It is with great joy that we present the Mr Bongo edition of Marcos Valle's 1983 self-titled masterpiece. A pure vintage that features the ultimate Brazilian-boogie cult-classic ‘Estrelar’ and iconic 80s cover art that sees a gloriously sun-drenched Marcos dressed in a pink v-neck t-shirt surrounded by a generous selection of deadly-looking neon cocktails.
The album was produced by the legendary Lincoln Olivetti and Marcos' brother Paulo Sérgio Valle. It showcases a real who's who of Brazilian music at the time, with stellar performances from vocalists and musicians such as Rosana, Serginho Do Trombone, Robson Jorge and Oberdan Magalhães to name but a few. This was Marcos’ second album, after having moved back to Brazil from his time living in Los Angeles, and that US influence is evident through its prominent boogie, soul and funk sounds. It also features collaborations with the US singer-songwriter, composer, pianist, keyboardist, and record producer, Leon Ware, who co-penned three tracks including 'Estrelar'. To complete the album there are tracks such as 'Fogo Do Sol', which is pure AOR / Balaeric vibes, and tracks that are more MPB and pop-inspired, making a well-balanced track list for both home-listening pleasure and dancefloor business.
What could we do to give one of Marcos' most celebrated albums the treatment it deserved and produce the most definitive re-issue possible? The answer was to enlist the services of Miles Showell, Abbey Road Studios Mastering and lacquer-cutting engineer and all-around audio-magician, to cut a special half-speed master edition. Miles had previously worked his half-speed magic on our Arthur Verocai album re-issue, and once again we are totally blown away by the richness which Miles has brought out in his mastering technique. He has enhanced the listening experience and taken this wonderful album to another level.
To celebrate the release we have pressed up several vinyl versions; both standard master, and Miles' half-speed mastering editions on Black vinyl, alongside special limited edition Rose and Mint-Green coloured vinyl variants that were inspired by the audacious-looking cocktails on the cover - sheer 80s excess!
quête:mint
Dynamite Cuts are proud to have the opportunity of presenting this amazing Dj dance floor diamond, by the legendary funk n soul band S.O.U.L. “Burning Spear” is an upbeat Drum and Bass groove with a super funky flute and all time classic sample. Sampled by hip greats like Pete rock & C.L Smooth & Organized Konfusion to name a few, a pure rare-groove club anthem, I remember those nights, funky-ing down to this awesome rhythm.
Dynamite Cuts’ issue of this monster, is a double-sider of the ultimate versions of “Burning Spear”. The A side cut is taken from the superb “What it is?” LP. On the B-side is the rare and more collectable version; slightly different, more percussive recording which was released on 7” in 1971 on the Musicor record label, but sadly on the hissing, breakable styrene, and not on the lovely VINYL. You’d be lucky to find a copy that doesn’t hiss, pop and crackle. But with thanks to; Mr Simon Watson, who had a mint stock copy almost un-played; and to the A-Lister Dynamite Cuts’ mastering magicians - Andy Pearce (de-noises) and Stuart Hawkes (remastering to get that full-on funk effect). Now what are the chances of that!!!
The name S.O.U.L means Sounds Of Unity and Love, consists of four men from Cleveland, Ohio USA, the band was formed around 1970.
Lee Lovett, a Libra - Lead singer, Bass and Baritone;
Gus Hawkins, a Scorpio - Vocals, Saxophone, Flute
Paul Stubblefield, an Aquarius - Vocals, Drums
Walter Winston, a Pisces - Guitar.
In 2018, Sean Worsey, a successful lawyer in California, began to receive some rather surprising emails. These were not from prospective clients, or about current cases he was working on, but rather queries from record collectors. They wanted more details about a pair of obscure, largely forgotten records he’d made in the mid 1980s as part of a virtually unknown band called Passion Theatre. To say he was surprised is an understatement. “People from around the world were emailing, calling and messaging us about the music, particularly a track called ‘Vacation Day’,” he says. “Our records were rare and gaining in value, mainly because there were not many manufactured at the time. By 2019, several individuals in the music industry had emailed me about licensing tracks.”
We eventually agreed with Sean to include ‘Vacation Day’, on Charles Bals’ second compilation, Retour Au Club Meduse. Impressed with the quality of the compilation Sean approached us again to discuss whether we would be interested in reissuing both of his old EP’s in full, an idea he’d been considering for a few months already. We jumped at the idea of course and have spent the last few months putting the reissue project together. The original studio tapes were long gone but a friend of Sean’s had some mint vinyl copies which we had shipped over from California to use as the master source, restored and mastered superbly by Technology Works in London. The striking original artwork from the two EP’s has been faithfully reworked into a gatefold double vinyl LP by designer Asger Behncke Jacobsen and features extensive interview/sleeve notes by Matt Anniss.
In the words of Sean Worsey - “One of the nicest things about the renewed interest in our music is that we can now enjoy it for what it is – back then we were a bit too worried about succeeding.”
- A1: Made Of Stone
- A2: I Am The Resurrection (Jon Carter Remix)
- A3: Fools Gold (Grooverider Mix)
- B1: One Love (Utah Saints Remix)
- B2: I Wanna Be Adored (Rabbit In The Moon Remix - Bloody Valentine Edit)
- B3: Fools Gold (A Guy Called Gerald Top Won Mix)
- C1: Elephant Stone (Mint Royale Remix)
- C2: Waterfall (Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne 12" Remix)
- C3: She Bangs The Drums (Elephant Remix)
- D1: Shoot You Down (The Soul Hooligan Remix)
- D2: Waterfall (Justin Robertson Mix)
- D3: Elizabeth My Dear (Kinobe Remix)
• 180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
• GATEFOLD SLEEVE
• INSERT
• 2-LP SET FEATURING REMIXES OF THEIR CLASSIC
HITS “FOOLS GOLD”, “ELEPHANT STONE”, “ONE
LOVE”, “SHE BANGS THE DRUMS” & MORE
• REMIXED BY A GUY CALLED GERALD, PAUL OAKENFOLD, JUSTIN ROBERTSON, UTAH SAINTS,
GROOVERIDER & OTHERS
• BLACK VINYL
The Remixes is a compilation album by The Stone Roses, which features remixes by various producers including Utah Saints and Paul Oakenfold. Various techno luminaries ply their skills reworking some of those early classic songs, and it is immediately clear that the Roses, even beyond the genius of their songs, were a preeminent dance band.
The Remixes on black vinyl includes an insert.
When Claud Mintz's mother finally heard the 13 songs on her kid's magnetic first album, Super Monster, she asked a concerned question: Just how many people had her 21-year-old dated? From beginning to end, these sparkling pop tunes capture the assorted stages of a relationship's delight and dejection_the giddy sensation of a first kiss during the beaming "Overnight," the heartsick longing of a pending rejection during the yearning "Jordan," the reluctant call for a requisite breakup during the smoldering "Ana." Claud, though, replied that these songs detailed the phases of only two or three relationships, simply written during them or at various points after they were over. The debut release on Phoebe Bridgers' Saddest Factory Records, Super Monster is a vertiginous but joyous coming-of-age reckoning with such young love. Claud sees relationships as games of endless wonder, intrigue, and second-guesses, a roller-coaster thrilling you even when it's terrifying. If "Gold" turns the tension and indecision of a bad match into an undeniable bit of lithe disco, "That's Mr. Bitch To You" uses a spurt of righteous indignation to fuse a little soul and emo into one breathless hook. Super Monster is like a compulsive compilation that Claud culled from a lifetime of musical enthusiasms_the arcing alt-rock of '90s airwaves, the rapturous pop of '00s chart-toppers, the diligent genre-hopping of modern online life. Claud emerges as the chameleonic mastermind of this mélange, channeling all of love's emotions into songs so sharp they make even the hardest times feel fun. Perhaps you are in the throes of one of these romantic moments yourself right now, resentful of a frustrating paramour like Claud during "Pepsi" or indulging in lust like "In or In Between." Or maybe these songs recall those wild days and tough situations. Incisive, instant, and addictive Super Monster works on either level_to remind us of love's wild ups and downs or to help us deal with them in real time. In that way, Mom, these songs are about dating, well, everyone.
- A1: Rawhead Rex Main Theme
- A2: Welcome To Ireland
- A3: Rawhead Appears
- A4: Nicholson's Farm
- A5: “Just You Wait”
- B1: Boy Runs For His Life Through The Wood
- B2: Minty - “Gotta Pee”
- B3: The Vicarage
- C1: The Family Is Leaving
- C2: Gussing Opens Book
- C3: Howard Discovers A Strange Glass Window In The Church
- D1: Declan Goes Wild In The Church
- D2: Howard Discovers The Power Of The Stone
- D3: Rawhead Rex End Credits
- D4: There Is A Green Hill Far Away
Based on a short-story by the master of horror and fantasy, author Clive Barker (Hellraiser), Rawhead Rex is set in 1980’s rural Ireland. The Demon, alive for millennia and trapped in the depths of hell, is unleashed on the sleepy local farming community. Remembered faintly through pre-Christian myth, the only one that can stop Rawhead's bloody rampage is the historian, desperately racing against the time.
This is the first ever release for the soundtrack by Colin Towns, one of Europe’s most prolific film, television and theatre composers, but also a pianist, songwriter, arranger, producer and collaborator, known for The Puppet Masters, Space Trackers, Maybe Baby, Foyle’s War, Doc Martin, Pie In The Sky.
"The first film I scored was Full Circle which starred Mia Farrow and is still in the BFI top ten for best score for horrorfilms. I felt that film was more of a dark scary mystery. Rawhead Rex on the other hand was clearly a horror film 100%. I visited the film set in Ireland during the filming to take in the atmosphere and meet the actors after which I decided to record the music at CTS in London with a sixty piece orchestra plus electronics. I have always orchestrated my own work and had a wild time with Rawhead which is what I really love doing". Colin Towns
Green Vinyl
Rift Vision 001 is producer and stay-at-home-DJ Lauren Ritter’s latest record. It is the debut album from her own, newly-minted label, Rift Vision.
The album acts as vanguard of Rift Vision’s aesthetic: liminal, subconscious, and ultimately, synesthetic. At the outset, it’s apparent that Ritter has traded in the “cool” of her minimal dance music performances for deeply personal, dream-like compositions. Live instruments, spoken word (Tenesha the Wordsmith), and melodies written on Ritter’s modest collection of synthesizers are hallmarks of each bespokenly-titled track.
While it’s not hard to imagine hearing any of Rift Vision 001’s tracks on the dance floor, it is hard to imagine why Ritter waited so long to release music like this.
So here we are with another first – the next vinyl debut on Cheezy Crust Records as well as thefirst ever release for the two-piece project that is CVSO which is their „Basic Cuts EP“.
Comprised of Mainz / Germany-based producers Mint Huus who made his solo debut on Cheezy Crust in 2019 and Get In Touch head honcho Willberg their joint venture project CVSO caters a total of four tracks on limited to 200 copies 12“ vinyl, all aptly named after their individual
placement and position on the actual record itself.
Mastered by electronic music legend and pioneer Thomas P. Heckmann the trademark sound of CVSO presented on this EP is informed by classic early to mid-90s Techno and Intelligent Techno vibes with its ever evolving flow and stripped down aesthetic which fuses subtle harmonic changes, spatial meanderings within the stereo field as well as a hypnotic, time-dissolving attitude for heavy dancefloor abuse.
This said, CVSO are aiming for nothing less than their introduction to the ivy league of Techno with these „Basic Cuts“, providing classy, absolutely timeless and expertly assembled DJ tools which are aiming to perfectly blend in with and match the vibe of all those now classic tunes that have never left a DJs bag for a quarter of a century or more, even though CVSO are tackling their sound design and production approach with a modern contemporary twist.
Charlotte de Witte mints her new KNTXT label with a suitably epic collaboration, joining forces with techno royalty Chris Liebing for ‘Liquid Slow’, due for release on 27th September. The CLR boss and German techno pioneer has been a regular at KNTXT parties over the years, not least at the sold-out stadium event at Antwerp's Sportpaleis last year where he will be returning to once again this November, alongside de Witte, just after the release of this new EP.
The influential pair spent time hanging out together at Awakenings Festival last year when they had the idea to collaborate. “I field-recorded the sound of a crane that was already taking stuff down next to us and thought it would be a good starting point“ says Chris. Whilst he admits the sample didn't made it on to this release, he teased a future collaboration saying "who knows, maybe there is more in the pipeline, I still have the recording". Current BBC Radio 1 resident Charlotte de Witte is once again in the midst of a non-stop summer that finds her taking her dark, stripped and powerful sounds to the biggest clubs and festivals in the world. She adds, “we have shared a lot of laughs, a couple of beers and a million different mixdown versions of both tracks. I consider Chris to be my friend and I’m very proud and honoured to have worked with him on this EP". Opener ‘Liquid Slow’ is seven minutes of heavy and hypnotic techno. It is stripped back to an acid bassline and earth rumbling kicks, with a meandering lead synth line and a darkly absorbing spoken word vocal over the top sure to lock in the dance floor for the duration. ‘In Memory’ ups the pressure with rumbling drums and bass sweeping you up as more acid twitches and tough hits nail down the groove. It is another powerful and compelling piece of techno from this vital pair.
This is the latest fascinating development in the story of Charlotte de Witte and her KNTXT brand. Now a label as well as a radio show and event series, KNTXT strives to be a progressive player within the vibrant techno scene.
- A1: Made Of Stone
- A2: I Am The Resurrection (Jon Carter Remix)
- A3: Fools Gold (Grooverider Mix)
- B1: One Love (Utah Saints Remix)
- B2: I Wanna Be Adored (Rabbit In The Moon Remix - Bloody Valentine Edit)
- B3: Fools Gold (A Guy Called Gerald Top Won Mix)
- C1: Elephant Stone (Mint Royale Remix)
- C2: Waterfall (Paul Oakenfold & Steve Osborne 12" Remix)
- C3: She Bangs The Drums (Elephant Remix)
- D1: Shoot You Down (The Soul Hooligan Remix)
- D2: Waterfall (Justin Robertson Mix)
- D3: Elizabeth My Dear (Kinobe Remix)
The Remixes is a compilation album by The Stone Roses, which features remixes by various producers including Utah Saints and Paul Oakenfold. Various techno luminaries ply their skills reworking some of those early classic songs, and it is immediately clear that the Roses, even beyond the genius of their songs, were a preeminent dance band.
The Remixes is available as a limited edition of 3000 individually numbered copies on transparent & red swirled vinyl. The package includes an insert.
Rocksteady and Reggae have long been a part of the rare soul scene, since its inception in the early Sixties. It’s easy to hear the influence of early American R&B in the development of ‘Ska’ and as ‘Soul’ music took over as “the sound of young America”, in the mid-Sixties, it too tinged the sound of Jamaica. No more so than our dance floor anthem “I Feel So Bad” by the legendary JACKIE EDWARDS.
Edwards was born Wilfred Gerald Edwards in Jamaica in 1938 and by the age of 22 had already scored a No.1 record on the island. He’d had four chart-topping hits before signing to Chris Blackwell’s new ‘Island’ imprint in 1962. He became an integral part of Island Records, as a prolific artist, songwriter, producer and general helper. He wrote “Keep On Running” and “Somebody Help Me” for the British R&B band The Spencer Davis Group, both of which went to No.1 on the U.K. pop charts.
“I Feel So Bad” was released on the distinctive ‘red and white’ Island logo in 1967 and was adopted by the burgeoning U.K. underground soul scene, most notably at the Twisted Wheel club in Manchester. It has been played on the ever evolving Northern Soul scene ever since and, a half-century on, commands a price tag of £700+ for a mint original. Fortunately our devastingly good-looking “official” reissue can be bought for a more modest sum.
Jackie Edwards is also responsible for our flip-side “Baby Don’t Wake Me” which he wrote and produced for reggae singer DEL DAVIS at the turn of the Seventies. The combination of Jackie’s well-honed soul-induced musicianship and Davis’ gravelly soulful vocals create the perfect Northern/Crossover dancer.
Two fabulous reasons to make this one of the top reissue 45s of 2020!
Brand new release from Turbo Guidance Entertainment! We deliver a compilation with 4 versatile dubs cooked by our wizards ! Pablo Bozzi (half of Imperial Black Unit and half of Infravision) signed "Sangria Sound System N°1", a slow burner italo-disco track. Perfect to close a cosmic set in the afternoon drinking pepper-mint lemonades! Cowbells everywhere and powerful arpeggiator. Watch out the guy, this year is going to his year! In the second position we have a reggae-disco remix from the man Androo; part of NS Kroo and also well known on the label Music From Memory. He totally switched the
original dub techno track of Babe Roots into something sweet and bouncy. Lobster for you ears. You can even ear autotune on the vocal! Awesome! Coming at the third place, here come Komodo from Indonesia! "Funky Buzz" is a perfect blend of tribal and dub rhythms with a repetitive bassline. Big delays and full effects to rock iguanas. Komodo is a rising star of South Asia, look at the sky to see him shining like a Telsa soon ! And last but not least, we serve you a sweet downtempo riddim from Mali-I aka Z Lovecraft (Rhythm Section). He built a hip-hop influenced track with aerial chords. Perfect music if you want to take the mic and try to toast like a real badboy. Only 400 copies for the world. Sleeve visual is gently printed in risography 3 colors at Shift Studio (Tunisia) - DIY each and everytime.
On Sunset features ten classic yet modern Paul Weller songs. On Sunset is a soul album. At the same time it’s also an electronic album, an orchestral album, an album packed with masterly pop songs and heart-tugging ballads, and an album filled with touches of experimentalism. It’s also an album that sees Weller taking a rare glance into the rear-view mirror as he speeds into the 2020s. Most of the album sees Weller multi-tasking on various instruments with accompaniment from his regular band - Ben Gordelier appears on all tracks and Andy Crofts on most whilst Steve Cradock pops up with his guitar on 4 songs. An eclectic and sometimes surprising gathering of guests appear on On Sunset including Slade’s Jim Lea contributing violin to the Bonzos-esque “Equanimity”, and Paul’s old Style Council chum Mick Talbot adds his signature Hammond Organ sound to 3 tracks. The beautifully lush “More” features a verse sung by French singer Julie Gros, from the band Le Superhomard (whose album Meadow Lane Park was one of Weller’s favourites of 2019) as well as the return of The Strype’s guitarist Josh McClorey. English folk trio The Staves contribute backing vocals for 3 tracks. Once again Hannah Peel sprinkles her magic over the album with string arrangements and The Paraorchestra were invited to add their expertise to 4 tracks. Formats include Black double Gatefold Heavyweight LP, a CD Mintpack and a Deluxe Hardback CD version with additional tracks.
- A1: Steve Colt - Dynamite
- A2: The Soul Tornados - Crazy Legs
- A3: The Memphians - Breakdown
- A4: Cal Green - Revolution Rap (Part 1)
- A5: The Xplosions - Wait A Minute
- A6: Smokey Johnson & Company - The Funky Moon
- A7: Soul Combination - Soul Combination
- B1: E Gaunichaux & The Skeptics - Afro Bush
- B2: Mickey & The Soul Generation - Football
- B3: Darnell Simpkins & The Family Tree - The Whip (Part 1)
- B4: Charles Mintz - Give A Man A Break
- B5: Zeke Strong & The Ladyetts - I Laugh & Talk (But I Don't Play) (But I Don't Play)
- B6: Diety - The Kuri Kuri
- B7: Jimmy Bee - Hot Pants
Returning to the label's dance floor roots, BODYCLOCK is a natural extension of Darker Than Wax's DNA - a foray into the late night club sounds that defined their sound. The freshly minted series represents the Singaporean label's primary outlet for dance floor burners and machine soul, shedding light on a new school of producers from around the globe and at the same time paying homage to the pioneers who laid the foundations for us. A celebration of afro-futurism that is ever-present in the consciousness of dance, BODYCLOCK is built for the nocturnal beings and discerning selectors that push this timeless tradition forward. This first volume brings together five producers across four continents - Teymori from Australia, NYC's Malik Hendricks, label mainstay Ricky Razu from Belgium, as well as Darker Than Wax co-founder Kaye and up-and-comer Halal Sol from Singapore. Establishing both facets of the BODYCLOCK sound, Side A features two vocal-led soulful excursions, while the flip brings three unabashedly jacking cuts to light the floor on fire. This is only the beginning - BODYCLOCK is coming with an onslaught of twelve inches and EPs, distilling our sonic outlook and looking to the future.
(M)or Mint was originally a digital release on a small and now defunct label. Being released under a different title its existence has been basically scrubbed from the internet. Caserta felt it was time to bring it back remixed and mastered as a physical release.
The Baby Maker Dub puts this mid 90’s soulful vocal front and center. With a sparse drum arrangement complimenting the smooth piano stylings of Yuki ‘U-Key’ Kanesaka, you have a make out inducing end of the night jam.
For those not ready to go home yet, Caserta added more drums, a lot of 909 and a whole lot more low end. Turning this smoothed out subdued affair into a certified dance floor stomper.
Holy Fuck have today announced details of new album 'Deleter', which will be released on January 17th and is further previewed with the video for acclaimed latest single 'Luxe' (ft. Alexis Taylor). Having just concluded a US tour alongside Hot Chip, the seminal Canadian band will play a selection of European headline dates later this month (with a London show at Moth Club on October 23rd selling out immediately).
Arriving at a moment where attention spans are shot and anxieties are going into overdrive, 'Deleter', Holy Fuck’s fifth studio LP, is a defiantly full-bodied affair. Polyrhythmic and pleasure- focused, 'Deleter' sees Brian Borcherdt, Graham Walsh, Matt Schulz, and Matt “Punchy” McQuaid utilises their signature sound - seamlessly fusing the gauzy drive of krautrock and deep house’s dreamy ineffability, expertly blending purring motorik percussion with the sort of fuggy synthetic fizz and tang they are renowned for.
From the thrusting minimalism of opener ‘Luxe’ through to the triumphant chug of closing track ‘Ruby’, via club-ready rollocker ‘Free Gloss’ and the cosmic clatter of ‘San Sebastian’, Deleter is a record that joins the Holy Fuck dots within their widescreen, technicolour, crescendo- heavy sound.
Hollie Kenniff is a Canadian-American electronic musician. The Gathering Dawn is her debut solo album .
The album, which is her first ambient proclamation, displays a sprawling looseness in sharp contrast to her works as one half of Mint Julep with husband Keith Kenniff (Helios, Goldmund).
The Gathering Dawn wistfully utilizes glacial synths, blurred out guitars and Hollie's melancholic vocal plumes as a basis. The album finds Hollie effortlessly folding classic ambient motifs in with minimal modernist brushstrokes.
The Gathering Dawn will be out on November 15th on limited edition 180gm pink vinyl and compact disc.
Beijing-based techno producer HWA (aka ELVIS.T) is releasing his first 12" EP "Granular Line" on Ran Groove, the sub-label of Bejing's Ran Music. This EP has 2 Deep Pulsating Techno tracks included as well as one Droning Ambient track produced using his customized modular synth system. As one of the leading figures in China's techno music scene, HWA's left-field experimental sound design, delicate poly rhythmic beat groove, dark and twisted massive soundscapes and the full hardware workflow, have earned him a reputation across China's dance music scene. Granular Line is the crystallization of HWA's persistent efforts on using the modular synth to produce techno music, it is the new envelope of his techno sound aesthetic.
HWA was born and grew up in Taipei and kicked off his DJ career in 1998 and soon started to produce his own music. He relocated to Beijing in 2006 and immediately became a part of China's electronic music scene, which had just emerged a few years before and was on its fast-rising phase. HWA is considered a brute force in the promotion of techno music and culture in the country, he was the early co-founder of Beijing's Lantern club, the most influential techno club in China's capital, he was also the co-owner of Acupuncture Records, which is the only techno label in China back in the 00's. In the past decade, he has played in the finest clubs and festivals in Europe, such as Tresor in Berlin and ADE festival in Amsterdam, as well as the top clubs in Toyko, Seoul, and Taipei, where Asian's best dance music scene exists. In 2016, he appeared in China's first ever Boiler Room event with his modular synth system, created the climax of that night and his live set was considered one of the best moments of Boiler Room China.
HWA has deeply embraced modular synthesis in recent years and it has become the centerpiece of his music production workflow and live performances. He attempts to explore randomized beat sequences and experimental sound design furthermore. He's one of the initial members of The Modular Commune, a Beijing artist community focused on the use of modular synths, which has gained a lot of attention across the globe. Through his music work and live sets, HWA's unique athletics and understanding of techno music made by machines, has become a unique label of his.
Second edition of Pulse includes 4 killer tracks from 4 different artists. From Uruguay with love. Vinyl only, limited copies.
- A1: Open Sesame
- A2: But Beautiful
- A3: Gypsy Blue
- B1: All Or Nothing At All
- B2: One Mint Julep
- B3: Hub's Nub
The trumpet/flugelhorn legend’s 1960 album. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on 19th June 1960. Featuring Tina Brooks (tenor sax), McCoy Tyner (piano), Sam Jones (bass) and Clifford Jarvis (drums). Features classic self-penned pieces such as the title track and ‘Hub’s Nub’, plus unique takes on the standards ‘But Beautiful’, ‘All Or Nothing At All’ and ‘One Mint Julep’. Produced by Blue Note co-founder Alfred Lion.
The famous album cover designed and photographed by other co-founder Francis Wolff.
Liner notes by the much-respected, recently-deceased jazz writer Ira Gitler.
Danish drummer Terkel Nørgaard presents his trio consisting of some of the key players in the Copenhagen scene and adding ECM-recording American star trumpeter Ralph Alessi on the lineup. Not merely a "feature", Alessi and the Danes form a coherent band unit capable of producing memorable and highly inspired contemporary jazz which links to the Nordic tradition of dynamic sound ranging from delicate minimalism to powerful avantgarde eruptions. The album Terkel Nørgaard "With Ralph Alessi" will be out via Helsinki's We Jazz Records on May 17.
On the new album, the Danish trio plus Alessi achieve something that can always be regarded a remarkable feat. They deliver a highly inspired set of music which links the album onto the ever-evolving lineage of jazz music, and at the same time introduce a new band capable of stunning the listener in the here and now. Terkel Nørgaard "With Ralph Alessi" will be released on vinyl (black / mint colored), CD and digital formats.
Spencer Parker invites Swedish artist Billie Jo to Work Them Records with five driving techno cuts entitled 'The Ravenous' EP featuring a remix from Me Me Me boss Man Power.
Hailing from Stockholm, Billie Jo is a founding member of the .WAV collective and resident DJ at Gothenburg's Rottweiler when not performing at clubs like Tresor. She now joins Work Them Records, bringing an array of robust productions with her.
With its pounding drums and ghostly vocals, 'Erroneous' quickly sets the tone of the release, leading into 'Saturn' with its glassy textures and echoing effects. 'Ravenous' then takes us into murkier territories, generating a duskier aesthetic with its twisted sounds before British producer Man Power provides a vigorous reinterpretation under his newly minted MPX moniker, which focuses on raw club tracks, featuring hard stabs and acid licks.
With its saw-like lead and trippy atmospherics, 'Dir Vsseu' sounds like being pulled through a vortex, making way for the powerful 'Planet 9' which concludes the package with metallic elements and subtle pads.
Danish drummer Terkel Nørgaard presents his trio consisting of some of the key players in the Copenhagen scene and adding ECM-recording American star trumpeter Ralph Alessi on the lineup. Not merely a "feature", Alessi and the Danes form a coherent band unit capable of producing memorable and highly inspired contemporary jazz which links to the Nordic tradition of dynamic sound ranging from delicate minimalism to powerful avantgarde eruptions. The album Terkel Nørgaard "With Ralph Alessi" will be out via Helsinki's We Jazz Records on May 17.
On the new album, the Danish trio plus Alessi achieve something that can always be regarded a remarkable feat. They deliver a highly inspired set of music which links the album onto the ever-evolving lineage of jazz music, and at the same time introduce a new band capable of stunning the listener in the here and now. Terkel Nørgaard "With Ralph Alessi" will be released on vinyl (black / mint colored), CD and digital formats.
The masters for these recordings were lost long ago so we have restored from mint vinyl and had remastered at Subvert Central Mastering.
The DJ Seduction remix is rare as hens teeth. The record has been cut at 45 RPM for the DJ's.
The 45 of Everyday People - World full of people is well known on the modern soul and funk scene and it relatively easy to find a copy for maybe 500 pounds. What was always less well known was that there was also an LP by the same band but labels as People Pleasure. I first came across this LP in Turku, Finland in the early 2000s when at the house of DJ and Collector Felix Manell who pulled a pile of rare and interesting bits that day. I did not really appreciate the true rarity until trying to source my own copy. The next copy I saw was in Japan in 2004 but was not going anywhere. Roll on 15 years, Russell Paine, collector, DJ and super record researcher called me saying he had finally unravelled the mystery and was talking to Bill brown & Al Hall Jr. Russel sets himself the hard task of only putting out unreleased material on his own label so we also work together on LPs and Singles on Athens of the North. After we managed to clear the rights the final hurdle was finding a clean copy, not an easy task. After asking loads of deep collectors, Zaf put me onto DJ Nick the Record who very kindly lent me his minty personal copy, a huge favour considering how rare this record is, almost impossible to replace. So we mastered from the vinyl (no tapes exist) and while it still sound pretty raw it is twice as good as the O.G. Been a long time coming.
Italian duo Neverdogs mint their brand new label Bamboleo Records with a powerful four-track EP that serves as a fine statement of intent.
The label will focus on house, techno and minimal with a funky edge. As well as their own material, it will release big names from the international scene and aims to inspire and generate new emotions for the dance floor.
Up first is the thrilling 'Underground Activity', a dubbed out deep techno roller. It has warm chords bringing plenty of scale to the slick, kinetic drums.
The superb 'Solution' is a more churning, lively tech cut with wobbling hooks and metallic drums. It's one to get the floor moving, with dark vocals finishing it in style.
Keeping up the dynamic dancefloor vibes, 'Stop Talking' slips into a moody and stripped back house framework, with dry hits echoing out into a cavernous atmosphere. With real swagger and cosmic overtones in the keys, it's another excellent side to this pair's sound.
Last of all, 'Destination' is a dramatic vocal DJ tool with broad synths and molten bass all warping round each other.
Second elease on newly minted Souk Records (Discrepant), coming swiftly after the mind blowing Palestinian beat LP Muqata'a Inkanakuntu (SOUK01).
For the second release we chose someone who is already part of our Discrepant family - the Colombian tropical masters Romperayo aka Pedro Ojeda.
Back in 2015 we released their self titled debut and now it's time for the follow up, 'Que Jue', ten up-tempo bangers filled with the unique sounds of psychedelic 1970s Cumbia.
Whilst the first Romperayo LP united several musicians around Pedro Ojeda's frantic drum style, Que Jue sees him take the reigns solo armed with instruments, samplers and his trusted drum skills!
'Que Jue' is a fever rhythm joy, an intense voyage to the diverse landscape of Colombian folklore and psychedelic scene. It's also a combination of old and new, an exploration of sample techniques that throwback to classic cumbia but with an electronic minimal vibe that seeks the intense repetition of some dance music produced recently.
All for the sake of pleasure, Romperayo's music is magnetic, impulsive and addictive. The repetitive patterns are mixed astutely and sweaty percussion changes the rhythm whenever it's needed: you don't know that, but they do, and they deliver it frequently with awe. Tropical fusion, new cumbia or salsa on acids You decide.
BENJAMIN FINGER, JAMES PLOTKIN and MIA ZABELKA craft a mesmerizing sonic world that buzzes and drones, glitches and slithers, eventually careening into unexplored musical territory.
"Pleasure-Voltage" was born in the mind (and studio) of BENJAMIN FINGER - a composer, electronic music producer, DJ, photographer and film-maker based in Oslo / Norway who in recent years has become quite a prolific artist, expanding his stylistic palette from piano miniatures and off-kilter pop experiments to lysergic, dream-like sound collages spiced with gentle warmth and sublime melody. These ingredients are also characteristic on this latest work where FINGER set the musical frame before passing it on to his inspired collaborators: MIA ZABELKA who for decades now has been involved in countless projects, be it as musician (violin / electronics), curator or founder of the international sound art centre klang.haus and who has worked with a.o. JOHN ZORN, FRED FRITH, ELECTRIC INDIGO, ROBIN RIMBAUD (SCANNER), DÄLEK or PHIL MINTON. And last but not least there's JAMES PLOTKIN who entered the scene with his first band OLD LADY DRIVERS (or OLD) on EARACHE in 1987 and later was a member of KHANATE (with a.o. STEPHEN O'MALLEY) while also exploring the areas of dark ambient and electronics by working with or remixing SCORN / MICK HARRIS, K.K: NULL and many more.
On "Pleasure-Voltage" which had its live-premiere at the REWIRE festival 2018, the trio craftsa mesmerizing sonic world that buzzes and drones, glitches and slithers, eventually careening into unexplored musical territory somewhere between ambient / drone / psychedelia.
Belgium DJ / Producer ED1999 kicks off the debut release for his newly minted 'Porpax' imprint with 'Melodius Hubbub, a 4-track EP of hypnotic dark Techno saturated with modular wizardry. The release confidently displays ED1999's production power as well as the serious direction the label is aimed at taking. The music featured clearly inspired by the energy found in Tbillisi, Berlin, Detroit and anywhere else heavy duty underground music is celebrated.
'Path Of Hope' is a punchy mover heavy on the reverb, with washes of metallic gray atmospherics floating in and out of the steady analogue drum patterns. The track grows in energy throughout with additional claps, hi hats and melodies generating an absolutely effective tension building weapon.
Title track 'Melodius Hubbub' is pure hypnotic Techno at its absolute finest. Black as midnight elements drive the energy to dark territories. ED1999's perfectly positioned sonic peaks and valleys of thick musical textures ensure the dancefloor never loses a moment getting lost in the incredibly positioned hypnosis of sound.
'Winding Course' is centered around a gurgling synth ride which gives the track an uneasy and twisted vibe throughout. Additional melodic effects join the main synth, adding a romantic sense of danger and dancefloor movement. Akin to ED1999's brilliant ability to keep his music restrained and effective for serious club-goers.
'Sleazy Nook' is the darkest of the dark tracks found on the release, with shudder inducing effects and ice cold soundscapes residing alongside the winding rhythms. A truly intense breakdown midway through the track generates a clever sense of sinking, with only the kick drum returning to keep people safe from going under.
Label A7A launches with 4 blistering electroid-techno cuts, from the mind of the mysterious DJ Trip Lord. His debut release takes you on a journey spiraling out of deep hyperspace, aimed for the dance floor. Remixes feature Rotterdam's rising star Lenson and Lawrence Lee, the brains behind the newly minted A7A label.
Atuy So Kata is the closing track of Umeko Ando's Ihunke album. It is a poetic dedication to the surface of the ocean. Her voice is especially mesmerizing in this traditional Ainu song, and it perfectly captures all the brittle and enchanting qualities of her vocal art. Patric Catani (aka Candie Hank, aka Ill Till) is an artist of many faces who has already appeared on a couple of Pingipung releases. He is widely known for his recent soundtracks for video games such as Minton and Pit People. His playful remix approaches the Ainu folk song with an offbeat punch, spacing out on delays and dub textures. "Many white waves on the ocean They look like rabbits jumping." After the Iuta Upopo 7'' (Pingipung 058, 2017), the Ihunke re-issue 2LP (Pingipung 060, 2018) and the Ihunke Remixes 12'' (Pingipung 062, 2018), this single is latest step in Pingipung's explorations of Umeko Ando's legacy and contemporary interpretations of her unique music.
Fina's next release comes from Mathew Ferness, an exciting and already hotly tipped rising star for just his second ever EP. It features three tracks that showcase his musical house style with a remix from Helsinki's Saine.
Ferness hails from a small town near Montreal in Quebec, where he was an outcast obsessed with music. With no access to record shops, parties or scenes Mathew started taking matters into his own hands DJing in his teens taking inspiration from J Dilla, he soon began producing his own beats on a sampler and drum machine.
An exploration of analogue sounds, DAWS and most recently electronic music have all lead him to the rich sound he has now. His last EP on Beat changers was championed by Rhythm Section International and Radio 1 tastemaker Bradley Zero and this latest EP is likely to prove just as popular.
Pad laced opener 'Escapade' is a summery deep house jam with breezy acoustic guitar and warm, punchy drums of the sort to get any floor cutting loose. 'Solitude' is more paired back, with thoughtful piano keys laid over deep rolling drums. There is a musical romance and beauty to the synths that elevate this one above purely functional fodder, and then 'At First Sight' awakens your senses once more with broad synth smears and perfectly rough-edged drums which create pure deep house soul.
Saine is a producer with a range that goes from hazy hip hop to dusty house on labels like Odd Socks, Andy Hart's Voyage and this one before now. After his 2017 EP Mint, he returns with a remix that is bubbly and laden with colourful melodies and open-air house grooves.
This is EP full of rich house music that is for mind, body and soul.
Following a string of well-received EPs on Cin Cin, Exit Strategy and Get Physical, Belfast's LOR readies his debut, self-titled album 'Lunar Orbit Rendezvous'. This will mark the first release on his newly minted label LOREC. A technique used in Apollo lunar missions, 'Lunar Orbit Rendezvous' charts a journey to the moon and back. A bold album, both in concept and sound, it's the work of an artist coming into his own.The title track and first single 'Lunar Orbit Rendezvous' prepares the album for lift off. It's a track that carries the technical tension of crucial operations, with gnarly acid pulses and happily erratic synths sparring over a steadfast electro beat while vocal samples collapse into themselves. 'Lunar Orbit Rendezvous' comes accompanied by a video from Studio Crême, whose design and video work has been championed by the likes of James Holden, Warp and Simian Mobile Disco. Using a hyper detailed black and white render of a NASA grade rocket, the video brings the optical journey of 'Lunar Orbit Rendezvous' to life The 'Lunar Orbit Rendezvous'
AUDREY CHEN's long-awaited new solo album "Runt Vigor" is an adventurous sonic exploration of the voice, cello and analog electronics.
AUDREY CHEN began her relationship with sound through the cello and voice over 30 years ago and since the past 15 years, her predominant focus has been her solo work, joining together the extended and inherent vocabularies of the cello, voice and analog electronics.
More recently, she has begun to shift back towards the exploration of the voice as a primary instrument, delving even more deeply into her own version of narrative and non-linear storytelling. She derives her sound material in continuous process, championing the "in-between" and overlooked. Regardless of instrument, CHEN's mode of experimentation touches both the abstractly beautiful and the aggressively unsettling, creating a kind of curiously imagined architecture, non-prosaic song or ritual that reaches beyond gravity or language.
Recent projects, aside from performing solo, includeher long running voices duo with PHIL MINTON, duos HISS & VISCERA with modular synth player RICHARD SCOTT, BEAM SPLITTER with Norwegian trombonist HENRIK MUNKEBY NØRSTEBØ, and the "romantic noise duo" AFTERBURNER with DORON SADJA (electronics/light projection). Past projects include work with German conceptual artist JOHN BOCK, a duo with NYC abstract turntablist MARIA CHAVEZ, and a quartet with NATE WOOLEY, C. SPENCER YEH and TODD CARTER that released a LP on MONOTYPE. Hernew projects include a double duo/quartet with BEAM SPLITTER and STREIFENJUNKO's, EIVIND LØNNING and ESPEN REINERTSEN and MOPCUT with LUKAS KÖNIG and JULIEN DESPREZ.
On Respective Edges Of America — Oregon And Maine — Keith Kenniff Records Quiet Music At Night. 'when Things Are Calmer,' He Says. 'my Mind Is Less Distracted When I Know That Everything Is Dark Outside.' For Over A Decade, Such Has Been The Mode — Nocturnal, Unrushed, Using The Same Mini-cassette Recorder, "a Lovely Little Imperfect Way To Treat Sounds" — For One Of The Country's Most Understated Composers. Kenniff Has Housed Dozens Of Ambient Releases Under The Name Helios Since 2004, Alongside Post-classical Output As Goldmund, Shoegaze Pop With His Wife Hollie As Mint Julep, And Commissions For lm And Television. It Is A Reliably Transportive Body Of Work That's Earned Kenniff A Cult Following, And A Genuine Modesty That's Kept Him On The Fringes, Right Where He Prefers, In The Dark.
Kenniff Mostly Lets His Music Breathe Free Of Explanation, Open To Interpretation. As Listeners, We Follow Subtle Suggestions — The ery Sky On The Cover Of 2012's Moiety, The Countryside Daydream Of 2015's Yume — Extracting Meanings From Imagery And Inscriptions. Veriditas, The Sixth Helios Full-length, Shares Its Name With Twelfth-century Philosopher Hildegard Von Bingen's Notion Of "the Greening Power Of The Divine," The Term Derived From The Union Of Two Latin Words: Green And Truth. Bingen Saw The Abundance Of The Earth As Vitality To Be Cultivated, Interconnected With The Body And Spirit. Take The Concept In Concert With Veriditas' Vistas Of Sound, Gazing Beyond The Tree-lined Wonder On Its Artwork, And We Undoubtedly Recognize The Album's Rooting. Kenniff Elaborates, "while I'm Not A Very Spiritual Person As It Relates To A Religious Belief, I Do Feel An Overwhelming Connection Between The Aesthetics I nd Pleasing In My Experience Of Nature And My Experience Of Writing Music."
hand-numbered clear mint vinyl LP in spray-painted sleeve limited to 200 copies (comes in different coloured sleeve, we cannot guarantee which one you will receive)
A lucid, dynamic, atmospheric trip through consciousness, incorporating an incredible range of texture, tone, and three-dimensional space. This is a glimpse into the most emotive, most personal of Dead Fader's extensive work. There are delicate moments of introspection, furtive agitation, and exuberance, all tightly interwoven into a singular, enthralling whole.
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.
Sound Warrior Records founded by Jenifa Mayanja & Dakini 9 aims to balance the playing field for female producers and exclusively release their music. SW006 "Warrior Formulation" is rooted in soul-stirring house with its heart arching towards the future. Lady Fingers returns with an engrossing slice of dub house. The North Carolina artist/DJ was recently a featured DJ at Moog Fest. Jenifa Mayanja Bumako records, shows up with a broken ambient house break. On the flip side Sound warrior teams with well known Berlin underground heroines "Mint Berlin" the female only booking agency. Representing Mint Berlin is co-founder Ena Lind who has been pushing boundaries in the electronic music scene in Berlin for over a decade. Lady Blacktronika comes with a soul house soaker. She has made quite a splash with her labels Sound Black and Sound Keymstry in the process earning the title "first lady of beatdown".
Le Galaxie are: Michael Pope, Dave Mc Gloughli, Alistair Higgins, Anthony Hyland, and newly
minted fifth member May Kay Gegharty who, having guested on the second album Le Club,
came fully on board for their third album, 'Pleasure'.
Le Galaxie have recently returned with Pleasure,' their first single from their forthcoming
third effort. Pleasure' is a dangerously charged sensuous slice of dance pop featuring the
vocals of May Kay (Fight Like Apes) - the calling card for an album that sees the band
producing a new body of work, to be enjoyed as much between your ears as between the
throbbing floors and laser lit ceilings of venues and festivals across the globe.
Recorded in their own studio with ultra-producer Blende, Pleasure' points to Le Galaxie's
evolution from purveyors of dance floor bangers to creators of well-crafted songs. The
affecting, almost master- and servant-like vocal exchange between Michael Pope and
vocalist May Kay demonstrates a self-confidence and maturity of a band in control.
With trademark grooves, synth, and bass distilled into songs like Pleasure,' Le Galaxie are
set to move beyond the scorched tarpaulins of Bennicassim and Lovebox this year, with tour
dates in the US, Ireland and beyond.
- 180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
- INCLUDES INSERT
Invitation was the third album by Jaco Pastorius, originally released in 1983 while the bassist was a member of Weather Report. This is a live album recorded at various venues during a tour of Japan, featuring his Word of Mouth' big band. While his debut album Jaco Pastorius (MOVLP136) showcased his eclectic and impressive skills on the electric bass, both Invitation and his previous album, Word of Mouth (MOVLP1260) focused more on his ability to arrange for a larger band.
This album features mostly numbers written by other artists. The exceptions are Continuum', from his debut album, and Liberty City', from Word of Mouth, as well as Reza', an original number bookending his version of John Coltrane's Giant Steps'.
The band's all-star cast included Randy Brecker, Bobby Mintzer, Toots Thielemans, Peter Erskine, Othello Molineaux and Don Alias.
Into the mystic. Crank up the amp and drop the needle on the record. Exclusively on vinyl only, it's the cross-genre collaboration everybody's talking about - between the don of drum'n'bass and one of the godfather's of grime. Goldie and Skepta share a birthday, an elemental connection and an impeccable taste in beats. Upstart is the blistering outcome of their studio sessions together - a fierce, futuristic alchemy of tense horrorshow melodics, street-level rhymes and bangin' breaks. Minted somewhere between Blade Runner and A Clockwork Orange, it's for the kind of kids who want to ram-raid tomorrow, become a ghost in the machine, a contagion that cannot be stopped.
Yet another highly in-demand 12" from the Philadelphia International stable and an artist who's records never go out of date! This is a killer double-sided beauty with the frenetic and jazzy "Life On Mars" from his debut 1976 album on the top-side and the mellow all-time classic and soul boy anthem "The Sweetest Pain" from 1979 on the flip.
Two very different sides of a great artist, both of which show the level of diversity that he was capable of producing. The last legitimate release of this was back 1999 and a Mint copy will currently set you back circa £50, if you can ever find one. Word of warning: there are some U.S. bootlegs from 2008 that still appear to be in circulation and which are easy to spot since they use the U.S. silver P.I.R. label.
We are currently getting these taken down and hopefully they'll soon be removed from the marketplace. Accept no substitute! All our 12" re-issues are licensed from the copyright owners and legally covered. No time for fakes over here!
The sub label of Sonic Groove, 'Sonic Groove Experiments', returns after a 4 year hiatus with a stellar re-release of the Electrowave classic 'Eruption' by Beta Evers. Originally released as a Limited Edition 12' back in 2005 on Beta's own Kommando 6 label. Now in 2017 the original pressing goes for quite a fortune on the record collecting market. Often exceeding €60 for a mint copy. For the first time in a dozen years this release is available on vinyl in its original running order but with very sleak new artwork for the normal asking price of a new store bought 12'.
Beta Evers is Brigitte Enzler from Augsburg, Germany. An artist with a substantial amount of accomplished work to her credit including an early release on the storied Hague label, Cre`me and her side project Black Spider Clan. After ceasing Kommando 6 operations, Beta Evers continues on independently releasing music on her other labels Bodyvolt and Venus Noir. Her most recent release is the 2016 awesome 'Delusion' album on legendary Industrial/EBM pioneer Dirk Ivens prestigious Daft imprint.
The opening track's title serves as a warning, titled 'Don't Be Afraid', a cold introduction led by sinister synth lines soliciting our attention to expertly crafted true analog electronic percussion in the EBM/Dark Electro disciplines. Surreal, deep and seductive vocals lie in the wake at the center of the composition giving us a melancholic piece worthy of deep contemplation during listening on or off the dance floor.
The following track 'Move In My Body Rhythm' continues in the same sinister and dark aesthetic in a more driving manner, this track continues to bring forth energy with a precise beat and rhythm accompanied by acidic synth modulations.
Side B continues to hold the heavy weight of this extended player with the track 'Eruptive' This reference track to the title of the EP. is an electronic/vocal robotic analog circuit breaker suitable for dawn light on the floor. Traditional arsenal of classic analog sounds are arranged and rearranged with sonic manipulation at the test. Mutant dance music for cosmic venues.
The closing track, 'Destination Lost' is comprised of lyrics of urban angst and disturbance whispered out through sultry vocals. Dark minimalist and cinematic cyberpunk breaks reinforced by low drone synth waves and crystals of lysergic analog bleeps drifting along the perimeter. Dead serious wave infected electronics.
This sonic document also serves as a good example of a roots approach to creating music whilst at the same time giving us something entirely innovative. This is as futuristic as it is timeless and that reflects the elements of a masterpiece.
(en) While the last Kompakt offering from legendary Russian synthesists SCSI-9 dates back to 2008, when the duo released their album Easy As Down' (KOMPAKT CD 068), co-founder and techno/house virtuoso ANTON KUBIKOV kept himself busy cultivating his own label Pro-Tez Records - and establishing a career as solo artist with a clear penchant for dub-infused soundscapes and ambient music. WHATNESS is Kubikov's first solo full-length under his proper name, weaving airy and iridescent sonic tapestry that takes up where his excellent contributions to our Pop Ambient compilations left off.
ANTON KUBIKOV's special ear for ambience and tonal spaces was always an integral part of SCSI-9's musical DNA that would alternate between tight dance workouts and vast melodic range - but it's as a solo artist that he truly started to explore these spaces, following mysterious sonic trails into foggy, reverb-heavy territory. Kubikov's contributions to the several instalments of our Pop Ambient compilation series announced the arrival of a promising new project in our talent pool - a promise more than satisfied with the immersive sound bath of first solo outing WHATNESS.
Going from the richly layered electronic drones of LIQUID MIRROR or ENTRANCE to the lush ambient dub of OTHER THE SEA and KURT'S FOREST, or the minimalist, evocative piano of OKTOBER and PIA, the album covers lots of stylistic ground, but remains committed to its overall aesthetic of misty mountains and serene valleys. With the endearing APRIL, a true Pop Ambient classic from the 2016 compilation (KOMPAKT 345 CD 128) makes a welcome return, priming the canvas for the subtle bass throb of NORTH and its charming synth bell orchestra. Masterfully refining and extending his sonic pallet on WHATNESS, ANTON KUBIKOV can claim his spot among the very best of today's ambient composers.
(de) Obwohl die letzte Kompakt-Offerte aus dem Studio der legendären russichen Synthesizeristen SCSI-9 schon eine Weile zurückliegt - 2008, um genau zu sein, mit dem Album Easy As Down' (KOMPAKT CD 068) -, hat Co-Gründer und Techno/House-Virtuose ANTON KUBIKOV nicht auf der faulen Haut geaalt, sondern sein eigenes Label Pro-Tez Records gepflegt - und eine Karriere als Solo-Künstler mit klarem Drang zur verdubbten Tonlandschaft und Ambient-Musik in die Wege geleitet. WHATNESS ist seine erste Solo-Album-Veröffentlichung unter eigenem Namen und webt einen luftigen wie schillernden Klangteppich, der genau da weitermacht, wo Kubikovs exzellente Beiträge zu unserer Pop Ambient Compilation-Reihe aufgehört haben.
ANTON KUBIKOVs besonderes Ohr für Ambientes und tonale Räume war schon immer integraler Bestandteil von SCSI-9s musikalischer DNA, die gerne zwischen fokussierter Tanzathletik und ausufernden Melodieräumen changiert - doch erst als Solo-Künstler macht er sich daran, diese Räume wirklich auszuloten und geheimnisvollen Klangspuren in neblige, hallende Gegenden zu folgen. Kubikovs Gastspiele auf mehreren Ausgaben unserer Pop Ambient-Serie deuteten auf ein vielverprechendes neues Projekt im Talentpool hin - ein Versprechen, das mit dem mitreissenden Klangbad von WHATNESS mehr als erfüllt wird.
Von den reichhaltig verschichteten elektronischen Drones von LIQUID MIRROR oder ENTRANCE zum üppigen Ambient-Dub von OTHER THE SEA und KURT'S FOREST, oder dem minimalistischen, andeutungsreichen Klavierspiel auf OKTOBER und PIA erstreckt sich das Album über viel Stilgebiet, bleibt aber der eigenen Ästhetik dunstiger Gebirgszüge und einsamer Täler true. Mit dem überaus reizenden APRIL macht ausserdem ein echter Pop Ambient-Klassiker von der 2016er Ausgabe (KOMPAKT 345 CD 128) seine Aufwartung und bereitet den Boden für den subtil pochenden Bass von NORTH nebst charmantem Synthieglockenorchester. Meisterhaft veredelt und aufgebohrt, ist ANTON KUBIKOVs Klangpalette auf WHATNESS Grund genug ihm einen Platz zwischen den besten Ambientkomponisten unserer Tage zu sichern.
Bobby Sheen first began singing in late 50s and early 60s vocal groups out of Los Angeles, working with Clyde McPhatter of The Drifters, Phil Spector and even Walt Disney. He recorded singles of note for Capitol (including Dr. Love') and Warner Brothers where Phillip Mitchell penned this evergreen Something New To Do', originally a B side to the also popular modern soul favourite I May Not be What You Want' in 1972, though reversed the following year. This is the first reissue since those two initial releases in the 70s which have become extremely collectable, mint originals selling for over £100.
For their latest slice of saucer-eyed Balearic perfection, Leng Records has looked to the North East of England for inspiration.
Lizards is a freshly minted project from Newcastle-based twosome Lee Forster - better known as one third of Balearic house combo Last Waltz, whose impressive releases have appeared on World Unknown, Futureboogie, Endless Flight and Is It Balearic - and long-time friend James Hadfeld of Nein Records' Elizabeth Collective. Despite writing music together on and off for the last 15 years, the duo only made their debut this month. As frst 12' singles go, their Tanni EP on Not An Animal was something of a gem, and featured two winding, ear-pleasing chunks of dreamy, sun-kissed Balearic disco loveliness. Their Leng debut is just as strong. A-side 'Frontier' sets the tone, layering bubbly, psychedelic electronics, vintage synthesizer arpeggio lines
and strummed acoustic guitar riffs over a head nodding, 102 BPM drum machine groove. By the time the jammed-out, eyes-closed electric guitars and jaunty synthesizer melodies come in, you'll be lost in the music. Flipside 'Coming In' stares at the sunset wistfully, effortlessly capturing the twilight humidity associated with lazy Croatian festivals and beautiful Bali beaches. Analogue synth lines futter in the breeze, whilst picked guitar lines,
spinetingling chords and a druggy bassline move the action forwards at a pleasingly loose and groovy pace. Go on, hug a stranger; after all, we're all friends in Lizards' baggy, melody-rich world.
Eleanore Mills is a classic Soul singer with a sweet and sophicated voice, who recorded her debut album 'This is Eleanore Mills' for the Sylvia Robinson's All Platinum subsidiary Astroscope in 1974. The album has a broad range of Soul and early Disco/Soul cuts. It did not sell in vast numbers on its initial release but has become heavily in demand in the last 20 years and appeals to a broad spectrum of Soul and Disco collectors and DJ's.. Original copies are highly collectable and in mint condition now sell for around £300- £400. Eleanore went on to record with Norman Connors on his 'This Is Your Life' album in 1977 (recently issued on CD by Soul Brother) and then developed into singing Soulful house having a huge record with 'Mr Right' in the late 80's.
Shimmer was the record that put Stefan Goldmann on the map of techno. The dark and throbbing tracks, reduced to the essentials, were love at first sight for many of the DJs who ruled the scene back in 2004. Josh Wink threw in one of his most focused remixes for Stefan Goldmann's debut on Ovum - which was also the first one by a German artist on the label. As so often in dance music, things have come full circle. About time to give a mint copy of "Shimmer" to the DJs who play this prototypic sound today. Remastered meticulously by Rashad Becker at D&M, with the title track cut to a full 12" side, it never sounded better.



















































