The Dancefloor Records reissues on Emotional Rescue comes in the form a true House classic. Produced and released by the Chicago legend Andrew Komis, It’s You is an original Deep House bomb and an education to those increasingly misusing the term today.
Essentially a cover / updated version of the all-time early House classic in ESP’s Its You, this 1989 update shows how much the scene was progressing in just 3 years with a tougher, heavier and deeper 12” that was all about rocking club sound systems.
Coming out on Komis’ own (Dancefloor subsidiary) Big Shot Records, this might not of been as big as Dionne’s Come Get My Lovin’, but has long been an ‘in the bag’ record for the likes of Derrick Carter and Solar. Just one listen spread across the time-defining “Mixes” and it’s clear why.
The stepping bass of the New York – London Mix was so indicative of the time. As the latter’s ascent as a clubbing capital took hold, ears were pinned to what was emanating from across the seas, especially the clubs of NYC and ‘Windy City’. Trademark Komis bass and hats ride are all here to allow the breathy vocals space to do their magic.
However it is the Free House Mix that really shows where things were at. Skipping hats, electro-meets-Belgian bass and a dark synth line pull the track down before acid touches take the song to a much deeper place and has long been the favourite version for the discerning DJ.
Ending with what was indicative of the time, the title says it all with the NU Style Mix. A drum heavy work out, taking in elements of successful records of the time, we get Break 4 Love percussion arranged around a NYC influenced Konder’s style quick cut-up editing for a more 'freestyle' mix to round out what is simply, an underground bomb and therefore, worthy of what this label has always been about, bringing great records to new ears.
Suche:ro mo
Jamwax is proud to announce the reissue of Justin Hinds' rare and evocative track Marcus Tradition, a powerful song that resonates deeply with the roots of Jamaican music and honors the enduring legacy of Marcus Garvey.
Marcus Tradition is a heavyweight roots reggae masterpiece that embodies the spirit and teachings of Marcus Garvey, the Jamaicanborn leader who founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and championed the 'Back to Africa' movement. The song’s down-tempo riddim and distinctive whistle create a captivating atmosphere, while the lyrics emphasize the importance of tradition and heritage: "You're the offspring of this nation, and this is a tradition. Marcus Garvey was born in Jamaica and that's a tradition."
Justin Hinds, a pioneering figure in Jamaican music, is celebrated for his impactful contributions to the ska and roots reggae genres. As the lead vocalist of Justin Hinds & The Dominoes, he achieved monumental success with classics such as Carry Go Bring Come, cementing his legacy in Jamaican music history.
This reissue of Marcus Tradition reaffirms Jamwax's dedication to preserving and sharing the richness of Jamaican musical heritage. By bringing this exceptional track back into the spotlight, Jamwax not only honors the profound artistry of Justin Hinds but also celebrates the timeless cultural legacy of Marcus Garvey, a tradition that continues to inspire and unite generations.
Originally released in 1987
Licensed courtesy of Claudette Pottinger & Correl Hewitt
The time has arrived for the release of the long awaited EP by LEBA, with the prolific title - Into The Lights.
Carefully and thoughtfully crafted over two years, the legendary record producer of High Power Music, General Lee, teamed up with the magnificent Legends Sly and Robbie, to produce the daughter of legendary Jamaican Icon Toots Hibbert: LEBA.
This LP features 7 songs including a feature from Jamaican Portland deejay Blackout JA, on track "No one loves you like me", which was released in 2021. These songs carry you on a musical journey of time and space, on a dub and reggae background, which soothes the ears of its listeners, and gets them grooving to the bassline of the late Robbie Shakespeare OD and Sly Dunbar OD and Taxi Gang.
The songs paint a picture through conscious words and messages, heavy and spacey instrumentation, recorded & mixed at One Pop Recording Studio Kingston Jamaica by Rorey Baker. An atmosphere that will surely transport its listeners into the calm and relaxing space of reggae and dub music.
“Gallows” is our third solo EP for Artikal Music, and was written over mid-2020 as an intended collection of 140bpm tracks with varied styles, themes and sound palettes, which would still gel together in EP form. The track that got the ball rolling was the title track, “Gallows” a link-up with PAV4N, in which we explored some of the more melodic, experimental corner of our sound for the instrumental, which is beautifully contrasted by Pav’s aggressive and intense delivery, and his lyrics which serve as an observation on political and government hierarchies. The second track, “Understand”, is a more dark, dub-focused outing, with chunky elements and bass that are built for sound system playback. Building this one was really fun, allowing us to dig for drums and elements that we don’t typically use to create a more grungy experience. Track three, “Blinded”, goes darker still, enlisting regular collaborator Jack Flynn-Oakley, who we love working with, to write something with pure, crushing impact and a level of anxiety that increases steadily throughout the track. There’s no dance that this one hasn’t shelled down yet. The final track, “Inner Sanctum”, was the last track to be finished for the release and is a track we’ve been keeping locked down for a while now. It’s an off-kilter mix of wailing vocal cuts, cold bass movement, and percussion that’s bursting with character.
We’re stoked to be back on Artikal, and we hope you guys enjoy the sounds this time around.
Will & Mike
Mystic State
The fatigue kicked in a while ago and De Nooit Moede's journey came to an end..
but maybe we all have room for a little more 'life after death' in our lives?
De Nooit Moede - RIP is the final episode of this beautiful soap-opera of a band in the form of a
4 track EP. It features songs written between 2021 and 2022 that some of the most
loyal fans might recognise.
2025 Repress
Wide Yonder’ is a truly remarkable album, offering as much depth and soul as it’s predecessor, yet sounding ultimately fresh and different. Above all, the ten tracks show an artist that’s willing to take risks, find in- spiration in new places and move beyond the sound of his previous album. Trentemøller: ‘Of course I didn’t want to make the same record twice. So the album is for me a logic development from ’The Last Resort’’. Instead he just started to collect new ideas, without thinking too much about the direction the music would take him: ‘The only thing I knew was that I’d want the music to sound more organic and analog.’ Compared to the intimate electronic mood pieces of ‘The Last Resort’, the ten tracks on the new album indeed have a more strange, mystic and dramatic vibe, with a lot of dynamics, distorted, driving twang- guitars, real and electronic drums mixed with haunting synths. With ‚Into The Great Wide Yonder‘ Trentemøller is not only exploring new moody and atmospheric universes, but combines his sense for glorious soundscapes with a firm melodic and tonal touch. The original chord progressions and feel for melodies is fundamental to him, and that‘s also the reason why most of the instruments are played by Trentemøller himself on this album. ‚I like the possibility to be surprised that chords and melodies change into something new. The music that I like most lets the themes and sounds come back in different disguises‘. The Danish multi instrumentalist and producer shows an unexpected talent for finding vocalists that fit the mood of his songs. The first single of the album, the beautifully tender ‘Sycamore Feeling’, featuring Marie Fisker, is a typical highlight. In fact, all the vocal tracks are stunning. Trentemøller chose to collaborate with the English artist Fyfe Dangerfield from UK based Guillemots and Danish singers Solveig Sandnes and Josephine Philip from the debuting Danish indie girlduo Darkness Falls. They all manage to add their own sound and flavour to the album, while their voices blend perfectly with Trentemøller’s atmospheric songs. This is an album that keeps growing for a long time, as every track works its way stealthily under your skin. The sound of ‘Into The Great Wide Yonder’ might be one step ahead of his previous work, but we still easily recognize the hand of Trentemøller, in this inspired collection of songs and atmospheres. The sonic richness, sharp contrasts and daring musical colours are vintage Trentemøller. Into The Great Wide Yonder’ might demand more from the listener than ‘The Last Resort’, as it ended up being quite a dramatic album. This album is more noisy, there’s more happening.‘ But getting to know the tracks definitely is a rewarding experience, as the album will keep growing and growing for a long time to come and its safe to say that Anders Trentemøller has managed to create
Als Meister des melancholischen Heavy Metal sind Avatarium seit 2013 eine einzigartige und beeindruckende musikalische Kraft. Ursprünglich als außerschulisches Projekt der Candlemass-Legende Leif Edling gegründet, haben sich die Stockholmer Doom-Ausreißer seither weit über ihre Wurzeln hinaus entwickelt und sind zu einer der kreativsten Hardrock-Bands des Planeten geworden. Unter der Leitung ihrer Lebenspartner, der Sängerin Jennie-Ann Smith und dem Gitarristen Marcus Jidell, haben Avatarium ihren einzigartigen Weg fortgesetzt und sind auf diesem Weg noch stärker geworden. Vom gefeierten Doom-Purismus ihres selbstbetitelten Debüts bis hin zum detailreichen Rock-Genuss von "Death, Where Is Your Sting?" aus dem Jahr 2022 war jedes Kapitel der Bandgeschichte ein Maßstab für Substanz und Seele in der Heavy-Musik.
Am 24. Januar 2025 veröffentlichen die Schweden nun ihr sechstes Studioalbum, "Between You, God, The Devil & The Dead". Wie bei jedem ihrer vorherigen fünf Alben offenbart das neue Werk bisher unbekannte Schattierungen und Texturen in ihrem klassischen, aber formbaren Sound. Voller gigantischer Riffs und erstaunlicher Melodien, ist "Between You, God, The Devil & The Dead" in den letzten 18 Monaten gereift. Das Album wird auf drei verschiedenen und limitierten Vinyls, als CD-Jewelcase und als limitierte Doppel-CD-Earbook-Edition, mit 36 Seiten exklusivem Inhalt erhältlich sein.
Limitierte orange/weiße Vinyl, in einer Kastentasche mit rauer Haptik und einem glänzendem Silberlack auf Vorder- und Rückseite! Limitiert auf 800 Einheiten.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6… the countdown to blastoff has started! Paris-based band Setenta is preparing for their upcoming 20th anniversary by releasing their sixth album, Apollo Solar Drive. The record is poised to be their best yet and is the culmination of an odyssey of artistic discovery. Setenta has been constantly striving for illumination through the years, yet also exploring the dark side of the human condition along the way. As the band describes it, this record is an Afro-Latin retro-futurist tribute to the sun. If their previous album, Materia Negra, launched the Setenta space shuttle crew into the void of “dark” matter and black holes, they now change course and valiantly approach the sun at full warp speed, taking us from darkness into the light. Miraculously, Setenta manage to bring some of the rhythmic and harmonic material they’ve explored on Earth with them, yet boldly dare to go where no one has gone before, challenging themselves to take their music, and their audience, to uncharted dimensions and new realms of existence.
In keeping with the themes of Materia Negra, FIP (Radio France) selection in 2020, Setenta’s sixth mission to explore “the great beyond” of “inner space” is aptly titled Apollo Solar Drive, emphasizing the band’s turning to the life-giving light of the sun for inspiration while playfully echoing the title of Eddie Palmieri’s Latin funk and social commentary masterpiece, Harlem River Drive. The overall vibe is warm and positive, propelled by the dual energy thrusters of funky, fierce beats and deceptively complex arrangements, yet going down smooth in the best sense of the word, like your favorite tropical cocktail or classic jazz dance fusion record of the 1970s. Of course this delicious treat is served with a special Setenta flavor all its own.
This time around, Apollo Solar Drive celebrates the trajectory of the band’s unique interstellar journey by deploying a resolutely jazzy, “funkadelic” angle to their beloved Afro-Latin music. Setenta’s band members tell their truths as a collective, with an emphasis on instrumental sections, focusing on the interweaving of multiple keyboards and guitars, while condensing the vocals to group choruses, as opposed to the solo voices of the past. The overall approach is more futuristic in its conception and realization, from the arrangements to the sonic engineering, although the rhythmic base still remains rooted in Afro-Cuban traditions as well as those of other Caribbean nations.
Pablo E. Yglesias (DJ Bongohead) of Peace & Rhythm (USA)
Piska Power presents Hazardous Marine Creatures.Techno with constant modulations that will make your room vibrate. Movements that envelop you and capture you at all times. Includes remixes from Squaric, a Techno version for the dance-floor and an Electro-classic version from Ilektrolab to travel to another dimension. Printed cover!
Following Anna Kohlin & Basement Space’s bold split EP on her recently formed Inside Out imprint, the Stockholm native brings a smörgåsbord of delectable treats from fellow Swedes - Basement Space & Måns Glaeser, Eric OS, Baby Rollén and Anna Kohlin herself. 002 is packed with quirky dancefloor tones that span from Anna’s own inimitable techy-house sounds, through to the experimental melodics of Basement Space. Baby Rollén brings a dusty balearic track with moving pads and Eric OS dishes up a punchy club workout!
- A1: Vajolet (Feat Lukas Lauermann, Wolfgang Pfistermüller & Flip Philipp)
- A2: Autostrada Del Brennero (Feat Diggory Kenrick)
- A3: Latzfonser Kreuz (Feat Mamadou Diabate & Hamidou Koita)
- A4: Lago Di Garda (Feat Roger Robinson)
- A5: Alfa Romeo 145 (Feat Kwame Yeboah)
- A6: Feltuner Hütte (Feat Osman Murat Ertel)
- A7: Avrupa Köprüsü (Feat Osman Murat Ertel)
- A8: Europabrücke (Feat Susanna Gartmayer)
- B1: Ancient Atoll (Feat Reinhilde Gamper, Martin Mallaun & Flip Philipp)
- B2: Latemar (Feat Reinhilde Gamper & Martin Mallaun)
- B3: Brennerautobahn (Feat Taka Noda)
- B4: Echoes Part I (Feat Flip Philipp)
- B5: Echoes Part Ii (Feat Flip Philipp)
- B6: Transit Tribe (Feat Didi Kern)
- B7: Latemar (Reprise)
12"[23,49 €]
Ulrich Troyer has been producing music now solidly for over twenty years within a largely genre free framework, but whilst navigating forms such as avant-garde, techno, leftfield, field recording, electronica, glitch and ambient it is the aesthetics of dub that guide his creative direction. Not really recognisable in an orthodox form as remixed versions of roots reggae songs but in the way sonics are manipulated with space, the application and layering of delay, reverb and echo that fixes his output well within the scope of what might be called futurist dub.
The nearest comparisons to his new album TRANSIT TRIBE can only be established by a synthesis of some of the more adventurous explorations in modern music such as African Head Charge, Jon Hassell, Pole (Stefan Betke), Bill Laswell or even Miles Davis; featuring a diverse selection of artists and friends not only from Vienna and environs but also from around the world, sounds are not so much fused but allowed to float along the continuous flowing tide of warm waves of bass.
Rather than to allow the names of Ulrich Troyer's collaborators be merely listed in the album credits, what they bring to this joyful affair needs to be outlined, albeit briefly: Co-producer credits go to Osman Murat Ertel from Istanbul, who employed a variation on the old foolproof Nick Lowe method for checking out the impact quality of his own sound productions by playing tracks through his car sound system speakers!
Murat is a member of the electro-psych-folk group Baba Zula where he plays electric saz, oscillators and theremin and played a key part in the creative development of the album. Mamadou Diabate, the balafon master originally from Burkina Faso and now resident in Vienna, has developed his own unique technique of playing solos that replicate the sound of three instruments playing in unison; however the multi-talented Mamadou is engaged here on singing and playing the talking drum. From South Tyrol Reinhilde Gamper is a member of the experimental trio Greifer who are bringing the sound of the zither into the twenty-first century using new playing techniques and electronic gadgets. Susanna Gartmayer is an Austrian composer and bass clarinetist specialising in improv and multimedia sound research. Diggory Kenrick has been engaged with creating new dub fusions and also re-energising classic rocksteady and roots reggae classics, renowned for his interventions on flute. Didi Kern is an electronic dance musician and drummer from Vienna with a focus on free improvised music. Hamidou Koita, a singer and multi-instrumentalist, is from a traditional Griot family in Burkina Faso but now resident in Vienna and a regular musical partner of Mamadou Diabate playing drums and calabash. Austrian Lukas Lauermann is both a studio and live musician playing cello, also working on electronic sound design and writing string arrangements. He has recorded extensively and appeared on stage with both Mark Lanegan and Hans-Joachim Roedelius. Martin Mallaun is a Tyrol-born specialist in both the development of the zither in modern music and also as a researcher in the effects of climate change on the vegetation of Alpine ecosystems. Mystica Tribe is the musical alias of Tokyo-based dub/techno producer Taka (Takafumi) Noda. He collaborated with Vienna's own Vegetable Orchestra on 2020's "Transplants (Mystica Tribe Version)". After studying classical percussion Flip Philipp is now a jazz vibraphone player and member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Wolfgang Pfistermüller is a member of the Vienna Trombone Quartet and the developer of the incredible bass-trombone Aurora with its uniquely warm and resonant sound. Roger Robinson is a renowned British poet, winner of many contemporary poetry prizes and member of the experimental music group King Midas Sound. Kwame Yeboah is a Ghanaian born UK based keyboard wizard who tours regularly with Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Ms. Dynamite and Pat Thomas.
So contained on the album is an astonishing mix of musicians and instruments: sounds of cowbells recorded in the South Tyrolean alps processed by modular synthesizers and heavy analogue bass synths combined with instruments such as zither, bass-zither, electro saz, flute, talking drum, trombone, cello, vibraphone, marimba, djembe, contra-alto clarinet, melodica, Farfisa - all bound together by organic live-drums and dub effects.
Liner notes by Steve Barker
La Sonora Mazuren is the latest addition to the already rich indie-tropical scene out of Bogotá, Colombia. Deeply rooted in the popular sounds and rhythms of South America, the group draws from cumbia, chicha, guaracha, champeta and other styles mostly from Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.
Far from being folklorists or revivalists, La Sonora Mazuren combines synthesizers and electric guitars with accordion and percussion to create a futuristic style indebted to early pioneers such as Polibio Mayorga or Bogota’s own Eblis Alvarez, of Meridian Brothers fame, who also produced their debut album.
The result is a psychedelic feast reminiscent of the golden years of Tropicalia.
Their first album, Bailando con Extraños, got them many accolades in Europe, in France in particular where the band toured in the fall of 23 and again in the summer of 24.
Their follow up album, Magnetismo Animal, was mostly tracked in rural Normandy, during one of their European tours, and completed in Bogotá. Barbès Records (Roots of Chicha, Chicha Libre, Chico Trujillo) will be releasing it in the fall.
Franz Mesmer and his theory of animal magnetism provide the running theme for their new album. A collection of songs linked by the idea of a shared trance-inducing energy, channeled through rhythms and sound experiments. Musical inspiration for the album come from Colombian gaita, vallenato and cumbia, Peruvian huayno and chicha, Ecuadorian Sanjuanitos - a panoply of Afro-Andean traditions filtered through a futuristic vision of dance music that melds percussion-heavy polyrhythms and psychedelic sounds.
Band members are all active on the new tropical Bogotá scene. Keyboardist and accordionist Ivan Medellin and bassist Nicolas Eckardt are members of cult band Romperayo. Percussionists and singers Giovanna Mogollón and Diana
Sanmiguel are also 2/3 of popular trio LA PERLA.
- A1: Tony Scott And The Indonesian Allstars - Gambang Suling
- A2: Elvin Jones Jazz Machine - Little Lady
- A3: Nathan Davis - Evolution
- B1: Dave Pike Set - Raga Jeeva Swara
- B2: Hideo Shiraki Quintet &Amp; 3 Koto Girls - Matsuri No Genzo
- B3: Albert Mangelsdorff Quartet - Never Let It End
- C1: Orchester Roland Kovac - Blue Dance
- C2: Fritz Pauer - Gratuliere - Movement A
- C3: Joachim Kühn Group - Depression And Illusion
- C4: George Gruntz - Hightime Keepsakes
- D1: Pedro Iturralde Quintet - Veleta De Tu Viento
- D2: Jef Gilson Nonet - Ouverture San Remo
Starting life as the most asked about ‘ID’ in Maur’s DJ sets during the Summer, to now finally being released on Toolroom, this stone-cold classic from 2006 gets an update from Maur. Maintaining much of the original vibe but adding their trademark big room melodic twist with bundles of energy. Already causing a huge stir at club level with Gorgon City, Danny Howard, Adam Beyer and Nicky Romero all providing early support. On the flip is the 2006 original in all its glory.
The million-selling self-titled duet album by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway was the breakthrough record for Flack. Donny already enjoyed some commercial success, but their hit singles “You’ve Got a Friend” and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” put Roberta on the radar. The sensitive and emotional masterpiece can be seen as one of the best duet albums of all time. It was the album’s third single “Where Is the Love” which dominated the US radio for almost a year, and reached the fifth spot in the Billboard Hot 100. The album itself shows a work of great depth and tenderness, with some of the most impressive vocal harmonies you’ll ever hear. After the success of the album Flack and Hathaway recorded sporadically together throughout the ‘70s, until Hathaway’s tragic death in 1979.
- A1: Delight For Old Chicken
- A2: Lobster Shwarama (Feat. Troy Berkley & Khoe Wa)
- A3: Back In Town (Feat. Jamalski, Bang On & N'zeng)
- A4: This Is How We Rock (Feat. Aaron Cohen)
- B1: Moving Along The Line
- B2: Thru' Di Groove (Feat. Little Harry & Thioum C)
- B3: Dirty Money (Feat. Skarra Mucci, Youthstar & N'zeng)
- C1: Madder Than Dat (Feat. Ruffian Rugged)
- C2: Puff Of Rhymes (Feat. Hatman Harry & Zeb Mcqueen)
- C3: All I Want To Do (Feat. Lmk)
- D1: Bandulu Supa Lova (50 Gipsy Edit)
- D2: Recordz Masta (Feat. Dj O'legg & Teekay)
- D3: Time To Grow (Feat. Gavlyn)
Breeding in open air since 1964, Sir James and King Johnny are the figureheads of the mysterious L'ENTOURLOOP collective. Feed with good grains from Sounds Systems, vinyle's culture (Scratchs / Beatmaking / Sampling) and rocked by the epic dialogues of a certain cinema, L'ENTOURLOOP concocte with love a music half-way between Kingston, London and New York! After rocking more than 300 scenes around the world, the two unflagging ambassadors continue to surprise us on stage. Well accompanied by the incredible Bermudian MC Troy Berkley and the maestro N'Zeng at the trumpet, L'ENTOURLOOP gives us an eclectic live and survitaminated at each of its outings!!
Follow-up album to cult-classic debut, Mantra Moderne.
‘Melodi’ is the second album from captivating duo Kit Sebastian (aka Kit Martin and Merve Erdem). Those familiar with the band's cult classic 2019 debut record 'Mantra Moderne' will instantly recognise their unique sound that blurs boundaries of world music, jazz and psychedelia. Not to be content replicating the same album, sonically the feel of ‘Melodi’ is a maturation. It is more diverse and provides glimpses into many different worlds from the Italian Riviera to the mountains of the Caucasus, the beaches of Bahia to the city streets of Istanbul and Paris. This joyous merging of soundscapes evokes a borderless planet with music as an international language, belonging everywhere and nowhere.
‘Melodi’ is imbued with Kit Sebastian's love of vintage records and world cinema, but it is not a retro homage. It celebrates its influences but is very much a modern record, being simultaneously brand new and retro. This is a credit to the duo's craft as musicians and songwriters, presenting their influences as a circular interaction between the present and the past rather than a linear one.
The music was written during the first UK lockdown and recorded that summer, a time of opening up that only briefly existed. In a world with a slower pace than before the Covid crisis, the band were able to spend more time experimenting in the studio. The album’s range of instrumentation has expanded from the previous record to include zithers, harpsichords, congas, bongos, bulbul tarang, and a mock-up choir on top of the synthesizers, balalaikas, organs, and saxophones. Session musicians and friends were also booked to introduce trumpet and string sections giving the album an added depth and orchestral texture. Despite the added complexity, the album was recorded using the same techniques employed for the previous album with various tape machines, bouncing back between cassette and ¼” tape for practicality and sonic abstraction. To pierce through this abstraction, the vocals are intentionally more expressive. Merve took cues from the Turkish singers of her youth, adding a slightly more melancholic, darker and more reflective style than 'Mantra Moderne’. Rooted in observations from everyday life, they speak often about the worlds and thoughts that arise from the end of the night.
Like with many of the best albums, the record seems over all too soon and has you instantly wanting to play it again. On each listen you decide on a track that you think is your favourite from the album only for it to be replaced with a different one on the next listen. The songs and production have hidden depths that seem to evolve and morph the more you devour them. Moments of pure pop, moments to fall in love, moments to contemplate. This journey is rich in musical vitamins and nourishment, but like all the best things still leaves you wanting more.
RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Pearls Before Swine, Richard Dawson, Incredible String Band, Scott Walker. When Dominic Harris started work on the follow up to 2017’s “Rural Tonic”, he had a different kind of landscape in mind than the bucolic inspiration he’d mined for that album and its predecessor (2013’s “Woodland Casual”). Instead it was nostalgia for winters of a youth (mis)spent in 90’s Berlin.
With a lucky find of a Hohner Guitaret, (a 1960s electric thumb piano), Harris began writing lyrics around its sparse and austere accompaniment. And after reconnecting with an old friend from Edinburgh, Ricky White, now living in the USA, the plan became clearer: a winter-journey to the rural Mid-West to write and record an LP. Convening in White’s new hometown of Bloomington IN, Harris would work each morning in the county library, the pair then venturing out on long, aimless drives down country roads before returning to put their ideas and conversation into music. With songs written over two weeks, Harris and White headed to a small studio space in a derelict strip mall in Indianapolis, to capture the album in as minimalistic a form as was fitting to the wintry feel of much of the music; glimmers of pedal steel and recorder shining out amid the dual acoustic guitars and piano arrangements. After the pandemic cut its swathe through all plans, the recording sessions decamped to Scotland.
By then Harris’s longtime collaborator Robert McFall had written string arrangements for each song, effortlessly capturing the spirit of the original vision whilst elevating each song towards the universal. Still there were the frosty hedgerows and abandoned factories of the rural Rust Belt. But also now the sandstone architecture and cobwebs of Edinburgh, and the cold grey of the Firth of Forth. Diminuet, the cover artwork showing a catheter transformed into a flower, captures that fragile moment where the world seems forever frozen in time, even as the Spring prepares to transform us all once again
MiraclMiracle Thomas & Rob Hardt are doing it again with the remake, "Sugar Free" originally from 1985, released by Juicy. This team-up brings fresh life to the Boogie Genre with this Neo-Boogie joint .The Sweetheart of Soul, Miracle Thomas and Boogie Funk super producer Rob Hardt re-vitalizing a classic! The funky baseline and held notes over the chorus complementing the chant on the end of the song making it instantly a memorable sing along tune. Miracle’s sexy, cooing upfront perfect vocals over a Soul-Train worthy spotlight dance beat creating a mid-tempo groove monster that does it well for a bar DJ as well as for any and every club warm-up phase. The fit that Miracle and Rob have together is tight and groove heavy. It’s no wonder they keep coming up with these solid Soul Music Hits! They live and breath this music and though this super sweet “Sugar Free” tune will ride high on all DJ lists. DJs need this double up as doubles because the dub version is extra ordinary and suits the vocal side for an exclusive extended mix of your own.
Back in stock soon !
First Word Records is very proud to present a brand new EP from Yazmin Lacey - 'When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees'.
This EP follows on from her two recent singles, '90 Degrees' and 'Something My Heart Trusts', both of which are included here, along with three previously unreleased tracks, 'Heaven', 'Body Needs Healing' and 'Burn & Rise'. This set illustrates again Yazmin's candid songwriting delivered in her uniquely laidback soulful style, whilst a glorious fusion of neo-soul and jazz performed by Pete Beardsworth and her trusty band rides throughout.
In recent times, Yazmin has made live appearances on Jazz FM, BBC Radio 4, 1Xtra and NTS, & received widespread acclaim across the airwaves, including BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, Worldwide FM and Mi-Soul, plus Spotify love from the likes of The Independent and heavy support from DJs such as Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova, Tom Ravenscroft, Huey Morgan and Jamie Cullum. Yazmin appeared heavily in The Guardian / The Observer's recent extensive feature on the UK's new Jazz movement too.
Initially a Brownswood 'Future Bubbler' graduate, Yazmin self-released her debut EP, 'Black Moon', last year. This lead to a Maida Vale session late 2017 with Jordan Rakei, Moses Boyd, Oscar Jerome and now label-mates, Children of Zeus. She kicked off the year with a performance at the Worldwide Awards with Skinny Pelembe, and has recently done shows with artists such as Ezra Collective, Tall Black Guy and Fatima. Yazmin has a UK tour scheduled for later in the year, as well as several festival appearances across Europe locked in. There's a lot more to come from this Notts-based Londoner yet.
In Yazmin's words: "'90 Degrees' is about that time of the day / night when there's a shift in pace and energy. When you decide to lock off from the 'outside' world and create your own atmosphere, take some time to give thanks for what's breathing love into your life and smoke off the fuckeries. Everyone needs a little routine for self preservation."




















