Search:le car

With autumn around the corner, Shiffer is back on Innervisions. His latest EP seamlessly bridges peak-time club anthems and home listening experiences with a softer touch. The lead track, "We Care," highlights his ability to blend emotionally charged sounds with functional elements, driven by the vocals of Berlin’s Paul Brenning. Already featured in Dixon’s recent Cercle set, as well as a couple of other special opportunities, this track is a breath of fresh air and a standout collaboration that sets the tone for the EP. "La Libertad" captures an unmistakable vibe, blending the samples and synthesizer elements with a little bit of dust into a distinctive tool. Known from sets by Kristian and Trikk, "Tasting Darkness" lives up to its name, serving as a true dancefloor powerhouse. The EP concludes with an acoustic rendition of "We Care," gently highlighting Paul’s vocals as the storm slows down. Enjoy

Santos’ first release for Matt Edwards’ Rekids imprint, the four-track ‘We Were All Kids Once’ EP, is a continuation of the experienced producer’s output on his own Let Me Understand Records, which has seen a staggering amount of support from DJs since it’s launch in 2018.

Traversing rugged, tracky, Relief-influenced House/Techno (‘One Day’), drummy grooves (‘Don’t Touch’ and ‘Rollercoaster’) and cosseting beat-down Deep House (‘Someone’), ‘We Were All Kids Once’ is one of those genuinely essential EPs that provides exceptionally consistent dancefloor ammunition across it’s breadth.

With the likes of Ryan Elliott, Honey Dijon, Ame, Raresh, Luke Slater, Enzo Siragusa, Ben Sims and more supporting his output over the past few years, Santos is in the form of his career. While releases like the breakthrough ‘Camels’ and the anthem ‘Hold Home’ mark Santos as a producer of note at the turn of the century, his four solo albums and, most recently, his Let Me Understand Records EPs have proved he’s an artist that is constantly pushing forward.

Santos’ EPs regularly fall into the ‘if you know, you know’ category of various tastemakers across Disco, House and Techno and ‘We Were All Kids Once’ neatly displays why.

Originally scheduled for release way back in March 1996, "The Raw Factor" by North Carolina native Omniscence is one of the last of the unreleased mid-90's albums to see the light of day. Despite being awarded The Source's coveted "Hip Hop Quotable" and dropping two well-received singles ("Amazin" and "Touch Y'all"), record label politics meant the full-length "The Raw Factor" album was never released and fans were left wondering what might have been.

28 years later, "The Raw Factor" is finally being released on vinyl, CD and digital stores. Featuring punchline-driven lyrics from Omniscence delivered in his unmistakable cadence, and backed by head-nodding production from Fanatic, the album is a must-own for fans of 90's Hip Hop.

Omniscence haunted the same early 90's cyphers and stages that many lyrical greats from the era had to cross. With a gruff delivery and equal adeptness with punchlines and metaphors, his high finish at the 1994 edition Battle For World Supremacy at the New Music Seminar assured heads across the culture were watching. After this, Omniscence locked in with producer Fanatic (who also laced tracks for Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e and Michael Jackson). The result was "The Raw Factor" album, fifteen plus tracks of jazzed out boom-bap, replete with crackin' drums.

Now Below System Records has not only given the album its first deluxe physical release (including 2xLP, CD and digital) as well as a slew of bonus/unreleased tracks.
















p Touch Y'all (Remix) feat. Sadat X
















p Touch Y'all (Remix) feat. Sadat X
















p Touch Y'all (Remix) [feat. Sadat X]

Buckle up, electronic aficionados! Queen of Coins is about to drop a six-track sonic odyssey that’s your one-way ticket to Electro, Italo-Disco, and Detroit Techno nirvana. This isn’t just an album, it’s a masterclass in psychedelic dancefloor alchemy, tailor-made for DJs who crave cutting-edge sounds while paying homage to the genre’s founding fathers.

From the slow-burning hypnosis of “Head Tension” to the heart-racing throb of “16K Cal,” this release is a BPM rollercoaster that echoes the spirits of legends like Legowelt, Drexciya, and Francisco. But make no mistake – Queen of Coins isn’t just rehashing the past, the Queen is propelling these influences into the future.

“Bring it to the top” is pure condensed energy, engineered to shake every powerful soundsystem while maintaining an emotional depth that’ll hit you right in the feels. Speaking of feelings, “Damaged Souls” is the track you didn’t know you needed – a poignant electronic love letter to all those “what if” moments that haunt our dreams.

But don’t think for a second that Queen of Coins is all melancholy. “Oreo Cake” swoops in with its irresistible bouncing bassline, serving up a fat slice of low-end theory that’ll give your mind, body, and soul the workout they’ve been craving. It’s a reminder that in the realm of Queen of Coins, the future is bright, and the beat goes on.

Remember the mantra, ravers: Queen of Coins is “Music to grow with Expanding your soul Thriving in Prosperity.”

This isn’t just an album release; it’s a coronation. Long live the Queen of the electronic underground!

Forest Jams continues the journey into the great beyond with Mori Ra’s Mantra–an EP composed of four edits created for any inquisitive earthling and forest wanderer.

Mori Ra is a DJ based in Osaka, Japan his sets are a witches brew composed of balearic, cosmic, and electronic disco ingredients. He has released on other labels such as Rotating Souls, Macadam Mambo, Berceuse Heroique, MM Discos and more. In Mantra, Mori Ra acts as a mysterious wanderer who has stumbled upon the doors of our minds in the middle of the night. When we answer the door he is bearing gifts of creative glory and all we need to do is provide shelter in return. We invite him in so that he can rest, recharge, and continue his journey.

During his visit in our minds Mori Ra shares “Mantra” the secrets of the universe disguised as parables packaged neatly into four tracks. Catharsis begins the journey and immediately throws us into a sound that feels like we are driving a spaceship in Gran Turismo 37, the spaceship simulator. Now that we have successfully crossed the plane and have entered the digital unknown, Seinn O! becomes the story of communication. Seinn O! gave the smoke leaving my mouth color and the shamanistic chants placed me in an atmospheric state with the ability to cross over and communicate in the digital space. Then comes 孫行者 the Grandson Traveler, which embodies the story of the simulation. Imagine the sound of a bustling dystopian city in the matrix–neon signs, dancing billboards, talking vending machines, radioactive wildlife, and overgrown foliage leaking in from the jungle the city is carved into. Mori Ra seems to have melded all of those sounds together to create the soundtrack of the big city where everyone is lost. Finally, before leaving our minds Mori Ra offers the final parable, あの星 That Star. Which becomes the story of realization, the journey back home from the exploration of the mind. That Star brought me into a cave and I could see the opening at the end of it, all I had to do was walk towards it. However, I couldn’t walk. I could only galumph forward, while bouncing up and down to the beat. My arms slivered and guided my body forward as the vocals came in. As I moved forward the opening, the clearing, the destination remained the same distance away. The endless tunnel of the mind gave me a feeling of comfort because I did not want this journey to end.

The EP ends and we will never know who visited our minds that night, but we know we loved the journey. Mori Ra is the steward of our journey through consciousness, and the vessel is “Mantra”.

“Raggamuffin Soldier” was recorded at Channel One Recording Studio in 1983 with Soldgie as engineer and a rhythm track played by Jolly Stewart and Daniel “Axeman” Thompson. Growing up in the Waterhouse neighborhood of Kingston, Jolly Stewart obviously developed this singing style and gave us a killer early digital dancehall missile with pure conscious lyrics “Raggamuffin soldier, big ina your area...me no deal with badness, me nah deal inna war, me is a raggamuffin soldier...mi raggamuffin ina foreign, raggamuffin sit down pon di riddim...how you know the raggamuffin? Me no wear no gold chain, me no wear no gold ring...”. “Raggamuffin Soldier” was produced by Fitzroy Peterkin who also produced the digital lover tune "Angie".
The Waterhouse style is a particular style of singing that emerged in the late seventies and early eighties within the Jamaican reggae scene. The Waterhouse style is commonly described as a plaintive, groaning and fluctuating vocal style, often nasal and strident, characteristics that will give it a sound that is distinct from the rest of the reggae singers. The commonly recognized founders of the Waterhouse style are the singers Michael "Mykal" Rose, Junior Reid and Don Carlos. The name derives from the famous neighborhood of the same name in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, the place where the three pioneers were born and emerged. The Waterhouse style influenced many dancehall reggae artists of the eightiesvsuch as Tenor Saw, Half Pint, Nitty Gritty, Anthony Red Rose, King Kong, Yami Bolo, Andrew Bees...
Vincent Stewart aka “Jolly Man” is a reggae singer from Kingston 11, born december 16 1960 at Hunts Bay Lane, 4 Miles, Jamaica. Jolly started singing at age 13, he was placed in an approve School for 3 years and at the age of 16 he was released.
He started his musical career in the late 70's with Ossie Thomas, Phllip Morgan and Tristan Palmer from Black Solidarity label. Jolly Stewart recorded his first song entitled "Money Pyaka" on the classic "Pretty Looks" riddim which was recorded for Oswald Thomas on Ganja Farm label and released in 1979. Tristan Palmer who has another tune "Disappointed Lover" on the same riddim backed by The Soul Syndicate made the link with Jolly Stewart because he liked his style of song writting.
Jolly Stewart wrote three songs for Black Solidarity label: "Collie Man", "Bad Minded" and "Symbol Of Justice". All three tracks were covered by Triston Palmer. As a song writter, Jolly Stewart is behind Yami Bolo's hit on Stalag riddim “When A Man Is In Love” released on Winston Riley's label Techniques.
Jolly Stewart then decided to move on with his singjay career. He ventured to Tuff Gong studio where he met two producers. One was Prince Jazzbo from Ujama label, and the other was John John who owned the Bun Fi Bun label. He recorded "Praise jah" for Ujama and "Poverty Rush" for Bun Fi Bun. Still not satisfied with how his career was heading, he moved on to Lannaman's Preparatory School. There he learned to play guitar from a man named Fred McMurray aka Faf and Donald Jackson. Later he learned to play the keyboards by watching other musicians.
In the late 80's and early 90's, Jolly Stewart recorded many songs for various labels such as “Do Me Like So” for Bunny Gemini's label “Bun Gem Records” in 1987, “Late Last Night” and “War” for producer Zelma Rust and his label Myotta Ruff.
He also recorded for Augustus Pablo on his label Rockers International just before he died in the late 90's but we never heard about this release so probably Addis Pablo have it on old master tapes in the Rockers International archives....only Jah knows!

This compilation features tracks released between 1978 and 1988 in Western France.

Through this compilation, we strove to highlight a little-known regional scene, characteristic of the diverse and sometimes opposing music movements of the 80s. Through this musical journey across the Brittany, Normandy, and Pays-de-la-Loire regions, we sought to showcase a resolutely indie aesthetic, sometimes conceived in some of France’s most unusual studios, such as a bunker and a caravan.

We’ve found it difficult to make attribute an established, well-defined genre to some of the tracks featured on this compilation. They draw, each in their own way, from the rock scene that dominated the 80s in France, from countercultures, from American stars who shone on the country’s radio stations and in its record stores, and even from local folk music.

While one could hear an harmony across the tracks featured on Le Grand Ouest, channeling this manifold energy onto a record required extensive research through the Brittany, Normandy, and Pays de la Loire regions’ discographies. Over the three years since the release of Le Grand Sud-Est, we have meticulously researched the references of artists, musicians, studios, labels, and publishers from each region. We sought to trace each artist to identify and listen to all their works from that period, and, when possible, collect unreleased recordings, left as demo cassettes on the artists' dusty shelves.

The synthesis of this research, presented here under the title Le Grand Ouest, hopes to remind us of the timelessness of the indie scene in our country, through the lens of the 80s Western France’s scene. Whereas Le Grand Sud-Est exhibited the funkiest sides of the Provençale and Rhône-Alpes scene, Le Grand Ouest leans towards a more mellow, introverted music, an expression of groups of friends united by the joy of playing together.

The first 500 copies of the record come with an extensive booklet with unpublished photos, press clippings, and texts for each track.

Two decades in, one of dance music’s most celebrated DJs, producers, label owners, A&Rs, broadcasters, and tastemakers has big plans for this anniversary. In June, Anja Schneider will unveil an expansive rework and remix package on her benchmark-setting imprint, Sous Music, some of her best-loved tracks are there in less familiar forms. Expect fresh takes from Anja herself on seven of her favorite tracks plus a wealth of heavyweight remixers: Paramida & E-Talking, Radio Slave, Scuba, JakoJako, Julian Muller, Cassy, Deetron, Leafar Legov, Erobique, Jaymie Silk and Ackermann all being part of the impressive collection.
“The project includes new versions of my favourite tracks from the last 20 years and remixers who have accompanied, influenced, and currently impress me. Each artist holds a special connection for me,” says Anja in anticipation of this milestone release.

" What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?' is the eighth studio album by British post-punk legends Echo & The Bunnymen, released on April 16, 1999. The album saw the band continue a trajectory set with 1997's 'Evergreen', embracing more introspective themes and melodic approach to its arrangements.

" Featuring an inspired selection of collaborators including strings from the London Metropolitan Orchestra and two songs featuring the American rap rock band Fun Loving Criminals, 'What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?' featured two singles, the title track, and the atmospheric fan favourite 'Rust', which would mark the band's final Top 40 UK single.

" Celebrating 25 years of 'What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?', the album is issued on vinyl for the very first time, alongside expansive 34-track 2CD and digital editions (18 tracks previously unreleased!), which feature B-sides, alternative versions and previously unreleased live versions of both tracks from the album and classic Bunnymen tracks.

Always endeavoring to drop it a little way different, Ital Counselor Records once again stretch things in a forward direction while paying full and forceful tribute to that which has come before. This heartical 7" is a tribute to the late great Prince Lincoln Thompson in the form of a reimagined take on his composition "Kinky Money Game."

It is with great honor that ITAL COUNSELOR records has been able to work with two legends of the music business on this slab of plastic. Firstly, Jeb Loy Nichols comes with a storied history in music and the visual arts. He first came to ITAL COUNSELOR’s attention upon discovering the 1981 compilation, “Wild Paarty Sounds” via Cherry Red/On-U Sound. Later would be greater, with projects skirting the realms of country, soul, reggae, and leftfield. Bands like the Fellow Travelers, solo albums with Adrian Sherwood, and more recently writing songs for Horace Andy’s latest On-U album have all contributed to an impressive body of work.

Over the years when Jeb is not making music, he can be found writing books or churning out block prints of birds, leaves, pithy phrases, and the odd sleeve art for labels like Pressure Sounds, and, yes ITAL COUNSELOR. His sleeve work on this 7” indeed captures the essence of the music hiding under the cardboard exterior. Lo-fi, retro while poignantly on time. Social commentary manifested auditorily and visually.

Jeb’s reinterpretation of Thompson's original bubbles over a slow burning one drop built by none other than Studio One, Riz Records, and Tuff Scout Records alum Gil Cang. In yet another musical first brought to you by ITAL COUNSELOR, this piece of wax represents the only time Jeb and Gil have worked together. The results are a magical mix equally at home in the hands of a sound system operator unconstrained by the current ‘steppers’ norms as it is on a home stereo where one can deeply sit with the lyrics of depth and significance. An old time something feel for these nowadays times. An ITAL COUNSELOR Records essential.

Feel the vibes…

Mark Broom and CJ Baker team up as Kingpin Cartel on Rekids for the The ‘Long Dark Soul Of The Night’ EP

Kingpin Cartel, Mark Broom and CJ Baker’s joint House alias debuts on Rekids this November with the ‘Long Dark Soul Of The Night’ four-tracker. The EP starts with the title track, a playful, funk-fuelled cut with squelchy licks and soulful keys. Next, Kingpin Cartel’s ‘Moonrise’ leads with strong percussion that lay underneath a smooth swinging piano riff. ‘You Are’ then dives deep, perfectly blending emotive synth chords with an undeniably weighty house beat before ‘Shakedown’ closes the ‘Long Dark Soul Of The Night’ EP with a quirky synth line and an infectious bassline that firmly keeps it old-school.

Mark Broom is a UK dance music legend with releases on labels like Warp, M-Plant, and Hardgroove. He returns to Rekids as one of its core artists, joining CJ Baker, a producer known for EPs on Innervisions, Emissions Lo-Fi, Well Rounded, and many more. Founded in 2005, their Kingpin Cartel alias has released on Nic Fanciuli’s Saved Records as well as Mark Broom’s Rewired, Pure Plastic, and Beardman imprints, now landing on Radio Slave’s flagship label with the ‘Long Dark Soul Of The Night’ EP.

NEWLY REMASTERED SOUNDTRACKS FROM MORRICONE’S INCREDIBLE BACK CATALOGUE! DEDICATED TO CULT SOUNDTRACKS COLLECTORS.

We are excited to announce the release of the Complete James Brown Christmas Collection, a three-LP set featuring music from 1966-1970.

You absolutely don’t need to be a holiday music lover to fall in love with the music spilling out over these James Brown records, as most of the tracks are original compositions that hold their own against many of the grooves that Brown was recording during this high-water mark of his career.

With bonus tracks galore and fantastic liner notes by Alan Leeds (former James Brown publicist and tour manager), and mastered/cut by legendary mastering engineer Kevin Gray, this is a must-have even if you have to give yourself a well-earned, early musical present this year!

Schlammpeiziger, who had previously only been known to us for his top hits and T-shirts, burst upon us like a wild boar in search of affection in the middle of the coronavirus lockdown. He nested in our fully vaccinated home, drank our Eversbusch, ate from our plates, slept in our bed (wait - wrong fairy tale) and repeatedly urged us to organise egg runs with his testicles (after some contortions, we gave up trying). Childish faecal humour, far-fetched obs(t)enities, juicing, a desire to dissolve, composting of thoughts. In excesses of lack of concentration, the chains of associations curled and meandered like Jo's famous curlicue drawings. Every evening, after we had forcibly levered him out of our flat, he would ‘walk’ home to put together very unique , dreamy pieces. In the blissful brainfog of those days, for example, ‘Handicapfalter’ was created, for which the congenial °Bär° made our flat into the corresponding video. Among other quirks of the little gut-breather, we were fascinated to observe his phobia of literature and books. Just hold a printed page in front of his face for a few seconds and he writhes on the floor crying. A level of phobia that only my own laughable disgust and fear of writing myself can compete with. Jo shudders at the thought of reading sentences that build on each other in a meaningful way, and I shudder at the thought of having to write them down because I have something ‘to say’. A certain affinity cannot be denied. We are much, much more pleased by snatched-up, misunderstood or misheard snippets, hollow but unforgettable phrases, the diamond stoner humour of our ancestors. ‘From one turn/ I stop/ to walk on/ in all directions’ (as it murmurs in “Selten Gesehenes”), describes the process quite nicely. After all, Jo is ahead of me in that he can simply break off every tedious sentence and let it fade into music. Back to the essentials. It's five to 12 for the Schlammpeitzger (scientifically Misgurnus). The shy goby is under threat from climate change, so perhaps this vinyl is the last expression of life of the specimen that we have been allowed to look after sporadically since the lockdown phase of the corona epidemic. And it's turned out pretty. Even the aesthetically gutted like me and my beloved husband can THINK about sex when they see these sublime, silvery fart bubbles! It's tender as a fart. Make love!!!!!

Schamlose Dubtöse: Do you have words. Do you have sounds. Impertinently harmless piano tinkling turns into tugging zounds of increasing severity. It is not dubbed (would be unethical) but dubbed. Sounds dubby, as you can imagine. (Instrumental)

Loch ohne Licht: Possibly vaguely misogynistic. Could also be that there was simply no light in the hole. The sparse snippet of lyrics (‘du biss mir och esu e Loch ohne Licht’) sounds like one of those stroppy Cologne replicas whose anti-charm is hard to resist. Buzzing and grooving.

Selten Gesehenes: Casual. Confident. Soft. Fragrant. Thoughtful but lively.

The Arabian Vietmanese (instrumental) is probably the food we trust in the case of the munchies we get when we watch other people smoking weed. Transcendental and psychedelic states casually permeate the humdrum of everyday life. Klar Knuspermarsch: Marches and floats at the same time. Klebt Runner: Soundtrack to the cult film of the same name. Tyrrell Corporation loosens up. Ungenutzte Sätze: Stinks somehow, because there is dangerous proximity to comprehensible and then also critical statements here. Instead, the sinister electronic cheapness of Carpenter soundtracks can be heard. Parzipan: Actually, the time of origin was not so roaringly funny and simple, but for Jo it was also a gruelling, slow letting go of his brother. Here he sends him off with a gentle nudge into the vastness of a hopefully happy beyond.

Clara Drechsler

Schlammpeiziger, der uns bislang nur durch seine Top-Hits und seine T-Shirts bekannt gewesen war, brach mitten im Corona-Lockdown über uns herein wie ein wilder Eber auf der Suche nach Zuwendung. Er nistete sich in unserem durchgeimpften Zuhause ein, trank unseren Eversbusch, aß von unseren Tellerchen, schlief in unserem Bettchen (Moment - falsches Märchen) drängte uns wiederholt dazu, mit seinen Hoden Eierlauf zu veranstalten (nach Verrenkungen gaben wir den Versuch auf). Kindischer Fäkalhumor, weit hergeholte Obs(t)zönitäten, Entsaftung, Auflösungswunsch, Gedankenkompostierung. In Exzessen der Konzentrationsschwäche ringelten, kringelten und schlängelten sich die Assoziationsketten wie bei Jos berühmten Kringel-Schlängel-Zeichnungen. Jeden Abend, nachdem wir ihn gewaltsam aus unserer Wohnung gehebelt hatten, „ging“ er dann heim, um dort sehr eigene, verträumte Stücke zusammenzubasteln. Im seligen Brainfog dieser Tage entstand z.B. „Handicapfalter“, für das der kongeniale °Bär° aus unserer Wohnung das entsprechende Video machte. Neben anderen Marotten des kleinen Darmatmers beobachteten wir fasziniert seine Literatur- bzw. Bücherphobie. Halt ihm nur sekundenlang eine bedruckte Seite vors Gesicht, und er windet sich weinend am Boden. Ein Grad an Phobizität, mit dem sich nur meine eigene lachhafte Abscheu und Angst vor dem Selberschreiben messen kann. Jo schaudert beim Gedanken, sinnvoll aufeinander aufbauende Sätze lesen, mir wiederum beim Gedanken, sie hinschreiben zu müssen, weil ich irgendetwas „zu sagen“ habe. Eine gewisse Verwandtschaft ist nicht zu leugnen. Viel, viel mehr freuen uns aufgeschnappte, falsch verstandene oder misshörte Fetzen, hohle, aber unvergessliche Phrasen, der diamantene Kifferhumor unserer Vorfahren. „Aus einer Drehung/bleibe ich stehen/ um in alle Richtungen/weiter zu gehen“ (wie es in „Selten Gesehenes“ raunt), beschreibt den Prozess schon ganz schön. Immerhin hat Jo mir voraus, dass er jeden leidigen Satz einfach abbrechen und in Musik ausplempern lassen darf. Zurück zum Wesentlichen. Es ist fünf vor 12 für den Schlammpeitziger (wissenschaftlich Misgurnus). Die scheue Grundel ist von Klimawandel bedroht, vielleicht haltet ihr mit diesem Vinyl also die letzte Lebensäußerung des Exemplars in Händen, das wir seit der Lockdownphase der Corona-Epidemie sporadisch betreuen durften. Und die ist hübsch geworden. Selbst aus ästhetischer Erwägungen Entdarmte wie ich und mein geliebter Mann, können bei diesen sublimen, silberhellen Pupsbläschen DENNOCH an Sex denken! It´s zart as a fart. Make love!!!!!

Schamlose Dubtöse: Hast du Worte. Hast du Töne. Impertinent harmloses Klavierplätschern geht über in ziepende Zounds von zunehmender Strenge. Es wird nicht domptiert (wäre unethisch) sondern dubtiert. Klingt dubtig, wie ihr euch vorstellen könnt. (Instrumental)

Loch ohne Licht. Möglicherweise vage misogyn. Könnte auch sein, dass im Loch einfach kein Licht war. Das sparsame Textfetzchen („du biss mir och esu e Loch ohne Licht“) klingt nach einer jener pampigen kölschen Repliken, deren Anticharme man sich schwer entziehen kann. Schwirrt und groovt.

Selten Gesehenes: Lässig. Souverän. Softig. Duftig. Nachdenklich aber beschwingt.

Beim Arabischen Vietmanesen (Instrumental) gibt es wahrscheinlich die Speise unseres Vertrauens im Falle der Munchies, die wir kriegen, wenn wir anderen Leuten beim Kiffen zusehen. Transzendentale und psychedelische Zustände durchziehen beiläufig den schnöden Alltag. Klar Knuspermarsch: Marschiert und schwebt zugleich.

Klebt Runner: Soundtrack zum gleichnamigen Kultfilm. Tyrrell Corporation macht sich locker. Ungenutzte Sätze: Stinks irgendwie, weil hier gefährliche Nähe zu nachvollziehbarer und dann auch noch kritischer Aussage gegeben ist. Dafür klingt die sinistre elektronische Billigkeit von Carpenter-Soundtracks an.

Parzipan: Eigentlich war die Entstehungszeit gar nicht so brüllend lustig und einfach, sondern für Jo auch ein zermürbendes, langsames Loslassen des Bruders. Hier schickt er ihn mit sanftem Schubs hinaus in die Weiten eines hoffentlich schönen Jenseits.

Clara Drechsler
Downloads

Gospel melts into Soul in this dazzling collection of sides originally released by the Chess subsidiary.


Devised by the same team supporting the likes of Muddy Waters and Etta James at Chess, the vintage of Checker Gospel celebrated here is distinguished by its expertly raw, rugged, live feel — thumping bass and pounding drums, bluesy guitar and horns — and its keen engagement with contemporary realities and politics, with an underlying, unwavering commitment to the Civil Rights movement. Not forgetting its sheer, startling, richly diverse soulfulness.

Key architects of the Chicago Sound and Motown are amongst the scores of contributors: Charles Stepney, Gene Barge, Eddie Kendricks, and Leonard Caston Jr. are in the house… Morris Jennings, drummer on Curtis’ Superfly and Terry Callier’s What Color Is Love… Louis Satterfield from The Pharaohs and Earth Wind & Fire… Ramsey Lewis’ guitarist Byron Gregory… Phil Upchurch… Laura Lee…

Producer Monk Higgins joined Checker in 1967, bringing his experience of R&B and Gospel hit-making for the labels One-derful and Satellite, together with a loyal cohort of musicians. A protege of Willie Dixon, engineer Malcolm Chisholm set up the Ter Mar studio as if preparing for a live gig, carefully teasing measures of bleed into the microphones. With Ralph Bass from King Records running A&R, they knew exactly what they were after. ‘I’m using horns and an R&B sound in gospel recordings,’ said Bass. ‘We have no charts. All the musicians are given the chord changes. I want the cats to think when we’re cutting. I want spontaneity, and that’s what we’re getting.’ And: ‘There is more to gospel than just finding solace in the church. This follows the same message of Martin King, who was fighting for a new way of life. Kids are tired of hearing Jesus Give Us Help. They want a positive message.’

Focussed on the late sixties and early seventies, the twenty-five recordings here are all killer no filler, but try these four, random entry points: the heavy funk ostinato of the Violinaires’ Groovin’ With Jesus, working itself up into a post-James-Brown brass frenzy, sure to knock your socks off; Cleo Jackson Randle’s title track, for those who like their Gospel straight-up and hard-core; Eddie Kendricks’ achingly timely choral call-to-arms, Stand Up America, Don’t Be Afraid; the East St Louis Gospelettes’ heart-stopping, fathoms-deep rendition of Bobby Bland’s I’ll Take Care Of You.
A beautiful gatefold sleeve; a full-colour booklet with excellent notes by Robert Marovich; top-notch sound. Another knockout selection by Greg Belson and David Hill.

A shoo-in for soul compilation of the year.

As the tenth candle flickers atop the torta alla panna, Archeo Recordings play the Uno reverse card, breaking with tradition to give us a gift in celebration of its birthday: the first in a series of exquisite EPs on which the label's favourite contemporaries pay homage to past masters. Each re-polished gem is plucked either directly from the beatific back catalogue of the fine Florentine label or is at least Archeo-adjacent, perhaps a sign of future wonders to come. Like a musical version of Janus, who can be found at the heart of Bertoldo di Giovanni's frieze in the Medici villa, Archeo Recordings will continue to look forwards and backwards to provide sublime sounds for us all.
Pepe Maina officially joined the Archeo family in 2019 with the much-needed reissue of his 1979 masterpiece Scerizza (AR015), but his astounding music has been a constant companion to label head Manu for much longer. An inter-dimensional, multi-instrumental maverick, Maina weaves the frayed edges of prog rock, new age, organic jazz and global minimalism into a shimmering tapestry all of his own. The results are spread across fifty years and almost as many albums, largely self-released and always absolutely untarnished by commercial concerns.
Based in a small village in the hills of Brianza, just north of Milan, Maina translates the beauty of his surroundings into transformative tone poems, and the folkloric fusion of "The Infinite", originally released on his 2014 CD Tales From The Hill, is the perfect example of his practice. It opens with a recitation of Giacomo Leopardi's 1825s poem "L'Infinito" by famed Italian actor Vittorio Gassman. A leading figure in the romantic movement, Leopardi explores the idea of time and space within the natural world, and the peace that comes with an appreciation of the immensity of eternity. Manu, longtime digger and now a burgeoning producer, expands upon the original with tribal percussion, chirping electronics and a spheric bassline, folding Maina's elegant strings and gossamer pads into a new arrangement suited for a slow dance under the stars.
Unless you had a well-trained ear tuned to Italy's avant-jazz scene, chances are your first encounter with innovative flautist Roberto Aglieri came via the 2017 Archeo reissue of hisalmost untraceable LP Ragapadani (AR011). It's a true testament to Manu's digging credentials that he snatched this masterpiece out of the esoteric atmosphere and brought it attention it so richly deserved. A delicate union of digital synthesis and versatile flute - be it soft and silvery or
brilliant and clear - the 1987 album was a shapeshifting masterpiece, replaying scenes from Virgil, Verdi, Visconti and Pasolini with a neon glow. Quintessentially Italian, but uncanny and previously unimagined - Penthouse and Portico perhaps. Powered by a percolating prototechno sequence, cascading keys, hallucinogenic vocal snippets and a variety of tonal timbres from Roberto's reed, "Danza N. 1" long deserved the praise reserved for Jean-Luc Ponty's pinnacle, so many thanks to Manu for our collective introduction. The tall task of reinterpreting this particular paragon falls to Perugian polymath Daniele Tomassini AKA Feel Fly, whose peerless skills as both producer and musician have delighted DJs and dancers alike. Hot on the heels of his diverse and definitive remixes of Tony Esposito for AR027, Daniele delivers a radical rework of "Danza N. 1" perfect for both day rave sunshine and full moon party alike. Enhanced by snapping breaks and a rattling kick, the bassline gurgle emerges as a progressive powerhouse, laying the foundation for the trilling flute and circular keys to cast a psychedelic spell. As the slow-Goa revival picks up pace, this one is way ahead of the pack.
Archeo take us all the way back to the start of its story here - well almost. Though it bore the stamp AR001 (2015), this Radio Band reissue actually hit shelves months after Tony Esposito's "Je-Na' / Pagaia"; a false start perhaps but a true classic all the same. Radio Band were a group of DJs from Florence who all sailed the airways of Radio Fantasy in 1984 and whose one and only release was this super groovy slice of Italo-boogie. Following the example of Milanese DJs Band of Jocks but far surpassing their formulaic funk fizzle, Radio Band employed an intergalactic bassline, cosmic keys and that undeniably Italian style of rapping to deliver a sophisticated party-starter which even found its way to disco deity Ron Hardy. Back to the here and now, and if you've found yourself pumping an ecstatic fist to a supercharged Italian epic of late, chances are its from the mind of the mysterious Radiomarc. Operating on the ascendent Popcorn Groove imprint, this shadowy figure steers his country's lost classics into peaktime territories, finding a sweet spot between late Italo-disco, early Italo-house and contemporary cool. Pushing the tempo with a club-ready 4/4, setting the sequencer to stun and supplementing the original melodies with a series of synth riffs, the mystery producer send this one into orbit. Radio Band - Radio Rap - Radiomarc, the circle is complete.
Few have done more to develop cross-cultural musical exchange than Futuro Antico. A collaborative venture from musician, archeologist and ethnomusicologist Walter Maioli, keyboardist and tonal theoretician Riccardo Sinigaglia and multi-disciplinary artist and composer Gabin Dabiré, Futuro Antico formed in Milan in 1979, combining ancient international folkloric traditions with otherworldly electronics. The result is an arresting melange of Mediterranean, African and Asian instrumentation, mimicked by esoteric synth tones and hypnotic minimalism, which the group perfected on their acclaimed 1990 LP Dai Primitivi All'Elettronica. The meditative and transportive "Pan Tuning" belongs to their largely overlooked 2005 CD only release Intonazioni Archetipe, and has been amongst Manu's most loved tracks from the first moment he heard it. Who else is better placed to reshape this evocative opus into an immersive, transcendental dance floor journey than label favourites Mushrooms Project? The duo sows the original elements into a sprawling fifteen minute fusion of séance and science, at times propulsive with a ritualist rhythm of tuned percussion and crunching drum machine at others drifting off into ethereal ambience. Mushrooms Project continue to push the boundaries of the Afro-cosmic style, and this remix marks a new zenith.

Colombian-born artist Juan Carlos Torres Alonso, aka OKRAA, presents his third sonic exploration on A Strangely Isolated Place titled, La Gran Corriente. This album marks a profound shift in Juan's creative journey, where themes of portals, the illusion of time, and the paradoxes of self-discovery converge into a powerful auditory experience.
Following a transformative visit to Bogotá in May 2023, Juan underwent an introspective journey that inspired a new direction in his music. This experience, which he describes as an encounter with "an infinite current behind or inside of everything," led to a complete reimagining of his work. Abandoning previous demos, Juan embraced a liberated creative process that was both challenging and exhilarating. 
La Gran Corriente is characterized by its innovative production techniques, eschewing fixed grids and BPMs in favor of fluid, organic structures and combining influences from Juan’s other production alias, ‘Laudrup’. This approach not only opened up new creative possibilities but also led to numerous "happy accidents," resulting in a body of work that is as unpredictable as it is cohesive.
At the heart of the album lies a poem written by Juan during production, a text that echoes the themes woven throughout the music. Translated loosely to English, the poem reflects on the nature of reality and time, with lines like "the land of oblivion is not real" and "the great current reminisces; time is an illusion." These words serve as both a guide and a reflection of the album’s deeper meaning.
La Gran Corriente is a record that invites the listener to unlearn and to immerse themselves in a sonic current that is both infinite and transformative. It’s a testament to the power of creative reinvention and the relentless pursuit of deeper truths through music.
Featuring artwork by Peter Skwiot Smith, La Gran Corriente is available on gatefold colored vinyl 2LP, mastered by Taylor Deupree / 12k Mastering.

DJ Support: Jimpster, Terry Farley (FAITH), Bill Brewster, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Laurent Garnier, Black Coffee, Jazzanova

Fred Everything’s latest album, 'Love, Care, Kindness & Hope', came out last May to critical acclaim, gaining support from various players such as Laurent Garnier, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Jimpster and Jazzanova to name but a few.

Not content with having an A-List cast of guests on the album (Stereo MC’s, Robert Owens, James Alexander Bright…) Fred also enlisted top Remixers for the singles. We decided to put 4 of the best ones on a Vinyl sampler for record lovers.

Osunlade leads the pack here with his Yoruba Soul remix of Never feat. Robert Owens, keeping things steady for the dancefloor with his signature sound. Waajeed takes the same track and flips it into a different territorry, both musically and sonically, with his Hi-Tech Jazz feel.

Next, we have the enigmatic Clive From Accounts, re-imagining Soul Love featuring Stereo MC’s, with his precise and soulful beats. And to close the EP, Rocco Rodamaal takes Breathe featuring James Alexander Bright and turns it into a solid floor burner.

Strut proudly present the brand-new studio album from Nubiyan Twist, 'Jungle Run'.

Now one of the leading lights in the UK's new generation of soulful, genre-fluid artists, the Leeds-born and now London-based 12-piece collective have created their finest recordings to date, effortlessly weaving together elements of jazz, soul, hip hop, African styles, Latin, dub, hip hop and electronics in a flow of thought-provoking and life-affirming music.

Recorded at the band's own self-built Henwood Studio in rural Oxfordshire, the album effortlessly moves through different voices from the band's circle. The inimitable, timeless vocals of Nubiya Brandon lead the way on the album's title track about breaking preconceptions and promoting equality, 'Where you from I'm from wherever I be.' Saxophonist Nick Richards vocals the killer first single from the album about inner turmoil and a search for the truth, 'Tell It To Me Slowly' while rising Ghanaian star K.O.G. appears on the Afro jams 'Basa Basa' and 'They Talk'. Percussionist Pilo Adami (Nina Miranda / Afrosamba) voices the infectious bossa-jazz jam 'Borders'. The band also draft in two African legends for guest duties with the original Afrobeat maestro Tony Allen on 'Ghosts' and Ethio jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke contributing vibes on the sinuous 'Addis To London'. 'The depth of talent and ideas that every member of this group has brought to the table for this album is incredible,'

says producer and orchestrator Tom Excell. 'Conceptually, 'Jungle Run' is all about connecting different people and cultures whilst exploring the journey of individuals. This album is the pinnacle of everything we have done to date and to collaborate with the godfathers of Afrobeat and Ethio Jazz and celebrate their music in a modern context was very humbling.'

The album is another landmark for a band that has been consistently developing their sound since their formation in 2015 at Leeds College Of Music. 'One of the biggest factors in our sound was the exciting music scene in Leeds,' explains saxman Joe Henwood. 'From a reggae night called 'Sub Dub' to venues playing whacked out experimental jazz.' Since then, the band's self-titled debut album (2015), EP 'Siren Song' (2016) and single 'Dance Inna London' (2017) have become classics in their own right and their live show has become an essential ticket; previous live highlights have included high profile slots at David Byrne's Meltdown at the South Bank and Glastonbury West Holts

'Jungle Run' is released on 15th February on CD, 2LP and digital. Cover artwork comes from acclaimed designer Marcus Davies and the album is mastered by The Carvery. Nubiyan Twist tour across Europe from November.