Thompson Sound and Dubquake Records team up to offer O.B.F-style versions of iconic roots & rub-a-dub tracks from Linval Thompson's label. Gems from the 70s and 80s that’ve been reworked by Rico O.B.F using original recordings. Each release comes with a reinterpretation of the original vocal, dubs, and a mix with our dearly missed Nazamba pon the version!
After 'Curfew', 'Sweet Sensimilia' and 'Evening Love', here's 'Guide & Protect', the very last scorcher in this series: a reimagined version of Michael Prophet's 'Guide And Protect You', taken from his iconic self-titled album.
Special guest Mark Iration jumps on his own cut, 'Protection'. Prophet and Mark trade verses as if side by side, capturing their connection. A celebration of Prophet’s legacy. Protection brings together reggae’s past and future.
On 'Raw Born Reggae', Nazamba flows with absolute groove. It's a preview of his highly anticipated posthumous album, 'A Message from Zion', set to release in November.
Das windgepeitschte Leben an der Ostküste Schottlands, die gemächlichen Klänge und das warme Gefühl, dass am Ende doch alles gut wird, vereinen sich auf Gulps drittem Album zu einem betörenden Erlebnis, auf dem die Band um das Duo Lindsey Leven und Guto Pryce (Super Furry Animals) ihren ätherisch-folkigen Psych-Pop zelebriert. "Beneath Strawberry Moons" ist ein hyperlokales Album mit minimalem CO2-Fußabdruck, basierend auf dem zart aufgeladenen Gefühl des Paares für das schottische Erbe und die erfrischende Nähe zum Meer. Eine Feier von Raum, Liebe, Verbindung und Zeit, durchzogen von einem zugrunde liegenden Bewusstsein für die Zerbrechlichkeit dieser Schönheit.
After 25 Years, DJ Wayne Ritchie's Legendary Lost Record Makes Its Return South London’s own DJ Wayne Ritchie. The two records he self-released in 2001 have long been out of reach, becoming legendary among vinyl diggers as elusive, sought-after gems. Now, four carefully selected tracks from those records have been remastered, ready to shake up today’s dance floors once again. Crafted with a 12-bit sampler, blending House and UKG into a unique, unmistakable groove, this sound is finally making its return—25 years later.
if we think about what's the best italo disco label considering the number of release and success, Hole Records would be on the top three of each italo disco lover. Aimed by Mikki Chieregato and Roberto Turatti, every single release on the label is a gem. Joe Yellow, Den Harrow or Stylóo started an succesfull carreer on the label but also Fred Ventura. He was the vocalist of Flexxy-Ball. Produced by Chieregato and Turatti and bring it to light at the Manlio Cangelli studio Love Theme From Flexxy-Ball, Love Theme from Flexxy-Ball is a record that can be missed in any italo shelf.
Second release from Zaragoza’s underground label, Senoidal Records. Just like with their debut, Senoidal 002 brings together a diverse crew of artists, blending generations and styles from the deeper ends of electronic music.
Side A (the info side) kicks off with Wreckoning by 3morph. With a clear UK influence, this track comes loaded with groove and attitude the kind of tune that gets you moving without asking twice.
Up next is Silenzi Imbarazzanti by Italian producer Vikkei: introspective, heavy, and full of intent. Bassline mastery and a top-tier kick make this a pure Acidcore statement.
We turn the record over with Les Enfants Sages and their Magnitude 13.12 sur l´échelle de Deter´, which operates with surgical precision the richness of a powerful kick and the play it can bring.
Closing the record is Mafia Business by Lemurian. A trancecore gem packed with energy, magic, and razor-sharp creativity.
Senoidal Records doesn’t follow trends. We’re not here for algorithms. We’re here to support raw talent, leave behind a worthy musical legacy, make something that truly lasts.
Dubstep, not Dubstep? Originally released in 2002, The Red EP was a bold fusion of Techno and Garage from the mind of Artwork. Drawing from his "Grain" techno project and the UKG sound he championed for years, this release laid the groundwork for what the world would soon call Dubstep — or did it? Broken beat/Bruk dons Bugz In The Attic were hammering Red in their sets, including this title on their “Fabriclive” mix CD in 2003 which shone further light on the EP, helping it soar in demand once again. “The Red EP” has never been repressed until now, with second hand copies exchanging hands for highs of £100 and lows of £40. Big Apple Records boss John Kennedy is blessing us with this repress which is a must have, even if you have the original, because now after Artwork found an unreleased gem on a DAT, we have added the find “RELIC”. It’s soooo punchy! You'll be hearing this all over the place all over again this summer. Limited edition Solid Red vinyl copies. DO NOT MISS OUT! BUY or CRY!
Long kept in the shadows, "+ Ou – 8000" is a rare gem of the French musical avant-garde, born from the meeting of three
composers at the peak of their inventiveness. Initially intended as sound illustration, this album crosses the boundaries of
library music, space jazz, and electronic experimentation, with a freedom and boldness that today give it cult status.
Teddy Lasry, an iconic figure from the MAGMA universe, has always moved between jazz, progressive rock, and electronic
music. A saxophonist by training, he explores here synthetic and spatial territories with striking modernity.
Francis Mercier, discreet yet remarkably effective, is a sound craftsman who left his mark on many library music records
in the 1970s. Here he delivers precise rhythmic textures, tense atmospheres, and a minimalist groove mastery.
Christian Perraudin, a chameleon composer bridging academic music and film scoring, brings his cinematic touch—
floating melancholy and sci-fi tension. A true artisan of sonic ambiance.
Boldly visionary, + Ou - 8000 is an invitation to active listening, a journey into the heart of a fascinating sound laboratory.
This unprecedented vinyl reissue is a unique opportunity to (re)discover a crucial record that remained out of reach for far
too long.
Limited edition – for lovers of rarities, analog synths, and genre-defying musical exploration.
With "Modern Way", Teddy Lasry delivers one of his most accomplished albums, where analog
synthesizer mastery meets a distinctly modern vision of instrumental music. Originally released in 1981,
this rare record embodies both the elegance of jazz-fusion and the boldness of electronic
experimentation.
Known for his key role in Magma, Teddy Lasry established himself as a discreet yet essential pioneer
of French cosmic music. A saxophonist, flutist, and keyboardist, he began developing a rich and
personal body of work in the 1970s, blending film scoring, sonic science fiction, and synthetic
dreamscapes.
On Modern Way, he explores a new path, at the crossroads of space funk, futuristic library music, and
cinematic synthetic landscapes. Each track evokes a scene: a race against time, a machine-city, a
digital dream... An imaginary soundtrack for an era that still believed in tomorrow.
Reissued on vinyl for the first time, Modern Way is a key work for fans of rare electronic gems,
atmospheric jazz, and avant-garde music long left in the shadows.
Limited edition – The future won’t wait.
It was the 90s. Paris had the blues, French rap was beginning its slow rise, and a new musical genre was emerging: Acid Jazz. Imported from England by DJ Gilles Peterson, this groovy style blended 70s funk with a certain idea of jazz tailored for the dancefloor. Its heroes were Galliano, Brand New Heavies, Incognito, and the James Taylor Quartet. Jamiroquai topped the charts, MC Solaar recorded with Urban Species, and suddenly, France was swept up in the swing whirlwind. Starting in 1993, Parisian clubs embraced this union of jazz and groove, and in 1994, a compilation was released: Paris Groove Up. Around ten groups delivered the French version of this British style: Mellowman, Mad In Paris, Vercoquin, Ready Made... and Dis Bonjour À La Dame. The band wasn’t new—their roots went back to the late 80s, when bassist Marc Israël brought together a brass section and some seasoned musicians. But the real beginning of DBALD came in 1992 with the arrival of singer Sital. "Christophe Denis joined on guitar and songwriting. In 1993, we opened for Jamiroquai and Maceo Parker, and that’s when the major labels interested in the acid jazz market started noticing us," recalls Marc. Their track Chris’tal, the centerpiece of the compilation, was released as a single, and Dis Bonjour À La Dame's album began production in late 1994 in London, at Roundhouse Studio. “We must’ve been among the last sessions there—it was demolished shortly after. It was a very 70s studio, with old gear, a Fender Rhodes, everything was vintage! We recorded for a month, all playing together live, then added the brass and finally Sital’s vocals. We were lucky to have two exceptional backing singers, Sarah Brown and Mark Anthoni, who worked with Incognito and Urban Species.” The self-titled album came out in early 1995, and it had all the ingredients of a hidden funky gem from the 90s: Hey Mama with its ironclad groove, the irresistible instrumental Sheherazade Groove opening the record, Soul Body with its R\&B sensuality... The hip-hop touch came courtesy of Lee Rick’s, the MC from Mellowman, who laid down rhymes on Hall Blues. The brass section was on fire, the bass went wild, and Sital added a sensual spark to the whole thing. In short, a solid album produced by Fred Versailles (producer of NTM’s first album) and mixed by Paul Borg (Urban Species, UFO, -M-, Mory Kanté), a testament to a time when big funky bands made Paris groove—with Dis Bonjour À La Dame leading the charge. Nearly thirty years later, it’s time to (re)discover DBALD.
Norman Connors' Mr. C is a masterclass in sophisticated modern funk and boogie-infused soul that was way ahead of its time. Originally released in 1981, the album finds the renowned jazz drummer/producer at a creative crossroads, boldly diving deep into street-level boogie-funk without losing his soulful, jazzy touch. What once might have puzzled jazz purists now delights soul/funk aficionados; it has quietly become a cult favourite and now, nearly 45 years later, Mr. C sounds fresher than ever. Brimming with infectious heavy funk, lush arrangements and soul-stirring performances, it's an album that flirts with perfection, ensuring its enduring significance in the boogie/jazz-funk-soul canon.
From its opening moments, Mr. C makes one thing clear: this is Norman Connors at his funkiest. The majority of the album is a straight-up party: think dancefloor-ready beats complemented by punchy horn riffs and slick early-80s boogie vibes. There’s heavy use of synths and drum-machines, demonstrating Connors' gleeful embrace of contemporary funk trends. Each track shines in uniquely thrilling fashion, showcasing Connors’ versatility and happy knack for blending genres whilst crafting unforgettable melodies.
Irresistible thumper “She’s Gone” opens the album with a dyno-Rhodes electric piano groove and a seriously thick boogie-funk rhythm. Lush string accents and horn stabs weave through the funky bassline, while the vocals (handled by a young Beau Williams) soar with gospel-tinged emotion. Over four decades later, it endures as a masterpiece. Living up to its name, the shimmering “Party Town” brings deep Electro-Funk Energy by layering bubbling synth bass and shiny lead synth lines. The groove is downright addictive, a brisk, brass-kissed jam that implores you to move. Up next, the sophisticated funk of “Keep Doin’ It” is a low-slung post-disco glider, propelled by a sleek vibe, leaning into the late-night boogie sound. Funky guitar, tight drumming (with Connors’ jazz-honed chops in the pocket) and smooth vocals urge you to “keep doin'” whatever it is that's working. “Stay with Me” works a bit of island flavour into the mix, riding a thick Caribbean groove complete with tropical percussion and an upbeat tempo that could almost be calypsoul. The fusion of Caribbean rhythm elements into an R&B context demonstrates Connors’ willingness to experiment with global sounds while keeping things soulful and danceable.
Side B opens with the sassy funk-deluxe workout, "Anyway You Want" dripping with that soulful strut. Bringing a real quiet storm swagger, “Sing a Love Song” slows the tempo ever so slightly into a sexy, swaying jazz-funk gem, featuring a young Glenn Jones on lead vocals. The arrangement is elegant, built on warm keys and an undeniable groove. The celestial “Love’s In Your Corner” is all about soulful uplift. Featuring the legendary Jean Carn's powerhouse vocals soaring over a brass-kissed driving funk, it's an R&B burner. The refined, jazzy instrumental “Mr. C” is a slinky, smooth, funk-filled mid-tempo groove, with sax and warm keys gliding effortlessly. Connors combines jazzy arrangements into the post-disco/boogie framework one last time, and the result is sublime. It’s sophisticated and cool and, as a finale, “Mr. C” wraps up the album in classy style.
On release, Mr. C flew under the radar but time has been exceptionally kind to this record. DJs, collectors and soul connoisseurs alike have since rediscovered its magic. As ever, this crucial reissue has been lovingly remastered by Simon Francis, cut by engineer of the year Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios and pressed to perfection by Record Industry in Holland. Norman Connors was something truly extra. He was a visionary. And Mr. C is proof.
Bogotá duo Rush City — aka Jonahlo and Joint4Nine, and heads of the Ritmo Terco label dig deep into their crates for this second vinyl outing, delivering four razor-sharp reworks that balance nostalgia with dancefloor punch. Spanning boogie, Italo disco, electro, and deep house, each track is reimagined with a tasteful blend of analog grit, acid textures, and precise drum programming.
Opener “When Your Ex Wants You Back” breathes new life into Surface’s 1984 boogie anthem, fusing its soulful acapella with 808 rhythms, acid basslines, and shimmering synths for a raw electro-funk twist. Following “Brown Sugar”, lifted from a rare 80s adult film soundtrack, becomes a dubbed-out, indie-leaning acid disco tool — weird, seductive, and undeniably effective.
On the B-side, Dream 2 Science’s deep house classic “My Love Turns To Liquid” is transformed into a hypnotic acid roller, stripping things back while keeping the soul intact. Closer “Don Quichotte” rebuilds Magazine 60’s Italo gem from the ground up — with re-recorded vocals and fresh synth work, it’s a full-throttle electro bomb.
A versatile and expertly crafted four-tracker, this is crate-digger gold with serious club utility.
Released during the late 1970's Disco era, Milton Wright's sophomore long player has always stood out as a singular, innovative example of the deepest, rarest grooves known to underground Soul lovers all over the globe. This often overlooked body of work has found a whole new audience who revisited the man's work retrospectively, pushing the LP into the domain of "holy grail" status amongst Black music lovers and Funk fanatics. "Spaced" has been at the top of the wants lists of serious music lovers for decades, often unattainable and commanding stellar collectors prices on-line, sometimes fetching amounts of upwards of £400. This unique LP could be perceived as being Wright's most personal work, tragically overshadowed by the burgeoning successes of his then label mates on Miami's Alston Records imprint. The sheer craftsmanship and songwriting prowess on show is undeniable, as is the top level musicianship and production, sounding ridiculously fresh almost some 40 years later. Above Board distribution has collaborated with Alston / TK Records to ensure the quality of this fully legitimate repress of this long lost Soul / Funk classic has been maintained. Remastered, reissued and represented with the full cooperation of the license holders for 2016. Do not pass up the chance to own a true gem, a pivotal, lost LP like "Spaced", now made available again to be enjoyed by all. "Magic Music".
Der offizielle Soundtrack zu "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" von Evan Call ist jetzt als Doppel-Vinyl erhältlich. Diese exklusive 2-LP-Ausgabe bringt die emotionalen Höhepunkte von Frierens Reise auf den Plattenteller - eine Reise voller Freundschaft, Verbundenheit und der Kostbarkeit gemeinsamer Zeit. Die zwei coloured LPs (in Smaragdgrün und Kobaltblau) kommen in einem liebevoll designten Gatefold und mit einem Insert mit Original-Illustrationen. Ein Must-Have für alle, die Frieren, Himmel, Heiter und Stark ins Herz geschlossen haben.
Having carved out a place in the contemporary club scene with releases on Glitterbox/Defected, Boogie Angst & Lovemonk Records amongst others, Madrid's Casbah 73 recently shed his skin and is now ready to introduce The Jade, a live ensemble that prioritises emotion, excitement and the art of the song. Led by Oli Stewart (Casbah 73), the project brings together a remarkable group of players. At its core, this is about people: musicians in dialogue, shaping rhythms and melody, singing songs from the heart, that shared pulse based on a timeless musical vocabulary.
Opening with the exuberant 'Let The Light In', this is sizzling hi-jazz and sunny soul, shot through with a dose of funky Afro-Latin rhythms for good measure. Josh Hoyer leads the charge, delivering a powerhouse vocal performance, while Nia Martin and Deborah Ayo bring that gospel glow. As, indeed, they continue to do so throughout, especially on the deep, soulful standout 'When Love Left' or the shimmering, street soul meets Brit-funk feel of 'Change!' Experience the spontaneity and playful nature of tracks like 'Si No Me Quieres Esperar' (with Cuban maestro Ale Gutiérrez on vocals) infused with funky Latin and Brazilian rhythms, as well as sparkling, alien disco dub in the form of 'Space Lines'. There's no-holds, hands-in-the-air, fluid disco club grooves on 'What It Takes' and driving, riotous soul-jazz on 'Being Seen'. Just when you think you've got it figured out, the band change it up and stretch out with beautiful jazz-funk instrumentals like 'At The Queensboro' or lush sonic gem 'On That Strange', a track that feels like a long, blissful afternoon fading into evening, with things left unspoken in the air and mystery in its kinky grooves.
The Jade's sound is post-pout, studs up, raw soul, free from modern dancefloor tyranny.It's intimate disco, dead-selfie freedom, Afro-Latin jazz-dance and Iberian funk all rolled into one, rooted in emotion and shot through with a healthy dose of funky bad ass groovism. Genres that blend and bleed into each other following one simple idea: songs and the expressive power of live instrumentation.
With two critically acclaimed compilations already under his belt, DJ / collector miche returns to Mr Bongo with the third instalment of his With Love series. Testament to his ever-expanding taste, Volume 3 isn’t just a subs bench call-up from the past compilations, it’s an evolution and progression casting the net deeper and wider than before.
Keeping true to the series, but with some fresh surprises along the way, this carefully curated compilation is a celebration of soulful, independently released music from across the globe, and the amazing (often unsung) musicians and vocalists that made these sublime records.
Across the third volume, miche explores a jazzier side of his tastes. “The deeper I went, the more I found myself gravitating towards jazzier music - not leaving soul behind, but following that same feeling into new territory”, he explains. Tracks like the gliding jazz funk found on Late Nite Music Band’s ‘Sundance’, or the glorious jazz-soul number ‘In Flight’ by Spectrym are shining examples of this.
That defining soulful thread of previous volumes is still in full effect throughout this latest edition. “There’s a healthy dose of impossible-to-find soul gems that have that unmistakable, heartwarming feel. Tracks like John Simmons' 'Ain't Nothing Like The Love', which I've adored ever since Zaf Love Vinyl played it, sit perfectly alongside records like Le Cop and New Way”, states miche.
The addition of some top-tier Turkish music showcases another side to his ever-broadening taste. Nükhet Ruacan's 'Gölge' is something unique, a floaty Brazilian-inspired gem recorded in Turkey and not what you’d typically expect from Turkish records of this era.
It also wouldn’t feel right to leave out a stop in Brazil, with miche looking to the work of Carlos Bivar whose track 'Amargo Amar' carries that undeniable groove of samba-funk from Rio.
Spreading the With Love message far and wide the series has led to miche DJing across the globe, “from batucada sessions in Timisoara, to all-night sets in a club in Beijing, and even an eight-hour Root Down With Love stage takeover at We Out Here festival, joined by Danilo Plessow, Jeremy Underground, and of course, my mentor and buddy Rainer Trüby.”
Volume 3 then, carries that message even further. It’s an eclectic but intentional collection, built for the music lover who wants to discover something new. Working just as well as a soundtrack to cook dinner to, as it does keeping a packed dancefloor moving into the small hours.
Brooklyn duo Fundido team up with Philadelphia's Universal Cave to press their first physical release titled ‘Paradise Tempo’, a love letter to dance floor music that sits in the cross section of the tougher sounds of the city and the softer sounds of the balearic and the backwoods.The A side kicks off with a flawless downtempo mix from California based Dirty Dave and Alex Pasternak, who find a rare cover of the Cathy Denis classic and refurbish it to perfection. Next up is ‘Emotional Jungle’, a jazzy midtempo weapon led by a massive saxophone hook and edited to optimum club efficiency by NY based Nick Stropko. LA via Serbia’s Masha Mar unearths extremely rare gem ‘Take Me to Mecca’ and reworks it into a dreamy midtempo journey that carries both a children’s choir vocal and a middle eastern synth melody effortlessly across a foggy dance floor. And closing out the A-side is the wonderful ‘Charlie’s Vision’ from Universal Cave, a spooky AOR tinged cosmic trip that is only available on this vinyl pressing.The B Side leads with balearic beach party stomper ‘Amor’ from Fundido themselves; complete with Spanish vocals, lofty piano jamming and a contagious growling bassline. Next up is ‘Sex-O’ from Seoul man Tucan Discos, who reworks a tribal classic into a hypnotic and seductive club mix; followed by ‘Freak Estilo’ from Spain’s Ritmal Astral boss Orion Agassi who offers a bumping freestyle breaks mix with an addictive r&b vocal hook. Last but not least, the ‘Be Careful Operator’ edit from Miles Felix aka Sisserou closes down the function with a block party jam swimming with jazz, swing and soul.When asked what visual imagery they had in mind for Paradise Tempo, the prompt given to artwork maestro Ray Fernandez was ‘salt of the earth utopia’ and ‘working man’s paradise’ … and Ray delivered exactly that. Enjoy Paradise Tempo !
To mark a decade as one of Ibiza's most iconic musical sanctuaries, Hostal La Torre announces 'La Torre Ibiza Volumen Cinco', a new compilation curated by long-standing residents Pete Gooding and Mark Barrott. Released June 27 on CD and double vinyl, the 15-track collection captures the spirit of the venue that has come to define the golden-hour soundtrack ofthe island's west coast.
Since opening in 2015, La Torre has established itself as a bastion of Balearic culture-set high on the cliffs overlooking the sea, where music flows with the sun rather than the clock. The fifth volume in the celebrated La Torre series is a journey through Brazilian soul, ambient electronica, classic deep house, orchestral minimalism, and dusk-lit Detroit techno-an emotional arc designed to mirror the progression of an evening at the venue.
From timeless icons like Nina Simone, Mazzy Star, Talk Talk (with their Spirit of Eden closer "Wealth"), and Boards of Canada, to boundary-pushers like Auntie Flo, Eden Burns, and µ-Ziq (aka Mike Paradinas), Volumen Cinco weaves together deep-rooted classics and leftfield discoveries. Mark Barrott contributes a brand-new exclusive, 'When Devils Become Gods', while the compilation closes on a rare gem from Yellow Magic Orchestra's Yukihiro Takahashi. Also includedis Software's 'Present Voice', a quietly powerful tribute to the late José Padilla, the spiritual architect of Ibiza's sunset sound.
Volumen Cinco is more than just a listening experience-it's a tribute to La Torre's ethos: open-hearted, genre-fluid, rooted in place and time. Each track is carefully sequenced to evoke a feeling, a shift in light, or a shared memory beneath the fading sun.
Over the years, La Torre has welcomed some of the most influential names in Balearic and electronic music, from José Padilla, Alfredo, and Jon Sa Trinxa to DJ Harvey, David Holmes, Lovefingers, Heidi Lawden, Wolf Müller, Don Carlos, and Phil Mison. With each summer season and each release, the venue continues to build a musical legacy that has earned critical acclaim from Resident Advisor, Phonica Records, Juno, and Piccadilly Records, regularly featuring in their year-end lists.
As Test Pressing once wrote, "La Torre is not a party, it's a place of pilgrimage. It feels almost sacred." That spirit resonates deeply in this anniversary compilation-a celebration of music, community, and connection that spans a decade.
La Torre Ibiza Volumen Cinco is dedicated to the artists, friends, collaborators, and guests who've shaped its story so far-and to everyone who continues to gather, listen, and lose track of time as the sun slips beneath the horizon.
Original Gravity Records Ignites the Summer with Latin Fever Vol. 4
Available on Limited Edition Vinyl & Digital Platforms
Original Gravity Records turns up the heat once again with the explosive release of Latin Fever Vol. 4 — the highly anticipated fourth instalment in the label’s signature Latin groove series. Packed with sizzling salsa, fiery guajira, and vintage Latin soul, this EP is a globe-spanning collaboration anchored in the UK and powered by musicians from Peru, Cuba, the USA, and Italy.
From the opening tumbao of El Tumbao Del Solar by Abramo & Néstor, to the irresistible charisma of Chévere Girl by Luchito & Néstor, this record is a celebration of rhythm, culture, and cross-continental energy. Flip the wax, and you’ll find La Vieja Escuela serving up Vacilar Mi Guajira — a classic throwback dancefloor gem — before Néstor Álvarez brings the party home with the brass-heavy burner La Fiesta Se Va.
With drums, bass, and production led by OG’s own Neil Anderson and a tight brass section along with standout soloists from both sides of the Atlantic, Latin Fever Vol. 4 is pure analog fire — recorded with heart, soul, and serious groove.
Whether you're a crate digger, DJ, or just a lover of Latin rhythms, this is one for the shelf and the stereo.
Get it while it's hot. This is Latin Fever — and it's contagious.
Veteran Japanese electronic music producer, AKIO NAGASE, a leading player in the Kansai underground music scene since the late 1990s teams up with Yukino Inamine, a gifted and young female singer from Okinawa who magically mixes traditional Ryukyu (Okinawa) folk songs with her sanshin (Okinawan Shamisen) playing into the modern age, to create this wonderful collaborative album, Yugafu ai KAJI. This album is set to be released on GLOCAL RECORDS, a record store/ record label run by Genta Minowa, an ex-staff at the record store, Disc Shop Zero in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo and who still continues to introduce a great selection of dubby, club music from his HQ in Harajuku.
AKIO NAGASE regularly organised parties at his own venue, as well as ran a record store of the same name while actively being part of the Kansai scene at legendary clubs such as Tsuru no Ma, Sound Channel, etc., the best of what was offered in the Kansai underground dance scene in the 2000s.
As an artist, he released his own productions out of labels such as Sound Channel and RUDIMENTS run by Minowa. His album, Make Dub was released in 2003 out of the label, Sound Channel featured an innovative, techno meets dancehall track, Dance Hall King which connected techno, acid house with reggae and dub. This album is an undiscovered gem whose sound still emulates freshness and originality today (my wish is for it to be reissued on vinyl!) After a brief hiatus of releasing music, he released the EP, Delusion out of Chillmountain Records, a label run by his friend, Ground in 2018 and at his own leisurely pace, he has been slowly but surely releasing material that oozes originality, expressed through a robust acid sound and a variety of elements such as afro and Ryukyu folk music that is then incorporated into the medium of dub. Recently, he has also started to gain international attention by releasing original material and remixes out of labels such as the UK label, Emotional Especial, etc.
For this album, NAGASE teams up with Yukino Inamine who brings her own distinctive singing and sanshin playing magic into this collaboration and they fuse electronic music sounds with Ryukyu folk songs to create this wonderfully imaginative album that has no precedence or equal. Apart from the song, Ishikawa Koiuta, all other songs are covers of Ryukyu folk standards that were handpicked by NAGASE from the repertoire of songs that Inamine regularly performs live. They met up when NAGASE was commissioned to remix one of her original compositions, Miyagi Kaigan that was released in 2023 and that evolved into a collaboration with a concept that mixed Inamine singing Ryukyu folk standards with a backing tracks produced by NAGASE. Whenever she went to the the Kansai area, she would work on the basic track material created by NAGASE at the dub master of Osaka, Soulfire’s studio, HAV who would then additionally edit her takes to create the finishing tracks.
This album, Yugafu ai KAJI opens with Shirahamabushi, a track that slowly builds with an interesting mix of slow acid techno and sanshin and then moves onto the easy-going electro dub of Tinsagu nu hana (it is actually a cover of the track of the same title that first appeared in the label sampler, Comuni ó n Especial that was released on Emotional Especial. NAGASE initially wanted to feature Inamine on vocals for this track but due to scheduling issues, it did not happen but with good fortune, the new version of this track is now included in this album). A side closes with the optimistic Balearic sounds of Tsuki nu Kaisha that converges immaculately with slow-mo steppers. It is also worth noting that the person who introduced NAGASE to Inamine was the Okinawa dub master, HARIKUYAMAKU. They met at a concert held by both him & Yukino Inamine hosted by BUN BUN THE MC at the venue, RAGGA CHANNEL. From this encounter, this album came into fruition and they also asked HARIKUYAMAKU to produce an earthy, traditional rootsy, dub version of Tsuki nu Kaisha that is included as the 3rd track on the B Side.
Ashimizubushi, the track that magically blends old school Chicago house ala TRAX with Ryukyu folk music starts off the B side and it carries on to an uplifting track with a Skaouse (ska + house) feel, Hounen Ondo. Inserted after HARIKUYAMAKU’s dub of Tsuki nu Kaisha, this album closes out with the song, ‘Ishikawa Koi Uta’, the only song written by Inamine who said that she wrote it after falling in love with chill-out music. It is an ambient dub track with a collage like flavour, reminiscent of early The Orb (remixed by Mad Professor) and the latter half of the track finishes off with a message presented by Masao Itokazu (her uncle) who received tutelage from the prior owner of her sanshin that Inamine plays, Moritomo Inamine (her grandfather).
Incidentally, the album title, YUGAFU ai Kaji is derived from an auspicious word from Okinawa, Yugafu which means fruitful year, happiness, prosperity and ai (indigo) is a word that Yukino found inspiration few years ago (she wears a Okinawan indigo clothing called kinonuno in the front cover of this album).
The unique indigo colouring produced by nature overlaps with the unique charm of the human personality, and she wanted to present that current along with the music so the name was integrated to ‘indigo wind’, and the two were connected to form the album title, ‘YUGAFU ai Kaji’.
The photo of the front cover was taken by a young, Uchinaanunishie—- (meaning a boy from Okinawa) 17 year old photographer named Ratio and the designer of this album is Anmonaito who is a childhood friend of Inamine who also did the artwork for her album, Miyagi Kaigan. And the mastering and cutting of this album was done by Rei Taguchi.
The cosmology existing in Yukino Inamine’s singing is fully amplified by AKIO NAGASE’s spacey, abundant with many ideas, dance machine beat~ambient music and all of these elements are organically linked by the adhesive effect of dub.
