Search:infectious

Inner Makes His Debut On Ministerium Records With A Forward Thinking Stripped Down Infectious Three Tracker.

"In 1978, Nova performed for Obama. Well, kind of: Nova was the band for the Punahou School prom in Honolulu, Hawaii, and a young student named Barack (known then as 'Barry') was in attendance.

Backtrack to 1976, and Nova was the opening band for Donald Byrd at the nearby Blaisdell Arena. The day was Sunday, June 27. The following day, Isaac Hayes would perform on island for the admission price of $1.

Nova, led by singer Checo Tohomaso, was one of several go-to party bands during the golden era of Hawaii funk and soul music in the mid-1970s through early 1980s.

The band's infectious gospel-funk-disco can be heard on their sole release, a self-titled 1980 LP that feels like one big party recorded live in the studio. (Check out the Marvin Gaye-inspired 'I Feel Like Getting Down' on the 2016 'Aloha Got Soul' compilation on Strut Records).

The story is all too familiar, however: funk band releases LP, the music goes dormant in years to follow, and today original copies sell for hundreds online.

Not long after the album's 1980 release, Checo met Marvin Gaye, who was living on Maui (where George Benson also resided). Shortly after, Marvin invited Checo and his counterparts to join his multi-city tour across Europe. Videos of Checo rocking keyboards, percussion and singing background vocals for Marvin Gaye's last European tour can be found online.

Checo, born in Florida yet raised in lush Manoa Valley as well as Okinawa, Japan, now resides in Vancouver, Canada, where he leads the VOC Sweet Soul Gospel Choir and continues to deliver his signature sound: high energy, positive, 'sweet soul' music.

AGS-7010 features two non-stop groovers with a 7' edit by Roger Bong on the A-side. LP reissue in the works!"

After a five year release hiatus, in 2018 Yura Khlop is putting out music under his SE62 alias again. "Jazzed EP" is the second release in the SAFT X series and the Kiev based producer has delivered a class record.

The A-side opening track; "Swing Tool" is built around more jazzed out samples than the other tracks. SE62 cleverly plays original notes together with a hazy sample that serves as the core element. "Jazzed EP" will be available through all specialized retailers in the autumn of 2018. On A2 we find "July". Again a very dance floor oriented record with taints of emotion. The very present chord and bassline dominate the tracks structure until at one point; a beautiful sample is introduced. Positive sounds for lovers of classic deep house.

The title track "Jazzed" is a signature piece of thumping deep house, using swinging MPC style drums and an evolving digital piano riff. This together with some submerged sounding sample shots, create a dance floor worthy ambiance. After "Jazzed", we find "Pitch Black", a sample-heavy jam that is based around a set of characteristic drums. A swinging chord and an infectious chord progression do the trick on this true dance floor record.

Repress coming!

Razor-N-Tape bring out the big guns for their remix package of the Los Angeles Afro-Latino funk band Jungle Fire.

JKriv's remix of 'Firewalker' channels the original live instrumentation into a bombastic, DJ-friendly workout, while Boston-born/Medellin-based producer Bosq steps up to tackle 'Village Hustle' bringing his unique blend of rhythmic flavours to this melting pot of zesty goodness.

This diverse 12 Inch also boasts the first remix and release by the newly-reunited Black Science Orchestra in 15 years! Original founding members Ashley Beedle and Rob Mello take on 'Culebro' and transform it into an pulsating Afrobeat groover. Bringing the infectious bass to the foreground behind a shuffling rhythm layered with guitar and horn samples, BSO turn out a serious heater of a remix and dub, worthy of their triumphant return!

Play It Say It welcome New York artist David Berrie for a first EP on the label and one that offers three dynamite pieces of punchy, high impact and inventive house music.

Raised amongst the diverse culture of NYC's nightlife, Berrie started sneaking into clubs as a youngster and since then has risen through the ranks to have now played iconic rooms like Output NY and DC-10 Ibiza. Fusing his musical history with other genres to create his own, unique style of house and techno, David has taken his passion to the studio and served up essential tunes on Hot Creation and Cuttin' Headz.

Opening the account is 'Revolution', seven superbly programmed minutes of slick and involving house beats and knotted bass. It's a restless, body shaking track to make the floor move with futuristic synths fleshing it out and bringing a vital sense of machine soul.

The equally compelling 'JB Loop' is another dynamic bit of electronic house music. Rubbery drums bobble and bounce about with wild computer sounds and infectious bass all ramping up the energy levels and making for a standout track.
Last but not least, 'Rear End' is a supple, intricately designed track with slippery synths, spinning hi hats and bass surges all wrapping around each other to make for real minimal funk. It's a track that oozes Detroit vibes and cannot fail to sweep up the floor.

These are three characterful and masterfully produced cuts of high-class dancing music.

Freamon is a denizen of the modern world, allegedly hailing from NY, according to some, not relevant, says he. What matters is the music - finely honed and carefully crafted dancefloor gems, served up with love the way they used to be, the way they ought to be.

The Hot Damn! EP is his second release on the mysterious Turbocapitalism label, after 2016's Black Grid EP. This time, he has decided to shine a spine-tingling light on our souls. He wants you to raise your hands and put them together in an overdose of holy joy on this unashamedly celebratory slab of sweet gospel grooving. Can you feel the spirit One listen to 'No More Crying' will settle any doubts on the subject. It's gospel-funk. Or gospel-not-gospel, which is like a million samples taken from every soul record you never heard, seamlessly stitched together as if created fresh today, with one idea - to meld together into one big explosion of spine-tingling dance floor joy!

The title track takes things down a notch with a heavy kick drum shuffle - stripped back analogue house, making for an intoxicating, dense brew of sounds, feelings and ideas. Fierce, pulsating free jazz sounds, snaking around that deliciously tense, bustling bottom end, creating an infectious groove that is fresh, different and most of all, impossible to resist.

Meanwhile, Madrid's DJF and Damian Schwartz do what they do best: they take that thing straight to the centre of Detroit, let it adjust to the new environment and then freely cruise the boulevards at night.

Return of the UK producer Allen Saei aka Aubrey on the mighty Barba label is another bold statement in the discography of this well-versed artist. Building on the relationship with the Burek/Barba/Pomalo family established through remixes of Information Ghetto's "Inspiration" track (Burek 2013), DJ Stingray's "Communication System" (Barba 2015) and his solo "Clock Funk EP" (Barba 2017), for this record Aubrey presents us with a continuation of his previous Barba release, simplistically titled "Clock Funk 2" EP. As is to be expected from a guy who's been spending time in the studio for better part of the last three decades, this 12" is pure techno, in the best sense of the word. As mature and consistent as the previous record of the series, we have Aubrey building on that ground and expanding the range into more abrasive and rough on one side, and even more subtle and humane on the other. A1, titled "Clock Funk 2" is among the subtle ones. Beautiful cascading keys, glitchy synth bleeps and lead lines intertwine into a gorgeous composition grounded by a driving bassline and counterpinted with distorted ride cymbals. Uniquely sounding track which draws influences from many corners of the planet. A2, titled "Sel Moulo" sets a point for the other side of the spectrum. The heaviest and roughest, it locks the frame in which this EP works. Direct, abstract and firmly aimed towards the dancefloor, this cut is for the peak moment of the night when its combination of jacking beats and trippy leads will just push the craziness off the edge. B1, the most humane and gentle track on the EP, "Triads" is a perfect match for the A1 cut, although slower and calmer. Again, the similar approach is used, where the perfectly tuned combination of small synth and keys elements form a complex image which will stay ingrained into anyone's mind once you play it in the right moment. Again, it's hard not to reach for the word "beautiful" when describing this one. B2, Ghost Mist, is on the other hand a match for the heavy A2, but also not as intense. A repetitive affair, with abstract synth lines and disharmonic pads serving as an emotion injection just when they're needed. Common thread moving through all four cuts is an infectious groove intertwined with synth lines that would not be misplaced amongst the best examples of space-influenced techno music firmly grounded on the floor. All that, pressed onto a heavy duty 180 gram vinyl and beautifully packaged in an original artwork by local artist EmaEmaEma.

Since 2010, Buyepongo has led a steadily growing Los Angeles underground movement that combines the vast influence of traditional tropical sounds with the streetwise edges of the Latin American diaspora. Much like their name implies (translation: to cause a ruckus), their hybrid style is focused on the celebration, an infectious, energetic vibe that is universally and rhythmically connected. It'll get your feet moving, and much like many of the records from the golden age of cumbia, these two offerings demonstrate an updated and adapted reverence for the roots that is truly distinct to their own unique place and time.

For the group's latest single, that place, the sprawling Latinx scene east of Los Angeles, met head on with the east coast hot pot of Brooklyn. Recorded and produced in collaboration with Names You Can Trust during the band's serendipitous 2017 trip to NYC, this new release takes two of Buyepongo's most fan-favored and party-tested original songs, two that had yet to be recorded, and combines them with the NYCT forty-five ethos: a stripped-down, warm analog recording that perfectly captures Buye's live, bring-the-ruckus style in the room as it happened. "Por La Vida" romps over the A-side, a modern-day classic in the making whose lyrics (how beautiful is life, always full of surprises...) compliment a sunny, easy-going house party vibe, while "Miri" on the flip evolves from a loping, almost reggae groove into a transcendent journey through Caribbean feel-good sounds.

The Afro National Band Was Formed In Freetown, Sierra Leone In 1972. Their Inspirational Leader, Sulay Abu Bakarr Accompanied By His Wife Patricia And Ayo Roy Macauley Split From The Sabanoh Jazz Band To Form Their New Group. They Skillfully Merged Highlife And Jazz Sounds With A Deep Knowledge Of West African Sounds. Growing To Become One Of The Premiere Bands To Emerge From Sierra Leone They Not Only Defined The Sound Of The Country For A Generation But Also Crafted Some Of The Country's Most Popular And Memorable Songs (for Example Sonjo Which Is Included On This Collection).

The Band Toured Extensively Throughout Africa And Europe In The 70s (working With The Giant Of Sierra Leone Music Akie Deen In The Process). Towards The End Of The 70s The Band Departed Sierra Leone, Sulay And His Wife Moving To Maryland In The Us And Other Members Moving To London.

Our Collection Focuses On Possibly Not The Best Known Songs Of The Band But The Tracks Which Have The Rhythms To Move The Dance Floor. We Open With The Foot Tapping "jokenge" And Its Driving Shuffle Beat, Swirling Organ And Percussive Guitar Lines. "push Am Forward" Takes A Afro-psychadelic Turn With Its Hypnotic Rhythms And Driving Distorted Guitar. "mr Who You Be" Is A Cover Of The Fela Kuti Track, Doing It Fine Justice. "gowa" Highlights The Vocal Prowess Of The Band, As Dose The Ever Popular "sonjo" (the Version Featured Here Is A Rare Alternate Recording).

"money Palava" Opens Up Side Two With Its Infectious Highlife Beat And Hooky Vocals. "money Nor Bataya" Highlights The Bands First Use Of Synthesizers. "mother In Law" Sweeps Up Back To Free Town 1973 With Its Clever Vocal. "set My Soul On Fire" Is A Bonus Track Which Brings In The International Flavour Of The Band.

The Afro National Band Continues In Various Guises To This Day, With Sulay And Patricia Acting As The Proud And Talismanic Figures For A Whole Generation Of Sierra Leonean Music.

Supreme Breakbeat House, Floor-focused Leftfield Grooves, And A Rhythmic Ambient Chiller. Cromie's Latest Four Tracker For Material Image, His First For The Label, Fires On All Fronts With Some Help From A Couple Friends From Across The Pond (iron Curtis And Royer). Cromie Has A 'habit' Of Coaxing Hooks Out Of Unassuming Sources, And Fitting Them Into A Cohesive Groove. That's The Secret Sauce Here: Pure Groove And Infectious Melodies From Who-knows-where. Listen For A Perfectly Placed, Driving Guitar Riff In A1, Pitched Percussion And Pan Flutes In A2, And Euphoric Keys With Chunky Bass On B1 (with Help From Iron Curtis). Our Man Royer, A Repeat Offender On The Material Image Roster, Serves Up An Extended Ambient Remix Of A2 'told' To Close Out The Record.

Here we see San Proper and The Mole make a welcome return to the imprint following solo EP's, this time they join forces with Hreno for a three track EP from the powerhouse trio.
Leading on the package is 'Friendly Tears' which features yet another leading figure in the house scene, Dekmantel regular Tom Trago, as you'd expect from such an impressive array of artists we're treated so soul drenched house driven by swinging organic drums, infectious funk licks and hooky synth lines before the 'Chunkless Mix' strips things back a little, laying focus solely on the 80's tinged synth work, delayed vocal murmurs and
minimalistic percussion.'On The Floor' then rounds out the package, retaining a similar aesthetic with choppy guitar melodies, penetrating bass stabs, crunchy rhythms and resonant arpeggio synths ebbing and flowing dynamically throughout.

Body Music (Bosq and The Rapture's Vito Roccoforte) return with another dose of 21st century mutant-disco and nocturnal New York swagger. Following up on their lauded Just One EP (Razor 'n Tape), the new two-track 12" delivers on the epic stomp and punch of that debut with two instant classics.

A-side 'Don't Think Twice' is a tightly modern and muscular re-imagining of some long-lost Paradise Garage-era gem, replete with head-snapping claps, an expansive sonic palette and full strut groove.

While, low-slung flip-side 'Give My Love a Try' rolls on a flirtatious arpeggiated bass-line and gasps of steamy synths that make it the perfect vibe to open or close a party. Lending soulful and sultry vocals across both cuts is Christian Holiday.

Holiday darts in an off the slick synth stabs and bouncy live-drums of Don't Think Twice and reaches a yearning falsetto that draws out the romantic swoon of Give My Love a Try, helping elevate the scope and craft of both tracks.

Hooky and virulent, it's a venerated sound that fits seamlessly into sets of Arthur Russell, ESG and Liquid Liquid classics with a crisp and deep production that remains infectiously of the moment.

At parties from Brooklyn to Ibiza, this 12" will no doubt be a go-to slice of wax coaxing dancers to move a little closer all summer long.

Guapapasea! is the first album by Gecko Turner, a unique creator from southern Spain. Born and bred in Extremadura, near Portugal, Gecko has an original and tasteful Latin personality, and during the 90s he was responsible for some locally quite successful bands like Perroflauta, and The Reverendoes.

Acclaimed by Spanish critics as the best debut album upon its original release in 2003, Guapapasea! is a musical journey blurring the boundaries in Latin music. It's a nice blend of different styles - from soul and Brazilian-flavoured songs like the free and easy (and all-time underground hit) "Un Limón en La Cabeza"; Afrobeat-driven tracks like "45.000$ (Guapa Pasea)"; and the flamenco-reggae of his rendition of Bob Marley's "Rainbow Country", to the infectious Latin rhythms of "Did You Black Up Today"; Monk tribute "Monka Mongas"; the original adaptation of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues"; and the radio-friendly, straightforward reggae track "Te Estás Equivocando".

Guapapasea! features contributions by some of the greatest musicians active at the time on the Spanish Afro-Cuban jazz scene, such as Rubem Dantas (Paco de Lucía's percussionist and regular member of Chick Corea's band), Rodney Dássiff, and Brazilian trumpeter Irapoam Freire. The album was licensed to Quango in the US.

It's been 15 years since its original release, and to celebrate this, Lovemonk's reissuing the album on double 12" vinyl for the first time, alongside Gecko's second album, Chandalismo Ilustrado, and the CD compilation Soniquete: The Sensational Sound Of Gecko Turner. The CD version features bonus remixes by Quantic, Mexican Institute Of Sound and Watch TV.

South African gqom pioneer and producer DJ Lag is set to release his new 'Stampit' EP via London label and collective Goon Club Allstars. The new release follows the 22 year old producer's acclaimed 2016 self-titled debut EP for the same independent imprint. The EP follows the release of his first single, the thrilling dance floor heater '3 Step Culo', which draws from the hard-hitting percussive sound of gqom made up of searing synthesisers, broken beat and hypnotic vocal samples to create a darker, bass-driven strain of house music. The EP follows his self-titled debut to showcase his keen talent for crafting charged, minimalist genresplicing sound. 'Let's Do This' exhibits an intense and euphoric big room feel, whilst 'Drumming' and 'Switz' display tense, potent drumwork and sparse & spectral club patterns. Also known as the 'Gqom King', DJ Lag was at the forefront of shaping the futuristic, explosive sound of gqom, the raw and distinctive style of drum-heavy dance music originating from the underground scene of Durban, South Africa in recent years and swiftly proliferating across the internet through the spread of social media and gaining international recognition. DJ Lag's latest outing delves into the infectiously rhythmic and high-energy sound palette of his previous works, recorded fully in his home studio in Clermont, South Africa.

is it the best jazz record from japan, as the french-born english disc jockey, record label owner and music collector gilles peterson once assumed or is it maybe the best jazz record of all jazz records
well, everybody needs to decide by himself and has to listen to 'watabase', the second solo piano album of the japanese jazz pianist fumio itabashi, that was originally released in 1982.
tokyo based mule music unearth it, remastered the original recordings and brings it back to the global stores in order to seduce all music lovers that embrace notes who come straight from the heart and soul.
while diving deep into the seven compositions on 'watarese', any sensible listener finds out, that the instrumental piano pieces are somehow soulfully connected to what keith jarret plays on his legendary 'the köln concert' live album for the munich based ecm record company.
like jarret, itabashi does not play his notes academic. he let them fly, gives them some kind a life of their own, hits the piano keys deeply emotional and injects his compositions and interpretations some kind of nervous human soul.
in terms of style some call his 'watarase' recordings post-bop, others contemporary jazz. none of such definitions fit really, as all is just that kind of agitating jazz that melts spirituality with humanity. three tunes, the epic 'someday my prince will come' as well as 'msunduza' and 'i can't get started', are interpretations of compositions by the us-american movie score pioneer frank churchill, south african pianist dollar brand and russian-american composer and songwriter vernon duke.
all other four compositions been written and recorded by the 1949 born itabashi who started to play the piano when he was eight years old. while studying at the tokyo based kunitachi college of music, he fell in love with jazz.
his love was so deep, that he starts to work in the 1970's with such legendary japanese jazz musicians like trumpet player terumasa hino, drummer takeo moriyama and saxophonist sadao watanabe.
till today fumio itabashi is a vital part of the japanese jazz culture as a live performer and film score composer. those who want to see how he makes love with his piano should check the world wide web for the french documentary 'jazzed out', that captured his unique way of playing in one episode.
but as music is always firstly for the ears, and not for the eyes, this little letter in-front of you would rather like to recommend to play the 'watarase' recordings loud to get hooked by the highly infectious piano gems that have been recorded at nippon columbia 1st studio in tokyo on 12th and 13th of octo-ber 1981.
they will haunt you. they will come for good. and they will force you to be a good friend with the repeat button - whatever medium you chose to surrender to the piano jazz music of fumio itabashi.

As Hans Peeman's side project next to his Junktion moniker, New Franklin Theory returns to Outplay with a very personal project. Five carefully produced songs in the form of a mini-album of sorts, which showcases his journey into more melodic synth heavy work. Starting off, 'Andromeda Beach' eases you into the spacey atmosphere of the record with dreamy rhodes supported by his distinctive percussion and bass work.

Following, 'Homeward' introduces melancholic synth lines grounded by an infectious bass line for a Balearic inspired feel. 'Afterburner' ups the tempo with warm arpeggiated Juno sounds and saxy disco samples, which will remind you of his previous work. Space-funk-synth-boogie, that's what comes to mind when listening to 'In Orbit'. Instant groove with a solid beat interspersed with brief vocal samples and dreamy rhodes chords. As the closer, 'The Holtzman Effect' (award for 2018's most nerdy song title, look it up) sets you off floating away on warm chords and bass together with characteristic space bleeps.

The fourth instalment of Moxie's compilation series is back, presenting this exclusive 4 track vinyl sampler thoughtfully curated line-up of artists. Featuring friends of On Loop, up-and-coming producers and prominent names alike. Stepping up to open this 12' sampler is The Maghreban, adding his trademark touch to an off-kilter remix of Steve Spacek's 'Gimmi Da Love'. Lisbon's Violet is up next, laying down her energetic signature breakbeat sound on 'Antifa Beats'. Flipping over, the B-side begins with Nathan Micay's infectious builder 'Basic Plumbing', paving the way for Louise Chen's 'Reach (Raw Mix) a solid house number. On Loop has continued on a straight upward trajectory since it began, with 2017's Volume 3 securing a nomination in DJ Mag's end of year awards for Best Compilation, and the imprint earning a place in Mixmag's 20 Best Record Labels of 2017. As the label steps things up, so does Moxie's NTS radio show, now moving to a weekly slot and cementing its place as a staple dance show for the station with regular parties at Manchester's Soup Kitchen, Edinburgh's Sneaky Pete's and London's Pickle Factory. With an international tour to be announced this year, things are just getting started for the DJ & Radio host.

A A1 | Steve Spacek - Gimmi Da Love (The Maghreban Remix)

For over 18 years, Spectral Sound, the dance music imprint of Ghostly International, has thrived at the forefront of techno and house. It has been a source of support for numerous DJs and producers during that time, from Matthew Dear and Benoit & Sergio to Avalon Emerson and Hieroglyphic Being. Now, Spectral brings the past alongside the present with its latest release, a compilation that offers a vibrant cross-section of the current moment in underground dance music. Despite the wide-ranging selections on Spectral 139, a throughline of classic style and infectious energy emerges from the up-and-coming and established artists alike. Rising talents such as Minimal Violence, Russell E.L. Butler, and Earth Trax x Newborn Jr. bring unique perspectives to their hardware-centric productions. Veteran producers bring their own edge as well: D'Marc Cantu blows the roof off with the outsized funk of "Regularly People," and Nigil Caenaan's "January's End," a low-key Detroit classic from the late '90s, closes Spectral 139 with a whirlwind of manic rhythms and sedate synths. Gunnar Haslam opens the tracklist with his acidic mindbender, "Versione Antica." And Ghostly regulars like Tadd Mullinix, who drops a lush JTC remix of his new X-Altera alias, and Matrixxman, who collaborates with Riccardo Limiti on the cavernous "Inferno," tie everything back to the label's roots. The double-12" compilation, as well as each individual single, features original work by Los Angeles-based artist Nina Hartmann. Her designs have appeared on releases from labels such as Ascetic House and Big Love, and the pieces for Spectral 139 continue to develop her cryptic aesthetic. The marriage of Hartmann's striking, high-contrast symbols with such bold dance music speaks to a collection that aims to stand out.

You May Not Have Heard The Name Jackson Almond Before, But You Will Have Likely Heard Some Of His Music. Having Released On Wotnot Back In 2013 Under The Name Real, With A Flurry Of Eps, Remixes And Bootlegs Under This Name And As Part Of Duo Boean (on Bbe, Warner, Xvi & Slowfoot Among Others), Jackson Has Been Delighting Ears For A While Now, With A Particular Knack For Balancing Hooks And Earworms With Original Ideas And Creative Production.

This Ep Began Life As A Series Of Headphone Jams Written When Jackson Was Living Outside Of The City In Self-imposed Exile, Tuning Into The Goings On In Dance Music From An External Position. It Was Then Polished Into Dancefloor Gems At The Wotnot Studio At The Total Refreshment Centre. The Music Reflects This, With The Sonic Palette Reflecting Lo-fi And Outsider House, But With A Warmth, Depth And Musicality Specific To His Own Personal Situation.

The Music Embodies The Hook Of The Title Track - Open Your Head - A Mix Of Influences And Sounds From World, Soul, Jazz, House And Techno Sources. In Oyh, A Child's Voice Floats Over Percussive Drum And Mbira Layers With African Flavours, While Soulful Guitar Stabs Widen The Palette. Ee Ye Follows A Similar Idea With Overseas Sounds Opening To Infectious House Organ Stabs. People, Places, Things In Spaces Is An Immersive Roller With Warming Wurlitzer Chords Providing An Almost Gospel-like Inflection.

The Attention To Detail Throughout The Ep Is Astonishing, The Best Example Being The Arrangement Of Our Personal Favourite Common, With The Irresistible Chord Progression Working Its Way Around Instruments, Patiently Building To Hit Its Peak Halfway Through The Track For The Ultimate Screwface Moment.

Ultimately This Rebirth Of Jackson Almond Sits Nicely With A Label Finding Their Stride Again, With Widely-praised Releases From Danvers And K15 Already This Year, Wotnot Are Staking Their Claim On People's Ears Once Again.

Early Dj Support:
Atjazz, Jimpster, Dave Harvey Futureboogie, &me, Robert Luis (tru Thoughts), Severino Panzetta (horsemeat Disco)

Unobenga' a unique song, driven by the vocals of well seasoned South African artists Thebe and Ndu Shezi
along with Professor at the helm. Louie Vega on the remix duties compliments the Professor and company's
incredible vocal performances with just the right groove and infectious beats

In Sudan, the political and cultural are inseparable. In 1989, a coup brought a hardline religious government to power. Music was violently condemned. Many musicians and artists were persecuted, tortured, forced to flee into exile — and even murdered, ending one of the most beloved music eras in all of Africa and largely denying Sudan's gifted instrumentalists, singers, and poets, from strutting their creative heritage on the global stage.

What came before in a special era that protected and promoted the arts was one of the richest music scenes anywhere in the world. Although Sudanese styles are endlessly diverse, this compilation celebrates the golden sound of the capital, Khartoum. Each chapter of the cosmopolitan city's tumultuous musical story is covered through 16 tracks: from the hypnotic violin and accordion-driven orchestral music of the 1970s that captured the ears and hearts of Africa and the Arabic-speaking world, to the synthesizer and drum machine music of the 1980s, and the music produced in exile in the 1990s. The deep kicks of tum tum and Nubian rhythms keep the sound infectious.

Sudan of old had music everywhere: roving sound systems and ubiquitous bands and orchestras kept Khartoum's sharply dressed youth on their feet. Live music was integral to cultural life, producing a catalog of concert recordings. In small arenas and large outdoor venues, musical royalty of the day built Khartoum's reputation as ground zero for innovation and technique that inspired a continent.

Musicians in Ethiopia and Somalia frequently point to Sudan's biggest golden era stars as idols. Mention Mohammed Wardi — a legendary Sudanese singer and activist akin to Fela Kuti in stature and impact in his music and politics — and they often look to the heavens. A popular story is of one man from Mali who walked for three months across the Sahel to Sudan because the father of the woman he wanted to marry would only allow it if he got him a signed cassette from Wardi himself. Saied Khalifa is said to be the one of the few singers to make Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie smile.

Such is the stature of Sudanese singers and the reputation of Sudanese music, particularly in the "Sudanic Belt," a cultural zone that stretches from Djibouti all the way west to Mauritania, covering much of the Sahara and the Sahel, lands where Sudanese artists are household names and Sudanese poems are regularly used as lyrics until today to produce the latest hits. Sudanese cassettes often sold more in Cameroon and Nigeria than at home.

But years of anti-music sentiment have made recordings in Sudan difficult to source. Ostinato's team traveled to Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Egypt in search of the timeless cultural artifacts that hold the story of one of Africa's most mesmerizing cultures. That these cassette tape and vinyl recordings were mainly found in Sudan's neighbors is a testament to Sudanese music's widespread appeal.

With our Sudanese partner and co-compiler Tamador Sheikh Eldin Gibreel, a once famous poet and actress in '70s Khartoum, Ostinato's fifth album, following our Grammy-nominated "Sweet As Broken Dates," revives the enchanting harmonies, haunting melodies, and relentless rhythms of Sudan's brightest years, fully restored, remastered and packaged luxuriously in a triple LP gatefold and double CD bookcase to match the regal repute of Sudanese music.
A 20,000-word liner note booklet gives voice to the singers silenced by an oppressive regime.

Take a sail down the Blue and White Nile as they pass through Khartoum, carrying with them an ancient history and a never-ending stream of poems and songs. It takes two Niles to sing a melody.

Fort Romeau & Ali Tillet's Cin Cin imprint return with another impeccable release that showcases fresh and forward thinking leftfield house for discerning heads and feet.  X.O.A., the London based multi-instrumentalist also known as Nick Tyson, collaborates with the electronic duo Wayward for two tracks.  'Koto' and 'Wayo Wayo' both fuse smooth percussive afro-house elements with tougher synth lines, each track encompassing energetic rhythms and absorbing melodies and lead lines.  

On the flip, DrumTalk follow up recent releases on Huntleys & Palmers and Permanent Vacation with a pair of machine driven, techno infused cuts par excellence.   'Ariel' mixes disco bleeps, loose drums and waves of vocal pads and arpeggiated leads that ecstatically rise and fall, and on 'Red Haze' we are treated to modulated drums and an infectious bassline that welcome in a myriad of sounds without ever losing the deadly driving groove that is the track's backbone.

Southern Lord Is Excited To Bring Forth The Debut Album By Los Angeles-based Rock Trio, The Primals, Founded By Current And Former Members Of Darkest Hour, The Explosion, Dead To Fall, And More.

All Love Is True Love, The Primals' Debut Album, Features Ten Infectious Tracks Produced By John Reis (rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes) And Completed With Cover Art By Laura K. Giron.

Fans Of Wand, Ty Segall, Nirvana, And The Pixies Are Especially Recommended To Tune In.

he band's first full-length, All Love Is True Love, will see release on September 7th, the label this week sharing the first single, 'Fortune & Sons.'  'Fortune & Sons' Now Streaming

About the track the band note, ''Fortune & Sons' is one of the heaviest songs on the record. Though the album offers a plentiful dose of dynamic variety, we wanted to kick you off with a ripper.'

The Primals is comprised of vocalist/guitarist John Henry (vocalist for Darkest Hour), bassist Chad Fjerstad (formerly of Dead To Fall), and drummer Andrew Black (formerly of The Explosion). The band's fuzzy execution is equal slabs ripping guitar heaviness and infectious pop sensibility. Concocted by a seasoned group of thrashers with a historical backbone in D.C. punk community. The disintegrated spirit of grunge rises from the ashes, revitalized in a new light.

Sugardaddy are a UK electronic music duo formed in 2006 and is the musical brainchild of Tom Findlay (one half of Groove Armada) and singer song writer Tim Hutton (Hybrid, Groove Armada, Way Out West).

Hypnotise" has an altogether late 80's heavy, low slung, boogie vibe, caressed with beautifully haunting yet soulful vocals.

Greg Wilson remixes an extended rework, holding the vibe of the original and effortlessly extending certain aspects of the groove, creating a 9 minute dancefloor monster!

Situation are next up with a late night, deep house dub interpretation which builds to a discoesque guitar licked, infectious, yet hypnotic bombshell.

BitterSuite finish the release with a chunky funk fuelled version, full of slap bass and a bucketful of soaring, atmospheric synths, cleverly weaving those wonderful vocals and building to an electro jazz funk masterpiece.

After a triplet of solo 12"s, all courtesy of label main man Rupert Marnie, Hamburg-based imprint The Press Group are set to break 2018 in with the multi-flavoured TPG004 - a versatile debut VA that offers a fine close up on the label's whole cast of operating forces with some choice contributions from TPG's core tetrad including Youthman(29), Ten Letu, DJ Dodo and Marnie himself. Mind your backs!

Shape-shifting yet coherent as a whole, this collective effort puts together a swinging confluence of sounds and aesthetics - clearly aimed at the dancefloor but equally poised for laid-back chill sessions. First release on the label to reunite the entire crew, TPG004 mashes up a wide-spanning array of grooves and tempi in exploded view, giving full vent to each artist's idiosyncratic universe whilst establishing a hyper-modern sound ID, both infectiously funky and undeniably potent.

Casting its net far and wide: from the pared-down astronautical breakbeat of Youthman's 'Aemilia' to DJ Dodo's breezy jacking jazz-footwork hybrid 'The Machine' via Rupert Marnie's lithe ganjah-smelling shuffler 'Health' and Ten Letu's muscle-flexing acid roller 'Ah, You Shot Me!', it's a feast of feelgood beats that you're invited to, neatly connecting the dots between the guys' shared love for video game soundtracks, liquid dubstep, heavy jungle breaks, minimal house and further daydreaming, hazy harmonics to drape yourself into.

Jonny Drop's debut, Sub Plot, was the very first album release on the fledgling Albert's Favourites label at the beginning of 2016. The initial offering, a 7" of album favourites Mind Field and This Is The One had quickly been picked up on by the good people at BBC Radio 6 Music as well as some of Drop's personal heroes including Kenny Dope, Mr. Thing and Nightmares On Wax.

But when the infectious rhythms and warm production of the beat tape landed, its impact was greater than anyone at the label could have hoped.

Although Jonny never stopped producing beats in the following years, he was also kept busy as a drummer, playing live for Andrew Ashong, The Bongolian and Connie Constance, whose Boring Connie EP he also laid down beats for.

Then in early 2018 his band The Expansions delivered their celebrated Murmuration LP. All the while, with the support of his label family, Drop had been evolving his solo sound too.

'The Only Sound sees a huge progression in my writing direction, as I collaborated with multiple vocalists and musicians, instead of the usual 'one-man band' approach.

The development of these processes make this LP a steady departure from the beat-tape influence of my past releases, and hopefully, showcase the more original sound I've been working to achieve over the past few years.'

The new album is more atmospheric, emotional and expressive. It is filled with beautiful vocal performances, musical contributions from label partners and close friends Deoke and James O'Keefe, and inspirational London jazz composer, flautist and master saxophonist Tamar Osborn (Collocutor/On The Corner).

Voices here include Shea Soul, Grace Walker, former Myron and E soul man Eric Boss with his Lucid Paradise and Pendletons partner Ishtar, plus First Word Records producer/Golden Rules collaborator Sarah Williams White.

While there are thoughtful, down-tempo moments of electronica in abundance here, Drop brings his favourite elements of disco and soul into the picture too.

And there's no shortage of low end throughout. The Only Sound is a welcome next step from Jonny Drop, the sound of a beat maker not just finding his feet as a composer, but thriving in new territory.

Huey Morgan (BBC Radio 6 Music),

Music Is My Sanctuary premiere for All This Trouble, Bonafide Magazine premiere for Looking Glass
'A really talented musician, absolutely loving that" Lauren Laverne on This Is The One, BBC Radio 6 Music

One man's vision of Soul music's evolving potential' ROLLING STONE

The Bamboos are one of the highest profile soul / funk acts in Australia, and have been recognised worldwide as masters of reinventing the genre with modern songwriting within classic arrangements & production over the past 10 years. They've clocked up some impressive Spotify hits numbers on along the way: " Wilhelm Scream" (3.5 M), 'On The Sly' (2.8 M), 'Helpless Blues' (1.8 M)"
Mainstay members Lance Ferguson and vocalist Kylie Auldist are also the creative forces behind one of 2016's biggest singles, 'This Girl' by Kungs Vs Cookin' On 3 Burners. Ferguson played on and co-wrote the song (incl that infectious guitar riff and lyrics) which along with Auldist's powerhouse vocals. The remix went on to hit #1 in France, Germany, #2 in the UK, top 20 in Australia and the US and top 30 in 35 countries. It's edging close to half a billion Spotify plays and 300 million Youtube hits.
Having previously collaborated with the likes of Aloe Blacc and Alice Russell, their latest offering 'Night Time People' see's the band call to mind everyone from Martha Reeves to Sharon Jones, The Bamboos deliver two catchy singles that draw together the raw drive of their earliest LPs and their more recent progressive experimentations in the studio. It's a fresh approach that finds the band wholly reenergised.

Recorded in Cleveland, OH October 2017 by Andrew Veres.

Artwork by Ren Schofield.

Ren Schofield has returned with a new installment in his notorious "LP" series for Spectrum Spools. "LP" has all the earmarks of the classic Container sound with it's uber-mangled, saturated tape garble and headlong tempo macabre. However, this new set of tracks feature an attention to composition unlike much of the Container we've previously heard. While the tracks unfurl across two sides of wax the contours and jagged edges of each sonic sculpture display a new refinement while maintaining the full capacity to vaporize any club floor with Container's traditional recklessness.

Miraculously, this new "LP" manages to incorporate some more traditionally 'musical' elements thus far untouched upon in the projects output while simultaneously delivering it's most damaged and blown out offering yet. Despite leaving a trail of albums that get more intense with each passing year, this "LP" is bar none the most loaded. The tracks feature a trajectory with narrative, surrounded by broken acid basslines grating against disintegrating tape loops. This is the infectious and singular hypnosis Container has become well-known for. Overloaded drum patterns, washes of feedback, and dying melodies - it's all here and somehow it's restructured to be different and better than ever before. With this latest installment, there are no longer shambles but merely dust left behind.

As Container continues to evolve in an upward motion, "LP" presents a refreshing and welcome new chapter.

Never one to be constrained by musical genres, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Adam Gibbons (aka Lack of Afro) has taken it up several notches with his sixth studio record 'Jack of All Trades', a multi-genre tour de force that combines soul, funk, hip-hop, disco, rock and everything in-between, all wrapped up in his signature chunky production to create arguably his finest work to date.

The album is blessed with some incredible vocal performances. Regular collaborator Elliott Cole, Nick Corbin (formally of New Street Adventure), ex I Am Giant vocalist Ed Martin, Wax & Herbal T, Alyssa Marie, Camila Recchio, Juliette Ashby & Emma Noble are all on scintillating form on an album that is crammed full of infectious hooks, top musicianship, and more importantly, vibe by the bucketload!

Classic soul ('Back To The Day', 'Reach Out'), hip-hop ('Back In Business', 'Take It Up A Notch'), disco ('Only You & Me'), rock ('Over & Out'), modern soul ('Baby Be Mine'), folk ('Home') and a healthy dose of funk ('The Messin' Around Intermission', 'Good Love'), all combine to create an album that is stuffed with gorgeous phonic gems of all varieties and represents a definite step up from anything he has done before.

Packed full of beautiful horns and lush strings (and all recorded onto tape through a 1970's mixing desk), 'Jack of All Trades' is Adam doing what he does best and then some - blending the old and new to come up with a crossover classic that's entirely his own, whilst all the while ensuring that the songwriting takes centre stage.

Lack of Afro continues to go from strength to strength. 2016's 'Hello Baby' picked up a BBC 6 Music 'Album Of The Year' nomination & appeared in the Top 10 of the iTunes R&B / Soul chart in 21 countries worldwide.

His music also continues to be in high demand across all aspects of film & TV by networks such as ABC, Fox, NBC, Sony Pictures & the BBC. More recently he has signed to licensing label A Remarkable Idea, an imprint of Universal Music alongside artists such as Maximo Park, Pulled Apart By Horses, Alt J & label boss Benson Taylor. A remix of his 2011 song 'P.A.R.T.Y' by French duo Ofenbach (released on Warner Music in March) is all set to be one of 2018's tracks of the year, whilst his debut album 'Press On' (2007) has just been given 'classic' status by Future Music Magazine.

'Jack of All Trades' is supported by a live band UK tour in May & also at various festivals throughout the summer.

Awanto 3 and Meditation Tunnel appear on the latest Blitz, DJ Tennis' ongoing, limited, vinyl-only series. These colourful records sometimes pop-up around Life and Death showcases, often featuring non-standard cuts + off-kilter attitudes.

Dekmantel affiliate, Awanto 3 offers-up an infectious after-party gem, with "The Phone We Call It." Slow-burning cosmic keyboards pair with elements of Detroit techno and a subtle wink to RDJ's masterstroke, Xtal.

The flip contains a killer from Meditation Tunnel, the newly-birthed dance project from The Rapture's Luke Jenner. La La La is a Blitz future-classic. Syncopated bass guitar, crusty synthetic strings and the purest of vocal performances - Blitz #2 is one to remember.

A man of many alias, the multi-faceted talent behind Juxta Position finally finds his way to Figure, leaving us an EP's worth of highly infectious, acid-festered analogue techno runs. Feeding on the raw and dynamic energy of live hardware production, these jams hit the sweet spot where constant modulation and spontaneous changes transform a bunch of loops into something much more than the sum of its parts. Whether it's a bouncy ride around the rings of Saturn with Elixir, the frantic sledge hammer-assault of Stepping, cascading down into the machine's bowels on Automated Reproduction, or the non-stop, all-out overdrive that is Pestered - every track on this record takes on a whole life of its own, making for some seriously potent DJ-weapons!

Multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Adam Gibbons (aka Lack of Afro) is back in some style with 'Back To The Day', a beautifully produced summer sizzler crammed full of infectious hooks, top musicianship and most importantly, vibe by the bucketload! Taking a nod from classic material by artists such as The Jackson 5, Earth Wind & Fire (and more recently Vulfpeck), 'Back To The Day' is Lack of Afro doing what he does best and then some - blending the old and new with big drums and heavy percussion to come up with a crossover classic that's entirely his own, whilst all the while developing his abilities as a songwriter.

Providing a dynamite vocal once again is regular collaborator Elliott Cole. Not just the voice of the track, he also plays guitars and bass, whilst ably backed up by some stellar musicians including George Cooper (Haggis Horns) on keys, Rory Simmons (Blur, Jamie Cullum) on trumpet, string and horn arrangements and Harry Harding (Yola Carter) holding down the backbeat on drums.

Keeping the dancefloor packed and turning the party vibes right up to 11, 'Take It Up A Notch' (featuring the brilliant Wax & Herbal T and taken from the critically acclaimed 'Back In Business EP') completes what is arguably one of the strongest single packages of the year!

Lack of Afro continues to go from strength to strength. 2016's 'Hello Baby' (released on his own label LOA Records) picked up a BBC 6 Music 'Album Of The Year' nomination & appeared in the Top 10 of the iTunes R&B / Soul chart in 21 countries worldwide. More recently, Adam's music continues to be used across all aspects of film & TV by networks such as ABC, Fox, NBC, Sony Pictures & the BBC whilst he also has released music on Universal & Warner Brothers Records.

Both tracks are taken from the new album 'Jack Of All Trades', released on LOA Records in May 2018 and supported by a live band UK tour in May & throughout various festivals throughout the summer.

As we enter the Summer months, Excursions welcomes back The Showfa, with A Gospel Excursion Volume Two. Four more dishes of hot spiritual gumbo for your mind, body & soul.

Once again The Showfa has expertly cut together a concoction of gospel, soul, disco, latin, jazz, funk, and spiritual rhythm & blues. The glorious disco rework of a track called 'Amazing' sets the tone with an infectious piano riff and powerfully uplifting vocal. 'Surely Surely' follows, with a more vigorous strut, a short, sweet slice of disco funk, no messing about. 'Praising' keeps the groove and tempo solidly in a delicious eighties boogie formation, slap bass and sax in tow. The set closes out with beautiful latin-jazz tinged vibrations sauntering through 'I'll Show You The Way', before switching to the sweetest sweet soul you ever did hear. Soul food of the highest calibre.

The previous volume was shown love last year by an assortment of selectors and tastemakers, including Tony Humphries, Horse Meat Disco, Gilles Peterson, Craig Charles, BBC 6Music, Mi-Soul, Rinse FM and Mixmag, and also saw The Showfa spinning on the airwaves on NTS with Charlie Bones, and for Wax Poetics.

Another joyously ethereal platter, and another one that will never leave the box.

Mike Huckaby, Bergqvist, DJ Sports, Raam and LNS remix 'Deep Soundscapes', Takecha's album recently released on Sweden's Love Potion.

Released in March, the album incorporates Takeshi Fukushima's work between 1990 to 2013 and affirms why the producer is such a respected figure within Japan's electronic music scene. Now his compositions have been remixed by some of house music's best, featuring renditions from Detroit's Mike Huckaby, Aniara's Henrik Bergqvist, the elusive Raam, Firecracker and Regelbau's DJ Sports, as well as Wania and Freakout Cult's LNS.

Mike Huckaby inaugurates the release with his sultry take on 'Low Sentiment', blending deep synths with murmuring vocals to forge a proper deep house cut. Bergqvist then remixes 'Rhodes Deep' creating a bouncy minimal cut incorporating the original's scintillating melody alongside meandering percussion and twisted effects, making way into DJ Sports' remix of 'Gradual Atmosphere' with its intricate breakbeat drums and dreamlike atmospherics. Raam then reinvents 'Calm Imagination' taking it into subterranean territories complete with infectious keys, until LNS ties it all together with her mesmerising beatless reimagining of 'Factory 141'.

Comprised of Vancouver producers and multi-instrumentalists Nick Wisdom and Astrological, Canadian duo Potatohead People boast a number of noteworthy accolades thanks to a their signature sound drawing influences from 90's boom-bap, future soul, classic jazz, deep house and boogie/funk. Beginning with a series of EP's, including their landmark "Kosmichemusik" EP, Potatohead People's productions quickly made their way to artists like Illa J who tapped the duo to produce his now critically acclaimed self-titled album, as well as producers like Kaytranada (who co-produced Illa J's "Strippers" with the pair). Supporters such as Soulection, Nightmares on Wax, Pomo, DJ Spinna, Big Boi, and Phife Dawg have also played formidable roles in championing the sound of Potatohead People worldwide.

Now with three years since their last release, 2015's critically acclaimed debut album Big Luxury, Potatohead People are back their long awaited new album Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy (due out May 11th via Brooklyn label Bastard Jazz) The record picks up right where the pair left off, showcasing a leap forward in production chops, musicality, and songwriting. The first single "Quest For Love" "with it's neck snapping drum break, lush rhodes chords, cosmic synths, guitar & horn flourishes and unexpected musical changeups bring in the hip-hop infected musicality the duo has become so loved for, while Nick & Astro collaborate vocally on top. "Morning Sun" featuring Danish vocalist (and Anderson.Paak collaborator) Nanna.B is in part a melancholy piece with knocking drums, an infectious bassline and a soulful, shimmering hook, while "Do My Thing" featuring Canadian singer Kapok and Illa J is a neck-snapping Hip-Hop joint perfect for the dancefloor. "Liftin' Up" featuring San Francisco's K-Maxx ventures into West Coast boogie territories, while the album's closer "Rituals" goes for a deeper more atmospheric electronic vibe.

Mount Liberation Unlimited strikes back! After releases on Tim Sweeney's Beats In Space label and everyone's favourite oddball house institution Studio Barnhus, the swedish duo, consisting of Tom Lagerman and Niklas Janzon, land on planet Permanent Vacation.

"Body Language" is the fifth release for MLU and you can feel that they have been places and come some ways, since their debut ep in 2014: This Ode to dancing sees Lagerman and Janzon heading into more pop-y territories than before. "The Swedish Version" is a full on pop disco track with rich instrumentation and infectious vocals that underline MLU's status as one of the best disco and house live acts around these days. While the "Mouth Mix" is the Swedish interpretation of Chicago House and gets even more physical with its drum-heavy beats and computerized vocals. For your Karaoke party and to round up the package, we also included the instrumental of the "Swedish Version". Rocka Din Kropp!

Tom Dragebo is a Norwegian born Dj and Berlin Residential Producer whose love for techno and house music is infectious and radiates through every set he plays. Hailing from a small leafy town in Norway, Dragebo has been Djing for over 10 years and has been producing tracks since 2008. His latest release being the critically acclaimed So Good Ep on Cleanroom records. His emotive and powerful Debut for Full Pupp is a real Tech Treat well rounded by each a sparkling, driving PT Diskomiks and forcefully clapping and delicately swirling Prins Thomas pure Acid Rett i fletta versjon.

One of Sonic Groove's longest standing label artists, Realmz returns with an infectious well rounded four cut extended EP entitled 'Mindfold'. Straight out of Pittsburgh the steel city capital of the USA Realmz has been involved in electronic music since the last decade of the 20th century. Growing up on a steadfast diet of Industrial/EBM/IDM/Detroit techno and Drum & Bass, Realmz has taken inspiration from these many underground forms of electronic music. In his signature style, the Sci-fi sound design on 'Mindfold' weaves it's way in an out of bleak futuristic overtones set across a multitude of uniquely written broken beat and 4/4 drum rhythms. This heavily thought provocative & extremely well produced, contemporary Industrial Techno EP is a must for any aficionado of the genre.

After the original comes the remix. Or in this case three. I:Cube, Chinaski and Aera help you refresh your memory and re-draw "Drawn From Memory" from Benjamin Fröhlich's second part of the "Rude Movements" series. It's one single track, but every remixer has taken his very own approach and came up with a new interpretation.

The iconic French producer and Permanent Vacation long time favourite, I:Cube, transformed the original into a soul warming and heart melting late night bomb that lets the sun appear even in the darkest places. Chinaski out of Frankfurt, well known from his releases on Live at Robert Johnson and Uncanny Valley, fuses Italo Disco with a John Carpenter-style soundtrack aesthetic and an infectious bassline completed by a full on guitar solo in the break. Aera, fresh from releasing his album on Permanent Vacation, is slowing down the tempo, rearranging the layers of the original and adding a bubbly and underwater atmosphere that let the dub stabs shine. Three different versions that may represent different memories of one long night.

Tommy Mandel's Mello Magic' on Invisible City Editions is a compilation of personal synth-laden pop songs created between 1980-87 in NYC. BIG BIG TIP!
.
His professional work as a keyboardist and vocalist found him on stage and in the studio with many of the 80s greats from the Clash, Todd Rundgren, B-52s, Violent Femmes, The Ramones, Tina Turner, Mark Ronson, Dire Straits and Bryan Adams. While offstage and out of the major studio sessions, Tommy wrote in little books, made animation films and hooked up a massive amount of synthesizers, sequencers,microphones and recorded songs like diary entries. He self released almost 20 CDs, cassettes and one Self Titled 12' Ep. Each song selected here is stunningly simple, lush, desperate, playful, and harmonic, touching on disparate trangents like Brian Wilson, Egyptian Lover, Michael Shrieve,Holger Czukay, Ariel Pink, YMO, AOR FM West Coast Rock, Arthur Russell, Martin Denny, Peter Gordon, Drexciya, Prince and Private Issued New Age Boogie. Tommy recently jokingly coined his music corporate ambient' and and it all shouldn't work, but somehow he manages to effortlessly make each song a Tommy Mandel song - DIY, homespun,personal, stunning, and not too serious. This is perfect pop, charming, sincere, infectious and the work of a humble, good hearted, romantic savant. Tommy Mandel's Mello Magic' will be out on limited LP Vinyl release and available Spring 2018. Be sure to check his ambient new age LP from his cassette Music For Insomniacs'also out soon on ICE/Intelligent Instruments. Designed by Marko Vuleta-Djukanov. - Sesto F