The sun does not move. The sun has never seen a shadow. - Leonardo da Vinci
Paul and Alessio of Possible Futures believe that some essential fractions in the history of music need to be transmitted in new ways to budding generations. As we seek to bring together a new educational system around contemporary music, we urge anyone with homologous intentions to get in touch.
Over the last 15 years, Possible Futures have been witnesses to the wildest fauna and flora the great nocturnal jungle has to o er.
Possible Futures source their inspiration from the many shades of color that co-exist between black and white on the great designer's palette.
It is through their open and eclectic selections that Possible Futures turn the dancefloor into spaces of self-discovery and musical trance-en-dance.
Possible Futures believe that the eternal act of dancing is one of the most active form of contemplation. Facing our own selves in the mirror of movement, we realize that we indeed are reflections of one another at all times. Compassion forms and in turns gives way to kindness and love.
For this third record, Argentinean expert producer Leonel returns with two long pieces of poetry. Releasing on June 15th, this third edition in the Possible Futures catalog bridge spring into summer in a most gracious manner.
We Cherish Harmony, PF
Atangana Records's back with its second release, once again a long-awaited reissue, once again digging into the Caribbean music with a classic track from Les Maxel's (from Guadeloupe), Le Retour de Toto'. As usual, the remastered tune comes with a remix and a B2 just' coming with the remixer's add parts.
Originally out in 1976, Le Retour de Toto' on Disques Debs International is a brilliant dancefloor killer, magnifying the cross-world between zouk and latino music, biguine and calypso. You can hear from the prominent hi-hat all the energy of the dance moves you could improvise on that kind of joint. With a lot of break, wonderful horns and backing vocals, Le Retour de Toto' will enjoy all the summer dancefloor and airwaves for some time...
Deni Shain says : When we discovered this gem with my friend Likkle Ben, over a night of digging, it's mainly the keyboard break that drove us nuts! We were already hearing the edit that we'd make for our gigs... It didn't take long for me to contact the family of Henry Debs, introducing Atangana's project. They loved it, and at that time I went to studio with my friend Papastomp to start remixing it... I love how we added step by step the addparts, giving respect to the original tape...
For A Long Time, Electronic Music Has Been Understood In Terms Of Sounds Rooted In Particular Places: The Styles Of House And Techno Inextricably Wedded To Detroit, Or The Early '90s Jungle Sound Which Carries Echoes Of London. But That's Something Which Is Changing - In Latin America More Than Anywhere Else. A New Project, Led By Gilles Peterson And Rum Maker Havana Club (that Created The Havana Cultura Platform In 2007 To Promote The Island's Contemporary Culture), Shines A Light On Cuba's Fast-mutating, Rhythmically-adventurous Underground. It's A Scene Where Old Ideas Are Transplanted Into New Contexts, And Like-minded Scenes Are Brought Together In New Dialogues.
Havana Cultura: ¡su´belo, Cuba! Showcases An Extended Network Of Like-minded, Forward-thinking Musicians Driving Cuba's Music Forward. Following Repeated Trips To Connect With Venues, Collectives And Djs, Peterson And Will Lv - One Half Of Lv, Who've Released On Hyperdub And Keysound Amongst Others - Linked Up With Dj Jigu¨e, A Much-respected Producer And Dj, Whose Guampara Label Has Charted New Directions For Cuban Music. He's Been Profiled By The Fader And Vice, And The Album Features His Extended Network Of Collaborators, Connecting Afro-cuban Traditions With Contemporary Movements And Ideas.
The Album Provides A Snapshot Of A Unique Club Culture That's Fast Evolving. On The One Hand, It's Indebted To Cuba's Unique Characteristics, Where Regularly-practised Traditions Are Coloured By Intermittently-experienced Cultures From Outside. On The Other, It's Part Of A Global Shift Toward De-centred Club Music, With Homegrown, Influence-grabbing Dance Cultures Tilting Attention From Club Culture's Traditional Epicentres. It Offers A New Side To Havana That's Firmly Rooted In Its Past.
Warm return once again... One of the most consistent and influential agencies to have operated in the 2000s, the collective continue to develop their original agency, events and record label, and things are heating up very nicely. Following soul-arresting releases from Elliot Lion and Face + Heel comes this four-track odyssey from Belfast's Lunar Orbit Rendezvous AKA LOR. Ready for take-off
Our mission is set with 'Mystery To The Viewer', but what is the main mystery Is it the gravity-defying thrust of our engines or the identity of the anonymous (yet well spoken) narrator Listen closely for clues amid the heavy pulsating chords as we break away from the earth orbit and plunge deeper into the stars.
'In This Detail' sees us hurtling further and further into the dark unknown. There's a deep chilling aesthetic at play here as LOR makes his 808s weep with the loneliness only a long-stay astronaut can sympathise with. In perfect contrast, the isolation is balanced by the direct and vital 'Oriole'. One of LOR's earliest projects, updated with all the skills and techniques he's learnt on labels such as Exit Strategy and Cin Cin, it's a vital composition that rises and rises as we engage hyperspeed through the cosmos.
Finally we land back on our home planet to the marching momentum of 'White Light'. Almost stately in its pace and rhythmic stride, things suddenly take a turn for the intense as a warping bass siren triggers a much darker direction and a series of spasmodic kicks and heavily shelved filters. Welcome home...
In ancient LDDLM times, BLDDLM even, Belgium could well have been the freaky house and ecstasy center of the world. If only we could remember all the lost hours... But after all, as the Brussel saying goes: 'it's Friday, tomorrow is Tuesday'.
At LDDLM, we try not to reminisce, that was just setting the mood.We are very happy to welcome ARTHUR JOHNSON in our non-fold, a young producer from Liege via Marseille and La Dame Noir. AJ is amongst those ever mutating artists, his u-turns slowly composing a real personality, and one fitting our contrarian attitude. In a way PERFECT STRANGER reminds us of a good 90's Farley/Heller remix, not so much camp Fire Island than almost sweaty late night trancer. We love those tracks that do not fit our ethos a priori but that we can't stop playing. COSMO VITELLI is a long time family friend and he beams up this stranger through the axis into some kind of romantic italo-german anthem.
BALLADA and SECRETARY DISCORDIA show a different side of AJ, a dub march echoing Dif Juz and a percussive machine funk number. We sincerely hope AJ keeps on straying for the best, his way being our way.
Extremely hot on the heels of 'A Library Excursion', Earl Jeffers teams up again with Don Leisure, his partner-in-beats for another EP of Darkhouse Family goodness. Following on from their highly acclaimed debut album 'The Offering' from late last year on First Word, the Cardiff duo have hand selected a group of friends, dons and legends (including DJ Spinna & Kaidi Tatham) to serve us up 'An Extra Offering'. Five remixes curated by the crew.
For the refix of 'The Accession' (which originally featured Kamaal Williams, Dave Newington and Daf Davies from Boy Azooga), label-mate Kaidi Tatham kicks off with some down-low bottom-heavy boom bap, before switching up the tempo mid-way for a blast of his inimitable jazz-funk bruk boogie.
Next up we're honoured to have not one, but TWO tracks from the Brooklyn legend, DJ Spinna. His Galactic Soul rub of 'Another World' flips the original into a deep soulful 4/4 house cut, featuring the lush vocals of Esther (and one Charlotte Church on backing vocals, pop fact fans).
Then there's DJ Spinna's Galactic Funk take on 'Just So You Know' with the marvellous Vanity Jay on vocals. This one is on the same mid-tempo tip as the original, but with that unmistakable Polyrhythm Addict flavour of big kicks, crisp snares, hench bassline and sweet spacey synths.
For the 'GAEA' remix we keep it Cardiff and introduce the man like Alfie Swan. Doubling up the tempo of the original, this adds some seriously wavy sonics and flips the groove entirely, creating a seriously innovative cocktail of riddims. One for those not shy of some jazz ethics in the dance.
And to close out this offering, Andromeda Jones lays down a ridiculously delectable broken beat mix of 'Journey To Love', this one again featuring Vanity Jay. No messing with this one, this is straight dancefloor fire, transforming the hip hop soul track into a future boogie heater. One for the ravers.
This EP illustrates once again Darkhouse Family's wide range of influences and sounds, as selectors and as music makers themselves, and is no doubt one that will stay in your box for a very long time...n
Superb techno release for Dune records... With a long side from AcidUpDub, a minimal acid techno device, kind of a stable mental phase lost in the middle of the night.... After party style is possible too. Tribal. Second side brings 2 new commers for me. 909 Resistance for the beginning, with a hangar techno 909 acid device... Could have been an Old Tresor production. The EP finishes on something more experimental and inductrial, very downtempo from Geotropism, my fave tune here for its weirdness.. but really hard to play in a party ^^ ahahah:) A Great great production, once again big sound from Shane The Cutter. BIG UP !
Way back in 1967, an animated superhero cartoon was released into the world. It was created by Grantray-Lawrence Animation and was based on a web-spinning, crime fighting blue and red dressed character that had originated in1962, in Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. This amazing series (that we're not allowed to mention the name of for legal reasons) ran on ABC TV in the USA, then Canada, then a few years later started to spread its web further, running here in the UK throughout summer holidays, after school and possibly early mornings at weekends in the late 1970s. The series then got released on VHS video (and probably Betamax too) in the mid 1980s and still continues to spin its animated magic around the world through further broadcasts, YouTube and DVDs.
The series was notoriously low budget, with animated errors everywhere and numerous scenes, sequences and backgrounds being re-used all the time, often across the same episode. Even a certain spider logo on a costume would appear with six legs, then eight legs later on, then back to six again in the same show.
Series One opened with a newly written spider theme, a classic, hooky song all about doing whatever spiders can, and had, as Big George (RIP) once pointed out to me, a set of session singers falling slightly out of time with the backing track after the first verse. Series One also featured background music by jobbing composers Bob Harris and Ray Ellis but these cues and master tapes are now believed to be lost.
After Series One the company Grantray-Lawrence went bankrupt, so the amazing spider series (that we're not allowed to mention for legal reasons) was taken on by producer Steve Krantz. He brought in new talent, including animation director Ralph Bakshi who later went on to turn a Robert Crumb strip cartoon into the feature Fritz The Cat. Krantz also slashed the already cripplingly small spider budget, and brought in the idea of using economic library music. Here, thanks possibly to an independent sync agent (it has been suggested that a company called Music Sound Track Services may have been the one) production turned to the KPM catalogue. This was one of the few really established library catalogues around at the time with a modern edge, it was full of fabulous, modern dramatic music tracks - often all on the same LP. But more importantly all the tracks were far longer than the one minute musical cuts that many of the fledgling USA library companies were issuing at the time. Not only would this KPM music be efficient, affordable and very easy to use, it would also mean syndication worldwide would not be held up by any future musical issues. Krantz produced two amazing spider series (that we're not allowed to mention for legal reasons), and both were smothered with KPM music. In fact barely a spider second goes by without music playing in either the background or foreground.
For many years I - and many nostalgic others - have been thinking about putting this vinyl album together. For many enthusiasts this really is formative music - a junior foray into hip swinging crime jazz and esoteric musical grooviness. I've also read on line accounts by DJs from WFMU on the trail of original spider master tapes, and there's even a whole forum dedicated to Spidey-Jazz'. Then recently I was looking at an old spider tracklist and realized that several of my favourite KPM cues were there including Syd Dale's Hell Raisers' and Walk And Talk', both from one of the most elusive and desirable KPM albums of all time (yes, you just try and find yourself a copy of KPM 1002 right now), so I decided to push on and get the album made.
So, what features on this Spider-Jazz Lp Well it's music from the amazing TV series we are not allowed to mention for legal reasons, BUT, not music from Series One. No, but it is all from Series Two and Series Three. From looking at archival cue sheets, over 50 tracks from various early KPM 1000 series albums were used across episodes. I've distilled this down into one exciting and enthralling LP, and if this works a further Spider Jazz album may well swing in to production. If you're interested (and I'm sure you may well be) cues here came from KPM1001, KPM1002, KPM1015, KPM1017, KPM1018 and KPM1043 and were composed by master library composers of the era - Dale, Hawkshaw, Hawksworth, Mansfield etc.
And if you are listening over there in the USA, you may well recognize many of the cues here not just from the amazing TV series (that we're not allowed to mention for legal reasons) but also from classic 1960s and 1970s NFL highlight shows that we are allowed to mention.
2x12" 180g Vinyl Reissue
You should all know by now I have collected a good few records in my time, hunting down that perfect beat. In search of that special piece I have found a deep love for the old soul ballads and funk that were for me great social statements, telling it just how it was.
Growing up with these tunes and owning them I began to realise if someone didn't represent them to the next generation they would be long lost and forgotten. So please... enjoy this time capsule of music from another time... you'll hear nothing's changed!
- Death In Vegas Return With The Single 'honey', Its Second Collaboration With Sasha Grey. 'honey' Is A Slow, Seductive Serenade, With An Organic, Psychedelic Tone: Dreamy And Dripping With Intensity.
- The B Side Features 'witchdance Dub', Richard Fearless' Long-held Remix Of 'witchdance' Off Trans-love Energies, Featuring The Haunting Vocals Of Katie Stelmanis From Austra. Fearless Cut Three Dubplates Of 'witchdance Dub' After He Mixed This Track. Dj Harvey Has One, Prosumer The Other, And Fearless Kept The 3rd: Delicate Acetates That Have Been Played Out Sparingly But With Electric Effect. This Track Is Effortless, Minimal Dance Music Imbued With Fearless' Unique Production Sound- It's Not One To Miss.
Only one month after the release of their first ep on MT on May 2018, Vactrol Park continue surprising, this time with a full LP in the shape of 'Music from the Luminous Void'.The album sees VP delve much deeper into more atmospheric realms. Using modular synths and unexpected drum machine sequencing they leave the 4X4 beats behind in favor of off-world rhythms and ever growing bass. Starting with Drops's high frequency tension, laying on top of those heavy kick drums it keeps on growing and growing. From there it moves to the 'End of the party' groove that is Novikov's Notation, and its trippy monotonic rhythm. The A-side ends with the heavy sampled ambient track Macbeth, bringing forward that mesmerizing flute solo by Italian artist Luca Spagnoletti yet succeeding in avoiding the kitsch, and with a touch of class. The B-side delves even deeper into ambience and atmospheric muzak. Starting with Bells, that features again Spagnoletti on flute. Then we get into the real gems of the album - Anstruther and Glove. The first is a pure trip into modular psychedelia and repetitive jazzy-like drum rhythms, creating tension right from the start and plays with it throughout the track before decaying slowly into Glove, which is in sense both the catharsis and the decompression session of the album. Like a 2018 version of Vangelis, this track's soundscape will keep you dreaming with your eyes closed long after the album ends.
Neddix from XIT sound system delivers his "Welcome To My Underground" famous track : exciting sub bass for a massive growing hard techno release...
On the flip you'll get my fave track of this record, a very Pumpin Hard tehcno tunes, totally in the state of mind of Famous Peur Bleue 04 from FKY.
The finish is a UFO... a techno acid tune with a long Dubstep-like break in the middle of the tune, making of this tune a melt between electro techno, hard techno and acid core track.
The plate is bluie and the visual by vstee is a twirling hypnotic 3D effect when you play the tunes :)
Big one !
Dynamic composer Neil Cowley is set to release 'Spacebound Tapes' a four track EP featuring remixes of his Trio's 'Spacebound Apes' album ("A miss- this-at-your-peril release" Drowned In Sound 9/10) by Rival Consoles, Throwing Snow, Christian Löffler and Vessels
'Spacebound Apes' was written by Cowley for his trio and long-time bandmates drummer Evan Jenkins and bassist Rex Horan, with contributions from Brian Eno collaborator Leo Abrahams on guitars and FX. A bold exercise in atmosphere and emotion, the album was woven together with some of the most breathtaking, impassioned music that Neil has created. Originally inspired by Arthur C Clarke's 1956 sci-fi book 'The City and the Stars' the album was recorded at Cooper Hall, a studio and cinema set deep in the Somerset countryside with Stanley Kubrick's '2001 A Space Odyssey' running on permanent rotation.
The sci-fi aesthetic is firmly grasped by the four remixers, echoing the theme in their own reinterpretations. The reimagined tracks retain the inventiveness of the originals while exploring progressive but considerate paths. In his version of 'Weightless', Erased Tapes signed Rival Consoles feeds off of the electronic songwriter's critically lauded humanised techno, while rising German musician Christian Löffler brings new dimensions of space and scale to 'Death To Amygdala'. Houndstooth's Throwing Snow delights in deconstructing 'Duty To The Last' with pulsing energy and Vessels' take on 'Echo Nebula' applies machinic facets to the delicate sounds of the original.
The remarkable thing about BELP's new album is its two-dimensional function. It works both on a loud and a quiet volume. Some tracks would go down well as a club track, like opener 'Travelling Thru Galaxies'. This track brings back memories of the best work released on the Hyperdub label, with it's fine combination of synths and irresistible, dubby beats. Elsewhere, 'Off Ending' might start off as 'dancehall-but-not-quite dancehall' track but when half way the synths kick in they change the feeling of the track to a more cerebral level.
BELP is the artist name of Sebastian Schnitzenbaumer. Born in Munich, he partially grew up on the Seychelles islands off the coast of East Africa. Educated in classical piano, those two gravitational poles, European and African influences, form the basis for his musical development. Currently he has close ties to the (dub) Sausage Studio in Hackney, London. In his hometown Munich, the Bavarian capital, BELP took a central role in a series of discussions and events aiming to improve the image and possibilities of Munich, which to his regret is a predominantly posh and hedonistic city where optimistic and uplifting music take central role.
In different guises Schnitzenbaumer works as a much needed antidote. Since 2013 he runs the Schamoni label, focusing on supporting local artists like Leroy and Protein. Its sublabel Jahmoni is responsible for recent works by international artists like Aaron Spectre and DJ Marcelle/Another Nice Mess.
BELP's music is dark, serious and layered. His love for dub and dancehall shines through in his broken beats. At the same time the synth layered tracks give the album an atmospheric feeling.
This also is what makes this album essential: it's refusal to be pigeonholed. The last track on side A, 'By Beauteous Softness', is an a cappella rendition of a 17th century Henry Purcell piece, beautifully sung by Alexander Schneider. This track is preceded by 'Transmission', which is a brilliant abstract work, sounding like wind closing on you from all sides. And you can sip a cocktail whilst listening to the jazzy 'Time And Again' (BELP once worked as a jazz pianist).
It's clear to hear BELP took a long time recording this album. Every note, synth, drum beat, is carefully placed. But what the album might lack on spontaneity it more than compensates this with its sheer musical beauty. This also reflects on the abstract sleeve, like 'Elephants' designed by BELP himself.
Enjoy this album on big speakers, as background music or simply on headphones. There will always be new sounds and layers to be discovered!
t's time for magaritas. Dresden's master of the sampler Alexander Scharf chops up cheesy germanness for greater good and varying experiences: Schlager-upcycling it is. »Nur mit Dir« is a lovely summer day's theme, the anthem of freshly found or long lasting love, the hymn for the night with your loved one. »Ode an die Fröbbe« is the morning after. The morning after the morning of too much togetherness: Honestly weird and weirdly lovable. In the end »Grünalge Christian« keeps it all together. Thank you, Christian. Thank you, Schleander.
Dark Matters label head Amirali returns with the expertly crafted Odyssey EP, employing his vital understanding of
space and texture to construct a highly emotive release featuring a remix from Fort Romeau. The three track
package is out digitally on May 14th followed by the vinyl release a few weeks later.
Leading on from his critically acclaimed discography and curatorial work with the inimitable Dark Matters imprint,
Amirali enters 2018 with grand plans for the future. He is currently conceptualising a live stage show whilst
continuing to provide a platform for all manner of weird and wonderful music.
'Odyssey' is a striking example of Amirali's penchant for songwriting, as well as a testament to his sonic identity,
merging memorable harmonies with heartfelt vocals and complex soundscapes. 'Hidden Past' veers more towards
the dancefloor, brandishing vast sonic explorations and levitating pads amongst detailed drum patterns. For the
'Hidden Past' remix, Fort Romeau mutates the delicacy of the original into a spaced out dose of peak time house,
gradually building rich harmonies around a fierce rhythmic motif.
On the creation of this forthcoming EP, Amirali states:
"Nothing is more important than my craft which is the main reason I'm here. There's no better satisfaction than to
create an amazing piece of music, that's my happiest point in life. I don't want my work to just be good or ok and that
takes a lot of effort and sacrifice in life. I got to a point where I said to myself I have to go and disappear for a while,
go be normal and do normal things. Instead of being on the road all the time, stay home, create an environment I
like to write music. There have been many experimentations involved in my upcoming material. I wanted to try and
push myself to the limit and I believe I've succeeded. For me, it's all about evolving and exploring areas I haven't
touched. That's why sometimes it takes a bit longer than expected, I don't just want to meet people's expectations,
sometimes I want to blow them away. There is so much music coming out week in and week out, the music is
evidently becoming more disposable and I would like to stay out of that chaos. When you stay true to your heart and
try to do something different you put yourself in an uncomfortable situation, that's when you grow as an artist and
also as a person, but the satisfaction you get when you finish a work cannot be put into words.
Only those who read all the credits on record liner notes will know the full details: Areski is of course Brigitte Fontaine's partner in life, but also her creative alter ego, and the composer of the music of most of her songs. Even though it was his wife Brigitte and not him who wrote the lyrics, Areski is a poet in his own right. Furthermore, he is polyvalent: composing, arranging, singing, improvising, playing every possible instrument and even acting! Areski, to sum up, is the perfect mix of the tradition of Munir Bashir with the European sophistication' of someone like Jean-Claude Vannier, one foot permanently in Versailles (where he was born) and the maghreb. Areski, is left bank French songs without the stylistic effects, revised and updated through contact with arab-andalusian music. He is a Living Theatre style happening with a dose of cosmic free jazz, surrealist poetry viewed through the prism of Kabyle culture... All that and a lot more!
Areski honed his talent observing the stars of traditional chaâbi, testing it out in bars and dives before meeting, during military service, the singer Jacques Higelin with whom he would record his first cult album, and who would present him to his wife-to-be, Brigitte Fontaine. Between 1969 and 1980, with her, Areski would contribute an essential chapter to French underground music including classics such as Comme à la radio (with the Art Ensemble of Chicago), Je ne connais pas cet homme, L'Incendie, Le Bonheur and Vous et nous. For all that, Areski has never really tried to have a career under his own name, in spite of the wonderful Un Beau matin first published in 1970, and which it is high time to de (re)discover (better late than never). Those already in the know will not be surprised to see, especially, Jean-Charles Capon, author of the inspired L'Univers-solitude, Brigitte Fontaine of course, or Daniel Vallancien, author of a no-less inspired duo with saxophonist Philippe Maté. All contributing to an acerbic poetic universe, concerned but never militant, and open to worldwide influences long before they became a fashion.
Inspired, poetic, in a word essential: Un Beau Matin is one of the best albums of the French underground produced by Pierre Barouh on his label Saravah, alongside those by Maurice Lemaître, Catharsis, Claude Yvans, Mahjun, Barney Wilen, Cohelmec Ensemble et Michel Roques.
For its seventh offering, Sol Power Sound taps into the pulse of the French Antilles for Tambours de Martinique, a blistering EP of original and remixed versions of rare, drum-centric dance floor workouts. Licensed directly from the legendary Martiniquan label Hibiscus Records, the EP features cuts by Eugène Mona and Max Ransay, two of Martinique's most storied musicians. With reworks by Spanish DJ and producer Kiko Navarro and the Sol Power All-Stars, this one will be in the record bags of discerning DJs all summer long.
The A side features 'Lizo' by Eugène Mona, an essential figure in the folkloric music of Martinique based on the bamboo flute, bèlè drums, and the island's specific variant of Antillean creole. Lizo was originally released in 1990 on Mona's Blanc Mangé Blan Manjé LP and is anchored by frenetic percussion, a driving bassline, and house-evocative key stabs. Kiko Navarro's remix takes an already dynamic cut to deep Afro-space with thumping drums and a bubbling synth-bass groove that will put dancers through their paces.
With its powerful combo of urgent brass and ensemble vocals, Max Ransay's 1988 recording of the traditional Martiniquan folk song 'Ti Kanno' fills the B-side. 'Ti Kanno' was previously recorded by Ti Émile, Ransay and Mona's legendary forebear. Full of surprises, Ransay's version is a sonic melting pot of hand percussion, horns, unexpected synth lines, and bass. The Sol Power All-Stars edit fills out the low-end thump and teases out the groove for maximum impact.
Surface are back after a 5 year break with the first 65d Mavericks ep in over ten years ! With many struggles, false dawns and respectfully one man down, the long-awaited return of the 65d Mavericks shocks and awes with output as bizarre as ever!
Included are 4 deviations of the techno template, ranging from the spoken word rage of False Prophets on 'Notions of Progress' to the insane techno jazz workout of A2's 'Cosmic Drift'. 'You Lost Your Mind' goes abstract with live bass guitar and vocals while B2's 'Immovable (Dub)' throws down the angry man dub vibe.
Rebelling against the safety of the current scene and pushing the sound once more, expect more far out Surface releases from friends like Claude Young, Rich Oddie and new project 'The Downfall of Society' (Simon Shreeve + Nick Dunton) amongst others in the coming months.
Zia Mohiuddin Dagar : rudra veena
Annie Penta : tanpura
Concert recorded at the home of Shantha and Niranjan B. Benegal, Seattle, Washington 9 March 1986.
Recorded by Niranjan Benegal. Files obtained from Jeff Lewis.
Mastered & Cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering 1117 & 0318.
Liner notes by Renaud Brizard, edited by Stephen O'Malley & Ian Christe.
Front and back cover photos by unknown.
Interior photography by Niranjan B. Benegal, Dan Neuman & unknown, Seattle 1978-1980. .
Around ten years ago, deep into a cozy and hazy night following a concert with my sound brothers Daniel O'Sullivan and Kristoffer Rygg in London (as Æthenor), they graciously introduced me to a recording of rudra veena (a kind of noble deeper bass relative to the sitar, in a way) as performed by dhrupad master Zia Mohiuddin Dagar.
Dhrupad, for those who do not know, is a branch of Hindustani classical music said to "show the raga in its clearest and purest form". It's pacing concentrates heavily on the slow, contemplative alap section and works with specific microtonal gestures and deep characteristics of resonance ... in short I was hooked on this new (to me) and ancient form of music from the first listen, and feel that a more or less continual listening & reviewing of Zia Mohiuddin Dagar's recordings in the years that followed have influenced my own approach to music quite heavily (if, albeit, indirectly).
In early 2015 I was able to make contact with Zia Mohiuddin Dagar's son Bahauddin and some of his American students/disciples, primarily Jeff Lewis. Over time we developed a friendly and educational exchange, access a massive archive of recordings and developed these two paired titles for my label. It's been a long path to arrive at actually releasing them but also probably in many ways one of the most significant releases I've worked on. And I'm proud to be able to reveal these to date unreleased archival recordings of one of the masters of dhrupad, Z. M. Dagar, to the public for the first time.
Zia Mohiuddin Dagar was the nineteenth generation in a family tradition known as Dagar gharana, a rich lineage which continued and performed the musical form of dhrupad (Bahauddin Dagar continues the lineage as a master rudra veena dhrupad player of note today). Initially, dhrupad was a rigorous, austere, devotional genre that was sung in Hindu temples. But between the 16th and the 18th centuries, it became the preeminent genre in royal courts in North and Central India, and the Dagar gharana developed and continued publicly following the eventual loss of court patronage for dhrupad in the 19th century. The French ethnomusicologist Renaud Brizard covers the story of Zia Mohiuddin Dagar's life and teaching (a long story also in Seattle, my hometown!), the Dagar family and gharana, the rudra veena and more topics in an extensive set of liner notes in this release.
Ragas Abhogi & Vardhani were recorded in a private house concert in Seattle at the home of the Benegals in March 1986 (the week before the accompanying release SOMA029 Raga Yaman was recorded). The Benegals were friends (& Shantha Benegal was also a student) of Dagarsahib who sometimes hosted Hindustani music concerts in their home. It's a rare glimpse of a more intimate, personal and perhaps different kind of performance considering the form of dhrupad.
-Stephen O'Malley, March 2018, Paris, France
Stephen O'Malley would like to especially thank Bahauddin Dagar, Jeff Lewis & Jody Stecher for their enthusiasm, cooperation, patience, insight & advice toward developing these editions. Thank you also to Laurel Sercombe & John Vallier from the University of Washington Ethnomusicology Archives, Shantha Benegal, Philippe Bruguière, Dan Neuman, Ira Landgarten, Renaud Brizard, Ian Christe, Peter Rehberg, Rashad Becker, Daniel O'Sullivan & Kristoffer Rygg, all for their direct or indirect cooperation, assistance & patience.
Recorded by unknown at the University of Washington, HUB Auditorium, Seattle, Washington 15 March 1986 , concert co-sponsored by the UW Ethnomusicology Division and Ragamala.
Original digitally processed audio recording made with Panasonic PV-9000 VCR, Sony PCM-F1, PZM mics. Mastered & Cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering 1117 & 0318.
Liner notes by Renaud Brizard, Stephen O'Malley & Ian Christe.
Front and back cover photos by Niranjan B. Benegal, Seattle Center Folklife Festival 1979. Elizabeth Reeke & Annie Penta on tanpuras.
Inner gatefold photography by Niranjan B. Benegal & Ira Landgarten.
Around ten years ago, deep into a cozy and hazy night following a concert with my sound brothers Daniel O'Sullivan and Kristoffer Rygg in London (as Æthenor), they graciously introduced me to a recording of rudra veena (a kind of noble deeper bass relative to the sitar, in a way) as performed by dhrupad master Zia Mohiuddin Dagar.
Dhrupad, for those who do not know, is a branch of Hindustani classical music said to "show the raga in its clearest and purest form". It's pacing concentrates heavily on the slow, contemplative alap section and works with specific microtonal gestures and deep characteristics of resonance ... in short I was hooked on this new (to me) and ancient form of music from the first listen, and feel that a more or less continual listening & reviewing of Zia Mohiuddin Dagar's recordings in the years that followed have influenced my own approach to music quite heavily (if, albeit, indirectly).
In early 2015 I was able to make contact with Zia Mohiuddin Dagar's son Bahauddin and some of his American students/disciples, primarily Jeff Lewis. Over time we developed a friendly and educational exchange, access a massive archive of recordings and developed these two paired titles for my label. It's been a long path to arrive at actually releasing them but also probably in many ways one of the most significant releases I've worked on. And I'm proud to be able to reveal these to date unreleased archival recordings of one of the masters of dhrupad, Z. M. Dagar, to the public for the first time.
Zia Mohiuddin Dagar was the nineteenth generation in a family tradition known as Dagar gharana, a rich lineage which continued and performed the musical form of dhrupad (Bahauddin Dagar continues the lineage as a master rudra veena dhrupad player of note today). Initially, dhrupad was a rigorous, austere, devotional genre that was sung in Hindu temples. But between the 16th and the 18th centuries, it became the preeminent genre in royal courts in North and Central India, and the Dagar gharana developed and continued publicly following the eventual loss of court patronage for dhrupad in the 19th century. The French ethnomusicologist Renaud Brizard covers the story of Zia Mohiuddin Dagar's life and teaching (a long story also in Seattle, my hometown!), the Dagar family and gharana, the rudra veena and more topics in an extensive set of liner notes in this release.
Raga Yaman was recorded at a public concert in Seattle at the HUB Ballroom at the University of Washington in March 1986 (the week after the accompanying release SOMA028 Ragas Abhogi & Vardhani was recorded) at the end of his last tour of the United States. Yaman was a special raga for Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, one of his signature raags. For centuries, Yaman has been considered as one of the most fundamental ragas in Hindustani music and is one of the first ragas which is taught to students. A deep knowledge of Yaman gives a key for understanding many other ragas. It's filled with tranquility, contemplation, pathos and spiritual yearning. .
FINA Records welcome Jad & The for a new EP that shows off the Australian-born, Berlin-based producer's majestically melodic house sound. A special dub from 6th Borough Project makes this another essential release.
Before now Jad & The has served up tracks of the year ('Strings That Never Win' - Mixmag 2017), fronted four piece live act Mitzi—who played alongside the likes of Nile Rodgers—and also produced as Jad & The Ladyboy, all the while picking up fans like Moxie and Bradley Zero. Sonar Kollektiv and Toy Tonics have put out his charming sounds before and this new one is another joyous offering.
The feel good '2 Getha (4 Eva Mix)' kicks things of with old school drum breaks and loved-up vocals. Big smeared pads, a new age melody and classic bassline line finish it off and carry you away to summery house heaven. 'Twist Club' then drops into lush deep house with a long legged bassline tumbling beneath organic drums. It's a dreamy and romantic cut before 'Disco Hold Down' has live sounding jazz drums, choppy vocals and rough edges that take you to the heart of a vibe-fulled basement party. Delusions Of Grandeur's 6th Borough Project serve up a Dub that's more stripped back and built on a big rubber bassline. Jacking drums and a more rapturous vocal make it a truly steamy jam.
Buy the EP digitally and you get a bonus track, '2 Getha (Neva Mix)' which is another blissed out and rave tinged house cut which oozes pure euphoria. It closes out a brilliantly heartfelt EP of varied and vital house sounds.
Mgun, Or Manuel Gonzales To His Friends, Has Long Been A Fixture Artist For Dba. Since Making His Uk Debut On The Label In 2012, Having Already Featured On Detroit's Celebrated Wild Oats Imprint, He Has Smoothly Yet Slowly Progressed Through The Presses Of Fellow Dance Music Tastemakers Third Ear Recordings And Kiev's Wicked Bass. Following 2016's Warmly Received 'gentium', 'axiom' Finds Manuel Gonzales Back On Dba With An Index Of Offbeat Jams That Couldn't Have Emerged From The Mind Or Studio Of Any Other Producer.
Once More Envisioned And Engineered In His Native City Of Detroit, The Record Finds Mgun In More Auspicious And Domestic Circumstances. Now Firmly A Father And A Homeowner, 'axiom' Allows Gonzales To Flex His Party Muscle, While Further Pushing The Elastic Boundaries Of His Notoriously Unpredictable And Brilliantly Raw Production Style. Across Twelve Tracks, Listeners Are Offered An Unpredictable Trip Into The Restlessly Experimental Snatches Of Studio Time Gonzales Is Afforded Away From His Day Job At The Legendary People's Records Store. It's Here That Gonzales Absorbs Endless Releases And Rediscoveries Passing Through The Stock, Trading The Occasional Tip With Some Of Detroit's Best Known Producers.
Beginning With The Off-kilter Funk Of 'you Inside Me', 'axiom' Expertly Toes The Line Between Full-bodied, Soulful Club Weapons ('you're Never Home', 'nichrome'), And The Sort Of Lo-fi Tinged Jams That Enable Gonzales's Unusual Weirder Hooks And Rhythms To Extend Into Something Altogether More Hypnotic And Psychedelic ('kartwheel', 'sil').
There Are New Sounds And Approaches Throughout. Centrepiece Track 'see It For Myself' Finds Gonzales On Vocal Duties For The First Time, And The Dystopian Tinted 'vap' Finds His Sound Expanding Into Weightless, Dreamlike Electro. And While Certain Tracks Date Back Years, Having Slowly Matured To Full Funk, Others, Such As The Gloriously Unhinged '359' Were Rapidly Produced To Capture The Inspiring Energy Of A Late-night Glaswegian Rave.
Simply Put, 'axiom' Does The Work Of Representing Mgun At His Musical Best, An Analogue Celebration Of Pure Party Potential.
Following two previous excursions into degraded tape loops, fuzzed-out ambience and bittersweet moments of tenderness, O$VMV$M return to Idle Hands to complete a trilogy of LPs with 12 vignettes from the underbelly of the Bristol scene.
Bound to Young Echo's ever-swelling cult of wayward sonics, individually Amos 'Jabu' Childs and Sam 'Neek' Barrett have plenty of irons in the fire. Childs deals in forlorn, vocal-led introspection alongside Alex Rendall and Jasmine Butt as Jabu, while Barrett can be found laying down punishing modern grime variations alongside Kahn, or delving into more traditional soundsystem sonics in Gorgon Sound. Meanwhile the pair were clearly heard laying down some of the tones that seep out of the uncredited Young Echo collective LP from earlier this year. Their production work behind Rider Shafique's killerLion7" on Lavalava was unmissable, and their blunted beats behind Manonmars' debut LP are awaited with anticipation.
As O$VMV$M, the pair enter a particular sound world that mixes cosy nostalgia with creeping dread. Even at its most mellow, a sense of unease hovers beneath the surface, and that's what makes their approach so compelling. The sound palette is broad, from pitch-shifted RnB vocal licks to foggy trumpets crawling at half speed, but over it all a dense blanket of dust gives the sensation of peering back through time.
Putting paid to the idea that immersive music needs to be long and drawn out, the dose response on these condensed mood capsules is quick and strong. In a little over 20 minutes O$VMV$M take you far and wide. The trip over the past three LPs has been an adventure for both label and artists - Sam and Amos have shaped out a style that now feels like a fully formed entity independent of their other ventures. We look forward to seeing where O$VMV$M heads from here.
Acid Jazz is pleased to announce that it has teamed up with the legendary Fania Records for our latest 7 inch release.
June 1st will see us release Ray Barretto's Mercy Mercy Baby lifted from his classic album Acid produced by Harvey Averne.
It is backed by an astounding and previously unreleased instrumental version,which is longer than the released version and has a stunning trumpet solo making it a summer dance-floor cooker.
Released on a specially designed label, which pays tribute to the first Gold Fania labels, this will be limited to a run of a 1000.
The Scar Journey Continues With The 'born Again Ep', A 3-tracker Synonymous With The Duo's Much-loved Sound Accompanied By A Digital Bonus Featuring The Incredible Martyna Baker.
Following Up Their Recent Remix For Artificial Intelligence In Impeccable Fashion, This Is Scar's Fifth Ep For Metalheadz, Not To Mention Their 2016 Long-player, All Of Which Have Solidified Their Position In The Label Family.
For their first artist EP, Super Tuff revs up four tracks of high-octane house music from Marcel Lune. Fresh off of an impressive LP for Local Talk, the UK up-and-comer again proves a knack for effective and subtle productions. The A side sets the mood with "Moon Sequence," a lush tune that builds to a cinematic climax. He settles into his groove with "You Can Do It!" a four-to-the-floor piano jam sprinkled with wonky synthesizers. On the B-side, Lune finds himself unhinged on the open road with "Unknownz" offering up a live drum groove drenched in bright synth stabs and triumphant string melodies. Finishing the B-side, "Sun" is all shuffled claps and peppy synthesizers that evoke the warm feeling of a sunrise after a long night out.
Rumored to be one of the most intriguing collaborations of 2018, Rocketgirl presents Pieter Nooten's 4th solo album 'STEM' as Nooten teams up with legendary producer/ mixer/sound-artist Stephen W Tayler (Kate Bush, Underworld) at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios. 'STEM' is probably Nooten's finest work since collaborating with Michael Brook 30 years ago, producing the timeless cult classic 'Sleeps With The Fishes'.Setting the tone in his 2012 double cd 'HAVEN', Nooten further explores the boundaries between the neoclassical and ambient genre, delivering an album of heartwrenching, profound melodic compositions that invites you to listen to 'STEM' over and over again.
Stem is 60 minutes long (The CD includes a bonus track)
The vinyl has been specially edited by Stephen and Pieter and comes with a postcard and a download code of the full version.
Press:'Moments in life so often slip by with only the rusted acquaintance of memory to recall them but with a masterpiece like Haven in your collection you won't ever walk alone. No matter the slips and pitfalls you encounter or the loves you recriminate yourself for squandering, Pieter Nooten's newest will allow you to dwell with your thoughts in private with dignity...''Haven is the kind of record that gives modern composition a good name. It will also give countless budding musicians the belief that they can create a valid piece of work with nothing but a laptop. This may not be a bad thing, but it will be a while before anything in the genre matches the maturity, warmth and technical ability displayed by Nooten...'
Nooten's musical career began in the late 1970s. Starting out as the drummer in a local symphonic rock band,2 he quickly changed to bass guitar and later keyboards, playing in different bands. At the height of house squatting culture and new wave, Nooten met Anka Wolbert and Ronny Moorings who had just formed Clan of Xymox together. During the mid-eighties Clan of Xymox recorded two highly acclaimed albums on 4AD.
Danny McLewin (Psychemagik) and Jamie Cruisey have a new label of original signed artists called SPIRITS. The first release is from Mexican hotness 'Lokier' of She Made Monster and 'Jason Greer' aka 'The Machine', one of the Californian undergrounds best kept secrets. They met in 2015 at a festival in London and after spending a few days together, became musically obsessed with each other. That summer, as Jason bounced around Europe, he stayed with Lokier in Barcelona for some weeks and after long night walks, some tapas and absinthe bars they came up with their first EP together.
A1 "White Room's" slo-mo headnod film score, kick starts the EP, brooding synths buzzing with electric cocaine gloss, their oscillators fluttering like cyborg butterflies around the pulsating strobelight beat. Creepy.
A2 "Stained Glass" hits tough straight out the gate with subterranean bubbling acid bass and charges headlong into deep psychedelic territory with a goth-inspired guitar, reverb on 11, turning the track into a next-level robo-Giallo monster!
B1 "Pearly Hate" begins as if a menacing swarm of bionic rave bees is slowly surrounding you, the tension of their impending drone amping up steadily as your brain thinks: Do I run This midtempo Carpenter-esque jam is atmospheric putty in the hands of sleazoned DJ's and sounds like the beginning of a long, strange trip.
B2 "Red Floor" is a chugging, barely restrained dark disco beast, flagrantly wearing its Weatherall and Neu Beat-ing heart on its tattered sleeve, elliptical melodies keeping you from your sanity with a solid drop for the dancefloor - another one for DJ's who ride it rough.
Thus completes the first release for new label SPIRITS. Four tracks exploring another corner of otherworldly analogue hedonism for extra-dimensional travel. Keep your ear on "Red Floor", as its potential for dancefloor uplift is proven and Machine-ready! Stay jacked in for more missives soon...
Ivan Smagghe:
"When your best Mexican chola low-rider meets our favourite Californian mechanic, you get a proper slice of (Lokier and) Machine funk. This is grease electronics, black leather under the very dark sun of 'Pearly Hate' or in the bright isolation tank of 'White Room''
Recorded in Philadelphia in 1969, The Deirdre Wilson Tabac's sole album is a beautiful blend of funk, jazz and soulful pop. Possessing the complex grooves, thrilling breaks and ethereal weirdness that The Rotary Connection pedalled so brilliantly, the LP failed to connect with audiences upon its original release.
In the decades since, it has deservedly attracted a considerable cult following. However, almost inevitably, it has become increasingly tricky to pick up a copy in good condition for anything less than eye-watering sums. As such, we're delighted to present the first officially licensed vinyl reissue of this undoubted masterpiece of freaky funk-rock, limited to just 500 copies.
The Tabac were, in fact, a trio. Discovered, managed and produced by Svengali Sonny Casella (who'd earlier managed garage band The Magic Mushrooms), they comprised Deirdre Wilson, Stu Freeman (formerly of said Mushrooms) and Barbara Payne (formerly with the James Brown Revue). They were backed by session players including jazz guitarist Chuck Anderson, bassist Hugh McDonald and keyboardist Roy Bittan (who went on to be a long-term Bruce Springsteen sideman).
Their first single coupled two fine Casella compositions, each featuring powerhouse vocal workouts, the supremely funk-fuelled blues beat of "The Other Side Of Life" and the psychedelic-flavoured "Look In My Face" - both of which are featured here. This 7" picked enough up airplay to merit an album, which duly appeared early the following year, but, as is often the way with these lost classics, it received barely any press. Correspondingly, sales where low and the trio didn't last long.
And herein lies the real tragedy. The rest of the LP deserves to be heard from start-to-finish - it's that good. A beguiling mix of funky folk and rocky jazz tracks, with some deep, string-drenched harmony soul ballads and a handful of remarkable covers elegantly presented througout. Indeed, they put some sauntered head-nod funk into The Beatles' "Get Back" whilst tearing through a version of "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay" which gives Otis' original a real run for its money.
But the real standout cut for most - with its soulful, haunting vocals, swinging hammond organ and stabbing horns, is the incredible 6/8 time jazz dancer "I Can't Keep From Cryin' Sometimes." Staggering.
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.
The long awaited debut release from Melbourne based producer / personality Mousse is here! Until now, Mousse aka Simon Barry has kept his craft close to his chest and we finally hear the result of years of hard studio labour in the bungalow. Barry has been a crucial part of Melbourne's dance community for the past five or so years, co-hosting the legendary disco party 'Misty Nights' with Danny Hotep as well being a fixture at The House De Frost and Animals Dancing parties.
On the A side we have the anthemic 'Sex and Acid' and 'Big Fat Party Popper' two raw house tracks with links to early Chicago classics. Quirky sound effects and catchy vocals simmer on top of hot acid bassline to give you a couple of the summers most memorable bangers! But don't be fooled, Mousse is no one-trick-pony. On the flip we step out of the bungalow and into 'Afternoon Bloom' where jazzy pianos dance around a playful machine rhythm. Rounding out the four tracker 'Bare With Me' delivers an evolving house jam with a conversive synth line and dubbed out chords.
A killer debut release from one of Melbournes rising stars.
Lithuanian based label Sodai started its journey in 2016, making it a label still in it's infancy but making a big impression. Owned by artist Gardens Of God, who started the label to create his own 'no limits' platform for his experimental sounds and projects. While at the same time a platform to give other artists the chance to also have freedom with art and music.
With releases from Raxon, Few Nolder and Alex Krell under their belt, they can announce the exciting debut from UK producer Third Son this April. 'I've been an admirer of Gardens Of Gods' music for a long time, when he asked me if I could do something for his imprint, I was more than thrilled!' adds Joseph.
'Syncope's' synths spread far and wide, making this a journey of a track, modulating and panning in and out, pushing and pulling along a percussive drive. His broad musical range can be felt in this mix, with its slightly hypnotic tones.
'Irony' has a punctuated low end, which creates a deep and dark groove. The synthetic elements in this track gain in attitude, on top of ambient pads, leading nicely into 'Bach' to close out the release. It's driving and determined bass makes the backbone of the track, with a modulating hook line, along building and expanding frequency ranges.
The whole package makes for a very strong first release from Third Son, and Sodai are excited to be welcoming him to the family.
Suns out, guns out: Darkroom Dubs ease into 2018 slowly with a new addition to their limited vinyl series courtesy of Madrid analogue scientist Eduardo De La Calle.
Last spotted on Planet E and boasting a 15 year back-cat on the likes of Cadenza, Biologic, Just This, Hivern Discs and Mule Muziq, Eduardo is a man you're already well acquainted with. And you're going to want to get even closer once you've digested these four straight-to-business stripped-back traxx. Each cut designed for deep mix tailoring that you can really bend minds with.
'It's Me... The Apple Knocker' ignites the fire with a flash as we're hurled into a hypnotic frenzy from the first loop. A whirlwind comprised of so few parts yet causing a riot in your senses, this stutters and slurs with a precision sense of unease. The troubled ebb and flow of 'Opsimath' follow suit with a twinkling feeling of unknown. An extensive groove weighing in at nearly nine minutes, its unhurried nature alludes to its title; the longer you leave it sizzle, the more enriching it gets.
Flip for 'Breatharian'. The deepest, most disarming cut of the collection laced with yearning strings and poignant chords, it's a solar-inspired sunset piece that gradually morphs into something much darker and serious as the track progresses. Finally we conclude with 'Cybersquatting', a timeless mildly dubbed-out darkroom groove that flows with liquid insistency. Subtly mutating and rotating, forever pumping, it's a true calm before the storm piece, tailored for those moments when you need a little suspense and space in your set.
Four crystal jams. Endless variations. Infinite mixes: Darkroom Dubs have delivered once again. And there's more en route... Watch out for a new Deadstock 33s release and a new compilation 'Darkroom Dubs Presents Summer Love'. Both due before the summer is out. Don't put those guns away anytime soon...
Reissue of the very first Birds Of Passage album from 2010. Minimalistic Lo-Fi Shoegaze meets experimental pop with drone influences.
For someone who thinks it's difficult to describe music in general, it's even more difficult to describe the soundscapes of BIRDS OF PASSAGE. The influences of Alicia Merz - the girl behind BIRDS OF PASSAGE - are her memories, breathless-inspiring cold winds, the smell and atmosphere of a spring day, smoking cigarettes, sunshine and shadows. As a mixture of all these elements plus a minimalistic experimental instrumentation you as well can describe her music: sometimes shy, sometimes more energetic ( fantastic frown') but always intensely and extremly private. Listening to her debut record "Without The World" is like sharing one long day with Alicia and her thoughts in the diverse landscapes of her home country New Zealand.
Alicia doesn't need the orotund spectacle of a band to evoke emotions - with the help of different, in a minimalistic way, used instruments combined with field recordings, she doesn't create specific songs - she builds up a mood. There's no typical song structure, there's no melody to chase after - but there's a development which absorbs you and which makes you start to think about elements you block out in your everyday life.
Next Up On Out-er Is Inland, Aka Ed Davenport, An Artist Who Has Long Been A Friend Of The Label And Whose Powerful Techno Sound Is A Perfect Fit. His Three Originals Come With A Remix By Tresor And Tiercel Artist Bnjmn.
Inland Has Collaborated With Out-er For Some Time Now, Contributing As A Remixer And Was Involved In Their Events In Italy, Germany And Holland, From Label Showcases To Workshops And Panel Discussions. He's Released On The Likes Of Ostgut Ton, Nonplus+, And Runs His Own Counterchange Label, Which Recently Celebrated Its 10th Release. Up First Is The Perfectly Driving 'r-13', With A Concrete Bass-end Down Low And Celestial Synth Patterns Up Top. The Train-track Percussion Locks In The Momentum, While The Beautiful Waves Of Sine Wave Bleeps Keep Your Heart And Head Closely Connected.
Flipping The Vibe Completely Is 'eminent Domain', A Surging Old-school Indebted Ride, With Its Hypnotic Mutating Synths, Overdriven Percussion And Icy Hats. It's A Majestic Track Followed-up By 'planitia', A More Twisted Modernist Techno Cut With Turbulent Synths Wrought With Tension And Steel Plated Drums Hitting Hard. Glassy Harnonic Layers Add Colour Resulting In An Utterly Absorbing Trip.
Long Time Friend Bnjmn Has A Unique Take On Melody And Texture In His Work, Proven By A Series Of Excellent Lps And Eps On Labels Like Rush Hour, Tresor And His Own Tiercel Imprint. Here He Flips 'r-13' Into An Eerie, Loopy Dub With Slithering Synths And Distant Bell Drones Fluttering In And Out Of The Mix. The Layered Drums Add Real Dynamism To This Floating Yet Intense Interpretation That Closes Out An Ep Of Inventive Modern Techno.
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coming out of Philadelphia heem the music monsters were produced and handle by long time philly producer and writer Hubert willis. The group had small success circa 1976 with their psych funk 45 "wake up people"/piece of the rock" they recorded a few more tracks from those sessions and what lay on the reels for all these years is probably their best yet...Its just right for now. "Keep god on your side" is modern soul disco of the highest order, over 5 mins long it leads you onto the dancefloor and never lets go! Flip it over and you have one hell of a funk disco instrumental entitled " going down (incognito)". We have maintained the Blood Leaf label with a slightly new design
Discover Le Deltaplane, fifth album by Andre Solomko, and third produced on Favorite Recordings, pursuing a collaboration that started more than 5 years ago.
Born in Ukraine in 1965 and now based in Finland, Andre Solomko is primarily a rich and engaging personality, but above all, a brilliant saxophonist, composer and engineer, whose contagious passion cannot leave anyone indifferent. After beginning a meteoric career in USSR, fate led him to Finland, where he started the adventure Vinyl Jam, a label / studio / group. It resulted in two self-produced albums that will capture the attention of some international collectors, including Pascal Rioux (founder of Favorite Recordings). Between 2012 and 2014, they released 2 albums together, Où es-tu maintenant and Le Polaroid, hailed by many tastemakers and meeting notable success in Japan.
Following Le Premier Disco Sans Toi, an acclaimed single released earlier this year and unveiling two new compositions with Disco flavors, Andre Solomko and Favorite Recordings also proudly present Le Deltaplane. Fully composed and arranged by Andre Solomko, the 6 tracks of the album are deeply infused with his longtime passion for Jazz-Funk and Movie-Soundtracks, this time also injecting more influences from WestCoast and Modern-Soul music.
Andre's backed again by a team of great musicians, recording and producing the album in analog like he always did. As for vocals and lyrics, he teams up with Charlotta Kerbs, a young emerging and talented singer from Helsinki.
Andre Solomko, an artist who spreads love like in the good old days!
