Buscar:mr time

Few groups arrive as fully formed as EPMD did. This dropped as the third single from the album of the same name, and further cemented their distinctive aesthetic: Slow rhyming, trading lines rather than the rappers being confined to their own verses, and backings that were ruthlessly funky and simple at the same time.

They’d go on to be labelmates with Public Enemy when Def Jam picked up their contract in 1990, and to compare and contrast the two is illuminating. While PE at that time were making waves with the Bomb Squad’s breathless, kitchen sink approach to production, EPMD were equally adored for taking the opposite approach.

Here, there’s a sprinkle of drums from Kool & The Gang’s oft-sampled ‘Jungle Boogie’, paired with a very recognisable portion of Eric Clapton’s ‘I Shot the Sheriff’. And that’s pretty much it – the two samples are linked, looped and left to their own devices. Such was Erick and Parrish’s confidence in their own rhyming ability and strong voices, no further embellishment was needed.

That confidence extends to the subject matter. While their debut album and later projects were heavy with concepts – the ‘Jane’ series – and notable guest verses, this was the third straight single of pure brag rap. Two MC’s, one beat, a whole heap of lyrics about how good they were. It’s something you can’t do unless you truly are special, and this duo most certainly were.

Paired with the classic instrumental version, which didn’t make it to the US 7” releases – it’s only on a hard-to-track-down French 7” pressing from 1989 – this this is a timely reminder of how breathtakingly perfect hip-hop can be.

So strong was EPMD’s epochal debut album ‘Strictly Business’ that it spawned three all-time classic singles, providing part of the soundtrack to, arguably, the height of the original Golden Age. When discussing the landmark artists of that era – Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B & Rakim – the duo of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith are certainly in the conversation. And when it comes to all-time duos, they might be at the head of the table.

The original release of ‘I’m Housin’ came in 1989, and the only previous 7” release was confined to the UK – it now fetches sky-high prices. Hence this reissue couldn’t be more timely, showcasing just how fresh E Double E and PMD sound over even the most rudimentary but feverishly catchy of beats.

That was their genius – trading ‘slow flow’ punchlines over deceptively simple backings – and that’s exactly what you get here. The loop of Aretha Franklin’s indelible 1971 gem ‘Rock Steady’ does all the heavy lifting musically, the only adornment a brief vocal snippet taken from their own ‘It’s My thing’ – EPMD is a world premiere.

At a time when sampling was still in its infancy, and before producers started to pride themselves on obscurity, and on chopping up samples creatively, this was the approach of many a hip-hop song, and rap was none the poorer for it. When you have voices as distinctive and strong as EPMD, less is more.

The new batch from the bottomless edit archives of Danny Krivit is an uptempo, guitar-heavy excursion into two cuts of danceable rock from opposite sides of a decade.

“Marbles” originally came out late in 1970, the result of a collaboration between the fiery British guitarist John McLaughlin and drummer Buddy Miles. Miles was hot off his time with Jimi Hendrix, and producer Alan Douglas, who’d been instrumental in putting together the Band of Gypsys group, attempted another crossover combination with a brand new, blazing guitar god. Also on the date was Larry Young, an organ player best known for his expansive jazzy albums on Blue Note, and several veterans of Buddy Miles’ funk-rock combos. The resulting mixture produced in “Marbles” a powerful, driving rhythm anchoring an addictive riff that steamrolls through the cut in a fashion not unlike the motorik sound of Velvet Underground or Can. Mr. K’s edit leans heavily on the drums, naturally, with a long, tailor-made intro and a mesmerizing focus on the main riff, extending things well past the seven-minute mark.

Ten years later, the world of music was in an entirely different place but a good guitar riff coupled with a driving beat was still powerful currency on the dancefloor. This time, the group was Scottish new wave-punk group APB, whose single “Shoot You Down” had garnered unexpected peak time play in cutting edge NYC hotspots Danceteria, the Peppermint Lounge, the Ritz and the Mudd Club. “Shoot You Down” combines the urgency of the Clash with the free for all vibe that characterized the downtown scene (and throws in a chant borrowed from P-Funk for good measure). Mr. K has created a long instrumental opening that leads into the vocals, giving the tightly-wound 7-inch single a proper extended 12-inch treatment it deserved but never had before.

The sound is crisply remastered for club play, and stretched over the breadth of a 12-inch single. Both of these tracks are appearing on the long-format player for the first time.

After a very short break Daje Funk are back with a super fresh redesign. The label is also fully embracing the move from their previous 10” format to 12” with the obvious bonus that they are now able to cram just that little bit of extra music onto their releases.

Their latest release, the Slam Dunk EP, is their 9th since the label arrived and it’s been a memorable journey so far. Keeping things decidedly funk with a modern dancefloor twist for their latest instalment they have assembled and all-star cast of producers with Dutch edits wizard, Ronny Hammond, England’s Shit Hot Soundsystem and Uptown Funk and Italian producer Coldbeard all taking turns to vie for dancefloor gold.

Together they have turned in one mighty slab of black wax.

The EP opens with Ronny Hammond’s ‘Keep On Groovin’ and it’s a very serious club track. For those of you with long memories and deep collections the original used here was sampled for Screen II’s Hey Mr DJ, a 90’s house classic on Cleveland City and it feels just as essential right now in 2021 as it did in both the 70’s when the original arrived and in the 90’s. Keep On Groovin’ is a proper funk bomb and Ronny has taken it to town with the addition of a powerhouse bassline, ass shakin’ drums and cheeky ear worm vocal samples. Indeed there is no chance that you will be able to sit still when this one drops. Expect it to cause serious dancefloor mischief over the coming summer months.

Shit Hot Soundsystem is up next with ‘Woah’ with label co-boss De Gama adding some extra scalpel action. Another track with classic subject matter, this often sampled track has rarely sounded as good as on this monstrous funky outing. It still sounds as fresh and exciting as the first time you heard those vibrant and vital synths and beautifully layered vocals. ‘Woah’ is both immediate and essential and will be soundtracking parties for years to come.

Over on the flip Uptown Funk’s ‘South Side Boogie’ also has De Gama on edit duty and here things head off downtown 70’s funk style. Brass stabs, wah guitar, and spicy synth licks all combine for a track which has plenty of joyous zest as it combines disco edges with a funk packed groove combing to deliver serious club heat.

Seeing the EP out is Coldbeard and he takes up deeper still with a bubbling groove which captivates from the first notes of the dynamo synth bass before adding in electric guitar licks and a rhythm line to die for. A Funky Situation is a perfect example of how to build a track piece by piece until it becomes utterly essential. Once you have heard that Rhodes and the vocal stabs working together you just know that this one will need to be played religiously.

Four utterly essential tracks which perfectly bridge the gap from the 70’s to 2021. Nine releases deep Daje Funk delivers yet again on its mission to make funk as utterly essential in clubs again nearly 4 decades after it’s glorious genres beginnings.

We’re excited to be launching a new release series: “Melodies Record Club”, a string of DJ and artist curated mini compilations in loud 12” format.

The first instalment was put together by Four Tet, selecting two big peak-time Jazz tracks he used to spin regularly at Plastic People.

On one side, we’ve got all time jazz greats Jackie McLean and Michael Carvin’s De I Comahlee Ah, taken from their seminal album Antiquity recorded in Denmark back in 1975. A year and a half ago, we visited Steeplechase, the original label in the outskirts of Copenhagen. They informed us that at the time, the track was cut short as it didn’t fit on the full LP. They were kind enough to provide us with the tape of the full original recording, allowing us to release for the first time the full extended version capturing twelve and a half minutes of studio magic. Speaking with Michael back in November, he told us that every song on that album was recorded without any overdubs. They had taken their shoes off and organised the studio in such a way that they could move from instrument to instrument during the take (!!)

On the flip, we have Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath – MRA. Back in 70s London, the Brotherhood had brought together musicians who had sought refuge from South Africa’s apartheid regime and the best of a new generation of British jazz musicians. Music journalist Richard Williams, who had originally reviewed the band in the 1970s tell us: “They made music that appealed in equal measure to the head, the heart and the feet, taking the jazz legacy of Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus and adding to it the fantastic dance rhythms and gorgeous harmonies of the townships and untethered collective improvisations of the new free music”.

Four Tet’s instalment is out early May in 12” format and digitally (stream & download), first press comes with a folded A2 insert with words from and about the artists. Graphic design by Studio ChoqueLeGoff, illustration and animation by Nevil Bernard and for the audiophiles out there, remastered and cut at half speed by Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios!

The second instalment curated by Ben UFO is scheduled shortly, which will be followed over time by a string of releases including selections from Hunee, Mafalda, Floating Points, Anya & Julia from Javybz, Daphni, Josey Rebelle, Charlie Bones, Gilles Peterson… and more, stay tuned!

Never a dull moment on Neroli: after a string of releases from the likes of Fred P, DEGO, Patrice Scott, Chaos in the CBD and Trinidadian Deep it’s now the turn of PATRICK GIBIN together with KAIDI TATHAM.
The duo has been already responsible for some heat on Patrick’s own Blend It label, and here they are teaming up once again for a whole EP.
This time they enroll New Jersey majesty JOSH MILAN of Blaze/Element of Life fame on vocal duty with extra the help of Dawn Tallman on backing vocals and they turn the song ‘Love To The World’ into a modern day Classic…..Anthem Alert! But there’s more evidence of brilliance from Gibin and Tatham with the boogie ‘Groove on’ and JazzFunk House joint ‘Don’t Be Rude’ where mr keyboard Kaidi lets loose on Bass and Guitar!

Straight out the gate, Nas dropped a classic. Since the release of the seminal ‘Illmatic’ album in 1994, critics and fans have been wondering if Nas peaked too early and if anything in his subsequent catalogue could be held up against this masterpiece. To be fair, it’s hard to follow up something this flawless, a project that allied his most insightful, pitch-perfect heartfelt rhymes with the work of the best hip-hop producers on the east coast.

DJ Premier, Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest and Large Professor all take their turns on the album, along with the unsung L.E.S., but it’s Pete Rock in his prime who provides the stunning backdrop for the cinematic ‘The World is Yours’. It’s a perfect nugget of a single, weaving in the brashness of Scarface, the repetition of a snatch of T La Rock’s early Def Jam gem ‘It’s Yours’ and piano courtesy of Ahmad Jamal’s ‘I Love Music’ from his own timeless ‘The Awakening’ album (1970).

Presented for the first time on 7”, the vocals of the album version and the instrumental on the flip provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy and compare the work of two masters at the top of their game. Pete Rock’s seamless weaving of disparate samples into a compelling whole, the then little-known Nas’ statement of intent. With a maturity beyond his tender years, Nas put himself straight at the top of the pile, this Queensbridge chronicle hinting at the ambition and greatness he harboured within himself.

F*CLR Records are delighted to release Dublin based producer and remixer Glenn Davis’s outstanding new EP, Namida (Tears of Happiness), the eagerly anticipated follow up to his hugely acclaimed Body & Soul’ 12”.

With remixes from Ashley Beedle & Darren Morris’s Afrikanz on Marz production unit, it has already been given the legendary François Kevorkian seal of approval with massive support on his Worldwide FM show. Mr Davis has been busy in the studio this year creating complete dancefloor and radio fire - house music to lift you up and save your soul.
The original mix of Namida (Tears of Happiness) would sit comfortably next to anything on the Nu Groove label roster, the Burrell Brothers would be saluting Glenn for his beautiful attention to detail.

Ashley Beedle x Darren Morris take their Afrikanz on Marz remixes onto a cosmic disco level and with a bass line that takes no prisoners, deliver a sparkling remix + dub. With the addition of the properly late night sleazy bizniss UGetting Down, it’s party time for deep headz. Enjoy!!

"Eski style Hardcore reductions, served up from the rave archivist Filter Dread."

DJ Support
Tessela (Overmono), Hodge, Pinch, Laksa, Cosmin TRG, Mr. Mitch, DJ Haram, Jossy Mitsu, Murlo, Solid Blake, Etch, Metrist, J-Shadow, Minimalviolence, Ciel, Photonz +more

Three incredible reimaginations of Nina Simone classics from Francois K, Tony Humphries and Coldcut each with their own unique touch and trademark style weaved within.

Francois K kicks off with a sublime deep house rework of 'Here Comes The Sun'. Reminiscent of Larry Heard's output, Francois nods to Mr Fingers with a bassline that harks back to those early Chicago classics, coupled with deft mbira touches that create an other-worldy feel to the remix. Celestial waves and singing rides mix with a buzzing top line melody that lay the foundations for Simone's spiritual voice to hang in the air with a perpetual elegance and grace. A timeless slice of house music that earned Francois' version a spot on one of Innervisions acclaimed 'Secret Weapons' compilations.

Next up, Zanzibar royalty Tony Humphries lays out a bumping remix of 'Turn Me On' turning the bluesy soul leanings of the original on their head and flipping it into an uplifting summertime groover. Simone's words take on a different tone with this revitalising rework backed by staccato guitars and chopped up vocal melodies that give a playful yet soulful character to this slab of sunshine.

Rounding off the EP in classic Coldcut style, the duo meld 'Save Me' into a chopped, screwed and crunched remix. Lo-fi percussive elements and distorted textures blend with glitching samples and stuttering sequences that turn Simone into a tripped-out goddess. An atmospheric piece of electronica but with a harden edge purpose made for the dancefloor.

Classic jazz/funk/disco cut that became an instant anthem on all discerning dance floorswhen it was originally released, and for decades to follow. Includes the previously commercially unreleased Sax Mix of 'Journey', cut loud at 45rpm.

Championed by DJs including Francois Kevorkian, David Mancuso, Larry Levan and more, it's a record that, alongside tracks like Atmosfear's 'Dancing In Outer Space', become synonymous with the UK influence on US club music at the time.A sound that many forward thinking DJs in New York, Chicago etc. embraced to stand out from the crowd and bring depth to the dance floor.

Driving jazz/funk, legato bass, grooving beats, subtle keys, dubbed out percussion and guitar licks that bring you to a simple but infectious piano melody.

A collaboration between Andy Sodjka and Jerry Pike, mastered by Herb Powers.

Palto Flats & WRWTFWW Records are ecstatic to announce the highly-anticipated reissue of Japanese percussionist Midori Takada's sought after and timeless ambient / minimal album "Through The Looking Glass", originally released in 1983 by RCA Japan.

Considered a Holy Grail of Japanese music by many, "Through The Looking Glass" is Midori Takada's first solo endeavor, a captivating four-song suite capturing her deep quests into traditional African and Asian percussive language and exploring contemplative ambient sounds with an admirably precise use of marimba. The result is alternatively ethereal and vibrant, always precise and mesmerizing, and makes for an atmospheric masterpiece and an unparalleled sonic and spiritual experience.

The fully licensed reissue is available as a single 33rpm LP and a limited 45rpm DLP, both cut directly from the original studio reels (AAA), at Emil Berliner (formerly the in-house recording department of renowned classical record label Deutsche Grammophon) for the 45rpm DLP, and at the equally famous Frankfurter SST Studio for the LP. It is also available in CD format for the first time. All versions come with extensive liner notes.

We are proud to present Christian Nielsen's debut release on Noir
Music. Noir and Christian has been friends for many years and
therefore we have been following the Danish talent closely and
waited for the perfect time and the perfect tracks to create his first
release on the label. So....here it is.....
Over and Over' sits right in between tech and techno with those
irresistible vocals that's become Christian's signature. On Speeding'
Mr. Nielsen digs a little deeper and the result is a fantastic techno-
groover which roots back to early Detroit underground. We
recommend you give in and play both.

Pursuing their explorations of international Funk and Disco music, Favorite Recordings and Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart present us Voilaaa. With this first 2 tracks single revealing the Afro-Disco inspiration of this new experience, Favorite also expands its new series of Disco 12inch singles recently launched with several fine reissues.

Under the imprint of the label and after their long years of collaboration in the achievement of projects such as The Dynamics, Mr President, Mr Day, Patchworks Galactic Project, or Taggy Matcher, the insatiable French producer therefore returns to his first love and specialty, Disco music, staring this time at the African and Caribbean influences.

Indeed, as everywhere in the 70s and 80s, Funk and Disco movements were extremely influential in these regions, and in most cases, the combination of the festive, yet sometime futile nature of Disco, and the instinctive, deep, sometimes rough nature of African music, sounds like a perfect balance. Aiming to respect this energy and specific sound, Patchworks quickly began producing a few tracks, Using his unique and ruling beats and bass lines as foundations, this time he dresses all with guitars, keyboards and brass distorted with vintage and DIY effects pedals and boxes.

Surrounded by a very dynamic music scene, where there is no shortage of artists with African origins, Patchworks decided to work with local singers, even if it means to accompany them on unusual musical paths. A more than successful bet with a result surprising of authenticity, as it's unveiled by these first two titles alongside Sir Jean and Pat Kalla, both from a musical background as rich than different.

With an album planned for the end of the year, that promises to be as explosive and magnetic, Patchworks and Favorite Recordings make a strike again... Voilaaa tout (Thaaat's all)!!

Ronnie Davis is another mighty Jamaican singer, whose talents have been greatly overlooked. His rootsy yet soulful voice have been in demand by many of Jamaica's producers, and have graced their catalogues over the decades, yet outside of the close reggae circles he has remained a closely guarded secret.

Born Ronnie Davis, in 1950 (Savannah La Mar, Jamaica). His singing career began in the 1960's and like many aspiring young singers, the Talent contests taking part around the Island, was his first introduction to the music scene. This led to him joining the vocal group, 'The Tenors'.  Who shortly after his arrival, released their debut 'The Whole World is a Stage'. This was the beginning of a run of Jamaican 7'' releases that did quite well in the domestic marketplace. But Ronnie had set his sights on a solo career,which came to fruition in the early 1970's, with two big hits for him in the guise of 'Won't You Come Home' and 'Stop Yu Loofing'. Running on through to the mid 1970's with such hits as 'Jah Jah Jehovah','Forget Me Now', 'On and On' and 'Babylon Falling'. Building up to the 1976 classic, 'It's Raining'.

Around this time Ronnie's path would cross with Keith Porter and with his childhood friend Roy Smith they would form one of Jamaica's foremost vocal groups 'The Itals'.  A group who would run until the 1990's and evolve into 'Ronnie Davis and Idren'. Ronnie's releases are very sort after among the reggae aficionados and any tune carrying his vocal talents rarely
disappoint. We have compiled some rare roots dubs to many of his finest cuts. Such gems as 'Chasing You', 'What You See is What You Get', his take on the timeless cut 'Tribal War', 'Tell You' and the a fore mentioned smash 'It's Raining'. A version of Gregory Issac's 'Love Overdue' is also present. Ronnie cut an album worth of material with Mr Issac's, testimony surely to Mr Davis's standing in the Reggae community.

Let’s hope that this release spreads the gospel according to Mr R. Davis, a little wider.  A wicked set by one of Jamaica's finest .....

Respect Jah Floyd.

An instrumental counterpart to ‘Man Kill Man’ by Lone Ark meets The 18th Parallel, ‘Kanata’ marks the debut solo release of Japanese saxophonist extraordinaire Yuko Arakawa.

A member of ZIONHILL SESSION—the collective led by Mr. Saito, who also lends his trombone to this recording—Yuko Arakawa channels a deep reverence for the legacy of Count Ossie and the pioneers of Nyahbinghi instrumental reggae. Her playing moves with a spiritual intensity, echoing the meditative roots sound of Cedric 'Im' Brooks, while igniting flashes of raw, untamed energy reminiscent of Sugar Belly. The result is a living, breathing sound—both grounded in tradition and reaching beyond it.

Roberto Sánchez delivers a deep Mutron Bi-Phase dubby mix that expands the sonic horizon of the track. True to its title, ‘Kanata’ (彼方)—a Japanese word meaning ‘far beyond’ or ‘in a distant place’—invites the listener into a meditative journey, drifting across time, space, and memory.

To celebrate the 20-year anniversary of our label Jamaican Recordings and to mark the sad one year passing of the musical maestro reggae producer Bunny `Striker’ Lee, we have pulled together a brand new collection of some great Bunny Lee rhythms.

Our label started way back with initial meetings with Bunny Lee and a promise to keep his music available, out on the streets. He will be sorely missed but will live on through his extraordinary musical legacy and we hope to add to this by including this release to the stable of an unbeatable catalogue.

Legendary record producer Bunny `Striker’ Lee’s vast selection of rhythms were ever present at any Sound Clash or Dance worth talking about in the early to mid-1970’s.
Where the version found on the b-side of a single or special dub cut on acetates, would be played to win over the people and conquer the dance. Bunny Lee was the undisputed rhythm master and on this special release he is also the MC telling the crowd how it is and that any rival sound system should watch out as he has the rhythms that can reign supreme. The band cutting these timeless rhythms were a group of top Jamaican musicians Bunny had put together called The Aggrovators.

The Aggrovators were a group of reggae musicians that usually featured Carlton `Santa’ Davis on drums playing alongside Robbie Shakespeare on bass, with other musicians added like Earl `Chinna’ Smith on guitar and Tommy McCook and Vin Gordon and Lennox Brown added for horn arrangements. Keyboards and organ duties normally fell
to musicians Ansel Collins and Bernard ‘Touter’ Harvey. The band was named after singer Eddie Grant had repeated the phrase to Bunny Lee on one of his many trips to England, that such and such artist was giving him `Aggro’. This was a term used in England in the 1970’s by the Skinhead followers of reggae music. A term shortened
from the word `Aggrovation’, meaning trouble, fighting or making the situation worse. Bunny Lee was so taken with this term that on returning to Jamaica, not only did he name his group of musicians the `Aggrovators’ but he also named his record shop situated at 101 Orange Street `Agro Records’.

We have compiled some great tracks recorded by this fantastic group of musicians. With the added extra magic of Mr Bunny Lee calling it out as only he can on the microphone.
Yes Run Sound Boy Run the version master is here…Respect

Deaf Florists, the alias of Conor Wheeler, returns with a powerful new EP on trUst Recordings, the imprint founded by Saoirse. A key figure in the pre-social media UK techno and bass underground, Wheeler first made his mark in the early 2010s with his label Nineteen89, operating alongside the era that birthed influential collectives such as Night Slugs, Swamp81 and Hessle Audio.

After years spent navigating the industry—managing artists, overseeing A&R for major labels, and curating club nights at some of the UK’s most respected venues—Wheeler channels 17 years of deep listening and lived experience into Deaf Florists. The project moves fluidly between peak-time intensity and introspective depth, unbound by strict genre lines.

Lead track “Squelch, already a highly ID’d fixture in Saoirse’s DJ sets, is built around a corrosive acid line from a Roland TB-03, reinforced by a Behringer Crave counter bass and a pitched-down vocal command to “get down.” “Melt” detonates with industrial force, inspired by the chaos of a reactor in meltdown—earning Saoirse’s succinct verdict: “It’s a bomb.” Closing cut “Gunk” nods to the hypnotic repetition of Mr G, transforming a stripped-back DJ tool into a distorted techno workout primed for dark rooms.

Isnt it 303 day everyday? The latest installment from Klasse Wrecks certainly seems to argue that fact, through 4 tracks of pummeling acid variety coming from label bosses Luca Lozano and Mr. Ho and Andrew Red Hand and Dominik Marz. Its a top notch TB303 homage directly for the dancefloor and word has it you can construct your own Klass Line 303 using the record sleeve, some scissors and some glue...now you can acid house too!