Multi-talented, Ghana-born, UK-based sonic shaman K.O.G (Kweku of Ghana - the professional name of vocalist, composer and visionary Kweku Sackey) presents his third album on Pura Vida, the imprint of respected French label Heavenly Sweetness spearheaded by much-loved French DJ and producer GUTS.
Born and raised in Ghana, but having spent much of his adult life in the UK, for K.O.G this record can be seen as the culmination of a lifetime spent absorbing, combining and refining the diverse influences that have shaped his music and his character.
Kweku explains: This album is a very personal journey. I speak about three things: the soul of my community, where I found my inspiration. The roots, highlife, soul, going to church, being around traditional ceremonial setups. Taking people to the very origin of my voice, my soul, my impulses, my community, my culture.
And the next phase is cross-culture: living half of my life in UK and half of my life in Ghana. Putting myself at this crossroads to see the effect of the sonic consciousness, how awake I am with the music from Ghana, and also how living here, having children and family here has also influenced my music.
And thirdly, it’s mirroring my personal journey. Starting in Ghana, with my band in Ghana, and my roots, then moving up to UK, Going from Zone 6 all the way to Europe. Highlife - the syncopated fusion of local music and jazz which is at the core of Ghanaian music, and which from the 1930s spread like wildfire across anglophone West Africa - is one of the core building blocks of this album. But don’t be fooled by the catchy melodies and bright sonics. K.O.G is using it to speak about some topics that are anything but bright.
Highlife is absolutely dark. Most of the places you hear real highlife music, it’s funerals! And it’s part of the culture. Death is part of life. Seeds die for life to germinate. Art is just an emotive expression, when you can cause an emotion in somebody, and it’s not always happiness.
This theme of self-expression and vulnerability is a consistent one throughout the record. With special guests Pat Thomas, Dizraeli, Fameye, Ogunskele.
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Classic R’n’b and Afro Beat a fusion and perfect match. Modern and warm, pounding beats and pulsing baselines are the ingredients of this German-Nigerian extra ordinary colabo. This is the door opener for our Sedsoulciety Recordings gold line, which displays the modern and zeitgeist driven section of our catalogue. Expect nothing less than powerful, driving beats and smooth vocals. The gold line embodies Rap, HipHop, R’n’b, Neo-Soul, Neo-Boogie and Neo-Funk, not necessarily in one track but as a pool of artists and productions.“Tell Me What You Want” and we deliver it. This time in two outfits, the Afro Vibe Mix on the A-side and the Groove Mix on the flip… This new release on Sedsoulciety Recordings is an unreleased exclusive vinyl 45!
We or Us records keeps the promise and comes back with an unique new vinyl. A harmonious fusion of underground house and minimal beats.
The art masters for this 12” are:
A1. The Mole: Crafting intricate rhythms that resonate with the depths of the dance floor.
A2. 3lias Erick Naval Clock Poets*: A collaborative force, weaving poetic melodies into pulsating basslines.
B1. Triptease & Greg Paulus: Their sonic journey invites listeners to explore hidden realms through hypnotic soundscapes.
B2. Fabrizio Siano: A master of subtlety, infusing each track with minimalistic elegance.
Mastered once again by maestro Pheek for an immersive listening experience.
This vinyl promises drag you into the corners of electronic music, where rhythm and soul converge.
Exzakt returns with ''LoveHertz,'' a masterfully crafted 10-track album released on Monotone that showcases his evolved veteran skills. This album is a flavorful fusion of Electro, Miami Bass, and Freestyle, exuding tons of character and energy. ''LoveHertz'' features a diverse array of tracks, from the powerful female vocals to the soulful vocoder ballads, and Exzakt's signature raw vocals. The standout tracks ''Don't Know How To Forget,'' ''Nothing Wrong,'' and ''Inside My Dream'' highlight Exzakt's ability to blend genres seamlessly, creating an immersive listening experience. With ''LoveHertz,'' Exzakt proves once again why he is a respected name in the electronic music scene, delivering a unique and compelling album that is sure to captivate listeners and leave a lasting impression.
Members of Papir & Causa Sui travel through new musical realms. 3 musicians with their own compass: Martin Rude & Jakob Skøtt have shared a wide range of musical quests: from Causa Sui’s “Bitches Brew of Stoner Rock” crossing the folk meditations of Sun River and arriving most recently as members of the pre-fusion electric dealings of the London Odense Ensemble. Papir guitarist Nicklas Sørensen is not merely adding a new layer to an established duo, but his presence to the party have brought it into more meditative dwellings. These pieces move slowly, evolving like the slow growth underneath the ground. Whereas Causa Sui & Papir have always excelled at blistering panoramic and often sundrenched sounds, Edena Gardens take a dive inwards and downwards rather than outwards. But there’s also an electrically charged ecstatic rawness to the dealings. Like Æther, the 10 minute opener’s 2 guitars-and-a-drum kit improv, finding it’s way from tumbling drones into monolithic slow riffage. Elsewhere, we find trails of electronic vapors, misfiring bursts of noise and slow drones stretched out. Edena Gardens is a thing to be experienced first hand - it’s not for everyone, but those who decide to stay are greatly rewarded. It’s a debut unlike any other record on El Paraiso, perhaps unlike any you’ve ever heard. Welcome to Edena Gardens. Tracklist: 1. Aether 2. Sliding Under 3. The Canopy 4. Hidebound 5. Now Here Nowhere 6. Iod 7. An t-eilean Dubh
This dancefloor-centric release boasts five tracks designed to captivate with their powerful beats and deep vibes, perfect for the summer season. The EP showcases resident artists Nicole (Satz) and Carriego (Over think, Lirica Archives, Cosa Nostra), as well as Italian artist Mariiin (Pleasure Club), Uruguayan artist Alfalfa (Mephis Records), and French artist Sekance (3Mâts Records).
Embracing the fusion of sound and mysticism, the label aims to convey metaphysical and humanistic principles, promoting awakening and connection. Each EP in the series represents a spiritual journey through the chakras, with "Order Behind Chaos" focusing on the sacral chakra's orange hue, symbolizing creativity, emotional expression, and self-esteem.
skorri is an icelandic producer and performer. following his contribution to "hot steel: round 3", "randyrtsport" is his solo debut on Trip and a deep dive into the indulgent world of sound he crafts so meticulously.
randyrtsport, named after 'dyrt sport', an icelandic saying meaning an expensive hobby, explores this theme; each track showcasing the high stakes and rich rewards of skorri's audio adventures. "randyrtsport" stands as a compelling body of work featuring 11 bangers from a producer who views his craft through the lens of lavish auditory explorations.
Deep dive into Tom Roland's latest vinyl release ‘Exposure’. Crafted with precision, this collection of tracks is the fusion of driving beats, infectious rhythms, and fresh production.
A Side:
Exposure - Let the grooves take you on a journey through rolling bassline, crisp hi-hats, and hypnotic synth loops. This opener sets the tone with its lush synths and crafted drops.
Free Ride - This track delivers a raw, unfiltered groove straight from the heart of the 90’s scene. With its chunky beats and hypnotic loops, it’s designed to keep the dancefloor moving.
B Side:
K2000 - Dive deeper with this moody track that brings an edgy vibe to the release. With driving beats, subtle melodies and a touch of acid influence.
Zero Control - Closing out the vinyl with this groove-laden cut, featuring rolling bass, melodic elements and dynamic percussion. It's the kind of track that builds and builds, creating an irresistible urge to dance.
Each track is offering a rich palette that reflects the depth and diversity of the genre. This vinyl is a tribute to the timeless sound that continues to inspire.
Only 200 copies.
CMDRPX and RPX16035 present the first various artists in collaboration and unite the two souls that were already traveling on the same vibrations, opening the v.a is an iconic figure from the underground world, @francescofarfaofficial who with his "Soul Engineering" drags you into his world hypnotic, a fusion track that combines his unique style that looks to the future with bleep and acid sounds with a non-invasive groove that encompasses everything and makes the track one of a kind.
Also on side A we find @niki_ilb with his "Acid lover" track which focuses on an IDM sound and which opens the doors to a conceptual acid and Deep style.
@gianluca.pellerano opens the B side with "Stanza di musica", a record projected onto the dancefloor with hypnotic voices, sounds and textures that will drag you towards new musical horizons.
The B2 side was entrusted to @giuseppe__angeloro with his track "Mentalism dance" with a raw sound reminiscent of the 90s, an acid texture and present percussions that make the track evolve in a more introspective direction.
Lastly we find the duo @gianluca.pellerano & @caciotechnology with their "Mango bet" the two combine their styles perfectly the track has an Electro base with a texture projected into the future experimentation in this track is the key word.
Happy listening everyone.
2024 Repress
Mariah was a Japanese outfit in the field of art pop, way back in the very late 70s and early 80s with 5 albums up their score from 1980 to 1983. The album from 1979 entitled as “Mariah” was actually made before the band Mariah was formed, and was released as a solo album by Yasuaki Shimizu. The album at hand is the fifth and for the time being last album in this row, released as a double vinyl back in 1983. Original copies, that are at least in very good condition, are hard to find. The brand new reissue on Everland, unlike the original and the first vinyl reissue from 2015, comes housed in a thick and artfully designed gatefold sleeve with OBI, which finally does justice to the progressive spirit of the music you will find here.
The musical basement of Utakata No Hibi is a fusion of dreamy synthesizer pop and haunting new wave music, that could be found all around the globe back in 1983. In the vein of TEARS FOR FEARS or more adventurous DAVID BOWIE stuff, with a touch of KRAFTWERK or even BRIAN ENO here and there, but all this gets spiced up with an atmosphere of Japanese traditionalism, with a few bits and pieces from the old music from this Far East island, which sounds so magic to us Westeners. The progressive, wacky art pop of this project was led by the popular Japanese composer and musician Yasuaki Shimizu, a relentlessly exploratory saxophonist who even dared to rework Johann Sebastian Bach’s cello suites for saxophone.
As brilliant as this man is, the music on „Utakata No Hibi“ turns out to be. And the master himself approved and much appreciated the brandnew remastering of this album by assisting a highly professional team of sound engineers who dusted off the ancient tape reels. For certain the record sounds and feels 80s through and through, electronic to the very rhythmical bone of each song sugar coated with catchy melodies that resemble Japanese classic and Enka music, which is a kind of folksy pop music. The listener gets directly drawn into a feverish dream of steaming Far Eastern cities and their darkest and most depraved corners where you find everything cheap in sleazy bars and unlighted backyards and alleys. The next moment he strolls through a beautiful Japanese park surrounded by a sea of blossoms. This change in mood and style you will experience in the sparsely instrumented tune „Shisen“, which indeed comes closest to classic Japanese folk tunes without any too catchy and pop oriented melodies. But we certainly find these harmonies allover the album. Some tunes even feel like ancient BEACH BOYS compositions and Brian Wilson creations played by a then contemporary electronic pop act and sung in Japanese.
An amazingly colorful album with songs that are based on solid substance rather than cheap pop structures. This is music for the bold listeners and music lovers and this awesome reissue should quickly find it’s way into the record collections of 80s synth and art pop aficionadoes.
Yasuaki Shimizu did what he wanted with MARIAH, pushed the borders of popular music further than anybody would have thought. Listen to a track like „Shonen“ with a repetitive rhythm pattern that hypnotizes you and somehow silky melodylines by saxophone and synth piano upon which a female voice sings in a very spiritual way. Praising pop or whatever this can be called, it is sheer magic put in music. I wonder if this would have made it into the charts back then, but you never know. It is a piece of musical art that shall be listened to.
2024 Repress
Lars Huismann is back on Mutual Rytm with the much-anticipated third volume of his 'Sounds From The Past' trilogy.
A core part of SHDW & Obscure Shape's ever more crucial Mutual Rytm imprint thanks to his timeless techno offerings as part of his ongoing 'Sounds From The Past' series, Berlin-based DJ/producer Lars Huismann's stock continues to rise release by release as a talent merging influences from the past with forward-thinking nuances of the future. Drawing on the early 2000 techno sound, he embellishes it with his own perspective, as evidenced by his earlier releases on the label. This latest six-track offering is another accomplished outing from this unique talent as he concludes the three-part series on the label in style.
The title track 'Sound From The Past III' opens up with a finely filtered chord groove that provides a smooth and hypnotising foundation. A subtle bassline, buoyant kick drums, and embedded vocal patterns harmonise with the synths, unveiling a smooth linear groove that soon sweeps you up.
'Fusion' brings more intensity with its barreling drum kicks, a dirty driving bassline, and melodies flashing by like headlights on an intergalactic motorway, with the overhanging pent-up energy inescapable. Next, 'Shimmer' rides on vast, heavy layered drums that are warm, and comforting as the track travels through a journey of diverse dub techno elements.
Like in 'Loucura', taken from 'Sounds From The Past II', Lars again showcases his strong influences from Brazilian and Latin music. On 'Estar Farto', the drums and bass are tightly interwoven, racing beneath bright and funky synth lines that bring ever-evolving shades of colour. A jazz drummer himself, the music transports into the groove via intelligent brass chord progressions and fine-tuned vocal and percussion elements.
It's straight dance floor business on the closing vinyl production 'Bittersweet', with its muted synth smears darting over more macho drum programming, while digital bonus 'Dusty Lick' is an unrelenting, jazzy, percussion-driven banger that hits hard and heavy in all the right places.
2024 Repress
SHDW & Obscure Shape are back with their second EP for 2023, following their debut release on their mothership label From Another Mind. The German duo's latest release, 'Basic Instinct', is a collection of five dancefloor anthems that provide the perfect soundtrack for any moment in a set. The EP features their signature die-cut cover and includes a digital bonus track.
'Basic Instinct' is the 12th installment of their Mutual Rytm label and showcases the pair's exceptional production skills and innovative approach to electronic music, with a mix of old and new school flavors, vivid drum programming, organic percussion and captivating melodic elements. The A-side kicks off with their signature track 'Eraser', which blends crisp drums with warm sub-bass and piercing synth stabs.
"Dancer in the Dark" takes a deeper dive into late-night territory, combining lush dub-influenced synths with a rolling acid bassline. "Disturbing Behaviour" closes the A-side and shows why the 303 has become an iconic tool for producers. Despite the sirens dominating around the breakdowns, the simple two-tone acid stab is the defining element of the track, complemented by amen-break leaning drums that hint at a UK rave direction.
The B-side goes in a different direction, with 'Memories of Nobody' taking a filtered and less aggressive approach, as echoing dub pads gather around a growling bassline and kick drum combination, topped off by brushed hats. The EP concludes with 'The Last Seduction', a track that reveals the full organic breadth of the previously hinted at Amen break. The fusion of said amen break with the warmth and familiarity of waxing and waning pads is reminiscent of the golden days of electronic music. With its expertly crafted soundscapes and diverse range of styles, 'Basic Instinct' is yet another stunning release from SHDW & Obscure Shape.
DJ Support: Dam Swindle, Jimpster, Fouk,Franck Roger, Miguel Migs, Fred Everything, Tedd Patterson, Saison, Brian Tappert, Don Carlos, Sebb Junior, Ralph Session, Marcel Vogel, Marc Cotterell
Embark on a journey through the pulsating heart of Berlin's house music scene with Luca Olivotto. Italian-born and Berlin-based, Olivotto's beats resonate with the energy of the city's underground, blending seamlessly with his Mediterranean roots. As a DJ, Olivotto commands dance floors with finesse, effortlessly blending deep and house music. As a producer, he crafts sonic landscapes that evoke emotion and ignite the imagination. This album encapsulates the essence of Olivotto's musical universe: a fusion of cultures, a celebration of diversity, and a testament to the universal language of music. Experience the rhythm of Luca Olivotto, bridging continents with his electrifying sound.
Acerbic returns after 2 killer EPs of forward thinking Acid Techno for Acid Artists In Action (aaa011) and Stay Up Forever (suf112) which have literally torn the roof of DJ sets from Perc, Choci, Chris Liberator and dozens more. This time he ditches the 303's for throbbing, wiry techno grooves, 4 trax of fast and scuzzy warehouse techno of the highest quality - already being caned by those lucky enough to have a test pressing!
GEMiNii Family is grooving and is very happy to welcome new internationals members like OHM HOURANI, Luc Ringeisen & GEMiNii LTD.
Ohm Hourani is a boundary-pushing artist known for weaving intricate sonic landscapes that defy genre conventions. With a background in both classical and electronic music, Hourani's soundscapes transport listeners to otherworldly realms where organic and synthetic elements intertwine harmoniously.
Luc Ringeisen, known for his groundbreaking contributions to the legendary Club der Visionär, skill-fully navigates the realms of electronic music with his innovative sounds. Immerse yourself in his latest work to witness the mesmerising fusion of beats and textures that characterise his distinctive sonic landscape.
GEMiNii LTD, also known as BioN and Berten De Beukelaer, along with Arisha, are visionary artists whose work transcends boundaries. Their creations, rooted in the depths of imagination, blend intricate patterns with vivid colors to evoke emotions and spark contemplation. They deliver a very sophisticated and ambient piece, intertwining analog pad voices and flute, taking us on a journey in celebration for music lovers.
- A1: Freundeskreis / Max Herre - Kore Bonvenon (Intro) 2 01
- A2: Freundeskreis Feat Déborah / Max Herre - Esperanto 4 20
- A3: Freundeskreis / Max Herre - Fk Skit 0 50
- A4: Freundeskreis / Max Herre - Erste Schritte / Retrospektive 6 52
- B1: Freundeskreis / Max Herre - 20$ Skit 0 47
- B2: Freundeskreis / Max Herre / Fk Allstars - Tabula Rasa Pt Ii 4 52
- B3: Freundeskreis / Max Herre - Hit Skit 0 23
- B4: Freundeskreis Feat Mighty Tolga / Max Herre - Sternstunde (Oder Die Revolution Der Bärte) 5 24
- B5: Freundeskreis / Shurik'n / Max Herre - Briefwechsel / Letter Exchange 5 56
- C1: Freundeskreis / Max Herre - Reprise1 00
- C2: Freundeskreis, Joy Denalane, Max Herre - Mit Dir 4 39
- C3: Freundeskreis Feat Sékou The Ambassador / Max Herr - All Apologies 5 23
- C4: Freundeskreis / Max Herre - Frico's Skit 0 50
- C5: Massive Töne / Afrob / Freundeskreis - Pulsschlag 6 29
- D1: Freundeskreis / Samy Deluxe / Max Herre - Eimsbush Bis 0711 4 55
- D2: Freundeskreis / Max Herre - Don's Cp 70 Skit 1 34
- D3: Freundeskreis / Udo Lindenberg / Max Herre - Nebelschwadenbilder 4 27
- D4: Freundeskreis / Max Herre - Kore Salutas (Outro) 2 41
- E1: Freundeskreis, Joy Denalane, Max Herre - Mit Dir (Fk Radio Edit) 4 14
- E2: Freundeskreis, Joy Denalane, Max Herre - Mit Dir (Fk Slow Jam) 4 45
- F1: Freundeskreis, Joy Denalane, Max Herre - Mit Dir (Paley Jay Remix) 3 59
- F2: Freundeskreis, Joy Denalane, Max Herre - Mit Dir (Fk Slow Jam Remix) 4 20
Das zweite Studioalbum von Freundeskreis - "Esperanto"- ist eine Fusion aus Hip-Hop, Soul und Reggae, dass die musikalische Vision und Botschaft der Gruppe in die Welt getragen hat. Mit Hits wie "Mit Dir", "Esperanto" und "A-N-N-A" hat Freundeskreis die Musikszene geprägt. Zum Jubiläum der Single "Mit Dir" erstrahlt "Esperanto" in einer speziellen Jubiläumsedition. In dieser enthalten ist das Album "Esperanto" auf goldener Doppelvinyl, sowie die Single "Mit Dir" auf coke bottle greenem Vinyl. Diese Single-Vinyl beinhaltet neben der Originalversion zwei brandneue Remixe. Diese neuen Interpretationen bringen das Gefühl und die Energie des Originals in eine neue Ära und sind ein Dankeschön an alle, die diesen Song lieben und leben. Das Jubiläumsbundle ist für die treuen Fans, die Freundeskreis seit Tag eins supporten, und für die neuen Hörer, die die Musik gerade entdecken. Es ist ihre Art, Danke zu sagen und die Freundeskreis-Vibes weiterzugeben.r
- A1: World Standard - Fellini & Rota
- A2: Masumi Hara - Your Dream
- A3: Normal Brain - M.u.s.i.c
- A4: Hiroyuki Namba - Who Done It? (Part 2)
- B1: Yasuaki Shimizu - Crow
- B2: Hiroyuki Namba - Tropical Exposition
- B3: Imitation - Exotic Dance
- B4: Pecker - Sha La La
- C1: Ep-4 - Db
- C2: Earthling - You Go On Natural
- C3: Masumi Hara - Camera
- D1: Geinoh Yamashirogumi - Rinne Kohkyogaku Meikei
- D2: D-Day - Ki·ra·i
- D3: Ryuichi Sakamoto - A Wongga Dance Song
Ever since he made his first trip to Japan to DJ, Optimo Music founder JD Twitch has been bewitched by Japanese music, and particularly the vibrant, imaginative, and often far-sighted sounds which emerged from the island nation during the 1980s. Now he’s put years of digging in Japanese record shops to good use on Polyphonic Cosmos, the latest release on his compilation-focused Cease & Desist imprint.
Subtitled ‘A Beginners Guide to Japan In The ‘80s’, the collection offers a personal selection of Japanese gems recorded and released between 1981 and ’86 – a period when advances in recording and musical technology offered the nation’s artists and producers a whole new tool kit to employ. When combined with the unique musical culture of Japan, where local traditions are frequently fused with Western styles to create timeless, off-kilter aural fusions, this embrace of locally pioneered music technology had spectacular, often unusual results.
Eight years in the making, Polyphonic Cosmos provides an endlessly entertaining musical snapshot of Japanese music of the early-to-mid ‘80s with all of the open-minded eclecticism and sonic twists that you would expect from the Glasgow-based DJ.
Compare and contrast, for example, the gently breezy, morning-fresh folk-plus-electronics bliss of ‘ばら二曲 Baranikyoku (Fellini&Rota)’ by World Standard – the most familiar alias of long-serving musician/producer Sohichiro Suzuki – and the hallucinatory, slow-motion tribal rhythms, post-punk rhythms and tape delay-laden electronics of Imitation’s ‘Exotic Dance’. Or, for that matter, the tipsy mid-‘80s electronic reggae of Pecker’s ‘Sha La La’, the grungy but melodic post-punk strut of ‘You Go On Natural’ by Earthling (a track Twitch accurately describes as “sheer unrelenting groove”), and the unearthly, swirling sonics, new age instrumentation and flotation tank vocals of prolific (and seemingly mysterious) act Geinoh Yamashirogumi’s ‘Rimme Kohkyogaku Meiki’.
It’s a credit to JD Twitch’s curatorial skills that the quality never dips, and sonic surprises lurk around every corner. Consider for a moment the hard to describe, far-sighted audio immersion of D-Day’s ‘Ki-Ra’ – all languid post-pop guitar, enveloping chords, spoken word vocals, shuffling 808 beats and marimba melodies – and the two contributions from video games soundtrack specialist (and driving instrumental synth-pop specialist) Hiroyuki Namba.
The collection naturally includes some selections that have long been favourites in Twitch’s DJ sets – see Masumi Hara’s ‘Your Dream’ – as well as a handful of tracks from artists who may be more recognisable to those with only rudimentary knowledge of Japanese musical culture. The great Yasuaki Shimizu, whose work as Mariah has become far better known in recent years thanks to reissues of some of his most magical albums, is represented via ‘The Crow’, a picturesque chunk of horizontal, hard-to-define jazz-not-jazz smokiness, while the collection fittingly concludes with a sublimely funky, oddball electronic workout from Yellow Magic Orchestra legend Ryuichi Sakamoto (the frankly incredible ‘Wongga Dance Song’).
Matt Anniss
We have a subtly edit of “Soul Town” by The Motherhood, the psychedelic 1969 LP “I Feel So Free. Motherhood was the unlikely name of Klaus Doldinger's psychedelic fusion band, who eventually transmuted into the bands Passport (Klaus Doldinger, Lothar Meid & Udo Lindenberg) & Hallelujah (Paul Vincent & Keith Forsey). “Soul Town” appears as the B-side to the first single “Back In The Grass”, which fetches ~$275. It was produced by Siegfried E. Loch, & written/arranged by Paul Nero. Many will recognize it as the closing track on the Ocean’s 13 soundtrack. It’s a psychedelic, jazz-funk bomb that punches hard.
Pinball Number Count (Edit) by The Pointer Sisters b/w Soul Town (Edit) by The Motherhood | Galaxy Sound Company — GSC45-043, test pressing | You know the drill. It’s Galaxy Sound Co. It is cop-on-site. It is yet another GSC45 edit you need in your crates. & number 43 doesn’t disappoint. I have been wanting both of these jazz-funk nuggets on 7-inch for a minute now, so much love to the GSC crew!
Any of us who grew up on Sesame Street in the 1970s will know this A-side righ away. “The Pinball Number Count” (or Pinball Countdown) is a collective title referring to the 11 one-minute animated segments on the TV series Sesame Street that teach children to count to 12 by following the journey of a pinball through a fanciful pinball machine. These segments are notable for the colorful, imaginative animation as well as the funkysoundtrack with vocals by The Pointer Sisters. It was produced in 1976 by Imagination, Inc. in San Francisco, California for the Children's Television Workshop & debuted on Sesame Street during Season 8 .
After touring the globe showcasing their A/V moshpit-inducing live show, they are revealing their new musical creations to an unsuspecting public. Never Sleep are proud to present a landmark moment in the Japanese hardcore new rave scene. The blinding lights of DEATH RAVE point to an untraveled journey, a sci-fi fusion of black metal, gabber, cyberpunk, performance art and techno. It’s their first for the Berlin label (founded by Gabber Eleganza) following 2021’s EP Principle of Light Speed Variance. Full description VMO aka Violent Magic Orchestra break through the darkness and herald a spectacular mould-melting sound on their forthcoming album DEATH RAVE. After touring the globe showcasing their A/V moshpit-inducing live show, they are revealing their new musical creations to an unsuspecting public. Never Sleep are proud to present a landmark moment in the Japanese hardcore new rave scene. The blinding lights of DEATH RAVE point to an untraveled journey, a sci-fi fusion of black metal, gabber, cyberpunk, performance art and techno. It’s their first for the Berlin label (founded by Gabber Eleganza) following 2021’s EP Principle of Light Speed Variance. Ahead of the release VMO have brought their digital harcore to festivals around the globe, including Roadburn Festival, BANG FACE Weekender, Brutal Assault extreme music festival, Le Guess Who?, CTM Berlin and Dark Mofo. Their performance is the ultimate extreme visual music project in which techno, black metal, and industrial unite to create a ritual from the near future, 2099. All visual art and stage setting is provided by non-touring member, artist and programmer Kezzardrix (who has been visual director for millennium parade and BABYMETAL previously).The power consumption of a VMO show is equivalent to 56 guitar amplifiers, 5000W, a mind-expanding supreme noise and light experience. The band members all go by the names of classic black metal bands rendered in the Japanese katakana script; “ダークスローン”; “メイヘム”, and “エンペラー”. Their new LP is the first to feature lead vocalist ザスター. The record features guest vocals from extreme metal icon Attila Csihar, known for singing with Mayhem and Sunn O))). Other featured artists include Dylan Walker, singer of Full of Hell, punk-techno artist Infinity Division (aka Ash Luk), Icelandic darkwavers Kælan Mikla and Ican Harem of Gabber Modus Operandi. The result is a leap forward from their 2016 debut, where they have found a singularity where death metal meets Kraftwerk, or Rephlex goes black. Dressed in corpse paint and other hell-raising looks, onstage they are like “Shinigami (death gods) from the Death Note manga”. Singles Venom, Supergaze and Martello Mosh Pit featuring Gabber Eleganza have been released in the lead up to the record and have been shocking techno dance floors too with their hi-NRG-symphonic doom-gaze. They have shared their video for Planet Helvetech (here), created by Berlin-based Patrick Defasten. Helvetech combines the Norwegian word for hell (hevlete) with techno and is a reference to the infamous black metal shop founded by Mayhem’s Euronymous. It’s a song that imagines time travel from 2099 on the planet Helvetech (where VMO comes from) to 1990s Oslo. In 2023, they performed at the CTM festival in Berlin, as well as at Berghain, receiving rave reviews. At Sydney’s leading multi-sensory SOFT CENTER festival they drove the crowd into a frenzy on the 17 metre X 30 metre jumbo screen. They have also collaborated with artists, performing at the two day installation by the trailblazing Tianzhuo Chen - The Shepherd - at the Kyoto International Performing Arts Festival in 2021 here. At Sónar 2023, VMO provided the music for Taiwanese visual artist Yuen Hsieh’s work about virtual life after death DIGITAL AFTERLIFE AGENCY here. VMO will tour the world again for the new record, with appearances at ROSKILDE and media art and music fest Sónar 2024 announced so far and the DEATH RAVE experience getting bigger and bigger.




















