Search:sound of funk

Following last year's ''Magic Overlooked'' EP, DJ AGITATED returns to the Dolly TS series. ''Horses of Volcanoes and the Moon'' sounds as big as its title. Frantic vocal loops, deep dub stabs, fast paced strings and funky basslines, sky is the limit! DJ AGITATED delivers beautiful techno for the soul yet again.

Tar Hallow label boss Thanos Hana brings his hardware-heavy industrial grit to the Dolly TS series with 'Sliced Glitter, No Shampoo'. This four-track EP strips techno to its rusted core, fusing obsessive machine-funk with the energy of the Rotterdam sound. Driven by hammering rhythms and metallic synthesis, these 4 tracks are a masterclass in raw techno-realness!

Remedy Music Vlc returns with a new release. Voyager is a four-track EP of soul, funk and breaks, selected from Freedust’s new album and released on 7-inch vinyl.
Four groove-packed tracks continuing the collaboration between Freedust and Remedy Music Vlc.

Carlos Benedetti, a Colombian house producer and live performer from Cali, has steadily become one of the standout names in today’s underground dance scene. Following multiple vinyl releases on the acclaimed German label Disco Disco, Benedetti’s productions have earned widespread praise and support from respected figures including deep house icon Cinthie.

Specialists, selectors and collectors alike have described his records with comments such as:
“fabulous 12-inch”
“This is the most wild dance record to come out this year so far”
“Cannot formulate the words to capture how this one sounds and makes me feel”
“Listen close and behold.”

With this latest EP for SUPREME STRIKER, Benedetti once again delivers a collection that feels destined to become a future underground classic.
The record opens with Nostalgia Blues, a soulful and deeply textured piece channeling the spirit of Larry Levan’s legendary dancefloor energy, somewhere between disco’s emotional golden age and modern club functionality.
On Bellavista, Benedetti dives deeper into high-energy territory, layering powerful black grooves, hypnotic rhythmic tension and rich percussive movement into something both vibrant and timeless.
Pyramid follows with soaring arpeggios and delicate melodic flourishes, recalling the euphoric sophistication of Todd Terje at his most inspired, while maintaining Benedetti’s raw dancefloor sensibility.
Closing track How High The Moon nods toward Patrick Cowley’s pioneering synth work, injecting the EP with cosmic disco pressure, futuristic funk textures and a strange late-night sensuality.

More than a simple collection of tracks, the EP unfolds as a fully coherent journey through house, disco, Italo and high-energy mutations, balancing emotional depth, machine-driven grooves and timeless dancefloor instinct with remarkable naturality.

Powerhouse vocalist Sandra St. Victor returns with Eleven, her eleventh studio album and first solo release in over a decade. From her years with The Family Stand to collaborations with Roy Ayers, Curtis Mayfield, Chaka Khan, Prince and Lalah Hathaway, Sandra has built a remarkable career that has consistently blurred the lines between soul, funk, jazz and gospel.

Executive produced by Sandra St. Victor and Patrick Gibin for Mother Tongue, Eleven brings together Sandra's longtime collaborators alongside the Mother Tongue family, bridging her rich musical legacy with a fresh, forward-looking sound rooted in soul, jazz, boogie and soulful dance music.

The album combines brand new compositions with inspired reinterpretations, from Kaidi Tatham's stunning reimagining of Captain Sky's Moonchild and his masterful reinvention of the Leon Ware/Syreeta underground gem Tiki Tiki Donga, to a beautifully understated new version of Sandra's own Dizzy, originally released on Gemini: Both Sides in 2001 featuring Questlove, Roy Ayers and Donald Byrd, here reimagined by Mark de Clive-Lowe. Along the way, the lo-fi soul of Black Ice, the timeless duet No More Water featuring Lalah Hathaway, and the straight-up funk of Makes Me Wanna Fall In Love Again and What Would Miles Do showcase an artist continuing to evolve while remaining true to her artistic voice.

Rooted in experience yet driven by curiosity, Eleven bridges Sandra's remarkable musical legacy with the creative vision of Mother Tongue, resulting in an album that feels both timeless and unmistakably

Chopping Mountain, das neue Album von Ibibio Sound Machine, ist die bislang deutlichste Umsetzung der langjährigen Mission des Londoner Kollektivs, Liebe, Einheit und Widerstand durch Musik zu fördern. Es ist das sechste Album der Band in voller Länge und das erste, bei dem Max Grunhard seit ,Doko Mien" aus dem Jahr 2019 als Produzent mitwirkt. Nach ihrem von Hot Chip produzierten Durchbruch ,Electricity" (2022) und dem düstereren, clubbigen Einschlag des von Ross Orton produzierten ,Pull the Rope" (2024) fühlt sich ,Chopping Mountain" an, als stamme es direkt aus den Herzen und Erfahrungen der von Eno Williams und Grunhard angeführten Band. Williams ist wie immer eine Sirene - eine Frontfrau, wie sie nur einmal in einer Generation vorkommt, deren Ruf, sowohl auf die Tanzfläche als auch nach einer besseren Zukunft, unmöglich zu widerstehen ist. Wie sie das macht, ist ein Rätsel. Nimm zum Beispiel einen Song wie ,Return to Sender". Inspiriert von einem Autounfall, bei dem sie spürte, wie ihr das Lenkrad buchstäblich aus den Händen sprang - was sie mit ,einem spirituellen Angriff durch unsichtbare Kräfte" verglich -, ist der Track ein kraftvoller, kathartischer Rager, ein Ganzkörper-Workout und eine lautstarke Ablehnung des Bösen in mehreren Sprachen, Englisch und ihrer Muttersprache Ibibio. Sie ist natürlich kaum allein am Fuße des ,Chopping Mountain". Ibibio Sound Machine - Grunhard (Saxophon, Keyboards), Alfred Bannerman (Gitarre), PK Ambrose (Bass, Keyboards), Joseph Amoako (Schlagzeug), Afla Sackey (Percussion), Scott Baylis (Trompete, Keyboards) und Tony Hayden (Posaune, Synth) - sind übernatürlich eingespielt und schöpfen aus ihren Wurzeln und Inspirationen in Highlife, Disco, Afrobeat, Funk, Post-Punk und Electropop, um um ihre Stimme herum gewaltige Klangkathedralen zu errichten. Vor dem Hintergrund einer entmutigenden Welt bleiben Ibibio Sound Machine hoffnungsvoll, auf der Suche nach Bewusstsein und Verbundenheit. Sie setzen den Weg fort, den sie erstmals auf ,Pull the Rope" eingeschlagen haben: Viele Songs auf ,Chopping Mountain" entstanden aus Jam-Sessions, bei denen sie sich auf einen Groove, ein Instrument oder einen Text konzentrierten. Auf ,Concept of Love" formen sie einen Afro-Disco-Song, auf ,Love" vertiefen sie das Konzept und liefern ein ätherisches Stück Highlife. Bei ,Give Me Peace" ist sogar Dele Sosimi von Fela Kutis Egypt 80 zu hören. Diese berauschende Mischung aus unterschiedlichen Stilen und Herkunftsorten verschmilzt über das gesamte ,Chopping Mountain", wobei die Songs darin vereint sind, dass sie die schärfsten Werkzeuge sind, die Ibibio Sound Machine im gegenwärtigen Moment einsetzen können. Sie stellen den Kampf um Freiheit als einen gemeinschaftlichen dar. Der Weg zur Befreiung ist lang und beschwerlich, aber er ist nicht ohne Freude - hier ist ein Album, das vor ihr nur so strotzt.

Strut proudly presents an expansive deep dive into the world of Quatermass Sound Lab, the prolific under-the-radar East London studio founded and run by producer, engineer and The Heliocentrics co-founder Malcolm Catto. Over the last two decades, Catto has quietly established himself as a sought-after sonic architect in contemporary music. Revered for his analogue-first approach, he has built Quatermass Sound Lab around vintage recording equipment, valve preamps and live performance, creating recordings that feel warm and timeless. Equally inspired by punk, hip-hop, psychedelic rock, jazz, funk and electronic music, Catto has developed a production style that rejects genre boundaries in favour of instinct and atmosphere. Describing himself as "50% musician and 50% listener," Catto approaches each session as a collaborator rather than a conventional producer. That philosophy has made Quatermass Sound Lab a creative home for an extraordinary range of musicians, from established innovators to emerging voices. His remarkable discography spans collaborations with Yussef Dayes, DJ Shadow, Madlib, Quantic, Mulatu Astatke, Orlando Julius, Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids and countless others, each project using analogue wizardry to shape bold, contemporary recordings with a character all of their own.

The fifth LP in the long history of the label comes from another Belgian producer who is ready to fly high. After San Soda, Metrobox, Uni Son and label boss Red D it is now time for Tom Smeyers to step up and take us into his universe of warm grooves and sweet house music…with a twist.

Taking in influences from around the full spectrum of electronic music these six tracks represent what Tom is about at the moment. From deepest old school inspired house to more broken beat action right into drum’n’bass territory, with an attention to detail and experienced sound design.

As if that wasn’t enough Tom also took care of the artwork to match his music. We here at WPH call that a 360 artist. Welcome to the family Tom Smeyers!

DTM Funk: Super Dope!

DJ Bone: Really great release. I love every track!

Owain K: Classy grooves for dancefloor moves.

Séa: Lovely!

Simon Caldwell: Beautiful machine house music. Takes me back and takes me forward.

Satoshi Fumi: Really love all!

Severino Panzetta: Great sound.

Ame: Thanks for these.

DJ Merci: Top release!

Red D: So good I just had to release these J

Mr Bongo reissue Bobby Williams’ coveted deep funk rarity Funky Super Fly from 1974. Rich in raw, gritty, from-the-heart grooves, the influence of James Brown is strong, yet the tracks are distinctly Bobby. Oozing style and substance, the album is full of fiery horn sections, strutting guitars and infectious basslines tracked by plenty of prime breakbeats. Front to back stacked with highlights, cuts from the album have been famously sampled by DJ Shadow, Coldcut, and more.

For years Funky Super Fly has been a funk aficionado favourite. It’s a sensational set of recordings from vocalist and bandleader Bobby Williams, with plenty of cherished raw-funk heaters in the mix. ‘Funky Superfly’, ‘Soul Brother Party’, and ‘Let’s Jam’, are three standouts that have all the ingredients to ignite even the most subdued of dancefloors. The unprocessed natural energy in these songs speaks to your very soul – Bobby grooving over his captivating funk-fuelled band with dynamism and class. Both ‘Funky Superfly’ and ‘Soul Brother Party’ appear on the album as one continuous track, whereas on the 7” versions they were cut into parts 1 & 2.

Alongside the uptempo dancers on the album, Bobby goes deep on the soul ballad ‘Morning Of Love’, which simmers with intensity and heartache. The album's closing instrumental track, ‘Fair Trade,’ has a wah-wah guitar-driven Blaxploitation film soundtrack sensibility, and is a slept-on gem off the album nestled amongst the big hitters.

The use of Bobby’s music has been sampled decades later, immortalising him for a new audience of record collectors and sample hunters. The pulsating title track ‘Funky Superfly’ was used as a sample source for DJ Shadow’s ‘The Number Song’ off his iconic Endtroducing..... album in 1996. In addition, ‘Soul Brother Party’ was used a year later on Coldcut’s fantastic ‘More Beats & Pieces’ album. This turned a whole new audience onto the magnetism of Bobby Williams' music and added to the frenzy of hungry DJs in the ‘90s looking to unearth obscure funk 45s.

Funky Super Fly is for those who like their funk and soul at its purest. It’s no-nonsense, electrifying and one of the jewels of ‘70s funk, perfect for fans of James Brown and Charles Bradley.

Fabio Santanna is a respected scene veteran in his native Brazil and has a wide array of styles in his arsenal, from Balearic, downtempo and chill-out to Latin, lounge and pop. He always brings a modern MPB touch to classic sounds and now lands on the superb Scruniversal. 'Negro Sentimento' opens with a low-slung swagger and claps that sound straight from a Chicago house record in the 80s. 'Funk Na Veia' is even slower and more purposeful with a sexual energy and libidinous, funky vocal.

New Time is an ode to musical innovation, a captivating fusion of nu jazz, nu funk, and soul that captures the essence of the contemporary era. Mr. Thruout's skillful production combines with Sandro Lilliu's masterful guitar work, creating a unique sonic experience.
New Time is a work that redefines the concept of contemporaneity in the music scene, offering a unique and engaging experience for enthusiasts of nu jazz, nu funk, and soul. With the signature of Mr. Thruout and the collaboration of Sandro Lilliu, this vinyl is destined to become a modern classic.

HIKARIGASASHIKOMU translates as ‘Light Shines In’, a Japanese phrase conveying a sense of hope in a difficult place. Opening new creative possibilities for Foodman, this astonishing album is an introspective yet hyperactive body of work, representing the clarity and light found after a period of self-exploration. While this is a deeply personal record, it also captures the now-universal sound of a brain stretched between 500 open tabs, multitasking into oblivion in a world in which attention deficit is a global media environment, not merely a privatized psychological malaise. Focusing more on the use of voice, the album incorporates Foodman’s own looped vocals, singing elements of Japanese children’s songs and playground rhymes, and his everyday thoughts. Despite its charm and innocence, this soundworld leaps around manically, fractures and dissolves. Foodman’s voice repeats, disassembles, speeds up and down and is bounced around deliriously, as sound elements call and respond around him. Structurally and vocally, influences are drawn from footwork, ghetto house, and baile funk, all of which are maximally abstracted into bursts of spiralling psychedelic effects.

A limited edition clear vinyl pressing for Vol. 1 of DINTE's critically acclaimed collection of pirate radio adverts & idents, taken from recordings of London stations between 1984 & 1993.

Cultivated Electronics celebrates two decades at the forefront of electro with its landmark 50th release on the main label, returning to the very beginning with a new release from Signal Type - the collaborative project of label head Sync 24 and Matt Whitehead. The anniversary EP pays homage to the sound that launched Cultivated Electronics back on CE001 A1, with Signal Type delivering "Break Through", a snappy, driving and psychedelic electro workout built firmly for the dancefloor. Funky, spacey and packed with the restless energy that has defined the label since its inception, the track feels both like a nod to CE's roots and a statement of where the label stands today. The celebrations continue with three remixes from long-standing Cultivated Electronics collaborators and influential figures within the electro scene. Keith Tenniswood, aka Radioactive Man, brings an old-school, Mad Mike-esque Underground Resistance flavour to his rework, injecting the original with raw Detroit-inspired energy and machine-driven propulsion. Carl A. Finlow, operating under his Silicon Scally moniker, takes things deeper, delivering a heady after-hours interpretation built around immersive, late-night club sonics. Rounding out the EP, Finnish electro pioneers Morphology deliver a hypnotic, 90s-inspired roller, bringing their distinctive analogue sensibility and futuristic groove to the original. The vinyl edition arrives on blue marbled translucent coloured vinyl, housed in a full-sleeve package featuring artwork from Geometric Love. From its first release to its 50th, Cultivated Electronics has remained dedicated to forward-thinking electro, connecting classic machine funk with contemporary club sounds. CE050 marks both a celebration of the label's history and a salute to the artists and sounds that continue to shape its future. Here's to another 50 releases.

This latest project by Groovedesign Kollective is rooted in movement, thoughtful tension, joyful repetition and dreamy release.

United Tribes
The Groovedesign factor shapes itself in the opening track 'United Tribes' by repositioning intimacy over chaos, a life affirming sound that belongs to those magic early morning hours that really shape experiences. And generations. A unique blend of Afro, Funky beat and Disco Clubby grooves merging with visionary House piano's themes within a rich, deep electronic tapestry and dubby effects.

Supremes
This track perfectly complements the previous yet it is its own groove and carries great dancefloor weight. Further developing the concept of exquisite fusion and fine contamination between already blurred genre's lines, where feelings and emotions meet their sonic counterparts.

Feeling the dancefloor comes as a second nature to Groovedesign: unrelenting yet subtle, innovative yet grounded. Their music carries experience and innovation without announcing itself, guided by an intuitive sense of energy rather than formulas.

Split#5 marks the fifth and final installment of the Split series on the Various Artists catalogue of Pi Electronics, pairing Spanish producer Hurtado and Greek producer Nikitas Grs. Despite their distinct approaches, Hurtado's industrial-leaning broken beat funk and Nikitas Grs' psychedelia-infused noise techno converge through a shared aesthetic of textured sound design, raw energy and dark atmospheres. On the A-side, Hurtado showcases his trademark production style through the driving cuts "Show of Force" and "Bad Company", while "The End", featuring vocals by Genevieve GV, reveals a more experimental side of his production. The B-side welcomes Nikitas Grs with two compositions that blur the boundaries between techno, trance and industrial music. The live version of "Susano" unfolds as a rolling, hypnotic dancefloor trip, while "Anoriotos" balances heavy rhythmic impact with an underlying sense of ambient nostalgia. The digital bonus track, "Pollinator 5000", reveals yet another facet of Nikitas Grs' sound palette: a relentless piece of noise-techno that rounds off the release with uncompromising intensity.

Mutual Rytm's Versus sub-label returns with a dark, absorbing new EP from contemporary techno innovators Kameliia and BLANKA. Kameliia and BLANKA both previously appeared on Federation of Rytm IV and now step forward with their long-awaited debut EPs. It is another standout for Mutual Rytm's Versus series, which has already made an impact with two previous EPs from Regent and Chontane and Klint and Hemka. This third release subtly evolves the sound into more hypnotic and atmospheric worlds that bring fresh perspectives to the series. Bulgarian-born, Norway-based Kameliia’s music is rooted in cinematic, melancholic and hypnotic sounds. She translates deep emotions into immersive sonic landscapes inspired by nature, particularly the moon, the sky and their atmospheric qualities. Along with Berlin-based Spaniard BLANKA, she has released on labels such as SK_Eleven, while BLANKA also co-founded Room Trax and draws heavily on the human voice, which she considers one of the most personal and intimate instruments. She uses it to create an emotional, direct connection with the dance floor, with a clean, minimal, timeless style rich in emotion. Kameliia opens up with the weighty kicks and eerie atmospheres of 'Bird In A Cage' before 'Red Sky' layers taut kicks and icy synths into a hypnotic forward charge full of depth and darkness, then 'Lightness' has an unsettling and paranoid lead hanging in the air next to vocal fragments and haunting pads. BLANKA’s offering begins with tightly wound kicks and bass on the dubby 'Say It With Me'; 'Self Pleasure' is an immersive and rubbery rhythm with cosmic synth work, and 'Rabbit Habits' brings funky synth lines that radiate a sense of subtle light and hope amidst the darkness of the groove. Two digital bonus cuts from each artist follow: Kameliia's unsettling, dystopian soundscape 'No Longer A Desire' and the backlit suspense of 'Vivere', and BLANKA's gritty, loopy 'Dream VST' and the deep-space odyssey that is 'Gone For Good'.

Ouzo Bazooka enchant on Kapaim, drawing listeners through a maze of hypnotic, head snapping grooves, cosmic string bending, and swirling guitar explorations. As trailblazers of the new Middle Eastern psychedelia movement, the band fuse traditional folk sounds with gritty soul, funk, and rock.

2026 Repress

Ben Sims and Truncate return under their ASSAILANTS guise and drop the long awaited follow up to 2018's 'Chase Sequences' EP on the jointly run 'Obscurity is Infinite' imprint. Original Hardgroove flavours blended with tough Machine Funk, showcasing the sounds they're both individually celebrated for and delivering some unique fusions on this all thriller, no filler EP

Following hot on the heels of the Frequency Damage EP, DJ Quest returns to Cyberfunk with Squeaks / Snake Style— a two-track release that dives deep into the unmistakable sound that made Quest’s productions stand out during the early 2000s.
Rather than simply recreating the past, both tracks tap directly into the DNA of the original Cyberfunk sound: rolling breakbeats, huge basslines, twisted analogue synths and the kind of distinctive production that became synonymous with DJ Quest at the height of the Bassline Breaks era.
Built around original analogue synth work throughout, Squeaks / Snake Style is a deliberate throwback to the raw, futuristic sound of the early 2000s, produced with the weight and clarity needed for today’s sound systems.
It’s classic Quest, strange noises, big bass, rolling drums and plenty of attitude.

A. Squeaks
Everything DJ Quest became known for rolled into one track. Squeaks is an unapologetic throwback to the classic Quest sound of the early 2000s, driven by heavyweight breaks, deep bass and original analogue synth work throughout.
Twisted electronic squeaks and evolving analogue sounds weave their way around the drums, giving the track that instantly recognisable combination of funk, darkness and futuristic weirdness that characterised so many of Quest’s early productions.
Raw, energetic and built firmly for the dancefloor, Squeaks takes the spirit of the original Bassline Breaks era and brings it straight back onto a modern sound system.
AA. Snake Style
On the flip, Snake Style takes the same analogue-driven approach but moves into deeper rolling territory.
A more hypnotic, heads-down breaks roller, the track develops around a heavyweight bass groove, rolling drums and constantly shifting analogue synth lines. There’s less emphasis on the immediate impact of the A-side and more on building a groove that locks into a DJ set and keeps moving.
Still unmistakably Quest, Snake Style combines the rawness and character of early-2000s breakbeat with modern low-end weight and production, proper rolling Cyberfunk business.
Special Vinyl Edition
Making this release particularly special for collectors, the 12” vinyl comes with an exclusive book showcasing the artwork from some of DJ Quest’s biggest and most memorable releases.
The book looks back through Quest’s extensive catalogue and the visual identity that accompanied the records, bringing together a selection of classic release artwork from across his career plus photo collages of memories made across his journey.
It turns Squeaks / Snake Style into more than just a new DJ Quest 12”, it’s also a celebration of the music, artwork and history surrounding one of the original pioneers of the Bassline Breaks sound.
For long-time followers it offers a piece of Quest history alongside two brand-new productions, while newer listeners get an introduction to the catalogue and imagery behind the sound

2026 Repress

What an unbelievable record. From the wild cover to the iconic breakbeats, Roots from Ian Carr’s Nucleus is one of the dopest albums we know. This is seriously thick, funky-prog jazz-rock heaven. Originally released on Vertigo in 1973, other than a couple of versions at the time for other territories, Roots was never re-pressed since so it’s gone on to become another one of those impossible to find records.

Maybe it was a little too out there for the time, but it’s aged very, very well indeed and this Be With re-issue, re-mastered from the original analogue tapes, shows off just why this deserves to be back in press.

Genius trumpeter and visionary composer Ian Carr was one of the most respected British musicians of his era. He was a true pioneer and saw the potential in fusing the worlds of jazz with rock, just as Miles Davis and The Tony Williams Lifetime did in the US. In late 1969, following the demise of the Rendell-Carr quintet, and tiring of British jazz, Carr assembled the legendary Nucleus. Regarding music as a continuous process, Nucleus refused to “recognise rigid boundaries” and worked on delivering what they saw as a “total musical experience”. We can get behind that.

Under bandleader Carr, Nucleus existed as a fluid line-up of inventive, skilled musicians. This constant evolution and revolution was all part of the continuous musical exploration and discovery that took jazz to new levels.

Working together with producer Fritz Fryer and engineer Roger Wake, the seven compositions by Carr, Brian Smith and Dave MacRae that make up Roots flirt with perfection, and Nucleus at that time made up of the cream of 1970s UK jazz with Brian Smith on tenor saxophones and flutes, Dave MacRae on piano and electric piano, Jocelyn Pitchen on guitar, Roger Sutton on bass, both Clive Thacker and Aureo De Souza on drums and percussion, Joy Yates delivering the vocals and of course Carr on trumpet.

The spellbinding title track immediately renders the album indispensable. Riding the illest of loping breakbeats, “Roots” is low-slung, doped-out heist-funk. An absolute monster. If it sounds familiar then that’s likely down to it being sampled by Madlib for Lootpack and Quasimoto’s “Loop Digga”, as well as by a whole host of beat manipulators. “Roots” conjures prime instrumental hip-hop / beat music, only 20 years ahead of its time. Truly, these are the roots. Through sinuous bass, twinkling keys and a hypnotic guitar riff, a smoky brass motif weaves its way into a gloriously deep haze around Carr’s solos. “Roots” is over 9 minutes long, but there’s not a single wasted second, not surprising given that this is a condensed version of an originally 40 minute long commissioned composition.

The soothing vocal fusion delight of “Images” follows. Meticulously constructed, with gorgeous flute work from Brian Smith, with Joy Yates’ silky vocals and Dave MacRae’s Rhodes never sounding better. The cool, driving “Caliban” closes out the first side. Originally the third movement in a four part commission to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday it stands up on its own, all robust rhythms and blended brass. Keyboard colour and Carr’s trumpet are splashed across the funk drums and basslines (and there’s even some bamboo flute). This really is fusion: the elements of jazz and rock coming together in beautifully synthesis.

Side two opens in riotous fashion with the short, thrilling samba of “Wapatiti”. Next up, “Capricorn” forms a smoothed-out, jazzy constellation. Mellow and dreamy, its twinkling percussion and languid horns slowly build the vibe before head-nod drums and a killer bassline enter the fray. With a distinct heaviness that Black Sabbath would’ve envied, “Odokamona” is a venomous slice of riff-soaked jazz metal (yes, you read that right), elevated by Carr’s wah-wah horns.

The album closes with MacRae’s exceptionally cosmic “Southern Roots and Celebration”. Very much in conversation with Weather Report, it opens as a languorous, spiritual jazz of chiming keys and serene guitar that turns slowly, gorgeously into a mid-paced, brass-laced banger. It’s another sure-fire party starter and the sound of the band having a righteous blast, building an ecstatic chaos that ends with Yates screaming.

And of course we need to talk about Keith Davis’ cover for Roots. Perhaps the coolest record cover of all time? Certainly one of the most bonkers. Just your run-of-the-mill high-gloss, acid-tinged airbrush dystopian/utopian living-room party scene. Consider this your chemical flashback trigger warning.

Front-and-centre the hip-to-death green robot holds court with their giant ball of yellow barbwire wool, hooked up to… something(?) being teased out from under the stairs (probably best not to ask). A thoroughly zoned-out, long-legged Pop Art party-goer lounges half-plugged in to the painting behind her as a pair of legs flail into shot from the the top of the stairs opposite. We won’t even begin to guess what the chap’s up to in the middle, but the view out of the windows is rather nice, and someone’s already got the hoover out ready to tidy up. All of the Nucleus sleeves are something special, but this particular one? Crikey.

This Be With edition of Roots has been re-mastered from the original Vertigo master tapes, Simon Francis’ mastering working together with Pete Norman’s cut to weave their usual magic with these wonderful recordings. The crazy cover has been restored at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

GERBlair / Huber - ECLIPSE ist das eindrucksvolle Debut eines der spannendsten neuen Jazz-Duos Europas. Der preisgekronte Frankfurter Saxophonist Darius Blair und Gitarrist Niko Huber entwickeln in reduzierter Besetzung einen eigenstandigen, modernen Sound zwischen Jazz, Hip-Hop-Asthetik und improvisierter Musik. Entstanden aus ihrer langjahrigen Freundschaft und intensiven Zusammenarbeit seit der Pandemie, lebt das Album von intuitiver Interaktion, klanglicher Prazision und emotionaler Tiefe. Die neun kompakten Stucke verbinden subtile Grooves, atmospharische Weite und starke melodische Ideen. Aufgenommen im Berliner Funkhaus mit einem Grammy-pramierten Produktionsteam, steht ECLIPSE fur die kraftvolle Verschmelzung zweier musikalischer Personlichkeiten - reduziert, innovativ und zeitlos.ENGBlair / Huber - ECLIPSE marks the striking debut of one of Europe's most exciting emerging jazz duos. Award-winning Frankfurt saxophonist Darius Blair and guitarist Niko Huber craft a distinctive and modern sound from a minimalist setup, blending jazz, hip-hop influences, and improvisation. Rooted in a long-standing musical partnership, the album thrives on intuitive interplay, sonic clarity, and emotional depth. Across nine concise tracks, the duo balances subtle grooves, open textures, and strong melodic ideas. Recorded at Berlin's renowned Funkhaus with a Grammy-winning production team, ECLIPSE captures the powerful alignment of two artistic voices-refined, innovative, and timeless.

*COMES IN GATEFOLD 2LP WITH LINER NOTES*

The premise of this compilation is simple: music we’d like to hear at the airport.

The idea came after learning that Honolulu’s international airport has been playing AI-generated music over its speakers since November 2025. First reported by Civil Beat, the news has caused frustration and disappointment among residents and visitors, as well as within the local music community.

Everyone knows Hawaii is one of the most musically rich regions in the world — why then is the airport using AI music? 'Music For The Airport' is our response.

Located in the middle of the Pacific at the outskirts of one the most remote cities on the planet, Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) is for most people the first place they encounter when they arrive in Hawaii. Warm sun, tropical tradewinds, playful palm trees and majestic mountains welcome every traveler, as do the sounds of birds, familiar music from Hawaiian artists like Aunty Genoa Keawe and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, and—at least for now—seventeen “island-themed” AI-generated songs.

In late 1977, while sitting in Germany’s Cologne Bonn Airport on a Sunday morning, Brian Eno noticed how terribly uncomfortable he felt hearing the airport’s “muzak” overhead. For a harried, hurried place like the airport where travelers scramble to their gates, stand in long border control lines, and wait impatiently for their luggage at the carousels, music can create more anxiety than calm. Asking himself, "What should we be hearing here?", Eno soon created ‘Ambient 1: Music For Airports’, a sonic remedy aimed at reducing nervousness in public spaces.

When we heard the news that HNL airport is playing AI-generated “muzak”, we were immediately reminded of Eno’s genre-defying 1978 album. And we were similarly inspired to react. But how? Recreating an ambient masterpiece wasn’t in our wheelhouse. We started digging through our catalog of licensed music which we haven’t yet re-released. We quickly realized this was our chance to highlight some of favorite songs from the so-called CD era: the 1990s and 2000s (with a few exceptions). In less than 20 minutes, we pulled 17 original songs recorded by local artists between 1984 and 2017.

The speed at which this project came together surprised us; reactionary gut instinct often produces swift and lasting results. Ironically, our new compilation likely took less time than it did for the state Department of Transportation to commission its AI songs in question. But even though ‘Music for the Airport’ came together in less than one week, the truth is that this collection of 17 songs is the result of years of hard work, trust, sacrifice, patience, and understanding. Building relationships with and licensing music from artists doesn’t happen overnight, but more importantly: these songs are the result of people pouring their hearts and souls into something they believe in. This music wouldn’t exist today without the artists and their loved ones who supported them along the way.

As of this writing, the DOT states its intention in creating AI-generated songs is to “highlight different aspects of the islands, aviation and the airport” and that “no state funds were used to produce them”. Okay, but at what cost? Technology disrupting the music industry isn’t news to anyone. AI music in public spaces are cost-saving measures, since its users (airports, for example) don’t have to pay the licensing fees typically required, which can be a worthwhile source of revenue for artists. But what happens when a place like HNL airport, which hosts more than 21 million passengers annually, uses music created by machines instead of people to represent Hawaii? The identity of a place beings to erode, diluted by a language learning model’s conceptual summary of what a people and its culture sounds like. To echo Brian Eno: what should we be hearing here? In other words: what should the music of Hawaii sound like?

We believe in the power of music, especially when it comes from the soul. We believe in supporting artists, especially as AI disrupts our lives. We believe that Hawaii must be represented authentically, especially when it comes to song. And of course we believe in vinyl, especially since it was a record from 1978 (Mackey Feary Band’s debut LP) that inspired Aloha Got Soul’s origins in 2010.

We hope you find as much joy in this compilation as we have. Perhaps it’ll soundtrack your next journey to Hawaii. At the very least, we hope some people take a moment to hear these sounds: in your headphones for now‚ maybe someday overhead at the airport in Honolulu.

Dark Entries is Elbow Deep in the Hoopla thanks to J.D. Slater. Legendary actor, director, and composer J.D. Slater is sometimes known as “the Lou Reed of gay porn.” Slater cut his teeth in the New York punk scene, even opening for the Talking Heads and Blondie at CBGB with his project Frenzy. A true polymath of the erotic, he co-founded Raging Stallion Studios with Chris Ward in 1999, which has remained a prolific outlet in the world of gay pornography. Elbow Deep collects the scores from three late 1990s fisting-focused Club Inferno films: At Arm’s Length, Hand Over Fist, and Heads or Tails. Never before released, these works show Slater digging deeper into the electronic music production techniques that were blossoming in that era, like loop-based sampling. Says Slater, “Suddenly I could have access to every instrument in the world. My whole concept of sound and structure evolved with the technology.” The works here are trance-inducing groovers, laced with acid and dosed with brooding ambience. Check out the Gregorian vibes on “Grand Fuck,” the legato lurch of “Stallion Funk,” or the frosty atmospheres of “At Arm’s Length.” Elbow Deep in the Hoopla comes with an insert featuring an interview with J.D. Slater. Starkly sexy, these tracks remind us of Slater’s creed: “The main rule for writing a porn score is to remember what you are writing for.”

Yesca is back on Shall Not Fade with ‘Paint on Walls’ 12” EP.

2024’s Yesca EP on SNF - “Mood Loops” - set a high bar, so when we say this record is something special you should take note. Of course if you already know Yesca’s music or have had the pleasure of a Yesca DJ set then you will have already this queued up.

Sweet Spot: Ben Sims, Deetron, Oliver Ho, Vince Watson, Grain (Artwork’s Techno alias). Planet-E, Primate Recordings, Paul Mac & Stimulus Recordings found the sweet spot.

According to the OED the first use of the phrase “Sweet Spot” was in 1976 in reference to tennis rackets and golf swings. It’s where everything hits just right. And that’s what this EP does, hits just right. What strikes me is how descriptive the phrase ‘Sweet Spot’ is. Given enough swings and some luck we all know what it feels like to hit the sweet spot in some regard. Finding the sweet spot regularly though takes time and skill. But being able to hit the sweet spot by design every time, well that’s something different. That’s what makes the greats great.

For us at SNF there’s a consensus that in the lineage of electronic music there have been many moments where artists & labels converged on a sweet spot. One such sweet spot for us is in Techno
around 2003 when at the tail end of Hardgroove tempos began to slow and a groovier more refined tech house infused goodness appeared in the racks from a group of killer techno labels & artists (some mentioned above) that moment before the fuller emergence of the 2nd wave of Tech House in the mid 00’s.

That sound, while often emulated, never quite hit the same for us at least – until Yesca came along. His music has everything that we love about that sweet spot. Raw driving groove, rolling basslines and hip shaking percussion. What’s different on ‘Paint on Walls’ is that Yesca stepped on - he had already found the sweet spot on 2024’s Mood Loop EP - now his sound (or swing) is natural. Repeatable, refined and seemingly effortless. To revisit the tennis and golf analogy, this is the start of a Grand Slam run from an artist ready to etch their name in dance music history. Tiger..... Serena......Yesca.

Run the Tracks:
‘How I Do It (They Wonder)’ - A masterclass in less is more, and a serious DJ tool. Full of groove - slow it down and it will light the touchpaper in a house set - speed it up and you’ve got techno weaponry. Forget gatekeeping, this will make you feel like you just found a 2004 techno white label from the likes of Grain or Ben Sims.

‘I Desire’ - House music that I reckon Deetron would be proud of... Blissed out machine funk, whispered vocals, slick jazzy chords and dubbed out techno stabs are all grounded by Yesca’s impeccable, loopy drum programming. The best tunes always end too soon.

‘Domination’ - The ever rising bass, err, dominates this track and this track will dominate on many a dancefloor, but Yesca's knack for dubbed out swinging synth lines has to get a shout out here too. He turns what would be melodic elements into what feels like part of the percussion. Double Threat. Hands Up and Heads Down business.

‘Paint on Walls’ - It would be a tough call to say Yesca’s saved the best til last with the EP’s eponymous track given what’s come before, but Paint On Walls works all the highlights from the rest of the EP into a latin techno/house infused anthem. Skittering percussion, a hint of Detroit goodness and a deep deep rolling bassline and THAT vocal. In every way hopeful yet resistant, and that is what techno is all about.

Second Storey launches new record label High Canopy - with Ladakh EP, 20 years since the artist's first vinyl release. Storey's working template has always been to take on the observations of his inner and outer world experiences, folding them into his expertise as a highly skilled drummer, knack for dream-scape sound design and love of rave and soundsystem culture. High Canopy promises to be an environment that platforms full artistic freedom and homes the mechanised, cerebral dancefloor workouts of Second Storey's studio life alongside his deeper, more experimental terrain. The EP's first stop is 'Blue Eye' named after the spring source of the Bistrice river in Albania. Crystal-clear sound design that echoes the flow of this natural water and sits alongside softly distorted low end. Contrasting 'Urban Hermit' was written in Berlin, during a bout of cabin fever and is a heavy case of gnarled up, spat out, paranoid machine funk. 'Post Columbia' - recorded after an eye opening trip to Bogota- then shifts the tone for the B side into more heady melodic territory with luminous, floating synths evolving throughout the track. ' ABC Conjecture' builds an intense atmosphere as it crawls and morphs across growling, distorted bass with a creeping shuffle of layered elements building overhead. Title track 'Ladakh' completes the EP, inspired by the remote town in the Indian Himalayas on the border of Tibet, AKA snow leopard country. It takes on a special and expansive ambient quality of this deeply precious and spiritual mountain land.

Bali-based producer/DJ STAY GOLDEN makes his debut on All Day I Dream with Silent Covenant, a seven-track album exploring unseen connections, out now.

Silent Covenant traces a near 40-minute path through hypnotic indie-dance textures, melodic techno tones, and deep house grooves. The title track opens with funky drive and a quick-tongued topline before ‘Fragments of a Dream’ pushes into darker territory. From there, ‘RITUAL PAUSE’ and ‘Stay With Me’ return to organic rhythms and deep vocals, balancing cohesion and contrast across the project.

“A seven-track journey through emotions and the invisible connections that shape our lives. Each track is another step in the same journey. The strongest connections are often the ones that never need to be spoken. They live in shared moments and the memories we carry with us. Silent Covenant is my way of translating those invisible bonds into music.” – STAY GOLDEN

Collaborations with Alexey Union, Broken Hill, Kinky Sound, ÜNAM, ANTICALM, and David LeSal broaden the project's sound throughout its second half. ‘Synth Lines’ adds a deeper edge, while ‘In Your Heart’ turns toward airy melodies. Closing with ‘Everything Sacred,’ Silent Covenant brings its themes of memory, connection, and shared experience full circle.

Plush shag carpeting, jazz flutes, analogue synths, funk grooves, exotica, and sultry, Italian-style vocalising: Erotica 70 is the new album from Larry Manteca, known for their inventive, tongue-in-cheek reimaginings of classic Italian soundtrack aesthetics.

This time around, the Milanese collective sets its sights on the distinct sonic landscape of 1970s commedia sexy—a film genre that, for better or worse, defined an era and fed richly into the cinematic education of Larry Manteca’s members.

Through this lens, Erotica 70 also becomes a way of celebrating Piero Umiliani in his centenary year—a composer whose name is closely linked to the erotic comedies of the time.

The nod to Umiliani is baked right into the details, starting with the choice of vintage gear like the Eminent synth and the Wurlitzer electric piano. These instruments deliver that particular blend of jazz, groove, electronics, and sensual charm that made the golden age of Italian film music so unique.

Standout track “Lando” is a joyful, playful homage to actor Lando Buzzanca, who starred in numerous films scored by Umiliani, including the iconic 1973 comedy La schiava io ce l’ho e tu no (My Darling Slave).

Larry Manteca is spearheaded by multi-instrumentalists Alessandro Paiola and Riccardo Danieli, flanked by the cinematic flute of Carlo Pelsa, the swinging drums of Andrea Quattrini, and the magnetic vocals of Valentina Castelli and Alessandra Maria Manzoni.

Recorded across various studios in Northern Italy, Erotica 70 is the imaginary soundtrack to an Italy that no longer exists, recreating its atmosphere while rendering it in full, vivid colour. It’s a record whose music seems to come straight out of a provincial cinema, a smoky late-night club, or a long-lost 70s film. But while it looks back to a bygone era, it does so only to bring it straight into the present, making the past sound surprisingly fresh and contemporary.

2026 re-issue, 180g vinyl, remastered from the original tapes

Be With have raided the KPM archives to re-issue another of our favourites from the KPM 1000 series. They say: Hard Afro Pop featuring large percussive rhythm section and front line. We say: One of the best-loved of all the KPM LPs. Afro Rock was recorded at Morgan Studios by John Cameron and Alan Parker in London in 1973 as a collection of stripped-down African rhythms, virtuoso jazz instrumentation, fuzzed up wah wah guitars and spaced out library breaks. The percussion is effortlessly funky, and those flutes so melodic, it’s as if the LP was crafted with the beat lovers of the future firmly in mind. As Cameron himself described it in Unusual Sounds, this is “heavy duty drum-and-bass salsa music”. As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for The Road Forward comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We’ve taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity. And don’t worry! Those KPM stickers aren’t stuck directly on the sleeves!

Ariwa Sounds started in a front room in Thornton Heath, South London. Four tracks, some homemade equipment, and Neil Fraser, better known as Mad Professor, at the controls. That was 1980. Over four decades later, the label has more than 300 albums to its name and a legacy that stretches well beyond the reggae scene.

This compilation pulls twelve tracks from across the catalogue. Dub, lovers rock, heavy roots music, digital dancehall — it's all here. What ties it together is the Ariwa studio sound all going through Mad Professor’s desk.

Mad Professor is the backbone of it. Dub Me Crazy got him known and his production credits run from Jah Shaka and Horace Andy to Massive Attack, Sade and The Orb. The tracks here — the Dub Sampler, H2SO4, Disco Dude, Kathmandu Dub — show why.

The Jah Shaka collaboration Only One God is a landmark. Two of the UK's most important dub figures on one track. Dark and heavy roots music.

The Robotics appear twice — Hong Kong Flew! and Miss Mood. They are Ariwa's house band and have backed U-Roy, Lee Perry, Big Youth and more over the years.

Aisha closes things out with Can You Feel It. A track that crosses reggae, soul and boogie funk. Collectors have been after original pressings for years.

Starky Banton, Ragga Doll, Professor Doppler and Earl Lawrence complete the compilation. Exactly the kind of thing that reminds you how wide the Ariwa net was cast.

Sleeve design is by Trevor Jackson. One of the UK's most respected graphic designers. His work has defined the visual language of British music for thirty years. His involvement here signals exactly the kind of release this is. A serious serious catalogue and compilation of music, treated with the respect it deserves.

Ariwa sits alongside Greensleeves as the most important reggae imprint this country has produced. This compilation shows why.

After the acclaimed Bar Mediterraneo, Massimo Di Lena and Lucio Aquilina return with People Of The Moon, expanding their sound into a space of creative freedom. The “People of the Moon” are not fictional, but a dimension within us all: a deeply personal yet universal force, an alternative mindset that emerges when freed from social constraints.



Under moonlight, the album explores anxieties and aspirations through groove and rhythm, expressed in Neapolitan, Arabic, English, Spanish, and Portuguese. It moves fluidly from Afro-Cuban influences in “Celavì” to Anatolian textures in “Ma Tu Che Bbuò”, blending highlife guitars with Nu Genea’s signature mandolins-new rhythms filtered through an Italian lens.



The first single “Sciallà” (2025) introduced this direction: dance as catharsis, not escape. The title track reflects a quiet resilience-persistent rather than triumphant. “Onenon”, featuring Tom Misch, channels Mediterranean brit-funk, while “Acelera”, with María José Llergo, evokes a flamenco-tinged pursuit of the unattainable.



“Puleza” recalls Nuova Napoli with driving energy and vintage synths, while “Shway Shway”, sung by Celinatique, captures the album’s orbital flow-measured, rich, and rhythmically complex, echoing afrobeat explorations with Tony Allen.



Melody remains central, as in “Carè”. Across ten tracks, falling, flying, and dancing merge in a suspended groove. Gabriel Prado’s “Ondas Do Mar” embodies this pull: a cyclical motion, like the tides—irresistible, transformative, and alive within us.

Detroit techno visionary Keith Tucker returns through his acclaimed alter ego Optic Nerve with AUGMENTATIONS EP, a forward-thinking exploration of minimalist machine funk, futuristic sound design, and deep electronic movement.

Crafted with precision and unmistakable Detroit character, AUGMENTATIONS merges hypnotic analog sequences, mechanical rhythm structures, atmospheric synth textures, and driving electronic beats into a powerful sonic statement rooted in the city’s enduring techno legacy. Sparse yet immersive, the EP balances raw underground energy with cinematic futurism — designed equally for dark warehouse floors and deep headphone listening.

Pressed as a Limited Collector’s Edition Clear Vinyl 12-inch, PBX-38 captures the sleek, transparent aesthetic of the music itself: pure signal, machine emotion, and uncompromising Detroit innovation.


A1 — Augmented 1 (Optic Nerve Original Mix)

A deep, stripped down Detroit techno workout driven by pulsing drum programming, evolving synth modulation, and hypnotic minimalist sequencing. Functional futurism engineered for late-night motion.
B1 — Augmented 2 (Infinite Worlds Mix)

Built around a rolling funky bass line and eerie flowing string textures, this expansive composition moves through layers of atmospheric electronics and mechanical groove architecture. The track creates an immersive sense of drifting through endless digital landscapes while maintaining a sharp rhythmic intensity designed for the underground dance floor.
B2 — Augmented 3 (Visual Shapes Mix)

Abstract melodic fragments, and precision electronic rhythms collide to form a futuristic minimalist soundscape filled with movement, tension, and cinematic pulsed chords.

Inspired by the ska and reggae sounds crossing the border from Belize, the Mexican band Ely Combo was among the first in the country to incorporate Jamaican rhythms into its repertoire in the early 1970s. This single brings together two funk classics—Isaac Hayes’ ‘Shaft’ and the dancefloor favorite ‘Express Yourself,’ originally recorded by Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band—reimagined here as two explosive reggae tracks.

A remarkable anomaly within the Latin American music scene of the 1970s.

Two dancefloor bombs, recorded in Peru in the mid-'70s by bandleader, producer, and keyboardist Otto de Rojas. It's no coincidence that "Choca las caderas" was originally released as a single backed with "Al ritmo del Bump-Bump," a clear tribute to the classic "Soulful Strut," making the artist's affinity for the soul and funk sounds coming out of the States unmistakable. "Choca las caderas" is made for dancing and partying hard, with irresistible horn arrangements and an incredibly groovy rhythm section. "El tema de Coco" is another superb instrumental recorded by Otto de Rojas, who plays the electric pianos and Moog on this track.


These two tracks are now reissued together on a 45 for the first time.

After releasing their first LP on PPU under the name of CEEOFUNK, Spaced Out Knew and Orion Westbrook are releasing a brand new 6-track EP entitled "Friends, Love, Freak."
Watch out: an "unidentified sonic object" is heading your way!
It’s a funky anomaly that pays tribute to 80's grooves while asserting a fresh style all its own—decidedly "offbeat." The sound blends unique touches of cosmic soul-funk and European 80's synth-pop influences with a "DIY" approach, sitting somewhere between "disco-not-disco" and unconventional grooves.
Vocals are performed in Italian, French, and English, featuring the excellent Ghostape, Lydie Gaga, Marius Cyrilou, and Chérie Bibi. Themes include love, desire, and bonds of brotherhood...
On the menu: fat slap-bass lines, funky guitars, smooth electric piano, sparkling analog synths / Solina String Machine, and on top, an abundance of Casio SK-1 synth and lo-fi sampling gadgets.
The vibe oscillates between boundless energy and laid-back grooves, all served up with a non-conformist freshness and a touch of originality that can be read "between the lines."

Riva Starr teams up with Australian duo Close Counters for a sun-soaked debut on Heist.

What do you get when you put an Italian house legend in the studio with 2 of the most talented artists from Melbourne? Have a listen to the newest release on Heist and you’ll find out. On their ‘Push your luck’ EP, Riva Starr, Close Counters and UK soul singer Andre Espeut bring a heavy dose of jazz & soul and most of all, upbeat dancefloor energy. Whether it’s the deep soulful vibe of the title track or the house meets jazz-funk energy of ‘Gearbox’, this EP brings together everything we love about house music.

‘Push your luck’ comes right in the middle of Close Counters’ world tour, just after Riva Starr’s album ‘Keep me on the dancefloor’ and is the follow up to their recent collab ‘Jinga’ on Riva Starr’s own Snatch Records. We all know Riva Starr from his 2013 Fatboy Slim collab ‘Eat sleep rave repeat’, his work with Groove Armada, and more recently his collab with Prunk on his PIV records debut album. Close Counters have already worked with Heist mainstays Fouk and had their breakthrough moment with their 2023 album ‘Soulacousta II’, which got wide support ranging from Gilles Peterson to Jyoto and Folamour.

Their ‘Push your luck’ EP kicks off with the title track featuring the silky vocals of Andre Espeut. When we first heard this song, we immediately got transported to the soulful sound of the mid 2000s led by Recloose’s unique track ‘Dust’ with Fat Freddy’s Drop singer Joe Dukie. It’s moody, stripped back, and bouncy at the same time. The lush chords, disco bassline, and vocal harmonies all make for a track that goes beyond genres and trends. This is a future classic.

‘Gearbox’ is a disco-tinged piano jam full of live elements, rolling congas and disco bleeps, where the musicality of the Close Counters boys comes in at full speed. This song takes its inspiration from the Brazilian jazz-funk of legends Marcos Valle and Azymuth, with a clear sense of modern-day dancefloors and a love for electronic noise. Also; 10/10 for creatively naming the track after the glitchy electronic sound that freaks & funks throughout the track.

On the flip, ‘Dizzy’ sees the trio go more into disco-house territory, again teaming up with Andre Espeut for a track that blends catchy vocal loops with a tight groove and lush chords. The EP finishes with a club dub of ‘Push your luck’ for those in favor of more groove and less vocals.

We’ve had Riva Starr and the Close Counters boys on our radar for a while, and they landed on Heist with the perfect combination of musicality and dancefloor power. We hope you like this release as much as we do!

As always, play it loud and share the music.

Lars & Maarten

A former architect of the cult DiY sound in Nottingham, as well as being a member of downtempo outfit Bent, Nail is a house making machine whose own distinct fingerprint is all over everything he makes. His sound is raw but never hostile - he always finds a neat sample to bring some soul to his louche, loose drums. This EP for his In The Dance label starts with 'And So', a wonky sound infused with sensual whispers, while 'Before' blends woozy pad work with deep drums and prickly percussion. 'Grief' is a sombre affair with bluesy sax lines weaving between the dusty drums, and 'Size A Dat' gets choppy, playful, and funky. Another majestic EP.

Wax Digits keep rolling out the groovy jams with an eight instalment, and this time it is back to the Various Artists format. Fingerman is the label owner and he goes first here with 'Phunkee Party', a seductive sound with twanging bass riffs and chunky drums under soaring vocals. The talented I Gemin then drops 'Sambalike', a more nuance and subtle groove that worms its way under your skin and then the love gets dialled up on the flip side thanks to Chuggin Edits and 'Anita's Mystery', a blissed-out roller bathed in sun. Smokecloud Records boss Osmose shuts down with some bright, retro disco soul in the form of an edgy rework of 'Ur Luv.'

2026 Repress

With Augustus Williams Metroplex welcomes one of Detroit's new generation of electro and techno explorers to the label. His debut titled ,,Increaser EP" offers four tracks of celestial funk deeply indebted to the classic sound of Metroplex. The EP starts off with ,,The Hook-Up", a bouncy yet minimal electro permutation built around a propulsive Bassline and a percolating synth arpeggio. On the other three tracks Williams flexes his techno muscle and shows his keen sense for deep and focused techno-soul with a futurist edge that has any dance floor heaving with energy. - most notably in the noisy abstractions of ,,Submission".

The Sound Of Slip ’n’ Slide, Vol. 2 continues the new series from the legendary Slip ’n’ Slide catalogue, bringing together another selection of timeless house and deep house cuts from some of the genre’s most influential artists.

Featuring standout productions and remixes from Masters At Work, Blaze, Kings Of Tomorrow, Booker T and Cassio Ware, the release showcases the soulful, groove-led sound that has made Slip ’n’ Slide a cornerstone of underground house music.

Including classics such as Funky People, Open Your Mind and Breathe, this second volume brings together a selection of proven dancefloor records in one DJ-friendly vinyl package.

With warm grooves, uplifting vocals and timeless club arrangements throughout, these tracks continue to resonate with both long-time house collectors and DJs looking for reliable dancefloor material.

As the second edition in The Sound Of Slip ’n’ Slide series, this release builds on the success of the collection, bringing more essential catalogue favourites back to fresh black 12" vinyl.

A strong catalogue addition for stores supporting classic house, deep house and soulful underground sounds.