Cerca:funk inc

With their next carefully curated release, the Opilec Music label begins to shine a light on the roots of Italo with the reissue of an ultra rare and obscure synth Italo disco track by A. Avenue from 1984.

This is a special Record Store Day 2016 release and of course, Opilec Music has remastered the original vocal and instrumental versions and here include I-Robots reconstructions and two Flemming Dalum's reworks.

This is a track many labels wanted, but only Opilec Music have been granted official rights to this cult re-release. Originally released on Discover Records, this is the only EP

A. Avenue (aka Dario Ancona and F. Feleppa) ever put out and it now fetches high prices on Discogs. Once you hear the music, you can understand why: The lovably naive and innocent vocal version is seven minutes of cosmic and psychedelic grooves with perfectly retro melodies and pixelated chords that take you into outer space.

Mid tempo drums are full of funk and drive and the two part vocal—one crisp and clean, one filtered and dehumanised—really lend the whole thing a special robot feel that is second to none. As well as a stripped back instrumental, there is a fine I-Robots Reconstruction that is quicker and more driving.

The vocals are also more prominent, soaring up top above reflective synths and rainy xylophone style melodies. It is a real Italo disco gem that is followed by a spacious and tripped out version from Danish DJ and producer Flemming Dalum, who has been devoted to Italo all his life and works with labels like Mothball, Bordello A Parigi and Disco Modernism.

He also layers in more cowbells, punchy drums and claps that refresh it for a modern club, and buy the EP digitally and you will get a second Dalum edit that is the deepest of the lot - 100% true to the original.

This reissue will make many record collectors and Italo disco fans truly happy, and is just the start of some brilliant new projects to come.

The BTRAX records label is back after few years off, and we are sure that new EP will not disappointed you. We are very proud to put out 1 stunning track made by one of the label artist : Camille Rodriguez from Paris - France.Electronic music drives his life for over 10 years now, he has developed his own style incorporating all his influences. He is passionate about the live, and create that way with synthesizers, sequencers, BAR and samplers... He likes pushing himself sweating behind his machines, improvising at every moment, keeping control of every sound in order to play more intuitively, getting a better communication with the crowd...
'Andalusian 2.0' comes in two guises, the Original Mix which delivers some perfect techno keys and claps over its stomping techno beat, giving it live performance style flavor. The Traumer Remix takes it into darker warehouse territory but still retains the warmth and groove. Kaine's Remix delivering some tough dub techno workouts that still have just the right amount of funk and groove.

Modelisme is proud to welcome the french talented and prolific artist Anaxander we use to
see on labels as Pokerflat, Tasteful Nudes, Quintessential, Local Talk to name a few..
House - Techno moods have no secret for him, and for this 30th release on the label, he
delivers a surprising and solid EP based on House Music mainly.
B1 - « Turn Out » is a great boogie house track, plenty of Disco Funk influences built on a fat
groove with a slight mainstream vocals.
B2 - « Party Track (Midnight In Malmousque Mix) » is an exceptional Slow Deep House
Techno with a slight Soul Electro Funk touch, solid and floating, warm bodies and sunglasses
ready to make dance under early sunrise or smoked club dance floor inside.
A1 - « Party Track (Kai Alce Remix) » remixed by one of Deep House fathers Kai Alce,
NDATL label Boss and author of numerous Eps on Track Mode, Mahogani Music, FXHE,
Deep Explorer.. This superb remix is in classical Deep Chicago House vein, close to some
Glenn Underground works, Jazz Funk influences and subtle grooves.
Already Supported by Jimpster, Ooft, Kelton Prima, Grego G, Jee, Mugwump, Hardrock
Striker, Oyvind Morken, Dj Steef, Jona Saucedo, Michael Zucker, Hydergine, Kriss
Liferecorder, Dawad & Mokic, Virgo Music, La dame Noir & more...

Ebo Taylor is one of Ghana's fnest producer/arrangers. Taylor was heavily infuental in the unique sound that emerged from the country in the 70's; a combinaton of traditonal Ghanaian with Af-
ro-beat, jazz, and funk rhythms.
He worked with bands including Stargazers Band, Broadway Dance Band, Black Star Highlife Band (with Teddy Osei and Sol Amarfo who later joined Osibisa), Apagya Show Band and fellow musicians C.K. Mann, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley and the legendary Pat Thomas.
2016 see's Ebo celebrate his 80th birthday - stll touring! - and we are very proud to release two of his stand-out, classic albums - MY LOVE AND MUSIC and TWER NYAME, following on from the EBO TAYLORand CONFLICT re-issues.
MY LOVE AND MUSIC was originally released in 1975 on Gapophone Records, George Prah's label, hailing from Ghana. Only available in very limited quantty (reportedly 500 copies) due to the musical.

Following two EP releases on Delusions Of Grandeur the time felt right for thatmanmonkz to get working on his debut LP. The Sheffield b-boy is no newcomer to production having been releasing music since the mid-noughties but has seen a definite rise in interest the last few years following essential releases on his own Shadeleaf label as well as remixes and productions for the likes of Classic, Kolour LTD and Kon's StarTime.
With his first musical love being Hip Hop it's easy to understand how his approach to house turns out so refreshing. Inevitably MPC's, big, bold samples, Jay Dee inspired grooves and a raw, underproduced sound all play a big part and never one to shy away from an interesting collaboration he has enlisted the skills of several vocalists including Detroit MC Ta'raach (whose credits include Slum Village and Jill Scott), Erik Rico (collabs include Ron Trent and DJ Spinna), Khalil, Dave Aju, Pete Simpson (as A Brother Is...) and Malik Ameer.
Things kick off with a low-slung soul jam entitled Air featuring Kahil Anthony complete with sparkling Rhodes arps and a dub-wise bassline underpinning a beautifully lazy groove. Jus Anutha Wunna Deez follows with a rough and ready house jam that clearly doffs its cap to those old Sound Signature and Mahogoni Music releases we know and love so much. Next up we have Boogie Down with Erik Rico rocking some Parliament inspired vocal business bringing the feelgood vibes to this rolling P-Funker. Some Ol' Nex' Ish goes for a jazz samba meets house fusion whilst A Fly New Tune goes strictly old school with a classic combo of dusty break, filtered fusion rhodes n bass sample, movie dialogue snippets and a masterful flow delivered by Ta'raach. Dave Aju steps up next on Turn It Out laying down a unison vocal refrain to compliment the bumping disco groove complete with a call and response section for some singalong party participation!
As we continue, Another Night Under The Glitterball sees thatmanmonkz back in familiar territory with a rock solid, deep jazz-house jam. On I Can Hardly Breathe we're treated to a downtempo gospel-infused affair which leads us perfectly into the most bumpy club- friendly track of the LP For Bae. Moon On The Hill is a collaboration with Italian DJ Kali and his Raw Standard crew and treats us to some distinctly mid 90's Kruder and Dorfmeister vibes to zone out to before heading off in an altogether more bonkers, psychedelic dancehall direction on Vampires. Baked is another classy thatmanmonkz take on Hip Hop featuring Malik Ameer on the mic. Take U 2 My House sounds like something Prince might have made in the mid-80's if he'd just come off a 3 day bender at Panorama Bar. And closing the show in perfect style and fashion we have For Those I've Lost Along The Way which is a blunted yet beautifully optimistic number that has echoes of Lonnie Liston Smith and a brilliant spiritual vocal sample which provides the perfect closer to an amazing debut LP.

Over the course of five albums, Manchester based trumpeter, composer, arranger and band-leader Matthew Halsall has carved out a niche for himself on the UK music scene as one of it's brightest talents. His languid, soulful music has won friends from Jamie Cullum and Gilles Peterson to Jazz FM and Mojo as well as an ever-growing international following. His new album Into Forever, puts the spotlight on Halsall the composer, arranger and producer. Halsall draws on a diverse range of influences from Alice Coltrane, Dorothy Ashby, Phil Cohran and Leon Thomas to the more contemporary sounds of The Cinematic Orchestra, Max Richter and Nils Frahm to deliver his most complete recording to date. Into Forever features renowned Manchester based soul poet Josephine Oniyama and rising star vocalist Bryony Jarman-Pinto (Werkha) as well as regular collaborators, flautist Lisa Mallett, harpist Rachael Gladwin, koto player Keiko Kitamura, pianist Taz Modi, bassist Gavin Barras and drummer Luke Flowers (The Cinematic Orchestra) and two percussionists Sam Bell and Chris Cruiks. The result is arguably Halsall's finest record, asublime melding of stripped back soulful funk and deep, minimalist, spiritual jazz, that will take you on a journey deep into forever!

Confirmed reviews Mojo, BBC Music Mag, Jazzwise, Record Collector Independent On Sunday, Guardian, Quietus, all main jazzy blogs, Airplay from Jamie Cullum, Gilles Peterson, 6 Music, Jazz Line-up, Patrick Forge, Ross Allen and many more

9 date national tour including Liverpool Capstone Theatre Oct 1, Bristol St Georges Oct 15, Manchester St Peter's Church Oct 23, St Mary's Hastings Oct 28 and London Union Chapel Oct 29 plus Uber Jazz Hamburg Oct 31

This deluxe overview Of Boston's creative jazz scene is presented as a double LP Set, packaged in deluxe box with each piece of vinyl housed in its own euro-style glossy jacket. Also Included is an 8 ½ x 5 ½, 80 page book documenting the rich history of the music with in-depth analyses and photos. Check!
In the 1970s Boston was a fertile ground for a very creative jazz scene. Small, independent venues ranging from lofts to churches to clubs opened up to support this thriving backdrop while jazz musicians set up their own labels. One man was there through it all, playing music and documenting the musical landscape. His name was Mark Harvey and here is his story....

Mark Harvey and Deano Sounds pulled together the most comprehensive package of Boston
Jazz released to date. The album has been assembled as a deluxe package that includes, in
addition to the music, an 80-page book documenting the rich history of this music scene with in-depth analyses and photos of the jazz musicians involved.
The music on this album is culled from rare private press Jazz LPs that were pressed in small
quantities of a few hundred for members of the band and the local jazz community at the time.
The music here runs the gamut of funky jazz from Arnie Cheatham's "Thing" to the deep free jazz
of the Phill Musra Group or the spoken word brilliance of Worlds, to the complex metric structures of Stanton Davis' "Play Sleep." This is a collection of very rare eccentric jazz pieces for your
enjoyment!

Madeira-born Robert S makes his Konstruktiv debut after appearances on Sleaze, Arts, Planet Rhythm and his own Robert Limited imprint.

Moderna is straight shooting techno, hard-hitting with hints of rolling funk and a bleak contrast to the sun-drenched Portuguese setting that saw its inception.

The synth stabs of EP opener Moderna steadily rise and open up, driving the track forward while low-slung drums keep the beat in check. Label-boss Rekord 61 drops in on A2 with his remix of the title-track. The original stabs take an aerial backseat and a compact beat powers through vapor and wear.

Trilha Acida sets things straight from the first second on the flip. A threatening acid line pummels the listener with mechanical consistency while a startling chord rehearses a monosyllabic monologue. Black Jocker, the fourth and final cut closes on a dystopian note, with austere drums and a dark souvenir triggering arpeggiator.

'Sidetracking - Part 1: Prologue' is the first vinyl taste of Jona's de- but album project for Alex Niggemann's forward-thinking AEON la-bel. The musical puzzle will be completed in February 2016 with the release of a second vinyl instalment, featuring 6 more original tracks, and the full 10-track album on CD format. Created over the course of two highly creative years, the concept for 'Sidetracking' was for Jona to invite some of his musician and producer friends to collaborate with him in the studio and compli- ment his album's solo productions. This impressive coming together (to be fully revealed over the coming months) features Varoslav (Rue de Plaisance, Paris), Usio (Studio Barnhus), David K (Cocoon), Bo- livian percussionist Daniel Aguilar, Italian pianist Giovanni Verga, and Edinburgh-based producer The Reverse Engineer. Driven by his desire to explore new sound perspectives and ideas, Jona has carefully forged his career path by consistently creating exciting and forward-thinking music. His previous label outings: 'Traffic' on 'Lost Tapes Volume 1' (AEON010) and 'Gemini EP' (AE- ON016) have seen him fine-tune his own unique sound. By incor- porating a wide range of styles into his tracks, Jona strives to break down unnecessary boundaries and explores new ideas and ways to ignite that hallowed dancefloor flame. It is therefore no wonder that his collaborative creations for 'Sidetracking' have yielded such stimulating aural delights. Fittingly, the album prologue opens with a track whose style is heav- ily influenced by the jazz music that Jona was so in love with dur- ing his formative years. Calling on the somewhat mysterious Usio (whose 'Kuwa Huru' LP on Studio Barnhus should be checked by everyone) to join him in a studio jam, has resulted in 'The Chase', an utterly compelling afro-beat influenced percussive groove, topped with swirling funk-fuelled stabs and strings, mesmerising chiming piano, and a large helping of pure, hip-swinging goodness. Taking 'The Chase' on an entirely different and yet perfectly com- plimentary twisted trip, AEON family members Simone Sinatti and Marco Paladin (aka Speaking Minds) conjure up a futuristic technoid disco demon that is all about throbbing energy, sweat, darkness and hissing smoke machines - perfect ingredients for an unforget- table strobelight serenade. Changing the mood entirely and cutting the tempo to a dublicious skank, 'Transmission Breakdown' sees Jona's experimental creative juices in full flow, as he teams up with Edinburgh-based digital com- poser and sound artist Dave House (aka The Reverse Engineer) for a delightfully hazy downtempo jam. Both as an artist and a DJ, Manchester's Marcus Intalex has been at the forefront of soulful, musical drum & bass for what seems like forever. A passion for techno has always run deeply through his music and under his Trevino moniker he is also a powerful creative force (check his recent 'Front' album to get the full picture). Here, he takes 'Transmission Breakdown' on a magical excursion, filled with subtle, hypnotic, evolving energy, anchored with an irresistible pul- sating bassline throb - a perfectly synergetic interpretation to round off Jona's 'Sidetracking' album prologue in style.

Welcome to the new output of HueHelix. For our 4th vinyl release, Tomohiko Sagae represents his interpretation of HueHelix along with an awesome Makaton Blood Alone Mix. Tomohiko mixes several elements up including: dark, dirty, strong, harsh, distorted, funky, rocking aspects. No matter what BPM you play, all tracks keep the unique groove and atmosphere that only Tomohiko can create. Makaton completely reconstructs 'Abducted' to make it extraordinary crazy. Stay tuned for the next vinyl releases, you won't be disappointed.

This is France in the Mitterrand years: fashions fleet as fast as governments. In the early eighties, the happy-go-lucky gather the nectar of each and every new release.
Believing in a bright future for videotex, and loosened up by the sexy talks broadcasted on the budding pirate radios, the new generation dreams of dance floors and holiday clubs. French Boogie, which preserves the spirit of these years of boodle and bunkum, is the ideal soundtrack to their dreams.

What the web now refers to as French Boogie is some synthetic funk reflecting the spirit of those days when nothing was impossible, or so it seemed. Its syncopated flow heralded the dawning of French rap. Often considered as some kind of post-disco, inspired as much by black music as by new wave, this carefree pop music with bawdy lyrics indulged in simple pleasures: holidays, swank and sun were recurrent themes. Totally in tune with its time, it incidentally glorified luxury, success, and a certain consumerism embodied, for instance, in Bernard Tapie.

In popular clubs such as La Main Bleue in Montreuil, or L'Echappatoire in Clichy-sous-Bois - where Micky Milan could be seen behind the decks - an enthusiastic audience discovered this new sonic wave, influenced as much by French pop as by Sugar Hill Gang or Kurtis Blow. The artists who first launched the movement engaged in it wholeheartedly, but as often the case with new music trends in France, humour and casualness quickly became a decoy to impose a new style. This explosive mixture, in which startling and typically Frenchy French lyrics go along New-York-style tunes, is sometimes reminiscent of the kinky comedies directed by Max Pécas or Claude Zidi. On this prolific scene, partly originating from the Jewish community, everybody was looking for success, trying to hit the jackpot with what was to hand. Famous media personalities, one-hit wonders or John Does in quest of fame, all had a go at French Boogie - more or less successfully. Apart from « Vacances j'oublie tout » by Elégance, « Un fait divers et rien de plus » by Le Club, or « Chacun fait ce qui lui plaît » by Chagrin d'amour (produced by Patrick Bruel), very few songs became hits: the story of funk in France is that of a half-baked robbery.

In this myriad of new musicians, the very young François Feldman and Phil Barney pioneered a fresh and hybrid style. Other well-known artists like Gérard Blanc from Martin Circus (Attaché Case), Richard de Bordeaux (Ich), or Jean-Pierre Massiera (Anisette, Pirate Scratch Band, Mandrake, Scratch Man...) added an eccentric touch to this sound-wave, making it often entertaining, and sometimes showy.

Capture d'écran 2015-10-26 à 12.55.43Singers like Agathe (the author of 'La Fourmi' and of the hit song 'Je ne veux pas rentrer chez moi seule') were far more than just window dressing. They even tried to give an ironic and subversive twist to this rather harmless genre. The very vindictive rebel Gérard Vincent shared in this spirit, but as a whole, French Boogie became associated with nonchalance and sauciness. Thus, Stéphane Collaro, Gérard Jugnot, Alain Gillot Pétré and other TV clowns would clumsily contribute to this French variation on funky sounds. In a few but intense years, French Boogie gave all the tips to party with style.

If some hits made it possible for the happy few to get a real house under truly exotic palm trees, the wave actually ebbed away very quickly, leaving quite a few musicians stranded on the shore. Whether they were sincerely motivated, or simply opportunistic, they had failed. In 1984, French Boogie was already breathless, and got merged with other genres: on the one hand, rap and breakdance adapted its flow to a more urban world, especially with Sydney's show, H.I.P.H.O.P, and Dee Nasty's broadcasts on Radio Nova; on the other, italo, new beat and house began to rule over dance floors, even more strongly asserting the will to develop music for clubs.

Squeezed in between the age of disco and that of modern electronic music, French Boogie was a transitional phase, but it remains an amazingly refreshing testimony to the intermingling of pop and underground cultures. The genre was hastily categorized as anecdotal in spite of its pioneering synthetic groove and matchless bass lines. An attentive ear will discover the poetry of the ephemeral beyond the eccentricities of the genre, as well as a certain unexpected avant-gardism. At the origin of major music trends, always cheerful and catchy, French Boogie is what you need to party.

We have released several of Brazilian jazz legend Dom Salvador's records on Mr Bongo. He worked with artists including as Elis Regina, Jorge Ben and Edu Lobo and led Salvador Trio, as well as releasing under his own name. Dom lives in New York and plays a Hotel piano bar daily.'Barumba' is an uptempo funk-jazz monster with heavy drums and piano right from the off. Soaring horns add to the drama.Originally released on his self titled LP on CBS Brazil in 1974.

'Morre o burro, Fica o Homem' is the third Osmar Milito track to feature in our Brazil 45's series. A classic samba-rock track; funk drums fills and punchy horns underpin the MPB vocals, building in tempo slightly over the track. The song was originally written by Jorge Ben.Taken from his expensive and hard to find 'Nem Paletó, Nem Gravata' LP released on ATCO Brazil in 1973.r

Tom Ze - Jimmy Renda-se

Ze's 'Jimmy Renda-se' is instantly recognisable thanks to the driving lead
guitar intro and funk drums; Tropicalia at it's finest. The track is taken from
his 1970 self-titled LP. As sampled by Ameriie on 'Take Control' and recently
included in the soundtrack to 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E'.


Jorge Ben - Take it Easy My Brother Charlie

We thought it was time to release this all-time classic samba-rock/MPB song by
Jorge Ben, also known as 'Take It Easy My Brother Charles'. Taken from his
self-titled 1969 LP on Philips Brazil and also released on a 7' EP the year
before.

Sampled by Drumagick on their Drum & Bass big hitter 'Easy Boom'.

Absence Seizure Is a new Limited Edition vinyl NYC imprint. Brought to you by NYC's own Matuss and Abe Duque. This EP includes four beautiful late night tracks, deep and hypnotic, with a bit of dark funky spice. Musical art combined with one of a kind Rorschach artwork by Anastasia Podolskaya. Deep Techno, Soulful Minimal, Shallow House, Mesmerizing Music, Absence Seizure!

Alex from Tokyo presents new label world famous debut release from Tokyo Black Star - Edo Express EP out in October, 2015


Paris-born, Tokyo-raised, New York-based international eclectic French DJ, music producer and sound designer Alex from Tokyo is very excited to announce the October 2015 launch of his record label 'world famous" with a new Tokyo Black Star EP (the first release in three years)!


The four different straight up house music club tracks here on the "Edo Express EP" showcase Alex from Tokyo's versatile and funky DJ style and come from a very special fun jam session that took place in January 2015 at Isao's Tokyo Black Star and phonon studio with the help of their great musician/analog equipment otaku friend Kenichi Takagi leading to Kenichi san officially becoming the third Tokyo Black Star member, bringing along some of his favorite old, new and handmade (modular) synths into the mix.


The stunning artwork for the release is done by long-time collaborator the very talented New York based Japanese artist Tomokazu Matsuyama, who has been creating the Tokyo Black Star visual identity since their first release on Innversions in 2005.


Working in harmony with music partner and sound/mastering engineer Isao Kumano in Tokyo, Alex from Tokyo formed Tokyo Black Star in 2000 while remixing Big Moses feat. Jan'elle's house classic "For you" for Kerri Chandler's label Bassmental records. Since then Tokyo Black Star has released five EPs including the first-ever release on high-profile Berlin label Innversions (the "Psyche Dance EP," 2005) and their full length debut album 'Black Ships' (April 2009, also on Innervisions), an EP on DJ Deep's Deeply Rooted House label and remixes for artists like Tony Allen (P-Vine records Japan, 1999), Carl Craig (Psyche 'Neurotic Behavior' on Planet E, 2011), Phenomenal Handclap Band (Tummy Touch Records, 2013), Bing Ji Ling (Lovemonk), and Kuniyuki (mule music), and among others.


Always looking for new challenges and sonic adventures, in the summer of 2010 the Tokyo Black Star duo were joined by top Japanese audio professionals at Isao's studio in Tokyo, leading to the creation of a new 'revolutionary' audio brand called phonon , which makes exceptional pro-audio equipment for studio and DJ use.


Tokyo Black Star's last release, in 2013, was a special musical contribution called "X" for a unique celebratory 10th anniversary compilation for Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas fashion brand Y-3. Alex from Tokyo co-directed the exclusive compilation


world famous will be presenting a wide range of dance floor and eclectic music by Tokyo Black Star, Alex from Tokyo's collaborative projects with other artists and his affiliated japanese and international connections! Mastering for all releases will be done by Isao Kumano.

Toby Tobias has been responsible for some fine quality music over the past 10 years with labels such as Rekids, Nang, Let's Play House and Quintessentials all dropping his unique brand of raw, analogue house and techno. A DJ's DJ who always seems to pull out a lesser known gem and make it sound like a classic, Toby knows his music as well as his studio, inside out. We've been proud to deliver three EP's from him on Delusions but we all felt the time was right for a full length, especially considering that 7 years have passed since his debut LP Space Shuffle on Rekids. Toby fully embraced the scope and breadth that an LP affords a producer, holing up in his Hackney studio and losing himself in his machines. Rising Son is the result of those sessions and it's brilliant!

From the opening machine funk of The Wonder featuring vocals from Atwell we can hear that Toby is quite sure about the direction he's taken for the LP. 808 beats bring vintage electro vibes whilst Atwell's vocal hints at the golden era of Chicago house, adding a soulful touch to the rigid groove. Love Affair continues the theme of off-world utopia where the droids have a heart and soul and sing torch songs of love lost, the Moroder-esque influences bringing a retro sheen to the LP. As we continue through tracks such as Sloflava and Sending Signals we find blissful, downtempo jams which perfectly soundtrack this imagined night time world which Toby seems so happy to immerse himself and his listeners in.

I Robot follows, providing the one cover version on the LP from the Alan Parsons Project as well as being an LP defining focal point. A track which shows that when the machines are working for you, it could just be a perfect world. But Broken Computer soon shows us what can happen when things go wrong. Incidentally, this is from a genuine computer crash which Toby managed to capture using his phone. A beautiful glitch in the system which spewed out such a mournful noise and a very happy accident that would be completely impossible to create if you set out to try.

As we continue we're treated to the likes of Friday Analogue Jam, Whisper It and Weird Danger, all echoing bleeps, squelching bass notes, heavenly pads and precision beats. In some ways we get a feeling of a land that time forgot, in others something of sublime beauty and futurism. That Toby can paint pictures with his music in this way speaks volumes, knowing instinctively when to draw out a mood or feeling or flip things on their head to command your attention and beg another listen. And another.....

Streetlight Soul' is the inaugural release on new imprint Gnosis. This four track EP is the fifth Myriadd record, following 12"s for Crème organization, Pinkman and Signals. The past decade has seen releases from the artist under a variety of pseudonyms including Acid Phreex (Djax-Up-Beats), Mantra (Bunker, Abstract Acid, Solar One Music) and Monofonix (Iwari, Cataclyst). Across the EP, Myriadd remoulds the template of vintage Chicago house, acid and deep house into his vision of modern house music. Opening with 'Midnight Obsession'; working a dark hypnotic bassline into an endless groove of crisp jacking drums and soul stirring melody, all primed for maximum effect at 4AM when lost in the smoke and strobes. 'Visions Of Love' is driven by a Juno bassline, a classic palette of tumbling, infectiously funky drums, warm, enveloping synth atmospherics and elevated by lush, celestial string work which comes off like some fantasy Mr Fingers + Virgo psychedelic jam. The EP's titular track goes deeper into the night with 909 claps, off-kilter snare hits, melancholy synth and ethereal melodies that ascend and dissolve into neon clouds. Closer 'Back To Nature' is a trip into blissed out, tropical house sounding like a lost Balearic classic re-tweaked for the 21st Century..

Cadenza Records displays a deft touch in showcasing new talent, just as much as it leans on its core of established producers. The 'Split' EP shines a bright light on the musical endeavors of Enrico Gasperini AKA gAs, and fellow Italian, Lino Pugliese. One side of vinyl each, and gAs opens up Side A with 'Rack Attack', its woody hits and scattering hi-hats holding a solid groove whilst gentle keys entwine a melodic touch with a stuttering synth riff that's designed to circulate around the brain. Splashes of cymbals and white noise provide the all important drama as the track rises to a crescendo. Enrico's second contribution, 'Agogo', keeps up the ante with another slice of exquisite house grooves. The inner-city street ambience opening gives way to an undeniably funky rhythm track, incessant spongy stabs and frenzied percussion that makes this one a sure fire winner. Over on Side B, Lino Pugliese gets to flex his sonic palette after recent releases on Cadenza Lab and Memento. 'Banging On Your Door' takes its time to unfurl; a percussive swing not too dissimilar to the Stones' 'Sympathy For The Devil' sets the tone magnificently, as low frequency synth sweeps and distant vocal effects build, the kick drum jolting the track into life with bursts of furry snares and handclaps. More ambient soaked business on 'Aniwama' as Lino forges melodious piano and clanging ride cymbals with low end sonics as the track deconstructs as quickly as it builds, tearing up the arrangement rule books to create a unique cut that can perform as a mood-setting piece just as well as a peak time genre-shifter.

Over the past few decades, there has been a seismic shift in Brazil's musical landscape. A plethora of varying musical undergrounds has developed across the nation. While Rio and São Paulo have been overwhelmed with networks of talented musicians for a long time, creative life is now bursting all over the country. Amplificador exists to document and propagate the wonderfully diverse music currently blossoming from Brazil's vivacious and geographically varied musical undergrounds. Presenting an up-to date insight into Brazilian music, this compilation draws together some of the components of 'Novíssima Música Brasileira' (brand new Brazilian music), ranging from afro-grooves to rock, to modern samba and MPB. The music reaches back across Brazil's incredibly rich musical and cultural traditions, while also taking in influence from other movements around the globe.



Having begun life in 2012 as a Brazilian music blog run by Marcelo Monteiro, Eduardo Rodrigues, Mateus Campos, and Ricardo Calazans, the aim of Amplificador is to document and propel to wider audiences, Brazilian music of the '00s and '10s generation. This is a task made more significant by obvious changes in the way music is consumed. 'People are no longer obliged to listen to what the radio and TV are presenting. There is a whole new generation that wants to listen to new bands and new sounds and we try to connect those bands with other bands, producers, fans and even the mainstream.' These changes in technology and the way music is discovered and shared have developed parallel to the proliferation of these emerging scenes. The ostensible decentralization of the music industry means the promoting and filtering work of journalists and blogs, like Amplificador, have become increasingly important, as people try to keep up with the tsunami of new music and media flooding the country on a daily basis.



Marcelo uses the example of the Mangue Beat movement to explain a trend in contemporary Brazilian music that looks both inwards, to Brazil's own musical traditions and outwards, to movements around the world to create a novel, localised identity: 'The 90's Pernambuco art-social movement was inspired by Coco, Maracatu and Forró all mixed with modern riffs and grooves. The mythical

revolutionary Chico Science, his Nação Zumbi, Mundo Livre, Siba, and many others do this blend perfectly. There are also the references to the older generations and masters - Gil, Caetano, Luiz Gonzaga, João Gilberto, Tim Maia, Jorge Benjor - as a constant inspiration for all bands.' This is very much the case for the Brazilian artists of today.



Music is unquestionably informed by place. Brazil has always been famed for its regional differences in this sense. Indeed there are still pronounced variations between the scenes of Rio, Sao Paulo, Natal, Goiânia, Belo Horizonte and Belém for example, there are also great divergences within cities and while technology has brought changes to the way musical influences are shared, there are cultural differences, rooted in folkloric traditions, that aren't going away. Expressing his appreciation for this fact, while highlighting the potential of Brazil's spread of musical flavours, Marcelo explains that 'what we have now is new ingredients to make an even better mixture.'

This compilation heavily features music from a scene in Brazil's current musical make-up, which draws inspiration from African music, particularly Afro-beat music. Abayomy Afrobeat Orchestra from Rio formed because of their shared love of the music of Fela Kuti, uniting initially in 2009 for a jam session in his honour. But what sets Abayomy apart from other groups of a similar nature, is the fact that their sound also brings with it the songs and rhythms of candomblé. In this sense, Abayomy was the first band of its kind. The thirteen members of the orchestra have a palpable current of Rio's musical heritage - its rhythms and culture - running through them. So while their sound is distinctly African, it is also inherently Brazilian. Similarly, Zebrabeat Afro-Amazônia Orquestra draw upon traditional guitarradas and carimbos from the state of Pará and fuse these with the poly-rhythms of Afrobeat to create another regional hybrid, which stays true to both its Amazonian and African roots, yet which results in a very fresh, Brazilian sound. From Belo Horizonte (capital of Minas Gerais), Iconilli are another key band on Brazil's Afro-groove scene. With influences as varied as funk, jazz and psychedelic rock, congado, mining harmonies, maracatu, coco, ijexá, carimbó, Iconilli somehow manage to balance all of these sounds in such a way that makes it impossible to pin them down. From the Northeastern city of Joao Pessao, Parayba, Burro Morto's pshychadelic afro sound leans more towards rock and funk influences, with hint of regional Brazilian rhythms such as frevo and forro. They add another flavour to the Brazilian afro-groove scene: just one of the many exciting facets of Novíssima Música Brasileira.



While African-inspired music features heavily on the compilation, it is just one of the many styles within. Ive Seixas has a fresh approach to MPB, based on traditional rhythms and instrumentation, punctuated by a pop sensibility, coupled with a powerful female vocal. As an artist she is a product of a 'Do It Yourself' outlook to creativity, taken from her love of rock growing up. In 2013 she embarked on a project of street performance: wandering, like a lonely troubadour with just her guitar. Ive and her project began to gain notoriety and shortly after, her first EP was recorded, featuring some important names of South Rio's underground scene. 'Cervejas Populares' taken from the EP, is a beautiful, sombre piece of modern Brazilian pop, with a traditional samba rhythm. Another artist of the new MPB scene is Fabricio, from the city of Vitoria, who's 'Feito Tamborim' melds rock and funk and is also clearly reminiscent of the old Brazilian masters. It's an appreciation for the national musical heritage, alongside a keen ear for melody and an acceptance of foreign influences that results in these promising new sounds of Brazilian MPB.

Sao Paulo's super group of the underground 'Passo Torto' have been at the helm of an emerging scene in the city: an innovative approach to samba which draws in and experiments with afro grooves, jazz melodies and rock structures. Their sound is naturally very Brazilian, but the nylon twang of Faira Lima Pra Ca, interspersed with ominous strings and light rolling percussion, seems reminiscent of Captain Beefheart or Tom Waits, as the band lament their frustrations with their native city through their music.



The Future of Novíssima Música Brasileira looks very bright. The main challenge (and purpose of this album) is to get the music beyond Brazil's underground and into view of international audiences. In the last 10 years this goal has become somewhat more attainable, as the Brazilian government has begun to see the internationalisation of the nation's culture as a strategic objective, with public projects gaining increased investment and backing. The continuing project of Amplificador is to reinforce this international bridge by writing, filtering and promoting the scene as a whole. There is a wealth of great music currently blooming in Brazil and using new media tools, Marcelo and the team, alongside many others, will passionately continue to get the voices of Brazil's underground heard.

marc philipp & nils weimann are back on pleasure zone #17!
we're happy for the boys about this great ep. on top they present us funk e as remixer for the "prerom" track. strong package!

Originally released in Japan only, back in 1979, Prone is considered by most aficionados to be Ned Doheny's crowning glory. Even better than the superlative Hard Candy. So quite why this AOR/soft-funk gem has not been available legitimately on vinyl for over 35 years is anyone's guess.

To celebrate 'Be With Ned' - the West Coast maestro's first ever tour of the UK and Europe in March 2015 - Be With Records proudly present the first ever officially licensed reissue of this forgotten-funk classic. What makes this release truly special is the inclusion of the full-vocal version of jazz-funk classic To Prove My Love. It's the version of Prone that everybody has been waiting for.

Produced again by the legendary Steve Cropper, Prone's super-smooth grooves showcase Ned's beautifully laid-back vocals, virtuoso playing and forever-wry lyricism. Aside from To Prove My Love, it boasts some of Doheny's most under-appreciated tracks: witness the slickness of Think Like A Lover, Guess Who's Lookin' For Love Again and Funky Love.

Pressed on audiophile 180gram vinyl and featuring the original artwork for both jacket and lyric-insert, this limited reissue is one to treasure.

Giant 45 returns with 2 well-crafted reworks.
A side is 80's boogie funk at its best reworked and timed up for perfect dj mixing. On the flip we have a much sought after Japanese boogie classic reworked in the same way.
Limited 7 inch pressing so act fast.

Beyond Time is the first album by acclaimed experimental group 23 Skidoo in fifteen years, released in a special double disc edition combining the soundtrack music to 2011 documentary film Beyond Time, and a DVD of the film itself.
Directed by Alex Turnbull and Pete Stern, Beyond Time is a journey into the life and work of artist William Turnbull, from his modest roots as the son of a Dundee shipyard engineer to his standing as one of the world's most highly regarded modern sculptors. Narration is by Jude Law. 'An insightful, irreverent documentary, yet with a palpable sense of purpose' said the Daily Telegraph, with the Guardian confirming that'William Turnbull helped change the way we see art today.'
The soundtrack music is performed by 23 Skidoo. Formed in 1979 as industrial, post-punk and funk genres coalesced, the group included Bill Turnbull's sons Alex and Jonny together with Fritz Catlin and Peter 'Sketch' Martin. As well as new music, the accomplished score features re-worked versions of older material. 'Johnny and I thought 23 Skidoo's anti-commercial tendencies came from a punk sensibility,' explains Alex. 'But it turns out we had a genetic predisposition to anti-establishment practices. Bill was a polymath at a time when that was a dirty word, shifting between sculpture and painting and putting both in a symbiotic relationship. Now crossing boundaries is everywhere: think of hip-hop. The name of the band referenced a William Burroughs short story. Burroughs used, as we did, cut-up techniques, collaging and sampling. We were oblivious to the fact that a lot of that aesthetic was in what Bill did until I made the film.'
Both the CD and vinyl versions of Beyond Time include a Region 0 NTSC format DVD of the documentary film (with bonus features), but feature different artwork. The CD/DVD package features a portrait of Bill by photographer Ida Carr, while the vinyl/DVD version features a detail from 05 by William Turnbull (oil on canvas, 1959) printed on matt reverse board.

Imagined as a sharp contrast and complement to Funn City's trashy vintage vibes, Darshan Jesrani's new Cylinder moniker sets out to explore the more streamlined, forward-facing side of Startree's vision, while sacrificing none of the warmth or funk of its classic influences. 'Disco Engine' is a futuristic joyride which draws upon late 80s and early 90s techno vibes as much as it does disco and R&B to produce a groove which is warmly insistent, buoyant, sexy and a little menacing. Ruthless, detuned 808 toms and a punchy, round analog bass synth provide a floor you can push the gas pedal to. A greasy, giddy synth rhythm holds the middle down like a session guitarist when rent is due, and ecstatic choral synth pads and vocals by Chelsea Adewunmi soar just above the horizon. Underground dance music with the top way down. Side B's '4-Stroke Dub' works a more DJ-oriented angle around that 808 and juxtaposes parts which do not play together in the original, creating a track which is subtly driving and every bit as engaging. The gorgeous, understated vocal refrain in the middle is a destination you will have been happy to go the extra distance to reach. Startree is happy to present its second release as a continuing statement of its musical intentions and its simple desire for all to have a really good time.

strong 7 vinyl bundle including artists Donk Boys, Toolman, Abnormal Boys, Tony Matt, Franceso Grant, Dj Emerson, Martin Woerner and more.

Reset Robot returns to Truesoul all guns firing with his new EP, 'Rain'. 'Rain' incorporates Reset Robot's signature sound and delivers 4 outstanding tracks that form an incredible EP.

Throughout the EP there is a sense of tension that is created through the eerie pads and synths combining to create different rhythms to keep the listener on their toes. Using percussive sounds, Reset Robot has built rolling tech house with layers of funk that will keep floors moving through to the early morning hours.

Hubie Davison returns to Leisure System December 1st, 2014 with the Khayyam Grey EP, his second release for the Berlin-based label and one that marks both his and Leisure System's funkiest output to date.Following on his 2013 debut of pastoral electronics and muffled house, Khayyam Grey highlights Davison's vivid production skills, drawing from a deep well of influences varying from Werkdiscs and Sound Signature to Bill Withers and Otis Redding. The three tracks here are also the strongest representative document yet of the 26-year-old Davison's DJing, which incorporates all manner of memorable house and assorted wonkiness and has seen him play in Panorama Bar, Corsica Studios, and Gaité Lyrique in Paris amongst numerous others.The title track takes cues from Daphni's stand-up-and-shout, sample-heavy house, while "Get On" is a comparatively restrained yet incredibly funky mid-tempo number. "Vowels", which first appeared as the opening track on the LSR-LSD1 compilation, appears here in extended and altered form, breaking down vocals on a syllabic level from smooth to percussive.These three tracks of addictive house have been on constant rotation at Leisure System for the past few months - it's high time everyone else joined the party

Now part of the family for more than a year, TvFrom86 aka Thomas Zander is releasing his 1st solo EP on the imprint. Tvfrom86 did a brilliant debut on Roche Musique with the single 'Loosing you' including the very good electro funk song 'Brooklyn Business'.

Keeping the good work and the talent for sampling, TvFrom86 explored the funk with dexterity and exactness in Purple People adding just what the sample needed to sublimate it and make it as powerful as it deserves to be. Creative Swing Alliance, side project of the talented label manager for MCDE, Pablo Valentino, and Steven Wobblejay, gave their own interpretation with and heavier bass and no less efficiency.

S3A was invited on the project for the rework of Flying Piano, the third original of the release. The French producer, very proactive at the moment with releases on Lazare Hoche, Hold Youth, Faces, Large Musique and more, definitely didn't steel his nickname. S3A Is telling us three stories in one with a rough analogic sound for an impressive result.

Efficient DJ tool, perfect to turn a dance floor into a mess, By all means combines great rhythmic, samples and voices around a bass guitar for the last original of this French touch record.

After their very large re-make of 'Dinosaur's 'Kiss Me Again' on Volume 2, Pablo and Shoey go straight for the jugular again here, extending an old housed up bootleg version of Eddie Kendricks' 'Keep On Truckin' into 8 minutes of dancefloor devastation.
Pre- Discogs, pre MP3's of everything ever recorded on the 'net, this little gem was one of the most potent secret weapons for The Unabombers in the heyday of Electric Chair. Some old fashioned, dusty crates digging by Pablo turned it up - now the world gets to have a listen !

Also included in the package is Detroit legend Terrence Parker and his deep, shimmering 1996 house classic 'Your Love', an after hours staple for the DTS boys since year dot.
Drenched in a hypnotic organ loop and a beautiful, tender vocal, it's house music with a warm heart and a sharp kick, perfect for a 'Let's All Have A Hug' moment at 5am !

Pink marble vinyl / Sleeve artwork by ' The 'Warm'
Friendly Feeling Embodied in a Red-Pink One 1961 by Mcdermott & McGough.

ISNISNT offers it's second release of forward leaning electronics with a diverse group of modern techno from label head Jesse Siminski. Acting under his Heartthrob guise, Jesse initiates the release with 'Someone Called Again' a tough, but funky, bass driven tune that marries detailed production with his signature ominous melodies to great effect. Subtle modulating percussion work against harder, swung snare and synthetic drums workouts, as surprising analog synth bursts glue things together. Building smoothly into a headfirst groove, the track pressurizes and never loses it's drive as heady synth riffs keep things musical and emotionally interesting. In an even funkier tangent the two mixes of 'Cougar Juice' draw together an irresistible bass line with pushing breakbeats and precise synth stabs. These horn like synthesizer bursts mark surprising turns and recall similar moments in classic Hip-Hop jams or even tracks from Detroit's Anthony Shakir or Robert Hood- two of Jesse's production heroes. The 'Driving Past the Jail Mix' incorporates these synth stabs hypnotically within the melodic structure, while the 'Reduced Dub Mix' dials things back and focuses on the bass line, drums and dubbed out flourishes. With their funk driven momentum constantly moving forward, either mix will bring something unique to either a house or techno set. And finally 'Let Them Go' rounds out the group in a deep, yet still driving fashion. It splices sub bass pulses, a melancholic synth atmosphere, absurd bleeps and submerged voices amongst stripped down drums into a steadily building hybrid cut- not quite house and not really techno.

Their release on Kompakt at the tail end of last year was a big record for me and this follow-up has been getting incredible reactions in my sets. We're excited to bring it to you on Systematic as our #99 and keep a look out for the limited white transparent vinyl. Enjoy." - Marc Romboy

Monika Kruse - 'Rainer and Namito are two of the nicest guys in this business plus good producers! Well done again! Will play all.'

Kiki - 'Machine funk freakout! Should be a big one, as the last one!'

Huxley - 'Zick is a flipping MONSTER!! AHHH YESSSSS!!!!'

Claude VonStroke - 'it's a great record. I've been playing it for like 10months already.'

ZDS (Zombie Disco Squad) - 'Zack sounds like a chilled out Vitalic. I like it and will be giving it a spin.'

Sinden - 'These are fun tracks, also really liked their Kompakt release. Can't wait to play these.'

Tom Findlay (Groove Armada) - 'Well I absolutely love both cuts.....its everything you'd ever want from a Systematic release and more.'

Justin Martin - 'Zack definitely sounds like a fun track to me.. Looking forward to trying this one!'

Baptise & Pierre Colleu
French brothers Baptiste & Pierre Colleu have been making music together since they were children. They spent a chunk of their childhood in Africa, which they say has inspired their work in the studio. That influence is submerged fairly deep on 'Dolphin Kid,' the title track for these two EPs. There's an undercurrent of eerie soulfulness and woody percussion accents running through this oddly alluring cosmic-house seducer, but its roots are more Balearic than Afrobeat.

The five remixes of 'Dolphin Kid' enhance the Colleu brothers' original in incrementally fascinating ways. On 'Coyote's Intense Mix,' the respected UK duo augment the laid-back rhythm with nuanced 303 twangs and boldface the hand percussion to magnify its latent funkiness. L.I.E.S. recording artist Willie Burns slows 'Dolphin Kid''s pace to a majestic, hollowed-out, dub-funk strut. It's unfathomably deep. Seattle tech-house maverick Jon McMillion serves up the most twisted, sinister version here, warping the main synth part into a disorienting swirl of borborygmi while intensifying the rhythmic urgency and expanding the sound palette. The second EP concludes with two masterly remixes by Black Merlin. His 'Romance in the Dark Mix' turns 'Dolphin Kid' into a chilling, Goblin-esque piece of dungeon ambience. But it's Merlin's nearly 13-minute 'Peyote Mix' that really reels in the cinematic magic, as he launches the cut even deeper into the black, adding thrusting, throbbing disco kicks and enough horror/thriller-film soundtrack signifiers to give John Carpenter a perma-grimace. Poor 'Dolphin Kid' has come to a gory, but very exciting end.

Traversing with an understated technical assuredness, the ambitious shapes of Steely Dan, the popping lounge funk of McDonald era Doobie Brothers, the sweet mourning of the Stylistics and Delfonics, and the exquisite song-craft and flawless harmonising of CSNY, Daniel Collas (The Phenomenal Handclap Band), Bart Davenport and Quinn Luke aka Bing Ji Ling have recorded an absolute darling of an album under the name Incarnations. They are three friends with enough musical guises, side-projects, collaborations and production jobs to fill the annual itinerary of your average musician twice over. When three CVs like these get together on a regular basis, it's only logical they speculate and hypothecate on the possibility of an album together. But, how to make those congested diaries synchronise? Bart lives in Oakland and Quinn and Daniel are in New York, all three of them are on tour for the better part of the year. One sunny day in Madrid, Spain, a plan was hatched and a proposal was made. Lovemonk, a small, eclectic and affable Spanish label, dangled the carrot that clinched the deal; 'find two weeks between gigs/productions/recordings and head down to this little place we know in Tarifa, Southern Spain'. A family-run studio, in a house 5 minutes from a wild beach and a short ferry ride from the coast of Africa; the perfect ambience for the fleeting melody and sultry grooves of the Incarnations debut album, "With All Due Respect". Arriving with bits and bobs of half-songs, grooves and melodies, Daniel, Quinn and Bart, sketched and improvised their way to the most intensely evocative songs you'll hear this year. Punctuated by a day trip across the water to Tangiers, all 9 songs were written and recorded inside a fortnight in October 2009 and laid to rest while our protagonists jetted off to their respective diary appointments. Whether it was the beach, the soft weather, the fact that you can smell Africa from the studio, the home cooked Spanish food or the relaxed environment of the recording room, when the band returned to the songs at a New York studio earlier this year, they found an album as fresh and resonant as the moment it came into being. Quickly mixed down with no over-dubs or re-records, "With All Due Respect" captures the combined gifts of Tarifa and the three very talented friends that paid a visit. Incarnations are: Daniel Collas: DJ, drummer, organist, and one half of production team Embassy Sound Productions, the minds behind The Phenomenal Handclap Band. Plays - drums, percussion, organ and synthesizers. Bart Davenport: Collaborator with Greyboy, General Elektriks and The Phenomenal Handclap Band; Singer-songwriter with The Loved Ones, The Kinetics and Honeycut, and most recently a touring member of the Kings Of Convenience. Plays - guitar, bass and vocals. Quinn Luke a.ka. Bing Ji Ling: Part of The Phenomenal Handclap Band, one half of DFA recording artists Q&A and long time member of Tommy Guerrero's band; Solo artist on labels Ubiquity and Lovemonk among others. Plays - guitars, keyboards, vocals The band are named after Encarnacion "Nini" Sagrista, owner of the recording studio in Tarifa, who housed and fed them during their stay.

So it seems that 2013 was the year Skudge team decided to camp by the pressing plant! The Skudge imprint is indeed growing along its artists as we're now ready to embrace longer formats, a testimony to the future and most than anything a continuous effort to grasp the present's relevancy.
After their wonderful EP from a year ago, the Fishermen are ready to take you on a diving trip with their very first album, an accomplishment in itself With 'Patterns and Paths', Thomas Jaldemark (YTA) and Martin Skoggehall (MRSK, Smell The Flesh) have crafted a rather mesmerizing story of abstract and figurative tropes altogether, and eerie is probably the best word to describe the general mood of this, but hard and raw eeriness! The affair starts with 'Green Horn', a gentle foreplay setting the tone for an imminent journey into the lightless abysses. 'Hope Is gone' further enhances the incoming grim turn of events in a coil-like fashion before 'Serpents' makes our feet and hips take over our fear of the unknown. The trance has indeed begun and we're soon entering a hidden warehouse rave cave of un-earthy shamanism, the unforgiving stomp of 'Get None'. 'Dyspnea' manages to find a path into deeper regions the groove shift towards a darker funk with 'Lost Teeth', a caribbean techno banger that'd wake any zombie in the making! 'The Four Skulls' suddenly hints of a safer journey with healing percs and melancholic pads, but 'Rise' soon shatters those false hopes with an evil lurking motoric groove. Then, you hit 'Scurvy' where the pace slows down a little only to introduce the seductive side of this gloomy adventure, a challenge to you feet inducing lascivious moves. Keeping you in trance, 'In Solitude' kind of combines both previous tracks strengths with an added Twin Peaks value. Now finally reaching the far bottom of the ocean, the mood gets even more claustrophobic with 'Sunken Mosque', the last stage of this trance before maybe getting back to the surface. Indeed, if 'Torments' might let you catch a breath of air, it is filled with minerals, the world above has changed, and you might very well feel safer back under the water, a reverse mirror to Mike Ink's old Gas project. While this tour guide concludes his narration, the Skudge camp proudly hopes to see you embark on it very soon!

There are many ways to move forward as an artist. You can reinvent yourself, keep track of fashions, or try bold new things. Tom Trago has spent the best part of 10 years pushing his sound in impressive new directions. Yet on his new album, the well-regarded Amsterdam-based producer has done things slightly differently. This time round, his influences come from much closer to home, and he has admitted to being inspired by the dancefloor-focused style with which he made his name.

Welcome to The Light Fantastic. We're sure you'll enjoy the trip.

Trago is an old hand at this kind of thing. Back in 2009, his debut album, Voyage Direct, impressed with its warm, disco-centric blends of full-throttle deep house and boogie-influenced synthesizer funk. He cast his net wider on 2011's Iris, choosing to work with a wide variety of international collaborators on an album that laid bare his myriad of musical influences.

On the Light Fantastic, he's decided to 'step back to move forwards' with a warm, involving set that puts the simple pleasures of the best dancefloor moments at its heart.

'I tried to go a bit back towards the style I was doing on Voyage Direct, so dancefloor beats with deeper impact,' Trago admits. 'I was trying to male tracks that work on the dancefloor, but also move your heart.'

In some ways, The Light Fantastic is Trago in 'back to basics' mode. Partly inspired by his ever-increasing travels around the world to DJ, it melds together a range of influences - deep house, vintage synthesizers, classic boogie, disco, Chicago jack, acid house, and even a dash of full-throttle rave revivalism on the raw funk of 'The Elite' - on a set that sounds like it was painted in vivid colours by an artist at the top of his game.

'I'm like a professor in a lab, trying to make little ideas work,' Trago enthuses, warming to the theme. 'The tracks are all there in my head, like a puzzle, and I have to make all the pieces fit together.'

The 'back to basics' theme extended to his choice of collaborators. Whereas Iris was notable for featuring an impressive cast list of international singers, musicians and producers, The Light Fantastic is more of a homegrown affair. While plenty of people lent a hand during the recording process, they were trusted locals from the Dutch electronic music scene, rather than outsiders.

'This time, I thought 'whoever walks in the studio can get involved',' he says. 'If they walked in, they could sing, play some synths or do some mixing. A lot of people came to hang out and ended up lending a hand. It's a much more fun way of working than sending your track to somebody across the other side of the World.'

There are many collaborations on The Light Fantastic, but listen out for contributions from Steffi, Ben Westbeech, 'studio neighbour' San Proper, Makam, vocalist Holly Wood and, most surprisingly, a local club owner who just happened to swing by the studio. 'Using my friends was a big part of the process,' Trago admits. 'One of the points of the album was using people who were close to home, part of the family almost.'

It's an approach that definitely paid dividends. Certainly, this celebration of Amsterdam's blossoming electronic music scene adds a little extra frisson of excitement to The Light Fantastic's impressive vibrancy.

By the time the rush-inducing positivity of 'The Wrong Right' gives way to the mutant alien funk of album closer 'Desire', you'll be ready to listen to it all over again. That's the thing with The Light Fantastic - it's a trip you'll want to take again and again.

PPU providing it yet again with 10 more selections from the archives of estonian funk front man Uku Kuut !
Grand Hotel is an instrumental journey from his days in the Soviet Union, Sweden, Los Angeles, Estonia.
Including his very first home recording dating back to 1982, and an opening track that was recorded at Herbie Hancock's personal studio. It's a miracle these masters are still around after 30+ years of traveling from country to country !

The funk king of Sweden is back! After having major success in the 1990s, selling hundreds of thousands of records all over the world and touring with the likes of Tina Turner, Paulo Mendonca returns with 'Does Anybody Wanna Funk'



In the early 1990s Mendonca released three chart-topping albums. Now, his first full length release for eighteen years is easily identifiable by his signature guitar sound and funky grooves, the intense playing and strong melodies topped off with tongue-in-cheek lyrics.



The vinyl version of the album includes two exclusive tracks that are not on the CD version plus a download code for a high resolution 24 bit/96 KHz digital download.
Tracks: BBB / Me and My Friends / Yeah Yeah Yeah / Birds and the Bees / Heaven / Diving In (exclusive to the vinyl version) / 21 Century / On Top / Music is the Power / Honey / Doggystyle / Someone's Lover (exclusive to vinyl version)