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It is the year 2020, a year that addresses our awareness of diversity, tolerance and sustainability in an assorted, socio-cultural way. We translate this demand into music. "Nuthin' But A She Thang" focuses on a marginalised view of instrumental beat music.

This sampler, reflects a cross-section of the international female producer scene: 14 female artists, 8 countries, 4 continents, one language - music! The 14 instrumentals take the listener on a musical journey, which creates a tension between classic sample sound and modern current productions.

The many facets of female beat producing are presented by exclusive contributions by Ainie (DE) o Aygyul (AT) o Courtney Hawkins (US) o Da Chick (PT) o Georgia Anne Muldrow (US) o Gnarly (UK) o Jillesque (US) o Josi Miller (DE) o Julie Schatz (US) o Lisa Vazquez (US) o Sadiva (AUS) o Saltyyyy V (DE) o SOWALL (KOR) o USAGI (JP). Together with Stylefile as a cooperation-partner, we were able to persuade none other than HERA (DE). She implanted an even more artistic approach and added an exclusive artprint to this piece of music.

Our latest Release DDCT003 is in the end not only a musical project, it is a statement, it is an attitude.

Contents:
Gangland Landlord CD
GL Styrofoam cup
Custom GLLL pendant with chain
GLLL Bandana
GLLL Poetry magnets (each has their own mozzy slang on it)

One side ragga drum and one side ragga drum with french featurings!

For The Heads returns with the third installment of their vinyl series welcoming Germany's own Conzi to the imprint with his inaugural solo EP. This weighty 4 tracker is packed with head-down, nose-curling rhythms on both sides, making this an EP not to be slept on. Having featured on respected labels such as Hotplates Recordings and Foundation Audio in the past, and with support from the likes of Sicaria Sound, J:Kenzo, Ternion Sound and many more, Conzi is a name you will be hearing much more from in the very near future.

Jorge Caiado’s new “Cycles” EP, offers 3 strong versions of title theme plus a remix by Detroit legend
Mike Huckaby. A house/techno manifesto that takes his artistic vision one step further, placing him as
a cutting edge producer internationally supported by the likes of Move D and others.

From Lisbon via Detroit, “Cycles” will make any worldwide dancefloor take a peak. So grab it, play it
and check the results. Limited repress.


'Available exclusively on Disney+ beginning Dec. 25, 2020, Disney and Pixar’s feature film “Soul” introduces Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher with a serious passion for jazz music. The story is particularly relatable to the artists behind it. For Jamie Foxx, who lends his voice to Joe, it begins with jazz. “Like Joe, I hear music in everything,” said Foxx. “When you’re a jazz artist, man, you talk a little different: ‘Hey, cat!’ I got a chance to go to a few jazz fests and meet Herbie Hancock, Chick Correa—hang out with those guys. They have a way of talking, a way of dressing—everything funnels toward their music, toward the jazz."

'Available exclusively on Disney+ beginning Dec. 25, 2020, Disney and Pixar’s feature film “Soul” introduces Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher with a serious passion for jazz music. The story is particularly relatable to the artists behind it. For Jamie Foxx, who lends his voice to Joe, it begins with jazz. “Like Joe, I hear music in everything,” said Foxx. “When you’re a jazz artist, man, you talk a little different: ‘Hey, cat!’ I got a chance to go to a few jazz fests and meet Herbie Hancock, Chick Correa—hang out with those guys. They have a way of talking, a way of dressing—everything funnels toward their music, toward the jazz."

New Jersey music man Rex Hush, privately pressed ‘Pull Over’ in 1983, it’s an outstanding slab of funky soul, great vocals, cosmic synths and a strong message.

Internet history reveals only a handful of copies of the 45 have ever been sold; along with this proven rarity there’s another treat on the flip!

Recorded at the same session, but never seeing the light of day, we present ‘Summer Breeze’, a beautiful ballad with original, thought-provoking lyrics and masterful musicianship.

Mastered from the original studio reels, these contrasting sides sound absolutely amazing.

Dexta and Crypticz are delighted to announce their long awaited 12" single, 'Together', featuring two remixes from Munich-based Danny Scrilla. Two years in the making, the project will finally see the light of day on 10th November 2017 via Diffrent Music.

A fusion of Drum & Bass, Jungle, House and Garage, 'Together' is built for the dancefloor. The track borrows vocals and breaks from the early '90s, while blending drum machines, bass samples and vintage effect processes crafted by Dexta & Crypticz.

Danny Scrilla debuts on the label with a pair of remixes. The 'Reslice', is a great example of signature Scrilla, manipulating the original parts into an exploration of dubby, half time soundsystem music. His 'Reflop', meanwhile, is a 140bpm re-think, splicing chopped up breaks and bass stabs from the original along with strong percussion lines and weird vocal edits.

Since his outing on Hospital Records in 2015, and his debut 'SE4 EP' on Diffrent Music last year, Dexta - otherwise known as Londoner Chris Royle - has released the third part in an ongoing series for None60 Recordings, honing tracks for dancefloors and stereos alike.

Somerset's Crypticz (aka Jordan Parsons) has had quite an eventful 12 months, with his 'Echo Sound EP' on Doc Scott's 31 Recordings, and more recently the 'Forever EP' Om Unit's Cosmic Bridge imprint, while evolving his club performance from a DJ set to a custom live show consisting solely of his own music and explorations in sound design. This single comes two weeks after his latest release, the 'Access You EP', also on Diffrent Music, which set a new benchmark for Jordan, refining his sound to its highest quality.

Danny Scrilla (born Daniel Pirkl) has gone from strength to strength this year, dropping a cassette tape project on Cosmic Bridge, compiled of 16 synth and hardware-led experiments. Last month Dan also released a collaborative 12" with Sam Binga called 'Weird In Munich' - a superb effort, pushing boundaries from both their usual styles - before putting out an EP for Amit's AMAR imprint in early September.

'Together' will be available as a limited 300 run of 180gsm coloured 12" vinyl, and will be officially released on 10th November 2017. An exclusive small batch will be available at the Clashmouth D&B Label Market on 28th October 2017 at Cafe 1001 on London s Brick Lane.

restock

Following up on a strong launch with Braintalk, Human Sense Technology returns for their 2nd entry; this time from the man of many styles, Eastern Zurich's very own Dan Piu, with Modern Utopia Thought EP. Dedicated to his youth and influenced by future visions of creation, the atmosphere and arrangement on this EP permeates into the imagination with colors of suspense, harmony, and spherical textures showcasing the finer lines of deep frequency. Courageous indeed as this EP embraces the mysterious in an eccentric bliss that charms the listening experience in a way that grooves the body as much as it moves the mind. Welcome to Modern Utopia EP, where there are no constraints on creation or time.

Once upon a time “Miss Onion” made her way to Zanzibar, in search of real traditional African music.
Luckily, she got in touch with an Italian collective of people called Uhuru Republic, who were traveling throughout Kenya and Tanzania and collaborating with many local musicians, in studios and on stage.
One evening they were recording the Qanun, the main instrument in the Swahili culture, and Miss Onion participated the whole intensive session of music and Konyagi (the local most famous super alcoholic drink). She fell in love immediately with the Afro-Bass gem that was born, and decided to bring it back to Europe. Like this Miss Onion turned this particular piece into a sweet memory from a splendid trip to the heart of Africa.
We immediately shared Miss Onion’s love for this real tribal music experience called “Konyagi a Gogo”, fusing African instruments with electronic sounds and orchestral elements.
For the remix we put the stems in the expert hands of Rafael Aragon who greatly managed to give it an “even more clubbing” spin.
The result is a tasty 7” inches called “Veggie Tales Vol. 3”!!
We’ll hope you enjoy as much as we did.
Buon appetito!

Magestic album re-issue : The complete colelctions of tunes Manu Le Malin did produced in 2004, minus the tunes that were already pressed on vinyl and plus the tunes that were not produced on the CD because that would have been « too long »... Here also stand a LFO Mark Bell remix. Peace.... And more...

Alfredo "El Inca" Linares is one of the best and most beloved musicians in the history of salsa. Fans love his piano playing because of his authentic Cuban feel and 'swing' combined with progressive arrangements and uncompromising phrasing. "Lo Que Tengo" is full of rock solid dance floor killers and no filler, recorded in 1980 with some of the cream of the crop of contemporary Venezuelan salsa musicians (members of Mango, Madera, El Trabuco Venezolano, Los Dementes, Los Melódicos, Dimensión Latina, Guaco, and La Salsa Mayor) and launched there on the indie label A.L.G. Records as ¡Con Todo!, and then a year later on the much larger Velvet Records with a different cover. This a classic Alfredo Linares album, but with the updated studio sound of 1980s Caracas. With five perfectly paced salsas, one funky cha cha chá, a steamy bolero and a dance-friendly Latin jazz number to top it off, there is something for everybody on this record. Thankfully today's generation can now enjoy this rarity at a fraction of the cost of an original copy. Presented in its original artwork and pressed on 180g vinyl. Good to know: Alfredo "El Inca" Linares is one of the best and most beloved musicians in the history of salsa. Fans love his piano playing because of his authentic Cuban feel and 'swing' combined with progressive arrangements and uncompromising phrasing that puts one in mind of Eddie Palmieri. As a composer, arranger and band-leader Linares is highly respected as well. Ever since the 1960s in Lima Peru when his career began, his records have always been on point, being super tight, sharp, and hard as hell, what salseros call salsa brava con afinque. It's no surprise that Lo Que Tengo is exactly that: full of rock solid dance floor killers and no filler, played with verve and flair. Unlike some of his other records that were patched together from various sessions made in different studios (sometimes even in several countries!), this album has the advantage of being produced, recorded and mixed by Alfredo Linares all in one studio and block of time, and backed by hand-picked seasoned professionals who Linares had already played with, both in the studio and on stage, lending it a consistency and sonic integrity that is excitingly manifest in every groove. The album was recorded in 1980 in Caracas with some of the cream of the crop of contemporary Venezuelan salsa musicians (members of Mango, Madera, El Trabuco Venezolano, Los Dementes, Los Melódicos, Dimensión Latina, Guaco, and La Salsa Mayor) and launched there on the indie label A.L.G. Records as ¡Con Todo!, and then a year later on the much larger Velvet Records with a different cover. The LP was also released in Colombia (INS, 1982) and the US (Gallo, 1984), both editions utilizing the Velvet Records cover. During this time Linares had been in Venezuela for some five years and was under contract with a nightclub in Caracas. Through being on the salsa scene there he became friends with the band Mango and even guested on an album with them in 1976. After the contract was up Linares was a free agent again and he was able to draw on his friendship with Mango and assemble a band to back him, first for the Colombian/Venezuelan production Salsa de Verdad (Fonodisco, 1976) and then again with ¡Con Todo! / Lo Que Tengo. One of the distinctive aspects of Alfredo Linares tunes is the 'break' (la cierre)-there are always plenty of dramatic hand-clapping breakdowns followed by an infectious tumbao (sustained vamp) section that sends shivers up the spine and makes the dancers go crazy. In addition, Linares always lets his musicians stretch out, especially in the percussion section. Again, Lo Que Tengo is no exception: there are so many examples of typical arrangements here that one could call this a classic Alfredo Linares album, but with the updated studio sound of 1980s Caracas, which was awash in petro-dollars at the time and so had the latest equipment and a strong consumer base for the salsa market. The album's title tune (originally credited on the Venezuelan edition as 'Lo que tengo que crear'-'What I Have To Create') is by Mango's timbalero José "Cheo" Navarro and sums up Linares' central career philosophy: the musician lives every day to create music, to spread joy and create a party, without complications, wherever he goes. With five perfectly paced salsas, one funky cha cha chá, a steamy bolero and a dance-friendly Latin jazz number to top it off (note the bluesy piano solo from Linares and the sublime vibes of Mango's Freddy Roldán), there is something for everybody on this record. Thankfully today's generation can now enjoy this rarity at a fraction of the cost of an original copy.

We Are Vinyl' release - Alice In Chains’ debut album ‘Facelift’ on vinyl. This marks the beginning of a long term plan to reintroduce their vinyl catalogue as the anniversary of each album comes around. Debut studio album released by Columbia Records on August 21st 1990. The tracks "We Die Young", "Man In The Box", "Sea Of Sorrow" and "Bleed The Freak" were all released as singles. "Man In The Box" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal in 1992. 'Facelift' became the first album from the 'grunge' movement to be certified gold on September 11th 1991. A 12 track album which is fully remastered and pressed on double standard black vinyl, with download code. Marketing activity.

First Word Records are extremely proud to welcome aboard Allysha Joy and her first EP

for the label, 'Light It Again'.

Well versed in poetry and performance, Allysha Joy's potent lyricism, unique musicianship and killer vocals have garnered legions of attentive fans the world over. She's an integral member of the Melbourne soul jazz scene, known as part of the acclaimed 30/70 Collective and for her own equally revered solo work.

'Light It Again' is a 4-part expedition across a variety of grooves and deep lyricism that marks a defiant statement of intimacy and hope. Produced and engineered by twice Grammy nominated artist Clever Austin, the EP features accompaniment from an all-star set of Melbourne artists; Horatio Luna, Ziggy Zeitgeist, Danika Smith and Josh Kelly. This EP marks a new sound for the young artist, transmitting her honest and raw expression through the signature crunch and sonic landscape of Clever Austin.

Allysha is already well established across Europe, performing on the live circuit alongside the likes of Sampa the Great, Matthew Halsall, Ezra Collective, Bradley Zero and Children of Zeus, as well as currently hosting two regular radio shows, on Worldwide FM and Reform Radio in Manchester respectively.

Her 2018 debut album 'Acadie : Raw' on Gondwana Records won 'Best Soul Album' at the Music Victoria Awards, was nominated for a Worldwide Award, and featured in many an end-of-year list, including Bandcamp's Top Soul Albums, whilst she's also featured on releases on UK labels such as Rhythm Section, Total Refreshment Centre and now an EP for First Word, 'Light It Again'.

The EP touches on love, shame, mental health, grief & spirituality. 'Watercolours' sets off on a mid-tempo neo-soul jazz tip. Allysha says "I wrote this in the hope that maybe we could all feel the beauty that is present in the every day - in nature, in art, in each one of us mirroring each other so intrinsically. Then maybe we'd all start to live out a message of love."

'Better' follows on an uptempo vibe influenced musically by The Senegambian Jazz Band, who Allysha would watch regularly at Bar Oussou in Melbourne. Lyrically the song explores the external and internal struggles that occur trying to create a more inclusive and compassionate world. "It's about catching myself pointing the finger outwards to challenge social / political systems and certain individuals, then coming to the realisation that I must turn that finger back on myself to ask, "how can I do better, how can I know better?"

Lead track 'Light It Again' begins with Allysha's keys gliding a steppa-like rhythm - head-snap snares and punchy bass accompany ethereal harmonies and delicate vibes on an ever-evolving groove before switching entirely mid-track. This time the subject matter is mental health and "the cycle of addiction and pain, the coping mechanisms that hold us back from reaching our true potential".

The EP closes out with the beautiful 'Mardi'; deep Rhodes, sax and synths build ahead of deliciously slushy percussion and jilted drums. Named for her grandmother, 'Mardi' is a tribute to the spiritual connection they shared before her passing. Allysha writes, "it's about the connective forces of the matriarchal lineage and the drive to step into my own sense of self, in all the beauty and pain which that entails".

Allysha's lyrics weave together a heartfelt mix of love, power, desire, wonder, anger, faith and hope for change. An artist that presents a palette of intricate grace and optimism, whilst unafraid of adding uncomfortable truths. Allysha is an incredibly powerful live performer; her husky vocals sonically synced with her formidable Fender Rhodes playing, whilst her influences are a solid base of jazz, hip hop and R&B; all glazed with the unique special sauce the Melbourne soul scene has become known for globally. A gloriously meditative, raw soul, we are delighted to be able to share her music with you.

'Light It Again' is released on vinyl & digital worldwide, November 20th 2020.

Anané Electrifies With New Version of Dancefloor Classic “Get On The Funk Train”

Known worldwide as one of the New York City’s most vibrant, charismatic and talented producer / DJs, Anané is uniquely positioned to bring light to the 1977 Number 1 Disco Hit “Get On The Funk Train,” originally released by the Munich Machine and produced by the renowned Giorgio Moroder

In addition to being a singer Anané is also DJ with residencies in New York, Ibiza and Naples. She knows how to move the dancefloor and how to elevate the mood of the room from first creating the vibe to getting the crowd into a groove; ultimately taking the dancefloor into full fledged party mode. Her strong and distinctive character can be traced to her experiences growing up in Cabo Verde’s capital city of Praia located on the island of Santiago during a time of extreme political strife, and to her many years of working hard to establish herself in the always competitive music industry. It takes a lot to tackle a classic and make it uniquely your own, but that’s exactly what Anané has accomplished with this fresh and vibrant new version of “Get On The Funk Train.”

With her wealth of talent as a performer, Anané is also highly accomplished as a record label owner. Her Nulu and Nulu Electric imprints over many years have been the source of some of the most played and sought after club bombs in the Afro House genre that is currently in vogue with DJs around the world. Her Nulu Movement line of merchandise represents the stylish, cutting edge fashion vibe of her NYC residency at Le Bain in the Standard Hotel, with designs created by Anané herself.

As befitting an artist so well respected and admired in the community, the producer and remixer team behind this project consists of several of the most legendary and successful producers in the industry. The recording was originally produced by Grammy Award winning producer / artist Louie Vega, one of the world’s premier producers who has the rare distinctive of attaining massive success in multiple genres including House, Freestyle, R&B and just recently he has been focusing on revitalizing the great musical genre known as Disco. The production includes live strings arranged by two of the most highly accomplished members of NYC’s storied musical history Patrick Adams & Leroy Burgess, and electric guitar by Carlos Alomar, formerly David Bowie’s music director. Remixes were supplied by Todd Terry, a man who is known as one of the original New York City based producers who help create the House Music genre that we know today, and by the recently formed production team of Michael Gray and Mark Knight, two of England’s most respected and successful producer / DJs. These two stars of the industry have generated a uniquely groove focused remixer style that has had DJ’s worldwide eagerly waiting each new production.

French-native Malikk debuts on Hot Creations this December with the two- track Heu Como Bailar. The EP continues a busy 2020 that has seen him release on labels such as LouLou Records and Two Many Rules.

The title track sets the tone, with punchy kicks sitting alongside driving hats. An irresistible 4x4 groove acts as the backbone, before the infectious Heu Como Bailar vocal helps whip the beat along. Rounding things off is Got The Body, an unapologetic dancefloor cut that you can’t help but dance to. Up-tempo, hard- hitting and with plenty of obscure-sounding squeaks throughout, the near five-minute number showcases the up-and-coming talent at his best.

White Vinyl

For Intervals, Arndt's chose the family piano to begin the creative process. By placing less importance on the skittering rhythms, which propelled previous Near the Parenthesis collections, Arndt was able to focus more on the instant gratification of sitting down and just playing. These ideas became the back- bone in which he then composed eight tidal tracks, mostly in the early morning hours in his East San Franciso Bay creekside home.
In these sessions, Arndt utilized various synths, and percussion to provide additional depth and atmosphere to the tracks' original skeletal structures. Arndt says of Intervals, "The title has a dual meaning as there has been a decent period of time between my previous album Helical and the release of Intervals, Four years to be exact. This concept of time and the spaces between gives the title its other connotation, which is a nod to musical intervals and the spaces between notes. I think this becomes evident in my use of arpeggiation, which I feel is a grounding motif across the album."
As with many Arndt's Near The Parenthesis works, there is a gentile hopefulness sewn through Intervals forty-minute runtime that provides much-needed solace in such unsettling times.

Torei's self-labeled first release, which mixes the gamut from bass music to house to reggae! The EP was released digitally in March 2020 and is now available on vinyl in a limited edition of 300 copies! A must-listen to Otologic (Animals Dancing) and many other domestic and international DJs already supporting this EP! He started his career in Kyoto in 2014, providing mixes for NTS and Noods radio stations, as well as a podcast series for the UK label Coastal Haze. Torei, now based in Tokyo, launched his own label Set Fire To Me in 2020.

Lazarus recordings is a new label from Kniteforce and KFA long time collaborator and super fan Dj Deluxe. Working with talent new and old he has taken the tried and tested old skool formulas, shaken them up, given them a modern day edge with both sound and production, and unleashed them on the unsuspecting world! The result is an EP that stays firmly old skool in attitude and aesthetic, but is brave enough to step into the future and declare “We are here, hear us!”

Type “Was Joan of Arc” into Google and the suggested endings for this statement give you an accurate gauge of her place in pop culture: “Catholic” / “a nun” / “canonised” / “a prophet” / “French” / “a witch” and so on. Related questions to “What were Joan of Arc’s last words” on the info-sharing site Quora include “Was Joan of Arc bisexual” and “Was Joan of Arc simply crazy?” Everyone seems to agree this person was burned at the stake in 1431, but beyond that, Joan’s narrative is an enigma. It is this lack of definition that the production duo Pillow Queen harnessed for their second release, Burn Me Up. Inverting the image of the devout Christian girl, the Joan who stands as this record’s heroine was a heretic, a transvestite, most definitely a dyke and a hot femme-top at that.

Opening up the A-side, the title track is a call— a battle cry, but also a summoning. In a time of need one calls upon their patrons and elders from history; a DJ beckons and gathers dancers to the floor; prayer and sweat go hand and hand. A traditional Irish bodhrán drum beats out the first rhythms, joined by a steamy vocal sample that gets caught, chopped, and soon “Burns Me Up” is pumping along with organ chords and distorted keys. Pivoting away from the 4/4 format, “Submission” is a textured, downtempo slow-burner, with close-mic’d vocals from Vani-T and the D. Tiffany’s deft drum programming. When the choral pads come in, there’s an echo of the 1990s German worldbeat project Enigma, with its Gregorian chants and flutes laid on top of lounge beats—here, though, the chorus is stripped of kitsch, only driving the track deeper into a mood.

If Burn Me Up’s sequence of tracks is read as a kind of narrative, they seem to tell the story of Joan’s last moments. “Burn Me Up” is, frankly, heat—aggressive, the high-end crackles and the bass puts a pyre under one’s feet. “Submission” is like an exhale, a giving-in to death’s grip; there is, along with the sensuous tread, a melancholy. It only makes sense that one flips the record to “Resurrection”, which rolls in a tremolo’d wail of pitched vocals for 30 seconds before a kick drum begins the 141-BPM march. The percussion is central here, as the track shifts between polyrhythms like a range of resuscitations, varied heartbeats. “Salvation” closes the record, again dialling back the tempo to the deep nod of dub. To no surprise, the scene of redemption here is not one of sunlit cherubs—the church bell sample tolls one strike every few measures of bass-throb and shadow, while Vani-T intones, “Then he lay down and died”. Death can be salvation to some; living as many selves, living in contradiction, is a saving grace to many more.

Nèg Ginen is a song composed by Jean Claude Dorvil on a traditional Nago rhythm (from Benin). Nèg in Haitian creole means “the dude“, “the guy“. It is about pride of being Haitians with solid African roots. As a matter of fact, when we mention Ginen, we talk about Africa. Like the majority of Chouk Bwa’s songs, this one is full of references mentioning Haitian voodoo rituals and spiritual /igures. For instance, Simbi Ganga is a lwa (voodoo spirit) from the Lakou Soukri Danach (voodoo temple) that lives in the water. Wild and brutal when he is chained up, he faithfully represents the Iwa Kongos, notorious for being real party-starters! Kebyesou is an Iwa who lives in the Lakou Souvnans (another temple). He is a royal /igure, like the Dahomey Iwas in general. The voodoo families are, so to speak, all present in this project!

Biography
After a /irst European performance in 2015 at Roskilde Festival leading to many other performances all around Europe, including WOMEX and WOMAD, Haitian traditionnal vodou band Chouk Bwa met the Brussels based duo The Ångströmers in 2016. Their new project combines a renewed dub sensitivity and Haitian rhythm science and spirituality. The ensemble has performed in Haiti and in European festivals including Trans Musicales de Rennes before releasing their /irst album Vodou Alé via Bongo Joe in 2020.
Modular synths and other vintage electronic instruments bring another dimension to Chouk Bwa’s music, although obviously it is always the band’s groove and /luent tempo that leads the energy of the ensemble: no laptops, no drum machines. There are certain freedoms that cannot be coerced. Even more, the electronic instruments are wired directly to the drums that feed them with impacts and caresses. All the Vodou families are there with their many rhythms and songs. Radical Vodou roots for urban audiences.

We’re thrilled to have another legend of the underground on O.C.D. : Alex Martin.

A very well respected mainstay in the Spanish Techno scene, Alex’s career spans 3 decades under different production aliases and releases on seminal labels like F-Com, Klang Elektronik, PIAS, Cosmos Records, Minifunk, Boozoo, Pagoda Recordings, many of which are now sought-after collectors material.

Alex is a very good friend of the label since long and a while ago he shared with us his DAT archives filled with unreleased material from the early years of his career. It took us a while, but we are now ready to give him the rightly deserved space on our Secret Sun series.

This is the first volume of a collection of never heard before music from Alex Martin under some of his several aliases, retrieved from the vaults to be finally made available to the world.

500 COPY LIMITED EDITION ~ INCLUDES 4 INDIVIDUAL FULL SIZE ARTWORK INSERTS. Hyperdub are excited to present our first soundtrack release, Lawrence Lek's score for his debut feature film `AIDOL', which premiered at Sadie Coles HQ in 2019 and has been shown at numerous virtual and physical festivals and exhibitions worldwide. Lawrence Lek is a simulation artist who uses computer-generated animation and video game engines to create films and virtual worlds that play with the language of science fiction, music videos and corporate world building. He has released soundtracks to five of his previous projects, most recently `Temple' OST (Vinyl Factory, 2020). `AIDOL' continues his on-going 'Sinofuturist' cinematic universe, which posits the creative theory that China's technological rise is an emergent form of Artificial Intelligence. `AIDOL' is a CGI fantasy that tells the story of a fading superstar, Diva, who enlists an aspiring AI songwriter to mount a comeback performance at the 2065 eSports Olympic finale. Set in a realm of spectacular architecture, sentient drones and snow-deluged jungles, `AIDOL' revolves around the long and evolving struggle between humanity and Artificial Intelligence; a shifting and seductive virtual reality, punctuated by Diva's songs and the voice of Kode9 as the unforgiving label boss. The soundtrack is a delicate lattice - complex, opaque and entirely synthetic. Diva's yearning vocals - created with a Vocaloid voice synthesiser, sung in English and Mandarin - cast classical melodies over billowing, intricate arrangements. The instrumental tracks, produced with composer Seth Scott, are elegiac and beautiful, hybridising the film score archetype, folding in patterns from game soundtracks, vaporwave, and ambient fourth world music.

Azumah was the coming together of a group of talented young dancer-musicians from Soweto (South Africa) with musician and instrument-maker Smiles Mandla Makama of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland). Long Time Ago is the surprising and enticing, resultant album from 1985, recorded in the house of theatre stalwarts Des and Dawn Lindberg in Johannesburg.

Produced by David Marks (3rd Ear Music, Hidden Years Music Archive Project), Des Lindberg and Smiles Makama, this album takes us back to a priceless musical moment in the dark and wild eighties of apartheid South Africa. Smiles Makama is a gifted and visionary music-maker. He was born in South Africa but grew up in eSwatini, the small kingdom enveloped by South Africa and Mozambique on each side. He tells the story of the process leading to the recording of this remarkable album: “I was invited from Swaziland by a Soweto-based group, Azumah. … One of the members knew that there was a wizard in the mountains in Swaziland, building instruments. As I was in the mountains in my hut and then I saw people arrive. They found me. It all started there.”

Instead of simplistic images of a generic ‘Africanness’ or ‘South Africanness’ and pictures of constructed and exotic ethnic identity, a contemporary, fresh listen to this album encourages an appreciation of the composition and musical skill at play in this music. Few people speak about the individual innovation and experimentation involved in the creation of this music (or the music of Amampondo for instance). “Woza Moya” sticks out as a dark and melancholy creation, different tonally to what has come before, evoking the work of Naná Vasconelos or Don Cherry. One thing that remains the same decades later is that encouraging deeper listening to the sounds of the mbira, the nyunga-nyunga, the uhadi or makhoyane bows is still challenging. Discouraging the superficial, short-lived acknowledgement of this ‘unchanging’, ‘African cultural expression’ is the everlasting hurdle. This is made so much easier by albums like Long Time Ago: when artists create music to be loved and entangled with, to be challenged by, derived from the musical roots and structures of these instruments and then expanded upon with creative freedom, risk, humour and funk.

Azumah did this in 1985 and we have this album again today, newly released, to remind us of that moment and the moments since when musicians have urned inward and done similar. As Smiles has it: “Indigenous music doesn’t fade out. It’s just waiting to be discovered, all the time.”

Tappa Zukie (David Sinclair) born 1955 Kingston,Jamaica actually cut his first record in England,after being sent there aged 17.
He was breaking from his troublesome past that found him running with the rough crowd on the streets of Kingston. On his arrival in sunny Ladbroke Grove London, producer Bunny Lee called him up on stage at a local dance to sing a tune. Impressed with the results fellow producer Larry Lawrence got the young Tappa in the studio the very next day and cyt 'Jump and Twist'.
This led to cutting his 'Man I Warrior' album,but somewhat disillusioned and homesick he returned to Jmaica shortly afterwards.
But this venture in the Uk was to pay dividends,seeing his 'I Man Warrior' album receive great reviews on its release.
We have collected together some great lost treasures and some alternative cuts to some of Tappa'sbetter known releases.
Mr Zukie, DJ/Toaster/Producer Roll the tape one more time if you please.......

Dynamic Sounds Studio has its roots firmly set in Jamaica’s history. It was the first state of the art studio built in Kingston, Jamaica and a firm favourite with all the topflight homespun artists. Bob Marley chose to record the bulk of his seminal 'Catch A Fire' album there and many foreign musicians trying to catch some of that reggae magic and emulate that sound have beaten a path to its doors. As you will see the studio had a history already of its own, that was carved out before it became the aptly named Dynamic Sounds.

Originally named WIRL Studio's (West Indies Records Limited), it was set up initially to record Jamaica's versions of the American Rhythm and Blues tunes that were proving so popular  on the island. It was started back in 1958 by Political leader Edward Seaga an astute businessman, who had many interests around the island including clubs and bars. As the R & B music evolved into its own styles from Mento into Ska, one of its main protagonists Byron Lee and his band the Dragonaires would be at the forefront and be seen as ambassadors to the cause. Edward Seaga would choose the band to head the 1964 World’s Fair and take them to New York to showcase the Jamaican Ska Music. His political ambitions leading the American friendly JLP (Jamaican Labour Party) against the Cuban inspired PNP (People's National Party), would see him cutting back his other interests and lead to the selling of WIRL, lock stock and barrel to Byron Lee. On taking over the business he renamed it Dynamic Sounds and extended it to include not only a top of the range recording studio but a pressing plant to distribute the new hot sounds of the day directly to the streets of Jamaica. The address would also change to 15 Bell Road, it's old address No 13, seemingly too unlucky for such a fine establishment.

The studio has become part of the Jamaican culture and each twist and turn in its musical story has been caught and recorded here. We get on board when the music had slowed down to the reggae skank that we now know and love. We have picked some fine cuts that we feel best represent the times. The rhythms are pushed to the fore and the great Sylvan Morris a much-underrated studio master, always came up with some interesting effects to enhance the version cuts. A fine time in reggae's history caught at one of Jamaica's finest studios. Dynamic Sounds from a Dynamic Studio.....

* Modern day classc roots reggae vocal set from England-based female singer Donette Forte.
* A criminally under-recorded artist with only handful of recordings to her name, including three 45’s already released by Partial and featured on this LP: `Jah See and Know’. `Homeward Bound’ and `Time For a Change’.
* `Wilderness’, produced by Rej Forte was originally released on the Jah Works label 1991 and has been out of print ever since.
* This reissue features two additional dub versions which were not featured on the original release.
* Limited to 500 copies only.

The mantra from day one has been striking a balance between the nightlife sound system and the living room listening experience. Time Capsule celebrates ten years of this ethos in a gorgeous 10x7" boxset.

Smoove & Turrell have never been scared of a gamble or two and over the course of their career, and their latest album - 'Stratos Bleu' marked some of the biggest stylistic changes to date. Though long lauded as one of the UK's top bands in funk and soul circles, their album was a decidedly rawer analogue affair drawing on influences as diverse as Detroit techno, Bristol bass as well as the party starting breakbeat funk they are so well known for.
Hitting #1 position in the Official UK Dance Charts on release week and grabbing the Album of the Day accolade from BBC 6 Music proved the band were entirely right. Given the strength of the source material it was only right to issue a remixes album on the project and there was no shortage of producers lining up to get involved.

Dance luminaries including Ray Mang, Ashley Beedle, Steve Cobby and Fouk all signed on immediately. So it, made sense to put together their fine interpretations on a disco house focused vinyl. This 4-track ep also includes the outstanding acid house rework of the band's album favorite 'E.P.' by newcomers Rayka.

Midnight Operators is back with its second release, which is also the first vinyl to be released on this imprint. Dominik Marz has his label debut with a solid four-tracker, delivering his signature blend of Avantgarde House and Indie Dance.

A1

Dominik Marz blends melancholic arpeggios and gloomy pads with a rock-solid groove to what is the title track of his four-track vinyl debut on Midnight Operators.


A2

A driving baseline and howling synths already are a match made in heaven, but Dominik Marz manages to take the track up a notch when he brings in distorted leads together slightly shuffled percussion.



B1

Dominik Marz opens with straightforward percussive and melodic elements immediately catch the listeners' attention, only to surprise him when he intertwines these with another harmonic layer and triplet rhythmic elements.



B2

This track comes with wonky pads and a haunty aura, slowly building up tension and eeriness. Dominik Marz manages to maintain this particularly blood-curdling atmosphere, despite the backbone of a catchy groove and steady baseline.

Sharpen, Moving celebrates five years of the Timedance imprint, blending the labels original aesthetic and opening it up into new corners of leftfield club music. Artists featuring include the regular faces of Batu, Bruce, Ploy and Metrist, alongside newcomers Kit Seymour, Akiko Haruna and Mang x GRAŃ. Timedance also welcomes techno royalty Peter Van Hoesen with one of his most broken tracks to date, plus new appearances from Patina Echoes contributors Via Maris, Cleyra and Nico.
The compilation showcases Timedance's evolution from 'Bristol techno' to a more global conscious sound, incorporating energies from different scenes and synthesising them into new modern forms.

Following the extraordinary response to the online streaming event in July, audiences will have another chance to experience Idiot Prayer: Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace as it screens in cinemas globally via Trafalgar Releasing from 5 November. The cinematic release of this remarkable and compelling film will be followed by an album on 20 November, available on vinyl, CD and streaming services worldwide.

Idiot Prayer: Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace was recorded in June 2020 as the UK slowly emerged from lockdown, and was conceived as a reaction to the confinement and isolation of the preceding months. Initially imagined as an online only event, fans will now be able to see the film in cinemas as an extended cut featuring four unseen performances.
Two weeks later on 20 November, the music will be released as a double album of the same name featuring all 22 songs from the original film on vinyl, CD and streaming.
In Idiot Prayer, Cave plays his songs alone at the piano in a rarely seen stripped back form, from early Bad Seeds and Grinderman, right through to the most recent Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds album, Ghosteen.

The performance was filmed by award winning Cinematographer Robbie Ryan (The Favourite, Marriage Story, American Honey) in Alexandra Palace’s stunning West Hall. It was edited by Nick Emerson (Lady Macbeth, Emma, Greta). The music was recorded by Dom Monks.
Idiot Prayer is the fourth film that Nick Cave has released in collaboration with Trafalgar Releasing, following 2018's Distant Sky - Live in Copenhagen directed by David Barnard, 2016's One More Time With Feeling directed by Andrew Dominik and 2014's award winning 20,000 Days on Earth directed by Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard.

Live at Alexandra Palace, 2020

A lucid dream meeting of synth waves, aquatic jazz spirits and drum-triggered electronics.'Linha D'Água'translates as 'water lines', fitting for an album that traces boundaries between water and air through an echo chamber of dizzying oceanic layers and free flowing ideas.

This is not a record based on genres. It's an album that navigates through atmospheres, through explorations and discoveries, through curiosity and dialogue. The eight tracks were recorded in a single day in the studio, but it is the result of more than two years of collaborations.

Mauricio Takara and Carla Boregas are two towering figures of the Brazilian underground/experimental scene, where they provide the rhythm section for demented genre-bending trio Rakta. While that band is all ritual percussion and red-blooded passion, as a duo they're a blue-water flowing counterpoint. From the drums, Takara fires melodies and, with the synthesizer, Carla sculpts the sound. The result iscaught somewhere between abstract improvisation and propulsive rhythm. Each song's an organic layering of manipulated synthesizers and acoustic sounds; teasing new rhythms from the drum kit via MIDI (and a near-telekinetic bond between Carla and Mauricio).

Sometimes'Linha D'Água'driftsclosest to ambient music, as in the title track, in 'Mãe D'Ouro' and 'Bocca Chiusa'; sometimes it runs into free jazz, as in 'Traçado Entre Duas Linhas'. There are moments when Carla and Mauricio explore a universe of tension that comes closest to the cosmic music of 70s Germany, as in 'Rosa de Areia' and 'Constante de Distância'; in others they evoke the metallic sounds of Indonesian gamelan (on 'Execution').

Carla Boregas is a founding member of the band Rakta, which started in 2011. She co-founded Auta, a DIY space dedicated to adventurous music in São Paulo hosting artists like Feminine Hi-Fi and Deafkids. She is also part of the transdisciplinary duo Fronte Violeta.

Mauricio Takara also plays drums/percussion with the bands Hurtmold and São Paulo Underground (with trumpeter Rob Mazurek from Chicago). Takara has played with a dizzying array of improv / experimental / jazz figures such as Pharoah Sanders, Damo Suzuki, Yusef Lateef, Joe Lally (Fugazi), Naná Vasconcelos, Prefuse 73, Makoto Kawabata and more.

Klinika003 - The Silver Lining EP - is coming soon, and will be delivered by Frankfurt-based techno head Cloak.
Cloak is very well known for his party series Void and Rebis and managing a small cafe bar in Frankfurt's redlight district.
After his first release in 2015 on Anselm's Unequal Records, where his style was a lot more broken beat-oriented, he's now coming over with definitely faster, metallic driven and more four-on-the-floor rooted beats and dithers in between industrial and classic techno. All tracks are an ode to analog production gear and non-compromising dance floor-oriented!.
Enjoy

Releasing a full EP on Metalheadz for a third year in a row, it's safe to say Jem One is now a firm and ardent member of the label family.

For 'The Rain EP' the Midlands based producer makes his Platinum debut bearing 6 finely crafted tracks with 3 making the vinyl cut once again. Throughout, there's an innate ability to create music that fully resonates with the Metalheadz of the past, present and future, placing Jem One in an inimitable position for the years to come.

Dark Green Marbled Vinyl

One town, three times of the day, a triarchy of Techno music, rolling into the deep – coming as green marbled vinyl with an exclusively designed festival wristband!
Rico Puestel rears a monument to his growing-up-town „Uslar“ with three different approaches on this second part of the home-loving „Solling“ series that dig deep into a downscaled and natural framework of sound (all recorded and produced right at that place).

The initiation ritual on A1 with Uslar at 6'23 in the morning starts off with an actual electric guitar theme, originally recorded back in 2003, that builds the foundation hub to one crisp and point-blank Techno-Electro ceremony. The clean minimalistic sound will showcase all the details of any structure within while one's certainly getting caught by the overall force of melodic attraction like the sun working its path through the misty valleys.

At 13'35 noon, a rising rhythmical and progressive interpretation of the initial morning sounds makes an appearance on the flipside that doesn't allow much time to leap right into the centre of the da(y)nce, immediately creating the guesswork where side AA is leading all along.
The evening hours at 21'55 then take a flying leap into the mystical peak of the whole process, taking the morning sounds from side A into some uneasy realms and sceneries, prevailed by an almost voodoo-like momentum and a dance into the depths of its surrounding woods that will coherently dignify 90's loop Techno par excellence.

This fourth record on Exhibition is and feels right here and right now, paying tribute to the past and many different streams of Techno while cherishing a future that has yet to be written, celebrating the

"I have been in love with the Detroit sound of techno since forever, so when I discovered Subradeon, I was immediately struck by the soul and energy of their music. I have been lucky enough to get to know Giuseppe and Salvatore over the last year and so it was always a dream for me to have them release a record together on Sous. Now this is happening, I couldn't be more excited. They have made three spectacularly good tracks that I know will last forever in my heart, and hopefully in yours too" opens Anja.
Sous has been drip feeding us top line releases all year long, despite the world coming to a standstill, Anja believes that continuing to release music is important to keep spirits high. She has been showcasing some of the newer talent from around the globe alongside some household names including Marcus Suckut, Fort Romeau and Mella Dee to the last release from Italian duo Reform.
October brings Subradeon. Hailed as the new school of the techno scene, they might have grown up in the Neapolitan underground scene, but their sound has become a melting pot of influences from their current home town of Berlin and the duo's self- confessed spiritual home of Detroit.
Giuseppe Salone and Salvatore Lannotta deliver their debut release 'Breaking Down Borders' on Sous, compromising of their characteristic raw soul, profound meaning and energetic purpose. This package includes a remix from Techno pioneer Stephen Brown (Djax Records, Transmat, Music Man).