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Kiko Dinucci Announces Deluxe Version Of 2019 Album 'Rastilho' With Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks. On Rastilho Kiko Dinucci absorbs the lineage of Brazilian guitarists such as Dorival Caymmi, Joao Gilberto, Baden Powell, Jorge Ben and Gilberto Gil - yet filtered through his uniquely 'punk' musical vision. His style is raw - technically, he seems to attack the guitar strings, lyrically he explores Afro-Brazilian culture, slavery, Brazilian revolutionaries, candomblé and evangelical Christianity. Dinucci is one the most innovative artists in contemporary Brazilian music - as well as a member of Metá Metá, who combine elements of Brazilian music, candomblé, punk rock and free jazz, he has worked with Tom Zé, Criolo and Elza Soares.

Music is pervasive in gypsy community. It is closely tied to celebrations all along people’s lives (baptisms, engagements, weddings). Young talents who will become artists of tomorrow are identified while they perform during these events. Guitarist, singer, writer and composer, Antoine « Tato3 Garcia learned the guitar at the age of 7 with his brother and gypsy musicians of Perpignan. As involved in « juergas » as he is on stage, Tato has created a style of his own and become a fervent ambassadorof Gypsy Rumba.
With the rich and varied experience he has gleaned, he now records a new album under his name. This new opus introduces different styles, from guitar solos to classics rumbas or south american influences. Eliene Castillo

A collection of contemporary reggae, dub and electronica, which marks a broadening of musical horizons for the label beyond reissues of lost African guitar dance music. The LP covers a range of Jamaican inspired sounds, including roots reggae, dancehall, dub and jungle, which may act as a taster for potential future releases.

Due for release in July 2019. Interest for airplay from Tom Ravenscroft and Gideon Coe from BBC 6 Music. Steve Barker plans to review for The Wire magazine

(Record Store Day 2020) Hip re-works of the Amsterdam based afro-funk styled unit

When we first heard Medline doing cover versions of tracks from the La Planète Sauvage OST, we were blown away. We said something cheeky like: 'this thing needs to be on vinyl.' Well wish it and will it enough and it will happen. Solstice is here, and it's a record chock full of covers of legendary original soundtrack, library and jazz funk music. Many of these records are tough or impossible to find, and Medline's concept of interpreting these
killer cuts and getting them all together on one record is a rare find itself. This is definitely a record that you can go back to again and again. High quality, brilliant interpretations of these songs, most of which were sampled many times before, is not just a
digger's delight, but something that needs to be in a collection. Every track was performed by Medline. He translated the compositions his way, into his world, and the end product is
something we will be talking about for years. - DJ Prestige (Flea Market Funk / Dust & Grooves)

Death Is Not The End digs deep to pull out some raw Sufi-Flamenco recordings from 1962, courtesy of the late Aziz Balouch.

Aziz Balouch moved to the Iberian Peninsula from modern-day Pakistan in 1932 in search of work and music. After a childhood spent studying Islamic mysticism and devotional songs in the Sufi shrines of his native Sindh he soon fell in love with the 'deep song' of flamenco and was taken in as an apprentice to the great heterodox cantaor Pepe Marchena after a chance encounter. He dedicated the rest of his life to flamenco and developed an elaborate theory of the South Asian and Sufi origins of the art which he propagated through live performances and publications in London, Spain and Pakistan.

Decades before the arrival of the academic discipline of ethnomusicology or the invention of 'fusion' Aziz Balouch painstakingly immersed himself into a completely different musical tradition seeking connections and drawing inspiration to create a unique performance style which has tragically remained hidden and ignored. These 4 tracks are taken from Aziz Balouch's only surviving recording, an EP released in Spain in 1962. On each track Balouch draws on his polyglottism to seamlessly merge Sufi poetry in Persian, Sindhi, Hindi and Arabic with various forms of Andalusian song in Spanish. Accompanied by a single guitar his voice pushes through into the profound depths of human experience to excavate the shared past of flamenco which had been submerged beneath the surface.

Blowing in like a cool breeze on a sultry Caribbean evening, LA reggae veterans the Lions drop by Names You Can Trust with a perfectly timed sentimental summer blast. Lovingly taken for another dance by the west coast crew, the Derrick Harriott 1967 rock steady classic "The Loser" is canon, a masterpiece of Jamaican sweet soul instantly identifiable from its first chiming piano notes. In a nod to the "disco mix" DJ versions pioneered by Harriott, the Lions mic man Black Shakespeare provides a period-perfect chat backdrop to the Impressions-istic harmonies of the band, giving the tune an au courant spin while staying wide of heavy-handed faux ragga. All said, we wouldn't have felt right about releasing this without running things by the family, so we consulted Duane Harriott who approvingly called it "a brilliant take on one of the best rock steady songs of all time! Not an easy one to cover well and the Lions smash it out the park."

Penya came through the door of 2018 with a bang. Their debut LP Super Liminal had been carefully guided by On the Corner having started the journey with a pair of conceptual cassette releases and remixes of a first single by Jose Marquez and DJ Khalab in 2016.

Super Liminal was tipped as one of the LPs of early 2018 not to miss. The album sold out and the band were soon taking their club ready percussive electronica to festivals around Europe. A prime slot at Worldwide Festival, Leysin led the band around Europe and the UK with highlight's including a support slot for Sons of Comet at the innovative Brainchild Festival. They are finishing the year with a slot at WorldwideFM's second birthday party before heading back into the studio.

Whilst the band hit the festival circuit, On the Corner friends and family got busy reworking the in demand 'Super Liminal'.

The remixes on this 12' pushes the Penya sound over the border of the club ready aesthetic and expands with a variety of energies from club culture across continents.

The A-side opens up with a stylish, uniquely individual and layered rework of Cham Bomb by Photay. Drama weaves elegantly with international flavours and a reference for future Afro-Cuban percussive electronica. This track ushers the listener into a private haven of adventure from the get go.

The pulsing, driven energy of Sarathy Korwar's fearsome drum rework is the closest of these reworks to the source material. The deviation is immediate however with a live feeling ripping, tripping and kicking through the foundation of 'Why So Angry'. This is a definite taste of what's to come with Sarathy a delicious addition to Penya's live work when they push later into the night.

Dengue Dengue Dengue cross more continents and bring their signature dreamy Amazonian-Berlin magic to cast spells over main stages and evoke dreamy emotive dynamics for adventurous floors with 'Search it Out'.

On the flip Indian producer, and Penya's label mate, Daisho straightens up 'Iyesa' and kick's it forward with a solid 4x4 for the tool box. Daisho is quickly becoming a safe pair of hands and is under the wing of On the Corner's A&R future vision.

The release is closed out by Al Zanders adding a UK House groove to the proceeding. The rework of Tribes swings into an electro bounce as the young producer stretches and loiters with a new adventure for the dancefloor.

Victoria Topping spices up On the Corner's disco sleeve's with a nod to the dark side and the joy of shaking up the early A.M.s

*Double LP, with gatefold sleeve* New compilation of South Africa’s leading young jazz talent on Afrosynth Records, compiled by DJ Okapi and Shane Cooper. Featuring Thandi Ntuli, Kyle Shepherd, Mabuta, Yonela Mnana, Zoë Modiga, Benjamin Jephta, Siya Makuzeni, Lwanda Gogwana, Mandisi Dyantyis, Reza Khota, Bokani Dyer, Vuma Levin and a broader group of talented supporting musicians. From tight trios to expansive, cosmic collectives, this compilation highlights the best of what’s come out of the country in recent years.

ROW goes back to a collecting of field recordings that Hirsch took for Oerol, an annual theatre festival taking place on the West Frisian island of Terschelling / NL.
The recording was taken aboard the ARAD, a lifeboat of the Dutch rowing team Roeiteam Ter- schelling Recreatie during a training exercise on 25 April 2011. The course stretched from the harbour of West-Terschelling out into the Wadden Sea and back again. The focus is on the coxswain's commands which resemble a funk singer's ones and which make the team become one body working their way through the waters.

We gladly present the long awaited debut album by kurdish multi-instrumentalist Philippos Sîpano and Frankfurt am Main’s mighty duo Dan Bay & Le Rubrique aka The MPC Orchestra. “The Spirit of Dilovan” pays tribute to Philippos Sîpano and Dan Bayat’s youth band “Spirit Of Dilovan”, sketches the different musical paths the two took over the years and finds its final form in their new collaboration with Dilovan Le Rubrique, a master in the studio and a true patchbay wizzard.

With multilayered arrangements based on different kurdish music traditions and inspired by their indivudual experiences of Pop- and Clubculture, Philippos Sîpano & The MPC Orchestra’s new album can be both perceived as diasporic Popmusic or epic dancefloor monster for experienced music lovers.

All songs were produced at Offenbach’s Upper Citycenter Studio and dedicated to all DIlovans* out there, hoping they will one day constitute the majority of all people and we will all find peace, love and habibtiness on planet earth.

* good-hearted people <3

Creole Soul!" Two words are enough for David Walters to qualify his music. The exclamation point to support radicalism and faith in its purpose.
A lapidary definition behind the doors of which hides the maze of a culture that crosses the oceans, connects continents and islands by an invisible but powerful thread. A deeply ingrained bond that allows Africa, America, Europe, and the Caribbean to converse with each other with a language as universal as music, dance, carnivals, or ceremonies.

Spread on the globe; the different creole cultures find a point of convergence where they are all represented: New York.
In this city, where motivated by his friend photographer JR, he once gave a concert in the street, David Walters decided to set the scene for his new album.

After five years of traveling the world, meeting musicians for the TV show “The New Explorers” (Canal +), it is around this hyperactive city that he chose to shine his Créole Sun. To imbue his music with the state of mind and aesthetics that reigned in the 70s and 80s.
While in 2018, he soloes produced Nola Is Calling (an album recorded in New Orleans with the Creole community of Black Indians, selected by Gilles Peterson in the best of 2019 on BBC 6). That’s with the essential contribution of the musical mastermind Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart (Mr. President, Voilààà Sound System, Da Break ...) that David produced Soleil Kreyol.

More than a musical partner, Patchworks turned out to be the sound engineer David was looking for. The second part of an ideal pair, the one with whom, set on the same frequencies, he wrote, composed, recorded, played all the instruments. Thought all the arrangements, tweaked the details as carried by a continuous breath. Or rather a light. The “Soleil Kréyol” (Creole Sun).

Third volume of "The Encyclopedia of Civilizations", a collection of split LP's where selected artists offer their own insight into fascinating ancient cultures. This time it is a cosmic and spiritual ambient journey inspired by one of the greatest ancient civilizations: India.

The LP is presented in a special limited edition (500 copies) with an extensive booklet including liner notes about the origins of India to help you to immerse yourself in this fascinating civilization while you listen to the music. The sleeve is printed in the old way, letterpressed with metal movable type as Gutenberg used to do it.

“Veda” was composed & performed live on October 13, 2018 by Jonathan Fitoussi at Gesu Church, Toulouse, France using the 1864 church pipe organ and an EMS SYNTHI synthesizer. The track was inspired by readings about the ancient sacred Hindu texts known as the Vedas. A sustained, warm and deep float supported by the centennial pipe organ and the the church’s natural reverb.

“Yin Yang” was conceived by Ariel Kalma in 1975 while taking music lessons in India. It brings into a lovely meditative state with those long, long ‘pranayama’ breathing notes.
“Flute Meditation” is actually two Kalma pieces blended together. The first part was recorded in 2017 and played on a floating xaphoon mini sax. The second part is from 1979, recorded with an Indian bamboo flute, saz, electric piano. It was originally much longer, adapted here for one side of the LP.
Wind melodies, polyphonic color, ambient space, setting modal flute melodies and nature field recordings. The results collapse distinctions between “electro-acoustic”, “biomusicology” and “ambient” categorization.

Jonathan Fitoussi is a French composer residing in Paris. He works on minimalist and contemporary musical forms exploring a fusion of electronic and acoustic sounds with melodic textures, colors and emotions in a cinematographic aesthetic style. As a composer of electronic music, Jonathan Fitoussi is engaged in practices of analog and modular synthesis, projects supported by the pioneers of electronic music like Suzanne Ciani and Morton Subotnick.

Ariel Kalma, was born in Paris and learned to play recorder and saxophone as a youth. He studied computer science in college, and while at university he met Salvatore Adamo, who soon hired Kalma into his touring band on a world tour as a saxophonist and flautist. Around this time, he made experimental tape pieces using his own recorded instruments, found sounds, church organs, and poetry.
In 1974 he took a one way plane to in India, learning rudimentary classical Indian music and developing an interest in meditative and drone music. He was also influenced by American minimalist music. In 1975, he recorded and self-released an album, Le Temps des Moissons while working at the GRM studio of INA Pierre Henry in Paris. His 1978 album Osmose features Borneo rainforest nature sounds recorded by Richard Tinti. Over 4 decades, Ariel Kalma published several vinyl LP's, cassettes, and CD's. His compositions have been used for modern dance-theatre, films, musical poetry, guided meditations and transformational groups.

Released in 1971 by Okko Bekker, a Dutch sitar player, keyboardist, and producer who has worked with the likes of Brian Eno, Conny Plank, Asmus Tietchens, and Moebius. As the title suggests this is a sitar and synthesizer led trip through 6 groovy and jazzy originals and 2 covers. Featuring help from the jazz legend Herb Geller on flute, Sitar & Electronics is a funky and rare piece of European exotica finally available again on LP.

Through Passages of Time by The Hardy Tree is the second LP from Clay Pipe Music's founder Frances Castle.On stunning turquoise vinyl and with unique artwork designed by Frances. This is a limited run of 500 hand numbered records.

Heavyweight early 80's roots, with nyabinghi drumming in the echo chamber. Backed by Sly Dunbar, The True Persuaders will break down any bunker. Very limited copies, first come, first served.

The amazing Romeo and Jermaine - Big Chiefs from different ends of the city -came together to celebrate their shared devotion to the deep roots of NO's 'Indian' culture. Vocals and percussion only but these guys deliver a fearsome wallop. Ooooh na na.

"79rs Gang originally formed in 2013 when Big Chief Romeo Bougere of the 9th Ward Hunters and Big Chief Jermaine Bossier of the 7th Ward Creole Hunters put their differences aside and came together to build a bridge with music, releasing a traditional Mardi Gras Indian music album (Fire On The Bayou) in 2014. Today, Jermaine and Romeo - working alongside writer/ producer Eric Heigle (Arcade Fire, The Soul Rebels, Lost Bayou Ramblers) - have created an album that is rooted in the unique traditions of New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian culture, while launching that culture forward, bringing each track to dance floors and block parties around the world.

Additional collaborators on Expect the Unexpected include Arcade Fire’s Win Butler, LCD Soundsystem’s Korey Richey, Grammy Award Winning Trumpeter Nicholas Payton, Haitian music collective Lakou Mizik and many more notable musicians."

New album from critically acclaimed 'The Cesarians'. "Imagine Arab Strap jamming with the Bad Seeds after a wild night in some dive bar they'll never find again" RADIO XFM, 6Music PRESS The Guardian, The Observer, Independent, Times, Telegraph. "This lot are in a class of their own" THE TIMES "Glitteringly gloomy ... thrillingly seedy ... deliciously creepy" TIME OUTNew album from critically acclaimed 'The Cesarians'. "Imagine Arab Strap jamming with the Bad Seeds after a wild night in some dive bar they'll never find again" RADIO XFM, 6Music PRESS The Guardian, The Observer, Independent, Times, Telegraph. "This lot are in a class of their own" THE TIMES "Glitteringly gloomy ... thrillingly seedy ... deliciously creepy" TIME OUT

1973, in the south of the Netherlands, the city of Heerlen and its surroundings nurtured a strong musical heritage and culture. A number of young musicians were developing their skills in one of the many music schools established in a 30 km radius. This new blood would join fanfares, symphonic orchestras, choirs, and later have a strong influence on dutch pop and jazz music. Founded by Jelmo “Pio” Piovesana, teacher and key musical figure in the region of south
Limburg, Heerlens Percussie Ensemble had some of the most inventive musicians of their generation in its ranks. Having gained valuable experience and new musical perspectives in conservatories and workshops with all time greats like Steve Reich, Bob Becker, Nippy Noya or Han Bennink, Jelmo’s alumni would eventually emancipate themselves from their mentor’s traditional approach to percussive music. Recorded in a school over two days, 1986’s Biologic Music sees masters of their craft exploring uncharted territories using vibraphones, bells, marimbas, electronic drums,
balafons and tibetan prayer wheels, among others. Mixing Jazz, Latin, African, Brazilian, Modern, and Minimal music, the ensemble's penchant for fusion, improvisation and program music, lead them to create a deeply mesmerizing and timeless album. We are proud to present this official reissue, including extensive liner notes and exclusive photos handpicked from the band’s archives.

"Nicolas Gaunin's surreal sound experiments lift you out of the everyday and transport you to an off-world Tiki lounge set high amongst the tree tops of a tropical rainforest, where you're surrounded by bizarre, colourful creatures and weird psychotropic plants. Noa Noa Noa is modern Dada, a neon soundtrack to your most outlandish fever dreams.
Nicolas Gaunin is the alter ego of Nicola Sanguin, part of the vibrant experimental music scene around Padua, Italy where he plays in outsider rock groups The Lay Llamas and Orange Car Crash. Nicolas Gaunin is his solo electronic project, a bright and playful cosmic mash-up that uses the rhythms of traditional African percussion groups and skews them slightly to create unsettling, off-kilter grooves. These drum machine experiments are laid over a teeming microscopic sound world of bird calls, insect chatter and weird jingles reminiscent of advertising earworms or video game soundtracks.
Noa Noa Noa takes its influences from music from around the world, and inspiration from high and low culture; from composer Gyorgy Ligeti to the cosmic sounds of Italian DJ Danielle Baldelli, from the experimental music of Moondog or Harry Partch to the playful sounds of Francis Bebey or the exotica of Martin Denny, from Iannis Xenakis to 8-bit video game music. Noa Noa Noa ends up sounding something like the imaginary soundtrack to the Nintendo Gameboy version of a lost William S. Burroughs novel.
Incredibly, most of the tracks on Noa Noa Noa were recorded live in one take with the express intention of creating music that is, in contrast to much of today's electronic music, bright, sunny, light-hearted and mischevious. The resulting album is both totally essential and also completely throwaway.
These tracks were originally released in 2018 by Artetetra Records (Italy) as Noa Noa (cassette & digital) and Danse de l'Oiseau (digital only). Hive Mind Records are proud to present Noa Noa Noa on vinyl for the first time."

collecting orders for repress ... !

Debut 12" from Dar Disku!

Mazen and Vish (together Dar Disku) have teamed up with label collaborator Moving Still for a Hi-NRG version of 'Sidi Mansour ' originally recorded by Algerian Disco superstar Cheba Yamina. The Disco/Rai inspired track reimagines what was originally a traditional Tunisian Folk song and captures the broad lexicon of Middle Eastern and North Africa soundscapes With traditional Algerian percussion and Yamina’s signature vocals this is a perfect dancefloor heater!

On the flip side Moving Still gives us a bass-heavy edit of Syrian Wedding Performer Sarya Al Sawas - 'Bas Asma3 Mini'. He got sent the track by his brother in law back in 2009 and came back to it over the last year as he has been exploring the sounds of his Saudi and Egyptian heritage, using the oud fragrance as a theme throughout.

The last track of the three is the first Dar Disku edit. Sampling Indonesian Group Orkes Kelana Ria originally released in 1961 and featuring Arabic vocals by Munif. Not much is known about the mysterious group but when Vish Mhatre and Mazen Almaskati first heard the sample - they knew it would be perfect for an edit. The group are among the true originators of the Orkes Melayu genre which is incredibly hard to find.

Lamunai Records is proud to announce Titik Api, the 2nd opus of the Indonesian master Harry Roesli, recorded in 1975. Political activist, prominent member of the Tradisi Baru Movement (New Tradition) who
emerged in the 1970s, Harry Roesli worked with musicians, poets, playwrights who were commited to experimenting indonesian traditional culture. Titik Api is another successful effort to blend Indonesian's traditional instruments, such as gamelan, with Western music from progressive to funky hypnotic groove.

The latest project by belgo-moroccan producer Reda Senhaji, alias Cheb Runner, focuses on breeding a new style of music between electronics and Gnawa. Taking inspiration from New Beat to Techno, Acid House and Gabber, the grooves are relentless, stiff and club oriented, relying heavily on analog synths and drum-machines. The sound is darker, more experimental and mature than his previous Gan Gah project.

Cheb Runner digs into the acoustic sounds of his youth, for an organic feeling of warmth and celebration. The syncopation of the classic Gnawa percussions, the “Tagnawit”, its groove is undeniable. Featuring two traditional Gnawa singers based in Brussels, Mâalem Driss and Mâalem Hicham, the EP is a reunion for the belgian Gnawa scene, keeping the vibe alive.

In a world of dematerialized culture, we tend to forget where we come from : by putting Gnawa music at the center of his production, Cheb Runner creates a bridge with the past. The young producer is a son of Gnawa himself, this is the music he grew up with and played as a kid.
Now he brings it to the club scene; Cheb Runner’s first EP is experimental, brutal, innovative. Getting past definitions and genres, it opens new horizons for North-African producers, showing them how to use their roots to make new beats. It encourages both tradition and modernity in Music. In 2019, Gnawa music, dance and culture was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural
Heritage list, demonstrating both the relevance of the genre and the necessity to preserve it.
of the genre and the necessity to preserve it.

Cheb, the Arabic word for “young boy”, is traditionally used to describe the young generation of Raï singers – like Cheb Hasni, Cheb Mami or Cheb Khaled. It means the new generation is here, to create something new with something old. The reference to the Ridley Scott movie Blade Runner is just that: while the Cheb comes from the bled, a moroccan village in the Agadir region, the beats come from the club scene of an industrial city, like Berlin, Detroit or Molenbeek/Brussels.

Cheb Runner takes you on a trip through space and time, as well as to pass on ancient rhythms to inspire the next generations.

HOT RELEASE & VERY LIMITED, DON’T SLEEP!

In April 2019, 22a Boss- and multi-instrumentalist, "Tenderlonious" embarked on a trip to Pakistan to work with a Lahore based instrumental quartet, Jaubi. These 3 deeply spiritual, improvised raga's are the first recordings to come from a 3 day recording session in Lahore.

Like most of us, Tender (Ed) has faced many troubles in his life. Music has been a guiding light, leading him onto the right path. It was whilst in his darkest place, that he taught himself to play the soprano saxophone, bringing much needed focus and discipline back into his life. Much like his musical heroes, John Coltrane and Yusef Lateef, who were both inspired by eastern spiritualism and the deep tradition of Indian classical music, Tender has always been searching for something different and much deeper.

The seeds for a young Tender to embark on the right musical path of transcendence were planted during his father's secondments to the East as a result of being a Ghurkha officer. However it was after hearing the North Indian Classical flautist Ronu Majumdar's "Raga Mangal Bhairav" that Tender knew this was a spiritual seed he had to fully develop.

This particular seed however was ironically sowed in a grimy Peckham pub, after one too many beers - like many of our endeavours. Whilst reminiscing about previous musical journeys in Poland, we were reminded of an instrumental quartet from Lahore, Pakistan - Jaubi. We later discovered that Jaubi is an Urdu word for "whatever/whoever" and creating whatever sounds good with whoever feels good is the groups guiding principle - a vibe we could relate to. Drinks continued to flow and we further explored the idea of a trip to Lahore in Pakistan, where the band resides.

That evening after getting home from the pub, we both told our family and friends that we were planning to go to Lahore, Pakistan and record an album with Jaubi. We were met with heavy resistance from family and government officials. Our families constantly fed us articles and WhatsApp links about why it is dangerous to travel to Pakistan due to terrorism, kidnappings, tropical diseases…the list was endless. The Pakistani embassy also showed resistance by rejecting our Visas twice.

The project felt destined for failure, however we slowly persevered with the Lahore dream. We learned not to believe everything people are telling you, this was more than a musical quest now, it was about breaking down cultural misconceptions. Through many hours of hard work and planning, we arrived in Lahore on the 9th of April 2019, greeted with nothing but love and humbleness. Lahore is something special, full of positivity, humility, care and hope.

Thankfully all a stark contrast to the negativity we heard about Pakistan before arriving. It was not long into the first day and that first studio session, where we realised this trip would be a real awakening. Nothing whatsoever was written down during the recording sessions - no sheet music, no song titles. It was sincere, all egos were left behind and hearts and souls were open and poured into the music.

'Impressions' is a pure raga (Raga Ba Khizer), the taala (rhythmic cycle) is Ektaal (12 beat cycle). It is the raga that Tender first heard Ronu Majumdar play. This beautiful scale, thatTender would often practice back home, becomes the musical framework for rich improvisations. Joined by Zohaib Hassan Khan on the stringed instrument called sarangi - Zohaib is a 7th generation sarangi maestro and one of only 5 professional sarangi players left in Pakistan practicing this ancient art form.

Kashif Ali Dhani provides the stunning backdrop on tabla, weaving in and out of complex rhythmic patterns. 'Kirwani' is composed by Dhani and is based on a raga that resembles the harmonic minor scale in western music. Whilst 'Shalamar Gardens' provides a peaceful moment for reflection with Tender on soprano sax and Dhani on vocals.

The Afro-Latin connections of Venezuela's coastal region meet London based producers Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel, for the 3rd edition of their latest musical venture: Electropical.

Jorge travels to Bolivar Film Studios - Caracas / Venezuela for a 2 days musical experimentation & recordings, accompanied by some of the heaviest players in town, including no other than Mr Spiteri himself, J Pulia Liendo (Ex Pianist of Dimension Latina), and the emblematic Afro-Latin Drum ensemble: Grupo Madera, (between others) for the making of the tunes: "San Juan & Electropical".

As a perfect complement for the A side of this record, the studio work gets continued back in London at Imagenes Recordings batcave, for the making of the Afro-Funky-Jazz conveyor of: "Spacial Paradise" plus an updated mix of their classic rework of "Sexmachina".

Musicians & collaborators of this project (without specific order):

Jorge Spiteri (Bass B1),
Grupo Madera (Drum Ensemble): Noel Marquez, Jose Urbina, Arnaldo Garcia, Remigio Piñate (B1, B2)
Matheus Nova (Bass & Chorus A1, A2)
Juan Pulia Liendo (Keys B1)
Marcelo Andrade (Sax A1)
Raphael Defilno (Drums & Chorus A1),
Paul Batik (Trumpet A2),
Emeris Solis (Percussion A1)
James Rod (Guitar A1)
Juan Laya (Drums & Percussion A2)
Jorge Montiel (Chorus & Programming)
Jose Urbina (Lead Vox B1)
James Stuart (Strings B1)
Elio Torres (Double Bass B1)
Sean Douglas (Clav A1)
JP Sancho (Synth B2).
Recording assistant (Venezuela): Leonardo Giron.
Artwork: "Cacao" by Pedro Centeno Vallenilla (Aragua / Venezuela -1961)

Produced, arranged & directed by Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel.

Belgium, not the first place you'd think of when it comes to Latin or Afro funk. Yet one of the greatest records to blend both styles came from the small northern European country, masterminded by Nico Gomez and his Afro Percussion Inc.

Ritual was originally released in 1971 on the Dutch label Omega International (Gomez was born in Holland before moving to Belgium in the late 40s) and is being reissued by Mr Bongo in 2013, bringing its blazing funk grooves to both new ears and those already tuned in to this masterpiece's legacy.

Across its 11 tracks Ritual delivers the kind of production, arrangement and musicianship that rightfully belong in a dictionary next to the definition of professional. Gomez' band was tight and they knew it, showing it off on their covers of Perez Prado's 'Caballo Negro' and 'Lupita' by injecting the originals with a deep funk that blends both Afro and Latin influences. On 'Samba De Una Nota So' and 'El Condor Pasa', another pair of covers, they switch to soulful downtempo with mesmerising ease. The title cut remains one of the album's highlights, a devastating dancefloor groove with horns to match that has aged beautifully and was heavily sampled by Liquid People for 'The Dragon'. 'Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!' adds touches of rock with fuzzy guitars for one of the album's headier experiences.

Repressed on red vinyl!

Belgium, not the first place you'd think of when it comes to Latin or Afro funk. Yet one of the greatest records to blend both styles came from the small northern European country, masterminded by Nico Gomez and his Afro Percussion Inc.

Ritual was originally released in 1971 on the Dutch label Omega International (Gomez was born in Holland before moving to Belgium in the late 40s) and is being reissued by Mr Bongo in 2013, bringing its blazing funk grooves to both new ears and those already tuned in to this masterpiece's legacy.

Across its 11 tracks Ritual delivers the kind of production, arrangement and musicianship that rightfully belong in a dictionary next to the definition of professional. Gomez' band was tight and they knew it, showing it off on their covers of Perez Prado's 'Caballo Negro' and 'Lupita' by injecting the originals with a deep funk that blends both Afro and Latin influences. On 'Samba De Una Nota So' and 'El Condor Pasa', another pair of covers, they switch to soulful downtempo with mesmerising ease. The title cut remains one of the album's highlights, a devastating dancefloor groove with horns to match that has aged beautifully and was heavily sampled by Liquid People for 'The Dragon'. 'Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!' adds touches of rock with fuzzy guitars for one of the album's headier experiences.

*Repress*

"In the early 1980s, Pale Cocoon member Tsuyoshi Kawabata received the vivid image of springing forth from a cocoon as he was composing music in his hometown of Toyama, Japan. Having spent time arranging sounds on a 4-track recorder in the musical chrysalis of his home studio, Kawabata moved to a larger studio and converted his recordings to an open reel with the help of other musicians on the Pafe Record roster, leading to the musical metamorphosis of his full-length work 繭 (Mayu).

Like the Belgian symbolist paintings that served as inspiration during Kawabata’s musical process - the compositions featured on Mayu serve to elevate the nuanced elements of daily life, each sound intentionally crafted with a meticulous approach to best represent its objective nature. Sounds of the Japanese landscape in summertime parallel swirling synthesizers and noise; shimmering guitar sounds take the shape of a snowflake. In this way, Kawabata’s pure reflection on the objective nature of sounds evokes the deeper spiritual essence of their origins - taking on a symbolic role in order to elucidate a greater psychic nature… or as French poet Stéphane Mallarmé writes, “to depict not the thing but the effect it produces”.

The result is a musical soundscape evocative of Kawabata’s hometown of Toyama - a collection of compositions with inherent seasonality in their arrangement, mirroring the landscapes along the sea of Japan. The album opener “Sora” acts as a portal into Kawabata’s world, segueing from a dizzying whirlwind of processed recorder into an ecstatic atmosphere of guitar and synthesizer invoking the likes of Woo, Cluster, and the euphoric stylings of Penguin Café Orchestra. The next piece, “Shunmin”, waltzes deeper into Mayu’s fever dream, creating a gorgeous atmosphere with hypnotic drum machine programming leading a chorus of processed acoustic guitar and cosmic keyboard arrangements. At times, the listener may hear the dreamy post-punk influence of Cherry Red Records and peers The Durutti Column throughout Mayu - a group whom Pale Cocoon shared the stage with during their Japan tour of 1984. However, the album itself is undoubtedly the singular vision of Kawabata, informed by the musical landscape of Toyama - the same environs which fostered the sounds of Pale Cocoon’s label Pafe Record and fellow groups Funeral Party and Virgin Mayonnaise who perform on Mayu.

Remastered by Makoto Ohshiro and published for the first time on vinyl since its original cassette release on Pafe Record in 1984. Mayu will be available on 2LP vinyl pressed by Pallas and CD."

Yohei's impeccable taste was a revelation when we played together at Forest Limit, Tokyo last year. Seamlessley mixing unknown sounds frm atround the world on record, CD and tape made for an unforgettable night. Starting a label is a logical next step for this young master.
- Japan Blues

'Mr Raoul K' und 'Manoo' präsentieren mit zwei Versionen von „Bara“ hoch-energetischen Afro House, der bereits in Sets von Größen wie Hyenah, Pablo Fierro, Musumeci, etc., zu hören ist. Auf der B-Seite der LP befindet ein warmer, organischer, aber sehr treibender „O Mera Dil“-Remix von Auztin Pauers & Ezrael, sowie ein wundervoll deeper „African Paradigm“ Remix von Kuniyuki.

PAROV STELAR – VOODOO SONIC THE TRILOGY PART 1/3

PAROV STELAR GOES VOODOO!

Concerts by successful musicians often have an air of church-mass: Fans pay homage to their idols, hailing them, giving the impression of following them blindly. Parov Stelar, a globally successful musician from Austria, is one such artist. Is this art of seduction a kind of Voodoo, Black Magic even? Who can tell? It makes no difference whatsoever, as to his fans Parov Stelar easily passes as a High-Priest of grooves, perfectly able to offset their frenzy.

In Voodoo, Bondieu, a higher being communicates to the masses through priests called Loas. Parov Stelar manages to do so with his music. The seed for „Voodoo Sonic“ had been sown. At the same time the idea to replace the conventional album with several EPs emerged as well, allowing greater musical freedom and the possibility to explore the many sonic landscapes of „Voodoo Sonic“.

„Go Wake Up“ is the first track coming from the Parov Stelar Voodoo-universe. The song is a close collaboration with Lilja Bloom who has been more than Parov Stelar’s muse for a long time. And in true Voodoo fashion the song’s groove grabs you immediately, never letting go again.

„Voodoo Sonic“, the EP’s title track, with its compelling samples is pure Parov Stelar, driving and danceable whereas Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest fame) emerges as quite some Voodoo-seducer in „Number One MC“. With „The Fall“ the EP comes full circle as it is another collaboration with Lilja Bloom. It’s a cinemascope-like sound that truly marks the song as something special. Voodoo Sonic – The Trilogy Part 1/3 – now available as 12”.

A Collection with An Exceptional Sound and Visual Aesthetic, In Collaboration With The British Photographer Chris Steel-Perkins, The Counter-Cultures Photograph.

To kick off the dawn of a new decade and their first release of 2020 in fine style, Phuture Shock Musik very proudly present ‘La Búsqueda’ - the debut album from
multi-skilled musician Damián Botigué aka to the long player format. Barcelona-based producer and Karmasound.

Having released his first 12” ‘Probabalidades’ EP on the Bristol imprint to wide acclaim in 2018, followed by a solid sophomore effort ‘Can See Thru You’ one year later; whilst also contributing to recent projects by label mate Cyclonix and Wolf Music signee Pedro, Karmasound has steadily gained momentum to graduate to the long player format.

Comprised of ten tracks steeped in existential themes, ‘La Búsqueda’ stands out as the producer’s most personal and accomplished work to date, where jazz - particularly of the 70’s Latin fusion/funk variety – is a key source of its inspiration in terms of sound, yet with a contemporary electronic-infused spin and loosely within a broken beat context. Besides taking cues from the above styles, each composition is informed by Botigué’s soulful, interstellar sound that combines live instrumentation with analogue studio gadgetry and a vast range of influences; including hip hop, soul, Afro-Latin, electronica and the forward-thinking sensibilities of the early 00’s West London sound. This rich musical diversity running throughout the LP, strikes a fitting balance between the past and the future that aligns with Phuture Shock’s sonic vision.

Building from where he left off, Nicola continues to develop his exploration of global sounds and cultures, and his fascination for electronics, translating this knowledge into expressive sound pieces that marry earthy textures with electronic sounds. With his new album, the in-demand Ecuadorian producer broadens his horizons beyond South America exploring a rich palette of sounds the world over. On 'Siete' and 'Obsidiana', Hindu harmonies are present amongst raw percussion, which is a common factor throughout the album. 'Okami's colourful jazz-inflected vibraphone creates a woozy, alluring atmosphere that captures the rainy night it was recorded on (which can be heard in the takes) and the album closer 'Esu Enia' is rooted in the raw power of the African balafon, a piece made in collaboration with Portugal's Marcio Pinto.  Yet Nicola doesn't neglect the sounds of his home continent, something instantly apparent on album opener 'Arka', the Colombian cumbia rhythms of 'Hacia Delante' and the poetic 'Criançada', sung in Portuguese and owing much to the melodies and rhythms of Brazilian samba. 

International Feel's minialbum series. From their base in Los Angeles, intrepid musical voyagers Pharaohs have imagined a place far from the city for their first stand alone release on International Feel.

Santilli debuts on Mad Habitat, a gorgeous complement to last year’s “Surface” on Into The Light. The instrumental palette here is focused around crystalline electronics and a battery of percussion, a beautiful synthesis of vaporous and earthy tones that recall the timeless sound-worlds of heroes like Jon Hassell and Steve Tibbets. A reflective mood diffuses across the entire record, conjuring up pensive visions of sun-dappled water and stretches of the coast. The sounds themselves have a shimmering, holographic quality, conjuring up the sort of auditory and spatial depth you can get lost in as each side unfolds