Buscar:get it

Local Talk is proud to welcome back Marcel Lune for the release of his album Astral Palms.On this album Marcel continues to explore his fascination for melodies and composition and has created something that is wonderfully refined and thrillingly accessible.Listening to Astral Palms some may hear the influence from such great artists as Floating Points and Local Talk very own Crackazat. What Marcel is doing is fusing the two and adding his twist with enough originality to stand out from the rest.
From the opening track and throughout the album, you get the idea of this young genius' musical universe - music that aims to both soothe the senses and move the feet.
Astral Palms is not only offering a unique twist on melodious and rhythmic house music, it also highlights Marcel Lune' growth as an artist.

For our second release we brought back to life African movie soundtrack "Ceddo" - composed by one of our favourite African artists, Manu Dibango. 6 tracks full of Funk. With a great story behind.... now it's getting a full vinyl re-issue!

"The film takes place during the 17th century : period of slave-trading and of the introduction of Christianity and Islam in West Africa. The adherents of these religions all desired and hoped to pack their buildings, mosques or churches,by whatever means necessary. Arms and alcohol began to appear, as well as shoddy godds --- gadgets from another era. Anyone with a rifle tracked down and trated men, women and children. Man became money. After having converted the royal family and government dignitaries, the Imam encounters the refusal of the "Ceddo". For the Ceddo, adhering to Islam or to Catholicism would mean renouncing African spiritualism, giving up being themselves. To accomplish his goals, the Imam usurps the throne with the complicity of the dignitaries --- similar to the coups d'Etat of our days. Combining spiritual and temporal power, the Imam reduces the recalcitrant to slavery in exchange for rifles. He obliges the others by force of arms to accept Islam. Ceddo is a film of reflexion, birnging together bits and pieces of facts and authentic events that took place in a period spanning the centuries up to the present day."

5th Birthday comp featuring a host of artistst who've graced the label over the perioid.. Exclusives from Tolouse Lowtrax, Geena, Iueke, Domenique Dumont, . Inoue Shirabe, Raphael Top-Secret and more... Gatefold Sleeve. TIP!
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Made of 14 sketches - each reflecting one of the many shades of the label's catalogue - Five years of Loving Notes features new names as well as those of artists who have been involved with the label since it's very beginning, like Geena or Iueke - responsible for the first 12' released on Antinote.

The music on this compilation covers a wide spectrum of moods and atmospheres, from the dark and raw excursions from Tolouse Low Trax or Iueke to the lush instrumental crafted by Nico Motte and Syracuse's Antoine Kogut; however as the listener gets deeper into the compilation, the whole of the tunes, sitting side by side on the records, start to make sense as they all seem to point towards the same direction. If one should try isolating a common trait from all these songs, one might come to the conclusion that it lies in the way they all speak directly to the listener's emotional receptors, unvarnished and without abusing of producer's 'tricks'.

We'll let the tricky question mentioned before in your hands once you will have been through this 63-minute long testimony of exclusive music by the artists who have been shaping Antinote's sound for five years; from the opening Latvian arabesques from Domenique Dumont to the Pink-Floyd-ian ending from the latest addition to the label, Alek Lee, via Leonardo Martelli's smoggy electro and Raphael Top Secret's ominous talk-over.

Much could be said about German house royalty Boris Dlugosch. From his teen DJ years under the wings of Front's legendary Klaus Stockhausen in Hamburg to his own marvelous tenure there that is pretty much synonymous with the explosion of Acid House in its proto- and post-incarnations. One could examine his role as a herald of US garage and Jersey house or as a remixer of underground gone pop records. But we will leave that and other stories for the Front page soon. The 'Traveller EP' is the result of Dlugosch and Cassara meeting at a mutual friend of theirs, getting excited about their shared love for classic synths (see Sh-101 for the Traveller bass line) and exploiting the latter's extensive synth collection. What you get: classic disco, French house, electro-funk, DJ sound effects (that tractor plowed the Front EVERY night) and most of all fun, fun and a little bit of extra fun. Chin-stroking impossible....

(2x 180 gr LP in a gatefold sleeve with download card) The debut album of Talamanca System, aka Gerd Janson + Mark Barrott + Philipp Lauer. Their past is your future!

On the white island, between Ibiza Town and the infamous fish shack high up on a rock next to a bird sanctuary, you will find the beach of Talamanca. Plagued by too much seaweed, anchored middle-class yachts and joggers, it is also surprisingly the spiritual home of a correspondent post-Balearic group. As luck would have it, a remix request by Mark Barrott bedded the International Feel boss in a trio with Philipp Lauer and Gerd Janson, alias Tuff City Kids. A highly sought-after 12-inch later ("Balanzat"), as well as fantasies of getting together to work on more material, led to a fruitful and effortless studio session on the non-Balearic outskirts of Frankfurt am Main.

The outcome of that meeting forms the homonymous debut album of Talamanca System. A documented vision, or a sunburned imagination of a day and night spent on said island, during a moment in time that probably never was or will be. Still summed up best by dungarees, long hair, yellow sunglasses, espadrilles or that famous picture of people grouped around roofless Amnesia's pyramid well, it is the food of the Balearic gods. But, dear nostalgia, stop right here! Even though Talamanca's debut flies the Balearic flag, it is not about turning back the clock, but rather about a past that could be the future. Dusted, danceable, driving, dreamy and dapper at the same time, this is an album for the club, the car, the beach, the (coke)float and the fountain.

Coined by the colourful and respective talents of the three individuals behind Talamanca, you will hear nine tracks ranging from up to downtempo, piano house smashers that would have deserved the prefix Italo-, percussion rituals captured by a group of Zoo animals on the loose, soundtracks for dusk and dawn, hushed vocals, rites of ambient passages, powerful synth ballads and vamp choirs. If this album were a car, it would be a Citroen 2CV remade by Tesla.

We've said it before and we'll say it again: their past is your future!

Aficionado enjoyed a storming start to 2017, serving up a pair of sell out EPs from either end of the Balearic shoreline - now they're back with one more for Good Measure.
Teaming up with the Mancunian fashion house for a second season, this sonic selection pack is softer than velvet, smoother than silk and more durable than Moonboots' P.E. kit.
Pour yourself a spritz, slip into something stylish and bask in the brilliance of 'Good MeasurePt.2' Bird song blends into synth swell as 'Ottimismo' shakes our hand, pulling back a deckchair and inviting us to relax and recline with its simmering percussion, swaying bassline and delicate fretwork.
London's Simon Peter is the man behind the music, following a gorgeous 12" on Claremont 56 with another sun kissed soother perfect for a coastal drive, morning swim or lazy siesta.
We take a small step towards the fiesta on the A2, rolling our shoulders and nodding our heads to the infectious rhythms of Simon Cotter's 'Pianta Road'.Though the claves, woodblocks and guiro may dart like dragonflies over a midsummer drum pattern, the Australian conjures a calming breeze via Casiotone keys, spheric bass and sublime strings.
If that weren't enough to make your ice cube melt, the exquisite cascade of well-tinkled ivories could bring a tear to a glass eye and a smile to a cliff-face.The sultry sounds continue on the B1 as France's Murena charters a yacht from Saint Tropez to Es Canar, cutting through the dazzling azure with 'Un Prueba De Amor'. DX7 chimes and digital pan pipes glisten in the spray while a lilting groove rises from the deep, picking up snatches of distant conversations and the rise of tidal sine waves as it goes.
Drifting, dreamy and more debonair than Boardman's cravat, this is as Balearic as it gets. From here we go sublime, waltzing beyond the sunset to the baroque soul of B&B's 'Read Me'.
Waves crash and strings screech, a roaring storm kept at bay by warm double bass, pizzicato melody and spirit lifting poetry. Hints of hip hop and dub colour the immersive groove, while those neo-classical flourishes favour the cinematic diversions of PCO or Monsieur Tellier. Officially Aficionado.

One of the core members of the Apollonia family is the mastermind behind the label's latest release. Shonky steps up with his first solo EP since 'Plombiére' which dropped in July 2016. Full of funky flavours and that distinct 'Shonky style', the new EP consists of four brand new tracks produced exclusively for Apollonia. Each track emanates its own unique vibe, while reppin' Shonk's irresistible groove. On side A we have 'Tyrolien', a jaunty number with bright tones and a tight, rolling groove. Shonky injects it with a series of unusual FX and what sounds like an wizened old creature, speaking about 'the foulest stench in the air'. It's a superb combination and sets the EP off to a great start.Next up is 'Beat Street' which has a heavier set of beats, which stomp down as a marauding b-line gets to work. Tiny fizzes and cheeps in the background add depth, sounding like robotic birds at play in the wild. The track is minimal in its make up, but deep and engrossing, classic Shonky material.Flip the vinyl over and we have 'Torro Rosso', a bold, stomping workout with fresh percussion and a jovial analogue riff. As the bubbly low end percolates way down below, the beats pump the track along and an extra layer of analogue funk enters the fray midway through. The final track is titled 'Serpent a` Sonnette' and swithes the vibe. It's loose, meandering and twisted, with a hypnotic bassline and super sharp percussion. This one is going to get the dance floor locked into a groove, as it progresses a sweet, chirpy melody brightens the mood. Feel the glow!Once again Shonky demonstrates his ability to produce groovy dance floor cuts that have their own unique fingerprint; danceable, unusual and utterly captivating. Grab the new EP now!

The Toy Tonics crew is known for being addicted to two things: vintage music machines and old vinyl. 100% music aficionados. On the Tonic Edit series the crew shares some of their favorite old tracks - in a reworked version. This time COEO get back in time. They destroyed a couple of 1970ies disco jams. Recut & repasted them. And gave them their special COEO touch. Of course it's irresistible! This release comes on vinyl only first. Later maybe could be out on selected Digital sellers.. not sure yet.

Some try it with mouth-to-mouth insufflation and cardiac massage. Others with
psychopharmaceuticals or group therapy. Still others with divorce. By going cold turkey. With a new profile pic and a matching hairstyle. Seen it all at Robert Johnson, already endorsed everything - at least as long as it helps: as a lifesaving measure.
But since the year dot, the Offenbach-based club with its affiliated label recommends to all which are undecided or have doubts particularly one thing: Music. And dance.
Every two years, when life newly blossoms during spring, Live At Robert Johnson opens its windows widely, lets new music out and fresh air into the house. The beguiling scent of nature and aviation fuel blends with the scent of sweat and dry ice fog - and causes sundry healing confusion. As soon as the first tone of the Lifesaver Compilation 3 is heard, the swelling grunt of Vincent Feit's 'X04', the scenery of the dancefloor right at the Main river appears before one's eyes.
On Saint Monday Iconoclasts rebel against the age of self-optimization. A crack goes through the parquet of the dance floor (or the dancing party itself). The post-unambiguities era is beginning. The images become blurred. Bass case. Alternative facts. Resonance hole. No reception. And then it's only the queue answering the club emergency hotline. Finally there is a buzz on the line. 'Just drop the images!', it says.

'It's all not that tragic.' This helps.
The Lifesaver 3 Compilation, the yet most comprehensive package of the lifesaver history, sounds like electro, sharp-edged like the vault in a Hague bunker (Lauer), provides data pop with piano crescendo (Fort Romeau), brings the style characteristics of German Schlager music to the breakdance mat (Rolande Garros), lets the bulky lily-of-the-valley bells clang and sends the reverb tails away with the wind (Benedikt Frey). There are several new names to discover: Felix Strahd, Benjamin Milz, Vincent Feit; and of course there a many old acquaintances: Massimiliano Pagliara, Orson Wells, TCB, Chinaski. Roman Flügel brings us 'Good News', however: 'From Another Planet.' And Fort Romeau feels 'Lost, Again', but in such somnambulistically beautiful manner that you want to get lost with him instantly and jointly find the great joy.
Again and again there are mysterious chants. It's not required to decipher the specific words in order to get the message: Salvation is near. Salvation is here:









[)] e1 | Roman Fügel - Chang

Berlin's own Marco Haas aka T.RAUMSCHMIERE made an irreparable impression globally in the 00's as a sawtoothed, ANTI-rave radical thanks to his immense stage antics and larger-than-life releases on Novamute. Since then, Haas has established himself as a contemporary with emotive, dark ambient tales on his own imprints Shitkatapult/Albumlabel.
KOMPAKT's love affair with Haas goes back to our earliest days. Some of his first tracks were released on KOMPAKT in the form of two raw EP's entitled "Bolzplatz" (KOM021 - 2000) and "Musick" (KOM037 2001). These two formative releases elevated the "Schaffel" sound to raw and shameless places we never could have imagined. The results set a tidal wave in motion that to this day remains one of KOMPAKT's most infamous legacies.
In an off-chance reunion with Haas in his studio, we learnt about what he'd been doing since the "Monstertruckdriver" days. It turned out he's been ever so busy outside of the mainstream working with the likes of Dieter Meier of Yello, Caspar Brötzmann, Andreas Dorau, Fraktus, Ofrin or Barbara Morgenstern and his recent work with Ulli Bomans aka Schieres under the SHRUBBN!! monicker.

On the way out, he passed over his 2015 self-titled album - which proceeded to blow our minds. It was mutually decided that it's time for him to return home.
May 19, 2017, will see KOMPAKT releasing T.RAUMSCHMIERE's new, epic solo full-length HEIMAT. It presents another side of his work which was always there, but never got that much airtime: the artist, the author, the composer with the crystal-clear sound. HEIMAT is a stunning techno album that neither excludes Ambient, nor gets reduced to constant ass kicking. It's perhaps the best recording so far from this man who asks so deeply, so extensively, so much. And at some point even answers.

Having previously released on Z.I.P.P.O's Fides imprint, 3KZ now bring their powerful four tracker 'Not From Here' on Balans Records. 3KZ are Z.I.P.P.O and Kalean

The Dutch label Balans Records returns with it's twenty-first instalment to the series that have previously seen releases by Mike Parker, Drafted & ROD among others. This time Darko Esser's imprint presents a collaboration between Z.I.P.P.O and Kalean, under their 3KZ moniker. Having previously released on Z.I.P.P.O's Fides imprint, 3KZ now bring their powerful four tracker 'Not From Here' on Balans Records.

'Not From Here' opens the EP with its flowing grooves & eerie pads to create a beautiful techno track followed by 'Nature Of Motion' that offers an astral like immersion to the listener with its haunting melodic rhythms. On the flipside 'Circles' & 'Times' switch up the vibe in a more intense & playful mood, resulting in a finely balanced EP of atmospheric driving techno.

early supposrt
Luke Slater
'Great, thanks.'

James Ruskin
'Nature Of Motion for me, thanks!!'

Marcel Dettmann
'Thanks.'

Kristian / Ame
'Thanks.'

Rolando
'Wow killer stuff here, all tracks are dope!! Nature of Motion is my fav, great work!'

Dj Pete
'Great Italian Detroit techno.

Etapp Kyle

'Thanks.'



Sigha

'Lovely vibes, full of soul.'



Nuno dos Santos

'Beautiful release!! Love all tracks and thats pretty rare.'



Jeroen Search

'Go 3KZ go! A2 & B2 for me, very cool stuff!'



Ontal

'Thank you!'



Orde Meikle / Slam

'Thanks.'



Eric Cloutier

'Another beast of an EP from 3KZ & its always good to get a Balans promo.'



Kr!z

'Nice one, full support.'



Monika Kruse

'Great floating techno, love it!'



Arnaud Le Texier

'Not From Here & Circles for me, thanks.'



Jeff Rushin

'Cool release.'



Jeff Derringer

'I like it, good stuff!'



Mr. Jones

'Nice vibe on this EP. Like the energy and drive in Times.'



Leghau

'Great release. I really like A1, thank you.'



Robert Lamart

'Nice tracks, thanks!'



Angel Molina

'A side for me here. Great, timeless Mills-esque techno stuff, thanks.'



Mareena / Tresor

'Another winner by 3KZ, thanks guys. Holy shit, that ambient tune!!'



Phone

'Total support.'



Limo

'Love these guys, thanks.'



Joseph Capriati

'Downloading for Joseph Capriati, thanks!



Richie Hawtin

'Downloaded for Richie Hawtin.'

Tropical Odds is the second album by White Sea, the solo alias adopted by gifted American singer, songwriter and producer Morgan Kibby of M83
Born in Alaska, and now a resident of Los Angeles, Morgan fronted The Romanovs before joining acclaimed electronic music group M83 in 2007, co-writing, arranging and playing keyboards on the albums Saturdays = Youth and Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, as well as completing several world tours.
As White Sea, her first solo album In Cold Blood arrived in 2014, a dramatic debut praised by Billboard for its 'canyon-sized hooks, knowingly grandiose melodies and succulent vocals' and judged 'pop's newest break-up classic' by Flavourwire.  
Outside of M83 Morgan has also collaborated with artists such as Greg Kurstin, Panic! at the Disco, Mark Ronson and School of Seven Bells, remixed Ellie Goulding and Britney Spears, and composed the award winning soundtrack to Eva Husson's provocative 2016 movie Bang Gang (une histoire d'amour moderne).
New album Tropical Odds stems from an interactive project launched via White Sea's website featuring digital singles and videos released at regular intervals throughout 2015 and 2016. Explains Morgan: 'Generally being able to create and mix and master my solo material within days has given me the direct freedom to share songs I want people to hear. In short, if I write something that I like, I put it out!'
Now gathered together in album form, the musical moods on Tropical Odds range from the sombre reflections of Gangster No. 1 and Yesterday to the hedonistic rush of Stay Young, Get Stoned and Never a Woman, high drama on Bloodline and Arcadia, and heartbreaking balladry on Secret, One Bad Eye and Lessons.

ll Camille, LA hip hop's female perspective.

Ill Camille has been a vital member of the LA music scene for some years. Kendrick Lamar used her vocals prominently for the 'good kid, m.A.A.d city' track 'Sing about me', she has been working with other TDE artists occasionally and spend a lot of time writing for different projects Terrance Martin was involved with.

At the same time Camille was developing her own material with her fellow peers such as MNDSGN, Iman Omari, DJ Battlecat, Like (Pac Div) Georgia Anne Muldrow & SIR who are all featured on her album 'Heirloom' just like TDE co-president Punch. 'Heirloom' productions range from smooth, g-funk esque west coast beats to live & organic soulful beats, working as the perfect backdrop for Camille's powerful, intelligent and thought thru lyrics

The album is deeply personal revolving around the issues that mater in her life from friends and family, her role as a woman and the heirloom of her and her surrounding: 'I feel like everyone are heirlooms of our mothers and fathers. An heirloom is just something that's passed down through a family. We get heirlooms in the form of game, encouragement or wise words. I know everyone has an aunt or uncle that's given them some bars about life in general. I have a village around me that have given me heirlooms in the form of conversations'.

"SUCIO is a series of weekly parties, which take place at the Goethe University of Frankfurt/ Main since 2010. The idea to start a record label under the same name is as old as the event itself. SUCIO is also a platform for local DJs, artists and music lovers. With this record we want to offer these people a medium.

A1 - Phonk D opens the release with a great hybrid of Disco Edit & Housebanger. The raw and funky loop heads up to the peak which exposes the sample source more and more.
A2 - After a joint gig at the SUCIO Homebase ‚Café KOZ', Jacob Stoy & Le Rubrique recorded their experiences in a session. The result is a classic Deephouse track that reflects the evening with all its facets and emotions.
B1 - The young live artist Dan Bay is adding an experimental piece that connects House with Bass Music. The low frequencies and the dreamy melody drive the listener into absolute trance and melancholy.
B2 - This dark Downtempo Edit reminds you of early 1990s smoky folk evenings in New York. Raw & dirty, he rolls down everything that gets in his way."

It is easy to hate, judge, complain and to look at others and say I could do that, but you have to rise above that and get out there and do it. The third release on Xerophkz Records come from label boss Conan O'Donnell. Uncompromising techno, electro, and ambient interludes. The journey continues.

Hell Yeah is proud to present a new EP from an artist that has been on their radar for a while. That artist is Napoli's Quiroga aka Walter Del Vecchio, the Italian DJ and producer who also runs his own Really Swing label and has been given props by the in the know Test Pressing blog, as well as having all his tunes dropped by
Balearic Gabba Sound System at every opportunity.

One of the finest talents to come from Italy in recent times, Quiroga cooks up hypnotic and trance including sounds from a myriad of diverse influences from opiate jazz to shuffling funk beats, from shifty landscapes to library music.

First up is Viaggio a Tulum, a perfectly loose and jumbled mix of sunny vibes, feel good chords and clipped vocals full of soul. The sort of thing that has you day dreaming of lazy afternoons and drunken BBQs, it's perfect example of Quiroga's efforts style.
Non Dire Notte—featuring Acido and ReallySwing act 291Out members Luca "Presence" Carini on electric bass and Vincenzo "Warren" Ciorra on electric guitar—is even more lazy and elongated, horizontal and blissed out. Twanging guitars off set pixelated synths, squelchy chords and Afro signifiers bring the heat and overall you cannot fail to get lost in the groove.

Prati Bagnati is a serene ambient interlude that feels like laying on your back and looking into a deep blue sky and second ambient cut Bava is more textured and intense, with shifting drones and muffled voices bringing a sense of filmic unease to the table. Overall, this is a perfect window into Quiroga's most intoxicating musical world.

Support by Alexis Le Tan, Aficionado Djs, Coyote, Ibiza Sonica, Reza Athar, Gonno, Noema, Fabrizio Mammarella, Riccio, Bill Brewster, Private Agenda, Soft rocks, Tim Love Lee...

The Band > SCARLETT'S FALL is a duo formed in 2014 by Ruth Childs (British-American performance artist and singer based in Geneva) and Stephane Vecchione (Swiss performance artist and musician based in Lausanne). They define themselves as dirty-girlie-kitchen-pop mixing catchy melodies and repetitive looping with fragile vocals and provocative texts. Out of their playfully ironic and poetic universe you can ear shades of CAN, Broadcast and Young Marble Giants. SCARLETT'S FALL toured their first album all over Switzerland and supported Tricky, Peaches and Anika.SCARLETT'S SCARED' is SCARLETT'S FALL ironically seductive second album. It all started with an (blue) demonstration vinyl entitled 'The Incredible Sounds of the Synclavier II' released by New England Digital Corp in 1981 to promote the first digital sampling system. Its content gave the basic atmosphere for the whole album: each of the 10 tracks samples a specific Synclavier sound. Add haunting melodies, mysterious vocals and fun beats and you get 'SCARLETT'S SCARED' complete. As the title suggests 'SCARLETT'S SCARED' is about being scared and takes its roots from vintage movies such as Klute (1971) and Metti Una Sera a Cena (1969) that deals with phone stalkers, insomnia, sexual tension, vampires, ghosts and explosive watermelon attack!

2LP in gatefold with liner notes. 180gr vinyl. Download code included. A new, twenty-track compilation focussing on a twenty-year period (1950-1970) of modern jazz in the little kingdom, featuring the leading players from that era.

Due to the absence of its main players during the heydays of modern jazz, Belgium will not be remembered for a unique jazz sound or an extensive discography. However, the little country produced a number of highly talented musicians who played lead roles on the international jazz scene.
'Let's Get Swinging: Modern Jazz in Belgium 1950-1970' retraces their steps and presents some of their finest works, including guitarist Philip Catherine, saxophonist Jack Sels, multi-instrumentalist Jacques Pelzer and vibraphone player, percussionist and vocalist 'Fats' Sadi Lallemand.^

The 9th piece to the ever growing Vinyl puzzle comes from Encrypted Audio's own Trisicloplox (Killian) residing in the US heartland for Bass music Denver/Colorado.Not the only Denver'ite on the EA rosta you will be hearing from I assure you. Killian's love for distortion and forward thinking wave forms takes the listener into an emotive bass and kick driven frenzy across all his tracks. Cafe Blank in a monster with a driving kick pattern and distorted topline to carry off any rave.Estranged leaves you in a field a bass frequencies hard to match. iaido is seeing alot of support from the likes of GothTrad and recently even the likes of The Bug have found their ears gravitated towards Trisco. As a total exclusive and only with buying the release via Encrypted Audio Bandcamp when it drops you will be able to get 'Ache'.
Ache is my personal all time favourite Trisco tune that haunting screech and female top line are sure to get you.

Al Massrieen: Disco, Funk and modernized Arabic Pop from Egypt

In the beginning of Habibi Funk, our search was focussed on vinyl records. Around a year ago though, we got to the point where we realized that it became substantially harder to discover music, that we enjoyed and hadn't heard before. It became apparent that it was time to start looking for other formats. Cassette tapes were the obvious alternative. These were introduced in the arabic world around the late 1970s. In some countries they took over a bit earlier, in others a bit later, but eventually they pushed the vinyl format out of the market in the 1980s. In Egypt this trend already even started in the late 1970s.

Al Massrieen was one of the first bands I learned about once I discovered the tape format for myself. They were really popular in Egypt in the 1970s and the more of their music I found on either tapes or Arabic pirate mp3 sites, the more I was becoming a fan. Only very few bands from the region can match the band's versatility as well as their strive for innovation. Hany Shenoda is the man behind the Al Massrieen band. He is a reknown figure of the Egyptian music scene and has worked with everyone from Abdel Halim Hafez to Mohamed Mounir. Al Massrieen was his attempt to introduce his ideas of modernizing Egyptian music, heavily encouraged by Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt's only winner of the Nobel Price for literature) after discussing his ideas with him.
Al Massrieen's sound goes from lush disco like 'Sah' to psych rock like 'Horreya' or incredible jazz fused pop on songs such as 'Edba Mn Gded'. I was shocked to realize the band seemed to be hardly known outside Egypt, even though I feel they're at least on the same level as Ahmed Fakroun. An relative obscurity which I largely attribute to the fact that their releases never have been pressed on vinyl (apart from a Greece best of LP which wasn't a strong compilation of the group's songs). One way or another it felt like this band and especially their composer, band leader and overall brain Hany Shenoda was in need to get some recognition outside of Egypt. The release is fully licensed from the band and comes with an extensive booklet with liner notes, interviews and unseen photos.