Suche:round two

XGLARE (all caps), is Jessee Egan, a Brooklyn-based producer, sound designer and multimedia artist. She has released music under multiple aliases since 2011, most notably on AY Japan. Her latest incarnation, XGLARE, balances warped sound design, unearthly atmospheres and experimental rhythms that reject genre boundaries.

Representing Brooklyn in full force on the debut record, 'Morph EP,' XGLARE yields incredibly heavy atmospheres. This is a mature record showing patience, design and a thoughtfulness sorely lacking in much of the electronic music scene. Beats and dance elements take center stage alongside impossibly powerful, almost elemental transitions. Track 1, Lymph sets the tone with an updated halcyon rave sound. Imagine standing in a field in the countryside at an illegal rave at 6 in the morning as the sun is rising, wind blowing in the air. Track 2 Fossa feat ARIADNE, an Opera trained singer, immediately submits you to whisper shouting, a highlight of the album. In between more dance floor-oriented tracks, Spore and Plexus, sit two sound design gems, title track Morph with its pounding rhythmic charges and vast reverberated rooms, and Ganglia, which reminds of early Do You Know-era Squarepusher. A well-rounded EP showing off the many talents of XGLARE also comes housed in beautiful artwork designed by Egan herself.

Silicone Soul welcome the return of old friend Justin Robertson as he brings his much- loved Deadstock 33s project back to Darkroom Dubs. Last spotted on the label only a matter of weeks ago with 'Infinite Interchange' on the 'Darkroom Dubs Presents Summer Love' collection, here he builds on the momentum with two more singular missions deep into the timeless analogue abyss. What's more, they come covered with a print of one of Justin's very own hand-drawn pieces. 'Dr. Spectro On The Frontier' marks the start of this new Deadstock trip. Celebrating the lesser spotted DC super villain who could control people's emotions with a brazen line or two of sinewy acid; what starts off dark and gnarly gradually unfolds into a much more emotional narrative. Watch out for the harmonic riff that rekindles feels of raving fields and a salvo of chords towards the climax that genuinely will control your emotions.'The Music Is Madness (To Those Who Cannot Hear It)', meanwhile, is more than just a poetic title. Already a summer anthem at A Love From Outer Space, it's a roomy, cosmic affair that's laced with layers of trippy textures and chugs at a cool 120. It's one of Justin's classic signature smouldering sessions; what ostensibly seems forlorn and introspective is actually coded with deep hope and positivity. You'd be mad not to hear it.You'd be mad not to stay tuned too... For the first time in Darkroom Dubs history, this release and all this year's vinyl dispatches will be released digitally as part of an end of year compilation, 'Tales From Underground Vol. 1' and will also feature an exclusive Silicone Soul remix of Rigopolar & Cannibal Ink's 'Thousand Years Before'. And to round the year off The long-awaited new single from Silicone Soul themselves.

Label head honchos Rhode & Brown finally debut on their own imprint, Slam City Jams, after putting out music on fellow labels Toy Tonics and Public Possession. Produced over the past two
years, the Wave 100 EP might be the most versatile record by the Munich-based fellas so far.

On the title track we have an euphoric hint of 80s synth nostalgia, slapped bass and banging woodsticks (did someone say Safri Duo!). 'Sparkle' on A2 feels like the joy of a fresh breeze on hot summer days whilst living la vida loca in the clouds - b/w phat bass, sweet flutes & strings.

On the flip there is 'Love Lane', a classic house track with a funked up bassline, shuffling snares and the most erotic vocal in human history. 'Moon Bells' on B2 is the soundtrack to that road
trip you did back in 86' with a Juno 106 arpeggiator bassline, percussive drums and airy synths all around. 'Over Europe' on B3 rounds off this special 5-tracker with beautiful ambient spheres
straight from outta space.

As with the previous two releases on the label, 'Rellik' was recorded live and on the first take using a selection of analog synths, drum machines and sequencers, particularly the warm and dynamic sound of the E-Mu SP 1200 as the lead.
'The 'Rellik' project is a mashup between Rock and Hip Hop elements using SP1200 classic drum kits, filtered and distorted synths. We call this Krauttech' - MASK Intense sirens set the tone of the A1 before introducing a thumping sub and delayed snares, making way for harsh bass and dark effects in the A2 to generate an ominous atmosphere. On the flip, the B1 brings crunchy, modulated synths alongside an intense and thunderous kick whilst the B2 delivers a thick, pulsating low-end with an assortment of metallic and heavy drones that round off this cryptic
package.

Shortly before the turn of the year 2017/18, my friend Jan Müller wrote me an e-mail: »Dear Martin, I'll send you the new album of my band ›Dirty Dishes‹ now. The album is titled ›Kabinett Von Papen‹. It is a concept album, which has the third-last government cabinet of the Weimar Republic as a subject. So, please tell me how you see it - whatever your verdict, I'll use it as an incentive to put my mind and body in the service of global pop culture even more so in the future«.

Dirty Dishes is founded in 2005 by Jan »Rasmus Engler« Müller (Tocotronic) and Rasmus »Jan Müller« Engler (MHerrenmagazin, Little Whirls, Ludger) when the two are bored during recording sessions for the second album of their group Das Bierbeben. Immediately, they write two pieces of music (»Bon Giorno«, which has alcohol and drug abuse as a subject, as well as »Drink a Coke«, a Brigitte-Mira-dedicated anthem for the caffeine-containing soft drink), which are released in the same year as a single under the title »Hurra...! Endlich Ferien!« on the label K.i.N.d.V. Two years later, the duo releases their debut album »Tea Is Not Our Cup of Coffee«. Here one can hear the first experimental and more conceptual works such as »Dirty Dishes as Goofy as Asterix«. The following albums (»Mit uns nicht!«, 2009, and »Von der raffinierten Kunst, jemanden in einen Tümpel zu stoßen«, 2013) juxtapose song and experiment. The first pure concept album, including now-permanent members ALEXANDER (Schrottgrenze, Station 17), Guido vom Flockenberg (Back On The Road), Isabella Stellmann (pedagogue) and Zopfus (ByteFM), is »Der Egel vom Tegel - Die kleine Rock-Operette der Dirty Dishes« (2010), followed by »Round about Ignaz Kiechle«(2013). The latter brings together songs that deal with significant events in the life of former Agriculture Minister Kiechle and were recorded freely improvised in just one recording session.

On the now-available »Kabinett Von Papen«, composed in monastic retreat, each piece is named after a minister from Papen's presidential cabinet (1.6.1932-3.12.1932) and represents them tonally and/or lyrically succinct.

This four-track EP named 'Curiosity' from techno duo, Abstract Man marks the beginning of the new On the 5th Day imprint, the latest branch to extend from the heart of the London-based underground techno project. The final outputs of a year-long creative journey in the studio with a focus on analogue machines, 'Curiosity' (including Mike Parker remix) represents a chapter of exploration into sound design and manipulation, and the unity and evolution of two separate musical identities through the collaborative process.

The debut release from Abstract Man begins with 'Curiosity' itself, portraying the first stages of the pair's collaboration and inspired by a shared appreciation for driving, hypnotic techno. Mesmerizingly linear and highly textured, the components forming Curiosity's foundations each command their own space, separately evolving with clear purpose whilst interacting in a compelling, ritualistic dance to lock in the listener. Its overall progression, including an emerging chant-like drone, signifies the manifestation of a new artistic voice, all together making this a symbolic achievement for Abstract Man, as well as a compelling and highly effective tool for the dance floor. The subsequent Mike Parker remix of the same track is another striking portrayal of his distinguishable sound and style, whilst developing to present something surprising and perhaps unexpected from the techno veteran, making this a must for collectors of his work.

Then follows 'Proposition', exploring the powerful possibilities through simplicity and symbolising the 'less is more' approach which fuelled much of the first chapter of Abstract Man's time in the studio. The joining of its elements creates a dark, seductive and unwavering tension, making it the ultimate tester for any venue's sound system!

Finally, 'Exploration' steps in a with an uplifting vigour and propulsive, rhythmic magnetism, rounding off the EP nicely with its feeling of freedom and completeness, leaving a sense of intrigue in readiness for their next instalment.

At last, the vinyl reissue of this masterwork, adding two hitherto unreleased gems recorded solo for Charles Fox's Radio 3 programme Jazz in Britain, in the same few months of 1980 as the stunning Aida performances.The phrase 'in the moment' is often bandied about with reference to free improvisation, and indeed there's no better way to describe Derek Bailey's playing. The acoustic guitar is notoriously lacking in natural reverberation — notes barely hang in the air for a couple of seconds before they disappear — which explains the almost non-stop flow of new material in these stellar performances. Bailey knew from one split-second to the next exactly where to find the same pitch on different strings, either as a stopped tone or a ringing harmonic, and there's never a note out of place. 'He who kisses the joy as it flies,' in the words of William Blake, 'Lives in eternity's sunrise' — and this music is forever in the moment, constantly active but never gabby, kissing the joy.One of the special pleasures of the BBC set is the guitarist's own laconic commentary, a deliciously deadpan description of what he's doing while he's doing it — 'I like to think of it... as a kind of music' — and the interaction between words and music is a particular delight. 'You may have noticed a certain lack of variety,' he quips, while unleashing a furiously complex volley. Is it a coincidence that the final seconds recall the famous cycling fifths of the coda to Thelonious Monk's Round Midnight Surely not — for Bailey, like Monk, was a note man par excellence. And they're both still alive and well in eternity's sunrise.

Pietro 'Bingo' De Lisi and Alex Carpentieri aka Italian duo System of Survival, have long been renowned for their raucous live cuts, the likes of which have firmly established their name amongst fans of discerning house and techno. Regulars at Ibiza institution, Circoloco at DC10, the boys knack for a tune has also brought them to the attention of respected label outlets such as Bpitch Control, Freak n'Chic, Moodmusic, Rawax and Get Physical. However, their latest release - released here via the emerging Deset Music - might just be their best yet. The label's inaugural release sees the boys perk up with two stunning originals and are back by remixes from none other than two Chi-town legends, Boo Williams and Ricardo Miranda.
Opening up the sounds of the release is 'Nu Soul Era'. A raucous, deep cut that displays all that's excellent about System of Survival, this one goes firmly down the rabbit hole in search of kicks. Characterised by its quite brilliant and catchy baseline, the action is dark and trippy throughout, with a firm emphasis placed on a groove that never lets its guard down throughout. A majestic start to the EP, it gets us underway with some distinction.
System of Survival's other original is 'Funky Left Funky Right'. Again, the duo expertly showcase their penchant for melodic structures, this time via a bleepy baseline that's perfectly suited to peak-time floors. Ricardo Miranda's interpretation goes deep and off-kilter, but remains true to the original's full-on characteristics. A stunning indication of the producer's eclecticism and studio mastery, it's an intoxicating take on a track that's never lacking in suspense.

Seeing us out the door is Boo Williams' remix of 'Nu Soul Era'. The 'Mortal Trance' producer can always be relied on to bring the heat in his own inimitable way, and he does so here with the sort of panache for which he's best renowned. Injecting the original with every more bounce, he wastes no time in getting down to business, setting his stall out via an acid-led, 909-flavoured remix that offers up a tantalising version of what's arrived before. An all-round stunning EP of various shapes and sizes, there's plenty here for fans of discerning house and techno to get stuck into on this one.

When Ann Arbor's Tadd Mullinix began exploring hip-hop under the name Dabrye 20 years ago, he soon honed in on a startling vision of what the genre could be: ingenious, refined, daring. This vision came to life across two albums for Ghostly International — 2001's One/Three and its 2006 follow-up Two/Three— with each record further positioning the quiet Michigan producer as one of his generation's best, equally comfortable creating minimalist instrumental meditations or sharp rap salvos. In the late 2000s, following critical acclaim and accolades from both peers and inspirations (including the late Jay Dee with whom Mullinix collaborated before his untimely passing), Mullinix put the Dabrye moniker on ice and dedicated himself to other genres and ideas. All the while the influence of his work on a new generation of electronic musicians continued to make itself felt in subtle but meaningful ways.

All this changes in 2017 as Dabrye makes his long-awaited return with Three/Three, a razor-sharp rap album that brings to completion a prophetic trilogy. Mullinix's incisive productions provide the backdrop for equally acute rhymes that run the gamut from intergenerational observations and being your best self to back alley deals and having fun in the ride. Guests include indie rap legend DOOM, whose previous collaboration with Dabrye remains a point of reference for many, Wu Tang storyteller Ghostface Killah, L.A word fanatic Jonwayne, and Long Island's rugged surrealist Roc Marciano. Most importantly Three/Three is, much like its predecessor, an unfettered celebration of Detroit-area talent with Guilty Simpson, Phat Kat, Kadence, Quelle Chris, Danny Brown, Shigeto, Clear Soul Forces and more all lending their touch to Dabrye's return.

The blend of American and British dance music, hip-hop sampling, and Jamaican sound clash energy that underpinned Two/Three remains a quiet, guiding principle. At the same time Mullinix rejoices in a refreshed perspective, having had time to incubate ideas and find clarity in the distance between albums and the evolution of scenes.The beats are looser and less angular, more embracing of repetition. Organic techniques inspired by soul and jazz round off some of the harsher sonics. The resulting broad palette of tracks reflects both this evolution and the range of the Dabrye persona: relaxed headnod ("Tunnel Vision"), nervous, slow-motion electro ("The Appetite"), glacial motifs ("Emancipated"), jazzy, cut-up funk ("Sunset"), minimal brutalism ("Electrocutor"), intricate layering ("Culture Shuffle").

Three/Three marks the return of an innovator after close to a decade of silence. Despite what the title might imply, the album isn't the end of the story but rather the completion of a creative arc. Expect more Dabrye in the near future. The game is far from over.

- Final installment of the /Three series, started in 2001
- Guests include Ghostface Killah, Jonwayne, Doom, Danny Brown, Shigeto, and more.
- Media support from: The Wire, FACT Magazine, The Detroit Free Press, Pitchfork, XLR8R
- Past collabs with Jay Dee (J Dilla), MF DOOM, Beans & more
- Vinyl is housed in a matte jacket with black hot foil and includes 24-page zine designed by Michael Cina.

Tachyon Audio is a vinyl label that's focused on sounds in the techno realm targeting sweaty, dark dance floors, with large, high-quality sound systems.

Inhabitants come back strong in Mutations Volume II, Tachyon Audio's second offering. These two primates are often found inhabiting dark spaces, forging ahead on complex math equations. Their distinct, driving, mathematical, and drumming techno is a result. Expect more solid work and performances from these two mysterious beings on Tachyon Audio as the label continues its progression.

Tachyon Audio's second release follows a similar format to the first, in that, TAC002 is a diverse EP that touches on techno sounds that are helping to lead the march forward into the future of sound production and style. The second Tachyon Audio release also comes from the mysterious dark studio of Inhabitants, who build off their first, and display their precise, technical forms of production.

The A-side track, Mut11 (A1) is a sci-fi exploration that pleases the ear with thick sub and low basses, along with a pitch-twisted melodic element, and the Inhabitants distinct sound effects and automation. The track has a strong impact immediately, as you can feel the intensity of elements being added, manipulated, and combined, and a sturdy, grimy feel pervades the piece with an interesting driving rhythmic percussion.


Side A ends with two separate open-source NASA samples. The first, Sounds of Enceladus - Radar Echoes from Titan's Surface (A2), is a locked groove and according to NASA, 'was produced by converting into audible sounds some of the radar echoes received by Huygens during the last few kilometers of its descent onto Saturn's moon, Titan. As the probe approaches the ground, both the pitch and intensity increase. Scientists will use intensity of the echoes to speculate about the nature of the surface.'


The second sample, Cassini - Saturn Radio Emissions #2 (A3), is another locked groove. The sound as described by NASA, 'Saturn is a source of intense radio emissions, which were monitored by our Cassini spacecraft. The radio waves are closely related to the auroras near the poles of the planet. These auroras are similar to Earth's northern and southern lights. This is an audio file of radio emissions from Saturn.' These samples are poised for reuse in production and make for good intro and looping material during performances.


The second side of the EP starts with Mut1 (B1), a track that is well-rounded percussively, with a strong kick drum driving the track forward. A simple looping and effected tom drum also helps keep a good movement to the track. An ominously melodic pad that evolves subtly throughout the track helps to keep the Inhabitants err present throughout the track.


Mut8 (B2), is another acidic venture with solid percussion. The looping and other melodic elements provide a solid stricture, with the more adventurous sounds being placed and effected incrementally with distinct Inhabitants flare throughout the track.

Two of Russian electronic music's rising stars, Phil Gerus and Alexander Lay-Far, invite you to join them at the Solitary High Social Club. While table service is provided, they'd much rather you throw caution to the wind and head to the dancefoor.
Before joining forces in the studio, both Moscow-based musicians have delivered a string of memorable solo productions. Lay-Far has previously released a wealth of material on such labels as Local Talk, City Fly, Lazy Days and 4Lux Black, while synthesizer fetishist Gerus has showcased his electrofunk and disco-fred cuts on Futureboogie Recordings, Sonar Kollektiv, Public Release
and Superior Elevation Records.
The fve tracks that make up Solitary High Social Club deliver a perfect marriage of the two producers' distinctive solo styles, combining the rich musicality of Lay-Far's house productions with the spacey, intergalactic electronics of Gerus's discoid adventures. In many ways, it's a marriage made in heaven - or in Lay-Far's celebrated In-Beat-Ween Studio, at least.
The duo's spacey and melodious musical fusion is arguably best exemplifed by lead cut City 2 City, Star 2 Star', a widescreen, mid-tempo disco epic rich in tactile Rhodes riffs, supernova synth solos, delay-laden drum beats, tumbling melody lines and heavy analogue bass. Fittingly, the track returns in Reprise' form - think sweeping, weightless ambient bliss - to round off the EP.
Elsewhere, the duo provides further proof of their combined musical talents.
Check, for example, the gentle drum machine electro beats, cascading new age melodies and sparkling, stretched-out synthesizer chords of the impeccably beautiful Am I Tripping', or the devilishly percussive, mind-altering brilliance of Love Life', where mutant electro bass, wide-eyed chords and alien melodies rise above a heavy, Afro-infuenced groove. As for Snowfakes On Her Lips', you'll struggle to fnd a more confdent and positive dancefoor workout all year. Blessed with killer piano parts, darting analogue synth-bass and a range of disco-tinged musical fourishes, it's by far and away the most celebratory moment on an already happy-go-lucky EP. It confrms, too, our initial hunch: at the Solitary High Social Club, life is always good.

One of the most unique albums on the Strata East label - and that's saying a heck of a lot, given the creative energies flowing through that legendary jazz outlet! Descendents Of Mike & Phoebe is a righteous little project put together by Spike Lee's father, Bill Lee, and his brothers and sisters (Cliff Lee, Grace Lee Mims, and Consuela Lee Moorhead) - working here in a group named after their slave ancestors, who are paid tribute in a beautifully flowing batch of tunes! Lee's round, warm bass tones are firmly at the head of the group on most numbers - recorded at a similar level to his excellent work with Clifford Jordan on Strata East during the same time - and other instrumentation includes piano from Consuela, flugelhorn from Cliff, and percussion from Sonny Brown and Billy Higgins - all used in a wonderfully evocative style that's even better than some of Lee's later soundtrack work. A few numbers feature vocals from Grace - singing wordlessly and with a really heavenly sort of quality - and together, the whole group have an undeniable sense of power and majesty, yet also one that's touched by a really personal sense of poetry too. Titles include a great version of Lee's "Coltrane", which was more famously recorded with Clifford Jordan.

By Drago Museveni

The long awaited debut release from Melbourne based producer / personality Mousse is here! Until now, Mousse aka Simon Barry has kept his craft close to his chest and we finally hear the result of years of hard studio labour in the bungalow. Barry has been a crucial part of Melbourne's dance community for the past five or so years, co-hosting the legendary disco party 'Misty Nights' with Danny Hotep as well being a fixture at The House De Frost and Animals Dancing parties.

On the A side we have the anthemic 'Sex and Acid' and 'Big Fat Party Popper' two raw house tracks with links to early Chicago classics. Quirky sound effects and catchy vocals simmer on top of hot acid bassline to give you a couple of the summers most memorable bangers! But don't be fooled, Mousse is no one-trick-pony. On the flip we step out of the bungalow and into 'Afternoon Bloom' where jazzy pianos dance around a playful machine rhythm. Rounding out the four tracker 'Bare With Me' delivers an evolving house jam with a conversive synth line and dubbed out chords.

A killer debut release from one of Melbournes rising stars.

Partition', appropriately produced by label owner Deepak Sharma is gritty and raw, centered on being a powerfully effective DJ tool. It symbolizes a nod to the label's past and longevity but more so signals the future territory and modern world the imprint will reside in.

To commemorate the memorable occasion, one of techno's most authoritative, important and reputable producers, Developer of Modularz distinction has provided two heavy-duty remixes. Additionally, label staple Yuuki Sakai delivers an extraordinary remix to round out a historic release from Hidden Recordings.

The cornerstone track from Chloe´'s new album, an adventurously dark landscape dotted by Montreal rock band Suuns' singer Ben Shemie's vocals, Recall deserved this long-awaited quartet of astounding remixes, which serve as extensions of her latest full-length Endless Revisions' second single, released last October on Lumie`re Noire, the label founded by Chloe´.Moire´, Matthew Dear's latest signing to his Ghostly International label (which released the London artist's debut album in early 2017), retained a smattering of Ben's syllables, setting them to a captivating retro- futuristic remix that straddles two worlds, along the milestones of a restrained beat in a mesmerizingly ethereal and ghostly road trip that could last forever.German Crosstown Rebels signee Jonathan Kaspar's version is a more banging techno version, rounding out the EP's wide array of moods and genres. Over a formidably progressive build-up, the mood remains dark thanks to Ben's stretched-out vocals, and Recall's original universe is made more dynamic with a sped-up tempo, added percussions, and a concluding harmonisation finale that brings it all into the light. Douglas Greed, previously remixed Chloe´'s Driven (released on BPitch Control back in 2015,) similarly chops up the vocals, but takes them down a different road, reassembling the original's elements to create a different track, resulting in a fascinating free-form re-reading, an adroit upcycling, a long detour through the German producer's favoured poetic techno backroads - possibly inspired by the surroundings of Jena, Greed (a.k.a. Mario Wilms') hometown, and homebase of the Freude Am Tanzen label, the serious stable of geniuses directed by the incomparable Robag Wruhme.In a more motoric register, Autarkic's re-imagines Recall via a different narrative lens, re-populating and grounding it all at once. The Israeli Red Axes accomplice, who released an excellent debut album (I Love You Go Away) on Disco Halal last April, has a knack for propelling fanatics of rock urgency straight to the dancefloor. A gang of machines amplifies Shemie's voice, highlighting its minutiae of suffering and pleasure, leading the listener into dawn.

Originally released on Prestige in 1957, this is the third LP from NYC street performer and avant garde/minimalist composer Moondog. Perhaps the least accessible of his early releases, this album is made up of percussive jams, usually on instruments of his own creation, street sounds, poetry, and Far East melodies, despite opening with a swinging number that is, oddly, the most bizarre thing on the album. Another classic from Moondog reissued with its original Andy Warhol artwork. Limited edition of 1,000 on purple and green starburst vinyl.

Gqom Oh! records presents "The Originators", a five track EP respresenting the past, the present and the future of Gqom - the thunderous club sound from Durban, South Africa. The Gqom Oh! label was set up by Rome-based DJ and musician Nan Kolè to highlight the music and artists of Durban, the often overlooked cradle of the new South African sound. The label's 2016 compilation - 'Gqom Oh! The Sound of Durban Vol.1' - broke the sound out of South Africa, Pitchfork calling it The largest and most thoughtful survey of the genre available to western audiences to date'. Recently joining Kolè is Sboniso Brandon Luthuli aka Citizen Boy on the ground as local A&R. The EP's A-Side is dedicated to two of the genre's most prominent producers. DJ Lag is a frontrunner in pushing Gqom worldwide. Making music from a young age and building up a solid reputation in South Africa, he's known as the "King of Gqom". Griffit Vigo, a real innovator in the Gqom genre, grew up in the same area as DJ Lag and has attained a legendary status amongst his peers. "When I was in Durban the first time I noticed that Griffit Vigo was a kind of legendary figure, he'd been inspiring all the Gqom Durban artists for a long time. Nobody knew where he was but everybody was playing him and sometimes using his beats to make new songs. The main track 'Ree's Vibe' was the peak moment of DJ Lag's sets all over the world. If Lag is the Gqom King then Griffit Vigo is the Gqom Legend."- Nan Kolè. Sbucardo is one of the most respected DJs around the streets and the townships of Durban. Featuring Abnormal on 'Iphoyisa', whose lyrics in Zulu translate to We at the club, Mr police man don't disturb us", the track represents the South African scene and Gqom culture in Durban very well. Naked Boyz (officially the first in Durban to explore new territories in broken beat in 2011) 'Story Teller' is characteristic of the Sgubhu style, a blend of Gqom with more conventional house sounds, the new genre taking over Durban and finding its way onto mainstream radio. Scene kingpins Rude Boyz round off the release's line up of Gqom originators with 'Umshunto'.

Tadd Mullinix first made a name for himself as Dabrye in the early 2000s with a pair of instrumental albums combining the rhythmic finesse of Detroit hip-hop with the ingenuity of electronic music. But instrumental beats were only a temporary goal, a way for Mullinix to catch the ears of MCs. On Two/Three, his second Dabrye album for Ghostly International, Mullinix brought together a formidable crew of local and national talent to make the statement he'd always intended. Released in 2006, Two/Three o-ered a fevered vision of rap's future that remains just as intoxicating a decade on. Ahead of the long-await-ed conclusion of Dabrye's hip-hop trilogy in 2018, Ghostly is reissuing Two/Three.

Dabrye's move towards rap began in 2004 with the album's first single, 'Game Over' featuring Jay Dee and Phat Kat. An early inspiration of Dabrye's, Jay Dee invited Mullinix to his crib in 2002 for a listening session during which he picked the 'Game Over' beat to rap on. Crucially everyone involved was in accord that despite perceptions of their respective work this would be a hardcore rap song. Together with Kat, Jay delivered a one-two lyrical punch on 'Game Over' that no one saw coming. Detroit made the world go round and everyone's head spun. 'Game Over' set the tone for the album and, over the next few years, became a Detroit anthem — shortly after Jay's passing in 2006 the audience at Movement Festival sung his verse.

Moody, propulsive, and above all ambitious, Two/Three emerges from a sonic stew of Detroit and UK dance music, Jamaican sound clashes, and hip-hop sampledelia. The guests, a who's who of the mid-'00s underground rap scene, engage in a raucous rhyming session that pays as much attention to the realities of the streets as it does world events. MF Doom, Wildchild, Vast Aire, Beans, and AG represent for the various coasts while local talents — Waajeed, Ta-Raach, Invincible, Finale, Kadence, Guilty Simpson, Big Tone, Phat Kat, and Jay Dee — bring Two/Three alive with an infectious energy. In between bursts of raw rap and hard beats, Dabrye showcases detailed instrumentals that evoke bleak industrial futures, underwater meditations, and smoky late night sessions. With Two/Three Dabrye placed himself at the forefront of hip-hop's new wave, throwing a Molotov cocktail into the rap world as uncompromising as the head-twisting cover art from WK Interact. The independent press praised Mullinix's audacity. Over the following years the impact of Two/Threewas felt in slow increments as Dabrye's music became central to the sonic makeup of a new generation of producers. As this beat scene grew and moved away from rap, it showed Mullinix the influence of his work and the value of his vision for Dabrye as his own brand of Detroit hip-hop.

Alien Ensemble's trombone man Mathias Goetz caused quite a splash when he released his eponymous debut LP under his Le Millipede moniker back in 2015: The multi-instrumentalist's initial offering was clearly something else, impossible to grasp, a musical vessel beyond genre, beyond style or era, seemingly beyond space and time even, a vessel that carried an almost cosmic kind of song-craft - music with no fixed stamp of origin, though it did somehow feel like an Alien Transistor release. Followed by remix album Mirror Mirror, which comprised reworks by 1115, Protein, LeRoy, Olaf Opal, and Saroos, to name a few, it's now time for album #2: The Sun Has No Money.Let's face it: There's nothing as majestic as the sun. At least not in our world. If it runs out of juice one day, it's game over: The End. Light's out. For everyone. At that point, it wouldn't even matter if you're rich or poor. We're all equal under the sun. Same level. And yeah, this might not be major news, but then again... we're talking about the sun. The sun! Guess it's about time to acknowledge its power and superiority, right In fact, you can feel it on your bicycle: pedaling at night, when it's on duty in other hemispheres, and you're working hard at the dynamo, sweating, you can actually feel how powerful it is. In the end you get off the bike all recharged, a tune on your lips - and somehow feeling like a miniature version of the sun yourself. And whenever you feel like that, that's exactly the right moment to grab a melodica and get to work.Following an initial warm-up round sans electricity, this new album soon begins to glow: Mathias Goetz aka Le Millipede doesn't need pedals, he boosts circulation by single-handedly* playing tons and tons of different instruments - it actually feels like thousands, easily. And thus begins a show that has countless levels to it: There are various sonic illusions... and yet Le Millipede doesn't hide anything: He's also willing to show the inner workings, the actual recording process and everything else. In short: he goes meta. Makes songs about making songs. That's right: why not use all these beautiful means to address the issue of money It's not the sun that casts shadows, all it does is recharge, fuel: growth & thriving, that's the sun's area of responsibility. And yet there came a man whose plan was simple: steal the fruit from your garden, only to sell it right back to you, for money. We can hear the sea gulls crying in the distance, as somebody is throwing breadcrumbs up into the wind that carries their voices...It's not the sun that casts shadows - all it does is radiate light. And yet there came a time when someone blocked those rays of light. Now if you're some kind of Diogenes, you'll simply say, Move at least a little out of the sun.' But if you're a teacher, you'll maybe light up your pipe and use that to lighten up. What matters is that the percussion parts, in this case, resemble some serious musique concréte. The sun doesn't know shadows - all it knows, is itself. And yet somebody entered the picture and built an entire city. A city full of streets, so that houses can cast shadows into these avenues. Plus, there's music in the streets, music originally written inside the walls of said houses.One of those streets is known as the Tin Pan Alley: a place that got its name from a music writer who compared the sound of so many pianos to the banging of tin pans. That sound: that's one side of the road that is this album. Some of these melodies appear to be shadows of earlier tunes, dating back to, say, 1898 or even before that, melodies that were first registered in the Tin Pan Alley publishers' offices back in 1912 or 1917. We actually get to see this Alley at that point in time. We see the ropes, the workings. How things come together, the actual act of creation. Suddenly, we can hear the shadows!
Okay, so one side of this street is America. The US of A. The opposite side: Russia. And smack dab in the middle: Europe. A pothole in the center. All the back-and-forth that occurs between these two poles ultimately depends on the movement of the sun. Night and day, taking turns, commuting in and out of sight. We get to meet Prokofiew's and Scriabin's ghost, among other spirits, reframed and published by Le Millipede's own imaginary label imprint on the historic Tin Pan Alley. Indeed there are moments on this album when Le Millipede seems to be playing Scriabin's clavier a` lumie`res (tastiera per luce), when his performance seems to be based on synesthesia, a wild cross-pollination of colors and sounds. In case you didn't know this: In the States, Prokofiew goes by the name Brian Wilson, and Scriabin's also known as Sun Ra - yet another guy who's usually broke, but gets to spend a lot of time out in the sun. Together, these assorted protagonists ask the people of the Antilles for Mutabor dance-tokens and send postcards to Moondog in Germany, right back into the darkness. On the postcards you can see people dancing the Biguine...Firing foreign fossil fuels from all pipes (Brennelementsteuer!), Le Millipede controls the very center of this hustle and bustle: going as far as to employ some southern Chopped & Screwed styles, he's 100% current and zeitgeisty! Houston, we've got a problem: there's some kind of myriapod, centi- or millipede on the loose! Well, give me another sip of lean, sizzurp, dirty Sprite, and on goes the journey in the Pullman coach. Let's follow the sun! Keep on moving, keep things motorik! Here comes the Trans-Eureka-Express. Cherish the backpacking days! A piercing rhapsody of sound (bohrende Rhapsodie), we'll remember them fondly! And thus things move on, the sun, the days, the earth: rise, set, action, round and round... onwards eternally. The sun: the biggest loop known to mankind. As if it was some kind of sonic Rube Goldberg contraption, time seems to be stretching out while listening to that hmmm. After all: time is a lot (a lot!) more than just money. And yeah, the sun is the real big shot on (or rather: above) Planet Earth. Le Millipede's live line-up also includes Markus & Micha Acher (The Notwist etc.), Nico Sierig (Joasihno), and Manuela Rzytki (G. Rag & die Landlergschwister, Kamerakino etc.).
*sole exception: Evi Keglmaier (Zwirbeldirn, Hochzeitskapelle) plays the viola. Words/sun worship: Pico Be

After two impressive remix EPs taken from ELLEN ALLIEN's seventh studio album, 'Nost', BPitch Control unveil round three with another heavyweight lineup of contributors stepping up to the plate to deliver their own interpretations of the queen bee's original works.

This time around we're honoured to have ALAN OLDHAM, EOMAC, AMOTIK and XDB volunteering their services to bring a whole new dimension to the music from 'Nost'. Each of the four artists has earned a sterling reputation, with a style all of their own.