Brooklyn's RAW CUTS Records makes its debut with ORANGE RCR001, a forward-thinking VA that showcases four cutting edge producers whose music captures the energy, intimacy, and spirit of a dance floor ready for something new.
Opening the record, Lubelski delivers 'I Love You So Much, It's Not The Drugs', a deep, psychedelic journey layered with raw emotion and rolling grooves. Donnie Cosmo follows with 'Three or Triangles', a driving slice of deep tech where subtle textures meet irresistible rhythm. On the flip, Boss Priester's 'Different Room' explores hypnotic layers over a commanding bassline, before Occibel closes the EP with 'Naughty Kids', a playful yet sophisticated house cut designed for peak-time moments.
With its focus on quality, artistry, and the communal spirit of dance culture, this first release sets the tone for what's to come from RAW CUTS Records: timeless club music built for the floor.
Brown Angel descends upon Dark Entries with Pure Brown Energy, an EP featuring 6 tracks of gloom-laced electro-funk and retro house. Pure Brown Energy was born when San Francisco-based producer and Hard French collective member Brown Angel was faced with a gift and a loss: an original Roland TR-808 was given to them around the same time that their father passed away. To process their grief, they set about making an album that showcased the many facets of their being, in their words: “my gay tío side, my Latin goth side, my cruising down the boulevard side, and most of all my soft vulnerable side.” From slamming vogue/ballroom house to cumbia-inflected freestyle, Pure Brown Energy channels club sounds both contemporary and timeless, while centering the most eternal electronic instrument of all: the TR-808. Opener “Miel” grooves with the effortlessness of peak-era Masters at Work or vintage Kevin Saunderson, while “Dame Más” dials up the energy even further. The influences of Miami bass and West Coast electro shine through on “Maya” and “Love Me Right,” which pair razor-sharp beats with a flurry of samples culled from Brown Angel’s record collection. “PBE” and “En Movimiento” take the Planet Rock vibes to another level, combining influences from contemporary cumbia and reggaeton sounds with Brown Angel’s Latin goth flair. Each copy comes in a sleeve designed by Ricardo Diseño featuring illustrations inspired by Teen Angels, a popular 1980’s Chicano magazine. Pure Brown Energy brings a sense of urgency to the dancefloor, unreluctantly examining the crossover between creation and loss, between celebration and sorrow. But don’t forget: these cuts also slap.
Cybernetic disco maestro Patrick Cowley graces Dark Entries once again with Hard Ware, an LP of far-out funk and synthpop celebrating what would have been Cowley’s 75th birthday. Best known for his chart-topping disco anthems, Cowley left us with an incredible body of work before his tragic death in 1982 due to AIDS-related illness. Since 2009, Dark Entries has been working with Cowley’s friends and family to uncover the singular artist’s lesser-known sides, including his soundtracks for gay pornographic films, which the label chronicled on compilation albums School Daze, Muscle Up, and Afternooners. Hard Ware presents the closing chapter in a trilogy of unreleased Cowley dancefloor bangers that began with 2022’s heavy-hitting Male Box and was continued with the soul and garage-inflected From Behind in 2024. The most expansive release in said trilogy, Hard Ware delivers ten tracks of pure, uncut Cowley: sultry, psychedelic, sarcastic, and just a bit sleazy. Cowley devotees will delight in “Tech-No,” a sparse instrumental demo version of his epically dystopian “Tech-No-Logical World.” You could soundtrack your next aerobics session with cheeky numbers like “Pajama Party Massacre” or “Shake It Up,” both of which feature Cowley himself on vocals. The frenetic “Big Ass in Motion” is built around samples from Rudy Ray Moore and The Madam’s infamous “Sensuous Black Woman,” an X-rated comedy record that would later feature in classic booty house records. Mid-tempo cosmic groovers are well-represented with jams like “Hellfire” and “Megablue,” which perfectly capture Cowley’s bathhouse-in-outerspace sensibilities. No collection of Cowley’s work would be complete without an interstellar floor-filler, and we’ve got quite a few here, like “Jungle Jump,” which pits whirling beats with dub-laced swirls of synth, or “Spellbinding Lover,” a Donna Summer-indebted melancholic boogie masterpiece that features Sylvester backup singer Jeanie Tracy. Hard Ware closes with the chilling synth-hymn ”Ice Age,” in which Loverde vocalist Peggy Gibbons sings of a coming frosty apocalypse. The story told in “Ice Age” mirrors the coming AIDS crisis and feels like a haunting premonition from Cowley. The record comes in a sleeve with a hand-airbrushed circuitboard-inspired design by Gwenaël Rattke, and includes lyrics as well as liner notes by Andrew Ryce and Peggy Gibbons. Hard Ware is another crucial document of a tremendous talent taken too soon.
analoque records returns with the second release on its vinyl label, launched last year. Elia Nafzger delivers a raw and driving 4-tracker, blending old-school energy with a deep, rolling edge.
written & produced by Elia Nafzger
mastered & cut by Manmade Mastering
designed by meta-art-design
Emily Jeanne returns with Past Through Desire, the second release on her quỳnh imprint. Four advanced experiments in tripped-out rhythms, kinetic crossroads through the lunar-lit abyss.
What blossomed with quỳnh’s debut Call Of The Sea, now further develops with follow up Past Through Desire. The second edition on Emily Jeanne’s imprint truly clarifies her sound, an emblematic swirl of experimental nodes bunched tight into a nocturnal bouquet.
Twice Not Nice shimmers within its percussive hive, a psychedelic wormhole that furrows taut towards the circular infinite. Vague Gestures cuts sharper, a snarling stepper etched finely into its minimalist holding pattern for a proper skank-out. On the flip, Fire Lily marches a stranger; a psychoactive chant summoning the percussive half time with an eerie glint. Closer Traversal returns to the dimly lit dancefloor path, writhing around in slippery configurations until the broken loop reaches its end. A mesmerising second instalment from Emily Jeanne and her quỳnh stable.
WRWTFWW Records is very happy to announce the first-ever vinyl release of Japanese electronic music producer Virgo's unheralded sophomore album, Remnants, a sleeper underground hit from 1999, now finally available as a limited edition 45rpm cut double LP housed in a heavyweight sleeve.
Released only on CD in 1999 by Tokyo-based cult label FORM@ RECORDS, Remnants is a quietly visionary record: mellow ambient techno, fluid electronica, and soul-laced atmospherics with the spirit of Detroit close to the heart. As the follow-up to his essential debut Landform Code, Virgo expands his palette here - working in widescreen textures, warm synth tones, and patient, emotive arrangements that feel both intimate and cinematic. The result is lush, heartfelt, and simply brilliant - a late '90s statement that rewards deep, repeated listening.
Remnants sits comfortably alongside the era's best explorations in soulful techno, ambient, and IDM, recalling the sensibilities of B12, The Black Dog, Ian O'Brien, and the lineage of labels Warp, Likemind and Clear, while remaining distinctly Virgo - subtle, sophisticated, and unexpectedly moving.
The album is released alongside Virgo's Landform Code, also available on vinyl for the first time ever, as part of a collaborative reissue series between WRWTFWW and FORM@. It aslo signals more archival treasures to come : vinyl pressings of FORM@ compilations Art Form I (1997), Art Form 2 (1998), and Re-Form Ver-1.0 (1999).
Auf ".5: The Gray Chapter" zeigen die Maskenmänner aus Iowa, was sie drauf haben, und präsentieren gleichzeitig ihren aktuellen Drummer Jay Weinberg.
Musikalisch orientiert sich das Album weniger an seinem Vorgänger "All Hope I Gone" als vielmehr an Slipknots musikalischen Wurzeln zur Zeit von "Iowa" (2001) und "Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses" (2004).
Mit hohen Chaftplatzierungen und guten Reviews reiht sich ".5: The
Gray Chapter" deshalb in die Liste der Slipknot Klassiker ein.
The prolific, party-starting Det Gode Selskab collective continues to strengthen its wax artillery with another spaced-out exploration from label affiliate A:G. Based in Oslo, the label and artist have built a strong affinity over the years, with DGS regularly releasing his music and inviting him to perform at a host of events. His “Time Factor” EP is essential electro listening, wandering between rippling shades of acid and tripped-out minimalistic movements, synonymous with the Norwegian beatmaker’s sound. It’s a hazy quest through four original cuts, packed with raw and gritty attitude.
The slinky first outing of the EP goes by the name “Crash.” Anticipation builds as the winding bassline and quirky drum patterns create a sense of retro gaming exploration. “Sleepwalking” is another diverse entry from the talented producer—a pensive yet driven motion propels the track’s energy, laced with slick hi-hats and acid-laden beats.
On the B-side, outer-galaxy transmissions go full steam ahead with the title track “Time Factor”, animated grooves and continuous evolution, climaxing with bright, uplifting synths. Plucky, tight drums lead the way in the final frontier, “Cognitive Resonance”—another classy dance floor outing from A:G, once again showcasing why he’s a producer to keep close tabs on.
Striking while it’s hot, A:G delivers another heater on a label that shows no signs of slowing down in the years to come, and if their previous releases are anything to go by, this one will be moving fast!
Mieko Shimizu returns with a powerfully cinematic EP, Breathe Out 'Breathe Out' is an intricately crafted double offering that explores stillness and intensity in equal measure and further cements Mieko Shimizu's place at the forefront of experimental electronic music.
The new EP features two immersive tracks that showcase her signature blend of emotional depth and sonic experimentation. Opening with a soft exhale, unfolding slowly with airy textures and gentle pulses that create a sense of calm introspection. 'Breathe In' has a more urgent and restless tone, with shifting textures and a deeper emotional edge that draws the listener inward. Paired together, the two tracks form a striking contrast: Breathe Out will also be released alongside a captivating music video, featuring elegant and expressive movement by rising contemporary dance star Violet Savage, directed by diz_qo. Dropping alongside the visuals, this EP promises to captivate both ears and eyes.
BBC Radio 2 Support Live EP Launch Show in London, UK Press Campaign - with support from Electronic Sound, The Wire & Earmilk
This exciting new collaboration between Cara Tolmie and Rian Treanor is a highly kinetic and playful endeavour. Body-centric vocal explorations merge with intricate rhythmic systems forming a deliciously disorientating, hypersurreal space of semantic modulations, concrete poetry, cut-up beats and mimicked samples. Their sound is singular and tactile: dissociative dance music that reassembles contorting vocal lines and knotting biomechanics in an explorative network of unstable forms. It's a blur of bodily fragility and ecstatic disruption, where swells of meaning rise and fall through clouds of synthetic buzz, fleeting breath, and stream-of-consciousness imagery.The duo first performed together when Counterflows Festival paired them for a new commission at the historic Arches venue in 2023. Glasgow-born, Stockholm-based vocalist and performance artist Cara Tolmie brought her hypnotic vocal technique, Internal Singing _ an intimate practice using breath, movement, and touch that explores the subtle binds between voice and body in an unsettling, engrossing sonic space. Treanor's richly innovative work provided a compounding counterpart: radical, rave-infused structures that bent and contorted around Tolmie's incantation.Growing out of a series of charged, improvisational performances, Body Lapse was recorded between Stockholm and Rotherham in 2024. Echoes of their live energy run throughout _ a voice shaking through the body, responding to touch and physical modulation, translating performance into something tactile and immediate. Body Lapse marks their debut release together, it conjures a sound of unsettling beauty and frictional intensity _ a playful, physical mesh of computer music, voice, and speculative storytelling. In this gnawing, dreamlike space, breath and body become sites of both connection and disruption, sparking thrilling encounters with the unexpected, the playful, and the decisively weird
Bringing together the elder statesman of the Zulu guitar Madala Kunene and internationally acclaimed Sibusile Xaba, kwaNTU pulls two generations of South African guitar mastery into a single point of focus. Under-represented on recordings outside of South Africa, Madala Kunene (b. 1951), the ‘King of the Zulu Guitar’, is revered as the greatest living master of the Zulu guitar tradition. Sibusile Xaba, whose collaboration with Mushroom Hour Half Hour reaches back to his first recording in 2017 (Open Letter To Adoniah/Unlearning), has garnered international acclaim for his unique voice and virtuoso guitar stylings, which bring together multiple South African guitar lineages in an original, spiritualised fusion. Collaborating with Mushroom Hour and New Soil for kwaNTU, the two players come together to weave a filigree sonic fabric which reaches down to the heartwood of Zulu guitar music but moves resolutely outward, building on the past to create a deeply rooted statement about present conditions and future travels. kwaNTU – which can be roughly translated ‘the place of the life-spirit’ – is also conclave of teacher and student, as Xaba has been taught by Kunene for the last decade. Meditative, rich and sonically sui generis, kwaNTU finds these two musicians linking up within the inimitable space of sound and spirit that they share through Kunene’s teaching.
The great masters of South African music have not all had equal exposure. For many years the generation of musicians who were exiled during apartheid took centre stage, as the regime made it very difficult for those at home to be heard. More recently, a new cohort of important voices, especially in jazz, has broken through to international consciousness. But for the generation of musicians in between – those who shone like beacons in the most difficult final years of apartheid and immediately afterward – international recognition has been slow in coming.
Madala Kunene, ‘the King of the Zulu Guitar’, is among this number. A revered figure for current generations of South African musicians, Kunene began his recording career in 1990, at the bitter end of apartheid, with a now classic self-titled LP for David Marks’ storied Third Ear imprint. Born in 1951 in Cato Manor, near Durban, he had determined to be a musician from early childhood, and by the time he first entered a recording studio he had already had a long career as a popular performer. His virtuoso absorption and transformation of the venerable Zulu maskanda guitar tradition and his richly spiritualised approach to music immediately marked him out as someone special, and in the years that followed, Kunene cemented his position as one of South Africa’s musical elders. He is without doubt the grand master of the Zulu guitar tradition, but his sound and sensibility ranges far beyond it into varied sonic terrain, and he has collaborated with a wide range of musicians both at home and abroad. Now in his mid-seventies, he remains a shining light for those that are making music in contemporary South Africa.
‘He is really an amazing person,’ says the guitarist Sibusile Xaba, who has been mentored by Kunene for over a decade, and now invites a collaboration with him on kwaNTU. ‘As a mentor, he's really powerful in showing us the way. For us to have this opportunity to make music together and have a project together is really a blessing to me.’
Xaba himself grew up in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, where his mother had been in a band and his father sang in a church choir, and from early childhood Xaba played homemade tin guitars. He only later realised that music was his calling. ‘I just loved music. I was fortunate. My parents loved music. And when it was time for me to leave home and go to study outside Newcastle, I knew that music was what I wanted to do. There was no second option. It was just music.’ Moving to Pretoria to study music formally, Xaba committed himself to his craft, developing a unique style that draws on both US jazz masters such as Wes Montgomery and Jim Hall, and the rich and varied heritage of the South African guitar, from inspirational jazz players such as Allen Kwela and Enoch Mthalane, to the music of the Malombo groups and Dr. Philip Tabane (Xaba has previously collaborated with Dr. Tabane’s late son, Thabang), and the Zulu guitar tradition embodied by Kunene.
‘I was really in love with the jazz guitar, I really admired it, and I was digging a lot in that direction,’ says Xaba, recalling his first encounter with Kunene’s music, over a decade ago. ‘And then one day on my timeline, Kunene popped up, and I was like – “What's this sound?” I was so connected to it. It really touched me deep. I started checking out his records, and then I found out he's from the same region as I am, which is Zululand.’ After Kunene played a show at the Afrikan Freedom Station in Johannesburg, Xaba make contact with him, and visited him at home in Durban. They struck up a friendship, and Xaba became the elder’s student, as Kunene began to pass on his knowledge and his inimitable way of playing.
kwaNTU is a tribute to this relationship and the deep learning that has defined it. The album was recorded in Zululand in the town of Utrecht, at a cultural centre called Kwantu Village, which gives its name to the album. ‘It's such a broad word,’ Xaba says, ‘but the elders teach us that Ntu is basically an energy, almost chi, an energy, a force that all living beings have within them. It's a living energy, so kwaNTU is like, almost the place of this energy.’ The two men sequestered themselves for five days of jamming, improvising and planning, and then the session was recorded in one take over a single night, with Gontse Makhene joining on percussion and backing vocals and Fakazile on vocals. Other voices and overdubs were later added in the studio in Johannesburg.
The result is a rich and meditative recording that finds two generations in a deeply engaged dialogue. Teaching and passing on his knowledge, the elder Kunene has brought Xaba into a space of sound and knowledge that they now share; Xaba’s own practice of deep communion with nature and his dedication to his musical craft make him the perfect interlocutor for Kunene. The result is an album that foregrounds the two musicians engaged at the highest levels of responsive listening, sympathetic unity, and collaborative concentration. Bringing an elder statesman of South African music to an international listening audience for the first time in decades by pairing him with one of South Africa’s most important new voices, kwaNTU is a meeting of generations and a powerful demonstration of musical lineage and continuity.
‘Before music, there is sound,’ Xaba observes, speaking of Kunene’s unique approach to music. ‘And sound is like a common compartment…it's not restricted to particular people or particular geographic places, you know what I mean? It's sound. Everybody can hear it. So when he constructs that sound into music, I think everybody resonates with the energy behind his construction of sound into song. Here at home, we really love him for preserving our history through the guitar, through his stories as well the music, the songs that he writes. We really, really admire him.’
Der Grammy-nominierte Schlagzeuger, Produzent, MC und Sänger KASSA OVERALL definiert die Grenzen zwischen Jazz und Hip-Hop neu. Verehrt von lebenden Ikonen und Underground-Trendsettern, begann er seine Karriere hinter dem Schlagzeug. Seine bahnbrechenden Soloprojekte haben ihn zu einer treibenden Kraft in der US-Jazzszene und darüber hinaus gemacht und ihn mit Unterstützung von Visionären wie Thom Yorke, Iggy Pop, Virgil Abloh, u.a. belohnt. Mit dem renommierten Doris Duke Artist Award 2025 hat Kassa seinen Status als führende Stimme des zeitgenössischen Jazz gefestigt.
Auf CREAM, seinem vierten Solo-Studioalbum, zollt Kassa seinen beiden Leidenschaften seiner Jugend Tribut – Hip-Hop und Jazz-Schlagzeug. Mit diesen Instrumentals verwandelt der visionäre Schlagzeuger und Produzent klassische Rap-Songs in zeitlose Standards, indem er das Kontinuum zwischen Jazz und Hip-Hop aus jedem Blickwinkel und ohne Abkürzungen erkundet und eine neue Interpretation des "Great American Songbook" bietet – eine Hommage an das reiche Erbe der afroamerikanischen Musik.
CREAM unterstreicht Kassas künstlerisches Können durch meisterhafte Arrangements, eine durchdachte Songauswahl und einen Sound, der seine Entwicklung nachzeichnet. Unterstützt von einer herausragenden Band mit generationsübergreifender Jazztradition verkörpert das Projekt seinen genreübergreifenden Ansatz und sein Engagement, den Jazz voranzutreiben.
Von Newport bis North Sea hat seine Band für ihre Live-Auftritte, die Gilles Peterson als "völlig surreal" bezeichnete, große Anerkennung erhalten. Er trat in der Tiny Desk Concert-Reihe von NPR auf und veröffentlichte mehrere von der Kritik gefeierte Mixtapes, die von der New York Times, NPR Music, The Guardian, Afropunk und anderen gelobt wurden.
This release is built around a Bossa Nova cover of a well-known Gospel hit. Comb made an edit, then expanded it with musicians and vocalists to take it in a Reggae direction.
The title track is the new Comb Version, with words to lift spirits and ignite dancefloors. Alongside it are two deeper Dub explorations, and the slower sun-drenched Brazilian cover. Four different takes of a floor-filler, suitable for all occasions.
Camp Butter Records presents the Toastmasters EP - our second slipped disc on our black label and first ever on wax.
This time we invited five friends to produce four fresh slices - designed to toast the night sky and butter your brain. Each track drips in groove, polished for peak strangeness, and blessed for service at late-night ceremonies. Each time you play this record think of it as a toast: to friends, to freaks, and to sliding more. Mix & Mastered by Pheek
Interception, the second long player from Jensen Interceptor following 2018's Mother, is something of a state-of-the-nation that finds Melas consolidating several eras of his career, past and present, to form a distinct new sound that is the most experimental work he has produced to date.
In 2024, a freak accident at an event he was playing left him with multiple broken bones in his foot. The forced downtime became an opportunity for introspection, allowing him to revisit earlier projects and explore new musical territories. Blending his signature electro with genres such as IDM, footwork, and baile funk, Melas used this recovery period to fuse old influences with fresh global sounds. "Since I started making music I've always made music geared towards use in my DJ sets but there's always been an urge to explore the deeper side of electronic music.
That time off after the accident gave me the space to dive into genres and really experiment.
" The accident came at a time when he had already spent time, like so many others though the COVID-19 pandemic, assessing his next move. A full tour schedule had left him feeling constrained by the limitations of working in a single genre. As such, Interception is the end point of this reassessment and the start point of what Melas sees as the next stage of his musical evolution.
"I really wanted to challenge and, I guess, prove myself in other spheres, to take my music to a new place. I've never wanted to be too repetitive and found that expectations, imagined or real, were forcing me to get stuck on a specific sound both in my productions and DJ sets." This renewal is reflected in the title of the album, which eagle-eyed fans will note is the same as the first EP that was released under the Jensen Interceptor moniker, and the emotional and personal nature of the LP is likewise mirrored in the abstract impressionism of the artwork created by fellow Australian, Brodie Kaman, the artist behind the visual look of Lady Gaga's recent Mayhem LP as well as works for FKA Twigs, Nine Inch Nails, and more.
The design-resembling oil drifting across a microscope slide-uses a mix of vivid pastels and moody darks to express the album's emotional depth: a collection of distinct elements coalescing into something richer and more evocative.
Das mit einem Grammy ausgezeichnete Album "Stankonia" enthält den weltweiten Hit "Ms. Jackson" (über 1 Mrd. Streams) sowie "So Fresh So Clean" (250 Mio.+ Streams) und "B.O.B." (100 Mio.+ Streams) und taucht regelmäßig in den Listen der besten Alben auf, z.B. in der "Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time". Erhältlich als schwarzes 2LP-Vinyl-Set.
The Marshall Mathers LP von Eminem wird 25 Jahre alt!
Zu diesem Anlass erscheint eine Neuauflage von Eminems bahnbrechendem Album nun erstmalig auf Vinyl
und dazu mit zwei Live-Bonustracks: „The Real Slim Shady“ und „The Way I Am“, aufgenommen bei den
MTV Video Music Awards 2000.
Ikonisch, kompromisslos und aktueller denn je, ein Album, das den Hip-Hop für eine ganze Generation neu
definiert hat und nun für eine neue Generation erweitert wurde.
Die Standard Version umfasst eine 2LP Black Vinyl.
East Kilbride’s Scott Fraser finally comes good on a 25 year promise to his younger self with his debut solo album on his own label DX Recordings out of London. This record represents the closing of this chapter and the opening of a new one.
A truly international and collaborative project pulling together the help and talent of friends around the world with mastering by Radioactive man Keith Tenniswood, cut by Frank Merritt at The Carvery and world class US visual art and design legends, Tim Saccenti and Nick Martin on photography, artwork and design.
Limited to 300 solid red heavyweight vinyl copies, brown kraft sleeves; individually hand stencilled and numbered by the artist, printed inserts feature a collection of moments and images from the last 25 years - the studio, the equipment, the people and the places that came together to make this release. Japanese rice paper inner sleeves.
Limited edition hand printed screen print by Niall Greaves at Newbridge Print Studios in Newcastle on the first 30 copies exclusively available via the DX Recordings Bandcamp page.
Musically diverse, crossing styles, flavours and moods, threaded meticulously with razor sharp Roland TR606 programming and glued together with a Space Echo, Expanded opens with the sub aquatic funk of ‘Eden And After’. Side one takes you through banging electro on ‘Energy In Constitution’, the dark dub techno of ‘To The Letter Of My Oath’, leaves you disappearing through a black hole on ‘The Path Of Helium Rain’ and the sound of aliens talking through FM synthesis on ‘Collected Stills’. On side two: a slice of dark, heavy instrumental hip hop gets things started with ‘Where Is That Perception? ‘. Next we get into some straight 4/4 club techno with cut up drums and bumping baseline in ‘Mi Dominante’ before moving through some blissed out Detroit vibes on ‘Earth Looking Inwards’, a rough as you like TR606 driven experimental electro groover ‘Object of Life’ and finally closing out with the Ectomorph inspired stark electro of ‘Steel (NB_BLOOD cut)’.
Mastered by: Keith Tenniswood at Curve Pusher, Hastings
Cut By: Frank Merritt at The Carvery, London
Distributed by: Rubadub, Glasgow
Artwork by: Timothy Saccenti, Nicholas Martin, Scott Fraser
Photography by: Kate Green, Javier Gonzalez, Scott Fraser, Timothy Saccenti
Solid red vinyl (300 copies), 30 coming with a limited edition screen print designed by Timothy Saccenti, Nicholas Martin and Scott Fraser, hand screen printed by Niall Greaves at Newbridge Print studios in Newcastle.
Utter presents Marshall Jefferson's previously unreleased meditation opus 'Yellow Meditation For The Dance Generation' alongside two remixes from French production maestro Joakim.
Marshall Jefferson: Chicago House music pioneer, creator of the anthemic ‘Move My Body’, an original collaborator of Adonis, Ce Ce Rogers and Roy Davis Jr., production mastermind of countless dancefloor classics such as Phuture’s ‘Acid Tracks’, Sterling Void’s ’It’s All Right’, Hercules’ ‘7 Ways’… and the soothing voice behind a 36 minute healing meditation guide. Yes, really.
But let’s rewind, slightly.
In 2017, Marshall was approached and encouraged by Ian ‘Snowy’ Snowball to write his autobiography and the pair set about putting Marshall’s account of the history of House music together. The book, ‘Marshall Jefferson: Diary of a DJ’ was published in 2019.
Following the book’s release, Ian and Marshall's collaboration continued and during the pandemic an outlandish idea arose to create a piece of music combining Ian's interest in meditation (he runs Club Chi specialising in Shibashi Qigong - a form of Tai Chi Qigong - which is a gentle form of movement therapy/exercise) and Marshall's willingness to experiment musically to see what might be possible.
The result is ‘Yellow Meditation For The Dance Generation’, where Marshall vocalises Ian’s lyrics in his instantly recognisable voice. The keen-eared out there may also recognise aspects of the music itself as a stripped back, lengthened and far mellower version of Marshall’s 1985 obscurity ‘Vibe’:
“I would take tapes to the Music Box and Ron Hardy would play my music. ‘Vibe’ was one of those tracks. I recorded ‘Vibe’ in 1985, but it became one of my tracks that I just forgot about until some guy on Facebook sent me a recording of it that was taken from a club. The only person who I ever gave a recording of ‘Vibe’ to was Ron Hardy. The other people I know who had copies of the track were Gene Hunt and Emanuel Pippin (DJ Spookie).
"The original version of ‘Vibe’ was made using a Roland 707, Roland JX-8P keyboard and a Roland 727 drum machine. I was still working at the Post Office at the time, and this was pre-‘Move Your Body (The House Music Anthem)’. ‘Vibe’ has the building blocks for ‘Move Your Body’ because it was using the instruments on the track that I discovered what I could do with the bass sound, to make a track like ‘Move Your Body’.”
Still, Ian’s initial intention for ‘Yellow Meditation’ was function and it was designed to be a ‘Sequential Relaxation Exercise’ focusing on the Solar Plexus. Bearing this in mind, Marshall took a bare-bones and hypnotic approach to this particular re-recording of ‘Vibe’ so that the voice takes centre stage and listeners (hopefully) find themselves on a meditative journey. In fact, this long-form track was always intended as a private tool purely for meditation at Club Chi rather than released to the public - after all, Marshall had also created and released a more drum heavy, ’traditional’ club-focused 'Vibe Three' instrumental version for that very purpose - but a chance airing of the full 36 minute version changed its path.
Much like those 1985 ‘Vibe’ cassettes, Marshall had sent the track to a few close contacts, one of whom was Kieran at Phonica Records who aired it over the shop’s basement soundsystem. Its unorthodox nature caught the ear of colleague Alex (of Utter) and the seeds of a physical release were planted.
Eventually, with the full-version carefully whittled down to a vinyl friendly length of 24 minutes, full track parts in hand and a b-side to fill, Alex sought out one of his favourite producers to take up the remix reigns: Joakim. The Tigersushi co-founder and Crowdspacer boss has a long history of boundary-pushing remixes that straddle both dancefloor functionality and experimentation. This time the original material resulted in Joakim coming up with a number of ideas and he finally delivered two versions - one club focused (‘Vertical’), the other more introspective and meditative (‘Horizontal’), both of which appear on the final 12”.
The limited edition 12” also includes a download code giving buyers access to all of the vinyl tracks plus an 18 minute extended version of Joakim’s ‘Horizontal’ remix, its instrumental counterpart (for those who can live without Marshall's voice) and full 12 minute acapella (for those who can't!)
Alex
a A1. Yellow Meditation For The Dance Generation (Edit) 24:00
b B1. Yellow Meditation For The Dance Generation (Joakim's Vertical Remix) 9:09
9:05
"Waxwork Records is proud to announce the deluxe vinyl release of FRIDAY THE 13th PART 2 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Harry Manfredini! Released in 1981, FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 is the follow up to the 1980 seminal slasher horror film, FRIDAY THE 13TH. Horror fans meet Jason Voorhees as the masked slasher for the very first time in this sequel, and it's the first and only time we see him donning a burlap sack over his head, later followed by the classic hockey mask in Part 3 and beyond.
Waxwork worked closely with composer Harry Manfredini to bring horror fans a very special and quality soundtrack experience. We're stoked to present the complete soundtrack sourced from the original 1981 master tapes as a deluxe package featuring artwork by Rich Kelly, 180-gram colored vinyl, and high quality packaging!"
Composer, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Laufey continues her story by writing and recording Bewitched, her second album. Inspired by jazz greats and classical masters while possessing a point of view that could only be conveyed by a 21st-century twentysomething, Bewitched represents an expansion of Laufey’s sonic palette.
Tracks like the breezy bossa nova cut “From The Start” and the smoldering string-assisted ballad “Promise” have classic songcraft and intricate arrangements that make them feel instantly
timeless, while Laufey’s conversational lyrics give her music a relatability to the next generation of jazz, pop, and classical aficionados.
"Waxwork Records is proud to announce the next entry into their collection of FRIDAY THE 13th soundtrack releases on vinyl, FRIDAY THE 13th PART 3. Waxwork and composer Harry Manfredini re-visited the original analog tapes in an effort to faithfully master the complete soundtrack for vinyl. FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3 includes every musical cue featured in the film and encompasses two 180 gram LP's clocking in at nearly one hour of chilling audio which serve as a dark musical backdrop to one of the most beloved franchises for horror fans. Originally released in 1982 and in 3-D, FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3 is the first film to feature the legendary slasher, Jason Voorhees, wearing his signature hockey mask. This image of a machete wielding, hockey masked killer became the trademark for the franchise, as well as an iconic image in American cinema and horror films in general. To keep in tune with the original 3-D theatrical release of the film, Waxwork created a deluxe quality 3-D lenticular mounted album cover for the heavyweight old-style tip-on gatefold jacket which houses two LP's featuring the complete score.
Waxwork Records incorporated the lost, deleted final scene of the film into the inner gatefold illustration. This deleted scene from the film depicted an unmasked Jason Voorhees violently beheading the “final girl"". Deemed too graphic by the film studio, the scene was cut from the movie altogether. Here's your chance to see it up close and personal through the artistic vision of Gary Pullin.
And yes, this soundtrack release includes the now famous “Disco Theme"" from FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3's opening credits!
To mark three decades of Classic, this special edition double vinyl comes housed in a raw reverse board sleeve, calling back to the very first ‘Season’s’ release on the label. The inner sleeves feature stunning orange and pink GMUND card stock, complete with embossed detailing—a tactile nod to Classic’s design-led legacy and attention to craft.
Volume 1 of the 3-part compilation series dives into Classic’s most cherished moments—spanning both foundational tracks from the label’s early years and key highlights from its post-2011 rebirth.
Record One celebrates some of the first outings of Classic's original era.
It opens with Matthew Herbert’s sought-after 1996 cut ‘Got To Be Movin’—a raw, Chicago-inspired groover that captures the sound of Classic’s roots.
Also featured is the monumental ‘Somewhere Between Distance and the Impossible’ by Chris Nazuka (of Rednail Kidz with Derrick Carter), a 1997 masterpiece steeped in atmosphere and widely regarded as one of the label's most transcendental releases.
Flip to Side B for Blaze’s legendary ‘Lovelee Dae’, remixed into a club ready, ethereal dreamscape by Jon Marsh of The Beloved.
To finish we have Gemini’s hypnotic ‘In My Head’, transformed by prolific remixers on Classic - Freaks (Luke Solomon & Justin Harris) into a dubbed-out vocal trip that oozes character.
Record Two picks up the story with Classic’s reawakening in 2011.
Seven Davis Jr’s ‘The One’ (Live Edit) was the track that caught Luke Solomon’s ear, paving the way for his Friends EP and long-standing connection with the label.
Red Rack’em’s infectious and eccentric ‘Wonky Bassline Disco Banger’ found its perfect home on Classic in 2016, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about records of the year.
Then there’s Eli Escobar’s ‘Happiness Pt. 2’—a rich, emotive standout from his Classic album work, showcasing his skill at blending deep grooves with raw soul.
Rounding out the release is the iconic ‘Play the Game’ by Kenny Hawkes & Louise Carver. A pillar of UK house history, this essential track was reissued in 2019 with a powerful remix from his best buddy’s The Space Children (Luke Solomon, Jonny Rock & Leon Oakey), honouring Kenny’s lasting influence.
Following Volume 1, this second instalment of Classic’s 30th Anniversary series dives even deeper into the label’s visionary, genre-bending catalogue—balancing pioneering remixes, cult favourites, and future classics.
Once again, this 2x12” release is beautifully presented in a raw reverse board sleeve, a tactile nod to Classic’s earliest releases. Inside, are deep teal and green GMUND card stock inner sleeves with embossed detailing elevate the package into a collector’s item worthy of the music it holds.
Record One opens with one of the most revered remixes in house history. Isolee’s ‘Beau Mot Plage’ (Freeform Reform Parts 1 & 2), originally licensed from Germany’s Playhouse and lovingly reworked by Freeform Five’s Anu Pillai with a live ensemble. It’s a sprawling, euphoric journey that helped define Classic’s international reach and is still widely regarded as one of the greatest house records ever pressed.
Up next is Greenskeepers’ off-kilter banger ‘Bang in Your Face?’, showcasing the quirky, ‘G-swing’ sound for which James Curd and his crew became known for during their long-standing relationship with the label.
On the flip, Pépé Bradock’s jaw-dropping rework of Iz & Diz’s ‘Mouth’ takes center stage—a remix composed entirely from human sounds, equal parts sensual and surreal. Universally praised, it’s a masterclass in sonic innovation and remains one of the most acclaimed house remixes of all time.
The side closes with Markus Nikolai’s beloved ‘Bushes’, The First Re-Creation (Version 1.2) by Classic co founder Derrick Carter—a distinctive and maximalist edit that draws out the Latin horns, strings, and quirky vocals, turning a cult hit into a distinctly ‘Classic’ anthem.
Record Two captures Classic’s renewed energy in the 2010s.
Folamour’s ‘Devoted To U’ from his Umami LP is a 10-minute odyssey in groove—warm, progressive, and cinematic, with soaring piano lines and narrative richness.
Then comes Crazy P’s ‘One True Light’, shimmering with spacey textures, cosmic energy, and the deep, effortless groove the band has perfected over decades.
On Side D, we have Girls of the Internet’s lush and emotionally rich ‘When U Go’, blending soulful vocals with clean, spacious production that balances melancholy with movement.
Closing out Volume 2 is Sophie Lloyd’s now iconic ‘Calling Out’, featuring the unstoppable vocal force of Dames Brown. A modern gospel-disco-house anthem, the track glows with raw energy, live instrumentation, and spiritual fire—cementing its place as one of Classic’s defining moments of the last decade.
d B2. Markus Nikolai - Bushes (Derrick Carter's First Re-Creation) Version 1.2
d B2. Markus Nikolai - Bushes (Derrick Carter's First Re-Creation) Version 1.2
d B2. Markus Nikolai - Bushes (Derrick Carter's First Re-Creation) Version 1.2
d B2. Markus Nikolai - Bushes (Derrick Carter's First Re-Creation) Version 1.2
d B2. Markus Nikolai - Bushes (Derrick Carter's First Re-Creation) Version 1.2
The third and final volume of Classic’s 30th Anniversary vinyl series brings the party full circle - blending deep catalogue cuts, future-forward house, and tracks from the label’s tight-knit family of collaborators.
Like the volumes before it, this 2x12” release arrives in a raw reverse board outer sleeve, a nod to the aesthetic of Classic’s earliest releases. Inside, bold yellow and red GMUND card stock inner sleeves with embossed detailing reflect the label’s long-standing commitment to design, artistry, and collectability.
Record One kicks off with a certified Classic family affair. Home & Garden’s ‘Sexuality...He's 2 Young’ features the unmistakable voice of DJ Colette, a staple of Classic’s early era. Included here is JT Donaldson’s Porno Beat Down Remix—a stripped, low-slung rework with an irresistibly funky bass line and pure dance floor chemistry.
Brett Johnson’s ‘Jiffy Pop’, from his legendary Bounce! EP, follows up with a jittery, swaggering groove that epitomises Brett’s playful, funk-laced production style. Infectious, weird, and entirely unforgettable.
On the flip, Tiefschwarz’s ‘Acid Soul’ delivers a moody, muscular roller. Originally released during their prolific run on Classic in the early 2000s, it fuses baritone sax stabs, a Berlin-borne bass line, and a sultry vocal into a deeply spiritual house cut.
Roy Davis Jr. closes Side B with the propulsive ‘About Love’ (Solid Groove Remix)—a tough and driving interpretation by Dave Taylor that’s long been a DJ favourite in the Classic vaults.
Record Two showcases Classic’s more recent sonic evolutions. JT Donaldson’s return to the label in 2019 came with ‘Stay Inside’, a rich and breezy groove featuring the soulful voice of Liv.e. It’s an elegant and understated slice of modern house with timeless appeal.
Then comes Dam Swindle’s funk-charged ‘Hey Mister’. A punchy, bass-driven jam built around a 70s reggae-disco vocal sample. Raw and infectious, it’s been lighting up dance floors worldwide since its release.
Luke Solomon’s catalogue on Classic is vast, but ‘Come on Over’, his collaboration with Amp Fiddler, earns its place here. Seeing vinyl release for the first time, this cut overflows with musicality. Amp’s passionate vocal, free-time breakdowns, and deep funk grooves deliver pure emotional punch.
And to close, a modern masterpiece: Honey Dijon’s ‘Work’ (Extended Mix), taken from her ‘Black Girl Magic’ LP. Featuring Dave Giles II, Cor.Ece, and Mike Dunn, this powerhouse track brings together fierce vocal performances, live instrumentation, and top-tier production. It embodies everything Classic stands for: collaboration and innovation on the dance floor.
Soul Jazz Records’ new Soul Jamaica brings together a wicked selection of
reggae funk and soul tracks from the legendary Studio One stable, featuring
a stellar line-up of artists including Jackie Mittoo, The Heptones, The
Gladiators, Sim Smith, Peter Tosh and The Wailers, Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks and
many more.
For a short period of time at the end of the 1960s and early 1970s, nestled
between the end of rocksteady and the arrival of roots reggae, Studio One
released a small stream of superb soul and funk reggae tunes – covering
everyone from Sly and The Family Stone, Diana Ross and The Supremes,
Nina Simone, Gene Chandler, Tyrone Davis and more.
Most of the tracks featured on Soul Jamaica were only ever released on
Studio One’s UK-subsidiary label Bamboo in small-run pressings and are
now consequently extremely hard to find.
The cover photograph features images of Air Jamaica, the new airline
created by the Jamaican government at the end of the 1960s, showing how
in the years following independence the
country assumed its place on the world
stage, with reggae music playing a key
role in creating the island’s new
cultural identity.
We're absolutely thrilled to share the brand new single from the legendary Incognito, featuring the magnificent Joy Rose on lead vocals. This track, "It's About Time," is a powerful, feel-good slice of modern soul and jazz-funk that we genuinely feel is perfectly positioned for major radio playlists and feature coverage!
"It's About Time" delivers everything you expect from the Incognito collective, sounding fresh and vital for 2025. Written by Jean-Paul (Bluey) Maunick, Richard Bull, and Joy Rose, the original version is characterised by its signature lush instrumentation, soulful brass arrangements, infectious grooves, and an immediately uplifting chorus. This release also includes a deep and driving Soulful House Remix from Richard Bull.
We believe this track is a huge, optimistic record that will resonate deeply with audiences, further cementing Incognito's legacy.
Influenced by many different styles, it's hard to describe the tracks to any specific genre. Maybe they sound familiar to some of you - we thought now it's the right time to release them on wax.
4 tracks, each of them well dancefloor approved and with a unique touch for every hour of the night. Have fun.
The latest wayward soundsystem sonics on the Social come from Wroclaw in Poland courtesy of dadan karambolo. As part of the strictly legit SPLOT crew karambolo is spearheading a vibrant community of bassweight freaks digesting all the best misfit club music from the cracks between — a hint of dubstep, a twist of techno and plenty of advanced sound design, all poured into a thoroughly modern, richly realised brew.
Having previously snuck tunes out on SPLOT’s in-house label and the respected Awkwardly Social crew out of Berlin, karambolo delivers an extended statement with his Sneaker Special Club debut. Subtle pressure is the order of the day as he zeroes in on evocative soundscaping and a subdued mood, all while piling on ample low end intensity and edging some sharp angles out of the meditative roll. Even when minuscule slithers of amen breaks sneak into ‘Awkward Expression’, the ambience remains somewhere between dream and dread while ‘Huskarl’ scatters industrial jackhammers across a vast tundra of drone.
‘Done For’ steps forward a touch more forthright with its grime-coded bass spasms, deploying the kind of bludgeoning physicality and ruthless reduction you might associate with fellow Sneaker alumni, Mars89. ‘Burbot’ also switches the script for a cheeky B3 that toys with 80s electro chopped into a snappy breakbeat and underpinned with a sticky synth line. Sidestepping direct dancefloor routes in search of different ways to achieve movement in the club, karambolo has more than matched the over-arching Sneaker ideal with an assured, original transmission from the outer limits of the soundsystem.
Following on from Andres aka DJ Dez's well received last outing on David A-P's Hot Pot label, it is now veteran DJ and producer Marc Meistro from DC's Sol Power All-Stars who now brings the class. To kick off he brings his own spin to a Latin funk classic 'Mas Que Nada' and then turns the sunshine up to 112 on the shuffling samba sounds of 'El Platanal De Bartolo'. It's a pure party starter for Latin lovers and then comes some more drum-forward funk on 'I Wanna Go Downtown' with its rolling percussion and funky bass twangs. 'Make Your Mind Up' slows down to dubby disco bliss with leggy riffs teasing and pleasing. Four effective, charming essentials from Meistro.
Con todo el freestyle que el funk puede tener Igor Gil conocido como Mailu nos entrega su debut álbum en 12” “Martian Princess Arrives”
Nada nos hace más felices en Sofa Tunes que descubrir nuevos artistas al gran público, aunque Mailu ya es de la casa hace muchos años. Las primeras impresiones sobre la tierra de esta ordinaria princesa marciana están recogidas en clave de funk electrónico en un maravillosos 12” cuyo artworks corre a cargo de la ilustradora Elena Vera. Una plástica más propia de Herbie Hancock, Clavinet o Rhodes, Slap Bass son los ingredientes que Mailu este maravilloso teclista ha utilizado para poner banda sonora a este aterrizaje marciano.
Esta colección de 10 tracks nos trasladan al lounge bar más bizarro de la galaxia. 10 temas con abruptos finales extraidos de los cálidos lives del artista navarro.
1er Single: Que asco “Original Mix”
SLOW3 ‘Pleasure Dome’ b/w ‘After Death’ by System Disorder, a.k.a. DJ Nephil. Two highly charged pieces of minimal synth-punk, or whatever you want to call it.
Out on Slow Process, available on 7” and digital formats.
0203983A, aka Ferdinand Domes, returns to Routes with a four-track 12” EP. Following the project’s distinct sound, the record hovers between excess and reduction, focusing on sound processing through hypnotic percussion-heavy forms, while positioning itself between dancefloor functionality and sonic exploration. Available on vinyl only, with digital files accessible via a link included. Plain black label in an antistatic inner sleeve, covered by a white outer sleeve. Track titles can be found in the run-outs.
Mastered by Mike Grinser at Manmade Mastering.
effgee returns on his own imprint fellice with three deep house cuts, warm, soul-inspired and topped with dreamy sampled vocals. fellice 005 comes as a special edition: each sleeve is hand screen-printed by the artist, limited to 250 copies.
Another special feature is the label's first remix: a greeting from sunny Bari to the dance floors by Italian deep house fratello Nico Lahs.
"Your Light" reaches back to effgee's production roots - soulful sampling, dreamy textures and groove-heavy. "Birds" shifts into a fresher club direction, while "Roland Bass" brings together the essentials of his production recipe: analogue synths, sampling, and a punchy kick at the core. fellice 005 is a deeply personal record - both musically and visually.
Steve Moore reprises his beloved Lovelock guise by presenting his unique riff on the library breaks genre. Business And Pleasure contains grimy groove and sleazy, funk-laden lounge music.
This vinyl release is hyper-limited, with just 500 pressed for the world.
The LP is ushered in by the spacey synth-funk of the sleazy, woozy title track. This is that serious slo-mo cosmic-balearic head-nod shit. Laidback bass, heavy funk with dreamy synth and electric guitars. An outstanding opener. Up next, the dynamic, swaggering "Last Call" is a sophisticated, elegant stroll - sweeping, mellow strings, a smooth bassline and gorgeous percussion with urgent keys and swelling synths.
"Slinky Strut" is another spaced-out, sleazy funk groove with jazz rock by way of a heavy, heavy guitar riff, mellotron and bass breakdowns which build to brass crescendos. Gigantic. "First Class" closes out the side, and, like classic Hawkshaw / Bennett noir, it's got that mysterious and murky stretched out sleuth / detective soul with a great bassline and percussive elements, with swelling strings, ace synths and smooth Rhodes piano melodies entering the mix halfway through. Dramatic guitars and groovy percussion add extra intrigue. It's 7 minutes of funk!
Side B opens with the stretched-out psychedelic funk and jazz groove of "Stank 49". It takes its sweet time to unfurl, creating enormous - almost sensual - anticipation for the ensuing beauty but, as it does, we're left beguiled and straight-up hypnotised. Heaven-sent synth flourishes and a laidback bassline over smooth drums cement its simple, vivacious grace. "Dangerous Man" is that creeping crime funk we all love; heavy bass and fuzzy guitar riffs, mellow strings and sumptuous piano/synths. It's irresistible, it's ominous and it's pretty gargantuan. It's basically like an El-P hip-hop instrumental. We need to get some rappers over this stuff, stat!
"Stinkbug" is a dazzling and funky groove-fuelled jazz-rock workout with fizzing synth riffs joined by full percussion and drum breaks, building with strings to a strong swagger. Vigour! To close out this remarkable set, the breezy "Win Or Lose" is laidback soul-inflected funk, utilising urgent, skipping drums and galloping basslines. Just stunning.
This collection was written and recorded in Spring and Summer of ’24. Everything was tracked at Steve's home studio in Albany, NY except the drums and percussion, which were recorded by Jeff Gretz at his space in NYC. The whole collection is basically a rhythm section feature, so Steve's Rickenbacker 4003 and Fender Jazz Bass play very prominently. The bass guitar serves as lead instrument in a lot of these tracks. Also, lots of Rhodes and stringers (Solina, Logan etc) and guitar (Strat and Les Paul). He even dusted off my sax for this one, which he doesn’t do as often as he’d like!
This type of groove-oriented library music has been a steady part of Steve's diet since the late 90’s. In heavy rotation while writing this collection were the following classics: “Time Signals” by Klaus Weiss, “Tilsley Orchestral No. 10” by Reg Tilsley, and “Heavy Truckin’” by Simon Haseley. “Voyage” by Brian Bennett was also a big one.
Lovelock started as a dedicated Italo-disco project, but over the years Steve expanded it to include anything directly informed by the commercial/pop side of the music of his childhood (70s/80s). Writing and recording this album was, like a lot of Steve's music these days, basically a test to see whether or not he could do it.
The song titles, like the music, are meant to be evocative yet vague. But there is a bit of a travel theme. Steve imagined this record being the soundtrack to a sleazy salesman’s business trip. The kind of guy who, when asked if he’s traveling for business or pleasure, responds “both.” Beyond the traveling salesman comparison, the title directly relates to the creation of this album. This was something he wanted to do just for his own enjoyment. Yet, like our sleazy salesman, he still found a way to get paid.
The album’s cover was designed by Chris Stevenson, with no little direction from Steve. He knew that he wanted to go with something photography-based for this cover so, in true DIY/cheapskate spirit, Steve started by looking through his own photos. He found the cover image on his phone, taken through an almost empty bottle of beer, and it clicked. The whole album has a very boozy vibe (especially with titles like “Last Call”) so this shot seemed appropriate. We, hic, agree.
Mastering for this vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis, and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry.
Music From Memory are thrilled to announce the forthcoming release of ‘Pastoral Blend,’ a new album from the duo of N Kramer and Magnus Bang Olsen (The Zenmenn).
Recorded in Berlin between August 2023 and March 2024, ‘Pastoral Blend’ combines Kramer's improvisational process and mastery of contemporary production techniques with Bang Olsen’s emotive pedal steel guitar playing. The creative process was anchored in capturing various phrases and patterns from the instrument, which were then reshaped, reversed, and layered intricately. This meticulous approach allowed a foundational track to emerge, upon which further arrangements and developments were sculpted. This process, which builds on Kramer's earlier work as Habitat (with J. Foerster, released on Leaving Records), gives the music a gentle asynchronous flow that feels uniquely live and organic.
Merging the warmth and intimacy of instrumental Americana with the glitchy, textural processing reminiscent of early 2000s Max/MSP and influential artists such as Fennesz and Alva Noto, ‘Pastoral Blend’ is a textured drift between analog warmth and digital fragmentation, a delicate equilibrium that duo navigate with remarkable finesse and an air of effortless charm. With titles like ‘Harvest', ‘Agrarian Dawn’, ‘Grasslands’, and ‘Weathered’, Kramer and Bang Olsen evoke a musical vocabulary steeped in themes of landscape, memory, and tradition; a vocabulary that gently alludes to the more familiar and traditional musical structures lying beneath the rich layers of sound. Herein lies the essence of the 'Pastoral Blend’.
