out a battered keyboard (unrecognizable brand) and invited me to play over the track with the available sounds on the keyboard. The circle was complete, with Cantonese clubbers happily dancing forwards and backwards, as if it were another Cantopop hit.
I didn't get payed but the house offered us free ice cream cups in which little Portuguese flags were sticked.
The track would be finished later, in studio, with vocoder strings ensemble and synth solos.

TAIPEI DISCO (LIVE)
The live version of 'Taipei Disco' was recorded during a live set at the China Pop venue, in Macau, 1993. China Pop was a rock club built in the ample space of an old fishing warehouse, located in the labyrinthic Inner Harbour area. It was decorated with large Mao Zedong and Cultural Revolution posters and memorabilia and had a unique atmosphere, fusing Pop Art with film noir. We began our performance at 1AM, pretty early for Macau's nightlife standards. We were lucky. An audience showed up. And in Macau there were always several friends among the audience, which tranformed a musical performance into a relaxed party.
The atmosphere was particularly surreal on that night. The front row was dominated by French Crazy Horse dancers, a sort of Oriental Moulin Rouge. The girls had finished their last performance of the evening at the Crazy Horse and were still energized from their show. During our performance, right in front of us and perfectly synched, we could hear the famous irreverent screams of can-can dancers. You always had to expect the unexpected in Macau.

RED MAMBO (IMPROMPTU)
I was familiar with the Portuguese-speaking African countries well before having lived in China. I found myself returning several times to one in particular, always attracted by its magic and very distinct, identitary culture and music: Cape Verde.
During the early years of DWART a lot of the inspiration for drum machine rhythms (Roland's TR series) came from African music, especially from new musical trends that gained full autonomy with Cape Verde's independence from Portugal, as was the case with funaná.
I had the privilege of having known and befriended some of the greatest Capeverdian composers, musicians and singers during the 70s and 80s, such as Bana, Luís Morais, Cesária Évora, Paulino Vieira, Chico Serra, Tito Paris, and historical bands such as Bulimundo (ambassadors of funaná) and Os Tubarões (great innovators of morna, coladera and funaná, with the sonic impact of an afro-beat big band).
When Luís Filipe de Barros began playing Os Tubarões for the first time on Portuguese radio, that was the turning point for African music in Portugal. The 'Tabanca' album was so widely heard and talked about that it quickly got a Portuguese release through one of the big labels of the time.
The mystic of this band from the Santiago Island would reach the East. Os Tubarões played to a packed room in Macau in 1992, and after the bombastic gig we arranged a dinner and party at my place.
We ate and drank generously and the moment came for a jam session at the small studio on the 19th floor. Because Os Tubarões didn't all fit in the studio, we recorded an impromptu with only three of the musicians: Tótó Silva (electric guitar), Mário Russo Bettencourt (bass) and Zeca Couto (piano). And there we were improvising without barriers, suddenly detached from cultural roots, labels and constraints, a truly unique moment. The track is now being released exactly as it was recorded, imbued with the real communion between the musicians. And it could only be titled 'Red Mambo'. I wish to dedicate it to the memory of Ildo Lobo and Jaime do Rosário, founders of Os Tubarões, sadly and too soon departed from the land of music.

For this EP, Jófríður Ákadóttir has re-recorded some of the finest songs from her bands and solo-projects (JFDR, Samaris, Pascal Pinon) with new string arrangements. These versions have a simple, inherent beauty that is juxtaposed with their seething, stark intensity.

To replace the original arrangements with strings was originally planned as a one-off event: When preparing a Pascal Pinon performance in Portugal, Jófríður asked NYC-based composer Ian Davis to help her re-arrange four tracks. After the show Jófríður realized that the material deserved to be captured.

The featured songs were chosen from the repertoire of JFDR (her solo project) and Pascal Pinon (the duo she forms with her sister Ásthildur). There were no objective selection criteria: - I chose the songs that called for strings, songs that I was interested in continuing their story', Jófríður says. - Making this EP was meant to cast new light onto old bodies, to explore what is song and what is arrangement'. Indeed, the arrangements establish a fresh perspective on the selected songs (except for - My Work' - as the track will appear on a forthcoming JFDR album). Being freed from genre, these versions also expose JFDR's voice and its dynamics— the absence of beats gives her vocal performance new possibilities.

The EP was recorded live in a studio in Reykjavík, where Jófríður was joined by producer Albert Finnbogason, her sister Ásthildur (additional vocals and piano) and a string quintet. Ian Davis also made it to the recording sessions and brought two new transcriptions: - I wanted to have moments of clear simplicity juxtaposed with more dense, experimental passages. Sometimes the strings are just holding root notes and simple chords and other times they open up into more contrapuntal and textural moments', Ian explains. As a result, you'll find both moments of modest beauty as well as intensely seething passages. Even if Jófríður's voice clearly is the main attraction here, this EP - as she emphazises herself - is a collective work of those involved: - Trusting your collaborators is the truest gift'.

If you want to know what Gabe Gurnsey's debut album
'Physical' sounds like, the first thing you should do is forget all
about Factory Floor, the group he co-founded 13 years ago.
Gone are the cold, lengthy, stripped back deconstructions of no
wave electronica and industrial techno, abandoned in favour of
something altogether warmer, torrid and succinct.
'It's a real departure from Factory Floor,' he explains. 'Yeah,
that was the intention. There's only one track over six minutes
long! There's only one crossover point on the song 'Night
Track', which is 6'33' - that's probably as close to Factory Floor
as it gets. What I wanted to get into with 'Physical' had more to
do with exploring songwriting and structure. The album is very
escapist in one sense even though I don't want to escape from
Factory Floor but what I do on my own has to be separate and
it has to explore new avenues.' Gurnsey started writing tracks in his downtime from the group early 2017 and by the start of that Summer he had 30 demos ready for work. He admits he worked very quickly initially but then gave the tracks 12 months to develop fully into a new sound.
And that new sound - a 21st Century take on muscular electro,
Balearic synth pop, EBM, proto-Hacienda militant funk, early
Chicago house and minimal, Neptunes-referencing beats - can
be experienced in full on 'Physical' the album released on Erol
Alkan's Phantasy label. The album features additional production from Erol Alkan, who also mixed the record.
Double LP format includes printed inner sleeves and digital
download code. Press - Reviews in Q, Loud & Quiet, The Quietus, Record Collector, Uncut.
Features in Loud & Quiet, Electronic Sound, Q, Clash, The Quietus, Gigwise, Silver Soundz.








[]I C2 | I Get
[]J C3 | Version

Sampled by Drake ( Jungle') and G-Eazy ( Running'). Instrumental versions of Gabriel's Stones Throw Records debut Jardín now available on limited edition wax. Gabriel Garzón-Montano's formidable skills have come to fruition on Jardín in his Stones Throw debut. This album came out of wanting to make music that reminds people how beautiful life is and how delicate their heart is,' he said. I've always wanted to make music that is healing, comforting, and funky. I named the album Jardín hoping for it to create a space for healing when people put it on. A garden is full of life, growth and beauty,' Gabriel said of choosing that unifying image as the title for his new album. It makes me think of green and white and all the colors as they appear in different flowers.' That vivid spectrum bursts forth on Jardín itself and the album contains references to fruit of all sorts, sour mango, juicy tangerines and sweet peaches. From the heartache and aching vocals that float over the dusty drums of Crawl' to the stutter-step thump of Bombo Fabrika' to the high falsetto he nails on Octave,' Garzón-Montano proves himself to already be one of 2017's biggest breakout talents.

Off-kilter Broken Beats From A Collection Of Up & Coming Artists From Around Europe And Beyond.

A1. Twelon - Quad

Twelon Heralds The Start Of The Ep With A Builder Track Perfect For Openings And Breakdowns Mid Set. Industrial Creeps And Hisses, Spliced With Intricate Percussion.

A2. Nollern - Sitar Pro

Nollern's Eff_el & Dan Beaven Burst Forth To Bring An Upfront, Yet Minimalistic, Glitch-rife Drum Track - Perfect For The Players Wanting To Layer An Element Of Sparse, Brutal Breaks Into The Mix.

B1. Tlk - In Your Shadow

Tlk Brings Us A Beautiful, Emotion Filled Arp Track. 'one Of My Goals When Making A Track, Is To Only Use One Sound: To Make One Synth Sing.' - Linkwood. This Is The Inspiration That Tlk Used For In Your Shadow.

B2. Xantrax - Xtk

A Trippy, Jazzy Combination Of Atmospheric Synthesis, Acoustic Drums And A Heavy Bass-weight Underlay, Giving The Ep A Raw, Yet Balanced Finish.

HOUSEWORX proudly welcomes gary Romalis from the Motor City!
I guess we don't need the introduce this great artist anymore. Gary released on some of the scene's big players like Intangible Records,
Slow Town, RAWAX, HOUSEWAx, Skylax jutst to name a few. W're very excited to share the "Back 2 Basicz" Ep with you!

French by way of Berlin DJ/producer La Fraicheur finally delivers with a first 9-track album, 'Self-Fulfilling Prophecy', her first release on the InFiné label. This remarkably dense, dancefloor-oriented album oscillates

between techno, ambient and electronic music, a mesmeric yet pounding effort that gets the body and the mind moving.

For over a decade now, first in Paris, then Montreal and now in Berlin, La Fraicheur has been brewing her own blend of Deep House & Techno beats, making a name for herself with her signature sound of emotionally charged

Techno sets. Marathon DJ, she is a resident in Berlin's renowned Wilde Renate and part of the Female:Pressure network. She can go on for countless hours, running the gamut from classics to new songs released only two hours earlier.

Expanding her craft by producing her own music ranging from ravy epic Tech-House to dark pumping Electro, spacious open air Deep House to melancholic Electronica, she spent the summer of 2017 doing an artist residency with the Berlin-Detroit Connection (organisation founded by Mike Banks (UR) and Dimitri Hegemann (Tresor) at the Underground Resistance HQ in Detroit, working on her first solo album. 'I want to use moments of dancing to stimulate a bit of political awakening' she says, and, speaking of her album in particular, (on which are scattered various samples of politically explicit content (for example, excerpts from aninterview with Angela Davis). While 'Self Fulfilling Prophecy' clearly aspires to raise awareness, it does so subtly, without ever relegating music to the second class. This is neither 'ready-to-think' or 'ready-to-dance', but an assembly of sophisticated rhythms, sounds and words that it are up to each listener to interpret in their own way. La Fraicheur does not seek to deliver a message, or impose a discourse, but to distil an idea and suggest a relationship to the world - a report to the world based on the affirmation of self and acceptance of others in all their differences.

Two Words is the debut release from the duo of Canadian sound artist crys cole and Australian songwriter Francis Plagne. Building on a series of experimental live performances in which the pair toyed with possible common languages for their seemingly unrelated approaches to music, the LP's two sides present a single piece that brings together abstract texture and slow-motion song in a sonic space where genre cedes to the logic of dreams.

The piece begins with a long, nearly static sequence built primarily from rubbed surfaces, using movement in the stereo field and changing mic placements to create a unified but unstable sonic environment that mimics wind, water, and breath, opening an impossible space between nature and artifice. This artificial outdoors ultimately makes room for Plagne's electric organ, which sounds a series of melancholic chords to accompany a wandering Wyatt-esque keyboard line as cole's intimate contact mic textures sizzle and pop in the foreground.

From here the piece makes a surprise detour into song, as the majority of the second side finds Plagne intoning a series of obtuse two word phrases (from a text by Berlin-based poet Marty Hiatt) to an austere organ accompaniment. Working closely with engineer and producer Joe Talia, cole and Plagne extend the studio-as-an-instrument tradition of Teo Macero and This Heat, introducing subtle yet unexpected production shifts that lead the listener from the initial austerity of the organ and voice to an oneiric space of asynchronised vocal doubles, creaking textures, and distant whistling, ultimately arriving at something like an imagined meeting of Organum and Arthur Russell.

Packaged in a suitably mysterious sleeve featuring a lush work by Australian painter Anne Wallace on the front and text by Hiatt on the back, Two Words is both comforting and strange, a disorienting blend of seemingly discrepant elements.

To coincide with the release of their eagerly awaited debut album Gate Of Grief (now due out on 20 July), US dark electronic outfit WHITE RING release a double AA side 7' single of the two lead tracks on the album 'Leprosy' and 'Nothing'. Blending heavy, distorted electronics with eerie, unsettling vocals they push the boundaries further, subverting genre ideas and mashing them all together, with industrial, metal, rave, chopped and screwed, rap, grunge, neo folk, post punk and new wave all in the mix

'Leprosy' is brooding, abrasive and ethereal all at once, the track draws from a varied and challenging palette, steeped in existential dread. It was the first song they wrote for the album and features the vocals of co-founding member Kendra Malia. As Bryan Kurkimilis explains; 'This song was the first time we really wanted to start exploring aggression in our music.'

'Nothing' is underpinned by gothic 80s beats and sinister synth bass-lines. It crackles and fizzes with arcade bleeps with wraith-like melodies floating over the top. In this song, nothing is true and everything is permitted. It features the first collaboration with newcomer Adina Viarengo, who added her vocals in 2016 to the existing instrumental track that Bryan Kurkimilis created for the first set of WHITE RING demos in 2009.

WHITE RING were originally formed by Bryan Kurkimilis and Kendra Malia, before they were joined by Adina Viarengo, with Bryan and Adina currently touring as a duo. Gate Of Grief arrives a full eight years since their benchmark EP, Black Earth That Made Me, which sold out almost instantly, making their records some of the most highly sought after on the underground scene and earning them a cult following across the globe.

Swerving from aggressively abrasive to beautifully ethereal, musically they draw from varied and challenging palette, whilst tackling themes of loss and acceptance due to struggles with drug addiction and existential dread on a broader scope.

Dwelling on the outskirts of pop music, WHITE RING grew up in the age of the internet and were exposed to a huge range of music. They have developed a unique style while pushing the boundaries of accessibility and musical genre. They have created a piece of art that is brimming with symbolism and underlying tensions, that seduces and scares in equal measure.

Dusty archives, the backrooms of record stores, private reel to reel stashes, master tapes - these are the environs of the Dynamic Range experience.Dynamic Range is a new label focused on unearthing deep Soul, Funk and Disco jams that continue to resonate with todays dancers and DJ's. Time spent scouring the bowels of the majors and independents has unsurprisingly resulted in numerous gems being added to the DR wants list. High quality, fully licensed reissues are the order of the day, always taken from the correct master source and re-presented to hungry record heads the world over. To repeat, this is a fully legit operation - Avoid the sharks at all costs!
The debut release on the label is a real doozy - New Birth, the mighty Detroit Funk outfit who operated from 1970 onwards are first up to bat. Their late 70's rarity 'Deeper' is a real monster lifted from their killer 'Behold The Mighty Army' LP. Produced by legendary Motown stalwart Frank Wilson this is some straight-up Disco-fied Funk for sure! One of those solid, mid-tempo groovers that just ignites a dance-floor at any time, any place. Side-A is the glorious full-side Disco mix and we're treated to the full instrumental version on the flip. No lazy edits here, just the full Funk and nothing but the Funk, just as the group intended! This is one of many soulful treats that Dynamic Range will be presenting in the coming months, stay tuned for more - 'Ain't It Something'. All music selected by the Dynamic Range team / Licensed and reissued by Above Board distribution in conjunction with Warner Music.
Remastered with love by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK. Artwork and design by Atelier Superplus. 2018.

The third release on null+void Recordings comes from Manchester based artist Dead Sound. who on his This is Human EP has fully expressed his expert knack for laying down engrossing tracks on a solid bed of grooves. On This is Human he works between slinky electro and quirky techno in a tough edged four track EP set for digital and vinyl release this April.

null+void Recordings label head Kirsti has been a fan of Dead Sound since his first release in 2010 - No Faith - on net label Acroplane and following him avidely since. For anyone unfamiliar with the Dead Sound he's historically found his releases land on Perc Trax and Rebekah's Decoy two of the UK's most uncompromising techno artists labels respectively.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Trojan Records comes 'Trojan Ska & Reggae Classics', a double vinyl album comprising 24 of the most celebratory Jamaican music hits from the iconic label's legendary catalogue.

Released in tandem with the TV advertised 3CD version of the same name, this joyous collection showcases the very best in classic Caribbean sounds, from rude boy ska to dancehall anthems, with the set featuring an incredible 22 Top 50 UK chartbusters, including 4 UK Number 1s and 13 Top 10s.

The perfect musical accompaniment for the summer of 2018 and beyond, this blistering 2LP vinyl collection compilation ably demonstrates just what makes Trojan so special and why it remains the world's greatest reggae label, half a century since its launch.

As an integral part of the Trojan 50 marketing campaign, the LP will be heavily promoted via the label's website, Facebook & Twitter pages, Instagram and YouTube channel.




















[T] D2 | Desmond Dekker - You Can Get It If You Really Want

July sees Radio Slave's Rekids invite Britain's renowned Swayzak to the roster with a Cold War themed release entitled 'Odessa Calling' EP.A name associated with quality, Swayzak's ability to retain their signature sound whilst producing across various sub-genres has cemented them a solid reputation since their humble beginnings in the 90s. Their impressive back catalogue includes six studio albums and appearances on labels like K7, M_nus, Curle, Ellum and Swayzak's own label 240 Volts, which was relaunched in 2017. Originally a duo comprised of David Brown and James Taylor, Brown has been helming the project solo since 2012. He now joins respected Berlin-based imprint Rekids with two inspired productions. 'Odessa Calling' is a mysterious track with hypnotic synths, mesmerising pads and enigmatic vocals that combine together to create a celestial aesthetic. On the flipside, 'Numbers Station' continues with the otherworldly feel employing shimmering percussion that wanders alongside a brooding bassline for a well refined finish to the package.

'The first release from Berceuse Heroique arrived at the Honest Jon's basement the 21st of April, we didn't sell it until the next day, though, 'cause we don't like all that RSD bullshit. This April we wanted to celebrate 5 years since that day, with our 50th release, but manufacturing records is becoming a very weird place where time and deadlines don't exist. So, today we are releasing 3 new tunes by our dear friend Florian aka Don't DJ and a remix from one of our favourite artists ever, Mr. Newworldaquarium. It's properly cut on two 12"s (180g vinyl as always) and properly mastered by our favourite mastering engineer, CGB of the D & M crew.'

Very LIMITED album discs available now:

This is the first album Oscar Mulero has released under his own name, after two acclaimed LPs under the moniker Trolley Route. Well known for his skills as a hard-edged, raw and floor-orientated techno dj, his productions go far beyond, digging deep into the intricate landscape of intelligent techno, floating moods, reminiscent atmospheres, harmony and detail.

Grey Fades To Green is the affirmation of his maturity as a producer, using both hardware and software in the pursuit of a highly coherent and diverse album.

The concept is split into two parts: The Grey and The Green, each one with its own character. The first part is rougher and meant for the dance floor, although pays full attention to detail and complexity. The second part is quieter, has a slower pace and is best enjoyed at home.

In The Green Oscar goes deep into the intellectual side of techno music and is heavily influenced by the post rave sound emerging from the UK in the nineties: Aphex Twin, Gescom, B12, Plaid, Autechre.. but with a contemporary approach.

This part of the album brings you melodies, harmonies, endless atmospheres, and hours of studio work. Each sound has been carefully constructed, nothing is left to chance: Every stereo panning, every change to the synth's parameters has been meticulously designed for your listening pleasure; just what you want when you listen to techno on headphones. Futuristic music made with the utmost care.

'Last Regrets' shows how melancholic harmonies can be a perfect match for abstract beats and a dub-step reminiscence. A fine piece of sci-fi techno.

'Grey Fades To Green' makes a clean break by offering us an industrial drum'n' bass piece with a techno approach that mutates as the minutes tick by. A dub-step melodic track. Futuristic breakbeat for the decades to come.

The final track of The Green, 'Silent Air', picks up the homage to the intelligent techno sound of the beginning and returns to random grooves, crunchy samples, impossible hi-hats and massive synthesizer and step sequencer routines. A perfect ending to this sound journey from the heart of the dance floor to the core of your mind.

A mature work that confirms Oscar Mulero as one of the most qualified studio animals on the techno landscape.

"Manchester has produced some of the world's most loved artists and bands - from indie to acid house - listened to by millions around the world.
Ad Hoc Records continues this musical tradition, as a record label dedicated to showcasing the very best of Manchester's music scene - with a firm 21st century, 'post-everything' mentality. First, Banana Hill's very own: Cervo (Black Acre/Lumberjacks in Hell); with its pulsing beat and bassline, Hesse Groove makes you want to discover a new part of town late at night. Next, is Taurtollo with an outstanding, universal composition that will be sure to delight ears and dancefloors. Penultimately, Paul Chamber's brings a raw, Fela Kuti sampling afro-house cut sure to get your head bobbing. Lastly, Ad Hoc regular Yadava (Church/Banoffee Pies/So Flute) brings the relaxing jazz-funk number Kadampa 125. If this doesn't get you moving whilst simultaneously achieving a zen state of mind, nothing will."

The first EP of the new born Strictly Street Sounds is courtesy of the label honcho Innocent Soul.

A four-track EP made of disco elements with jackin and house influenced grooves.

Founder of the independent publishing house " Red Lebanese ", hits maker on D.KO Records beat maker as " L Rey ", graduated from " Beaux-Arts de Paris ", Mad Rey today appears as an artist who do not do anything like others but strongly followed by the whole artistic sector. " Quartier Sex " EP (inspired from his district " Pigalles " in Paris) has been a strong career kicker. But Quentin Leroy did not want to stay in his comfort zone. He wanted to push the limits of the House Music in adding Footworks, Hip-Hop, Techno, Acid in his live act. 1 hour of a condensed a finely written electronic music who literally smashed festivals and clubs crowds all around the world during 2015 and 2016 (ADE with Move D, San Soda and Tom Trago, Weather Festival alongside Kenny Dope, Lil'Louis and Mr Ties, or Concrete RA Residence Tour).
After 4 highlighted EPs and a fresh Asia & Australia tour, Mad Rey comes back with a double EP on D.KO Records. This upcoming " Balabushka " double EP has a touch of Omar S and the grove a 90's release from Move D with a really modern way to mix the styles. He comes back in 2017 with his 2xEP Balabushka on D.KO Records.

In 2018 Mad Rey will release 1 Ep on Rekids (Radio Slave's label records), another one on Promesses and the best one on Mamie's Records.

* "Of all the dubplates in my bag from this last few years, the ones I've selected most often have Walton's name scribbled on the sleeve. 'Black Lotus' is a unique creative statement; I'm very proud to release it on Tectonic and to support Walton, who I believe is a true talent." Pinch

* On July 6th Tectonic recordings presents the game-changing second album by 26 year old Mancunian Sam Walton, better known as simply Walton.
* 'Black Lotus' follows his inclusion on Tectonic's landmark 100th release - Riko Dan's 'Hard Food' EP, plus the 'Praying Mantis'/ 'Koto Riddim' 12' (also on Tectonic) and the 'Taiko' EP on Kaizen - the latter two of which hinted at the album's sound, but didn't fully prepare us for the brilliance to come.

* Abstract electronics, grime, dubstep and new styles that don't even have a name yet coalesce perfectly on this classic in the making. It finds Walton at peak power, reaching just as far (if not more so) than anything on the Pan, Different Circles, Boxed or Tectonic catalogues for pure futurism and new-terrain-traversing brilliance.

* Spacious and modern sounding, with just the right amount of grit, on 'Black Lotus' Walton has taken things the next level - setting an impressive new high bar. This is the best music to take inspiration from far eastern culture since Photek's seminal 'Ni - Ten - Ichi - Ryu' and 'The Water Margin'.

* Cinematic may be a term bandied about too often, but on this record it unquestionably applies, with the whole thing playing out like an epic movie, full of highs, lows, action, reflection and changing scenes.

* The album kicks off with 'Black Lotus', which makes it quickly evident that this isn't just another generic longplayer; a weightless/sino style intro segues into a mystical kalimba line, which is then is enveloped by huge waves of synthesized, pitched-down brass.

* 'Point Blank' offers locked, harsh mechanical funk, full of aggravated excitement, before sleek, spacious grime and disguised pop garage achieve twisted anthem status, on the hugely satisfying 'Koto Riddim'.

* 'No Mercy''s Yakuza crime riff is perfect for Riko Dan's threatening menace, especially at the point his voice gets distorted into a guttral and unsettling, demon-like wretch.

* 'Mad Zapper' is abstract, comprised of simple yet challenging beats, tones and stutters, whilst 'Angry Drummer''s taiko/kumi-daiko style percussion has a rousing, heavy thump.

* 'Pan' sounds equally enthralling whether soundtracking a dark movie scene of impending danger, or carying enratptured ravers on a danceflor journey, especially one suited to the synapse-prodding drama of a high production, lazer-heavy festival set.

* Choppy drums and bouncy bass tones are laced with the georgeos melody of 'Ehru', and 'Vectors' is sleek 'n' deep breakbeat-garage-meets-IDM.

* Although already known for elements of musicality, Walton raises his game even higher with the beautiful closing track 'White Lotus', which has a wow factor akin to hearing Aphex's Twin's 'Jynweythek Ylow' for the first time.

* 'The title came from the idea that I wanted it to be sweet and melodic in areas, but dark and grimey at the same time', recalls Walton. 'I never really listened to much Japanese and Chinese music before working on this, and that element originally came from listening to a lot of Sino grime stuff. It wasn't until I was deep into the process of making the album that I started listening to loads of traditional stuff on YouTube for melodic ideas, which changed how it turned out. The whole dubstep techno crossover thing was also a big influence.'
* 'I'm really happy to have Riko Dan & Wen on there', he adds. 'I've done a few remixes of Riko tunes which have had a great response, so it's been wicked to get some original material done together. The track with Wen was first started a while back, so I'm glad it was finally finished and will see a release.'
* Walton has been steadily gaining serious clout through releases since 2011 on Hyperdub, Keysound, Tectonic and Kaizen, with supporters including Mumdance, Logos, Slimzee, Laurel Halo, Wen, Hodge, Mary Anne Hobbs, Giles Peterson, Paleman, Teki Latex, Commodo, Loefah and Kode9. Key club, festival and radio shows include FWD at Plastic People, Fabric, Outlook, NTS, Rinse and BBC 1xtra.

Always Seen With A Smile On His Face, Inja The Poet, Lyricist, Storyteller And Unparalleled Master Of Ceremonies Presents His Debut Album On Hospital Records. His First Drum & Bass Focussed Long-player 'blank Pages' Flexes His Lyrical Style With Heartfelt Sentiment, Roughneck Flows And Quick-fire Wordsmith Wizardry. All Partnered With Heavyweight Productions From Pete Cannon, Nu:tone, Logistics, Serum, Whiney And Anile.
Inja's Back With Partner-in-crime Pete Cannon On 'war Games'. A Funky Bassline Lays The Foundations For This Fear-fighting Tale. As The Breaks Roll Out Inja's Militant And Deep Rhetoric Puts This Track On A New Level, With Signature Percussive Flair From The Sought After Hip-hop Beatmaker.
Inja's Spoken-word Piece For Amnesty International 'she Just Wanna Dance' Was A Viral Online Hit In 2017. It's Now Been Given A Turbo-charged Re-work By Med School Young-gun Whiney. Inja's Poignant Commentary On The Prolific Problem Of Harassment In Club Culture Sits Atop A Grimey Half-time Stepper That Switches Up Into A Lethal Upfront Roller.
Inja Proves He Can 'juk' Any Riddim In 'samurai'. Serum's Steppy Beat And Woofing Bassline Balances Inja's Story Of The Samurai, Slicing Through The Tune Like The Lyrical Sensei He Is.
even With A White Page And Black Ink, You Can Spell Out More Colour Than The Eye Can See.' - Inja

Subliminale Materiale is the 5th installation on Lustpoderosa. Kind of a split EP. The A side with two remixes and two original jams of Jack Pattern on the B side. With this release we want to point out the remixes on the A side. Both done by Lustpoderosas favourite producers and DJs: Sneaker aka Dunkeltier (Uncanny Valley, Rat Life, Frigio) and Kris Baha (Power Station, Pinkman Cocktail D`Amore) . We guess you know and love them as much as we do.

Betty Harris' The Lost Queen of New Orleans Soul collects together the steady stream of amazing soul and funk singles issued by Betty Harris from 1964 to 1969, under the musical guidance of legendary composer, musician and producer extraordinaire Allen Toussaint, a collection which truly captures the heart and soul of the city of New Orleans during this era.
Betty Harris's powerful, fiery soulful vocals found a perfect accompaniment with the New Orleans' players that Toussaint put together to back her, which by the time of her funk classic 'There's A Break In The Road' were the legendary super-tight, super-funk New Orleans group The Meters.
With the extraordinary song-writing skills of Allen Toussaint alongside the powerful, soaring, confident and emotive singer and the groove of The Meters, you have an unbeatable combination. That Harris never in fact lived in New Orleans (she flew in from Florida for all her sessions with Toussaint's local in-house players) seems almost an irrelevance, a geographical aside to the defining New Orleans sound captured on the recordings featured here.
All of these singles featured here were released on Allen Toussaint and his business partner Marshal Sehorn's local New Orleans label Sansu, widely distributed in the southern city but in only limited quantities elsewhere. As a consequence, Betty Harris' music failed to achieve the commercial success of other New Orleans artists such as Lee Dorsey (who she recorded with) and The Meters (who backed her). And so at the end of the decade she stopped recording, retired from the music business to raise her family in Florida.
This is no reflection of the stunning musical quality of all these songs which encompass everything from southern soul, heavy funk, deep soul ballads and northern soul. Betty Harris has been a cornerstone of Soul Jazz Records' New Orleans Funk and New Orleans Soul compilations. Always soulful and always funky, Betty Harris' music contains the essence of New Orleans music. She is the Lost Soul Queen of New Orleans.
This collection is released on CD, heavyweight gatefold double LP vinyl (+ download code) and digital and comes complete with full biography, original label artwork.

When Michaela Meise performed at WestGermany at Kottbusser Tor in Berlin-Kreuzberg on March 20, 2015, accompanying herself on the accordion, I was perplexed. I knew her first album from 2010, which was about hymns (»Preis dem Todesüberwinder«, originally released on Clouds Hill, available as a download and stream through my label from July 2018 on), but what she was playing weren't spiritual songs! I wanted to put this music out on my label: the songs sounded sad, aloof and wistful but also proud, determined and unerring.

The album title »I am Greek« is a tribute to Melina Mercouri's album »Je Suis Grecque!«, which was released in 1971 when Mercouri was deprived of citizenship by the Greek military junta. Mercouri lived - like Mikis Theodorakis and many other cultural workers - in exile. Meise's album is dedicated to the chanson scene of post-war Europe, whose songs were popularly folksy, but also political. Some talk about the experience of war, the Shoah and labor migration. Michaela Meise has translated the Greek, French and Romanian songs into German (with the help of Aliki Marini and Carmen Gheorghe) so that the lyrics are understandable to a German audience, a gesture that was also common in the European chanson scene. More than half of the songs are by Mikis Theodorakis. He knows the translations and new recordings, gave his blessing and just noted a wrong tone ... The other pieces on the album are by the French artists Barbara and George Moustaki and the German musician Alexandra. There is also a Romanian folk song.

The album was recorded by Michaela Meise together with members of the group Isolation Berlin as well as the guest singers Carmen Gheorge and Dirk von Lowtzow (Tocotronic). The producer was David Specht (Isolation Berlin).

Michaela Meise and me both have intimate relations with Greece - Michaela has innumerable holiday memories with parents and brother, I have a friend who lives in Athens and whom I have been visiting regularly for about ten years now. This friend, the graphic designer Vasilis Marmatakis, styled Meise's album using an impressive, scary photograph taken in May 1985 during the occupation of Polytechnio Athens. Together, we opted for an elaborate packaging made by a bookbinder, a so-called Japanese tip-on-gatefold cover. The packaging reminds us of the records that were made in Greece for export and taken by German tourists as a souvenir back home.

A much welcomed reissue of the 1978 Idris Muhammad gem 'Boogie To The Top'. Released a year after, arguably, Idris' most well-known anthem, 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This' the similarities in style and composition are clear. Expertly produced, rich instrumentation, expansive drum fills, gospel tinged full-bodied vocals, all the while epic and life affirming in it's nature - what more could you want

Young Pulse steps up on the b-side, to add his own subtle touches and tweaks to the original. Looping the guitar and echoing out the vocals whilst working in more of the synth lines. The addition of a crisp clap and extra percussion add an element more vibrancy into this mix, keeping the original feel intact whilst revitalising it for 2018.

Another much welcomed reissue of the late 70's funk laden, disco two tracker from Splendor. The A side 'Take Me To Your Disco' is emblematic of disco records from that golden era where big bands and big budgets were rife. Yet there's an interplanetary twist to this one, with the mysterious, eerie, spacecraft sounding intro paving the way for a tale of extraterrestrials wanting to get down at one of planet earths discos. You can tell this came from an era were disco really was taking over Flip it over and you've got the mighty Special Lady. With Philip Bailey, of Earth, Wind and Fire fame, on production his style comes through strong in the vocal arrangement with the level of feeling and power he squeezes out of each voice. A chance to add these two anthems to the collection!

At a time when on every street corner, adolescent wannabe gangstas believed they had to tell everyone and their dog about their greatness and the inferiority of all others, there was a cadre of Munich-based Hip-Hop artists producing incredibly fresh and imaginative music, inspired, of course, by the golden era of the 90s. They played gigs in small clubs in front of some dozens of people, spread mixtapes and Eps and were celebrated by their friends and the rest of the scene. The world took no notice - until now ! Tramp Records, specializing in unearthing forgotten pearls of musical art, documents with "Golden Hits", an era of Munich underground Hip Hop which flew completely under the radar, spanning ten years from 2005 to 2015. The musical bandwidth and quality of the tracks is astonishing, but so much more could have been possible. Much of this music remained fragmented or unreleased for a host of reasons, families, stressful jobs, musical reorientation, and even lost hard disks... but one story has a happy ending! When Masta Ace had a live show at the legendary Atomic Cafe, Primatune's Fid Rizz was able to hand over a CD with demo beats. Unfortunately the CD was blank by mistake! But the curiosity of Masta Ace had been piqued, and he got back to him, the rest is history. Features of other stateside rap heroes like Wordsworth or Declaime followed.

The very best of this era, including tracks never before heard and ideas remaining fragmented, has now been compiled by Tramp Records to take you for a fascinating listening journey.

Hip Hop, as it was since it's inception in the Bronx, fresh and real, and made with passion by neighborhood kids spitting truth about life and the struggle!

Key selling points:

- including many unreleased songs
- the vinyl LP comes with a full album download code

Newly signed to Rhythm Rollers, Mr. Wonderful & Technical J introduce The Boss, a 7' vinyl scratched masterpiece with outstanding production and a compilation of diverse and unique scratch samples to DJ/Producer to utilize.
This unique piece of vinyl has a 'Skip Proof' scratch side dedicated for the DJ/Producer with over 4.30min of vocals, drums, synths, bleeps and basses that can make any DJ/Producer standout from the rest.
The Boss is a live Studio scratch track that will have any crowd rocking.  Super low sub frequencies, punchy drums and ear pricking scratches that only Wonderful and J could produce.
Samples
Choosing the right samples for our record was the major focus for this release. We wanted DJ's to standout from the crowd, so spent considerable time getting vocalists and secessionist in the studio to record some very individual samples for DJ's to use.
Skip Proof Technology
'Skip proof' technology - is a way of recording scratch records so that they do not skip from one sample to another. This is achieved by first calculating the time it takes for one revolution of the record (1.8sec). Once you have this information you can then customise your DAW to that specific measure (133.3333bpm). Then layout your samples so they repeat at the start of each bar.
Extra Deep Grooves
The record plant cut extra deep grooves perfect for the more aggressive style of scratching we all love (these will not jump). Making sure the weight of the vinyl was correct giving that nice feel and long lasting audio sound.

Inzwischen unter den Top-100-DJs der Welt, auf dem Cover vom DJ Mag angekommen und als - Australian queen of EDM' (ABC) gefeiert, steht Alison Wonderland mit ihrem zweiten Longplayer in den Startlöchern: - Awake' heißt ihr neuestes Werk. International gefeiert als EDM-Künstlerin, die verschiedenste Dance-Styles in ihren Sound einbezieht, den Faktor Pop nie aus den Augen verliert, dazu Instrumente beherrscht und singt, bewegt sich Alison Wonderland mit - Awake' durchaus auch auf Neuland: - Allein gesanglich bin ich viel weiter gegangen, weil ich mich heute einfach viel wohler fühle mit meiner Stimme', sagt die gebürtige Australierin, die mit dem Titel auf den reinigenden Effekt von Musik und überhaupt auf positiven Wandel im Privatleben anspielt. Gerade als Live-Performerin hat die auch gerne mal als - female Skrillex' gehandelte Alison Wonderland in den letzten Jahren alles auf den Kopf gestellt: Hunderte von Headline-Shows rund um den Globus, eigene Warehouse-Party-Serien, Riesenfestivals wie Coachella und Lollapalooza - dazu war sie die erste weibliche Solokünstlerin überhaupt, die auf der Main-Stage beim Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas auftreten durfte.

Very little is know about the apparent duo Stevens & Foster who had this self produced release in 1977 on the Jerri Records label from Atlanta, Georgia that had national distribution though T.K. Productions Inc. Nevertheless original copies are now very scarce and crazy expensive. For decades, the B-side's piano intro has rescued a DJ's dancefloor all over Europe, with it's seductive qualities of lush strings, muted Wah-Wah, simplistic but addictive piano fuse into a must gulp down cocktail of soul delights. In more recent times it is the A-side, that formerly lived in the shadows of that essential DJ tool, is also gathering a strong following, using the same instrumental approach but taking the pace right down. Ballad fans will immerse themselves in the real feelings the girl lead projects as she gets more poignant the deeper she gets into the lyrics. Fully restored and officially licensed, this is your chance to obtain this great soul and funk record as a top quality European re-press at a regular price.

For this seconde release, the brotherhood from Marseille wanted to present their personal profiles, this EP is built like a Various, but built with a common touch, the random bass! Hypnotic, trippy and randomised, these tracks are done to push up the dancefloors. The last track is a downtempo vision of the eclectism of this southern crew, hip-hop beat and a bassline played by there friend Mike B4, a real candy to close this EP!

Maurice Moore's 'Maurice' is remastered from the original 1/4" studio tapes and available as an official limited vinyl reissue for the first time exclusively on Backatcha Records. 7-track LP with artwork and insert. Limited to 300 copies with original cover portrait by artist Clarence "Pencilman" Pointer.

Recorded in March, 1976 at Pegasus Studios in Maurice Moore's hometown of Warren, Ohio, 'Maurice' personifies what Moore calls the 'Town Sound'. A family soul funk affair with no label constraints, absorbed in the local scene and written, produced and arranged by himself. Moore originally pressed a handful of LP's to pass around sparingly as a demo with only a couple of copies ever re-surfacing. Now made available again from Moore's master reel via London-based Backatcha Records. Includes the sought-after uptempo percussion-led backstreet funk of 'Freeway' and the original cosmic synth-ladened slow burner 'Everything
That Shines Ain't Gold' (the blueprint to the alternative version appearing as a reissue in 2017 on Floating Points' Melodies).

Belgium's favourite underground house DJ Red D celebrates the 10 year anniversary of his We Play House Recordings label with 6 vinyl samplers containing new tracks and some very wanted gems from the catalogue. Artists featured are San Soda, Fabrice Lig, FCL (featuring Lady Linn), Kiani & His Legion, krewcial, Reggie Dokes, Raoul Lambert & Nacho Marco, Art Of Tones and many more. Voices Near The Hypocentre
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About We Play House Recordings

We Play House Recordings - WPH - is the work of Belgian DJ & producer Red D. Started 10 years ago to release the music of his friend san Soda, the label had (and has) the aim to release house music in all its shapes and forms. WPH's house ethics date back to the days where house was just a name for music that was played in clubs. There is no such thing as tech house, no such thing as deep house or minimal, there is simply (house) music, good or bad.

We Play House Recordings is lovingly led by Red D (real name Bart Van Neste), one of Belgium's leading underground music figures. Be it in his role as DJ, A&R, promoter, music panel host or general nitelife instigator, Red D does things with passion, humor and a healthy dose of keeping-both-feet-firmly-on-the-ground...with a twist...

WPH was started in 2007, so it takes no math genius to know that in 2017 the label is celebrating its 10 years anniversary. Running from the spring till winter 2017 this anniversary will be celebrated with special vinyl releases, a triple CD, a digital compilation, a Spotify playlist and a series of label nights all over Belgium and beyond. True to form the compilation will have WPH classics but also a BIG bunch of new material from core artists of the label like Locked Groove, San Soda, Kiani & His Legion, Fabrice Lig and many more.

Dilated Pupils is a collective group of likeminded friends home-based in the Netherlands. When forces are joined in one of their many studios each individual brings his own influences and styles to the table. Together they share a distinct flavor in productions and raw one-take jam sessions created with the use of analogue machines and often recorded on tape. Each of them have their own solo productions as well as other collaborations, but when united as Dilated Pupils they prefer to be known jointly as one entity with their own unique and distinguished sound. Since 2014 the group has developed an interesting and widespread discography with releases on labels such as Fear of Flying, Sol Asylum, Mode of Expression, Tabla, Music is Art, Dorcas, Make Sense and Mayak.

"Thoughts towards change, evolution, learning from mistakes. Take advantage of the time that we have ahead of us as an opportunity for development, to be who we want to be and not necessarily who we were yesterday. Having absolute control over our subconscious and unconscious mind will allow us to achieve success."

the producer, multi-instrumentalist, DJ and record collector Gabriel Cyr AKA Teleseen releases 5th album 'The Emotional Life of Savages' via French imprint Goldmin Music.

African rhythms, Latin heat and otherworldly electronics collide like neurons, processed through a New York state of mind. The pancontinental sounds are mirrored in his own life, which has oscillated back and forth between various countries.

A jazz background combined with a love for house and techno are ingrained in the grooves. Also key is the samba, baile funk and MPB that inspired him while living in Rio de Janeiro, plus the sounds he reabsorbed on returning to NYC's club scene.

This wide range of influences spanning the global underground coalesces into a rich, vital and coherent whole. Warm and soulful, but also evoking an intoxicating, heady atmosphere, the hypnotic and ultra-rhythmic tracks subtly shift and build to fever pitch, due primarily to deft polyrhythmic drums and percussion - both played and sequenced.

"Working on this record I finally found myself able to manifest a certain sound I'd been hearing in my head for years, combining the rhythmic intensity of afro-house and afro-Brazilian music with the more cosmic sounds of Detroit and deep house", explains Cyr on his musical vision.

The gentle sundowner glow of 'Myrtle Avenue' with its textured synth waves and wandering Parrish-esque keys acts as a precursor to the potent nocturnal adventure to follow: 'Espelhos' captures a similar essence to Black Science Orchestra's classic 'Save Us (The Jam)', before the heat goes up and heads go down for the eastern-tinged, autotune-laden fire of 'Khalil'.

The album then intensifies further still on the percussion-heavy, big bottomed cosmic throb of 'Jaguar', whilst Brazilian flavour meets tech house rush on 'Fundos', before the party reaches its feverish close on the wiggling batucada- meets-tribal-house of 'Temporada De Seca'.

Born in the north eastern United States, as an adult Cyr has always been nomadic. He has sought to live and immerse himself in other cultures and absorb their sounds, but eventually always succumbs to the Big Apple's magnetic pull. Back home, a key inspirational catalyst for the album was the Brooklyn-based party Africainoir, where he's a resident DJ.

Alongside cutting his teeth producing illbient/hip hop and working as an engineer, he ran his own studio for period, before starting his own label Percepts, on which to release his dub techno style debut. He has since released on 100% Silk, Boomarm Nation and Feel Up Records, and now 'The Emotional Life Of Savages' marks Teleseen's first album for Goldmin.

The first time the album has been released on vinyl
- Includes bonus tracks and remixes by Tiga, Jason Nevins and Almighty
- The release will be announced by a trailer through Dannii Minogue's Facebook page which has 409K followers
- Dannii will promote the release via Instagram stories and posts to her 276K Instagram followers
- Dannii Minogue is available for promo and interviews throughout pre-order period
- "It's one thing to create an excellent three-and-a-half-minute dance-pop song, but another to sustain the appeal over an entire album. Kylie managed it with Fever, Madonna followed suit on Confessions on a Dance Floor. Dannii's contribution to the genre on Neon Nights is every bit as good as those classics." - IDOLATOR
- A veritable pick and mix of the European dance scene at the time, Neon Nights spawned four Top 10 hit singles in the UK 'Who Do You Love Now' (No.3), 'Put The Needle On It' (No.7), 'I Begin To Wonder' (No.2) and 'Don't Wanna Lose This Feeling' (No.5).
- The album reached No.8 on the UK Official Albums Chart and was certified Gold. In Australia it was nominated for "Best Pop Release" at the 2003 ARIA Music Awards.
- Dannii says: "When I embarked on a solo recording career and released my first album in 1990, music was only released on 7' and 12' vinyl. Fast forward through my album releases and throw in a bunch of technology changes, cassingles, cassette albums, CDs, Mini CDs and we are finally back to vinyl! Neon Nights never had a vinyl release - it was the 90's, and the industry was entering the digital age, and no-one was looking back at this experience of music listening. Thankfully Gen Y has embraced the nostalgia of the record player, so you finally get to Put The Needle On It with these tracks (please turn the volume up loud enough to annoy your neighbours!)."

Iberian Juke Is Extremely Proud To Present 'take Me Back To The South', Sophomore Album By Label Founders Bsn Posse And Our First Ever 12" Vinyl Release. After Their Debut Lp 'forever' For British Label Slime Recordings 2015, The Duo From Málaga Has Been On Quite A Strong Form With A Handful Of Powerful Releases Including Several Eps For Iberian Juke, Modern Ruin Records, Below Music And Breaking Bass, The B-sides, Bootlegs And Remixes Project 'summer Madness Series', And Incursions For Label Imprints Sequel One Records, Hyperboloid Records Or Vandal Records.

With This Album Bsn Posse Want To Reflect Their Love, Respect And Passion For The Footwork Culture In General And For The City Of Chicago In Particular, With Its Guetto Suburbs Being The Origin And Starting Point Of The Juke And Footwork Movement. 'take Me Back To The South' Combines Masterfully In Eight Tracks Elements Of Jungle, Drum & Bass, Soul And Funk With The Classic Juke And Footwork Take At 160bpms.

The Lp Is A Sincere 'thank You' From The Duo To All The Humble Artists That Work Extremely Hard To Put Footwork Into The International Electronic Music Scene. Thanks To This Culture We Have Travelled To Incredible Places And Meet New People With The Only Aim Of Sharing Our Passion For The 160bpms.

Skanna was prolific during the early 90's and knocked out some of the most memorable tunes from that period in Jungle. This EP is one of the best from Skanna. This EP still has an incredible amount of "wants" on Discogs and the original still commands high prices. This 2018 reissue has been remastered and sounds even better than the original 12" vinyl!

Bulkhead present their debut album - Aft Pressure - due June 1st on 2MR Records. In 2015, during the coldest Toronto winter on record, two old friends - Pop District and Patrik Benjamin - locked themselves away in the studio to experiment with a medley of hardware. Both solo artists in their own right, they had overseen their own projects prior, but had never considered how a collaboration might sound. Exploring the polarity of extreme cold and immersive warmth with a distinctly analogue feel, the duo carved themselves an aesthetic. And so Bulkhead was born. Using a raw, organic palette they repudiate formal structure and polish, opting instead for a freeform blend of unhindered mechanical techno and fuzzy ambience - slambient, if you will. Debuting in 2016, their 'Worker's Kampf' cassette album on LA imprint Far Away Tapes sold out quickly, warranting another release on 2MR featuring highlights of the cassette on 12' and digital. Continuing with the purveyance of abstract arrangements and machine wizardry, their forthcoming album - Aft Pressure - is a striking exploration of the intersection between frenzied techno and harmonic warmth.Fragments of techno and EBM mutate without strict guidance, rebuilding themselves into new forms with stunning physical qualities. Whilst many of the tracks might file under dance music, the DIY spirit of the album transcends a nightclub, occupying a peculiar space between the uncensored grit of the post-punk scene and some melancholic form of ambient minimalism. Angular percussion slices its way through dizzying synth leads whilst serene harmonies wander on their own accord. Darting melodies are made all the more powerful by their harsh timbre as drum-less excursions provide a cinematic backdrop. Aft Pressure is a statement of intent, blurring the parameters of dance music culture with equal doses of insanity and serenity. At the same time, it's also a hell of a lot of fun...

Not to be confused with the 80s heavy rock/funk band from the US, this Living Color track was written, produced and released by Tony Kalangis on his Sophisticated Funk label in 1974. Kalangis, who sadly passed away in 2017, was a man of many talents who could not only write a great tune but also novels, poems, and film scripts.

'Plastic People' has one of those faultless grooves that goes where you want it to go and does what you want it to do. Small but perfectly formed, somewhere between mellow funk and a mid tempo 2 stepper. A great niche if ever there was one.

The clavinet riff is gently twangy and instantly funky, the horns punctuate an uplifting melody, while the backing vocals float in and out celestially. The relevant lyrics are carried off with a vocal style full of emotional urgency. Pure joy.

"Plastic people, better make some changes soon, or you'll never find a dancer for your tune". Thankfully not the case on this groove! Clavinet freaks will love the instrumental on the B side.

"The art of the future, therefore, will not be poorer, but infinitely richer in subject-matter. And the form of the art of the future will also not be inferior to the present forms of art, but infinitely superior to them. Superior, not in the sense of having a refined and complex technique, but in the sense of the capacity briefly, simply, and clearly to transmit, without any superfluities, the feeling which the artist has experienced and wishes to transmit." - Leo Tolstoy, "What is Art"

This statement can be made of Lucky Brown's attempt to "briefly, simply, and clearly" capture the feeling of the sound, soul, smoke and soil of the Texas Hill Country with his upcoming album "Mesquite Suite".

A little more than one year after the release of his firebrand "Mesquite Beat/Justice" single on imprint "Tramp Tapes" (TR-1040) Lucky Brown offers us here another glimpse into the sound and concept of the Mesquite Suite.

Saints & Beggars is a rustic pentatonic horn-led 6/8 anthem that builds upon a simple primitive melody assembled from two opposing figures set against two repeating figures. Brown conceived the motif while in meditation in a yoga-turned-composition studio in San Marcos, Texas. He later delicately draped the parts around it like woodsmoke. The overall effect of the composition is one of economy and restraint - nothing could be added or taken away. The horns, guitar and vintage electric combo organ begin in unison and then the figure brazenly explodes like a flock of white winged doves from a pecan tree in humid dusk. Here are featured extemporizations from Jason Cressey - trombone, Peter Daniel - saxophone, Colin Higgins - guitar, and drummer Ollie Klomp, with an exposition of open horns in the climax. The tune is drenched in shitty reverb which engenders a mysterious dimension begging the record diggers' favorite questions: "...when is this from", "...where is this from".

'Bout To Blow, remaining uncompiled in the upcoming "Mesquite Suite" (exclusively released on this single only), is a specimen of the generic Deep Funk on 45 that lit a fire in Lucky's heart more than 20 years ago. The use of the word generic here is not meant to be derogatory. Rather, it is to transmit the sense that this tune falls squarely within the confines of the so-called Deep Funk canon. 'Bout to Blow offers classic dancefloor essentials: driving bassline, hard drum beat, chanky guitar, and outrageously distorted horns fiercely executing a devastatingly primitive horn line. Also, for devout followers of Lucky Brown's recorded work, there is hidden in the bridge an easter egg in the form of a self-referential quote: the bridge of 'Bout To Blow is also the head of T.D. & The Jimmy James 3's "Jalapeño Pep" (TR-1025)!

It has been Lucky Brown's aim to paint for the world a picture of the vernacular jazz that America's neighborhoods once crafted as their own homegrown cultural heritage. Lucky Brown's music is a rejection of the elitism, classism, and status of the music industrial complex and is an antitoxin to it's resultant homogeneity. He wants with his heart and his art to transmit an everyday people's sound, made by everyday people, dedicated to the upliftment of all people. Could this be the "art of the future" that Tolstoy wrote of in 1904

Key-selling points:
- "Bout To Blow" is available on this 7" release only
- "Saints & Beggars" is taken from the forthcoming album "Mesquite Suite" (out september 2018)

Schatzi returns with its fourth chapter!

As with those that preceded it, this one's a vinyl-only 12" of... indeterminate provenance. Behind every Schatzi ditty is a dash of homespun crate-digging mischief, a dollop of crunchy, swinging drum loops, and a determination to inject into the tropes of today the carefree heart and funky soul that made the dance music of decades past feel so alive.
A royal flush of raw, untamed disco that desperately wants off this slab of wax and onto fogged-out dance floors and into strobe-lit basements.

Vinyl-only hand-stamped release.
Get it before it's gone

2x12" 180g Vinyl Reissue
You should all know by now I have collected a good few records in my time, hunting down that perfect beat. In search of that special piece I have found a deep love for the old soul ballads and funk that were for me great social statements, telling it just how it was.

Growing up with these tunes and owning them I began to realise if someone didn't represent them to the next generation they would be long lost and forgotten. So please... enjoy this time capsule of music from another time... you'll hear nothing's changed!

- Mr. G, 2018

Following 2017's 'Path of Ruin', DJ Richard returns to Dial with his much-anticipated sophomore LP, 'Dies Iræ Xerox'. Undoubtedly one of the most distinctive and fully-formed electronic producers in recent memory, DJ Richard imprinted the sound of a bubbling US underground with his label, White Material, founded in 2012 alongside Young Male. His first solo LP for Dial, 2015's 'Grind', found DJ Richard delicately establishing a discipline between his East Coast noise heritage and a physical, emotive tradition of house music, mastered during an extended stay in Berlin. Now firmly settled once more in his hometown of Providence, 'Dies Iræ Xerox' is a personal and uncompromising journey that finds the Rhode Island native in reflective form, journeying without compromise into both his creative influences and personal psyche. In part adapting its title from the Latin hymn 'Dies irae', otherwise known as 'Day of Wrath', 'Dies Iræ Xerox' melds the physical and psychological aspects of DJ Richard's production ethos in sharper, more widescreen vision than before; the oceanic swells of ambience yet more powerful, and the rigid basslines sharper still. With the chaos of the Berlin club scene an increasingly distant memory, the album is enriched with a contemplative, even brittle tone, as informed by film soundtracks and literature as the pulse of city living. Still, this is new material from DJ Richard, a touring DJ as distinctive as any other to be found behind the decks at some of the world's finest clubs and festivals. On 'Dies Iræ Xerox', the artist finds the space to write 'the records I really want to play', and each suggests a template for genuine dancefloor transcendence, beginning with the electrifying 'Vanguard' . The sludgy yet sophisticated crawl of 'Tunnel Stalker' sets the tone for the menacing yet somehow melancholy EBM of 'In Broad Daylight', while the record draws to a breathless close with the affecting, drum machine lethargy of 'Gate of Roses'. Drawing little distinction between his more physically rousing material and searching soundscapes, 'Dies Iræ Xerox' instead finds a passage of catharsis throughout both. 'Dissolving World', the album's breathtaking centerpiece, is a choral feature hypnotically overwhelmed by walls of electronic feedback, forging a dramatic link between old ways and new. On the bold and near-beatless 'Ancestral Helm' and 'Final Mercy', DJ Richard seems to grant both music and raw emotion the ability to simply float in the air, brilliantly, poignantly unresolved. If 'Grind,' inspired by the weathered coastlines of Rhode Island, was a record concerning "the border between civilization and the ocean," then 'Dies Iræ Xerox' is an unapologetic follow-up concerning that between macabre obsessions and fear of death. Produced during a murky, transitional period, DJ Richard found himself particularly drawn to Medieval European art and mysticism, fascinated by depictions and philosophies of the antichrist and end-times. Greatly influencing the uncompromising, apocalyptic tone of the album, these investigations have created an engaging and personal vision of the 'Day of Wrath.'

It's been over 10 years since the release of Gui Boratto's breakthrough full length debut 'Chromophobia'. As to what its title suggests, he shook up the techno game with a contrast of lushly coloured minimal grooves and melody, whilst many will recall that the album included the highlight single Beautiful Life' which became a dance floor anthem for that era. Four albums in and countless EPs and remixes under his belt, the Brazilian producer's unique savoir-faire in carving out a functional album out of diversely routed singles and features is back at it on his fifth studio LP, 'Pentagram'. Here Gui Boratto lays down a nuanced 12-track narrative that reinvigorates his signature sound into a refreshingly different perspective that feels all too familiar - including the return of Beautiful Life' vocalist (and Gui Boratto's wife) Luciana Villanova on the single "Overload".

Through his signature kaleidoscopic approach, Boratto delivers an album built as a far-reaching hub-and-spoke system, broadly inclusive as can be. From the opening cut, 'The Walker' - hot on the trail of Tears For Fears 'Elemental' (one of Boratto's "favourite 80's bands") - to the hi-NRG euphoria of 'Forgotten' and its pounding tech alter ego 'Forgive Me'. "I was going into 2 different directions", Boratto says, "the typical indie- electronic-rock' Boratto kind of production like It's Majik' or Like You' and a much more techno approach." He goes on, "I decided to split them into two twin sister songs. When I play live I always put these two songs together."

The Brazilian Producer further embraces the pop-friendly essence of his past work on tracks like 'The Phoenix', featuring vocalist Nathan Berger, and 'Overload', both melding acidulous synthlines with laser-precise breaks, vox hooks and drops calibrated for extended radio and club use, although sieved through his distinctive rainbow-hued musical prism. For the symbolists out there, the album's pared-down closer '618' duration accidentally happens to equate the proportions of the said pentagram. "Coincidence" Boratto questions, and capsulises, "not so ufanista and supporter of Brazilian neo-concretism, but I guess the brazilian sculptor Lygia Clark also inspired me a lot. Not the meaning of her sculptures, but the shape of the hinge of most of her work. I've wanted to transmit the scientific pentagram's point of view. It's not a religious kind of thing."

Whereas 'Spur' (a field-tested 808 and 909-heavy "purist track", "very, very old school" Boratto insists) and 'Alcazar' are sheer smooth-edged four-to- the-floor epics, the album also shares its lot of startling moments, such as with the John Barry'esque 'Scene 2' (with a hint of Amon Tobin, 'Easy Muffin' style, throw in) and its refined string-laden buildup, 100% fitted for a 007 opening credit sequence, or with 'Hallucination' (feat B.T.) and the further James Holden-ish title-track 'Pentagram' (think 'The Idiots Are Winning'), "one of those exercises I did when I got my Buchla modular synth" Boratto analyses, "I think I've used more then 30 different snares, with different delays and reverbs. The whole song is alive". And so is 'Pentagram' in its entirety: alive and definitely just as manifold and hopeful as its architectonics are the stuff of science and dreams all at once.

Es ist zehn Jahre her seit der Veröffentlichung von Gui Borattos bahnbrechendem Debütalbum - Chromophobia . So wie der Titel vermuten ließ, war das Album mit seinen kontrastreichen Minimalgrooves und den üppig gefärbten Melodien ein Schocker im besten Sinne. Ihr erinnert euch sicher noch an die Hit-Single - Beautiful Life , eine Dancefloor-Hymne aus dieser Zeit. Nach vier Alben und unzähligen EPs und Remixen ist das einmalige Savoir-faire des brasilianischen Produzenten, aus vielfältigen Singles und Features stimmige Alben zu schaffen, auch auf seinem fünften Studioalbum - Pentagram zu hören. Hier legt Gui Boratto ein Zwölf-Track-Narrativ vor, das seine Handschrift auf erquickende Weise wiederbelebt. Wiederbelebt wird auch die Stimme von - Beautiful Life (die der Frau Gui Borattos gehört) auf dem Stück - Overload .

Durch seinen charakteristisch kaleidoskopischen Ansatz liefert Boratto ein Album, das gebaut ist wie die Speichen deines Fahrrads, von dem Opener - The Walker - direkt auf der Spur von Tears For Fears - Elemental (einer von Borattos - favourite 80's bands ) - zur Hi-NRG-Euphorie von - Forgotten und seinem stampfenden Counterpart - Forgive Me . - Ich bin in zwei unterschiedlichen Richtungen gegangen , sagt Boratto: - den typischen ,Indie-Electronic-Rock'-Weg wie in - It's Majik oder - Like You und den Techno-Weg. Er fügt hinzu: - Ich hab mich entschieden jedem Track seinen Zwillings-Track an die Seite zu stellen. Immer wenn ich live spiele lege ich die zwei Stücke zusammen.

Der brasilianische Produzent erschließt weiter die Pop-Essenz seiner vergangenen Arbeit auf Tracks wie - The Phoenix (feat. Nathan Berger) und - Overload . Beide kombinieren zwitschernde Synthi-Melodien mit lasergenauen Breaks, Hooklines, Drops und sind wie gemacht für die Rotation und den Club. Und für die Symbolisten da draußen: die Länge des reduzierten Closers - 618 beträgt zufälliger Weise genau die Proportionen des besagten Pentagramms. - Fügung , fragt Boratto und fasst zusammen: - Ich bin kein Anhänger des brasilianische Neo-Konkretismus , aber ich glaube die brasilianische Künstlerin Lygia Clark hat mich sehr inspiriert. Nicht die Bedeutung ihre Skulpturen aber die Form der meisten ihrer Arbeiten. Ich wollte den wissenschaftlichen Blickwinkel auf das Pentagramm übersetzen. Nicht im religiösen Sinne oder so."

Während - Spur (ein erprobter - purist track auf der Basis von 808 und 909, - sehr, sehr old school , wie Boratto betont) und - Alcazar glatte Vierviertel-Epen sind, hält das Album auch Überraschungsmomente bereit. Z.B. das John Barryschen - Scene 2 (auch eine Spur von Amon Tobins - Easy Muffin ist darin zu hören) und seinem Streicher-Aufbau, der hundertprozentig geeignet wär für eine Eröffnungssequenz in einem Bond-Film. Auch - Hallucination (feat. B.T.) oder der James-Holden-hafte Titeltrack - Pentagram (wir denken da an - The Idiots Are Winning ) wäre da zu nennen. - Einer dieser Übungen, die ich gemacht habe, als ich meinen Buchla-Modular-Synthesizer bekommen habe, war , erinnert sich Boratto, - mehr als 30 verschiedene Snares, Delays und Reverbs zu verwenden. Der ganze Song sollte am Leben sein. Und so ist - Pentagram im Ganzen: lebendig und sicher genau so vielfältig wie sein Bauplan, der auch der Wissenschaft und den Träumen zugrundeliegt.

Out Now !

Dancefloor Is The Law Here !

The Best Of Wanted Tunes From Trackwasher !! Big One !

Music and Poetry of the Kesh is the documentation of an invented Pacific Coast peoples from a far distant time, and the soundtrack of famed science fiction author, Ursula K. Le Guin's Always Coming Home In the novel, the story of Stone Telling, a young woman of the Kesh, is woven within a larger anthropological folklore and fantasy. The ways of the Kesh were originally presented in 1985 as a five hundred plus page book accompanied with illustrations of instruments and tools, maps, a glossary of terms, recipes, poems, an alphabet (Le Guin's conlang, so she could write non-English lyrics), and with early editions, a cassette of field recordings' and indigenous song. Le Guin wanted to hear the people she'd imagined, she embarked on an elaborate process with her friend Todd Barton to invoke their spirit and tradition.

For Music and Poetry of the Kesh, the words and lyrics are attributed to Le Guin as composed by Barton, an Oregon-based musician, composer and Buchla synthesist (the two worked together previously on public radio projects). But the cassette notes credit the sounds and voices to the world of the Kesh, making origins ambiguous. For instance, The River Song' description reads, The prominent rhythm instrument is the doubure binga, a set of nine brass bowls struck with cloth-covered wooden mallets, here played by Ready.' According to writer and long-time friend of LeGuin, Moe Bowstern (who pens the liners for the Freedom To Spend edition of Kesh), Barton built and then taught himself to play several instruments of Le Guin's design, among them the seven-foot horn known to the Kesh as the Houmbúta and the Wéosai Medoud Teyahi bone flute.' Barton's crafting of original instruments lends an other-worldly texture to the recordings of the Kesh, not unlike fellow builders Bobby Brown and Lonnie Holley. Bowstern notes, Other musician / makers have crafted their own Kesh instruments after encountering the earlier cassette recordings that accompanied some editions of the book.' Both Barton and Le Guin are sensitive to the sovereignty of indigenous Californians and were careful not to trample the traditions of the Tolowa people who lived in the valley long before the Kesh. You research deeply, and then you bring your own voice to the table,' said Barton. Within the Kesh culture, the numbers four and five shape the lives, society and rituals. Barton composed loosely around these numbers, patiently listening to the land of Napa Valley for signs and audio signals from the natural elements. Todd incorporated ambient sounds of the creek by Le Guin's house and a campfire they built together. The songs of Kesh are joyful, soothing and meditative, while the instrumental works drift far past the imaginary lands. Heron Dance' is an uplifting first track, featuring a Wéosai Medoud Teyahi (made from a deer or lamb thigh bone with a cattail reed) and the great Houmbúta (used for theatre and ceremony). A Music of the Eighth House' sends gossamer waves of the faintest sounds to float on the wind.' Like the languages invented in the vocal work of Anna Homler, Meredith Monk, and Elizabeth Fraser, the Kesh songs and poems play with the shape of voice.

The Music and Poetry of the Kesh cassette was meant to accompany and enhance the experience of reading Always Coming Home. Presented in this edition as a long-playing album, where only traces of the book linger (the jacket offers some of Le Guin's illustration, and a letterpressed bookmark featuring the the narrative modes of western civilization and the Kesh valley is included), the music alone breaking the silence of what might be. It can transport—offering a landscape for imagining a future homecoming. One in which we are balanced, peaceful, and tend to the earth and its creatures. A line from the Sun Dance poem reminds us, We are nothing much without one another.' Freedom To Spend gives new life to the recordings of the Kesh people in the first ever vinyl edition of Music and Poetry of the Kesh, out on LP, and digital formats on March 23, 2018. The LP will include a deluxe spot printed jacket with illustrations from Always Coming Home, a facsimile of the original lyric sheet, liner notes by Moe Bowstern, multi-format digital download code and a limited edition bookmark letter pressed by Stumptown Printers in Portland, OR.

This past Monday, January 22, Ursula passed from this realm to another leaving a life spent building and exploring other worlds while challenging social concepts of the real word she inhabited.

Freedom To Spend had been working under Ursula's enthusiastic endorsement and with Todd Barton, her musical collaborator on Kesh, to give the music that accompanied her 1985 epoch a new life. With the Le Guin family's encouragement to move forward with our planned release, we are humbled to play this small role in sharing Ursula's work.

As Pete Swanson, one third of Freedom To Spend, stated, Ursula's legacy is her work which transformed the world, and this is another piece of the universe that her imagination birthed becoming real.' Listen to A Teaching Poem / Heron Dance' below.

Joe Powers is from Edinburgh, far outside the network of the Grime capital of London. His caffeinated productions as Proc Fiskal are faster than usual, with many clocking in at 160bpm. 'The Highland Mob', his 2017 debut EP, opened up his music to open-eared footwork and drum'n'bass fans as well as the grime crowd. After following that up with a jungle-inflected EP on Cosmic Bridge, 'Insula' switches the feel and intention towards a personal, and melodic music with one foot in Grime, infused with often comic, often wistful recorded moments from his environment. He says 'I wanted to be aware of where the music is coming from, referencing things I'm presently experiencing, like making Grime, my Radar radio show, phone addiction, alcohol, my surroundings, girls, depression, positivity, being unemployed, being employed and hating it, my friends etc. Trying to be true to myself instead of relying on other peoples' nostalgia, and focusing on now.'

The record is a huge leap in vision, with delicate, pointillist melodies and intricate edits reminiscent of Grime producers such as Terror Danjah. It also resonates with Japanese video game music like that recently explored on the 'Diggin' In The Carts' compilation.

'I think I probably make tunes to get out emotions I don't express in day-to-day life. I used clips of my friends talking, drunk folk, and general Scottish life to preserve and represent what my experience is like right now, like a time capsule. Social media notification sounds are designed to release serotonin, which is what I'd like my music to do, to make me, and other people happy, and in using these manipulative noises in a positive way, I like to think I'm taking back the power of the manipulation.'

Proc Fiskal is adventurous and thoughtful as a producer, and at the young age of 21, his debut album is very advanced in its ideas and execution.

Dark Matters label head Amirali returns with the expertly crafted Odyssey EP, employing his vital understanding of
space and texture to construct a highly emotive release featuring a remix from Fort Romeau. The three track
package is out digitally on May 14th followed by the vinyl release a few weeks later.
Leading on from his critically acclaimed discography and curatorial work with the inimitable Dark Matters imprint,
Amirali enters 2018 with grand plans for the future. He is currently conceptualising a live stage show whilst
continuing to provide a platform for all manner of weird and wonderful music.
'Odyssey' is a striking example of Amirali's penchant for songwriting, as well as a testament to his sonic identity,
merging memorable harmonies with heartfelt vocals and complex soundscapes. 'Hidden Past' veers more towards
the dancefloor, brandishing vast sonic explorations and levitating pads amongst detailed drum patterns. For the
'Hidden Past' remix, Fort Romeau mutates the delicacy of the original into a spaced out dose of peak time house,
gradually building rich harmonies around a fierce rhythmic motif.
On the creation of this forthcoming EP, Amirali states:
"Nothing is more important than my craft which is the main reason I'm here. There's no better satisfaction than to
create an amazing piece of music, that's my happiest point in life. I don't want my work to just be good or ok and that
takes a lot of effort and sacrifice in life. I got to a point where I said to myself I have to go and disappear for a while,
go be normal and do normal things. Instead of being on the road all the time, stay home, create an environment I
like to write music. There have been many experimentations involved in my upcoming material. I wanted to try and
push myself to the limit and I believe I've succeeded. For me, it's all about evolving and exploring areas I haven't
touched. That's why sometimes it takes a bit longer than expected, I don't just want to meet people's expectations,
sometimes I want to blow them away. There is so much music coming out week in and week out, the music is
evidently becoming more disposable and I would like to stay out of that chaos. When you stay true to your heart and
try to do something different you put yourself in an uncomfortable situation, that's when you grow as an artist and
also as a person, but the satisfaction you get when you finish a work cannot be put into words.

Fresh on Francis Harris' Kingdoms imprint comes Rasmus Juncker's 'Ophold' - six tracks of sublime atmospheres and textures. The Danish musician, sound composer and DJ fits perfectly with the label's aesthetic, joining the dots between ambient, leftfield electronica and modern classical.

Juncker has a background in studying jazz drumming and has been playing improvised music within the jazz domain for many years. He also started to DJ at the age of 14 and was introduced to the world of electronic music production at the same time.

When Rasmus started to think about his debut album he spent several months trying to find his own way to combine his favourite musical influences, improvisation, electronics and classical music. 'Almost a year later', Juncker says, "I went to a sensory deprivation floating tank in Copenhagen while researching for another performance and while I was lying there, floating in the water, deprived from most of my senses, I got the idea to do something drastic in my musical process. Philosophers like Immanuel Kant describe this deprived state as a mental 'Cesura', which became some sort of guideline for the album."

So Juncker decided to start working on the album by leaving the process as well as the final result completely open. 'I wanted to create sounds and music that I had no idea what they would sound like, but would feel like a mental 'Cesura', an 'Ophold' (in Danish)' he states.

He invited musicians, one after the other, to his studio. "I had an electronic musician to improvise patterns and new interesting sounds based on my experience in the deprivation tank. I chose some of the takes and some weeks later I invited a jazz guitarist to listen and improvise on top of what he heard. Then a classical string quartet and a double bass player came to my studio months later, and finally I recorded myself on percussion and drums.

Throughout the recording process I've been experimenting with special microphones in various setups, used noises from the recordings and the room became absolutely essential for the pieces." Juncker states.

"The material I used was all first take improvision which I arranged, layered and edited into compositions. The final pieces were mixed by Andreas Pallisgaard with the same improvised and experimental approach of the recording and the production. None of the musician met each other, but their sounds developed into something completely fantastic I think. The presence of the acoustic instruments and the depth and complexity of the synthesized layers gave some kind of an indescribable sounding music from another galaxy.

Track by track:

'Norddrum' starts proceedings - ethereal, grainy sounds merge and disassociate, as a distant rhythm gradually finds its way to the fore.

The second track, 'Sora' , clocking in at under 2 minutes, is an interlude full of strings, pads, and percussive hits, rich in feeling. This strong sense of sound design and seemingly disparate sounds woven together into a whole carries through into 'Eksotisk Tirsdag' - the strings, plucked instruments and electronics harking back to 4th world adventurers like Jon Hassel and Brian Eno.

'Cyklus' dives into drone textures, pulsing and modulating to create an unearthly soundtrack.

'Havekunst' is another 2 minutes interlude, this time bringing a fully charged rhythmic barrage to the front.

'Cesura', the final track is in essence the EP's centerpiece - a sprawling 8 minute journey that traverses tense, fibrous sections and on into pulsing modular passages, before opening up into glorious moments of wonder and brightness. It's a hugely bold yet fragile endeavour, in line with the whole release.

'Your mind makes it real.' - Ahwlee Vital Sales Points: Extensive Global Sticker Promo Campaign Special Bonus Tracks Release Full-Life April 2018 (digital only) Life2 Quotes : 'Once you press play you want to listen to it from front to back.' - Danny Veekens (The Find Mag) 'Life2 embodies the essence of the ancestors. The marriage of his kicks, snares and hi hats with those lush soul chops reminds me of the first time I fell in love with hip hop.

GROUND-BREAKING, CLASSIC BOOGIE & DISCO LP FROM 1979 NIGERIA, FEATURING 'AGBOJU LOGUN'
First official reissue of the extremely rare full-length album by Lagos-based bandleader Shina Williams. Clean copies of the original currently sell for up to £500.
The record was born in 1979 when Shina put Biddy Wright, Fred Fisher, Saliu Alabi, Prince Bola, Tutu Shoronmu, Tunde willimas and several other decorated Nigerian musicians - who played with the likes of Fela Kuti, SJOB Movement, Sonny Okoson, King Bucknor amongst others - together to record. The result is 'African Dances', a timeless fusion of afrobeat, electronics, boogie and disco.
Includes his most well-known song, 'Agboju Logun' that Williams knew was ground breaking - I want to show the whole wide world that Africa is alive with modern musicians to reckon with anywhere,'. This album version is a different mix to the two-track 12' that came out under on Earthworks, Rough Trade in 1984.
Official Mr Bongo reissue. Replica original artwork. Licensed direct from Shina Williams.

Twenty-eight Years Ago, Pissed-off Twelve-year-olds Around The Universe Discovered A New Planet, A Black Planet. Public Enemy's Aggressive, Benihana Beats And Incendiary Lyrics Instilled Fear Among Parents And Teachers Everywhere, Even In The Border Town Of Laredo, Texas, Home Of The Future Founders Of The Latin-funk-soul-breaks Super Group, Brownout. The Band's Sixth Full-length Album (out May 25th) Fear Of A Brown Planet Is A Musical Manifesto Inspired By Public Enemy's Music And Revolutionary Spirit.

Chuck D., The Bomb Squad, Flava Flav And The Rest Of The P.e. Posse Couldn't Possibly Have Expected That Their Golden-era Hip Hop Albums Would Sow The Seeds For Countless Public Enemy Sleeper Cells, One That Would Emerge Nearly Three Decades Later In Austin, Texas. Greg Gonzalez (bass) Remembers A Kid Back In Junior High Hipped Him To The Fact That Public Enemy's bring The Noise' Is Built On James Brown Samples, While A Teenaged Beto Martinez (guitar) Alternated Between Metal And Hip-hop In His Walk-man, And Adrian Quesada (guitar/keys) Remembers Falling In Love With Public Enemy's Sound At An Early Age. when I Got Into Hip Hop, I Was Looking For This Aggressive Outlet . . . And I Didn't Even Understand What They Were Pissed Off About, Because I Was Twelve And Lived In Laredo . . . But I Loved It And I Felt Angry Along With Them.'

Joseph Abajian (fat Beats' Owner) Must Have Sensed The Deep Hip-hop Well Lying Beneath The Versatile Band's Latin-funk Veneer. i Thought Their Sound Would Work Covering Public Enemy Songs,' Abajian Says, And, it Was Good To Know They Were P.e. Fans . . . We Came Up With A Track Listing And They Went To Work.' Despite The Band's Eagerness To Work On New Original Material (an Album Of Original Songs Is Slated For Next Year), They Couldn't Pass Up The Opportunity To Pay Homage To This Iconic And Influential Posse.

Translating Sample-based Music To A Live Band Turned Out To Be More Of A Challenge Than They Anticipated. Adrian Tried To Get Inside The Bomb Squad's (public Enemy's Producers/beat-making Team) Head In Order To Find The Inspiration To Reinterpret P.e.'s Songs: imagine The Bomb Squad Going Back In Time And Getting The J.b.s (james Brown's Funky Backing Band) In The Studio And Setting Up A Couple Analog Synths And Then Playing Those Songs.' While Some Songs Closely Follow The Original Musical Blueprint, Others Use The Source Breakbeats As Jumping-off Points Later Sweetened By Trombonist Mark speedy' Gonzales' Horn Arrangements, Synth Wizardry Courtesy Of Friend-of-the-band Peter Stopschinski, And Dj Trackstar's Turntable Scratches. But Don't Listen Expecting To Hear Paint-by-numbers Recreations Of Classic Public Enemy Jams. our Approach Is Never In The Tribute Sense,' Adrian Explains. we've Always Taken It And Made It Our Own, Whether It's The Brown Sabbath Thing Or This Public Enemy Thing.' Coming Off Numerous Tours As Brown Sabbath And Even A Stint Backing The Late Legend Prince, Brownout Is Arguably The Tightest And Funkiest Band On The Road Today And They're Psyched To Bring This Revolutionary Music To The People. For A Band Without An Overt Political Agenda, They Collectively Couldn't Resist The Opportunity To Play This Music Live, Especially Now. if There's Any Way That We Can Use The Already Political And Protest Nature (of P.e.'s Music), We Would Like To Try,' Beto Says. the Album's Title, Fear Of Brown Planet Is Definitely A Relevant Idea Today And We're Not Afraid To Put It Out There, Because We Want To Speak Out.' By Reinterpreting These Hip Hop Classics In Their Unique Style And Channeling The Spirit Of Public Enemy That First Echoed Around The World And Captured Their Imaginations All Those Years Ago, Brownout Is Doing Exactly That.

A split release on Nation's sublabel, Kode. Two exclusive tracks from Transformation & Beau Wanzer..
Transformation:
This 2nd document of their time in the makeshift studio for another 15 minute psychedelic slo-trip continuing steps in creativity, gaining access to various pieces of musical equipment, hitting the garage, practicing and recording in hopes of making it, entitled "Sketch 4"


Beau Wanzer:
Beau Wanzer returns to Nation on a split release with Transformation. Over the past year Wanzer's output has been fueled by deformed synths, grim vocals, and hard hitting drums more suited for dungeon dance floors than heady home listenings. For his next release he offers an icy subdued drum machine workout. 'Oklahoma 3' was recorded in the winter of 2009 while visiting his parent's house over the holidays. A combination of roland drum machines, sampled jazz tones, and ambient atmospheres the track sets a tone for a bleak winter in the countryside.

From deep inside of Berlin's 24/7 darkrooms, here comes DJ City's debut maxi single. Two house trax made out of body fluids, pain and laughter after, to accompanize the teenage sex drive that want never ever fade away.

Mike Huckaby, Bergqvist, DJ Sports, Raam and LNS remix 'Deep Soundscapes', Takecha's album recently released on Sweden's Love Potion.

Released in March, the album incorporates Takeshi Fukushima's work between 1990 to 2013 and affirms why the producer is such a respected figure within Japan's electronic music scene. Now his compositions have been remixed by some of house music's best, featuring renditions from Detroit's Mike Huckaby, Aniara's Henrik Bergqvist, the elusive Raam, Firecracker and Regelbau's DJ Sports, as well as Wania and Freakout Cult's LNS.

Mike Huckaby inaugurates the release with his sultry take on 'Low Sentiment', blending deep synths with murmuring vocals to forge a proper deep house cut. Bergqvist then remixes 'Rhodes Deep' creating a bouncy minimal cut incorporating the original's scintillating melody alongside meandering percussion and twisted effects, making way into DJ Sports' remix of 'Gradual Atmosphere' with its intricate breakbeat drums and dreamlike atmospherics. Raam then reinvents 'Calm Imagination' taking it into subterranean territories complete with infectious keys, until LNS ties it all together with her mesmerising beatless reimagining of 'Factory 141'.

2023 Repress Spice 1 is an undisputed West Coast legend, who first hit the scene after the N.W.A. and – closer to home – Too $hort explosion of the late ‘80s. As history showed, he continued that bloodline with finesse and authority. His nasal flow is menacing and strong, and fans have been consistently captivated by his ‘hood tales since his self-titled debut in 1992. If you want thematic range with your MCs, Spice isn’t that dude – he is all about crime tales and the perils of ghetto life. And he attacks that storytelling sweet spot with each new cut. Spice 1 boasted four singles by the time it was all said and done, and breezed to Gold status on the strength of cuts like the catchy “East Bay Gangster”; the heartfelt tales and truths of “Welcome To The Ghetto”; and the thick, grooving “In My Neighborhood.” He even produced the alcohol-themed “187 Proof,” another of the album’s singles, and the hands-down cleverest vocal outing on the LP. Sonically, the backdrops on Spice 1 range from plunky, keyboard-bassline funk to deeper, fuzzy ‘70s samples – and he sounds strong on top of both. “Break Yourself” is fueled with an electro-funk drive; “1-800 Spice” brings reggae flavor; and “Peace To My Nine” gets chunkier, with a well-placed P-Funk “One Nation Under A Groove” sample. Presented here on official retail vinyl for the first time since its initial release 26 years ago, Spice 1’s debut holds the test of time and carries the California gangsta flag with pride. Some colors just don’t fade.

Since his 2015 Night School debut E.P. Nouveauree, James Donadio - aka Prostitutes - has been traveling stages and rigs from Los Angeles to Berlin, from prestigious festival slots to slimy Glasgow basements, burning his own path through the modern techno and electronic scenes. On Aluminum Garage, Donadio is at his most playful, laying down unmistakably mid-tempo BPM early-electro jams indebted to early sampling before crashing the soundsystem with frantic, detourned Gabber. Unlike his previous LP for Spectrum Spools or indeed his Night School debut which rankled with austerity and minimalism, here Prostitutes is instinctive, multi-layered and unashamedly, brilliantly borrowing from myriad genres.

In past 3 years, Donadio has racked up critically praised releases on labels like Diagonal and CGI, refining his wares into a precise, bludgeoning toolkit that surprises and develops with each release. Aluminum Garage creeps into life with Born Wanderer, before a sub-heavy kick and bongo pattern blasts into a heavy break that feels like the earth moving from under your feet. With the utmost clarity, the track builds disparate layers - a white noise solo, warped sample piano chords straight from 1986 - into a Rave-o-matic climax, holding steady with the BPMs and immeasurably funky. Jah Elegant further blows apart any image we have of Prostitutes' music as austere' with a loping intro based on teased drum samples and a ghost MC. The Jungle break comes in by stealth before the heavy drop blasts the music into Drum + Bass momentum. It's both blistering fun and undeniably cheeky, a driving track that cuts up Remarc on a dimly lit table in suburban Ohio.

On Side 2, Errant Seagull takes the genre mess into techno territory though put through a heavily distorted grinder. Built around a skeleton of sampled bass guitar and thumping kick, the track layers drums upon drums, building in saturation until a searing synth strafes the criss-crossing rhythms. The effect is dizzying, insuring both a propellant, heavy forward motion and a grimey, angst-ridden climax. Before we're at the end of the track, the stereo field is so filthy with distortion and analogue muck the listener is desperate for a palette cleanser. Final track Shroud of Cellophane however, doesn't let up. With a ramped up BPM we're in a Cyberpunk Gabber club, nothing but 160 beats per minute, layers of frequency-tweaked noise and the light at the end of the tunnel racing towards us. It's sweet oblivion and we've earned it.

Die vierte Ausgabe der Modeselektion war längst überfällig und fällt deshalb extra energisch aus, dafür sorgen viele große Namen der internationalen Clubszene und eine ganze Reihe aufstrebender Künstler: Actress, Rødhâd, Peder Mannerfelt, rRoxymore, Sarah Farina und all die anderen setzen zwischen roughem und clever gebautem Techno, kosmischen Breakbeats und Dub- und-Bass-Eskapaden die unterschiedlichsten Akzente und erzeugen trotzdem einen starken, stringenten Vibe. Die als Doppel-CD und vierteilige 12"-Serie erhältliche Compilation enthält 17 Tracks von Künstlern, die zur aktuellen Speerspitze in Sachen anspruchsvoller Dance Music zählen - so sehen es zumindest Modeselektor, aber wann hat uns ihr Gespür je enttäuscht Wie jede Modeselektion ist die vierte Ausgabe kein schnödes Mixtape: Alle Künstler wurden eigens um passende, unveröffentlichte Musik gebeten, und das Ergebnis kann sich sehen lassen. "Wir sind stolz und fühlen uns geehrt, dass wir die Compilation genau so zusammenstellen konnten", schwärmen die Selektoren. "Volume 04 ist wahrscheinlich die funktionalste und eingängigste Modeselektion, die wir bis dato gemacht haben."

Die vierte Ausgabe der Modeselektion war längst überfällig und fällt deshalb extra energisch aus, dafür sorgen viele große Namen der internationalen Clubszene und eine ganze Reihe aufstrebender Künstler: Actress, Rødhâd, Peder Mannerfelt, rRoxymore, Sarah Farina und all die anderen setzen zwischen roughem und clever gebautem Techno, kosmischen Breakbeats und Dub- und-Bass-Eskapaden die unterschiedlichsten Akzente und erzeugen trotzdem einen starken, stringenten Vibe. Die als Doppel-CD und vierteilige 12"-Serie erhältliche Compilation enthält 17 Tracks von Künstlern, die zur aktuellen Speerspitze in Sachen anspruchsvoller Dance Music zählen - so sehen es zumindest Modeselektor, aber wann hat uns ihr Gespür je enttäuscht Wie jede Modeselektion ist die vierte Ausgabe kein schnödes Mixtape: Alle Künstler wurden eigens um passende, unveröffentlichte Musik gebeten, und das Ergebnis kann sich sehen lassen. "Wir sind stolz und fühlen uns geehrt, dass wir die Compilation genau so zusammenstellen konnten", schwärmen die Selektoren. "Volume 04 ist wahrscheinlich die funktionalste und eingängigste Modeselektion, die wir bis dato gemacht haben."

Die vierte Ausgabe der Modeselektion war längst überfällig und fällt deshalb extra energisch aus, dafür sorgen viele große Namen der internationalen Clubszene und eine ganze Reihe aufstrebender Künstler: Actress, Rødhâd, Peder Mannerfelt, rRoxymore, Sarah Farina und all die anderen setzen zwischen roughem und clever gebautem Techno, kosmischen Breakbeats und Dub- und-Bass-Eskapaden die unterschiedlichsten Akzente und erzeugen trotzdem einen starken, stringenten Vibe. Die als Doppel-CD und vierteilige 12"-Serie erhältliche Compilation enthält 17 Tracks von Künstlern, die zur aktuellen Speerspitze in Sachen anspruchsvoller Dance Music zählen - so sehen es zumindest Modeselektor, aber wann hat uns ihr Gespür je enttäuscht Wie jede Modeselektion ist die vierte Ausgabe kein schnödes Mixtape: Alle Künstler wurden eigens um passende, unveröffentlichte Musik gebeten, und das Ergebnis kann sich sehen lassen. "Wir sind stolz und fühlen uns geehrt, dass wir die Compilation genau so zusammenstellen konnten", schwärmen die Selektoren. "Volume 04 ist wahrscheinlich die funktionalste und eingängigste Modeselektion, die wir bis dato gemacht haben."

Die vierte Ausgabe der Modeselektion war längst überfällig und fällt deshalb extra energisch aus, dafür sorgen viele große Namen der internationalen Clubszene und eine ganze Reihe aufstrebender Künstler: Actress, Rødhâd, Peder Mannerfelt, rRoxymore, Sarah Farina und all die anderen setzen zwischen roughem und clever gebautem Techno, kosmischen Breakbeats und Dub- und-Bass-Eskapaden die unterschiedlichsten Akzente und erzeugen trotzdem einen starken, stringenten Vibe. Die als Doppel-CD und vierteilige 12"-Serie erhältliche Compilation enthält 17 Tracks von Künstlern, die zur aktuellen Speerspitze in Sachen anspruchsvoller Dance Music zählen - so sehen es zumindest Modeselektor, aber wann hat uns ihr Gespür je enttäuscht Wie jede Modeselektion ist die vierte Ausgabe kein schnödes Mixtape: Alle Künstler wurden eigens um passende, unveröffentlichte Musik gebeten, und das Ergebnis kann sich sehen lassen. "Wir sind stolz und fühlen uns geehrt, dass wir die Compilation genau so zusammenstellen konnten", schwärmen die Selektoren. "Volume 04 ist wahrscheinlich die funktionalste und eingängigste Modeselektion, die wir bis dato gemacht haben."

Gifted Culture collective kicks off with Zinnigheddas Jam Berlin, first 12' of a series of three releases recorded exclusively during improvised jam sessions. Gifted Culture wants artists to breath and to represent in music the contemporaneity that surrounds us. Gifted Culture catches that very moment on tape. This is an itinerant music project, to highlight the context as influence on the artistic process.

During the first session Two Thou, Autre, Xinner and Demo gather together during a Sunday night in Kreuzberg with an electric bass and a bunch of synthesizers. There they start to tell us how they feel the 'now'.

Suns out, guns out: Darkroom Dubs ease into 2018 slowly with a new addition to their limited vinyl series courtesy of Madrid analogue scientist Eduardo De La Calle.

Last spotted on Planet E and boasting a 15 year back-cat on the likes of Cadenza, Biologic, Just This, Hivern Discs and Mule Muziq, Eduardo is a man you're already well acquainted with. And you're going to want to get even closer once you've digested these four straight-to-business stripped-back traxx. Each cut designed for deep mix tailoring that you can really bend minds with.

'It's Me... The Apple Knocker' ignites the fire with a flash as we're hurled into a hypnotic frenzy from the first loop. A whirlwind comprised of so few parts yet causing a riot in your senses, this stutters and slurs with a precision sense of unease. The troubled ebb and flow of 'Opsimath' follow suit with a twinkling feeling of unknown. An extensive groove weighing in at nearly nine minutes, its unhurried nature alludes to its title; the longer you leave it sizzle, the more enriching it gets.

Flip for 'Breatharian'. The deepest, most disarming cut of the collection laced with yearning strings and poignant chords, it's a solar-inspired sunset piece that gradually morphs into something much darker and serious as the track progresses. Finally we conclude with 'Cybersquatting', a timeless mildly dubbed-out darkroom groove that flows with liquid insistency. Subtly mutating and rotating, forever pumping, it's a true calm before the storm piece, tailored for those moments when you need a little suspense and space in your set.

Four crystal jams. Endless variations. Infinite mixes: Darkroom Dubs have delivered once again. And there's more en route... Watch out for a new Deadstock 33s release and a new compilation 'Darkroom Dubs Presents Summer Love'. Both due before the summer is out. Don't put those guns away anytime soon...

With MEL011, it is Melodies International's immense pleasure to direct their focus towards both Soul and House royalty, selecting and reissuing two of Frankie Knuckles' scarcer remixes of an all-time classic: Womack & Womack - MPB (Missin' Persons Bureau). Now known as Zekkariyas and Zeriiya, partners Cecil and Linda Womack, two eminent members in an extensive lineage of music artistry (i.e. Bobby Womack was Zekkariyas' brother, Zeriiya is Sam Cooke's daughter) engaged in one of music history's most successful and exciting singing and song writing partnerships in the early 1980s. Zeriiya says her process with Zekkariyas flowed like water, their shared complicity and talent led them to write and produce strings of chart topping hits and classic albums as Womack & Womack but also for other renowned artists of the time such as Patti Labelle, Teddy Pendergrass and the O'Jays to only name a few. The original version of Missin' Persons Bureau was first released in 1988 on 'Conscience' (Island Records), a classic album with impeccable instrumentation and thoughtful and relatable narratives that reflect on the nature of life, true friendship, love or in the case of MPB, it's subsequent loss. Following the release of the LP, Island records founder Chris Blackwell introduced the idea of getting Missin' Persons Bureau reworked by House legend Frankie Knuckles and whilst the Womacks weren't originally set on the idea of having their songs remixed by other artists, Blackwell, who Zeriiya describes as a 'record label manager seriously involved in making sure the project is what the creators really want it to be", had earned their trust. With these remixes, Frankie managed to turn a radio hit into underground club classics. The Paradise Ballroom mix conserves the essence of the original, reinterpreting the rhythm section whilst drawing it out over 8 minutes, with expert tension building and release clearly aimed at the dance floor.

Tune after tune, Coops consistently delivers truly original and unique music, his newest single 'Jetpack' taken from
the recently announced 'No Brainer' project is no exception. Twist up a paper plane and take ight with Coops as he transports us out of the mundane into completely uncharted territory with this perfectly executed audio/visual experience. At High Focus Records, we are rm believers in artistic freedom, so when an artist as versatile as Coops delivered this 14 track project, it was a 'No Brainer' to share these highly innovative creations with the
world. 'Jetpack', alongside previous singles 'That Jazz', 'Bob Dylan' & 'What You Want' can all be found on Coops'
forthcoming 'No Brainer' project which is now available to pre order on limited edition splatter vinyl, CD, cassette tape and on all digital platforms. This forthcoming record showcases Coops' versatility and creative approach to his craft displaying a broad palette of sounds and moods. The cosmic cover art shows the two sides of the brain, representing the different approaches Coops has taken when crafting this project, ranging from experimental modern soundscapes to that classic Hip Hop sound. 'No Brainer' isn't really a album but more an experiment... I made most of these tracks alongside music I'd been making for an album... People have always tried to categorise me as a "Boom-Bap artist" but that I have never been. I am constantly making music of different styles and never work on one project at a time. Sadly some of these tracks never see the light of day, even though they are still of high quality and sick, so this time it was a 'No Brainer' that I put some of these tracks out.' - Coops
Coops - 'No Brainer' is offcially released on the 27th of April 2018 on High Focus Records.

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Soma Are Proud To Present The Debut Album From One Of Techno's Most Prolific And Renowned Producers, Tensal. As One Half Of The Duo Exium, Hector Sandoval Has Already Carved Out A Career In Techno Spanning Over 20 Years, With Countless Release On Their Self-run Nheoma, Warm Up Recordings & Pole Group, To Name But A Few. In 2014, He Started The Tensal Project As An Outlet For His Own Productions Which Allowed Him The Scope Of Pursuing The More Direct And Minimalistic Approach With His Music And Also His Dj'ing. After Hooking Up With The Soma Camp In Early 2017 And Releasing A Collection Of Well-refined Singles, Tensal Delivers His Debut Album, Graphical. Searching To Go Beyond The Realm Of Standard Techno, Tensal Lends His Considerable Production Experience To This Project And Creates A Sophisticated And Immersive Album Experience That Flows Gracefully Between Idm And Techno.

With The More Stripped Back Approach At The Forefront Of The Project, Belga Gives Us An Insight Of What To Expect From The Album; A Refined Sequence And Melodic Element Build Gracefully And Hypnotically, Ending Abruptly To Leave You Wanting More. Santolaya Picks Things Up And Brings With It A More Pensive And Exploratory View Before The Droning And Atmospheric Roj0 Leans On A Decidedly More Experimental Side. Aimed At Bringing Tension To The Project, Convulsa's Waves Of Sub Bass And Syncopated Percussion Set The Tone For A Pulsing And Edgy Affair. Tensal Brings 4x4 Into Play With Polariex. Slow Paced Yet Staunch In It's Approach, A Gritty Synth Hook Stands As The Backbone. A More Hypnotic Approach On Egoaio Looks To Bring In The Standard Tensal Sound But As Always, New And Experimental Sounds Are At The Forefront. Closing Out The Album, The Focus Begins To Shift To A More Dance Floor Orientated Attitude. Zomb Is A Quintessential Dj Tool, Drawing On The Power Of Restraint, As Its Gradual Swells Create Perfect Cohesion Throughout. P R U V I 4 Continues The Ongoing Theme Of Tension As Multi Layered Hooks Surge Forth Against A Backdrop Of Forceful Drums And Undulating Noise. Tensal Ends His Debut Lp On A High With The Punishing Mimix. Pounding Kicks And Twisted, Tripped Out Synths Are Driven In Intensity With Chopping High Hats That Slice Through With Vigour.

With Graphical, Tensal Has Constructed A Body Of Work That Is More Than The Sum Of Its Parts; Easily And Intelligently Displaying His Production Prowess By Crafting A Sonically Accomplished Album.

ESHU, the production collective and record label from Nijmegen are back with their next offering. Their 12th release is a various artists release that features BLM, Jburg and Steven Siwalette alongside label members Ivano Tetelepta and Jocelyn Abell. It comes on the heels of Tetelepta's absorbing dub techno album, Senang, and is another high class offering. Nijmegen based Siwalette is first, previously contributed to the label as part of SYS. His Stragglers is a sparse but atmospheric track with industrial drones and slowly turning drums taking you through a desolate factory late at night. His second offering is Alien Encounter which is just as it sounds - a spooky, unsettling bit of cinematic sound design with menacing bass and icy pads all growing in loudness until they eventually consume your mind. Lastly on the A-side, UK producer and Fear of Flying label boss BLM lays down a skeletal groove that's embellished with beautiful, yawning synths. Scattered little details and fx making this a cavernous piece that encourages your mind to wander and get lost. On the flip, Jocelyn Abell and Ivano Tetelepta cook up a heavyweight, mid tempo bit of dub techno with sharp hits and rolling kicks lulling you into a trance. Last of all, the emerging Jburg picks up the pace with a perfectly chiselled bit of rock solid dub with looping drums and icy hi hats sinking you deep into its midst. This is an excellent EP that packs in a range of fascinating sounds for both the home and the club.

On The 50th Anniversary Of The Band's Inception At An Event In Harlem, Ny To Commemorate Malcolm X's Birthday On 19 May 1968, Influential Spoken Word Artists, Poets And Commentators The Last Poets Are Set To Make A Glorious And Relevant Return With Their First Album In Over 20 Years, 'understand What Black Is'.

Produced By Ben Lamdin (nostaglia 77) And Brighton Legend Prince Fatty, Whose Speciality Is Traditional Reggae And Dub Production's, 'understand What Black Is' Is A Ten-track Album Which Speaks Of A Revolutionary Struggle Defined By Both Race And Identity, That Has Never Sounded More Relevant. Released On Studio Rockers, There Will Also Be An Accompanying Single Featuring Remixes Of The Title Track "understand What Black Is" By Mala (south London Collective Digital Mystikz) And Uk Dance Music Innovators Dego And Kaidi.

Since The Initial Line-up Of Dahveed Nelson, Gylan Kain And Felipe Luciano Formed In East Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park, The Last Poets Have Produced Under Various Guises Over The Subsequent Years. However, It Was Their Seminal Output, Namely 1970's 'the Last Poets' Under Both Umar Bin Hassan And Abiodun Oyewole That Secured Their Legacy, Becoming One Of The Most Important Influences In Early Hip Hop.

Throughout The Last 20 Years, The Band Have Remained Largely On Hiatus. But Their Influence Could Still Be Felt With Their Tracks Being Sampled By The Notorious B.i.g, Nwa, A Tribe Called Quest, Dr.dre And Snoop Dogg. Umar Has Recorded Various Solo Albums And Featured On Common And Kanye West's Grammy Nominated 'the Corner'. Abiodun Appeared On The Red Hot Organization's Album, Stolen Moments Which Was Named "album Of The Year" By Time. He Also Conducts Weekly Open House Poetry Readings, Where He Constructively Critiques Upcoming Poets, Helping To Nurture Them. He Has Also Conducted Classes At Columbia University, Where He Teaches Creative Writing.

The Inauguration Of Donald Trump As Us President In 2016 Inspired Hassan And Oyewole To Resurrect The Group To Create A Brand New Record, Modern And Edgy, And Deeply Relevant And Reflective Of Our Times.

Tracks On 'understand What Black Is' Include 'how Many Bullets', Which Bridles With Defiance As Oyewole Works Through A Litany Of Injustices Suffered By Black People In The Us: " You've Tried

To Blow My Brains Out With Bigotry, Chopped Off My Wings, So I Couldn't Fly Free, And Dared Me To Be Me, Took My Drum, Broke My Hands, Yanked My Roots Right Up Out Of The Land, And Riddled My Soul With Jesus" 'what I Want To See' Describes A Utopia - A Refuge From Hurt And Those Who'd Make "our Vision Blurred, And Our Faith Obscure", Whilst The Title Track 'understand What Black Is' Aims To Transcend Ethnicity: "understand What Black Is....it's The Source From Which All Things Come...black Is A Hero, Not A Villain."

The Album Even Takes Reference From Prince's 2003 Album Of Instrumentals, 'news', Which Hassan Drew Comparisons From With His Own Childhood Experiences: "that Poem Took Me About A Year To Write....i Just Kept Writing And Writing But Not Getting Too Far And Then I Heard That Album And The Musicianship Was Amazing. I Was Left Wondering If It Was Jazz, Classical, Rock Or Maybe Something New But All Those Images That I Write About Came To Me From Listening To That Album. I Loved Prince In That Movie Purple Rain Because My Father Was A Talented Musician But He Was Into Brutalising Mama At Times And In The Movie There's A Jerome And My Name Is Jerome, So It Was Like He Was Telling My Life Story As Well."

The Album Acts As A Body Of Work Between Individual Members Each Speaking Of Their Own Personal Journeys, But Feeding Into The Much Larger Narrative Of Struggle And Oppression, Alongside A Fervent Hunger For Social Change. These Are Struggles And Tests Of Personal Resolve That Have Directly Shaped And Moulded The Bands' Unique Sound Over The Course Of An Impressive 50 Years, And Their Powerful And Influential Commentary Remains As Relevant As Ever.

For the second release, we bring you obscure 1985 North Carolina boogie/gospel/electro banger filled with crazy bass synths, piano chords and rhythm machines. Very proud we managed to put out this unique record.

Also supported and played by Peanut Butter Wolf from Stones Throw!

Few words from the man himself:

"I was 32 years old when I did "Come Together", I recorded it in the studio in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It was my first studio project. I wrote it to reflect on how we all are God's creation and we all need each other no matter our skin color or background, we should love each other as God tells us to. I always wanted my music to go mainstream and worldwide to reach everyone. Shurfine gospel record company picked up my record and the rest is history..."

Milan based collective Just This are proud to present the 'Absolute Infinity EP', a joint release from Netherlands-based producers Sinfol and Octual. Featured in this package are two remixes from Gerd Janson prescribing a heavy dose of acid. Title track is a stripped back groove with a looping synth lead that wanders through ricocheting drums. For his first remix Gerd muffles the framework of the original, making room for a floating melody and warm lead, whilst the 'Acid Only' version takes the components of the original and throws them into a bath full of acid. Closing off the EP is 'Wire', a moody dancefloor cut for the after-hours.

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It's the return of the sexual vigilante Sex Judas and his trusted sidekick Ricky. This time in full album mode. Norwegian producer Tore Gjedrem of Ost & Kjex fame, channels his love of comix, bohemia and fascination with human vice, the unspoken, the Red Light districts, the alleys of the mind into his alter ego.

Sex Judas is no bad character but certainly says what it's author cannot.

'I wanted to create a world where any musical idea is possible, wound together by the world and word of Judas, the ultimate sinner, reborn as a child of Venus.'

Inspiration ranges from Africa to 80's NYC, from Bohannon to Quasimoto, from Norwegian New Wave to Acid House. With contributions by friends in the Oslo scene as hometown legend Dj Pål Strangefruit Nyhus, composer Ole-Henrik Moe, jazzpianist Bugge Wesseltoft, Sidiki Camara from Mali playing that beautiful Ngoni, and multi instrumentalist Ivar Snuten Winther, the album touches anything from blues, funk, disco and post-punk to IDM, acid house and electronic explorer music.

Since the early 1990s, keyboard player Jessica Lauren has been a familiar part of London's alternative music scene. Jessica's keyboard skills have augmented the live performances and studio recordings of world renowned artists such as Jean Carne, Tom Browne, Dexter Wansel and James Mason, Japan's United Future Organisation, and UK soul diva Juliet Roberts.

Her previous Freestyle album 'Jessica Lauren Four' (2012) highlighted Jessica's minimalist approach, something rare and refreshing in the jazz world: she instills her compositions and playing with a refined sense of space which makes her music as much about what she doesn't play as what she does.

The albums' opener - Kofi Nomad is a deeply percussive afrocentric epic, featuring the beautiful baritone saxaphone of Tamar 'Collocutor' Osborn, one of the most in demand woodwind players working today, underpinned by a powerful foundation of percussion courtesy of Richard látúndé Baker, Phillip Harper and drummer Cosimo Keita Cadore.

Jessicas' amazing skill for writing simple, understated yet superbly memorable and catchy hooks remains undiminished. Highlights in this new collection are almost too numerous to mention, but Amalfi is a breezy bossa, which conjures up images of easy living days and sun dappled Mediterranean coastlines, whilst the angular and brooding Simba Jike has something of an Eddie Harris style deep, dark groove over which Jessica riffs and solos beautifully on grand piano - and Tamar once again blows freely, whilst 'level' Neville Malcolms' upright bass figure roots the entire thing in a solid, almost primeval sound.

The albums closing statement Argentina is a masterpiece of pathos and perfectly demonstrates Jessicas' approach which is almost akin to a minimalist architecture style of composing and playing, such is the strength of its atmosphere and subtlety.

Truly nuts and really kind of essential... the Starship Commander had his whole approach to the Synthesiser Voice technique. B-Boys/Girls delight. Check the instrumental cut, Mastership - a head nod synth voyage of the highest order. Limited copies. TIP!
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'How are you doing, Earthling' That's how Omer Coleman, Jr. addressed his public in the 80s, driving around Kansas City, Missouri in the electric space-car built especially for his alter ego Starship Commander Wooooo Wooooo.

Left Ear Records went back to Coleman's original master tapes for their vinyl reissue of the Commander's 1981 private press album Mastership, a lost electronic funk classic. Coleman performs in an alien voice that comes not from electronic filtering but from his own natural vocal distortions. This visitor from Mars wants people to be happy and, like his song goes, 'Laugh and Dance.' It's an endearing and very personal space-age funk that blends George Clinton and Kraftwerk in a vision of a better and happier world.

Born and raised in Kansas City, Coleman was musically inclined from an early age. His parents couldn't afford to buy him a real drum for orchestra, so he took up electrical wiring and wood shop instead, which fed his muse in a different direction. Omer built enormous speaker cabinets. In the late '70s he was a DJ, and ran a Mobile Disco business that took him across the country, hosting parties. After a trip to California, he came back to Kansas City inspired to dress up as Commander Wooooo Wooooo.

The future commander began working at the Armco Steel Mill in Kansas City when he was 18. He was inspired by older machinists who demanded perfection in their work and in their character. It was while he was working at the steel mill that Coleman came up with Starship Commander Wooooo Wooooo. One day coworker John Manley came up to Coleman with a vision of an electric car, and built it. His coworkers built all of his equipment, from lighting and fog machines to big steel eyeglasses. Coleman's sister, a seamstress, created his outfits.

Coleman started his own label in 1985 but took some time off from music to raise his children, and when they came of age his son recorded with Coleman as a gospel vocalist. When his son was killed in an auto accident in 2004, it took something out of him, and he stopped making music. But he's starting to get the feeling again.

Now 62, he's currently enjoying his retirement from a long stint with the IRS. The former Commander is in the middle of a house project where he's using metal ceiling tiles to line his walls. It's starting to look like a spaceship. Coleman promises, 'There is a real good possibility that we have not seen the last of Starship Commander Wooooo Wooooo!
Pat Padua'

Strut presents the brand new album from cosmic jazz travellers The Pyramids, led by saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, 'An Angel Fell'. I wanted to use folklore, fantasy and drama as a warning bell,' explains Ackamoor. The songs explore global themes that are important to me and to us all: the rise of catastrophic climate change and our lack of concern for our planet, loss of innocence and separation... but positive themes too, the healing power of music, collective action and the simple beauty of nature.' Produced by Malcolm Catto of The Heliocentrics, the album was recorded during an intense week at Quatermass studios in London and is one of the deepest, richest works yet from a band reaching their highest creative peak since the early '70s. Some of the many highlights include the poignant title track depicting a fallen angel in purgatory, outrage and grief on the powerful, hard hitting 'Soliloquy For Michael Brown' and the lilting, beautiful album closer, 'Sunset'.

The Pyramids originally came together in 1972 at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio where teachers included renowned pianist, Cecil Taylor. After forming in Paris and embarking on a cultural odyssey' across Africa, the group recorded three independent albums, 'Lalibela' (1973), 'King Of Kings' (1974) and 'Birth / Speed / Merging' (1976) and became renowned for their striking live shows, mixing percussive, spiritual and space-age jazz with performance theatre and dance. After migrating to San Francisco, they disbanded in 1977. 35 years later, the band reunited in 2012 following growing demand for their music from vinyl collectors. German label Disko B released the freeform album 'Otherwordly' and in 2016, they released their first album for Strut, the acclaimed 'We Be All Africans'.

'An Angel Fell' is released on Strut on 11th May 2018 and features full hand-painted artwork by Lewis Heriz.

New concept album by leading cosmic jazz collective exploring global apocalypse, climate change and the healing power of music
Produced by Malcolm Catto of The Heliocentrics - Superb cover painting by Lewis Heriz
Full priority worldwide PR campaign and marketing
Release supported by major European tour dates in May and key Summer festivals

The 10th release on Mauoq Music is a remix project of the most successful release on the label so far, the Fabricate EP (MQM005). It features the musical talents of four different artists who all represent in their own way what Mauoq Music is all about.

Japanese vocal performer Hatis Noit will release her enigmatic EP Illogical Dance via Erased Tapes worldwide on 23rd March 2018.
The arresting 4-track record creates unique song-worlds with transcendent vocal interpretations that at once deconstruct and recombine Western Classical, Japanese folk and nature's own ambience atmosphere. Illogical Dance also features Björk-collaborators Matmos, who were so impressed with Hatis Noit's recordings, they volunteered to edit the lead track Illogical Lullaby.

Hailing from the distant Shiretoko, a small town in Hokkaido, which is the largest island in north Japan, Hatis Noit's accomplished range is astonishingly self-taught, inspired by everything she could find from Gagaku — Japanese classical music — and operatic styles, Bulgarian and Gregorian chanting, to avant-garde and pop vocalists. The sounds she created on Illogical Dance, co-produced by Haruhisa Tanaka and Matmos, bring to mind the experimental vocal patterns of Meredith Monk with the attentive production of Holly Herndon.

It was at the age of 16, during a trek in Nepal to the Buddha's birthplace, when she realised singing was her calling. While staying at a women's temple in Lumbini, one morning on a walk Hatis Noit heard someone singing. On further investigation it was a female monk singing Buddhist chants, alone. The sound moved her so intensely she was instantly aware of the visceral power of the human voice, a primal and instinctive instrument that connects us to the very essence of humanity, nature and our universe.

The name Hatis Noit itself is taken from Japanese folklore, meaning the stem of the lotus flower. The lotus represents the living world, while its root the spirit world, therefore Hatis Noit is what connects the two. For Hatis Noit, music represents the same netherworld with its ability to move and transport us to the other side, the past, a memory, our subconscious. It is the same for Illogical Dance, a set of transformative songs that taps into our most primal instincts.

The human voice is our oldest, most primal yet most powerful instrument. I use it to describe nature's many sounds, a language that isn't logical. Yet it forms a beautiful conversation that isn't restricted to words like the human language is. I want my music to remind us of that.' — Hatis Noit

Wanting to interpret and mimic the sounds Hatis Noit hears in nature, Illogical Dance is as unpredictable, beautiful and mysterious as the world around us. Each track is made up from multi layers of vocals, all improvised and without words, before being carefully pieced together. Astonishingly no samples are used throughout, even the sound of crushing leaves came from Hatis Noit's own vocal chords.

The result is a stunning array of sound sculptures that see her switching between multiple styles with great ease. From the sweet operatics on Illogical Lullaby, the manipulated vocal loops duplicating electronic production on Anagram c.i.y. to the primordial chanting call to arms of Angelus Novus, a 10-minute odyssey that features whispering and leaves crunching, it showcases Hatis Noit's full range and introduces a truly original artist.

Previously only available in Japan, Illogical Dance will receive a worldwide release on 23rd March 2018 including a first edition on 12' vinyl. After participating in a ceremony for memorial and appreciation tailored to the withdrawal of the evacuation area in Fukushima on 31st March 2017, Hatis Noit collaborated with renowned visual artist Nobumichi Asai on a project titled INORI (prayer) which they premiered live as part of an Erased Tapes showcase at Mutek Japan in Tokyo.

Having recently moved to London and performed a first string of UK shows, followed by a special live performance at the Milan Fashion Week and Mutek Japan appearance, Peter Broderick has invited Hatis Noit to support him at the Jazz Cafe on April 15th. She's also been announced as part of this year's Sea Change Festival line-up, and asked to participate in a workshop with the London Contemporary Orchestra.