Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

"The Sound Of New York" in many of it's forms and shapes, has always been a source of fascination for the London based production duo Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel (Aka Los Charly's Orchestra), who clearly portray its essence in such an authentic fashion through every release they make; all filtered through
their very distinctive colorful / feel good style of productions, which have become a trademark of the LCO sound over the years.

On the other hand, the so called: "Acid Jazz / Jazz Funk" movement from London-UK had always been a defining key factor on the LCO philosophy, who until today remain so true to the nature of their fusion.

Joining restless soul brotha' & Jazz-Funk luminary: Mr Xantone Blacq on the vocals, this release could be perceived as a crossroad between the two timeless sounds.

Credits:

Vox: Xantone Blacq
Keys Milt Mavrakakis
Drums, Percussion & Chorus: Juan Laya
Brass: James Stuard
Bass: Matheus Nova
Guitar: Raphael Delfino

Production: Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel

• Debut album by production whiz-kid Mantronix, one of the most important acts in the mid-80s hip-hop. Pioneers of drum machine, sample technology and art of the remix.
• Features NYC club anthems ‘Needle to the Groove’, Fresh Is The World’ and ‘Bassline’ (UK top 40 hit).
• This is raw hip-hop and electronic music of the highest calibre.
• Cult classic proudly reissued by Demon Records on 180gm heavyweight black vinyl with
printed inner sleeve.

Produced By Marc Mac. Original instrumentals/beats, raw and straight from the MPC. Beats were featured with dialogue or MC's on past releases but now for the first time the raw instrumental versions on vinyl. 38 beats across 2 LPs; the Red Tape and the Blue tape… which will you choose?

Originally released in 2009. Ltd repress.

What could be better than an EP from Mungo's Hi Fi and Soom T How about TWO EP's from Mungo's Hi Fi and Soom T! These stalwarts go together like fish and chips and have been them been successful for putting Glasgow on the reggae map! The first EP, titled Bong bong is a foray into the world of digital reggae. The much requested title track takes Sister Nancy's Bam bam bang up to date in a smoky fashion. Soom's singing abilities shine through in the ultra modern 31st Century song. I need weed and Boom Shiva are familiar tales about the good ole chronic which appeared on Jahtari's Ode to a carrot . These versions are from a much earlier recording session and have a different edge. The Listening bug EP is a different kettle of fish, showcasing the Mungo's Hi Fi sound that does not fit straight into the reggae mold, featuring more electronic, bass heavy excursions. The edgy Listening bug is a LFO bass driven flurry with minimal meandering melodies. Jump up quickly is full of eastern mystique before cutting to a hard hitting rap style mixed in with Eek a mouse. Run fool is dark, jittery and hard. War song has a sound that would not be out of place as the next James bond theme tune. Tracklist:

After introducing the world to the elusive named Gitkin last year with the release of his debut album "5 Star Motel", Wonderwheel Recordings is back with another special 7" of two deeply funky, lo-fi globally influenced cuts from the travellin' man himself. "Saint Claude Dash" with it's 70's disco influenced drum machine undertone brings in Middle Eastern & North African vibes on the melody, while shifting into an even funkier B section reminiscent of the Meters. On the flip side, "Chicha Nola" finds Gitkin vibing on the mysteriousness of late night New Orleans (where his studio is now located) playing the South American instrument Charango & juxtaposing the NOLA bump with a just enough twang. Just a taste of the brand new album to come this year…or when the spirits will it.

Psychedelic deep soul of the highest order, Symphonic Four was a St Louis based band (as was the original label Zudan). Word is the record was recorded in Detroit, and the backing band was made up of some members of Parliament/Funkadelic which would make a lot of sense. A long time spin for Deep Soul head but deserving of a wider audience and that why we could not resist to pull this one from the now again Catalogue, 500 copies only.

Early 1980, UB40 scored their first success with “Food For Thought”, reaching high positions in the charts. By the time they released their first album they were already so successful that they had signed off on unemployment benefit, leading to the stamped Signing Off featured on form 40, for the sleeve of their debut album. UB40 Collected has captured all the different phases of the band in one complete album, from classic hits combined with the new!

The members of UB40 chose their name after a piece of paper most of them were all too familiar with: Unemployment Benef it form 40, in short: UB40. The name was put on posters and the band was promoted even before each member fully understood his instrument. The first dub album ever to reach the album charts in the U.K. included “One In Ten” and “Don’t Slow Down”. In 1983 the band put on a new project, boasting ten cover versions of Jamaican hits and, contrary to low expectations, it became a huge hit and the band’s first number one album. Tracks included are “Cherry Oh Baby” and “Please Don’t Make Me Cry”and “Red Red Wine”. The latter was a rather poppy song and became the band’s biggest selling single ever, entailing their definitive worldwide break through.

There have been lots of collaborations through the years and most of these became huge hit songs. Together with Chrissie Hynde UB40 recorded two singles: “I Got You Babe” (1985) and “Breakfast In Bed” (1988). They teamed up with Afrika Bambaataa for “Reckless” (1988) and with Robert Palmer the band released “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” (1990), just to name a few.

UB40 Collected is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on gold vinyl.

Historically renown Dave Brubeck's Take 5 covered in rocksteady style. It later became one of reggae's standard repertoire.

PYRAMID TRANSMISSIONS presents the 2nd solo release on the label from PT creator ADJ.

STREET LIFE Part 2 continues the theme of Part 1 with another 4 tracks of bass driven future electro music from one of the longest standing members of the scene.

STREET LIFE Part 2 is more pure Future Bboy music with punching kick drums, Alien melodies and crunchy glitches for that unmistakable ADJ sound aimed at making you dance while getting in your head simultaneously. ADJ always looks to the future but with nods to his past of 808 electro music.

Little known funky-soul two sider by Los Keys. It was first presented to the world when it was included on the sixth volume in our Movements series. We finally decided to put it out on a limited 45RPM single, still our prefered format!

Brooklyn-based saxophonist Jonah Parzen-Johnson presents an inspired set of ambient jazz for baritone sax and electronics, captured at Helsinki's We Jazz Festival in December 2018. The mood of the set is intense, with Parzen-Johnson's powerful music blending perfectly with the spacious feel of the room. His commentary in between songs gives the set a communal feel, which can now thankfully be revisited in the warm spirit of this wonderful evening of music.

This We Jazz Records release is tape only in terms of its physical distribution, while also a digital version is offered for streaming and download. "Helsinki 8.12.18" by Jonah Parzen-Johnson is a part of the ongoing "We Jazz Live Plates" series documenting the label's live activities.

Take a pinch of classic Blue Note soul jazz, some stylings from the 1970's afrocentric movement, and streamed to perfection lines of a lead jazz guitar and you've put together the pieces of Sami Linna Quartet's sound. Their album on Timmion is one for the dark evenings, for the first rays of sunlight cracking through a summer mist, for the dance floors of the mind.

Kicking things off is "Black Mountain", a 7-minute mix of unisono tranquility and bursts of energy, giving spacious solos to both Linna and saxophonist Jussi Kannaste. The firm and disciplined groove paves the way for the aptly named "Dreamsville", in which Linna takes the lead accompanied by Mikko Helevä's mellow organ and Dana Hall's gently sparkling drumming. "Umoya" and "Mode For Tomorrow" got a 7" edit release ahead of the album, but here both are revealed in all their glory, the latter clocking at all the way to 11 minutes. The LP finishes up with the swinging but edgy soul jazz of "Clowns", where the rhythm section of Helevä and Hall really get to shine.

Linna, Kannaste and Helevä have played together for two decades and drummer Dana Hall has previously worked with folks such as Ray Charles, Horace Silver and Joe Henderson, so there's combined experience in the quartet to pack the goods. Sami Linna is in the middle of completing his doctoral thesis on the subject of fusing modality and tonality in jazz expression. This serious focus is well reflected in his craft, but delivered with such levity that the listener can just kick back and relax.

'Boomerang' was first recorded in 1979, when the Broomfield Corporate Jam leader was attempting to plot a solo career. It was the first cut Aaron Broomfield recorded under his own name - Initially, at the family band's home studio, Kilimanjaro, and later at professional studios in L.A and Miami - but it was never released.

'I always wanted to be able to share 'Boomerang' with my fans some day - I didn't release it back then because I thought the time wasn't right,' Broomfield explains. 'It was so different to what was considered commercial then and felt ahead of its time.'

Before deciding against releasing it, Broomfield had two test pressings made. It was the accidental discovery of the
one remaining record by digger Arun Brown (the other perished when Broomfield's Kilimanjaro studio was damaged by a fire in 1996) that set in motion the chain of events that finally led to its release.

The jacket boasts a written essay by Broomfield himself, telling the remarkable story behind the song. The wax
features the two versions of Boomerang, of which both were meticulously restored and re-mastered by celebrated
Australian sound engineer, Dan Elleson.

Head to side A for the 'test press' version, a cosmic, starry-eyed chunk of elastic Miami disco-funk where the
Broomfield family's killer instrumentation - all rubbery bass, deep space synths and crunchy Clavinet motifs - arcs
around the sound space like a boomerang in flight. The vocal arrangement, in which Aaron Broomfield's conscious
lyrics come through loud and clear, brings it home. On the flipside, you'll hear how dynamic the band was through the

'Demo Version' - a relaxed, loose and spacey groover that sounds as ahead of its time in 2018 as it would have when it was recorded in 1979.

Claiming Montreal as his new home town, Brussels-born Senz Beats has been building an impressive body of work with underground veterans from both coasts of the US (Dave Dub, Megabusive, Lex Boogie From the Bronx..) and beyond. Cappo, Nottingham's very own veteran MC, needs no introduction having already made waves at home and abroad with his impeccable string of solo albums as well as his work with the Nottingham super group VVV.
Here, Senz Beats and Cappo join forces to present a stark reminder of where humanity is headed if we continue to place our values in capitalist ideals. The raw, driving energy of the beat offers the perfect backdrop for Cappo to deliver his warning to those caught up in the materialistic rat-race: the tidal wave is close approaching.
4 experts in their field offer up remixes of this epic track. Boot Records very own Jazz-T (Jehst, Lee Scott, J-Zone...), ex-Def Jux engineer and artist Uncommon Nasa (Vast Aire, Aesop Rock, Mr. Lif...), Lex Boogie From The Bronx (Marq Spekt, Rass Kass, Vordul Mega...), and R.E.D.A. (Insight, Main Flow, M. Sayyid...) each give this track their own distinctive flavour to devastating effect.
Lastly, on the bonus track Fool's Gold, J Lawson echos Cappo's Tidal Wave warnings concerning lusting after riches at the expense of everything else, also produced by Senz Beats. One of the few remaining songs from over 2 years of collaboration roughly 10 years ago, this song has stood the test of time and is ready and eager to be presented to the world.

[a] 1. Tidal Wave [clip]




[f] 6. Tidal Wave (Instrumental) [clip]

Following on from their debut band releases in 2018, Daytoner follow up with a single for this year's festival season, a double A-Side featuring 2 tracks that have proved popular in their live sets at over 30 UK festivals to date, both of which have already received radio support on The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show on BBC6 Music and BBC Radio Cornwall.

"Daytoner knocking it out the park! Over the years I've known this Cornish crowd they've been going from strength to strength to be honest, this season continuing their one direction"

(Craig Charles on 'Shout Love' - BBC Radio 6 Music - Oct 2018)

"Daytoner continue in their love of updating the 60s sound, and they do it very well"

(Craig Charles on 'My Sweet Baby' - BBC Radio 6 Music - Jan 2019)

Original library synth funk sci-fi soundtracks. This promo EP from the vaults of Warner Chappell's production music archive offers four more tracks from Eleven76's mystique Space Voyage recordings. Originally intended for film synchronisation usage as part of Warner's music library, their unique mélange of analog synthesizers, breakheavy drumming, trippy fx and euphoric-melancholic instrumental fantasies has gained them a cult following among witty beatmakers, DJs, cratediggers, tape recording freaks and space age afficionados.

Produced by Paul Elliott, director of The Library Music Film, this promotional vinyl 45 was made to support the library album SPACE VOYAGE and to make the music available outside of film usage. Limited quantities available as most of the pressing is used as giveaway for clients in film, TV and advertising.

New Fly-Lo.. First outing since 5 years!

Drawing the lines between the galaxies of hip-hop, funk, soul, jazz, global dance music, tribal poly-rhythms, IDM and the beat scene of his hometown L.A, Lotus creates a universe that is uniquely his own. Calling on an all-star cast from the cosmos, Anderson .Paak, George Clinton, Little Dragon, Tierra Whack, Denzel Curry, David Lynch, Shabazz Palaces, Thundercat, Toro y Moi and Solange; Lotus takes these artists on an astral plane to explore his world of fire.

Numbers 28, 29 & 30 in the Jazzman Holy Grail Series.

Fable is a small independent record label started in Austin, Texas in the early 1970s by a young trombone player named Michael Mordecai. In autumn 1975 he debuted a trio of albums on Fable by Austin bands 47 Times its Own Weight, Steam Heat and Starcrost. With only 1000 of each pressed, and each carrying a different emphasis on soul, funk or jazz, all 3 have gone on to become highly sought after by collectors and DJs around the world.

We meet with Michael at our UK offices and over several hours he tells us the highs and lows of running Fable Records, leaving no stone unturned and with success and tragedy in equal measure. We also speak with members of all 3 bands, and they share with us interesting stories and cool anecdotes of the wild times in the mid '70s when their records were made. We acquire informative press cuttings and some awesome posters & flyers, and all of this we publish in a booklet included with each LP which are housed in a US-style tip-on sleeve. Jazzman Records - We Dig Deeper.

Two recordings from the vaults of Lenis Guess. Jospehine Jones' "Candy Man" is sweet sister funk at its very best. Mrs. Jones is backed by Raw Soul which delivers the instrumental "Just Walk Funky" for the B-side of this release.

Produced in London by Emre Ramazanoglu (Lily Allen, Mark Ronson, Ali Farka Tourè) Portughese soul sister Marta Ren returns with new single "Worth It" on June 07th.

Portuguese soul sister Marta Ren is back. The Porto based soulstress returns with the new single "Worth It" available from June 07th on digital and limited edition 45 vinyl. "Worth it" anticipates the awaited second studio album which is scheduled to be released on Record Kicks at the beginning of 2020. Marta Ren exploded onto the international soul scene with her debut album "Stop Look Listen" in 2016 but she has been around in the Portuguese scene since the mid 90s with The Bombazines. After the release of her acclaimed debut album "Stop Look Listen" Marta has extensively played all over Europe, included on big stages such as Trans Musicales festival in Rennes, Sziget Festival, Eurosonic and Mostly Jazz Funk.

"Worth it" has been mixed and produced in London by hitmaking producer and engineer Emre Ramazanoglu who in his 20 years career has garnered an impressive résumé working closely amongst the others with Mark Ronson, Lily Allen, Kylie Minogue and Noel Gallagher on his latest album "Who Built The Moon?". The result of the collaboration between Emre and Marta is an impressive 60s soul stormer with a rock feel. Marta's powerful voice betrays once more all her passion for the deepest funk and rawest soul of the sixties and early seventies and the result is something that would make the founding JB's soul sisters proud once again. If a good day starts in the morning… welcome back "Marva" Marta Ren!

Numbers 28, 29 & 30 in the Jazzman Holy Grail Series.

Fable is a small independent record label started in Austin, Texas in the early 1970s by a young trombone player named Michael Mordecai. In autumn 1975 he debuted a trio of albums on Fable by Austin bands 47 Times its Own Weight, Steam Heat and Starcrost. With only 1000 of each pressed, and each carrying a different emphasis on soul, funk or jazz, all 3 have gone on to become highly sought after by collectors and DJs around the world.

We meet with Michael at our UK offices and over several hours he tells us the highs and lows of running Fable Records, leaving no stone unturned and with success and tragedy in equal measure. We also speak with members of all 3 bands, and they share with us interesting stories and cool anecdotes of the wild times in the mid '70s when their records were made. We acquire informative press cuttings and some awesome posters & flyers, and all of this we publish in a booklet included with each LP which are housed in a US-style tip-on sleeve. Jazzman Records - We Dig Deeper.

Numbers 28, 29 & 30 in the Jazzman Holy Grail Series.

Fable is a small independent record label started in Austin, Texas in the early 1970s by a young trombone player named Michael Mordecai. In autumn 1975 he debuted a trio of albums on Fable by Austin bands 47 Times its Own Weight, Steam Heat and Starcrost. With only 1000 of each pressed, and each carrying a different emphasis on soul, funk or jazz, all 3 have gone on to become highly sought after by collectors and DJs around the world.

We meet with Michael at our UK offices and over several hours he tells us the highs and lows of running Fable Records, leaving no stone unturned and with success and tragedy in equal measure. We also speak with members of all 3 bands, and they share with us interesting stories and cool anecdotes of the wild times in the mid '70s when their records were made. We acquire informative press cuttings and some awesome posters & flyers, and all of this we publish in a booklet included with each LP which are housed in a US-style tip-on sleeve. Jazzman Records - We Dig Deeper.

Little is known about the ensemble that is Sun Atlas. It's not certain whether you'd find them in Los Angeles, New York, Addis Ababa, Marrakesh or northern Germany. Maybe non, maybe all of the above. Their only proof of existance is banned on this 45. Their razor-sharp mixture of afrobeat, ethiojazz, surf, cinematic soul, crime jazz & funk/hiphop breaks speaks for itself. Only on vinyl.

Names You Can Trust's long-running Swing-A-Ling party in Brooklyn has become an epic warm weather celebration of all classic styles of Jamaican sound system music on vinyl. The party itself, set in the deepest crevices of BK's Caribbean community, has been known to stretch for 12+ hours each session, serving non-stop musical entertainment and buckets of jerk chicken & curry goat to an adoring crowd of all ages, young and old. The event has also been the occasion of some extremely limited edition record presses that have come to embody both the ethos of the party and the NYCT label. The second in the series of the playfully titled Swing-A-Ling NOW SOUNDS is a new entry in modern reggae production from The Mad Geezers. Like the party's signature sound, the tunes on this double-sided single are timeless, intriguingly left-of-center, and most importantly in deep homage of the vast influences and inspirations that have been carved to vinyl throughout Jamaican recorded history. Elements of rock steady, dub, soul and middle eastern snake charmer sounds all find their way through the hands of the Geezers' skilled musicians and the resulting 45 record is sure to be another sneaky staple in sound systems all over.

After a 5 year pause for breath, Rainer Veil return with their debut full length for Modern
Love; an immersive, kinematic tumble through electronic forms from hyper trance to
tape dub experiments and loose polyrhythms - a summoning of ‘ardcore spirits in flux.
A hypnotic soundworld tempered by weighty bass and angular construction, ‘Vanity’
marks a breaking away from the binds of overthinking, an embrace of imperfection. It’s
a brighter set of tracks then anything we’ve heard from Rainer Veil before, discarding the
foggy filters and guitar pedals that were the signature of their first two EP’s in pursuit of
a more loose-limbed and swung ideal.
Opening on the skeletal Trance vapour-trail ‘Sim Screen’ and the agitated ‘Repatterning’,
we head into a ferociously asymmetric warehouse swerve ‘In Gold Mills’ conjuring an
uncanny, nighttime vision of suburban bass riddled with tension and bliss. ‘Shallows’
retreats through isolation dub, echoing ‘Change Is Never Easy’, a re-worked House
template fractured to its bare percussive core, while ‘FM2’ entwines a double helix of DX7
patches with a heart wrench, and ‘Gauze’ dismantles a mosaic of Kwaito patterns, buried
under a haze of smoke.
Tracing rapidly mutating electronic forms, from ringtone hooks to latinate rhythms
and Razor synth edits, ‘Vanity’ explores an instinctive swell of ideas and influences in
perpetual and unstoppable forward motion, a sequence of flash frames captured and
distilled for posterity.

The new Outplay release is by young and upcoming dj/producer Cleanfield, or 'Jelle' as his mom calls him.
Hailing from Arnhem, the Netherlands, it's always great to see another talent pop up in the Dutch scene!
He has made three super catchy tracks for us, perfect for the summer season!

First up is the title track 'Haute Cuisine', warm bouncy bass topped with a super infectious lead melody and percussion. If there is a track more suited for the festival season it's this one for sure!
'Hot Wheels' races on with a deep rolling groove, fuelled by wah wah rhythm guitars, warm synth chords and arpeggios.
'Conflict With Clayton' brings another solid groove to the table with scattered vocal samples and multiple synth layers. Scorcher!

So imagine dancing your ass off to this EP in the sun and feeling fantastic, we sure are!

After numerous features and collaborations Obenewa, Kaidi Tatham and dego combine together to form Blacks & Blues.Three song based dance tracks to fill the void of underground vocal club music.

'Spin' is flavoured with S.A house & afrobeatz whilst Obenewa sings about the wonder that is love. 'You Know The Feeling' moves towards the funk that is synonymous with 2000Black and 'Don't Know Why (chant for love)' is purely the marriage between reggae and jazz.

Der Hip Hop Produzent Freddie Joachim wuchs als begeisterter Musiksammler auf, begann Mitte der 90er Jahre dem DJingund Produzieren an. Seitdem produzierte er für wie J. Coles, Joey Badass, Aloe Blacc, Blu, Grap Luva, LMNO, Kev Brown und anderen. In den letzten 15 Jahren hat Freddie viele Alben und Singles veröffentlicht, die meisten davon mit dem in San Francisco ansässigen Label Mellow Orange. Sein markanter, jazziger und gefühlvoller Sound ist bei allen Veröffentlichungen wie auch auf seinem ersten Album für Jakarta Records zu hören. Als Gäste sind FloFilz, Elijah Fox und Natalie Oliveri geladen.

Two killer disco soul tracks from Judy Pollak and the Detroit trio 33 1/3 get official licensed re-edits from the chicago duo Al-tone. Fyi: Judy's album was just re-released on Athens of the north but these edits are exclusive to this 7".

“Sweet and joyful sounds from the first half of 1960’s Tanzania. Salum Abdallah and Cuban Marimba Band were at the forefront of “muziki wa dansi”, the emerging dance music scene influenced by Cuban 78’s, crazes like the twist and cha cha cha, and the local sounds of their home country. Hailing from the town of Morogoro, they rose to be stars across the country. Out of over 100 sides recorded for local labels, mostly Mzuri Records of Kenya, these twelve songs are the cream of the crop. Only a few of these have ever been re-released in any form, and that hasn’t happened in eons. Lots of toe tappers, smile enhancers, and downright dancers, with a few slower and sweeter songs to round it out. Taken from 1961-65, these twelve songs shine a brighter light on an already bright light that was Salum Abdallah, taken away from this earth all too early at the age of 37. The 12 song LP comes in an old style tip-on sleeve with lyrics in Swahili with English translations on the inner sleeve.”

Bybo Funk's interstellar and futuristic sound returns in the form of a brand new LP entitled "Black Eye Galaxy".

For years, Diggory Kenrick has been re-energizing classic roots and rocksteady through his musical collaborations with original source material taken from master tape. For “Vengeance,” Kenrick crafts a welcome, new addition to the Yabby You catalog with a sax-led, scorching take of “Jah Vengeance.” On the B-Side Kenrick takes to the mixing board for a vital dub mix.

Tommy McCook’s mighty hornsman version of Yabby You’s “Jah Vengence” re-mastered and reissued in perfect style. This 7” finds the great multi-instrumentalist re-imagining the dark vocals of the original track as a slithering horns track that bursts to crescendo amid the heavyweight bass and drums. The B-side offers up echo-drenched dub.

Essential up-tempo roots classic from Yabby You aka Vivian Jackson and the Prophets. “Judgement Time” layers heavy bass and horn arrangements against driving, “militant” style drums to create the perfect backdrop for deep, conscious lyrics and The Prophets’ gorgeous harmonies. The B-side is a heavyweight dub that finds King Tubby expertly using his vaunted talents to create a “Judgement Time” version as powerful as the original vocal side.

Powerful, inspiring roots reissue of one of Yabby You’s finest songs. From the moment this tune was released in the 1970s, it became a sound system classic, sought after by both collectors and DJs. This plea for repatriation glows with a mystic vibe accentuated by stunning harmonies, driving flute and horn arrangements. Repatriation Rock flips the A-side on its head, with a mesmerising dub.

2019 repress!
Reissue of this essential Black Uhuru - Sly & Robbie produced, extended mixes!

Loud pressed vinyl single featuring the best track from the group's 1979 album plus an unreleased take of the track ''My Fate'' on the flip.. Very smooth German AOR..
Limited to 350 copies and released in a beautiful picture sleeve which shows the original LP artwork.

Ara Pacis, a group from the island Föhr in the North Sea, was originally founded in 1971. Initially influenced by blues and classic rock by The Rolling Stones, The Who, and the like, they were also inspired by bands such as Steely Dan as well as the German/British group Lake. However, Ara Pacis created a style of their own
when their privately pressed an self-distributed “To the Westcoast” LP was released in 1979. The songs were mainly characterized by two-part guitar riffs by Töns Brautlecht-Deppe and Wolfgang Schiffner, who also were the core songwriters of the band.

The freshly remastered single starts with the title track “To the Westcoast”. Due to its sunny and yacht-y vibe it is easily amongst the best and most authentic tunes out of the “Westcoast rock” genre recorded in Germany. With family connections in California, lead singer Töns Brautlecht-Deppe was able to create and capture the feeling of the Pacific sea shore just perfectly.

The single is backed with a revised studio version of “My Fate”. The track is also featured on the album but the version presented here on the 7" vinyl is an unreleased, even quite funky and more powerful take. It was recorded in 1981 at the Rüssl studio in Hamburg where Brautlecht had just started to work as an engineer.

As the "To the Westcoast" LP was released during a time when styles like New Wave, Synth Pop and Punk became popular in Germany and the interest in organic and soulful rock declined, Ara Pacis’ debut remained relatively unnoticed until today and even the Krautrock collector’s scene does not seem to be fully aware of this hard to find gem yet of which only 1000 copies were originally pressed. The band is still kept in good memory by their fans as a quite legendary live act and although they
officially split in 1982, the group still served their fan base with revival concerts in 1990 and 2002 plus a website with full band story and lots of images from the early days.