Phiorio's Animals release has been a labour of love. After co-running Metroline Limited for the past 6 years and after a series of digital releases and remixes for both Metroline and Retrometro (as well as Letroom Limited and MBF amongst others), Phiorio's vinyl debut on ML finally sees the light of day. The choice of remixers has also been laborious but over at Metroline HQ we are really happy that in the end we managed to secure two stunning reworks by the likes of the more and more in demand French producer Doubtingthomas (with releases on labels such as Hummingbird, Organic and of course, Metroline Limited) and the super-hot up and coming Russian producers Adjustment Bureau. The EP opening track Ninja Cat is a deep and quirky number. The groove is tight with heavy drums and crisp percussions. An acid b-line leads the way while atmospherics pop in and out until an off key synth appears and adds a level of spookiness to the proceedings. Doubtinthomas remix take things into even deeper territory. His landmark reduced drum programming is very noticeable here with shuffled up percussions, lush pads and a very heavy bass to guarantee maximum impact on the dancefloor. Superpupider is a no-nonsense straight up dark and dirty techno tool. It's all about the groove with this track, the drums lead the way with clever use of filtered hats and percussions. That said, Phiorio's ability with abstract sound is still in evidence with plenty of spooky voices, pads and noises firing off in all directions. Adjustment Bureau remix of Ninja Cat completes our tasty package. The Russian duo's (soon to release a stunning debut EP on Hypertone) approach is in line with modern trippy and experimental techno and has a distinctive 'Romanian' vibe. They used the original elements of the track and added extra percussive and vocal samples to create an epic, intricate and groovy paranoid funk number.
For the second instalment from Quantum Entanglement we delve into the misty past, a time when moving parts ruled the dance, when the power of the night rested on a needle and a bassline, and before CDJs calculated the bpm for you...you had to touch things, buy things, and the bassline ruled over all. Acid Thunder, a classic by Fast Eddie, was the first dance record i ever bought. It was important. The guy who sold it to me, at the time a spotty school kid in his school uniform, was called John Stapleton, and the shop was Sidetrax in Bristol. Mentrix totally gets the kinda NY sluttiness of the original, and brings it right up to date....less of a cover, more of a homage, the entanglement of then and now. Need You is an entanglement of two very unlikely BFFs... John Lee Hooker and Joey Beltram. This isn't really a cover, it's more like the offspring of many things, times, and moments - it's like the grandchild of John Lee Hooker's track dated the nephew of Joey Beltram's track and lived in Neukölln. Again, Direct - 'Techno Gone Mad' on R&S was another of my earliest techno purchases - at the time it was considered 'Dutch Hardcore' but now, it's almost cute.... Quantum Entanglement....recycling other people's good ideas since January 2014
Having kick off 2014 in spectacular fashion with their Episode #5 collab, Superfiction label chiefs Italoboyz and Blind Minded join forces again to deliver the next instalment from their popular label series.
Lead track Paradise Adventure effuses a sense of mystery with its psychedelic guitar rhythmically tripping between beats and electronic blues licks heightening the intensity while never reaching boiling point. This adventure bubbles brilliantly.
Christian Burkhardt is drafted in on remix duty and takes us on a march with his strong groovin' bassline. The German allows the sweeping atmospherics to play their part and brings the stunning guitar riff to the fore, allowing us to get lost further in the rhythmic groove.
Champagne Kisses closes the release and the bassline rule again as Blind Minded fly solo, weaving a heavy slice of bottom-ended funk. The vocal playfully chases the key changes to create an excellent sing-a-long club cut that could easily have lead the release.
Two strong originals and an excellent remix make this an Episode not to be missed!
From the ruins of the birthplace of techno ...
Detroit Underground returns with this, their twenty second release, in a catalogue that has come to define the outer limits of experimental electronics while still adhering to dance floor basics.
This edition sees DU label boss Kero return to the spotlight in collaboration with LA based sound designer and interactive director Drasko Vucevic, aka Drasko V of Los Angeles based DRASTIC Music + Technology. Drasko has recently created, among other things, sound design for a promotional featurette for the Academy Award nominated film Gravity.
Given the label's long time fascination with the intersections of music, art and technology the collaboration is as fitting as it is fruitful.
Side A ups the collaborative ante as this 12'' comes blasting out of the gate with two very strong remixes, Exponent is the subject of a relentless 4/4 treatment from LA techno exponents Drumcell while Superheavy gets an acid-style work out from Canadian producer Jesse Somfay's Borealis project.
It is not until the second side that we hear the original versions of Exponent and Superheavy, both of which reveal themselves to be undulating masses of hip hop tinged beats over dark, bass rich undertones, with the latter offering some brighter tones as well - in other words pretty much what you might expect out of a Drasko V and Kero collaboration.
Side B is further rounded out with a couple of remixes from England's Si Begg and Valance Drakes the former coming in with a super compressed, squelched out, electro inspired take on Exponent while Valance Drakes chills us back out with an impossibly mellowed out version of the same
Kyle Hall back on Hyperdub for our 10th Anniversary - Yes please. In fact this is more or less a long delayed EP from the vaults, recorded around the same time as his 2010 'Kaychunk' EP ... which just goes to show how ahead of the curve the young Detroit producer is. Starting with 'Girl U So Strong', the track riffs on a distorted arpeggiating bassline, seasick organ and a dubbed out voice, and a flicking metronomic note, starting slowly before shuffling drums give the track some rhythmic focus. Soon a warm melody builds over some happy arpeggios, and the whole track feels like a product of brilliant spontaneous energy. 'Take Me Away' works an 8 bit bassline, bleeps and throbs into an off beat shuffle over a pulsing bass drum, loose and happy, dosed with sunshine and space.
Right after the tremdendous irritation caused by Pommes 001 has reached its peak, here comes - surprise surprise: pommes002 ! This time reviving the worst or the best 90ies club music had to offer. The A-Side belongs to Daniel Nentwig aka one half of The Working Elite, one third of the now defunct Extraproduktionen and Whitest Boy Alive's Keyboard-Wizard. He's wearing his brandnew D'Lonely Al sweater and presents "We can have it all" , a well hung slice of sparkeling proto house that could have fit very well on a KissFM Mastermix by Tony Humphries! Next up we have the pleasure to present to you the debut release of Cologne based Skateboard Pro Jeremy Reinhard aka Jeremaier, who teamed up with Paco Guedes and no other than Arj Snoek (whose track People Know had been and still is a true milestone for the Terre De Pommes possee!) . "Goldnugget " is something like the alternative college radio version of Show Me Love by Robin S! Good vibes galore-- - Just like Robin Hood - Terre Des Pommes takes it from the rich and gives it to the poor.. Probably the only explanation for the Trance Acid Remix of tech house outlaw Phillip Lauer.. Panflutes anyone
117 Presents Forbidden Codes.
This compilation project is compiled and envisioned by DJ Trace, a veteran of UK dance music.New School players Verb and Quartz take on two classics to kick things off.
Mutant and Sonar get a modern and minimal touch up on crystal clear 10" collectors vinyl. Three more 10's continue this sonic experience featuring a group of the finest underground producers in today's scene.Kid Lib, Tim Reaper, Gremlinz & Homemade Weapons, Friske, Fade and Genotype appear over 3 plates.
Artist's on the LP display their 2014 vision which compliments the direction that 117 is heading.This moves far away from the soulless noise that plagues in various electronic dance music genres today. They use in this compilation, modern studio techniques enhanced with a passion and respect for the history of drum&bass.This LP is not to be filed under throwaway music.
Breaks and vibes unite to reminisce the days agone whilst outlining a new blueprint that pushes the boundaries of music technology.The essence of the 117 sound is explored and continues into the 24 digital tracks written by a gifted selection of hand picked talent from around the world.
Now is your turn to be possessed by the sounds of the 'Forbidden Codes' Released 28th April via ST Holdings.Mastered by Beau @ Ten Eight Seven, London.
After two strong releases on Electronical Reeds, the Brussels-based artist Exon Bacon inaugurates Play Label Records with his latest EP, Watching Dogs. Play Label Records is the extension of the collective Play Label that has become a key player in the music scene of Brussels with more than hundreds of events to its credit. This first release sets up the artistic direction of this label that seeks to develope a real dancefloor approach and a strong party spirit.
The release is opened by the original mix that could be summarize with the expression 'powerful bassline, persistent heady voice and burning dancefloor'. The Parisian duo Villanova embarks us into a spin with a darker atmosphere, a deep foreground voice and a strong and repetitive gimmick. This remix reminds us why this Parisian duo knows such rapid ascent on the worldwide electronic scene. The Berlin-based and San Francisco born artist Yooj takes the opposite course to two first tracks with a deeper approach and a lighter atmosphere to offer a sunny and tasty deep house track that will delight all the dancefloor. Lastly, DC Salas, another Belgian talent, filters the voice, redefines the percussion and opens the horizon to take the direction of Tech House track.
This Exon Bacon's EP acts as the foundation stone of a future label to keep an eye on and to follow with a great attention.
Lopasura again delves into picturesque soundscapes drenched in emotion and melancholy, illustrating a typically dystopian setting for its latest offering. The A-sides opening track by Mark Forshaw is lean and mechanical in its make-up with an off-kilter combination of thick, stuttering bass stabs and percussion; creating a rather menacing undertone.
As a stark contrast, 'In the Smoke' by The Acid Mercenaries is a nine-minute tracky, steam train of clean and crisp scuttling hi-hats and razor-sharp percussion that dance around the relentless 303 acid line and beautifully soft 808 kick to devastating effect. On the flip side, a thunderous bass drum and freakish electronics stalk the discordant and arpeggiated synth that opens 'Hierarchy of Heritage', evolving it into some kind of hellish themed marching tune for the underworld. Frey then rounds off the EP with a typically rugged yet deliciously intricate piece with Gdn, effortlessly maintaining an intelligent groove throughout.
'Connect Four' is a rather fitting title for this EP, given the undeniable chemistry between all the tracks in how a story is told and tension is created; as Frey has done with the two previous Lopasura releases. The introduction of three debut artists on this release has paid off however, nestling comfortably into the label's aesthetic without compromising on the quality.
KRAKE is an annual Berlin based festival for challenging electronic music. Krake means - octo- pus' and the festival is organised in a comparable way: reaching out to selected locations during one week presenting the best in electronic music whatever style it is. The festival is not huge, not expensive, does not have big sponsoring deals or four different colour are passes. It's just a good and so far successful try to bring back the focus on artists who dare to step off the beaten tracks.
KRAKE 002 contains mostly exclusive tracks of artists who played at the Krake festival in 2013. The A-side starts with a dark ambient drone by DÄMMERN, followed by a pop-fueled two-step hit by PHON.O. Next in line is Irishman EOMAC with a warm and deep IDM track already char- ted by none less than Thom Yorke of Radiohead, followed by - Resolution', a little melancholic stepper by BILL YOUNGMAN.
The B-side is being opened with a techno track by grandmaster MONOLAKE in his most typical dubby percussive style. For the next track FRANK BRETSCHNEIDER reduces the sounds to the max again to deliver a percussive track as minimalistic as can be. Legendary techno producer CRISTIAN VOGEL, known for his constant search for new values, closes the compilation with an avantgarde piece of noise and drones.
Outstanding, we'd say!
Following the release of virtuoso new singles Mr. Cover Up and No-Operative across January and February, seminal DnB duo State Of Mind are to present their fourth album, Eat The Rich, on March 31st. To be released by Black Sun Empire s Blackout imprint, the album celebrates some of the best work of their career to date, underlining their remarkable pedigree and with it, their ability to fuse darker, hard-edged sounds with genuine dance floor mcredibility. Famed for their rugged basslines, steely percussion and huge, driving synth lines, State Of Mind also showcase different sides to their craftsmanship on Eat The Rich, with a number of vocal features taking centre stage. As well as NZ
rapper PercIEve s appearance on the storming, tear-out anthem Mr. Cover Up, the duo also join forces with promising songstress Sacha Vee on the wonderfully eerie Black Raven; although still bullish in style, it highlights a softer, more thoughtful side to State Of Mind. Heavyweight second single No-Operative is also an album highlight, as are further future dance floor anthems like Where You At and Put It On, as well as two unique collaborations with fellow revered DnB figureheads Black Sun Empire. To compliment the rich diversity of sound on offer, the idiosyncratic, breaks-driven heat of Fast Life and the outer-worldly, synth-laden intro on U Control Me complete what is a stunning, career-defining album.
With a European tour in support of the album set to commence in March, ahead of further headline dates in Australia and New Zealand throughout April, Eat The Rich is set to cast State Of Mind into the spotlight like never before.
Like the parent label, Optimo Trax will release music by new artists and excavate forgotten classics.
Optimo Trax is an offshoot label of Optimo Music for tracks aimed at DJs/dancefloors. Yes, we know there are too many record labels already, but we felt an overriding desire to start another one as so much music that didn't seem quite right for Optimo Music (i.e. music that was specifically designed for dancing) kept coming our way. Like the parent label, Optimo Trax will release music by new artists and excavate forgotten classics.
Michele Mininni is from Southern Italy where he says people are not interested in his type of music so he was forced to reach out to Glasgow where it turns out some people most defintely are. Citing his influences as kraut, post rock, new wave and electronic amongst others, this is his debut release and most accomplished it is too. Lowering the tempo somewhat compared with previous OT releases, Tupolev Love is a sub 100bpm cosmic trancer while Telekomdisko raises the tempo and heads off into sun drenched space territory. The EP is completed by Michele's fellow countrymen, Boot & Tax's great acid-inflected remix of Tupolev Love.
Visibility Is A Trap is the new EP by Dalhous, comprised of four originals together with a masterfully understated Regis remix of 'He Was Human And Belonged With Humans'. The EP heralds the arrival of the Edinburgh-based project's sophomore album, Will To Be Well, due out on Blackest Ever Black in early Summer 2014. Dalhous first announced its existence in 2012 with the Mitchell Heisman 10', and last year released its debut full-length: An Ambassador For Laing. Both Visibility Is A Trap and the upcoming Will To Be Well LP reflect writer-producer Marc Dall's continued interest in the language and imagery of self-help, R.D. Laing and the anti-psychiatry movement. Though recorded after Will To Be Well, the tracks on Visibility Is A Trap at first appear to have more in common with the blue ethereal drift of Ambassador. While 'Information Is Forever' and 'A Change Of Attitude' are firmly in the ambient mode, 'Active Discovering' fizzes with arpeggiated energy, and a battery of percussion disrupts the calm surface of 'Sight Of Hirta'. Something is up. All is not as it seems. The Regis remix of Ambassador highlight 'He Was A Human And Belonged With Humans' finds Karl O'Connor in unusually pensive mood. In fact this near-beatless, dubwise version is unlike anything he has put his name to before. Discarding the rhythmic skeleton of Dalhous's original, he gives their weeping saxophone more space to roam and resonate, adding off-beat, sleep-deprived keys, murmured vocal fragments and swells of sub-bass pressure. It could be construed as a love letter to his former home in West Berlin; certainly it evokes and effortlessly updates the drugsick grandeur of later Neubauten or Low side 2.
Apart from the obvious love for his musical talents, both as a producer and as a DJ, one of the reasons why we love Theo Parrish so damn much is his repressing policy. Unlike some of his peers, the man has no problem in repressing in-demand Sound Signatures from the past, and this time it's number 32 that receives a much-welcomed resurrection. The EP features singer Dummine Depores, first on the utterly hummable and soulful "Chemistry" track, and then on "Untitled One", a classically off-kilter Parrish number filled to the brim with sampling goodness and even a distant set of guitar riffs! Killers.
Dutch DJ, producer and Wolfskuil label boss Darko Esser is to self-release his sophomore album, Anipintiros, in April 2014. The eight track album comes four years after his debut and is his first as Tripeo, the techno leaning alias he has been working under most often in recent times.
Working as Tripeo has reinvigorated Esser, who under his own name has been producing his unique take on electronic music for a decade now. 'It was liberating to have another persona take over,' says the man himself. 'I have been so inspired and productive ever since that I woke up one day with the thought 'I'm ready to do another album' and started straight away that day.'
Tripeo music is aimed squarely at the dancefloor, and there sure are some full blooded cuts on the album, but so to are there concessions to the listening experience, meaning deep, dark passages and more leftfield experiments help tie the whole thing together into one cohesive and coherent whole. 'Like all albums, this is a very personal statement,' explains Esser. 'It's just me trying to translate the overwhelming inspiration I feel right now into sound. That, and making the record as diverse as possible without losing the purist identity of Tripeo.'
That identity shines through right from the off on the album, which has been made using a knowing blend of both soft and hardware. 'Anipintiros #1' is a firmly rooted, rubbery bit of deep techno that works you into hypnosis and comes detailed with plenty of otherworldly ambiances. From there, Tripeo explores gallivanting techno run through with celestial pads on 'Anipintiros #2' and tripped out, ever shape shifting and dusty minimal sounds on 'Anipintiros #3'.
'Anipintiros #4' channels the widescreen and pumping techno of Detroit's finest whilst 'Anipintiros #5' is a more industrial and muscular track of the sorts that would sound perfect in the bowels of Berghain. 'Anipintiros #6' is one of the busier and more kinked techno rhythms with punchy drums and fax machine like melodies, before 'Anipintiros #7' thumps with real menace and 'Anipintiros #8' hums and hisses, spits and stutters like the suitably epic and melodic comedown you need after such a captivating ride.Everything, though is backed with serene synth work and an otherworldly sense of alien spirit that runs through all great techno.
There is plenty to get lost in throughout Anipintiros and it proves once again that Esser is someone able to coax far more feeling out of his machines than most.
DJ FEEDBACK
Early support from Blawan, Rødhåd, James Ruskin, Reeko, Exium, Mike Parker, Ben Sims, Rolando, Pfirter, Craig McWhinney, Cadans, Sandrien, Nuno Dos Santos
Richie Hawtin, Someone Else, Amine Edge, Transmit Promo Radar, Luca Doobie, Mariano Mateljan, Guido Durante, Herck
Ceryx, Ovidiu Adrian, Indy Lopez, Edgar De Ramon, Javi Alvado & THC, Pantany, Claude Solis, Alessan Main , Elchinsoul, Michel De Hey , Marco Carola, Dirty Culture...
In time, Plusculaar has become an indispensable asset to our label so it is only fair that we kick off this Esemtrax Limited vinyl series with his "Rumänische" EP. After the massive success "Stai Jos" on Enough!Music, it is our turn to "take advantage" of his talent so we asked for some top quality tracks. The result is mind blowing! It contains his finest work yet, a blend of techno and minimal, the very well known "romanian sound".
Ladies and gentleman, we would like to introduce to you; Nachtbraker (Dutch for Night Hawk). This energetic dude from our hometown might not be a familiar name to you, but don't let that put you off. If you're into the darker shades of deephouse with a serious chunk of funk, have a listen to this. Gute Laune is the track that really captures Nachtbraker's style in all its facets. It starts of modest with basic percussion and a nice bended pad, but when the bassline comes in, every element in the track makes your head bop, ass shake en smile grow. The real kicker is the changeover where the long pads makes way for a set of filtered stabs that give the whole track the energetic vibe it deserves, without going overboard. The whole track just exudes the detailed way Nachtbraker produces his tracks, and we love him for it. Bluebottle is a wholly different animal. This track keeps a lower pace with a crunchy pad and mysterious synth setting the tone. With a lovely ever-changing bassline, a couple of changeovers in the percussion and a clever gate-effect on the pad, don't be surprised if you find yourself humming this tune several hours after the first listen. Last but not least, there's Xantippe. Xantippe is hard to classify because of it's two-faced character. What starts of as an atmospheric broken beat dreamy tune, jumps into a raw burner after the break with a haunting buzzy loop. Bassface-WTF-material for the after hours. Nachtbraker delivers a quality EP that is definitely one for the heads, more than for those in search of peaktime bangers. We're excited to share this solid slice of deephouse that represents everything we started the label for: Great music, no matter where it's from or who made it. Sincerely yours, Lars & Maarten
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Hot Casa Records reissues Disco Hi-Life, a real treasure album composed and interpreted by Afro-Soul maestro, Orlando Julius. Comes as delux 180 gramms vinyl with tip on jacket & inserts with interviews & photos. Check!
Following up to the 12inch release (HC07 / 2009), here comes the remastered version of a real mindblower piece from 1976 including four unreleased tracks, all recorded with the best Nigerian musicians, between Ginger Baker' Studio in Lagos and the American Star Studio in West Virginia, USA.
Orlando Julius Aremu Olusanya Ekemode was born in 1943 in Ikole-Ekiti, Nigeria and can be considered as a main figure of the Afro-Soul music history. One of the first African musician to get signed on a 'Major' label (Polydor), he delivered many hit single as a composer and effortlessly performed live as a tenor sax and singer. He worked and met with some of the 'greatest', such as Louis Armstrong, James Brown (for his Nigerian tour with Bootsy Collins), The Crusaders, Gil Scott Heron, or Hugh Masekela.
In the middle of 1975, just after they finished the recording of The Boys Doing It' album with Hugh Masekela, they all flew to Ghana and Lagos. It was holyday and Orlando had also plenty of time to focus on his own songs. He wrote 'Disco Hi-Life' in Yoruba and 'Children of the World' in English. And he immediately planned a recording session including 12 finest musicians, such as the great singer Dora Ifudu Avery, Adelaja Gboyega on keys, Kenneth Okulolo on Bass guitar, Butley Moore on drums, Fela's collaborator Tunde William on Trumpet, and also Ade, who helped sang 'Love Peace & Happiness'.
Originally released by Nigerian label Jofabro in partnership with the UNICEF association for the 'International year of the Child', it was only available in few promotional quantity... here comes the very first official reissue of this dancefloor masterpiece!
12'' EP in sleeve with 3mm spine + download card!
This is a first 12" offering to the forthcoming album "Tropics Of Love" (featuring among others Luke Jenner on Vocals)
which will also be exclusively through us.
Matt O'Brien first came to our attention in 2005 with his Off-key Industries releases "Hidden High" and "Serotone", which would later get a license on Rekids. His first contribution for Curle was back in 2007 when he remixed Efdemin's "Acid Bells". In 2010 he made up the flipside to Dozzy & Van Hoesen's track on Curle 024.
After "Starting Over" in 2011, we're proud to welcome Matt back on Curle for his second full EP. Don't forget your scuba glasses, it's deep!
Blank Code start 2014 off strong with their latest EP Rituals of Submission, produced by Luis Flores, with remixes by Black Asteroid and DJ Hyperactive. The opening track Discipline starts off with a nice creepy atmosphere supported by a solid kick and just the right amount of percussion to hook you into the tracks core rhythm, which stays consistent while the supporting percussion keeps the intensity of the track in constant motion. Black Asteroid's Discipline remix gives the track a whole new perspective, while staying true to the original's excellent use of classic elements. The straightforward kick and upbeats work perfect with this track's industrial bassline, while cleverly programmed analog synths carry the track with slow triplet rhythms, and quirky stabs that drift off to space.
Luis Flores' second original composition, The Word, follows the same philosophy as Discipline, with many elements coming together to form one solid rhythm. This is a huge sounding track with intricate metal percussion and pitch modulated stabs that form a dark and inciting hook which is overtaken by filtered claps as the track progresses. DJ Hyperactive gets down to business with his remix of The Word and lets his Chicago roots shine through as hats on all fours and hard hitting claps are used to raise the energy sparked by the deep kick and well processed stab.
Maricopa returns to Back To The Balearics to complete his stunning opus, Pastel Love.
And he continues where he left off building deeply textured songs packed full of simple melodies that really shine.
His music opts for subtle feelings and passing vibes over the more obvious structures of 'dance music'. The release of Part One led to a number of comparisons with the early work of Aphex Twin as well as more contemporary producers such as Four Tet.
Such comparisons don't come lightly, but Pastel Love demonstrates that a rare musical talent has arrived.
The release again has beautiful printed covers and looks as good as it sounds. Viva Maricopa!
Subdivision of Construct Re-Form, the purpose of Ars Mechanica is to explore a more mysterious side of the electronic music, an oniric and spatial travel, an endless dive into the sound.
For this second opus, we are pleased to invite the Dutchman Mike Storm, a very promising artist who explores Sci Fi techno sonorities.
He offers 4 powerful tracks to us : Interstellar journey
The Appointment program was launched by Marieu, EMG, John Swing and Lucretio in the early 2010. They started to record coarse functional hardware compositions in the cursory sessions they were able to set up when all the four could summon in the same city. After a couple of seminal releases on LiveJam Records and an official remix made for Moodyman on Decks Reworx, they decided to start their own imprint, with bare handmade ink graphichs on thier white labels and with spare press information and media promotion. To celebrate their 10th release, they have decide to tell the world who they are cutting on vinyl their personal reinterpretation of a live session recorded at the Restoration heaquarters. From Lucretio's post-rave techno, to EMG shrinked deep-house, through Marieu's breakbeat-electro science to John Swing's overloaded hip-house, what you find on this 12 is a true dedication to the sonic quest.
Out at the end of February 2014. ONLY ON VINYL.
'Many Things", released in 2008, and 'From Africa With Fury: Rise' in 2011, 'A Long Way To The Beginning' is the third album by Seun Anikulapo Kuti with Egypt 80, the 14 musicians big band he's been leading since the death of his father Fela Kuti in 1997. It's actually the third part of a triptych in which Fela's youngest son, direct descendant of the afrobeat music style created by his father at the end of the 60's, is back on the offensive regarding injustice in his country, Nigeria, where it still grows, with an intact anger and a music more powerful than ever. The ingredients that have contributed to the success of the first two albums are warring beats, triumphant brass sections and burning lyrics but 'A Long Way to The Beginning' is also distinguished by jazz pianist Robert Glasper's contribution as a producer. While opening the spectrum of the sound, Glasper has made the participation of guests from the conscious American rap scene such as M1 (Dead Prez) or Blitz The Ambassador, a Ghanaian in New York, possible. The voice of German-Nigerian singer Nneka can also be heard on the track 'Black Woman". Finally, the French vibraphonist David Neerman adds his personal touch on two tracks ("I.M.F.' and 'Black Woman"), enhancing his attention to details that, allied to its firepower, allows 'A Long Way To The Beginning' to be a sophisticated and strong album. The message of this record is political. Its mood is offensive. When asked about his commitment, Seun answers: 'Being African means being politically involved. From the moment he wakes up in the morning, an African has a political attitude as everything he'll be doing during the day will have something to do with survival.'
REPRESSED !!
Official Re-edition of Intelligent techno classic from 1993 by Stasis aka Soul 223 or Otherworld with great remix by Antigone like B12/Blackdog or As One released. Essential release with special Sleeve
Part 1 of our 4 Sample 10 Years Full Pupp compilation. Each 12 has 4 brand new Exclusive tracks a 12. Norwegian´s finest Young Adults. Cost to Coast - Out of the Cold - Hot as Hell. 87392;"Doc Scott was on the decks. It was at Tribal Gathering (I think), 1996, standing in front of a wall of speakers to one side of the stage, enjoying myself, like you do, when this sound started growing inside my brain. My head was then ripped clean off my shoulders! Words are still hard to find! It was the first time I ever heard Shadow Boxing and its the only thing I still remember from that night. Om Unit's 2014 Remix is paired with the 1996 original. DJ support from: Fabio, Mark Pritchard, Friction, Surgeon, Toddla T, Laurent Garnier, Pinch, Zinc, Baliey, Rob Both, Billy Nasty, Krust & John B.
The third in the Modular Techno series from live analogue artist and Freerotation organiser Steevio.
After 15 years of producing techno live on hardware, in 2009 Steevio began building a dedicated machine on which he could totally improvise an entire techno performance from a blank canvas that far surpassed anything he could do with his previous setup of drum machines and synthesizers. Steevio's modular is 100% analogue; there is no computer involved, there are no memories to save sounds or sequencing patterns, and everything is improvised in real time..
Volumes 1 and 2 of the series were just a taster of what was to come, and were the early experimentations on Steevio's newly built machine. Steevio records everything he does, especially during the intense practice sessions for live gigs. All the music in the series are out-takes from these practice sessions, and the tracks from Volume 3 and the forthcoming Volume 4 all come from a three day period in practice for a recent live gig at Delete, Bournemouth, UK.
Volume 3 continues from where Volume 2 left off but delivered with more confidence and a deeper more hypnotic feel. Steevio continues to develop his skills and fine tunes his unique instrument in this dedicated 'for life' project.
The second half of the Truncheon Cadence pairing kicks off with frazzled drum patterns on the A-side, while on the flip Smouldering Wilderness rolls out huge, over-driven kicks over a faltering melody. Rigid Pathetic Heaps closes the EP with a reduced tempo and minimalistic construction over a lurching beat
When James Donadio's Prostitutes project first emerged in 2011 he already had a history in Cleveland's underground noise rock scene. Having played in several bands, he developed his new moniker to explore the fusion of noise and techno. Shortly after debuting on his own imprint StabUdown, he released his outstanding Psychedelic Black album, followed by the Crushed Interior LP for Digitalis and releases on Opal Tapes and Diagonal.
It seems to be natural that he chose Mira, an outlet for more esoteric & experimental techno, drone, noise and industrial, for his next enterprise. Truncheon Cadence comes as a split EP with part one released mid-January and part two following shortly after. Both of these 10 inches feature four sizzling, propulsive workouts with a dry, precise minimalism, characteristic of Donadio's previous productions.
As per previous Mira releases, the artwork is done by Juan Mendez aka Silent Servant but this time comes with a whole new four colour jacket design to house the next five titles in this superb series...
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Last delivered 8 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Following on from his contribution to the various artists Multi-Dimensional World EP (ASG/DE002) Stanny Franssen returns to the De:tuned stable for a solo release with 4 tracks of floor friendly yet versatile techno.
Stanny has been one of the key players in the Belgian techno scene. Starting out as a DJ in the infamous Montini club, he soon ventured into production; first as part of Propionic and later on solo. Stanny used the moniker 'G-Force' or simply 'GF' for most of his earlier productions. Under this name he released two albums which were very well received at the time: Electronic Lesson Part 1 and 2.
The tracks on offer here are very much in the same vein as the Electronic Lesson albums. Multi-Vintages 2 and 3 have that distinct psychedelic and otherworldly groove that is typical of Stanny's tracks from the 90s. Multi-Vintages 4 reminds us of Umek's old output and features a pounding kick accompanied by a twisted synth stab. Stanny goes wild on the effects in the breakdowns making this a track for the peak-time hours. On the last track Stanny goes into 303 mode. Multi-Vintages 5 is a bubbling, funky acid cut that has all the qualities of a well-produced Hardfloor track.
This release will be available on sturdy 180 gr black vinyl and is limited to 250 copies, stay tuned!
out of Stock
Last delivered 11 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
6th Borough Project are all set to release the follow up to their 2011 debut LP One Night In The Borough at the start of March. A hectic couple of years have been lived out by Graeme Clark and Craig Smith during the making of their Borough 2 Borough LP with Graeme continuing to play week in and week out as Revenge and setting up his new imprint Roar Groove whilst Craig has established the brilliant Fifty Fathoms Deep label. Studio time has been tight to say the least but that hasn't stopped the duo from pulling out all the stops and ensuring that this LP surpasses the already sky-high benchmark set by it's predecessor.
As a taster for the LP we present you with this sampler single containing three gems that'll whet your appetite and leave you gagging for more! Kicking off we have In Your Arms which sees the duo deliver some classic 6BP business with a party-starting house track laced with Philly strings and a heavy dose of soul. Next up things take a slightly darker direction on U Know U with this heads-down track incorporating a crisp, stripped-back beat joined by filtering pads and a distant vocal for company. Flip over for Read My Mind which brings some deep and brooding warehouse vibes to the table. This is the sound of 6th Borough Project doing techno with just a hint of 909 ride adding to the layers of bouncing stabs and off-kilter vocals.
The replicator got 'restored' after a complete loss of data 88UW does not remain 'in the dumbs'. The logical setback of 'irreverent' matter opened new perspectives to synthesize the 'trek trak' in which the first officers voice is used as base agreed by the captain.
An uber cheeky and rather fat 45 that combines two of everyone's favourite soul shufflers and expertly lays them down onto one massive piece of wax.
Any Soul and Hip Hop aficionado's worth their salt will instantly identify both elements to this...
Eddie Kendrick's 'Girl You Need a Change of Mind' (One of the greatest records of all time) and Q-Tips 'Vivrant Thing'.
Redmo starts things off with the infectious piano line from Eddie Kendrick's classic and proceeds to tease all before him chopping up both elements to produce a seriously tasteful Mash up of the highest order.
On the flip we have the dub version and with both sides mastered down with some serious love and affection this will be a sure fire hit on them there dance-floors in 2014.
Traversing with an understated technical assuredness, the ambitious shapes of Steely Dan, the popping lounge funk of McDonald era Doobie Brothers, the sweet mourning of the Stylistics and Delfonics, and the exquisite song-craft and flawless harmonising of CSNY, Daniel Collas (The Phenomenal Handclap Band), Bart Davenport and Quinn Luke aka Bing Ji Ling have recorded an absolute darling of an album under the name Incarnations. They are three friends with enough musical guises, side-projects, collaborations and production jobs to fill the annual itinerary of your average musician twice over. When three CVs like these get together on a regular basis, it's only logical they speculate and hypothecate on the possibility of an album together. But, how to make those congested diaries synchronise? Bart lives in Oakland and Quinn and Daniel are in New York, all three of them are on tour for the better part of the year. One sunny day in Madrid, Spain, a plan was hatched and a proposal was made. Lovemonk, a small, eclectic and affable Spanish label, dangled the carrot that clinched the deal; 'find two weeks between gigs/productions/recordings and head down to this little place we know in Tarifa, Southern Spain'. A family-run studio, in a house 5 minutes from a wild beach and a short ferry ride from the coast of Africa; the perfect ambience for the fleeting melody and sultry grooves of the Incarnations debut album, "With All Due Respect". Arriving with bits and bobs of half-songs, grooves and melodies, Daniel, Quinn and Bart, sketched and improvised their way to the most intensely evocative songs you'll hear this year. Punctuated by a day trip across the water to Tangiers, all 9 songs were written and recorded inside a fortnight in October 2009 and laid to rest while our protagonists jetted off to their respective diary appointments. Whether it was the beach, the soft weather, the fact that you can smell Africa from the studio, the home cooked Spanish food or the relaxed environment of the recording room, when the band returned to the songs at a New York studio earlier this year, they found an album as fresh and resonant as the moment it came into being. Quickly mixed down with no over-dubs or re-records, "With All Due Respect" captures the combined gifts of Tarifa and the three very talented friends that paid a visit. Incarnations are: Daniel Collas: DJ, drummer, organist, and one half of production team Embassy Sound Productions, the minds behind The Phenomenal Handclap Band. Plays - drums, percussion, organ and synthesizers. Bart Davenport: Collaborator with Greyboy, General Elektriks and The Phenomenal Handclap Band; Singer-songwriter with The Loved Ones, The Kinetics and Honeycut, and most recently a touring member of the Kings Of Convenience. Plays - guitar, bass and vocals. Quinn Luke a.ka. Bing Ji Ling: Part of The Phenomenal Handclap Band, one half of DFA recording artists Q&A and long time member of Tommy Guerrero's band; Solo artist on labels Ubiquity and Lovemonk among others. Plays - guitars, keyboards, vocals The band are named after Encarnacion "Nini" Sagrista, owner of the recording studio in Tarifa, who housed and fed them during their stay.
This return of Ferox records sees an enthusiastic response from all. The label has forthcoming releases from many original Ferox artists and some new recruits and collaborations along the way. This, the first release in 5 years, sees label head-honcho Russ Gabriel in action under his Too Funk guise. From the first 'Return Of Too Funk EP' to the later 'Hotel Ibis' and Derrick Carter's remix of 'Venus Fly Trap', Russ's Too Funk grooves have been jacking dance floors on both sides of the Atlantic since 1995. This latest offering, 'Phase 3', is a 45 rpm two tracker of House goodness only available on vinyl. No clear favourite has emerged from the two sides, among the selective few that have heard it. Like much of the wealthy Ferox catalogue before it, this is proper House Music with an electric twinge.
out of Stock
Last delivered 4 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
Once again Danse Club Records have unearthed a forgotten and sorely overlooked house track here, then they have enlisted a fine pair of contemporary producers - Sqim and Deepchild - to remix it and bring it right up to date. The original, 'Who's Dick Is This' is a 1994 kicking house bomb by the mysterious Princess Di, who released but three EPs during the 90s on Music Station with this track being the pick of the bunch. German producer Sqim is associated with labels like Exploited and Play It Down and firstly offers up a Ghetto Mix of the track. The result is a big and physical house track with sleazy samples, heavyweight drums and a kinetic energy throughout The warm up mix by the same man is a much deeper affair, as you'd expect from the name. This one resides in a much warmer and more inviting groove and is coloured with deft synths as it slowly builds in phases. The elastic vocals dart about above the drums, bringing with them a lively sense of soul and funk before Deepchild offers his own two unique versions.From quirky, stripped-back techno injected with soul to deep, dub-inflected excursions, Berlin based Australian Deepchild can do it all. Here he offers his 'Cockumentary Retug' a ragged and raging techno version riddled with spoken word samples culled from a documentary about penis size. Its dark and involving and sure will get great reactions on the floor. The final version is a straight dub that journeys in a heavy groove, has some weird spoken word snippets melted into it and is lit up with some celestial synth patterns in the latter half.
clear vinyl pressing!
Soundtravels Recordings proudly presents "Point Of View Part 1". We have compiled six contemporary, electronic bombs from artists all around Europe.
For some we didn't have to travel that far though...
The Hagues Baz Reznik provided us with "Nightdrive To Stuttgart", a moody, sinister track with that typical raw Reznik sound and a melody that will stick in your head for days after you first heard it.
Amsterdam based Arctic Boogie boss Endfest came up with another killer, "Von Heijden En Verre". Almost ten minutes filled with frosty synths and arctic melodies, accompanied by an ever present, very sophisticated 303 which peaks halfway the track, shivers!
Our last, but not least, Dutch contributor is Rotterdam based Louis Guilliaume who you might know from several straight forward techno releases on various quality underground labels. "Promiscues" is a rough edged, energetic track which fits somewhere between Detroit techno and Dutch Westcoast elektronica. At the end of 2013 he will release the "Unknown Forces EP" on Soundtravels.
Okay, now we fly all the way over to Croatia for Le Chocolate Noir with "Futu.e Is B.ight". A short but powerful EBM track with vocals from the man himself. Dark industrial mechanics accompanied by a threathening bassline, but no need to worry... cause Futu.e is B.ight! In 2014 he will release his first EP on Soundtravels.
Next stop... Düsseldorf. After discovering Dircsen's tracks we definitely had to have him on board. The first result of that can be heard on his astonishing "Aspiration EP" (Soundtravels 003). This guy keeps on producing his solid, high quality electronics and shows us his love for the TB 303 machine in a brilliant way. "Exist" is actually a downtempo dubtechno track but off course it has a fierce 303 all over it. Timeless again. Early 2014 his second EP named "Acid Wheel EP" will be a fact.
New to our family is the Russian Neotnas. He makes his first appearance with "Rewind". Typical for his sound is that warm, organic feel all over his house and dubtechno productions. Very often accompanied by female vocals and it's almost like you hear somebody play a live instrument if you listen carefully. At the end of 2013 he will release his "Slow & Steady EP".