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Giorgio Records and Bordello A Parigi strike again with another collabo for the official reissue of a sought-after italo disco track; Salentino’s ‘You’ll Be In Paradise’! Produced in Riccione’s Real Sound studio in 1985; restored and remastered almost forty years after its release with an additional remix and extended DJ edit by Franz Scala and Casionova.

2024 Repress

First released back in 2011, When We On was the sixth album from the Nottingham-formed Crazy P. Most significantly, however, it features songs that went on to become signature tracks for the band's live performances, including 'Heartbreaker', 'Open For Service' and 'Eruption', delicately balanced by more home listening experiences like 'Changes', 'Beatbox' and 'wecanonlybewhoweare'. Since its first and only original vinyl pressing, it's been commanding increasingly huge amounts on the second hand market, so time for 20/20 Vision to step in and re-issue complete with the original masters, Victoria Topping artwork and Bandcamp code that gives access to the full 11 track digital album as well as the vinyl. Essential for fans of the P, but also a good starting point for the curious, falling about half way through their history and at the start of a particularly purple patch.

2024 repress

Rush Hour’s RSS series excels in unearthing buried treasure, offering a second chance for artists and releases that have long been overlooked. That’s certainly the case with ‘Witches’, the superb sole single by British 1980s wave trio Zenana.

Originally released on seven-inch by the tiny PRM label in 1986, ‘Witches’ was the product of a sister-brother songwriting team whose music was mostly recorded in the front room of a terraced house in Nanpean, a small industrial village in Cornwall, England’s most south-westerly county. While the single was infectious, impeccably produced and dancefloor-ready, it sold in limited quantities at the time.

Zenana’s story can be traced back to the early 1980s, when singer-songwriter Anita Tedder founded the all-female trio as a vehicle for her musical ambitions. To bring her songs to life, she joined voices with her brother Mike, an early adopter of electronic music who had built a studio – nicknamed MFR, short for ‘Mike’s Front Room’ – in his Cornish home.

Countless Zenana tracks were recorded at ‘MFR’ between 1984 and ’86, with the resultant demo cassette securing the band a management contract, a slew of live bookings, a video shoot and even a television appearance. Buoyed by this underground success, they headed to the remote Sawmills Studio in Cornwall – famously only accessible by boat – to re-record ‘Witches’, a song inspired by local folk tales of witches gathering near Mike’s home.

While this version of ‘Witches’ failed to make an impact at the time, it has become something of a cult classic following its’ rediscovery by crate digger Kiernan Abbott – and subsequent championing by other dusty-fingered DJs including Antal, Skyrager, Trevor Jackson and Luke Una – in early 2023. The buzz inspired Zenana to perform live again for the first time in decades, with the story of their surprise comeback being covered by British media outlets including the BBC and (more surprisingly) the Daily Mail.

Now presented in re-mastered form, ‘Witches’ is a genuinely slept-on gem. Propelled forwards by punchy drum machine beats, a killer synth bassline and fizzing keyboard sounds, the song benefits greatly from strong vocals and an extra-percussive middle eight layered with vocalisations, cosmic spoken word sections and swirling noises.

It comes backed by a brand-new extended ‘spell of love’ courtesy of Bristol duo Bedmo Disco, AKA music journalist Matt Anniss (author of Join The Future: Bleep Techno and the Birth of British Bass Music) and DJ/production partner Gareth Morgan. Anniss is a long-time friend of Mike and Anita Tedder who has fond memories of visiting Mike’s home studio with his family around the time that ‘Witches’ was recorded.

Working from Zenana’s original MFR eight-track recording (tapes of the single version were lost years ago), Anniss and Morgan have turned in the extended ‘dance mix’ the track never had first time around. More atmospheric, clandestine and dancefloor-focused, it offers authentic nods to New York proto-house, mid-80s Shep Pettibone dubs, and the pioneering synth-pop productions and dub mixes of Factory Records regular Martin Rushent.

The first Escapismo output was described by Bleep as “a slow burning synth-pop killer”. Bandcamp’s “New & Notable” section has defined Escapismo as “Marvelously gothy electronic music from Barcelona. A New Wave delight”. And according to Boomkat, “Escapismo brings a touch of ‘80s romance”.

This LP includes the first three Escapismo EPs (a short run of 10″s which fastly sold out) plus one additional song. A mixture of post-disco, dark italo, new wave, post-punk and a hint of Belgian new beat. An obscure collection of songs already supported by renowned DJs like Stephen Dewaele from Soulwax / Despacio or Ivan Smagghe and Nathan Gregory Wilkins, who have played Escapismo on their Channeling show on NTS Radio.

Limited edition of 100 copies on vinyl, 50 black and 50 transparent. No reissue.

2024 Repress

There's no one who does it quite like Laurence Guy. Here he returns with an uplifting house cut that deftly manipulates samples in a 4-track exploration of friendship, imposter syndrome, and life's many other roller coasters.

It was the father of long-time pal and confidant J Peacock whose record collection provided the intricate tapestry of samples that forms 'Can't Find Her'. It's a story of losing yourself, and regaining your purpose by indulging in the unifying potential of creating music collaboratively. The theme of cross-reference is carried through to 'Extremely Present or Present in The Extreme' and 'You Do Your Best to Hide The Good Parts of Yourself'. The first sees a rhythmic shift with shuffly triplet drums that back an old Folk record sample, whilst the title track sees Guy repurpose old vinyl gems to meditate on the universal experience of attempting to conceal our anxieties from others. Finally, 'Waiting For Love' takes a trip down memory lane. Conceived in 2015, it demonstrates Guy's steadfast passion for constructing immersive, enchanted worlds. Over the course of Guy's seven-year career, these worlds have been visited over 52 million times via Spotify alone. As his latest release will confirm, you'd be foolish not to do the same.

Fall is here after all the summer maddness with festivals, mediterranean tours and Ibiza residencies, it full on vinyl releases for Vega Records. Introducing the 5 Pack Unreleased IV edition, Vega Records takes another step into the world of unreleased music from the Vega Family. Gems from Leroy Burgess, Two Soul fusion, Tony Touch, Professor Featuring Ndu Shezi & Thebe, Johnny Dangerous, and gospel royalty Bebe Winans to Elements Of Life Demos and songs in the making all come together on this special 5 piece vinyl set. With 12 tracks in the sequence there are a select number of talented producers on the project which include Two Soul Fusion AKA Louie Vega & Josh Milan, Pablo Fierro, Johnny Dangerous, Luis Radio, Pietro Nicosia and musicians Axel Tosca and Luisito Quintero. They all contribute to these unique pieces of music mastered by the one and only who we call “The Quincy Jones Of Mastering” Mr. Herb Powers of PM Mastering and the vinyl manufactured by Optimal, Germany. With a limited number of copies made make sure you get your hands on them, they will be rare and very fast!!! Vega Records “always bringing you top quality music” !! Distributed by Above Board, UK.

Editor's Kutz is here, right on summertime wearing it's Volume 8 swimsuit, while the label boss seems to be on vacation too, since this is the first record of the series with no "VinylAddicted" track included.
A' side begins with The Silver Rider and his blue-sky edit on an Odyssey's hit, giving to it a more uptempo and danceable character, while the Italian duo Marsupials drops a heavenly disco-house track with a chunky beat and a beautifully loading string line, called 'Just Like Heaven'. Both sun-drenched, with vibes melting down slowly onto the sand like the butter under the hot sun!

Flip-side could be the sunset side with Stereo 12 'Da Flow' closing your afternoon session or, why not, kicking things off for a late night party! With a deep and soulful take on an Ashford & Simpson's classic track, this one can stick in your mind for long, while Napoleon's 'Luv Passage' has a hypnotic process with repetitive loops and fat kicks that put you in a sweet nu-disco trance. But, beware, there's a break waiting for you!
Pressed on a clear blue wax. Limited down to 500 copies, no repress!!!

After an interstellar odyssey of anticipation, CAL C (Callum Cockburn) bestows upon us his inaugural Spacedust EP, a pulsating gift to the dance cosmos. Crafted and pressed with care at the mystical enclave of Mother Tongue in Verona, this sonic voyage is a testament to Toronto's rhythm reveller. CAL C expertly blends the primal with the visionary, injecting a futuristic groove into the vibrant mosaic of contemporary music realms.

Essentia is not only the latin word for – you guessed that right – essential, but also the name of Krystal Klear’s return to Running Back. While trance might be a state of mind (according to DJ Dag), it’s also a tone theory with a very specific tool kit. Here you get the version that makes sense in the aural universe of a producer that got raised on a diet of hip hop, boogie and the foundation tunes in house music. Moderate in tempo, the result is still euphoric to say the least: melted brains, stimulated spinal cords and rave rampage included. Essentia balances the euphoric rush of its topical genre perfectly with the happy-sad moments after the rave. If that is not musical or emotional enough for your taste, you will find content in the Sunrise version. Excessive use of the well-beloved choir, breakbeats and - downs make it equally irresistible for sun-ups and love-ups.

Flip the coin for Winnies Karaoke. Stemming from the same source and session as Essentia. Named after the interactive entertainment bar in Chinatown NYC and made sometime in the early morning hours, its the quintessential Krystal Klear. Sawtooth boogie, if you will. It’s counterpoint is the Sundown mix. Techno prog for the tilted generation.
Sometimes, in the permanent search of happiness, the world of tomorrow needs the sound of yesterday made with the means and minds of today. Essential bliss.

Since 2014, Silas Schletterer has been part of the Bordello A Parigi family. Under his Machinegewehr guise, the Rotterdam artist released three show-stopping synth centred records.

2023 sees him put out his fourth, Life. Burbling arpeggios, a signature of his sound, are present for “Sans.” Clever inviting melodies, another feature of Schletterer’s style, mix beautifully with clean percussion and samples for a definite dancefloor favourite. The title work follows. Measured and meditative, “Life” employs a familiar sound palette with very different outcomes. The pulsations, the throb, of Machinegewehr is there, but there is a considered melancholy that brins a bittersweet balance to the piece. Steady kicks and vocal snippets introduce “Pills.” Shifting melodies, piano stabs, driving rhythms and spoken word come together to create a heady brew of sheer pleasure. Vocals are central in the closer. “Neurons” narrates a fantastical story of subdued sci-fi sorrows and wistful yearning, all to a silken synth-pop soundtrack.

A welcome return from a multifaceted musician.

Alan Strani returns to Bordello with a remix package of his album title track ‘Apocalypso’ featuring I:Cube, Lauer, In Flagranti and himself on remix duties!

Repress!

After a summer run of scorching sounds and horizontal grooves that were designed for sandy open air scenarios, Hell Yeah kick off 2019 with some more of their curious curveballs and playful party pumpers. It's time to forget what you know and prepare for a weird and wonderful trip into weirdness with Alexander Robotnick: he is the man behind the music and a track that was previously released on the Coast to Coast 12' in 2013 and soon became a Balearic gabba classic.

Now it gets a second spot in the headlines after label head Marco first heard it played years ago by Justin Vandergvolgen and asked him to edit it. It comes backed with dazzling remixes from Prins Thomas, man of the moment Bawrut and Irish outfit The Vendetta Suite who takes things in more of a weird and wonderful direction that the label also deals in.

Alexander Robotnick is a legendary Italian producer who had a big hit in the 80s with 'Problèmes D'Amour', produced many bands in the 90s and founded his own Hot Elephant label in the 2000s. From Italo-disco to electro he is a master synth manipulator who can go into new romantic o synth pop territory with an always futuristic vision. The original track on this EP was dropped by the likes of Gerd Janson, Dixon, Jackmaster and Peggy Gou in DJ sets and Boiler Rooms.

It is a playful track with a wild, unhinged lead synth line that burrows deep into your brain. Brightly glowing chords have real warmth and add irresistible colour to the track as they ride up and down the scales and the crisp boom bap drums pack a real dance floor punch.

Scandi-disco maestro Prins Thomas remixes it into brilliantly filthy disco cut with rasping bass and hip swaying drums. It builds the tension over three minutes, locking you in before psychedelic leads burst out of the mix and carry you into the cosmos.

Then it's the much loved current champ Bawrut, whose old Scuola Furano project label boss Marco was the first to release on vinyl back in the early 2000s on Mantra Vibes. His version is a pumping old school house remix, with analogue bass and that unhinged lead synth line bringing the madness. It's filled with raw energy and will blow up any floor.
Last of all, The Vendetta Suite follows up his Solar Lodge 23 EP on this label in 2017 with a remix that is perfectly dreamy. His rippling synth puddles and sci-fi motifs are brilliantly rich and glowing and fill you with warmth. It's the sort of mind expanding track that leads you into a world of cosmic curveballs and cut from free the real world.

Raining Heart is a studio project originally created by the German musicians Peter Heckmann and Tobias Freund in 1986 in Frankfurt. Very much in the same vein as Art of Noise with its studio sound experimentalism, but with a Kraut edge to it. If there was one track that could be played for everyone at the G20 Summit whilst on LSD in hopes of achieving world peace, it might be “Raining Heart”, the first track on this EP, it’s just one of those tracks that makes you wonder what these people were eating for breakfast at the time. Nothing technically mind blowing, just crafted to perfection in terms of all the elements coming together in therapeutic beauty, (also clearly exposing Peter’s relationship with theatrical production). A downtempo chugger with the dreamiest of sounds, effortlessly transporting the listener to another dimension, the vocals are unthinkable, by Yucca Rose, an East Javanese Jazz singer, almost as if she was broadcasting from a radio station in a parallel universe. “Alien Beat” takes a more aggressive turn into some kind of neo rock direction generously decorated with a wide range of studio tricks that might have been ground breaking at the time. B-side offers two new remixes by Castro, a “K-hole Collage” version of “Raining Heart” taking the original theme to another dubbed out realm, and a “Bonus Beat” extension of “Alien Beat” that dissects the key elements of the original track in efforts to develop a more dancefloor oriented DJ tool. Remastered with original artwork.

A dance floor sensation from DJ Agent 86, now finally gets a vinyl release thanks to DJ DSK and the DNA Edits crew. This well respected Melbourne producer and DJ brings a blend of funky 70s disco samples and hip-hop snippets to 7” vinyl, ensuring a guaranteed party starter. As a special treat, the B-side features a fresh edit of the disco classic "Rapture."

We interrupt our regular Drum Chums programming to bring you a little V/A tackle via the 'Percussion Pals' project.
These razor sharp cuts come from friends near and far, old and new, each one primed to upgrade your record collection.

Debuts abound on the A-side, first via international man of mystery DJ Poufsouffle and his Balea-rock disco stomper "Totally Manic". Brimming with Flash & The Pan style pub-rock wonk this one boasts a growling vocal, sparkling keys and an uplifting chorus which doesn't quite break the spell of extreme silliness.
On the A2, Bristol's Spice Route rescue a nebulous reggae gem from Library obscurity, swinging the scalpel and working the desk to turn out an unstoppable groover.
Built around an irresistible rhythm section, "Gruler Dub" keeps on getting higher as the space-based vocals and trilling synths turn your brain inside out.

The B1 brings the return of Drum Chum extraordinaire Neil Diablo, who follows the Balearic brilliance of his last label outing with a cosmic caper into pure oddball pop. "Starry Night" slinks along in a chromed out catsuit, purring weirdo vocals over robo-chug and mechanical drums before indulging in a catchy chorus packed with addled innuendo. Not only is this as arch as Gina X doing a forward fold, but it also boasts some serious bass weight in the later stages - you have been warned.
We're delighted to finally feature a little magic from Australian Italo wizard Hysteric, who brings the curtain down in utterly emotional fashion via AOR disco dream "Pinball". A steady beat, infectious bassline and glistening chords play host to a swooning vocal, which reminds us to go with the flow and follow fun at all times.

100% Drum Fun Guaranteed.

The superduo formed by two authentic stars of the Italian dance scene is back with the ‘Rolling Wave’ EP on Mondo Groove. Daniele Baldelli needs no introduction; he has made a fiery mark on DJ history worldwide with his legendary sets. He built his eclectic and visionary style at the Baia Degli Angeli in the 1970s and Cosmic in the early 1980s, to the triumph of recent years, in demand at every latitude on the planet. DJ Rocca is one of Italy’s most inspired producers, his art forged in a mix of technique and passion, versatile enough to work alongside artists as diverse as Baldelli, Dimitri From Paris or one of the giants of Italian jazz, pianist Franco D’Andrea.

Daniele Baldelli & DJ Rocca are on fire in the four tracks of this new EP on Mondo Groove, which starts with the bleep sounds of the title track ‘Rolling Wave’, goes into orbit with the deep boogie of ‘Funk Infusion’ and a party number like ‘Marchin On’, and culminates in the refined disco-jazz digressions of ‘Focused Image’. A record that will be a future classic.