Search:funk

Mount Liberation Unlimited are Tom and Niklas, two Swedes from space who have spent the last 5 years

carving out a particularly vivid niche in contemporary electronic music. Their previous work has seen them

connect with an impressive list of global dance powerhouses: New York's Beats In Space, Melbourne's

Superconscious and Munich's Permanent Vacation have all released 12'' heat from the duo, while their

hometown buddies at Studio Barnhus provided an outlet for what has been perhaps their biggest and boldest

release yet, 2017's double smash single Double Dance Lover. Their live shows are fervent, fast-paced and very

multi-instrumental affairs, performed non-stop at an increasingly prestigious list of clubs and festivals, serving

as prime examples of the MLU boys' core obsession: the interaction of human rhythm and electronic pulse.

They have their own great little radio show on Gilles Peterson's Worldwide FM! Australia loves them! They

got their artist friend Tom-Hadar Elde to sculpt their heads for their debut album cover!

That self-titled debut, to be released May 31 on Studio Barnhus, has been in progress since the very formation

of the MLU project in 2014. It contains some of their earliest work and of course their very latest – all perfected

at the Neve desk of legendary Gothenburg studio Svenska Grammofonstudion, in cahoots with mix engineer

Christoffer Berg (Depeche Mode, Robyn, Fever Ray).

The result is a sonically fascinating, endlessly generous and straight up FUN record that takes the listener on a

joyride through bittersweet stoner disco, frenzied scando-kraut jams and some of the sweetest dance pop to

come out of Sweden this side of Super Trouper.

The record is preceded by a limited 10'' release of album track Climb Me Up, complete with an exclusive club

mix of the song.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Far Out Recordings proudly presents two albums of previously unheard Azymuth demo recordings from 1973-75

Since their debut album release in 1975, Azymuth have risen to rank alongside the world’s greatest jazz, funk and fusion artists. As young men in Rio de Janeiro, they stood out for both their exceptional talent as musicians, and their wild rock ‘n’ roll antics in the predominantly middle-class worlds of bossa nova and jazz. Their signature ‘Samba Doido’ (crazy samba) sound ruptured the tried and tested musical structures of the day, resulting in what can only be described as an electric, psychedelic, samba jazz-funk hybrid.

Before they became Azymuth, José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) played backing band to just about every major artist in Brazil. Bertrami was also contracted as an arranger and songwriter at some the biggest labels of the era: Polydor, Philips, Som Livre, and EMI being just a few. Azymuth’s name can be found on record sleeves by the likes of Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Marcos Valle, Ana Mazzotti and countless others. But at the dawn of the seventies, fascinated by developments in improvisational music - from jazz in the US, to progressive rock in the UK and of course samba, bossa and tropicália on home turf - the energetic young group were inspired and ready to move forward. Any spare moment in which they weren’t in sessions and writing music for other artists, they would be carving out their own sound.

These previously unheard recordings took place between 1973-75 at Bertrami’s home studio in the Laranjeiras district of Rio de Janeiro. At the time of recording, there was nothing in Brazil, less the world that sounded anything like them, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that when Bertrami presented his demos to the record companies he had been working for, he was turned away, and told in effect that the music was ‘wrong’.

One of the demos ‘Manhã’ would be picked up by Som Livre and Azymuth released their seminal debut album in 1975. Throughout the late seventies and eighties, the group released a series of now classic albums for Milestone Records, before taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue their individual careers.

When English producers Joe Davis and Roc Hunter arrived in Brazil in 1994 to record the first Azymuth album in over a decade, Bertrami dug out the demos which had sat virtually untouched for over twenty years. Joe recalls how he was “blown away by the freedom and intensity of the music, as well as the genius of the ideas musically.” Beginning a long and fruitful relationship, ‘Prefacio’ would be the first track Azymuth recorded for Far Out Recordings and was released on the Carnival album (1996).
Along with ‘Manhã’ and ‘Prefacio’, only a handful of these demos were ever professionally recorded and released, making this the first opportunity to hear many of these early Azymuth compositions in their raw, original form.

On every track the frenetic energy in the studio is palpable, giving the recordings a beautifully personal feel and a sense of the phenomenally creative vision Bertrami, Malheiros and Conti were realising at the time. Fifty years on, Azymuth’s earliest recorded music retains an ineffable, futuristic quality, standing amongst their most captivating and moving work.

Credits:

Keyboards: José Roberto Bertrami (Mini Moog Series One, Arp Omni, Arp 2600, Arp Solina Strings, Fender Rhodes 88, Hammond B3 with box speaker, Clavinet with Wah Wah)
Drums: Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti
Bass: Alex Malheiros
Percussion: Ariovaldo Contesini
Produced by Azymuth and Jose Roberto Bertrami
Recorded at José Roberto Bertrami’s home studio in Laranjeiras, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil between 1973–1975.
Issue and project co-ordinator: Joe Davis
Tape transfers by Roc Hunter (thanks to Simon Hitner)
Mastered by Daniel Maunick at the Sugar Shack, Lanark, Scotland
Mastered by Frank at Carvery Cuts
All tracks published by Far Out Music Publishing/Westbury Music LTD

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Far Out Recordings proudly presents two albums of previously unheard Azymuth demo recordings from 1973-75

Since their debut album release in 1975, Azymuth have risen to rank alongside the world’s greatest jazz, funk and fusion artists. As young men in Rio de Janeiro, they stood out for both their exceptional talent as musicians, and their wild rock ‘n’ roll antics in the predominantly middle-class worlds of bossa nova and jazz. Their signature ‘Samba Doido’ (crazy samba) sound ruptured the tried and tested musical structures of the day, resulting in what can only be described as an electric, psychedelic, samba jazz-funk hybrid.

Before they became Azymuth, José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) played backing band to just about every major artist in Brazil. Bertrami was also contracted as an arranger and songwriter at some the biggest labels of the era: Polydor, Philips, Som Livre, and EMI being just a few. Azymuth’s name can be found on record sleeves by the likes of Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Marcos Valle, Ana Mazzotti and countless others. But at the dawn of the seventies, fascinated by developments in improvisational music - from jazz in the US, to progressive rock in the UK and of course samba, bossa and tropicália on home turf - the energetic young group were inspired and ready to move forward. Any spare moment in which they weren’t in sessions and writing music for other artists, they would be carving out their own sound.

These previously unheard recordings took place between 1973-75 at Bertrami’s home studio in the Laranjeiras district of Rio de Janeiro. At the time of recording, there was nothing in Brazil, less the world that sounded anything like them, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that when Bertrami presented his demos to the record companies he had been working for, he was turned away, and told in effect that the music was ‘wrong’.

One of the demos ‘Manhã’ would be picked up by Som Livre and Azymuth released their seminal debut album in 1975. Throughout the late seventies and eighties, the group released a series of now classic albums for Milestone Records, before taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue their individual careers.

When English producers Joe Davis and Roc Hunter arrived in Brazil in 1994 to record the first Azymuth album in over a decade, Bertrami dug out the demos which had sat virtually untouched for over twenty years. Joe recalls how he was “blown away by the freedom and intensity of the music, as well as the genius of the ideas musically.” Beginning a long and fruitful relationship, ‘Prefacio’ would be the first track Azymuth recorded for Far Out Recordings and was released on the Carnival album (1996).
Along with ‘Manhã’ and ‘Prefacio’, only a handful of these demos were ever professionally recorded and released, making this the first opportunity to hear many of these early Azymuth compositions in their raw, original form.

On every track the frenetic energy in the studio is palpable, giving the recordings a beautifully personal feel and a sense of the phenomenally creative vision Bertrami, Malheiros and Conti were realising at the time. Fifty years on, Azymuth’s earliest recorded music retains an ineffable, futuristic quality, standing amongst their most captivating and moving work.

Credits:

Keyboards: José Roberto Bertrami (Mini Moog Series One, Arp Omni, Arp 2600, Arp Solina Strings, Fender Rhodes 88, Hammond B3 with box speaker, Clavinet with Wah Wah)
Drums: Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti
Bass: Alex Malheiros
Percussion: Ariovaldo Contesini
Produced by Azymuth and Jose Roberto Bertrami
Recorded at José Roberto Bertrami’s home studio in Laranjeiras, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil between 1973–1975.
Issue and project co-ordinator: Joe Davis
Tape transfers by Roc Hunter (thanks to Simon Hitner)
Mastered by Daniel Maunick at the Sugar Shack, Lanark, Scotland
Mastered by Frank at Carvery Cuts
All tracks published by Far Out Music Publishing/Westbury Music LTD

Following on from big recent releases from Neue Grafik & Oliver Night, CoOp Presents Sivey, with an all-new double-header of heat, 'Nobody Else' and 'Somebody Samebody'.

For those that don't know, Manchester-based Sivey became a player in the future beats scene a couple years back, releasing music with the LA-based collective Soulection, as a solo artist and via collaborations with Evil Needle, which came to fruition after a series of online beat battles, as well as releases and remixes with labels like Astral Black and Ninja Tune.

His last wave of output was greeted with enthusiasm by fans of soulful beats championed by artist collectives such as HW&W and Darker Than Wax, and saw Sivey subsequently spinning at events across the UK, and perform shows as far afield as Los Angeles and Tokyo.

Rooted in hip hop production, Sivey's largely instrumental tracks have brought together elements of millennial R&B, neo-soul, UK garage, jazz and 80s funk. In the few years since his previous releases, Sivey has continued to experiment with new ways of exploiting his diverse influences in his productions. As his listening habits became increasingly orientated around jazz and obscure 70s fusion records, his own productions began to reflect the shift.

The recent resurgence of the broken beat movement was something that also inspired him, admiring the balance between musicality and danceability of the genre. He made his first experiments with bruk in 2017 and found that it mixed perfectly with what he'd already been creating. Eager to share the results with the world, it made perfect sense for his first offerings of this ilk to find a home here with us at CoOp Presents.

These two tracks exemplify the ever-evolving progression of Sivey's sonics; the familiar deep keys and synth sounds of his previous productions are there, but nestled alongside more uptempo grooves, and the lush rhythmic complexity of bruk. Tied in with his love for jazz fusion, 'Somebody Samebody' sees Sivey reinterpret a late 70's track by Japanese guitarist, Kazumi Watanabe; this one also enlisting the help of Trian Kayhatu on keys. As well as the original tracks, prolific Selectors Assemble crew member Danvers adds in his own tasty heads-down version of 'Nobody Else', and label co-founder IG Culture (who recently received a Worldwide Award for 'lifetime achievement'!) provides a dope bruk-funk flip of 'Somebody Samebody' to close out the set.

"This single features 2 of the greatest heroes of history of Mauritius island Sega music and announces the upcoming release of vol.2 of Soul Sega Sa! compilation.

Unique character and overexcited singer Roland Fatime (also known as Ti L'Afrique) began his career on the Mauritian scene in the early 70's, along with the group Features of Life, with Eric Nelson's saturated electric guitar and Raoul Lacariate's untamed rhythms; Fatime sparked a new raw, funky and explosive Séga style.

His superb Séga-Blues lo-fi tune 'Bal Souki Souki" is reissued on this very 7' along with another nugget buried on the island: 'Soul Reggae Prisonnier' by Ramone, Ti l'Afrique's ex-rival! In the same blues and soul vein, this Séga immerses us in a dramatic story of judicial error and prison environment, which are unfortunately all too familiar with some mauritian musicians!"

After a break of some 10 years producer and DJ Mat Carter felt the time was right to wake his imprint from hyper sleep.

It was started as and will continue to be an outlet for both Mat’s own material and that of other like-minded beings and as the name Varial suggests the label is not limited, instead it reflects Mat’s tastes and touches on many styles.

Varial launches with the remaster and re-release of the much sought after cult classic, Zark Time E.P. Written and produced by Mat himself, this E.P. pulls on influences of fractured imagery, fuzzyelectronics and dense soundscapes to form five tracks of warm, funk-fuelled jams that 17 years on still refuses to neatly conform with any one genre. As Mat himself says, “I can’t help my influences.”

During his time away from the music scene Mat’s focus was on raising a family and honing a physical craft but the pull of music never went away.

Hailing from Palermo, Smuggler Brothers deliver a unique sound, deeply rooted in the diverse and rich heritage of their island - Funk-prog flavoured Mediterranean library music with Arab and North Afrika influences. Produced by Massimo Martellotta (Calibro 35). Brilliant and relentless from start to finish!

Nippon Afro-Groovers AJATE are back with two dancefloor bombs teaming up with French Garage Funk providers NY.KO!

180g heavy vinyl

Limited edition of 500 copies

Fresh from their highly acclaimed KEXP live session!

Includes two remixes by beatmaster Deheb

New Ajate album to be out late 2019!

Formed in 2011 by band leader Junichiro "John" Imaeda, Ajate consists of 10 Japanese musicians who play a unique blend of afro-groove dance music mixed with Japanese traditional festival music called "Ohayashi". Their album Abrada is out in 2017 on the 180g label, selling out immediately and being followed by two highly acclaimed European tours. Teaming up this time with French groovers Ny.Ko, Mammamelie and With Regularity are two dancefloor destroyers announcing Ajate's brand new album to be out late 2019!


[b] 2. Mammamelie (Deheb Remix) [feat. Ny.Ko]

[d] 4. With Regularity (Deheb Remix) [feat. Ny.Ko]


[b] a2. Mammamelie (Deheb Remix) [feat. Ny.Ko]

[d] b2. With Regularity (Deheb Remix) [feat. Ny.Ko]

Moonshoe Records has bowled over first listeners by presenting this new side of their sphere - Air Space Ark’s debut, “All Rivers Lead” charts the course of divergent streams of contemporary ambient music, downtempo rhythms, and electroacoustic experimentation, arriving at a calming confluence of these sources. Across the 6 songs on these two sides, they evoke a calming and contemplative headspace

333 is an exquisite study in balance - the intermingling of bird song water sounds that could equally be field recordings or synthesized foley - the ambiguity adding a delightful trompe l'oreille effect - and crystalline keys ; these airy sounds weighted by washes of subbass.

BLANK PAGE is almost like a version of the previous track, retaining the nimble birdsongs and heavy sub, but foregrounding a lolling, stumbling hip-hop beat and placing more emphasis on the effects wizardry as abstract sounds careen across the track in wipes and wisps, before stripping down to a beautiful coda of birdsong, piano plinks and a textured backdrop.

The celestial keys, flute-like thrums and gentle chimes of WORDS BETWEEN SELF evoke the golden age of spiritual jazz, but the hazy ambiance and shuffling beats transmute the other elements around them into something more introspective and personal than jubilant praise. Lyrics aside, the subtle funk coupled with the pensive, meditative air channels the spirit of Stanley Cowell’s classic TRAVELLIN’ MAN.

LOFT IN 7 Is the most “out” moment here. It has echoes, literally, of jazz. Like decaying tape reels disintegrating in real time, we feel the tape buckling and warping under the weight of time as the sounds of a synthetic band warp and shift against electronic impulses and glitches, eventually leaving just a lingering, ghostly imprint. .

DUST SONG veers the closest towards a straightforward instrumental hip hop cut - a submerged sounding breakbeat coupled with a tender piano melody - but is buoyed by drifting pads and a dense, hallucinatory bed of effects.

CONCRETE closes proceedings. Charged with a crepuscular energy, it’s all-together as mercurial and magical as the transition from day to night. Different elements swirl and coalesce, honing in on dense, textural moments across a horizontal drift. The end effect is hypnotic yet captivating, so much so that when the track eventually blooms into silence at the end you’re struck by the brevity of the whole experience. Thankfully you can listen to it again!

Two years ago, Ferdi Schuster was a young multi-instrumentalist and producer
daydreaming of releasing his music on Claremont 56, one of his favourite labels.
Now he’s set to release his stunning debut album, “All One”, on Paul Murphy’s
long-running imprint.
It’s been a long time between drinks for the German producer, who last graced
C56 with his superb double A-side single, “Little River/Befreit”, in the autumn of
2017. Fittingly, it’s “Little River” – a babbling brook of audio bliss rich in samba
influenced drums, soothing acoustic guitars and spacey synthesizer licks – that
kicks off “All One”, a seductive set in which every drumbeat, piano note, guitar
riff, synthesizer flourish and freside-warm bassline was played by the man
himself.
Throughout, it’s easy to see why Murphy decided to snap up Schuster and
push the producer to record a debut album. Check, for example, the dubbed
out shuffle of “Thinking of You”, where ghostly chords, soft-focus guitar solos
and ethereal vocals drift across the soundscape, and the slowly unfurling bliss
of “The Good Fight”, an effortlessly Balearic workout rich in sun-kissed guitars,
bubbly synth lines and chords so snugly they could probably be used as a
comfort blanket.
Schuster’s greatest strength is undoubtedly the evocative and enveloping nature
of his instrumental music, which draws on a variety of complimentary influences
but never sounds anything less than original and fresh. Some listeners may be
enchanted by the loose and languid pulse of “Fading Away” or the lo-f reggae
jazz of dusty closing cut “Night Talk”, though others may prefer the stoned funk
shuffle of “Interaction” or the spacey vibrations of “Pulsa”, where intergalactic
synthesizer lines wind their way around heady bass guitar and sparse, off-kilter
deep electro drums.
“All One” is that kind of set; an atmospheric and musically accomplished
collection of cuts capable of muting the mundane and distracting from the stress
of 21st century life. As debut albums go, it’s something of a stunner

After numerous features and collaborations Obenewa, Kaidi Tatham and dego combine together to form Blacks & Blues.Three song based dance tracks to fill the void of underground vocal club music.

'Spin' is flavoured with S.A house & afrobeatz whilst Obenewa sings about the wonder that is love. 'You Know The Feeling' moves towards the funk that is synonymous with 2000Black and 'Don't Know Why (chant for love)' is purely the marriage between reggae and jazz.

Bristol stalwarts October & Borai join forces once again for their second outing on Happy Skull. The pair join the dots between sleazy EBM and rugged, hardcore atmospherics.

Lead track 'Fatal Rumba' is a titanium plated slab of latin funk for freakier, late night dance floors. On the B-Side 'Swipe Left' drops the tempo but turns the pressure up to boiling point, a chugging drum machine workout complete with pulsating 303's and dub techno chords. To round things off, Conch bosses Bash & T give 'Swipe Left' the full UK treatment, flipping it to a mutant funky roller.

Cochemea Gastelum is coming home to connect with his roots. After nearly 15 years of touring the world with Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, the saxophonist offers a deeply personal album of jazz and indigenous-influenced rhythms. All My Relations¸ out February 22 on Daptone Records, is 10 tracks of mesmerizing and spiritually ascendant instrumentation. The first single 'All My Relations' is available now.

'All My Relations is a way for me to explore my roots through music. Some of it is a memory that is imagined from a time and place I've never been ('Sonora') or a musical impression of ritual ('Mitote'),' Cochemea says. 'I felt compelled to add the way I feel when I go to ceremony, when I feel connected with my ancestors, to the musical narrative.'

A California native with Yaqui and Mescalero Apache Indian ancestry, Cochemea grew up surrounded by music but without knowing much about his heritage. Both his parents were musicians, and they gave their son a heavy name meaning 'they were all killed asleep.' Cochemea has spent much of his diverse musical career - as a soloist, musical director, composer and ensemble player - exploring and iterating on roots music, and All My Relations is a capstone meditation on his own ancestry.

Originally conceived during Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings' final year of touring, Cochemea and Daptone's Gabe Roth cast a varied but familial set of New York musicians to bring All My Relations to life. A large portion of the album was created through improvisation and collective writing, where its 10 musicians created a melodic, percussive conversation. 'It was a beautiful experience - people would start playing and we'd work up these arrangements on the spot, then record it.'

'In a sense, this record is a prayer for unity, love and the recognition that we are all part of a web, and everything we do effects everything else,' Cochemea says. 'These days there's so many lines being drawn, I wanted to focus on what unites us.'

Cochemea has a long history of uniting multiple genres with his powerful polyrhythmic sensibilities. His roots in jazz, Latin, funk and rock led to multiple tours with funk-jazz organist Robert Walter's 20th Congress, and connected him with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings for their 2005 Naturally tour. Cochemea also played tenor sax with The Budos Band and Antibalas, and Baritone sax on the Amy Winehouse sessions, before becoming a full-time Dap-King in 2009.

In between marathon tours, Cochemea recorded a critically acclaimed solo album of soul, funk, and afro-Latin jazz, The Electric Sound of Johnny Arrow, all while doing session work for the likes of Mark Ronson, Rick Rubin and Quincy Jones. He's performed alongside Archie Shepp, Beck, David Byrne, Public Enemy and The Roots. Cochemea was also a featured soloist in the award-winning Broadway play Fela!, which led to historic performances in Lagos, Nigeria.

SOUL/DISCO/FUNK SINGLE HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ON VINYL 7'/45!
FROM THE INDEPENDENT UK LABEL SIX NINE RECORDS Ltd, BASED IN
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, COOL MILLION IS HERE WITH TWO BRILLIANT SONGS.
'TONIGHT' (FEATURING GLENN JONES) HAS GOT A STUNNING REMIX BY YUKI
'T-GROOVE' TAKAHASHI MAKING IT SOUND REALLY FRESH AND CRISP. 'LEAVE
ME' (FEATURING LAURA JACKSON) IS NOW GETTING ITS LONG OVERDUE FIRST
VINYL RELEASE, TRULY A TIMELESS MID-TEMPO MOVER. DEFINITELY NOT TO
BE MISSED AS IT IS A LIMITED UK PRESS WITH SMALL HOLE AND FULL
COLOUR PRINTED PICTURE COVER!

'Boomerang' was first recorded in 1979, when the Broomfield Corporate Jam leader was attempting to plot a solo career. It was the first cut Aaron Broomfield recorded under his own name - Initially, at the family band's home studio, Kilimanjaro, and later at professional studios in L.A and Miami - but it was never released.

'I always wanted to be able to share 'Boomerang' with my fans some day - I didn't release it back then because I thought the time wasn't right,' Broomfield explains. 'It was so different to what was considered commercial then and felt ahead of its time.'

Before deciding against releasing it, Broomfield had two test pressings made. It was the accidental discovery of the
one remaining record by digger Arun Brown (the other perished when Broomfield's Kilimanjaro studio was damaged by a fire in 1996) that set in motion the chain of events that finally led to its release.

The jacket boasts a written essay by Broomfield himself, telling the remarkable story behind the song. The wax
features the two versions of Boomerang, of which both were meticulously restored and re-mastered by celebrated
Australian sound engineer, Dan Elleson.

Head to side A for the 'test press' version, a cosmic, starry-eyed chunk of elastic Miami disco-funk where the
Broomfield family's killer instrumentation - all rubbery bass, deep space synths and crunchy Clavinet motifs - arcs
around the sound space like a boomerang in flight. The vocal arrangement, in which Aaron Broomfield's conscious
lyrics come through loud and clear, brings it home. On the flipside, you'll hear how dynamic the band was through the

'Demo Version' - a relaxed, loose and spacey groover that sounds as ahead of its time in 2018 as it would have when it was recorded in 1979.

The story of TodoTodo is one of the most incomprehensible and surprising in the history of Spanish electronic music. Without doubt it is, sadly, also one of the most ephemeral. The curse that has haunted them since their forming in 1980 and during their short year and half of life is already legendary. Domestica Records did justice to the group in 2012 with a comprehensive compilation and this EP joins this initial tribute as it reimagines some of these trailblazers most representative productions: Digital Dancer and Autoga´s.
Almost forty years later, Frigio is bringing some of their music to a fresh audience. Juanpablo with his extended edit of 'Digital Dancer.' A steady kick tethers a tripping mechanical melody, a melody that bubbles and simmers as toms, horns and daring funk collide for this seven minute odyssey into the world of Iberian underground synth. The original version from 81 closes the A, a brief and brilliant piece of proto-techno. The flip is introduced by Catalan Dj, journalist and author of ¡Bacalao! Historia Oral de la Mu´sica de Baile en Valencia, Luis Costa. Costa re-imagines 'Autogas' with his Tool Edit, reshaping the off-kilter keys and future highways and byways of the original. The finale is a true treasure from the annals of time. A live version of 'Autogas' from the legendary Rock'Ola club in Madrid, an unreleased work that is as audacious and bold as it was when it was first performed in 1981.

Kalita's obligatory Record Store Day offering is something rather special: synth-funk visionary couple Emerson and Leora Sandidge's mythical unreleased album finally sees the light of day, following Emerson's sole private press seven-inch single release way back in 1988. Those two tunes ("Sending All My Love Out" and "Why Are You So Cold?") make the cut on this belated debut set, alongside six other previously unreleased recordings from the same sessions. Their take on electrofunk, boogie and '80s soul is colourful, soulful and synth-heavy, with the included tracks veering from up-tempo club workouts (see "Raw Deal Cocaine Kills") and fizzing dancefloor pop workouts, to sugary ballads and seductive slow jams. In other words, it's a more than tidy selection of rare and unheard gems.

A Quest Called Tribe begins with a series of portraits drawn by Stéphane Carricondo in
2017 dedicated to Hip-Hop legends. As close partner in art Medline proposed to create a
soundtrack for them, and first interpreting ATCQ's classics with elements of the past,
present and future. The best way to materialize this multidimensional tribute was obviously
a vinyl. And it's the one we unveil today.
On the visual side, ATCQ's portraits are composing the front cover and, assembled into a
great scene, are printed on a colorful A2 poster. Stéphane Carricondo's natural lines are
highlighting each member's soul map. The alchemy of the dark ink on emptiness gives to
them an impressive sparkle of life.
On the musical side, the classic themes are transformed into a polymorphic fusion, were
jazz, funk and soul from the original sample sources converse with Tribe's characteristic
beats. Medline added a hint of his magic, unique rhythms, improvisations, arrangements,
original orchestration and inspired melodies.
The album is an ode to the band that marked both artist's life and mind. A cultural print and
school of sound that designed Hip-Hop foundations. With a blooming expression Medline
and Stéphane Carricondo are going to the roots of ATCQ in a quest for the tribe.

Seriously good new PPU - obscure lowdown funk from Miami..

Central AYR Productions.. Recorded in various places and others spaces, mostly around Orlando Florida. Multi-Instrumentalist and Vocalist, Anthony Cole is the latest chapter of the PPU family album. AYR, pronounced "air", was formed in 1993. AC recalls "those were very productive and indulgent periods of my life", "the next level in black light". We've got countless hours of 4-track cassette recordings to sort through, these were the first few standout tracks, presented to you in their unedited entirety. Stay tuned for more of the what we call Dirt Music, only in the underground, building on where PPU began.

New Fly-Lo.. First outing since 5 years!

Drawing the lines between the galaxies of hip-hop, funk, soul, jazz, global dance music, tribal poly-rhythms, IDM and the beat scene of his hometown L.A, Lotus creates a universe that is uniquely his own. Calling on an all-star cast from the cosmos, Anderson .Paak, George Clinton, Little Dragon, Tierra Whack, Denzel Curry, David Lynch, Shabazz Palaces, Thundercat, Toro y Moi and Solange; Lotus takes these artists on an astral plane to explore his world of fire.

Sein letztes Werk "You're Dead" (2014) bescherte ihm eine Grammy-Nominierung, sein Brainfeeder-Label ist zu einem der innovativsten Klanglabors der Welt avanciert, er co-produzierte Kendrick Lamars mit fünf Grammies ausgezeichnetes Meisterwerk "To Pimp A Butterfly" (2015). Nun veröffentlicht Flying Lotus sein neues Album für Warp: "Flamagra" greift alle kreativen Quantensprünge und innovativen Elemente aus 12 Jahren FlyLo-Karriere auf und denkt sie weiter, größer, epischer und universeller: Hip-Hop, Funk, Soul, Jazz, Electro, IDM, die Ansätze der befreundeten Beatmaker aus L.A., Tribal-Elemente, Polyrhythmen. Aber selbst diese Liste reicht nicht aus, um "Flamagra" auch nur ansatzweise zu verorten, weil es immer wieder ausbricht aus diesem Koordinatensystem. Die Gästeliste liest sich wie ein Traum: Anderson .Paak, George Clinton, Little Dragon, Solange, Tierra Whack, Denzel Curry, Ishmael Butler (Shabazz Palaces), Toro Y Moi, sein musikalischer Stammesbruder Thundercat, ja selbst David Lynch ist zu hören. Der legendäre Regisseur steuert ein paar schaurige Worte bei, eine düstere Erzählpassage, mit der er uns eindringlich warnt: "Fire is coming". "Flamagra" ist die Essenz des letzten Jahrhunderts im Bereich der afroamerikanischen Musik, vollkommen neu und weitergedacht, kollektiv gefiltert und feingeschliffen. Auch wenn Flying Lotus ein Nachkomme seiner ehrwürdigen Großtante Alice Coltrane ist, die mit John verheiratet war (wobei auch Miles und Madlib, Dilla und DOOM als seine Vorfahren gelten dürfen), hat er inzwischen seinen eigenen Kult geschaffen: Eine Gefolgschaft, die alles Geniale aus der Vergangenheit absorbiert und in Bereiche überführt, die sich die genannten Vorfahren nicht mal im Traum hätten ausmalen können. Flying Lotus ist zurück. Fire is coming.

Debut album from Bay Area producer - 10 tracks spread across 2 slabs of vinyl and a bonus flexi disc.

Vin Sol is a third-generation San Franciscan of Salvadorean descent who has released on Unknown to the Unknown, Clone, Delft, Honey Soundsystem, and Ultramajic. His DJ sets expertly span the genres of house, electro, techno, italo, disco, soul, funk, and whatever other finds he digs up. He's also a musical partner of Matrixxman, AKA Charlie Duff, with whom he started the Soo Wavey label. His current focus is on the wild monthly party and label Club Lonely, which he runs with Primo Pitino and Jeremy Castillo. 'Planet Trash' consists of 10 tracks spread across 2 slabs of vinyl and a bonus flexi disc. Vin started working on the album in the winter of 2017 while taking a break from making club tracks. Simultaneously he also wanted to disconnect from the grip of the internet and 24 hour news cycle. Spending more time outside, he became entranced by the Bay Area fog. Sutro Tower wholly enveloped in mist is a view that inspired the ambient tracks on the album. You will also hear hints of the Latin freestyle and classic acid that informed Vin's youth. By spring of 2018 Vin headed to Berlin to finish the album and work on a collaboration with Matrixxman, an homage to SF musical institution Bottom of the Hill that kicks off side C. Vin's musical approach is honest, using the tools of the trade to both innovate upon and pay respect to classic forms. All songs have been mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each copy is housed in a jacket using photos by Vin Sol, and designed by Kevin McCaughey of Boot Boyz Biz. It includes a 4-color giant newsprint fold-out poster and golden flexi disc.

Kicking 2019 off in fine style, we present Boogizm co-founder Fym. Having previously presented tunes on Daniel Bell's 7th City, Circus Company, Telegraph, LMML, and Veniceberg. We have here 4 trax of hi-tech-lo-fi-funk. The works on this wax are devoid of cliche and full of quirky flavors; all whilst maintaining their dancefloor appeal.

Hard Fist comes back stronger than ever with a sixth release, this time from Pletnev with a remix from Sascha Funke.

Extra prolific Russian born Alex Pletnev has been making music under various aliases and in a number of live bands. Now settled in Vilnius he explores stellar chugging rhythms, afro and oriental vibes for labels like Media Fury and Bahnsteig23 and more atmospheric, dark and industrial EPs on Le Temps Perdu records. This new one is “the tale of an imaginary world, a babel myth of when human beings were together as one because they spoke a single language. It is an allusion of No Border movement supporting freedom of mobility and fighting human immigration control.”

This fantastic release is the most club focussed music Pletnev has ever produced with instrumental, heady opener ‘Guest from Bangkok’ really locking you in a groove. Loose percussion and churning drums make for dark disco of the highest order. Then comes ‘Peep of Dawn,’ an almost frightening, long and slow ceremony of menacing electronic music. A voice resonates while powerful bass sends shivers down your spine and the whole atmospheric and absorbing affair really casts a spell.

Excellent punchy guitar riffs and shamanic rhythms on ‘Red Shoes’ reminds you of a run to catch the setting sun. It’s another spellbinding and rock-laced disco track that oozes grit and rawness. With the closing track, BPitch Control man Sascha Funke remixes ‘My Word Against Yours' into a cosmic and jerky affair that alludes to a journey into outer space. It’s sparse and creepy and brilliantly evocative.

Once again here, the Hard Fist label—which has its own residency at Paris’s mighty Rex Club—tells its unique story with forward thinking club music full of a wide array of influences.

When John Selway brought his dancing hands to the keyboard to begin work on his first full EP on Serotonin Records since ‘Zoids Vol 2’ in 1998, he channelled cosmic soul to create the next generation of intergalactic funk. His EP ‘Light Language’ surfs the solar winds to the space between breaks and electro where his musical adventures are free to explore the frontiers of dance. ‘Light Language’ permeates with the angelic voices of our true selves. The voice is the primary and complete musical instrument. When John was not yet born his mother sang to him in utero. A musical soul so innate it resonates celestial tonalities. All captured here on this twelve inch disk delivered by the galaxian voyager and pressed for human kind by Serotonin Records.



John Selway became an indispensable element of the history of the New York sound by virtue of building an extensive catalog of high quality releases spanning almost three decades and multiple genres of electronic music. From his first success in the techno world as part of the seminal New York duo Disintegrator to the most successful of his collaborations, Smith & Selway, and his deep and minimal techno label CSM; from the intelligent electro-funk of Synapse and Serotonin Records to his darker explorations as Semblance Factor, Selway has created one of the richest bodies of work in the world of electronic music.

Be With have raided the KPM archives to re-issue another of our favourites from the KPM 1000 series. They say: A comprehensive collection of descriptive contemporary scores. We say: Just look at the track titles of The Road Forward and swoon: Strangelands, A Man Alone, Sheer Elegance, Mystique Voyage, Cruising. Don’t you just want to hear those? The maestro Alan Hawkshaw really spoils us on this, one of the most sought after KPM greensleeves. This collection from 1977 is a brilliantly varied blend of silky smooth synths, funk-fuelled clavichord grooves and soft focus space beats. Essential. As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for The Road Forward comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We’ve taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity. And don’t worry! Those KPM stickers aren’t stuck directly on the sleeves!

2019 re-issue, 180g vinyl, remastered from the original tapes
Be With have raided the KPM archives to re-issue another of our favourites from the KPM 1000 series. They say: A Dramatic Suite Of Themes, Montage, Sequences And Generics. We say: An enormously influential and heavy KPM set of timeless, killer funk breaks from 1972 by the mighty John Cameron. Jazzrock is an aggressive, percussion-heavy album with an energy that leaves jaws on the floor. Breaks and beats for days with electric piano, bass loops, and pounding percussion. Funky jazz with a deep, tough, soundtrack feel. As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for The Road Forward comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We’ve taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity. And don’t worry! Those KPM stickers aren’t stuck directly on the sleeves!

Back in 2007 Names You Can Trust was launched with an EP from Greenwood Rhythm Coalition. For NYCT's landmark 50th single release, the group returns, drawing on the same long-simmering stew of African, Caribbean and American funk and dancefloor vibes that flavored that first release, but with a sound more deeply infused and farseeing than anything they've done before. The spacey, arcing cut is woven through with guitar that blurs the lines between western twang and soukous popcorn and anchored by cabinet-rattling low end. Spread over two sides of a seven-inch single or available in unedited form digitally, "Jewels" is hypnotic and quite uncategorizable, except to say that sitting still will not be an option when it spins. Adventurous DJs, headphone journeyers, underground dancers, postmodern tropicalistas, and all those whose musical tastes dwell somewhere in the magical twilight of imaginary cities, take note.

Schmer Schmer has been looking for the next Prototype 909 since 1995. While they may never be found, we have instead found a few artists that with the same spirit of adventure have taken electronic music to new frontiers of unimaginable creativity. Primary among them is Lena aka Galcid aka Lenacid.

Lena's electrifying live performances utilizing eurorack modular synths with vintage and modern machines follow three simple 3 rules:

NO PCs, NO Presets, NO Preparation!

She has been called Jeanne d'Arc of modular because her style her appearance and her fearlessness.

For Schmer, Lena has created an EP made for the melting of your mind, if it doesn't first melt your speakers.

Lena uses her electronics in the most effective way possible. The classic acid machines are deployed to establish the themes the modular synths bring in sounds that take these tracks to another level. The eponymous track will hypnotize you into the state of focus necessary to allow you to go deep inside. Then the Acid Police show up! A funky drum machine rocker sure wake you out of your trance. Steel Vein has the intensity to rewire your modular mind. bpmf provides an hard driving aggressive take on Melting to help us turn on the switch.
Legendary DJ and producer Hisashi Saito has been making acid and techno since the early 90s. Using his unique
skills this EP has a rare clarity of sound not often heard on such ambitious recordings. Lenacid “Melting EP” opens up a new frontier for acid, for Schmer and for Lena that you are invited to explore with us this spring.

As Galcid, she has played alongside world renowned artists such as Nina Kraviz, Daniel Miller, Oval, DJ Nobu, Isao Tomita, Takkyu Ishino, Ken Ishii, G-man (LFO) among others. In 2016, she was invited by the Japan Media Art Festival to play at the special exhibition, held at the Eyemyth Media Arts Festival in Mumbai, India. Her 1st album “Hertz" received a worldwide release in digital format on the Detroit Underground label. The release attracted the attention of Karl Hyde (Underworld), Chris Carter (Throbbing Gristle) among other well-known musicians the world over. Shortly thereafter, Galcid played at "Boiler Room Tokyo". In July 2017, she embarked on her first EU tour playing shows in Barcelona, London, and Madrid, after she came back, she participated in Iron Island Festival and Mutek Japan garnering high praise in the media. In December 2017, she was invited to headline Future Mix's 20th Anniversary event and workshop in Shenzhen where she performed and held a talk with techno pioneer Mijk Van Dijk.

Third release for the Lyon based imprint, this time they invite german duo Das Carma. They also welcome Frag Maddin on remix duty.

Repress

Another part in the limited Bunker Robot Dystopia serie. Blunt minimal '80's electro/miami bass funk from the notourius

Groove Line Records series of officially licensed disco / funk 12' reissues continues in 2019 with two fabulous cuts of gospel disco from The New York Community Choir (NYCC), 'I'll Keep My Light In My Window' & 'Express Yourself'.

The New York Community Choir (NYCC) began in the early 1970s, a gospel ensemble which developed a style that also gave secular R&B, soul, and pop songs a spiritual dimension; bridging Saturday night and Sunday morning, as it were.

'I'll Keep My Light In My Window' is a slice of joyful uplifting gospel disco, which is as needed in these times as it was when it was released in 1978. This was a great favourite of David Mancuso and Larry Levan at the time, and has remained a much loved dancefloor track for the disco cognoscenti ever since.

This came from NYCC's second LP for RCA, Make Every Day Count, produced by Warren Schatz (who also produced The Brothers, which was Groove Line's first reissue 12' in 2014).

NYCC released a self-titled debut album, also produced by Schatz in 1977 included the dance hit "Express Yourself," the B-side of this release in its 11m45s David Todd & Warren Schatz Disco Mix version.

All Groove Line Records releases are fully licensed and taken from the original master tapes, this 12' has been remastered and cut at half-speed by Matt Colton at Alchemy Mastering (Mastering Engineer of the Year 2013 & 2018). All vinyl is heavy weight 180g manufactured Optimal Media in Germany, one of the world's finest pressing plants.

Groove Line Records cut no corners when making sure that each and every one of our releases has the highest quality performance possible.

Groove Line Records' deluxe reissue of 'I'll Keep My Light In My Window' & 'Express Yourself' is an essential purchase for any serious Disco, Gospel, Funk, or Soul vinyl collector who demands the very best in quality vinyl pressings. Find out more at

Born in the 1940s in Istanbul, Italian painter and percussionist Wilfred Copello had, from the onset, a predisposition for exotic sounds.Indeed, his interest for latin music was manifest early on in his career. In 1970 he was an uncredited member of the Italian band Latins 80 who released the same year the LP Foglie Gialle All’Imbrunire which has now gained cult status.From that period onwards, Wilfred settled in Rome where he gained an excellent reputation as a studio player; he participated in a large number of projects and albums, especially on the jazz scene with his friend Romano Mussolini (The Latin Taste, Jam Session , Soft & Swing, etc.). But it is the music from Brazil that had the greatest impact on Wilfred. In 1974 he recorded ‘Viva Brasil’ with the group Expo 80, an album which was an ode to Brazilian music. A few years later, at the turn of the 80s, he formed the band Wilfred Percussion. He brought with him an all-star cast of the jazz and Latin scene in Rome which included Argentinean drummer Osvaldo Mazzei and respected trumpet player Cicci Santucci.It was actually in Cicci Santucci’s Audio Sound Studio that was recorded Wilfred Percussion’s only album.Recorded in 1983, the album is a musical gem. Self-produced, Wilfred Percussion is composed of covers and original compositions. Covers include original titles by the unclassifiable Hermeto Pascoal as well as Milton Nascimento, and are reinterpreted here in a totally unique fashion with that distinctive Italian groove. Wilfred Percussion is an album which allies funk to MPB with jazz undertones, introducing the listener to a singularly fresh and evocative opus.

Having previously collaborated with the likes of Shafiq Husayn, Chester Watson and Foreign Beggars, electronic space funk outfit Paper Tiger return from an explorative journey to the dark edges of the cosmos with their long-awaited third album ‘Rogue Planet’.

The Leeds and London-based outfit (whose collective playing credits include Yellow Days, Werkha, Nubiyan Twist, Cinematic Orchestra & more) once again seamlessly combine elements of live recording and improvisation, their emphasis on blending organic sounds with electronic production techniques. The result is music which is interesting and technically proficient, but remains vibrant, colourful and funky -captivating both in headphones and on the dancefloor.

Just like the journey from debut long-player ‘Laptop Suntan’ to sophomore album ‘Blast Off’, and in-keeping with the band’s space travel fascination, ‘Rogue Planet’ is a cosmic leap from its predecessor. Band leader Greg Surmacz explains: ‘There is still humour and a sense of playfulness hopefully -largely provided by our MC Raphael Attar -but the overall sound is much more lush, jazzy and soulful. We wanted to make something that fits into our universe but hits a deeper emotional nerve’.

With diverse guests ranging from the legendary Steve Spacek on lead single ‘The Cycle’ to Olivia Bhattacharjee (the vocalist of Gondwana Records-signed Noya Rao) on the shuffling, leftfield beats of ‘Bioluminescent’ and Chicago-born but LA-based MC Lando Chill’s quick-fire delivery on the ironically titled ‘Slow Motion’ the album is a rich and varied listen. It’s a record drenched in futuristic soul, brimming with textured samples and intriguing progressions demonstrating the enviable musicianship on show here. G-Funk-esque melodies run throughout, joined by reverberating celestial horns and scattered drum patterns.

'The Loop' is the new LP by Los Angeles based polymath Shafiq Husayn, an epic project which saw its inception in 2012 through a series of studio sessions at Shafiq's home, including collaborations with the likes of Thundercat, Erykah Badu, Flying Lotus, Bilal and Anderson Paak. Amongst a close knit circle of friends and family the golden tones of The Loop were created, deeply rooted in ideas of song, story, history, guidance and spirituality. The album bumps, jumps and jangles through progressions in jazz, hip hop, soul and funk, following on from his debut album 'Shafiq En' A-Free-Ka' and adding further to his rich history of timeless, unique music. On The Loop past, present and future are brought together through a psychedelic concoction of time traveling drum machines, celestial string sections and trails of synthesizer vapour. Inflections of Sly Stone, Pharaoh Sanders and Earth Wind And Fire traverse with Marley Marl and Dilla-esqe drums making for an organic yet LA-trifying experience.

Shafiq has brought together an impressive array of LA's musical royalty, enlisting the likes of Thundercat, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Kamasi Washington, Chris 'Daddy' Dave, Eric Rico, Coultrain, Computer Jay, Jimetta Rose, Om'Mas Keith, Kelsey Gonzalez, I-Ced and more to provide the backbone to his recording sessions. Drawing in features from an international cast of performers and artists like Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper, Hiatus Kaiyote, Fatima and Karen Be amongst others. Now complete and finally ready for release in 2019 The Loop is truly something to behold. The records is accompanied by a series of paintings by acclaimed Japanese visual artist Tokio Aoyama, who worked in tandem with Shafiq to create a painting for each song on the record.

Limited Edition 300 vinyl copies 140 grams for "RSD 2019".

The Italian TRJ Records with "Work Out !" wants to show the intention to preserve vinyl and record stores having produced analog master

for "Soul Clap" that will be released for the "Record Store Day 2019". The Work Out ! with "Soul Clap" explore Jazz, Funk and Soul looking

for the roots of the past, trying to build something delight.

Pangia was composed of Barry Gun (vocals), Jim Daniel (Drums), Tony Cimorosi (Bass), Cliff Korman (Keys), Roberto Santos (percussion) and Marlon Graves (Guitar).
Influenced by Funk, Jazz and R&B and with some world music mixed into the musical gumbo, Tony started writing songs for the band with Barry Gun writing most of the lyrics.

Rosemary Santos met Tony at a recording session he was working on with latin singer Juan Lan Franko and liked Tony’s arrangements. She approached Tony with the idea of creating a record company to feature him as an artist and producer. Rosemary then created Man-Rose Records with Manny Montero and financed Pangia’s first release. “Tell Me” and “Dancin And Singin” were recorded by Bob Blank at Blank recording studio NYC
n 1984. It was the only release on Man-Rose Records.

The new album by Juno Award and Polaris Music Prize-nominated Canadian soul star Tanika Charles.

Produced by a stable of some of Canada's finest musical minds including among the others Chin Injeti (DJ Khalil, Eminem, Drake, Aloe Blacc..), Record Kicks proudly presents "The Gumption" the awaited new album by Canadian soul star Tanika Charles that will hit the streets worldwide on May 10.

"What gave you the gumption?" Tanika Charles rhetorically asks during the introductory notes of her sophomore album appropriately titled The Gumption. While the apprehensive lover at the receiving end of that inquisition should feel slighted by the remark, it also alludes to the assuredness Tanika has gained since the release of her Juno Award and Polaris Music Prize-nominated debut Soul Run. The Gumption picks up where Soul Run left off, continuing her tradition of marrying classic soul with modern production styles. Across a dozen songs spanning 38 minutes, Tanika addresses moments of vulnerability, vindication, uncertain love, forbidden fruit and the state of the world today. "It's a little more mature. It's not feeling guilty about being up front, not being afraid to address situations that aren't comfortable for me. I'm comfortable in my skin now in a way I never was before. The overall theme is growth. I feel the music reflects that, and my words reflects that. Even the album cover tries to convey the feeling too. I'm not putting up with unnecessary nonsense anymore."

Predominately guitar-driven mid-tempo soul, with a handful of dance floor friendly tunes and some psychedelic leanings, The Gumption was indirectly influenced by the likes of Alabama Shakes, The Supremes, Khruangbin, D'Angelo, and Moses Sumney. It is sonically moody at times, but with consistent silver-lining arcs. "I've grown up and learned to deal with situations significantly better. We have a tendency to hold back our innermost feelings for fear of hurting others. Even when we're happy we worry about over-sharing, as if joy is a competition you don't want to gloat about."

The success of Soul Run propelled Tanika in front of new audiences far and wide, with extensive touring in North America and Europe. "I've been touring, experiencing new places and meeting new people. And in that time also worked on completing this album". While criss-crossing Canada with festival appearances on both the east and west coasts, Tanika also embarked upon four overseas tours for a combined 45 European shows within a one year period. This included performances at the prestigious Trans Musicales Festival in France, the Lärz, Germany Fusion Festival, Mostly Funk & Soul and Jazz Festival in UK, the Holy Groove Festival in Switzerland, and the Canarias Jazz Festival in Spain.

After S3A's 'Deep Love' contribution last year we are stoked to present you this great collection of music! Coming from the French underground S3A aka Max Fader is absolutely no stranger to the scene. With releases on Local Talk, Quartet Series and his own 'Sampling As An Art records' he is deeply rooted in House, Hip Hop, Disco, Soul and Funk serving residencies at Paris clubs 'Concrete' and 'REX' he has become a local favourite as well with his DJ and Live sets. We are more than excited to release this special debut album that showcases some older and recent work, with live acoustic songs from early 2017 recorded at the Paris 'Red Bull Music' studios to new sample based House and Disco infused tracks in the signature 'S3A' style we got to love so much in recent years. 'Fever", 'Friends, 'Joint No. 5 and 'Greed' are all funk fuelled jams composed by Max, re-played and recorded again in several live jams with fellow musicians Nicolas Taite, Raphael Vallade and Pierre Vadon and edited in the studio by S3A afterwards, they breath this special Soul and Funk love Max got into by listening to 'Masters at Work' and old Disco jams. The latter 'Greed' has a special story, it is a cover of an early 'Laurent Garnier' track that got reworked by 'Avril' in the early 00's, here Max wanted to present his own Jazz and Funk perspective on that same track. The club stompers 'First Day With Lucien", 'Lockwood", 'Clarence J. Boddicker' and 'Leaving 19th' are the true party business on this album and range from Deep House to more classic edit style Disco tracks with live improvisations played on top of them.

Helsinki-based duo Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen present a new two-tracker on We Jazz Records and dive deep into different moods on this 7" / digital single release. Lassy plays sax, Mäkynen (who is also known as "Teddy Rok" and via his Stance Brothers alias) plays drums and handles production duties. First up, we have "Zomp", a deliciously slow funk piece with enough groove to move mountains. On the flipside, "Dark Magenta" takes things leftfield with its tech-like rhythmic approach applied here onto an acoustic jazz quartet and hinting at Mäkynen's interest in electronic music.

As far as the term "award-winning" goes, here we have two of the latest "Finnish jazz album of the year" winners joining forces and doing what they do best. "Zomp / Dark Magenta" is out on Helsinki's We Jazz Records on 3 May. The 7" vinyl single follows the label's path of producing their singles with beautiful heat-pressed labels and serving them just right in generic brown sleeves.