quête:el fin

After the first, extremely successful "Motor City Days Vol.1" release from 2002/04 with all those then-and-now enduring tracks by Jeff Mills, Tronic Pulse, Drivetrain and St. Andy, the "Motor City Days Vol.2" follow-up comes along now as another ambitious showcase of the continous work of that other electronic music axis Detroit-Cologne in full effect!

The extra limited MLP-Vinyl offers 6 more, typical Planet Detroit tracks on the cutting edge of Techno, House, and Electro by Teknobrat (Bunkerbliss, Ottawa), Claus Bachor (remixed by the D's own Lockstep, Soire Rec. Int.), Ferndale Parking Attendants (House Gallery Detroit), Thomas Barnett (Visillusion Rec.), Eno Justin (BangTech 12/ DTM), and Jason Garcia (Cryovac Rec. / House Gallery).
They all pay attention to the innovations that have come before them. And this is where some experiments in the Motor City's E-Funk fusion show a high fondness for the past while sacrificing none of the production tricks of the modern day. Brimming with full spirit and box-energy.

Finally, this is one of those records that when you hear the DJ play it, you'll leave your drink behind and run out to the dancefloor. While all these trainspotters ran up to ask what was playing? So "Motor City Days Vol. 2" is definitely on fire!

Energy Fields is Gus Paterson’s vinyl debut. One of the brains behind Bokhari Records, this four tracker melts disco, italo and house into a creamy funk fondue. Staggered bleeps and crisp percussion introduce the title piece, samples echo as a squelching thick bassline drops. Countering the fudgey strings are sparkling synthlines, bold brassy analogue bursts tethering the track to the floor. Although tempos drop for “Emotive Feel,” the energy remains high. Robust keys are further fortified by blasts from vintage machines, a free flowing groove lifted into astral jazz. Sharp beats open the flip for “Cyborg Dateline.” Soon, Paterson’s melodic skill takes over. Layers of inspiration are held together by ambling notes. Echoes of cosmic and disco are adopted, a contemporary twist delivered through the complex intertwining of elements. Paterson takes us into the stratosphere for the finale. “Jetpack Joyride” maintains the rhythm of its predecessor, pouring on the funk through daring piano lines and rich strings of double bass. A trip into the beyond from this debutant.

Paul Weller meldet sich mit Find El Dorado zurück – einem neuen, sehr persönlichen Album voller Neuinterpretationen, das am 25. Juli erscheint. Inspiriert von einer lebenslangen Leidenschaft fürs Musikhören greift Weller auf Songs zurück, die ihn schon seit Jahren begleiten – nun gedacht, neu gehört, neu gefühlt. „Das sind Lieder, die ich schon lange mit mir herumtrage“, sagt er. „Im Laufe der Zeit haben sie sich verändert. Und jetzt schien mir die Zeit gekommen, sie mit anderen zu teilen.“
Die Veröffentlichung markiert gleichzeitig ein neues Kapitel in Wellers beeindruckender Karriere. Als prägende Figur der britischen Musik – mit rund 11 Millionen verkauften Alben allein in Großbritannien – kehrt Weller zu Parlophone Records zurück, dem Label, das seine von der Kritik gefeierten Alben zwischen 2015 und 2019 betreut hat.


Find El Dorado ist weit mehr als ein klassisches Coveralbum – es ist eine emotionale Landkarte seiner musikalischen DNA. Von der sanften Melancholie in Ray Davies’ „Nobody’s Fool“ bis zum flirrenden Schmerz von „El Dorado“: Diese Songs haben Wellers Innenleben geformt – und finden nun ihren Weg zurück nach außen. Mit intimen Arrangements und starken Kollaborationen – darunter Hannah Peel, Declan O’Rourke, Robert Plant, Seckou Keita, Amelia Coburn und Noel Gallagher – öffnet Weller die Tür zu seiner ganz persönlichen Songwelt.

Efficient Space honours trailblazing Australian imprint Volition Records with Volition Cuts Vol. 1. Evolving from Andrew Penhallow’s time at GAP Records, which smuggled Cabaret Voltaire, The Fall and the Factory catalogue into the region, Volition shifted focus to homegrown talent over imported sounds. Echoing its precursor’s blend of indie friction and electronic curiosity, the label wired itself into the pulse of club and rave culture, linking city scenes and amplifying them for the mainstream. With retina-scorching design, uncompromising packaging and top-tier remixes, Volition consistently bent the major label machine to its will.

No Volition retrospective would be complete without Sisters Underground’s intergenerational anthem ‘In the Neighbourhood’. Otara teenagers Brenda Makamoeafi and Hassanah Iroegbu brought their Pasifika perspective to Proud (An Urban-Pacific Streetsoul Compilation), a commercial success that platformed NZ rap and R&B with a clarity that outshone its overseas counterparts. The quiet architect of Volition’s sound, producer prodigy Robert Racic flipped the classic as a hip-house dub before his untimely passing in 1996.

Its A-side companion comes from Brisbane synth-pop unit Boxcar, who signed to Volition after frontman Dave Smith handed a cassette to Tom Ellard of Severed Heads during a school newspaper interview. That unlikely handoff led to their 1990 debut Vertigo. Here, their ritual-laced, body-jacking industrial is retooled by Miami freestyle maverick Tony Garcia.

Further cherry-picking from the VOLT vaults, Sexing The Cherry unleash a bleep-addled meltdown from Brisbane’s Edwin Morrow and Cherryn Lomas. ‘This Is A Dream’ was recorded exclusively for High (A Dance Compilation), the first all-Australian V/A to top the ARIA charts, propelling the local movement into national consciousness.

Closing the sampler, Sydney’s Single Gun Theory joined Volition as they moved from post-punk abstraction and electronic collage toward downtempo, sample-based mysticism. Their 1994 ambient-pop reverie ‘Fall’ is reimagined by Stuart Crichton and Apollo 440’s Norman Fisher-Jones as full-throttle Goa trance, a final surge that channels the label’s relentless push into new terrain.

Volition Cuts Vol. 1 is dedicated to the loving memory of Volition’s visionary founder Andrew Penhallow, and key contributors Robert Racic and Edwin Morrow.1

Schadenheimer fled Syria for Europe in 2016, eventually finding refuge in Germany. While working through personal challenges, they began exploring new wave, electronica and the raw aesthetics of post-punk, all of which shaped the sound and feel of this release.

Their first single, "Der Lärm in meinem Kopf / Selbstliebe ist egal" reflects a state of inner unrest. Drawing from experiences of war, migration and personal struggle, Schadenheimer shares a direct and honest take on what it means to live with constant noise/war within.

This release comes from something deeply personal but speaks to a broader experience. While rooted in the trauma of displacement and emotional conflict, the songs touch on something many can relate to. They explore self-doubt, emotional numbness and the quiet pull of self-sabotage.

According to Schadenheimer, despite the weight of these themes - there was always a sense that something within could carry them forward. That feeling doesn’t remove the struggle, but it helps to keep moving.

"Der Lärm in meinem Kopf / Selbstliebe ist egal" will be released on 18.07.2025 on 7" vinyl and digital via the Leipzig imprint, R.A.N.D. Muzik Recordings.

Veteran Japanese electronic music producer, AKIO NAGASE, a leading player in the Kansai underground music scene since the late 1990s teams up with Yukino Inamine, a gifted and young female singer from Okinawa who magically mixes traditional Ryukyu (Okinawa) folk songs with her sanshin (Okinawan Shamisen) playing into the modern age, to create this wonderful collaborative album, Yugafu ai KAJI. This album is set to be released on GLOCAL RECORDS, a record store/ record label run by Genta Minowa, an ex-staff at the record store, Disc Shop Zero in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo and who still continues to introduce a great selection of dubby, club music from his HQ in Harajuku.

AKIO NAGASE regularly organised parties at his own venue, as well as ran a record store of the same name while actively being part of the Kansai scene at legendary clubs such as Tsuru no Ma, Sound Channel, etc., the best of what was offered in the Kansai underground dance scene in the 2000s.

As an artist, he released his own productions out of labels such as Sound Channel and RUDIMENTS run by Minowa. His album, Make Dub was released in 2003 out of the label, Sound Channel featured an innovative, techno meets dancehall track, Dance Hall King which connected techno, acid house with reggae and dub. This album is an undiscovered gem whose sound still emulates freshness and originality today (my wish is for it to be reissued on vinyl!) After a brief hiatus of releasing music, he released the EP, Delusion out of Chillmountain Records, a label run by his friend, Ground in 2018 and at his own leisurely pace, he has been slowly but surely releasing material that oozes originality, expressed through a robust acid sound and a variety of elements such as afro and Ryukyu folk music that is then incorporated into the medium of dub. Recently, he has also started to gain international attention by releasing original material and remixes out of labels such as the UK label, Emotional Especial, etc.

For this album, NAGASE teams up with Yukino Inamine who brings her own distinctive singing and sanshin playing magic into this collaboration and they fuse electronic music sounds with Ryukyu folk songs to create this wonderfully imaginative album that has no precedence or equal. Apart from the song, Ishikawa Koiuta, all other songs are covers of Ryukyu folk standards that were handpicked by NAGASE from the repertoire of songs that Inamine regularly performs live. They met up when NAGASE was commissioned to remix one of her original compositions, Miyagi Kaigan that was released in 2023 and that evolved into a collaboration with a concept that mixed Inamine singing Ryukyu folk standards with a backing tracks produced by NAGASE. Whenever she went to the the Kansai area, she would work on the basic track material created by NAGASE at the dub master of Osaka, Soulfire’s studio, HAV who would then additionally edit her takes to create the finishing tracks.

This album, Yugafu ai KAJI opens with Shirahamabushi, a track that slowly builds with an interesting mix of slow acid techno and sanshin and then moves onto the easy-going electro dub of Tinsagu nu hana (it is actually a cover of the track of the same title that first appeared in the label sampler, Comuni ó n Especial that was released on Emotional Especial. NAGASE initially wanted to feature Inamine on vocals for this track but due to scheduling issues, it did not happen but with good fortune, the new version of this track is now included in this album). A side closes with the optimistic Balearic sounds of Tsuki nu Kaisha that converges immaculately with slow-mo steppers. It is also worth noting that the person who introduced NAGASE to Inamine was the Okinawa dub master, HARIKUYAMAKU. They met at a concert held by both him & Yukino Inamine hosted by BUN BUN THE MC at the venue, RAGGA CHANNEL. From this encounter, this album came into fruition and they also asked HARIKUYAMAKU to produce an earthy, traditional rootsy, dub version of Tsuki nu Kaisha that is included as the 3rd track on the B Side.

Ashimizubushi, the track that magically blends old school Chicago house ala TRAX with Ryukyu folk music starts off the B side and it carries on to an uplifting track with a Skaouse (ska + house) feel, Hounen Ondo. Inserted after HARIKUYAMAKU’s dub of Tsuki nu Kaisha, this album closes out with the song, ‘Ishikawa Koi Uta’, the only song written by Inamine who said that she wrote it after falling in love with chill-out music. It is an ambient dub track with a collage like flavour, reminiscent of early The Orb (remixed by Mad Professor) and the latter half of the track finishes off with a message presented by Masao Itokazu (her uncle) who received tutelage from the prior owner of her sanshin that Inamine plays, Moritomo Inamine (her grandfather).

Incidentally, the album title, YUGAFU ai Kaji is derived from an auspicious word from Okinawa, Yugafu which means fruitful year, happiness, prosperity and ai (indigo) is a word that Yukino found inspiration few years ago (she wears a Okinawan indigo clothing called kinonuno in the front cover of this album).

The unique indigo colouring produced by nature overlaps with the unique charm of the human personality, and she wanted to present that current along with the music so the name was integrated to ‘indigo wind’, and the two were connected to form the album title, ‘YUGAFU ai Kaji’.

The photo of the front cover was taken by a young, Uchinaanunishie—- (meaning a boy from Okinawa) 17 year old photographer named Ratio and the designer of this album is Anmonaito who is a childhood friend of Inamine who also did the artwork for her album, Miyagi Kaigan. And the mastering and cutting of this album was done by Rei Taguchi.

The cosmology existing in Yukino Inamine’s singing is fully amplified by AKIO NAGASE’s spacey, abundant with many ideas, dance machine beat~ambient music and all of these elements are organically linked by the adhesive effect of dub.

The return of Sengiley Wax with the second part of the Russian series!
Without too much thought, the choice fell on the representative of the unique Russian producer Konstantin Isaev, better known as Volta Cab. However, here we see a completely different side of him, which he is actively developing at the moment - Rambal Cochet.
Magma Resort is the producer's musical spectrum here and now, ranging from canonical Trance to dips into ambient as well as house music sounds.

Konstantin tells us: "This album was created using a Reason DAW, Korg Minilogue and Korg Electribe. It was inspired by the magical atmosphere (in Krasnodar it's always so), my move from St. Petersburg to Krasnodar, as well as nostalgia for something new, but at the same time so familiar".

1. Magma Resort - inspired primarily by the work of Pavel Yesenin and Yuri Usachev and the group "Guests From the Future", as well as progressive dream trance of the early noughties.
2. Amnesia - Ibiza, 1995, sun, beach, dolphins in the sea.
3. Phuture Extravaganza - is the future anthem of summer 2025 in the truest trance sound !
4. Infect Me - proggy hyper pop vibe with sci-fi illusions.
5. Evolving - you wake up from the first rays of the sun, the light hits your eyes, you're finally home..
6. Spaziotempo - Hot summer 2024, you've been walking around Rome for a week, it's a pity that in the morning the plane home to Krasnodar via Istanbul.

Joe Bataan's extensive discography was expanded in 2022 with the release of some old recordings from the King of Latin Soul that had never been previously published. After the success of his album "Riot!" (1968), Bataan had easy access to a studio whenever inspiration struck to record a new song sketch or even a complete track. Sometimes, he would finish the recording entirely and offer it in its final version to Fania for release. This usually worked, although on some occasions, the song was rejected. In the case of 'Drug Story,' the track was recorded without a clear final purpose, even though Bataan hoped it would become part of an album. When the Fania executives heard the result, they immediately rejected it, thinking it promoted drug use. The tapes were filed away and lost in oblivion until they ended up in a thrift store in New York. From there, they were rescued by a Latin music specialist and later sold, eventually making their way to the Vampisoul archives. The song was finally released in its entirety in 2022 on the LP "Drug Story" by Now Again. It features a long, slow vocal intro that evolves into a more uptempo track with two very distinct parts, to the point that it almost feels like two different songs. It transports us to the best moment of Joe Bataan's career, with all of his classic ingredients, delivering a track as good as his most famous songs. Bataan himself takes on the lead vocals and piano, Bobby Rodríguez handles the flute, sax, and bass, Pete 'Choki' Quintero plays the drums, and William Howes Jr. plays the electric guitar with wah-wah effects. Vampisoul strongly believes that the song deserved to be released as a single as well, and that its structure was perfect for each side to have a separate identity. So here it is, for the first time on a 45, 'Drug Story,', parts one & two, the long lost track by Joe Bataan. Pure Latin soul, recorded at the peak of the artist's career!

STRANGER STILL was Julian Cator (guitar), Paul Cator (piano, organ, synthesizer), Tim Warnes (bass), Frank Warnes (vocals, drums) and Ian Johnson (vocals, drums) from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, UK. The two sets of Cator and Warnes siblings had been playing together in bands since 1974, with Ian joining in 1979, and with their musical style evolving from glam influenced rock to punk/new wave (punk came late to Norfolk) and finally post-punk, influenced by Ultravox!, Magazine, Joy Division, Bauhaus and Killing Joke. Their first gig together was in September 1979 with John Peel being in the audience. The Solitude/Survivor single was recorded in July 1981, released in November and sold well locally. John Peel played Solitude, between singles by Winston and Screen 3. When Julian left in autumn 1981 the others continued, later changing their name to Nothing Sacred. Ex-members have since played in a number of other bands, most notably Paul and Tim in Shine!, and Julian and Paul in Ivy.

Solitude opens in a perfect analogue way with a ‚primitive’ rhythm machine pattern and a dark synth sound fading in. We shall be glad for the band’s move towards electronics while knowing „given the negative reaction we got from some of the local bands when we got the synth a Moog Satellite“, quoting Julian. When the real drums, guitar, bass and vocals also come in, you’re in for one of the most perfect post-punk songs, yet playful but ultimately bleak. “And then I can feel nothing more. Alone again, with no sensation.“ Survivor is more uptempo and bass-driven, reminiscent of early Death In June (who came later though). Lyrics like “4 minute warning warning – the sound of today. Our new dream world – Enola Gay.“ set the mood there.

The band composed a dozen of songs, demos to get gigs, which were unfortunately never recorded properly in a studio. So these are demos or rehearsal tracks, never released to the public and presented here for the first time ever as an additional 15 tracks download-only (due to the poor sound quality). You’ll find fantastic tracks like Brave New Berlin or Cardiac Arrest, which is reminiscent of Death In June’s In The Nighttime, and then, there is a demo of Solitude too!

Here’s to a piece of post-punk history!

Locked-In rises again through tumultuous times with its eleventh instalment, Peace Pack EP, the four track EP from FSK24, lands just in time to spread sonic sanity.

We only see clearly at the brink of change, and Peace Pack EP embodies that moment, with four bulletproof cuts that instill calm, carry you forward, and keep it locked on the dancefloor.

A1. A groovy roller, with crisp synth stabs and bouncy kicks, radiating timeless hypnotic allure, poised to energise the crowd

A2. Pure driving elegance, with psychedelic modular synth lines weaving through crisp hats and rolling bass, evoking the peak of a sunrise after hours

B1. Subterranean minimalism, layered with rich textures and cavernous bass, creating a late night delirium distilled into one track

B2. Cheeky funk meets squelching acid riffs in a sinister finale, lacing the floor with dark euphoria

Grisline is a fresh-born label exploring the balance between light and shadow — a sonic playground where genres blend, bend, and collide. Rooted in the pulse of electro, techno, and house, we’re drawn to contrasts, emotions, and movement, always in search of unexpected harmony.

Our first release comes from Fabrega & Christian, delivering four original tracks that chart a dynamic journey across the dancefloor. The title track, Dark Chai Bowl, opens with a groovy electro cut full of harmonic twists and crisp synth work, setting the tone for the ride ahead. Onda Vampiresca dives into darker territory, layering driving rhythms with flickers of brightness — a hypnotic blend for losing yourself in the moment. On the flip, Lilac Lebal ramps up the intensity with a percussive, floor-focused tool built for peak-time energy. Finally, Lampin’ (featuring Ku$h) winds things down with a smooth, atmospheric break — perfect for the after-hours or sunrise sets.

We reunited for this second EP two best friends who have been shaking up the South of France techno community for a few years now. They started as a duo named Flyov before exploring their solo projects. Tibahuult has since been touring all over Europe with his explosive live set, blending Techno, Electro, and Punk music. Nathanaël, on his side, has grown into one of the DJs you don’t want to miss when partying in Marseille.

We’re thrilled to bring them back together on this project, where you can witness how a shared universe can evolve in two very different ways as each artist grows. To highlight this evolution, we selected for each of them one track produced a few years ago and one track created more recently with this project in mind.

On the A-side, Nathanaël opens the EP with a mysterious, trippy, jazz-infused house track, revealing all his finesse as the bass comes to embrace you like a big warm morning hug. For his second track, Cosmic Messenger, Nathanaël dives into a much darker space with a banger designed to destroy any dancefloor it hits

With Bass in the Sound, Tibahuult expresses his love for Punk music and flawlessly merges both worlds into an addictive ear-worm that will stick in your mind all day long. Tibahuult closes the B-side with one of his all-time festival anthems—the track that made me fall in love with his music. This high-energy piece will make anyone dance like the devil has taken over their body.

Plying refracted rhythms with an exacting poise, Aerae arrives on Samurai Music with a fully formed sound that plumbs the depths between techno immersion and D&B beat science.

An accomplished, palpable tension runs throughout Nefanda, Aerae's second solo release. Following up on the meditative pulse of her debut album on Annulled Music last year, the Paris-based artist digs deeper into ominous atmospheres filled with evocative reverb decays and taut, dynamic drum work - tools she wields to Redner tracks with specific meaning, coded by the Latin framing that runs through all aspects of her musical output. Contemplating the ancient language as an inescapable part of her European roots, on Nefanda Aerae ruminates on external trials and inner impulses, and conjures a jaw-clenching soundtrack to match.

'Mons' (translation: 'Mountain') speaks to challenges, strength and spiritual ascent, marked out by an urgent thrum of conga slaps and a 4/4 kick around the 170 BPM mark that finds power in minimalism even at the relatively high tempo.
The title track opts for a more broken framework, pivoting pointed percussion around a deft sub pulse while turning up the intensity with an exacting poise.

'Nefanda' translates as 'unspeakable,' or 'too horrific to name,' and the fraught, synthetic wraiths contorting through the track convey the dread the title implies.
'Fovea' (translation: 'pit') burrows deeper into spatial design with a looming low end rumble and subliminal sound sculpture, shaping out a dark, introspective chasm tipped towards disassociation. It's a powerful statement in any setting, but the all-consuming bass feels especially crafted for full, physical sound system immersion.

'Phrenesis' (translation: 'frenzy') rounds the EP out in fierce form, building up a high-pressure arrangement from ambient beginnings with ruthless control. There's a sense of duality in motion between half-time and double-time rhythmic elements, every incremental shift adding to the intensity of the track with the elegant, impactful touch that has fast become Aerae's calling card.

Finding her own language within the dialogue between techno, D&B and dark ambient, Aerae's music makes a vivid impression thanks to the ideas and intention that drive her in the studio. Nefanda confirms her status as a leading light in deep, psychedelic dance music, making something extremely personal that also reaches out beyond notions of the self like all the best transcendental music.

With a steely sound matching fathoms-deep echo chambers with metallic textures and precision drums, Sciama arrives on Samurai Music to press into the inspiring hinterland between techno and drum & bass.

Sciama is the production alias for Michael Watters, a producer who since 2019 has carved out a formidable reputation across a stellar run of releases on ASC's Auxiliary label. While his music references UK bass, transcendental techno and industrial, the end result is a taut, focused journey through fractured, weighty rhythms and vast, ranging atmospherics tilted towards the darkness.
Between Veils is testament to Watters' refined production, steeped in intensely detailed and layered sound design in constant fluid motion, whether locked to the grid or shifting across the surface of the track like grayscale snow drifts. Noise becomes a subtle tool in his hands, capable of delicacy as much as abrasion, and discord evokes a haunting beauty if you listen past the clangorous overtones he elicits from his pads.

For all the writhing, artful sonics, there is still ample weight in the Sciama sound to hold court over a sound system. 'Figures In Mist' rests on a constant half time cycle underpinned by monolithic bass pulses and 'Ghost Trail' finds deadly energy in the faintest flicker of double-time hats above the slow march of a 4/4 kick clocking around 85BPM. Restraint is paramount, even in the fuller rhythm section that drives 'Anima Trace', creating tension through what isn't sequenced as much as what is. 'Veil Of Mirrors' has an especially punchy kick propelling the cavernous echos and ripples that shape out yet another vivid soundscape, but at all times Watters keeps a tight grip on his arrangement to keep the energy simmering just below boiling point.
Moving well beyond the boundaries of any specific genre, Between Veils winds upas a strong, independent statement on the meeting point between broad influences and clear intentions - a formidable addition to Samurai Music's explorations beyond drum & bass and Sciama's steadily evolving, singular style.

Acoustic Vision’s outlet Human Endeavour nurtures yet again its creators’ artistic persona and brings out into the world the second techno installment.

Characterized by a euphoric hypnotism, it carries the listener through a wide spectrum of influences. From A1’s subtle Italo influences to the last track—a more modern approach to a precise yet ethereal piece—the record finds room to fit everything from vocoders to mind-bending arpeggios and completes the package with a remix from the techno veteran Allen Saei, better known as Aubrey. His Solid Groove legacy manages to bridge the early ’90s sound with the sounds of today and tomorrow. If you’re looking for a strong yet fresh techno record, I have most likely found your piece right here!

Produced by French duo Froid Dub who here step out of their digi-dub groove to slip into the synthetic post-punk colors of FOTOGENICO, the film by Marcia Romano and Benoît Sabatier, which follows the wanderings of a father in search of the story of his deceased daughter, with only the music she recorded as a clue. Featuring covers of tracks by The Field Mice, Luna and 1000 Ohm, this soundtrack is a pivotal element of the movie.

ZAHFARI RECORDINGS is the new label led by Mushrooms Project and Manu Archeo.
Zahfari Recordings is proud to present its first release, the new Album by Mushrooms Project. 9 years after their last full length, the duo returns with a lysergic and introspective journey, intertwining and digging into their thirty-year background, exploring worlds known to them between Electronica, Leftfield, Dreamhouse reminiscences, Afro and Cosmic. A journey structured in a complex way, simple to listen to, where every sound finds its place.

Loose Joints – Tell You (Today): A Rediscovered Classic Reimagined

Loose Joints was the disco brainchild of Arthur Russell - a visionary composer and producer who helped shape the sound of New York’s underground club scene. Unlike many of his contemporaries who chased polished perfection, Russell embraced rawness and spontaneity. A classically trained musician, he mastered the art of crafting “perfect imperfections,” infusing disco with a punk attitude and an intellectual edge.

“Tell You (Today)” emerged from the same legendary Blank Tape Studio sessions that gave birth to the cult favorite “Is It All Over My Face.” Like its predecessor, it features a cast of handpicked studio luminaries and disco outliers, all guided by Russell’s distinct vision. But while the DNA is similar, this track veers more toward leftfield pop, buoyed by Russell’s unmistakable vocals.

On the A-side, DFP presents a masterfully updated take on Larry Levan’s original remix. Blending unreleased outtakes with refined sonic upgrades, this “Special Version” stays true to the source material - making only the most delicate adjustments to optimize it for today’s dance floors.

The B-side is a gem in its own right. It features the elusive New Shoes Mix with Parts I & II edited here for seamless, continuous play. Long shrouded in confusion due to misprints and misattributions - from the 1983 release to various reissues - while labeled as New Shoes it has in most iterations been a variation of the Larry Levan mix.

Now, for the first time, DFP Vaults is proud to present the New Shoes Mix in its full, 15 minutes, intended glory - finally giving this lost version the recognition it deserves.

Hardcore Rap music is still here! Mike Redman is considered a cult legend known for his unorthodox music production in various genres. He's well known as an artist in the Jungle and Hardcore scene, as a renowned movie score composer and made a name for himself as organiser of the infamous 'Redrum Hip-Hop' events since the 90's which hosted international artists from Guru to Cannibal Ox, Public Enemy, Beatnuts and many more. He also set up Redrum Recordz, a pioneering independent record label focusing merely on anything musically unpolished. Even though Mike Redman (which is his name of birth by the way) was often linked to many Hip-Hop success stories and produced records for artists such as Public Enemy and Big Daddy Kane, Mike has just recently, after many years, decided to produce a solo record featuring the Rap artists he admires and form the foundation of his legacy. With great respect towards his mentors, in a non-profit manner, Mike now releases 'Redrum Relics' featuring Rap icons such as Kool Keith, Chuck D, Schoolly D, Sticky Fingaz, Young Zee, Chino XL, O.C. and many more. This album is truly exceptional and is not made with the intention to be commercially successful, but is a love-letter to a period in time where passion was the motivation. 'Redrum Relics' brings Rap music back to the golden era with a contemporary touch and keeps it unpolished and unyielding as ever. People that tend to say that Hip-Hop is dead might want to reconsider.

2025 Repress

It's rare that a certain sound is entirely an artist's own. Although undeniably a stew of impeccable influences - from blues to folk to Latin to dusty funk, soul and hip-hop - one cannot hear a Tommy Guerrero song without immediately recognising it as his - and his only.The cult skater from San Francisco is globally renowned as one of the original members of the legendary "Bones Brigade" team. And as an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, his laid-back soul is beloved by all who've basked in its blissful glow.There's something elemental about this music that really stirs the soul. Strikingly beautiful and instantly addictive, it's a kind of funk-fuelled, melody-driven, groove-based magic. There's a serenity and heart in the playing that radiates warmth and splendour, as if crafted for endless sunsets. His albums that surfaced on Mo Wax at the turn of the century have been treasured since their release and it's two of his most vital LPs that we're honoured to reintroduce.The originals were quietly pressed on to a single piece of vinyl so we've worked closely with Tommy this year to bring you these fresh, limited editions. They have been lovingly remastered, cut nice and loud on to heavyweight double vinyl and presented in deluxe gatefold jackets.A Little Bit Of Somethin' is a quietly majestic gem. Brimming with Guerrero's horizontal "loose grooves", these brief but innovative instrumentals demonstrate a rich variety and, as such, comprise an LP that is aptly titled. An enchanting start-to-finish listen, it was instantly regarded as essential upon release via Mo Wax in 2000. It has aged remarkably well.Throughout this inspired collection, simplicity is key. In deploying it, Guerrero presents a beautifully crafted melodic soundscape. The distinctive, mellifluous approach of his guitar style, blending Brazilian, Cuban, Mexican, soul and jazz motifs, is at once startlingly new and tantalisingly familiar. Set against unrushed percussion, the music releases a crystal clear stream of healing frequencies to create a fragile, hypnotic atmosphere.Each track clocks in at around three minutes and, with a lack of studio polish or commitment to traditional song structure, it's a wonder how this enigmatic record demands your attention. However, through its gentle dynamism and impressive playing, it does just that. Whilst resolutely low-key, this lo-fi aesthetic feels genuinely organic and remarkably personal, its powerful intimacy truly connects. It's what makes this album so beloved of those lucky enough to be already familiar with it. From Margaret Kilgallen's truly iconic cover artwork to the music contained within, it's all brilliantly effortless.Guerrero's musical ideas are consistently compelling throughout, making it impossible to select highlights. The album's laconic drift touches upon jazz-fusion workouts and slow-mo hip-hop drums, Tortoise-style experimental post-rock and cinematic sound textures. It's at once hazy, light and bouncy yet sombre and bluesy. The Latin soul of El Chicano blends with the breezy jazz of Grant Green. By employing guitars and drum machines to create a stripped down rhythmic tapestry of spellbinding, addictive songs, there are even traces of The Durutti Column. A little bit of country, a little bit of rock & roll. A Little Bit Of Somethin', indeed.