Multi - instrumentalist with rare elegance, FKJ unveils its first album French Kiwi Juice, and invites us in his world.
Tribute to his idols, affirmation of musical maturity, FKJ goes from Jazz to Soul, with his electronic touch that makes his paw incomparable.
A warm, reassuring and sensual universe.
His children’s questions (Why are there boundaries), his joys (Blessed & Joy), his journeys (Go Back Home & Canggu), the Franco-New Zealander delivers himself in an intimate and profound album, with music as an universal language.
An opus to advise to enthusiasts, travelers, dreamers...
The debut release by Confusion on Incompetence Records documents an exercise in disciplined spontaneity, a jam session where organic interaction is rigorously shaped into form. Recorded live in Belgrade by Dmitrii Steinberg, Aleksei Siubaev, Viktor Volkovich, Evgenii Piankov, and Leonid Lipelis, the material was subsequently dissected and reassembled with a scalpel like precision reminiscent of Teo Macero’s landmark edits for Miles Davis. What emerges is not a loose improvisational document but a suite of cohesive constructed pieces: weightless structures suspended over a hypnotic pulse, steeped in cosmic vibes and soft psychedelia. There is a slo mo insistence to the grooves, a kosmiche drift that folds jazz funk rituals into something both intimate and expansive. For musicians previously orbiting rare groove, house, indie rock, and modern composition, Confusion expands their explorations into a terrain where genre dissolves into texture and intention. The record’s mesmerizing beauty lies in its restraint, motifs surface, dissolve, and return as if refracted through magnetic tape memory, each fragment locked into place yet breathing with human elasticity. Rather than presenting virtuosity, the quintet channels it into atmosphere, into a patient, glowing continuum that feels less like a jam and more like a carefully mapped inner cosmos, calibrated for deep listening and slow revelation.
Rooted in a wide spectrum of influences—from breakbeat and IDM to dubstep, acid, electro, and techno—Avram’s sound is shaped by years of immersion in underground culture and a deep focus on rhythm, drawing from the raw energy of the UK scene.
Flow State distills this language into a dynamic DJ framework. Spanning breakbeat, raw techno, and acid-leaning elements, the record is built for the dancefloor.
A1 “Limb by Limb” unfolds through breakbeat and dubstep rhythms, flowing into the unmistakable lyrical force of one of Avram’s most influential MCs. A2 “Outer Space” moves into denser, driving territory, grooving alongside techno rhythms and bassline arpeggios.
B1 “Romica Groove” locks into a hypnotic swing—a breakbeat cut with subtle jazzy elements, driven by a catchy bass motif and a familiar clubbing reference. B2 “Everything That’s in Style” closes with sharper, raw-edged energy, channeling old-school melodic techno vibes over a powerful breakbeat foundation.
Balanced between Avram’s originality and his influences, Flow State delivers high-impact tools built for the dancefloor.
BEAT'EM ALL is french hip-hop/jazz instrumental trio SHIBUUYA!'s latest LP release. A blend of nu-jazz, fusion, hip-hop and future beats, all in original compisitions from the band's keyboardist and drummer, the album goes against the polished image we usually have of jazz music to deliver a raspy, energic and groovy sound that shakes the listener instead of nurturing him. With prestigious featurings such as CHiLi GiRL aka Shinobu Kawasihma, a Tokyo-raised Shamisen (a traditional japanese guitar) player, Melbourne rapper Nelson Dialect, french virtuoso saxophonist Hugo Afettouche, or the "french problem kid of jazz" trumpetist Daoud, SHIBUUYA! pushes forward its identity with references to japanese pop-culture through anime samples, powerful hip-hop beats, progressive broken-beat grooves and crazy deliveries on all three instruments (keys, drums and bass), all of it served by an original manga-inspired cover art by the band's keyboardist and leader. A reference to the japan-popular videogame genre (Shibuya being a neighborhood of tokyo centered around fashion and pop culture), BEAT'EM ALL tries to beat the odds on what we expect from a jazz album and to make it sound more like a garage-produced LP rather than a million-dollar studio album, to make as authentic and as generational as possible, a true product of today's young jazz scene.
Analog Africa's latest essential compilation began with a ruined needle. Samy Ben Redjeb, who was newly back from a 2002 digging trip, dropped a stylus into a groove that censors at the SABC had gouged with a blade. The record had been marked "not suitable," and the story behind it runs through the whole compilation. The 22 tracks pull American soul, funk and disco toward jazz, reggae and local rhythm until the result sounds utterly Jo-burg. 'How Long?' and 'Take It' are the early standouts, though the Beat Set two-parter and Dudu And The Big Time Boys hold their own. The 16-page booklet fills in the context nicely on this well assembled deep dive.
Das fünfte Studioalbum von Psychic Ills, ,Inner Journey Out", feiert sein zehnjähriges Jubiläum. Ursprünglich erschien es 2016 als erstes Album der Band seit ,One Track Mind" (2013) und gilt als Höhepunkt einer dreijährigen Odyssee des Songwritings, die die Psych-Rock-Landschaft durchquert, die Psychic Ills im Laufe ihrer Karriere geprägt haben, während sie inspirierte Ausflüge in Country, Blues, Gospel und Jazz unternahmen. ,Inner Journey Out" begann so, wie viele Alben von Psychic Ills: mit den Demos von Frontmann Tres Warren. Wie bei allen ihren Alben ist Elizabeth Harts Bass das Bindeglied, das alles zusammenhält. Eine ganze Reihe von Musikern und Sängern - darunter Hope Sandoval von Mazzy Star, die beim Duett der Lead-Single ,I Don't Mind" mitwirkt - begleiten die Band auf dieser Reise. Dies ist zudem das erste Album, auf dem der Tour-Keyboarder Brent Cordero zu hören ist; sein Spiel auf Farfisa und Wurlitzer zieht sich wie ein roter Faden durch das Album. Diese Musiker bilden den Rahmen, auf den Warren seine verträumte Gitarre und seinen Gesang legt. Eine endlose Reihe von Freunden und Gästen beteiligt sich am Geschehen und steuert Pedal-Steel-Gitarre, Blasinstrumente, Streicher und Hintergrundgesang bei, was in einem karriereprägenden Moment für die Ills gipfelt. Thematisch ist ,Inner Journey Out" eine detaillierte Erkundung des Inneren und des Äußeren sowie des Weges zwischen beiden. Das fokussierte Songwriting sorgt dafür, dass sich die stilistischen Abweichungen nahtlos in das vielseitige Ethos der Band einfügen. Die mitreißende Gospel-Psychedelia von ,Another Change" und ,Baby" sowie die abgedrehte Free-Jazz-Erkundung ,Ra Wah Wah" tragen dazu bei, ,Inner Journey Out" zu einem facettenreichen, umfassenden Albumerlebnis zu machen. Abgesehen von dieser Weite ist es auch das persönlichste Album der Psychic Ills, das verlockend auf Liebe und Verlust anspielt, dem Hörer aber keine Auflösung bietet - es stellt Fragen, gibt aber nie Antworten; es sucht, kommt aber nie zu einem endgültigen Schluss. Stell es neben andere ,Drop-out"-Symphonien wie ,Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" von Spiritualized, ,Pacific Ocean Blue" von Dennis Wilson und ,Born to Be With You" von Dion - und lass deine Reise beginnen.
180g vinyl LP with original obi strip and liner notes reproduction, remastered and cut by Bernie Grundman, pressed and printed in Japan
Sony Japan is pleased to present Isao Suzuki's fourth album off the Three Blind Mice label, "Orangutan". The 1975 free jazz album features acclaimed saxophonist Mori Kenji and guitarist Kazumi Watanabe, and remains undiminished by the years.
Ghost Funk Orchestra (GFO) kehren mit ,Yours in The Ranks of Death", ihrer bisher bodenständigsten und persönlichsten Sammlung von Songs, in unseren Orbit zurück. Nachdenklich und ätherisch - auf dem fünften Album von Ghost Funk Orchestra reduziert Komponist und Mastermind Seth Applebaum die Klänge und konzeptionellen Grundlagen und schafft so für seine typischen Grooves einen klareren Rahmen, in dem sie über den Plattenteller gleiten können. Wie die Strahlen der Sommersonne, die den Morgennebel langsam auflösen, treten nun die Konturen und kristallklaren Figuren deutlicher hervor, die Ghost Funk Orchestra seit ihrem Beitritt zum Label im Jahr 2018 zum groovigen, modernen psychedelischen Soul-Jazz-Boogaloo-Rückgrat von Karma Chief Records gemacht haben. Eine treibende, poetische und funkige Form der Selbstreflexion.
Ghost Funk Orchestra (GFO) kehren mit ,Yours in The Ranks of Death", ihrer bisher bodenständigsten und persönlichsten Sammlung von Songs, in unseren Orbit zurück. Nachdenklich und ätherisch - auf dem fünften Album von Ghost Funk Orchestra reduziert Komponist und Mastermind Seth Applebaum die Klänge und konzeptionellen Grundlagen und schafft so für seine typischen Grooves einen klareren Rahmen, in dem sie über den Plattenteller gleiten können. Wie die Strahlen der Sommersonne, die den Morgennebel langsam auflösen, treten nun die Konturen und kristallklaren Figuren deutlicher hervor, die Ghost Funk Orchestra seit ihrem Beitritt zum Label im Jahr 2018 zum groovigen, modernen psychedelischen Soul-Jazz-Boogaloo-Rückgrat von Karma Chief Records gemacht haben. Eine treibende, poetische und funkige Form der Selbstreflexion.
Eclectic Music Producer and DJ Marc Mac (from 4hero) returns with another Mixtape Style album following on from 'Extend The Knowledge" & "It's Right To Be Civil". Marc's formula of Boom Bap Beats, Breaks, Jazz and Soul pull together soundbites from the Vietnam War era. Beats are intertwined with soundbites from the 1960's Vietnam War protest era where African American's were sent to fight during the Civil Rights period in the USA.
Marking the 10th anniversary of this series of 'mixtape style', revolutionary and thought provoking albums, Omniverse Records have pressed a short run of never before on Vinyl releases. The complete set of records "It's Right To Be Civil", "Extend The Knowledge", "Message From Soulville" and the new "Generation - X" albums will be available each on single record continuous play vinyl. The albums are a must for the fans of Marc Mac's side projects, each album has a story to tell and the collection makes great listening both musically and subtly informative. This is most defiantly for the collectors. Not to be slept on.
ON THE SCENE 1965 (part two) features more bands taking that Black American R&B sound and making it their own. The jazzy mod blues of The Bo St Runners, the pounding R&B of The Little Darlings and The Couriers and the smooth blues of The Mickey Finn make the third in the series essential - as follows:
Highscore is one of the newest-and quite sensational-discoveries in funk of the 1980s out of Germany. Two tracks Breakin' Out and Girls So Fine, both recorded about 40 years ago and shelved ever since, are finally receiving a long-overdue 12" release.
Label founder DJ Scientist tells the story of how the tracks were uncovered:
"Several years ago, while researching the Crea label-after we had already licensed 'You're Not The One For Me' by Peter Patzer-I also wanted to find out more about another band on the label: Nuages, who had released the stunning jazz-funk/fusion album Cumulus.
Interestingly, a Discogs user had uploaded a hand written promo letter from one of the band members along with the LP. In it, drummer Mike Bach mentioned plans for a second album, as well as a single featuring a 'coloured singer'-which caught my attention. (A note on language: the original letter from 1985 uses the term 'coloured.' We've chosen to quote it directly as a historical document, but want to be clear that this reflects the terminology of the era and not language we would use today.)
Digging deeper, more information was found on Bach's own website, where a project called 'High Score' was mentioned. I immediately got in touch and asked if the recordings from that project still existed. Unfortunately, Bach couldn't locate any of the material at the time.
Years passed before we reconnected, when we featured 'Strange Weekend' by Nuages on our recent yacht rock compilation. I still had the Highscore project in mind and asked again. Once more, Mike had to deny-but he made another effort and reached out to former collaborators. A few weeks later, guitarist and composer Hermann Behrens discovered cassette tapes containing tracks from the Highscore project. I couldn't wait to hear them…"
To go back a bit: Nuages were a jazz-rock band from Bremerhaven, originally formed by guitarist Joachim "Fussy" Fuß in 1982. The lineup included Mike Bach (drums and percussion), Klaus Hinners (bass), and Frank Fischer (keyboards). In 1984, John Dillard, a U.S. GI stationed in Germany, joined Nuages for several live performances as a soul singer.
Around 1985/1986, Dillard and Bach then teamed up with Hermann Behrens with a new focus on electro funk and disco: Highscore was born.
When the three demo recordings were finally sent to us, they immediately blew us away. Breakin' Out stood out as an incredible electro-funk boogie gem-exactly what we had been looking for. What's more, it didn't sound like a rough demo at all, Breakin Out was a well-arranged and almost perfectly recorded track, driven by fresh, vibrant synths, drum machines and guitar. The cassette mix wasn't entirely final, but the remaining details could be refined during mastering.
The B-side, Girl So Fine, impressed just as much-equally strong and just as captivating as the A-side. Our reaction was immediate: this had to be released without delay!
Most importantly, there are a few more recordings from Highscore. However, these only exist as multi-track studio reels, which currently cannot be transferred. In the best case, more material from the band may surface soon-hopefully without another long wait.
The 12" release Breakin' Out / Girl So Fine" comes with a newly designed picture sleeve, featuring an original photo of the band members, including background singer Ruben Hopkins who does not appear on these two recordings.
Swiss techno icon Deetron shows his class with a new four-track EP on Mutual Rytm's sub-label, X.
Deetron is one of the most respected producers of his time. From sleek house to deep techno, he brings impeccable sound designs and melodic elegance to his work while remaining true to his authentic signature sound. He always delivers, whether landing via labels like Ilian Tape under his Soulmate guise or via the likes of Axis and Music Man, and that quality is on show once again as he brings the class on this new EP via the sub-label of SHDW's Mutual Rytm.
First up, 'Translate Rhythms' layers jazzy, de-tuned melodies into a quick and slick deep techno groove. It's a colourful and playful sound with a serious impact. 'Cause' is a more heads-down and moody sound with walls of drums and bass rolling beneath raw percussive loops and tight vocal stabs that ramp up the energy levels. The fantastic 'Move' brings grainy pads, inescapable bass weight and bulky drum loops to make for an immovable wedge of serious concrete techno funk. Last is the digital bonus cut 'Orbit', which heads off to the stars with a deepspace
vibe, swirling pads and minimal drums that tap out a rumbling groove.
Released in the winter of 1995, Dah Shinin’ introduced Smif-N-Wessun as torchbearers of the gritty, sample-driven East Coast sound that defined a generation. Backed by Da Beatminerz’ haunting, jazz-laced production and supported by their Boot Camp Clik brethren, Tek and Steele delivered a debut that was as raw as it was revolutionary — capturing the essence of mid-90s Brooklyn.
Now, 30 years later, Dah Shinin’ returns in its most complete form. The 30th Anniversary Definitive Deluxe Edition brings together for the first time in one place, the full original album, two essential remixes "Wrekonize" and "Sound Bwoy Bureill" and rare material, including the long-unreleased “Nuttin’ Move But Da Money,” finally available officially after years on white label.
Pressed across three LPs and housed in a premium tri-fold jacket featuring original artwork, newly commissioned liner notes, period photography, and archival content, this expanded edition stands as a tribute to the album’s creation and legacy. From the underground anthem “Bucktown” to the crew showcase “Cession At Da Doghillee,” every track celebrates the timeless sound that made Dah Shinin’ a classic.
Ruf Kutz reaches release twenty-two with something close to heart...
Mike Kee is a face from the early days - red-lit rooms of the Bodega mushroom squat parties in Sydney. This is a second release for Mike Kee on Ruf Kutz since 'Seeing Crystals' on RK2 in 2010.
Recorded in the rainforests of Bundjalung Country (northern NSW, Australia). Making good use of a Fender Rhodes and a JX-8P synthesiser.
WHITE CLOUD PLACE is a destination that doesn't exist. Glimpsed once on a street sign, filed away in the imagination and allowed to bloom into an imagined geography of warmth and weightlessness.
The music is lush dream house that elicits euphoria out of the speakers and into the body. Mike Kee has been chasing this feeling across his music and here it lands cleanly.
Flip the record and the temperature ratchets up. BANANA MOON is one for the dancers - shuffling congas push the pace while Rhodes chords and those big analog synth strings hold the whole thing aloft.
Where the A-side invites you to float, Banana Moon keeps it pitched up and jazzy.
The saxophone, thunderous as a peal of lightning, burns the listener’s body and shakes the soul. Out Of Chaos captures a new frontier reached by Kosuke Mine beyond the depths of chaos.
Having attracted widespread attention through his work with the Masafumi Kikuchi Group and the consecutive release of three albums under his own name in 1970, Kosuke Mine was one of the most talked-about figures in Japanese jazz. Following the breakup of the Kikuchi Group, he released the masterpiece Daguri in 1973, followed by the recording of Out Of Chaos.
From the hard-driving Recollection to the beautiful ballad Little Abi, Mine’s playing—said to have been influenced by John Coltrane during this period—displays both sharp inspiration and a grand sense of scale, blowing with a power that seems to break through every barrier.
Backing him is the trio that helped propel Mine to the center of the jazz scene. Their performance, completely united and burning with intensity, is nothing short of breath-taking.
A pioneering keyboardist of crossover music in Japan, Jun Fukamachi recorded and released this hidden masterpiece of the early Japanese fusion era in 1975 as part of Toshiba EMI’s audiophile-oriented high-fidelity analog “Pro Use Series”.
Now, it returns on clear red vinyl.
Backed by a powerhouse rhythm section consisting of drummer Shuichi “Ponta” Murakami and bassist Ray Ohara, Fukamachi showcases a rich palette of analog synthesizer sounds, while Kenji Ohmura delivers breathtakingly intense and fluid guitar solos.
The centerpiece of the album is the approximately 14-minute jazz-funk epic “Bamboo Bongo”, a standout track that perfectly captures the virtuosity and adventurous spirit of this landmark recording.
Mit ihrem ersten offiziellen Studioalbum seit 16 Jahren meldet sich Erykah Badu eindrucksvoll zuruck. In den Jahren seit ihrer letzten Veroffentlichung hat die vielfach ausgezeichnete Kunstlerin nicht nur als Musikerin, sondern auch als Mutter, Mentorin, Doula und kulturelle Vordenkerin gewirkt. Ihr Einfluss auf Musik, Mode und Popkultur ist dabei kontinuierlich gewachsen: Die funffache GRAMMY-Preistragerin mit insgesamt 20 Nominierungen zierte 2023 das Cover der Vogue, erhielt 2024 den CFDA Fashion Icon Award und wurde 2025 mit dem Billboard Icon Award geehrt. Gleichzeitig arbeitete sie mit Kunstlerinnen und Kunstlern verschiedener Generationen zusammen, darunter Janelle Monae, Tyler, The Creator, Flying Lotus, Robert Glasper, Teyana Taylor und Rapsody.Ihr neues Album "Before the World Blows" entstand gemeinsam mit dem renommierten Hip-Hop- Produzenten The Alchemist, der seit Jahren zu den pragendsten und produktivsten Produzenten seines Fachs zahlt. Das Werk verbindet introspektive Texte mit innovativen Klangwelten und kreist um Themen wie Liebe, Erinnerung, Traume, Weiblichkeit und personliche Entwicklung. In vier Kapiteln entfaltet sich eine musikalische Reise durch Badus Gedankenwelt, die zum Innehalten und Nachdenken einladt.Die Zusammenarbeit begann vor uber drei Jahren und entwickelte sich zu einem kreativen Dialog, aus dem ein vollkommen eigener Sound entstand. Soul, Blues, Funk, Rock, Jazz und Underground-Hip-Hop verschmelzen zu einem genreubergreifenden Klangbild. Bereits vor Veroffentlichung wurde das Album in intimen Live-Shows erprobt und weiterentwickelt. Das Ergebnis ist eines der ambitioniertesten und zukunftsweisendsten Projekte in der Karriere beider Kunstler.
Mit ihrem ersten offiziellen Studioalbum seit 16 Jahren meldet sich Erykah Badu eindrucksvoll zuruck. In den Jahren seit ihrer letzten Veroffentlichung hat die vielfach ausgezeichnete Kunstlerin nicht nur als Musikerin, sondern auch als Mutter, Mentorin, Doula und kulturelle Vordenkerin gewirkt. Ihr Einfluss auf Musik, Mode und Popkultur ist dabei kontinuierlich gewachsen: Die funffache GRAMMY-Preistragerin mit insgesamt 20 Nominierungen zierte 2023 das Cover der Vogue, erhielt 2024 den CFDA Fashion Icon Award und wurde 2025 mit dem Billboard Icon Award geehrt. Gleichzeitig arbeitete sie mit Kunstlerinnen und Kunstlern verschiedener Generationen zusammen, darunter Janelle Monae, Tyler, The Creator, Flying Lotus, Robert Glasper, Teyana Taylor und Rapsody.Ihr neues Album "Before the World Blows" entstand gemeinsam mit dem renommierten Hip-Hop- Produzenten The Alchemist, der seit Jahren zu den pragendsten und produktivsten Produzenten seines Fachs zahlt. Das Werk verbindet introspektive Texte mit innovativen Klangwelten und kreist um Themen wie Liebe, Erinnerung, Traume, Weiblichkeit und personliche Entwicklung. In vier Kapiteln entfaltet sich eine musikalische Reise durch Badus Gedankenwelt, die zum Innehalten und Nachdenken einladt.Die Zusammenarbeit begann vor uber drei Jahren und entwickelte sich zu einem kreativen Dialog, aus dem ein vollkommen eigener Sound entstand. Soul, Blues, Funk, Rock, Jazz und Underground-Hip-Hop verschmelzen zu einem genreubergreifenden Klangbild. Bereits vor Veroffentlichung wurde das Album in intimen Live-Shows erprobt und weiterentwickelt. Das Ergebnis ist eines der ambitioniertesten und zukunftsweisendsten Projekte in der Karriere beider Kunstler.
Mit ihrem ersten offiziellen Studioalbum seit 16 Jahren meldet sich Erykah Badu eindrucksvoll zuruck. In den Jahren seit ihrer letzten Veroffentlichung hat die vielfach ausgezeichnete Kunstlerin nicht nur als Musikerin, sondern auch als Mutter, Mentorin, Doula und kulturelle Vordenkerin gewirkt. Ihr Einfluss auf Musik, Mode und Popkultur ist dabei kontinuierlich gewachsen: Die funffache GRAMMY-Preistragerin mit insgesamt 20 Nominierungen zierte 2023 das Cover der Vogue, erhielt 2024 den CFDA Fashion Icon Award und wurde 2025 mit dem Billboard Icon Award geehrt. Gleichzeitig arbeitete sie mit Kunstlerinnen und Kunstlern verschiedener Generationen zusammen, darunter Janelle Monae, Tyler, The Creator, Flying Lotus, Robert Glasper, Teyana Taylor und Rapsody.Ihr neues Album "Before the World Blows" entstand gemeinsam mit dem renommierten Hip-Hop- Produzenten The Alchemist, der seit Jahren zu den pragendsten und produktivsten Produzenten seines Fachs zahlt. Das Werk verbindet introspektive Texte mit innovativen Klangwelten und kreist um Themen wie Liebe, Erinnerung, Traume, Weiblichkeit und personliche Entwicklung. In vier Kapiteln entfaltet sich eine musikalische Reise durch Badus Gedankenwelt, die zum Innehalten und Nachdenken einladt.Die Zusammenarbeit begann vor uber drei Jahren und entwickelte sich zu einem kreativen Dialog, aus dem ein vollkommen eigener Sound entstand. Soul, Blues, Funk, Rock, Jazz und Underground-Hip-Hop verschmelzen zu einem genreubergreifenden Klangbild. Bereits vor Veroffentlichung wurde das Album in intimen Live-Shows erprobt und weiterentwickelt. Das Ergebnis ist eines der ambitioniertesten und zukunftsweisendsten Projekte in der Karriere beider Kunstler.
Mit ihrem ersten offiziellen Studioalbum seit 16 Jahren meldet sich Erykah Badu eindrucksvoll zuruck. In den Jahren seit ihrer letzten Veroffentlichung hat die vielfach ausgezeichnete Kunstlerin nicht nur als Musikerin, sondern auch als Mutter, Mentorin, Doula und kulturelle Vordenkerin gewirkt. Ihr Einfluss auf Musik, Mode und Popkultur ist dabei kontinuierlich gewachsen: Die funffache GRAMMY-Preistragerin mit insgesamt 20 Nominierungen zierte 2023 das Cover der Vogue, erhielt 2024 den CFDA Fashion Icon Award und wurde 2025 mit dem Billboard Icon Award geehrt. Gleichzeitig arbeitete sie mit Kunstlerinnen und Kunstlern verschiedener Generationen zusammen, darunter Janelle Monae, Tyler, The Creator, Flying Lotus, Robert Glasper, Teyana Taylor und Rapsody.Ihr neues Album "Before the World Blows" entstand gemeinsam mit dem renommierten Hip-Hop- Produzenten The Alchemist, der seit Jahren zu den pragendsten und produktivsten Produzenten seines Fachs zahlt. Das Werk verbindet introspektive Texte mit innovativen Klangwelten und kreist um Themen wie Liebe, Erinnerung, Traume, Weiblichkeit und personliche Entwicklung. In vier Kapiteln entfaltet sich eine musikalische Reise durch Badus Gedankenwelt, die zum Innehalten und Nachdenken einladt.Die Zusammenarbeit begann vor uber drei Jahren und entwickelte sich zu einem kreativen Dialog, aus dem ein vollkommen eigener Sound entstand. Soul, Blues, Funk, Rock, Jazz und Underground-Hip-Hop verschmelzen zu einem genreubergreifenden Klangbild. Bereits vor Veroffentlichung wurde das Album in intimen Live-Shows erprobt und weiterentwickelt. Das Ergebnis ist eines der ambitioniertesten und zukunftsweisendsten Projekte in der Karriere beider Kunstler.
MONSKI´S SOUND FEELS LIKE A 90s SKATEVIDEO ON VHS - ELECTRONIC, WARM AND LOVINGLY HANDMADE. IMPERFECTIONS WELCOME.
THE MAIN INSTRUMENTS DOUBLE BASS, GUITARS AND ANALOG SYNTHS MELT WITH INTENSE ELECTRONIC RHYTHMS TO DEEP AND HYPNOTIC GROOVES - INSTRUMENTAL AND MOSTLY DOWNTEMPO.
MONSKI EARNS HIS MUSIC GEAR BY SHOOTING FILMS - NO WONDER HIS SOUND IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS CINEMATIC. INSPIRED BY VISUALS - ESPECIALLY BY CAPTURED PERSONAL MOMENTS WHICH OFTEN TURN INTO HIS RELEASES´ ARTWORK. IT´S HARD TO PUT THIS EP INTO A BOX - ITS UNIQUE STYLE HOVERS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ORGANIC DOWNTEMPO, TRIP HOP, FOLKTRONICA AND HOUSE.
ENDUROS - 6 TRACKS OF MONSKI´S RAW SIGNATURE SOUND:
ROLLER: THE MOODY DRAGGING TRIP HOP GROOVE (88 BPM) STARTS DEEP AND REDUCED BUT RESOLVES INTO A WIDER CINEMATIC HARMONY OF SYNTHS AND STRINGS.
ENDUROS: EVOLVING FROM ELEMENTS OF ROLLER, IT SPEEDS UP TO 120 BPM AND ENTERS THE REALMS OF ORGANIC HOUSE / FOLKTRONICA. AN UNPOLISHED HANDMADE BEAT WITH DRIVING BASS AND GUITAR RIFFS, CULMINATING IN A MELODIC CLIMAX.
FUNZEL: ORGANIC DOWNTEMPO ELECTRONICA (100 BPM). WARM AND SOFT SYNTH CHORDS AND A SAX SAMPLE ADD A JAZZY FEEL TO THE RHYTHMIC FOUNDATION OF DOUBLE BASS, GUITARS AND PERCUSSION.
ADDITIONALLY THE EP ROUNDS UP THE ALREADY RELEASED TRACKS: RADIO BEAMER, ELECTRIC BOX, AND QUARTZ.
Some records never really disappear. They wait for the right moment to be rediscovered.
Originally created in 1981 by legendary Italian composer and keyboardist Claudio Simonetti alongside producer Giancarlo Meo, Kasso emerged at a pivotal moment when disco, jazz-funk and electronic music were beginning to collide, and a distinctly Italian dance sound was taking shape.
Built around Simonetti’s unmistakable piano and keyboard work, Kasso developed a significant following across Europe, particularly in France and Italy. The project would produce cult favourites including “Kasso”, “Key West”, “One More Round” and “Walkman”, the latter becoming a major French success, reportedly selling around 500,000 copies.
Kasso’s influence travelled considerably further. Finding its way into the underground clubs of New York and Chicago, with original material receiving the remix and edit treatment from John “Jellybean” Benitez and, later, house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles.
Behind it all is Claudio Simonetti, a musician whose extraordinary career stretches from European disco to some of cinema’s most iconic soundtracks as keyboardist and composer with Goblin, including Deep Red, Suspiria and Dawn of the Dead. Now, more than four decades later, Claudio Simonetti’s Kasso returns.
Unlocking key elements from the original production, including Simonetti’s distinctive piano, the music has been placed in the hands of another European dance music pioneer: Ben Liebrand.
A hugely influential DJ, producer and remixer, Liebrand’s groundbreaking In The Mix radio shows and legendary Grandmix series have helped shape European DJ culture, while his extensive remix catalogue stretches across artists including Bill Withers, Phil Collins, Sting, Salt-N-Pepa and countless others.
His new interpretations of Kasso respect the musicianship and unmistakable character of Simonetti’s original while giving it a fresh, contemporary dancefloor life.
And this is only the beginning.
Kasso launches a series of four new singles, culminating in Kassologie, a definitive collection bringing together the essential Claudio Simonetti recordings alongside new remixes and updates. And all vinyl will be released in a colored-vinyl edition also!
Over forty years after it first emerged from Italy’s extraordinary early-’80s dance scene, Kasso is ready for another round.
There is with Tour-Maubourg an eternal desire to translate the feeling of love into music. Sometimes cheerful, sometimes melancholy, always exhilarating, the producer, native of Brussels and expatriate in Paris, has continued for 3 years to attract the praise of his peers and the support of a growing audience. The man who was described by Trax Magazine upon the release of his 1st EP as ‘‘one of the most promising producers of the French house scene’’ has revealed himself in this hyperactive new scene to become one of its best standards.
After several EPs released in France on Pont Neuf, FHUO (ie. Folamour’s label), as well as Happiness Therapy or in England and Germany on FINA and Salin, Tour-Maubourg unveils his first album, Paradis Artificiels. The Parisian producer refers to Charles Baudelaire’s poem, to which he links his melancholy music, who wrote:
‘‘common sense tells us that the things of the earth exist very little, and that the true reality is only in the dreams’’.
If the producer’s first EPs were mainly focused on club music, Paradis Artificiels oscillates between the atmospheres that made the success of these previous releases and those of a studio album. Composed of both house songs and downtempo sound researches, always flirting with the jazz sounds that have made the fame of the producer, this first album invites us on a journey in the lineage of St Germain, Massive Attack or Nicolas Jaar.
Impressive Collective, BBE Music and Mark de Clive-Lowe present: Remixes & Reimaginations World-renowned for decades, Mark de Clive-Lowe is a New Zealand-born, Tokyo-based pianist, composer and producer, widely recognised as a pioneer in nu-jazz, broken beat and electronic music. In contrast to his previous release on Impressive Collective, the contemplative solo project 'past present (tone poems across time)', this collection brings together MdCL’s extraordinary reinterpretations of other artists’ work. As he explains: “Remixing has always meant more to me than just rearranging stems - it’s about uncovering a new reality inside the music.” From the uplifting gospel-house of Close Counters’ 'I’ll Be There For You', recontextualised for the broken beat dancefloor, to the timelessly angelic tones of We Are KING’s ‘Supernatural'; from Omar’s 'This Is Not A Love Song' reimagined almost 30 years later, to the politically charged intensity of Anthony Joseph’s 'Maka Dimweh' - every remix has been crafted with the progressive dancefloor in mind, while still resonating for the deep listener and always in service to the original artist’s essence. “I’m grateful to every artist who’s invited me to dive into their work - to deconstruct it and reimagine it with love, curiosity and respect. This compilation isn’t just a retrospective, it’s a celebration of the remix as an art form.”
Nippon Psychedelic Soul 1970-1979 is Time Capsule’s continuation of the deep dive into Japan’s rich history of folk and psychedelic soul music.
Vinyl LP with 4 page insert, original artwork and photos
The kaleidoscopic psychedelia of 1970s Japan captured a fragile and fertile moment as the country sought its future in funk grooves, heavy reverb and lyrical hallucinations.
The follow-up compilation to Time Capsule’s Nippon Acid Folk, Nippon Psychedelic Soul takes myriad pathways into the tripped-out undergrowth of 1970s Japan. Finding their feet at home and looking for inspiration abroad, the musicians featured here were engaged in the communal soul-searching that followed the breakdown of the 1960s protest movements. Some made it big, others drifted into oblivion. The music they left behind shimmers with intensity.
At the core was Happy End, the first project of YMO’s Haroumi Hosono, whose distortion-heavy guitar and crisp back-beat laid the foundations for Japanese lyrics that flipped the paradigm of Japanese rock music on its head. With it came a new found sonic ambition, such as in the bold Philly-soul style arrangements of producer Yuji Ohno, whose work with occult wandered Yoshiko Sai shares some of the bittersweet grandeur of Rotary Connection or David Axelrod.
Then there was Jun Fukamachi, a pioneer of Japanese synthesis, whose debut album was a carnival of orchestral funk, euphoric horn lines and rich production, complete with soaring guitar solos, psychedelic organ and a truly cinematic finale. The first and only time Fukamachi would sing on record, ‘Omae’ rips like the ultimate end-of-nighter.
Influenced by giants of the US soul scene, maverick composer Hiroshi “Monsieur” Kamayatsu (otherwise known as ‘the Brian Wilson of Japan’) went one step further, enlisting Tower of Power to play on ‘Have You Smoked Gauloises?’ The B-side to Monsieur’s biggest-selling single, it coasts with sophisticated cool - a liquid bassline and suave keys comping under a roaring trademark ToP sax solo. No surprise it found favour once more on the Acid Jazz dance floors of ‘90s London.
Such was the spirit of experimentation that big studio productions and private press releases sat side-by-side, with the likes of Momotaro Pink and Kazushi Inamura, taking their hopes of success into their own hands with the resources available to them. More reflective but no less robust, theirs was a heavy, fat-backed drum sound, soaked in dramatic, soulful psychedelia.
If some were dreamers and others space cadets, none were further out than sci-fi writer, musician, activist and self-made scientist Tadashi Goino, who transformed his own fantasy novel Messenger from the Seventh Dimension into an operatic prog odyssey with few discernible musical reference points – a majestic and completely bonkers outlier even among company as strange and brilliant as that which is collected here.
Less a compilation of a scene, as a compilation of a sentiment, Nippon Psychedelic Soul is a wild ride from start to finish, shattering the narratives of the Japanese folk and rock tradition into a million tiny pieces.
Luca “DJ Rocca” Roccatagliati isn’t just a producer, he’s a shapeshifter of sound. Emerging from the late ’90s under the Maffia Soundsystem alias, he’s spent decades bending genres, dissolving boundaries, and reconfiguring the DNA of club music.
From cosmic disco to leftfield house, Rocca’s catalogue reads like a map of underground excellence. He’s collaborated with a roll call of innovators—Howie B, Dimitri From Paris, Daniele Baldelli, François K, Jazzanova, Zed Bias and many more. Crafting releases for some of the most respected imprints in the game: like Rekids, Toy Tonics, International Feel, Defected, Rush Hour, Hell Yeah, Rotters Golf Club among others.
His output is prolific, restless, constantly evolving.
Partnership is central to Rocca’s universe. With Dimitri From Paris, he co-created Erodiscotique, a sleek electro-disco project that fuses vintage sensuality with future-facing production. Alongside Daniele Baldelli, he’s explored deeper, more psychedelic terrain, delivering albums like Podalirius and Quagga—records that blur the line between Balearic mysticism and dancefloor propulsion.
His aliases Ajello, Supersonic Lovers, Crimea X are parallel auditory dimensions. Each one pushes a different facet of his sound, from Italo-tinged grooves to raw, analog-driven club cuts. As a remixer, Rocca has reworked everyone from Andrew Weatherall to Soul Clap, always imprinting his unmistakable signature.
To say we are excited about this new EP is kind of a massive understatement……
Having been huge fans for over two decades, when he reached out to us it was a bit of an eye rubbing and arm pinching moment.
We have been graced with a 3 track EP titled “Tonight is the Night”
A1. Sun Deck – A link-up with Athens mainstay Lex, drifting somewhere between yacht funk and late-night boogie. Sun-washed grooves, crisp synth leads, and just enough 80s energy to keep it moving without trying too hard.
B1. Italo Boogie Stomp – Does exactly what it says. Rolling Linn drums, sharp synth lines, and a nostalgic flute motif that nods to NYC’s street soul era without getting stuck in it.
B2. Ferroso – Picks up the pace slightly. Deep house drums meet a driving electro bassline, with arpeggiated synths and warm pads rounding it out—focused, functional, and built for the floor.
Yore Records presents: Craig Alexander - Phenomenal Woman / Across My Mind (12" Maxi Reissue)
Following his recent appearance on the label, Craig Alexander returns to Yore Records with a carefully curated reissue of two standout House Workouts: Phenomenal Woman and Across My Mind.
Originally released on earlier records, these tracks are now brought together on one 12" - each presented in two distinct mixes - capturing the raw, emotional depth of Chicago House in its purest form.
At the heart of this release lies Phenomenal Woman, a track that draws inspiration from Maya Angelou's iconic poem of the same name. Rooted in the African-American cultural context, the piece carries a subtle but powerful message of identity, strength and self-definition - translated here into deep, jazz-infused House music.
Across My Mind complements this with a more introspective tone, driven by warm chords, understated grooves and a timeless sense of space.
Together, these recordings embody what House music has always been at its core:
music with a message, shaped by lived experience, culture and emotion.
Stripped down, honest and deeply rooted, this is Chicago House in its most original and authentic form - a sound that continues to resonate far beyond the dancefloor.
Love On Vinyl is headed up by K.C. aka K Civ, an American with deep roots in the scene and a legendary Boston selector who has now assembled the first instalment in a new Soul Tickler Essentials compilation series. It's drenched in love and soul and features a ton of timeless artists, starting with Ralf GUM's sunny, Omar-featuring 'Love Core.' Elsewhere, the musicality flows through subtle jazzy keys and Afro drums on Don Kamares's 'Batie' then Moodymann drops one of his deep and dusty soul grinders with a remix of Ralf GUM's 'With Her Hand'. Further gems from Trinidadian Deep and Aaron K Gray & Conway Kasey make this one a faultless selection of grown-up grooves.
Proto Exotica notches its third release with The Infinite Hum EP , the debut project from Melbourne producer Mateo Torres Rodriguez under his new alias: Cerro.
Cerro is a personal and transportive collection of recordings owed to four months in Colombia, where Mateo returned to the neighbourhood he grew up in. On a table in his childhood home, he set up a modest travelling studio with a small collection of analogue hardware. At times, he'd pack individual pieces of
gear to travels within his travels, working without a fixed room or routine.
And so from a drum machine, a monophonic synth, a polyphonic synth, a laptop, and a pair of headphones (but no speakers) came five tracks of dub-inflected house and cosy Balearica.
The EP opens with 'The Bright Side' , dub bass, warm analogue pads, housey tempo. 'Unending Journey' slows things down, its deep low-end holding space beneath a synth that drifts in and
out.
'Power Of The Small' brings a dreamy house melody alongside a dubbed-out analogue lead, the filter opening and closing as the track breathes. On the B-side, Andras remixes 'The Bright Side' , keeping the bounce and weaving a jazzy lo-fi Rhodes solo through it. The EP closes with 'Indubitably' , dubbed-out vocal samples and floating pads settling into a downtempo Balearic lilt.
Emotional Rescue returns after a much-needed year hiatus, refreshed and ready, as it moves into its 15th year, to further explore the environs of oft-forgotten musical secrets and present them to new heads and minds.
To celebrate, the label looks back to one of its favourite collaborations, the music of French ‘Ethno-Industrialists’ Vox Populi! in presenting a truly unique EP of “In Dub”, inspired remixes by 4 fellow Paris based artists of today in Full Circle, Froid Dub, Krikor and Shelter.
“In Dub” takes a selection of songs from the series of albums reissued or compiled on Emotional Rescue and sister label, Platform 23, and gives the Master tapes to this talented ensemble to offer their own, unique dub reworks. The project explores the on-going advances in technology offered, mixed with pure talent and a respectful homage.
Formed by Axel Kyrou and including wife Mitra, as well as long-term music and art partners Pierre Jolivet aka Pacific 231 and Francis Lafont aka FR6 Man, they forged a path from obscure, drum and drum-based cassette releases on to fully realized albums and compilations on their now cult Vox Man Records.
Alexis Le Tan and Joakim’s Full Circle project starts, with their electronic dub remake of Soleyman Dub from the ‘Alternatif Réalisme’ compilation (ERC079). With releases on Good Morning Tapes, Offen and their own “Released” label, their plaudits as master diggers and producers of dubby tripped-out inspired electronics – releasing slowed Trance some 10 years before anyone else – is inspired. Tuning in and turning on the original dub into a mantra style slow-breaks (Digi)dub is the perfect experimental flavour.
Jube Man is next, a twisted, psychedelic dub out by rising stars Froid Dub. The stand-out from the ‘Magiques Creations’ release (ERC052), an album that explored Vox Populi’s furtive post-industrial period of 1984 to 1988, Jube Man was the perfect selection by the duo of François Marché and Stéphane Bodin.
Froid Dub have steadily developed their “cold” Digidub style to acclaim –
releasing a steady flow of dub inspired electronics on their own label Delodio, as well as recently appearing on sister label Emotional Response’s 10th year anniversary collection, ‘All Trades’. Their haunting, shuffling and murky acid / piano dub, with the drifting “Space Echoing” of Mitra’s vocals from the live desk mix, creates a ghostly version to effect.
Next, master mixer, producer and engineer Krikor serves a steppers remake with his “OverDub” of Zen-Dub. With a career that spans releases on Tigersushi, LIES and Soul Jazz, his sound has developed from Electro, House and Techno, to Acid, Bleep, Dancehall, Dub and touches of Gabba.
Taken from Vox Populi!’s master-opus Aither (ERC030), the first of our reissues dating back to 2016, Zen-Dub’s pacey, lo-fi dub experience is transformed and overdubbed into an incessant sound system throb, a true bass quaking “steppa”.
To close, Micro Climax is put through Shelter’s increasing avant dub exposition. Appearing on the likes of Growing Bin, Emotional Response and his own Protopost, as well for – and being in-house designer – on the much-missed Séance Centre, Alan Briand aka Shelter productions have developed from Balearic, Edits and House to explore Avant, Raga and live Dub productions.
Appearing on the recent ‘Ethniques Pyschedeliques’ compilation on Platform 23 (PLA032), in original form Micro Climax is a sprawling 10-minute ethno-dub of whispered vocals, drone and sub bass. Shelter strips it back, keeping background effects, adding live bass and percussion to create a wonky, slow, shuffling ska-lite excursion to complete a true “In Dub”.
Mat Fink with his first solo EP, on new label, Funky Soul Creations, delivering driving bass-lines and jazzy melodics. 4 tracks telling stories of diversity and funkiness with touches of Detroit and Chicago energy. From a DJ for a DJ, the versatility of the release is for any environment whether peak-time in the club, at the afters, or just a Sunday afternoon listening. A Side opens with the title track, a raw funky tribal groove with an off-the-top one take vocal that was never written nor planned. That’s followed by a ‘Peace of Deep’, an early morning deep house mood that intensifies and inspires the sun to rise over the horizon. B Side is where the release becomes darker and quirky. The first track offers a hypnotic bass-line with deep textures and rolling percussion lines. The track is set in the environment of the long club night, managing the intensity and progressions.
The final track of the release is a cocktail party for the forest animals. Futuristic folk
Detroit producer and DJ Kyle Hall joins forces with New Zealand drummer, producer, and current Fat Freddy's Drop drummer Cory Champion for a new collaborative 12-inch on Wild Oats Music, featuring the tracks "Acuna De Mar" and "Steppin'".
Hall and Champion first met in Auckland in 2016 while Kyle was touring Australia and New Zealand. They stayed in touch over the years, with Champion regularly sharing music from his Borrowed CS and Clear Path Ensemble projects—records that Hall quickly became a fan of and frequently included in his DJ sets.
When Hall returned to Australia last November, Champion had relocated to Melbourne. The two seized the opportunity to spend time together in the studio at Dune Castle, where their shared musical language naturally evolved into these two recordings.
Rooted in a mutual appreciation for jazz, deep house tradition, rich chord voicings, and rhythmic syncopation, "Acuna De Mar" and "Steppin'" capture the organic chemistry between two artists whose paths have crossed over nearly a decade. The result is a warm, groove-driven release that reflects both Hall's Detroit sensibility and Champion's distinctive rhythmic approach.
Long regarded as one of electronic music’s true individualists, Aubrey’s legacy stretches across decades of uncompromising, deeply musical productions — always balancing raw machine funk, psychedelia and emotional depth with a uniquely personal touch. Through Deep Series, Georgios DSR brought him on board for a release shaped less by trends than by a shared dedication to timeless underground music culture.
On the A-side, Aubrey delivers the shimmering and organically evolving *Insectos de la Luna* alongside the weightless, jazz-leaning groove explorations of *Flying Low*. The B-side shifts into deeper and more functional territory with Georgios DSR’s *Analog Ground (LiVRO’s Groove Shape)* and the hypnotic pulse of *Signal Drift*.
Rather than following contemporary formulas, *Shifting Phase* reflects a mutual commitment to atmosphere, movement and long-form dancefloor storytelling — rooted in house and techno traditions while remaining open, psychedelic and forward-thinking.
Previous Deep Series material received support from XDB at Dimensions Festival, generating a strong response around the label’s growing catalog.
RDS003 is another step in the ongoing evolution of Deep Series: music driven by conviction rather than hype.
Kampana’s essential 7” series continues with another unmissable EP, featuring mysterious jazz and soul groove-magician Vanilla. The UK producer brings his beat-making skills to the disco format with stunning results.
'Turn Me Loose' blends an early 80s jazz funk groove, vocal chops and modern synths, creating an infectious mid-tempo disco number.
'Into My Eyes' - remastered for 2021 - features a percussive slap bass, with catchy vocals and classic filters for another timeless, uplifting anthem.
There is a kinetic energy that binds drummer and producer Karriem Riggins and singer-songwriter, rapper, and producer Liv.e, the spark that happens when instinct meets flow and spirit finds rhythm.
Their collaborative debut as GENA (short for “God Energy, Naturally Amazing,” and loosely inspired by Gina from Martin), The Pleasure Is Yours feels like a playful, soulful conversation between two kindred improvisers: Liv.e’s smoky, unpolished vocals glide through Riggins’ warm, percussive universe. Rooted in jazz, soul, and hip-hop, Liv.e brings a raw, experimental approach to R&B, while Riggins known for his work with Common, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Madlib, and his close kinship with J Dilla, extends his lifelong dialogue between jazz improvisation and beat science.
Together they create a world that’s analog and ethereal, percussive and poetic, bridging eras without settling in one, the sound of two artists finding a new shared language rooted in rhythm, vulnerability, and exuberance.
Pressed on 180g vinyl, the album comes in an embossed sleeve and is avaible in red and black splatter.
Marking a refreshed 2026 visual identity for Contemplate Recordings and a return to vinyl, Go Deeper EP draws from the atmosphere and musicality of classic Detroit and 90s deep house.
Built around warm synth textures, hypnotic grooves, sampled elements, and jazz-influenced harmonies, the release delivers a stripped-back yet immersive late-night sound. Classic 90s-style synthesis and sampler-based techniques underpin a record that balances subtle emotional depth with strong dancefloor focus.
Melodic, groove-led, and atmospheric deep house with a timeless, understated feel.
Big heart US deep house figurehead Chez Damier has opened his studio up to new school collaborators once again, with Italy's Nico Lahs and Adeen chief Camille getting back to work on a new series of tunes inspired by jazz-fusion and the sounds broadcast on legendary radio station WJZZ. 'Dragon Breath' opens with tense rhythmic interplay and expressive horns and vibraphones, while 'Tunita' offers shimmering rhythms. 'Third World Wave' is a busy broken beat with weighty kicks and brilliantly loose percussion all run through with off-kilter horns. The 12" expands the palette, from the lighter touch of 'Haiku' to the driving force of 'Bullet Train'. Another majestic collaboration.
Futuristica is 20!
This independent imprint has been producing and releasing music for friends and family for 20 years, so what better way to celebrate than by releasing a 2xLP limited edition 20 track compilation of rare and never before released on vinyl recordings exclusively selected by label manager Simon Skolfield.
This is a beautifully varied selection of deep soul, jazz and hip-hop music from a group of like-minded independent artists creating their own brand of soulful gems. From the early electro soul of Electric Conversation, the multi layered jazz samples of Kira Neris to the lush vocal harmonies of Deborah Jordan, production and remix class from Marc Rapson and the contemporary spiritual soundtracks of The Peter Franks Group.
Over the years there has been generous support from Gilles Peterson, Tony Minvielle, Marc Mac, Patrick Forge, Kev Beadle and so many more worldwide. Artists like As Valet, Emanative, LaNote and Georgie Sweet have gone on to produce fine work with several different independent labels with our artists garnering fine remixes and production work from the likes of DJ Spinna, Nostalgia 77, Kev Bown, Mr Beatnick, Nicolay, Kaidi Tatham, Atjazz, Simbad, K15, Domu, Mecca:83 and so many others. And all of this organically grown since the release of Low Budget Soul, the label’s debut project back in 2006.
Brazilian producer 'Bungle' returns to Thirtyone Records with his sophomore EP for the renowned British outlet for all things drum & Bass. Doc Scott curates the label closely and has selected four Bungle cuts that all have that same prolific vibe to them.
''Cocooned EP'' opens up with the sublime and dark title song. 'Cocooned' revolves around a savvy bass cut and Bungle's signature big drums. 'Distance' is a special piece with a gigantic pad at the centre of the song.
The big and jazzy hats are compilmenting the rhythm nicely while splashes of FX are cleverly being used throughout.
'Eclipse' is a nervous electronic cut with a thumping feel to it. Tech sounds, distortion and ethereal sounds are moulded to a buldging piece of dancefloor music. On the last position of the 'Cocooned EP' tracklist we find 'Impulse'. This track stands for: huge drums, deep bass sounds and a very ominous atmosphere
UK born, Fremantle-based producer Jon E. makes his return to Natural Element, after his sell-out debut release ‘Smoke’ in 2025 captured the attention of DJs and dancefloors around the world.
Here sees the first of a two-part series of EPs that displays the fruits of a deeply creative phase following an injury that had him bed bound for months. The sonic progression from his debut is tangible across all four tracks, with an enhanced palette and clear versatility. The EP is a deeper expression of his production skills and unique, authentic sound. Natural sounds of the city make for an organic touch throughout, giving tracks an atmosphere that makes them feel alive. ‘One More Time’ sets the pace with an irresistible groove that is both bold and refined, steeped in jazzy tones and calling to mind summer day parties. ‘We Can Make It’ is a blissful and uplifting jam that goes on a journey of its own, leaving a lasting impression with the delicate, distinct vocals of Roxanne forming a perfect match. On the flip, ‘Raise Them Up’ takes things a little deeper with a moody roller inspired by Moodymann, and ‘Day n Night’ rounds off the record in style with a more lo-fi groover exhibiting loose drums, intricate percussion and floating brassy licks.
Alex Nut returns with The Heat, a four-track EP that further explores the fertile ground between House, Soul, Broken Beat and Jazz. As co-founder and curator of Eglo Records, his productions have always reflected the same ethos that has defined his label: music unconcerned with genre boundaries, rooted instead in groove, feeling, history and culture. The Heat EP showcases his unmistakable musical palette, featuring collaborations with two of contemporary soul’s most distinctive voices: Allysha Joy and Steve Spacek. Title track The Heat finds Australian vocalist Allysha Joy at the centre of the record. Floating over skipping, broken, drum programming, warm analogue textures and deep low-end pressure. Opening the EP is Bright, Alex’s collaboration with the inimitable Steve Spacek, first unveiled earlier this year, here it’s joined by a brand new Re-FreQ Mix, flipping the original into an acid-soaked club workout, all bubbling 303 lines, swinging percussion and late-night bump. Closing the EP is Duck Duck, the original sketch that would eventually become Bright. Featuring long-time collaborator Sam Croweon Rhodes and piano. It’s a beautifully loose, deep, jazzy, House-infused piece that captures the spirit of the session before the song took its final shape.
Mit FATHERS präsentiert sich ein außergewöhnliches neues Kollektiv aus Produzent Kenny Beats, Keyboarder Kiefer, Bassist CARRTOONS und Drummer Nate Smith. Auf ihrem selbstbetitelten Blue-NoteDebüt verbinden sie die Offenheit des Jazz mit Hip-Hop, Funk, Soul und elektronischen Einflüssen zu einem
ebenso virtuosen wie zugänglichen Sound. Entstanden aus einer Zusammenarbeit beim Montreal Jazz Festival 2023 und weiterentwickelt auf gemeinsamen Tourneen durch die USA und Japan, lebt FATHERS
von der kreativen Chemie seiner Mitglieder. Das Ergebnis sind acht Songs voller präziser Grooves, starker
Melodien und geschmackvoller Arrangements, die musikalische Raffnesse mit unmittelbarer Zugänglichkeit
verbinden.
Now marking eight years in the underground, Blur Records delivers a various artist collection that reflects its sound across always floor-facing cuts across a house and disco spectrum tinged with retro flair. 'Back To The Disco' by Hotmood opens with big loops and a hands in the air grove that is high on funky-disco vibes, while Delfonic keeps things tight on 'Let's Do The Magic' which centres a vocal hook and busy chords. Elsewhere, Crackazat's sultry rework of Scruscru's 'Just House' adds a jazz-leaning touch and 'Touch Me' shifts into a more restrained, late-night mood. Closing with the deep, plump drums of Sven Wegner's sexy, sax-laced 'Chuck The Boom', the collection stays consistently accessible and groovy throughout.
Repress of the 13th chapter of this highly acclaimed compilation series, originally released in 2017.
As usual FSOJ is compiled by Compost head honcho Michael Reinboth with a solid sense of leftfield tracks, punchy floorfillers, ghostly, cinematic, balearic, frazzled, bitter-sweet or mind-shaking hybrid tunes.
Several magazines voted FSOJ as the one of the best compilation series of all time. With this series starting 1995 the term Future Jazz became a genre landmark.
FSOJ 13 including some exclusives, sought-after tracks and previously unreleased tracks. Some highlights are: First of all the Van Hai track in a Ripperton remix is a perfect opener into a tranquil music venture. A sheer bliss tune. Montezumas Rache „Wu Du Wu“, which was only released on vinyl before - still difficult to find the original 12“ - is a freaky outstanding funk hybrid. Karim Sahraoui – with a punchy Detroit-ish track, picked up from Derrick May’s Transmat label - is currently in the works with a follow up 12“ later in 2017 on Compost. Acid Pauli delivers a brand new dubby balearic remix, which he recently did for Matanza, a live band from Chile. Peter Kruder came up with something special exclusive, a warm breath in the open air tune, which drives listeners into a chilled wormhole. Beside new names, bigger names like Axel Boman, Tony Allen with a Ricardo Villalobos & Max Loderbauer remix, you’ll find more lefties tracks from respected labels like Studio Barnhus, Innervisions, Lovemonk, Transmat, Mule, Tru Thoughts, Rebirth, Ninja Tune and m.o. next to other exclusive deliveries by Manuel Tur, Marsmobil, coupled up with semi exclusives: the first time on vinyl or digital.
Super Spicy Records, a colourful nu-disco and re-edit imprint founded by Mexican producer Monsieur Von Pratt, continues to offer up action-packed, compilation style EPs via the must-check Super Spicy Recipe series. Volume ten, the second of 2026, is another expansive affair featuring six scintillating jams. Expect horns-and-strings sporting nu-disco joy (Scorpio 69 and DJ Sobrino's infectious 'Fuego', Afro-Latin-fired disco-house fun (Tamati's joyous 'Yaounde Love Affair'), sample-rich jazz-house/deep house fusion (Monsieur Von Pratt's own 'What Is Jazz' and Milton V's energy-packed 'Sounds of Jazz'), housed-up disco re-edit action (Nico Raibak's 'It's So Good') and hands-aloft, tooled-up boogie revivalism (Raga's 'The Middle', a fine re-edit of a lesser-known electrofunk gem).
Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe is a powerful and often ignored 1970 recording from the American avant-garde jazz saxophonist, singer and composer Albert Ayler. Apart from the posthumous album The Last Album, this was to be Ayler's last studio album, recorded and released before his death in November 1970. The album was initially judged as too difficult by Down Beat, then recognized by the most as “an important portrait of a man facing a life and death inner struggle beyond the boundaries of jazz, which takes jazz itself into a new dimension”. It also includes some of the most innovative use of sound by the free-jazz icon Albert Ayler.
Formed in 1969, Soul Media set out with a clear mission to fuse jazz and rock. That approach took a decisive next step with In The Groove, recorded in 1973. Here, the sharpness of jazz is brought to the forefront, rock elements are dissolved and refined to give a cutting edge, and funk is injected to add drive, elasticity, and physical force. The result is a body of music that transcends existing genre labels—jazz-rock, jazz-funk, or fusion—and stands instead as something simply, undeniably cool: strong yet sophisticated.
This album is often described as Soul Media’s response to The Crusaders, a band that saxophonist Jiro Inagaki was paying close attention to at the time. The aim hit its mark. With In The Groove, Soul Media acquired a “refined black feeling”, setting them firmly on the path toward their ultimate destination: Funky Stuff.
Glenn Underground is the founding member of the Strictly Jaz Unit. He was raised on disco classics and freeform jazz in Chicago's Southside, the place where house music was born. Taking inspiration from Chicago's original pioneers, Larry Heard, Ron Hardy, Lil' Louis, and the like, Glenn has produced many sought after house gems for some of the most well respected deep house labels such as Prescription and Guidance.
The Jerusalem EP's, GU's second album for Peacefrog originally released in 1997 still sounds so fresh, so deep and so soulful. Blending jazz-tinged chord progressions with sax accents, and rolling basslines the album evokes the sound of late-’90s hypnotic Chicago house.
Timeless, quality, underground house music for the mind, the body and especially the soul.
'A Senegalese Griot singer, an Amsterdam improviser and a Puerto Rican jazz drummer find each other on an open playground, a stage built for improvisation, an old cinema now used for minute made story telling.
'Equipped with an m'bira, a xalam, a drum kit, a voice, percussion, house hold tools and an electric clavichord on 220 volt, they sit down and take off: Wrrrrrraaang!
'Singer and percussionist Mola Sylla is in many ways a musical explorer. Born and raised in Dakar, Senegal, he grew up in the tradition of the griots. Griots play conveying stories – sometimes decorated with music, theater and dance – which all play an important role in West African culture. His rhythm and melodic compositions differ from the western agreed schedules and provide surprising twists.
'Puerto Rican drummer Frank Rosaly has been involved in the improvised and experimental music scenes since 2001 when he became an integral part of Chicago's musical fabric, navigating a fine line between the vibrant improvised music, experimental, rock and jazz communities.
'Oscar Jan Hoogland is the sound of Amsterdam in person. He is an instant composer and inventor of his own instrument by joining a clavichord, a keyboard instrument from the 17th century, to 220 Volt electricity. As the last student of the late pianist, composer and improvisor Misha Mengelberg he tears like a tornado through the Amsterdam jazz and impro scene.
'Together they are Mother Tongue.'
This solid jackin' house EP feat. PAKA PROJECT is packed with groove and a summer-ready vibe. Crafted with DJs in mind, perfect for layering, cutting basslines, and blending.. Cool brass elements, soulful textures, and hints of blues-style vocal samples woven throughout. Full pic sleeve.
But rest assured - it's still the same excellent band from Ruda ?l?ska, only this time instead of a forest full of ghosts or a land of fairy tale creatures like a Fruwajacy Przestepca the duo of producers takes us on an interstellar journey!
The artists' third album, just titled KOSMOBOTANIKA, is an over forty-minute work skillfully composed from a multitude of various samples, and genre-wise presenting the sounds of deep house, trip-hop, breakbeat, ambient and even jazz. This is electronic music with a very cinematic, visual and imaginative character, something at which ETNOBOTANIKA has undoubtedly achieved mastery confirmed by their first two very well-received albums. This cinematic style (electronic concept album?) is reminiscent of the classic albums of the genre's progenitors from the UK like The Orb (first releases) or The KLF (the iconic "Chillout" album), but also the French Motorbass.
The Silesian duo does it their own way, of course, with a local twist. Thus, in the cosmic journey our guides will be in-sampled familiar voices from Polish television, cinema, radio and dusty vinyls (yes - samples from Mr. Kleks in Space had to be on the album, of course :) ).
There is no shortage of atmosphere-building instrumental fragments here, but also quite song-like tracks with catchy melodies and vocals. Fans of the band will certainly be satisfied.
What is there to say - ETNOBOTANIKA has created another classic, which simply must be on the shelf :) Trust them and let yourself be taken on a cosmic journey - satisfaction guaranteed!
A previously unissued post-bop document from 1970, Jyväskylä Workshop Band 1970 assembles American saxophonist Charlie Mariano, Norwegian bassist Arild Andersen and Finnish luminaries Heikki Sarmanto, Eero Koivistoinen, Paroni Paakkunainen, Seppo Ranniko, Pekka Pöyry, Edward Vesala and Matti Koskiala. Professionally captured in concert, the album delivers a vibrant set of groovy, exploratory and subtly exotic tunes that helped assert Finland’s place on the international jazz map.
The Jazzcodes and Michele Chiavarini kick off this fine survey of contemporary deep house with 'Wolf Dust (Saison Rework)' which draws on jazz-inflected motifs and feeds them into a steady groove with layered keys sitting over a controlled kick pattern. 'Friday' from DJ Romain works in a more direct frame driven by looping piano stabs and clipped drums with diva vocals injecting heat. 'In The Moment' has an air of cool jazz to it with deft horns and spoken word that muse on the great genre while Saison's 'This Is A House Record' sure is that: classic drums and knotted little synths bring a warming vibe for grown-up floors.
Legendary is a bold title for an EP, but is fully justified in the case of this new 12" from Silver Walker, which gathers some of house music's best and most proven talents. Jon Dixon opens with the light, fluttering house stylings of 'Five 15', which have sax motifs adding a touch of classy hi-tech jazz. Dallas man JT Donaldson follows by folding jazz phrasing into a swinging, deep house framework with understated finesse. On the flip, Abacus delivers 'A Gathering Of Griots' a warm, melodic cut bathed in sunlight and label head DFRA closes with a tribute to the great Mike Huckaby that is driving but soft, reverential and with a bittersweet energy.
MARK DE CLIVE-LOWE, acclaimed jazz visionary, and AMMA WHATT unite for a soulful, jazz-infused house journey of lush musicianship and timeless vocals. With stunning remixes from OSUNLADE and CARLOS MENA. Crafted for both the dancefloor & deep listening. With gorgeous full pic jacket!
Introducing the first reissue project on Rocky Hill with a compilation of Jozeph Sefian's hard to find tracks from the late 1970s into the early 1980s. A culmination of Armenian funk, soul, pop, and jazz. We're calling it "Melodies". Jozeph Sefian emerged as a distinctive voice in Armenian music, blending heritage with the evolving sounds of his generation. Beginning on drums and later embracing his voice, he crafted a versatile style rooted in Armenian, pop, jazz, and soul. Traditional melodies and emotional storytelling met familiar harmonies, expressive phrasing, and the rhythmic energy of funk, creating a sound that was both deeply Armenian and contemporary. During his years in Iran, Jozeph recorded with accomplished musicians and operated a music shop serving the Armenian musical community. Despite restrictions following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, he continued performing for Armenian audiences. His career took him across the Middle East, the United States, the UK, and Armenia, while writing his tracks in Iran and recording in LA. In 1977, Parseghian Records labeled him, "one of the most distinctive voices in Armenian music." We agree with Parseghian, as Jozeph's recordings continue to bridge generations, preserving Armenian culture through a uniquely soulful musical voice.
Label boss Demuir steps up for the 8th 12" from Purveyor Underground Limited and uses the opportunity to dedicate the music to his mother. This Grooves From Mama's Kitchen EP has already picked up some notable plays from the likes of Jimpster, Masters At Work and Kerri Chandler and is a swinging house offering with great depth and musicality. 'Beat 6 (Luv Is Complicated)' is majestic and soulful house with diva vocals and brilliant melodies, while the dub is more paired back. 'In Awe Of You' brings the jazz with its bright lead synths and soulful grooves, while closer 'In Awe Of You Ma' (Gabriel's Strings) is more loose-limbed and playful with some fine horns. .
Danou P Serves Up Deep, Funky Heat with his 'In The Brine EP' on Definitive Recordings.
Rotterdam-based producer and DJ Danou P delivers a standout four-tracker with 'In The Brine EP,' released on Definitive Recordings. Known for his warm, soulful and funk-infused take on house music, Danou channels raw rhythm and musical flair into a collection that feels both classic and freshly personal.
Opening track 'The Flex' sets the tone with stomping deep house drums, playful chord stabs, and clever vocal sample play that gives it a raw, jacking feel. It's got attitude and groove in equal measure. 'On My Own' keeps things rolling with a classic deep house bassline, gradually introducing a soulful vocal loop that blossoms with the arrival of shimmering synth layers. Danou brings emotion without ever losing grip of the dancefloor.
Next comes 'Spirit', flipping the rhythm into broken beat territory. Another catchy vocal sample rides alongside vibey, jazzy stabs, offering a breezy, uplifting moment that's both heady and driving. It's the kind of track that sneaks into your set and ends up stealing the show. Rounding out the release is 'Bronstige Bakvissen', a deep and moody closer built on a heavy, rolling groove and rich classic house chords. It's stripped back but full of warmth, closing the EP with a nod to soulful late-night sessions.
Best known for his work alongside Jamie 3:26, and with releases on Glitterbox, Tru Thoughts, and Soulfuric Trax, Danou P is steadily building a solo catalogue that's as musical as it is danceable. His 'InThe Brine EP' is a bold step forward, out on Definitive on July 25th 2025.
Kora Koumakan, or Word of the Kora, is a boundary-pushing Afro-Manding group from Conakry, Guinea. Led by master kora player and composer Sekouna Conte, Kora Koumakan channels Guinea's rich musical heritage into modern compositions, creating a sound that is both deeply rooted and forward-looking. Inspired by Guinea's iconic Ballets Africains and legendary artists like Bembeya Jazz National and Mory Kante, the band masterfully blends contemporary instrumentation with traditional West African instruments - handmade by the band themselves - including the kora, djembe, and balafon. Since 2018, they have been touring extensively across West Africa, honing their sound and earning a nomination for Best Band at the 2025 Guinea Music Awards.
This inaugural limited edition vinyl release on Jambulance Movement Records features two standout remixes by London's Tigerbalm and Ben Gomori, which transform the band's original Afro grooves into hypnotic house tracks already making waves on dancefloors worldwide. Tigerbalm's remix expertly layers the original percussion around a driving 4/4 beat, with the ethereal kora and powerful vocals weaving through the rhythm to create compelling dancefloor energy. Ben Gomori's remix takes a more atmospheric route, anchored by a groovy bassline loop with layered guitar and keyboard melodies that add depth and movement, gradually building into immersive moments of tension and release. The record also includes instrumental versions of these remixes, with the band's EP of original tracks set to drop in early 2026.
Jambulance Movement Records is a social enterprise record label and recording studio based in Guinea. Their mission is to empower the next generation of emerging African artists by providing free professional recording services. Operating a solar-powered mobile studio and a static studio in Conakry, the label discovers new talent through casting events across the country. Selected artists receive comprehensive training and mentorship, with the overall aim to foster sustainable careers for young African artists.
Released in 1972 as the follow-up to the previous year's classic CTI album with Stanley Turrentine, Now is Astrud Gilberto's tenth studio album and her only recording on Perception, and wow does she make the most of the musicians available to her on this recording. Produced by Astrud herself and with all songs arranged by fellow Brazilian Eumar Deodato, the all-star line-up on Now includes Deodato on acoustic guitar, more Brazilian flavours from Airto Moreira on percussion, label vice-President and production genius Patrick Adams on Bass duties (along with Bob Cranshaw and Ron Carter), Dizzy Gillespie Quintet and Jazzberry Patch band member Mike Longo on keyboards and the mighty Billy Cobham on drums.
This album is a fiercely political and genre-defying album that blends funk, jazz, soul, and rock with sharp social commentary. McDaniels channels the turbulence of early-’70s America into surreal, poetic lyrics that critique racism, war, capitalism, and hypocrisy. The record’s raw grooves, off-kilter rhythms, and biting wit make it both musically adventurous and lyrically fearless — a cult classic that prefigured conscious soul and hip-hop’s political edge.
Glenn Underground is the founding member of the Strictly Jaz Unit. He was raised on disco classics and freeform jazz in Chicago's Southside, the place where house music was born. Taking inspiration from Chicago's original pioneers, Larry Heard, Ron Hardy, Lil' Louis, and the like, Glenn has produced many sought after house gems for some of the most well respected deep house labels such as Prescription and Guidance.
‘Atmosfear’ Glenn Underground’s debut album was originally released in 1996 and set the standard for sophisticated dance music. Dreamy melodies, heavy bass lines and acid grooves blend beautifully with jazz vibes and Detroit techno. Essential!
Next up in our Cuban Classics series, one of the jewels of record label Areito’s extensive and sought-after catalogue. Ricardo Eddy Martinez’s Expreso Ritmico from 1978 is a prized album fusing funk, disco, and orchestrated influences with Afro-Cuban percussion, Latin breaks, and lush vocal harmonies.
Whilst maintaining its distinctive Cuban identity, Expreso Ritmico is one of the more American / Western-influenced Cuban titles of the time drawing inspiration from jazz funk, disco, and library music. The album was directed, written, and orchestrated by keyboardist and drummer Ricardo Eddy Martinez, who was also the mastermind behind the orchestration of the Los Reyes 73 album (that was recently reissued by Mr Bongo). Martinez would later go on to work with international musicians and singers such as Gloria Estefan, José Feliciano, Chick Corea, and many more, whilst also working as a sound engineer in the US.
Produced by Adolfo Pichardo, who worked on much of Areito’s output, Expreso Ritmico is packed with gold. The opening title track carries a loose, breezy Latin-disco-funk vibe that breaks into a brilliant Afro-Cuban workout. ‘Que La Tristeza Se Fue’ was expertly sampled and looped by Jazzanova on their 2008 song ‘Look What You Are Doing To Me, featuring Phonte from the hip hop group Little Brother. Elsewhere, ‘Tambo Iya’ has an Afro-funk, Soul Makossa-esque groove, while tracks such as ‘Te Quedas’, ‘Mi Conga Es La Que Es’ and ‘La 132’ run with a heavy pulsating Latin-funk sound. Head to the sultry psych funk of ‘Este Tumbao’ for a spacey journey that blends and morphs through genres.
FreedomB Delivers Timeless Groove on 'Essence Of Soul EP'. FreedomB is an artist defined by groove and movement rather than place. Drawing influence from jazz, funk, soul, and the earliest house and electronic rhythms, his sound is rooted in timeless dance music traditions and built for long, immersive nights on the floor. Focused on rhythm, flow, and emotional energy, FreedomB's productions exist to make people dance without compromise. With releases on labels such as Knee Deep In Sound, Roush, Toolroom, Sola, ElRow Music, and Flashmob Records, FreedomB has earned support from leading names including Hot Since 82, Supernova, Hector Couto, Solardo, and Flashmob. Now joining the Definitive Recordings catalogue, FreedomB presents 'Essence Of Soul EP', a two-track release that captures his deep-rooted love for classic house, disco, and soulful dancefloor energy. On 'Mi House Es Tu House', FreedomB delivers pure house nostalgia. A groovy beat and subtle bassline form the foundation, joined by classic piano chords that immediately set the tone. As the track unfolds, disco samples, a 90s-style synth melody, and a soulful female vocal sample build toward a powerful breakdown before dropping back into full groove, introducing a second timeless house synth theme. It's uplifting, energetic, and perfectly designed for any house music dancefloor. The title track 'Essence Of Soul' shifts into a deeper, more disco-infused direction. A straighter, nu-disco- inspired rhythm sets the pace while layered synths evolve throughout the arrangement. An 80s-style bassline anchors the groove, accompanied by filtered vocal chants, disco effects, and a spoken-word vocal reflecting on the meaning of music and the dancefloor. As the track progresses, rich piano chords and classic high house strings lift the energy into an emotional, late-night crescendo. 'Essence Of Soul EP' is a celebration of groove, soul, and timeless house energy. A release that lets the music speak and invites you to dance.
People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm with the first-ever action figures of Phife, Q-Tip, Ali, and Jarobi.
Their music, characterized by a light-hearted and positive tone, with incredible wordplay, paved the way for hip-hop artists of the time.
This 4-pack of figures is inspired by the band members as they appeared in the music video,
I Left My Wallet in El Segundo—and yes, a wallet accessory is included.
All 4 figures appear in collector-friendly window-box packaging with original Super7 artwork influenced by the People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm album cover.
This album is considered one of the most impactful influences at the time, mixing alternative hip-hop and jazz rap.
So, hop in the car for a road trip in time with this 4-pack ReAction Figure set of the members of A Tribe Called Quest.
Inner Balance kicks off a new series of split EPs under the rubric ‘Dialogues’, featuring two adept
producers from Italy and the UK. On the A, Emanuele Barilli brings summery house grooves on
‘Roots’ and ‘Unknown Na’, drawing on the tried and tested deep house templates of Charles
Webster and catapulting them into today’s dancefloor. Transverse Recordings founder Scott
Andrews takes care of the flip with classy jazzy house in the vein of vintage Larry Heard on
‘Willerminstral’, before the refined, loopy minimal house of ‘Renegade’ closes things out. It’s yet
another well-rounded EP in the superlative Inner Balance catalogue, ready to lift dancers to a higher
plane.
LOK Black welcomes Stefano Testa with the SPCWX EP, a deep and driving exploration that fuses powerful techno with rich emotional layers, hypnotic atmospheres and sophisticated groove.
Canadian master Mathew Jonson delivers the remix, creating a beautiful contrast with a mesmerising slow-burning reinterpretation. True to his signature analog style, Jonson enriches the original with his own original elements — including evocative vocals — adding warm textures, melodic sophistication and subtle jazz-infused.
St. David drops another set of club-ready tools coming back on his imprint, Theory of Swing for the 15th release. House Media Player EP hits the floor hard with NY jacking house grooves, bouncing basslines, and that unmistakable TOW swing that locks dancers into the rhythm.
This is pure club gear, four cuts engineered for peak-time momentumt, and the kind of shuffle that defined the Strictly Rhythm, Narcotic or TNT era.
Another timeless entry in the Theory of Swing catalogue — pure hardware heat, made for real floors and real DJs.
Singeley Wax presents the third installment of the Russian Series — Finetune's "Impulse" album by electronic musician and media artist Mikhail Komisarov (Michael Dop), co-founder of Slowdance Records.
__About the Music
Finetune is a project through which Mikhail explores and experiments with a sonic palette encompassing ambient, electronic music with elements of jazz and neoclassical. His medium combines modular synthesis, acoustic instruments, field recordings, and deliberately crafted effect chains. He creates distinctive compositions that guide listeners through various emotional states.
The "Impulse" album brings together ten tracks of experimental electronica: hypnotic synthesizer sequences, polyrhythmic structures, cinematic textures, and subtly shifting modulations blend into sonic landscapes where time becomes relative.
__Art Concept
The album's visual identity is based on the multidisciplinary neuro-performance "Impulse," created at the intersection of art and neurotechnology in collaboration with neurovisualization pioneers NeuroLab, digital art studio STAIN (working with algorithmic abstraction since 2009), and physical theatre project "Dancing in the Dark" — Russia's only company featuring visually impaired artists.
During the performance, the brain activity of visually impaired dancers was captured in real-time via neurointerface and transformed into generative graphics. This visual content, born from electrical impulses of consciousness in moments of musical perception, became the foundation for the album's artwork — both static and motion graphics.
Armenian house, jazz and broken beat fusionist Henna Onna lands on wax for the first time here courtesy of Deeppa Records. Opener 'Shibuya Oiran' uses syncopated drum patterns and modal synth lines that pull from Eastern tonal references within a club framework. Kuniyuki Takahashi's fine remix extends the track with live-feel percussion and sustained chord progressions. 'Enoshima' then focuses on a steady groove with filtered melodic elements while Satoshi Fumi's remix increases rhythmic density with smartly layered drums and bass sequencing. These are sophisticated sounds for serious heads.
Dylan Thomas of Patchouli Brothers fame is back with a pair of disco belters for the fifth edition of Dancing In Space's edits series. The opener, 'Sinner Man', is a real floorfiller with strings that reach for the heavens and trill with self-satisfied joy, while belting vocals bring a raw edge and funky bass gets lips curled. On the flip is 'Street Player,' which has a more lithe and jazzy vibe. This one is driven by live drums and big horns with a hooky vocal and majestic solos all sounding brilliantly lush. Two absolute weapons.
