House Vinyl New Releases - News

TOY TONICS continues with re-releasing the best tracks of GOMMA RECORDS. The German label that between 2001 and 2015 was one of the key imprints of the then so hyped indie dance, new wave funk and proto disco sound (along with James Murphy’s DFA, Trevor Jackson’s Output records and later Ed Banger records). The Y2K sound.. that now starts to become in demand again.

The most important releases on Gomma were by Peaches, WhoMadeWho, The Rammellzee, James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and Nick McCarthy of Franz Ferdinand. Their Gomma-tracks were on the first two parts of this GOMMA DANCEFLOOR GEMS compilations series on Toy Tonics.

Now here comes a 3nd compilation part with music by Dimitri from Paris who also did several EPs on Gomma in the 2000s. Also legendary Belgian disco DJs The Glimmers are featured (they had one album on Gomma in 2008) and UK legend Justin Robertson aka The Deadstock 33’s and one of the first ever releases by Daniel Avery (also on Gomma back then). You find remixes by Nicky Siano (Studio 54 DJs legend) and Horse Meat Disco who back then just started their party series and already were connected to Gomma records. The is an amazing Flamenco Disco track by Spanish producer Hugo Capablanca and T.Keeler that has been hammered by everybody from Optimo to Ivan Smagghe back then and Italian music diggers The Barking Dogs together with now fashion designer Marcelo Burlon are featured with an amazingly catchy Electro Pop track. Of course also Munk who was the founder of Gomma records is on the compilation. Munk is Mathias Modica and as you might know since a few years works under the name Kapote. He was the co-founder of Gomma and later Toy Tonics records. Toy Tonics actually starts as a mini sublabel of Gomma records in 2013 but took over later. While Gomma has been closed since 2015.

Gomma not only was a record label, but was also a home for cutting edge design, wild T-shirt styles, underground exhibitions with new artists from the Berlin scene and crazy poster and fanzine design.

Gomma not only preceded many musical trends by experimenting with club music and mixing up different styles but was also very respected for the graphic design work and almost initiated several graphic design trends of the last years in their poster and sleeve designs. And many record and street wear labels of today look a bit like Gomma was looking before ...

The Gomma visuals world was exposed in a couple of exhibitions around the world and at a big exhibition at Museum Haus der Kunst München before the label was closed in 2015.

PRSPCT JUNGLE MEGA PACK 005 INCLUDES:

PRSPCT275 Full colour sleeve incl. Download code
PRSPCT293 Printed Sleeve incl. Download code
PRSPCT295 Printed Sleeve incl. Download code
PRSPCT299 Printed Sleeve incl. Download code

Jazz Funk duo Zaimie is poised to take the music scene by storm with the release of two highly anticipated remixes. The fresh reimaginings of Zaimie's hit tracks—“Smash N Grab,” remixed by the talented Bluey of Incognito, and “Wildfire,” remixed by the acclaimed DJ and Producer Al Kent—are set to captivate audiences and keep dance floors alive.
“Smash N Grab,” known for its infectious beat and vibrant horns, receives a brilliant touch from Bluey, infusing the remix with groovy melodies, soulful undertones and a thumping bassline that are sure to make it a standout track of the season. Meanwhile, Al Kent’s remix of “Wildfire” enhances the song's already captivating essence, transforming it into a disco-infused anthem that encourages listeners to let loose and revel in the moment.
These exclusive remixes will be released on a limited AA side VINYL ONLY run through Splash Music Productions, making them a must-have for collectors and enthusiasts alike. Each track showcases Zaimie's artistry and innovation, promising to bring a fresh dose of excitement to their discography.

Zero 7 were formed in 1997 by producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. In 2001 their debut album Simple Things was released selling over a million copies to date and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. They released their second album When It Falls in 2004.
When it was originally released, When It Falls was a UK Top 10 album, peaking at no.4 in the UK album charts and spent 24 weeks in total in the charts. It has sold over a quarter of a million copies. Stateside the album entered the Billboard Dance/Electronic chart at #3 and stayed in the Top 20 of that chart for almost thirteen months.

Singles taken from the original album include Home featuring Tina Dico, and Warm Sounds featuring Mozez. Sia and Sophie Barker also feature on the album, with tracks such as Somersault (a UK Top 100 single), In Time and Speed Dial No. 2.

This special run of coloured vinyl (transparent orange (A/B side) & green (C/D side) celebrates the albums 20th anniversary. It uses the original artwork but now pressed on heavyweight colour 180g vinyl. Cutting is by engineer Kevin Metcalfe using his original cutting notes.

When It Falls is a timelessly classic album from a seminal electronic band and the essential soundtrack to any laidback chilling.

Extreme digger bomb from Down-under, Sri Lankan born Australian, Alston Koch is a highly decorated musician and the mastermind behind "Kookaburra Connection" project, a collaboration with the aboriginal musicians of Australia. "Dreamtime Trance" explores indigenous themes over a highly unique sounding beat and truly refreshing groove, game changing on the floor. Accompanied with a new extended version featuring a long intro buildup. On the B side, a heartfelt "Midnight Lady" balances out this EP with a harmless ballad featuring another side of Koch's exploits, to be served with Piñacoladas during after hours. Remastered and re-issued with original artwork.

Vinyl Only

Repress

The Nitecap EP is the first collection of music created by jazz multi-instrumentalist Marquinn Mason and FWM Entertainment mastermind Stefan Ringer. This 6 track EP is striking to say the least. One can tell from the artwork this is something different.

The stand out track for the DJs is “The Light”. This one is straight forward space funk in a dance track. It has that big room sound reminscent of “Sexual Obsession”. The title track “Nitecap” has to be the true stand out. Mason’s jazz influence stands out over the organic broken beat rhythm section. The tone of this one is deep and introspective. “Pulling Closer” and “Falling Notes” are both unique cuts in their own right.

Both tunes really show a different take on rhythm, bounce and energy and how those elements interact with melody to create something unlike most music you hear in the dance music space. The last two cuts, “Tiny Keys” and “Cocomango” are down tempo grooves with some soul and sauce thrown in. Perfect for background vibes for a kickback or just listening around the house.

Twenty-four strikes on Exarde with Parchi Pubblici, the hardware analog act from Italy who records his songs in one take and have been laying it heavily and steadily for a while, henceforth we can hear the result of it with our own ears. The release consists of four original works by the man himself with first three ready for peak time club cuts with the help of roaring analog machines. They are produced to ready to sweat the dance floor, these stories are followed by a great outro track to conclude this EP. “Pressed Trouble” which is the name of this disc describes the content of it perfectly, because sure as hell this body of work is on the mission to create trouble and trouble sometimes needed to construct the top-level audio trips. Having produced digital contents for the respected labels that you can look up, this is a debut physical vinyl release by the artist and it is a great honour to host him on the label and hopefully to many more to come in the future.

In the fall of 2022, celebrated UK chill-out institution Seahawks landed in Los Angeles for the first time in their 15-year history, with plans to record a sweeping new age downtempo "exploration of visionary California."

Instead, they immediately fell ill with flu (Fowler collapsed next to a taco truck; 911 was called), and were bedridden for the better part of a week. Upon recovering, they resituated at the synthesizer sanctuary of Brian Foote (Peak Oil, Kranky, Leech), channeling their post-sickness psychedelia into one of the band's lushest and most elevated creations to date: Time Enough For Love. Inspired by the "groove and mood" of Harry Nilsson demos, as well as its wider 70's wavelength - Rhodes, Wurlitzer, wood paneling - Seahawks transposed their classic post-rave ambient exotica onto a warm and woozy Golden State palette. Buoyed by the liquid touch of English maestro Kenny Dickenson on keys, the results rank high among the duo's smoothest and most multi-sensory voyages. "Sail Across The Moon" delivers on its title, a simmering, phaser-smeared cruise through the beauty of the night. "Messengers" echoes the cosmic lounge of Air's Moon Safari, shuffling, weightless, and ethereal, while "Falling Deep" reaches for the stars, pure cascading bliss, the ecstatic moment writ large.

The album skews steadily more astral as it progresses, drifting towards jazzy, galactic outer reaches. "Like A Grain Of Sand" opens with a spoken sample by the celebrated late American poet Rachel Sherwood ("The children watch, breathless / with the birds / They feel an emanation / from this shuddering place"), before taking flight on a Balearic trip through island house, PM Dawn gold dust, upright bass meditation, and kaleidoscopic light. A remix of the title track by Chicago trio Purelink closes the record in a suitably subdued and skittery state of mind. Time Enough For Love radiates color, complexity, and positivity, infused by the "life enhancing" nature of the band's time in Los Angeles - sunsets, sound systems, and sativa, framed by coastlines and cloudbanks, the city's mystic sprawl glittering beneath purple dusk.

Maai proudly presents a split EP featuring two distinguished Barcelona based talents. On the A side, the Peruvian trio of JJ Beteta, Alonso Bauer and Stefan Cukic delivers a dynamic array of tracks. "Layers" kicks off with an energetic blend of dusty breaks, setting the vibe for the EP. Following this, "Go The Data" takes over with its driving acid bassline, strong rhythm, for a dark and hypnotic vibe. The trio wraps up their side with "Wonky Afthermath," a subtle yet funky combination of deep, groovy elements and breaks that keeps the energy flowing.

On the B side, Canarian artist Javier Carballo, performing under his Look Perry alias, offers a captivating contrast. "I Can't Love U" introduces a track enriched with otherworldly pads and synths, creating an immersive sonic environment. The EP concludes with "Stone Pilots", which takes listeners on a smooth journey through intricate breaks, providing a perfect counterpoint to the A side’s energetic flair. This split EP showcases a rich tapestry of local talent and diverse electronic sounds.

Stefan Ringer brings his signature depth and smoky soul to another one of his crucial releases this time on FWM Entertainment. This limited 7" kicks off with 'Wanna Be Bad' which is a cut drenched in Detroit style. The warm pads rise out of the mix over crisp snares and a melodic bassline. It's melancholic and enchanting in equal measure. 'Got Me 123' then brings some roughshod drums and perc and chopped-up vocals to make for a perfect backroom beatdown. Do not sleep on this limited 7" from one of house music's most original artists.

By the time this iconic album came out in 1981, Susana would have already lost her passport and her right to vote in Spain as punishment for her sexually scandalous activities, from cutting edge theater performances in full nudity to her allegedly "immoral" sexology advice column on Play Lady Magazine, goes without saying -- she wasn't very popular with even the post-Franco Spanish government. This album is but one of the various facets of this sexual trouble maker's portfolio, an A class studio production backed by top shelf instrumentalists and recording engineers, everything seems perfectly fine until Susana's shamelessly unfiltered erotic lyrics come in with her powerful voice, unapologetically shocking for the time. A manifesto in sexual liberation much needed for Spain's zeitgeist. All killer no filler, borrowing from artists like Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards on tracks like "Mi Chico Favorito" and "Un Sitio Bajo El Sol", dabbling in Reggae with "Arena Y Mar" and huge disco digger tracks like "Gozame Ya" and "Voy Desnuda" absolutely essential record for any seasoned record collection.

Takeshi Kouzuki is back on Alley Version with this superb four-tracker EP. House music at its best, starting from the basics laid out by Chi-masters like Larry Heard, Marshall Jefferson, liquefied in the typical mesmeric touch of this Japanese legend.

Mint Condition - A record label focused on excavating the outer fringes of classic House and Techno. Unreleased mixes, classics, overlooked gems and never heard before material, mined from the last 30+ years of contemporary dance music are the order of the day. From Chicago, Detroit and New York to London, Nottingham and beyond. Mint Condition have got their digging hats on to bring you exclusive heat and those rarer than rare jams that have been in your wants list for years. Dig in!

Forged in the fertile acid house scene of the late 80s, A Trifle Too Far comprises childhood friends Simon Ward and Tony Grimley from Hornchurch, on London's outer fringes in Essex. Their insatiable thirst for seeking out new sounds led them to countless shindigs, parties and raves, eventually inspiring them to craft their own music based on their adventures on the dancefloor.

Their studio collaboration culminated in the creation of the remarkable record you currently hold in your hands: 'Catch Your Ear / Meringueatang'. This two-track release, recorded in 1992, offers forward-thinking and fresh prog-house cuts, as rare as hen's teeth and as exhilarating as they were upon their original release over three decades ago. Catch Your Ear was expertly engineered by Evren Omer, boss of Essex-based techno bunker Strategy Records, while Meringueatang was helmed by Matt Clayden, one half of M&M and Acorn Arts and the proprietor of X-Gate Records, another stalwart in Essex's underground dance scene.

'Catch Your Ear / Meringueatang' remains the only musical collaboration between the duo. When Mint Condition approached them to reissue this highly sought-after EP, both Simon and Tony were surprised and delighted in equal measure by the proposition. Now, a few months down the line, we find ourselves with yet another top-tier addition to the MC reissue catalogue, fully licensed from the artists, mastered and cut by Keith Tenniswood at Curve Pusher, and available once again for purchase. Do not resist the beat!

As is now a well-established tradition, when 7 appears in the catalogue number it is the turn of handyman Asymmetrical.

The title takes its inspiration from a tag that appeared in the bathroom of the historical Knick Knack Yoda after one of the (in)usual nights, and is a leap in time, a project born from the layering of different sessions that took place between 2018 and 2020 and only sees the light of day today.

7 is also the number of inches of PVC on which this double is engraved, hosting on one side the track that gives the album its name, on whose rhythms the sound of Luigi Gargano’s saxophone echoes. On the other Estetica Della Notte, is a journey into the phenomenology of tumultuous nights in the shadow of Rome’s Dome. The covers of the 170 numbered records are embellished by Ester Reset’s photographic project, available for extended fruition in the editorial project accompanying the 30 limited edition copies.

For the first time, Brandt Brauer Frick’s seminal album Mr. Machine is being reissued on coloured vinyl.

‘Mr. Machine’ is a record that put them alongside names as Steve Reich and Philip Glass, but with considerably more groove. More than anything, Daniel, Jan and Paul are keen that the Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble are not written off as a curiosity.

“Often people focus a lot on this whole "cross-over" aspect,” says Brauer. “We wish people would simply notice we have good chords, melodies etc. and take the music as it is. Because we make it the way we feel, and not for other, let's say purely conceptual reasons. Some only seem interested in how it’s made. Some reviewers perceive us as minimal techno, some as modern classical, some as nu jazz and so on. But we don’t divide the world into techno and nontechno.”

Brian Harden is a second generation Chicago House head, starting in 1995 under the wings of Glenn Underground, being part of the legendary Strictly Jaz Unit. His work on Detroit's Mike Grant and his Moods & Grooves label should also be noted.

One of his most famous works is his second EP on Cajmere's Relief Records, originally issued in 1996. The EP contains some of the most prolific drum machine action ever committed to vinyl and stands for the sound that brought Chicago House on top of the underground Music map in the mid 90s.

All four tunes have been carefully remastered from the original material for maximum club performance!

Spanish deep house proponents Mate return with a fresh new 12" from Deenamic. The Barron's EP kicks off with 'Barron's TV' featuring Danny Fm and it is a lively, soul-drenched cut with jazzy Rhodes jams and humid chords over a dusty beat. 'Running' is a Moodymann-style, frayed runs the edges and sample-heavy workout full of funk and sex, and 'Release It' shuts down with some bulky beats, smoky vocal soul and nebulous late-night synths that swirl around the mix like flickering candles.

Tresor Records is proud to announce forthcoming special editions of its entire catalogue of Drexciya and related projects. 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of James Stinson and the releases of the Transllusion and Shifted Phases albums. In recognition, the rightsholders, their families, and the label have commissioned Detroit-based contemporary artist Matthew Angelo Harrison to re-conceptualize the covers of Tresor's Drexciya-related catalogue. These editions will be released sequentially, bimonthly, starting early-September 2022.

The series starts with Neptune's Lair, first released in 1999, with the Hydro Doorways single arriving shortly after. In November, Harnessed The Storm and Digital Tsunami are coming. In 2023 comes the release of Transllusion in February. The series is completed by the long-awaited re-release of Shifted Phases - The Cosmic Memoirs Of The Late Great Rupert J. Rosinthrope - at the end of March.

These records, individually and as a catalogue, represent some of the most crucial moments in the Tresor label history, with the sound and mythic world of Drexciya undoubtedly inspiring generations.

Sole Aspect takes us around the world and to the studios of artists based across Madrid, Switzerland, Los Angeles and Detroit on The Mystic Embrace EP. Opening it up is Ernes Joey & Robbin Hauz with 'U Should Know' (feat Shea Doll - Age Of Rage remix) which is a version by Dubbyman with some delightfully jazzy keeps, seductive deep house drums and aching vocals full of heart. The original is a stripped-back sound with less melodic luxuriousness but the still superb vocal front and centre. Dubbyman then mixes Klima Project's 'Sweetback' into a mid-tempo, cuddly back room deep house sound and Patrice Scott Reshapes it with some crystal-cut synth lines that bring cosmic charm.

Continuing its incredible run of high grade releases, Silat Beksi's Modeight imprint turns out its 14th record with mighty Moldovan producer Dubfound. Spread across 4 tracks, his "No Time For Wind" EP winds its way through a classy and cutting edge minimalist house vibe. The A-side begins with the mind bending, "Mishkitsunami", a raw and raucous cut. Following on we dive deeper into "Clouds Are Flying Down", a fluid and enigmatic slice of pure rhythmic flow. On the B-side the irresistible head bumping groove of "Wet Heads" kicks things off. A collab with fellow Moldavan compatriot Dupostim. That electric bassline set to be surefire winner with club goers. And finally, title track "No Time For Wind" finishes things off with its graceful after hours hypnosis. A perfect fit for Modeight, Dubfound brings the heat in emphatic fashion.

Remix package deluxe! Ede & Deckert feat Sargland’s catchy new wave post punk hit Immer gets the special treatment. Their tale of lover’s grief or delight is being put through the mangle by a varied bunch of remixers. Literally taking the advance party its Berlin’s Narciss with two different takes. Known to be without fear of emotional peaks and blessed with the usual sense of delight, they manage to hit the nail on its head. The Venice Remix is a master class in vintage sounds coming through new speakers: primed for the prime time, while the Salford version does exactly what the name implies: for lads and lovers.

Followed up by the simplicity of grass roots house music. Cinthie channels her inner DJ Duke and choreographs the indie dance steps back to basics. The Curses Vocal keeps the instrumental, stays in the original vibe, but switches the vocals – and the language. Finally, Kid Simius takes us on a bumper car ride somewhere between Miami Sound Machine and Yazoo.

Immer works its magic in every way for everyone and now on almost any dance floor.

After a series of successful releases on labels like Razor-n-Tape, music archaeologist and groove master Elado now launches his own imprint Big Baba Records. The debut features some real dancefloor essentials starting with 'Sawanna,' an Afro-disco banger with a driving beat and captivating vocals while 'Disco Baby' offers a funky bassline and infectious hooks. 'Discochari' is a rare Armenian disco track reworked into a global anthem that is sure to have everyone chanting along. Last but not least is Antal favourite 'I Wanna' which is a high-energy Afro-disco track designed for late-night, fast-paced moments that won't be soon forgotten.

Streng limitierte Veröffentlichung der legendären 12Inch Maxi-Single (GRED8) von 1978 als EP mit zwei weiteren Versionen des Rasta Anthem 'Bloody Eyes'! - Weltweit limitiert auf 750 Kopien. Diese EP erscheint in Koordination mit der Veröffentlichung der 2CD Deluxe Edition 'Rasta Communication'

Thirsty work!

Leeds-based long-time friends Kepler & Wickham join forces for the first Thirst release, with four varied and functional house cuts. ‘The Recipe’ kicks things off with a wiggy bassline and plenty of energy, Octa takes things into more melodic territory with a nod to classic deep house. The B side starts in hypnotic fashion with the golden-era UK tech house influenced ‘Represent’, before the closing future classic ‘Free Your Mind (Deep Mix)’ wraps the package up nicely. Something classy for all occasions.

2023 Repress

journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." - Lao Tzu.

Warehouse Find - Test Pressing!

Next up on Funnuvojere Records is label boss Massimiliano Pagliara’s highly anticipated ‘Hooking Up’ EP. Featuring four distinct club belters, each one is crafted to suit different moments of the party. The new EP once again truly showcases Massi’s deep understanding of the dancefloor.

The title track, ‘Hooking Up’, is a cosmic pop song infused with Chicago house influences, embodying Pagliara’s signature style at its best. The track is a journey through lush melodies and infectious rhythms, capturing the essence of Pagliara’s sound and setting the tone for the rest of the EP.

‘Last Kiss (On Acid)’, is a pulsating acidic banger designed for late-night parties where the energy is high, and the walls are dripping with sweat. ‘Fave Rave’ is characterised by its dirty bass line that conjures the foggy, intimate atmosphere of a packed dance floor.

Closing the EP is ‘Poseidon’s Dream’, a cheeky Italo disco hit that brings a playful, nostalgic, but no less energetic finish to the release. With its catchy melodies and upbeat tempo, the track is the perfect way to end the night on a high.

Drawing inspiration from David Hockney (a favourite artist of Pagliara), French artist Grav Jonz crafted the beautiful artwork. Hockney’s influence permeates not only the artwork but also serves as the muse for the entire EP, weaving his unique artistic spirit throughout.

Tip! Excellent remixes of one of the biggest summer anthems and Bar 25 releases.

Classic! Timeless!

Very limited copies and vinyl only. Next release on Bosom LTD by: DubTape with remixes by Direkt and Distilled Noise.

Another new signing to Spinning Plates (Or is it?) making a powerful and in your face debut for the label.

It has been twenty years since the first Back To Mine release but still the series is going strong. These personal after-hours soundtracks have never sounded more relevant than now, and next up is GRAMMYr Award-nominated, San Francisco-based artist Tycho. It finds him going deeper than one of his famous Burning Man sets as he heads into otherworldly, cinematic headphone territory with tunes from Lancaster, Little Dragon, Octo Octa, Ulrich Schnauss and many more across four fantastic sides of vinyl.

No prizes for guessing the motivation behind this new EP, 5 Years Of B2 Recordings. It is a tidy and tasteful celebration of half a decade of top quality deep house from a range of key players. This one opens with Frenchman Brawther getting dubbed out and deep as ever with some nice lounge chords and blissed-out pads. Bengoa's 'Neftina Dub' has a subtle US garage shuffle to it that harks back to the 90s and Lex & Locke then bring rich paint chords and withering synth motifs to 'Atenas Blues' before Zaq's 'Make A Wish' shuts down with some cosmic rays of positivity. A fantastic EP so here's to the next five years.

Ultimo Tango (Milan) & Glossy Mistakes (Madrid) are thrilled to announce the release of "Tribal Organic: Deep Dive into European Percussions 79-90", a compilation of otherworldly percussion-driven tracks, digging deep into this unknown realm of a past era.


Compiled by Luca Fiore and Glossy Mario, the album takes listeners on a rhythmic journey through the diverse sounds of Europe from 1979 to 1990. This collaboration between two like-minded labels highlights forgotten recordings from across Europe, including works by artists from France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands...
Opening with the ethereal “Rainforest” by British female duo Ova, this collection weaves together nine tracks from artists who were deeply influenced by global percussion traditions. With hints of jazz, new age, gamelan, and West African rhythms, these tracks feature instruments like congas, tablas, and shekeres, and reflect a shared fascination with the organic beat of the drum.
From the industrial-meets-African grooves of Jean-Michel Bertrand’s “Engines”, to the hypnotic accordion and tribal chants of Cuco Pérez’s “Calabó Bambú”, the compilation offers a cross-cultural listening experience that is both meditative and invigorating. Despite creating these works in isolation during the last years of the Cold War, each artist was inspired by a borderless world of sound. The compilation pays homage to these nomadic musicians who respected the traditions they drew from, while contributing their own experimental takes on percussion-led music.
In Tribal Organic, Glossy Mario and Luca Fiore have unearthed a treasure trove of rhythm-driven tracks that blur the lines between nations, genres, and cultures. This compilation offers more than just music; it’s a listening experience that is both spiritual and grounded—bold, exploratory, and deeply rooted in the beat of the Earth

“Balearic Breakfast doesn't give into clichés, and it's not a purely sunlit affair. Instead, it's sonic escapism that seems unwilling to be beholden to any one locale. The entry requirements are simple: the more transportative the sounds, the more likely they are to slot into Colleen's vision of Balearic.” Resident Advisor

“The biggest heroes of the underground typically wouldn’t describe themselves as such. Frankie Knuckles, Kelli Hand, Andrew Weatherall… all possessed a humility that made them even more honourable and endearing, and they went about their business with little regard for fame and a distaste for industry bullshit. Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy falls firmly into this category.” The Vinyl Factory

Ask anyone to define Balearic music nowadays and you’re guaranteed to get a different answer each time. Since the concept flew from its original Ibizan home and become a global concern, it has become almost impossible to pigeonhole. Now it’s more of a vibe than a musical style; more a reflection of wide open skies and sunshine on the brain than any particular rhythm track or sonic inflection.

That said, if you were after a definitive answer there’s probably no one better placed to give it right now than DJ and broadcaster Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy who has just put together the third volume of her peerless Balearic Breakfast compilation series. This latest collection flies the flag high for that most hazy and hard-to-pin-down genre, gathering up the very best genre-fitting music from around the world, whether from Copenhagen or California, or from the high plains of the desert to deep down in the land of Oz.

Each track may sound completely different from the one it follows, but the same sun kissed spirit runs deep through them all, whether in Cosmo’s own take on Jacob Gurevitsch’s gentle Spanish guitar picking or in the throbbing dub disco of a long lost Andrew Weatherall remix for Primal Scream from 2008. The ten tracks on Balearic Breakfast Volume 3 all add up to create the perfect mixtape for the summer, whatever weather we end up with, whatever time you chose to listen to it. After all, why wait ’til breakfast?

As with each of the other volumes in this essential compilation series, many of the tracks on Balearic Breakfast Volume 3 are previously unavailable on vinyl and others are long since out of print and rarely seen outside of the dustier corners of Discogs. And as with each of the previous albums, numbers are strictly limited (the first two volumes sold out quickly and are now selling for high prices on Discogs).

•••

A true music obsessive, Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy’s standing in the global dance music community has arguably never been higher. Whether she’s presenting, remixing, hosting or DJing, her belief in music’s redemptive properties shines through. And rather than downplay her eclecticism she wears her versatility as a badge of honour, ensuring she is constantly fulfilled creatively.

“I’m a music lover, a music curator and a music educator,” she concludes. “It’s about trying to transcend everyday life through music. When people say Balearic Breakfast got them through the pandemic, I think that’s because music has a healing quality. When people are on the dancefloor, I want them to forget about their everyday life. And similarly with Classic Album Sundays, when people are fully immersed listening to an album, it brings them out somewhere else. Those experiences have been very important to me.

“The quest is never-ending and that is what motivates me. I never set out to intentionally do any of this – it just happened because of my passion. One thing led to another which fed into another which fed into another. I will never stop discovering music. You always have to be looking ahead, expanding your horizons.”

***Please note that due to licensing stipulations this release is not available for purchase digitally, however a download of the full album and bonus tracks will be granted with physical orders from release day.***

MICROCORPS is the new project by artist and musician Alex Tucker (Grumbling Fur, Alexander Tucker, Imbogodom) exploring electronics, cello and voice. The debut release XMIT, an eight-track album featuring collaborations with Gazelle Twin, Nik Void, Simon Fisher Turner and Astrud Steehouder, is out on 16 April 2021. Tucker's ever-evolving soundworld continues to unfold with this collection of harsh realms centred around processed electronic systems, strings and vocal manipulations. On the new album, MICROCORPS employs altered voices, sound synthesis and atomised beat constructions. In a move away from previous projects XMIT investigates erasing the self, removing obvious traits of the hand and voice, and allowing a focus on the humanoid rather than the human. Instead of recognisable lyrics and coherent imagery, MICROCORPS evolved synthesised voices to generate alternate characters. He expands, "I was investigating how language brings our world into being and how manipulating the actual grain of the voice could open up momentary shifts in perception." Each track is born from a balance between composition and improvisation within set parameters. At each stage audio is heavily processed and then reconfigured. Setting up systems that are non-repeatable, where decisions can be premeditated and intuitive but never the same with each performance, using hardware and instruments outside of the computer to make live stereo takes that have limited room for editing and mixing. "I'd been looking into combining dream music with machine rhythms, but there are so many great examples out there of both music forms, so I started to cut up the drones and really filter the drum patterns to create a hybrid space." The album artwork features manipulated ink drawings by Tucker that originally featured in his recent comic ENTITY REUNION 2. XMIT refers to a time in which information both physical and nonphysical transfers at an alarming rate beyond human comprehension into an age which is at once banal and terrifyingly alien.

Arkady Antsyrev mixes a superb blend of minimalistic house and garage patterns that fills one up with energy and serves as the perfect stimulator to dive into the dynamic vibe of the dancefloor.

"Sleepy Coffee Pot" offers a sonic espresso of avant-garde samples and elegant percussion, awakening the senses and leaving us craving another sip. Highlighted drums and uncompromising bass send the "Don't Stop Moving" pulse to the brain, forcing the body to obey the rhythm and move to the beat. The smoky atmosphere of "The Last Slice of Pizza" combined with hypnotic guitar creates a unique and memorable flavour. With its old-school touch and startling saxophone, Sony Synth's remix fills us with nostalgic charm and jazzy flair, thus extending the limits of musical sophistication.