Search:soul people music

A compilation of rare and unique pop songs sung in Okinawa's unique musical scale with rock and soul grooves. It is based on “Ryukyu Rare Groove” released in 2003 and its sequel “Ryukyu Rare Groove 2” in 2006. This is a renewed version of those two albums, with more carefully selected and new songs included.

The Yara Families, the symbol of this series, as well as songs by Shokichi Kina, the originator of Okinawan folk rock, Mitsuko Sawamura, who made a breakthrough from Okinawa into American musical films, and Teiko Saito (Teiko Taira), a jazz singer who released her debut album in 2022 at the age of 86 and became a topic of conversation, The album contains 14 precious tropical groove songs. A renewed version of “Ryukyu Rare Groove” is now available in analog format!

The compilation “Ryukyu Rare Groove” became a hot topic as many people became addicted to its unique groove, which was created by applying Western arrangements to Okinawan scales and traditional Okinawan music. Ryukyu Rare Groove Revisited” is now available in analog format.
It features 14 precious tropical grooves, including not only the iconic Yara Families from this series, but also songs by Shokichi Kina, the originator of island song rock, and Teiko Saito (Teiko Taira), a jazz singer who released her debut album in 2022 at the age of 86 and became a hot topic.
Ryukyu Rare Groove Crossover,” a selection of jazz arrangements of Okinawan melodies and folk songs, was also released simultaneously, featuring MURO selection
‘Diggers Dozen’ and Kiyoshi Yamaya's Okinawan folk song Jazz Funk, which was featured on the ‘Ryukyu’ 7-inch from Tropic Night Records. and other instrumentals,

including Latin big band jazz by Naoteru Misuna and the Tokyo Cuban Boys.

Step into the emotional landscapes of Saudade’s new EP Expensive Noise, a multi-textured journey where analog machines speak louder than words. Each track captures a different state of mind, blending depth and groove with raw, honest sound design. The EP opens with “Expensive Noise” — direct, grounded, and hypnotic. No detours, no hesitation — just raw analog power locking into a loop with magnetic tension. The groove builds steadily, shifting your state of mind as the rhythm takes hold. “Anyway” brings a dreamy, bittersweet touch. Exclusive to vinyl, this extended version unfolds like a teenage memory you never shared — warm, nostalgic, somewhere between electro and pop, glowing softly from within. “Colored Life” dives into detailed minimal deep house territory. Rounded and generous, its sound design sculpts soft clouds of melodies against crisp, syncopated snares — floating between dream and presence, like a cushion made of rhythm and light. “Porte de la Villette 45” echoes the EP’s birthplace — a raw area near the Parisian périphérique, where engines roar, people hustle, and concrete weighs heavy. Yet within this urban friction stands Studio Villette 45 — a funky, soulful shelter where the machines find their groove. The record closes on “Cœur” (heart in French) — a stripped-down, heartfelt outro. Just a Prophet 5 pad, no tricks. A moment of vulnerability, stillness, and truth — as if the music had finally dropped its armor. Between analog heat and emotional honesty, Expensive Noise is Saudade at his most sincere — building bridges between power and softness, body and soul, sound and silence.

This exciting 45, features two previously unheard 60s, New York soul, dance tracks.

Big Apple session singer and occasional composer, Doris Willingham, first had a rare release on the Hi- Monty label in 1966 and then in 1968 cut four sides for drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie. All were produced by Richard Tee and co-written with Doris. They were licensed to Ed Kassner who launched his Jay Boy label with ‘You Can’t Do That’ in both the UK and the USA. A change of strategy caused the US label to be discontinued after two releases and the UK then switched primarily to home-produced recordings. The two best Willingham sides lay dormant at President’s tape library until Ace released the killer ballad ‘Too Much To Bear’ in 2005. The fourth track is this superb dance number featuring the great Purdie band, no doubt featuring his usual bassist Jimmy Tyrell, who arranged the Hi-Monty 45.

The Taylor Brothers ‘Holding On’ is a much grittier affair, produced by Maxine Brown’s husband at the time, Mal Williams. The duo were Bennie “Earl” Bunn and Sam “The Man” Taylor and they wrote this, the third track recorded at the session that produced the ‘People In Love’ single on Joy. Sam had been a major mover in NYC black music circles since the 50s with his own bands and had fingers in many pies. The duo gave a performance worthy of some of the great 60s male soul couplings.

New Digital Fidelity steps up with his ‘For The People’ EP on Four Framed Music this september, delivering four standout original cuts that showcase his deep, groove-driven signature sound.

Paolo Aniello aka New Digital Fidelity is a London-based producer and DJ originally from Bari, Italy. Deeply rooted in deep and Detroit house, he made his vinyl debut in 2011 as Peter JD and later co-founded a Detroit techno label with Nico Lahs. Since launching NDF in 2017, he’s released on Snuff Trax, Moods & Grooves, and more, collaborating with artists like Chez Damier, Fred P, and Byron the Aquarius. His music has been featured on HÖR, Balamii, Rinse FM, and NTS. In 2023, he founded Scopic Records, home to his latest EPs and remixes for legends like Hanna.

With For The People, New Digital Fidelity delivers a timeless EP packed with soulful house grooves and club-driven energy. The A-side opens with Believe It, an uplifting house track full of character, driven by a snappy groove and a powerful vocal sample that pulls you straight into the vibe. A soulful statement that sets the tone from the get-go. Next up is In Love With You, a deep and sultry roller where a sensual vocal meets delicate melodic layers. This one breathes emotion and late-night intimacy, perfect for the more introspective moments in a set.

On the B-side, the EP shifts clearly into more club-focused territory. Move Your Body is a straight-up floorfiller with crisp percussion, a hypnotic bassline, and a stripped-back vocal hook that sticks with you. Finally, Step Up closes the record with punch and attitude, a raw groove laced with jackin’ energy, making it the perfect tool for peak-time or late-night sessions.

At A Glance Records proudly presents its third chapter, AAG003, a standout debut from rising talent Harre.

Harre enters the scene with a confident statement, fusing warm, emotional atmospheres with the timeless swing of classic house. His sound invites listeners into a rich, layered world, where soulful depth meets infectious groove, and storytelling meets rhythm.

Following the warmly received AAG001 and AAG002, this latest release continues to elevate At A Glance’s vision: music that is thoughtful, dynamic, and firmly rooted in the dancefloor spirit. Harre’s intricate arrangements and finely tuned textures mark him as an artist to watch, bringing both maturity and freshness to the label’s growing catalogue.

As an offshoot of Small Great Things., At A Glance stays committed to curating forward-thinking house music with emotional resonance. AAG003 reflects this ethos, a record made for those who dig deep, whether behind the decks or lost in the music.

Having carved out a place in the contemporary club scene with releases on Glitterbox/Defected, Boogie Angst & Lovemonk Records amongst others, Madrid's Casbah 73 recently shed his skin and is now ready to introduce The Jade, a live ensemble that prioritises emotion, excitement and the art of the song. Led by Oli Stewart (Casbah 73), the project brings together a remarkable group of players. At its core, this is about people: musicians in dialogue, shaping rhythms and melody, singing songs from the heart, that shared pulse based on a timeless musical vocabulary.

Opening with the exuberant 'Let The Light In', this is sizzling hi-jazz and sunny soul, shot through with a dose of funky Afro-Latin rhythms for good measure. Josh Hoyer leads the charge, delivering a powerhouse vocal performance, while Nia Martin and Deborah Ayo bring that gospel glow. As, indeed, they continue to do so throughout, especially on the deep, soulful standout 'When Love Left' or the shimmering, street soul meets Brit-funk feel of 'Change!' Experience the spontaneity and playful nature of tracks like 'Si No Me Quieres Esperar' (with Cuban maestro Ale Gutiérrez on vocals) infused with funky Latin and Brazilian rhythms, as well as sparkling, alien disco dub in the form of 'Space Lines'. There's no-holds, hands-in-the-air, fluid disco club grooves on 'What It Takes' and driving, riotous soul-jazz on 'Being Seen'. Just when you think you've got it figured out, the band change it up and stretch out with beautiful jazz-funk instrumentals like 'At The Queensboro' or lush sonic gem 'On That Strange', a track that feels like a long, blissful afternoon fading into evening, with things left unspoken in the air and mystery in its kinky grooves.

The Jade's sound is post-pout, studs up, raw soul, free from modern dancefloor tyranny.It's intimate disco, dead-selfie freedom, Afro-Latin jazz-dance and Iberian funk all rolled into one, rooted in emotion and shot through with a healthy dose of funky bad ass groovism. Genres that blend and bleed into each other following one simple idea: songs and the expressive power of live instrumentation.

Swimming Paul's first album is available again as a new edition.



In the vibrant city of London, a talented French producer named Swimming Paul made his mark. While he had already spent several years producing music for others, Swimming Paul felt a strong calling to embark on his own creative project—one that would redefine the concept of dance music and infuse it with meaning.
Paul drew inspiration from the early days of house music, recognizing it as more than just a genre. It represented a cultural movement that united people from diverse backgrounds. Motivated by this spirit, Swimming Paul sought to create music that not only made people dance but also brought them together and conveyed powerful messages.
With each composition, Paul approached his work as an artist would approach a blank canvas. He poured his heart and soul into every beat, melody, and rhythm, meticulously crafting a sound that blended elements from various genres while bearing his own unique touch. His music pulsated with the infectious energy of a crowded dance floor, yet it also possessed the ability to evoke deep emotions and provoke introspection.
Swimming Paul’s vision extended far beyond mere entertainment. He aspired to establish a space where people could connect, express themselves, and find solace in the universal language of music. Every track he produced served as an invitation to embrace the present moment, to let go of inhibitions, and to discover the transformative power of music.

A pioneering force in African music, Jo Tongo has always been on top of the game. Since the late 60s he has been recording music under his early Jojo L'Explosif moniker. His debut album "Jo Tongo" was released 1976 on Fiesta/Decca and features classic tracks like Jangolo and Piani. Now, after decades of underground influence and global recognition, his second album Sa Discossa (1980) is re-released for the first time. Being an electrifying fusion of African rhythms, disco, makossa, reggae and funk it is reflecting his lifelong journey of musical exploration and cultural storytelling and claims its place as an essential recording in the Afro-disco movement.
Jo Tongo's music is inseparable from his life's story-a journey that spans continents, struggles, and victories. From his early years as a leading African musician before the global rise of Afrobeat, to his deep roots in classical training, and his time performing in France and Germany, his sound is shaped by a rich blend of influences. Having played in bands across Europe, from American military bases in Germany to the jazz and soul circuits of Paris, he absorbed the pulse of multiple musical worlds, creating a sound uniquely his own.
"My music is my life. I never saw it as a way to become a star-I am a simple man," Tongo explains. "I came into music to say something, to tell about life, to share my experiences with the world." His perspective on fame and artistry is deeply rooted in his Cameroonian background. "I wasn't interested in business. I wanted to build something with music, to create a sound that was mine."
But Jo Tongo's music has always carried a deeper message. His work reflects his strong political stance against colonialism, social injustice, and oppression. "I cannot stay silent while my people suffer," he says. "Music is a way to resist, to stand strong, and to remind people of their dignity and their power." Throughout his career, Tongo has used his platform to advocate for African identity and independence. His songs, layered with messages of social consciousness, have continued to resonate with younger generations who recognize the relevance of his words even today.
Sa Discossa is more than just a disco record. It embodies Jo Tongo's philosophy of resistance, identity, and celebration. The title itself is a blend of "disco" and "makossa," reflecting the seamless fusion of African groove and the dancefloor energy that defined the era. Tracks like Bunya, sung in his native language, carry messages of love, gratitude, and resilience-sentiments that remain as relevant today as they were nearly 50 years ago. As Tongo describes it, "Every day, give thanks and praise to your Lord. Every day, show me your love. Every day, let me show you my tender love."
Tongo's musical journey also took him through the world of reggae, inspired by his exposure to American and Caribbean artists. "At first, I didn't like reggae-it was too slow for me," he admits. "But then I heard Bob Marley, and I realized the power in its simplicity. The rhythm, the
message-it was all connected to something bigger." He later found himself embracing reggae as an essential part of his musical DNA. "I realized that my music and reggae shared the same roots. We are all connected, all telling the same story in different ways."
Having spent much of his career performing across Europe, Jo Tongo reflects on his connection with international audiences. "I've played everywhere-from Africa to Germany, from Paris to other cities in France and what I've learned is that music speaks a universal language. You don't need to know the words to feel the message."
Despite taking a step back from the stage in recent years, he remains open to new possibilities. "Music is like a fire-it never truly dies. I have a lot to say, and music is the best way to say it."
For Jo Tongo, music is more than entertainment-it's a language of truth, a testament to history, and a bridge between cultures. The rhythm of Sa Discossa lives on, stronger than ever. With Sa Discossa returning under the African Edge series on The Outer Edge label, Jo Tongo's legacy continues to resonate, proving that real music never fades.

LP - First Pressing in White Color Vinyl - Limited to 150

Includes: Gatefold. stickers + poster (60cm x 60cm) + download code

5 Years, All Ears, All Heart. Fifteen years ago there wasn't a grand plan, no vision board or 10-year strategy. It wasn't about fame and acclaim, it has always been about feelings and encounters. Meeting people who made music, loved music, were music. Fast forward a bit and the family just kept expanding. It wasn't just producers and DJs anymore, designers, writers, random hype people, "vinyl faced" ones... Everyone brought something different to the table and somehow, through our filter, it took us here. House, Jazz, Techno, Experimental, it didn't matter. The only rule was that the music had to feel alive, with a Jazzy twist, where "Jazzy" means a propensity to improvisation, not just music. This is not a story about numbers or streams. It's about people and places. Every track has a face behind it: the producer who turned a three-note loop into gold, the designer who nailed an album cover in one chaotic night, the heads who spun the story for the release and the friends who supported and listened. That is the soul of Apparel Music and that's why the cover for this "B-Day15" isn't gleaming or shiny, it's real. It's a celebration of encounters. The messy, magical moments when people connect and make something bigger than themselves. It's a big THANK YOU to all the characters who hopped on this ride. This record, dropping in both vinyl and digital formats and featuring artists from all over the world, is the symbol of the Apparel Music essence. From the USA with Osunlade to Australia with Erin Buku & Inkswel; from Denmark with Ghosten (featuring Francesca Touré and IZZY NU) to Italy with 2KS and Kisk; Argentina and Brazil with Eduardo and HNQO (with Collateral Lab), Spain with Tuccillo, Germany and The Netherlands with Marcel Vogel & LYMA. It's about exploring genres, diving into far-off worlds, being curious about other places, other people and figuring out how to make them all feel comfy under the same roof, chilling in the same room. A room we've been furnishing for a while with our little treasures, some fancy furniture, some not-so-fancy, but always with passion. There's more music to make, more stories to discover, more people to meet. Apparel Music is not just a label anymore, it's a big, instinctive, unplanned love letter to everyone who's been and who'll be a part of it. 15 Years, All Ears, All Heart.

"Throughout all my time as a musician and producer, ever since Jack the Tab, I've been focused on developing a single idea: Blending psychedelic sounds and effects with rhythm." Richard Norris, Strange Things Are Happening White Rabbit 2024

Over the past few years Eskimo Recordings have invited some of thebest crate diggers around to curate compilations that don't just reveal the hidden contents of their record bags but something about themselves too. Now, following in the footsteps of the likes of Bill Brewster and Psychemagik, producer, musician, DJ, writer and more, Richard Norris, takes us on a globetrotting psychedelic journey with the epic 42 track collection, Mr Norris Changes Brains.

For over forty years Richard has played a part in many of the UK's most important music subcultures. Whether sharing stages with the likes of Tracey Thorn as a pubescent punk in St. Albans, or running freakbeat nights in Liverpool and working at the pioneering psychedelic label Bam Caruso, co-producing the UK's first acid house inspired LP with Throbbing Gristle's Genesis P. Orridge or riding the wave of creativity that the second summer of love unleashed all the way to the Top of the Pop studios as The Grid, Richard's career has continually seen him work to expand both his own and the public's musical horizons.

With Mr Norris Changes Brains it's the most recent part of his mercurial career that he's focused on. Drawing inspiration from his post 2006 adventures as one half of Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve, alongside Trash's Erol Alkan, this compilation shows how a more connected world has blown the dust off a paradoxically sometimes straightjacketed scene. The result is a dizzyingly wide-ranging collection that explores the further out there reaches of worldwide psychedelia and dancefloor mayhem.

"A lot of these tracks are fairly recent discoveries, things that I've discovered from around the time I started working with Erol and going right up to today," Richard explains. "Whether that's from going out to play and finding new records in places like Istanbul or just connecting with people online from all around the world. Psych can sometimes be a sort of narrow-minded field, with everything having to sit in its specific niche, but more and more people are open to new sounds and that's allowed for a much broader selection."

Despite their disparate origins what does unite these tracks is that they aren't just there to zone out to on a bean bag as projections of swirling coloured oils and psychedelic patterns wash over you. Mr Norris may change brains but his DJ sets also move feet, and whether it's their killer guitar riffs, oscillating synths floor shaking drums or soulful Hammond organs these are all cuts that from festival tents to underground clubs have proven time and time again to get people dancing.

"With a lot of these tracks there's a kind of fun element in them," says Richard. "It's still psychedelia, but they've also got these solid, funky grooves. They sound phenomenal on the dancefloor and as much as these records might excite old psych heads, this compilation is also for a new generation out there who might have never heard anything like this before and, just like when I was 18 and heard The 13th Floor Elevators for the first time, think 'Oh, my God, what on earth is this and more importantly what else is out there?'"

The Patchouli Brothers are best friends bound together by oddities. They share an affinity for the esoteric side of disco, house, and all other forms of soulful dance music. They hold down a residency at Beam Me Up, a disco night in Toronto & Montreal, and have had releases on some of their favourite labels like Defected, Nervous, Razor-n-Tape, Soundway, GAMM, Soul Clap, Star Creature, Pleasure of Love & Basic Fingers.

We are so stoked to have them join us here for their first release on Sosilly and our seventh vinyl release SSE007… Like Bond they delivered nothing short of pure class! 4 x absolute fire cuts that can turn any place upside down.

Multi platinum-selling musician and multi-instrumentalist Jamie Cullum today announces The Pianoman At Christmas - The Complete Edition. Due for release on 19th November via Island Records. The deluxe album completes last year’s critically acclaimed hit album The Pianoman At Christmas Part 1, with its Second Part - featuring 11 covers of classic Christmas songs, as well as two original songs, including lead single ‘Christmas Don’t Let Me Down’, out now.

Drawing from the past and inspired by the present, The Pianoman At Christmas - The Complete Edition sees Jamie team up with London jazz innovators Kansas Smitty’s, as well as composer and producer The Vernon Spring and acclaimed LA-based jazz singer Lady Blackbird to complete a piece of work that is imbued with seasonal sophistication. Alongside his two original tracks, Jamie breathes new life into classics such as ‘Winter Wonderland’, ‘Silent Night’ and ‘Frosty The Snowman’, ranging from ‘Amazing Grace’ to ‘Man With The Bag’ and ‘Sleigh Ride’. The Complete Edition will be released on double CD and double black vinyl formats, alongside a limited run of 180G Heavyweight coloured vinyl in red and gold.

Speaking on the release, Jamie said -

“I had a huge amount of fun creating part two of TPAC. Recorded live, all in the room together - it’s the party after the big show, with friends, drinks and some of the finest musicians on planet earth.”

Released almost a year to the day before The Complete Edition is due out, The Pianoman At Christmas featured 11 original songs played by 57 of Britain’s best musicians, recorded in Abbey Road’s famous Studio 2 and produced by Greg Wells whose The Greatest Showman soundtrack spent 28 weeks at number 1. The album sold over 37,000 copies, spending 6 weeks in the album chart and peaking at number 11. In December Jamie broke the Guinness World Record for the largest music lesson ever, when he held a virtual piano lesson for 2,282 people, teaching them the carol ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ with special guests Robbie Williams, Sigrid and Dodie.
With 10 million album sales and over 890 million streams to date, Jamie is a celebrated musician the world over with loyal fans in every corner of the globe. With a career spanning over 20 years, his legendary live shows have seen him perform and work alongside artists as diverse as Herbie Hancock, Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar and IDLES - Jamie writing on the latter’s album Ultra Mono. The success of Jamie’s major label breakthrough, Twentysomething in 2003 and its follow up Catching Tales saw him nominated for a BRIT, Grammy and numerous other awards around the world. In 2020 he won an Ivor Novello Award for his track ‘Age of Anxiety’, taken from his acclaimed 9th studio album Taller. In addition to his enduringly successful recording career, Jamie has also established himself as a multi-award winning music broadcaster; his BBC Radio 2 show celebrated its 11th year on air this year.

With her debut album Black Acid Soul earning critical praise, Lady Blackbird is a revelatory new talent with music that transcends the jazz scene through which the LA-based artist is rooted. Reflecting influences as varied as Billie Holiday, Gladys Knight, Tina Turner and Chaka Khan, with critics drawing comparisons to Adele, Amy and Celeste, Lady Blackbird’s distinct and beguiling voice is not one to be missed.

UK band Kansas Smitty’s have developed a musical voice wholly unique from what’s happening around them. They are led by band leader and producer Giacomo Smith who's cinematic compositions feature on their releases, most recently 2021's acclaimed Things Happened Here for Berlin based label !K7. In 2015 they launched their own east London venue and bar, of the same name, which became one of the conception points for the current UK jazz boom.

Londoner Sam Beste aka The Vernon Spring is a polymath in music who has production, writing and performance credits as eclectic as Amy Winehouse, Matthew Herbert, Kano, Joy Crookes, Beth Orton, Blood Orange, Gabriels and MF DOOM. Since 2019 he has been making waves with solo project The Vernon Spring, which foregrounds his rare capacity to hold sophistication and simplicity in the same hands through highly intimate muted-piano compositions and improvisations.

Red Pig Flower brings you her sensational debut album Practice Love, available on Sound Of Vast from 10th April. Her unique sound sits upon the apex of a three-sided pyramid. With Berlin, Tokyo and Seoul as the base, Red is a third culture kid, greater than the sum of her parts. The centre is filled with her incredible appreciation and knowledge of house and electronic music from every pin drop through history.

So taken with Red Pig Flower’s sound, Honey Dijon invited Red to her Southbank Centre show to play alongside her. Moxie loves her that much, that she invited Red to record a mix and to guest on her NTS show. Alan Fitzpatrick, and Just Her are amongst Red’s growing posse of followers.

Practice Love is a culmination of all of Red Pig Flower’s life experiences, brimming with her positive energy and an outlook on life of pure love. Red has collaborated with like-minded artists at every level: the music, the cover art and video all produced with talented friends, who get Red as the wonderful person she is and understand her vision. Her label partner and good friend, Knock in particular helped make Practice Love the incredible album it is. So intuitive is their musical symbiosis, they made 20 tracks and carefully curated and ordered nine of these, making an album of tracks that stand out on their own, yet flow perfectly as an album. Practice Love will make you feel joyous when you play it. By the end, you will feel like you know Red like a friend.

Practice Love kicks off with I don’t care, it makes you feel good: a dreamy, tribal mantra of a track that does exactly what it says on the tin. Next up is I Love To Dance. Red’s beautiful soft vocal is sweet yet poignant, leaving you in no doubt of her sincerity. Thirdly comes Feel Good Music. Are you getting a feel from the track names yet that this is an album of warmth and positivity? You can imagine this one at a Café Del Mar sunset, where those who get the spirituality of Ibiza come together, in the moment to appreciate the beauty of a sunset and understand that no matter how many you see, each is magical and unique.

The three tracks so far have taken you to twilight. The titular Practice Love takes you by the hand onto the dancefloor. There is a double meaning to ‘Practice Love’- The first is to make love your practice. The second is that you need to practice love to be able to become a practitioner of love. The video, shot by her friend Jelly, features Red Pig Flower in Brick Lane, London, wearing a little piggy mask and offering free hugs. The first passersby ignore her sign, but Red isn’t disheartened, spreading the right message, dancing with joy. Her optimism is rewarded, making peoples day better on a cold English afternoon.

Fifth track Sax and Drugs takes things a little sleazier, the beat is filthy and the synths are sexy. Your body starts to move to this one before your brain even realises. The incredible Declan McDermott joins on saxophone, the funkiest synths and Red’s sultry vocal washing your soul with Laurent Garnier inspired sunlight. On Thisiz House Music, again featuring Declan, Red takes you even further back. About Frankie Knuckles O’Clock, with a portal straight to 2025.

By now, you will agree with me that Practice Love flows so, so well. I Wanna Meet Somebody follows incredibly, continuing the feeling that if you close your eyes, you’re dancing with David Mancuso at the Loft. No Money completes this EP-within-an-album. Perfect vocal samples, valve synth riff and 808 drum patterns showing that producers as good as Red Pig Flower make it sound effortless. The best albums finish memorably and No Genre is one of those perfect finishers. Think Andrew Wetherall’s production on Screamadelica. The lights are up in the club, nobody wants to go home, arms in the air wanting more.

Red Pig Flower explains: Practice Love resonates deeply with me because house music has always been a sanctuary—a place for unity, joy, and self-expression. As a nomad and outsider, club culture and house music became my shelter. The cities I’ve lived in—Seoul, Tokyo, Berlin, and London and more—nurtured me and shaped who I am today. That’s why the cover, by the incredible Carlos Sulpizio features their skylines, and the album is multilingual, representing the diverse influences in my life.

Practice Love is like a meal that has been prepared lovingly. They always taste better. And there’s plenty more to come from Red Pig Flower. How was your appetizer?

Celebrating 40th anniversary of Yves Deruyter's musical career with this 10 x 12" Vinyl Box Set. Including tracks from F.U.S.E. vs LFO, Tronikhouse, Robert Armani, L.S.G., Edge Of Motion, Plastikman, The Prodigy, Ecstasy Club, and the master himselfYves Deruyter.



Yves Deruyter - 40 Years at the Pinnacle of the Night

Forty years. A rollercoaster of a musical career, meandering through five decades, leaving timeless marks on the collective dancefloor memory. Yves Deruyter is the exception that proves the rule. An icon behind the decks, celebrated far beyond national borders for his legendary sets, impeccable musical choices, and the anthems released under his name. The result of collective effort, where Yves, with his vision and unique touch, consistently left his mark-transforming good tracks into inescapable bombs that still resonate through time.

If you've spent forty years living to the pulse of music, the night is in your DNA. Yves Deruyter, a DJ to the core-the real deal. The man who bent the night to his will, dragging weekend vibes into the workweek like a warrior, a true master behind the turntables who made his people dance. His beats: the oxygen that generations lived on.

Yves sharpened his musical weapons in the early '90s within the iconic afterparty scene of Barocci and The Globe-places that became sanctuaries in Belgium's endless night. Here, die-hard dancefloor warriors, cutting-edge music lovers, and night owls from the four corners of the globe gathered. They willingly followed Yves' masterful mixing and his razor-sharp set construction. Clubs with a more conventional timeframe were the next step, with the iconic Cherrymoon as his home base for years-alongside endless guest DJ spots and global gigs. From there, the underground pulsed through Yves' hands and crates, reaching ever-larger crowds-without ever compromising for commercial or crossover sounds. Yves stayed true to his choices, lifting his audience to euphoric heights like a craftsman, armed with his hits, hidden gems, and freshly unearthed nuggets.

From the pounding energy of Rave City to the flippy, epic flashes of Calling Earth-tracks that not only captured the spirit of the times but conquered dancefloors worldwide. This isn't just music; it's a time capsule-a connection between generations and a reminder of the energy from a golden era.

With musical partners like Roel Butzen, Frederico Santini, M.I.K.E. Push, and more recently, Insider, Yves forged a sound that etched its place into rave and dance history. From The Rebel to The House of House, parts of Yves' musical taste have become immortal pillars of dance music heritage. In the early rave days, he topped Belgium's DJ rankings year after year, elevating every club he played to the highest echelons of popularity. The same held true for the records where his name appeared like a badge of honor.

From The Globe to the globe itself-it seemed almost written in the stars. Yves, thestar DJ, became one of the instigators of the electronic music storm that put Belgium on the global map-a storm that never subsided. Festivals like Love Parade, Mayday, I Love Techno, Nature One, and Tomorrowland saw Yves as a trusted force, effortlessly commanding crowds and turning dancefloors inside out. Forty years later, that storm still ignites partygoers, vibrates through dancefloors, and keeps entire generations moving.

Even today, Yves still holds a steady residency with Yves Deruyter and Friends at Club Moustache, where his concept always sells out. Here, both fresh talent and seasoned DJs deliver a killer blend of modern electronic dance music and timeless classics, creating an atmosphere that hooks the crowd every single time.

Because partying doesn't need an excuse. But forty years? That deserves the spotlight-not as a mere milestone, but as a showcase of timelessness. Music mutates, reinvents itself for new generations, yet retains the same impact as that very first time. Yves proves that forty is just a number, and relevance isn't about trends-it's about vision, energy, and an unmistakable touch. His sets? Indestructible. His sound? A heartbeat echoing through time.

And Yves? He doesn't live in the past. Today, Yves distills those four decades into a compilation capturing the essence of his career. Belgian beats, interpreted and refined into a sound that powered raves around the world. Ten vinyls featuring not just a fiercely curated selection that contextualizes the magic of his early days, but also new versions of three unbeatable anthems-potent hits designed to turn dancefloors upside down in wonder, without losing a shred of their soul. Yves remains a beacon in the night, a searchlight for that one perfect beat-always relevant, always chasing that magical moment.

Yves Deruyter-a name spoken in the same breath as the greats of the scene. A ten-vinyl compilation is more than a celebration; it's a well-earned trophy. As unique, indestructible, and uncompromising as the man himself.

After a Classic/Defected release and a string of edit projects/remix work Snips returns to his own Barbershop Records for his latest release "Blasphemy", a project drawing solely on Gospel samples from Snips' personal collection. Barbershop sticks with the theme of re-imagining the past to create something new while continually offering an alternative to todays mainstream. With Gospel music being the least commodified of its contemporaries yet the most essential element of them all, it would seem the perfect sample source for a Barbershop release and a sonically perfect fit for Snips' brand of Hip Hop, Soul & House inspired beats. From future club friendly anthems like "Feed The People" and "Feel The Spirit" to the true school Boom Bap sensibilities of "Pattersons Pilgrims" and "Never Waltz Alone" this release has all bases covered.

4LP set containing 29 original / extended / full-length / 12” versions of Queer club classics – 1980-1989
‘More Sin’ features Pet Shop Boys, Sylvester, Divine, New Order, Eartha Kitt, Grace Jones, Hazell Dean, Desireless and many more.
Highlights include the hard-to-find 12” version of ‘Can’t Stop The Music’ by Village People and the rarely compiled underground club anthems ‘Pistol In My Pocket’ by Lana Pellay and ‘After The Rainbow’ by Joanne Daniëls.
All tracks fully annotated and with a foreword by Ian Wade – author ‘1984: The Year Pop Went Queer’. Following the success of the first ‘Box Of Sin’ in 2023, Demon / Edsel and Disco Discharge are proud to announce the sequel – ‘More Sin: Box of Sin 2’ will be released on 31st January 2025.

Over 4 LPs, ‘More Sin’ presents 29 choice selections from the music you might have heard on Queer dancefloors between 1980 and 1989 – a decade of dance in all its devilish delights. Meticulously researched from the published gay club charts at the time, the LP set encompasses full-length versions of Diva, High Energy, Alternative, Pop, Europop and House classics. Not only were the ‘80s Queer clubs where you were most likely to hear the latest groundbreaking developments in dance music, there was a lot of diversity on offer – on a given night you might hear a legendary soul singer’s new opus right next to some post-punks from Manchester and the latest European pop chart topper.

‘More Sin’ aims to reflect this. On ‘More Sin’, the space-age soulful club sound of Jean Carne rubs up against the widescreen Europop beauty of Desireless and cutting-edge house music from London courtesy of Wee Papa Girl Rappers… and along the way come some of the most important and era-defining artists of the decade – from Sylvester to Siouxsie & The Banshees, from Pet Shop Boys to Divine, from Hazell Dean to Grace Jones. Producing and mixing these classics is like a roll-call of the era’s studio giants – Trevor Horn, Larry Levan, Clivillés & Cole, Ian Levine, John Luongo, Bobby “O”, Martin Rushent and Stock, Aitken & Waterman to name a few. It’s time to give in to sin again.

Poet, novelist, musician and academic, Anthony Joseph teams up with legendary UK producer Dave Okumu for forthcoming album, ‘Rowing Up River To Get Our Names Back’

Dave Okumu, known perhaps best as frontman for The Invisible, though digging deeper into his production credits, huge names emerge such as; Grace Jones, Amy Winehouse, Jesse Ware, Rosie Lowe and Eska. On this album, the magic and alchemy of Dave’s production style showcase subtle sonics and deep layering resulting in a contemporary sound to carry Anthony’s afrofuturistic metrical meanings.

Anthony and Dave first came across each other when working with Shabaka Hutchings during Covid broadcasts, and then after Anthony performed some poems on Dave’s 2023 album ‘I Came From Love’, the seeds of collaboration were sown.

With a little more psychedelia, a little more experimentation, Dave’s eclectic vision focuses on the actual sounds on these pieces. Anthony stated that “The best producers guide you, not push you” now add to that the fact that both these humans were born on the same day, a concoction of laid back attitudes in people with strong purpose, some real magic can happen, naturally.

Early writing sessions for this record took place in 2022, around Mount Blanc in France. Anthony was away touring with long-time collaborator, Jason Yarde. Ideas were a little thin and they found themselves somewhat repeating previous work resulting in Anthony rethinking things a little, and so entered Dave Okumu.

LP opener ‘Satellite’ is a fine example of how this new partnership pans out. New musicians have been enlisted; Dan See (Drums), Aviram Barath (Synths), Nick Ramm on Fender Rhodes and Byron Wallen (Trumpet). Add to that the mighty vocal power house of Eska and we have a whole new dimension of soul and depth, to carry Anthony’s statements. “You build a wall, we go under, you build it higher, we go higher, like a satellite” .

On the album's second single, ‘Tony’ - there’s a nod to all drummers and creators of African rhythms, from the point of view of Afrobeat legend Tony Allen. Highlighting this is drummer’s drummer Richard Spaven as Dave’s choice of skin beater. He successfully reminds us that Tony was someone who understood the real power of rhythm and how it is used to unite people.

As well as the new musicians on this LP, Dave Okumu played all the guitars and used the studio as his tool. On ‘A Juba for Janet’ - a poem to Joseph’s mother, and a track so bass heavy that it feels as though it could sit in a deep dubstep set in Plastic People days, - Anthony’s voice reaches straight down your ear canals next to dark drums, huge synths and delayed saxophone stabs from Colin Webster. Slightly more introspective verses on ‘An Afrofuturist Poem’ see Dave’s beats show off the real future sound of this record, kalimba, moog bass and guitars all played by the man himself.

Mellower and deeper moments are also present, Anthony’s cryptic yet informative storytelling is at its absolute best on ‘Churches Of Sound (The Benetiz-Rojo)’ - Caribbean and Windrush history reeled off alongside a linear musical timeline of Black music in the diaspora.

A reminder that this body of work is first of 2 volumes, ‘Rowing Up River To Get Our Names Back’ is not a follow up to Anthony’s previous album, but more a development of his 2006 novel, ‘The African Origins of UFOs’ a book where experimental elements of afro-futurism, metafiction, science fiction, surrealism, mythology are rewritten in Anthony’s innovative language. Look out for Volume 2 also coming in 2025.

Anthony Joseph releases, ‘Rowing Up River To Get Our Names Back’ (Vol. 1) via Heavenly Sweetness 7th February 2025 and he will play live at Ronnie Scotts in London on 14th March 2025, with Dave Okumu as a special guest.

CREDITS:

Vocals - Anthony Joseph

Additional vocals, vocal arrangements - Eska Mtungwazi

Producer - Guitars, Bass, Moog, Synthesisers, Programming, Percussion - Dave Okumu

Drums - Dan See

Drums on ‘Tony’ - Richard Spaven

Synthesiser - Aviram Barath

Fender Rhodes, Synthesisers, Nick Ramm

Trumpet - Byron Wallen

Saxophones - Colin Webster

Trombones - James Wade Sired

Globetrotting Texan trio Khruangbin are set to release ‘Hasta El Cielo’, the band’s glorious dub version of their second album ‘Con Todo El Mundo’. The full album has been processed anew along with two bonus dubs by renowned Jamaican producer Scientist.

The band’s exotic, spacious, psychedelic funk aligns with the dub treatment particularly well. Indeed, keen fans won’t fnd this a surprising release. Dubs of tracks from their frst album ‘The Universe Smiles Upon You’ appeared on limited vinyl releases of ‘People Everywhere’ for Record Store Day 2016 and ‘Zionsville’ on the Boogie Futuro remix 12”. The especially eagle-eared willhave caught a dub of ‘Two Fish And An Elephant’ playing over the credits of the track’s celebrated video.

“For us, Dub has always felt like a prayer. Spacious, meditative, able to transport the listener to another realm. The frst dub albums we listened to were records mixed by Scientist featuring the music of the Rootsb Radics. Laura Lee learned to play bass by listening to Scientist Wins the World Cup. His unique mixing style, with the emphasis on space and texture, creates the feeling of frozen time; it was hugely influential to us as a band. To be able to work alongside Scientist, a legend in the history of dub, is an honor. This is our dub version of Con Todo El Mundo.”- Khruangbin.

Formed of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald “DJ” Johnson on drums; Khruangbin’s sounds are rooted in the deepest waters of music from around the world, infused with classic soul, dub and psychedelia. Their 2015 debut album ‘The Universe Smiles Upon You’ was heavily influenced by 60’s and 70’s Thai cassettes the band listened to on their long car journeys to rehearsal in the Texan countryside. 2018’s follow up ‘Con Todo El Mundo’, which received hugely positive critical reactions and radio play around the world, took inspiration not just from South East Asia but similarly underdiscovered funk and soul of the Mediterranean and the Middle East, particularly Iran.

Since the album’s release, the band have continued their almost non-stop approach to touring, playing over 130 dates in 2018 alone. They return to the UK this summer for festival shows at Green Man, Latitude, Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival and Barclaycard British Summer Time.

We're back with another heavy release for the soundsystems.

This time we welcome Boomarm Nations own Gulls to the label.
Hailing from his dojo in Portland, Oregon, Gulls delivers us a
meditative dub hybrid, combining elements of dub, hip hop and contemporary electronica. The tune is called ''So Blessed'' and is topped by the fine voice of Wayne Daniel outta Kingston, Jamaica.

''So Blessed'' got exactly the vibe you'll need in this challenging time. Keep your head up, feel gifted for what you've got and give something back to the people around you. This tune's backing you up.

If that wasn't enough, the Portland rapper Madgesdiq steps pon the mic for some blazin' bars in his signature conscious style.

Get lost in this wicked production while heading right into the dub version to exceed the border between music and meditation.

To feel the sound through your body and soul, LXC lifted the frequencies again.

Matthew Dear's Black City Can't Be Found On Any Map. It's A Composite, An Imaginary Metropolis Peopled By Desperate Cases, Lovelorn Souls, And Amoral Motives. Like Most Literary Gothams, Black City Is A Place To Love And Hate, As Seedy As A Nightclub's Back Room And As Seductive As The Promise Of Power. Matthew Dear, The Musician, May Live In New York City, But The Matthew Dear Of Black City Inhabits A Sound-world Unlike Any Other: A Monument To The Shadowy Side Of Urban Life That Bumps And Creaks, Shudders And Wakes Up Screaming In The Middle Of The Night. Black City Is Matthew Dear's Third Album On Ghostly International, And It's His Darkest And Most Engrossing Work To Date.

From The rst Notes Of Album Opener "honey", It's Clear That The Love-obsessed Matthew Dear Of 2007's Asa Breed Has Given Way To A More Existentially Paranoid Entity, As Creeping Tempos Dominate, Cavernous Atmospherics Envelop The Listener, And Strange Distortions Crackle On The Horizon. In Black City, Nothing Is At It Seems: Leadoff Single "little People (black City)" Is A Nine-and-a-half Minute Disco odyssey, subverting its gleaming electronic lead with eerily giddy backing vocals and cryptic, ominous lyrics ("a frozen wasted heart / has died", "love me like a clown"); "You Put a Smell on Me" is a sordid sex romp set to hysterically chattering percussion and a serrated synth line that will set your teeth on edge; "More Surgery" at rst recalls the barely-there Krautrock of Harmonia in its burbling minimalism, until Dear's chanted chorus of "Alter genetics / to make my body glow / I need more surgery / there's so much more to know" sends the track hurtling into a dystopian future.

And yet, for all the foreboding moods on Black City, it's the album's sweeter moments that illustrate Matthew Dear's growing maturity as a songwriter. "Slowdance" is a futuristic lullaby in which Dear articulates a lover's helplessness ("I can't be the one to tell you everything's wrong") over breathy, Arthur Russell-esque cello swishes; the album-closing "Gem" is an achingly simple, reverb-drenched piano ballad that ends with a long, slow fade. Even in Matthew Dear's Black City, there is hope.

London-based DJ and producer Steven Julien’s career has always been about contrasts. Across a decade of releases on labels including Eglo and his own Apron Records, as well as club sets around the world, he’s consistently mixed light and dark, soft and heavy, yin and yang. From rough-edged house and techno to laid-back soul and boogie, or meditations on his familial and musical heritage with 2018’s Bloodline LP Julien’s music has always moved between moods, styles and emotions.

That eclecticism also defines Julien’s upcoming instalment in !K7’s iconic DJ-Kicks mix series. Featuring a broad spectrum of artists including Ryuichi Sakamoto, DāM-FunK and Todd Edwards, alongside a selection of his own exclusive productions, Julien takes us on an imagined journey from day to night: from a bucolic afternoon in nature to heady domestic vibes before a big night out, and finally the euphoric embrace of the dancefloor itself.

Julien describes his creative approach to DJing in general, and this mix in particular, as letting his energy and intuition guide him - it’s only on listening back to the finished session that he realised how often he mixes tracks in key, creating smooth transitions from one moment to the next.

That instinctive approach, where seamless mixing becomes second nature, speaks to Julien’s decade of appearances in DJ booths around the world: he cites sets at Ormside Projects in London, Doka and De School in Amsterdam, or Mitsuki in Tokyo as specific inspirations for this mix. Julien describes the feeling he’s tried to capture on tape as an out-of-body energy: just letting loose, and being yourself. “When you get in that position of doing what’s true to you, playing what’s true to you” he says, “people just resonate with that.”

Hardcover Book which includes a 208-page book documenting Louisville's rich Black Gospel music legacy and access to a comprehensive digital archive.

In the mid-20th century, Louisville gospel music was occasionally recorded when members of the local gospel community pressed 45rpm records and LPs, and released them through grassroots record labels such as Sensational Sounds, Grace, Blessed, and D.J.S. Over the years, a substantial body of work was produced in our city, but those recordings are in danger of being lost forever.

The Louisville Story Program has been working with dozens of people in the local gospel music community to locate, digitize, and preserve hundreds of these recordings and to develop a book that documents and honors the legacies of the people and communities that produced them.

For decades, the passion, hard work, and support of countless people across dozens of Black church communities in Louisville have nurtured and sustained a rich gospel music ecosystem. This music has served as a central part of people's religious practice and as an expression of Black pride, joy, affirmation, love, dignity, determination, and hope. This legacy continues to this day.

With support from The Owsley Brown II Family Foundation and Owsley Brown III Philanthropic Foundation, LSP has partnered with members of the gospel community and a local advisory group of local gospel historians and luminaries:

To locate, clean, and digitize gospel records of local artists released by small local labels
To accompany the local Black gospel music community in developing a 4 CD box set that includes a 200+ page hardcover book with first-person documentation of their rich history
To create an accompanying double LP featuring 26 of those songs
To create and maintain a public-facing digital archive of 1,000 songs and 1,000 photographs
To celebrate the final release with a large concert at the Brown Theatre (September 28, 2024)

We’re teaming up with ELUCID and Fat Possum for a limited edition of 300 copies of a Rush Hour black ice coloured edition.

E L U C I D, one half of the illustrious duo Armand Hammer, is here with the full-length follow-up to 'I Told Bessie'. Further experiments in the sonic, expanding on the 'live' side of music paired with the embracing of chaos. Something you haven't heard, or not so for a very long time. E L U C I D is here to reveal the bleakness of reality.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

''There is never time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now.''
James Baldwin

A raw, crackling urgency runs through rapper-producer ELUCID’s new album REVELATOR like an underground power line. There is no space here for sepia-toned reminiscences or indulgent self-mythologizing. Intellectual rabbit holes have been filled in with concrete and rebar ; there is nowhere to hide and no off ramp from the audio Autobahn that ELUCID has fashioned—a renegade Robert Moses with gold fronts, bulldozing the homes of the powerful and the complicit. REVELATOR brims with the energy of now, with a refusal to look away. Carpe diem in a murder one mask.

Born in Jamaica, Queens, ELUCID has been on the cutting edge of New York’s underground scene since the mid-2000s. From the beginning, he has defied both convention and expectation. He ran with Okayplayer darlings Tanya Morgan, but his own music eschewed their throwback charm for glitchy noise experiments and bass-swamped culture jamming. His 2016 debut studio project Save Yourself (re-released in a deluxe edition last year) announced him in earnest. But in recent years, his Armand Hammer releases with partner-in-crime billy woods have received significant attention and acclaim. Serving as a followup to his last solo album—2022’s comparatively balmy I Told Bessie—ELUCID hoped to “re-distinguish” himself with REVELATOR, setting himself apart amidst the increasing attention around the music he and his friends are making together.

For ELUCID, this meant setting bold new challenges for himself. One of these was diving further into live instrumentation than ever before—”getting my Quincy Jones on,” as he puts it. The testing ground for this approach was Armand Hammer’s most recent project, 2023’s We Buy Diabetic Test Strips’ Möbius strip soundscapes, warmed with instrumental flourishes and skin-shedding beat progressions. With REVELATOR, though, ELUCID strove to create an atmosphere of chaos, embracing experimental electronics and atonal sample bursts. He worked on much of the album with co-producer Jon Nellen, who comes from a background in avant-garde and Indian classical music. “I wanted to get as freaky as I could at this moment. I wanted people to hear things, maybe for the first time, or in a way they haven’t for a long while,” the rapper explains.

ELUCID arrived at the studio with a collection of noise sources: non-referential samples, glitches and noises. Together he, Nellen, and others created forms out of them and, as ELUCID recalls, “just started playing drums with it.” Their fried, distorted sound was directly inspired by Miles Davis at his most uncompromising—specifically, the tone-clustering funk track “Rated X” from his 1974 double LP Get Up With It. At times, the pairing of rap with avant-fusion sounds also brings Emergency! from The Tony Williams Lifetime to mind, perhaps in an alternate timeline where the late drummer was listening to Ice Cube’s AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted.

“The World is Dog,” REVELATOR’s lead single, functions as the album’s aesthetic thesis statement. Like the Davis track, the textures are punishing, the tonality is in free-fall, and the driving breakbeat of a groove cuts in and out unceremoniously. Avant-jazz bassist Luke Stewart, who appears throughout the record, holds the whole thing together just long enough for ELUCID to tightwalk over the beat. This tension is exactly where REVELATOR sets itself apart; in a time of drumless loops, and safe soul samples, this is a high-wire act with no safety net. Similarly, the song announces the themes of the album within just a few phrases, evoking the way societies accept and adjust to new levels of debasement and brutality while suffocating under the weight of history: “Can’t clock the kill, all a mystery/Forced past will eating everyone eventually/The world is dog.”

Many of the songs on REVELATOR grapple obliquely with dissolution and disenfranchisement in America and across the world—the grim realities of our domestic sociopolitical climate and our involvement in foreign conflicts. “Much of my artistic and political sensibility comes from the Black arts movement here in New York,” ELUCID explains. “Recognizing the interconnected global struggles against oppression, artists and thinkers created works and actions in solidarity with freedom movements in South Africa and Palestine.” ELUCID cites intellectuals like Amiri Baraka, Kwame Nkrumah, Audre Lorde, Sonia Sanchez, and Nikki Giovanni among his heroes. (One track on the album is specifically inspired by Lorde’s work, “SKP,” citing the scholar’s paper “Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic As Power.”) Songs like REVELATOR’s insistent closer “ZIGZAGZIG,” find ELUCID applying up-to-the-minute messaging, making explicit reference to the conflict in Gaza: “Feed a war machine…from river to sea, in lieu of peace.”

Despite ELUCID’s preference for cacophonous system overload here, the rapper also provides moments of respite. Recorded at The Alchemist’s Los Angeles studio, the laid-back, wheezing “INSTANT TRANSFER” is a collaboration with billy woods, which crystallizes their shared sense of creative determination. “With much momentum behind us and even more on the horizon, I knew a purpose, and that every step was ordered to that purpose,” ELUCID said of the experience. Meanwhile, the jittery “HUSHPUPPIES” is a playful anomaly on the track list, providing a snapshot of ELUCID watching his grandparents in the kitchen while preparing for Friday night fish fry dinners.

“Love still rules over on this side,” ELUCID says. ”I’m raising a family. We are making meaning and finding joy in the midst of all the fucked up-ness of everything around us because the alternative is cowardice and slow death. We remain rooted. We celebrate our people and our wins. Struggle is necessary.”

“IKEBANA” is one of ELUCID’s strongest statements of purpose on the record, blending the record’s heaviest themes with its most hopeful sentiments. supported by a shoutalong refrain and an urgent prog-funk groove. Breaking away from images of dissolution and crumbling societal systems that populate REVELATOR, ELUCID notes that the only way to navigate life’s bleakest landscapes is to cling to love and believe in those around you—to look forward toward something better that may or may not be possible. For the rapper, one of the album’s most trenchant lines comes during a centerpiece of a beat drop: “Being alive/I must look up.”

“The lyric ‘being alive I must look up’ is important especially in the context of this album. Much of the album imagery is harsh and reflects the actual doom some of us experience. But still I/we exist,” ELUCID explains.

Every artist is, in one way or another, the product of their time, bound by life’s leaden gravity to operate within the space of that which is already known. But there are some who are able to shake free of these ties, to shape the culture as it unfolds, to make the present their own.
Revelation, as a concept, points to the scales falling from people’s eyes—something that has been hiding in plain sight becoming clear. “The revelator relates to things that have been talked about, things that have been forecasted,” ELUCID adds. “And now they’re really here, and everyone sees it. And there’s no escaping.” REVELATOR plays out with the unmitigated power of those storms, laying waste to any genre conventions in pursuit of a certain physicality. Here, ELUCID develops a wholly distinctive musical language to explore our fractured modernity.

REVELATOR's packaging was designed by longtime Armand Hammer / Backwoodz art director, Alexander Richter.

Emerging producer Très Mortimer dishes out eight huge heaters on the highly-anticipated ‘M1 City’ release, a dedication to the mighty Korg M1, coming to Seth Troxler’s Slacker 85 on 25th October.

Kicking off ‘M1 City’ is the simplistic, but refined and booth-rattling ‘Work That Body’. A crisp M1 stab is the main character in this, amplified by thunderous and high energy drums.

Then there’s ‘Secrets’, a house jam inspired by the likes of MK that utilises TR-909 drums, a subtle rolling bassline, intimately whispered and soulfully sung vocal shots, and, of course, classic Korg M1 synth stabs. Together with dramatic contemporary builds, a highly danceable house smasher is formed.

‘No More’ is pure gasoline for the dancefloor. Très pairs another barrage of clean M1 stabs with a rousing vocal sample that leads into, with the help of a rolling snare, another highly effective house drop. Following the extremely saucy ‘Big Daddy’ skit, we’re dropped straight into ‘One Of Those Nights’, a show-stopping track complete with cutting, sharp stabs, a bulging bassy synth and a West Coast-esque synth sound.

‘Bitch I’m From Chicago’ feat. Gleebz is, as the title suggests, a dedication to the city where house music found its name. Batting off all the poser cities like LA and Miami in the sassy lyrics, it embodies the spirit of Chicago with hefty kick drums and weighty chord stabs.

At the tail end of the release, ‘Let Me Go’ and ‘Love’ (featuring vocalist 7000 (7K)), bring things to a rousing emotive close. Both tracks see Très put clean vocals over piano riffs, giving off differing moods – the former is euphoric, the latter melancholic. Synths bubble beneath, and each track funnels their own respective house grooves, resulting in two tracks fit for both the dancefloor and headphones.

Très Mortiner explains: “The M1 sound is classic. It automatically transports you back to those timeless house songs that never get old. For me, house music is all about connection. People experiencing a little moment of euphoria together when they hear a riff that they all know on the dance floor. That’s what it’s all about. With this project I wanted to tap into that 90s rave sound and spirit. I wanted it to sound like the OG Chicago rave scene.”

“M1 City is my first project to be released on vinyl. I think vinyl is very much alive. It’s essentially for music connoisseurs now. I don’t expect people to have a vinyl collection when all music is always available to everyone on their phones. Nevertheless, I love the idea of some random DJ finding this record in a shop in 10 years. Who knows what I’ll be producing then?”

Très Mortimer is a key figure in Chicago's house scene, steadily building a strong following with his no-nonsense, dancefloor-driven sound. Drawing inspiration from his Polish roots, Trés has signed with major labels like Mad Decent, Insomniac’s IN/Rotation, and Ministry of Sound, while also launching his own imprint, Optics Records. He made his mark with a clever rework of Zombies' 1968 hit ‘Time Of The Season’ (1M+ streams). Standout releases include his downtempo collaboration with plumpy, "BAMBU," and his latest single, "At Night I Think Of You," which was recently given a remix makeover by Seth Troxler and Nick Morgan.

Slacker 85, launched in 2023, is the record label behind ‘M1 City’. Founded by Seth Troxler, it aims to give a platform to "oddball, esoteric and diverse sounds," positioning itself as a counter to the polished, refined dance artists dominating the scene. Troxler, upon the label’s launch, declared that he wanted to create something for "the anti-hero, the kids who could have done it but didn’t care to try”—essentially, "the slacker." So far, it’s delivered a range of releases from artists like Jackmaster, Danny Daze, Dan McKie, and Andre Salmon, offering tracks rooted in house music's past but evolving within its present boundaries.

‘M1 City’, this ode to a piece of gear that consistently finds itself at the heart of house music history, highlights Très Mortimer’s respect for and knowledge of the scene and its key gear. Trè combines this admiration and inspiration of house music’s greats with a modern sensibility, resulting in eight tracks worthy of today’s dancefloors and today’s ravers.

The first in a new compilation series, "How We Walk on the Moon," was selected and supervised by the project "VINYL GOES AROUND," which operates under the concept of "redefining record culture" in the era of subscription services.

The album is themed on "quiet nights." It is not too close to healing/easy listening, but has a beautiful tension and a pure, mellow mood, and the fantastic soundscape that makes you want to listen to it under the moonlight blends into the environment.

The selection of beautiful pieces is a woven ensemble of various genres, including not only ambient and jazz, but also soul, library, and alternative, and will serve as an introduction to the pop side of ambient music, which many people find intimidating. It is a must-listen for all music fans.

In addition, the LP comes with a completely new type of obi called "ORIGAMI" supervised by "VINYL GOES AROUND". It is a special design that further deepens the worldview of the album.

The tracks included are "Harmonica and...", a 7-inch only track by Sven Wonder, an up-and-coming artist who was nominated for the Jazz category of the 2024 Swedish Grammy Awards; "Clouds" by Gigi Masin, which has been cited by Namedaruma, Nujabes, and Bjork; and "Morning Sunrise", a popular song by Weldon Irvin that has been sampled in countless songs since the 2000s. The lineup is set apart from conventional healing/ambient compilations, and will be useful for DJs as well.

This is a record that will make spending an evening with you feel incredibly luxurious, as if your mind is being freed to go on a free-spirited journey.

*****

It is an honor to be included in this compilation alongside so many other talented artists who have been an important part of my musical journey and hold a special place in my heart. - SVEN WUNDER

Wellington, New Zealand-based producer, drummer and band leader Cory Champion aka Borrowed CS delivers his second release on Planet Trip Records ~ Rise N Shine EP, expanding the infectious outsider boogie sound he explored on ‘Mystic Shuffle’ (off 2020’s Balance/Ascend EP) into a six-song suite of neon-lit machine funk, mutant post-disco and uptempo future soul. Draped in synthesisers that sparkle and glitter like summer sunlight hitting the harbour waters, the programmed Roland TR-606 drums and keyboard bass on these club tracks absolutely snap, wobble and groove.

From the space-aged melodies and throwback electro bounce of ‘All My People’ (featuring the pioneering British electronic soul vocalist Steve Spacek) to the dialled-in dancefloor weaponry of the title track and ‘Potplant’, the A-side of Rise n Shine unfolds like Friday night at a 1980s roller disco. On the flip, Champion reconnects with the idiosyncratic Māori singer-songwriter Mara TK to pen another golden-voiced chapter in the hi-tek South Pacific future soul story with ‘Hearsay’ before diving into some deep mid-tempo body music on ‘Subsonix’ and ‘Mystic Dream’. One for the dancefloor dreamers, Rise n Shine, will be available in 12” vinyl (limited to 300 copies) and digital versions.

FOR FANS OF... Durand Jones & The Indications, Pale Jay, Kelly Finnigan, Niel Frances, Bobby Oroza, Holly Walker. Colemine Records is proud to present a brand new 45 from Aaron Frazer featuring two tracks from his debut LP. The funky and drum heavy "Bad News" has a timely message at a time when people willfully ignore the warnings about everything from climate change to systematic racism. Frazer recorded the tune in Nashville and he brought together a bevy of talented musicians, including members of The Memphis Boys, who backed Dusty Springfield on "Son of a Preacher Man" and Aretha Franklin on "Natural Woman." On the flip, "Done Lyin'" shows Aaron's vulnerability throughout the song. Heavy and tough production from Dan Auerbach paired with Frazer smoothly singing his heart out is a match made in sweet soul heaven. Introducing, LP that this 45 comes from has been streamed 78.8 million times on Spotify alone. Aaron Frazer has 5.2 million monthly listeners and 70k followers on Spotify

Anaconga”, the fourth Dome album by Bluey and Citrus Sun, is an homage to jazz and soul greats from back in the day, and is the band’s first to be released as a gatefold 2LP.

The album opens with the gorgeous Maynard Ferguson tune “Mister Mellow” from the Seventies, with backing vocals from Tony Momrelle and Deborah Bond. Bluey and Richard Bull share the production . “Down For The Third Time”, the album’s lead single, is a deliciously funky remake of a classic Bobby Caldwell groove from 1978, with Natalie Duncan on vocals and Dominic Glover and Charlie Allen tearing it up on trumpet and guitar respectively.

“Mystic Brew” was originally written and recorded in the Seventies by funk, soul and jazz keyboard legend Ronnie Foster and Bluey includes it “to say thank you for his massive contribution to the music we love and are inspired by”. Erykah Badu’s “Honey”, also with vocals by Natalie Duncan, features beautiful trumpet and flugelhorn from Kevin Robinson.

The stand-out new songs on the album are “Santiago”, which features the young Indonesian harmonica player Rega Dauna, who starred on the band’s “Hard Boiled” instrumental hit from their last album “Expansions & Visions”, and “In Search of the Blue Note”, with Dominic Glover on flugelhorn and Graham Harvey on keyboards, which Bluey says is “inspired by New York City’s jazz history and nightlife”.

Bluey sums up the mood of the album: “I hope that the rhythms wrap themselves around your consciousness and the music slithers into your soul, whilst you bask in the light of the Citrus Sun! Unconstricted love, Bluey”.

Citrus Sun is the mainly instrumental-oriented side project which runs alongside Incognito and features many of the same musicians. The band released their first Dome album “People Of Tomorrow” in 2014.

repress !

Four years after Nuova Napoli, Nu Genea are back with Bar Mediterraneo, a new album and journey, which projects the sounds of the Neapolitan duo formed by Massimo Di Lena and Lucio Aquilina even further.

Nu Genea's Bar Mediterraneo is an idea of a shared place where people meet and fuse together; a space that leaves its doors open to travellers and their lives, always exposed to the whims of fate. Some of this can be experienced through the multitude of sounds that come together in the tracks, layers of different acoustic instruments, voices and synthesizers merging in a unique musical blend.

Opening up to the voices of many different people, separated by languages but united by the sea and the music, Nu Genea's hometown, Napoli, becomes a true place of encounter.

You can hear this all along. In "Gelbi", a gorgeously deep and propulsive Ney flute plunges into murky waters of the melancholic Tunisian dialect sung by Marzouk Mejri. In "Marechia'", unbridled happiness and sun ooze from the delicate vocals of Célia Kameni and create an acrobatic bridge between French and Neapolitan language. In "Straniero", your soul is arrested from the moment the slow spell-binding mandolin ignites the hypnotic patterns recorded by the legendary Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen. In "Bar Mediterraneo", the title track, bittersweet guitar’s riffs, analog waves and choirs are overwhelming the song giving you what you would like to hear on a boat trip along the Amalfi Coast.

Nu Genea couldn't afford to overlook their firmly anchored roots into the Neapolitan culture and its dialect with "Tienaté", where the power of neapolitan language (interpreted by Fabiana Martone) supports those quarter-tone strings and the uncessant folk-disco groove that spreads to the entire song. In "Praja Magia", repetitive mandolin riffs lead the song, giving space to a choral yet tight vocal line that speaks of Varcaturo, a village close to Napoli. In "Rire", a volley of poetic, deceptively laidback, lyrical fury interpreted by Sicilian Marco Castello intimately combines with a highly musical, multi-textured instrumental backbone and the swoon of a chanson in its heart. In "La Crisi'', the lyrics of a Raffaele Viviani’s poem from 1930 have been adapted to a laidback jazz-funk groove in full NG style. In "Vesuvio", revaluing the evocative verses and powerful mantra of Vesuvio, Nu Genea re-adapted to the dancefloor a folk song by the working-class band E’ Zezi from Pomigliano D'Arco, combining the voices of a school choir with Jupiter-6 arpeggios and bold percussions.

Bar Mediterraneo is the place where people constantly return to transform curiosity into participation, tradition into sharing, unfamiliar into familiar. When travellers come through its “doors”, carrying their treasures of words and emotions, they aren’t strangers any more. They take part in a shared experience, enriching themselves and others by leading to unexpected musical journeys.

The story of Ultrasonic Grand Prix is one of two vintage 60s guitars and their owners. I love my 1967 Vox Grand Prix guitar,” declares multi-instrumentalist/producer Shawn Lee - creator, among other feats, of the soundtrack for Rockstar video game classic Bully, and one half of Ultrasonic Grand Prix. “It is a serious beast and an important part of my arsenal. Every tone you need…’For guitar maestro Barrie Cadogan - of Nottingham Freakbeaters Little Barrie, best known for the main title theme of ‘Better Call Saul’, The The, Liam Gallagher and playing on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’ - it was the Vox Ultrasonic, also from the same period, that caught his eye. “I first became interested in Vox guitars because of people who used them like Spacemen 3 and the James Brown band of the late 60’s”, he explains, “but it was when I was part of a recording session at Anton Newcombe’s studio in Berlin that I had chance to get to know the Vox gear better. I was borrowing an Ultrasonic from a friend for a while and Shawn already had his Grand Prix. I thought it would be a good name for our project whenever we got it going.’ It was with this shared passion for these weapons of vintage, psychedelic gold that the suave, velvety, and off-kilter cool of INSTAFUZZ was born. While a project born of recent times, the flames of INSTAFUZZ were first ignited all the way back in 2010, where the two met during mixing sessions for Little Barrie’s 2011 LP King of the Waves. Snap forward a decade and we find Cadogan ripping guitar licks on Instagram, the workaholic Lee using these as inspiration to lay down rhythm tracks on analogue drum machines. And not long after that, cut to the two trading files back and forth furiously online, birthing music together in ever more completed forms. And the music that did emerge was weird, startling, and insatiably groovy. With one foot dipped in the organ-warbling garage of 60s psych, and the other vibrating in the mind-expanding fractals of the British Acid House boom, INSTAFUZZ plies the earthly quintessence’s of blues, rock, soul and jazz, against the preternatural discomforts of programmed drums and unhinged synthesisers to produce something distinctly and nostalgically futuristic

repressed !

● Essential 14 track collection of "WaJazz" music selected and compiled by renowned Japanese jazz expert Yusuke Ogawa, owner of the Universounds record store in Tokyo.

● Gatefold 180g heavy double vinyl LP. Comes with extensive track-by-track liner notes by Yusuke Ogawa.

● All tracks licensed by Nippon Columbia, Tokyo, Japan.

● Mastering and lacquer cut by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting Lab, Helsinki, Finland.

---

Universounds, HMV Record Shop and 180g team up for an exceptional release: from blazing hard bop to free jazz, to introspective saxophone solos and massive big band sounds, renowned Japanese jazz expert Yusuke Ogawa presents an essential 14 track collection of "WaJazz" music taken from the Nippon Columbia vaults. Featuring Jiro Inagaki, Minoru Muraoka, Hiroshi Suzuki, Hozan Yamamoto, Count Buffalo, Takeshi Inomata, and much more!

"Japanese jazz has been recognized and celebrated by music lovers worldwide for decades. The origins of this trend may be traced back to the rare groove movement that flourished in the 1990s, but its current deep and wide popularity seems to be connected to the fact that Japanese people have been reevaluating their own jazz since the mid-2000s, locally referred to as WaJazz ("Wa" meaning Japan but also theShōwa emperor period, from 1926 to 1989). Since the beginning of the 2000s, there has been a growing trend to move away from the DJ-focused perspective and to appreciate jazz with a deeper understanding. Nowadays, there is more and more interest in the background and roots in which jazz has developed in Japan, with Japanese jazz as a whole now considered as its own distinctive genre.

Of course, even if we speak about "WaJazz" as one genre, there is a truly wide variety of styles within it. However, when Japanese musicians play, there is something uniquely Japanese flowing through that creates a kind of synergy. It may be the melody, the rhythm, or even something deeper, like an inexpressible flicker. I would be happy if some of its charms and secrets emerge from the fourteen tracks included in this collection." (Yusuke Ogawa)

Yusuke Ogawa has been running the Universounds store in Tokyo since 2001, specializing in jazz and second-hand, rare, and collector records. He is also a reissue supervisor, label manager, DJ, and music writer. Known for his vast musical knowledge, eye for detail, and archival skills, Ogawa has worked on more than 250 reissues and compilations – including the highly praised Deep Jazz Reality and Project Re:Vinyl series. He is the co-author of the Wa-Jazz Disc Guide and the Independent Black Jazz of America books.

It’s True What They Say is the debut EP from Edinburgh-based, husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), aka Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced “McLochlin”).

“Sarah and I both have a love for nostalgia,” explains Shaun. “We watched that amazing old 80’s Sci-Fi, (John) Carpenter movie, Starman, a few months back. Myself and my brother David used to watch it all the time. We must have been, roughly, 5-7 at the time. I remember loving the movie but the end, you know, with the beautiful, atmospheric, synth ending, I love that particular moment the most - best part of the movie, you know, when he goes home… It’s heartbreaking but stunning, all the same. It’s the music that moves you most… It did when I was 5 and it still does to this day. It must have had some form of a (much deeper) impact on me.”

The duo narrates stories across themes of love, hope, family, friends, dreams and sadness - the good that comes with the bad in everyday life, not just on a personal scale but within a community as well.

“Starbed is the first song I have ever written and just came out of the blue really, with Shaun playing a melody and me singing along,” says Sarah. “It’s simple and just about two people in love. Love songs are always the best songs, after all… Music has been a big part of my life from a young age. I was unwillingly dragged to piano and violin lessons, which I’m thankful for now! I’d say the first band I really became obsessed with growing up were the Beatles, and on the back of that a lot of 60s music and fashion. From then on, I had a love for music.”

“Shaun definitely opened my ears to a lot of sounds and got me thinking about soundtracks and all the noises that can be made,” she goes on. “We love just spending time experimenting in the house with instruments, pedals etc and Ali is a real magician to work with, too…”

The recordings took place over the summers of 2022 and 2023, with fellow Delta Mainline member Ali Chisholm (aka Jaguar Eyes) plus long-term friend and collaborator Gavin King. Further collaboration then came via the ‘net from the (international) likes of Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty), Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz) and Daniel Land (The Modern Painters), among others (see a full list of credits below).

Both Sarah and Shaun have a love for uber-soundtrack producers such as Hanz Zimmer, Max Richter, Cliff Martinez plus live acts such as Beach House, Spiritualized, M83, Suicide, Moby and OMD (to name a few). Shaun also credits the work of Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (from Survive) on the Stranger Things score… “Even a moment in a movie, whether it be just 30 seconds during a particular scene, it grips you,” he says. But there’s something much deeper at play as well. “Music is a healer,” he goes on, “and I write from my own perspective but more so for others. Once I've done my bit, it doesn't belong to me any longer. It belongs to whoever wants it or needs it.”

The result is a cinematic, synth-wavey, dream poppy and downright beguilingly beautiful body of work. And they’re just getting started…

REVIEWS/RADIO/FEEDBACK:

“Starbed is folky, flavoured by pedal steel, cello, and brass. Dust Tears, in stark contrast, is a mini synth-pop rave epic. Part Bicep. Part Human League. Keep Your Eyes Closed summons a mood that’s romantic, but also dark and potentially doomed – like David Lynch’s Twin Peaks meets Cliff Martinez’s Drive score. My pick though is It’s True What They Say, whose interwoven jangle and picking recalls New Order’s more introspective moments (Love Vigilantes, Love Less… ). Drums crashing, cathartic. Guitar raising dramatic arcs. Its chorus a rush, like a reprise of Pains Of Being Pure Of Heart’s ‘Higher Than The Stars’.” BAN BAN TON TON
"Dust Tears sees them sharing vocal duties over a synth foundation reminiscent of Moby’s Go - Artist Of The Week” THE SCOTSMAN
"Woozy pop" NEMONE (Mary Anne Hobbs Morning Show, BBC 6Music)
"Nice one, very David Lynch meets Euro dream pop" YOUTH (Killing Joke, Paul McCartney, U2, The Orb, Spiritualized etc)
"Music sounds killer! Real emotion” DAVID HOLMES
"I’m enjoying it” TIM BRINKHURST aka LONDON (IKLAN, Young Fathers, Callum Easter)
“Oh, this is lovely!” SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"It’s totally my cup of tea with milk and biscuit" BRENT RADEMAKER (Beachwood Sparks/GospelBeach)
"Beautiful, ecstatic electronica! Short and to the point" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized, Julian Cope, Soulsavers, BE)
"Makes me wanna sit in the sun and sip an Arnold Palmer" CHRIS DIXIE DARLEY (Father John Misty)
“Really beautiful - Cocteau Twins / Spiritualized vibes but has its own thing going on, too - worth checking out!” JULIAN CORRIE (Franz Ferdinand, Miaoux Miaoux)
‘Sounded nice on a sunny day, makes me think of Twin Peaks, nice moods’ EAMON HAMILTON (Sea Power)
"Dealing in nostalgia, no bad thing at all, great to play that (Dust Tears) for you” RODDY HART (BBC Radio Scotland)
“I'll give the vocal tracks a spin before the release." VIC GALLOWAY (BBC Radio Scotland)
"Rather good!" IAIN ANDERSON (BBC Radio Scotland)

CREDITS:

Lyrics, Guitars, Keys, Synths, Drums, Drum Programming, Percussion, Mandolin, Glockenspiel: Shaun McLachlan
Lyrics, Vocals, Keys by Sarah McLachlan
Guitars, Synths, String Arrangements, Drum Programming, Engineering: Jaguar Eyes Percussion/Drums/Effects, Fire Extinguisher: Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz)
Guitars by Daniel Land
Slide Guitar by Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty)
Brass by Bruce Michie
Keys, pre-production & engineering on “It’s true what they say”: Gavin King
All produced by Jaguar Eyes and Shaun McLachlan and then mixed at Glasgow’s Chem19 Studios by David McCaulay (From Scotland With Love, Rick Redbeard, BBC TV’s Attenborough and The Mammoth Graveyard score).
Artwork: Jamie Walman (Fourteen Admirals)

MORE INFO:

Although Shaun released a pair of solo singles (When We Dance and Give Your Love To Me) during Lockdown, he will be better known to many via his work as the multi-instrumentalist in Edinburgh band Delta Mainline. With two albums released to date, Oh! Enlightened and Bel Avenir, both rapturously received by fans and critics alike, Delta Mainline have developed an international, cult following. Oh Enlightened (2013) achieved widespread critical acclaim on release, earning the band comparisons to Arcade Fire and Echo & The Bunnymen, while 2019’s Bel Avenir pulled in references to The Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and krautrock. A third DM album is currently being mixed and due for release later this year…

Malted Milk's 1975 album tackles subjects that concern the band's singer in particular, but also paints a picture of a society with which many people identify. Difficult present times, a broken family and dependent children. The character oscillates between moments of great lucidity and optimism, and moments of anger. Feelings that are reflected in a general vision of the world we live in today, devastated by the abuses of the powerful ones and rendered insensitive to the "false" freedoms they offer us. Could it be that the personal condition of the album's character is also the result of a twisted society?

Malted Milk takes a stylistic journey from strong soul and funk roots to resolutely more modern musical influences, all seasoned with sweet hooks ranging from disco to folk-world. Malted Milk is newly committed to speaking openly about uncomfortable subjects and honestly reflecting its passion for American and pop music. The result is an authentic album, in which the singer becomes kind of a spokesman for the band and the listener.

É Soul Cultura captain, originator of Manchester’s legendary Electric Chair and definitive people’s champion, Luke Una taps into a lifetime’s worth of musical discovery for the second volume in our Mr Bongo Edits series. A cosmic coming together that sees two of Luke’s secret weapons, re-edited and re-contextualised by the man himself to provide optimal dancefloor euphoria.

A stalwart of the underground for nearly 40 years, Luke has become an appointed leader of the late night disenfranchised, with an unquestionable ability to pick records that make minds tick. Not least through his two É Soul Cultura compilations released on Mr Bongo over the past two years.

A taste that traverses genres as much as it does emotions and decades, who better to give an insight into the tracks he has chosen to edit, than the man himself. “I've been an avid collector of afro-beat house, techno and underground black heart disco since before the basement soul days of Electric Chair 30 years ago. Both these bombs were very much holy grail finds, plucked from the last four decades of digging in random crates of dusty vinyl all over the world.”

First up, Thandi Zulu & The Young Five’s interpretation of Pure Energy’s early ‘80s disco power play – ‘Love Game’. With a distinctive South African synth bass and killer keys combo, Luke explains the original has this “bonkers alchemy of heavy machine soul, uptempo rawness and a majestic disco evangelism”, making it ripe for a re-edit.

On the B side, Lionel Pillay’s Jazz dancer ‘Plum’. “The original was a relentless 18-minute raw jam”, Luke states, “which despite its late ‘70s South African origin kinda reminded me of a 1986 Chicago piano House record”.

“These edits strip the tracks back and rebuild them, giving them more sonic weight with that looped up drum jacking militancy from the days of Chicago, combined with a boosted sense of transcendental, psychedelic, cosmic disco. They have always had such an explosive reaction on so many dancefloors including the heavier electronic club, so it felt only right to reshare them”.

The renowned Disco Dandies have made a triumphant return, emerging from their creative haven at the Old Course of the St. Andrews Golf Club. Following the success of their previous chart-topping hit, “Inside Your Love” (2 People), which went to number one TWICE at Traxsource, they present their latest offering, a rework of the Miami T.K. Disco classic by Tamiko Jones, “Let It Flow.”

This new release showcases a heightened tempo and a fresh interpretation that irresistibly beckons the dance floor. The Disco Dandies, known for their meticulous attention to detail, have patiently crafted a musical gem that has received the coveted final seal of approval. Now, in the year 2024, they are ready to unveil their creation to the world.

n stark contrast to the hurried pace of some, the Disco Dandies adhere to a philosophy where haste has no place; instead, they embrace patience as the key to their artistic process. The anticipation surrounding their latest work has been met with great reward, and the wait for this musical delight has proven to be truly worthwhile.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the infectious rhythms and the Japanese, Cherokee soulful voice of Tamiko Jones and the Disco Dandies.