Suche:ed it

Fueled By Ramen will be reissuing one seminal album from our 25- year history each month throughout the calendar year of 2021, again this will be on Silver Vinyl as part of the FBR 25th Anniversary.

FBR 25 Podcast

We are currently working on a 16 part podcast that will delve into the history of FBR, it’s cultural relevance and Global impact over the past 25 years. Each episode will look at the careers of some of our most important artists, and deep dive into the making of albums told by the artists themselves in their own words.

25th Anniversary Merchandise

We announced the 25th Anniversary around Thanksgiving last year with our first 25th Anniversary limited merch drop, and then will be working throughout 2021 on new and exclusive designs to drop throughout the year.














m 13. Good Girls Go Bad (Frank E Remix) [feat. Flo Rida]

Due for release on December 17th, the ‘Fever Dreams Pt 2’ EP will preview four brand new tracks that make up the second quarter of Marr’s forthcoming double album, ‘Fever Dreams Pts 1-4’. Sensory Street, Tenement Time, Lightning People and Hideaway Girl. The ‘Fever Dreams Pt 2’ EP is released digitally and on very limited edition 12” transparent violet vinyl, exclusively through his webstore and UK RSD Stores – limited to 750 copies.
Early previews of ‘Fever Dreams Pts 1-4’ (due February 25th 2022) have been met with widespread acclaim. ‘Spirit, Power and Soul’ was playlisted by BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio 2, described as “his strongest solo composition yet” by the Evening Standard, “an exercise in progressive creative ambition” by DIY, “invigorating” by Uncut, with “defiance in its DNA” by CLASH and simply “banging” by The Telegraph.

Led with the singles ‘Sensory Street’ and ‘Tenement Time’, the second EP is set for another outstanding launch, with ‘Sensory Street’ confirmed for a premiere with Steve Lamacq on BBC 6Music. ‘Sensory Street’ follows on electro soul album opener ‘Spirit, Power and Soul’s anthemic strand, a startling track with strident electronics, whilst ‘Tenement Time’ marks the end of the double album’s first half. A rousing, reflective creation fusing sonic power with an emotional potency. Both highlight ‘Fever Dreams Pts 1-4’s sheer sonic scale.

"Released in October 1971, Frank Zappa’s “200 Motels” was a miraculous feat, a cinematic collision of the venerated musician and composer’s kaleidoscopic musical and visual worlds that brought together Zappa and his band, The Mothers, Ringo Starr as Zappa – as “a large dwarf” – Keith Moon as a perverted nun, Pamela Des Barres in her acting debut, noted thespian Theodore Bikel, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and an incredible assortment of characters (both on screen and off) for a “surrealistic documentary” about the bizarre life of a touring musician. The 2LP set : We are pleased to present the original soundtrack, a double-album set featuring all original packaging including the booklet & poster and a brand new remaster by legend Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Pressed on 180g black vinyl by Optimal Media in Germany.
In celebration of “200 Motels” golden anniversary, Zappa Records, UMC and MGM have assembled a definitive Super Deluxe six-disc box set of the beloved, yet hard to find, soundtrack. Fully authorized by the Zappa Trust and produced by Ahmet Zappa and Zappa Vaultmeister Joe Travers, the monstrous 200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition brings together the original soundtrack, newly remastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, along with a staggering amount of unreleased and rare material unearthed from FZ’s Vault, including original demos, studio outtakes, work mixes, interviews and movie ads, along with newly discovered dialog reels, revealing an early audio edit of the film. Also included is a wealth of never-before-heard audio documentary material surrounding the project.
The six-disc set will be housed in a 64-page hardcover book in a handsome 12” x 12” slipcase. The packaging replicates the original booklet updated with revealing new liner notes from Pamela Des Barres, Ruth Underwood and Joe Travers, as well as Patrick Pending’s essay from the 1997 reissue, and is chock full of motion picture artwork, stills and images, from the film and its making, many which have never been seen before. This must-have collector’s release will also include a custom “200 Motels” keychain and Do-No-Disturb motel door hanger and a full-size replica of the original movie poster. Years in the making, all the audio was meticulously identified and transferred over several years as Travers dug through the Vault to create a new high resolution 96K/24B digital patchwork stereo master from the original analog tapes. The Vault material was mastered by John Polito in 2021. We are pleased to present the original soundtrack on 2 compact discs featuring all original packaging including the booklet & poster and a brand-new remaster by legend Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering. *Existing orders still stand."

When SAGA brought out their 14th studio album “House Of Cards” in February 2001, their fans realised only a few bars into the opening track ‘God Knows’ that, following the highly successful predecessor “Full Circle” (1999), the band had come up with another offering in their very own great tradition. ‘God Knows’ features all the classic SAGA attributes, from Ian Crichton‘s unique riff and solo guitars to Jim Gilmour’s frequent synchronous keyboard parts and frontman Michael Sadler’s haunting melodies. These thumbprints also apply to the subsequent ‘The Runaway’ with its lyrics about the novel fascination of the internet, as well as the progressively rocking ‘That`s How We Like It!’ and ‘Always There’ with its acoustic guitar parts. After being long out of print, “House Of Cards” will return on vinyl as an exquisite Heavyweight 1LP Gatefold Edition

Comet Records is so thrilled to present Psyco on Da Bus 20th Anniversary, for the occasion it will be reissued as a Double Vinyl LP and newly remastered.

Recorded in just few weeks in the US during Tony Allen's Black Voices album tour in Spring 2000, on Doctor L’s G3 in different places as hotels rooms, local studios (Nyc, Toronto) and the tour bus.
Doctor L and the members of Tony Allen & Afrobeat 2000 band get the idea of making a collective album alltogether, co-writing both songs and music a
nd creating a new spectrum that reflects their different musical backgrounds. Doctor L, Tony Allen, Jean-Phi Dary, Cesar Anot, Jeff Kellner are the “psyco bus” members.
Completed later in Paris with guests artists like Smadj, Dom Farkas and Eric Guathier, Psyco On Da Bus project fill the gap between the 70's and the new millenium, blending afrobeat rhythms, gospel & soul vocals, jazz & funk licks with wicked electronics and astonishing production.

From the futuristic funk of “Afropusherman” to the eastern sounds of “Many Questions” or the killer floor filler “Push your mind Breakbeat” , from the underrated spiritual suite “Time To Take A Rest”, hybrid fusion of free jazz, poetry, rare groove and nu-beats, to the outstanding “Never Satisfied”.
Last but not least the artwork was created and produced by the talented french graphist designer, filmmaker Edouard Salier. Tony told about his collaboration with Doctor L on this project in 2001: “Younger people are coming into Afrobeat right now. And I personally don't want to be past, I want to be future. Young people like hip-hop, and techno, which is what I must think about. It's the direction I want to take. It's an experiment I've wanted to try. That's why I wanted Doctor L to produce the album.”

Alleviated Records is proud to present the Dovie Cote' EP as well as to present his first release with us & we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed working on it. Starting of the EP with "My Desire" a future classic with warm and soothing vocals by Dovie. ''Change Lanes'' offers a urban-soul-funk style in the tradition of groups like Slave, Cameo or The Ohio Players. We hope you enjoy these selections at the club and at home for a long time to come. Musically Yours...

Brooklyn based drummer/producer Jason Nazary (of Anteloper) makes his We Jazz Records debut with "Spring Collection", released on 25 June. The album sees Nazary crafting some deliciously sparkly solo cuts plus working long disctance with choice collaborators Jaimie Branch, David Leon, Ramon Landolt, Matt Mitchell, Grey McMurray and Michael Coleman. This is essentially a collection of home recordings and the whole operation has an infectious feeling of immediacy to it. The result is improv adjacent electronic music, with modern production aesthetics transposed over spontaneous compositions.

Jason writes:

"With Spring Collection, my aim was to capture the spirit of spontaneity & collaboration lost in the absence of live music. Like most everyone else last spring, I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands and with all my work cancelled, and with an indefinite lockdown in effect, it became immediately apparent that most of my time – save a walk or two a day around the neighborhood – would be spent in the tiny one bedroom apartment I share with my wife and two cats.

What kind of music does one make during lockdown? I would begin my days with a cup of coffee and all the cables of my modest little modular set up in my lap, slowly discovering new sound worlds as I connected one cable after another – these became the beginnings for the pieces in Spring Collection. With these unformed sketches, I would record an improvisation, an exploration of sonics: a small kit of bells, shakers, pans, pots; their resonance captured in fine detail with ultra sensitive microphones. These became, in effect, a conversation first with myself, but later one I knew I had to open up, make social. In the desire not to diminish my collaborative impulses, I felt compelled to involve some of my favorite musicians in the process alongside me."

"Spring Collection" is released by We Jazz Records on 25 June on vinyl (neon orange & black vinyl editions), tape and digital formats. The vinyl edition comes with a booklet including original artwork and poetry by Todd Colby.

Tenor saxophonist Timo Lassy, one of Finland's leading jazz artists, is back with a new album release "Trio" on We Jazz Records. The album, to be released on 27 August, introduces Lassy's new combo with bassist Ville Herrala and drummer Jaska Lukkarinen – both We Jazz Records roster artists on their own right.

The new Lassy sound is tight, swinging and funky, led by the strong and riff-ready sax of the tenorman. That being said, the album's sound is not limited to that of the swinging trio. Lassy's new vision also brings in some subtle electronics (played by Lassy, Dalindèo frontman Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen and Ilmiliekki Quartet pianist Tuomo Prättälä) and lush strings performed by Budapest Art Orchestra as arranged by Finnish artist Marzi Nyman. It's a new sound for Lassy, but one which keeps true to his no-nonsense cookin' on the tenor.

This combination proves to be a winning one on the album, ranging from the more solemn moments on tracks such as "Sunday 20" and "Sointu" to the all out groovers like "Pumping C" and "Subtropical". The basic three sylinders of the band tenor sax, bass and drums, are strong throughout and the strings add air beneath the wings to really lift things off. Electronics are used as a tasty condiment, not taking over the main course but adding to it just right.

"We began the process with the bare bones trio but along the way, the sound started evolving into something else" Lassy explains. "That's how I like to work, anyway, while the trio can take this music to great lengths live, on the album I like to paint a fuller, more colourful picture sonically."

Speaking of painting, the sleeve of the album features the original artwork "Subtropic" by Finnish artist Ilari Hautamäki. "Trio" by Timo Lassy will be released by We Jazz Records as blue and black vinyl editions complete with a heavy duty tip-on sleeve, on CD and digitally. The special BUNDLE version includes the LP with a 7" featuring two non-LP tracks, available with blue LP + blue 7" or as black LP + black 7", bound together in a re-sealable "Japanese styled" sleeve, plus a We Jazz sticker.

Scuba begins a new project with London vocalist and producer DOMiNii, who makes his debut with ‘Diivorce’.

Paul Rose (aka Scuba) has long since explored cross-genre sounds, blending disparate elements and mining nostalgia to create cool moods and moments of pure escapism. Over four critically acclaimed albums and mix CDs for DJ Kicks, fabric, and Ostgut Ton, he’s established himself as one of the industry’s most respected artists and tastemakers. He’s continued to evade musical pigeonholing over the course of his career, never hesitating to challenge himself with new creative endeavours. The fresh sonic direction expressed on ‘Diivorce’ is one he’s been developing since 2018, when he took an indefinite break from the full-time DJ circuit.

‘Diivorce’ is a collaboration with debut artist DOMiNii, a vocalist and producer who takes influence from the likes of Wang Chung, David Newman, Arthur Russell, and The Blue Nile. Although he appeared uncredited with backing vocals on Scuba’s ‘Forgive Me’, which initially came out last summer, ‘Diivorce’ marks his first official release.

Covering areas as varied as power pop, indietronica, exuberant house, and classic rock, the project seemingly touches as many points as it can think of, something Rose acknowledged in a recent interview where he stated that “we made so many tracks, with no real set direction, so with this record I just wanted to pick a limited number that kind of showed where we’d been. We are working on something now that I’d call a ‘proper album’, which I think will come out in 2022, Diivorce is something I see as a documentation of a period of time.”

The project includes illustrations by French artist Virginie Kypriotis who tells the story of ‘Diivorce’ through the eyes of DOMiNii, detailing a world of abandonment and separation against a backdrop of a faded paradise. Rose was first acquainted with Kypriotis’ work through her iconic illustration ‘A Night at Berghain’, which was later used by the club as their official flyer artwork in December 2017.

The vinyl edition of ‘Diivorce’ includes previously unreleased (and vinyl-exclusive) track ‘Tricks’, and is packaged in a limited edition, numbered, screen-printed sleeve.

Returnal sees Daniel Lopatin fine tune his craft for creation of deep atmospheres and texture even further.
"Returnal" is the fourth album from Daniel Lopatin's Oneohtrix Point Never project, after "Betrayed In The Octagon" (Deception Island, 2007), "Zones Without People" (Arbor, 2009) and "Russian Mind" (No Fun, 2009). All 3 albums being superbly compiled on the "Rifts" double CD (No Fun, 2009). It sees Lopatin fine tune his craft for creation of deep atmospheres and texture even further. Starting off with the mind blowing triptych of "Nil Admiari / Describing Bodies / Stress Waves", which fires off into a noise / rhythm excess before entering a zone of relative calm building to the melancholy of the final part. This sets the tone perfectly for the albums title track, a stunning out of this world ballad featuring Lopatin's near desperate vocal delivery, ending what could be seen as one of his most chilling and thought provoking sides to date. The atmosphere is slightly lifted as the darkened sun comes up over the ruins on "Pelham Island Road" and "Where Does Time Go", with the album closing with edgy broken beats and fourth world possible landscapes of "Preyouandi", which fades into the distance with echoes of the "Returnal" chorus, closing the loop. What's burnt into memory here is Lopatin's love affair with the long, slow path back home... the cycle... the hypnotic sector... the ghost in the machine... and whether people are making dance music or hip hop or space head music or metal, the ouroboros is present in every sector - as it was in Bach's study, and in the elephant songs of the Ituri forests. Available on CD in digipack and LP in gatefold cover.

Multi Culti launch a new quarterly 12" series in step with the seasons beginning with SOLSTICE I:

Post-pandemic lockdown inspiration can be found in the great planetary balancing act that has taken place since a cataclysmic impact with an asteroid caused mass extinction and set our earth’s orbit off axis. This AXIAL TILT, or obliquity, is responsible for the seasons, and life as we know it has evolved around these unleashed forces. As our lives and for many, careers, have spun dramatically off axis as of late, we look ahead to the coming seasons, with the hope that we can weather the changes, and maintain inner stability. To aid in this quest, Multi Culti promises to deliver sonic support with utmost regularity at the peak moments of cosmic significance, with each Solstice and Equinox.

Beginning this journey are some of the label’s most beloved artists. Israeli duo RED AXES provide a chakra-elevating soundtrack with their inimitable blend of psych-garage-tronica, a sun-kissed banger that signals a long-awaited return to the togetherness of the dancefloor.

ZILLAS ON ACID turn in a robustly wiggly jam that electrifies, frazzling zaps and frenetic percussion recall the fritzy tension of the past year, a cathartic shock-treatment for traumatized dancers looking to get back to prime spine-shaking shape.

Mexico managed to stay open for the most part, and TYU seems to have not skipped a beat here, still in perfect form after breaking out as one of the hottest young producers to emerge in recent years. Dark disco, Mexi-chug, call it what you want, but the emergent genre is never better represented than here… spooky, phosphorescent tribal dance, Tulumminati-tested and approved.

Finally, the big guy - MANFREDAS - whose remixes and edits have been highlight-reel material the past couple of years, delivers a long awaited original track with his requisite heavy-weight swag. Wonky tunings and a chunky downtempo beat underpin Manny’s trademark masterful arrangement style, building patiently, with breakdowns that managed to wring every last drop of impact out of an odd, other-worldy assortment of sounds.

Strap in for another standout release from Hell Yeah, and their final 12" of the year. 'Lagos Connect' is a one-off dance floor bomb from Aura Safari, one of the hottest names on the Italian electronic-jazz-funk circuit. Vocals come from Nigerian singer Villy and the artwork is by long-time label collaborator Andrea Amaducci who finishes off this package in style.

Aura Safari are Alessandro Deledda, Andrea Moretti, Lorenzo Lavoratori, Daniele Melloni and Nicholas Iammatteo. They contributed to the first volume of the Buena Onda compilation in 2020 and released the critical acclaimed Hotel Mediterraneo EP after years entrenched in the local scene of Perugia, attending the Umbria Jazz Festival every summer and legendary Red Zone Club during winter, both of which shaped the sound of Aura Safari. Now, they showcase their good-time grooves and vibrant vibes on two brilliant new tracks.

'Lagos Connect' is a gloriously upbeat tune that brims with musicality. The bass is fat, the chords seductive and the guitars slide in and out with funky charm. It immediately drops you in the middle of an open-air dance floor in high summer. Villy's soulful lyrics are socially and politically aware. They talk of living life with good vibrations even in the face of adversity. They speak of how society views those less fortunate and of staying true to yourself. They add realness and emotion to a sizzling and timeless track that will unite hearts and minds around the world. A reprise, radio edit and dub mix are also included, then 'Moving Rivers' ups the jazz-funk. It's another majestic arrangement packed with dazzling Rhodes chords, crashing drums and squelchy bass that demand that you move every limb in your body.

Keep yourself warm this winter with this pair of irresistible dance floor heaters from Aura Safari.

CMD aka Corina MacDonald is a Montreal-based DJ, producer and host of the program Modular Systems on CKUT 90.3 FM. She has released on JACKTONE, EXPERIMENTAL HOUSEWIFE’S PERFECT LOCATION RECORDS, FUR TRADE RECORDINGS, and BASIC_SOUNDS. For her vinyl debut, she brings us four entrancing, slightly dubby and acidic techno dance floor cuts perfect for the smooth edges of the late night.

The A-side opens up with “Social Factory Reset”, modular jacking techno with an infectious acid swell and patient pads. “Shaping Inner Space” is an apt title. The tempo is slightly faster than A1, and it sounds like an extraterrestrial night out. Euphoric synth twists bring in the break while the bass drum toys with the rhythm only to zap it back home with the force of cosmic gravity.

“Dream-Life Cycles” opens up the B-side tough, with an acid line and bass drum syncopation sure to bring out the stomp. Modular tweets fire off in stereo; pads bring in the harmony; and a nuanced and pleasantly surprising vocal line brings the euphoria on home. “Body Locked” closes the EP with an athletic, cosmic techno track that doesn’t shy away from the trance palette. Step out of your body and onto the dance floor!

In 1958 the painter Isson Tanaka (22 July 1908 – 11 September 1977) moved to Amami Ōshima, an island in the Ryukyus. There, in self-chosen isolation, he committed himself exclusively to his art until his sudden passing in 1977. In 2018 Seiha Kurosawa, Kanako Azuma and Hideki Umezawa visited Amami Ōshima to create a video installation about Tanaka’s insular life. The work, entitled “Dokkyaku” (tr. The Lone Visitor), shifts between the texture and materiality of Tanaka’s paintings in relation to the natural world of Amami Ōshima and its people. The video invites viewers to understand—poetically—the artist’s sensitivity to nature and the expressivity of his works.

During his stay on Amami Ōshima, Hideki Umezawa recorded a lot of natural sounds to recreate a sort of simulated ecology of Tanaka’s mind – or: of the painter’s mind. On this long playing record these recordings are blended with electronically generated sounds. Next, Andrew Pekler, who has never actually visited Amami Ōshima, upon hearing Umezawa’s field recordings creates - in the spirit of Isson Tanaka - a complementary dreamscape of the island’s phenomena. Of what could be.

This is a work that doubts between site specific and creative imagination. With sounds echoing between the anecdotic and the imaginary. It is a sensitive and highly stylized interpretation of a world that Isson Tanaka had also carefully studied. A painter at work; a way of seeing. So, after Christophe Piette’s ‘Six Tableaux de Quelpaert’, released by Edições CN in 2019, we again moore an island in the nautical footsteps of a painter. While Piette drew a story through – among other things - recording dialogues at his island home, at the restaurant table, et al. Pekler and Umezawa paint their pictures in a more musical fashion. Where natural sounds evaporate into electronic clouds of imagination.

Hideki Umezawa (b.1986, Gunma) is Japanese artist / composer. He won 1st prize at Luc Ferrari’s international competition – Presque Rien Prize 2015 (France), and the Contemporary Computer Music Concert 2015 (Japan). “Dokkyaku” was originally created for "Fukami – Une plongée dans l'esthétique japonaise", an exhibition at Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild in Paris, France as part of ‘Japanismes 2018’.

Andrew Pekler (b. 1973, Samarkand) works with techniques of digital sampling and analog synthesis to re– contextualize found sounds and archival musical materials. In addition to numerous album releases, Pekler has also produced a number of video, installation and web-based works, as well as music for theater, dance, and film.

Record Kicks presents "Gurami" the first single from the forthcoming "Origin of Forms" album, the vibrant debut album by Moscow funk band The Diasonics with a mix of cinematic funk, instrumental hip-hop and soviet psychedelia.

Record Kicks is proud to present the mesmerizing psychedelic universe of The Diasonics. "Gurami" is the first single taken from "Origin of Forms" the startling debut full-length by the Muscovite band, coming out on January 28 2022 on ltd edition LP, CD and Digital. "Gurami" is an instrumental funk cut with heavy abstract hip hop influences and it will be available on limited edition 45 vinyl and digital.On the flipside the instrumental soul bonus track "Gradients". The 45 is limited to 500 copies wordwide.

Welcome to "hussar funk", that's how The Diasonics call their music: a style that blends infectious deep funk instrumentals, East European flavours, hip-hop rhythms and psychedelia. Firmly rooted in the late 60s and early 70s, their debut album "Origin of Forms" was recorded on an 8-channel Japanese tape recorder Otari MX-5050 MK III at The Diasonics HQ's Magnetone Studio in Moscow and was mixed by Henry Jenkins (The Cactus Channel / Karate Boogaloo) in Melbourne.

The Diasonics are one of the latest additions to the Russian instrumental funk scene. The band was only formed in 2019 and it's made of five young and seriously talented Muscovite musicians: Anton Moskvin (drums), Maxim Brusov (bass guitar), Anton Katyrin (percussions), Daniil Lutsenko (electric guitar) and Kamil Gzizov (keyboards). In just a couple of years the band has amassed a cult following, releasing a shower of ten celebrated singles and various in-demand 45 vinyl records on funk labels such as Funk Night Records and Mocambo Records.

Fans of Khruangbin, Dj Shadow and of instrumental soul, take note!

Freestyle Records in association with Rare Sounds USA present a stellar repress of Speedometer's 2003 debut LP This Is Speedometer.

Originally released on Clive Johnson's Blow It Hard (started after the demise of the well-loved weekly Soho club night of the same name, and home to the New Mastersounds first releases alongside choice cuts from JTQ and others) This Is Speedometer showcased the sounds of one of the UK's premier acts in the deep funk scene of the early noughties for the first time on the long player format.

Starting out back in 1999, Speedometer started out as an instrumental quartet gigging in small clubs in the Southeast of England, paying homage to classic funk tunes by artists such as The Meters and The JB's. The band soon expanded and began writing original material, adding the highly regarded horn section and vocalists in 2001, which enabled them to deliver the powerhouse deep funk sound on display here. In addition to their own albums, singles and live shows, Speedometer have backed many US funk & soul legends including Sir Joe Quarterman, Eddie Bo, Marva Whitney, Sharon Jones & Lee Fields and more.

Now coming up on 20 years since it's original release, you can now marvel at Speedometer's classic, original soul-funk sound thanks to a sparkling new cut. Dig in!




d 04: Just Keep On (Doin the Do) feat. The Speedettes

Kaluki Music head Pirate Copy makes a long-awaited debut on Hot Creations this November with the three-track You Need It. Collaborating with rising vocalist Hattie Snooks, the release includes two remixes courtesy of US legend Harry Romero and Spanish mainstay Miane.

The title track takes the form of a driving, 4x4 house cut, packed full of punchy percussion and resonant kick-hat pairings. Built for the dancefloor, Hattie Snooks’ enigmatic vocals whisper beneath a minimal-laced bassline, before Harry Romero’s remix arrives. The US stalwart serves up another no-nonsense offering, as a hard-edged bassline melds with flecks of acid throughout. Rounding off the release is Miane, whose tribal-leaning offering is sure to light up many a nightclub this year.

Manchester’s Pirate Copy is a leading artist in today’s electronic music sphere. His discography boasts releases on some of the scene’s most revered imprints, including Sola, Relief, Elrow and Moon Harbour to name a few, whilst his own label, Kaluki, has become a bastion for contemporary house since its inception fifteen years ago.

Harry Romero is a well-established figure on the worldwide music circuit, with recent productions landing on Crosstown Rebels, DIRTYBIRD and many more besides. Ibiza’s Miane is fast becoming a talked about talent in the industry, thanks to several appearances on major labels including Repopulate Mars, Toolroom and Moon Harbour.

Having already impressed via a slew of releases for Correspondant, Live At Robert Johnson and his own Biologic Records, DC Salas tees up an impressive release for Futureboogie. ‘The Weight Of Uncertainty’ EP illustrates the suave sounds that the Brussels born producer has become noted for, and comes backed with a remix from the supremely talented and always on-point I:Cube.

In its original mix, ‘The Weight Of Uncertainty’ dips into a smorgasbord of sound, as touches of Belgian New Beat slide on up against balearic disco tropes for a spectacular body & soul workout. The legendary French disco architect and Versatile Records mainstay, I:Cube, floats in on a little fluffy cloud for a terrific ambient dance version, fuelled by the kind of IDM brain scrambling sounds once present in the DNA of producers like Carl Craig, B12, Black Dog and Autechre.

On his two other originals, DC Salas gets raw and grungy on ‘Gliding Sound’, its distorted edge adding to the drama composed by the heavy hitting synth lines and the gnarly percussive pattern, whilst ‘They Don’t See It’ introduces some dark acid elements to the chugging rhythm and steely hi-hats anchoring the tracks off-kilter melodies.

Acclaimed US DJ and producer Maceo Plex has announced the release of his long awaited studio album ‘Solar’. The climax to a lead up that included last year’s 7-track ‘Journey to Solar’, and 2015’s 2 track ‘Solar Sampler’, ‘Solar’ is due for release on his brand new label Lone Romantic on the 16th June.

Lone Romantic is a new electronica based label; it will focus on albums and will also open its doors to releasing more avant guard and leftfield singles.

Meanwhile, the ‘Solar’ album allows Maceo to utilise the long format to explore and expose his less explicitly club leaning and more reflective side, taking the listener on a journey through shades of electronica, techno, breakbeats, dub and more. Named after his son Solar, the album also chronicles his new found fatherhood; “the ups and downs in the first few years and its effects on life, marriage and more”.

There’s still dancefloor suitable music within the album; opener ‘Sparks of Light’’s propulsive drums make for an attention grabbing first track, just as the driving 4/4 bassline of closing track ‘The Tesseract’ is a memorable climax. ’Polygon Pulse’ also features the hefty low end that Maceo has become known for, yet underneath breakbeat style drums and sighing vocal snippets.

Vocals are a prominent defining feature of ‘Solar’ that mark it out as a departure towards more of a home listening, experimental album. ‘Indigo’ marries Maceo’s characteristic signature sounds with a slower tempo and gritty male vocals for a stirring, downbeat piece of indie electronica, whilst following track ‘Separation’s breathy vocals and subtle DnB cymbals feel more relaxed.

‘Kepler’s Journey’ marks a stylistic break midway through the album, before the vocoded vocals of ‘Solar Wind’ and ‘Wash Away My Tears’ (the 12” mix of which was included in the Solar Sampler) bring to mind a forward thinking, indie take on French touch. Elsewhere, the lilting, dub techno influenced ‘Swan Dive’ sees this effect take on a more eery, thoughtful tone.

The release of ‘Solar’ sees Maceo Plex enter a new, more developed chapter of his long career - taking the sounds that have made him so popular and building upon them to push himself forward artistically, the album is a very personal use of the long format and an education in the producer’s musical influences.