Over the last few years Theravada has been making a very strong name for himself, with a unique human touch and deep lyricism, the rapper-producer proved to be a man of many hats and is standing tall as a one of a kind artist in today's musical landscape, having collaborated with artists such as Evidence, Earl Sweatshirt, Yungmorpheus, Your Old Droog and Navy Blue just so name a few, as well as his 2000 Entertainment home team alongside Rob Chambers, TOP$ and Kluse. On his brand new full-length "Waste Management", he has teamed up with RRR Music Group representative Zoomo to produce the entire project. The two have crafted 10 killer joints, with Theravada handling all mic duties on his own and Zoomo's soulful productions providing the perfect soundscape for his transcendent bars to resonate and bring you on an epic journey.
Suche:g i m productions
TCF Music Group founder and Rochester's own 38 Spesh is back with his brand new offering, 'Gunsmoke', featuring 9 bangers with guest appearances by the late great Fred The Godson (RIP), Ransom, Flee Lord, Che Noir and Klass Murda, as well as productions by Harry Fraud, Rain 910, Tricky Trippz and 38 Spesh himself, all topped up with outstanding artwork by Laz.
Real Bad Man keeps expanding his circle of collaborators by teaming up with fellow LA native Blu on their brand new collaboration effort "Bad News". Blu's introspective, intricate and mind bending rhymes perfectly blend with Real Bad Man's fresh and sample-heavy productions, creating a unique piece of works, boasting guest appearances by NY legend CL Smooth as well as Planet Asia, Cashus King, Donel Smoke and Definite. Limited vinyl hot off the press and available to order right now!
We are proud to present “Shores Of Acheron”, an opus of the technical death and melodic black metal band Kharon, and a product from experienced musicians with roots in the Norwegian early 90’s extreme metal scene including artists from bands as Mork, Dauden, Infernal, Skjoge and Ragnarok. Kharon hails from the town Sarpsborg, Norway, and was basically founded already in 1989 by guitarist Rigor and bass-player Kull, but was originally formed under the name of Padox, and later re-named as Immortal Enemy and Potency. In 1992 the official and current band-name Kharon was established, when Thyme aka General Hymer joined the band. In 2001 they recorded their first 3 song-demo “The Fullmoon Curse” at Haunted House Studio, followed up two years later with their first official release: the EP “Raised By Hellish Demons”, which also marked the end of the first era of Kharon. Until the plague struck and 20 years later Kharon resurfaced under the banner of Hellstain Productions, recording brand-new material with vocalist Malignant. The band's debut album “Shores Of Acheron” is finally unveiled, and constitutes Kharon's journey through more than 30 years of Norwegian extreme metal music history. It contains remixed and remastered tracks of “The Fullmoon Curse” and “Raised By Hellish Demons”, finalized with the new material. Vinyl: gold & red edition.
Without a doubt, these productions leave a lasting impression and atmosphere, as already proven in our label head’s sets. The EP kicks of with "Silvio," featuring a rolling bassline reminiscent of the disco edits from the 2000s, like "Je Dàvu’s – Limitiert #9" or Rub n Tug’s classic edits, yet with a remarkably wild touch that gives the track its unique character. "Aus Music" might already be familiar to some from Dixon’s Cercle set and is, without question, a standout. It combines clever production with a certain spice that makes it a special companion in your usb stick and disco bag. Finally, "Mulher Gato" rounds out the EP, providing a fitting conclusion to a release that is set to resonate long after the last note.
Matter-of-factly, Lycox exclaims "Yaaahh" right at the beginning. That's an affirmation but in times of distress it can also mean resignation, something like "Yeah, whatever". Lycox says he was only freestyling though. Then the bassline appears. Elastic, expressive, full-bodied. And it's not even present the whole time. He was "trying to develop a new formula for the Kuduro beat."
Songs for the club? Most certainly. Different sensibilities, one same focused mind. Lycox evolves within tradition, he has mastered the groove, the ambience, the right tones. Simply called "Energia", the last track circles above wistfully, menacing but maybe just promising some sort of action. With a few drops one could almost switch over to a parallel universe of old school Trance, a reference that feels as alien here as maybe this track feels to someone for whom the standard Afro House sound represents modern African music.
These songs pile up in a threshold balanced between styles, sensations, maybe in the middle of life itself. Such a concentration of energy is bound to need release and that comes figuratively through details in the music reaching out to receptive ears. "To Bem Loko" explicitly tries to "literally drive everyone crazy on the dancefloor." Once again Lycox provides vocals, as in "Edson no Uige", about a friend who embarked on a trip to the Angolan province of Uige and came back speaking only the local dialect known as lingala. A nod to tradition, very emotional, without compromising complex arrangements. Consequently, we the listeners are kept believing there is still enough space for a bright future. To ears accustomed to Lycox productions the title "Contemporaneo" (opening of side B) reads like a redundancy, then.
Maybe this music can never be quite as massive as other Afro styles. Without sounding pretentious, it avoids simplistic patterns, it demands a bit more mental processing while it certainly aims to loosen the limbs. Universal in vocation, underground at the core, Lycox definitely calls it Batida but for some it is still Ghetto Music. Like DJ Veiga said when describing a previous release for Príncipe, Ghetto is home, though. Lycox adds it is a foundation of personality. "Few in our community will recognize your work when you come from the same environment, but once you establish your reputation outside of the neighbourhood and even outside of the country, people will look at you differently, as if you were a star."
Warehouse Find
Mike Huckaby is back on his own label 'Synth' with the final two tracks in his Bassline series. If you were lucky enough to get your hands on Bassline 87 (Released last year on Sushitech) then expect nothing less than two tracks produced from the classic Detroit Techno sound. Hurry quick as you know Mike Huckaby productions don't last long.
Leng’s San Francisco connection has long been strong, with the 40 Thieves collective – and their friend Cole Odin – providing some of the label’s most memorable releases of the last decade. That Bay Area connection comes to the fore once more on the imprint’s latest release, which sees Odin join forces with fellow San Francisco resident Marshall Watson, a long-serving producer, engineer and live performer known globally for his Balearic-minded productions.
‘Voyager’, the pair’s first collaborative single, is a genuine meeting of minds. It combines Odin’s love of low-slung dub disco, dancefloor psychedelia and low-tempo cosmic house with Watson’s
picturesque Balearic synths, sparkling piano riffs and immersive sound design. It’s this blend that dominates on the EP-opening Original Mix, an infectious workout that gets progressively more blissed-out and saucer-eyed as it progresses. Listen carefully and you’ll hear some suitably psychedelic guitar solos nestling amongst the heady washes of sound, sun-bright piano riffs and weighty bass.
Those languid, stretched-out guitar parts naturally take a more prominent role on the Extended
Guitar Mix. On this alternative take, the pair deliver a lightly tweaked take on the original groove, stretching it out while overlaying eyes-closed guitar solos, pots-and-pans percussion and a more DJ-friendly outro. It’s effectively an extended club mix – the club in question being a Bay Area basement at 5am. To round off the EP, Odin and Watson dust off their dancing shoes and pay tribute to San Francisco great Patrick Cowley. On the appropriately titled Cosmic Rave Mix, the pair swap their bass guitar for a pulsating sequenced bassline, trance-inducing synth sounds, and locked-in electronic loops designed to take you to a higher state of consciousness. By the time the track’s familiar piano refrain drops midway through, you’ll be reaching for the lasers in no time at all.
Pique is the sensational debut solo album from Dora Morelenbaum, one of the key talents spearheading Brazil’s new musical wave. A member of the Latin Grammy award-winning band, Bala Desejo, Dora showcases a new side to her solo productions on this special LP. Whereas Dora’s first solo EP, Vento de Beirada, was a leap of faith, Pique sees her soaring as one of Brazil’s standout stars, emboldened, emphatic but ever elegant. Building bridges between past and present, it’s a funkier, more groove-based affair, weaved together with those signature, slower, celestial tracks. Touching on disco, MPB, soul, R&B and jazz, the album is enriched with an indie pop aesthetic courtesy of fellow Brazilian star and co-producer, Ana Frango Elétrico.
With an ethereal, enveloping air few can match, Dora’s gift shines through both the serene and the spirited songs contained within. The blissful, sun-soaked ‘Não Vou Te Esquecer’ opens, before the funk-fuelled, feel-good ‘Venha Comigo’ and ‘Sim, Não.’ give a glimpse of the creativity bursting from the production partnership between Dora and Ana Frango Elétrico. Elsewhere, the album reclines into hazy lean-back realms via ‘A Melhor Saída’ and ‘Petricor’, virtuoso jazz funk in the form of ‘VW Blue’ and radiant MPB through the album’s title track ‘Pique’.
The drumming is tight, fresh and swung, the horns and strings deftly arranged, as funk-driven basslines and strutting guitars mesh with playful production touches that give an added vibrancy to the record. It is an album that exhibits every side of Dora and one she has been involved in from the ground up, from the songwriting, singing, arrangement and production to booking the studio time and sourcing the artwork designer, Maria Cau Levy.
An exchange of musical ideas powers every great scene and Rio’s contemporary landscape is no different - a family of interconnected musicians and friends that collaborate on each other’s productions. Pique is graced by a wealth of these leading Brazilian lights including her Bala Desejo bandmates Lucas Nunes, Julia Mestre and Zé Ibarra, as well as Guilherme Lirio, Alberto Continentino and Tom Veloso to name just a handful. This exchange crosses generations merging tradition with modernity. In a full circle moment, Dora’s parents Paula and Jaques Morelenbaum, who featured in countless recordings from Tom Jobim's Nova Banda and Ryuichi Sakamoto to Gal Costa and Gilberto Gil, join on the album through backing vocals and arrangement.
Pique sees Dora embrace a freedom through fresh forms, showcasing the depth and diversity of her creative artistry. An infinitely listenable release that nods to Brazilian greats like Gal Costa, Banda Black Rio and Lincoln Olivetti, fused with the indie pop edge of Ana’s production. The result is truly unique and sure to be a future Brazilian classic.
Blue vinyl repress
With a voice of pure gold and a startling sensitivity for heartfelt pop songwriting, on No Reino Dos Afetos (In the Realm of Affections), Berle firmly embraces earnestness, through starry-eyed Brazilian love songs, ambient vignettes, warm, home-cooked beats and gentle strokes of MPB genius.
Maceió, the capital of Brazil’s Alagoas state on its sprawling east-coast, is home to pastel coloured colonial houses, white sand beaches and a brilliant young composer, poet and multi-instrumentalist named Bruno Berle.
With a voice of pure gold and a startling sensitivity for heartfelt pop songwriting, on No Reino Dos Afetos (In the Realm of Affections), Berle firmly embraces earnestness, through starry-eyed Brazilian love songs, ambient vignettes, warm, home-cooked beats and gentle strokes of MPB genius.
“It’s an album that was built from my desire to find beauty”, Berle explains - his simple, graceful words mirroring the graceful simplicity in his music. But amongst the simplicity, the compositions, arrangements and productions on No Reino Dos Afetos tingle with nuance and detail.
On the contemporary R&B inspired lead single “Quero Dizer” - produced by Berle and longtime friend and collaborator Batata Boy - the swirling, lo-fi, kalimba and guitar-fronted beat is turned into a feel-good hit by the ingenuity of Berle’s honey-soaked vocal melody.
Powerfully intimate, “O Nome Do Meu Amor” (My Love’s Name) is a guaranteed tearjerker, with Berle’s stunning voice soaring over gently plucked acoustic guitar and the textural flutter of soft movement, as if we hear him writing the song in the moment.
Drawing upon a close-knit, collaborative scene of Maceió artists and musicians, (of which Berle and Batata Boy are vital members), Berle also recorded some of his friends songs on the album, including João Menezes’ “Até Meu Violao”, the album’s beautifully laid back sunshine soul opener, which has all the charm of early-70s João Donato.
Having cut his teeth in soft-rock group Troco em Bala, and more recently finding himself embedded in both Rio and Sao Paulo’s contemporary music scenes - collaborating with the likes of Ana Frango Eletrico, who took the photo for the album cover - No Reino Dos Afetos is as musically diverse as Bruno himself. It’s hazy indie rock (“É Preciso Ter Amor”), calming ambient and field recording (“Virginia Talk”) as well as Berle’s own take on West African High Life (“Som Nyame”).
Instantly recognisable as a truly special artist, Berle’s character fills every corner of the sound, which is unsurprising considering he played most of the instruments.
Shir Khan marks the 37th release on his infamous Black Jukebox imprint with an all-killer balearic house record courtesy of mysterious Cécille-affiliated Cabin Luv Affair hot on the heels of his debut album which has seen support from Fouk, Laurent Garnier, Jamie Jones, Mr. V and Archie Hamilton.
Here, the masked master lays out 4 convivial cuts that sit in a particular pocket between House and Disco; one that has historically been occupied by the likes of Pepe Bradock, Damiano Von Eckert and Andrés. A spot classically characterised by beautifully imperfect, sample-heavy productions that are shot through with palpable depth and soul.
The record sets sail with ’Te Siento’. Polyrhythmic percussion bubbles across the surface of a deep sonic pool that forms a bed for vivacious drums, romantic vocals and a spine-tingling strings riff. A hazy opening clears out before the backbone of recording shines through; an uplifting 90s piano motif that's later picked up by Xylophone tones while a tight, truncated bass line punches away at the track's core.
'Dance With Us' then rolls out a beautifully seductive mood. Softly shifting synth chords, a loose-limbed drum break and hedonic vocals whip up a hot and heavy vibe that shines with a distinctly Chicago-tinged elegance.
'Time Is Killing Us' follows up with an immaculately executed, 'last tune' House groove. A gentle but powerful euphoria is generated with swooning strings, more giddy piano riffs and another robust drum track that all gather momentum as progress rolls on. An ecstasy-crescendo forms before it crashes and fizzles before the lights go on.
'My Head Like Shibuya Crossing' then follows up with a tightly-knitted Deep House cut. Buttery melodies adorn an effortlessly kinetic bass groove before a delicate Japanese vocal bleeds into focus. As is the case with much of the record, the track graciously segues through its chapters with melody at the fore-front before bringing the record to a conclusion.
The second release on Objekt’s newly established Kapsela imprint arrives in the form of Chicken Garaage, a solo 2-track EP by Objekt that explores the fertile terrain around 00s breakbeat and garage. The A-side, Chicken Garaage, is a playful and poignant nod to the pioneering proto-dubstep explorations of the early 2000s, as the genre was first beginning to crystallise, by the likes of Horsepower Productions, DJ Abstract and Benny Ill. First sketched out on tour in Melbourne while eating takeaway chicken karaage, it’s the first outcome of an experiment with a new workflow to produce music with an accelerated approach and more immediacy and expressivity; encouragingly, it has the lowest final version number (55) of any Objekt track in recent memory. B-side “Worm Dance” leans into Hertz’s headsier inclinations – constructed mostly from field recordings made at a lake house outside of Berlin in 2022, it channels mid-00s T++ into a moody, elastic breakbeat roller.
The vinyl comes with a free lossless download.
Mastered by Kassian Troyer at Dubplates & Mastering
Artwork by Brodie Kaman
Colombian artist Kabinett brings a soul and harmonic proposal in the many forms of alternative disco and house through embellished productions and DJ sets finding himself every time as medium for all possibilities.
Involved in music from an early age through classical music, while being exposed and inspired by his older brothers in the many forms of what electronic music was developing, Nicolás, his given name, knew that his future and purpose was only going to be around what matters him the most, music. After learning different instruments in the early years and through a mix of self-education and formal education in contemporary music and music production, as well his first steps as a DJ, at age 20 he was ready to get involved in Colombia's capital electronic music scene as curator, DJ, label owner and music producer.
Founder of vinyl house label Nómada Records next to established artist such as Felipe Gordon & Joint4nine, his mentors, Kabinett have been fed enough to developed a full curation career working for Kaputt Club, El Coq & W Hotels, and more recently Casa Cruxada where he has helped to develop an identity for each which as of today has only enriched the local scene.
More recently as head of Kaputt.wav, his new label, which is now house of artist such as Curses, Iñigo Vontier, Theus Mago, Dombrance, Damon Jee, among many more, promises to keep growing and develope music overseas.
As of his personal artist career, have count on releases in labels such as Glitterbox, Midnight Riot Records, Partyfine, Platino Records, Duro, Playground, Sonido Moderna and more recently in Prins Thomas own label, Intersnajonal which will release his third solo EP in summer 2024.
With a deep understanding and experience on the music scene and a strong influence on dance genres, Kabinett and his music transcends the listeners souls and dive deep into a conscious dance.
For the remixes of her "tarde" single, nina kraviz enlisted an all star remixers team and worked on a psy version herself as well. Nina recorded "tarde" in her bedroom 3 years ago and wanted the song to keep the same intimate feeling as when she recorded it. The result is a dark love song about love so strong, it could almost break you.
The 2015 edition of Winnipeg’s send + receive festival, focussed on rhythm, turned out to be a generative meeting of minds. There, Mark Fell encountered the music of Will Guthrie, a meeting that was eventually to result in the frenetic acoustic drumkit and digital synthesis pairing heard on Infoldings and Diffractions (2020). At the same festival, Limpe Fuchs first heard and appreciated the music of Mark Fell, planting the seed of a collaboration that came to fruition when Fell (along with his son Rian Treanor) visited Fuchs at her home in Peterskirchen, Germany in September 2022. Black Truffle is pleased to announce the release of the results of this extensive session in the audacious form of a triple LP, housing over two hours of music across its six sides. The collaboration might appear unlikely: what common ground could exist between Fuchs, classically trained pianist, legend of improvised music, instrument builder and sound sculptor active since the 1960s, whose group Anima Sound connected the dots between free jazz, krautrock and ritual, and Fell, proponent of radical computer music, known for his bracingly austere productions that twist remnants of club music into algorithmic stutters? For all their seeming disparity in technology, approach and background, the music on Dessogia/Queetch/Fauch makes it immediately evident the pair share a great deal in their essentially percussive approach and ability to, in Fuch’s phrase, ‘establish silence’. Recording at her home studio, Fuchs had the use of her entire array of instruments, found, invented, and traditional, and treats the listener to some that don’t often make their way to concerts, including extensive passages performed (with Gundis Stalleicher) on pieces of wooden parquetry. Alongside metallic, wooden and skin percussion of all kinds, sounded and struck in every conceivable way, we also hear bamboo flute, viola, and Fuchs’ distinctive free-form vocalisations. Fell also stretched himself, with his contributions ranging from characteristically fizzing pitched percussive pops to swarms of sliding tones and abstract digital noise. Showing both remarkable restraint and improvisational freedom, much of the music consists of duets between a single percussion instrument and a distinctive mode of digital sound, often lingering in one timbral-rhythmic space for minutes at a time. Improvisational forward momentum coexists with a free-floating, wandering quality. On opener ‘Dessogia I’, the shimmering almost-gilssandi tones of Fuchs’ enormous set of microtonally tuned metal tubes ripples across Fell’s rubbery pulse, which moves up the frequency spectrum as Fuchs becomes more animated and switches to horn. At some points, as on the metallic chiming tones that open ‘Fauch I’, only the unexpected dynamic behaviour of Fell’s sounds distinguish them from Fuchs’ acoustic instruments. At others, like on ‘Queetch III’, the waves of sliding tones and noise textures are bracingly synthetic, joined by piercing squeaks and scrapes from Fuchs’ metal objects. Epic in scope, immersing the listener in an entirely distinctive world of sounds, and thrillingly bold in its melding of the most ancient musical procedures with cutting edge technologies, Dessogia/Queetch/Fauch is an unexpected major statement from two of the great mavericks of contemporary music.
2024 Repress
This EP is the first instalment in a series of four compilation releases that aim to showcase fresh electronic talent in the UK Electro/Techno scene. Future Funked sees Phil and Matt combining styles to create an electro throw down with chunky analogue basslines. Six Number Test is slow 808 workout from Abstract Knights, the owners of London electronica label Colony productions. Vorticism; Quick, tight beats, Robiotic Rhythms and deep sub bass make up the basis of Vorticism.X Insert is Menacing filtered bass lines, crunchy electronic beats, beautiful reverberant melodies and soft classic style Toytronic pads.
In 1997 a CD compilation called Calambre Techno was released in Spain which included a track called Utopia. Its producers were two Spanish brothers who had been making electronic music since 1991 under the name INTRO. The track of the compilation was a remix of the original included in the Ep Intro - @Utopia from 1994. @UtopiaRemix is a simple but perfect Techno-Trance anthem, Retro-Psychedelic but futuristic, one of those timeless tracks that always sound original despite its 30 years. Now UFC is proud to re-issue this techno-trance gem on vinyl as its eighth release accompanied by remixes from current producers of different visions.
About the remixes; The duo The MFA give us their '94 On The Floor Remix', a perfect “hit” to hear at dawn where they perfectly combine IDM, Indie-House and Experimentalism. Spanish producer Promising/Youngster presents 'Electric Shock Remix', a titanic version of the original remix where powerful Electro rhythms collide with Experimental and Futuristic IDM.
In the case of Brassica we left the way free to experiment with the original remix and he gives us his 'Psytalo Remix', a perfect fusion of Techno, Breaks and Psychedelia, originality in its purest form as this producer has accustomed us to in all his productions. To close the Ep, we find 'FutureCosmicalAscension Mix' by R.I.P. Bestia, truly a different version that is difficult to include in a specific style where the main melody is progressively guided towards a state of euphoria.
Original Track Produced by Intro: Francisco & Nacho Sotomayor. Liscensed with permission of Absolute Ambient (ES) 1994
With his latest release "Precious Skin", Amsterdam based Hitam initiates the launch of "Rhiza Semar"- a label, focused on combining dynamic dance floor oriented productions with a left field approach to electronic music. Driven by a strong attraction to artistic innovation, it aims to develop a catalogue of sonic structures which transcend boundaries and traditionalism, immersing the audience in landscapes that are both familiar and otherworldly.. The essence resonates through it's first instalment. A four-track EP offering a dense and muddy trip into the fields of abstract techno. Besides some minor changes to the overall mixdown each track is recorded live. No arrangements, just the primal and impetuous necessity to create. All tracks, just like living organisms, evolve and progress, from the soft tones of 'Precious Skin' to the ominous yet soft allure of 'Chanu Akan'. Words by Costanza Acernese
- A1: Dub Takeover
- A2: Nobodies Dub
- A3: A Dub Tribulation
- A4: Liquidator Dub
- A5: African Dub Child ( Part 1)
- A6: None Shall Escape The House Of Dub
- B1: Legalise The Dub
- B2: Satta Massa Dub
- B3: A Bad Way To Dub
- B4: Dub To The Roots
- B5: Zion Gates Of Dub
Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare or Sly and Robbie as they are affectionately known are the drum and bass backbone of Reggae Music, they have played on, produced, invented, reinvented more records then many of their contemporaries put together.
Sly Dunbar born Lowell Charles Dunbar on 10 May 1952, Kingston, Jamaica, drummed his first session for Mr Lee Perry which included a Jamaican hit ,a track called 'Night Doctor', before moving on to the group Skin, Flesh & Bones who had a residency at Kingston's famous 'Tit for Tat' club. This band would evolve into the Channel One house band The Revolutionaries where Sly named after his fondness of the band Sly and the Family Stone would begin to play alongside a bass player who would become his long standing partner in music, namely one Robbie Shakespeare.
Robbie Shakespeare born 27 September 1953, Kingston, Jamaica, had worked his way through session bands including the legendary Aggrovators before uniting with Sly Dunbar in The Revolutionaries. Both musicians had worked with other respective bass / drum players including such figures as Lloyd Parks bass, Carlton 'Santa' Davis drums, but everything seemed to fall into place when they worked together.
They also both had a quest to push the boundaries of reggae music, which they would do throughout their careers, over many sessions to numerous to mention. But highlights would include the groundbreaking Mighty Diamonds 1976 set 'Right Time' with its fresh rockers rhythms which lead the way in the 1970's. Also their work with the bands Culture and Black Uhuru the later of which they toured extensively with, spreading the reggae vibes across Europe and America. Not to forget to mention their Taxi label / productions which are always inventitive whether its in the reggae field or outside where their playing / production skills are much in demand.
The third piece of this jigsaw is the mighty Mr Bunny 'Striker' Lee who brought these legends together. Born Edward O'Sullivan Lee 23 August 1941, he must be one of reggae's most underrated producers. Leading the way in the 1970's especially in the dub field and being one of the early exponents of a King Tubby remix ,which would see nearly all his 7'' releases carrying a Tubby reworking on its flip side. Bunny started his musical career in 1962 working for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label and soon moved into the world of production gaining his first hit in 1967 with 'Musical Field' by Roy Shirley for the WIRL label. The 1970's was a very productive time for Bunny Lee and saw the launch of his LEE'S label which was producing hits in Jamaica. Not having a studio of his own and renting studio time from the existing establishments like Randy's Studio 17 and Channel One he had to have a crack team of session players to carry out this task, fast and efficiently. This happened firstly under the guise of THE AGGROVATORS see The Aggrovators dubbing it studio 1 style JRCD005 and then with the group of musicians THE REVOLUTIONARIES[ see The Revolutionaries at Channel 1 dub plate specials JRCDOO3]. It’s here in the latter of these groups that Bunny matched Sly and Robbie together for the first time and it’s this match made in heaven that these tracks on this release are culled from. Sessions that Bunny Lee produced with Sly and Robbie during this magical 70's period. These rare dubs are taken from the original master tapes, you may have heard the tune before but not these versions. So sit back and enjoy Reggae Musical History in the making....
PIFF Records welcome 4 in - demand artists to the label on their latest release, also available as a limited 500 press vinyl release. Home to forward-thinking house, trance, and techno, PIFF Records boasts a diverse yet united musical output. Cosmic, dub - driven techno, atmospheric house beats, and everything in between coalesces under the imprint’s distinctive output of thoughtful, club - ready sounds. All aspects of PIFF Records come together on this release as the featured artists balance the cerebral and visceral in their productions.
Cybernet kicks off the release with Resonant Shifter. Pumping kicks lay the foundation for captivating synth arpeggios and warped call and response basses in this ‘90s - inspired cut of contemporary progressive trance. The perfect soundtrack for any location from sunset on the Ibiza seafront to sunrise as the shutters open at a warehouse rave.
Goa elements are out in full force on Hoe Down, courtesy of Glen S. Squelchy 303s, low textures, and metallic arpeggios resonate above a pulsating bassline and weighty kicks, relentlessly pushing forward and ascending to a new sonic dimension - taking you along for the ride.
Body Clinic substitutes the progressive trance for progressive house on Love X, bringing down the tempo but keeping intensity intact. An infectious, syncopated plucked bassline dances around groove - rich drums, psychedelic effects and leads indebted to early ‘90s releases. A masterful blend of the past, present, and future together on one track.
Closing the EP with Empty Clip, Tom Jarmey disrupts the 4x4 rhythms of the preceding tracks w ith a genre - bending cut of electro - infused breaks. Two-step drums are matched with clinical sound design, deep basses, and mystical arpeggios. Sure to add depth to any set and turn heads in the process.
Series of taboo records present its third release a split EP featuring two artists. The first artist is the established Copenhagen producer Terry Tester, two-decade long career as a turntablist and beatmaker his eminent take on house, hip hop and soul has been commissioned by artists such as Gilles Petterson for his ‘Bubblers’ compilation series on Brownswood or for the BBE remix together with DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Terry’s latest outings has yielded spins from influential selectors such as Soulection, Carista, Alexander Nut (NTS), Mr. Beatnick (NTS), Marina Trench, EVM 128, James Rudie and Sassy J (Red light Radio).
The second artist is the talented producer Jay Sound, keyboardist and composer based in Detroit, known in the scene with productions played by artists of the caliber of Funkineven, Benedek and many others.
In-demand, groove-fuelled producer Opolopo and 24 Carat singer-songwriter Angela Johnson join forces for the eagerly awaited album ‘Best Of Both Worlds’ – a stellar collection of uplifting, struttin’ soulful house, disco & beat-laden music.
Stockholm-based DJ-producer Opolopo can boast two decades’ worth of productions right across the soulful dancefloor spectrum for labels such as Local Talk, Z Records and Defected. His remix discography includes Gregory Porter, Jungle, Leroy Burgess and Mother’s Favorite Child. NYC native Angela Johnson was a member of acid jazz group Cooly’s Hot Box before enjoying solo success via a string of acclaimed R&B albums including They Don’t Know, It’s Personal and Naturally Me & featuring on a host of singles from Reel People Music.
The album follows previous collaborations and provides another stylish pooling of these two soulful talents. The chemistry fizzes and uplifts as ever, Johnson’s rich, fully-flavoured vocals riding confidently upon struttin’ disco, soulful house & dancefloor dynamite.
Belgian saxophonist, composer, and producer Mattias De Craene (Nordmann, MDCIII) announces a new solo album, ‘A House Where I Dream,’ on VIERNULVIER Records. On his second album, he delivers a highly personal and healing journey, presented as an alternative soundtrack to the 1973 cult film ‘The Holy Mountain.’
The record will be released on October 11 on vinyl LP and through all digital platforms.
"The Holy Mountain" is a surreal Mexican film from 1973 directed, written, and produced by Alejandro Jodorowsky, who also stars in the film. The film holds a prominent place in avant-garde cinema and explores themes such as spirituality, mysticism, and the quest for enlightenment. It is in this vein that ‘A House Where I Dream’ is crafted.
“My mind and soul - and thus my music - come home to this motion picture” - Mattias De Craene
The album will be presented live with the film on October 16 at Videodroom during Film Fest Gent.
ABOUT THE ALBUM
With hypnotic tape loops, grainy textures, and mesmerizing saxophone, Mattias De Craene creates possible worlds that herald a spiritual transformation. From the Scottish Highlands and desolate mountains to the deepest recesses of the soul, this music has the power to create cinematic landscapes that transcend time and space. The sound of these 8 tracks is closely related to the minimalist compositions of Terry Riley, but the work of contemporary artists like KMRU or William Basinski is also drawn from the same material.
Above all, this album is a deeply personal journey and unintentionally serves as a metaphor for De Craene's ascent of his own mountain. For the Videodroom festival by Arts Center VIERNULVIER, the saxophonist began working on a new soundtrack for the film ‘The Holy Mountain’ in 2023, but his body and mind abruptly called him to a halt, forcing him to take a professional break. However, this project never left him, leading to an honest and raw quest to find himself as both a person and an artist, with Jodorowsky as a companion de route and music as an anchor. It initiated a long process of dismantling, searching, healing and back again. The album not only provides a sanctuary for dreaming to all who listen, but for its creator it also serves as both an outcry of despair and a source of comfort during challenging times.
All the tracks on 'A House Where I Dream' share an unfiltered grain of life, as one can almost feel the damp breath of the saxophone blowing.
The album opens with the three-part strong 'Transcention,' where the hypnotic interplay between soprano sax and lo-fi tape loops leads to higher realms of the mind and soul.
Alternating between deep frequencies and farout folk modalities, this mantra-like triptych acquires an alchemical character and ultimately transcends time and space.
In the ethereal 'Away,' one can peer into an abyss of resonance while a saturated tenor sax lends guidance in the spirit of Terry Riley's productions. 'You and Me' also bathes in a similar atmosphere, albeit in the vein of healing 90s ambient as granular sax tones converge with celestial chants. 'Gazing Upwards Towards The Sky,' offers different shades of blue as a slumbering tenor sax is juxtaposed to swift sax patterns. On 'A Stranger That Moved Me,' beauty lands in a soft and subtle manner, while the closing track 'Shepherd's Glow' drifts like a mountain wind flaring up at the darkest hour of the night.
The artwork is created by Gent-based artist Sam Timmerman, who portrays the world of 'A House Where I Dream' with playful repetition and mystique.
Recorded in the southwest of France, O’o’s second album broadens the group's musical horizons, enriched by the contrasts and surprises of rural life. Revisiting the animal parables from their first album Touche, Victoria Suter's lyrics draw inspiration from literature where humor and eccentricity blend with the mystery and supernatural elements of rural life, making her voice resonate in all its uniqueness. Mathieu Daubigné's productions serve as an ideal expressionist backdrop, showcasing incredible musical versatility by combining his expertise in club atmospheres, dynamic synthpop melodies, and contemplative experiments. Songs of Wishes and Bones is an album of chiaroscuro tones and a new centerpiece of the French indie-dance scene.
Bassline veteran and all-round soundsystem sorcerer Marcel Deptford lands on Sneaker Social Club with two ruff-n'-tuff rave-n'-b re-flips that run as a prelude to big things to come.
This is the first time you will have heard a record under the name Marcel Deptford, but he's got serious skin in the game with an imposing history in the legendary bassline scene from the late-00s. His records as DS1 are the stuff of legend for anyone keyed into the Niche-centric sound, but more recently he's put out some serious heat as Haider running his own Breaker Breaker label and popping up on Aus and the like.
If you're a fan of millennial RnB there's every chance you'll recognise the vocals that breathe life into Deptford's two tracks for this Sneaker release. Moving beyond simple edit territory, the voices are bedded deep down into gritty rave productions that boast the kind of dirt bag sonics that call straight back to the OG days of breakbeat hardcore. 'Rock The Boat' has bloated bass pushing into the red, clattering breaks chopped up with a rugged swagger and a dreamy, haunted dose of dub poured all over the vocals.
'Make It Hot' has a lighter, swung feel which nods to garage, but there's still plenty of weight on the low end. Once the lead vocal sample steps back to open up the space, Deptford's knack for strong melodic hooks comes through in a blown out arp line which the bassline dutifully follows.
Hitting every sweet spot from the low-down dirty rave receptors via moody head-nodding restraint on to iconic vocals, Marcel Deptford shows exactly what he's capable on this release ahead of a more extensive dive into his legacy, due further down the line.
Vind is 12 pieces written and performed by CTM and produced by Jakob Littauer.
The album consists of cello compositions with few exceptions - a daf enhancing the rhythm, a distant memory of the kora, a pensive flute or folly sounds. The softness of the acoustic instruments is counterplayed by concise compositions and hyperreal productions.
The music presents itself as part spirit, part form; the movement in the moment, repetition, anticipation, what happened and what is to come. It's a sensuous search into stretched out moments, captured and held in one’s hand for a little while. It finds play and devotion, love and light.
Dedicated to Jannis Noya Makrigiannis
Fronted by former South London lovers rock vocal harmony group, Alpha (sisters Jackie & Jean Heron and Marlene Richardson), Take Three was the brain-child of writer/producer trio "S.H.E." - Steve Sinclair, Peter Hinds & Kevin Ellis.
Meeting each other at The Factory community centre in Paddington (now known as the Yaa Asantewa centre and in the last few years, The Yaa Centre) Steve & Kevin began a partnership writing and directing their own theatre productions as part of The Black Theatre Co-Op, which called the centre home at the time. When a song they had written together for one of their productions received praise and plaudits, the path toward writing and producing records began, bringing in more seasoned hand Peter Hinds - formerly a member of key brit funk groups Light of the World and Beggar & Co, and player with Incognito, Imagination & Loose Ends - to complete the circle.
Take Three represented the first project for a creative partnership that would spawn multiple projects/aliases spanning the UK soul, funk & dance scenes, and still continues to this day. With this compilation we showcase for the first time the group's combined output as Take Three, complete with previously unreleased material.
Slow paced drums with offbeats softly phased with the guitar, misty takeoffs from the synthesizer: a hazy idyll is starting off on the road to the rocket festival (bun bang fai). Answering each other on the responsive mode of the lam soeng, Sothipong engages in a flirt but Oulay Vanh is not ready to trifle with just anybody.
As a stylistic variation of a popular Lao musical genre, the lam soeng was the source of several themes among which the “bang fai” - which is part of the Lao conciliatory festivities preceding the rainy season - remains one of the most renowned.
However, the producer and composer of these songs, Sothy, created an unusual arrangement: the instrumental introduction separates from the sang canon, the synthetic mix is stripped down of the traditional organology - everything here becomes unsettling for a listener familiar with the genre.
Everything comes with a reason: the record was edited in 1981 under the title Sothy Productions yet produced in France by the Parisian label Oxygène (famously known for its unforgettable first French punk compilation 125 grammes de 33 1/3 tours). Chansons Laotiennes still remains hard to classify.
And then who’s Sothy? Along with the unverifiable identity of the seemingly Laotian singers, skepticism gains ground concerning the man behind the pseudonym. Is he an escaped musician from one of the first Cambodian rock bands of the 1960s? A surviving producer from the 1980s Paris? Or a composer in transit in one of the many places of the Laotian diaspora? Sothy eludes any researches and disappears behind his numerous homonyms.
The second track is just as enigmatic: a beat box, a lightly reverberated voice as well as a guitar solo and a small synthesizer break, “Tuei” or “Tawai” offering (as the writing on the record suggests) makes way to dancing step and a truly joyful melody. Twisted and lively steps on a romantic background tune turn this second track into a genuine paslop - a program recommended by therapists to relieve muscular pains due to seated positions: you will unlock your pelvis with some synchronized Laotian choreographies.
For their first edits, Akuphone called on a young Parisian producer. Shelter, aka Alan Briand, mingles his own mixes and electro productions with a large variety of influences and styles: krautrock, disco, traditional music, psychedelic, synth pop, ambient, bossa nova, Japanese funk. He produces both original compositions and remix.
Pique is the sensational debut solo album from Dora Morelenbaum, one of the key talents spearheading Brazil’s new musical wave. A member of the Latin Grammy award-winning band, Bala Desejo, Dora showcases a new side to her solo productions on this special LP. Whereas Dora’s first solo EP, Vento de Beirada, was a leap of faith, Pique sees her soaring as one of Brazil’s standout stars, emboldened, emphatic but ever elegant. Building bridges between past and present, it’s a funkier, more groove-based affair, weaved together with those signature, slower, celestial tracks. Touching on disco, MPB, soul, R&B and jazz, the album is enriched with an indie pop aesthetic courtesy of fellow Brazilian star and co-producer, Ana Frango Elétrico.
With an ethereal, enveloping air few can match, Dora’s gift shines through both the serene and the spirited songs contained within. The blissful, sun-soaked ‘Não Vou Te Esquecer’ opens, before the funk-fuelled, feel-good ‘Venha Comigo’ and ‘Sim, Não.’ give a glimpse of the creativity bursting from the production partnership between Dora and Ana Frango Elétrico. Elsewhere, the album reclines into hazy lean-back realms via ‘A Melhor Saída’ and ‘Petricor’, virtuoso jazz funk in the form of ‘VW Blue’ and radiant MPB through the album’s title track ‘Pique’.
The drumming is tight, fresh and swung, the horns and strings deftly arranged, as funk-driven basslines and strutting guitars mesh with playful production touches that give an added vibrancy to the record. It is an album that exhibits every side of Dora and one she has been involved in from the ground up, from the songwriting, singing, arrangement and production to booking the studio time and sourcing the artwork designer, Maria Cau Levy.
An exchange of musical ideas powers every great scene and Rio’s contemporary landscape is no different - a family of interconnected musicians and friends that collaborate on each other’s productions. Pique is graced by a wealth of these leading Brazilian lights including her Bala Desejo bandmates Lucas Nunes, Julia Mestre and Zé Ibarra, as well as Guilherme Lirio, Alberto Continentino and Tom Veloso to name just a handful. This exchange crosses generations merging tradition with modernity. In a full circle moment, Dora’s parents Paula and Jaques Morelenbaum, who featured in countless recordings from Tom Jobim's Nova Banda and Ryuichi Sakamoto to Gal Costa and Gilberto Gil, join on the album through backing vocals and arrangement.
Pique sees Dora embrace a freedom through fresh forms, showcasing the depth and diversity of her creative artistry. An infinitely listenable release that nods to Brazilian greats like Gal Costa, Banda Black Rio and Lincoln Olivetti, fused with the indie pop edge of Ana’s production. The result is truly unique and sure to be a future Brazilian classic.
For the next reissue in Mr Bongo’s Cuban Classics series, we look to Raúl Gómez’s entrancing 1977 Instrumental album. Presenting a unique blend of orchestral disco and jazz-funk, with Afro-Cuban flavours and soundtrack influences, it’s rich with drum breaks, energy and evolving compositions. A record that forever keeps you guessing, powered by an exemplary orchestra at the top of their game.
Cuban composer and singer Raúl Gómez is most known for featuring in the groups Mirtha Y Raul and Los Bucaneros alongside producing the Cuban classic Los Reyes 73 album, amongst a whole host of other incredible productions over the years. Released on Cuba’s state-owned label Areito, Instrumental sees Gómez not only as an instrumentalist and author, but also as a producer and arranger.
It's an album that deftly evades pigeonholing. Floating between instrumental mood music and library/soundtrack mastery, followed by explosions of cosmic-Latin funk, psych guitar workouts and compositions that reflect the orchestrated disco coming out of the US at the time, from greats such as Love Unlimited or MFSB. Lace that together with a healthy serving of Afro-Cuban magic to underpin the tracks and it’s a recipe for a record that captivates from start to finish.
Predominantly an instrumental album as the title suggests, the record showcases the Orquesta EGREM in full flow, soaring strings and vibrant horns at every turn. Highlights include 'Mi Samba Carnaval' with its breathtaking drum break, bubbling synths and sublime arrangements and the romantic film music impressions of ‘Tema De La Sierra', that have been a sampling source for many a producer. Elsewhere, ‘6 Son’ is a mind-melding psych guitar powerhouse, with 'Dacapo', written by Gilberto Peralta, offering up a slice of atmospheric and energetic Latin shuffle. One of only a handful of tracks where scat vocals compliment the orchestral tones, a Brazilian percussion theme marries with dancefloor sensibilities for a dose of feel-good, brilliance.
A wide-ranging, multi-dimensional release, Instrumental exhibits musicianship, composition and creativity at its finest and demonstrates another key example of the rich output of music that flowed from the island of Cuba post revolution.
“A huge thing for this record was to make it feel as close to our live show as possible,” says Tom Sharkett of W.H. Lung’s latest album. “We didn’t want it to sound live but we wanted to capture the excitement of the live performances.”
This is something that has become paramount to the group in recent years as they have undeniably blossomed into one of the most joyous and arresting live bands in the country. “The reason I’m in a band is to play live music,” says singer Joe Evans. “For me, music is live music. That’s what it’s for, to be played with people.”
The five-piece band, also featuring Chris Mulligan, Hannah Peace, and Alex Mercer-Main, decided to try something new on their third album after two incredibly successful collaborations with previous producer Matt Peel. In order to capture the energy, spirit and dynamism of their live shows, they relocated to Sheffield to work with Ross Orton (MIA, Arctic Monkeys, Working Men’s Club) who was able to harness this side of the band to remarkable effect. “Ross is the Sheffield Steve Albini,” says Evans. “He’s the king of not overthinking it and trusting the process of the art of recording songs. He was always there to stop us fucking around with cerebral stuff and get it down.” Sharkett echoes this too: “He was the exact producer we needed without us even realising. His productions and mixes are bombastic, lively and in your face and that’s exactly what we wanted.”
However, while this album is rooted in a sense of capturing a moment and a sparky liveness, that’s not to say it’s a raw or ragged record. It is still a meticulously composed, delicately layered and pristinely produced piece of work that, in true W.H. Lung style, runs the gauntlet from dance to pop to indie while still capturing that distinctly unique quality that is unquestionably their own. “It was a really big thing for me to realise what made us sound like us on this record,” says Sharkett. “I think the album sounds a lot more confident and self assured because of it. Some songs sound just so much like Lung and I’m really proud of that. I’m not sure we’ve done that as consistently across the other records.”
While the band have drilled deeper into finding their own singular identity, it’s not a record resting on its laurels. It’s a significant leap forward, expanding on their solid foundations while also breaking new ground. “The big difference with this record is its directness in every sense,” says Sharkett. “The songwriting is more upfront. Previously we’d focused a lot on vibe and production as opposed to just writing songs. The overall mission here was to revert to a classic songwriting structure and for the production to come afterwards.” And so what you have on this record are deeply considered and well-crafted songs, then recorded with blistering intensity in the moment, and then given a touch of experimentation afterwards. Then throw in Orton’s contributions to the band and it’s proven to be a real winning formula. “He brought a real dose of magic to the songs we’d written,” says Sharkett. “And brought an extra bit of wonk and quirkiness each time.”
The band’s ability to write more traditional and conventional songs is clearly a skill they’ve taken to with ease, at times there’s an almost Springsteen-like quality – but if he'd ever had an ecstasy period – to tracks such as ‘Thinner Wine’ and ‘Bloom and Fade’. While ‘How to Walk’ was constructed with one thing only in mind: that it would absolutely slay on stage. “I can’t wait to play this live,” says Evans. “We wanted a song to represent our live set, a new big one, and this is it.” Once again it leans towards the anthemic, with its driving, propulsive charge complete with incandescent synths and vocal melodies so irresistible you can already hear them being sung in unison by a crowd.
It’s an incredibly difficult feat to pull off a record that is more rooted in traditional songcraft while also capturing the power of a live performance, as well as pushing sonics into experimental new directions while working with a brand new collaborator. But here the band has managed to do just that. And the album’s closing song ‘I Will Set Fire To The House’ is a perfect example of such a thing. It’s a song that feels immaculately constructed but also very much alive and of the moment as its radiating synths engulf from the off, and Evans’ vocal is silky but powerful and in perfect symbiosis with Peace’s. It’s a song that captures the endless joys of music playing long into the night. “It may be a bit of a bloody bombastic way to end an album saying ‘and we’ll dance into the sunrise’,” says Evans. “But fuck it.”
MORE PRESS ON ‘VANITIES’ (MELO131)
"Vanities artily refines an exhilarating brand of up-front electro-dance" MOJO ⅘
'Idiosyncratic yet euphoric electronic pop on triumphant second LP' 9/10 Uncut
''One of the most effective alternative pop albums of the year'' 4/5 Record Collector
'Dance music for the modern age' - The Times (4*)
- A1: Dudu Moraes – Eloiá
- A2: Yvette - Upa Neguinho
- A3: As Sublimes - Mangueira É Canção
- A4: Os Panteras – O Espaço
- A5: Chico Evangelista – Frutas & Línguas
- A6: Roman Andrén - Captain's Sword
- B1: Romeu Fernandes - Nagô Naê*
- B2: Conjunto De Percussão Dora Pinto - Noite De Temporal*
- B3: Gitte & Inger – Ud Af Buret (Can't Hide Love)
- B4: Truth & Devotion - Bless My Soul
- B5: Judson Moore – Everybody Push And Pull
- B6: Willy Chirino – Africa
- C1: Chain Reaction – Search For Tomorrow
- C2: Claude Jay - Find Your Light
- C3: The Shades Of Love - Come Inside
- C4: The Duncans - Too Damn Hot
- D1: Thandi Zulu & The Young Five – Love Games
- D2: Tony Wilson – Hangin' Out In Space (Dub Mix)
- D3: Jc Lodge – In Between The Sheets
- D4: Soyuz Feat Asha Puthli & Sven Wunder - Spring Has Sprun
Black Vinyl[27,31 €]
It's a pleasure, a labour of love and a yearly highlight to present a new volume of the Mr Bongo Record Club series. In this collection, we have curated new finds alongside old, treasured tracks that hold a special place in our hearts, selecting music inspiring us from the Brazilian, Latin, soul, disco, gospel, cosmic, dancehall and downtempo genres. We have chosen a diverse array of artists, including Os Panteras from Brazil, stomping underground disco by Claude Jay, the Danish soul sounds of Gitte & Inger and the gospel excellence of Truth & Devotion, to name a few.
Most of the selections in this volume are older vintage productions, however, there is one very special contemporary production, recorded exclusively for Mr Bongo Record Club 7. For ‘Spring Has Sprung’, we linked three of our cherished musical family together; the legendary cult artist Asha Puthli, the wonderous band SOYUZ and Swedish maestro Sven Wunder. The result, as you’d expect, is completely breathtaking.
Reflecting on Volume 7, it now feels like a record comprised of two themes. Firstly, we have gone quite heavy on the Brazilian selections. This saw us searching further afield and digging into other areas of the endlessly rich Brazilian musical tapestry. The reflection of a more folk / Afro-Brazilian sound than presented in previous volumes in the series, can be heard in the songs of As Sublimes, Romeu Fernandes and Conjunto de Percussão Dora Pinto. The second theme is a representation of the tracks that we have been playing in our club DJ sets and are aimed more at the dancefloor. Disco tracks such as 'Come Inside' by The Shades of Love and The Duncans' 'Too Damn Hot' have been firmly tested favourites in recent years.
We hope these songs, by the sensational artists on display, inspire you as much as they do us. Music is the gift that keeps giving and there is so much more to learn, find, and share.
About this book
The growth of the Jamaican recording industry…
Records have played an integral part in the history of Jamaican music and the importance of making records, as opposed to making music, can never be overstated. These are the stories, told through first-hand accounts wherever possible, of the men and women… manufacturers, musicians, singers, deejays, arrangers and record producers… who made the records and who made the sound of reggae available worldwide.
“Clearly this series is set to become the standard reference work on Jamaican music, such is its dizzying depths of research and the vast amount of oral evidence it has compiled from many years of interviews alongside critical quotes from recognised existing literature.”
Steve Barker
The Wire
"In this third volume the authors skillfully weave interview material into its narrative. Among other histories, it examines the work of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, who transcended genre and became author of his own productions and, in the process, influenced the development of the major global artist Bob Marley. It examines the development of dub, the studio process that transformed the music, and in doing so exerted yet another influence on popular music on the world scale. It also examines the work of Lloyd 'King Jammy' James who utilised digital technological innovation to become a champion of sound system and record production and, thus, became the Eighties equivalent of the earlier innovator Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd.
All this, and much more, is told by many of the protagonists who created the phenomenon of reggae as a cultural force that has travelled far beyond the confines of Jamaica.”
Steve Barrow
Co-Author of “Reggae The Rough Guide”
“Noel Hawks’ & Jah Floyd’s third book on the history of the Jamaican recording business is another triumph. As with the first two volumes, they seamlessly weave quotes and recollections from the key players into the narrative, giving the reader a unique, and genuine, insight into the development of Jamaican music and the business of selling it. An essential read for anyone interested in ska or reggae and for all music lovers.”
Chris Lane
Fashion Records
“I can confidently say, without fear of contradiction, that the final part of Noel Hawks’ & Jah Floyd’s trilogy is every bit as meticulously researched and mentally stimulating as the first two volumes. It may be that no history of Jamaican music can ever be totally definitive given how many of reggae’s key singers, players and producers had already left Earth before anyone had the opportunity to get their takes on how it evolved. But, as of now, you will not find a more accomplished telling of the tale than that which is presented across the three volumes of ‘Jamaican Recordings’… an Order of Distinction-worthy accomplishment that should henceforth become an essential component of everyone’s reggae library.”
Tony Rounce
Ace Records Ltd
- Destroy In Order To Grow
- Monkey Man
- The Raju Special
- Baba Shakti
- Mother
- Maushi
- Hit Me!
- Memory
- Tiger
- The Mirror
- Tuk Tuk
- On The Ground
- Dreams
- Hell
- Naam Mera
- Into The Fire
- The Tree
- Cut Open
- Training
- The Kid
- The Candidate
- Snake And A Monkey
- Attacks
- Diwali Madness
- Restaurant
- Get Up
- Rana
- My Son
- Hanuman
- Home
- Saffron Takeover
- The Wallet Song
In collaboration with Back Lot Music and Monkeypaw Productions, Waxwork Records is proud to present MONKEY MAN Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Jed Kurzel. Monkey Man is a 2024 action-thriller film directed, co-written, and produced by Dev Patel in his directorial debut.
The film follows "Kid", an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a monkey mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city's sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.
Jed Kurzel is an award winning Australian singer-songwriter-guitarist and film composer. His scoring credits include The Babadook, Alien: Covenant, Overlord, Assassin's Creed, and others.
Waxwork Records proudly presents MONKEY MAN Original Motion Picture Soundtrack as a deluxe double LP featuring Blood Red, Black, and Metallic Gold A-Side B-Side colored vinyl, new artwork by Sajan Rai, exclusive director and composer liner notes, heavyweight gatefold packaging, and an 11"x11 insert.
If you prefer things sweet and concise, here is all you need to know about Morphena and Narciss and their Lingua Erotica release on Running Back: a project of passion made while living across the globe thousands of miles apart from each other while falling in love, sensuality, tenderness, longing, authenticity.
Making waves on the festival and club circuit and meticulous productions like Forbidden Fruit or the Immer Remix for Running Back, Narciss found the perfect partnership with Morphena and their multitalented artistry between DJing, music making and vocal work.
Informed and inspired by a mutual enthusiasm for Italo blueprints, new romantic mannerisms, synth pop poetry and an uncanny knack for subtle and yearning dance floor euphoria (see Paradise and the club version of Per Aspera Ad Astra for further proof). it works like a mix tape or love letter to the listener or any of their adored ones. While the obvious club cuts Mi Amor and Fleeing Into You are sandwiched between the ambience of Per Aspera Ad Astra and Cocoon Cracking, one cannot help to be mesmerized by the coherence and monolithic magnetism of Lingua Erotica.
Captivating, catchy and confident. Here’s to many more.
- Just A Gigolo - I Ain't Got Nobody
- Felicia No Capicia
- Oh, Marie
- Buona Sera
- That Old Black Magic
- Bourbon Street Blues
- If You Were The Only Girl In The World
- Alright, Okay, You Win
- Jump Jive An' Wail
- The Girl Of My Best Friend
- Love Me Tender
- All Shook Up
- Are You Lonesome Tonight?
- A Big Hunk O'love
- I Feel So Bad
- Little Sister
- Rock-A-Hula Baby
- King Creole
Prima, who died in 1978, was the eternal game-changer. In his early years, he led various jazz outfits including the highly rated New Orleans Gang. A star of not only music, but also films – Prima appeared in several shorts and full-blown Hollywood productions during the ’30s. In 1967 he provided the voice for King Louie, the orang-utan in Disney’s The Jungle Book, for which many people remember Prima today. But as this essential double-album confirms, long before that he made great, humour-instilled, often exciting sounds that left audiences feeling happy. Featured here are all his very best and most loved songs
The Midnight Rock label was home to some of the greatest productions of the era, and like any smart Jamaican producer, label owner Nkrumah Jah Thomas worked his rhythms hard, using them to create scores of records by dozens of artists. Sometimes the tracks that he created were released, but still more languished in the vaults. Caught on multi-track tape, but never released.
That was the fate of a session that he recorded with Sugar Minott. The singer - known in the UK for his monster hit ‘Good Thing Going’ - had made his name in the vocal group The African Brothers, before working as a soloist for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One. For the Acid Jazz distributed Roots Records, Thomas has worked hard in creating sharp new mixes for this single - a plea against gun violence as apt today as when it was put down on tape - the first fruits of that work.
A fantastic Radics rhythm with an exceptional vocal and brand-new dub by Jah Thomas and Rory on the flip. Adorned with the classic Midnight Rock label.
Germano Ventura is an Italian DJ, Producer and owner of the record label HOWL. A resident at the famed Circolo Degli Illuminati club in Rome, his busy touring schedule sees him play at some of the country’s most iconic venues such as Il Muretto in Jesolo and Cocoricò Riccione, sharing the decks with artist like Ricardo Villalobos, Zip and Loco Dice. Known for his dark and minimalistic style, his productions often take inspiration from early House tracks, even more so here in his debut EP “Mai Day” for Memento. The title track’s swinging groove and percussions match catchy New York House vocals, a nod at what could be heard at the Big Apple’s clubs Studio 54 and Limelight. “Time 22”pounding drum sounds and raw beats bring on funky sounds reminiscent of the ball room scene seen in the documentary Paris is Burning, while closing track “F8” boasts hip-hop vocals and some naughty electro-disco melodies, ready to cause some serious voguing on the dance floor.
The Jaffa Kid joins the Cold Blow roster with a marvelous self-titled EP of hard-hitting, atmospheric techno and ethereal braindance. These analogue productions will undoubtedly evoke nostalgia in the fans of the styles’ formative years, accentuated by the warm and crisp mastering by the legendary Ed DMX. This is a record for the clubs and the armchairs alike.
Austrian electronic music producer Peter Kalcic, better known as B.Visible, is set to release his third studio album titled "Life is my Hobby" on October 10th through his own imprint, Data Snacks.
This new album sees B.Visible continuing to blend genres, drawing inspiration from the trip-hop sounds of the 90s, the R&B of the 80s, and mellow house music. True to his signature style, he maintains a balanced mix of acoustic drum sounds, electric pianos, and shimmering synths.
Unlike his previous works, the creation process for "Life is my Hobby" extended beyond the traditional studio setting. Much of the album was crafted in his newly moved apartment and various cafes in Vienna's 5th district. His collaboration partners were close to home, literally-Anda Reverie and Silvia Ponce Marti, his upstairs and downstairs neighbors, respectively, feature as vocalists on the album.
Silvia Ponce Marti's contribution for instance is featured on the track "Ella," which addresses the sensitive issue of the hyper-sexualization of the female body in today's society. She also created a stunning mixed media video for the song, which can be viewed here.
Anda Reverie appears on the track "Bad Karma," portraying an alien questioning the moral implications of humanity's destruction. The music video for this song brings the scenario to life with dreamy environments and unsettling projections.
B.Visible describes the album's creation as guided by causality, resulting in a less experimental and more accessible sound-his closest encounter with pop music to date. Asked about the title he keeps quite. The listener is encouraged to form their own opinion from the impressions.
BIO (EN)
Viennese producer B.Visible is always pushing his craft forward, with each concept being an evolution. His music is mutating organically as each project brings novelty, but always while blending sharp electronic components with dusty acoustic layers. That duality exists in every aspect of his creative journey, with DJ sets revolving around second-hand records and modern-day productions, but also his live project offering a whole new dimension and generosity to the audience. B.Visible melts the barrier between analog and digital in a such distinctive and elegant way that it feels natural.
Multi-instrumentalist and synth wizard Paul White readies his third album for R&S Records, offering up a cinematic journey on ‘Peace In Chaos’ that captures the current mood with its shadowy electronic prowess. With an unabashed love of 80s synth music and film scores, the South London based producer presents an album of perhaps his most pop leaning tracks yet, following on from 2018’s ‘Rejuvenate’ and 2014’s ‘Shaker Notes’. Across eleven tracks, White delves into a world of esoteric electronic pop, as waves of melodic synths wash over towering drum patterns and majestic bass, with White adding his own enigmatic vocals to many of the productions.
2024 Repress
For Frenzy's third release, and the first solo release, the Uruguay-based William Arist is introducing us to his world of 'tribal techno'. Hailing from the city of Montevideo, this Southern-American-born artist already is a talent to watch overseas. Through their like-minded vision of electronic music, William bonded strongly with our Amsterdam-based Frenzy crew over the last couple of years. This warm connection evolved into Frenzy 03 - showcasing pure dance floor eclecticism that only William can deliver, including two remixes by no other than VIL and rising star Kenji Hina aka Alarico.
The A side instantly kicks off at full good vibe-throttle with two productions that reminisce about those iconic Love Parade moments during the very first days of rave culture. Balancing on the edge of house and techno, 'Chaka Chaka' loops the listener into a straight sense of movement. With rhythmic drums and uplifting vocals, 'Days' feels like stepping into an after hour dance-floor at the beach while the morning sun rises through the exotic vegetation. On the B side, William leans towards a more hypnotic sound. With a great tempo and a dark yet subtle mood, 'Tero' sets the tone for those murky clubbing moments where the boundaries dissolve and bodies merge. Slowly climbing out of the deep, 'Gultural' stays on the same energy level while adding dubby hints and a taste of freshness.
To top it off, the release is provided with two remixes that leave no room for interpretation. Portuguese producer VIL turned 'Chaka Chaka' into a true peak-hour beast while Italian multi-talent Alarico shows his versatile skill set with a speedy house remix of 'Gultural' under his Kenji Hina alias.
Melbourne's Sgt Slick returns with another 4 superb re-edits for Vol 3 of his massive Recuts imprint. 20 years deep in the game, accolades aplenty, collabs with some the finest out there and a serious string of his own productions, Sgt Slick knows what works on the dancefloor and these edits showcase that to a T
Featuring some of the biggest names around mixed for the floor, as always Buy or Cry.
- A1: Dudu Moraes – Eloiá
- A2: Yvette - Upa Neguinho
- A3: As Sublimes - Mangueira É Canção
- A4: Os Panteras – O Espaço
- A5: Chico Evangelista – Frutas & Línguas
- A6: Roman Andrén - Captain's Sword
- B1: Romeu Fernandes - Nagô Naê*
- B2: Conjunto De Percussão Dora Pinto - Noite De Temporal*
- B3: Gitte & Inger – Ud Af Buret (Can't Hide Love)
- B4: Truth & Devotion - Bless My Soul
- B5: Judson Moore – Everybody Push And Pull
- B6: Willy Chirino – Africa
- C1: Chain Reaction – Search For Tomorrow
- C2: Claude Jay - Find Your Light
- C3: The Shades Of Love - Come Inside
- C4: The Duncans - Too Damn Hot
- D1: Thandi Zulu & The Young Five – Love Games
- D2: Tony Wilson – Hangin' Out In Space (Dub Mix)
- D3: Jc Lodge – In Between The Sheets
- D4: Soyuz Feat Asha Puthli & Sven Wunder - Spring Has Sprun
Purple Vinyl[29,20 €]
It's a pleasure, a labour of love and a yearly highlight to present a new volume of the Mr Bongo Record Club series. In this collection, we have curated new finds alongside old, treasured tracks that hold a special place in our hearts, selecting music inspiring us from the Brazilian, Latin, soul, disco, gospel, cosmic, dancehall and downtempo genres. We have chosen a diverse array of artists, including Os Panteras from Brazil, stomping underground disco by Claude Jay, the Danish soul sounds of Gitte & Inger and the gospel excellence of Truth & Devotion, to name a few.
Most of the selections in this volume are older vintage productions, however, there is one very special contemporary production, recorded exclusively for Mr Bongo Record Club 7. For ‘Spring Has Sprung’, we linked three of our cherished musical family together; the legendary cult artist Asha Puthli, the wonderous band SOYUZ and Swedish maestro Sven Wunder. The result, as you’d expect, is completely breathtaking.
Reflecting on Volume 7, it now feels like a record comprised of two themes. Firstly, we have gone quite heavy on the Brazilian selections. This saw us searching further afield and digging into other areas of the endlessly rich Brazilian musical tapestry. The reflection of a more folk / Afro-Brazilian sound than presented in previous volumes in the series, can be heard in the songs of As Sublimes, Romeu Fernandes and Conjunto de Percussão Dora Pinto. The second theme is a representation of the tracks that we have been playing in our club DJ sets and are aimed more at the dancefloor. Disco tracks such as 'Come Inside' by The Shades of Love and The Duncans' 'Too Damn Hot' have been firmly tested favourites in recent years.
We hope these songs, by the sensational artists on display, inspire you as much as they do us. Music is the gift that keeps giving and there is so much more to learn, find, and share.
King Tubby the Dub Master, who's output was as prolific as it is sought after, and who's presence is surely missed. We would like to take you on another dub excursion. This time through some essential cuts made for the Producer / DJ Tappa Zukie. King Tubby always added something a little special to the tracks he worked on. Producers would often bring their already recorded tracks to his home studio at 18 Drummlie Avenue in the Kingston district of Waterhouse. The backing tracks which were laid at various other studios around Kingston. Like Channel 1and Randy's Studio 17, would then be voiced/Re-voiced at King Tubby's. Tubby and his team which included Prince Jammy and Philip Smart would be left to create the version cut.
Having listened to the track it would be striped back to the bone of bass and drums and rebuilt. Sprinkling his magic over the track by dropping the bass in and out, adding echo and emphasising various elements of the song. In some cases, dubbing the cut into something unrecognisable from its original sound.
The tracks would be aired on Tubby's Hometown Hi-Fi Sound System. Which acted much like a pre-release for the record to gauge the crowd’s reaction, before the tracks would be unleased on the public. We think we have sourced another fine collection of Tubby Cuts see also King Tubby's Lost Treasures JR001, comprising of work with Mr Tappa Zukie. Lost cuts to some of his own tracks like 'First Street Rock', alongside productions he undertook with the great Prince Allah, Junior Ross and the Spears. Also, the much-overlooked vocal group Knowledge. Some great rhythms, some great tracks, worked over by the greatest dub mixer of them all. Hope you enjoy the set as much as we have compiling it...
Respect Jah Floyd.
2024 Repress
The unassuming maestro of techno music Donato Dozzy returns to Tresor Records on its 30th year with a new EP entitled 124.
The record follows a majestic appearance on the Tresor 30 anniversary compilation and his expert devotion to the Roland TB-303, Filo Loves The Acid. True to form, 124 meddles sharp rhythmic minimalism and diverse textures, each track pushing at the epiphanic threshold as the boss of Spazio Disponibile allows his deeply intuitive productions to take effect.
messy kafka world introduces a frenetic and concentrated atmosphere of rhythmic forces, hallucinatory and euphoric in effect. Its dizzying staccato loops are given structure by strengthening beats and bleak synthetic pillars. synthi chase emits radical powers, as buzzing rhythms and monotone synths make raw gestures towards altered states. It shares a kindred spirit with cassiopeia 36, seen in particular through its determined and primitive pulses, nested within wobbling wood percussion and nervous synth repetitions. wooden dolls don’t cry stamps a warm groove, its tempered percussion taking centre stage as shimmering melodic loops threaten spiralling feedback.
These dark, hypnotic tracks are flawlessly programmed to cast mesmeric momentums onto club floors and into loosened limbs. 124 represents Donato Dozzy ever-expanding his powers and musical freedom. His innate groove and inventive sound design push minimal and serene techno with a substantial weight and voice that sets him apart from others.
Following up on his fantastic full length from a couple years ago, Adriano Mirabile continues to bring forth that down tempo and mid-tempo organic house mood and chillout lounge atmosphere blend with his productions. Side A we get the original Traumfänger tracks showcasing all that we've loved from the get about what Adriano brings to our imprint. Side B offers up two reinterpretations courtesy of Aus Music recording artist, Lee Jones, and Stasis Recordings mainstay, Sanderson Dear. Both take the chillout and bump up the pulse a bit with their techy flare.
Dan Snaith's latest album, "Honey," marks an intriguing new phase for Caribou. Over more than two decades Dan Snaith has had many guises. After putting every ounce of himself into Our Love and Suddenly, for his sixth Caribou album Snaith now pulls himself away a little in search of music that isn’t about any one person and is available to everybody. Huge dancefloor tracks twinkle, shimmer and surprise in a way only Snaith’s productions can but with a freshness that defines an artist who is too excited by music- making to ever truly settle into any one sound.
Dan Snaith's latest album, "Honey," marks an intriguing new phase for Caribou. Over more than two decades Dan Snaith has had many guises. After putting every ounce of himself into Our Love and Suddenly, for his sixth Caribou album Snaith now pulls himself away a little in search of music that isn’t about any one person and is available to everybody. Huge dancefloor tracks twinkle, shimmer and surprise in a way only Snaith’s productions can but with a freshness that defines an artist who is too excited by music- making to ever truly settle into any one sound.
Clive From Accounts is finally back on Dirt Crew Recordings! After some excellent contributions and remixes for the highly acclaimed New York based “Razor-N-Tape” imprint, he graced us again with three new gems that show the great diversity in his productions. Since his first “Cooking the Books EP” in 2021 and the follow up “Pearls EP” in 2022 he has continued to build a strong following of fans, so we know for sure a lot of you have been waiting on new tracks by him.
Hellstain Productions are proud to present you with "Et Alter Av Forakt» - the second release by the Norwegian Black Metal entity ENE, following the debut «Lang Kald Natt» from 2021. The new album is a natural next step musically, while still focusing on primitive and atmospheric black metal.
«Et Alter Av Forakt» shines with a far more refined production, but holds the same cold and desperate feelings. Lyrically, the tracks describe the souls of a lost world, where our purpose and existence is fragile and perhaps equally lost.
Senking and DYL team up again after first collaborating for a track on 2020’s »Uniformity Of Nature« EP that also featured different solo productions by the two producers. »Diving Saucer Attack« is the first full-length record by the German artist and his Romanian collaborator, released through the Berlin-based Karaoke Kalk label, home to the former’s work for more than a quarter of a century. The six pieces, two of which were produced individually, both showcase the duo’s shared interests for dub-heavy, adventurous electronic music while also emphasising the productive friction generated by the subtle differences between their respective approaches.
Cluj-Napoca-based DYL, real name Eduard Costea, cites his colleague Jens Massel’s work and especially his »Ping« EP—released in 1999 through Karaoke Kalk—as a crucial point of reference for his own development. »He’s one of the producers who inspired me to start making music,« he says. Massel was already familiar with his partner’s eclectic productions when he was approached by him with the idea of collaborating for a piece in 2020. They didn’t stop there, as Massel explains »It went very well and ever since we’ve been sending each sounds and tracks.« As their first joint album, »Diving Saucer Attack« documents the multi-faceted results of this on-going process.
The album opens with a track in true Senking style. Throbbing bass frequencies, haunting synth melodies and carefully placed rhythmic elements form a slow, but driving groove. Before DYL’s »a7r380R« introduces the listener to his anthemic take on IDM, the collaborative second track »2024« showcases how well their respective philosophies complement one another: the two create a detailed soundscape in which an intricate interplay of percussive elements and melodies can unfold. The title track transforms rattling drums and growling bass sounds into a laid-back, spooky trip-hop tune with a live-jazz feel, while »Astral Project« sees the duo venture into the uncanny regions of dub techno. »Not Just Numbers« closes on an even more sombre note—a fitting closing statement to an album full of twists and turns.
»Diving Saucer Attack« is a special album on more than the musical level. Massel released his first records under different guises such as Fumble, Kandis, and Senking through Karaoke Kalk between 1997 and 2001, after which he focused on his work as Senking, putting out a string of iconic albums through raster-noton, among others. 23 years after his last Senking LP for Karaoke Kalk, 2001’s »Silencer,« his return is as non-nostalgic as you’d expect it from such a forward-thinking producer: together with DYL, he continues to explore the possibilities and outer limits of electronic music in an intergenerational dialogue.
Tokyo's Ryota OPP, who has released for Meda Fury / R&S, Le Temps Perdu, is going to start his own label Encrypt Nude and release his own sounds.
He has a long experience as a buyer and curator of the 2nd hand record shop "Coconuts Disk Ekoda" in Tokyo.
From this experience, he represents the influences that come from his favourite non-dance music such as Santana, Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock, and managed to implement the mood of jazz, minimal, experimental, ambient, world, psychedelic feeling into his deep house music productions, and his DJ style.
'Palace' on the A takes us to an ambient/electric deep house place, utilising ethnic oriental percussive sounds in combination with cosmic Detroit flavours
On the B-side, a magical, psychedelic sound with chord progressions influenced by Terry Riley or the minimal moments of Jaco Pastorius forms into a deep house progression, equally influenced by the raw machine soul of the motor city.
photography by Julie Sundberg
artwork by Ayako Goka
mastered by Isao Kumano (PHONON Studio)
To launch Mr Bongo’s new Cuban Classic Series, we are thrilled to present this sought-after, psychedelic-funk masterpiece. A fusion of traditional Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms meets disco, jazz, and funk, with hints of 70s soundtrack productions, this much-loved cult album featuring nine predominantly instrumental tracks is a real treasure that deserves a much wider appreciation. One look at the trippy artwork and you know it is going to be special.
Originally released in 1977 on Areito Records, a sub-label of the state-owned label Egrem, it has become one of the rarest (even in Cuba) and most in-demand albums to come from the label. It is the sole album from Grupo Los Yoyi and was composed, orchestrated, and produced by the mysterious, Jorge Soler Leó.
After Castro ring-fenced Cuba with an embargo on, among other things, Western music, the ‘Yoyi’ album had a sound more left of centre than what was normally allowed to be recorded there at the time. It subtly and covertly flirts with disco, jazz-funk, and electronic sounds coming from the US and Europe. It is probably best known for the space funk, bubbly club cut 'Paco La Calle’. A track that was edited in 2008 by the fantastic DJ / producer, Nick the Record, and one that is guaranteed to set a discerning dancefloor alight. However, ‘Yoyi’ is far from a one-track album. Other highlights include, 'Banana’, with its call and response trombone and horn section, squelchy keys, pulsating breaks and percussion, and a loose, floating vocal arrangement. 'Tu No Me Puedes Conquistar' is a beautiful, bouncing plodder with a variety of instruments interchanging as the track progresses. 'Ruta 30' takes things in a straighter Latin direction, which we are accustomed to from Cuba at that time, yet it is still full of personality, treats and vigour. Take our word for it, this album is strong throughout.
This is one of our favourites and most beloved albums to come out of Cuba and is the perfect flagship for our Cuban Classics Series. Look out for plenty more to come real soon.
Tahiti 80, the cult French group, is back with a tenth album entitled Hello Hello.
Since their formation in Rouen in the 90s, Tahiti 80 have built a substantial discography, collaborating with artists such as Cornelius, Tore Johansson, Adam Schlesinger and Richard Swift. The indie pop quintet offers us today twelve irresistible and captivating songs on a solar tenth album. With its welcoming title, Hello Hello presents itself as a desire to merge the spontaneity of live performances with the chemistry of a band working in the studio. Xavier Boyer, lead singer and songwriter, explains: “We felt a slight frustration with our previous album, Here With You, released in 2022. The pandemic had forced us to record separately at home. When we realized our new demos were going in this live direction, we looked for the perfect place to capture that spirit."
It is at the Paraphernalia studio, located in the French countryside, that the members of Tahiti 80, including in addition to the singer, Pedro Resende, Médéric Gontier, Raphaël Léger and Hadrien Grange, perfected their musical interactions for ten days during the summer 2023. Integrated very early in the process, Stéphane Laporte, aka Domotic, brought his distinctive experimental touch to the arrangements and production. The vocals and additional synthesizers were then finalized between Paris, Rouen and Montpellier in the fall
The twelve songs that make up Hello Hello form a homogeneous suite, highlighting the creativity, diversity and maturity of a group which has just celebrated twenty-five years of career. Opening the album, “Every Little Thing” subtly mixes shoegaze guitars and synth pop. It’s also one of the rare Tahiti 80 tracks that keeps the same chords from start to finish. The singer confides: “It was an exercise in minimalism, with the constraint of finding varied vocal melodies revolving around the same chords. Singing the line ‘I Love Every Little Thing About Us’ made me realize that it could also be about us as a group.” The title song also plays the simplicity card with Boyer’s unique timbre, complemented by a drum machine passed through a tape echo and a catchy recorder theme – proof that years of practice of this instrument in French schools was not in vain!
The other distinctive trend is Brazilian: “Lose My Head”, “Soft Echo” or “Poison Flower” each display tropicalist attributes: swaying rhythms, rounded bass, soft guitars, all enhanced by a reverberated sound treatment. “From Caetano Veloso to Tim Bernardes, there is a unique way,” notes the vocalist, “of linking rhythm and melody that has always inspired us.”
However, the Tahiti 80 touch is not being put aside. “About Us”, sung by guitarist Médéric Gontier who can also be heard on “1+1” and “Anyway”, marks a return to the roots of indie pop. An impression confirmed by the hit “Vertigo” and its signature all in major sevenths supported by the elastic groove of bassist Pedro Resende. The song which sounds like a quick return trip between late 70s California and Tokyo City Pop, will find its place after “Crush!” and “Heartbeat” in the Rouennais’ songbook. Xavier Boyer concludes: “ if we manage to surprise ourselves, it will also work for the listener. but when you reach the tenth album, you must also manage to renew ourselves without denying ourselves what we did previously.”
With their innovative and unique approach to indie pop, their timeless melodies and their sophisticated productions, Tahiti 80 has never ceased to resonate with fans around the world. Their latest collection, Hello Hello, should easily consolidate their status as a singular group and esteemed personalities on the international music scene.
Here comes JIN09: a four track solo EP from Seoul’s Cosmo. Cosmo began her DJ career in 2017 and has since become one of the most active and consistent artists in the Seoul club scene, having residency at BBCB: Beton Brut + Concrete Bar.
JIN09 sees Cosmo's productions take on an ethereal and cosmic atmosphere drawing from the traditions of house and balearic music. While A side is lush, and dreamingly chugs along, B side sees Cosmo venture into techier and grittier sounds.
We are excited to present our first solo EP from such a talented producer, and can't wait to see what will come next from one of the region's rising stars.
We are delighted to offer a very limited hand-stamped repress of Black Loops’ debut EP, 7 Hills on Freerange
The Italian producer who splits his time between Berlin and his native country has had a solid few years rising through the house music ranks through releases on respected labels such as Shall Not Fade, Pets, Toytonics, Aterral, Gruuv & Neovinyl.
His broad-ranging influences taking in funk, soul, disco and 90’s NY house inform a depth, warmth and musicality to his productions which has seen him in demand DJing around the world and makes him an obvious fit for us here on Freerange.
This EP, produced almost exclusively during an extended tour in Australia opens with title track 7Hills, the area where he stayed and worked on this release. The trademark Black Loops swinging groove, smooth Rhodes stabs/ keys licks courtesy of Nikos Haropoulos and a deep, rolling bassline all come together to form the perfect warm up track - uplifting, understate and with a subtle sense of anticipation.
Next up we have Parisian producer Mad Rey getting stuck into 7Hills for a raw, bumping interpretation which jacks things up a notch taking it into heavier peak-time territory. Mad Rey has been responsible for some brilliant releases on French label D.Ko, Rekids and most recently Mamie’s Records and alongside label mates Flabaire and Paul Cut he has helped reestablish Paris as a hotbed of fresh, musical talent.
Flipping over we have two more Black Loops originals. King Paul takes an old soul vocal sample and works it to great effect over crisp 909 beats and sun-soaked keys whilst a vinyl-only bonus track Linda38 treads a similar path but with a punchier groove and warm pads rounding off this EP in fine style.
"Bitteschön, Philophon!" presents a "best of" selection taken from the so far fifteen 7" releases by the Berlin-based label Philophon. Greats as Jimi Tenor, Alemayehu Eshete and Hailu Mergia as well as new discoveries such as Guy One, Alogte Oho and Y-Bayani echo on "Bitteschön" the wide spectrum of the Philophon catalogue.
Philophon puts its emphasis on authentic local styles - from heavy grooving Ethio-Jazz coming out of Addis Abeba to cheerful Frafra-Gospel, as it is celebrated in Bolgatanga/Northern Ghana. Most recordings took place where the music is located - and that's the recipe for Philophon's productions: go to the source and dive into the real.
The principles of pleasure radiate a knowing, carnal heat throughout the genre-fluid sound of LSDXOXO. His decade of dedication to the sensibility of underground club culture has brought forth club classics interwoven with pop music hooks and subversive, tongue-in-cheek lyrics.
After four years of what LSDXOXO, real name RJ Glasgow, calls a period of “healing and self-discovery,” he is consolidating his multiplicitous sound with one compelling masterstroke: the debut album DOGMA, to be released on his own imprint F.A.G. DOGMA marks a complete paradigmatic shift: it is a poetic and fantastical performance, a route for deep escapism through an expanded musical palette including piano and guitar, and a deeply personal confessional through a fresh approach to songcrafting.
Within DOGMA, RJ meditates on the interlinked qualities of fame, infamy, lust and submission, as he rediscovers a pure, unadulterated approach to music-making, all the while adopting a futurist approach to pop music appreciation. RJ’s unmistakable signatures—the smutty dancefloor caller, the maker of irresistible bangers, the latter-day electroclash and DnB nostalgist—take on even more shades and intricacies. Despite his widespread acclaim as a collaborator with and songwriter for other artists, RJ strips DOGMA down almost exclusively to himself, carving out intentional space as a chameleonic vocalist and performer. He breathes life into the album with private thoughts, external fears and a red thread through personal themes that crystallise the album’s narrative from front to back.
The album’s promo single “Bloodlust” offers angsty, intimate indie-tronica, and musings on the intoxicating nature of love and infatuation. The lead single “Ghost” reaches beyond RJ’s Philadelphia origins to find itself in the deep south, in a sultry fever dream of coquettish R&B featuring backing vocals from close collaborator Kelela. Elsewhere on the album futuristic love, pensive pop earworms, evocative vintage dance styles and sleazy club tracks intermingle. While the DOGMA era will eventually explore remixes and reworks, the album is RJ’s purest embrace of himself and his artistry.
RJ first garnered attention as LSDXOXO in New York City with his on-the-pulse Soundcloud edits and then as part of the cult GHE20GOTH1K collective. His DJ sets and productions quickly earned him acclaim across globally-linked underground scenes. His decision to shift from sampled vocals to picking up the pen and microphone pushed his reach out to the stratosphere; his association with XL Recordings via the Dedicated 2 Disrespect EP in 2021 was a turning point for the burgeoning superstar.
This multiplicity of the LSDXOXO sound has led to enviable co-signs. These include being selected as the opening DJ for Beyoncé’s German Renaissance tour dates, remixing Lady Gaga, Pink Pantheress and Shygirl and producing five tracks for Kelela's highly acclaimed 2023 album for Warp Records, Raven. His fully-realised live show has also taken to the stage, serving fierce charisma to huge audiences at festivals including Primavera, Nuits Sonores and Rewire.
Kordhell is an anonymous musician, artist, and record producer based in
Los Angeles. He's previously played in various extreme metal acts, until
abandoning these projects for his mysterious Electronic music project,
under the new moniker "Kordhell". In early 2022, Kordhell's song
"Murder In My Mind" exploded on TikTok and YouTube, helping the song
reach the top of the Billboard Dance charts, UK top 100, and its recent
RIAA platinum certification in the US.
Boasting a massive 9 million+ monthly listeners, and over 2 billion Spotify
streams to-date, Kordhell is one of music's fastest growing streaming
stories and artists of the past few years. In 2023, Kordhell provided the
opening song for the popular movie "Fast X", the newest film in the Fast
& Furious saga. Since the start of 2024, he's provided music for various
productions and games, including Asphalt 9, Netflix, VALORANT, Arcane
and many more upcoming.
"Do you dream too?" Tomemitsu"s Martin Roark asks on his sophomore album with Friends of Friends Music. The question is also what stemmed from the album title, "Dream 2", a shorthand written in the lyrics. "Dream 2" is quite possibly Tomemitsu"s dreamiest LP, if not his most diverse. It is brimming with both new territory and nods to his past. This record reveals a more buoyant side to accompany his traditionally spaced out productions.
No Signal records is proud to introduce for the 10th release of the label one of the most important producer of all time: Jamie Bissmire. His productions have been central part of the scene through the 90s and the last decades. The UK legend spread the proper techno and electronic vibe with his solo moniker and in collaborations projects like Bandulu and Space DJz satisfying any kind of enthusiastic. The EP starts with the ambient skit "Subteranium", subtle synths and textures combined with a smooth-alternate basslines keep the listener moody and tense for an unexpected start. In Temporal Mst open up the dances. Slightly distorted 4/4 beat track, jam-packed in No Signal style, plucked arps well arranged for an elegant swing. Lore & Order is the match up to lead the dancefoors and listeners into more gloomy and wicked mood. Different sequenced synths wrap the drum groove for an hypnotic, yet enchanting and dreamy moving session. The Tapestry of Fate is definitely a massive Jamie Bissmire's signature track. Total ensemble of Ground Recordings releases, wicked patterns, dark mood and relentless pressure. Dancefloors will go mad for it. Antediluvian Analogue closes the shakers with a more modern vision, high cut on bass synth and 2/4 bleepy synth for a step-forward march. Woven Whispers closes the EP as Subteranium opened. Gloomy and dark mood, effective and reverberated synths in full shaded ambient atmosphere to stun the listener and bring it into a different sound dimension.
Fusing old skool flavours with a refreshed new focus, classic production outfit Universal Project are back on the forefront, making their mark in 2024 with their debut album ‘Universal Language’.
“Music is the one that is the hero. It is the Universal Language and we carry a certain message” - Bob Marley
Regardless of dialect, location, background or era, music transcends divisions and unites us together, the language of the soul. Universal Project set out to spread their language for everyone to understand.
Alongside remixes of classic UP tracks by Jubei & Zero T, the vinyl is backed by two exclusive original productions; chest shaking sub bubbler ‘Funk’d Up’ plus the darkside groove stepper ‘Zero DB’ with Xtrah.
Satya continues its release schedule this November with the Atman EP, a maiden collaboration between label founder YokoO and US talent Atish. The four-tracker continues a standout 2021 for the imprint, which saw its first release land in April of this year.
“Despite having followed seemingly different musical paths over the last couple of years, our passion for ‘moving’ heartfelt music stands at the core and remains aligned. Atish’s initial musical ideas, no matter how much they were transformed, sit at the heart of the EP. They initiated the creative process.” - YokoO.
Proceedings begin with Inner Labyrinth, a gently-building dance cut packed full of ethereal synths and dream-like pads. The title track comes next, manifesting as a similarly celestial number that’s ripe for the early hours, before Words To Say ups the tempo with driving kick-hat combos. Sunrise maestro Sepp rounds off the EP, serving up a stunning remix of the final track that marks itself as a masterclass in stripped-back, minimal house.
France’s YokoO is an esteemed talent in the electronic music scene. Releases on Lee Burridge’s All Day I Dream, as well as his recently-launched Satya imprint, have cemented his reputation for all things deep, emotive and dreamy, whilst performances across all five continents have highlighted him as a truly global artist. Based in New York, Atish has cultivated a devoted following around the world. As co-founder of the Manjumasi record label, he has created an outlet for other artists’ music as well as his own productions and his own work has found a welcome home on prestigious imprints including Anjunadeep, Kindisch, and Stil Vor Talent to name a few.
Shlomi Aber & Kashpitzky join forces once again to make their Blueprint Records debut with four formidable techno tracks on the "Sonic Underworld EP".
Barcelona-based Shlomi Aber brings over two decades of production and DJing experience to his music, drawing inspiration from Jazz, Funk, Acid and the old-school Detroit Techno scene. With releases on Cocoon, Ovum, R&S, Figure, CLR, Drumcode, BPitch, Renaissance and his own Be as One Imprint, along with his dynamic mixing technique, has gained him global success while headlining clubs, festivals and venues worldwide.
Growing up, Kashpitzky began his musical path playing guitar in a metal-core band, before trading amps for drum machines. After relocating to Berlin, he graduated from the SAE Institute. A DJ who's hard to pigeonhole, he has a track for every occasion. His definition of techno is best exemplified by his energetic, yet deep and groovy productions, often combining broken beats with organic textures via releases on the likes of MindTrip, Monnom Black and of course, Shlomi's Be As One.
Balancing glitch-pop and contemporary piano, the Belgian pianist explores the edges of her voice, language and twisted electronica
The Belgian pianist and producer maya dhondt releases a new album titled 'wow, x', marking her debut solo album under her own name. Navigating between bedroom glitch-pop and contemporary piano, she presents sounds of alienating beauty.
The album ‘wow, x’ will be released on September 13 on vinyl and all digital platforms via VIERNULVIER Records.
“I find beauty in the uncomfortable and disorienting" - maya dhont
The first single, 'desire,' is a mutated synth-pop track that gets under the skin. The song centralizes longing for something you don't know (yet). Perhaps it's the smell of damp earth, which can be both pleasant and unsettling? The single is now available on all streaming platforms and comes with a schizophrenic video by Sakis Brönnimann.
The first release show is scheduled for Saturday, October 5, at De Koer, Ghent.
More shows will be announced soon.
A postmodern cramp, that's how one could describe the music of pianist and producer maya dhondt. Her music is an intuitive and a never ending exploration that has the potential to be and become a multitude of things at once.
On her first solo album under her own name, 'wow, x,' she presents 10 varied tracks in which she creates equally idiosyncratic sound worlds. She takes the liberty to endlessly experiment with vocals, piano, and a mix of distorted lo-fi electronic sounds with an open mind. The result is sometimes synthetic and weird, sometimes compellingly beautiful, and always captivating, drawing you into its underlying melody. These intelligently crafted productions are connected by a penchant for alienating beauty: like a warm, but damp cave where it’s pleasant to linger just a little longer. Her original sound moves within a sonic spectrum reminiscent of contemporary artists such as Lolina, Astrid Sonne, claire rousay, aya or Carla Dal Forno.
"What I create never stands alone, it can be many things at once"
If the world were a sculpture garden, maya dhondt eagerly picks from it to draw inspiration from both visual and literary passages as well as personal experiences. Her highly personal bedroom productions are grounded firmly in the world due to philosophical references and politically charged messages. And the world she lives in is being questioned on 'wow, x', as the title refers to "What Or Why?". This is evident in the single 'desire': "What is the thing that matters / to exist / or to know you’re existing?" What does one choose in life: to live in the moment or to live to remember that moment?
In the lyrics on 'wow, x', maya dhondt plays - at times childishly - with language and its boundaries. On 'tip toe tip,' banal wordplay leads to an unexpected confession, and the seemingly simple phrases in 'untitled' conceal hidden life lessons. dhondt's world of words is multilayered and multilingual: Dutch ('kleine cijfers, groot verlies'), English ('desire'), and French ('untitled') are at her disposal. And on the fierce track that is 'minimalinvasiv,' not only she turns to hardstyle, but also to German - a language dear to her due to her Swiss heritage.
The new album from the original founding member of Kool & the Gang -- 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees! Drummer George “Funky” Brown, along with Robert “Kool” Bell on bass, his brother Ronald Bell on tenor and lead vocalist James "J.T." Taylor, was one of the main songwriters in their pop/R&B band Kool & The Gang, whose classic hits like “Jungle Boogie,” “Hollywood Swinging,” “Celebration,” “Get Down on It” and “Joanna” made for a novel and immensely successful pop-funk groove in the 1970s and ‘80s. Such songs have been featured in films (“Jungle Boogie” was in Pulp Fiction while “Summer Madness” appeared in Rocky) and have been sampled countless times by artists including DJ Kool, Mase, Too Short, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Boogie Down Productions, Brand Nubian, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, N.W.A., Kris Kross and Jermaine Dupri. Aside from being crowned 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, Brown, with Kool & the Gang, has been inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame--and there’s a street in Jersey City named in the band's honor. The Grammy-winning group has received the Soul Train Legend Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2024 repress
Rush Hour’s RSS series excels in unearthing buried treasure, offering a second chance for artists and releases that have long been overlooked. That’s certainly the case with ‘Witches’, the superb sole single by British 1980s wave trio Zenana.
Originally released on seven-inch by the tiny PRM label in 1986, ‘Witches’ was the product of a sister-brother songwriting team whose music was mostly recorded in the front room of a terraced house in Nanpean, a small industrial village in Cornwall, England’s most south-westerly county. While the single was infectious, impeccably produced and dancefloor-ready, it sold in limited quantities at the time.
Zenana’s story can be traced back to the early 1980s, when singer-songwriter Anita Tedder founded the all-female trio as a vehicle for her musical ambitions. To bring her songs to life, she joined voices with her brother Mike, an early adopter of electronic music who had built a studio – nicknamed MFR, short for ‘Mike’s Front Room’ – in his Cornish home.
Countless Zenana tracks were recorded at ‘MFR’ between 1984 and ’86, with the resultant demo cassette securing the band a management contract, a slew of live bookings, a video shoot and even a television appearance. Buoyed by this underground success, they headed to the remote Sawmills Studio in Cornwall – famously only accessible by boat – to re-record ‘Witches’, a song inspired by local folk tales of witches gathering near Mike’s home.
While this version of ‘Witches’ failed to make an impact at the time, it has become something of a cult classic following its’ rediscovery by crate digger Kiernan Abbott – and subsequent championing by other dusty-fingered DJs including Antal, Skyrager, Trevor Jackson and Luke Una – in early 2023. The buzz inspired Zenana to perform live again for the first time in decades, with the story of their surprise comeback being covered by British media outlets including the BBC and (more surprisingly) the Daily Mail.
Now presented in re-mastered form, ‘Witches’ is a genuinely slept-on gem. Propelled forwards by punchy drum machine beats, a killer synth bassline and fizzing keyboard sounds, the song benefits greatly from strong vocals and an extra-percussive middle eight layered with vocalisations, cosmic spoken word sections and swirling noises.
It comes backed by a brand-new extended ‘spell of love’ courtesy of Bristol duo Bedmo Disco, AKA music journalist Matt Anniss (author of Join The Future: Bleep Techno and the Birth of British Bass Music) and DJ/production partner Gareth Morgan. Anniss is a long-time friend of Mike and Anita Tedder who has fond memories of visiting Mike’s home studio with his family around the time that ‘Witches’ was recorded.
Working from Zenana’s original MFR eight-track recording (tapes of the single version were lost years ago), Anniss and Morgan have turned in the extended ‘dance mix’ the track never had first time around. More atmospheric, clandestine and dancefloor-focused, it offers authentic nods to New York proto-house, mid-80s Shep Pettibone dubs, and the pioneering synth-pop productions and dub mixes of Factory Records regular Martin Rushent.
The Petersons’ were a vocal trio from Waycross, GA, their performing name came from their founder, lead vocalist and drummer Kenneth Peterson, along with Keyboard player Salem Chatman and vocalist/bassist Johnny Members. The trio regularly performed shows along America’s East Coast, and it was while working in Philadelphia during early 1973 that the group answered an advertisement in Billboard Magazine quote “Masters Turned Down? We Are Looking for New Acts to Sign, Contact Omega Sound Productions, Philadelphia, PA”.
Omega Sound was a fledgling independent Recording Company formed by Frank Fioravanti a budding songwriter and former Encyclopedia Britannica Salesman for the initial purpose of find some extra work for the musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra who were looking to earn some side money. As a result of answering the Billboard advertisement ‘The Petersons’ found themselves booked into Frank Virtue’s recording studio to record two Fioravanti and the late Alan Felder penned songs, the up-tempo “What’s It Gonna Be” backed by the melodic “Just What I’ve Been Looking For” Mel Omega (1833). With the release failing to make much noise, The Petersons returned to their native Georgia where they continuing to perform and record but under the group name of ‘Toll Darkness’. Fast forward circa 30 years and a couple of copies of this obscure Mel Omega 45 was introduced into the UK by Soul Bowl’s John Anderson where they gained belated recognition initially at the Soul Essence Weekenders through resident DJ Steve Guarnori with “Just What I’ve Been Looking For” being his chosen side. These initial copies had a paper sticker on them crediting the Artist as ‘Toll Darkness’ but the subsequent find of further copies with no sticker coverings, revealed the real artist to be ‘The Petersons’, intriguing? The reason behind the differing artist names is reputedly assumed to be that Ken Peterson took some copies of the Mel Omega 45 back to Georgia and pasted the ‘Toll Darkness’ group name stickers over the Petersons label credits to enable him to sell them at shows with his other ‘Toll Darkness’ 45 “Party/Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things on Alpha Records. The up-tempo backing track of The Peterson’s “What’s It Gonna Be” was a Frank Virtue arrangement that he had great faith in, hence it’s usage on plethora of other Philly artists recordings, i.e. Fred Mark, Liza Mae, Michael Christian, Cody Michaels etc over different record labels, Melomega, Concept, Fox Century Plaza and Merben.
Frank Fioravanti also founded the Sound Gems label which brought us the timeless classic “Your My Main Squeeze” recorded on the New Beford, MA group ‘Crystal Motion’. Omega Sound’s most notable achievement would be William DeVaughn’s 1974 hit “Be Thankful For What You Got”.
Hittin your decks in 4 weeks time on a Cannonball Records' 7"/45rpm, “U need me” by the LA Propinquity surfaces as part of a body of productions initially meant to be put out all together on an album. As often seen, for many reasons this didn’t happen and we are offered the privilege to release it on our flagship label first time ever. A modern soul dancerof the highest order out of a couple of premium recording studios in Los Angeles (included Hit City West with award winning engineer Avi Kipperat the controls) by the hands of Maestro Sanifu Hall and his Aljoni Music Co. featuring what could easily be defined the L.A. Dream Team of musicians, to include the infectious groove of drummer supreme James Gadson (previously featured also on our long sold outs with Mike James Kirkland) and many other stellar players from the area. I know I’m a weirdo so, to my taste, the most remarkable stuff sits on the flipside. Sanifu’s slick instrumental arrangement enriched by the flute of Todd Del Giudice, seamlessly in and out from the verses, makes it a sublime slice of original Soul Jazz from the late 70’s. Actually we really struggled to put this version on the back up side of this release as, with that hint of west coast fusion, it’d be worth a main side on its own. Just listen to both versions, judge by your excellent selves and make your move accordingly. Full links and presale details on our website for your consideration. ***The full cover above is an artwork done exclusively for digital & social media promotion.
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Brooklyn underground rap heroes Tanya Morgan drop a two-track heatrock of a 7-inch that lights up dancefloors while maintaining their true-school status with clever wordplay and progressive beats.
Since breaking on to the blog-era rap scene in 2006 with their debut LPMoonlightingand solidifying their status in 2009 with the now-legendaryBrooklynati, Tanya Morgan has represented the best of underground hip-hop. Your favorite rapper's favorite group, they combine trademark witty wordplay with tough, headnodding beats that demand rewinds and repeat listens. Bouncing back in recent years withRubber Souland other one-off cuts, the duo of Donwill and Von Pea has teamed with producer 6th Sense and quietly set about building the next chapter of their rock-solid legacy.
"Move It Or Lose It" is the latest manifestation of Tanya Morgan, a cut that is neither throwback nor trend chasing, but does double duty on the dancefloor as well as a headphone banger. Irresistibly funky, with Mathien's guitar and vocal the icing on top, and riding at a perfect tempo to get dancers bubbling, it got immediate attention from DJs when the group teased the digital version online.
The double A-side single continues on the flip with "Don't Look Up," another grown-man rap (as Von Pea asks, "How you want the old me acting brand new?") set to 6th Sense's progressive uptempo beat that recalls Q-Tip's adventurous recent productions, and featuring Mia Jae on vocals driving the chorus. Donwill's commentary on getting older and wiser in the music industry hits home to any of us who've been around the block: "Slow growth while the roots spread / Somebody said rap group's dead / They prolly wrote it as a sponsored ad."
Both cuts are primed to move feet and represent the continued lineage of quality underground hip-hop, proudly coming straight from the heart of Brooklyn as a collab with BK-based indy vinyl masters Names You Can Trust.
Suburban Base legend Mark XTC is back! Starting out at The Hacienda, and working in the mighty Eastern Bloc record store at the height of the rave scene, DJ XTC was on every major Rave flyer nationwide throughout the period. Going on to form Da Intalex with partner Marcus Intalex, releasing incredibly influential Drum & Bass during the earliest stages of its evolution. Mark XTC is currently a resident on Kool FM continuing to bring cutting edge music to a worldwide audience.
Collectors that have his Subbase releases Intalex Productions presents The X, and Ill Figure can now grab the next instalment! A four track EP of banging tunes celebrating the golden eras of Rave and Drum & Bass!
Genuine uncovered unreleased DATs from the period, Mark breaks down some info on these hidden gems!
'Unite' - Mark made this in the mid/ late 90s after working with vocalist Charmaine. Big distorted bass, 'Amen' drums and his trusty EMU sampler.
'To The Beginning' - Another late 90s creation, adding some P-Funk to the Amen drums with a Sub Bass filling the tune with heavy vibes.
'Oldskool Massive' - A more recently made dedication to the classic Belgium techno of early rave, with heavy 4/4, acid riffs and of course those distorted stabs and hoovers.
'Taking It Back' - Mark made this in 1998, and even then was taking you back to that classic 94 Jungle sound and loops.
- A1: Damon Ramsey&Dj Spen - Back To Africa (Club Mix)
- A2: House Rules - Hyena
- A3: Olivia De Lanzac(Feat Kawele Multimanwa) - Chocolate
- A4: Bob Sinclar - Sea Lion Woman (Tiago Maioli Remix)
- B1: Rio Dela Duna - En La Mar (Erik Hagleton Rework) (The C
- B2: Gregory Cabyan - Carnaval
- B3: Nick Chatelain&Danny Chatelain(Feat Yerichö - Ya Te
- C1: Martin Solveig - Edony (Alaia & Gallo Remix)
- C2: Dj Gregory - Block Party (Federico Scavo Remix)
- C3: Eddie Amador&Rio Dela Duna - Underground
- D1: Bart & Baker(Feat Ashley Slater) - Satchmo's Tears
- D2: Erik Hagleton - Together Forever (Erik Hagleton & Chris
- D3: Bob Sinclar - Samba In Hell (Roger Sanchez Reboot)
Entdecken Sie zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl, das 4. Album der großartigen Crew von Yellow Productions: Africanism All Stars. Unter der Leitung von Bob Sinclar und mit dJ Spen, Federico Scavo, Roger Sanchez, Eddie Amador, Bt&Baker, Martin Solveig, DJ Gregory...
Ltd Edition - 200 copies**
Canadian-currently-residing-in-Berlin and multi intstrumentalist Aidan Baker teamed up with Dutch demolition duo Dead Neanderthals late 2023 to work on the collaborative album entitled Cast Down and Hunted.
Cast Down and Hunted is an abstract affair. Angular and dark, droney and lush. Two lengthy tracks, Subterfuge and Paranoia, each fill one side of the LP, which will be released by the Dutch label Moving Furniture Records.
The artwork was made by Steven Kenny and the album layout was done by Rutger Zuydervelt (Machinefabriek).
The album was mixed and mastered by Marlon Wolterink at White Noise Studio.
ABOUT AIDEN BAKER
Aidan Baker is a classically-trained multi-instrumentalist focusing on the electric guitar as his primary instrument. Using prepared and alternate methods of playing the guitar, along with various electronic effects, Baker creates music which generally falls within the ambient/experimental genre but draws on influences from post-rock, shoegaze, electronica, neo-classical, and jazz.
A highly prolific artist, Baker has released numerous recorded works, both solo and with various group projects—most notably his dreamsludge duo, Nadja—and including collaborations with Tim Hecker, Carla Bozulich, Jussi Lehtisalo, and Andrea Belfi, among others—on such independent labels as Karlrecords, Gizeh Records, Important Records, and his own imprint, Broken Spine Productions. A frequent live performer, Baker has toured extensively around the world, including appearances at such international festivals as FIMAV, SXSW, Incubate, Unsound, Roadburn, and Mutek.
Originally from Toronto, Canada, Baker currently resides in Berlin, Germany.
ABOUT DEAD NEANDERTHALS
Dead Neanderthals have spent more than a decade putting together an eclectic and envious back catalogue that spans multiple genres – from free-jazz to grindcore to doom drone by way of psychedelia – and continuously throwing curve balls that defy expectations. You never know what you’ll get, but you know it’ll be heavy.
ABOUT MOVING FURNITURE RECORDS
Moving Furniture Records is a label based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands specialized in releasing experimental electronic music, run by Sietse van Erve, started in October 2008. We are mostly interested in drones, minimalist, microtonal and field-recordings music.
Moving Furniture Records has released music by both renowned, musicians such as Richard Chartier, BJNilsen, Jos Smolders, Gareth Davis & Merzbow and Machinefabriek, as (young) new talent such as Gagi Petrovic, Fani Konstantinidou, and Ryan van Haesendonck.
Aside from the regular releases Moving Furniture Records has two special series: Eliane Tapes: music inspired by and dedicated to the work of Éliane Radigue. Contemporary Series: contemporary music written for acoustic and electro-acoustic ensembles and solo artists.
Moving Furniture Records also organizes concerts in various venues in Amsterdam. For all our releases and more information
Klex blobbing his first solo EP on Strictly Strictly, pushing forward with his virtually self-titled "Klextasy EP". Entangling techy trance strikers with dreamily warm temperament, Klex offers three strikingly quirky productions on side A, blending surprisingly seamlessly from bouncy to anthemic passages. Accompanied by a strong team of remixers, with Viikatory, Lakehead, and DJ Normal 4 pressing a psy-techy stamp on side B. Digital Bonus: Two extra Remixes from Urte and once again Normal 4. A release like a steamy open-air summer night by the lake.
'Tape 1' is a cut & paste collection of original productions & edits by London's Samson A.K that navigates the gamut of outsider sounds whilst somehow remaining coherent. Apart from the rawness of the music the common thread seems to be its slightly unhinged quality and its irreverent take on the dystopia of modern life.
There's plenty of nods to the sub cultures that have informed Samson A.K along the way but plenty besides, and as moody as it is in places, it's certainly not taking itself too seriously. The genre thing doesn't really work when here but if you like skewed electronics & beats, but also go for antisocial guitar music this will probably connect.
Mastering by Miles Whittaker / Design by Jon K
Another gem from the extensive Flipper Music catalog, more precisely from their Flower sublabel, "Dreams For Sax" is possibly one of the most stand-out productions from their studio ensemble Gruppo Sound, this time around featuring saxophonist Paolo Russo with keyboardists Stefano Galante and Vittorio Quattrini. First released in 1987, the songs recorded for "Dreams For Sax" are a beautiful melange of easy-listening electronic and jazzy vibes, from mellow tunes such as "Dawning" and "First Class" to some killer floor-filling italo disco bangers such as "Walking On Air" and "Dance Power". A groovy Italian library banger from the 80's now available on vinyl for the first time since its original release as a limited edition of 500 copies.
- A1: Beyond This World
- A2: Feelin' Alright
- A3: Sunshine
- A4: What "U" Waitin' 4?
- B1: U" Make Me Sweat
- B2: Acknowledge Your Own History
- B3: Belly Dancin' Dina
- B4: Good Newz Comin
- C1: Done By The Forces Of Nature
- C2: Beeds On A String
- C3: Tribe Vibes
- C4: J Beez Comin' Through
- D1: Black Woman
- D2: In Dayz "2" Come
- D3: Doin' Our Own Dang
- D4: Kool Accordin' "2" A Jungle Brother
"2" A Jungle Brother The Jungle Brothers' 1988 debut, Straight Out The Jungle, was important for many reasons. It was sloppy and goofy but had moments of real focus and social consciousness. It was a true kitchen sink' record, that caught a rap fanbase enraptured by Eric B. & Rakim, Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions a bit off-guard. Also of note, beyond the excellence of the album itself, the Jungle Brothers were the fulcrum for what would become the Native Tongues movement - they came first, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest followed, under their guidance. By 1989, the group had even more confidence, plus a Warner Bros. contract and advance in their back pocket. They used it to great advantage on the self-produced and criminally underrated Done By The Forces Of Nature, expanding their sonic palette and continuing their Afrocentric approach to music and life. Singles like What 'U' Waitin' 4' and Doin' Our Own Dang' (with De La and Q-Tip, alongside Monie Love) showed the group's fun side, which has also lead the way in the hip-house' movement. But things weren't all fun and games, as deeper, more pensive album tracks like Black Woman,' Beeds On A String,' and Acknowledge Your Own History' show. It was another accomplished mix of fun, frolic and knowledge-of-self, proving that you could be serious in the rap game but still let off steam and fill the dancefloor. Done By The Forces Of Nature stands as one of the most cherished hip-hop documents of the late '80s among true-school heads, and this edition is the perfect way to revisit this classic thinking-man's (and woman's) rap platter. Issued for the first time ever on 2-LP with the original picture sleeve artwork, it also comes with a reproduction of the original insert, with credits and lyrics.
V Don and Willie The Kid are back at it with the 3rd chapter of their "Deutsche Marks" saga, and just like with any of their prior releases they bring their offering to the next level. Throughout the years the two have masterfully crafted their own sound as a duo, with V Don showcasing some of the highest quality productions in the game right now and Willie The Kid seamless delivery perfectly riding along with it. DM3 featuring guest appearances by long time collaborator Eto as well as Rome Streetz, Ransom, Lord Apex and Abe Linx, and is set to be yet another classic in their catalog!
The vinyl is limited edition blue vinyl with a numbered certificate. This is the first coloured Evo vinyl. The Miners Son Film Soundtrack features self-penned material from Ettecon. 11 original Tracks, most of which has been written and composed by Ettecon Productions. A Nostalgic story of the hopes and dreams of a rock band in 1984. THE MINER’S SON depicts how a year of industrial action and violent unrest changed the face of a small tight knit community and their way of life forever. A bitterness that is still very much felt today. The film focuses on a bygone industrial past of a Kent town in Southeast England. Some of the characters are based on real people and true events from the day. The findings for this story are factual and sourced from friends and family who lived through this turbulent time. This story evolved from the memories of Kevin Short, co-writer & producer of The Miner’s Son. Kevin, a miner’s son himself was a guitarist in many local rock bands who struggled to achieve recognition. Despite this, he recalls the era as a fun and carefree time. A world away from how people see life today.
- A1: Inaya Day & Robin S - Right Now (A Director’s Cut Master)
- A2: Director’s Cut Pres Inaya Day & Duane Harden - Good Feelin (Frankie Knuckles & Eric Kupper Director’s Cut Mix)
- B1: Peyton & Director’s Cut - Beautiful (Original Mix)
- B2: Frankie Knuckles Pres Director’s Cut Starring Inaya Day - Let’s Stay Home (Tony Humphries ‘Work & Play Mix)
- C1: Dbow - Get Involved (Director’s Cut Classic House Mix)
- C2: Marko Militano - Good People (Director’s Cut Signature Mix)
- D1: Vintage Lounge Orchestra - Dreams (Director’s Cut Classic Mix)
- D2: Art Department Pres Martina Topley Bird Feat. Mark Lanegan &
There are few people across the globe, who will have not been touched by the work of Frankie Knuckles. Forever regarded as ‘The Godfather of House’ for his unrivalled contribution to the house music we know today; what started as an underground movement in Chicago has grown to international heights thanks to Frankie. His records earned him recognition on a global scale, allowing him to work with some of the globes biggest names including the likes of Diana Ross, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.
Frankie passed away in Chicago on 31st March 2014 leaving behind one of the greatest house music legacies spanning almost four decades. Now he is commemorated by long time writing and production partner Eric Kupper. Eric, himself a seasoned DJ producer and writer, has worked on over 116 Billboard #1 Dance Records and played a pivotal role in many of Frankie’s productions. Having both worked together for many years they established themselves as ‘Director’s Cut’ from 2011 and set about producing original releases and remixes based on the classic ‘Def Mix’ sound while sharing equal credits for their creations.
Together they re-produced and re-purposed classic cuts for modern dancefloors, with reworks including tracks from Marshall Jefferson, Ashford & Simpson, Artful & Ridney and The Sunburst Band, alongside Frankie Knuckles originals. These releases have now been brought together by Eric to feature on special album called ‘The Directors Cut Collection’ on SoSure Music.
For the third volume classic cuts such as Inaya Day & Robin S. - Right Now (A Director’s Cut Master) and Marko Militano - Good People (Director’s Cut Signature Mix) are nestled alongside equally absorbing Directors Cut mixes of Vintage Lounge Orchestra covering 'Dreams' and Art Department pres. Martina Topley Bird feat. Mark Lanegan & Warpaint covering 'Crystalised'.
The Director’s Cut Collection is a fitting tribute to commemorate the seventh anniversary of Frankie’s passing whilst giving Eric a platform to tell his side of the creative story. This album is to be released in collaboration with The Frankie Knuckles Foundation who work to continuing Frankie’s legacy well into the future.
DJ Feedback:
Dixon - 5/5 - "Classic"
The Black Madonna - 5/5 - "Love you Frankie!!!"
Laurent Garnier - 5/5 - "“niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice OHHHH SOOOOO NIIIIIIIIIIIIICE !!!!!”
Honey Dijon - 5/5 - "Iconic!!!!!!"
Axel Boman - 5/5 - "It's all about love - not about emotions!!!!
Adam Beyer - 5/5 - "<3"
Space Dimension Controller - 5/5 - "Always"
Tensnake - 5/5 - "Classic Love It"
Jonny Rock - 5/5 - "Hot!!!"
Prins Thomas - 4/5 - "very nice! fresh take on an all-time classic"
Len Faki - 5/5 - "It's been a while listening to this masterpiece - and yes - it's timeless and I love the new touch on the new version. thanks Frankie!"
robdabank (Radio 1) - 5/5 - “One of my all time faves and great mixes here!”
Severino Panzetta (Horse Meat Disco) - 5/5 - "OH YASS!!"
Matthias Tanzmann - 5/5 - "Can't believe it has been five years already. Legendary
Michael Serafini - 4/5 - "Excellant Retouch on this!!!"
Ease-Nightmares On Wax - 4/5 - "Timeless classic for a true legend RIP x"
Timo Maas - 5/5 - "well...classic!"
Tiefschwarz - 5/5 "bless Frankie Knuckles!!"
Red Rack'em - 4/5 - "Love this new version. Really tasteful. Well done!"
You're about to witness the return of Seahorse to BCSM. After he set the start for BCSM Records back in 2018 with the legendary BCSM001, we're more than happy to welcome back the Munich based producer with a brand new 12" vinyl release.
It can't get deeper than on this one. The Black Hole EP comes with four new productions ready for the soundsystem. Expect a overwhelming mixture of contemporary steppers dub, original dubstep niceness and outerworldly bass works. Imagine yourself getting caught in a blackhole and enter a different dimension full of wobbling bass and auditory deepness. This is the sound that makes walls fall into pieces.
Seahorse developed his production style over the last years to the max, so get ready to fulljoy this heavy bass shower.
For the extra portion sub, LXC lifted the frequencies again.
We are excited to announce the first release of the revamped Italo Deviance Music: "Arredo" (alias of Marcello Giordani). This record includes two outstanding tracks, each with its own unique character. The first track, "Fear Fighter," stands out for its hypnotic Afro/House direction, enriched with synthesizer sounds that capture the imagination and transport the listener to an evocative sonic dimension. The remix of "Fear Fighter" is entrusted to the ren owned Danish artist Kasper Björke, who offers an elegant and refined version, perfectly in line with his distinctive style. The second track, "Blue Spotlight," evokes the classic mid - 80s Dance Library sound, presented in an extended version with Italo nua nces. The remix of this track is curated by Cosmo Dance, transforming it into an extraordinary electronic track inspired by early 80s Italian Disco productions. "Arredo " represents a perfect fusion of nostalgia and modernity, celebrating the past while innovating the present. With sophisticated remixes by Kasper Björke and Cosmo Dance, this release promises to captivate both veterans of the genre and new electronic music enthusiasts. Don't miss the chance to immerse yourself in this unique musical journey.
First-ever release of the long-lost original full length versions of tracks from Sheena’s 1985 hit collaboration with super producer Nile Rodgers. Remastered from the original master tapes and pressed on orange coloured vinyl with brand new artwork including full lyrics and rare photos.
Features the previously unreleased uncut versions of singles ‘Jimmy Mack’ and ‘Magic Of Love’, original alternate ‘Break Mix’ of ‘Do It For Love’ and 7 minute+ take on the rock-funk
workout ‘Don’t Turn Your Back’
This orange vinyl ‘Uncut Nile Rodgers Sessions’ edition of 1985’s dance-R&B orientated ‘Do You’ features eight previously unreleased full-length versions of tracks from the hit album.
‘Do You’ finds Sheena Easton hooking up with Nile Rodgers at his imperial 1980s superproducer peak - following mega hit productions for the likes of David Bowie, Madonna and Duran Duran. Easton fully embraces her new upbeat, pop-funk direction on tracks like the Top 30 US dance hits ‘Do It For Love’ and classic Motown cover ‘Jimmy Mack’, as well as sensual groove ballads like ‘Magic Of Love’ and ‘When The Lightning Strikes Again’.
The new Bishop 88 imprint hits gold from the off here as they offer up an edit of 'Last Night Changed It All' by Esther Williams, a track famously sampled by numerous artists like Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy. It is a drum-heavy version of a funky tune with conversational melodies and blissful soul vocals next to swooning strings. On the flip is an edit of 'I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Baby' - originally by Kellee Patterson - which itself is a rendition of Barry White's original. These are classy and sophisticated soul sounds for serious heads.
Legendary Canadian EDM / Freestyle artists In-Dex return after their huge success with their sold out 2021 Brazilian only 12" vinyl "No Science for Love" with a very limited white vinyl 12", a brand new track "I'll Never Walk Away"
4 tracks, 3 exclusive to this record, including a special dub mix of "No Science for Love" and a special mix of their 1988 hit "Give Me a Sign".
Produced by Brazil's Decho Wanlu, fans of early Depeche Mode will love this. In-Dex were formed in 1987 & had three hits between '89 & '91 and reformed in 2021. Lead vocalist & songwriter Rupert Gayle is a 1994 Juno award winner for best R&B album recorded in Canada. By 2008 he had written four #1 songs in Canada for other artists. In 1993 he founded Beat Factory Productions & signed Dream Warriors to Island Records in the UK.
This limited edition, collectable 12" is much sought- after in Germany, Finland, Canada, USA & Brazil where the radio version has had many streams on the internet. The other 3 tracks will not be available to stream or download.
Tracks: I'll Never Walk Away (Radio Version) / I'll Never Walk Away (Dub Mix) / Give Me a Sign (Special Mix) / No Science for Love (Dub Mix)
- Waldgeist
- Face-Off At Mammoth Mountain
- Wily Stage 1 & Boss (Mega Man)
- Iron Whale (Shovel Knight)
- Ultramarine
- Quick Man Stage (Mega Man 2)
- Wily Stage 1 (Mega Man 2)
- Full Circle
- Needle Man Stage (Mega Man 3)
- Wily Medley (Mega Man 3)
- Mission (Pulstar)
- Ronin
- The Amazing Ryu (Ninja Gaiden)
- The Parasprinter (Ninja Gaiden 2)
- Stage 4-2 & Stage 1-1 (Ninja Gaiden 3)
- Terra Incognita
- Art Thou The Holy One (Panzer Dragoon Saga)
- Atolm Dragon (Panzer Dragoon Saga)
- Quiet & Falling (Celeste)
- Apricot Dreams
- Ultimate Medley (Gimmick!)
- Echoes
Pressed on heavy-weight 3xLP 180g curaçao vinyl GIANTS is an ambitious video game concept album, meticulously crafted over six years by Tokyo-based record label Brave Wave Productions under the direction of Mohammed Taher. The colossal 98-minute album showcases the talents of legendary composers known for their iconic work on series like Mega Man, Ninja Gaiden, Panzer Dragoon, Sonic the Hedgehog, Final Fantasy, among others. The album is a rich tapestry of new, gameinspired compositions from these celebrated artists, paired with innovative remixes from their classic catalogue as reimagined by their contemporaries. A highlight of the album is its emphasis on collaboration, exemplified by original tracks like Ultramarine_the first collaborative effort from Mega Man 2's Takashi Tateishi with Mega Man 3's Harumi Fujita and Sonic Mania's Tee Lopes. Another standout track, Ronin, marks a historic reunion for the Ninja Gaiden composer trio_Keiji Yamagishi, Ryuichi Nitta, and Kaori Nakabai_collaborating for the first time since their work on the NES Ninja Gaiden titles. The collaborative spirit extends to the remixes as well, such as Final Fantasy series composer Yoshitaka Suzuki's cinematic reimagining of Mega Man 2's Wily Stage, featuring Bayonetta co-composer Takahiro Izutani on acoustic guitars and producing, as well as Celeste composer Lena Raine's tranquil rendition of Panzer Dragoon Saga's Art Thou the Holy One, crafted in harmony with original composer Saori Kobayashi. GIANTS transcends traditional boundaries, featuring a diverse array of genres and styles brought to life by over two dozen talented musicians, making it a celebratory anthology of game music's rich history and evolution, led by Brave Wave's in-house rock band Super Strikers and a legion of legendary game composers.
- A1: 100Lbs Of Summer Feat Greentea Peng
- A2: Evil Generation
- A3: Midnight Blues Feat Fifi Rong
- A4: King Of The Animals
- A5: Green Banana Feat Shaun Ryder
- A6: Jesus Life
- B1: I Am A Dubby Feat Marta
- B2: No Illusion
- B3: The Person I Am Feat Rose Waite
- B4: Jah People In Blue Sky Feat Greentea Peng
- B5: Future Of My Music Feat Tricky & Marta
- B6: Goodbye
Record producer, composer, singer, and pioneer of the dub music genre Lee Scratch Perry passed away in August 2021. His influence over popular music since the 1970s is hugely significant, with artists including Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Clash, Beastie Boys, Max Romeo, Junior Murvin and The Orb all enriched by Perry’s legendary touch, innovative studio techniques and production style.
Conceived, written and recorded during the COVID pandemic, ‘King Perry’ was produced by Daniel Boyle, and features guest performances from Greentea Peng, Shaun Ryder, Tricky, Marta, Rose Waite and Fifi Rong. Two tracks were also co-produced with Tricky, who releases Perry’s last recorded performances on his False Idols label.
Over a career spanning six decades, Lee Scratch Perry left the music world with a huge catalogue of albums, productions and appearances that cannot be underestimated. Releases for Island Records, Trojan, Adrian Sherwood’s On-U Sound, Mad Professor’s Ariwa...the list goes on. It was in 2014 that Perry teamed up with UK producer Daniel Boyle, and from this collaboration came the Grammy nominated album ‘Back At The Controls’ and was followed up five years later with the ‘Black Album’.
The ‘King Perry’ album was born out of a request from Perry that he “wanted to do something new, something different but still with a dub framework”. And so, armed with influences as diverse as synthwave, big beat, drum & bass and electronica, Boyle and Perry traded ideas, beats and lyrics in a project that continued to grow as its various guest performers were added, resulting in a kaleidoscopic and engaging melting pot of rhythms, melodies, and voices. Poignantly, closing track ‘Goodbye’ was Perry’s last ever recorded vocal performance.
2024 Repress
Dauw welcomes Berlin based musician Midori Hirano to the label with her new album Soniscope. Award winning composer Robot Koch provided a rework of the track Patterns under his recently announced new ambient project Foam and Sand.
With releases on acclaimed labels such as Longform Editions, Sonic Pieces and Alien Transistor, Midori Hirano is no stranger within the field of electro-acoustic piano music. While she is more known for her studio-work, it is often forgotten that she also has a long tradition of writing for films and theatre productions. This forms an important part in her work and a constant inspiration for her autonomous work. Soniscope is no exception in that regard. While working on the film Mizuko (Kira Dane, Katelyn Rebelo, 2019), a still of many little Jizo statutes got her attention and came to be the first steps of her new album.
“I was fascinated by the combination of the image and sound which well emphasized the stillness with a slight of emotion.” (Midori Hirano)
With the Jizo statutes on her mind, Midori Hirano wanted to make an album and started envisioning several personal narratives. Soniscope can be considered as the soundtrack of her own personal stories related to these statues of which Mizuko Jizo was the starting point. With Soniscope, Hirano continues in the same vein as her previous albums in which piano and electronic arrangements hold a central place. However, on this record she specifically explored new possibilities in terms of techniques and instruments.
Midori Hirano is a Japanese musician, composer and producer, born in Kyoto and living in Berlin since 2008. She started learning the piano as a child, and this triggered what was to later see her study classical piano at university. Therefore her productions are based on the use of acoustic instruments such as the piano, strings or guitars, but yet experimental and an eclectic mixture of modern digital sounds with subtle electronic processing and field recordings.
Her first two albums were released on noble records, and her second, “klo:yuri”(2008), saw her further develop of her sound, garnering critical acclaim from various media including TIME magazine , BBC radio and FACT Magazine. Over the following years Midori has performed in venues and festivals as diverse as Club Transmediale, Heroines of Sound Festival, Erased Tapes Sound Gallery, L.E.V. Festival, Boiler Room Berlin, and Wonderfruit Festival.
The nine solo albums and numerous single track releases to date include the works of her other moniker MimiCof, in which she explores the realm of experimental music and detailed rhythmic patterns, combined with an idea of drawing melodic shapes and harmonies. Her recent works have been released by labels such as Sonic Pieces, Daisart, Alien Transistor, raster-media, 7k! Music and Longform Editions.
Besides producing her own works, she composes music for films, video installations and dance performances. The films that have commissioned works by Midori have been screened at Berlin International Film Festival, SXSW Film Festival, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and among others.
Filipovich is one of a kind. The Belarus-born, Paris-based artist works in a multitude of media - found footage films, painting, silkscreening and performance to name a few. It's her musical output that has caught the attention of late, though, with Filipovich dropping a run of releases in recent years which began with 2021's Magnificat on Time Released Sound. Filipovich takes as much of a novel approach to her music-making as she does with her other artistic endeavours - Magnificat was centred around treated samples of Sergei Rachmaninov's All-Night Vigil, and she's also combined classical composition with contemporary electronic techniques on her subsequent drops.
For Idealized, Filipovich's debut on Sheffield's Central Processing Unit, she maintains the gothic air which characterised her previous releases and applies it to a record of widescreen contemporary techno joints. These tracks represent something of a gear shift for CPU, a label which has long made its name by delivering top-quality electro and machine-funk jams, but such is the quality of Idealized that these superbly-executed techno productions are sure to win over label fans both old and new.
Idealized is very much schooled in the German tradition of minimal/dub techno. Tracks like 'Physical', 'Wave' and 'Dance Minor' all anchor themselves on single, steady drum pulses and delay-drenched single-chord loops. Filipovich generally lets the central idea of these tracks play out across several minutes while introducing increasingly disorientating elements into the rest of the mix - wiccan atmospherics, clashing chords, spiralling delays and so forth. It's an approach at once respectful of Filipovich's predecessors - Basic Channel, Deepchord, Ellen Allien and so on - but also full of idiosyncrasies and individuality.
Many of the club cuts here hardwire us into the moody, murky environs of the darkest Berlin Basements. 'Ultra Red' rides forward on a crisp drum machine snap, a menacing burble of bassline and an eerie single-note synth whistle in the upper end of the mix; 'Dance Minor' shows off a bit of KiNK in the brain-bending modular loop that waxes and wanes at its centre; the second-half run from 'Wave' to closer 'Small Cave' travels ever-further out into deep space - the kick drums remain insistent, yet the textural elements are delivered with an edge and flair that evidences Filipovich's ability to think outside the box.
Filipovich's unusual methods, and the influence of sound art and electroacoustic composition on her music, are drawn out further when Idealized steps away from the dancefloor. 'Hydra' comes off like a more gothic version of Pole - its central pulse draws from dub techno but never quite settles into a danceable groove, and this beat is combined with the kind of unnerving keyboard work that would make John Carpenter proud. Although closer 'Small Cave' eventually locks into another dark-room techno roller, the opening section of the track delivers a weightless soundscape of bright, tinny chords and a scene-setting field recording.
Idealized, the first drop on Central Processing Unit from Paris-based Belarusian Lina Filpovich, broadens the label's horizons with a selection of finely crafted minimal/dub techno joints.
RIYL: Andy Stott, Deepchord, Ellen Allien, Moritz von Oswald
Diego Ruiz, aka DFRA, is an Argentine music producer very active in the last five years with several productions in the underground deep house scene. Now he's definitely setting the bar at the highest level with this project. He's introducing a full band of musicians with jazzy roots, and the result is a four-track EP that's a clear fusion of how jazz and electronic music merge in a unique way. It incorporates classic Deep House and House sounds plus the fusion of Modal Jazz, Bebop, and Hard Bop style melodies.
London-based producer/musician/DJ act Dub Fu Masters provides a triple delivery of high-quality funk-heavy, left-field jazz/fusion/house/tripped-out collaborative tracks featuring “NJB” with four-piece band Q3 and “Mr Frosty” with fellow London producer Son Of Abe. The EP’s three productions span a versatile sonic range of ear-wiggling treats, “Mr Frosty” is an acid-focused 303 workout, with a deeply rolling groove and hypnotically enticing bass layer. “NJB” explores a broken beat structure with the delightfully funky live band instrumentation of Q3, double bass, sax and a metric ton of groove.
The solo track “Herb Was Created” dives into the dub/reggae mood, holding a real tasty sound of old-school saturation and deeply enticing bass. Support from Âme, Damian Lazarus, Roger Sanchez, Paco Osuna, Sabo, David Guetta / Steve Aoki / Bakermat, Timo Maas,
Laurent Garnier, and Steve Lawler, Francesco Mami, Silicone Soul, Alex Taylor, Peter Kruder, Chaim, Bolam, Matisa, sim0ne, DJ Phantasy, Dan Marciano
Fractal Void is an avant-garde duo based in Düsseldorf, Germany. Their experimental music blends electronic and contemporary genres located somewhere in the field of musical tension between ambient, drone, halfstep and floor-affine IDM. During their live sets, Fractal Void create vertical reflections by processing sounds through software and interaction with real instruments in every unique musical performance like the Chinese contemporary calligraphic practice Dishu.
Their debut album Elemental Collection unveils a dense and lavishly layered transformation of artificial organic signals, sculpting an auditory world filled with emotive landscapes, overgrown polyrhythms and futuristic elements. Embedded within each track are field recordings serving as the heartbeat of the album. Through innovative and expansive deconstruction, Fractal Void create an energetic and sometimes contemplative experience.
The persons behind Fractal Void:
Back in 2008, their musical journey began with winning a Spectrasonics competition using field recordings of a locker door, that was implemented as a bass synth. Their collaboration was continued as producers of the eight-piece electronic jazz project „Mothers of Guru“.
Marcus Scheltinga is a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Besides studying jazz trombone at the Conservatorium Hilversum and the Folkwanghochschule, he works as a musical director, lecturer and coach in 39 countries around the world. From ZDF sound design to live and studio performances with international greats, his own productions have included such as Grammy winner Larry Carlton and Peter Erskine. Mid-east and Indian inspired, Marcus is a true story teller as a musician and composer.
BORGBORG is a producer and DJ. She moves freely in different styles of electronic music with a focus on avant-garde driving techno, dark hypnotic vibes seamlessly blended with deconstructed beats, noise and timeless elements of IDM. She is a member of About Repetition, a group of artists dedicated to the research of repetition through artistic means, collaborating with a wide range of other collectives across Europe and co-founder of the techno event series „SCHLEIFEN“.
Amazingblaze returns to home label KNTXT with an exhilarating new release that shows another subtle evolution in his style. His Touch The Sky EP features four standout new tracks that are sure to make a global impact.
Amazingblaze emerged as a pivotal tastemaker in the new school scene, marking his debut on KNTXT in 2022 with his Venture EP. Last year, he further solidified his presence on the label, with the release of two EPs and a remix of Charlotte de Witte’s single ‘High Street’. He has been obsessed with music since a young age and that shows in his productions which blend the inspirations of his youth with plenty of fresh contemporary style. His releases consistently aim to leave a significant mark on the club scene, and this latest EP is no exception. With powerful grooves and emotive synths, it sets the stage for another impactful experience.
Amazingblaze on his new EP: "Touch The Sky is a blend of emotions of early trance with the shape of a modern look. From start to finish it's catching you with pleasant pressure and doesn't let you go. Really proud of this one!"
Charlotte de Witte adds: “Amazingblaze is back and I'm just obsessed with these four tracks. They're all masterpieces, representing his very unique and distinctive sound. I'm very proud to be able to welcome him again on the label and continue to be a place he can call home.”
Opener Touch The Sky is a high speed and fresh techno sound that is laced with euphoric trance synths and a heartfelt vocal. It is sure to get hands in the air and dance floors locked into its spell. Kaleidoscope ups the ante further with more scintillating hard techno drums and flashes of synth that will chime perfectly with strobe-lit clubs. A spine-tinging breakdown features angelic vocals before the drums kick in and power things to the next level. Thank You, God Always is more straight up with hard edge drums and synths that spray about the mix with bright rave energy and futuristic soul and last of all is Habits, an urgent and high speed wave of lush trance techno with a classic vocal stab and more celestial voices drifting up to hypnotic effect.
This is another big release from Amazingblaze that shows he has plenty of new tricks up his sleeve.
Boxed set of five 7-inch vinyl records, 300 copies limited edition. Artwork poster included.
All tracks remastered from the original master tapes.
Alessandro Alessandroni is no longer remembered simply as 'the whistler' in Morricone's spaghetti western soundtracks – and rightly so, since he was the key figure behind much of Italian 'secret music' from the 60s and 70s, always there in the studio during recording sessions, whether as a multi-instrumentalist or as the leader of session vocal group I Cantori Moderni di Alessandroni. Today his pervasive presence and important role has been finally recognized by music professionals and enthusiasts alike, so much so that he is now considered the true father of Italian library music – a genre whose sound he shaped since 1968.
As a film composer, Alessandroni often worked for small productions that had very limited (and often regional-only) distribution, and whose budgets were worlds apart from those in the 'top league' where friends and colleagues like Morricone, Bacalov, Trovajoli or Piccioni thrived. Rarely released as a soundtrack, this music ended up, at best, forgotten inside dusty ¼-inch reels or, at worst, disappearing into thin air.
After a string of releases that have brought back to life forgotten or lost works by Alessandroni (Sangue di Sbirro, Afro Discoteca, Lost and Found, etc.), it was pretty natural for us at Four Flies to start delving into a little investigated area of his filmography: his scores for erotic films, the last genre to gain popularity in the flourishing Italian film industry of the 60s and 70s, and perhaps the most extreme too, the one that, by pushing things too far, eventually put an end to that industry and its genres.
So, we're now very proud to present Alessandroni Proibito, an exclusive boxed set of five 7-inch records. It contains a total of 14 previously unreleased tracks from the soundtracks of 4 soft-core erotic films that included hard-core sequences and, therefore, fell somewhere in-between normal commercial distribution and the underground scene of adult movie theatres.
Taking an artisanal approach to his musical craft, Alessandroni was not afraid of having to deal with spicy subject matter, wobbly productions, implausible plots, improvised actors, or cinematographers who were clearly no disciples of Storaro. And he was so good at making a virtue out of necessity, at turning budget constraints into creative advantages, that he created soundtracks that far surpass the films' quality, with music that at once captures and elevates the spirit of the erotic genre as if into a condensed symbol.
More specifically, the maestro recorded many of the pieces in a DIY fashion at home, using a 4-track Teac tape machine to arrange his compositions. The Teac allowed him to play different instruments on each track, which meant he could basically put an entire soundtrack together all by himself, or almost all by himself.
These recordings often feature drum machines – which provide that retro, early electronic music vibe – as well as funk guitars and exotic-sounding percussion in the rhythm tracks. In addition, there is an extensive, almost bewildering use of synthesizers to replace solo instruments that would have required a paid session player. On top this minimalist arrangement, Alessandroni layered what he could: some piano chords, a little flute and, most importantly, his signature 12-string guitar phrasing.
The result is just stunning: a unique mixture of electronic music and acoustic instruments, in a style that stops short of kitsch and ranges from cinematic ambient pieces like "Tensione erotica" to disco-funk tracks like "Snake Disco" and "One Sunday Morning", both of which feature vocals by Alessandroni himself.
Alessandroni Proibito comes with artwork by Eric Adrien Lee and a matching 30x70cm folded poster inspired to the insert-size posters which used to be hung outside movie theatres to attract cinema-goers.
The boxed set is being released in a limited edition of just 300 copies and will never be reissued. First come, first served.
There are albums that tap into the very heartbeats of rhythm, melody and intricate sound design, pulsating with every musical note. This is the case of 'Séptimo Sentido', the new album by Buenos Aires-based producer Seph.
Sebastián Galante aka Seph is no stranger to these realms; with almost two decades of experience under his belt, he has established himself as one of the leading talents in the Argentina techno scene and as one of the most intriguing minds in alternative Latin American electronic music. His productions have found a home in cutting edge labels such as Insurgentes –a platform led by the DJ and producer from Medellín (Colombia) Verraco, and sister label of TraTraTrax, which has reduced gaps between the Latin electronic scene and the rest of the globe– or his own label Aula Magna Records. He has also fostered collaborations, among which stands out his project Oscean alongside Andrés Zacco, a project that was recently released on the legendary Berlin label Tresor.
In his new album 'Séptimo Sentido', Seph exhibits superlative production skills and masterfully showcases the widest palette of the braindance sound, that intersection where countless genres and sub-styles can coexist. Here we hear echoes from the mid-90s that revive undeniable references of early IDM; but with a renewed form, under a fiercely contemporary new skin.
At the core of this intriguing album, we find an artist whose devotion to experimentation takes his rhythmic and melodic obsessions through vibrant magical-techno-urban landscapes, where radiant colors and mutating forms collide in a bold and imaginative sonic journey.
'Séptimo Sentido' hails from the prism of perception, beyond the five senses and a step further than instinct, hunting for mysterious resonances with the cosmos; like a space portal inviting us to float a handspan above the ground.
DJ Support: Kerri Chandler, Prunk, M-High, Archie Hamilton, Mr.V, Alexi Delano, Laurent Garnier, Okain, Mystic Bill
Dutch House maestro Dennis Quin makes a welcome return to PIV this July with his ‘Treat You Right’ EP, comprising four originals, one of which features LA’s Cheshy on vocals. Over the past ten years Amsterdam’s Dennis Quin has moved from strength to strength and has become globally revered and respected for his raw and powerful productions, racking up releases on Cécille, Ibadan, Dungeon Meat, Eastenderz and of course the leading light of his hometown scene, PIV, where he returns with his latest EP.
Up first on the package is the original mix of title-cut ‘Treat You Right’ which sees Dennis team up with Los Angeles based Cheshy, delivering a composition that personifies the quintessential House sound, crisp 909 drums, fluttering stab sequences and a bumpy bass hook run in unison with Cheshy’s soulful vocal stylings, cinematic strings and shimmering synth lines. ‘Impressions’ follows next and showcases a different aesthetic with a swinging low-slung rhythm section, jazzy leads, marimba lines and bouncy subs to create a more Parisian deep house feel.
Further showcasing Quin’s dynamism as a producer ‘Touched’ then shifts up gears to a saturated skippy drum groove, vacillating synth stabs, a heavy dose of low-end drive and hypnotic vocal chants. Lastly to round out the release, Dennis offers up a ‘Classy Dub’ of the title-track, as the name would suggest stripping out a large portion of the vocals and reshaping the structure of some of the original elements and stirring some additional jazzy elements into the mix.
RAWAX proudly welcomes legendary Fresh & Low to the family!
Rawax are very happy to present you in future most of their amazing
past productions on the new "Treasures" series.
Starting with groundbreaking LITTE "i" EP from 1997!
Damian Lazarus invites Kristin Velvet to Crosstown Rebels for ‘Wasp Nest/Get Down’, featuring and remixed by house icon Fred P. Delivering her first material on the iconic label, the Arms & Legs boss serves up two diverse productions, including a collaboration with Fred P, with the New York favourite also providing two slick interpretations of his own.
Rising to prominence over the past decade as an artist backed by a wealth of support from BBC Radio 1, Australian-born DJ/producer and label boss Kristin Velvet has garnered consistent support from The Blessed Madonna to Fat Boy Slim and Carl Cox, seamlessly blending her roots with influences from her adopted homes across the globe, including London, Tokyo and most
recently, Berlin and Ibiza. Collaborating with Felix Da Housecat while releasing material via Josh Wink’s Ovum Recordings, Cassy’s Kwench and Hot Since 82’s Knee Deep In Sound, plus her own Arms & Legs which she co-manages with Daniel Steinberg, she continues a busy 2024 with a visit to Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels for the very first time with her two-track EP ‘Wasp Nest / Get Down’ - featuring a collaboration with house pioneer Fred P who also serves up two trademark, deep dives.
Warping and twisting, armed with robust drums and ever-evolving synths, ‘Wasp Nest’ is a trippy excursion through an amalgamation of textures, delivering a driving production with twists and turns at every moment, while the slick ‘Get Down pairs crisp percussion and smooth grooves with Fred P’s iconic vocal for a classy house outing. Delivering his own takes on the production, Fred P’s first reshape is a delightful dive through dubby pads and hazy chords before serving up a cosmic excursion across his ‘Deepness’ reshape to close things in style.
- A1: Nataniel Melo - Girasoles
- A2: Ginger Bamboo - Stinlo
- A3: Jeannette Azzouz Belles Combo - So Close To Me
- A4: Mython - Arizona
- B1: Homar Jackson - Sea Trip
- B2: Harry Panday - Love Your Mother And Father
- B3: Errol Ince - Sabrosito As
- B4: Mameen 3 - Tropicamellow
- C1: Leoparden - Borster Kapa
- C2: Joe Tempo Caesar - Soca Mosa
- C3: Zouratie Kone The Astral Synth Transmitters Suba
- D1: Jeremy Alonzi - Friture 4000
- D2: Sexo Y Fantasia - Mangoface
- D3: Carlo Alexandre Teixeira - Teko Pora
Les Disques Bongo Joe are proud to be home of the new volume of DJ soFa's well known curation work Elsewhere series with Elsewhere CC! This ninth exploration of our beloved Bruxelles based cratedigger and producer (Mameen 3, Nyati Mayi & The astral Synth Transmitters, ...) is an ode to summer and groove!
The ninth edition in the Elsewhere series is a real digger’s paradise of tropical gems, from Trinidad to Brazil, Poland, Dominica, and beyond. The compilation is an eclecticmix of outernational, tropical-wave, Calypso, multi-rhythmic percussive beats, lo-fi disco jams, and other such styles that lie somewhere in that magical in-between zone. Compiled by Brussels-based DJ, tastemaker and producer soFa, Elsewhere Vol.9 CC is a perfect collection of Balearic, good-vibe, sunshine rarities, to soundtrack a cocktail session on a reclusive, tropical beach, featuring rare tunes and some of the artist’s own unique productions and collaborations.
Modern day selector, 7” detective, international cratedigger, and self-styled musical activist DJ soFa, aka. soFa Elsewhere, is renowned for his borderless approach to curation. Adapting his unconventional and radical approach to DJing to his acclaimed compilation series, soFa’s goal has always been to expand horizons, highlight scenes, and tell stories. And herein lies the beauty behind the latest edition in the Elsewhere series. Behind every great record, is an even bigger story, and Elsewhere CC, has plenty of them...
Der ehemalige Type O Negative/Danzig-Schlagzeuger Johnny Kelly und der Gitarrist und Riffschreiber Dan Lorenzo (Hades/Non-Fiction) gründeten Patriarchs In Black Ende des Jahres 2021. Die Songs auf dem neuen Album "Visioning" vereinen Elemente des klassischen Doom Metals mit modernen Sounds sowie Ausflüge in den Hardcore/Crossover.
Gemischt und gemastert wurde das Album bei JROD Productions von Jon Cioicari.
Ihre Debütsingle "Demon of Regret" erschien im Januar 2022 und das komplette Album "Reach For The Scars" wurde am 1. Juli 2022 veröffentlicht. Ihr zweites Album "My Veneration" erschien am 6. Oktober 2023 mit mehreren Gastsängern und Bassisten.
Für das kommende 3. Studioalbum "Visioning" hat Dan Lorenzo zwölf neue Songs geschrieben. Neben Schlagzeuger Johnny Kelly sind wieder eine Reihe großartiger Sänger und Bassisten dabei, wie Dave Neabore (Dog Eat Dog), Karl Agell (Corrosion Of Confirmity), Eric Morgan (A Pale Horse Named Death), Mark Sunshine (Riotgod), Jason McMaster (Watchtower), Kyle Thomas (Exhorder) und viele mehr.
Die Songs auf "Visioning" vereinen Elemente des klassischen Doom Metals mit modernen Sounds sowie Ausflüge in den Hardcore/Crossover.
Gemischt und gemastert wurde das Album bei JROD Productions von Jon Cioicari.
"Es macht so viel Spaß und setzt die Sänger nicht zu sehr unter Druck, mit ein oder zwei tollen Texten und Melodien pro Jahr aufzuwarten. Ich schreibe eine Menge Riffs/Musik. Unser drittes Album kam sehr einfach zusammen. FUN FUN FUN" sagt Dan.
Mickey Nox is a techno enthusiast, label owner, DJ and producer from Melbourne, Australia. His impressively unique style and attitude towards his constantly evolving productions and DJ sets is dark, menacing and always maniacally exhilarating as he becomes progressively more entangled within his heavy hitting hardware.
Continuing with the ‘Limited As Fuck’ series of releases, on our fiercely independent techno label based in Scotland, we witness the return of the Australian assassin himself with the most rampant, fast paced release we’ve ever put out on our infamous label …….. so far. After the rip-roaring success of his first RIOT Radio Records release a few years back with his double vinyl album ‘Mad As A Cut Snake’, he’s back once more to knock some sense out of, or is it into you?
He’s pulled out all of the bashing implements he can muster into forging this conk buster of a release. Full bore mallets, truncheons, heavy mounted metal clubs and even franticly abused frying pans have all been industriously employed by this long-haired behemoth of an artist for driving, battering, pummelling, pounding, striking, bludgeoning and cudgeling all for the purpose of taking you into his world of being a ‘Hammerhead’.
The full digital release also features one bonus track with the ‘Rough Mix’ of ‘Tropic Corridors’ which you won’t find nowhere else. Rough by name, rough by nature.
WARNING: LISTENING TO THIS WEAPONIZATION WILL ENDUCE FILTH OF THE MOST OBSCENE NATURE
- A1: Sin Que
- A2: The Grunt
- A3: Poking Fun
- A4: Combat Unit
- A5: One, Two
- A6: The Morning After
- A7: Mr Xy
- A8: The Walt
- B1: Funky Jazz
- B2: Stop
- B3: Hoeee!
- B4: Join The Sla
- B5: War!
- B6: Track 15
- B7: Amped Up!
- C1: Exit Patty, Enter Tonya
- C2: Casio
- C3: You Know Me
- C4: Make My Funk
- C5: The Fire Dance
- C6: Where's Tonya
- D1: My Comrades
- D2: Get On The Floor
- D3: The Race
- D8: Perfect!
- D4: Capturing The Ghost
- D5: Urban Guerrilla
- D6: Walk On By
- D7: Talk Show Ho
Embarking on an unconventional premise for a beat tape is par for the course for Detroit native Waajeed, who thrives on breaking conventional boundaries. Known as the self-titled futurist Producer, DJ, and UMA Director, Waajeed typically pushes forward, but some narratives demand retrospection. Enter the compelling saga of Patricia Hearst, AKA Patty Hearst—an emblematic American tale—reimagined against the backdrop of 30 raw Hip Hop productions crafted between 2005.
Innovative multi-instrumentalist and electronic luminary Mathew Jonson returns to Crosstown Rebels with ‘Tako Tako’.
The Canadian synth wizard returns to Damian Lazarus' renowned imprint with two magical and absorbing new productions, with the most excellent two-tracker.
Mathew Jonson has developed one of the most distinctive voices in electronic dance music. His take on house and techno is rich in synth craft and high on captivating emotions, all shaped by his notoriously extensive collection of analogue and hardware gear that he can play, manipulate and use like few others. An electronic mastermind renowned for releasing countless seminal tracks and albums, both solo and as a member of Cobblestone Jazz, he returns to a label that has been a constant throughout his career. With his ‘Tako Tako’ EP, he offers two more superb journeys on Crosstown Rebels.
The fantastic ‘Tako Tako’ kicks off with Jonson’s signature mix of elegant and refined synth craft, with dancing melodies bringing futuristic energy and neon colour to crunchy beats. They are smeared and smudged in a painterly fashion and help make this production a pulsating dancefloor thrill. Equally standout is ‘Just a Little Bit’, powered by a jostling broken beat with a warm bassline and wordless vocals sampled throughout. It’s funky, kinetic, always on the move, and rounds out another one of Jonson’s fantastically inventive yet effective EPs.
From the heart of Sarpsborg, the Norwegian Hellstain Productions label is presenting you the duo of Diabolica Hymnis. Krvx and Shaga have captured the essence of their unique sound on “Crux Satanas”, which has been mastered by none other than the legendary Dan ‘The Man’ Swano. This is 100% true dark Norwegian black metal. When themes as misanthropy, satanism and depression are your cup of black tea, you are darkly invited to join Diabolica Hymnis on their captivating journey with “Crux Satanas”.
- A1: Jun Sato - Lorang
- A2: Fumihiro Murakami - Miko
- A3: Tadahiko Yokogawa - Stop Me
- A4: Love Peace Trance - Yeelen
- B1: Ichiko Hashimoto - Lete
- B2: Yosui Inoue - Pi Po Pa
- B3: Eiki Nonaka - Phlanged Vortex Clip
- C1: X Cara - Night In Aracaju
- C2: Poison Girl Friend - Nobody
- C3: Dream Dolphin - Take No Michi
- D1: Keisuke Sakurai - Harai Cd Version
- D2: Hiroki Ishiguro - Unity
- D3: Dido Shizuru Ohtaka Michiaki Kato - Mermaid
- D4: Keisuke Kikuchi - Retro Electric
2024 repress
Music From Memory is excited to announce a special compilation that they’ve been working on for some time now; MFM053 – VA – Heisei No Oto – Japanese Left-field Pop From The CD Age (1989-1996). Compiled by long-time friends of the label, Eiji Taniguchi and Norio Sato, Heisei No Oto delves into a world of music released almost exclusively on CD and brings together a fascinating selection of discoveries from a little known and overlooked part of Japan’s musical history.
The last ten or so years have seen a global wave of interest in Japanese music encompassing ambient, jazz, new wave and pop records from the 1980s, some of which is increasingly considered the most innovative and visionary music of that time. Although some music from this period, in the form of ‘City Pop’ or ‘rare groove’ records, had been coveted by collectors and DJs for a number of years, most Japanese music from the time was little known outside and often even within Japan.
Sometime around the mid 2000s, two Osaka record store owners, Eiji Taniguchi of Revelation Time and Norio Sato of Rare Groove, along with a handful of deep Japanese diggers such as Chee Shimizu of Organic Music records in Tokyo, began to explore beyond the typical ‘grooves’ or ‘breaks’. Much like their counterparts in Europe and the US, they began delving into home-grown ambient, jazz, new wave and pop records, discovering visionary music, often driven by synthesizers or drum computers, that broke beyond the typical confines of their genres.
Spending tireless hours in local record stores and embarking on digging trips across the country, Eiji Taniguchi and Norio Sato, much like Chee Shimizu, have been at the forefront of unearthing and introducing many of the very Japanese records now loved and sought after around the world. Yet as YouTube algorithms and vinyl reissues would transport such music into the global consciousness and demand and therefore scarcity intensified for such records, so Eiji and Norio have recently begun to turn their attention to CDs.
The title of the compilation Heisei No Oto refers to the sound of the Heisei era, which began in 1989 and corresponds to the reign of Emperor Akihito until his abdication in 2019. Marking the culmination of one of the most rapid economic growths in Japanese history, 1989 also coincided with the music industry’s final shift away from vinyl in favour of CDs. And, although compact discs were first introduced seven years earlier it wasn’t until late into the ‘80s that, beyond dance music labels, CDs became the exclusive format for major and independent labels in Japan and throughout the world.
This however didn’t signal the end of the innovation in Japan. Many of those same musicians who have become known for their work in the ‘80s would continue to produce outstanding music well into the mid ‘90s, as greater innovation and advances in musical equipment allowed Japanese musicians and producers to refine and explore new sounds. While musicians such as the seminal Haruomi Hosono, whose productions feature on a number of tracks, would continue to push the boundaries of these new technologies, these technological advances also meant less established musicians were able to make use of increasingly affordable but state-of-the-art equipment.
Including music by Haruomi Hosono as well as Yasuaki Shimizu, Toshifumi Hinata and Ichiko Hashimoto who have become known and loved around the world in recent years, Hesei No Oto also features Japanese pop star Yosui Inoue, producers Jun Sato and Keisuke Kikuchi in aaddition to less established artists from the contemporary, jazz, new wave, pop and dance music scenes. Bringing together a selection of tracks that seem to define these specific genres and in fact move fluidly between a number of them, the music on the compilation is again underscored by experimentations with synthesizers and drum computers though with something of a gentle Pop sensibility. Reimagined here then under the encompassing term ‘Left-field Pop’, this is an exciting chapter in Japanese musical history that has only just begun to be fully explored.
VA - Heisei No Oto - Japanese Left-field Pop From The CD Age (1989-1996) is a 2xLP/2xCD that includes liner notes by Chee Shimizu and artwork by Hagihara Takuya and is released on February 28th.
2024 Reissue
Although he rose to prominence in the NYC jazz scene, working as Nina Simone's exclusive touring pianist, he never blossomed as a solo artist, so he decided to take the plunge and create "Liberated Brother" on his own. This work, which was completed in just 2 days of rehearsal and 5 hours of recording with trusted musicians, is an important work that instantly boosted his popularity as a composer!
The opening title track, "Liberated Brother," is a Latin-taste instrumental covered by Weldon's mentor, Horace Silver. Freddie Hubbard, J.J.Johnson, Peter Hervorzeimer and others have covered "Mr. Clean", which has a complex melody but a memorable phrase. Stanley Turrentine covered jazz-funk "Sister Sanctified" with comical synth phrases, and the version was re-evaluated with the sampling of Boogie Down Productions' "My Philosophy". The album "A Tribute to Brother Weldon" released in 2004 on Stones Throw after Weldon's death covers Blakestra. And jazz funk with a strong blues taste, "Homey" is a super classic that was heavily played on the dance floor in the 90's. The simple and groovy drums with few sounds and the melancholy melodica played by Weldon are cool and very sophisticated songs, and I agree that it was useful in the rare groove scene.
A work that triggered the recognition of his talent as a composer, with such a large number of masterpieces recorded. Don't miss this opportunity!
" Since the release of his previous album 'Paradise for all' , the profile of Guts has grown a lot to become one of the main french producer and a recognized name on the European scene.
His hit 'Brand new revolution' was played by many radios worldwide and even synchronized in Grand Theft auto V. His compilation series ' Beach Digginï' is now a reference for summer and quality music.
After 3 instrumental albums, Guts decided to come back to his Hip Hop roots (he created the french rap Band Alliance Ethnik in the 90s) and invited quality MCs and singers to join him in the studio. You can find on this album, some Hip Hop legend as Grand Puba, Masta Ace, Bob Power, Rah digga some singers as Cody Chestnutt, Patrice and a batch of new talents as Leron Thomas, Lorine Chia, Quelle Chris & Denmark Vessey, Dillon Cooper.
This albums contains hit singles like'Man Funk' Want it back (feat. Patrice)' Open wide'
Vinyl deluxe edition : double LP gatefold Replica sleeve with insert & download card.
About this release:
Without hip-hop, Guts wouldn't be half the producer he is today. Hip-hop as inspiration, a gateway to so many different musical styles, the trigger for a continually expanding musical bulimia, the springboard from which he dived into a bottomless musical well.
Hip-hop � which has been Gutsïtrue love for the last 25 years, despite its taking futile, gangsta and materialistic paths.
Hip-hop � which in quarter of a century has driven him to spend whole nights with samplers, drum machines, expanders and vinyl, tapping on pads, adjusting the drums and honing his samples.
Hip-hop � which is often done remotely nowadays by sending digital files back and forth. Guts has opted to make it shine like when it was all brand new, decided after three entirely instrumental albums to re-establish contact with rappers, vocalists, jazz players and soul men by packing up his productions and heading across the Atlantic to record them in their home surroundings in New York and California.
Backed up on production by the inexhaustible DJ Fab (Hip Hop Resistance) and supported from Paris by his label Heavenly Sweetness (�A French label spreading colourful music for the soul, Guts explores a host of styles, flows and atmospheres to build up a mosaic of 16 tracks, each nestling inside the other to form a single concept: Hip Hop After All."
[b] Open Wide [Feat Lorine Chia]
[c] The Forgotten (Don't Look Away) [Feat Quelle Chris &Amp; Denmark Vessey]
[d] Go For Mine [Feat Tanya Morgan]%U2028
[e] As The World Turns [Feat Rah Digga &Amp; Akua Naru]
[f] Man Funk [Feat Leron Thomas]
[h] Forever My Love [Feat Grand Puba]
[i] It's Like That [Feat Dillon Cooper]
[j] Want It Back [Feat Patrice &Amp; The Studio School Voices NYC]
[k] Enlighten [Feat Cody Chesnutt &Amp; Murs]
[m] Innovation [Feat Masta Ace]
[n] Come Alive [Feat Lorine Chia]
[p] Roses [Feat Leron Thomas]
- A1: So Close
- A2: Life Of A Dj (Feat Demolition Man)
- A3: Outta Orda
- B1: Save Me From Myself
- B2: Endless Dreaming (Feat Bulgarian Goddess)
- C1: Automatic
- C2: Consciousness
- D1: Moonshine
- D2: Odyssey (Feat Evil B)
- D3: Keep On Dancing
- E1: Make Me Feel
- E2: Natty Love (Feat Sweetie Irie)
- F1: Pyramidz
- F2: Journey To Outer Space
Warehouse Find!
Undoubtedly one of the most exciting acts to have emerged in drum & bass over the past decade, Voltage has joined forces with Hospital Records for the release of his long-awaited studio album 'Balance Over Symmetry' which marks the tenth year of his journey as a solo artist.
No stranger to the Hospital family with an album, 2 EPs and a handful of singles under his belt as part of drum & bass powerhouse group Kings Of The Rollers, it's now time to explore the solo sounds of Voltage which have slowly but surely carved him to be one of the most respected DJ & producers in the scene.
In his true rambunctious style, Voltage sets the swing with a wild card. 'So Close' is a sub-120BPM synthwave weapon which matches his retro-inspired fashion to his musical vibrations. The combination of catchy vocals, an 80s-esque bassline and an unforgettable topline melody sees the creation of something extremely different yet irresistible from Voltage.
Not straying too far from the roots of his influences, 'Natty Love' features the groove inducing vocals of sound system legend Sweetie Irie. Saturated sub wobbles juxtaposed with potent string plucks are intertwined with ease, peppered with that signature Voltage flair.
Teaming up with reggae and dancehall superstar Demolition Man known for his skill as a vocalist, producer, MC and sound engineer, 'Life Of A DJ' combines the sounds of Demo's with Voltage's unmissable sonic technique. 'Save Me From Myself' exposes
the lighter side to Voltage as he illustrates his versatility as an artist through a soul-heavy amen roller with a classic liquid bassline.
Reminiscent of the days of euphoric hardcore, 'Keep On Dancing' sets the vibe with uplifting piano chops and adrenalised vocals as crunchy snaps and rhythmic cymbals keep things moving beneath. An iconic duo to everyone who knows their drum & bass, Voltage and Evil B come together for 'Odyssey' which sees ambient soundscapes
and earnest lyrics on a truly heartfelt piece of music.
With releases on foundational imprints such as Metalheadz, 31 Recordings, RAM, Souped Up and Spearhead to name a few, Voltage's discography speaks for itself in laying down his years’ worth of experience within drum & bass. With support for his productions coming from a wide range of influential selectors including the likes of Andy C, Hype, Friction, Goldie, Bailey, Hazard and Bryan Gee, it's safe to say that 10 years of Voltage has been a remarkable decade to say the least. Here's to 10 more…
Following their ground breaking "Wet Dirt" album from 2019, CRIMEAPPLE and DJ Skizz are back to take you on a worldwide flight starting off in Hradec, Czech Republic. The New Jersey rapper and Brooklyn producer step up their game once again on this new offering, with CRIMEAPPLE solidifying yet one more time his position as one of the best lyricist out there, painting perfect pictures all by himself over Skizz's top-tier productions, with an extra soulful and vintage touch added to it. Fasten your seat belts as this one is yet another classic to listen up above the clouds!
Leisure Group Recordings, a side label project of Razor-N-Tape’s JKriv, drops their first vinyl release with a 7inch slab of trippy dance-floor dub by Kings Of High Speed. Launched earlier in the year with J’s pensive balearic 'Within EP,' Leisure Group now delves further back into J’s personal archive for a pair of tracks that he began over a decade earlier with his Tortured Soul bandmate, the late keyboardist Ethan White. A huge lover of dub reggae, Ethan showered these tracks with tasty and authentic organ and synthesizer stylings. The tunes sat unfinished on an old drive for many years, until J recently excavated, arranged and finished off the productions with a healthy dose of dub via a Space Echo, Eventide and other hardware delay units. Dedicated to the memory of Ethan White, one of the grooviest humans to ever walk the earth.
Diggers Society is an underground electronic music label based in Barcelona. This debut release encapsulates the label's musical philosophy, featuring two tracks produced by legends Francesco Farfa and Miki (in collaboration with Niki IL B and Andrea Melly), and two tracks produced by talented artists from the new generation such as Luca Piermattei and Lucio. The result is a complete EP, featuring 4 different dancefloor-oriented productions, each one for a different moment of the night.
Artwork by @designattitude_graphic
Gallegos, first name Oliver - deals in feelings rather than genres. The productions on his debut effort for RS INTL channel a 90’s rave euphoria. Luscious pads swirl amidst pitched down jungle drums, celestial strings and philosophical vocal snippets that evoke ecstatic joy.
It’s no mean feat to induce a feeling of elation without the means of a synthetic intervention - but Ollie seems to have cracked the code - taking us there with harmony, texture and rhythm alone - nothing synthetic here: this is alchemy at play... The EP - which in all honesty feels more like a mini album - is a real journey across 5 songs and 29 minutes. It’s about equally split between driving rhythmic compositions created with movement in mind, and pensive ambient detours that are more sonic meditations than anything else. The album reaches its most dizzying heights when these two elements come together in unison for the title track, “Memories You’ve Memorised'' - a widely road-tested future classic which blends scattered Juno chords, arpeggiated church organ and 80s vocal samples to a tear-jerking crescendo.
Memories You’ve Memorised elevates Oliver Gallegos to the top tier of modern electronic composition. There’s comparisons to be made to Primal Scream, Underworld and even Aphex Twin - but after all is said and done, we’re witnessing the coming of age of a future pioneer.
"Two-pronged, remix attacks don't come much more exciting and potent than this... as here - thanks to our good friends at Nervous NYC - we're beyond hyped to bring you the legendary Masters At Work and Dave Lee on one single, fully weaponised package.
Putting their own, inimitable spins on Louie Vega's ˙Music Is My Life˙ - which features the unique talents of Unlimited Touch - we're treated to a pair of wonderfully complimentary, but no less idiosyncratic re-rubs from these two stalwarts of the scene.
With a production hand and artistic touch like no other - Masters At Work lead the way here, with their main remix. Characterised by that trademark looseness and deliciously warm, organic approach - their rework is awash with woozy psychedelia and layered so expertly, that getting lost in the music is both gloriously simple and an absolute pleasure. But no true Vega & Dope remix suite, would be complete without a bonafide Dub version. And for ˙Music Is My Life˙ - this sees the dynamite duo take proceedings down a distinctly more mesmeric and mood-laden path… one where the vocal is instead used as a powerful rhythmic weapon, and the star of the show, is a surreptitiously morphing and shape-shifting, delicately acid-laced synth lead.
Next up - having recently switched his attentions to productions under his own namesake - is Z Records' head honcho, Dave Lee. Snapping into life with its crisp and punchy drum work - what Lee's remix does share with that of the Masters is in the over-arching, tripped-out haze which douses proceedings. However - where his remix opts to stick its head well and truly above the parapit, is in it stylistic flavouring. As when it comes to slicing that genre cake, so to split the worlds of Disco and House perfectly down the middle - there's simply no one who does it finer.”
- Roland Alphonso - Live Desire (Trombone Version)
- The Skatalites - Live Wire
- Lynn Taitt - Ska-Ta-Shot (Take 2)
- Roland Alphonso - Step Down (Low Riff)
- Jackie Mittoo - Warlock
- Roland Alphonso - Determination (Take 2)
- Roland Alphonso - Determination (Take 5)
- Don Drummond - Love In The Afternoon
- Roland Alphonso - El Cid (Take 4)
- Johnny Moore - Red Is Danger (Take 3)
- Roland Alphonso - V.c.10 (Take 3)
- Johnny Moore - Yogi Man (Take 1)
- Roland Alphonso - Tough Talk (Take 1)
- Roland Alphonso - Tough Talk (Take 4)
“On August 5th 1962, after 300 years of British rule, which had soaked the earth of the island in blood, Jamaica was finally independent. The country that the British left behind was certainly a place of widespread poverty and deep inequality, but there seems to have been a real burst of confidence that came with independence. Newsreels of the day show well-dressed crowds reacting with enthusiasm and excitement, and the era found its perfect soundtrack in the boldness and exuberance of ska music, which was erupting all over the island.
This optimistic mood found probably its greatest artistic expression in the music of the Skatalites, who formed in June 1964 as a kind of Jamaican supergroup. Philip “Justin” Yap was a young, upcoming producer who had used members of the Skatalites for his first tunes, recorded either at RJR (Radio Jamaica and Redifussion) or at Federal studios. As Steve Barrow documented in the sleevenotes for Pressure Sounds’ reissue of the classic “Ska-Boo-Da-Ba” album, Justin had also befriended Clement “Coxsone” Dodd, and when Coxsone opened his own Studio One facility in December 1963, Justin immediately switched most of his production work to this new recording room. Studio One opened just in time to catch the formation of the Skatalites, and is where Justin recorded most of his classic Skatalites sides. He also recorded lots of excellent instrumentals with a smaller brass section, still mainly using members of the Skatalites, but crediting instead the composer or arranger of the tune. Combined with Coxsone’s own recordings, these productions for Justin’s Top Deck and Tuneico labels really captured the members of the Skatalites at their magnificent best in the unique atmosphere of Studio One.”
Skylax Records Is Overjoyed to Introduce the Exceptionally Talented Irish Producer, Hammer, to Its Esteemed Roster. This Rising Star, First Brought to the Forefront by the Influential Bicep Crew, Has Been Making Waves in the Electronic Music Scene With Numerous EPs Released on Renowned Labels Such as Optimo Music, Sulta Select, Shall Not Fade, And, of Course, Feel My Bicep, Among Others. Hammer's Distinctive Style Has Gained Him a Dedicated Following Within the Leftfield and Italo-Disco Communities, and His Upcoming 12-Inch Release Is Poised to Set Dance Floors Ablaze. the Ep Kicks Off With "Swerve," a Track That Effortlessly Channels the Pure Essence of Bicep's Iconic Style. the Rich, Immersive Soundscapes and Dynamic Composition Capture the Spirit of the Duo's Renowned Productions, Delivering a Nod to the Genre's Roots While Propelling It Forward. Next Up, We Encounter "Swivel," a Genuine Italo-Disco Gem. With Its Lush, Retro-Infused Synths and Irresistible Basslines, This Track Pays Homage to the Italo-Disco Era That Continues to Influence and Inspire Contemporary Electronic Music. "Swivel" Is a Sonic Time Capsule, Transporting Listeners to the Heyday of This Beloved Genre. Flipping Over to the B-Side, We Have the Outstanding "Tbilisi," a Probable Tribute to the Vibrant and Ever-Evolving Electronic Music Scene in the Bustling City of Tbilisi, Georgia. Hammer Masterfully Crafts a Sonic Narrative That Captures the Essence of the Scene, Incorporating Elements of Techno, House, and the Avant-Garde. This Track Is a Testament to Hammer's Versatility and Ability to Seamlessly Navigate Different Musical Landscapes. the Ep Reaches Its Conclusion With "Push Repeat" Takes Center Stage. This Electrifying Track Promises to Be a Sensation on the Most Discerning Dance Floors, With Its Driving Beats, Infectious Melodies, and Undeniable Energy. Hammer's Mastery of Groove and Rhythm Is on Full Display in This Opening Number, Setting the Tone for What's to Come. in Sum, Hammer's Upcoming Release on Skylax Records Is Nothing Short of a Masterstroke. It Not Only Solidifies His Position as a Standout Talent in the Electronic Music Realm but Also Highlights Skylax's Commitment to Delivering Innovative and Genre-Defying Sounds to Discerning Listeners. This Ep Is Poised to Become an Essential Addition to the Collections of Music Aficionados and a Testament to the Ever-Evolving and Boundary-Pushing Nature of the Contemporary Electronic Music Landscape. Get Ready to Embark on a Sonic Journey Through the Mind of Hammer, and Experience the Future of Dance Music....
- A1: Grafix – Blue Dreams 3 58
- A2: Degs – Levitate Your Mind Featuring – Unglued 4 11
- A3: Keeno – I Wonder Featuring – Ellie Madison 5 22
- B1: Fred V – Sad Jungle 4 09
- B2: Drs & Dynamite – Fix It All Featuring – London Elektricity 5 29
- B3: Nu Tone – The Moment Featuring – Lea Lea 4:35
- C1: Todd Terry – Bounce To The Beat Remix – Serum (2) 4 30
- C2: Kings Of The Rollers – You Got Me Remix – S P.y. 5 21
- C3: Urbandawn – Egregor 4 55
- D1: Inja – Sanctuary 4 05
- D2: Yazzus, Magnum Larry – Desire 4 40
- D3: Missing & Mr Time – Original 90S 4 07
- E1: S P.y.– Step & Flow (Vip) 4 09
- E2: Loxy & Ink – The Herald 5 53
- E3: Polaris – Distant 6 29
- F1: Bop & Subwave – Dead Almost 4 17
- F2: Mitekiss – Something Real Featuring – Ruth Corey 5 13
- F3: Tolima Jets – Clams 4 30
- G1: Etherwood – American Fruity 6 20
- G2: Logistics – Sleeper Dub 4 21
- G3: Think Tonk – Falling For Yooo 4 11
- H1: Roberto Surace – Joys Remix – Unglued 4 36
- H2: Whiney – Hallowed 3 41
- H3: Kanine – Snake Eyes 4 27
- H4: Radiax – Tech Trick 4 08
Warehouse Find!
Marking the first chapter of Hospital Records’ 2020 story is the return of their flagship compilation series, ‘Sick Music 2020’. Loaded with 25 brand new tracks from the world of drum & bass, ranging from fresh original productions to exclusive new remixes and future classics from the Hospital Records family and some very special guests. The album kicks off the year with first-class sonics from the likes of London Elektricity, Kings Of The Rollers, S.P.Y, Grafix, Inja, Fred V, Unglued, Urbandawn, DRS & Dynamite, Kanine and more.
Originally released in 1983 on Hessian.
Bryn Jones’ work was justly known for its excess—of tracks created, of rhetoric, of volume levels, of repetition, of length—and the sometimes indiscriminate way he produced material as Muslimgauze carried over into his approach to the part of the business that involved getting people to actually hear his music. Known for the deluge of DATs he’d share with the labels he worked with, Jones also didn’t necessarily restrict himself to just one outlet.
Very early in his career, in the same year the first two Muslimgauze LPs came out (1983), Jones released an obscure 7” single with completely blank black sleeve art on a label called Hessian. »Hammer & Sickle« is to date the only release on Hessian (which may have just been Jones himself?). Those two LPs, Kabul and Opaques, are fascinating in the context of the full swath of Jones’ work. They’re much spacier, more drifting, and notably less interested in using the kind of Middle Eastern percussion and other instrumentation that’s such a distinct element on many Muslimgauze releases. »Hammer & Sickle« operates in a similar territory, but if anything a little further out from the main body of Jones’ work.
The side-long title track and the three b-sides here are all cut from the same cloth, spacious productions that mainly play rounded synth percussion against echoing, ›bag of wire‹-style dub hits. After the lengthy examination of »Hammer & Sickle« itself, the other three cuts experiment with altering pitch, duration, tempo, and other elements as if testing the ways Jones could vary the effects of the title track without ever ditching its component parts. His sound was already quickly evolving (even the next year’s Buddhist on Fire is closer to what fans likely picture when they think of the »Muslimgauze sound«), leaving »Hammer & Sickle« an intriguing and valuable portrait of one of Jones’ early side investigations.
Thanks to the success of his productions and his remixes, all the works printed on vinyl made by Luca LTJ Xperience Trevisi have been snapped up among his fans and DJs from all over the world.
From his past catalog there was still a complete album released only in Compact Disc and in digital format in 2013: Ain't Nothing But A Groove, left behind not because it had anything less than the others but simply to alternate new releases with catalog ones.
Now it is finally being printed.
The album, strictly in the DJ Friendly version, double vinyl with only two tracks on each side, contains some of his Nu Disco Funk pearls such as: What I Feel, Linear Funk and Get Down. Luca LTJ Trevisi (LTJ Xperience) began his career as a DJ and producer in the 80s.
As resident DJ of two of the most famous Italian clubs, the Kinky in Bologna and the Cap Creus in Imola, he was one of the first Italian DJs to play House Music and to revive that particular selection of Black Music called Rare Groove mixed with Jazz and Latin-Bossa who gave birth to the Acid Jazz movement at the end of the 80s.
His first official release was in 1988 and was titled First Job, paired with Kekkotronics, and was also the first album from Irma Records. The song was included in many compilations and many DJ playlists around the world. In the following years, among his singles we find some song forms that anticipated the Breakbeat genre such as Do n't Stop The Sax and Funky Superfly. He produced Tameka Starr's single Going In Circles, also for Irma Records, which has become a classic of the Downtempo/R&B genre.
In the mid-90s he produced some Italian Acid Jazz groups such as Bossa Nostra and Live Tropical Fish and began to select Rare Grooves compilations that have become classics such as Groovy and Suono Libero. At the same time he also started playing outside Italy, in particular at the Blue Note and the Jazz Café in London, at the
Giant Step in New York and at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. In 1999 he released his first album under the pseudonym LTJ Xperience entitled Moon Beat which featured Ohm Guru in
the production and Taka Boom and Jackson Sloan as vocal guests. Two tracks from the album have become club classics:
the Brazilian House version of Sombre Guitar and the chill out Moon Beat. His second album in 2003 entitled When The Rain Begin To Fall features Joe Bataan in the reinterpretation of his most famous song Ordinary Guy which has become a Gilles Peterson classic.
After some singles including Organ Mind / I Love you (Larry Heard's favorite track) he dedicated himself to the world of the Nu Disco genre, releasing 5 albums in the genre to date. The latest Deepening of A Groove contains Bad Side with the American singer Anduze on vocals, which is one of his most popular hits, adored by Moodyman so much that he included it in the music of Playstation's Gran Theft Auto which sees him as the protagonist with his avatar.
In each new volume of the series, DTM Funk will collaborate with another befriended DJ/producer, assembling a varied collection of productions representing the sound of the guest selector. For the second edition, we look to Soft Focus, also know as Forbidden Fruit, Title or Toon Janssens. Already for years in the game but still one of Belgium's most skilled producer.
SKRR Vol-002 will focus around the groove that Soft focus brings to the humanity; "downtempo grooves, cinematic sound and abstract waves for the brains, the body and the soul".
Featuring 10 tracks from the likes of Bert Cools, Memotone, Dries Laheye, Arthur Brouns and more.
The compilation perfectly fits the philosophy of the record label. "The meaning of San-Kofa implies that all music comes from somewhere", explains DTM Funk. "If you acknowledge the music's origins and its essence, it becomes so much more valuable, and you become better prepared for the future".
2024 Very Limited Repress
Down Low Music returns with a catalog number reserved for over 20 years, dL-006. Circa 2002, after releasing music from artists such as Stinkworx, Plastic Sleeves, Convextion and Macho Cat Garage, the dL catalog skipped from dL-005 to dL-007. dL-006 was reserved for DFD aka Troy Anderson, a core part of the dL crew from Texas. Troy had previously released excellent records as Cityboy and Waverider (both recently re-issued on We're Going Back), and as DFD on the first Down Low Music compilation, 'Satellite Cities' in 2001.
But a full EP was never finalized, until now... Over time, multiple projects were lost in the void and time passed until Troy recently sent out some new works from his lab. Down Low loved the new tracks and decided this was the time to complete the missing piece. It's a wonderful glitch in time, four new DFD productions that fit easily in the early 00's sound of the label back then, while also a magnificent piece of machine music from the future. Proper electro with a touch of human feels which is something that seems to be essential for a classic Down Low Music release.
Repress.
Back in print and just in time for summer relaxation. It's hard to believe this album came out over 10 years ago. Back then we thought it was too rough for consumption, were we wrong! Today, “Songs” can be heard on hundreds of playlists around the world and still attracts listeners with its unique sonic grit. It became a template for LOFI producers and has even been featured in multiple Thrasher skate videos. Its appeal continues to cross genres and remains entirely random, but unmistakably Dwight. If you missed out on this album the first time, it's your chance to get that first PPU restoration of Dwight's solo songs from the 80s. This is the restoration that took over 2 years and included; phones held up to speakers, cassette to 1/4 reel transfers, Tascam manipulations, scotch tape, and a pair of scissors.
Dwight Sykes aka Sporty Cat, was born February 27, 1956 in Nettleton, Mississippi. At the age of two Dwight and family moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan where he would remain for most of his younger years. At the age of nine Dwight started his musical career singing background vocals with a spiritual group, Airs of Harmony, Jr., now known as the Michigan Nightingales. After three years of signing, Dwight started playing guitar. He joined his first r&B band, The Kenyatahs, at age thirteen and then played for five years with the group. Following the break up of the group and the death of his mother, Dwight enlisted in the U.S. Army. During that time he played guitar and drums for the band 100% Pure Poison. They played throughout Germany for 18 months. After being honorably discharged, and back in the states, Dwight started playing in numerous local Michigan bands including Domain, and Chaos. Eager to write his own material, Dwight created the group Jahari. They toured for a couple of years in the Michigan area until another break-up. Still under the Jahari alias, Dwight wrote "Situations" which received respectable air-play on Michigan local radio stations, WKMI, WQXC, WRDR, WKZO and WKDS. Dwight now resides near Atlanta, Georgia. He continues to write and produce songs on his Tascam 464 four track console. Although he uses other avenues to provide for the upkeep of himself and son, his love of music keep the hope alive that he will one day get that big break in the music business. Dwight Sykes - Songs Volume One is a collection of material written, produced and recorded by Dwight Sykes on 4-Track Cassette, in his home studio L.U.S.T. Productions.
The five-track EP features three original productions by SALOME and two remixes by Manni Dee and Umwelt, ready to short-circuit your system.SALOME masterfully blends delicate melodies with thunderous breakbeats, mirroring the tumultuous nature of love. «Hacker» (A1) pulsates with the mantra «You hacked my mind,» a stark reminder that falling head over heels often means surrendering control. «Romance Malfunction» (A2) paints a vivid picture of the exhilarating highs and crashing lows of a rollercoaster relationship, ultimately leading to the introspective «Love Leaked» (A3).Seeking diverse interpretations, SALOME enlisted two of her most admired artists, Manni Dee (B1) and Umwelt (B2), to deliver their unique takes on «Hacker,» further enriching the emotional landscape of the eponymous EP.
Reel People Music breaks new ground, in more ways than one, with the launch of fresh compilation series Broken, Deep & Dope. A spin-off from acclaimed compilation brand Soulful, Deep & Dope – introduced back in 2015 – this new series sees the much-loved independent imprint pushing further at the boundaries of soulful music. All with that customary Reel People feeling.
Broken, Deep & Dope 2024, the series’ first instalment, unleashes 20 superlative examples of the soulful ‘bruk’ (broken beat), nu beat and nu jazz sound that has so innovatively informed contemporary dancefloors around the world since its inception back in late Nineties West London.
Bringing together classic cuts from the Reel People Music stable (including those by Daz-I-Kue, Monkey Brothers and Reel People) and key productions from some of its closest affiliates and biggest inspirations (such as Vikter Duplaix, Jazzanova, Bugz In The Attic, Kaidi Tatham, and Sean McCabe), this white-hot selection nips and tucks beautifully between stuttered Latin and Afro rhythms, deep house-edged jams and soaring flights of soul-jazz fancy.
Reel People Music is a label borne out of the soulful success of acclaimed collective Reel People but representing so much more. Launched in late 2009, the imprint has built a fiercely loyal international fanbase through its passion for artist development, musicianship, song-craft and authentic soulful groove.
Broken, Deep & Dope 2024, with its scattered yet compulsive beats, frisky basslines and acrobatic melodies, promises to further expand Reel People Music’s reputation for soulful depth and drama. Gathering old and new favourites from some of the world’s finest taste-making DJs and producers, this is another scorching, oh-soul essential hustle. End of.
For the first time on 7'', the two grooviest tracks from the soundtrack composed by Riz Ortolani for "Confessione di un commissario di polizia al procuratore della Repubblica" (aka, "Confessions of a Police Captain"), the renowned 1971 crime drama by Damiano Damiani, starring Franco Nero at the peak of his career.
On Side A, "Serena e Lomunno" is a jazzy spell performed by an exceptional quartet - unfortunately uncredited - consisting of bass, electric guitar, drums, and piano. On Side B, the quartet reduces to a trio (sacrificing the piano) to give life to "Il ricordo di Serena," without losing any of the rhythmic essence infused in the previous track.
In both cases, the pieces' structure is entirely supported by the perfect interplay of bass and drums, with particularly striking and sharp timbres, complemented by electric guitar and piano with their refined phrasings.
The result? A succession of irresistible and elegant jazz-funk breaks, practically tailor-made for sampling.
This is an essential addition to the series of 45s that Four Flies is dedicating to the best Italian golden age soundtrack and library productions. A must-have for any serious Italian sound digger!
Brand new six track EP collaboration from two original man in the business, Lloydie Slim and Cornel Chin of Son's Junior sound system. A-side has the sweet voiced Cassandra Chin doing her rendition of a '60s classic, followed by horns and dub cuts. The B-side has New York's number one sax man Jerry Johnson blowing on another updated classic, followed by version and dub cuts. Brand new productions straight from Brooklyn NY by veterans still at it!
Player below will play samples of all tracks in sequence. click the link below the player to go to soundcloud and play tracks individually.
Cameleon Records open their vinyl series with a powerful 3-track EP provided by its very owner, Oros. After his first appearance on We Are FTR last year, he wasted no time and launched his own label. On this EP he provides two signature tracks of his own, yet different in style, combining a deep, meditative state with a solid groove to shake the dancefloor. The remix comes from the talented Paul Walter, a figure we all got used to lately, seeing his productions being released on labels such as Pressure Traxx and his very own Meduka. Here he takes over the remix and delivers a bold reinterpretation that best describes his craft.
White Vinyl[32,14 €]
Yes, once again, CATS in SPACE are firing on all cylinders and ready to launch their long-awaited, blistering, double, live album this June, together with a documentary style film about their successful 2023 tour. FIRE in the NIGHT - Live was recorded during the ‘Kickstart the Sun - Part II’ theatre tour in 2023 when our fabulous sound crew captured the full two-hour show. As always, this release will be available in CD, vinyl and digital formats and due to the sheer length of the performance will once again be delivering both quality and value on double CD and limited double vinyl LP in a choice of colour variants - Fire red vinyl and spotlight white vinyl. A lead single, and crowd favourite, ‘Johnny Rocket’ was released ahead of the album in March 2024 on all digital platforms. 'For The Love Of It', a film made by James Heron of Carriage Return productions, chronicles the stage production from conception to delivery of the CATS in SPACE Kickstart the Sun tour. It is a detailed insight into the highs and lows of modern-day touring for original rock bands and shows the unique way that the tour was put together. All in all a fantastic opportunity to see behind the curtain before the release of the album! Whilst on the subject of ‘Johnny Rocket’, he is also set to appear later this year, in a full-length feature cartoon book designed and published by Sentinel Publications. The team are putting together the full ‘Johnny Rocket’ story that first appeared on the 2019 Daytrip to Narnia album and is set to be a very special publication. “We are super hopped-up with the recording of the album, thanks to our amazing live engineer Pete Russell and the fans who made every night so special throughout the tour. It really has captured the power and excitement of the band’s show...It will be a fitting finale to our time with Harmony Factory label, as we head down a new flight path for a very exciting future for all of us in CATS in SPACE. More to be revealed soon! As ever we have a LOT going on this year so keep your eyes peeled for updates…we are all thrilled to bits!”
Red Vinyl[32,14 €]
Yes, once again, CATS in SPACE are firing on all cylinders and ready to launch their long-awaited, blistering, double, live album this June, together with a documentary style film about their successful 2023 tour. FIRE in the NIGHT - Live was recorded during the ‘Kickstart the Sun - Part II’ theatre tour in 2023 when our fabulous sound crew captured the full two-hour show. As always, this release will be available in CD, vinyl and digital formats and due to the sheer length of the performance will once again be delivering both quality and value on double CD and limited double vinyl LP in a choice of colour variants - Fire red vinyl and spotlight white vinyl. A lead single, and crowd favourite, ‘Johnny Rocket’ was released ahead of the album in March 2024 on all digital platforms. 'For The Love Of It', a film made by James Heron of Carriage Return productions, chronicles the stage production from conception to delivery of the CATS in SPACE Kickstart the Sun tour. It is a detailed insight into the highs and lows of modern-day touring for original rock bands and shows the unique way that the tour was put together. All in all a fantastic opportunity to see behind the curtain before the release of the album! Whilst on the subject of ‘Johnny Rocket’, he is also set to appear later this year, in a full-length feature cartoon book designed and published by Sentinel Publications. The team are putting together the full ‘Johnny Rocket’ story that first appeared on the 2019 Daytrip to Narnia album and is set to be a very special publication. “We are super hopped-up with the recording of the album, thanks to our amazing live engineer Pete Russell and the fans who made every night so special throughout the tour. It really has captured the power and excitement of the band’s show...It will be a fitting finale to our time with Harmony Factory label, as we head down a new flight path for a very exciting future for all of us in CATS in SPACE. More to be revealed soon! As ever we have a LOT going on this year so keep your eyes peeled for updates…we are all thrilled to bits!”
The follow up and his second (4 Track) on a (Black) classic (TRAX) RECORDS (LOGO) from the
(LATE NITE 'DUB' ADDICT). Is another 'BIG' release on the inprint that pionnered (Chicago) & (Acid House). Making waves with DJ's such as (Marshsll Jefferson) / (DJ Pierre) / (Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk) & the late, great (Frankie Knuckles). The (Late Nite 'DUB' Addict) has been releasing a string of hits on Traxsource and winning through hearts of both 'HOUSE HEADS' & DJ's alike. His RAW Underground style has seen Bookings & has seen this talented (DJ /Producer) make waves & play with legends in the scene such as (Lenny Fontana, Victor Simolli, Ian Van Dahl, Filta Freqz & Dave Seamen (Brothers In Rhythm). His productions have had Chart success through (Traxsource) and through channels including his last solo release another (4Tracker) his (DEEP IN 'DUB' EP). In the last 10 years he has let his music do the talking. If you like beats deep - You are in
for a treat!!!
Color Vinyl Repress
The world moves faster than ever these days, and even in the digital age, things can always be counted on to go in cycles. Despite all of the advances in computer recording technology, home studios, and electronic instruments, there is a flourishing interest in analog recording techniques and in recreating the mood and sound of vintage soul records. With one foot in the past but their eyes firmly set on the future, El Michels Affair are among the leaders of a resurgent funk & soul movement from New York City that’s sweeping both the music community and the charts.
Led by saxophonist/organist Leon Michels and producer/engineer Jeff Silverman, El Michels Affair began as a loose collaboration of session musicians (including members of top-selling acts Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, the Budos Band, and Antibalas) that looked to blend some of the vibrant quality of soundtrack records with the recording aesthetic of early reggae, and the rawness of 60's rock--they called it 'Cinematic Soul.' This delicate balance was evident on their 2005 debut album Sounding Out the City, which earned critical acclaim and acted as the inaugural full-length release for Michels and Silverman’s burgeoning label Truth & Soul (also the moniker for the duo as a production team).
The buzz generated from the album and a series of moderately successful 7” vinyl singles from Truth & Soul led to an invitation by Toyota’s Scion division for El Michels Affair to accompany the rapper Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan for a promotional concert. As avid Wu-Tang fans, not only were the band leaders thrilled with the opportunity, but Michels found that the ‘Cinematic Soul’ sound was consistent with the moods of RZA’s gritty soundscapes on the classic Wu-Tang releases. The concert was such as success, El Michels Affair went oan to play several more concerts nationwide backing Raekwon and other members of the Clan, and the shows led to the recording of two smash 7” singles featuring instrumental reinterpretations of the Wu-Tang classiac songs “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Bring Da Ruckus.” The singles combined to sell an extraordinary amount of over 7,000 units worldwide, and their success led to a contract in 2007 with indie hip hop powerhouse Fat Beats Records to record an entire album of Wu-Tang Clan interpolations entitled Enter the 37th Chamber.
Since the contract was inked, a worldwide explosion of retro soul led by Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson, and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings has transformed the pop music landscape, and the Truth & Soul production duo have been in strong demand, recording with everyone from breakthrough Grammy-nominated artist Adele to punk rock innovator Iggy Pop. They’ve been commissioned for official remixes of Amy Winehouse and Dinah Washington (for the popular Verve Remixed series), and produced for Australian multi-platinum acts Jet and Gabriella Cilmi.
Despite the eclectic group of clients for the Truth & Soul production company, El Michels Affair continued to build an audience within the hip hop community. A track from Sounding out the City was sampled for Ghostface Killah’s 2007 track “Shakey Dog Lolita,” and a horn part written and performed by Michels (for Menahan Street Band) was famously lifted for Jay-Z’s smash single “Roc Boys.” Truth & Soul also worked in the studio on original productions with multi-platinum producer Just Blaze (T.I.’s “Live Your Life,” Jay-Z, Usher).
With their increasing presence behind the scenes in the industry, El Michels Affair looks to have their status as recording artists rise significantly in 2009. With the release of their finally-completed album Enter the 37th Chamber, they can finally step out of the shadows of the retro-soul trend and establish their status as one of the most exciting and versatile bands in modern recorded music.
12" compilation with new tracks by Eoism, Voertuig, Colkin and a lost gem by Peter Seiler featuring Sheryl Hackett. Picture sleeve with a bold artwork based on a sculpture by Hede Bühl. Limited to 500 copies.
Colkin (Raw Soul, Mauke Club) kicks off the a-side with a spheric acid house meditation. Next is a track by Peter Seiler which could be found on the extended reissue of his 'Flying Frames' debut LP on Innovative Communication in 1989. It features the soulful voice of Sheryl Hackett. An extraordinary groover that is meandering between song and jazz improvisation. Eoism (Pulse Drift, Undersound, Inch By Inch) complete the a-side with some low-swung electro flavors, driving you straight into sunset.
On the b-side Voertuig (Tonal Oceans, Cobra Club) hit us with a serious and raw acid jam - dark and dirty. On the following track they show us their experimental jazzy side and cool things down again. A track the 1990s downbeat era was missing. Eoism close the first volume of FUTUR with a floating, futuristic banger from their lab.
Benedikt Meger's aspiration for funkscapes was always to feature funk grooves, old and new, fresh and relevant for today. Whether some rare, not so rare or just under the radar recordings from the past or new productions from today's artists across different electronic genres. This idea now culminates into the selection for the compilation FUTUR.
Enjoy the ride.
London producer Keplrr debuts on Midgar with ‘Plumes’. Known for his productions on trendsetting outlets like Control Freak Recordings and Pressure Dome where he showed his excellent take on forward thinking broken techno music, right here for Midgar he uses a more straight forward approach with two versions of title track ‘Plumes’. The original is a subtle, percussive and playful techno groover, where the ‘Meditation Mix’ flips this impeccable groove into an airy atmospheric after-house mood. Second track ‘Pulse’ continues on this breezy atmosphere, it’s a floaty eyes-closed deep trip, with carefully arranged drums creating the perfect breakdown. Keplrr’s creative process delves into the profound, seeking to encapsulate the sensation of falling or morphing, blurring the lines between reality and reverie. His aim is to transport listeners to a state somewhere between a dream and a trip, where the boundaries of perception dissolve, and the subconscious takes flight. This EP embodies that quest, each track a sonic voyage into the depths of consciousness.
"Ich bin neu in der Hamburger Schule" haben Tocotronic 1995 gesungen. "Die Lehrer sind alle ganz nett hier und die meisten meiner Mitschüler auch." Doch wer sind die "Lehrer" dieser 1993 gegründeten Band, die erst spät zu der unter dem Namen "Hamburger Schule" bekannten Szene gestoßen ist? Und wie blicken die "Mitschüler" heute auf die Musikszene, die sich ab Mitte der Achtziger an den Tresen, in den Übungsräumen und Konzertsälen der Hansestadt entwickelte? Zu einer Zeit als Deutschpunk stumpfer und die Neue Deutsche Welle schlagerhafter wurde, entstand irgendwo dazwischen etwas Neues, Eigenes. Noch ohne Trainingsjacken, Seitenscheitel und deutschsprachige Texte herrschte zunächst eine musikalisch wilde Mischung vor - Alternative neben Northern Soul, Punk neben Noise, Pop neben Instrumentalmusik. Erst nach und nach schälte sich der deutschsprachige, intellektuelle Diskurspop heraus, der zum Markenzeichen - und Klischee - der Hamburger Schule wurde und Bands wie Blumfeld, Die Sterne oder Tocotronic zu überregionaler Bekanntheit führte. "Der Text ist meine Party" begleitet zahlreiche Akteur:innen auf ihrem Weg aus der Provinz nach Hamburg. Viele der Musiker:innen hatten in der Punkszene die Selbstermächtigung, den Do-it-yourself-Ethos erlernt und gründeten Bands und Tonstudios, Labels und Konzertorte. Die Vielfältigkeit der Musikszene Hamburgs der letzten Jahrzehnte beschreiben unter anderem: Bernd Begemann, Myriam Brüger (L"Age D"Or), Ale Dumbsky (Buback), Ebba & Jakobus Durstewitz (JaKönigJa), Charlotte Goltermann (L"Age D"Or), Carsten Hellberg (Ostzonensuppenwürfelmachenkrebs), Bernadette La Hengst (Die Braut haut ins Auge), Oliver Hörr (Boy Division), Bernd Kroschewski (Boy Division, Hrubesch Youth), Tobias Levin (Cpt. Kirk &.), Dirk von Lowtzow (Tocotronic), Jan Müller (Tocotronic), Hans Nieswandt (Whirlpool Productions), Carol und Chris von Rautenkranz, Knarf Rellöm (Huah!), Frank Spilker (Die Sterne), Linus Volkmann, Rebecca "Nixe" Walsh, Frank Werner (Fast Weltweit), Thorsten "Taucher" Wessel (Ostzonensuppenwürfelmachenkrebs)
''More Than Ever'' is another impeccable pearl of Roberto Ferrante, considered one of the most extraordinary and evocative Italo-Disco productions, one of those songs that attracted millions of followers and made everyone fall in love with the genre. GLAM's original 1985 12inch is no ordinary record. This vinyl reissue from Planet Records Classics with stunning new mastering makes it even more special. The voice of GLAM is Clio, according to followers one of the favorite singers in the distorted and mirrored world of Italo-Disco; she always has full control of the voice, therefore a perfect interpretation, full of emotion. If you listened to ''Faces'', ''Feel the Fear'' or ''Eyes'' by Clio and liked them, I'm sure you'll love this epic piece too! Thanks again to Roberto Ferrante for this new powerful mastering of ''More Than Ever'' fresher overall, performed with much more vitality and energy.
Repress!
Landing next on Toolroom is our most recent instalment in our 4-track vinyl sampler with some of our biggest recent releases including Kurd Maverick vs Adeva, Friend Within, Retna, Toolroom head-honcho, Mark Knight and label favourite, GW Harrison.
First up is Kurd Maverick vs Adeva who makes a huge return with the infectious 'In & Out My Life'. A straight up cut of 90's house & rolling tech house influences mixed into one, sampling cuts from the feel-good classic 'In & Out My Life' by Adeva, turning the original on its head.
Next on the sampler is fresh heat incoming from DJ and producer Friend Within, the artist behind previous toolroom hits 'Lonely', 'The Truth' and 'Waiting'. Having been a secret weapon of choice for the likes of Paul Woolford, John Summit, Dombresky and Danny Howard to name a few, 'Monkeys Bars' has been bubbling for months and is now set to blow!
London based producer Retna returns to the label with Mark Knight as the pair deliver a debut collab that's been carving up dance floors worldwide in 2022. 'What I Need' takes things to the next level, focusing on Retna’s raw, arpeggiated synth line that cuts through the records tough, chunky bassline and groove. Throw in Mark Knight's magic touch for creating top-quality, club focused productions that'll tear through any system it's played through, and you'll get their latest outing – 'What I Need'.
Abode resident DJ and frontrunner GW Harrison completes the package with latest outing, ‘Feels Good’, enlisting the powerful voice of Laura Davie, the vocalist behind some of Toolroom’s most popular releases from Mark Knight’s ‘If It’s Love’ to Illyus and Barrientos’ ‘Disco Hearts’. Feels good’ offers a summertime piano house belter featuring a staunch bassline and pumping groove that pushes that euphoric, hands in the air feeling to the max.
Four killer cuts that you will not want to miss, this is ‘Toolroom Sampler Vol. 3’!
Radio:
Radio plays on Radio 1 from Danny Howard, Sarah Storie, Pete Tong
Alongside plays on Kiss Fm, Toolroom Radio, Sirius Xm, Data Transmission Radio, Radio 1 Dance Anthems, Radio 1 Party Anthems, Rinse Fm, Select Radio, Tomorrowland Radio
DJ Support:
Danny Howard, Annie Mac, Mistajam, Pete Tong, Charlie Hedges, Kraak & Smaak, Maxinne, Todd Terry, Alex Preston, Full Intention, Rudimental, Alaia & Gallo, Illyus & Barrientos, Johan S, David Penn, Sam Divine, Riva Starr, Claptone, Nice7, Dario D’attis, Mousse T, S-Man, Huxley, Dombresky, Gorgon City, Pirupa, TCTS, Alan Fitzpatrick, Low Steppa
- A1: You Don't Have To Wait W/Cubicolour
- A2: Revision Ft. Giovanni
- A3: Go Back Ft. Desire
- B1: Wervik
- B2: Hooligan Plex
- C1: All Night (Garage Verson) Ft. Oscar And The Wolf
- C2: You're My Desire Ft. Mystic Bill
- D1: Serpent Jazz W/ Avnu
- D2: Get Out Of Here Ft. Perry Farrell
- D3: Just You And I
- E1: Clickbait (This Ain't Hollywood) W/ Avnu
- E2: Shine On & On (Orbital Tribute)
- F1: Nasty W/ Tyler Hill
- F2: Stop That
- F3: Moon Sky (House Version) Ft. Ishi
Renowned US producer Maceo Plex releases his highly anticipated third album, ‘’93', a homage to his three-decade journey through the realms of electronic music. Marking both a passion and a prolific career, the maestro presents a tantalising body of work that masterfully blends House, Hip Hop, Global Bass, Techno, Breaks, and Electronica. This audacious fusion delves into historic and modern influences, crafting an audio journey that transcends time, rich in history yet boldly future-facing.
‘’93' is a cross-genre exploration, seamlessly balancing emotion with hard-hitting beats. Maceo Plex collaborates with a stellar lineup of artists, including Diplo for his contribution on ‘You Don’t Have To Wait’ with Cubicolor, Oscar and the Wolf, Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction), Johnny Jewel and Desire, Kirsty Hawkshaw, Mystic Bill, AVNU, Giovanni, Ishi, and Tyler Hill, resulting in a diverse and dynamic musical affair.
This album narrates the story of a highly esteemed artist at a pivotal juncture in his career, consistently evolving towards new directions. Departing from the early deeper house sound that initially defined him, Maceo Plex intentionally ventures into new territory, steering away from his famed melodic and techno direction in recent years. Nevertheless, '93' retains the essence of Maceo Plex's signature style, transcending various sounds and genres in a manner reminiscent of his electrifying DJ sets, meticulously curated for the dancefloor and the crowds.
‘93’ vinyl LP by Maceo Plex is available on Lone Romantic from 17th May 2024.
Key Feedback Quotes:
Pete Tong - Maceo is such a talented producer. A sonic juganaut. An inspiration to so many aspiring music makers. He's a master of analogue and digital in the studio. He's a total 'one of'.
Kolsch - Incredible album!!!!
Artbat - “Very cooooool album!
Gregor Tresher - Wow, now this is what I call an album! Extraordinary stuff, I love it! Big up, Eric!
Hot Since 82 - Nothing short of sensational. My fav producer and DJ who consistantly sets the bar far too high and we all play catch up. Love it.
Rodriguez Jr - Awesome album. LOVE IT. Such a wide spectrum of influences here. Respect!
Laurent Garnier - Very cool. Will play these
Hernan Cattaneo - This is a really good album!
Wehbba - happy to finally see the album coming out, lots of gems, Nasty, Just You and I, Get out Of Here and You're My Desire are my main picks.
Eelke Kleijn - Already listened to the whole album on Spotify. Fantastic. Miles ahead of everyone else. Thanks for sending this, will play many of these for sure.
AFFKT - all tracks are amazing
Ida Engberg - Loooove this release! Stop that and Serpent jazz for me, can't wait to play them. Lone Romantic killing it!
Victor Ruiz - Honestly, you’re a genius! 10/10 productions always.
Pig&Dan - Great to hear new tunes from one of my favorite producers out there
Oliver Huntemann - some real gems on here
Fideles - wow, love it all
Peter Kruder - Love 'em all! Thanks for sending my way!
Yotto - Sick Sick Sick work!
Jody Wisternoff - Insane tracks from Maceo!!!
Terr - Amazing music as always, thx!
Nicolas Masseyeff - Solid release! Full Support!
Paige - Nasty is an absolutely mind-blowing track!!
Braxton - Incredible Album. .
Dense & Pika - Wicked stuff from Maceo.
Eli Brown - Always great music from Maceo Plex.
Anden - Congrats on the album! Love it!
Sergio Muñoz / Fur Coat - Great work from Eric! Congratulations.
La Fleur - So many gems in there, looking forward to having a proper listen from start to end! Thx
Captain Mustache - Big work here from Maceo, congratz!
Alex Kennon - This is a masterpiece!
Timo Maas - Clickbait is a cool track, I like the deep funk.
Martin Eyerer - This is a great album!! I love nasty most, but all great.
Nick Warren - This is such a great album.
Laurent Garnier - Very cool EP. Will play these.
Jonas Rathsman - Stop That sounds interesting
2024 Repress
Electronic duo Atelier excel at riding chillwave to a cooler, moodier sound. Atelier was conceptualized by childhood friends Alexander Inggs and Jaś Miszewski whose love of analog synths, drum machines and effects pedals is revealed in a hardware-heavy live show. The project is a platform for combining their differing musical backgrounds – a blend of house, indie, folk and techno – and has an underlying maturity that emerges in their frank performances and honest productions.
A landmark publication celebrating the life and work of American musician and composer Arthur Russell, the man the Guardian called 'One of the 20th century's true musical visionaries'
The music of Arthur Russell defies classification. From his pioneering compositions as part of New York's vibrant avant-garde scene (alongside artists including Philip Glass, David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, John Cage, and Allen Ginsberg) to his genre-expanding disco productions, from his new wave and art pop to his posthumously released folk songs, Russell crafted timeless and foundationally influential work until his premature death in 1992 from AIDS-related illnesses.
Now, in a landmark publication assembled by critically-acclaimed writer Richard King, Travels Over Feeling collects the extensive ephemera found in Russell’s New York Public Library archive, along with pieces from the personal collections of those who were closest to him. Combining unseen visual material—handwritten scores, lyrics, photos, letters, and drawings—with new texts by King and extensive original interviews with Arthur’s collaborators, contemporaries, family, and friends, Travels Over Feeling paints a portrait of Arthur Russell unlike any which has come before, revealing a true picture of one of the most distinctive artists of the last fifty years.
Charles Arthur Russell Jr., better known as Arthur Russell (May 21, 1951—April 4, 1992) was an American cellist, composer, producer, singer, and musician from Iowa whose work spanned a disparate range of styles. After studying contemporary composition and Indian classical music in California, Russell relocated to New York City in the mid-1970s, where he became involved with both Lower Manhattan's avant-garde community and the city's burgeoning disco scene. His eclectic music was often marked by adventurous production choices and his distinctive voice. He died from AIDS-related illnesses in 1992.
Richard King was born in South Wales and for the last twenty years has lived in the rural county of Powys, in mid-Wales. He is author of Original Rockers (2015), which was shortlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize, and How Soon Is Now? (2012), which was Sunday Times Music Book of the Year. The Lark Ascending was published in 2019, and was a Rough Trade, Mojo, and Evening Standard Book of the Year. His latest book, Brittle with Relics, was published in February 2022.
- A1: This Mortal Coil - Waves Become Wings
- A2: Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds - La Lliarona
- A3: The Black Angels - Science Killer
- A4: Low - (That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace
- B1: Chimes & Bells - The Mole (Trentemøller Remix)
- B2: Velvet Underground & Nico - Venus In Furs
- B3: Vampire Hands - Safe Word
- B4: The Shangri-La's - Walking In The Sand
- C1: M.ward - Poor Boy, Minor Key
- C2: Darkness Falls - Noise On The Line
- C3: Papercuts - Unavailable
- C4: We Fell To Earth - Lights Out
- C5: Thee Oh See's - Ghost In The Trees
- D1: Trentemøller - Blue Hotel
- D2: Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - The Proposition #1
- D3: Eden Ahbez - Full Moon
- D4: Ekko - Rehearsal
- D5: Paul Morley - Lost For Words - Part. 1
Warehouse Find!
FIRST TIME ON VINYL
HALF SPEED MASTERED 180 GRAM VIRGIN VINYL PRESSINGS
INCLUDES COVER ART PRINT
INCLUDES EXCLUSIVE CHRIS ISAAC COVER VERSION
INCLUDES DOWNLOAD CODES FOR THE ORIGINAL MIX AND UNMIXED VERSION IN WAV AND MP3 FORMATS
Trentemøller is the Dane who did. He's been making electronic music of one kind of bent or another for over 15 years, first making his name as part of Trigbag, a live house act that toured extensively. But it's his solo material that has impacted on the dance community - and beyond. 'La Champagne' was a game-changer and his remixes of artists like Sharon Phillips secured his place as an artist with some serious chops. But that's not all he is. You can hear that yearning in his productions and it's evident here, a sort of Protestant northern European melancholy. He is aided on his journey towards the Baltic by some heavy hitters, of course: Velvet Underground, Mazzy Star, This Mortal Coil. But that's not the story, it's not where the plot comes from, it's not where we're going. It's just a little indicator to reassure you we know the way. No. For it's in the dark beauty of Low's tremulous 'Amazing Grace' or even the way that the Shangri-Las' '(Remember) Walkin' In The Sand', surrounded by the similarly inclined, takes on a funereal gait. As we navigate the flatlands of your mind, we're helped along by a generous sprinkling of Anders' fellow Danes, like Darkness Falls (the atmosphere of this mix aptly encapsulated right there), Ekko, Chimes & Bells and the Late Night Tales tradition, Trentemøller's cover of Chris Isaacs' 'Blue Hotel', sung by Marie Fisker and Steen Jørgensen.
Originally released in 2010 this mix has gone on to become a classic, it was never released on vinyl at the time, so due to public demand we have carefully mastered each track and carefully cut at half speed for optimum sonic reproduction.
The Prodigy Carlos Nilmmns Is Back on Skylax With Once Again a Splendid 12 Inch! His Style Is a Mixture of Refinement and the Most Beautiful Things That House Music Has Ever Produced, Moodymann, Theo Parrish in the Lead but Not Only That, We Must Also Add the Masters Lalo Schifrin, Donald Byrd and Even Henry Mancini. This Ep Starts With a Bang With the Sublime "Nes", Three Letters Which Alone Sum Up the Small Miracle of Bringing Together Both the Ghosts of Detroit and the Most Beautiful Cinematic Music Directly Inherited From the Glorious 70s. "Believe" Plows the Same Furrow With a More Mental Universe and to Conclude "Parisian Nights" (Jazz Version) Which We Swear Would Not Have Been Missing on an Impulse Album. Side B Opens With "Celebration" Which Sounds More Club Tool for Once With Obviously This Je Ne Sais Quoi That Is Far Superior to All Current House Productions. and This Ends With the Club Version of "Parisian Nights", a Real Volute of Sound. His Style Reminds Us Very Strangely and Quite Paradoxically of the Illustrious Terre Thaemlitz Aka Dj Sprinkles. Music for the Soul and the Body....
Ebbot Lundberg (The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Union Carbide Productions) continue to explore music, time and space. In the midst of his reunion with TSOOL and their highly successful tour Ebbot manages to come up with one of his best records ever and we are proud to team up with his label Akashic to release this MLP of Village Green-era Kinks and Floydish introspection.
Carol Douglas is an American singer known for her contributions to the disco music scene in the 1970s.
During this time, she was signed with Bob Reno's Midland Records where she recorded a string of successful hits, including “Doctor’s Orders”.
This new compilation record showcases the best of Reno's four-to-the-floor 70s productions and remixes, remastered and pressed on fluorescent pink vinyl.
It's time! The Dark Master, III Machine, Signal 2 Noise, Known Unknown - Dom & Roland lands on Samurai Music for his first single for the label.
A foundation Drum and Bass artist, Dom's productions have retained their distinctive identity as his music progressed through his storied career for most of the genres most influential labels. Dom has made his fair share of the most important records in the genre and continues to do so with his dedication to the craft unwavering after 30 years.
His Samurai debut harnesses his experience and prowess with two capsule examples of raw Dom and Roland power.
Dr Packer's is back with his masterful rework of Candi Staton’s timeless disco classic 'You Got The Love!' Renowned for his unparalleled expertise in the electronic dance music landscape, Dr Packer's remixes consistently captivate audiences, earning him accolades and chart-topping success across leading platforms.
With over three decades of DJ experience and a distinguished portfolio of achievements including countless Traxsource awards,, Dr Packer stands as a trailblazer in the industry. His rework of 'You Got The Love' is one of his finest moments to date and sure to heat up the dance floor, with Dr Packer’s trademark groove pumping all the way through the track.
On remix duties is Sydney rising talent St Croix, who has already built a solid reputation for her own productions and a slew of top charting Aria Club chart moments. St Croix amps things up even further with her peak time dancefloor weapon.
Since 2011, the Berlin born and raised producer and DJ Mørbeck has been delivering numerous acclaimed Techno releases via Vault Series and his own Code Is Law imprint as well as making his mark on the global club scene as a DJ. Fast forward to 2023 and we see Mørbeck inaugurate his house guise, Midnight In A Toyshop, aimed to showcase his passion for House productions in a lighter shade, whilst still retaining his signature rawness.
Setting the tone to open the EP is ‘100’s & 1000’s’, laying down warbling pad sequences and crunchy saturated drums in combination with a bouncy bass line and hypnotic vocal hooks throughout. The aptly titled ‘90’s Memento’ follows, encapsulating a classic House sound with bright, mesmeric chords, rumbling subs, processed vocal lines and a bumpy drum machine workout.
On the flip-side title-track ‘Dreams For Sale’ shifts focus to Trance tinged staccato melodies, cinematic atmospherics, acid licks and a heavily swung rhythm before ‘Every Night’ rounds out the EP on a classic Deep House tip via ethereal pads, robust percussion, circling synth lines and a vacillating low-end drive.
R'n'Cs is the contraction of "Rem and the Courbarians". made up of Rem (drums - Vox) and the Courbarians brothers, Saïd (Guitar - Vox) and Gui (Bass Guitar - Vox). they were formed in the Orléans region at the dawn of the second millennium, combining Punk / Hard Core with overdriven Garage Punk'n'Roll. giving birth to a Rock'n'Roll speed all their own! The years go by. but the cadence remains the same. they are and remain definitively addicted to feedback and BPMs. Their Rock'n'Roll remains fast and furious. You'd think the teats they feasted on from an early age were loaded with nitroglycerine! And these R'n'R aficionados never tire of it! Class, delicacy and refinement have nothing to do with it. even if some music lovers will enjoy it! Their music isn't a poem, it's an ode to sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. all at breakneck speed! Hang on to the handlebars, because no one escapes this infernal spiral that grabs you and sends you straight to the devil's entrails! They became a national benchmark for speed rock'n'roll. and were repeatedly asked to play with bands such as Nashville Pussy, Supersuckers, Discharge, GBH, Unseen, Guitar Wolf, New Bomb Turks, The Cellophane Suckers, The Butchers, Burning Heads, Etc.. Over the years, R'n'Cs has always been backed, produced and supported by labels such as 442ème Rue, Beast Records, Guerilla Vinyl and of course Trauma Social. Their 7th Opus "Flytrap in the Murderhouse" released on Beast Records / Fly House Records (Trauma Social for the CD) saw the light of day in Spring 2024 and still remains in the tradition of Zeke, Peter Pan Speedrock, Mötorhead. This incendiary bomb will not differ from previous productions. Still in sweat, flames and Rock'n'Roll!!!! Hell Yeah!
grey marbled vinyl 2024 Repress
The name Sleepnet first emerged when UKF premiered a mysterious release named "Angel Blade", following a series of cryptic posts on social media. Now confirmed to be the debut solo project for Noisia's Nik Roos.
The EP, cites Sleepnet, is "inspired by true events", and features the tracks: "Love No More", "Angel Blade", "Void Song" (collaboration with Former), "Unravel", "First Light", "Glass Hearts" (collaboration with IMANU), and "Hindsight" The music explores different stages of loss, grief and rebirth, and some of the tracks contain fragments of sounds and music that were originally intended for Noisia productions over the past two decades, but never used.
"Sleepnet exists because I wanted to have an outlet for my music after Noisia. I want to use that vocabulary to tell a more personal story. I want the music, the whole project, to mean something to me. So I tried to do as much as I could myself. Writing and producing, mixing and mastering, logo design and artwork, even some singing here and there. I am considering knitting the merchandise myself as well :D I worked on this EP from December 2019 to December 2020. Writing it helped me identify and process things I'd been going through: letting go of Noisia, grieving over lost friends, and welcoming my daughter into the world. You can look at it in that light: as a process of grief and rebirth. That's what I hear in it. But the music should speak for itself and it has a magical ability to mean different things to different people. So have a listen yourself, I wonder what you might hear."
- A1: Salomé De Bahia - Outro Lugar
- A2: Salomé De Bahia - Mas Que Nada
- A3: Salomé De Bahia - Amor E Alegria (Club Version)
- B1: Africanism Presents Salomé De Bahia Feat Dj Gregory
- B2: Salomé De Bahia - Cada Vez (Club Version)
- B3: Salomé De Bahia - Copacabana (Club Version)
- C1: Reminiscence Quartet Feat Salomé De Bahia - Onde Anda
- C2: Salomé De Bahia - País Tropical
- C3: Salomé De Bahia - Taj Mahal (Club Version)
- D1: Salomé De Bahia - Theme Of Rio
- D2: Salomé De Bahia - Você Abuso
- D3: Salomé De Bahia - Outro Lugar (Synapson Remix)
Salomé de Bahia ist eine brasilianische Sängerin. Zum 30-jährigen Jubiläum von Yellow Productions sind nun die größten Hits von ihr auf einem Doppel-Vinyl zusammengefasst. Mit dabei Produktionen mit Bob Sinclair, den sie 1997 im Parisier Jazz-Cafe "Chez Felix" kennenlernte, DJ Gregory und einer brandneuer Remix von Synapson. Größere Bekanntheit erlange de Bahia als sie mit Sinclair zusammen die Compilation "Sun Sun" bei Sony Music veröffentlichte und mit ihren Version von Stevie Wonders "Another Star" ("Outro Lugar"), Barry Manilow"s "Copacabana".
YOUTH return with the debut album from Hazina Francia aka Tadleeh, chaining reticulated, sidewinding rhythms under gloaming scapes and pealing solo guitar licks.
Last spotted marshalling a mix for the now-defunct FACT series, Tadleeh’s previous productions landed on Haunter and more recently Nkisi’s label, Initiation, spanning reverberant downbeats and possessed cloud rap, a sound she further develops on this impressive full length debut. The 10 parts of ‘Lone’ sketch out a brooding worldview that takes the album format as an ideal canvas to fully portray her style of urbane ennui and gloom, bittersweet and depressive, but with a levity afforded by spatialised architecture.
With a clear sense of sorrow and a pull toward electronic music’s no-person’s-lands, she adapts animist techniques to tell a story “about loneliness and hidden places” in an attempt to work thru existential questions; “Am I still who I was before? Do I have the same energy and ambitions? Is this all still really me?” The results resonate with the sort of imaginative nostalgia navigated by fellow South European artists such as Christos Chondropoulos and Heith, and share a hauntological quality with Flora Yin-Wong’s works as much as Aïsha Devi’s summoning of ancient energies.
The wraithlike tumult of her intro gives way to reverberant dark ambient on ‘Blue (feat CTM)’, and spirit-gnawing, surprised tribalism in ‘Seekers’, whilst she pushes into screwed club murk on ‘Roads’ and the hot coal trampler ‘Barefoot’, before unleashing her darkest energies in the bombast of ‘Equality’, and channelling Loren Connors’ electric guitar nocturnes in ‘Homesick’, staking out grumbling downbeats shades away from Heith & Kareem Lotfy’s Ghost Lemurs in ‘Victim, perpetrator.’
Kalita are proud to announce the first ever 7” single reissue of what is possibly the most coveted gospel disco record in existence, the Al-Dos Band’s soulful masterpiece ‘Doing Our Thing With Pride’. This iconic reissue is backed by the band’s previously unreleased recording ‘Love Jones Coming Down’. At long last, Kalita revives this South Carolinian grail single, housed in a limited-edition picture sleeve. Originally penned and produced in 1976 by husband-and-wife duo William and Elizabeth Robinson in Greenville, South Carolina – a city steeped in musical heritage – the record was released in a run of just 200 copies the following year on their own label, Warmer Productions. ‘Doing Our Thing With Pride’ epitomises the best in uplifting crossover gospel disco, equally suited to both peaceful listening and dancefloor action. Despite garnering some attention upon its original release, the single struggled to make headway against the prevailing music forces of the time. Coupled with mounting academic and familial obligations, the release faded into obscurity, eventually becoming a highly sought-after gem, commanding exorbitant prices whenever an original copy surfaced for sale—a rarity that occurred only once every decade. Now, following their successful unearthing of the band’s unreleased album in 2021, Kalita present this remarkable record in a limited-edition 7” picture sleeve single.
DJ Polo returns to Livity Sound with an EP that moves beyond the UK funky styles he established alongside Tribal Brothers on The Link Up EP in 2021. Through his productions and steady online radio presence, the Bristol-based producer has been flying the flag for lean, punchy rhythms with a low-end focus, but on If The Glove Fits Polo has branched out to explore different tempos and sounds taking influence from gqom, techno and Afrobeats.
Much like his approach to funky, this isn’t a set of genre exercises but more a celebration of the shared qualities which bind together dance music from different parts of the world. The result is four sharply-defined club workouts unique to DJ Polo that balance tension and release, flair and subtlety and a consistent physical weight true to Livity’s emphasis on soundsystem suitability.
Livity Sound is a label set up by Peverelist in 2011 as a vehicle for a raw and exploratory strain of UK techno, rooted in the heritage of UK dance music and sound system culture. It has since become one of the UK's foremost protagonists for cutting edge underground electronic music.
On "Intertextural", Manuel Tur delves into more cinematic ambient and trip-hop realms, reminiscent of short interludes from 1990s classic electronica albums. 12 tracks of shifting beat structures, meandering loops and interlocking dubs, oscillating between sample-based and digital textures, form an atmospherically dense tapestry already familiar from Tur's productions for the dance floor.
Originally recorded in the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic and self-released as a digital-only album, "Intertextural" is now available for the first time in a physical format, specially remastered and cut to 180g vinyl.
Church Andrews and Matt Davies weave intricate patterns from Fibonacci sequences on new mini-album, Yucca.
Producer and composer Church Andrews (aka Kirk Barley) and drummer Matt Davies return to explore the outer limits of rhythm on a six-track suite that is at once angular and fluid, natural and systematic. Drawn to the restrictions of working solely with one synth and live drums, the pair found creativity in limitation, developing a compositional dialogue between the sonic timbres of Kirk’s productions and Matt’s percussive practice.
Evoking the primitive yet complex form of the plant from which it takes its name, Yucca features tracks that are built around rhythmic ratios of the Fibonacci sequence. Mirroring spiral patterns exhibited in nature, each track evolves like a cellular structure of its own, from the livewire syntax of ‘Chirp’ and the deconstructed ebb and flow of ‘Ferns’, to the mini-album’s title track, where crisp grooves flit between modulated electronics like fireflies.
“I’ve always been inspired by music that is complex without sounding complex,” Matt explains. He maintains a sense of bounce amid the intricate phrasing and cites drummers Roy Haynes and his grandson Marcus Gilmore as inspirations, alongside sabar drummers from Senegal and Mridangam drumming of South India.
With a shared background in hip-hop and the swung beats of J Dilla and Flying Lotus, Kirk Barley and Matt Davies were also inspired by the minimalism of Terry Riley and the sparse palette of dub techno.
Written and recorded in Lewisham in the spring and summer of 2023, Yucca follows the release of Axis in 2022, with the duo having also performed at festivals such as Rewire and Waking Life, and recorded live sessions for FACT magazine and Worldwide FM.
The third release on Yorkshire-based Odda Recordings, following Kirk Barley’s Marionette and Flaer’s Preludes, Yucca confirms the label’s reputation for championing music on the unstable ground between the organic and the synthetic.
Bewilderment - the feeling of being perplexed and confused - is the inspiration behind Pale Jay's new album. It's a soulful exploration of a family's gradual disintegration due to years of avoidance and miscommunication. During this difficult time, Pale Jay began to question the stories he had always lived with and re-examined his identity. The resulting work, Bewilderment, is his first full-length album, which strives to find answers to these questions and more. The album is set to release on 8/18/2023 on Karma Chief Records, a subsidiary of Colemine.Pale Jay is a trained jazz vocalist and pianist, and he wrote, recorded, and produced all songs on the album, except for 'By The Lake', which is a collaboration with labelmates Okonski - Steve Okonski, Aaron Frazer, and Michael Montgomery. Pale Jay's music is influenced by a wide range of songwriters, including Labi Siffre, Carole King, and William Onyeabor. 'Bewilderment' is a seamless blend of Pale Jay's trademark dusty soul, slow disco, and Afrobeat, with string arrangements by Raven Bush adding an extra layer of magic to the beat- heavy productions.Pale Jay's debut LP is a captivating journey of self-discovery. Each song on Bewilderment tells a unique story, but they all share a common theme of personal growth and self-understanding. Grab a copy on 8/18/2023 to dive in and experience the new album.
The ’Rare Mod’ series has been one of the most enduring Acid Jazzcurated comps of recent years. This included the CD Volumes 1-3 and a 3CD Boxset, uncovering a host of lost classics that capture sound of the original Mod scene: Hard R’n’B, Beat & Soul, and archetypal Pop from the 1960s. For the first time, the Best Of… is available on vinyl, with choice selections from across the series, presented in a hip, evocative sleeve, with printed inner, and on orange transparent vinyl. The track-list contains a couple from the legendary Fleur De Lys, as well as a track from their brief billing as ‘Shyster’. Elsewhere, there are several productions from unsung hero and prolific session man Graham Dee, and even a turn from young David Bowie performing with The Riot Squad! An absolute must-have collection of the less-heard tracks from one of the most iconic periods of British music.
Throw the gauntlet: Fast Castle is back with Gent1e $oul’s “Shoals”-EP, our furthest excursion into the unexplored depths of mind-bending bassweight! Having perfected his build order on his recent “Block Printing'' and “Silk Armor”-EPs, Gent1e $oul continues to infuse his productions with sonic bass strategies over five versatile tracks.
“Dark Age” provides an aggressive opening, immediately applying pressure with nasty bass wobbles, dembow echoes and a 4x4 switch that might catch distracted players off guard. Tried and tested in many settings, this is an essential option for the incoming dancefloor rush!
With its heavy neo-stepper energy, ”Bad Neighbor” lays siege to dancefloor resistance with a piercing lead, breathing drums and powerful waves of sub wubs. Just like the AoE2’s legendary trebuchet of the same name, “Bad Neighbor” – paired with the right Soundsystem – will make the walls shake.
“Dusty Acer” is a homage to Gent1e $oul’s dear but aging AoE2 gaming machine, capable of producing similar noises to this dark UKG cuts’ central bassline.
Deep dubstep cut “Illumination” takes us to the for a wholesome mana refill: Mystic ambiences make you pull down your cowl, before diving into a fully blown sub massage.
The standout self-titled cut “Shoals” concludes the release: A deep-yet-powerful half-stepping perc grower at 160bpm, operating on subdued rhythmic shifts and layers.
As a special tribute to the AoE2 community, all tunes are flavored with the game's original sound effects. Thanks for keeping us inspired, Nili_Aoe for NAC5 and T90 for HC5!
Warehouse Find!
Last month saw the re-release of the this stone-cold classic from 1988. Now we give you the re-edits from The Black Madonna, Adjowa and Jimpster. The Black Madonna should need little by way of introduction seeing as she is almost singlehandedly regenerating Chicago's House music legacy through brilliant
her brilliant productions as well as her position as booker and resident at the legendary Smart Bar. It seemed only right and proper to have the youngest generation of Chicago native revisit such an infuentional classic from the first wave of House. With only the stereo track to work with she stretches things out
and teases with a filter-frenzied arrangement and plenty of twists and turns to bring a fresh new spin to In The Heat Of The Night.
Adjowa grabbed our attention after his amazing Science And Soul 10' last year and seemed the perfect choice to bring some seriously raw warehouse vibes to the release. He certainly goes for the jugular with a more in depth remix adding extra bass and beats with plenty of grit and dirt. Finally, Jimpster gives us his Stretchdit, keeping the vibe of the original intact but offering up an extended DJ friendly version with extra hats, FX and a
sprinkle of pixie dust adding sizzle and drama. We hope you agree that with club music like this sounding every bit as mind-
blowing today as it did in 1988 it seems only right to help introduce such innovative, influential and timeless music to a wider audience.

























































































































































