New year, new Skrufix release and this one is on vinyl once again! Following a return to form with stellar releases last year from Things With Wings with some Nigerian inspired beats, our 2-Step King, The Crane and an extremely well received release from new boy, Skwirl, we continue with quality production levels and one hell of a release from Nathan Jonson.
After a successful decade of releasing music under the Hrdvsion alias (Wagon Repair / Sound Pellegrino / Planet Mu), 2015 saw Nathan reach a turning point in his musical career and re-launch with a new direction under his birth name. The Jonson family are clearly one of good musical stock, his brother is the formidable Matthew Jonson and Nathan has recently released on 20:20 Vision as well as his brother's new Freedom Engine label, among others. We are therefore more than a little bit chuffed to get him on-board for this new EP, 'Space Between Breath'.
The release kicks off with the title track 'Space Between Breath', an ideal opener that builds into a lush, intricate Techno track accompanied by bouncy synth sounds. Label regular, The Crane brings his usual 2-Step talent to rework the first track exceptionally. On the flipside, things kick off with a darker feel and acid sounding synth lines on 'The Transfer', followed by a fine finale in the trippy and chugging sound of 'I'm All We Got.'
It's quite the release all round to be honest! And we're very excited to finally get this one out there. Look out for more excellence to come later in the year as label regulars, Turtlez and Skwirl prep new EPs, alongside some surprising new additions along the way!
Belgian musician Dijf Sanders pens and produces soundtracks for distant, far-flung places that brood with exotica, psychedelia, jazz and electronica. His new album 'JAVA', is a psychedelic and modern search for the sounds of the homonymous Indonesian island. Armed with a set of field recorders, Dijf traveled to every urban and rural corner of Indonesia in the spring of this year. As a contemporary incarnation of ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax, he collected an impressive repertory of recordings, commissioned by the Europalia Arts Festival and KAAP Creative Compass. 'Kacapi', 'Kendang', 'Angklung', 'Calung' or 'Gamelan' are not the names of indigenous tropical diseases by the way, but those of local instruments that Dijf encountered on his adventurous musical quest. For two weeks the American expert ethnographer Palmer Keen stood by Dijf through his total immersion into the island's colourful culture and rich, ceremonial traditions. On his return to Belgium, Dijf headed straight back into the studio with the gathered material and invited some of his musical soulmates to put the icing on the cake. It is no coincidence that the three guests - Nathan Daems, Filip Vandebril and Simon Segers - are all part of Black Flower, a band that famously flirts with Oriental sounds. From hours and hours of field recordings, Dijf distilled ten psychedelic pieces which ride on waves of ecstasy and trance, and bridge the gap between two worlds. Tribal rhythms and warm melodies are fused to a seamless and beautiful musical work in utopia. The Brugge-born, Gentbrugge-based musician is one of those great Flemish talents. In the past, he earned his stripes with Teddiedrum and The Violent Husbands and has produced bands like Kenji Minogue and Blackie & The Oohoos. He has also released music under his own name including the critically acclaimed album 'Moonlit Planetarium'. Welcome to Dijf Sanders' wonderful journey into future exotica.
It's the big 5! Berlin - Frankfurt based label House Is OK is celebrating its five-year long presence and has decided to mark that period with something special Label's story started with a sticker Homeboy printed in his former hometown, Zagreb, saying 'House Is OK'. Catchy, right It became an underground slogan of the local scene. It didn't take long for people to embrace the idea stating that it's OK to be into melodic, fresh, groovy yet, at times, a bit awkward dance music. Just around the same time Homeboy's Frankfurt based bro's Oliver Achatz and Janis played with the idea of starting a record label. Guess what the logical choice for the name was Ten records, dozens of original songs and remixes later House is OK continues to grow. Literally. What was once a platform for the original three founders is now an international family affair supporting the talented artists from Frankfurt, Stockholm, Alexandria and Orlando. Nurturing the friendly approach this musical family continues to grow. Looking back at the first five years, not only at the music that connected them all but at the bonds that deepened through the production process, House is OK crew wanted to take create a proper reminder and thank the ones supporting them throughout the years. A double 12' pack titled 'Gemišt' seemed like a proper way to do that. - Gemišt' will be released as two separate EPs featuring the original music from Kornél Kovacs, Roman Flügel, Gavri & McQueen, TCB, House Of Life and the label makers themselves. Oliver and Janis deliver tracks under their known names, while Homeboy introduces his new project with fellow Wilde Renate resident The Swift, called Longhair. Croatian artist Ugruv Smek marks his yearlong collaboration with the label delivering yet another smashing artwork.
It was 1970 when Curtis Mayfield left R&B group The Impressions, to set off on his own solo path. What followed was a rich and highly celebrated career, during which Mayfield produced some of the most influential R&B, soul, funk, and gospel recordings of all time. Along with Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, Mayfield is credited with helping to ring in a new era of socially-aware funk and soul music, all while raking in numerous Billboard-charting hits both as a performer and a songwriter. Though he died in 1999, he left behind a vast legacy of innovation and long-lasting music, and has been ranked by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Artists of all-time. Coming hot on the heels of his powerhouse hit soundtrack for the film Superfly was 1973's Back To The World. Mayfield's music always had a socially-conscious and political bent to it, but the tracks on Back To The World cranked this conceit up to an even higher degree, largely inspired the increasingly industrial world around him, and the social and environmental concerns that followed it. (The album's lead single "Future Shock" was named for an Alvin Toffler book on the subject.) Though not the smash commercial success of his previous efforts, Back To The World still landed in the Billboard Top 20, and is considered an underrated, and overlooked entry in the soul innovator's catalog.
The title track "Empty Dancefloor" combines a thumping kick drum, stuttering hats and mesmeric chords, a combination that prove to be the perfect backing track to a captivating synth solo. It's extremely difficult not to find yourself lost in this enchanting track. Fracture" is a track where Skygaze really showcases his ability to combine broken beat, complex drum patterns with bewitching chords, magical marimbas and a curious bassline.
It is a track that really keeps you guessing throughout and one that can really add variety to any DJ set.
First up on remix duties is Jonna, who has put his own stamp on "Empty Dancefloor".
jonna is a DJ, Producer & one of the Label owners of City Fly Records, his sets are prominently House but take in influences from Disco, Techno, Hip-Hop, Funk, Jazz... Basically any music with Soul.
His first artist EP dropped early 2016 on 'Shadeleaf Music' & featured the incredibly talented Erik Rico on vocals with remixes by Atlanta's Kai Alce. The EP achieved great success & Sold Out in the first Month & was supported by heavyweight's Recloose, Derrick Carter, Jimpster & Osunlade to name a few.
Collab Singles (with Samwell) 'Henry Western' Featuring Lady Blacktronika followed on City Fly which was supported heavily on BBC 6 Music, that followed by 'Alright' on 'Future Society', a compilation curated by Seven Davis Jr on R2 Records and more recently the Luke Soloman Edit of 'Through The Night' again on Shadeleaf Music.
He has been busy in the studio since with a release on Secret Crunch (Austria) & 2 EP's forthcoming on Marcel Vogel's excellent Intimate Friends (NL).
The remix of "Empty Dancefloor" is one that is done in the unmistakable Jonna style, it's got groove! By chopping and changing the chords from the original, Jonna has created an entirely new melody, which when combined with rolling bongos and punchy bassline, you can't help but tap your feet.
The all too familiar synth solo from the original resonates throughout and pulls the track together, creating a guaranteed hit on any dance floor. Last, but certainly not least is Chicago based, Garrett David. The Smart Bar Resident has taken time out from his A&R / House buying duties at the famous Gramaphone Records to conjure up a bumping, yet dreamy remix of "Fracture".
He has previous releases on labels including Distant Hawaii, Residual Recordings, Night Sea Journey as well as his own imprint Stripped & Chewed and has really brought some Chicago flavours to the table with this one.
"I Can't Love You Anymore" is the first single by hard working soul performer Carlton Jumel Smith recorded with Cold Diamond & Mink, and the man has revealed his middle name just for the occasion. Otherwise known simply as Carlton J. Smith, there's no doubt he has swallowed a large pill of soul since seeing James Brown live at the Apollo Theatre as an 8-year old.
Smith's Timmion debut single sinks him into drum heavy southern flavored deep soul, a style that comes out of him naturally as water from a mountain spring. Backing him up on the falsetto parts is Pratt, who recently turned some heads with his Pratt & Moody release "Lost Lost Lost" on Stylart Records, and together the two basically NAIL IT.
When looking for artists, who just seem to move through time effortlessly with a steady air of confidence, passion and precision, one might pick up the phone and give CJS a call. Even though his discography of couple of late 2000's albums and some guest spots in early 90's soulful house 12"s is a bit mysterious, there seems to be not one bit of difficulty to his craft or personality. As a recording artist, "I Can't Love You Anymore" is a new opening into raw soul territory, and it is just what the world needs today. He laid down an album worth of tracks on his last Helsinki visit, and this might be something to look forward to.
Dr. Dundiff releases Muneybeats' as part of the Beats from Jakarta' series & continues what Ta-ku and Shuko started years ago.
Dr. Dundiff (done different) is a Hip-Hop/Neo-Soul producer based out of Louisville, KY. Dundiff has gotten into producing around 2010 and has been a busy bee ever since with a huge number of projects under his belt, from producing as well as him rapping.
Those who follow Jakarta Records might know the name from his ongoing collaboration with Otis Junior. They released their debut EP 1moment2another' on Jakarta Records receiving wide daytime airplay and recognition from French tastemaker Radio NOVA, as well as 1.500.000 Mio. Streams for their debut EP 1Moment to Antother' through Spotify & a placement on Radio Nova's le grand Mix 2016' compilation.
Muneybeats is Dr. Dundiff revisiting his roots in an all instrumental experience. Put the most attractive beats on top. The ones that make you pull the car over and go, 'Wow, I need this be a right now.' Those are the Muneybeats. Compact little tasty treats spanning a wide range of sounds while always sounding like Dundiff made them. He is currently also working on a new project with Otis Junior which will drop sometime in 2018 as well as their first Europe tour in summer 2018.
- Beats from Jakarta is a series Jakarta Records kicked off some years ago with contributions from Shuko and Ta-ku, heavyweights in their own right, and we felt it would be nice to bring that series back when Dundiff sent us his new album. So here we go. - Beats from Jakarta part 3....
In Silent Series pools together four innovative tracks of deep, textural and explorative Techno Music from four of this era's most inventive Artists: Sigha, SNTS, Dadub and Positive Centre.
Mastered by Daniele Antezza @ Dadub Studios - Artwork by Maria Mendes
Positive Centre / In Silent Series Bio:
Positive Centre is the Experimental Techno alias of British born Artist Mike Jefford. Currently located in Lisbon after a long period of living and producing music in Berlin. Positive Centre combines analog machines with tape and effects processing to create hypnotic and textural techno music, with releases on Our Circula Sound, Stroboscopic Artefacts, SNTS, Pole Group and Leyla.
The first of three Positive Centre releases came in 2013 on Sigha's Our Circula Sound label concluding with his debut album In Silent Series, of which his label takes its name. Positive Centre established the In Silent Series label in 2017 to promote and cultivate releases that develop the potential of textural sounds that reflect sonic landscapes.
The First Release was Positive Centre's Reassembly EP - A Record made of reconstructed tracks from his Our Circula Sound back catalog that featured a remix of 'Hiding Knives' from SHXCXCHCXSH. This was followed by the 'Myths' EP by Mastering Engineer and one half of Techno Duo Dadub: Daniele Antezza under his Inner8 moniker.
With ISS003, Positive Centre draws on the Artists that have played a hand in his previous releases by bringing Sigha, SNTS and Dadub together onto this Various Artists EP.
(Disclaimer: release notes refer to the combined CD double-album release "Hot Flash: Best of The Voltags" on which all tracks appear together. "Electric Nightmare" and "Danger High Voltag" are released separately on vinyl format)
It does not happen that often any more that unreleased music from 40 years ago surfaces. Even more unlikely it is that the songs put on tape are such treasures. The Voltags were right at the forefront of the local Washington DC New Wave/Punk scene of the late 1970s. Influenced by Kraftwerk, Gary Numan, The Clash, and The B-52's, they have released only one 45rpm single during their existence. But during the time span of not even 18 months, they had recorded enough material for an entire album - but the songs remained in the can.
This is the story of The Voltags, a short-lived band which could have become famous and mentioned in the same breath as the aforementioned music legends of that era - if their songs had been released back in the day. Dive in and enjoy the sound of The Voltags, it is truly special. We here at Perfect Toy are thrilled to be label to finally release their work and we sincerely hope that they are finally getting the appreciation they so richly deserve.
Detailed information:
Dave Bennett and Hangnail Phillips grew up in Brookside Park, Newark, Delaware, USA, a small suburban college town nestled midway between Philadelphia and Baltimore. Their first band project evolved into Pump Productions (Pump) under which they released their only 45rpm single in 1970 (one of the two songs, "Pappy's Rug", can be heard on "Down & Wired 3", Perfect Toy Rec.). Soon after the recording of the single the two graduated from High School and disbanded Pump. Both moved on to form two new Newark bands. Dave was a founding member of "Snake Grinder & The Shredded Fieldmice" and Hangnail co-founded "Rudy Baker & The Vegetables".
In early 1979, two friends of Dave's, Nick Norris and Mike Fisher, became partners in a music production company, White Clay Productions. One of White Clay's first artists was Dave Bennett who had just written two excellent songs: "Electric Jungle" and "Son Of Sam". White Clay set up a recording session and Dave assembled a group of friends to record the songs. Before the recordings were even mixed, Dave asked Hangnail if he would join in a band to support the single and other songs he had written. When James Keesey (drums) and Rick Reid (bass) were added the line-up was complete. For a while they didn't have a name and then one day Nick Norris was looking at a photo of Dave standing next to a "Danger High Voltage" sign. Dave's head was in front of the E in Voltage and Nick laughed "Danger High Voltag" and so it was soon suggested that the band should be called "The Voltags" (pronounced Vol'-togs). After months of preparing a repertoire they were ready to play out. Their first gig was (October 20, 1979) at a gay disco in nearby Wilmington called The Backstage. On December 30, 1979, White Clay decided to put on a big show at the State Theater to celebrate the end of the Seventies ("The End Of The Decade Bash").
For the next year, with the help of White Clay, they recorded 19 songs, both studio and live recordings with White Clay's mobile unit. If not for these "off the board" recordings, many of their songs would have never been recorded. There was always talk of a second Voltags single but the strains of working so closely together were taking their toll on them and Dave decided to leave the group in December of 1980. The Voltags couldn't be The Voltags without Dave, and by the end of 1981, Hangnail, James and Rick, too, were ready to disband.
- all songs previously unreleased
- mastered from the original reel-to-reel tapes
- limited vinyl release
The group Knowledge and producer/DJ/Artist Tapper Zukie's stories are intertwined through their location in the Rema area of Kingston.
Tapper Zukie taking the band under his wing and getting this classic album 'Hail Dread' a worldwide release back in 1979 when it first hit the record shelves'
Knowledges line up included Anthony Doyley, Delroy Folding, Earl Macfarlane, Mike Smith, Michael Samuels and later Paul Freeman.
The groups debut release was 'Make Faith' featuring Tapper Zukie introducing the band as his proteges and began a winning formula.
The band released many of their early singles on Tapper's 'Stars' imprint and were produced by Tapper himself. This culminated in Tapper getting the band a deal with a major label A&M and the band were in fact the first Reggae to be signed to the label.
A&M were keen to work with Tapper as an artist and producer and at onetime motioned Tapper to be backed by one of their other signed bands The Police for a UK tour. Tapper thought that being backed by a band named after such an establishment would not be a wise idea and declined the offer.
But the connection did lead up to one of Jamaica's great vocal groups getting their debut album again produced by Tapper Zukie released on this major label.
Sadly the relationship was short lived and the album 'Hail Dread' would be their only release for the label.
'Hail Dread' we hope you agree is one of roots reggae's classic 70's releases and shows the group and their producer at the height of their powers and proof is in the listening....
We hope you enjoy the set.....
Mellow Waves, Cornelius' first album in over 11 years will be available in a limited deluxe edition pop-up gatefold vinyl (including phenakistoscope animation insert), standard package on 180g, CD and cassette format on January 26, 2018. The album, released July 21, 2017, was previously a digital only release. Pre-orders for these formats are available now.
Cornelius announced eight North American tour dates for March 2018, including shows in Mexico City for the NRMAL Festival, New York's Irving Plaza, the Carnegie Music Hall at Pittsburgh's Andy Warhol Museum, and LA's Fonda Theater.
Filmed live at his record release shows at Tokyo's Liquid Room, Helix / Spiral' captures the Cornelius live experience, with its Kraftwerk-esque roboticism and immersive visuals meticulously synchronized with the performance from The Cornelius Group.
For the uninitiated, Cornelius is the brainchild of Japanese multi-instrumentalist Keigo Oyamada. A performing musician since his teens, Oyamada created his creative alter-ego (the name is an homage to the Planet of the Apes), in the early 1990s from the ashes of his previous project, Flipper's Guitar.
With the 1997 release of Fantasma, Cornelius gained international recognition for his cut and paste style reminiscent of American counterparts Beck and The Beastie Boys and was released internationally by Matador Records. Being called a "modern day Brian Wilson" for his orchestral-style arrangements and production techniques, Cornelius subsequently became one of the most sought after producer/remixers in the world, working with a wide range of artists including Blur, Beck, Bloc Party, MGMT, and James Brown.
With 2002's Point, Cornelius' music took a quantum shift, going from sampling found sounds' to looping organic elements and creating lush soundscapes. Using water drops as the rhythmic backbone of Drop' on his vocoder-infused cover of Brazil', the album dazed and amazed fans and set the path for the next phase of his career.
2007 brought this philosophy to an even higher level with the release of Sensuous. Cornelius' live shows are known around the world for spectacular visuals (all perfectly synchronized to the performance), custom lighting that doesn't simply augment the performance, but becomes another instrument within it, and a full band of equally talented and diverse players.
The companion piece to the album Sensurround + B Sides, earned the nomination for Best Surround Sound Album' at the 2009 GRAMMY Awards.
The summer of 2016 saw the release of Fantasma Remastered, on Lefse Records. The package, a 2LP reissue of his classic album, also included 4 additional outtakes and earned Pitchfork's Best New Reissue'.
Cornelius has recorded music for Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, scored the anime mega-film Ghost in the Shell Arise, performed as the backbone of Yoko Ono's reformed Plastic Ono Band, played the Hollywood Bowl with Yellow Magic Orchestra, and co-wrote and produced the Japanese artist salyu x salyu.
New Flesh Records 19 Ever wonder what would happen at the first minuts of an Alien in-vasion Answer can be found on Geometric Vision', the debut EP of Hungarian electro don Norwell on French New Flesh Records. Real name Balázs Semsei, Norwell has turned out a steady stream of releases on labels like Dalmatia Daniel, Pinkman, Chabu Recor-dings, Seagrave and his own Farberwechsel imprint until now, always coming on strong with a personal artistic vision plus a sense of drama.
Across four craftily cuts on Umwelt's label, he revisits his own dystopian universe made of sonic frequencies fused into rich atmosphere with a strong array of emotions. From the haunting opener Geometric Vision' to the explosive final Conversation Patterns', Nor-well signs one of his best release to date.
Fascinating synth melodies supported by raw drums and insane electro textures compose this must have 12'' and an essential addition to the New Flesh catalog. Heavy electro darkness for serious heads, this is a soulful EP full of depth, impossible to ignore!
A first-ever collection of the highly sought after and largely previously unheard recordings of the one of Turkish pop and rocks best kept secrets - featuring the two rare has hen's teeth 1 Numara 7' singles (which fetch in excessive of £200 on certain internet auction sites) - including a previously unreleased extended version of Evren The missing component in the history of Turkish pop and one of the earliest exponents of Turkish electronic music alongside Ilhan Mimaroglu and Bülent Arel, Gökçen Kaynatan electrified the rock and roll scene of the late 50s/early 60s - sending teenagers wild with his custom built guitars and back lines - helping charge the climate for the birth of Anatolian rock. Then, from the sanctuary of his private studio, he revolutionised the industry with his pioneering use of electronics whilst hanging the sonic wallpaper in the living rooms of an entire generation of telly addicts as in house composer of choice for Turkey's first national television channel TRT 1. Despite having a modest discography of only four 7' singles to his name his influence is a major current that flows through over 50 years of Turkish pop culture. Compiled with unparalleled access to his private studio vault, Finders Keepers proudly presents the first-ever collection of Gökçen Kaynatan's pioneering early electronic works. Featuring a selection of his experimental pop and rock recordings dating from as early as the 1968 it features both of the highly sought after 1 Numara singles - including a never before heard extended version of Evren - as well as previously unheard archive material and songs recorded for and broadcast exclusively on TRT 1 - most of them never to be repeated. In helping Gökçen end his self-imposed 44-year exile from the record industry we can now share with you the first of these important recordings from a genuine maverick who helped shape the face of modern Turkish music, as well as shedding some light on the rise of one of Anatolian rock and pops must fruitful and experimental periods that began with the arrival (and subsequent explosion) of domestic synthesisers on the Turkish scene.
Mastered and cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering in Berlin.
Hana's first and self-titled LP was recorded in Autumn 2010 at Facta non Verba and consists out of 5 tracks which are techno oriented with disposal of experimental and abstract elements.
Reviews
OMG Vinyl
Hana s S/T LP is easily the best promo records we ve gotten in months. This Greek duo has somehow, almost entirely below the radar, released one of the most exciting electronic records of 2011. Their wobbly brand of techno sometimes chugs ahead at full-speed, other times easing back into a wider waver, almost resembling some weird, warped IDM. I will be shocked if this record doesn t get wider appreciation very soon. Whether that happens or not, we fully recommend it, track one down.
Cyclic Defrost by Oliver Laing
Granny Records duo Hana come correct with their first album, offering a refreshing take on techno and IDM variants in the vein of Jan Jelinek, Raime, Actress and hints of the mighty Chain Reaction label. Mastered at Berlin s Dubplates and Mastering by none other than Rashad Becker, a name that often appears in the run-out groove of artists who inhabit a curiously funky techno-not-techno netherworld Hana s debut self-titled release grows in stature and listening enjoyment with every spin. With a sense of fun and adventure inhabiting the grooves, Hana (who are also part of label-mates, Good Luck Mr Gorsky), explore experimental timbres and ghostly vocalisations with a lightness of touch that belies their recording credentials.
Starting off with an abstract, Clicks and Cuts style intro, Liv slowly finds the sweet spot between mutant Detroit electro funk, a hint of the indie/dance territory of Matthew Dear and the abstract, yet rhythmic 12 releases on the Beatservice label, by Norwegian duo Information from the mid 90s. Obermaier implies the groove to begin with, until a wrong-footed man-with-two-left-feet rhythm leads into minimal acidic flourishes. Album opener SM heads in a Ricardo Villalobos vs. Nonplace Urban Field direction, as the lopsided rhythm and sepulchral vocals add a haunted edge to proceedings. CR80 uses beautifully syncopated live drums and urgent female vocals, and adds a driving, belligerent synth riff falling somewhere in between DMZ and Gary Numan. Echoic, boingy sounds threaten to derail the beat, but somehow it manages to maintain, reminding me of Shed and A Made Up Sound; more in overall feel than in the specific sounds. For those that enjoy abstract electronics that work just as well on headphones as on the dance floor, Greece s Hana are a duo to watch.
Textura
Hana's self-titled debut album arrives saddled with a (literally) cheeky front cover one would more associate with a 70s band like Wild Cherry than a Greece-based techno outfit formed in Thessaloniki last summer. Recorded in fall 2010 at Facta non Verba, the five-cut release finds Good Luck Mr Gorsky members Thanasis Papadopoulos and Thanos Bantis hunkered down in their chemical lab concocting formulae to go along with their material's stripped-down techno beats. Using analogue synths, samplers, and sequencers, the duo brings a decidely experimental edge to their productions, sprinkling as they do liberal doses of burble and flutter over bass-heavy techno rhythms.
The opening track, Sm, sets the scene with a heavy low-end pulse thudding alongside a steady kick drum and joined by acidy synths and percussive effects that suggest a lighter being repeatedly flicked open. On a slightly more aggressive tip, the B-side's Cr80 adds truncated vocal yelps to its bleepy, elephantine throb. A dubby dimension emerges in the track, too, when echoing waves drift repeatedly across the huge bass that slithers across the track's underbelly. The album's most elaborate track comes last. Liv opens beatlessly with flickering shudders and what could pass for the amplified workings of an ant community but then progressively fills in the dots with an insistent beat pattern, voice fragments, and even the demented meander of accordion playing. Though Hana hardly rewrites the techno guidebook on the release, it's nevertheless a pleasurable listen, in part due to the multi-dimensional experience provided by the vinyl format and the always superb mastering work done by Rashad Becker at Berlin's Dubplates & Mastering.
Killekill House Trax is going strong - this time with a 4-tracker by the incredible Andreas Gehm alias PUKEMASTER GEHM.
He sent us the music shortly before his death and said we could pick any of his artist names and his only condition was that the music was released on vinyl. Only after his death we realized that he had obviously already taken a decision then...
So we are releasing this record now as an homage to one of the most creative and funniest persons in the electronic universe of the last decade. We picked the artist name Pukemaster Gehm as it reflects his humor the best and also because it's the most suitable for the tracks we picked: The EP ranges from hard jacking Acid House over weirdo Electro House to old school Chicago-leaning Piano House. A timeless record for all situations.
May you rest in peace, Andreas, and thanks for still rocking our floors, even when you are long gone!
Planet Rhythm has come forward with quite some serious VA's throughout the last couple of years. The 109th installment in the ever maintaining vinyl series is exactly that. A compilation that features several of the label's great names combined on one slab of vinyl. Kingfisher EP is a four track counting release consisting of tough tracks that are completely in the vein of the label's recent direction. Intrusive, yet melodic contemporary dancefloor action.
Nicole Willis, known for her collaborations with The Soul Investigators & Jimi Tenor produces an album including some of the tracks she composed with the former as well as originals specifically for a fresh collaboration with UMO Jazz Orchestra. Jimi Tenor, who is a multi-faceted artist, has penned all arrangements for the big band and their talented rhythm section. Pete Toikkanen who is a mega-talent guitarist from The Soul Investigators, along with the two, composed those original tracks that highlight their alternative influences. Indie god & personal hero of Ms Willis, Ian Svenonius introduces Ms Willis on the first track and wraps up the LP with a final plea.
Matt Flanagan has been making music as DeFeKT, ESS and Tinfoil for the past few years, so who better to put out the debut release on First Cut We decided early on that there was no point in repeating his admittedly fine back catalogue, so Matt went off one evening and did a 30-minute live jam on his machines. There was no real plan, but between us, we picked the three best bits, which you now own. Then we had to come up with a name. Initially, we toyed with the idea of calling it 'FeKT' but then decided that only a local audience would appreciate the joke and that it wouldn't travel well. Octal Step then emerged as the clear favourite. We sealed the deal to release 'Toner Head' over a cup of takeaway coffee on a bench in the Stephen's Green Cente in Dublin. And why is Gunter Walraff on the other side of this sheet Well, he seems like a cool guy. Plus he's German and has a moustache - what's there not to like about that
The album is the fourth LP from FM Belfast. Broadcasting from their home on a remote island you can sense that the tracks are personal. The album has 11 tracks, 11 intimate stories to dance to. It's like you've been invited to a Cabin Fever Dance Party in their living room. The lyrics are about bliss, euphoria, trying to be a human in this strange world, friendship, of loss and growing up.
ALL MY POWER The first song of the album deals with guilt. When you're surrounded with people who wake up early and do everything they are supposed to do but you can't get out of your own bed. This will make you feel guilty. The others don't need to rub it in since you already have bad feelings about yourself. There are two characters in the song. One is a blamer while the other one is being blamed. FOLLOW ME I'm not longer blind, you can follow me". The song is about a person who is no longer blind to the world around her. It's about taking responsibility for your choices. We are not just a group of individuals, we are citizens of this planet and we can't stand idly by when powerful people are destroying it in front of our own eyes. We have ways to connect and we can band together against the hatred and violence. The rich and the greedy are taking everything and ruining it for the rest of us. Being kind is not the same as being naive, it's a choice everyone can make.
ENJOY
Enjoy life while it last. Don't watch the world go by without having a good time. "Here's to feeling alive, everywhere, all of the time".
UP ALL NIGHT
Sometimes you just postpone everything you're supposed to be doing and run away from your problems. The night is the best time for procrastination, you can hide in the dark and nobody can see you waste your life.
AGENT
Like many songs on the album, this one is about holding your head above water in this strange world we live in. It's easy to get blindsided and lost but who's going to speak up for the weak if you don't do it.
YOU'RE SO PRETTY
The lyrics for You're so Pretty originally come from a short story written by Lóa. They are about getting old without maturing. The song is about being restless and broke. Sometimes you feel like there is nothing left to do but shout.
STREAMERS
Streamers is a quiet love-story about having found the person you want to sit next to for the rest of your life and watch crappy TV together. Lyrics are by Árni and Lóa.
LEAVE A MARK
Even if things are not great today, there is always tomorrow. Leave a Mark is a personal reminder to do something about the life you are given and not waste time. It doesn't have to be important, it could just be writing your name on a wall. I little bit of "I was here" for the people who come after you.
FEARLESS YOUTH
It's a nostalgic song about being a fearless adolescent and the friends you used to have. The lyrics are written by Örvar who's also a founding member of MúM.
STROBE
The Strobe is an atmospheric track. It's made for people who want to dance in a euphoric bliss. The lyrics are like a mantra: It's getting dark so turn on the strobe. Don't think, just get lost in the dance.
THE GAME
The Game tells you to resist the power of bad people and bad governments. There's a big game being played and you don't need to participate, you can resist. The power hungry people of this world will never be satisfied but you don't have to support them.
Lottus got this deep and old school flavour touch, driving and sweat at the same time, this one is for Franck the highlight of his new Ep,so no big words on this one.. It's a Lottus love affair here :-)
Air is a cosmic journey into Franck's synthetic drum sounds, passing thru his famous Space Echo 201 made back in the days by Roland..the machine got some natural errors and goes with the tape delay feelings.. it's all about movements and space rythms here.Christal is using the famous 909 drum machine and 808 toms.. this one goes very deep into our mind with strange vocals wich Franck got the secret to play with, it's a sentimental and emotionnal song, cute for some people but very relaxing after all to complete this Ep.My name is was originaly out on Franck's RealTone Records imprint. It came out with two different versions.The track received some good feedbacks and plays so far and our dear friend Berlin based Alexkid came back to us with his own edit and we definitly loved it but we were very busy with the releases.. This edit has been lost in our hard drives and now Franck is more than happy to give it a new life.
Noplace is an improvised collaboration between Aidan Baker (Nadja / Caudal / B/B/S/), Simon Goff (Molecular, Bee & Flower) and Thor Harris (Swans, Shearwater, Thor & Friends).
Having known each other for a number of years and previously contributed to one another's recordings this trio finally came together as a whole on May 7th 2017 at Redrum Studios in Berlin. In a short, improvised session of just a few hours they set about laying down as much material as possible which was then subsequently edited and re-worked (without overdubs) to form this album.
The same evening the trio played together as part of a 9-piece Thor & Friends ensemble which also included Christopher Hefner (on musical saw) whose artwork graces the cover of the record and gave it its name.
Noplace is a hypnotic and deep listen. Kinetic rhythms pulsate throughout whilst the guitar and violin jostle and weave around the metronomic beats, creating a cathartic and all-encompassing experience. The very nature of the instrumental repetitions give it an immediate avant/krautrock feel but the whole record is coated in a wonderful psychedelic atmosphere that's both melodic, textured and innovative.
Without doubt a perfect marriage and the sum of its parts. You would be forgiven for thinking Noplace took years to craft but that's testament to three excellent musicians who have produced a real treat of a record. Broken down into seven pieces but very much best enjoyed as a thrilling whole, Noplace is a powerful and highly addictive album.
In recent years the clamour for the funkier side of AOR, Blue eyed soul, funky rock or any other description you'd care to imagine has reached heightened places. The hardest diggers have been endlessly searching for breezy, soulful and rock-infused R&B gems hidden away in the recesses of the major and independent label archives. Miami's CAT Records - one such independent, and an off-shoot of the hugely successful TK Disco empire had made it's mark since the early 70's with stellar sides from Little Beaver, George & Gwen McCrae, Raw Soul Express and many more. It was later, 1977 to be precise, in the height of the Disco era when Chocolateclay appeared. Their self-titled and sole LP has long been a thing of sought after beauty, a real Miami rarity that showcases a classy blend of funk, soul and AOR stylings delivered by the solid pairing of George 'Chocolate' Perry and Clay Cropper. Perry's name is well known among rare soul aficionados due to his involvement in some classic underground records from that scene (Wizzdom 'I'm So In Love With you' etc) and his part in writing, producing and arranging for artists like Blowfly, Milton Wright, King Sport, Bobby Caldwell, Latimore, Joe Walsh and many more. Cropper was also well known as a solid Miami session man who played keys, wrote and produced for a plethora artists from that part of the world throughout the 70's and 80's including Betty Wright, George McCrae, Frederick Knight and more. To say these 2 guys were seasoned pro's would be an understatement. No surprise then that their contribution to the CAT catalogue is a finely tuned, funky, sunkissed LP of jams that will bring unlimited joy and warmth to you via your turntable. Languid, melodic, grown-up soul music here folks, drenched in that sunshine state goodness. Oozing positivity and class - Chocolateclay is as deep as it gets. Often selling on-line for tidy sums (£60 +) this LP is a true gem, now is your chance to own a %100 legit, TK Disco sanctioned, vinyl copy of this killer Soul LP. Re-issued just the way it originally came out in 1977, no tricks. Essential!
This 2XLP album, EUROPA, is dedicated to and inspired by events in 2015 & 2016, which saw the spectre of global crisis come knocking at Europe's doorstep.During this time, more than a million migrants and refugees fled their homes in the Middle East, Northern Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and other conflict ravaged areas in search of a better life. For many, hopes of a future for themselves and their families lay in continental Europe.As already said about the preceding 12' single with the same name - One of the most well- trodden paths on this journey was the Balkan route, a trail leading through Turkey, Greece, and the former Yugoslavia.. This route was not without its dangers, and the dreams of thousands upon thousands were dashed by impassible security fences and discordant EU politics, as one by one they were turned away at borders, or worse, forcibly returned to their countries of origin.Europa was recorded during long jam sessions in Belgrade as the media spotlight started to dim. The city became the purgatorial destination for a large number of migrants, whose journeys had been cut short.
This double LP reflects the atmosphere of disillusionment and uncertainty about the future, which descended on the Serbian capital. Dark and melancholic saxophone playing on top of heavy kicks and Mediterranean percussions dominate the epic 17 minutes title track. The collaboration with Jerusalem in My heart continues the melancholic atmosphere, adding to it JIMH signature delayed baglama sounds, to create a 12 minute emotional journey, tearing away abstract concepts of 'longing' and 'home' with ever growing tension and magnitude. Genre-less, illusive and not easy to categorize, Tapan's debut album on Malka Tuti is an original soundtrack of a fragment in time and space, capturing a moment and transcending it musically for the rest of the world to experience.
Most of the musicians who gathered to record this fantastic spiritual jazz record for the Strata-East label on May 24th, 1974 had crossed each other's paths in various musical pairings over the preceding few years. Husband and wife team Dee Dee Bridgewater (vocals) and Cecil Bridgewater (trumpet) had been working together on albums like Frank Foster's "Loud Minority", and Roy Ayers' "Coffy" and "Virgo Red". Ten weeks before the "Freedom Of Speech" session, the couple had been joined in Tokyo by Cecil's brother Ronald Bridgewater (tenor saxaphone) to record Dee Dee's debut album, the beautiful "Afro Blue". Also in the studio on May 24th, 1974 was Donald Smith, (piano, vocals), fresh from recording on his older brother Lonnie Liston Smith's "Cosmic Funk" - on which Ronald Bridgewater had also played percussion. Cecil McBee (bass) was also there - just two weeks before, he'd completed his own Strata East date "Mutima", and in February he'd played on Mtume's "Rebirth Cycle" - with both albums also featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater on vocals. He'd also played on Lonnie Liston Smith's "Astral Travelling".
So 1974 was a huge year for all five of these people. Donald Smith and Cecil McBee were six months away from recording on Lonnie Liston Smith's massive "Expansions", with McBee fitting in a few Pharoah Sanders albums in between.
AND THEN, THE MYSTERY ... So with all this fervent activity, the question has to be asked ...Who was Billy Earl Parker Jr (drums), the leader of this session
Billy Parker remains unlisted as a musician on all major jazz sites. His only other recording appears to be as a percussionist on Charles Tolliver's "Impact" in 1975. Then there's nothing.
Finally, by backtracking one of those Zoom info pages, I found a summary of a "SUNY Rockland Community College" 2002 press release that no longer exists :
"Billy Parker's Fourth World Legacy Concert ...The concert, Billy Parker's Fourth World Legacy, is the eighth annual tribute honouring the late percussionist and RCC educator, Billy Parker. A long-time Rockland County resident, Parker began his affiliation with RCC in 1987, building its jazz program and maintaining his life-long tradition of teaching and inspiring others. A lifelong student himself, Parker was near completion of his doctorate in music education at New York University when he died in 1996.
But then people began to read this blog post, and in the comments, Aaron Fuller said :
"Billy Parker was my uncle. He was an incredibly talented, smart, and kind man. I'm very happy to see that folks are still enjoying his masterpiece. Just to give you a bit more information about him... He was born and raised in Buffalo, NY and then attended college at Michigan State University. He met my aunt in Lansing. They lived in NY and toured in Europe for quite a while. Sometime later they relocated to Nyack, NY and he ended up on the faculty of the community college while he pursued advanced degrees from NYU. He was an Ellington scholar. Although his name isn't well-known even among the most avid jazz fans, I think that if you were to talk to some of the great NY musicians that were around in the late 60s and 70s you would find that most knew him. He also had a huge impact as a music educator and I have no doubt that his former students are all over the place, continuing to put his love of the art into practice."
With the single "Everything You Do, You Do For Yourself" North-Ghanaian Kologo master Guy One opens the door to his first international release #1, which will be available end of January 2018. Guy One promises what his name is saying: he is the number one artist of Frafra music, named after his people: the Frafra."Everything You Do, You Do For Yourself" is his only song having a phrase in English. Here he is following the example of his collegue and friend King Ayisoba, who introduced the use of English into Frafra music a few years ago. The beat is a driving Highlife rhythm. That's the kind of groove we all love Ghana for!On "Estre" we have special guest Florence Adooni, one of the leading voices of Frafra-Gospel. She is interweaving perfectly with the horn arrangements by Max Weissenfeldt, as well the drummer of the song, and gives after her part the lead to Mr. Guy One - yeah, the number one!
The 'industry' of dance music can be as soul-crushing as any other. Those thrills and spills of late, loud nights come with a best-before expiry date, after which even the most seasoned selector-producer-scenemaker begins to wrinkle their nose. To have experienced it all over 15+ years and seek to see it unfold again through fresh eyes, what sort of lunatic would willingly put themselves through that V would. So it's a new character, but who was the mysterious V in a past life Make your own conclusions. A little digging will lead you toward the origin story, but sometimes the pleasure comes from the unknowing. Opt to enjoy the Silence. Silence, however, is not the focal point for V. In fact, this new form is a way to discard baggage and revitalise the process of music making. Tremors had become to show up in recent years on record labels in Glasgow and London, flickers of subterranean volcanic activity. Yet what proved to be rising was no big bang, nor even a phoenix from the ashes - but closer perhaps to a Nautilus. A relic by some standards but a pretty point of curiosity to others, slowly bobbing to the surface. Something ever-present and familiar to thousands, yet with mysteries left to be revealed. But hey - what does V stand for anyhow For Vilnius By origin and by where the heart lies, yes, although V for Vedett is also an acceptable answer given the artist's transposed second home of Belgium; so too is V for Volkswagen, given the production work put in around Frankfurt as of late. For Vendetta Too strong, although V does bear a grudge match against hobbyists and dilettantes. If you're going to be a new name in town, you may as well be a new name in town with years of hidden history, right For Vishnu Perhaps this is the one. V's tangle of arms extend forward in many directions: some clutching 303s and LinnDrums; others pushing fingers i
Born in London, 1945, Labi Siffre's recording career has spanned over 30 years and produced a body of work that has attained anthemic status across the world. He has had two number one hits (directly and indirectly) and is considered by those in the know to be one of Britain's most important musicians of the past fifty years. So it's a strange modern quirk that his actual voice is rarely heard, as it is from covers and samples of his work that he is best known. You may recognise his genius being sampled by Eminen for 'My Name Is' or the Madness cover of his song 'It Must Be Love' that was a huge pop hit across the world.
For his release on Mr Bongo we have gone back to the original source - his classic 1975 release 'Remember My Song'. This is his fifth album and features 'The Vulture', 'Sadie and the Devil' and 'I Got The', sampled by Eminem, Jay-Z, Wu-tang Clan, Atmosphere, The Beatnuts and Frankenstein, amongst others. Co-produced by Derek Lawrence and Big Jim Sullivan - a prolific session musician, artist and producer - who also worked with artists such as David Bowie, Serge Gainsbourg (on 'Histoire De Melody Nelson') and Frank Zappa. Brian Bennett of The Shadows, Chas Hodges and Dave Peacock aka Chas 'n' Dave also feature on this funk masterpiece from 1975.
This LP is reissued in new and improved sleeves (made in Japan) and features label designs as per the original 1975 release.
* 2017 year marks TEN YEARS OF INTEGRAL RECORDS and looking back upon the label's incredible back catalogue, what a decade it has been for drum & bass music that we hold so close.
* Initially set up as a passion project and a platform for showcasing future talent, the label has been consistently releasing cutting edge drum and bass since 2007. The ethos of the label has always been about quality control and finding those special vibes that no question capture heart and soul. Honing their unique musical language, selections are carefully handpicked by head honchos Artificial Intelligence and more recently in collaboration with label manager Emma G that fit with the forward thinking, original spirit we know as Integral.
* Now 40-odd releases deep and renowned for breaking some of the most exciting artists on the roster today, the label also boasts signature classics from some of the scenes most prolific residents. Names include the likes of Lenzman, Lomax (one half of Loadstar), Alix Perez, Calibre, System, Zero T, Technicolour & Komatic (Technimatic), LSB, Steo, Dawn Wall, Mohican Sun, Phil Tangent, Satl and just recently, A.I. themselves.
* Celebrating the seminal journey thus far, a double album will mark this very special occasion. Part One will showcase a selection of the finest from over the years in a chronological journey of the label's sound (for digitial release.) A second curation will simultaneously launch across all formats of entirely new and most exclusive material to date, reinforcing Integral's place at the round table of bass.
* A perfect teaser for what's to follow, the Album Sampler will drop this November featuring two stunning tracks. First up, '1000 Souls' comes courtesty of A.I. - tones of the deep, lush and soulful set the sultriest of grooves. Beautifully moody keys entice, chill and soothe. On the flip, 'Defiance' from Mohican Sun follows suit. With a gritty percussive edge, haunting melodies and a desperately emotional vocal to boot, this music will draw you all into the most mesmerising of dancefloor spells.
* Mark November 24 as the official release of the TEN YEARS OF INTEGRAL Album Sampler across all formats. Bag your limited vinyl copy now.
Tr One return with 4 very different tracks recorded in one take at their studio in the Irish southeast. 'A Month Has Passed' uses a dubbed out aesthetic merging influences from UK bass and Detroit using shimmering melodic progression. 'The Boutique Of Never Ending Dreams' works towards a synth laden dreamlike peak. 'The Printer' duly merges playful Chicago drums with an organic chord structure to create a head nodding funk. Finishing the EP is 'Road To The Sea', a pensive sway of dubby sonics masked in a fog of reverb.
Tr One are an established name in the Irish electronic music community and are known for their energetic and engaging performances as DJs. They have received critical acclaim for the raw soulful productions from their studio in hometown Carlow, Ireland. They have gained respect for their ability to deftly move between the lines of genres with a strong sense of adventure and connection with Detroit/Chicago/Dublin machine soul. From this they have released music on Lunar Disko, Apartment and Fine Art recordings, with the strains of the US Midwest never far from sonic influence. They have worked in a range of styles from old movie soundtrack disco with New Jackson to punishing techno sharing wax space with the Phantom Planet Outlaws.
Forriner is Lee Forster and Oli Worriner.
I made music together with Lee for years (alongside Mick Rolfe) as Last Waltz.
He also worked as Lizards with James Hadfield (James released solo for Me Me Me 02),
Oli Worriner, is a talented young northerner who's already making a great name for his solo output, both under his own name and his Traela Alias, as well his label 'Tunnyl Recordings'
I'm really flattered that they've let me release their first full solo release, and I love how they've brought out each others deeper and more emotive sides in these 2 tracks.
Shit Robot is a hero of mine. I basically wore out the grooves on a bunch of his DFA stuff from just over 10 years ago, and I've avidly bought everything he's released since.
I met him this summer for the first time when we shared the bill at a festival, and was so happy to find that he's also lovely guy in real life.
They say you should never meet your heroes, but I don't subscribe to that as this meeting led to not one, but two fantastic remixes for Me Me Me 08.
The originals are a bright mix of melodically analogue left leaning house, while the remixes zero-in on a punchier dancefloor vibe, with an epic version Goodnight, as well a more heads down Disco Dub.
So yeah, links within links, and keeping it Northeastern again I guess.
With its sixth release NEW YORK TRAX continues the mission of highlighting the jewels of the New York underground. Liquid Asset is a Philadelphia-born Brooklyn-based hardware virtuoso who has made a name for herself by virtue of appearances on labels such as E-Saggila's Summer Isle Brooklyn's own Primitive Languages
Jacktone and Acid Etch where she has recently delivered a furious 7' split with Isabella. Liquid Asset built her own 808 and 303 clones by hand. The modified 303 is particularly audible in the opening track of the record Ephemeral Nights' where she did not waste time on an intro and went straight to creating a sonic pandemonium by blending an airhorn sound with frenzy acid basslines and a hardcore-leaning 909 kick. Contact' is a merciless creature of the night with its relentless dark groove building up throughout this composition cannot easily be classified as a representation of any particular genre. Controlperception' opens the B side. Here Liquid Asset plays with a cheerful acid line over a dreamy landscape often punctured with bleeping sounds. Finally in Forgetmenot' two opposite sounding basslines intertwine creating a minimal yet very capturing composition to close this one of a kind record.
Finnish visual artist and filmmaker Hannu Karjalainen's music draws inspiration from ambient, drone, modern classical and dream pop. His first album Worms In My Piano was released in 2007 on Osaka Records and the second album, Hintergarten in 2009 on Simon Scott's Kesh Recordings. A Handful Of Dust Is A Desert, his third album - and the first under his full given name - arrives after a prolonged break.
Hannu Karjalainen's association with Karaoke Kalk started with his remix of Dakota Suite's The End Of Trying Part III on The Night Just Keeps Coming In in 2009 which also featured remixes by the likes of Hauschka, Deaf Center, Loscil and many more. Now, luckily for all concerned, Hannu is releasing a full length album on the label in the form of the exquisite record A Handful Of Dust Is A Desert.
The album opens with the track Angel which is a truly heavenly composition reminiscent of Boards of Canada's finest work. The Emigrant makes effective use of sinister synth-lines and delicate glockenspiel patterns to invoke a kind of science-fiction soundtrack atmosphere. Throughout the record, our ears are graced with truly sublime sound-scapes and transcendent textures.
The title track is actually the shortest tune on the album, but in no way less evocative. It's looped piano melodies are comparable with Susumo Yokota's later recordings in their minimalism and poise. A Year In a Day continues to walk the fine line between ambient and electronica - which is one of the albums great virtues: it shows how lively and eventful ambient music can be. Certainly ambient music benefits from having a strong pulse as Karjalainen demonstrates in various tracks on the album. The song Love Is A Black Lion features a sample from the afore mentioned Dakota Suite tune The End Of Trying Part III, and therefore somehow closes a circle.
This powerfully contemplative album comes to a controlled landing with the majestic Breaks My Heart She Aria, another in a long line of mesmerizing drifts, with a floating choral voice delicately enveloped in strings and pitched percussion.
A Handful of Dust Is A Desert is instantly captivating and for lovers of ambient music, dream listening. As an artist who trained in photography and is mostly active in the world of visual art, Hannu Karjalainen clearly enjoys a great deal of creative freedom in his music. This is the kind of desert you won't mind getting lost in and even take pleasure in roaming through the expansive sonic landscapes and horizons it embodies.
You probably don't know this disco banger, I think there is about 4 or 5 known copies on 7", everyone who has a copy has been keeping it quiet. I first heard it from David Haffner about 4 years ago and had been after it since then.
After a lot of research I came to the conclusion the everyone involved had passed away, but months after giving up after I spotted Benita's full name on another related LP credited as a backing singer.
I was then able to track down Benita who was alive, well and surprised and very happy to hear from me. This one is a beast and will fly out
(I find myself saying this far to often).
Les Disques du Crepuscule presents an expanded edition of classic festive album Ghosts of Christmas Past, featuring favourites from the original 1981 and 1982 editions now joined by newer tracks by Crepuscule artists.
Sometimes witty, sometimes melancholic, the original version of Ghosts of Christmas Past in November 1981 featured exclusive contributions from luminaries such as Tuxedomoon, The Durutti Column, Paul Haig, Michael Nyman, Aztec Camera, Thick Pigeon and The Names. Subsequent editions in 1982 and 1986 added songs by Antena, Mikado, The French Impressionists, Pale Fountains and Winston Tong.
For this new double CD version in 2015 Crepuscule have now added more chantons noel by Blaine L. Reininger, Section 25, The Wake, Marsheaux, Deux Filles, Stanton Miranda, Virna Lindt, B Music and Ultramarine.
'Crepuscule's Christmas cracker is here to rescue the festive season from the fogies and bores"(Melody Maker); "Aztec Camera's Hot Club of Christ is a busy, Django-esque run through a few well-known Christmas ditties, Michael Nyman's Cream or Christians is a silly but loveable fragmented organ collage in a typical English eccentric tradition, Tuxedomoon are in playful Residential mood' (NME)
Cover art by Jean-Francois Octave. The remastered 2xCD is sleeved in a deluxe 6 panel digipack.
Disc 1:
1. Section 25 Jesus Sweetly Sleeps
2. Miranda Dali Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
3. The Wake Jesus From the Block
4. Marsheaux We Met Bernard Sumner at a Christmas Party Last Night
5. Ultramarine Winter Circle
6. Isolation Ward Lamina Christus
7. Thick Pigeon Jingle Bell Rock
8. Aztec Camera Hot Club of Christ
9. Paul Haig Scottish Christmas
10. B Music Rocking Carol
11. Tuxedomoon Weihnachtsrap
12. Virna Lindt Festivo
13. Blaine L. Reininger Jingle Hell
14. Blaine L. Reininger Silent Blight
15. Blaine L. Reininger Xmas Blooz
16. The Durutti Column Snowflakes
17. Monks in the Snow A Theme for This Special Evening
Disc 2:
1. Hillcrest Club Breakfast at Christmas
2. Paul Haig Christiana
3. The Names Tokyo Twilight
4. The Durutti Column One Christmas For Your Thoughts
5. White Birds Possessed By the Stars
6. The Swinging Buildings Praying for a Cheaper Christmas
7. B Music Ode to Joy
8. Antena Noelle a Hawai
9. The Pale Fountains Benoît's Christmas
10. The French Impressionists Santa Baby
11. Simon Topping Peep Show International
12. Thick Pigeon Silhouettes
13. Deux Filles The Snow Falls and the Village Is Overflowing With Children
14. Mikado Message de Noël
15. Winston Tong The Twelve Days of Christmas
16. The Arcadians Write Your Letter
17. Michael Nyman Cream or Christians
18. Magazzini Criminali Honolulu 25 dicembre 1990
Betino's Records proudly presents its third release: an EP by the very sharp collective The Big Hustle. The band founded in 2014 by bass player and composer Sébastien Levanneur, brings
together 70's old school funk with the hippest actual sound with influences spanning from Steely Dan to Snarky Puppy, from Mandrill to Lettuce and from Herbie Hancock (Manchild era) to Soulive.
With mighty horn players, a rock and funky rhythm section, and percussions added to it, The Big Hustle's music has a very large variety of sound landscapes. Still, the music never loses the groove and always stays close to the funk.
The A side opens with "Afrorever", a tribute to African culture and music. The guest of honor on this song is legendary Malian musician Cheick Tidiane Seck, longtime partner of Salif Keita, and collaborator of Joe Zawinul, Carlos Santana and Damon Albarn to name a few. After Cheick's introduction, the songs jumps into a typical afrobeat vibe featuring a tight and powerful horn section, suddenly breaks into an electro funk groove and ends in a furious percussive party.
Second track on the A side is "Faure is the Magic Number". It is dedicated to Thomas Faure (co-composer of the track) and François Faure (both featured on this song on tenor sax and keyboards respectively). This piece displays the band's ability to blend jazz-funk groove with a heavy hip-hop beat. Kind of DJ Premier meets Steely Dan.
The B side starts with "Afrorever (Sun's Up Mix)". Through this mix, one can acknowledge instantly Olivier Portal's touch. From the very first chords, he conveys us into his realm blending warm and melancholy keyboards with an old school deep-house rhythm pattern.
The fourth track is called 1, 2, 1, 2'. It is a purely improvised moment in the studio while the band was sound checking before recording with special guest rapper Raashan Ahmad. Nicolas Gueguen had the good idea to press the R button and what you hear is basically what happened afterwards.
After two hip-hop albums (Got To Get Down in 2016 and Impact in 2017), the unpredictable Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra comes back to its fundamentals with a new instrumental album:
MORPHEUS which repositions the band in the spirit of their previous spatial, almost cosmic albums Last Odyssey (2012) and Pulsion (2015), both released on Ubiquity Records and acclaimed by spiritual and fusion jazz lovers, library music fans, as well as rare grooves diggers (ALVO's first 4 vinyl albums now being out of stock).
Each new ALVO new release is a millesimal which evolved and learned from its predecessors.
Masta Conga, who's still leading the herd, has for main purpose to explore the musical space-time, gaining ground on never before revealed tracks, followed by his now faithful team of atypical and
farseeing musicians.
Compared to Miles Davis and his On The Corner by Wax Poetics, the band dives again in this realm of psychedelia and beyond', in particular with the contribution of Indian musicians. Twirling
around violins, superimposed patchy keyboards and effects, just as if their conductor wasn't already sufficiently influenced by Pierre Boulez and others such as Hiroshi Murakami... The result is however more uncluttered and loaded with multiple vibes than its predecessor Pulsion, which already carried the ceremonial characteristics of cult movie soundtracks. Tracks Moksha',
Air' and Morpheus' are the perfect demonstration, and far beyond their names. Simple grooves, lunar, but terribly efficient, emphasized by a mix that puts focus on these fiddly contributions of ethnic instruments, on percussions and horns on a drip of delay, reverbs and other space-echoes.
On the other side, the very rhythmic Descarga Uno', Descarga Dos' and Super Dopamine' show that the Parisian crew hasn't lost its good habit to look around latin, ternary, and syncopated
rhythms, in the ALVO only style! A new millésime, a Grand Cru maybe, but for sure to taste and appreciate in all weathers including space ones.
After more than 5 years releasing exclusively their own material on their own label and with 12 EP released since nowadays there, NX1 use now the cultivated experience through this years to launch Nexe Records, a new platform with which they open to release other related artists and collaborations that will rule the label.
To get started, Nexe Records opens with a 3 EP vinyl pack which contains 12 artists remixing released tracks from NX1. The first three records are involving names such as AnD, Orphx, Blush Response, Ontal, Samot, P.E.A.R.L., Scalameriya, Go Hiyama, Surit, Lucindo, RE_P and The Exaltics, a wide sort list that define the borders and possibilities of the sound that the duo purposes for this new label.
The third EP opens with a classy electro remix from one of the most reputed names from the genre, The Exaltics. Following on the A side we also find Samot, half of the NX1 duo and who delivers a broken hard twisted remix that works perfectly for any serious techno set. The B side starts with an overwhelming raw acid version from the modular industrial artist Blush Response showing his unmistakable convoluted style. Last track of the record is done by the spanish P.E.A.R.L, serving a serious driving techno track that keeps you mesmerized with deep pads and a strong punching kick.
out of Stock
Last delivered 4 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Ebo Taylor is a legendary guitarist, composer, arranger and producer from Accra, Ghana. A leading light of Ghanaian music since the 1960's, Taylor is still touring and recording, and at the age of 80 will be releasing a brand new studio album on Mr Bongo in 2018.
For this album, Ebo joined forces with 12-piece band 'The Pelikans' — from the Cape Coast region of Ghana — led by Bessa Simmona, with rhythm guitarist Fifi Orleans Lindsay. A genuine 'holy-grail' of Ghanaian music and one of Ebo's most saught-after.
The album was released on the small Abookyi label. Named after a nightclub they played in called PELIKANS, and sung in English and Fante, this was the first album where Ebo sang on tracks, such as the classic 'Come Along', on which he also plays keyboard. This song clearly defined a new direction in highlife and has become a Ghanaian funk anthem. 'Come Along' formed the basis of Sadat X's 'Remember That' hip hop jam from 2011.
This official Mr Bongo re-issue is packaged in our new & improved heavyweight 'tip-on' sleeves, printed in Japan, pressed on high quality vinyl, with label designs and artwork as per the original release. Ebo's forthcoming new studio album, 'MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS' is set for release in spring 2018, on Mr Bongo.
Legendary James Brown's protégée Martha High teams up with mighty Japanese Osaka Monaural to pay homage to "JB's Funky Divas" in her new album "Tribute to My Soul Sisters".
Original Funky Diva Martha High has been an integral part of James Brown's life and career for more than 30 years. She was his backing vocalist, hair stylist, payroll master and his always loyal and reliable confidant.
The idea for this project was hatched back in 2014, when Martha was visiting producer DJ Pari, head honcho of the Soulpower organization and manager of soul legends like The Impressions, Lyn Collins and Marva Whitney. While reminiscing about tours with her fellow James Brown veterans, Martha felt that a tribute to the great soul sisters of the JB Revue, better known as "James Brown's Original Funky Divas," was very much needed.
"I looked up to these ladies of soul," says Martha, "Given the opportunity and the pleasure to perform their songs, is my way of saying: thank you, you're not forgotten. To record the music of the Funky Divas, would mean a lot to Mr. Brown. He always wanted the world to know he had powerful women on stage that could hold his crowd while he was off the stage. They were just as powerful and funky as he was."
Without further ado, following DJ Pari's advice, Martha partnered up in Tokyo with one of the hottest names of the new funk renaissance: Japan's Osaka Monaurail. Deeply influenced by the work of James Brown, Bobby Byrd, Curtis Mayfield and with nine albums under their belt, Osaka Monaurail have been leading the international funk scene for more than two decades, appearing at festivals such as Montreal Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival and Womad's, as well as recording and touring with funk legends like Marva Whitney and Fred Wesley.
This unique collaboration gives new life to 13 soulful pearls, masterfully interpreted as only an Original Funky Diva can do. To name a few: "Think (About It)", made famous by the female preacher Lyn Collins, "Mama's Got a Bag of Her Own", Anna King's answer to Brown's "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "This Is My Story", of which Martha recorded the original version with The Jewels, and the soul classic "Answer to Mother Popcorn" by Vicki Anderson.
Born in Victoria, Virginia, and discovered by rock 'n roll pioneer Bo Diddley, Martha started her career with the soulful, legendary doo-wop group The Four Jewels, with whom she scored the national hit "Opportunity" in 1964. Soon, The Jewels caught the attention of James Brown and joined the James Brown Revue in 1966. The Godfather of Soul recorded and released several songs featuring The Jewels until the group disbanded. Nevertheless, Martha stayed with James Brown and continued to work with him as his personal vocalist for 32 years. She was with him at the Boston Garden during the iconic 1968 gig after Martin Luther King's assassination. She was by his side when he performed at renowned "Rumble in The Jungle" event in Zaire. Mr. Brown produced several of Martha's singles on his own People label such as "Georgy Girl", "Try Me" and "Summertime." Meanwhile Martha launched her solo career in 1979 with the self-titled debut LP for Salsoul Records. Since, she has released five albums under her name and, being one of the "hardest working women in show business", she became one of the leading singers of saxophonist Maceo Parker's legendary funky music machine, working with him for 16 years.
Throughout her career Martha has shared stages worldwide with iconic artists like Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Michael Jackson and George Clinton. Martha has been carrying the torch of soul music for her whole life, like a true soul sister. Now, with this new effort, she is keeping the music of the Funky Divas going, and we are sure that the Godfather of Soul and her faithful audience would appreciate it.
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SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION X 300 WITH BONUS 7 :
Limited special edition with the 7" containing the track "Lune noire", in 2 parts - one per side.
It's already been 5 years since the last Zombie Zombie album 'Rituels d'un Nouveau Monde', after which the group explored other territories by signing 2 film scores, namely 'Loubia Hamra' by Narimane Mari and 'Irréprochable' by Sébastien Marnier, as well as creating the music accompanying a contemporary circus show called 'Slow Futur' created by Martin Palisse and Elsa Guérin. Wouldn't these beautiful parentheses make you want to return to the sources After 10 years at Versatile Records, 2017 also marks the decade anniversary of the release of their first album 'A Land for Renegades' in 2007, at the time considered to be one of the 10 best albums of the year according to Rough Trade.
'Livity' - Zombie Zombie's latest opus seems to plunge us deep into science fiction, with a cover designed by the mythic cartoonist Philippe Druillet, who is also the founder of the cult Métal Hurlant comic series. The title of the album is somewhat misleading, as one could mistakenly think of a certain dub record made at
the famous Island Records Compass Point studio in the Bahamas. For the uninitiated 'Livity' or 'Life force' is actually a Rastafarian spiritual concept based on the idea that an energy exists within, and flows through, all people and all living things. The record was recorded last winter in Paris, in a very short time frame. 7 tracks played live in 7 days, by Etienne Jaumet (synthesizers / rhythm box / metallophone / sax), Cosmic Neman (drums / vocals / sound effects), and Dr. Schonberg (percussion / electronics / trumpet), recorded at the Red Bull Studios by Thibaut Javoy and Jerome Caron, 2 very competent engineers. To keep it in the family, the album was then mixed by another member of the Versatile stable, the mysterious and legendary DJ/producer I:Cube, done in the label's Victor Studio.
On this album the principles that are dear to the group rest being respected, still as far away as always from the standards of 'radio play', A living kind of music, composed of long instrumental moments recorded with analog synthesizers and drum machines, accompanied by drums and percussion. But I:Cube's touch may bring the unique energy that one may find at Zombie Zombie's concerts; on certain cuts like title track 'Livity' that the group recorded in Laos, a wild combination of 808 kick drums and bewitching jungle sounds that sound quite unlike anything else out there, and especially on 'Hippocampe', which gives the impression of hearing an old school hip hop rhythm with the power of a metal band who have replaced their guitars with an army of synthesizers: we recommend you listen to this particular track in a convertible while speeding down the highway.
As with all of Zombie Zombie's music the cinematic component is still strong, on titles like 'Ils existent..' 'Acera' which was originally composed for ciné-concerts accompanying the films of Jean Painlevé et Maurice Pialat. The energy of the beginning is still very present, as is - of course - the kraut inspiration. But it's also an album that takes new directions and sonic risks, like on 'Looose', which brings to mind the Art Ensemble of Chicago, or the groove of James Chance in New York in the early 1980's, featuring the free sax solos of Etienne Jaumet and Dr. Schonberg on the trumpet. The group also offers some slower and calmer titles, like 'Heavy Meditation' as well as exploring more experimental tracks in the line of French 70's groups such as Lard Free or Richard Pinhas, for example on the bonus track 'Black Moon'.
Please - Take your time, and enjoy listening!
