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Red Hare's roots run all the way back to the Washington D.C. music scene of the 80's and 90's, where Shawn Brown, Jason Farrell and Dave Eight immersed themselves in the braids and tangles of that city's unique strain of hardcore.
In 1987, Brown (the original (and current) singer of Dag Nasty) and guitarist Farrell founded Swiz— a harsher take on melodic hardcore released via Dischord's sister-label Sammich and their own freshly-minted label Hell- fire. Eight joined Swiz on bass in 1989 and remained until the band wrapped it up in 1990.
By 1995, Farrell and Eight reconvened to immerse themselves in the angular post-hardcore stylings of Bluetip, yet found enough juice to again tap Brown for the short-lived Swiz reboot, Sweetbelly Freakdown. Meanwhile, Joe Gorelick was living a parallel existence drumming in the band Garden Variety. A fortuitous string of circum- stances led him down the Jersey turnpike straight into Bluetip's empty drum chair. Although Gorelick did not record with the band, his prowess was nonetheless noted and cataloged for future missions — first in 2002 with Farrell in Retisonic and now with Brown, Farrell, Jason and Eight in Red Hare.
Red Hare are set to release their second album Little Acts of Destruction on May 11th through a joint effort with Dischord and their own label Hellfire. Like their debut Nites of Midnite (2013) and their stop-gap 7', Lexicon Mist (2016), the album was recorded and mixed by longtime collaborator and friend J.Robbins. These 14 songs are a heady/hearty mix of the familiar and new that bristle with the energy of the hometown sound they helped shape.

Dilated Pupils is a collective group of likeminded friends home-based in the Netherlands. When forces are joined in one of their many studios each individual brings his own influences and styles to the table. Together they share a distinct flavor in productions and raw one-take jam sessions created with the use of analogue machines and often recorded on tape. Each of them have their own solo productions as well as other collaborations, but when united as Dilated Pupils they prefer to be known jointly as one entity with their own unique and distinguished sound. Since 2014 the group has developed an interesting and widespread discography with releases on labels such as Fear of Flying, Sol Asylum, Mode of Expression, Tabla, Music is Art, Dorcas, Make Sense and Mayak.

Sharif Laffrey can charm the snake out of any basket. This is his first offering for the ESP Institute. Side A's Tangier is a long drawn-out exercise, an endurance test of the highest order. Over the span of some thirteen minutes, elements bob and weave intermittently and layers overlap haphazardly—the type of exciting dynamic that's born out of restriction—as if putting down a live jam without enough hands to work the console, yet Sharif perseveres. As touch and go as this arrangement may be, there is something that undoubtedly glues it all in place; the combination of his massive rolling 16th-note bassline and his tough-as-nails drumkit is so good that, upon first listen, we spat out our tea and insisted on its release. On side B, Everything Is Nice carries on with loose arrangement, dirty production and layers of inexplicable spoken- word samples (a Sharif calling card by now) but this time we're lead to a melancholy place, the blue comedown to Side A's antagonistic trial. With his ESP Institute debut, Sharif leaves you mentally unhinged, as if you've smoked something interesting and arrived bewildered in some Saharan labyrinth. These two songs will guide you through the medina to score the black meat.

Teste returns with The Box Man, a five-track EP that marks their first release of original material in 25 years. Formed during the early nineties in Hamilton, Ontario, they put out only three official records between 1992-1993 on Probe Records, most notably 'The Wipe,' which is regarded as a genre defining classic, while the follow-up 'Regions' also served as a template for the ensuing sonics of contemporary techno. With only a handful of live actions, the final chaotic show (public disturbance) occurred for Pure in Glasgow 1994. Afterwards, the original Teste lineup of juvenile delinquents disbanded but unwittingly ended up defining the hypnotic and drugged out strains of today's afterhours techno parties. The project vanished for decades until reactivating the chaos in 2014, promoting a slew of remixes 'The Rewipes,' by artists such as Rrose and Terence Fixmer, on the Edit Select imprint.

Since then, original member David Foster, still at large as //HUREN//, has been slugging it out in the fringes with influential output on the seminal Zhark Recordings Berlin and has collaborated as O/H with Rich Oddie of Orphx. First meeting on Mayday 2017 in Berlin, a new alliance with Martin Maischein aka Goner formed. Goner is likewise a veteran with essential output under various monikers on imprints such as Force Inc., Editions Mego, and Hospital Productions. From that pairing, The Box Man came into being for the second release on BITE, the Berlin techno label run by Hayden Payne and Florian Engerling.

The Box Man picks up where Teste last left us with their revolutionary vision of techno and continues to further their interdimensional manifestation of insanity and formation. Pure techno serving as a method of psychic expulsion and self-reckoning. From the opening, the eponymous track approaches full panoramic throttle as metallic synths creep 360 degrees around the listener, setting the tone for panic and loss of cognitive control. Teste then moves into the stealthier outpatient techno rhythms of 'The Long Term Care Facility' and 'Thieves Are Operating In This Area'. The EP contrasts its propulsion with different interpretations of its blueprint. 'Foaming At The Mouth' delves into Cabaret Voltaire-alike rhythm box violence until all is closed with the comedown melodies of 'Lyubov'. Through highly adept methods of sound design and neural interpretation, Teste once again cuts apart reality with their music, expressing nightmares and visions via new rituals and mind control techno.

* Bristol's Joker has announced he is to celebrate 10 years of his pioneering Kapsize label with a special series of new 12' Joker releases, the second of which will drop this May.

* Over the past decade, Kapsize has put out some of Joker's most defining work, including the iconic 'Purple City' (produced with Ginz) — a track widely recognised as ground zero for Joker's purple dubstep aesthetic — and 2015 album, 'The Mainframe', as well as early records from Asa & Sorrow and L-Wiz.

* To be released both on special edition orange vinyl and digitally, Joker's second commemorative release lands in the form of 'Boat / Deploy'. A-side 'Boat' is gleefully maximalist, a playful accordion running alongside searing synths before a ominous bassline drops, taking us through his vivid and embellished creative world, while the cinematic 'Deploy' is another intense and larger-than-life riddim.

* To be released in June following the release of 'Anamorphic / Forever' in April, and 'Marching Orders ft. Footsie / Polka Dot' in May'.

Never one to be constrained by musical genres, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Adam Gibbons (aka Lack of Afro) has taken it up several notches with his sixth studio record 'Jack of All Trades', a multi-genre tour de force that combines soul, funk, hip-hop, disco, rock and everything in-between, all wrapped up in his signature chunky production to create arguably his finest work to date.

The album is blessed with some incredible vocal performances. Regular collaborator Elliott Cole, Nick Corbin (formally of New Street Adventure), ex I Am Giant vocalist Ed Martin, Wax & Herbal T, Alyssa Marie, Camila Recchio, Juliette Ashby & Emma Noble are all on scintillating form on an album that is crammed full of infectious hooks, top musicianship, and more importantly, vibe by the bucketload!

Classic soul ('Back To The Day', 'Reach Out'), hip-hop ('Back In Business', 'Take It Up A Notch'), disco ('Only You & Me'), rock ('Over & Out'), modern soul ('Baby Be Mine'), folk ('Home') and a healthy dose of funk ('The Messin' Around Intermission', 'Good Love'), all combine to create an album that is stuffed with gorgeous phonic gems of all varieties and represents a definite step up from anything he has done before.

Packed full of beautiful horns and lush strings (and all recorded onto tape through a 1970's mixing desk), 'Jack of All Trades' is Adam doing what he does best and then some - blending the old and new to come up with a crossover classic that's entirely his own, whilst all the while ensuring that the songwriting takes centre stage.

Lack of Afro continues to go from strength to strength. 2016's 'Hello Baby' picked up a BBC 6 Music 'Album Of The Year' nomination & appeared in the Top 10 of the iTunes R&B / Soul chart in 21 countries worldwide.

His music also continues to be in high demand across all aspects of film & TV by networks such as ABC, Fox, NBC, Sony Pictures & the BBC. More recently he has signed to licensing label A Remarkable Idea, an imprint of Universal Music alongside artists such as Maximo Park, Pulled Apart By Horses, Alt J & label boss Benson Taylor. A remix of his 2011 song 'P.A.R.T.Y' by French duo Ofenbach (released on Warner Music in March) is all set to be one of 2018's tracks of the year, whilst his debut album 'Press On' (2007) has just been given 'classic' status by Future Music Magazine.

'Jack of All Trades' is supported by a live band UK tour in May & also at various festivals throughout the summer.

Officially reissued at last! Considered by many to be a genuine 'holy grail' of soul & funk. Featuring 'Miracles' as sampled by Public Enemy, Basement Jaxx, Arrested Development and many more.

Originally from Compton, Los Angeles, the Jackson Sisters were one-hit wonders who briefly shone and made some noise in the early 1970s before quickly fading into obscurity. Their only US chart entry was 'I Believe In Miracles,' a funky slice of bubblegum soul with a catchy, sing-along chorus released on the Prophesy label that briefly saw them make the lower reaches of the R&B charts in September 1973.

Norm De Plume has been quietly making a name for himself the last eight years with remixes for Tornado Wallace and Ben La Desh and EP's for Kolour LTD and his own vinyl only imprint Plumage winning him a solid fol- lowing along the way. His passion for all things disco and deep, dubby, un- derground house inspired by his musical hero Ron Hardy feeds through into his production style as well as his recently formed Peaches & Prunes party which boasts an audiophile sound system and vinyl-only sets from the DJ's. So when the opportunity arose to do a full EP with Norm we jumped at it. Here we present you with the Castlecrag EP, a nod to the Londoner's new adoptive home of Sydney, Australia, and whilst his sound may be more akin to the recent musical movements of Melbourne, the laid-back sun-kissed melting pot of The Harbour City certainly shine through in the two originals and Folamour remix on offer here.
Title track Castlecrag leads the charge with a deep mood-setter driven by a cowbell riff and filtering pads. The spacious mix and less is more arrange- ment ensures that the drums and rolling bassline punch through making for a track that sounds both unique yet accessible and demonstrates Norm's sense of musicality as well as DJ instinct for setting the right mood on the dancefloor. Next up we have Whole In One which treads a similar path whilst dropping the BPM's a touch and building up layers of synth strings to create a subtle yet engaging track to immerse yourself in. Finally, man of the moment Folamour gets busy on the remix of Whole In One working his magic by upping the tempo and going heavy on the jazz- inspired drums. By laying down a driving groove and pushing the string stabs to the fore, the Lyonnais producer behind the wonderful Moonrise Hill Material label has delivered a fresh-sounding take that will work like magic on discerning dance floors out there.

FLIES 45-04

BRAEN & RASKOVICHAfro Beat / Afro Flower

7'' Limited Edition 400 copies

Four Flies Records continues its 7" line-up with anotherde rigueur repechagethat will have your dancefloor jump frantically up and down. Two freaky afro- flavoured tracks, written by Giuliano Sorgini and his partner in musical delices Alessandro Alessandroni. Recorded during a non-specified session which may be traced back to the recording of Sorgini'sUnder Pompelmoand Pawnshop's first 7". The sound and the ideas behind the music are exactly the same, even though there's more rhythmic and percussive emphasis on both tracks. Two little precious gems, unreleased to this day, brought back to light and finally available for DJs and fans all over the world.Afrodelic breaks for your pleasure!

Reminiscent of the infamous quote 'There are four lights", the release kicks off with an homage to the will of resistance. From Captain Picard to Orwell - may the (referential) chain of command is not as evident as H4L's sci-fi passion, the title track's power structure couldn't be wielded more efficiently: While stomping kick drums and subtle hi-hats build up a foreplay full of suspense, the witty melody with its warped and distorted sounds grants 'Four Lights' the perfect authority. Following a similar approach, 'Fesch' with its bouncy and mantra-like groove, in which synths playing a ping-pong game, completes the swinging A-side. Deep'a & Biri, the Israeli DJ and producer duo from Tel Aviv, start the flip side with their interpretation of 'Four Lights". By using breaks and greater attention for details, the remix not only redirects the originals' energy into more hypnotic realms, Deep'a & Biri extract the melody's keys in order to create a moody and dense version. Resonating from two decades of warehouse reverberation experience, 'Disc 2 Dysnomia' finishes the release with an IDM-drenched workout, full of UK bass knowledge, unpolished electro grooves, and swirling synth poetry. Absolute freedom means absolute lawlessness.

Way back in 1967, an animated superhero cartoon was released into the world. It was created by Grantray-Lawrence Animation and was based on a web-spinning, crime fighting blue and red dressed character that had originated in1962, in Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. This amazing series (that we're not allowed to mention the name of for legal reasons) ran on ABC TV in the USA, then Canada, then a few years later started to spread its web further, running here in the UK throughout summer holidays, after school and possibly early mornings at weekends in the late 1970s. The series then got released on VHS video (and probably Betamax too) in the mid 1980s and still continues to spin its animated magic around the world through further broadcasts, YouTube and DVDs.

The series was notoriously low budget, with animated errors everywhere and numerous scenes, sequences and backgrounds being re-used all the time, often across the same episode. Even a certain spider logo on a costume would appear with six legs, then eight legs later on, then back to six again in the same show.

Series One opened with a newly written spider theme, a classic, hooky song all about doing whatever spiders can, and had, as Big George (RIP) once pointed out to me, a set of session singers falling slightly out of time with the backing track after the first verse. Series One also featured background music by jobbing composers Bob Harris and Ray Ellis but these cues and master tapes are now believed to be lost.

After Series One the company Grantray-Lawrence went bankrupt, so the amazing spider series (that we're not allowed to mention for legal reasons) was taken on by producer Steve Krantz. He brought in new talent, including animation director Ralph Bakshi who later went on to turn a Robert Crumb strip cartoon into the feature Fritz The Cat. Krantz also slashed the already cripplingly small spider budget, and brought in the idea of using economic library music. Here, thanks possibly to an independent sync agent (it has been suggested that a company called Music Sound Track Services may have been the one) production turned to the KPM catalogue. This was one of the few really established library catalogues around at the time with a modern edge, it was full of fabulous, modern dramatic music tracks - often all on the same LP. But more importantly all the tracks were far longer than the one minute musical cuts that many of the fledgling USA library companies were issuing at the time. Not only would this KPM music be efficient, affordable and very easy to use, it would also mean syndication worldwide would not be held up by any future musical issues. Krantz produced two amazing spider series (that we're not allowed to mention for legal reasons), and both were smothered with KPM music. In fact barely a spider second goes by without music playing in either the background or foreground.

For many years I - and many nostalgic others - have been thinking about putting this vinyl album together. For many enthusiasts this really is formative music - a junior foray into hip swinging crime jazz and esoteric musical grooviness. I've also read on line accounts by DJs from WFMU on the trail of original spider master tapes, and there's even a whole forum dedicated to Spidey-Jazz'. Then recently I was looking at an old spider tracklist and realized that several of my favourite KPM cues were there including Syd Dale's Hell Raisers' and Walk And Talk', both from one of the most elusive and desirable KPM albums of all time (yes, you just try and find yourself a copy of KPM 1002 right now), so I decided to push on and get the album made.

So, what features on this Spider-Jazz Lp Well it's music from the amazing TV series we are not allowed to mention for legal reasons, BUT, not music from Series One. No, but it is all from Series Two and Series Three. From looking at archival cue sheets, over 50 tracks from various early KPM 1000 series albums were used across episodes. I've distilled this down into one exciting and enthralling LP, and if this works a further Spider Jazz album may well swing in to production. If you're interested (and I'm sure you may well be) cues here came from KPM1001, KPM1002, KPM1015, KPM1017, KPM1018 and KPM1043 and were composed by master library composers of the era - Dale, Hawkshaw, Hawksworth, Mansfield etc.

And if you are listening over there in the USA, you may well recognize many of the cues here not just from the amazing TV series (that we're not allowed to mention for legal reasons) but also from classic 1960s and 1970s NFL highlight shows that we are allowed to mention.

The newstyle invented by the Espylon familly is a real new style as a scene... no excitation and no minimal. This is just let-it-go-pur-techno... They sell loads of their stuff on direct to the public and we are only re-seller. Real proud to have a chance to do it... but yes : original creation we got here. Pure Perfect musical design for parties... full of love and precision... needed music for dubbers as well as for Hardcorers... No frontier no blame, no bad vibes no darkness... maybe sometime a pinch of nostalgy but it's « just a game ». Original hard life transformed into bloody good vibes ! I love you guys !

Only one month after the release of their first ep on MT on May 2018, Vactrol Park continue surprising, this time with a full LP in the shape of 'Music from the Luminous Void'.The album sees VP delve much deeper into more atmospheric realms. Using modular synths and unexpected drum machine sequencing they leave the 4X4 beats behind in favor of off-world rhythms and ever growing bass. Starting with Drops's high frequency tension, laying on top of those heavy kick drums it keeps on growing and growing. From there it moves to the 'End of the party' groove that is Novikov's Notation, and its trippy monotonic rhythm. The A-side ends with the heavy sampled ambient track Macbeth, bringing forward that mesmerizing flute solo by Italian artist Luca Spagnoletti yet succeeding in avoiding the kitsch, and with a touch of class. The B-side delves even deeper into ambience and atmospheric muzak. Starting with Bells, that features again Spagnoletti on flute. Then we get into the real gems of the album - Anstruther and Glove. The first is a pure trip into modular psychedelia and repetitive jazzy-like drum rhythms, creating tension right from the start and plays with it throughout the track before decaying slowly into Glove, which is in sense both the catharsis and the decompression session of the album. Like a 2018 version of Vangelis, this track's soundscape will keep you dreaming with your eyes closed long after the album ends.

180g vinyl

Superb Fatal Digital Dub From Shinobi, The Digital French Dub Tradition ! .... Check Out The Old School !

Shinobi Was An Artist From Brest, Friend Of Ultramars Who Pressed The First Medicinal Records In Year 2004. Shinobi Also Released Some Gread Hip Hop Tunes Too, By The Way...

Helas Shinobi Died Young... Here Are Some Of His Unreleased Tunes.

May The Peace Be With His Familly & Friends.

And R.I.P. Shinobi.

The Ep "a Form Of Travel Unknown To Humans" Is Chasing Us. Guiding And Forcing A Way Simultaneously. The Sound Is Harsh But Has An Immaculate Precision To It "void Of Air - Compelling The Listener Toward A Light, Seducing Us To Tear Through The Night.

We Enter With "s.m.o.d. - Sticks" A Deep And Magnetic Sound Opening Up Slowly, Starting To Breathe And To Merge Into "s.m.o.d. - Cell Culture" Which Gives A Much More Metallic Flavour But Never The Less Beat Driven - Fast And Strident - Maybe Even Hasty, Pushing To Skip A Beat Of The Heart. To Finish Off With "s.m.o.d - Pulse" Carrying An Unsettling Almost Disturbing Quality, Formulating A Mechanical Sound Alienated From The Human Experience. The Ep Creates A Seductive Space Outside Our Comfort Zone, Inviting To Explore A Space And Travel Unknown To Humans. Gimme More.

Pseudocode in a kind of free form minimal electronique concrete mood. There`s even the odd suggestion of a pop tune here and there, maybe even some danceable beats, if you`ve got one leg shorter than the other. While Xavier S. contributes most of the lyrics and vocals, Guy-Marc Hinant plays often the core melody on guitar or electric piano, Neffe's contributions are particularly noteworthy throughout, as he weaves together the bulk of the sonic cloth through overdubbing and mixing.one of his parts are remotely virtuosic (hence his self-identification as a non-musician), but they are always unexpected and perfect in and of themselves, emotionally and sonically, and in that sense they are deeply musical.This could be seen as the missing link between Slaughter In Tiny Place and Europa - third and final LP by Peudocode.All songs are unreleased. Recorded and mixed between 1980 and 1981.

Crosstown Rebels celebrate their fifteenth year with their monumental 200th release. American DJ and producer Arthur Baker reunites with Rockers Revenge for the first time in thirty years. To complete the package, dance music heavyweights Francois K and Michael Mayer take on remix duties.

On A Mission is exactly that, 'a mission of love, a mission of peace'. The positive vocals hark back to those of early 90s house tracks, which created unity through music and clubbing. The rhythmic beat of the drum is determined, as percussive layers build and the vocals bleed into the synths. Francois K provides two variations of the track. His remix features more prominent drumbeats driven by a growling bassline. On his rockers dub version, Francois goes all out and dubs us into the stratosphere. Up next is the Michael Mayer remix, with a more electronic take on the original with driving synths and a whirring, throbbing bass-line.

Created in 1982, Rockers Revenge was the brainchild of Arthur Baker and Donnie Calvin. Donnie provided lead vocals with Baker's wife, Tina B, Dwight Hawkes and Adrienne Dupree Johnson on backing vocals. Their most prominent track, Walking On Sunshine, was a post-disco hit reaching #1 in the US dance charts and #4 in the UK charts.

Three years ago Baker and Hawkes reconnected through social media with Baker sending through his original Mission idea. Baker is known for his work with hip hop artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Planet Patrol, and New Order whilst also remixing the Pet Shop Boys' 1986 hit In The Night. Fast forward to 2018 and the group performed a monumental live show at Get Lost Miami, and are currently in the studio working on new material. This Summer they will shoot a new documentary and perform live at various events.

Dark Matters label head Amirali returns with the expertly crafted Odyssey EP, employing his vital understanding of
space and texture to construct a highly emotive release featuring a remix from Fort Romeau. The three track
package is out digitally on May 14th followed by the vinyl release a few weeks later.
Leading on from his critically acclaimed discography and curatorial work with the inimitable Dark Matters imprint,
Amirali enters 2018 with grand plans for the future. He is currently conceptualising a live stage show whilst
continuing to provide a platform for all manner of weird and wonderful music.
'Odyssey' is a striking example of Amirali's penchant for songwriting, as well as a testament to his sonic identity,
merging memorable harmonies with heartfelt vocals and complex soundscapes. 'Hidden Past' veers more towards
the dancefloor, brandishing vast sonic explorations and levitating pads amongst detailed drum patterns. For the
'Hidden Past' remix, Fort Romeau mutates the delicacy of the original into a spaced out dose of peak time house,
gradually building rich harmonies around a fierce rhythmic motif.
On the creation of this forthcoming EP, Amirali states:
"Nothing is more important than my craft which is the main reason I'm here. There's no better satisfaction than to
create an amazing piece of music, that's my happiest point in life. I don't want my work to just be good or ok and that
takes a lot of effort and sacrifice in life. I got to a point where I said to myself I have to go and disappear for a while,
go be normal and do normal things. Instead of being on the road all the time, stay home, create an environment I
like to write music. There have been many experimentations involved in my upcoming material. I wanted to try and
push myself to the limit and I believe I've succeeded. For me, it's all about evolving and exploring areas I haven't
touched. That's why sometimes it takes a bit longer than expected, I don't just want to meet people's expectations,
sometimes I want to blow them away. There is so much music coming out week in and week out, the music is
evidently becoming more disposable and I would like to stay out of that chaos. When you stay true to your heart and
try to do something different you put yourself in an uncomfortable situation, that's when you grow as an artist and
also as a person, but the satisfaction you get when you finish a work cannot be put into words.

'Madrid Fue Una Ciudad Mundial' compiles four of the most important Spanish electronic projects from the 80's. A compilation released in cooperation with a show organised in Madrid last May, 18th where Aviador Dro, Flash Cero, Azul y Negro and Esplendor Geométrico played together for the very first time.Aviador Dro offers two unpublished early recordings from 1981. Flash Cero includes an unreleased song recorded back in 1987. Azul y Negro collaborates with a demo version of their cult classic 'La Torre de Madrid' from 1981. And Esplendor Geométrico give us a couple of live tracks recorded in 1989 for the first time available on vinyl

Twenty-eight Years Ago, Pissed-off Twelve-year-olds Around The Universe Discovered A New Planet, A Black Planet. Public Enemy's Aggressive, Benihana Beats And Incendiary Lyrics Instilled Fear Among Parents And Teachers Everywhere, Even In The Border Town Of Laredo, Texas, Home Of The Future Founders Of The Latin-funk-soul-breaks Super Group, Brownout. The Band's Sixth Full-length Album (out May 25th) Fear Of A Brown Planet Is A Musical Manifesto Inspired By Public Enemy's Music And Revolutionary Spirit.

Chuck D., The Bomb Squad, Flava Flav And The Rest Of The P.e. Posse Couldn't Possibly Have Expected That Their Golden-era Hip Hop Albums Would Sow The Seeds For Countless Public Enemy Sleeper Cells, One That Would Emerge Nearly Three Decades Later In Austin, Texas. Greg Gonzalez (bass) Remembers A Kid Back In Junior High Hipped Him To The Fact That Public Enemy's bring The Noise' Is Built On James Brown Samples, While A Teenaged Beto Martinez (guitar) Alternated Between Metal And Hip-hop In His Walk-man, And Adrian Quesada (guitar/keys) Remembers Falling In Love With Public Enemy's Sound At An Early Age. when I Got Into Hip Hop, I Was Looking For This Aggressive Outlet . . . And I Didn't Even Understand What They Were Pissed Off About, Because I Was Twelve And Lived In Laredo . . . But I Loved It And I Felt Angry Along With Them.'

Joseph Abajian (fat Beats' Owner) Must Have Sensed The Deep Hip-hop Well Lying Beneath The Versatile Band's Latin-funk Veneer. i Thought Their Sound Would Work Covering Public Enemy Songs,' Abajian Says, And, it Was Good To Know They Were P.e. Fans . . . We Came Up With A Track Listing And They Went To Work.' Despite The Band's Eagerness To Work On New Original Material (an Album Of Original Songs Is Slated For Next Year), They Couldn't Pass Up The Opportunity To Pay Homage To This Iconic And Influential Posse.

Translating Sample-based Music To A Live Band Turned Out To Be More Of A Challenge Than They Anticipated. Adrian Tried To Get Inside The Bomb Squad's (public Enemy's Producers/beat-making Team) Head In Order To Find The Inspiration To Reinterpret P.e.'s Songs: imagine The Bomb Squad Going Back In Time And Getting The J.b.s (james Brown's Funky Backing Band) In The Studio And Setting Up A Couple Analog Synths And Then Playing Those Songs.' While Some Songs Closely Follow The Original Musical Blueprint, Others Use The Source Breakbeats As Jumping-off Points Later Sweetened By Trombonist Mark speedy' Gonzales' Horn Arrangements, Synth Wizardry Courtesy Of Friend-of-the-band Peter Stopschinski, And Dj Trackstar's Turntable Scratches. But Don't Listen Expecting To Hear Paint-by-numbers Recreations Of Classic Public Enemy Jams. our Approach Is Never In The Tribute Sense,' Adrian Explains. we've Always Taken It And Made It Our Own, Whether It's The Brown Sabbath Thing Or This Public Enemy Thing.' Coming Off Numerous Tours As Brown Sabbath And Even A Stint Backing The Late Legend Prince, Brownout Is Arguably The Tightest And Funkiest Band On The Road Today And They're Psyched To Bring This Revolutionary Music To The People. For A Band Without An Overt Political Agenda, They Collectively Couldn't Resist The Opportunity To Play This Music Live, Especially Now. if There's Any Way That We Can Use The Already Political And Protest Nature (of P.e.'s Music), We Would Like To Try,' Beto Says. the Album's Title, Fear Of Brown Planet Is Definitely A Relevant Idea Today And We're Not Afraid To Put It Out There, Because We Want To Speak Out.' By Reinterpreting These Hip Hop Classics In Their Unique Style And Channeling The Spirit Of Public Enemy That First Echoed Around The World And Captured Their Imaginations All Those Years Ago, Brownout Is Doing Exactly That.

Multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Adam Gibbons (aka Lack of Afro) is back in some style with 'Back To The Day', a beautifully produced summer sizzler crammed full of infectious hooks, top musicianship and most importantly, vibe by the bucketload! Taking a nod from classic material by artists such as The Jackson 5, Earth Wind & Fire (and more recently Vulfpeck), 'Back To The Day' is Lack of Afro doing what he does best and then some - blending the old and new with big drums and heavy percussion to come up with a crossover classic that's entirely his own, whilst all the while developing his abilities as a songwriter.

Providing a dynamite vocal once again is regular collaborator Elliott Cole. Not just the voice of the track, he also plays guitars and bass, whilst ably backed up by some stellar musicians including George Cooper (Haggis Horns) on keys, Rory Simmons (Blur, Jamie Cullum) on trumpet, string and horn arrangements and Harry Harding (Yola Carter) holding down the backbeat on drums.

Keeping the dancefloor packed and turning the party vibes right up to 11, 'Take It Up A Notch' (featuring the brilliant Wax & Herbal T and taken from the critically acclaimed 'Back In Business EP') completes what is arguably one of the strongest single packages of the year!

Lack of Afro continues to go from strength to strength. 2016's 'Hello Baby' (released on his own label LOA Records) picked up a BBC 6 Music 'Album Of The Year' nomination & appeared in the Top 10 of the iTunes R&B / Soul chart in 21 countries worldwide. More recently, Adam's music continues to be used across all aspects of film & TV by networks such as ABC, Fox, NBC, Sony Pictures & the BBC whilst he also has released music on Universal & Warner Brothers Records.

Both tracks are taken from the new album 'Jack Of All Trades', released on LOA Records in May 2018 and supported by a live band UK tour in May & throughout various festivals throughout the summer.

The black vinyl 7' will be released on Friday 25th May

For his third album for Far Out Recordings, London based multi-instrumentalist and one of Europe's finest saxophonists Sean Khan ventures to Rio de Janeiro to collaborate with iconic Brazilian polymath Hermeto Pascoal. Taking its title from the escaped slave settlement 'Palmares' in the Northeast of Brazil during the 1600s, Palmares Fantasy is Khan's utopian jazz message for the world, and features Azymuth drummer Ivan 'Mamao' Conti, bassist Paulo Russo, guitarist Jim Mullen, and guest vocals from Brazilian chanteuse Sabrina Malheiros, and Cinematic Orchestra frontwoman Heidi Vogel.

Like Hermeto Pascoal, Sean Khan is a self-taught musician. Never able to afford his original dream of studying at Berklee, and having been turned away from Guildhall School of Music for being 'too raw', he became disillusioned with what he saw as the exclusivity, elitism and dangerous institutionalisation of the jazz world. Yet Sean's love for music and the drive to create never faltered.

Hermeto Pascoal, the man Miles Davis once dubbed the most impressive musician in the world', is a similarly independent artist. A true maverick whose ingenuity and freedom from conventional restraints is so great that he has essentially conceived his own musical language, made him the dream collaboration for Sean.

Aspiring to inclusivity and equality also informs the message in Khan's music. Inspired by the 17th Century settlement of Palmares in Brazil's Alagoas region, which was free from the Portuguese crown's murderous exploitation of South America for a century, Khan notes his fascination with the fact that while majoritively made up of escaped African slaves, many deserter conquistadors also joined the settlement.

Hearing the deep-grooving title track with this history in mind, the listener is transported to a futuristic musical eden, with Mamao's insatiable 10/8 rhythm back-boning Hermeto's wild improvised vocals, rhodes and whistles, while Sean's harmonically brilliant sax and flute add more layers of moody, characterful expression. 'Moment of Collapse' is Sean's poetic study on the uncertainties of modern day western civilisation, delicately presented by the gorgeous vocals of Heidi Vogel and drenched in lugubrious strings and Alice Coltrane-esque harp. The two covers on the album are of Hermeto's own 'Montreux' (on which Hermeto plays solos on a teapot and a pint of water), and an uplifting soulful jazz-funk take on Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges MPB classic 'Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser' featuring the vocals of pioneering nu-bossa voice Sabrina Malheiros.

The recording sessions for the album were part of an intensive and hugely productive eight-week excursion to South America for Far Out boss Joe Davis in the summer of 2016, which also saw the sessions for Azymuth's Fênix and a forthcoming album from Uruguayan fusion legend Hugo Fattoruso.

Fantastic' Gilles Peterson

Loving this!' Opolopo

Thank you!' Sassy J

Proper! Great track.' Colin Dale

this is great!' Yannick Elverfeld (RBMA / Needs Records)

I've enjoyed Sean Khan's earlier releases, but this really seems like he's grown into his fairly considerable talent.' Mark Sampson (Songlines)

His last album was his best so far, but I think this one may be even better.' Laurence Pragnell (Soul Brother Records)

dope!!!' Kyri (R2 Records)

this is great - really cool vibe!' Sam Redmore

wonderful track - can't wait to hear the lp.' Simon Harrison (Basic Soul Radio)

This is very tasty indeed.' Gavin Boyd (Soul Has No Tempo)

Stunning!!!' Mark Milz (Further In Fusion)

Oi Oi' Samuel Lloyd (Balamii Radio)

PRESS / ONLINE

VINYL FACTORY (UK) News (Anton Spice) 09/03/18 online

SOUNDS & COLOURS (UK) News (Gabriel Gahan) 09/03/18 online

THE WIRE (UK) Review confirmed (Joseph Stanard) print

EVENING STANDARD (UK) Review confirmed (Jane Cornwell) print + online

ECHOES MAGAZINE (UK) Review confirmed (Laurence Pragnell) print

LIBERATION (FR) Feature confirmed (Jacques Denis) print + online

MUSIC IS MY SANCTUARY (CA) Premiere confirmed (Mike Jones) online

JAZZ MAGAZINE (FR) Review confirmed (Frederic Goaty) print

SHINDIG! (UK) Review confirmed (Grahame Bent) print

MUSICA MACONDO (UK) Premiere confirmed (Tim Garcia) online

RAWCKUS MAGAZINE (USA) News (Randy Radic) online

KIND OF JAZZ (UK) Review confirmed (Fernando Rose) online

TONART MAGAZINE (DE) Review confirmed (Michael Moehring) print

WORLD MUSIC NETWORK (USA) Review confirmed (Raul Da Gama) online

BADD PRESS BLOG (USA) Review confirmed (Kevin Press) online

ORKESTER JOURNALEN (DK) Review confirmed (Patrik Sandberg) print

LIVE

WORLDWIDE FM (UK) Sean Khan live session confirmed (Gilles Peterson)

RADIO

BBC RADIO 6 (UK) Gilles Peterson - Palmares Fantasy (24/02/18) link

OTHER

BRITISH AIRWAYS On board BA flights (June 2018)

Rumored to be one of the most intriguing collaborations of 2018, Rocketgirl presents Pieter Nooten's 4th solo album 'STEM' as Nooten teams up with legendary producer/ mixer/sound-artist Stephen W Tayler (Kate Bush, Underworld) at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios. 'STEM' is probably Nooten's finest work since collaborating with Michael Brook 30 years ago, producing the timeless cult classic 'Sleeps With The Fishes'.Setting the tone in his 2012 double cd 'HAVEN', Nooten further explores the boundaries between the neoclassical and ambient genre, delivering an album of  heartwrenching, profound melodic compositions that invites you to listen to 'STEM' over and over again.

Stem is 60 minutes long (The CD includes a bonus track)
The vinyl has been specially edited by Stephen and Pieter and comes with a postcard and a download code of the full version.

Press:'Moments in life so often slip by with only the rusted acquaintance of memory to recall them but with a masterpiece like Haven in your collection you won't ever walk alone. No matter the slips and pitfalls you encounter or the loves you recriminate yourself for squandering, Pieter Nooten's newest will allow you to dwell with your thoughts in private with dignity...''Haven is the kind of record that gives modern composition a good name. It will also give countless budding musicians the belief that they can create a valid piece of work with nothing but a laptop. This may not be a bad thing, but it will be a while before anything in the genre matches the maturity, warmth and technical ability displayed by Nooten...'

Nooten's musical career began in the late 1970s. Starting out as the drummer in a local symphonic rock band,2 he quickly changed to bass guitar and later keyboards, playing in different bands. At the height of house squatting culture and new wave, Nooten met Anka Wolbert and Ronny Moorings who had just formed Clan of Xymox together. During the mid-eighties Clan of Xymox recorded two highly acclaimed albums on 4AD.

Canadian production duo Potatohead People are back on Bastard Jazz with their 3rd single from their upcoming sophomore album.

"Do My Thing" features harmonized vocals from Kapok - out of Vancouver - and verses from frequent collaborator Illa J, over swelling chords and a funky bassline.

On the B-side, "Returning The Flavour" highlights the synth chops of Dutch producer Trian Kayhatu in a danceable, beat-heavy jazz instrumental.

'Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy' will be released worldwide on May 11th on Bastard Jazz.

Comprised of Vancouver producers and multi-instrumentalists Nick Wisdom and Astrological, Canadian duo Potatohead People boast a number of noteworthy accolades thanks to a their signature sound drawing influences from 90's boom-bap, future soul, classic jazz, deep house and boogie/funk. Beginning with a series of EP's, including their landmark "Kosmichemusik" EP, Potatohead People's productions quickly made their way to artists like Illa J who tapped the duo to produce his now critically acclaimed self-titled album, as well as producers like Kaytranada (who co-produced Illa J's "Strippers" with the pair). Supporters such as Soulection, Nightmares on Wax, Pomo, DJ Spinna, Big Boi, and Phife Dawg have also played formidable roles in championing the sound of Potatohead People worldwide.

Now with three years since their last release, 2015's critically acclaimed debut album Big Luxury, Potatohead People are back their long awaited new album Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy (due out May 11th via Brooklyn label Bastard Jazz) The record picks up right where the pair left off, showcasing a leap forward in production chops, musicality, and songwriting. The first single "Quest For Love" "with it's neck snapping drum break, lush rhodes chords, cosmic synths, guitar & horn flourishes and unexpected musical changeups bring in the hip-hop infected musicality the duo has become so loved for, while Nick & Astro collaborate vocally on top. "Morning Sun" featuring Danish vocalist (and Anderson.Paak collaborator) Nanna.B is in part a melancholy piece with knocking drums, an infectious bassline and a soulful, shimmering hook, while "Do My Thing" featuring Canadian singer Kapok and Illa J is a neck-snapping Hip-Hop joint perfect for the dancefloor. "Liftin' Up" featuring San Francisco's K-Maxx ventures into West Coast boogie territories, while the album's closer "Rituals" goes for a deeper more atmospheric electronic vibe.

Record Kicks Celebrates 15 Years In The Business With A Collection Full Of Exclusive New Singles. Available In Ltd Edition Double Clear Vinyl Lp, Cd And Digital Download. Side By Side With Similar Outfits Like Daptone, Truth And Soul, Freestyle Or Timmion, Under Its Motto "the Explosive Sound From Today's Scene" Milan-based Independent Label Record Kicks Has Been Pitching The Contemporary Funk & Soul Scene Since Day One.

With Over 200 Releases Under The Belt, Rk Has Released Bands From All Over The Globe And Earnedthe Support Of Vip Fans Such As Kenny Dope, Jamie Cullum, Craig Charles And Not Least Jay-z, Thanks To Which The Label Has Recently Received A Grammy Nomination For Hov's Use Of Hannah Williams' "late Nights And Heartbreak" As Backdrop For His "4:44". The New Instalment "record Kicks 15th" Coming Out Next May 18th On Double Clear Lp, Cd And Digital Download, Celebrates 15 Years In The Business With A Collection Full Of Exclusive New Tracks And The Very Best Of It's Roster.

The Album Kicks Off With Rk's Latest And Youngest Signing:
From Chicago, Heavily Inspired By The Impressions And Leroy Hutson, We Are Proud To Present You "the Devonns" With Their Super Soulful Debut Single "come Back", An Appetizer Of Their Debut Full Length Expected To Land On Rk Next Autumn. Another New Signing To The Label Is Men Of North Country's (acid Jazz Records) Side Project "the Faithful Brothers", Here With Their New Single "one More Time".

Other Exclusive Tracks Of The Comp Are "this Strange Effect", A Coverup Of The Hooverphonic's Single From 1998 Brought To You By Dutch Northern Soul Disciples The Tibbs, "love You Back" From Detroit Deep Funk Outfit Third Coast Kings, "the Sort" By The Buenos Aires Mod Reggae Kings The Crabs Corporation, "top Dog" By British Funk Combo The Hook & Slingers And Straight From Down Under "you Don't Know Me" By The Always Great Dojo Cuts.

Along With These New Exclusive Cuts, Dig On Some Label's News Singles And Heavyweight Classics Such As Dj Shadow's "this Time" Taken From Baby Charles Debut Lp, "don't Throw Your Love In The Garbage Can" By James Brown's Original Funk Diva Martha High Feat Japanese Funk Ambassadors Osaka Monaurail, "psycheground" The Brand New Afro-funk Single By Calibro 35 And Then Portuguese Tnt Dynamite Marta Ren & The Groovelvets, Toronto Soul Queen Tanika Charles, Uk Funk Ambassadors The New Mastersounds, The Diplomats Of Solid Sound And The Already Mentioned "late Nights & Heartbreak" By Hannah Williams & The Affirmations.

Following the U.S. Army's liberation of Munich in May 1945, the world's first Amerikahaus was inaugurated there with a library, a magazine reading room, a children's library, a record and lm department, and lecture and seminar rooms, together with a concert hall and exhibition space. Up to 80,000 people a month utilized the offerings of Amerikahaus during its early years. Beginning in 1953, the United States Information Agency (USIA), an institution founded as an instrument of the Cold War, began to finance Amerikahaus. In addition to representing the U.S., its principal task in West Germany was to democratize and denazify the postwar population. After the beginning of the Cold War, many of these re-educative measures also served as propaganda in a programmatic linking of democratic and economic principles meant to strengthen transatlantic relations against the Communist Bloc. In 1997, the U.S. government concluded its work at Amerikahaus in Munich and shipped almost all its items back to the States. However, 1,630 long-playing vinyl records from the library were left behind in cardboard boxes in the basement. When Michaela Melián looked through this forgotten collection, one of the first things she came across was Don Gillis' 1940 tone poem »Portrait of a Frontier Town«, whose second movement is entitled »Where the West Begins«. Don Gillis, a composer and radio producer, used the musical styles and genres of that decade to create an explicitly American program music. Michaela Melián's »Music from a Frontier Town« is fueled by the diverse sonic material of this extensive record collection once considered as an instrument of cultural education. This record has been produced in addition to Melián's twenty-four hour performative music installation »Music from a Frontier Town« in the garage of what is now the Bavarian Center for Transatlantic Relations at Karolinenplatz, Munich (4-5 May 2018).

7"

Melbourne/Geelong quartet School Damage began as a bedroom recording project for Carolyn Hawkins (Chook Race, Parsnip) and Jake Robertson (Ausmuteants, Frowning Clouds etc). They released a cassette for Moontown Records in 2013, then were joined by Jeff Raty on drums and Dani 'Damage' Hakim on bass.
Taking cues from pop outfits such as The Vaselines, The Particles and Young Marble Giants, School Damage's sound is defined by wobbly keyboards, weaving bass lines, and lyrical content focused on the vagaries of modern life.
Following on from last year's excellent debut album through Chapter, School Damage return with a new EP for Upset The Rhythm titled 'Sings... Four Songs About One Cat'. As titles go this one hits it on the head, School Damage tell the tale of a very independently-minded feline that they share their life with called Lumpy (also known as Scump). As Jake from the band explains, 'Lumpy is incredibly naughty, she's not very cuddly and she definitely plays by her own rules.  The songs here are a mix about us having anxiety as pet owners - whether she'll run away, or if we're suffocating her by our constant need of attention... and also about how much she enriches our lives.'
For a cat who spends much of her time scratching up record spines, it seems fitting that Lumpy will now grace the cover and sentiment of her very own 7'. Maybe she's just been making room all this time for as many copies as possible of her hit record.

Belgian DJ & producer Mugwump performs an about-face with a new sound and live show and unveils the first extract of his second album 'Drape' and it's first extract,'No Trepidation', a fast-paced postpunk/electronic hybrid and a punch in the face of conformity, formatting and self-censorship.

Borrowing his name from a character from William Burroughs' famed novel Naked Lunch, Mugwump is an elusive presence, a reputation preceded by infamous DJ residencies at Belgian clubs and a longstanding recording relation with Cologne's Kompakt records, ongoing DJ support from Andrew Weatherall as well as a large catalogue of electronic 'disco-techno' records, released on leading labels R&S, Gigolo, Cocoon, Endless Flight, Eskimo, Permanent Vacation or International Feel. Mugwump is also well known for running the Leftorium clubnight in Brussels where like-minded DJ guests such as Ivan Smagghe, Andrew Weatherall, Superpitcher, Matias Aguayo, Optimo, Prins Thomas, Sascha Funke, Gerd Janson, Ata or Roman Flügel share decks leftorium
'Drape' is the follow-up to 2015's debut studio album 'Unspell', which boasted many guest vocalists, garnered media plaudits across the board internationally and was supported with live appearances at Benelux, French, UK and Dutch festivals & venues.Taking it further and morphing into a full live band with new members, Mugwump released the 'Metempsycho EP' in November 2016 on which Geoffroy made his singing debut. Driven by this live band experience, Mugwump's new album 'Drape' will release May 4th 2018

* The second in Joker's trio of special releases to commemorate 10 years of his Kapsize label is to release this coming May.
* Over the past decade, Kapsize has put out some of Joker's most defining work, including the iconic 'Purple City' (produced with Ginz) — a track widely recognised as ground zero for Joker's purple dubstep aesthetic — and 2015 album, 'The Mainframe', as well as early records from Asa & Sorrow and L-Wiz.
* To be released both on special edition vinyl, A-side 'Marching Orders' features legendary grime MC and producer, Footsie, who goes hard over Joker's monstrous instrumental — think relentless, hyper-distorted club hydraulics — even acknowledging him on the hook; 'Oi Joker this beat's sick, crazy'.

* On the flip, B-side 'Polka Dot' is equally as tough, despite the dizzying melodies and gentle tones of the track's opening throws, landing as a crunching melee of textbook Joker sounds.

Re-mastering by: Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London

For a label that wasn't around long, Strata East achieved the same sort of label recognition that Impulse! or Blue Note managed to build. In other words, you knew what you were getting when you bought a record on the label, even if you didn't know the names on the outside of the cover.

"Don't Look Back" is an album led by American saxophonist Harold Vick recorded in 1974 and released in the wake of Harold Vick's recovery from a heart attack, which may partially explain the passion with which he approaches his playing throughout.

One of the best-ever Strata East sessions! The album's a masterfully conceived session by reed player Harold Vick - best known to the world as the funky tenorist from albums by John Patton and Jack McDuff in the 60s, but emerging here as an incredibly sensitive soul jazz player, capable of turning out some incredibly sophisticated and emotional compositions. Vick produced and wrote all the material on the album. A treasure all the way through. (Dusty Groove, Inc.)

Audio-visual artists Soundwalk Collective were granted exclusive access to the personal archive of the groundbreaking filmmaker and present their ambitious New Album and Remix EP: What We Leave Behind released on 18th & 25th May 2018.

The NYC and Berlin based group were invited to aurally explore the archive of the seminal French director Jean-Luc Godard and release their interpretations in an innovative new album What We Leave Behind. Drawing on Godard's personal collection of shot film, reel- to-reels and historical ephemera, the recordings reveal the moments before and after the camera rolls, from stage directions and on-set asides to rehearsals, false stars and outtakes.

'There are boxes filled with sounds, words, chaos, and also silence. For Godard sound is a musical composition and when I began listening to the tapes and heard his voice between takes, it was like little bits of life...each sound has its own value. It has always been part of our working practice to venture into untapped sonic territories, discover the poetics behind them, and explore how we (as humans) relate to it, it is part of a larger discourse.' - Stephan Crasneancki, Soundwalk Collective

Revealing much insight to the director's process and personality, the 6-track album will be followed by a remix EP, featuring unique reworks from Ricardo Villalobos, Jan Jelinek and Petre Inspirescu.

What We Leave Behind, and the subsequent remix EP, arrive 50 years to the day that the the Cannes Film Festival, 1968, was closed after Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut and Claude Lelouche, publicly announced their closing of the festival in solidarity with workers and students protesting across the country.

The LP features a conversation between Stephan Crasneanscki, of Soundwalk Collective, and Franc¸ois Musy, Jean-Luc Godard's sound engineer, printed on a translucent paper insert. The LP and Remix EP both contain imagery taken by Stephan Crasneanscki of the archives, which he has also filmed to create a series of mesmeric short music videos of original and remix tracks.

An international genre-bending group of artist-musicians with studios in New York City and Berlin, the three members of Soundwalk Collective (Stephan Crasneanscki, Simone Merli, and Kamran Sadeghi) formed in Manhattan to produce concept albums, sound installations, and live performances, and have worked with a diverse range of collaborators, from Nan Goldin and Patti Smith to Berghain and Zaha Hadid.

On The 50th Anniversary Of The Band's Inception At An Event In Harlem, Ny To Commemorate Malcolm X's Birthday On 19 May 1968, Influential Spoken Word Artists, Poets And Commentators The Last Poets Are Set To Make A Glorious And Relevant Return With Their First Album In Over 20 Years, 'understand What Black Is'.

Produced By Ben Lamdin (nostaglia 77) And Brighton Legend Prince Fatty, Whose Speciality Is Traditional Reggae And Dub Production's, 'understand What Black Is' Is A Ten-track Album Which Speaks Of A Revolutionary Struggle Defined By Both Race And Identity, That Has Never Sounded More Relevant. Released On Studio Rockers, There Will Also Be An Accompanying Single Featuring Remixes Of The Title Track "understand What Black Is" By Mala (south London Collective Digital Mystikz) And Uk Dance Music Innovators Dego And Kaidi.

Since The Initial Line-up Of Dahveed Nelson, Gylan Kain And Felipe Luciano Formed In East Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park, The Last Poets Have Produced Under Various Guises Over The Subsequent Years. However, It Was Their Seminal Output, Namely 1970's 'the Last Poets' Under Both Umar Bin Hassan And Abiodun Oyewole That Secured Their Legacy, Becoming One Of The Most Important Influences In Early Hip Hop.

Throughout The Last 20 Years, The Band Have Remained Largely On Hiatus. But Their Influence Could Still Be Felt With Their Tracks Being Sampled By The Notorious B.i.g, Nwa, A Tribe Called Quest, Dr.dre And Snoop Dogg. Umar Has Recorded Various Solo Albums And Featured On Common And Kanye West's Grammy Nominated 'the Corner'. Abiodun Appeared On The Red Hot Organization's Album, Stolen Moments Which Was Named "album Of The Year" By Time. He Also Conducts Weekly Open House Poetry Readings, Where He Constructively Critiques Upcoming Poets, Helping To Nurture Them. He Has Also Conducted Classes At Columbia University, Where He Teaches Creative Writing.

The Inauguration Of Donald Trump As Us President In 2016 Inspired Hassan And Oyewole To Resurrect The Group To Create A Brand New Record, Modern And Edgy, And Deeply Relevant And Reflective Of Our Times.

Tracks On 'understand What Black Is' Include 'how Many Bullets', Which Bridles With Defiance As Oyewole Works Through A Litany Of Injustices Suffered By Black People In The Us: " You've Tried

To Blow My Brains Out With Bigotry, Chopped Off My Wings, So I Couldn't Fly Free, And Dared Me To Be Me, Took My Drum, Broke My Hands, Yanked My Roots Right Up Out Of The Land, And Riddled My Soul With Jesus" 'what I Want To See' Describes A Utopia - A Refuge From Hurt And Those Who'd Make "our Vision Blurred, And Our Faith Obscure", Whilst The Title Track 'understand What Black Is' Aims To Transcend Ethnicity: "understand What Black Is....it's The Source From Which All Things Come...black Is A Hero, Not A Villain."

The Album Even Takes Reference From Prince's 2003 Album Of Instrumentals, 'news', Which Hassan Drew Comparisons From With His Own Childhood Experiences: "that Poem Took Me About A Year To Write....i Just Kept Writing And Writing But Not Getting Too Far And Then I Heard That Album And The Musicianship Was Amazing. I Was Left Wondering If It Was Jazz, Classical, Rock Or Maybe Something New But All Those Images That I Write About Came To Me From Listening To That Album. I Loved Prince In That Movie Purple Rain Because My Father Was A Talented Musician But He Was Into Brutalising Mama At Times And In The Movie There's A Jerome And My Name Is Jerome, So It Was Like He Was Telling My Life Story As Well."

The Album Acts As A Body Of Work Between Individual Members Each Speaking Of Their Own Personal Journeys, But Feeding Into The Much Larger Narrative Of Struggle And Oppression, Alongside A Fervent Hunger For Social Change. These Are Struggles And Tests Of Personal Resolve That Have Directly Shaped And Moulded The Bands' Unique Sound Over The Course Of An Impressive 50 Years, And Their Powerful And Influential Commentary Remains As Relevant As Ever.

Pattern Repeat ready the next release on their self-titled label with two solid cuts of techno this May.

The project which was started back in 2009 by the two Danish producers, Dennis Bøg better known as Resoe, owner of Baum Records and its off shoot Baum Limited Picture Edition, and Kenneth Christiansen owner of Echocord Records. Each of their releases move into different realms of Techno,and have gained support from the upper echelons of dance music, from the likes of Rodhad, Levon Vincent, and Dario Zenker.

A crawling filtered synth opens '009A', murky kick drums and syncopated high-hats join it, to create a long winding warehouse melody, these are then exchanged for the hazy sounds of white noise of '009B' packed with cold eerie drones, that are met by charged hums that fizz away and bring the release to a close.

One of the most exciting artists to emerge in techno circles in recent times, Drumcode is excited to present the label's first EP from Boxia. Over the last 12 months the UK artist has impressed with his classy take on techno that mines two decades of rave.

Last year's 'Colour Sequence' EP on We Are The Brave marked one of 2017's standout releases, before being tapped by Maya Jane Coles to remix a track from her latest album 'Take Flight', while B.Traits also shone the spotlight on him for a Future 12 residency on BBC Radio 1 throughout September.

Boxia first came into contact with Adam Beyer when he opened the Car Park at Tobacco Dock for LWE's NYD event in 2016, and since then the pair have spoken regularly sharing similar tastes in music and DJing. He dropped his first cut on DC during the summer of '16, with 'Revolution' that featured on A-Sides Vol. 5, making him primed and ready for his first full length EP in 2018.

The four-track work lives up to his growing reputation for crafting beautiful, nuanced and ultimately very powerful electronic music. The EP opens with 'No World Order', a deep transcendental slice of techno propelled by a wicked acid line and vocal that leads to a galloping finish.

'Only Human' is drenched in atmosphere and old skool wonder, a brilliant composition of punchy multi-layered drum work, catchy synth lines and cutting acid that reveals its tender side with emotive broken beat interludes. 'Unreal' is a big peak time belter, raising the tempo to sweaty palms level, as a propulsion of acid and a memorable riff fill the techno sphere.

The title track 'Ethereal Education' closes out the work, a beautiful chord-driven vocal cut that evokes images of the classic dance that characterised Boxia's earlier years and makes a fitting outro to this outstanding EP.

Coletivo Vandalismo kick-start a new 12" series for the Contort Yourself label. Hailing from the city of Porto the duo also DJ under the name GAM and released their debut LP on Lake Haze's Eye For An Eye label. Their music has an immediacy that seems to stem from a background in live performance as opposed to polished studio sessions - an improvisational punk aesthetic that manages to carry this EP so strongly. Wild, crashing fx and unrecognisable vocal distortions layer atop wonky 90bpm drum machine grooves and the pair even show off what may be their turntablism skills on 'Zombie Zombie'. There's a nod to early concrete on the closing track 'Black Sun's Demise' with whirring, mechanical noise motifs suddenly jolting us into punishing gabber-at-33-minus-8 territory. The DIY spirit is alive and well here and the feeling that things could fall apart at any minute just adds to the tension.

* Pioneers of the electronic music scene, Music Producer and Finiflex Studio Owner, John Vick and DJ, Davie Miller are working together on a new project . . . . FINIFLEX

* TA TA OO HA was the first single to be released from the much anticipated forthcoming album SUILVEN, slated for release in May 2018.

* FINIFLEX have been playing the new material live since the end of 2016 with gigs in Edinburgh (Neu Reekie), Glasgow (Let's Go Way Back) Skye (Non Stop Easter Weekender) Barcelona (Kosmopolis), Dundee (Carnival 56) and the TA TA OO HA Single Launch Party (TRANSMISSION) in Glasgow.
The show itself is an immersive experience featuring lights, live projections and video graphics, basically a super slick production rammed with back to back bangers.

* These new releases may by the first in 20 years but in reality it's not been such a long period of silence. The almost a secret FINIFLEX Studio Complex (FINIFLEX HQ) based in Leith, Edinburgh has continued to work away with some of the best in the genre including the likes of Justin Robertson, Lord Of The Isles, DJ Rolando, Andrew Weatherall, Sparks, Billy McKenzie, Jon Pleased Wimmin, Paul Oakenfold, Dave Ball (Soft Cell) to name a few.
It's a given that their past assures their pedigree within the electronic music arena but with the release of TA TA TA OO HA . . . . . FINIFLEX brought it all rushing into the future. . . . . .

Esteban Adame cut his teeth DJing at the ditch parties and house parties of East LA in the 90s. He then moved to Detroit to apprentice with Mad Mike Banks, performing as part of Los Hermanos and Galaxy to Galaxy. More than twenty years on, he still lives and breathes music. This is his debut record for MisterSaturday Night Records, raw and joyful.

Following on from their 'Ususmood' EP in February, Finnish duo Shuffless return to Paris based record store and distribution company Synchrophone this May to deliver the enigmatic 'Puoliaskel'.

Taking inspiration from music, nature and the elements that surround them, Jukka Hänninen and Mika Hanka aka Shuffless have quickly garnered the attention of many within house and techno since making their production debut in 2016. Written at the Vislampi Studio, located in Ruutana City, Finland, using a combination of hardware gear from the likes of Roland, Korg and Arturia, here we see the duo reveal their latest work with four diverse and expansive cuts set for release this Spring as they return to Syncrophone's in-house imprint. Opening up the EP, Hänninen and Hanka fluently introduce 'Chi', a complex and evolving cut that effortlessly fuses deep, rich chords, and delicate, skipping hi-hats, before easing into the flowing groove of 'Lahti' with its jazz-tinged melodies and heady tones guiding the production into lighter territories.

On the flip, 'Nime Ñvailla' introduces a matrix of hazy textures amongst crunchy percussion licks and dubbed out atmospherics as the duo return to deeper, darker realms, before title cut 'Puollaskel' punctuates the package in classy fashion, laying down gritty analog percussion, resounding kicks and subtly programmed nuances to conclude an excellently worked EP.