Fr!sky Buziness is known for his rolling minimal house sound on labels such as Hoarder and Pathway Traxx. Now presenting on Girasole his Heartquencher EP. A 3 track EP with a full sunrise to sunset feeling.
A1 Dreaminizer starts slowly perfect for sunrise with a rolling tech
rhythm. A2 Cyberspanker again rolling but a bit deeper and will hit you with that funky bassline. The B side is complete for Heartquencher with its warm and sexy bassline which will get you dancing with the sunset in mind.
4/5 REVIEW IN SHINDIG! ''Incorporating afrobeat and a more spiritual sound in amongst its heavy beats and super-tight musicianship''
As pioneers in the burgeoning modern funk scene of the '90s The Poets of Rhythm created new standards, transcending the parameters lesser groups were defined by. With Discern / Define the Poets took their brand of classic funk to the next level by blending elements of rock, psychedelia, afro-beat, jazz and heavy, heavy drums to create a wholly original brand of transcendent, funky soul.
Anyone who has tried to cop an OG in the last twenty years knows how difficult of a task that has proven to be - not necessarily due to rarity, but more to the fact that people simply DO NOT get rid of this album. It's a testament to the fact that Discern / Define has no shelf life. It's a bonafide classic that any discerning funk and soul fan must have in their collection. Now sporting a deluxe gatefold jacket with reimagined artwork, it is an honor to get these back on the shelves of a record shop near you. Cop one today!
"They have the unique power of being able to depart from tradition in order to bring advancement music and unsuspecting listeners, yet still please the purists with home-cooked "Funk-of-Ages" values"
- Lyrics Born
Kay-Dee Records is coming at you with a 45 double-hitter, presenting Bert Hector’s ‘The Phoenix’ and ‘The Kraken’ with Kenny Dope on remix duties.
On the first record, we’re treated to ‘The Phoenix’: a sure-fire funk gem with a super warm sound. The beat is as cool as it gets, with a laid-back and funky attitude, sitting beneath a joyous intermingling of sitar, flute, brass and guitar - all performed at expert levels.
‘The Kraken’ has a killer groove, struttin’ along at 85 bpm with a real old-school sound on the beat. Joining the breaks is a huge brass section which pumps loud, while flute solos and funky Wah-wah guitar chops take things up a notch. This is a pure, unadulterated groove.
The first official compilation of DISCO STUPENDA, the party that brings back hidden masterpieces of Italian music to the dancefloor and that is sweeping the entire Italy and beyond, is finally coming out in vinyl, its most appropriate format.
The selection is by TOMMIBOY, resident DJ and founder of Italy’s most Italian party… everyone dances!
The 8 killer Disco Funk tracks tested on the most disparate dancefloors – from clubs in London, Berlin, Copenhagen, New York, Istanbul, Tunis, etc. to the Italian beach – are extremely rare gems that are hard to find even on the collector’s market.
FullTime Production is honored to presents Kano "I'm Ready" featuring remixes by Mousse T. and FrescoEdits!
"I'm Ready" published in 1980 on FullTime Production, among the first
success, also peaked at #21 on the R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and at 8# on the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the United States.
Kano combining elements of 1970s disco, funk and R&B while extensively using synthesizers and percussive handclaps as well as raw-processed and vocoderized vocals inspired by United States and European disco, from Chic and Giorgio Moroder.
The great producer Mousse T. gave us his great musical experience, he wanted to make the song a real hit in the house music and disco music genres.
The piano, the voice and harmony were transformed into something softer and less computerized and metallic. Mousse T. made us glimpse the immensity behind a remix and the most diverse musical facets that only an excellent producer can astound and leave the listener speechless.
The musical break of the "extended club remix" at minute 03:24 makes us raise our arms to the sky and clap our hands!
FrescoEdits introduced his more afro side to the remix by expertly
marking the percussion and resulting in a funk and tribal remix.
FrescoEdits is an artistic project that has based its success from the
love and art of sampling big hits as well as a label and a community, is
among the most highly regarded artists in the disco edits.
Compiling the follow-up to a very successful first album is always a tricky task, but just 12 months since the release of volume one in the 'With Love' series, miche has excelled himself once again with another glorious, deep dive into the world of rare soul. 15 tracks of independently released music, created by magnificent artists with stories to tell and primed for rediscovery.
The ambition to celebrate under-the-radar artists has remained, but instead of a facsimile of volume one, what we have here is a selection shaped by life changes. Volume two is for the dancers; still soulful, still ultra-rare and slept-on records from the USA, Chile, Brazil and beyond, but the dynamics of the collection have shifted slightly. It represents a move from being immersed in a week in week out environment of beautiful, soulful music in a cosy, dimly lit hi-fi bar to playing livelier, more energetic, dancefloor-focused music in nightclubs. This volume will get you on your feet, make you move and unleash whatever it is that makes you get down.
One of the jewels in the crown of this compilation is a joyous, anthemic gospel version of Stevie Wonder's 'As' by The Family Tree (a project produced by the fantastic Julius Brockington). We are also treated to a rare and sought-after Pennsylvanian funk / AOR bomb by Maxwell, a stunning modern soul tune 'High On You' by Freedom, and self-released Brazilian 45s by Banda 22 and Zé Da Lata. P.J. City's 'Straight Forward (Non-Stop)' is gospel-disco perfection, and we also have 'Dame Solamente Amor’, a sublime, soul beauty from Chile by Rogers Mitchell. Many of these artists featured in this compilation aren't household names, but they deserve their moment to shine, to be heard, loved and appreciated for their artistry.
As Miche says it, “I hope this compilation helps in some way to keep this glorious music alive and play a part in connecting generations of music lovers from the worldwide soul family. As always, it has been made ‘With Love’.”
Polish septet EABS apply an innovatve approach to jazz, distlling it
through the prism of hip-hop, blending it with elements of soul, funk and electronic music. ‘Slavic Spirits’ was 2 years in the making and contains 100% original material. They are joined by 22a head-honcho Tenderlonious who lends his exceptonal soprano saxophone and flute playing to all seven tracks.
Afer their very well-received 2017 debut album ‘Repettons (Leters to Krzysztof Komeda)’, focusing on the lesser-known works of the legendary Polish composer, the Wroclaw-based EABS decided to further expand this lead and released two more vinyl records, ‘Live At Jazz Club Hipnoza (Katowice)’ and ‘Kraksa / Svantetc’, the later recorded directly on tape and released via 22a, which crowned the “Kom eda triptych”. The astounding recepton of these releases built up loyal following outside of their natve Poland and whet listeners’ appette for completely new recordings.
For this LP the musicians turned to Slavic mythology and Polish demonology, while pondering upon the contemporary spiritual conditon of Poles. The enigmatc “Slavic melancholy” remains the main inspiraton, as the band tried to extract it from their own DNA. ‘Slavic Spirits’ is an endeavour to get in touch with the world of a long and brutally lost culture which, due to lack of sources, will never be thoroughly explored.
Personnel: Marek Pedziwiatr (piano, synths & vocal), Vojto Monteur (guitar), Pawel Stachowiak (bass), Jakub Kurek (trumpet), Olaf Wegier (tenor saxophone), Marcin Rak (drums), Spisek Jednego (samples, sound fx & percussion), special guest: Tenderlonious (soprano saxophone & flute)
Afroterraneo Music founder Kiko Navarro joins forces with old friends and fellow Balearic heroes DJ Pippi and Willie Graff for the 'Tempistica Mistica EP', comprising two percussive, Afro-Latin flavoured prime cuts of dancefloor-ready House music.
Kiko Navarro met DJ Pippi and Willie Graff in the early 2000's, when he was resident at Pacha Mallorca. Making a pilgrimage to Pacha's Ibizan mothership to make sure two venues were musically aligned, he quickly became friends with Pippi, who was resident at the club, and Graff, who was hosting the Funky Room upstairs. Unbelievably, the three had never collaborated together before until December 2022, when Graff and Pippi finally visited Kiko's Mallorca studio and 'Tempistica Mistica' was born.
Heavily inspired by Cuban conga rhythms, opening track 'N'Fumbei' deftly blends live percussion, horns and vocals with pristine rhythmic synths and warm electronic touches to summon up a cosmic carnival taking place somewhere between the past and the future...
The floaty, piano-led 'Esanah' raises the tempo into timeless Latin House territory, paying homage to the fusion sounds pioneered by the likes of Julien Jabre & Dj Gregory in the late 90s, while updating the sonics and arrangements to sound completely fresh.
Finally, 'N'Fumbeats' strips 'N'Fumbei' down to bare bones and lets the percussion ride out, making an essential DJ weapon for those serious dancers.
8 tracks of genuine mid-90s acid, techno, and ambient for fans of AGE, Spacetime Continuum, Caustic Window & Air Liquide.
Reissue of A3000 "Magnetic Gliding" album, produced by Swiss musicians Marco Repetto and Stefan Riesen, also known as Synectics on Rephlex and founders of Axodya Records. Originally released in 1995 on the Italian Disturbance label, it has now been remastered and proudly reissued for 2023 in a limited edition of 500 copies by Musique Pour La Danse. Enjoy this trip.
Marco Repetto was a member of the world-famous wave/punk band Grauzone. In the late '80s, he delved into techno, ambient, and psychedelic music, drawing inspiration from nature and shamanic knowledge. His performances are described as colorful, playful, and mind-opening experiences. His main project now is "Bigeneric," which he releases on his label, Inzec Records.
Stefan Riesen has been a prominent figure in the Swiss techno scene since 1995. He is the founder-manager of Phont Music, SuperBra, Morris/Audio, Floppy Funk, and Speaker Attack. He has (co-)produced numerous tracks under various aliases on different labels, including Box Blaze, Flaptrack, Hooper, Nylon, Sonic Tourism, Spin, A3000, Box Blaze & Deetron, Dialogue, Lausen, R.B.R., Sidestepper, Silver Zone, Skank Burner, Synectics, and more.
Originally released in 1973, Black Pearl’s overall sound is the epitome of cool, orchestral funk / dramatic styles of the 1970s (e.g. “Next Stop LA”, “Collect”, “Oh! Militia”, “Choctaw”, “Black Pearl”, and “Blue Shadow”). Also featured are several more romantic, laid-back, emotive pieces such as “Miraculous Dream”, “Tryst”, “Sunny Monday”, “Melody and Lace”, “Monochrome”, “No Return”. Not to mention a couple of surprise solo honky-tonk piano jaunts – “The Vamp” and “Night of the Garter”.An eclectic mix that is sure to pique anyone’s interest. The album was produced by Alan Parker and Alan Hawkshaw, who is perhaps best-known for composing “The Champ”, which has been widely sampled and emulated by hip hop artists.“Library records are a collection of little one-minute pieces for soundtracks recorded by session musicians for movies, TV, student films, whatever. I don’t actually know the story behind when, why, or where they were made but…there were a bunch of different labels that made them and still probably do, and I was on the hunt for any recorded between 1969 and 1976. They all have random song titles like “Bouncy Strut” with descriptions like “hard-driving beat with percussion.” So imagine how much funky shit is on them. For me, De Wolfe Music was the best.”– Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz of the Beastie Boys
Pellegrino & Zodyaco, with their new single 'Malìa', continue the aesthetic and sonic journey of the project led by the Neapolitan producer, with a mixture of Neapolitan disco-funk and fusion steeped in Latin flavour that already explored the innermost corners of the soul with 'Quimere'. This new work captures the frenzy and vibrant character of Naples, with its rarefied atmospheres and infectious groove that evoke the beating heart of the city and take us on a journey through the wonder of life in search of the Mediterranean essence.
The 'Malìa' is enchanting, it’s that mysterious force that hides deep inside, transforming itself into a vortex of emotions through the fusion of involving rhythms and reflections on inner battles, on the importance of finding the 'light' to overcome conflicts and difficulties that hinder the ability to choose, a dreamlike mirage that opens a window on human vulnerability, a hymn to authenticity, to self-acceptance.
The celebration of dance in the Caribbean Escapade version is also an exhortation to escape from everyday life; it takes us into a sonic imagery that plays with the Neapolitan musical tradition and the freshness of Caribbean and Latin sounds. This summer single becomes an ode to the vital energy of dance music: there is no more time for hesitation, one must let oneself be carried away by the enthralling embrace of 'Malìa', like a call to awareness and the search for authenticity in life. Malìa becomes the guiding thread, the mystery that urges us to go beyond the confines of everyday life, to explore and celebrate the complexity of existence.
With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning “brother” and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.
Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group the Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, Butterfly (1975) and The Battle of Disco (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jaw-dropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of The Battle of Disco was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.
For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As-Shams/The Sun collection. Afrodelic’s unique edition of Butterfly features a previously unreleased track on Side B.
With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning “brother” and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.
Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group the Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, Butterfly (1975) and The Battle of Disco (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jaw-dropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of The Battle of Disco was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.
For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As-Shams/The Sun collection. Afrodelic’s unique edition of Butterfly features a previously unreleased track on Side B.
Red hot Italian DJ and production collective Aura Safari is back with a second full-length album, Island Dreams. It lands on Hell Yeah Recordings on September 15th and is another live and sun-kissed odyssey through balmy Mediterranean evenings, gorgeous sundown sessions and funky analogue grooves.
Andrea Moretti, Lorenzo Lavoratori, Daniele Melloni, Nicholas Iammatteo, Lorenzo Francioli, Ruggero Bonucci and Nicola Pitassio are Aura Safari, and between them they play drums, percussion, bass, keys, and guitar. They contributed to the first volume of the Buena Onda compilation in 2020 on this label, a year after serving up a debut album on London's Church Records. Since then they have become ever more entrenched in their local scene in Perugia, playing summer sets at the Umbria Jazz Festival, winter warmers at the legendary Red Zone Club and host their own Tropical Climax parties each month in the town centre.
Aura Safari are also deep-digging music collectors who have extensive and far-reaching tastes. When cooking up their sounds they draw on everything from Afro to Italo, house to disco, 80s boogie to world music, jazz and Balearic beats. This new album shows that once more across four sides of vinyl that sweep you up and transport you to somewhere idyllic.
The title track kicks off with steamy Mediterranean grooves embellished with lush Rhodes chords and sprinkles of cosmic magic. 'Sur Mon Balconnet' then slips into dubbed-out disco territory with 80s synths and leggy drums while 'Riserva Naturale' is a new-age jazz house sound with majestic lead synths and heart-melting chords that speak of a sunset dance on the beach. 'Onda' has squelchy boogie bass with hip-swinging drums, 'Wave Riding' is a lo-fi funk excursion with hints of West Coast Californian swagger and 'Magic Malbe' is loose-limbed Balearica with clear blue skies and blissed-out chords.
'Dancing in the Moonlight' feat. Zeke Manyika has all the vibrant feelings of bubblegum pop with Afro vocals and steel drum sounds next to rich xylophone sounds. There is plenty of heat and exotic charm to the proto-Afro house of 'Tropical Climax' and as well as dub versions of 'Sur Mon Balconnet' and 'Dancing in the Moonlight' come the scuffed-up Dam-Funk style beats and boogie of 'Disco Mantra' before closer 'Patagonia' shuts down with elastic drums and bass and playful synth leads that send you home wanting more.
Island Dreams is a tropical escape to a rich world of fusion sounds that look back to go forwards. It's a feel-good record to accompany hot nights and lazy afternoons, cocktails at dusk and dancing till dawn.
This new Acid Avengers EP celebrates the new UK electro scene with two of his most talented ambassadors : London-based producer Nite Fleit, known for some killer records on Unknown To The Unknown, Return to Disorder and International Chrome, and Bornemouth-based producer False Persona, who just released an EP on Nite Fleit's label Atomic Alert. The result of this association is six punchy acid tracks, somewhere between funky electro and dark techno !
Welcome to the unmissable second part of this momentous collection, collecting the output of a true outlier in UK creative culture, an artist that has helped change the landscape of electronic music, KRUST.
Introducing 'Irrational Numbers,' a meticulously curated collection of five parts, available on both vinyl and digital formats. This compilation is a treasure trove of hand-picked records and archival gems from Krust's extensive discography, thoughtfully remastered and presented anew for both devoted fans and newcomers.
'Irrational Numbers' features a dizzying array of self-released 12" cuts, exclusive unreleased VIPs and dub-plates, alongside epic major label widescreen classics. It's an unmissable journey through the sonic output of one of the UK's most distinctive and forward-looking producers.
This 2nd volume of seminal and forward thinking music from the legendary Bristol producer and DJ boasts a plethora of unmissable cuts; the staccato and clipped jazz funk of 'Blaze Dis One', the widescreen epic futurism of 'True Stories' and the all-time classic anthem 'Warhead' all feature, proving what a formidable and original force Krust is.
For longtime Krust enthusiasts, this project serves as a fond reminder of the boundless creativity and originality that flourished during the early 1990s and beyond. For those new to his work, it presents an enthralling introduction to innovative electronic music that has comfortably set the tone for generations to come. Get ready to experience the evolution of sound and immerse yourself in the visionary artistry of Krust.
New Zealand disco-boogie outfit Flamingo Pier plant some Brooklyn roots with their fresh new ‘Beneath the Neon EP’ on Razor-N-Tape. Known for parties in East London and their massive hometown festival, as well as previous releases on Soundway, the Kiwi collective deliver a trio of new songs that solidify and expand their signature danceable blue-eyed indie-soul sound.
Lead off single 'How 2 Feel' shows a clubbier side of the band, with a pulsating house rhythm track and layers of angular synth stabs, vibey horn lines, and vocal chants. 'Beneath the Neon' and 'Remedy' are more familiar Flamingo Pier territory, upbeat indie disco anthems that boast incendiary vocal hooks, funky guitar work, and crisp production by Luke Walker.
Rounding out the EP are remixes by Chicago house legend Glenn Underground, and RNT co-head JKriv, whose mix features a guest appearance by Afro-boogie royalty Steve Monite.
Oozing with hazy sun, Beneath the Neon is the perfect soundtrack to soak up the dog days of summer.
Originating from Adelaide while performing and producing as half of the duo 'Warren Raww', Hank YM got his start by throwing a string of events in the well catered establishment 'Sugar Nightclub'.
While supporting and hosting the likes of Funkineven, Damiano Von Erkcert, Mark Grusane and Florist, ambition turned more towards production in 2017. Taking inspiration from fellow Adelaide musicians such as Mic Mills, Arthur Miles and Freddie Norwood (Untzz Records), the focus in Hank's sound has always been to create a unique experience, with sets flowing from roots percussion through to house and disco. First debuting with a strong release on Australian Label 'Centre Source Records', 'Wabi-Sabi' placed focus on percussion and lush chords inspired from Japanese aesthetic
Following the recently dropped ‘Strobe Queen’, which picked up support from Honey Dijon, Sean Johnston, Laurent Garnier, BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong and Danny Howard amongst many more, Radio Slave returns with another standout House cut ‘Wild Life’, turning in two exceptional Disco and Dub mixes.
“I’ve always adored the “Wildpitch” era of DJ Pierre, Roy Davis Jnr, DJ Duke and labels like Power Music It’s definitely influenced my work as Radio Slave and “Wild Life” started out as a nod to that early nighties sound. Conceived during the pandemic, I had the track mapped out and then with help of a good friend I decided to add live bass, loads of analogue keyboards and record the whole thing live and it became this super funky disco jam.” - Radio Slave
Radio Slave aka Matt Edwards is one of dance music’s undisputed heavyweights. Having made his name as a DJ in the 90s, he went on to become the king of edits, twisting pop, R&B and indie cuts into essential versions that consistently set clubs alight. Since the mid-2000s, Edwards’ originals have helped define modern dance music, tackling techno, house, breakbeat, minimal and disco whilst exploring dub, balearic sounds and ambient across the myriad of other aliases and projects.
Most Excellent Unlimited is happy to announce the next release in its series of collaborations with master DJ and editor "Mr. K". Two exceptional deep classic album gems skillfully cut down to a maximum 7" 45rpm format, Luther’s “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)” and Zulema’s “Giving Up.”
Long before “Never Too Much” and his other solo hits, Luther Vandross was an in-demand backup singer and vocal arranger, working with luminaries like Carly Simon, Bette Midler, and Donna Summer, along with his stand out performances in Change, Bionic Boogie, & so many more. Perhaps his most significant role, however, was backing David Bowie on the 1975 Young Americans album. It was during these sessions that Bowie heard Luther’s song “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)” and re-tooled it to become the Bowie/Vandross joint composition “Fascination,” which went on to become a successful Bowie single.
For the latest edition of Most Excellent Unlimited’s series of edits, Mr. K has gone back to the original source, credited to the group (not the solo artist) Luther (which also features Christine Wiltshire). Mr. K's technique on this edit is cleverly subtle, in the process giving us the first opportunity to get almost the entire full-length song on compact 7-inch wax, keeping that irresistible building energy that places the track firmly on dancefloor-friendly territory.
“Giving Up” was the opening track on Zulema’s second LP, and given the drama of the intro, with its rolling piano, string ensemble, and piercing guitar, it’s not hard to hear why it was effective in that role. Mr. K’s edit benefits from a crystal clear remastering in which each element of the band is distinct in the soundfield, led by Zulema’s gutsy vocals upfront. Originally a 1964 Gladys Knight tearjerker that crept along at a tango’s pace, Zulema’s 1973 cover gives the song a new, powerfully soulful arrangement, championed by such disparate eras and tastemakers as Nicky Siano at the Gallery in the ’70s and breakbeat hunters the Beatnuts in the ’90s that has easily found favor with a wide variety of listeners and DJs, and this new issue should solidify that position. Never before available on 7-inch, “Giving Up” is a bonafide funk and proto-disco classic —
Mysteries Of The World is the stunning final studio album from legendary Philly supergroup MFSB. Expertly co-written and produced with the mighty Dexter Wansel, it features the untouchable, sparkling masterpiece "Mysteries Of The World". The whole album is truly exquisite; a stylish, classy collection of pure Philly soul and orchestral jazz-funk.
MFSB, an acronym for Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, was formed by producers Gamble & Huff of Philadelphia International Records. The band's roots can be traced back to the house band at the legendary Sigma Sound Studios, where they played on numerous hit records by artists like The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and The Stylistics. Mysteries Of The World comprises slick jazz-funk grooves, mostly penned by Wansel, who produced a fair chunk of the album in a similar style to his space-funk records. MFSB's smooth sound is retained but it receives a fresh, elegant and jazzy upgrade. While this album is as mellow as the rest of the latter-period MFSB recordings, it never forgets the group's soul music underpinnings.
Swaggering, well-timed horn blasts, sweeping strings and a percolating, hard thumping slap-bassline combine to devastating effect on amazing opener "Manhattan Skyline". It's a sexy mid-tempo instrumental which sets us up nicely for what follows. Essays could be written analysing the perfection of title track. Arguably the finest jazz-funk instrumental ever made, it's absolutely magnificent. Featuring musicianship of the highest calibre, the band play with their trademark tight discipline, cooking up a syncopating rhythm with an array of exploratory keyboard riffs wrapped around a punchy bassline sent from heaven. It sounds like house music, it's that ahead of its time. The string intro is sumptuous, hypnotic and divine and that's all before the beat hits. The track fuses classical, jazz and funk into a musical journey that you never want to end. Absolutely flawless, it's a dramatic disco dancefloor killer.
Says Dexter Wansel himself: "You know, of all the songs I wrote/produced/arranged for MFSB, this is for me the most different. I think it's an experiment in rhythmic, soft sonic synth and live string and harp combinations. I composed it in an effort to blend a funky groove, along with synthesis, and orchestral sounds. There are 3 synthesizers: Oberheim 4 voice, Polymoog, and of course Arp 2600v. And, as I remember, I recorded the track with the rhythm section, string, harp and flute players first. Then I added synthesis."
The profound elegance remains in abundance on the slinky, harp-laced "Tell Me Why"; Carla Benson's beautiful voice truly shines on this sophisticated cut. The side closes out in dramatic style with the string-drenched "Metamorphosis". It's a staccato, Blaxploitation groove workout featuring wah-wah guitar, creeping basslines, rich horn solos and soulful vocals drifting in and out of the mix. The bouncy, irrepressible "Fortune Teller" opens the B side in the bass-heavy orchestral funk style before the beautiful "Old San Juan" glides in, a Balearic-adjacent track with intricate arrangements, building its mellow soul groove around an atypical flamenco guitar hook. Melancholy, guitar-led instrumental "Thank You Miss Scott" is a real highlight, with gorgeous flute, string and percussive elements whilst closer "In the Shadow" works an otherworldly synth line into its bossa nova groove.
An essential record for fans of Philly soul and groovy jazz-funk, Mysteries Of The World was mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis and cut by Cicely Ralston for Alchemy at AIR Studios. The stunning artwork, the work of renowned illustrator Robert Giusti, was restored at Be With HQ to round out this beautiful reissue.
Life has changed in the eight years since the release of II. In ours, yours and Gala Drop themselves. Most times without noticing it, partly due to those two years of a semi-existence that still resonates and with the ongoing predatory gentrification process changing the landscape and life of Lisbon, home to the band since ever. Close to a decade and a half of existence, with various mutations along the way enacting new perspectives and moments of stillness and reflection to a sound that's been mutating itself to its own internal rhythm and agency under the guiding light of the core duo of Afonso Simões and Nélson Gomes. Now a trio, with Rui Dâmaso transitioning from II after the departure of Jerry the Cat and Guilherme Canhão, Gala Drop sound even more focused as a working band, with their new album title Amizade – friendship in Portuguese – making perfect sense in a celebration of their, by now, patented soundworld of cosmic inspiration: krautrock's endless and hypnotic potential, dub's sense of transient space, the throb of house, balearic dreams, polyrhythms and a communal sense of belonging.
Again, this sprawling sphere of influence opens itself to new shapes and inspirations, but there's a deeper sense of accuracy and direction, with the band channeling those legacies into something we can only grasp as the Gala Drop sound. An organic outcome of working steadily as a trio, made possible by a residency promoted by gnration in Braga, Amizade dwells on the psychedelic nature of the group through seven tracks made up of dreamy synth washes, loads of percussion, echoes, chilled guitars under a radiant aura. Gala Drop have never sounded as openly dubby as on 'Dub da Meia Noite' and 'Areal Dub' or capable of converging different tropes of the hardcore continuum – rave stabs and cut up vocals – on a slow burner as memorable as 'Monte do Ouro'. Or given free reign to electricity as on the narcotic guitars of 'Guitarra Voadora' – excepting the one off with Ben Chasny on 2012's Broda. 'Amizade' points towards all of that with comforting escapism and wrapping things up 'Raio' turns dubstep's original bass weight meditations into a cosmic funk workout. One last hug before we leave. An album that feels like a collective moment of celebration, just when we most need it.
Afonso Simões - Drums, percussion and synthesizers
Nelson Gomes - Electric guitar and electronics
Rui Dâmaso - Electric bass & guitar and synthesizer
Recorded by Budda Guedes at Estúdio Mobydick, Braga
Mixed by Gala Drop and Hugo Valverde at Estúdio Cão Andaluz, Lisboa
Mastered by Anne Taegert at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlim
Cover photo by Sara Graça
Design by Nicolai Sarbib
Effortlessly dismantling the barriers between R&B, soul, funk, disco and jazz sounds, MF Robots present long player ‘Break The Wall’, on BBE Music. Astonishing musicianship, pristine production and top-tier songwriting, ‘Break The Wall’ immediately calls to mind those iconic American rhythm sections of the 70s and 80s. The music is energising, uplifting and the potent result of a highly accomplished musical partnership maturing, growing and hitting their stride together in lock-step. Jan Kincaid and Dawn Joseph met as members of one of the UK’s most successful Acid Jazz bands, which influenced Mark Ronson, D’Angelo, Jamiroquai, Erykah Badu and The Roots to name a few. Founding the Brand New Heavies was an important chapter for Jan, but once he and vocalist and songwriting partner Dawn began working together, the chemistry was instant and irresistible. It was time to turn the page, and soon MF Robots was born. “When we made our first album, we didn’t have a band as such. We basically made a lot of the record at home and called on other musicians as and when we needed them. Our sound was developing organically, and when we finally released the record to great critical acclaim, it was time to get out on the road,” says Jan. “We put together a band of like-minded young musicians, playing intimate gigs and big festivals all over Europe and beyond, growing tight as a unit, so that when it came time to think about making this, our second album, we knew we had an extra level of musicianship full of personality that could realise our vision.” Inviting band members Alex Montaque (keys), Naz Adamson (bass), Mark Beaney (guitar), Jack Birchwood (trumpet), Ben Treacher (sax) to improvise and contribute their own ideas over song-sketches laid out by Jan and Dawn gives ‘Break The Wall’ a special sense of off-the-cuff brilliance. Even on the polished final product you can detect a collaborative, fluid and unhurried approach to production that’s all-too rare these days. There’s guest performances from bassist Gail Ann Dorsey (‘The Love It Takes’, ‘Make Me Happy’) and guitarist Cory Wong ('Shine', 'Make Me Happy'), the former a top-flight session player who’s collaborated with Lenny Kravitz and David Bowie among others, the latter a member of the incredible Vulfpeck collective and an accomplished solo artist in his own right.
Sounds Of The Universe | The 12" Singles, a deluxe collector's
edition box set, contains seven 12" vinyl discs presenting
singles--including Wrong, Peace, the double A-side Fragile
Tension/Hole To Feed--alongside B-sides, remixes, dub
versions and other recordings contemporaneous to Depeche
Mode's 12th studio album, Sounds Of The Universe, originally
released by Mute Records in April 2009.
Sounds Of The Universe | The 12" Singles offers a full range of
ear-grabbing mixes--radio, club, dub and more--of Depeche
Mode originals with three discs (Discs Two, Four and Seven)
newly compiled for this collection, bringing together B-sides
and mixes first released across CD and maxi-singles
contemporaneous to the album's release.
When it came time to record the Sounds Of The Universe
album, DM's classic core (Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andrew
Fletcher) returned to the studio to make their second album
with producer Ben Hillier, whose intuitive contributions to
their previous studio album, 2005's Playing The Angel, had
created new sonic possibilities for the band expanding
Depeche Mode's vision and repertoire while continuing their
tradition of issuing monumental 12“ singles.
With the timely reissue of Megalon's highly acclaimed album 'Pandora's Box,' we are now thrilled to present the first of two archival compilations by the London-based electronic production duo.
This compilation meticulously curates handpicked tracks from Megalon's 1993 collection, featuring music from their EPs released on the legendary Plink Plonk label during that year. By delving into these archival tracks, the compilation effortlessly showcases Megalon's signature blend of modern, forward-thinking, and impeccably sleek techno hybrids. Prepare yourself for a diverse range of musical moods that provide a comprehensive 360° sonic experience of Megalon's esteemed catalog, ranging from deep techno meditations to high-octane dancefloor anthems.
Every track included in this compilation has been meticulously sourced from Megalon's original DAT tape archive and expertly remastered by the highly skilled Curvepusher. Furthermore, the artwork and design have been thoughtfully crafted under the watchful eye of Rogan Jeans, the original Plink Plonk Records and Megalon designer, ensuring a visually captivating experience that complements the music perfectly.
Repressed! Jurassic 5 flexed serious old-to-the-new muscles in the ‘90s, beginning with their independently released single “Unified Rebelution” in 1994, and book-ending with their stellar debut full-length: 2000’s Quality Control. They walked a tightrope between underground and mainstream hip-hop, and toured alongside rap peers as well as punk rockers on the Vans Warped Tour. With double the pleasure of your average hip-hop group – two DJs and producers (Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark); and four MCs (Chali 2na, Akil, Marc 7 and Zaakir aka Soup) – they brought the late 1970s “unison MC” style of pioneering groups like the Fantastic 5 and the Force MCs to a new generation. Even more surprisingly, they did so out of Los Angeles, whose hip-hop flavors generally leaned towards Gangsta, G-Funk or Electro lines. Musically inventive and lyrically forward-thinking, each song on Quality Control is a new adventure, exploring engaging territory, delivered via one of the best live hip-hop shows fans had seen in years. From singles like the strutting groove of the title track to the throwback doo-wop samples on “The Influence” and the catchy, keyboard groove-driven “World of Entertainment (WOE Is Me),” to deeper album tracks like the lyrical gymnastics of “Jurass Finish First” and the thought-provoking “Lausd,” Jurassic 5 consistently stepped to the plate and their fans responded in kind, nearly pushing the album to Gold status. Add the innovative DJ-and-sample workout which closes out the album, “Swing Set,” and you have one of the 2000s’ most unique and solid full-length platters.
As it celebrates its 50th anniversary, Bill Withers' Still Bill remains true to its title – and stands as the greatest male-fronted soul album not made by a singer named Marvin, Al, Sam, James, or Ray. Though the saying "keeping it real" did not exist in popular parlance when Withers released his sophomore effort on Sussex Records, no words better capture the music's approach, mindset, and value. Every facet of Still Bill radiates honesty, truth, and emotion.
These characteristics – along with Withers' strong singing, hybrid arrangements, and deceptively simple songwriting – have allowed the album to endure to the point where it sounds as fresh today as in 1972.
After rising into the Top 5 of the Billboard Album charts and attaining gold status within a year of release, Still Bill has long been evaluated not by sales – but according to its merit, spirit, and agelessness. Included by The Guardian on its "1,000 Albums to Hear Before You Die" list (2007) as well as in Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die book (2008), its contemporary standing as one of history's most venerated soul efforts eclipses the positive reception it enjoyed in the early ‘70s.
Still Bill walks the same hallowed ground as What's Going On, Call Me, Night Beat, and Genius + Soul = Jazz. Like those landmarks, Still Bill plays with a mix of consistency, effortlessness, and complexity that rewards repeat listening and transcends categorization.
In combining four of the era's predominant styles – Philly soul, sweaty funk, Southern-reared blues, acoustic-based folk – and melding them with standout production borrowed from both minimalist affairs and sophisticated singer-songwriter albums, Still Bill occupies a distinct universe.
Its rhythmic fare is equally laidback and invigorating; relaxing and rollicking; eloquent and muscular; soft and tough. Withers' calm, self-assured voice hovers above it all, doubling as a warm blanket that adds comfort and grace to lyrics steeped in maturity, perspective, and compassion.
Withers' balanced outlook on human desires, needs, and situations stem from his own existence as a former blue-collar employee who believed his time as a musician would soon end. That grounding forever separates Withers from other contemporary soul greats – and stamps Still Bill with a conversational nature and egoless approachability.
"I mean look, I'm really a factory worker," said Withers in 1972. "That's a real job." There's that word again: real. The songs on Still Bill are tethered to modesty and actuality, wedded to a belief in simplicity, and connected to universal truths that link us all – independent of our economic or social standing. No track better exemplifies those principles than "Lean on Me," a feel-good paean to brotherhood and community that hit No. 1 on the pop and R&B charts en route to becoming a mainstream staple.
Withers approaches the plainspoken insight on "Lonely Town, Lonely Street" and heartbreaking vulnerability of "I Don't Want You on My Mind" with similar sincerity and straightforwardness. His proclivity for authenticity extends to the record's other big hit: the sexual, funk-laden "Use Me," which reached No. 2 and reflects the singer's everyman persona. It's an identity couched in keeping it real, the very inclination that ultimately led Withers to retire in the mid-'80s rather than bend to industry pressures or risk credibility.
That commitment to truthfulness and realism helps make Still Bill feel as unaffected as the air we breathe. Looking back on "Lean on Me" years later, Withers said it seemed like "something that was there before I got here" – the kind of song that could be 100 or 10 years old, or one we encounter anew 10 years into the future. The same can be said for every note on Still Bill.
Loredana Berte' is an artist that needs no introduction. Her musical career started in the mid seventies and year by year she proved to be one of the most iconic italian singer and performer. Groovin Recordings is now proudly repressing two songs from Loredana's 1980 album on a 7 inch, "E La Luna Busso'" and "In Alto Mare". Two great reggae and funky tunes, 40 years after their original release, still sounding full of their original groove. Officially licensed and remastered.
Tamango Records boss Yaya heads to TRMNL Records as he unveils his latest EP on the imprint, backed by remixes from Salty Nuts head honcho Fabe and label resident Vito.
Heading up his Tamango Records imprint while serving up killer cuts and remixes on Desolat, Moan, Revival New York and more, Yaya is a man in high demand across the globe. With his take on house music bridging influences from Africa to Italy, his percussive-driven and slick sound has made him a favourite for those looking for productions leaning towards the more energetic yet minimal end of the genre. That style is on show once more as he adds a new label to his catalogue. Joining the likes of Djebali, East End Dubs, Ray Mono and Samu.l, late July brings the release of his new EP ‘Para Siempre’ on UK imprint TRMNL Records, accompanied by a slick pair of remixes from Fabe and Vito to shape up the package.
Title track ‘Para Siempre’ is a skippy and bouncy lead effort as crisp drums, a zippy bassline, and warped vocals go to work to showcase a production bursting full of vigour, while ‘Umbrella Corps’ leans towards more organic, rolling percussion arrangements, shuffling rhythms and elastic melodies guide things towards the later hours. On the flip, Fabe steps up for the first remix as he brings his signature groove-led style to proceedings for a swingfuelled slice of funk, before Vito’s crisp take on ‘Umbrella Corps’ closes the show with a final injection of early hours goodness.
Early DJ Support:
Joseph Capriati, Marco Carola & ALISHA
NOW Music is proud to present the next instalment in our ongoing ‘Yearbook’ series – and our first to celebrate the ‘90s, NOW – Yearbook 1992; 79 tracks from a brilliant year in Pop! Available as a Special Edition CD housed in ‘hard-back-book’ packaging, including a 28-page booklet featuring a summary of the year, a track-by-track guide, a quiz, and original singles artwork, a standard 4CD package, and a Limited edition 3-LP set pressed on green vinyl.
Here we are - the new release from the italian project Club Soda is finally here!
The trio, made up of Nicola on bass, Simone on drums and samplers, and Filippo on keys, is bringing some real, raw, authentic sounds to the table. Their first LP, "Vibin' Places" dropped in 2020 and it's a versatile homemade electronic album that hits different, whether you're a listener, DJ, or clubber.
This new EP is fire too. A1 track "Basso e Batteria" with Sara Loreni on lyrics and vocals, has clear echoes of a '00s vocal-house joints, but sounds like it was recorded in a Chicago basement. The dirty grooves, thumping bass, and enveloping pads create a free-form vibe that's perfect for you summer madness.
But then they go and take it to the next level with the remixes on B side. Cristalli Liquidi's remix is on some current dance floor-ish, with bouncing rhythms, a wild bassline, and a catchy vocal cut. And Hill's dub mix is straight up trippy - like you're lost in a warehouse at 6am, with dreamy pads, a solid bassline, and rhythms that are distant but still pull you in.
And let's not forget "Gin Tonic" (A2) - it's a dope sunset jam session that's pure “Club Soda style”, with congas, DX7 keys, funky bass, and an MPC chop. This EP is the real deal, from start to finish! Shout out to Giulia Dall’ Ara for the sick artwork on the cover and label too - she killed it!
Sampled by Jay-Z and Dr Dre, Italian band Calibro 35 announces the release of the new album NOUVELLES AVENTURES. The album will be available abroad on limited edition Crystal Clear vinyl next June 30th via Record Kicks.
Italian cult cinematic combo Calibro 35 are back with their new studio album NOUVELLES AVENTURES. The new album will be available abroad on a limited edition Crystal Clear Gatefold LP on June 30th, distributed worldwide via Record Kicks. The crystal clear vinyl edition is a Record Kicks exclusive and is limited to 1000 copies, which makes it an instant collector's item.
After last year's Scacco Al Maestro, the 2 tribute-albums dedicated to "il maestro" Ennio Morricone, followed by the "Calibro 35 plays Morricone" tour and the releasing of the ost of TV drama series Blanca, Calibro 35 are back with NOUVELLES AVENTURES, a new studio album of original material. NOUVELLES AVENTURES was recorded in Naples at Auditorium Novecento, the former Phonotype Records, one of the most legendary and fascinating Italian recording studios. The new LP sees the group making full use of their knowledge and resources, refined and enriched over the years, back to making "Calibro's music": a unique mix of funk, progressive rock, alternative jazz and wide-spectrum cinematic music the public has known them for in fifteen years of career.
"After a couple of intense and stimulating years playing Morricone and writing music for the TV drama Blanca", Calibro 35 said, "we had a great desire to make new inspired music. To do so, we left home and we shut ourselves up in the splendid space-time capsule that is the Auditorium Novecento studio. The result is a series of musical voyages in which we concentrated all our artistic and human experiences. As in Verne's imaginary and extraordinary journeys, we explored distant places where we had never been before. We then happened to return to more familiar shores and discover them with new eyes without realizing it. We borrowed the title NOUVELLES AVENTURES from György Ligeti, precisely because after fifteen years of building ourselves, we are ready for new adventures".
NOUVELLES AVENTURES was anticipated by the first extract "EXTRAORDINAIRE", an almost 6-minute song that once again confirms the band's aptitude for the exploration of unpredictable sound territories: a music that, on one hand sounds liquid and abstract, while on the other, it cuts through the psychedelic mists, with a complex architecture.
Described by Rolling Stone as "the most fascinating, retro-maniac and genuine thing that has happened to Italy in the past few years", Milan-based Calibro 35 enjoy a worldwide reputation as one of the coolest independent bands around. Active since 2007, during their long career they were sampled by Dr. Dre on Compton ("One Shot One Kill" feat. Snoop Dogg), Jay Z ("Picasso Baby"), The Child of Lov & Damon Albarn ("One Day") and Demigodz ("The Summer Of Sam"). They played major venues and festivals all over Europe and as unique musicians they collaborated with, amongst others: PJ Harvey, Mike Patton, John Parish, Stewart Copeland and Rokia Traoré.
On our latest Savor EP, 'Tracks from the Vault Part 2', South American legend Franco Cinelli delivers the goods.
On the A-side he pays homage to a legendary musician with "Tribute To Miles Davis". This track seamlessly blends elements of jazz and electronic music, creating a hypnotic sonic journey that captivates the listener from start to finish. Cinelli's meticulous attention to detail and impeccable production skills shine through, as he masterfully combines intricate drum patterns with mesmerizing melodies and atmospheric textures.
The B-side introduces us to "Electronic Funk," a high-energy dancefloor mover that blends influences of Detroit and funky electronic music. Cinelli's masterful production skills are once again on display as he creates a dynamic and infectious groove that demands movement from its listeners. The track features a pulsating bassline, crisp percussion, and synth melodies that intertwine flawlessly, creating an irresistible atmosphere that is bound to get any crowd grooving.
Legendary Memphis soul brothers William, Bertram and Randy Brown released an album under the group name TEN-63 entitled FACING THE MUSIC, it was published in 2009, but recorded sometime earlier. YOU AND ME was played out and initially covered up by Mike Ward circa 1989/90 receiving cult status.
YOU AND ME and our pick for the flip SAY WE’LL STAY are beautifully constructed songs with each of the Brown brothers serving up a solo part, it cannot be denied their contrasting vocal styles and harmonies are supreme in the extreme!
The Browns’ contribution to the Memphis music scene is etched in history. William, who sadly passed away in 2015 was a member of The Mad Lads. Randy and Bertram were members of The Newcomers, Bertram went on to be a part of soul funk group Kwick and of course Randy had a glittering solo career with LPs on Parachute, Chocolate City and Stax as well as numerous singles; he is regarded by many as being one of the finest vocalists of his genre.
Following up on their accomplished first collaboration “Fever Dream” and its accompanying remix album “Parasomnia”, Snowbeasts & Solypsis head out on wax for the fantastic “Firelands” LP. The dependable industrial beats and synths of Snowbeasts programmer Robert Galbraith (also known to many as a superior mastering engineer), the haunting voice of Elizabeth Virosa, and the nefarious bass and electronics of the prolific Solypsis come together once again to produce a ride through a fiery terrain of slowed tempo, half-remembered nightmares, and cavernous low end. With vocals ranging from ethereal to evil, spooky grooves charting a pathway to inferno, and distortions applied at the perfect moments, Firelands is a memorable journey. Heavy on synthesizer funk, and intricate percussions to drive the beat, the album erupts with the black lava of downtempo destruction. Slow, driving horror and collaborative interplay make this a sophomore album worth taking home. For Fans Of: Scorn, Autechre, Insect Ark.drum
Australian producer JXTPS brings his deeply heady and unquestionably groovy techno to Palinoia with his Hypogean EP. Having previously released on Planet Rhythm and Voodoo Down (and sending me other tracks for a few years now), this four-track vinyl is purpose-built to melt brains and move feet on all dancefloors. While the A-side keeps it largely functional, funky is the star of the flipside.
After his well received "Unknown Pharmacy" EP Rambal Cochet is back on Griffé almost a year later to the day with his "Matrix Convoy" EP! Once again the producer pleases us with his proggy touch filled with tribal & trancey motives for a full shamanic dancefloor experience. Liso his joigning him on the eponym track while Remotif serves an outstanding breaky downtempo remix of Virus Funk.
Monstrous mid-tempo Disco groovings on this one, giving the Avergae White Band a run for their money.... Doc Severinsen, the renowned Jazz hornsman dropping some tight ass Funk on this rare as hens teeth Epic white label promo. This is a fully legit reissue borne out of an Above Board / Sony music collaboration, repressed from the official sources. The original 1976 promo 12" had the same track on both sides as promos often did back then so we've decided to include a special version on the flip, a lovingly tweaked re-edit from the cult leader himself - DJ Harvey. Harv's edit has been around for a minute, but this version backing the OG 76 Disco mix makes this 12" a bonafide 'must grab' for all Disco enthusiasts! Do not snooze. This one's a winner!
Josh Milan has been recording music professionally for over 30 years.He's played every role from artist to engineer in the studio.This project, Honeysweet, focuses on his production and musicianship.Utilizing only one musician on sax, Josh plays every instrument and sings every note on this project. His songs are packed with soulful dance floor grooves inspired by iconic, soulful groups like Brian Auger, Cymande, Pleasure, Africano, Santana and others.
"I wanted to do music that made me and my family feel good when I was growing up. It's the kind of music that families dance to at gatherings with a record player and no DJ”, says Josh. “Intros, Accents, Breakdowns, Bridges, and endings were all part of the music.” This music will transport Josh's audience to a place of musical freedom. This is music with, seemingly, no rules.
Josh Milan describes each track on the Honeysweet EP “Exodus” in his own words :
"Last Night Changed It All featuring Lawrence Clark on sax is the kind of groove that keeps its dance floor value while holding up the banner of true musicianship. This song was written after hearing a DJ set,where the DJ didn’t seem to be concern about staying within a musical box. He played all sorts of music in one set. I knew then that I’d branch out musically when recording.Rhodes, picked bass guitar, rhythm guitar and drum kit is all that's needed on this one.”
"Exodus the manipulation of major and minor chords in this groove make it complex and interesting. The listener is lead by the organ solo featured here. The song is a mental escape. A mental exodus complete with bongo section.”"Being Free is a message that captures the point of this entire project. Musical freedom and expression is where this project gets its
fuel. Horns, are included on this production. A true expression of soulful music. Being free should be all the time I'm your mind all the time.”
“Cranberries and Cream is my tribute to funk grooves as they were featured on records in 70’s. I’m a fan of that sound and I like to play by own funk grooves when I’m alone. This is one of the tracks on the ep I prefer to rock.”
“And So She Waits has eerie sounding pads in the background. They linger throughout the track. Popping in and out, as though they’re waiting for something. You will hear the change in mood once she is no longer waiting. The groove returns to it’s original state. Only she is no longer waiting, he is.”
“Crazy is me bringing the funk to dirty house music. Complete with house piano in the mix. The chords are unsettling. They are, in fact,Crazy. I though adding a horn arrangement to a house track like this would sound interesting and different.”Honeysweet “Exodus” out at all digital outlets and double pack vinyl set.
Kraak & Smaak, eine treibende Kraft der elektronischen Musikszene der letzten zwei Jahrzehnte, Meister des Nu-Disco, Funk und allem, was mit Electronic zu tun hat, feiern 2023 ihr 20-jähriges Bestehen - mit einer handverlesenen Auswahl ihres herausragenden Katalogs auf Jalapeno Records und dem eigenen Label Boogie Angst. Das Doppelabum mit dem schlichten Namen TWENTY bringt 20 Band- und Fanfavoriten und viele der unglaublichen Gäste, mit denen das niederländische Duo im Laufe der Jahre zusammengearbeitet hat: von Lee Fields bis Parcels, Romanthony bis Mayer Hawthorne, Ben Westbeech bis Durand Jones. TWENTY ist von Anfang bis Ende ein abgefahrener Hörgenuss, der nie enttäuscht.
We are proud to present the Mr Bongo pressing of Guilherme Coutinho E O Grupo Stalo's self-titled mythical album. Blending lo-fi, Brazilian tropicalia, jazz, funk and MPB with a unique aroma, this record is pure perfection.
It was originally released in 1978 on Erla - Estudio Rauland, an obscure record label from Belém in Brazil, that only released 7” singles, with this album being one of two exceptions. During the 1970s, Belém had a thriving nightclub scene, but it is thousands of miles away from the music industry hubs of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, making this record insanely difficult to find, even in Brazil. Added to the scarcity factor is the magical nature of the recording, which has naturally resulted in a hefty price tag to match. Original copies have become a prized, collector’s item.
The elusive Brazilian band leader and keyboard player, Guilherme Coutinho is a true cult artist. He passed away in 1983, at the age of just 41, and during his career he only seems to have appeared on a handful of marvellous records, which makes them all the more special. This album feels individualistic and distinctive from other albums of the day. Listening back to vocalist Elinho’s (aka Hélio Rubens de Oliveira) delivery, it sounds not too dissimilar to some of Belle & Sebastian’s songs. ‘Guilherme Coutinho E O Grupo Stalo’ is rich in charm, quirky and playful. It feels cinematic, soothing and benefits from being heard in its entirety. A proper album experience.
Exciting news for music lovers! We are thrilled to unveil the highly anticipated release of a brand new vinyl by the talented Colombian artist, Lamediscos. This rising star in the Latin American electronic music scene has crafted a unique sound that seamlessly blends vintage synths, funky acid basslines, and broken rhythms, resulting in tracks that are infectious and groovy. Drawing inspiration from classic disco, breaks, and house music, Lamediscos has caught the attention of well-known artists like VTSS who praise his ability to create captivating melodies and irresistible beats.
But that's not all! This vinyl also includes two remixes one by the legendary Eddy C, a Canadian DJ and producer who has been pushing the boundaries of dance music for over three decades. Known for his unparalleled skill in remixing, Eddy C has reimagined Lamediscos' original track, infusing it with his unique style and taking it to a whole new level.
For the second remix for this special release, we also have one by label boss Lega, who gives us his own interpretation of the track, showcasing his production prowess and adding yet another layer of musical depth to the vinyl.
Stay Raw!
New material from the enegmatic Mr Langestraat. TIP!
"One afternoon a couple of years ago, an excited Ronald Langestraat could barely contain himself. “I’ve started dancing!” he exclaimed. “I never did it before - I’d always admired it in the past, but just wasn’t able to move like that!” But then, at the ripe old age of 81, Ronald was gripped by the urge to respond to the rhythm and express himself in this physical way.
For a man who’s dedicated his life to music, in particular Jazz with a funky Latin inflection, it feels like an especially sage realization - like the treasure at the end of a long quest, or the princess after the end-game boss. The prize is freedom, and the shapes we make on the dance floor are mirrored in that piano solo over the stanzas - a caravan that trips from smokey basement clubs all the way to Shiva’s Tandava on the edge of the universe.
The music on this album is inspired by this revelation. Although these songs were written many moons ago, their interpretation is modern, full of renewed energy, with young, yet well-worn players. While it slots neatly into the daily music practice that Ronald adheres to, it’s a new chapter in a story that is still being written - and an invitation to get in touch with your dancing self and try out some new moves."
Mouche (real name Tim Karmouche) returns to Australian label Research Records with another full-length of imaginary soundtracks, instrumentals and sun-kissed digital jazz. Active on the Melbourne scene in projects such as Crepes/The Murlocs/Swazi Gold/Dreamin' Wild, Tim's first album Live From The Bubble arrived back in 2020 as an ode to his aptly named studio space - The Bubble.
Lake Songs builds on those same atmospheres, showcasing the inward-looking craft of his one-man band. Cicada field recordings and light keys open proceedings, reflecting the warmer side of 80s new age, though before long we're introduced to a variety of stylistic shifts incorporating elements of cosmic funk, lounge and library-style compositions. There are traces of Steve Hiett, Max Groove or even the recently re-discovered Ronald Langestraat, though the strength of Mouche's talent for harmony shines through on its own level.
Shifting between moods yet reflecting an overarching sense of positivity, listening through the ten tracks gives off a real sense of place, though time is somewhat irrelevant. The warm climate and sandy beaches of Australia seem eternally embodied in 'Juice' or 'Crystal Water'. Perhaps where Live From The Bubble was dedicated to the very studio that birthed it, Lake Songs is dedicated to the vast land that surrounds it.
Nigeria is known as ‘The Giant of Africa’. It’s the most populated country in Africa with more then 250 ethnic groups and many different languages and dialects that gives to the country a rich diversity. This diversity also affects music which plays an important role in every aspect of social life. We, at DTW’s stable are happy to announce the reissue of “Narg Funk Machine” an explosive nigerian “black beat” disco originally released on Coconut in 1979. If you are looking for something weird here you’ve found it. Basically these four tracks are well represents the tangle of richness of nigerian music in this period, They are a melting pot of styles and sounds , where afrobeat, funk, highlife, juju, and psych rock are mixed all together in a cozy and captivating sound. Ready to bring some warmth and hypnotic sound to the dancefloor around the world.
Awesome Latin jazz-funk self-titled LP from Venezuelan band La Retreta Mayor —founded and led by guitarist Alex Rodríguez— originally released in 1976 on Discomoda. The short-lived 10-piece band and numerous guest musicians created a jazz-funk & fusion gem considered a reference in Venezuelan music history. The group unfortunately disbanded right after the recording and did not play live or record any more music together. The album contains quite a few heaters for the dance floor like ‘Zambo’ and ‘Líquido Elemento’, blazing with the rich brass section and percussion. First time reissue. 180g vinyl.
Symphony Orchestra is a new group from Maximilian Turnbull and Michael Rault. Both Rault and Turnbull are accomplished songwriters, performers and producers in their own right, with Turnbull leading The Badge Epoque Ensemble, playing with the group Darlene Shrugg, and once releasing records under the name Slim Twig and Rault having released several psychedelic rock & roll classics under his own name in the past decade. The pair have worked together in various capacities for many years, writing and recording together on U.S. Girls' In A Poem Unlimited, and contributing to each other's releases, but the debut LP from Symphony Orchestra (due out May 12th on Telephone Explosion) marks their first release as an official entity.
Needless to say, there is a potent creative chemistry between Rault and Turnbull and Radiant Music showcases the alchemy between their distinct skill sets. The album is an exercise in pure collaboration. After years spent focusing on solo projects and working as hired guns on other projects, the duo came together with no specific intentions other than to work free of boundaries and direction. Freeing themselves from the familiar pressures of deadlines and expectations, they found a sense of discovery through togetherness. Duties on this project were split between Rault acting primarily as a one-man rhythm section and lead vocalist with Turnbull bringing chord sketches and his trademark aphoristic lyrical musings to the table. Trading off roles on guitar and keys from song to song, the duo's deft approach to melody bleeds through their instrumental parts as much as it does through Rault's vocal melodies. The majority of this album was self-engineered over the course of three sessions in 2018, at Michael's Montreal studio. Dormant during the pandemic, Rault's move to Los Angeles and the birth of Turnbull's twin sons, work reignited in 2022. The latterly tracked instrumental 'Concerto' and ballad 'Unthink The Thinkable' provide a dynamic depth to the album perhaps attributable to this tumultuous pause. Mixing came courtesy of Steve Chahley & Tony Price (U.S. Girls, BÉE, Jane Inc, etc).
In all of their work, Rault and Turnbull have made a hallmark of elaborately precise production and arrangement, Radiant Music is no different, though its pared-back simplicity provides a streamlined directness. The pairing of Rault's soulful, elastic vocal with Turnbull's evocatively cerebral lyrics provides a thrilling sensation unlike anything else in their respective catalogs. With an explosive, groove-forward approach, kaleidoscopic walls of vocal harmony and technicolor displays of guitar work, these 31 minutes of music will most certainly stimulate the mind of any fan of classic pop rock and funk. The blown-out breakbeats, winsome woven vocal melodies and propulsive wah-wah guitars of the title track evoke memories of an after-school cartoon special that never really existed outside of a lysergic daydream. "Harp In The Wind" is a perfect moment of overcast melancholy complete with ribbons of weeping synthesizers and velcro-fuzz guitar that could rip a clean line through Kevlar. "Know Thyself" and the harmony-rich "Intersection" are standout tracks that find a kinship in Stereolab's space-age effervescence. "Concerto" is a slab of beaming, mischievous funk that nods to Billy Preston's extraterrestrial keyboard explorations.
Radiant Music, like the best pop music, is life-affirming, confectionary, and enticing. Symphony Orchestra have created an album that hits you right where you need it, anchoring heady, adventurous sonic ideas down to a solid foundation of masterful songcraft, virtuosic instrumental performances and undeniable groove. Not a bar, nor beat is wasted.
A deep, funk-fuelled Smithstonian double sider, straight outta Memphis. An eerie spiritual soul track ‘Mississippi Mud’ on the A side, paired with an equally low-slung funk number ‘Just Sitting’ on the B. The original changes hands for £250+…so buy or cry! Black label version original black sleeve.
"Drums from heaven, keys from Mars, a bass made from mother earth's soil and guitars from a guy who's time-traveling from German Kraut in the last 60ies into the next 60ies and who happens to gift us today with this funky, dirty, pulsating, delicious music that's everything which music is supposed to be: ALIVE! (Note to self: Always keep a copy of this record in your suitcase!)." (Malakoff Kowalski)
"Afrokraut" is a stylistic expression of Krautrock, primarily associated with Can, and their creative use of time and space in music. "A Guide To Afrokraut III" is David Nesselhauf´s third and last contribution to the dusty shrine of this long forgotten style.
Next to "Afrokraut" (2016) and "Afrokraut II: The Lowbrow Manifesto" (2018), this album completes a humble sonic Trypticon in honour of David Nesselhauf's musical heroes. Experimentation was key in the immersive process of producing this album, which encompasses elements of Funk, Afrobeat and Krautrock as well as otherworldly Drones, early Elektronische Musik and even field recordings.
Inspired by the unfinished manuscript 'History Deletes Itself' by the late science fiction author Joseph Sabiers, Nesselhauf decided to produce a b-movie soundtrack to the original plot, ignoring the fact that there will likely never be a movie to this music.
In the original script, a virus has infected history, the resulting changes of historical facts leading to an unpredictable present and future for mankind. Every attempt to solve the problem – including time travelling – only worsens the situation. But three planets at the end of the known universe seem to be unaffected by the phenomenon, they become a sanctuary known as 'Afrokraut III'. Three brothers arrive there to start new lives. They are introduced to The Guide, their mysterious advisor...
The striking parallels to today's uncertainties, a strong feeling of hope and the idea to never stop exploring (come what may) certainly have encouraged the making of this album, which sees a belated release due to the obstacles everyone faces right now.
David Nesselhauf lives in Hamburg/Germany and appears as a bass player/songwriter in bands like Hamburg Spinners, The Drawbars, Diazpora, and Angels Of Libra.
For Fans Of... Sunny and the Sunliners, Rene Y Rene, Ray Camacho. The second offering by The Revues continues to explore the intersections between Tejano music, Latin Soul, and funk. This updated take on Rene y Rene’s coveted version of “Mi Corazón Esta Llorando” is tough but with a touch of sweetness. On the flip side we get the instrumental version only with the vocal melody being swapped out for tenor and alto saxes, heightening the Tejano influence and flavor. Also Available From The Revues: Take Me For A Little While 7”. Tracks: 1. Mi Corazón Esta Llorando 2. Mi Corazón Esta Llorando
Dam-based don Retromigration steps into the big leagues letting loose his debut album on WOLF Music. An LP that has long been in the works and for good reason too. Fourteen expertly executed tracks that range from hazy beats and jazz-tinged broken rhythms to club-ready groovers, deep excursions, soulful footwork and even some jungle energy. A flavour for every occasion and damn it tastes good.
With an envious run of releases on the likes of Handy, Healthy Scratch, wewillalwaysbealovesong and WOLF in a relatively short space – Retormigration is hot property and it’s clear to see why. A distinctive style and energy permeate his tracks with a breadth of influences on offer, from hip hop, to jazz, soul to funk. You just know a long player from this player is going to cover all bases.
His debut LP, Straight Foxin’, is a carefully curated and crafted journey showcasing the creative explosions firing off in Retromigration’s brain. Joining the dots between genres, taking elements from here, ideas from there – twisting and turning yet never out of place. Take the opening three tracks, all tied together by a deep fondness for jazz but served up in different styles, ‘Kunta’ with that hazy beatsy blend, ‘Formant’ leaning into the realms of broken beat and DnB and ‘Be Someone’ cruising with the off-kilter house.
Elsewhere there’s prime examples of Retromigration’s signature sample-laden house with deeper cuts like ‘Mada’ and ‘Bouncer’, sitting side by side with more soulful explorations such as ‘New Cribs’ and ‘ITWT’.
Not one to be pigeonholed, another course of Retromigration’s expansive taste gets served up with four high energy hits. The bouncing footwork flavours of ‘Kush Love’ ft. Passion Deez and ethereal excursion ‘What If’ lead into a captivating nod to the heydays of jungle and DnB on ‘Mild Fever’ and ‘Bad Knees’ respectively.
Straight Foxin’, mad flexin’ – Retromigration has laid down the law with this LP, a debut album done right.
Tropical Disco Records open their 2023 vinyl account in triumphant form with Volume 27 of their well loved 12” series. Yet again they have successfully delivered a four track paean to the boundless dance-floor power of jazz infused disco. It’s a sound which the label has very much made their own over the last half decade.
Opening proceedings is Scruscru, an artist whose immense rise to prominence has very much followed the same time-line as Tropical Disco. He is in glowing form here with vinyl opener ‘Phunk U Do’, a slinky hip-shaking 70’s funk-fuelled disco bomb. Expect this one to set dancefloors on fire across the summer with it’s swirling keys, James Brown-esque vocals and ferocious bassline.
Next up are Lance and Disco Strummer who keep the feel-good vibes topped up to full with ‘Hey Amigo’. An ever so cheerful Latin bomb, it packs in happy-go-lucky vocal loops with brass stabs aplenty alongside a shoulder shaking bassline which will keep those floors grooving from dusk till dawn. If you want to unleash uncontrollable joy in your DJ sets, look no further.
Over on the Flip Tropical Disco’s own Sartorial delivers a smokey sexy-as-hell vocal gem in the shape of ‘Fly’. Merging 70’s jazz licks with a powerhouse live bass, sublime sax solos a divine vocal and some serious scatt, this is a track that just exudes cool.
Closing out the EP in style is one of Mexico’s finest disco proponents, Monsieur Van Pratt. On ‘Journey’ he deploys a huge brass section and percussive breakdown to serious hip shakin’ effect. With guitar licks and synth stabs galore he has given this one both a ridiculously tight groove and bags of warmth. It’s a winning combination.
Tropical disco have yet again unleashed another exquisite 12” showcasing their unique sound. You can expect to see this one hitting the heights of the vinyl charts in quick smart fashion.
‘At the turn of the 1990s, there were few more successful New York house producers than Victor Simonelli. Under a dizzying array of aliases – Solution, NY’s Finest, Groove Committee, Critical Rhythm and Cloud 9 being amongst the better-known – the Brooklyn-born DJ/producer delivered a string of underground club hits during the city’s early ’90s house boom.’
BTG presents “Victor Simonelli: The Early Years Vol 1” a collectors edition double Vinyl release - 2 X 12’s in each Vol
Launching the first Behind The Groove collectors edition vinyl series is New York’s finest Victor Simonelli with ‘The Early Years Vol 1 & 2’ double Vinyl releases. Featuring seminal house tracks such as Cloud 9’s ‘Do You Want Me’, Solution’s ‘Feel So Right’, Instant Exposure’s ‘Wanna Be With You’ and rare mixes of Raiana Page and EZ-AL, this collection brings together classic and rare Victor Simonelli cuts that reflect the early raw energy and buzz of the New York House scene. With ‘Vol 2” scheduled to follow shortly after, this is the most comprehensive collection of rare Simonelli cuts that firmly establishes his esteemed role in 90s House Music as well as introducing new fans to his inimitable sound.
Victor Simonelli is one of the early kings of NYC sampling In house music. The real deal - Victor danced at the legendary David Mancuso’s Loft sessions and developed a serious appreciation for good music. He interned for Arthur Baker at his renown Shakedown Studios (where Arthur worked with the iconic Afrika Bambatta on the seminal dance floor ’Planet Rock’ track) and went on to release hugely influential releases on seminal NYC labels 4th Floor and Nu Groove. Victor’s music was championed by the hugely celebrated iconic House Music DJ pioneers, Larry Levan and Tony Humphries at Paradise Garage & Zanzibar/WBLS/Kiss FM respectively.
Revered as a New York house heavyweight and prolific producer since the turn of the 1990s, Victor Simonelli grew up in Brooklyn, NYC, nurtured by a music loving family, with an avid record collecting father who also worked as a local party DJ. He took music lessons in piano, drums, guitar and bass, before discovering his first love, tuning into NY’s Radio Mix Shows on WBLS, WKTU and WRKS,98.7 Kiss FM) where he discovered the art of mixing and in his own words, ’I just simply got lost in the music’.
Graduating from NYC’s Centre For Media Arts, Victor got an internship in the legendary producer, Arthur Baker’s Shakedown Studios. Soon graduating to editing, mixing and then producing he worked for artists David Bowie, Quincy Jones, Debbie Harry, Sinead O’Connor and Talking Heads. Teaming up with fellow NYC producer Lenny Dee to become the Brooklyn Funk Essentials, they released records ‘Critical Rhythm’ and ‘Subliminal Aurra’ on 4th Floor before Victor went solo as Groove Committee releasing the classic ‘I Want You To Know’ on the legendary Nu Groove Records. Paradise Garage legend, Larry Levan broke ‘I Want You To Know’ rocking 2 copies on his last tour of Japan whilst King of NY House Music,Tony Humphries broke Victor’s new ‘Feels So Right’ across New York on his WBLS/Kiss FM Mastermix show and at his legendary Zanzibar club sessions. It was only a matter of time before Victor’s name became synonymous with quality House music ensuring a worldwide platform for his productions.
In the early 90s alongside his own productions, Victor Simonelli worked on high profile projects, including James Brown’s album, “Love Overdue” BeBe and CeCe Winans single featuring Mavis Staples “I’ll Take You There” and Quincy Jones’ “I’ll Be Good To You” featuring Chaka Khan and the legendary Ray Charles. Never straying too far from his clubland roots, Victor worked with Danny Tenaglia on his classic “The Harmonica Track”.
DJ gigs across the world started flooding in and Victor found himself recording for a dizzying array of labels including Tribal America, Sub-Urban, Bassline, King Street Sounds and Vibe, under a wide range of aliases. He also produced, wrote and remixed for artists such Nile Rodgers (Chic), Afrika Baambata, Hall & Oates, Frankie Knuckles, Kerri Chandler, Madonna and Michael Jackson. Famed for his own productions “It’s So Good” by Creative Force, “I Know A Place” as Sound Of One - the first release on Roger Sanchez One Records -, “Dirty Games” as well as the “Street Players Vol 1 EP”, Victor went on to set up Suburban Records with Tommy Musto and Bassline Records with two other partners. Notable releases on this label include “Do You Feel Me”, Connie Harvey’s gospel inspired, “Thank You Lord”, Urban Blues Project’s “Deliver Me”, Colonel Abrams “Not Gonna Let”, and Mone’s “Better Way”. Never ceasing to produce, DJ, run his own label and host radio shows like Groove Lift, Victor has worked with virtually every NYC producer and has nurtured a next generation talents including Angel Moraes, Jazz ‘N’ Groove, Urban Blues Project, Harlem Hustlers, Jay Jay and Julius Papp. Victor’s releases have also been used on M&S’s “Salsoul Nuggett” hit and Eddie Amador’s underground smash ‘House Music’.
In the late 90’s Victor launched his new Westside Productions, notable for the “Latin Impressions 1 & 2” releases, opened up a studio in Italy as he found himself increasingly working in Europe and now divides his time between New York and Italy. Suffice to say his unique sound of uplifting and spiritual music has kept him at the forefront of House Music and he is credited as one of its leading exponents with his string of classic releases and remixes.
Behind the Groove, branches out from its digital platform to embark on a programme of releases from the iconic pioneer producers of House Music. Esteemed for their high quality features and mixes that continue to explore, celebrate and venerate the contributions of highly respected, scene-shaping Labels, Artists, DJs and Special Events, BTG seeks to bring these talents and tales to the attention of the wider community. Unlocking the stories surrounding the pivotal roles they played and continue to play today in shaping the underground music scene we have come to know and love.
BTG presents “Victor Simonelli: The Early Years Vol 1” a collectors edition double Vinyl release, released on May 12th 2023. ‘Vol 2” follows on May 26th 2023 . These releases are the most comprehensive collection of rare Victor Simonelli cuts that firmly establish his esteemed role in 90s House Music and introduces new fans to his carefree sound.
The roots of Leo Anibaldi's sound. “Pro Pop” (2023) is his first instrumental hip hop album, or an incredible mix of different musical genres, always among his favorite listens, as well as a constant source of inspiration during his 'early life' as an electronic producer. The 'second' starts now. Over the months of the pandemic, the historic Italian artist has literally centrifuged blues, funk, jazz, r 'n' b and, of course, hip hop sounds within eleven brand new songs. The idea behind the project entrusted to Neo Life Records is simple: create music that can be enjoyed by everyone and listened to in company in all circumstances. A choice that also coincides with an 'old school' recording technique with old 60s microphones and tape recorders in order to obtain an apparently 'dated' sound with a melancholy background. “Pro Pop” thus embodies a different style than the noisy glories of a rave past, revealing his desire to get back into the game once more and, above all, to continue experimenting. After branding the history of made in Italy techno, experimenting with acid, breakbeat and house sounds, here is a more intimate Leo Anibaldi and, as always, against the tide.
From Washington DC group Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, the latin belter “Berro e Sombaro” has been sampled and re-edited over the years, but not issued in it's original form on the single side of a 7". It was first released as the closing track on Chuck’s “Bustin Loose” album from 1979 where the go-go- funk title track was centre stage. “Berro e Sombaro” came through on the 80s rare groove scene. The ‘b’ side is an exclusive 7” edit of the Gamble & Huff composed masterpiece “Never Gonna Give You Up”, also from the same album, and never previously on 7” single.
Luke's Anger is someone we've wanted to release for a long time. He's an act whose playful production style has been wiggling our ears for nearly 20 years, through releases on Don't, Uglyfunk, Sneaker Social Club, Tigerbeat 6, his own Bonus Round, and many more. Wearing various influences on his sleeve - like Neil Landstrumm, Paul Johnson (RIP), Daniel Bell, DJ Hyperactive, Thomas Bangalter, Subhead, Jerome Hill - the "Rear Wiggle EP" is Luke's ode to bleep techno at its intersection with swinging '90s Chicago. But it's more than that too. Over 5 tracks he encompasses many elements that modern techno needs more of: shuffle, screaming riffs, phat pumping bass, FUNK, hypnotism, the list goes. No matter what your taste, there's likely to be a dancefloor detonator here to make your night a memorable one. Big release from Luke, which we're very excited to put out.
After the successful 7-inch release of Agip, Roman producer and composer Azzurro 80 is back on Four Flies with another triple-single that continues his love affair with dreamy synth-pop and Italian Eighties culture and society.
"Notte Inchiesta", on side A, could be the title music to an imaginary '80s investigative/true-crime program broadcast on late-night television. Clearly reminiscent in mood and texture of the soundtracks of late-70s/early-80s Italian detective-action films, it brings back the jazz-funk, post-prog and fusion overtones that characterized the music of those films. In short: a contemporary-retro sound nestled somewhere between Goblin's funk-oriented recordings, Azymuth's "Jazz Carnival", and electronic disco with a sprinkle of new wave.
Side B opens with "Equilibrio", which could serve as additional, more dynamic music for the same TV program mentioned above. The style is once againelectronic jazz-funk, but here we have abreak built upon a trail of notes chasing each other.
In contrast, "Sambuca", the single's closer, is deliberately nostalgic and melancholy. Perfectly suitable for visual narratives of an Italy that no longer exists, it sounds like one of those great Italian soundtrack themes that are able to convey tension and calm at the same time. The track is titled after the anise-flavoured liqueur that Italians often drink after their espresso, because "making references in my music to things that are part of our national popular culture is really important to me", as the artist has explained.
JIMMY EDGAR's latest release for Innovative Leisure, LIQUIDS HEAVEN, is a psychedelic canvas of future R&B, euphoric bass, mutant tear-theclub-up rap, foundation-splintering noise, and gossamer soul.
On a surface level, it is a starburst of avant-garde fusion, collecting a diverse cast of eccentric geniuses and re- configured into an anthology of n - musique concrete.
As with all of his work, there is a deeper and subversive intent.
Do not mistakenly believe that LIQUIDS HEAVEN is merely a technicolor dream of ethereal abstractions. It bangs as hard as anything to ever bump from a subwoofer.
Over a polychromatic blast of crunk, bounce on Everybody like a rap
rave inside a 31st century space station. Bite That 2 finds Trinidad James spitting flames over booty- shaking, wall- crumbling bass. On Ya, 645AR chirps over a metallic chassis of booming industrial funk.For all the high energy propulsion, there is a counter-balance of melancholic beauty.
The album's opener, Euphoria features a Liz Y2K vocal that levitates with plaintive longing. The Milk- aided Dreams 1000000 sounds like the chimerical soundtrack to a manga utopia that needs to be imagined. Milk also appears on the finale, Never Leave, which
captures a bittersweet sadness, the wistful emotion of the tide slipping away.
Jimmy's career has been a series of fascinating left- turns. Signed to Warp Records as a teenage electronic music prodigy, his work needs a scholarly bibliography to properly assess. He's recorded for the world's most respected imprints (Warp, K7, Hotflush, Innovative Leisure and his own New Reality Now).
Raised in Detroit, there have been stints soaking up inspiration in Berlin, Atlanta, LA, and New York. His list of close collaborators includes the most innovative musicians of the millennium, including Hudson Mohawke, Danny Brown, SOPHIE, DAWN, Mykki Blanco, Vince Staples, and several full projects with Machinedrum
as J-E-T-S.
Far Out Recordings proudly presents the self-titled debut album by Rio de Janeiro born multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger Tunico. Honing Brazilian roots rhythms like maracatu, xanadu, and samba, to combine with a global contemporary jazz outlook, the newcomer adds a modern classic to the ever rich vein of Brazilian instrumental music.
Consider it a natural evolution from the legacies of greats like Quarteto Novo, Hermeto Pascoal, Banda Black Rio, Tamba Trio, and Dom Um Romão, Tunico’s debut brings together an eye catching ensemble of talents from the Rio jazz community, with whom he performs on a weekly basis at celebrated live sessions and jam’s at venues like Macuna and Comuna Lapa, which often go on all night.
Released in 2022, the album’s rip-roaring lead single “Galope” features the effervescent vocals of Katerina Assef, as well as consummate solos from all over the band, as Sounds & Colours put it “…it exudes distinction and promise”. “Sambola” calls on the signature swagger of Far Out favourite Antonio Neves, indulging us in irresistible swinging samba-funk, undeniably reminiscent of the aforementioned Banda Black Rio in their late 70s heyday.
Born and raised in an artistic Rio household, Antonio Secchin aka Tunico’s father was the painter Guilherme Secchin, whose original work is lovingly repurposed to create the album’s cover. Antonio learned his trade on guitar from a young age, which remains his primary method for composition, but at the age of eighteen he started to gravitate towards the saxophone, and in particular the soprano sax, from which he now leads bands despite being entirely self taught. He would develop his skills busking on curbsides and metro stations before becoming a mainstay player in venues and clubs around the city.
When the pandemic struck, Antonio retreated to his family home in the Rio countryside. With time and space to breathe and reflect in a natural environment, he set to work at fleshing out the compositions he’d written throughout his musical life into full bodied works. His affinity with his rural surroundings is reflected in the luscious, blossoming feel of this groovy, mystical and poignant instrumental debut album.
Tunico will be released on vinyl, CD and digital platf
Futuristic electronics by Niels Luinenburg (Delta Funktionen) under his new guise Immediate Proximity - in collab with Diana Napirelly. Ambient, Bass, Electro and Techno are the main identifiers for their output. Deep and emotive is the mood, but at the same time the music is playful and has a robust and confident character. This distinct direction, which was laid-out on the pair's debut LP '2334', has now led to the start of their own label: IMPROX - on which they'll release a series of EPs. On IMPROX, the duo experiments vivaciously with color, rhythm, space and tempo. Hi-tech, yet tribalistic rhythms are interlaced with elusive sci-fi themes. Big stage anthems are comfortably combined with cinematic ambient excursions. And through self engineered audio-gen modules, backed by a stark focus on sound design, the IMPROX series marks a powerful upgrade to Luinenburg's production capabilities.
Global pointing Brazilian jazz trio releases their new album Agôra, that sparkles with electric funk and Herbie-esque eclecticism. It features a myriad of guest vocalists and musicians including Brazilians Xênia França and Zé Leônidas, Jembaa Groove's Ghanaian singer Eric Owusu and South African artists Bongani Givethanks & Mpho Nkuzo
Re-wiring the concept of 'fusion' for 2023, Agôra is Brazilian trio Caixa Cubo's resurgent new record with the title referring to 'now', based upon the intuitive and fluid nature of the trio's method, and this inspired recording. With shoots to black music culture, from Brazil to Brooklyn, Ghana and South Africa, Agôra is the group's ninth album yet is their first where they've invited guests, mainly singers, onto each track and follows their last, Angela from 2020, released on Heavenly Records, which won a BBC 6 Music Album of the Year (Huey Morgan's selection) granting them much deserved international recognition.
The core musical elements of Caixa Cubo are Henrique Gomide (keys), João Fideles (drums) and Noa Stroeter (bass), all from São Paulo, Brazil and where they met as teenagers and would continue their friendship and musical bond at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Netherlands. Now all in their mid thirties, João and Noa live back in the city where it all started but Henrique has settled in Cologne, Germany where the recording of Agôra took place, over the course of 3 days, at the home cum studio of Chris 'Dusty' Doepke, their friend and owner of the label they signed to, Jazz & Milk.
In line with all their creations where flow and energy provide the magic, allowing what the moment provides, the album shines not only for its virtuosity but for its minimalism, the depth of space, and for the first time, the ability to figure in and outside of the jazz fold, as the trio decided, for the first time, to bring in singers and add a new aesthetic to their sound.
"Agôra is a wake-up call to reality, a reminder that the infinite possibilities of technological progress should not disconnect us from the earth, from eye-to-eye relationships, and from moments lived in person" the band are keen to point out. "And that we must not be consumed by greed, for all we truly possess.... is the NOW."
Turning hope and metaphor into music, the debut single Sábado, an electrified future- jazz-fizz reflects perfectly the spontaneity that permeated the entire recording of the album. "When we got to the studio, we had no idea what we were going to record. We started playing a groove, kind of inspired by Gilberto Gil's 80s albums, and our drummer João started singing this funny song 'Sábado Barrigudão' (Big Belly Saturday) alongside the bass groove and that was that". Inspired by their city of birth, São Paulo, it features long time collaborator and vocalist Zé Leônidas, with cuicas, tamborim, agogo and shakers providing the most obvious Brazilian affect from the album.
Dreams is the band's first foray into R'n'B melding the group's simple and sporadic instrumentation of drums, keys and bass into a Jill Scott inspired song that could have been born in Brooklyn yet sung by Brazilian singer and Grammy nominated Xênia França and Zé Leônidas in both English and Portuguese. Xênia recently performed online for hip-to-it website Colors and it's her latest collaboration with Caixa Cubo, having first met in 2009 for a series of live performances.
South African artists Bongani Givethanks & Mpho Nkuzo come to the record with a wholly different approach on Ndiyakhangela, providing spoken word and vocal refrains on top of an Afro-Brazilian percussion jam with a delivery and verse in Xhosa, Zula and Ndebele. Asase is the album opener and features vocals of Eric Owusu who is part of highlife pioneer Pat Thomas's live band and most recently, co-leader of Jembaa Groove, an Afro-soul band from Berlin. It's a synth wig out with djembe grooves and offers a brand new take on Afro-soul-jazz.
Other contributions come from Cologne based jazz singer Rebekka Ziegler (Oblique Sunshine), São Paulo based guitarist Eduardo Camargo (Caio & Eric) and trumpet player Matthias Schriefl on Kismeti, a gorgeous and rolling number that ebbs and flows, exemplifying the group's effortless ability to craft a sound energised by a belief in one-self and the idea of having faith without the need to look at each other for verification.
As drummer and percussionist João Fideles perfectly surmised upon arriving for the recording session, "What drums do you have? Whatever you have, I'll use it". Agôra is testament to nearly 20 years of camaraderie, friendship and most importantly, trust.
Dune Castle Records Presents… For Private Use Only by Cantrips, two heaving psychedelic funk pieces composed by Cantrips' Patrick Ryan and recorded over one day by a studio band including members of Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo.
Cantrips is a Melbourne psychedelic funk and cinematic soul group led by multi instrumentalist and studio producer Patrick Ryan. With heavy groove sensibilities, Ryan composes head nodding psychedelic funk music from the Dune Castle Throne Room, a DIY studio in Thornbury, Melbourne, from where he operates the label Dune Castle Records. Ryan composed two tracks in homage to David Axelrod's work with Psychedelic Pop band The Electric Prunes in the late 1960s. Ryan performed these pieces with members of Surprise Chef, with Henry Jenkins (Karate Boogaloo, Surprise Chef, Emma Donovan and The Putbacks) producing the two pieces.
This release follows a psychedelic funk LP composed by Ryan under Dune Castle named Dark Age Martial Arts. A self released record; it was nominated for the Australian Music Prize 2022. It received airplay and support from Radio DJs around Australia on stations such as PBS, RRR and FBI, as well as featuring on radio shows across England, Scotland and France. It also received considerable support from record stores in Australia and the UK.
Angelo is an LP, named after a car, featuring nine songs Brijean have crafted and carried with them through a period of profound change, loss, and relocation. It finds percussionist/singer Brijean Murphy and multi-instrumentalist/producer Doug Stuart processing the impossible the only way they know how: through rhythm and movement. The months surrounding the acclaimed release of Feelings, their full-length Ghostly International debut in 2021 which celebrated tender self-reflection and new possibilities, rang bittersweet with the absence of touring and the sudden passing of Murphy’s father and both of Stuart’s parents. In a haze of heartache, the duo left the
Bay Area to be near family, resetting in four cities in under two years. Their to-go rig became their traveling studio and these tracks, along with Angelo, became their few constants. Whereas Feelings formed over collaborative jams with friends, Angelo’s sessions presented Murphy and Stuart a chance to record at their most intimate, “to get us out of our grief and into our bodies,” says Murphy. They explored new moods and styles, reaching for effervescent dance tempos and technicolor backdrops, vibrant hues in contrast to their more somber human experiences. Angelo beams with positivity and creative renewal — a resourceful, collective answer to “what happens now?”
Angelo the car is a 1981 Toyota Celica they got off Craigslist during their first stint in Los Angeles, where Murphy and Stuart have since settled. “Such a bro-y, ‘80s dude car, it’s been super fun to drive around in a new town,” Murphy says. “He’s older than us, he’s a classic, he’s got a story.” It is a spiritual vehicle with a cinematic appeal, first dropping them off in an alleyway for the scene-setting intro, “Which Way To The Club.” The question is quickly resolved by “Take A Trip” as a cruising bassline mingles with crowd sounds, hand-claps, cuíca hiccups, whip-cracks, even a horse neigh. Brijean have found some club on this cross-dimensional trip — the kind of
imagined space or chamber within one’s self capable of “shifting a fraction of who you are,” says Murphy. They wrote the track with the simple intention to be “as free as we could be,” adds Stuart, likening the flip on the B section to a realm unlocked: ”What if the world changed completely? You open the door to a new room.”
Next is “Shy Guy,” a motivational anthem for the wallflowers among us. Murphy sets up the daydream: “We are in junior high, we’re on the dance floor, what’s going down, who is dancing, who is not, how are we gonna make them dance?” The narrator, the MC, hypes up the room as conga-driven rhythms bounce between languid synth and guitar lines. “Show me how to move...I feel something...I know you feel it too,” Murphy sings sweetly, calling back to the opening lines of Feelings, and this time the audience chants it back. It is easy to picture Brijean performing this one — something they only got to do a handful of times until more recently, opening shows for Khruangbin and Washed Out, an experience they found informative. Murphy explains, “It was inspiring to be out there and let loose more. To see how people can expand their expression on stage gave me more liberty with how I viewed my musicianship. My role for so long was to be a backup percussionist, so why would I ever leave the drums, you know? But then after playing all these runs, you see these artists and realize you can, you have permission.”
“Angelo” and “Ooo La La” deliver the danciest stretch in Brijean’s catalog to date. The title track adopts a deep house pulse replete with strings, hi-hats, and kicks. The latter opts for a funkier groove that foregoes verses in favor of warbled hums and extended breakdowns. What follows is perhaps the duo’s dreamiest run, a comedown initiated with the honey-hued interlude “Colors” drifting into “Where Do We Go?”, a tropicália reverie where Murphy contemplates the passage of time and space.
It all culminates in “Caldwell’s Way,” a fond farewell to their Bay Area community — “a part of my life that I knew couldn’t come back,” says Murphy. Above shimmering organ sounds, lush strings, and the birdcall of their former neighborhood, she wistfully articulates the uncertainty of moving on by remembering the characters dear to them. There’s the wisdom of their neighbor, Santos, who refused payment when helping them move out: “I’d rather have 100 friends than 100 dollars.” And the song’s namesake, Benjamin Caldwell Brown, a friend and club night cohort for many years. “I’m only miles away, maybe I’m just feeling lonely,” the line resigns to warm nostalgia, and “Nostalgia” runs the closing credits to this healing and transportive collection.
On April 7th electronic luminary Nathan Fake presents the new longplayer ‘Crystal Vision’ on his own Cambria Instruments imprint, which features collaborations with Clark and Wizard Apprentice.
This is music for music’s sake – recorded without angles, agendas and themes – so Fake was free to simply continue honing his craft and express himself non-literally. Aptly titled, there’s a clarity of execution and ambition, and a peak effectiveness to the record that just sounds right.
Continuing to set a personal bar higher and topping his own best, the mark of master craftsperson is everywhere, but that doesn’t mean it’s polished; There’s plenty of rawness evident, with spiky sonics keeping ears on high alert – full of endorphin-flooded rave energy.
Following a short, scene-setting ‘Arrival’ – a simple major chord arpeggio played on a Jupiter 6 which sounds like curtains opening at dawn, things begin apace with ‘The Grass’, which hurtles like a precision-tuned bullet train through Arctic tundra. The undulating effect of compression is emphasised by the classic techno trope where 2 rhythms jar yet interlock, creating an exquisitely disorientating strobe-like flutter. On the track’s guest, Fake comments, “I fell in love with Wizard Apprentice's ‘I Am Invisible’ and felt our musical styles were similar. Their vocals are smooth and clear and sharp at the same time. They’re like a calm within the storm.”
Inspired by Italo disco but sounding wholly alien and futuristic, ‘Vimana’’s fizzing buzzsaw arpeggiated bassline, popping snares and bright whirling melody are equally an electro trance melange, with an effervescent major chord Arp that kicks in midway.
Reminiscent of what used to be called ‘funky techno’ but with sparklier sounds, ‘Boss Core’ blinds like sunshine bouncing off ice. Using his trusty Boss DR550 drum machine, and inspired by Autechre's ‘Vose In’, the track peaks by reaching that melancholic/euphoric axis for which he is loved.
With chugging slow breakbeats not a million miles from Board Of Canada or trip hop, ‘Crystal Vision’ rolls along, with the melody opening up, revealing more hidden notes as it progresses, building into a fractal, kaleidoscopic mosaic.
An emotional outpouring with serotonin surging through the circuitry, classic breakbeats and layers of lazers, ‘Bibled’ has all the hallmarks of a classic. This is a bonafide festival-set closing, hugging-your-mates, moment – or, with its guitar solo, “a power ballad” – as Nathan calls it.
A minimalistic moment of calm midway through the album, ‘CMD’’s gently comforting dreamscape is conjured with FM stacked and detuned sine waves which are left to breathe, whilst the chunky Chicagoan house jack of ‘Hawk’ brings to mind classic Relief records, but even more detuned and wibbly, and laden with synths.
As the title suggests, ‘Amen 96’ is in Fake’s own words, “me having a go at jungle. I grew up listening to it, and I remember as a teenager it sounded like the most intense and otherworldly music ever. It still does. This track is an experiment to see how my melodic style works against amen breaks”. Closer to the braindance end of the spectrum than ‘proper’ jungle (and all the more interesting for it), Fake channels the spirit of Squarepusher but makes it his own, brimming with melodious twinkle.
A collaboration with Nathan’s close friend and genuine musical hero Clark. ‘Outsider’ finds this dream team alchemising pure gold that’s bigger than the sum of their parts. Skittering, intense, far-reaching end epic, the pair close proceedings on a grandly dramatic note. In 2020 Nathan released the album ‘Blizzards’, which was described by The Quietus as “his best work”, and “his best LP yet” yet by Resident Advisor. The equally well received ‘Blizzards Remixes’ EP which featured Afrodeutsche and Irene Dresel followed in 2021, as did a nationwide UK tour.
An in-demand remixer, Fake has added his magic to tracks by Radiohead, Clark, Perc, Jon Hopkins, GoGo Penguin, Dominik Eulberg, Christian Löffler and Damian Lazarus, working for labels including Ninja Tune, Domino, Warp, Blue Note and Kompakt.
Seit gut 30 Jahren zählt Adriana Calcanhotto nun schon zu den größten und einflussreichsten Stimmen jener weiblichen Singer/Songwriter-Generation aus Brasilien, deren Vertreterinnen gleichermaßen als Komponistinnen, Instrumentalistinnen und Dichterinnen erfolgreich sind.
Vor drei Jahren hatten die pandemiebedingten Lockdown-Maßnahmen im Land sie dazu gezwungen, das 2020 veröffentlichte Album "Só" ("einsam/allein") unter ungewöhnlichen Bedingungen aufzunehmen: als virtuelle Zusammenarbeit mit anderen Musiker:innen, die (genau
wie sie selbst) in den eigenen vier Wänden festsaßen.
Kein Wunder, dass das Resultat vor allem jene Einsamkeit zum Ausdruck brachte, unter der in jenen Tagen die meisten Menschen leiden mussten.
Nun jedoch meldet sich die zweifache Latin-Grammy-Gewinnerin
(2006 & 2010) mit einem ganz anders klingenden und sehr viel extrovertierteren Longplayer zurück: "Errante" - was im Deutschen so viel wie "umherziehend" bedeutet.
Tatsächlich bewegt sich Adriana Calcanhotto auf ihrem 13. Studioalbum sehr frei und legt große Distanzen zwischen ganz unterschiedlichen Stilen und Genres zurück (alles von Bossa Nova, Samba-Canção, Xote, Maxixe und Samba-de-Roda bis hin zu Rock/Pop und Funk Carioca (Favela Funk)), wobei auch die Themenpalette ähnlich groß angelegt ist, wenn es etwa um die Liebe und deren Ende geht, ums Flirten, um Verluste, um Trauer und Selbstreflexion.
Emotional Rescue dives back in the world of post punk experiments and early synthesised electronics to present another of the labels iconoclastic 7" 'collectors specials', with a look at Stockholm's Staalfagel.
Born in 1977, Erik Fritjofsson and Petter Brundell merged and formed Staalfagel out of the suburbs of Jakobsberg. Like so many at the time, the duo was tired of Prog, Jazz and Symphonic Rock and formulated something new and against at the same moment; a time where drummers were jettisoned in place of drum machines and the inspirations of artists like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Devo and Pere Ubu were thrown in the mix to fervent results.
With Micke Kjell soon joining on bass, they toured Sweden constantly, the manic machine beat, beating guitars and strange synth sounds defeated the throng and led to a considerable following. Recorded live to tape with no overdubs or mixing, the faithful CR 78 drum machine, the results radiate energy.
Release just 4 records in 2 years (1980 - 1982), Utan Rymddrakt Pa Uranus appeared as their last ever release. Jettisoning the punky-funk vocals of previous releases, the single is a pure electronic groove. Funk bass and guitar atop, its short form simplicity is perfection distilled in 2 parts of less than 3 minutes, conjoined like some reggae dream, with 'Uranus II' acting the dub 'version' counterpoint.
Discovered and shared by long-time friend, DJ and collector, Gary The Tall steps out from behind the decks and microphone of his long running NTS show to present an exemplary "Reversion". Teaming up with master producer and label affiliate, Timothy J Fairplay on engineering duties, they keep the originals' straightforward charm, deceptively editing, looping and reversing with aplomb, for a killer flip side.
Two years after their previous effort, regular as clockwork, Swiss throbbing synth pop duo Veil Of Light is back with a new album and what can we say? These guys keep on getting better and better.
If you have followed the Zurich-based outfit over the past few years, you must have noticed the constant moving towards 80’s FM new wave and synthpop tones – without losing their electro/body music outline – that have marked the band’s parable, especially since their latest Landslide LP.
Sundancing is their sixth full-length and it stays the course, bringing what we’ve just said to the next step. Nine new dancy and bright tunes with emotional depth that blend lush instrumentation and robust rhythms, guided by funky and rubbery basslines. Syncopated rhythm sections match suburban cool synths in the lead single Apricot Kiss and Hypersleep, while Raindancing and Tonight summon a sinuosity long gone since the mid Eighties. The musical backdrop here serves as the fundament for emotional vocals delivering lyrics dealing with the fragility of love, joy and loneliness.
There’s some subtle addictiveness to these songs, one that will gently grab you by the collar of your coat and stick the refrains from Sundancing inside your head for good.
Veil Of Light might make it look easy to keep it neat without being minimalist, intimate without being depressing, romantic in the most true sense of the word, but we know that’s possibly the hardest thing to do.
Hot on the heels of their sophomore release with DJ Rocca, Cyphon Recordings welcome Tijuana’s Cyborg Nerve to the family for the third installment in their busy label schedule.
A new project helmed by the Cedillo brothers - also known for their work under the monikers Soul of Hex and Mano De Fuego - Cyborg Nerve’s sound tips the hat to the roots of Detroit electro and techno.
The Vicario Musique Recordings bosses have already made a mark under their Soul of Hex alias, pushing their cosmic, vibrant take on deep house. It’s caught the ear of labels and artists across the world; the likes of Delusions of Grandeur, Freerange Records and Quintessentials have shared their music and they’ve even earned the Larry Heard seal of approval, with the legendary Chicago producer stepping up to remix their 2014 track ‘Lip Reading’. As Mano De Fuego they’re also getting their music into the hands of pioneering figures in the American dance music scene - summer of this year saw them release a shamanistic debut via the inimitable Underground Resistance.
For their debut outing as Cyborg Nerve, the pair deliver four tracks of old school electro grooves. Title track ‘Cristalizacion’ kicks things off. A slice of intergalactic electro; celestial pads soar above warm bass and staccato drum rhythms. Their eponymous track follows and takes the energy levels up a notch: a warbling bass line drives the track forward, whirring and revving while crisp hats fizz overhead.
‘Tijuana 3000’ is another cut that's custom-made for the dance floor. As with the title track, the duo call to mind the interstellar jazz-tinged electronics of Detroit outfit Galaxy 2 Galaxy, as they pair cosmic twinkling melodies with a hypnotic acid line that takes centre stage. ‘Machine Effect’ brings the EP to a close. Like its name suggests the track is powered by a raw, machine funk groove and precise drum programming - no bells and whistles, just pure cosmic vibrations to move your body.
Forming a wide spectrum of sounds, Comics Trip Records always manage to include a plenty of influences into their releases but with a uniquely future retro slant. Next up to instil this musical identity is VTL One and the third story of Comics Trip Records.
Miles Away Records are extremely proud to introduce our latest single by the incredible Howard Lemon Singers. You Are Somebody and For The Children are two blinding tracks cherry-picked from the incredibility rare 1977 album Seasons released on the legendary TK Records subsidiary Gospel Roots.
Both sides of this 45 are oozing with positivity and good sentiment, a fine example of the harmony between sacred and secular sounds, and the experimentation taking place, during the late 1970s as gospel artists were modernizing the soundtrack, and lyrical content of gospel music..
You Are Somebody is a gorgeous modern soul heater. Accomplished vocalist Esther Smith's sublime voice delivers her vocal lines with such confidence and assurance that the words seem to strut over the funky basslines and drumming support. Flip it over and For The Children is a more mid-tempo burner, but don't let this fool you - it's "stop-you-in-your-tracks" good. Smith's vocals once again shine brightly and are delightfully accompanied by the Nile Rodgers-esque 'wacka-wacka' guitar of Lester Snell throughout. Musicianship is of the highest quality as Howard Lemon, group leader, called upon some of the best musicians from STAX Records – Willie Hall and the aforementioned Lester Snell were key components of such groups as the Isaac Hayes Movement and the Bar Kays.
These two nuggets are presented here for the first time on a 45 and complete in our customary teal green labels and sleeve. Remastered and cut by Timmion.
In the mid-70s, Bob Shad’s cult New York Jazz label Mainstream Records turned to the burgeoning underground Disco scene and released a handful of great singles produced by the likes of Tommy Stewart, Jimmy Roach or Bert DeCoteaux. Featuring artists from the early Disco hotbed including South Side Coalition, Chocolate Syrup and Three Ounces of Love, these singles, proving Shad's great flair, accompanied the rise of the New York club and block party culture that was going to revolutionise the musical landscape a few years later. Most of the singles are officially reissued here on vinyl for the first time, with Three Ounces of Love's "Disco Man" full mix previously unissued on vinyl. Remastered by Colorsound Studio in Paris, with liner notes by Charles Waring and artwork by Thomas C. Bradley
Funk and Soul in the early 70s were mutating to a new sound spearheaded by such labels as Philadelphia International Records (PIR), Scepter and Salsoul: Early Disco was taking off and Its sound was earthier and more urban, mixing the nascent Disco beat with strong funk and soul elements. New York was at the epicentre of the phenomenon, thanks to its thriving club scene and also to a new wave of DJs from the Bronx who started playing the music at block parties along with James Brown and Mandrill. bubbling under was a cohort of small independent labels that released some great music on 7" singles to meet the growing demand. Industry veteran Bob Shad and his label Mainstream Records started investigating this new scene and asked his circle of independent producers to bring him their latest production for release. For the occasion, he set up two sub labels, IX Chains and Brown Dog.
Among the producers who'd heard Shad's call were Tommy Stewart who came up with The South Side Coalition's funky '(Don't You Wanna) Get Down Get Down' in 1975 and Prophecy's 'What Ever's Your Sign' a year later. Seasoned arranger/producer Bert DeCoteaux (Patti Austin, Maxine Brown, The Main Ingredient) brought Lenny Welch's soulful 'A Hundred Pounds of Pain' and the superb mid-tempo instrumental 'Nothing Between Us' by The Electric Ladies. Arranger Jimmy Roach came with his latest single with The Dramatics ('No Rebate on Love') whom he'd worked with at Volt and with Three Ounces of Love on their aptly titled single 'Disco Man,' whose unissued long version merging Side 1 and 2 is released here on vinyl for the first time. The sister group would go on to sign with Motown in 1978 and release their sole album self-titled 'Three Ounces of Love.'
Other highlights on 'Mainstream Disco Funk' include The Grand Jury's 'Music is Fun To Me' with its languid funky rhythm arranged by Ted Bodnar, a producer and studio engineer who'd work with Sir Joe Quarterman, Blair and Al Johnson. Also featured on the set is Crystal Image's superb 'Gonna Have a Good Time (part 1 & 2) which typifies the blend of urban funk, glitzy strings and metronomic beat that were signature elements of early Disco.
The style would keep getting more commercial over the years and reach overkill in the late 70s but the block party scene which more than embraced this breakbeat-filled genre would soon morph into hip hop in the second half of the 70s with the help of a few key industry figures such as Sylvia Robinson (Sugar Hill Records). By that time, Bob Shad had ceased releasing records and relocated in Los Angeles but he left behind a small treasure trove of superb obscure singles which are now making their LP debut on 'Mainstream Disco Funk' for the delight of all funk and disco lovers.
Psycho 2000 - A dark but funky theme that begins with an occulting Italian echo-oscillator drone that is soon followed by pulsating bass and breakbeat drums, leads to tremolo guitars, an ostinato on electric mandolas, strings climbing eloquent ladders, otherworldly electronics, and a cinematic finale.
An evocation of a parade of wooden nutcracker soldiers elaborately dressed in gold-trimmed black uniforms down a wide avenue decorated with mardi gras beads and animal skulls upon golden cobblestones toward a tornado spiralling out purple-hued glissandos and curlicues of elephant smoke.
White Spiritual - Head nod action, the twinkling of a late 60’s Vox Continental II with sickly transistors, the noodling matrix of an intergalactic telephone exchange carried on a bed of bouncy bass with a firm backbeat.
The Johnny Guitar Watson-esque bite and sting of a ‘67 Teisco guitar preludes slabs of unison dark brown moog and organ giving way to the dance of fingers over the black naturals and white sharps of the Continental II.
From samba and bossa nova through to baile funk, with carioca expressions of jazz, rock and hip hop in between, the sound of Rio de Janeiro, while continually evolving, has always held an unnameable quality which reflects the magic and mystique of the city itself. Multi-instrumentalist and arranger Antonio Neves is the city’s newest trailblazer: the enfant-terrible of Rio’s music scene, leading a vital and diverse constellation of both emerging and well-known artists advancing the city’s musical legacy.
“It all started one sleepless night, after watching a Quincy Jones documentary”. Inspired by the legendary music magnate, Neves began writing a list of artists residing in Rio de Janeiro “people that I admire, that I consider geniuses of their instruments, who share with me affinities, anxieties and projects.” The list included some of Brazil’s most revered living musicians who Neves has worked with in recent years: Hamilton de Holanda, Leo Gandelman and Dorival Caymmi. Neves also called on some of Brazil's most exciting emerging talents including Alice Cayymii and Ana Frango Eletrico.
A Pegada Agora É Essa (The Sway Now) is Neves’ second album: a vibrant portrait of the current Brazilian music scene. From the regional to universal, popular to erudite, samba to rap, Latin rhythms to jazz, MPB and pop to good old rock'n'roll, Neves walks with fluency and mastery amongst all the musical genres that Brazil has to offer.
“My offer to the musicians was complete freedom to express themselves through the songs I proposed – classics like “Summertime”, “Luz Negra” and “Noite de Temporal”, and compositions of my own – creating a space of authorship for the band and the guests. A space for inventions, purges, delusions, laughter. The idea was to bring the freedom of jazz crossed by Brazilian rhythms, such as the traditionals Partido Alto (A Pegada Agora É Essa) and Jongo (Jongo no Feudo and Luz Negra); rhythms of African-Brazilian religions like Candomblé (Noite de Temporal) and Umbanda (Forte Apache); and a tribute to newest Rio de Janeiro’s contribution to Brazilian music, the Funk Carioca (Simba)”.
Coming from a musical family, Antonio’s father, Eduardo Neves, was a renowned conductor and a professor at Juilliard School of Music and the California Jazz Conservatory. In the bohemian neighbourhood of Lapa, aged 14, Antonio began his career as a drummer, before experimenting with brass. He would soon become a skilled trombonist and arranger achieving the recognition of his teachers and peers. It wasn’t long before he would be playing with some of the biggest names in Brazilian music, such as Hamilton de Holanda, Leo Gandelman, Moreno Veloso, Kassin and Elza Soares.
His debut album as a trombonist was PA7 (2017, Rock It), released at the same time he was travelling the world playing with artists like Moreno Veloso, Kassin and Leo Gandelman, and recording the albums Jobim, Orquestra e Convidados (2017, Biscoito Fino), with Mário Adnet and Paulo Jobim; and Elza Soares Canta e Chora Lupi (2017, Coqueiro Verde Records). More recently, Neves was the arranger for the acclaimed Little Electric Chicken Heart album, by Ana Frango Elétrico, which has been nominated for a Latin Grammy and voted 2019’s ‘Brazilian Music Revelation’ by The Art Critics Association of São Paulo.
Time to welcome Session Victim back to Delusions Of Grandeur following some heavyweight releases on Toytonics and Rhythm Section International. The German duo show absolutely no signs of slowing down continuing to impress with their unique sound which combines organic live elements, fat, floor-filling beats and a deep, musical approach. Here on The Intangibles EP we’re treated to three original tracks spanning high energy jazz disco meets techno, soulful uplifting house and downtempo blunted beats.
Opener Motivation features spoken word from Ras Stimulant backed by urgent looping Rhodes stabs and an uptempo disco groove. An instant Session Victim dance-floor shaker if ever there was one, the energy cranked up to the maximum without losing sight of that all important groove.
Next up we have Dromedary Twist which keeps up the pace but goes deeper on the jazzy organ chords and lays down a heavy syncopated bass- line which ensures the funk factor remains present and correct.
Rounding out the EP in fine style, Green Run drops the BPM’s as we head into lazy, hazy, blissed-out jazzed-up beats territory. Lush strings and layers of analogue synths come together on this simple yet enchanting little tune which compliments the other tracks perfectly and will appeal to fans of SV’s more home-listening output from their 2020 LP Needledrop.
Daje Funk Records is back with Vol. 4 of the legendary ‘Slam Dunk’ series of EPs, this time featuring Souldynamic - Musta - Les Inferno - Groovemasta !!!
On the A-side, the supremely talented Souldynamic kicks things off with ‘Tales From Q.J.’ - a delicious chunk of late summer grooves bathing in sun-drenched keys and strings. The rolling bassline acts as the hook, and what follows is a gloriously constructed melodic masterpiece sprinkled with heavenly vocals. Fall in love with this, you will.
A2 sees Italian maestro Musta crack open the deep reggae vibes with ’Soup’. You’ll find it hard to resist this bubbling broth of twisted, rhythmic precision bass, ‘one drop’ beats and tight, short skanking guitar riffs. With ‘Soup’, Musta demonstrates his complete understanding of this genre. Darkened room or bar sun terrace - you decide.
On the B-side, label co-owner Les Inferno spices things up several notches with the aptly titled ‘Hot Burn’. And boy, does this track sizzle. A hustling rhythm that takes over your dance nodes from the get go, Les Inferno lovingly sprinkles Latino and Afro vibes all over this searingly hot dish. It’s furious, intense and relentless - and the brass breakdown acts as the tabasco sauce. Drink water. Plenty of water.
Closing Vol. 4 out on B2 is Groovemasta with ‘That Funk’. A track that treats its funky beats and chunky bass like royalty, this 118bpm monster wastes no time in demanding ‘Gimme that funk’. And you’re gonna hand it over. The swirling, gyrating sexiness of ‘That Funk’ can’t be understated - impossible not to lose yourself in this guaranteed dance floor time bomb.
Slam Dunk Vol. 4 seriously raises the bar for this already excellent series, and has to be in any self-respecting vinyl junky’s record box. Grab it while you can!
Next up on Toolroom’s 4-track vinyl sampler series is a tasty collab from label founder, Mark Knight and dance music royalty, Armand van Helden, a fresh new edit of a revered club weapon from Julio Navas, Gustavo Bravetti and David Amo, Kiss FM regular, majestic and Sydney-native Alex Preston.
Up first label boss, Mark Knight enlists Grammy nominated Armand van Helden for their debut collaboration, 'The Music Began To Play'. Kicking off with a hard-hitting house groove and electrified bassline that drives the record, before dropping into the track's golden moment and sampling the 1979 classic disco cut 'I Don't Need No Music' by T.J.M; a gem of a record that encapsulates both Mark and Armand’s love for classic cuts.
Next up, a record that became a cult hit of the underground and one that defines the true sound of Toolroom's heritage, Julio Navas, Gustavo Bravetti and David Amo’s 'Raw'. Refreshed for 2022, we see one of France's hottest exports, Tony Romera, deliver a high energy, club focused remix of 'Raw', bringing the classic club record back to dancefloors and sound systems across the globe!
Up next is another heater from Majestic, who debuts on Toolroom with ‘Annie’. Recapping one of the hottest summers on record, Majestic embodies the Balearic, Ibizan heat, sampling Kid Creole & the Coconuts 1982 hit, 'Annie I’m Not Your Daddy', turning a slice of calypso / disco, into a club ready record for the dancefloor. From the brass melody to the hooky guitar riff, majestic lays down his signature style with a Groove Armada-esque vibe throughout.
Rounding things off is label favourite, Alex Preston with his unique blend of 4 to the floor dance music and live funk guitar riffs that have swept through clubs, moving feet, and bringing those feel-good vibes. Ticking all the right boxes on this one, 'Hunching' kicks off with its infectious groove and bassline, throwing in some lush strings, guitar flits and an 80's inspired saxophone break that adds some serious flavour to the record.
Gated kick off 2023 with a corker of a remix package, featuring an epic electro workout from Radioactive Man and lo-fi deep house from Max Wheeler of Anushka fame.
Marcela Dias Sindaco’s breathy Portuguese vocals always lent themselves to remixes and these five cuts use them to great effect.
Keith Tenniswood’s storming version of Missao Controle kicks off the EP, with a near-8-minute bass-heavy acid monster that retains the original’s funky elements but pushes them way into the future.
German upstarts not even noticed take Extincao nice and deep for those loved-up dancefloor moments, again bringing in melodic elements from the original, but twisting them just enough to flow into a dreamy acidic breakdown.
Flip to the B and Anushka’s Max Wheeler goes it alone, with a deep and crackly analogue house version of Dois Lados. Injected with just a smidgeon of jazz, this is definitely one for the heads.
Next up, longtime Gated collaborator Dip Shim, whose debut album only just dropped, brings a straight-up electro jam version of Pro Meu Bem, with haunting pads and insistent arpeggios.
Rounding off the EP is Perseus Traxx’s deeper than deep take on Missao Controle, a tripped out reverby journey laden with his signature hardware sound.
Dynamite cuts 45s series is proud to release two gems from the Perception label both First time on 7” vinyl. Taken from the hard to find John Bartel LP which was released 1971, these two bangers, needed to be part of the DC series, classic and unknown drum samples.
A - “Boogie” is super heavy funk n Jazz dj dancer.
B - “You’ve just been bitten” Great mid-tempo vocal funk groove, with lots of drum break
No Rush second release is a split EP that includes Arapu and Simone Adinolfi, each of them expressing a personal feeling about the antithesis of time, seen like infinite as much as just a moment.
While Arapu is showing elegance in Morning Clue with its deep and airy melodies and a more decisive and funky touch in End Of That using his special bassline blended with outstanding scratchy sounds, Simone Adinolfi gives a more melodic and warm imprint in Levantyne, where hypnotic pads are permeated by dreamy piano chords, and then gets more gloomy and raw in Relapse, showing his introspective side.
Wow, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the support with Dynamite Cuts since 2017 when I opened a Pandora’s box of 7” gems. When I thought about starting DC, I had a list of around 100 album tracks I wished I had as a 7” 45. Now 5 years (2022) later my list of 7” delights have become true. In the late 80s, I picked up the Frank Strazzeri “After the Rain” LP, which totally blew me away. Now, all these years later, these three magical choons have the honour of being my 100th release.
These titles are first time on 7” vinyl and all cut @ 45 rpm. An unmissable, perfect Jazz funk release
Almost 2 years after the success of the album The Tony Allen Experiments and a few months after the release of the 7inch Amore, Nu Guinea returns to the scene with a new LP published by their newborn label NG RECORDS.
After touring the world looking for sounds suitable for their vibrations, NU GUINEA decided to go back to square one, Napoli, where Massimo Di Lena and Lucio Aquilina were born and raised. They watched their city from a distance reconstructing its energy from their studio in
Berlin, calibrating the synths on the meridian of Vesuvius, the volcano that has always protected and threatened Napoli.
Nuova Napoli is the result of a long musical research that has become a historical investigation on the sound that shaped Napoli during the ‘70s and ‘80s, starting from the contamination of genres (disco, jazz-funk, African rhythms) which ended up in Nu Guinea’s DNA.
In this album the synthesizers fill the spaces between the past and the future, tightening in a single body acoustic instruments, electronics and voices in Neapolitan dialect. It is the first time that the duo has worked with such a large group of musicians, some of whom are exponents of the contemporary Neapolitan scene.
WARNING: We recommend listening to Nuova Napoli while walking in the alleys of Napoli’s
historic center, around wet clothes hanging and street vendors on tiny three-wheelers.
Oyez ! Oh yeah ! Cheval Detroit is here! Mmmh presents his new project with his most accomplished piece of music, a triple albummmh curated in his Parisian basement aka the sm dungeon. For 2 years, Mmmh has seen no other light than his own computer screen. No need, indeed, to confront the world and its urban apocalypse when you have a vessel shaped to produce light and hope. Hidden behind a rough cover, we have no doubt the music will penetrate your heart. As in a video game experience, you can dive and evolve in his childish world, level after level, adventure after adventure. This very colorful album is not your usual techno tool - It jumps from aquatic and dancefloor beats to hopeful ambient textures, or fast paced, funky and threatening techno. We must warn you : This is highly addictive.
As 2022 concludes, Marcel Fengler opens a new career chapter with the announcement of '10 Years IMF', an inspiring compilation that marks a decade of his influential label Index Marcel Fengler. A "heart project" two years in the making, the work showcases 12 cuts from artists across the generations exclusive to the compilation, and in-line with the imprint's ethos, unites established and emerging artists.
At the same time, true to Fengler's own vision, it presents productions that span the full breadth of the techno genre - whether it be funky, elegant, industrial, atmospheric or broken beat, right through to the harder techno variety, '10 Years IMF' stands as Fengler's personal manifesto of techno and the artistic possibilities of the genre.
Each record includes a 10 Years special collectors item.
Max Von Sydow is the alias of Joakim hlund, founder of 90's electro-pop act Teddybears, garage-pop freaks Caesars and kraut space rockers Les Big Byrd among others
Max von Sydow is more of a sporadic experimental solo excursion, and he has previously released a couple of singles on Swedish labels Ingrid and Höga Nord for example. Here on his first release for Chimp Limbs he has taken the help of Gustav Ejstes from Dungen and Amason on flute and piano, as well as jazz prodigy Moussa Fadera on the drums.
The A-side, Fuzzy Ghost, has a driving bass line and an almost Klaus Dinger- like motorik drumbeat as well as hectic flute work and ethereal piano by Ejstes. And the B-side, Acid Sweat is a Moog synthdriven piece which features nice tape- echo flute- work by Ejstes and an
unrelenting funky drumbeat by Fadera.
For this uniquely personal retrospective spread over twelve vinyl discs, Sven Väth takes us back to the early days of his DJ career. On What I Used To Play we meet great pioneers of electronic music, gifted percussionists, obscure wave bands, and innovative producers of a bygone 'new electronic' era. Rough beats and irresistible grooves from the identification stage of house, techno, and acid remind us not just how far electronic music has evolved over the past four decades, but how great it was to dance to EBM, techno, and house for the very first time.
If there is one protagonist of the electronic music scene who has remained curious, innovative and at the very cutting edge of music for over four decades, it's Sven Väth. His multi-layered artist albums and Sound of the Season mix compilations have been defining the genre for over two decades, and even today, he is constantly on the lookout for the next top tune to add to the highlights of his next set. At least, that's the case when he's not producing them himself as an artist or remixer. "Actually, it's always been part of my DNA to think ahead," and nothing had been further from his mind than looking back at his past, but when in spring of 2020 the international DJ circuit had to be scaled down to virtually zero, the 'restless traveler' suddenly had time. Time to stop and reflect on "how it actually was back then, at the very beginning of my career..."
"It was a great trip and with every track, beautiful memories came flooding back".
In the London apartment, he had just moved into, Sven has set up a "little music room", where he cocooned himself for several days, "to look way back for the first time and review my musical journey through the eighties, so to speak."
The interim result was six thematically oriented playlists with a grand total of 120 tracks from 'early 80s' to 'Balearic late 80s', together with excursions into afrobeat, European new wave, and EBM sounds and a few epochal techno/house tracks from the USA in between. From these 'Best of Sven Väth's favorites', the project What I Used To Play crystallized. Sven remembers how the Cocoon team reacted to his proposal: "They found the idea of making a compilation out of it MEGA from the beginning and everyone said 'Sven, go for it', but then, of course, the work really started, namely, to clear the rights and to get clean sounding masters of the up to 40-year-old tracks. There was also disappointment, of course. We couldn't clear certain titles because the rights holders in the USA had fallen out with each other or simply disappeared from the scene. In short, it wasn't easy, but now I can safely say we got the most important tracks."
Finally, after two years of research, curation, design, and administrative fine-tuning, the "little retrospective" from 1981 to 1990 is available. The exquisitely packaged, and three-kilo heavy box set is not only physically impressive, WIUTP is also the definitive record of Sven Väth's musical development. On each of the twenty-four sides of vinyl, you can trace track by track, what influenced him during which phase, and how he took off as a DJ from his parents' Queen's Pub straight into the spotlight at Dorian Gray. There and at Vogue (later OMEN), Sven became the style-defining player in the DJ booth that he still is today.
1981 - 1990: Future Sounds of Now
In the early eighties, the crowd in clubs like Vogue and Dorian Gray danced to what nowadays we call 'dance classics' - mainly disco, funk, soul, and chart pop. It was up to a new generation of DJs, including Sven Väth, the youngest protagonist in the Rhine-Main area at the time, to create their own club-ready music mix. Good new tracks and potential floor-fillers were rarities that had to be sought out and found, in order to prove oneself worthy.
Without MP3s, internet streaming, or other digital download possibilities, music didn't just gravitate to the DJ, instead, it had to be tracked down. In well-stocked record stores in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden or even in Amsterdam, London, or New York, Sven and friends sourced the material for countless magical nights. On WIUTP we can follow Sven's very personal journey through this wild, innovative era in which synth-pop, funk, hip-hop, and disco were successively replaced as 'club music' by house, techno, acid, and breakbeat. By the end of the decade, it was clear to see that these once exotic 'fringe' phenomena would soon become 'mass' phenomena.
Early 80s
Dirty Talk by the Italian-American duo Klein & M.B.O. represents the most innovative phase of the Italo-disco genre in the early eighties like no other track. Mario Boncaldo (I) and Tony Carrasco relied entirely on the original synthetic drum and percussion sounds of the Roland TR-808, coupled with the raunchy vocals of Rossana Casale and guitar accents of Davide Piatto. Of course, other tracks from this period were also influential in style, most notably Unit by Logic System, which worked as the perfect soundtrack to the laser lighting system at the legendary Dorian Gray club. With stomping beats and robotic rap interludes, Bostich by Yello also belongs on Sven's eternal playlist - after all, it caught the attention of Afrikaa Bambaataa, who invited the Swiss duo to perform at the Roxy in New York in 1983.
EBM Wave - Mid 80s
From today's point of view, the almost ten-minute-long, downtempo track Giant by Matt Johnson's band project The The, would probably not be considered an obvious club classic. However, a closer (re)listen reveals the rhythmic intricacies of the percussion overdubs by JG Thirlwell (aka Foetus) on Johnson's composition, and it becomes clear why this exceptional piece of music is one of Sven's absolute favorites. Other classics from this phase include Kaw-Liga by the mysterious The Residents, the hypnotic-synthetic Our Darkness by Anne Clark (and David Harrow), and last but not least, the somber, monotonous anthem Where Are You? by 16Bit, one of Sven Väth's projects together with Michael Münzing, Luca Anzilotti from 1986.
US House - Late 80s
You certainly can't talk about Chicago house without mentioning Frankie Knuckles. The resident DJ at the Warehouse not only gave the name to an entire genre, but also produced epochal floor fillers on the Trax label like the timeless Your Love, sung (and moaned) by Jamie Principle. Acid house protagonists Phuture also hail from Chicago, and on We Are Phuture (also released on Trax) we hear the chirping acid sounds of the legendary Roland TB-303 in full effect. Another featured classic is No UFO's by Detroit's Model 500 aka Juan Atkins, who is rightly considered the 'Godfather of Techno' even if the genre-defining track from 1985 still breathes with the spirit of hip-hop and electro from the first breakdance era.
Afrobeat
Le Serpent, by Algerian-born Abdelmadjid Guemguem, is a track that sounds completely different from everything else on WIUTP. Made in 1978, it's a monumental, rousing groove created without bass or synths, just with five congas! Even though Guem sadly passed away in 2021, his immortal, acoustic beats are understood all over the world and will continue to enrich many thousands of DJ sets for years to come. Another classic that not only Sven appreciates beyond measure is Hugh Masekela's Don't Go Lose it, Baby. In addition to being one of the most important jazz pioneers, the trumpeter and freedom fighter from Johannesburg was very experimental, integrating electronic sounds into his music in later years, in a similar vein to Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. Dutch jazz pianist Jasper van't Hof's afrobeat project Pili Pili has also aged well. The trance-like, almost sixteen-minute-long track of the same name, manages to fill a whole side on the seventh of twelve vinyl discs in the WIUTP box.
UK-US-Euro - Late 80s
Time for a change of scene, in the truest sense of the word, and from a musical perspective, this section is like landing on another planet. First up is Andrew Weatherall's classic remix of Primal Scream's Loaded, featuring the iconic Peter Fonda sample (lifted from the 1966 biker film Wild Angels) that came to personify the mood triggered by the British Second Summer of Love in the late eighties: "We wanna be free to do what we wanna do, and we wanna get loaded...". This period also saw the emergence of M/A/R/R/S whose only single, 1987's Pump Up The Volume, became a club classic with support from DJ legend CJ Mackintosh. In this most eclectic of sections, we also encounter New York house and reggae producer Bobby Konders and his seminal Nervous Acid.
Balearic - Late 80s
Those who know him, know that Sven had already lost his heart to the 'magic island' of Ibiza as a teenager, so with that in mind, the WIUTP project couldn't end without a Balearic chapter. Inspired by Manuel Göttsching's E2-E4, the immortal, eponymously titled Sueño Latino belongs in there without question. Equally popular on the island was, and still is Break 4 Love by Raze, which thinking about it, would also fit perfectly into the house chapter. Last, but not least, there's an overdue reunion with Sven Väth himself, in his role as frontman of the successful Frankfurt trio OFF. Together with Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti (later of Snap!) this 'Organization For Fun' created the off-the-wall club hit Electric Salsa in 1986 which incidentally turned into an international chart smash, putting Sven in the enviable position of having to decide between pop stardom and a DJ career. Well, we all know how that decision turned out and the rest, as they say, is history. A not insignificant part of his story is What I Used To Play. Enjoy!
It is a huge honour to present the Disco Gospel 12”, curated and edited by Chicago's Marc Davis and Sadar Bahar. Featuring two under-the-radar disco / gospel fusion tracks that have been given a new lease of life courtesy of these masters of their craft.
We first came to know Marc through his always on-point Black Pegasus record label, which he’s been running since 2006. As a renowned international DJ, record collector, and an integral part of Chicago's underground music scene, we knew anything he sent our way was going to be serious and he didn’t disappoint. Joining forces with Sadar Bahar (Soul in the Hole), who is himself a gospel and disco legend and a DJ's DJ favourite across the globe, they dug deep and put us onto two absolute gems from their beloved collections. As DJs who play a wide range of genres, their ability to spot the real heat within any sound has placed them at the top of their game. As Sadar puts it, "We are always digging for records and these fit the criteria of disco and happen to be gospel”.
First up is the feel-good joint 'I'm So Happy' by Fountain of Life Joy Choir Under The Direction of Kevin Yancy. Originally released in 1978 on a subsidiary label of T.K. Productions entitled Gospel Roots, the clue is in the title with this one. It's an unadulterated, uplifting, joyous dancer. Marc and Sadar’s fizzing edit brings out the best elements of the song and extends them. Working the addictive vocal hooks and building the funky instrumental grooves produces a spirit-lifting mood that is bursting with enough energy to light a fire under any dancefloor.
'Optical Illusion' on the flip, takes the tempo down, but doesn’t let up on the vigour. It’s a driving, stomping anthem that features another lung-busting vocal performance. Working with a live recording of Rev. Charles H. Nicks and The Baptist Assembly Of Free Spirit Churches Mass Choir, this one proves to be the perfect accompaniment to the ecstatic vibe of the A-side. The duo has condensed and heightened the drama of the song and added some light-touch production elements to clean up and enhance the sound. We guarantee this will be filtering its way into the sets of discerning DJs worldwide.
Marc described the selections best when he succinctly put it like this, “We both knew these were two heaters on our first listen”.
We completely agree, and with recording and engineering contributions from Tone B. Nimble (Soul Is My Salvation) and Rahaan, here we have Chicago royalty creating an unmissable release that celebrates the crossover of dance music with the musical traditions of the church.
'Intensely textured, interlocking guitar riffs weave together on New Bright Object, the debut album from Berlin and Edinburgh-based duo I’m Not You.
Working under the name I’m Not You, artist Alex Gibbs (bass & vocals) and sound designer Niall McCallum (guitar & drums) have honed a sound that draws in equal measure from jazz funk of Weather Report and the math rock of Don Caballero. Their debut album, New Bright Object is their most developed statement to date, an intricate, robust and unique collection of songs born from serpentine jam sessions in rural idylls.
The duo make no secret of their admiration for bands like Battles and Tortoise. They reference Jim O’Rourke’s lounge numbers and the droll lyricism of Modern Lovers’ Jonathan Richman. There’s a touch of Vini Reilly in their sparse and serpentine guitar lines. A hint perhaps of Mogwai. All these names place New Bright Object within a constellation of albums made with bigger budgets for wider audiences.
New Bright Object opens In a flash of light, comet-like, with the sound of ‘Mr. Wind- Up Bird’. The threads they weave are full with intent, as moments of density rise like hills from the track’s quieter valleys. It’s easy to imagine the pair looking out over the rolling fields of the garden studio in East Lothian where they recorded the album, as they assiduously try and draw their own landscapes in sound.
Similarly, there is a crispness to ‘A Certain Arrangement Of Atoms’ - every clipped hat, rim-shot snare and tightly wound tom a fine-tipped mark on the score. It is intricate and precise, a result perhaps of Niall’s attention to detail. Then there is the piano, Alex’s grandmother’s, slightly out of tune, which adds a few expressionist strokes to this pointillist composition. The piece loosens, until all we’re left with is the bass.
Although the album orbits around the pendulum sway of ‘The Older I Get’, it is ‘What Cats Think About’ that stands out most. That it does is by design – a nod to the Sun City Girls and albums that like to throw their listeners a curveball every now and then. Pleasantly ramshackle, confusingly domestic, agreeably strange.
All this speaks to the spirit of the album and the creative relationship between two best friends whose differences seem to have been the only things they could agree on.'
Samuel L Session and Van Czar drop a four-track techno EP on Unrilis that showcases a deeper and more hypnotic sound with dystopian atmosphere and driving percussion. Rino Cerrone launched the Unrilis record label over 15 years ago, and part of the label's back catalogue is its iconic Rilis series. 2022 sees the relaunch of the Rilis series that has a focus on underground DJ tools with raw analogue sounds. The Rilis series was originally launched in 1999, and was restricted to a concept on only 10 releases, each pressing a limited run of vinyl. It was hugely popular with each one often selling out in only a week and picking up DJ support by people ranging from Jeff Mills to Richie Hawtin. Those first 10 releases were focused on Rino Cerrone's own music, but since his retirement from the industry, the revitalised Rilis series will welcome other artists whose sound matches the label's underground concept.
This latest release in the Rilis series features collaborative tracks by Samuel L Session and Van Czar who have previously teamed up for releases on other imprints ranging from Marco Bailey's MB Elektronics to Ben Sims' Hardgrooves. Both are also successful solo artists, Sweden's Samuel L Session being well-known for his headline DJ sets at clubs around the world, along with the music he has released via iconic imprints such as Slam's Soma, Shlomi Aber's Be As One, Len Faki's Figure and Emmanuel's ARTS plus his own imprints SLS, Cycle, New Soil, and Klap Klap Belgium's Van Czar is also an accomplished DJ who is well-established across Europe and he has also released music on respected record labels ranging from Kevin Saunderson's KMS Records as well as the classic imprint, Yin Yang.
'Air Raid' opens the release with its eerie pads, spine-tingling melody loop and machine-driven percussion. It's got a raw aesthetic with dramatic claps and snare fills that add to the building suspense.
'18-022' is a dark and stripped back track with modulating synth textures layered with fast-flowing high-end percussion. Its pounding kick drum and clap rhythms add rigid structure to its expansive atmosphere and dance floor focused groove.
'Route 200' has thrashing cymbals punishing claps and rippling pads that create a stripped back groove submerged in deep atmosphere. Rich with analogue textures and gritty sound design, its relentless energy is tailor made for club sound systems.
'Objectivism' closes out the release with it's funky bassline and bleeping melody. Whirling textures and fluttering percussion maintain an unrelenting tension that's driven forward by the pounding kick drum.
One thing that is written in stone even in these days of near endless uncertainty is that when Topical Disco unleashes one of their vinyl releases they are a no questions asked, must have. For a label which regularly dominates the top spot of the download charts they still consistently manage to up the ante for their vinyl drops. It’s no wonder at all that the previous editions have gone on to become collector’s editions, disappearing from the shelves as quickly as you can say here today, gone tomorrow.
Volume 24 easily keeps this incredible run of club vinyl masterpieces going strong. Packed across two side of black gold are tracks from newcomers and scene heavy hitters alike Toscana, Toby O’Conner, Charly Angelz and Frank Virgilio.
The mysterious Toscana leads the way with the wonderfully enigmatic ‘The Girl With The Red Hair’, a six and a half minute slice of pleasure packed Balearic disco. Incessant, warm and inviting it combines a divine groove heavy bassline, funky guitar licks and a subtle percussive backbone with a rather brilliant stand-out guitar solo. This is a track which is guaranteed to fill those summer dancefloors.
Next up is Toby O’Conner who is returning to Tropical Disco after his lauded ‘The Heist / 1920 EP’ with another high energy slice of disco goodness in the shape of ‘Cave Of Gold’. Again this is classic Tropical Disco, combing both live chops with jazz overtones as throbbing club ready drums provide the framework for a bubbling bassline, subtle keys and sax solo’s aplenty to weave their magic. Expect jazz inspired shapes to be thrown on dancefloors across the globe when this one drops.
Over on the flip is Charly Angelz, another artist who has been making a considerable swirl on the disco scene of late. ‘Mother Phunk’ is very aptly named with an absolute gem of a bassline front and centre as classic funk vocal chops, vibey pads and guitar stabs all combine perfectly with earworm strings for anther sure fire floor filler.
Closing the EP out is scene stalwart Frank Virgilio. Hailing from Napoli Frank has been behind a virtual disco smorgasbord over the five years including regular chart bothering appearances on Tropical disco. ‘What We Love’ tips its hat to the golden era of house music, think 90’s Soulfuric meets MAW. Vibes abound here from the classic drum sounds right through to the divine ethereal percussion which adds that touch of class. This is another track which will sound just perfect on the golden Isle this coming summer, did some-one say Ibizan boat party? We’re onboard!
Cultivated Electronics presents For The Floor, a new series of split 12s on its vinyl-only sister label CE LTD. For the Floor is strictly aimed at the dance floor and showcases CE regulars alongside new artists with EPs incoming from DeFeKT, Rico Casazza, Tripeo, Cycloplex, Steve Allman, Alex Jann, Cyphon, Obzerv, Maelstrom and Sync 24 x Alienata. Hot on the heels of his latest release on the mighty Tresor, Irish Electro king and CE regular DeFeKT kicks off the series with 2 dancefloor destroyers. "Control Your Mind" rips through with harsh distorted 808s and booming vocals while "Fear and Body" is a spooky, funky electro groover perfect for dark basements. On the flip, CE welcomes back Rico Casazza to the label. Rico continues the electro funk vibes with "Home Here Us", slick beats and a bubbly bass line lay down the backbone of this peak time banger. Things then go deep and trippy and acidic with "Caldo" , a rolling robotic groove made for the club!
The first album on Girasole Records is from longtime friend William Caycedo. Since his first release on the label he morphed into a bass funky loaded unique sounds machine. He delivers a storytelling adventure on vinyl with this full 9 track album. G Soul it is!
11 track album by Patrick Cowley. Perhaps one of the most revolutionary and influential people in the cannon of disco music, Cowley created his own brand of Hi-NRG dance music coined 'The San Francisco Sound.' By the mid-70ies, Patrick's synthesizer skills landed him a job composing and producing songs for disco superstar Sylvester such as 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)', 'Dance Disco Heat' and 'Stars.' This helped Patrick obtain more work as a remixer and producer. Of particular note was his 18-minute long remix of Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love'. By 1981 Patrick released a string of dance 12inch singles, like 'Menergy' and 'Megatron Man', creating the soundtrack for a generation. Prior to his passing on November 12, 1982, he recorded two more Hi-NRG hits, 'Do You Wanna Funk' for Sylvester and 'Right On Target' for Paul Parker. In 1981 Patrick was contacted by John Coletti, owner of famed gay porn company Fox Studio in Los Angeles. John had heard about Patrick's music from the legendary Sylvester and proposed he write music for his films. Patrick jumped on this offer and sent reels of his college compositions from the 70s to John in LA. Coletti then used a variable speed oscillator to adjust the pitch and speed of Patrick's songs in-sync with the film scene. 'School Daze' is a collection of Cowley's instrumental songs recorded between 1973 and 1981 found in the Fox Studio vaults. Influenced by Tomita, Wendy Carlos and Giorgio Moroder, Patrick forged an electronic sound from his collection of synthesizers, modified guitars and self-constructed equipment. The listener enters a world of dark forbidden vices, introspective and reflective of Patrick's time spent in the bathhouses of San Francisco. The songs on 'School Daze' range from sparse prototechno to high octane funk to somber post-punk to musique concrete, revealing the depth of Cowley's unique talent.
• Gil Scott-Heron’s “Pieces Of A Man” is one of the most important albums in the history of black American music. Although it didn’t set the charts alight, it stands as a masterpiece alongside contemporary works such as Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”, Curtis Mayfield’s debut LP, Funkadelic's “Maggot Brain” and Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft”. All were brilliant in their way, but lyrically Scott-Heron was on a different level from almost every other writer.
• It was a landmark album with its bold, poetic lyrical content allied to progressive and melodic music, and it saw producer Bob Thiele help Gil and his musical partner Brian Jackson paint the picture they needed to get their message across. Thiele put Gil and Brian together with Ron Carter, Hubert Laws and Bernard Purdie, giving them the musical heft they wanted.
• For many years the focus was on ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’, which was included in the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2014, but this focus sometimes overshadowed the heights which Gil reached throughout the album. Today ‘Home Is Where The Hatred Is’ and ‘Lady Day And John Coltrane’ are also considered standards, whilst the album’s title track is a prescient and heart-breaking warning about the way in which big business dehumanises its workers.
• The album reached its landmark 50th year in 2021 and we decided that we would create this special edition to celebrate its incredible sound. The original master tape was taken to Frank Merritt at The Carvery in London, who cut it as a double disc 2 x 45 RPM record, in an all-analogue chain. The original record - especially side two - was long, and serving it up this way allowed the music a greater level of fidelity.
• The release is packaged in the original album’s gatefold sleeve.
New Orleans and Cali unite on this onslaught of gris-gris funk from Connie Price & Keystones featuring legendary MC, Rakaa Iriscience, of Dilated Peoples. The Crescent City label, Superjock Records puts forth another gem in the ongoing NOLA Breaks series (V.12)...
This time around they’ve enlisted the multi-talented Jay "J-Zone” Mumford on the drums, Dan Ubick on guitar (Breakestra, Big Daddy Kane), Julius Augustus on bass (The Sandollars), Dan Hastie on organ (Orgone, Alicia Keys), Steve McCormick on dobro and Professor Shorthair on the cuts and edits. Mastered by Dave Cooley (J Dilla, Madlib).
“The soundtrack to keep the wicked in flames” in both words and sounds, this 45rpm will leave you equally angered by the wrongs of the past but with a dip in your hip as you saunter through Congo Square!
Produced, recorded and mixed by Dan Ubick for DanUbe Productions at Lions Den Studios, Topanga, CA.
After a long hiatus, Rotate is back for its 8th release. "Inner Space EP" by the duo Abé & Lowris as Labello is a three-track 12-inch with a strong focus on psychedelic sounds, warped vocals, hypnotic synths and finely-tuned drum programming.
Like yin and yang, both tracks on the A-side of the EP display exquisitely opposed tones crafted for distinct dancefloor moments. The bright, funky and appropriately named 'Goodtimes' stands very different from the dark, cinematic and thrilling 'Invisible Red'. Still, ensembled, they serve as a statement on the raw potential of sonic hypnotization, where shuffling grooves, wacky melodies and cinematic atmospheres work together to set the dancer's minds into a seemingly perpetual state of flow. B-side's extended cut 'Pkaila' is one of the deepest arrangements here, reminiscent of the golden age of techno minimalism where dancefloors needed little more than a rolling groove, shuffling drums and impeccable sound design slapping from its sound systems.
Bandcamp buyers also get "FCT", an exclusive downloadable bonus 18-minute jam that further showcases Labello's explorational side, rounding off "Inner Space" in a delightfully varied manner.
A stellar duo of techno talent remix Adam Beyer & DJ Rush’s ‘Restore My Soul’.
The original work, released in June 2021, was a highlight on Drumcode and saw Adam Beyer link with the legendary DJ Rush for an inspiring four track EP. Almost a year on and the label has drafted in a triumvirate of top-shelf techno talent to remix the cuts.
ANNA makes her first outing on DC since 2019’s ‘Galactic Highways’ and delivers a searing rework of ‘Control’ that mixes up her patented brand of stadium sized sonics with a fierce acid stomp throughout the second half of the track. HI-LO follows up his debut EP ‘Hypnos’ with a heavy dose of low-end funk as he reworks the title track retaining the original’s hypnotic bassline and building upon it to craft a beefed-up weapon.
Four Flies Records is proud to present its brand new imprint Edizioni Della Notte, which expands the label's musical range. The sound of Edizioni Della Notte is a sound of twilight atmospheres and moonlit nights, traversing genres from disco-funk to soft rock, jazz-fusion and city pop. It's the music that creeps out of smoky nightclubs and car cassette radios, breaking the silence of empty streets and offering an escape from metropolitan reality into cosmic-exotic dreamlands.
Quite fittingly, the first official release on Edizioni Della Notte is called By Night. It's the debut EP of Scerida, a solo project of musician and singer-songwriter Daniela Resconi, and a perfect match for the sound that the new imprint intends to represent.
Its four tracks explore the idea of night as a time of ecstasy and torment, as a land of freedom and imagination but also of delusion, as an accomplice, a friend and an enemy described through feelings and mental states that range from expectation and euphoria to disillusionment and resignation.
Resconi, who hails from Brescia, northern Italy, formerly released music under the moniker Cara and as part of the duo The Loud Vice. Her new alias Scerida, which combines the French term chérie with the Spanish word querida, signals both a revolution and an evolution. "Scerida is a dive into the exotic side of my imagination, into mischevious thoughts, into a crazy night where I lost and found myself again," she explains. "She is still me, Daniela, but she keeps her eyes wide open on this restless, troubled world to write songs that try to ward off the horror vacui of everyday life."
By Night celebrates the dark hours as magical and mesmerizing, even when mysterious or dangerous. It evokes images and scenarios cinematically – a taxi passing by and fading into the distance, ice-cold Martinis during a party, whirlwinds of emotion, psychedelic sunrises and neon sunsets – through a stream of consciousness filled with noir-inflected pop, lo-fi vibes, slow hypnotic rhythms, suspended grooves and swelling atmospheres.
On the A-side, Portuguese producer Lake Haze delivers three techno cuts for the floor, all composed with a brutal acid line. On the B-side, Swedish producer Celldod returns with three electro and techno tunes for those who like the cold groove of northern Europe. Sometimes ravey, sometimes martial, sometimes funky, here is a new split EP with six raw bangers !
Number 94 in the Brazil45 series is one for the Brazilian boogie lovers out there.
The vocal and instrumental group Os Carbonos from São Paulo had a long career that straddled the 60s, 70s and 80s. 'Pássaro Selvagem' is taken from the latter years of their career. Its a bass driven, boogie-funk groove (with a bassline not too dissimilar to Queen 'Another One Bites The Dust') that is Brazilian boogie at its finest. Taken from the B-side to a 7" campacto released in 1981 on Copacabana records, its proven to be a favourite of Luke Una and we foresee it becoming a staple in your DJ box for years to come too.
The B-side comes from one of our all-time favourite artists, the mighty Sandra Sa. Sandra is a wonderful vocalist, her intense and recognisable style is one of THE voices of the Brazilian boogie golden era. Check out her classic album 'Vale Tudo' (MRBLP230) on Mr Bongo for further proof of her credentials here. 'Palco Azul' is also taken off a 7" single from 1981 and is a feel-good dancefloor groover with punchy brass stabs, warm keys and uplifting chord changes. It contains all the right elements that we have come to associate with that knockout late 70s / early 80s Brazilian sound.
MUSTA presents an elaborate six track EP project, titled 'Tamburi
Parlanti' which translates to 'Talking Drums' in English. The body of
work marks a turning point in his career to make more than electronic
music, and delves into a plethora of live music and field recordings
recorded for the EP, ranging from polyrhythmic tribal drum-patterns to
Afro-funk bass chords, congas and jazz-keyboard, played by local
musicians as well as himself.
Musta's love for music began during his 11 years spent living in the
Dominican Republic. This encounter of Latin rhythms started the musical
genre contamination that to this day distinguishes his productions. In
this EP, like the rest of his releases, the music is diverse, tribal and
hypnotic. Respectful of the past yet constantly innovative. This love of
the past and future has led him to release edits and originals on staple
labels such as Nervous Records, Samosa Records.
Music aside the EP artwork has significant meaning, the mask shown is
that of the ancient Mamuthone icon of Sardinian folklore which goes back
further than 2000 years, defined as a representation of the collective
soul of Sardinia, the ancient ritual of the Mamuthone creatures is that
of a rhythmic dance where 12 of the creatures dance together,
representing the 12 months of the year. With this theme, Musta aims to
connect the dots of this pastime tradition into the EP, reflecting it
visually as well as through the music itself.
"Tamburi Parlanti EP is a collection of songs that I've made myself
around the world, recording and collaborating with various musicians of
many different nationalities. The music reflects my musical path in
recent years which draws strong inspiration from afro-funk and latin
disco from the 70s and 80s. My intent is to create music that presents a
journey between the hottest Latin sounds, over to more African disco
rhythms.
Das Grammy-nominierte Produzentenduo ODESZA (Harrison Mills und Clayton Knight) gelten zurecht als eine der populärsten Gruppen im Bereich der elektronischen Musik und haben den Ruf, ihre Fans auf ihren regelmäßig ausverkauften Live-Konzerten besonders glücklich zu machen. Anfang September 2017 veröffentlichen sie ihr neues, 16 Stücke langes Album "A Moment Apart" welches über das Ninja Tune-Sublabel Counter Records erscheint. Anschließend präsentieren sie ihrem Publikum das neue Material auf einer ausgedehnten Welttournee.
"A Moment Apart" präsentiert sich gereift, ein Sound, der insbesondere auf Atmosphäre setzt, auf funkelnde Synth-Lines - und auf Gefühle wie Nostalgie, Zuversicht und Hoffnung. Die namhaften Gäste auf dem Album sind u.a. Leon Bridges, Regina Sektor und Ry X.
Oliver Johnson alias Dorian Concept veröffentlicht am 28. Oktober 2022 sein neues Album, „What We Do For Others“, auf Brainfeeder. Es ist das dritte Studioalbum des österreichischen Produzenten und Synthesizer-Experten, der für seine einzigartigen, wunderschön detaillierten Klangteppiche und wilden, gar euphorisierenden Live-Keyboard-Jam-Videos bekannt ist.
„What We Do For Others“ ist ein entspanntes, ruhiges, selbstbewusstes und intimes Album, das auf herrlich lockeren Arrangements und rückgekoppelten Klanglandschaften basiert und mit Fetzen seines eigenen verfremdeten Gesangs unterlegt ist, der eher als zusätzliche Instrumentierung denn als lyrische Phrasen präsentiert wird. Alle Elemente und Schichten wurden ohne Unterbrechungen aufgenommen und absichtlich nicht bearbeitet. „Ich glaube, deshalb hat diese Platte so etwas wie einen ‚Bandsound‘.“, erklärt Johnson. „Ich spiele alle Arten von Tasteninstrumenten, singe und benutze Effektgeräte, um diese freien Kompositionen zu schaffen.“ Der in Wien lebende Johnson ist ein fester Bestandteil der experimentellen Jazz-/ Elektronik-Szene, die im Umfeld von Brainfeeders Aushängeschild Flying Lotus floriert und sich diversifiziert hat. Mit frühen Veröffentlichungen auf dem Kindred Spirits-Label Nod Navigators und Affine Records spielte Johnson bei den ersten internationalen Label-Nächten von Brainfeeder im Jahr 2009 (Off-Sónar in Barcelona und die berüchtigte Hearn Street Car Park-Session in London) und bildete eine starke familiäre Bindung mit der Brainfeeder-Crew, die auf der gemeinsamen Liebe zu freaky Elektronik-Jazz-Fusion beruht. Johnson war an der Produktion von Thundercats „The Golden Age Of Apocalypse“ beteiligt, spielte die Tasten auf Flying Lotus' bahnbrechendem Album, „Cosmogramma“, und tourte mit den Live-Bands von FlyLo und The Cinematic Orchestra. Außerdem steuerte er die Tasten auf MF DOOMs „Lunchbreak“ bei, das von FlyLo und Thundercat produziert wurde. Kürzlich arbeitete er mit Kenny Beats an dessen Debütalbum, „Louie“, zusammen, wobei er bei drei Stücken die Tasten beisteuerte, und tat sich mit einem weiteren Pionier zukunftsorientierter Elektronik - Mark Pritchard - zusammen, um Musik für Damien Jalets zeitgenössische Tanzperformance, „Kites“, an der Göteborger Oper zu komponieren. Im Jahr 2020 arbeitete Oliver mit einem der weltweit führenden Ensembles für zeitgenössische Musik zusammen, dem Klangforum Wien, und komponierte ein Stück namens „Hyperopia“, das beim TRANSART Festival in Österreich aufgeführt wurde. Johnson veröffentlichte sein Debütalbum, „Joined Ends“, 2014 auf Ninja Tune, bevor er 2018 auf Brainfeeder landete, um „The Nature Of Imitation“ zu veröffentlichen: ein Album mit schwindelerregenden Partituren, kakophonischen Breakdowns und formidablen Rhythmen, von denen Pitchfork schwärmte: „Dorian Concept schafft etwas, das Elektro-Funk-Autoren der 70er und 80er Jahre wie Kraftwerk, George Clinton und Roger Troutman angedeutet haben: Computermusik, die den Funk unverhohlen imitiert, anstatt ihn nur zu faken.“.
Last weeks' tragic, untimely passing of Mac Miller just weeks after he released his highly anticipated new album Swimming last month, the album arrived on the heels of his previously released tracks "Small Worlds," "Self Care" and "What's The Use," the final of which finds Mac reuniting with longtime collaborators Thundercat and Dam Funk
(Late Nite Tuff Guy & Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk Remixes)
An ‘80s dance classic from the legend John Rocca, gets a fresh new take from Aussie edit king Late Nite Tuff Guy alongside a remastered reissue of Chicago house royalty Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk’s 1987 Hot House Piano Remix.
The main man behind jazz funk favourites, Freeez, John Rocca took to the studio in ’84 and whipped up an electro-fied steamer in the form of ‘I Want It To Be Real’. Tantalizing synthwork, beefed up basslines, gated snares and pure ‘80s vocals, it’s a melting pot of influences with a catchiness that caused a serious stir.
This special double header of remixes kicks off with a brand new mix from Late Nite Tuff Guy. He builds up the brilliance with masterful effect, keeping the vocal in the back pocket till the final frontier whilst adding in some buttery new synth magic and deft filtering to the mix.
On the flip, Chicago house don Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk’s 1987 remix homes in on those blissful piano and vocal stabs for a dubbed out ‘Hot House Piano Mix’. Spiritual keys laid down with passion that will be sure to get any dancefloor hot under the collar.
DJ Feedback:
OPTIMO/ JD TWITCH
Nice! The Farley mix is an all time classic. Lovely version from LNTG.
GERD JANSON
I have love for this.
GRAEME PARK/ THE HACIENDA
I vividly remember playing this record the day it was released while working at Selectadisc in Nottingham like it was yesterday. I played it the same night at The Garage club not long after I started DJing there. It brings back some great memories and this superb remix is just wonderful. Its made me get all bleary eyed and tingly. Absolutely tremendous stuff.
AXEL BOMAN
Love this
KAI ALCE / NDATL
This is a HOT EDIT from Late Nite Tuff Guy!
A LOVE FROM OUTER SPACE/ SEAN JOHNSON
Killer - love it
NORM TALLEY
I love this!
CROSSTOWN REBELS
Nice one!!
JACQUES RENAULT / LETS PLAY HOUSE
LOVE the classic Farley piano mix and the LNTG version is a fun take too!
OSUNLADE/ YORUBA
LOVE THIS!!
DANIELE BALDELLI
Love this classic, and now more love for both new remixes
DANNY TENNAGLIA
I really like this remix
DANNY KRIVIT/ BODY & SOUL
Nice
DJ KEMIT/ ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
An incredible beefed up edit of an international dance floor classic. 10/10
HELENA STAR / NTS
Amazing record, those chords!!
LOUISE CHEN/ NTS
I’d love to play this.
ERIC DUNCAN/ RUB N TUG
This ones cool.
MAKE A DANCE / BEN
Yes yes yes pease love the original so much.
HOT TODDY/ CRAZY P
The Farley mix is a total winner which is a new one on me, LNTG mix is pretty tasty also
TERRY FARLEY
Yes please. A big early House lesson for me BITD
SUB CLUB HARRI
Realy diigin this.
GROOVE ARMADA / TOM FINDLAY
Love this, production is so good!
Tropical Disco continue to rewrite the disco handbook as they clock up an impressive quarter century of vinyl releases with a sublime Volume 25 of their series.
Featuring four disco cuts laced with jazz, funk, touches of electro and lots of dancefloor swagger it perfectly continues to build and diversify the sound of the series. Getting in on the party are a trio of Italian disco lovers Musta, an artist whose releases regularly set the disco and house charts alight, alongside the highly rated Corrado Alunni and the mysterious Fun Kool both of whom also hail from Italy.
Opening proceedings, and in stellar form, is co-label boss Sartorial whose ‘Hootin N Tootin’ is a real jazz funk gem. Incessant piano riffs, a groove of a bassline which edges towards acidic in places, guitar licks aplenty and choppy drums all combine for a track which could be played anywhere from a jazz inspired pool party to the funkiest of clubs. ‘Hootin N Tootin’ is as musical as it is dance worthy, two very handy traits which will see it survive the ever onwards march of time.
Musta’s ‘El Matador’ meanwhile has a high energy, fun-filled approach to life. It’s a track which very much defies pigeon holing but which comes from the same effusive family of earworms as Samin’s ‘Heater’ and may well prove to be just as big a breakthrough hit if it lands in the right hands over the summer. It’s very much a track with a big mischievous smile on its sun worshiping face.
Corrado Alunni’s ‘Funk Decision (Dub Mix)’ falls very much into the early Soulfuric camp of Soulful house music, a sound which Tropical Disco has regularly flirted with recently with some fantastic results. Divine live sax, guitar loops and ass shakin’ bass all merge perfectly for a very classy six = minutes of shimmering dancefloor groove.
Fun Kool’s ‘Low Tow’ sees out the EP and takes us off on an 80’s inspired electro journey. Stabby synths, subtle cowbell and Vangelis-esque keys all combine for a track which brings Metro Area’s take on the genre immediately to mind. ‘Low Toe’ deserves all the plaudits which undoubtedly come its way, a future classic for sure.
That Tropical Disco keep conjuring up EP’s of this quality is a major cause for celebration in itself. Disco in 2022 is a progressively more and more interesting place to live given the multifarious avenues which it continues to open up and this EP is a perfect example of the depth, diversity and incredible quality of a genre overflowing with passion. We very much hope that the first 25 volumes are only the beginning.
Psychedelic Funk: this is the musical mood of the new Sexopolis. For those who enjoyed in the 70s or those who jus discover them today, will find in this last release internationa and very rare historical songs shuch as “Flute Salad” from JuPar Universal Orchestra, “Misty Purple” by Rolf Kühn, “Dove” by Cymande, and also some Italian gem
such as “Fall out” by The Braen's Machine (Alessandro Alessandroni ), “Nebbie misteriose” by Ugo Busoni.
16 tracks, 80 minutes of a music journey between the mystic and psychedelic, funk and afrofuturism, as always original versions gently remastered, and pressed on limited light blue splattered double vinyl.
The first release of the new label Surfaced Trax submerges into deep waters, delivering three sonically rich compositions aimed at late-night peak-times and early-morning sun rising hours.
The 'Liquid Terrain EP' was produced by Parallax Deep and remixed by Christopher Ledger. And while "Liquid" takes the listener through minimalized yet funky arrangements of precise drum programming and steady grooves, "Terrain", on the other hand, explores the in-between palettes of the electro & acid genres with plenty of rhythmic experimentation and wonky modulations.
On the remix duties, the Italian wizard Christopher Ledger works his magic on "Liquid", turning it into a highly textured, deeply atmospheric, slightly acidic breakbeat monster.
Stunning and tonally fitting collage artwork by Joagi.
25 years of KOMPAKT is no reason to get hysterical. Then again, it's a nice occasion to have a laid back look at the situation in electronic music today. Minimal techno in all it's varieties is now established as the worlds best dance music, as you may know. So far, so good. What's next Nothing. Dance on!
I've gain two essential insights with the passage of time. First off, that music which over the years only knew 'faster, better, stronger' and 'forwards ever - backwards never' can constantly repeat, quote and loop itself without killing itself. A music that suspends the meaning of time and eventually can set a parallel, better universe of fantasy against the twisted grimaces of reality. Again and again.
And secondly, that getting older living in/with this music is a quite relative term to which ideally a serenity of age can ring a bell. This shows that 25 years after 1993 so many protagonists, enthusiasts, DJs, musicians, relentlessly rave fighters - with all personal advancement - are still there and still celebrate, play or produce this/theirs music; and compete themselves and their music just with that.
Two such heroes of the neat and tidy bass drum culture are with no doubt T.RAUMSCHMIERE aka MARCO HAAS and REINHARD VOIGT. From day one, those two figureheads have given live-techno the glam of stage-diving rock 'n' roll, long before vodka and beer prevailed as alternative lube for ecstatic dancefloors.
Even better they both now raise the glass at the longest techno-bar in the world named KOMPAKT EXTRA/SPEICHER. With DREI MILLIONEN KO¨LSCH, Reinhard Voigt continues to establish his savvy 'way into sound', which he's pursued for a few years now on his many releases. He's turning genre cliche´s into a very personal take with his defiant mix of the deepness of a lonesome cowboy and his implicit faith in the dancefloor and gives the music a very personal touch of ennnoblement of the faith in itself. Technos dignity shall be inviolable.
For me, AUGEN ZU by T.RAUMSCHMIERE is one of the most beautiful masterpieces of bass-heavy 'Umta Umta' techno. A few strikingly brilliant vocal lines from the master himself, put through the machines and combined with a relentlessly sequencer that says it all. This cheers my heart and we will always need such tracks to remind us of ourselves. And to forget about ourselves. Smash hits of unreason! Or the prettiest declaration of love to a music which gets its magical moments from what's happening between the bass drum-beats. But only by this when the bassdrum remains linear and will do so forever. Both Marco Haas and Reinhard Voigt know that. Because after techno comes always techno.
Wolfgang Voigt - May, 2018 Wolfgang Voigt - May, 2018
25 Jahre KOMPAKT sind kein Grund sich aufzuregen. Aber dennoch ein schöner Anlass, einen gelassenen Blick auf die Lage der elektronischen Musik zu werfen. Denn der globale Minimal-Techno, in seinen unterschiedlichen Spielarten, hat sich bekanntlich längst als beste Tanzmusik der Welt etabliert. Recht so. Was nun Gar nichts. Weitertanzen.
Zwei essentielle Erkenntnisse haben sich bei mir im Laufe der Zeit durchgesetzt: Erstens - dass eine Musik, die über Jahre nur ein »Höher, Schneller, Weiter« oder ein »Forwards Ever - Backwards Never« kannte, sich ständig wiederholen, selbst zitieren und loopen kann, ohne daran zu ersticken. Die Bedeutung von Zeit und Vergänglichkeit im besten Sinne außer Kraft setzen und der hässlichen Fratze der Realität eine parallele, bessere Welt der Fantasie entgegensetzen kann. Immer wieder.
Und zweitens: dass »Altern in/mit dieser Musik« ein sehr relativer Begriff ist, dem bestenfalls Altersgelassenheit etwas sagt, Alter. Das zeigt sich immer wieder im schönsten Sinne, wenn 25 Jahre nach 1993 so viele Akteure, Enthusiasten, DJs, Musikanten, unkaputtbare Kampfraver, bei aller persönlichen Weiterentwicklung, immer noch da sind und immer noch diese/ihre Musik abfeiern, auflegen oder eben produzieren und sich und ihr Tun auch nur daran messen lassen müssen.
Zwei solche Recken der gepflegten Bassdrumkultur sind zweifelsohne T.RAUMSCHMIERE aka MARCO HAAS und REINHARD VOIGT. Zwei Rampensäue der ersten Stunde, die Live-Techno den Glam des Rock'n'Roll Stagedivings gegeben haben, lange bevor Vodka und Bier sich als alternative Gleitmittel eines ektatischen Dancefloors in der Breite durchgesetzt hatten.
Umso schöner, dass sich eben diese Beiden mal wieder an der längsten Techno-Theke der Welt, genannt KOMPAKT EXTRA/SPEICHER über die beiden Seiten einer Schallplatte hinweg musikalisch zuprosten. Mit dem Track DREI MILLIONEN KÖLSCH setzt REINHARD VOIGT seinen smarten »way into sound« fort, den er schon seit ein paar Jahren auf diversen Veröffentlichungen konsequent verfolgt. Mit einer trotzigen Mischung aus lonesome cowboyhafter Deepness und dem unbedingten Bekenntnis zum Dancefloor schafft er es, den Klischees des Techno eine sehr persönliche Note der Veredelung des Glaubens an sich selbst zu geben. Die Würde des Techno ist unantastbar.
Der Track AUGEN ZU von T.RAUMSCHMIERE ist für mich eines der schönsten Meisterstücke in der Tradition des oktavbassgeschwängerten Umta-Umta Techno. Einige wenige markant brilliante Textzeilen, vom Meister selbst in deutscher Sprache durch die Maschinen geschickt, gepaart mit einem Sequenzer der keine Gefangenen macht, lassen keine Fragen offen. Da geht mir Herz und Rucksack auf. Solche Tracks werden wir immer brauchen, um uns an uns selbst zu erinnern. Um uns immer wieder selbst zu vergessen. Smash-Hits der Unvernunft! Oder die schönste Liebeserklärung an eine Musik, die ihre magischsten Momente immer aus dem gezogen hat, was zwischen den Bassdrumschlägen passiert. Das funktioniert aber nur, wenn die Bassdrum gerade ist und es für immer bleibt. Und Marco Haas und Reinhard Voigt wissen das. Denn nach Techno kommt immer noch Techno.
Mr Bongo are delighted to present an officially licensed re-issue of this underground Japanese rock rarity 'Uganda (Dawn of Rock)' by Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffaloes. This album has become highly sought-after amongst psych, prog and acid rock collectors and due to the rare nature of original copies they come at a hefty price tag.
The respected Japanese jazz drummer Akira Ishikawa was not messing around when he recorded the 'Uganda (Dawn of Rock)' album with his band the Count Buffaloes. For this offering, originally released in 1972 on Toshiba Records, Akira Ishikawa takes us on a deep tripped-out journey. 'Uganda (Dawn of Rock)' is a fusion of progressive and psych rock with African percussion workouts, dergy-wah wah blues-funk, and jazzy sensibilities; with different genres morphing and uniting as they progress.
A long way from his funk and afrobeat album 'Back To Rhythm’, re-issued on Mr Bongo in 2019, this record has a darker, deeper, abstract and experimental stoned tone with the listener being pulled into its vortex for the ride. This record doesn’t pull any punches.
For this album, Akira is joined by Hideaki Chihara on bass, guitarist Kimio Mizutani, sounding at times like an early 70s Peter Green, percussionist Larry Sunaga and composer Takeru Muraoka.
The album has become highly sought-after amongst psych, prog and acid rock collectors and due to the rare nature of original copies they come at a hefty price tag.
We are delighted to present an officially licensed re-issue of this underground Japanese rock rarity.
Available in 2 formats: Original LP in Box version & Tip-on Sleeve with OBI version.
• Highly sought-after underground Japanese rock rarity, originally released in 1972.
• Feat. Hideaki Chihara, Kimio Mizutani, Larry Sunaga and Takeru Muraoka.
• Available as the original LP in Box version & Tip-on Sleeve with OBI version.
Mint Condition - A record label focused on excavating the outer fringes of classic House and Techno. Unreleased mixes, classics, overlooked gems and never heard before material, mined from the last 30+ years of contemporary dance music are the order of the day. From Chicago, Detroit and New York to London and beyond. Mint Condition have got their digging hats on to bring you exclusive heat and those rarer than rare jams that have been in your wants list for years.
Dig in...
East Midlands house legend, Charles Webster, relocated to San Francisco in 1992, setting up Spirit Studios in the heart of the city and a highly productive period ensued. The 'White Powder' EP released in 1995, under Charles' Presence moniker is widely regarded as a classic of its genre, up there with any of its contemporaries on Prescription or Murk. All 4 tracks are flawless and groundbreaking in their ability to to draw together elements of soulful deep house, tribal percussion and the deep melodic tech-house sounds emerging from Europe and America's midwest into a unique whole.
EP opener 'Heart' features the haunting vocals of Sarah Jay, the track builds delicately, adding dark bass, before soaring strings lead into a melodic breakdown. $10's deftly programmed drums really deliver the funk, the deep melodic synth and pad progressions are mesmerising, whilst an unforgettable bass-line underpins the journey. Over on the flip 'Giving Love' intro's with gorgeous pad before shuffling percussion and an uplifting piano turn this track into a joyous ride. Lastly 'Powder Chords' sets the controls for heart of the dance floor, heavy kicks launch a much more techno influenced affair, it's dark and brooding but no less effective in its atmosphere and execution.
'White Powder' is all killer, no filler, a highly sought after slab of wax that has achieved cult status amongst the most discerning DJs, record collectors and music heads alike. Legitimately re-released with the full involvement of Charles Webster, lovingly remastered by London's Curve Pusher from the original sources especially for Mint Condition. 100% legit, licensed and released. Dug, remastered, repackaged and brought to you by the caring folks at your favourite reissue label - Mint Condition!
AVNU (UK) follows up his fantastic recent single on Ellum Audio with a long-awaited and hugely adventurous new album, ‘Tough To Love But Worth The Effort’.
AVNU (UK) is based on the East Coast of Scotland and has been deeply immersed in music for twenty plus years. He has a love of everything from rock, soul and blues to disco, electro, techno, trance and rave. All of that comes out in his innovative sounds, which range from sweat-inducing club tracks to hooky and feel-good grooves. This album finds him working his magic across 15 tracks that bring plenty of fresh perspective to house, electro, synth, techno and pop. They add up to a storytelling record filled with left turns and tracks that work in a range of different contexts.
'Surprise!' opens with a glossy electro beat and shimmering 80s synths that set the tone for the whole record. 'I Love You' brings a French touch influence with plenty of filtered synth loops and crisp drums under a soulful vocal, then 'Supaflake' cuts loose on an old-school funk vibe with nods to early Daft Punk. This most colourful of records plays out through the likes of sombre cosmic techno offering 'Bad Karma,' the longing chords and heavy-hearted electronica of 'Odyssey Jam' feat Mariel Ito and distorted bass of 'Phlegm In The Street' which comes with laser-like synths and menacing vocals.
The future styles continue on 'Yo E, Check This Out' which collides jungle breakbeats with brain-melting sine waves, while 'Wilkie' is a moment to catch your breath amongst bright and shiny synths and deeper drums that suspend you in a celestial sky. 'Proud You’re Mine' is a perfect electro-dance-pop gem that has potential to be a summer festival anthem and the title track closes down with six minutes of enchanting and mystical synth lines and hypnotic drums.
‘Tough To Love But Worth The Effort’ is a spectacularly broad and accomplished album that lives in a world of its own.
Fresh from beginning his stint on Eastenders, the ridiculously multi-faceted Omar Lyefook MBE drops a new refix of 2013's The Man.
Originally forming the title track of his standout album of the same name - his first album for the Freestyle label - the infectious melodies and low-slung beats of The Man represented some of the UK icon's best work to date, not to mention some of the funkiest use of a bass clarinet ever. This fresh and contemporary take uses the final few bars of the original track as its starting point in a "part 2" style - and though retaining its gloriously sun-soaked & laid-back groove, Omar somehow manages to simultaneously pull off a speaker rattling banger to boot. It should come as no surprise that Omar continues to surprise us, and this is no exception.
Trad Vibe records is happy and proud to present you this project as well execptional as unpublished!
We are in 1994, DJ Clyde left the group Assassin and launched the 1st French Mixtapes but he sees even further and launches into the production for the 1st time since he became a hip-hop activist. His set up seems very simple but unusual and innovative for the time especially in France with a SP1200 and two S950 and a maximum of Soul, Funk, Jazz vinyls that he digs with his crew Hypnotyc Djs (Dj Clyde, Dj Max, Dj Asko). The project is also exceptional because it comes from a cassette archived by Clyde of beats sent for the album Paris Sous Les Bombes of the famous group Suprême NTM (3rd album of the group).
Of course you will not find the beats released with his last but all the unselected gems that reveals the talent and the advance that Dj Clyde had taken in the production at that time! More than an instrumental album or beat tape, this project is a testimony of the history of Hip-Hop and moreover of Beatmaking in France in the 90s which was not supposed to see the day.
The cover is made by the talented grafiti artist Cyril "Kongo" of the famous and historical crew of graffiti artists MAC (founded in 1986 in Montreuil).
Eastenderz welcomes French party starters Oden & Fatzo and Thurman for a double dose of debuts on the label, with this funk-fuelled, punchy, summertime house four tracker. Part feel-good, part hazy deepness, part heads down heat, there’s a cut here for every occasion, giving a glimpse into why these two acts are on the trajectory they are.
Group Modular is celebrating 10 years of cinematic space age funk with a new double-sider on Delights.
The new 45 is a follow-up to the duo's highly-acclaimed second full-length "Time Masters" and sees Markey Funk and Mule Driver exploring and expanding their sonic palette even further. The result is two drum-heavy cuts, that take their inspiration from the synth-driven sci-fi/horror sound of Goblin, John Carpenter and the late great Vangelis: the sinister and spiky "Per Aspera" ("Through Hardships") on side A and spacy and dramatic "Ad Astra" ("To the Stars") - on the flip.
