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Bright Magus is an instrumental quintet born under the influence of Miles Davis' metaphysical electric period, a visceral and magical passion always shared by Giovanni Calella and Leziero Rescigno. Davis' most eclectic and psychedelic period, that of recordings for Columbia from 1969 throughout the 70s. Albums like “In a Silent Way”, “Bitches Brew”, “A tribute to Jack Johnson”, “On The Corner”, “Big Fun” made them immerse themselves in one of the most fascinating experiments that Miles has generated in his long and prolific career. We are talking about music that is difficult to fit into one genre, in these masterpieces you can feel the contemporaneity of that historical period. Electric Jazz, Funk, Psychedelia, Rock, Afrobeat, Ambient, drag you into something absolutely new, mysterious and sometimes furious. Just a year ago Giovanni and Leziero took courage and started recruiting musicians who had to have the right attitude and knowledge. Guitarist Alberto Turra was the first to be interested in the project, then came Mauro Tre, pianist and keyboard player and Gianni Sansone on trumpet. All seduced by Miles and in love with that magical period.

Before making the first album "Jungle Corner", the band did some live shows to amalgamate all the ideas that came out during the improvs recorded by Tullio Treffiletti in the trumpeter's home studio (later baptized Selim Studio). At the Isola Studio in Manuel Agnelli's space and with the help of the very talented Guido Andreani, Bright Magus then recorded in three days live all the material which in the meantime had been enriched with more structured melodic themes and less casual drafts . Mauro's contribution was very important in this. The finalization of the album was then managed by them in the small "Diabolicus Studio" taking care of editing, post production and mixing.

Guest on the album in two songs, Enrico Gabrielle of Calibro 35 on flute and clarinet.

The cover design is a work by Barba Ughi alias BAX.

After numerous releases on his Dub Junction label and two lead singles on the subsidiary SUPERCHIP label, Simma presents his debut LP: SIMMA ENTERS THE GAME. Featuring guests Natty Campbell, Danny T, Tenor Youthman, Dandelion, Who Knew, Indra MC & Nina Girassóis.

Five trombonists and a three-member rhythm section: that sort of unique musical synergy is what Nabou Claerhout brings to life with her own Trombone Ensemble. For years, such a project had been one of the dream projects on her bucket list, and thanks to Antwerp based cultural actor Rataplan, she already saw the creation become a reality in spring 2022. In the summer of that year, the eight-piece ensemble opened both Gent Jazz and Jazz Middelheim.

In January 2023, Nabou was artist in residence at the Brussels Jazz Festival in Flagey, where she presented the Trombone Ensemble as one of three carte blanche projects. In a sold-out Studio 4, American trombone legend Robin Eubanks joined the line-up as a special guest, having previously also contributed during the studio recordings of the young collective during. The band's self-titled debut album will be released on November 3rd 2023 via W.E.R.F. Records.

Nabou composed the entire repertoire for this Ensemble herself, and did so with a fully open vision. While writing the music, she explored the trombone's wide possibilities: "The aim is to both indulge you with warm, soft, carrying parts and then afterwards discover the trombone's spicy and cordial character." That rhythmic playfulness, which we hear more often in Nabou's compositions with her acclaimed quartet N?BOU, also seeps subtly into this band's sound.
Despite the 'unusual' line-up of five diverse jazz trombonists, each with a different background, you still get to hear a very homogeneous sound, which is full of playfulness and small details. "I tried to make room and focus for each individual. And of course there is also a starring role for the rhythm section with guitar, double bass and drums."

When Nabou started looking for the dream fellow jazz musicians for this project, she ended up with artists from her own country, Belgium, but also from far beyond the country's borders: The Netherlands, the UK and Germany. "In selecting the trombonists, I looked for specific timbres, but also for personality. It is important that there is a good balance in playing together, but also that each musician is strong enough on his or her own for the solo parts."
Wanting to push boundaries in her approach to both compositions and the trombone as an instrument, the real crème de la crème of the newest generation proved indispensable. "I selected a handful of European trombonists with whom I may or may not have already played, but who, above all, inspire me very deeply. They are all young people who have a lot to offer and already have significant projects to their name in their own region or country."

Marino Scarabelli, the creator of unforgettable progressions in “Are You Loving” and “Love In A Summer Night”, so characteristic and unique that can still give us goosebumps, sat down in the studio again and composed another italo banger. Traditionally, he was joined by Stefano Brignoli, who wrote the lyrics and lent his voice, and that’s how we witnessed the creation of new bomb by Some Bizarre.

But this is not the end of the sensation, because Linda Jo Rizzo joined the band as a guest and you will hear her in female vocal parts, as befits real, indigenous Italo disco. The whole thing was produced by A.P. Mono in collaboration with Marino Scarabelli. For dessert, a very nice remix by Electro Potato.

WAREHOUSE FIND

Deviation Classics celebrates the legacy of the legendary London club night and record label created by Benji B and Judah in 2007. Famously "one of London's most aurally audacious nights”, Benji B’s Deviation is a name synonymous with music and at the forefront of London’s culture scene and within music internationally.

The collector’s box will include four 12” vinyl including 20 carefully selected tracks, many of which have previously been unavailable on vinyl or hard to find and all capturing those key moments from the past 13 years. The compilation will also be accompanied by an exclusive mix curated by founder Benji B marking the end of this chapter for Deviation, the mix will be available to purchase on CD and streamed or downloaded on Bandcamp and all major digital platforms.

Spanning all genres of music, the compilation comprises tracks from Moodymann, James Blake, Joy Orbison and Flying Lotus and many more from across Deviation’s impressive roster of guests. Though several of the tracks went on to become hits, all of them became part of Deviation’s regular playlist and are now considered to be part of the Deviation DNA - a club night that has its own sound, its own hits and its own classics. The tracks highlight how the best club residencies can hone and shape their own identity, where reactions from the dance floor can influence which tracks make it into the resident sets to become future classics, and how a single tune can conjure the nostalgia of an era, venue, place and time.

Including regular staples from Benji B’s resident sets, the DJ comments: “This album showcases the tunes that got the biggest reactions month after month, drawn from my sets at Deviation over the years. They would not only be my choice, but also the choice of the Deviation regulars. Not all of these were necessarily big tunes outside of the club night – some would go on to be, but some could be 12-inch B-sides, album cuts or unreleased dubplates that went off when dropped for the very first time, and then became our own classics: all certified Deviation anthems in their own way”

Limited 100 copies.

London lyricist Slim Papi returns for the 3rd and final release in his ‘Châteauneuf-du-Papi’ series with this 4-track EP.

Following collaborations with the likes of Crimeapple, Sonnyjim & Jam Baxter, this time London’s Slim Papi teams up with the Madlib-cosigned Chris Crack, who makes a rare appearance singing his way through the Max-B reminiscent hook as well as handling a 16 bar verse. Crack appearing fresh off the back of his latest ‘Free Sex’ LP and fellow wine-afficinado Griselda/Alchemist affiliate, Willie The Kid.

Continuing the trend set through his ‘Chateauneuf-du-Papi' EP series, the EP once again sees artwork courtesy of Dublin’s Johnny Brennan and includes tracks named after cult a movie directors, iconic restaurants and highly coveted bottles of plonk. The Jon Phonics produced lead single ‘Wim Wenders’ also features Luke Mills-Pettigrew of psychedelic-jazz experimentalists, Lunch Money Life, on bass guitar. Making the 4 track opus a truly all star cast.

Continuing the self proclaimed ’travel rappers’ world hopping theme (his last ‘I’ve Long & Prosper’ project written & recorded during a stint in Brazil) the EP was written during a short stint working the harvest at a friends vineyard in Portugal’s Douro valley, working 16 hour shifts, breaking only to cook twice a day. A vibe summarised in Papi’s effortless lyrics - “Precipitation, maceration, elevation, information highway generation, microphone mathematics, fry the amoratics” - and a work ethic translated to the music we hear. With his trademark themes of vintage vehicles, water sports and the finer things in life, the guest verses from Willie The Kid & Chris Crack match this energy with a little more bravado to spare.

'Give Me The Strength To Be Me' is the exclusive single for Lovemonk by Soulnaturals, featuring London singer Chalibrann. This stunning track fuses all the power and beauty of gospel and soul music with exquisite arrangements that take Soulnaturals to spiritual heights, akin to contemporary artists such as Michael Kiwanuka and Sault.

Soulnaturals is the London-based project of songwriter, producer and band leader Tony Cannam, who collaborates with outstanding guest singers and musicians on high-quality soul/R&B music which has received rave reviews from Blues & Soul, Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show, Jazz FM, Andy Peebles at Smooth FM, Solar Radio, Clash Magazine and London Live TV, among others. Cannam is influenced by the rich heritage of 60s and 70s US soul/funk artists and arrangers such as Norman Whitfield, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones.

Soulnaturals released their debut album, "Love Says Yes!", in 2017 as part of Record Store Day, receiving strong critical acclaim and a nod as contender for album of the year from UK Vibe. Their second album, "Parlo Discoteca", came out in October 2023 on their own label, British Soul Standard.

One more year, we are now working tirelessly on our beloved label. Just as we did last year, this 2023, we are back with our 'ANAØH INVITES' series.

Last year we had the wonderful presence of James Ruskin and Ben Sims as guests of honor, that wonderful 12' vinyl sold out in a few weeks, however it is time to present our second volume, where again Dig-It and Fixon as hosts of the label invite 2 artists to join them and release original 4 tracks on a special edition 12' vinyl. In this second chapter we have the presence of a veteran whom we respect and love deeply, one of the main people responsible for the classic hardgroove sound , Mark Williams.
As well as one of our wonder boys, the virtuous CRAVO.

We feel honored and moved to have this second collaboration, which we hope will please everyone! Thank you for all the love and support during these first 7 years of adventure.

From México with Love. Fixon & Dig-It

Repress!

A year after his debut, Raleigh's Echo Brown, returns to The North Quarter for his sophomore EP “Midnight Static”; a 5-track tour-de-force showcasing his maturity as an artist. Echo Brown balances his signature hazy, lo-fi chords and clinical drum programming with weighty bass tones, as Midnight Static moves between lighter and darker moods with elegant ease. Guest appearances are handled by rising Manchester star K S R and The North Quarter boss Lenzman. Echo Brown's talent and growth is on full display on “Midnight Static” and it's become clear that he's an artist with an exciting new voice that needs to be heard.

a a1. Motions ft K S R

Celebrating twenty-five years of Aficionado as a place to play away from suffocating mainstream club culture, DJs Jason Boardman and Moonboots have compiled a contemplative set of 16 tracks that holds a deep meaning to both themselves and attendees of their now legendary parties. The compilation includes two new tracks exclusive to the release: J Walk’s ‘Cool Bright Northern Morning’ and Begin’s remix of Canyons ‘Akasha’.
Reflecting on how it all started 25 years ago, Moon considers their no-plan-plan to be a makeshift plateau which evolved organically: “All we did was try to play good records one after the other without any consideration for fashion. And people wanted that”. Alternative approaches were not unknown at the time, but Aficionado, as Jason and Moon’s Sunday sessions became known, pressed the reset button with unique resolve.
Jason elaborates: “It was 1998 when we started. It was our own 'fuck you’ to the Super Club regime - almost everywhere then. The ‘anything goes’ Balearic ethos was in abeyance. It wasn’t cool at the time, but we both just wanted to keep that original spirit alive. ‘Keep it open’ had always been my approach to DJing - even from playing at Youth Clubs as a teenager. No rules or generic constrictions. Play anything that you like from any era, any style from any time. We always encouraged our guests to dig deep and play outside of their comfort zones, their usual styles”.
The lovingly crafted musical mystery tour of this compilation, considering its pleasantly hypnagogic intent, may not reflect the madness of these now distant memories. This is an older and considerably more responsible collection and this is what we need right now - a temporary respite from a world almost capsized. A mood, a meditation created by masters of their craft. Odd socks from disparate global locations making new sense side by side. An assemblage, if you like. A thread through many different kinds of thinking. A new picture pieced together from the lost pieces of many jigsaws.

An amazing mix of artists blending various faces of Techno and rave music that represant Ant's vision

A side residents :
Groove Daniel opens the dance and blends a hypnotic Techno tool track with retro nostalgic synthesizers.
Konik Polny collab with Andrei Moldovan for a crackling psychedelic track.

B side guests :
Finest Prague Midirama brings an acid rumble Techno tune
Bangbass do not believe the hard, raw sound of Rotterdam
Make sure to get a copy !

Originally released in 2018 on Undisputed Records, "The One Love Family" is Skarra Mucci's 7th studio album. For this featuring album where one or more guests appear on each track, the artist invited a cast of choice with guests from various backgrounds such as the heavyweights of French Reggae from Dub Inc or the Jamaican stars of yesterday and today such as Ken Boothe, King Kong or Chezidek… This album is a hymn to sharing in which we find the many facets of the Dancehall President.

Aarset and Bang have collaborated since the early 1990s in constellations with, among others, Nils Petter Molvaer, Bugge Wesseltoft, Sly & Robbie and Jon Hassell. 'Snow Catches on her Eyelashes' (2020) was their first recording as a duo, an album that was widely praised, inspiring John Eyles of All About Jazz to write: "Aarset, Bang and company go from strength to strength, as does the Norwegian scene. Onward and upward."

'Last Two Inches of Sky' further expands this sonic universe - onward and upward. Like its predecessor, the new recording is an amalgam of styles, linked together by Jan Bang's hallmark sampling technique and Eivind Aarset's continuous exploration of the guitar. Now, the rhythm section of Audun Erlien (bass) and Anders Engen (drums) are prominent on most tracks, and the arrangements are enhanced by guests like Gianluca Petrella (trombone), Adam Rudolph (percussion), Emanuel Birkeland- Bang (drum programming) and Erik Honore (samples, lyrics on "Legion").

I Talk To Water, the fifth album for Kompakt by Danish producer Kölsch, is the artist’s most personal statement yet. While all the trademarks that make his music so popular and powerful are still present – lush, melodic techno; swooping, trance-like figures; sensuous, shivery texturology – I Talk To Water is also a deep and intimate rapprochement with family and history, a beautiful, finely detailed document of loss and memory, and a tracing of the long, unbroken thread of grief that runs through our lives once we’ve lost those we loved.

The emotional core of I Talk To Water, then, is a cache of recordings by Kölsch’s father, Patrick Reilly, who passed away in 2003 from brain cancer. With time rendered elastic by the pandemic and its associated lockdowns, its sudden, alienating shifts in everyday living, Kölsch found himself reflecting on his father’s passing and ongoing spiritual presence, thinking about how best to memorialise such a significant figure in his own life. Those recordings opened a gateway, of sorts, for Kölsch to move through – a way to bring past and present together and entwine them in a sensitive, poetic manner.

Kölsch’s father was a musician – “touring in the sixties and seventies, in the Middle East especially, he was doing the whole hippy trail, playing guitar, and wrote some songs over the years,” he recalls. “But all in all, he decided to focus on family rather than pursue a musical career.” Reilly kept playing and writing music over the years, though Kölsch hadn’t listened to the material for some time: “I’d never had the guts to listen to it, because I just felt too fragile listening to his voice. It’s such a tough thing to go through.”

During the pandemic, though, Kölsch listened through the fragmented body of work that his father had produced over the years. “I decided I’m gonna finally release my dad’s music twenty years after his passing,” he reflects. “This whole album is about the process of loss, and for me it’s been one of my main driving forces in my musical life, the whole emotional aspect of whatever I’ve done has been based in that feeling that he’s not there anymore.”

Recordings of Reilly appear on three songs across I Talk To Water. His guitars drift pensively across “Grape”, offering a lush thread of melody that Kölsch wraps with clicking, driftwood rhythms and droning, melancholy bass. “Tell Me” is a lovely three-minute art song, a sadly beautiful reflection, minimally adorned with gentle keys and a muted pulse. And on the closing “It Ends Where It Began”, Kölsch lets his father’s acoustic guitar take centre stage for a lament that’s unexpectedly folksy, a guitar soli dream, which Reilly originally recorded in 1996. “He actually recorded it for my first album that never came out,” Kölsch reveals, “and I had it sitting around forever. That is purely him.”

These three imagined collaborations between father and son are poised and delicate. But their relationship also marks the gorgeous music Kölsch has made across the rest of I Talk To Water, from the itchy yet lush “Pet Sound” (titled in tribute to one of Reilly’s favourite albums), the flickering synths and yearning vocal samples that slide through “Khenpo”, the ecstatic shuddering that marks “Only Get Better”, or “Implant”’s slow-motion pans and subtle reveals.

There’s also the title song, where Kölsch is joined by guest Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction, Porno For Pyros), singing a mantra for internal reflection: “I talk to water / Searching for myself / Looking for answers / Oceans of you.” Farrell’s appearance brings another timbre, another spirit to the album, aligning neatly with his recent interest in electronic music. “He was completely taken by this idea of talking to water,” Kölsch says, thinking about the ways we collectively lean towards the natural world as a comfort and a listener, a guide through mourning, a way to map out the terrain of the heart. This mapping is something that Kölsch has proven remarkably adept at through the years; dance music for both body and mind, but also both for the here-and-now, and for the hereafter.

“I Talk To Water”, das fünfte Album des dänischen Produzenten Kölsch für Kompakt, ist zweifellos das persönlichste Statement des Künstlers bislang. Während alle Markenzeichen, die seine Musik so beliebt und kraftvoll machen, immer noch präsent sind – üppige, melodische Techno-Tracks; schwebende, tranceartige Elemente; sinnliche, fiebrige Texturen – ist “I Talk To Water” auch eine tiefe und intime Annäherung an Familie und Geschichte. Es ist ein wunderschönes, fein ausgearbeitetes Dokument des Verlusts und der Erinnerung, und es verfolgt den langen, ungebrochenen Faden der Trauer, der durch unser Leben läuft, sobald wir diejenigen verloren haben, die wir liebten.

Der emotionale Kern von “I Talk To Water” besteht aus Aufnahmen von Kölschs Vater, Patrick Reilly, der 2003 an Hirnkrebs verstarb. Durch die Pandemie und ihre damit verbundenen Lockdowns, die plötzlichen, entfremdenden Veränderungen im Alltag, fand Kölsch sich in Gedanken an den Tod seines Vaters und seine fortwährende spirituelle Präsenz wieder. Er überlegte, wie er eine so bedeutende Figur in seinem eigenen Leben am besten verewigen könnte. Diese Aufnahmen öffneten ihm sozusagen ein Portal, um Vergangenheit und Gegenwart miteinander zu verbinden und sie auf sensible und poetische Weise zu verweben.

Kölschs Vater war Musiker – “er tourte in den sechziger und siebziger Jahren, vor allem im Nahen Osten, auf dem Hippie Trail, spielte Gitarre und schrieb im Laufe der Jahre einige Songs”, erinnert sich Kölsch. “Aber alles in allem entschied er sich, sich auf die Familie zu konzentrieren, anstatt eine musikalische Karriere zu verfolgen.” Reilly spielte und schrieb jedoch im Laufe der Jahre weiterhin Musik, obwohl Kölsch das Material lange Zeit nicht angehört hatte: “Ich hatte nie den Mut, es anzuhören, weil ich mich einfach zu zerbrechlich fühlte, seine Stimme anzuhören. Es ist so schwer, das durchzustehen.”

Während der Pandemie hörte sich Kölsch jedoch durch das fragmentierte Werk, das sein Vater im Laufe der Jahre produziert hatte. “Ich beschloss, die Musik meines Vaters zwanzig Jahre nach seinem Tod endlich zu veröffentlichen”, reflektiert er. “Dieses ganze Album handelt von dem Verlustprozess, welcher für mich generell eine der Hauptantriebskräfte in meinem musikalischen Leben ist. Der ganze emotionale Aspekt von dem, was ich getan habe, basierte auf dem Gefühl, dass er nicht mehr da ist.”

Auf “I Talk To Water” sind Aufnahmen von Reilly in drei Songs zu hören. Seine Gitarren ziehen nachdenklich durch “Grape”, bieten einen üppigen Melodiefaden, den Kölsch mit klickenden, treibenden Rhythmen und dröhnendem, melancholischem Bass umwickelt. “Tell Me” ist ein schönes dreiminütiges Kunstlied, eine traurig-schöne Reflexion, minimal geschmückt mit sanften Tasten und einem gedämpften Puls. Und auf dem Abschlusstrack “It Ends Where It Began” lässt Kölsch die akustische Gitarre seines Vaters im Mittelpunkt stehen, ein überraschend folkiger Klagegesang, den Reilly ursprünglich 1996 aufgenommen hatte. “Er hat es tatsächlich für mein erstes Album aufgenommen, das nie veröffentlicht wurde”, enthüllt Kölsch, “und ich hatte es ewig liegen.”

Diese drei erdachten Kollaborationen zwischen Vater und Sohn sind ausgewogen und zart. Aber ihre Beziehung prägt auch die wunderschöne Musik, die Kölsch im Rest von “I Talk To Water” geschaffen hat, angefangen bei dem nervösen, aber üppigen “Pet Sound” (benannt als Hommage an eines von Reillys Lieblingsalben), den flimmernden Synthesizern und sehnsüchtigen Vocal-Samples in “Khenpo”, den ekstatischen Erschütterungen in “Only Get Better” oder den langsamen Schwenks und subtilen Enthüllungen in “Implant”.

Es gibt auch den Titelsong, in dem Kölsch von Gast Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction, Porno For Pyros) begleitet wird, der ein Mantra für die innere Reflexion singt: “I talk to water / Searching for myself / Looking for answers / Oceans of you.” Farrells Auftritt bringt eine weitere Klangfarbe, einen weiteren Geist in das Album, der gut zu seinem jüngsten Interesse an elektronischer Musik passt. “Er war völlig fasziniert von der Idee, mit Wasser zu sprechen”, sagt Kölsch und denkt darüber nach, wie wir kollektiv zur Natur als Trost, Zuhörer, Führer durch die Trauer neigen, um die Gelände des Herzens zu kartieren. Diese Kartierung ist etwas, in dem Kölsch im Laufe der Jahre erstaunlich geschickt war; Tanzmusik für Körper und Geist, sowohl für das Hier und Jetzt, als auch für das Leben danach.

With the elements in Hip-Hop divided, Pawz One & Preed One return to their grafitti roots with the new collaboration album "Murals & Mayhem". Pawz approaches each song as verbal graff piece that covers Preed One's soulful and gritty background production. The duo bring the color out of topics such as tainted love, friendships, the culture of Hip-Hop and surviving the mayhem of the Los Angeles streets. Adding more to the mural are guests like Guilty Simpson, Copywrite and Ruste Juxx. Blended together each song creates a larger piece that covers the mind walls from top to bottom.

Echonomist’s synthesizer-driven productions have often circled the fringes of electronic pop. The Greek producer born Petros Manganaris pushes this further on his latest full-length offering Secret Places. Featuring guest musicians Alexandros Miaris, Avangart Tabldot, and Nadia Ali, Secret Places displays Echonomist’s unfiltered and open-eared approach to building songs. The LP moves through gauzy ambient, high-spirited techno, and iridescent indie-electronica to conceive a prismatic world of divergent textures, crystal-clear in melody.