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“A Dream In A Dream” is the debut LP by DJ Piper, also known as Felix Wagner of techno superstar duo FJAAK.
One might be surprised about this all hip-hop instrumental album looking at Felix’ all dance music focussed musical resumé. Nevertheless, he has been crafting rap beats ever since he started producing as a teen, but had his childhood friends freestyle over the tracks solely. It took until 2020 when he teamed up with Lukas and
Jonathan Nixdorff of Kommerz Records to release his first solo track “Iluminay”, which was part of “Kommerz Season 1: Anti-Virus” compilation and shared by B-Real of Cypress Hill right away.

Now, 2022, marks the right moment to share his debut album, a waltzing ode to hip-hop’s golden era. The Berlin- Spandau original merges the legacies of both Pete Rock and Dr. Dre, while funky breakbeats meet laid back SoCal “Chronic” vibes. 12 instrumental tracks and 2 skits strong, his album tells the story of a young man, who lives up to his wildest teenage dreams. Most of the track ideas came up while being on tour with FJAAK. Between international transit areas, making inspirational new friends and bizarre encounters all over the world, beat making became DJ Piper’s safe space to process all the positive madness around him. As a result, “A Dream In A Dream” breathes that raw, untamable creative energy around Felix’ extraordinary day-to-day life, while being heavily influenced by the sound of his childhood, 90s and 2000s rap.

To visualize “A Dream In A Dream” DJ Piper and Kommerz Records joined forces with Raman Djafari, a childhood friend of the artist, who illustrated music videos for Dua Lipa and Elton John (no joke!) and worked for New Release Information Adult Swim. Raman’s supernaturalistic aesthetics bring life to DJ Piper’s somewhat psychedelic, somewhat nostalgic fantasy, locating the album in an otherworldly version of Spandau, hometown to both of the artists.
As one half of FJAAK Felix became an icon of Berlin techno conquering major festival stages and mainstream audiences while heavily representing underground D.I.Y. mentality up to this very day. As an initiator of Spandau20 label and collective, Felix pushes his creative family and day 1’s regardless of commercial potentials.
The same ethos and love for culture fuels the DJ Piper project. No matter if it’s FJAAK or DJ Piper, techno or hiphop… Integrity is key!

Green Vinyl

Föllakzoid are nearly unparalleled in the hypnotic lysergic drenched neo-psychedelic experience. On their debut it is mostly a rather bulky one, determined by the downright dirty, distorted electric guitar, which is also usually accompanied by a spacey, howling and herbaceous howling one. In addition, there is fat bass and powerful drums. During the prolific post-napster musical era dominated by myspace, the Chilean musical field opened up so that many bands could broaden their creative spectrum by taking global and timeless references as an aesthetic holy grail. This experimentation had the internet and specialized forums as a search engine, which not only provided the world parameters in trends, but also allowed to find true hidden gems, bands that were adored by a few connoisseurs of the real quality left behind by the record labels. In this context, a group of university students who have known each other from school began to rehearse in the Caracol Vip underground (Santiago, Chile), in a room owned by a local heavy-metal legend, Juanzer. Equipped with tube amplifiers, Marshall and other custom made, the members of that time: Gonzalo Laguna on vocals, Juan Pablo Rodriguez on bass, Domingo García-Huidobro on guitar, Diego Lorca on drums and Francisco Zenteno on second guitar, they began to play endless jams without a strict sense of songs or directed compositional notion. The rule was to follow the noise in a journey through valleys and peaks that allowed the spontaneous appearance of textures, lyrics, phrases and some invented chords that did not resemble anything that had been heard at that time. The rehearsals were transformed into true live performances without an audience, which were only seen by a few curious, among alcohol, smoke and deafening noise, which could only end when the owner of the room (Juanzer) entered to turn off the equipment. Over time he himself stayed as an auditor, witnessing how the musicians stripped themselves in their rehearsals. Considered at that time as play or fun, the idea of forming a band with a name came with the real live performances to which they were invited, without yet having songs made, at the end of 2006. The myth of their first live performance alludes to a numerical superstition, on July 7, 2007, in a small bar in Providencia (Santiago), which also provided the band with an upward recognition for the psychedelic-punk music they were doing, with a voracious vocalist who destroyed everything on stage and a band that stood firm on the endless songs they built. The name that was invented for that occasion was the result of a nonsense about the German word feuerzeug brought to the group by their close friend Alfredo Thiermann (who would later make the cover of the first album and become keyboardist), which the members of that time took and Spanishized at will. This neologism represents the second founding myth of the band since the interest in bands like Can, Neu! and AMON DUUL II and the characteristic motorik rhythm would soon arrive, in the form of kosmische musik. By 2008 the band had already added several live performances and some songs appeared, among which were Directo al Sol and Loop (nod to the English band), which allowed a greater deployment of ambient-noise resources, almost close to the 'concrete' music. The deconstructed rock of Spacemen 3 was also present in the form of repeated sequences on the bass and drums, as the layers of shrill guitars formed the foam of the tide bursting in the darkness of space. With the ideas and general feeling of the sound that they already had, the band made the decision to record their first album with the sound engineer and Juan Pablo's brother, Ignacio 'Nes' Rodríguez, who later together with JP would form the BYM label to make the first CDs of the forthcoming debut of Föllakzoid and other bands that Nes was recording. Sheltered that winter in the studio that Nes had built in an old house in Recoleta, the band recorded the bulk of the songs on the album with a new jam that emerged in that room composed of 1 note and moments of rising intensity: Sky Input I and II appeared to complete a set of songs that came from rock but were slowly passing to a level of trance and cacophony typical of orchestrated and atonal music. With three takes per song but only one take of the jam, the album was finished with a few extra takes and overdubs, some made in the house of Nes himself, who contributed a guitar to Loop, although it does not appear in the credits, and additional takes of "Pelao" Zenteno with delay and reverse for almost all songs. The names of the songs came from the lyrics that Laguna had worked from the live versions to the studio finals, except for Loop, Sky Input and El Humo. The cover of the album, which as mentioned was made by Thiermann, represents well the spirit of those days, when creative magma looked for an outlet through the instruments without any restriction or explicit direction from any of the members of the group. The image of the tree towards the sky speaks of the roots that rise towards the immensity, the nature projected towards the stratosphere. Ideas that the neo-psychedelia of those years seemed to capture well, echoing in the Chilean bands that at that time were gathering around the BYM label. Both the creative fluency and the lack of a musical director ensured that Föllakzoid was an original band that did not impose themselves a way of doing things or sounding, collective music took shape in the most wonderful way, without characters, without a record name, without faces. Just an instant in space. 2022 GALAXY GREEN coloured vinyl

Here comes a fat Toy Tonics remix package. COEO made 2 club versions of this track originally by Toy Tonics head honcho Kapote - featuring New York born, Berlin based Soul singer Kosmo Kint. Coeo's Garage version is a heavy booty shaker, quite different from their last release. This is very UK. You can hear that Coeo has been DJing a lot in the UK lately. Of course the other one rmx is a killer remix too .... You get what you know from a Coeo work.

The Kapote remix package also includes a version by Detroit original hero Dez Andres. A sneaky dancefloor slammer that will get a lot of attention.

Before he co-founded the legendary Sunday afternoon event Body & Soul with fellow New York DJs Danny Krivit and Francois Kevorkian in 1996, Joaquin "Joe" Claussell was the driving force behind Instant House, an eclectic production outift who released a series of uplifting deep house records, several of which were spun by David Mancuso at the 90s iteration of his influential Loft parties.

In 1993, Instant House released their deepest single, Lost Horizons, through Jungle Sounds Recordings. The A-side, ‘Lost Horizons (The Mind Travel Saturday Night Sunday Morning Mix)’ is a seventeen-minute and twenty-second sojourn into the vibrant club sounds of early 90s NYC. Driven by a Latin-accented man-machine beat that marches into infinity, it comes backed by two shorter mixes, ‘Lost Horizons’ and ‘Lost Horizons (Percussion Bonus)’. Twenty-nine years later, Isle of Jura presents an official vinyl and digital reissue of this slow-burning deep cut.

The Instant House story begins in the late 80s at Dance Tracks, an East Village record store established by the businessman, DJ, and graphic designer Stan Hatzakis. Patronised by New York trendsetters like Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan, Dance Tracks was considered one of the world's best underground dance music retailers.

During the winter of 1991, Stan got together with one of his best customers, Tony Confusione, to make music. A wall street guy by day and a keyboardist by night, Tony was also a serious DJ. Not long after their first recording sessions, they invited another Dance Tracks fixture, Joaquin "Joe" Claussell, to join them in Tony’s state-of-the-art home studio in Long Island. He brought a vibrant, percussive edge to the sample-based tracks Stan and Tony were cooking up. Emboldened, the three DJs began recording together as Instant House. That year, they released the Dance Trax EP.

In 1992, after Instant House had dropped two certified classics, 'Over' and 'Awade', for Jungle Sounds Records, Stan exited the group and sold Dance Tracks to Joe and his business partner, Stefan Prescott. Following Stan's departure, Joe and Tony headed into the studio for a special recording session. “I just remember how powerful the connection was while we were making that record,” explains Joe, recalling the creation of ‘Lost Horizons (The Mind Travel Saturday Night Sunday Morning Mix)’. “It was a very spiritual encounter in the studio.”

While laying out the drum patterns, sound effects, and arrangement, Joe explained the vibe to Tony, who played the lush cosmic chords and an effortless keyboard saxophone line over the top. “That was Tony completely feeling himself,” Joe reflects. “He performed majestically.”

After the release of the Lost Horizons 12”, Joe received a phone call from Cisco International Corp. A plane flight later, he was sitting in their label offices in Tokyo, talking to a senior record executive who wanted to introduce Lost Horizons to Japan. “What they were primarily doing at the time was pressing classical records - we’re talking thousand dollar plus classical reissues - and they wanted to license and distribute Lost Horizons,” Joe remembers. Three years later, Joe and Tony released 'Asking Forgiveness', their final 12” as Instant House, before parting ways with full hearts.

In the context of his career as a DJ, remixer, and producer, Joe is known for long songs and compositions. As Lost Horizons illustrates, he’s carried that impulse with him since his foundational days. “When I produce, I don’t believe in the beginning or endpoint of anything,” Joe explains. “I really despise the rules. To me, that’s not true to the art of creation. I just believe there is a flow in creation. When we were making music in the 90s, we were restricted by format, but that record could have gone on forever.”

The 12” is housed in a full sleeve jacket by Bradley Pinkerton based on the original release design.

Following the release of Barbie Bertisch’s debut album Prelude in June 2022, Love Injection is thrilled to announce Prelude Remixes via Love Injection Records, which features six artists new to the label, kicking off with a two-track 12” single followed by a full digital release. Love Injection is the label and fanzine Bertisch runs with her partner, Paul Raffaele. The duo are romantic about remixes as an artform and always intended to have reinterpretations be the next phase after Prelude. Often reduced to ways to extend a hype cycle, or disjointed add-ons, Love injection’s remixes exist in dialogue with the artist’s songs.

The 12 inch single will inaugurate the project, with Montreal’s Gene Tellem on the A side, and Panorama Bar residents Lakuti and Tama Sumo on the flipside. On the “GT Remix”, Bertisch gushes that “Gene is very good at creating and sculpting atmospherics in her productions. She really grabbed the song and took it to a different place.” Tellem's version of “After The Storm” is faster, elastic and pulsing with an almost primordial intensity.

Creative and life partners Lakuti and Tama Sumo take on “Fertile Garden (Emerge)”. Lakuti, originally from South Africa, got her start DJing in the Johannesburg house scene of the ‘90s. She is now based in Berlin and often DJs with Tama Sumo, who grew up in Bavaria and moved to Berlin in 199x and has been a staple in the scene there since. The duo, both residents of Berlin's Panorama Bar, turn “Fertile Garden” into an ecstatic, unrelenting beat-down, best fit for peak time.

Berlin electronic duo Donna Regina recorded two songs for the 10th edition of the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club. In ‘Weihnachten Woanders’ (‘Christmas Somewhere Else’), singer Regina Janssen reflects on how it feels to spend Christmas away from home. Somewhere else, in a strange town where nobody knows your name and no one is waiting for you. You miss the familiar sounds of Christmas, like the child that sings ‘Stille Nacht’ and you dream of being home again. It’s a feeling many people can relate to. Especially this year, a year in which so many people were forced to flee from their homes. Günter Janssen, the other half of Donna Regina and Regina’s husband, lays down a minimalistic tapestry of synths and drum rolls. A loop of street sounds, a sample taken from sound artist Paula Schopf’s 2021 album ‘Especios En Soledad’, forces its way into the song, and in the end overpowers voice and other instruments. ‘Weihnachten Woanders’ very much captures the year 2022 and the worrying times we are living in, in both lyrics and music.

‘Christmas With You’, the B-side of the single, was originally written and recorded by Polish indie band Old Time Radio for their 2009 Christmas album 'Sketches For Another Christmas Songbook'. Donna Regina again goes for a minimalistic electronic sound, but also adds a certain melancholy to the song. Partly due to the synths that in places resemble the sound of an organ, an instrument that appeared on so many Christmas recordings from the 1950s and early 1960s. The love-hate relationship many people have with Christmas is perfectly laid down in the lyrics: “We watch the cartoons / We sing out of tune / Kiss by the fireplace / Listen to those horrible songs / Do we know / It’s Christmas time at all?”.

Regina and Donna Janssen debuted as Donna Regina in 1990 with the single 'Avec Le Temps' and released their debut album 'Lazing Away' in 1992 on Our Choice, a German sublabel of Rough Trade. In 1999, after four albums on Strange Ways Records, they signed to their current label Karaoke Kalk. Since then, they have released eight albums for the label. In 2015, Karaoke Kalk also released 'Dis Cover', a compilation of Donna Regina songs recorded by other artists like Dean & Britta, Bernard Burgalat, Mouse On Mars and many others. Donna Regina’s songs have been featured on compilations of labels like Rough Trade, Sonar Kollektiv, Klant Elektronik, Milan and Rolling Stone. Donna Regina was not Günther’s first band. In the early 1980s he was part of a Neue Deutsche Welle act with a very Christmas-related name: Heilige 3 Köninge ('Holy 3 Kings'). Their sole album, 1982's 'Zum Teufel Met Dem Kamel' has become very collectable. Günther was also featured as songwriter and musician on German singer Romie Singh's 1986 CBS album 'Masters' and later ventured into writing music for television and film. Regina Janssen also recorded as a vocalist with French musician Bertrand Burgalat, and sang several songs on his 2005 album ‘Portrait-Robot”.

After the magnum opus that was ‘Hello Pig’, the Levellers’ first album of the 21st Century was…a little more familiar sounding.

Green Blade Rising was produced by Al Scott (Levelling The Land, Zeitgeist) and includes the Top 40 singles Come On and Wild As Angels.

Previously unavailable on vinyl, this limited edition, numbered, green vinyl 2LP set contains the original album, remastered by Jon Sevink and a bonus LP of B sides and single mixes - Hearts of Art.

Jeremy: ‘Green Blade Rising’ is a title we’d been throwing around since the very start of the band. In fact it was the name of a Levellers-style pamphlet during the anarchy of the English civil war.

The most important thing about Green Blade Rising for me, is it marked Matt’s entry into the band.
Which thankfully wasn’t as painful as it sounds!

Here is the much anticipated volume 3 of the HOT SAUCE compilation LPs dedicated to the Trojan related UK labels between 1965 and 1975.

HOT SAUCE VOLUME 3 features outstanding original Rocksteady, Boss Reggae and early Reggae (“Reggay”) tracks including rare songs, overlooked gems, hidden treasures and a couple of hits.

The record labels showcased on this third volume are Amalgamated, Duke, Gayfeet, Grape, Harry J, Rio, Randy’s, Treasure Isle, Upsetter and Trojan. The tracks here have been selected according to their musical interest firstly, their rarity, and their complementarity.

These tracks are all outstanding tracks, “killer tracks”, there is no “filler” whatsoever.

Particular attention has been paid to the way the songs are sequenced (or “mixed”) so that the album builds up nicely and gradually, generally starting with the Rocksteady songs on the A side and the 70s songs on the B side.

HOT SAUCE is a musical journey across early Jamaican Reggae - highlighting its diverse musical genres and outstanding artists – as it was once published by the U.K. record labels during this golden decade…

Since the early 70s “Tighten Up” series, no compilations have really explored these labels in depth on vinyl.

Repress in soon, note new price. Young Liars is the first major release by the New York City band TV on the Radio. Released in 2003 on Touch & Go Records, the EP helped establish the band's distinctive blending of electronica, doo wop, post-rock, and avant-garde styles. The release featured the single "Staring at the Sun," which would later be remixed and reissued in their full-length album Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes. It contains an a cappella version of "Mr. Grieves," which was originally a rock song by Pixies, from the album Doolittle. Tracks: A1 Satellite A2 Staring At The Sun A3 Blind B1 Young Liars B2 Mister Grieves.

Folk singer-songwriter Peter Case challenges listeners to be more
attuned to the world through his politically-fueled lyricism and intricate
finger-style acoustic guitar heard in Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John
This record reflects Case's transformation from power- pop songwriter to
traditional folk artist with strong roots in Americana. This Grammy award
nominated 11-track collection includes original songs from Case and a cover of
the traditional blues tune 'Get Away Blues.' The album features guest musicians
Richard Thompson, Duane Jarvis, Carlos Guitarlos, and Norm Hamlet. For its 15th
anniversary, Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John is available now for the first time on
vinyl.

"Hushman is the new project from renowned folk musician, singer &
songwriter Ewan MacPherson
Originally hailing from Liverpool, with family ties to Scotland, Ireland and Wales,
Ewan moved to Edinburgh in 1999 where he is now a recognised figure on the
vibrant Scottish music scene, performing and writing with Scottish Indie folk band
Salt House & Scottish Acid folk legends, Shooglenifty, amongst others. Likened to
Ben Howard, John Martyn and Nick Drake, the music and songs Hushman is
producing are painted and sculpted to the backdrop of the Scottish Highlands,
the walls of the shed they have been recorded in are thin; black grouse, torrential
rain and gales subtly underpin Hushman's music through the cabin walls.
Hushman features Hannah Read on backing vocals, Lauren MacColl (Rant, Heal &
Harrow) on strings, Ben Nichols (Seth Lakeman, Nadine Shah) on Bass and
James Mackintosh (Shooglenifty, Capercaille) on percussion."

"Hushman is the new project from renowned folk musician, singer &
songwriter Ewan MacPherson
Originally hailing from Liverpool, with family ties to Scotland, Ireland and Wales,
Ewan moved to Edinburgh in 1999 where he is now a recognised figure on the
vibrant Scottish music scene, performing and writing with Scottish Indie folk band
Salt House & Scottish Acid folk legends, Shooglenifty, amongst others. Likened to
Ben Howard, John Martyn and Nick Drake, the music and songs Hushman is
producing are painted and sculpted to the backdrop of the Scottish Highlands,
the walls of the shed they have been recorded in are thin; black grouse, torrential
rain and gales subtly underpin Hushman's music through the cabin walls.
Hushman features Hannah Read on backing vocals, Lauren MacColl (Rant, Heal &
Harrow) on strings, Ben Nichols (Seth Lakeman, Nadine Shah) on Bass and
James Mackintosh (Shooglenifty, Capercaille) on percussion."

Here lies a reissue of the first release from legendary long-running
Chicago group ONO, Kate Cincinnati
ONO originally self-released the music in an edition of 300 tapes, and it shares
several traits with the music of today's ONO. travis's singing moves effortlessly
between gospel, blues, opera and noise registers; Shannon Rose Riley plays a
maelstrom of music on her horn of choice, here saxophone; bandleader P.
Michael Grego quietly orchestrates bass, guitar and lap guitar, creating a musical
Jenga tower. If this is your first time with ONO, hop on board and see why Moor
Mother, Black Midi, Algiers and countless other acts love them so. If you're
already a fan: don't walk - run.

Noah & The Whale were one of the leading protagonists of the small but
perfectly formed indie-folk scene of the early days of the 21st Century
Formed in Twickenham, the five-piece, led by vocalist and guitarist Charlie Fink,
originally boasted Laura Marling in their line- up, before she left to begin her
successful solo career.
Released in August 2008, Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down was like a breath of
fresh air with its optimistic-yet-realistic worldview and, as The Guardian was to
note, its "twinkling acoustic songs, bursting with brass, keyboards and fiddle"
were "economic and brimming with sure-footed confidence." Its 11 songs include
the group's debut single and signature track, 5 Years Time, which was to become
their first UK Top 10 hit.
This re-issue is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl.

It’s been a great year for Andy Blade & Eater. Ant was released worldwide through Cleopatra, some high-profile gigs with Dinosaur Jr, Jah Wobble and U.S up and comers The Darts and more to come now big boys AEG have taken the band onboard to secure gigs. As usual singer Andy Blade is doing it in his own inimitable way; not for him a backing band of septuagenarians. Instead, he’s got in some young pistols called Jo Jo & The Teeth (a band in their own right) which give the songs an intensity and relevancy beyond your traditional punk audiences meaning the sky’s the limit for the band. The new Eater single on Antenna is original Eater’s version of Alice Cooper’s classic ‘Eighteen’ but renamed after their average ages at the time 'Fifteen'. It’s backed by the controversial 'Why Don’t You…?' (censored version). Both tracks are not on 'Ant' and like 'Ant' features the found Dave Goodman remixes/missing guitar parts. The single is in translucent clear vinyl and colour picture bag with 2 sided lyric insert. The Deluxe version includes a signed A3 folded poster & CDR with rare live Eater Tracks, Andy Blade solo stuff and hilarious audio book excerpts from his acclaimed 'Secret Life Of A Teenage Punk Rocker'. Again done in his own way! Andy Blade "Fifteen is an outtake from the Ant sessions (too many covers). We made Alice’s song our own. The guitars lift it from crucification to glorification. Punchy as fuck. The flip side, Why Don't You? Is a song people will know with a word we can't say anymore."

It’s been a great year for Andy Blade & Eater. Ant was released worldwide through Cleopatra, some high-profile gigs with Dinosaur Jr, Jah Wobble and U.S up and comers The Darts and more to come now big boys AEG have taken the band onboard to secure gigs. As usual singer Andy Blade is doing it in his own inimitable way; not for him a backing band of septuagenarians. Instead, he’s got in some young pistols called Jo Jo & The Teeth (a band in their own right) which give the songs an intensity and relevancy beyond your traditional punk audiences meaning the sky’s the limit for the band. The new Eater single on Antenna is original Eater’s version of Alice Cooper’s classic ‘Eighteen’ but renamed after their average ages at the time 'Fifteen'. It’s backed by the controversial 'Why Don’t You…?' (censored version). Both tracks are not on 'Ant' and like 'Ant' features the found Dave Goodman remixes/missing guitar parts. The single is in translucent clear vinyl and colour picture bag with 2 sided lyric insert. The Deluxe version includes a signed A3 folded poster & CDR with rare live Eater Tracks, Andy Blade solo stuff and hilarious audio book excerpts from his acclaimed 'Secret Life Of A Teenage Punk Rocker'. Again done in his own way! Andy Blade "Fifteen is an outtake from the Ant sessions (too many covers). We made Alice’s song our own. The guitars lift it from crucification to glorification. Punchy as fuck. The flip side, Why Don't You? Is a song people will know with a word we can't say anymore."

Renude19’s debut single Blah Blah Blah is a Synthpop protest song; an original piece of music sampling Greta Thunberg’s famous Blah Blah Blah speech from the Youth4Climate Conference in Milan, in September 2021.

The feel of the track is reminiscent of Kraftwerk, Cabaret Voltaire and early Human League, a dark marble slab of electro, sat on a mid-tempo break beat and underpinned by classic synths that give the piece a beautiful retro feel. The track has the vibe of a house record, a slow builder that reaches a subtle climax and makes a hard hitting point about climate change.

The song itself is powerfully delivered by Brighton based vocalist Christabel, who has recorded with artists such as the Freemasons and Skylab 9. The piece has an unusual song structure with Greta Thunberg sampled in the chanted chorus, and her speech used to dramatic effect.

Recorded in Brighton UK by producer Ash Huntington; engineered by veteran techno artist Iain Rive (Cydonia, Semsis, Universal Sound); mastered by the wonderful Walter Coelho; and the sleeve design was created by the world class album sleeve designer Pete Hayward, who has designed for Paul McCartney, Kylie Minogue, Simon Cowell, Universal Music, Sony and Wham!

The single is being promoted with Facebook and Youtube campaigns, has already had over 65’000 plays on Youtube, and is gaining radio support from 6music DJs.

2022 Repress

Fiocco and Scoop are both productions from DJ/producer Jan Vervloet. These 2 massive hits were originally released on A&S Productions and now available for the first time in their radio edits on black wax.

In 2003, Pisco Crane assembled a six-piece band from motivated and talented like minds in the Kinshasa slums where he grew up. Pisco had been involved with a handful of local rap acts when he was younger, but after meeting legendary instrument builder Bebson De La Rue, he was inspired to follow a new path. He set about building instruments from the discarded trash that surrounded his city: bits of old computers or oil cans were fashioned into bass guitars and drums, and keyboards were bashed together using springs, metal pipes, and offcuts of tubing. If there was a core philosophy that guided Pisco at this stage in his journey, it was that everyone should have access to instruments, no matter where they come from or what their budget might be. And following in the footsteps of Bebson, Pisco locked into a Congolese tradition that touches on the eccentric genius of globally lauded artists like Konono Nº1 and Staff Benda Bilili. Over the years, Fulu Miziki's notoriety grew in the Kinshasa underground - their utopian vision of the future was infectious. Eventually, they were joined by performance artist, sculptor and fashion designer Lady Aisha, who offered the band unique colour and a soulful central focus. Influenced by Kinshasa's street performance scene, Aisha helped the band devise vivid masks and costumes that were as electric and singular as the instruments they played, and the scene was set. In 2020, as the world was plunged into lockdown, footage of Fulu Miziki went viral and their star began to grow exponentially, with a video of the band preforming the track 'Tikanga' racking up millions of views on Facebook. The band used this opportunity to work on documenting their sound, and shored up at the Nyege Nyege studios in Kampala for a year to assemble a definitive album. Recorded by HHY & The Macumbas' Jonathan Saldanha, this record captures the band's furiously innovative mixture of industrial sonics, spiritual jazz, punk, and Congolese soukous pressure. At their best, Fulu Miziki sound almost completely out of time, curving pounding rhythms around microtonal clanks, rousing chants and spiky sonics. On 'Mutangila', there's a hint of disco in the 4/4 stomp, but it's been shifted into a post-punk ritual, adorned with complex bell percussion and overlapping vocals. 'Congo' is even harder to define; electrified buzzes form a bassline, but it's the mindboggling rhythms that shuttle the track into psychedelic realms, led confidently by Lady Aisha's limber rhymes. Fulu positively slither on the sultry, industrial-influenced 'Sebe', while 'Tikanga' reminds of Congo's rumba-derived soukous traditions, materializing the sounds into the future with tight, pounding percussion and head-melting fx. The story of Fulu Miziki is sprawling and complex and constantly evolving, with various offshoots and band iterations. Two members left the band in 2016 to form KOKOKO! with French producer Débruit. Not long after they recorded this magnum opus album, several other original members left to form a similarly named outfit currently based in Europe. This other incarnation recently released an EP of electronic productions without the band founder Pisko Crane and lead vocalist Lady Aicha, on the UK based Moshi Moshi records. Pisco and Lady Aicha currently lead a different outfit in Kinshasa made up of completely new musicians. This full-length is the remaining proof of Fulu Mziki at their most vital and most complete - it won't be repeated - and can never be recreated. It's an essential portrait of one of the Democratic Republic of Congo's most innovative contemporary outfits, and some of the most surprising hybrid music you're likely to hear.