Suche:occ

This exciting 45, features two previously unheard 60s, New York soul, dance tracks.

Big Apple session singer and occasional composer, Doris Willingham, first had a rare release on the Hi- Monty label in 1966 and then in 1968 cut four sides for drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie. All were produced by Richard Tee and co-written with Doris. They were licensed to Ed Kassner who launched his Jay Boy label with ‘You Can’t Do That’ in both the UK and the USA. A change of strategy caused the US label to be discontinued after two releases and the UK then switched primarily to home-produced recordings. The two best Willingham sides lay dormant at President’s tape library until Ace released the killer ballad ‘Too Much To Bear’ in 2005. The fourth track is this superb dance number featuring the great Purdie band, no doubt featuring his usual bassist Jimmy Tyrell, who arranged the Hi-Monty 45.

The Taylor Brothers ‘Holding On’ is a much grittier affair, produced by Maxine Brown’s husband at the time, Mal Williams. The duo were Bennie “Earl” Bunn and Sam “The Man” Taylor and they wrote this, the third track recorded at the session that produced the ‘People In Love’ single on Joy. Sam had been a major mover in NYC black music circles since the 50s with his own bands and had fingers in many pies. The duo gave a performance worthy of some of the great 60s male soul couplings.

It's time for a new compilation in our house and we have some good music to fill it up. This collection of talent is going to be served in two flavours, the physical one a four cut vinyl EP featuring previously only digital tracks and the second one a ten track selection from our back catalogue featuring some of the best producers in our family.

Asier Morillas ( A4 ) is probably one of the most original sci fi specialists out there and he's been part of our sound since his first steps into production. His track Kynosoura is a perfect example of hi tech jazz.

David Reina is also a science fiction specialist, also featured with a full length work in our catalogue, our pick for this collection is Autoscopy, a mental and complex sonic voyage into the best outer space techno.

From Mod 21 we have selected one of his most played tools, Escalation of Violence, the perfect hypnotic drill to boost your mixes properly.

Vertical Spectrum brings us to hyperspace in BALN006 combining a distorted groove with floating alien bleeps in a sci-fi techno masterpiece.

This four cuts will be pressed on wax, let's talk about the next eight:

From his Idle Ep we have chosen Temudo's Spiritual Song, a merciless floor weapon heavily tested on the best clubs and big stages out there.

Next comes BiiBii by Null Forms approaching a more abstract and sci-fi terrain, maintaining the danceable pulse and well-managed distortion. The result is more mental and synthetic. A kind of controlled chaos.

Axial Rotation from Translate starts with a fast paced groove, heavily bass fuelled with a continuous synth line moving across the basement. All sound elements are constantly mutating and evolving although the mood is linear and loopy.

Eight cut comes from Dutch veteran Dimi Angelis, the third from his
A Journal of Impossible Things EP from 2023. The hypnotic bleep penetrates your mind while the dirty sound of the old drum machine sets the pace for your feet. Special mention to the occasional resonant sweep that appears from time to time creating the required tension.

On the ninth, Ruman's Lizard from Where The Ring Ends LP, mental and hypnotic, perfect for adding tension to a mix, again heavily tested on the best dancefloors extensively.

Closing the release, CONCEPTUAL with Red Sun a magnificent closing anthem, no more words needed here.

With this collection you get a tiny snapshot of the sonic palette of Warm Up Recordings sound. Check our full catalogue to get the proper picture.

Fanzine TR goes Vinyl with Roi's "Monomyth"!
Big news for techno lovers! At Fanzine TR, we're thrilled to announce a new era for our label with the release of our first record in vinyl format, accompanied, as always, by its digital version.
For this very special occasion, our co-founder, Roi, takes the reins with his anticipated EP "Monomyth." Get ready to dive into a sonic journey through four powerful, dark techno tracks, meticulously designed to make any dance floor vibrate.
This release marks a level-up for Fanzine TR, reaffirming our commitment to quality and the most complete auditory experience.

Ottagono Italian Dojo presents the second release on the Ottagono Retro outlet imprint label through South America. This special occasion marks the opening of a second Ottagono headquarters in Argentina, introducing an exclusive project that blends the essence of the Italian music family. If you’re familiar with Latin American music genres like Rock, Post Punk, Industrial, Minimal Synth, New Wave, Synth Pop, and the broader electronic music scene of the last 40 years, you’ve surely heard of iconic bands such as Virus, Soda Stereo, and Sumo. Among these bands, having in common their birth in Argentina, Alfredo Peria is another influential music pioneer and key figure in the entire Latin American underground movement. In the mid-80s, he founded the techno duo Mimilocos. Because of this, over the years, Alfredo has been renamed the “Juan Atkins de Latino America”. Later in the 90s, he joined major labels like Polygram and BGM, living between Spain and the United States. He founded another project called Limbo with Julio Moura, a member of Virus and brother of Federico Moura. In the late ’90s, he released his first solo album with Fonovisa. After spending years travelling the world, Alfredo returned to Argentina and, alongside Cecilia Olariaga, founded his own production company, Pulpería Discos. The music world once again showcases the strong connection between Argentina and Italy, evident in the heritage of artists and figures like Maestro Alfredo Peria and la familia Ottagono, including the new Latin America manager, Federico Luchetti.

A.1: Sentidos is a new wave Latin American classic! After over 30 years, it finally received its first vinyl release. Originally written in the early ’90s by Alfredo and Julio Moura, then members of Limbo, a band formed after Virus disbanded following the passing of Federico Moura, Julio’s brother, Virus frontman. This updated version, enhanced with synthesizers and additional production by tech wizard Franco Colombo , transforms the original lyrics into a retro-futuristic club anthem with 80s vibes, It captures the essence of early Depeche Mode, Nitzer Ebb, and the Chicago Warehouse scene, while also being a great fit for fans of Juan Atkins and Yellow Magic Orchestra as well.

A.2: Yo soy su Cuba – 3.0 Adicta mix is the latest version inspired by the original demo from the 80s. This mix showcases Electro Tech Synth Pop music created by Alfredo, Rudie Martínez, Joaquín Franco, Juan Pablo Bidegain, Germán Moreno, and Pablo Torterolo, collectively known as Adicta.

A.3: Castillitos de arena – original ’87 demo, it’s a classic in Argentina underground music movement, among fans and people lost in club culture, even though it never got an official release in any format. This was frequently performed during the early years of Mimilocos live shows, but it was never officially released. A few years later in Spain, a Latin pop tropical house version was released, presenting a fresh and entirely different take from the original’s obscure essence marked by minimal synth, EBM, and deep, atmospheric sounds, which thanks to Ottagono family will see the light.

B.1: Gesell – From Villa Gesell to Ibiza, from Alfredo with love to another renowned
“Argentino” known as DJ Alfredo. This is an Ottagono tribute to one of the Isla masters and the Balearic sound. Gesell feels like a fresh 90s UK track by Farley & Heller or DJ Harvey, immersed in the emotive Alfredo Peria landscape—something you could easily hear at Café del Mar during sunset, played by another maestro we all miss, José Padilla.

B.2: Yo soy su Cuba – Now available on vinyl for the very first time, featuring the original demo. There’s not much to add—just sit back and enjoy this pure 80s treasure in all its glory.

B.3: Over the past months, Claudio and Federico have listened to many unreleased
demos and tapes from Alfredo’s extensive musical career. Among them, “7 Days” stood out for its simple beauty and potential as a hit for underground enthusiasts. This track seamlessly combines post-punk, new wave, and tropical Balearic vibes. From ’95 to ’25, it has remained fresh and innovative, once again proving that the Ottagono crew understands the essence of timeless music.

Welcome to Candyland, somewhere between a sugar rush and a lucid dream?

Merov', Evock, Occibel and Roulade 2000 have cooked up some sugar-coated, syrupy tracks, sweet enough to rot your teeth?

Best enjoyed as part of a healthy diet.

FIRST-EVER VINYL RELEASE OF CULT 1980 CASSETTE-ONLY ALBUM BY EGYPTIAN SINGER NAGAT EL SAGHIRA, CURATED AND ANNOTATED BY DISCO ARABESQUO. INCLUDES PRODUCTION BY EGYPTIAN FUNK LEGEND HANY SHENOUDA

Following the highly-acclaimed "Sharayet El Disco" compilation, Wewantsounds is delighted to team up with Disco Arabesquo for the reissue of Nagat El Seghira's cult 1980 album "Eyoun El Alb"

Originally released only on cassette on the Egyptian label Soutelphan, the album has since become a sought-after classic on the Arabic groove scene and this is the first time it is released on vinyl. Consisting of four tracks, the album features two tracks produced by Hany Shenouda whose group Al Massrieen is a reference on the Arabic disco funk scene.

Remastered for vinyl by Colorsound Studio in Paris, the album features the original cassette artwork plus a two page colour insert featuring liner notes by Disco Arabesquo.

When it comes to Arabic Divas, Oum Kalthoum, Fairuz and Warda usually take the lead in the poll list. But in her native Egypt, singer Nagat Al Saghira comes very close to this triumvirate. Born in Cairo in 1938, Nagat began singing when she was still a child gaining her stage name "El-Saghira" ("the young one") at this occasion as she started giving concerts at the age of seven, pushed by her father, the famed calligrapher Muhamad Hosny (Nagat's half-sister is the renowned actress Soad Hosny).

Nagat quickly rose to fame in the late forties and became an essential part of classic period of Arabic music, interpreting songs by such titans as Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Baligh Hamdy and Kamal Al Taweel. She also sang the works of Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani whom she introduced to a mainstream audience. Nagat started singing shorter songs but then upgraded to longer ones, often performing/recording them live as it was the trend in the 60s and 70s.

One such song is "Eyoun El Alb" ("Eyes of the Heart") which makes up the whole of Side 1 of the original cassette. Written by Mohamed El Mougy and Abd al-Rahman al-Abdouni, Eyoun El Alb is a love song made up of several distinct sections enhancing Nagat's hypnotic singing, accompanied by a percussion-heavy, traditional Egyptian orchestra.

Side 2 is the "diggers" groovier side featuring two floaters,"Bahlam Ma'ak" ("I Dream with You") and "Ana Basha El Bahr" ("I Adore The Sea") produced by cult Egyptian musician and producer Hany Shenouda, whose albums with his group Al Massrieen are highly sought after on the Arabic funk and Disco scene. One Al Massrieen track features on the "Sharayet el Disco" set compiled by Disco Arabesquo who notes that "Hany Shenouda had made waves with his new musical style that weaved in western funk and disco sounds into Egyptian music"

Both tracks feature an infectious slow-burning groove and incorporate funk influences with fat bass and lines of synth and clavinet that adds a funky tone to Nagat's soft singing. The third track "Fakra" ("Do You Remember") brings the best of both world with a syncopated rhythm and arrangements that are slightly more traditional than the Shenouda-produced tracks.

Originally released in Egypt on Cassette in 1980 on the venerable Soutlephan label, the album is now making its vinyl debut on Wewantsounds annotated by Disco Arabesquo and remastered for vinyl by Colorsound Studio in Paris for the joy of Arabic funk and Global beats worldwide.

An ever-present name in underground house, Alex Celler is back once again on Baby Ford's cult Trelik label. This is his third and maybe best outing yet with 'Twilight Firedancer' being a long and extended dub tech workout with wobbly bass and off-balance drums topped with glowing chords that bring occasional relief to the pressure of the groove. 'Mescaline' is much more busy with abstract pops and squeaks, synth modulations and an urgent, tightly programmed minimal tech groove that you would expect of this label. It's high-class music for mind and body.

2025 Repress
L.F.T. returns to Mechatronica with his unique, signature blend of new wave and breakbeat influenced electro for the mind, body and floor. Boldly shaped by distorted drum machines, gut-wrenching grooves and haunting vocal chops, the KeyGenerator EP comes backed by an explosive IMOGEN remix and an occult collaboration with Cardinal & Nun. A spellbinding record on its own, and another crystal clear testament to L.F.T.s razor sharp sonic vision and ability to generate new styles from the past, present and future.

Joe Bataan's extensive discography was expanded in 2022 with the release of some old recordings from the King of Latin Soul that had never been previously published. After the success of his album "Riot!" (1968), Bataan had easy access to a studio whenever inspiration struck to record a new song sketch or even a complete track. Sometimes, he would finish the recording entirely and offer it in its final version to Fania for release. This usually worked, although on some occasions, the song was rejected. In the case of 'Drug Story,' the track was recorded without a clear final purpose, even though Bataan hoped it would become part of an album. When the Fania executives heard the result, they immediately rejected it, thinking it promoted drug use. The tapes were filed away and lost in oblivion until they ended up in a thrift store in New York. From there, they were rescued by a Latin music specialist and later sold, eventually making their way to the Vampisoul archives. The song was finally released in its entirety in 2022 on the LP "Drug Story" by Now Again. It features a long, slow vocal intro that evolves into a more uptempo track with two very distinct parts, to the point that it almost feels like two different songs. It transports us to the best moment of Joe Bataan's career, with all of his classic ingredients, delivering a track as good as his most famous songs. Bataan himself takes on the lead vocals and piano, Bobby Rodríguez handles the flute, sax, and bass, Pete 'Choki' Quintero plays the drums, and William Howes Jr. plays the electric guitar with wah-wah effects. Vampisoul strongly believes that the song deserved to be released as a single as well, and that its structure was perfect for each side to have a separate identity. So here it is, for the first time on a 45, 'Drug Story,', parts one & two, the long lost track by Joe Bataan. Pure Latin soul, recorded at the peak of the artist's career!

Multi-instrumentalist, visual artist, and scene creator, Jonathan Uliel Saldanha, has been releasing music under various guises for two decades. With the successes of his moniker HHY (Nyege Nyege Tapes) whether in symbiosis with The Kampala Unit or the syncopationophilic big band of The Macumbas, Jonathan Uliel Saldanha's sonic signature continues to grow more and more singular. Ever synthetic and digital, Uliel Saldanha's work-ethic never eases—having recently started a label of his own, Horror Vector.

Surface Disorder sees the release of the music from Jonathan Uliel Saldanha's large-scale exhibition of the same name that occurred in Porto & Lisbon, (2024-25). As with much of his work, there is a Ballardian sense of a near-future in dystopia. And since we're already living the apocalypse, there's never a hidden moral to veer away from the torment. Instead, Uliel Saldanha dives into it and catalyzes it further.

Information from Angels feels like a cunty John Dee AI (credited as The Mouth) becoming an oracle of information overload, accompanied by an instrumental bidirectionally that splits into a lush harmonic layer of blissful punctuated pads and another that is a speedy but subdued melodic bassline. The Mouth intones a 15-minute fever dream that flows through themes that have occupied Uliel Saldanha for quite some time.

On Swarming the Pit, the intricacy of Jonathan Uliel Saldanha sonic wizardry is on full display. A constantly moving swarm of granulated particulates of sonic material morph into a variety of textures: coins or gunshell casings hit the floor, engines rev their monstrosity, rubber-like pulses are splayed into spectral blurs and pops. This is clearly an update on music conrète's obsessions.

The Mouth on the closing track, Wolf & Virus Dialogues, has a completely different texture from the first, alerting the listener to the uncanny nature of its genesis. Here the instrumental sounds are all triggered by the articulations of the voice: a weird unison, it serves as its own artificial accompaniment. The reiteration of a self-model (a rabid 'my') creates a greater tension between computational self-certainty and the terror of its inevitable actualization.

2025 Repress

Bite the Day is a new Idjut Boys label imprint. We do an occasional London Party of the same name.....the concept is that there isn't one, musical anythingness and more often than not intending to involve collaborative collision with a hitlist of audio gymnasts whose talents can mask our lack of
said talent.

From the vaults of Idjut time past, Dominican Dolla Man delivered a lyric we thought boots some cold reality into today. The mighty Emperor Machine man was called upon to deliver his ministry of musical justice take. If you can figure out the words they are better than your average Christmas
rap song.

Strut proudly presents a new edition of one of Sun Ra's most celebrated albums, Sleeping Beauty, reissued in its original artwork for the first time.

Originally released in 1979 on his independent Saturn label, Sleeping Beauty captures Sun Ra and his Arkestra at their most soulful and serene. A masterclass in cosmic jazz, the album blends lush grooves, celestial soul, and meditative funk with Ra’s singular spiritual vision — a sound both grounded and otherworldly.

The album emerged during an extraordinarily fertile period for Sun Ra in late-‘70s New York. Between 1978 and 1982, Ra “occupied” Variety Recording Studios on West 42nd Street, often staging marathon sessions following late-night Arkestra gigs around the city — from the Village Vanguard to Sweet Basil and even a wedding in Central Park. These were not just recordings; they were rituals. Ra and his core players — John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, June Tyson, Michael Ray, and others — would begin sessions mid-morning, often continuing past midnight, much to the dismay of the studio owner. Out of this creative whirlwind came some of his most enduring work, including A Fireside Chat With Lucifer, On Jupiter, and Sleeping Beauty.

Across its three tracks, Sleeping Beauty showcases the Arkestra’s gentler side. From the dreamy sway of “Springtime Again” to the funk-deep uplift of “Door Of The Cosmos” and the title track’s meditative drift, this is music that floats, beckons, and unfolds. It’s a record of hypnotic beauty and quiet power — cosmic jazz for dreamers and seekers alike.

This new edition features a selected version of the hand-drawn original cover, embossed with the Sun Ra logo and housed in a heavyweight card sleeve. Liner notes come courtesy of Arkestra member Knoel Scott and Sun Ra authority Paul Griffiths. Remastered by Technology Works.

“Music is a language. You see, it’s not notes — it’s a language of the spirit. That’s why it’s so important.” – Sun Ra

2025 Repress

Dom Dolla makes a triumphant return, with 'Take It', a deep, dark, heaving club mix that combines an evocatively catchy vocal, with a deep groove beat to create one hooky production. Off the back of his 2017 ARIA nomination for Best Dance Release for the huge collaboration with Torren Foot on 'Be Randy', Dom has been busy touring the globe, stewing away in the dark corners of clubs, tweaking 'Take It', until it reached tech-house perfection.

"I put the bones of this tune together in a hotel room while road tripping between gigs in Arizona earlier this year, feeling heavily inspired by the west coast club audiences I was playing to. The vocals were written and recorded while sick in bed, using my tour manager's iPhone earbud microphone and a duvet as my vocal booth. At the time I had planned on replacing my recording with a cleaner take when I got home to Australia, but was never able to recreate something I liked as much, so it stayed! It's been slaying it for me ever since.", Dom Dolla had to say on explaining the origins of 'Take It'.

Having received over 20 million streams and consecutive ARIA Club Chart #1s for the former and Define, his 2016 collaboration with Go Freek, it becomes obvious that perfection is a common occurrence for Dom Dolla. Also, giving reason to why Dom has been cherry picked for official remixes by the likes of RUFUS DU SOL, Flight Facilities, Peking Duk, Madison Avenue, Motez and Sneaky Sound System and ongoing festival slots at Beyond The Valley (closing out the festival 4 years running), Splendour In The Grass, EDC Las Vegas and Splash House Palm Springs.

With Chris Lake, Kyle Watson and Billy Kenny already jumping on board, 'Take It' will be sure to garner a solid amount of support from the big-dogs. This goes without saying when Pete Tong is your biggest supporter, playing a spate of Dom Dolla releases across BBC Radio 1, a guest mix on All Gone Pete Tong and chosen as support for Pete Tong's huge orchestrated Ibiza Classics show at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

After being tried and tested, this track is 100% guaranteed to rip your heart out and 'take it' straight onto the darkest dance floor out there. Australia, hold tight for a tour announce very soon, otherwise you can catch Dom on dance-floors throughout the US from July.

11 million streams across Spotify, SoundCloud + YouTube
#1 ARIA Club Chart
#1 Beatport Overall
Named as Pete Tong's artist to watch for 2019

Alyhas & Occibel return with their second EP on Increase the Groove Records. This release draws from a wide range of influences, from Deep House to Tech House, with hints of Hip House. Each track offers a unique atmosphere, designed as a sonic stopover, built around the theme of the elements, taking you on a journey across the globe.

Facta and K-LONE’s Wisdom Teeth imprint returns to the V/A format with ‘Pattern Gardening’: a new collaborative project that leans head-first into the label’s love of minimal-, micro- and tech-house, carving out the label’s distinct, contemporary take on the sound - one that swims between warm, bleepy, rolling, dubby, psychedelic and bass-heavy channels across its duration. The vinyl sampler brings together 6 highlights from the wider 22 track digital project. Wisdom Teeth heads Facta and K-LONE appear alongside longtime label associate Lurka and new signees Polygonia, rRoxymore, Sub Basics and Jichael Mackson.

By now, Wisdom Teeth and its founders are well known for their unabashed love of minimal and tech house, which - alongside ambient, UK club music, experimental electronics and a broad palette of other influences - makes up a key cornerstone of their distinctive sound. The duo’s DJ sets often see them mixing ‘00s gems from labels like Perlon, Mosaic, Minibar and a:rpia:r with more contemporary club sounds, creating a hybrid style that sits somewhere between Balearic terraces and dark UK club basements. Likewise, the label has become known as a go-to outlet for artists occupying a similar crossover space, with names like Jorg Kuning, Parris, Steevio, Duckett, Leif and LUXE all known for pushing house and techno into experimental and refreshing new territories.

‘Pattern Gardening’ follows loosely on from the label’s previous V/A releases ‘To Illustrate’ (2021) and ‘Club Moss’ (2023), which explored downtempo (100bpm) and uptempo (150-170bpm) styles respectively. Here, the focus is fixed on lush, groovy, quirky 4x4 jams, joining the dots between a global spread of producers that bring new energy and perspective to these well-explored frameworks.

As is always the case with Wisdom Teeth’s output, the results fit somewhere between the club and a more contemplative, home-listening headspace, with texture, melody and mood afforded as much significance as rhythm and functionality.

The artwork features photography by Hong Kong-based photographer Jimi Chiu, who captures seemingly ordinary corners of city life in glossy, cinematic detail.

Apocryphal cycles are those that are not observed with the naked eye or those that interact implicitly.

Apocryphal cycles of atoms and molecules refer to chemical reactions and changes of state that occur at the subatomic level, often without being directly observable on the macroscopic scale. These cycles involve the creation and destruction of molecules, the movement of atoms, isomerization, and other processes that underlie the properties and reactions of matter.

Apocryphal cycles are fundamental to understanding the properties of matter, the chemistry of life, the behavior of materials, and the formation of new compounds. They are the basis of science and technology, enabling the creation of new materials, medicines, and chemical processes.

Motor City great Omar S is not just a don when it comes to programming drums and laying down his irresistible synth lines and heart aching melodies. He can also play a wide array of instruments, and in fact does just that here as he plays all instruments played you can hear across all three cuts of this new one on his FXHE label. Things kick off with the wonderful 'Featuring Omar S (instrumental)' and then 'Sayoungaty Nig' is a hazy, lo-fi ambient sound with occasional synth smears and a barely-there rhythm implied by the odd kick drum sound. 'Featuring Omar S' is a signature deep house joint with bristling metal hi-hats, rickety drums and edgy drones that keep you on edge as more soulful chords rise up through the mix.

Greville returns to Mad Habitat, consorting with the enigmatic Lonely Voices to realize a four-song suite steeped in vivid acoustic psychotomimesis. Each track is underpinned by Greville’s unerring sensitivity to sonic texture and atmosphere. The snappy, febrile drum programming of “I Miss Terry” is a deft counterpoint to the thrumming bassline. The chords of “Purgatory” swirl around the stereo field like hypnopompic hallucinations. On the flip side, vocals bleed in and out of the mix, spectral and elusive, threading through both tracks. “Electric Push” follows the monologue of “Dad’s Folk,” nudging it into even more surreal territory. It evokes a chance encounter between Ifach-era Baby Ford & the occult industrialism of late-period Coil.

Black Truffle is thrilled to announce Spilla, the second album from Nantes-based Ensemble Nist-Nah, 48 minutes of music for Gamelan, drum kits, wood and metal percussion instruments, and plucked strings that will surely count as one of the most electrifying records you hear this year. Founded by the Australian drummer/percussionist Will Guthrie in 2019, continuing the explorations begun in solo form on Nist-Nah (Black Truffle, 2020), the ensemble (eight or nine core members with occasional guests) has been consistently active in the half-decade since: composing, rehearsing, recording and touring Europe (with a mass of equipment in tow) to great acclaim. Spilla tracks the continuing evolution of the project since the recording of their first album, Elders (Black Truffle, 2022). The two sides of this record document two different iterations of the group, and the members' compositional input has increased: each side contains one piece by a member other than Guthrie. It has become clearer than ever that Ensemble Nist-Nah is not an attempt at a European Gamelan ensemble but rather a hybrid percussion ensemble that uses instruments from a Javanese Gamelan alongside other percussion to perform original music informed by a variety of South East Asian music but also by everything from free jazz to contemporary hip-hop: while Nist-Nah and Elders both featured traditional Javanese pieces, on Spilla the only tune not generated by a member of the group is by Guthrie’s long-time musical hero and occasional collaborator Roscoe Mitchell.

The two short pieces that open the record could almost be the two sides of a wild 7” selected to show off what the Ensemble can do. On opener ‘Gerak Maju’, intricately skittering open-snare patterns bounce over clanging metal, chiming bell-like tones and deep gong hits, adapting the rhythm-register connections heard in traditional Gamelan musics—where the lowest pitched sounds are heard least frequently—to a cut-up breakbeat straight off Feed Me Weird Things. ‘Strollabout’ then moves into an entirely different realm of meditative repeating patterns, performed entirely on Chinese, Javanese and Vietnamese gongs. The remaining seven pieces, ranging from three to twelve minutes, offer up a wealth of different percussive, compositional and arrangement possibilities. On ‘Ghostly Klang’, two drumkits mirror each other’s moves, bouncing hats and snares across the stereo field in a way that recalls On the Corner and the jittering hi hat patterns of trap, while slow moving melodies on the tuned instruments add a sense of majesty contrasted by scurrying details in resonant wood. The epic closing track presents a take on Roscoe Mitchell’s ‘Uncle’, performed by the Art Ensemble of Chicago on their classic Urban Bushmen live album. Where the Art Ensemble used Mitchell’s dirge-like melody as a jumping off point for virtuosic improvisational flights, Ensemble Nist-Nah rethink the piece as a near-static dialogue between the monumental, slow-moving sequence of unison tuned percussion notes and a textural cloud that grows in richness and intensity from whispering cymbal rolls into a mass of gong overtones and bowed metal.

Beautifully recorded and mixed, Spilla arrives in a sleeve decorated with core member Charles Dubois’ drawings of cymbals and gongs. Against the backdrop of a wider musical landscape dominated by over-produced electronic slop and bland harmonic wallpaper, Ensemble Nist-Nah stands out as a reminder, vital and unpretentious, of the joys and possibilities of human beings playing instruments together.