Tint is the first new solo recording from Joe Talia in over a decade. Australian-born but now based in Tokyo, Talia is known to many listeners as a drummer (frequently collaborating both live and in the studio with artists such as Oren Ambarchi and Jim O'Rourke) and as a recording and mixing engineer responsible for dozens of releases across the fields of contemporary experimental music, wayward pop, and jazz. Alongside James Rushford, he is also responsible for one of the most legendary releases in the Kye records catalogue, the creaking electronic morass of Manhunter (2013).
Lovingly crafted over many months in his tiny Tokyo studio, Tint is an album-length electroacoustic suite that brings together Talia's expertise as percussionist, studio engineer, and performer on analogue electronic instruments (primarily modular synth and Revox tape machine). Ranging from minimalist austerity to kosmische lushness, Tint refreshingly refuses the dark and moody sonic palette of much contemporary electroacoustic music in favour of an airy, at times almost weightless sound-world of gliding tones, skittering percussion, and burbling field recordings. Drawing inspiration from Jean-Claude Eloy's epic concrète love letter to Tokyo, Gaku-No-Michi, Talia makes extensive use of his own recordings of his new home, but removes any sense of audio verite, abstracting them into transparent glosses of outdoor ambience or unidentifiable chimes and creaks. Flowing seamlessly between distinct episodes, Tint is compositionally controlled while retaining a sense of played spontaneity, eventually building to a maelstrom of analogue synth zaps and tape manipulated percussion that reflects Talia's deep engagement with the relentless yet constantly shifting dynamics of free jazz.
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Sonny is a mysterious new Danish musician landing on a brand new Danish label Koldt Bord with a lavish, cosmically-tinged four piece EP that refuses to let you go. The wild narrative and dynamic momentum of "Agoraphobia", the soft lilted and mistiness of "Alone In Ginza", the strange tropic short, sweet skit of "CE" and the journey-like ride into the unknown of "Some Velvet Morning" comprise to create something of its own world. Sitting somewhere between Cinematic Orchestra and fellow Dane Kenneth Bager, this leave you wanting more..
"Fresh off the back of his debut EP '2nd Nature', which received support from Seth Troxler, Laurent Garnier, AME, Maya Jane Coles, Archie Hamilton, Mano Le Tough & Damian Lazarus, DOKTA returns to 20/20 Vision alongside the dance music and audio obsessive 'Leonidas' who's been topping the Juno vinyl charts recently with his releases 'Kay Suzuki' and 'Hobbes'.
The uncompromising 15-minute composition merges DOKTA's unique electronic arrangement style with a transcending live saxophone melody and an original vocal recording of NYC's Paradise Garage and Loft regular David Vickers, with a spoken word tribute to Dave Mancuso and his legendry Loft residency, recorded before the great mans passing last year.
Structured with a driving kick, off set drums and rhythmic keys 'Baby Powder' proves once again DOKTA refuses to work within formalities, offering up a release that is both truly unique and impossible to ignore.'Baby Powder' sees DOKTA continue to push the boundaries of electronic production, effortlessly compounding live elements that explore exciting new musical territories.
For a year, friends and producers Jean-Gabriel Becker and Susumu Muka have been meeting for collaborative recording sessions at Sounds And Sons studio in Shoreditch.
Susumu Mukai, originally from Kanagawa, Japan, has been involved in diverse projects such as Zongamin, Stalactite and Off World as producer and multi-instrumentalist. Mukai is also a member of bands including Fimber Bravo, Vanishing Twin and Floating Points. Jean-Gabriel Becker, originally from Paris, France, has been writing music under various names and in numerous projects, from Jeanga And George and Economy Wolf to Lux Prima to name only a few. He also composes extensively for films and television under his own name. The sessions for Eyes, their first EP together, unfolded as a musical dialogue between the duo - open-ended, discovering the sounds as they revealed themselves in an organic way. Although some influences can be heard, from acidhouse to krautrock, to jazz and psychedelia, the otherness of Eyes EP refuses to be categorised easily.
Melodies International proudly moves forward with an elusive piece of mid-tempo Chicago soul originally performed by Gloria J. Jennings in 1977.
Gloria was signed to Stage Productions as a gospel singer with pure and raw talent she had developed in the choir of her father's Southern Baptist Church. She was 16 years old at the time. To tutor her for R&B vocals, Willie C. Nance of Stage Productions spent 3 months taking the artist back and forth for vocal training 25 miles each way, 3 days per week.
At the time, Mr. Nance had made plans to work with singer and songwriter Theresa Eagins to record Know What You Want'. However, two days before the recording was set to begin, Ms. Eagins refused to move forward with the recording as she chose to take her religious faith more seriously and forgo the singing of secular music. Hence, Stage Productions turned to Gloria Jay to perform a song that would go on to move people thousands of miles away, many years later.
One of them was Patrick Forge: Back around 1990 I had a residency upstairs at the Wag Club on a Friday night alongside Paul Martin (he was Gilles P's A&R right hand man at Talkin Loud), the night was called Respect and we played mainly Soul, Boogie and Jazz-Funk. Many years later I bumped into Paul at a record shop and he quizzed me about a tune I used to play at the end of the night at Respect. Hhe described it as being an independent Soul seven inch on a red label, slow to mid tempo... and more to the point a bullet of a record. It piqued my curiosity so much I burrowed through my seven inches and even made Paul a compilation of likely contenders, his response was lovely selection, but it's not on there!'. Damn, a mystery! Many moons later whilst I was living in Japan, my tenant in my London flat said she'd found an old mixtape I'd done for her way back when and was desperate to know the identity of something she was calling the choo choo song'. Eventually when I was back in London she played the mixtape and I quickly identified her tune as Fabrica' by Cesar Mariano, however letting the tape play some time later a familiar descending chord sequence catapulted me back to those Friday nights at The Wag, and Gloria Jay's plaintive vocals reminded me of a record that had been absent from my life for far too long. I've no idea what happened to my original copy, I hunted another one down straight away, and I've kept it close ever since. Know What You Want' is a song that goes deep in such a simple, unaffected, almost naive way, Gloria's voice is both sweet and raw, it's built on simple chords and obvious instrumentation, but it's so much greater than the sum of its parts.
Know What You Want' is soul music, pure and unadulterated, there's nothing getting in the way of the feeling, it's straight from the heart.' Carefully re-mastered from the tapes, MEL008 comes forth in its original 7' format with a 14'x14' poster.
- A1: Drum Introduction
- A2: U Ma Ngi Hamba Nawe Thuli U Bizwa I Peacock (When I Walk With Thuli, They Call Her Peacock)
- A3: Thembalami (My Trustworthy)
- A4: Sesi U Hi Komba Mihlolo (My Sister, She Is A Miracle)
- A5: Mandela U Humile Jele (Mandela Is Released From Jail)
- A6: Koko Ribulelele (Please Open The Door For Us)
- A7: Tanda Tula Se Yi Cincile (Tanda Tula Is Change)
- A8: Musadi Ye Muvutsi (A Beautiful Woman)
- A9: Tamanini (Hello, Hello)
- A10: Drum Interlude
- A11: Nwamaxalana A Nga Al Ntumbuluko (Nwamaxalana Refuses The Nature)
- A12: A Kuri Na Xinyenyana (There Was A Bird In The Garden) Dolphin
- A1: Mukutsuri Hosi Ya Mina (You Are My Saviour) Eric
- B2: Yehova Xikwembu Xanga (God Is My King) Eric
- B3: Rirandzu Ra Yesu (Love Of Jesus) Pretty
- B4: U Nga Rili Nwana Sesi (Please Don't Cry My Baby Sister) Chris
- B5: Lo Machine Wa Khuluma (Talking Machine) Chris
- B6: Ngiri Ngiri Wo Ngirimele Kaya (I'm Walking Home) Chris
- B7: La La Go Nna (Rest With Me) Clenny
- B8: Joko Ya Kgaho Yi Bobebe (God's Belief Makes My Heart Free) Clenny
- B9: Tatana Hi Vana Va Wena (Father, We Are Your Children) Chris
- B10: Xisaka Xa Tuva Manguvalawa (The Nest Of A Bird) Magie
- B11: Tanda Tula Se Yi Cincile (Tanda Tula Has Changed) Jenette
- B12: Modimo A Li Teng A Kgo Na Matata (When God Is Around There Is No Problem) Harry
- B13: Keya Morata U Wa Ntata (I Love God And He Loves Me) Stars
- B14: Wa La Matsidiso (Matsidiso Is Crying)
- B15: Madume Dume Dume (Hello Everyone)
Recently, Superpitcher was invited to go on a safari in South Africa. He bought a custom made safari hat at his favorite milliner in Cologne (Ju¨rgen Eifler) and set off with big eyes and a pair of binoculars. It was wild and wonderful and he saw many exotic (and big!) animals, even a leopard in a tree that told him the secret of the universe. He forgot what the leopard said because his mind was still playing and replaying the sound of what he heard on the first night of his arrival - the hypnotic and moving sound of the voices of Africa, the voices of the wonderful Tanda Tula staff choir. There, the choir members work during the day at the camp and at night entertain the guests with their captivating voices and energetic dancing. So impressed was he with their songs and beautiful Shangaan language that he decided to record a CD for them to sell in the shop at their camp and now this precious recording is also available through Hippie Dance / Bush Recordings on vinyl and CD for you in whatever wherever camp you are. The LP of the Tanda Tula Choir comes with a very pretty poster.
Sometimes amongst all the music that we hear every day, something comes along so unique and brilliant that its captivates your mind and soul and refuses to let go.
That was exactly what happened when we first heard DOKTA - the ex-studio engineer with the freshest take on electronic music we have heard for a long time. Fusing a fully analog working method & live instrumentation with a breathtakingly unique arrangement style, DOKTA combines all his experience working with some of the best in the business and transcends it into one hypnotic stream of genre defying mastery.
For his first EP on 20/20 we are fortunate enough to have remixes from fabric resident Jay Clarke, and a collaborative contribution from Seth Troxler and Bas Ibellini. It is a major milestone for 20/20 to finally have a Seth Troxler production on the label. He has been a great inspiration for us and hugely supportive of our output over the years. Seth went into the studio with good friend Bas and came out with a remix worthy of DOKTA's long abstract arrangements.
We hope you enjoy, and with an album in the pipeline for later this year we promise there is a lot more to come...
Outcast Oddity returns for their first full artist EP. Who better to ask than Sebastian Voigt His contribution to the label's V/A 003 compilation called 'Lux Aeterna', was a transcending techno trip that turned heads earlier this year.
Just as the EP's title, or rather the lack thereof leaves room for interpretation, this music refuses to be categorised too easily. Rough around the edges but effortlessly elegant, one foot in the past and one in the present, Sebastian delivers three mature tracks that evoke memories of acid house, UK rave, sweaty basements, strobe lights and euphoric moments.
Fall of 2016 sees Midnight Magic ready to enchant us once more with the much-anticipated birth of their 2nd studio album, the wondrously eclectic Free From Your Spell. Going back to their roots in Los Angeles, Morgan Wiley, and Tiffany Roth, alongside the rest of the boogie nonet, have prepared a refined feast of genre-bending songs. The ever so diverse moods of Free From Your Spell make it a seductive journey. With each song mixed seamlessly into the next, the record coalesces into one long disco odyssey, reminiscing Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer's concept albums "Four Seasons of Love" and "A Love Trilogy". Moods, genres, and styles intertwine like an aural kaleidoscope, the album electrifying with its striking harmony. Whilst exuberantly borrowing from past decades, Free From Your Spell more than holds its own as a self-assured, innovative body of work. Midnight Magic's Free From Your Spell is an offer one can't refuse. An attractive deal in the form of disco escapism, traveling through its various shades, emotions, and incarnations, a comprehensive revival of the genre for modern ears. It's Studio 54, It's Moroder,Amanda Lear, Gino Soccio, and Grace Jones. It's a whole palette of 1980's R'n'B and cosmic funk. Despite all the music references of past eras Free From Your Spell is very much a current album, a mature demonstration of genuine skills in songwriting, a multi-instrumental banquet of sounds, a coherent collection of ambitious dance tracks and a beautiful celebration of eclecticism. Add to this some of Tiffany Roth's most memorable vocals to date and you arrive at one of the year's most exciting releases. There is a strong reason for both "midnight" and "magic" in the name of the band after all.
God, reviews can be LOL. So we'll presume you know your own mind and taste. Let us scrub all metaphor. We'll resist comparison. Today's musical tenor overlooked, we'll refuse to dissect. Moments preferred are muted. We won't highlight respite or forgiveness. There's no considering of geographical fact. We'll shut our ears to technology.
ROD needs no introduction as the prolific alter ego of a certain Dutch producer already well associated with Figure. Here we are treated to 3 new ROD cuts, precisely aimed at the dancefloor, plus a special Len Faki remix to crown the package. Label curator Len Faki offers up his take on >Truck One< in a storming, action-packed ride, building on RODs sparse palette of sound-design rumbles, and creates a straight up modern Techno roller that refuses to be shy!
Narratives Music proudly present the debut EP of the artist Rhyming in Fives. The 'Hindsight' EP sees a well respected producer
embark on a new journey under a new alias, with an intention to breach the boundaries of Drum and Bass and the 170bpm template.
Fusing drift space ambience, glassy synths and retro drum machines with gritty warm bass grooves, Rhyming in Fives has gathered
sensibilities from the austere 80s pop of Depeche Mode and Gary Numan, the soundscapes of Cliff Martinez and Vangelis, and
transcended to something altogether more futuristic.
This highly anticipated release has already caught the imagination of DJ's across the genres with huge names such as Paul Woolford,
Om Unit, Com Truise and Zomby working it into their multi tempo sets while still finding its way into the record bags of Drum and
Bass' hottest players such as Doc Scott, Jubei.and BBC Radio's Friction.
Lead track 'Hindsight' glistens with the trademark Narratives sound of emotion and contrast. Melancholic calling synths build over
pumping kick drums and beckon the classic bass to grow and soar to an euphoric drop of arpeggiators and driving percussion. The
ability to draw the listener completely in to its immersive groove and simplicity, only feigns the depth of this beautiful track, a depth
which reveals more with each listen.
Turning many heads has been the track 'With You'. Instantly recognisable, it builds on the same retro influences as the flip but is
injected with the vocals of Hana. Bubbling basses, beautiful keys and a song like structure make this a golden addition to the
Narratives catalogue; one that evokes the summer decadence of Kavinsky's 'Drive' movie soundtrack.
The last track on the EP, 'All's Well' takes the Rhyming in Fives sound to a much more brooding and meditative place. Cavernous
bass, reverbs and FX lead this wave of haunting ambience to create a heartwrenching close to this debut EP. Sentimental, emotional
and relentlessly engaging, 'All's Well' refuses to let the listener do anything but be drawn in.
Only furthering Narratives reputation for releasing music of bold quality and longevity, this EP embraces experimentation and genre
shifting sounds whilst having relentlessly moved dancefloors and festivals over the summer months.
DJ Support includes : Friction, Paul Woolford, Doc Scott, Om Unit, Kuedo, Com Truise, Zomby
- Turn Me On' by Jay W. McGee is the third release in a series of sought after boogie, disco and modern soul re-issues on Légère Recordings. The original 12inch vinyl single appeared on the tiny Canadian Indie label Love Productions in 1980 and is immensely hard to find these days.
- Turn Me On' is an unusual production for its time, grooving along unbelievably deep in a spartanic arrangement, and fuelled by vocals which are not too far away from Sylvester's iconic style of mixing soul, disco, funk and jazz.
Jay W. McGee has a strong opinion about disco music: - When disco came out, it had its own way of reaching people's hearts too. Being in a club, you know, it's escapism, like with soul music. Soul is addressing everyday life problems, disco is about how to forget and enjoy yourself. They each have their own unique place. I saw people railing on doing disco because they didn't understand the seriousness of it,' Jay W. McGee explains about - Turn Me On' when he officially commissioned this re-release: - The discrimination of disco was in reality a discrimination against black music.'
- Your Love', the flipside of this 12inch single, is an exciting ballad on the B-side and a surprise in itself. Both tracks feature a great combination of talents. Wayne Jackson, the trumpet player on - Turn Me On', played on Rick James' album 'Bustin' Out On L Seven', in the late Seventies. Glenn Johanson was the engineer on - Your Love'. He became Eddy Grant's house engineer at his studio in Barbados right after he mixed this tune. But there is also a little drama in the story. When Jay W. McGee returned to the studio where he recorded, "Turn Me On" he found out that the original version of - Turn Me On' was erased by another technician: - Everybody said it could have been a hit, and maybe the guy did it on purpose.' Nevertheless he recorded the song again with a now different arrangement and instrumentation. Maybe that is the reason why the production is so unique and also so different to - Your Love'.
Jay W. McGee could have been a solo artist on Philadelphia International Records, back in 1969, when he met Leon Huff of Gamble & Huff, in Philly for an audition, just before they recorded - Me And Mrs. Jones', - Bad Luck' and - Backstabbers' with Billy Paul, Harold Melvin and The O'Jays. They offered him a contract, but he refused, because he came with his whole group from Flint, Michigan and they wanted to be signed collectively.
Jay W. McGee kept just one of the original 12inches in his home: - Both songs were a profession of love to my wife. We are now married for 34 years.' Now if this ain't love, we don't know....'
Leonard Cohen is indubitably one of the most legendary and successful singer-songwriters from the '60s. However, his label at first refused to release 'Various Positions', his seventh studio album, saying "Look, Leonard; we know you're great, but we don't know if you're any good". The success of the album proved them wrong, giving us one of his most beloved and arguably his most covered song 'Hallelujah', along other gems such as 'Heart With No Companion' and the Gainsbourg-esque 'Dance Me To The End Of Love'. This is a nice addition to the rest of Cohen's releases on Music On Vinyl.















