"The album features the two sides of Mingus' compositional genius: the beautiful balladry that I always feel has a bit of a film-noir feel to it, alongside those joyous upbeat numbers that are filled with an organized chaos that categorizes much of the bassist's best work. ... Throw in the fact that it also features Jaki Byard (who is just phenomenal on this recording and remains criminally underrated), Booker Ervin, Dannie Richmond and Eric Dolphy and you have some of Mingus' finest sidemen driving his compositions to the fantastical places they seemed preordained to go. ... Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus is a record that has more than stood the test of time and is an everlasting testament to the talents of Mingus and the players who had the ability to follow his musical vision." — The Jazz Record
Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus was Charles Mingus' last major studio recording of the 1960s (the solo Mingus Plays Piano would also be released the same year in 1964) and it's a real treasure in the great jazz bassist's discography
Two of the tracks ("Celia" and "I X Love") were recorded at the sessions for The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady, while the rest were laid down eight months later with a group that included Booker Ervin, Eric Dolphy and Jaki Byard (Byard also played on the two earlier tracks). Both sessions featured groups of 11 players, all of whom were in top form in performing Mingus' notoriously complex compositions, writes jazzrecord.
All but two tracks on Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus were re-interpretations of songs from the bassist's earlier catalogue, only "Celia" rates as a new original number, and "Mood Indigo" is a cover of the famous tune by Mingus's hero Duke Ellington. If you happen to have lost your Mingus decoder ring, the remaining tracks correlate to their past counterparts as such:
For Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus Mingus collaborated with arranger/orchestrator Bob Hammer to score the music for the large ensemble of brass and saxophones. Recorded January 20 and September 20, 1963 in New York City.
quête:le disco
Leeds art-rock group Mush (Dan Hyndman vocals / guitar, Phil Porter drums,
Nick Grant bass, Myles Kirk guitar) are set to return with album ‘Down Tools’
via Memphis Industries. The new record marks the prolific band’s third album
in as many years, following hype-building early singles ‘Alternative Facts’
and ‘Gig Economy’, 2020’s debut album ‘3D Routine’ and 2021’s acclaimed
‘Lines Redacted’, which pushed their sound further and, as Uncut wrote, saw
them become “kindred spirits to Wand and King Gizzard & The Lizard
Wizard, two other bands prolifically honing their sound and approach,
steadily developing their voice.”
On ‘Down Tools’, this voice grows again into a more brilliantly singular
sound. It sees Mush getting loose, moving away from the defined moods and
textures of ‘Lines Redacted’ with a musical openness, straddling genres
while avoiding pastiche. Hyndman says of the lyrics on ‘Down Tools’ that
“there was a conscious decision to retreat further from an observational
approach” with vocals being ad-libbed lending the record a more abstract
feel. Hyndman continues: “this album is less dark than the previous one. The
Armageddon obsession has eased, or at least the symptoms have become
milder due to saturation. Musically there’s a lot more chill on the record -
there’s a few more mellow tracks out there and the most astute listener may
even be able to decipher some of the words, fingers crossed.”
While grief and work balance form themes on the record, Hyndman’s
approach is largely made up of abstract, disconnected streams of
consciousness and lines liberally taken from books, paintings, films and
beyond. On ‘Human Resources’, Hyndman dramatically retells a battle he
had with an HR department at a job in a David and Goliath style. The song
‘Group Of Death’, a phrase chillingly familiar to any football fan, is
emblematic of the turn towards softer, more considered sounds. Hyndman
says: “In my warped imagination it just sounds like a Paul McCartney song,
but it won’t to others. I initially had the idea of doing a World Cup song called
‘Group of Death’, but by the time it was written nothing beyond the title had
any relevance to football. Anyway, the next World Cup is in Qatar so fuck
that shit.”
‘Northern Safari’, meanwhile, is a song about the way the North of England
has been portrayed in the media and used as a mirror to reflect some of the
nastier elements of what’s going on in society, in particular vox pops around
Doncaster, portraying a particular narrative of the collapse of the red wall and
the disgruntled ex-miners.
‘Down Tools’ sees Mush idiosyncratically ping-pong from finger picked
looseners to noise-rock bangers to brilliantly entertaining effect, avoiding
post punk saturation with an easy style and wit.
"Emotional Rescue continues its 10th anniversary by again presenting Jorge Reyes’ collaborative album with Antonio Zepeda – a masterpiece and therefore, worthy of the time and effort to share.
From cult artist to becoming an essential musical discovery, Jorge Reyes is an example that no one discovered or owns the music beyond the writer and creator.
Growing up in Mexico’s 2nd City, he spent much of his life dedicated to travelling and learning music traditions and instruments. While at University to study Flute, he was involved in several influential bands of the era before going on to travel the world to further his learning, before returning to found the seminal Chac Mool group.
By the early 80s he went solo, exploring an increasing interest in the use of Prehispanic instruments mixed with electronics. In the opening songs, I-Cana and A La Izquiedra Del Colibri, the interplay between flute, guitar and vocals with TR-700, Poly 800 and DX7, all fuse his vision perfectly.
The additional contribution of Antonio Zepeda’s percussion creates a timeless mystique to the album, taking you on a journey deep in the mind of one of Mexico’s most important experimental artists.
Passing away at just 56, Jorge Reyes work was cut short, however he has left over a dozen albums to be explored. While critics increasingly question the valedictory of reissues, the premise on whether something should be heard is if it’s good. Therefore, let A La Izquierda Del Colibri be heard."
- 1: Falling
- 2: Not Easy Love (Feat. Demae)
- 3: Get By
- 4: Good Man
- 5: Like This
- 6: Walk These Days
- 7: Middle Of Eden (Feat. Sasha Keable)
- 8: Can’t Be Wrong
- 9: Time Away
- 10: Place And Time (Never Like This)
- 11: Something Special
- 12: Get Down
Maverick Sabre announces his much-anticipated fourth LP Don’t Forget To Look Up, out 28th January 2022 via FAMM. The follow up to 2019’s When I Wake Up, the introspective 12-track release was conceived in lockdown and sees Maverick examine and unpick love in its various iterations. Traversing recollections of previous relationships, to examining the societal pressures placed on couples, Don’t Forget To Look Up is both intimate and inquisitive at the same time. From the brooding vulnerability of opener ‘Falling’, to his recent Demae collaboration ‘Not Easy Love’ (which saw support from the likes of Crack, Complex, District, TRENCH, TLOBF and more), this sublime body of work places Maverick’s sultry tones in centre stage. Calling on the legendary Nile Rogers to provide the guitar on the shimmering, disco cut ‘Get Down’ and the vocal acrobatics of Sasha Keable for the evocative ‘Middle of Eden’ - Maverick carefully weaves collaborators through the project. A truly multifaceted artist, Don’t Forget To Look Up sees Maverick step up on production duties - producing half the tracks on the album. Maverick will be returning to the stage in 2022 for a 9-date UK + IRE tour, commencing with a homecoming show at The Academy, Dublin on 17th Feb and closing on 10th March at the Alexandra Palace Theatre, London. Platinum-selling, BRIT-nominated artist Maverick Sabre is the voice of a generation. Previously collaborating with the likes of Jorja Smith, Joey Bada$$, Bugzy Malone, Chronixx, Rudimental, Vintage Culture and George The Poet – Maverick has a flair for working with the best artists, producers and tastemakers in the scene. Imbuing each of his timeless releases with perceptive social commentary, introspective lyricism and his signature emotive delivery; this prolific, critically-acclaimed artist has been supported by the likes of The Guardian, The Arts Desk, Complex, GQ, NPR.
For Record Store Day 2022 Morcheeba have recruited Orbital, Gui Boratto, Kutiman and Voyou to remix four tracks from their latest album 'Blackest Blue' which was released in May 2021.
This is the second of a series of 12" remixes being released especially for RSD, the first 'Blazed Away - The Remixes' sold out in 2019. This year 'Blackest Blue - The Remixes' includes British giants of electronic music Orbital switching up the signature Morcheeba 'chill' vibe of 'Namaste' to an electronic drum and bass dancefloor stomper whilst producer Gui Boratto's remix of 'Sounds Of Blue' is a progressive Electronica/Chill House masterclass!
Morcheeba’s global reach is impressive, taking them to every corner of the world . Their signature chilled electronic/organic sound has been border-hopping ever since the London-based band emerged as a household name with a discography spanning three decades.
With at least 12 gold and platinum discs & over 350M all time streams, Morcheeba continue to create their own unique sound, a laid-back mix of fusion, funk, and blues with the sweet, fluid vocals of Skye Edwards.
Mit ,Happy Hour" reift HOLLIE COOK endgültig zur Königin des modernen ,Lovers Rock", dem opulenten wie harmoniebetonten Reggae-Stil, der in Großbritannien seit den 1970er Jahren beliebt ist. Als Teenagerin tourte sie mit den Punk-Legenden THE SLITS (auf deren EP ,Revenge Of The Killer Slits" sie 2006 mitsang) und entfachte so die wilde Seite ihrer liebenswürdigen Persönlichkeit. HOLLIEs Mentorin war Ari Up, die inzwischen verstorbene Leadsängerin der legendären Punk-Formation und eine lebenslange Freundin von COOKs prominenten Eltern. Sie ist die Tochter des Sex Pistols-Schlagzeugers Paul Cook und der Culture Club-Sängerin Jeni Cook (ihr Patenonkel ist Boy George!). ,My father always said I would be a singer. But I discovered lovers rock on my own. I heard it on pirate radio and with friends, and I was bewildered, enchanted," erinnert sich COOK. "The Slits are the reason I have pursued this career. I was surrounded by powerful women at a young age, and when my time came, I was never fazed by male dominance. They were my wall of courage." Auf diesen kämpferischen Fundament ist HOLLIEs Liebe zur Musik entstanden. Ihre gefühlvolle Direktheit auf ,Happy Hour" ist so nachvollziehbar wie authentisch. ,I can't get away from it" sagt sie. ,Making this music that I love, I do turn deep inside myself. It makes me explore a lot of human truths and feelings that we should not shy away from, and it feels like a release to turn them into songs."
The “Tumult Hands” duet is made by Jacek Sienkiewicz and Jerzy Przezdziecki - the producers
whose composition has - to a large extent- defined the Polish techno music. Sienkiewicz - as
early as Recognition - started his adventure with music in the late 1990s. Subsequent records,
already under his own name, were released, among others, at Cocoon Records, Trapez, Klang
Elektronik and WMFRec. Przezdziecki started publishing a little later. Over the last two
decades, he has been presenting various types of electronic music, among others, as Praecox,
Epi Centrum and Jurek Przezdziecki.
“Tumult Hands” has two EPs on its account – “Tumult Hands EP” (2014) and “Tropic
Factory” (2016). Both were published by Recognition. So a full record was a matter of time.
The album titled: “TH” (Recognition, 2022) has been prepared for many years. The repertoire
was created mainly out of improvisation. As artists themselves say, “it is the result of
discovering and accepting a chance event.” For both producers, close contact with
instruments was important during their composition; the type of interaction between the maker
and an electronic device. Individual works have been maturing for a long time. Paradoxically -
the lapse of time did not cause them to be ageing but vice versa - allowed them to mature and
gain natural weight.
“TH” brings very diverse music. In part, it is the repayment of the debt that Sienkiewicz and
Przezdziecki incurred towards the most creative techno period, that is, the 90s of the 20th
century. The lovers of experimental dance music from before the quarter of the century will
easily capture in the duet’s themes the art of Cristian Vogel, producers known from the tin
series of Chain Reaction record company or early recordings of Richie Hawtin (Plastikman,
F.U.S.E.). This is a very similar, non-standard approach to sound structure and an original
approach to rhythmic structures. Minimalist melodies, accompanying e.g. the opening of the
“enter TH” or “pow” set, contribute to the composition an element of some sublimity and
metaphysical anxiety. Obviously, it is still the dance music but the duet - to some extent by
abandoning the club functionality (understood in the techno convention) - has given its music
a definitely sophisticated, artistic elegance.
Publishing cooperation between such important makers, as well as high quality of recordings,
leads us to see “TH” as something more than just another techno record. It is an event and an
electronic adventure that all lovers looking for dance music will appreciate.
Wave to Mikey, the fourth album from the Los Angeles-based actor, musician and photographer Danny Lane is a nocturnal, neon-lit ode to the friendships that shape us. “I made this album for my friend Mikey from back home,” Danny explains. “We were pretty much inseparable for a large part of our lives, and our musical and social minds were always in sync in a special way. Then with age, we drifted apart, especially since I moved to Los Angeles. This album is just a little wave hello to an old friend and a kindred spirit.”
Equal parts avant-garde composition, instrumental city-pop, ambient, Kankyō Ongaku (environmental music) and Fourth World music, Wave to Mikey is an impressionistic and reflective cycle of eleven richly detailed memory portraits. Throughout the album, the influence of Jon Hassell, Arthur Russell, Hiroshi Yoshimura and Yellow Magic Orchestra hangs in the air like late-night mist, adding character but never overshadowing the rhythmic ambience of Danny’s musical visions.
Wave To Mikey began as a series of sketches on analog synthesisers, guitar, sample and found percussion sketches, initially recorded in Danny’s home studio. Once he’d located the vibe, Danny called on his friends E Talley II, Solange collaborator John Carroll Kirby and Destroyer session musician Joseph Shabason, who respectively added flute, spiritual synth textures and saxophone to the record.
For Glossy Mistakes founder Mario G.R., who originally discovered Danny through his photography, Wave To Mikey captures a vivid feeling of melancholy and peace. “He's able to encapsulate emotions in a very straightforward way, either in his portrait or songs,” Mario says. “I think that's a kind of virtue or skill given to talented artists, no matter the field.”
Born and raised in Staten Island, New York, Danny began playing music with his friends when he was thirteen, before putting that passion on pause to study Fine Arts (Theatre) at Rider University in Lawrence Township in pursuit of an acting career. Acting led him to photography, after playing a photographer in a film, he was inspired to pursue the medium. Danny began shooting photos on film for magazines and lifestyle brands, spent a stint living in New York’s Chinatown neighbourhood, and eventually relocated to Los Angeles in 2017.
Four years ago, Danny started recording and releasing music under his own name, leading to the trilogy of releases that preceded Wave To Mikey, How To Empty A Cup (2019), Memory Record (2019) and CAPUT (2021). Over the course of these releases, he’s revealed himself to be a sophisticated composer and producer with a studied ear from years spent digging through record bins for ambient, experimental, new age, jazz and electronica records from around the globe, with a particular emphasis on Japan.
“Music is something that’s always been involuntary for me,” Danny reflects. “It’s unconditional, always there. It’s something I just have to do. I’ve taken breaks and it’s always gloomy when I’m not playing. I just want to get better and better and understand more and more.”
Here at Glossy Mistakes, Wave To Mikey marks our second contemporary album release, following on from Evenings by Japanese composer Metoronori. We’re proud to be able to present Danny, Metoronori and other modern musicians' work alongside reissues of classic works from Stevia aka Susumu Yokota, Akira Ito, Yuji Toriyama & Ken Morimura, and Takashi Kokubo.
Mastered by Damian Schwartz, Wave To Mikey will be released on Vinyl LP Glossy Mistakes on June 27 2022. Besides the regular black vinyl, a limited clear vinyl will be available in an edition of 100 copies. Both editions come packaged with original cover art photography shot by Danny.
• Revised reissue of the acclaimed first-ever book-length investigation into French Touch.
• Back in print for the first time since 2004.
• Updated version features previously unpublished interviews with Daft Punk, Laurent Garnier, Cerrone, Jean Jacques Perrey, Motorbass, Chris Le Friant (aka Bob Sinclar), Air, Etienne de Crecy, La Funk Mob, Cassius, The Micronauts, Stardust, Benjamin Diamond, Modjo, DJ GilbR, i-Cube, DJ Cam and many more...
During the second half of the 1990s, Paris experienced a dance music revolution thanks to groundbreaking artists like Daft Punk, Air, Super Discount, Motorbass, Cassius, Dimitri from Paris, Bob Sinclar and many, many more. It was a scene that became known as French Touch and was heralded throughout the world as the epitome of dance music cool, forever placing Paris on the dance culture map.
Journalist and author Martin James was there right from the start, documenting the scene from its inspirations to its earliest moments and onto its global breakthrough. In the process, he inadvertently provided the French Touch moniker that became adopted throughout the world.
Drawing on a dazzling array of exclusive interviews with the biggest names in French electronic music history, French Connections explores France’s significant contribution to dance music culture that paved the way for the French Touch explosion.
“Endlessly informative and thoroughly enjoyable, James manages to bring even the most boring artists (Air) to vibrant life with his energetic prose and rich imagery.” Bob Stanley, Mojo
“(James) has a rare, imagistic talent for evoking the unearthly sounds of modern dance music.” The Guardian
“Viva Monsieur James! Essential reading for all fans of Gallic grooves.” DJ Mag
“If ever a book was overdue then it’s this one, which charts the influence of French electronica on the world outside the hexagon over the past decade or so… tres bien.” Select
Philip Lawn is an Italian music producer, co-founder of Turbokitchen, releasing on labels such as Motek and My Favorite Robot Recordings.
In his debut EP as solo artist for Thisbe Recordings, “Ten Years of Travel”, he tells the tale of the Odyssey and his protagonist Ulysses through the use of machines (such as Nord Lead 4, Roland SPD-30, Behringer TD -3, Yamaha Reface CS & Moog sub 37) and hot grooves. Out of his secret garden, a perfect acoustically isolated walk-in closet, “Ten Years of Travel” was born. Particular to the structure of the EP is that each track has its own remix.
With a rework of “Distorted View”, Days of Being Wild deliver a dark disco classic, true to their idiosyncratic sound and original beats, mesmerizing the dancefloor straight away. Traveller and cosmic poet Pyrame rework of the single “Start” first feels like rain dropping before the storm comes and reveals an euphoric feeling as the break starts. Romain FX nails a fine remix of Ten Years of Travel, the main single of Philip Lawns´EP. His remix is a pure italo disco rework of the original, infused with pop synths and keys, that won´t leave anyone still and quiet. Banger.
Friendsome Records and Belaria are delighted to present her debut EP Boost & Doubt. After only two singles and a remix to date she already managed to leave quite an impression, launching a very promising career. The young ‘home grown’ prodigy has produced this beautiful four tracker to take you on a retro-minimal journey of heavy beats and melodic synth.
Oscillating between Dark-Disco, Italo and Synth-Wave, starting and ending with two dancefloor oriented tracks Boost and Esteem (A1 & B2). Neither will allow you to sit still, in the middle of this you’ll find Rest In B (A2), a more poppy but still minimalist track that will remind you of throw backs of Chloé or Peaches. All sat alongside Burning Inside (B1) a downer tempo intimate song that would suite a room three or a long summer road trip. Enjoy the ride!
Mit ,Happy Hour" reift HOLLIE COOK endgültig zur Königin des modernen ,Lovers Rock", dem opulenten wie harmoniebetonten Reggae-Stil, der in Großbritannien seit den 1970er Jahren beliebt ist. Als Teenagerin tourte sie mit den Punk-Legenden THE SLITS (auf deren EP ,Revenge Of The Killer Slits" sie 2006 mitsang) und entfachte so die wilde Seite ihrer liebenswürdigen Persönlichkeit. HOLLIEs Mentorin war Ari Up, die inzwischen verstorbene Leadsängerin der legendären Punk-Formation und eine lebenslange Freundin von COOKs prominenten Eltern. Sie ist die Tochter des Sex Pistols-Schlagzeugers Paul Cook und der Culture Club-Sängerin Jeni Cook (ihr Patenonkel ist Boy George!). ,My father always said I would be a singer. But I discovered lovers rock on my own. I heard it on pirate radio and with friends, and I was bewildered, enchanted," erinnert sich COOK. "The Slits are the reason I have pursued this career. I was surrounded by powerful women at a young age, and when my time came, I was never fazed by male dominance. They were my wall of courage." Auf diesen kämpferischen Fundament ist HOLLIEs Liebe zur Musik entstanden. Ihre gefühlvolle Direktheit auf ,Happy Hour" ist so nachvollziehbar wie authentisch. ,I can't get away from it" sagt sie. ,Making this music that I love, I do turn deep inside myself. It makes me explore a lot of human truths and feelings that we should not shy away from, and it feels like a release to turn them into songs."
The unique sounds of Ray Phiri's Stimela are showcased on this gem of a 12” EP from 1986. It was originally released only in South Africa on Gallo / CBS Records, although a 12" featuring the track 'I Hate Telling A Lie' was previously released on Plum Records in 1983. It has now become a sought-after item due to its addictive and original-sounding Balearic disco / cosmic boogie-esque nature.
Stimela were a popular and successful Mbaquanga / fusion outfit led by the guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, producer and arranger Ray Phiri; who was previously a member of the legendary band The Cannibals. The musicians would go on to gain global fame after featuring on Paul Simon's iconic 'Graceland' album and the mega tour that followed.
Kicking off the EP is a magical track that floored us from the first moment we heard it and one that has since become a Mr Bongo firm favourite. ‘I Hate Telling A Lie’ is a slow, infectious building groove that sits somewhere between lowdown jazz-funk, soul, reggae and gospel with shades of new wave pop and Balearic. It’s a truly stunning track that is hard to pigeonhole and all the better for it.
Another highlight from the EP is the monster instrumental, synth-boogie sound of 'I Love You'; championed by DJs such as Jeremy Spellacey (Crown Ruler). This hypnotic groove bubbles to perfection and is a slo-mo chugger extraordinaire.
We hope you dig it as much as we do.
- A1: The Dynamic Sound
- A2: Girls And Boys
- A3: 7 Nation Army
- A4: Land Of 1000 Dances
- A5: Rockit
- B1: Green Onions
- B2: Miss You (Long Edit)
- B3: Brothers On The Slide
- B4: Lay Lady Lay
- C1: Whole Lotta Love
- C2: 90 % Of Me Is You
- C3: Music
- C4: Feel Like Making Love
- D1: The Creator Has A Masterplan
- D2: Fever
- D3: Move On Up
Stix Records, a sub-label of Favorite Recordings, proudly presents the long awaited reissue of Version Excursions, first album by The Dynamics. Originally released in 2007 and highly hard to find today, it could be considered as a modern reggae classic.
The band composed of Bruno “Patchwork” Hovart (production & programming), Eric “Flab” True (programming) and a vocal trio made of Mr Day, Sandra “Mounam” and Stevie Levi, quickly became famous with a 7inch single series, displaying their unique recipe of covers from classic hits by Madonna, Curtis Mayfield or The White Stripes to name just a few. True to Rocksteady and Reggae’s timeless tradition, everything from Pop, Roots, Disco, Soul & Rock is distilled through their fuzzy hypnotic filters to create amazing cover versions.
Originally hailing from the villages of Cameroon, the halls of Harvard, the palaces of Versailles, the boweries of Bristol, or the squares of Provence, it’s then in Lyon that The Dynamics united and created their timeless music, both vintage and fresh. 15 years after its release, the album’s still a real success, with more than 350k listeners on Spotify every month. An achievement easily explained by the quality of the tracks gathered, which also brought the original release to become quite rare years after years, now selling for crazy prices on the second-hand market.
"Whole Lotta Love" (Led Zeppelin), "Fever" (Peggy Lee), "The Creator Has A Master Plan" (Pharoah Sanders), "Lay Lady Lay" (Bob Dylan), these are only a few of the Rock, Pop, Soul and Jazz most famous hits reimagined by The Dynamics. In addition to the original tracklisting, you'll find on our 2022 remastered edition their cover of "Music" by Madonna, previously only available as 7inch.
Boogie Butt Records presents its new release: we are happy to find on this one our friend Will The Funkboss that we had presented on our previous compilation Boogie Slice Vol. 1. He comes back with an incredible dancefloor banger with two slices of Electro Funk coming in 7inch limited vinyl.
Willie The Funkboss is one of the French Rap producers we respect. From his beginning as a DJ in 1991 to his sparks in production at the end of the 90's, everything he touched was good.
He began his career as the resident DJ of the only French club dedicated to Soul and Hip-Hop and started to produce remixes and hip-hop instrumentals before leaving for NYC to perfect his productions and DJ's, before returning to Lyon.
Upon his return, he puts his discoveries to good use by founding Le Gang Du Lyonnais with his friend Raf, a group that specialized in producing French rappers and singers, collaborating with the best of French urban artists. In 2003, they went gold with the single of 113 (Mafia K'1 Fry) "Au Summum".
Today, Will The Funkboss produces Hip-Hop, Soul, Nu-Disco and House on quality labels (Plaizir Musik, Smokin Beats, …), still in the groove!
Just pop it!
A.B. Crentsil is a heavyweight of Highlife music and the main vocalist of Sweet Talks, one of the most popular Ghanaian bands of the 1970’s. In 1992, musician Charles Amoah and producer Richie Osei Kuffour offered him the opportunity to explore a new popular sound: Bürger Highlife. Little did he know these studio sessions would give birth to the biggest song of his career.
Charles Amoah, who had released his Sweet Vibrations LP in 1984 to great acclaim, extensively toured in Europe with bands such as Black Earth and Saraba, was eager to bring a new sound to Crentsil, an artist he had admired for years. Throughout the 1980’s, Highlife had been changing pretty radically, following the same evolution as Congolese Soukous, Caribbean Zouk and most popular black music
genres of that era: Heavy use of drum machines, synths and digital technology was conveniently replacing big bands and expensive
analog studios and equipments. Mostly recorded, produced or mixed in Germany, this new breed of electric Highlife dubbed ‘Bürger Highlife’ could be defined as a fusion of Disco, Jazz, Funk and Pop with the popular Highlife beats, rhythms and lyrics.
According to A.B. Crentsil, the name was a reference to the ever present American cultural influence on Ghanaian musicians. Charles
Amoah has his own take: “I initially called this particular kind of Highlife ‘Ethno Pop’. Bürger is the German word for citizen, and that’s how Ghanaian musicians living and working in Germany were calling each other”.
The music for both “Obi Baa Wiase'' and “Sika Be Ba” was entirely composed and played by Charles Amoah, using minimal equipment: a
DX7 synth, a Korg M1, a Yamaha RX5 drum machine, and an Akai 1000 sampler. A.B. Crentsil provided the lyrics for both tunes on the spot. Obi Ba Wiase’s message is one of gratitude and faith: it says we should appreciate our life way more and follow the example of people who have a lot less but still praise God all day.
Charles remembers fondly Crentsil’s larger than life personality: "A.B. slept a lot, he really loved sleeping. His lack of punctuality was easily dismissed by his wonderful sense of humour and it wasn't uncommon to find musicians rolling with laughter on the studio floor."
Charles also remembers vividly the "Obi Baa Wiase" session: he could feel the magic in the air while working on the soon to be hit, and
knew something special was happening. A.B. asked for a break in the middle of the session, which Charles adamantly refused until the song was finished and the magic fully captured.
Success was not immediate, and Charles was first a little concerned by the lack of buzz following the immediate release of the Gyae Me
Life Ma Me album. But a few months down the line, the situation took a new turn. "Obi Baa Wiase" was making its way into radio playlists,
weddings and festive celebrations. It was covered by local bands, and soon most of Ghana and its European and American diasporas were hooked. It became A.B. Crentsil’s most requested song at live events for the following decades.
As producer Richie Moore wrote on the album back cover : "A perfect integration of two musical geniuses, the result of which are the
scintillating tracks of music on this record… so all you party fans go onto the floor and dance the body music"
Yellow Vinyl
A collective of musicians led by Barcelona-based producer Miguel Ferre Falcon, Kokoro Disco San first appeared on the RNT radar with their 2019 Isla Fantasia release on Rocafort Records.
KDS now brings their uncanny ability to capture the mood and instrumentation of classic disco and soul with the uplifting summer anthem 'Sunshine' and the Candido-esque sonic journey 'Jungle Deep.' Rounding out the EP are two remixes of the title track by label co-head JKriv, who delivers an extended acidic exploration with his Beach Burn Mix, and a bumped up yet loving treatment of the original song with his SPF76 Mix.
Rare and exquisite french boogie / synth-pop reissue!
A few months after the release of her first song, "Elle se promène", which brought her a nice success, RoBERT released a second single in 1991 called "Les Jupes". This track, the second single from the album "Sine", was supported by a video clip with a refined but sophisticated aesthetic directed by Michel Gondry.
"Les Jupes" is now being reissued by the independent label AnaphoreMusic, thirty years after its original release, and is an emblematic track in the singer's discography. This new transparent blue "curaçao" coloured vinyl pressing contains the original version and the instrumental version (never before released on physical media) of RoBERT's famous "Jupes", both remastered from the original DAT tapes.
A spellbinding tribute from one multi-faceted artist to another. New York-based artist Aki Onda (b. 1967) conjured a transduction to the Korean multi-media pioneer Nam June Paik (1932-2006). Aki himself describes the project:
“Nam June’s Spirit Was Speaking to Me occurred purely by chance. In 2010, I was spending four days at Nam June Paik Art Center in South Korea for a series of performances and had plenty of free time to wander. The building was packed with Paik’s artwork and related material. I have always felt a close kinship with him as an artist, and so it was a great opportunity to immerse myself in his works and ephemera.
It was that night I made the first contact, via a hand-held radio in a hotel room in Seoul. It was literally out of the blue. Scanning through the stations, I stumbled upon what sounded like a submerged voice and I began to record it in fascination. I concluded this was Paik’s spirit reaching out to me.
The project continued to grow organically as I kept channeling Paik’s spirit over long distance and receiving cryptic broadcasts/messages. The series of séances, conducted in different cities across the globe, began in Seoul in 2010, and continued in Köln, Germany in 2012, Wrocław, Poland in 2013, and Lewisburg, USA in 2014. The original recordings were captured by the same radio which has a tape recorder, with almost no editing, save for some minimal slicing and mastering.
Paik is known for his association with shamanism, a practice that constantly surfaces in his works all through his career. In an interview, he stated “In Korea, diverse forms of shamanism are strongly remained. Even though I have created my work unconsciously, the most inspiring thing in my work came from Korean female shaman Mudang.” Paik himself was a master shaman and vividly used shaman rituals and symbols for staging his performances and installations.
These recordings also became a way for me to explore the mythic form of radio—a medium which is full of mysteries. The transmissions captured may be “secret broadcasts” on anonymous radio stations. There are in fact hundreds of those stations around the world, although the numbers dwindle as clandestine messages can now be sent via encrypted digital channels. Some of these stations were likely for military use or espionage or relics of the Cold War. But many others continue without apparent explanation. These are just some of the questions that remain unanswered.”
Commissioned in 2017 by documenta 14's radio program “Every Time A Ear di Soun,” these recordings were continually broadcast on eight radios stations around the world that year. Nam June’s Spirit is a beautifully formed homage, I cannot think of any other like it. An intimate, flickering language discovered through the air. The LP comes replete with a booklet of photographs of Paik on the set of Michael Snow’s unreleased film Rameau’s Nephew (1974).
Sean McCann, 2020
Aki Onda, 2017
20-page art booklet including rare photographs of Nam June Paik from the set of Michael Snow’s film Rameau’s Nephew (1974), two essays on radio-wave phenomenon (by Onda and Marcus Gammel), and a remembrance of Paik by Yuji Agematsu
D'Cruze, the legendary DnB producer synonymous with some of Suburban Base's biggest tracks such as 'Lonely' and 'Watch Out' now sees some of his unreleased productions finally getting a much sought-after release.
The Hidden Trax EP's theme comes from concept that the D'Cruze limited US only edition album contained tracks that were only discovered if you allowed that album to play on beyond what was supposed to be the last song, after a gap of silence no track ID and not listed on the track titles. This is where you’d find 'Bittersweet' pt 2 as a hidden track on the CD. This was Bittersweet’s only ever appearance having never been released in the UK and never released on vinyl or digitally worldwide.
The lush rolling workout of ‘Hardstep' is probably our most requested track that has never had a vinyl release having only briefly appeared on the very limited CD only ‘Subbase Sampler’, demand for a vinyl pressing of this has been called for since 1996.
Another beautiful hidden gem 'Sublime State' from 1995 wouldn’t be known to our UK audience as it’s an exclusive tune to the US only CD release that has never seen a UK or vinyl release.
Rounded off with the incredibly beautiful 'Meus Precious Filius', an unheard unreleased D’Cruze track that was considered a 'lost DAT' until recently surfaced. We are now able to bring this to the world as an epic slice of fresh music from D’Cruze.
The EP is presented on blue and black splattered vinyl making every single piece uniquely different. Original custom sleeve artwork is provided by Suburban Base legendary artist Dave Nodz in his iconic graffiti influenced style.
These are already high demand tracks all brought together for a fantastic value 4 track EP, so grab yourself a piece of future history now whilst we have these available for a limited time.




















