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For this release Metrist delves into a set of carefully constructed and deeply rhythmic but ear-grabbingly idiosyncratic, mixed fidelity dancefloor-geared oddities.

The first three tracks are united, in a fashion, by the artist's skill at programming a series of drum tracks that set a definite tone for the productions. Within a quite partisan field of often microscopic generic variety, largely pinned down to the tempo and timbre of electronic drums, here Metrist has pursued a tricky-to-define path. The bounce of new jack swing is twisted amongst stripped back polyrhythms, equal parts groove and glitch seasoned by some futuristic acid filters that create a constantly shifting aura of space and textural nuance around the individual drum hits. Quite often arrhythmic interjections punctuate these 'grooves', be it the sawing bursts of noise and snarled, incoherent vocals on 'An Soaep', the non-language and playful, bubbling bass surrounding the half time feel of 'On Golden Seize' that builds to something approximating an industrial take on UK Funky or the brash sub-wobbles that intrude 'Pantomimer Tongue's juddering knife-scraping-on-a-balloon stutters.

'Caaacel the Horze' closes the record in a less weighty style, with crunchy arpeggios running on a synth that sounds like it's picking up interference from a radio channel, as snatches of moaned vocals allude to a deeply ambiguous yet chilling narrative behind the music. Thudding kicks intrude on the skittish melody but in a non-rhythmic way reminiscent of someone trying desperately to snatch your attention by banging on the adjacent wall. Gauzy melodic textures in the background provide a calming counterpoint to the uneasy qualities of the composition.

Air Lows is the debut solo album by Silvia Kastel. The Italian artist has been a fixture of the underground since her precocious teens, clocking up many miles in Control Unit with Ninni Morgia ('It's like Catherine Deneuve dumped two cases of post-Repulsion psychiatric notes over Pere Ubu's Dub Housing, lit the fuse and, ahem, stood well back" - Julian Cope), including collaborations with the likes of Smegma, Factrix, Gary Smith, Aki Onda and Gate (Michael Morley of The Dead C). Both solo and in her work with others, Kastel has explored the outer limits and inner workings of no wave, industrial, dub, extreme electronics, free rock and improvisation. Air Lows is both her fullest and most refined offering to date, a work of vivid, isolationist electronics which draws deeply on her past experience but assuredly breaks new ground. Prompted by a late-flowering interest in techno and club music, Kastel sought to create something which combines a steady rhythmic pulse with the otherworldly sonorities of musique concrete, and avant-garde synth sounds inspired by Japanese minimalism and techno-pop (Haruomi Hosono's Philharmony being a particular favourite). The formal artifice of muzak / elevator music, the intros and outros of generic popular songs, the extreme light-heavy contrasts of jungle, the creative sampling of hardcore, and the very 'human' synths in the jazz of Herbie Hancock's Sextant and Sun Ra: all were touchstones for Air Lows' conception and composition, and all strains of music addressing - or complicating - the relationship between the human and the technological. By extension, visual inspirations also proved important: anime, and the avant-garde fashion of Rei Kawakubo. What does that shirt or dress sound like Though used sparingly, Kastel's voice remains her key instrument, whether subject to dissociative digital manipulations as on 'Bruell', delivering matter-of-fact spoken monologues, or providing splashes of pure tonal colour. Recorded between her expansive Italy studio and a more compact, ersatz set-up in Berlin, Air Lows gradually takes on some of the character of the German capital: you can hear the wide streets and uninhabited spaces, the seepage of never-ending nightlife, the loneliness. Air Lows is The Wizard of Oz in reverse: the glorious technicolour J-pop deconstructions of its first half leading inexorably to the icy noir of 'Spiderwebs' and 'Concrete Void'. These later tracks are reminiscent of 2015's magnificent 39 12', Kastel in the role of numbed, nihilistic chanteuse stalking dank, murky tunnels of reverb and sub-bass. But in fact there is contradiction and emotional ambiguity to Air Lows from the outset, and throughout - a sense of both infinite space and acute claustrophobia; energy and inertia; fluency and restraint.

Charmin Records has long been a formidable outlet for considered house tones, and on their latest V/A, the German label reminds us in emphatic fashion just what they're capable of. Featuring four delicious house cuts, this is an expertly crafted release with four tracks of different but equally delectable persuasion on show.
Opening up the release is the sounds of Wasserfall & Vaage's 'Orbits'. A sci-fi tinged cosmic workout, it's galactic properties are matched only by its sheer dancefloor ethos. A banging track that's perfect for peak time 'floors, it gets us underway with some panache.
Garben's 'Exploitation' is a different track altogether. An analogue-inspired jam, it features all the hallmarks of a classic Larry Heard jam. The perfect track with which to welcome in these warmer climes, this deep track is characterised by its fuzzy, melancholic ethos.
Next up is ØA°ll Ha°tes' 'øøø9'. A steely, industrial track with echoes of Shed at its core, it's both a warm and uncomfortable effort, but one that's thoroughly beguiling throughout.
Culminating the package is FM's 'Saturday Voices'. This one is decidedly more banging, with an unrelenting kick and a catchy-as-hell baseline at its core. A fine effort with which to sign out on, Charmin's latest is just like the label's name suggests: absolutely charming.

Around the time of this recording, Stanley Cowell had achieved a degree of prominence as the pianist for the advanced bop quartet Music Inc., which he co-led with trumpeter Charles Tolliver, as well as for unusual projects like his Piano Choir. With Regeneration he chose another path, essentially trying to produce a jazz-infused pop album with strong African roots, perhaps owing a little bit to Stevie Wonder. He assembled an extremely strong cast of musicians for the venture, including Marion Brown, Billy Higgins, and Ed Blackwell, as well as several African string and percussion masters and, by and large, succeeded conceptually if not commercially. A few songs use vocals in a fairly standard pop framework, and, while they are performed capably enough, the lyrical content leaves something to be desired in typical mid-'70s fashion. But much of the rest of the music makes up for this with, among other things, a delightful fife and drum piece by Brown and strong bass work by Bill Lee (Spike's dad). Regeneration is an interesting, often enjoyable album which, aside from its own small pleasures, provides a snapshot of some of the cross-fertilization in genres occurring at the time.

The founders of // DELIRIOUS EYEWEAR and Katnip met each other through the exchange of music and fashion. They became close friends and as you'd expect this would lead to this unique product you're about to preview. Heavy on the downtempo italo disco, dub and soul cuts, once again LdK provides the listener with an exquisite track selection and also found the privilege to introduce a fresh newcomer in the scene called "Juno" on vocals and some hot keys by Thomas van Dijk. The releaseparty for this album will be in Milan with an exclusive liveshow from de Kat including the whole band. Something to look forward to! Tip!

First official reissue of Nigerian Boogie Disco Grail LP produced by Grotto for EMI Nigeria and originally released in 1978. Contains dance classic'Bad city Girl'. Liner notes by Nigerian Music expert Uchenna Ikkone, include previously unpublished photos and extensive interviews by Temitope Kogbe.
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Odion Iruoje was the A&R manager at EMI at the time,' Benson says, and he auditioned us, liked he material and signed us.' Odion Iruoje of course had groomed and produced Ofege. Now he was looking to repeat the formula with other high school groups such as Tirogo, Apples and Question Mark. Grotto's deep rock would be a welcome addition to this schoolboy rock' series.
Work on their album started immediately, with Iruoje in the producer's chair. Adapting to the tastes of the times—as well as their own maturing musical sensibilities—Grotto started transitioning from acid rock towards sleeker, more dance floor-friendly grooves. As I grew older I think I got a bit jazzier,' Benson says. I also listened to Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Isley Brothers, Prince and a lot of funk groups from that era.'
Hard rock was the content of the first album,' Amenechi agrees, and funk/jazz/R&B the focus of album number two. Especially with the late Toma Mason Jr. joining as bassist.' The group's second album, Grotto II: Wait... No Hurry (released in 1979) reflected the growing sophistication of its members' musical outlook. Fat, funky bass grooves rubbed shoulders with jazzy flute lines, space-age synthesizer tones punctuated good, old-fashioned crunchy rock riffs.

Copenhagen's Echocord Colour returns this mid November with Brendom Moeller's 'Magic City' EP, featuring four originals from the New York based artist.
Brendon Moeller has long been a purveyor of authentic dub-infused Techno since stepping onto the scene via his 2006 'Sweetspot / Humpback' EP via Echocord and has since gone on to release on reputable imprints such as Third Ear, Kimochi Sound, Delsin's Ann Aimee, Mule Musiq and of course his very own Steadfast.
Here though Moeller makes a welcome return to where it all began with some fresh material for Echocord's Colour sub- label. 'Caravan' takes the lead on the release and in typical Brendon Moeller fashion we're treated to densely layered dub chords, throbbing subs and expansive atmospherics whilst robust drums drive the composition along.
Magic City' follows and ups the energy levels even further with pounding industrial drums layered underneath billowing dub stabs and eerie drones. 'Magic City In Dub' follows and as the name suggests offers up a reduced take on the composition, dropping the tempo and shining light on the billowing echoes of the original whilst stirring in some off-kilter rhythsm and additional processing for good measure. Lastly, 'Departure' closes the package, with haunting synth drones, bumpy rhythms and murky vocals wandering throughout the seven-minute composition.

There is no end to composer Peter Broderick's creative output, and so we present to you his new album titled All Together Again — available worldwide on November 17th 2017 via Erased Tapes.They say music takes you on a journey, and this collection of commissioned work by Peter quite literally does that. From a ferry boat ride in Istanbul, to walking down the aisle at a wedding, these songs were created for particular situations, yet Peter found a way to work without any sort of limitations and on his own erms. The result is an assortment of works from the past ten years, coming together as one: Peter's new album. Words from Peter, October 2017: Ever since I started releasing records in 2007 (10 years ago now!), people have contacted me periodically to ask if I'd be interested in making music to accompany their projects. Most of these projects have been things like films, dance pieces and theatre plays . . . but every so often I get the odd request for something a little different. Peter, would you write a song for my wedding My one year anniversary A ferry boat ride
In early 2015 I was asked to perform 12 minutes of music during a runway show as part of New York Fashion Week. I agreed and began composing a 12-minute piece which I could perform on my own with a few different instruments and some looping pedals. I made a recording of the piece and sent it over to my contacts at the fashion show . . . but a few days before I was to fly out to New York, they wrote back and told me they actually just wanted me to play a few older songs that they were already familiar with. Feeling slightly disappointed, I shelved the other piece, giving it the title If I Were A Runway Model.It is with great pleasure that I now present this piece in a collection of commissioned works spanning the last decade . . . it's All Together Again. This group of oddball works does indeed include a couple pieces written for weddings (Our Future In Wedlock and The Walk), and a song someone asked me to write as a gift for his wife on their first year wedding anniversary (Emily). And indeed, there's a 17-minute piece written to accompany a ferry boat ride in Istanbul (A Ride On The Bosphorus). A few of the pieces were written for films (Robbie's Song, Atlantic and Seeing Things), and one for a kind of interactive installation (Unsung Heroes).In my early days of recording, I took pride in playing all the different instruments myself and doing the recording myself as well. And then at some point I started branching out, working with other musicians and recording engineers. But this record is very dear to me in that it's a return to that original approach . . . playing all the different instruments myself, working with my limits on each one, and my own limits in recording and mixing. I've always held a broad curiosity for all different instruments and all different styles of music, and if nothing else I hope this record will portray that curiosity, and my pure love for this thing we call music. Can you dig it The cover art was made by Peter himself in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, by cutting and sticking different coloured paper fragments to depict the individuality of each track.

In 2017, the musical term electronic' is nearly obsolete given the ubiquity of computerized processes in producing music. Even so, the prevailing assumption is that musicians working under this broad umbrella must be inspired by concepts equally as electrified as their equipment. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith has demonstrated in her still-blooming discography that this notion couldn't be further from the truth, and that more often than not, rich worlds of synthesized
sound are born from deep reverence of the natural world. Smith (who by no coincidence, cites naturalist David Attenborough as a contemporary muse) has embodied such an appreciation on
The Kid in as direct and sincere a way as possible by sonically charting the phases of life itself.
The album, which punctually follows up her 2016 breakthrough EARS, chronicles four defining cognitive and emotional stages of the human lifespan across four sides of a double LP.
The first side takes us through the confused astonishment of a newborn, unaware of itself, existing in an unwitting nirvana. Smith's music has always woven a youthful thread befitting of the
aforementioned subject. Here she articulates it in signature fashion on the track An Intention,' which serves not only as a soaring spire on The Kid, but on her entire output. There is playfulness here, but it's elevated by an undertone of gravity into something compelling and majestic that is fast becoming Smith's watermark. The emotional focus of side two is the vital but underreported moment in early youth when we cross the threshold into self awareness. The subject is profound enough to fill an entire album, but rarely makes its way into a single track, indicating Smith's ambition to broach subtler and deeper subjects than the average composer. This side offers up another highlight in the form of In The World But Not Of The World' which serves its subject well with epiphanic, climbing strings and decidedly noisy textures over a near-Bollywood low end pulse.

Side three emphasizes a feeling of being confirmed enough in one's own identity to begin giving back to the formative forces of one's upbringing, which is arguably the duty that all great artists
aim to fulfill. This side ends with the exploratory album cut Who I Am & Why I Am Where I Am' recorded in a single take without overdubs on the rare EMS Synthi 100 synthesizer. This humble
piece of sound design serves as a contrast to side four's verdant orchestral moments, all written and arranged for the EU-based Stargaze quartet by Smith herself. This final side represents a
return to pure being, the kind of wisdom and peace that eludes most of us until the autumn of life. On To Feel Your Best' this concept is voiced in the bittersweet refrain one day I'll wake up
and you won't be there' which Smith intended to be a grateful acknowledgement of life rather than a melancholy resentment of loss. The song has both effects depending on the mood of the
listener, and both interpretations are equally moving.
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith belongs to an ilk of modern musicians who are defined by their commitment to creating experiential albums despite the singles-oriented habits of modern listeners,
and here she represents her kind proudly. The subjects on The Kid are not simple to convey, and yet through both emotional tone and lyrical content, Smith does just that. There is a similar
gravity to both birth and death, and rarely is that correlation as accurately and enthusiastically mapped as it is here.

Alan Watts, another logical inspiration of Smith's, once expounded that people record themselves to confirm their own existence, and as such, echoes and resonance are reminders that we are alive. You're not there unless you're recorded,' Watts muses, if you shout, and it doesn't come back and echo, it didn't happen.' The Kid speaks to this idea directly. As Kaitlyn Aurelia
Smith explores her existence through music, she guides us in gleefully contemplating our own.

LP Kraft Sleeve, Liner Notes Poster Inlay, Sticker Jun Fukamachi's 1986 never-officially-released highly sought after rarity NICOLE LP available for the first time ever on vinyl and CD, and made in cooperation with the artist's estate. All new liner notes by Masaharu Yoshioka aka The Soul Searcher.

WRWTFWW Records is proud to announce the release of Jun Fukamachi's highly coveted Nicole (86 Spring And Summer Collection - Instrumental Images) album, originally recorded in 1986 for celebrated fashion designer Mitsuhiro Matsuda's Nicole clothing brand and never officially available before. Only ever distributed as a limited promotional item offered to attendees and participants of the 1986 fashion show for the Nicole brand's Spring and Summer collection, Fukamachi's moody magnum opus has become a sort of Holy Grail for fans of Japanese ambient, jazz, and synth music alike...and rightly so! Meticulously conceived, smooth and subtle, Nicole sounds like it came from an ethereal land where Erik Satie and Art of Noise lived together, a sublimely cinematic listening experience perhaps best described by renowned Japanese music writer Masaharu Yoshioka aka The Soul Searcher: If you are driving down the Autobahn at 160 km/h, or even 80 km/h, and Jun's music starts playing on the car stereo, the windshield will instantly turn into your own personal silver screen. Nicole is available in two versions: a vinyl LP cut at Emil Berliner Studios, housed in a kraft sleeve similar to the original promo-only release, and a kraft digipak CD version. Both versions were made in cooperation of the artists's estate and come with new liner notes by Masaharu Yoshioka.

Between the end of the 70's and the early 80's, a new sound appeared in London and its surroundings, a unique mix of Funk, Jazz-Funk and Disco labelled as Britfunk. Characterized by its raw energy that can put the needle In The Red, this up-tempo sound was a match for the UK's dancers and Jazz-Funk clubs.

This first release by French label Chuwanaga features some of the most exciting, rare and powerful tracks from that era compiled by the Parisian DJ and activist Saint-James, with bands such as Equa, Potion, Inch by Inch, Congress, Index and Spookey. It features also an insert with an in-depth focus on this musical era.

These young British musicians were equally inspired by the American Jazz-Funk productions and by Dub music and Reggae pushed by the Afro-Caribbean community who were at the heart of Britfunk's development. They gave Funk a unique British flavor. However, more than just a music genre or an enclosed expression of black Britishness, it was part of a genuine musical and social movement with its own dedicated labels, fashion sense and most importantly its own set of values that fueled the whole scene. Britfunk built itself within a multicultural evolution: black people, white people, straight and queer, all dancing in the same room to the same loud sound.

Niall Mannion aka Mano Le Tough is set to release his first record on Pampa this Octobre entitled 'Ahsure". The 3 track EP sees the Irish producer showcase his unique ability to combine dance floor rhythms with visceral vocal based songs. The result of which is a piece of work that will find a comfortable home in a variety of settings. While this method has become the hallmark of Mano's discography, 'Ahsure' feels like some of his most honest and accomplished work to date. The A-side, 'Your heavy head' is the most dance floor focused track of the EP. Mano combines crisp, live sounding percussion with various intertwining synth lines and bell chimes, establishing a gentle yet pulsating groove. His vocals compliment the instrumentation, telling a simple story via an array of disorientating effects. 'Kitedub' on the flip settles neatly somewhere between modern house music and weirdo pop. Mano's stirring vocals make up the centerpiece of the track, as strange sounds swell and subside - all the time kept in check with sharp staccato drums. The title track rounds off the record in beautiful fashion. Penned just after the birth of his daughter, 'Ahsure' hears Mano's lyrics sit above swirling ambient sounds and they convey a raw honesty that is palpable.

First a »Tasse Kaffee« (cup of coffee), then »Ein altmodischer Tanz« (old-fashioned dance): On his second solo release Matthias Strzoda makes Sandy Denny's 1974 song »Like an Old Fashioned Waltz« his own and translates the moving lyrics congenial into German. Produced by Johann Scheerer and Matthias Strzoda, recorded and mixed by Johann Scheerer, Clouds Hill Recordings Hamburg. All instruments: Matthias Strzoda.

Stepping up to continue Defected's In The House tradition is DJ Haus, a decidedly untraditional DJ, producer, originator and DIY label innovator. Recognised among the underground house community as being at the cutting edge with his imprints Unknown To The Unknown and Hot Haus Recs, DJ Haus' kaleidoscopic eclecticism and refreshing lack of ostentation makes him, in Defected's opinion, an ambassador for the future of house music.
Ahead of the release of the full compilation Defected presents DJ Haus In The House this vinyl double pack keeps things super fresh and direct with a whopping eight compilation exclusives. New material from Deadboy, Jordan (UK), Ejeca and Innershades is included, plus remixes from DJ Octopus and DJ Steaw. Demonstrating a colourful array of raw and jacking sounds that encompasses electro, Chicago house, disco, techno and UK garage, DJ Haus In The House does the UK's house scene immensely proud. It documents a moment in time when DJ Haus' quietly pioneering dedication to the underground is celebrated in suitably reverent fashion.

Soundway Records presents the debut solo album from the ever-energetc Diron Animal, lead singer of the band Throes + The Shine. Born and raised in the ghetos of Cazenga in the Angolan capital of Luanda, the Portugal-based artst is known for his incredible stage presence and unique fashion sense. Infuenced by traditonal African music, Diron brings modern electronic producton and multlingual vocals to his album, which explores the realites of growing up in harsh conditons. The impact of such a life on himself and his local community is thematcally apparent: pessimism, greed, and ambiton feature - and yet the overarching message is that of opportunity, hope and channelling one's struggles into creatvity. Spell-binding rhythms, bass hooks and original lyrics abound, spanning Portuguese, Kimbundu and English. Lead single Don't Stop', out 7 July, is a fast-paced funked up anthem with a contagious saxophone rif, to be followed by an equally mesmerising video to boot.

Autotomy is a collaboration between Belgium's Sleeperhold Publications, Brooklyn-based musician Patricia (Max Ravitz) and the Dutch artist Louis Reith. This output is the result of a long process of contemplation, discussion and elimination which gave us a record that encapsulates both Patricia's sense for hardware production and dance floor rawness. Describing this release is not a simple task. So we'll just tell it like it is: it's a record that slows down and, in this process, reveals its mystery. Referencing the title of this release, wunderkind Max Ravitz seems to provide the listener with the possibility of transformation, a way to shed part of your own being.When running though the tracks, one discovers the essentials of Patricia's sound architecture: the presence of lightness, of longing, mixed with the ability to deny it in the next instant. Sonically, there's a careful balance in these productions that belies their fundamental function as body music. It's ambient yet danceable, approachable despite it's often deconstructed layout, and ultimately warm and inviting.The entire record is made using Ravitz collection of hardware, which gives it its uncompromising texture. The presence of kicks, beats and soundscapes does not originate from a clean digital source but from a physical action, an excerpt of movement, a tick of the human hand. It is floating versus rhythmical movement, visceral versus strict. But above all, it is alive.The artwork used for Autotomy's sleeve design and the etching on the B-side was provided by Louis Reith. (All three tracks feature on the record's A-side.) Just as Patricia, Reith tries to resist technology in favour of physical and craft-based media, though the contrast between digital and analog is always present.Dutch artist Louis Reith produces works through a variety of different media, ranging from collages to wood sculptures, to paper objects and ink on paper works, always keeping an interest in simple abstract shapes and their combination. With an interest in materiality Louis resurrects found footage and creates new landscapes of shape and color, celebrating the human hand at work. Deliberate compositions form an illegible visual language where hidden words are portrayed as abstract sculptures.Reith also co-runs Jordskred, an independent publishing company worth checking out.Ravitz certainly is unstoppable and releases in a relentless and uncompromising fashion.Besides many collaborative projects with an array of artists (released under monikers such as Masks, Pulpo, Inhalants, DSR.MR...) he's released music on labels like Opal Tapes, L.I.E.S., Russian Torrent Versions, Ghostly Intl.,... 2017 has been quite a year for him so far. He not only founded his own imprint, Active Cultures, but also released a triple LP. Ghostly Intl. describes the release as a 'kaleidoscopic, a multi-faceted techno trip' and we couldn't agree more.

With a new single just released ("Roadside"), accompanied by a groovy video, and a "Greatest Hits" album in the pipeline, it is time to look at Torpedo Boyz from a new perspective.

After more than 10 years in the business, four acclaimed albums in the discography ("Headache Music", "Cum On Feel The Boyz", "Return Of The Ausländers" and "Don't Cry") a collection of "Greatest Hits" will be released in October 2017 featuring all time classics and never out of fashion tunes like "Gimme A Bassline", "Ich Bin Ausländer (Leider Zum Glück)" or "The Disco Song".

Right in time for this release Légère Recordings asked Boca 45, their favourite 7inch DJ and remix expert, to deliver his versions of the Torpedo Boyz favourites "Any Trash, Professor Abacus" and "Are You Talking To Me". The Boca 45 remixes will now be released on two different 45s, including the original versions on the flipside.

After the phenomenal reaction to his solo track 'Wall of Glass' and the emotional scenes that accompanied his first solo shows, Liam Gallagher can now announce that his eagerly anticipated debut album 'As You Were' will be released on October 6th on Warner Bros. Records.

I didn't want to be reinventing anything or going off on a space jazz odyssey,' says Liam. It's the Lennon 'Cold Turkey' vibe, The Stones, the classics. But done my way, now.'

The album's cover features an iconic new portrait of Liam which was taken by the influential photographer, fashion designer and creative director Hedi Slimane.

Fresh from wowing us with that crazy limited promo 45, Krikor Kouchian delivers 11 tracks of expertly executed, shimmering boogie funk. BIG TIP!
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Think of the neon lights of the boulevard or a late nite drive through the lonely hills, Krikor Kouchian's "Pacific Alley" propels you to a world of sleaze and excitement, where passion, money, and illicit substances take precedent and the sun beats down in a relentless unforgiving fashion.

Spending time as a youth in Southern Cailifornia, the French-born Kouchian developed an obsession with this Americana and the magic of everything California. The music on the radio, from pop, to funk, to hip hop fueled his impressionable mind, later on taking influence in his own music.

Pacific Alley is a snapshot of this lost period, full of juicy low slung basslines, slow bpm cruisers, Linn drum crashes, and ride or die melodies. The elements all meld together through this 11 track lp, it's equal parts uplifting and melancholic, downtrodden, yet not without rays of light; the soundtrack for days hanging in front of the corner stores and nights on the strip, both a naive love affair and backstabbing doublecross.

This is boogie funk for the grift, a dollar here buys a bottle there so step into the shade, pop the tape in the deck and enter into the concrete dreamworld.

Eight releases in, Leonidas & Hobbes have honed a mutual love of soundtracks, disco, jazz, house, techno, acid, psychedelic, African and dub sounds.
Web Of Intrigue is one part tribute to lost 70s soundtracks, when music was created on the finest analogue hardware, featuring full bands, session players and lush orchestrations, one part tribute to 70s disco gods Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (Chic) and one part mid-tempo but nonetheless cosmic house. The three parts fuse to form an instrumental track sounding as fresh as a whole meadow of daisies in 2017 and one that's been going down extremely well with international DJs who have road-tested the material.
Heavy Weather flips the script for a deeper workout in a 3/4 time signature - more of a cosmic waltz. Taking its main cue from 70s jazz fusion heroes Weather Report and The Doors' Ray Manzarek, it incorporates rich African percussion, spaced-out flourishes exhibiting the duo's love for the dubs of Lee Perry, King Tubby et al, and a good old fashioned arpeggio of an acid line - definitely a more esoteric number, all told.
The 'Dawn' and 'Acid Rain' mixes push different buttons for the heads, as suits the mood. It all adds up to a very Balearic confection, fitting snugly in with the burgeoning revival for this somewhat ineffable sound - a trend that seems to be getting stronger/bigger every year, popping up every time the sun gets his hat on and we all remember how to party like the lucky residents of that infamous White Isle....
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London/Edinburgh analogue electronic duo Leonidas & Hobbes released debut EP "Machines, Tapes & Electronic Setups" via the Hobbes Music label back in May 2013, picking up plaudits and support from the likes of Resident Advisor, Mixmag, Erol Alkan, Ashley Beedle, Alan Braxe, Shadow Child, Jimpster, Nick Warren, M.A.N.D.Y., Leftside Wobble, Mr G, Auntie Flo, Sasha, John Digweed and many more... The duo were consequently commissioned to remix the Pet Shop Boys.
Second EP "Mo' Machines" came out on the label in April 2014 and received equally high praise, with i-D Magazine inviting the duo to record a DJ mix which has to date chalked up a whole lot of love on Soundcloud.
Leonidas has released two other collaborative EPs with London-based Japanese DJ/producer Kay Suzuki via his Round In Motion imprint, equally winning fans worldwide, with a track now forthcoming on new label YAM Records' You And Music Volume 1 EP plus much more in the pipeline for 2017. Leonidas also has his own lovetoparty label, releasing edits of much-loved disco tunes on limited edition 12" vinyl format and free download. Previously, Leonidas made a name for throwing word-of-mouth parties around east London on his audiophile 'lovetoparty' sound system (providing some of the inspiration for much-admired late-night watering hole Brilliant Corners).
Equally, Hobbes ran the widely acclaimed Trouble nights for ten years in Edinburgh/Scotland, working with the great and the good from across the soul/jazz/dance spectrum since '02, and championed up-and-coming live talent via his Limbo 'gig-in-a-club' nights at The Voodoo Rooms for nine years since '07. Hobbes has toured his DJing style to the various corners of the dancing planet, including gigs in the Far East, much of Europe and across the UK. The Hobbes Music label has otherwise featured artists as diverse as Auntie Flo, JD Twitch (Optimo), Neil Landstrumm, Craig Smith (6th Borough Project), Ali Renault, iO Sounds, Joe Howe, Debukas, Fudge Fingas, Marco Bernardi, Dimitri Veimar, Mick Wills and Nightwave, with further support from Ben UFO, Justin Robertson, Motor City Drum Ensemble, KiNK, The Revenge, T.E.E.D, Kiki, Groove Armada, Maceo Plex, OOFT!, Domenic Capello (Sub Club), XDB, Ben Mono, Masa Sutela, Bawrut/Scuola Furano, Numbers, John Heckle and many more...