Cerca:piano

Les Imprimés is back in the studio working on their sophomore album and treats us to a smashing two-sider with the first two songs from these sessions. The A side "With You" is an instant hit for the DJs and dance floors. An uptempo, uplifting tune about a eeting encounter that leaves you craving more. Frontman Morten Martens doesn't waste a word over the shuffling drums and dancing piano lines. He sings about the pleasantly surprising impact of a chance encounter with a woman, whom he winds up pining for. Martens longs for her, but joyfully, as if just remembering such a connection is possible is what he really needed. The B side "Only Love" is built over a gritty, punchy drum break with a chorus that is simple yet profound, and the arrangement leans into the message. Martens sings of letting go of inhibition and fear and allowing love to have a chance to thrive. "Only love can set us free_"

Small Great Things proudly presents its latest release, SGT009—a meticulously curated selection of deep house grooves featuring a lineup of exceptional talent. Available on both vinyl and digital platforms, this release showcases a diverse range of deep, soulful, and groove-driven tracks designed to captivate any dance floor.

Opening the release on A1 is Luca Olivotto with "Let Me Go," a track that sets the tone with its rich, melodic layers and piano chords.
Olivotto’s masterful production effortlessly blends emotion and groove, making it an essential opener for this compilation.

Following up on A2 is Quadrakey's "Do It Right," a track that encapsulates the essence of deep house. With tight percussion, smooth basslines, and an irresistible groove, this track demands attention and will undoubtedly resonate with both DJs and listeners alike.

The B-side kicks off with a deep vocal cut from resident duo Nephews titled "Between Your Soul." This track takes listeners on a soulful journey, combining warm pads, driving basslines, and emotive vocals to create an immersive listening experience.

On B2, Peter LC delivers "We Were Alright," a deep, vocal-driven track that stands out with its smooth chords and heartfelt lyrics. The subtle groove and deep melodies make it a standout moment on the release. Rounding off the release on B3 is HAbibi Groove with "Groove Box Grooves." As the name suggests, this track is all about the groove.

With its infectious rhythm and intricate sound design, it provides the perfect closing note to this diverse and captivating compilation—a dancefloor-ready tune.

SGT009 is a must-have for any deep house enthusiast, offering a rich blend of styles and moods that showcase the depth and versatility of the genre. Available now on vinyl and digital platforms, this release is a testament to Small Great Things' commitment to quality and innovation in electronic music.

The second volume in the "Lisztogrooves" series from Igor Gonya's label Lisztomania is packed with both heavy hitters and emerging talents. Across both sides of the vinyl, you'll find some exceptional tracks, starting with Manuel Sahagun's slick deep house groove "Get Yourself." There's also a taste of US house from Human By Nature, enriched with a rich atmosphere and 90's piano riffs. The A-side concludes with a high-energy, uptempo jackin' filter workout from Serbian mainstay and the MTV Europe Music Awards winner Gramophonedzie. The B-side offers a more stripped-back yet deep and solid groove. French producer Naux builds his arrangement around chord stabs, which serve as the foundation of the track. Stogov delivers a soul-drenched, late-night cruiser with "Walking Wide," while JR From Dallas and Justnique close out the EP with a perfectly seductive slice of deep house, complete with smooth chord work and warm, sneaky vibes. This is another hugely effective and stylish release.

Long overdue, we are happy to welcome Damiano von Erckert to Cocoon Recordings with his debut single, bringing late summer vibes that were well worth the wait. Damiano's lovely energy shines through in this EP, resulting in music that blends soulful character with his signature house sound.

“Steam (Staub Mix)” lifts your spirits from the very first beat, and the summery vibe of the housey Rhodes piano brings a smile to your face. Yet, the track retains a somewhat wistful and melancholy feel. Skillful intonation gives the break a jazzy feel, it's this friction that makes it special. Von Erckert showcases his skill with this playful arrangement, sure to have dancers' hands reaching skyward. The second track “Das Was Not Around” is a masterclass in purism, where simplicity meets profound emotion. Swirly synth pads unfold to create a dreamy, immersive atmosphere, pulling listeners into its depths. Despite its introspective title, a sense of hopefulness permeates the track, as if reaching for light through the shadows. Damiano’s approach allows every element to shine, making the deep grooves and ethereal sounds feel both intimate and expansive. It’s a journey of reflection yet imbued with a quiet optimism that lingers long after the final beat fades.

The essence of reduced Chicago drumming is brilliantly embodied in “Roh”, channeling a raw, stripped-back rhythm that strikes with precision and purpose. This forms the bedrock of a composition that feels timeless. The track carries an unmistakable grandeur, echoing the majestic hymns of certain legendary French artists. As the beats develop, they evoke a profound sense of reverence and nostalgia, seamlessly blending classic house influences with a modern edge. It's a track that honors the roots while confidently advancing the frontiers of contemporary house music. "Fantazia 93" is a nostalgic dive into a ‘90s House vibe, channeling the essence of that unforgettable era with authenticity. Damiano's signature sounds are front and center, infusing the track with a unique touch that’s fresh while reminiscent of classic house anthems. The track exudes an Ibiza after-hour feeling, transporting listeners to those sun-drenched days where time seems to stand still. It’s a sonic journey that feels like sunbeams warming the skin, bathing the senses in a radiant, feel-good energy that resonates long after.

Kerri Chandler joins forces with Nae (SA) for new single ‘Caged Bird’, accompanied by remixes from the widely beloved Atjazz, and Moplen.

Leading the release is the ‘Full Vocal Media Mix’ of ‘Caged Bird’, which sees Kerri Chandler lay down emotive piano melodies, organic drums and atmospheric strings alongside soulful vocal stylings from South Africa’s Nae.

Up next is Italy’s Moplen, producer for the likes of G.A.M.M. and Lumberjacks In Hell delivers his twist on ‘Caged Bird’, shifting gears into more classic house realms, infusing drifting keys, weighty lowend tones and heavily swung drums and violin melodies with the original’s smooth house aesthetic.

On the flip side is the first ‘Atjazz Remix’ of ‘Caged Bird’, a nine minute cinematic excursion from the British composer, embracing the soulful fragments of the original and twisting them into a slow burning, subtly evolving nine minutes delicately detailed with sweeping echoes, reversed reverberations, crisp percussion and choppy stab sequences. An ‘Atjazz Remix Instrumental’ follows, as the name would suggest stripping away the vocals.

A sense of destiny hangs over Sentir Que No Sabes, Mabe Fratti’s fourth solo-credited album released in a five year span. Her work has always possessed a finely tuned sense of drama capable of expressing a range of emotional states, and across this new album, she conveys the struggle to process various relationships or situations–and the actions that come next. Sentir Que No Sabes is urgent and clear, poppy, generous and approachable, while showcasing a considerable emotional hinterland. It is also, as Fratti is quick to mention, “groovy.”

Written and recorded with her partner, multi-instrumentalist, and co-composer Héctor Tosta (I.La Católica, Titanic), Sentir Que No Sabes is the result of an intense, detail-oriented process. Fueled by a new confidence gained in their collaborative project, Titanic, and its critically acclaimed 2023 LP, Vidrio, the two hunkered down in the familiarity of their studio (aka Tinho Studios) to bash out the initial sonic coordinates of her new record. “We talked and talked, and discussed ways of playing and recording, until things became inevitable,” Fratti explains. “We recorded a bunch of demos at our home studio and that meant we had a lot of time to re-edit and experiment. We really dug in. We were super focused on detail.” Tosta also took up the controls as producer and arranger-in-chief for all additional instruments. The album was later completed at Willem Twee Studios in Den Bosch in the Netherlands, and Pedro y el Lobo Studios and Soy Sauce Studios, in Mexico City.

For the final studio recordings, the pair were joined by drummer Gibran Andrade and trumpetist Jacob Wick to fill out and expand on Tosta’s percussion and brass arrangements. This small group of friends were able to work quickly and openly, and without fear: a testament to the exhaustive groundwork put in at Tinho Studios. This can be heard in three short, intermediary tracks that also manage to be the most aggressive on the record: “Kitana” (a scratch-laden instrumental that acts as a strange prelude for the last track, “Angel nuevo”) and a pair of two-minute instrumental interludes, “Elastica” I and II. None are throwaway mood pieces; rather they act as emotional cue cards, and hint at the way Fratti and Tosta created the overall atmosphere of Sentir Que No Sabes.

A strong sense of rhythm irrigates the sound from the jump, as heard on the glorious opening track, “Kravitz.” Here, the brilliant plucked cello line acts as a bassline and props up the steady thump of the kick drum. The cello’s growl serves as a conduit for a set of slightly paranoid lyrics that tell us “Quizás haya oídos en el techo” (“maybe there are ears in the ceiling”), while the song also introduces another staple of the record: the clever brass stabs, whistles, parps, and other interjections that paint a canvas of traffic in a city. It’s a postmodern, widescreen sound that for some might recall The Blue Nile’s Hats.

Sentir Que No Sabes is a record full to the brim with a modern pop sensibility, invoked by the sort of magpie spirit that ensnares anything it can find, repositioning sounds for the here and now. The keys and melody on the melancholy “Pantalla azul” (“Blue screen error”) transport us back to the glossy mid-1980s. “Oídos” (“Ears”) is a beautiful slice of contemporary, hybrid pop, in which Fratti’s vocal lines delicately spin themselves around the lean structures erected by the brass and drums, and the descending “plink” of a set of piano chords. Then we have a gloriously strong ending with the swell of “Angel nuevo” (“New angel”), another cinematic track full of gentle, instrument-rich swells and eddies that manages to be almost endless in its range–and yet intensely personal, as Fratti’s voice is close, almost whispering in your ear. A much needed lullaby for our fractious times.

The lyrics, for their part, have a stop-start quality to them, and hint at the small, incremental emotional taxes we pay through just living our lives. They circle around the music like birds waiting to swoop. There is something of the spiritual in all of Fratti’s work that expresses itself in a form of yearning: she looks to new horizons while personal dramas find themselves internalized, contextualized, and then dealt with through metaphor. Here, she was keen to mention Tosta’s constant encouragement in her finding a path to best sing or phrase her words to impart their maximum effect. “Hector was super inquisitive about my lyrics and asked me questions about what I meant, which sometimes is something you don't wonder so much about in isolation,” Fratti explains. “Besides, he is a great poet, and you can see that in what he did on the Titanic record. This made me go deeper into my lyric writing and definitely transformed it into something that I feel super happy about now.”

Take “Enfrente” (“In Front”), a track that initially comes across as a languid, glossy number, with plucked cello strings standing in for a bass line and brittle synth parts. Soon we catch on to a brilliant minor chord switch, which mirrors the fear and doubt expressed in the lyrics as someone “trembles up to the podium” in a “search for meaning.” There’s also the startling introduction of a vocoder in “Quieras o no” (“Whether you want it or not”); it comes precisely at the point Fratti sings “Quieras o no es un desastre” (“Whether you want it or not, it's a disaster”). Moments like these leave room for interpretation and, over time, create a strong bond between the listener and the record.

In fact, across Sentir Que No Sabes, each phrase–whether instrumental or vocal–becomes at some level emblematic of acts and moods that impart deep emotional significance. We see this best on “Intento fallido” (“Failed attempt”), which could be the score to feeling trapped in self-doubt, only to suddenly be sprung free by the song’s gloriously upbeat ending. On “Márgen del índice” (“Index margin”), the quicksilver switch between initial disharmony and a beautiful melody is breathtaking, all augmented by evocative arrangements, textured production, and the slightly playful, gnomic lyrics. The track’s emotional ecosystem allows another brilliant ending, which uses the simple repeated phrase, “Cómo lo va a ver?” (“How are you going to see it?”).

So what to make of Sentir Que No Sabes? High gloss Pastoralism? The sound of a city-bound, post-post modern soulscape? No matter the emotions evoked, it's the work of an artist coming into their own, and creating a benchmark record.

Yet More already made waves with his track Erotic Trip, released as part of our Secret Weapons series back in 2023. What we particularly appreciate about his productions is his approach to groove and the influence of classic House Music vibes. The first track of the EP is a true groover, with pitched sample pieces that give the track the necessary depth and justify its name, 'Bounce.'

With Tryna Jack My Style, the pace picks up, becoming more driving and leading into piano chords that give the track its distinctive character, promising more excitement as we move to the final track, Back 2 Feelin’, the lead track of the EP. With its rhythm and a catchy synth hook that recalls the feel of Oni Ayun's classic tune (remember!?), it is stripped down and refined to its essence—a true highlight of the EP.

"A landmark in 80s experimental ambient music - previously tape-only, here released for the first time on vinyl, spread across a double LP with five additional tracks, four of which were previously unreleased. Remote Dreaming has been freshly remastered and includes an insert with photos and liner notes.

Dark Entries summons Philadelphia synthesizer scribes The Ghostwriters to rouse their ambient masterwork Remote Dreaming. The late Buchla maestro Charles Cohen and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Cain joined up in 1971 to craft electroacoustic chaos as Anomali, later renaming themselves The Ghostwriters.

Their collaborations with choreographers and visual media artists led to their singular style, straddling improvisation and composition, the oneiric and the immediate. Following their debut album, Objects in Mirrors Are Closer Than They Appear, they were approached by ambient outlet Mu-Pysch. Remote Dreaming would take shape in various studios over nine months. Jeff Cain's instruments on this project included electric and acoustic pianos, the Juno 106 synthesizer, and a Mirage sampler, while Charles Cohen used his signature Buchla 200 Series Electronic Musical Instrument. A stark departure from the tightly wound first LP, Remote Dreaming shows the duo unfurling with soothing pianos and psychoacoustic textures, its somnambulant drones just skirting the edges of the uncanny. Although ignored in its time, Remote Dreaming is now heralded as a landmark in 80s experimental ambient music.

Proceeds will be donated to SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse), a nonprofit that combats online child sex abuse and trafficking"

Cultured Swiss techno label Acquit has put together this cheeky little 7" from Trecci with one great tune on each side. 'Invisible Self' is the opener and it is a delightfully curious, inviting blend of soft focus synth loops and smeared pads that sounds like waking up on a distant planet. On the flip, 'Sit And Wonder' starts with pensive piano chords which are eventually carried away on a supple deep house grove with loopy bongos and a feel-good sense of late-night cruising. Tasteful stuff for sure.

TrioRox is a project born from the meeting of three protagonists of the Italian music scene (and not only): pianist Giovanni Guidi, bassist Joe
Rehmer and electronic musician DJ Rocca (Luca Roccatagliati). Three characters who boast an eclectic and consistent curriculum. Guidi, enfant prodige of Jazz piano, has published several albums for the prestigious ECM label, and has collaborated with the best jazz and electronic musicians, from Enrico Rava to Matthew Herbert, from Joe Lovano to Ricardo Villalobos. Joe Rehmer, an American transplanted to Italy, is one of the most sought-after bass players, sharing stages and recording studios together with authorities such as Bob Mintzer, James Moody and Danny Gottlieb.

DJ Rocca is a DJ and musician active since the nineties, and boasts numerous albums, singles and remixes with, and for key protagonists of the alternative dance scene (Andrew Weatherall, Dimitri From Paris and Howie B), as well as a militancy in the jazz scene with several albums together with Franco D’Andrea.

The music that the trio proposes is a mix of electronic, dance, Jazz and pop, with groove impulses in the field of house and techno music, without neglecting mixes between electro, classical and minimalism. A melting pot of styles between Keith Jarrett and Carl Craig.

Album to be released by IRMA Records in October 2024, with guests Luigi Di Nunzio, Gianluca Petrella, Dan Kinzelman and Jacopo Fagioli.
“Moods” is the debut album of Triorox that represents the photograph of the ‘Here and Now’. All the music was born from a studio session that lasted a few days, in which the mood of the three musicians gave the album its sound imprint. What came out of it became incandescent material to elaborate the musical flow of the entire work, which had three different phases.

The first, in which the tracks were born from the recordings, some developed as creations with a common denominator (the three moments of Mood), some as thematic suggestions (Angels, Corea and Next To Canada), and others as a stylistic challenge (the techno of Space Rain, or the drum and bass of Sax & The City).

The second phase, where the compositions were subjected to the test of live concerts, in which it was understood how the tracks could be better arranged, optimizing them and keeping the best ones. The last phase was the choice and insertion of the guests, reasoning according to the type of suggestion that we wanted to give to the specific song. So we gave free rein to Luigi Di Nunzio, who also participated in phase two, playing with us on stage on some occasions. In the same way, Gianluca Petrella chose the piece where he felt most at ease, also contributing to the arrangement.

Dan Kinzelman, a historic collaborator of both Guidi and Rehmer, was included because we wanted his bass clarinet in a specific suggestive situation. Finally, we wanted Jacopo Fagioli (the Tuscan reincarnation of Don Cherry), we wanted him in a specific episode of Mood, for his particular style, impeccable in determining the mood that the piece needed.

Eaux proudly announces a new collaborative mini-album from label boss Rrose and Polygonia. Containing six tracks and over 40 minutes of music housed in a fully printed sleeve with artwork by Jon-Paul Villegas, the record focuses squarely on the dancefloor while infusing it with the kinds of psychoactive drones, intricate polyrhythms, and relentless modulations that have come to identify both of their approaches to sound. Featured heavily are their shared interests in sonic shapes that resemble natural forms and conjure tactile feelings, in this case related to themes of skin-like surfaces and circulatory systems experienced simultaneously on a micro and macro level. While several of the tracks hover in a flexible tempo range between 125 and 130 bpm, "Stretcher" reaches up to 142, and the closing track "Vena Cava" trades the kick drums for spectrally processed percussion and endlessly diverging high-frequency pulses.

The story behind the release starts in 2022, when Rrose reached out to Polygonia after noticing that her tracks were appearing in their sets more frequently than any other artist. Never before had Rrose proposed a collaboration with someone they hadn't met before, but there was such an obvious connection in their approach to sound that it felt necessary. As it turns out, Polygonia had only become interested in techno after hearing Rrose perform at a festival in 2018. It all made sense, and they began sharing sketches and unfinished ideas with each other, trading them back and forth until they reached completion. Without any announcement of their collaboration, the two artists have since been asked to share the stage together several times. It seems there are other people out there sensing a connection...


Bios:

RROSE

Rrose is an alias of the multi-disciplinary artist Seth Horvitz, born and raised in California, and currently based in London. Active since 2011, the Rrose project explores the intersection of hypnotic techno, experimental composition and psychoacoustic phenomena with a meticulous touch. The first major breakthrough was 2012's "Waterfall" for Sandwell District which followed "Motormouth Variations," a collaborative project with composer, improviser, and activist Bob Ostertag. After the shuttering of Sandwell District, Rrose established Eaux, a home for further solo productions and collaborations. Building on his studies in electronic composition and history at Mills College, Rrose's electronic pieces blur the lines between thrillingly claustrophobic club tracks and destabilizing sound art explorations. In 2015, she released an extended version of James Tenney's postcard composition "Having Never Written a Note For Percussion" for solo gong, and in 2018 collaborated with Charlemagne Palestine on "The Goldennn Meeenn + Sheeenn" for two grand pianos. These works overlapped with the development of Rrose's singular techno: EPs like "Vanishing Pools," "The Ends of Weather" and "Arc Unknown" as well as 2019's debut LP "Hymn to Moisture" and last year's follow up "Please Touch." Rrose is also active as a touring DJ and live performer, equally comfortable commanding sweaty warehouse dancefloors and seated audiences in historic concert halls. Appearances include Unsound, Atonal, Semibreve, Dekmantel, Mutek, Sonic Acts, Nuit Sonore, Mostra, Parallel, Theatre Graslin, Nextones, and Berghain.
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POLYGONIA

Polygonia represents a multidisciplinary music and art project conceived by Lindsey Wang from Munich, Germany.

She draws inspiration from her many years of practicing various acoustic instruments and her keen interest for other cultural forms of expression, which she translates into the digital language of electronic music and art.

Her productions' soundscape exudes a mystical, organic quality, featuring intricate and compelling rhythms. Polygonia's sound palette ranges from energetic, groovy Deep Techno, Downtempo, Grey Area to textural and/or harmonic Ambient. Besides, she is not afraid to include influences from the genres House, Drum and Bass, Electro etc.. In addition inspiration from nature play a major role in many of her productions. Exemplary for her style are for instance her 'Otro Mundo' EP (2023) on Bambounou's Bambel Imprint, her 'Bloom' EP (2022) on the American record label Sure Thing, the release 'Deformed Human Nature' (2021) on her own label IO, as well as the album 'Abbilder einer vergessenen Welt' (2021) on the Korean label Huinali.

Her DJ and live sets too reflect her passion for different genres. Depending on the time of day and setting, Polygonia shows a different musical side. What unites all her dance music sets is the hypnotizing effect that invites to completely lose oneself in the world of sounds for a longer period of time. Several voices from the audience also confirm that the musician always tells a complex story within her mixes, allowing for very clear highs and lows. In the same set there can be very harmonic passages, which provide emotional moments and on the other hand extremely texture-heavy dark tracks, which establish a connection with the subconscious and put the listener in a kind of trance.

Polygonia has already visited numerous of prestigious venues. She is now a regular at Tresor or Berghain in Berlin and additionally started her residency in 2023 at Munich-based BLITZ club.

DJ Support from Danny Howard, Annie Mac, Mistajam, Pete Tong, Charlie Hedges, Kraak & Smaak, Maxinne, Todd Terry, Alex Preston, Full Intention, GW Harrison, DJ Rae, Rudimental, Alaia & Gallo, Illyus & Barrientos, Johan S, David Penn, Sam Divine, Riva Starr, Claptone, Nice7, Dario D’Attis, Mousse T, SMan, Huxley, KC Lights, Friend Within, Dombresky, Gorgon City, Chris Lake, Format:B, Pirupa, TCTS, Alan Fitzpatrick, Low Steppa, Mat.Joe, Raumakustik, Eskuche


Kicking things off on Toolroom’s next 4-track vinyl sampler series is Mark Knight’s hugely successful rework of Groove Armada’s seminal classic ‘Get Down’. Considered one of the holy-grail records of their back catalogue so it’s an absolute honour for us, and Mark Knight, to be re-presenting this incredible record to a new audience. Fusing those unique vocals from Stush and classic Groove Armada synth line, coupled with the energy and insatiable groove of a Mark Knight record, this is a sure-fire dance floor weapon for 2024! Next up are a fan favourite of the label, the mighty duo Illyus & Barrientos who make their long overdue return with ‘When You Gonna’. Tracks such as ‘Shout’, ‘Promise’ and most famously, ‘So Serious’, propelled them to be one of the most exciting and sought after acts in the World. This record is trademark Illyus & Barrientos and reflects their personalities as artists perfectly. Think high energy house music filled with fun and peak-time dance floor vibes! Leading the charge on the b-side is an incredible collaboration from 2 heavyweight house artists, working together for the very first time! David Penn has a career spanning over 25 years. He was recently crowned the #1 house artist on Beatport and boasts over 1 million monthly listeners across leading streaming platforms. OFFAIAH appears on Toolroom for the first time in his career under this alias, although he was a firm part of the original Toolroom Family line up as Michael Woods. So this is a SPECIAL ONE! The record screams sun-drenched terraces, pool parties and chilled cocktails! A huge bass line, infectious tribal vocals and some lush house pianos for good measure. Last but not least, Long-standing Toolroom Family member and fan favourite, Ben Remember returns to the label with ‘Waiting 4 You’. As with all of Ben’s records, this is super creative and super original. Based around an infectious disco vocal sample and all created using out-board, analogue studio gear which gives the track a real gritty
undertone.

Countless radio plays on Radio 1 from Danny Howard, Sarah Storie, Pete Tong Other notable radio plays – Kiss FM, Toolroom Radio, Sirius XM, Data Transmission Radio, Radio 1 Dance Anthems, Radio 1 Party Anthems, Rinse FM, Select Radio, Tomorrowland Radio

Somewhere between Solid State Survivor, Force Majeure and Danzindan-Pojidon you’ll find Shinichi Omata’s Boku ・ Neko ・ Platanus. Or rather you won’t – throughout his captivating debut from 1984, reissued by chOOn!! in 2022, you’ll hear connections to other music but its unique unbridled will keeps pushing those references out of mind.

Shinichi Omata is a fascinating figure – an unsung hero of early Japanese electronic music who between 1981–84 recorded three albums of incredible DIY techno-pop while studying as a student in Tokyo. At University, Omata worked and collaborated as a sitar player and keyboardist with artists such as Hiroko Yoshihara, Takami, DEA and various members of the LLE music circle, where he developed an expressive fusion of minimal synth and psychedelia.

This selection, lovingly extracted from Omata’s unreleased early recorded output, dating from 1981’s Neo Modernism through to 1983's With My Dog Ricky, demonstrates just how closely he clung to the original abstract ideal of moulding 8-bit bleeps and ungainly drum patterns into lo-fi triumphalism. On paper you wouldn’t give this aesthetic clash a pass were it not for the aural evidence of a unique sensibility, precociously openminded and visionary, charmingly transparent in respect of its influences yet possessed of a need for individuality.

Throughout this kaleidoscopic collection, all the ghost plastic in Omata’s head, Kosmische synthesis, synth-funk squiggles, arcade games and early Ambient is thrown together, reimagined and regarded affectionately – through a glass lightly, so to speak. Beneath the pulsing arpeggiated bleeps, Omata’s compositions show a remarkable economy and poise hinting at European classical influences - like a reimagining of Erik Satie’s piano miniatures that swaps 19th century Parisian boulevards for Tokyo’s 1980s technopolis. The music is sheer skin- puckering delight throughout, a delirious, mesmeric collage of dark disco bubblegum and eccentrically enchanting atmospheres that you cannot quite believe you’ve never heard before.

Available for the first time on vinyl, With My Dog Ricky: The Early Works of Shinichi Omata 1981-1983 is a vivid selection of synth miniatures lovingly extracted from Omata’s unreleased early recorded output.

Produced in cooperation with the artist for chOOn!!.

Mastered for vinyl/digital by Josh Bonati. Artwork by the acclaimed book designer Luke Bird

Kniteforce Crew artist and council member Paul Bradley shows off this lighter counterpart to his epic Swamped EP! This killer slice of old skool rave has proper piano vibes, a summer feel and loops to die for. Heavy beats and uplifting vocals are the name of the game, and the game is being played at an expert level!

Ilian Tape have tapped up Jichael Mackson here for a double album of expressive and forward thinking electronic sounds. The atmosphere generally futuristic and intriguing, with tracks like 'Shangri La' riding on gentle breakbeats amongst air pads, 'Banana Jazz (Quartett)' is a high speed and live sounding jazz-breakbeat workout, 'A Jichalicious Something' is dubby and IDM inflected lushness and 'Good Morning Sunshine' is an interplanetary trip with distant cosmic pads and organic piano chords soothing mind, body and soul.

Celebrating thirty years of collaboration, Loren Connors and Alan Licht performed for two nights at OTO on May 5 and 6th, 2023. The shows celebrated a new release titled “At The Top of the Stairs”; a document of the pair's reunion in 2018 after a period of 8 years not playing together. It’s a dark, swirling two-sided spectral noir session, put out by the duo’s home label, Family Vineyard, and we expected a similar kind of atonal abyss to appear at the OTO residency. On the second night however, with the stage lit in blue, Connors took up a seat on the piano stool whilst Licht picked up the guitar. What followed was the duo’s first ever set with Connors on piano - one of only a few times Connors has played piano live at all - here captured and issued as The Blue Hour. Its spacious warmth came as a total surprise live, but makes complete sense for a duo whose dedicated expressionism takes inspiration from a vast spectrum of emotion. Both opening with single notes to start, it doesn't take long before a surface rises and begins to shimmer between the pair. A run up the keys, the drop of a feedback layer on a sustained and bent note. When the two begin to exchange notes in tandem, brief touches of melody and chord hover and the hush of the room is palpapale. After a while, Connors picks up the guitar, stands it in his lap and sweeps a wash of colour across Licht’s melody. Sharp, glassy edges begin to form, open strings and barred frets darkening the space. When his two pedals begin to merge, Licht finds a dramatic organ-like feedback and it’s hard not to imagine Rothko’s Chapel, its varying shades of blue black ascending and descending in the room. When Connors goes back to the piano for the second side, the pair quickly lock into a refrain and light pours in. It’s a kind of sound that Licht says reminds him of what he and Connors would do when the duo first started playing together 30 years ago. It’s certainly more melodic than some of their more recent shows, and the atonal shards of At The Top of the Stairs seem to totally dissolve. What is always remarkable about Licht is that his enormous frame of reference doesn't seem to weigh him down, and instead here he is able to delicately place fractures of a Jackson C Frank song (“Just Like Anything”,) amongst the vast sea of Connors’ blues. Perhaps it's the pleasure of playing two nights in a row together, or the nature of Connor’s piano playing combined with Licht’s careful listening, but the improvisation on The Blue Hour feels remarkably calm and unafraid. There’s nothing to prove and no agenda except the joy of sounding colour together. Totally beautiful.

EN:
I am thrilled to present my new musical work, "Oscillations" – an album that explores the harmonious connection between the natural world and electronic sound art. The title "Oscillations" symbolizes the vibrations and rhythms that are omnipresent in both
nature and music.

Nature is an inexhaustible source of inspiration. From the gentle waves of the ocean to the subtle oscillations of leaves in the wind – everywhere, there are rhythms and patterns that are music in their own right. These natural movements and sounds inspired me to incorporate them into my compositions and weave them with
electronic elements.

"Oscillations" attempts to bridge the organic world and the synthetic soundscape.

Electronic sounds meet acoustic instruments and merge into a new, fascinating unity.

It's about uniting the natural beauty and the technical possibilities of music to create something unique.

With a piano, a double bass, a harmonium and a Moog synthesizer, I would like to invite my listeners on a journey into my sound universe.

DE:
Mit großer Freude präsentiere ich mein drittes musikalisches Werk "Oscillations" – ein Album, das die harmonische Verbindung zwischen der natürlichen Welt und elektronischer Klangkunst erforscht. Der Titel "Oscillations" steht symbolisch für die Schwingungen und Rhythmen, die sowohl in der Natur als auch in der Musik
allgegenwärtig sind.

Die Natur ist eine unerschöpfliche Quelle der Inspiration. Von den sanften Wellenbewegungen des Ozeans bis hin zu den subtilen Schwingungen der Blätter im Wind – überall findet man Rhythmen und Muster, die auf ihre eigene Weise Musik sind. Diese natürlichen Bewegungen und Geräusche haben mich dazu inspiriert, sie in
meine Kompositionen einzubinden und sie mit elektronischen Elementen zu verweben.

"Oscillations" versucht, eine Brücke zwischen der organischen Welt und der synthetischen Klanglandschaft zu schlagen. Elektronische Klänge treffen auf akustische Instrumente und verschmelzen zu einer neuen, faszinierenden Einheit. Es geht darum, die natürliche Schönheit und die technischen Möglichkeiten der Musik zu
vereinen und daraus etwas Einzigartiges zu schaffen.
Mit einem Piano, einem Kontrabass, einem Harmonium und einem Moog Synthesizer möchte ich meine Hörer auf eine Reise in mein Klanguniversum einladen.

The Chronics is co-manager of the respected Bipolar Disorder and Primal Instinct labels along with Chlar and Alarico, and is known for his mastery of straight-up and compelling grooves and evocative anthems. He has been releasing for over a decade now and shows his versatility again here. This new release makes a debut vinyl offering from the Anglo-Australian Transition label, following millions of digital plays since its inception last summer and support from DJs like FJAAK, Anetha, Daria Kolosova, VTSS and Boys Noize.

Opener 'By My Soul' is a techno pumper with inescapable euphoria built into the diva vocals and the smart synth loops that rise up and up through the mix. It's lean and linear but packed with feelings that burst out of the speakers and hook in your heart. Dublin's Tommy Holohan is blazing an exciting path as a fine new talent who is part of Samba Boys with Kettama and has released on SCDD, Monnom Black and more. His remix is even more maximal, with happy piano stabs dropped in and a funky bassline that brings an all-new vibe.

The Chronics then serve up 'Body Harmony', a slamming but playful cut with a colourful lead synth motif and unrelenting drums. It's warm and energising while also hitting hard, especially during the epic jungle breakdown. Acclaimed techno producer and live artist Obscure Shape recently split from his long-time partner SHDW but is already making waves as a solo talent with a huge batch of unreleased music, including this remix. It's a turbocharged and nimble loop techno offering enriched with Detroit-style machine soul and precision percussion that keeps you hooked.

DJ support: Tim Sweeney, Make A Dance, Parris, Pleasure Voyage, Camillo Miranda

Back yard - Back yard is the first single from the new Teen Daze album, Elegant rhythms, and features singer-songwriter Andy Shauf on drums, and LA jazz staple, Sam Wilkes, on bass. This is a stark change in sound for Teen Daze, who’s last album Interior was an exploration of neon-lit House music. Back yard is a mellow groover, conjuring up images of Laurel Canyon in the 70s, yet still with its flourishes of contemporary sounds.

We’re out of phase again - We’re out of phase again is another vulnerable glimpse into the inner world of Teen Daze, and marks the release of his most personal album to date, Elegant rhythms. In contrast to the synthesized, digital world of his prior album, Interior, here we’ve been brought into a lush, organic arrangement, brought to you in large part to the stunning bass playing by Sam Wilkes. While the verses pulse forward, the chorus slows things down, and evokes the sophisti-pop sounds of The Blue Nile. This track is a stunning showcase of the world of Elegant rhythms.

Nothing’s gonna change my love - Teen Daze returns with his second single of the year, Nothing’s gonna change my love. The stark change in sound, as heard on previous single Back yard, is on display here again: a smouldering, 2 and a half minutes of slow jazz-pop, indebted to the great Sade, or perhaps the feeling of leaving downtown LA at 2 AM. Lyrically, we hear a story of a love, challenged by the unpredictable nature of our lives. This may be Teen Daze’s smoothest song to date.

Neighbourhood - Neighbourhood is the third single from the recently announced LP from Teen Daze, Elegant Rhythms. Along with Andy Shauf on the drums, and Sam Wilkes on the bass, Teen Daze gives us a languid tour of his quiet neighbourhood. The sun has set on the pleasant, tree-lined streets, and a stranger, more surreal environment presents itself. The song plods forward at an extremely comfortable pace, held down by the paradoxically loose-yet-tight rhythm section. Lyrically, we walk around the Neighbourhood at night, and while the chorus reveals a type of sobriety, the vibe of the song makes it easy to feel a little…effected.

Fade away - Fade away sets the tone for Elegant Rhythm’s side B: a deeply personal, though somewhat veiled, confession of loss. How does it feel to grieve something that was never really here? A smouldering, slowly progressing first half erupts in synthetic noise, and then fades into the ether with it’s repeating refrain, “I can feel you / feel you fade away / when there’s nothing / nothing left to say”.

Fall ahead - A sweet piano tune which serves as a quiet break in the record, intended to help the listener reflect and take a moment of pause before we reach the final two songs on the album.

HST underwater - The penultimate track on the record tells a story where the narrator finds themself in an alien, yet oddly familiar place. Arpeggios soaked in crystal blue water flow through the stereo field, while the narrator, vocoded and drenched in autotune, searches for meaning and purpose in a confusing world. This is one of Teen Daze’s most cinematic, emotional songs yet.

In the rain - It’s never really made explicitly clear on this record, but a lot of these songs find Teen Daze wrestling with life as a new father, and this song, the final on the album, expresses the fears of generational trauma. A touching, tender ode to his children, we hear Teen Daze at his most personal and vulnerable. The falling rain surrounds some absolutely breathtaking bass playing from Sam Wilkes, and Teen Daze’s signature ambient keyboard sounds.

Radio Support: Ruf Dug (Soup To Nuts on NTS)

In Mr Bongo’s opinion, 'Imprevisto' is one of the most unmistakable Brazilian jazz records ever made. Dramatic intro and hypnotic piano line, decorated with panned percussion before the hats come in. Then the upright bass. A true classic.

Bossa Três formed in 1961 in Rio. They spent most of their early years touring jazz clubs in the USA, before the original line up and their pianist (and perhaps most well-known band member) Luis Carlos Vinhas, returned to Brazil. This is the final track on their Em Forma! LP from 1965, released on Forma. The original pressing of this Brazil 45 was the first time ‘Imprevisto’ had been released on a 7”.

We know very little about Ana Rosely. She released four 7” 2-track records between 1975 and 1984, the latter featuring the brilliant ‘Skim Dum Dum Dum’. The original version was released by RGE Discos in 1984, which came as a surprise to us given the sound. It is very difficult to find an original copy in good condition and they are, as ever, increasing in price.

Norwegian talent Meera makes her Crosstown Rebelsdebut with the atmospheric ‘Stikk’. Landing on 30th August, the EP sees the young artist flex her production prowess with remixes from Dennis Cruz and Tripolism.

Riding the success of her debut single ‘Music For Humans’ in 2023, Norway’s Meera was swiftly recruited by Damian Lazarus, joining him at his Hï Ibiza residency before heading to Rebellion for the release of the resonant ‘Teflon’. The sought-after artist has shown no signs of slowing, releasing a series of remixes this year amongst European shows, festival appearances, and Ibiza
pit stops. Continuing this momentum, she now makes her label debut on Lazarus’ renowned Crosstown Rebels with ‘Stikk’, with imprint regular Dennis Cruz joining on remix duties alongside melodic Danish trio and former collaborators Tripolism, who also make their first outing on Crosstown.

Landing in realms of afro-house, Meera’s production is cool, confident, and creative. With eclectic influences audible throughout her standout sound, her ‘Stikk’ EP proves why she first garnered the attention of artists such as Jimi Jules and John Digweed. The title track leads with minimal climbing percussion, introspective piano melodies and delicate, dreamlike vocals. In contrast, Tripolism’s remix turns up the intensity to a biting crescendo, adding sharp synths for a more dancefloor-focused feeling. ‘Sykkelkurv’ reaches for higher planes of emotion with its atmospheric soundscape, moody chords and driving drums, toeing the line between light and dark. Next, Dennis Cruz’s interpretation drives the track off the line and into deeper rhythms with chunky low-ends, picking up the pace for peak time. Digital purchasers are treated to a bonus track titled ‘Stikk Reprise’, a pulsating trip back into the lead single, with a heightened focus on the song's hypnotic vocals and raw emotive energy.

Calm's superb Before album is the gift that keeps on giving as Hell Yeah serves up a collection of the best remixes from it. Willie Graff, Gallo and Aura Safari all step up on a fresh 12" that lands this summer.

Before arrived on double vinyl in 2022 after a CD-only release in Japan in 2021. Since then it has become a Balearic mainstay and go-to record for lovers of lavish downtempo sounds. Now, remixes of three tracks from it all appear on this one record with Ibirican-American Willie Graff going first. He is a deep house don who has held several key residencies around the world while dropping his sublime sounds on the likes of Leng, Music For Dreams and many more. His remix of 'I Love You' is a gloriously horizontal one with blissful piano keys rippling over the bubbly drums and bass. Yearning reed melodies add an emotional romantic edge to make this a standout in any setting. Then comes Gallo, the Balearic Gabba Sound System member and resident at Berlin Balearic nightspot Buena Onda. His 'Tropical Hinterhof' remix of 'I Love You' is expertly exotic and soothing as mellifluous keys rain down over a groove as smooth as silk. It's a heart-achingly beautiful sound that will make for truly special moments on the dance floor.

Italian collective Aura Safari then offers two different remixes. They are master musicians who have served up a superb double album Islands Dreams here in late 2023 where they showcased their escapist blend of dub, jazz, Afro-cosmic, Balearica and boogie. First up, 'Feel It' (Aura Safari Desert mix) is six minutes of oriental melody over loose drums. There's a playful feel to the dancing piano keys and richness in the percussion that makes this one a sophisticated sound for both early evening warm-ups or moments of late-night reflection. 'Kunpoo' (Aura Safari Daydream mix) has a nineties feel with its gentle breaks, hypnotic string loops, and sustained chords. They break over you in gentle rays of earth and euphoria to ensure utterly blissed-out results.

These four versions all bring sophisticated dance floor energy to the timeless originals.

DJ Support: Louie Vega, Ralf Gum, Jihad Muhammad, Zepherin Saint, Mr. V, Doug Gomez DjPope, DJ Beloved & Brutha Basil to name a few.

Sean McCabe’s Good Vibrations Music label opens the vault doors for a peek inside some of its closely guarded & much-loved releases courtesy of this special limited edition 12 inch. Featuring 4 new to vinyl releases & including a raft of luminary names from across the soulful spectrum this is sure to be a be a hot fave with long standing fans of the label.

Glenn Underground’s Jazz-Funk fuelled rework of 'This Place' kicks things off and needs no introduction… heavily supported & much loved through the soulful circles & beyond with the likes of Louie Vega, Dave Lee, Jimpster, Jamie 3:26 & Fred Everything (to name a few!) all loudly banging the drum – people have been clamouring for this to be on vinyl. You spoke, we listened!

Up next is 'Modulate', a collaborative force of the highest order between Sean & long-time friend Black Sonix. Expertly fuzzying the lines across Deep, Soulful & House is somewhat of a speciality for the duo respectively and there’s bags of all 3 intertwined throughout alongside a hefty sprinkling of sun-kissed, Latino-inspired pianos.

'Still Standing Here' kicks things off on the B-side and begin in March 2022 as vocalist Madeeha recorded an accapella vocal idea in a phone voice message, quietly singing into her phone to avoid waking the neighbours. She sent the idea to drum & bass producer from Bristol, DJ Mixjah, who then approached friend Sean McCabe with the idea. Together they produced a hypnotic afro-tinged soulful backing track to fit with the voice message, with an intention to re-record it in a studio environment. Sean and Mixjah soon realised that the music they had created blended perfectly with the sincerity, intimacy & rawness of Madeeha's heartfelt performance in the original voice message and decided to stick with it. A firm fave for Atjazz, Crackazat , DJ Spen & Emmaculate.

Wrapping things up is 'You Don’t Know', a slick & energetic dancefloor bubbler from London based producer/DJ ‘David Bailey’ and Canadian soulful songstress ‘MissFly’. David Bailey is a firm favourite amongst the London house music community. He’s produced standout releases on labels such as Idris Elba's 7wallace, Makin Moves, Good Vibrations Music, Rhemi Music & Unquantize. MissFly is known for her soulful serenades and ability to write songs 'on the fly' in the studio. She has carved out an impressive discography on soulful house nuggets such as '1972,' 'Wanna Love You' and 'Thankful'

Support from David Holmes, Sean Johnston (ALFOS), PBR Streetgang, Phat Phil Cooper, Leo Mas, Balearic Ultras, Cesar de Melero, Pathaan Ahmed, Chris Coco

We have been huge fans of Spacemen 3 since the late 80s, so this track definitely has that classic indie dance vibe and it pushes all the right buttons on the dancefloor. We have also paid homage here to another favourite track which is 'Loaded' by using the same Edie Brickell drum sample to create our own uniquely laid back sunshine groove.

MRAK unveils a six-track collection of new material. “This is a snapshot of my reality. It is a composition, a challenge, that I took not knowing the outcome and its price - the amount of logical mazes I had to overcome and I still am. The biggest honour and most humble experience is the possibility to feel any sparkle of emotion, providing fragments of the music and the reality that I’ve developed as an artist over the years. My imprint soul and commitment to melody are adamant, as is the pledge to deliver and be loyal to this abstract entity called music; that gently accompanies our lives.” MRAK As one of the founders of Afterlife, MRAK is now reshaping the afterlife paradigma. Introducing a sharp and elegant but distinctive musical equation. On The Pledge, he presents six compositions, all bound to the Afterlife ethos. ‘The World‘ featuring vocalist braev. Sombre piano keys and urgent strings accompany energetic synth layers. ‘The Process works from a hypnotic low end, supporting a solid melody that increases in intensity as the track develops. For ‘Their Law ’MRAK teams up with David Lindmer, crafting an undulating track with captivating melodies and harmonies. With ‘Portal ’the realm of consciousness beckons us in, with a female vocal reverberating intermittently, complementing the dark bassline and bright synth lines. Penultimate track ‘The Flame features braev and Canadian vocalist Wasiu for a three-way collaboration steeped in emotion. It utilises a heartfelt vocal alongside a spoken-word segment, striking the balance between emotion and high energy. Lastly, MRAK collaborates with Omnya on the remix of ‘Never Ends’. The main melody provides an uplifting vibration, juxtaposed with the darker elements of this journey to the close of the EP…

Seattle's own Manatee Commune (aka Grant Eadie) makes his long-awaited return to
Bastard Jazz with his fourth album, 'Simultaneity'. Lush and vibrant production is
familiar to his previous works, though Eadie has significantly matured in the activation of
space and character. A step away from standard songwriting, and a total disassociation
from lyrics at all, has made this record closer to the ambient genre than anything
Manatee Commune has released, all the while keeping one solid foot in the realm of
dance music.

'Simultaneity', as a whole, is an exploration of the collision between texture and time.
Captured recordings reminiscent of wind in wheatgrass, soft rain showers in the open
plains, and cascading beach sand wash over the mix, splashing into warm drones and
ascending melodies that cleanly syncopate against a steady rhythm. Though decidedly
electronic at times, a raw human element is ever-present in the form of a vocal motif:
just tiny moments of a loving voice lost in a sea of reverberation.

The album is a noticeably positive evolution from previous works. All nine tracks depict
a calmness and subtlety in musicianship, relying primarily on tenuous snippets of live
instrumentation and synthesis that hypnotically coil and coalesce with one another.
'Love Tone', the opening track, features Eadie's partner, a small voice memo clipped
and expanded into an ethereal vocal melody. A crisp felt piano delivers a complex
arpeggiation in 'Mosaic', a warm sonic bath scape reminiscent of Olafur Arnalds or
Kiasmos. Simple, undemanding bass lines drive tracks 'Path' and 'Faulted', though their
simplicity is contrasted with a variety of patterns that combine to create unique auditory
shapes, both building and landing in satisfying climactic movement. The album
culminates in the final track, 'Touch Theme', where a block of sound in the form of a
broad, open synthetic chord warms the ears, eventually twisting and shifting to rhythmic
chunks that shove against a familiar house rhythm.

YARN Records welcomes veteran Anton Kubikov for the imprint's eighth release. The "Attic Eccentric EP" features two deeply musical, exquisitely detailed arrangements by Kubikov drenched in emotion and, on the flip side, a 13-minute monster remix by Sleep is Commercial luminaries Andrea Ferlin.

'Last Days' (A1) is a lustrous, sophisticated, deep ride through dubby cinematic spaces where abstract sounds, grainy voices, melancholy, and rhythm coexist in harmony. 'C'est Anna' (A2) continues the cinematic exploration further, expanding the soundscapes through mysterious melodies, grainy atmospheres, and elastic piano echos topped with slightly acid bass stabs, resulting in an elegant, murky dub groover for those looking into music with sonic depth. On the flip side, Andrea Ferlin remixes 'Last Days' (B1), twisting and mutating it into a rolling techno groover of pure dancefloor shamanism. With razor-sharp drum programming, stomping acidic bass, heaps of atmosphere and a barrage of micro-detail, Andrea's rendition of Kubikov's 'Last Days' ends the EP in style.

The initial release from Washington DC based Enman Recordings is a hypnotic deep groover centered around an evolving synth lead that builds to create beautiful tension. The remix is helmed by none other than Parisian House legend, Franck Roger. His remix has his signature bounce, guaranteed to lift any dance floor! The Bside No Accident is a tough dance floor banger with carefully selected jazz horns and spoken words from one of the icons of jazz.
The EP closes out with Fall In, a stripped down house groover with heavily saturated drums. It adds beautiful piano samples and vocals to lift the track. Great for getting those dance floors warmed up.

"This is a live album that was taken from the tour for YTILAER. Songs tend to mutate after they"ve been recorded. These songs were mutating faster than usual. Like whatever happened to Bruce Banner in the lab - I knew these songs were about to get superpowers. As far as I was concerned, this change needed to be documented. The best thing about documenting something is that it gives the creator permission to move on should they wish to move on. I usually prefer to move on. These songs were recorded in Chicago, America"s heart. And at one of the best clubs in the country - I try to only work with venues that are not entangled with LiveNation/Ticketmaster. Thalia Hall, baby. Stay free. The date was mid-point in the tour, so I knew we"d be as hot as we were going to get. Not too green, not too brown. There was the thought, "let"s take this op to make it something special." So we took advantage of Chicago"s easily accessible players - we got Nick Mazzarella to add alto sax to one song, and from the opening band, Pascal Kerong"A to sing on a song, and Nathaniel Ballinger on piano on one song - and I couldn"t pass up the opportunity to invite Joshua Abrams and Lisa Alvarado to play on "Natural Information." The hardest part of making the record was cutting songs out - it could have been a triple album. But I don"t know, maybe the show should have been this short?" - Bill Callahan

" In 2022, Guts brought together his musical family for his ‘Estrellas’ album. An ambitious project that brought together musicians from: Franc, Cuba and various African countries. For a journey that was as rich artistically as it was humanly. The list of superlatives was almost endless, "Formidable", "incredible", "unforgettable" and "magical" all thrown into the pot, during these magical moments in the Dakar studio. From the seventeen tracks heard on the original album, three have been entrusted to the expert and inventive hands of four producers, who have come up with new interpretations bringing Africa and the Caribbean together for a modern dancefloor.

‘Por Que Ou Ka Fe Sa’ (Poirier Remix)
From his studio in Montreal, Canadian Poirier has opted for a strong groove and relentless bass drum to keep out intruders, putting vocalists David Walters and Brenda Navarrete in a rhythmic cocoon. Accompanied in a slightly moody bassline that adds some driving muscle to the track. The hooky guitar line eventually gives way to the saxophone that emerges from the mix to parade around the front line. The original electric piano is replaced by a synth pad that loops and spins driving the track to its conclusion.

‘Por Que Ou Ka Fe Sa’ (David Walters Remix)
Before recording this track, David Walters and Brenda Navarette didn't even know each other. So in the magic of the moment that brought them together is a genuine and sincere artistic bond. It is no longer Guts but David who is at the musical helm, and before they too can savour the connection between the two artists, the dancers will have to pass through an overheated corridor where a Caribbean rhythm resonates with percussion. Digital and woodwind swirl and clash until the vocal encounter with the artists. It's a moment of respite that's as suspended as it is life-saving, because the exit is also via the famous corridor.

‘San Lazaro’ (Bosq Remix)
On Bosq’s mix, he’s opted to maintain things focused on the dancefloor, keeping the percussion persistent for the unleashed bodies of the dancers to smile. It's once again the walking bass line rises to the forefront of the groove, softening the shocks of the relentless kick drum. Roberto Valdes's timeless piano has disappeared, while guitars float and add to the atmosphere. The track is no longer awash in cigar smoke. Under Akemis's powerful vocals the low ceiling has disappeared, and the open roof is more a brass-lit spectacle. That doesn't make things any less overheated though, this one is sweaty until the end.

‘Medewui’ (Captain Planet Remix)
Captain Planet brings the dancer’s attention to the Afrobeat flavored jam that rocked the original, highlighting the Pat Kalla & Assane Mboup duet. Despite the track remaining mid tempo, laying back is no longer the order of the day as this mix really develops. The drums are more present jolting along with the organ in the first half. Once all the storytellers have taken their microphones, the rhythmic beats are doubled and the track is carried towards a frenzy of Afro-Latin dancing. Fired up by the brass and percussion, it’s this almost switch up that takes hold of the second part of the tune, with some righteous authority and relentless piano and trumpet."

Während ihr Stones Throw-Debüt Overstand instrumental war, fühlten sich Apifera bei den Aufnahmen zu Keep The Outside Open zu einer intimeren Herangehensweise bereit. Sie ließen ihrer Vorstellungskraft freien Lauf und verpackten persönliche Alltagsgeschichten in Fantasie und fiktive Charaktere.
Die Mitglieder von Apifera - Nitai Hershkovits, Yuvi Havkin, Yonatan Albalak und Amir Bresler - sind alle tief in ihrer musikalischen Community verwurzelt: Yuvi veröffentlicht als Rejoicer elektronischen Jazz, Yonatan ist Frontmann der Post-Rock/Psych-Jazz-Band Geshem, Amirs Gruppe Liquid Saloon mischt Afrobeat mit Jazz-Funk, und Nitai ist vor allem für seine Solo-Piano-Platten bekannt, von denen ein Album 2023 bei ECM erschien. Für den Schlusssong des Albums, „Sera Sam“, haben sie ihren Freund, den Trompeter Avishai Cohen, mit ins Boot geholt. Der Titel des neuen Albums entstand, nachdem jemand nach einem Auftritt in ihrem Lieblings-Jazzclub gerufen hatten: „We're closing the outside“. Keep The Outside Open ist ein Appell an die Welt, offen zu bleiben. Zu ihrem freien und wilden Zustand zurückzukehren.

2024 Repress

Mariah was a Japanese outfit in the field of art pop, way back in the very late 70s and early 80s with 5 albums up their score from 1980 to 1983. The album from 1979 entitled as “Mariah” was actually made before the band Mariah was formed, and was released as a solo album by Yasuaki Shimizu. The album at hand is the fifth and for the time being last album in this row, released as a double vinyl back in 1983. Original copies, that are at least in very good condition, are hard to find. The brand new reissue on Everland, unlike the original and the first vinyl reissue from 2015, comes housed in a thick and artfully designed gatefold sleeve with OBI, which finally does justice to the progressive spirit of the music you will find here.

The musical basement of Utakata No Hibi is a fusion of dreamy synthesizer pop and haunting new wave music, that could be found all around the globe back in 1983. In the vein of TEARS FOR FEARS or more adventurous DAVID BOWIE stuff, with a touch of KRAFTWERK or even BRIAN ENO here and there, but all this gets spiced up with an atmosphere of Japanese traditionalism, with a few bits and pieces from the old music from this Far East island, which sounds so magic to us Westeners. The progressive, wacky art pop of this project was led by the popular Japanese composer and musician Yasuaki Shimizu, a relentlessly exploratory saxophonist who even dared to rework Johann Sebastian Bach’s cello suites for saxophone.

As brilliant as this man is, the music on „Utakata No Hibi“ turns out to be. And the master himself approved and much appreciated the brandnew remastering of this album by assisting a highly professional team of sound engineers who dusted off the ancient tape reels. For certain the record sounds and feels 80s through and through, electronic to the very rhythmical bone of each song sugar coated with catchy melodies that resemble Japanese classic and Enka music, which is a kind of folksy pop music. The listener gets directly drawn into a feverish dream of steaming Far Eastern cities and their darkest and most depraved corners where you find everything cheap in sleazy bars and unlighted backyards and alleys. The next moment he strolls through a beautiful Japanese park surrounded by a sea of blossoms. This change in mood and style you will experience in the sparsely instrumented tune „Shisen“, which indeed comes closest to classic Japanese folk tunes without any too catchy and pop oriented melodies. But we certainly find these harmonies allover the album. Some tunes even feel like ancient BEACH BOYS compositions and Brian Wilson creations played by a then contemporary electronic pop act and sung in Japanese.

An amazingly colorful album with songs that are based on solid substance rather than cheap pop structures. This is music for the bold listeners and music lovers and this awesome reissue should quickly find it’s way into the record collections of 80s synth and art pop aficionadoes.

Yasuaki Shimizu did what he wanted with MARIAH, pushed the borders of popular music further than anybody would have thought. Listen to a track like „Shonen“ with a repetitive rhythm pattern that hypnotizes you and somehow silky melodylines by saxophone and synth piano upon which a female voice sings in a very spiritual way. Praising pop or whatever this can be called, it is sheer magic put in music. I wonder if this would have made it into the charts back then, but you never know. It is a piece of musical art that shall be listened to.

Jasper Street Co. is one of the House Music community’s signature artist endeavors. Produced by Baltimore’s legendary production team The Basement Boys, and consisting of a collection of singers who can emote on the highest level of gospel, soulful and peak hour house, this collective has been riding high for years and is now going next level with the recent release of the “Rejoicing” album on Nervous Records. Prior releases from the album have skyrocketed to the top of DJ sales and club charts, with “Praying For You” being nominated for a Grammy for the Louie Vega remix in the Best Remixed Recording (non-classical) category.

Up next is a cover version of a song originally recorded by Teddy Pendergrass. Written and produced by Gamble & Huff, “You’re My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration” was originally released on Philly International Records in 1981. It was a massive R&B & Disco hit back then, and now has been updated by Jasper Street Co. for the house music community. The single package has an outstanding collection of remixers on board who make the project something even more special for the purists but also will launch into the larger worldwide music community. Teddy Douglas produced the original album version, but comes back for another take while adding some serious bass / kick drum juice with his Teddy Douglas Bass Intro Remix. Micfreak and DJ Spen put a highly creative spin on the original with some added effects on the vocal and a piano line that soars into the highest level of peak hour house energy with their Higher Love Remixes. Tensnake also gives it a very distinctive and infectious groove, while Dr. Packer takes all the original elements and uses his great talents and appreciation for soulful house and disco to make this project even more essential for house purists than it already is!

Double Vinyl package on Feb. 5 on Nervous Records. Includes custom jacket and yellow vinyl.

‘Danse Cette Zik!’ by Parbleu is the debut LP from this enigmatic group of musicians and is a multi-cultural fever dream, wherein energized expanses of dynamic disco, futuristic funk, and cinematic jazz fusion are colored over by warming vibes of Caribbean dub, Latin tropicalia, and sunshine Afrobeat. Evocative instrumentals intertwine with breathtaking vocal performances, which move between sleepy-eyed soul serenades, mystical melodic chants, and expressive diva enchantments while pads swell in support—sometimes sparkling like ocean glass, other times raining down like a Morricone symphony.

Pianos and guitars converse via funk flourishes, reggae riffs, and jazz rock solos as blazing fusion synthesizers set the air aflame. Drums move between kinetic dancefloor urgency and islander rhythm relaxation and hand percussions both organic and electronic evoke rainforest ceremonials while basslines revel in 70s fusion fire and Italo synth-funk squelch. And the entire experience has been expertly captured and magically crafted by the sorcerers of sound at the West Hill Studio, resulting in a thrilling adventure of imagined exotica, one equally adept at scoring coastal paradises, filmic deserts, riviera cruises, or nightclubs sweltering in the light of a mediterranean moon.

(Words by Octagon Eyes)

Mannequin Records is proud to present the official reissue of Caroline K's outstanding 1987 album, "Now Wait For Last Year."



This haunting, wistful work of post-industrial synthesizer music sees the late Nocturnal Emissions co-founder only solo record, which has accrued a fervent cult following over the past 40 years, and copies of the original pressing are today extremely rare and sought-after.

The music on "Now Wait For Last Year" seems to exist firmly outside of it. Tags like industrial, minimal synth or proto-techno can't really do justice to the richly cinematic sound-world that Caroline K describes: from the sustained ambient tension of sidelong opener "The Happening World" to the future-primitive rhythms and stately piano flourishes "Animal Lattice", and the melancholic, deep-frozen synth sequences of "Cheart".



For fans of Throbbing Gristle, Chris Carter, Nocturnal Emissions and even early Detroit techno lovers should pay special attention to it.



All selections composed, arranged and played by Caroline K

Recorded and produced by Caroline K



Photograph by Jake Kirkwood

Original design by Nigel Ayers



The first five tracks of Now Wait For Last Year were originally released as a vinyl LP by Earthly Delights in 1987

Ten years after his first full-length effort ‘Man Is Deaf’ landed him firmly in the runnings for DJ Mag’s album of the year, prodigal son Michael Anthony Wright AKA Brassica returns to Civil Music with a deeply accomplished, painstakingly whittled LP of hydraulic electro slickness, rich synthscapes, and hooky, peak-time tearjerkers for the most discerning front-left lifers. ‘Tribeless Gathering’ is a barnstorming testament to Brassica’s stylistic and timbral deftness, touching down in the elusive epicentre of the club/home listening venn diagram with ease.

From the elastic, neon acid pointillism of opener ‘Hop Kweng’ to the mardy, miasmic plod of closing chugger ‘Changa Hill’, Brassica seamlessly segues between avenues of influence, his notoriously omnivorous musical knowledge roadmapping each turn. Raised on a diet of everything from early rave standards to metal, and schooled in avant garde sonics as a student of sound design at LCC, Brassica does a peerless job of sublimating his countless influences into a record of refined, heterogeneous, and most crucially, catchy, club moods.

Less spartan than his more recent oeuvre on Feel My Bicep, and less baroque than his technicolour experiments in postmodern synth pop with vocalist Stuart Warwick, Tribeless Gathering represents Brassica’s triumphant return to the main room, replete with rushy hooks primed for the planet’s finest soundsystems, and passages of heads-down tension bound to draw listeners right to the edge of their seats. Overall it is a concise and refined testament to Wright’s command of spectral sonics and effortless ability to pressurise a dancefloor. It is no surprise that he has also worked as a prolific mastering engineer, tuning music from a plethora of dance disciplines for maximum club impact. This work extends to his own projects (including this one), cementing them as rare expressions of complete artistry from studio to turntable.

As we delve deeper into the record, we are ushered through a series of accomplished and varied club moods, each channelling a unique cocktail of influences, but retaining a warm, ebullient analogue sensibility unique to Brassica’s work. This playful scope of influence calls to mind James T Cotton or Machinedrum’s experiments in dance music form, but Wright manages it all under one roof, wrangling everything from sashaying wub-laden two step to snarling Dillinja-esque FM damage into something inherently his.

Choice cut ‘Change Yourself’ layers an almost Cerrone-like piano refrain over radiant surges of saturated bass, dubby, strobing chords and a jagged, driving break, building to a jaw-clenching apex of dancefloor elation, while the rude, playful half-step of ‘Elevation’ breaks down the vintage speed garage formula into linear fragments, utilising a tight palette of resonant bass slugs, infectious synth leads and Papua New Guinea-style vocal strobes. The aptly named ‘Hold Tight’ fuses heart-in-mouth UK ‘ardkore pads with glissando acid disturbance and surgical snare fills in a formula which recalls the ethereal grit of Nubian Mindz’ 00s experiments in big-smoke break science, while the questing melodic arcs and arpeggiated squarewaves of ‘Pinball Marinara’ could easily have soundtracked an 80s sci-fi epic, beset with sparkling, bare-bones drum programming and hazy beds of sub sediment.

With ‘Tribeless Gathering’, Brassica both irreverently fuses and pays homage to the many unique and weird permutations of UK dance music. The short lived gathering of junglists, ravers and house hotsteppas of a similar name may have long since dissipated, along with the tribes themselves, but across these 11 tracks, he lays a blueprint for a new sound of togetherness.

Our eighth chapter of Small Great Things is introduced by our resident, David Silver. The limited vinyl and digital release, titled the 'My Japanese Friend EP,' features four exquisite original tracks. This EP seamlessly blends deep and classic house vibes with contemporary beats, ensuring a refreshing dance floor experience.

Starting with the A1 side, 'Trademark' initiates the journey with a solid house groove complemented by stabs and a robust bassline. Transitioning to the A2 track, the title piece 'My Japanese Friend' assumes center stage with its infectious groovy bassline, piano chords, and captivating drums, enveloped by ambient jazzy melodies.

Turning over to the B side, we encounter two more enticing house compositions. On B1, David's 'U Move' delivers a fresh, dance floor-ready cut, featuring vocals and guitars. B2 takes the spotlight with 'Peace & Low,' a finely crafted deep house gem.

Long time Djoon club resident and one of Paris’ most prolific producers, Lucas Moinet (Groove Boys Project, Keraw, Projecture) makes his long overdue debut on The Djoon Experience. On the A side, the aptly titled "The Sounds of Deepness" (ft. Stupid Flash on bass) takes you on a raw & soulful journey - while the B side delivers two more 8mn long spiritual soundscapes, “Planet Earth” & “The Piano Ritual” - simply put, this lush, 3 track EP is nothing short of a deep house masterclass.

Chamber music masterpiece with electronics

Albert Alan Owen was born in Wales in 1948 to parents of Welsh and Latvian heritage. His family later moved to Zimbabwe, where his father took up a teaching position. There, Owen was deeply influenced by local music and culture, while also exploring American RnB and jazz. It was during this period that he became acutely aware of the harsh inequalities under British colonial rule, which instilled in him a lifelong aversion to discrimination and racism.
In 1967, Owen returned to Europe to pursue his studies and enrolled at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He went on to spend time in Paris, studying composition with the eminent Nadia Boulanger and piano under Jacques Février, a favorite pianist of Ravel’s and Poulenc’s. Owen's focus shifted almost entirely to composition, and the acquisition of a Fender Rhodes electric piano marked the beginning of a divorce from his classical Western training. This transition allowed him to merge his passion for African and African-American music with the impressionistic styles of Ravel and Debussy while exploring the innovative realm of electroacoustic composition.
These formative experiences framed Owen’s career as a composer and educator at the Royal Academy of Music and London’s Working Men’s College. He eventually returned to Wales, where he continues to reside.

In 1979, 29-year-old Albert Alan Owen released Keyboards & Strings, a light magical chamber music masterpiece.
Transcending the formal conventions of its era, Keyboard & Strings is an acoustic and electric piano piece, where the violin is met by synths and electronics.
As is often the case in Albert Alan Owen’s most intimate works, there is a sense of ethereal beauty that emerges from the music, akin to the emotional state one might experience while contemplating a Félix Vallotton landscape or the unfathomable mystery of dawn’s first light.
Quiet, profound, and immersive, Keyboard & Strings stands out as an electronic-age tone poem, a rare gem that transcends time and place.

Multi-award-winning singer-songwriter and leading UK jazz vocalist Zara McFarlane releases Sweet Whispers – Celebrating Sarah Vaughan on 14th June. The album honours the jazz great who inspired her on her own artistic journey and whose centenary year is marked in 2024.

‘Sweet Whispers’ is more than a run-through of some of Vaughan’s most popular songs. It’s not hard to imagine the immense task in selecting those songs, after all, Vaughan’s recording career spanned 50 years notching up almost 60 albums (plus nearly 30 again in compilations and box sets). Through a thoughtfully chosen selection of songs, formed across months in collaboration with producer, and the album’s clarinettist and saxman, Giacomo Smith – Zara journeys through the musical life of Sarah Vaughan, from her first to last recording, bringing to life and breathing new life into some of her best and less familiar songs. But importantly, the songs that mean the most to Zara.

Zara McFarlane said “It was when I started to listen to Sarah Vaughan that I really began to appreciate jazz vocals. She had such control across her range and a vocal command that was cheeky, playful and fun yet sophisticated and articulate. I really wanted to pay homage to her as I feel she has been somewhat overlooked amongst the jazz singers. Although I do love Ella and Billie, it's all about Sarah for me.”

‘Sweet Whispers – Celebrating Sarah Vaughan’ was recorded analogue at Durham Studios, London. Giacomo assembled a stellar cast of musicians - Joe Webb on piano, Ferg Ireland on double bass, Jas Kayser on drums, Marlon Hibbert on Steel Pan and Gabriella Swallow on cello – to record 11 tracks live to tape; with minimal overdubs, the recording has retained a live, vintage feel. A celebration of Sarah Vaughan could be in no better hands than that of Zara McFarlane, who makes an inspired homage to the ‘Divine One’. Beautifully performed in Zara’s own inimitable style, with her own playful swoops and slides, she has added her own
touch to the music. With a silken voice and timbre that bring emotional depth, attitude and personality to this collection of SaraH Vaughan songs, this is a masterful celebration

2024 Repress

Straight in the wake of their eponymous debut LP released on the label back in 2016, Weval return to Kompakt this year with their sophomore album, 'The Weight', breaking their pop-mellow, nostalgia-friendly facet further out in the open as they arrive "at this place again were everything felt spontaneous, new and exciting, like we had in the beginning". Orbiting around that ever luminous yet wistful melodic halo that surrounds their music, this second full-length effort sweeps an extra-wide and languidly woven palette of emotions and moods, making for a uniquely ambitious and generously coloured mosaic of sound. If the recording sessions "often started grumpy and emotionless" by Harm and Merijn's own admission, the pair was "surprised by the joy it gave us, which can be compared to the emotions we felt back in the first days of making music together"; subsequently reconnecting with that fresh, naïve feeling of "absolute creative freedom" they were after. The album is also the fruit of a whole new working process for them - more playful and unpredictable - which saw them switch from "guitars lying around to piano, onto our own synths and the most cheap quirky toys synths you can imagine", and involved "recording all of our own samples, voice and almost every instrument out of the box - which for us was a totally new way of working". "We've always wanted a narrative for the album, and finding the right order perhaps took the most effort" they explain; "we felt anxious, felt insanely positive, felt heartbroken again, felt in love again, and there was death, and even suicide around us. It was quite chaotic. As a whole, 'The Weight' breathes with that transformative richness, free of limits and rules, except perhaps to "do quick and not think too much". Amidst this collection of songs and instrumentals that live by Weval's singularly positive take on music - one that can "lift you up, and make you feel hopeful without being necessarily straight out 'happy'" as they define it, the title-track and lead single stays true to the duo's dynamic approach, putting on a fine balance of floor and dream inducing adaptability that sound engineer David Wrench (Frank Ocean, The XX, FKA Twigs, Caribou… etc.) subtly made palpable. There's heavy showers of funk drops pouring from endless bars of thunderstorm clouds and laid-back riffs beating a restrained poolside-party kind of pulse, but also sensual vocals rising from beneath the sheets and rueful polaroid-filtered ambiences to soundtrack all possible moments in life - from the most euphoric to those when music seems the only viable healing potion. More on the post-KLF, BoC-inflected electronica side of things, 'Are You Even Real' takes its listener for a round-trip across the star-studded dome and beyond, before songs like 'Someday' and 'Same Little Thing' head back down to a state of pulsating, earthly organicity, tense and mercurial as get. An arpeggiated slice of piano-strewn kosmische, 'Heaven' is another invitation to an epic-scale odyssey from the inner-spheres into the distant fringes of the outer-world. Weightless and airy, yet texturally dense and widely magnetic overall, Weval second LP is a synthesis of the duo's multi-angle take on electronics: blissed-out, heartening and infinitely free.
Nur zweieinhalb Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung ihres selbstbetitelten Debutalbums finden sich WEVAL zurück "an jenem Ort, an dem sich alles spontan, neu und aufregend anfühlt - so wie als wir anfingen zusammen Musik zu schreiben". An diesem Ort entstand "The Weight", ihr zweiter Longplayer, auf dem Weval sich ganz den Pop-verliebten, Nostalgie-freundlichen Facetten ihres Sounds öffnen. Stetig um den sehnsuchtsvollen Strahlenkranz ihrer Melodien tanzend, legt diese Platte noch vielschichtigere, mit feinster Präzision gewobene Gefühlswelten frei.

Obwohl die Aufnahmesessions nach eigenem Bekunden oftmals "miesepetrig und emotionsarm" begannen, so war das Duo überrascht darüber, wie schnell sich bei der Arbeit jene Freude einstellte, die sie aus ihren künstlerischen Anfangstagen kannten, eine Woge des frischen, naiven Gefühls der "absoluten kreativen Freiheit". Dieses Album ist die Frucht eines verspielteren und unvorhersehbareren Arbeitsprozesses innerhalb der Band, in welchem alles zum Einsatz kam, was ihnen in die Finger kam - von der ollen Gitarre, die in der Studioecke stand, über ein Piano und den bandeigenen Sythesizern und den sonderbarsten Spielzeuginstrumenten, die man sich vorstellen kann. All dies sowie zahlreiche Vocalaufnahmen dienten als alleinige Samplequelle - "was für uns eine völlig neue Arbeitsweise war". "Es war uns wichtig für das Album den perfekten Erzählbogen zu spannen. Die richtige Reihenfolge zu finden war ein extrem aufwendiger Vorgang", erklären Harm und Merjin. "Uns war bange, wir fühlten uns total selbstsicher, uns zerbrach das Herz und wir verliebten uns erneut. Wir waren sogar von Tod und Selbstmord umgeben. Alles war Chaos. Insgesamt atmet "The Weight" die Reichhaltigkeit dieser sich ständig verändernden Gefühlslagen, frei von Einschränkungen und Regeln - außer vielleicht "mach es schnell und zerdenke die Dinge nicht." Inmitten dieser Ansammlung von Songs und Instrumentals, die aus Wevals einzigartiger, von Zuversicht geprägter Herangehensweise entstanden sind - "Musik, die dich hochzieht und Hoffnung spendet, ohne dich notwendigerweise happy zu machen. Der Titeltrack "The Weight" steht exemplarisch für Wevals ambivalenten Ansatz, die feine Balance zwischen Dancefloor und Traumzuständen, perfekt in Szene gesetzt von Soundengineer David Wrench (Frank Ocean, The XX, FKA Twigs, Caribou… etc.).

Der schwer aus gewaltigen Gewitterwolken tropfende Funk, die eine verhaltene Poolparty suggerierenden Riffs, die sinnlichen, geisterhaften Vocals und ein verwaschenes Ambiente, das wie ein Album alter Polaroidaufnahmen alle erdenklichen Momente des Lebens festhält - von den euphorischsten bis hin zu jenen, in denen Musik der einzige Trank ist, der Linderung verheißt. Das post-KLF und Boards of Canada evozierende "Are You Even Real" führt den Hörer auf einen imaginären Flug ins Sternenzelt, während organisch-klingende Songs wie "Someday" oder "Same Little Thing" wie Quecksilber am Boden haften. "Heaven" ist eines jener "kosmische" Stücke mit wilden Arpeggios und Pianosprengseln, die Weval in den vergangenen zwei Jahren zu einer Live-Sensation werden liessen. Wevals Musik ist schwerelos und luftig, aber gleichermassen von dichter Struktur und von einer magnetischen Anziehungskraft. Ihr zweites Album "The Weight" ist eine Synthese aus dem multi-perspektivischem, kaleidoskopischen Verständnis von elektronischer Musik: Herzerwärmend, alles umschmeichelnd und unendlich frei.

Yes, *that* Al Hirt record. Featuring the godlike "Harlem Hendoo", looped unforgettably by De La Soul for the legendary Buhloone Mind State cut, "Ego Trippin' (Part Two)"!

Al Hirt's infamous Soul In The Horn is inextricably tangled up in crate-digger lore. Originally released in 1967, the album has been in heavy, heavy demand for over 30 years, entirely down to the majestic soul-jazz fire of "Harlem Hendoo". And it's a song so good, so vital, so timeless, that it will always tower above everything else in its proximity. This one track alone is worth the price of admission - even if the cost of entry were $100 or even $1000.

However, it would be an error to dismiss this record as merely a one tracker, loaded as it is with dope samples for adventurous beat makers. Certainly the funkiest Al Hirt record, it definitely lives up to the "soul" in the title. Thanks to composer Paul Griffin and arranger Teacho Wiltshire, Hirt got uncharacteristically free and groovy throughout. It comes on more like an obscure KPM library funk record than the easy listening Al was notorious for.

A Louisiana trumpeter and band leader who made Allen Toussaint’s “Java” famous, Al Hirt was also known for TV themes, Dixieland, Swing and being a minority owner of the New Orleans Saints. Unlike every other Al Hirt record - and despite most "diggers" claiming otherwise - this here gem is genuinely hard to come across "in the wild". Normally, you can't give Al Hirt records away, except this particular one, which raises pulses in the crate digging community to life-threatening levels. For every owner claiming to have found their copy for a dollar, there's scores more claiming to have *never* unearthed one in the field. So, paradoxically, you can consider this the most tricky-to-pull "thrift store record", ever. This is why we're finally making it available for everyone, not just those with endless hours to spend scouring the global goodwills!

Soul In The Horn represented an expressive detour into authentic soul-jazz for Al Hirt. Throughout, we're struck by a fierce, fiery energy that's otherwise absent from his typically easy listening work. Without question, the slinky, magical "Harlem Hendoo" is the standout, here. It's also the reason why the record is so scarce and commands awe among crate diggers, sounding like something from an obscure and deeply revered spiritual jazz record. As is often the case, the true genius of the song is tricky to do justice to; it's like a minor miracle of songwriting and performance that simply swooned down from the heavens on the back of horns, bells and harpsichord. It's one of the sweetest musical compositions ever recorded inside a studio - it's only failing is that it's just too short. Sampled brilliantly by De La Soul, it has also been used by The Roots for "Stay Cool" and Nightmares On Wax for "Damn".

The rest of the record makes for a mighty fine listen. From the opening cover of Booker T. & The MG's "Honey Pot", to the propulsive, ultra-funky "Mess Around", it's nothing but a good time. Given its title, the elegant stepper "Calypsoul" sounds exactly as you'd hope whilst the melancholic, wistful "Long Gone" hurts so good. Truly, this is just dying to be looped up, Al's muted playing capturing a soulful longing only horns can often achieve. The bluesy, slo-mo swing of "Sweetlips" oscillates between cool disaffection and swelling pride whilst the graceful, low-key funky "Girl" closes out the A-Side in the fine style. Ushering in the B-Side, the brief but brilliant strut of "Love Ya' Baby" shines brightly before the skipping funky-jazz of true highlight "Sunday-Goin' To Meetin' Time" demands both your attention and your dancing shoes. The mellifluous piano-funk of bass and horn-drenched "Snap Back" serves as the sumptuous prelude to "Harlem Hendoo"'s main character energy before the irrepressible, upbeat R&B of "Ludwig" closes out this quite remarkable album. An album deserving of a place in every serious record collection.

The audio for Soul In The Horn has been carefully remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring it sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue. This is after-hours music. Let it speak for itself. Listen. Listen to the soul in Al Hirt's horn.

"Creation" is the debut album by British songwriter, singer & pianist James Sayer and includes the three singles "Living It Up", "Chemistry" and Cherry".

After spending many years playing for others, Sayer says that "writing my own music happened completely by accident. But I'm so glad I recorded that one demo which ultimately spurred me on to create a full album all this time later." Sayer, often called an old soul due to his love of classic song writing and bygone eras comments that although technology has changed the landscape of the musical world today, making a record organically was still a must for him.

Originally from Birmingham, Sayer's fascination and love of music began at a very young age when he learnt all thing rhythm & blues and rock'n'roll from his dad's music collection of artists such as Elton John or Jerry Lee Lewis, later also finding a love of soul artists such as Michael McDonald, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison and Earth, Wind and Fire. Sayer moved to London in 2012 where he began performing almost every night in piano bars, clubs and pubs; spotted by the likes of Tom Jones whilst holding down a residency at the world-famous American Bar at the Savoy hotel.

About recording "Creation" he says: "I've tried to capture all the styles I love - Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Gospel and classic pop music – but still create a sound that is all mine".

Commissioned and curated by Flora Yin Wong for her label and publishing house Doyenne, ‘Venus Rising From The Sea’ is a collection of love-themed cover versions featuring Teresa Winter, Susu Laroche, Alex Zhang Hungtai, aya, Maria Minerva, Christina Vantzou, Spivak, Salamanda, clare rousay, Wild Terrier Orchestra, Dania and Flora Yin Wong herself covering songs by The Cure, Robert Wyatt, Mariah Carey, The Cranberries, Pentangle, The Carter Family, Spiritualized, Debussy and more.

‘Venus Rising From The Sea’ takes its cues from the classical deity Aphrodite - whose name literally means “sea foam” - for an ever necessary expression of love in the modern age. The label asked friends and collaborators to interpret “love” in whichever way they saw fit, be it obsession, self-love, unrequited, unconditional, whatever. But despite the open brief, and the vastly different modes of execution, all the artists involved somehow ended up linking hands with a shared determination to smudge the original songs into bleary-eyed, uncanny traces of the originals.

To open, Pentangle's jaunty 'No Love is Sorrow' is puffed into stormy clouds by Teresa Winter, who retains the original’s unmistakable bass twang and teases Jacqui McShee's siren song into a saturated buzz of layered, obfuscated words. Verses twist into verses, lines into echoed-out lines, capturing the song’s boundless yearning, rather than tracing its exact contours. Next, Susu Laroche yields one of the set’s highlights on a brilliantly nuanced, highly impactful version of Nina Simone’s take on folk standard ‘Black is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair’, turning the original’s multi-faceted Appalachian/Scottish routes into a heart-stopping, Nico-esque fuzz we haven’t stopped playing for weeks. Christina Vantzou (the CV ov CV & JAB) is joined by pianist Ezra Fieremans in the absorbingly filmic scenes of ‘Hot Springs’, while Maria Spivak's interpretation of Robert Wyatt's 'Just as You Are' finds her singing Brazilian vocalist Mônica Vasconcelos' words with reverence, smearing them into a hypnagogic fantasy.

Flora Yin Wong takes an inconspicuous approach on her love-letter to Mariah Carey's 'The Roof (Back in Time)', itself a melodramatic interpolation of Mobb Deep's Herbie Hancock-sampling 'Shook Ones, Part II'. The unmistakable piano line is frayed into a granulated gurgle, fleshed out by gauzy cries; Mariah's ecstatic diva logic haunts the edges like a furtive glance, hanging beautifully behind Wong's dense soundscapes. Alex Zhang Hungtai's take on the 1927 standard 'Me and My Shadow' is even more atomised, reduced to a disembodied vocal that oozes around a clattering woodblock.

Always a standout, aya's tribute to The Cure's 'Lovesong' infuses the 1989 classic with the same self-investigatory charm she exhibited on 'im hole', slowing it down to a giddy, infatuated lurch, and replacing the guitars with eerily-tuned oscillations and drums with hollowed-out, electrically charged thuds. "I will always love you," she moans through a wall of static, like some lost “Pop Artificielle” addendum. The album’s biggest surprise is saved for last, however, a cover of The Cranberries' 'No Need To Argue' from Paralaxe Editions boss Dania Shihab. Already a poignant memory of a faded romance, Dania's version is even more glacial, her tender voice gusting over inverted guitars and looping, wordless moans, guiding us ever so gracefully into the nether-world.

‘Venus Rising From The Sea’ is a gooey, emotionally raw set of recollections and affirmations from some of the scene's most open-hearted operatives. In the end, the love that's most evident is the love each of the artists has for their source material, somehow binding loose threads into a rich tapestry that will leave you gasping, perhaps a little tearful too.

Warehouse Find - Test Pressing!

Time to welcome Kresy to the label with three original tracks of immaculate left of centre house. With only a clutch of releases his name may be new to many but if you dig deeper you'll find he's definitely moving the right circles. His debut release on John Talabot's Hivern Discs gave some broad exposure, picking up spins from the likes of Four Tet's Keiren Hebden, Jenifer Cardini and Nick Hoppner. Remix requests followed too with releases on Exquisite Pain, Southern Fried and Lovemonk all getting the Kresy treatment.

2014 looks equally busy with material forthcoming on Jay Shepheards Retrofit as well as DJ dates taking in Corsica Studios and Panarama Bar.

On his Freerange debut Kresy kicks off with Sweet Dangerous MC's, a shuffling, raw, 90's inspired cut which treads firmly forward rather than backward. The beats are crunched and jacked to perfection while the pads hiss and fizz all the while punctuated by the sweet dangerous MC in person.

Next up is Last Cocktail Of Stallone where echoes of Studio54 combine with the stomp of jacking Chicago house to produce a fresh fusion for 2014.

Flipping over we have a brilliant reinterpretation of Last Cocktail Of Stallone by west coast house heroes Vin Sol and MATRiXXman. Here the duo clearly had a fun session firing up the hardware drum machines and delays, reworking the rhythm track into a steady yet subtly massive warehouse jam primed for the dancefloor.

Finally, we're treated to the elegant beauty of Midnight In Manhattan where melancholic piano chords lay the foundation for an echoing sax riff to take centre stage. An original, interesting and above all deep slice of house that demonstrates Kresy's diversity and talent perfectly.

Upfront business from London’s Baby Rollén. Kaleidoscope EP is a club ready four-tracker exploring a fusion of sounds from the dazzling arps of the title track, to the groovy bassline pulse throughout Nerve Glider.

Hitting hard on the A1 with Psychology which takes equal measure from early Detroit techno and fuses with the steadily popular Baby Rollén blueprint of contrasting pads and melodies. Voodoo combines influences of jungle with euphoric piano hooks, scattering throughout an extended arrangement.

Introducing Small Great Beats, an exclusive series following the principal release series, Small Great Things (SGT). This limited edition collection will showcase 1 or 2 releases annually, featuring a blend of anthems, melodic tracks, and dance floor-oriented tunes.

Limited to just 200 copies per release, Small Great Beats offers collectors a rare opportunity to own something truly exceptional. Additionally, the series will be digitally available on all major platforms and Bandcamp.

Kicking off the series is Luca Olivotto's mesmerizing 5-track EP, "Kind Of Lovin´", pressed on captivating light blue vinyl.
Opening the release is title-cut ‘Kind Of Lovin’’, an anthemic slice of classic house fuelled by a swinging 909 drums groove and bouncy bass line in combination with intertwined piano keys, strings and vocal hooks before ‘Blue’ follows and lays down a 90’s rave-tinged piano melody, cinematic string flutters and crisp saturated drums across five minutes. ‘Hear My Call’ comes next and infused a more funk leaning aesthetic with organic percussion, jazzy keys and a walking bass line, intertwined with wandering strings and choppy vocal chants.

Opening the B-side is ‘Sun After Dark’, as the name would suggest a more peak time groove with glimpses of brightness via a circling bass line, raw, heavily shuffled drums and gritty stab sequences. ‘My Soul’ then rounds out the EP, again aptly titled as the composition fuses soulful cinematic strings, bright keys and an amalgamation of soulful vocal stylings all dynamically evolving and unfolding throughout.

Their newest release “For Barney, Who Was A Bad Dog, But A Good Boy, And Very Much Loved” comes from Brooklyn-based Dekalb Works (debut ‘Duologue’ on Where To Now? Records), the collaborative project of Austin Peru (Vision Fortune) & Daniel Creahan (Sweat Equity / Alien D).

The release summarizes a series of experimentations between live performance contexts and sample-heavy collage work. Since starting their residency on Radio alHara, Dekalb Works found themselves drawn to the act of performing, whether as a live act or DJing, and the space between these two often overly rigid modes.

“For Barney…” draws heavily on the sonic palette of American country and western music, treated through the lens of heavy studio processing and the production techniques of dub, ambient, and trip-hop. Recording hours-long live improvisations with guitar, piano, or drum machines and samplers, they pillaged these sessions as source material. Whereas previous work focused on the voice and the interaction of text, voice and music, these recordings pulled from the sounds of musicians playing together in a room. The arrangement process remains the same, chopping and manipulating small samples and momentary gestures into dense, rhythmic collages.

DJ Support: David Morales, David Penn, Kevin Yost, Mark Knight, Michael Gray, CJ Mckintosh, Hector Romero, Marc Cotterell, DJ Meme, Melvo Baptist, Seamus Haji, Dr. Packer, Dj Romain, Angelo Ferreri and many others.

From 1990 to 1994 Irma Records Italy was on a top level with house music. 'Alright Alright' by Centric House was one of the main successful projects of that years. 30 years later Groove Culture bosses Micky More & Andy Tee pay tribute to the pioneers, restoring this amazing track in a modern way but keeping the main beautiful ingredients. On The Flip We have A super team-work made by MM & AT, Don Carlos and Chaka Khan’s Sister Taka Boom, who provides a new version of 'The Music Of Your Mind', here vibes are more disco-house with epic piano chords and fire bass notes, everything melt and arranged smoothly around the powerful vocals of Taka Boom.

One of electronic music’s most prolific and beloved figures, Roman Flügel checks in to Phantasy for his debut single on Erol Alkan’s equally storied London label, presenting ‘Hotel Karthago / Energies’, two contrasting dancefloor tracks that capture distinct shades of Flügel’s boundless creativity.

Arranged with energy front and centre, ‘Hotel Karthago’ promises to be an essential addition to Flügel’s peerless back catalogue of club classics. Bolting with the requisite tempo of contemporary dance floors, and accelerated by a joyous piano line, this particular property balances the elegance of vintage house with analogue machines operating at their most energetic.

In keen contrast. ‘Energies’ expertly pours a measure of melancholy, teasing out a twinkling melody that recalls the warmth and wistful moods of his classic LPs such as Fatty Folders and Happiness Is Happening. Illuminating and then unravelling with ease, ‘Energies’ concludes in underscoring the Frankfurt-to-Berlin producer’s skill as a composer, as well as a trusted rave alchemist.

Dj Nitro, nos sorprende una vez más con un nuevo lanzamiento bajo el sello discográfico Blue Roots Label. Este artista incansable nos presenta su última creación mussical, un álbum cargado de energía y ritmos que te transportarán a otra dimensión.

Desde sus inicios, ha demostrado ser un talento excepcional. Su pasión por la música electrónica nació desde muy joven y se ha convertido en su vida. Ha logrado conquistar a miles de seguidores en todo el mundo, y ahora, con este nuevo lanzamiento, está listo para llegar a aún más personas.

Este artista eleva la escena Old School con su último lanzamiento.
El vinilo presenta tres pistas emblemáticas que encapsulan la esencia única del sonido de DJ Nitro. La primera, “A – Luminosity “, es un viaje hipnótico a través de capas de ritmos vibrantes, melodías y vocales que tejen una atmósfera de euforia sonora. Esta pista se erige como un faro de creatividad y energía pura, donde los beats trascienden el tiempo y el espacio.

Por otro lado, “B1 – All I Want You” encarna la pasión y el deseo con una fusión cautivadora de ritmos y progresiones melódicas que atrapan los sentidos. Esta pieza es un tributo a su amigo F.EE D.EE y nos demuestra la maestría para combinar la intensidad emocional con la profundidad musical.

El cierre de este excepcional vinilo lo lleva “B2 – Mixed Feelings”, una pista que refleja la versatilidad del DJ al explorar diversos matices sonoros. Esta composición lleva a los oyentes a un viaje emocional donde se entrelazan distintas sensaciones.

Con este nuevo lanzamiento, reafirma su posición como un pionero en el universo de la música electrónica Old School. Su habilidad para fusionar lo clásico con lo contemporáneo y su talento para crear paisajes sonoros únicos han consolidado su lugar en la vanguardia de la escena musical.

El vinilo estará disponible en edición limitada, lo que lo convierte en una joya codiciada para los coleccionistas y amantes de la música por igual. Prepárate para sumergirte en la magia de DJ Nitro con este cautivador lanzamiento en Blue Roots Label.

BRL0001 NITRO – BLUE ROOTS es un verdadero tesoro musical. Cada pista del álbum está cuidadosamente diseñada para llevar al oyente a un viaje sonoro inolvidable. Los pianos acompañados de bonitas vocales y los beats irresistibles te atrapan desde el primer segundo.

Este album sin duda es una combinación perfecta de elementos clásicos y vanguardistas

Standard version on 2LP black vinyl in gatefold sleeve. ‘Lefto presents Jazz Cats' is back with volume 3 and still doing what it does best: putting you in the front row of what the thriving Belgian jazz scene currently has to offer and revealing a melting pot of the musical talent.



'Lefto presents Jazz Cats' is back with volume 3 and still doing what it does best: putting you in the front row of what the thriving Belgian jazz scene currently has to offer and revealing a melting pot of the musical talent coming out one of the smallest countries in Europe. Never change a winning team they say, so we're happy to have Belgian DJ and eclectic connoisseur Lefto on board again.

Although you expect thecompilation to be talking jazz, volume 3 explores a broader array of styles, genres, and sounds than ever before, arriving at a point where the 'young cats' of today don't bother no more. It may focus on the Belgian scene, but let's face it, seeing the influences, this one could be compiled from all over the world. From the empowering and bittersweet voices of Oriana Ikomo and Adja, over the more acoustic-electronic productions of Moodprint, Ciao Kennedy, Kassius and echofarmer. It's even expanding the Jazz Cats universe to dub and bass-heavy tracks with Kin Gajo and Le Ministère, Ethio-jazz from Azmari, while sending you back to earth with bodies' swirling sax and drums. That saxophone still rings in your ears when you end up in the orbit of the march-like drums of Bodem, Orson Claeys' piano testing your ability to follow him, slamming the breaks to go smooth cruisin' with HONEY (Morricone meets Khruangbin, anyone?), to crashing in a raging tempo on that last track of Bruno x Soet x Moene. And there you are, back with us.



2018's 'Lefto presents Jazz Cats' included tracks from some of Belgium's biggest hitters, including Black Flower, STUFF. De Beren Gieren and Glass Museum who have all gone on to receive global acclaim. The album was given the accolade of 'Album of the Week' on Worldwide FM and also received further radio support from Jazz FM in addition to numerous glowing reviews. The 2022 follow-up 'Jazz Cats volume 2' paved the way for a new generation inspired by its peers, entering another era of very talented individuals and collectives. Maybe even more so than 4 years before. It uncovered a beautiful balance of more established but also obscure musicians and artists. Opening up to electronics and dance, enter bands like ECHT!, Stellar Legions and TUKAN. Thrilling innovative soundscape grooves and jazz fusion with Bandler Ching and L?p?GangGang, not to forget about the weaving musical odyssey that is M.CHUZI. In addition, there's the balanced unease of One Frame Movement, the laidback 'acoustic electronica' of Boombox Experiments, the classic funky jazz stylings of Cargo Mas and cinematic The Brums, all of these have set volume 2 on the map as an essential release for any jazzhead with a passion for new sounds.

Tastemaker, selector, curator, DJ and producer, these words often get mentioned when Lefto's name pops up in discussions. And rightly so. If you've ever had the pleasure to listen to one of his incredible Boiler Room sets or one of his many radio shows, you'll know why. Famed for his gloriously eclectic taste on the decks, he switches effortlessly between hip hop, funk, breaks, neck-snapping beats, future bass, South-American influences, bruk riddims, some wild African rhythms and of course, jazz.

Growing up as a child, his father would have the sounds of jazz flowing through the speakers. Which led him to bars around town to hear the latest jazz ensembles. Falling in love with the genre, he would later refine his knack for record digging and fine ear for music working at Belgium's legendary Music Mania record store in his hometown Brussels. Which makes that Lefto is consistently a couple steps ahead. He doesn't wait for the next thing to land in his lap, but actively seeking it out.

Lefto on Jazz Cats volume 3:
"Another release in less than two years! I am very impressed by the amount of creative "jazz" talent we've managed to compile over the last couple of years. Thanks to the internet, young musicians find inspiration from around the globe and incorporate diverse influences into their work. Given the history and heritage of jazz in this country, it has managed to create a healthy jazz scene supported by festivals, venues, press, and labels. Therefore, I am very proud to present to you the thirdinstallment of Jazz Cats. This compilation is dedicated to the young and hardworking musicians who are the present and the future of Belgium's jazz scene."

Next up on our exciting new Fool’s Paradise vinyl sampler series is a very special two-tracker, kicking things off is British peak-time House Music connoisseur, Soul Avengerz (aka Paul Gardner), who joins forces with US vocal legend, Adeva, on a potent remake of her 1989 House classic with Paul Simpson, ‘Musical Freedom’. Having re-recorded all the vocals, Adeva belts out a dazzling new version of one of house music’s most iconic songs. Retaining a dash of nostalgia, whilst propelling the song onto 2024’s dancefloors with a bang, Soul Avengerz delivers an uplifting piano house soundtrack loaded with brass, string stabs and bumping beats to ramp up the hedonistic vibes on this much loved classic.

It's been 32 years since Hyper Go Go's 'High' crashed into life, combining the best of Italo House and rave into an exuberant, floor destroying piano anthem.

Fast forward to 2024 and HOOJ reissue this 92 classic with the Original & Cloud 9 Mixes on the A side with 2 newer remixes on the B side.

Remixes come from Fast rising Scottish duo Testpress, who strip things back a bit, working the original riffs around a thumping kick and hooky new synth line & Kyle Starkey, the youngster takes no prisoners, tearing into the OG with slamming 135bpm drums, big drops, the odd snare roll, and lots of drama, for an energy driven update.

2024 repress

Melody As Truth founder Jonny Nash returns to action with his first solo album in four years.

Over the course of eleven mesmerising tracks, Nash points the compass gently inwards, casting aside any conceptual frameworks in favour of exploring an imaginative and idealised “personal folk music” that combines elements of traditional acoustic music with the producer’s richly immersive interpretation of ambient, a sound he has been developing for well over a decade.

From the smudged acid-folk bliss of ‘Theories’ and ‘Eternal Life’, to the layered acoustic guitars of ‘All I Ever Needed’ and the delay-soaked, Durutti Column-esque ‘Light From Three Sides’, a wide variety of musical textures weave their way throughout the album.

Point of Entry is much more than a mere ‘guitar album’ – it draws on a rich and diverse palette to achieve its purpose. The delicate saxophone work of ambient-jazz contemporary Joseph Shabason swells on ‘Ditto’ and ‘Light From Three Sides’. Cascading piano lines ripple through the crystal clear sonic waters of ‘Face of Another’, whilst echoes of Nash’s work with Gigi Masin and Young Marco as Gaussian Curve appear in the dancing synth sequences of ‘Ditto’ and ‘Golden Hour’. Nash’s reverb-laden voice also appears for the first time since 2016’s critically acclaimed Exit Strategies, used delicately throughout the album to conjure up a world of dusk and golden light.

Combining the delicate human touch and naivety of earlier Melody As Truth releases with widened scope and vision, Point Of Entry is arguably Nash’s most complete work to date – an album that’s as much a statement of his “personal folk” vision as a future ambient classic.

For those seeking a musical experience reminiscent of the iconic LARRY HEARD, RON TRENT & KERRI CHANDLER, delving into the enchanting sounds of A VISION OF PANORAMA is a journey well worth taking. A VISION OF PANORAMA, much like MR. FINGERS, has mastered the art of crafting immersive and soulful electronic compositions. This latest release invites you into a sonic realm where lush melodies, dreamy textures, and intricate rhythms coalesce to create an atmosphere of pure musical bliss. In a landscape where electronic music continually evolves, A VISION OF PANORAMA stands out as an artist who skillfully pays homage to the timeless vibes of classic deep house while adding a contemporary touches of forward thinking smooth and Balearic jazz. The fusion of classic house elements with a futuristic flair makes A Vision Of Panorama the closest thing available to the legends that precede.

Dave Lee's "AC Soul Symphony" alias has been releasing delectable and sultry disco since 2005 but reached his magnus opus in 2023 with the release of the "Metamorphosis" LP. Here we find two tracks handpicked from the album and delivered, for the first time, in a 7" format. The single starts much as the album does with the track "Windy City Theme", beautifully scored, recorded, and produced legato strings envelope the track, punctuated with horns and vocals reminiscent of a Love Unlimited Orchestra production. This version of the track has been rearranged, speeding up the pacing of the track and reaching the juicy parts in a really satisfying way. On the flip side we have the title track from the album "Metamorphosis", which is the first time the vocal version has been made available on Vinyl. A bass laden intro gives ways to glistening pianos and those signature strings (have we mentioned how good the strings are?). A more laid back and seductive track than the A side, but no less appealing. Again, due to the limitations of the 7" format, "Metamorphosis" has been expertly rearranged with loving care and attention.

One of the most consistent new labels around, Cyphon Recordings, marks double figures with another standout release that gleans from the past, but faces the future. This time they look to the talents of Emotive Technology, a new alias from Chilean Massiande who provides a five-track EP of machine-wielding, soul-rousing techno from across the spectrum.

Although this may be the first release under his new moniker, Massiande has spent the last decade putting out productions with labels such as Housewax, Phonica, Freerange and Groovin. Firing on all cylinders from the get-go, ‘Rise’ kicks off the Walk Into The Light EP. A hyperspace melding of new beat, Italo and arp-operating techno that opens out into a slice of peak-time revelry.

The swirling textures of ‘It’s On’ follow, pushing you into the next dimension. A hypnotic, entrancing and arresting heads-down powerhouse. Crunchy and considered it's the kind of strobe-stuttering basement jam that turns heads inside out.

Two Detroit-leaning tracks ‘Your Zone’ and ‘Walk IntoThe Light’ are up next. The former is a heavyweight machine workout. Layered synth lines and crisp drum programming transfix, as that grooving low-end powers bodies into bedlam. The latter, a Motor-City-influenced tour de force. One that sees Massiande recode the circuitry to hit with a piano-laden stunner, balancing power and presence, with emotion and nuance.

Closing out proceedings, ‘The Swing’ sucks you in deeper. A resonating world of synth stabs, pulsating basslines and atmospheric electronics.

Doing the Emotive Technology namesake proud, Walk Into The Light is machine music hardwired with a heavy sense of soul.

It’s True What They Say is the debut EP from Edinburgh-based, husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), aka Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced “McLochlin”).

“Sarah and I both have a love for nostalgia,” explains Shaun. “We watched that amazing old 80’s Sci-Fi, (John) Carpenter movie, Starman, a few months back. Myself and my brother David used to watch it all the time. We must have been, roughly, 5-7 at the time. I remember loving the movie but the end, you know, with the beautiful, atmospheric, synth ending, I love that particular moment the most - best part of the movie, you know, when he goes home… It’s heartbreaking but stunning, all the same. It’s the music that moves you most… It did when I was 5 and it still does to this day. It must have had some form of a (much deeper) impact on me.”

The duo narrates stories across themes of love, hope, family, friends, dreams and sadness - the good that comes with the bad in everyday life, not just on a personal scale but within a community as well.

“Starbed is the first song I have ever written and just came out of the blue really, with Shaun playing a melody and me singing along,” says Sarah. “It’s simple and just about two people in love. Love songs are always the best songs, after all… Music has been a big part of my life from a young age. I was unwillingly dragged to piano and violin lessons, which I’m thankful for now! I’d say the first band I really became obsessed with growing up were the Beatles, and on the back of that a lot of 60s music and fashion. From then on, I had a love for music.”

“Shaun definitely opened my ears to a lot of sounds and got me thinking about soundtracks and all the noises that can be made,” she goes on. “We love just spending time experimenting in the house with instruments, pedals etc and Ali is a real magician to work with, too…”

The recordings took place over the summers of 2022 and 2023, with fellow Delta Mainline member Ali Chisholm (aka Jaguar Eyes) plus long-term friend and collaborator Gavin King. Further collaboration then came via the ‘net from the (international) likes of Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty), Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz) and Daniel Land (The Modern Painters), among others (see a full list of credits below).

Both Sarah and Shaun have a love for uber-soundtrack producers such as Hanz Zimmer, Max Richter, Cliff Martinez plus live acts such as Beach House, Spiritualized, M83, Suicide, Moby and OMD (to name a few). Shaun also credits the work of Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (from Survive) on the Stranger Things score… “Even a moment in a movie, whether it be just 30 seconds during a particular scene, it grips you,” he says. But there’s something much deeper at play as well. “Music is a healer,” he goes on, “and I write from my own perspective but more so for others. Once I've done my bit, it doesn't belong to me any longer. It belongs to whoever wants it or needs it.”

The result is a cinematic, synth-wavey, dream poppy and downright beguilingly beautiful body of work. And they’re just getting started…

REVIEWS/RADIO/FEEDBACK:

“Starbed is folky, flavoured by pedal steel, cello, and brass. Dust Tears, in stark contrast, is a mini synth-pop rave epic. Part Bicep. Part Human League. Keep Your Eyes Closed summons a mood that’s romantic, but also dark and potentially doomed – like David Lynch’s Twin Peaks meets Cliff Martinez’s Drive score. My pick though is It’s True What They Say, whose interwoven jangle and picking recalls New Order’s more introspective moments (Love Vigilantes, Love Less… ). Drums crashing, cathartic. Guitar raising dramatic arcs. Its chorus a rush, like a reprise of Pains Of Being Pure Of Heart’s ‘Higher Than The Stars’.” BAN BAN TON TON
"Dust Tears sees them sharing vocal duties over a synth foundation reminiscent of Moby’s Go - Artist Of The Week” THE SCOTSMAN
"Woozy pop" NEMONE (Mary Anne Hobbs Morning Show, BBC 6Music)
"Nice one, very David Lynch meets Euro dream pop" YOUTH (Killing Joke, Paul McCartney, U2, The Orb, Spiritualized etc)
"Music sounds killer! Real emotion” DAVID HOLMES
"I’m enjoying it” TIM BRINKHURST aka LONDON (IKLAN, Young Fathers, Callum Easter)
“Oh, this is lovely!” SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"It’s totally my cup of tea with milk and biscuit" BRENT RADEMAKER (Beachwood Sparks/GospelBeach)
"Beautiful, ecstatic electronica! Short and to the point" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized, Julian Cope, Soulsavers, BE)
"Makes me wanna sit in the sun and sip an Arnold Palmer" CHRIS DIXIE DARLEY (Father John Misty)
“Really beautiful - Cocteau Twins / Spiritualized vibes but has its own thing going on, too - worth checking out!” JULIAN CORRIE (Franz Ferdinand, Miaoux Miaoux)
‘Sounded nice on a sunny day, makes me think of Twin Peaks, nice moods’ EAMON HAMILTON (Sea Power)
"Dealing in nostalgia, no bad thing at all, great to play that (Dust Tears) for you” RODDY HART (BBC Radio Scotland)
“I'll give the vocal tracks a spin before the release." VIC GALLOWAY (BBC Radio Scotland)
"Rather good!" IAIN ANDERSON (BBC Radio Scotland)

CREDITS:

Lyrics, Guitars, Keys, Synths, Drums, Drum Programming, Percussion, Mandolin, Glockenspiel: Shaun McLachlan
Lyrics, Vocals, Keys by Sarah McLachlan
Guitars, Synths, String Arrangements, Drum Programming, Engineering: Jaguar Eyes Percussion/Drums/Effects, Fire Extinguisher: Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz)
Guitars by Daniel Land
Slide Guitar by Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty)
Brass by Bruce Michie
Keys, pre-production & engineering on “It’s true what they say”: Gavin King
All produced by Jaguar Eyes and Shaun McLachlan and then mixed at Glasgow’s Chem19 Studios by David McCaulay (From Scotland With Love, Rick Redbeard, BBC TV’s Attenborough and The Mammoth Graveyard score).
Artwork: Jamie Walman (Fourteen Admirals)

MORE INFO:

Although Shaun released a pair of solo singles (When We Dance and Give Your Love To Me) during Lockdown, he will be better known to many via his work as the multi-instrumentalist in Edinburgh band Delta Mainline. With two albums released to date, Oh! Enlightened and Bel Avenir, both rapturously received by fans and critics alike, Delta Mainline have developed an international, cult following. Oh Enlightened (2013) achieved widespread critical acclaim on release, earning the band comparisons to Arcade Fire and Echo & The Bunnymen, while 2019’s Bel Avenir pulled in references to The Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and krautrock. A third DM album is currently being mixed and due for release later this year…

Samosa Records roars into 2024 with a sublime four-tracker, the curiously titled ‘(Re)-Funk+Head EP'.

All four tracks have been carefully sized, selected and re-edited by De Gama himself. For those not in the know, Re-Funking is serious business and you can tell De Gama’s laboratory was in full flow in bringing these tracks even closer to the dance floor!

First up on the A-Side are Samosa favourites Dirtyelements & Drunkdrivers with the hypnotic, smokey dim lit club thumper ‘Keep It Coming’. Coming in at a deceptive 115bpm, the bass massages your brain whilst the keys, vocal sample and beats tickle your toes. A deliciously salty and sweet re-edit.

Sneaking up on you is A2 and a track from label boss De Gama himself – the flutey, tootie late night funk bomb that is ‘Some More’. Be warned - this dirty birdie stirs up primordial feelings that are probably illegal in some countries. It’s not an overstatement to say that ‘Some More’ is the definition of pure, adult-orientated funking. Saddle up, put out the camp fire and ride it into town.

A quick flip to the B-side and you’ll find Paul Older’s Sax Francisco (B1) parading down the street in all its splendid glory. Mr Older sure knows how to cook - and served on his sombrero-shaped sun terrace is this fantastic tropical sorbet of a tune. The production is assured and so warm that you lose yourself for the entire 6 mins and 26 seconds in its spell. Expect this to be packed in your summer 2024 suitcase with your Factor 50.

Closing the EP off is the super-talented MB Edit and his deadly groover ‘Got The Feeling’. The serious business of Re-Funking is on full display here – stompy, squeaky clean four-to-the-floor drumbeats, twisted riffs and subtle piano prepare you for the soaring horns, heavenly strings and disco-fied vocal breakdown that used to make lofts bounce and dark clubs heave. A dreamy, relentless journey into the disco ball for those lucky enough to jump in.

(Re)-Funk+Head is another exceptional EP from the Samosa stables and pushes the ever-expanding sonic boundaries with seriously solid production, stone cold grooves and a roster of amazing talent on one EP. A must, must, must have for the record box!!

Ste Hendry Black Light Disco

After a successful career in the corporate world, marketing guru and full-time mom Cristina has taken a bold step into the music scene, inspired by the minimal grooves emanating from Romania.

Her Satya debut EP, titled "Plan B," showcases a unique and tasteful fusion of drum-based dance floor beats and hypnotic melodies.

Growing up composing on the piano and studying harmony, Cristina's musical roots strongly influence her creative process, resulting in tracks that offer a perfect balance between rhythm and musicality. With a focus on key themes such as family, music, and life philosophy, "Plan B" is a strong musical package filled with intention.

Her collaboration with friend and fellow artist Francesco Mami - "Les Filles” - a peak-time jam dedicated to their respective daughters - adds spice to the already flavorsome solo concoctions.

Sepp’s remix of the title track, infused with his Romanian and Macedonian folk roots, rounds the EP in a wonderfully playful manner.

Scheduled for release on May 17, 2024, "Plan B" is poised to make waves and gain attention from house music connoisseurs! Cristina's transition from the corporate world to the dance floor promises a refreshing and dynamic addition to the ever-evolving music landscape.

Coral Morphologic and Nick León’s Projections of a Coral City marks a series of collisions between distant
worlds: the organic and the artificial, the Eocene and the Anthropocene, sea and cement—and even, perhaps, ambient music and activism.

Coral Morphologic are the Miami duo of marine biologist Colin Foord and musician J.D. McKay; since 2007, they have used a variety of multimedia projects to generate environmental awareness of marine biodiversity—most notably Coral City Camera, an underwater webcam streaming live from an urban reef ecosystem in PortMiami.

Their citymate Nick León is a linchpin of South Florida’s contemporary leftfield electronic scene, with releases for Tra Tra Trax, Future Times, and NAAFI, and credits on records by Rosalía, GAIKA, and Iceboy Violet, among others.

This collaborative project dates back to 2022, when Coral Morphologic mounted a monumental projection-
mapping installation on Biscayne Boulevard. For five nights in late November and early December, macroscopic films of corals played out across the exterior of Knight Concert Hall. The installation was, on the one hand, a glimpse into a possible future, imagining how the city’s skyline might appear if unchecked global warming and rising seas led coral reefs to colonize the built environment. But it also represented a look back into the deep past, a reminder that Miami is literally built from marine limestone mined from the Everglades. Its concrete foundations began life, eons ago, as a marine ecosystem—the same ecosystem that may one day reclaim them. As above, so below.

As an album, Projections of a Coral City is a suite of interconnected movements spread across two sides of vinyl. The tones are watery, the mood elegiac, the colors a washed-out pastel. Forms that appear static on the surface gradually open up to reveal hidden depths teeming with microscopic movement. You might detect resonances with other aquatically minded works—Jürgen Müller’s Science of the Sea, Harold Budd’s liquid piano compositions, even the slow-moving melancholy of Dr. Roger Payne’s Songs of the Humpback Whale. But ultimately Projections of a Coral City creates the impression of a world unto itself—a hauntingly beautiful space at the meeting point between sorrow and hope.

——-
Balmat is a label with a cloudy outline. Jointly shepherded by Albert Salinas and Philip Sherburne, two friends living in Cardedeu, Catalonia, and on the Balearic island of Menorca, Balmat grew out of Lapsus Radio, a weekly show born almost ten years ago. Balmat’s mission is simple: to foster new ideas, expand upon personal obsessions, and put enveloping sounds out into the world.

“Balmat” means “empty” or “void” in Catalan. But quite apart from any negative connotations, we prefer to think of it in terms of possibility: a space waiting to be filled.

Diogo Silva, Nuno Fulgêncio and Rui Martins collectively go by the name Bardino. With their sound consisting of an inventive mix of
electronica, rock, jazz, the Porto-based trio are pushing their sound into unchartered waters. A feeling that will be reinforced after
experiencing their new album, ‘Memória da Pedra Mãe’.
Their enthralling music draws upon the imagery of the beautiful and rugged scenery of their home country. ‘Centelha’ , their previous
album (released by Saliva Diva in 2020) was recorded in Chaves,
in the very remote region of Trás-os-Montes. Their 207 EP of the same name was created in the rustic heart of Serra das Meadas. In this
latest offering, the mention of "Pedra Mãe" (Mother Stone), refers to a rare geological phenomenon popularly known as "breeder stones"
found in isolated, deserted, and inhospitable places. On the inspiration of the new album, they explain that they want to refer to "the
importance of collective memory in the cohesion and identity of communities and the process of creating new memories, a process that
is both natural and conflicting, since it mirrors a tension between past, present and future".
The album was recorded in the summer of 2023 at Arda Recorders in Porto and produced by João Brandão and Rui Martins. In this
new material, Bardino's resources expand: Nuno Fulgêncio's drums, Diogo Silva's bass and Rui Martins' veritable arsenal of keyboards
(acoustic and electric piano, various synthesisers) are augmented by the alto and tenor saxophones of Brian Blaker (who stands out in
"Memória" and "Black Mica"), the guitar of Leonardo Outeiro (who features on "Punctum No 2") and, already indicating their affiliation
with the Porto label Jazzego, Hugo Oliveira, who records as Minus & MRDolly (and is a guest on "Pedra Mãe") and Sérgio Alves, aka
AZAR AZAR (who plays piano and Moog on "Tília"). Bardino's entry into the increasingly unavoidable Jazzego catalogue also reinforces
their obvious links to a new wave of projects that have been experimenting with different tangents to the notion of "jazz", taking this
music as part of a wider set of coordinates.
Over the course of eight tracks, and clearly benefiting from the distinct imprint of the recognised quality work of João Brandão, one of
Portugal's current best producers, Bardino presents dense, deeply cinematic music of the highest definition, in which the different
instruments translate a broad emotional and visual landscape, with solos of enormous elegance arranged over grooves that induce the
idea of movement. All the musical coordinates mentioned earlier are present, but perhaps in this new material you can feel a greater
fluidity, certainly the result of honing the vision of the central trio through a vast experience collected on stages all over the country. And
there are even echoes of a decidedly Portuguese songbook, as is so clearly felt in "O Semeador", something new in the range of aesthetic
references embraced by Bardino. This is, in fact, music that thrives on a benign tension between past, present and future, in the sense
that it embraces traditions and history, seeks a new framework in this diverse now and dares to project itself forward. Because the future
is the best of all locations.

We are thrilled to announce our 5th vinyl VA. This time with only Belgian Underground artists. All friends and amigos who met each other during their journey in the Belgian music scene over the years.
A diverse ensemble spanning the House-spectrum, on the A-side we take a more deep and funky approach with UC Beatz bringing his known groovy flavours. Followed by Rawdio with some piano house vibes and bendrik keeping it fresh and crispy as always.
The B-side takes a more clubby turn with Deeleegenz dropping the snares and shuffled percussion in his Deep Jackin tune. Followed by Max Telaer who shows a darker side from himself with an absolute stomper that will set fire to the dancefloor.

Very proud to have them all on board!

É Soul Cultura captain, originator of Manchester’s legendary Electric Chair and definitive people’s champion, Luke Una taps into a lifetime’s worth of musical discovery for the second volume in our Mr Bongo Edits series. A cosmic coming together that sees two of Luke’s secret weapons, re-edited and re-contextualised by the man himself to provide optimal dancefloor euphoria.

A stalwart of the underground for nearly 40 years, Luke has become an appointed leader of the late night disenfranchised, with an unquestionable ability to pick records that make minds tick. Not least through his two É Soul Cultura compilations released on Mr Bongo over the past two years.

A taste that traverses genres as much as it does emotions and decades, who better to give an insight into the tracks he has chosen to edit, than the man himself. “I've been an avid collector of afro-beat house, techno and underground black heart disco since before the basement soul days of Electric Chair 30 years ago. Both these bombs were very much holy grail finds, plucked from the last four decades of digging in random crates of dusty vinyl all over the world.”

First up, Thandi Zulu & The Young Five’s interpretation of Pure Energy’s early ‘80s disco power play – ‘Love Game’. With a distinctive South African synth bass and killer keys combo, Luke explains the original has this “bonkers alchemy of heavy machine soul, uptempo rawness and a majestic disco evangelism”, making it ripe for a re-edit.

On the B side, Lionel Pillay’s Jazz dancer ‘Plum’. “The original was a relentless 18-minute raw jam”, Luke states, “which despite its late ‘70s South African origin kinda reminded me of a 1986 Chicago piano House record”.

“These edits strip the tracks back and rebuild them, giving them more sonic weight with that looped up drum jacking militancy from the days of Chicago, combined with a boosted sense of transcendental, psychedelic, cosmic disco. They have always had such an explosive reaction on so many dancefloors including the heavier electronic club, so it felt only right to reshare them”.

*Vinyl Only*

Saturazione Momentanea is the first single from the upcoming album by 291out, set to be released on Tasty Treats Records at the end of this year.

It is a warm soundtrack, built up on a hypnotic groove, enhanced by electric piano and brass solos and it's a blend of electronic music and jazz/fusion, sound of the 70/80's era. B side Saturazione Sistemica is built upon the motif of the other track but create a different atmosphere and it's characterized by a huge brass section, electronic arpeggiators and smooth flute solo.

291out are known for their passion for soundtrack and on these pieces you can hear the influences from notable italian composers such as Riz Ortolani, Francesco De Masi and Augusto Martelli, just to name a few.

The New Mastersounds have been performing live and making funky organic-sounding records for 25 years. Starting out in Leeds, UK, having initially appealed mainly to old-school DJs and vinyl collectors, they managed to build fanbases across the USA, Japan & Europe.

The album comprises ten original instrumental tunes composed and performed at the keyboard player's studio in the heart of the English Peak District during a rainy week in July 2023. The tracks showcase the earthy essence of the band via its signature vocabulary of uncomplicated funk, soul-jazz, classic R&B and reggae-infused grooves.

In the UK selected tracks from the album will be featured on The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show on BBC 6Music. An extensive US tour is planned for Spring 2024 in support of this release.

Eddie Roberts - guitar & tambourine

Simon Allen - drums

Pete Shand - bass guitar

Joe Tatton - organ and piano

Respected Italian talent Francesco Tegazzin, also known as Distilled Noise, has emerged from years of self-exploration in the recording studio with a true passion for house and minimal grooves. His journey culminates in the release of his first Satya 12", "Evolution Of The Mind," a sonic testament to his current musical identity.

In crafting this opus, Distilled Noise immerses himself in experimentation. Reflecting his dynamic approach to music-making, each track on the record serves as a departure from the norm, with intentional alterations to his workflow for every new composition.

A defining hallmark of his artistry lies in the homage paid to his musical roots. Francesco seamlessly integrates guitar-like sounds, electric pianos, and funky basslines into each track, resulting in a unique fusion of diverse elements. His commitment to delivering more than mere utilitarian "tools" is unmistakable, as he endeavors to create compositions that etch a lasting imprint on the listener's mind.

Scheduled for release on March 15, 2024, the EP promises an exhilarating listening and dancing experience for aficionados of groove based house music.

Our seventh vinyl chapter at Small Great Things is presented by our residents Quadrakey. The limited vinyl and digital release, titled "Head Over Heels EP," consists of three original tracks and two remixes. This collection seamlessly fuses deep and classic house vibes with contemporary beats, ensuring a fresh dance floor experience.

Starting with the A1 side, 'Head Over Heels' kicks off the journey with a deep house groove complemented by stabs and a robust bassline. Moving to the A2 track, 'Yeah' takes center stage with its infectious groovy bassline, piano chords, and captivating drums. The A3 track, "2 Ways Out," adds a touch of nostalgia with hints of the 80s.

Flipping over to the B side, we come across two remixes. On B1, Luca Olivotto delivers a disco-house dance floor-ready cut, featuring vocals and guitars. B2 presents a fantastic remix from DJ Merci of the track "2 Ways Out," where he reinvents the entire production, crafting a deep house gem.

"Urban EP" is the compelling debut from Mark Maretta in the deep house landscape. This album is a sonic exploration characterized by deep, sinuous beats and ethereal synthesizers, "Urban EP" offers a continuous journey through vibrant streets and oscure city corners.

Each track in the album flows seamlessly into the next, creating an auditory experience that is both reflective and electrifying. Mark Maretta skillfully mixes classic deep house elements with an innovative electronic twist, crafting a unique sound experience.

born in canadian Newfoundland, aadja was drawn to music early. growing up in nature made a profound impact, the surrounding woods, rugged landscapes and nearby ocean inspiring her innate music language. she picked up a guitar at age five, and went on to play clarinet, piano, flute and baritone saxophone, as well as receiving classical vocal training.

isolation of the early 20's meant chaos for some, but for the canadian dj and producer this period in time presented itself as a gift. it became an environment to control and create, a time to dive into the fire of pyrocbs and emerge stronger and unfettered.

''pyrocbs'', the follow up of her excellent ''thought dealer'' record, features 11 compositions orchestrated by the prophet 6, and spiced with hilary's unique vocals. a bold, minimalist approach weaving a romantic dialogue between sounds.

like the eye of a storm, ''pyrocbs'' is what aadja defines as finding stillness amidst chaos.

repressed !

ls Compilation-Reihe im Jahre 2001 gegründet um ein paar lose Fäden unserer Stammkünstler zu verknüpfen, hat sich SPEICHER inzwischen zu einem Garanten für fortgeschrittene Tanzklänge aus aller Welt weiterentwickelt der es KOMPAKT erlaubt, Musiker aus allen Bereichen des elektronischen Spektrums einzuladen und zu fördern. Für SPEICHER 84 kehrt der dänische Altmeister und globale Fan-Favorit KÖLSCH zu seinen Labelwurzeln zurück (oder zumindest jenen seines bekanntesten Projekts) und liefert heldenhaften Techno, dessen elektronische Grandezza nur von der Lieblichkeit seiner Melodien eingeholt wird.

Das nunmehr fünfte Speicher-Release von Rune Reilly KÖLSCH erreicht uns im Gefolge des gesichtsverdrillenden Wahnsinns von "Loreley" (KOMPAKT EXTRA 68), der pianogetriebenen Melancholie von "Opa" (KOMPAKT EXTRA 70) oder den Bestseller-Akkorden seiner Kollaboration mit Gregor Schwellenbach (KOMPAKT EXTRA 79), irgendwie auch eine Hommage an all diese Meilensteine im Rahmen eines zugegebenermaßen massiven Zwo-Trackers. Das erste Originalmaterial seit einiger Zeit, übernehmen diese Stücke den Staffelstab von gefeierten Remixarbeiten für eine ganze Reihe an Künstlern kontemporärer Unterhaltungsmusik, von hochgehandelten Popstars wie Coldplay zu Bewahrern feinster Tanzflurtradition wie House-Mobster Monkey Safari oder dem Bassmusik-Liebhaber Henry Krinkle.

Memory Remains boss Kirik joins forces with Miami’s Imbue for their collaborative ‘On Distance’ EP.

This time Kirik pairs up with the Miami-based trio Imbue who add their dynamic instrumentation to the project through guitars, piano, and synthesizer improvisation.

Opening the release is the jazzy funk-infused ‘On Distance’, laid out across seven minutes with an amalgamation of guitar licks and looped hooks alongside plucked bass tones, strings and organic rhythms combined to create a psychedelia-tinged twist on House. ‘All Right’ follows next and shifts gear into a more classic house feel, employing Latin percussion and wandering keys alongside guitar melodies and soulful vocal chants.

Opening the flip-side is ‘Lovers’ with its acid bass groove, intricately intertwined synth stab sequences and crisp drums all underpinned by Imbue’s hypnotic musicality. ‘Son Us On’ then rounds out the release, diving deeper into the House courtesy of bumpy low-slung drums, airy synth chimes and plucked guitars merged with an underlying dubbed-out and subtly unfurling feel.


early support by Massimiliano Pagliara, Archie Hamilton, youANDme, DJ Heather, Moskalus, Jean Pierre, Red Pig Flower, Red Rack'Em, Just Her, Michel De Hey and many more...