“Built By Humanoid” is Humanoid's second album, a mere 30 years after the debut, though Brian Dougans claims the first album wasn't really him anyway.
Humanoid's classic acid house single, ‘Stakker Humanoid’, highly regarded as one of the key tracks from the era (Richard James (Aphex Twin) sights the Stakker project as a major influence), enjoyed massive success in 1988. Reaching No.1 for 5 weeks in the UK dance charts, performances on Top of the Pops, a John Peel session for the BBC and European tours eventually led to an album deal.
Whilst all this was happening, Brian Dougans (one half of electronic legends Future Sound of London) claims he was returning to his squat in Kings Cross with no electricity or water. He not only became disillusioned with the business, but also became increasingly ill from the conditions he was living in. Around 6 tracks into the album, he left London and record label, Streetsounds, returning to Manchester to recover and regroup his thoughts. However, Steetsounds pressed ahead with the album and it was finished in Brian’s absence with guest performers.
Brian left Humanoid behind and went on to create FSOL with Gaz Cobain becoming leading lights in the burgeoning ambient scene, scoring a top 10 album "Lifeforms" on Virgin Records.
In 2003 Rephlex (Aphex Twin’s label) released a posthumous album of 1988 out takes compiled by Brian.
Recently Humanoid tracks have been popping up on modern compilation albums (Touched Music / Gasman, etc) signalling a possible return.
“Built by Humanoid” is a brand new nine track album of future acid cuts, breaks and electronics, a lot of which is credited to 2 synthesisers co-designed by Brian Dougans and English Electronics company Digitana. It is this innovation that has helped usher Humanoid back into the limelight and consequently the album has a rather new and unique sound and style.
The track ‘Polymath’ is created using a possibility / probability theory that results in a track which at no point repeats itself - 303 tinged acidic bubbles. Meanwhile ‘Traktion’ is a break beat, pulse laden, bass heavy monster. ‘Fu*k It’ is the future sound of 303. Fast, frantic and beat driven. Whilst ‘Post Humans’ combines thumping 909 and 303 into an acid hallucination.
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Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Far Out Recordings proudly presents two albums of previously unheard Azymuth demo recordings from 1973-75
Since their debut album release in 1975, Azymuth have risen to rank alongside the world’s greatest jazz, funk and fusion artists. As young men in Rio de Janeiro, they stood out for both their exceptional talent as musicians, and their wild rock ‘n’ roll antics in the predominantly middle-class worlds of bossa nova and jazz. Their signature ‘Samba Doido’ (crazy samba) sound ruptured the tried and tested musical structures of the day, resulting in what can only be described as an electric, psychedelic, samba jazz-funk hybrid.
Before they became Azymuth, José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) played backing band to just about every major artist in Brazil. Bertrami was also contracted as an arranger and songwriter at some the biggest labels of the era: Polydor, Philips, Som Livre, and EMI being just a few. Azymuth’s name can be found on record sleeves by the likes of Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Marcos Valle, Ana Mazzotti and countless others. But at the dawn of the seventies, fascinated by developments in improvisational music - from jazz in the US, to progressive rock in the UK and of course samba, bossa and tropicália on home turf - the energetic young group were inspired and ready to move forward. Any spare moment in which they weren’t in sessions and writing music for other artists, they would be carving out their own sound.
These previously unheard recordings took place between 1973-75 at Bertrami’s home studio in the Laranjeiras district of Rio de Janeiro. At the time of recording, there was nothing in Brazil, less the world that sounded anything like them, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that when Bertrami presented his demos to the record companies he had been working for, he was turned away, and told in effect that the music was ‘wrong’.
One of the demos ‘Manhã’ would be picked up by Som Livre and Azymuth released their seminal debut album in 1975. Throughout the late seventies and eighties, the group released a series of now classic albums for Milestone Records, before taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue their individual careers.
When English producers Joe Davis and Roc Hunter arrived in Brazil in 1994 to record the first Azymuth album in over a decade, Bertrami dug out the demos which had sat virtually untouched for over twenty years. Joe recalls how he was “blown away by the freedom and intensity of the music, as well as the genius of the ideas musically.” Beginning a long and fruitful relationship, ‘Prefacio’ would be the first track Azymuth recorded for Far Out Recordings and was released on the Carnival album (1996).
Along with ‘Manhã’ and ‘Prefacio’, only a handful of these demos were ever professionally recorded and released, making this the first opportunity to hear many of these early Azymuth compositions in their raw, original form.
On every track the frenetic energy in the studio is palpable, giving the recordings a beautifully personal feel and a sense of the phenomenally creative vision Bertrami, Malheiros and Conti were realising at the time. Fifty years on, Azymuth’s earliest recorded music retains an ineffable, futuristic quality, standing amongst their most captivating and moving work.
Credits:
Keyboards: José Roberto Bertrami (Mini Moog Series One, Arp Omni, Arp 2600, Arp Solina Strings, Fender Rhodes 88, Hammond B3 with box speaker, Clavinet with Wah Wah)
Drums: Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti
Bass: Alex Malheiros
Percussion: Ariovaldo Contesini
Produced by Azymuth and Jose Roberto Bertrami
Recorded at José Roberto Bertrami’s home studio in Laranjeiras, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil between 1973–1975.
Issue and project co-ordinator: Joe Davis
Tape transfers by Roc Hunter (thanks to Simon Hitner)
Mastered by Daniel Maunick at the Sugar Shack, Lanark, Scotland
Mastered by Frank at Carvery Cuts
All tracks published by Far Out Music Publishing/Westbury Music LTD
Following the release of their short film 'The Awakening' and its accompanying single, Lost Souls Of Saturn share the first remix in 9 years by revered musician James Holden. Over thirteen minutes of crisp, stratospheric elegance, Holden’s rework is both slightly mad and simultaneously blissful – like a trance-state reached through frenzied, spiritual ritual.
“I believe in serendipity: if the universe presents you with something that seems right, you should go with it”, says Holden. “When this record hit my desk was one of those moments. Recently I'd been thinking a lot about rave utopias, the pan-global fantasy painted by the early days of Future Sound Of London etc, and listening to LSOS's Jodorowskian ceremonials I felt like they'd caught the same winds. And so, although I thought I'd finished doing remixes for this lifetime, here it is; some kind of dream of a memory of a rave, the spookiness of the original slightly eclipsed by my warm feelings about Seth's good energy!”
The original version of ‘The Awakening’ begins as a serene ambient spacecast, before an ancient alien rite of tribal frenzy starts to emerge through the phosphorescent stardust – sonically somewhere between Demdike Stare and classic Orb, by way of Don Cherry.
Primarily LSOS are Seth Troxler and Phil Moffa, plus further opaque participants congregating to combine music, imagery and storytelling into an inextricably linked whole, all wrapped-up in a philosophy of their own making.
Attempting something creatively that’s above-and-beyond, LSOS explore new ways to open doors of perception and challenge the reality vs. simulation paradigm, whilst capturing the spirit of Philip K. Dick, Sun Ra and the KLF within their music, live experiences and films.
These spiritual, psychoactive aural vibrations resonate for a long distance, all the way back to something deeper and more enchanting than the prosaicism of modern life:
“We have been sent synchronistic signs from a metaphysical plane. We are the glitch-seekers, exposing the Holes In The Holoverse. We are Lost Souls Of Saturn.”
The HARP EP is to be released on PRAH Recordings and offers a balance of movement and feeling. ‘Banshee’ and ‘Feeler’ are both dance tracks intended for the dancefloor, whereas ‘Why Can’t I Remember Your Name’ and ‘Heart’ are two tracks meant for times of contemplation.
Inspired by the time when hardware was the only real option for making dance music, applying the same limitation and tactile approach lead to the creation of these tunes from a technical perspective. The equipment used was primarily analog and outboard, with the utilisation of tape for recording ‘Banshee’.
London via Margate composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Raven has collaborated with many well-respected artists including Kate Tempest, Paul Weller, Mica Levi, Kwes and Bullion. His music upholds a balance between the orchestral and electronic, abstract and conventional. Parallels can be drawn to the artist Arthur Russell,
in terms of their diversity, creating tracks you can dance to, but also songs and music for reflection.
All tracks are taken from the results of the second week of Raven’s PRAH residency in Margate which has seen the likes of Kelsey Lu, Adult Jazz, Ben Vince, Lone Taxidermist, James Greenwood, Deep Throat Choir, Flamingods Lung Dart & London Contemporary Orchestra. Each have spent time writing and recording in the studios
as part of a free artist residency program offered by PRAH Recordings’ arts wing the PRAH Foundation.
Margino (real name Kim Kallie) is a South African artist. She recorded her first song
at the age of eight, when she performed ''Montreal'' with her mother Judy Page. She
sang with the reggae group Kariba and jazz rock outfit Turbo in the early 80's, and
later did backing vocals for Future and others. She first shot to fame as a solo star
with a version of ''Holiday'' (written by Lisa Stevens and Curtis Hudson, credited as
Cathy Hudson), which was released at the same time as Madonna's version.
Margino also had a hit in 1983 with a cover of In-Deep's ''Last Night a DJ Saved My
Life'', that went to #16 on the South-African Top 30 and charted for 10 weeks. She
now runs a Performance Academy from her studio, and continues to perform on
stage at events around Cape Town.
Recorded at RPM Recording Studios (Johannesburg, South Africa) in 1985, Happy
People is a flawless album with dancefloor hits such as ''Happy People'', ''I'm
Getting Out'' and ''One Hot Night'' and downtempo tunes such as ''You Turn Me On'',
''You Need A Woman'' and ''You''. All rhythm tracks were played by Attie Van Wyk
(Keyboards, Synthesizer, Drum Machine) and Danny Bridgens (Guitar). The full
album is a cream of boogie funk, disco and pop.
For this reissue, Jamwax took the pleasure to remaster the sound from the original
tape. The artwork was also remake with Andy Warhol ''Marilyn Monroe'' pop art
style, for your eyes pleasure.
Dubplate’s Don Persian has repressed this Hardcore Breaks Techno Riddim, seeing there were only 100 in existence before going for crazy prices, now including a mix from S.Bell capturing a shimmering soundscape vibe, adding perfection to his unsung abilities. This E.P. has some speaker destroyer’s on there, introducing the MixMaster Max into the pot alongside the Persian doing what can only be called world dub music. Sterling breaks shuffling at a downtempo 8 bit vibe with a really heavy bass! MixMaster Max’s history is interesting to say the least...
Born October 1966. Break Dancer in 1984, under the moniker Mad Max, started a crew named The Back Street Warriors, busking all over the UK at places such as Covent Garden/Leicester Square Performing on stage & in clubs. They once jammed with The Rock Steady Crew in Camden Palace in front of an audience.
Then in 1987 he became a DJ, playing all genre’s of music, he first played on RJR Radio, playing Electro, Hip Hop, Soul, R&B & Reggae. Moving forward he started playing Acid House & Four to the Floor Music styles, by the early 90’s he played on Weekend Rush & then went onto Defection, Touchdown, Don & Passion FM, playing Acid & Hardcore Jungle.
In the early day’s, MixMaster Max was one of the Innovator’s of Jungle music by mixing Hardcore, Reggae & Hip Hop together, helping other’s to produce, fuse & gain idea’s in the music industry. He was by Far the most Original, Innovative, DJ anybody had ever heard.
In 1991 he played alongside John Saunderson at the Camden Palace on a Friday night, he also played at the Famous Hacienda Club in Manchester.
He was the first DJ to create the Topsy Turvey, which is one turntable on top of the other, he came runner up in the DMC World Championships in the early 90’s.
He played at some of the Biggest Rave’s back in the day, Pirate club 93, Fantazia 92, Dungeon’s 91/92, Turnmills 92, to mention a few. He also played on Avenues FM & People’s Choice, which were legal Radio Station’s, not forgetting Kool FM & Centreforce.
He performed on stage with the We Papa Girl Rapper’s in 1990 at the Notting Hill Carnival. This Legendary Cult figure is a Master of the Nunchucker’s & TurnTable’s!
His innovative Mixes were ‘legendary’ he was a pioneer precursor to the Art form known as Jungle Music, not to mention his Scratching abilities, which was ‘extraordinary’!
For those that listened to pirate radio back in the day, he was the legendary cult figure that inspired us all, giving us the freshest musical styles that had never been heard before!
He can still be heard on Radio today...What an inspiration this Unsung Hero has been to us All!
Born out of a chance encounter in 2012 that led to a lasting friendship, Rhythm Section Int'l & producer, DJ, label boss, radio host, and record store owner Ruf Dug join forces to present 'The Committee'. Sitting somewhere between fictional band and studio collaboration, the record is the first fully in-house production for Rhythm Section, recorded start to finish at their own South East London studio and featuring vocals from label founder Bradley Zero and label mate FYI Chris's Chris Watson.
Right from the studio's initial creation, Ruf Dug felt inspired by the space's unique musical identity, jumping at the opportunity to create a collaborative record there over a two week studio residency. And between his DJ residencies at Pikes, Gottwood and NTS radio the Manchester-via-Ibiza computer game freak and renowned vinyl digger found the time to meld his wide range of influences. Having been a key driving force behind Be With's Holy Grail reissue of Bô'vel's - Check 4 U , Ruffy has more than earned his stripes as a boss level Street Soul collector, pre-empting the resurgent interest in the genre, which began in the mid 80s and is still a popular sound in Manchester today. This new release draws parallels between the DIY attitude of Street Soul labels like TSR, Intrigue, Jam Today & Elite and the modus operandi of the RS studio.
A wholly synergetic work, the project's title 'The Committee' reflects the collaborative nature of this release, as Ruf Dug states: 'Authorship is a strange concept at the best of times but this genuinely is a group effort and I very much enjoyed feeling like just one piece of a larger entity - the complete opposite to my usual production experience of being all alone in my room for days at a time.' The EP also features additional production from Rhythm Section's own Mali Baden-Powell, who DJ's and produces as Z Lovecraft and comes from a background in Street Soul music, his father was also in legendary UK acid jazz collective D'Influence. In addition, the record features a dynamic range of vocalists: sultry deliveries from Natalie Wildgoose and Sienna Mustafa, a rap from her sister Nadina, and the vocal debuts of FYI Chris's Chris Watson and Bradley Zero. 'I had been joking with Bradley that he needed to be on the record somehow and he did appear, playing an egg shaker at one point, but his singing wasn't in the least bit planned... I got back from lunch, and the next thing you know he just starts singing...So I dragged him reluctantly down the corridor to the studio and that's it- now he's a pop star!'
Also playfully melding digidub, soul, chicago house and acid jazz, the release not only marks a new chapter in the development of the Rhythm Section sound, but also catalogues a crucial turning Point in Ruf Dug's musical development. Still oozing with the cheeky DIY approach that won his own label, RUF KUTZ an army of fans, this latest Collab steps things up and opens a whole new realm of possibilities for one of Manchester's favourite sons.
The KBCS are:
Lucas Kochbeck - Drums
Nicolas Börger - Keyboards
Lars Coelln - Guitars
Daniel Stritzke - Bass
The KBCS were born in the northern hemisphere under the zodiac sign of snowman. They sound like Föhr and nicely topped pizza, tight as thinly folded pizza boxes and with drums dry as flour that would nearly make you cough. But hotter. Laughing is part of their ritual to get into the zone. Even though some of them prefer Ph without coriander, they still won't order it online because of plastic waste.
The moon shone happily while they recorded their spiced up cinematic, funky & atmospheric lowdown grooves album.And since the polar star was missing, they headed for Venus instead. Luckily, they didn't keep it four-dimensional but had old friend and funk head Mr Flo Mega himself on keys and good vibes - things got really wicked from there. Few people were present and those who were are not entirely sure how it all happened or where it began. Some people say it was Roy, others blame it on the sauna. Fact is that the session took its own course and most people were smiling during the recordings.
Nobody knew then about the flamingo on the cover or why the bird at least looks like one. Hailing from Hamburg, Germany the KBCS not only love to record but also play around Europe. Be sure to welcome them with a Ph in your city and they will surely return the favor by taking you on a ride utilizing a special horse: the (space) funk lama.
A cat may have nine lives, but Peter Cat Recording Co. has a multitude of dimensions. Formed in New Delhi around 2010 by the crooner Suryakant Sawhney, it's a group that's mutated over time, shedding members and accruing more, always evolving musically with each album: from gypsy jazz to psychedelic cabaret; ballroom waltzes to epic space disco; bossa supernova to uneasy listening. What's more they play jajj, which you've almost certainly never heard of.
'Gypsy jazz is the description we used around the time of our first album Cinema that we sound nothing like now,' says Sawhney, before adding: 'At the time I was really into Strauss.'
Portrait of a Time 2010 - 2016 is the first taste many Europeans will have of this highly original, musically capricious and deeply inscrutable New Delhi four-piece. The compilation helps you get to know a band who are essentially unknowable, not that that will stop you from trying. Furthermore, in a capital city known for its mystery, madness and mayhem, Peter Cat Recording Co. is something of ananomaly there too.
While Suryakant's crooning is spookily reminiscent of a hipster 50's Sinatra, it was more his intention to ape legendary Bollywood playback singers like Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi and especially Hemant Kumar. There are diverse American influences in the mix too, including Sam Cooke, Etta James and even Tom Waits, and time spent in San Francisco studying film may have contributed to the cinematic melange. Thrown together it becomes something unique that equates less to a listening experience and more to an out-of-body experience.
They were signed to new French record company Panache after label boss Alexandre Rabia was trawling through YouTube one day and happened upon their remarkable promo for 'Love Demons'. It's a mind-blowing eight minute epic featuring the desert, one camel, a movie theatre, swirly organs over coruscating beats, dancing girls, more police and a cavernous pit that then-bassist Rohan Kulshreshtha falls into.
You can try to compartmentalize them all you want, but just when you think you've got them pegged, they will evolve and transmogrify and the description you have in your hand will slip through your fingers like sand. Who knows if Peter Cat Recording Co. has nine lives, but you can listen to a past life on Portrait of a Time, and a future incarnation - much of it recorded in Paris - will be available in the autumn. Just remember, unlike a cat, you'll never put them in a box.
Australia based Brit Jamie Blanco serves up Kilsha's superb second EP and capitalises once more on a fine recent run of form.
Blanco has previously released on Felix Dickinson's Cynic as well as Futureboogie and more recently on Pelvis & Tone Dropout. He is one half of Ess O Ess as well as a solo artist making waves with his wonderfully off kilter sounds, and has played all over the planet in the last couple of years. Eclectic in taste and inspired by Balearic beats as much as driving percussion and acid, he is all set for a busy 2019.
Right from the off, 'Unit of Pleasure' gets in your affections with its mix of original live recorded percussion, aircraft noise and hypnotic bass. It's a wilfully diverse mix of sounds and scenes that is utterly compelling. The excellent 'Progressive View' then dips into broken beat and classic electro territory, with raw synths and cavernous hits driving things forward over a rhythmic b-line.
Keeping up the unpredictable mood of the EP, 'Grapefruit Agenda' is a tripped-out piece of left of centre house music, with paranoid melodies and circling pads amping up the energy and taking you on a real journey. The superb 'XOX18' closes things out with downtempo electro moods that are futuristic and dystopian, all with an effective analogue edge.
These four tracks confirm Blanco is a fascinating artist with a fresh take on dance music and provide another superb instalment for the supremely promising Kilsha Music.
Ever since hearing Pete Tong announce 'Chica Wappa' as his Essential New Tune back in 2004, we've been following the bold Alex Smoke on his musical journey.
Coming from Glasgow, we've shared a lot of common influences - both from within and outside of the city and we have Alex to thank for introducing and strengthening our love for the likes of Villalobos, Rhythm & Sound, Carl Craig and Actress, amongst others. Although he was a familiar face on the 'minimal' scene, he always operated on his own terms and that's a throughline we've admired throughout his career. Not only is he comfortable releasing techno on Soma and R&S, he's produced for ballet, films and even the NHS.
Over the years, Alex has played at a few seminal parties for us; alongside the likes of Oni Ayhun, James Holden, Helena Hauff and Veronica Vasicka. So we were delighted to be approached by him to work on a record together and it's been really exciting to hear it evolve over time. It would be arrogant to compare it to Thom Yorke's - The Eraser, but it certainly occupies a similar world in our mind. To still be producing innovative and inspiring albums 15 years into a career is no mean feat in this age and it's a great honour to welcome such a musical hero on to the label.
As with the last Auntie Flo album, we're also lining up a very special remix package with a swarm of our favourite producers of the moment and we can't wait to share them with you too over the course of the year.
It's safe to say that Detroit, a city steeped in economic, cultural and musical history, will soon weave its way into your soul should you spend any sustained time there. This rings all too true for Monty Luke. He has immersed himself in Detroit's scene since moving to the Motor City in 2008. His new eight track LP, released via Dogmatik, showcases the style of a new generation of Detroit producers carrying the beacon for a deep, Detroit sound that blends analogue weight and punchy drum programming together with masterful synth work and raw emotion.
Even at first glance the polarised artwork, an aerial map of Detroit, shows the more introspective nature of this Motor City ingrained release, with Luke purposefully steering away from writing club ready material. Introductory track 'City Lights' gives a first taste of this, combining swelling synths, dreamlike arps and crisp percussive hits. There's a real weight to the bass synth that compliments Abi B's soulful vocals all too well. 'Anton's Room' & 'Crime Wave' follow suit -the former with itslayered gritty bass, expansive stabs, glitchy bleeps and undulating arps and the latter creating a sonic swell between your ears manifested by a surging, panned arp, alongside sirens and punchy, gunshot like snares. Inspirations from Moodymann to Theo Parrish are clear to be seen in tracks like 'Move', taking a range of jazzy loops and samples and chopping them into a low slung, bouncing MPC laden jam.Progressing into the 2nd half of the album there's a transition from deep, Detroit house into harder hitting, electro territory. 'Willie Maze' with its killer drum programming, reverberating Rhodes and dynamic bass and 'Roja', combining emotive late-night chords and melancholic synth melodies, really honeinon that pensive, thought-provoking aesthetic. One of the highlights, 'Wasteland', is the best example of this transition -interlacing a commanding electro drum pattern with squelching, synth melodies and Serene Arena's introspective lyrics.
Then taking it full circle, closing track 'Block Is Hot (Black Hole Mix)' -co-produced by King Britt in Philadelphia (alongside City Lights, Crime Wave & Willie Maze), returns to the 4/4 path with a thumping party track, carrying through that raw nature emanating from the dark melodies and Monty's adlibbed vocals.
'Hard Work/ Not Hype' is a record flying the flag for those underground artists working tirelessly behind closed doors to produce material that's based on feeling, emotion and skill, rather than riding off the back of an inflated, socially constructed image. Monty Luke, as someone that follows that mantra, has been able toconstruct an album showcasing this, creating a real weight and depth to this release; it's raw, powerful and thought provoking, expertly capturing the soul of Detroit -the city that's had such a profound effect on him
DETROIT SWINDLE
Ouch that's HOT! Bring it on.
KRISTIAN RAEDLE/ INNERVISIONS
Yes please. Very nice.
AYBEE
Fanatastic Work Monty!!
ASHLEY BEEDLE
Thanks for sending over the Monty Luke album to listen too. It's a great
contemporary album with of course Detroit running through it's veins! It
really pulls you in and I think the arrangements and productions are great.
Fave tracks are City Lights, Roja, Willie Maze and Block Is Hot.
LAURENT GARNIER
Oh yes..This is so elegant and sexy. Love it Would love to play it
OSUNLADE
This one is a guilty pleasure vibe..hate that I love every song equally
MODU:LAR Music is a new label project born from established Liverpool-based collective, which has now been running for five years. Promising to release straight-up party tracks made for the dancefloor, the label will showcase and expose emerging talents from it's home city and beyond.
First up is a debut four-track EP from Scouse duo, Danny Mc and James Hall a.k.a. UZU. 'The A1' fires off with a swinging, housey groove that's brought to life by danceable pads, kicks and hats, interweaving warm melodies across the duration of the opening track - before a sharp change of direction with 'The A2' sees the feeling head down a contrasting electro-tinged beat with percussive highlights coming through strongly once again, likely the product of Danny Mc's influence on this debut vinyl release as an accomplished musician and drummer.
On the reverse, 'The B1's glossy and sophisticated breakbeat core sweeps into warm synths and vocal constructions that put forward a real garage-like note that'll be a strong fit with different environments and play times. Rounding up the record is a punchy, driving roller that features complex electronic, spacey accents polished off finely by Jim Hall - a signature of both artists production style that'll become more and more evident in future work.
Parisian label Chuwanaga is really proud to present In The Red Vol. 2 (A Britfunk Selection by Saint-James), almost a year and a half after the first compilation being released. This second volume still focus on the Britfunk genre - or British Jazz Funk - mainly produced in London between the end of the seventies and the
eighties. It defines a unique mix of Jazz-Funk & Disco including Reggae & Dub techniques from Afro-Caribbean communities who were at the heart of the movement. Parisian DJ, activist and producer Saint-James has again selected the most
exciting, rare and powerful tracks from that era (1981-1988). Included in this compilation are Stikki Stuff, Cruzial, Potion, The Breakfast Band, Yeow Band and Scratch (better known as Gonzalez). Expect powerful synth solos, crazy slap
bass grooves and lovely vocals on the top when the horn section is not busy doing its funky thing. Back in the days, these young musicians gave their music a unique British flavor and
raw energy pushing the needle "In The Red". Almost four decades later on these powerful tracks are again ready to burn up dancefloors. The compilation features an
insert with pictures and a few more words about the selection. The compilation is also available as digital download and CD along with Volume 1.
It is time for the fifth release of Discos Nutabe, the creator of the three tracks that make up "Niebla" is Lunate, a Bogota born and raised, who in this decade has been the emerging producers that the city has given moving in artistic circles where it reigns self-management.
Discos Nutabe returns to the House with Lunate, this is how he feels Bogotá, where he dedicates this complete EP to his city.
"A La Sombra de los Cerros" is the first track, composed with a jam of synthesizers and rhythm machines where Lunate evokes certain nuances of the past, as a tribute to his life as an artist in the great city of Colombia.
"Bogotá Adentro" is based on the narrative of the book "Toño Ciruelo" by Evelio Rosero, who describes the diverse reality of a city like Bogotá, city of brutal contrasts. Lunate describes this track as an ocean of sensations, a markedly atmospheric and serene track, a mental interlude for the dance floor.
"Luz de Domingo" marks acid and atmospheric textures where Lunate wants to reflect the calm of Sunday in the big city. A breath, a recharge, a change of reality, a truce agreed by the city and the calendar before the incessant evolution of the frantic days that follow.
Long time unsung UK techno artist Aubrey is to release Gravitational Lensing, a first artist album since 2001 and his third in all. It lands in early 2019 on Out-ER and across 12 tracks it finds him getting more personal and instinctive than ever before with jazz, techno, broken beat and house all colouring this most coherent of musical adventures.
Aubrey s discography dates back to the early nineties, when he was a key part of the UK scene on labels like Solid Groove, Textures and Mosaic. Up there with the greats from Chicago and Detroit, he has turned out a steady stream of music that marries perfect dance floor functionality with real musical invention. Always inspired by anything deep with a good groove, everything from synth band Japan to funk king George Clinton, electro break beats to Jean Michel Jarre all inform his work.
As a DJ, he cut his teeth playing the biggest raves in the UK with names like Carl Cox and Eddie C having been swept up by the acid house records that hit English stores when he was just 15. Add in a love of jazz, ambient and US house, and you have all the eclectic influences that this criminally under-the-radar artist has drawn on for his latest album.
It is one that finds him really put his personal stamp on his sound. It s a chance to be more who you are and what you feel without pressure to conform to a particular sound, it s a chance to be free, says the artist of the album process. It was partially produced at Out-ER s studio in Nard , Lecce over the course of a year s worth of studio jam sessions, and is his finest and most cinematic work to date.
Things kick off with the ambient synth modulations of Aerglo Visible before exquisitely loose jazz drums and sci-fi pads suspend you in the cosmos on Floating to Rigel. There is an experimental feel to the off grid drums, rippling chords and drunken keys of Doctor Portia that keeps you brilliantly off balance, and the first deep techno trip is Journey To the Blue Planet , which has gorgeous ambience swirling over rolling, dubby kicks and soulful Detroit synth work. Carrying on through more lush, musical synth work and inventive drums, there are moments of heads down dance floor power and hi-tech soul, serene techno landscaping and chord-laced deep house that is superbly cerebral throughout the album.
In all, it makes for a complete and storytelling record that draws on a rich variety of genres and reworks them into something deep, multi-layered and hugely emotional that works as well in headphones, at home, as it will in the club.
On Pedro Vian's second album, the now Amsterdam-based artist opens up a new sonic chapter of his life, running through depths of emotions and feelings, traversing moments of euphoria, fury, serenity, hope and love. Recorded between 2014 and 2018, the self titled LP opens with a melodic flourish, drops down through mournful vocal driven pieces and lands on fast moving synths across a set of 12 deeply personal tracks.
A follow up to Vian's 2016 acclaimed debut album 'Beautiful Things You Left Us For Memories' - supported by Pitchfork, RA, XLR8R, Ransom Note, The Quietus, NTS - this sophomore LP shows the breadth and maturity of Vian's sound, falling in between the cracks of downtempo electronica, ambient and post rock. Pedro discloses: 'I have tried to be sincere, transparent and pure. During the recording process I have avoided artificiality. I do not like the overproduction of music. I like to feel the naturalness and the essence of the beat of the instruments. I like to look inside until I find something real with which to communicate'.
'Pedro Vian' arrives on Vian's own Modern Obscure Music imprint, home to like-minded artists such as Jamal Moss, Gavin Russom, Tevo Howard, Ivy Barkakati, Eterna and Sau Poler. Vian initially cut his teeth in the Barcelona scene, first as part of the duo Aster with JMII on Hivern Discs and Jamal Moss' Mathematics then as a solo producer on his own Modern Obscure Music, MM Discos and Spring Theory.
The OUER guys just live down the road from us in Berlin and we have been crossing paths many times these past years so it is with great joy we can finally present a full EP with their unique approach to electronic music on Dirt Crew Recordings. Since their debut on 'HEIST' in 2016 Xaver and Oliver have consistently pushed their sound and production, on their own OUER imprint they released four EP's up till now and the latest called 'E' is just a few weeks old as we speak. The A side opens with the title track 'Stingray Nebula', a bliss composition of layered arpeggios underlined by a deep sub bass, building steadily towards etheric strings setting in and descending again with a break beat ending that builds perfect grounds for the following dance floor stomper 'Undine'. That second A side track is a great mix of Deep House and Electronica and is what makes OUER's music so special, almost entering trance territories here but keeping those Chicago and Detroit references alive. When we head over to the B side we encounter some new tracks that really made us want to release this EP in the first place. The beautiful 'Thales' contains live bass and percussive instrumentation and is a crossover indie-tronica gem. Following that is the deep 'Inside' where an 'emo' piano themed House jam meets clever vocal sampling and filtered synth stabs to produce a great going groove. Closing out we have some real ambience electronica for you in 'Train Ride to Bratsk', again played mostly live and using acoustic instruments recorded in their Berlin studio the OUER guys are crossing borders again and turned out this piece of goodness. Enter the world of OUER, we hope you like it as much as we do!
The first part of various artists samplers featuring numerous gems from the Big Shot archives.
From the vaults of seminal Canadian house label Big Shot we're proud to present a fully legitimate and remastered selection of classics and obscurities from the labels enviable catalogue and the masterful crew of Nick Fiorucci, Komix & co. Leaning on the late 80's and early 90's output of the label and featuring cuts from some of the first releases. Amy Jackson, whose sultry 1989 jam 'Let Me Loose' is a class example of the deepest vocal House done right kicks off proceedings, followed by Jillian Mendez's classic 'Don't Know What You're Missing', another '89 vocal burner punctuated by classic piano's and synth lines. These tracks are the real deal! On the b-side we are treated to In-Dex's classic 'Give Me A Sign', a perfect blend of Freestyle attitude and early House atmosphere that hits the spot just right. Finishing this essential collection of tracks is Dionne's tough and classy 'Come Get My Lovin', another classic Komix production that rolls nice with stepping drum machines and smooth organ riffs. All in all - this EP is an old school House heads dream right here, essential cuts from end to end.
Keep an eye out for more high quality Big Shot reissues, all remastered from the original source materials and with the full involvement of the rights holders. A collaboration between Above Board distribution and Big Shot records, Canada. Remastered by Optimum Mastering, Bristol UK. 2018.
The story of Seattle's rise to global rock supremacy in the late 80s and early 90s begins with Green River. Made up of Jeff Ament (bass), Mark Arm (guitar/vocals), Bruce Fairweather (guitar), Stone Gossard (guitar) and Alex Shumway (drums), the
quintet put out three 12's and a 7' single during its brief existence.
Green River's influence on Seattle's music scene spread far and wide thanks to the members' dispersion into bands including Pearl Jam, Mudhoney and Love Battery, as well as the punk glam sludge rock songs they left behind. 'By '83, '84, there was
definitely a movement that was happening within hardcore, like Black Flag slowing down for My War,' says Arm. 'The Replacements and Butthole Surfers were rearing
their heads, and they're very different bands, but they're not hardcore - the Replacements are pretty much straight-up rock, and Butthole Surfers were God knows what. Sonic Youth's Bad Moon Rising was around, and a lot of really
interesting post-hardcore things were happening.'
Green River, formed in 1984, were part of that evolution, with a sound that straddled a lot of different genres - blues, punk, bloozy straight-ahead rock. The mini-LP 'Dry As A Bone' - which came out in 1987 - and the band's lone full-length
'Rehab Doll' - which came out in 1988 - were released as a single CD with a few bonus cuts, including their sneering cover of David Bowie's 'Queen Bitch' and their marauding version of Dead Boys' 'Ain't Nothin' to Do', in 1990 - but they've been
unavailable on vinyl for years.
Now, these slices of Seattle music history are not only back in print, they're accompanied by items from the vaults that had been forgotten about for decades.
'Dry As A Bone' was recorded at Jack Endino's Reciprocal Recording in 1986 and it shows the band in furious form, with Arm's yowl battling Fairweather and Gossard's
ferocious guitar playing on 'This Town' and 'Unwind' opening as a slow bluesy grind then jump-starting itself into a hyperactive chase. The deluxe edition includes Green
River's cuts from the crucial Seattle-scene compilation 'Deep Six', as well as long-lost songs that were recorded to the now-archaic format Betamax.
'Rehab Doll', recorded largely at Seattle's Steve Lawson Studios., bridges the gap between the taut, punky energy of 'Dry As A Bone' and the bigger drums and thicker
riffs that were coming to dominate rock in the late 80s. This new edition of 'Rehab Doll' includes a version of 'Swallow My Pride' recorded to 8-track at Endino's Reciprocal Recording, which features a more accurate depiction of how the band
sounded when they played live. 'When I listen to these mixes, I think, 'This is how we actually sounded - this is the kind of energy we had,'' says Shumway.
Green River's place in American music history is without question but these recordings paint a more complete picture of the band - and of rock in the mid to late 80s, when punk's faster-and-louder ideals had begun shape-shifting into other ideas.
CDs in digipack with 12-page booklet. 2LP formats in gatefold jacket with custom dust sleeve and digital download code.




















