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2023 Repress

For over 25 years, KOMPAKT strives to bring Techno, House and everything in-between to the dance floors of generations that come from (or live) in the past, present, and future. Today, we proudly present an anthem that truly speaks to us in the spirit of what lead us to create our SPEICHER series.

ANNA returns for her third round on SPEICHER following an incredible year of non-stop touring the globe, remixing JON HOPKINS and contributing to a recent AFTERLIFE compilation. KITTIN (formerly known as MISS KITTIN) needs no introduction - she is nothing short of a trailblazer in dance music history by contributing countless times through her voice, music and DJing.

Together they are FOREVER RAVERS - dispatching a message of everlasting unity for the dance floor community. ANNA brings her most voracious production skills to date interwound with KITTIN sounding at her best in an explosive consequence that we can only describe as being a must-hear Techno hymn.

ANNA takes the original past the stratosphere with her RAVING IN SPACE MIX. Not to be misinterpreted as a dub version, ANNA keeps the potency of the original but expands the core instrumental elements that moves from suspension to release in a decisively throttling means.

Copenhagen’s Echocord welcomes YWF onto its roster this June with the ‘Replaced’ EP, backed with remixes from Berlin’s Freund Der Familie. YWF is a Copenhagen based Techno producer and DJ, most notably known for his output on the Freund Der Familie imprint, the founders of which step in to remix his work here, and Baum Records, the label run by Resoe, a good friend of Echocord label boss Kenneth Christiansen and with whom he forms the group Pattern Repeat. It seems it was only a matter of time before YWF became a part of the family. Title-cut ‘Replaced’ opens the package via a sturdy rhythmic foundation, wandering synth licks and winding modulations before ‘All Is Temporary’ embraces a cinematic aesthetic, edging in elongated sub drones, emotive strings and delayed percussive hits. Freund Der Familie take control on the latter half of the package, delivering two interpreations of ‘Cutoff’, first up is ‘Fdf’s Reshape’, employing an airy asmtopheric feel amongst fluttering low-end and dustry drums while the ‘Days Of Doom Remix’, as the name would suggest takes a darker approach, laying focus on menacing bass, expansive delays and menacing voices alongside heartbeat like pulses of low-end drums.

Special vinyl re-issue of Trentemøller's groundbreaking debut album. Includes all of the 13 songs on vinyl for the first time. Triple-vinyl in gatefold sleeve.

Trentemøller's debut album remains one of the few genre-defining and groundbreaking albums in many regards. It's still being praised for its composition and sounddesign alike and sounds as fresh and breathtaking today as it did when it was originally released in 2006.
The Last Resort - a beautifully crafted, astonishing masterpiece, that will leave you breathless. The 13 instrumental tracks together form a wordless musical story, almost like the soundtrack of a movie. It
manages to capture a whole range of emotions in subtle melodic miniatures, dreamy ambiences, dusty beats, deep dub-tracks and driving groove-excursions. An ever-changing kaleidoscope of colours and moods. Although it's an electronic album, it also incorporates live-drums, guitars, bass and other acoustic instruments like celesta, glockenspiel, melodica and even DJ scratching to create a more organic feel. The album received fantastic acclaim from both music fans and journalists around the world and made it into the top-lists of the month, the year, the decade - alongside an array of awards for best production or best album.

Back in 2006, the original pressing only included a selection of songs from the original 13-track album release. It missed out on songs which had been released on singles or didn't "fit" on the so called "vinyl edition". Due to 'public demand' and simply because this album deserves a proper vinyl release we are happy to finally present, for the first time, the full album on vinyl. It spans of three vinyl discs and is packed in a beautiful gatefold sleeve which also holds a download-code. The recut has been carefully crafted from first generation, orignal masters by Calyx in Berlin. Since the album has been praised for its fantastic sound the primary directive was to cut the lacquers for the re-issue so that they would sound exactly the same as the original release, which has been the CD version of the album. No 'digital remastering' or any other alterations have been applied.
All 13 songs of the classic album on one vinyl release for the first time. Triple-Vinyl edition. Gatefold sleeve. download code. original sound-quality. NO digital remastering.

A brand new release by the prolific DJ/Producer from Los Angeles. This time it's his personal label Developer Archive which was introduced back in 2010 focused on vinyl only releases. This next release DA09 its alot more of what he has grown so known for strictly focusing on highly effective dark gems that work in the clubs or the warehouses. This extended release gives you more of what he has to come in the future. Huge release! TIP!

After making some noise with his #1 record - Lover II Lover HDSN is back on #datsoulthang with another long awaited four tracker EP. The up and coming artist showcases his own representation of the early day´s disco and house music, while layering his signature on the sliced up jams of his record collection, as he is known to do it. - Keep The Funk Alive is an irresistible groover, which takes us on a ride thru four vibe-loaden gems - all disco at the heart, but housey on the floor. The name says it all NBASTWAX003 is a real banger for your dj bag, but also every collectors pleasure - limited to 300 copies only, coming with some fresh stickers inside. NUTHIN BUT A SOUL THING

Mannequin's 100th - a comp looking forward featuring an international and serious cast... BIG TIP!
The modern synthwave scene would be significantly poorer without the keen ear and tireless efforts of the Mannequin label run by Alessandro Adriani. Geographically situated within the nerve centers of Rome and Berlin, yet with a musical spirit that easily transcends these boundary lines, Mannequin's back catalog has been an important component in the modular assemblage that makes up electronics-based independent music in the 21st century, and an important reference point for those who need to defend against the lazy accusations that this such is purely retro' in its form and content. Recent accolades and accomplishments - being named Resident Advisor's label of the month' for May of this year, starting the 'Death of the Machines' 12' series, and being given the 'green light' for bi-monthly parties at the Säule room in Berghain - have been earned through Mannequin's unflagging commitment to sonic diversity and Adriani's own realization that the anxious and sharp-edged sounds associated with, say, the Cold War of the 1980s can convey a completely different message today. Adriani says it best when claiming that there is no such thing as 'old' or 'new' music...only the music of now'. With this cogent statement of intent, Mannequin continues to go on exploratory missions to find the best and most relevant aspects of genres like acid, industrial, EBM, post-punk, coldwave and still more.

Which brings us to Mannequin's newest project and 100th release overall: the Waves of the Future double LP compilation, which itself is not a conventional retrospective collection. Case in point - none of the artists appearing on this collection have put out their own releases on Mannequin yet, despite acting as Mannequin's unofficial ambassadors (via DJ sets and other means). This makes the set even more compelling rather than less so, since it shows how Mannequin fits into a larger picture that includes other scene leaders and label owners including Beau Wanzer, Willie Burns (WT Records), Silent Servant (Jealous God) and Ron Morelli (L.I.E.S.). Of equal importance is how Waves of the Future projects a sense of aesthetic resilience and continuity, showcasing just how well the current artists allied with Mannequin employ and re-interpret the sonic lexicon that appears on that label's reissues of 'classic' acts such as Nocturnal Emissions, Bourbonese Qualk, Din A Testbild and Doris Norton.

However, none of this would matter as much if the music itself didn't have strong potential for lighting a blaze in the dark corners of the human imagination, and of course for forcing bodies into motion. Each track here pivots around a couple of key sound elements that seem to set the stage for the next track to come: see the sputtering / chopped ghost voices on Morelli's Charges Won't Stick,' which easily informs the slicing drone and authoritarian beat of Shawn O' Sullivan's Ill Fit,' which then lays down the emotional foundation for the sequencer-powered With You' from An-I & Adriani or the glassy landscape of Illum Sphere's Exhaustion'. Elsewhere, the wired mischief of Not Waving intersects easily with the spherical electro-funk and coded commands of Beau Wanzer. When all the disparate parts of Waves of the Future are soldered together, it perfectly illustrates Mannequin's non-linear philosophy and Adriani's suggestion that Mannequin listeners directly engage with the music rather than trying too hard to analyze or dissect it.

Ninth instalment of Redscale. Grad_u with a masterpiece of dub techno. Vinyl only.

"Holdback", an unexpected twist of events for followers of Redscale, is actually a bold step forward in terms of pace and light. The enticing chords work like a magnet, and the potential of the lady on the mic is no lower than that one of a siren. The personal weapons of grad_u, the most powerful of which are the embracing loops, are of course out there, indicating the
producer's inner spirit and roots.

Picking up where "Holdback" left off, "Outwards from Laniakea" is a statement more rugged, yet as absolute as the message on side A. It's an invitation to put that jacket back to the
cloakroom, switch off that phone and let yourself go, again and again. It's, once again, a compelling statement against conformity.

***

Early support by DJ Deep, Cari Lekebusch, Jonas Kopp, Shlømo, Josh Wink, John Osborn, Echoplex, Don Williams, Wata Igarashi, Regal, Mark Broom, Marcus Intalex / Trevino, Ryan James Ford, Francois X, Albert van Abbe and many more... .

with his third album 'vin ploile' the bucharest, romania based producer, musician and dj petre in-spirescu captured a whole new audience in 2015 and reached out with minimal leftfield ambient sounds to music loving folks, that are not part of the world-wide dance music universe.
well known as one of the key figures of the romanian electronic dance music scene since his first ep 'tips' on luciano's label cadenza, inspirescu stepped away from club sounds that made him famous due to releases on labels like vinyl club, lick my deck or amphia.
also his two solo albums 'intr-o seara organica...' and 'gradina onirica', both released on (a:rpia:r), the record label he initiated with his buddies rhadoo and raresh in 2007, do not have much in common with the sound of 'vin ploile' - a mesmerizing deeply musical album that he only tuned in with some elements of piano, string and wind instruments as well as analogue electronics.
at the end of 2015 his nine slow swinging arrangements where celebrated in many polls and now, just a bit more than one year after the release of 'vin ploile' petre inspirescu delivers 'vîntul prin salcii' - another longplayer enlarged with seven, up to epic twelve minutes long arrangements, that continue where 'vin ploile' ceased.
they all listen to the name 'miroslav' and only differ numerically in their title. you can call them ambi-ent. you can call them minimal music in the sense of classic compositions by steve reich or terry riley. they groove - sometimes more, sometimes less. and they spread the sounds of flutes or saxophones, delicate piano figures, organic jazz drumming, arpeggiated analogue synth-lines, mesmerizing strings, choral singing, alienated looped vocals and spaced out new aged spheres.
what unites them all is the way, the melodies dance upon and in each single tune. their beautiful tex-tures ensnare and they are continuously engaged with experimentation. a mystical album full of evolu-tionary music to which each listener is able to paint his very own emotional picture. moody, dark and at the same time light-flooded shape-shifting compositions - made for those who love to surrender them-selves to a gentle dance between experimentation and attractiveness.
the cover artwork for petre inspirescu's album was made again by the illustrator and photographer julian vassallo, who's artistic works fascinate with a touching spirit of distance, that captures the truth in each single motif. just like petre inspirescu's music, only that his art grooves with notes that tell somehow: there is no truth. there is only perception.

RAWAX welcomes Maartenvan der Vleuten to the family!

We have the honour to present you some unreleased tracks from the 90'!

The Dutch producer, composer and recording artist born in Vught, The Netherlands in 1967.

From 1987 to 2007 he has used over two dozen aliases producing Detroit techno, electro, house, experimental and ambient tracks and remixes.
Early 2008 he announced to only use his real name (or his initials MVDV) for future releases.

During the 90's he recorded mainly dance/techno for R&S Records, Outrage Recordings, Apollo Records (Belgium), Djax-Up-Beats, See Saw, ESP and Klang Elektronik and several other labels. Since 1996 he is also releasing music on his own label Signum Recordings. The two sublabels of Signum; Passiflora and Glam, are now both defunct.

He is the founder of Signum Recordings, Passiflora Records and Glam Records.

After their stunning 2012 debut single "Wish" (FM X / Wish 001) and last year's "Diggin' On You" (D.O.C. 001), the incredibly gifted ELEKFANTZ return to the fore with what can only called a brilliant full-length premiere. The duo of Daniel and Leo first met 20 years ago, when they played together in a blues band. Leo continued his carreer as a professional musician while Daniel started to discover a new musical path.

The latter was born and bred at the electronic music temple in South America, later becoming a resident DJ and local hero, known as the right guy to prepare the dance floor and set up the right mood. He's one of the finest DJs of the Brazilian new wave of electronic aficionados. Leo is a professional drummer, singer and composer since the age of 15. He played and recorded with some of the greatest artists in Brazil.

Their debut album DARK TALES AND LOVE SONGS sports all the intimate melodies, lush harmonies and organic undertones that the duo has become know for and then some: from pop-infused songwriter house to highly emotive prime time anthems, you'll find lots to love about this expertly crafted collection of melodic gems. Engineered to perfection by label head GUI BORATTO, it's an exciting step for the imprint and the project alike - we can't wait hearing where they'll go next.

When Nicolas Duvoisin began to discover Techno for himself at the age
of 16, probably no one thought that he would now be playing at all the
major venues in Switzerland. And also on an international level he gains
more and more attention. No wonder, since the new EP 'Africa Friends'
already makes for lively sensation.
'Africa Friends' is a tribal-inspired Tech-House track with a lot of driving
elements. The remix of Yapacc however is rather a remixer typical
interpretation somewhere between funky Minimal and melodic Techno.
Another centerpiece of this EP is the remix of Quenum, who founded the
imprint 'Cadenza' along with Luciano a few years ago. As a small gimmick
Nicolas Duvoisin serves an additional groovy track called 'People Dance'.
Nicolas himself is not only a DJ and producer, but also runs his own label
'Fantastic Friends Recordings'. But Circle Music had the opportunity to
sign 'Africa Friends' and is pleased to present this EP to the world now.

2026 Repress

In the beginning of the 1970’s, Guinea-Bissau was a country broken up into many ethnic groups and at the heart of a war for independence. By reviving traditional musical genres as Gumbé and singing in guinean Kriol, José Carlos Schwarz & Cobiana Djazz established an immediate affective bond with their audiences. Through its music and politically engaged spirit of the lyrics, the band played a significant role in shaping the social and political consciousness of the masses. As well as influencing local bands like Super Mama Djombo and giving back a deep sense of cultural identity to bissau-guineans.

The explosive birth of Cobiana Djazz brought about other kinds of detonation. Schwarz became involved in urban guerilla activities which resulted in several bombings in the centre of Bissau, leading to his imprisonment and torture. He remained in lockup for a total period of about 2 years, between 1972 and 1974.

The process of decolonisation, in the wake of the Portuguese revolution of 25 April 1974, led to the recognition, during the same year, of the sovereign nation of Guinea-Bissau.

Schwarz, a key figure in the fight for independence, played an important part in the transition to the democratic regime, profiting from his popularity as an artist. Soon, his criticism (underscoring opportunism and irresponsibility in high places) became a thorn in the side of the political elite. Uneasy with the disquieting effects of his work, government officials effectively separated the author from the masses by assigning him to the embassy in Havana.

José Carlos Schwarz met a tragic and untimely death at the age of 27, when his plane crashed on arrival at Cuba's José Martí International Airport, on May 271th 1977.

Hailed by african giants like Orchestra Baobab, Letta Mbulu or Miriam Makeba (with whom he recorded his first and only solo album), “Zé Carlos” and his poetry won a lasting position in the annals of Guinea-Bissau. However, this collection of songs remains relatively unknown outside the country and its diasporas.

We are proud to offer, in close collaboration with the Schwarz family, this first official reissue on vinyl. Remastered and pressed on heavyweight vinyl.

Soul Jazz Records’ long out of print classic ‘Studio One Funk’ collection is being re-released in three new one-off limited-edition coloured pressing 18th anniversary format editions!
Firstly, a heavyweight special limited edition one-pressing only red 2xLP vinyl + download. Secondly, there is also a new special limited-edition one-off pressing edition red-pressed CD enclosed in jewel case and slipcase. And thirdly there is a very limited unique new one-off pressing red-cased cassette format (200 copies only)! 18 years on from its original release Studio One Funk remains one of our Studio One releases most in-demand titles and like all our earlier special coloured editions is sure to sell out fast!
Studio One Funk is made up of rare and unreleased Reggae Funk from the vaults of Studio One. Ever since the birth of Funk in America, the sound has been an ever-present ingredient in the melting pot of Studio One’s musical output.
The music on this release is a combination of originals, US covers and versions of existing Studio One cuts. Jackie Mittoo shows his appreciation for Booker T and The MGs, the studio group at Memphis’ famous Stax Records with ‘Hang Em High’, itself a cover of a film soundtrack by Dominic Frontiere. Incredibly this version has never before been released. Booker T’s super-funky ‘Melting Pot’ is also covered by the little-known Underground Vegetables.
Other versions include Isaac Hayes’ classic Blaxploitation soundtrack ‘Shaft’ again by Cedric Im Brooks track - another unreleased gem, straight from the tape master. Motown gets a look in with Alton’s stripped-down version of the Spinners classic ‘It’s A Shame’, written by Stevie Wonder and Syreeta.
James Brown is apparent in spirit with the JBs-inspired groove on the super rare cut “Now” by Lee Arab. Lloyd Williams similarly does a fine Kingston-style version of the hardest-working man in showbusiness on ‘Reggae Feet’.
Version-wise, we have ‘Idleberg’, Cedric Im Brooks tough instrumental cut on Horace Andy’s seminal ‘Skylarking’. The little-known Prince Moonie gives us a rare DJ cut of another Horace Andy classic, ‘See A Man’s Face’.
Pablove Black’s cut of Sidewalk Doctor (A/K/A Poco Tempo) is one of a handful of Studio One releases featuring Augustus Pablo’s trademark instrument, the melodica, played by Black himself.
Add to these original cuts from Studio One’s heavyweight session players including Leroy Sibbles, Jackie Mittoo, Leroy Sibbles, Eric Frater, Leroy ‘Horsemouth’ Wallace, Richard Ace, Vin Gordon and more and you have one of the finest selections of reggae and funk you will ever hear.







"This collection goes deep into the Brentford Road vaults and unearths a rake of previously unreleased gems alongside hard to find classics. Heavy and inspirational, totally unique and essentially timeless." Straight No Chaser
"An absolute treasure trove for the collector as well as being great for the ears and feet. Jackie Mittoo's 'Hang Em High' is worth the price of the album on its own." Echoes
"A superb collection that shows how much many Jamaican musicians were influenced by the heavy funk belting out of American studios from the early seventies onwards.” Touch
"The most satisfying listening experience so far in the Studio One series." The Wire
"Rare and unreleased grooves from Jamaica's house of excellence." Mojo

Roughly three and a half years since pushing the boundaries of 160BPM and stepping beyond the realm of footwork with the Reidai EP, Oyubi returns with an even deeper sound, dropping due yesterday.

This EP consists of four tracks that showcase a darker, more introspective side of the producer, stepping away from the ghetto and booty flavors found in his other releases. However, anchored by his signature sequence patterns, the sound design—striking a perfect balance between playful and profoundly dope—only serves to amplify the groove.

The ultimate embodiment of this evolution is the B1 track, "Taiko 2." While it inherits its name from "Taiko 160" on the Reidai EP, its form is entirely transformed. Relentless, high-speed drums and stripped-back minimal components take over the mind and body like a dark incantation. Packing a hypnotic power that far surpasses its predecessor, it's destined to be a killer weapon in any DJ set. It’s also worth noting that this track draws heavy inspiration from Kode9 & DJ Fulltono’s "TKO."

Naturally, the other three tracks are just as formidable. Infused with elements of dub, A1 "Erekiteru" centers around a pulsing bassline heartbeat, keeping the groove steady alongside crisp, dry claps. Meanwhile, A2 "Da Groove" and B2 "Wop Wop" heavily incorporate Baile Funk and Dembow influences. "Da Groove" is quintessential Oyubi: as the extended intro breaks and the four-to-the-floor kick drops in lockstep with the bass, it guarantees instant unity on the dancefloor. Finally, B2 "Wop Wop" relies on intentional distortion and subtle spatial processing to build its foundation, revealing a dark side akin to "Taiko 2"—complete with an exceptionally punchy snare.

Fully loaded with Oyubi's uncompromising dark-side approach, due yesterday is set to be a 160BPM masterpiece.

Tour-Maubourg returns with a new 6-track EP, Dreams, further cementing his place as a key figure in today’s electronic music scene. Known for blending soulful house with rich jazz influences, the French-Belgian producer showcases both his DJ sensibility and refined production skills on this long-awaited release for French deep house label Noire & Blanche.



Nearly four years after Floating on Silence - his acclaimed EP for the label that quickly became a staple in DJs’ sets and underground all-night club sessions - Dreams follows the same inspired path while raising the bar even higher. Joined by a carefully selected group of collaborators, including American producer Kareem Ali (praised by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Boiler Room), pop/R&B soul singer Nic Hanson, and Lithuanian producer and musician Cyan Lu, Tour-Maubourg blurs the lines between jazz and house. The result is a deeply musical, immersive EP that reinforces a sound signature now unmistakably his own, designed for both intimate listening and late-night dancefloors.
crédits

W.R.F. was formed in 2015 by Nina and late studio partner Andrew Weatherall to help wrangle the vast output recorded together beyond his solo releases.
Spotlighting nine tracks from the Apparently Solo series of EPs recorded between 2016- 2019 and released on Bandcamp in 2023, this lustrous time capsule marks the culmination of Walsh and Weatherall’s creative relationship born after they clicked at London’s earliest acid house clubs, becoming partners then managers of their Sabres Of Paradise/Sabrettes labels before taking different paths by the late '90s.
An accomplished musician, Nina had learned the art of studio technology by the time they reunited and started working together in 2012. Created at her Facility 4 Studio situated in the dangerous, gang-ridden no man’s land between Streatham and Mitcham, Anamchara captures the super-prolific creative stretch starting in 2015 that produced Weatherall’s Convenanza and Qualia solo sets, W.R.F.’s The Phoenix Suburb (And Other Stories) plus a whole lot more. According to Nina, Andrew envisioned the spectacular ‘Borderland’ as natural successor to ‘Smokebelch’, his most revered track. When it came to his remix, Nina enlisted renowned viola virtuoso Sarah Sarhandi and composed new harmonies with Pachelbel’s Canon in D Minor in mind.
The set also catches the breakthrough period when, through Nina’s careful coaxing, Andrew started using the computer system she’d set up to better express his musical visions by arranging the elements, grooves and melodies she sent him. Still considered the UK’s greatest DJ-producer, Andrew’s arrangements were inspired by his club-igniting sets. “This allowed me to mix the colours for his palette whilst he was painting the picture,” says Nina. Anamchara straddles the gamut of musical styles explored by W.R.F. at this time, from slower paced psychedelic “drug chug” outings ‘We Two’. ‘Heat To Meat Ratio’, ‘Hidden Watchers Part 1’ to banging acid house and techno sometimes inspired by the violence outside the studio door, including ‘SCHLAP’, ‘Crack-Ed’ and churning acid juggernaut ‘Yacidik’ (“After much dangling of the acid carrot, Andrew took a bite and, after one familiar raised eyebrow, never looked back,” says Nina).
Many tracks fly elements from the enormous sonic library Nina inherited from late partner Erick Legrand that she called The Akashic Library of Sound. Marking Andrew’s 2016 admission into the vault, ‘Rattly Old Puffin’ boasts Erick’s psychedelic guitar and tumbling drum loop Weatherall would run with, including on ‘Borderland’. “Erick was like our third member,” says Nina.
Bringing down the curtain, ‘Alma’’s exquisitely poignant melody that unfolds over thirteen time-stopping minutes was composed by Nina while navigating Erick’s birth and departure date anniversaries to accompany Andrew’s reading from Gordon Burn’s 1991 same-named novel at 2018’s Durham Literary Festival. Burn’s novel imagines early 60s popstrel Alma Cogan, who succumbed to cancer in 1966 surviving to reflect on fame. “Now it just makes me think of Erick. And every time I hear those well-placed cymbal crashes I can only think of the Captain himself.”
A beautiful grand finale for this astonishing selection of pure gold from the vaults.
Kris Needs / 2026

Bolka is known as the man with the cap. His cap has lived through a lot: his glitchy and microtonal experiments, studies at Institute of Sonology in The Hague or through countless performative works. A few years ago, Bolka’s cap fell apart. By that time he was already a fixture on the slovak experimental scene, but only releasing his debut album, “smutné stropy.” He started wearing new caps from then: somehow reminiscent of the old one, but much more varied — same as “smutné stropy,” bubbling with motifs, charming humour and pop sensitivity layered over detailed soundscapes popping with surprises.

On schwarzkopf, Bolka returns wishing for a thick black hair. With his charming love songs, that are positioned somewhere between a tightly run freak folk orchestra, deconstructed ballads and colorful ecstatic melancholy, he creates an album that thrives on juxtapositions that are completely unique, yet strangely familiar. Bolka’s songwriting is at once tender and irreverent — lovestruck whispering suddenly tripping over absurdist jokes and surreal images that fizz like soda. His songs move in that strange space between vulnerability and mischief, where intimate confessions collide with radical playfulness and the poetic rubs shoulders with the delightfully ridiculous.

On schwarzkopf, Bolka expands his world with a wide circle of collaborators and an even richer sonic palette. The album is meticulously detailed yet carefree: delicate moments sit next to sudden explosions, drifting from gentle pop to bursts of noise. Toward the end, the album even slips into a footwork-infused remix by Kodiki, passes through Julek ploski’s signature neon-baroque string perspective, and briefly wanders into Lénok’s cinematic sonic world. Bolka sings that he wants to dissolve into a healing ointment, to be ground in a mortar with calendula — and he invites us into this musical spa with him: a place that stings a little but ultimately soothes, a gorgeous soundscape that is both painful and joyful at the same time.

he voice of the 1983 soul smash “Love Town” features on these two songs recorded in 1995 but only released now for the first time. Booker Newberry III was an original member of 70s soul group Sweet Thunder (“Everybody’s Singin’ Love Songs”). Mike Stevens is the UK sax player who in the early 90s collaborated and played on productions for Wag ‘Ya’ Tail (a version of “Expansions” released as ‘Xpand Ya Mind’) and Dreaming A Dream (a version of “Mister Magic” with Solar DJ Louie Martin) before joining Take That as a regular musician and Music Director.
In 1995 Booker was visiting the UK and worked on sessions which remained unreleased until now. A cassette of the songs was given to soul DJ Richard Searling in the early 2000s, and his plays over the years has lead to an insatiable appetite for them to come up. “Just Can’t Give You Up” was originally by Mystic Merlin, “I Can’t Forget About You” a soul gem Ronn Matlock first released in 1979, now both given the powerful Booker Newberry III vocal treatment only he could give.

With releases on now legendary labels like Kazumi or Holzplatten the Japanese producer Yamaoka has been rooted in the Techno scene since the late 90s, even though the stylistic range of his entire body of work over the past decades exceeds pure dancefloor functionality by far. Originally released via the Leipzig-based underground label Minor in 2017 the two tracks on this super limited 7“ vinyl release capture a raw, hounded and unpolished high octane take on Techno which is rarely to be found these days with especially the B-side cut „Low“ presenting an absolute peaktime weapon for the adventurous and experienced DJ's out there.
Never officially distributed before and only known and recognized by a few well informed selectors out there this is the first time ever this unrecognized gem is available to a wider audience, albeit in highly limited quantities.
Limited pressing of 100 single copies on blue vinyl.