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A regular at Cocktail d'Amore, Bell Towers is a Berlin-based Australian producer best known for his long-lasting collaboration with Munich's Public Possession. Next to that, a number of projects under different monikers - namely Rim Boys, an evolving b2b with Andras.

"I'm Moving To Berlin" is his first EP for Cocktail d'Amore Music. It's a sparkling celebration of the party; its influence on the city and on the producer's life tangents. "It's too late now / There's no turning back / I gave it all for Cocktail d'Amor..." Rohan confesses, while a hybrid EBM-synth pop sonic adventure unfolds.

What happens next is presented in "Sexual Intruder Alert" and "Approach and Identify". The first comes through as a quirky multidimensional future-disco tale, while the second plunges deep into the cosmic hole with punchy percussions and an euphoric groove pattern.

Italian directors GUALTIERO JACOPETTI and FRANCO PROSPERI gave birth to a whole new subgenre of 'non-fiction' exploitation movies with their 1962 hit MONDO CANE. After repeated accusations of forgery, unethical behaviors and war crimes, they decided to make a movie about the atrocities of American slavery as an apology of sorts. It was 1971 and the movie was FAREWELL UNCLE TOM (ADDIO ZIO TOM) The famous critic Roger Ebert called the result 'the most disgusting, contemptuous insult to decency ever to masquerade as a documentary' Naked flesh, voyeurism and violence is constantly used but gorgeous photography and a memorable score from Academy Award nominee RIZ ORTOLANI add a sickening slickness to it all: rock- beat tunes mixed with classic big band themes, waltz and funny marches and the beautiful OH MY LOVE, with the vocals from Katyna Ranieri, used, among many others by Winding Refn in his cult movie DRIVE (2011).

FIRST VINYL REISSUE EVER
LIMITED EDITION OF 500 COPIES
COMPLETE EDITION WITH EXTRA TRACKS

SWINGTING017 is a bouncy JA-to-UK bashment banger that features a hefty combination of producers and vocalists from both the Equiknoxx & Swing Ting camps. The tune finds each artist at their most playful, riding the sparkly, jiggy riddim impeccably.

Jump to the Bar was built and voiced in two days at London Bridge's Red Bull Studios, late Summer 2017.

Day one involved Gavsborg , Time Cow , Platt & Samrai arriving from various residences of friends and family in the vicinity of the English Capital (shout to the Epsom crew). Alway early-birds, Gavs and Cow set to the task on various machines and available gear to construct the rough instrumental, with Platt & Samrai assisting on percussion and programming. Soon lush synths, tough kicks, flanged hats, grimy bass and snappy claps were combining neatly and the backdrop was set.

Day two featured Kingston's queen of the cool kids club Shanique Marie flying straight into the big smoke to lay down a witty hook in minutes before earning a lie down on the sofa. Original Brum-town don RTKal rolled in from the West-Midlands (driven by Farda Neeko) dropping a one-take freestyle (egged on by an excitable studio gathering including Randy Valentine, Mr Williamz & Specialist Moss) that later became his verse and the pre-chorus. With the clock ticking on the session, the flask was neatly passed to Mancunian stalwart Fox for the final flourish, giving shouts to buckfast tonic wine & organic herbal treats.

Supported by Toddla T (Coldest Record), Jubilee (BBC Radio 1 Residency), Chal Ravens (Top Flight), Max Glazer (Federation Sound Radio) as well as being added to Spotify's Dancehall Official Playlist.

Skeleton Crew is the debut album from Kansas City mother and son duo, Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear. First single "Silent Movies" debuted on US broadcast television, Late Show with David Letterman. BBC Radio 1's Huw Stephen gave the track it's first play, tagging it "One of the highlights from SXSW last week". The group will make their UK television debut 1st May 2015 on Later....with Jools Holland and NME has branded the duo as "The most in-demand new act on the planet"! Now available on 12" vinyl, the CD came out on 18th May.

One thing The Vryll Society aren't short of is admirers, Lauded at just about every turn by press and public alike, the release of their debut LP for Deltasonic Records is hotly anticipated thanks to the promise this band have shown through their live sets and recent single releases.

Discovered and nurtured by the late and much missed Deltasonic founder Alan Wills, they fitted the type for him perfectly. He instantly saw in them similar attributes he'd previously found in the early days of The Coral and The Zutons. The confident swagger, the solid union formed by their band-of-brothers gang mentality, their willingness to stand outside the conventional and often stifling jangly Liverpool scene, and the work ethic. Always the work ethic.

Wills instilled in The Vryll Society something which has become over the ensuing years a key element of what they are, what they've become, and of the music they produce. He gave them belief. A belief that hard work and determination will bring them to the place they wanted to reach.

'Alan taught us that all you need to conquer the world is a rehearsal room, your instruments, a good work ethic and a positive attitude and you'll get there. He kind of taught us the rules and the attributes that you need to have to be successful so we've just continued on that path' says frontman Mike Ellis.

Ellis has stated that it was that attitude and that work ethic which got them through the subsequent tragic loss of their friend and manager in 2014, driving them forward through those times, propelling them to harder work, and bonding them even closer together as a unit.

That unit have spent the intervening time creating and honing their own brand new-psych sound, and building up a fanbase with their superlative live shows. Drawing from an eclectic palette of influence from deep funk to Krautrock, electronica and prog, they've created a heady, intoxicating, pin sharp, and tightly wound mellifluous groove, washed over with cyclical motifs, acres of effects laden guitar hooks, and shimmering, textural technicolour soundscapes. It is at once blissful, dizzying and madly infectious. It's that eclecticism, that kaleidoscopic swirl of influences which brings together hip hop flavours, with the prog stylings of names such as Aphrodite's Child and The Verve - pre Urban Hymns - when the drugs were still working. The dynamic leaps and folds through all these influences is where you find The Vryll Society's own brand perfect pop. Its all there in the loops, in the hooks, the drive and the vibe of this unique band. But this isn't frippery, these aren't throwaway cheap thrills for our disposable times. No, this is heavier. This is music too feed your head.

Live too, The Vryll Society are a formidable force. That gang mentality binds them together over the ideas formed by spending long hours together in the rehearsal every day. Hotwiring these ideas into the heads of the crowd through extended psych jams and deep solid grooves gives a different show every time, and with each and every set, the offer gets better. Recent travels have seen them take SXSW 2017 by storm as guests of BBC Introducing as well as major festivals such as Glastonbury and Leeds/Reading.

The songs that fill the delicious grooves of Course Of The Satellite weren't so much written as devised or developed, brought together organically over months in the band's underground lair, or over weeks in Liverpool's Parr Street Studios. Working closely with producers, Wills' right hand man and Deltasonic brother-in-arms Joe Fearon and Tom Longworth, the album took shape organically, biding its time and finding its way. The result is a work of impressive confidence and stature. It's a record that believes in itself, and for all the right reasons. This is an effortlessly cool album, the sort of record that makes friends easily. The world is ready, willing and more than able to take The Vryll Society even deeper to their heart. The path Alan Wills showed them awaits. It's a path that leads to greatness.

a1 | Course Of The Satellite
a2 | A Perfect Rhythm
a3 | Andrei Rublev
a4 | Glows And Spheres
a5 | Tears We Cry
a6 | When The Air Is Hot
b1 | The Light At The Edge Of The World
b2 | Shadow Of A Wave
b3 | Soft Glue
b4 | Inner Life
b5 | Give In To Me

Eastern Bloc Warsaw is a new Polish record label founded by Piotr Klejment, based in Warsaw, Poland - the first country in Europe where the transition from the communist system to democracy took place. It is a definition of desire for freedom combined with respect and a sense of belonging to places. The main goal of label is to promote music and artists from former Eastern Bloc.

Piotr Klejment started music journey as a DJ in 2005. His DJ sets mixed together very disparate styles. Years ago, along with friends, he founded a group called Underground Perception. They invited a lot of prominent artists (for example Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, Joey Beltram, Marcel Dettmann) and gave them a chance to play for the first time in Poland in the legendary M25 Club. He stayed there as an artistic manager and resident for three years. His two first releases appeared on Technosoul Records (also a collective of DJ's & producers from Poland, which member he also was). The releases came out with remixes by Perc, Sleeparchive and Polish techno legend - Echoplex.

Photography on the cover of EP 'Midnight Confessions' shows authentic Warsaw bloc .

Strut present the frst ever international reissue of in-demand '80s zouk LP 'Las Palé'
by Feeling Kréyol, out of Guadeloupe.
Producer Darius Denon explains: 'This was 1988 and bands like Zouk Machine and Kassav
were huge. I had met producer Frankie Brumier when I was performing at festivals and
parties and he wanted to record a girl group so we began scouting venues, mainly around
the Grande-Terre district in the island's capital, Pointe-à-Pitre. I ran auditions and picked out
the best three voices - Fabienne, Leïla and Yolande. One was singing in a choir and none of
them had met each other previously.'
Recording at a studio in Le Gosier, Denon trained them to sing the songs and spent around
6 weeks recording the album: 'I gave them a couple of compositions that I had planned for
my own solo album. I remember that we all got on really well; the sessions were fun.'
The title track 'Las Palé' was the lead track pushed as a single and achieved modest
success domestically. The band did a few promotional performances in the island's
discotheques but, in the end, the album stalled. 'Studios were expensive and there was
no cheap technology as we have now. So, the producer ended up cutting corners with the
production - the mix was not completely fnished and the voices were not synchronised
right to some of the tracks.'
For Denon, he continued his career to the present day, successfully moving to Paris and
breaking through with the hit 'Je t'emmene' in 1998. Meanwhile, although 'Las Palé' turned
out to be Feeling Kréyol's only recording, the interest in the album has grown in recent years
with the title track's lo-f charm fnding its way into sets by Invisible City and onto Red Light
Radio and more. This frst full reissue is remastered by The Carvery and features full original
artwork along with a new interview with Darius Denon.
KEY POINTS:
- First ever reissue of sought after original zouk LP from 1988
- Sleeve notes by modern day zouk star and album producer Darius Denon
- Remastered by The Carvery
- Tracks already cult classics through plays by Invisible City, Motor City Drum
Ensemble and more
FOR FANS OF:
Sofrito, Digital Zandoli, Kassav, William Onyeabor, Soundway, Invisible City, Motor
City Drum Ensemble, Disques Debs, zouk, Haitian compas, Gilles Peterson, Darius
Denon, Les Vikings

Cyberfunk proudly presents:

CFNK005:Simple Technique - Superfuture EP

Since the inception of Cyberfunk one artist in particular has really taken on the core values and ethos of the label and has been working extensively with us.

After his debut release on Cyberfunk "Cold Steppin" gained heavy rotation on the dnb circuit from some of the scenes heavyweights. We gave Bournemouth based duo Ulterior Motive a chance to remix "Cold Steppin" and released it as part of our first ever Remix EP - Remixed Vol1. This dominated the charts for several weeks in a row.

Other than the aforementioned, the West London based producer has kept mostly quite bar one release - "Gorilla" which was part of the first in a series of various artist LP's from us: VA:LP-001

This EP has been in the works for quite some time, with some parts taking in excess of 3 years! (Yes we know but he's worth the wait we promise) this is a project we have been working on closely with Freddie and although he has kept us waiting we are happy to be releasing such a diverse and unique EP from an equally diverse and unique beard, sorry... - artist! Excuse me. (You'll see what I mean...)

We feel this is the truest and purest representation of Simple Technique as an artist. With a strong mix of tempos and styles all of which have been filtered through his unique outlook on music and rave culture. From bass house to Drum and bass to hiphop and trap influences with beautiful soundscapes in-between. This EP has flavours from all over and the raw signature sound that our fans have come to expect from a Simple Technique set.

We hope you enjoy the music. <3

If you are feeling it, please let us know
If you hate the music please still let us know so we can further promo the EP.

Deep late 80's percussion LP created to accompany contemporary jazz-dance classes. African instrumentation meets Western Jazz arrangements and computer technology. TIP!
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Percussions Pour La Danse was a collaboration between North American born jazz & contemporary-dance instructor Tony Kennybrew and French musician Jean-Pierre Boistel. Tony, a Washington native who had studied, taught and danced professionally since the age of 12, found himself in France in the late 80's. It's here that he linked up with like-minded musician Jean-Pierre; who had recently returned from a 6-month trip to West Africa. A trip that helped refine his craft that begun in the early 70's.

The music was created for Tony to use when teaching contemporary jazz-dance classes and to accompany live performance, allowing students to 'dance slowly, rapidly and change speeds without changing the tempo!'. This work of rhythmic research was based on the 'Balance of The Walk'; in 4 times, in 6 times, in 7 times & in 3 times. In order to reach the spatial possibilities he was striving for, Jean-Pierre would also use computer assisted programming to sample and re-play his own instrumentation. This allowed him to lay down the tempo of the track and then play live over the top, which in turn gave him the freedom to add the desired instruments and effects to each song.

Jean-Pierre's use of instruments such as the Kalimba, Talking Drum & Sanza gives the album a distinctly African feel, while contemporary Jazz-dance time signatures adds a unique perspective to these traditional instrumentations creating an ethereal balance between the old and new.

Portland, Oregon resident Mary Sutton's solo debut materialized in the wake of a performance she gave at a clothing-optional soaking-pool sauna: 'I had never composed for synth before but wanted to make something people sitting motionless and naked in hot bubbly water would want to hear.'
It was while in this headspace that she reconnected with Satie's entrancing cyclical motifs, particularly the way 'he subtly spins melodic fragments, and pivots harmonies and phrases so the repetitions feel new and surprising yet soothingly familiar, as if casting a spell.'
The nine intuitive instrumentals comprising The Deep End accomplish exactly that, threading complementary shades of soft-hued hypnosis, dazed modal introspection, icy amusement park reverie, and lunar lullaby into a prismatic suite of contemplative melody and synthetic communion.
Sutton's songs are active rather than ambient yet their structure is more suggestive than scripted, full of lulls, asymmetries, and daydreams. Each track was written specifically to be played live on an analog synthesizer, with no overdubs or post-production wizardry. The sound of Saloli is one of warm-blooded wiring, turned on and tapped into, emotive and electric, storied machines speaking through all too human hands.

Sarah Davachi presents her masterpiece, Gave In Rest. Her most fully studio-recorded album ever, she collaborates with Montreal heavyweights to create an album that uses both modern minimalism and early church music as departure points.

Sarah Davachi has quickly risen in prominence since her first release five years ago, and Gave In Rest represents her highest artistic achievement. By infusing her compositional style within a predilection for medieval and Renaissance music, Davachi unearths a new realm of musical reverence, creating works both contemplative and beatific, eerie yet essentially human. Gave In Rest is a modern reading of early music, reforming sacred and secular sentiments to fit her purview and provide an exciting new way to hear the sounds that exist around us.

Between January and September of 2017, Sarah Davachi lived in flux; storing her belongings in Vancouver, she spent the summer in Europe, occasionally performing in churches and lapidariums and seeking respite from her transitional state while surrounded by such storied history. This latest album echoes that emotional state of solitude and ephemerality, reaching towards familiar musical landscapes but from oblique perspectives.

'I named each track after a particular time of day as a way of expressing my experiencing different moments of quietude, how morning and night are both independent and interconnected entities in this regard,' she says. Her titles evoke canonical phrases referring to morning or evening prayers, as well as Latin and German phrasings for metaphors about the time of day. 'From my perspective, there is a lot of loneliness on this record, and I think it is as much about beginnings as endings,' she continues. 'In a way, it's about the prospect of the unknown as it manifests alongside a very inward form of grieving—really the essence of what constitutes a period of transition.

Davachi has mined a bottomless landscape where listeners can witness music's participation in their solitudes. Gave In Rest lends a voice to her personal exploration with a firm, intuitive stance.

Tracklisting

Quest, transit, chaos, mutation, transfiguration, ascension and illumination. These are some of the steps followed in the journey of life that are embodied on each track of the album Adonai. The solo debut of the multi-instrumentalist composer Marco Paul condenses a career of more than ten years, in which, the search for the truth of oneself and authentic sound has traveled and nurtured from different genres and cultures. Adonai is an odyssey that combines sounds and images of the earthly and oneiric worlds: an audiovisual work that opens several windows to the different perceptions of the facts that make up the life of the human being.

After 9 years of constant international touring, 6 albums and more than 400 live performances with the bands Sour Soul, Ratbot and Funk My Jesus, as well as the conception and musicalization of the award-winning short films "Undermine" and "24K All You Need Is Gold", Marco Paul decided to retire to an island in the Caribbean, where he found and refined his sound. Thus, between 2014 and 2016 he created the music for Adonai, a work produced by Aitor Etxebarria under the label of Forbidden Colours.

The recording includes guest musicians from different countries such as Aitor Etxebarria (synthesizer, electronic magic) and Hibai Etxebarria (double bass) from the Basque Country; Michael Alan Hams (drums and percussion) and Joe D'Etienne (trumpet) from the United States; and Fatima Gozlan from Hungary (Ney and Derbake).

The consummation of the work is a mid length film created in 2018. It consists of 5 chapters directed by 5 different directors.

The audiovisual journey begins with the conception of the philosophical "Filius", an alchemical symbol that represents the inner child, which transforms the experiences of life into the soul's gold. Later, in "Sylvian" (title that refers to the brain fissure that contains the auditory cortex), by listening to the subtle message that surrounds us, our consciousness and perception expand. Then, in "Tiamat", the pristine chaos that gave birth to the gods, embodies chaos, the confusion generated by the multiple voices: on one hand the moral and imposed precepts, on the other hand, the inner voice that seeks the liberation of the infinite possibilities. In "Hawa", through the recognition of the power of solitude and introspection self-reflective awareness is reached. Finally "Adonai" is the ascension to enlightenment: the further connection with the absolute. As an encore (only available in vinyl) "Teurári" is a gift: a tiny flower where all the points of the universe merge.

* A UK roots / dub classic produced by Riz All Stars aka Nick Manasseh and Gil Cang (Tuff Scout) with Time Unlimited member Orville Smith on vocals.
* Originally released on the 'Who Gave the Permission' Riz Records compilation LP in 1995 and then remixed for Orville's 'Walking on Tightrope' set in 1996.
* Crucial roots fodder with blazing horns and tasteful flute.
* These are the original vocal and dub cuts.

'Shlom Hatzibur' - 'Yanshuf al Anaf Gavoha' a repress of a long lost new wave single along with edits by 'The Models' and 'Mule Driver'.

'Shlom Hatzibur', a band formed by Yuval Banay and Oren Elazary, was active between 1984-1985. This was the year in which the band 'Mashina' paused their activity. ('Mashina' was established in 1983 - and is considered by many ones of the most influential rock bands in Israel). In 1984, they independently published two singles, one of which was 'Yanshuf al Anaf Gavoha'.'Yanshuf al Anaf Gavoha' (Owl on a High Branch) represents a rare moment in Israeli musical history and culture: a moment of disillusionment and expression of personal voice, contemporary sound, and rhythm which stood out during a turbulent political period.

During the First Lebanon War, in the 80s, a generation of young people traveled on the weekends from the battlefields of southern Lebanon and flocked to the rising nightclubs in Tel Aviv. From army discipline to individual freedom, from the threat of death to the city's vibrancy. It is a song of adolescence in a divided and alienated society, and its reissue is more relevant than ever.

The song mixes industrial rhythm with Post-Punk, Rock and Ska. The unusual musical production and the use of a drum machine were influenced prominently by the musical soundtrack played in Tel Aviv's record shops and alternative nightclubs (eg, 'Fuzz', 'Penguin').

Batida is to release his new album "Dois" via Soundway Records.
Strands of Afro-House, Kuduro, Benga, Semba, samples from old Angolan movies and Afrobeat tracks, African MCs and musicians from all over the world are all deftly mixed together by Pedro Coquenão.
Inspired by the multicultural hotbed of his home city of Lisbon and trips to Nairobi and Luanda, 'Dois' was predominately produced in his own garage-studio over a two-year period.
In 2012 Batida's explosive self-titled debut came out on Soundway Records. Mixing the syncopated rhythms of Kuduro with elements of 1970s Semba and Congolese-influenced guitar licks, Pedro Coquenão won fans for an album that "demanded movement" (The Line of Best Fit) and "gave a view of the old and new, the West and Africa." (The Guardian)
Much of the remix and sampling spirit from the first record remains but 'Dois' also features live instrumentation along with a host of different guests.
English, Portuguese, Quimbundo and Zulu languages all feature on 'Luxo' with Spoek Mathambo (South Africa) & his crew contributing the lyrics together with Angolan MC Sacerdote and a guitar riff by Duncan Lloyd (Maximo Park). On 'Céu' Coquenão pushes things in a deeper direction, dis-assembling and reforming elements of the Francois & The Atlas Mountains studio sessions of the track 'Les Plus Beaux' .
His widely acclaimed live show, featuring dancers, MC's, visuals and live electronics has seen him perform at Africa Express and on the Ten Cities project, live on the Boiler Room and all across Europe at some of the biggest festivals.

From the inheritor of John Coltrane's mouthpiece a re-integration of deep South African jazz roots with the Black Atlantic spiritual jazz continuum.

Celebration's release trumpeted the emerging dawn of South Africa's epochal changes. Sainted and blessed, Bheki Mseleku appeared as the herald of a new era, a prophet of rebirth and reconnection. This is a work signalling transition and change, and a sign of a South African music that was properly reconnected with global currents - a music that could journey far beyond the stifling combination of exile and oppression in which it had been bound.

Recognising Bheki as a kindred spirit to her late husband, Alice gave him the saxophone mouthpiece that John Coltrane had used during the recording of A Love Supreme. Coltrane was a permanent touchstone for the pianist, one of the few who Bheki felt had the same esoteric and spiritual focus as himself: 'the only musicians I know of who were deeply into this were Coltrane, and Pharoah and Sun Ra', he told an interviewer in 1992.

While the idioms of post-Coltrane spirit jazz are certainly to the fore on Celebration, they are energised by a swift and original musical vision, quite specific to Bheki's music, in which whole musical systems - the marabi and mbhaqanga jazz of the townships, American jazz, European classical, and more - are seamlessly mended together by the pianist's quicksilver musical sensibility and legendary technical ability.

Celebration was originally released on compact disc and cassette in the middle of 1992 by World Circuit. It was Bheki's first statement under his own name, and the first recorded presentation of his personal musical vision. This vision had been tempered across two decades which had combined intense professional playing with profound personal trials in both the spiritual and earthly domains, all set against the greater backdrop of South African political turmoil and exile in Europe.

The band brought together musicians hailing from three signally important points within the interconnected, communicating spaces of the Black Atlantic continuum - North America, post-colonial Britain, and southern Africa. With them, Mseleku created the first major South African-led musical statement to be produced after the sufferance of exile was ended. The ultimate and most egregious remnant of the centuries-long colonial era, apartheid, was finally being dismantled as they played. At this critical point, Mseleku's musical spirit work, channelled from a higher source, spoke of a time to come where all divisions might be transcended by a greater unity.

In 1996, Gavin and Scott Hardkiss entered the San Francisco Tenderloin studio frequented by the Grateful Dead and Fleetwood Mac and made Acid Funk and various remixes. It's a funny song that references Frankie Bones' This Is Techno and Maurices' This Is Acid and says a lot about a couple of guys drunk on funk who wanted to flip their own sounds. Raw house featuring 808s, 303s and Space Echo churned easy in a whimsical psychedelic cauldron.

Unavailable for 20 years, these remaining copies of the original pressing feature various versions by bothe Hardkiss brothers and an acapella.

Released in 2006 as a follow-up to Sufjan Stevens' 2005 Illinois, Asthmatic Kitty Records is finally releasing Avalanche on vinyl on August 31st, 2018. Initially conceived as part of a double album version of Illinois, Avalanche instead became a 'companion' (a polite word for 'b-sides') to Illinois. Since its release, fans have had mixed reactions. '3 versions of Chicago!! Enough already,' wrote 'biografiend' on Sputnik. But 'cravenmonket,' who gave the album 4.5 stars on rateyourmusic, suggests that we all 'stop thinking of The Avalanche as more Illinois. It actually owes more to Michigan.' Cravenmonket may be right. Take 'The Mistress Witch' or 'Saul Bellow,' both of which could have lived on the 2003 Michigan as much as on Illinois. One can hear Sufjan's 2004 Enjoy Your Rabbit in 'The Undivided Self.' And the band jam on 'Springfield' looks forward to 2010's All Delighted People. Then there's 'Pittsfield,' which, at least lyrically, foreshadows the more personal themes of 2015's Carrie & Lowell.
All that to say, a vinyl release of Avalanche is long overdue. With gratitude, we happily present Avalanche as a 2xLP a mere twelve years after its release, complete with all 21 songs from the original release, including the three versions of 'Chicago'

On her debut EP, Brussels-based multi-instrumentalist Esinam gives us an entrancing insight into her eclectic world of jazztronica.

Released 21st September via Sdban Ultra, her self-titled EP carries influences from different worlds geographically, culturally and musically. Blending traditional and modern instruments with her soulful voice, the acoustic sounds of the instruments are allowed to evolve and take on new dimensions, opening up a kaleidoscopic spectrum of sound and colour.

Esinam Dogbatse is part of a new generation of musicians bringing forth a cultural blend of music. Having opened for the likes of Nakhane and Témé Tan at Les Nuits earlier this year, Belgian rapper Baloji invited her to guest on his latest critically acclaimed album '137 Avenue Kaniama'. She has also supported Alsarah & The Nubatones, Selah Sue and Melanie De Biasio on her sold-out shows at Ancienne Belgique.

For the recording of the EP, Esinam joined forces with Jules Fradet from Studio Planet (Damso, Afrikan Prötökol). Producing and playing most of the instruments herself, the EP was mastered by LA-based producer Kelly Hibbert aka Almachrome (J Dilla, Madlib, Little Dragon, Flying Lotus, Ebo Taylor, Mark de Clive-Lowe and Arca).

Lead track 'Birds Fly Under a Heavy Sky' is a mesmerising opener that smoulders effortlessly against a backdrop of subtle beats and sensual rhythms, with Esinam's soft vocals and hypnotic flute providing the groove.

On 'Do Not Go Into That Black Night', she is dark and direct. It's a magnetic take on jazz noire that doesn't distract from the sultry inflections of her voice, while 'Gavoé' recalls the spirit of her Ghanaian roots in a ballet of instruments that display a level of personal freedom and sensitivity. Through merging different genres of music, we are warmly welcomed into Esinam's musical universe.

Esinam teamed up with Senegalese DJ and producer Ibaaku on the highly charged 'Electric Lady', who provided some distinctive musical hues. A track drenched in afro-futurist colours, sonic samples and collages freely mix with electric and raw sounds, supporting the energetic playing of the flute. The structure of the song remains true to Esinam's signature sounds: surprising ruptures, poetic atmospheres and constant affirmation of groove.

When Esinam performs live, she juggles traditional instruments such as the tama, kalimba and pandeiro, which she loops and blends with the sound of her flute and voice. It sometimes triggers dance, sometimes contemplation

Producer Gavin Hardkiss offers a transcendental sound echoing the '90s with four cuts from the Hawke album Love In Stars.
Sunshine People remix is an active house chug with an unlikely Roxallaesqe breakdown, While the remix of WarPeace by Lee Reynolds from Desert Hearts adds darker overtones that will thrill at desert parties and renegades with it's tripped out, unrelenting drive.Blood Is Thicker Than Water and Take My Breath Away add a bit of Bonobo seasoning on some heartfelt electronic manipulations which define the Hawke sound.

The first in a series of all-time CLASSIC hip-hop anthems from the Nervous vaults, pressed onto high quality dinked 45's.
Remastered from the original source material and featuring the unedited 'dirty' version on the A-side, and the full instrumental on the B-side, these 45's are for the heads who know what time it really is! Black Moon's 'Who Got The Props' needs no introduction, it's place in hip-hop history is fully solidified. The combination of vintage Beatminerz SP1200 beats paired with the legendary MC's Buckshot and the 5 Ft. Accelerator's streetwise NYC raps is a heady mixture indeed. Often speaking of street life in New York in the 1990's, Black Moon gained cult status via their 1993 debut LP 'Enta Da Stage', one of the most celebrated hip-hop debut albums of all time. The Beatminerz production changed the game, their deep knowledge and understanding of samples, records and digging in the crates gave their sound a real style and edge. 'Who Got Da Props' is the perfect example of this, one of those timeless rap records that appeals to the hardcore and can ignite the party. Truly essential. Every home should have one (or 2!).
Fully legit, licensed and reissued by Above Board distribution in conjunction with Nervous Records, NYC. 2018.

You may remember the closing of Space, Ibiza with Carl Cox when he played a bootleg of Total Confusion.
Barry Obzee Hobbs (Rising High A&R) spent a lot of time trying to locate the Remixer and finally did a few months ago. We have now signed the remix which will be released on vinyl in May and on digital in July. The story goes like this: Carl Cox has been playing the version at most of his shows including Tomorrow Land, Kappa Future Fest and Timewarp ( see video clip below) but this is where the story becomes more interesting. The Remixer, ROD Malmok from Rotterdam aka Benny Rodriguez, who is a very established DJ Producer playing for Loco Dice in Ibiza etc and releasing on Ben Klock's imprint Klockwork, Chris Liebing's imprint CLR, Adam Beyer's imprint Drumcode and many more was inspired to remix the track through a conversation with Dubfire, Rod gave him a rough copy the following day. He played it to Carl Cox at Space, Ibiza and Cox begged him for a copy - see video below
If you've been around the scene for a while you will know that Rising High Records was one of the first labels to shape Techno, Hardcore and Breakbeat in the UK and was huge!

Mirror Box is the solo analog synth project of Dallas musician Sean Kirkpatrick. With an extensive resume that includes keyboard duties for Kill Rock Stars' 00s noise rock band The Paper Chase as well as his concurrent projects, dark post-punk-synth-rockers Nervous Curtains and darkwave duo Little Beards, Mirror Box is Kirkpatrick's first foray into the purely electronic realm. Blending together elements of Giallo moodiness, dub texture, techno propulsion, a passing nod to your favorite wave music, and a flare for the kosmiche, Mirror Box' debut release, Minimal Compliance EP, is a tour de force of the veteran musician's exploration of a wide range of influences and experience.

Released by Dallas-based Gavin Guthrie (TX Connect)'s TRU (Texas Recordings Underground), the 5-track EP kicks off with the immediately-gripping title track. A huge mid-tempo 808 beat drives the menacing Moog bass while cosmic synths explore the skies over gritty, urban terrain. 'The Body,' grounded by its stuttering and singular bass line, is an expansive reworking of a track from Little Beards' debut album which features Nan Kirkpatrick on the release's only vocal appearance. Side A closes with 'Destabilized Agent,' a retro-futurist dream that effortlessly voyages from Sagan's Cosmos to a melodic minimal wave refrain.

While the first side's lush synthesizers and sophisticated syncopation are somewhat of a departure for TRU, a label that has so far defined itself by bringing the electronic sounds of Texas' underground warehouse scene to dance floors across the sea, the flip side of the record is where the four hits the floor. 'Grifter React' opens with a hard kick and electro zaps, letting the rhythm take the lead until a distorted bass finally enters to provide the hook. Minimal Compliance EP finale, 'Critical Blitz,' weaves together all of Mirror Box' finer elements into a concise mission statement. Pulsing, hypnotic mono-synth, vintage mellotrons, classic hats and claps, sweeping production (courtesy of Alex Bhore at Dallas' Elmwood studios) and sparse synth melodies converge in dark analog pleasure that will guide you along like on a cool air-conditioned drive through a devilishly hot Texas night.:

Depeche Mode - Speak & Spell 12" Single Box

Depeche Mode realized the format's potential and embraced the power of 12" vinyl and the avenues of innovation it opened up. The 12" single allowed the band to explore new sonic possibilities while the physical beauty of the packaging gave Depeche Mode room to develop a sophisticated and commanding visual aesthetic. Depeche Mode used their singles discography as a means of offering left field remixes and other delights for their fans.
Each box set in the series will contain the singles from each Depeche Mode album on audiophile-quality 12' vinyl, with audio remastered from the original tapes and cut at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. The artwork for the exterior of each of the new box sets draws on street art iconography inspired by the original releases, while the vinyl sleeves themselves feature the original vinyl single artwork.
Speak & Spell | The 12' Singles contains a facsimile reproduction of the rare Flexi Disc 'Sometimes I Wish I Was Dead' b/w 'King of the Flies' (the Fad Gadget track as on the original release); Dreaming Of Me 12': 'Dreaming of Me' b/w 'Ice Machine'; New Life 12': 'New Life (Remix)' b/w 'Shout! (Rio Mix)'; Just Can't Get Enough 12': 'Just Can't Get Enough (Schizo Mix)' b/w 'Any Second Now (Altered)'; original single poster reproduction; download card.











- Direct from Spain and totally lost in time the orchestra Enterprise was a great blend of the ''Disco Orchestral'' and ''Space Disco'' styles.
- Amazing project, wisely conducted by Josep Llobell Oliver, a Spanish keyboard player, composer, engineer and producer.
- Enterprise was the perfect soundtrack to your space trip, that dancing hidden treasure you always wanted to discover.
- Remastered reissue includes pictures and linernotes by Dr. Vinilo (Madmua Records).
#funk #soul #spacedisco #cosmicdisco #josepllobell #oliversplanet #spanishgrooves
In 1975 he was commissioned by the label's artistic director to produce a studio album with a hefty budget. It was his first company and he named it after the intergalactic ship Enterprise. He assigned the bands logo (inspired by the musical group Chicago) to a friend-musician and selected the tracks: Barry White, Chick Corea, the everlasting Beatles, sonidos calientes and other well-known hits, all played by Llobell along with the labels other musicians, all on payroll thanks to Belter. Javier Cubedo, Enrique Tudela, Gabriel Martinez, Kitflus, Ricard Roda, etc. all gave their best on a magnificent first album that would be followed by 3 more, one per year, all including original compositions by the group along with international hits that are currently part of our countries wonderful music library, even though they still haven't received all the recognition they deserve, Garcia Segura, Santisteban, Calderón, Pepe Nieto, José Solà, Manolo Gas, Adolfo Waitzman and Algueró, Ramón Farrán, Miguel Ramos, Albert Peter, Jaume Cristau, Josep Llobell and many others, published albums in the 70's.
Josep has been inexhaustible, for many years he has influenced the career of soloists and bands, modernizing their sound, Manolo Escobar, Peret, Junco, arrangements and productions for Marfil, Bachelli, Ana Reverte, even great artists from 'La Movida' and rock music like Burning or El Último de la Fila.

Matthew Halsall first met the La-based, spiritual jazz vocal legend, Dwight Trible(Kamasi Washington, Pharoah Sanders and Horace Tapscott) at the Joy of Jazz Festival in South Africa back in 2015, when a chance encounter backstage led to Trible sitting in with The Gondwana Orchestra for an impromptu reading of the classic Pharoah Sanders and Leon Thomas anthem 'The Creator Has A Master Plan'. In 2017 they released the deep, soulful Inspirationsalbum together (GOND017) but inspired by their first meeting Matt arranged some classic Pharoah tunes for Dwight to revisit. This then is The Gondwana Orchestra featuring Dwight Trible, Colors: a 4 track vinyl and digital only EP featuring brilliant new versions of Colors,The Creator Has a Master Plan, Love is Everywhereand You've Got to Have Freedomand featuring the Gondwana Orchestra with pianist Taz Modi, bassist Gavin Barras, drummer Jon Scott, harpist Rachel Gladwin and Matt himself on trumpet.

Packed in a distinctive bright orange Gondwana Records sleeve this is the second in a collectors series of spiritual jazz limited-edition EPs set for release in 2018 as part of Gondwana Records' 10th anniversary.

Dixon gave his personal touch to LCD Soundsystem's 'I Used To' on the A side. B side features a previously digital only version of 'Pulse'.

Goatherder is the seventh album from underground London producer Kristian Craig Robinson, AKA Capitol K. This ace manipulator of audio and punk warlord of groove has crossed a tapestry of styles and approaches with his own secret compass since 1998.

Along with everything from Chinese pop to the marching band music of the United Arab Emirates in his early musical vocabulary, the influence of rave, new wave, grunge, and noise-core would collide to create a bold new sound. His early studio experiments gave birth to his debut, Sounds of the Empire (Planet Mu, 1999) built upon a heady balance of samples and live sources that placed Capitol K at the forefront of the UK's electronic scene. The follow-up, 2002's Island Row, was released via XL Records, with lead single Pillow becoming a daytime Radio 1 crossover. Nomad Junk (2005) combined Asian field recordings into a vibrant psychedelic collage, while Notes From: Life On The Wire With A Wrecking Ball (2008) paid homage to London's squats and free anarchistic artistic spaces of which K was a part for many years. Andean Dub (2012) was an exploratory South American-influenced album of heavy synth laden cumbia sound system tracks.

The last seven years have seen Capitol K's stature as a producer elevated with his establishment of the renowned Total Refreshment Studio and recording work with musicians such as the Mercury Music prize nominated The Comet Is Coming, global dance act Ibibio Sound Machine (Merge), the pan-Arabic Flamingods (Moshi Moshi), Serafina Steer and her BAS JAN project, and contemporary folk artist Rozi Plain, among many more.

This latest work was developed and recorded in his native Malta, where he built a studio in a cave (a former goat stable). K gathered bamboo instruments collected around the world, including an ancient Quecha reeded pipe (his new-found lead instrument), and various resonating vessels and percussive objects including dry fennel storks collected from Punic troglodyte sites, and atonal flutes built from fresh cut farmland reed. Ritualistic improvisations took place over a series of seasonal visits, awakening genetic memory and plant communication.

Back in London the tracks were interfaced and expanded with post-industrial machine beat and bass guitar lock down. Homage is paid to New Age synthscapes, while a Spirit Jazz overtone arrives from K's recent years as the sonic muscle behind a plethora of luminous albums born in his Total Refreshment Studio. Goatherder follows on from the 2016 collaborative incarnation LOOSE MEAT and sonically abridges 2012's Capitol K album Andean Dub.

Outside of studio production and his solo repertoire as Capitol K, Kristian has toured as guest musician with multiple bands over the last 15 years, including Brazil's Cibelle (Crammed Discs), Archie Bronson Outfit (Domino) (whom he also co-produced), and recently Du Blonde (Mute Records).

His last project, Loose Meat, was a collaborative album of poetic dance music received lots of radio play in the UK and toured across the country for a year, performing a number of festivals.

He established the Faith and Industry record label which handled his subsequent releases and through which now he releases a number of other artists that he develops and produces.

* As we all know, reggae music was created in the Ghettos and has helped many people in their struggle & creating many opportunities for those who worked hard for it. Reggae developed its own alternative industry with the support of sound systems and gave opportunities to so many deejays, toaster and singers. In Brasil, with the rise of sound systems inspired by the UK and JA scene, Monkey Jhayam was one of the first artists to express his art and also build a solid and prominent career alongside many sound systems in his country. Out of São Mateus, Monkey broke barriers and has been collaborating with producers from all over the world with his uplifting Portuguese message.

Kendrick Andy's Roots song 'Great Old Men' lends itself to a new version by the major Brasillian Reggae artist, Monkey Jhayam. The 7 single features back to back versions, both in English (A) and Portugese (B). Rhythm: Alien Dread. The tracks also feature Alvin Davis (Hornz), Asha B (Congos & Percussion) and Rhythm/Lead Guitar by Steven 'Marley' Wright.

If you want to know what Gabe Gurnsey's debut album
'Physical' sounds like, the first thing you should do is forget all
about Factory Floor, the group he co-founded 13 years ago.
Gone are the cold, lengthy, stripped back deconstructions of no
wave electronica and industrial techno, abandoned in favour of
something altogether warmer, torrid and succinct.
'It's a real departure from Factory Floor,' he explains. 'Yeah,
that was the intention. There's only one track over six minutes
long! There's only one crossover point on the song 'Night
Track', which is 6'33' - that's probably as close to Factory Floor
as it gets. What I wanted to get into with 'Physical' had more to
do with exploring songwriting and structure. The album is very
escapist in one sense even though I don't want to escape from
Factory Floor but what I do on my own has to be separate and
it has to explore new avenues.' Gurnsey started writing tracks in his downtime from the group early 2017 and by the start of that Summer he had 30 demos ready for work. He admits he worked very quickly initially but then gave the tracks 12 months to develop fully into a new sound.
And that new sound - a 21st Century take on muscular electro,
Balearic synth pop, EBM, proto-Hacienda militant funk, early
Chicago house and minimal, Neptunes-referencing beats - can
be experienced in full on 'Physical' the album released on Erol
Alkan's Phantasy label. The album features additional production from Erol Alkan, who also mixed the record.
Double LP format includes printed inner sleeves and digital
download code. Press - Reviews in Q, Loud & Quiet, The Quietus, Record Collector, Uncut.
Features in Loud & Quiet, Electronic Sound, Q, Clash, The Quietus, Gigwise, Silver Soundz.








[]I C2 | I Get
[]J C3 | Version

Original Soundtrack - Super Deluxe Version, (including 4 tracks never released on vinyl before, this feature is exclusive to this edition, see the tracklisting), 180g vinyl, mastered at half speed, heavy cardboard old Stoughton tip-on sleeve, obi, gold sticker Info We Release Jazz is delighted to present the official reissue of the original soundtrack of Jean-Pierre Melville's 1970 film noir classic Le Cercle Rouge (starring Alain Delon, Bourvil, Gian Maria Volontè, and Yves Montand) composed by French soundtrack master Eric Demarsan, available on limited edition 180g vinyl LP mastered at half speed and including 4 bonus tracks not available on previous pressings of the album. Eric Demarsan's compositions for Le Cercle Rouge draw from the orchestral spirit of the Modern Jazz Quartet (as requested by Melville who loved John Lewis' work), abstraction and minimalism to create a suspenseful and hypnotizing audio landscape which elegantly underlines the tense atmosphere of unavoidable fate that shrouds the movie and the doleful beauty of its characters. Simply put, it's the finest combination of underworld existentialism, coldblooded chic, and crime jazz! Le Cercle Rouge boasts the participation of celebrated jazz players Guy Pedersen (bass), Daniel Humair (drums), Georges Arvanitas (piano), and Bernard Lubat (vibraphone). Starting as a collaborator of François de Roubaix and Michel Magne in the 60s, Eric Demarsan went on to become a mainstay of French cinema soundtracks, composing for directors such as Jean-Pierre Mocky, Costa-Gavras, and Patrice Leconte among others. He also recorded the cult album Pop Symphony (for Pierre Cardin in 1970) under the Jason Havelock pseudonym.

A fresh iteration of the mid-eighties LP (itself a compilation of recordings from the previous five years or so), replacing two tracks — Dancing In The Rain and All Things — with their full 12' versions.This is a deeply personable, expert, limber blend of roots and lovers, kicking off with an exclusive mix of the deadly Mash Down Babylon; dropping classic, lush, spaced-out Wackies dub science to close; and taking in reworkings of Lickshot, Billie Jean and The Righteous Flames' I Was Born To Be Loved, along the route.The moniker 'Chosen Brothers' is Lloyd Barnes' spiritual way of sharing the credit for his solo projects. "Anyone in the studio at the time could be a Chosen Brother,' he says. In this case a full crew includes Sugar Minott and Prince Douglas at the desk; Jah Batta, Milton Henry, Wayne Jarrett and Junior Delahaye all on backing vocals; and such dream-team Bullwackies instrumentalists as Clive Hunt, Jerry Johnson, Fabian Cooke and Ras Menelik.

On our tenth Belters outing, we're borrowing the mighty fine Bostro Pesopeo from Permanent Vacation.. we've been big admirers of his music for many years now and he contributed to our mix series back in the day. These particular tracks were actually ones he gave away on Soundcloud and we immediately messaged him saying we'd release them. Took a while, but here there are. DJ support from Barnt, Midland, Erol Alkan, etc.

HOUSEWAX presents Alex Cortex. After his great debut on RAWAX with the "Knorke EP", Alex gave us his groundbreaking release from 2008 called "ñ". He felt it's too good to be forgotten. We felt the same and now this beauty is ready to make people happy again!

Salvador Font studied violin, clarinet, composition and harmony at the Conservatori Municipal de Barcelona, but very soon started to gain notoriety as a saxophonist in the rich jazz scene of 1940s Barcelona. Font would soon be playing tenor sax and clarinet in the Orquesta Gran Casino. He was in his early twenties and his hot swing technique was already praised through the citiy's scene, he would grow to be considered the best saxophonist in Spain by playing in many orchestras and combos, among them: José Puertas', Antonio Vilá's Virgina, Bonet de San Pedro's band, Pierre Michel, El Lirio Campestre, Los Marios, Luis Rovira y su orquesta, Orquesta brasileña Fon-Fon, Jaime Camino, Los Embajadores, Italo Leone's... With these and others, Font toured constantly, visiting many countries and even staying on some for long seasons: Mexico, Morocco, Switzerland, Egypt... Hungarian violinst of Turkish ancestry Kurt Dogan gave him the "Mantequilla" surname - he felt "Mantequilla" (which means "butter") fit Font's mellow yet swinging improvisation style.

Mantequilla y su conjunto

In the early sixties, "Mantequilla" had the chance to lead his own combo, Mantequilla y su conjunto, with which he was to record the three splendid EPs that are compiled on the present album. All these 7" have become elusive collector pieces in the record market, with sellers demanding from 200 to as much as 950 euros per copy.

In 1961 "Mantequilla" was at his best moment, his gigs at the Jamboree Jazz Cava had brought him back to the first line of Barcelona's jazzmen after he had been working abroad for a long time, and was approached by the Belter label to record an EP. On the sessions he was accompanied by Manolo Mercedes on trumpet, Pedro Ferré on piano, Rafael Lizandra on double bass and Rafael Verdura on Drums. The material chosen for the disc were four original compositions by Salvador Font which had a high West Coast flavour all over: "La Tuna Club", "Whisky Jazz" and "Jamboree" named after famous jazz clubs and "Azul Trompeta", dedicated to Manolo Mercedes.

In late 1962, after spending some time in Madrid working as members of the Italo Leone combo, "Mantequilla" and pianist Manuel Gas came back to Barcelona for the recording of the second "Mantequilla" EP, also on Belter. We find again Manolo Mercedes on trumpet, Pedro Ferré on piano and Rafael Lizandra on double bass, the drummer this time was José Farreras. Another news is that Manuel Gas also sat on piano and vibraphone. The songs chosen for the occasion were two tunes from the Art Blakey Jazz Messengers repertoire: Bobby Timmons' classic "Moanin'" and the Jacques Marray track "No Problem" from the soundtrack of the Les liaisons dangereuses film (mispelled "Not Problem" on the sleeve and label), plus the Salvador Font penned "Blue Note" and "Full de ases" - on "Full de ases" "Mantequilla" trades his sax for the violin, which he also mastered under high influence from Stephane Grapelli. The record was released on Belter in early 1963 and showed "Mantequilla" adding a certain aggressivity to his sound, in a soloist style which has been compared to that of tenor saxophonists Barney Wilen or Benny Golson.

1965 was the year of release of Mantequilla y su conjunto's third EP, now on the Discophon label. Mercedes and Farreras are again present in the recording sessions, joined by Ricardo Miralles on piano and Enrique Ponsa on double bass. Four original Font compositions make up the fantastic EP: "Blues 3/4", "Atmósfera", "Vat 69" and "Balada".

There would be a further EP on Belter, released in 1971 as Mantequilla Group it was a cash-in operation to take some redits of the ye-yé discothèque phenomenon, it gets quite afar in style from the jazz works of Mantequilla y su conjunto, so we just left it aside for the present edition.

"Mantequilla"'s career would continue, in 1968 he would settle in Majorca and form a swing band with Bonet de San Pedro and Manuel Bolao. He played in local orquestras and also with first class world acts like Gerry Mulligan, Tete Montoliu, Errol Gardner, a.o. He was even approached by Henry Mancini to play sax on The Pink Panther Theme in a gig Mancini did with his orchestra in Palma de Mallorca in 1975, He also joined his son Salvador Font (a demanded drummer himself who has played with Máquina!, Orquestra Mirasol, Música Urbana, Gary Burton Quartet, Georgie Fame, and many others) and his peers Carles Benavent, Emili Baleriola, Josep Mas 'Kitflus' and Jordi Bonell with whom he recorded his acclaimed "Mantequilla" album in 1987.

Now, for the first time ever, the legendary three ultra rare and imposible to find EPs by Mantequilla y su conjunto are compiled in a lavish vinyl LP with remastered sound, featuring liner notes and photos and a fantastic period inspired, three backflaped, front laminated sleeve. It is a stricly limited edition of only 500 copies and they are expected to sell out very soon, do not miss your chance of getting yours - it may be the last chance of chasing the Mantequilla sound on vinyl at a reasonable price!














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This very high quality double-sided 45 features Billy Byrd's throaty vocals on two classic songs. Top drawer modern soul with an irresistible heavy beat, courtesy of producer Calvin Arnold, the Georgia native, known for his pretty diverse and very well crafted soul and funk output. The music was arranged by Tommy Stuart & Frankie Wynn. Most likely it was Arnolds influence that gave this record such a solid, intense rhythm. Yes, it's the beat that really counts. Few records of this nature have such an incessant, thumping groove that has so much appeal to the dancefloor. Upon its release in 1973 this record went nowhere and has remained extremely scarce ever since. At times, pristine original copies on the Scream Records label sold for up to $2000... Now this modern soul rarity is officially reissued, fully licensed and restored from the original master tapes and available for everyone to hear.

When Michaela Meise performed at WestGermany at Kottbusser Tor in Berlin-Kreuzberg on March 20, 2015, accompanying herself on the accordion, I was perplexed. I knew her first album from 2010, which was about hymns (»Preis dem Todesüberwinder«, originally released on Clouds Hill, available as a download and stream through my label from July 2018 on), but what she was playing weren't spiritual songs! I wanted to put this music out on my label: the songs sounded sad, aloof and wistful but also proud, determined and unerring.

The album title »I am Greek« is a tribute to Melina Mercouri's album »Je Suis Grecque!«, which was released in 1971 when Mercouri was deprived of citizenship by the Greek military junta. Mercouri lived - like Mikis Theodorakis and many other cultural workers - in exile. Meise's album is dedicated to the chanson scene of post-war Europe, whose songs were popularly folksy, but also political. Some talk about the experience of war, the Shoah and labor migration. Michaela Meise has translated the Greek, French and Romanian songs into German (with the help of Aliki Marini and Carmen Gheorghe) so that the lyrics are understandable to a German audience, a gesture that was also common in the European chanson scene. More than half of the songs are by Mikis Theodorakis. He knows the translations and new recordings, gave his blessing and just noted a wrong tone ... The other pieces on the album are by the French artists Barbara and George Moustaki and the German musician Alexandra. There is also a Romanian folk song.

The album was recorded by Michaela Meise together with members of the group Isolation Berlin as well as the guest singers Carmen Gheorge and Dirk von Lowtzow (Tocotronic). The producer was David Specht (Isolation Berlin).

Michaela Meise and me both have intimate relations with Greece - Michaela has innumerable holiday memories with parents and brother, I have a friend who lives in Athens and whom I have been visiting regularly for about ten years now. This friend, the graphic designer Vasilis Marmatakis, styled Meise's album using an impressive, scary photograph taken in May 1985 during the occupation of Polytechnio Athens. Together, we opted for an elaborate packaging made by a bookbinder, a so-called Japanese tip-on-gatefold cover. The packaging reminds us of the records that were made in Greece for export and taken by German tourists as a souvenir back home.

it's a 2nd release of studio mule's new project with miyako koda aka dip in the pool.

following the cover version of ohnuki taeko's carnaval,we made the new version of japanese new wave classic 'shinzo no tibia by mariah' with a new lyrics in japanese(original is in armenian)which is written by miyako koda. yasuaki shimizu kindly gave us the permission to do this.

extended version on a side is full of the respect for the original version and dub version on b side is dark new wave dub version. kuniyuki said the idea of this version came from adrian sherwood's remix for depeche mode.

Left of centre experiments from the Dutch underground of yesteryear. Muziekkamer was the name of the home recording studio that gave birth to the twelve tracks on 'Popmuziek', an intriguing document of sketch arrangements and primitive, fairytale sampling wave cuts. This is music which excels due to its inherent naivety; the limitless ambition of 'Black Box' almost sounding like a precursor to the 90s ambient techno of Likemind or Stasis. On 'Being Home Tonight' we can hear an early form of what the likes of Tolouse Low Trax have been bringing to the forefront of contemporary club culture whilst the erratic art-rock of 'Walkman' mirrors what Leven Signs & co were doing over the pond. In trying to create something which represented 'intrusiveness' as a contrast to an earlier ambient tape the trio incidentally blurred the lines between various musical fashions to come. An amazing snapshot of time and place!