Cerrone goes back to his roots and reforms Kongas, his first afro-rock band which sound is dominated by drums and percussions. With this project he explored through the 70"s the major influences that would eventually forged the singular "Cerrone sound" and disco music more broadly.
With 3 originals and an exclusive new track, "Afrodesia" shines a light on Cerrone"s cult formation and the 7 young musicians who plays with him today, standing as the heirs of a timeless sense of hedonism.
Die mit Hochspannung erwartete zweite Ausgabe der Dancer-Anthologie von Pauli Steinbach, Sascha Dive und Patrick Kunkel dreht sich rund um eines der vermutlich meist zitierten Vocal-Samples der Housegeschichte - eine mehr als würdige Hommage an Soul Train, Paradise Garage und andere Hotspots
aus den Frühzeiten elektronischer Tanzmusik zu Beginn der 1980er Jahre. Funky, flächenbetont und mit dem Dancer-typischen modernisierten Kinky-Verständnis tänzeln
Pauli und Sascha durch die glitzernden Pforten des Soul Train, eine entspannte Deep- Disco-Hymne, bei der sogar Saxophon-
Samples wie das Tüpfelchen aufs i passen.
Der von Pauli gemeinsam mit Patrick produzierte Remix auf der Flipside bewegt sich etwas weiter weg von den originalen
Songstrukturen und präsentiert sich dabei als kongeniale Handclaps-Orgie mit Aciddisco- Anleihen. "Come on spread yourself over me like peanut butter", aber sehr gerne doch.
The highly anticipated second issue of the Dancer anthology by Pauli Steinbach,
Sascha Dive and Patrick Kunkel centres on one of the most quoted vocal samples in the history of house music. It is a
homage to Soul Train, Paradise Garage and other hot spots from the initial period of electronic dance music in the early
80s. Pauli and Sascha dance through the glitzy portal of Soul Train, a relaxed deep disco hymn where even the saxophone
samples fit like the icing on the cake.
Pauli and Sascha do this in a funky way and with the modernized kinky understanding that is characteristic for Dancer.
The remix on the flip side produced by Pauli in cooperation with Patrick ventures a little further from the original sound structures. It presents itself as a kindred handclaps orgy with borrowings from
acid disco. "Come on, spread yourself over me like peanut butter", but of course -- with pleasure.
'1929 - Das Jahr Babylon" marks Thomas Fehlmann's third full length release of 2018 and presents what appears to be a creative peak in his career that spans beyond his solo career to his early days in Palais Schaumburg, collaborating with Moritz von Oswald as 3MB to his long time work with The Orb. Having left The Orb in late 2017 has set free unforeseen energies in Fehlmann's studio.
A departure from his recent dance floor-friendly album "Los Lagos" (KOM388, KOMCD148) released in September on Kompakt, Thomas Fehlmann's '1929 - Das Jahr Babylon" is a film soundtrack from the documentary that aired on ARD network on September 30, 2018 and is now available as a podcast series.
To compliment the internationally lauded TV series "Berlin Babylon", German director Volker Heise has created a documentary about 1929, the fateful year during Germany's "Weimarer Republik" in which "Berlin Babylon" is settled. Heise's stirring documentary portrays Germany's sizzling capital that is faced with radical changes by the dark forces whom are about to toss the world into the abyss we know as World War II.
This marks the second time that Fehlmann is partnering up with Volker Heise after 2010's marathon documentary "24 Stunden Berlin" which was released as "Gute Luft" (KOM211, KOMCD81) in the same year. Fehlmann's composition for "1929" consists of sample material taken from the era and thwarts the exaggerated lust for life with threatening undertones that anticipate the dawn of mankind's darkest chapter so far. Although all the sounds breathe yesterday's atmosphere this soundtrack bursts with modernity. Fehlmann accomplished the daring feat to musically render the unsettling resemblance between the political situation 90 years ago and our current time.
We at KOMPAKT feel that Fehlmann's score has turned out spectacular enough to give it proper release on limited vinyl and CD as well as on all digital platforms.
Mit '1929 - Das Jahr Babylon" legt Thomas Fehlmann schon seinen zweiter Longplayer innerhalb eines halben Jahres vor und dokumentiert damit eine kreative Hochphase seiner überaus stattlichen Musikerkarriere. Die Trennung von The Orb scheint bei ihm ungeahnte Energien freizusetzen.
Anders als auf dem cluborientierten "Los Lagos" tritt Thomas Fehlmann auf "1929" musikalisch einen Schritt zur Seite. Und das aus gutem Grund: Analog zur international gefeierten Fernsehserie "Babylon Berlin" entstand unter der Regie von Volker Heise der Dokumentarfilm "1929 - Das Jahr Babylon" - ein ergreifendes Sittengemäde Berlins während des Schicksalsjahrs der Weimarer Republik. Wie schon zu Volker Heises vorangegangener Berlin-Doku "24 Stunden Berlin" (2010 erschienen als das Album "Gute Luft" auf KOMPAKT) hat Thomas Fehlmann auch diesmal den kongenialen Soundtrack beigesteuert. Basierend auf Klangmaterial des Jahres 1929 hat Fehlmann eine beeindruckende Musik geschaffen, in der manchmal die übertriebene Lebensfreude und Dekandenz jener Zeit aufflackert. Eine Musik, deren Stimmung jedoch unterwandert ist von den bedrohlichen Strömungen, die Deutschland kurz darauf in seine dunkelste Epoche stossen werden.
Thomas Fehlmann ist damit ein wahres Kunststück gelungen. So sehr die Produktion den Geist einer vergangenen Zeit atmet, so modern mutet sie an. "1929 - Original Filmmusik" klingt somit wie die zu Musik geronnene Erkenntnis, dass sich Gestern und Heute auf erschreckende Weise ähneln.
Wir bei Kompakt sind der Ansicht, dass Thomas Fehlmanns Filmmusik zu "1929 - Das Jahr Babylon' so spektakulär geraten ist, dass wir sie nun als limitierte CD und Vinyl-Auflage, sowie auf allen digitalen Plattformen verfügbar machen.
Limited Edition 400 Only Translucent Violet Coloured Vinyl Lp. Housed In A Full Colour Outer Sleeve With Mind Bending Artwork And Download Code.
Third Earthling Society Album For Riot Season Following The Previous And Now Sold Out 'england Have My Bones' (2014) & 'ascent To Godhead' (2017)
'mo - The Demon' Was Recorded At Leeds College Of Music Between November 2017 - February 2018. The Basis Of The Album Was To Record An Imaginary Soundtrack To The Shaw Brothers Bat Shit Psychedicrazy Kung Fu Horror 'the Boxer's Omen' Aka Mo Or Demon.
The Story Is An Everyday One.
After A Hong Kong Kick Boxer Is Paralysed By A Cheating Thai Competitor, His Mobster Brother Vows Revenge And Journeys To Thailand For A Duel. Along The Way, Our Hero Is Met By Bizarre Visions, Entered Into A Buddhist Monastery, And Begins A Quest To Save The Soul Of A Deceased Monk (his Twin Brother In A Past Life) Who Died At The Hands Of A Powerful Black Magician.
We've All Been There. However The Movie Descends Into A Kind Of Spiritual Jodorowsky Mushroom Fest That Is Completely Deranged And Is Therefore One Of Those Perfect Midnight Movies.
So We Got Free Studio Time At Lcm In November And Just Went 'fuck It' Lets Make An Imaginary Soundtrack In Homage To Such A Great Movie.
Taking Inspiration From All The Things Musical That Have Inspired Us Over The Years. Berlin Era Bowie, Prime Magazine Circa 'correct Use Of Soap', Electric Funk Miles, 'caravanserai' Santana, Embryo And God Knows What Else (it Doesn't Really Matter As It All Ends Up Earthling Society), We Think We've Made A Groovy As Fuck Concept.
Then, Invited Back In February We Decided To Record 2 Stand Alone Pieces 'spring Snow' And 'jetavina Grove' And Bring All Our Space Rock Elements And Psych Raga Back Into The Fray. Throw In Some Super Cool Korean Vocals Courtesy Of Bomi Seo Of Tirikiliatops And Run The Guitars Through A Harmonizer H910 (as Used By Visconti On Low An Heroes) And Its The Perfect Swansong To The Last 14 Years Of Playing Live And Recording Together.
The music on this EP was conceived in China, between 1989 and 1993. The original tracks were mixed to DAT in real time, in a small neighbour-proof studio inside my apartment in Macau, a 19th floor with a view to the hurricanes. There's a small, unexpected or improbable story behind each track, some little magic fused with the local atmosphere, certainly guaranteeing their lasting authenticity 25 years later.
TAIPEI DISCO
Late 80s Guangzhou was an exotic city where the traditional past coexisted in harmony with the present and even already with the future.
I'd rather spend my weekends in Guangzhou than diving into Hong Kong consumerism - as most ex-pats in Macau did. I took a cab at the border and travelled 150 Km through chaotic roads with family and friends until reaching the hot, humid, mega South China metropolis.
We ate on street joints in the evenings, went on to a karaoke bar and ended up at Taipei Disco, the only proper club in town. All the others were inside hotels and played generic music or they were seedy, sleazy, smoky cabarets.
Taipei Disco used to be a cinema and played cantonese pop music and anglo-saxon pop/rock (that was new). The spacious dance floor was generously lighted, the atmosphere was airy and modern. Boys and girls were in the habit of dancing in pairs, one in front of the other, observing a respectful yet sensual distance. When the girl took a few steps back, the boy went along and vice versa. With legs and feet (more than the upper bodies) synchronized with the music, they never exceeded in extroversion. Cool.
I always carried a MicroComposer and a portable DAT recorder in my travels through China and weekends in Canton. Any spontaneous musical idea was imediately recorded and memorized. The MicroComposer allowed multitrack recording, which was very handy on the road. Based on the emphatic choreography of Taipei Disco's dancers, i started to compose a rhythm track while sitting at a table, with headphones, listening to Cantopop in the background. As if by magic - not a rare occasion in music - everything began fitting together. Odd as it may seem, the track ended up sounding more germanic (Kraftwerkian) than Cantonese pop.
The story ends in a circle: the cantonese DJ at Taipei Disco, whom i used to ask to play certain records, wanted to play my music at the disco when it was basically only just a rhythm track and little else. From a cupboard under his set up he took out a battered keyboard (unrecognizable brand) and invited me to play over the track with the available sounds on the keyboard. The circle was complete, with Cantonese clubbers happily dancing forwards and backwards, as if it were another Cantopop hit.
I didn't get payed but the house offered us free ice cream cups in which little Portuguese flags were sticked.
The track would be finished later, in studio, with vocoder strings ensemble and synth solos.
TAIPEI DISCO (LIVE)
The live version of 'Taipei Disco' was recorded during a live set at the China Pop venue, in Macau, 1993. China Pop was a rock club built in the ample space of an old fishing warehouse, located in the labyrinthic Inner Harbour area. It was decorated with large Mao Zedong and Cultural Revolution posters and memorabilia and had a unique atmosphere, fusing Pop Art with film noir. We began our performance at 1AM, pretty early for Macau's nightlife standards. We were lucky. An audience showed up. And in Macau there were always several friends among the audience, which tranformed a musical performance into a relaxed party.
The atmosphere was particularly surreal on that night. The front row was dominated by French Crazy Horse dancers, a sort of Oriental Moulin Rouge. The girls had finished their last performance of the evening at the Crazy Horse and were still energized from their show. During our performance, right in front of us and perfectly synched, we could hear the famous irreverent screams of can-can dancers. You always had to expect the unexpected in Macau.
RED MAMBO (IMPROMPTU)
I was familiar with the Portuguese-speaking African countries well before having lived in China. I found myself returning several times to one in particular, always attracted by its magic and very distinct, identitary culture and music: Cape Verde.
During the early years of DWART a lot of the inspiration for drum machine rhythms (Roland's TR series) came from African music, especially from new musical trends that gained full autonomy with Cape Verde's independence from Portugal, as was the case with funaná.
I had the privilege of having known and befriended some of the greatest Capeverdian composers, musicians and singers during the 70s and 80s, such as Bana, Luís Morais, Cesária Évora, Paulino Vieira, Chico Serra, Tito Paris, and historical bands such as Bulimundo (ambassadors of funaná) and Os Tubarões (great innovators of morna, coladera and funaná, with the sonic impact of an afro-beat big band).
When Luís Filipe de Barros began playing Os Tubarões for the first time on Portuguese radio, that was the turning point for African music in Portugal. The 'Tabanca' album was so widely heard and talked about that it quickly got a Portuguese release through one of the big labels of the time.
The mystic of this band from the Santiago Island would reach the East. Os Tubarões played to a packed room in Macau in 1992, and after the bombastic gig we arranged a dinner and party at my place.
We ate and drank generously and the moment came for a jam session at the small studio on the 19th floor. Because Os Tubarões didn't all fit in the studio, we recorded an impromptu with only three of the musicians: Tótó Silva (electric guitar), Mário Russo Bettencourt (bass) and Zeca Couto (piano). And there we were improvising without barriers, suddenly detached from cultural roots, labels and constraints, a truly unique moment. The track is now being released exactly as it was recorded, imbued with the real communion between the musicians. And it could only be titled 'Red Mambo'. I wish to dedicate it to the memory of Ildo Lobo and Jaime do Rosário, founders of Os Tubarões, sadly and too soon departed from the land of music.
Tivoli Trax started as a Multiplex series paying tribute to local artists connected to Kong's Mantra night club, while it was based in Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens. The first 1996 EP was followed in '97 by Vol. 2 and finally by a 12 track CD compilation in '98. In 2018 we are bringing back this iconic tribute to amazing Copenhagen based producers with Tivoli Trax vol. 3!
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To bridge the twenty years gap, the first track is an original Hüebsch Originators production from '98. This deep techno track was released on the Tivoli Trax CD, and we are delighted to finally be able to present it on wax. The duo also released the Evanouir EP on Multiplex in '97. Secondly we have the beautiful Bodies by Vassdrag, a Norwegian word for a river system and the Multiplex alias of a well-known Copenhagen producer, who's been releasing on a quintessential techno imprint since 2010.
B From E aka. Frej Levin, a rising star on the Danish scene and known for releases on Copenhagen Underground Posse and Tartelet Records, delivers classic, atmospheric, deep house in the form of No Memory. The last track is Nightwave by Dennis Uprock, better known as dub-techno producer Resoe of Baum Records, Echocord and Pattern Repeat. A prolific producer of multiple genres. He has used his Uprock moniker when playing house music since the mid-90s.
A long time ago, in a Norway far far away in time, keyboardist Bugge Wesseltoft introduced his New Conception of Jazz to the world. We're talking about the late 90s, when Bugge's cosmopolitan blend of jazz, hiphop and techno beats was pretty much the coolest music coming out of Norway at that moment. That was a golden time for Norwegian music, in fact, when the rest of the world began to sit up and take notice that something was stirring up north, and realised the music was more than just glacial tones hurtled from icy mountaintops and frozen lakes. This was the sound of urban Scandinavia.
A few years later came the electronic dance genre 'space disco'. Along with Todd Terje, Bjørn Torske and Lindstrøm, Prins Thomas was at the epicentre of this next big wave to surge out of Norway. Now, the two generations have come together in this exclusive collaboration between Bugge and Prins Thomas on the Smalltown Supersound label. Jazz and electronics combine for that energising vitamin D shot of Nordic sunshine.
The Rainbow Studio in Oslo is a familiar name to anyone who follows the ECM label - many of its classic 1970s jazz albums were recorded there under the eye of resident producer Jan Erik Kongshaug. Bugge and Thomas booked a couple of sessions at the legendary space with Kongshaug at the controls, and improvised some tunes in the style and spirit of some of their favourite ECM moments, like the fresh, open sounds of Codona, Egberto Gismonti, Oregon and Kenny Wheeler. Bugge had previously done a remix of Thomas's 'Bobletekno' in 2015 but this is the first time they have worked together as active musicians. The results - also partly taped at Thomas's home studio - fuse programmed rhythms, live synths and percussion, all captured in a sumptuously spacious acoustic.
For an even more authentic touch they called up one of their all time local heroes and one of Norway's most famous jazz drummers, Jon Christensen, who's been the go-to guy for Jan Garbarek, Terje Rypdal, Keith Jarrett and many more. At 75 years he's still pretty spry behind the kit, as you'll hear on several tracks here.
Make no mistake, though, this is not retro pastiche but contemporary music, coasting on gently insistent programmed grooves and bubbling basslines. The whole thing feels not so much like a consciously hip fusion of DJ and jazz musician, more like two great musicians totally enjoying themselves. Which is exactly what it is.
Key facts:
Bugge Wesseltoft is one of Norway's leading jazz figures. He set up Jazzland Recordings in 1996. His solo Christmas LP It's Snowing On My Piano remains Norway's best selling jazz album!
Prins Thomas's real name is Thomas Hermansen. His label, Full Pupp, means 'full breast'. He's released several albums under his own name, as well as collaborations with Bjørn Torske and Lindström. Check out his amazing Paradise Goulash mixtapes.
Jon Hassell Hatte Mit Seinem Visionären "fourth World" Konzept Vor 40 Jahren, Das Überlieferte Ur-weisheiten Mit Modernster Technologie Fusionierte, Einen Massgeblichen Einfluss Auf Musiker Wie Brian Eno ("my Life In The Bush Of Ghosts"), Talking Heads (remain In Light"), Peter Gabriel, David Sylvian, Björk Und Neuerdings Oneohtrix Pojnt Never, Huerco S Und Visible Cloaks. Nach Zwei Alben Ende Der Nullerjahre Auf Ecm Und Diversen Retrospektiven Seitdem Erscheint Nun Mit "listening To Pictures (pentimento Volume One)" Sein Erstes Neues Material Seit Fast Einer Dekade, Auf Dem Jon Hassell Seine Lebenslange Erkundung Der Möglichkeiten Der Rekombination Und Recodierung Musikalischer Fragmente Fortführt, Die Gesampled, Gelooped, Overdubbed Und In Betörende Neue Formen Neu Arrangiert Werden. Dabei Überträgt Er Die Maltechnik Des Pentimenti, Bei Der Teile Eines Gemäldes Während Der Produktion Übermalt Werden, Auf Die Musik Und Erzeugt Mit Überlagerten Sounds Völlig Neue Strukturen.
Detroit native Mark Flash aims to create music that moves - and it does. From New York to Hong Kong, his electropic funk' (yes, electropic') is the lifeblood of the party, with rich and full sounds that seep straight to the partygoers' soul. As one of the few DJ's who masters keyboard and percussion, his excellent musicianship and keen intuition is a sight to see live and an experience to be felt. As a well-respected name in the Detroit techno world and an influential part of Underground Resistance, he is deeply rooted to the city where it all began. From a young age he began spinning at small parties, slowly moving up the ladder through persistence and dedication to his craft. After paying countless dues to get to where he is today, Mark Flash humbly holds true to the music he creates, continuously harnessing the fire and passion that has always driven him. The EP begins with CORKTOWN GROOVE (5:44), a smooth and lively vibe to accompany you on a drive under city lights on a Friday night. Bumping up the energy, ELMWOOD PARK (7:34) hits the crowd with colorful synths and fresh moves. As the definition of high energy, KAIRAD's (7:10) powerful base and dynamic sound is the apex of the night. To finish off the EP, the classic feel of DEQUINDRE CUT (6:25) will leave you feeling good till the next day. This EP is another fresh cut from the man who stands behind his music, handing you an experience once you hit play.
Gabber Eleganza was born as a curated blog archive in 2011, an open research about rave subcultures mainly focused on the gabber and post-rave aestethic. The central ambition of the web archive was to become a source of research material on different topics: contemporary folklore, suburban euphoria and post-rave phenomena, revaluing a denigrated subculture through a new cultural lens.Over the years, the magnitude of the project has reached individuals far beyond the hardcore scene. Alberto Guerrini, the Italy and Berlin based founder, has since taken his project offline by producing zines, radio podcasts and garments. He currently tours as a DJ act or with a live performance dubbed The Hakke Show - an old-skool rave/hardcore DJ set with gabber dancers performing onstage: fast, air cutting moves, powerful thanks to their primitive intensity.In the past year Guerrini has brought the Hakke show to festivals: Club to Club (Turin), Resonate (Belgrade), performed as a DJ alongside Lorenzo Senni (Warp Records) and toured cities including Oval Space in London, Niebo in Warsaw, Janus/Berghain in Berlin, Ex Dogana in Rome, Empty Gallery in Hong Kong, etc. Guerrini has hosted radio shows on three London stations: RinseFM, NTS and Radar Radio.
Three clean-cut anthems for the studio debut of Gabber Eleganza, the anticipated new form for the archival and performative project created by Alberto Guerrini in 2011. Now updating the contemporary folklore with his analog grit. Try not to get your attention diverted once again. And keep calm under pressure.First volume of the Never Sleep series. Limited edition vinyl. Includes DL card.
Logistics, one of Hospital Records' most prolific artists, is back with his seventh studio album 'Hologram'. Inspired by his travels to Hong-Kong and New Zealand, this universally admired drum & bass figure presents a vibrant 16-track collection soaked in his signature groove, soul and liquid-funk stylings.
Opening track 'Lotus Flower' sets a warm springtime tone with fluttering harp-like arpeggios and atmospheric pads. 'Broken Light' follows on from the success that singer/songwriter Thomas Oliver brought on Logistics' collaborative LP with brother Nu:Tone. A sombre tone matched with melancholic lyrics bring a blissful beat to the album.
Keeping true to the craft, 'Chant' flips to Logistics' jungle style with molten-hot flair. A powerful punch of expertly sliced breaks and vocal stabs are the ingredients for this dancefloor weapon.
It's safe to say that this has been worth the wait. Although titled from the ever-growing illusion of the digital-age, 'Hologram' is an example of Logistics' very real talent and is a welcomed addition to his impressive repertoire of drum & bass classics. Quantity, quality and a fierce musical character is everything we have come to expect from this Hospital staple.
- 180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
- 33 MM SLEEVE
- LIMITED EDITION OF 750 INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED COPIES ON ORANGE VINYL
Hot Shots Of Reggae is an recording on which a bunch of popular reggae songs are brought together. The album was originally released in the autumn of 1970 and compiled by the legendary Chinese-Jamaican producer Leslie Kong. He had enjoyed many hits in in Europe and selected some of the true pearls from the reggae music to shine on the album. The album includes the Maytals' hit Monkey Man, the sparkling So Much Love by Joe White and the fine rythms of Ken Boothe's Freedom Street.
The influential producer Leslie Kong once discovered Jimmy Cliff and recorded him on his own record label Beverley's. In 1962 he recorded Bob Marley's first single and through the 60's het became known as the producer of many big artists, like Desmond Dekker and Joe Higgs. He died of a heart attack, at the age of 38, in august 1971.
The album is now available as a Limited Edition of 750 individually numbered copies and comes on orange vinyl.
A kind of intimate scrapbook of the startling collaboration between the techno maestro and this long-standing musical collective based in Bishkek, devoted to the roots music of Kyrgyzstan. Loose-leaved but balanced, lucid and intimate, it sets out from stunning a cappella and virtuosic komuz and kylak, mouth harp and traditional percussion: not field, but expert studio recordings, using marvellous vintage microphones, made over several days in Berlin. Further, a few of these are deftly treated by Moritz, using Reichian de-synced double-tracking, and discreet effects. Also two ten-minute dubs: a deadly, signature Berlin steppers, plus its version; and an echoing, mystical drum session, recorded live on stage in Bishkek. And a side-long, dream-like summation: the locomotive, oceanic, clangorous, dread Facets. Ravishing, rooted, searching music; beautifully presented.
"Those who physically suffer from dopamine depletion seek ways to experience maximized pleasure." Hong Kong's hyper-everything enfant terrible, S.Y. delivers a much darker complex Ep than his two previous offerings under a new alias, a creative therapy of sorts apparently dealing with substance abuse and unstable mental conditions which luckily for everyone translates into more leftfield dancefloor gold with the brilliantly nondescript '$ LFO' and weirdo power drive of the title track on A side, followed on the flip by a surprisingly beautiful ode to concrete music, and a deeply haunting field recording piece that closes a perfectly round EP... or does it;) Sleeve artwork by Matt Damhave
Repress!
Berlin based Arttu has been dropping his dusty fat beats across numerous techno labels including Philpot, Clone and 4Lux for a few years but it was 2016's track 'Hoodies' on Arttu's own imprint Cyblo that caught the attention of Accidental label boss Matthew Herbert (and which remains firmly in Herbert's record bag). Arttu was invited onto the Accidental Jnr roster and has delivered a chunk of techno with so much swing it made Donkey Kong blush.
Arttu takes the most simple of jazz bass hooks and loops across a rigid kick, it's when those hats kick in that the groove goes fucking wild. The presence of US native Roberto Q Ingram on vocals brings a full Detroit gangster flavour to the party. Initially Arttu and Roberto had an idea to record a simple and sweaty track with Roberto on the mic and Arttu at the control of some dusty old machines. The result, 'Bass Trakk' is exactly that: Roberto dropping lyrics over a raw beat and a massive bassline. The EP is rounded off with a deep bit of techno 'Debris' with all the trappings of the darkest hour of a Berlin winter in which it was recorded.
Remember how badly we wanted to join them and be part of those sea-faring adventures: Jack London’s The Sea-Wolf, classic TV shows based on his novel The Road, on Radu Toduran’s novels... back then, a couple decades ago, the titles of these shows alone were enough to trigger some strong gusts in our hearts, salty squalls perfect for imaginary downwind journeys we dreamed of with billowing sails. We wanted to cruise alongside albatrosses, seagulls, and fellow sailors. Floating high above a three-masted vessel, we watched our own adventures unfold far below, an imagined movie scene complete with a whole crew that worked the rigging, and all the rest. Cutting waves. Amidst the storm and stress of sounds hitting our eardrums far out in the ocean. Combined with the sounds of rotors, of tropics crossed, of marimbas and cabin wood pounded, of strange music spotted in the distance. And even though it was merely for an hour or two that we were rescued by that seal-hunting ship “Ghost,” as Jack London had it, plus, even worse, often found ourselves surrounded by villains: it was a great escape, for we’d successfully set sails – to new and exciting places.
Both around their own Weilheim shores and elsewhere, brothers Markus and Micha Acher have launched various musical vessels, bands and free-floating constellations over the past three decades – and yet: amid all these other speedboats and unlikely sonic barges, The Notwist has always remained the mother ship. This new album documents the latest live incarnation of this very band, which also features Andi Haberl, Max Punktezahl, Karl Ivar Refseth, and Cico Beck. Recorded on December 16, 2015 on the second of three consecutive, sold-out nights at UT Connewitz in Leipzig, Germany, "Superheroes, Ghost-Villains & Stuff" indeed feels like a first-hand live experience caught on triple vinyl. That’s why it’s the definitive album of The Notwist’s career.
Although there is one song that points to the early, “louder years” of The Notwist – “One Dark Love Poem” off the album Nook –, the rest of the night’s set sees the band perform all the major hits off Neon Golden, The Devil, You + Me, and Close To The Glass. However, these are different, organically enhanced versions, new interpretations and combinations that feel much more alive; thanks to Olaf Opal’s incredible mix, they sometimes even outshine the original studio recordings. Listening to "Superheroes, Ghost-Villains & Stuff" feels like watching these songs evolve and change, moving from one frame to the next, much like a baroque triptych.
What starts out like ‘wimmelbook’ imagery, the music soon folds and unfolds like a Moebius strip: Sans bottom or top, sans inside or outside, the inside becomes the outside and vice versa. It’s all about sonic interconnection, about music as entanglement, music as reconciliation. The rather majestic, cinematic (indie) pop and experimental, kraut- infused jazz, the spirit of the enlightenment and baroque playfulness, the traces of modernism and minimal music, dub leanings, hip-hop lessons, and even hints of house music: here is where they all come together, reconciled in a sound that’s both melancholy and romantic. And ultimately, the spirit of these songs is set free – and the band has released itself, is free at last.
As for the album title, it’s lifted from the song “Kong,” and encapsulates Markus Acher’s motto. Throughout the track, the water theme first appears as a dangerous threat: a force that’s strong enough to wash away an entire house; and yet the fluid state keeps transforming and eventually releases that sense of threat into something rather hopeful, a new musical beginning, a melodic departure that ultimately leads to euphoria and a renewed spirit of adventure. These are the strong gusts mentioned above, it’s the spirit of discovery, the urge to set sail together. The crew’s back at it, working the instruments, the rigging, with sails a- billow, launching the next voyage of discovery, assuming the East in the West and vice versa. And thus the adventure saga continues.
Pico Be (Das Weiße Pferd)
The sixth release from Hong Kong/Tokyo label Palms & Charms sees the return of Barnaby Bruce, and starts with a tale of daring escape.Hearing the approach of a loping synth, the protagonist checks the window: mysterious people are gathering outside his house! As a somewhat Gallic groove emerges, he and his girlfriend are in his car and heading south, driven on by the swing of the percussion. Will he find his deliverance On The Continent
Next up, Ruf Dug steps in with a spacious electronic reggae-esque remix, leading up to a killer piano line which pushes the groove straight onto the Autoroute. Ces't magnifique.
On the B-side, our erstwhile fugitive and partner awake by the side of a country road in southern France. A baguette, a bottle of wine and the sound of chattering insects. Oh, For The Cicadas!
As they head ever further south, they begin to reflect on what Other Worlds await them at journey's end. On the car radio a band plays a curious but driving blend of disco and percussion, with a distinctly house-influenced melody. Cette musique les deplace. Was it all just a crazy dream Grab your suitcase, head to the coast and pick up a copy of this limited edition record to find out...
At this moment, Global Bass music is an intimate circuit in the electronic music landscape. Airplane tickets and the internet serve to connect producers and artists in every imaginable combination. Spanning across Africa, Europe, India, the Caribbean, and the Americas, allowing for the birth of new forms of collaboration. At the nexus of the Tropical music monsoon is producer Thor Partridge, aka Thornato. Born in Sweden, Thor grew up in a household filled with traditional Greek, African, and Carribbean music. Moving in early childhood to Queens, New York, the borough's diversity further influenced his style and taste. Thor added to his rich musical palette by studying classical piano, jazz guitar, and bluegrass banjo. A passion for electronic music production, remixing, and music of the entire globe soon developed. Thor's debut EP "Things Will Change" is an amalgamation of his global influence, coupled with strong roots in dance music culture. His music is not a product of samples downloaded from the internet, but from his driving wanderlust and ability to hand select musicians to work with on location in the countries where they are from. By recording in the field with a mobile studio, Thor captures the real essence and soul of the music and where it's coming from. The EP kicks off with "Chapinero", a bass heavy joint with an infectious Colombian Gaita melody. Handclaps and chopped vocal samples make for a booming floor rocker. "Deux a Duex" turns towards the African dancefloor incorporating infectious guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies courtesy of Kongo Electro from Cape Town. "Koz Kazah" heads to the Middle East with it's violin melodies, thick sub-bass, and Arabic vocals courtesy of Karen Be. Finally, "Tera Dewana" lands us in the Indian subcontinent with it's driving beat, tablas, and Hindi vocals from Vasanth S & AKS. Thornato's "Things Will Change" EP shows that while indeed the music does change, the soul and the heart of sounds from all over the world remain consistent, and that dancefloor music is universal - no matter where in the world you are!
Remastered from original tapes- 2 LP + CD - DOUBLE WHITE VINYL, CD INCLUDED + 4 Pages Poster ! This LP+CD will be the only physical edition (no cd available for sale) . For the 1st time eve, the best Kongas tracks are collected trough this best of vinyl+cd. Kongas were the band Cerrone's started to play music with, as a drummer. Famous french A&R Eddie Barclay saw them & signed the 2 first albums. Cerrone left Kongas to start his solo carrer, and produced & signed on his label Malligator the next Kongas's albums. Double white vinyl. Features the Cd. KONGAS 'The Best Of'
Nach der Veröffentlichung seines hochgelobten Longplayers MANTASY KOMCD100 / KOM250) im letzten Jahr konnte KOMPAKT-Boss MICHAEL MAYER einige seiner
Lieblingskünstler dazu verpflichten, das Album-Material nach ihrem Gusto neu zu bearbeiten. MANTASY REMIXE 2, der mittlere Teil der Trilogie, präsentiert nun großartige Remixe der versierten Produzenten AGORIA, ROBAG WRUHME und WILL
SAUL & OCTOBER, die die Abenteuerlust der Originale kongenial weiterschreiben.
