Buscar:masters at work

Produced by Masters At Work (Kenny Dope and Louie Vega).

'Collaboration is stimulating, it's in my blood.' Thus speaks Brian Jackson and his philosophy for making music and it's indeed collaboration that runs through this amazing album of reimagined and revisited songs from his artistic past. Featuring artists such as Black Thought, Rahsaan Patterson, Josh Milan, Moodymann, Omar, J. Ivy and others and being produced by Masters At Work, Now More Than Ever takes the enduring classic tracks that Brian made with Gil Scott-Heron and places them in the now over nineteen tracks and across a triple vinyl LP or double CD.

Songs such as Lady Day & John Coltrane, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Home Is Where The Hatred Is, Winter In America, The Bottle and more soundtracked a generational movement of Black Consciousness in the 70s and 80s. As Brian says, 'This album is one way to connect to what we were about in the 70s; we were about change and this is part of the lineage of resistance. These tracks mark a period of time when resistance was essential and now a younger generation has picked them up.'

'As young men in their twenties we (Brian and Gil) just wrote about what we saw and were feeling and people interpreted these songs in ways we never thought about but as Sly stone said the song comes from me but it's for you.' This statement from Brian perfectly sums up the collaborative nature of Now More Than Ever and the relevance of these songs in a contemporary perspective can be perfectly summed up by the songs themselves. The formidable stable of artists contributing to each track and the excellent production from Louie Vega and Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez make this album an event in itself. However, these songs are there to be enjoyed as a canon or as individual masterpieces, whether on the dancefloor or on a home system. ‘Now More Than Ever’ just has to be in everybody’s music collection.

Les Rallizes Dénudés returns with Disque 4 -’76 Studio et Live-, the latest in the ongoing series of official archival releases from the celebrated Japanese underground band.

In 1991, Les Rallizes Dénudés released what would become the only official albums issued during the band’s lifetime: ’67-’69 STUDIO et LIVE, MIZUTANI / Les Rallizes Dénudés, and ’77 LIVE. What no one knew at the time was that Takashi Mizutani was already deep into preparing another record.

Disque 4 reconstructs the track list Mizutani had put together for that fourth album. This includes the single “White Awakening," recorded in 1976 at the studio in Takadanobaba BIG BOX as part of the sessions that would become known among collectors as the “Virgin Demos.” Production and mastering of this archival release were handled once again by Makoto Kubota, assembling the album from the masters left behind by Mizutani, utilizing newly discovered tapes as additional sources.

Prepared by Mizutani using a variety of formats, including U-Matic, open reel, and DAT, the tracks were originally labeled with working titles such as “Disque 4” and “Record No. 4,” indicating that Mizutani intended them for inclusion on a possible fourth album. The recordings were taken primarily from studio sessions that all seemed to have taken place around 1976, which aligns with the claim that Mizutani himself once made that “there exists an album of studio recordings made with the same members as ‘77 LIVE.” His notes also suggest an attempt to sequence the tracks as a vinyl LP, splitting them into A and B sides. It's not hard to imagine that in the era of CDs in the early 1990s, an album on analog LP would have been an extremely difficult sell. Thus, the “Fourth Album” had become another lost piece of the intricate Rallizes myth.

Les Rallizes Dénudés may be notorious for the colossal volume and extended song lengths in their live settings. But this work, centered around studio recordings and condensed onto a single LP record, transcends the common impression of the band’s aggressive flood of noise. Instead, the “lyricism” at its core emerges with striking clarity. And needless to say, this is precisely the charm of the Rallizes that continues to captivate fans worldwide today.

The second installment of The Tape Masters series by German film music maestro Peter Thomas. Audiophile pressing in deluxe 2x10" vinyl set, limited to 500 copies.
While volume one of the series compiled Thomas' dopest library music cuts, this album dives deep into the soulful side of the Peter Thomas Sound Orchester, featuring the mystique house band of Afro-American Munich GI club Tabarin Bar, Donna Summer's first solo recordings, stunning cinematic funk instrumentals and a healthy amount of breaks and beats.

Out of the 20 scorching tunes on this compilation, only three were released at the time of their recording and are nearly impossible to find on the 2ndhand market, ten have never been released anywhere before, others celebrate their first outing on vinyl or in stereo.

Peter Thomas is widely acknowledged as Germany's most inventive film music composer of the 1960s and 1970s, best known for his iconic soundtracks. Today, his work is cherished not least for its incredible groove factor. The story of this compilation traces the origins of the Peter Thomas Sound Orchester's rhythm section and its soul music background, shines a light on unsung heroes like singer Joe Quick and unearthes nuggets that have been lying dormant on tape for decades.

All music was carefully transferred from Peter Thomas' private master tapes and cut in full dynamics, housed in a beautiful fold-out cover with liner notes and private pictures. The compilation is released in cooperation with Peter Thomas' son Philip who represents the Peter Thomas Sound Orchester catalogue since his father's passing in 2020.

Grammy award-winning titan of dance music Purple Disco Machine joins the illustrious list of Defected House Masters with a celebratory compilation. The German producer, DJ and global household name Tino Pointek, AKA Purple Disco Machine, is the blueprint for what makes a successful dance music artist in the modern age; respected on the underground scene while achieving major crossover success with remixes for the likes of Sir Elton John, Dua Lipa and Mark Ronson. The crate digging kingpin of house and disco first landed on Defected over a decade ago, and has since delivered remixes of iconic tracks like Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’ and the London label’s top tracks including Shakedown’s ‘At Night’ and ‘Coma Cat’ by Tensnake – as well as striking originals like ‘Beat Fantasy’. From edits of the classics to remixes of the modern, as well as uplifting originals, Purple Disco Machine has birthed a distinct sound that is instantly recognisable, one that is not afraid to reference or not reference and is always bursting with joy. Across Defected presents House Masters: Purple Disco Machine, the full breadth of the iconic German selector’s sound is felt from the 2019 smash hit ‘Dished (Male Stripper)’ to deep cuts like his re-work of Fallout’s ‘The Morning After’ as well as remixes of legendary tracks like ‘Lola’s Theme’ by The Shapeshifters and Spiller’s ‘Groovejet’ featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Defected presents House Masters: Purple Disco Machine is here to showcase the sound of a bona fide electronic maverick in full.

Nicaraguan-American artist Dagmar Zuniga makes music that feels both intimate and expansive: songs drift like disrupted signals, carried by harmony, tape hiss, and a strong sense of touch. Her debut solo album in filth your mystery is kingdom / far smile peasant in yellow music — written and recorded in New York, Norway, and Athens, Georgia over a period of five years on her longtime companion, the Tascam 424 — was uploaded to Bandcamp and YouTube in January 2025, quickly garnering over two hundred thousand views and the attention of artists such as Mount Eerie, who invited her to tour with them that summer. This year, what was once a jewel of tapped-in algorithms and message boards will meet the world at large, with in filth arriving digitally on March 4, and physically on April 10, via AD 93.

in filth is an atmospheric, devotional collage where one voice multiplies into a chorus of selves, sometimes delicate, sometimes severe; an effect created by Zuniga’s masterful layering of texture and complex harmonies. Synths glitter out like spears of sunlight from beneath clouds of moody, time-distorted guitars, and songs spin about themselves like tightly-wound music boxes, making use of a kind of hypnotic repetition, before melting apart into their components or slipping into the following track.

Zuniga began recording to tape as a teenager, drawn to the physicality of the medium — how a tape recording is fragile, mutable, and alive. Though her ethereal sound may draw easy comparisons to other female pioneers of psychedelic folk, she is influenced just as much by the darker sounds of Syd Barrett and The Fall. Like Barrett, Zuniga is a painter, and she is interested not only in recording music but in creating a full, self-contained artistic universe: she creates her own artwork, merchandise, music videos, and bootleg tapes of new and unfinished music that she exclusively sells at live shows (“If something is not material, it does not exist,” she insists). Her world has not gone unvisited, garnering her a monthly show on NTS Radio ‘World of Pain’, as well as a forthcoming appearance at Rewire Festival in April 2026.

Though Zuniga’s work explores themes of solitude and suffering, the suffering in her songs is not borrowed or displayed; it is held, then opened outward through empathy — an exacting practice of attention that insists on shared ground. Solitude, in her work, is not withdrawal but a starting point for connection. Likewise, over time, her recording process has become increasingly communal, with in filth featuring musicians Hayes Hoey, Austyn Wohlers (Tomato Flower), and Zach Phillips (Fievel Is Glauque). Newer recordings widen the circle even more. For Zuniga, collaboration is a way to “find a place between worlds,” echoing Badiou’s idea of love as a vision refracted through the prism of difference. Meaning emerges there — in the space between voices, between artist and listener. “I hope my music helps people work through difficult experiences,” she says. “The same way it helps me.”

Silicon Scally and Fleck E.S.C. need no introduction at this stage. Both artists are veterans not just of Sheffield's Central Processing Unit label but of modern electro as a whole, with the pair having decades of skin in the game at this point. Their new release, a four-track EP entitledSlipwhere Silicon Scally handles the first half and Fleck E.S.C. the second, carries itself with the adventurous confidence of a record made by masters of their craft.

Slipopener 'Phased Array' is exactly the kind of top quality machine-funk tackle you'd expect from this meeting of minds. The beat programming is deliciously tactile from the off, hissing and clanking like machinery in an old Detroit factory. The feel of 'Phased Array' is altered, though, when the chords come in, a series of alternating floating sounds which give the track an altogether eerier feel. When all of this is coupled with the otherworldly synth blurts that periodically force their way to the front of the track, the overall effect is a piece of real depth assembled by an expert practitioner.

'Phased Array' is followed up by 'Stax', another brilliantly propulsive number. Here we find the drum beat - one which is a little reminiscent of that Kraftwerk tune about the numbers, no less - once more offset by some decidedly more shadowy synth work, all while arpeggiated keyboard licks work against an intricate web of basslines, chords and unidentifiable flying synth tones.

Fleck E.S.C. opens theSlipB-side with 'Good Ride', a number where the nudge-wink title is borne out by a track built around looped snippets of sighing vocals. That said, with a bassline that sounds like a blurting old landline telephone, a ghoulish synth lead and all manner of motion-sick breakdowns, the 'ride' in question could just as well be aWipeout-style whizz through hyperspace as anything more suggestive. 'Good Ride' also sets itself apart from the other joints here by showing off a swaying halftime breakdown.

'Intox Remedy',Slip's closer, wraps the EP in a manner which continues some of the trends of the record's earlier tracks - richly tuneful chords, precision-engineered broken beat drum programming and a wide palette of delightfully unusual synth tones are all present and correct. However, there is also something about the chords here which pares back the eeriness of previous joints for a bit more of a wide-eyed, stargazing feel, and as such 'Intox Remedy' sees the record out by placing the listener firmly back in the cosmos.

Tough enough for the dancefloor and intricate enough for home listening, theSlipEP is a fabulous collaboration from two of the most respected voices in the electro game.

BIG reissue for a BIG record!

Support from Gilles Peterson, Natasha Diggs, Osunlade, Rich Medina, Skratch Bastid, Bobbito Garcia, DJ Koco aka Shimokita, and GUTS ( Heavenly Sweetness ), amongst many others!

This is a landmark release from Maleet, the Northern NJ Producer, originally signed to Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez's ( Masters at Work ) label in the early 2000's

Now fresh off of a feature on the latest TEYMORI ( Amin Payne ) LP, Maleet creates his own blend of Afro-Cuban Orisha based music and Soulful House with vibrant live instrumentation

Synthesizers, Fender Rhodes, Percussion and Horns are the chosen ingredients here, while the thumping drums communicate directly with the Highest energies above! The results are songs that lift your spirit and move your body, simultaneously

Right on time for the season, these songs will be populating dance floors around the globe, through the Summer and beyond

Two dance floor heaters, one direct link to the HIGHEST!

A GOOD FUN record, the new album from Lipphead – aka the collaborative NYC duo consisting of the producer Tony Simon (Blockhead) and Eliot Lipp – will be the group’s 3rd official full- length, having released the first two records via Detroit’s Young Heavy Soul label.

Lipphead’s music occupies the sweet spot between Blockhead’s groovy, sample-based hip- hop and Eliot Lipp’s upbeat electronic funk. The duo have performed live at select festivals throughout North America and are booked to tour this album, 17 dates in the US starting right after release, April 3rd. European/UK festivals are confirmed in the summer and are waiting to be announced.

The internationally renowned NYC producer Tony Simon—aka Blockhead—has released 15 albums over the past 15 years, including four acclaimed records for Ninja Tune and numerous production jobs including notable works with Aesop Rock. He is regarded as one of the modern masters of instrumental hip-hop and has more recently been releasing music on other platforms like Future Archive Recordings and Backwoodz Studios.

Eliot Lipp is an electronic musician based in Brooklyn, New York. His work was picked up by Scott Herren of Prefuse 73 (Warp Records) after Herren heard him working the club circuit. In 2004, Lipp released his first studio album, S/T, with Eastern Developments Music, a label owned by Warp Records. Lipp has also released music with Pretty Lights Music and his own label Old Tacoma Records.

“Our process for this album was very much "Take this, and add to it" . We both made beats and sent them to the other to add things to. Eliot would generally start the arrangement process and then I'd come in and give my two cents. Gotta say, these Lipphead albums generally come together seamlessly . We definitely have a simple flow and method as to how we create things together, even though the "together" part comes at the end.” - Blockhead

“This is definitely the goofiest record so far. I imagine Lipphead did a little too much doomscrolling between ‘From The Back’ and this one, based on all the meme samples sprinkled throughout.

One difference this time around was that we made way more music than what ended up coming out. It was tough to figure out how to fit it all on one LP, we’ll definitely have some leftovers to drop later on.” - Eliot Lipp

A GOOD FUN record, the new album from Lipphead – aka the collaborative NYC duo consisting of the producer Tony Simon (Blockhead) and Eliot Lipp – will be the group’s 3rd official full- length, having released the first two records via Detroit’s Young Heavy Soul label.

Lipphead’s music occupies the sweet spot between Blockhead’s groovy, sample-based hip- hop and Eliot Lipp’s upbeat electronic funk. The duo have performed live at select festivals throughout North America and are booked to tour this album, 17 dates in the US starting right after release, April 3rd. European/UK festivals are confirmed in the summer and are waiting to be announced.

The internationally renowned NYC producer Tony Simon—aka Blockhead—has released 15 albums over the past 15 years, including four acclaimed records for Ninja Tune and numerous production jobs including notable works with Aesop Rock. He is regarded as one of the modern masters of instrumental hip-hop and has more recently been releasing music on other platforms like Future Archive Recordings and Backwoodz Studios.

Eliot Lipp is an electronic musician based in Brooklyn, New York. His work was picked up by Scott Herren of Prefuse 73 (Warp Records) after Herren heard him working the club circuit. In 2004, Lipp released his first studio album, S/T, with Eastern Developments Music, a label owned by Warp Records. Lipp has also released music with Pretty Lights Music and his own label Old Tacoma Records.

“Our process for this album was very much "Take this, and add to it" . We both made beats and sent them to the other to add things to. Eliot would generally start the arrangement process and then I'd come in and give my two cents. Gotta say, these Lipphead albums generally come together seamlessly . We definitely have a simple flow and method as to how we create things together, even though the "together" part comes at the end.” - Blockhead

“This is definitely the goofiest record so far. I imagine Lipphead did a little too much doomscrolling between ‘From The Back’ and this one, based on all the meme samples sprinkled throughout.

One difference this time around was that we made way more music than what ended up coming out. It was tough to figure out how to fit it all on one LP, we’ll definitely have some leftovers to drop later on.” - Eliot Lipp

Special Friend have become the masters of weaving elegant and sophisticated pop musical webs while staying true to their low-fi indiepop roots. The French/American duo (Guillaume on guitar and vocals, Erica on drums and vocals) manage to create a sound like no other band. When they play live, audiences marvel at the huge, intricate structures the band construct, while falling in love with the crystal-clear vocal melodies that are threaded in between the shards of guitar and the rattle of the drums. How can a duo achieve so much? UK audiences will be able to ponder this question in March: Special Friend are coming over from France to do a substantial tour of the UK. These shows are highly recommended!
The new album is more diverse that the last, with the high-tempo indiepop of first single ‘Breakfast’, the majestic, Yo La Tengo-like dreampop of ‘Clipping’ and the country-ish, gentle, homesick melancholy of ‘Isolation’. Final track ‘OOO’ is a bold piece of Krautrock-inspired experimentation; ‘Mold’ is a beautiful slice of slowcore and opener ‘Paint A Picture’ is modern pop at its catchiest and most direct.

‘Clipping’, the album title, refers to the discipline of pruning growth back, removing dead wood to create a perfectly shaped tree with abundant blossoms: an accurate description of the album, and of the songs that hang from its elegant branches. The album artwork is by Erica: Special Friend are in control of every aspect of this elegant artefact.
‘Clipping’ was recorded in 2025 at Studio Claudio by Alexis Fugain and Margaux Bouchaudon. Set in an isolated rural environment conducive to immersion, the band had seven days in the studio—significantly more than for previous records—allowing for greater care in the recording process, particularly for vocals and arrangements. Several tracks feature synthesizers and organs, acoustic guitar, and even an electric bass on “Sanctuary,” a first for Special Friend. Overall, the record benefits from a more developed and detailed production while preserving the band’s direct approach and spontaneity.

The album was mixed by Syd Kemp, who has worked with artists such as Thurston Moore, Ulrika Spacek, Caroline, Crack Cloud, and Vanishing Twin.
Special Friend’s previous album on Skep Wax, ‘Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In’ was an underground hit, with a significant amount of airplay in the UK and in the US.
‘Clipping’ is a co-release with Howlin Banana Records and Hidden Bay Records (both in France). Skep Wax is proud to present the album in the UK and in North America.

The breakthrough album. Enrico Rava's second solo record, recorded in Milan in January 1973 and released on the German BASF label, is nothing less than a cornerstone of Italian jazz-rock - the record that caught Manfred Eicher's attention and opened the doors to ECM. Rava himself has called it his breakthrough, and history proved him right.

The lineup is killer: John Abercrombie on guitar, Bruce Johnson on bass, Chip White on drums. Four musicians operating at the absolute peak of early seventies fusion energy - electric, cosmopolitan, burning with that particular fire that only existed in that brief window when jazz met rock and nobody knew the rules yet. Abercrombie, already on his way to becoming one of the most distinctive voices in electric jazz guitar, delivers some of his most ferocious early work here. White's drumming is relentless, pushing the music forward with an intensity that never lets up.

If Miles' Bitches Brew-era speaks to you, if Ian Carr's Nucleus gets you moving, if you know Sun Ra's Lanquidity and Don Cherry's Relativity Suite by heart - this is essential listening. Rava's vision was already fully formed: South American rhythms, Mediterranean warmth, free jazz ferocity, rock power - all flowing together without borders or categories. By the early seventies, Rava had absorbed everything - the New Thing, the European free scene, the electric revolution coming out of Miles' studio - and forged something entirely his own.

The seven tracks cover serious ground. "Bunny's Pie" introduces the music with an almost cosmic atmosphere of suspense, hovering in that liminal space before it trails off into the up-tempo vibrant frenzy of "Trial N. 5" - Abercrombie and Rava trading swirling solos at full intensity, the rhythm section locked in tight. "Dimenticare Stanca" moves from Rava's expressive balladic intro into pure funk, guitar and trumpet steering over the rhythmic drive with absolute confidence. The title track carries the lyrical feel and cadence of an Incan-Peruvian folksong - that cosmopolitan spirit made audible. "Fluid Connection" rides a funky bass riff into fusion heaven, with standout trumpet and guitar solos that build and release with perfect tension. "Cheerin' Cherry" pays homage to the great Don Cherry - Rava's spiritual mentor and fellow traveler in world music - exploring a North African soundscape that points toward the global jazz to come. Johnson's "Peace" closes the album with a minute and a half of serene, blissful calm - a moment of stillness after the storm.

This audiophile reissue - cut from the original masters, pressed by Pallas in Germany on 180gm vinyl, housed in a thick laminated hand-glued gatefold - does full justice to an album that remains a collector's holy grail.

Don't sleep on this one. Limited Edition.

Repress

Well. Where do we start with 'Deep Inside' Originally released in the golden NYC House era of 1993, this 5 tracker literally smashed everything in sight. And still does now! The epitome of an evergreen, all-time classic release. Masters At Work Louie Vega and Kenny Dope were on a major roll in this era, producing, remixing, dj-ing and everything in-between, these guys put in ridiculous work. They are joined on this EP by a roll-call of names and collaborators, Erick Morillo engineering the title track Check. Maurice Joshua on co-production duties You got it. Vocals by Ms. Barbara tucker They're there. Killer, rock hard drums Stacks of Soul Masterfully chopped up Disco samples All present. Serious stuff. Sometimes a record just manages to capture and distill the true essence of what this is all about and 'Deep Inside' is one such record, it bears all the hallmarks of golden era MAW, all the signposts of what was happening in NYC's clubs in the early to mid 90's were there within it's grooves. You know a record is good when it's still being, quite literally, hammered nearly 25 years later! Now, remastered, and reissued with the full involvement of Strictly Rhythm this seminal piece of NYC House history is made available again with all original, full sleeve artwork intact as per the 1993 original. This one's a straight up essential for any self-respecting dance aficionado. You know what to do!

Remastered and cut at 45 RPM, using a one step process for the highest fidelity. First batch of 300 are available now.The Break of Dawn marks the debut full-length from Japan's Blue In Green, a composer and guitarist whose work quietly bridges bossa nova, jazz, and hip- hop. Originally released in 2011, this newly remastered edition presents 11 tracks with unhurried rhythms, gentle piano and guitar lines, subtle horns, and warm analog tones, creating an atmosphere that feels both sophisticated and inviting -- perfect for late nights, slow mornings, or lazy summer afternoons.One step records stand out from regular vinyl by simplifying the traditional three step process down to just one.

With fewer steps, there's less loss along the way, giving these pressings high fidelity sound and a more lifelike listening experience.Mastered by Mark DannLacquers Cut by Misjah@24MasteringManufactured by MobinekoMetal Processing by FutonekoTaken from the original digital masters, remastered to tape, and cut to lacquers from digital files.

EP2 Limited 2 x 12" Vinyl & Digital Release The second digital and vinyl EP from Brian Jackson and Masters At Work’s highly anticipated ‘Now More Than Ever’ project is a masterclass in soulful innovation, musical legacy, and collaborative excellence. Carefully curated and expertly packaged for true fans, this release brings together extended versions and rare cuts that were simply too expansive, deep, and powerful to fit on the forthcoming triple LP — but far too important not to be heard. The double pack also includes the title track off the forthcoming album ‘Now More Than Ever’, a brand-new, never-before-heard track birthed organically during the energy and creative momentum of the recording sessions. It stands as a testament to the spontaneous brilliance of Jackson, MAW and their collaborators, capturing a moment of pure musical inspiration. The EP features seven tracks, including reimagined and extended versions of classics such as Kenlou Cult Classic ‘Moonshine’, Jackson and Heron’s ‘Lady Day and John Coltrane’, and ‘Home Is Where the Hatred Is’, plus a deep focus on ‘Racetrack in France’ — first recorded by Brian Jackson and Gil Scott-Heron in 1977 for their landmark Bridges album. Highlights include: The MAW (Masters at Work) Live Mix of ‘Moonshine’, featuring former Midnight Band/Amnesia Express multi-instrumentalist Carl Cornwell on saxophone. A sprawling 12" version of ‘Home Is Where the Hatred Is’ — a jazz-fuelled dancefloor reinterpretation blending political fire with sonic elegance. The 12” version of ‘Lady Day and John Coltrane’, featuring Rahsaan Patterson’s soulful vocal performance set against a lush, cinematic arrangement. A masterful reworking of ‘Racetrack in France’ featuring legends Josh Milan, J. Ivy, and Moodymann, each bringing their distinct voice and flavour to this seminal piece. The instrumental version is also included in this 2 x 12” EP. Whether you're a long-time devotee of Brian Jackson and Gil Scott-Heron’s influential catalogue, a DJ or collector chasing rare wax, or a new listener drawn to future-leaning soul and jazz, Now More Than Ever ‘EP Two’ is an essential release — a bridge between the past, present, and the music still to come.

The short, mysterious career of the female French duo Deux Filles is bookended by tragedy. Gemini Forque and Claudine Coule met as teenagers at a holiday pilgrimage to Lourdes, during which Coule's mother died of an incurable lung disease and Forque's mother was killed and her father paralyzed in an auto accident. The two teens bonded over their shared grief and worked through their bereavement with music. However, after recording two critically acclaimed albums and playing throughout Europe and North America, Forque and Coule disappeared without a trace in North Africa in 1984 during a trip to visit Algiers. The short and terribly unhappy lives of Forque and Coule are at the root of the small but fervent cult following the mysterious duo have gained since their disappearance, not least because the placid, largely instrumental music on the duo's albums betrays no hint of the sorrow that framed their personal lives.

This would be a terribly sad story if a word of it were true. In reality, Deux Filles were Simon Fisher Turner, former child star/teen idol and future soundtrack composer, and his mate Colin Lloyd Tucker. Turner and Tucker left an early incarnation of The The in 1981 to pursue another musical direction. Turner claims that the idea of Deux Filles came to him in a dream, and he and Tucker strictly maintained the fiction throughout the duo's career. Not only did they pose in drag for the album covers, the duo once even played live without the audience realizing that the tragic French girls on-stage were actually a pair of blokes from south London. Deux Filles released two albums through Turner and Tucker's Papier Mache label, 1982's Silence & Wisdom' and 1983's Double Happiness'. Both albums are included here and blend watery piano, occasionally ghostly vocals, sheets of synthesizers, heavily processed guitars and the barest minimum of percussion. Drifting and wistful, they're a pair of lost ambient gems from a time when the genre had yet to mature, an excellent example of post-Eno, pre-Orb ambient music.

All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in gatefold sleeve with original front covers of both albums, and a centerfold of archive images and the original liner notes. Each LP includes a sticker of the Lino cuts by Adrian Gill that was included with the original pressing.

"Like an early French film soundtrack with melodramatic overtones, the sound is jagged and disjointed but never harsh. Lilting guitars and ample use of echo smack of Vini Reilly, relying on the hypnotic qualities of the sound rather than abrasive noise" (Sounds, 03/1983)

While Toronto producer Demuir regularly features on a wide variety of house labels, it's always worth keeping an eye on his Purveyor Underground label and its' limited-edition offshoot. He's back on the latter label for this outing, where he shares vinyl space with long-serving Parisian producer (and Robsoul founder) Phil Weeks. Demuir handles side A, delivering two passes on 'The Spark': the lightly funk-fuelled original mix, where woozy jazz samples dance atop a rubbery bassline and vintage Masters at Work style beats, and the more bumpin', cut-up and sub-heavy swing of the 'Some Too Suspect remix'. On side B, Weeks delivers 'Party Time', a typically low-slung and analogue-rich deep house number where classic boogie-era vocal samples and occasional chords wrap around loose-limbed machine drums and a killer TB-303 acid bassline.

For the first time, all the 1978 recording sessions of Lino Capra Vaccina's legendary Antico Adagio - including Frammenti da Antico Adagio and Echi Armonici da Antico Adagio - collected in one definitive deluxe edition. Minimalism, and so much more. Sheets of resonance, stunning harmonic interplay, intricate rhythms rising as one. Sidelong works of pulsing, hypnotic, ritualistic drone built from vibraphones, marimbas, gongs, bells, and cymbals, threaded by the sustained vocal tones of Juri Camisasca and Dana Matus. A trance-inducing, meditative, cosmic world of sonic interplay - the world beyond, joined with that which lays within.

Before an aberrant idea of progress ludicrously sped up our daily lives, even in hectic Milan it was possible to "play slowly" - with no pressure, simply following the path your art was showing you. This music moves between modal fascinations, ritual evocations, and states of hypnotic trance, evoking the acoustic environment of Tibetan and Zen Buddhist ceremonies and the temporal structures of Noh theatre, from which Vaccina took the name of his original label, Nō. Now, fittingly, this complete collection appears on Ubi Kū, the label of the Italian Buddhist Union.

Lino Vaccina (1953) first gained note as a member of Aktuala, creating a hybrid of rock, avant-garde, and ancient musics while incorporating sonic traditions from across the globe. After leaving in 1974, he studied at Milano's Civica Scuola di Musica, collaborating with Franco Battiato and Juri Camisasca, and forming Telaio Magnetico in 1975. In 1978 he self-released Antico Adagio in a tiny edition and wouldn't be heard from again until 1992. From 1979 to 1985 he was percussionist with the Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala under maestros such as Abbado and Ozawa. His career has been marked by an incredibly high bar of quality and a tragically slim recorded output - a rigorous and sensual language fusing Oriental, Mediterranean, and African influences with ritual elements and a cosmic sense of time.

As Massimo Torrigiani writes: "Lino Vaccina's music captivates through its internal coherence and its ability to generate states of suspension and deep listening - through undulations, small melodic fragments, dialogues between acoustic instruments and resonances that seem to evoke a phantom orchestra. An example of personal exploration, discipline and openness that speaks across time to anyone willing to be drawn into its sound."

Frammenti da Antico Adagio and Echi Armonici da Antico Adagio contain material from the original sessions, restored and issued by Die Schachtel in 2014 and 2017. The new masters, prepared by Giuseppe Ielasi, are based on those restorations and the original material. The package includes previously unpublished photographs from the May 1978 sessions and liner notes by Mauro Radice in Italian, English, and French. Cover art by Dana Matus. Printed by Legno, Milano & Mother Tongue, Verona.

Personnel: Lino Capra Vaccina (vibraphone, marimba, tablas, wooden drums, darbuka, cymbals, gong, metal sheets, bells, bass drum, tom, snare drum, piano, voice), Dana Matus (voice, percussion, cetra), Juri Camisasca (voice), Mario Garuti (violin), Roberto Mazza (oboe). Original production by Massimo Villa & Lino Vaccina with Piero Cannizzaro. Recorded May 1978 at Circle Studios, Milano.

The heights of the Italian avant-garde, at their very best.

Swiss DJ and composer Dexter Troy has made a name for himself with notable productions on labels such as « King Street Sounds, » « Groove Culture, » and « Mood Funk Records, » alongside iconic artists like Kerri Chandler, Dennis Ferrer, Masters At Work, Satoshi Fumi, and Dimitri From Paris. For over 15 years, he has shared his passion for electronic music in bars, clubs, and festivals in Switzerland and abroad.

His rich and diverse musical universe draws from multiple influences: house, funk, disco, all enhanced with a touch of electro-techno. »

One year after the part 1, « The Double Take part 2 » is coming to put the finishing touches to the project. He’s joined by BAKA G, a talented artist who made a name for herself on the Brussels house scene and distinguished herself with releases on labels such as Happiness Therapy.

Soul Visions is an instrumental journey into the world of Deheb, who, after several years of continuous sound research, continues to draw inspiration from jazz, soul, funk, and progressive rock records, first discovered through his father and then through his fellow collectors and DJs, including his partner DJ Marrrtin from Funky Bijou.
The Breton artist is renowned in the beatmaking world for his collaborations in New York in the mid-2000s (Moka Only, Sean Price, Torae, Tye Phoenix, Apani B, etc.) and for his album “LEAF”, released in 2015 with Swiss producer Chief. He is best known for producing classic Funky Breaks in the global breakdance scene with Marrrtin under the name Funky Bijou, whose tracks have been played at the world's biggest breakdance events since 2011 (Battle Of The Year, Red Bull BC One, etc.). All their tracks have been listened to more than 30 million times on various platforms and social networks.
A prolific artist who draws much of his inspiration from funk and jazz, he is based in Nantes and has collaborated with groups from the French Neo Soul scene, such as J-Silk from Bordeaux, Jo Wedin from Sweden, and Keysuna from Nantes. Close to the dance scene, he has also collaborated with dancer and choreographer Mackenzy Bergile, which led him to join the CCNRB's choreographic project “Earthbound” by choreographers Saïdo Lehlouh and Johanna Faye in 2023.
Deheb has also been composing for documentary projects since his first collaboration with director Shyaka Kagamé in 2015 for “Bounty”. In 2024 and 2025, he worked on two critically acclaimed projects: “Boulevard du village noir”, produced by Radio Television Suisse, and “IMIHIGO, le pacte rwandais”.
This year, 2025, he brings us “Soul Visions”, a journey through the cinematic sound of the early 1970s to the soul funk and jazz funk of the late 1970s, a pivotal period in his own musical identity that contributed to the funk sound of his guitars and the texture of his synthesizers and electric pianos.
Soul Visions is first and foremost a tribute to the artists and composers, the geniuses of that era, such as the Mizell brothers in “Larry and Fonce”, the Bell brothers in “Ron and Don”, and giants of the genre such as Isaac Hayes, Yuji Ohno, Roy Ayers, and Clarence Reid. All these masters of the genre had their own distinctive sound and arrangements, which were easily recognizable and which are among Deheb's major inspirations.

2026 Repress

In our era of post-truth & questioned realities, tin foil hatted folk project their insecurities onto the puppet masters, those holding the strings to us all, the endless psy-op at play. For those opting for psychedelic enlightenment over psychological terror, we find solace in the dance, especially when the music is from heads such as Jeku.

‘Peyote Trance’ follows the Helsinki based artists journey into the “trip”, where mother nature instead pulls the strings. A sound of trance often not followed, continuing the work of forebearers such as eXquisite CORpsE; where the zap of the synapses in the brain connect with the bubble & squeak of electronics. Creating a sound advanced by nature, yet resonating within the concrete walls us ravers know and love. All 4 tracks harness a kinetic energy that nudges you to ascendance, not desperately reaching for it like the heavy handed aesthetics of the genre can. Instead, the heads down motion of the music can take you there, and well, a little bit of Peyote might just help, as mother nature intended.