Buscar:mo’ funk

Jaxx Madicine is a jazz-funk inspired house'ish outfit from Milan consisting of Turbojazz (Local Talk, GAMM Records), Parker Madicine (Heist, Bastard Jazz Brooklyn, CT-HI Records) and the talented jazz keyboardist 'Veez_0'.

With an organic and melodic sound collage you can hear influences from classic 70's jazz-funk labels and artists like CTI, Mizell Brothers, Kudu and Bob James but also the current sounds of Kaidi Tatham, Byron The Aquarius and Harvey Sutherland.
On this their first EP you get three amazing tracks that all are made with a genuine love for analogue synthesizers, fender Rhodes, clavinets and some soulful MPC programming...

It is summer time in Nang land which means the dials are being set to Balearic. Step forward our all-around good chap, friend and producer buddy Pete Herbert. He has teamed up with Bali based musician and keyboard player Martin Denev to deliver an album of the finest Bali-inspired Balearic House. Hot and balmy evenings here we come.

Recorded on the tropical island of Bali, the album swings from Balearic grooves, to sun-filled terrace house, seaside electronic and swimming-pool funk. We open up with "Batu Karang", summery key stabs, lazy drum machine set the album tone hot, low-slung and swimming in positivity. Things take a more electronic turn with "Time" with its twisting synth-lines and locked on sun-drenched groove.

House music royalty Robert Owens swings by the cabana for a very special guest vocal appearance on "Pass Me By" next. His smooth and powerful soulful vocal compliment the pool terrace house grooves and sneaky thumb piano. As ever, Robert does not disappoint. To close off Side A the title track "Made In The Shade" gives us a slice of Nu Disco summer swing with funky strat and more cowbell of course in for good measure.

The flip side of the album opens up with a hands in the air terrace anthem. House pianos, punchy synth hits and beach disco groove all the way. "Sun Fish" takes things again in an electronic direction. Meandering lead synth lines, walking synth bass giving the perfect back drop to this island hopping anthem. Recent single "Night Boat" is next. Darting firefly arpeggios and lush keyboard layers prevail here. We end on a high with the up-tempo Gamalan inspired "Ruby Star" sending us out on a ocean deep wave..

Welcome to Nang Balearic airlines. Your pilots Pete and Martin hope you enjoy your flight.

Following the 2 previous sell out singles on Reed Records Mohawkestra return with a third salvo of the British Invasion flavour Funk! 'Heart Full of Soul b/w West Coast Boogaloo' available on 7' vinyl and download.

Heart Full of Soul was originally recorded by legendary British group The Yardbirds at a point when Jeff Beck joined and introduced Fuzz peddles and Guitar effects to their recordings. Mohawkestra's arrangement is an instrumental burst of heavy Organ and Guitar driven Funk that we've come to expect for their version and again they don't disappoint!

The flip side is a Mohawkestra original titled West Coast Boogaloo which would be right at home in a Jazzy lounge in California in the 60's, perfectly capturing the West Coast Jazz sound filtered through musicians playing in a British basement studio with a 50 year delay.

UK producer Allen Saei aka Aubrey is no stranger to Burek family, having already remixed Information Ghetto's "Inspiration" track for Burek in 2013 and DJ Stingray's "Communication System" track released on Barba in 2015. As is to be expected from a guy who's been spending time in the studio for better part of the last three decades, on 13th Barba release Aubrey delivers a mature and consistent space-themed club 12" titled "Space Funk". Although pretty self-referential as a whole, each track on the 12" offers a different take on the topic. "Clock Funk" and "Space Jazz" are quite direct and peak time, "Spaceship Blues" is a chunky funk workout and "Path To Nowhere" is somewhat deeper introspective piece. Common thread moving through all four cuts is an infectious groove intertwined with synth lines that would not be misplaced amongst the best examples of space-influenced techno music firmly grounded on the floor but with eyes on the future. All that, pressed onto a heavy duty 180 gram vinyl and beautifully packaged in an original artwork by local artist EmaEmaEma.

Bristol beat physicist Second Storey joins the fold of electro dystopians TRUST, and 'Telekinesis Via Fax' picks right up where recent releases for Houndstooth and his R&S collaboration with Appleblim, ALSO, left off. 'Attack Of The Modlings' has deceptively lush pads launch into an industrial grime furor that relentlessly underscores Second Storey's ambition to sonically innovate. Vienna's /DL/MS/, coming right off their recent TRUST debut, reassemble the bits into a subtly layered electro funk banger, before Second Storey steps back onto the plate with the eternally spiralling "Quantock Point To Point" and "Telekinesis Via Fax", the latter evoking memories of Robert Gordon's afro-futurist Black Knight project with hyperkinetic snares and free-wheeling synth licks.

First vinyl release for 10 Years Of Metroline Limited series - Produced by label bosses Octad and Phiorio

This release is one of round numbers. It's Metroline Limited release number 50. You may have actually noticed that we almost got to release 90 by now but number 50 was always kept behind for a collaborative release between the two men behind the label: Andrea and Gianpiero aka Octad and Phiorio. It took a fairly long time to put this release together, mainly because running a label with a DIY ethos is a time consuming affair and most of the time doesn't leave too much free time for sonic experimentations. We really hope it was worth the wait! And what a better opportunity to release Metroline number 50 like for the label's 10 years anniversary. So much has happened since 2007, we released a LOT of music, some of our tracks have been played in the best clubs and festivals and by some of our favourite dj's. We are not going to name names but we are extremly proud of what we have achieved in our 10 years history. We are also proud of the fact that we are still around with energy and enthusiam to keep on releasing new music, this time (finally) by our label owners and also soon by a lot more talented producers in the months to come. Music wise, in this EP you will find some of the syles that made Metroline music known over the years. The two tracks on the A side are produced by Octad. Missing Bits has Octad's trademark minimal groove with hissing hats and a huge sub bass. There is a clever use of percussive bits, dark stabs and vocals to create a sublime dark minimal techno builder. Synopsis of 8 keeps the A side atmosphere well dark. Andrea managed to create a solid machine funk dark and spooky techno number with metallic percussion and plenty of groove. Phiorio takes control ot B side with the opening

Running a record label offers adiversified and challenging field of activity. This is particularly true when speaking of tiny independent re-issue labels where one, two or three guys have to take care of everything. Tracking down musicians, collecting their stories, writing the liner notes, creating the cover artwork, mastering the songs, promoting the release, communicating with pressing plants and distributors, and so on. Most of the tasks mean fun with the exception of one thing which nobody here at Tramp is keen on doing: writing the sales notes.

Far be it from us to praise our release to the skies. Naturally, we are pretty much convinced of the sheer quality of each song, otherwise we would not have invested so much time and efforts into completing those compilation albums. One thing which surprises us is that despite thousands of Rare Groove compilations on the market neither of the songs to be found here has been compiled elsewhere yet. A fact that not only fills us with pride but also determines our claim for the future. As for now we have done our homework and it is time to let the music speak so that the Gunn High School Jazz Reunion, Keither Florence, Robert Cote, Plas Johnson, Charlie Chisholm Boss-tet, and all the others get the recognition they so richly deserve for their talent and work.

When Tramp opened its doors in the early 2000s it was just for the fun of it. A business plan did not exist and nobody involved with the label had studied anything music related. It was just a bunch of crazy record collectors and music lovers with a simple idea: to share their favourite music with the world. Nobody could have known that this would last for 15 years - and there is no end in sight.

The third record by Vienna-based label Secret Crunch is ready to be unleashed. This time with various artists from all over Europe.
The A-Side kicks off with Sameed, one of Manchester's most promising artists. He delivers a funky and colourful track called - Pho' with uplifting chords and great sampling, while sharing his impressions and vibes he collected during his stay in Vietnam.
Then the synth-driven - As I' by Kian T brings you that special portion of wonkyness. The Italian stallion doesn't fail to impress with his passionate production skills and will surely get your audience moving.On the B-Side we are happy to present a collaboration by Jonna and Lady Blacktronicka. Our friend from Leicester and co-founder of City fly Records teamed up with the Californian First Lady of Deep House, coming up with this raw deepness, that is - You Make Me Do Things'.
And closing the record with elegance: Parisian newcomer and label-head of In Any Case Records - Malouane. - Got Robbed In A Forest' grooves on and on in it's minimalistic, deep ways and will take you on a trip.

Eric Fetcher has been given the honour of contributing to Invite's Choice and does so with a four-track banger for it's ninth output.

Kaissa s neurotic synth and wobbly bass combined with it s forceful hi-hat open this EP in a stripped-down fashion, which makes it perfect to build tension and make transitions in any dirfections while mixing. Mephisto continues on the path chosen with coherent and hypnotising synthesis, whilst keeping a funky kind of feel due to the very present kick and hi-hats, yet has a darker feel to it. Deep Blue on the B-side is a more four-to-the-flour track with a rousing synth and banging hi-hat, perfect for lifting up a crowd! Cray Blitz combines hypnotising bleep-like sounds and a mind-blowing string with droning low-end sounds. Hypnotising like the other tracks - but with more drive - this EP is closed down. Eric Fetcher showcases his take on techno which fits perfectly between both modern day and oldschool techno!

Following a number of exciting tunes released on the renowned Quintessentials, here comes Mat Chiavaroli's first long-player 'No Stranger To Madness". Warm Fostex tape hisses and MPC swings, the guy from the Pescara hills delivers 10 tracks for both your dancing and listening pleasure. The A- and B-side tracks are drenched in dusty funk samples, gritty chords and syncopated rhythms. In 'Aroma De Mi Vida' Mat chops obscure Rhodes riffs and layering them with more elements, just like in 'Whoja Vu", a heavy-sampled disco juggler very close to his previous Quintessentials releases. On the flip we find some deep chords melting with powerful gospel vocals, giving life to a track that annihilates boring dancefloors. There's a similar vibe in 'Jeep Ridaz' that reminisces about seminal Atavisme classics with broken detuned bits and agitated cut and pastes give a sense of randomness. The second part of this album shows Mat Chiavaroli's deeper side. 'Double Pain' is a tune that progressively brings you to many aspects of what Mat loves: saturated female vocals stick out while gloomy chords gently develop. 'Storia Losca' has a slightly different attitude with a huge synth presence, live percussion and dreamy pianos. The D side opens with 'The Quiet Bobobo", a distorted floor delight and ends with something closer to Mat's early music, disclosing a fresh collaboration with the young studio fellow P.Lok. 'No Stranger To Madness' fits many bills and is an impressive proof of what Mat's musical ability is.

For our second release we brought back to life African movie soundtrack "Ceddo" - composed by one of our favourite African artists, Manu Dibango. 6 tracks full of Funk. With a great story behind.... now it's getting a full vinyl re-issue!

"The film takes place during the 17th century : period of slave-trading and of the introduction of Christianity and Islam in West Africa. The adherents of these religions all desired and hoped to pack their buildings, mosques or churches,by whatever means necessary. Arms and alcohol began to appear, as well as shoddy godds --- gadgets from another era. Anyone with a rifle tracked down and trated men, women and children. Man became money. After having converted the royal family and government dignitaries, the Imam encounters the refusal of the "Ceddo". For the Ceddo, adhering to Islam or to Catholicism would mean renouncing African spiritualism, giving up being themselves. To accomplish his goals, the Imam usurps the throne with the complicity of the dignitaries --- similar to the coups d'Etat of our days. Combining spiritual and temporal power, the Imam reduces the recalcitrant to slavery in exchange for rifles. He obliges the others by force of arms to accept Islam. Ceddo is a film of reflexion, birnging together bits and pieces of facts and authentic events that took place in a period spanning the centuries up to the present day."

Ekoplekz returns with his fourth album for Planet Mu, in the shape of 10-tracker "Bioprodukt". The unique lo-fi, woozy sound of Bristol's Nick Edwards stays intact while he veers towards the nineties for inspiration: the bleep and bass sound of the north of England is one touchpoint and the acid gurgles of the 303 are another. While the murky lo-fi production levels and evocative melodies remain, they are now bolstered by a more muscular rhythmic chassis. Snappier kicks and snares mingle with dense layers of percussion and deep undulating sub-basslines adding a funkier edge, as typified by opening track "Elevation" where playful beats interlock with breezy keyboard flourishes to create something uncharacteristically upbeat. Similarly, the gentle, fluid motion of "Slipstream" and "Calypzoid" represent some of the most appealingly chilled grooves in the Ekoplekz canon to date. But the darker-edged material remains. "Expedition" has a pensive, percussion-heavy feel whilst "Acrid Acid" is a dirt-encrusted slow-mo techno meltdown. "Transcience" displays the Ekoplekz trademark dub-fx in full flight over a driving lo-end, before "Descent" leads down to the final section, where the beats fade out, replaced by rippling layers of spectral ferric ambience on the epic "Low-X Over", before finishing with the radiant looped stasis of "Denier Daze". The albums shifting, mperfect patterns and muted colours are visually mirrored in the beautifully realised sleeve by the Print Project.

Coming hot on the heels of Samuel Rohrer'sRange of Regularity album are two EPs of striking reinterpreta- tions. These new remixes provide an intriguing parallax view of the original tracks, using the percussive eclecticism of the parent LP as a starting point from which to journey into soni- cally vibrant, feature-rich territories. The production specia- lists on the first EP include Ricardo Villalobos and Vilod, the collaborative duo with Max Loderbauer. Villalobos, has alrea- dy formed a strong working relationship with Rohrer's AM- BIQ trio, lends his talents to both of these new EPs. The se- cond one will be completed by a remix of Burnt Friedman. Each individual remix has its own character, they are all united in their ability to provide a quick cure for fatigue with the common loop': they are strung together from fleeting phra- ses that evolve as if they are taking on a life independent of their creators.Villalobos' compelling take on Lenina' pulsates from start to finish with a kind of voluntary anxiety, a commitment to painting every corner of the sonic surface with clearly defined pointillist touches. While this kind of approach would cause less confident producers to collapse at their editing worksta- tion, Villalobos takes to the task with gusto - leaving see- mingly no corner un-animated by sound, he pieces together something surprisingly funky and hyper-real from a catalog of distinct percussive hits, time-reversed ephemera, and playful kitchen sink' ambience. Vilod's Uncertain Grace' remix, though marginally more laidback than the flipside, is no less engaging. A buzzing beehive of activity powered by an organ- like refrain, this is one of those pieces that will induce a fee- ling of perpetual movement into even the most still of physi- cal surroundings. This is especially true when, after four and a half minutes of flotation, a straight-ahead techno rhythm ta- kes over and all the disparate hovering elements fall into place.

(Locked Groove, Nuno De Satos remixes) Something Happening Somewhere and Mary Go Wild combine their forces for a very special record, containing two cuts by Presk and remixes by Locked Groove and label honcho Nuno dos Santos.

Something Happening Somewhere and Mary Go Wild combine their forces for a very special record, containing two cuts by Presk and remixes by Locked Groove and label honcho Nuno dos Santos. The original A1 side has already been released on SoHaSo last summer on their SOMEWHERE compilation, but has now found a place on delicious black gold and is further enriched with a fresh B-side and aforementioned remixers delivering quality reworks.

2BXPRZD is an ode to the celebration of night life and the diverse spectrum of people that move within it. The club has always been a place where people from every background, religion and gender imaginable can meet and express their being through Dancing. It doesn't matter in what way you move, only that it's authentic and respecting towards the fellow dancers around you. Presk provides all the necessary ingredients: the funkiness in the drums melting with the dark and sinister bassline and pitched vocal perfectly assemble the conditions for such an interaction to take place.

Locked Groove takes this celebratory dance and turns it into an even darker and hypnotizing affair. Stripping the original to its bare essence with a pounding kickdrum to lead the way. Pulsing atmospheres and emotive pads swirl around and behind, granulated in a way that they almost fall apart. This is further reinforced by the stream of voices that are processed to sound like a field recording from beyond the iron curtain in Soviet times, anticipating the unavoidable collapse that follows.

The B sides provides a little more uplifting environment with Starets, unsettling melodies and dissonant atmospheres propel forward before restraining the whole thing and letting broken chord stabs seep through the system. Again reworking the original material into a more skeletal structure, Nuno dos Santos adds a poignant arp melody that is typical for his melancholic style. Driving yet breathing with emotion, it's the perfect accompaniment for a night drive while floating through clear skies. This records proves a delightful combination, containing something imperative for every soul feeling the need to express themselves in a unique way.

Ikonika's third album 'Distractions' builds on 2013's 'Aerotropolis', and the title answers the question Why has the album taken so long' In the last few years she's been building up a strong CV of remixes, from Chvurches to Dawn Richard, Austra and Junior Boys, as well as DJing and working on this album. 'Distractions' distils the character of Ikonika's music productions across a wider set of styles than previous albums, and she subtly fuses and switches elements from contrasting genres, giving the whole set a uniqueness and consistency that puts it in its own lane. Furthermore what sits at the centre of 'Distractions' more than ever is her love of R&B and hip hop, in all its forms, which has opened the door to bring in a selection of guests in a way she's not fully explored before. From the full throttle blend of grime and 80s synth soul 'Noblest' with Andrea Galaxy, to the reflective 'Sacrifice' with up and coming MC Jammz, a slowjam that merges dubstep with hip house drums. The final vocal track is the languid 'Hazefield' co-produced with Sweyn J and featuring Jessy Lanza on vocals. Its mix of mechanic clunk and minimalist, lulling funk could only happen in 2017. The LP artwork takes its inspiration from West London's Golden Mile, a stretch of the Great West Road where the A4 meets the M4, and the road takes on the character of the arcade game Poll Position, with art deco factories and illuminated, hi-tech signage selling lifestyle products. It's this kind of mix of futuristic and industrious with a touch of gentle glamour that the album exudes.

Much could be said about German house royalty Boris Dlugosch. From his teen DJ years under the wings of Front's legendary Klaus Stockhausen in Hamburg to his own marvelous tenure there that is pretty much synonymous with the explosion of Acid House in its proto- and post-incarnations. One could examine his role as a herald of US garage and Jersey house or as a remixer of underground gone pop records. But we will leave that and other stories for the Front page soon. The 'Traveller EP' is the result of Dlugosch and Cassara meeting at a mutual friend of theirs, getting excited about their shared love for classic synths (see Sh-101 for the Traveller bass line) and exploiting the latter's extensive synth collection. What you get: classic disco, French house, electro-funk, DJ sound effects (that tractor plowed the Front EVERY night) and most of all fun, fun and a little bit of extra fun. Chin-stroking impossible....

REISSUE OF SUPER-RARE ALBUM WHICH SELLS FOR SILLY MONEY ON DISCOGS.
REISSUED FOR RSD AUSTRALIA 2017..NOW WE HAVE A FEW COPIES FOR EUROPE..LIMITED
For decades the mysterious Hiroshi & Claudia LP has been an elusive jewel amongst the curious world of Australian private press LPs. With nothing more than cryptic broken-English album sleeve notes to reference, the mythical Six To Six LP is a bewildering and intriguing jazz oddity. With prices of the rare original record hitting three figures, collectors began demanding to know who was 'Hiroshi', who was 'Claudia' and why did a group of unknown Japanese musicians record an album in Australia in the late 1970s only to issue it in micro-quantities, then seemingly disappear back into obscurity. For years no trace of whom they were nor any clue as to the origins of their peculiar yet entrancing music had surfaced. Until now....

Welcome to the brainchild of Gilles Germain and Carmen Fabro, a French/Italian husband and wife team of restaurateurs and film producers operating in Sydney during the 1970s. Establishing the custom record label 'Atom', the duo released a handful of highly obscure vanity jazz LPs and promotional horse racing 45s. (Yes it's all very strange...) The highlight undoubtedly being the album Six To Six, a session recorded in Sydney in 1979 by a group of touring Japanese jazz musicians led by guitarist Hiroshi Yasukawa, and a forgotten and still undocumented Mauritian cabaret singer performing under the alias 'Claudia'. Sitting somewhere between spacey Balearic disco, haunting soul and hectic funk reminiscent of electric Miles Davis, the Six To Six LP is a curious beast to say the least.

Released specially for Record Store Day 2017 Northside Records and The Roundtable present a limited edition exact reissue of this legendary Australian rare groove LP.  

One of the core members of the Apollonia family is the mastermind behind the label's latest release. Shonky steps up with his first solo EP since 'Plombiére' which dropped in July 2016. Full of funky flavours and that distinct 'Shonky style', the new EP consists of four brand new tracks produced exclusively for Apollonia. Each track emanates its own unique vibe, while reppin' Shonk's irresistible groove. On side A we have 'Tyrolien', a jaunty number with bright tones and a tight, rolling groove. Shonky injects it with a series of unusual FX and what sounds like an wizened old creature, speaking about 'the foulest stench in the air'. It's a superb combination and sets the EP off to a great start.Next up is 'Beat Street' which has a heavier set of beats, which stomp down as a marauding b-line gets to work. Tiny fizzes and cheeps in the background add depth, sounding like robotic birds at play in the wild. The track is minimal in its make up, but deep and engrossing, classic Shonky material.Flip the vinyl over and we have 'Torro Rosso', a bold, stomping workout with fresh percussion and a jovial analogue riff. As the bubbly low end percolates way down below, the beats pump the track along and an extra layer of analogue funk enters the fray midway through. The final track is titled 'Serpent a` Sonnette' and swithes the vibe. It's loose, meandering and twisted, with a hypnotic bassline and super sharp percussion. This one is going to get the dance floor locked into a groove, as it progresses a sweet, chirpy melody brightens the mood. Feel the glow!Once again Shonky demonstrates his ability to produce groovy dance floor cuts that have their own unique fingerprint; danceable, unusual and utterly captivating. Grab the new EP now!

Until he was about 20, Texas-born Melvin Sparks was a rhythm & blues guitarist, backing Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye as a member of The Upsetters. But Sparks gave up his seat on The Upsetters' bus in New York City, where a chance introduction to George Benson led him to a place in soul jazz history. Melvin played and recorded with Lou Donaldson, Leon Spencer, Bernard Purdie, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Idris Muhammad, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, Grover Washington Jr., Reuben Wilson and so many more. Even during the quietest years of soul-jazz Melvin stayed relevant through hip-hop and r&b, a quick search at WhoSampled turns up more than 150 samples of his funky chicken scratch. And Melvin's legacy is heard in contemporary soul/funk bands like The New Mastersounds, Soulive and The Greyboy Allstars, all of whom he also guested with several times before his early departure from this realm in 2011.

This release documents Melvin's final band just months before his death. Organist Beau Sasser and drummer Bill Carbone had been working with Sparks for several years, and, despite the power dynamic - they were in their early 30s, Melvin an elder-statesmen of the genre - the unit was sharp, relaxed and performed Melvin's music with a jovial spirit. The trio played the Burlington, VT club Nectar's regularly, but this night featured two "onlys." Per the recommendation of Nectar's agent they used the "Grippo Horns," the only time Sparks used a horn section in the last several years of his life, and they allowed a multitrack recording of the show. Both were strong decisions.

The tracks on this album, lovingly mixed by guitarist, producer and Melvin Sparks fan Eddie Roberts, demonstrate that Melvin played as well in the final months of his life as at any time. Sparks counts "Whip! Whop!" off at what he said The Upsetters called a "showtime tempo," and peppers it, as well as most of the album, with quotes from jazz standards, pop songs and cartoon themes, all woven effortlessly into the bebop-funk dialect he helped create. He unfolds amiable melodies, patiently and methodically, through his several-minute lead on "Breezin'." And Sparks is audibly uplifted by the Grippo Horns helping him perform his 1973 arrangement of "Ain't No Woman" for the first time in decades.

ll Camille, LA hip hop's female perspective.

Ill Camille has been a vital member of the LA music scene for some years. Kendrick Lamar used her vocals prominently for the 'good kid, m.A.A.d city' track 'Sing about me', she has been working with other TDE artists occasionally and spend a lot of time writing for different projects Terrance Martin was involved with.

At the same time Camille was developing her own material with her fellow peers such as MNDSGN, Iman Omari, DJ Battlecat, Like (Pac Div) Georgia Anne Muldrow & SIR who are all featured on her album 'Heirloom' just like TDE co-president Punch. 'Heirloom' productions range from smooth, g-funk esque west coast beats to live & organic soulful beats, working as the perfect backdrop for Camille's powerful, intelligent and thought thru lyrics

The album is deeply personal revolving around the issues that mater in her life from friends and family, her role as a woman and the heirloom of her and her surrounding: 'I feel like everyone are heirlooms of our mothers and fathers. An heirloom is just something that's passed down through a family. We get heirlooms in the form of game, encouragement or wise words. I know everyone has an aunt or uncle that's given them some bars about life in general. I have a village around me that have given me heirlooms in the form of conversations'.