Six years after his last album on Miasmah, Schattenspieler, it's great to find Marcus Fjellström resurrected after several long years spent composing his audio-visual opera Boris Christ.
Born out of shattered dreams and an obscured vision of the future, Skelektikon is a delirious yet lucid exploration of the farthest and most conflicted reaches of the heart, teeming with confusion, passion, and ghostly shadows. Being no conventional composer in any way, Marcus stumbles further down his musical domain of detuned orchestral (re-)arrangements and pain-inducing synth passages, arriving at a most unique and personal result. Where Schattenspieler gave way to noir filled alleyways, Skelektikon fills them with paranoia. It's the sound of Limbo, of dancing amoebas, of deviant skeletons, nostalgia and futurism, or quite possibly none of that.
Inhabited by the bizarre and the beautiful, Marcus's music is a blurred yet encouraging representation of how you can never trust your own feelings - or eyes and ears for that matter. And yet, we can't shake the idea that the truth is to be found somewhere within this alien language, as delivered to us through the speakers. Opening our eyes after the final track has dissipated, we wouldn't be surprised to find someone or something there, staring at us, in silent and unsettling knowledge.
Cerca:k boy
Berlin's Exit Strategy are back with newcomer LOR. Keeping in line with the label's established modus operandi, the promising young artist delivers some deep and emotive Techno. LOR's unique productions are drawing a lot of attention lately.
These driving but nevertheless spiritual sounds are making the magic happen.
- A1: Neno Exporta Som - Deixa A Tristeza
- A2: Alipio Martins - Piranha
- A3: Lemos & Debétio - Morro Do Barraco Sem Água
- A4: Barbosa - Seara De Ocala
- A5: Dave Pike Set - Mathar
- B1: ?Lantei Lamprey - Fish & Funjee (Komi Ke Kenam)
- B2: Buari - Karam Bani
- B3: ?The Rwenzori's - Handsome Boy (E Wara) Pt. 1 & 2
- C1: Mavis John - Use My Body
- C2: Big Youth - Mammy Hot Daddy Cool
- C3: Tappa Zukie - Freak
- D1: ?Connie Laverne - Can't Live Without You
- D2: ?Alex Rodrigues - El Mercado
- D3: Cortex - Chanson D'un Jour D'hiver
- D4: King James Version - He's Forever (Amen)
The first instalment in our new 'Mr Bongo Record Club' compilation series - a selection of favourites, recent discoveries and sought after obscurities, which form the basis of our DJ sets and our radio show of the same name. Including cuts by Claudia, Cortex, Dave Pike Set, Fruko, Neno Exporta Som, Connie Laverne, Barbosa and more. The original concept for 'Mr Bongo Record Club' was a radio show that allowed us to air our treasured record collections, recorded and broadcast once a
month. We wanted to create an outlet free from any genre or BPM restrictions, not constrained by the need to beat-mix every record, a space where we could play latest finds alongside favourites. The only self-imposed rule being that
it had to be played from vinyl. We have always DJ'd across-the-board, but playing in an eclectic way hasn't
always been easy. Recently DJ's such as MCDE, Floating Points, Nick The Record, Leon Vynehall, Four Tet, Jeremy Underground, Antal (Rush Hour), Sassy J and Young Marco - to name a few - have opened things up with very diverse sets to
younger audiences; Brazilian samba-rock, next to modern soul, highlife, disco, boogie, jazz, house, techno and beyond.
We're seeing a rare groove like sensibility. A shift towards the attitude of legendary club nights hosted by the likes of Mr Scruff and Gilles Peterson, where you could hear house, hip hop, Turkish funk, boogie, jazz, dub and Latin
back to back. At the same time it isn't a nostalgic or retro movement, people have a progressive attitude and a thirst for new-old music. It is a vibrant and exciting time - we are proud to be a part of it.
Synths Versus Me is a prolific duo formed by Vanessa Asbert and Nico Cabañas. They already put out a bunch of releases edited by Oráculo Records. Minimal Synth, EBM and Cold Wave from Lloret de Mar (Spain).
This 12' EP (ltd. 300 copies) includes two brand new tracks and two exclusive remixes. The original version of 1987' is an atomic bomb of pure vintage EBM in the vein of Signal Aout 42 and Front 242. The remix done by Dirk Da Davo from The Neon Judgement keeps the feeling of the track but adding some drums, guitar samplers and sequences trademarked by this Belgian legend. On the b-side there is the original mix of Aimless Device', an electro-pop tune with catchy melodies, analogic bass lines and female voices. The remix prepared for this track by the new american sensation Boy Harsher is a surefire dancefloor full of hypnotic beats and dark atmospheres. All tracks remastered by Eric Van Wonterghem at Prodam Studios (Berlin).
- A1: Hold Them - Roy Shirley With Lynn Taitt & His Band
- A2: I Am Lonely - The Heptones With The Supersonics
- A3: Dance All Night - The Tartans
- A4: Rock Steady - Alton Ellis & The Flames
- A5: Ba Ba Boom - The Jamaicans With Tommy Mccook & The Supersonics
- A6: Pata Pata Rock Steady - Patsy & The Count Ossie Band
- B1: You Don't Care - The Techniques With Tommy Mccook & The Supersonics
- B2: Little Boy Blue - Pat Kelly And The Uniques With Bobby Aitken & The Carib Be
- B3: I'm A Loving Pauper - Dobby Dobson With Tommy Ccook & The Supersonics
- B4: Return Home - Alva Lewis With Lynn Taitt & His Band
- B5: Just Like A River - Stranger Cole & Gladdy
- B6: El Casino Royale - Lynn Taitt & The Jets Feat. Count Sticky
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Rocksteady music genre, 17 North Parade presents "First Class Rocksteady". The collection captures early work from some of the genre's defining artists, and here are further 24 hot tracks additionally to the tracks of the limited edition 7x7Inch box set of the same name. Available as double vinyl with deluxe printed inner sleeves featuring sleeve notes and images.
Tracklisting: Side One A1. Hold Them - Roy Shirley with Lynn Taitt & His Band A2. I Am Lonely - The Heptones with The Supersonics A3. Dance All Night - The Tartans A4. Rock Steady - Alton Ellis and The Flames A5. Ba Ba Boom - The Jamaicans with Tommy McCook & The Supersonics A6. Pata Pata Rock Steady - Patsy & The Count Ossie Band Side Two B1. You Don't Care - The Techniques with Tommy McCook & The Supersonics B2. Little Boy Blue - Pat Kelly and The Uniques with Bobby Aitken & The Carib Beats B3. I'm A Loving Pauper - Dobby Dobson with Tommy McCook & The Supersonics B4. Return Home - Alva Lewis with Lynn Taitt & His Band B5. Just Like A River - Stranger Cole & Gladdy B6. El Casino Royale - Lynn Taitt & The Jets feat. Count Sticky Side Three C1. The Beatitude - The Uniques C2. Revelation - Alva Lewis C3. A Change Is Gonna Come - Ken Parker with Bobby Aitken & The Carib Beats C4. The Big Takeover - The Overtakers C5. I Am The Upsetter - Lee Perry C6. Musically - Keith Blake with Lynn Taitt Band Side Four D1. Lonely Heartaches - The Clarendonians with The Aubrey Adams All Stars D2. Napoleon Solo - Lynn Taitt & The Jets D3. Intensified - Desmond Dekker and The Aces D4. Hold Me Tight - Johnny Nash D5. Seeing Is Knowing - Stranger Cole & Gladdy with Lynn Taitt & The Jets D6. Darling Jeboza Macoo - Stranger Cole
- A1: Ghostbusters - Walk The Moon
- A2: Saw It Coming (From The "Ghostbusters" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - G-Eazy Feat. Jeremih
- A3: Good Girls (From The "Ghostbusters" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Elle King
- A4: Girls Talk Boys (From The "Ghostbusters" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - 5 Seconds Of Summer
- A5: Who - Zayn
- A6: Ghostbusters - Pentatonix
- A7: Ghoster - Wolf Alice
- A8: Ghostbusters (I'm Not Afraid) (From The "Ghostbusters" Original Motion Picture Soxundtrack) - Fall Out Boy Feat. Missy Elliott
- B1: Get Ghost - Mark Ronson, Passion Pit & A$Ap Ferg
- B2: Party Up (Up In Here) - Dmx
- B3: Rhythm Of The Night - Debarge
- B4: American Woman - Muddy Magnolias
- B5: Want Some More - Beasts Of Mayhem
- B6: Ghostbusters - Ray Parker, Jr
After making some massive claims regarding electronic music last year which caused a stir in the dance music community, Mat Zo had a lot to live up to with his long awaited second album "Self Assemble". What didn't help was the fact that his first album, "Damage Control" was critically acclaimed by many within dance music and is now considered a modern-day masterpiece with mesmerising tracks such as The Sky and the massive Easy with Porter Robinson.Blending genres and sounds in a way only Zo can achieve, this record flows incredibly well as the tracks move from one to the other almost telling a story of the different styles of electronic music. At times the album is reminiscent of Zo's incredible Essential Mix from back in 2013 in the way that it progresses and constantly surprises the listeners. A lot funkier than Damage Control, it's no less incredible.
Beginning with the beautifully atmospheric "Order out of Chaos" which starts with an absolute wall of sound that boggles the mind in how Zo even went about designing something so complex, this sets the tone for the rest of the record in a cracking way. The melody soon crescendos and we're introduced in to the meat of the album with "The Enemy". Bringing out all the good funky vibes on this track, again Zo exhibits his insane production talents which are a staple of the album. Featuring vocals from the wonderful Sinead Egan, this is a great uplifting tune that'll no doubt have you dancing in your chair or in the club.
'Sinful" acts to continue the funky good-time vibes and transports us to a cool summertime drive. It has us yearning for happier times and again the guest vocals from I SEE MONSTAS go a long way in getting across this happy vibe. Featuring an uplifting almost french house inspired bassline and squelch synths that wouldn't look out of place on a Daft Punk or Madeon record, this is another stunning track from the record. "Patterns Emerging" feels like a bridge into the next section of the album and is unfortunately short. The orchestral element really brings out the emotion on this track and we only wish it was longer. "Killing Time" has those classic chopped up vocals that Zo uses to great effect and some nicely programmed drums that could be a nod to the drum and bass he used to put out under MRSA.'Smacked up on Jack" features some cool middle eastern sounds and a wacky vocal sample that helps to progress the album and keep the listener interested, again though we feel like it's a bit too short and are left wanting more. The next tune "Ruffneck Bad Boy VIP" is an absolute mammoth and one of our favourites off the record. Opening with an immense rhodes melodic sequence and after some nice vocals, the track rips into the electro house and dubstep infused banger that it really is. Some dirty, dirty sound design and drum production will have the dance floors going wild and shows us again why Zo is so good, it's a far cry from the funkier elements of the earlier stuff on the album and shows how Zo can show off a range of electronic sounds. "Lights Out" is a straight up hard hitting electro banger with an infectious vocal sample that only needs to be heard to be understood. Not much more needs to be said about it! Coming into the last section of the record, "Soul Food" returns us to the groove with an astonishing house beat and bass line that have us questioning how Zo makes it so hard not to smile listening to this album."Stereo no Aware" starts sounding like it's taken straight from a space movie epic and soon transforms into a goose bump inducing melody with a driving growling bass line that bring back the epic dubstep we all used to love a couple of years ago. Skrillex eat your heart out. Finishing off this record on a more emotional note, "Too Late" starts off like a guitar ballad and then transforms into something totally different. Egan's melancholic vocals enhance this track to great effect and is all backed by Zo's lovely downbeat production until we're treated to a monster of a climax around half way through the track which will surely blow the cobwebs right off you. Zo says goodbye to us with the phenomenal "The Last Transmission" and what a way this is to close out an incredible sophmore album for the English producer. The melancholic piano chords are a subtle and pleasing way to close out this journey of a record. Mat Zo really has outdone himself here and we're really looking forward to hearing some of these bombs dropped live. Surely a contender for album of the year at such an early stage, yet again it's only the best delivered by Mat Zo.
Latest album, Damage Control was Grammy-nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album last year
'To pick up where 'I Am The Walrus' left off'; that was the goal when Electric Light Orchestra formed in the early seventies. They wanted to steep different music styles in a rock tradition and mix in some Beatlesque pop, but it took Jeff Lynne & co until their third album Eldorado to get on the right track. Their most ambitious album to date, they decided to hire a 30 piece orchestra and choir to fill out their sound, and the investment paid off. With the unforgettable 'Can't Get It Out Of My Head' as the lead single, 'Eldorado' was a commercial as well as a critical success, and it would achieve gold status in the US. 'The English guys with the big fiddles' had arrived!
After a first EP released in 2013 at Because Music, Andrea has gained ground and comes back 26th February with Idealist", a first album that gathers the electronic aspect of Todd Terje, as well as the disco of West-African inspiration of William Onyeabor, or even Liquid Liquid's kind of rythms. He already has his media supporters. Idealist was in part inspired by a chance discovery of some music on a hard drive given to Andrea by Salvatore Principato, singer with seminal New York post-punks Liquid Liquid, after their paths had crossed in 2011 when Principato produced an EP for Andrea's previous band did. I was looking for something to inspire me,' he remembers. So I plugged it in and suddenly there were all these amazing sounds.
This LP walks among beat outbursts, orchestral tracks and some references to the rock sound of the time. "Psichedelica" contains the first version of Umiliani's most famous composition: "Mah-Nà Mah-Nà", a track that will be a mixed blessing of his artistic life, here appearing as an outtake from the "Svezia Inferno e Paradiso" OST, under the title "Viva la sauna svedese".
- A1: Liberty-Junior Ross And The Spears
- A2: Bosra-Prince Alla
- A3: Black Princess-Linford Nugent
- A4: Press Along Natty-Cornell Campbell
- A5: Death Before Dishonour-Dennis Brown
- A6: Natty Dread A Weh She Want-Horace Andy
- A7: Morgan The Pirate-The Mighty Diamonds
- B1: Everyone Has Their Work Onearth-Rockey Dread
- B2: No Weak Heart-Ronnie Davis
- B3: Marcia-Freddy Mckay
- B4: We A Feel It-Alton Ellis
- B5: Bad Boy- The Mighty Diamonds
- B6: World Of Tribulation -Cornell Campbell
- B7: Run Babylon- Horace Andy
Tapper Zukie is not only a successful recording artist in his own right but a well respected producer also.
In the mid 1970's he set up his own record label Stars to help nurture the many artists who were rising in Kingston,Jamaica.
In doing so he created a great catalogue of Reggae music that few artists have bettered.
For this release with the help of Tapper Zukie himself,we have picked the highlights of the Star label to make this great album.
All the artists are stars and all the tracks shine....
Hope you enjoy the set.....
Special Remarks: 10'' vinyl in a cardboard sleeve with 3mm spine. CD included.
Les Fils du Calvaire is a Parisian trio (Jo, Damien & Clément. Nowadays they spend their time between the French capital and Berlin. They are also the creators of the hybrid electronic music project, dOP, signed on Circus Company, the label who released the first album of Nicolas Jaar. Les Fils du Calvaire is hybrid, transversal between elegant French Pop, decadent club music and outgoing cabaret. They compose for people who are singing in the shower, those who drive by night, for the charming ones while dancing upside down. Especially for those who understood that present may be our last freedom. And all this without any nostalgia. They also know how to pick their cast: they called Ash Workman for his production skills (Metronomy, Christine and the Queens...) to do the mixing of their first album. Rester avec Toi' is a perfect flavour extract from the forthcoming album ' Fils de ,
Following the huge success of the lead single "Settle Down" (played twice on one show by David Rodigan!), Blend Mishkin and the Roots Evolution band deliver their stunning debut album "Survival Of The Fittest" for NICE UP! records. Having spent most of his professional career behind either a computer screen or pair of turntables, Athens based producer Blend Mishkin (real name George Mantas) has been putting in work since the mid 90s with releases on labels such as Pork Recordings, Tru Thoughts, Shadow Records and many more. For this, actually his 8th studio album, he decided to do something a little different and step out from behind the computer. A chance meeting with some like minded musicians led to a conversation about them re-creating some of his past tracks for a potential live show, but after much thought it was decided that something brand new and fresh was needed. After numerous sessions and jams, a collection of tracks had begun to take shape. Recorded live and then taken back to the lab for mixing and dubbing, "Survival Of The Fittest" is the fruits of these sessions. The next step was to scout for vocal performers to bring the rhythms to life, with the focus on using both international and local talent to give a wide breadth of influences and themes. Lining up are Rebel Salute show-stopper and Juno award winning Exco Levi and seasoned veteran Skarra Mucci from Jamaica, UK reggae/dancehall don Gappy Ranks, Italian raggamuffin KG Man, Mandinka Warrior from Denmark and fellow Greek BNC amongst many others. Retaining an authentic vibe whilst keeping it current, "Survival Of The Fittest" is a truly modern roots reggae album.
Composer, improviser, and Buchla Music Easel master Charles Cohen returns to Morphine with a suite of new material.
In keeping with the timbre spectrum of his semi-modular system, Brother I Prove You Wrong is built around pointillist analog tones—Cohen's cosmic "beeps and boops"—that swarm and scatter in mesmeric patterns across four sides. Moving through surrealistic textural overlays and industrial miasma, the album's nine tracks reveal a more introspective and personal side of the artist, following from a retrospective LP trilogy released via Morphine in 2013. Those assembled works, dating back to the late '70s, quickly became essential listening and brought Cohen—at the time largely unknown outside Philadelphia's experimental circuit—to critical renown.
Brother I Prove You Wrong was recorded in Berlin in September 2014 using the Buchla Music Easel, with production help and support from Rabih Beaini. Mastered by Neel and curated and designed by Tank Boys; cover art by Nathalie du Pasquier.
Recorded in 2014, Stranger Than You marks a conscious return to the sounds and styles explored on their debut album Swimming in 1982. There's a strong element of reconnection,' explains singer/songwriter (and bassist) Michel Sordinia. Yet at the same time it's also about developing your own legitimate strangeness, just as the great Surrealist poet Rene Char invited his readers to do. A new mystery singing in your bones.'
Michel and guitarist Marc Deprez are joined by new members Laurent Loddewyckx (drums) and Christophe Boulenger (keyboards and piano). Stand-out tracks include the dynamic title track, Kids On Fire and quickfire Boy With A Gun, as well as more contemplative, elegiac numbers such as Lights and My Angel of Death.
The cover art is an original painting by long term Names associate Benoit Hennebert, celebrated for his work as design director for Les Disques du Crepuscule, with portrait photography by Peter Staessens. The double vinyl edition is housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve and includes a free digital download code.
- A1: Bad Boy-Triston Palma
- A2: Never Trouble Trouble-Tony Tuff
- A3: Single Life-Robert Ffrench
- A4: String Up The Sound System-Michael Palmer
- A5: Champion Bubbler-Puddy Roots
- A6: Police Police-Ashanti Waugh
- A7: Fancyness-Triston Palma
- B1: A Little Bit Of Love-Phillip Frazer
- B2: Barrel Mentality-Bill Blast
- B3: Inner City Blues-Cutty Ranks
- B4: Reggae Fever-Michael Forbes
- B5: Ethiopia-Tony Carver
- B6: Strawberry-Eddie Constantine
- B7: The Lord Is My Light-Rod Taylor
In the beginning of the 80's reggae music became increasingly in tune with what was happening in Kingston's dancehalls....probably more so than at any time since the sound system operators had started to make their own shuffle and boogie in the late 50's..
The international audience and the critics were too busy looking for a new Bob Marley to appreciate what was happening downtown and failed to acknowledge that this was a return to the real,raw roots of the music...brash,confidient,young record producers who were totally in tune with the youth audience stepped forward and seized the moment...
Oswald'Ossie'Thomas began his apprenticeship in the music business at the age of fourteen and served his time as a record salesman for Bunny 'Striker 'Lee and Winston 'Niney the Observer' Holness before moving on to Miss Sonia Pottingers Tip Top Records...
'I ended up working in three record stores on Orange Street from 1976 to 1981...Yeah man,Me deh 'pon me bicycle till I buy my motorcycle..Them days records were coming out left right and centre..everyday'
Ossie Thomas...
It was during his time with Miss Pottinger that Ossie began to produce records for himself and in 1979 Ossie and Phillip Morgan began The Black Solidarity label based deep in the Kingston ghetto on Delamere Avenue.
And the man who had made his name in the business selling other people's records now became one of the most important and influential record producers of the era..




















