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Compiled by Sean Marquand and Greg Caz, 2 DJs well-known for their epic parties at Williamsburg’s legendary Black Betty club, that sadly closed in 2009. The duo played a deep variety of strictly vintage samba, samba-rock, Tropicalia, and Brazilian funk under the banner of ‘Brazilian Beats Brooklyn’.

Sean is known as half of Embassy Sound Productions. He took his team to Brazil to help resurrect Black Rio legends Uniao Black for a new release. Greg has DJ'd at some of the hottest Brazilian parties around the globe and presents a monthly radio show ‘Warm Wave’ on Soho Radio NYC.

Featuring Noriel Vilela’s singular “16 Toneladas,” a sublime cover of the Tennessee Ernie Ford smash “16 Tons” with a spare samba groove and unbelievable baritone vocals and hot jams from Tim Maia, Erasmo Carlos, Joao Bosco, Toni Tornado.

Included in this compilation of original 60's and 70's Brazilian gems are some of Greg and Sean's favourite tracks that have been filling dancefloors for years.

(Emmanuel Top, Tom Hades, Kony Donales + original remastered) Zolex heads up our next Bonzai Classics vinyl release with his 1993 cut, Time Modulator. New remixes come from Emmanuel Top, Tome Hades and Kony Donales who add their own unique twists to a techno classic.

Zolex heads up our next Bonzai Classics vinyl release with his 1993 cut, Time Modulator. New remixes come from Emmanuel Top, Tome Hades and Kony Donales who add their own unique twists to a techno classic. Back in the mid-nineties, Frank Struyf was churning out top club hits on Dance Opera, Circus, Frank’s own Zolex Records and our very own XTC and Bonzai Records imprints. Despite his busy DJ schedule Frank still found the time to produce his own sounds. Many years of producing quality records followed and he is still twiddling the knobs and spinning sets to this day.

The Original Mix graces the A1 slot, with its dark drums and rolling techno vibe hitting the spot. Moody and twisty, the groove becomes infectious and hypnotic thanks to a combination of blippy, bleepy sounds and relentless strings. The energy levels rise after the break, causing chaotic scenes on the floor, an absolute stomper. French DJ and producer Emmanuel Top takes up the A2 slot, delivering a fine remix with his instantly recognisable signature sound. Responsible for so many acid laden moments throughout his career, Emmanuel Top remains an inspiration to many. On the remix here, the tension mounts as 303 lines fade up alongside a hybrid drum construction and hypnotic FX. The acid effect takes hold, dominating the groove, the perfect set builder to whip up the crowd. Over on the flip, Belgian artist Tom Hades offers up his interpretation, turning the original into a slamming slice of techno for the modern dancefloor. Undoubtedly, Tom is responsible for some of the best techno joints released in recent years. Here, he employs his skills to great effect, using banging beats and minimalistic sounds that drive a solid, dark room techno vibe. This one is a must have, no doubt. To complete the vinyl, we have French artist Kony Donales on remix duties. Kony is the owner of Cayden Records which has churned out top techno tracks since 2011. He is known for his minimal style and he definitely knows how to work a track. The remix here brings the essence of Time Modulator into the 21st century with a strong contemporary groove. Nice pounding kicks and crispy percussions set the rhythm loose as metallic hits join raucous percussions and FX. Top-notch stuff once again.

Busy is Good is an assemblage of rare-groove and jazz-funk cuts pulled from 45s of the 70s and 80s. A project that celebrates pure creative expression, these under-appreciated tracks reflect the individual efforts of artists both of their time and ahead of it; local legends who challenged convention and produced work steeped in ambition.

From the seductively smooth “Twilight,” by New York’s own Febop, to the blistering key breaks and infectious funk of Bob Payne’s “Side By Side”, this anthology highlights the fusions and crossovers that occurred in jazz, rock, funk and soul at the time. Buddy Emmer’s jazz-kissed breezer “That Summer Nite” and Forest’s synth-pumped AOR cut “Crazy Days” further traverse the many styles that bloomed in the 70s and 80s.

Boogie Butt Records presents its new release: we are happy to find on this one our friend Will The Funkboss that we had presented on our previous compilation Boogie Slice Vol. 1. He comes back with an incredible dancefloor banger with two slices of Electro Funk coming in 7inch limited vinyl.
Willie The Funkboss is one of the French Rap producers we respect. From his beginning as a DJ in 1991 to his sparks in production at the end of the 90's, everything he touched was good.
He began his career as the resident DJ of the only French club dedicated to Soul and Hip-Hop and started to produce remixes and hip-hop instrumentals before leaving for NYC to perfect his productions and DJ's, before returning to Lyon.
Upon his return, he puts his discoveries to good use by founding Le Gang Du Lyonnais with his friend Raf, a group that specialized in producing French rappers and singers, collaborating with the best of French urban artists. In 2003, they went gold with the single of 113 (Mafia K'1 Fry) "Au Summum".
Today, Will The Funkboss produces Hip-Hop, Soul, Nu-Disco and House on quality labels (Plaizir Musik, Smokin Beats, …), still in the groove!
Just pop it!

"Prime Sequences" is the latest album by dj and electronic music producer GummiHz, real name Alexander Tsotsos. Alex has an ear for what he describes as elastic frequencies, thus gummi-hertz! In other words, low bass lines, airy synth phrases and shuffle rhythms, playfully arranged within loose forms. A philosophy that comes across throughout this long player. Elements fall in and out of order, time swings back and forth, all together in perfect harmony! Pushing the boundaries of what has become his signature sound, a fusion of house and techno all the way from Berlin to Detroit! This package features underground music coming straight from the heart, or the Hertz more appropriately! The story unfolds within no less than nine tracks showcasing Alex's versatility in making waves!

The opening track titled "Berlinopolis" is a sonic portrait of the city of Berlin, where Alex lives since more than a decade. A smooth soundscape produced by combining abstract melodies with field recordings of the city's ambience. "'Second Wave" follows airy jazz chords and drum parts to launch the listener into trajectory. It feels like the sort of track that would probably make it into Herbie Hancock's deep house collection! The title track "Prime sequence" is a Detroit brewed piece with some Berlin minimalism rawness in the rhythm section! Combining a mixture of drama, suspense and shaking drums to dominate the dance floor. Next up comes "Submerge", a tight and hypnotic affair carrying the right amount of subtle release. It locks in right from the start and doesn't let go! "Prime Dub" dives deeper into the frequency spectrum. Rhythm and sound stimulate the brain waves as a heavy chord phrase cycles to infinity. "Proto Sequence" follows a simple still infectious groove laced with various modulations. This track has party written all over it! Inspired by proto-house motifs pioneered by artists like Chi-town's Ron Hardy. "Metafunk" reaches out to Berlin's club culture at its core. That is, the youth and street culture! The phrase on repeat signifies the urge to reclaim the streets, while endlessly flowing within finely tuned electronics. "Mindloop" is a track written for the after hours looping state of mind. Another minimal house cut with a fair dose of psychedelic sound design. Lastly, "Descension" relaxes the mood through deep pulsating rhythms and playful arpeggios. Pushing towards a meditative state by stimulating mind, body and soul!?

"Prime Sequences" covers a wide range of styles like ambient electronics, peak time house and techno, as well as seriously effed up after hour minimalism! Made for both djs and music lovers, this is the second long player by GummiHz to come out on vinyl after his debut album "Sleepless Nights" back in 2009! While it succeeds his latest EP, "Groove is in the Hertz". What makes it even more special is that it comes out on brainchild Claap, giving the artist total freedom of expression.

Reissue from Blahh !! as demand grows for this 4 track garage house flavoured ep. Swing in overdrive, from the deeper shuffle of "Closer" to the heavy bump of "I Don't Want U". "Freak Me Out" is a wonderfully frantic workout with all manner of samples and skittish key flex pinging around an uptempo groove, before "Talkin' About" pushes the swing even harder to conjure up a jazzy feeling smattered with sax licks and squelching synth stabs.

Following the sublime smash debut "X17", LA-based label Elbow Grease head conductor Dave Aju continues on his righteous piece-by-piece journey toward a multi-genre multiverse, where deep musical roots come together in kaleidoscopic expression, and unfakeable funk reigns supreme.

"Spacio Tempo" picks up where we last left off, though with a notable drop in bpm as the title implies, with a rolling 4/4 textural tapestry that combines pulsating layers of soulful synth work, effervescent live percussion, and heavenly strings into a dense yet open-as-the-night-sky extended gem yet again. Just as the machine patterns of near-equator rhythms bubble over and begin to lock into a hypnotic groove, a bold left turn into a dank latin jazz noir vibraphone solo and SH-101 duet tango ensues, before landing us safely back at home base - right on time, at its own spacial pace.

As per the Elbow Grease release recipe so far, the B1 cut offers DJs a more driving flex, this time in the form of the "Acido Tempo Mix": a raw 303-driven take on the original which will undoubtedly stomp its way fiercely thru many bass bins in sweaty basements and warehouses worldwide. Finally the B2 blessing "Domingo Dub" closes things out, removing all but the highest vibes as an ambient drifting and uplifting take on the main theme, where the faintest of vocal tones, space echoes, and light percussive touches leave us elated in a West Coast, with subtle splashes from the D, sunset dream. Another solid single turned three-tracker sure-shot from EG.

Little Bihlman ist ein mit dem Emmy Award ausgezeichneter Singer-Songwriter, der schon mit legendären Künstlern wie John Fogerty, Trey Anastasio (Phish), Dug Pinnick (King's X) und dem legendären Blueser Son Seals gearbeitet hat und mit seinem Solo Album einen zeitgemäßen und doch sofortigen 10-Song-Klassiker abliefert.

Little Bihlman ist ein mit dem Emmy Award ausgezeichneter Singer-Songwriter, der mit "The Legend Of Hipster Billings" ein Americana beeinflusstes Rockalbum vorlegt.
Die originellen Songs und Geschichten sind geschnitzt aus den Kämpfen und Triumphen des Lebens, inspiriert von Motorrädern, Sonnenschein, Kaffee, Staub, Whiskey, Regen, Tattoos, Narben, Benzin und Herzschmerz. "The Legend of Hipster Billings" lädt ein zu einer musikalischen Reise durch das Herzland Amerikas ein. Von Chicago, nach Nashville über den großen Mississippi in die Badlands von Dakota, hinauf in die majestätischen Berge von Utah und hinunter in die Lichter der Großstadt Las Vegas.
"The Legend of Hipster Billings" wurde aufgenommen und produziert von Miles Fulwider (Wynton Marsalis, Willie Nelson, Norah Jones und Chick Corea) ud Andrew Glasmacher. Little selbst blickt auf seine eigene persönlichen Reise sowie auf die Zusammenarbeit mit so herrausragdenden Künstlern wie John Fogerty, Trey Anastasio (Phish), Dug Pinnick (King's X) und dem legendären Bluesman Son Seals.
Little gibt dem Americana-Rock eine neue, zeitgemäße Note, indem er tiefgründige Texte, dreckige Gitarrenriffs, Gospel-Harmonien und mitreißende Grooves zum Einsatz bringt, welche diesem Album eine besondere Kraft verleiht.
Bihlman's Songs verkörpern eine authentische Annäherung an die Essenz von Herz und Seele, welche uns alle zusammenhält.
Während seiner bisherigen Karriere war Little mit mehr als 50 Songs in TV/Filmen weltweit. Dabei so große Sender wie FOX, ABC, CBS und Netflix. Darunter die preisgekrönten Serien "Sons of Anarchy", "Days of Our Lives" und kürzlich "Big Sky".
Little Bihlman hat sich einen Weg über den amerikanischen Rock-Highway gebahnt und sich als vielseitiger Musiker und Singer-Songwriter etabliert. Als Tournee-Veteran hat Little mit vielen der großen Rock- und Blues-Legenden an weltberühmten Orten gespielt, darunter das Weiße Haus mit dem legendären Bluesman Son Seals. Im Laufe der Jahre hat Little mit Grammy-prämierten Produzenten wie Jim Gaines (Journey, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Huey Lewis ), Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, The Cars) und Bruce Robb (Cherokee Studios) gearbeitet, um nur einige zu nennen.
Die Songs auf diesem Album tragen Geschichten in sich, welche sich beim Hören auf mysteriöse und wunderbare Art entfalten.

Midnight Runners comes to Razor-N-Tape with a 12" of Southern Hemisphere disco gold!

Harry Septiandry has been gaining traction with standout releases on Darker Than Wax and Star Creature under his Munir alias, and for his RNT debut he serves up four extra special reworks of obscure disco from his native Indonesia.

The source material would stump even the most savvy of ears, but Harry finds the universal in these rare gems, augmenting the grooves and preserving just the right bit of camp for super sunny spin!

Tropical Horses has been a figure of the Parisian underground for a little decade. After almost mistakenly seducing young talent runners who had only understood his music at its brightest, the boy released the very dark "Mirador" on Anywave in 2016, a hybrid between malevolent pop, walls of sound and assumed madness.

Since then, this great loner has never stopped rising to the hard, alone with his loopers, in intense and rough concerts while finely mixing extra-western grooves and melodies to his art. From these 5 years of maturation and opening results Fever, haunted, joyful and overpowering record.

Stefan Schwanders Repeat Orchestra presents “Infamous Lost Tracks”, an album appearing out of the blue, coming from spheres where time, space and Zeitgeist are nothing more than words.
With the Repeat Orchestra Schwander (who of course also is Harmonious Thelonious, A Rocket In Dub, Antonelli and a lot more) found a unique way of channeling deep House Music, a minimalistic setup and an idea of creating enjoyable music into amazing tracks that sound so effortless and natural. From first track "Call And Response" on it’s obvious that the main thing that this album is about is the groove, sometimes euphoric, sometimes quite unobtrusive but always irresistible, build from massive basslines, complex rhythms and the masterfully performed interplay of repetition and modulation. Warm harmonies, multilayered (at times quite unusual ("Nightdubbing")) melodies and subtle arrangements complete these Infamous Lost Tracks and their very own formular between Düsseldorf, Chicago and Lagos. There’s nothing harsh in this music, no aggression, still it’s far from being tame or tranquil: The pumping energy of "A Means To An End" or the sublime liquid shuffle of "Less Sensational" show the swing and kick inside these works that are made for delight but not to please.

And “Monks In A Club” is the most brilliant example of dancefloor understatement that you’ll ever hear in your life. Reduction, elegance and the right kind of mania concentrated into some minutes of pure club heaven. Handclaps, nonchalance & madness. An essential singularity and the swan song to the Repeat Orchestra, there will be no more of it. Get It And Smile.

Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents: the official reissue of this fantastic album, back available on vinyl for the first time since 1987. Available as a deluxe 180g 2XLP set, with TWO bonus tracks from the same session that were not featured on the original vinyl release. Pharoah `Farrell' Sanders (born 1940) is a leading figure in the world of jazz and one of the last living legends with connections to players like Sun Ra and John Coltrane. His tenor saxophone playing has earned him royal status amongst free jazz players, critics and collectors. On "Africa" from 1987 Sanders plays with an all-star line-up consisting of Idris Muhammad, John Hicks and Curtis Lundy. Muhammad brings his trademark tight sense of timekeeping, but with a looseness that we love - and Lundy's warm soulful bass does more than enough to give the set a sound bottom- all this while Hick's free lyrical piano works nicely with Sander's spiritual horn. The brilliant `Africa sessions' features the quartet at their best...soulful but also searching for a strong groove at the same time. The music here is less ornamented than on most of Sanders' studio recordings, where sextets, septets or larger lineups have been the norm, but this brilliant effort here remains every bit as compelling. Pharoah and his crew play with the utmost sensitivity and give a demonstration that shows us the full extent of their skills.

This is the second release of music from effgee on his own imprint fellice. With support for the first release from the likes of Move D, this next release brings you three house grooves for the summer, featuring some tracks from effgee’s archive which will finally see the light of day.

Also known as The Three Pieces and The 3 Pieces, we’ve gone for Three Pieces as this group from Washington, DC originally appeared on the Fantasy label 7” single in 1975. Members are Andre Richardson, Jerry Wilder and Lincoln Ross, both songs here from their one album “Vibes Of Truth” released that same year.

“If Only I Could Prove To You” and “I Need You Girl” are their biggest ‘rare grooves’ across the decades, produced by Donald Byrd at the time he was working with The Blakbyrds at Fantasy.

Bass player Jerry Wilder played with Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers and Will Lester/Rodney Brown productions for Sharon Redd & Bobby Thurston. He is also lead vocalist with Three Pieces. Wade Marcus arranged the strings and is co-producer.

This is a licensed release of the rare and very much in demand SUFFERER by THE KINSGTONIANS.

It was initially released on the Move & Groove label in Jamaica in 1968 followed by Big Shot in the U.K. in 1969.

It was also featured on the eponymous album released in 1970 on Trojan Records TBL 11.

It was reissued once only on 7inch vinyl as part of the Trojan’s Monkey Business 7" Vinyl Box Set.

“SUFFERER” is with "HOLD DOWN" (released by Harlem Shuffle in May 2020) yet another very much in demand Reggay anthem by THE KINGSTONIANS.

This cracking song combines bleak lyrics with a cheerful tune delivered on an uptempo, almost frantic rhythm…


This is a licensed reissue of the very rare 7" vinyl single track. Very much in demand,

it presently trades at about USD300 for a decent copy.

It was originally released on the 1969’s 7inch vinyl single The CRYSTALITES - SPLASH DOWN on New Beat,

a Pama sublabel. This gem has never been repressed on 7” vinyl until now.

SPLASH DOWN is in fact the wicked instrumental version of SUFFERER. This is the first time they are released together on a 7inch vinyl single.

It is the perfect flip for this killer double sider. Super rare and super good.

Driven by Max Cavalera's unrelenting energy, unmistakable growl, and instantly recognizable riffage, the earthy tones and motivational rhythmic bounce of Soulfly maintain a gritty spiritual heart while pushing the boundaries of what's possible in metal. Nowhere is that more apparent than on the four triumphant, redemptive, and crucial eclectic offerings presented in this brand new box set, celebrating the first six years of the band career.

Soulfly (1998) was a riotously heavy escalation of the innovation established on Max's final album with Sepultura, launching a brand-new era. Primitive (2000) and 3 (2002) stomp with tribal groove; Prophecy (2004) is as unsettling but evocative as the tombs of the martyrs across Europe. Max introduced metalheads to the berimbau. His music is brutal yet unapologetically transcendent punk-infused extremity. To commune with the burning muse of metal's shamanistic tribal leader is to envelop oneself inside a post-modern sonic sweat lodge. Brutal riffs, trippy esoteric ritual, unrelenting percussion, primal screams; no matter what Cavalera hammers out on his four-string guitar, it always sets souls free.

For the 25th release in our Phonica White series, we are very excited to have three stunning tracks from Disco wizard Ron Basejam! When he’s not producing and performing with the legendary band Crazy P, Ron Basejam aka James Baron can be found putting out all kinds of dance floor power tools on labels such as Razor N Tape, Futureboogie and his own RBJ edits imprint, as well as delivering amazing remixes.

This release kicks off with ‘The Hurt Inside’, evoking late night Los Angeles highway cruises and the driving power of Knight Rider, it breaks down into a glorious euphoria for the breakdown before hitting Mach 10 again with the raw funk bassline and drums kicking back in. Over on the B-Side, proceedings begin with ‘Don’t Bus My Aux’ which finds Ron Basejam digging into a Deep House-in- fused world, drawing you in with Balearic pads before erupting with thunderous bass, vocal chops and chants that are expertly contrasted against soulful Rhodes-esque keys while the percussion grows into frenzy.

Rounding out the release, ‘Music People’ sets a call to the dance floor as its mantra, sitting some- where craftily between House and Techno with ease. The sung vocals flutter in the background with the marching drums and rumbling low end maintaining a cavernous groove. The track builds into an almost Boards of Canada-style warbling synth breakdown before sinking into the pounding percussion for the climax.

Artwork as always is supplied by the talented Pedro Carvalho de Almeida.

With a tour schedule to make even the most hard working of musicians blush, Madalitso Band have taken their exuberant, Malawian folk music from the streets of Lilongwe to thrilling audiences across Europe and are now are gearing up to release their third album Musakayike via the acclaimed Swiss imprint Bongo Joe Madalisto Band return this summer with a packed tour schedule and a brand new album Musakayike. Recorded in Malawi in November of last year, the duo, along with their "accidental manager" Neil Nayar, headed into the studio with a cleareridea of how to to capture that Madalisto Band sound without losing any of their groove and infectious energy. After all, this is music to make you clap, dance and smile.

In his tenth year with Acid Jazz, the ever-prolific Matt Berry
has crafted a psych masterpiece. Once again proving that
his artistic progression and ambition knows no bounds.
Following the acclaim of last year’s Top 30 album
‘Phantom Birds’ (★★★★ The Times), Acid Jazz release
‘Blue Elephant’, Matt Berry’s sixth studio album with the
ground breaking label.
Recorded during the summer of 2020, ‘Blue Elephant’ is
testament to Matt’s exceptional musicianship, production
skills and songwriting prowess with every instrument
played by Matt - including guitars, bass, a variety of
keyboards and synthesizers (piano, Wurlitzer, mellotron,
Moog, Hammond, Vox and Farfisa organs) - with the
exception of drums (supplied by Craig Blundell), on
arguably his best album to date.
This music soundtracks an album that explores themes
surrounding today’s close scrutiny in all its bewildering,
objectifying and unnerving experiences. Very much a
conceptual and, therefore, continuous long-player, the
album’s infectious grooves come to the fore on standout
tracks ‘Summer Sun’, heavy-psych instrumental ‘Invisible’
and the three-part ‘Blues Inside Me’, which encompasses
a psych journey through a late ‘60s and early glam filter,
mixed with the propulsive ‘Like Stone’.
‘Blue Elephant’ is available on digipack CD, blue vinyl,
black vinyl and audio cassette.

In his tenth year with Acid Jazz, the ever-prolific Matt Berry
has crafted a psych masterpiece. Once again proving that
his artistic progression and ambition knows no bounds.
Following the acclaim of last year’s Top 30 album
‘Phantom Birds’ (★★★★ The Times), Acid Jazz release
‘Blue Elephant’, Matt Berry’s sixth studio album with the
ground breaking label.
Recorded during the summer of 2020, ‘Blue Elephant’ is
testament to Matt’s exceptional musicianship, production
skills and songwriting prowess with every instrument
played by Matt - including guitars, bass, a variety of
keyboards and synthesizers (piano, Wurlitzer, mellotron,
Moog, Hammond, Vox and Farfisa organs) - with the
exception of drums (supplied by Craig Blundell), on
arguably his best album to date.
This music soundtracks an album that explores themes
surrounding today’s close scrutiny in all its bewildering,
objectifying and unnerving experiences. Very much a
conceptual and, therefore, continuous long-player, the
album’s infectious grooves come to the fore on standout
tracks ‘Summer Sun’, heavy-psych instrumental ‘Invisible’
and the three-part ‘Blues Inside Me’, which encompasses
a psych journey through a late ‘60s and early glam filter,
mixed with the propulsive ‘Like Stone’.
‘Blue Elephant’ is available on digipack CD, blue vinyl,
black vinyl and audio cassette.

In his tenth year with Acid Jazz, the ever-prolific Matt Berry
has crafted a psych masterpiece. Once again proving that
his artistic progression and ambition knows no bounds.
Following the acclaim of last year’s Top 30 album
‘Phantom Birds’ (★★★★ The Times), Acid Jazz release
‘Blue Elephant’, Matt Berry’s sixth studio album with the
ground breaking label.
Recorded during the summer of 2020, ‘Blue Elephant’ is
testament to Matt’s exceptional musicianship, production
skills and songwriting prowess with every instrument
played by Matt - including guitars, bass, a variety of
keyboards and synthesizers (piano, Wurlitzer, mellotron,
Moog, Hammond, Vox and Farfisa organs) - with the
exception of drums (supplied by Craig Blundell), on
arguably his best album to date.
This music soundtracks an album that explores themes
surrounding today’s close scrutiny in all its bewildering,
objectifying and unnerving experiences. Very much a
conceptual and, therefore, continuous long-player, the
album’s infectious grooves come to the fore on standout
tracks ‘Summer Sun’, heavy-psych instrumental ‘Invisible’
and the three-part ‘Blues Inside Me’, which encompasses
a psych journey through a late ‘60s and early glam filter,
mixed with the propulsive ‘Like Stone’.
‘Blue Elephant’ is available on digipack CD, blue vinyl,
black vinyl and audio cassette.

"Don’t be afraid, old son, it’s only me,
though not as I’ve appeared before,
on the battlements of your signature,
or margin of a book you can’t throw out"
~ Michael Donaghy

Whytwo is a young, enigmatic artist from Scotland, UK. A talented multi-instrumentalist and performer with an extraordinarily broad range.
First coming to Blu Mar Ten's attention after entering their 2017 remix competition, Whytwo created a wildly different take on their track 'Titans', bending it into a skittering, menacing groove while somehow maintaining a playful edge.

Fast-forward a little and we've now arrived at Whytwo's debut LP, 'Ghost', an exhilarating and elasticated take on Drum & Bass that exists in the hinterland between elation, melancholy and longing.

Mirroring Whytwo's music, the album's title, 'Ghost', is richly layered word, meaning, in different places and at different times; a memory of something or someone; to disappear without communication; to move quietly and quickly; to secretly do work for another; and, of course, a being caught between worlds.
From the old English, 'Gast', meaning 'breath' or 'spirit', the word eventually transformed into 'Ghost' coming to describe "a slight suggestion, mere shadow or semblance". All of these definitions relate, in some way, to the album now before us.

In conversations with Whytwo, he describes how his Jazz musician Grandfather was the person responsible for first giving him music-making software, and whose clarinet features on some of the album tracks. At the same time that 'Ghost' was being created, Whytwo was looking after a young child and some of the drums on 'Ghost' are recordings of the child hitting things. Whytwo describes the feeling of existing between these two extreme states, young & old, naive & experienced, primitive & advanced, and taking the role of a medium 'caught between worlds' whose task was to stitch together this generational fabric.

The result is nothing less than spectacular. Despite having its roots in Drum & Bass, the rules and conventions of the style are ruthlessly disobeyed resulting in glittering cascades of melody, harmony and rhythm that somehow burst with both sadness and joy, hope & loss, memory and anticipation. The music swoops and dips, briefly casting shadows before blasting them away with sunlight, evoking memories both personal and collective. This is 'Lost Soul Music' that manages to speak to all of us.

Despite being deceptively listenable, Whytwo insists this is not relaxing background music. Listeners should fully engage with the music beyond its attractive surface and absorb it at the same deep human level where it was created. 'Ghost's production levels are astoundingly high but focussing on those would be a mistake. They only serve to carry the spiritual content of the music across to the audience and unlock the valves of feeling. The beauty here is not the machine, but the ghost in the machine.

Eddie C descends out of the clouds with a real fun EP to mark the 16th release from Lips & Rhythm Records.

The Canadian producer and edit wizard was last seen at the helm of his seaplane en route to the island of Madeira for surfing and sunshine.
Before he took off he left us some heat we are ready to share with you all.

The title track 'Infinite Wait' is a smooth & rolling mid-tempo flute-laced groove, while EverybodyEverybodyEverybody is a thick and chugging "acid-lite" cut that's going to thump across dance floors.

With the runway cleared for landing the 'wait' is finally over for this party record.

The austrian musician and Live-Act / DJ Lukas Poellauer has been establishing a distinct production style with recent releases and remixes on Luv Shack Records, Fine Coincidence, Fortunea Records and Schönbrunner Perlen, melting classic house with airy, catchy melodies and mature songwriting.

“I Don’t Care” is the name of his first single for an upcoming release on Luv Shack Records and features the austrian funk Band Mary Jane´s Soundgarden and the piano player Valentin Zopp. The vastly featured musical talent of the Band makes the track oscillate between tight, club ready production and earthy, live-jazz café vibes, with the hazy voice of singer Tanja Peinsipp at its core.

For his second track Lukas Poellauer teams up with legendary singer Hubert Tubbs of "Tower of Power" fame. Tubb´s remarkable vocal timbre perfectly contrasts the light footed instrumental, as he sings about "When A Groove Is In Control". The actual groove itself is reduced and rather laid back, but Lukas Poellauer manages to bring in both dramatic and quirky overtones with a plethora of mallet, brass and string melodies.

On the flip, Patrick Pulsinger & Sam Irl deliver a fabulous dub rendition of “I Don’t Care” with a mad wobble bassline and classic reggae stabs, sitting comfortably between Grace Jones’ electronic tango and the hazy studio wizardry of dub emperor Lee Perry.

Luv Shack´s very own Space Echo put their spin on “When A Groove Is In Control”, opting for a cold and eerie vibe with the help of digital bell pads and a tight, stripped down four to the floor groove.

Rounding off the package, we have the Pulsinger & Irl Dub Instrumental which really makes the fantastic arrangement and mix shine even more.

Soul / Electro / jazz / trip hop. It was in 2019 that Matteo (one of the 3 members of the band Chinese Man and co-founder of the label CMR) met the first musicians who would be part of the project "Matteo & Bro". Starting with guitarist Karim Addadi and bassist Christophe Lincontang (with whom he collaborates on a film score), Matteo then surrounded himself with drummer Hugo Pollon and saxophonist, flutist and Duduk (Armenian flute) player Lamine Diagne. A real desire to launch a project where the musicians are at the heart of the creative process progressively grew as the meetings went on. The artists gather in Bron (near Lyon) for the composition of the eponymous opening track. On this album we also find the voices of two female artists, Isadora (Belgium) on "Sweet Shadows" and Tania Saleh (Lebanon) on "Sakakeen", as well as General Elektriks with its keyboards and its sublime groove on several tracks ("Bina" & "Prumirim"). Between programming & electronic production, arrangements and composition, the demos take shape, the groove and the universe between soul, funk, trip hop and world music extend the desire and the production of an album. Due to the health crisis, the album is finally recorded in late 2021 with the help of Sodi, sound engineer and producer of many albums (Fela & Femi Kuti, Saul Williams, Deluxe, IAM ...). For the orchestration of the tracks "Path" and "Sakakeen", Matteo also called on Franck Lebon (film music composer) to add a cinematic dimension to these two tracks. Tracklist : 01 – Bron / 02 - Prumirim ft. General Elektriks / 03 - Sweet Shadows ft. Isadora / 04 - With S / 05 - Path ft. Franck Lebon / 06 - Sakakeen ft. Tania Saleh / 07 - Bina ft. General Elektriks / 08 – Playa

Repress

Brainwaltzera's debut LP 'Poly-ana' follows quickly on the heels of the producer's Aescoba EP - also released this year via FILM. Across thirteen tracks of both previously released material and fresh excursions into the artist's world, Brainwaltzera explores sounds ranging from luscious, downtempo grooves and expertly reduced braindance cuts with nods to early 90's experimental IDM to harder, more caustic outings - all bound together by a recurring theme of otherworldly ambience. Taking its name from a variety of sources dear to the artist, including polyphonic analogue synthesizers and the Pol-lyanna Principle itself - a theory that suggests individuals recall pleasurable experience more acutely than displeasing ones - the title represents a meeting point in the artistic process between creative method and conceptual choices. Production techniques range from more traditional hardware synthesis to the incorporation of a modified dot matrix printer acting as a modulation source for MIDI parameters. Sample sources include VHS material from the produ-cer's own childhood and ambient Bullet Train samples from an on-the-fly production session traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto. According to the enigmatic producer, memory and its fundamental role in the human experience is one of the central themes of the record. While the artist's own experiences shaped the sound of the record, there is no attempt to impose them on the listener through blatant exposition.

First Word Records is extremely delighted to present 'Torn : Tonic' — the sophomore album from singer, performer, poet and producer, Allysha Joy.

Delivered unfiltered, straight from the soul, ´Torn : Tonic' pulls us into a 10 track journey that weaves through the multiplicity of letting go, standing tall, and creating space all at once. The album's expansive and vivid exploration of healing examines the power that comes with accepting the complexity of change. Allysha walks listeners through the remedy she finds in sound and emerges empowered to share this healing with others. Deeply moving and lyrically compelling, 'Torn : Tonic' hosts a stellar line-up of artists, creating a world of collective power, growth, and hope.

Allysha Joy is an integral member of the vibrant Melbourne soul & jazz scene, well known for both her solo work and as lead vocalist for 30/70. A uniquely-talented soul, her husky voice, and formidable Fender Rhodes prowess have garnered attentive audiences around the world.

Her 2018 debut album 'Acadie : Raw' was named 'Best Soul Album' at the Music Victoria Awards, featured in Bandcamp's 'Top Soul Albums' of the year and received a nomination for 'Best Jazz Album' at the Worldwide Awards. An incredibly prolific artist, Allysha has released on labels; Rhythm Section, Gondwana, Future Classic, Total Refreshment Centre and now another drop for First Word, after her acclaimed 2020 EP, 'Light It Again'.

Allysha's production on 'Torn : Tonic' effortlessly arches across a sonic palette, comprised of shuffling broken grooves and exquisite celestial melodies. There are healthy swathes of skippy neo-soul boom bap sensibilities, entwined with stark swing-laden electronic percussion, Detroit-esque sun-saturated synths, and Antipodean bruk backbeats. And whilst this project was produced entirely by Joy herself, she is far from alone, inviting in an array of female and non-binary artists to bless assorted tracks with their own unique gifts. Ego Ella May, BINA, Rara Zulu, Belle Bangard and Dancing Water all appear, expanding upon the formulaic roles of featured artists to share the creative space as equal collaborators.

'Torn : Tonic' exudes vibes, from the opening whiplash snare of 'Peace, to the rolling jazz-bruk of lead single 'Let It!', to the sweet soulful sonics of 'Still Dreaming', to the closing triumphant shout of "All Joy!!" on 'G.N.D.', this is a 40-minute opus that will definitely require repeat listening.

Allysha's poetic introspection reveals the album's intention to demand space, purpose, and pleasure. Her words are deliberate and direct to the alarm bells and messages her artistic vision carries. Fluid, cross-genre, and spirited with generational stories embodied, 'Torn : Tonic' sits at the intersection of a feminist manifesto of Joy's momentous leap as an artist, and her exploration of what it means to be human in today's capitalist-driven world.

In Allysha's words, 'Torn : Tonic' is exactly as the name describes. "It is looking directly into the shadow of pain and overcoming it with joy. No love songs! Just social, political, emotional anthems for change! It is the first record I have produced entirely on my own and it feels like that perseverance that I have consistently had to conjure up is embedded in this music, overcoming my own conditioning in a society and industry that constantly tells me I can't, so I must!"

After a parentship hiatus, Richard Zepezauer´s n s y d e imprint is back to push new boundaries and save some souls.

N s y d e proudly presents a next release by Skymark. It's his second full EP on the Berlin based imprint.

His Easy Saturday Night EP includes two excellent deep house jams backed with remixes by Kevin Reynolds and Mike Huckaby. The latter was previously released as a single sided limited edition.Skymark brings a bright and sun tinged house anthem on the Instrumental version of Easy Saturday Night on the A1.

The remix is in our opinion amongst Mike Huckaby's best productions. It touches the classic soulfulness of Larry Heard-style piano chords and blissful vocals combined with clear hints of Basic Channel's eternal electrifying waves. It's a perfect testament to Mike's unparalleled knowledge and wide musical range, Not only those who knew him will feel his presence while listening to this beauty.

On Insomnia, Skymark goes even deeper into deep soul territories. Pure vibes. Reworked by Detroit DJ and producer Kevin Reynolds. Made his frst appearance on nsyde back in 2011 and here he twists the original into N s y d e was founded 2011 by Richard Zepezauer.

N S Y D E will continue to bring back the family by unifying diverse artists from all angles of the electronic music familytree. N S Y D E believes in the political power of art, it brings together people.

N S Y D E does not believe in the power of political marketing of art, it divides people from each other. House Nation still under one Groove.

Early DJ support by : Antal (Rushhour), XDB, Laurent Garnier, Steffi (Ostgut), Electric Indigo, Dan Curtin etc.

The Bongo Hop is back with his third effort, La Ñapa, an 8 track mini album/EP featuring Angolan legend Paulo Flores, Colombian singer Nidia Gongora, Danish hip hop crew Dafuniks, Voilaaa & more…
With those new tracks, B-sides and remixes all bearing his trademark -infectious afro-caribbean grooves, warm brass, suprising and genre-bending sound ventures - he’ll take you on a ride from Cali to Luanda, via the dunes of Bechar and the clubs of Detroit and Port au Prince.

Atangana Records is back with two afro disco groove tracks from the second album of the mythical Senegalese band Touré Kunda. The tracks "Manso" & “Touty Yolle” were originally released in 1980. The remastered track "Manso" is remixed on B1 by the duo Deni Shain & Mister Francky and B2 with the remixes add part.

When Deni struck gold: "It was a warm Sunday in Guadeloupe when I went back for some for digging, after looking through 800 vinyls, I was swayed by the album E'mma Africa from Toure Kunda. Listening to it sent me back to my youth, when I used to play the K7 over and over again.As I replayed the LP, these two songs stood out and I could instantly picture the potential & the remix I could do with Mister Francky."

**180g heavyweight vinyl** Les Racines is the latest solo album from the eminent guitarist and songwriter Vieux Farka Touré, and his first for World Circuit Records. Known as the ‘Hendrix of the Sahara’, Vieux has released 4 critically acclaimed solo albums to date, extending the boundaries of traditional West African music into new and uncharted territory. He has also released audacious collaborations with the likes of Dave Matthews and jazz guitarist John Scofield, and albums with American singer-songwriter Julia Easterlin and Israeli singer-songwriter Idan Raichel. With Les Racines, which translates as ‘the roots’, Vieux documents a deep reconnection with the traditional Songhai music of northern Mali which is one of the traditions that has come to be known in the West as ‘Desert Blues’. Vieux’s roots run deeper than deep – he is the son of Ali Farka Touré, widely acclaimed as the finest guitarist Africa has ever produced. Recorded in Bamako in Vieux’s home studio, the timeless grooves of the album are steeped in the traditional music of West Africa. But the fire of Vieux’s guitar playing and the urgency of the messages in his songs add an entirely contemporary relevance. “We are nothing if we abandon respect for the past,” Vieux says. The resulting album, the most profound statement of his career to date, marks out Vieux as the great Ali Farka Touré’s rightful heir and a major artist in his own right. “Early in my career people asked why I wasn’t just following my father. But it was important for me to establish my own identity,” Vieux says. “Now people know what I can do, I can return to those roots with pride and I hope a certain authority.”

Mastered by Bernie Grundman from the Original Analog Master Tapes & Pressed at Gotta Groove!
Numbered Deluxe Laminated Gatefold Jackets!
Only 2500 Numbered Limited Edition Copies Worldwide!

John Coltrane returns to his roots using the Blues to explore the boundaries of Jazz! Features McCoy Tyner, Steve Davis and Elvin Jones! Recorded in 1960 during the My Favorite Things sessions, Coltrane Plays The Blues features "Blues To Bechet," "Blues To Elvin" and "Blues To You" in addition to three other tracks.

"Coltrane's sessions for Atlantic in late October 1960 were prolific, yielding the material for My Favorite Things, Coltrane Plays the Blues, and Coltrane's Sound. My Favorite Things was destined to be the most remembered and influential of these, and while Coltrane Plays the Blues is not as renowned or daring in material, it is still a powerful session. As for the phrase "plays the blues" in the title, that's not an indicator that the tunes are conventional blues (they aren't). It's more indicative of a bluesy sensibility, whether he is playing muscular saxophone or, on "Blues to Bechet" and "Mr. Syms," the more unusual sounding (at the time) soprano sax. Elvin Jones, who hadn't been in Coltrane's band long, really busts out on the quicker numbers, such as "Blues to You" and "Mr. Day." - Richie Unterberger


"The Coltrane Quartet, three-fourths complete at the time of this recording, had begun its historic rise and had also turned the corner in Coltrane's music, transitioning from the expressive verticality of Giant Steps to the more elongated, long-limbed lyricism that would define his role in the avant-garde. It can come as no surprise that to do so, he engaged the material he'd known longest and best - the blues." - Neil Tesser, author of The Playboy Guide To Jazz

Strictly limited to 10,000 numbered copies, pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at RTI, and mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity's ultra-hi-fi UltraDisc One-Step 180g 45RPM 2LP collector's edition enhances the blockbuster work for today – and the ages to come. Surpassing the sonics of any prior version, it peels away any remaining limitations to provide a transparent, lively, ultra-nuanced presentation of a record that won six Grammy Awards – including prizes for Album of the Year, Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, and Best Rock Song. The expanse and depth of the soundstage, fullness of tones, natural snap and extension of the guitar strings, realistic rise and decay of individual notes, and roll of Clapton's vocals all attain demonstration-grade levels.

Housed in a deluxe box, the UD1S Unplugged pressing features special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendor of the recording and the reissue's premium quality. No expense has been spared. Aurally and visually, this UD1S reissue exists as a curatorial artifact meant to be preserved, touched, and examined. It is made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in the art – and everything involved with the album, from the images to the finishes.

Truly, everything about Unplugged matters. Having sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S. and more than 26 million copies worldwide, the 1992 work resonates with listeners of all generations and speaks a universal language. Recorded for MTV before a very small audience on January 16, 1992, the 14-track set became the signpost for future acoustic-based endeavours that witnessed artists of all stripes re-examining their catalogues and, in many instances, as Clapton does here, placing familiar originals in fresh contexts and unveiling spirited versions of cover material. Needless to say, Clapton's session turned MTV's series into can't-miss programming for which the likes of Rod Stewart, Tony Bennett, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and more would soon participate.

Kicking off his performance with a spirited instrumental to establish the mood, Clapton immediately wades into the style that originally caught his attention as a British teenager in the early 1960s: American blues. Backed by a superb band that includes guitarist Andy Fairweather Low, pianist Chuck Leavell, bassist Nathan East, and drummer Steve Ferrone, Slowhand delivers a rhythmic, toe-tapping rendition of Bo Diddley's "Before You Accuse Me" that announces he's come to reconnect with his muse. What follows over the course of nearly the next hour stirs the heart, shakes the soul, moves the mind, and invigorates the senses.

Of course, there's no talking about Unplugged without keying in on "Tears in Heaven," the striking ballad Clapton penned about the death of his four-year-old son. More emotional, direct, spare, and healing than the studio version released a year prior, it crackles with an intimacy, maturity, poignancy, honesty, sweetness, and integrity that inform the entire concert. Indeed, how Clapton frames other favorites here – transforming "Layla" into a relaxed, comfortable stroll and ruminating on the seasoned ripples flowing throughout "Old Love," for example – indicate both a creative rebirth and gleeful acceptance of the next phase of his career.

And that very direction (two of Clapton's next three albums would be all-blues projects) is what really makes Unplugged so indispensable. Equivalent in mastery if not in volume to the output that earned him his "God" nickname, interpretations of Jesse Fuller's "San Francisco Bay Blues" (complete with kazoo!), Big Bill Broonzy's "Hey Hey," Robert Johnson's "Walkin' Blues" and "Malted Milk," and Muddy Waters' "Rollin' & Tumblin'" showcase a learned professor in his element and all the wheels turning.

In every regard, Clapton's Unplugged session was appointment listening when it came out in August 1992. With the arrival of MoFi's UD1S pressing, that sensation is more urgent than before.

More About Mobile Fidelity UltraDisc One-Step and Why It Is Superior

Instead of utilizing the industry-standard three-step lacquer process, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's new UltraDisc One-Step (UD1S) uses only one step, bypassing two processes of generational loss. While three-step processing is designed for optimum yield and efficiency, UD1S is created for the ultimate in sound quality. Just as Mobile Fidelity pioneered the UHQR (Ultra High-Quality Record) with JVC in the 1980s, UD1S again represents another state-of-the-art advance in the record-manufacturing process. MFSL engineers begin with the original master tapes and meticulously cut a set of lacquers. These lacquers are used to create a very fragile, pristine UD1S stamper called a "convert." Delicate "converts" are then formed into the actual record stampers, producing a final product that literally and figuratively brings you closer to the music. By skipping the additional steps of pulling another positive and an additional negative, as done in the three-step process used in standard pressings, UD1S produces a final LP with the lowest noise floor possible today. The removal of the additional two steps of generational loss in the plating process reveals tremendous amounts of extra musical detail and dynamics, which are otherwise lost due to the standard copying process. The exclusive nature of these very limited pressings guarantees that every UD1S pressing serves as an immaculate replica of the lacquer sourced directly from the original master tape. Every conceivable aspect of vinyl production is optimized to produce the most perfect record album available today.

MoFi SuperVinyl

Developed by NEOTECH and RTI, MoFi SuperVinyl is the most exacting-to-specification vinyl compound ever devised. Analog lovers have never seen (or heard) anything like it. Extraordinarily expensive and extremely painstaking to produce, the special proprietary compound addresses two specific areas of improvement: noise floor reduction and enhanced groove definition. The vinyl composition features a new carbonless dye (hold the disc up to the light and see) and produces the world's quietest surfaces. This high-definition formula also allows for the creation of cleaner grooves that are indistinguishable from the original lacquer. MoFi SuperVinyl provides the closest approximation of what the label's engineers hear in the mastering lab.



SACD



Mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity's numbered hybrid SACD enhances the blockbuster work for today – and the ages to come. Peeling away remaining sonic limitations to provide a transparent, lively, ultra-nuanced presentation of a record that won six Grammy Awards (including prizes for Album of the Year, Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, and Best Rock Song), it places Clapton and company in your room. The expanse and depth of the soundstage, fullness of tones, natural snap and extension of the guitar strings, realistic rise and decay of individual notes, and roll of Clapton's vocals all attain demonstration-grade levels. A perennial audiophile favourite, Unplugged now tosses its hat into the ring as a demonstration disc.

Peer through the windows of the sun-dappled homes in Sicily and you will be faced with a small, strange ceramic object adorning each hallway. It is a glistening pine cone standing upright – a pigna – the longstanding symbol of Sicilian openness and welcome hospitality.

The pigna is a delightfully unusual and yet apt symbol for the title of the third record from Benjamin Harris, AKA Yarni. Ever since his debut LP release in 2017, Yarni has established a following committed to his musical openness, an intuitive curiosity that has spanned everything from house and techno to cinematic ambience and Japanese percussion, as well as jazz horns and afrobeat fanfares. For Yarni, anything goes and everyone is welcome. Now, Pigna sees Yarni reach his fullest and most musically diverse expression, taking its name and ethos from Sicily, but finding a sonic home in the luscious orchestration of a new ensemble of musicians.

Here, at the helm of a nine-person ensemble, Yarni artfully pieces together live improvisations to create the warmth of a seasoned group performing deep within the groove. Opener “Midnight Getaway” places the listener squarely within the disco-funk of Daft Punk as Yarni’s top-line synth intersects with a rolling bassline and a lyrical flute solo from Rachel Shirley. This optimistic tone of sunlit spaciousness is then heightened on “Utopia”, as Yarni’s horn section comes to the fore to pay homage to the ineffable syncopations of Fela Kuti’s pioneering afrobeat.

Rather than scratch at the surface of these musical genres, Yarni’s attuned ear embodies the emotive essence of his various sounds by paying intimate attention to their creation. There is the punch of that afrobeat sax on “Utopia”; the rhythmic skitter of breakbeats on “The Astral”; the sludging thump of funk in the bassline on “Nova”. Collaborators are given free reign, too, to incorporate their own unique stylings into this remarkable whole, from vocalist Emily Marks’ languid tone on “In A Dream”, to saxophonist Jonoa’s innate swing on “Cherub”, and the metronomic movement of bassist Ally McMahon’s playing throughout.

Listening to Pigna is ultimately to find yourself squarely within the comforting embrace of Yarni’s musical mind. It is a truly LP experience – a record to be placed on the turntable’s platter and then left to play, allowing yourself an immersion in these journeying soundscapes. It is no wonder fellow sonic travellers such as the late Andrew Weatherall and DJ Harvey have been supporters of Yarni’s work, since here is a kindred spirit – an artist shaped in the form of radical openness, speaking the hospitable, universal language of beautiful music.

Peer through the windows of the sun-dappled homes in Sicily and you will be faced with a small, strange ceramic object adorning each hallway. It is a glistening pine cone standing upright – a pigna – the longstanding symbol of Sicilian openness and welcome hospitality.

The pigna is a delightfully unusual and yet apt symbol for the title of the third record from Benjamin Harris, AKA Yarni. Ever since his debut LP release in 2017, Yarni has established a following committed to his musical openness, an intuitive curiosity that has spanned everything from house and techno to cinematic ambience and Japanese percussion, as well as jazz horns and afrobeat fanfares. For Yarni, anything goes and everyone is welcome. Now, Pigna sees Yarni reach his fullest and most musically diverse expression, taking its name and ethos from Sicily, but finding a sonic home in the luscious orchestration of a new ensemble of musicians.

Here, at the helm of a nine-person ensemble, Yarni artfully pieces together live improvisations to create the warmth of a seasoned group performing deep within the groove. Opener “Midnight Getaway” places the listener squarely within the disco-funk of Daft Punk as Yarni’s top-line synth intersects with a rolling bassline and a lyrical flute solo from Rachel Shirley. This optimistic tone of sunlit spaciousness is then heightened on “Utopia”, as Yarni’s horn section comes to the fore to pay homage to the ineffable syncopations of Fela Kuti’s pioneering afrobeat.

Rather than scratch at the surface of these musical genres, Yarni’s attuned ear embodies the emotive essence of his various sounds by paying intimate attention to their creation. There is the punch of that afrobeat sax on “Utopia”; the rhythmic skitter of breakbeats on “The Astral”; the sludging thump of funk in the bassline on “Nova”. Collaborators are given free reign, too, to incorporate their own unique stylings into this remarkable whole, from vocalist Emily Marks’ languid tone on “In A Dream”, to saxophonist Jonoa’s innate swing on “Cherub”, and the metronomic movement of bassist Ally McMahon’s playing throughout.

Listening to Pigna is ultimately to find yourself squarely within the comforting embrace of Yarni’s musical mind. It is a truly LP experience – a record to be placed on the turntable’s platter and then left to play, allowing yourself an immersion in these journeying soundscapes. It is no wonder fellow sonic travellers such as the late Andrew Weatherall and DJ Harvey have been supporters of Yarni’s work, since here is a kindred spirit – an artist shaped in the form of radical openness, speaking the hospitable, universal language of beautiful music.

Reissue

The Staples Jr. Singers were part of a vanguard of soul gospel artists in the 1970s that broke from tradition to testify with the groove. They found their inspiration in the secular music they heard on the radio, and wrote songs that were nothing but stone cold soul.

SOUR records is a label based in Paris whose aim is to put underground talents on wax. This second release brings back deep house in the limelight. It contains dope and dirty oldschool grooves with a fresh twist made by parisian producer Ernesto.

The two groovy & jazzy tracks on the A-side are full of club energy. And the beautiful 8-min long electronic journey on the B-side is perfect for stirring up the crowds under a rising sun next summer. Warm samples, groovy analog basslines, bouncing beats and lush ambiances : this E.P. is the kind of cocktail you just can't stop sipping...

Cheers !

Two years may seem like a very short stop gap between original release and reissue, but when the music comes at this kind of grade who's complaining? Much like his contemporaries such as Fred P and DJ Qu, Patrice Scott's take on deeper-than-deep house conjure up ambient fantasies coloured with twinkling synth lines and slowly exhaled pads. It's not all fuzzed-out bliss though, as "2000 Black" sneaks a warm and snarling bassline amidst the soothing elements around it. "Mind Rhythms" especially shines with its combination of heavy groove and intricate melodies bubbling away under the surface.

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