Mountain Series is back with a second installment. This time with the very talented and good friend Ox7f from Germany.
Stefan Klaas, known also as 0x7f, started music production at the age of 16 with a Roland MC-303/XP-10, Yamaha QY-70 and a few years later a couple of Korg Electribes. His current style is a mix between subtle minimal techno and deep melodic tracks with a unique talent to twist his own field recordings into choppy rhythms or atmospheric crackling textures. 0x7f will surely be enjoyed by everyone who loves minimal and glitch.
Milano-Bristol connection Bristol NormCore deliver their 8th release, following up heavy hitters from Katatonic Silentio and Kelan, with this tripped out, hi-tek and deftly future-facing, cyberpunk-styled LP of grime and afx type ambience and rhyhtmics, from the producer known as FFT.
Once again derlich has assembled UlTRA FUNCTIONAL, VERSATILE, RAW TECHNOID BOMBS avoiding any dedundant superstructures.
His ficus lies on style defining details.
By Stripping down everything to its essence he creates a claustrophobic densness.
The result is highly effective.
In the early seventies, Joey Gilmore embarked on his musical journey, captivating audiences with a series of unforgettable singles that showcased his raw talent and unique style. It wasn't until 1977 that the culmination of his musical endeavors arrived—the release of his highly anticipated debut record.
This debut album marked a pivotal moment in Joey Gilmore's career, solidifying his reputation as a self-taught guitar virtuoso and soulful singer. The record resonated with listeners, capturing the essence of his artistry and leaving an indelible impact.
Now, after a 45-year wait, the time has finally come for a vinyl reissue of Joey Gilmore's debut album. This reissue is a celebration of his timeless music, meticulously crafted to preserve the authenticity and integrity of the original recording. Every note, every lyric and the original design of the sleeve has been lovingly restored to transport you back to the magic of that era.
Get ready to immerse yourself in the unadulterated funk and soul of Joey Gilmore's music, as this remarkable reissue brings his debut album back to life. Allow the melodies and rhythms to envelop you, taking you on a captivating musical adventure that transcends time. Revisit the magic, rediscover the artistry, and let the music of Joey Gilmore captivate your soul once again.
Wigan Casino - the original UK dance culture super club - ran its’ first Nothern Soul All-Nighter in September 1973. It’s last session was in December 1981, and by then its 500 plus frantic All-Nighter had firmly stamped Northern Soul as an integral part of the British music landscape,
Wigan Casino Classics 1973 - 2023 proudly celebrates 50 years since the birth of the most important ever Northern Soul venue with 14 all time classic floor fillers. The Sandi Sheldon, Major Lance, The Seven Souls and Johnny Robinson gems were originally released on the Uber cool Okeh label but despite being part of the mighty Columbia Records empire sank without trace on release in the USA only to be discovered (and revered) by UK Soul devotees.
The Metros and Lorraine Chandler tracks were produced by Detroit’s mighty Pied Piper Productions crew and demonstrate that Motown were far from the only Motor City set up that knew how to conjure up truly breathtaking music.
In Northern Soul lore there is an intriguing story behind all 14 tracks - who produced and wrote them, which Rare Soul detectives - the original crate diggers - discovered them, what DJs played them..
But at the centre of it all is Wigan Casino, the seen better days Lancashire dance hall where 2,500 plus Soul fanatics flocked to every weekend to dance dance dance at the pre Rave era ultimate Rave. The recent 50th Anniversary celebration in Blackpool attracted a 5,000 turn out. The legend lives on.
This release marks the return of the always style wise Joe Boy label. Their trademark on point graphics are reinforced with the LP front sleeve being devoted to an iconic photograph by Francesco Mellini taken at the last ever Casino All-Nighter.
Aarset and Bang have collaborated since the early 1990s in constellations with, among others, Nils Petter Molvaer, Bugge Wesseltoft, Sly & Robbie and Jon Hassell. 'Snow Catches on her Eyelashes' (2020) was their first recording as a duo, an album that was widely praised, inspiring John Eyles of All About Jazz to write: "Aarset, Bang and company go from strength to strength, as does the Norwegian scene. Onward and upward."
'Last Two Inches of Sky' further expands this sonic universe - onward and upward. Like its predecessor, the new recording is an amalgam of styles, linked together by Jan Bang's hallmark sampling technique and Eivind Aarset's continuous exploration of the guitar. Now, the rhythm section of Audun Erlien (bass) and Anders Engen (drums) are prominent on most tracks, and the arrangements are enhanced by guests like Gianluca Petrella (trombone), Adam Rudolph (percussion), Emanuel Birkeland- Bang (drum programming) and Erik Honore (samples, lyrics on "Legion").
Rees landed on Bordello A Parigi with a bang. His “Three Eyes” track left dancefloors slippy and listeners wanting more. Thankfully, the Middlesborough musician only too glad to comply. Dream Wave collects three tracks that are emblematic of Rees’ enviable ability. A serial cross pollinator, genre lines are blurred before being rewritten. “A Dream Wave” melts rich basslines and muscled percussion with a daringly upbeat counter melody. Kick drums usher in “The New Beat”. Flourishes float above the thump before Rees lets loose. Acid barbs, rave shouts and Eastern echoes coalesce in this unique work. Keeping bodies moving until the very end, Rees delivers “Electric Body”. Guitar strings and incising snares collide with a hypnotic synthline that adopts elements of synth pop and full bodied techno. A record that perfectly illustrates the versatility of this style shifting artist.
Mr Beatnick & Richard Greenan present their debut full length collaboration, "??????". Brought together by their twin residencies on NTS Radio, the duo have forged distinct paths in respective scenes over the last decade - as producers, DJs and label heads of imprints Mythstery and Kit Records.
The strength of their partnership is built on contrasting styles; Mr Beatnick's sound orbits the woozier fringes of house and hip-hop, while Richard Greenan has settled in the cracks between ambient, textural experimentation and the avant-garde. Here, these approaches coalesce in unexpected ways - with violin, harp, guitar and saxophone finding themselves serrated by volleys of percussion and punchily melodic bass.
With much of the music recorded during the pair's residency in Margate, the album documents a weekend toasted and skewed progressively sideways. The opening salvo of cascading synth muscle ("Goodnight Mush") and fragmented acoustic stepper ("Superb Crafty Gardens") could evoke Devo and Pete Rock breaking fried toast over a dirty fry up. Side A's pop sensibilities peak on the lucidly string-laden "Harbour Arms", complete with pristine guest vocal by bb sway.
Then, like the work of a pair of pissed beavers, things start to get pretty weird. Familiar structures ferment laterally, from the midi swamp-hop of "Bellows of the Earth", to the cooked techno-funk stylings of "Bronze Pears". "How to Draw Roger" offers a magma-like credits roll, the sun's purple yolk poached over a hoppy sea of amber.
Aphrose reveals her sophomore album, 'Roses,' a captivating amalgamation of Neo-Soul and R&B, delving into the wellspring of ancestral strength and love.
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Aphrose, also known as Joanna Mohammed, unveils her sophomore album, establishing her as one of Toronto's best-kept musical treasures. Known for her commanding vocal prowess within her hometown, this gifted songwriter and vocalist is rapidly garnering global acclaim and accolades from both fans and music critics alike. Signed to independent Soul label LRK Records, 'Roses' remains firmly rooted in Aphrose's signature style characterized by resounding R&B vocals. However, it also embraces a softer, more introspective aura that brilliantly showcases her remarkable versatility in navigating diverse genres, moods, and musical approaches with remarkable finesse.
This album offers a little something for everyone, catering to enthusiasts of Neo-soul, traditional Soul, Hip Hop, and R&B. Produced by her longtime friends/collaborators at SafeSpaceship Music (Scott McCannell, Chino De Villa, Ben Macdonald), the album serves as a compelling testament to the collective creativity of Aphrose and this exceptional production trio, delivering a kaleidoscope of soundscapes, textures, rhythms, and grooves. 'Roses' weaves together both lighthearted and profound elements as Aphrose explores her life journey, delving into her familial past and present, grappling with the challenges of new motherhood, and contemplating her relationships with herself, her partner, and her friends. Across the 35-minute LP, Aphrose draws inspiration from Neo-soul icons like Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, pays homage to Soul legends such as Aretha Franklin and MJ, and infuses contemporary R&B influences from artists like Frank Ocean, SiR, and SZA. The result is a sound that distinctly bears the 'Aphrose sound,' reflecting her deep admiration for her inspirations while imparting a refreshing twist to familiar genres.
The album commences with its title track, 'Roses,' which was released as a single on August 25th. This song sets the stage, invoking the strength of Aphrose's ancestors, particularly her late Grandmother Rose. Following suit is 'YaYa,' also released as a single on July 7th. This buoyant dance track whisks listeners back to the disco era of the late 70s and early 80s. The album's third track, 'Heavenly Father,' offers a brief interlude featuring a recording of Aphrose's Grandmother Rose engaged in prayer, setting the tone for the subsequent track, 'In The Time Of Sorrow.' This contemplative, chill piece captures Aphrose's musings on navigating a world often shrouded in fakery, while craving authenticity. 'Honey (Don't) Come Back' seamlessly transitions between two distinct musical personalities, commencing with a deep, almost Trap-like bass/drum beat before transforming into a spirited Funk/Soul jam—an anthem of empowerment encouraging the listener to leave a situationship that is no longer working. 'What You Don't See' strips the production down to its core, as Aphrose and guitarist/co-writer Heather Crawford craft an intimate ode to a friendship's sad ending.
The B-side opens with the evocative 'Weapons,' featuring a five-person choir including LRK label-mate Claire Davis, Nevon Sinclair (Daniel Caesar and LOONY), Kyla Charter (Aysanabee and Alessia Cara), Lydia Persaud, and Marla Walters. The track is adorned with a stirring string arrangement courtesy of Jessica Deutsch. 'Chop The Cake' acts as a breather, interlude-style, easing the intensity. 'Soft Nuclear' channels the spirit of the early 2000s R&B movement, bearing traces of influence from Lucy Pearl. 'Good Love,' released as the first single off this body of work on May 19th, transports listeners to the 70s with its soulful resonance, drawing inspiration from the likes of Michael Jackson and Teddy Pendergrass. 'Higher' stands as Aphrose's tribute to Prince, capturing the essence of his music within its hook and production. The album's culmination arrives with 'ZAG,' an acronym derived from Aphrose's daughter's name, commencing with the sound of her daughter's heartbeat in-utero from a sonogram taken when Aphrose was pregnant. This heartfelt composition serves as a dedication to her daughter and all parents navigating the rollercoaster of parenthood, emphasizing the imperative of nurturing love to shape the future.
'Roses' stands as Aphrose's homage to her history—her Grandma Rose and the ancestral trailblazers who paved her path to the present life she enjoys; her current experiences—her self-discovery, her relationships with her partner and friends; and her aspirations for the future—her daughter and the generations to come. This album crystallizes these temporal dimensions, prompting introspection, celebration, laughter, and tears. 'Roses' is a musical odyssey that scrutinizes the multifaceted beauty of existence, inviting listeners to partake in this thing called life.
The radio world has taken notice of Aphrose's talent, with national Radio Capital's Italy Massimo Oldani spinning her latest single "YaYa" for the entire month of July on his show "Vibe." And both singles getting to number 10 in the UK soul chart.Additionally, Aphrose has received national radio play on renowned stations such as BBC in the UK, RTVE in Spain, and Radio France FIP.
Aphrose has also made CBC's Top 100 finalist list for their Searchlight competition.
Huey Morgan played "YaYa" the second track off the album on his BBC radio six show
The Stallions compilations have become a benchmark of Bosconi's position as one of the leading house and techno labels operating out of Italy. This third instalment marks a shift in sound which also comes full circle to the music that first inspired founder Fabio Della Torre as a DJ and producer around the turn of the millennium, when punchy electro production was driving European house and techno into new zones.
All the artists featured on Vol. III are Italian, holding true to Bosconi's commitment to supporting local talent from Florence and across the country. Amongst the familiar faces is Della Torre's own Minimono collaboration with Ennio Colaci, which indulges a proudly manic palette of tweaked bleeps and dirty low-end. Elsewhere, recent additions to the Bosconi fold include veritable legends Alexander Robotnick and Marco Passarani, who infuse their unpredictable approaches to electro-techno and italo disco with ear-snagging synth-pop and driving analogue box jams respectively to create vibrant, impassioned dancefloor monsters.
The Mechanical Man is an alias from Nicola Altieri, who leans in on a classic Italo arpeggio to create a seductive club sound which builds on his recent Bosconi EXV EP, while Cixxx J switches from the mood of his own Bosconi appearance for a new alias Queen Of Coins and a pivot towards heads-down electro-techno-trance with a whiff of International Deejay Gigolos. Lapucci builds on the promise of his 2021 Bosconi 12" with a sentimental fusion track which lands somewhere between old school Italo house, the snappy pulse of EBM and crisp 00s-era electro house. Meanwhile modern day Italian techno legend Lucretio of The Analogue Cops makes his first appearance on Bosconi with the playful video game stylings of 'Gradius'.
A great deal of space on Vol. III is given over to emergent talent, ranging from Miguel Herr's twitchy detroitian synth-pop braindance and Twovi's vocoder-charged electro funk to DJ Rou's jacking ghetto house flavour. Giammarco Orsini and Jacopo Latini appear as Data Memory Access and deliver an emotive, punchy strain of machine soul. Feel Fly rounds the compilation off in bombastic style with an epic, cinematic workout which draws on Moroder-inspired drama without losing the forthright peak-time focus which binds the whole collection together.
Even the artwork on Vol. III serves as an opportunity to celebrate Italian creativity, as pioneering crypto artist Niro Perrone builds on his accomplished work in the field of NFTs and a background in music production to respond intuitively to the vibrant, synthetic sound of the compilation. For all the futurism in the music though, there remains a strong sense of human feeling which has marked Bosconi out since the beginning. The label remains as inspired and inspiring as ever, celebrating the fertile crossover when people manipulate technology to express themselves in an honest, playful way. Independent of wider trends or fashions, Bosconi remains true to its own idiosyncratic passions, and so Bosconi Stallions Vol. III stands proud as a compilation like no other.
The 1973 album “El Violento” was the fifth full-length salsa LP led by Julio Ernesto Estrada Rincón, aka Fruko, and the second credited to Fruko Y Sus Tesos. Though it did not contain hits like ‘A la memoria del muerto’ or ‘El Preso’, it’s a collector’s item today in places like the US, Europe and Japan, perhaps precisely because it is obscure yet full to the brim with unrelentingly hard and heavy salsa bangers that never let up from start to finish (hence the title, which translates as “The Violent One”). A mix of originals and interesting covers, the LP is “all killer and no filler”, purposely designed to set the dance floor ablaze. It features Fruko’s two main vocalists that took over from the first pair of Humberto “Huango” Muriel and “Píper Pimienta” Díaz, namely the beloved duo of Álvaro “Joe” Arroyo and Wilson “Saoko” Manyoma. Los Tesos were a talented “wild bunch” who listened to their fearless leader, with Fruko holding down the bottom end on electric bass, Hernán Gutiérrez in the piano chair, the Villegas brothers on hand percussion (Jesús tickling the bongos and Fernando slapping the congas), augmented by Rafael Benítez on timbales and an ace horn section of Freddy Ferrer and Gonzálo Gómez (trombones) and Jorge Gaviria and Salvador Pasos (trumpets). The super aggressive sound comes directly from the South Bronx playbook of Willie Colón. The snarling trombones and soaring trumpet are somewhat sweetened by a nice little Puerto Rican cuatro guitar solo. Sonically lightening the mood somewhat, ‘Nadando’ (‘Swimming’) is a bouncy tune in the ‘Mercy’ genre (basically a hybrid of pop, funky soul, cumbia and salsa, in the style of Nelson y Sus Estrellas), gleefully sung by Joe Arroyo. The beats are complex and ever changing, with a little bit of mozambique, conga, bomba, jala jala and of course salsa thrown in for good measure. The side closes out with a brilliant, uptempo salsa reworking of the venerable ranchera chestnut, ‘Tú, sólo tú’. Side two explodes with the frenetic descarga jam session ‘Salsa na’ ma’—which is exactly that: nothing more than the hottest “sauce” to make the dancers go crazy. Fruko’s tune is dedicated to the Latin community in New York that listens to salsa from everywhere and dances to it so fervently on the weekend. The relentless percussion propels the listener along at breakneck speed as if hurtling down the Bronx Expressway, demonstrating that Fruko y Sus Tesos have mastered the ‘violent’ form of urban salsa that was having its transnational moment in the early 1970s. While “El Violento” may not be as well known as some Fruko records, it certainly deserves a new look and should be assessed on its own merits as a very powerful, confident entry in the historical evolution of Colombian salsa dura.Sleeve
Switzerland's music trailblazer embarks on an exhilarating journey as LOT Records launches its inaugural release with the sensational album, "Slam 1987," presented by the visionary artist Quenum. This album represents a true testament to Quenum's unwavering commitment to his distinct minimalistic style.
With a keen focus on crafting a sonic experience that resonates with the most discerning of audiences, Quenum's years of expertise shine through in each of the album's four classic tracks. Expect a mental, atmospheric, and rhythmically dense exploration, artfully constructed with razor-sharp beats that captivate the senses, taking your auditory senses on an unforgettable voyage.
"Slam 1987" is a sonic masterpiece, pushing the boundaries of experimental and minimal music, featuring mesmerizing drone pads and precision-engineered beats that cut through the air like a knife. This musical gem is further enhanced by a groovy deep tech remix by the talented Argentinian artist, Lucio Agustin. His remix is a versatile gem that seamlessly fits into warm-up sessions and peak-time sets, delivering a bass-driven groove complemented by a tantalizing amen break, infusing a touch of spice that truly delights.
Moreover, "We can do it" and "Recyclade" redefine the frontier of experimental and micro-house, enveloping listeners in an otherworldly, mental, and atmospheric embrace. Their meticulous attention to detail within the rhythmic fabric is a testament to their years of experience, resulting in an auditory adventure that will enrapture music enthusiasts across the globe. "Slam 1987" is not just an album; it's a sonic odyssey that invites you to immerse yourself in the boundless creativity of Quenum. Prepare to embark on a unique and mesmerizing auditory journey that will leave an indelible mark on your musical soul.
Supported by Roger Gerressen, Andrey Pushkavev, E.Wan, Hermanez, youANDme, Philipp Priebe, Ohm, Jason Kendig, Barbara Preisinger
French Berlin-based producer and DJ Anthony Georges Patrice returns to his own Ausblick imprint this October with 5NRG accompanied by a remix from the much loved Playhouse artist LoSoul.
Throughout the past decade France's Anthony Georges Patrice has been steadily unveiling his productions on the likes of Berlin's Lossless, Ghetto Rhythms Records and of course his own Ausblick where he returns here, all the while honing his skills as a DJ through regular appearances on his adopted home turf of Berlin and further afield to Amsterdam, Paris and beyond.
Here, Anthony makes awelcome return to Ausblick with a new 12" release and leading the way is on the a-side is the original mix of ‘X5NRG’, a DJ tool like clubcut fuelled by trippy vocal loops, murky atmospherics, a throbbing bass groove and resonant synth sweeps all underpinned by a crisp4/4 rhythm.
On the flip-side Germany's groove maestro LoSoul flips the original with his own unique twist, laying down a near twelveminutes of subtly unfurlinghypnotisminhis signature fashion. Fragments of the originals atmospherics and vocals are dubbed out while LoSoul's raw, skippy rhythmic style and unfaltering drive keeps listeners locked in
throughout.
After a long hiatus Klaus Benedek comes back on his own mothership Fortunea Records with a brand-new production. ‚Tombstone’ heralds the autumn. You can feel the melancholy that brings the end of the warm and bright days with it. Although the subject matter is dark and eerie, the track wanders with its epic instrumentation through pensive optimism. The remarkable chopped hookline and the concise and soft bassline are casted in a flowing deep sounded carpet full of hope. An epic excursion that you definitely should give a try.
A considerable move into a different sound sphere goes Berlin-based artist and Tieffrequent-founder Siggatunez. He has had an outstanding array of vital productions this year and with his remix he lets you „feel the unknown“. In a very detailed way he made a serious dancefloor intended track, in the signature style of his current output, where beats and groove take the lead, but keeping the soul of the
original with the use of its pads, strings and bass.
Tombstone will come out on limited 200 copy vinyl and in its digital form onstreaming services and download stores on the 27th of october. There will be no repress!ö
Since 2014, Silas Schletterer has been part of the Bordello A Parigi family. Under his Machinegewehr guise, the Rotterdam artist released three show-stopping synth centred records.
2023 sees him put out his fourth, Life. Burbling arpeggios, a signature of his sound, are present for “Sans.” Clever inviting melodies, another feature of Schletterer’s style, mix beautifully with clean percussion and samples for a definite dancefloor favourite. The title work follows. Measured and meditative, “Life” employs a familiar sound palette with very different outcomes. The pulsations, the throb, of Machinegewehr is there, but there is a considered melancholy that brins a bittersweet balance to the piece. Steady kicks and vocal snippets introduce “Pills.” Shifting melodies, piano stabs, driving rhythms and spoken word come together to create a heady brew of sheer pleasure. Vocals are central in the closer. “Neurons” narrates a fantastical story of subdued sci-fi sorrows and wistful yearning, all to a silken synth-pop soundtrack.
Long-time house music producer, DJ and journalist Anthony Teasdale is back with a new four-track EP for London’s Pamela Records.
The lead track is ‘Tango de la Boca’, an uplifting house tune with an unforgettable piano line and a groovy disco beat. Named after the barrio of La Boca in Buenos Aires, the tango feel is supplemented with layers of percussion, electric guitar stabs and moody strings. So far, it’s been played in clubs and on the radio by DJs like Rocky, David Holmes and Richard Sen.
“I think this is the most uplifting record I’ve ever made,” says Anthony. “Hearing those piano lines come in on a club system is a massive buzz.”
Second up is ‘A Pavement in Palma’ – a chilled jazz-house track. Inspired by lazy afternoons in Majorca’s capital, its swinging beat is joined by electric piano chords, live bongos and a bassline you can’t help but move to.
On Side B, we set sail on the good ship disco for ‘Deep in the Forest Something Stared’. Opening with bucolic bird noises – referencing the title – the track adds ’80s-style bass, glockenspiel melodies and soothing strings. It ends with a haunting piano motif that’s well worth the wait.
Finally, we return to 2023 with ‘It’s 5am Somewhere’, which blends old-school Roland 909 drum beats with minor chord synth stabs and rumbling piano melodies – plus an atmospheric breakdown guaranteed to excite any dancefloor.
Anthony says: “The EP reflects the music I’m listening to at the moment – which goes from classic techno to uptempo disco-house (and lots of synth pop!). The fusion of beautiful, often brittle, melodies with percussive house beats sets these records apart. And they sound as good on a dancefloor as they do in headphones when you’re relaxing at home.”
Mysterious and very rare from a private press label with only one known release on its catalogue, (up until now it wasn't even sure what the release year was). Spanish guitar, classic Balearic Italo house beats, drama on the vocals, all boxes are checked for a good time on an outdoor sunny dancefloor on some Mediterranean island.
Seeing the credits makes it clear that this was a joint operation of well seasoned Italian music specialists at the time. Although it's all about the "D.J. Never Sleep" version, all original versions in different languages are featured in this re-issue along with an additional new DJ tool style bonus beats. Very odd ball project that has been well hidden for a long time, brought back to record bags at an affordable price.
Welcome back to sublabel Trix Trax, our series dedicated to sharing the Techno side of things.
After a little hiatus Trix Trax is back with a stacked four track VA, Technotations Vol. 1. Blending techno, IDM and breaks this releases showcases some of the many styles and energies the genre has to offer.
Starting off the VA, we have the track ‘Losing’ from Japanese producer MAGPOST. This loopy, hypnotic groover will add a layer of intrigue and mystery to your deep and moody sets!
Next up we have ‘Rise’ from JD Typo who’s debut EP, started off the Trix Trax series. This speedy techno cut will cause mayhem on the dance floors, nourishing souls in its wake with ethereal lush pads and vocal chops that creep in as the track progresses!
On the flip side we have a sobering track from Ukrainian producer Taras Vinnichenko called 24.02.22. Created the day Russia invaded Ukraine, t’s an auditory diary of Taras’ reaction to the unfolding of events. The crunch of the bass and breaks audate the panic and disarray on the ground.
Closing off the EP we have a unique groover from US producer Mr. Projectile who recently released an album on Wex sub label, La Luna. This crunchy and jittery cut takes you on a bass heavy, boom-filled journey of speedy techno and IDM!
On the sleeve, Sonia Malpeso delivers another whacky custom design on the front sleeve as well as a beautiful typographic showcase on the back and inner sleeve!
It's all aboard for Stasis' second 12" on De:tuned. Steve Pickton is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the early UK techno scene. Here he returns with a new 3 track EP of carefully selected and previously unreleased DAT tape tracks from the heyday of 90s electronic music. On offer a uniquely lush and sentimental style that resonates with the 313 Motor City sound. Sweet memories are the greatest kind of nostalgia!
Kevin Foakes (Openmind, DJ Food, Ninja Tune) created all the graphic work. Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis and pressed on 180 gr vinyl. A separate digital release will also be available at the usual digital shops. Stay tuned!
Heavy-traction bodyjack and sun-streaked disco straight out the Mediterranean belt, here comes Italian producer Giuseppe Scarano with the bouncy next instalment of Fluid Funk, 'My Life' EP. True to his solar-powered take on the classic US house sound, the owner of the Nice People outlet beckons us onto the path of luscious summer lounging with a quartet of no-nonsense dance floor rippers, lithely alternating sequences of hi-intensity shuffle, Roule-style dynamics and further space age-infused drifts across the scintillating vaults of glam disco. Jacuzzi-warm funk and coastal luxuriance all the way.
Drawing first blood, 'My Life My Love' is a proper fiery blast-off, flush with Scarano's continental breakfast of roaring Chicago drums, spinning synth motifs, processed brass and balearic-like ambience. Churning it like there's no tomorrow. 'Gedda Feelin' continues on a slightly more jagged note and true-school discoid vibe. Propelled by a springy drum work, mesmeric vocal loops and soulful Rhodes chords, it's a restless jacking house number that unfurls, bold and pumped-up at full stretch. On 'Playin da Song', Scarano blends in a fine match of Afro-funk, retro-laced electronica and filtered house chug, whereas the closing cut '2404' opts for a finely integrated mish-mash of piano-fuelled nostalgia, heavy-lidded bop phrases and low-slung boogie, ready to take on any smokey lounge and beachside party with its sluggish punch and exquisite suavity.
Undoubtedly one of the finest disco songs ever created, “Dance Reaction” emerged as a sensation from Holland, representing a true ‘one-hit wonder.’ The distinguished ‘Siamese’ label in the US and Carrere in Europe both recognized its potential and took it under their wings. This track, clearly inspired by dan Hartman’s “Vertigo”, swiftly climbed the charts across the continent in the spring of 1982.
On the A-Side, listeners are treated to the captivating and sensuous sounds of the Martin Boer version. This interpretation unequivocally showcases Martin’s innate connection with disco, evident in his captivating electro-disco masterpiece. Notably, Martin Boer holds the distinction of being a founding member of “2 Brothers on the 4th Floor,” a Eurodance phenomenon that dominated the 90s, amassing millions of record sales globally. Intriguingly, this release marks his return to remixing records, after a 15-year hiatus; incidentally, Martin embarked on his journey with High Fashion Music in 1990.
Flipping over to the AA-side, Croatian legendary DJ Pucko presents a remix that encapsulates the unique essence of the former Eastern bloc sound. This rendition exudes a raw and forceful energy, characteristic of that regional style. At the behest of High Fashion, the components of his mix were extracted and meticulously reworked and refined through the mastering process. The objective was to preserve the core while polishing the rough edges, culminating in an essential vinyl record that retro and disco DJs alike must acquire to elevate their dance floors.
Thomas Schumacher returns to the helmet of his iconic imprint with a double A-Side. "Off World” is a pounding Techno journey inspired by his all-time favourite movie Bladerunner.
“Hustle feat. Mark Porter” was born from an intensive creative journey, fusing raw passion and meticulous skills. Both tracks are relentless sonic assaults in true Schumacher style.
Halbert kicks off "OUR STORY“ EP with no fear and no compromises to his sound legacy. It has been produced during the last year in the neighborhood of Santa Catalina - where everything is happening - under the experience and influence of local parties such as private villas and small sweaty clubs.
A1 "OLEEVA" features a weird half-tempo break, grooving along a 4x4 kick and Bmore loop style. The "Spanish" trumpets act as an irresistible hook, leaving a long lasting impression. A fusion of folklore and timeless sounds, "Oleeva" is a true party anthem that defies genres. Continuing the journey, A2 "WHAT IS IT?" is a playful cocktail-Molotov made of fat FM rolling bassline, slap bass guitar, arabic strings, and other mind-bending surprises. Get ready to let loose and immerse yourself in this freaky gem.
On the flip, B1 "SECRET PATH" delivers a functional old catchy house jam with a non-directional arrangement where organic meets dark electronic synth sound. An ideal companion for a pool party or daytime vibes. Wrapping up the EP, B2 ”POWER UP!" shines as a high energy breakbeat tune influenced by Plank Records sound. Featuring an evolving big guitar synth stab, lively percussion, uplifting trancy synths and robust old school bass.
Mixed by Halbert and Hamid at MariaDiaz Studio. Mastered by Marco Pellegrino at AnalogCutMastering Berlin.
You know Krash Slaughta right? The man behind the recent wildly successful DOOM/Sugacubes mash-up LP Sugar-Coated DOOM, not to mention his unofficial remixes of the Wu’s K.R.E.A.M. and P.L.O. Style and collab. 45 with Phill Most Chill, Rebel Base? ‘Is he at it again?’ the monkey hears you ask. Yes, he is at it again, though the closest of the the three aforementioned releases to what he’s about to drop is the Wu remix 45. And what he’s about to drop is Diggin Deeper, not a single this time but a whole remix album of one of his (and the monkey’s!) all-time favourite hip-hop LPs – to wit, Niggamortis – more usually known as Six Feet Deep (especially in the U.S., though minus the best track under that name) by hip-hop supergroup Gravediggaz.
As many will know, this LP with its horror-movie fixated lyrics gave birth to a whole hip-hop sub-genre – that of ‘horrorcore.’ However, none of those who came after seemed to manage the lyrical humour of The RZArector, The Grym Reaper and The Gatekeeper (a.k.a. RZA, Poetic and Frukwan) and the only bit of production by The Undertaker (a.k.a. Prince Paul) that they seemed interested in was the sub-metal rap sludge of the shouty Bang Your Head – i.e. the LP’s one weak spot. But don’t worry, Krash isn’t interested in that sort of thing. Not only does he avoid rap-metal beats for Bang Your Head, he doesn’t use any on the LP at all – hurrah! What he does do is employ, arguably, as eclectic an array of sample sources as Prince Paul on the original – though with an entirely different end result. Bang Your Head with its apparently sixties garage band-derived beat for example is one of the standouts. The skeletal piano skank of 6 Feet Deep is another, while a beat featuring spaced-out eighties synths forms the new musical backdrop to Constant Elevation. Two more of the monkey’s favourites on this one are Here Comes The Gravediggaz, now underpinned by double-bass-led funk and the glorious inappropriately joyous bounce of Blood Brothers. The result? Your favourite cuts on this one might not be the same as your favourite cuts on the original. Two different versions of a much-loved LP, then; it’s why people remix hip-hop. All the vocal stems were created by Krash and the ultimate intention is to do a limited vinyl release. Cover art is by the Dead Residents’ Junior Disprol.
E.P. of low slung and tripped out Cologne style mind melters. Grischerr achieves a live and open sound in these grimy productions which adds to the immersive atmosphere conjured up across all tracks. It's inspiring stuff!
Lucas Croon doses up the psychedelic measures with a flipped version of 'The Man That Never Smiled' topping off the E.P. just nice.. RH TIP!
The Bladehouse crew is back with Bladhouse IV, offering another slice of the good stuff. Four differently styled out tools spanning from stripped house to peak-time groove and the occasional minimal bleeper on the B Side. Get your hands on this versatile dance-floor weapon as long as it‘s stocked. As Always: No Names - Let it Rip
BHO004 starts things off with a groovy, intuitive vibe on A1. A bumping Bassline dives Deep into hypnotic and subtle chord layers and a thriving shaky beat, perfect for open spaces and creating a lifted atmosphere.
A2 is a hidden stomper. Techy drum loops blend with dubbed-out pad shots, crafting a dark and moody rhythm that builds up to a climax, creating moments of anticipation and release.
The B Side is opened up by glitchy and gritty textures that evolve into a warm body of soothing groovy minimal with an intimate ambivalence. Use this to hypnotize crowds of any form and size.
B2 wraps things up with one more perfectly crafted mood swinger. Repeated percussions come together with a deep pad, gradually clearing up and welcoming mind-bending plucks and bleeps when the main theme kicks in. It creates a moody and meditative vibe with plenty of drive to keep you moving.
"BASELINE CAVI" is a collaboration album between Inland Empire/Los Angeles rapper Trizz and producer MIKE SUMMERS (aka Seven) from Kansas City. The album has that classic Westcoast Hip-Hop sound and the intro track gives that feeling right away. Guest features on the album are from Bino Rideaux, XV, T.F, ICECOLDBISHOP, John Givez and Bale.
Though fans may not know it, this collaboration between Inland Empire California emcee Trizz and Kansas City production ace MIKE SUMMERS has been brewing for close to a decade. Back in 2013 SUMMERS (then known as Seven) was already a prolific producer signed to Tech N9ne's Strange Music label and Trizz was part of horrorcore legend Brotha Lynch Hung's Madesicc Muzic roster. The two connected while working on Lynch Hung's "Mannibalector" album and a spark for future work was laid.
Linking up in spring of last year, the two creatively fed off each-other with the resulting album evoking classic West Coast melodicism and car-rattling thump. As Trizz states "this sh*t is so f*ckin authentic. It got bounce, it's swangin' and bangin! When you hear this album, you can feel it and damn near smell the palm trees and bomb ass weed."
As SUMMERS relayed "It's probably different for a lot of my fans to hear a more classic West Coast style of production from me, but that style of production has always been embedded in my sound. I grew up on 90's West Coast Hip-Hops studying producers like DJ Quik and Dr. Dre. The only reason I started using lots of live musicians on my tracks was because I watched Quik do it. BASELINE CAVI really let me dig into that classic L.A. sound that I've always wanted to build with.
Lyrically Trizz's immediately distinctive flow and storytelling abilities are at a new plateau with the emcee admitting "The lyrics on this album are probably more refined and defined because I just turned 30 and I have no more time to waste."
Bar Musica is a brand new label that promises to inject plenty of charm and originality into the underground house and techno world. The first release kicked up quite a storm from label owner Bartolomeo, and the second release features a trio of great originals by J Paraguai, with a remix from long time electronic talent Bruno Pronsato.
Rumba is up first and is a full fat, corrugated house track with tribal percussion, punchy drums that swing down low and Afro vocals. It is a dynamite groove with roughshod tin pot hits that are carefully treated and bring a lovably wild side to the track. Thesoundsays founder and Berlin based New Yorker Bruno Pronsato has been on the fringes of the underground for more than a decade with inventive EPs and LPs on labels like Hello repeat and Bosconi. His remix is stripped back to a forceful and rubbery techno groove. Blistered synths rip up the middle and spooky voices, trippy effects and manic loops all make it a freaky late night or after-hours tune that will send floors wild.
Ble is then another J Paraguai, and this one is again unhinged and urgent, with intense synths exploding above shuffling, tightly knotted minimal drums and sweeping pads. It's pure WTF music for brave DJs and dancers and is a truly original production.
Then last original Atles is rugged and impactful in the way in combines house and techno into new ideas. It is stripped back to little chopped loops that bury deep in your brain and have you in a trance in no time. As such, it rounds out a fine EP and keeps this exciting new label going off in great style.
Originally released in 1973, Black Pearl’s overall sound is the epitome of cool, orchestral funk / dramatic styles of the 1970s (e.g. “Next Stop LA”, “Collect”, “Oh! Militia”, “Choctaw”, “Black Pearl”, and “Blue Shadow”). Also featured are several more romantic, laid-back, emotive pieces such as “Miraculous Dream”, “Tryst”, “Sunny Monday”, “Melody and Lace”, “Monochrome”, “No Return”. Not to mention a couple of surprise solo honky-tonk piano jaunts – “The Vamp” and “Night of the Garter”.An eclectic mix that is sure to pique anyone’s interest. The album was produced by Alan Parker and Alan Hawkshaw, who is perhaps best-known for composing “The Champ”, which has been widely sampled and emulated by hip hop artists.“Library records are a collection of little one-minute pieces for soundtracks recorded by session musicians for movies, TV, student films, whatever. I don’t actually know the story behind when, why, or where they were made but…there were a bunch of different labels that made them and still probably do, and I was on the hunt for any recorded between 1969 and 1976. They all have random song titles like “Bouncy Strut” with descriptions like “hard-driving beat with percussion.” So imagine how much funky shit is on them. For me, De Wolfe Music was the best.”– Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz of the Beastie Boys
A collection of unreleased themes and scores from 18 short animated films from the world famous Zagreb School Of Animated Film. Includes Oscar winning short cartoon Ersatz / Surogat by Dusan Vukotic (1961) and many other jazz, electronica and experimental scores by composer Tomislav Simovic. Coined by the famed film theorist Georges Sadoul at the 1959 Cannes Festival, The Zagreb School of Animated Film(s) or The Zagreb School of Animation, was defined as an artistic and philosophical world-view that set its mark on the history of animation in the 60's and 70's. The key feature of the Zagreb School (not educational facility in any kind), was commitment to stylization in contrast with the Disney-style canon of realistic animation. Among many composers that worked in Zagreb Film productions, the name of Tomislav Simovic (1931 - 2014) stands out. In his oeuvre of 300+ film scores (not counting compositions and arrangements for pop singers and jazz orchestras), many were made exclusively for Zagreb film documentaries, fiction shorts, features and animation. Simovic was particularly adept at writing music for cartoons. He skillfully synchronized movement and sound and mixed different musical genres, although, like his peers at the time, he leaned towards jazz. 'The Zagreb School of Animated Film (Original Soundtracks 1961-1982)' is compiled by Leri Ahel (Mutant Disco Radio Show) and Zeljko Luketic (Electronic Jugoton, Ex-Yu Electronica III). Master tapes were considered lost, now found and restored for this epic 2 x LP release celebrating Yugoslavia's animated art shorts. Double vinyl gatefold with extensive liner notes, photographs from the films and exclusive cover artwork by Dejan Krsic (NEP / Nova Evropa).
Alienist Rec is back with its third installment, presenting a special split EP that showcases the diverse talents of two exceptional artists. Each side of the vinyl is dedicated to a different artist, delivering a captivating blend of underground electronic music.
On the A-side, we are thrilled to introduce Chaou B, a promising young producer from Morocco. Known for his distinct style, Chaou B explores the realms of deep Techno Electro House with two mesmerizing cuts that are not for the faint-hearted.
Track A1, titled "Instinct," is a dynamic composition featuring sharp drums that create an irresistible rhythmic foundation. Combined with a mesmerizingly mental and spiritual bassline, as well as a captivating synthline, this track is sure to take the breath away on every dance floor.
Track A2, "Untitled Groove," takes a more straightforward and loopy approach while maintaining the captivating vibe established in the first track. Chaou B incorporates crispy synth leads that elevate the energy and intensity, keeping the listener fully immersed in the groove.
Flipping over to the B-side, we encounter DJ Void, a seasoned veteran of Vienna's best parties and afters. DJ Void brings forth two groovy and uplifting productions that effortlessly traverse the realms of House and Minimal Techno.
Track B1, "Frankfurt Jaam," is a masterful creation that showcases DJ Void's intelligent arrangement skills. Combining pulsating beats with a meticulously crafted blend of melodic elements, this track will undoubtedly keep your ears focused and your feet moving.
Concluding the EP, Track B2, "Transaction," offers a dynamic journey filled with textured layers and intricate soundscapes. DJ Void skillfully builds anticipation, incorporating drops and evolutions that keep the energy levels high throughout the composition.
Stay tuned for the release of Alienist Rec's third installment on 12" vinyl, available at selected record stores and online platforms. Let the music guide you on a sonic journey through the minds of these talented artists, as they push the boundaries of electronic music and ignite dance floors worldwide.
Third solo release of Mike Inzinger Feat. three Detroit Techno Tracks of classic Robert Hood style minimalism and 1 bonus Electro/House Track! Stunning!
Voted DJ Mag’s Underground Hero in 2022, DJ & producer Lauren Flax has been a fixture in Brooklyn’s electronic scene for two decades. On her latest project Liz & Lauren EP, she teams up with Liz Wight of shoegaze techno duo Pale Blue, whose sultry vocals explore questions of love and isolation to the tune of Detroit house and acidic techno.
Flax and Wight became fast friends in 2021 after being introduced by Pale Blue member & 2MR co-founder Mike Simonetti, who’d enlisted Flax to remix Pale Blue’s “Breathe.” Naturally, when Flax needed a vocalist for some tracks she was working on shortly after, she knew just who to call. “I was in my last year of grad school doing an internship in community mental health helping kids cope with the trauma of the pandemic,” Wight says of the time. She channelled this experience as she wrote and recorded the lyrics to Liz & Lauren EP from her home in Los Angeles.
As a result, the lyrics on Liz & Lauren EP are open-ended musings on connection, isolation, and convention. Lead single “Fix Everything” can be read both as an indictment of the trappings of marriage or, on Flax’s view, a rousing call to action, applicable to issues ranging from the degradation of the environment to the attack on LGBTQ+ rights in America. As the EP progresses, Wight’s airy vocals consider the pitfalls of love, from the destructive power of infatuation to the pain of outgrowing a relationship.
Sonically, Liz & Lauren EP feels like a natural progression from Flax’s first release on 2MR, 2021’s Out Of Reality, which saw her exploring a more minimalist production style for the first time in her work. “I Don’t Want To Hurt You” and “Fix Everything” pulse with bright, dynamic production, while slow burner “Return To Love” takes a sparser approach, anchored by a muted drumbeat and a simple, earworm synth refrain. “I’d Risk It All To Be With You” is a masterful balance of both; it even gets the club treatment on the EP’s closing remix, courtesy of Flax’s friends Mark Archer and Simon Neale (Shadow Child) of MASC.
Liz & Lauren EP is an impassioned collection that showcases both Flax and Wight’s artistry in equal measure. For both artists, it’s a testament to stepping outside the norm (DJing for Flax, performing in Pale Blue for Wight) and collaborating with others, the fruits of which are sure to be felt on the dancefloor for years to come.
Elic, aka Giorgio Di Natale, is a DJ and producer from Bari, Puglia (Italy). He was initiated into electronic music at a young age, when he began attending clubs in the area and working as a PR. Soon after, he discovered, while frequenting the most transgressive Florentine clubs and the Adriatic Riviera, a passion for house music and everything that runs around the world of clubbing.The uncontrollable desire and instinct to listen and buy records to share with friends and people, led him to take up DJing in 1999. With the huge background behind him and the various styles that contaminated him, he decided to let this flow into productions as well, and it was not until 2021 that he entered the world of music production.Thus was born Elic and his label HELICAL. "Retourism" is the label's first EP and collects three tracks ranging from electronic to techno and minimal.
A journey through hypnotic atmospheres, but with an eye always on the dancefloor.
E-Talking crashes onto Love On The Rocks with a 4-track EP that’s weirder, faster and harder than anything Paramida’s ever-evolving imprint has put out to date; pushing the label into new territory that’s simultaneously unexpected and unmistakably true-to-form.
The Berlin-via London-based French producer, one half of the duo & collective Nummer, released his studio debut on AD93 in 2018 and his first album on Going Good in 2021, with productions that are dense, intricate and intoxicating, overflowing with ideas and effortless finesse, qualities all on display on this EP in otherworldly abundance.
The ‘Cosmic Egg’ refers to our modern understanding of the universe as ever-expanding; extrapolated backwards in time, it implies a finite starting-time and a small starting-place, from which the entire cosmos metaphorically hatched.
‘Pads & Frogs’ finds E-Talking in the midst of this process; slowly awakening to find himself up to his eyeballs in a shimmering psychedelic rainforest, awash with swirling pads, lush percussion, tripped-out inter-species vocals and tribal rhythms, building and looping into each other in a joyous dance of life-giving. A cosmic field recording from the incubation of this special egg, recorded somewhere between whatever passes for a rainforest in Berlin and deep, infinite space, sat upon lovingly and diligently by Paramida and Alex while in the process of developing a close friendship with its birth-mother – the three of them keeping it collectively warm and preparing to hatch since early lockdown days.
The time, motherfuckers, is now. After a warm, fuzzy beginning, of course, comes a huge, shattering explosion: ‘Rise Up’ is the EP’s first big leap into new territory, turning up the pace considerably and wasting no time in serving up some seriously pounding cosmic techno, LOTR-style, with some unexpected twists and turns halfway through. It’s all in the switches and details here, and they are so good you will want to literally get naked and lick your speakers for momentary sonic relief.
Unfortunately for you, ‘Life Begins Now’ doesn’t let up, proceeding with the same intensity but a more house sensibility, with layers of percussion and grooves building off each other into a drop which could easily carry the track, but is really just a tease for another twist that sends this one off fully into intricate, exquisite orbit. ‘Neidan’ brings us slowly back to Earth for another slamming house workout with all the hallmarks of a future LOTR classic: sun on the horizon, cosmic energy to infinity, all your friends together on the dance floor. It doesn’t get better than this.
Previously, the universe was thought of as eternally old, with no start and no growth. Boring. This EP exemplifies just how wrong that is: an adrenaline-fuelled salute to the constant creative expansion of the universe, and all the weird beings who inhabit it.
Pure UKG gold from ’98, as the masterful M.A.D Productions aka M.J. Cole and Darryl 'B' joined forces with the queen Carroll Thompson to produce the highly sought after underground cut ‘Too Late’. With originals selling for £90+ it’s about time a remastered, reissue hit the racks.
Providing a snapshot into the explosion of UKG across the country in the late ‘90s, a melting pot that bubbled up so many classics in its heyday, ‘Too Late’ is straight up, soulful UKG perfection. The ‘Deep Vocal Mix’ lays Thompson’s slick, sensuous vocals over a skippy bumper of a beat, subby bassline and sublime pads. Peaktime, warm-up or warm-down this is an unquestionable garage groover.
Take to the flip for the ‘Underground Dub’. The duo chop up the vocals in trademark style, turn the swing and skip of those hats up to the max, whilst wobbling and weaving soulful stabs to create a 4x4 heater that is guaranteed to have hands drawing for wheel-ups left, right and centre.
On All Centre’s second vinyl outing, label regular Endless Mow and co-boss Simkin join forces for a split EP of adventurous club excursions. Endless Mow kicks off proceedings with two sparkling mutated club jams, whilst Simkin contributes two tracks on the flip that display his aggressive paired back style!
With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning “brother” and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.
Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group the Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, Butterfly (1975) and The Battle of Disco (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jaw-dropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of The Battle of Disco was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.
For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As-Shams/The Sun collection. Afrodelic’s unique edition of Butterfly features a previously unreleased track on Side B.
With one foot planted in jazz and the other in the township groove of Mbaqanga, saxophonist Sello Mmutung was a powerful crossover figure in the history of popular music in South Africa. Using the stage name Bra Sello, meaning “brother” and used as a term of affection and respect in the jazz community, he came up in the era of shellac 78s as an exponent of the 1960s sax jive sound that brought the swinging rhythm of kwela into the domain of South African jazz. Despite the injection of American rhythm and blues into South African pop in the late-1960s, Bra Sello’s first releases on vinyl on the CBS label saw him backed by the group Abafana Bentuthuko and holding down an unapologetic township sound.
Joining the independent Soweto label under producer Cambridge Matiwane in the mid-1970s, Bra Sello recorded two records in the hit-making bump jive style popularised by serious jazz musician Dollar Brand on the one hand and prolific studio group the Movers, operating in funk and soul territory, on the other. Blending modern American and traditional African elements into joyful hip-swinging rhythms, Butterfly (1975) and The Battle of Disco (1977) reflect the vivacity of urban life in South Africa and document an era when dance music was performed by bands as extended jams laced with jaw-dropping solos. With music trends shifting dramatically in the late-1970s, the title of The Battle of Disco was an ironic call to arms in response to the territory that group musicians were beginning to cede to synthesisers and DJs.
For enthusiasts of African music from the 1970s, a full appreciation of the continent’s output is incomplete without South Africa’s pop-jazz sound providing a regional counterpoint to the funk experimentation of West Africa. Reissued for the very first time, Bra Sello returns in 2023 with limited replica editions from Afrodelic using master tape sources from the As-Shams/The Sun collection. Afrodelic’s unique edition of Butterfly features a previously unreleased track on Side B.
Four Framed Music proudly welcomes the Italian deep house master, DJ Soch (AKA the Italian Stallion), to the label with an outstanding new EP titled ‘Speaking of House. The release includes four amazing deep house cuts that flawlessly merge the old school sound with DJ Soch’s own unique style.
He effortlessly transports you on a deep journey through his music, where the melodies themselves become the voice. Simply listen and let the music speak for itself.
Adinda Dwimadasari and Dea Barandana take you on another dancefloor oriented voyage (to the Moon?) of originally written and produced contemporary disco wellness. Precious Bloom continues to carve out a sound of their own with 4 beautifully executed tracks. A selection of hand picked instrumentalists in addition to Dea's multi-instrumental studio prowess, the scene is set for Adinda's vocals to unravel in dreamy cosmic nuances from mysterious soft spoken word style voices to romantically sung lyrics in astrophysics. Truly refreshing in today's dance floor sound dominated by synthetic/digital convenience. Recorded in Jakarta and mastered in Berlin.
Our good friend Frederik Laaser aka The Reason Y is back on Break New Soil with a mighty new EP, aptly named to describe the incredible title track: Unparalleled! It has has been a mainstay in Gregor's sets and continues to amaze dancers and Technoheads alike: A tailor-made production for DJs that enjoy no-nonsense dancefloor weapons! On remix duties we present a man that doesn't really need an introduction: UK Techno guru Alan Fitzpatrick revamped the original track and delivered a huge remix, guaranteed to set the big festival floors on fire this summer! With the two additional tracks „Matricity“ and „Seven Lakes“, Frederik shows his versatility as a producer and rounds off the EP in style. You don't want to miss this one!
Red hot Italian DJ and production collective Aura Safari is back with a second full-length album, Island Dreams. It lands on Hell Yeah Recordings on September 15th and is another live and sun-kissed odyssey through balmy Mediterranean evenings, gorgeous sundown sessions and funky analogue grooves.
Andrea Moretti, Lorenzo Lavoratori, Daniele Melloni, Nicholas Iammatteo, Lorenzo Francioli, Ruggero Bonucci and Nicola Pitassio are Aura Safari, and between them they play drums, percussion, bass, keys, and guitar. They contributed to the first volume of the Buena Onda compilation in 2020 on this label, a year after serving up a debut album on London's Church Records. Since then they have become ever more entrenched in their local scene in Perugia, playing summer sets at the Umbria Jazz Festival, winter warmers at the legendary Red Zone Club and host their own Tropical Climax parties each month in the town centre.
Aura Safari are also deep-digging music collectors who have extensive and far-reaching tastes. When cooking up their sounds they draw on everything from Afro to Italo, house to disco, 80s boogie to world music, jazz and Balearic beats. This new album shows that once more across four sides of vinyl that sweep you up and transport you to somewhere idyllic.
The title track kicks off with steamy Mediterranean grooves embellished with lush Rhodes chords and sprinkles of cosmic magic. 'Sur Mon Balconnet' then slips into dubbed-out disco territory with 80s synths and leggy drums while 'Riserva Naturale' is a new-age jazz house sound with majestic lead synths and heart-melting chords that speak of a sunset dance on the beach. 'Onda' has squelchy boogie bass with hip-swinging drums, 'Wave Riding' is a lo-fi funk excursion with hints of West Coast Californian swagger and 'Magic Malbe' is loose-limbed Balearica with clear blue skies and blissed-out chords.
'Dancing in the Moonlight' feat. Zeke Manyika has all the vibrant feelings of bubblegum pop with Afro vocals and steel drum sounds next to rich xylophone sounds. There is plenty of heat and exotic charm to the proto-Afro house of 'Tropical Climax' and as well as dub versions of 'Sur Mon Balconnet' and 'Dancing in the Moonlight' come the scuffed-up Dam-Funk style beats and boogie of 'Disco Mantra' before closer 'Patagonia' shuts down with elastic drums and bass and playful synth leads that send you home wanting more.
Island Dreams is a tropical escape to a rich world of fusion sounds that look back to go forwards. It's a feel-good record to accompany hot nights and lazy afternoons, cocktails at dusk and dancing till dawn.
‘Gentle Persuaders’ is the Love Love debut from London based neo-noise-jazz outfit Sly & The Family Drone. In the form of a four track long player, Sly vomit forth a smooth serving of curious and clattering noise not devoid of fun.
With the ingredients of shattering baritone saxophone, splurges of analogue noise, rolling drum derangements and snarling feedback it is immediately clear that these formidable noise-mongers have honed their methods of ear-attack adeptly. Textural spaces are peppered with bouts of densely packed controlled-chaos creating a tension that builds almost imperceptibly until the crushing pay-off that comes with the final track.
The politest of bludgeonings, ‘Gentle Persuaders’ has a real sense of cohesion and style, at times subtle and at others shudderingly direct.
With their unusual and interactive live shows, the group cut their teeth stunning the audiences of punk and noise scenes across the UK and Europe. Now, Sly & The Family Drone present their most complete recording to date; a rush of sheer ataxia ushering in a new age of noise.
Duality Trax first opened its books in 2020 with an EP featuring Radiant Love regular Fio Fa and a remix of the year contender coming from Lisbon’s Violet. Since then the label has become known for its acute attention to detail, giving each release the shine it deserves while avoiding disposable practices and challenging the industry through its dedication to duality and balance, whether that be sonically or surrounding gender identity. It’s really no surprise that one of house music's leading label ¦gures Tywi was destined to make an appearance. Having started the Haŵs imprint in his home city of Cardiff, the label’s wide-spread popularity began to gain the attention from some of the industry’s most respected heads and became a breeding ground for new artists to emerge. A shared love of music resulted in tracks being shared over time and eventually DUALITY6 was born. In what will be his ¦rst full length EP, Tywi continues to join
the dots between 90’s house, prog, breaks and trance, with a huge remix coming from Frankfurt-based artist Maruwa. Title track ‘Reality Checkpoint’ connects various styles with a modern take on progressive trance. Sonics feel as if they’ve been projected from space in a kaleidoscopic mind-warping ride, coupled with the producer's impressive ear for world building soundscapes. A child of the ‘90s, Maruwa combines her classically trained ear with the nostalgia of her upbringing in the remix; channeling early trance records and deep, chugging rhythms into a wave of euphoria ¦t for peaktime. It’s the ¦rst time the label has also delved head ¦rst intofull trance territory, turning the intensity levels up while paying homage to both label owner and artist’s early musical in§uences. The B side opens up with ‘Spellbound’ which feels like a guided tour around the cosmos, sat beside trusted travelers and embraced by everything-will-be-alright energy . The track’s interior is built around synths that feel both effortless and light as our tour guide brings us towards our ¦nal destination. The EP comes to a close with ‘Laws Of Motion’, building slowly with shades of leafy greens and deep oceanic blues as it gently brings us back down to earth.
For Fans Of: Laibach, Trepaneringsritualen, Ulver, Skinny Puppy, industrialized Dead Can Dance, Celtic Frost. FORGOTTEN SUNRISE is a band both legendary and current; inventors in one era, and innovators in the present day. Celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, the group has evolved and morphed over time into its current formation of Anders Melts, Kadri Sammel, and Jaan Pullerits. A huge part of the Estonian cultural landscape that comprises dark music, Forgotten Sunrise began life as a death metal band in the early 90s, part of the movement that spawned groups such as Amorphis, Beherit, Anathema, My Dying Bride, and Katatonia. As styles converged, and electronics entered the picture, the group incorporated newer techniques and a more industrial approach over time, consolidating their methods into a unique strain they call “OUTDUSTRIAL” – outsider industrial. elu is the first album in the “HALL-ELU-JAH” trilogy. Starting in the middle, the band has an expansive story arc set across 3 albums. In this first presentation of the trilogy, elu synchronizes the classic Death Metal style vocal with ethereal female voice, horror atmosphere, and pounding EBM rhythyms to create 8 memorable and visceral tracks. From high-energy dancefloor-fillers like “Orthotoxic Waste” and “Deep Emoceans” to heavy industrial grinders like “Near Bye” and “iSaid” to the emotional close of “Meating 8:08” into “Elukas”, the album provides a serene metamorphosis, guiding the listener through the many-worlds-as-one experience of Forgotten Sunrise. – Forgotten Sunrise are: Anders Melts – Vocals, bass, guitars, cymbals, djembe, thunder tube, knife and fork. Kadri Sammel – Vocals, bass, keyboards, shaman drum Jaan “Suva” Pullerits – Controlling the arrangements of chaos Ants “Ank” Lill – B(l)ack vocals on “Elukas” Recorded, mixed, and mastered at In Dreams 2020-2022 Artwork by Rene 13 Cover Picture by hellish.cav Executive Producer for Ohm Resistance – Alexandra Portaluppi
Finger Prince recordings deliver the ‘Finger Prince Sampler’ for their latest vinyl release.
This four tracker welcomes two new artists to the label, House of Styles (aka Matt Styles of Horizontal Studios) and Mark Solo. They will be joining Bart Ricardo and Pale People who appeared with remixes on the successful ‘Make U Feel project’ by Lil’Mark, along with Rob Mello on this label's debut.
First up is the House of Styles Remix of ‘Catatonic’ by Phonic Crunch, a track from their forthcoming E.P on the label. Then Bart Ricardo shares side A with ‘Crystal Satellite’.
Side B opens with ‘Talk’ by Pale People before Mark Solo introduces himself to the label with ‘Minibeatz’.
After Jamuse Records favourable outcome, the Swiss label is delighted and honored to unveil its latest vinyl release featuring the talented Romanian artist Lumieux.
Titled "Gemini Road," this EP consists of three tracks. The title track presents a captivatingly glitchy and rhythmic style, adorned with warm sub-bass and distinctive vocal elements. The offbeat rhythm adds a unique touch that sets the track apart.The offbeat rhythm adds a unique touch that sets the track apart. "Fuzzy Formats" skilfully blends human and robotic voices with beats, accompanied by inviting warm bass and crisp treble notes.Bringing the EP to a captivating conclusion, "Lemesleep" takes listeners on a hypnotic adventure enriched by evocative pads and skillfull glitches.
In its entirety, "Gemini Road" guides your auditory senses on a mesmerizing journey through the realms of magical minimal house music. This sonic voyage is not solely characterized by its warm sub-bass and glitchy elements but also by its diverse and eclectic textures. Lumieux's inspirational touch is the driving force behind this EP, elevating it to a gem within its genre.
Surfaced Trax returns for its second chapter with a solid V.A. compilation. "Sub Sonics Vol. 1" offers four dancefloor-ready tracks full of character.
The 'Sub Sonics Vol. 1' features tracks produced by Parallax Deep, Weirdvin aka Edvin Wikner and Kasvo, showcasing their unique character and talent. Parallax Deep does the honours of closing and opening the compilation with style - 'Submerged' (A1) and 'Sediment' (B2) are two exquisitely groovy, deep excursions full of emotive pads, sub-basses and detailed syncopated rhythms and creative sampling, showcasing their very personal definition of deep techno. Weirdvin's 'Morphing' (A2) is a bleepy minimal techno groover aimed at dancefloor hypnotism - swirling melodies, freaky vocal sampling, odd sonic textures - a recipe for a perfectly wacky dancefloor moment. Kasvo's 'Karura' is a finely creative, dub-infused stroll in a deep, dark forest, where nature's very own sounds are sampled as the perfect rhythm and atmosphere tools, relying on a thumping kick and bassline for total immersion.
Fresh takes on 90’s jungle and atmospheric drum & bass by Finland’s ODJ Pirkka. Starting track ‘OMG’ combines soulful R&B vibes with blunt basslines, radical samples programming and hard hitting beats. DJ Sofa remixes ‘OMG’ into a dope Bristol style roller with infectious bassline and some hi-energy buildups and cuts. Flipside ‘Bookworm’ is an atmospheric roller with memorable sunrise synths and a sneaky dark section in the middle that slams you with a crazy reese bassline and some red hot amens. Lastly Msymiakos from Norway uses the supplied atmospherics to remix ‘Bookworm’ into an intricate and brooding drum workout.
Mysteries Of The World is the stunning final studio album from legendary Philly supergroup MFSB. Expertly co-written and produced with the mighty Dexter Wansel, it features the untouchable, sparkling masterpiece "Mysteries Of The World". The whole album is truly exquisite; a stylish, classy collection of pure Philly soul and orchestral jazz-funk.
MFSB, an acronym for Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, was formed by producers Gamble & Huff of Philadelphia International Records. The band's roots can be traced back to the house band at the legendary Sigma Sound Studios, where they played on numerous hit records by artists like The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and The Stylistics. Mysteries Of The World comprises slick jazz-funk grooves, mostly penned by Wansel, who produced a fair chunk of the album in a similar style to his space-funk records. MFSB's smooth sound is retained but it receives a fresh, elegant and jazzy upgrade. While this album is as mellow as the rest of the latter-period MFSB recordings, it never forgets the group's soul music underpinnings.
Swaggering, well-timed horn blasts, sweeping strings and a percolating, hard thumping slap-bassline combine to devastating effect on amazing opener "Manhattan Skyline". It's a sexy mid-tempo instrumental which sets us up nicely for what follows. Essays could be written analysing the perfection of title track. Arguably the finest jazz-funk instrumental ever made, it's absolutely magnificent. Featuring musicianship of the highest calibre, the band play with their trademark tight discipline, cooking up a syncopating rhythm with an array of exploratory keyboard riffs wrapped around a punchy bassline sent from heaven. It sounds like house music, it's that ahead of its time. The string intro is sumptuous, hypnotic and divine and that's all before the beat hits. The track fuses classical, jazz and funk into a musical journey that you never want to end. Absolutely flawless, it's a dramatic disco dancefloor killer.
Says Dexter Wansel himself: "You know, of all the songs I wrote/produced/arranged for MFSB, this is for me the most different. I think it's an experiment in rhythmic, soft sonic synth and live string and harp combinations. I composed it in an effort to blend a funky groove, along with synthesis, and orchestral sounds. There are 3 synthesizers: Oberheim 4 voice, Polymoog, and of course Arp 2600v. And, as I remember, I recorded the track with the rhythm section, string, harp and flute players first. Then I added synthesis."
The profound elegance remains in abundance on the slinky, harp-laced "Tell Me Why"; Carla Benson's beautiful voice truly shines on this sophisticated cut. The side closes out in dramatic style with the string-drenched "Metamorphosis". It's a staccato, Blaxploitation groove workout featuring wah-wah guitar, creeping basslines, rich horn solos and soulful vocals drifting in and out of the mix. The bouncy, irrepressible "Fortune Teller" opens the B side in the bass-heavy orchestral funk style before the beautiful "Old San Juan" glides in, a Balearic-adjacent track with intricate arrangements, building its mellow soul groove around an atypical flamenco guitar hook. Melancholy, guitar-led instrumental "Thank You Miss Scott" is a real highlight, with gorgeous flute, string and percussive elements whilst closer "In the Shadow" works an otherworldly synth line into its bossa nova groove.
An essential record for fans of Philly soul and groovy jazz-funk, Mysteries Of The World was mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis and cut by Cicely Ralston for Alchemy at AIR Studios. The stunning artwork, the work of renowned illustrator Robert Giusti, was restored at Be With HQ to round out this beautiful reissue.
After our debut vinyl release “Cosmic Vibrations” with Rush City x Handerk we are ready to present our second vinyl release. This time one of our label founders Jonathan Lopez A.K.A Jonahlo wants to take you in a psychedelic journey on his new EP “ACID DAYS”; a four track EP where each track gets you through a different state of mind.
Jonahlo is an amazing musician, jazz bass player and producer from Bogotá, Colombia. He has released music on labels such as Nomada Records, Night Young and Otayana Records.
This trip starts with “Acid Days”; a superb Deep House anthem with layers of evolving sounds, exquisite melodies and uplifting chord progressions that make us take off and start feeling 100% positive. You can hear samples from cinema describing how it feels when you start connecting and being one with nature.
The following track is “Particles”; on this track Jonahlo goes deeper, evoking hypnotic and far-sighted moods of melancholy. At this point we start pondering about the universe’s infinite dimension and imagining particles vibrating as we fall into our deepest thoughts.
On the flip- side we bump into “Lost Mind”, a percussive deep techno with spacey and bleepy sounds reminding us that 90’s uk old-school style. Now is the time to get lost in the moment after going through the trip’s hard peak where you really start letting go.
The release closes with “It’s Alright”; a good vibe deep sampled house track that tell us to take it easy, to just relax and appreciate life.
The Album cover was disigned by incredible Colombian artist Jose Mejía which represents a flower going through the process of questioning oneself and coming out transformed on the other side. It is a process of exploration, discovery, and rebirth.
Heisenberg is thrilled to announce the arrival of Michael Dop's highly anticipated debut EP, "F.M.M.E." This vinyl-only release showcases Michael Dop's exceptional talent as an artist, designer, DJ, and music producer, further solidifying his position as a rising artist in the industry.
Michael Dop, also known for his involvement with the Slowdance community and Finetune live project, brings a unique and multifaceted approach to his music. His compositions can be described as poetic soundscapes, where the ethereal melodies of modular and classical synthesizers intertwine with the rhythmic beats of drum machines and groove boxes.
"F.M.M.E." EP not only showcases Michael Dop's original tracks but also includes two exceptional remixes by acclaimed artists Nu Zau and Wyro. These remixes offer a fresh interpretation of Michael Dop's compositions, injecting their own unique styles.
Next up on Toolroom’s 4-track vinyl sampler series is another tasty collab from label founder, Mark Knight with legendary House DJ and producer Todd Terry and the Darryl James & David Anthony Project. Diving straight back into that classic 90’s House sound, Mark Knight delivers a taste of his finest production to date after unearthing Todd Terry’s edit of ‘Buddah’ by Darryl James & David Anthony Project, shaping up a seriously killer reworking of this gem fresh for the dance floor in 2023.
Next up, renowned German selector Eddie Thoneick makes a label debut with his club orientated big room weapon ‘Take It Back’. Taking it back straight through to the dance floor, Eddie Thoneick has become a name synonymous with high quality productions, providing remixes for Armand Van Helden, Steve Angello, Bob Sinclar and David Guetta. Eddie’s chunky production style shines through on ‘Take It Back’, offering up a slice of raw Tech House with deep, rumbling bass lines, metallic percussive elements and a resonating hook which will cause uproar in any club its played in.
Up next is another heater from DJ, producer and Toolroom Academy tutor Pete Griffiths who drops what can only be described as a House anthem in the making, with his brand-new track ‘Get Together’. A peak time record that sees Pete Griffiths dive deep into the sound of 90’s nostalgia, dropping a seriously well-produced and classy House banger. Also featuring on the record is American R&B, Gospel vocalist Ann Nesby, formerly the lead vocalist of the Sounds of Blackness ensemble who brings her powerful vocals to the forefront, elevating this release to anthemic status.
Last but not least, Hungarian duo Muzzaik return to the label with StadiumX on their collab track ‘Echoes’. Together, Muzzaik and StadiumX bring their signature sound to Toolroom with ‘Echoes’, a record that’ll command any dance floor it’s dropped on. Featuring a toughened-up groove, rolling bass line, and chopped vocal cuts mixed with just the right amount of edge.
microCastle’s third offering of 2023 welcomes Ditian back to the label for his first artist EP. Splitting time between Buenos Aires, Berlin and Barcelona, the Argentinean artist has carved out a unique place in the electronic underground over the last half decade. With an immediately recognizable sonic signature, Ditian channels languages of varied musical landscapes, churning them into his own complex rollercoaster of intricate electronica. A sound that is equally at home on rebellious dance floors around the world or in the sweet spot of a late-night leftfield listening session. A short but meticulous discography reflects Ditian's choosy nature; with Exit Strategy, Innervisions and TAU serving as the primary landing spots for his musical output. Having remixed Ivory’s ‘Arpstairs’ for his microCastle debut last summer, a project which was followed by a contribution to Dixon and Ame’s Secret Weapons 15 collection to begin the year, Ditian now returns to the label with a four-track showcase entitled ‘Serpenta’.
The crushing title track crashes in and sets any preconceived ideas of Ditian’s music alight, forecasting jet force propulsions and wild signal bending synths. As somewhat of a departure from his previous experiments, Ditian’s clustered pungi mutations provide an enduring main theme, while a wonderfully warped break is sure to cast a paranoid spell over the dancefloor.
‘Venena’ follows in fine style and further hammers down Ditian’s elusive vision. Dizzying, rapid-fire sequences of rhythm, granular textures and heavily manipulated synths travel to the very edges, while maelstroms of drums and contorted basslines highlight a high-octane second act.
‘Inertia’ lands at the collection’s midway point and does so in remarkably twisted fashion, stepping decisively on the gas and steering into shadowy transgressions. Never one to shy away from darkness or pushing boundaries, Ditian’s metallic storyboarding rises and falls across act one, consciously withholding energy, as grooves pulse and effects orbit, creating tension that eventually gets resolved as clusters burst open and oscillate in kaleidoscopic fashion.
Ditian’s creative attitude reveals itself further on collection closer ‘Influenza’. Presenting some of his most club-adjacent rhythms yet, it’s a clever coax of billowing tones and scrappy melodica which get wrapped up in a concordant fog, eventually getting washed away; because after all, the oceanic drones are all the better when they’re magnified to full size.
J Hus is back with his highly anticipated third album ‘Beautiful And Brutal Yard’, preceded by the raucous street track ‘It’s Crazy’ which charted Top 15 and ‘Who Told You’ (featuring Drake) which debuted at #2 with the 3rd highest UK week 1 singles sales of the year and Hus’ highest single chart to date.
‘B.A.B.Y.’ is the follow-up to his chart-topping album ‘Big Conspiracy’ which earned him the Best Male Award at the Brits and his Top 10 platinum debut ‘Common Sense’ which won an NME award and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and Best Album at the Brits.
Fans have come to expect a range of influences and musical styles from Hus’ albums and they will not be disappointed. Across ‘B.A.B.Y’ Hus incorporates elements of afrobeats, drill, R&B and bashment, all delivered in his inimitable lyrical style. The album includes features from Drake, Burna Boy, Jorja Smith, Popcaan and Naira Marley as well as from UK up and comers CB, Villz and Boss Belly.
Having not played his own live shows since 2017 J Hus is announcing a UK Arena tour on Thursday 29th June.
THE PLAYGROUND drops a magical 4 tracker from Chicago original JORDAN FIELDS. This record is a vibe period. Featuring Chicago style deep jazzy vibes with a splash of Detroit-ish dub. These raw and nostalgic tracks that will stay in your record box time after time.
Repressed! Jurassic 5 flexed serious old-to-the-new muscles in the ‘90s, beginning with their independently released single “Unified Rebelution” in 1994, and book-ending with their stellar debut full-length: 2000’s Quality Control. They walked a tightrope between underground and mainstream hip-hop, and toured alongside rap peers as well as punk rockers on the Vans Warped Tour. With double the pleasure of your average hip-hop group – two DJs and producers (Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark); and four MCs (Chali 2na, Akil, Marc 7 and Zaakir aka Soup) – they brought the late 1970s “unison MC” style of pioneering groups like the Fantastic 5 and the Force MCs to a new generation. Even more surprisingly, they did so out of Los Angeles, whose hip-hop flavors generally leaned towards Gangsta, G-Funk or Electro lines. Musically inventive and lyrically forward-thinking, each song on Quality Control is a new adventure, exploring engaging territory, delivered via one of the best live hip-hop shows fans had seen in years. From singles like the strutting groove of the title track to the throwback doo-wop samples on “The Influence” and the catchy, keyboard groove-driven “World of Entertainment (WOE Is Me),” to deeper album tracks like the lyrical gymnastics of “Jurass Finish First” and the thought-provoking “Lausd,” Jurassic 5 consistently stepped to the plate and their fans responded in kind, nearly pushing the album to Gold status. Add the innovative DJ-and-sample workout which closes out the album, “Swing Set,” and you have one of the 2000s’ most unique and solid full-length platters.
As it celebrates its 50th anniversary, Bill Withers' Still Bill remains true to its title – and stands as the greatest male-fronted soul album not made by a singer named Marvin, Al, Sam, James, or Ray. Though the saying "keeping it real" did not exist in popular parlance when Withers released his sophomore effort on Sussex Records, no words better capture the music's approach, mindset, and value. Every facet of Still Bill radiates honesty, truth, and emotion.
These characteristics – along with Withers' strong singing, hybrid arrangements, and deceptively simple songwriting – have allowed the album to endure to the point where it sounds as fresh today as in 1972.
After rising into the Top 5 of the Billboard Album charts and attaining gold status within a year of release, Still Bill has long been evaluated not by sales – but according to its merit, spirit, and agelessness. Included by The Guardian on its "1,000 Albums to Hear Before You Die" list (2007) as well as in Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die book (2008), its contemporary standing as one of history's most venerated soul efforts eclipses the positive reception it enjoyed in the early ‘70s.
Still Bill walks the same hallowed ground as What's Going On, Call Me, Night Beat, and Genius + Soul = Jazz. Like those landmarks, Still Bill plays with a mix of consistency, effortlessness, and complexity that rewards repeat listening and transcends categorization.
In combining four of the era's predominant styles – Philly soul, sweaty funk, Southern-reared blues, acoustic-based folk – and melding them with standout production borrowed from both minimalist affairs and sophisticated singer-songwriter albums, Still Bill occupies a distinct universe.
Its rhythmic fare is equally laidback and invigorating; relaxing and rollicking; eloquent and muscular; soft and tough. Withers' calm, self-assured voice hovers above it all, doubling as a warm blanket that adds comfort and grace to lyrics steeped in maturity, perspective, and compassion.
Withers' balanced outlook on human desires, needs, and situations stem from his own existence as a former blue-collar employee who believed his time as a musician would soon end. That grounding forever separates Withers from other contemporary soul greats – and stamps Still Bill with a conversational nature and egoless approachability.
"I mean look, I'm really a factory worker," said Withers in 1972. "That's a real job." There's that word again: real. The songs on Still Bill are tethered to modesty and actuality, wedded to a belief in simplicity, and connected to universal truths that link us all – independent of our economic or social standing. No track better exemplifies those principles than "Lean on Me," a feel-good paean to brotherhood and community that hit No. 1 on the pop and R&B charts en route to becoming a mainstream staple.
Withers approaches the plainspoken insight on "Lonely Town, Lonely Street" and heartbreaking vulnerability of "I Don't Want You on My Mind" with similar sincerity and straightforwardness. His proclivity for authenticity extends to the record's other big hit: the sexual, funk-laden "Use Me," which reached No. 2 and reflects the singer's everyman persona. It's an identity couched in keeping it real, the very inclination that ultimately led Withers to retire in the mid-'80s rather than bend to industry pressures or risk credibility.
That commitment to truthfulness and realism helps make Still Bill feel as unaffected as the air we breathe. Looking back on "Lean on Me" years later, Withers said it seemed like "something that was there before I got here" – the kind of song that could be 100 or 10 years old, or one we encounter anew 10 years into the future. The same can be said for every note on Still Bill.
For fans of psych rock, space rock, psych-prog, noise rock etc
Their journey started a long time ago, some say on Saturn, some say in the subconscious of the human psyche, coming out in different manners through the ages, channelled by mystics, witch doctors, shamans, free thinkers, free spirits. But we do know that what has become Codex Serafini travelled here from their home world on Enceladus in 2019 and crash landed into the music scene of Sussex.
Invoking many styles of psychedelic rock from the recent human musical history to open the minds of their human audience to the other world, and higher plane.
After releasing two EP’s, ‘Serpents of Enceladus’ in 2020 and ‘Invisible Landscape’ in 2021 Codex Serafini embarked on their most immersive journey so far creating what would become ‘The Imprecation Of Anima’ an exploration of the self, the duality of the human existence. The album is heavy, much heavier than their previous output and the albums longest song, ‘Animus in Decay’ is longer than either of the bands previous EP’s.
It snakes and weaves an epic motif through the wilderness of the sometimes barren lands of the unconsciousness, focusing the mind with it’s almost heavy metal mantra and using this to open up the third eye to the realisation of our mortal existence. The whole album is a pilgrimage into one's inner self and its relationship with its own shadow in its truest form, two parts coming together as a whole.
You know Krash Slaughta right? The man behind the recent wildly successful DOOM/Sugacubes mash-up LP Sugar-Coated DOOM, not to mention his unofficial remixes of the Wu’s K.R.E.A.M. and P.L.O. Style and collab. 45 with Phill Most Chill, Rebel Base? ‘Is he at it again?’ the monkey hears you ask. Yes, he is at it again, though the closest of the the three aforementioned releases to what he’s about to drop is the Wu remix 45. And what he’s about to drop is Diggin Deeper, not a single this time but a whole remix album of one of his (and the monkey’s!) all-time favourite hip-hop LPs – to wit, Niggamortis – more usually known as Six Feet Deep (especially in the U.S., though minus the best track under that name) by hip-hop supergroup Gravediggaz.
As many will know, this LP with its horror-movie fixated lyrics gave birth to a whole hip-hop sub-genre – that of ‘horrorcore.’ However, none of those who came after seemed to manage the lyrical humour of The RZArector, The Grym Reaper and The Gatekeeper (a.k.a. RZA, Poetic and Frukwan) and the only bit of production by The Undertaker (a.k.a. Prince Paul) that they seemed interested in was the sub-metal rap sludge of the shouty Bang Your Head – i.e. the LP’s one weak spot. But don’t worry, Krash isn’t interested in that sort of thing. Not only does he avoid rap-metal beats for Bang Your Head, he doesn’t use any on the LP at all – hurrah! What he does do is employ, arguably, as eclectic an array of sample sources as Prince Paul on the original – though with an entirely different end result. Bang Your Head with its apparently sixties garage band-derived beat for example is one of the standouts. The skeletal piano skank of 6 Feet Deep is another, while a beat featuring spaced-out eighties synths forms the new musical backdrop to Constant Elevation. Two more of the monkey’s favourites on this one are Here Comes The Gravediggaz, now underpinned by double-bass-led funk and the glorious inappropriately joyous bounce of Blood Brothers. The result? Your favourite cuts on this one might not be the same as your favourite cuts on the original. Two different versions of a much-loved LP, then; it’s why people remix hip-hop. All the vocal stems were created by Krash and the ultimate intention is to do a limited vinyl release. Cover art is by the Dead Residents’ Junior Disprol.
Bobby's 2019 tour ended in New York City and he had two days off before flying home to Finland. Leon invited him to the Diamond Mine to record some music. Bobby had been talking about wanting to stretch out lyrically and write about more esoteric subject matter, Leon was game. They recorded "Reasons" in one session which put the chemistry between the two on the world stage and sparked the idea of doing a full length album together. More than halfway through the recording process, they have decided to treat us to another two-sider of the new material. On the A side, "Whatcha Know" Bobby explores death and the human experience, putting his philosophical ponderings into his music. Michels' production and overall ethos is the perfect compliment to Bobby's desire to stretch out his sound. EMA provides a gorgeous backing track that compliments Bobby's style and simultaneously broadens its scope. The B side "Losing It" is a dramatic and moving number that Bobby sings in Spanish and English. A gorgeous guitar riff is countered with eerie sound effects that crescendo when the drums come in. Bobby professes he's "Losing It" over a love too strong and El Michels Affair's production turns the whole affair into a saga that thunders through speakers.
Melts In Your Mind is the mercurial new LP by Healing Force Project, aka Italian producer Antonio Marini.
An amorphous, shapeshifting, intangible proposition, Melts In Your Mind represents Healing Force Project at it’s most fluid and alchemical yet, a melon-twisting amalgam of jazz, dub and acid house tropes mulched and rearranged in inimitable style. Seemingly live and erratic polyrhythms, liquid basslines and expressive roving keys combine with kitchen sink sample hits and rogue licks for a thrilling, constantly shifting, alive sound. It’s music that’s difficult to grasp on first or even fourth listen, and as such continues to reward on repeat. Rather than going somewhere, tracks just go, rarely repeating motifs but riffing on, digging into and working out.
Behavior Of Waves sets the scene discretely enough, a simple bass refrain that is eventually overcome with an urgent rhythm that stumbles over itself into a post-dub cavern. The title track resembles a scramble of disparate earthly sounds - lurking synthesizer, restless popping drums, West African balafon and a muted vocal sample - sucked into the same swirling black hole and dropped into another dimension, completely cohesive. Equator acts as loose-limbed palette cleanser, an unmoored drift gently driven forward by an insistent snare roll and improv piano stabs. Inharmonious Layer stands out on the record for being less reliant on samples and by it’s relatively predictable unfolding, a queasy acid lope from the darkest corner of a deviant dancefloor, while on Diaphonization Marini flexes his aptitude with drum sampling, a bouncing excursion in sampled loops interrupted by unironic jazz cliches, the product of an omnivorous lover of the genre’s high and low. Melts In Your Mind closes on the droning tambura, ethereal pads and scattered rhythm of Two Waves In The Dark, a suitably metaphysical and ultimately peaceful resting place for a record that challenges perceptions from the outset.
Marini has released records as Healing Force Project on Firecracker, Berceuse Heroique, Bedouin and most recently Beat Machine Records. He’s based in Treviso, Italy.
Melts In Your Mind was written, produced and mixed by Antonio Marini. It was mastered by Chris Wang. Art and design by Ginji Kimura.
Sanullim's 4th album consists of background music and insert songs for TV and radio dramas and plays, including Korean Film director Im Kwon-taek's movie "Tomorrow And Tomorrow Again". It is a noteworthy collection of works that has not faded with the unique scent of Sanullim, and contains several songs that still shine with charming emotions and whimsical or vague sensibilities.
Express Train (Inside), a mountain sound-style hard rock with dynamic rhythm, fuzz guitar, and Kim Chang-hoon's wild shouting, Kim Chang-wan's soft vocal and brilliant keyboard sound, Can't Tell Anyone, Love It includes the elegant performance songs Glass Doll and The Windy Hill By The River, and the beautiful song Afterglow that achieves the climax of romance and lyricism.
"Born in the shadow of the sails of Scampia, a difficult district on the outskirts of Naples. Born in 1980, she embarked on a career in the world of music not without rolling up her sleeves, reaching the most important consoles in the world and pu"ng her signature on songs who made history.
This Vinyl, with Children and One & One inside, encloses the essence and style of Deborah, crea*ng a real collector's item”
Finally, our debut album is out. It is based on a well-calibrated selection of tracks chosen from intense live performances since our project's inception in 2018.
Dream Dome is a small window in our studio that looks out into the sky - a symbol of the musical vision of two opposites whose style and DAWless music-making skills have created 13 tracks, carefully calibrated by us on the dance floor.
Dream Dome is a blend of musical styles closest to leftfield house and techno. It is characterized by warm analog timbres, polyrhythmic structures, and the self-expression of our individuals.
Dream Dome is available on limited 180g vinyl with 8 tracks + download code for full extended 13 tracks.
Tamango Records boss Yaya heads to TRMNL Records as he unveils his latest EP on the imprint, backed by remixes from Salty Nuts head honcho Fabe and label resident Vito.
Heading up his Tamango Records imprint while serving up killer cuts and remixes on Desolat, Moan, Revival New York and more, Yaya is a man in high demand across the globe. With his take on house music bridging influences from Africa to Italy, his percussive-driven and slick sound has made him a favourite for those looking for productions leaning towards the more energetic yet minimal end of the genre. That style is on show once more as he adds a new label to his catalogue. Joining the likes of Djebali, East End Dubs, Ray Mono and Samu.l, late July brings the release of his new EP ‘Para Siempre’ on UK imprint TRMNL Records, accompanied by a slick pair of remixes from Fabe and Vito to shape up the package.
Title track ‘Para Siempre’ is a skippy and bouncy lead effort as crisp drums, a zippy bassline, and warped vocals go to work to showcase a production bursting full of vigour, while ‘Umbrella Corps’ leans towards more organic, rolling percussion arrangements, shuffling rhythms and elastic melodies guide things towards the later hours. On the flip, Fabe steps up for the first remix as he brings his signature groove-led style to proceedings for a swingfuelled slice of funk, before Vito’s crisp take on ‘Umbrella Corps’ closes the show with a final injection of early hours goodness.
Early DJ Support:
Joseph Capriati, Marco Carola & ALISHA
Rowle is coming with its awaited 9th release from the closed friend Viceversa, who is back after his succesfully previous release 005. On this one he delivered 3 classic tracks full of melodies and percussions, perfectly in line and evolution with his unmistakable style. On the remix duty the romanian star Floog with a killer dancefloor version. Already supported and played by Sublee, Sit, Barac, Cally, Mihai Pol, Silat Beksi, Herck, Raresh, Vlf, Vincentiulian, Giuliano Lomonte and many others.
We couldn't be happier to announce the first Mapache Records compilation after all these years. ONE MILE FROM HEAVEN is a dreamy travel through the 70's and beyond private singer songwriters scene.
There have always been privately-pressed records. Such a "private" LP is an album that has been composed, performed, recorded and edited usually very-DIY style by the very artist or by an amateur label. A private press record is, above all, an act of the artistic urge. It's an act that takes place outiside of the industry out of need, out of a lack of knowledge, out of love, out of a drive, out of ambition... you can choose among the many reasons.
Depending on their genre, origins, time, and above all, quality, some of these efforts have become valuable pieces for the music collector. Having been created behind the "canonical history of music" written by the industry, every now and then an archaeologist will bring to the surface an artifact they have found in some basement or flea market, or that was kept covered in dust in the shell of some old recording studio soon to be torn down.
All these records have their own story, and some are still especially relevant, and others are but small footnotes in the encyclopedia of music that made their way into the margins of the mainstream world. These are the most limited of editions (and mostly locally made ones) of largely unsociable and mostly unobtainable records--and when found, they are often exorbitantly priced. Many of these marginalized and onscure artists have stayed alive only through the wonderful work of tireless song rescuers, music lovers, vocational archivists, collectors, and record labels with an idealistic drive. These romantics have been rescuing and indexing a form of music that very few have showed interest in until recent years. This record is a tribute to all of those who managed to make these songs not be lost to time. Above all, this release is a tribute to all those artists who recorded their songs on their own, mostly because they couldn't keep the music inside themselves.
Introducing our first limited edition vinyl release LOK Records from Floog
Floog's tracks are energy-oriented, featuring melodic, raw sounds and vocal hooks, that alternate with a more minimalistic approach.
His EP is bringing the listeners on a journey through a variety of sounds and styles keeping the connection with the dance floor.
Early support from Priku, Sepp, Nu Zau, Hostox, Lumieux, Techu, Constratti…
We are back with our series CVRD003, this time we uncover two artists for our next split EP from South America.
We are happy to introduce you first: FURZ
He embraces eclecticism and constantly pushes creative boundaries.
Inspired by the club sound of the 90s, he explores a diverse sonic palette, creating music that appeals to both nostalgia and contemporary sensibilities.
As a second not unknown artist: PRODOT
DJ/Producer from Villa Carlos Paz, Córdoba
Enamored with the roots of House music and the intricate nature of Minimal, his style emerges from the fusion and interplay of these elements, along with influences that are part of his regular listening, such as Jazz, Ambient, Trip/Hip Hop, Funk, and Rock among others.
Italianmusic producer, DJ and sound artist, Piezo, joins the Nervous Horizon roster with a 5-tracker EP titled Cyclic Wavez.
Stretching into a vast, yet coherent, sound exploration while maintaining his quirky andversatile approach to composition and sound design, the producer travels across the wide array of stylesthat inform his versatile flare.Thought-provoking, but dance floor-ready,Cyclic Waves EP is a shape-shifting, hyper-detailed and funnily weird new creaturewhere Piezo'sattention to sound design and unexpected creative choices will shock and surprise you.
The brilliantly entitled 1619 Bad Ass Band covered myriad different styles from mellow sound to furious funk on their superlative and self-titled debut long player back in 1976. Two of it's standout tunes now get pulled and pressed on this red hot 7" from P-Vine, complete with a flip-back sleeve.
That LP is a rare one amongst the famous TSG catalogue and first up from it is the mid-tempo dance gem 'Nothing Can Stop My Loving You' while on the flip there is the more heavy funk sound of 'Step Out' which anyone who has listened to any DJ Shadow will know he sampled.
The new Hunter Complex album Airports and Ports arrives today Friday 2 September 2022 on Burning Witches Records and features contributions from Aquiles Navarro (trumpet, Irreversible Entanglements), new age legend Kat Epple (flute, Emerald Web), Alexander Hawkins (piano, Louis Moholo-Moholo), Justin Sweatt (aka Xander Harris, guitar) and Coen Oscar Polack (field recordings). Airports and Ports is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed synth albums Dead Calm and Zero Degrees (Burning Witches, 2020) and Open Sea (Death Waltz, 2019) and takes a new direction with influences from new age, ethereal jazz and krautrock.The gorgeous artwork was created by Luke Insect.For Airports and Ports,
Lars Meijer of Hunter Complex invited musicians from all around the globe to contribute to the album.Meijer: ‘I wanted to know what they would come up with, what new sounds and styles they would bring to my music. My previous album Dead Calm and Zero Degrees came out at the beginning of the Covid crisis in March 2020. I didn’t create music for months, it felt like time stood still. I missed the energy I got from being around people, from seeing concerts, from traveling. Those musicians gave that back to me and inspired me to create and discover new grounds.
Here we are - the new release from the italian project Club Soda is finally here!
The trio, made up of Nicola on bass, Simone on drums and samplers, and Filippo on keys, is bringing some real, raw, authentic sounds to the table. Their first LP, "Vibin' Places" dropped in 2020 and it's a versatile homemade electronic album that hits different, whether you're a listener, DJ, or clubber.
This new EP is fire too. A1 track "Basso e Batteria" with Sara Loreni on lyrics and vocals, has clear echoes of a '00s vocal-house joints, but sounds like it was recorded in a Chicago basement. The dirty grooves, thumping bass, and enveloping pads create a free-form vibe that's perfect for you summer madness.
But then they go and take it to the next level with the remixes on B side. Cristalli Liquidi's remix is on some current dance floor-ish, with bouncing rhythms, a wild bassline, and a catchy vocal cut. And Hill's dub mix is straight up trippy - like you're lost in a warehouse at 6am, with dreamy pads, a solid bassline, and rhythms that are distant but still pull you in.
And let's not forget "Gin Tonic" (A2) - it's a dope sunset jam session that's pure “Club Soda style”, with congas, DX7 keys, funky bass, and an MPC chop. This EP is the real deal, from start to finish! Shout out to Giulia Dall’ Ara for the sick artwork on the cover and label too - she killed it!
InnerCore Project brings us two 2 brand new 12" releases 'Innercore Project Dubs' Vol 1 & 2
"You will find a nice vary of styles in my Dubs Volume releases, ranging from Jungle Techno, Old Skool Hardcore, Jungle, Rave and anything in between. Big shouts to all that made these tunes possible! Respects to you all, I hope you enjoy these tunes." - InnerCore
Legendary Memphis soul brothers William, Bertram and Randy Brown released an album under the group name TEN-63 entitled FACING THE MUSIC, it was published in 2009, but recorded sometime earlier. YOU AND ME was played out and initially covered up by Mike Ward circa 1989/90 receiving cult status.
YOU AND ME and our pick for the flip SAY WE’LL STAY are beautifully constructed songs with each of the Brown brothers serving up a solo part, it cannot be denied their contrasting vocal styles and harmonies are supreme in the extreme!
The Browns’ contribution to the Memphis music scene is etched in history. William, who sadly passed away in 2015 was a member of The Mad Lads. Randy and Bertram were members of The Newcomers, Bertram went on to be a part of soul funk group Kwick and of course Randy had a glittering solo career with LPs on Parachute, Chocolate City and Stax as well as numerous singles; he is regarded by many as being one of the finest vocalists of his genre.
Anyone who has followed Kniteforce and KFA for any length of time will know of Empyreal. His music is unlike anyone else's, being totally unique in sound and style.
Blending classical elements and unusual structure with a wide variety of old skool and banging kick drums, this is his first EP on vinyl, and it absolutely smashes it. A refined taste? Maybe. But there is nothing like this on the planet.
Debut album by Akane, a new bedroom solo project by Tenerife's Carolina Machado - best known for her role as drummer and singer in space rock psychedelic outfit Gaf y La Estrella de la Muerte.
Cooked and slowly matured over the last couple of years, Carolina opens up her heart to present an intimate collec-tion of dreamy avant pop songs under the banner title Night-Time Birds.
With various nods to David Lynch’s dreamlike imagery and weird americana landscapes, Carolina gracefully merges her own local sensibilities to re-imagine a panoramic, fictional soundtrack to an unmade road movie, creating a per-sonal musical language made up of vintage pop songs, lush ambient soundscapes and West Coast lo-fi electronica. Her pursue of sonic exploration through modular synthesis techniques pushes her sound further out into a wider realm as she blends exotic alien-like melodies with her trademark soothing, shoe-gaze style voice. An album that seems to be floating gracefully and frozen in time…
The album’s seven tracks were recorded live during her performance in a disused gas tank at the Keroxen festival in 2022 and counts with the special collaboration of her bandmate in Gaf César Chinarro on guitar. No doubt, Night-Time Birds is not the last we’ll hear from Carol demonstrating once again the varied and eclectic creative energy currently flowing from the Canary archipelago shows no sign of slowing down.
Rossi. invites Mad.Again to HOMEGROWN. as the first guest artist on the label for his ‘Beware Of The Dog’ EP, accompanied by a remix from Liquid Earth.
Home to two stand-out releases from the label boss himself to launch the project, Rossi. now opens the doors of his bubbling HOMEGROWN. imprint for the first time as he welcomes an emerging talent making plenty of early noise. Introducing Mad.Again, a DJ/producer from East London whose early support from the likes of tINI, Enzo Siragusa, and Jamie Jones has already seen him lining up alongside artists such as Dungeon Meat and Tania Vulcano. Following material on Dansu Discs and his Kennel Club Records imprint, he arrives on the label with three powerful originals across his ‘Beware Of The Dog’ EP, with Los Angeles’ Liquid Earth stepping up on remix duties.
Opener ‘Steppin’ is a lively, rave-drenched production as vibrant stabs work on top of a bumping bassline and skippy percussion, while ‘Dolce Far Niente’ draws for tough-hitting drums and bendy synths. On the B-Side, ‘Point5’ is a skippy effort guided by hip-hip samples and spaced-out breakbeats, before Liquid Earth closes the show in style with a trippy, wonky and off-kilter take on the lead track as he journeys deep into the hazy early morning hours.
DJ Support
Sally C
Pete Tong (Radio 1 Support)
Chris stussy
Enzo Siragusa
Raresh
Cristi Cons
Voigtmann
Reiss
Archie Hamilton
Rich Nxt
Nu zau
Sepp
Sit
Next up on BPitch's sub label UFO Inc is a hyperactive package of sonic oddities from Alex Wilcox. Having arrived in Berlin by way of Dallas, Texas, Alex continues to build a name for his truly eccentric production style and genre-defying DJ sets.
123 is an ascending spiral into the weirder corners of electronic music by a producer who is unafraid to let the wheels come off. Deranged, delirious, and surreal, it's an essential package of eccentric techno.
"Why "Bouncer"?
In Club Culture, the bouncer represents the image of determination, a
fundamental element that characterizes every produced track.
I imagined this album as a virtual club in the metaverse, where my
avatar is a BOUNCER.
Here, the music plays loud, the bar is open, and each track on the
tracklist carries a part of my soul and my influences.
For me, this project represents a meeting point between the roots of my eclecticism and the strength of the artists involved, creating a mix of sounds and styles that reflects my artistic and personal journey.
With this album, I want to celebrate Club Culture and all its influences
on my life and music, offering an authentic and deep sonic experience
for all fans of the genre.
After 13 years from the last release on Touch And Go records the Italian underground rock band UZEDA is back with Quocumque Jeceris Stabit. Eight new tracks in pure Uzeda’s Style.
Recorded and mixed by the beloved friend Steve Albini and mastered at Chicago Mastering Service by Bob Weston. A masterpiece!
After 13 years from the last release on Touch And Go records the Italian underground rock band UZEDA is back with Quocumque Jeceris Stabit. Eight new tracks in pure Uzeda’s Style.
Recorded and mixed by the beloved friend Steve Albini and mastered at Chicago Mastering Service by Bob Weston. A masterpiece!
Dennis Quin returns to his own self-titled imprint with the ‘Temptation’ EP, comprised of four sturdy original House cuts from the Dutch producer and DJ.
Throughout the past decade, Dutch artist Dennis Quin has amassed widespread support from many leading figures in the underground house scene through material on the likes of PIV, Cecille, Defected, Jerome Sydenham’s Iconic Ibadan and Kaoz Theory, as well as collaborating with the latter label’s founder, Kerri Chandler, and yet another icon of House, Todd Terry amongst others. Here though, Dennis tips the focus towards his own label to deliver more of his raw grooves, crisp beats, and bouncy bass lines.
Title-track ‘Temptation’ leads and lays down a choppy bass line, euphoric piano keys, classic rave stabs and a hooky vocal lick alongside his signature swinging, robust drum style. ‘Ascending’ follows next and sees Quin lean towards a more percussive led feel via heavily shuffled drums, dubbed out vocal chants and twitchy stab sequences.
Opening the flip side of the EP is ‘Odessey’, this time bringing a wavey, elongated bass line into the limelight, subtly nuanced throughout for hypnotic effect while a bouncy drum workout carries the groove throughout. ‘Love Fiyaa’ then rounds out the EP on a raw and reduced tip, fusing ethereal pad swells and murky bass flutters with a stripped-back and sporadic dub vocals.
DJ Support:
Enzo Siragusa
Archie Hamilton
Chrissy
Okain
Freedom
Severino
Jimpster
Mr. V
New joint artist and label project from 3 underground Hip Hop heavyweights, Dillon (Full Plate) and Tom Caruana (Tea Sea Records) with a little help on turntables on ‘Russshhh!!!’ from Mr Fantastic (AE Productions).
2 different yet perfectly complementary songs – the main cut ‘Russshhh!!!’ is a fast rap burst of adrenaline – a somewhat scarce beast this side of the 1980’s and only the most capable of MC’s have the breath control to do the style justice. The flip-side is a much more introspective and laid-back Jazzy number to bring the listener back down to earth – Duval County, Florida to be exact.
Both artists have released projects with AE previously – Dillon along with Paten Locke on their Rap Safari J-Zone Remix single and Tom Caruana produced Oxygen’s Age-Appropriate album. This one is not from a larger album project (although we did hint to Dillon and Tom Caruana to do some more!) so both tracks are currently exclusive to this 7” release or download.
The sleeve artwork by Mr Krum features striking photography captured by Mr Krum during a taxi ride in Japan which sat waiting for the suitable project until now. The inclusion of the fast forward symbol is a stroke of genius as when flipped it works as the rewind symbol ideal for the B-side – Let’s Go Back, creating a crisp sleeve design.
Bingo Club demands no rules for entry. Everyone knows your name. The hours are endless and the dress code remains
unspoken.
Martin Rousselot opened the doors to the Bingo Club at the dawn of the 2020's. Joined by Neysa Barnett, Vassili
Yatchinovsky, Marie-Paule Bargès and Emile Larroche, Bingo Club puts down its signature sound-stamp and juggles with
styles of different kinds; if five songs throb to the clank-clank of New York trains, five more drift lazily like Marseille's sailspotted waves.
Group signifiers and visual tropes are reduced to a molten wash of melodies and images that, whether heard or seen, unite
kindred spirits.
Whether as a duo or as a soloist, in English or in French, a warm mix of soothing voices is blanketed by soft rock
instrumentation. The videos are filmed with an analogue camera across the four corners of the globe.
A first EP, "Separated," released in 2020, sees a collaboration with Al Carson (Weyes Blood, Ariel Pink, Jessica Pratt...). In
2021 the single "Someday," featuring Annie Lime & Jonas San, comes out. In 2022, Bingo Club presents its debut album «
Better Lucky Than Beautiful », produced and mixed in Paris at Studio CBE by David Mestre (Sebastien Tellier, Chassol, ...).
The album is a collection of ten songs, written in different times and places, like a musical travel diary or sound-postcards.
Georgina's Rumba is a magnum opus in the field of latin music in the broadest sense. Gabriele Deiana Sardinian guitarist, composer, arranger, producer and lyricist brings together 36 musicians for this work, including the winners of the Latin Grammy 2021 Alain Perez and Ivan "Melon" Lewis. 15 Cubans, 12 Spanish gypsies, 5 Spanish and 3 Venezuelans give life to a musical biographical journey that ranges from latin jazz to bolero, salsa, flamenco-jazz, tropical, nordic
argentine style, son montuno and modern flamenco.
The record also features former members of the Paco de Lucia sextet including Jorge Pardo and Carles Benavent. The best of the best of each genre. The vinyl format is gatefold and contains a 6 pages insert 30cm x 30cm with photos and the history of the album.
A true and fascinating novel in that began in 1992. The cover is a hand-painted watercolor by the illustrator Gianluigi Concas and contains an encrypted rebus that can be solved by reading the novel in the insert.
The third vinyl release from CUE Music invites Jiggy (IT) to deliver three fresh tracks in the form of “Delinquentes EP” alongside Reboot on remix duties. The record delivers a solid dose of tech house and minimal techno, definitely adding even more magic to the imprint’s discography, which includes titles signed by artists like Butane & Riko Forinson, Elchinsoul, Sascha Dive, Aney F., Dubphone, Christian Burkhardt, Sascha Sonido, Bee Lincoln, Danilo Schneider, Nektar Agu, Triad, CL-ljud and, of course, label head Sven Jaeger, among many others.
Jiggy (IT) started mixing in 2008, exploring various genres and slowly creating his own style. For 8 years he lived in Ibiza, going from playing at small clubs and underground villas parties to memorable performances at Space, Privilege, Sankeys and Bora Bora while hosting weekly shows at Ibiza Global Radio. Throughout time, he released some of his works with labels like Innocent Music, Psicodelica, Variety Music, Ole Rec, Eisenwaren, Moan, Play Groove Recordings, Basswalk, Pild, Quanticman, Natural Rhythm, Konzept:Musique and his own Be Water Recordings which is more than just a label, it’s also a deeply spiritual lifestyle for him.
Hatıralar was Anadol's second album, originally composed between Berlin and Istanbul around 2012 and released years later only in digital form on the Istanbul based label Inverted Spectrum. The title Hatıralar ("Memories") turns out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Anadol recalled and revisited the music in 2023, gently editing and mixing the compositions for the newly mastered LP format in which they now see the light of day. Hatıralar represents an early version of the melodic, instrumental synth-pop that Anadol refined on her album Uzun Havalar (2019) before exploring the more free, krautrock-inspired musique concrète of her last album Felicita (2021). Here is the text that accompanied the original 2017 release:
Anadol, named after an old-fashioned Turkish automobile brand, is an instrumental synth-pop project by Gözen Atila, an artist, dj and keyboard player. She records with mini organs manufactured during the 70s and 80s, the built-in rhythms and arpeggios of these machines provide the backbone of her sound, and her melodies are influenced by pop music and soundtracks from France, Italy and Turkey from the same period. The music is awash with allusions to the moods of old Turkish and European cinema, from the erotic to the melodramatic, and with a reminiscence of the sound and spirit of so-called "tavern music" popular in Turkey's urban nightlife in the 1980s, a flexible pop style usually performed by a solo keyboardist-singer. Anadol is a continuation of the tradition of lone synth experimentalists like Bruce Haack and The Space Lady with their childlike curiosity for electronic sounds, and of the keyboardists pushing the boundaries of minimal equipment to entertain middle aged drunk couples in pubs and wedding parties of Istanbul.
Cosmonaut and JJ Fortune combine to create 4 tracks for the first Broken Sounds x Rizzwax collaboration. All tracks show a mixture of both producers characteristics and styles, brining together electro, acid, house and techno in a unique way.
Let the celebrations begin, 10 Years of a vision Anané created and called Nulu, her independent label letting the world know about a genre we now know as Afro House, today after many years of dedicated work you'll find it as main stream.
Nulu means 'Nothing Ultimately Leaves Us' and just in time for Winter Music Conference in Miami Nulu presents a special vinyl sampler including 4 tracks representing 'Past, Present & Future' of the labels sound.
Side A includes an elegant and melodic remix of 'Ubatuba (Roots Mix)' by Grammy Award winner Louie Vega & Agev Mungsen feat. Anane, originally produced by Brazilian Soul Crew, where the fusion of Afro House and Soul help to soothe the spirit, followed by the African duo AMRoots aka Filipe Narciso and Fresh Nunas who deliver a fantastic combination of melodies and sounds ready to make dreamers dream with a fresh remix of their original release back in 2009 'Old Times At Barracuda (Cielo Roots 09 Remix)' and was also the first release for Nulu.
Side B includes a superb beat and unmistakable touch of Dj Angelo, bringing you straight to dance floor on a journey you'll wish to never leave and finish this 4 track sampler is the incredible talent of Manoo always setting the contemporary route of Afro House music with his modern style, creativity and authentic sound. The special vinyl sampler will be available exclusively at Winter Music Conference 2019 in Miami, and later for all Nulu followers. Take your time to know the Past, experience the Present and understand the Future of Nulu, a pioneering label of Afro House Music.tti
CLIKNO is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of the highly-anticipated Peripherie Remix EP of four tracks from rand's critically acclaimed album "Peripherie" set to drop on May 26th, 2023.
Featuring remixes by Steevio, Deadbeat, Dr.Nojoke, and Andrea Cichecki, some of the most exciting names in the underground electronic music scene, this limited EP promises to take you on a journey through a spectrum of sounds and emotions.
Steevio kicks off the EP with a groundbreaking remix of "Lucid", marking the first time a remix by this highly regarded artist will appear on vinyl.
With his signature style of intricate modular grooves and atmospheric pads, Steevio's remix takes the original to new heights that we are sure to captivate and move you.
Next up is Deadbeat, a veteran of the dub techno scene, with a stunning drone remix of "San Gimignano".
His signature use of space and bass is on full display, as he crafts a cavernous and immersive soundscape that is sure to take the listener on a journey through the depths of sound, leaving you lost in its mesmerizing drone.
Dr.Nojoke, known for his experimental and genre-defying productions, transforms “Hoola” into a deep and introspective chill-out tune featuring lush pads and intricate percussion.
This remix is perfect for some legendary afterhour sessions.
Rounding out the EP is Andrea Cichecki's ethereal ambient remix of "Siegfried 2.0".
This remix captures the essence of the original track while adding an otherworldly dimension with its haunting and immersive sound design.
With this remix EP, CLIKNO once again showcases its commitment to pushing the boundaries of electronic music.
All four remixes on this EP are a testament to the exceptional talent of these artists, and we're excited to share their unique visions with the world.
Beat In Me is back for its second release. Recognized for bringing some of the most cutting-edge Romanian DJs to his event series under the same name in Tokyo, RAHA keeps pushing the envelope with Beat in Me. This time he introduces, with sincere confidence, two Japanese artists he has long supported: Tomohiro Yano and Yuji Kobayashi.
"Sazae EP" features two original tracks from Tomohiro and Yuji, respectively, and a collaborative work from both, perfectly displaying their raw talent and individual styles. Displaying a unique knowledge of house and techno music with minimal character, "Sazae EP" seems like the perfect alternative for those thirsty for the type of tracks hailing from Romania, with an added Japanese sensibility that perfectly fits those dancefloors craving for intensely hypnotic grooves.
Exciting news for music lovers! We are thrilled to unveil the highly anticipated release of a brand new vinyl by the talented Colombian artist, Lamediscos. This rising star in the Latin American electronic music scene has crafted a unique sound that seamlessly blends vintage synths, funky acid basslines, and broken rhythms, resulting in tracks that are infectious and groovy. Drawing inspiration from classic disco, breaks, and house music, Lamediscos has caught the attention of well-known artists like VTSS who praise his ability to create captivating melodies and irresistible beats.
But that's not all! This vinyl also includes two remixes one by the legendary Eddy C, a Canadian DJ and producer who has been pushing the boundaries of dance music for over three decades. Known for his unparalleled skill in remixing, Eddy C has reimagined Lamediscos' original track, infusing it with his unique style and taking it to a whole new level.
For the second remix for this special release, we also have one by label boss Lega, who gives us his own interpretation of the track, showcasing his production prowess and adding yet another layer of musical depth to the vinyl.
Stay Raw!
“In the Flesh” is the brainchild of Egyptian-born, New York-based conceptual artist Nader Sadek. Known for his impressively twisted sculptures, masks, and installations used for example by bands such as MAYHEM and SUNN O))), Sadek is now venturing into the realm of recorded music- including songwriting credits on this album! The band NADER SADEK emerges out of a collaboration between Sadek and some of extreme music’s most talented artists with its core made up out of songwriter/vocalist Steve Tucker (ex-MORBID ANGEL), CRYPTOPSY drummer Flo Mounier and Norwegian composer/guitarist Rune Eriksen (AVA INFERI, ex-MAYHEM). A host of guest-appearances lends additional weight to the musical impact of “In the Flesh” by leading artists such as Attila Csihar (MAYHEM), Travis Ryan (CATTLE DECAPITATION), Tony Norman (MONSTROSITY), Descructhor (MORBID ANGEL), and Nick McMaster (KRALLICE). “In the Flesh” is firmly based on a technically masterfully executed unique style of Death Metal with a pitch black twist that creates a multi-cultural symphonic abyss where melody and corrosion meet. As a work conceptual art “In the Flesh” is best explained like this: NADER SADEK invite you on a journey to the depths of the earth, where substances of a repulsive nature dwell. Beneath the earth’s crust, over millions of years creatures have disintegrated and decayed until taking on ghastly new life as petroleum. Like a return of the undead, petroleum and its derivates have wrought cross-cultural conflict, environmental pollution, and economic distress. With a visual and aural assault, Sadek’s new work “In The Flesh” re-interprets petroleum’s sinister insinuation into our everyday lives. Nine songs and a series of original drawings video works explore several aspects of the commodified resource we find ourselves fatally dependent on. “In the Flesh” exploits the sonic links between death metal and gasoline-dependent heavy machinery such as automobile and airplane engines. These links shaped the process of musical composition itself: The album opener, “Petrophilia”, kicks in with a sound evoking an engine starting up. Another song, “Of This Flesh (novus deus)”, follows the sonic structure of a car shifting gears. While continuing to link musical composition to mechanical transformations, other songs depart from engine-based references. The outro to the album, “Nigredo in Necromance” which is already accompanied by a video, dwells on an individual’s recognition that he must die in order to reunite with his deceased lover. The song riffs on the life-in-death of an oil-drenched society, as the lovers’ reunite in their decomposition and rebirth as petroleum. This theme also drives the track “Mechanic Idolatry”, which channels the uncanny thrust of Sadek’s recent artistic output, as live human beings provide the fuel for machines transforming themselves into flesh.
Active in the mid-80’s and heavily influenced by the British post-punk dissonant style and the Belgian cold-wave melancholic atmosphere, The Ultimate Dreamers resurrected during the COVID lock-down, releasing a selection of good old demo songs on their “Live Happily While Waiting For Death” release. A dynamic impulse that brought them not only back on stage but also into the studio to work on new material. The magic is back!
The Ultimate Dreamers feel stronger than ever and enjoy uniting past, present and future on this exciting “Echoing Reverie” album, on which they reach a subtle balance between light and darkness: a poignant cold wave fusion of futuristic danceable dream pop with a retro noisy post-punk attitude with surrealistic introspective cynical lyrics dealing with fleeting life, melancholic solitude and other inner demons..
The new songs intelligently merge nostalgic cold wave chills and alluring poignant vocals with carrying basslines and irresistible danceable beats to become “less is more” addictive tunes that capture you in no time. If you like bands such as New Order, The Cure, Minimal Compact, Trisomie 21 or yet Section 25, “Echoing Reverie” comes highly recommended for a timeless dusk sonic experience at the crossroads of darkness and brightness.
See the magic operate and let The Ultimate Dreamers carry you in their echoing reverie…
Mouche (real name Tim Karmouche) returns to Australian label Research Records with another full-length of imaginary soundtracks, instrumentals and sun-kissed digital jazz. Active on the Melbourne scene in projects such as Crepes/The Murlocs/Swazi Gold/Dreamin' Wild, Tim's first album Live From The Bubble arrived back in 2020 as an ode to his aptly named studio space - The Bubble.
Lake Songs builds on those same atmospheres, showcasing the inward-looking craft of his one-man band. Cicada field recordings and light keys open proceedings, reflecting the warmer side of 80s new age, though before long we're introduced to a variety of stylistic shifts incorporating elements of cosmic funk, lounge and library-style compositions. There are traces of Steve Hiett, Max Groove or even the recently re-discovered Ronald Langestraat, though the strength of Mouche's talent for harmony shines through on its own level.
Shifting between moods yet reflecting an overarching sense of positivity, listening through the ten tracks gives off a real sense of place, though time is somewhat irrelevant. The warm climate and sandy beaches of Australia seem eternally embodied in 'Juice' or 'Crystal Water'. Perhaps where Live From The Bubble was dedicated to the very studio that birthed it, Lake Songs is dedicated to the vast land that surrounds it.
CALAMITA = KARKHANA members TONY ELIEH, SHARIF SEHNAOUI and Lebanese drummer MALEK RIZKALLAH join forces with the Egyptian singer AYA METWALLI - the result is the improbable meeting between free jazz / improv, punk rock & Oum Kalthoum!
CALAMITA is the "rock project" of SHARIF SEHNAOUI and TONY ELIEH, two of the most active musicians on the Lebanese experimental scene (among others projects, both are members of the "free Middle Eastern music" collective KARKHANA). SEHNAOUI comes from a jazz and improv music background, ELIEH is primarily a rock musician and founding member of the Lebanese post-punk band THE SCRAMBLED EGGS whose work in the last decade has covered many directions from pop-rock to plain experimental. They are joined by Lebanese drummer MALEK RIZKALLAH (WHO KILLED BRUCE LEE, ex THE SCRAMBLED EGGS). As trio they develop instrumental pieces that draw their inspiration from artists as diverse as Tony Conrad, Last Exit or Oum Kalthoum.
AYA METWALLI is an Egyptian singer/songwriter, composer and sound artist currently based in Beirut. Grown up in Cairo, her father would play non-stop Oum Kalthoum songs on road trips to the beach and Aya's mother; known to have the most beautiful voice in the family, she always sang at home and at family gatherings, so long before Aya was able to form her own music taste, immense amounts of Arabic classic songs and melodies already settled in her subconsciousness …
After her first EP "Beitak" in 2016, Metwalli (named "a musical enigma" by The Guardian) started to integrate more experimental and eerie sonic excursions into her avant-pop, so the collaboration with CALAMITA feels like a natural or logic step.
The roots for "Al Saher" ("stay awake") were laid when SEHNAOUI and METWALLI first worked together in "Night", a dance piece by ALI CHAHROUR which included a wide collection of Arabic songs and ancient poems, later Sehnaoui invited her to work with CALAMITA. The four met in a recording studio in Beirut, using songs by "The Voice of Egypt" Oum Kalthoum as starting point.Together they aim to fully revisit the song format and explore the possibilities of classical Tarab songs, extracted from their origins and reframed within the music of the twenty-first century. The result is a mix of various styles and influences that often seek to stretch the contrasts to towering extremes - animprobable blend between free jazz & improv, punk rock & Oum Kalthoum!
Digging Deeper Music comes back with their reissue series with another old gem from E.Fatovich well known with his aka Joe Montana , but this time with the seminal first works on GO-DIVA aka. Soon available on pre-sale.
If the ideal greatest hits collection captures the fundamental truth about an artist, Eric Kupper’s – “A Lifetime In Dance Music” highlights an envious catalogue, extraordinary production skills and ultimately reveals a passionate maven of house music.
The 24-track compilation celebrates the vast work and revered career of Eric Kupper and is a collectable occasion to re-acknowledge his influence and golden touch as a remixer for over five decades. This second volume of “A Lifetime In Dance Music” highlights another selection of Kupper’s finest productions and remixes of greats such as Whitney Houston, Earth, Wind and Fire, Curtis Mayfield and Moloko.
Emblematic of an iconic nightlife and reflecting on the sheer scale of his work for seminal artists including Diana Ross, Gloria Gaynor and Donna Summer, this ultimate collection serves as a reminder of Kupper’s astounding blend of studio power, control, and agility as a producer and remixer. As the writing and production partner of the late godfather of house music, Frankie Knuckles, Kupper is a true musician and multi-instrumentalist who has played on, remixed, produced or engineered over 2,000 records spanning a wide range of contemporary musical genres.
An eavesdrop to Kupper’s sophisticated, faultless production style that has amassed an unprecedented catalogue captivates the imagination back to bygone musical decades. His work in the mid-to-late 1980s/early 1990s, especially with Def Mix Productions and remixes for the genre’s superstars Alison Limerick, Ce Ce Peniston, Inner City and Frankie Knuckles is considered to be part of the foundation for house music as it exists today.
Nigeria is known as ‘The Giant of Africa’. It’s the most populated country in Africa with more then 250 ethnic groups and many different languages and dialects that gives to the country a rich diversity. This diversity also affects music which plays an important role in every aspect of social life. We, at DTW’s stable are happy to announce the reissue of “Narg Funk Machine” an explosive nigerian “black beat” disco originally released on Coconut in 1979. If you are looking for something weird here you’ve found it. Basically these four tracks are well represents the tangle of richness of nigerian music in this period, They are a melting pot of styles and sounds , where afrobeat, funk, highlife, juju, and psych rock are mixed all together in a cozy and captivating sound. Ready to bring some warmth and hypnotic sound to the dancefloor around the world.
Altered Circuits dives deeper in the world of playful and versatile club music with roots in the early 90's! There's an obvious parallel between Ildec's DJ performances and his own music.
Part of a scene with a focus on extended, broad-minded sets, the Ibiza-based artist lets his yearning to unearth and play obscure gems flood into his production process. The "Ahora Si EP" is testament to this adventurous spirit as it tackles a wide array of tempos, styles and moods.
Opener "El Principio" and closer "Grt Plschr" display Ildec's fondness of hazy, recondite atmospherics. With its sustained ambient chord, delay-washed newsreader samples and manipulated themes, the former sounds like a fever dream radio bulletin.
On the latter, a broody motif meanders alongside loosely played drums, while a buried bass guitar occasionally reveals itself. "El Break Del Dia" furtherly explores some of these elements, but this time with the dance floor front of mind.
Languidly morphing bass sequences and staccato synth salvos build up anticipation. When a slowly emerging, ceaselessly arpeggiating organ lead finally materialises, the track explodes. Natural flow is partly traded for sturdier form on the remainder of the EP. "El Break De La Noche" lets an ever-modulating lead groove alongside rigid, dry drum beats.
Descending tom fills, truncated squeaks and a top layer LFO gone haywire complete this sparse yet exciting cut. "La Nueva Version" has a similarly efficient bassline as its bedrock. An interplay of zaps, risers, transposed percussion, and other dusty cartridge samples pulls it left and right while subtle disorienting hints of speech thicken the mix.
On "Modificacion", Ildec moulds his take on progressive and tech house into its toughest shape. A druggy, bleepy lead twirls in and out of the track, carried by the road-tested combo of a taut drum pattern and a piercing backbeat bass. Ominous chords and equally menacing vocals mark its aim: to create tension in the club. It is a standout on a diverse, daring EP we are delighted to present as the fifth release on our label.
The second entry on Dance Data is the debut album by Izapa, who has been a fixture in LA’s modular synth community for some time now, so it’s a treat to get a glimpse into the sounds he’s been honing in his private world. The record showcases his sensibilities for a wide variety of rhythmic structures / styles, from angular hi-tek drum-n-bass to half time electro zoners, there is a little something for anyone that’s looking for dance music that prioritizes feel over function (while still retaining the latter). Featuring a swirling acidic remix from Buttechno.
Finally back on tape, officially reissued. Must have! 3 Feet High and Rising is the debut studio album by hip hop trio De La Soul and was released on March 3, 1989 It marked the first of three full- length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. Critically, as well as commercially, the album was a success. It contains the singles, "Me Myself and I", "The Magic Number", "Buddy", and "Eye Know". The album title came from the Johnny Cash song "Five Feet High and Rising". It is listed on Rolling Stone's 200 Essential Rock Records and The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. When Village Voice held its annual Pazz & Jop Critics Poll for 1989, 3 Feet High and Rising was ranked #1. It was also listed on the Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Released amid the 1989 boom in gangsta rap, which gravitated towards hardcore, confrontational, violent lyrics, De La Soul's uniquely positive style made them an oddity beginning with the first single, "Me, Myself and I". Their positivity meant many observers labeled them a 'hippie' group, based on their declaration of the 'D.A.I.S.Y. Age' (Da. Inner. Soul. Yall). Sampling artists as diverse as Hall & Oates, Steely Dan and The Turtles, 3 Feet High and Rising is often viewed as the stylistic beginning of 1990s alternative hip hop (and especially jazz rap).
"Drums from heaven, keys from Mars, a bass made from mother earth's soil and guitars from a guy who's time-traveling from German Kraut in the last 60ies into the next 60ies and who happens to gift us today with this funky, dirty, pulsating, delicious music that's everything which music is supposed to be: ALIVE! (Note to self: Always keep a copy of this record in your suitcase!)." (Malakoff Kowalski)
"Afrokraut" is a stylistic expression of Krautrock, primarily associated with Can, and their creative use of time and space in music. "A Guide To Afrokraut III" is David Nesselhauf´s third and last contribution to the dusty shrine of this long forgotten style.
Next to "Afrokraut" (2016) and "Afrokraut II: The Lowbrow Manifesto" (2018), this album completes a humble sonic Trypticon in honour of David Nesselhauf's musical heroes. Experimentation was key in the immersive process of producing this album, which encompasses elements of Funk, Afrobeat and Krautrock as well as otherworldly Drones, early Elektronische Musik and even field recordings.
Inspired by the unfinished manuscript 'History Deletes Itself' by the late science fiction author Joseph Sabiers, Nesselhauf decided to produce a b-movie soundtrack to the original plot, ignoring the fact that there will likely never be a movie to this music.
In the original script, a virus has infected history, the resulting changes of historical facts leading to an unpredictable present and future for mankind. Every attempt to solve the problem – including time travelling – only worsens the situation. But three planets at the end of the known universe seem to be unaffected by the phenomenon, they become a sanctuary known as 'Afrokraut III'. Three brothers arrive there to start new lives. They are introduced to The Guide, their mysterious advisor...
The striking parallels to today's uncertainties, a strong feeling of hope and the idea to never stop exploring (come what may) certainly have encouraged the making of this album, which sees a belated release due to the obstacles everyone faces right now.
David Nesselhauf lives in Hamburg/Germany and appears as a bass player/songwriter in bands like Hamburg Spinners, The Drawbars, Diazpora, and Angels Of Libra.
*MILKY CLEAR VINYL - 300 COPIES ONLY FOR WORLD!!* Technology + Teamwork’s fizzling synths, interweaving textures and punchy rhythms are beguiling on their long-awaited debut album We Used To Be Friends. However, at the heart of it all it’s the connection between the group’s two members, Anthony Silvester and Sarah Jones, the friendship the much-travelled duo have managed to maintain for nearly 15 years and a showcase of the slow-burning construction of the electronic world that they’ve surrounded themselves with. We Used To Be Friends is ultimately the tale of two storied artists in their own right, holding onto each other through personal and career twists and turns, relocations and broader movements through respective phases of their lives. Silvester and Jones first met and then collaborated as part of biting post-punk five-piece XX Teens in 2008, eventually breaking off to forge their own path together even as the latter’s demand as a drummer grew. Performing with everyone from Hot Chip, Harry Styles and Bloc Party among many others, Jones has been a constant percussive presence across the sphere of alternative UK pop music – she’s also found time for her own solo project Pillow Person and played on records by the likes of Puscifer and Kurt Vile. Silvester meanwhile has performed in art galleries across Europe including: Fridericianum in Kassel, Kölnischer Kunstverein in Cologne, and Vleeshal in Middelburg, as well as providing sound design and composing work for several art films. Technology + Teamwork is the constant throughout all of that though. “Technology + Teamwork's name perfectly describes how we work” Silvester explains. “Sometimes the teamwork is between each other and sometimes it’s between us and the technology.” Although going by the name Technology + Teamwork as far back as 2014, two events conspired that pulled the project into focus for the pair of them: firstly, Silvester spent a year constructing a soundproof studio shed on the border of London and Essex where he lives. Secondly, inevitably, the pandemic brought the globe-trotting Jones back home to just seven miles away from her long-time collaborator and friend. “We probably hung out more than we had for a few years” says Silvester. “Also, after all her Pillow Person releases Sarah had gotten really good with recording vocals and knowing what did and didn’t work and had a really good home studio set up. We still worked separately though, exchanging ideas via email and WhatsApp.” As with many artists through 2020 and early 2021, working separately was a new necessity that they were forced to adapt to. However, it became clear that there were creative benefits to it. “It really changed our sound and our sounds became a lot more focused as a result” Jones says. “I wanted to use the same ideas of improvisation that I might use while playing the drums for myself and apply that to melodies and lyrics.” The album bristles with hyperpop modernity. You can hear it in the manipulated vocals most prominently on Big Blue’s disco strut and on Moving Too’s heady mix of pitched up voice and burrowing sub bass. However, the pair also looked to San Francisco and the West Coast synthesis movement of the 60s, Silvester inspired by the likes of Suzanne Ciani and Don Buchla. The plaintive lo-fi and melancholy of Amsterdam incorporates Mutable Instrument’s Marbles by Émilie Gillet which – inspired by Buchla’s own synthesis work – outputs random voltages to give the track an air of unpredictability. It’s something that occurs throughout the album, the duo revelling in the happy accidents that disrupt the flow of their hook-laden pop. “The ‘Buchlian’ ideas of music having randomness and uncertainty, completely freed us up” Silvester explains. “It felt a bit like having more members in the band, machines that didn't do what you expected or intended.” Perhaps more subtly, is the influence of 17th and 18th century Baroque music, with Silvester drawing a line between it and the 90’s R’n’B he and Jones both love – exemplified perhaps best on K+B’s percussive claps and sultry grooves. The portentous juddering synthpop of the title track, meanwhile, alludes specifically to Handel’s Sarabande. It’s typical of an album that only needs a scratch of its seemingly glossy surface to unearth a myriad of contorted touchstones and reference points that’ve fermented beneath it. Thematically there’s an anxious sense to the record, with tracks often balancing above a quiet sense of unerring tension even at their most bombastic. Moving Too is the result of an existential doubt that hit Silvester while out cycling, with the outro refrain "it's not enough to die you also have to be forgotten" a take on something Samuel Beckett once said. These worries are echoed on the album’s closing track What A Year, which borrows a lot of lines from the late drag performer and fashion designer Dorian Corey including the grimly defiant "you're gonna leave your mark somewhere in this world just by getting through it”. Those clouds offer a counter point to We Used To Be Friends, but then isn’t that what great pop albums do? Technology + Teamwork undoubtedly love the craft of the hook and the song, but they always position themselves left of centre, prepared to scuff things up, pull something out of shape or manipulate something to leave it sounding warped. Much like their friendship, nothing here is particularly linear – and it’s all the better for it. Bio: Anthony Silvester & Sarah Jones first collaborated as part of biting post-punk five piece XX Teens in 2008, eventually breaking off to forge their own path together even as the latter's demand as a drummer grew. Performing with everyone from Hot Chip, Bat for Lashes, Harry Styles and Bloc Party (among many others), Jones has been a constant percussive presence across the sphere of alternative UK pop music - she's also found time for her own solo project Pillow Person and played on records by the likes of Puscifer and Kurt Vile. Silvester meanwhile has performed in art galleries across Europe including Fridericianum in Kassel, Kölnischer Kunstverein in Cologne, and Wleeshal in Middelburg, as well as providing sound design and composing work for several art films. Technology & Teamwork is the constant throughout all of that though. "We Used To Be Friends" proves that Technology & Teamwork undoubtedly love the craft of the hook and the song, but they always position themselves left of centre, prepared to scuff things up, pull something out of shape or manipulate something to leave it sounding warped. Much like their friendship, nothing hear is particularly linear - and it's all the better for it.
Dam-based don Retromigration steps into the big leagues letting loose his debut album on WOLF Music. An LP that has long been in the works and for good reason too. Fourteen expertly executed tracks that range from hazy beats and jazz-tinged broken rhythms to club-ready groovers, deep excursions, soulful footwork and even some jungle energy. A flavour for every occasion and damn it tastes good.
With an envious run of releases on the likes of Handy, Healthy Scratch, wewillalwaysbealovesong and WOLF in a relatively short space – Retormigration is hot property and it’s clear to see why. A distinctive style and energy permeate his tracks with a breadth of influences on offer, from hip hop, to jazz, soul to funk. You just know a long player from this player is going to cover all bases.
His debut LP, Straight Foxin’, is a carefully curated and crafted journey showcasing the creative explosions firing off in Retromigration’s brain. Joining the dots between genres, taking elements from here, ideas from there – twisting and turning yet never out of place. Take the opening three tracks, all tied together by a deep fondness for jazz but served up in different styles, ‘Kunta’ with that hazy beatsy blend, ‘Formant’ leaning into the realms of broken beat and DnB and ‘Be Someone’ cruising with the off-kilter house.
Elsewhere there’s prime examples of Retromigration’s signature sample-laden house with deeper cuts like ‘Mada’ and ‘Bouncer’, sitting side by side with more soulful explorations such as ‘New Cribs’ and ‘ITWT’.
Not one to be pigeonholed, another course of Retromigration’s expansive taste gets served up with four high energy hits. The bouncing footwork flavours of ‘Kush Love’ ft. Passion Deez and ethereal excursion ‘What If’ lead into a captivating nod to the heydays of jungle and DnB on ‘Mild Fever’ and ‘Bad Knees’ respectively.
Straight Foxin’, mad flexin’ – Retromigration has laid down the law with this LP, a debut album done right.
Brandee Younger will release her second album on Impulse! Records, ‘Brand New Life’. Younger is quite often noted for standing on the shoulders of the very women who ushered in the harp as a clear and distinct voice in jazz: Dorothy Ashby. This record is an amalgamation of original pieces from Brandee and select reinterpretations of Ashby’s work. Brandee Younger represents a generation of contemporary improvisational musicians who came of age in an era when hip hop commanded a strong presence in American popular culture and emerged as leaders of a new school. In ‘Brand New Life’, she brings progressive explorations of harmony, rhythm, and melody infused with styles from hip hop, rock and pop music.
Tropical Disco Records open their 2023 vinyl account in triumphant form with Volume 27 of their well loved 12” series. Yet again they have successfully delivered a four track paean to the boundless dance-floor power of jazz infused disco. It’s a sound which the label has very much made their own over the last half decade.
Opening proceedings is Scruscru, an artist whose immense rise to prominence has very much followed the same time-line as Tropical Disco. He is in glowing form here with vinyl opener ‘Phunk U Do’, a slinky hip-shaking 70’s funk-fuelled disco bomb. Expect this one to set dancefloors on fire across the summer with it’s swirling keys, James Brown-esque vocals and ferocious bassline.
Next up are Lance and Disco Strummer who keep the feel-good vibes topped up to full with ‘Hey Amigo’. An ever so cheerful Latin bomb, it packs in happy-go-lucky vocal loops with brass stabs aplenty alongside a shoulder shaking bassline which will keep those floors grooving from dusk till dawn. If you want to unleash uncontrollable joy in your DJ sets, look no further.
Over on the Flip Tropical Disco’s own Sartorial delivers a smokey sexy-as-hell vocal gem in the shape of ‘Fly’. Merging 70’s jazz licks with a powerhouse live bass, sublime sax solos a divine vocal and some serious scatt, this is a track that just exudes cool.
Closing out the EP in style is one of Mexico’s finest disco proponents, Monsieur Van Pratt. On ‘Journey’ he deploys a huge brass section and percussive breakdown to serious hip shakin’ effect. With guitar licks and synth stabs galore he has given this one both a ridiculously tight groove and bags of warmth. It’s a winning combination.
Tropical disco have yet again unleashed another exquisite 12” showcasing their unique sound. You can expect to see this one hitting the heights of the vinyl charts in quick smart fashion.
Grammy Award Nominated 'Solace' LP pressed on 180gram vinyl with a gatefold jacket.
It is through this seamless transcendence of styles that their own sonic realm has unfolded; a landscape painted with the club culture of yesteryear and a poignant yet infectious ability to be ever in the moment.
The Age newspaper called Solace "a triumphant record", writing that "Electronic music is often thought of as harsh and unlistenable, but Solace is delicate and incredibly sophisticated in its production. The lyrics hinge on one central theme of yearning, whether that be for change, company or space."
The roots of Leo Anibaldi's sound. “Pro Pop” (2023) is his first instrumental hip hop album, or an incredible mix of different musical genres, always among his favorite listens, as well as a constant source of inspiration during his 'early life' as an electronic producer. The 'second' starts now. Over the months of the pandemic, the historic Italian artist has literally centrifuged blues, funk, jazz, r 'n' b and, of course, hip hop sounds within eleven brand new songs. The idea behind the project entrusted to Neo Life Records is simple: create music that can be enjoyed by everyone and listened to in company in all circumstances. A choice that also coincides with an 'old school' recording technique with old 60s microphones and tape recorders in order to obtain an apparently 'dated' sound with a melancholy background. “Pro Pop” thus embodies a different style than the noisy glories of a rave past, revealing his desire to get back into the game once more and, above all, to continue experimenting. After branding the history of made in Italy techno, experimenting with acid, breakbeat and house sounds, here is a more intimate Leo Anibaldi and, as always, against the tide.
After the enormous support received in previous releases, we believe that the time has come to give our music a bit of color and this time we have opted for green, the color of our natural habitat ... "La Jungla de Andalucía"
Sekret Chadow surprises us again and shows us the most sentimental side of him with his "I Love You Mommy" We can already imagine what this artist would be thinking about when creating this beautiful musical composition, a true tribute to one of the most important people in our life, without a doubt a track created with a lot of love, loaded with arpeggiated melodies, vocals, basses. and powerful breaks that create perfect harmony. Close your eyes and let yourself be hypnotized by the magic of his music.
Baymont Bross joins our family and we could not start in a better way than presenting this beautiful version of one of his greatest hits throughout his career "Enjoy Yourself" Do you remember those infinite closings at Carpas Yerbabuena? Are you one of those who danced in Mangueta Beach until dawn? Surely you once danced to this track and now we can relive those wonderful moments with this vocal version created on the occasion of the 10th anniversary and extended for this occasion. Welcome to the monkey family.
Adam Vyt brings us his track "Don´t Give Up" a message of strength and encouragement for the times. A track with piano melodies followed by an elegant line of atmospheres and basses, vocals and a powerful base with airs of Uk Garage, a mixture of styles that already define this artist. This track was previously released in digital version by the "Distorsion Records" label, making it one of the best tracks in Beatport's Top100. Never give up...!!!!
Case82 is back with us and this time with another of his most powerful tracks "Pump This Party" and that's how it is ... the party's pump .... !!!
Once again this Dutch artist shows us that his strength is pure Old School, a mixture of powerful bases, vocals, stabs and wonderful melodies with violins and piano to which he is already accustomed. This is "Lost in The Jungle"
Luke's Anger is someone we've wanted to release for a long time. He's an act whose playful production style has been wiggling our ears for nearly 20 years, through releases on Don't, Uglyfunk, Sneaker Social Club, Tigerbeat 6, his own Bonus Round, and many more. Wearing various influences on his sleeve - like Neil Landstrumm, Paul Johnson (RIP), Daniel Bell, DJ Hyperactive, Thomas Bangalter, Subhead, Jerome Hill - the "Rear Wiggle EP" is Luke's ode to bleep techno at its intersection with swinging '90s Chicago. But it's more than that too. Over 5 tracks he encompasses many elements that modern techno needs more of: shuffle, screaming riffs, phat pumping bass, FUNK, hypnotism, the list goes. No matter what your taste, there's likely to be a dancefloor detonator here to make your night a memorable one. Big release from Luke, which we're very excited to put out.
Full Dose is back! Once again exporting their distinctive brand of mutated dub directly from Glasgow's Southside. The label's 13th release is the work of a new name: Brollachan - "a shapeless darkness that craves bodily form".
As the name would suggest, the music itself evokes a certain eeriness. Brollachan fuses this with the metallic textures and airy rhythms commonly heard on Full Dose records. Tracks like "Hall" could well be written by a smoked-out mythical being, with deep subs and spring reverb-laden tones throughout. Quality stuff.
This juxtaposition of influences continues throughout the release. "Graze" has a particular aquatic feel. Sonar-esque synths punch through the haze and sustained synth sounds keeps the track in midwest territory.
Despite the obvious variety on show here, Brollachan of course keeps fans of the Full Dose sound on-side. "Mad Dawg" is a grimey take on this. General MIDI style sounds appear throughout the intro. This is complimented by intricate drum programming and a growling bassline, to give us a track straight from the 22nd century.
13 releases in and the tight-knit crew behind Full Dose continue to promote a sound that is both unique and reliable - Brollachan is no exception!
“Preparing Singularity” is the debut album by Berlin-based EBM act Transhuman Rebirth, currently a one-man side project of renowned German synth-punk artist Ben Bloodygrave.
Already instantly recognizable on the European synth/wave scene and touring circuit with his high octane aggressive minimal synth, Bloodygrave started this new project over the past few years focusing more on classic, first-wave EBM, moulding the nine tracks on “Preparing Singularity” into a sound that’s recognizable to fans of the starting foundations of the genre. While retaining a sound that’s unique and solely its own, elements of minimal wave and synth-punk are fused in these propulsive tracks, with nods to old idols such as Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, Front 242 and Absolute Body Control.
Transhuman Rebirth is subjectually futuristic to dystopian, interspersed with political statements. The lyrics focus on topics that are current and modern, including science, technology, surveillance and artificial intelligence — all delivered through Bloodygrave’s well-known vocal style with a sound that is much rougher and with compositions and sound designs that are more complex than his main Ben Bloodygrave persona.
Jazz music has more than its fair share of overshadowed figures that whilst contributing much to the music have little presence in its collective conscious. One such musician is the talented multi-reedist, Sahib Shihab. Born Edmond Gregory, as he was known before he adopted the Muslim faith in 1946, Sahib Shihab's music background shows a deep and significant evolution, influenced by Thelonious Monk, Dizzie Gillespie (his experience in Dizzie's band marked Sahib's switch to Baritone, the instrument he became most readily associated with), and above all by Charlie Parker's Bop. Had it not been for the post-war migration of many top American jazz musicians to Europe, it is quite likely that the legendary Clarke-Boland Big Band might never come into existence. Sahib, one of this musicians disillusioned with the politics and racism of the United States, accepted to join the band of Quincy Jones for an European tour in 1959. When the tour ended, Shihab he remained in Europe where he joined, in 1961, the Clarke-Boland Big Band. The collection 'Companionship', whose line up consists of seven elements which derives from this original band, spotlights the consummate musicianship and individuality of Sahib Shihab and is testimony to his special musical gifts - not only as a top-rank flautist and baritone saxophone but also as a composer. Furthermore, it provides a welcome reminder of the high quality of the Clarke-Boland Big Band's rhythm section, the lively style of vibraphonist Fats Sadi and the power and personality of two of the C-BBB's horn-playing stalwarts, Benny Bailey and Ake Persson. Here's a real rarity, surely a desert island disc. This double album has it all from frantic banging percussive workouts to modal numbers to beautiful ballads. It's a staggeringly good piece of music and worth every penny of the price tag it commands. Let's have a look to the most significant pieces. Francy Boland's "Om Mani Padme Hum", taken from a Tibetan prayer, shows Shihab in exuberant mood, playing against a vigorous percussion background and making dramatic use of his special technique of combining voice and flute. Boland contributes an incisive, effervescent solo. "Bohemia After Dark", a classic original by bassist Oscar Pettiford which he first recorded back in August 1955, finds Shihab in exultant form on baritone. "Companionship" has a Bossa Nova beat and features Bailey on flugelhorn and Shihab on flute, playing with a limpid, floating sound. Bailey's minor-key original, "Stoned Ghosts" was, he says, inspired by listening to some music written by Bela Bartok before he emigrated to the United States. The piece has an infectious back-beat pulse and showcases the superb walking technique of Jimmy Woode. In "Con Alma" Shihab's mellow flute set against a churning 12/8 beat in this stylish Boland arrangement. Woode's performance of the superb Mei Torme ballad, "Born To Be Blue", reveals his great affection for the song. "lt is the perfect combination," he says, "a beautiful melody married to a great lyric. I really love that tune." It is a song of rueful resignation, putting a brave face on the blues. "Balafon" is an up-tempo Francy Boland original written for the French mime artist, Marcel Marceau. The rhythm section really cooks on this track with Kenny Clarke's cymbal work outstanding. Boland's solo here is notable for its neat, left hand punctuations. "Calypso Blues" has been written by Nat King Cole and Don George. lt tells the wry and wistful tale of a Trinidadian in New York desperately homesick for the land where everything 5 so much cheaper (in New York "a dollar buy, a cup of coffee and a ham on rye") and the girls more natural than the artificial, painted beauties of New York. Woode's composition, "Sconsolato" is a haunting theme in A minor and it brings to a close a truly fascinating album. This is dynamic music played with vigour, verve and vitality - and it is an enormous pleasure to rediscover it. A shadowy fugitive from his home in the land of jazz, Sahib Shihab remains a true unsung figure, worthy of more attention. With his equally expert technique on Baritone, Flute, Alto and Soprano saxophones and his capacity to adapt easily to a variety of musical settings. His warm, individual, singsong sound in improvisation and his unusual and interesting compositions mark him out as a hidden treasure in the dusty corners of jazz archive.
After the successful 7-inch release of Agip, Roman producer and composer Azzurro 80 is back on Four Flies with another triple-single that continues his love affair with dreamy synth-pop and Italian Eighties culture and society.
"Notte Inchiesta", on side A, could be the title music to an imaginary '80s investigative/true-crime program broadcast on late-night television. Clearly reminiscent in mood and texture of the soundtracks of late-70s/early-80s Italian detective-action films, it brings back the jazz-funk, post-prog and fusion overtones that characterized the music of those films. In short: a contemporary-retro sound nestled somewhere between Goblin's funk-oriented recordings, Azymuth's "Jazz Carnival", and electronic disco with a sprinkle of new wave.
Side B opens with "Equilibrio", which could serve as additional, more dynamic music for the same TV program mentioned above. The style is once againelectronic jazz-funk, but here we have abreak built upon a trail of notes chasing each other.
In contrast, "Sambuca", the single's closer, is deliberately nostalgic and melancholy. Perfectly suitable for visual narratives of an Italy that no longer exists, it sounds like one of those great Italian soundtrack themes that are able to convey tension and calm at the same time. The track is titled after the anise-flavoured liqueur that Italians often drink after their espresso, because "making references in my music to things that are part of our national popular culture is really important to me", as the artist has explained.
Dishwasher_ are the latest disciples of yet another new wave of talent in the fertile Belgian groove and jazz scene. It would, however, be a shame to limit them to the constraints of any given musical style. Ever since their formation in 2019, the Ghent-based trio have been experimenting with all possible genres to create a contemporary sound they can now rightfully call their own. With their self-titled debut album, to be released in April 2023 via Sdban Ultra, they are closing off an impressive first chapter, delivering a unique and diverse yet coherent collection of groove-driven cuts.
While labeling Diswasher_ as a jazz band wouldn’t do them enough justice, it is a fact that improvisation and a certain free approach turn out to be key in the creation and performance process of the album’s tracks. Werend, Louise and Arno specifically aim to capture their live energy and synergy on the album by experimenting with structures and textures, playing with song lengths and implementing influences from various other styles — electronic music in the first place, but as well traces from (Middle-)Eastern and Balkan music, next to dance, hip-hop and even metal.
As a result, the record tends to be a pure and honest representation of Diswasher_’s musical identity and artistic quest over the past years — both as individual musicians and as a band. Saxophones drenched in effects, diverse layers of synthesizers, a bass guitar hopping from fingerpicking licks to deep and drone-like bass tones, drums can sometimes sound like drum computers, and sometimes as subtle rhythmic chords: it’s pretty clear how deep this trio have dived to search and find something totally fresh and new.
Members of the band are Arno Grootaers, Werend Van Den Bossche and Louise van den Heuvel. Their debut album is coming out on Sdban Ultra, the innovative label of Black Flower, ECHT! and Compro Oro (among others). In 2023 they will fully focus on new talent, by signing Dishwasher_, but also KAU (formerly KAU trio) and Schroothoop. Apart from that, you can expect debut albums or EPs by LũpḁGangGang, Bandler Ching, KVR trio and Adja coming out this year. Stay tuned.
To many crowds the world over PBR Streetgang are known and loved for their talents behind the turntables, selecting at most major festivals and clubs of note but to others they are producers and remixers whose eclectic taste and evolving style has seen them enjoy longevity and critical acclaim. This album is a rare selection of originals and remixes that shows the breadth of their work.
Featuring early original hits that propelled them into the limelight, like ‘Downstroke’ and ‘J2Thab’, and more recently their stand out disco tinged nugget from their debut album ‘Late Night Party Line’.
Previously un-pressed remixes like the cult classic rework of Romathony’s – 'Bring You Up' and the slow chuggy sleaze of Bryan Ferry – One Night Stand and the teary eyed euphoria of their remix Hot Chip’s - 'Melody Of Love'.
This compilation represents an honest retrospective of the production and remix talents of PBR - always keeping true to their sound and themselves.
Limited Vinyl Press.
DJ Support from a very broad base.. from Paul Woolford and Bicep to Jennifer Cardini and Daniel Baldelli.
Angelo is an LP, named after a car, featuring nine songs Brijean have crafted and carried with them through a period of profound change, loss, and relocation. It finds percussionist/singer Brijean Murphy and multi-instrumentalist/producer Doug Stuart processing the impossible the only way they know how: through rhythm and movement. The months surrounding the acclaimed release of Feelings, their full-length Ghostly International debut in 2021 which celebrated tender self-reflection and new possibilities, rang bittersweet with the absence of touring and the sudden passing of Murphy’s father and both of Stuart’s parents. In a haze of heartache, the duo left the
Bay Area to be near family, resetting in four cities in under two years. Their to-go rig became their traveling studio and these tracks, along with Angelo, became their few constants. Whereas Feelings formed over collaborative jams with friends, Angelo’s sessions presented Murphy and Stuart a chance to record at their most intimate, “to get us out of our grief and into our bodies,” says Murphy. They explored new moods and styles, reaching for effervescent dance tempos and technicolor backdrops, vibrant hues in contrast to their more somber human experiences. Angelo beams with positivity and creative renewal — a resourceful, collective answer to “what happens now?”
Angelo the car is a 1981 Toyota Celica they got off Craigslist during their first stint in Los Angeles, where Murphy and Stuart have since settled. “Such a bro-y, ‘80s dude car, it’s been super fun to drive around in a new town,” Murphy says. “He’s older than us, he’s a classic, he’s got a story.” It is a spiritual vehicle with a cinematic appeal, first dropping them off in an alleyway for the scene-setting intro, “Which Way To The Club.” The question is quickly resolved by “Take A Trip” as a cruising bassline mingles with crowd sounds, hand-claps, cuíca hiccups, whip-cracks, even a horse neigh. Brijean have found some club on this cross-dimensional trip — the kind of
imagined space or chamber within one’s self capable of “shifting a fraction of who you are,” says Murphy. They wrote the track with the simple intention to be “as free as we could be,” adds Stuart, likening the flip on the B section to a realm unlocked: ”What if the world changed completely? You open the door to a new room.”
Next is “Shy Guy,” a motivational anthem for the wallflowers among us. Murphy sets up the daydream: “We are in junior high, we’re on the dance floor, what’s going down, who is dancing, who is not, how are we gonna make them dance?” The narrator, the MC, hypes up the room as conga-driven rhythms bounce between languid synth and guitar lines. “Show me how to move...I feel something...I know you feel it too,” Murphy sings sweetly, calling back to the opening lines of Feelings, and this time the audience chants it back. It is easy to picture Brijean performing this one — something they only got to do a handful of times until more recently, opening shows for Khruangbin and Washed Out, an experience they found informative. Murphy explains, “It was inspiring to be out there and let loose more. To see how people can expand their expression on stage gave me more liberty with how I viewed my musicianship. My role for so long was to be a backup percussionist, so why would I ever leave the drums, you know? But then after playing all these runs, you see these artists and realize you can, you have permission.”
“Angelo” and “Ooo La La” deliver the danciest stretch in Brijean’s catalog to date. The title track adopts a deep house pulse replete with strings, hi-hats, and kicks. The latter opts for a funkier groove that foregoes verses in favor of warbled hums and extended breakdowns. What follows is perhaps the duo’s dreamiest run, a comedown initiated with the honey-hued interlude “Colors” drifting into “Where Do We Go?”, a tropicália reverie where Murphy contemplates the passage of time and space.
It all culminates in “Caldwell’s Way,” a fond farewell to their Bay Area community — “a part of my life that I knew couldn’t come back,” says Murphy. Above shimmering organ sounds, lush strings, and the birdcall of their former neighborhood, she wistfully articulates the uncertainty of moving on by remembering the characters dear to them. There’s the wisdom of their neighbor, Santos, who refused payment when helping them move out: “I’d rather have 100 friends than 100 dollars.” And the song’s namesake, Benjamin Caldwell Brown, a friend and club night cohort for many years. “I’m only miles away, maybe I’m just feeling lonely,” the line resigns to warm nostalgia, and “Nostalgia” runs the closing credits to this healing and transportive collection.
Sidney Charles welcomes M-High to his leading Heavy House Society imprint and the Dutchman drops a classy four track EP of exceptional high quality laden with groove style and panache.
M-High is known to many within the Minimal and Deep scene through his releases on prominent labels such as Locus, META, Rutilance, Politics of Dancing PIV and more. These releases have been supported by a who’s who including Archie Hamilton, Chris Stussy, Phil Weeks, Jamie Jones, Sam Divine and many others. This support coupled with always fire releases and his highly impressive record selection in his sets has seen him being booked at in demand venues and festivals including Fabric London, BPM Costa Rica, Mint Warehouse Leeds, Thuishaven Amsterdam, Defected Croatia and more, and now Sidney Charles welcomes him to his Heavy House Society imprint and once again the young talented Dutchman does not disappoint.
His ‘Up The Attic EP’ is a luxurious blend of house ranging from the more jackin’ warehouse style of ‘Jackstion’, to the sensuous bassline roller ‘Let J Say’. He then takes you on a powerful deeper journey with ‘That Reminds Me’ and he rounds off the EP with the lofty and effervescent title track ‘Up The Attic’, making this an essential must have for those who like their music, intelligent, understated yet highly danceable and chic.
On April 7th electronic luminary Nathan Fake presents the new longplayer ‘Crystal Vision’ on his own Cambria Instruments imprint, which features collaborations with Clark and Wizard Apprentice.
This is music for music’s sake – recorded without angles, agendas and themes – so Fake was free to simply continue honing his craft and express himself non-literally. Aptly titled, there’s a clarity of execution and ambition, and a peak effectiveness to the record that just sounds right.
Continuing to set a personal bar higher and topping his own best, the mark of master craftsperson is everywhere, but that doesn’t mean it’s polished; There’s plenty of rawness evident, with spiky sonics keeping ears on high alert – full of endorphin-flooded rave energy.
Following a short, scene-setting ‘Arrival’ – a simple major chord arpeggio played on a Jupiter 6 which sounds like curtains opening at dawn, things begin apace with ‘The Grass’, which hurtles like a precision-tuned bullet train through Arctic tundra. The undulating effect of compression is emphasised by the classic techno trope where 2 rhythms jar yet interlock, creating an exquisitely disorientating strobe-like flutter. On the track’s guest, Fake comments, “I fell in love with Wizard Apprentice's ‘I Am Invisible’ and felt our musical styles were similar. Their vocals are smooth and clear and sharp at the same time. They’re like a calm within the storm.”
Inspired by Italo disco but sounding wholly alien and futuristic, ‘Vimana’’s fizzing buzzsaw arpeggiated bassline, popping snares and bright whirling melody are equally an electro trance melange, with an effervescent major chord Arp that kicks in midway.
Reminiscent of what used to be called ‘funky techno’ but with sparklier sounds, ‘Boss Core’ blinds like sunshine bouncing off ice. Using his trusty Boss DR550 drum machine, and inspired by Autechre's ‘Vose In’, the track peaks by reaching that melancholic/euphoric axis for which he is loved.
With chugging slow breakbeats not a million miles from Board Of Canada or trip hop, ‘Crystal Vision’ rolls along, with the melody opening up, revealing more hidden notes as it progresses, building into a fractal, kaleidoscopic mosaic.
An emotional outpouring with serotonin surging through the circuitry, classic breakbeats and layers of lazers, ‘Bibled’ has all the hallmarks of a classic. This is a bonafide festival-set closing, hugging-your-mates, moment – or, with its guitar solo, “a power ballad” – as Nathan calls it.
A minimalistic moment of calm midway through the album, ‘CMD’’s gently comforting dreamscape is conjured with FM stacked and detuned sine waves which are left to breathe, whilst the chunky Chicagoan house jack of ‘Hawk’ brings to mind classic Relief records, but even more detuned and wibbly, and laden with synths.
As the title suggests, ‘Amen 96’ is in Fake’s own words, “me having a go at jungle. I grew up listening to it, and I remember as a teenager it sounded like the most intense and otherworldly music ever. It still does. This track is an experiment to see how my melodic style works against amen breaks”. Closer to the braindance end of the spectrum than ‘proper’ jungle (and all the more interesting for it), Fake channels the spirit of Squarepusher but makes it his own, brimming with melodious twinkle.
A collaboration with Nathan’s close friend and genuine musical hero Clark. ‘Outsider’ finds this dream team alchemising pure gold that’s bigger than the sum of their parts. Skittering, intense, far-reaching end epic, the pair close proceedings on a grandly dramatic note. In 2020 Nathan released the album ‘Blizzards’, which was described by The Quietus as “his best work”, and “his best LP yet” yet by Resident Advisor. The equally well received ‘Blizzards Remixes’ EP which featured Afrodeutsche and Irene Dresel followed in 2021, as did a nationwide UK tour.
An in-demand remixer, Fake has added his magic to tracks by Radiohead, Clark, Perc, Jon Hopkins, GoGo Penguin, Dominik Eulberg, Christian Löffler and Damian Lazarus, working for labels including Ninja Tune, Domino, Warp, Blue Note and Kompakt.
Inner Zone’s latest project marks the launch of their brand new eponymous label - the first EP in what’s set to be a run of self-released work. Kicking things off in style, Neurolink arrives with supercharged energy thanks to sizzling breaks, wonky rave chords and blissed-out vocal samples. Next up, My Mind is a winding journey through signal-firing, synapse-stimulating percussion - this time the breaks are faster, more vortex-like. Fragmented vocals and a nostalgia-tinged melody combine to create the gloomy euphoria of the third track, Dark Night. The Final track, Crystal Cut, is spell-casting - a heady potion of ethereal chimes, paired with a delicate melody, guides us into a state of hypnosis. Inner Zone’s latest release offers a contemporary re-imagining of the much-loved sound of breaksy, rave-hued, 90s dance floors.
In the early 1990s, a handful of black metal artists were enticed by the possibility of conjuring new fantastical worlds from the deep isolation of their home setups. Rather than the dense metal sound of their existing projects, this new direction would be centred around intimate synth soundscapes: forlorn organs and otherworldly MIDI theatrics.
The music on ASCEND is predominantly from self-produced, self-distributed releases, typically manufactured in small numbers. Though some artists producing this style of music, most notably Mortiis and Burzum, gained wider recognition outside underground circles, it is only in recent years that the sound and its influence has really been appreciated. This is particularly the case with the late Matthew Davis and his recently reappraised Secret Stairways project, whose song ‘Lammas Tide’ (from the 1997 Enchantment of the Ring album) appears on ASCEND. A simple home recording on a Yamaha KX-W392 manages to be both elegant and tortured, ambiguously devotional and recalling latter years Popol Vuh.
This battle between dark and light is a constant thread through ASCEND, with simple minimal synth lines that can be both delicate and menacing. Compilation opener ‘The Dark Dreamquest’ from Italian black metal group Evol is loaded with occult warning, and Finnish act Kadotus 609’s ‘The Summoning Through Crimson’ is languid, twisted and dark. In spite of the darkness, several pieces of the music on ASCEND have formal similarities with the sometimes saccharine new age music that rose to prominence in that era: but to a rougher, darker ends. The closing song from Darkthrone icon (and past NTS radio host) Fenriz, under his Neptune Towers pseudonym, pulls us further out, with ‘To Cold Void Desolation’ — an astral synth project, akin to ’70s kosmische muzik masters Harmonia.
The gentler side can often amplify an uncannily sinister edge, heard in German act Dolch’s ‘Tumulus’, where orc marching horns contrast against delicate rompler harps and softly whispered chanting. It hammers home a deep loneliness and detachment constant throughout ASCEND, made possible by these unusual contrasts, both unsettling and otherworldly.
E-control and Electrodefender , two mates and fans of the old arcade classics gamemachines decided to produce a vinyl split ep together.
For this, e-control provided two of his unreleased electro tracks from 2001 and electrodefender 3 of his recent tracks that he arranged and recorded in the years 2021-2022.
The EP is strictly limited to 150 copies in black vinyl and has a playing time of 30 minutes. Rootsy oldschoolelectro in the style of the early 80s into the early 90s.
The A side of the label is numbered with a stamp and there are two stickers of the two music makers on the cover.
Two little ducks, it's 22! You asked so we have delivered, with this mind and groin boggling 12''. Kicking things off with some monsterous uptempo garage courtesy of Grant Nelson’s Remix of Dave & Omar 'Starlight'. Next up is a forthcoming DJ Fudge production ‘Everything' by Chocolate Fudge Band, featuring lots of live instrumentation and a Curtis Mayfield style vocal.
Flip it over for Dave’s super soulful 4/4 workout of 'Look at the Stars' featuring Maurissa Rose and the brand new Opolopo - 'Looking For You', a deep and bouncy cut filled with soulful Motown vocal chops and an Organ workout worthy of any Sunday service. Take your trousers off, lie back and enjoy.
»Love As Projection« is the new album by Frankie Rose, her fifth studio LP and second for Night School following the reissue of her interpretation of The Cure’s »Seventeen Seconds«. Frankie Rose has forged an enviable musical legacy, from playing with bands like Crystal Stilts and The Vivian Girls but on »Love As Projection« she takes a bold step into electronic pop production. A sumptuous recorded statement, it dances in ecstasy and broods on the tumult of the western world’s decay in equal proportion. At the heart of the album is glowing, confident songwriting, resplendent in hooks and choruses but still touched with an optimism undimmed.
After spending nearly two decades establishing herself across New York and Los Angeles independent music circles, Rose re-emerges after six years with a fresh form, aesthetic, and ethos. Celebrated over the years for her expansive approach to songwriting, lush atmospherics, and transcendent vocal melodies and harmonies, »Love As Projection« is a reintroduction of her established style through the lens of contemporary electronic pop. Recorded with producer Brandt Gassman and mixed with long-term collaborator Jorge Elbrecht this is the album Frankie Rose has been building up to her entire career.
More than a rebirth, a refinement, a resurgence, »Love As Projection« boasts a widescreen scope: a long- form project heavily considered for half of a decade, culminating in the most personal and accessible collection of art-pop that Frankie has ever written. When Rose aims for the pop jugular as in first lead track »Anything«, the result is unstoppable. A majestic pop song built for radio, it erupts into an irresistible chorus that marries classic epic 80s American pop with the cult effervescence of Strawberry Switchblade »It’s like a prom scene in a John Hughes movie. It’s a hopeful song about abandoning fear even if the world is quite literally on fire.. In the end, at least we have each other,« says Rose. »Sixteen Ways« further boasts a propulsive, massive chorus, though tempered by a cynicism built in global post-truth, global malaise. »It’s about getting your hopes up, but simultaneously making lists in your head about how it will never work out in your favour.«
The big anthems don’t let up there. On »DOA« some massive, rolling drums lathered in big mid-80s gated reverb dovetail with a syncopated baseline for the ages as Rose’s vocal sails effortlessly above. The effect isn’t unlike ethereal vocalists Clannad circa Howard’s Way or Enya jamming with Simple Minds in their stadium-conquering heyday. Rose tempers the adrenalin with heart-tugging bittersweet tones and there are plenty of them. »Sleeping Night And Day« takes its time with an off-the-cuff chorus, swirling around in harmony and chorus-bass. »Saltwater Girl« picks up the balladeering baton with another nod to album track-mode Switchblade, deep space opening up in the mid-tempo drum track and soupy, digital atmospherics. Album closer »Song For A Horse«, reimagines modern Pop production a-la-PC Music but shorn of the meta-atmosphere. Pianos, swelling synths, minor keys cut through with major. These moments, also seen in Feel Light offer ballast to the soaring pop choruses. Moments like these are big oceans of emotion to fall into before being led out by Rose into a bright new day.
»Love As Projection« is released in the USA by Slumberland.
"I Hate Models makes his debut on Monnom Black bringing his trademark sound and style, anthemic ebm, acid, rave, techno killers. Absolutely Essential!"
Spirits From An Urban Jungle – A group consisting of JMJ & Richie (Moving Shadow/Good Looking) and Tekniq (Moving Shadow/Formation) who released two EPs on Whitehouse Records in 1994 and a recent, quickly sold out, EP on Vinyl Fanatiks sister label – Amen brother.
Their first release on Whitehouse was repressed by Vinyl Fanatiks in 2020 on red vinyl and sold out. This is a limited run on blue vinyl and is some deeper, Bukem styled tracks that pre-dated the ‘intelligent’ drum & bass sound that went stratospheric the following year.
Ramos is an artist who needs little introduction. With numerous classics such as The Journey, and Sunshine, under his belt, he is legendary already, and it is a great honour to have him debut his latest EP on Kniteforce. Clean and classic in style, piano led warmth and inventive use of sampling and arrangements, this EP is gorgeous and guaranteed to fill any dance floor!
The Cult brings on board a legend. From DMC scratch champion in the late eighties to the missing link between Detroit and Amsterdam in the nineties. Dutch producer Orlando Voorn needs little introduction and with seminal hits like his dancefloor destroying KMS smash ‘Fix’ under his belt, it is no surprise that the ever-innovative producer is as in demand today as he ever was. Having worked alongside techno originators such as Juan Atkins and honed his production skills under an incredible number of monikers over the years, we bring the multi-talented producer into the Cult. Here he produces an EP of techno brimming with the musicality and inventiveness that is regularly stamped all over his productions.
Opener ‘Between the Surface’ rolls along effortlessly with its Detroit house leanings, loose jazz drums and buoyant walking bass line driving the groove onwards. Hitting hard, ‘Dazed’ is up next with its jackin’ DX style bass and deep evolving arpeggios, that hark back to the glory days of early house music. Finally, ‘Immortal’ ventures into deeper territory for a twisted journey of discordant synths, electro bleeps and haunting synth melodies. His debut on Rhythm Cult is rich with ideas and showcases the creativity that has made Voorn a force to be reckoned for nearly three decades in the game. Joining the dots between Amsterdam and Detroit this new EP brings fresh inspiration with every listen.
In the mid-70s, Bob Shad’s cult New York Jazz label Mainstream Records turned to the burgeoning underground Disco scene and released a handful of great singles produced by the likes of Tommy Stewart, Jimmy Roach or Bert DeCoteaux. Featuring artists from the early Disco hotbed including South Side Coalition, Chocolate Syrup and Three Ounces of Love, these singles, proving Shad's great flair, accompanied the rise of the New York club and block party culture that was going to revolutionise the musical landscape a few years later. Most of the singles are officially reissued here on vinyl for the first time, with Three Ounces of Love's "Disco Man" full mix previously unissued on vinyl. Remastered by Colorsound Studio in Paris, with liner notes by Charles Waring and artwork by Thomas C. Bradley
Funk and Soul in the early 70s were mutating to a new sound spearheaded by such labels as Philadelphia International Records (PIR), Scepter and Salsoul: Early Disco was taking off and Its sound was earthier and more urban, mixing the nascent Disco beat with strong funk and soul elements. New York was at the epicentre of the phenomenon, thanks to its thriving club scene and also to a new wave of DJs from the Bronx who started playing the music at block parties along with James Brown and Mandrill. bubbling under was a cohort of small independent labels that released some great music on 7" singles to meet the growing demand. Industry veteran Bob Shad and his label Mainstream Records started investigating this new scene and asked his circle of independent producers to bring him their latest production for release. For the occasion, he set up two sub labels, IX Chains and Brown Dog.
Among the producers who'd heard Shad's call were Tommy Stewart who came up with The South Side Coalition's funky '(Don't You Wanna) Get Down Get Down' in 1975 and Prophecy's 'What Ever's Your Sign' a year later. Seasoned arranger/producer Bert DeCoteaux (Patti Austin, Maxine Brown, The Main Ingredient) brought Lenny Welch's soulful 'A Hundred Pounds of Pain' and the superb mid-tempo instrumental 'Nothing Between Us' by The Electric Ladies. Arranger Jimmy Roach came with his latest single with The Dramatics ('No Rebate on Love') whom he'd worked with at Volt and with Three Ounces of Love on their aptly titled single 'Disco Man,' whose unissued long version merging Side 1 and 2 is released here on vinyl for the first time. The sister group would go on to sign with Motown in 1978 and release their sole album self-titled 'Three Ounces of Love.'
Other highlights on 'Mainstream Disco Funk' include The Grand Jury's 'Music is Fun To Me' with its languid funky rhythm arranged by Ted Bodnar, a producer and studio engineer who'd work with Sir Joe Quarterman, Blair and Al Johnson. Also featured on the set is Crystal Image's superb 'Gonna Have a Good Time (part 1 & 2) which typifies the blend of urban funk, glitzy strings and metronomic beat that were signature elements of early Disco.
The style would keep getting more commercial over the years and reach overkill in the late 70s but the block party scene which more than embraced this breakbeat-filled genre would soon morph into hip hop in the second half of the 70s with the help of a few key industry figures such as Sylvia Robinson (Sugar Hill Records). By that time, Bob Shad had ceased releasing records and relocated in Los Angeles but he left behind a small treasure trove of superb obscure singles which are now making their LP debut on 'Mainstream Disco Funk' for the delight of all funk and disco lovers.
DJ Girl is a DJ and producer who was raised in Detroit, but since the pandemic has been based in Austin, Texas. She's the co-founder of the up and coming Eat Dis Records and her recent releases have been generating excitement in all the right places.
In some ways, 'Hellworld' feels like a direct relation to a lot of early 2000s Planet Mu releases. It could sit neatly alongside Hellfish or Neil Landstrumm, with a similar anything-goes, gleeful attitude, but instead DJ Girl mashes together a driving sound that is founded upon Detroit techno and electro, Chicago juke and Miami bass, with an old school/new school production style that's finessed with distortion and sparse IDM production.
It's a midwest USA style that takes a leaf from DJs and producers such as the wild-style hard techno of Lenny Dee, the tough midwest acid of Woody McBride and the system wrecking electro of Dynamix II, with a joyful, take-no-prisoners bounce.
'Hellworld' kicks off with the industrial juke of 'Get Down', followed by the powerful electro of 'Opp Pack Hittin' (the first of two tracks to feature MC Malik McFly).
'Technician' is a chirpy old school electro track that gets crazier as it progresses, while 'Lucky' mashes together samples and rough beats like an electro version of breakcore.
'Gallery' again features Malick McFly and switches between footwork beats, pumping techno and electro.
'So Hot' is hard 8-bar electro while 'When U Touch Me featuring Irish producer Lighght feels like a very manic take on hyperpop.
The album ends with the tough, spiralling acid of 'Groover' which wouldn't be out of place on a late nineties Jeff Mills mix. The fun is infectious on this one.
There’s more than a hint of ambition on the double LP sophomore effort from Sam Austin Rabede, the producer known as DJ Black Low. Pretoria, South Africa-born and based, the young man makes amapiano with new ways of expressing this local turned-global style of dance music.
In DJ Black Low’s musical imagination, the songs manage to smoothly vacillate between dreamy and firmly-grounded. Adorned with vocalists across most of the twelve tracks, there’s a new dimension to Black Low’s now-signature approach to abstract, angular deconstruction of the rhythmic developments in his songs.
The album references influences and ambitions in its song titles and lyrics while the music itself is anthemic in its sonic and structural aspirations. On many of the songs a slow-burning tension transforms into something unexpected until you’re somewhere else as the track concludes. There is an emotional and compositional maturity that builds on his earlier work. Vocals and lyrics are in focus.
Production collaborators among Black Low’s Gauteng Province circle add to the constantly churning array of ideas that populate this consistently surprising release. Despite being a relative newcomer, DJ Black Low is onto something here.
Time to welcome Session Victim back to Delusions Of Grandeur following some heavyweight releases on Toytonics and Rhythm Section International. The German duo show absolutely no signs of slowing down continuing to impress with their unique sound which combines organic live elements, fat, floor-filling beats and a deep, musical approach. Here on The Intangibles EP we’re treated to three original tracks spanning high energy jazz disco meets techno, soulful uplifting house and downtempo blunted beats.
Opener Motivation features spoken word from Ras Stimulant backed by urgent looping Rhodes stabs and an uptempo disco groove. An instant Session Victim dance-floor shaker if ever there was one, the energy cranked up to the maximum without losing sight of that all important groove.
Next up we have Dromedary Twist which keeps up the pace but goes deeper on the jazzy organ chords and lays down a heavy syncopated bass- line which ensures the funk factor remains present and correct.
Rounding out the EP in fine style, Green Run drops the BPM’s as we head into lazy, hazy, blissed-out jazzed-up beats territory. Lush strings and layers of analogue synths come together on this simple yet enchanting little tune which compliments the other tracks perfectly and will appeal to fans of SV’s more home-listening output from their 2020 LP Needledrop.
It's always a huge pleasure to have him back. Lewis Fautzi's astronomic ascension is well known and we are delighted that he decided to 'play home' one more time.
Although the years are passing by, Lewis is faithful to his principles. His personal style is almost a trademark and impossible not to recognize. Techno scene has evolved and he has evolved with it but always in a straight line, adapting himself perfectly to the new tendencies and keeping his touch and his vision.
This new ep is full of trippy pads and powerful bass lines. Mesmerizeng techno as its finest and with a small cherry on top of the cake: a remix by Rødhåd. His first time with us and there is no greater feeling, specially knowing the huge artist he is. Established nowadays as a techno force, the german producer combines the hypnotic with different theatrical approaches and came a long way demonstranting the uncontainable nature of his brand of shadowy dance creations, as someone once described his work. We couldn't be happier with the result.
In summary, the first ep by Lewis Fautzi on his own imprint with a remix by Rødhåd.
Lewis, welcome back home!! And thank you for bringing such an illustrious guest.
Next up on Toolroom’s 4-track vinyl sampler series is a tasty collab from label founder, Mark Knight and dance music royalty, Armand van Helden, a fresh new edit of a revered club weapon from Julio Navas, Gustavo Bravetti and David Amo, Kiss FM regular, majestic and Sydney-native Alex Preston.
Up first label boss, Mark Knight enlists Grammy nominated Armand van Helden for their debut collaboration, 'The Music Began To Play'. Kicking off with a hard-hitting house groove and electrified bassline that drives the record, before dropping into the track's golden moment and sampling the 1979 classic disco cut 'I Don't Need No Music' by T.J.M; a gem of a record that encapsulates both Mark and Armand’s love for classic cuts.
Next up, a record that became a cult hit of the underground and one that defines the true sound of Toolroom's heritage, Julio Navas, Gustavo Bravetti and David Amo’s 'Raw'. Refreshed for 2022, we see one of France's hottest exports, Tony Romera, deliver a high energy, club focused remix of 'Raw', bringing the classic club record back to dancefloors and sound systems across the globe!
Up next is another heater from Majestic, who debuts on Toolroom with ‘Annie’. Recapping one of the hottest summers on record, Majestic embodies the Balearic, Ibizan heat, sampling Kid Creole & the Coconuts 1982 hit, 'Annie I’m Not Your Daddy', turning a slice of calypso / disco, into a club ready record for the dancefloor. From the brass melody to the hooky guitar riff, majestic lays down his signature style with a Groove Armada-esque vibe throughout.
Rounding things off is label favourite, Alex Preston with his unique blend of 4 to the floor dance music and live funk guitar riffs that have swept through clubs, moving feet, and bringing those feel-good vibes. Ticking all the right boxes on this one, 'Hunching' kicks off with its infectious groove and bassline, throwing in some lush strings, guitar flits and an 80's inspired saxophone break that adds some serious flavour to the record.
Gayance joins forces with Rhythm Section for her debut album ‘Mascarade’ - a swaying dance that moves between poetic, soulful odes to the past, accounts of the Afro-diasporic feminine experience and playfully energetic dance floor grooves.
Mascarade is a collection of dancey, broken rhythms, interwoven with heartfelt stories and bright, unapologetic outpours of joy. In her own words, “It's the story of my 20's. I wanted to pay homage to this kid everybody knew, but not deeply. It's about taking back a power that is mine and was always in my hands...It's about making peace with the past and moving forward”.
Gayance (real name Aïsha Vertus) takes her alias from the Haitian creole word for joyfulness.Based in Amsterdam, born and raised in Montreal-Nord, she started as a DJ in 2013, and has toured the world with shows in Paris, Brooklyn, Marrakech, Berlin, Sao Paulo and more, bringing electrifying and contagious energy wherever she goes.
Her own production is influenced by underground UKG and the respective house scenes of Detroit and New York, with nods to the vivid, sun-soaked colours of Latin America. Shades of blues, jazz and gospel can also be heard in her newest project, pulling together styles from each corner of the world. Following her catalog of entirely self-released projects, Gayance announces her full-length debut album on Rhythm Section, bringing some fellow Montrealers along for the ride.
The first release of 2023 on SHERELLE and NAINA’s Hooversound imprint comes from London based DJ, producer and AV artist, Drumskull.
Drumskull is the moniker of Joel Harrison, started during lockdown in 2020. His debut album, ‘Interlocked’ garnered support from the likes of Addison Groove, Ahadadream, Doc Scott as well as receiving radio support from Tom Ravenscroft on BBC Radio 6 and Avalon Emerson on her BBC Radio 1 Residency.
In joining the Hooversound family, he again showcases his style of meshing jungle, footwork with deep house and breaks across two tracks. 'Muscle Memory’ also features two huge remixes from Nottingham’s Lone and LMajor - both making debuts on the label.
The EP wraps up a busy year for Hooversound who also put out releases by RAVETRX, Prayer, Thugwidow and Bruised Skies as well as remixes from Response and Denham Audio. Since launching in 2020, Hooversound has become a go to label that pushes the bass continuum, being championed globally by Resident Advisor, Crack Magazine, FACT, Groove, Mixmag and more.
Though shifting styles the four track EP ‘Intelligent Jump Rope Music’ presents Sarayu in his element, the record is craft of high quality and club ready dance music from start to finish. On the A side, Sarayu opens the EP with the ‘The Bag’, a myriad of infused warm synths and driving hats placing the listener solidly on the club floor. ‘E30 Track’ (A2) then follows with a much moodier bass filled aura, fluidly moving the listeners onwards with a set of sizzling synths and well crafted drums. On the B side the Album title ‘Intelligent Jump Rope Music’ drops the tempo to 120 bpm with acid tinged synths and dynamic snares. B2 then brings in Locked Groove, driving the tempo back to 136 bpm with an ecstatic club finish, intertwining floating sets of emotional synths and grooving hits together to tremendous result.
COLLECTION OF SIGH'S EARLY DEMOS, EP & RARITIES ON VINYL -
INCLUDES AN INTERVIEW & LINER NOTES COURTESY OF MAINMAN
MIRAI KAWASHIMA ON THE FORMATIVE YEARS OF THE JAPANESE
LEGENDS.
Cult Japanese black metal legends Sigh formed in 1989/90, featuring
mainman Mirai Kawashima, Satoshi Fujinami & Kazuki Ozeki
Following initial demos, Shinichi Ishikawa was brought into the band. It was following this shift that the band set about recording the masterpiece debut 'Scorn Defeat' for Euronymous' Deathlike Silence Productions, going on to become one of the country's greatest & most revered metal exports. With a journey through the strange & the psychedelic, incorporating a whole eclectic mix of genre styles & experimentation throughout their career, Sigh has remained a
vital creative force in the avantgarde field. However, at its core, Sigh has always remained true to its roots of old school metal.
'Eastern Darkness' contains a collection of Sigh's early rare works showing their swift musical evolution as well as the strong utilisation of keyboards in their compositional process throughout. The collection includes the band's legendary demo tapes, 'Desolation' & 'Tragedies', plus their 'Requiem For Fools' EP, along with the 'Far East Gate In Inferno' version of 'The Zombie Terror'. 'Eastern Darkness' is presented on the vinyl format & includes an interview with Mirai Kawashima about the early years of the band, along with his recollections of the origins of each title contained within the release, three decades on from Sigh's formation.
The highly anticipated new release of Guy Mantzur's label Moments contains an exceptional collaboration of the two legends Audio Junkies and Sahar Z. The Israeli dreamteam managesonce again to sail into uncharted soundscapes, displayingtheir skillsetwhile giving usa glimpse into their musical world. The works connect the dots between styles, fusing indie dance, breaks, psychedelic, and progressive elements into an integrated conceptual work of art. 'Variants' indicates what is to come in this musical endeavor, combining skillfully executed warm melodic stretches blended carefully with a driving beat. 'Come2gether' carries an uplifting melody providing a soul-stirringnostalgic moment, perfect for any dancefloor.
This vinyl version of the release brings the warmth of an audiophile-worthy audio quality and delivers an additional track. Come2gether (Delta Mix) is an exclusive version, bringing an edgier take on the exquisitely put-together material. Dig in!
Paul Wise aka Placid is the driving force behind ‘We’re Going Deep’ – a thriving online community and record label that keeps you coming back for more. Born out of a lifelong affair with the many shades of electronic rhythm and an obsession for collecting records since 1988, Paul is known and respected by many in the realms of underground House and Techno. Renowned for making hips and feet move at parties, clubs and fields across the UK and beyond over the last few decades.
As a label owner, his mission couldn’t be clearer - releasing new music for heads of all persuasions. Fresh cuts aimed squarely at the dance floor, front room or even just your headphones. Rather than staying too hung up on the past, he continues to serve up the freshest in Acid, Electro, Techno, Deep House alongside sweet slices of Electronica.
Sticking to the format of 4 superlative cuts from equally talented producers, the quality remains unquestionably consistent on Volume 8 of his various artist series. Kicking off A1 in style with a family affair from Acid House aficionado Affie Yusef and his daughter Leila, ‘Dublovr’ is a Class A slice of pure late night chug that rides clockwork rhythms to a rolling bassline. As dubbed out synths ring out to lift you skywards – eerie sweeping undertones add another dimension. Tried and tested since the summer season, the added layer of a TB-303 brings everything nicely to a head. Not to be outdone, Bristol based Electro emissary Zobol delivers a pure slice of machinist joy on A2 ‘Sense The Consesus’, showing his ability to finesse and balance uplifting melodies with warm synthesis on this finest of jams.
Over on the flipside, Maltese producer Acidulant takes up the reins with the hushed tones of ‘The View of Her Shade’ on B1 – a thoughtful excursion into electro hinterland that’s a textbook lesson in making more with less. Last but not least, mysterious I Love Acid affiliate Type-303 turns out an exquisite IDM inflected serving of woozy broken Electronica on the mysterious ‘Knowhere’. Steeped in rippling melodies and aquatic
For this uniquely personal retrospective spread over twelve vinyl discs, Sven Väth takes us back to the early days of his DJ career. On What I Used To Play we meet great pioneers of electronic music, gifted percussionists, obscure wave bands, and innovative producers of a bygone 'new electronic' era. Rough beats and irresistible grooves from the identification stage of house, techno, and acid remind us not just how far electronic music has evolved over the past four decades, but how great it was to dance to EBM, techno, and house for the very first time.
If there is one protagonist of the electronic music scene who has remained curious, innovative and at the very cutting edge of music for over four decades, it's Sven Väth. His multi-layered artist albums and Sound of the Season mix compilations have been defining the genre for over two decades, and even today, he is constantly on the lookout for the next top tune to add to the highlights of his next set. At least, that's the case when he's not producing them himself as an artist or remixer. "Actually, it's always been part of my DNA to think ahead," and nothing had been further from his mind than looking back at his past, but when in spring of 2020 the international DJ circuit had to be scaled down to virtually zero, the 'restless traveler' suddenly had time. Time to stop and reflect on "how it actually was back then, at the very beginning of my career..."
"It was a great trip and with every track, beautiful memories came flooding back".
In the London apartment, he had just moved into, Sven has set up a "little music room", where he cocooned himself for several days, "to look way back for the first time and review my musical journey through the eighties, so to speak."
The interim result was six thematically oriented playlists with a grand total of 120 tracks from 'early 80s' to 'Balearic late 80s', together with excursions into afrobeat, European new wave, and EBM sounds and a few epochal techno/house tracks from the USA in between. From these 'Best of Sven Väth's favorites', the project What I Used To Play crystallized. Sven remembers how the Cocoon team reacted to his proposal: "They found the idea of making a compilation out of it MEGA from the beginning and everyone said 'Sven, go for it', but then, of course, the work really started, namely, to clear the rights and to get clean sounding masters of the up to 40-year-old tracks. There was also disappointment, of course. We couldn't clear certain titles because the rights holders in the USA had fallen out with each other or simply disappeared from the scene. In short, it wasn't easy, but now I can safely say we got the most important tracks."
Finally, after two years of research, curation, design, and administrative fine-tuning, the "little retrospective" from 1981 to 1990 is available. The exquisitely packaged, and three-kilo heavy box set is not only physically impressive, WIUTP is also the definitive record of Sven Väth's musical development. On each of the twenty-four sides of vinyl, you can trace track by track, what influenced him during which phase, and how he took off as a DJ from his parents' Queen's Pub straight into the spotlight at Dorian Gray. There and at Vogue (later OMEN), Sven became the style-defining player in the DJ booth that he still is today.
1981 - 1990: Future Sounds of Now
In the early eighties, the crowd in clubs like Vogue and Dorian Gray danced to what nowadays we call 'dance classics' - mainly disco, funk, soul, and chart pop. It was up to a new generation of DJs, including Sven Väth, the youngest protagonist in the Rhine-Main area at the time, to create their own club-ready music mix. Good new tracks and potential floor-fillers were rarities that had to be sought out and found, in order to prove oneself worthy.
Without MP3s, internet streaming, or other digital download possibilities, music didn't just gravitate to the DJ, instead, it had to be tracked down. In well-stocked record stores in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden or even in Amsterdam, London, or New York, Sven and friends sourced the material for countless magical nights. On WIUTP we can follow Sven's very personal journey through this wild, innovative era in which synth-pop, funk, hip-hop, and disco were successively replaced as 'club music' by house, techno, acid, and breakbeat. By the end of the decade, it was clear to see that these once exotic 'fringe' phenomena would soon become 'mass' phenomena.
Early 80s
Dirty Talk by the Italian-American duo Klein & M.B.O. represents the most innovative phase of the Italo-disco genre in the early eighties like no other track. Mario Boncaldo (I) and Tony Carrasco relied entirely on the original synthetic drum and percussion sounds of the Roland TR-808, coupled with the raunchy vocals of Rossana Casale and guitar accents of Davide Piatto. Of course, other tracks from this period were also influential in style, most notably Unit by Logic System, which worked as the perfect soundtrack to the laser lighting system at the legendary Dorian Gray club. With stomping beats and robotic rap interludes, Bostich by Yello also belongs on Sven's eternal playlist - after all, it caught the attention of Afrikaa Bambaataa, who invited the Swiss duo to perform at the Roxy in New York in 1983.
EBM Wave - Mid 80s
From today's point of view, the almost ten-minute-long, downtempo track Giant by Matt Johnson's band project The The, would probably not be considered an obvious club classic. However, a closer (re)listen reveals the rhythmic intricacies of the percussion overdubs by JG Thirlwell (aka Foetus) on Johnson's composition, and it becomes clear why this exceptional piece of music is one of Sven's absolute favorites. Other classics from this phase include Kaw-Liga by the mysterious The Residents, the hypnotic-synthetic Our Darkness by Anne Clark (and David Harrow), and last but not least, the somber, monotonous anthem Where Are You? by 16Bit, one of Sven Väth's projects together with Michael Münzing, Luca Anzilotti from 1986.
US House - Late 80s
You certainly can't talk about Chicago house without mentioning Frankie Knuckles. The resident DJ at the Warehouse not only gave the name to an entire genre, but also produced epochal floor fillers on the Trax label like the timeless Your Love, sung (and moaned) by Jamie Principle. Acid house protagonists Phuture also hail from Chicago, and on We Are Phuture (also released on Trax) we hear the chirping acid sounds of the legendary Roland TB-303 in full effect. Another featured classic is No UFO's by Detroit's Model 500 aka Juan Atkins, who is rightly considered the 'Godfather of Techno' even if the genre-defining track from 1985 still breathes with the spirit of hip-hop and electro from the first breakdance era.
Afrobeat
Le Serpent, by Algerian-born Abdelmadjid Guemguem, is a track that sounds completely different from everything else on WIUTP. Made in 1978, it's a monumental, rousing groove created without bass or synths, just with five congas! Even though Guem sadly passed away in 2021, his immortal, acoustic beats are understood all over the world and will continue to enrich many thousands of DJ sets for years to come. Another classic that not only Sven appreciates beyond measure is Hugh Masekela's Don't Go Lose it, Baby. In addition to being one of the most important jazz pioneers, the trumpeter and freedom fighter from Johannesburg was very experimental, integrating electronic sounds into his music in later years, in a similar vein to Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. Dutch jazz pianist Jasper van't Hof's afrobeat project Pili Pili has also aged well. The trance-like, almost sixteen-minute-long track of the same name, manages to fill a whole side on the seventh of twelve vinyl discs in the WIUTP box.
UK-US-Euro - Late 80s
Time for a change of scene, in the truest sense of the word, and from a musical perspective, this section is like landing on another planet. First up is Andrew Weatherall's classic remix of Primal Scream's Loaded, featuring the iconic Peter Fonda sample (lifted from the 1966 biker film Wild Angels) that came to personify the mood triggered by the British Second Summer of Love in the late eighties: "We wanna be free to do what we wanna do, and we wanna get loaded...". This period also saw the emergence of M/A/R/R/S whose only single, 1987's Pump Up The Volume, became a club classic with support from DJ legend CJ Mackintosh. In this most eclectic of sections, we also encounter New York house and reggae producer Bobby Konders and his seminal Nervous Acid.
Balearic - Late 80s
Those who know him, know that Sven had already lost his heart to the 'magic island' of Ibiza as a teenager, so with that in mind, the WIUTP project couldn't end without a Balearic chapter. Inspired by Manuel Göttsching's E2-E4, the immortal, eponymously titled Sueño Latino belongs in there without question. Equally popular on the island was, and still is Break 4 Love by Raze, which thinking about it, would also fit perfectly into the house chapter. Last, but not least, there's an overdue reunion with Sven Väth himself, in his role as frontman of the successful Frankfurt trio OFF. Together with Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti (later of Snap!) this 'Organization For Fun' created the off-the-wall club hit Electric Salsa in 1986 which incidentally turned into an international chart smash, putting Sven in the enviable position of having to decide between pop stardom and a DJ career. Well, we all know how that decision turned out and the rest, as they say, is history. A not insignificant part of his story is What I Used To Play. Enjoy!
On behalf of re:discovery records, it is with great excitement that we announce the release of Stryke – The Introspection Trilogy (1994-2022). rd011 features a track that is very close to my heart. My senior year in high school. I was heavily into chill-out music at the time. Labels like FAX, Instinct Ambient, Reflective, Astralwerks, em:t, Silent, Moonshine, Rising High, Warp, Exist Dance, Visible, Eye Q and others were giving me such a wide array of beautiful sounds of more subdued techno and rhythmic ambient music. I was buying every compilation I could at the time that looked remotely different based on the artwork, the unusual artist names or the tracks. I was soaking in everything I could under the chill-out style. That year 1994 I picked up the 2nd edition of Moonshine's 'United State of Ambience 2'.
It has so many good tracks on it. One track that always held a special place in my heart was Stryke's 'Introspection pt.1'. The simple but catchy melody layering. The easy atmosphere made me feel like I was floating in the ocean. The deep 808 bass notes (I hope one day you and I will hear this on an amazing sound system). The amazing strings reach a crescendo nearing the end. This track has so many simple but beautiful sounds on it. It's a great example of what I call sequencer-styled electronic music. At a time when producers layered tracks in more of a sequence then building or placing sounds. In 2021 I was able to get a hold of Greg Chin to see if he was interested in putting the track on my label and letting it breathe freely on its own side alone as the highlight of an EP. Greg was enthusiastic about the opportunity and told me that he always wanted to complete the trilogy he had in mind of a part 2 and 3. The ominous and eerie part 2 adds a terrific tension to the finale of part 3. The last being almost an updated part 1 really concluded the trilogy for me. Both parts melded together on side B pushing near 17 minutes. I want to thank Greg for letting us be a home to complete his journey.
Northern Soul legend Billy Prince returns with his next Common Good Records dancefloor filler. Following up the sold-out Angel/I Need You 7” with a Detroit-styled uptempo heartfelt offering. Born and raised in the Motor City, Billy developed a passion for music at a very young age, in part due to him spending much of his childhood in his father’s record shop during the Detroit soul explosion. Billy is one of the founding members and lead singer of The Precisions, who are best known for the legendary Northern Soul stomper, “If This Is Love (I’d Rather Be Lonely)”.
YAME is a unique electronic duo that is blowing up modern dance floors with their signature music in the style of cosmic indie dance.
Victor Kiriiakidi and Oleksandr Seletskyi set modern musical trends in Ukraine and raise the country's electronic dance culture to a worthy world level.
YAME has already received support and high quality ratings from the masters of the global electronic scene. Their performances take place in (hybrid dj-set) mode, including live vocals using a processor, as well as two synths with futuristic effects.
DJ support:
Solomun
Kolombo
Moscoman
Sebastian Leger
Yolanda Be Cool
Phonique
The Organism
Over the course of her lush, expansive, defiantly sprawling new album, “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert”, released on Age 101, the
Ivor Novelloaward-winning, Mercury nominated Little Simzdelivers an
undeniable modern classic, effortlessly condensing any number of
disparate styles and genres into music which thrillingly broaches the gap between urgent modern treatise and hip hop.
A bold, quantum leap forward from the critically beloved “Grey Area”, this is hardly music aiming simply for the pop charts; rather, it is turbo charged with the kind of fury and potency, confusion and anxiety that make up the modern experience of being Black, British and female at this particular point in time.
This is no mere philosophical exercise, however - the result is her most ambitious and soaring body of work to date, one which operates at the very heights of what rap can be.
Official AFRODELIC reissue of the ultra-rare Tunde Mabadu’s debut album. Originally released in 1978 on Blackspot label (DECCA’s West Africa division), Bisu, which includes the supergroovy ‘Red Jeans’, differs from the later 1980 ‘Viva Disco’ album by a much more pure African style.
A beautiful and soulful production in which Tunde’s deep voice and sax move on the excellent horns arrangements, percussions, the wahwah rhythm guitar and weird keyboards and synths (at times psychedelic as in the ‘Blue Bird’ 9 minutes).
As wrote on the original liner notes of the era “His music will mesmerize you from the first track. A dedicated Musician especially to his African Roots with so much to offer Musically”.
Franco Esse is the moniker of Francesco Semproni, who in the late 60s began working as a music and recording assistant in major recording studios in Rome, Italy. He started out at Dirmaphone (then located in Via Pola) under sound engineer Gianni Fornari, before following him to the Emmequattro studios in Viale Mazzini, which at the time were the headquarters of Edipan, the record label founded by composer and conductor Bruno Nicolai after parting ways with friend and fellow composer Ennio Morricone.
Semproni tried to become a singer-songwriter in the early 80s, when he recorded a number of demos with the session musicians who gravitated around the studios. None of these demos was ever released though, for reasons that are still unclear today – his thorny and stubborn personality may have been a factor, since it apparently made him reluctant to compromise with the major record labels of the time.
The unsuccessful efforts to launch his solo artist career led to a personal crisis, and Franco Esse eventually quit music to go to work as a sales assistant in a toyshop in Rome's Prati neighbourhood.
Today he seems to have vanished without a trace, but after extensive research, we managed to dig some of his demos out of an abandoned archive and miraculously bring back to life two semi-instrumental tracks he recorded in 1983.
Both of them reveal Franco Esse as a refined musician with a reserved personality, an almost minimalist approach to lyric-writing, and a strongly cinematic synth-pop style that is in line with the musical trends of the time and gives a nod to the soundtracks of Fabio Liberatori, falling somewhere in between slow-wave and new-romantic.
These two ballads would have been the perfect soundtrack to cold winter nights in the early 80s, with snowflakes floating down on ski slopes, people clad in puffy down jackets, and music pouring into headphones from walkmans kept in back jean pockets.
Orizont is back for its second release. And just like its predecessor, "Orizont 02" introduces four tracks from different artists, each with its own style, circling the worlds of atmospheric minimal and deep tech-house: Dragusanu, Calinie, Andrei Voica and Cata.
Dragusanu kicks off the EP with 'Asa Dar', a thoroughly atmospheric minimal track drenched in dark tones and menacing grooves. Calinie's 'Substance' is the logical continuation to Dragusanu's darker tones, expertly expanding and emotionally charging the sonic space into the morning hours with finesse. Andrei Voica's 'Colors' entirely switches the colour of the EP, opting for warmth and a particular focus on groove and feel-good sounds. Cata's contribution, 'Morning Dew,' provides an adequately named (and particularly groovy) deep house track for the closing of the EP, fulfilling the desires of those looking for an EP that they can play at any given time, from dusk till dawn.
Mennie heads to LOCUS for his label debut, delivering four slick productions across his ‘Jack & Jane’ EP.
Florence-based DJ and producer Mennie has been a fixture within the European house scene for years now, yet he’s still on the rise with plenty more on the horizon. A smooth operator when it comes to weaving rolling percussion with alluring basslines, the Italian’s outings via Deeperfect, Moscow Records, and Infuse have showcased his ability to deliver cuts that pack a punch yet are filled with subtle nuances. Heading into the peak summer months in style, early June brings a LOCUS debut as he drops his four-track ‘Jack & Jane’ EP.
‘Jack & Jane’ opens things with the title track bringing loopy, swinging drums alongside cosmic melodies, while ‘Space Rocket’ sees regimented drums shoulder emotive pads and zipping synths. On the flip, ‘What Happened’ buzzes into action armed with zigzagging leads and smooth rolling grooves, before ‘Just Like That’ turns up the heat with squelchy basslines, wonky, off-kilter effects and resonant vocals throughout.
Silat Beksi returns to Tied with a brand new EP, Objects. The release features three sophisticated stripped down grooves showcasing Silat's signature style.
The third release from Edinburgh-based rave Headset, showcasing unsung Scottish artists making alternative house, techno, garage & breaks in dubby styles.
Debut release for DJ Posture, straight outta Livingston, providing 4 tracks of spacey, deeper House & Beats.
Pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl
Mastered & cut by Optimum Mastering in Bristol (Livity Sound, Tectonic, Pressure Dome)
Pressed by Mobineko (Taiwan)
DJ approved by Hodge, Daisy Moon, Gulia Tess (Rinse), Chris Farrell (Idle Hands) & many more
The Lagaffe boys have a special one for you. Lagaffe 10 marks the 10th EP in our vinyl series and serves as a perfect way to end our 10th year in existence. To mark this occasion we are releasing a 4 tracker with our founders and label regulars.
The EP opens up with Cohen Social Club by Flexi Leifs aka Felix Leifur. Our man Felix lost his drum machines last spring but luckily he found a guitar and some drums. The track starts off with suspicious sounding guitar notes that somehow end up as pure beauty, giving hope in the darkest of places. Frodo with the ring stuff, if you know what I mean. Playful reverbs and echos give the tune the classic Felix Leifur feel to it!
Moff & Tarkin has the next track "Pure Fury", some breakbeats and cheesy disco vocals, why change a winning recipe?
Next up is "We are not alone " by label boss Jonbjörn. I think this is what Elton John meant when he said "thank god for those electro bangers!" Solid 909 drum work featuring dramatic chords and some original vocal work. If you can spot the sample write us on Soundcloud and you might win a year's worth of LaCafe Tales!
With "Að handan" Viktor Birgiss comes back to the label in style. Our mastering engineer described it as having the loudest kick drum in history, imagine that! Lo fi dub sounding drums interlaced with atmospheric chords, made for those late night intimate moments on the dancefloor, again Frodo with the ring stuff, if you know what I mean.
Upcoming album 'Fruit Of The Void' to be released later this fall.
Kosmo Sound is a perfect balance of tight rhythms and extended melodies, and they constantly strive to push boundaries with their sound. Having worked together with dub legends Daniel Boyle and Alpha & Omega and having played as the support act for Adrian Sherwood, The Twinkle Brothers and Omar Perry, heavily inspired, they took refuge in the studio to record this album full of meditative sounds and dense grooves.
“It's a slow motion dub explosion.” - Woodburner
“As a mixture of Slimmah Sound, El Michels Afffair and Khruangbin in which deep dub basses flirt with thin desert blues guitars, jazzy drum patterns and tufts of saxophone.” - Indiestyle
“The canvas that these six musicians span as Kosmo Sound has a musical breadth that effortlessly ranges from dub over jazz to psych.” - daMusic
"an amalgation of styles that tickle the senses" - ReggaeVibes
“This remarkable debut makes one curious about future releases” – Irie Ites
Australian producer Ben Sun joins Phonica’s main label with a solid four track EP of House music in its various forms, from slick Disco loopers to deep ambient tribal rhythms.
The now London-based Ben Davidson has a string of well-received records under his belt, under the aliases Benjamin Sun, Earth Patterns and now as Ben Sun. His regular outings on Delusions Of Grandeur and Voyeurhythm are particularly of note, as well as recent excursions on Utopia and Razor N Tape. We’re delighted to have him as part of the Phonica family now too!
The 12” starts with ‘Trip’, a gradually building filtered Disco teaser, with classy deep House number ‘Mellow Madness’ following up. On the flip is the sumptuously balearic roller ‘Glow’, before the record’s euphoric floor-filler ‘Siren’ rounds out the record in style. We have a feeling this particular earworm will be lingering in records bags (and USB sticks) for some time!