R.A.J.S. i.e. 'Rivers Area Juke Squad', though this one's this time not really from Chicago, but from The Hague/La Haia. Bouncin' and droppin' 'Juke'-style ghetto-tech bass music with some really authentic 'Latino' edge, surrounded by the sounds of the city streets...'The Squad' contains 2 Mc's: Mc Ravelo & Mc Electronic B, while their producer Kipkillah takes care of both the 'man-beating' and the 'beating-tracks'.
Sampled by Dr.Dre and Jay-Z, cult combo CALIBRO 35 release the new studio album "DECADE" and celebrate 10 years.
Italian super cult combo CALIBRO 35 release their 6th much awaited studio album "DECADE" on February the 9th 2018. "DECADE" marks 10 years of Calibro 35's releases and it's the very first album recorded by Calibro with an orchestral-inspired enlarged line-up that features horns, strings and percussions. Mixed and recorded by CALIBRO's usual suspect and Grammy Award winner Tommaso Colliva, on the album all the influences collected by the band during their last ten years' journey like music, collaborations, movies, gigs, books find their space. "DECADE" is CALIBRO 35's "time capsule" and is as rare and complex as a timeless work.
Musically CALIBRO 35's inner influences like Ennio Morricone, listen for instance to the epic journey of the album's end credits "Travelers", Luis Bacalov and David Axelrod are still there but are now mixed with elements from afrobeat or cosmic jazz. "Psycheground" sounds like Tony Allen involved in writing a score for a vintage Hollywood production while Sun Ra lurks on "Modo". Everything is mixed up with new influences from modern musical languages. References to Jaga Jazzist, Budos Band or Alternative Jazz and Alternative Hip Hop new acts such as Makaya McCraven, Yussef Kamaal, Oddisee can all be found on the album. In tracks such as "Modulor "you realize that Decade is certainly not a point of arrival and expresses the ambition of the band to look further and evolve. All classic Calibro's vintage instruments such as clavinet, eco, analog synths, fuzz guitars are now supported by new ones such as Dan Bau, Balafon and Waterphone ("Polymeri") in the band's new wall of sound. Thanks to the enlarged line-up and the orchestrated parts involved, which pushed the band to experiment new methods of composition, Calibro 35 on "DECADE" sound strong, full and tight as never before.
Active since 2008 CALIBRO 35 enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the coolest independent band around. During their ten years career, they have been sampled by Dr. Dre on his Compton album, Jay-Z Love Child & Damon Albarn, they shared stages worldwide with the likes of Roy Ayers, Muse, Sun Ra Arkestra, Sharon Jones, Thundercat, Headhunters and as unique musicians they've collaborated with, amongst others PJ Harvey, Mike Patton, John Parish and Stewart Copeland and Nic Cester (The Jet). Described by Rolling Stone magazine's as "the most fascinating, retro-maniac and genuine thing, that happened to Italy in the last years", Calibro 35 now count on a number of aficionados worldwide which includes VIP's fans such as Dj Food (Ninja Tune), Mr Scruff and Huey Morgan (Fun Lovin' Criminals) among others.
Charlotte de Witte takes charge of her KNTXT label's 15th release with the new Universal Consciousness EP. It comes after Amazingblaze - Venture EP and features four more powerful and psychedelic techno cuts.
Charlotte is soon to be playing her biggest ever KNTXT party in mid April. It shall take place in her hometown of Ghent and see her play a historic 10 hour set to a vast crowd of people who shall go on an all night long journey. Also in April, Charlotte returns to London’s iconic Printworks for the first time in five years, this time with her KNTXT concept and once again is set to raise the roof. While staying busy on the road, she continues to curate the Apple Music x KNTXT page while cooking up ever fresh sounds in the studio. This latest EP is another subtle evolution in her signature style.
Says Charlotte of the EP, "following up on my latest Asura EP in September, I decided to delve a bit deeper in the world of psychedelia. All the tracks of the EP are psy inspired, some more than others. I’ve been playing these tracks for a while now in the clubs. It’s been a real pleasure to see the crowd’s reaction and see the amount of track ID requests online. This one is from me to you, I hope you enjoy my Universal Consciousness EP!"
Opener 'Satori' is dark and heavy. The chunky, raw drums hit hard and flat as the squelchy acid synths pan about the mix. An enchanting middle eastern vocal wail brings an extra trance-inducing element that is sure to lock in the hearts and minds of the crowd. The super 'Kali' is a slick and high speed piece that shows the love relation between psy trance and techno. The video game style synths peel off the groove next to alien sound effects, and the subtly evolving acid line burrows deep into your brain.
Then comes the dynamic, bouncy and acid laced-title cut ‘Universal Consciousness’. It's a fulsome tune with rubbery kicks and visceral 303 loops that will melt the mind as dancers fall into its hypnotic and tripped out spell. Last of all is 'Ahimsa' with its bright, lashing acid synths and hammering kick drums. It's the perfect mix of physical groove and psyched-out synth work, and is perfect for both sweaty basements and vast main rooms alike. When the mystical flutes come in, it takes things to another level entirely.
This is another all consuming EP of innovative techno from Charlotte de Witte.
First Word Records is very pleased to bring you the sophomore album from Werkha, a 14-track double LP entitled 'All Werk Is Play'.
Werkha hails from Manchester and has been releasing music for a decade, collaborating and remixing artists such as Quantic, Bryony Jarman-Pinto, Marcos Valles and Andrew Ashong. Werkha and his live band have been lighting up dancefloors in recent months at venues such as Low Four Studio in Manchester and The Jazz Cafe in London, with festival appearances locked for the Summer at the likes of We Out Here and Moovin. In past years, he has toured extensively with artists like Bonobo, Chet Faker and Mr Scruff.
In 2020, Werkha released 'The Rigour' on First Word, and dropped 'Beat Tapestry' in late 2021 on a limited cassette. 'All Werk Is Play' marks Werkha's first full-length solo project since his debut album 'Colours Of A Red Brick Raft' on Tru Thoughts in 2015, and sees this multi-talented musician produce a delightfully vibrant body of werk.
This album is predominantly a set of uptempo compositions from Werkha (real name Tom Leah), fusing analogue jazz-funk vibes with modern dance music sensibilities. Nestling somewhere between broken beat and breakbeat, Werkha has been nurturing his own unique sonics for some time; incorporating live horns & wind instruments with bass, double-bass, harp and guitar, along with a selection of sweet squelchy synths and deliciously delectable drum programming.
We've had several single releases from this project so far, namely 'Eterno Retorno' (with Portuguese singer Moreiya),'In Saint-Gilles' (with Brussels DJ & producer, Le Motel), 'Move Different' (with Mancunian singer & musician Ellen Beth Abdi), 'Beauty & The Bloc' and 'Battered Mars Bar'. As well as the afore-mentioned collaborations, this album also features bars from legendary MCR MC Chunky (Swamp81 / Levelz) on 'May Day', soulful vocals from Kemani Anderson (Secret Night Gang) on 'Count Yer Pace' and some heavyweight accompaniment from the likes of bassists Nick Blacka (GoGo Penguin) and Tom Driessler (Adele, Tom Misch, Jordan Rakei) amongst others.
'All Werk Is Play' was an opportunity for Werkha to produce a full body of work in the conceptual formation of an album, as opposed to a set of singles strung together. From 'The Rigour' EP to the subsequent releases, this album completes a circle in his current creative curve, from a design perspective and sonically. Werkha has been steadily pushing his own self-production and musicality, embracing mistakes, and challenging himself both creatively and mentally. As a self-edutaining piece, the depth, nuances and examples of work as play are numerous, and whilst each track was thematically inspired by different topics, the fun element of "play" was always forefront in his mind, to ultimately create something powerful, yet positive.
In Werkha's words "this record is dedicated to mixing things up, to walking down that street for once because your feet took you that way, to deciding not to take the bus today, to moments of improv, to breaking with convenience, to challenging structure, to play."
Tracks have received recent spins & support from BBC Radio heavyweights on 1Xtra & 6 Music like Jamz Supernova, Tom Ravenscroft, Huey Morgan and Afrodeutsche, as well as love from selectors such as DJ Paulette, Scratcha DVA, Harvey Sutherland, Zakia Sewell (NTS) & Jyoty (Rinse).
Second release from Olga Limited, Vinyl Only Series, introduces Stekke’s single Shifter.
Atmospheric, Spatial, Hypnotic track, composed with elements from House and Techno merged into an unique and singular vibes.
Legendary Roman Fluegel, one of the pioneers from the German Electronic music scene, signs a timeless remix, late night underground dance floor special tool.
Closing the EP, Renato Ratier, exponent and veteran, who is responsible for decades of club culture in Brazil, brings more funky groove, in a powerful 4/4 beats construction.
Magical, evocative and intelligent. It's the” Peemax Trax EP” by Too Smooth Christ on EYA Records number 18. A truly superb and intergalactic journey that will caress your soul and make you lose yourself in the music.
Once again Christophe Le Gall proved us to be one of the most gifted and forward-thinking producers of electronic music out there. Unmissable.
Debut album from Alex Ho out of Los Angeles.
In his foundational essay on Los Angeles, L.A. Glows, the essayist Lawrence Weschler speaks on the city's uncanny, immediately recognizable light; "The late-afternoon light of Los Angeles—golden pink off the bay through the smog and onto the palm fronds." Weschler traces the city's mysterious refracted light from the iconic paintings of David Hockney through the city's frequent portrayal on film and TV, noting its ability to put residents into a state of "egoless bliss."
Similarly, Alex Ho's new album for Music From Memory, 'Move Through It', radiates with the unmistakable LA glow. While the Pasadena native's studio work is just now coming to light, Ho has long been a fixture in the Los Angeles dance music scene, throwing what are perhaps the city's most musically expansive warehouse events and carving out a singular voice as a DJ, as heard on his brilliant Moony Habits show for NTS. The eight-track record, however, lands in a more contemplative zone, better suited for a golden hour drive than a night out.
Though it's his first record, 'Move Through It' is the accomplished work of a fully-formed artist, produced patiently between 2017 and 2020 with help from friends including Baba Stiltz, Phil Cho, Damon Palermo and John Jones. "Mark," the Koanic track conclusion side A, is an arpeggiated slow burn reminiscent of Pino Donaggio's brilliant score for Brian De Palma's 1984 film Body Double. Ho's stunning, pure falsetto soars above gentle melodies. "Miss Suzuki," the piece that originally caught the ear of MFM's Jamie Tiller and Tako, opens the record with a blue, cinematic sway. Ho's facility for poignant melodies—easily conveyed through saxophone, vibes, various keyboards and his own voice—shines on "College Crest Drive," as well as the title track. The lyrical "Move Through It" and the restrained and beautiful closing cut, "TYFC," are abetted by glimmering Kraut guitar figures courtesy of John Jones.
While Ho's rhythms and melodies paint a crystal-clear musical vision, the music's emotional centre is more elusive, indicative of a yearning feeling synonymous with the City Of Angels. Hitting these hazy and subtle notes, Move Through It falls within a canon of sun-addled records spanning from Herb Alpert's "Rotation" to Dam-Funk's Private Life trilogy as Garrett. An immersive and concise statement, Alex Ho's 'Move Through It' is as warm and uncanny as the city that inspired it, a definitive LA album.
One of the most exciting names to emerge on the techno scene in recent times, Lilly Palmer makes her long-awaited Drumcode EP debut.
The German artist is a thrilling performer, who backs up her kinetic DJ sets with a quality body of production work. We got a taste of her talent when she contributed ‘Amnesie’ to A-Sides Vol.10 and elsewhere she’s dropped heat on labels including Octopus Records, Senso Sounds and her own Spannung Records imprint.
‘We Control’ is a satisfying label debut exhibiting her stealth-like ability to work a dancefloor with a variety of driving techno moods. The title track embodies a key-driven Motor City vibe, before thrilling waves of jagged synths and ravey effects take the cut into brain spangling bosh territory. ‘Resistance’ builds tension and anticipation in equal parts and is a vibe-heavy tool needed for every set. ‘Plasma’ is a full-force weapon that highlights why there’s so much excitement surrounding the rising artist. The EP closes with ‘Don’t Look Back’, as deep pulsating layers of bass cascade towards the finish line.
Suns of Arqa is a sonic mission created by luminary Michael Wadada, who began in 1979 after receiving higher guidance in Jamaica while working with roots reggae chanter Prince Far-I. It is a prolific traveling music collective that has seen over 200 collaborators, meant to connect people from all cultures and walks of life through a “deeply spiritual vibration that merges cultures, faiths and musical genres”. Wadada combines ancient Hindustani raga systems with Piobaireachd and Nyabinghi roots drumming, creating ritualistic world music infused with dub and reggae.
The lyrics combine both mystical and sensory elements, often including prayer and referencing a higher power but finding root in experiences common to all people- memory, sight, and physical sensation.
Their first album, Revenge of the Mozabites, was a collaboration between Wadada and On-U Sound creator Adrian Sherwood. Following its 1980 release,Peter Gabriel invited them to perform at the first WOMAD festival. Today, the record is regarded by some as a cult classic. Over the years they have played at many major music festivals including Glastonbury, Big Chill, Telerama Dub Festival, and Transmusicales, and released over 40 albums on Virgin, EMI, Interchill Records, Antler Subway, Red Rhino, and their own label, Arka Sound.
Suns of Arqa has had a seminal influence on the World Beat sound, and continued to make appearances at seasonal festivals and sacred ritual spaces all over the world until 2021. Michael Wadada passed away in the midst of planning their U.S. tour for this release. The record is a compilation of some of Wadada’s and Sleepers Record’s favorite old Sun of Arqa tracks, mixed by Youth and Adrian Sherwood, and mastered by Eroc (drummer of Grobshnitt).
Notable collaborating artists include: Guy Called Gerald, UK producers Youth and John Leckie, Greg Hunter, 808 State's Graham Massey, Finley Quaye, Sounds From the Ground, Bryn Jones aka MuslimGauze, Adrian Sherwood, John Cooper-Clarke, The late great Professor Stanley Unwin, Eric Random, New age guru Tim Wheater, Astralasia, Prince Far-I, The Orb's Alex Patterson, Zion Train, and Gaudi.
"And although the Great Spiritual being Michael Wadada has returned to source and his body to earth at our time, his music is alive and will continue to be a great force for higher spiritual realms and raising vibration through occult frequencies...Suns of Arqa will continue to raise the vibration of the hearts and minds of humanity" – Angela aka Angel-Eye (Wadada's wife and bandmate)
UK techno legend Mark Broom releases ‘100% Juice’ LP on Rekids.
Following the acclaimed ‘Funfzig LP’ on Rekids in 2021 as well as his ‘Mutated Battle Breaks’ series on the techno focussed Rekids Special Projects, Mark Broom returns to Radio Slave’s imprint for his latest full length, ‘100% Juice’, dropping this April.
Title track ‘100% Juice’ leads the charge, barreling forward with phased hats and trippy bleeps, before ‘Slush’ carries the rest of the A-side with dense synths and stereo trickery. ‘Rainbow’ bridge sees muted chords drifting in and out of focus alongside rattling drum programming before ‘Reverse’ mutates dub techno inspired elements with swathes of spacious FX and pitch-perfect processing.
Opening the second disc is the aptly titled ‘Wonky Workout’, which sees hard-hitting kicks meeting freaked out leads, followed by the fast-paced ‘I Want’, which brings crunchy, shuffling percussion and effected vocal samples together to devastating effect. The final side of vinyl is the one-two punch of ‘Boxed In’ and ‘Wiggle Me This’, with the former bringing sharp keys, rumbling low end and glistening pads, while the latter closes out the LP with warped acid lines and crisp drums.
Releasing on labels such as Rekids, M-Plant, and Blueprint, the wildly prolific Broom has consistently beenat the forefront of the techno scene for decades with his gritty, groove-based output while, away from the dancefloor, his The Fear Ratio project with James Ruskin continues to win critical acclaim.
Belgian Kristof "(DJ) 4T4" Michiels has been around for a while, but this is only his second album under this name. It's practically impossible to categorize, since it holds elements of all eras of dance music. It switches effortlessly from new wave to electro, from punk funk to deep house, without ever feeling concocted. This album's got it all, but the main factor these 10 tracks share is soul. You can feel this wasn't thought up in lab, they're are organic sounds made with nothing but love for music, which grants Union Escapade a timeless feel. If you love club music of all ages, and have an open mind, you should check this out.
Hailing from downtown Los Angeles, Nuklear Prophet, aka Erik Villalpando, is heavily influenced by West Coast Hip Hop and Electro. Winning multiple DJ awards, including 3x World Records DJ Competition under his DJ Dope-E alias, Villalpando cites his inspiration as coming from some of the most influential Los Angeles DJs of his childhood, including Tony G, DJ Joe Cooley, Julio G, and DJ Aladdin.
With releases on Urban Connections, Abseits Recordings, Diffuse Reality and Bass Agenda Recordings as Nuklear Prophet, the LA-based DJ/producer readies his full-length album 'Prophecies 11:21' for Utrecht-based U-Trax. Formed of an eclectic and energetic collection of gems mined from his overwhelming archive, the album takes in genres such as Electro, Hip Hop, Footwork, Juke, and beyond.
Leading the release is the 808 luminary Egyptian Lover's remix of 'L.A. Rockz', featured on the recently released 'L.A. Rockz' EP, kicking off the LP with his trademark 808-infused sound. A nod to Detroit-flavoured Electro is presented via the dark and brooding tracks 'Nuklear Prophet' and 'Compton', with the lighter atmospherics of the genre covered on 'Solar Winds'. The pounding electro killer '808 Plague' sounds like it came straight from the sewers of The Hague.
'Everlastin' Bass', 'Back Up Off My Tip', and 'The Train Ride To Coconino' offer Footwork inspired bangers, with the latter previously featured on the Legowelt curated U-Trax compilation 'U R Here!' earlier this year.
Moving across a spectrum of tempos, styles, and moods across the album, exemplified on the sluggish trip-hop of 'The Mars Goblin', Nuklear Prophet expertly touches on a range of bass-driven genres, displaying his widespread influences and knack for hard-hitting production throughout.
a 01: L.A. Rockz (Egyptian Lover Remix) feat. Krazy Dee & Nasim
Limited Edition - Transparent Blue Vinyl
‘Cranes In The Sky,’ was originally written by Beyonce’s baby sister Solange alongside Raphael Saadiq, for her album back in 2016 that was cited by Rolling Stone as one of the most important 500 records of all time. The words exploring a fearless journey inward, pulling up the root of a problem, and the first glimpse of blue sky after the storm has passed.
Fast forward to 2022 - Ross Allen and Andy Thompson’s Foundation Music Productions enlist the expertise of Baltimore club legend, Dj Oji, together with Tracy Hamlin (Pieces Of A Dream), to take Solange’s breakout delivery to the dancefloor. Soulful vocals will heal you, while the mid-tempo moments will mellow the masses, and UK Funky grooves will keep the shuffle moving along way into the early hours. Three remixes come in the form of the ethereal DJ Pope Funkhut Reprise, a signature Joe Goddard groover and the Star One. KDA. Meltdown Dub.
Press:
Gazza Premiere
House Salad Music Premiere
Madoras Premiere
Music Is 4 Lovers Review
Le Visiteur Review
Hot House Picks
Faith In The Defected Basement - Livestream play
DJ Feedback:
FRANCOIS K
Yes! I played the vocal version the other day again.
KAI ALCE
Dope re-interpretation from Baltimore stalwarts OJI, POPE & Tracy!
GREG WILSON
What's not to like? Love the orig Solange jam!
DANNY KRIVIT
Nice, I like a lot of DJ Oji.
SOUL CLAP/ ELI GOLDSTEIN
Fire right here
DAZ I KUE/ BUGZ IN THE ATTIC
Yea I love this one…cool vibes.
THATMANMONKZ
Oh yeah, love the Solange original, and I’m a big Oji fan! That reprise version might come in very useful for the right set!
TERRY FARLEY/ FAITH
Got to be contender for single of the month with that story x
HOT TODDY
Simply beautiful.
CRAIG SMITH/ 6TH BOROUGH PROJECT
Loved the original of this from Solange a few years back, this is a real nice interpretation of it. Liking the reprise and Dub, handy tools
CHARLES WEBSTER
Nice soulful groover. Like this.
FISH GOO DEEP/ GREG DOWLING
Lovely re imagining of one of my favourite tracks of all time
FRANK BOOKER
Love this package. Reprise mix is the one for me. Very cool!
NICK V/ LA MONA
Thanks a lot I actually prefer the dub version :)
JIMPSTER/ FREERANGE
Killer groove on this and really nice to hear a housed up version of Cranes which is such a stunning song in it’s OG form. Def something I’d like to play out.
FELIX JOY/ SWU.FM
Yes ! I flippin love a good reprise mix and this one is doing it for me. Love the original version by Solange and this is a really great rework!
STEVE PARRY / FOR SASHA
Really Smoove love it.
GROOVE ARMADA/ TOM FINDLAY
THIS IS LOVELY!!
RALPH SESSION/ HALF ASSED RECORDS
Wow the dubstrumental really gives it new life.
QUENTIN HARRIS
I love this package.
GRAME PARK/ THE HACIENDA
This is tremendous
HECTOR ROMERO/ DEF MIX
Good to see this one got picked up. I’ve played this a few times since 2018 but will get it back in rotation. Glad to see this song is getting some traction. I look forward to the unreleased versions.
ANDY BUCHAN
What a sun-dappled slice of beauty! Full support on this, what a gorgeous EP. And those drums are ace, really propulsive.
DANIELLE MOORE/ CRAZY P
Yeah I really like this. I mean I love the original but theres something quite interesting about this. Nice yeah x
MARC MEISNERE/ SOL POWER SOUND
Yes please! Can’t wait to play this one!
STEFANO TUCCI/ HELL YEAH
This is one of the best best vocal of recent times, I love It, the crescendo towards half of the track is nothing but gorgeous!
TREVOR FING/ GRAFITTI KINGS
Love these remixes.
MAX P/ HELL YEAH
Yeah, full pack is what I needed !
HORSE MEAT DISCO/ SEVERINO
Really into this!
SEAN JOHNSTON/ ALFOS
I wouldn't play it, but it's a beautiful piece of work
GRAEME PARK/ THE HACIENDA
I’m gonna enjoy playing this its lovely.
NICK V/ LA MONA
Thanks a lot I actually prefer the dub version :)
TREVOR FUNG/ GRAFITTI KINGS
Love this !!
QUENTIN HARRIS
Being a fan of the Original I love everything about this.
ALAN DIXON/ MIDNIGHT MAGIC
Killer!!!!
DAVE JARVIS/ FAITH
This is amazing! Absolutely love xx
NICK V/ LA MONA
This is a fantastic track!
MAX P/ HELL YEAH
Oh yeaahhhh
RICK GILL/ OUTLAWS YACHT CLUB
Beautiful soulful house. Quality production and top draw vocals.
MICKEY JUKES/ 1BTN
Ooof! Such a strong record to step to but i love this. Classy production, vocals are killer. All round winner!
TOMMY TURBO JAZZ/ JAXX MEDICINE
I was a fan of the OG but I really needed this cut!!
RUSSELL FORMAN/ PIKES/ HARRYS KEBABS
This is great .... I'm writing an article on the Coney Island Boardwalk house parties atm.
JIM LISTER/ 1BTN
Loving the reprise and the dub!I'm a big fan of the Solange original, so it's nice to hear a new angle on it
CHRIS DE BEURRE/ THE EAGLE
Gorgeous vocal! And such a deep production - really like this! Infectious x
DAIRMONT/ ROOM WITH A VIEW
Amazing track. Loving it!
STEVE PARRY/ FOR SASHA
Beautiful super smooth.
LES CROASDAILE/ FREIGHT ISLAND
Tune this, reminds of Southport weekender!
"Nilotic is the byproduct of God’s grace in my life. What you will hear is the journey of a confident, frustrated and sad Elsy trying to claim back, fix and uproot the evil of this world. However, what you won’t see is the spiritual journey I took with my Father, where I learnt, through obedience and true faith, that alone I am a mere mortal, but with him I can do ALL things.
This EP was never the point. God, in his full grace, chose to bless me with a product I can use to showcase his works in my life." - Elsy Wameyo, Adelaide, Australia
Like every record Superchunk has made over the last thirty-some years, Wild Loneliness is unskippably excellent and infectious. It’s a blend of stripped-down and lush, electric and acoustic, highs and lows, and I love it all. On Wild Loneliness I hear echoes of Come Pick Me Up, Here’s to Shutting Up, and Majesty Shredding. After the (ahem, completely justifiable) anger of What a Time to Be Alive, this new record is less about what we’ve lost in these harrowing times and more about what we have to be thankful for. (I know something about gratitude.
I’ve been a huge Superchunk fan since the 1990s, around the same time I first found my way to poetry, so the fact that I’m writing these words feels like a minor miracle.) On Wild Loneliness, it feels like the band is refocusing on possibility, and possibility is built into the songs themselves, in the sweet surprises tucked inside them. I say all the time that what makes a good poem the “secret ingredient” is surprise. Perhaps the same is
true of songs. Like when the sax comes in on the title track, played by Wye Oak’s Andy Stack, adding a completely new texture to the song. Or when Owen Pallett’s strings come in on “This Night.” But my favorite surprise on Wild Loneliness is when the harmonies of Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley of Teenage Fanclub kick in on “Endless Summer.”
It’s as perfect a pop song as you’ll ever hear sweet, bright, flat-out gorgeous and yet it grapples with the depressing reality of climate change: “Is this the year the leaves don’t lose their color / and hummingbirds, they don’t come back to hover / I don’t mean to be a giant bummer but / I’m not ready / for an endless summer, no / I’m not ready for an endless summer.” I love how the music acts as a kind of counterweight to the lyrics.
Because of COVID, Mac, Laura, Jim, and Jon each recorded separately, but a silver lining is that this method made other long-distance contributions possible, from R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, Sharon Van Etten, Franklin Bruno, and Tracyanne Campbell of Camera Obscura, among others. Some of the songs for the record were written before the pandemic hit, but others, like “Wild Loneliness,” were written from and about isolation.
I’ve been thinking of songs as memory machines. Every time we play a record, we remember when we heard it before, and where we were, and who we were. Music crystallizes memories so well: listening to “Detroit Has a Skyline,” suddenly I’m shout1singing along with it at a show in Detroit twenty years ago; listening to Overflows,” I’m transported back to whisper-singing a slowed-down version of it to my young son, that year it was his most-requested lullaby.
Wild Loneliness is becoming part of my life, part of my memories, too. And it will be part of yours. I can picture people in 20, 50, or 100 years listening to this record and marveling at what these artists created together beauty, possibility, surprise during this alarming (and alarmingly isolated) time. But why wait? Let’s marvel now. - Maggie Smith
White Vinyl
Greyscale's most personal release and perhaps the most important for label owner grad_u aka Aleksandr Martinkevič. Earlier this year, Alex was diagnosed with cancer. Certainly a horrible thing to hear and there has definitely been some low moments in certain stages of the journey. At just 36 years old, many of us are shocked that such a young person can develop cancer. After some research he found out that younger and younger people are randomly getting cancer studies show. An alarming trend to learn about. However, there has also been a lot of other learning and different new levels of appreciation for the simple things in life as a new higher level of inspiration in making music has manifested. And this new release encapsulates that. Alex has also felt a duty to make things better for others. Focusing on what can be improved as he wants to highlight research, treatment and the overall communication of this disease to more people in the electronic music scene. Part of the proceeds from this new album will be donated to the National Cancer Institute in his homeland of Lithuania.
Alex wants everyone to know that catching these signs early and getting regular checkups are your best chance at beating cancer. Thankfully Alex did this also and his treatments have gone well. Alex plans still stay steadfast with his label and his life. Simplifying things with the love from his family and friends, focusing on his hobbies
along with making sure he makes his health his #1 personal priority.
The name for this full length release is titled 'T2NO'. grad_u's most introspective work yet features 8 emotional tracks overall. The honesty expressed in this album is blunt and to the point. These tracks take you on an audio journey thru grad_u as he expresses his feelings thru the entire process in each stage.
Beginning with two wonderful ambient tracks named 'Genetic Mutation' & 'Carcinogen'. In the opener, Chords rain over you as a beautiful ambient melody peeks out underneath it followed by a more stark and hazy field of interference. From the gentle opener to the more tension filled follower, the personal journey of grad_u is
developing before your ears. The b-side of 'Neoplasm' is a bit more somber but also has a ray of light in it.
Introspective as it can get, this is a true journey through an uncertain future. 'MRI scan' needs no explanation....
The second half of the album begins the understanding of what grad_u was going thru. 'Malignant Transformation' gives off that feeling of the human body working thru the science. Fight or flight becomes the theme for this track. 'Adenocarcinoma' almost gives off the sound of cells rebuilding themselves. Sci-fi meets real life in this epic battle. 'Resection' continues this scientific sounding reflection on the body healing with sounds of movement and time. As if the body is working itself out. Lastly and triumphantly comes the closing
track 'Waking up to a New Life'....
The emotional journey of this album isn't for the faint of heart. It leaves nothing to the imagination. It works thru all the emotions that can come with such and life changing event like having cancer. We want to thank grad_u for sharing his story with us. This story can happen to anyone...
"I would like to take this opportunity to express my great gratitude to doctors A. Dulskas, G. Jurevičienė, V. Sidorov and all staff in Abdominal Surgery and Oncology Department at NCI. Thank you for your expert care and for saving my life.
Also, big big thank you my family and closest friends for all their love and support during this difficult period of time and always being there for me."
Special thanks to Lithuanian Council for Culture, associations AGATA and LATGA for support of this special project.
Part of proceeds from the album will be donated to National Cancer Institute, Lithuania
Jamal Moss, Takeshi Kouzuki, FLML and Mituo Shiomi take part in “Tracks From The Alley Vol. II", a Various Artists four-tracker E.P. which follows the imprint of the previous release of the Bologna based underground music label ALLEY VERSION. Here the jackin' and acid house/techno sonic palette is diverted in a raw, immersive and screwy signature.Rough vibes for freaky minds. Limited 12" vinyl.
We are both very pleased to introduce Johannes Brecht to the Siamese family! A highly talented, trained and decorated musician is a fair description of Johannes and we’re proud to call him a friend and sometimes even a mentor.
This record has been in the works for a long time and since all of us wanted to have this EP out on vinyl too it took some time to get everything in place. As expected the three originals show a wide array of Johannes Brecht's world of electronic music. It's about creating something with love and passion rather than staying on safe ground
Matir Gaan is a collaboration between young Bengali migrant, Mohammed After Hussain and Italian electronic artist, Andrea Rusconi (aka Paq). The resulting album delightfully combines the ancient folk songs of Md After's homeland with Paq's cosmic synth exotica.
Mohammed After Hussain escaped Bangladesh in 2015 and arrived in Italy in 2017 after a long and dangerous journey across the Mediterranean from the violence he found in Libya. In Italy he found safety and hospitality as an asylum seeker in Rimini's Associazione Ardea, where Andrea is involved with 'Ardea Recordings' - a project aiming to create an archive of songs, stories and sounds by some of the people who spent some time with Ardea's refugee programme.
Md After was invited to sing and play the folk and village songs he knew on the harmonium and pakhawaj (two headed drum) while Andrea immersed himself in the songs providing a bed of warm Crumar synth and Veena drones to create a finished album of totally uniquela renditions of the mystic Baul folk songs known so well by people across the Bangla speaking regions of India.
The Bauls are a famous group of wandering minstrels from the region of Bengal whose culture is derived from the teachings of the early Sufi mystics and Hindu Fakhirs. The Baul devotees are considered to be mad, or possessed, with the love of God. While transcending religion the Baul compositions celebrate celestial and earthly love and expound the key philosophy of “Deha tatta” or truth in the body, epitomised by the aphorism “whatever is in the universe is in the body”. They reach for divinity here in this world and they seek to access it through music and dance. They seek spirituality in the music, they live fo r the music, wandering from village to village offering ecstatic sound waves in exchange for sustenance. Their presence remains an important part of village life in Bangladesh, and this is why Md After knows the songs despite the fact he would not consider himself part of the Baul ascetic tradition.
We hope you'll enjoy this wonderfully psychedelic album, with its unique interpretations of these ancient mystic songs from the earth.
Comes with a printed inner sleeve featuring sleeve notes and lyric translations by Brian P. Heilman
With the two-part EP Mediterranean Dreams, Perugia producer and composer Feel Fly revisits his musical roots and pays tribute to the sounds and ‘sun-kissed nostalgia’ that informed his style.
Mediterranean Dreams Part 1 collected four tracks, and added that Feel Fly touch of emotive chord progressions and layered production onto cosmic disco grooves to powerful dancefloor effect. Now with Mediterranean Dream Part 2, Feel Fly switches the tempo both up and down, to fully demonstrate his affinity for club moments of all shapes and sizes.
Nebula flies out the gate with full intent, recalling classic Detroit techno while pushing the vibe even more wide-screen - it’s driving, melodic dance music that delivers on the fine details as much as it does on the life-affirming, big picture sentiment.
Optical Bells opens in meditative style, not unlike a new dawn in a Tibetan monastery, before each element of the track slowly reveals itself and assumes its place. It’s an arrangement technique that Feel Fly employs masterfully, and gives the impression of a camera lens moving into focus, or a storyteller setting the scene. The revolving chord changes pull you in and while whisking you away, you’re compelled to engage with the moment - like being asked to dance by a mysterious stranger.
The B side kicks off with Luce Eterna Ai Sognatori, still keeping the tempo high while cherry-picking disco house drum patterns and piano synths with a slight Italo flavor to create an irresistible slice of dancefloor dessert. This is a soundtrack for Sognatori, in whose dreams anything is possible.
The EP finishes up with a superb cut of echoey balearic dub in the form of Templum Dub. Putting the drums through its mixing desk paces, Feel Fly reanimates the drum kit with delays, phasers and flangers, and wraps it up in hazy drifting pads that could accompany any moment of contemplation - from that morning espresso to a midnight phone call.
Mediterranean Dreams Part 2 acts as the perfect compliment to its prequel Part 1, and shows a producer at the height of his powers, reimagining his musical roots and composing a love letter to the sounds and stories of his youth.
Alex Attias, El Mustang Project is back with a new album. This second opus features full of new collaborations with on vocals Cecilia Stalin, Rouhangeze and Desney Bailey. Alex worked as well with the keyboardist and instrumentalist genuises Sohan Wilson and Hajime Yoshizawa and with Saxophonist friend Arthur Donnot and Alina Bzhezhinska on Harp.
This Album has been made during a two years period between 2019 and 2021. This is a reflection of the various musical styles Alex was listening at home enjoying producing during the lockdown. The 8 first tracks feature a selection ranging from jazz to disco without the dancefloor in mind. It was a various and distant collaborations for the first time and the result is a selection of 12 tracks “ but only 8 for the limited vinyl album”. The remaing tracks are on the ep “life” that came out late december 2021.
‘Space 1.8’ is Nala Sinephro’s debut album; each
contributing piece is part of a connected,
collaborative and deeply personal body of music.
Performed and recorded at Pink Bird Recordings
in Wanstead and in the comfort of Sinephro’s
bedroom, tracks one through eight allow
experimentation to breathe and borrow from jazz,
electronic and folk influences.
On the LP, Sinephro invites a host of talented
musicians to enjoy its confines, providing a quiet
place to dissolve the edges of London from the
senses.
‘Space 1.8’ is a record for healing, which could not
have arrived at a more needed time.
Printed inner in printed 3mm spine outer with
digital download card insert.
This is the third EP that continues a Volume of a 5 EP project. It's own kind of album type edition so to speak. "The Glistening Effect" (A1) is a tribute to the classic acid electro style yet presenting it in more of a story mode formula, giving the listener it's own micro journey.
For listeners who know their stuff they will instantly hear strong influences from the 90’s techno/electro era. A track that respects it's roots yet looks forward to seeking new and fresh ways to express this strong flavour of sound. A track that elevates itself from beginning to end.
"Painting the Heavens" (B1) is a track that’s describing the reflective nature of what’s beyond the human understanding. The artwork presented with the MOAB DEP series depicts worlds beyond our imagination, so do the sound scapes presented with this series.
"Painting the heavens" expresses itself through abstract constructs that suggest that what we think we understand as normal, is completely inverted, leaving the idea of normal being the true ‘WEIRD’.
It questions the formal understanding of what’s known to be the correct scale in music theory pushing the boundaries with unconventional perspectives... Questioning reality as a mere illusion that exists within this distorted earth matrix.
Due to our human experience only perceiving a certain bandwidth of understanding, when compared to the un-limited possibilities out there in the stars and beyond…
It's fair to ask (...) What is reality ?
Once in a while a record causes such a wave of excitement, it brings new vitality to dancefloors and generates fresh enthusiasm for the underground scene. ‘Without You’ is one such record, brought to life by the great talents of Art Department, a duo causing deep tremors due to their pioneering use of quivering bass, haunting vocals and fiery kickdrums.
The A side features the vocals of techno’s wonderchild, Seth Troxler, as well as Kenny Glasgow (one half of Art Department), his voice a major element of what makes their records so special. ‘Vampire Night Club’ layers the duo’s trademark synth sounds with an eerie and skin-pinching atmosphere. A truly mesmerizing record that gives the perfect introduction to the Art Dept sound on Crosstown Rebels, pre-empting their debut full length album on the label next year.
The double A and title track ‘Without You’ combines that unforgettable seductive bassline with a lingering vocal call. This record could have been made in the future as much as the past, its simplicity and depth the key to its appeal. Calls for its release have been heard for months and now have been answered with an extended 12” mix.
Art Department is the brainchild of Canadian duo Jonny White and Kenny Glasgow. With musical credentials dating back two decades, together they have constructed their own take on contemporary house music that has caught the attention of some of the leading figures of the current movement. With an album slated on Crosstown Rebels next year, this single is the first in a long line of raw futuristic bullets destined to cause a storm with an international audience.
"Dreams are painful experiences; they are not real, but they are true," says Metoronori, whose very own ‘Evenings’ will finally see the day of light on vinyl thanks to Spanish reissue label Glossy Mistakes.
The label’s first release of 2022, by Japanese musician Metoronori, whose electronic sounds have previously appeared on Orange Milk Records and Virgin Babylon Records, will mark the start of a busy year for Glossy Mistakes. After appearing for the second year in a row on the prestigious ‘Best reissues of the year’ list for The Vinyl Factory, the label continues its own discovery path with what is meant to be one of its most cherished releases to date.
‘Evenings’ is a unique and nocturnal collection of songs. The 13-track record came from an unstable few years for the artist, during which she found solace in the night-time atmosphere of the various Tokyo wards that became her home. A voiced ode to dreams.
With her musical alias as a fun play on words meaning 'metro rider', ‘Evenings’ is a seamless and insular night-time journey from Metoronori, real name Hikari Okuyama. The journey though isn't charting train tunnels and rail tracks, but various dreamscapes, as underpinned by electronics and hints of free jazz.
While musical influences are too broad to pin down for such a singular sound, ‘Evenings’ comes with visual inspiration from esteemed directors such as Michelangelo Antonioni, Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Fritz Lang. Surrealism and noir bleed through the sounds, making for the visual texture of an out-of-context movie scene, much like part of a dream.
Dream pop sounds merge with ambient pads, soft vocals and oniric instrumentals throughout the whole piece, on a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings. An album to enjoy from start to finish, paying attention to detail as every sound on the records sums up to the overall meaning of the concept.
Moments is one of those exciting labels making the future of music indisputably optimistic. When the award-winning producer Guy Mantzur started this forward-thinking platform, he promised a gratifying balance between music, parties, and community. The fourth edition of Moment's catalog unquestionably fits the bill. The opening track is Eli Nissan's remix of the 2015 classic Inner Galactic Lovers (Kutiman Mixes Fiverr) by Kutiman. Eli's take on the material is futuristic and open-minded but still keeps the beauty of the original untouched. It's not a secret that Eli Nissan is a perfectionist when it comes to his studio endeavors. However, the approach he uses to polish this priceless masterpiece is something else. It is a game-changer! And so it is his closing track. Cordelia is more than another trendy dancefloor filler, but a future classic with exotic temperament and fluid arrangement perfect for clubs, beach parties, and home- listening.
Polish composer Olga Wojciechowska and veteran electronic producer Robin Rimbaud aka Scanner, combine on A Strangely Isolated Place to revisit a beloved Strie album - Olga's more electronic and experimental alias. With previous releases on Serein and Time Released Sound as Strie, Olga Wojciechowska's 'Struktura' was released in 2015 to a limited audience due to its physical-only format.
As Olga's work becomes increasingly more coveted, through her more recent releases on A Strangely Isolated Place (Unseen Traces & Infinite Distances), and with Struktura praised as one of her finest albums to date, the discussion to breathe new life into the album resulted in a unique pairing with Scanner, an electronic music producer and multimedia artist responsible for some of the most defining works of the genre since the early 1990s.
Blurring the line between harmony and dissonance, Struktura's original recordings paint an eerie, haunting and beautiful picture, conceptualized around abstract art, with intricacies and mystery abound. Here, Strie's original recordings remain untouched, albeit lovingly remastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri, and it is left to Scanner to provide further interpretations of Olga's original recordings. Scanner productions can typically traverse a myriad of styles, but here, Robin took a primarily live-hardware approach to the remixes, allowing the rawness of his recordings to add story and depth. Recorded in one take, with no overdubs, the reinterpretations strip the melodies and textures to their original essence, bringing an entirely analog element to Olga's intrinsically detailed originals. Featuring artwork by Rep Ringel and mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri, Struktura Revisited will be available on Gatefold 2LP in a black/grey half-and-half vinyl, with 6x6" soft-touch heavy art card.
Brazilian artist Bruno Furlan is the next to make his mark on the famed Hot Creations imprint. The two-track release, The Speakers Pump Like This, is set to bring the heat and make serious waves on dancefloors this year.
Title track The Speakers Pump Like This transports you straight to the club, with its peak-time pace, sonic synth stabs and prominent vocal cuts. On the flip, Moving gets to work with a sharp kick-drum and infectious vocals, as subtle builds and drops move throughout the track, whilst retaining the solid, rolling groove.
Hailing from the diverse and electric city of Sao Paulo in Brazil, Bruno Furlan started his DJ career while still a teenager and quickly became a highlight in the Brazilian electronic music scene, capturing the attention of artists such as Claude VonStroke, Chris Lake, Solardo, Green Velvet and Amine Edge & Dance. Always driven by a great love for his art, Bruno has created his own unique way of approaching music production, resulting in a standout discography and performances throughout the world. In addition to his own record label Whistle Records, Bruno has released on labels such as Dirytbird, Relief, , Sony Music, SOLA, Nervous, and more.
PETROS KLAMPANIS is a Greek bass player and when we heard his track “Chroma “on Bandcamp we had instantly the idea of a remix or working with him. The original track being live gives a sort of spontaneous vibe that really caught Alex ‘s attention and had the “edit / version” idea already in his head.
Without the shadow of a doubt this track was perfect to be remixed by a real musician who can understand complex jazz arrangement, so Jon Dixon came up. Jon loved the track too and did his thing. Two versions here for you to dive deep into jazz and electronic music. We hope you dig the sound of this project and enjoy the listening and maybe the dance experience with us. We will keep pushing forward the various styles and soulful grooves with an open mind and expand our visions.
Alex and Stephane Attias
Exploring hybrid music styles and outernational, borderless musical influences, DJ soFa’s Elsewhere compilation series continues with a sixth instalment, and the second to appear on Kalahari Oyster Cult.
Always ahead of the tide, the Kalahari Oyster is a fine specimen when it comes to the discipline of next-level sound-snooping. Meticulously curated by Belgian sonic globetrotter soFa, Elsewhere XX showcases a dozen outstanding tunes, each dwelling in their own personal space between the imaginary worlds of post-kraut, DIY synth-punk and odd-pop ballads.
Melting these genres with contemporary club music is the mission here. Doused in a thick fog of arcane machine talk, tribal rhythms and cosmic synths, Elsewhere XX is an invitation to escape the hall of LED-backlit mirrors that we’ve so mistakenly come to call our “reality”.
Gathering artists from all corners of the globe – including Radio Hito, Anatolian Weapons, Eylul Deniz, Dame Area and Electronic Body Girl – soFa’s curation lays the groundwork for a unique and thoroughly immersive listening and dancing experience. Through a carefully selected suite of like-minded, yet diverse joints, we run the gamut from distorted funk (“Anita”, “Confiture") and cross-pollinated electroid blueprints (“Walk Away”, “An Abhainn Mhor") to oddball synthpop (“Credo” & Twin Peaks cover "She Can't Die"), reverb-soaked audio safaris (“Fifty Fifty (Anatolian Weapons Dub)") and static-filled postpunk (“Umani”).
soFa's Elsewhere series started in 2017 and this is the sixth compilation to date. Shifting focus with every new instalment, the compilations have previously appeared on labels likes Music For Dreams, Emotional Response and Crevette Records.
Sisko Electrofanatik's Gain Records recently had a chart-topping hit with the label boss’ track “Only One”, and is back with a new collaborative EP by Roberto Pagliaccia and Dubskull.
Along with the three original tracks, the EP also features a remix from T78 who in addition to releasing on his own label Autektone Records has also featured on Filth on Acid, Intec, and Suara.
Roberto Pagliaccia and Dubskull are both Italian artists. Dubskull whose dark and atmospheric style has been a feature of labels like Reload and Riot, and this is their third time featuring on Gain. Roberto Pagliaccia is an exciting new talent, and this is only his 3rd release after a recent debut on Lapsus Music, Blackboard with AudioJack remix.
T78 has had a recent hit track made in collaboration with Space92, and in addition to his many hard-hitting solo releases, he has also worked with A*S*Y*S, Raito, and Maxie Devine.
With brooding tension and twisted euphoria, this release has a peak time energy with acid tones.
“Skil” opens the release with a slow-building tension before the uplifting energy of the lead synth, then T78 lifts the tempo of Skil with his explosive remix. “Loris” has a dystopian atmosphere filled with dark suspense, and “Acid Jungle“ closes out the release with its rubbery lead synth and modulating tones.
Baby Buddha is David Javelosa and musical partner Charles Hornaday playing instruments and providing their own whacked-out vocals. Baby Buddha really was less of a band than a project; a side project in fact, for some members of another group, Los Microwaves. Baby Buddha would eventually record and release an album, 1981's provocatively-titled Music for Teenage Sex on Robbie Fields' L.A.-based Posh Boy label.
Happily, the project's guiding creative light, David Javelosa has recently seen to a vinyl reissue of the now-40-year-old record, mystifyingly retitled Music for Teenage Sects. Definitely among the stranger releases of the new wave era, Music for Teenage Sex/Sects could perhaps only have been created when and where it was made. But on the occasion of its 40th anniversary, the music sounds as weirdly wonderful as ever. "We Are Not" sounds like Human League stuck in a car with The Residents. And their cover of "All Shook Up" sounds like a musical kin to those inscrutable eyeball guys too; it wouldn't be out of place on Meet the Residents. "Little Things" is a house-of-mirrors, scary track, with spoken-word vocals by Los Microwaves' Meg Brazill and label head Fields.
The album cover is slightly different as well: it displays a bedroom scene like the original LP, but with the young female model absent. The new release (on Javelosa's own Hyperspace Communications label) is pressed on beautiful translucent blue vinyl and comes in a gatefold sleeve with a lively collage of photos, buttons, gig posters. Limited to 500 copies.This playfully titled release features David Javelosa (on synth and vocals) along with Meg Brazill (on bass and vocals) plus drummer Todd "Rosa" Rosencrans. Side One features five studio tracks, none of which were included on the band's 1981 Posh Boy LP, Life After Breakfast. Three of these tracks were recorded in '82; there's no information regarding the provenance of the other two songs. The records' second side collects five live recordings, capturing Los Microwaves onstage in New York City (The Peppermint Lounge) and Boston as well as at San Francisco's own I-Beam, a venue that often played host to the band. Those tracks date form roughly the same ear, 1980-83. Sonically the songs variously recall Blondie, Flying Lizards, Gang of Four and a far less dour Human League. Importantly, the band rocks, even when it's employing a spare drum kit, solid but elemental bass, and monophonic analog synthesizers. The stripped down aesthetics of the group – necessitated by its minimalist instrumental approach – are nonetheless thrilling. Even if you weren't there in 1980, this'll take you back.
HDSN is one of the most diverse young artists in recent times, and every new production that hits the shelves is proof of his endless exploration of the electronic music universe. “Low End Therapy” is the follow up to his first release on NBAST ́s sister label “ We Must Protect This House” , which kicked off a new era of sound on his second home label earlier this year. Now that the dust has settled WMPTH002 is here: straight to the point, pounding and euphoric, its a modern reimagined dream of an illegal 1992 warehouse rave anthem full of energy but also incredibly catchy and instantly recognisable.
Attrition are pioneers in darker electronica. Formed in 1980 in Coventry, England, influenced by a mix of punk ideology and experimental art aesthetics, They emerged as part of the early '80's UK Industrial scene alongside contemporaries Coil, Test Department, Legendary Pink Dots, In The Nursery, Portion Control, and others. Founder Martin Bowes has steered the band through a 40-year career, fueled by a succession of critically acclaimed albums, selling over 100,000 to date. The band has regularly toured Europe, North and South America, Russia and Asia, appeared at major festivals and had their music included on a number of TV and film soundtracks.
The band celebrates their 40 year anniversary with their latest release, A Great Desire on Sleepers Records. The album is a compilation of some of their best tracks from 1986-2004, some never before on vinyl.
Wewantsounds continues its collaboration with Bob Shad's venerable
jazz label Mainstream Records, and present a selection of 12 turntable friendly tracks recorded between 1971 and 1975 and showcasing the
label's superb blend of Spiritual Jazz, Funk and Soul by the likes of Buddy Terry, Sarah Vaughan, LaMont Johnson and Johnny Coles.
Most of the tracks are released on vinyl for the first time since their original release in the early 70s. The 2-LP set comes with gatefold sleeve featuring never seen photos from the Mainstream vaults and new liner notes by UK journalist Paul Bowler.
Mainstream Records is one of the key independent jazz labels of the early 70s, together with Flying Dutchman, Strata East, CTI and Black Jazz. Founded by legendary label man Bob Shad (who had been head of A&R at Mercury Records and set EmArcy in the 50s), the label concentrated on Psychedelia in the 60s before switching back to Shad's jazz roots in the early 70s, signing a new crop of jazzmen fed on John Coltrane and Miles' electric experiments. Thus was born the
cult Mainstream "300 series" with its distinctive artwork and outstanding music from which this selection is largely drawn.
Giving a chance to many young jazz players and a few old friends, Shad recorded some of the most exciting jazz of the early 70s, mixing spiritual influences with funk and soul. Mainstream Records has a lot more exciting music in the vaults and 'Mainstream Funk' is just the tip of the iceberg serving as a timely reminder that Bob Shad's taste as a producer and A&R man was one of the finest on the scene.
Pure product of the Neapolitan scene, Fabrizio Fattore turns up on Cosmocities Records with his third solo effort. Comprised of two originals on the A-side, and two bespoke revamps from Vince Watson on the flip, this new EP from Fattore draws a direct bridge betwixt the idyllic coastal flow of Italian boogie and straight out pulsating alien disco, sure to keep galaxies bouncing in good order.
Clocking in first is the vibey, otherworldly 'Lyle' - a cross-pollinated ode to the healing power of laid-back, 80s-informed house, bristling with shimmering Casio synthlines and Cuban jazz-friendly pianos and drums. Heliotropic by nature, Fattore's sound sits half-way loungey summer atmospherics and trailblazing post-kosmische jaunts. Then comes 'Island Goddess', casting more of a Sino-Caribbean flavoured spin on the dance floor with its obsessive miss-mash of processed chimes and prismatic webwork of steel pans.
On the B-side dwell two versions of 'Lyle' by true house legend Vince Watson, each of which deliver in their own right. If you’re after a proper classy, straightforward roller, bound to take dancers into a ravishingly deep but rousing trip, then the 'Watson Reshape' fits the bill like a glove, whereas the 'Balearic mix' does exactly what's written on the tin - ushering you into a sense-soothing haven, where keyboard-laden escapism and Afro-style rhythms meet the elegance of muted chamber music.
Incoming, a massive EP from Anderson.
After his recent easter eggs EP, this four tracker is a blend of trance, breaks, drum & bass and experimental electronica.
Starting off the A side with the ‘Jelly Bean (Virus Outbreak Mix)’, this monster of tune will rattle your subs (and brain) with his crunchy kicks and trancey sequencing. This track will blast you off into oblivion eventually bringing you right into A2, ‘Level Quest’, a trancey chugging progressive tune building energy from the moment the first kick ignites.
After a much needed break, the B1 puts you in an immediate trancestate lasting just a few minutes and before you know it you will be blasted into drum and bass land with ‘Tasteful Nudes’ closing out the EP.
See you on the other side..
Pink Marbled
Limited 50 copy press
DJ Frankie, future reality: LNCY001 is music for the megalopolis. After a brief but bloody desynchronisation in ‘Cobwebs of Blood’, we are back to life. Welcome to the club, welcome to the slaughterhouse – this feverish dreamspace of inverted nightmares is a divine comedy of lacerated lust. A visceral affair, the A2 invokes the fleshy body horror Cronenberg without breaking stride. Young’uns take note: this is a masterclass of retrograde futurism. A high NRG macro trip ‘Sweet Chainsaw’ is the coronary artery of the bustling cityscape capturing the pulsating romance of the underground: a frenzied maze of industrial estates, a reclamation of the forgotten spaces, and above a call to arms – let’s be having ye.
This is a feeling which DJ Frankie continues to thread on the flipside, in equal measure sexy and sentimental, balancing the serious futurism of US electro with the nostalgic optimism of UK hardcore. Re-historicising seemingly disparate strands of electronic music into something of ‘Ravers Guide’ – The Future Sound of the Past.
In essence, ‘Cobwebs of Blood’ is an ode to dunted dancefloors – for those looking to escape & those looking to connect. Big luv to all the original party crews and dancefloor young teams who have kept the fire at 38 Gower Street burning for seven years.
For their second release Breidenbach Label once more gathers six artists from their regional circuit. Connected by their floating and sometimes even hypnotic soundscape, pulsating pads and strong grooves, each of the four tracks has its own intimate style.
With Love Entropy Crécy delivers a powerful and emotional ambient introduction to the A-Side. His fellow artist and close friend Ami adds a poetic layer: spoken word which shimmers through the sound, adding to the sentimental vibe. An atmospheric first serve. KliX picks up the love theme and transforms it into a mesmerizing ear catcher called Give Me Love. The somewhat trancy elements accompanied by evolving patterns, vocoder-vocals and classy 909 drums give this track its enticing and unique character.
Spaceloop on the records B-Side marks a debute release for the Mannheim based duo Seeder. They teamed up with Benny Delara to deliver a hip shaking dancefloor weapon that captivates through its strong and pulsating baseline combined with atmospheric elements that carry the records narrative. The EP is accomplished by Tech Report from the promising live-due CVSO. While blending breaky grooves with atmospheric elements the listener may find himself surprised by a jazzy piano melody that is proof of their creative and forward-thinking musical mindset.
Reissue of Elizio De Buzios's "Tamanquiro". Remastered and pressed on 45 RPM!
Sitting a good 90-minute drive away from Rio de Janeiro’s crowded beaches and packed tourist hot-spots, Campo Grande is not a neighbourhood that attracts travellers from around the World. Traditionally it is home to the city’s lower middle-class, whose aspirations of moving up the social ladder were played out in a suburb that has always been solidly working-class.
Campo Grande is home to Elizio De Buzios, a Brazilian musician who started playing music in the late 1970s and early 1980s. De Buzios began as a drummer, before learning to play guitar and starting to compose and sing his own music. When he turned 18, De Buzios joined a local band formed by some of his friends and other like-minded local musicians: Sol da Terra. The band mostly played samba in neighbourhood bars and small venues around Camp Grande, but De Buzios was interested in more than just samba. While he naturally admired great samba composers such as Cartola and Beth Carvalho, his musical pass went far beyond Brazil’s national music. He also loved MPB and bossa-nova and at home he listed to Joäo Bosco, Milton Nascimento, Luis Melodia, Tom Jobim, and many bossa-nova singers.
In 1980 De Buzios was noticed by a local representative of international major label Polygram, who gave him the opportunity to record two songs. He was excited, so started searching for inspiration for the songs he would eventually lay down. He found that inspiration close to home while passing a neighbourhood shop which made and sold clogs. After noticing a display of then fashionable Portuguese clogs outside the store, De Buzios popped inside to talk to the owner. It turned out that he was a tamanqueiro – as clog-makers are traditionally called in his native Portugal – and was as passionate about music as he was about the footwear he made. Thus inspired, De Buzios returned home to work more on the lyrics and music.
The next day, he headed into the studio to record the song, with Vale Ribeiro, who later went on to produce tracks for Marcos Valle, behind the desk. With Ribeiro’s assistance, De Buzios managed to record two songs in one day: ‘Tamanqueiro’ and ‘Sou Um Louco’, a ballad with English lyrics blended into the mostly Portuguese text. From the start, it was clear that ‘Tamanqueiro’ would be the single’s A-side. Incredibly catchy and funky, with some subtle disco elements, the song remained distinctively Brazilian thanks to the use of the cuíca. Listening back all these years on, De Buzios’ lyrics seem almost spontaneous, carry the track forward, and make it almost impossible not to sing along. Its infectiousness and funkiness made it an instant hit with the first few people to hear it.
When it was released, responses to the song were enthusiastic, even if it never became the Brazil-wide smash it should have been. It resonated well in the local clubs and on the radio, but unfortunately the marketing was handled by an inexperienced Polygram employee who failed to adequately promote the track. As a result, the record sank without trace and De Buzios’ dreams of stardom evaporated. Having just started a family, he realized he could not live off the uncertainty of being a musician. Instead, he got a job at city hall as a civil servant, a role he continued until his retirement a few years ago. ‘Tamanqueiro’ and ‘Sou Um Louco’ remain the only two songs he ever recorded.
In the early 2000s, with the rise of diggers’ culture, ‘Tamanqueiro’ slowly surfaced again. It became a sought after, hard to find seven-inch single, finding its way onto the airwaves once more and into the ears of a new generation of listeners. Some started appreciating the song so much that it was referred to as the “best-Jorge-Ben-song-Jorge-Ben-never-recorded”. And they are right: ‘Tamanqueiro’ does have that Jorge Ben-straight-forwardness. It’s a completely honest song that’s almost impossible not to fall in love with. Thanks to this remastered reissue on Rush Hour, De Buzios may now get the props his sole record so richly deserves.
Now for the good news: De Buzios is still singing in local bars and clubs in and around Campo Grande. He is surprised, but also incredibly proud, that the record he had almost forgotten about is appreciated so much by a group of music lovers he didn’t even know existed. But above all, he is happy that more than 40 years after the recording session, the record lives on – not only on this re-release, but also in his weekend sets in the bars of Campo Grande.
Kaluki Music head Pirate Copy makes a long-awaited debut on Hot Creations this November with the three-track You Need It. Collaborating with rising vocalist Hattie Snooks, the release includes two remixes courtesy of US legend Harry Romero and Spanish mainstay Miane.
The title track takes the form of a driving, 4x4 house cut, packed full of punchy percussion and resonant kick-hat pairings. Built for the dancefloor, Hattie Snooks’ enigmatic vocals whisper beneath a minimal-laced bassline, before Harry Romero’s remix arrives. The US stalwart serves up another no-nonsense offering, as a hard-edged bassline melds with flecks of acid throughout. Rounding off the release is Miane, whose tribal-leaning offering is sure to light up many a nightclub this year.
Manchester’s Pirate Copy is a leading artist in today’s electronic music sphere. His discography boasts releases on some of the scene’s most revered imprints, including Sola, Relief, Elrow and Moon Harbour to name a few, whilst his own label, Kaluki, has become a bastion for contemporary house since its inception fifteen years ago.
Harry Romero is a well-established figure on the worldwide music circuit, with recent productions landing on Crosstown Rebels, DIRTYBIRD and many more besides. Ibiza’s Miane is fast becoming a talked about talent in the industry, thanks to several appearances on major labels including Repopulate Mars, Toolroom and Moon Harbour.
It’s not normal to take 31 years to release a follow up album. But then Network was never a normal sort of record label, and often opted for the quirky rather than the quick buck. The logo was launched in 1990 and that year, along with a slew of startlingly good singles, created and issued two bio-rhythm compilations, each of which showcased cutting edge USA techno rubbing shoulders alongside its’ sparse UK bleep counterpart.
At the time the words quality and dance music compilations were not phrases shared that much. bio-rhythm 1 and it’s almost instant follow up bio-rhythm 2 bucked the trend with groundbreaking exclusive tracks, iconic minimal artwork and surreal sleeve notes.
Each of the albums have been hailed by many as piece de resistance primers to electronica music.
As well as capturing the zitgeist of a blurry everything of that moment experimental time, they have endured to be acclaimed as all time iconic classics. So why was there no follow up? One reason was that things were moving so bewilderingly fast at the time for Network that the emphasis was always on the next thing, not regurgitating repetitive beat ideas.
Another was that the opportunity arose to direct the acumen gained from the bio-rhythm experience at the release of two (now equally acclaimed) compilations from Frank and Karen Mendez’s cult Nu-Groove label.
The current Network reconstruction meant an opportunity to re-indulge and finally release bio-rhythm 3. Matt Anniss’s splendid sleeve notes are reproduced below and tell you all you need to know about the carefully selected (and mostly exclusive to this collection) tracks on 2 x 12 vinyl for increased sonic joy. Network. We continue.
"Daevas", meaning divinities of chaos and disorder in the Zoroastrian faith, is the combined effort of SARIN x SCARLIT PORT recorded in Berlin during the lockdown of 2020. The six-track, 30-minute EP is a winding journey that dives into both artists' shared Persian heritage by referencing ancient pagan Gods, mysticism and the more recent tragic histories of colonialism, dictatorships, longing and a sense of being uprooted. These unwinding stories and artefacts are imprinted within a dark cascade of sounds, incorporating and combining each artist's influences to create a total work that encompasses elements of techno body music, acid, industrial and the subtle application of more traditional Persian musical forms.
The heat is rising with our 5th instalment coming from the volt of Meister Bert Ashra veteran from Berlin's 90s underground scene and active still in the city with his Mastering & Sound Design Studio and experimental audio production and studies.
The solo project B. Ashra has existed since 1993. B. Ashra is a live act, DJ, composer, sound designer and mastering engineer. The style is pretty cross-genre and ranges from ambient, experimental, soundscapes and trance techno to deep house and electronic jazz.
For his pure techno and house productions he uses the pseudonym Robert Templa and for the extremely experimental music, trash and gabba he calls himself Hackbert.
Furthermore, B. Ashra is active in several music projects and bands, including: Psychotikum, Cosmic Octave Orchestra, 70db, Morphon and Brain Entertainment Laboratory.
The collection is a double LP With a variety of sounds spacing between Ambient and Minimal - Techno vibes with deep bass-lines and layered melodic progressions written with special care to the evolution of the harmonies such to maintain those hypnotic feeling until the structure comes back together and releases a powerful groove.
A rich Album and a landmark in the growing of the label.
Vol. 2[11,56 €]
Dublin producer Lukey has his finger firmly on the pulse of the sounds emanating from Berlin and London’s newly awakening dancefloors, as proven by this stellar debut for Carpet & Snares’ LAB series. Contemporary club music is all about opening up the space between genres and filling it with something at once referential and new, and this EP is no exception.
Other Worlds Vol. 1 effortlessly blends house, techno, electro and breaks into a mature sound world that’s both tight and expansive, funky and tough, contemplative and right down to business. Get moving with Vol. 1, and watch out for Vol. 2 coming soon!
Mischa Blanos - acoustic piano, electric piano, synthesizers.
Khori Ander - bass clarinet, clarinet.
Cezar Lazăr - electronics and sound manipulation on track 7.
"The seven stories unfolded on this album, debugged by a
fabulous clarinet technique and a wonderful piano craft, narrate
about the Universe, about the Chaos and also about the miracle
of the musical sound.
These imaginative stories, made with talent by musicians
Mischa Blanos & Khori Ander, talk about a special attitude
towards a distinguished estate of mind, a unique colour of the
space around us, devoted to a spirit of meditation, introspection
on vast temporal surfaces, each piece representing facets of the
same unique and unrepeatable algorithm of an improvisational
euphonious Universe.
By developing ideas in the process Cezar Lazar engineering
craftsmanship reveals the outcome of a thoughtful recording
and duo's synergy, refining and defying predictable musical
territories."
Dr. Irina Hasnas
Composer, Musicologist , Journalist and Professor
Recorded, engineered, mixed and produced by Cezar Lazăr
Assistant engineer Stefan Mihăilescu
Vinyl & Digital master Cezar Lazăr
Lacquer Cut Mike Grinser @ Manmade Mastering, Berlin
Recorded in 2019 @ Understand Studios, Bucharest
Repress!
In May 2018, Belgium's Amelie Lens launched LENSKE, the fruit of working on new music and collaborating with her peers. The aim was to create a platform to release her own and friend's music that they use to tear apart dance floors around the globe. Less than two years after, LENSKE is putting out their 10th release and it's evolved into something more than just a label, but a family.
During this relatively short time, the prolific crew formed by Amelie Lens, Farrago, Milo Spykers, AIROD and Ahl Iver have released a collection of contemporary anthems, storming techno cuts and acid weapons. The imprint's catalogue illustrates their exploration for a shade of techno particularly focused on the hi-NRG factor. You can usually catch them at the Exhale showcases worldwide - at the likes of fabric London, Off Sonar in Barcelona and Dour in Belgium- testing their new productions that the crowd highly anticipate for their release.
For this fresh record, each artist contributes a track for a mini VA compilation showcasing the label's sound. Belgian producer Milo Spykers opens up with 'Traversing', a heavy-hitting cut with a ravenous sound design. Hot on the heels of her recent compilation for the fabric presents series, Amelie Lens steps up with her brand new tune 'The Future' featuring energetic synth hooks with her signature vocals. AIROD goes ravey with 'Divine Power' introducing jungle elements, while on the other side, Farrago delivers a catchy vocal-led slammer with 'Step Up'. Ahl Iver, the newest addition to the label, brings the final touch with the intoxicating 'Night Creature'. The future is bright!
Freedom is here, but what is the cost? Lies and alternative facts - corruption and betrayal. A people disaffected. But when we dance again - nothing else matters. Under The Yellow Arch EP: A rhapsody for the return of the dance floor. Adelphi Music Factory herald the third summer of love. Sisterhood, brotherhood, freedom, peace.
Since he started producing music, Berlin-based American sound artist Jake Muir has been obsessed with sampling. His 2018 album "Lady's Mantle" was based on manipulated chunks of vintage Californian surf rock, and its follow-up, 2020's midnight symphony "The Hum Of Your Veiled Voice" was sourced from a wide variety of old records, and inspired by the work of experimental turntablists like Marina Rosenfeld, Janek Schaefer and Philip Jeck.
On "Mana", Muir looks back to a misunderstood musical movement. Around 1995, a group of New York producers and DJs - including DJ Olive, DJ Spooky and Spectre - pioneered a genre-dissolving sound by unifying hip-hop techniques with ideas pulled from dub, jungle, ambient music and industrial noise. Badged "illbient", it was a short-lived genre that felt like a high-minded psychedelic cousin of the UK's trip-hop.
Muir uses illbient as the springboard for "Mana", utilizing a selection of samples to inform his frothy drones and foreboding atmospheres. He ushers the material into 2021 by diverting it through his own contemporary worldview, attempting to recreate the hyperreal fantasy histories of Japanese RPGs (think "Dark Souls" and "Final Fantasy") and nod to sensual, tactile soundscapes of European industrial labels Staalplaat and Soleilmoon. The result is a magickal, sensory journey that's as physical as it is representational.
If the illbient producers were encouraging a burgeoning experimental music landscape to emphasize the tactile feeling of turntablism and sample manipulation, Muir is doing the same with "Mana". Each track heaves and breathes not just with his cultural reference points, but with layered, complicated emotions. We can hear joy, sadness, desire and anguish, obscured by disintegrating noise, hallucinogenic harmonies and sub-aquatic bass. It's electronic music that's rooted not in technology, but in touch.
Following the arrival of their debut album ‘Alterazione’, LF58 (F.Scorcucchi and G.Tillieci) are back on Astral Industries with a special trove of outer-space explorations. Recorded one evening back in April 2019 as a live performance at Rome’s Brancaleone, the eponymously titled album offers a sprawling journey across the pan-dimensional ether. Spread across six sides of vinyl, the performance includes fully improvised material as well as choice selections from Simone Giudice, Jonas Kopp, Nuel, Birds of Prey, Rapoon, Steve Roach and Adham Shaikh. There is no doubt that the unique energy and circumstances of the evening contribute to a certain atmosphere present in the music.
With seemingly no beginning nor end, the session emerges in suspension; an electric ocean of infinite deepness. Gleaming across the patter of galaxies on a wide black backdrop, its myriad vistas are projected like transitioning scenes of an unending story. The gentle tide brings with it specks of cosmic debris and mysterious signals. Soon, quiet drones are overtaken by ripples of solar flare and percussive clamours. Forms melt like liquid, a ball of amorphous plasma pulsating with ecstatic radiance. Prying open universe within universe, ‘Live at Brancaleone’ has a vastness that cannot really be contained.
The 11th release on BLKMARKET MUSIC comes from JLM Werx with 4 hard hitting electro-bass tracks.
The Russian born producer JLM Werx (aka Kiril Junolainen) is based between Turku (Finland) and St. Petersburg (Russia) and is a
man of many production aliases. He is the founder of four record labels Datarocket, Lasergum, Dvatri and Intraflex.
JLM Werx makes his label debut with his ‘Heartbeatz’ EP.
His 4 track EP features tracks A1 Heartbeat MC, A2 Telephone, B1 Total Zero, and B2 Just a Mirage.
Prepare to get taken into outer orbit and into another galaxy.
We are excited to welcome JLM Werx to the Blkmarket Music family.
All tracks written & produced by JLM WERX
ETCHING:
“Time is a heartbeat of the universe”
Out of Tune Records is glad to introduce you to Zarkoff, the owner of Sensorium studio in Croatia where is running many collaborations and projects. The producer keeps his musical output diverse, scattered into many genres and scenes, usually with a dark edge. This time he delivers three synthy instrumentals layered with subtle field recordings and one electro vocal rant.
*2021 Repress*
Minami Deutsch 1st self-titled album. Minami Deutsch’s debut album is sated with an absolute love of Krautrock and the driving motorik beat.
=Band Description=
Minami Deutsch was formed by Kyotaro Miula (guitar, vocals, synthesizer) in Tokyo in 2014. Their sound is influenced by both their love for Krautrock legends such as Can and Neu!, and the band members being self-professed "repetition freaks" who heavily listen to minimal techno.
The music proceeds straightforwardly with the Motorik beat (Hammer beat), devised by Klaus Dinger (Kraftwerk, Neu!), as its central axis. Humorous, yet bizarre Japanese lyrics are whispered over a hard, cold beat that is maniacally repeated, creating a pleasant ambience of electronic pulses drifting in space. Sharp guitar tones reminiscent of Michael Karoli (Can) occasionally explode into fuzz distortion, on the verge of collapse.
Lerosa (Uzuri, Idle Hands, Lunar Disko) adds to his esteemed discography with an EP composed entirely during the summer of 2020. Several of his musical influences – I.M.S., Lee 'Scratch' Perry, James Stinson – can be heard across these four diverse tracks, as he jumps nimbly from italo to dub to house to electro. As always with Lerosa, though, the sound that emerges is distinctively his own, the result of daily cat-assisted studio time at his home in Dublin.
Black Vinyl[33,57 €]
Nervous Records, the iconic label synonymous with the rise of house from the streets of New York City, will mark 30 years in the music industry by releasing the celebratory compilation LP ‘Nervous Records: 30 Years’ on October 1st (Part 1) and October 15th (Part 2).
Featuring original mixes of the label’s biggest tracks, plus remixes by some of its most celebrated acts, ‘Nervous Records: 30 Years’ is both a celebration of the past and of the future. Featuring a who’s who of electronic dance music, the long player sees names including Louie Vega, David Morales Darius Syrossian, Tensnake, Monki, Franky Rizardo, Danny Howard and more take on iconic Nervous cuts: ‘You Make Me Feel Mighty Real’, ‘Treat Me Right’, ‘Future Groove’, ‘Feel Like Singing’, ‘Get Up Everybody’, ‘Break You’, ‘Hot’, ‘End This Hate’, ‘Unspeakable Joy’, ‘Can Ya Tell Me’, ‘Jerk It’, ‘The Anthem’, ‘It Makes A Difference’, ‘Learn 2 Luv’ and ‘Don’t You Ever Give Up’.
The album marks one of the most enduring, extraordinary legacies to grace America’s illustrious music history, not just in electronica but far beyond. Founded in 1991 by Michael and his father Sam Weiss, and recognizable immediately by its distinctive character logo, the label grew rapidly, in no small part due to Michael Weiss’ practically unmatched passion for discovering new music.
“Louie Vega and Kenny Dope woke me at 4am on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning from their studio telling me they had something really different that I needed to hear,” Michael recollects. “I asked if they could play it over the phone. They said if I wanted to hear it I had to come to the studio. So of course I got myself up, got dressed and went there. That “really different track” ended up being ‘The Nervous Track’, a tune that became our signature release and was also highly instrumental in the emergency of London’s ‘Broken Beat’ movement.”
The label’s willingness to take chances on fresh sounds and innovative concepts rising up from the melting pot sidewalks of NYC ensured a body of work that has become a living musical history of the city. House cuts ‘Unspeakable Joy’ and ‘Nitelife’ (Kim English), ‘Get Up (Everybody)’ (Byron Stingily) and ‘Feel Like Singing’ (Sandy B) bump up against hip-hop anthems like ‘Who Got Da Props’ (Black Moon) and “Bucktown” (Smif-n-Wessun) and reggae cut ‘Take It Easy’ (Mad Lion); soulful flows from Mood II Swing (Kim English ‘Learn 2 Luv’, Loni Clark “Rushing”), Armand Van Helden (‘The Anthem’) and Nuyorican Soul (‘Mind Fluid’) sit alongside seminal techno singles like Winx’ ‘Don’t Laugh’. The young artists and producers who joined the Nervous Records’ family have gone on to become some of the most hallowed and celebrated dance acts of all time: Louie Vega, Kenny Dope, David Morales, Tony Humphries, Roger Sanchez, Armand Van Helden, Kerri Chandler, Kim English, Byron Stingily, Josh Wink, to name just a handful.
“We did a release with Josh Wink under his Winx alias entitled ‘Nervous Build-Up’,” Michael said. “It did well and it was obvious how talented Josh was. Subsequent to that release I was pretty persistent in asking him to continue to play me his new demos. During one phone conversation he said, “Mike I’m gonna play you something over the phone but don’t laugh when you hear it.” That demo ended up being ‘Don’t Laugh’, which became one of our biggest international hits and still to this day is one of America’s earliest and most impactful techno hits.”
As much a celebration of the label’s future as it is of their past, Nervous Records: 30 Years is but a marker in the imprints’ history, a clear sign of where they’ve been and also where they’re going. With 30 years behind them, the label’s determination to unearth new raw diamonds in the rough is as unwavering as ever.
“I’ve always been one to look at what others are doing (the industry at large) and think, “ok, are they doing this specific thing for a reason, or doing it because everyone else is doing the same thing” and make my decision based on that,” says Nervous Records’ General Manager Andrew Salsano. “In an age where data metrics and analytics reign supreme, I remain steadfast that they should be complementary to your decision and not the sole indicator to make one. So many songs today are written with 15 second hooks in mind for social media, and while there’s nothing wrong with that business model you will always be chasing the wave instead of carving out your own path and identity.
“My primary focus for the sound of the label has and will continue to revolve around signing good songs and music that has the ability to react at the street level first. The best results come from artists that are firstly given a bit of local love that grows into a global impact. Fresh ideas that express child-like curiosity and artists showing vulnerability in their music are also something I look for, artists and producers that are not making music with certain markets in mind, but rather their own style and signature that is unique but able to straddle the fine line of underground and overground.”
Still as raw, as underground and as finely tuned to the dance floor as they ever have been, perhaps the secret to the success - and the longevity - of Nervous Records has something to do with that hard, dogged, no-holds-barred NYC edge that runs through the veins of the label. With the next generation of producers rising from the clubs of New York, one thing is certain; Nervous Records will be there to find them, nurture them and bring them to the world at large, over the next decade and beyond.
Following on from their trailblazing debut, the second offering INT02 from Interpret, which comes out on vinyl in October, finds Upercent presenting a four-track showcase. Based in València, the Spanish artist has continued to delight forward-thinking music connoisseurs with his daring brand of electronic futurism.
An enthusiastic attitude towards experimentation, coupled with extraordinary creative vision has made Upercent one of the more unique artists to emerge in recent years. Continuing to explore and expand his sonic palate, the Valencia resident now returns with the much anticipated ‘Sentit Opost’.
MODULAR CUISINE is an event, a vinyl, a charity auction.
The 140gr. black vinyl contains the exclusive “Modular Cuisine” sticker, and from the front QR code you will directly access the full stream of the release.
•ACID CASTELLO “analogue-infused electro and crafty acid sounds”
•ANDY MORELLO “unique merge of dub, ambient and experimental electronic music”
•IDRA “charming ambient soundscapes”
•JOAO CESER “deeply atmospheric dance”
•VOSM “solid and sweet rhythms”
Junki Inoue presents the second release on his recently founded label SAISEI from prolific Japanese producer Takuya Sugimoto under his COLOGNe alias. Deep Talk EP features 6 tracks originally released on Japanese CD only label Viola in 1999 and is a snapshot of the elevated warped-techno meets IDM productions Sugimoto is so respected for.
Famous for releasing under many synonyms including COLOGNe, Web and Sammansa it was his EVA EP - the first release on FatCat Records in 1996 that stands out in his recording history. The tracks were in fact licenced from Syzygy Records in Japan, which was one of the main Japanese labels including Viola that homed his work during the 90s era he was most productive in. More recently German label Acido released The Sound There, a mini album of previously unreleased Web material recorded between 1994 and 1995 which was released last year in 2020.
Deep Talk EP presents 6 tracks of intelligent and elevated techno, which show the balanced and intricate approach Sugimoto applies to his output. It has all the warmth and positive essence of the 90s era of electronic music - combining deep and beautiful sounds with headsy and intricate constructions. This is the first time this music has been made available on the vinyl format.
SAISEI is a Japanese word which translates to ‘reproduction’ and ‘to play’ (as in playing records). Japanese culture is widely known for its traditional nature just as much as it is for being forward into the future and this label’s concept does justice to exactly that. Having started digging for records as early as 16 years old, Inoue delved into productions from 1990s Japan to uncover these native gems. SAISEI’s core concept is to recapture and reintroduce unique
pieces of Japanese electronic music onto vinyl, to an audience it never reached before as most of this music was only released in Japan
Charlotte de Witte continues her fantastic year with brand new EP, Asura, on her KNTXT label. All three of the tracks on this release will be exclusively included in her BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix, which is scheduled to be broadcasted on 18th of September.
As well as being back on the road and serving up her high-intensity DJ sets at the world's best clubs and festivals, Charlotte has also been busy in other areas. She has forged a new alliance with Apple Music and is now curating multiple exclusive mix series including a monthly KNTXT Residency Mix and KNTXT Active, which sees the Belgian artist and her label further investigate the connections between high-performance music, sports and BPMs. She has recently remixed the hugely influential trance classic 'The Age Of Love' by Age Of Love' alongside Enrico Sangiuliano and continues to A&R essential new tunes for the label.
Says Charlotte of this EP, "with Asura EP I’m trying to give you a little insight into my musical influences by going back to my roots. We’re speaking about a young Charlotte who, about 12 / 13 years ago, got indulged in the world of electronic music by going to her first underground clubs and raves. From electro and techno to acid core and hardcore to psytrance. This EP flirts with the soundscapes of the latter."
This EP finds Charlotte delve deep into her own past in electronic music with plenty of psychedelic influences. Opener Asura is a brightly lit techno track with big chords that bring the colour. They are sleek and metallic and sure to get hands in the air, with acid sounds and rumbling bass all adding extra weight and depth to this fantastic opener. 'Soma' is another dramatic and psychedelic track with hard-edged drums pounding away beneath celestial chords. They are mysterious and emotive and bring colour to the darkness. Last of all comes another big, psytrance-tinged and emotional roller coaster in 'Stigma' with its all-consuming techno groove and bass that sounds like it's fired from a machine gun. After an acidic breakdown, the drums roll again and even the biggest festival crowd is sure to be swept away.
Charlotte de Witte leads from the front once more with her standout new Asura EP.
An artist at the heart of Berlin’s rich scene, DJ and producer Sota looks set to continue his sharp upwards trajectory as a name to know. Welcoming four intelligent, expansive cuts combining slinking low-end grooves, sci-fi electronics, and sweeping interludes, the Dutchman’s ‘Pelican Club’ EP showcases his take on house music for the early morning hours as he touches down on Up The Stuss for the label’s sixth release.
30 years since their creation, the unreleased Frankie Knuckles remixes of Electribe 101’s deep cut ‘Heading for The Night’ are finally unvaulted, available on 12“ vinyl
UK based electronic group Electribe 101 and their one album, Electribal Memories hold a legendary place in the annals of house and dance music. The band met after vocalist and writer Billie Ray Martin had placed an ad in Melody Maker in 1988: “Soul rebel seeks musicians – genius only”. Billie headed to meet the four responding musicians (Brian Nordhoff, Joe Stevens, Les Fleming, and Roberto Cimarosti) at their studio in Birmingham.
“I took three songs with me, one of which was the lyrics and melodies to (Electribe 101’s first single) ‘Talking with Myself’, as well as a copy of Julian Jonah’s ‘Jealousy and Lies’,” says Billie. “I told the guys: “I’ve heard the future, and this is what I want to do.” I had heard Julian’s track at the WAG Club and I still remember the moment I stopped my shimmying and just stood there, staring, then turning on my heels and going straight to the DJ to ask what this record was. The guys had already experimented with some more dance orientated tracks and were instantly sold on the idea.”
Originally self-released on white label and championed by pirate radio, ‘Talking with Myself’ caught the imagination of the UK club scene and saw the band sign to Phonogram Records. With the re-issue and its follow up, ‘Tell Me When the Fever Ended’, becoming bona fide pop chart hits, with daytime radio play, Top Of The Pops appearances, and magazine covers from Melody Maker to MixMag, i-D, the label were keen to galvanise the band’s success and for them to deliver an album quickly.
“Because we weren’t yet used to writing together, we tried different approaches,” explains Billie.” I brought along a few songs I’d already written with others. Other songs we wrote from scratch. ‘Heading for The Night’ is one of those songs. The guys had developed the music and I wrote and sang the melody and lyrics straight onto the track, without making any arrangement changes.”
The band had also found ardent fans in the US, with chart-topping success on the US club charts and mixes from some of the most in-demand remixers of the day, including Chicago House doyennes Frankie Knuckles and Larry Heard.
“Frankie had already done such an incredible job with ‘Talking with Myself’ and he was smitten with ‘Heading for The Night’”, recals Billie. “He enjoyed mixing it so much that he did six mixes, each one brilliant and soulful in its own way. His effortless and perfect vocal production while creating a more danceable version makes this another Knuckles masterpiece.”
While 'Heading for The Night' had been considered for single release, these legendary remixes never saw the light of day. Finally, Frankie’s work on this song finds its rightful place in both his and Electribe 101’s legacy.
This EP of remixes precedes the release of Electribe 101’s fabled second, never before released album Electronic Soul, later this year.
Revered Danish producer and live performer KÖLSCH follows his 2013 hit album "1977" (KOMPAKT 276 CD 107) with the new full-length "1983", again chaining up heroic techno tracks for a grandiose sonic journey to the vibrant heart of today's dance floor. PRIORITY RELEASE
Coupling contemporary production pizzaz with nostalgia-tinged soundscapes and sweeping melodies, this opus acts as both a skilfully composed portfolio of personal memories and a sublime collection of crowd-charming cuts - a modern classic in the making, coming from a master of his craft.
1983 features collaborations with Gregor Schwellenbach, Waa Industry and WhoMadeWho's Tomas Høffding.
Hot on the heels of SPEICHER 84 (KOMPAKT EXTRA 84), featuring club crackers DERDIEDAS and TWO BIRDS, the latest full-length offering from KÖLSCH is very much a travel album: "When I was a kid in 1983, we used to drive through Europe every summer on the way to the south of France", he explains. "A lot of my early music memories stem from these long travels, as we would listen to all my father's favorite records on the cassette deck. After getting a walkman, I would make up my own soundtrack for travelling, with early electro and hip hop creeping into my life. My father of course did not like it, and it never grace the official cassette deck of the car, obviously"
These trips became a primary source of inspiration to a hungry young mind forced to sit on the backseat of a car for several days: "they were also journeys through the seasons. In Denmark, it would be spring time, so I could nearly see us driving through spring into the summer. The scenery would change, and so would the mood in the car." Informed by the symbolic quality of these slightly gauzy childhood memories, KÖLSCH's unique melange of emotional and functional elements works exceptionally well for the full-length format - a seamless transition of musing introspection and explosve expression, where catharsis never seems far away in dance-ready techno vignettes like MOONFACE, UNTERWEGS or PACER.
From beatless opener and title track 1983 to the filigreed piano banger DIE ANDEREN or the bleep-infused synth-fest E45, each cut operates as its own little time capsule, storing bits and pieces of recollection and then magically transforming them into epic, beat-driven soundscapes. Confronted with other producers' input (and other memories), these traits find themselves extended in the most interesting ways - TALBOT, THE ROAD and CASSIOPEIA (also featured on KOMPAKT EXTRA 79) make excellent use of GREGOR SCHWELLENBACH's emotive orchestral flourishes, while BLOODLINE's lyrics come to life thanks to the distinct timbre of TOMAS HØFFDING of WHOMADEWHO fame. A new powerful take on an earlier collaboration, PAPAGENO 30 YEARS LATER not only rejoins WAA INDUSTRY on vocal duty, but also ends the album on a wonderfully elegiac, yet hopeful note - basically turning water into wine, as we've come to expect from KÖLSCH.
After a long hiatus in Comtron releases they are back. Stronger than ever. Comtron (Fatima Yamaha and Rimer London) are known for they're critical view on society, the financial and political world. From dark and twisted electro tracks to pumpin' big room, gimmicky techno, deep swirling ambient and slow house beats, this double 12" has no flaws.
VILIFY is a Berlin-based DJ and producer known for her multi-genre approach to bass-fueled club music. With over a decade of performance under her belt, she broadcasts numerous times monthly – known for her “Genre is a Social Construct” mix series, and DJs regularly at top venues in her home city and around the world. Her serene, melodic productions are anchored by titanic sub woofer emanations, and her sound can best be described as ethereal, eclectic, and exquisite. The Wire magazine selected “Road to Eleusis” for inclusion in its Tapper CD compilation series. A video for Interchangable Auras, was shot in Vancouver, BC, by Jeremy Shantz – a collaborator from VILIFY’s home nation of Canada – and is linked below. This 8 track LP, reaches across bass music, jungle, experimental electronic, world, melodic and more. It was a created in a time of uncertainty, aiming to release fear & past Karmic cycles in an effort to open the door to brighter, more authentic being. Connecting to source, rather than self, fostered this culmination of powerful, emotive sound and deep expression.
Compiled by Hunee, 'Sounds from the Far East' features eccentric and highly sought after material by legendary Japanese house producer Soichi Terada and fellow producer Shinichiro Yokota!
Soichi Terada is an adventurous music multi-talent and over all a good sport. Born in the Sixties, Terada majored in computer science and electronic organ; not being able to find a label for his eccentric compositions, he founded Far East Recording soon after his graduation, in 1989.
"Sounds From The Far East" shines new light on Soichi Terada's label and work, and consists of material that was originally released in the early Nineties. Next to Terada's music, Hunee also selected a few tracks by fellow artist Shinichiro Yokota, included in this compilation, and the incredible Paradise Garage gem that is 'Sunshower', by Terada and Nami Shimada.
London's SlothBoogie return with the second instalment of their 'Dancing With Friends' series this August, featuring exclusive new music from Kemback, Felipe Gordon, Mak z, Bill Mango, The Revenge and more.
Following the success of the inaugural 'Dancing With Friends', which featured the likes of Kassian, Letherette, Joe Cleen and Ruff Stuff amongst others, the crew are back with that ever so tricky... second album. This sequel however, will not disappoint. The team have scoured the four corners of the globe to provide listeners with a comprehensive follow up that showcases more brand-new music from their favourite producers.
'Dancing With Friends Vol.2' is a deftly curated selection of the diverse styles synonymous with the SlothBoogie sound, ranging from the hazy deepness of cuts by Amy Dabbs, DJ Counselling, Bill Mango, Metropolitan Soul Museum and Kristy Harper to Disco tinged, jazzy, bumpy numbers from the likes of Jesse Bru, T.U.R.F. and Felipe Gordon through to more tripped out acid workouts by The Revenge, Fede Lng & Mojeaux, Togethrs and Pablot.
With this latest collection you can trust SlothBoogie to bring some much-needed dancefloor unity and sun-drenched energy to the world for the summer of 2021. The perfect soundtrack to reconnect and begin dancing with friends once again.
The vinyl format will come as a Gatefold Cover with 2 x 12" cream speckled clear vinyl and will include the full digital album download cards.
Aestum’s self-titled debut album is an in-depth journey into supreme and tranceformative soundscapes. Oscillating around the apex of spacious power ambient and drone, the compositions recorded during 2020 combine monolithic electronica with decaying fantasies and slow-motion euphoria.
The imagination for the album was inspired by the idea of panortosia (universal reform) as described in old scholar books devoted to inter-communication and sacrosanct harmonies in order to find a way into divine temple and shining lux (eternal light). From sonic perspective Aestum created a juxtaposition between warped atmospheres and distant remnants for a state of trance, a multiverse vision of feeling that was evoked by timeless parties and almost religious peak-time club anthems during end of 90’s and 00’s when Aestum as a duo of young friends were entering dancefloors across Europe. With this attitude every composition - often accompanied with dreamy messages and heavenly choirs of Dutch vocalist Bobbie 0rkid - marks its own emotional landscape and reaches new enigmatic spheres.
Influenced by this concept a New York based multidisciplinary artist Emma Pryde created visuals for the album - not just the cover where the story of panartosia is being told across the front and back cover, but also transformative videos for tracks Panortosia and Himmel. Using pure elements like heaven or meadows on the base, she added layers of imagery from sci-fi effects to more ancient and religious images, warping and blending into each other, leading into a fantasy that represents the past and future, and gives a meaningful hope.
First vinyl issue from this french label, artisan of the Eurotrance revival. Compilation of contemporary producers' works, deeply rooted in the 00's.
Played by Ellen Allien, Nina Kraviz, in among others.
Thanks to a perfect balance between a good dose of madness and genius, Union Trance Mission has become the playground of some of the rising talents of the european rave scene in a few years.
Launched in 2018 by DJ Reiz & Tonni 3000 with the desire to take the techno scene off-balance, UTM quickly laid the foundations of an hybrid style where oldschool vibes perfectly combine with contemporary sounds. A colorful and formidable cocktail of efficiency, where techno blithely rubs shoulders with nostalgic trance synthesizers.
After a couple of years of digital releases (singles, EP and compilations), UTM decides to take another step by releasing its first 2x12", gathering the residents DJ Reiz, Tonni 3000, Red Scan and Walfroy on one hand, and the guest artists Pawlowski, Jaëss, Tranceman2000 and Alpha Tracks on another hand, in a wish of being eclectic and exploring Trance music in all its forms.
Nuovo Testamento is the Los Angeles & Bologna-based trio featuring members of Horror Vacui, Sheer Mag, Tørsö, Terremoto and Crimson Scarlet.
With the addition of Chelsey Crowley on vocals, synthesists Andrea Mantione & Giacomo Zatti found that their initial coldwave tracks, originally written for the male voice, took on an undeniable synthpop feel. While still recording these songs for the debut Exposure EP in 2019, the band leaned into this evolution and their shared love of Italo disco, beginning to write what would become the New Earth LP.
Recorded in isolation during a global pandemic, New Earth is a dark Italo record dappled with light. For eight new tracks, dancing synths perfectly balance the rich dream of a charmed life with melancholy. Guitars have taken a step back, allowing disco beats to flood the floor and joyful fun to prevail. The record anticipates a return to dance spaces, imagines shared experiences and celebrates personal power.
Produced by sound engineer Maurizio Baggio (The Soft Moon, Boy Harsher and many more), with vocal recording by Riki and featuring guest vocals from B. Sven Gustavson (Spectres, Nouveaux), New Earth reflects international influences from the goth club scene to Hi-NRG classics, reminiscent of Italian Baby Records, Mute Records and the spaces in between.
2023 Repress
This latest limited 7" from Mr. K features two incomparable baroque soul masterworks, one from a Chicago-based band that defied categorization and the other a deep cut from a living legend songwriter and performer.
The psychedelic soul of Rotary Connection’s “I Am the Black Gold of the Sun” still sounds revolutionary and unlike anything else, a full fifty years after it was originally released in 1971. Swathed in ethereal ripples of strings (courtesy the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) innovatively arranged by unsung genius Charles Stepney, and rooted in a rock solid foundation provided by the cream of Chicago’s cutting edge session musicians (among them guitarist Phil Upchurch and drummer Morris Jennings, veterans of countless soul jazz cuts), “Black Gold” sits in uncharted territory somewhere between soul, rock, jazz and classical chamber music. It’s a gorgeous territory, a fantasy land where Minnie Riperton and Sidney Barnes’s vocals transmit mystical, uplifting vibes, the entire affair anchored throughout by an addictive piano riff—a mixture that proved irresistible to Masters at Work, who covered it for their Nuyorican Soul project in 1997. Mr. K’s edit doesn’t try to force anything fancy on this masterpiece, simply tightening it up and taking advantage of the lush remastering to present this progressive classic on 45 for the first time.
In keeping with the orchestral soul mood, Mr. K turns to Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise” for the flip. Whereas “Black Gold” paints a portrait of a magical land, Stevie’s lyrics on “Pastime Paradise,” originally issued in 1976, are a penetrating look at the very earthbound concerns of modern society and its follies, an urgent message to look ahead rather than languish in dreams of the past. The sensitive string accompaniment provides just the right amount of gravitas and emphasis to Stevie’s voice without overwhelming it, while the hare krishna-inspired tambourine keeps the rhythm effectively. Mr. K’s edit again keeps things true to the original, simply providing a subtle intro that uses the tambourine rhythm to lead into the body of the song.
With Resistance Belgium based Derlich presents his severly stripped down to its essence technoid visions. In avoidance of any irrelevant superstructures RESISTANCE delivers 6 equaly effective Tools ranging from ritual aesthetics with evolving rhythms and variations to unexpected heavy punches and deeply embeded obscurity reminiscent of the early Zhark releases.
Derlich erradicates the lines in genres as industrial, Underground Techno and Dark Ambient Minimalism, heavy strokes clarifies the abstraction of modern life. His passion for art, derelict dark landscapes, and abandoned locations feeds the inspiration to work in his shadowy area of electronic music.
Bliss Point is proud to welcome NY producer Duane Island to the roster with Solar Effect, three enormous and heartfelt club excursions, combining elements of trance, italo and disco to pack as much life as possible into one release.
The title track, “Solar Effect”, twists in on itself like a trip peaking at noon, pairing squelching FM synth lines with airy piano chords to get hands in the air, feet off the ground, and heads in the clouds. “Figo Dream” is an afternoon bike ride through a lifted and euphoric dreamscape, anchored by a pulsing bass line that changes course at just the right moment. “Olio” cruises back to earth by sunset, with cheeky keys and voices from dancefloors past beckoning for another go round.
Harald Björk follow up his recent releases on Cocoon Recordings, Traum Schallplatten etc. with the four track 12" Sketch On A Feeling. A record featuring German legends Extrawelt, no introduction needed and Swedish Teenage crime star Adrian Lux who we recently have gotten to re-known beyond his EDM stardom through his band Off The Meds (Studio Barnhus) and 90's techno banger alias Luxxy.
The record wears two original's written and played entirely on Roland MC-202 and TB-303 by the label head himself, Mr. Björk.
Textextext - (add your write up)
Kranglan Broadcast, established in 2009, is the record label of Swedish artist Harald Björk (Cocoon Recordings/Traum Schallplatten/Studio Barnhus). The shifting genres and gaps between releases might seem confusing? But… the core seems to be quality releases by good friends who have crossed each others lanes and teamed up in creativity, and there are some friends!!! Axel boman, Nathan Fake, Popnoname, Kate Wax (Aisha Devi), Fairmont, Anton Kubikov (SCSI-9), LOKATT and many more. Electronic music as it used to be before the "business era", friends sending files and pressing vinyl!!!
In 2021 Kranglan Broadcast have some fine gems coming up and Sketch On A Feeling is the first one to get public.
Harald Björk follow up a weird and packed year of 2020 with guest shows on John Digweed's Transition Show and releases on Cocoon Recordings,Traum Schallplatten, Studio Banrhus, Internasjonal and many more! The record features German legends Extrawelt, no introduction needed and Swedish Teenage crime star Adrian Lux who we recently have gotten to re-known beyond his EDM stardom through his band Off The Meds (Studio Barnhus) and 90's techno banger alias Luxxy. Dense stardom in a perfect blended EP with all modes included!
Long Story short Harald got in contact with Extrawelt over an old unreleased remix of Björk's that got to see release light on Traum in the summer of 2020. Similiar Harald reworked Teenage Crime duo Lux and Lune same year… What follows of great connection is often friendship and Kranglan Broadcast is all about friendship, quality and fun… Perfect soil for electronic music to grow organic and full of energy.
The record wears two original's written and played entirely on Roland MC-202 and TB-303 by the label head himself, Mr. Björk.
Artwork by Lukas Nystrand von Unge and mastered and cut by maestro himself LUPO!
Enjoy electronic music on vinyl at best!
2024 Repress
Born in Egypt, bred in Dubai and now situated in the electronic music hub of Barcelona, RAXON makes his SPEICHER debut with this double header that falls into line just past his breakthrough 'Destiny EP' on DIYNAMIC.
THE ANCIENT could be taken as a twisted modern version of YAZOO's 'Superstition' - subtle and bold this track bridges on the sexier side of electro-strasse with a gleaming dagger of nu-wave sophistication. His roots as one of the Middle East's biggest DJs shines through the 'Dark Light'. Mysterious minimal rhythms propelled with a sinister synth hook drives this track to a nowhere that makes you feel that you are somewhere that is right.
Crisp, freshly distorted & pulsating techno trips; Nous'klaer proudly presents Mary Lake's debut EP Askim. The rising dj/producer from Amsterdam steps up with three brilliant uptempo techno rollers and a blissful ambient excursion as epilogue. Four tracks that perfectly reflect her infectious enthusiasm and energy. On top of that, there is much more to come from Mary this year, both on Nous'klaer and elsewhere. Artwork courtesy of Sammie Straub.
60s Italo Pop Hits – Jetzt auch für alle Vinylliebhaber erhältlich. Eine musikalische Zeitreise in das beliebteste Urlaubsland der Deutschen.
Fühlen Sie den Geist des San Remo Festivals mit den großen Italienischen Stars der 60er Jahre: Adriano Celentano, Tony Dallara, Rocco Granata, Dalida, Mina, Milva.
In the fight against Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, schizophrenia and other diseases characterized by an imbalance in neuronal activity, there are chemical weapons, such as those that try to prevent the protein fragments known as beta-amyloid plaques from developing in the
cerebral cortex , and physical, such as electrical stimulation that allow to restore the functionality of brain cells. This last resort, which has already been shown to be effective in modifying the activity of the cerebral cortex, is today a weapon of general intervention.
Converting it to precision requires the development of individualized and predictive brain models that allow identifying where and how much to stimulate each patient. To achieve this, an international European team is working on the creation of virtual replicas of the
most unknown organ in the body: the Neurotwin project.
According to recent research, the decrease in power in the neuronal oscillations of the gamma band of the cerebral cortex (a pattern whose frequency ranges between 20 and 50 Hertz) favors the development of protein fragments related to Alzheimer’s.
Transcranial application of weak electrical currents has proven to be an effective and painless way to modulate brain activity without side effects.
The objective is to create complete computational models of the brain with real data of living beings (human patients) and that allow to anticipate and specify the effects of noninvasive stimulation techniques on neurological mechanisms.
“Never turn your back on a friend.”
Alfred Hitchcock
Mastering – Eternal Midnight Mastering Studio
Cover Art – Nitasha Singh Brett
Visuals - Dietriamgle, Espii Studios, Irene Avellanal
Kurtiss is a shadowy and enigmatic figure working on the boundaries of civilization. A sporadic figure on the House music scene with eccentric habits, Kurtiss’ music is a rarified sonic experience for those who seek it out. The Ameri-can artist is hard to pin down and his music is a tantalizing little secret only for adept diggers who appreciate the style of Hi-Def House music that the artist has cultivated. Although he’s a known Soundcloud fixture, he’s only put out a handful of digital singles as Curtis Vodka in the past, with Mutual Intentions facilitating his latest and immortalizing his music on their next set of releases. A nomadic artist, who’s worked on music ranging from Ghetto Tech to House, his music has spanned the known musical spectrum, forging uncanny relationships with everything from 50 Cent to Mall Grab. Under the pseudonym Kurtiss (or Curtis Vodka), he’s all about HIGH-Fi House, life, aliens, Jazz and no trends. It’s an attitude that he lays bare on this rare contribution to the physical, recorded format for Mutual Intentions on ‘The Curtis Vodka EP’. The EP weaves classic House music influences through a penchant for vintage sound machines and arrangements that evoke a solemn air. Elements of Gospel and New York’s deeper inclinations in House music seep through his sound as archived vocal samples and noisy machines give his work its defining character. Glistening keys and strings that slither through airy textures create dense aural experiences on ‘The Curtis Vodka EP’, calling to mind the musical masterpieces of House music’s golden era when the likes of Kerri Chandler and Mas-ters At Work were producing som
Mr. K takes on two different disco moods in the latest in his long-running series of edits on 45.
Danny Krivit’s edit of Tony Orlando’s “Don’t Let Go” was released in Japan in 2012 and immediately became a sought-after, impossible to find rarity. Orlando’s version of “Don’t Let Go” was released at the height of the disco era, but the song itself was already a well-worn pop standard, having been covered by numerous artists before the pop singer tried his hand at it, switching things up with a percolating disco groove. “I never expected to rave about a Tony Orlando record,” wrote Vince Aletti in his Record World column in June of 1978, “but this one’s really terrific… My pick for a summer refresher.” The Jimmy Simpson mix on the original 12-inch follows the vocals with a long instrumental section that teases the various elements provided by the Muscle Shoals band (guitar, vibes, strings, and above all a sinuous synth) back in over the relentless bass and drums. Danny’s edit, which he’s trimmed down for its debut on 7-inch, works with this instrumental break and more than lives up to Aletti’s description as an addictive warm weather jam.
From the moody instrumental sound of “Don’t Let Go” we move to the bright uptempo vocal track "I Fall In Love Everyday." In spite of the relative obscurity of this fabulous but lesser-known cut, it comes with a sparkling pedigree. “I Fall In Love Everyday” was written by Jay Graydon (whose credits also include “Turn Your Love Around” for George Benson and “Breakin’ Away” for Al Jarreau), produced by Motown ace Mickey Stevenson (who wrote “Dancing In the Street”) and arranged by David Foster, who was just making the transition from session keyboardist to the superstar songwriter/arranger he’d become. The backing track was first used for singer/TV personality Jaye P. Morgan’s version of the song a year earlier, but you certainly can’t blame the team for reusing the music when the band included studio heavyweights like Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Ray Parker Jr., and Kenny Loggins. Danny’s creative edit fashions a clean, DJ-friendly instrumental intro where none existed on the original, and gives new life to a track that’s sure to bring some sunshine to dancefloors.
As always, these unique selections from Mr. K’s personal stash are cut on a loud, club-ready 7-inch pressing.
Brazilian music at it's finest! 2x7" set with four beautiful songs from Piry Reis.
Disc one is a reissue of his 1975 "Heroi Moderno" and includes the sought after 7inch version of "Cisplatina". The second holds the rare cuts "Reza Brava" & "Céu De Manágua". The project came together with the blessing of Piry Reis himself and is released on the sub-label of Rush Hour recordings, New Dawn - set up for less electronic but equally adventurous releases by artists we love.
Artwork by Amsterdam's Sekan with a touch by Megin Hayden.
THE THIRD ADULT ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE COMES BY INSERT NAME HERE.
IS IT ACID? IS IT HOUSE?
IS IT ELECTRO? IS IT TECHNO?
IS IT LEFTFIELD? IS IT LO-FI?
IS IT DETROIT? IS IT CHICAGO?
IT'S MUSIC FOR ADULTS!
21+
MUSIC SPEAKS FOR ITSELF!
Kapoor and Hvitling’s first album, The Odyssey, is monumental. It boasts eight tracks that are generous in terms of length and sophistication. Each has a distinctive feel and predominant mood, balancing intricate sonic arrangements with dynamic and rhythmically pleasant beats. Yet certain ethereal sound textures and melodies
make the tracks echo each other, creating a sense of journeying through uncharted waters. Masterfully produced female vocal synths become spectral presences in several tracks, most notably in Vox Diaboli and Vox Angeli. In the former, seductive whispers hiss a hymed incantation, creating a delightfully spooky atmosphere; while the latter lures the listener into sacred ecstasy with a combination of vibrant synths pristinely arranged with a string orchestra and LFO female vocals. Akumandra’s fourth official vinyl release stays true to its multicultural essence, adding this young Polish and Swedish producer duo to their vinyl catalog.
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!
This Mini-LP was originally released on Materiali Sonori in 1984 in Italy and is long out of print. Alexander Robotnick (aka Maurizio Dami) is an Italian electronic musician. He made his debut on the Italian music scene as the founding member of Avida, a dance-cabaret band featuring Daniele Trambusti and Stefano Fuoch. in 1983 he attained international popularity with his track “Problèmes d’amour”, published first by the Italian label Materiali Sonori and then by Sire-Wea. “Problèmes d’amour” went on to become a “cult track” of the disco scene. After 40 years Spittle Records in joint venture with Materiali Sonori re-issues the mini album and the 12” with its original artwork.
"Once I was in Chicago, it was around 2010, I was just finishing my set and went outside the club to light a cigarette. Suddenly a police car stops nearby. I thought the policeman was here to fine me (I was more than 20 meters outside the venue), but he just lifted a poster of mine and asked to sign it. Then I realized that "Problèmes d’Amour" has been for a longtime the opening theme for a popular radio broadcast well-known between the black community (hence the policeman was black)”. - Maurizio Dami
It’s time for the label founders to take control over our spaceship. Clusterhead offers four slices of proper abstract techno for those who know.
Release starts with Alteración del orden: a broken kick spiced with elastic synth washes and microdrones sets the pace while the rest of the percussive elements appear softly in the arrangement. The main sequence grows and mutates as minutes go by, reverb and stereo treatment goes heavier until repetition makes the desired effect on the virtual dancefloor.
Second cut Resiliencia Incesante again relies on broken kicks and processed synth lines. The BPM rate is higher here and the percussive elements are snapper and tighter. Sounds twist and change over time as the frequency range grows. An industrial ode to obscurity.
On the flip side, Automutilación creativa brings us again into oblivion, shuffled grooves obsessive sequences continuously moving and high pitched synthetic drums running through the stereo field.
Closing the release we have Notzing on board, still recovering from his amazing experimental work on our label, we give him again the commands of our spaceship to translate his mental obsessions in this superb rework of Automutilación creativa.
One more time we push the sound boundaries on behalf of timeless futuristic music in touchable format.
ESPAÑOL
Es hora de que los fundadores del sello tomen el control de nuestra nave
espacial. Clusterhead ofrece cuatro rebanadas de techno abstracto para aquellos que saben de lo que hablamos.
El disco comienza con Alteración del orden: ritmos rotos condimentados con sonidos elásticos de sintetizador y microdrones marcando el ritmo, mientras que el resto de los elementos percusivos aparecen suavemente en el arreglo. La secuencia principal crece y muta a medida que pasan los minutos, la reverberación y el tratamiento estéreo se vuelven más presentes hasta que la repetición produce el efecto deseado en la pista de baile virtual.
Como segundo corte Resiliencia Incesante nuevamente se basa en bombos rotos y líneas de sintetizador procesadas. La tasa de BPM es más alta aquí y los elementos de percusión son más rápidos y ajustados.
Los sonidos se retuercen y cambian con el tiempo a medida que aumenta el rango de frecuencia. Una oda industrial a la oscuridad.
En la cara B, Automutilación creativa nos trae de nuevo al lado oscuro, grooves mezclados, secuencias obsesivas en continuo movimiento y percusiones sintéticas de alto rango recorriendo el campo estéreo.
Cerrando el lanzamiento tenemos a Notzing a bordo, todavía recuperándonos de su asombroso trabajo experimental en nuestro sello, le damos de nuevo los comandos de nuestra nave espacial para plasmar sus obsesiones mentales en esta soberbia reelaboración de Automutilación creativa.
Una vez más empujamos los límites del sonido en nombre de la música futurista atemporal en formato táctil.
Repress !
From Another Mind celebrates its fifth anniversary with 'Versionen 008’, a mammoth remix package of SHDW & Obscure Shape tracks from Héctor Oaks, Ø Phase, Exium, and more.
Comprising nine remixes of the German producer/DJ outfit, 'Versionen 008' covers four sides of vinyl and features adaptations from a wealth of modern techno talent, rising stars, and scene veterans alike,
with Hadone, MRD, Stigmata, Exium, Héctor Oaks AKA DJKAOS11, Introversion, Ø Phase, and DJ Boss making contributions.
With the influences across the release darting between acid, techno, and rave, 'Versionen 008' is a no holds barred journey into the sounds of dark, cavernous rooms and sweaty basements alike, providing a
keen insight into who SHDW & Obscure Shape are passionate about as artists.
From the fast-paced, dub techno infused MRD version of ‘Der Weg Des Kriegers’, the explosive energy in Exium’s remix of ‘Blick Des Bösen’, to the two versions of ‘Die Augen Des Teufels’ by Stigmata, who effortlessly provides a dose of early 2000’s nostalgia, all aspects of the pair’s musical tastes are covered. Héctor Oaks takes ‘Kein Entkommen’ in an otherworldly direction, painting the track with his
signature voice, while Ø Phase brings his powerful and hypnotic sound to the duos ‘Verlorene Seelen’.
Elsewhere on the release, ‘Die Prophezeiung’ receives a shot of trancey energy from France’s Hadone and Introversion breathes new life into ‘Blisswunden’, developing the track into a melodic dream
amongst metallic percussion. The penultimate ‘Feuersturm’ gets the DJ Boss treatment, as the Slovakian DJ/producer transforms the track into a dynamic late-night roller.
Taking in these variety of moods across the remixes, the compilation sways between different strains of techno, from anthems to DJ tools, covering both modern and vintage to provide a diverse compilation
that will no doubt be warmly welcomed by DJs and listeners alike.
Favouring fiercely high-energy and gritty productions, the duo has used the label as an outlet for their dark, intense sound to the rapturous responses from DJs and dancefloors and 'Versionen 008' sees them celebrate five years of the imprint in typically uncompromising fashion.
Clear Repress[26,68 €]
“I wanted to try and showcase as many people as I knew on this mix. My idea of Late Night Tales was to distil a series of relaxing moments; the whole conceptual sonic of relax- ation. So, I was trying to think of all the collaborators and friends that I knew, who’d recorded stuff with this horizontal vibe. Plus, I was also trying to help my friends' stuff get into the world. I know the story of Khruangbin blowing up after appearing on the series (in fact, I think that's how I discovered them). So, the main idea was to create a certain atmosphere, but also to help some of my favourite collaborators and bud- dies to give their songs a little push out into the world. Hope you like it” Jordan Rakei
Due for release on 9th April, Late Night Tales celebrate their 20th anniversary with the release of multi-instru- mentalist, vocalist and producer Jordan Rakei’s majestic compilation. The 28-year-old modern soul icon effortlessly stamps his own jazz and hip-hop driven sound all over this gorgeous array of handpicked tracks. A beautifully layered blend that is mirrored in the music he’s made, itcomes as no surprise that such a supremely gifted songwriter should deliver a mix that is all about the song.
Rakei, born in New Zealand, but raised in Australia, moved to the UK in 2015; he released his debut album, Cloak, with Oz label Soul Has No Tempo, but his two subsequentLPs, Wallflower and Origin, came out on Ninja Tune, the former#2 in Album Of The Year for Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide poll, while Origin was nominated for Best Album at the AIM Awards. Jordan had this to say on his upcoming mix:
As Jordan says,there’s so much more to the song selection on Late Night Tales’latest outing than a random collection of artists. Many have some sort of personal connection, so just as Bonobo provided a platform for the breakout of Khruangbin on a previous LNT, this may have the same ef- fect for Rakei’s friends. After a soothing opener from Fink, good friend and big influence Alfa Mist (part of the Are We Live collective) delivers ‘Mulago.’ “I want to champion their sound and show the world how good he is, and I thought it’d be fitting to start the mix with family,” says Jordan.
Next up is Charlotte Day Wilson with ‘Mountains,’ followed by ‘Count A Heart’ from Moreton, an exclusive collab- oration with Jordan, who grew up on the same street in Brisbane, Australia. “She was the first artist I ever collabo- rated with, and one of the first artists to be involved in mycareer,” he explains. Elsewhere we hear Scottish producer and multi-instrumentalist C Duncan’s haunting ‘He Came from the Sun,’ Barcelona collective Oso Leone deliver a dreamy ‘Virtual U’ and Bill Lauren’s ‘Singularity,’ which evokes a striking sense of time and place.
Snowpoet’s ethereal ‘Evitenity’ is a “long mediative nar- rative over a beautiful soundscape,” which at times seems chaotic, nicely juxtaposed with undeniable beauty, and Maro’s kooky songwriting shines on ‘Always And Forever.’ Long-time buddy Armon-Jones contributes ‘Idiom,’ and Jordan’s exclusive cover version is a two-for-one, Radio- head’s ‘Codex’ merging with ‘Lover, You Should’ve Come Home’ by Jeff Buckley and another exclusive,original com- position by Jordan, ‘Imagination.’ The latter works as a piece with the spoken (Spanish) word voiced by movie director Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel, Birdman, and The Reve- nant,) who is a big fan of Jordan’s. “He messaged me when I went to L.A and asked to come to my show. I was in such shock and we hung out after. I thought it would be nice to get him to do this in his native tongue, because I don’t think that’s been done yet on the series.” It certainly is a familyaffair. Not theblood is thicker than water kind, but certainly musical kindred spirits.
Cassette[33,74 €]
Double LP: Heavy 350gsm Sleeve, Liner Notes, Sticker
WRWTFWW Records is very happy to reissue Swiss cult band Grauzone's self-titled album in an expanded 40 Years Anniversary Edition packed with the original 1981 album plus 9 extra songs, as well as extensive liner notes by Swiss music historian Lurker Grand. The 19-track album is available as a double LP vinyl in heavy 350gsm sleeve and a digipack CD, both sourced from the original reels and put together under the supervision of band member and all around legend Stephan Eicher.
The pioneering band from Bern (Switzerland) had a short-lived but highly-regarded career which birthed a cult discography that still fascinates and resonates today. Consisting of core members Martin Eicher, Stephan Eicher, and Marco Repetto, and on-and-off participants Christian GT Trüssel, Claudine Chirac, and Ingrid Berney, the elusive group broke new grounds in the early 80s, experimenting with punk and industrial music, early techno sounds, minimalism, new wave, pop, and various electronics. With an innovative and polished approach to design, visuals, performance, and all around style and philosophy on top of their superb music, the constantly transforming unit developed a whole experience - the Grauzone experience: wild and unpredictable, yet sophisticated and cohesive, or as Swiss music historian Lurker Grand would call it, "an Art band with a Punk attitude".
Completely rejecting the music industry rules and refusing to play the game of promotion, touring, release schedules, and TV appearances even though they had a multi-platinum international hit with the song "Eisbär", the band quickly disintegrated in full convention-defying glory, leaving behind an inspiring music legacy for the world to discover and discover again, one generation after the other.
This extended version of their debut (and only) album beautifully crystallizes the Grauzone miracle/accident - where pop and youthful experimentation meet at (new/cold/no) wave and industrial crossroads, and where classic hits ("Eisbär", "FILM 2", "Raum", "Träume Mit Mir", "Der Weg Zu Zweit"…) flawlessly mesh with unconventional deep cuts ("In Der Nacht", "Film 1", "Maikäfer Flieg"…). Very simply put: GOOD timeless music with an edge.
Stephan Eicher went on to be, arguably, the most successful Swiss musician ever, with an international career extending from pop chanson to experimental escapades and collaborations with Moondog, artists Sophie Calle and Sylvie Fleury, and author Martin Suter among many other luminaries. Marco Repetto flourished as a techno and ambient producer, releasing multiple projects including releases on Aphex Twin's Rephlex label.
The established favourite Nicolas Laugier AKA. The Reflex has been a crucial name in the fabric of electronic music, and is widely praised for his masterful production style which has gained the seal of approval of heritage artists such as Nile Rodgers, Giorgio Moroder, Nina Simon, Kid Creole, Kathy Sledge, Noel Gallagher, Bono and Paul Weller - morphing some of the world classics into contemporary; certified rave anthems. Loved by tastemakers alike including Rob Da Bank, Gilles Peterson, Craig Charles and Mistajam, The Reflex is responsible for unleashing some of the best remixes to date.
Returning off the back of his latest revision of Norman Doray and Darren Crook's 'Sweet Freedom', which has so far gained nearly 150 worldwide radio spins since it's release on 6th November, The Reflex now puts forward an incredible 2021 revision of two time Grammy award winner Nile Rogers' 'Do What You Wanna Do'. A modern disco anthem, the track has since been remixed by producers like MK, Eats Everything and Rob Da Bank. With an already established repertoire of essential remixes and re-edits, the London based producer combines his unique Disco and Soul blend with his acclaimed musical initiative to create what will be an intricate and exceptional upgrade, and a key selection of an already impressive arsenal of releases.
A percentage of the royalties from this release will be donated to Nile Rodgers' 'We Are Family Foundation' - who collaborate with forward thinking organisation who believe in youth and together, build creative programming and content, empowering young people to take humanity forward.
KOOL KEITH is the most legendary trailblazer of hip hop music. With characters spanning from Dr. Octagon to Tashan Dorsett to Black Elvis to Dr. Dooom, Keith is always delivering realness, spectacles in word and sound, and creating new worlds with his many auras. SCORN is the electronic beat project of acclaimed exNapalm Death drummer Mick Harris, the Dark Lord of ambient dub. Mick Harris' prolific ventures across numerous projects include Painkiller (with John Zorn and Bill Laswell), Quoit, Lull, Monrella, and many more. SUBMERGED is the King of Underground Drum n Bass DJs, having pioneered the scene for the hard sound from Astana to Sao Paulo to Kiev to Brooklyn. He is the founder of Galactic Enterprise that is Ohm Resistance. DISTORTION is a collaborative single with some of the 100% certified dopest Kool Keith verses. He is tuned into his co-authors, dropping lines about "Power sources, Mediterranean bosses", going "52 states, European, Worldwide", discussing "more power to explore", and knowing how to "stick my hand out the speaker and reach y'all". A massive energy liftoff occurs as Keith joins his multiverse with that of the Ohm Resistance artists. Mick Harris' instantly recognizable bludgeoning beat carries the weight, as he trades off bass blast duties with the organic overdriven bassline of Submerged. A warning shot fired in advance of Scorn's album, "The Only Place", this single adds the missing element to Scorn that brings out the richness and flavor of Mick Harris behind the mixing desk. "I'm so happy to be working with a great voice - I could do more of, it adds another dynamic to Scorn." says Harris. Submerged explains his usual streak of unusual luck - "I had a bassline I had written and wanted to send to Mick Harris for Scorn. When the opportunity came to work with Kool Keith, Mick made his beat, and my riff fit exactly - so we coordinated the forces to put this record together". With Kool Keith being one of the most-named influences by many of the Ohm Resistance artists, his arrival to the label couldn't have come at a better time - a integrated circuit across 4 dimensions, connecting 3 legendary musicians around the globe. Mixed by MJ Harris in the Lad's Old Room B14; Vocals by Kool Keith Recorded at Studio G Brooklyn; Engineered by Tony Maimone, Assisted by Ross Colombo; Bass Guitar by Submerged at Blue Site I, Saaremaa; Mastered by Daniele Antezza for Dadub Mastering Studio; Artwork by Sagana Squale, Layout by MachineÖ
Repress!
This is the debut release on Noir Music from Brazilian K.A.L.I.L.
We have been working quite some time to perfect this first release from him on the label and give it the edge needed to stand out. After tons of road-testing and going back and forth with production ideas I am now happy to have 2 perfect tracks ready from K.A.L.I.L. that really showcase his super solid techno sound and production flair. Involved (co-produced with Any Mello) is a quite simple trip with Any's spoken word in center of industrial elements wobling it and out. This track works really well in the clubs because of its on point minimalism, the high intensity stacatto synths and the catchy vocal line from Any. It's not easy to do big tracks without big basslines - but that's what K.A.L.I.L. and Any Mello truely achieved with this one. Revolved is a track I signed already last year and since then K.A.L.I.L. has been perfecting everything about the track from small details to bigger arrangement improvements. This track has that big bassline that sits right in your face. It also has the right build for those peaktime
moments in the clubs. I have been playing 'Revolved' a lot over the past months and people go crazy for those big bass drops.
We are honored to have another great producer join the Noir Music family and proud to have another belter of a release ready for you.
Repress
Its been more than 2 years since I did an original release on my own label. Its been 9 months since I had an original NOIR release.I wanted some time without releases. Some time to breathe, to think and most importantly time to be creative and to experiment.I have picked 2 productions I felt sounded different to everything else out here. Eruption was already made in the fall 2017 and I have been road-testing it since ADE17 and changed it quite a lot over the 6 months period from when I thought it was finished to what it actually sounds like now. I wanted the track to be brutal like a volcano erupting but at the same time have beautiful and peaceful elements. Hence the breakdown lava sliding into the middle of the track before it all erupts again. I have spent many hours trying to make it sound raw and unpolished. Disruption is build around a super simple sequence loop I played by hand while jamming with new pluck sounds. As the sequence got layered and washed in effects it became a quite haunting loop and that led me to add a boys choir to give that feel bigger impact.This track sounds simpler than Eruption but its actually stacked with layers. Disruption is meant to make you close your eyes, follow the rhythm, the simple sequenced loop and get hypnotized.
When the first Placid Angels album dropped in 1997, John Beltran was already an established force within dance music’s then-emerging scene. He had a knack for both the melodic side as well as intricately designed rhythmic programming. A signature style that went for his early records in the 1990s as much as it does for this new installment of the Placid Angles series. The blissful synths, Aphex Twin-era IDM and loose percussive patterns take you right back to where it all began when genres didn’t mean anything and Beltran was just starting out to experiment with any sound that would elevate your consciousness. The Michigan-born artist since has spanned a career of nearly four decades, remaining relevant all the while, by playing the music he found himself most drawn to express. By working with artists like Detroit veteran Carl Craig, labels such as R&S or more recently his LPs for Delsin or his joint work with Four Tet. Whether it be his more Techno-leaning or New Wave-inspired works, his takes on Ambient, or the more Latin-influenced productions - he has always stayed active and re-invented himself while painting his records with a clearly own palette that is full of beautiful melodies and a timeless sound-design. The album Touch The Earth itself comes as diverse as the artist’s own legacy, ranging from skittish, colorful UKG to proper pulsing sub-basslines as it progresses deeper into intelligent drum programming and further into the melodic ventures of what’s at the core of Beltran’s work.
Children, the one and only instrumental song that breaks all the rules, created by Robert Miles. The netherlands producers Tinlicker signed the new remix of Children.
Bio:
Tinlicker are Utrecht based duo Micha Heyboer and Jordi van Achthoven who have been crafting their computerized soul together since 2013. Before joining forces, they individually honed their skills as part of world renowned drum 'n bass act Black Sun Empire (Heyboer) and as producer, songwriter and music editor for many artists (Van Achthoven). Their previous experience was apparent from day one of their collaborative project, resulting in an impressive
string of highly mature and deeply emotive tracks. Since starting working together they’ve quickly become a household name in the world of electronic dance music previously releasing on Armada,
mau5trap, Anjunafamily and Astralwerks. They have released their first full length album 'This Is Not Our Universe' last fall and released their remix album this past spring from the likes of Dosem, Joris Delacroix and Grum.
The Architect is an artist that travels through styles: Swing, Jazz, Electro, Soul, Funk and Hip Hop... A real digger of hidden samples, he is also beatmaker for the famous collective L'Entourloop! 2019 marks its big comeback, with the announcement of a new album and a new immersive live under the name of The Architect & the Unique Orchestra. The 1st EP of the beatmaker The Architect entitled "Foundations" is finally available on vinyl more than 6 years after its original release in 2013 !
In the late ‘80s, a wave of British musicians raised on ‘70s UK pop, Caribbean sound system culture, reggae, lovers rock and Motown/Philly soul music fell in love with synthesisers, drum machines and 8-track recorders. The street soul generation had arrived.
Originally released as a white label 12” in 1989, ‘You’ve Gone’ is the sole release from Bassline, the studio project of Southeast London-raised musician Tony Henry, not to be confused with Tony Henry from Manchester jazz-funk/R&B band 52nd Street. Featuring the singer Lorraine Chambers, it’s one of the true jewels of the UK Street Soul scene. As Lorraine’s heartsick soul vocal glides over sunrise synths, dusty drums, elegant electric piano figures and a reggae indebted bassline, ‘You’ve Gone’ captures the optimism and strength of the era perfectly.
‘You’ve Gone’ was championed by Choice FM UK (now Capital XTRA), Kiss FM, and DJ Trevor Nelson. Tony went from selling white labels out the trunk to booking in Live PAs for Lorraine with London sound systems like Rampage and up north in the street soul loving cities of Manchester and Birmingham. “When Lorraine did PAs up there, she went out on stage like she was Beyoncé.”
The son of a Jamaican father and an English mother, Tony grew up around the London sound system scene. He taught himself bass guitar, keyboards, and production, before playing in the reggae band Chakwanza (Swahili for “the first”). In Chakwanza, Tony rubbed shoulders with Aswad, Barry Boom, Steel Pulse, Maxi Priest, Gregory Issacs, Dennis Brown, Ghettotone and Saxon Sound, before focusing on a career in banking over music. “Music was my first love, but it couldn’t have afforded me the sort of level of - let’s be blunt and pragmatic about it - financial success that would have allowed me to support my family.”
Outside of office hours, Tony continued to work on music at home, sometimes serving as a session bassist with local bands. In the late 80s, a work colleague mentioned her sister Lorraine Chambers was a singer. Tony and Lorraine recorded “You’ve Gone” over two sessions. “Lorraine went into the booth, put her headphones on and got into the song. My daughter turned to me and said, ‘Daddy, she can really sing!’”
Despite the success of ‘You’ve Gone’, they never recorded together again. “The world changed, and for me, it changed as well. My younger kids were born, and work started getting more intense. I got a bit more successful and was living a mad, kind of crazy life.”
Thirty-two years on, ‘You’ve Gone’ finally receives an official reissue comprising the lauded original mix, an alternate version and Tony’s Back to Bass-ics remix. Fittingly, in recent months, Tony and Lorraine have re-connected in the studio writing new material.
Electronic four-piece Big Yawn invites five revered artists to reconstruct their debut album No!, originally released in March 2020 through Research Records.
The remixes convey a unique combination of darker textures and brooding sounds, clearly indebted to their source material.
The release features interpretations from Sleep D, Jay Glass Dubs, Maria Moles, Bullant and Raymond Scottwalker.
Rhythm merchants Sleep D (Butter Sessions) up the tempo and weave their signature expansive production in their fearless take on 'Reflex'.
Prolific producer Jay Glass Dubs (Bokeh Versions) flavours the 'Body Double' refix with looping clattering drums and glitchy murk, creating a compelling arrangement.
Like a drift into a warm gorge, percussionist Maria Moles (Nice Music) inserts gentle sustained synth work into 'Doodle Damage'.
Bullant (Flightless Records) pulls the listener out abruptly with a rework of 'Skinrat', a house-streaked churner.
Raymond Scottwalker (Fallopian Tunes) wraps up the record with another rework of 'Reflex', creating a mind-bending, aggressive industrial rejig.
Big Yawn's remix EP is a dynamic pairing to No!, entrusting an exceptional group of musicians to adhere to the spirit of the record, yet take it in a totally re-imagined direction
Spirit Of House’ is a jackin' 90’s Chicago inspired groove. It’s an uplifting, dance floor ready track from two of House music's finest. Those unmissable vocals from the legendary Gene Farris add a stamp of old authenticity – he’s a bonafide Chicago legend, who’s contributions to the House music scene are undebatable. He’s been pushing musical boundaries for close to three decades, working with world-leading labels and artists such as Relief, Dirtybird, ViVa Music and Defected.
ATFC is a longstanding label favourite and household name in the scene. He has 3 UK top 40 hits under his belt and has remixed tracks for the likes of P Diddy, Missy Elliot, Simply Red, Faithless and Dido. He’s entered Pete Tong’s Essential Mix hall of fame - and the BBC Radio 1 tastemaker himself described ATFC’s productions as ‘verging on genius’. This collaboration is a match made in heaven.
‘Spirit Of House’ is a deeply playable, feel-good House record from two of the most established producers in the scene.
‘R U’ features a catchy piano hook, tough drums and that deep, powerful vocal from Gene Farris himself. It’s a stripped back, gritty house cut and we're proud to be giving it a home on Toolroom.
Whilst sampling can be a sticky subject in dance music, 'Tech House Kinda Thing' is a fine example of how digging deep and being creative can be hugely rewarding. The vocal sample on this record is from another house titan; Harry Romero. This was taken from an event promo video that Harry recorded himself and posted on his Instagram page. Being the creative soul he is, ATFC heard it, sampled it, brought the idea to a Toolroom writing camp last November, and voila, this record was born! The record itself is an energetic club workout, produced with the detail and finesse you'd expect from such a legendary producer such as ATFC. With driving rhythms, off beat quirky stabs and that unique, spoken vocal, this really is a special record!
‘Not Enough’ is an uplifting, funky, feel-good tune. It oozes that ATFC warmth and the vocals from Mia Mendez add some serious sunshine vibes! Her voice is super powerful and within seconds of hitting play on this record you're whisked away to a sun drenched terrace!
Part 2[14,08 €]
A rare treat for Drumcode faithful: A-Sides Vol.10 is set to drop in December, the second edition of the beloved series to come in 2020.
Fuelled by the extra time and space to be creative during lockdown, Drumcode’s collective of artists have stepped up. Across 17 contributions, the producers have gone deeper into their sonic repertoire, crafting powerful, yet reflective works that capture the range of the label’s sound.
Jay Lumen leads the way with a rousing riff-driven weapon, ‘Galactic Rainbow’, while Ramon Tapia brings us the muscular gem ‘Drum Control’, mixing up ruffneck techno with a barrage of synapse-tickling synths in the second half. Both rousing highlights of the compilation.
Victor Ruiz, Drumcode’s most prolific contributor in 2020, dishes up ‘Love Story’, led by a huge vocal lead. Zimmz also returns with ‘Tension’, which deftly combines deep squelchy grooves with a silky synth interlude. Thomas Hoffknecht follows up his debut on Vol.9 with ‘Escape’, keeping listeners on their toes with dynamic, choppy shifts throughout. Veerus joins with another stirring addition ‘I Know’, reinforcing why Beyer rates him so highly.
Elsewhere a string of debutants feature: buzzy newcomer Lilly Palmer gives us ‘Amnesie’, a brilliantly pummelling and eerie cut; Alex Lentini & Stomp Boxx serve up ‘Expanders’ mixing up drone effects, trippy vocals and an unsettling melody line; and Patrik Berg’s ‘Activated’ is full-bodied techno that drops down into funky rhythms.
Long-time DC family member Bart Skils brings his A-game with the thrilling no-nonsense ‘Solid State’ that hits like a steam train. Likewise, Alan Fitzpatrick who brings a momentous slab of techno energy with ‘Rochus’, while Thomas Schumacher, now feeling like a regular on the imprint, crafts another dark techno opus, this time in collaboration with CAITLIN.
There’s even a special appearance by the chief Adam Beyer, who makes a welcome return with the progressive-tinged ‘Changes’, driven by organic tones and spacey atmospherics. The track stands as his first original contribution to A-Sides since 2017.
Rhythm Section welcomes Nicola Cruz to the fold with his debut EP on the imprint - “Subtropique”. Inspired by an Ecuadorian upbringing, percussion is at the heart of how Nicola operates. His rhythmic style finds a natural home on the London label - which presents 5 expansive efforts equally indebted to traditional drumming as they are to contemporary club sounds. Remaining sonically cohesive without feeling the need to settle into a definable style - the tracks are tied together by a lucid psychedelic thread which, despite challenging the expectations and fundamentals of electronic dance music - demand movement at a time where we yearn for it.
With „Time Machine EP“ Next Door launches a new motto vinyl record.
Dark, driving, Acid!
On the first track on “Eloi-side” you will find a completely astounded inhabitant of a far future world, who has no answers to the questions of a time-traveler. The second track takes place during a rapid trip - plunging into two worlds.
On the “Morlock-side” machines are working monotonically with the inhabitants in dark caves below the earth’s surface in a far future. Track two is a serious call for a wild dance in a driving ¾ beat.
Have you ever heard anything like it?
The Computer Controlled Minds deliver four remarkable tracks on vinyl. You must experience this!
Mit der Time Machine EP bringt Next Door eine weitere Mottoplatte an den Start.
Dunkel, treibend, Acid !
Auf der Eloi Seite findet Ihr im ersten Track eine völlig verblüffte Bewohnerin einer fernen Zukunft, die auf die Fragen des Zeitreisenden keinerlei Antworten hat. Der zweite Track spielt sich während der rasanten Reise beim Eintauchen zwischen den Welten ab.
Auf der Morlock Seite hingegen arbeiten im ersten Track die Maschinen monoton, in einer fernen Zukunft, unterhalb der Erdoberfläche in dunkeln Höhlen mit ihren Bewohnern. Track zwei dieser Seite ist ein eindringlicher Aufruf zum wilden Tanz im treibenden ¾ Takt!
Habt Ihr so etwas schon mal gehört?
The Computer Controlled Minds bringen hier vier vollkommen krasse Tracks auf Vinyl, das solltet Ihr euch unbedingt geben!
Henriette Motzfeldt und Catharina Stoltenberg, alias Smerz, kombinieren für ihr Debütalbum „Believer“ Einflüsse ihrer Jugend in Norwegen mit den düsteren elektronischen Soundsphären einer Metropole, ihrer Wahlheimat Kopenhagen. Inspiration ziehen sie dabei aus allem: aus ihren Erfahrungen von Chor- und Tanz-Proben als Jugendliche, Winterurlauben in kleinen Hütten in der unberührten Natur der norwegischen Einöde, Musicals, klassischer Musik, aber auch von R&B-, Trance- und Hip Hop-Musik!
Während “Believer” sich wie ein innerer Dialog einer intimen Freundschaft vor dem Panorama der norwegischen Landschaft anfühlt, befassen sich die Songs mit Problemen, die die beiden Musikerinnen umtreiben: der Kontrast zwischen seinem Selbstbild und wie einen andere sehen, die Schwierigkeiten mit jemanden zu kommunizieren, mit dem man zuvor intim war und dem nie endenden Kampf zwischen Selbstbewusstsein und Selbstzweifel.
A rare treat for Drumcode faithful: A-Sides Vol.10 is set to drop in December, the second edition of the beloved series to come in 2020.
Fuelled by the extra time and space to be creative during lockdown, Drumcode’s collective of artists have stepped up. Across 17 contributions, the producers have gone deeper into their sonic repertoire, crafting powerful, yet reflective works that capture the range of the label’s sound.
Jay Lumen leads the way with a rousing riff-driven weapon, ‘Galactic Rainbow’, while Ramon Tapia brings us the muscular gem ‘Drum Control’, mixing up ruffneck techno with a barrage of synapse-tickling synths in the second half. Both rousing highlights of the compilation.
Victor Ruiz, Drumcode’s most prolific contributor in 2020, dishes up ‘Love Story’, led by a huge vocal lead. Zimmz also returns with ‘Tension’, which deftly combines deep squelchy grooves with a silky synth interlude. Thomas Hoffknecht follows up his debut on Vol.9 with ‘Escape’, keeping listeners on their toes with dynamic, choppy shifts throughout. Veerus joins with another stirring addition ‘I Know’, reinforcing why Beyer rates him so highly.
Elsewhere a string of debutants feature: buzzy newcomer Lilly Palmer gives us ‘Amnesie’, a brilliantly pummelling and eerie cut; Alex Lentini & Stomp Boxx serve up ‘Expanders’ mixing up drone effects, trippy vocals and an unsettling melody line; and Patrik Berg’s ‘Activated’ is full-bodied techno that drops down into funky rhythms.
Long-time DC family member Bart Skils brings his A-game with the thrilling no-nonsense ‘Solid State’ that hits like a steam train. Likewise, Alan Fitzpatrick who brings a momentous slab of techno energy with ‘Rochus’, while Thomas Schumacher, now feeling like a regular on the imprint, crafts another dark techno opus, this time in collaboration with CAITLIN.
There’s even a special appearance by the chief Adam Beyer, who makes a welcome return with the progressive-tinged ‘Changes’, driven by organic tones and spacey atmospherics. The track stands as his first original contribution to A-Sides since 2017.
Informed by a highly influential early 1980s electronic music classic, the title track literally mind-sets the theme of Llewellyn’s latest release, kicking off with a euphoric vibe and drums shimmering with digital artifacts. At times almost dreamy cinematic pads, upfront with energetic Moroder-esque propelling bass lines, are the sound signatures of Llewellyn’s journey through a warm and synthesizer laden EP, reviving the sound aesthetics of both the post-discoid VHS and today’s club era with a contemporary touch. Finishing off with a laid-back facet, this four track EP contains enough warmth and drive to get you safely through the cold months, into a warm and promising future.
Llewellyn is one of Martin Enke’s producer’s monikers, who is closely associated with the Riotvan crew and also known as Lake People. Past releases can be found on labels like Riotvan, Uncanny Valley, Permanent Vacation, Mule Musiq and others.
We stumbled onto Al Muntzie’s under the radar soul beauty ‘Die Happy’ after conducting an interview with Joe Quarterman for a feature on our website.
It got us salivating about the prospect of further productions, which Joe had recorded, but had perhaps been overlooked. ‘Die Happy’ was originally released in 1976 and was the only release on S.B. Moon Records. The record has a crossover vibe as it sits beautifully between modern soul, funk, and proto-disco.
Initial research didn’t shed much light onto the background of the song. The trail was sparse, other than the record appearing on the sales list of rare-soul collectors and record dealers. So we decided to go back to the source and find out about the record directly from Joe himself.
“I met Al Muntzie through my bass guitar player, Elliot Adams. Elliot informed me that Al was looking for a song that was funky and suitable for a group. At that time, 1976 - 79, I had written the words and melody to ‘Die Happy” and Elliot cranked out a mean bass part that gave the song life. He should be credited as co-writer for his outstanding bass part. At this time my band, FreeSoul, had dis-banded and worked as sideman musicians.
Elliot and I made a demo of the song on a cassette and we let Al Muntzie hear it: he liked it. We set a recording date at the Omega Recording Studio in northern Virginia. We used a combination of two bands; FreeSoul and Experience Unlimited (EU). Al sang lead vocal and me and the Embracebles did the background vocals. Al was very cooperative and did not say much during the session. He followed my direction and got the job done.
The session took all day into the late evening hours where we mixed and mastered the tune to perfection. We had a good time creating this work of art.” We are forever thankful to Joe for giving us the opportunity to present this fantastic production by Al, Elliot, and Joe, and to give it the new lease of life, which it rightfully deserves. Produced by the legendary Joe Quarterman
Das Belfaster Duo Bicep veröffentlicht sein heiß ersehntes zweites Album, „Isles“, auf Ninja Tune!
Zwei Jahre in Arbeit, erweitert „Isles“ die kunstvolle Energie des 2017 erschienenen selbstbetitelten Debütalbums von BICEP und vertieft gleichzeitig die Klänge, Erfahrungen und Emotionen, die ihr Leben und ihre Arbeit beeinflusst haben. Sie beschreiben „Isles“ als „eine Momentaufnahme“ ihrer Arbeit in dieser Zeit, wobei die Stücke so konzipiert sind, dass sie sich in ihren verschiedenen Durchläufen von der Aufnahme bis zur Live-Show und darüber hinaus entwickeln.
Der weltweit beliebte Sound von Bicep entstand, als ihr eigener rasanter Aufstieg im Musikbusiness begann. Nach dem Start ihres legendären FeelMyBicep-Blogs im Jahr 2008 entwickelte sich ihre simple Website, die stets neue Italo-, House- und Disco-Juwelen aus der Musikgeschichte präsentierte, zu einem durchschlagenden Erfolg, der regelmäßig über 100.000 Besucher pro Monat verzeichnete. Nachdem der Blog ein Plattenlabel und eine Clubnacht hervorgebracht hatte, wurde das Duo mit begehrten DJ-Sets, die die musikalische Vielfalt ihres Blogs widerspiegelten, auf die internationale Bühne gehoben. Nach den Erfolgen mit Produktionen für Throne of Blood und Aus Music wurden Bicep 2017 bei Ninja Tune unter Vertrag genommen, wo sie im darauffolgenden Jahr ihr umjubeltes, selbstbetiteltes Debütalbum veröffentlichten, das einen Top-20-Einstieg in die britischen Charts erreichte und in der Groove schaffte, was in der langen Geschichte des Magazins noch kein Release bewerkstelligen konnte: sowohl die Kategorie „Album des Jahres“ als auch mit „Glue“ die Kategorie „Track des Jahres“ zu gewinnen. Titel wie „Opal“ - und der bald folgende Four Tet-Remix - sowie die eben erwähnte Lead-Single "Glue" mit dem von Joe Wilson entwickelten Video wurden 2017 zu Meilensteinen der elektronischen Musik, wobei letzteres vom DJ Mag ebenfalls zum „Track of the Year“ gekürt wurde.
In Time: The Best Of R.E.M. 1988-2003 is more than a greatest hits collection, it’s an opportunity to reflect on the astonishing creative and cultural influence of one of the most innovative and enduring bands of modern rock history.
This compilation of eighteen tracks serves to remind us all over again of R.E.M.’s key role in shaping the sound of the last three decades. With “Losing My Religion,” “Man On The Moon,” “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?,” “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite,” “Orange Crush,” “Everybody Hurts” and many more, In Time lives up to its title as an indispensable musical document of our era. The set also features the tracks “Bad Day” and “Animal” which were released for the first time as part of this collection.
Anané Electrifies With New Version of Dancefloor Classic “Get On The Funk Train”
Known worldwide as one of the New York City’s most vibrant, charismatic and talented producer / DJs, Anané is uniquely positioned to bring light to the 1977 Number 1 Disco Hit “Get On The Funk Train,” originally released by the Munich Machine and produced by the renowned Giorgio Moroder
In addition to being a singer Anané is also DJ with residencies in New York, Ibiza and Naples. She knows how to move the dancefloor and how to elevate the mood of the room from first creating the vibe to getting the crowd into a groove; ultimately taking the dancefloor into full fledged party mode. Her strong and distinctive character can be traced to her experiences growing up in Cabo Verde’s capital city of Praia located on the island of Santiago during a time of extreme political strife, and to her many years of working hard to establish herself in the always competitive music industry. It takes a lot to tackle a classic and make it uniquely your own, but that’s exactly what Anané has accomplished with this fresh and vibrant new version of “Get On The Funk Train.”
With her wealth of talent as a performer, Anané is also highly accomplished as a record label owner. Her Nulu and Nulu Electric imprints over many years have been the source of some of the most played and sought after club bombs in the Afro House genre that is currently in vogue with DJs around the world. Her Nulu Movement line of merchandise represents the stylish, cutting edge fashion vibe of her NYC residency at Le Bain in the Standard Hotel, with designs created by Anané herself.
As befitting an artist so well respected and admired in the community, the producer and remixer team behind this project consists of several of the most legendary and successful producers in the industry. The recording was originally produced by Grammy Award winning producer / artist Louie Vega, one of the world’s premier producers who has the rare distinctive of attaining massive success in multiple genres including House, Freestyle, R&B and just recently he has been focusing on revitalizing the great musical genre known as Disco. The production includes live strings arranged by two of the most highly accomplished members of NYC’s storied musical history Patrick Adams & Leroy Burgess, and electric guitar by Carlos Alomar, formerly David Bowie’s music director. Remixes were supplied by Todd Terry, a man who is known as one of the original New York City based producers who help create the House Music genre that we know today, and by the recently formed production team of Michael Gray and Mark Knight, two of England’s most respected and successful producer / DJs. These two stars of the industry have generated a uniquely groove focused remixer style that has had DJ’s worldwide eagerly waiting each new production.
Brooklyn-based queer nightlife luminary Jasmine Infiniti self-released her debut album, BXTCH SLÄP, in March 2020. Dark Entries steps forward to present the album remastered and on double vinyl. Over the thirteen disruptive club cuts of BXTCH SLÄP, Jasmine conjures occult rave incantations with sub-tectonic bass and seductive harmonies. Audaciously championing R&B, vogue, and hip-hop sounds, Jasmine Infiniti’s latest collection of techno-hybrid dance tunes is built for the dancefloors of underground nightlife.
While SiS, her debut EP, was an ode to queer solidarity, community, and sisterhood, BXTCH SLÄP refines the art of personal myth-building. It is an unflinching and uncompromising album, but it also boasts surprising range, moving briskly between ethereal hardcore house (“HOTT”), anxious dark electro (“SPOOKED”), and certifiable techno bangers (“YES, SIR”, “WELLFAIR”). Meanwhile album standout “<3” hovers just above 100 BPM, a defiant statement of euphoric sensuality that’s no less gripping for its dramatic deceleration. Closing number “SHONUFF” clocks in at ten and half minutes, but not a second of this acid-laced adrenaline rush feels wasted. BXTCH SLÄP might be suited for the high-impact dancefloor, but this music takes on a new life in the moments we spend between the parties, alone and full of desire.
BXTCH SLÄP was mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. The sleeve features photography from Guerrilla Davis and hand drawn Infiniti logo designed by Eloise Leigh with a 3-D chrome effect by Sebastian Ortega. Each copy includes a 3-D chrome die-cut sticker. The Queen of Hell is back and her powers are stronger than ever. All hail The Queen!
Who else would have thought before the year 2020, that this new decade starts with a devastating natural incident that pushes the entire world in a health crisis and recession? Well, we sure
didn’t. And still, after 11 months, this damn virus doesn’t seem to go away. But no matter how bad this pandemic is. There is no need to stop being creative!
Many people used their time during the lockdowns as much as possible to make new music. And Jakobin is one of these guys who took his time this spring to work on brand new material, that is slowly
but surely coming out the next months on various labels. One of them is his Locked EP on our imprint - fortunea.
The title track on the A-side is an amazing piece of house music. A great homage on the raw punching Chicago sound and the late 80s/early 90s UK rave era. Heavy Breakbeat-loops blend in
perfect together with the use of 909 kicks, low-frequenced acid lines and a stabbing piano.
Turning over to the B-side there is the track ‚Pad Work’. A deep dub house tune with a nuance of Lo-fi-nism in it. Mysterious voices that are coming forward from the background of this bouncing
beat, a restrained but also smooth bassline and hypnotic string- and synthesizer-passages are the main characters in this tableau. While ‚Dreadbox’ is sealing the deal on this release with an
abstract melancholic sci- fi elektro approach.
Overall a conspicuous release, that lets you forget the chaos that is happening right now in this world.
All we wanna say at the end of this text is stay safe out there! And don’t give up!
Limited to 300 copies! There will be no repress!
Repress!
A MAJOR EXPLORATION OF TOKYO'S CUTTING EDGE 80S SOUND THROUGH THE MUSIC OF CULT JAPANESE LABEL NIPPON COLUMBIA AND ITS BETTER DAYS IMPRINT, SELECTED BY BRITISH RADIO PRESENTER AND DJ NICK LUSCOMBE.
‘Tokyo Dreaming’ is a superb selection picked from the highly collectible Nippon Columbia label and its Better Days sub-label. For the occasion, we’ve teamed up with journalist and Japanese music expert Nick Luscombe who was granted rare access to the much-guarded Nippon Columbia's vaults for a masterful selection encapsulating the fascinating sound of Tokyo in the late 70s and 80s. The selection mixes electro, synth-pop, funk and ambient and features such artists as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Mariah, Shigeo Sekito, Juicy Fruits, Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama and Yumi Murata. The tracklist includes many sought-after rarities and hidden gems which have never been released outside of Japan and the set has been newly remastered by Nippon Columbia. The album has been designed by famed London-based designer Optigram and is annotated by Nick.
Nippon Columbia, one of Japan's oldest music labels is also one of its most collectible thanks to its sub-label Better Days which, in the late 70s, became a hotbed for Tokyo's new generation of pop artists eager to experiment with ambient, electro and funk. Armed with a string of new Japanese-made synthesizers and drum machines that would soon take the world by storm, they made cutting-edge music, which has since become highly sought-after by a new generation of Japanese music lovers. Nick Luscombe, who has long been a leading advocate of Japanese music from this era, has handpicked a selection of some of the sharpest music released on these labels at the time.
According to Nick, “Tokyo Dreaming is a look back to an incredible era of Japanese music, that still sounds and feels like the future. It was a moment when brand-new music tech from Japan helped forge new ideas and experiments that permeated pop, soul and jazz and helped create new forms of music including electro and techno. The perfect meeting point that would help create a new soundtrack for modern living.“
?The selection starts with "The End of Asia" by Ryuichi Sakamoto from his 1978 ground-breaking debut "Thousand Knives Of" (reissued last year by Wewantsounds). The track became a staple of Sakamoto's and YMO's live shows and was even re-recorded by the group for their 1980 album 'X Multiplies'. The track is followed by Mariah's cult Armenian folk flavoured synth pop classic "Shinzo No Tobira" (1983), which first spread outside of Japan when the Scottish DJ duo Optimo started playing the track regularly at their shows.
?Chika Asamoto's "Self Control" (1988) and Jun Fukamachi's "Treasure Hunter" (1985) are perfect songs in the synth-pop canon, while Yumi Murata's rendition of Akiko Yano's "Watashi No Bus" and Hitomi "Penny" Tohyama's "Rainy Driver" both from 1981, move closer towards the slicker, funkier sound of City Pop.
?'Tokyo Dreaming' superbly showcases the breadth of 80s Japanese music and the way electro pop was a playing ground for musicians to experiment with many styles, as showcased by Akira Sakata's dub-enfused "Room" from 1980, Kazumi Watanabe's discoid "Tokyo Joe" (1980) and Juicy Fruits' "kawai" robotic Techno pop song "Jenie Gets Angry".
?The selection flows effortlessly between many shades of synth and ends with two cult classics in the form of Yasuaki Shimizu's "Semi Tori No Hi" and Shigeo Sekito's ambient-jazz masterpiece "The Word II" from his highly sought-after album "Kareinaru Electone (The Word) Vol.2" which, although recorded in 1975, perfectly announces the synth revolution to come. Tokyo Dreaming showcases the groundbreaking sounds of a city turned giant sonic lab which was restlessly inventing the music of the future.
Nick Luscombe is a highly respected and in-demand music influencer who discovers great music from all over the world and shares it internationally through his many radio shows and DJ sets. He has been in charge of music selection for various radio programs since 1999, and from 2010 - 2019, was the DJ for the popular BBC Radio music program "Late Junction”. He has also curated and presented music shows for Monocle and British Airways radio stations. He has worked as both Chief Music Editor at iTunes and Director of Music at London’s Institute of Contemporary Art, and is the founder of MSCTY.
Superlux Records continues its release schedule this December with a debut EP from Taymor Zadeh. The four-track Life Goes On EP includes three originals from the UK-based artist, as well as a special remix from One Records co-founder, Subb-an. Speaking on the production process behind the EP, Taymor describes how “ Life Goes On was made using a tb303, roland mc505, a 909 which I borrowed from a good friend, some vocal samples from old tape recordings and a load of imagination.”
The A Side gets underway with Bubbleworks , and Taymor’s “imagination” is plain to see. It’s a no-nonsense club-ready cut, with thick hats and an up-tempo lead bassline residing next to an array of bubble-sounding pops throughout. That same late-night feel continues into Life Goes On , as eerie vocals flitter between pulses of acid and punchy, whip-like drums. On the B Side, Gekula takes the lead. Fast-paced with clear minimal influences, we’re graced with eight minutes of dancefloor-geared delight as distorted voices reside atop a driving kick-hat backbone, before Subb-an’s remix continues in the same vein, taking us deep into 5 AM territory with glitchy synths and plenty of dark, low-slung percussion.
With an ethos of quality over quantity at his core, Taymor Zadeh has carved out a bespoke sound within the electronic music sphere. In recent times his releases have been welcomed by Stephane Genacia’s Highpath Records as well as Luca C’s See Double imprint, a testament to his keen ear for production. Berlin-based Subb-an is a leading figure in the UK minimal scene. As co-founder of One Records, 2020 has seen the label celebrate ten years of releases with a two-part vinyl sampler, including tracks from the likes of Anna Wall, Matthew Johnson and more besides.
Onrijn Records invites Ian Martin for a 6 track mini-album. He is mostly known for his music on Blackest Ever Black, Pinkman and Bunker. This record releases a rich palette of hybrid electronic music. From new wave, house and electro to neo cocadisco. And is most of all a search for melody, suspense and melancholy. The track “GOD Theme” was the soundtrack of the film GOD by director Edwin Brienen (2016). Ian Martin’s “Heartbeats” is a true emotional rollercoaster!
Milan Records is pleased to release this stunning vinyl edition of the soundtrack to the hit anime series Cowboy Bepop.
Originally aired in 1998, Cowboy Bebop became a critical and commercial success both in Japanese and international markets (most notably in the United States), garnered several major anime and science fiction awards upon its release, and received wide acclaim for its style, characters, story, voice acting, animation, and soundtrack
Seatbelts’s repertoire covers not only jazz but also rock, electronic, funk, blues, heavy metal, country and Jpop
It’s 2020, the year Pop Ambient turns twenty-one years old, a spritely young adult waltzing out of its teenage joys and tears. Pop Ambient has always stood for a certain classicism and elegance, a kind of beatless music that’s diaphanous and hazy, gossamer and glittering. It’s a music that’s no less inviting for its slow pace and becalmed nature, with a different kind of tension bubbling under the surface. For twenty-one years, KOMPAKT co-founder Wolfgang Voigt has curated a series of peerless compilations that repeatedly find refreshing answers to a simple question – What happens when the dancefloor is empty, and everyone’s home to drift away?
As with many other Pop Ambient compilations, Pop Ambient 2021 offers a welcome platform to contributions from both old friends and new faces. It opens with the gorgeous, slo-mo drift of “Of A Vessel”, from new Kompakt signings Blank Gloss. Sending their music out into the world from their home in Sacramento, this duo makes music that’s featherlight and luscious, the muted chime of a guitar over here, the steady hum of a halatial drone over there; everything in its right place, and nothing overdone. The poise is all. Neozaïre (Tobias Sawitzki aka Noorden) and Seventh World (Juho Hietala aka Blamstrain) are our other two new voices, the latter closing (the CD version of) Pop Ambient 2021 with a long, lambent dreamsong, Neozaïre offering us two gaseous, morphing driftworks, “Vor den Toren Europas” and “In Verschwenderischer Fülle” (CD only), etched across with bell-like arpeggios.
Pop Ambient has always felt like a field for play for the KOMPAKT cognoscenti, and 2021 is no different, with Joachim Spieth collaborating with Pepo Galán on the sidereal visions of “Libration”, while Leandro Fresco teams up with Thore Pfeiffer on the lovely “Abejorro”. Pfeiffer also contributes two lovely solo miniatures of abstract longing. Yui Onodera calls in again, long distance, for their fourth Pop Ambient running, with the refracted, glinting lightscapes of “Cromo 5” and “Monochrome”, while there are also star turns from Max Würden, both solo and in Reich & Würden (with Luis Reichard), and Morgen Wurde, who drops by with the ‘ethereal drama’ of “Mittsommer”.
Pop Ambient gets the balance right: visions and soundscapes, long-distance communications and intimate asides, sweetness and light, drama and dreaming, all wrapped up in floral abstractions – a most beautiful distraction.
Wir schreiben das Jahr 2020, das Jahr, in dem Pop Ambient einundzwanzig Jahre alt wird – das entspricht etwa einem lebenshungrigen jungen Erwachsenen, der gerade aus den letzten Teenager-Freuden und Leiden herausgewachsen ist. Pop Ambient steht seit jeher für eine gewisse Klassik und Eleganz, beatfreie Musik, die, transparent und leicht verschwommen, zart und glitzernd leuchtet. Musik, die trotz ihrer Langsamkeit und ihrer sanften Natur unter Spannung steht, weil hier immer etwas unter der scheinbar ruhigen Oberfläche brodelt.
Einundzwanzig Jahre lang hat KOMPAKT-Mitbegründer Wolfgang Voigt diese einzigartige Compilation-Reihe kuratiert, die immer wieder neue Antworten auf eine einfache Frage findet: Wie füllt man die Leere nach dem Club?
Wie viele andere Pop Ambient-Compilations bietet auch Pop Ambient 2021 eine Plattform für die musikalischen Beiträge von alten Freunden und einigen neuen Gesichtern. Es beginnt mit dem wunderbaren Slo-Mo-Drift von "Of A Vessel" von Blank Gloss, einem neuen Kompakt Signing. Das Duo stammt aus Sacramento in Kalifornien und sendet von dort seine überaus leichte und sinnliche Musik in die Welt hinaus – ein zartes Zupfen an einer Gitarresaite hier, das gleichmäßige Dröhnen eines prunkvollen Soundscapes hier; alles ist hier am richtigen Platz und passiert ohne übertriebene Betonung. Gelassenheit ist alles. Neozaïre und Seventh World sind zwei weitere Neuzugänge. Hinter Seventh World steckt der finnische Produzent Juho Hietala aka Blamstrain, der (die CD Version von) Pop Ambient 2021 mit einem epischen, flackernden Traum names “Light The Waves Before Dawn“ beschließt, während Neozaïre, ein Seitenprojekt von Tobias Sawitzki aka Noorden, zwei gasförmige, sich immer wieder morphende und abdriftende Tracks abliefert: "In Verschwenderischer Fülle" (CD only) mit seinen glockenartigen Arpeggios und “Vor Den Toren Europas“.
Pop Ambient fühlte sich immer schon an wie ein Experimentierfeld für eingefleischte KOMPAKT-Künstler, und auch 2021 ist das nicht anders: zum Beispiel Joachim Spieth’s Kooperation mit Pepo Galán ("Libration") oder Leandro Fresco, der mit Thore Pfeiffer das liebevolle "Abejorro" produzierte. Pfeiffer steuert mit “Grape“ und “Center“ zwei weitere Solo-Miniaturen voller abstrakter Sehnsucht bei. Der japanische Klangkünstler Yui Onodera meldet sich mit den gebrochen-glitzernden Lichtlandschaften von "Cromo 5" und "Monochrome" bereits zum vierten Mal auf Pop Ambient zu Wort, während Max Würden sowohl solo, als auch als Teil von Reich & Würden (mit Luis Reichard) ebenso wie Morgen Wurde schon zu den Stars dieser Compilation gehört.
After a long delay due to his previous powerhouse 'Hypnotised' blowing up the worldwide spot, German maestro Purple Disco Machine finally lets loose the next step in his world dance domination. Every superlative under the sun has been used for this man's talents and he does not disappoint with a return to his updated Italo disco stylings on new single 'Exotica'.
Purple Disco Machine remains at the forefront of world dance music, following a series of remixes for A-list icons Diplo, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson, Foals, Calvin Harris, Fatboy Slim, Sir Elton John, whilst more recently delivering his stellar cuts of Duke Dumont’s ‘Ocean Drive’, and Lady Gaga and Adriana Grande’s international hit single ‘Rain On Me’.
He now unveils yet another side of his impressive production prowess with new single ‘Exotica’ featuring the Italian electro funk producer Mind Enterprises on vocals, creating an electric club record exploring and playing homage to '80s German and Italian euro disco records that he grew up with.
Based around a replayed sample of 80’s Italo disco classic ‘Void Vision’ by Cyber People, Purple Disco Machine creates a high energy dance-floor heater with a lively modulated vocal. ‘Exotica’ shares its name with the forthcoming studio album, which the artist confirms will feature his playful interpretation of the music of the decade that birthed the Purple Disco Machine sound; Synth Pop, Italo Disco, Electro Funk, Soul, R&B and Boogie.
Certified as one of the most prolific electronic artists of our generation, the Dresden born producer ranks #2 on Beatport’s all-time Top Artists, with his 2013 breakthrough hit ‘My House’ remaining as one of the platform’s best-sellers through to today. With an undeniable midas touch, Purple Disco Machine landed himself in the record books once again in 2018, whilst amassing a stunning 100 million streams across his original ‘Dished (Male Stripper)’, and remixes of Weiss’ ‘Feel My Needs’, and most notably his remix of the seminal ‘Praise You’ by industry icon Fatboy Slim. With a slew of varied releases including hit singles ‘In My Arms’, ‘Body Funk’ and ‘Devil In Me’, the producer’s status was propelled by his debut LP ‘Soulmatic’, earning him critical acclaim across the globe.
Group Rhoda, the solo project of Mara Barenbaum, returns to Dark Entries with ‘Passing Shades’. An integral member of the Oakland electronic music scene, Barenbaum has been writing, performing, and plunging into oneiric depths as Group Rhoda since 2009. This is the project’s fourth LP, and the third time Barenbaum has collaborated with Dark Entries; previously on the Max & Mara LP ‘Less Ness’ in 2013 and the Group Rhoda LP ‘Wilderless’ in 2017.
Passing Shades is an investigation of the metaphysics of loss and the transitory nature of the material world. But it is not a grim collection; over 8 songs, Group Rhoda diverges through synthesizer-laden symphonics, four-to-the-floor inflections, and cosmic musings. Barenbaum’s striking voice and singular songcraft guide us through this labyrinth. Arpeggiated waltz “Flow” channels wisdom sought through martial arts; “Earthly Ark” sets a Margaret Atwood poem from the God Gardener’s Hymn Book to somber electronics. The vocoded canticle “Nevermore” is dedicated to the memory of a beloved cat. ‘Passing Shades’ is both mystifying and revelatory. Folk forms are echoed only to detour into the alien. Each song functions as both a fragment of a larger puzzle and a koan unto itself.
‘Passing Shades’ was mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. The sleeve was designed by Eloise Leigh, and features a hazy, clouded sky. The back cover uses a photograph by Harry Crofton. A postcard featuring a poem by Barenbaum is included, as well as a digital download.
Developer Archive returns with its Eleventh chapter and as you'd expect, the EP is made up of four groove based techno bangers tailor-made for floor-filling. The moods differ on each track and its mostly in-your-face beats, growing looped riffs, haunting modular electronics, and occasional mind-altering synth lines. Huge TIP
2020 sees Jazz & Milk celebrating its 15th anniversary! Since 2005 the label, founded by Dusty, offers an experimental playground for international artists that share a passion for organic and soulful dance music. Many legendary club nights and over 30 releases later, Jazz & Milk has become a household name amongst the eclectic music imprints. The focus has always been to transcend genres, including a broad spectrum of styles ranging from jazz, soul, brazil, afrobeat to house, broken beat and electronic music.
For this very special occasion, the label presents six exclusive tracks by the likes of Steve Spacek, Àbáse, Sam Irl, Feater, Bongani GiveThanks and Moe Fabrik - the club focused collaborative moniker of Wayne Snow, Ziggy Zeitgeist and StyleBoi 92.
With this compilation project, Jazz & Milk is not only celebrating an illustrious 15 years of operation. The label also wants to take the opportunity to highlight the importance of 'community', at a time when racism, greed, injustice and a deadly pandemic are jeopardizing our ability to harmoniously exist with one another.
Peace, Love & (Comm)Unity!
Leo was born in 1972 and at the age of 15 discovered his passion for electronic music creating his first loops thanks to his Commodore Vic 20 and 64, spreading his own sound in the city when it was impossible to find in Rome any trace of electronic beats.
Soon after he became a true collector of analogue synthesizers with a serious approach in the study of modular synthesis which led him to develop unique skills as we have recognition of them from his early works for ACV records: Attack Random, Riders Of the Future, Noise Generation, Muta, Cannibald and Aeon are still a milestones for nowadays electronic music aficionados.
1989 marked the birth of The Sound of Rome, when Leo met Lory D in a small garage bringing life to a universal and alternative music movement who diffused Techno Music in Rome and all over Italy, pushing these two wizards behind the decks playing along the like of Dave Clarke, Joey Beltram, Robert Armani and UR among others.
In 1995 Leo decided to cut his relationship with ACV records and moved to Rephlex, Aphex Twin’s record label, starting touring with the Rephlex group after the Void album. Ten years later Leo recorded his first single for a new project: Cannibald Records. Back to Life main target is to focus on house and techno classics reissue, and the mission continue with the official reissue of 1991 Leo's Noise Generation, a true special record that snaps an unforgettable highlight in the rave scene. BTL004 will be available with a special insert, black version and very limited white press to delight every serious vinyl collector.
Leo was born in 1972 and at the age of 15 discovered his passion for electronic music creating his first loops thanks to his Commodore Vic 20 and 64, spreading his own sound in the city when it was impossible to find in Rome any trace of electronic beats.
Soon after he became a true collector of analogue synthesizers with a serious approach in the study of modular synthesis which led him to develop unique skills as we have recognition of them from his early works for ACV records: Attack Random, Riders Of the Future, Noise Generation, Muta, Cannibald and Aeon are still a milestones for nowadays electronic music aficionados.
1989 marked the birth of The Sound of Rome, when Leo met Lory D in a small garage bringing life to a universal and alternative music movement who diffused Techno Music in Rome and all over Italy, pushing these two wizards behind the decks playing along the like of Dave Clarke, Joey Beltram, Robert Armani and UR among others.
In 1995 Leo decided to cut his relationship with ACV records and moved to Rephlex, Aphex Twin’s record label, starting touring with the Rephlex group after the Void album.
Ten years later Leo recorded his first single for a new project: Cannibald Records. Back to Life main target is to focus on house and techno classics reissue, and the mission continue with the official reissue of 1991 Leo's Noise Generation, a true special record that snaps an unforgettable highlight in the rave scene. BTL004 will be available with a special insert, black version and very limited white press to delight every serious vinyl collector.
Regarded as one of the greats from Detroit, Rick Wade has crafted an incredible discography of tracks blurring the lines somewhere between deep house and techno with a sound and style brilliantly his own. His outstanding 'Timeless EP' from 2017 returns to Elypsia Recordings with an onslaught of remixes delivered by a diverse and unstoppable roster of modern musical mavericks - each respectfully twisting the original magic of Rick's original productions and creating a fresh take in their own style.
The Way I Am' comes in the shape of Tresilo aka Oliver Way (of Detroit Grand Pubahs), Esteban Adame and Ben Long (of Space DJz) and is an absolute belter of a prime-time stormer. Dominated by gigantic synth melodies, the track weaves around percussive alterations with hi-hats, sharp claps and energetic rides paired perfectly with the catchy musical wiggles and kicks. The familiar vocal sample from the original sneaks into play with perfect placement - offering a reminder of Rick Wade's awesome original.
Rick's previously unreleased track, 'Academy' receives the first of two remixes from Seattle house hero Pezzner. The 'CR2' Remix takes the groove into subterranean territories with a heads down bouncer of a track, fully embracing Pezzner's more house-focused approach. A percolating bassline keeps the cut moving ahead while soft, divine pads offer a classy sonic texture suitable for wide-eyed ravers and urban headphone listeners alike.
Detroit's Vintage Future joins the remix roster with his take on 'Planet Deep,' one of the standout cuts from the original EP. The track is absolutely saturated with Detroit soul. Deep, machine driven textures and gorgeous otherworldly melodies rest alongside a truly infectious groove. The famed keyboardist for Model 500's live gig, Vintage Future knows clearly how to craft an incredible groove with his keys, and the sounds from this impeccable remix are tip top.
The second remix of 'Academy' from Pezzner continues his remix focus in a deeper house mindset, with Pezzner delivering even softer sounds, and more intense pad dynamics. This retouch includes the addition of some gorgeous orchestral stabs and organ textures which gives the remix a soulful touch - made to focus on a slightly more melodic approach than the previous Pezzner rework.
To honor Stephen and his impressive career as musician with Psyche (together with brother Darrin Huss) and as a solo artist, Artificial Dance decided to release his solo work on vinyl for the very first time. The Galaxy LP is a collection of 6 tracks recorded between 1983 - 2005 selected together with Darrin Huss. Belial, Quest 6 and Eternal City will be familiar to fans of Psyche as bonus tracks on the CD version of “Daydream Avenue”. Marooned In Step Time, Galactic and Rattlesnake are discoveries from solo archives that are being made available on a physical release for the first time.
Stephen’s music was featured on the Artificial Dancers compilation earlier this year and after discovering all the great music he has made as a solo artist Artificial Dance contacted Darrin to work on a compilation. Stephen’s music as the foundation of Psyche is known worldwide, but he kept his profile as a solo artist relatively low.
Together with Darrin, Artificial Dance selected 6 tracks that give a complete overview of Stephen as a solo musician. These wide-ranging synth instrumentals were recorded between 1983 and 2005 and you can clearly hear the range of talent through the early Psyche influences to his further experiments in the electronic genre. Let Galaxy be your guide into this unique musical experience created solely by Stephen Huss.
All tracks are remastered by Darrin Huss, artwork by Steele Bonus.
This compilation is a dedication to Stephen Huss and all the great music he has done.
Named "best kept secret of Canadian funk" by the Quebecois newspaper La Presse, The Brooks are a band of accomplished musicians, well-known in the soul/funk scene across the Atlantic. Expert instrumentalists led by Alexandre Lapointe create a dazzling combo with frontman Alan Prater— an incredibly energetic showman who has worked alongside some of the biggest names in the music industry. This passionate and experienced band fan the sacred fire every time they perform! Thanks to a solid realization, their musical message comes across beautifully. The Brooks go beyond mere interpretation and style exercises: they are a powerful groove machine and a driving force in their sector. 50 years of African American music are condensed in the band's aesthetic. In their live shows and in their records, you can hear James Brown's meticulousness, D'Angelo's delightfulness, Fela Kuti's radiance, Herbie Hancock's intergenerational openness, and J. Dilla's innovative spirit. These heroes of music didn't let rules and trends dictate their messages, and neither do The Brooks. Just like these history makers, they built their reputation with sweat and rigor, outside of conventional channels. The Brooks are incredibly hard workers united in a project where pleasure and complete artistic freedom are the only key words. After 8 years of existence, with an EP and two albums, they have already won many awards and nominations (GAMIQ, Independent Music Awards, ADISQ...) and built a solid reputation in the Quebec indie world.
Who are The Brooks? First, there's the icon, Alan Prater! This Florida-born musician can boast that he shared the stage with the Jacksons! Thanks to his many trips and experiences, he became a key member of Montreal jazz. He is the band's biggest asset: if The Brooks were a sports team, Alan Prater would be captain. Then, at the drums: Maxime Bellavance, one half of the Beat Market duo, whose "dancy and retro futurist" groove can be heard in several major and underground projects in Canada. Philippe Look aces guitar and vocals. His experience as a session musician working with famous bands for 20 years allowed him to take part in different projects: rock, downtempo, trip hop, electro… As one of the founding members of The Brooks, he also wrote many of the band's songs. Keyboardist Daniel Thouin is an integral part of the Montreal jazz scene. He is both an accomplished acoustic piano player and synthesizer player, well versed in writing as well as in improvising, in organic sounds as well as in the latest technologies. Thouin possesses a double vision, which allows him to both exalt and lead productions. Composer Sébastien Grenier wows us with his saxophone. Thanks to his theoretical knowledge and his 20 years of experience, acquired through continuous training all around the world, he is a true guiding force. French trumpetist Hichem Khalfa begun learning the instrument at 7 years old. He attended a musical conservatory before going to the Haute École de Musique and finally pursuing his studies at McGill University. He won prizes at Rimouski International Jazz Festival and received the François Marcaurelle prize at Montreal Off Festival. His successful jazz projects allowed him to work with famous musicians like Blitz the Ambassador, Nomadic Massive, Rhonda Ross and Kalmunity. Philippe Beaudin can be considered an apostle of Afro-Latin percussions, which he teaches and practices with great passion. Thanks to his participation in several projects, you can discover his talent both on stage and onscreen. The Brooks' philosophy is based on art in its rawest form, on perfectionism in musical practice. The choices they make and the directions they take are motivated mostly by instinctive feelings. This is how The Brooks recently crossed the path of Underdog Records during a trip in France. It was love at first sight for the two groups who share a passion for soul. Their chemistry allows them to be completely free in their creative process and natural as ever in their conception-creation-communication approach.
Bringing a combination of two conceptual artists Ultrastretch 11 moves away from dance music to present this comtemporary off kilter.
On the A side, Montreal based producer Ohm Hourani, known for minimalistic jazz influenced works on his own imprint ANOMA and beyond, with compositions showcasing infusions of organic sounds combined with modular synthestisers, drum machines and vocalists such as his collaboration with award winning Jazz singer and Vocalist Diminique Fils Aime.
On this release he presents a 14 minute stripped down, intrinsically and subtly arranged combination of elements Initiale by a minimalistic kick drum joined by a synth driven, quirky / hypnotic mind drilling element paired with the finest straight hihats delicately placed on the background as the Constant. The subtle movement of the track is introduced by percussive drumming, vocals and piano keys forming the most beautiful atmospheric melody. The last element of surprise brings shuffling hihats bringing amazing swing to the overall elegantly slick piece.
The B side brings the highly sought-after drummer Samuel Rohrer. Ranging from ECM sideman to member of KAVE, a quartet alongside techno pioneer Max Loderbauer, Stian Westerhus and Tobias Freund as well as collaborative works with Ricardo Villalobos and Laurie Anderson, he is known for his unique sound aesthetics on advanced musical cross-pollination, developments of improvisation in acoustic jazz and wider horizons of live electronics.
Rohrer also brings a hypnotic reinterpretation but in a very different manner / mood than the A side. Initiated by strings combined with Rohrer’s tight drumming patterns at the forefront and bass line underneath as the constant, combination by which forms a tense yet peaceful core pattern to this track. To compliment this, synths create movement by adding cosmic and quirky sounds forming an atmospheric soundscape with the whispering vocal “shake it” on top. Overall, the paradoxical relationship between tight (rhythm) and lose (soundscape) is presented in perfect harmony with each other.
Following the release of a number of EPs on Swiss, German, British and Australian labels, Trinidad will release their debut album ‘Palm Trees & Thirty Degrees’ on October 16th 2020.
The album draws on the Swiss-based trio’s experience of sustaining the energy of festival and club shows, while also providing the perfect background to a relaxed summer evening with friends.
The project provides an opportunity for the trio to indulge in a range of musical influences, blending together a mix of synthesizers with the haunting tones of a church organ, the warmth of a string quartet and regality of an opera singer. The album grew organically, with inspiration taking hold beyond the confines of the studio: the bonus track recorded with a Jamaican reggae singer in the back of a VW bus in Greece. Soundscapes from Colombia to India were captured and embedded.
With "Palm Trees & Thirty Degrees" Trinidad guide listeners on a journey to a tropical paradise; to a wonderful, perhaps peculiar place of confidence, created and shaped by the mental theatre of the moment.
The soft kiss of a warm breeze hits you as you adjust to your new surroundings ("Desembarco"); leaving the static chatter of your thoughts behind in the "Lobby" (feat. MonoAbe) of your mind; you allow yourself to imagine what the evening holds in store (“Kopfkino”); But first, there’s a drink in the “Sunset Bar”, a refreshing cocktail "Luciola" that serves as a gateway for you to plunge into the night. A night of unlimited possibilities, the first instances a blur ("Sagrada"), as time starts to lose its meaning ("Tempus Fugit"); everything spins, everything is possible, everything is ("Elevate"). Suddenly, hours (or is it days?) have passed – it doesn’t matter; what matters is the first sign of dawn, the unmistakable warmth dissolving the darkness (“Alma”); the beat slows, and you feel the "Libération" of the new day; looking around you see the moments you’ve shared etched on the faces of your friends ("Fleeting" feat. Julia Portmann); It is not goodbye, it is only "Au Revoir".
The album was produced by Trinidad in their own studios in Bern and Zurich. It features collaborations with a number of artists: Cornelia Aeschbacher Firmin (Hang), MonoAbe (Mallets & Percussion), Jack Williams (text of "Fleeting"), Julia Portmann (vocals), Zenyth (vocals) and Michael Meier (electric bass). The songs were mixed by Marcel Schneider, mastered by Benjamin Fay. Raïssa Lara Lütolf was responsible for the graphic design.
Neotnas feat. Philosopher is a new collab of electronic music producers from Russia (Chelyabinsk and Moscow accordingly). As the environment of the cities mentioned as well as social milieu vary significantly a profound personal reflection of the artists results in a very specific outlook sculpted by both history and presence of Russia – a surprisingly nice stuff inspired mainly by jazz, ambient and trip-hop. Four new tracks give a deep insight into the way the artists feel the groove and associate it within a dancefloor culture regarding its roots and worldwide influence. Two of them (Jazz Engine and You're Mine) – are 124 BPM house party cuts place all the emphasis on intensively syncopated TR-808 hi-hats layered with properly selected percussive jazz elements and flavored with brass licks and reverbed chords, catchy vox and driving by a grit kick and pumping low bass patterns. Another one (Spirits Of A Dawn) cautiously takes a listener to a personal journey to the edge of an imaginary big city, leaving its downtown, and moving out of the night shade slowly, coming near a sleepy morning glimmering focusing on a light sparks of a new day. The last but not the least track (Traffic Love) is a dense powerful banger galvanizes trip-hop beats and house chords with a lush and mystic 90`s female vocal all together aimed to stir up a crowd on a dancefloor and make them wet and happy. This release – fresh and diverse – will definitely hits it off with a large audience and joins a marketplace properly.
2025 Repress
On his fourth album proper, Now Here No Where, Danish producer Kölsch (aka Rune Reilly Kölsch) is charting new terrain. Fans of his ‘years trilogy’ – 1977, 1983 and 1989, released on Kompakt over the past decade – were privy to a kind of sonic diary, an autobiography, tracking the artist’s early years through three albums of superior, meticulously rendered techno. Calling in collaborators where needed – most notably, the strings of Gregor Schwellenbach – there was still something deeply personal going down, not quite hermetic, but internally focused; the albums proved not only Kölsch’s mastery of his chosen form, but also his capacity to make techno personal, individual, and to trace histories of the self through music. But on Now Here No Where, Kölsch finds his feet firmly planted in the present. Reflecting on his new album, he notes, “It is fascinating to write about memories and feelings that have had years to manifest and develop, but how would I approach current emotions?” It’s a good question: our past coheres through the narratives we build around memories, but the moment we’re in, the newness of the now-ness, is harder to navigate; this story is as yet untold. For Kölsch, this makes Nowhere Now Here “an album about life in the year 2020. A time defined by confusion, misinformation and environmental challenges. It is an emotional interpretation of personal and mental challenges, observations and personal growth.” Kölsch does this with music that effortlessly balances emotional heft with the dancefloor’s brimming desires. It’s a space that Kölsch has navigated for a while now – one of techno’s breakthrough acts, an in-demand DJ across the globe and a prolific and restlessly creative producer, he’s also Kompakt’s biggest-selling act – but Now Here No Where ratchets up the lushness, making for a delirious drift across twelve tracks that are at once perfectly poised and deeply trippy. “Great Escape” is an elegant swoon, an opener that pivots on a sigh and a prayer; then “Shoulder Of Giants” bustles into view, subliminal clatter and an aching violin line giving way to a riff that glows with fluorescence and iridescence. “Remind You” combines an odd ECM jazziness with notes from a twenty-first century torch song; “Sleeper Must Awaken” mines huge buzzing synths and lets them float, in and out of sync, with reduced, ticking beats; “Traumfabrik” (dream factory – there’s a giveaway) is oddly lush, the tones malleable and plastic, morphing across a glitching undertow. There are sad, emotional washes of strings throughout the penultimate “While Waiting For Something To Care About”, while “Romtech User Manual”’s patterns twist and shape in the light. Throughout, Kölsch never keeps his eye off the dancefloor, and you can tell this is his still his home. “The amount of energy and joy I experience every time I perform, has a profound effect on me. It has inspired me so much of late and has become an integral part of my musicality.” “The way we join in expressing our hope for the future every weekend has given me so much,” Kölsch concludes. The club as a temporary autonomous zone, as a space both of freedom and of politics; somehow, that’s all here, Now Here No Where. “Most of all, it is an album about hope.”
Auf seinem vierten Album “Now Here No Where” betritt der dänische Produzent Kölsch (alias Rune Reilly Kölsch) neues Terrain. Seine Trilogie mit den Jahreszahlen 1977, 1983 und 1989, die in den letzten zehn Jahren bei Kompakt erschienen war, hatte seine Fans durch eine Art akustisches Tagebuch, eine Autobiografie geführt, die die frühen Jahre des Künstlers über die Länge von drei großartig produzierten Techno-Alben nachgezeichnet hatte. Wo es nötig war, wurden Kollaborateure hinzugezogen - allen voran für die Streicher, arrangiert von Gregor Schwellenbach -, dennoch zeichnete die Musik immer auch etwas zutiefst Persönliches aus, etwas nicht Hermetisches, auf eine bestimmte Art immer auch nach Innen fokussiert. Die Alben bewiesen nicht nur, wie sehr Kölsch die von ihm gewählte äußere Form beherrscht, sondern auch seine Fähigkeit, Techno zu etwas Persönlichem und Individuellem zu machen und der eigene Geschichte durch Musik näher zu kommen.
Auf “Now Here No Where” steht Kölsch nun mit beiden Beinen fest auf dem Boden der Gegenwart. Mit Blick auf sein neues Album stellt er fest: "Es ist faszinierend, über Erinnerungen und Gefühle zu schreiben, die Zeit hatten, sich zu manifestieren und zu entwickeln, aber wie nähere ich mich meinen aktuellen Emotionen?”. Eine gute Frage: Unsere Vergangenheit wird im Innersten zusammengehalten durch Geschichten, die aus Erinnerungen entstehen, aber der Moment, in dem wir uns befinden, die Neuheit des Neuen, ist schwieriger zu beschreiben; die Geschichte ist noch nicht erzählt. Für Kölsch ist “No Here Now Where” daher "ein Album über das Leben im Jahr 2020. Eine Zeit, die von Verwirrung, Desinformation und ökologischen Herausforderungen geprägt ist. Es geht dabei um die emotionale Interpretation von persönlichen und mentalen Herausforderungen, von Beobachtungen und der eigenen, individuellen Weiterentwicklung".
Kölsch tut dies mit Musik, die mühelos kleine Gefühlsausbrüche mit den großen Sehnsüchten der Tanzfläche in Einklang bringt. Es ist dieser Zwischenraum, in dem sich Kölsch schon seit einiger Zeit bewegt, als weltweit gefragter und gefeierter Live Act, DJ und so unermüdlicher wie kreativer Produzent (nicht umsonst ist Kölsch der “biggest-selling-artist” bei Kompakt), doch “Now Here No Where” treibt all das noch weiter auf die Spitze: ein enormer Sog entsteht, der uns über zwölf Tracks hinweg gefangen hält wie ein perfekt ausbalancierter Trip. Der Opener "Great Escape" ist pure Eleganz, ein Track, der irgendwo zwischen Seufzer und Gebet hin und her schwankt; dann drängt "Shoulder Of Giants" ins Blickfeld, ein unterschwelliges Geklapper, eine wehende Geige, schließlich ein schillernder Riff, der in der Dunkelheit zu leuchten und zu glühen scheint.
"Remind You" kombiniert seltsamen ECM-Jazz mit einem sentimentalen Liebeslied des 21. Jahrhunderts; "Sleeper Must Awaken" schürft im Bergwerk riesiger Synthesizer, mal im Takt, mal aus dem Takt ticken die minimalen Beats; "Traumfabrik" ist ungewöhnlich “lush”, die einzelnen Töne, geschmeidig und modelliert, zerfließen in einem glitzernden Abgrund. Das vorletzte Stück "While Waiting For Something To Care About" wird von traurigen, emotionalen Strings untermalt, während sich die Strukturen von "Romtech User Manual" im Licht drehen und immer wieder neu formieren. Die ganze Zeit über behält Kölsch die Tanzfläche im Auge, und man merkt ihm an, dass sie immer noch sein Zuhause ist: "Die Menge an Energie und Freude, die ich bei jedem Auftritt erlebe, hat eine tiefe Wirkung auf mich. Sie hat mich gerade in letzter Zeit stark inspiriert und ist zu einem integralen Bestandteil meiner Musik geworden.”
"Die Art und Weise, wie wir an jedem Wochenende gemeinsam unsere Hoffnung auf eine bessere Zukunft zum Ausdruck bringen, hat mir viel gegeben", so Kölsch abschließend. Die Vision des Clubs als eine temporäre autonome Zone, als ein Raum von großer Freiheit aber auch von politischen Ideen, das ist irgendwie alles hier drin, Now Here No Where. "Es ist vor allem ein Album über Hoffnung."
Caiphus Semenya, AKA Mr Letta Mbulu, is a South African legend and Streams Today… Rivers Tomorrow, his second solo LP, is perfect. A ten out-of ten album if ever we heard one. It’s also incredibly rare, especially in good condition, so Be With is delighted to present this reissue.
Now a revered composer, musician, and arranger, Caiphus left apartheid South Africa in the 60s for self-imposed exile in Southern California together with his wife, Letta Mbulu. Settling in Los Angeles he started working with the likes of Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba and other exiled and semi-exiled South african artists, as well as, of course, his wife Letta.
Caiphus also found himself working with and composing for a broad range of jazz and pop artists, including Lou Rawls, Nina Simone and Cannonball Adderley. His facility with both jazz and African forms served him well. His LA stay also the beginning of an ongoing collaboration with Quincy Jones, the fruits of which can be tasted in Caiphus’s African compositions for the scores to Roots and Spielberg’s adaptation of The Color Purple.
Originally released in 1984, Streams Today… Rivers Tomorrow is not just a musical masterpiece, it is also the soundtrack to the life of many South Africans - both then and now. Fusing the US-heavy sounds of boogie, disco and funk with Afrobeat and traditional African elements, it’s truly a spectacular listen. Jabu Nkosi handles keyboards on the album, with synths by Caiphus and Craig Harris. Sipho Gumede is on bass and Condry Ziqubu is on guitars.
The Afro-Cuban grooves of “Mamase” open the record. Continuing where Listen To The Wind left off, this is another horn-heavy call-and-response ode to a positive life. Life as an invitation to party, to take part, to “get involved”. But only if you’re willing to let in the transcendent power of music. “There’s gonna be a Mardi Gras, there’s gonna be a carnival; there’s gonna be a jamboree, there’s gonna be a bacchanal”. Who can resist that? Vibrations everywhere.
It’s followed by the joy of “Aida”. Gleeful, dayglow keys and synths *just* on the right side of mid-80s sleaze are accompanied by a killer bassline, slick, skipping drums and proud horns. Infectious funk.
The tempo is taken down a few notches for the powerful “Nomalanga” and the lamentations of a heartbroken man who must leave his wife Nomalanga and their children to join the fight against apartheid. It’s an emotional song, no question, but it doesn’t bring you down. The uplifting music and optimistic vocal delivery from Caiphus and his backing singers in the second half offer hope.
Breezy drums and contemplative keys act as a backdrop for the stunning backing vocal harmonies in the intro of “Moshanyana”. This gives way to stuttering beats, a bassline to die for and Caiphus giving it his all, over guitars, marimba and synth strings. Another slo-mo winner.
Side two opens with “Dial Your Number”, an uptempo English-language boogie-funk workout, complete with mid-song cutaway to a random telephone call. Whether or not this propels the song into “key track” status, we’ll let you decide.
What’s not up for debate is the brilliance of “Matswale”. This was a hit in South Africa in the mid-80s and you can still hear why. It might just be our favourite Caiphus hit. Wow. This is some damn fine breezy, beautiful, emotional pop. The restrained playing, the guitar licks and the gentle keys are out of this world. The beats? Thundering, direct and slick. The singing? It’ll give you goosebumps. As for the sentiment? This is Caiphus singing to his in-laws about their daughter’s adultery, begging them to intervene and help him save his marriage. Not your typical pop single story-telling!
The ferocious “Ndi-Kulindile” closes the set with a nod to the coming sound of the States. The hard-edged, electro-influenced drum patterns and bouncing, elastic bassline are something of a departure from the album’s predominant sound, yet one wonderful constant, Caiphus’s exceptional delivery and his sparring with his backing vocalists, is satisfyingly present and warmly deployed.
With Simon Francis handling the mastering of this Be With edition, you know it sounds as fantastic as ever. The stunning sleeve has been restored, with its painting of a dream-like cosmic vista, as a lone figure takes in a scene that’s part distant planet, part urban sprawl. One listen and you’ll be transported.
Caiphus Semenya, AKA Mr Letta Mbulu, is a South African legend and Streams Today… Rivers Tomorrow, his second solo LP, is perfect. A ten out-of ten album if ever we heard one. It’s also incredibly rare, especially in good condition, so Be With is delighted to present this reissue.
Originally released in 1984, Streams Today… Rivers Tomorrow is not just a musical masterpiece, it is also the soundtrack to the life of many South Africans - both then and now. Fusing the US-heavy sounds of boogie, disco and funk with Afrobeat and traditional African elements, it’s truly a spectacular listen. Jabu Nkosi handles keyboards on the album, with synths by Caiphus and Craig Harris. Sipho Gumede is on bass and Condry Ziqubu is on guitars.
One listen and you’ll be transported.
the debut release of french artist “too smooth christ” on mule musiq. his release on eudemonia was our top fav 12inch last year. it’s a great mixture of chicago house,african,ambient and fusion. this new release have also variety of all kind of dance music. balearic fusion deep house, psychedelic lo-fi techno,detroitish electro break beats, italo disco deep house…. all of them are first class.
Rabo & Snob explore the forgotten jams from the outer limits of their city Tel Aviv's music scene in the 1980's on this super fine EP.
While the sounds of new wave and synth wave mainly dominated in the clubs of the city at that time, some artists also experimented with Italo music.
On this EP Rabo & Snob pay tribute to those early pioneers of a new and different Disco-inspired electronic sound, and sprinkle some of their own magic dust upon it to make it both interesting and fresh.
Enjoy the trip.
Berlin-based, Dutch-born Steffi possesses near-boundless prowess. As a DJ, she’s proved her effortless mastery of disco, house, electro, and techno; as helm of labels Klakson and Dolly, she’s long maintained her status as tastemaker; as a producer, she has graced us with three solo LPs and numerous 12”s. Dark Entries is now honored to unveil the debut of her project Crushed Soul, a moniker she had used only once in 2013 for an Ostgut Ton compilation track. The mutual esteem of Steffi and DE has been previously fruitful, with Steffi providing a remix for Cute Heels’ 2016 EP on DE, but this is their first full-length collaboration.
The Family of Waves EP represents both familiar and novel pastures for Steffi. While her love of electro and classic Detroit techno have been oft-evident, here we witness the darker shades of new wave and industrial creep to the forefront. This turn for the twisted feels not just natural, but predestined, an inevitable succumbing to morbid forces. But Steffi also views Family as “a playful association...a mix of my past and new modern waves". There is a kernel of whimsy, even joy, lurking within the record’s temporal jumblings. The A-side opens with “Gravitational Field”, which juxtaposes its gnarled bassline with unearthly percussives and a recurrent resonant gong. The wild sonic palette speaks Steffi’s singular voice. “Scalar Property” continues the paranoid propulsion with an unhealthy dose of what can only be described as Metroid-funk, its staccato bass jabs interlaced with ghastly vocal pads. The B-side contains a diptych of slower tracks that juggle reference points both retro and futurist. In “Family of Waves”, a churning EBM-esque bassline battles acerbic yelps. On this track, the collision of past and present is most pronounced, as if A Split Second were covering Mike Parker. “Diffusion of Heat” closes the EP with what feels like a perfect synthesis of Steffi’s musical passions: funky, warbling chord stabs; intricate rhythmic diversions; the ecstasy of repetition. Here, disco, new wave, and techno marry harmoniously, if only to inform us of the disharmony of our present.
All songs have been mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. The sleeve and accompanying postcard were designed by Eloise Leigh using video art stills by Goldenliustra.
Hidden in a world of anonymity we are craving for intimacy.
AI. The second output in the MAT editions series on CLIKNO is a double 12" separated into "Anonymity" and "Intimacy". The digital world and social media in particular change our perception and behavior; our values and morals undergo a transformation and
shift. How much are we still anonymous? How much are we still intimate (with us/with others)? What does anonymity and intimacy mean to us today?
MUSIC. Dr.Nojoke shows on AI his deeper, darker and trippier side.
A. Petar Plet Plete is a Bulgarian tongue twister sung by anonymous voices, which hypnotize through endless repetitions over a straight Maurizio-esque groove with odd melodic percussion. Nivin grooves elegantly with typical Dr.Nojoke clicks and sophisticated loops of a mysterious female voice reminding slightly to Kraftwerk's Man-machine era.
I. EOW and Nuknot are both intimate orgies of thick textures of reverberations and reflections as if space is folding in itself and time is on hold. EOW seduces with a heavy kick-drum groove and a triplet bassline underneath crawling through unconscious memories. Woe! Nuknot is carried by transcending atmospheres, a dubby low end bassline and a repetitious glassy sound, that can drive a crowd into madness - inspired by Moritz von Oswald and Deadbeat. Nuknot ends with an ambient lock groove.
ART. CLIKNO curates artworks from living artists. On MAT ed.02 CLIKNO is proud to present digital artist Lucas Gutierrez and his work "Your Mesh.sgl", originally part of the exhibition - Knowledge Of - at Aperto Raum Berlin, 2017. An exhibition and dialogue exploring the term "knowledge" and the manner in which self-studies are structured within contemporary artistic approach.
TEXT. MAT02 comes with writings to anonymity and intimacy from the Danish philosopher, actress and choreographer Marianne Kjaer Klausen.
The album celebrates also the 15th CLIKNOversary of Dr.Nojoke.
Driving anywhere in Texas can cost you half a day, easy. For example, it'll take you over four hours just to get from R&B singer Leon Bridges' hometown of Fort Worth down to Houston, where the psychedelic wanderers in Khruangbin hail from. The state is vast, crisscrossed with rugged expanses of road flanked by limestone cliffs and granite mountains, forests of pine and mesquite, miles of desert or acres of sprawling grassland, all depending on what part you're in. And it's all baking under the Texas Sun that lends its name to Bridges and Khruangbin's new collaborative EP. "Big sky country, that's what they call Texas," Khruangbin bassist Laura Lee says. "The horizon line goes all the way from one side to another without interruption. There's something really comforting about that." On Texas Sun, these two members of the state's musical vanguard meet up somewhere in the middle of that scene, in the mythical nexus of Texas' past, present, and future-a dreamy badlands where genres blur as seamlessly as the terrain. It calls equally to the cowboys boot-scooting at Billy Bob's in Fort Worth, the chopped-and-screwed hip-hop fans rattling slabs on the southside of Houston, the art-school kids dropping acid in Austin, the cross-cultural progeny who grew up on listening to both mariachi and post-hardcore out on the Mexican borders of El Paso. All of these things, overlapping in a multicolored melange, purple hues as vivid and unpredictable as one of the state's rightfully celebrated sunsets. A journey through homesick reminiscences, backseat romances, and late-night contemplations, the kind of record made for listening with the windows down and the road humming softly beneath you. Like the highways that inspired it, Texas Sun is guaranteed to get you where you're going-especially if you're in no particular hurry to get there.
Melbourne based producer, DJ and co-founder of Sumac Records, Jon Watts delivers his Butter Sessions debut, Music for 3 CDJs. With over 10 years experimenting as an artist, Jon has an established history with the Australian underground scene. Music for 3 CDJs, showcases two contrasting sides, revealing his ability to seamlessly navigate manifold sounds.
The A-side presents three distinct tracks, thread together with restless percussion and a propulsive force. The introduction to the EP, Prohaasation, is a medley of techno and electro fabrics which progressively build before abruptly halting -- generating suspense for the track to follow. The feverish William gasps and screeches in tones that peak and fall, accompanied by audio maintained throughout; reminiscent of a malfunctioning fax machine. Now It's Done is a choppy and disjointed piece yet coherent in its structure that makes for a rewarding conclusion to the release's first chapter.
Subtlety and minimalism prevail for side B, as Jon gifts us with loops that swirl and churn. AMB 4 marks the first deviation from the narrative of Side A; sounding like hypnotic swelling from the bottom of a deep well. AMB 5 follows suit, divulging more of the picture. Carved out of a sound bed of field recordings, the nine and a half minute piece enchants with its repetitive arc, a spaciousness mirrored in the EP's farewell. The last track Piano 1, is an intricate study of a singular piano chord, examining the layers of the chord's sustain that are disclosed. A testament to Jon's unadorned restraint and confirmation of the old adage that less is really more.
Following his excellent ‘Rhy’ EP last October, Tim Engelhardt crafts a spellbinding return to Watergate Records.
A prodigal talent at just 22-year-old, Cologne’s Engelhardt stands at the vanguard of Germany’s new breed of electronic music talent. Prolific and passionate in equal measures, the artist has kept busy during lockdown sharing a series of tracks and edits he’s made on Bandcamp titled ‘The Notebook’. His refined production approach gets better with each release, as exemplified by his latest offering, ‘Rooted’.
The title track introduces itself with a punchy kick drum pattern, before a brew of organic percussion and a multi-layered key sequence give the track a memorable bite. ‘Brought to Bare’ combines golden soundscapes, rolling beats and bubbling drum lines. ‘Future Matter’ illustrates his finely developed sound design skills, as delicate strings rub shoulders with a building melody line and a sturdy low groove that hits with chugging impact after the break.
Finland’s Luke Lund is one of the most inspiring modern dub aesthetes. Using odd number time signatures, warped bottom end, and proper experimental murk, HOPIUM creates fiendishly innovative electronic groove and atmosphere. Existing in a far away land tucked north of techno, dub, and noise where all blend and connect, HOPIUM is a wise encoding of fear, frustration, anxiety, and false hope. Luke Lund’s sound is unquestionable sincerity of exploration, equally inspired by Finnish electronic masters such as Mika Vainio and Ilpo Väisäinen, as well the legends Justin K Broadrick and Mick Harris – as such, absolutely at home on our label. Releasing on labels such as Youth, Co-Depedent, Totes Format, as well his own encyclopedic Terranean Recordings, Luke’s catalog of work continues to expand as does his global profile – assisted by touring Europe and playing at venues from Berlin to London to Helsinki. All tracks produced and recorded at Solace, April 2018 – June 2019. Mastered by Daniele Antezza at Dadub Mastering Studio. Design by Luke Lund. Executive producer Kurt Gluck.
Italian Duo Souldynamic have been turning the heat up considerably over the last couple of years. Releasing a steady stream of original track, remixes and their well loved disco reworks they have popped up on some of the most respected labels out there from King Street and Tribe to BBE. Consequently their remixes have adorned the releases of some of the most legendary performers from across the electronic scene including Louie Vega and Dennis Ferrer.
Their latest release the ‘West Side of Afrika’ EP see’s them land on the irrepressible Samosa Records. They are having a glorious couple of years with one sell out chart topping release after another so it’s a well made match.
Comprising four tracks of afro centric house music it’s a wonderfully warm and inviting release if you love your percussive African disco.
Lead track Guinée fuses easy going percussion with an effervescent bassline and a wonderfully expressive vocal. It’s a track which is easy to get lost in, one for those communal loved up dancefloor moments.
Faranah is a more laid back affair again leading off with layers of percussion its swirling dual vocals and brass stabs give it tons of feel-good zest
Over on the flip Bamako is the deepest cut on the release. It’s pounding bassline cuts through the speakers, creating immeasurable straight to the dancefloor energy. Wonderfully succinct playing and a ridiculously hooky vocal top matters off perfectly..
Final track Beyla is the perfect way to see the release out. Energetic brass stabs power the track. Couple those with some brilliant looped up percussion and it’s a track which will fit a variety of situations from the more laid back to the peak time. Indeed the percussive break down midway through is worth buying two copies for.
Another powerful release from the Samosa stable!
André Hommen präsentiert sein erstes Album 'More Than This' auf seinem kompromisslosen Label These Eyes. Das neun Tracks umfassende Album, das im Juli dieses Jahres veröffentlicht wird, ist eine melodische Reise, welche die vielfältigen Facetten seines Klangkosmos aufzeigt.
These Eyes wurde 2017 in Köln mit dem klaren Ziel gegründet, elektronische Underground-Musik begleitet von einer Vision für einzigartiges Design zu veröffentlichen. Mit einem Backkatalog ausgewählter EPs von Künstlern wie Marc Romboy, Jonathan Kaspar und Clavis ist 'More Than This' das erste Album des Labels und zugleich ein Debüt des Labelinhabers selbst.
"Eins" beginnt mit glühendem Ambient, Glockenschläge und funkelnde Tasten werden hinzugefügt, um einen üppigen Groove zu erzeugen. Wie ein verschwommener Traum eines unbekannten Paradieses, warme, gefühlvolle Akkorde und Gesang - der Klang klingt wie Wellen, die auf "Pantone" langsam an das Ufer gespült werden. Bei 'Mirror' wird verzerrter weiblicher Gesang zum Mittelpunkt der Melodie, in einem treibenden Techno-Track, der für das Warehouse gemacht wurde. Die funky Bassline von "Current Issue" bewegt sich, ein tieferer Vibe wird enthüllt, während die Harmonie Spannung und Charme aufbaut.
Unheimliche Perkussion verbindet sich mit teuflischem Klavier auf dem eindringlichen 'Arythm'. Unscharfe, kratzende Elektronik und die Energie der 808 lassen dich während 'Waste Your Youth' in einem schwindelerregenden Zustand zurück. „Emphase" ist ein spannungsgeladener nächtlicher Ritt durch den Wald. „Cohesive" beginnt mit nichts anderem als einem komplizierten Drumpattern und ist André in seiner hypnotischen Bestform, der wartet, bis man vollständig in seinen Bann gezogen ist, bevor er eine hypnotisierende Schleife hinzufügt. Der Titeltrack 'More Than This' besticht durch Synths, die in dieser schwebenden Downtempo-Nummer flimmern und fliessen.
In these turbulent times we have managed to release six pieces of wax to date.This is something to be proud of, and of course we are.
For this sixth slice of plastic we have Kalter Ende on board and it’s a real pleasure. From his bunker hidden somewhere in the middle of the peninsula, he runs his label Concerns Music and his mastering studio Reborn.
On the production side he has lately gone into modular, and you can clearly feel the machines in his productions and in his amazing live act.
For this release he has cooked up five cuts of modern and complex techno, carefully crafted, nothing easy or predictable. Mujo, the opening track, is a clear example.
Jōshahissui follows slow paced grooves, crispy analogue percussion, linear hypnotic sequences and a wise and dynamic arrangement. You can feel the circuits singing in this one.
Sengoku introduces distortion and harshness, a diffused kick drum and processed synth lines running together from the beginning until flanged sequences come on top, a weird marriage of overdrive and deepness.
Closing the release, Senran explores the profound side of techno, clear synthetic drums, liquid synths, elastic bleeps, again on a complex and wise arrangement.
As digital bonus we include the track Ran, again a precise electronic workout made of continuous synth lines and sharp rhythms.
Five timeless pieces of danceable electronic music, away from trends, far from the easiness, done by professionals for professionals. Touchable, collectable and physical as every piece of vinyl is.
Spanish producer Pedro Vian is dreaming of the sea on “Ibillorca”, his third studio album.
Vian, whose Modern Obscure Music label is at the heart of the Barcelona electronic scene, moved to Amsterdam in 2018. While the Dutch capital has embraced this inventive producer and DJ, Vian says the new album is inspired by a feelings of absence and longing for his Mediterranean home. “On this album I explore my feelings of missing the light,” he says. “Ibillorca is a journey to a utopian island, a journey to a new state of mind.”
You can hear this displaced utopia on songs like “Can Mortera”, a dreamy reflection on house music, recorded in Ibiza in summer 2019, that brings to mind Larry Heard at his most meditative; or “Medusa” (featuring artist Rosalie Wammes), which sounds like Tangerine Dream drifting over the sea.
The Quietus called Pedro Vian’s debut album “Beautiful Things You Left Us For Memories” “the soundtrack to walking around the city at night”, while his eponymous second album was both deeply personal and more suited for the dance floor. “Ibillorca” is his Mediterranean album. “I love the Mediterranean sea,” Vian explains. “I come from there and I miss the light, the sun and the smell of the sea, so I dedicated this album to this feeling.” Fittingly, “Ibillorca”’s enigmatic cover art, painted by Spanish artist Blanca Miró, depicts the Mediterranean islands of Ibiza & Mallorca
“Ibillorca” is also Vian’s most varied release to date: “The Destiny Manifest” nods to drum and bass - albeit a touchingly Iberian take on the genre - while “Western Snow” has a hint of Erik Satie’s piano minimalism. Vian’s new home in The Netherlands also played a role in shaping “Ibillorca” .Vian recorded the album during his residency at HetHEM, a new contemporary space in Zandaam, 30 minutes from Amsterdam. “I have my studio at the top of the building, from there I can see all the boats going up and down the river IJ,” Vian says. “The art space is located in an industrial area, everything is grey, also the sky.” All the better, then, for dreaming of the sea.
NOWNEXT is a voyage from the past to the future, from now to then, from what's behind us to what's waiting for us just around the next corner. In musical terms these are the gaps that appear when you drift between genres and take risks. Strolling far from the well travelled Zeitgeist path. The second album by the Sepalot Quartet floats through this timeless space and fills those cracks with a relaxed fusion of Jazz meets Indie meets Electronica, not once denying Sepalots hip hop roots.
This freedom of expression can also be considered a sign of our times, with a generation coming of age without rivalling youth phenomena. Where a jazz show is held in a techno club with no further explaination needed.
With their first release the Quartet still relied on remakes from the established Sepalot dicography, with their current work they laid the foundation for a truly solid form of musical self discovery.
NOWNEXT is enlivened by this spirit and offers a fascinating and confindent blend of varied sounds spanning time and space.
With all this being said, NOWNEXT is truly an up to date album of international format, feeding from the rich experience of its diverse members (Sepalot, Angela Aux, Fabian Füss, Matthias Lindermayr). Memories, associations and a well carved vision are melted into a masterpiece.
NOWNEXT is the latest offering by SEPALOT and his QUARTET and needs to experienced with all senses.
Gentle waves lap the soft white sand. The limitless ocean fills the view as the sun slowly sinks below the horizon. As the day ends in blue and orange tones, the heat begins to subside, a sure sign that the slow evening migration from the beach will soon begin. A pleasant, yet formidable music comes from the radio tuned into a frequency transmitted from Paris. Maybe it was written and recorded in the 70s, or maybe it has simply soaked in that aesthetic all the way down to the pauses. It doesn't really matter. Delving deep to explore the roots of Brazil’s musical tradition, the Camarão Orkestra has tapped into Candomblé and its rhythms. Born on the drums of enslaved Africans in a ritual that invokes numerous deities, they lay the foundation for this new album, Nação África. The eleven musicians, guided by Amanda Roldan’s silky voice and guest appearance by Anthony Joseph (“Canto De Bahia”), explore and embrace the murmuring polyrhythm of Brazilian percussion instruments, vibrating berimbau and squeaking cuícas, pouring their tightlywound funk bass into the groove and letting their jazz fly free, together and solo. The seven nonchalant tracks get your hips swaying, whether you’re in a comfortable armchair or surrounded by other dancers. They take your mind far away, on a journey paved by analog synths with Fender Rhodes crystals to the horizon where the sun’s last glimmer has finally faded away. The brass section’s shiny bells, valves and keys reflect the images and ambiance of the soft Brazilian night air.
Part A[10,29 €]
History _ its evident that Developer has been unstoppable over that last decade, but it‘s been an even longer time ago that Developer got his start as a DJ back in 1992 where he started djing in the backyard party scene then moving to a residency on 88.7fm Radio then eventually becoming a fixture in the Los Angeles underground warehouse scene playing alongside many of the worlds techno elite and organizing events throughout the 90s into the 2000s. In 2009 Developer retired from events and then converted Modularz from event organizer group to a techno label and began releasing his own music eventually making his way into europe and onto the world. The Album _ Sangre Por Oro, which translates to Blood for Gold, is a full-bodied album, with each track highlighting the different complexities of where techno can go and take you. The whole-room experience that he creates through his tracks high- lights his ability to unify techno lovers, all under one roof.
- Pullproxy Germany
Coloured Vinyl
The tenth, jubilee release of "Instrument" series is a sudden turning point and immediately changes the rules of the game, anticipating emerging trends. Oleg Buyanov - one of the main GOST contributors responsible for prominent records "True White" and "Height Difference" makes his debut in "Instrument" framework. OL's new release creates a path of complete diverseness - a unique mix of ambient, dub and mutational electronica, though the author's hip-hop DNA is still recognisable.
The release title as well as its symbol flirts with the privacy of communication in the context of its facilities and tools of the present world. Music acts as the info-channel, which provides unseen and coded data to a person from aside. The vagueness of mood, recurrent rhythm changes, and order of arrangement seem to rhyme with the paranoid feeling of being wiretapped. OL (along with another GOST ZVUK resident Flaty) recently had a similar experience of sound synthesis with their Serwed project whose recent LP was released via West Mineral Ltd. The groove of "SORM" is swirling, distorted and sometimes "disengaged"; sound guided by its waves exists in a constant process of decomposition, dissolution and then reassembles in new configurations.
He's back. Twenty years after Boulevard, fifteen years after the multi-platinum album Tourist (over 3 million copies sold worldwide) and a world tour spanning several continents, Ludovic Navarre, alias St Germain, finally found his way back into the studio. An uncontested and respected figure in the world of electronic music for the past two decades, a pioneer of the 'French Touch' and a creator of intelligent and sensual deep house, St Germain has always stood out. His consummate art thrives on a subtle mixture of machines and instruments, of authentic roots and modern influences.
History _ its evident that Developer has been unstoppable over that last decade, but it‘s been an even longer time ago that Developer got his start as a DJ back in 1992 where he started djing in the backyard party scene then moving to a residency on 88.7fm Radio then eventually becoming a fixture in the Los Angeles underground warehouse scene playing alongside many of the worlds techno elite and organizing events throughout the 90s into the 2000s. In 2009 Developer retired from events and then converted Modularz from event organizer group to a techno label and began releasing his own music eventually making his way into europe and onto the world. The Album _ Sangre Por Oro, which translates to Blood for Gold, is a full-bodied album, with each track highlighting the different complexities of where techno can go and take you. The whole-room experience that he creates through his tracks high- lights his ability to unify techno lovers, all under one roof.
- Pullproxy Germany
Continuing a run of highly eclectic and quirky but consistently individual releases (most recently GAMING's internationally lauded Scenes From A Deserted City 2x12" LP, out Nov), the Hobbes Music label is very excited to welcome Jacksonville aka Yorkshire-born, Edinburgh-based artist Chris Lyth, to the fold. He has carpet-bombed the last few Hobbes Music events at Edinburgh's Bongo Club with his excellent live sets and the release has been in the pipeline for some time.
The 'FON' EP (caps intentional) combines a love of classic electro and techno with dub reggae, sound system culture, the UK's contemporary bass scene etc. Mastering was done by Optimum in Bristol, who did a really lovely job, with loads of width in the mix.
This release follows Jacksonville's 'Machines Of Loving Grace' EP which dropped in November via Inner Shift. He has a pedigree spanning some 20 years plus via releases for the likes of 2020Vision, Hizou, Doppler, Thug, Plastic City, Leftroom, A.E.R, Shanti and Dan Curtin’s Metamorphic. This record's a bit of a departure for him.
While we're deeply saddened by the knowledge that there's no chance now of us ever hearing Andy Weatherall play it out, we're kinda heartened by the idea that he would have probably dug it.... RIP.
Phil is welcoming us with a repress of three collectors item tracks by Klovn - the studio partners of Trentemoller & one half of the most successful Danish electronic live act 'Lulu Rouge'.
'Cover Up' is a tough club track which drifts to a subtle, 'less is more' principle, where PF blends the organic sounds into the dreamy electronics but yet qualifies as a very functional opening anthem.
Melvins Beats rounds the release off with it's cinematic & shoe-gaze approach. Yet another, meticulously composed repress from this label with an idealist character, a must have.
Intriguing times out there! Much confusion, much uncertainty
and a little bit too much of everything. Even music. And
recording mediums. Greta probably wouldn't approve of
cramming your little apartment with thousands of vinyl discs
that will go to waste at some point. And honestly, does the
world even need another record label? The answer is no.
Except this brand new imprint right here is aiming to put things
a bit into perspective. Bisiesto, meaning leapyear in Spanish
will only issue its releases on every 29th of February. You
know what that means - one release every four years. Less
pollution, less redundancy, essential material that had its time
to ripe, plus it's a fun idea, too. Bisiesto is run and curated by
Carlo and will emphasize on the physical release on vinyl in
limited editions of 366 pieces, hand numbered by the man
himself. Bisiesto #1 is due with four jams by the label honcho
that showcase his variety in an unprecedented manner. The
laid back electro- and e-funk-induced groove of "Momo" opens
that spectrum, maintaining Carlo's unmistakable feeling for
soothing harmonies. "Casiopeia" brings in a bit more of his
signature sound, building up a straightforward feelgood
housetune on thick kickdrums, slapping hihats and energizing
vocal cutouts. You can sum this bad boy up under: Carlo on
top of his game. The following "Tengo" has been released
previously, but appears here in a completely new mix, letting
this bouncy, yet deephouse-tinged piece shine in a slightly
different colour. Closing off is "Domingo" a rather percussive
affair, bringing in some tribal grains, a funked up bassline and
an irresistible breezy disco feel.
The Liverpool-based DJ and producer ASOK returns to DVS1's Mistress Recordings with his most diversified EP yet: "Mistress 14" unfolds ASOK's raw, analog-heavy sound aesthetic full of broken kick drum patterns, stepping basslines, and lush synths.
With 25 years of record collecting, DJing, and promoting parties around the UK, there is little of the dance music spectrum that Stu Robinson has not been involved with. The Liverpool-based artist has amassed a fine understanding of a wide array of scenes, styles and sounds from drum & bass to electro-funk, disco to house and techno – underpinned by a love of breakbeat. The music under his alias ASOK is an amalgamation of this diversity that has found favor with labels like M>O>S, Lobster Theremin, Crème Organization, and Mistress Recordings.
"Mistress 14" opens with "Space Rockets" which is a nod to his breakier love affairs without using actual breakbeats. While second track "Is Anyone" displays his take on classic Chicago House with a little Roland JD-800 euphoria thrown in. On the flip, "Last Refuge" explores driving, rhythmical techno with ASOK's typical ravey pad-like break in the middle until "The Alchemist" closes the 12-inch by laying more focus on melody and texture with a growing, always changing bassline and an ethereal synth that carries the track's energy. The digital bonus track "Apano Sin" concludes the package with a scruffy somewhere in between everything vibe.
ASOK about Mistress 14:
"Mistress 14 is probably the most important EP I have ever made in terms of showing all the different things I am into. I’m difficult to pin down because I’m not really a techno DJ, or a house DJ, or anything like that. I like all forms of electronic dance music. As a DJ, I mix up old and new, familiar with unfamiliar, playing everything from Italo disco to really dark high-bpm breakbeat. As a producer, it’s not easy to put an EP together that covers a little of everything, yet still sounds cohesive. Especially considering that all my tracks were recorded in long live takes, then edited down with no ability to change parts. Sometimes that requires some pretty heavy editing, but that’s one of the good things you get when making music this way. I’m in control of the creative process, rather than feeling like some kind of colored block administrator drawing blocks out on arrangement view of my computer."
We are proud to release ‘Fortunate Isolation’ the sophomore album from Borusiade. Born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, Borusiade aka Miruna Boruzescu started DJ-ing in 2002 as one of the very few female DJs in the city’s emerging alternative clubbing scene. Influenced by a classical musical education, a bachelor in film direction and fascinated by raw electronic sounds, Borusiade first combined these universes in the construction of her DJ sets and starting 2005 also in her music production. A sound of her own has slowly crystallized, often dark with poignant bass lines, obsessive themes and by all means melodic. She has released EPs on labels like Pinkman, Unterton, Cititrax, Correspondant and Cómeme, who released her debut album ‘A Body’ in 2018.
‘Fortunate Isolation’ is perhaps Borusiade’s most personal release to date. Eight songs that capture a bystander witnessing the world as it undergoes drastic changes. We have disconnected ourselves from ecology, humanity, preservation, care for what surrounds us, for what is still alive. Borusiade adds, “| know that this place, our home has went through so many other extinctions, but | believe things will find their own way on this planet only once we are gone. Entropy creates a time-line but also a transformation - a new beginning.” The album’s sound is gloomy and powerful mixing sonic film sequences, rhythmic excursions and soothing yet obsessive vocals that touch one’s deepest senses. Lyrically the songs tackle themes of forgotten memories, spirituality, mortality, and destruction. All songs have been mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each copy is housed in a jacket designed by Eloise Leigh with decaying daguerreotypes against a rust color palette and includes an insert with lyrics.
RX-101 has quietly been making waves in the IDM/electronic music underground for the past few years, through a series of archival releases — material recorded in the late-90s, but previously unreleased until Suction Records began compiling and releasing these records in 2016. What’s truly mind-boggling about RX-101’s output is the sheer quantity of stunning, top-drawer material that Dutch producer Erik Jong recorded over the period of just 3 years, 1997-1999. Many have suggested that the whole thing is a publicity stunt — some insisting that this is all new material masquerading as vintage, while others have proposed that the material may in fact be a secret alias for Aphex Twin to release gems from his own legendary ’90s audio archive. RX-101 has absolutely nailed the sound, and quality, of early-90s AFX/Rephlex, that much is true. “Serenity,” this latest full-length RX-101 release, is no exception.
Just as RX-101’s last album, 2019’s Dopamine, concentrated on one hallmark of Aphex Twin’s sound — the smooth melodic techno of his Selected Ambient Works 1985-1992 LP — so too does Serenity reference another classic early-Aphex era, but this time it’s a completely different beast. Don't let the title fool you - Suction Records' latest dive into RX-101's 1997-1999 tape archives is not all lush, serene melodies. On Serenity, scorched, crunchy jackhammer beats combine with emotional, plaintive pads, delivering a classic set of vintage-Rephlex-style bliss, à la AFX, Caustic Window, and Cylob. It was Cylob who coined the term Industrial Folk Songs for his classic 1995 LP, and that release is clearly a blueprint for RX-101’s latest collection.
Standout cut Hearts Utd., featuring a stunning music video by Aidan Fantinatto and I Dream Of Wires’ director Robert Fantinatto, not only nails the magic of AFX’s trademark, irresistible jackhammer-beats-meets-plaintive-melody device, it arguably rivals the master at his own sound. As a whole, what could be a harsh and monotonous collection is lifted by RX-101’s subtle diversity and skill, particularly in his ability to create eerie, evocative moods, with gorgeous melodies that speak volumes of emotion.
After a couple of great remixes for Noir Music Robert S (PT) delivers his first solorelease on the label and I am proud to present these three
amazing originals and two remixes courtesy of Drumcell and The
Advent. Robert and I have been compiling this release over several months and put together what we felt was a really strong 3-tracker. We have been testing the tracks in the clubs around the world making sure we had compiled the perfect release and we are both super happy with the end-result. On top of that we reached out to Drumcell and The Advent for remixes and they both delivered fantastic takes on the “Exoplanets” track.
