Cari Lekebusch is an enigmatic figure but was a key early player in the Swedish techno scene with a big say in the wider evolution of European techno. 'Fred 2' is one of his most sought after records from those early years and this reissue features three massive tunes written back in 1993. The EP opens with the deep and funky techno rhythms of stone cold classic 'Nightshade', before 'Prototype' brings a trippier vibe with manic synths darting around a booming kick. The 10 minute behemoth 'Mono Flight' closes out the record with a lesson in classic dance floor hypnosis, its swirling layers gradually building and growing over deep and throbbing bass. Three cuts that very much make their mark, even three decades on.
Cultivated Electronics celebrates two decades at the forefront of electro with its landmark 50th release on the main label, returning to the very beginning with a new release from Signal Type - the collaborative project of label head Sync 24 and Matt Whitehead. The anniversary EP pays homage to the sound that launched Cultivated Electronics back on CE001 A1, with Signal Type delivering "Break Through", a snappy, driving and psychedelic electro workout built firmly for the dancefloor. Funky, spacey and packed with the restless energy that has defined the label since its inception, the track feels both like a nod to CE's roots and a statement of where the label stands today. The celebrations continue with three remixes from long-standing Cultivated Electronics collaborators and influential figures within the electro scene. Keith Tenniswood, aka Radioactive Man, brings an old-school, Mad Mike-esque Underground Resistance flavour to his rework, injecting the original with raw Detroit-inspired energy and machine-driven propulsion. Carl A. Finlow, operating under his Silicon Scally moniker, takes things deeper, delivering a heady after-hours interpretation built around immersive, late-night club sonics. Rounding out the EP, Finnish electro pioneers Morphology deliver a hypnotic, 90s-inspired roller, bringing their distinctive analogue sensibility and futuristic groove to the original. The vinyl edition arrives on blue marbled translucent coloured vinyl, housed in a full-sleeve package featuring artwork from Geometric Love. From its first release to its 50th, Cultivated Electronics has remained dedicated to forward-thinking electro, connecting classic machine funk with contemporary club sounds. CE050 marks both a celebration of the label's history and a salute to the artists and sounds that continue to shape its future. Here's to another 50 releases.
Yes, yes funky people, another super sexy, soul, classic dancer makes it onto the DYNAMITE CUTS 7” series. This all-time soul gem “That what friends are for” by the amazing Madeline Bell and Alan Parker. This version is taken from her solo album, uplifting, with a touch of Latin hip movement, is the fresh, must-have 45 everyone is waiting for. On the flip “That’s the way I like it” is a banging version club mover. When you get the best British Library musicians with one of the hottest American soul singers, the magic happens. The band is made up of some of the biggest library legends; Alan Parker, Alan Hawkshaw, Chris Karan and Duncan Lamont to name a few.
This is the reissue of original 1993 Rephlex double vinyl album, completely remastered from DATs by Beau Thomas, with the original artwork, and photography by Richard James. µ-Ziq's Tango N'Vectif was released in 1993, a classic year for auteurist electronic music that didn't always fit on the dancefloor. Written by Mike Paradinas in his late teens with some help from Frank Naughton, it still stands up really well today and its influence on electronic music in the decades since is obvious. Across an expanse of ideas, taking influences from early Aphex, Detroit Techno and UK Hardcore, Mike created this spirited, funky, jerry-rigged, lo-fi version of rave; with crunchy drums and a knack for melody that fell somewhere between John Barry and classic TV themes. Without owning a computer, Mike had been writing techno, house and industrial tracks on and off since 1990, playing live keys alongside drum machine rhythms on his 4-track recorder. µ-Ziq started when Mike linked up with Frank who was also writing dance-influenced music, and importantly owned an Atari 1040ST computer with Cubeat software. They pooled their equipment and Mike would travel up to Frank's house a couple of miles away in Wimbledon to record together. By 1992, and after a false start when a proposed EP for Mark Pritchard and Tom Middleton's Evolution label got shelved, Mike had started at Kingston University where he deejayed and met like-minded people including a couple of guys who knew Aphex Twin who was also a student at Kingston too, and they passed Aphex a demo of Mike's material. A few days later Mike got a message from his mum to 'call Aphex Twin' and he gave Mike some advice, and seemed interested in releasing something. So when Frank and his family went on holiday that summer Mike borrowed his Atari and synths and wrote the majority of the Tango N'Vectif album during that 2 weeks. By the end of 1992 a release with Aphex Twin and Grant Wilson Claridge's Rephlex label had been agreed - Aphex had moved to the house in Clissold Crescent where he recorded a lot of his early classic albums and Mike went over to collect his advance, in the form of his very own Atari computer.
The word classic is a much overused one, but in the case of this much in demand 1999 four tracker, it's no exaggeration. There has been much conjecture over the years over the identity of the producer - or producers - behind the mysterious Clint Foster name, but our lips are sealed, we ain't no grasses. All we will say if you like your techno seriously laced with acid, tough and sinewy but equally funky then then you'll love this. Opener 'Indium' is pinned down by machinefunk handclaps, a gloopy bassline and a synth line that coasts pretty majetsically. 'Patterns' is faster, harder and dubbier, not a million miles in its rhythmic shuffle from Carl Craig's 'My Machines', while 'Throughway' is the truly hypnotic one, big on the atmospheric scale. 'Afterdark' closes things, airy synths swelling and hovering over an addictively chunky beat. No names, no packdrill, just four essentially fantastic bits of classsy techno that haven't dated in all the years since. Essential.
Global Pulse 07 takes you on a journey to southern Italy, where Neapolitan producer XQTE presents the "Orbital South EP". Inspired by his hometown's early 2000s techno legacy, Vincenzo Gargiulo proposes his modern take, showing a warm soul and a masterful use of samplers . This record is driven by filtered chords , catchy vocals, funky basslines and percussions that will uplift the dance floor with a delicious groove.
Breakbeat Paradise Recordings proudly welcomes back one of the undisputed heavyweights of the international funk and breaks scene, Basement Freaks, for another scorching edition of the Toxic Funk series.
The brainchild of Greek producer George Fotiadis, Basement Freaks has spent more than two decades building a worldwide reputation for infectious grooves, heavyweight beats and dancefloor-destroying funk. With releases on labels including Jalapeño Records, Bombastic Jam, Good Groove Records and many more, Basement Freaks has become a staple in DJ sets around the globe and one of the most respected names in modern funk.
Opening the release is Got That Funky Stuff, an irresistible slice of raw party funk packed with chunky breakbeats, killer basslines and soulful samples that are guaranteed to get any crowd moving. Flipping over, Life For Dat Sweet Ting keeps the energy flowing with another irresistible groove, combining vintage funk flavors, rolling drums and signature Basement Freaks swagger into a certified dancefloor weapon.
Whether you're a funk DJ, breakbeat selector or simply a lover of timeless grooves, Toxic Funk Vol. 25 delivers two expertly crafted cuts that showcase why Basement Freaks remains at the very top of the global Nu Funk scene. Another essential 7-inch for collectors and DJs alike, and another dose of pure funk from Breakbeat Paradise Recordings.
Light Touches Records is devoted to shed new lights on hot rarities, unknown grooves as well as forgotten classics.
As the attention to the older volume is rising, Light Touches camp pushes things further with four uncompromising tunes.
On A side, “Do It This Way” is an intense lost disco roller with oniric string machine and thundering bass, while “It’s True” goes deeper with a relentless Philly groove with psychedelic tones. On the flipside, “Jus’ta Funky Jam” opens things up with some killer groovy arrangement, and “Dance With You” closes the release with a dreamy, mellow jazzfunk tune.
All tracks have been carefully edited without overdubs, in order to bring the spirit of classic disco manipulators to today’s dancefloors!
Ibiza-based Jazz N Palms is back with more musical dispatches from the calmer side of the island that follow on from his Ses Rodes album in 2022. That record was focused on a double album assembled, as if over a Cartesian grid of space-time. While one record was about space/the environment, the other was following the times of the day. This 7" expands that with more music inspired by magical island spaces.
These tracks were recorded in Magrana Studio in Ibiza with three new musicians and, after the post-production, the mixing was made with the help of Ben Westbeech and his beautiful Unfairchild II, an amazing Californian reproduction of the holy grail of tube compressor that has been present in Abbey Road studios since the 60s.
Opener 'El Valle' ('the valley') captures the different shades of light that pass over Ibiza, from early spring light to the arrival of looming clouds and the first thunders of a summer storm. It is the organ which serves as the main character to convey those sensations and the passing from light to dark as a live, loose and dusty groove bounces below. On the flip side, 'La Costa' simulates cruising on the open sea, riding choppy swells as waves lap at the boat and you gaze at the passing landscapes. Only drums and bass have been used to convey the feeling, and the result is a wonderfully uneven, ever-evolving and funky groove full of life.
Pirka Vinyl Cuts returns with a new chapter in its unknown edits series, featuring four anonymous cuts built strictly for the dancefloor.
From the rolling grooves of “KINR” and the raw energy of “Ruffneck”, to the sun-soaked swing of “Sun Goes Back” and the late night vibes of “Get Me Down”, the record delivers four funky house tools packed with classic samples, tight drums and peak-time flavor.
A no-nonsense DJ weapon designed for long blends, sweaty rooms and proper moments behind the decks. Limited vinyl release on Pirka Vinyl Cuts.
San Francisco electronic pioneers Darwin Chamber and DJ Spun head down the arcade for four tracks of the unmistakable flavour of modified 8 Bit sound chips from the 80s. 'LFO's Are Real' definitely nods to the Leeds duo that kicked the Warp Records revolution off, but that's just a starting point for some rough edged electro machinations and some spooky extra-terrestrial samplings. '8-Bit Phantasy' connects Chicago-style piano magic with acid undertows and gets brought to dancefloor life by a serious injections of funky ass breakbeatery. 'Intruder Alert' is the gnarliest of the lot, the bass end nothing if not speaker threatening, before 'We Gotta Get' is wonderfully disorientating disco dub delirium. Raw and direct, this will set the floor alight quicker than a can of petrol and lit match.
Fully licensed ! Ltd to 500 copies. Singer and guitarist Ram John Holder was born in. 1939 in Georgetown, British Guiana, then moved to Cincinnati
in 1954, and to the East Coast to work as folk blues singer in the early 1960s. In 1963, he took residency in England where he recorded several
albums. Released in 1969 Black London Blues is surely is masterpiece. A socio-political manifesto the album chronicles the trials and tribulations
that were the result of being a black-immigrant in London, and it contains all the pathos and pain one can imagine. Self-conscious, as concept
albums often are, the record is almost like an audio A-Z or pub guide. It’s funky/soul and represents his own black experience. It is a must have
for all the blues revivalist out there, a record to rank along the lines of early Mike Cooper and American stalwarts like Eugene McDaniels or Sixto
Rodriguez!
Tracklist:
SIDE A: 1. Loie - 2. Lloro Tu Despedida - 3. Goin’ Home - 4. Me ‘N You
SIDE B: 1. Liebestraum - 2. Shu Shu - 3. Blue Samba - 4. Favela - 5. Linda Flor
SOULGRA
Since the release of DAMAGED in 2024, Michael Fiedler aka GHOST DUBS has been surfing intensifying waves of adulation, earning praise from such diverse underground legends as Justin Broadrick (Godflesh/Jesu), Regis, Stefan Betke (Pole) and Steve Von Till (Neurosis). With second album Oblique, his mastery of sculpting sound waves results in a spellbinding set of alien soundscapes: larger in scale, richer in tone and considerably more cinematic than its predecessor. Lower, deeper and moodier, its cloudy abstractions, shadowy pulsations and submerged rhythms find Fiedler reaching further into his own sonic void, crafting blurred melodies and addictive narco loops into something simultaneously heavyweight and hypnotic.
Lead single and album opener “Low Times” sets the atmospheric pressure to maximum, resembling a dream date between prime dirt-house era Andy Stott and Berlin dub-tech pioneers Basic Channel. From there, Oblique descends into a series of enchanting mood scenes: the furtive, balletic gyrations of “After All”, the haunting ambience and buried heartbeat throb of “Soft Collapse”, and the noirish atmospherics of “Blackout Dust”, which worms its way into the mind like some forgotten David Lynch scene. The spirit of reggae is more distanced here than on DAMAGED, but the ghost of Jamaican dub still permeates these foggy soundscapes, particularly on “Bombed Suburbs”, where Augustus Pablo-style melodicism is chopped, screwed and slowed into a magnetic lock groove.
Superficially minimal but maximal in its minute detail, Oblique is a record of contorted reflections, mesmeric echoes and tantalising audio mirages. By the vaporous mist of closing track “Almost a Structure”, obvious rhythm has been craftily filtered away, leaving a blurred and blunted residue full of mystery and implied narrative. Dense in the best possible sense and crushing when played loud yet equally potent played quiet, Oblique imagines dub techno burning its own rigid rulebook: sensual, funky and concussive rather than dry or alienating. Following Fiedler’s recent work scoring Sound of Falling, recognised at Cannes in 2025, Oblique finds Ghost Dubs shedding his influences and making it clear he has arrived at a sound entirely his own — essential deep listening and a bewitching dose of future shock.
Pleasurewood return with 'Electric Telepathy', their second full-length LP offering Simla Space Funk, Psych-Library and Vintage-Cinematic Raga-Rock grooves.
This new offering from the band embraces more of their vintage Hindi Cinema soundtrack influences — "Chump Change", "The Hoverfly" and "RAMMM" could easily fit into the middle of an R.D. Burman score, each with their incongruous synthesis of different genres, infectious percussion, classical modes and funk chops.
There is also a slight sweep across a too-slow-to-disco tempo and feel with the moody Johnny Guitar Watson-esque slow burn of "Good Falcon" up to the nonchalant four-to-the-floor of "Last Dance Saloon" with its lyrical warning of digital over-saturation in our social-media saturated world and a foreboding of the mini-monoliths sat in the palms of our hands that in a Kubrickian way threaten to cosmically absorb us all as a species into their individual jet-black abysses.
And then, coming into focus like a sweet slice of disjointed, lo-fi, 8 bit space disco, "Mojave Desert" is a slacker-strut with telephone vocals dub guitars, dry cosmic synths and futurist Farfisa organ driven by an almost Acid-Jazz meets Post-Punk Bass line. The song is autobiographical in its account of an excursion along the 29 Palms Highway reflecting on an escape from the City of Angels not so far away, up into the stark psychedelic desert realm.
There is a lot to unpack in this record and yet more to discover so it will be best to allocate 40 minutes in a comfortable dimly-lit room with eyes closed and maybe a cognac in hand, to have a deep-dive into its well-travelled and esoterically funky grooves.
Only Music Matters continues its staunchly no-frills approach to releasing music under the eponymous production moniker and with no fancy track titles, but a high-quality and weighty vinyl pressing designed for serious club business. 'AAA001A' is a beefy minimal cut with voices turned into ghostly trails that shimmer amid dusty percussion in a sleek tech groove that dances just above the floor. 'BBB001B' has a bubbly feel thanks to airy pads that gently circle the zoned-out and dubby groove. 'BBB002B' is a more heads-down flip that revels in great snares and funky double kicks.
It Takes Two is at it again. The 45 duo consisting of Deejay Irie and Friss, founded in 2020, is here with a brand-new release.
Played by DJ Koco aka Shimokita, DJ Robert Smith, Marc Hype of Dusty Donuts, and many more. Edits by DJs for DJs, filled with scratch samples and perfect intros/outros. After 001, 002, 003, 004, and 005 sold out, they're back with 90 BPM of big fun with small records!
The A-side is an ode to one of hip-hop's first beef tracks, flipped with a reggae twist, a clean intro, and a scratch sample to get funky with.
The B-side contains an instrumental version of the A-side.
GodSexy (the best unused track title in Prince’s sadly now dormant Future Titles notebook) throbs and bounces in all the right places. Positively sprightly whilst also oozing depth, it unveils itself layer after beautiful layer. In true Howells style, it sits alone and imperious in a world above and beyond mere genres, sonically cerebral yet simultaneously 100% dancefloor ready. Urgently uplifting, inspirationally intense.
Shut Down is House Heaven meets Danny Does Disco in characteristically off-kilter (and peerless) fashion. Driven by a twisted percussive loop and a seductive vocal sample, aided and abetted by hypnotically funky guitar licks and lush chords that duck and dive like the (original) Artful Dodger, it’s all about the tension between analogue evangelism and digital futurism.
Hotrocks, your bonus vinyl only offering, will have you heading through the door marked ‘Magic Black Plastic’ at a rate of techno-infused knots. This is serious heads down business, a rave monster, Joey Beltram and Patrick Cowley’s mystery lovechild. Blistering, breathless, bounteous, bloomin’ brilliant.
SIMPLR is a dab hand when it comes to editing, tweaking and touching up classics tracks just enough to make them bang on contemporary flors, but not so much that they lose the essence of what makes them standout in the first place. Already this month he kicked off this label with a doozy rework of a soul great and now offers two more gems - 'Downtown Soul' is steamy and hot house with big trumpets and funky bass loops and 'Those Days' gets deeper, with louche, live-feeling grooves that loop back on themselves and bring the funk.
Following last year's ''Magic Overlooked'' EP, DJ AGITATED returns to the Dolly TS series. ''Horses of Volcanoes and the Moon'' sounds as big as its title. Frantic vocal loops, deep dub stabs, fast paced strings and funky basslines, sky is the limit! DJ AGITATED delivers beautiful techno for the soul yet again.
After establishing the Serebii project with several albums’ worth of trancing neo-soul, much of it done in collaboration with fellow New Zealander Arjuna Oakes, Callum Mower had no lack of confidence in his musical abilities. But much of Mower’s focus in the past was on instruments and production—swirling, cinematic instrumentals under his own name or funky art-pop jams with others on vocals. On Dime, however, Mower knew he wanted to push forward with his own singing placed center stage.
Ian Pooley's 'Roller Skate Disco EP' Returns with Digital Debut and Vinyl Repress
Definitive Recordings brings back one of the label's early house gems with a remastered reissue of Ian Pooley's 'Roller Skate Disco EP'. Originally released in 1994, the EP returns for the first time as a digital release while also receiving a new vinyl repress. Alongside the original material, the reissue expands the package with the previously unreleased track 'Unity' and the Bandcamp-exclusive 'Never Give Up'.
For more than three decades, Ian Pooley has been one of house music's most respected producers and DJs. Emerging from Mainz, Germany, with a deep love for the sounds of Chicago and Detroit, he has built a career defined by subtle artistry, impeccable groove, and timeless musicality. His acclaimed albums 'Meridian' and 'Since Then', remixes for artists including Daft Punk and Jovonn, and releases on labels such as Plus 8, Innervisions, Rekids, and his own Pooledmusic have established him as one of the true masters of deep and soulful house music.
The title track, 'Roller Skate Disco', immediately captures the uplifting spirit of classic 90s house. Built around an infectious disco-inspired sample, funky guitar loops, and a warm, rolling house bassline, the track is complemented by a looping female vocal that gives it an unmistakable feel-good energy. 'Sure!' follows with a groove driven by crisp TR-909 drums, deep synth chords, and a playful TB-303 sequence, while a repeated female vocal ties the arrangement together into a hypnotic club workout.
'The Brückenkopf at 7 AM', named after the legendary club in Pooley's hometown of Mainz, moves into deeper territory. Dreamlike synth textures, a memorable deep house piano motif, and another signature 303 sequence combine to create one of the EP's most atmospheric moments. The previously unreleased 'Unity' continues this journey with a hypnotic groove, deep house aesthetics, and another beautifully woven acid line, making it a natural addition to the original release. Completing the digital edition, 'Never Give Up' arrives as a Bandcamp exclusive, pairing playful M1 organ sounds with a rolling 303 sequence and an effortlessly flowing house groove.
More than thirty years after its original release, 'Roller Skate Disco EP' remains a perfect snapshot of Ian Pooley's early sound and a testament to the timeless appeal of classic house music. This expanded edition celebrates one of Definitive Recordings' defining releases while introducing it to a new generation of listeners.
Norwegian Paris- based producer and multi-instrumentalist Sprutbass (Eivind Henjum) returns to on the European music stage with his latest EP RALLY SKANDINAVIA EP(Musique Large 2026) This album is a high-octane, hard-hitting sonic journey deeply rooted in the rich heritage of Scandinavian electronic music, fusing the historic legacy of Norwegian space-disco with a glittering and funky cosmic futurism.
The EP is co-produced and mixed by the legendary norwegian dj and producer Prins Thomas and features contributions from innovative trombonist Rick Parker (Mingus Big Band, Wu-Tang Clan) and avant-garde drummer/percussionist Håkon Berre (Peter Brötzman, Otomo Yoshihide).
Frenchman Janeret heads up the second release on fledgling label Species. Deep in the game for over a decade now, Janeret has an innate ability to blend emotive layers of electronic funk with sultry grooves and hypnotic rhythms. His output is impeccable, each release encapsulating his emotionally rich approach. On the road, he’s an in-demand selector, channelling his love for sharing music that moves people into spellbinding sets from Europe to the USA, Australia and South America.
On the Vibrations EP Janeret embodies the essence of what makes him unique: combining the core foundational components of his sound to produce four dancefloor-ready cuts that epitomise where he’s at right now…
The EP opens with its title cut, ‘Vibrations’, a steppy production with an enchanting riff and mythical melodies. A reggae vocal utters “vibration” intermittently, accompanied by a hip hop sample, demonstrating Janeret’s broad sonic palette. Layered drum arrangement and deep bassline make this one a surefire dancefloor groover.
Up next it’s ‘No End’, a mesmerising trip driven by crisp percussion and a mean b-line. As the drums roll out, Janeret introduces jaunty layers that add cosmic funk to the cut. With each stage of progression the swirling funky synths envelop the listener more and more, immersing you in their wistful vibrations. A spinetingling break allows space for a short breather before the beats come back in, guiding us to the close.
On the flip we have ‘Fazed’, which kicks off with sturdy breaks and a highly effective, simple melody. The low end is immediately captivating, complementing the melody with a little more complexity. Together, the beats, bass and uncomplicated melody build steadily, with more elements added bringing further depth to the cut. This is one for closing your eyes and really losing yourself in the moment.
Finally, ‘Sub Pressure’ closes out the EP with a dreamy, yet bass-heavy atmosphere. Soft pads glide across the top layer, while a hefty b-line balances things out in the bottom end. Janeret’s exquisite production keeps things progressing with subtle elements creeping in throughout, creating a symphony of electronic sound and vibration. Let the brighter layers tantalise your spirit, while the bass moves your body.
Masterful work from Janeret here, with four versatile tracks designed to move the dancefloor across mind, body and soul. Feel the Vibrations…
Introducing the first in a series of reworks on GAMM from Macedonia's finest curator of urban music, DJ Goce...
Deeply rooted in hip-hop, Goce has a worldwide rep for exploring all things funky, soulful, and jazzy, releasing tracks on labels like Dusty Donuts and Baller Beats.
For his GAMM debut, he tackles a classic Beatnuts anthem, complete with a wild intro using the original sample source.
On the B, Goce keeps the momentum going with a rework of an Al Hirt rare groove classic, famously sampled by De La Soul and The Roots.
Keep an eye out - there is plenty more to come from DJ Goce on GAMM !
It’s that time of year again! Are your copies of “Now! That’s What I Ca l Christmas” and “A Motown Christmas” finaly feeling worn out? Strut has the ideal antidote this year, as we dive into the world of festive records made by African artists spanning the late 1960s to the 1980s with our new Krismasi: Christmas Sounds From Africa compilation.
Taking in music from across the continent from Nigeria and Ghana to South Africa and Zimbabwe, Krismasi draws from a wide range of sounds from fun novelty records and spur-of-the-moment jams to spiritual and gospel favourites. Featured artists include Ghanian great Kwadwo Donkoh with a meditative highlife praise song from his much-loved Christmas Africana album. Elsewhere, pop star turned pastor, Jerry Boifraind, has some fun with a song celebrating seeing friends at Christmas and Nigerian pop favourite Martha Ulaeto features with the lilting lead track from her own Christmas Africana release. We pick out some choice Central and East African sounds with Kakai Kilonzo’s bri liant Kilimambogo Brothers Band and Congolese legend Baba Gaston’s Orchestra Baba National capturing the joy of the festive season. We stop off in Zim for a rare Dorothy Masuka acoustic piece and one of the country’s great musicians post-independence, Paul “Dr. Love” Matavire with ‘Christmas Yaswedera’ (‘Christmas Is Near’). Township jazz star Reggie Msomi appears with a joyous township instrumental and, fina ly, we couldn’t release a Christmas co lection without some carols. Here we include here a great version of ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ by UK-based Nigerian highlife musician Flash Dominci and a hi-octane funky medley of favourite festive hymns by Ghana’s Oscar Suley.
The compilation is the first in-depth co lection of rare African Christmas recordings, uncovering a rich and often overlooked chapter of the continent's musical history. Krismasi is available on Red & White Inkplosion Vinyl LP and CD. Vinyl restoration is by Colin Young at See Why Audio, mastering is by Frank Merritt at The Carvery, and the album features striking new artwork by Liam Large.
“Cue Blue”, the latest and fifth studio recording from Australian down under, gritty jazzfunk grooves ensemble Kerbside Collection sees a return to a more classic, stripped back, meat-and-potatoes, home-cooked, quartet formation sound of guitar, bass, drums and brass.
A sound formed on previous, recent recordings (incl. Golden Rules compilation tune “Fleet Streak” etc), seemingly harking back to the approach of the group’s first recordings (2013’s “Mind The Curb”, “Night in Tunisia” etc), whilst embodying inspirations from more ‘true school’, classic, bluesy New Orleans funk and soul groove flavours à la early Meters, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Melvin Sparks, Billy Butler etc. But it’s not all completely ‘retro’ and ‘looking back’, the album definitely taps into some of the current exponents and leaders of the contemporary deep funk sound – The Greyboy Allstars, Eddie Roberts, The New Mastersounds, The Mighty Mocambos, Breakestra and fellow Aussie funksters Cookin’ on 3 Burners, Lance Ferguson and The Bamboos etc.
The lead single and first tune “Shivers” gives us a clear, picture and definitive opening statement to the record with all the characteristics you’ve come to expect from the Kerbside gritty jazzfunk sound: silky guitar line phrasing, rubbery bass-lines, tight crusty drum breaks, and sweet brass arrangements. Then it’s straight into a frenetic, jangly, mod-funk workout complete with Northern Soul & Motown inflections in the surging B sections. “City Park Avenue” conjures up classic New Orleans funk flavours with its strutting brass, slinky guitar and swinging tambourine groove. There’s classic, b-boy funk territory covered in “Coffee Grinder” (a breakdance move) with its razor-sharp drum break groove and chunky riff complete with sizzling trombone solo. Before the pace of the record changes up with the finger-clicken’, hand-clappin’ boogaloo, reminiscent of early 60s Harlem x Puerto Rican Bronx sounds (à la Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto) loaded with a scintillating baritone sax solo from long standing part of the collection ‘Papa Joe’ Roberts.
“Sittin’ On The Porch” cools the temperature down even more, delving into slight Southern Louisiana Delta blues territory, while suggesting some of the hot and muggy atmosphere and imagery of their home town location in suburban Brisbane Australia, complete with kooky Casio percussion representing familiar yard sounds such as sprinklers (spinning lawn watering devices) and ‘mozzies’ (mosquitos), passing cars indicated by trombone, and guitarist TC Tyler, channelling some bluesy John Lee Hooker, R.L. Burnside guitar flavours - you can almost feel the humidity on your skin.
Then it’s time for a stroll down memory lane, with their version of a People Under The Stairs hip hop classic “San Francisco Knights”, bringing the tune full circle back into band mode, also with another tasty guitar solo. The album then enters its final stages with a mesmerising, soulful, jazz ballad “Shimmer”, complete with Elliott Parker’s sultry upright double bass, and trombone taking the melody for a gentle stroll down the street. The album finally closes and arrives at its title “Cue Blue”, a classic blue-eyed soul number (penned by bassist Parker), emitting the scent of true school, vintage R&B and soul (à la Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye).
An album of funky arrangements and refined compositions, mostly penned by recent new-ish member, guitarist Tyler (for fans of Tower of Power & John Scofield guitar playing) taking the ensemble through their paces with all the usual characteristics of the Kerbside sound, on top a groove that will take you round-the-block-and-back :P Gritty jazzfunk and rustic soul grooves with definite bluesy overtones, some classic 60s, 70s flourishes and down-home funk flavours.
Cruise Music really does what it says on the tin - serve up the sort of grooves that are easy to slip into a ride along with, especially when the sun is out and the mood gets a little more playful than usual. Their 16th edition of this long-running series is another super fly collection of effective groove and classic house attitude. Makito opens with the funky licks and disco colour of 'Jailhouse Funk' while Mark Funk, Danny Cruz pull back and allow plenty of sunshine and jazzy sax warmth into 'The Vibe.' On the flip, Bonetti gets remixed by Vertigini for some filter-driven and dusty house goodness and Raffaele Ciavolino & FederFunk bring a little Latin heat and percussive texture. Classy stuff.
"Temporary World" sees the return to Canopy of musical whizz kid Joi N'Juno, teaming up with the creative force of Kaleta, who has been a long-time collaborator of the label and long known for his work with Nigerian legends Fela Kuti & Sunny Ade.
For this project, the inspiration came from vintage Nigerian funk & disco, channelled through modern production aesthetics, bridging the gap between past & present.
Joi N'Juno's bouncy disco beats and groovy basslines lay the foundation over which Kaleta's funky guitars and the horn section from London Afrobeat Collective pepper the details. Keys bubble and synths soar as Kaleta's vocals, sung in both English & Yoruba, bring his evocative soulfulness. The culmination is an authentic melting pot of both vintage influence and originality.
Joi N'Juno turns in two different mixes of each song, the first in a "live", sounding approach and a second Mmore "oomphy" mix with fat synth bass, suited to the late night dance floors
Originally released in 2006, Radiohead tribute album Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads returns to its original home at BBE Music, two decades on from its debut. Featuring eclectic cover versions of Radiohead’s songs by Mark Ronson, Bilal, Sia, Meshell Ndegeocello, Questlove Sa-Ra, The Cinematic Orchestra, Osunlade and Matthew Herbert to name but a few, the album gave BBE Music its first Top 40 single in the UK with Mark Ronson’s cover of “Just”, and has gone on to become an enduring classic, paving the way for many similar projects in the years since (like BBE's David Bowie tribute Modern Love and Naive Melodies, a tribute to the Talking Heads). Twenty years later, with several of its contributors now major names in their own right, its reputation as a genre-bending classic has only grown. People get confused about cover versions. They are a labour of love, not some sort of disrespectful treatment of the classics. Everyone involved in the "Exit Music" project loves the music of Radiohead; "Songs with Radio Heads" doesn't attempt to replace the originals as "definitive versions." Instead, like the Futureheads cover of Kate Bush or the Slits cover of Marvin Gaye, this is an exercise in translating well-loved tracks into a different genre. "Exit Music" also taps into the dance-floor potential of Radiohead, long recognised by DJs and producers ranging from Burial and Flying Lotus to Kendrick Lamar. The band themselves are devotees of both hip hop and dance music, commissioning remixes from respected figures such as Modeselektor, Madlib, DJ Shadow and Four Tet. Now a bona fide cult favourite, this 20th-anniversary reissue collects together the finest hip hop and dance cover versions of Radiohead songs. Ranging from gentle acoustic treatments to raw funky versions, BBE have taken the songs of Radiohead into realms even he couldn't imagine…
Arno E. Mathieu returns with a new EP on Musiq Voyage
A Mediterranean horizon in motion.
Arno E. Mathieu returns with a new Balearic journey where electronic disco grooves meet funky guitar, atmospheric synthesizers, mystic chants and driving percussion.
Rooted in the warmth of the Mediterranean but built for movement, the EP unfolds like an endless landscape — from the coastline to the distant horizon. Organic guitar lines, hypnotic bass and percussive rhythms lock into spacious electronic textures, creating a sound that feels simultaneously earthy, cosmic and deeply danceable.
Balearic in spirit, disco at heart, house and psychedelic in atmosphere and driven by a strong sense of place.
After releases and remixes connected with labels and artists including Compost, Real Tone, Earthrumental, Joe Claussell, I:Cube, Mark E, Beanfield and Max Essa, Arno E. Mathieu continues to build a body of work where dance music becomes a form of landscape painting.
Sun on the water. Bass beneath the feet. Guitar in the distance. The horizon keeps moving.
A limited edition clear vinyl pressing for Vol. 1 of DINTE's critically acclaimed collection of pirate radio adverts & idents, taken from recordings of London stations between 1984 & 1993.
“Stankface” finds Funkmaster Ozone deep in his natural habitat: a raw, playful P-Funk workout driven by a heavy bass groove, punchy drums, elastic synth lines and his unmistakable talkbox. Packed with swagger, humor and irresistible head-nodding energy, the track connects classic Parliament-Funkadelic and Zapp influences with polished modern-funk production.
“Bust A Move” takes Funkmaster Ozone straight back to the golden era of Electro-Funk, combining hard-hitting 808 drum-machine rhythms, funky synth bass, futuristic textures and infectious vocoder vocals. Robotic, playful and built for the dancefloor, the track channels classic old-school electro and boogie energy through Ozone’s unmistakable modern production style.
Swedish acid gurus PEEL MD return with another timeless hypnotic acid EP straight from their private jam sessions. This duo is a bit of a hidden gem on the swedish techno scene but just check out these 5 cuts selected by the Borft Kingpin himself and you'll hear why. It's dubby, its very hypnotic, its in the borderlands of genres, and its infected by the acid, all of it except the first track which is a dreamy sparsely melodic almost subtly trancey jam. The second track smacks you in the ass with their typical wonky funky acid sound and the third goes downtempo, and the following two tracks complete the dreamy acid journey you're in for. For fans of hypnotic dark acid stuff this is a must have record. -J Cosmo
Tiger Stripes unveils part one of ‘A Tiger Never Loses Its Stripes’ on Rekids. The series will culminate in the Swedish artist’s sophomore album later this year.
Sweden’s Tiger Stripes, aka Mikael Nordgren, drops the first part of the ‘A Tiger Never Loses Its Stripes’ EP series on Rekids. The EP previews his upcoming sophomore album, his first in two decades, due out later this year, and follows three recent releases and a remix for Dino Lenny on Matt Edwards’ Rekids label.
Tiger Stripes kicks off the ‘A Tiger Never Loses Its Stripes’ EP with ‘Slow’, a snappy groove driven by weighty bass and vocals that are as playful as they are drenched in soul. ‘Twelve’ picks up the pace with irresistible low-end and funky, jazz-inflected key riffs, before ‘Stay Hypnotic’ takes things somewhere more dream-like, pairing shimmering synth sequences with glitched-out percussion and fragmented vocal snippets on the flip. ‘Shape The Future’ closes the first instalment with a squelchy bassline, slightly off-key strings and gorgeous dubbed-out chord progressions, bringing a classy, club-ready finish to this preview of Tiger Stripes’ next album.
Founder of the Strange Idols label, Tiger Stripes has spent over two decades forging his own path with standout releases on Hot Creations, Kaoz Theory, Kwench Records, and more. After stepping back to focus on his indie-rock project Little Lies, he made a full return in 2024 and quickly recaptured the form that’s made him an international favourite, returning three times to Rekids since.
Following on from the highly anticipated Rebirth 20 anniversary project, Rebirth return with the first of two limited-edition bonus 12"s, digging deeper into the label’s catalogue with four killer remixes and previously overlooked gems.
Kicking things off with Leon Feat. Corrina Joseph – I Follow You (Darryl Baalki Remix), a soulful and deeply grooving house cut with Corrina Joseph’s beautiful vocals riding over a warm, hypnotic groove. Darryl Baalki adds his signature touch, making this one a serious late-night house weapon.
Next up is Gianluca Pegoiani Feat. Ann Saunderson – Numero 5 (Rough Ride) (Nick Holder Trackheadz Remix). Nick Holder’s Trackheadz take the original into deeper territory, delivering a classy, rolling slice of deep house with that unmistakable Detroit/Chicago-inspired feel.
On the flip we have Mata Jones & Mikey V – Funky (Elado Remix), bringing a more energetic and playful edge to proceedings with a seriously infectious groove, chunky drums and plenty of dancefloor funk.
Finishing off the EP is Psycho Radio Vs LC Anderson – Bad Reputation (Red Axes Remix). Red Axes work their magic on this one, twisting it into a dark, psychedelic indie-dance workout packed with attitude and hypnotic momentum.
Another essential selection from Rebirth as they continue celebrating 20 years of the label with some seriously choice cuts.
Mutual Rytm's Versus sub-label returns with a dark, absorbing new EP from contemporary techno innovators Kameliia and BLANKA. Kameliia and BLANKA both previously appeared on Federation of Rytm IV and now step forward with their long-awaited debut EPs. It is another standout for Mutual Rytm's Versus series, which has already made an impact with two previous EPs from Regent and Chontane and Klint and Hemka. This third release subtly evolves the sound into more hypnotic and atmospheric worlds that bring fresh perspectives to the series. Bulgarian-born, Norway-based Kameliia’s music is rooted in cinematic, melancholic and hypnotic sounds. She translates deep emotions into immersive sonic landscapes inspired by nature, particularly the moon, the sky and their atmospheric qualities. Along with Berlin-based Spaniard BLANKA, she has released on labels such as SK_Eleven, while BLANKA also co-founded Room Trax and draws heavily on the human voice, which she considers one of the most personal and intimate instruments. She uses it to create an emotional, direct connection with the dance floor, with a clean, minimal, timeless style rich in emotion. Kameliia opens up with the weighty kicks and eerie atmospheres of 'Bird In A Cage' before 'Red Sky' layers taut kicks and icy synths into a hypnotic forward charge full of depth and darkness, then 'Lightness' has an unsettling and paranoid lead hanging in the air next to vocal fragments and haunting pads. BLANKA’s offering begins with tightly wound kicks and bass on the dubby 'Say It With Me'; 'Self Pleasure' is an immersive and rubbery rhythm with cosmic synth work, and 'Rabbit Habits' brings funky synth lines that radiate a sense of subtle light and hope amidst the darkness of the groove. Two digital bonus cuts from each artist follow: Kameliia's unsettling, dystopian soundscape 'No Longer A Desire' and the backlit suspense of 'Vivere', and BLANKA's gritty, loopy 'Dream VST' and the deep-space odyssey that is 'Gone For Good'.
