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Project Runaway brings together two of Tel Aviv's new breed of talented DJ / producers in a meeting of tripped out, expansive, psychedelic, club music. Landing on Especial to expand horizons is Met, their debut EP of deep, percussive dubs for late night tribes. A name on many leftfield lips, Alek Lee's journey continues following two acclaimed solo releases for the wonderful Antinote crew and new project, Shame On Us (alongside Naduve and Yovav Arzi) for that brightest star, Hivern Discs. Teaming up with the sound production skills of Stephan Bazbaz they create Project Runaway. Holding down his own citywide residencies, Bazbaz has developed a studio mastery of minimal dub, crispy house and trippy techno via a growing stream releases on numerous labels, as well as setting up his own No Wave records in 2016. After their welcoming, simple, yet wall quacking remix of Persian (EES031), Met, or 'dead' in Hebrew, bring their strands together as one sound. In original form, a vibrating drum takes on bass backbone is broadened with tight layers of percussion overtones and warped vocal interplay. Lee's psychedelic imaginings are a perfect fit across Bazbaz's wide production expanse, before horns raise the heat to extreme. For deeper DJs and big system dwellers, Met (Dub) does as it should, stripping away and opening wide. Hand percussion and vox ride the channels, coming in and out of the mix, while dub stabs transfix and could run for days. A meeting of minds, drums, psychedelics and pure club love.

'Buntús Rince' translates from Irish as 'basic rhythms', and this new compilation explores how Irish musicians were influenced by strands of different genres of music from around the world, merging them to create their own unique sounds. The compilation features some of the most innovative and talented figures in the history of Irish music and includes rare Irish jazz, fusion and folk outliers from the 1970s and early 1980s from musicians relatively unknown outside of Ireland.

Often regarded as a musical backwater, the 1970s finally saw Ireland begin to make its mark on international music. The nature of this feat is all the more commendable, considering how isolated and conservative the country still was in the middle of the last century. The emergence of acts like Skid Row, Thin Lizzy and Van Morrison instilled in budding young Irish musicians the belief to dream big.

Unlike many other European countries, Ireland had not benefited from the cultural impact of immigration. Pioneering Irish musicians did not have access to the type of vibrant music scenes ubiquitous to most European cities at that time. With no talented players or even in some cases recordings of the music, they had to cultivate and invent their own small scenes.

A jazz scene had begun to blossom in Dublin in the late 1950s. Self-taught players like Noel Kelehan and Louis Stewart emerged as the Irish standard-bearers. Their level of musicianship saw them play with some of the world's most renowned artists. The 1960s would see the emergence of the 'beat' scene in Ireland, with groups like Granny's Intentions, Taste and Eire Apparent finally challenging the hegemony of Irish Showbands. Change was in the air.
The late 1960s also saw many Irish emigrants returning home, bringing with them inspiration from the new styles and sounds of London and further afield. The arrival in the late 1960s of pirate radio stations like Radio Caroline, new music magazines and the availability of music on vinyl meant that different genres were now becoming more accessible. The musical landscape of the country began to transform and evolve, influencing a new generation of musicians in the process.
The 1970s saw advancements in studio technology. 8-track studios began appearing in Dublin, offering more opportunities for groups to record singles and albums. Synthesizers and other instruments were also becoming easier to acquire as the younger generation turned to electric jazz and fusion music.
While the level of musicianship was high, the levels of opportunities in Ireland were still very limited. Many groups and solo musicians had to emigrate to try and succeed.
Thankfully for those who remained, this new emerging scene didn't go totally unnoticed and local labels began to take a chance on more obscure Irish groups. Labels like Mulligan and also producers like John D'Ardis and Terri Hooley championed and documented music from the Irish underground of the 1970s.

Their valuable work is a common thread which connects many of the tracks on this compilation. From the soaring flute playing of Brian Dunning, to the swinging piano of Noel Kelehan and the sonic force of Jolyon Jackson's synthesizers; 'Buntús Rince' lifts the lid on a vastly underappreciated period of Irish music history.
One for the collectors.

On March 15th Erased Tapes presents the invigorating and powerful debut solo album Lines of Sight by Australian-born, Liverpool-based composer, saxophonist and founder of Immix Ensemble, Daniel Thorne. Deeply moving, full of otherworldly beauty and rapture, the album is alive, throbbing like a circulatory system, colourful and glowing. It literally dazzles - effectively capturing what the birth (or death) of a planet might sound like.

In Daniel's own words, 'Thematically, this music was inspired by birds-eye aerial images and the idea of perspective - how something incredibly complex like a river or the surface of the ocean is reduced to a simple line or shape when viewed from the heavens. The line between natural and man-made becomes increasingly blurred.'

Every strand is fresh, vital and purposeful. The description 'seamless' might suggest a smooth, bland fusion, but here elements overlap in intermittent, undulating layers of mesh. Avant-garde, noise, electronics, ecclesiastical, classical, a touch of jazz and traces of Wyatt-style contemporary folk come together, each occupying their own space while acquiescing with the whole.

'Several compositions are derived from ratios and processes, and are highly calculated, while others evolved in a much more organic way. I wanted to create music that blurred lines between acoustic and electronic, organic and synthetic, composition and improvisation.
I've long been a fan of studio-based composition, but have always found the infinite possibilities on offer daunting and, often, a stumbling block. To get around this I set myself a challenge of limiting myself to the physical instruments in my possession - a few different saxophones and a bass synth, with no more than four tracks to record them,' he adds.

Lines of Sight follows Thorne's work as artistic director of the acclaimed, collaboration-focussed group Immix Ensemble. Together with experimental electronic artist Vessel, he co-wrote Transition released on Erased Tapes in 2016, described by BBC Radio 6's Mary Anne Hobbs as 'a remarkable new piece of music'. More recently, he worked with acclaimed modular synth wizard Luke Abbott, to create a four-part suite, which was premiered live in June 2017. Immix Ensemble have also performed special live commissions with Kelly Lee Owens, Dialect, Jane Weaver and Bill Ryder-Jones, among others.

Prior to leaving Australia, Daniel was fortunate to work with some of the country's leading new music ensembles as both a composer and performer, receiving commissions from the TURA New Music Festival and the Australia Council, as well as being appointed as Composer in Residence at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. In the UK he was the recipient of the prestigious Dankworth Prize for Jazz Composition, and also undertook a residency at Metal Liverpool, which provided him with the time and space to create Immix.

As the first track under Thorne's own name, 'Iroise' was recorded for the Erased Tapes 10th anniversary release 1+1=X, alongside works by Nils Frahm, Penguin Cafe, A Winged Victory For The Sullen and Rival Consoles. He also recently remixed Manu Delago, known as the live percussionist for Björk and Ólafur Arnalds. After a first solo performance at Sea Change Festival 2018, the new year will see Daniel tour across Europe, promoting the forthcoming release of Lines of Sight.

Tiago's wonderful INTERZONA13 storms into 2019 with a huge double A from STASERA !!

A duo of high intensity workouts constructed from strands of pure Disco DNA
The A transports us to a place where Nile Rodgers presses record on a jam session out in Nigeria, while on the B, a completely dismantled Donna Summer staple is bent into irresistible new shapes - both 100% guaranteeing hedonistic communion at high volume
As always, one limited pressing

Todd Osborn Returns To Spectral Sound In His Osborne Guise With His First Release On On The Label Since 2013's Hold Up (feat. Joe Goddard). Fools Finds Osborn In His Best Self, As A Shapeshifter Bringing Together Strands Of Various Genres. The Title Track Is A Lesson In House Reduction, While "different" Is A Chunk Of Bassline-led Techno. On The B-side, "back Whenever" Kicks Off In Proto-idm Electro Form, All Melody And Light, And "integrate" Slows It Down To A Walking Pace For A Dash Of Synth Funk.

Unknown Truths is the debut album from Tony Beardsley (aka Dark Strands). What can be said about this album.. for one, it is a body of work that has been crafted as a labour of love with sources of inspiration taken from the late 80's underground warehouse parties and clubs where no one speed or style of music was played.. curve balls as they say, was a good thing. Ambitious maybe.. but the only aim of the album was to actually not to have one. No one genre or concept can be applied, but this is not by design, purely accidental as the music weaves between various electronic strands and rhythm forms. Its fair to say that his music has not been compromised to follow latest trends or fashion. It is for everyone, but no one. It's only true purpose is to liberate senses and provide a lasting sonic soundtrack to the modern age.

The artwork recreates the cover of the band's 1977 debut album with modern fashion icons Duckie Thot and Jazzelle Zanaughtti

'I've had the great privilege of producing some of the greatest artists in the world so when it came time to collaborating for my own record the barometer was shall we say pretty high' explains Nile. 'Nao, Mura Masa and Cosha were important to me and to be able to debut the songs we wrote live with them on Later . . . With Jools before we've even put out recorded versions makes it even more special.'

Nao shares: 'We all grew up on CHIC! No matter who you are or where you're from, they're one of those bands that have sound tracked at least one part of your life. So to now be part of that story and playing in the band - albeit temporarily - is just wild. We've had such great fun making records and playing together, it's been a joy. I'm so glad they're back, the world - especially right now - needs more CHIC!'

'BOOGIE ALL NIGHT' ft Nao is lifted from the long anticipated 10th studio album 'It's About Time'.
Coming this September though Virgin EMI, it's the group's first album in 25 years!!

Inspired by talent, multiple Grammy-winning composer, producer, arranger and guitarist Nile Rodgers is always collaborating, working with musical superstars and breaking artists alike. He amplifies his legacy by constantly traversing new musical terrain and successfully expanding the boundaries of popular music. The new record sees the UK's Nao, Mura Masa, Stefflon Don, Cosha and Craig David share in the journey alongside the likes of California's Anderson .Paak and Chicagoan Vic Mensa, with many more exciting collaborations to be announced.

The album's cover revisits a strong sense of conceptual aesthetics that have run through the bands career since the very start. The artwork of their debut self-titled album (inspired partly by Roxy Music album covers such as 'Stranded' and 'Country Life') featured Valentine Monnier and Alva Chinn, and personified the band's unique style and intent. The 'It's About Time' cover features models Duckie Thot and Jazzelle Zanaughtti. Shot by Britt Lloyd and directed by Greg Foley, co-founder of V Magazine, Duckie and Jazzelle are not only modern fashion icons, but also activists making huge strides for women of colour in fashion.

'When I first came up with the concept for the first CHIC album cover more than 40 years ago it was a deliberate statement that we could all be abundant, we could all be with the beautiful people, we could all be included, we could all have good times. Looking at the world today for the release of 'It's About Time' I felt that it was important to make those statements again for a new generation' Nile explains.

As the co-founder of CHIC, Rodgers pioneered a new musical language with chart-topping hits like 'Le Freak,' (the biggest selling single in the history of Atlantic Records!) and 'Everybody Dance', even sparking the advent of hip-hop with 'Good Times'.

His work in CHIC and his production work for artists like David Bowie, Diana Ross, and Madonna have sold over 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide while his innovative, trendsetting collaborations with Daft Punk, Avicii, Sigala, Disclosure, and Sam Smith have kept him in the vanguard of contemporary music.

Nile Rodgers & CHIC have already confirmed several festival performances across the UK this summer, including Isle of Wight and Wilderness, full list of dates below.

Rodgers transcends all styles of music with a catalogue of work that's garnered him plaudits from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2017) and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2016). More recently, he was appointed as the first ever Chief Creative Advisor for Abbey Road Studios to cap off a year that included 'festival best' performances at both Glastonbury and Coachella and a BBC Music Awards nomination as 'Best Live Performance Of 2017'.

Optimo Music presents a 5 track EP & also a debut release from Nashville's Stranded, including a remix of title track 'Celine's Dilemma' by RSD, aka Rob Smith of Smith & Mighty fame.

Despite hailing from Nashville, Stranded has a longing appreciation for the dance centric cities throughout the world whether it be Detroit, Manchester or Berlin, hence the moniker. Alienation, romantic rendezvous, 9 to 5 unease, and an apprehension of the future are just a few of the topics that surface on the debut EP, Celine's Dilemma, on Optimo Music. Sweeping and droning synths, jagged guitars, rolling bass, yearning and weary vocals, and disco beats propel the music and ideas showcased in the project. While using the backdrop of post punk, disco, and synth pop the music is a sonar call to places where people are gathering, working, and dancing.

Batida is to release his new album "Dois" via Soundway Records.
Strands of Afro-House, Kuduro, Benga, Semba, samples from old Angolan movies and Afrobeat tracks, African MCs and musicians from all over the world are all deftly mixed together by Pedro Coquenão.
Inspired by the multicultural hotbed of his home city of Lisbon and trips to Nairobi and Luanda, 'Dois' was predominately produced in his own garage-studio over a two-year period.
In 2012 Batida's explosive self-titled debut came out on Soundway Records. Mixing the syncopated rhythms of Kuduro with elements of 1970s Semba and Congolese-influenced guitar licks, Pedro Coquenão won fans for an album that "demanded movement" (The Line of Best Fit) and "gave a view of the old and new, the West and Africa." (The Guardian)
Much of the remix and sampling spirit from the first record remains but 'Dois' also features live instrumentation along with a host of different guests.
English, Portuguese, Quimbundo and Zulu languages all feature on 'Luxo' with Spoek Mathambo (South Africa) & his crew contributing the lyrics together with Angolan MC Sacerdote and a guitar riff by Duncan Lloyd (Maximo Park). On 'Céu' Coquenão pushes things in a deeper direction, dis-assembling and reforming elements of the Francois & The Atlas Mountains studio sessions of the track 'Les Plus Beaux' .
His widely acclaimed live show, featuring dancers, MC's, visuals and live electronics has seen him perform at Africa Express and on the Ten Cities project, live on the Boiler Room and all across Europe at some of the biggest festivals.

Planet E are proud to present 'AW18 Collection', a 3 track EP from British producer Tom Flynn due September 14th. Drawing upon a broad and learned musical understanding, 'AW18 Collection' fuses disparate strands from the worlds of fashion, club culture and sound design to forge a highly atmospheric, singular release. 'Packard', the title of which is inspired by parties in the historic Detroit power plant of the same name, establishes an unrelenting energy from the get go. A bouncing kick lays the foundations for rolling synths, unnerving vocal samples and delicate piano refrains to wander. 'Anna' is an indulgent nod to the catwalk, marching with intent amidst immersive chords and subtle melodies. The B side hosts a trippy cut full of interplanetary glitches and melancholic harmonies. Drawing upon hints to the extraterrestrial, 'Marx' creates a dizzying swirl with glistening textures. Carl Craig was sold straight away: 'When Tom sent me his demo of 'Packard' I knew I wanted to release it on Planet E. The mix of looped electronics with soul of the piano brought me back to when I first heard the post-Disco classic 'Beyond the Clouds'. I can imagine the kids on The Scene rockin' hard to this.'

Underworld And Iggy Pop Announce Details Of A 4 Track Ep, Teatime Dub Encounters, Due For
Release On July 27th Via Caroline International.

While Overseeing The Soundtrack For T2 Trainspotting, Underworld's Rick Smith Arranged A
Meeting With Iggy Pop In A Room At The Savoy Hotel On London's Strand To Discuss Working On
Collaborative Music For The Filmhe first track from Teatime Dub Encounters - Bells & Circles - was premiered live as part of
Underworld's recent headline performance at the BBC Biggest Weekend Belfast. A second track -
I'll See Big - is streaming everywhere now. Something of a flipside to Bells & Circles, I'll See Big is a
wash of gorgeous ambient sound that features Iggy recounting how friends - however
dysfunctional - have saved him from a lifetime of bad decisions. The lyric for I'll See Big was
inspired by a conversation Iggy had with Danny Boyle about the subtext of both Trainspotting films.

One man's vision of Soul music's evolving potential' ROLLING STONE

The Bamboos are one of the highest profile soul / funk acts in Australia, and have been recognised worldwide as masters of reinventing the genre with modern songwriting within classic arrangements & production over the past 10 years. They've clocked up some impressive Spotify hits numbers on along the way: " Wilhelm Scream" (3.5 M), 'On The Sly' (2.8 M), 'Helpless Blues' (1.8 M)"
Mainstay members Lance Ferguson and vocalist Kylie Auldist are also the creative forces behind one of 2016's biggest singles, 'This Girl' by Kungs Vs Cookin' On 3 Burners. Ferguson played on and co-wrote the song (incl that infectious guitar riff and lyrics) which along with Auldist's powerhouse vocals. The remix went on to hit #1 in France, Germany, #2 in the UK, top 20 in Australia and the US and top 30 in 35 countries. It's edging close to half a billion Spotify plays and 300 million Youtube hits.
Having previously collaborated with the likes of Aloe Blacc and Alice Russell, their latest offering 'Night Time People' see's the band call to mind everyone from Martha Reeves to Sharon Jones, The Bamboos deliver two catchy singles that draw together the raw drive of their earliest LPs and their more recent progressive experimentations in the studio. It's a fresh approach that finds the band wholly reenergised.

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

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

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

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

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

Black & Orange Mixed Vinyl

Rundfunk records presents: 'Kill Gear', the debut album by The Eichler Brothers.

Inspired by European and American cinematic music, 'Kill Gear' honors the many great composers and compositions that characterise a bygone era in the history of cinema. The Eichler Brothers have re-imagined the late 60's and early 70's sound, creating an astonishing motion picture soundtrack that generates imagery which goes beyond an exploitation classic.

Somne debuts on Just This.
The Italian producer, whose real name is Federico Maccherone, presents his first release of 2017 - a solo EP marrying the same ethereal, wide-angle synthesis and intricate drum programming that appears on standout work for Boddika's Nonplus imprint and the Afterlife label. More than ever, Maccherone shows his range - rolling, meditative recordings sit comfortably alongside some more overtly dance floor material, with both approaches bound by the same high-end production values listeners and DJ's alike have come to expect from the Somne project.
In various ways, the EP offers a certain degree of insight into Maccherone's dual identity as a producer of both clinical, dance-floor fare as well as a cerebral, leftfield work - and in turn, how the artist draws together these two strands of creative endeavour to craft unique and profoundly emotive electronic music. Nods to classic IDM and Ambient sit at the periphery of the recordings, although the main focus is on the propulsive, contemporary Techno derivatives - from warping, half-time opener Divided Love, with its crisp, white noise washes and clinical use of distortion - through to Endgame's exacting, peak-time drive. And whilst the form shifts across the EP from half-time, polyrhythmic work to more direct 4x4 compositions - everything remains bound by the same exquisite, otherworldly atmosphere that touches on the grandiose whilst maintaining a gloriously introspective bent.
Balance comes across as a principle theme on the record, both in terms of production aesthetic and track sequencing, but there is a wonderful contrast between the elements - with the sounds ringing strong and true. The two versions of lead Metropolis that perhaps appear to illustrate in the best way the powerful dichotomy within Maccherone's work, with the A side version conjuring up a distinctly brooding sentiment - a quintessential example of rolling, contemporary Electronica, whilst the Alternate Mix of the B side offers a more direct, cathartic interpretation - expertly executed for maximum dance-floor effectiveness.
Mature and accomplished, Metropolis is a fine addition to the growing Somne discography. The record paints a picture of a producer in full control of his art, definitely working to create a powerful three-dimensional space of his own within the genre.

germany-via- artist osker offermann, the owner of leading label white presents us a quality dou-bled package on the mule, strongly effecting his meditated mindsets.
as well as his dj sets, his crafted productions have a superb balance between being not too exces-sive, but not being too minimalistic -

creating the dynamism which make people move, based on his own aesthetic featured with well-polished, functional electro phrases and raw machine beats.
because of its floating grooves, will be nice for club use, but also surely will be a good accompany for the home-listening. oskar continually points forward us the fact, that listening to deep house is no longer meandering journey, but something meaningful and fruitful in your life.

The poised, confident 'Stranded' remains the favourite for many fans of the band's earlier works and it's not difficult to see why. From the hurtling urban alienation of album opener 'Street Life' to the soulful, contemplative closer 'Sunset' it's a perfect example Roxy's expert balance between style and substance. To all intents and purposes it's probably the most Roxy Music' of the band's peerless catalogue.

This is France in the Mitterrand years: fashions fleet as fast as governments. In the early eighties, the happy-go-lucky gather the nectar of each and every new release.
Believing in a bright future for videotex, and loosened up by the sexy talks broadcasted on the budding pirate radios, the new generation dreams of dance floors and holiday clubs. French Boogie, which preserves the spirit of these years of boodle and bunkum, is the ideal soundtrack to their dreams.

What the web now refers to as French Boogie is some synthetic funk reflecting the spirit of those days when nothing was impossible, or so it seemed. Its syncopated flow heralded the dawning of French rap. Often considered as some kind of post-disco, inspired as much by black music as by new wave, this carefree pop music with bawdy lyrics indulged in simple pleasures: holidays, swank and sun were recurrent themes. Totally in tune with its time, it incidentally glorified luxury, success, and a certain consumerism embodied, for instance, in Bernard Tapie.

In popular clubs such as La Main Bleue in Montreuil, or L'Echappatoire in Clichy-sous-Bois - where Micky Milan could be seen behind the decks - an enthusiastic audience discovered this new sonic wave, influenced as much by French pop as by Sugar Hill Gang or Kurtis Blow. The artists who first launched the movement engaged in it wholeheartedly, but as often the case with new music trends in France, humour and casualness quickly became a decoy to impose a new style. This explosive mixture, in which startling and typically Frenchy French lyrics go along New-York-style tunes, is sometimes reminiscent of the kinky comedies directed by Max Pécas or Claude Zidi. On this prolific scene, partly originating from the Jewish community, everybody was looking for success, trying to hit the jackpot with what was to hand. Famous media personalities, one-hit wonders or John Does in quest of fame, all had a go at French Boogie - more or less successfully. Apart from « Vacances j'oublie tout » by Elégance, « Un fait divers et rien de plus » by Le Club, or « Chacun fait ce qui lui plaît » by Chagrin d'amour (produced by Patrick Bruel), very few songs became hits: the story of funk in France is that of a half-baked robbery.

In this myriad of new musicians, the very young François Feldman and Phil Barney pioneered a fresh and hybrid style. Other well-known artists like Gérard Blanc from Martin Circus (Attaché Case), Richard de Bordeaux (Ich), or Jean-Pierre Massiera (Anisette, Pirate Scratch Band, Mandrake, Scratch Man...) added an eccentric touch to this sound-wave, making it often entertaining, and sometimes showy.

Capture d'écran 2015-10-26 à 12.55.43Singers like Agathe (the author of 'La Fourmi' and of the hit song 'Je ne veux pas rentrer chez moi seule') were far more than just window dressing. They even tried to give an ironic and subversive twist to this rather harmless genre. The very vindictive rebel Gérard Vincent shared in this spirit, but as a whole, French Boogie became associated with nonchalance and sauciness. Thus, Stéphane Collaro, Gérard Jugnot, Alain Gillot Pétré and other TV clowns would clumsily contribute to this French variation on funky sounds. In a few but intense years, French Boogie gave all the tips to party with style.

If some hits made it possible for the happy few to get a real house under truly exotic palm trees, the wave actually ebbed away very quickly, leaving quite a few musicians stranded on the shore. Whether they were sincerely motivated, or simply opportunistic, they had failed. In 1984, French Boogie was already breathless, and got merged with other genres: on the one hand, rap and breakdance adapted its flow to a more urban world, especially with Sydney's show, H.I.P.H.O.P, and Dee Nasty's broadcasts on Radio Nova; on the other, italo, new beat and house began to rule over dance floors, even more strongly asserting the will to develop music for clubs.

Squeezed in between the age of disco and that of modern electronic music, French Boogie was a transitional phase, but it remains an amazingly refreshing testimony to the intermingling of pop and underground cultures. The genre was hastily categorized as anecdotal in spite of its pioneering synthetic groove and matchless bass lines. An attentive ear will discover the poetry of the ephemeral beyond the eccentricities of the genre, as well as a certain unexpected avant-gardism. At the origin of major music trends, always cheerful and catchy, French Boogie is what you need to party.

Wallis Bird ist der leibhaftige Gegenentwurf zu den zahllosen Gesichtern, die von der - 15-Minuten-des-Ruhms'-Welle an den Charts-Strand gespült werden, ohne uns wirklich zu berühren. Mit dem neuen Album "Architect", dass die 31-jährige irische Künstlerin und 2-fache irische Musikpreisgewinnerin veröffentlicht ist ihr etwas gelungen, das allem bisher Erreichten die Krone aufsetzt. Denn der eigentliche Triumph von "Architect" besteht weder darin, dass Wallis Bird mit ihrem viertem Album erfrischend selbstbewusst auf Genregrenzen pfeift, oder darin, dass es ihr gelingt, dabei nicht einen Deut an Originalität einzubüßen, sondern ihr Profil sogar noch zu schärfen. Nein, "Architect" ist deshalb Wallis Birds größter Triumph, weil ihr mit diesem Album ein Werk gelungen ist, das sich noch entschiedener im Hier und Jetzt positioniert, als alles, was sie bisher geschrieben und aufgenommen hat - vielleicht, weil sie dabei noch nie so sehr bei sich selbst war, wie diesmal. "Architect" feiert den Moment, den Augenblick des Überwindens und Loslassens, des Aufbruchs. Es ist ein in Songs gegossener Triumph über die langen Schatten der Vergangenheit und die vermeintlichen Verpflichtungen gegenüber der Zukunft zugleich.

Jetzt erhältlich als exklusive Deluxe-Vinyl-Edition! Die Deluxe-Vinyl-Edition enthält das Album "Architect" und die Bonus-LP "I Did A Cover Of Your Song" mit insgesamt 10 Cover-Songs. Schwarze Doppelvinyl (180g) im wertigen Gatefoldcover inklusive 2CD!

Next up on Magic Feet is a release by Dark Strands.

Tony's first release came via the first Magic Feet label sampler. Since then his releases have caught the attention of a number of acclaimed DJ's, with Daniel Avery citing one of Tonys tracks as one of the best he had heard last year.

This is Tonys first full vinyl release and shows exactly what he is capable of.
The title track 'Return Of The Oscillator' has had people running to the booth every time its been played from London to Croatia, as well as being fully road tested at ALFOS by Sean Johnston who also provides a superb remix under his Hardway Bros guise.

The second track 'Galactic' slows the pace down and is perfect for those warm up sets.