Search:right to life

Hedonism in its purest form means nothing but adjusting one s life and ambition towards pleasure and joy as well as the prevention of pain and sorrow. Following that concept, Wice s first EP takes the listener along on a journey of extremes: persistently strolling between sensual desire, ecstasy and lust as well as the deepest abysses of human sensitivities.
Coherently, just kiddin drags the listener right into Wice s universe of fabulous oppositions without any prior warning: the Peak Time Killer, inspired by the love of Detroit Techno of the 90ies, exhibits irrepressible energy, velocity and surprising twists and turns. Driven by the progressive drive of the drum patterns, the voyager, trapped in a mesh of percussions, wanders confused and disoriented on dance floors looking for support and, as if out of the blue, finally gets released by the warm synthline and gently taken by the hand. Simply just kiddin.
When legs are broken, things have to be done can be described as a small masterpiece of urban, intelligent dance music. The composition, which ranges in between complexity and simplicity, with its breaking beats in combination with spheric pads shows up the necessity that one should, despite setbacks, consistently remind oneself that life, love and music reveal their most beautiful aspects in a balanced and smooth flow.
The eponymous track hedonism draws a painting of obscure and rugged techno landscapes, which attract the listener magically, even though their beauty and grace can only be assumed at first glance. Once identified, the shimmering pads, the forceful bassline and the impulsive percussions unfold a world riddled with the most beautiful abysses and animality hedonism in its purest and most sinful form alike.
With blind certainty a downtempo piece rounds off the EP, which is supposed to be comprehended as a reminder for all hedonists that blind trust may have positive as well as negative consequences.
The hopeful basic mood of the song, however, always lets the light at the end of the tunnel shine through, which emphasizes the optimistic exit of Wice s world of hedonism.

Some try it with mouth-to-mouth insufflation and cardiac massage. Others with
psychopharmaceuticals or group therapy. Still others with divorce. By going cold turkey. With a new profile pic and a matching hairstyle. Seen it all at Robert Johnson, already endorsed everything - at least as long as it helps: as a lifesaving measure.
But since the year dot, the Offenbach-based club with its affiliated label recommends to all which are undecided or have doubts particularly one thing: Music. And dance.
Every two years, when life newly blossoms during spring, Live At Robert Johnson opens its windows widely, lets new music out and fresh air into the house. The beguiling scent of nature and aviation fuel blends with the scent of sweat and dry ice fog - and causes sundry healing confusion. As soon as the first tone of the Lifesaver Compilation 3 is heard, the swelling grunt of Vincent Feit's 'X04', the scenery of the dancefloor right at the Main river appears before one's eyes.
On Saint Monday Iconoclasts rebel against the age of self-optimization. A crack goes through the parquet of the dance floor (or the dancing party itself). The post-unambiguities era is beginning. The images become blurred. Bass case. Alternative facts. Resonance hole. No reception. And then it's only the queue answering the club emergency hotline. Finally there is a buzz on the line. 'Just drop the images!', it says.

'It's all not that tragic.' This helps.
The Lifesaver 3 Compilation, the yet most comprehensive package of the lifesaver history, sounds like electro, sharp-edged like the vault in a Hague bunker (Lauer), provides data pop with piano crescendo (Fort Romeau), brings the style characteristics of German Schlager music to the breakdance mat (Rolande Garros), lets the bulky lily-of-the-valley bells clang and sends the reverb tails away with the wind (Benedikt Frey). There are several new names to discover: Felix Strahd, Benjamin Milz, Vincent Feit; and of course there a many old acquaintances: Massimiliano Pagliara, Orson Wells, TCB, Chinaski. Roman Flügel brings us 'Good News', however: 'From Another Planet.' And Fort Romeau feels 'Lost, Again', but in such somnambulistically beautiful manner that you want to get lost with him instantly and jointly find the great joy.
Again and again there are mysterious chants. It's not required to decipher the specific words in order to get the message: Salvation is near. Salvation is here:









[)] e1 | Roman Fügel - Chang

Art, of any kind, encompasses the unique and distinctive output of its creator: an inimitable human being. It points to a blueprint map of who this creator is, encapsulates their experiences and somehow points to how they arrive at their creation(s). This blueprint, although lending glimmer into one life, connects deeply into an unfathomable amount of other lives - lending an expression and effect. With this in mind, we go on a journey with Dowinowe - the first solo artist release for the Gqom oh! label - on his debut "GQOM004" Dominowe is a 19 year old producer from the Newlands east township of Durban, South Africa who started out making music just for his friends. This release snapshots important themes in his evocative personal journey - expressed in his own very unique style. Releasing on Vinyl in 27th of January 2017, the EP, titled SiyaThakatha', showcases Dominowe's original style in the context of the Durban electronic music scene especially when paced beside Gqom and Sghubu. The listener gets a real sense of his complexity and the variety of styles Dominowe is capable of producing. "SiyaThakatha", the EP name, is translated _black_ _magic,_ or, _we witching - _ which is right at the heart of this release: that listening to these sounds invite you into the universe of an unseen world, putting you in touch with what can only described as invisible energy - a combination of the ideal, the intangible, the unattainable and the other-worldly whilst on journey with a 19year old from Durban whose music is composed of influence and innovation. It is about gqom working its magic on the dance floor for people to move - to the distinctive beats and cultural rhythms. It features four tracks - including one skit outro - as well as three tracks on digital download. The tracks were chosen specifically as a reflection of the variety of styles Dominowe produces and the originality of his productions.

'I take my guitar and strum and sing some tings and blow people's mind. But I ain't trying to do anybody's music. I'm doing what I feel' - Shadow

When it came out in 1984 the far-out album Sweet Sweet Dreams by Trinidad & Tobago's Shadow (aka Winston Bailey) was described as 'way ahead of its time'. Undeservedly it was panned by critics and, unable to reach markets, disappeared into the dusty record collections of a few music aficionados. Now, more than three decades later that cosmic dance-floor UFO is about to take off again, change all that and set the record straight. Remastered and cut by Frank Meritt at The Carvery the album is truly a masterpiece.

But who is this Shadow behind Sweet Sweet Dreams Shadow is a man of understated magnitude. A truly enigmatic artist, he first emerged in Trinidad and Tobago during the 1970s, becoming a part of the tapestry of Caribbean music and reinvigorating calypso at the time. Calypso, the indigenous folk music of Trinidad and Tobago, has roots in West African kaiso rhythms, French Creole influences, and the hardships endured by the African slaves brought to Trinbago, whose descendants still use it as a tool for satire, self-expression, and social commentary. Calypso has also given birth to several other music genres, including soca, with its uptempo beats and festival context. Shadow effortlessly moves between both.

Shadow came from a humble but musical family and started writing songs as a youth while tending cattle in the fields. To his family's initial chagrin he chose calypso over church music but his talent and drive were undeniable. In the early days of his career Shadow's style was cramped when working with some of the more conservative music arrangers who felt that calypso and soca should fit a mould. But after a while Shadow teamed up with more innovative arrangers, including Arthur 'Art'de Coteau, who followed their and Shadow's intuitions resulting in a long line of hits.

'The first time we met for me to arrange his music we had a heated argument on the arrangement for one of his songs, I was theoretically correct but Shadow was musically right. Shadow broke all the traditional musical rules and made his own and that made him a musical giant. He changed the face of Calypso music in 1974 with the release of "Bassman" a tune in which Bass and magnificent horn line took central stage changing Soca music for ever. What Shadow did with his music was to put calypso on the International Dance circuit, giving it a totally different groove. You could take his music and swing it in any direction, Disco, Pop, Calypso, you name it. His music was different from anything that existed before'. - Carl "Beaver" Henderson, one of Trinidad's veteran producers.

This inert creativeness culminated in Sweet Sweet Dreams which was arranged by Shadow and deals with burning and ever-relevant themes like love and the ups and downs of relationships. a surprising fact for someone mainly known for his satirical and political lyrics. It prompted his manager to wonder if Shadow had written the lyrics while in a state of 'tabanca' (a word used in Trinidad and Tobago to describe lovesickness).

Sweet Sweet Dreams was recorded at the legendary SHARC studios, located on a hill in Chaguaramas (near Port of Spain) and despite a fantastic sound and monster Soca-boogie tunes like 'Lets get it together', 'Lets Make it Up' and 'Way, Way Out' the album was a commercial flop, probably due to the fact that it didn't sound like anything else coming out of Trinidad & Tobago at the time: It fused a range of different rhythms and new sounds, primarily heavy synth riffs.

Shadow took the album's lack of success in his stride with usual aplomb:
'When I did Sweet Dreams I expect something could happen. But nothing big happen because I have no big market and no distribution and all this thing now. So I just cool myself and move on to another song. I wasn't doing just one song. I used to always have plenty songs at the one time. And be writing music'.

What Shadow didn't realise back then was that the proto-electronic cocktail he had mixed in 1984 would only find the recognition it deserved three decades later. Life has swung full circle: Sweet Sweet Dreams has come true and been elevated to holy grail status becoming one of the most sought-after Caribbean disco records in existence.

For this re-release we carried out extensive interviews with Shadow and the musicians and have included as bonuses exclusive photos from Shadow's personal collection and the dancefloor filler tune 'D'Hardest' was added as a bonus track.

Moonshine Recordings continues to coordinate dub into all sorts of directions with its steady throughput of vinyl releases. This time around, it's the Spanish-based Bukkha to uplift all followers with two up-tempo rollers that take part in his crucial 'Ruling Sound' EP. His name has been all over the news inside bass culture lately, as the American released highly noted physical music on critical labels like Killa Sound and Dub-Stuy Records. He's been working his way to the top and the only thing the Moonshine Recordings imprint can do is support his efforts in pushing dub music to the masses at any given moment of the day.
On top of this wicked news, Portland's dub producer and engineer 'Skelli Skel' joins this session to frame the taste of the 'PDX Mandem' collective from back home. His love for complex rhythms and heavy bass lines fuel his adventure inside dub culture, something you'll hear when listening to 'MS028'. And with the familiar voice from don Junior Dread, who jumps in on the hype by illuminating the dub with carefully selected freedom of speech, it's the collaboration that speaks for itself. To top it all, TMSV is added to the release roster, a producer whose been dealing some serious damage with his inventive music repertoire. Whether it's music on the darker tip, or the more laidback sound, both Bukkha and TMSV know how to uplift and please their followers with bass-heavy, eardrums-teasing bass music.
Bukkha's 'Ruling Sound' leads his way through musicality by portraying the right balance of instruments and not to mention the gigantic bassline that disperses vibrantly through the lower bottom of the mix. The reigning vocal support from Junior Dread and dub techniques from PDX Mandem family Skelli Skell work out fantastically, as it makes this record come to life. Listen to the instrumental part that propagates in the exact sense of 'dub music', regardless of spinning on a higher beats per minute. The version 'Ruling Dub' by Bukkha himself plays a more meditative part inside your headspace; a clipping where basslines and effects will act up in a blurred version. It's the real attention to detail the American producer shares with remix boss TMSV, who hits fans with a darker joint that pays homage to Drum & Bass. It's aggressive stance forms the pinnacle of 'the right' B-side of a Moonshine Recordings plate. Just make sure you experience the second drop of this absolutely mammoth interpretation, as TMSV shuts down the place!

The album should be considered a continuation of 2013s critically heralded album "This Time We Go Together". The story follows a duo of wanderers finding each other and traveling through life - hand in hand without roots. A 'love conquers all' theme which has been a highly embraced motif in his more recent works.

'We become Ravens' con- sists of 15 electronica vignettes which craftily utilize synthetic soundscapes, memorable melodies, timeless introspection and Gudmundsson's signature electronically infused beats.

Having been an integral part of the Icelandic Electronic music scene since his debut album in 1999. 'We Become Ravens' is a pinnacle release by a well seasoned veteran of electronic music's fringes.

With the release of fourth album Crown Posada, Smoove & Turrell cement their position as one of the UK's most exceptional soul acts with their innate ability to deliver hard times social commentary in a dancefloor friendly medium. Proudly working class as a band - this album celebrates love, life, politics and the lows and the highs of growing up and raising families in the North East of England.

Gritty and powerful, the band make no attempt to sound or look like anyone else - not for them the sharp suits and trumpet twirls of some of their peers. Instead you get a wildly talented and vital crew of larger than life Geordie lads taking their rightful place on the international soul scene having already become figureheads within the UK.

Marcel Dettmann has mixed the latest edition of the highly respected DJ-Kicks compilation series.
Whilst Dettmann is well-known for his incendiary sets at his residency at Berghain, his DJ-Kicks mix is crafted for listening, and displays a more reflective side of the DJ and producer. The mix explores a wide array of selections from various subgenres; ranging from the a new vocal-led Strictly Rhythm release, to rapping on Clarence G's 1991 release 'Cause I Said It Right', recently reissued by Clone Records.
Over the course of its 1hr 14 duration, Dettmann reveals multiple new original productions; most notably a collaboration with Levon Vincent, 'Can You See It'. The pair have collaborated once in the past, releasing 'Vengeance' on Levon's own Novel Sound label towards the end of 2015 to critical acclaim. 'Can You See It' sees the duo venture into darker territory; a stripped back, sub-bass laden affair, the quality of this production immediately stands out in the early stages of the mix.
Dettmann also collaborates with MDR affiliate Wincent Kunth on 'Possible Step'. In addition to five brand new original Dettmann remixes and edits, there's an unreleased remix of Marcel's 'Let's Do It' from Ostgut Ton labelmate Rolando.
Designed to be enjoyed by both the critics and more casual listeners, this mix is the latest in a long series of lifetime achievements over the course of Dettmann's career - and with so many new unreleased original Marcel Dettmann productions included, this is a landmark release for the producer

THE ASSISTENZ is the culmination of a four year creative hot streak as vivid as any part of CRISTAN VOGEL's long career. The trio of dance oor-oriented records formed by 2012's The Inertials, 2014's Polyphonic Beings and now THE ASSISTENZ are sensual pleasures rst and foremost: a lifetime of study of frequencies and rhythms on the frontline of the world's clubs has been put into the creation of sounds that interface with the nervous system and emotional re- sponses with extraordinary immediacy. But there's much more too: together with the more ab- stracted album Eselsbru¨cke, these form an enticing sonic narrative, encoded themes running through them, each part revealing more about the whole. THE ASSISTENZ, then, is many things: a personal document, a tribute to Copenhagen where it was recorded and after whose famous cemetery it is named - but also the nal piece in this bigger puzzle, which unlocks untold secrets from the previous three records.

There's a deeper history, of course. CRISTIAN's productions going back to the start of the 1990s have woven their way into the fabric of underground culture. His own recent remasters of his early albums, and the Sub Rosa Classics 1993-1998 collections have shown just how potent his early work remains. But his new work exists in a very different world to those past works, and is far removed from the recent electronic generations who he has in uenced too. In fact, as you listen to THE ASSISTENZ, you realise that there's no point making comparisons with other elec- tronic producers at all. While you will certainly hear some of the most fundamental and enduring vectors of underground music - dub, electro, acid, funk - owing through the tracks, even those things are rebuilt from the molecular level, created completely afresh with new, precise, but some- what skewed vision.

CRISTIAN's understanding of music now is spectral. That is to say, with every step through his exploration of sound over the years, he has made more and more detailed analyses of the specif- ic frequencies that make up speci c sounds and produce speci c effects on the human mind and body. And as a result, his own sound synthesis - increasingly done via the Kyma programming platform - is more and more able to reach beyond the 'synthetic' and impact in uncanny and wonderful ways. The most obvious sense of this is the way his sounds touch on the human voice: not just in the chattering, shimmering, singing tones of THE ASSISTENZ's ghostly centrepiece 'Barefoot Agnete', in the alien radio signals of 'The Merman's Dream' or even in the subliminal 'aaah's hiding in the background of the noisy 'Vessels', but in the way any sound, anywhere in any track can sound peculiarly vocal, heard from the right angle.

And it's not just the boundary between human and non-human, or that between acoustic and synthetic, that get blurred to the point of non-existence. CRISTAN's creative methodology now is all about leaving you so uncertain about where anything came from, or what scale the sounds are operating on, that you have no choice but to let go of preconceptions and standardised criti- cal faculties and go with it. Sometimes that can take you to places where darkness and physical- ity close in on you as on 'Vessels' or 'Telemorphosis', or into haunted spaces on the edge of the void like those of 'Snowcrunch' and 'Barefoot Agnete', but even in those, there is euphoria. And in the voluptuousness of 'Hold' or the body-rocking funk of 'Cubic Haze', all the abstraction is grounded in the sheer pleasure of your own bodily responses to the sound.

So many of the science ction dreams of the 1990s are now (virtual) reality. We live in a time when social networks consciously manipulate our emotions, where data is money, where ma- chines learn, where images can't be trusted, and where the synthetic can feel more real than real. Over some 25 years, CRISTIAN's experiments have traced much of this weirdness and evolved with it, and his understanding of synthesis and algorithmic processes to create structure makes him one of the most important composers working today. But THE ASSISTENZ doesn't just ex- periment with the interfaces between mind, body and machine: it expresses those relationships in ways that are beautiful, troubling, moving and scary, and which even make you want to dance. Together with the preceding three albums it enacts a glorious, endlessly-explorable mapping of just what electronic music can do.

Matthew Dear's Audion project stands proudly at the intersection between art and hedonism, realised over a decade long dedication to powerful and relevant dance music. Growing out of the vibrant DIY Detroit underground, Audion and his contemporaries were free to feed off the energy reverberating from UK and European dancefloors, but singular in their desire to create their own sound and spirit. An Audion release is techno in it's purest sense - whether it's pushing the bombastic limits, spinning the dancefloor out of control or elegantly toying with just a few sonic elements. 'Alpha' is Audion's first artist album in 10 years and comes at the end of a period of fevered activity. The collective body of work standing as a marker in time and a defining moment in the life of the artist. Drowning out the noise of the outside world, 'Alpha' was a puzzle pieced together sonically in the shadows and wildly brought to life in a matter of weeks. The artwork for 'Alpha' has again been realised by Will Calcutt, Dear's long time collaborator, who has a visual plan for the music that matches the sonic vision, completing the final critical piece of the puzzle. Taken from the album, Gut Man Cometh and Destroyer get the remix treatment from UK producers Matthew Herbert and FOLD

he second time around: fred p aka fp-oner is back on mule musiq with another record that demonstrates the many cosmic qualities of his deeper shade of soul.
it is the second part of a trilogy that features his detailed sonic landscapes that are full of mystery and power. while his last fp-oner album 5' was leaning more to the jazzier, relaxed and atmospherically side of his artistically deep house expressions, the runner-up grinds even deeper into spherical worlds that enhance deep meditative highs.
they are not made for club use only. in fact all eleven compositions work also massively without big speakers. again the new york city native that is working on his very own music for almost 20 years produced a journey inwards that is compelling, mesmerising and enchanting.
you find cosmic dust in it as well as dark entropies, percussive power, sweet seducing melodies and rolling bass power that shakes your inner and outer profoundly. the tracks are listening to names like awakening co creator', alternate reality' or adjusted perception' and the album title 6' stands for a meaning,
that fp-oner describes like this: 6 represents the number of man and his or her limitations, weakness and imperfections.
this body of work examines and looks towards one awakening. adapting to a new way of being creating an alternative and reaping a higher state of mind and being. enhanced by love and serenity, satisfaction and joy.'
all tunes are produced around the world, as he is a guy who never stops feeling in sound. that is why he caries his studio around to get up in the middle of the night or right in the morning after a sweaty party to transfer his emotions directly into sound. the result is massively powerful music with slow, intimate passages for treacly melodies, stirring synth-lines and little rhythmical quaintness.
an almost lyrical house journey that works like a musical sculpture in which organic machine grooves float along keys on air. the evolution of the each track is impeccable and their power grows with any new listening session. fp-oner himself characterizes his art like that: 'my music is designed to enhance deep meditative, or altered states, to allow the listener to personally connect to the creator of all that exists in the universe.
my music style is to first create a foundation using cyclic, polyrhythmic music, then build several layers of improvised leads and rhythms that allows you to transcend time and space... we have memories of past lives that reverberate in our hearts like echoes from ancient caves'.
there is nothing more to add, except that those who do not know fp-oner so far should know that he danced in his younger years in legendary new york city clubs like the red zone, sound factory or tunnel to dj sets of larger-than-life selectors like david morales, frankie knuckles or danny tenaglia.
during those nights he learned that sometimes less is more. and that he should rather listen to your heart and soul, then to the susurrus of the music market. most of the eps and albums that he produced under his other monikers like fred p or black jazz consortium have been released via his very own label soul people music, which exists since more then ten years.
as fred p he also dropped 12inches on jus-ed's underground quality imprint as well as on toshiya kawasaki's mule musiq label. for the latter he now is working on a trilogy under the fp-oner alias. this little paper introduces the second part of it. the final one will hit your heart and soul in an unwritten future. whatever circumstances of life will be around by then: you can be sure that fp-oner will transfigure them into a dynamic emotional and spiritual terrain.

With their next carefully curated release, the Opilec Music label begins to shine a light on the roots of Italo with the reissue of an ultra rare and obscure synth Italo disco track by A. Avenue from 1984.

This is a special Record Store Day 2016 release and of course, Opilec Music has remastered the original vocal and instrumental versions and here include I-Robots reconstructions and two Flemming Dalum's reworks.

This is a track many labels wanted, but only Opilec Music have been granted official rights to this cult re-release. Originally released on Discover Records, this is the only EP

A. Avenue (aka Dario Ancona and F. Feleppa) ever put out and it now fetches high prices on Discogs. Once you hear the music, you can understand why: The lovably naive and innocent vocal version is seven minutes of cosmic and psychedelic grooves with perfectly retro melodies and pixelated chords that take you into outer space.

Mid tempo drums are full of funk and drive and the two part vocal—one crisp and clean, one filtered and dehumanised—really lend the whole thing a special robot feel that is second to none. As well as a stripped back instrumental, there is a fine I-Robots Reconstruction that is quicker and more driving.

The vocals are also more prominent, soaring up top above reflective synths and rainy xylophone style melodies. It is a real Italo disco gem that is followed by a spacious and tripped out version from Danish DJ and producer Flemming Dalum, who has been devoted to Italo all his life and works with labels like Mothball, Bordello A Parigi and Disco Modernism.

He also layers in more cowbells, punchy drums and claps that refresh it for a modern club, and buy the EP digitally and you will get a second Dalum edit that is the deepest of the lot - 100% true to the original.

This reissue will make many record collectors and Italo disco fans truly happy, and is just the start of some brilliant new projects to come.

The BTRAX records label is back after few years off, and we are sure that new EP will not disappointed you. We are very proud to put out 1 stunning track made by one of the label artist : Camille Rodriguez from Paris - France.Electronic music drives his life for over 10 years now, he has developed his own style incorporating all his influences. He is passionate about the live, and create that way with synthesizers, sequencers, BAR and samplers... He likes pushing himself sweating behind his machines, improvising at every moment, keeping control of every sound in order to play more intuitively, getting a better communication with the crowd...
'Andalusian 2.0' comes in two guises, the Original Mix which delivers some perfect techno keys and claps over its stomping techno beat, giving it live performance style flavor. The Traumer Remix takes it into darker warehouse territory but still retains the warmth and groove. Kaine's Remix delivering some tough dub techno workouts that still have just the right amount of funk and groove.

Eleanore Mills is a classic Soul singer with a sweet and sophicated voice, who recorded her debut album 'This is Eleanore Mills' for the Sylvia Robinson's All Platinum subsidiary Astroscope in 1974. The album has a broad range of Soul and early Disco/Soul cuts. It did not sell in vast numbers on its initial release but has become heavily in demand in the last 20 years and appeals to a broad spectrum of Soul and Disco collectors and DJ's.. Original copies are highly collectable and in mint condition now sell for around £300- £400. Eleanore went on to record with Norman Connors on his 'This Is Your Life' album in 1977 (recently issued on CD by Soul Brother) and then developed into singing Soulful house having a huge record with 'Mr Right' in the late 80's.

Utterly magnificent, sublimely soulful survey of the Gospel Roots label, subsidiary of the mighty TK Records at the height of the Miami Sound. Beautifully presented... the LPs with a 12"-square, full-colour, sixteen-page album of photos and original artwork. Check!!
A&R was co-ordinated by Gospel legends Ira Tucker — from the Dixie Hummingbirds — and Ralph Bass, veteran producer with Savoy, King and Chess. The label was run by Timmy Thomas, who had recently smashed with Why Can't We Live Together, for another TK spin-off, Glades. Operations were overseen by Henry Stone himself, unlikely King of Disco, who had recorded a young Ray Charles, and pushed forward James Brown. They drew in artists from all over the US, from St. Louis, Columbus, Memphis, Brooklyn, Cabrini Green in Chicago: unknowns like Camille Doughty, reluctant to jeopardise her job at GM ('Generous Motors') in Detroit, and huge-sellers like the revered Brooklyn All Stars, who started out on Peacock in 1958.

Choral belters, deep ballads, harmony quartets, epic city-blues, gritty funk, powerhouse female soul... Killer-diller Philly like a scorching version of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' Wake Up Everybody, and Jean Austin's raw Spirit Free, co-written by Ronnie Dyson, produced by Jesse James at Future Gold. Chicago Sound like The Fantastic Family Aires — named after the family's furniture store on North Cicero, but reminiscent of the Staple Singers at their best — through to the full-blown glory of The Fountain Of Life Joy Choir, led by Marvin Yancy from The Independents, and featuring Natalie Cole... Singers like Versie Mae Gibson, from the Jordans, by rights up there with Irma, Etta and Ree... Bangers 100%-guaranteed to find their way into Theo Parrish sets, and mortal delirium for the prissiest of soul and gospel purists.

A sweet groover from the Italian scene of the 70's - music that's got a lush feel, but a funky one too - a great mix of strings and electric instrumentation that rivals the best cop/crime work of the time - yet also has a nice sexy feel too! There's almost a blaxploitation vibe to the record at times - and although some instruments solo at points, the real groove lies in the tight vamping of the orchestra - which hits all the right notes to really send the whole thing soaring - often with a nice use of tone and color too!

With a solid collection of productions and remixes to his name, Arturo's music has helped define the unique and emerging Silicon Valley sound. This approach blends the driving, beat-laden beauty of techno with the soulful, deep melodies of house.

Born and raised in San Jose, California, Arturo Garces has been surrounded by dance music his entire life. The son of a serious collector of funk, soul and disco records, Arturo grew up listening to the roots of house music. Interested in making his own music, Arturo got hold of a sampler in 1995 and hasn't looked back since. These early influences are evident in his works as a DJ and producer today for labels such asMagnetic Recordings (DJ Sneak) and Phil Weeks' Robsoul imprint.

He has new projects and remixes coming out continually on the underground scene, hitting the right mood for the dance-floor consistently. In addition Arturo is the label manager for San Jose's house imprint Jump Recordings, Beat Bum Music, and techno label Resource Records. He also has a new Tuesday night residency in downtown San Jose, Ca Rhythm Ritual. With his hard work, dedication and passion for dance music, Arturo is definitely one to watch.

This is Arturo's 3rd release on Cross Section with the label boss Chris Simmonds on remix duties.

The second outcome on Retrograde signifies the first release of head-honcho Marlon Hoffstadt on his and Natureboy Gold's new imprint. After a short timeout the young Berlin producer presents his new work on this four-tracker in collaboration with Chicago House Music icon and pioneer Paris Brightledge, accountably for releases since 1987 on substantial labels such as DJ International Records. He recently delivered the vocals on Paranoid London's killers 'Paris Dub 1 & 2'. 'Smile' the title track of the EP, highlights Paris' ability to hypnotize the dance floor with his unique voice combined with Marlon's production smoothness. With 'Smile' Paris displays: 'torn from the angst of my soul concerning the tragedy of love and life lost'. 'Smile' got a special treatment by Detroit's very own Kris Wadsworth. His Venus Rx Remix lived up to its name and has some 'pretty nasty analog stuff going on' to catapult yourself right into the atmosphere. The B-side 'Lies' discusses how coming from the streets doesn't always allow feelings to be displayed in life or in love. It's a percussion driven, 303 based club workout. No rest for dancers on this one. Remix comes from label artist Matteo Luis, providing a more synth accented version, introducing an engrossing sound that will be continued on his upcoming RTGD 003. The EP is Paris' and Marlon's first collaboration and we can already promise it won't be the last one on Retrograde. Every copy comes with a full cover artwork by Hermann Reimer.

(1lp vinyl version - hq cover art)
Jakob Häglsperger AKA Kalipo is a busy man. Operating as one third of German electro-punk band Frittenbude, his solo alias was brought to life in 2014 with debut album Yaruto", released on experimental label Antime Records. The multi-faceted producer now returns to Audiolith with the Wanderer EP", after having released the gorgeous Mäusemarsch' this summer on the label's electronic-focused Stiff Little Spinners compilation series. Wanderer is a restless record which sees Kalipo work his way through the deeper ends of four to the flour with a refreshingly experimentalist approach to production, with defamiliarized samples and analogue gear running the show. The music has changed since the Berliner's debut album, becoming more propulsive, more physical and geared towards the dancefloor. Composed mostly on tour or over extended periods of travelling, the track names on Wanderer' each come with their particular story, referencing places Kalipo has previously played or traveled to. Monolithic opener Donau Sunrise' sets the tone straight from the start with sanguine arpeggiators that work their way across a mystical backdrop. Melancholic themes infiltrate the cracks of the album and stand out tracks Banana Garden", written when Kalipo was stuck in a bamboo hut in the middle of thai jungle with a 40 degree fever and nothing else but headphones, a sampler and penicillin for company, and the stunning Institute Of Cotton Wool' are set to become earworms of the highest order. Wanderer' sees Kalipo right in his element.

After the Alma EP' by Shanti Celeste, secretsundaze' s 19th release comes from another UK home grown favourite Wbeeza.
Beeza is a firm part of the secretsundaze family and although it's his first release on the label, he has been a regular fixture at the parties now for 5 or 6 years playing at both the London events and touring internationally with Giles and James as a live act, as well touring extensively by himself.
We hope his music needs no introduction - his sound is quite simply fresh; an amalgamation of so many things from house, techno, jazz, hip hop to more UK leaning garage vibes. Born and bred in South London and the youngest of 6 brothers he has dance music pumping through his veins.
Black Moon EP is up there with the very best of his work and all 3 tracks show a level of maturity that comes from releasing over 14 EPs and close to 2 LPs (his second LP entitled Visions of Love drops next month on Third Ear)
Title track Black Moon is a murky, growling techno workout with syncopated lo fi beats, a thunderous bass line that is eq'd to within an inch of its life, and white noise FX. Within the right hands this should be a deadly weapon.
Like Butta is a hazy, percussive tool that keeps the tension high while B side track Ferguson is arguably the strongest track of the EP. Referencing the Ferguson case in Missouri that sparked vigorous debate about the relationship between the police and African Americans, the track is a timeless groove, coming on like a modern day version of Maurizio's 'M4' with its heads-down, hypnotic deep techno flow that one could simply listen to on repeat. Wbeeza on secretsundaze.....Need we say more!

* Jon Gurd's Birth Right EP is the first material from the Portsmouth based Techno producer in more than 2
years since his ventures on Octopus recordings, 8 Sided Dice and Quartz. The EP therefore indicates an
audible step change not just in the approach to production but also in the mindset and emotive feeling
behind each texture and layer. Having emerged unscathed from a traumatic family related drama Jon
communicates a tortuous and re-evaluated life message across all 3 tracks, and is dedicated to his brother
with a hidden meaning conveying, Tomorrow Is - Promised - To No One'.

* Dissecting the EP further the educated are blessed with field recordings, analogue rumbling and modular
synthesis exiting from almost 24 months of lab driven experimentation. No real process has been applied or
extant formulae followed and the EP's resounding success is that this now exudes what Jon feels' innately
rather than what the industry wants, therefore the journey, endless noise making and experimentation gives
a balanced and exciting offering. Jon comments seriously my process for producing this has been all over
the place, literally stumbling on shit, slipping over my own creative vomit, workflow went out the studio
window on day one'.

* Having spent two years asking himself why he makes music, I think on first listen of Birth Right EP we will all begin to empathise why. Remixes kindly provided by Messrs Dave Clarke and Ancestral Voices (new project from Liam Blackburn formerly Indigo / Akkord).

* A long time-friend and recording partner of Alan Fitzpatrick, as well as one third of Mister Woo with Dave from Reset Robot, Jon Gurd is best known for his work on the likes of Octopus Recordings, 8 Sided Dice and Quartz. Abundant with field recordings, analogue rumbling and modular synthesis, his latest signing to Derelicht is a result of almost 24 months of lab driven experimentation, and marks an auspicious return from a musical hiatus that stemmed from a personal tragedy. From the off, 'Tomorrow Is' is a driving piece of techno complete with sinister undertones and menacing atmospherics, meanwhile 'Promised' focuses on a low-slung groove as tantalising synths operate on top. The last original, 'To No One', then exhibits a deeper vibe with ebbing pads and spectral chords. Dave Clarke's decadent rendition of 'Promised' ups the tempo whilst demonstrating commanding kicks, until Ancestral Voices, the new project from Liam Blackburn (Indigo / Akkord), strips back the beats of 'To No One' for a subdued subterranean workout.

* Press / Promotion: 3 x Co-ordinated PR Campaigns (In House campaign by Derelicht, Dispersion PR and EPM Music, 100 vinyl hand-distributed to leading editors, artists and tastemakers. Key editorials through Resident Advisor, Inverted Audio, Ran$om Note, Beat Vision, Slate The Disco, Magnetic Magazine, DJ Mag, Noise Porn, Mind Grub Audio, Portals, Elevated Culture. 1 x videos produced to support Dave Clarke remix
Tiefschwarz - 'Just Beautiful!'
Alan Fitzpatrick - Yeah massively into this, will play a lot. Thanks for sending.
Dustin Zahn - Feeling the original of "To No One." the chord/pads are hitting the right spot for me this morning! The remix is also a nice take on the original
Baikal - to no one and Derelicht are dope
Kirk Degiorgio - Dave's mix for me!
Bas Mooy - yep! A1 for me mate!
Ben Sims - a1 is the cut for me, heavy and heady but still has the groove
Benjamin Damage - Thanks for sending this, top work!
Bryan Chapman - really feeling this EP, fav is the Ancestral Voices remix, that downbeat vibe
Bryan Zentz - Wonderful, moody, and emotive...LOVE it
Carlo Lio - Actually feeling all of them. Something for every time of the night. Can see myself playing a few of these for sure
Lo Shea - Tomorrow is sick! Dave Clarke's remix is dope too.

The enigmatic Amara Touré from Guinée Conakry finally getting a well deserved compilation showcasing all of the 10 songs ever released between 1973 and 1980. Cuban influenced music of a different kind featuring amazing spaced-out guitar works!! Analog Africa compiles a complete collection of Amara Touré's Afro-Cuban compositions, originally released between 1973 and 1980."Lamento Cubana and Temedy are the two finest Afro-Cuban compositions ever recorded. As if they were played in a smokey, poorly lit ballroom where dark rum was sipped ever so slowly" - Vikram Sohonie - Ostinato Records
Analog Africa to release a compilation by Amara Toure, the enigmatic Afro-Cuban musician from Guinea-Conakry, showcasing all of the 10 songs he ever released between 1973 and 1980.
"Latin music, is it really foreign to us Africans I don't think so. Listen to the drums, to the rhythm. It all seems very close to us - it feels like it's our own culture," declared enigmatic singer Amara Toure. It is the late 50s, and Senegal is going crazy to the groove of Son Montuno and Patchanga. Brought to West Africa by Cuban sailors in the early 40s, these styles were immediately adopted by a flourishing music scene that did not hesitate to embrace the Caribbean sound, mixed it with their own Folklore, and, in the process, created something new. Through the unique cultural fusion of West African and Caribbean influences, Latin music took on a new and unique sound - the format was reinvented. Producer Ibra Kasseì and his Miami nightclub acted as the spearheads of this movement. They brought a breath of fresh air into Dakar's nightlife, further energising one of West Africa's most exciting cities. The demand for ballroom parties and live acts exploded, attracting numerous musicians from surrounding countries. One of the musicians who answered this call was percussionist and singer Amara Toureì, from Guinea-Conakry. Spotted by Kasseì while performing with Dexter Johnson, Toureì was asked if he would like to be part of a new project. Little did he know that this project would become a phenomenon.Immensely important for the development of Senegalese modern music, Le Star Band de Dakar, led by Mady Konate, became a sort of musical incubator and workshop, where many musicians learned and practiced their trade before moving on to become stars in their own right. Toureì's talent on percussion was undeniable, but it was his powerful and raw voice that captivated the producer. The fascinating way Toure interpreted Cuban music was unparalleled, and it was this feature that encouraged Kasse to recruit the unknown artist.
Although already brimming with incredible talent, Amara Toure's joining of Le Star Band de Dakar in 1958 began the band's meteoric rise to the top. The band quickly became Dakar's number one orchestra, and it cemented the reputation of the Miami nightclub as the hottest spot in the country. The place was packed nightly, and Dakar was boiling.
Amara Toure's Senegalese adventure lasted for ten years when he received an irrefutable offer and in 1968, joined by a few talented Senegalese musicians, headed to Cameroon and immediately formed the Black and White ensemble. Many live gigs later and it was time for the first songs to be recorded. A total of three singles were produced between 1973 and 1976. These singles, representing the first six songs on this compilation, fully epitomise and distill the essence of what Toureì had learned during his career. His Mandingue roots fused with the Senegalese sound that he had mastered - the perfect foundation for the Toureì's Cuban interpretations.
If Toure's intention was to create the most sensual music ever recorded in Africa, he might very well have reached this goal. The musicians on the recording sound like they are playing in a smokey, poorly lit juke joint, where dark rum was sipped ever so slowly, and the pulse of the music took up a life of its own. How many couples have danced, swayed, and melted together to the distinct sound of Amara Toure Nobody can say for sure ...
Amara Toureì's success poured across the borders of Cameroon, and in 1980 he went to Libreville, Gabon, to team up with the powerful Orchestre Massako. Toureì recorded an LP at that time which is hailed by many music aficionados as one of the very best African albums. The songs from that LP are the last four on this compilation. It took only ten songs for Amara Toureì to become a legend. These ten treasures, representing Toure ìs complete discography, have been carefully re-mastered from original session tapes and vinyl records, and will be released by Analog Africa on 22 June 2015. After the release of his LP in 1980, Toureì seems to have disappeared. Apparently he was last seen in Cameroon but it is unknown if he is still alive today. His music though is definitely alive.

To all our respected critics, reviewers, and wisenheimer: be prepared to listen to this album in tranquility. If you do not do so you will most likely rate this release one out of five stars. And this is something which it certainly does not deserve. This album needs time and patience to be fully understood. And if you do so you will be enlightened by the true beauty of this selection.

Not only for Don McCaslin's project Warmth the time has come for representation and appreciation. All the songs on this disc are well worth to be discovered. No matter if you skip to Jorge Darden's jazzy-soulful "Alone Again" or to Seeds of Fulfillment's stunning "Solemn Solitude". Each and every song is a masterpiece in its own right. Funky soul music fans will be pleased to get a chance to listen to Cookie Thomas and Bold Breed, two cuts which are hard to find in its original format. Rarity is one thing, quality is another. The songs to be found here are both rare and good. Better yet, until now, all of these tracks had not yet been compiled.

After Movements and Feeling Nice, two already well-established compilation series on Tramp, Praise Poems could be the start of a new successful one. It was solely the title track which lead us to release this album. Don't ask if there will be a Volume 2. We don't know yet. What we do know is that if we ever come across a similar tour de force as Don McCaslin's compostion, then there will certainly be one.

In the beginning of the 80's reggae music became increasingly in tune with what was happening in Kingston's dancehalls....probably more so than at any time since the sound system operators had started to make their own shuffle and boogie in the late 50's..
The international audience and the critics were too busy looking for a new Bob Marley to appreciate what was happening downtown and failed to acknowledge that this was a return to the real,raw roots of the music...brash,confidient,young record producers who were totally in tune with the youth audience stepped forward and seized the moment...
Oswald'Ossie'Thomas began his apprenticeship in the music business at the age of fourteen and served his time as a record salesman for Bunny 'Striker 'Lee and Winston 'Niney the Observer' Holness before moving on to Miss Sonia Pottingers Tip Top Records...
'I ended up working in three record stores on Orange Street from 1976 to 1981...Yeah man,Me deh 'pon me bicycle till I buy my motorcycle..Them days records were coming out left right and centre..everyday'
Ossie Thomas...
It was during his time with Miss Pottinger that Ossie began to produce records for himself and in 1979 Ossie and Phillip Morgan began The Black Solidarity label based deep in the Kingston ghetto on Delamere Avenue.
And the man who had made his name in the business selling other people's records now became one of the most important and influential record producers of the era..

Treat Your DJ Right releases Seidensticker & Salour from Hamburg. Some of you might know Jakob Seidensticker as one of the masterminds from Wareika whose productions have been released on labels such as Perlon and Visionquest amongst others. After years of playing as a DJ-team in Hamburg's famous clubs like EGO, Waagenbau, Purgatory etc, they are eager to focus on their own 'house-influenced

WAX CLASSIC is a brand new SKYLAX Sub - label.For our 10th release, we give you the opportunity to grab 4 fantastic trax done by one of the best deep house producers in UK right now : OLI FURNESS !Oli had underground electronic music firmly embedded into his life during the early warehouse scene that thrived in Manchester during the 90's, the sounds of Detroit and Chicago filtered through to the UK and his love of all things house was born. Fast forward a decade and Furness has obsessively built up a strong collection of analogue hardware and is now steadily building a legacy of his own analouge drenched and intelligent House music."Sklyax has been a hugely influencial label for me growing up, some of my hero's reside on this label so its an honour to be able to sit beside them with this release

- 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....'

Rogue Vogue has been making a name for himself as a producer worth keeping an eye on with releases on French Express and remixes on Deep&Disco & French Horn Rebellion. He's finally ready to release his next original EP titled 'Say You Will' on his new home at House of Disco Records.

'Say You Will' includes 2 originals that brim with the joyous side of 90's house backed up with 3 remixes from Dublin Aunts, LeSale and House of Disco's Sixth Avenue Express. The originals are in keeping with each other while each of the 3 remixes bring something new to the table.

First up is the title track, 'Say You Will' which is a hip swaying homage to the sunny side of 90's house with more hooks than a 'Hellraiser' film. Addictive vocal stabs and sax hits are the name of the game as this one will have you digging in your drawer for those stonewashed jeans you'd forgotten about.

The first of the remixes by Dublin Aunts has a day rave written all over it with an epic acid tinged bassline and clever vocal treatments. The second remix by LeSale takes a slower, sexier tip and just grows and grows, leaning heavily on the keys but also introducing some strings into the equation.

Next up is the second original 'More Than Enough' which samples a vocal that many will recognise and makes it his own. A lot of this originals charm is in the lower end and will come to life on the right system. A dreamy breakdown cements this as a track that you'll keep coming back to.

Finally the last remix of the package by Sixth Avenue Express ads a heavy dose of sleaze to the original with a swinging melody line. Choosing to do away with the dreamy breakdown and instead replace it with an dramatic, elongated and memorable dancefloor moment.

The bomb that should have dropped way back when. After a career spanning almost two decades DJ Overdose debuts on Creme with his first full length album, upon which we remark with carefully considered understatement: 'A veritable tour de resistance in film noir electronics, Bizarro World is a dank and dark alley made flesh. Overdose's heavy soulful beats and soundscapes snatch your dreams right from under you like a shadowy kleptomaniac, masterfully pairing melancholy and ennui with fear and voyeuristic tiger-lurking-in-the-bushes paranoia. So lock up your future plans or you might very well find yourself without any'. For those who don't know, DJ Overdose is one of the OG's of the La Haya underground, one half of Novamen and the other half of The Hasbeens with classic and sought after releases on Bunker, Viewlexx, Murder Capital, Clone and Strange Life to name a few. In his spare time he doubles as a hand model for Bruce Willis.

Dubsided continue to release bass heavy electro house, and we welcome the follow up EP to Sticky K's previous Dubsided release. 'California EP' is a wonky 4 tracker stacked with all the right elements and surprising hooks.

Check out the mad vocal drops in 4 minutes into 'California', cheeky and a little barmy