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Blue Vinyl

Seba smashes his way into 2022 with the much anticipated release of his third studio album, "Ingaro".

Prepare yourself for ten brand new tracks of Seba. Secret Operations presents the first LP in almost ten years, from a producer who believes albums are not to be taken lightly.

"Ingaro" takes it's name from the small island outside of Stockholm, which Seba has called home for the last 20 years and is also where he spent his formative years.

The new LP takes the listener on a soaring journey through the entire Seba sound. Whether it's the dark and insistent forces of "Horse Power", which grow and fold in on themselves throughout the track, or the blooming euphoric roller "Public Beauty". A fresh collection of tracks which contain the unmistakeable Seba DNA, which has helped cement the name Seba firmly into the world of drum and bass.

Any album is not complete without some guests joining along the way and Seba has also enlisted some helpers on the journey and the LP includes collaborations with Collette Warren, Björn Berglund, Samuel Lancine and Blackeye.

For many, Seba is a name they are very familiar with. From his early releases on Good Looking right through to the present day Seba has made a name for himself for his exciting and varied production.

His music draws influence from far and wide across the musical spectrum and his work alongside the legendary Paradox and vocalist Robert Manos have gone down in Drum and Bass history.

Not just famed for his work in the studio, Seba's sets have gained a reputation for their energy and emotion. One of the scene's unique veterans. Seba's work is inspiring producers and fans more than ever. An album which sets the bar high for 2022!

Sono Unica taps local producers Vincent Casanova and Ajaks for the ”Northern Lights EP”, a mystical outing incorporating deep grooves and airy breezes to set the stage for summer festivals and open air delights. Rolling basslines bask in vibrant keys, and Ajaks turns toward darker hours with a slick rework.

12" GREEN Color Vinyl / With Black Solid Jacket and Large Sticker
The Unofficial Edits & Overdubs by Joaquin Joe Claussell
Finally comes the first of a two-part forthcoming EP's, Extended Versions taken from the highly successful Joe Claussell Afro Edits & Overdubs Series previously released on LP and CD.
Influence of hallucinations induced by chewing roots from the iboga plant on the works of Joaquin Joe Claussell's Edits & Overdubs IBOGA Compilation. The iboga plant is indigenous to the humid, tropical climates of West Central Africa, including Gabon, Cameroon, Congo, and Angola, which are home to the 2nd largest rainforest in the world. It has been used for centuries in spiritual initiation ceremonies and practices, particularly by the Bwiti tradition and religion in Gabon.

Joaquin Joe Claussell was inspired by these influences and went into the studio to create a compilation of edits and overdubs of African vibrational sounds and rhythms. The result is a collection of nine compositions that showcase the future possibilities of this influential work.

Tested for months on dance floors across the globe every on this complication are sure to continue setting dance floors on fire where ever spun.
Extended Versions Cuts Taken Limited Vinyl EP featuring selected cuts from the compilation. Listen loudly and enjoy the experience!
Thank You for Listening

Two decades after its original release, the trance classic “The Morgan’s Wave” returns in a fresh and contemporary form. Born in 2003 from the creative meeting between vocalist Caroline Eloy and producers Patrick Ketels and Xavier Romain, the track first gained attention through David Altrix (Galaxie Radio), and was signed by Diki Records in 2004 on its sub-label Green Valley.
In 2025, the idea to revive the track came from Caroline Eloy—now performing as Ce’Loy—who teamed up once again with David Altrix to envision a remix with a modern twist, keeping the original lyrics and piano melody while exploring a new musical direction.

They entrusted the remix to Narik (Freegrant Music, Bonzai Progressive, EinMusika), whose timeless production style brings a unique reinterpretation of the track. His version features deep, emotional textures and a subtle deconstruction of the vocal part, blending nostalgia with innovation.

Now released on Clair Obscur, this 2025 remix also serves as a heartfelt tribute to Patrick Ketels, who sadly passed away a few years ago.
“The Morgan’s Wave (Narik 2025 Remix)” bridges eras with elegance — a moving reinvention of a beloved track, available soon on both vinyl and digital formats.

Français

Deux décennies après sa sortie originale, le classique trance “The Morgan’s Wave” revient dans une version fraîche et contemporaine. Né en 2003 de la rencontre créative entre la chanteuse Caroline Eloy et les producteurs Patrick Ketels et Xavier Romain, le morceau s’est d’abord fait remarquer grâce à David Altrix (Galaxie Radio), avant d’être signé en 2004 par Diki Records sur son sous-label Green Valley.

En 2025, l’idée de raviver le morceau germe dans l’esprit de Caroline Eloy — désormais connue sous le nom de Ce’Loy — qui s’associe de nouveau à David Altrix pour imaginer un remix à la fois fidèle et modernisé, conservant les paroles originales et la mélodie au piano tout en explorant une nouvelle direction musicale.

Ils confient cette mission au producteur Narik (Freegrant Music, Bonzai Progressive, EinMusika), dont le style intemporel offre une relecture unique du titre. Sa version déploie des textures profondes et émotionnelles, et déconstruit avec subtilité la partie vocale, mêlant habilement nostalgie et innovation.

Désormais publié sur le label Clair Obscur, ce remix 2025 constitue aussi un hommage sincère à Patrick Ketels, disparu il y a quelques années.

“The Morgan’s Wave (Narik 2025 Remix)” fait le lien entre les époques avec élégance — une réinvention touchante d’un morceau culte, à paraître prochainement en vinyle et en digital.

DJ FEEDBACK
Early support from Jam El Mar, Fedele, Township Rebellion, Themba, Roger Sanchez, Dan Marciano, DJ Fire, Tocadisco, Yalla Techno, Tom Leclercq, ….

Facta and K-LONE’s Wisdom Teeth imprint returns to the V/A format with ‘Pattern Gardening’: a new collaborative project that leans head-first into the label’s love of minimal-, micro- and tech-house, carving out the label’s distinct, contemporary take on the sound - one that swims between warm, bleepy, rolling, dubby, psychedelic and bass-heavy channels across its duration. The vinyl sampler brings together 6 highlights from the wider 22 track digital project. Wisdom Teeth heads Facta and K-LONE appear alongside longtime label associate Lurka and new signees Polygonia, rRoxymore, Sub Basics and Jichael Mackson.

By now, Wisdom Teeth and its founders are well known for their unabashed love of minimal and tech house, which - alongside ambient, UK club music, experimental electronics and a broad palette of other influences - makes up a key cornerstone of their distinctive sound. The duo’s DJ sets often see them mixing ‘00s gems from labels like Perlon, Mosaic, Minibar and a:rpia:r with more contemporary club sounds, creating a hybrid style that sits somewhere between Balearic terraces and dark UK club basements. Likewise, the label has become known as a go-to outlet for artists occupying a similar crossover space, with names like Jorg Kuning, Parris, Steevio, Duckett, Leif and LUXE all known for pushing house and techno into experimental and refreshing new territories.

‘Pattern Gardening’ follows loosely on from the label’s previous V/A releases ‘To Illustrate’ (2021) and ‘Club Moss’ (2023), which explored downtempo (100bpm) and uptempo (150-170bpm) styles respectively. Here, the focus is fixed on lush, groovy, quirky 4x4 jams, joining the dots between a global spread of producers that bring new energy and perspective to these well-explored frameworks.

As is always the case with Wisdom Teeth’s output, the results fit somewhere between the club and a more contemplative, home-listening headspace, with texture, melody and mood afforded as much significance as rhythm and functionality.

The artwork features photography by Hong Kong-based photographer Jimi Chiu, who captures seemingly ordinary corners of city life in glossy, cinematic detail.

Bangladeshi Born Producer Lady Tazz, debuts ‘Sleaze’ with a killer remix from Radio Slave this June. At the heart of Lady Tazz’s mission is Mind Medizin, her label and event series that champions the sound of kindred spirits, now inviting Radio Slave to the mix this June.

Lady Tazz has overcome many cultural obstacles to achieve her rightful place as one of Toronto’s foremost electronic dance exports. A renegade of sorts, as a teenager, she would regularly visit the UK and Germany without her parents’ knowledge to attend London’s Sound Academy and to party in Berlin, whilst continuing to pursue her aspirations of becoming a DJ.

The Bangladeshi producer and DJ is proud of her heritage but is realistic about the social expectations of throwing raves in her hometown. She moved to Toronto in her teenage years, where she grew up, educating herself on music and a place that has perfected a sound that remains organic and raw. Her record label and party series, Mind Medizin, taps into an erotic lifestyle that embraces the unconventional and free-spirited, which inspires and motivates Lady Tazz on numerous artistic levels.

For Mind Medzin’s latest release, Lady Tazz will drop ‘Sleaze’ on the 27th June, to include a special remix from Rekids founder and UK godfather, Radio Slave, making his debut on her label.
Foreboding and dripping with lascivious intent, ‘Sleaze’ brazenly stalks into existence by way of warping synth fills and glitching hi-hats. The lyrical component consists of a series of smouldering vocal hooks which salaciously enrapture one’s senses, tightly wrapping around the creeping melody before succumbing to the beat’s stomping dominance.

On the flipside, Radio Slave’s remix revs and fires with shots of ringing overtones atop a deep thud, husky vocal and swooshing cymbals. Whilst upping the ante of the original, its stripped-back charm remains, culminating in a moody, chugging rework bubbling with tension and fraught with Radio Slave’s brand of dark, fractured house.

Dancing Vinyl Records kicks off its journey with a radiant debut EP from Scruscru – a four-track house odyssey titled simply and soulfully for the dancefloor.

From the warm acid lines of “303 Baby” to the sunny, uplifting groove of “Love Is Taking Me Over”, Side A offers instant feel-good energy, perfectly tailored for both daytime sets and cozy listening sessions at home. On the flip, “Watashi Mo” brings jazzy textures and head-nodding swing, while “O.K.” closes the record with a laid-back yet infectious deep house flow, full of elegant rhythm and charm.

This is house music in its purest form – heartfelt, unpretentious, and irresistibly groovy. A confident statement from a label that values soul, simplicity, and sound system readiness.

Pressed with care. Designed for DJs. Built to last.

Collecting orders for Repress

Clone Classic Cuts continues their re-issues series for one of the most influential techno acts ever... Drexciya. The second selection of tracks including favorites such as ''Bang-Bang'', ''Positron Island'', ''Anti Vapour Waves'' and ''Journey Home'' complimented some lesser or unknown tracks. Raw, uncompromising music made with soul and creativity always has been the trademark of Drexciya (and also from their original label Underground Resistance) and this album is another showcase of their talents.

"Quit to Play Chess" is the final studio album of Cola Boyy, who tragically passed away in March 2024 after winning the hearts of neo-disco and funk enthusiasts, from Los Angeles to Paris, from Coachella to London.


After a critically acclaimed EP (Black Boogie Neon, 2018), a debut album (Prosthetic Boombox, 2021), and collaborations with the likes of MGMT, Benny Sings and The Avalanches, the self-proclaimed Disabled Disco Innovator was able to finish his new album, groovier than ever.


Without boundaries of styles, tinted with hiphop, R'n'B and drum & bass, and faithful to his very unique flow, Cola Boyy offers one last record in his image: 12 generous, inventive, psychedelic and passionate tracks. An album painting a nuanced yet lyrical portrait of its era, drawing on the diversity of the contemporary world to offer anthems for those who are in lack of them.


The album is a work of goldsmith on the production side, with music craftsmen like Andrew VanWyngarden (MGMT), Jared Solomon (producer of SZA, Lola Young, Remi Wolf, Fousheé...), Nate Fox (Chance The Rapper, Lil Wayne) and Lewis OfMan, who build "Quit to Play Chess" as the most current and genuine project of its author...

lim. 2xLP colored yellow and oxblood vinyl with Poster, Sticker & Mp3 Download!

We are back with another chapter in our ongoing series of unearthing smooth vibes from all over the world, this time we go back to the FUTURE for you with: THE SUNSET MANIFESTO Volume 2. After a five year break mainly concentrating on the late 70s/early 80s Westcoast Soul/Yacht/AOR sound, we finally dive deep into the modern world of our beloved sister-label Too Slow To Disco NEO (for the third time after 2018s TSTD NEO - En France and 2020s The Sunset Manifesto excursions). But of course it wasn't a real 5 year break since the first Sunset Manifesto compilation, as in the meantime we also released a few digital TSTD Neo singles, and - more importantly - our "Too Slow To Disco NEO - FM" playlist on spotify (handcurated by Dj Supermarkt every week and now hosting more than 1500 tracks of mellow, modern sunshine vibes) was growing steadily and becoming a new, important fixpoint in the TSTD musical universe. TSTD NEO is the outlet Dj Supermarkt is using to unearth modern laidback, smooth, sunny slow disco vibes with a soulful Westcoast/Balearic touch. For him TSTD always has been about a laidback vibe/feeling, not a certain time period in musical history. And that sunny Westcoast vibe we dug out on those traditional TSTD compilations has become a huge influence to so many modern artists. So it makes sense that we present the cream of new slo/mo NuDisco/Sunset Disco/Daytime Disco acts in the TSTD format, a luxurious compilation, with artists from all across the globe: Not only from the two homelands of that modern slow disco sound, Los Angeles/California and France, but also from Beijing, Montreal, Mexico, London, New York, Stockholm, Rotterdam… the moon, you name it! This music is more a state of mind, a feeling, then a geographical thing. We are happy and really excited to annouce the following passengers are on board with exclusive tracks: Poolside, Woolfy, Prep & Eddie Chacon, Turbotito, Young Gun Silver Fox, Lovetempo, Kimchii, Goodvibes Sound a.m.m.

The title says it all - A Cellarful Of Motown! ..A Northern Soul Love Affair.

West Grand has been set up to mine the deep vaults of mighty Motown courtesy of a licence deal with Universal Music.

The first West Grand LP fuses two musical religions, Motown and Northern Soul.

In some ways they are unlikely bedfellows. Motown became known as Hitsville by churning out hit after hit, while Northern Soul passion is fired by a constant search for the unknown and the obscure.
The 16 tracks here - on incredibly the first Motown various artists vinyl album released worldwide for 40 years - join the dots. All of them were recorded in the 1960s. None of them were released at the time, despite being prime examples of the sublime magic conjured up by Berry Gordy’s genius-like team of singers, writers, producers, arrangers and musicians at that tiny little snakepit of a recording studio on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit.

Motown authority Adam White’s album sleeve notes confirm just how productive that studio was. It often ran 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
As a result, lots of the most sublime music ever made was somehow rejected for release. It would have stayed unknown and unloved in tape boxes if it had not been for detective work by Soul aficionados turned detectives. That’s Northern Soul power. Many were DJs and collectors tracking down cassette copies or acetates (some of them found in rubbish skips and about to be destroyed). Others, notably Paul Nixon, the founder of the CD series A Cellarful Of Motown! which inspired this album, badgered the Motown gatekeepers so much they were eventually granted access to the forbidden kingdom.

Over recent years all the tracks contained here have been released—some bootlegged, some on legitimate seven-inch issues, some on CD, one download-only. The album proudly boasts debut vinyl release for some in the collection. All have been remastered and have never sounded better.

As a homage to Motown music makers + Rare Soul fanaticism, WEST GRAND believe we have come up with a classic.

New entry in the legendary fabric presents mix series, home to standout releases from SHERELLE, Overmono, Saoirse, Kode9, and more.
- Curated and mixed by Pretty Girl – rising star producer/DJ/vocalist known for emotionally rich dance music and a global touring presence including Coachella, DC10, Lost Village, Glastonbury, and more.
- Mix includes exclusive unreleased material, the brand-new single “Innadream”, and hand-selected tracks from Australian and UK scenes.
- A journey through melancholic club textures, groove-heavy house, UK garage, and lo-fi rhythms – all tied together with Pretty Girl’s signature melodic flair.
- Backed by recent remix work for Romy and George Fitzgerald, and the acclaimed EP Get Back To Me.
- Launch party at fabric London (June 6)

o Resident Advisor: “A star in the making”
o Dazed: “Crafting nocturnal soundscapes for the party, the after-party, and the morning train ride home”
o The Sunday Times: “Succession of brilliant tracks”

Pretty Girl is the alias of Melbourne-born, London-based producer, vocalist, and DJ who’s rapidly emerging as a defining voice in emotive club music. Fusing dreamy textures with deep house, UKG, and lo-fi rhythms, her sound bridges dancefloor euphoria with introspective detail. A regular at global festivals like Coachella, Glastonbury, and DC10, she’s earned acclaim for both her immersive live sets and expressive studio work. Recent highlights include her Get Back To Me EP, remixes for Romy and George Fitzgerald, and now her most expansive statement to date: a mix for the revered fabric presents series.

Efficient Space charts Ghost Riders’ North American roadmap, crashing into 1973 New York to ignite the unfiltered teen dreams of Dennis Harte.

In the late ’60s, 11-year-old prodigy Dennis Harte was handed a Sears-bought Silvertone 1448, its in-case amplifier primed for street-level incantations. Recruiting two neighbourhood friends, the trio hammered out raw rhythms, drawing in Brooklyn’s wandering bohemians, keen to glimpse a prepubescent Alex Chilton in the making.

Also jamming with his older brothers, Bart and John, a family friend introduced the siblings to budding music exec Carl Edelson, who had spent the better part of two decades hustling through a string of local labels. A father figure of sorts, Edelson backed them immediately, facilitating sessions at the famed A-1 Sound Studios and Sanders Recording Studio and pressing four 7”s on his newly minted Roundtable Records. To maximise his chances of courting major labels, he strategically assigned each release a different artist name - Dennis Harte, Pure Madness, Harte Brothers and the wryly titled Harte Attack.

Dennis’ emotional maturity and sheer talent bleed into the defining ‘Summer’s Over’, penned by Edelson and once recorded by mid-'60s New Jersey garage vocal group The Wouldsmen. Morphing into an unfathomably teenage, blue-eyed soul/psych lament, it aches for a season slipping away forever. Its Harte Attack edition counterpart - the candied ballad ‘Running Thru My Mind’ - delivers unison harmonies and kinetic guitar interplay with a streetwise punch, channeling the spirit of NYC-area icons The Rascals, The Lovin’ Spoonful, and The Youngbloods.

Roaring like the Spencer Davis Group, Pure Madness’ organ-driven bruiser ‘Freedom Rides’ screams of biker gangs, yet its true subject - ’60s civil rights activists the Freedom Riders - looms as another towering theme for an adolescent perspective. Meanwhile, the loose, bluesy ruckus ‘Treat Me Like a Man’ digs back into Edelson’s catalogue, covering the Beatles-inflected Levittown group The Shandels.

Though Dennis later found success touring with Wilson Pickett and now doubles as a piano tuner to the stars, these four snapshots frame ambition on its outer edge - a heartfelt homage to an unbreakable brotherhood.

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO MOXIE AND THE LOVE INTERNATIONAL X TEST PRESSING TEAM FOR WINNING THE BEST COMPILATION IN THE DJ MAG BEST OF BRITISH AWARDS 2025


“I feel really chuffed as a lot of work went into building this compilation,” beams Moxie, when we congratulate her on the award. “I also worked alongside a great team, including Dave Harvey, Ellie Stokes, Chez de Milo and everyone at Prime Distribution. I’d been manifesting working on a project like this for years, so when it all came together I was so happy with it. But to have recognition from the DJ Mag public vote is the cherry on the cake.”


Few artists have shaped their local scene quite like Alice Moxom under her celebrated Moxie alias. A born-and-bred Londoner, Moxie is a dance music powerhouse whose influence runs deep—from the grassroots to global stages. Her trajectory spans early teenage years digging for garage records, to dubstep sets at legendary club nights, to running her long-standing and beloved NTS Radio residency. For over a decade, she’s been a midweek staple on NTS, championing deep house, Detroit techno, and all things dubby, groovy, and percussive, while regularly platforming artists through guest mixes and interviews with icons like Jeff Mills, Four Tet, and Or:la.

Her latest endeavor, the Love International compilation, brings that wealth of experience to life. 'I’d secretly been manifesting this for a while,' Moxie admits. 'Love International has such a specific energy, and I wanted the compilation to reflect that—dubby, fun, euphoric, deep. It’s all the styles of music I love, pulled together in harmony. Being at Love International always feels like coming home. Whether it’s dancing in Barbarellas or sharing a smile with a stranger on the dancefloor, there’s this sense of unity that’s hard to describe. That’s why I chose ‘U Skladu’ for the sleeve—because that’s what it feels like: in harmony.'

Eko, or Eko Roosevelt, is a Cameroonian composer, pianist & vocalist. He was born in Kribi in 1946, the son of a local Tribal Chief. Eko developed his love for music at church, later pursuing his growing passionwith music studies abroad, first in Dakar and then in Paris. After concluding his studies in France he went on to a recording career and between 1975 - 1982 released a number of full-length LPs, 7" singles and albums on cassette, before returning to Kribi to take over the role of Tribal Chief from his father, a role he holds to this day.

While the name "Eko" may not be immediately familiar to all, his music will be well known to many, from the DJs to the dancers, the heads to the home listeners. Evergreen classics like “Kilimandjaro My Home”, have remained a mainstay in the record bags & USB crates of disco jocks since its release in the late 70s, while numerous of his other crossover Afro-disco gems have been bootlegged, edited and remixed by a seemingly endless number of both greater & lesser-known producers who have all paid tribute to his work. Eko Roosevelt’s position in the ranks of Cameroon’s great musicians cannot be overstated. As a composer, songwriter, pianist and singer he has influenced generations of musicians both in Cameroon and France and further abroad, while he has written & arranged for many of the Cameroonian musical community.

Here Canopy, with the benediction of Eko himself, officially reissues two of his works that have not been rereleased since their first outings. Stylistically the two songs straddle the line between Afro-disco, funk and pop, with a slightly Balearic, almost AOR sensibility.

“Phone Me Tonight” is taken from a 7” record that has barely resurfaced since it was self-released in 1981 on the “Eko Music’ imprint. The song is an uplifting opus that demonstrates Eko’s deftness for creating catchy songs that succeed in their songwriting prowess and melody crafting, both on and off the dance floor. It is a stripped back composition that employs the key elements to great effect. The groovy bass line is underpinned by a tight Afro-disco beat as Eko’s unmistakeable voice draws us in and with a masterful use of repetition and hooks, creates a song that feels familiar from the outset, while being brand new to almost all listeners. As the song develops, the synth lines lift the song higher and higher, culminating in a euphoric transcendence perfect for elevating the mood of any dancefloor.

“Take Me As I am Now”, is sourced from Eko’s first album, “Nalandi” which originally came out in 1975 on Dragon Phenix. Here we have another fine example of Eko’s ability to hone compositions that blend thelines between pop song writing and more loopy dance floor orientated structures. The vocal hook repeats throughout the song, with only minor variations, making the song feel comfortingly familiar from its early bars. An instantly appealing bass line sets the stage for the sleek guitars and taut horn arrangements. The end result is a feel-good balance of melody and groove that makes for a timeless feel with a positive message!"

Jolene Cuts brings you straight into the heart of 90s French Touch with a modern edge. This exclusive vinyl-only release features 5 meticulously crafted filtered house edits, paying homage to the roots of house music while igniting today's dancefloors. Created by Danny and Mike, true masters of their craft, these tracks combine funky grooves, disco-infused samples, warm filters, and irresistible retro vibes reimagined for the present day. Each edit offers a unique sonic journey, blending nostalgia with a fresh energy, perfect for DJs and collectors who value the timeless magic of vinyl. With this release, Jolene Cuts celebrates the legacy of French Touch while delivering peak-time quality and undeniable groove for any set, from fiery club nights to intimate after-hours. A must-have for true house music enthusiasts. Vinyl-only, strictly limited edition. Once it's gone, it's gone.

Mama is here. This producer hailing from Italy has been making waves in the underground music community landing a strong string of releases on the prolific labels for you to check out. Now it is time for him to present to the world of “Sottopasso”, the 4 track EP with quite wide range of sound yet all absolutely in line with vision of the label and with utmost touch of freshness starting from A1 and finishing to B2. All the tracks names are with Italian flavor and is very close to the artist’s heart and resonate with the memories and experiences that personally shaped the man we are witnessing today. The artwork as always executed by the legend of the graffiti art Gkoner, which is showing a spooky entrance that one is about to enter if one dares too. This work has found its home on the label with a sense of proudness of Mama and excitement for it to find homes to its rightful owners brings a lot of positive feelings.

Buckwheat Beat 4 The Primordial Cult
This spacey and atmospheric track pays tribute to the fallen heroes of the Muzik Box which tested and pushed dance music ideas for those who chose to UNDERSTAND the heritage and RESPECT the history these individuals created from their hearts..

Jakbeat is not to be trivialized.

Psycho PipeZ
Kincaid and The Jak come together showing massive respect to Marcus Mixx from the days of Saber Records in Chicago. with an homage of "Psychousic" more twisted and mental for the dedicated freaks of oLd schoOL tracks!!!…

J.E. Movement's groundbreaking ‘Ma Dea Luv’,

Toward the end of the 1980s South Africa's recording industry was booming. Searching for a sound that could cross over to all in the country's segregated society while also eyeing international success, a new duo emerged that quickly rendered its 'bubblegum' predecessors obsolete. Drawing on international trends and crafting lyrics for local ears, J.E. MOVEMENT — a duo made up of James Nyingwa and Elliot Faku — exploded onto the local scene with their debut album, 'Ma Dea Luv'. The future had arrived.

A talented bassist and composer, Nyingwa was at the time employed as an in-house producer at TRS Studios in Plein Street in downtown Johannesburg, run by two Greek immigrants, George Vardas and Chris Ghelakis. Together they formed a close bond as friends and musical partners at what would become CSR Records, recording original hits with acts like the NEW AGE KIDS and SIDNEY, while also cashing in on cover versions as BLACK BOX.

The six tracks on J.E. Movement’s 1988 debut give firm nods to UK Street Soul, New Jack Swing and Stock Aitken Waterman's 'Hit Factory' sound and infuse them with an African rhythmic flair and homegrown lyrical sentiment. Though not expressly political, the title track was received by many as a play on words referencing then-jailed and banned Nelson Mandela (coming after the similarly styled 'I'm Winning My Dear Love' by Yvonne Chaka Chaka in 1986 and 'We Miss You Manelow' by Chicco in 1987), giving it an added potency for those in the know. 'Jack I'm Sorry' was an underground hit in the townships, while 'Marco', 'Friends', 'Funkytown' and the eponymous closer are similarly bass and drum-driven, with hiphop-styled vocals.

Yecad welcomes BRYZ onto its roster with his ‘Arcane’ EP, comprised of three originals from the Romanian artist.

Over the past decade the Bucharest, Romania based producer and DJ, Bryz, has been etching his mark on the underground scene through releases on the likes of Tzinah Records, Storytellers Records, Nazca, Esente Records and many more, as well as being a prominent DJ on his home turf in Romania and bringing his sound further afield throughout Europe.
Here we see BRYZ deliver his latest collection of works via Yecad, home to music from the likes of Barac, Dana Ruh, Constratti, Sepp and more.

Opening the release is the title-track ‘Arcane’, a hypnotic excursion through ethereal voices, spiralling delays, immersive atmospheric textures and a crisp, shuffled rhythm section.

‘Calida’ follows next to open the B-side, laying down raw drums, intricate, wandering resonant synth licks, weighty sub bass swells and plucked guitar licks throughout before ‘Iridian’ concludes the release, employing plucked bass notes and sweeping pad lines alongside bubbling arpeggios, oscillating synth flutters and shuffling, reduced percussion.