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It’s been a busy eight months since Dampé’s debut on Dirt Crew Recordings. That time has seen the producer hold down monthly slots on Rinse FM, contribute a downtempo electronica/jazz edit to the S3A ‘Pages Remixes” EP as well as open big rooms for the likes of Surgeon and Blawan.

The intervening months have also seen the producer set up camp in the Rhythm Section studio in South East London, and the result of new access to studio gear can be heard all across ‘Garden’. Compared to the debut ‘Peach Shuffle’ this is a far more machine-led and darker listening experience. Snatches of acoustic instruments and space remain, but it’s never long before the disembodied vocals and oversaturated classic drum kits return reminding you this is music best enjoyed in the club.

‘A Basement, 10 Years Ago’ started just there. A bass line dimly recalled from a long-lost 6am jam is sequenced on a weighty analogue keyboard, while syrupy R&B vocals dance around mbira and gangsa, all slowly building and building together. ‘727 and Arp Breaks’ is a love letter to two of the producer’s favourite instruments from the studio. A TR-727 and an Arp Odyssey collide across dubbed out stabs to form some very rolling breaks.
Sunday Night Machines’ sees Dampé tame the box-of-physics that is the Arp Odyssey again with a sprawling meditation on two repeating arpeggios.

‘Garden’ is the one for the dancers. Four variations play with the same melodic theme in distinct sections, with the second variation being the deepest and most floor-ready the whole record gets. ‘France’ is a warped dub-come-hip hop beat that manages to conjure both Lil Jon and Yusef Lateef. We approached Liverpool’s finest ASOK (Lobster Theremin, M>O>S Delsin) for remix duties and to close out the record with a twisted bang. He turned in a propelling weapon that brings a whole new texture to the track listing. It’s very 90’s, very ravey and very raw, in a true IDM style.

With this eclectic mix of sounds we are entering another chapter of the Dirt Crew story and we hope you dig it as much as we do!

Dutch Techno master Orlando Voorn has opened up his archive for the second essential instalment of an ongoing artist focused series brought to you by new imprint Above Board Projects. The compilation will be spread across 2 double 12" volumes and will feature tracks from many of Voorn's pseudonyms including; Fix, Baruka, The Ghetto Brothers, Mute & many more. We are proud to introduce the first of a 2-part archival collection entitled 'Diligence'. Each track featured on the compilation has been carefully selected and programmed in conjunction with Orlando Voorn and the Above Board Projects team. Voorn has an extremely long and storied career in making music and is severely underrated as a producer in our humble opinion. His DJ skills are, of course, legendary, with him winning the prestigious DMC mixing championships in 1986 in his native Holland and making a career as one of the country's leading Hip-Hop DJ's. As a producer he has long been linked to numerous legendary producers and releases, counting labels such as Fragile, Metroplex and more as homes for his output. His association and collaborations with Detroit have been the stuff of legend since day one and some of the music contained within these compilations celebrate that while showcasing some of the more overlooked tracks from the man's more than extensive catalogue. Part 2 opens with the minimalistic bladerunner Techno of Voorn & Juan Atkins' Infiniti classic 'Game One', a true modern classic, also featured is the rolling, paranoia inducing late night groove of 'Dream World' from one of Voorn's more obscure projects Complex, all showcasing a wide variety of styles and sounds. Flawless selections from the early 90's sitting alongside later productions only go to show how diverse and talented an artist Voorn is and how fresh and vital his music still is today. An essential collection for any serious techno lover. All tracks fully licensed and remastered with the full permission of Orlando Voorn. Remastering and lacquers by Curvepusher. Compiled and directed by the Above Board Projects team. Design and layout by atelier Superplus. 2019.

Kerrie makes her debut for DBA with four tracks devised originally for her high impact live sets. Other than a cut on highly regarded London label I Love Acid's 10th anniversary comp Kerrie is a relative newcomer but the ten years she has put in honing her style immediately shine through in her music. The EP ranges from Before Calm's bug-eyed, angular swagger replete with a hair raising distorted hook, to Orb Weaver's peak time techno roll via Acid8 Slider which is one of the most original 303 tracks to come out of the UK in some time and Curveball, a bolshy electro leaning stepper.

Her influences range from current UK artists like Blawan to Japanese artists such as NHK yx Koyxen & Hiroaki Iizuka and pioneers like X101, Joey Beltram and Surgeon. The running thread in her taste is a penchant for high energy, raw banging grooves with a machine funk flavour, and a love of analog sound both as a producer and DJ. No doubt this stems from her time spent working at legendary Manchester shop Eastern Bloc Records where she joined in 2013 and has worked ever since. Honing her skills through her DJ residency for EBloc Kerrie has gone on to become a regularly booked act for the UKs most prestigious underground club nights. As a live performer she has also toured the UK since 2017 with the live show being met with high acclaim. Her live set for Freerotation 2019 has been one of the festival's most talked about debuts.

Featuring work by a group of 7 international artists, poets, scientists and designers, this record offers a look at the concept of Transparency from a variety of cultural, creative and scientific perspectives. In conversation with Research of Waves curatorial team, 6 of the contributors synthesised their interpretation of the theme within a 5 minute long audio piece, many of them working within the medium for the first time. The front and back cover of the album are designed by graphic designer and digital artist Galina Kruzhilina, creating a visual response to the 6 sound pieces.

After 10 vinyl releases exploring the leftfield side of electronic music, No Suit Records enters a new era with a new serie of Split EPs. Two artists per EP, offering a wider color palette, stretching styles and genres.

Cabasa is back on No Suit Records after the launch of a successful live act and many appearances in festivals and high profile clubs around Europe. On this release Cabasa navigates between luscious atmosphere, broken beats and polyrythmic patterns.
Crystal Clear is made of soft melodies and tickling bass —it is a reminiscence of the 00’s downtempo apogee and an invitation to accept your inner melancholy. More Than a Second is a slow awakening, a groggy musical move, a muffled request for a brighter future. Catching Fire Slowly is a contemplating ode, a call to take a deep breath and prepare yourself for the upcoming run.

Lost souls or flowers of hope, lurking into light and darkness, no one knows who Scaarlet are. The only certitude is that they always play with boundaries and enact performances between syncopated melodies, cut up sounds, wavy basslines and deep atmospheric sounds. They are back on No Suit Records and continue to develop their own intricate style, merging Drum’n’Bass and Techno influences into a politically and socially engaged music.
My Man translates the raw energy of riots and rebellion, powering a fusion of Drum’n’Bass and Techno. The River resumes some of the Yakusa women tattoos symbolism into a romantic pulsating 170ish bpm vibe. Advertising is an open critic of the fast fashion world and the supremacy of commercial communication, mixing polyrythm with a straight DnB kickdrum.

All tracks mastered by Pole at Scape Mastering in Berlin.

Floating Points' personal collection of global soul, ambient, jazz and folk treasures form the latest in the warmly revered Late Night Tales series.

Sam Shepherd aka Floating Points' music taste is notoriously tricky to define, ranging from ethereal classical at one end to coruscating techno at the other, united only in a firm belief in the transcendental power of music to move hearts, minds and - yes - feet. Similarly, his production career has ranged from early experiments in dance music with breakout records such as the 'Shadows EP' and collaborating with legendary Gnawa master Mahmoud Guinia to his expansive album 'Elaenia', which met with critical acclaim upon its release in 2015.

This Late Night Tales excursion into the depths of the evening reflects his broad tastes. The globally-travelled producer has collected untold treasures on his travels from dusty stores in Brazil to market stalls near his hometown. There's the gorgeous 'Via Làctea', culled from Carlos Walker's debut album, Abu Talib's (Bobby Wright) plaintive 'Blood Of An American' and Robert Vanderbilt's gospel reworking of Manchild's 'Especially For You'. Raw soul and feeling oozing from each song's pores.

At the other end of the music scale are the modernists, such as Québécoise Kara-Lis Coverdale who weighs in with the indelible 'Moments In Love', Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith whose 'Milk' is an exercise in tranquility, while Sarah Davachi's meditative mix-opener offers respite from a weary world.

We have some exclusive tracks for Late Night Tales; alongside Davachi's offerings there is also Toshimaru Nakamura's 'Nimb #59', as well as the now traditional cover version. hepherd delved into his childhood
memory for this one, a track taken from the first album his parents bought him, Kenny Wheeler's 'Music For Large & Small Ensembles': Sam offers up his interpretation of 'Opening Part 1'. Wheeler also contributes horns to Azimuth
track The Tunnel, written and performed by Norma Winstone and John Taylor who, coincidentally, are the parents of Floating Points' drummer Leo Taylor. Closing the album, Lauren Laverne reads the suitably nocturnal poem 'Ah! Why, Because The Dazzling Sun' by Emily Brontë.

'I tried to find music that reflects the stillness of night. And because my musical interests lie all over the place, it's quite difficult to distil that notion down to just a few songs. I was quite keen to have some electronic music in there but I also really wanted to have some soul music mixed in, so I had to try and find a pathway between all of this different music.' - Sam Shepherd (Floating Points) March 2019

Brian Kage’s fourth release on Michigander Music “303 in the 313 EP” features 4 uniquely gritty and acid-soaked manifestations of mid 90’s Detroit. This exercise in analog monosynth mastery directly connects the grittiness of the urban landscape with the raw spirit of creative freedom.

Detroitasaurus starts the record off with a subtle prehistoric soundscape, steadily building rhythmic tension using hypnotic toms and melodic drum patterns. Razor sharp 909 hats hammer down there through the sonic mist as the journey continues to build. Shrieking jurassic trumpets cap off each of the peaking climbs to reveal metallic broken-down structures that are bound together with oscillating 303 threads and a grooving bassline.

Van Dyke Vessel features an atmosphere of textured percussion and metallic analog synths that wind around a deep square bass groove. Suddenly, truncated growling vocal samples start to collect into the catchy phrase “Let’s take this to outer space”. Swelling pads give way to squealing acid as this track transports dancers to a nostalgic melodic dimension.

Delray Dance undulates with thick bass slowly building into a body focused groove as it winds up and gives way to a rugged 303 saw with fluttering Spanish style synth stabs. Classic Detroit pads continue to swell, adding to the tension and leaving enough sonic space for melodic mixes in and out. This tune is the perfect tool to transition between genres.


Zonin breaks the mold by combining old-school electro vibes with a heavy dose of acid and freestyle hip hop. Heavy broken beats are combined with a rockin’ nostalgic bassline and layered party vocals that transports you to the center of the dancefloor on the best night you’ve ever had.

For its 3rd releases, Nubiphone is proud to present you a compilation of the best early 7inch releases of the mythical Cameroonian band Los Camaroes.
10 raw tracks taken from various singles from 1968 to 1975, that present the musical diversity played by those seven young people: Bikutsi, Afro-Funk, Jerk, , Soukous, Rumba & Blues music. The band led by the charismatic lead vocal Messi Martin that managed to modernized Cameroonian music. Deluxe edition that includes an 8-pages booklet, with exclusive pictures, biography in both English and French languages, and a HQ digital download
card.

For COS_MOS's next trick they serve up a special 12” that features a brand new single from M>O>S super group R-A-G, also known as MaSpaventi, Aroy Dee and G-String. It comes backed with a re-release of one of the key tracks of the previously released Crystal Maze album on aDepth Audio. A fierce and full 45rpm re-cut of 'Dr Claw' that has been a secret weapon of Aroy Dee for many years. It's a raw cosmic adventure, with warm solar winds blowing over prickly drums. Twisted bass and knotted pads wrap round the groove as a detuned lead synth heads into a Legowelt-ish future. 'Larry Venom', stirs things up with a deconstructed, off kilter mix of beeps and drones with marching drums adding to the feeling that this is a robot party in meltdown. This is a brilliantly left of centre EP of intergalactic house.

After a steady stream of releases from the 2000 Black label which serve as a first course, Dego returns with his third album ; A full length LP of his contemporary adventures in modern sound. This album combines Dego's consistent forward looking musical explorations with a host of instrumental and vocal collaborators introducing us to new talents and reminding us of those we may have heard before. Dego continues to find new perspectives within the musical landscape.

Collaborating with singers and songwriters all expressing a distinct sense of where, collectively, we are now. There can be no doubt that this is a time of questions in every way, changes in the world and industry that will affect us all. How and what role music plays in this journey is explored as with any artist in a personal and pensive way from a tear to a smile. There is no preaching here, only statements and explorations. Individuality and sonic diversity combine and reflect the many inspirations and evolutions of style. Cooking up a strong and distinct genre-defying mix of soul, two step, funk, jazz, boogie and R&B, all dance music's that focus on heritage and natural rhythms.

Listening to the music is a relief and delight for lovers of groove and song-craft. It's a 21st century statement accessible and raw, whilst highly advanced in sound design and production. Holistic in breadth and deep in vision, it provides a way into this music for many, and challenges the cultural conversation about jazz without compromising or pandering. Music that utilizes a raw and sincere true openness narrative.

The Ryote EP is the aptly titled debut from Ryote, featuring 5 tracks of raw, leftfield house and techno inspired by grimy basements and late
night mischeif. Ryote also has releases with Minneapolis labels Always Human Tapes and Abstrakt Xpressions. The co-founder of Kajunga and co-owner of Detroit-based Clave House stays active in the Midwest circuit, performing regularly at a varity of events and festivals such as: Even Furthur, Sacred Earth, SYSTEM, Communion and Elixir.

Strut continues its essential compilation series of Indian Ocean sounds with 'Alefa Madagascar', the first compilation to document the unique culture of salegy, soukous and soul on the island during the '70s and '80s.
'Alefa Madagascar' showcases the rich variety of sounds during this heyday of Malagasy music: Roger Georges' 'Mama' and Jean Kely et Basth's 'Andosy Mora' bring the raw energy of salegy, influential band Los Matadores drop military drums and Hammond soul in the classic 'Andeha Hanarato'; Mahaleo's 'Izahay Mpamita' showcases the band's powerful folk sound, a crucial voice emerging from the Rotaka farmer and student protests of 1972, while Terak'Anosy Group work around a stomping Congolese guitar groove. The era paved the way for many of the household names of Malagasy music today including Jaojoby, D'Gary and Lego.

Tough, mid-tempo Ghanaian funk & Highlife grooves from Ebo Taylor Junior, son of the mighty Ebo Taylor..
Originally released in 1978... These tracks are super tough and raw! GREAT recordings.., so groovy.

RAWAX proudly welcomes Olivier Ducreux aka Shonky to the Family! We're so happy about this outsanding debut from the Apollonia man, who not really needs an introduction. "Sonarise" will be our opener for the Summer season

Beacon Sound and Jacktone Records are pleased to announce a limited edition joint vinyl release by Hugo RA Paris titled Threaded Habitat. The new LP from Paris follows two of Jacktone’s most popular releases: Mystique Youth (2015) and Horizons Beneath The Surface (2016), which appeared under his alias, Lavender.

The transition to the Hugo RA Paris moniker with this album marks a more personal shift in approach. Threaded Habitat combines ambient textures and techno rhythms to reflect tension between humanity and nature—particularly the cyclical nature of collapse and renewal. It also marks Jacktone's first collaborative release with the record store and label Beacon Sound, which has put out works from veteran experimental musicians like Terry Riley and Colleen. Beacon Sound is an important node in Portland, where Paris also lives and developed the flagship modular product for leading Eurorack manufacturer 4MS: the SWN.

The album's closing track was entirely composed on a SWN prototype and recorded in one take. In fact, much of his work is done in layers of single takes with minimal processing to preserve its raw emotion and embrace minor imperfections. As an MIT-trained engineer and physicist, working with hardware—from modulars to guitar pedals and tape loops—is essential to his process of not only making but exploring sound.

Threaded Habitat captures moments of claustrophobia and bliss in seven tracks and three accompanying videos directed by New Zealand artist Sam Hamilton. Visual art plays a central role in many of Paris’s projects, which include intricate audio-visual performances and scores for full-length films like The Modern Jungle (La Selva Negra) and its forthcoming follow-up.

The LP will be available to pre-order on July 1st with a limited, exclusive content sample pack. The handmade vinyl package features photography by Sam Hamilton and will be released July 19 through Jacktone and Beacon Sound’s webshops, with worldwide sales beginning August 2nd. A remix release will arrive later in the Fall.

After 10 years of vinyl pressings on Lapsus Records it's now time for our first ever "vocal" release!

Many of our Lapsus Radio (Radio 3) followers may already be aware of our fondness for synth-pop, however as a label we have never dabbled with this often unfairly maligned genre, until now...

From the moment we first heard the material from British artist Circa 2000 something magical transpired. William Wiffen's production blueprint signals a new twist in this forty-year old genre. ‘Thoughts In Vias’ –the album released in 2017 on Computer Club, the sub-label of influential Sheffield label Central Processing Unit– offered the first opportunity for us to witness the work of Circa 2000, the UK producer and composer residing in the costal city of Brighton. After his debut, in 2018 William released the ‘The Sun To The Waxing Moon’ EP on the multifaceted Chilean platform Infinito Audio, in which he delved into his more experimental production side.

Circa 2000 now joins Lapsus Records to present ‘Faith Healer’, his most personal work to date and a palpable tribute to the work of Scottish composer Alex Harvey, during his time leading The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. ‘Faith Healer’ is a seven-track album that revisits the nascent days of new wave and synth. It is an exercise in raw and analogue electronics that transports us back to the golden era of synthetic electronica, in which bands like Deux, Victrola and Monoton redefined minimalism and underground pop.

‘Faith Healer’ will be released in July and available on limited edition vinyl and all digital formats. As always, the Basora studio has once again provided us with stunning artwork for this release.

Intrepid, hard-hitting steppers from London producer Junior Loves. Self-released 4-track 10" with hand-drawn artwork, cut by Leon at Music House, Very limited press.



Sinewy, hard-hitting steppers from London way. Junior Loves has a bit of form, last seen on Tabernacle in 2018, but this new, self-released, hand-scribed 10", with two tracks served up discomix style, is very much its own thing: a timeless, unpretentious cry-tuff encounter that combines deeply rooted, meticulous production with a rawness and vulnerability in a manner that is properly compelling. 'Banner' and its more stripped, spatial version set the tone - propelled by Shaka-ish 4/4 drum-murderation and bolshy, corkscrewing, blue-going-on-purple synth lines that shrink the distance between early Ruff Sqwad/Rapid instrumentals and melancholic ambient techno. The grimy forward-lean is there also in both excursions of 'The Nore', but this one drifts further into ethereal cold-space, recalling John T. Gast's druidic soundboy cuts, dizzyingly psychedelic but precise and uncluttered, mashing up brain/dance/everything with perfectly judged patterns of attack and decay. Very limited press, cut by Leon at Music House. Massive tip on this one!

Over the last few years, K15 has been visiting Simbad's studio, where they delved deep in conversation, as well as into an arsenal of analog gear. The result? A revered collection of raw grooves...but what to do with all this heat? Enter Apron boss and mutual friend Steven Julien, who was compelled to share some of these works.
Welcome to Earth State

It is well known that talent never guarantees any success in the music industry. This sentence summarizes the story of The 9th Creation, one of the best soul, funk, disco and boogie band to make it out of Stockton, CA.

Founded by J.D. and A.D Burrise in 1970, the 9th Creation went on for almost two decades and released 3 albums and half a dozen singles that regularly flirted with the US Charts, getting them featured on Soul Train in 1975 and allowing them to tour North America and Japan a few times over. 9th Creation regularly shared the bill with Irma Thomas, James Brown, The Whispers, The Sylvers, The Main Ingredient, Con Funk Shun and many others.

The music that J.D, A.D Burrise and their 10-12 band members created was a perfect combination of West Coast raw soul, disco and funk that resulted in a religious fan following across the globe.
To this day, The 9th Creation has been sampled by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Artifacts, Quasimoto, 3rd Bass, Basement Jaxx and many others.

9th Creation was undoubtedly one of the greatest funk band of the Seventies.

Past Due Records is proud to officially reissue the 9th Creation's essential full lengths and singles, carefully remastered and all in their original artworks. 'Mellow Music' is the most sought after 7' from 9th Creation. This single marks the band's new direction and was announcing an album that remained unreleased (more on that later). This single is a boogie funk gem and both tracks are pure monsters of heavy bass, synth, horns and massive vocals. A must have that'

Where To Now? Records present the debut release from Akiko Haruna. Akiko’s world is one where cacophonic distress lingers, shuffling itself over scapes of percussive damage and driven groove. Akiko presents a fresh take on the current Technoid function through her use of emotive and intentionally disruptive vocal chops and a dizzying ‘wall of sound’ approach to the dancefloor, consuming all yet somehow keeping vibes alive.

Akiko’s artistic background is primarily in Dance, and undoubtedly this performance led background has had an acute impact on her approach to melodic detail & storytelling. Akiko’s tracks rapidly shift & morph states, always restless and searching with fluidity and intent. From the ever present Micro Electronic details to sweeping swathes of Bass flutter the notion of progressive movement remains at the forefront of her sound, minute elements of detail become briefly isolated, intentionally directing the listener to their subtle presence.

‘Delusions’ Leads with ‘A Mother’s Love’ and begins a theme of resentment and dissonance. The Japanase vocal cuts throughout the track roughly translate to “you should die”, here obviously flipping assumed and supposed relationship rules and roles and exposing an inner turmoil, reflected through a continuous anxiety ridden, almost panicked siren detail which pulses over Akiko’s heads down, deep and uniform forward march.

‘Husband Established’ and the opens with the emotive vocal line “I just hate your Voice”. This is the sound of a poisonous & damaging relationship hurtling towards combustion, where Akiko’s elements gather momentum and impact as layer upon layer of detail pummel and puncture this heightened state, pausing and spiralling to evoke a standoff of aggression and imminent outburst. ‘Husband Established’ stands as a frankly stunning piece of sound design, which manages to capture a raw human emotion, and provide release for the associated junk, stress, and occasional banality of Relationship angst.

‘Hetero’ picks up where ‘Husband Established’ finished, further exploring societal character types and submissive gender tropes that are thrust into our sub consciousness from day to day. The concept of Hyperreality and its themes are continuously explored within Akiko’s practice and It would perhaps be fair to say that these themic explorations within her Music are Akiko’s own outlet for traversing human relationships within a complex, heightened, & layered reality, and it is certainly Akiko’s intention for her audience to feel some kind of relief and release within her sound world. Sonically ‘Hetero’ is a much sparser, subtler affair, where swathes of sampled voice & machine swing in and out of focus, against a weightless backdrop of affecting isolated electronics.

The EP closes with ‘Ripehus Alley’, seemingly void of any deeper meaning or message this serves more as a dreamlike parting song to what is otherwise a highly charged collection. Floating itself away from a frantic & incomprehensible world into a calmer space for final thought and reflection. ‘Delusions’ is a complex, exploratory trip, one which fans of Logos, Fis, Alva Noto, Jlin, Jesse Osborne-Lanthier etc will relish exploring.

Detailed, smart, commanding, groovy. These are just a few words to describe the Assorted Pieces 2 compilation. This strictly in-house production by Friendship & Decadence contains tracks from such producers as Kade, Mirage Man, Poly Sone and Waltteri. Which is a intriguing mixture indeed.

Poly Sone’s “Home killing is taping music” is a rugged and fast paced take on nordic techno. As the track was recorded on a four track cassette recorder the saturation on this cut is immense, yet pleasant. Definitely not your everyday cheapo lo-fi tune.

Deep, quirky and playful bottom heavy roller, “Calm” by Waltteri has a hint of spanish roast in its blend. Waltteri’s debut on the imprint can be perfectly paired with a fun loving crowd during midnight or even around early mornings. Psychedelic multipurpose tool.

Kade’s raw and unconventional track “Sanko” is a treat for the adventurous mind. Haunting arpeggios and vocal chops will give you the creeps, while the unrefined saturated rhythms will sooth you into a trance. Eccentric and hypnotic dance music.

“This track never starts” by Mirage Man lives by its name as it is a slowly unraveling and cinematic number. Regardless of its thick lower end, in the club environment this track might send the restless to acquire a beverage from the bar, but for the grounded minds who enjoy ambient this just might be the ticket. Play it yourself and see what happens.

Limited press of 150 pcs. 12” record includes a download code.

Georgian artist Sophia Saze releases her debut two-part album 'Self' on Francis Harris' Kingdoms imprint, with part one dropping on cassette this June. "The record embodies my story of duality within the context of identity, insomuch as the idea that every person has a deeper layer we don't show on the surface."
Born in Tbilisi, Sophia Saze is the daughter of political refugees who's spent her life living in numerous different countries before eventually finding home in Brooklyn. Finding it difficult to find her own identity due to living a nomadic lifestyle, the classically trained musician became entangled with electronic music before becoming a key player within New York's nightlife scene and launching her Dusk & Haze imprint in 2017.
A reflection of her struggles throughout life, 'Self' is very much a memoir of the many different places she's lived during her journey, including Georgia, Russia, USA, France and Canada. Contrasting to her recent productions, which are geared more towards the dancefloor, her debut longplayer is downtempo and features a medley of musical influences - mixed in two parts and released as a concept album on cassette. Maintaining a sonically raw feel throughout, 'Self' draws the analogy of analog to modern day digital culture whilst also taking a stance against perfection, whether integrating the distance crackle of her machines or intentional off-beat piano notes in minor. Part One was conceived, for the most part, during a sleepless yet inspired 48-hour studio session. Processed field recordings accompany samples from her childhood, such as soviet cartoons and intimate VHS recordings of her family. The result is a well-seasoned and personal story portrayed in fourteen tracks mixed together.
"I feel the element of patience is somewhat of a lost commodity in our generation, particularly for albums. We're consumed by track to track interpretations and constantly searching for the next instant stimulation. With this record, I wanted to reiterate the idea that if you don't have the willingness to sit through the whole thing, then you're not stepping into it with the right mindset to begin with."
Every artist who collaborated on the record is handpicked, such as vocalist Ricardo Rivera. The final production was also mixed by Francis Harris himself. All of their involvement means they share a fragment of the concept.

Ahead of his second artist album on his own Millionhands label in July, Tee Mango teases with a fantastic first EP taken from it. The album finds the UK artist stretch himself with a dazzling array of soul drenched, fully fledged songs featuring his own singing and that of Detroit legend (and Moodymann collaborator) Amp Fiddler.

The sound, very much influenced by early Prince and even a little Bon Iver, combines effortlessly with that loose sampled MPC-house feel that you would associate with a Tee Mango production. It also comes with a seal of approval from Radio 6 Music legend Gilles Peterson and after EPs on the likes of Aus, Clone and Local Talk in recent years.

Opening up the EP, Amp Fiddler features on ‘Feels Like Whatever’. Dancing Rhodes keys, ooze jazz charm and float atop a simple house beat, while the Detroit legend’s emotive raw soulful vocal directs proceedings.
The heart breaking ‘No More Tears’ is an introspective sad soul song that shows another side to Mango’s skills. Tender chords, downbeat drums and vocal hums and coos all melt your very being. Last of all comes the dazzling ‘Lay Down (Disco Mix)’ with its slapped funk bassline, finger clicks and squelch synth work all topped off by an effortless
falsetto. This is a fantastic introduction to the full length to come.

• Debut album by production whiz-kid Mantronix, one of the most important acts in the mid-80s hip-hop. Pioneers of drum machine, sample technology and art of the remix.
• Features NYC club anthems ‘Needle to the Groove’, Fresh Is The World’ and ‘Bassline’ (UK top 40 hit).
• This is raw hip-hop and electronic music of the highest calibre.
• Cult classic proudly reissued by Demon Records on 180gm heavyweight black vinyl with
printed inner sleeve.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Far Out Recordings proudly presents two albums of previously unheard Azymuth demo recordings from 1973-75

Since their debut album release in 1975, Azymuth have risen to rank alongside the world’s greatest jazz, funk and fusion artists. As young men in Rio de Janeiro, they stood out for both their exceptional talent as musicians, and their wild rock ‘n’ roll antics in the predominantly middle-class worlds of bossa nova and jazz. Their signature ‘Samba Doido’ (crazy samba) sound ruptured the tried and tested musical structures of the day, resulting in what can only be described as an electric, psychedelic, samba jazz-funk hybrid.

Before they became Azymuth, José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) played backing band to just about every major artist in Brazil. Bertrami was also contracted as an arranger and songwriter at some the biggest labels of the era: Polydor, Philips, Som Livre, and EMI being just a few. Azymuth’s name can be found on record sleeves by the likes of Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Marcos Valle, Ana Mazzotti and countless others. But at the dawn of the seventies, fascinated by developments in improvisational music - from jazz in the US, to progressive rock in the UK and of course samba, bossa and tropicália on home turf - the energetic young group were inspired and ready to move forward. Any spare moment in which they weren’t in sessions and writing music for other artists, they would be carving out their own sound.

These previously unheard recordings took place between 1973-75 at Bertrami’s home studio in the Laranjeiras district of Rio de Janeiro. At the time of recording, there was nothing in Brazil, less the world that sounded anything like them, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that when Bertrami presented his demos to the record companies he had been working for, he was turned away, and told in effect that the music was ‘wrong’.

One of the demos ‘Manhã’ would be picked up by Som Livre and Azymuth released their seminal debut album in 1975. Throughout the late seventies and eighties, the group released a series of now classic albums for Milestone Records, before taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue their individual careers.

When English producers Joe Davis and Roc Hunter arrived in Brazil in 1994 to record the first Azymuth album in over a decade, Bertrami dug out the demos which had sat virtually untouched for over twenty years. Joe recalls how he was “blown away by the freedom and intensity of the music, as well as the genius of the ideas musically.” Beginning a long and fruitful relationship, ‘Prefacio’ would be the first track Azymuth recorded for Far Out Recordings and was released on the Carnival album (1996).
Along with ‘Manhã’ and ‘Prefacio’, only a handful of these demos were ever professionally recorded and released, making this the first opportunity to hear many of these early Azymuth compositions in their raw, original form.

On every track the frenetic energy in the studio is palpable, giving the recordings a beautifully personal feel and a sense of the phenomenally creative vision Bertrami, Malheiros and Conti were realising at the time. Fifty years on, Azymuth’s earliest recorded music retains an ineffable, futuristic quality, standing amongst their most captivating and moving work.

Credits:

Keyboards: José Roberto Bertrami (Mini Moog Series One, Arp Omni, Arp 2600, Arp Solina Strings, Fender Rhodes 88, Hammond B3 with box speaker, Clavinet with Wah Wah)
Drums: Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti
Bass: Alex Malheiros
Percussion: Ariovaldo Contesini
Produced by Azymuth and Jose Roberto Bertrami
Recorded at José Roberto Bertrami’s home studio in Laranjeiras, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil between 1973–1975.
Issue and project co-ordinator: Joe Davis
Tape transfers by Roc Hunter (thanks to Simon Hitner)
Mastered by Daniel Maunick at the Sugar Shack, Lanark, Scotland
Mastered by Frank at Carvery Cuts
All tracks published by Far Out Music Publishing/Westbury Music LTD

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Far Out Recordings proudly presents two albums of previously unheard Azymuth demo recordings from 1973-75

Since their debut album release in 1975, Azymuth have risen to rank alongside the world’s greatest jazz, funk and fusion artists. As young men in Rio de Janeiro, they stood out for both their exceptional talent as musicians, and their wild rock ‘n’ roll antics in the predominantly middle-class worlds of bossa nova and jazz. Their signature ‘Samba Doido’ (crazy samba) sound ruptured the tried and tested musical structures of the day, resulting in what can only be described as an electric, psychedelic, samba jazz-funk hybrid.

Before they became Azymuth, José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) played backing band to just about every major artist in Brazil. Bertrami was also contracted as an arranger and songwriter at some the biggest labels of the era: Polydor, Philips, Som Livre, and EMI being just a few. Azymuth’s name can be found on record sleeves by the likes of Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Marcos Valle, Ana Mazzotti and countless others. But at the dawn of the seventies, fascinated by developments in improvisational music - from jazz in the US, to progressive rock in the UK and of course samba, bossa and tropicália on home turf - the energetic young group were inspired and ready to move forward. Any spare moment in which they weren’t in sessions and writing music for other artists, they would be carving out their own sound.

These previously unheard recordings took place between 1973-75 at Bertrami’s home studio in the Laranjeiras district of Rio de Janeiro. At the time of recording, there was nothing in Brazil, less the world that sounded anything like them, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that when Bertrami presented his demos to the record companies he had been working for, he was turned away, and told in effect that the music was ‘wrong’.

One of the demos ‘Manhã’ would be picked up by Som Livre and Azymuth released their seminal debut album in 1975. Throughout the late seventies and eighties, the group released a series of now classic albums for Milestone Records, before taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue their individual careers.

When English producers Joe Davis and Roc Hunter arrived in Brazil in 1994 to record the first Azymuth album in over a decade, Bertrami dug out the demos which had sat virtually untouched for over twenty years. Joe recalls how he was “blown away by the freedom and intensity of the music, as well as the genius of the ideas musically.” Beginning a long and fruitful relationship, ‘Prefacio’ would be the first track Azymuth recorded for Far Out Recordings and was released on the Carnival album (1996).
Along with ‘Manhã’ and ‘Prefacio’, only a handful of these demos were ever professionally recorded and released, making this the first opportunity to hear many of these early Azymuth compositions in their raw, original form.

On every track the frenetic energy in the studio is palpable, giving the recordings a beautifully personal feel and a sense of the phenomenally creative vision Bertrami, Malheiros and Conti were realising at the time. Fifty years on, Azymuth’s earliest recorded music retains an ineffable, futuristic quality, standing amongst their most captivating and moving work.

Credits:

Keyboards: José Roberto Bertrami (Mini Moog Series One, Arp Omni, Arp 2600, Arp Solina Strings, Fender Rhodes 88, Hammond B3 with box speaker, Clavinet with Wah Wah)
Drums: Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti
Bass: Alex Malheiros
Percussion: Ariovaldo Contesini
Produced by Azymuth and Jose Roberto Bertrami
Recorded at José Roberto Bertrami’s home studio in Laranjeiras, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil between 1973–1975.
Issue and project co-ordinator: Joe Davis
Tape transfers by Roc Hunter (thanks to Simon Hitner)
Mastered by Daniel Maunick at the Sugar Shack, Lanark, Scotland
Mastered by Frank at Carvery Cuts
All tracks published by Far Out Music Publishing/Westbury Music LTD

Initially a duo formed in Berlin, FITH have since multiplied and expanded to become a revolving collective of musicians and poets spread out across a Paris/Manchester/Berlin axis. The project, currently comprised of members Dice Miller, Enir Da, Rachel Margetts, ChrIs Lmx, & Arnaud Mathé gesture towards notions of the literary salon, expanded cinema happenings, and the ancient traditions of Greek oratory and religious sermons. Driven by the spell of the spoken word, minimal percussive refrains, oneiric textures & deep melodic synths, FITH channel cinematic imagery, enigmatic narratives & spiritual frenzy.

Their self-titled debut 12' album was released via their collectively run imprint Wanda Portal in November 2016, a 'quietly alluring debut of post punk tempered avant-pop songs' (Boomkat) that laid out the project's foreboding mystique and intoxicating dream sequences with a lurking, devastating sense of purpose and (mis)direction. Other outings have included myriad solo collections of poetry, a two-track release of lurid dissonance and elegiac elevation (Signs / Cornerstone, December 2016) and an extraordinary reinterpretation of the soundtrack for cult film & iconic document of modern alienation Wanda (1971, dir. By Barbara Loden)

With Swamp, their sequel to this activity and their first appearance on Outer Reaches, FITH become a refined force, on a record where all their compelling pluralities and attributes are honed and augmented; everything dilated to delirium. The atmosphere here is one of veiled dread and psychic disturbance, a haunting and macabre psychedelia strewn with echo and dub FX, fragmentary fever dream poetics, elemental drum patterns and volatile synthetic interference. Although the collective conserve the raw crux of their earlier material their execution is, in this special instance, heightened by an intent to broaden and prolong their unique strain of intensity.

Emphatically sinister openers like Forest and Pound present sidereal sequences before building to barrelling, corrosively processed percussion, paroxysmal free jazz and a baleful, concrète-inflected score of electronics, while Swamp introduces phasing currents and a vocal evocative of a chorale from some forgotten giallo film. Elsewhere l'au delà (the beyond) presents a stunning, sombre passage to another state entirely, like some desolate new inflection on Coil's Going Up, before Bialystok shifts into a finale of transportive and meditative evaporation. Together these tracks make for an incredibly immersive and congruous conception; an utterly complete and mesmerising document.

In Swamp's various dimensions perhaps there's comparisons to be drawn with the ritualistic krautrock of Conny Plank and Holger Czukay's Les Vampyrettes, with the hallucinatory, tribal rhythm cycles of Shackleton & Anika's Behind The Glass collaboration, with the primeval drone of Jeremie Sauvage, Mathieu Tilly and Yann Gourdon's France project, with the echoic, disquieting chamber intimacies of Tuxedomoon's Pink Narcissus material and with Lucrecia Dalt's eerie free verse abstractions. But really, we've not heard anything like this before.

Discussing their own inspirations and touchstones the collective cites Franz Kafka, Dario Argento, Lucrecia Martel's La Ciénaga (The Swamp - the film the record is named after) and Yiddish ghost theatre as figures, works and artforms that were prominently drawn upon during the making of Swamp. Yet whilst their imprints could be traced by some, they resemble more of a covert presence within a nuanced whole rather than obvious aspects which moor this record to any familiar setting.

Instead, the acutely unsettling yet poignant spoken word of Miller and the mercurial nocturnes and visitations produced by Margetts, Lmx, Mathé and Da make for a record of strange, novel and striking energies. In revealing the remarkable location and period in which Swamp was recorded Margetts and Miller give a vivid indication as to how these energies are so potently invoked:

'The record was mostly recorded in a caretaker's wing of a 17th century castle in Normandy. It was early March 2018, and our first encounter with the Spring. We had no idea how everything would unfold. There was a lot of tension. Some of us felt compelled to get out the attic room where we had set up our makeshift recording studio and just walk and walk down the vast flat meadows and explore the relics of the wartime barracks, others wanted to keep recording. The outside was serene and inviting, and even though we had been cooped up indoors recording for long stretches of time, we could see from the corner of our eyes, the branches of the trees quivering; an impersonal energy blew through us and then things just happened.'

Hard Fist comes back stronger than ever with a sixth release, this time from Pletnev with a remix from Sascha Funke.

Extra prolific Russian born Alex Pletnev has been making music under various aliases and in a number of live bands. Now settled in Vilnius he explores stellar chugging rhythms, afro and oriental vibes for labels like Media Fury and Bahnsteig23 and more atmospheric, dark and industrial EPs on Le Temps Perdu records. This new one is “the tale of an imaginary world, a babel myth of when human beings were together as one because they spoke a single language. It is an allusion of No Border movement supporting freedom of mobility and fighting human immigration control.”

This fantastic release is the most club focussed music Pletnev has ever produced with instrumental, heady opener ‘Guest from Bangkok’ really locking you in a groove. Loose percussion and churning drums make for dark disco of the highest order. Then comes ‘Peep of Dawn,’ an almost frightening, long and slow ceremony of menacing electronic music. A voice resonates while powerful bass sends shivers down your spine and the whole atmospheric and absorbing affair really casts a spell.

Excellent punchy guitar riffs and shamanic rhythms on ‘Red Shoes’ reminds you of a run to catch the setting sun. It’s another spellbinding and rock-laced disco track that oozes grit and rawness. With the closing track, BPitch Control man Sascha Funke remixes ‘My Word Against Yours' into a cosmic and jerky affair that alludes to a journey into outer space. It’s sparse and creepy and brilliantly evocative.

Once again here, the Hard Fist label—which has its own residency at Paris’s mighty Rex Club—tells its unique story with forward thinking club music full of a wide array of influences.

Spencer Parker invites Swedish artist Billie Jo to Work Them Records with five driving techno cuts entitled 'The Ravenous' EP featuring a remix from Me Me Me boss Man Power.

Hailing from Stockholm, Billie Jo is a founding member of the .WAV collective and resident DJ at Gothenburg's Rottweiler when not performing at clubs like Tresor. She now joins Work Them Records, bringing an array of robust productions with her.

With its pounding drums and ghostly vocals, 'Erroneous' quickly sets the tone of the release, leading into 'Saturn' with its glassy textures and echoing effects. 'Ravenous' then takes us into murkier territories, generating a duskier aesthetic with its twisted sounds before British producer Man Power provides a vigorous reinterpretation under his newly minted MPX moniker, which focuses on raw club tracks, featuring hard stabs and acid licks.

With its saw-like lead and trippy atmospherics, 'Dir Vsseu' sounds like being pulled through a vortex, making way for the powerful 'Planet 9' which concludes the package with metallic elements and subtle pads.

CTHI Records is back again after a little pause given by the development of the Jaxx Madicine project started initially by the label founder Parker Madicine and Turbojazz. Through out this time the label has productively been joined by Veezo, italian pianist and producer, for the making of their Distant Classic album and various EP’s and remixes published on many different international labels as Local Talk, Visions Rec, Dirt Crew and Eureka. CTHI is now ready , after the recent Japanese tour as Jaxx Madicine Trio, to be again the front stream for the debut EP of Veezo ‘Monolith’. An 8 tracks EP playing the essential “manifesto" and inspiring heritage of the artist. Raw and dirty grooves made in 12bit res, tape delays and acid Ms20 arps on top of which you’ll appreciate afro elements, warm rhodes and pad chords allowing you to perceive the whole Veezo musical ambient creativity. Two singing tracks - unique featurings by David Shorty and the Technoir Duo - are providing deep house/boogie atmospheres and jazzy spiritual moods. There are various musicians participating into this project leading through bass, flutes and drums that will surely provide you the feeling of an orchestral setting guided and directed by a solo person inducting all those elements through an Akai taperecorder. The result: close to a mid 90’s forbidden cartoon enriched by the cover of the Japanese artist Tokio Aoyama.

Quintessentials has a long history in putting out those nice little (or sometimes big...) compilations. It was 'deep, raw and real". Then 'thank you freaks". After that 'gentlemen cuts". Now it's 'enjoy your cuppa"! Vol. 1 starts with 4 new and refreshing faces on Quintessentials. Marc Bianco is for sure no newcomer, as he's a part of the famous Moonrise Hill Material crew with Folamour and other top french producers. 'Wet Scott' is a smooth yet freaky tune with tight beats in a best MB manner. For german Effgee, 'feels like ding' is his first track ever released. Happy lad! And we're sure it won't be the last. Italian air man Wearing Shoes is quite new to the scene, but has a quite impressive list of releases already. For Quintessentials, he teams up with...well yeah, Javonntte (check his two Quintessentials releases, 59 and 61). Proper house music guaranteed! Last but not least, Roy Vision (another french artist who just released on Roots for Bloom) goes deep and dusty, with lovely Rhodes and snares! We hope you enjoy your cuppa!

Warehouse Find!

Danish producer Paxton Fettel joins Delusions for his debut EP for the label entitled Night Waves. Despite his youth, he has notched up an enviable catalogue of original, eclectic releases including two LP's for Greta Cottage Workshop as well as EP's for Plumage, Kolour LTD and Apersonal. Paxton's unique sound and audiophile approach to production has led to remixes for Uffe on Tartelet, Chocky on Secret Reels and most recently Sunrom on edgling vinyl-only label The Bricks.

For his Night Waves EP we get a snapshot of the mans diversity across three original tracks. The opener sees Paxton in his most raw, jacking, dance oor focussed mood to date and the result is a high energy house track which punches hard on a big system. Featuring his own bass playing, snipped and squeezed through the sonic mangle, Night Waves steams along with big bold pianos, swinging hats and just the right amount of oating synths. Simple elements which combine to be so much more than the sum of its parts and one of those stand-out cuts that will be stuck in your head long after you've left the danceoor.

Flipping over we have Paxton going full-on jazz mode in Pacica 399 To Freedom. A track which once again has his beloved Sandberg California live bass part pushed to the fore, pianos, strings and synths building around the driving disco groove. Feel-good sunshine vibes oozing from the speakers as little melodies dance around the sizzling hi hats and encompassing pulse of the kick drum.

Finally we have a deeper note to close on with It's Clear. A repeating vocal hook runs throughout the intro while intricate drum programming gives a nod to the sounds of broken beat and live jazz sensibilities. The end result is a warm, loose and dubby jam which completes the package in ne style and leaves us looking forward to hearing more from this talented young producer from Copenhagen.

Last year saw The Last Poets celebrate their 50-year anniversary with the righteous, politically-charged poetic record, "Understand What Black Is". Now to continue the party, Brighton production-maestro Prince Fatty has reworked the album with a fresh twist and blend of smooth, dub-delights. Set to land on the 29th March, the revolution marches on - this is "Understand What Dub Is".

After Prince Fatty's involvement in the production of the original project, he was the perfect person to help update the record with five decades of experience for a new audience to enjoy. The ten tracks of "Understand What Black Is" depict a relevant, historical philosophy of identity and race that has followed The Poets over the last 50 years. Since the origins of the civil rights movements back in the late 60's, Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan (two of the longest-standing group members) have provided social commentaries and a voice to African-American consciousness that has now been heard on a global scale.

Their raps, exploitations and insights quickly evolved into the origins of hip-hop in Harlem, New York back in 1968, and now in 2019 they continue to voice their dedication to the cause with the backing of slick rock-steady infused beats to keep things moving. Having had their work sampled by the likes of NWA, Dr Dre, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg and countless others is just a testament to the timeless sounds and prophecy they have created, and now Prince Fatty has stepped up to put his stamp on it.

Prince Fatty's ever-reliable work gives "Understand What Black Is" another lease of life as he maintains an undeniably slick groove throughout. Both therapeutic and warm, the soulful rhythms of "Understand What Dub Is" provide the perfect platform for The Last Poets to delve into everything from Trump's inauguration, nods to Biggie Smalls and respect to Prince. The calm, collective and downright thought-provoking words go hand-in-hand with the roots-driven reggae medleys with ease - this is dub in its rawest form.

Not only do these songs explore personal struggles and individual endeavours, they also represent a collective of deprived aspects of humanity and socialism, that perhaps now need to be pointed out more than ever. Although there is a variation of sound, the overlying topics remain a constant - it is time to "Understand What Black Is" once more.

The Vinyl Debut Of Microm Records Is A New Era For Negocius Man And Microm Records N.e.g.o. They Are Very Special Songs With Different Styles Of High Quality Electro. It's My Cover Letter Around The World Hard, Raw, Dark, Robotic Vocoders, Detroit Sounds And Drexciyan Moments, Galactic Funk, Minimalist Atmosphere With Effects. They Are My Different Facets Making Electro But Not All, I Have A New Sound For 2019, Stay Alert And Enjoy!!! For Me Is A Timeless Disc, I Like It And I Always Will, All The Tracks Are Me: N.e.g.o.

fter giving the floor to the mysterious Scarpa and its ultra-saturated tribal rhythms, Istigkeit surrounds itself with 3 producers with a strong identity to deliver a raw punk electronic compilation. The criminals involved Shrouds, Artik and H880!

DJ Rubio delivers the latest Man Band 12. A masterful blend of deep broken cuts and raw ambient by the Helsinki resident.

It's safe to say that Detroit, a city steeped in economic, cultural and musical history, will soon weave its way into your soul should you spend any sustained time there. This rings all too true for Monty Luke. He has immersed himself in Detroit's scene since moving to the Motor City in 2008. His new eight track LP, released via Dogmatik, showcases the style of a new generation of Detroit producers carrying the beacon for a deep, Detroit sound that blends analogue weight and punchy drum programming together with masterful synth work and raw emotion.
Even at first glance the polarised artwork, an aerial map of Detroit, shows the more introspective nature of this Motor City ingrained release, with Luke purposefully steering away from writing club ready material. Introductory track 'City Lights' gives a first taste of this, combining swelling synths, dreamlike arps and crisp percussive hits. There's a real weight to the bass synth that compliments Abi B's soulful vocals all too well. 'Anton's Room' & 'Crime Wave' follow suit -the former with itslayered gritty bass, expansive stabs, glitchy bleeps and undulating arps and the latter creating a sonic swell between your ears manifested by a surging, panned arp, alongside sirens and punchy, gunshot like snares. Inspirations from Moodymann to Theo Parrish are clear to be seen in tracks like 'Move', taking a range of jazzy loops and samples and chopping them into a low slung, bouncing MPC laden jam.Progressing into the 2nd half of the album there's a transition from deep, Detroit house into harder hitting, electro territory. 'Willie Maze' with its killer drum programming, reverberating Rhodes and dynamic bass and 'Roja', combining emotive late-night chords and melancholic synth melodies, really honeinon that pensive, thought-provoking aesthetic. One of the highlights, 'Wasteland', is the best example of this transition -interlacing a commanding electro drum pattern with squelching, synth melodies and Serene Arena's introspective lyrics.
Then taking it full circle, closing track 'Block Is Hot (Black Hole Mix)' -co-produced by King Britt in Philadelphia (alongside City Lights, Crime Wave & Willie Maze), returns to the 4/4 path with a thumping party track, carrying through that raw nature emanating from the dark melodies and Monty's adlibbed vocals.
'Hard Work/ Not Hype' is a record flying the flag for those underground artists working tirelessly behind closed doors to produce material that's based on feeling, emotion and skill, rather than riding off the back of an inflated, socially constructed image. Monty Luke, as someone that follows that mantra, has been able toconstruct an album showcasing this, creating a real weight and depth to this release; it's raw, powerful and thought provoking, expertly capturing the soul of Detroit -the city that's had such a profound effect on him

DETROIT SWINDLE
Ouch that's HOT! Bring it on.
KRISTIAN RAEDLE/ INNERVISIONS
Yes please. Very nice.
AYBEE
Fanatastic Work Monty!!
ASHLEY BEEDLE
Thanks for sending over the Monty Luke album to listen too. It's a great
contemporary album with of course Detroit running through it's veins! It
really pulls you in and I think the arrangements and productions are great.
Fave tracks are City Lights, Roja, Willie Maze and Block Is Hot.
LAURENT GARNIER
Oh yes..This is so elegant and sexy. Love it Would love to play it
OSUNLADE
This one is a guilty pleasure vibe..hate that I love every song equally

'Sometimes you wake up and you've just lost the plot. Is life great or is it not Should I eat more fruit Is buying diamonds rude' Ca$hminus are asking all the wrong questions. After their debut on Bordello A Parigi last year and a recent appearance on Credit 00's Rat Life imprint, the Belgo-Australiana duo unleash a collection of their wildest works to date. The package opens with 'Atlandwehr', a jaunting affair that could have risen from the filthy Berlin Landwehr canal, only to dissolve again after six frenzied minutes, leaving nothing but a trace of bubbles on the skanky surface. The gritty 'La Foire', a grimy take on Belgian new beat, fuses raw, stepping drums with a playfully gnarly synth line. Luckily 'De Vlasmarkt' is lurking around the corner: this is the awkwardly joyous soundtrack to an annual phenomenon in Ghent, where young and old folks gather on the 'Vlasmarkt' square after a heavy night of boozing, to collectively gaze at at the sun coming up whilst drinking Irish coffees until they drop. G-funk meets electro on the flipside, where Cora from Chengdu showcases her vocal swag on '' to a backdrop of supreme subbass and rattling beats. Man of the moment Cornelius Doctor of HARD FIST fame (the adventurous imprint he runs with Tushen Rai) delivers a beast of a rework that both hypnotizes and elevates. The acapella leaves you in charge of your own destiny.

Bakk Heia Records has evolved as an extension of Manchester based club night Bakk.Heia (Back Here).
The label mirrors the party's ethos: blurring the lines between ambient drones, performance, abstraction, hedonism, and dance music.

Johnny Phethean aka Schuttle, born in Newcastle and now based in Manchester, heads up Bakk Heia's debut offering with a 4-track EP, following a 6-track cassette released through London/Paris label Panatype, which ranked highly in Boomkat's ambient charts and received a sterling review from Resident Advisor.

The A side starts with the fractured and angular expanse of 'Grade 1', which gives way to the meditative percussion of 'Speke'.
Over on the B, 'Utensil' delivers a club focused acidic tonker, with 'Grade 2' providing the gentle reprise.

Schuttle's music is as much built for the dance floor as it is shaped for the introspective listener - raw and tender in equal measure.

Man Power's Me Me Me signs up long-time friend Ian Blevins for his long overdue label debut. Blevins's originals are backed by stellar remixes from Austin Ato and Kiwi.

Blevins hails from the North East of England and has released on ESP Institute, Futureboogie, Not An Animal and Culprit. The prolific producer was a long time resident of the legendary We Love Space in Ibiza and is an enduring favourite on the UK scene with plenty of musical tricks up his sleeves.

'Both tracks on offer showcase the mongrel sound that I hear coming out of the North East region,' Says Man Power. 'Partly tough, partly playful, not simply techno, not simply house, and certainly nowhere near the most common contraction of the two words.'

Innovative opener 'The Serpent' is a suitably snaking, slithering groove with acid twitches, rubbery drums and raw percussive energy. It pings about in dynamic fashion and really keeps you on edge. First up to remix, Austin Ato makes his return to the label after his huge 'The Sound Of' EP in summer 2018 and gives further credence to Man Power's suspicion of his impending super stardom. He takes the 'The Serpent' on a luscious and deep trajectory that would make Larry Heard proud.

The second standout original is 'Unse', a dark stomper with cosmic rays that strike right to the heart of the dance floor. It's menacing and absorbing music that is steely and unlike anything else. To remix is 17 Steps regular Kiwi, who is responsible for two of Man Power's favourite tracks of 2018. Here he continues his run of astounding form while taking 'Unse' in a tougher and more robust direction that will really make you sweat.

As ever this is a brilliant and stylistically diverse package from Me Me Me.