Search:nyc

Back in 2003, during an incredible period of growth and reinvention for legendary artist MF DOOM, he introduced us to one of his numer- ous alter egos, Viktor Vaughn. As the story goes, Viktor Vaughn was an interdimensional time-traveling MC from an alternate realm where Hip-Hop was banned. He’d been exploring time and space looking for new dimensions to sharpen him to 90s era NYC, where he found himself stranded due to a mechanical mishap with his time machine. He began hitting open mics and small venues, battling other MCs and picking up a few side-hustles in order to raise enough funds to repair his time machine and get back to his travels.

Vaudeville Villain is a concept album like no other, where MF DOOM re-envisions himself as a younger, hungrier, more brazen persona, in order to explore subjects new and old from a different point of view. Of course, developing a second self from a more technologically advanced universe, he wanted to take a new approach to the produc- tion too. Viktor Vaughn fittingly raps over next-school beats that move freely in spaces between Electronica and Hip Hop, all courtesy of Sound-Ink producers King Honey, Heat Sensor and Max Bill, with the exception of one track produced by RJD2. Featuring all original lyrics by DOOM, with a few notable guest appearances from M. Sayyid (Anti-Pop Consortium), Lord Sear, Apani B Fly MC, Louis Logic, and more, Vaudeville Villain is one of the more uniquely creative entries in the MF DOOM universe.

Another essential 45 from the 5 Boroughs of NYC, with Da Youngstas "Pass The Mic" making its first ever appearance on 7" with the original sample source on the flip. This should have mass appeal!

Mary Jane Leach is a composer focussed on the physicality of sound, its acoustic properties and how they interact with space. She has played an instrumental role in NYC’s pioneering Downtown scene alongside Arthur Russell, Ellen Fullman, Peter Zummo, Philip Corner and Arnold Dreyblatt, as well as devoting years to the preservation and reappraisal of Julius Eastman’s work since his death in 1990, compiling the »Unjust Malaise« 3CD set in 2005 and editing the 2015 book »Gay Guerrilla: Julius Eastman and His Music«. »Woodwind Multiples« is her second album for Modern Love, following »(f)lute songs« (2018).

»Woodwind Multiples« features four pieces for multiples of the same instrument: four bass flutes, nine oboes, nine clarinets, and seven bassoons. Each piece works closely with the unique sound of each instrument, combining pitches that create other, sometimes unexpected, tones, primarily combination and interference tones, as well as rhythmic patterns. What you hear is what happens naturally - there is no processing or manipulation.

»8B4 (1985/2022)«, played by Manuel Zurria, is for four bass flutes. It is a revision of 8x4, which was written in 1985 for the DownTown Ensemble and was only performed once, due to its unusual instrumentation: alto flute, English horn (originally bass oboe), clarinet, and voice.

»Xantippe’s Rebuke« (1993) was written for Libby Van Cleve, for eight taped oboes and one live, solo oboe. The eight taped parts are equal and dependent, while the solo part is meant to be a solo with the tape as accompaniment. The piece works with the unique sound of the oboe, starting with unison pitches that create the richest sound, building the piece from there. Pitches and rhythmic patterns that occur naturally are notated and then played later, which in turn create other pitches and rhythmic patterns. So, in effect, the nature of the oboe and its natural sound determine the direction of the piece.

»Charybdis« (2020), played by Sam Dunscombe, is for solo clarinet and eight taped clarinets. It combines a somewhat obscured reference to Weep You No More, a John Dowland piece, which combines with the sound phenomena created from the melody and supporting chords of the Dowland.

»Feu de Joie« (1992) was written for bassoonist Shannon Peet and is an homage to the bassoon and its wonderful sound. It is for seven parts—six taped and one »live.« The taped bassoons combine to create a bed of sound that exploits the unique qualities of the bassoon, creating combination and interference tones, starting off with unison pitches, creating a rich sound that builds from there. Most of the subsequent pitches and phrases occur naturally, and are then notated later on in the piece, which in turn creates other notes and phrases.

For our last record of 2023, Incienso is returning to the club just in time for peak time raving with “Lost and Happy”, a new EP from NYC based producer Ben Ritz.

In EPs for Sweat Equity and Fixed Rhythms, Ben honed in on a uniquely hyped and hypnotic take on techno. With his new EP for Incienso, he steps out into the light for a four track excursion into vibrant and ecstatic sounds - not without a healthy dose of tunneling and tripping tech too, of course.

Seminal NYC multi-reedist Doug Wieselman announces arresting new album of birdsong arranged for clarinet, flute, banjo and piano WA-Zoh, released on Shahzad Ismaily’s figureight records.

Wieselman has performed with superlative greats (including the Lounge Lizards, Lou Reed, Yoko Ono, Bill Frisell, Iron & Wine, Laurie Anderson, Tricky, Martha Wainwright, Antony and the Johnsons, CocoRosie) and contributed significantly to the NYC Downtown scene over the past three decades. He is described, by NYC Jazz Record, as “a vital force in the New York music scene”.

Over the years, Wieselman has taken hours of recordings of birds both from his world travels and outside his window in Brooklyn. His beautiful new album WA-Zoh uses the recorded bird songs and phrases - slowed down and processed - as source material for original compositions, reflecting the astonishing beauty and inherent musicality of the natural world in a wholly unique take on field recording. Incorporating clarinets, flutes, banjo, piano and percussion, all played by Wieselman himself, the new album is marked step forward from his previous solo outings as a clarinet player, though no less accomplished in its composition, dexterity and skill.


The minimalism, patience, and subtlety here is delicately formed from featherlight interweaving lines of soft, virtuosic instrumentation, resulting in an album that sits somewhere between avian chirrup, rainforest prettiness, the refined intelligence of American minimalism, and the undecorated purity of ambient music.

* Debut LP from NYC Garage Rockers * Produced by Nick Zinner from Yeah Yeah Yeahs! Miranda and The Beat are a Rock and Roll band, with all that the term might entail. Drawing from the traditional rock music, as performed by the likes of The Dirt Bombs, The B-52's, MC5, and Ronnie Spector, Miranda and The Beat operate from a clear eyed appreciation of the greats and a healthy, barn-burning disregard for tropes or traditionalist limitations. Garage, soul, punk, classic rock_ pick your poison; the band has plenty to spare. Arriving in New York City in 2018, the band have, through songwriting and performance, proved themselves to be both an essential spark and spearhead to a scene of new blood rockers bringing a much needed renewal of energy to the New York City (garage, rock, whatever) scene. Originally a duo of 21 year old guitarist/vocalist Miranda Zipse and 21 year old drummer Kim "The Beat" Sollecito, the pair quickly added a full band of Kate Gutwald on bass and Dylan Fernadez on organ and soon became known for their tireless, wheel-on-fire live sets driven by Miranda's captivating stage presence, vocal prowess, and her pyrotechnic (but never indulgent!), melodically slashing guitar work. Their live reputation (and a reputation for being neither pushovers nor scumbags) led to collaborations with such childhood idols as The Mystery Lights and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Soon there was the release of their 7" single Such A Fool, on Jack White's Third Man Records and an extensive North American tour supporting The King Khan and BBQ show. One pandemic later, between days/nights spent sweating out piss, vinegar, and trackloads of tears in the studio, and a rigorous, borderline ridiculous, rehearsal schedule, Miranda and The Beat are, at this juncture, practically monstrous in both sound and vision, and ready to meet the world.

Attia Taylor is a NYC based musician, writer, and content producer. She is the founder of Womanly Magazine, The Dorothy and a member of The Art Dept Collective. Her work is rooted in social justice, art, and design, to bring inclusive and culturally relevant content to sound, print and digital realms. She is passionate about building and cultivating communities through journalism, music, storytelling, and research. "Space Ghost" is her debut solo album, recorded with Jeff Ziegler (Kurt Vile, The War on Drugs) in Philadelphia.

She may be making her first appearance on NuNorthern Soul, but Zeynep Erbay is no newcomer. A classically trained pianist who took a turn towards the dancefloor while at university, the Turkish DJ/producer earned her first release on Compost Records way back in 2007 after taking part in 2006’s Red Bull Music Academy programme. Since then, her career has been on an upwards trajectory, with releases on Fools Gold and Soul Clap Records confirming Erbay as a genuine rising star of underground electronic music.

On the Healer EP, the Istanbul-based producer showcases the more atmospheric, sun-kissed end of her productions, taking a turn away from synth-powered, disco-leaning club tracks towards something more suitable for al-fresco events, sun-down sets, and sofa-bound listening sessions.

Inspired by a poem inscribed on the back cover of the EP, Erbay’s two original instrumental tracks simply ooze with emotion. The poem tells the story of a whale searching for her family while helping others along the way, which acts as a metaphor for our wider search for belonging and acceptance.

This aural narrative unfolds firstly across ‘Heart of a Healer’, a slowly unfurling stunner in which emotion-rich chords, gentle electronic melodies and Erbay’s poignant and picturesque piano motifs, gently rise above a chunky dub disco bassline and mid-tempo, triple-time drums.

Delving further, the effortlessly emotional, life-affirming composition ‘Healer Whale’, where Erbay’s impeccable piano playing ushers in languid, jazz-flecked drums, dubby bass, sumptuous synth-strings and colourful, slow-moving chords.

On remix dutires, NYC-based Italian Danilo Braca, who also mastered the release, provides a fine club-focused fix of ‘Heart of a Healer’, laced with crunchy machine drums and undulating TB-303 acid lines. NuNorthern Soul regular Marshall Watson handles ‘Healer Whale’, first delivering a fine ‘Remix’ version that effortlessly blurs the boundary between dub disco and Balearic nu-disco, before serving up a shorter, ambient ‘Reprise’ version.

Bosq & Kaleta return for the second single off their forthcoming full length album. Uplifiting Afro Disco & Funk are the name of the game on this beautiful release with artwork by Amanda Lobos from Brasil.

It's not possible to pick an A & B side between these two quality cuts, recorded between Bosq's Medellin Studio, NYC & Cotonou, Benin (one of Kelata's hometowns).

Sonayon is a midtempo summertime Afro Disco burner that almost doesn't need a translation from it's Gun (A language native to Benin and some parts of Southern Nigeria) lyrics for you to understand that it speaks of overcoming hardship & brighter days ahead.

Meji Meji, loosely meaning something akin to "two heads are better than one" in Yoruba takes a similarly positive stance, with Kaleta singing about unity over division on a heavy Disco Funk groove with blistering horns and heavy percussion.

Both sides already getting heavy support on dancefloors worldwide.

Futurismo are proud to present a first time reissue of the killer 1985 album: Just A Million Dreams by the uncompromising Alan Vega.

The remastered version of this LP comes with two unreleased bonus tracks produced by Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud of The Vacant Lots. It is packaged in a gloss laminated sleeve with a huge fold-out poster and contains new liner notes by Henry Rollins.

Presented in a remastered deluxe vinyl package, Just A Million Dreams, produced by Ric Ocasek and Chris Lord-Alge, takes Vega on an expedition into new territory. As an artist Vega had a crucial drive, but having a hit record was never a motive, neither was pandering to expectations, which is why Just a Million Dreams is perhaps a perfect statement for that moment, bettering the then bastions of MTV rock without even trying, an exercise in subversion that still has Vega’s unique artistry at its core. Would you expect anything less from one half of NYC legends Suicide? Perhaps not, but the hows and whys to Vega landing himself in such a mainstream position are perhaps just as fascinating as the record itself.

Here Alan Vega’s vocals sound better than ever, full of emotion and brooding honesty. Lyrics painting images of dystopian love might be a sideways move away from the intense nihilism of his past, but it’s still the real deal. Alan Vega could not be anything else. Listen to tracks like ‘Creation’ and you still get that raw emotion he spent his career honing. Set against the grandeur of mid 80’s production: big processed drums, runaway guitar solos, we get a rare peak into what Vega would sound like if he was allowed to be a rock star drenched in the sonic excesses of the era. It was a brave and unfairly misunderstood move, but the components come together to form an incredible anti-commercial, commercial album. Just A Million Dreams is the sound of Alan Vega taking on the 1980’s and winning.

With help of the official Vega Vault, two never before heard tracks have been unearthed from the 1985 JAMD recording sessions and brought to life by long time collaborator Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud of The Vacant Lots, adding a new insight to the recordings. Henry Rollins also lends a new written perspective, making this release a vital addition to the collections of Alan Vega and Suicide fans. It has been said that Alan Vega is forever, his unwavering artistic approach can be witnessed throughout his career, whether as part of Suicide or as a solo songwriter, poet or sculptor. Just a Million Dreams is just another example

If you are a death metal fan, GRACELESS shouldn’t need an introduction. Three full lengths and two split EPs have granted the Dutch ensemble a respectable reputation across the globe. Closer to home, the four piece has played countless live shows since their 2016 inception. The rock solid line up -unchanged since day one- has delivered ferocious, high energy live performances at Eindhoven Metal Meeting, Into the Grave, Party San Metal Open Air, Ruhrpott Metal Meeting, Stonehenge, SDF2021 and many more festivals and clubs. Joining forces with LISTENABLE RECORDS in 2023 is the next thundering milestone for GRACELESS. Tirelessly working on their fourth full-length, the next chapter for GRACELESS will be another step deeper into the abyss that started with Shadowlands (2018), via Where Vultures Know Your Name (2020), to Chants from Purgatory (2022). For fans of DEATH, ASPHYX, GORGUTS, BOLT THROWER, AMON AMARTH, BLOODBATH

Japanese born but nowadays NYC resident, DJ Monchan is a long-time purveyor of Disco edits and early House music, something you'll clearly hear on his debut release on GAMM.

The first track 'What is your love worth' is really something special as it starts off with a gritty and raw early house loop but then makes a dramatic turn over to high energy NY Disco...and then back to the grit.
A great jam session!

The B-side offers a deeper Disco-House track that easily could've been released in the early 90's on any of the relevant NYC labels of the time.

"Bills past due, what you gon do?"

2lanes is part of the latest resurgence in Detroit's techno underground whose infamy is built via amorphous live appearances / DJ sets, collaborations with contemporaries like AceMo and John F.M., and a steady, hilarious and blunt presence on Twitter. PGS is proud to present 2lane’s 2nd piece of wax, the AA side "Baby's Born To Fish'' / "Impish Desires'' following the "Giving & Receiving" EP on NYC's Ceramic Records, February 2020.

2 Lanes first appeared in Detroit ~six years ago and quickly made a name for himself in the local scene, promoting shows with international artists and friends from NYC, all while making an effort to respect the city's unique musical identity and history. He carries the tradition of Detroit's electronic pioneers who pursued new ideas in production and gear, bringing perfection to the craft, and developing unique twists in his process.

Participating in the contemporary electronic music world required splitting your time between 2 places at once: Online, always-on, in constant engagement with friends + foe alike; In Real Life, physically traveling city to city, DJing and collaborating, all while maintaining a sense of self. And now, all that's different.

"Lately, I've been, going, going through some changes"

Releasing a club-ready 12" in the midst of a global pandemic? That's the 2 Lanes. We heard an earlier version of "Baby's Born 2 Fish" what feels like 10 years ago, rinsing "Impish Desires" when there were still gigs. Do you remember the Apollo Masters plant fire in early February? How long were pressing plants closed, again? How long have we been living in this new reality? 2lanes hopes that the messages of this music; fear, isolation, friendship, love and how we exist at this intersection comes through for the listener.

"Baby's Born To Fish" / "Impish Desires" is a heavy hitting AA side, rejuvenating, explosive, off your face. They're ready for the eventual return 2 the dance floor, and sooner for your streaming DJ set. We don't know when we can see you IRL, but we know it'll be in mixes for decades to come.

"You’re gonna cast your reel out and you don’t know if you’re gonna get a fish that day, but you’re still gonna cast it out." - 2 Lanes

Second pressing on 180g ultra-clear vinyl, printed inner-sleeve, download card included.

"When everyone left NYC, the sewer opened and we crawled out." Prolific Brooklyn institution The Men return with their ninth studio album, 'New York City'. Arriving following 2020's 'Mercy', the new LP is released February 3rd 2023 on the group's new label home Fuzz Club Records and marks a return to the more scuzzy and abrasive rock ploughed over their decade and a half spent coursing through the grimy sewers of NYC. Here, nocturnal proto-punk meets a timeless, all-guns-blazing rock'n'roll gusto. That the album leans into a more primitive, back-to-basics sound owes largely to the way in which was forged, an earlier version of the record scrapped in favour of four people playing in a room together. "The New York City album was revised, reorganized and shaped until it became clear that things fall into place like the hammer driving the nail or the scythe's swipe through the tall grass." The end result is a series of cuts played live and recorded to 2" tape in Travis Harrison's (Guided By Voices, Built To Spill) Brooklyn studio. New York City' is a record that doesn't stop moving for a second, packed full of the kind of energy you can only really capture in a live setting. "These songs became the blood of the band as the band could only exist for and of these songs. There was no place else to hang their hats. Without making this record, the group would not exist, so there really wasn't another option. NYC is fluid. It means a lot of different things to all kinds of people. We present the record in that spirit."

The drowsiest and earliest inklings of the slowcore movement can be traced to Codeine's 1991 debut. Combining the Louisville scene's relaxed tempo with doom metal's distorted slurry, the album is a depressing masterpiece of hushed vocals, noisy guitar, and punishing drums. Remastered from the original analog tapes and recreated in painstaking detail, Frigid Stars LP is the NYC trio's fuzziest and most affecting work. "A deft musical approximation of the sound of water turning to ice, the guitars are so weighed down with distortion that they struggle to march from one chord to the next." _ Pitchfork

Heat Death Vinyl is Clear w/ Black Splatter. The drowsiest and earliest inklings of the slowcore movement can be traced to Codeine's 1991 debut. Combining the Louisville scene's relaxed tempo with doom metal's distorted slurry, the album is a depressing masterpiece of hushed vocals, noisy guitar, and punishing drums. Remastered from the original analog tapes and recreated in painstaking detail, Frigid Stars LP is the NYC trio's fuzziest and most affecting work. "A deft musical approximation of the sound of water turning to ice, the guitars are so weighed down with distortion that they struggle to march from one chord to the next." _ Pitchfork

Long time Leng recording artists 40 Thieves are back with one of their most notable singles to date – a surprise collaboration with two NYC disco originals, storied vocalist Cinnamon Jones and multiinstrumentalist/producer Gary Davis.

San Francisco outfit 40 Thieves has been serving up cosmic, dubbed-out and otherworldly contemporary disco treats since the mid 2000s, and have been part of the Leng family since 2011. The crew, headed up by Layne Fox, Jay Williams and Corey Black, have released countless killer cuts on the label, as well as an expansive
debut album, 2014’s The Sky Is Yours.

They’ve worked with other artists before, but nobody at the same legendary level as Cinnamon Jones and Gary
Davis. The latter cut his teeth as a musician working with iconic disco producers Patrick Adams and Peter Brown at their P&P Records stable, before becoming a producer and artist in his own right writing and arranging the disco classic ‘Got To Get Your Love’ performed by Clyde Alexander & Sanction.

Jones, meanwhile, has enjoyed a hugely successful career both in her native New York (as Joyce Jones, an original member of First Choice) and on the West Coast, where she not only became an in-demand performer, but also snagged a role in the Supremes biopic Dream Girls.

‘The Gift’ is one of Jones’ most cherished solo songs – a joyful celebration of a new day dawning that has long been popular in her live sets. With input and instrumentation from Davis and a fantastic delivery of her own lyrics by Jones, 40 Thieves has successfully re-framed the track as a sunrise-ready future Bay Area free party
favourite; a dubbed-out, suitably cosmic creation that’s presented in three potent versions.

Leading the charge, and stretched across side A of the vinyl version is the band’s ’Disco Mix’ which boasts a fully realised instrumental arrangement and extensive use of passages from Jones’ vocals. Not all the lyrics are present as the Bay Area band has chosen to focus on selected lines that most neatly fit their musical vision and
celebrate the joys of dancing at sunrise. There are more spaced-out keyboard solos, sharper guitars (smothered in effects in true 40 Thieves fashion) and sound design that’s as immersive as it is heady and intoxicated.

On the flip is the ‘Disco Dub’. A bona-fide dub disco chugger rich in relentless synth-bass, addictive guitar licks, echo-laden vocal snippets, sparkling nu-disco electronics, tactile, deep house style electric piano stabs and cosmic effects aplenty, it’s a track tailor-made for slowly shuffling while the sun peeps over the horizon.

To complete an inspired package, 40 Thieves have also included a killer DJ tool: a ‘Beats’ take that wraps energy packed percussion hits, trippy electronic noises, trailing dub delays and sparse melodies around a metronomic drum machine beat. It’s a wavy, groovy and pleasingly mind-altering way to conclude one of 40 Thieves’ most magical EPs to date.

A classic NYC club anthem gets a re-work from Charles D. 'Final Chapter' by Mike Macaluso was first released in 1999 on Dieselgroove and immediately became an omnipresent classic. "I would hear it all the time on every house music mix CD I got my hands on," buzzes Charles D. "Once I started actually going out in the mid-2000s, it was still being played at legendary clubs such as Sound Factory, Tunnel, Pacha and Avalon. It was quite literally the soundtrack to New York nightlife at the time."

The original, clocking in at over nine minutes, is a golden dancefloor trip taking in elements of house, trance and Hi-NRG, and is famous for its rousing bell sample throughout. It's an iconic sound signature that brought many a dance fan to a weepy state of delirium.

Paying due respect to the original, Charles D gives it a modern techno touch up, retaining elements of the melody and famous bells throughout.

The collaborative bi-coastal project between Andi (NYC) and Machino (LA) is dark, spiraling music that conflates the tension of running EBM basslines with the monstrosity of electro-saturated, industrialized beats. In 2021, Andi and Machino began sending music back and forth to each other virtually—thousands of miles apart—as they built upon their passion for creating off-the-cuff, dangerously degenerate dance tracks.

Parafernales, their first release out this summer on Mannequin, is a conceptual EP that deals with power struggles: love and lust, strength and destruction, dominating and domination. Andi's vocals are spoken, whispered, and yelled simultaneously, as if to mirror the mania of having control and losing it at the same time. The EP title, Parafernales, is a nod to Machino's first language of Spanish and stems from the idea of miscellany: it is parafernalia for drugs, or, simply, accessories for unsavory activities. With inspirations from turn-of-the-90s erotic thrillers to the Chilean post-punk band, Los Prisoneros, the duo collide in a manner that is unadulterated and, at times, completely unhinged.

Machino is an electronic performer and music producer from Mexico based in Los Angeles who started out making moody ambient, techno and has now pivoted towards industrial music. He has released several EPs on different labels such as Tresor and X-IMG. Andi is a DJ, producer and music journalist based in NYC. She runs the nine year strong label/party SYNTHICIDE in NYC.

RNT welcomes Amy Douglas to their ever-growing lineup of illustrious talent with a double A-side 7" of pulsating, Rough-N-Tumble NYC Disco.

Known to the heads as a voice and pen behind Horse Meat Disco, Roisín Murphy, and as the face of HARD FEELINGS (her project with Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard), Amy’s distinctive vocal swagger and songwriting talent are on full display on this EP. Co-written with and produced by RNT co-honcho JKriv, both tracks are bass heavy instant earworms, and wickedly naughty party starters.

Grab this pair of future modern disco classics, conceived by a pair of experienced dance-floor auteurs.

What’s happening in the streets? This right here, a celebrated engineer Yas Inoue and Dj Takaya Nagase come together in the studio and rework the Voltage Brothers rare groove jam “Happening In the Streets” with a cleverly put together edit with filters, effects and sonically tweaking it to perfection. They've created a perfect dance floor masterpiece already championed by Louie Vega, Joe Claussell, Spinna, Mike Dunn, and Rich Medina. This choon has everyone in anticipation for it’s release.

Japanese sound engineer Yas Inoue, based in New York began his career in the world renowned Maw Studios in the late 90s and has engineered for producers such as Masters At Work, Patrick Adams, Leroy Burgess, and Randy Muller contributing to the creation of various New York house and disco hits.

Takaya Nagase, a New York based Japanese Dj started as an A&R for Japanese record label Soundmen On Wax. He learned and studied under the great David Mancuso of the Loft Party NYC and later held his own Joy parties along with other Loft members. Having had regular gigs at Club Shelter from 2006 to 2007 and at Club Output from 2017 until the closing in 2019, he built his dj chops and now currently djs at New York City's top venues such as Le Bain, Good Room and Nowadays along with monthly shows on the famed Lot Radio in Brooklyn.

Together they are Domo Domo and with their first project on Vega Records they are on their way to becoming New York household names in the dance music industry. Look out for “Happening In The Streets” coming soon at all digital and streaming outlets with vinyl releases on 12” and 7”. Lookout everyone, this one’s a sure HIT!!!

JOHN BARERA (2MR/ALLERGY SEASON/DOLLY/SORRY RECORDS) is a DJ, Producer & Label owner based in NYC. His sound is rooted in techno and house’s most classic iterations: sturdy, barreling grooves, shimmering pads, deep liquid dubs and the occasional acid burn. BRIAN ABELSON is the producer of JENNIFER VANILLA’s “CASTLE IN THE SKY” album. Here they team up for 6 mesmerizing tracks of funky disco-tech on the latest 12" from the YOU TOO CAN WOO crew. Intricate rhythms, hypnotic synth arpeggios, lush ambience & seriously funky basslines make "THE ARC" a fantastic showcase of this duo's talent and versatility.

Greg Paulus joins forces with fellow Brooklynite Taylor Bense for a new Freerange EP showcasing their left field, raw house sounds across three original tracks plus a bonus Martinez Brothers edit.

With previous releases appearing on labels as diverse as Soul Clap, Let’s Play House, Ghostly International and Kompakt, the producer, DJ and trumpeter is perhaps best known for being one half of No Regular Play who have recorded LP’s and EP’s for Wolf & Lamb, Crew Love, and Let’s Play House. Never one to be confined to one genre, Greg takes influence from Jazz, Funk, Hip Hop and underground house to form a unique sound primed for discerning dance floors. Taylor Bense is an in-house composer and producer at the highly regarded Hyperballad Studios in Brooklyn, where he works and records a wide spectrum of music for everything from high end commercial work to EP’s for Wolf + Lamb and Soul Clap Records. The entire EP was recorded and produced at Hyperballad Studios over the past few years.

Title track Heat Make Sense wears its Prince inspiration on its sleeve with a hooky whistled tune, crunchy live bass fills and punchy, raw beats. Next up we have Switch which features Brooklyn MC’s Stimulus and Malik Work on vocal duties and Greg’s own trumpet adding top lines to the deep pads and rolling groove.

Marino takes us back to golden era jacking Chicago house of the 00’s but with Greg’s trumpet flourishes bringing a live, jazzy energy to the track. Fellow NYC mainstay Big $exy provides his trademark deep baritone vocal to give a little hip house flavour. Closing out the EP we have NYC’s Martinez Brothers providing an uptempo minimal edit of Do You Love Me, a track from Greg’s previous Freerange EP. The MB’s keep things rolling and stripped back for maximum club impact creating a useful DJ tool whilst allowing Greg’s musical and vocal parts to shine.

What’s happening in the streets? This right here, a celebrated engineer Yas Inoue and Dj Takaya Nagase come together in the studio and rework the Voltage Brothers rare groove jam “Happening In the Streets” with a cleverly put together edit with filters, effects and sonically tweaking it to perfection. They've created a perfect dance floor masterpiece already championed by Louie Vega, Joe Claussell, Spinna, Mike Dunn, and Rich Medina. This choon has everyone in anticipation for it’s release.

Japanese sound engineer Yas Inoue, based in New York began his career in the world renowned Maw Studios in the late 90s and has engineered for producers such as Masters At Work, Patrick Adams, Leroy Burgess, and Randy Muller contributing to the creation of various New York house and disco hits.

Takaya Nagase, a New York based Japanese Dj started as an A&R for Japanese record label Soundmen On Wax. He learned and studied under the great David Mancuso of the Loft Party NYC and later held his own Joy parties along with other Loft members. Having had regular gigs at Club Shelter from 2006 to 2007 and at Club Output from 2017 until the closing in 2019, he built his dj chops and now currently djs at New York City's top venues such as Le Bain, Good Room and Nowadays along with monthly shows on the famed Lot Radio in Brooklyn.

Together they are Domo Domo and with their first project on Vega Records they are on their way to becoming New York household names in the dance music industry. Look out for “Happening In The Streets” coming soon at all digital and streaming outlets with vinyl releases on 12” and 7”. Lookout everyone, this one’s a sure HIT!!!

Back in 2018, two mysterious twelve-inch singles appeared in underground record sthops. Credited to Blotter Trax, a previously unknown outfit who cherished “faceless” anonymity, the pleasingly twisted and mind-altering music on show was a mutant form of electronic psychedelia. The included tracks were variously informed by analogue techno, acid, electro and minimal, but inhabited their own clandestine sonic space. These tracks were, we later discovered, lightly edited “straight to tape” jams, crafted on the fly by their creators in one of Berlin’s most admired studios.

By the time Blotter Trax delivered their follow-up on Clone offshoot Frustrated Funk a year later, the secret was out: the project was in fact a collaboration between two storied artists, techno titan Magda – a DJ/producer who should need little introduction – and serial underground aggravator (and man of many aliases) Jay Ahern, sometime Hauntologists member and acid techno royalty thanks to years spent releasing similarly shadowy EPs as T.B Arthur.

In the years that followed, and before the COVID-19 pandemic grounded them in Berlin, the pair took their incendiary, modular-driven live show to esteemed clubland institutions (Fabric included), on an acclaimed tour of Japan, and onto the stages of festivals across Europe.

Four years on from that appearance on Frustrated Funk, Blotter Trax are back in updated and expanded form. Now a trio thanks to the addition of bassist Hannes Strobl, the band is set to release their far-sighted, funk-fuelled debut album, Super Conductor – a pulsating, thrill-in-minute ride includes contributions from a swathe of notable guests (Nina Hynes, Ilhem Khodja and David Moss provided vocals, Shigeru Tanabu played guitar, Matthew Styles mixed the set and old friend John Tejada mastered it).

While rooted in electro and acid, the album is impressively low-slung, stylish and funky, with nods towards Blotter Trax’s mutual love of Arthur Russell, early ‘80s NYC downtown disco, leftfield new-wave pop and flash-fried punk-funk. Released by JD Twitch’s Optimo Music imprint, it charts the ongoing dancefloor evolution of a band whose days of mystery and mischief are now a distant memory.

Welcome to the modern Brazilian disco world of Processman and Cady. We know you're going to love it here.

DJ and producer Processman is from Salvador, Bahia. A passionate and talented musician, he has played in a number of bands in his city, which is famous for artists such as his heroes Gilberto Gil, Joao Gilberto and Jorge Amado.

Processman was introduced to Cady, a fellow Baiana and a very fine solo artist in her own right, by a mutual friend.
The connection was instant and they started making music that very day.

Fast forward to when Dicky Trisco was passing through Salvador after playing the magnificent Mareh festival in Bahia. Processman drove Dicky and a group of friends to local hot spot Pelourinho, and the first track he played in the car that night was 'Adupe'. Dicky was blown away by the track. The brilliant Brazilian percussion, the beautiful layered vocals, the spiritual, synth boogie-laden vibes and those delightful melodies. He was absolutely hooked. The second track Processman played was 'Sou Baiana' and a record deal was already a sure thing. They hadn't even made it to the bar yet.

A year later and the release is ready to let loose its magical, spiritual, boogie-laden vibes.

NYC Brazilian aficionado JKriv, the perfect choice for a remixer for this sound, has delivered an essential, cosmic disco dub of 'Adupe'.
While Dicky Trisco takes on 'Sou Baiana', stripping it down and pumping it up into a truly rocking dance floor bomb.

File it under Modern Brazilian Disco. A truly International sound.

LET'S VAMOS!

Lost soul phenomenon Lewis Taylor's Numb finally arrives on double vinyl! One of UK soul’s most fascinating artists, most enigmatic figures and most under-appreciated talents, Andrew Lewis Taylor is a prodigious multi-instrumentalist and eclectic polymath. He enjoys a fiercely loyal following which, over the years, has included celebrity champions like Bowie, Elton and D'Angelo. Numb is Taylor's sixth album, initially released on his own label Slow Reality (an anagram of his name) and licensed to Be With for this long-awaited physical edition. It captures Taylor's wholly unique, intoxicating take on lush, late-night psychedelic soul music.

Lewis wrote and recorded these 10 brand new tracks after a 17 year break from making music, although the album came together over a two-year period. The years away have done nothing to dull Taylor's unique musical vision. He still astounds. The lyrical themes, however, have shifted. Understandably, more than a decade and a half of soul searching and unflinching self-examination cannot fail to influence this most honest of songwriters, and boy does it show. Numb marks a return to the darker, more mysterious side of his output: "Brian Wilson-channels-Smokey Robinson atmospheres", as Mojo put it recently.

After playing a rapturously received gig at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC in 2006, Lewis unceremoniously walked away from music and disappeared completely. An interview in 2016 shed light on some of the reasons for Taylor’s withdrawal from the business, but there was no hint of a return anytime soon. Then in June 2021, news emerged out of the blue that he was readying new music alongside Sabina Smyth with whom he had worked first time around.

On Numb, Lewis deftly balances stark, soul-bearing lyrics with moody mid-tempo pop-soul sheen. He deals candidly with depression, mental turmoil, even thoughts of suicide - clearly more personal than Taylor's earlier songs. The music is rich, warm and layered, with infectious melodies and hooks that stick with you. A true grower of an LP, it really does reward repeated listens. As Jim Irvin in Mojo reflected, "despite the depths these plumb, it's a curiously uplifting experience, unfurling like a concept album about life's challenges with an optimistic beauty at its heart."

Triumphant dubwise horns ring out yet, almost instantly, “Final Hour” takes on a dark, downbeat vibe. With lyrics that confront (and, seemingly, confound) death head-on, Lewis ensures the groove is still there, the beats still swing and your head still nods, strings glissade. Woven around delicate yet insistent piano and subtle strings over a killer bassline, the title track “Numb” is a good example of the lyrical themes throughout the album. As Taylor reflects, "So removed I feel no pain / And for all I know I could be having the time of my life" with a coda that feels very much in conversation with Brian Wilson's finest harmonies. "Feels So Good" is sophisticated 90s-sounding soul of the highest order. The music and vocals feel simultaneously optimistic and despondent. Downlifting. A neat trick, and one Lewis has been so adept at over the years. "Apathy" is a mini-epic, a symphonic-soul gem which builds and glides and, eventually, soars. “Worried Mind" is another slow-builder, creeping out the gate in a sketchy, discordant fashion before climbing to half-crescendo but never quite breaking free of its disorientating restraint.

The brighter "Please" presents a more hopeful mood, with the refrain "I still believe" ringing out as Lewis harmonises with himself. "Brave Heart" quietly struts from step one, as Lewis's falsetto swaggers over a downtempo backdrop with ace echoey drums, beautiful strings and serene electric guitar. Closing out Side C, "Is It Cool" answers its own (non-) question with a spellbinding five and a half minutes of swoonsome deep soul that oscillates between a restrained, barely-there backdrop and a lushly full musical accompaniment of acoustic and electric guitar and organ over bass and slick drums. The penultimate track "Nearer" is a magical, soul-stirring ballad in which Lewis sings of reaching a sweet salvation and achieving a peace of mind. If the hairs on the back of your neck aren't standing up by the midway point, you might need to check your pulse. Album closer and true tear-jerker "Being Broken" places Lewis's gorgeous voice high in the mix and the wordless falsetto and melodies invite you to ponder what Pet Sounds might sound like if it were refashioned as a dubby 21st Century electronic soul album. Astonishing.

Simon Francis’s vinyl mastering spreads out the ten tracks over a double LP so, as ever, nothing is compromised. And as usual, the records have been cut by Cicely Balston at Air Studios and pressed at Record Industry. Turn it up and let the Lewis Taylor sound envelop you.

Tuff Darts was an American punk rock band. They reached their greatest fame in the mid-late 1970s with such songs as “Slash”, “(Your Love Is Like) Nuclear Waste” and their biggest single, “All for the Love of Rock and Roll”, which was originally recorded by Ram Jam. The band appeared at popular New York City clubs like Max’s Kansas City and CBGB and featured Tommy Frenzy (vocals), Jeff Salen (guitar), Bobby Butani (guitar), John DeSalvo (bass), and John Morelli (drums). In 1978, the group released their debut album Tuff Darts!, on Sire Records, produced by Bob Clearmountain and Tony Bongiovi.

This NYC punk rock classic, Tuff Darts!, is available as a limited edition of 750 individually numbered copies on translucent red coloured vinyl and includes an insert.

Introducing a new scintillating, transatlantic collaboration from Names You Can Trust and Loboko, a new group created in the fertile ground of modern New York City's melting pot. The band's debut recording features the young Congolese vocalist and guitar virtuoso, Yohni Djungu Sungu, alongside Soukouss-Stars legend and master bassist in his own right, Ngouma Lokito. The group is rounded out by drummer and co-founder Morgan Greenstreet (himself a contributor to NYCT and Combo Lulo's debut recording, amongst others). He, along with Yohni, helped spawn the group's few but raucous NYC live appearances with various members throughout a couple year period before 2020.

Built upon those influential jam sessions, Loboko took two original compositions to the studio in an effort to document some of the traditional Congolese music they have been cooking up. Rooted in a now ubiquitous guitar-driven sound of African soukous that have permeated the greater Caribbean music landscape for up to six decades, Loboko's take on the ethnic Baluba rhythm, mutuashi, adorns the single's A-side as "Kanyunyi." The B-side stand-out "Ekenge" draws from the Seben style. It's a familiar sound to those sound system aficionadas, an intoxicating guitar combination that has reverberated from the heart of the Congo, through a wave in France's popular African music industry, and into the discerning selections of Colombia's Pico culture. Loboko's original take on these rhythms is quite unique in 2023, eschewing any modern production crutches for the raw pedigree of an electrified trio, and ultimately represents a clear window into the group's authentic live performances.

Names You Can Trust presents the second release in their "Panama Gold Series" and the first official reissue of one of the heaviest holy grails to come out of the isthmus, the Jungle Rat USA. This impossibly rare 45 was originally issued in 1971 as a promotional 7-inch on the independent imprint Discos Nino. Its origin story has remained utterly elusive and unknown — until now. The newly remastered press contains both original sides: the raw funk masterpiece "Just Love One Another," and "Have a Little Faith," one of the finest old school examples of the coveted souldies style that has taken the modern day record world by storm. Licensed and researched with the help of the Jungle Rat's musical director Dwight Brewster, this deluxe reissue includes a lush 10-page photo booklet with liner notes, detailing the full account of the twists and turns of Brewster and his band's journey from New York City to Panama.

"When everyone left NYC, the sewer opened and we crawled out." Prolific Brooklyn institution The Men return with their ninth studio album, 'New York City'. Arriving following 2020's 'Mercy', the new LP is released February 3rd 2023 on the group's new label home Fuzz Club Records and marks a return to the more scuzzy and abrasive rock ploughed over their decade and a half spent coursing through the grimy sewers of NYC. Here, nocturnal proto-punk meets a timeless, all-guns-blazing rock'n'roll gusto. That the album leans into a more primitive, back-to-basics sound owes largely to the way in which was forged, an earlier version of the record scrapped in favour of four people playing in a room together. "The New York City album was revised, reorganized and shaped until it became clear that things fall into place like the hammer driving the nail or the scythe's swipe through the tall grass." The end result is a series of cuts played live and recorded to 2" tape in Travis Harrison's (Guided By Voices, Built To Spill) Brooklyn studio. 'New York City' is a record that doesn't stop moving for a second, packed full of the kind of energy you can only really capture in a live setting. "These songs became the blood of the band as the band could only exist for and of these songs. There was no place else to hang their hats. Without making this record, the group would not exist, so there really wasn't another option. NYC is fluid. It means a lot of different things to all kinds of people. We present the record in that spirit." Pressing Info: 180g white vinyl, printed inner-sleeve, download card included. CD Gatefold jacket, printed inner-sleeve.

While the hook line for this new local trio would have to be that bassist/leader Brenda Sauter used to be a member of the later-'80s incarnation of the famous Feelies (and it's notable offshoot, The Trypes), even if you didn't worship at the altar of that group (and especially if you did!), Wild Carnation is a revelation. While
the persistent, pumping beat and hard-played jangle guitars of most of the tracks here emanate from her previous band and from their forerunners, the Velvets (especially), Television,and the Byrds - Sauter's beguiling voice is perfect for the ultra-appealing pop hooks the group writes as well as the thoughtful lyrics she composes.

Way back in the 1990s, a young Delmore stumbled into now defunct NYC nightclub Wetlands (during the sadly also now defunct, NYU Independent Music Festival), just as WILD CARNATION were about to begin their set.

Having lived in NYC / Brooklyn / Hoboken the previous decade, where countless mesmerizing gigs by THE FEELIES, YUNG WU, TRYPES, and SPEED THE PLOUGH had been experienced, it was the chance to see Brenda Sauter fronting her new group that drew Delmore in. A few songs into their set, it was apparent, however, that this trio was more than a Feelies offshoot project, despite melodic similarities, and Brenda's cool vocals / presence.

WILD CARNATION played raw, loud and fast (and occasionally out of control), with Richard Barnes distorted, jangly guitar lines perfectly colliding with Brenda's propelling bass notes, while Chris O'Donovan
kept it together, while pounding the living hell out of his drums. It was a garagey, indie rock mess, more reminiscent of Hib-Tone / Chronic Town era REM, and emergent New Zealand bands like The Bats and The Clean, than The Feelies.

Delmore was smitten, and determined to sign them, despite the fact that the Delmore label did not yet exist.
In 1993, Wild Carnation's debut 7", "Dodger Blue" b/w "The Lights Are On (But No One's Home)", taken from raw home demos recorded the previous year, became the second Delmore release. A full length album was then commissioned, and an evolving Wild Carnation holed up at Mix-O-Lydian recording studios with engineer Don Sternecker (The Feelies, Speed The Plough, Wake Ooloo) to record their debut full length, Tricycle, released in 1994.

On Tricycle, the pastoral quality of their most beautiful ballads was captured perfectly, while retaining enough of the rawness of the live experience. Waves of critical acclaim followed, from now defunct publications (CMJ Jackpot! Raygun, Trouser Press) followed, including this one by Jack Rabid of The Big Takeover, written for All Music Guide:
"While the hook line for this new local trio would have to be that bassist/leader Brenda Sauter used to be a member of the later-'80s incarnation of the famous Feelies (and it's notable offshoot, The Trypes), even if you didn't worship at the altar of that group (and especially if you did!), Wild Carnation is a revelation. While the persistent, pumping beat and hard-played jangle guitars of most of the tracks here emanate from her previous band and from their forerunners, the Velvets (especially), Television,and the Byrds - Sauter's beguiling voice is perfect for the ultra-appealing pop hooks the group writes as well as the thoughtful lyrics she composes.

Trading the occasional Feelies drone for sugar-sweet melodies (yes!) and utilizing the pretty ring of the guitars to maximum effect, songs such as Wings are the perfect pop confectionery, too honeyed and
delightful to miss capturing your bending heart and too consistently insistent and edgy to be wimpy, kind of like Reckoning-era R.E.M. It's all so well captured with pristine production, with balls to match the heart, too!

And though the 12 tracks are largely cut from a similar mode, all seem special just the same on their own.
A truly shining, first-rate effort, along with Lotion's and Nyack's early EPs and the last Flower LP, the best release to come out of a New York group this decade, and exceptionally crafted at that! Do not miss."

In the words of Bill Brewster - DJ History

‘At the turn of the 1990s, there were few more successful New York house producers than Victor Simonelli. Under a dizzying array of aliases – Solution, NY’s Finest, Groove Committee, Critical Rhythm and Cloud 9 being amongst the better-known – the Brooklyn-born DJ/producer delivered a string of underground club hits during the city’s early ’90s house boom.’

BTG presents “Victor Simonelli: The Early Years Vol 1” a collectors edition double Vinyl release - 2 X 12’s in each Vol

Launching the first Behind The Groove collectors edition vinyl series is New York’s finest Victor Simonelli with ‘The Early Years Vol 1 & 2’ double Vinyl releases. Featuring seminal house tracks such as Cloud 9’s ‘Do You Want Me’, Solution’s ‘Feel So Right’, Instant Exposure’s ‘Wanna Be With You’ and rare mixes of Raiana Page and EZ-AL, this collection brings together classic and rare Victor Simonelli cuts that reflect the early raw energy and buzz of the New York House scene. With ‘Vol 2” scheduled to follow shortly after, this is the most comprehensive collection of rare Simonelli cuts that firmly establishes his esteemed role in 90s House Music as well as introducing new fans to his inimitable sound.

Victor Simonelli is one of the early kings of NYC sampling In house music. The real deal - Victor danced at the legendary David Mancuso’s Loft sessions and developed a serious appreciation for good music. He interned for Arthur Baker at his renown Shakedown Studios (where Arthur worked with the iconic Afrika Bambatta on the seminal dance floor ’Planet Rock’ track) and went on to release hugely influential releases on seminal NYC labels 4th Floor and Nu Groove. Victor’s music was championed by the hugely celebrated iconic House Music DJ pioneers, Larry Levan and Tony Humphries at Paradise Garage & Zanzibar/WBLS/Kiss FM respectively.

Revered as a New York house heavyweight and prolific producer since the turn of the 1990s, Victor Simonelli grew up in Brooklyn, NYC, nurtured by a music loving family, with an avid record collecting father who also worked as a local party DJ. He took music lessons in piano, drums, guitar and bass, before discovering his first love, tuning into NY’s Radio Mix Shows on WBLS, WKTU and WRKS,98.7 Kiss FM) where he discovered the art of mixing and in his own words, ’I just simply got lost in the music’.

Graduating from NYC’s Centre For Media Arts, Victor got an internship in the legendary producer, Arthur Baker’s Shakedown Studios. Soon graduating to editing, mixing and then producing he worked for artists David Bowie, Quincy Jones, Debbie Harry, Sinead O’Connor and Talking Heads. Teaming up with fellow NYC producer Lenny Dee to become the Brooklyn Funk Essentials, they released records ‘Critical Rhythm’ and ‘Subliminal Aurra’ on 4th Floor before Victor went solo as Groove Committee releasing the classic ‘I Want You To Know’ on the legendary Nu Groove Records. Paradise Garage legend, Larry Levan broke ‘I Want You To Know’ rocking 2 copies on his last tour of Japan whilst King of NY House Music,Tony Humphries broke Victor’s new ‘Feels So Right’ across New York on his WBLS/Kiss FM Mastermix show and at his legendary Zanzibar club sessions. It was only a matter of time before Victor’s name became synonymous with quality House music ensuring a worldwide platform for his productions.

In the early 90s alongside his own productions, Victor Simonelli worked on high profile projects, including James Brown’s album, “Love Overdue” BeBe and CeCe Winans single featuring Mavis Staples “I’ll Take You There” and Quincy Jones’ “I’ll Be Good To You” featuring Chaka Khan and the legendary Ray Charles. Never straying too far from his clubland roots, Victor worked with Danny Tenaglia on his classic “The Harmonica Track”.

DJ gigs across the world started flooding in and Victor found himself recording for a dizzying array of labels including Tribal America, Sub-Urban, Bassline, King Street Sounds and Vibe, under a wide range of aliases. He also produced, wrote and remixed for artists such Nile Rodgers (Chic), Afrika Baambata, Hall & Oates, Frankie Knuckles, Kerri Chandler, Madonna and Michael Jackson. Famed for his own productions “It’s So Good” by Creative Force, “I Know A Place” as Sound Of One - the first release on Roger Sanchez One Records -, “Dirty Games” as well as the “Street Players Vol 1 EP”, Victor went on to set up Suburban Records with Tommy Musto and Bassline Records with two other partners. Notable releases on this label include “Do You Feel Me”, Connie Harvey’s gospel inspired, “Thank You Lord”, Urban Blues Project’s “Deliver Me”, Colonel Abrams “Not Gonna Let”, and Mone’s “Better Way”. Never ceasing to produce, DJ, run his own label and host radio shows like Groove Lift, Victor has worked with virtually every NYC producer and has nurtured a next generation talents including Angel Moraes, Jazz ‘N’ Groove, Urban Blues Project, Harlem Hustlers, Jay Jay and Julius Papp. Victor’s releases have also been used on M&S’s “Salsoul Nuggett” hit and Eddie Amador’s underground smash ‘House Music’.

In the late 90’s Victor launched his new Westside Productions, notable for the “Latin Impressions 1 & 2” releases, opened up a studio in Italy as he found himself increasingly working in Europe and now divides his time between New York and Italy. Suffice to say his unique sound of uplifting and spiritual music has kept him at the forefront of House Music and he is credited as one of its leading exponents with his string of classic releases and remixes.

Behind the Groove, branches out from its digital platform to embark on a programme of releases from the iconic pioneer producers of House Music. Esteemed for their high quality features and mixes that continue to explore, celebrate and venerate the contributions of highly respected, scene-shaping Labels, Artists, DJs and Special Events, BTG seeks to bring these talents and tales to the attention of the wider community. Unlocking the stories surrounding the pivotal roles they played and continue to play today in shaping the underground music scene we have come to know and love.

BTG presents “Victor Simonelli: The Early Years Vol 1” a collectors edition double Vinyl release, released on May 12th 2023. ‘Vol 2” follows on May 26th 2023 . These releases are the most comprehensive collection of rare Victor Simonelli cuts that firmly establish his esteemed role in 90s House Music and introduces new fans to his carefree sound.

Show Me The Body ist ein in New York City ansässiges Hardcore-Trio, bestehend aus Julian Cashwan Pratt (Gründer; Banjo und Gesang), Harlan Steed (Gründer; Bass) und Jackie McDermott (derzeitiger
Schlagzeuger). Die Band organisiert seit 2015 nicht-traditionelle DIY-Räume für Jugendliche in New York und hat diese Arbeit seither durch ihre zeremoniellen Live-Shows, die Punk-/Hip-Hop-Mischtouren und
ihre CORPUS NYC-Plattform auf eine globale Bekanntheit ausgeweitet. ”Trouble the Water” ist der Höhepunkt von fast einem Jahrzehnt des Kampfes gegen die Gleichgültigkeit von New York City; zugleich eine Aufforderung an eine gleichgesinnte globale Gemeinschaft, die Alchemie der Familienbildung zu fördern.
Trouble The Water wurde komplett in den CORPUS Studios in Long Island City mit dem Metal-Veteranen Arthur Rizk (Code Orange, Power Trip, Ghostemane, Turnstile, Candy, Xibalba, Pissed Jeans) aufgenommen und von Studio-Mitbegründer Aidan Bradley mitproduziert.

Irish-born, Manchester-based Kerrie is a multi-disciplinary artist, incorporating live sets, DJing, producing and running her label Dark Machine Funk across her repertoire of work. Now, Kerrie follows up last year's 'Raw Regimen' (BP063) with a second EP for James Ruskin's seminal Blueprint Records.

Having garnered a rich musical education through working at and holding a DJ residency for one of the UK's most respected record shops Eastern Bloc, Kerrie's in-depth knowledge and unwavering dedication to music shines through her notable back catalogue and bolshy, unforgiving DJ and Live sets. Honing her craft for over a decade, Kerrie has played worldwide in celebrated venues such as Tresor, Berghain, fabric, FOLD, Elsewhere NYC and festivals including Freedom Medellin, Freerotation, Drift and Basilar.

First learning to mix via her brother's turntables in the early 2000s, it wasn't until 2009 that Kerrie invested in her own set-up and built an extensive record collection, covering everything from ambient, electronic, house, EBM, acid, electro, and her go-to genre, techno. Kerrie delivers tough moods from the turntables, as conveyed in her mixes for Reclaim Your City, Bassiani, SLAM and Crack, where she carefully blended high-energy styles of UK, Detroit, and European techno, many of which stem from the 90s and the 00s. It's frequent to hear Kerrie weave broken elements into her mixes too, chopping up the 4/4 groove at just the right moment to keep things propulsive. Kerrie's Live sets are fast becoming renowned for their trippy motifs and high impact on the dancefloor, applauded by Berlin's long-running club Tresor, where she made several appearances with her Elektron machines. Kerrie's Live set at Freerotation in 2019 was one of the festival's most talked-about debuts, and this year, Kerrie will return to and debut at multiple festivals and clubs across Europe and the Americas.

Following well-received releases on labels such as Don't Be Afraid, Cultivated Electronics, I Love Acid and Symbolism, Kerrie launched her imprint Dark Machine Funk DMF in 2020. The label homes her distinctly raw aesthetic and honours her love for dark, gritty, metallic and industrial sounds melded with elements of funk, heavily influenced by second-wave Detroit artists, UK techno and music by some of her favourite artists; James Ruskin, Blawan and Surgeon. Kerrie's first release on DMF, 'Inner Space PT1', was praised by Resident Advisor, who credited her ability to make "lean, fierce techno that knows how to groove."

2022 was a watershed year for Kerrie's productions. She debuted on the monumental UK techno label Blueprint with her EP 'Raw Regimen', which landed acclaimed reviews. Truly welcomed to the Blueprint family, Kerrie shares her second EP on the label in May and joins the crew at Blueprint showcases around the globe. This year marks the release of Kerrie's 10th EP on vinyl, and considering her consistent output on DMF, Blueprint and many more labels, the producer shows no sign of slowing down.

Coming to international prominence in more recent years, regardless of her decade-long tenure in Manchester's vibrant scene, Kerrie is deeply invested in the culture of electronic music, starting from her teenage era as a raver in Ireland up to her innovative projects today. In 2017, she founded Eastern Bloc's in-house event space to nurture local talent, which remains at the heart of Manchester's music community. Having ended her 11-year stint at the shop in 2023 to fully commit to the studio and accommodate her increasingly busy tour schedule, Kerrie is forging a long-lasting path fuelled by drive, passion, authenticity and a community-first way of thinking.

Ghost Producer aka Badawi (aka Raz Mesinai aka Bilal ibn Yakub al-Badawi) is a prolific producer and artist who has been on the forefront of underground experimental jazz and electronic music scenes around the world for over thirty years, with a catalog of albums on labels as ROIR, Asphodel and Tzadik under various monikers dating back to the late 1980s.

Ghost Producer released his first albums starting in the late 80’s under the monikers Psy Co. and Ruff Riddim Productions, selling his cassette tapes in NYC. He produced, on average, at least one album per week since 1988 until today. One of the twenty or so monikers was Badawi, later being signed to ROIR Records and releasing the seminal experimental dub, punk albums »Bedouin Sound Clash« and later »The Heretic of Ether« on Asphodel. Spending time as a child between Occupied Jerusalem, the West Bank (Balata) and New York City (Rock Steady Park) during the height of the B-Boy era in the 70s and 80s informed Ghost Producer’s singular sound of heavy driving Sufi rhythms, sonic experiments, percussion, piano playing and sound design which has connected him to a wide variety of artists ranging from Maryanne Amacher to John Zorn, to added elements of darkness to music by such artists as Hanz Zimmer (Black Hawk Down) and rappers Danny Brown (Pneumonia) and Skepta and Double D (Don) among many others.

At age 14, Ghost Producer was discovered by visionary jazz and rock musician, Juma Sultan (Jimi Hendrix) whom later trusted Ghost Producer with producing the archive of over 2000 hours from recordings from »Studio We« and the Free Jazz Loft Movement in NYC in the 60s and 70s. As a composer, he has worked with Kronos Quartet and has had premiers at Carnegie Hall (Cross Fader, The Echo of Decay) and Lincoln Center (String Quartet For Four Turntables). In addition, Ghost Producer has released several albums on John Zorn’s Tzadik label, where he explored producing to the books of Franz Kafka (Before The Law, Resurrections for Goat Skin, Cyborg Acoustics)

As a composer for film, he coined the term »score design» to describe his work in conceiving and producing scores for films with particularly demanding needs, working on such films as A Late Quartet (director Yaron Zilberman composer: Angelo Badalamenti), The Fountain, Black Swan and The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky/Clint Mansel), Black Hawk Down (Ridley Scott/Hans Zimmer) and many more. In 2014, he was awarded as a fellow in the Sundance Composers Lab.

In 2015, Ghost Producer formed the Underground Producers Alliance, a unique program for developing producers, performers and composers, with co-founders Scotty Hard (Wu Tang Clan, Medeski Martin and Wood, De La Soul), HPrizm aka High Priest (Anti Pop Consortium), Honeychild Coleman (the 1865, The Slits) and Prince Paul (Jungle Brothers, De La Soul), where Ghost Producer produces entire albums with student participation in his master course.

This album, »The Book of Jinn«, is one of many productions done within the course, featuring players/mentors Juma Sultan (percussion), Chandenie (voice) and Shahzad Ismaily (electric bass), with additional student participation from Adam Culbert and Jonah Sollins (aka Goodnight 1500) on synths and percussion as well, then all remixed and rearranged by Badawi into what you hear here, The Book of Jinn.

A precedent of sorts to, erm, Armand van Helden vs Fatboy Slim’s 1999 bout, ‘The Heavyweight Sound Fight’ takes pride of place among iDEAL’s hall of oddities with one of the zaniest recordings by three international leaders of the avant-garde. Double LP with an LP-sized 12-page booklet designed by Sean McCann of Recital.

Adapting all the pomp and ceremony of a boxing match to ludicrous ends - including a flier depicting each artist with their dukes up - they produced what sounds like a great night out for NYC’s experimental cognoscenti with Charlie Morrow (USA) vs Carles santos (Spain) each backed by a band - Soho Baroque Opera Company with the assistance of the New Wilderness Foundation - while Sweden’s Sten Hanson acts as referee, and Armand Schwerner takes the role of announcer in thick, nasal New York brogue. It’s brilliantly daft and subversive but accomplished in a witty way that maybe escapes too many solemnly po-faced avant-garde conceptualists nowadays, and remains a strange outlier in the history of NYC avant garde and beyond.

“Operating as an aural window into an happening that occurred more than 40 years ago, “The Heavyweight Sound Fight” unveils a different context of experimental music than is not often encountered today. Running across the album’s four sides, within all the seriousness of art and technique, is the unmistakable presence of humor, play, and the absurd. The audience can’t help but laugh and cheer as the announcer - effecting a deep New York accent and nodding toward notable attendees like Allison Knowles, Dick Higgins, and Jackson Mac Low - takes an active role in the fight, each artist delivering an array of vocalizations - from extended technique utterances to rants - against the next, with the bands weighing in and engaging in their own battles, ranging from big band dirges and marches, to outright experimental electronic madness. It’s a trully raucous affair that brings that radicalism carried by its sounds into entirely new zones.

According to Marrow, he was deemed “winner” in an “off-script” move by the judges, and Santos never spoke to him again, continuing the wild and wonderful mystery and humor of the performance into the present day. Who knows what Santos, who sadly passed away in 2017, would say.”

Secretsundaze are back with their first label release in 2023: the follow up to Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange’s 2021’s 'Kreuzberg Kix EP 1'. The team is very much present and correct with artist Wayne Snow once again joining the party on the deep house trip 'Take Your Time'. It comes complete with a stunning remix by Secretsundaze long time fave, NYC based producer and DJ Jenifa Mayanja, and the jazzy, uptempo, instrumental 'Bleached'.

As bassist for dance-punk outfit The Rapture, Mattie Safer cut his teeth in the music scene alongside a wave of now-legendary early 2000s NYC acts like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, LCD Soundsystem and more (a time period recently immortalized in the documentary film ‘Meet Me In The Bathroom.’) Fast-forward nearly 2 decades and Mattie has found the sweeter side of dance music as the current lead vocalist for slo-mo kings Poolside, and now he presents his solo lovetempo project on Razor-N-Tape.

A chilled-out singer/songwriterly affair, the lovetempo EP moves between organic laidback disco, modern bossa nova treatments, and Sade-esque grown-n-sexy jazz grooves. Hitting notes of both melancholy and positivity, Mattie’s plaintiff vocals wind through all 4 of the original songs, delivering catchy and singable hooks. RNT regular Yuksek does what he does best, and takes the most uplifting tune of the pack into positively joyous hands-in-the-air territory with a stunning remix.