repressed !
SNTS presents the last part of his double trilogy, this time called SCENE III. SNTS wanted to obtain a different view of one of the tracks of this release, and, in order to achieve that, he introduced a big star of the techno scene to this story, that artist is SHIFTED. Anonymity remains the centerpiece of SNTS. To convey feelings and sensations without a face reference or a name is the key point of this mysterious artist. This time the titles of the tracks refer to dates. You may never discover what events those dates belong to, but perhaps we can decipher something through sounds and their path. 20.01.1944 It reminds us of a battle in an eerie and desolate terrain in which each sound makes you move, observing what is happening around you. 20.01.1944 The version from SHIFTED is the story told from the outside of the bipolar world where is SNTS. 07.09.1981 It is a step in the course of a life that accompanies an atmosphere that breathes, but is not noticeable by other senses. 15.04.1946 Destruction, desolation and despair is reflected in this track. It definitely meets all the conditions to describe SNTS' sound.
Played & Supported by:
Planetary Assault Systems, Paula Temple, Svreca, Takaaki Itoh, James Ruskin, Tommy Four Seven, Ryuj Takeuchi, Giorgio Gligli, Speedy J, Ancient Methods, Terence Fixmer, Cio D'or , Eomac, Milton Bradley, Samuli Kemppi, Dj Emerson, Chris Liebing, Par Grindvik, Ø Phase, Kr!z Token, Zadig, Marcel Dettmann, Answer Code Request, Slam, Norman Nodge, Dave Miller, Deepbass, Nihad Tule, Truncate, Dj Hyperactive, Angel Molina, Ben Gibson, Juho Kusti, Claudio PRC, Bas Mooy, J. Tijn, Manni Dee, Donor, Rebekah, Go Hiyama, Francois X, Adriana Lopez, Electric Indigo, Bleak, Inigo Kennedy, Pfirter, Alex.Do, Eric Cloutier.
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“The year is 1982. Rita Mitsouko has not yet recorded its eponymous debut album. The pile of ashes that once was Disco is still smoking on the field of Comiskey Park. New Wave is a phrase, Post-Punk Rock a thing. In France, young musicians dream of New York City – some with more devotion than others. Lapassenkoff are to early 1980’s downtown New-York what seminal New Wave act Marie Et Les Garçons (who met John Cale on their way to CBGB) are to the city’s musical scene in the late 1970’s: an unexpected cousin from Lyon.
Indeed, going through Shing ‘n’ Tsé! sometimes feel like an impromptu meeting between John Lurie and Tom Tom Club in the basement of some French record store. If we press pause for a minute, a question comes to mind: how on earth such a unique blend of funk, post-punk, jazz fusion & hip hop (!) – more easily associated with, say, The Mudd Club, than with Les pentes de la Croix-Rousse – made its way to the brains of three French musicians?
The answer probably lies in a Swiss chalet, some 40 kilometers away from Zurich. Sent there by the wise people from Mosquito (the label which also gave Ramuntcho Matta and Carte de Séjour the opportunity to record their first album), the band experiences Alpine ennui and mysterious neighbours (a certain Carlos Peron, for instance). That is probably during this stay in Swiss meadows that they opened a Pandora’s box called experimental music, leading them into recording the mind-blowing sample-based – and accidentally proto-everything – M Le Maudit,, that would later grace Belgian airwaves via the famous Liaisons Dangereuses radio show.
But if we’re looking for a bigger picture, M Le Maudit is just an example of how inventive their approach to music was. This compilation is a testimony of a decade-long feverish flirt between the Lyon trio and dance music. From the infectious electric boogie cuts Shing A Ling and Roadie to the somehow euro-house-fuelled Ma Poubelle Angelina, via many unclassifiable yet iconic songs like Bossi Le Bosseman or Fièvres, Frissons, the compilation demonstrates one thing: Lapassenkoff took the road less traveled by and contributed to a different history of French Pop music.”
Pierre-Arthur Michau.
A few years ago, Roi took the wise decision of changing his life, he got away from the madding crowd of the city and moved to the coast of Dexo, surrounded by nature and animals. This kind of retreat has been the trigger of an enormous personal growth and a strong feeling of freedom, which has led him to find a certain inner calm, also to feel the constant climatic changes which are so typical of Galicia, alternating between wind, rain and sun. Roi has found himself; this deep self-knowledge has provoked an internal explosion of inspiration that made him to fully immerse in music production after years of experimenting.
Concurring with the 10th anniversary tour of the label and promoter Fanzine Project which he co-manages, the artist from A Coruna will publish his first EP next month of June. He comes with melodies full of power, light and elegance, embracing a wide spectrum of music styles which meet in a perfect point of balance between strength and delicacy. Deixo EP is the outcome of a small tribute paid to his three main sources of inspiration: The wonderful landscape of the coast of Dexo, Seixo Branco Point and his unconditional companion: His dog Tigre.
Leipzig’s Dj Balduin has been a staff favourite for some time as we are avid fans of his GLYK imprint, and in particular his debut EP “Vvigmara”. Dj Balduin proclaims to enjoy producing music that creates “states of hypnosis with an occasional, gentle “hands-up-face-slap” every now and then” which perfectly sums up “Lost Cat” - his first release for KOMPAKT.
“E.W.B.A” came to Dj Balduin while having a shower, so chances are high we have this summer’s rain dance anthem on our hands as it has all the right elements - a classic rave synth meets an infectious open snare to break through the beat.
The kick drum thud of “Sheee” seems to be all too menacing at first, but surprisingly learns how to open itself into a gorgeously seductive uplifting house tune.
This story ends with the perfect set closer; “Lost Cat And An Untied Shoe” brings that beat back with soaring synths and a playful natural bass line that adds just the slightest edge of funk to carry the crowd home at the end of the night.
Leipzigs DJ Balduin und besonders seine Debüt-EP „Vvigmara“ trendet, seitdem wir sein GLYK-Label kennen, unter den Mitarbeitern von Kompakt. Laut eigenen Angaben genieße es DJ Balduin, Musik zu produzieren, die seine Zuhörer in den „Zustand der Hypnose versetzt und gleichzeitig mit gelegentlichen zarten Schlägen ins Gesicht wachhält“, was auf „Lost Cat“ – sein erstes Release auf Kompakt – auch geschieht.
„E.W.B.A“ kam DJ Balduin unter der Dusche, die Chancen stehen also hoch, dass wir hier eine Hymne für diejenigen Raves haben, die unter kräftigen Sommergewittern stattfinden werden – die richtigen Zutaten sind alle da: klassische Rave-Hooks, ansteckende Snaredrums, die hervorbrechen aus dem Bass.
Der Schlag der Bassdrum von „Sheee“ scheint zunächst bedrohlich, lernt aber überraschender Weise sich selbst zu wandeln hin zu einem prachtvoll verführerischen House-Stück. Die Geschichte endet mit dem aller besten letzten Stück: „Lost Cat And An Untied Show“ bringt den Beat zurück zusammen mit aufsteigenden Synths und einer verspielten, natürlichen Bassline, die einen Funken Funk hinzufügt, um die Dancer nach Hause zu begleiten in der Nacht.
- A1: Horace Andy - Ain't No Sunshine
- A2: Dennis Brown - (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay
- A3: The Heptones - I Can't Get No Satisfaction
- A4: The Abyssinians - Blowin' In The Wind
- A5: Edi Fitzroy Feat Bigga Star - Come Together
- A6: Easy Star All-Stars Feat Luciano - Billie Jean
- B1: Alpha Blondy - Whole Lotta Love
- B2: Gregory Isaacs - A Little Less Conversation
- B3: Sly & Robbie - Inner City Blues
- B4: Nostalgia 77 Feat Alice Russell - Seven Nation Army (Grant Phabao Remix)
- B5: Third World - De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
- B6: Ken Boothe - You Keep Me Hanging On
After releasing the single “Čista ljubav” back in 2012, Marinada
and producer Qwerty continued to synthesize the band’s rich
catalogue. This collaboration album features eight songs
where Qwerty utilizes his playful approach to dance music
strongly tying together Marinada’s truthful voice and sensitive
instrumentation. The two sides bring in a wide range of
influences into the mix: from retro techno-pop and new wave
to contemporary braindance and acid house. The electronic
sounds are wrapped around simple and repetitive lyrics that
are simultaneously clearly relatable (if you speak Croatian)
and fully mystifying. Marinada has been a truly productive
phenomenon on the Croatian music scene, putting out more
than 20 albums woven from lo-fi electronica, acoustic
minimalism and art rock. Besides the hometown, the band is
connected to Qwerty via the family tree: the brothers have
been making IDMy techno sounds since the late 1990s and
releasing music on labels such as Phthalo and Breakin’
Records.
Spearheaded by James Dean Brown (also known from Perlon's Narcotic Syntax) and Victor Sol, and featuring other rotating members, Hypnobeat is a true product of the open-ended spirit of DIY music that proliferated in the 1980s. The prescient project championed deft, machine-powered rhythm programming as its modus operandi long before the practice would become a dominant global cultural form. Since Hypnobeat was revived in 2012 with Helena Hauff joining JDB on stage for improvised live performances based on one 707 and three 808s, there have been a string of archival releases shining a light on the early and more recently recorded works of this forward-thinking venture.
This latest collection for Artificial Dance comprises three freshly unearthed iterations. Long-form A-side track 'Polychrome Desert' is a pure percussive exercise, programmed and recorded by JDB in 1986 with a chain of three 808s filling out a stereo panorama. The intention was to create a pure, meditative rhythm drawing on African influences and reinterpreted through what was then the music technology of the future. 'Spies In Malaysia' is a live recording from a concert Hypnobeat performed in 1985. Its lurid melodic passages and crunchy percussive blasts formed the closing track of the set, which was met with rapturous response. Recorded in the same year, 'Sumatra Railway' was the product of an impromptu session between JDB and Victor Sol. The song finds the pair exploring a more shadowy, surf-inspired sound, laden with echo and freewheeling through seven minutes of sun-kissed, subtly tropical subversion.
With each successive release, the plot surrounding Hypnobeat thickens in a tangle of 1/4' jack cables and ancient effect pedals. From its shifting line-up to the diverse sonic repertoire, it remains one of the wondrous plants of German electronic music in the pre-techno era.
Drittes Album des norwegischen Produzenten Andre Bratten nach den Vorgängern "Be A Man You Ant" (2013) und "Gode" (2015). Inspiriert von Boards Of Canada, Autechre und den Drexciya-Projekten The Other People Place und Transllusion, zaubert Bratten mit 808, Sequenzer, Reel-To-Reel-Tape und einem 1980er Mischpult aus den ABBA-Studios sechs bezaubernd-melodische Techno-Tunes, von denen einige bereits 2018 in einer limitierten 12"-Miniserie erschienen waren.
Founded in 1990 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cold Front were what you'd call early adaptors, their music at the time of its inception an oddity. This fourpiece, consisting of spouses Ayanna and Cam Muata, Jon Jon Scott and Ron Clark, were far ahead of their time and faded just as rapidly as they entered the stage, only playing a handful of local shows in support of Nine Inch Nails, Meat Beat Manifesto and such, alongside several cameos during early house nights and techno events.
Though short lived, their music nevertheless speaks volumes. It's intriguing stuff, a magical association of sound reminiscent of Ron Hardy and Klein MBO. New Beat-like drum parts, overdubbed by politically engaged raps, basslines that would make The Cure proud, held together by freakout speaking in tongues vocal experiments while also showing an obvious parallel to the rise of triphop at the other side of the ocean.
Beyond the Beat will burst dancefloors soon. In collaboration with Paris' recordshop Dizonord, Knekelhuis will close the summer of 2019 with this amazing gem.
- A1: Cecilia - Si Me Olvidas
- A2: Electropic - Cine Cha Cha Cha
- A3: Laurent Stopnicki - Amour Fonctionnel
- A4: Zig Zag - Ca S\'Arrange Pas
- B1: Bisou - Marre D\'Aimer
- B2: Milpattes - Je Vais Danser
- B3: Janou - Demodee
- C1: Martin Circus - Bains-Douches
- C2: Sonia - J\'Sais Plus Ou J\'En Suis
- C3: Fabienne Stoko - Poupee
- C4: Anne Lorric - Delivrez-Moi
- D1: Yogo - Reve De Star (I:cube Dreamy Edit)
- D2: Arielle Angelfred - Cauch\'Mar Bizarre
- D3: Ronan Girre - Je N\'Sais Pas Avec Qui
- D4: Reserve - Une Fille En Transe
Any historians keen on the subject of "French youth in the 1980s" are holding a treasure in their hands. As a true archaeologist of this decade dedicated to disposable culture, digger-in-chief Vidal Benjamin with his newest compilation, 'Pop Sympathie', offers them a unique journey in the heart of the cyclone of emotions that struck all teenagers during the first seven years of François Mitterrand's mandate. Fifteen musical nuggets, exhumed from the dungeons of history, each and every one of them teaching us about what really obsessed the youngsters at that exact moment, i.e. what happens when the city lights come on at dusk, when irrepressible urges that stir them to get lost even more appear until the end of the night.
The artists gathered here did not have the honour of breaking into the local charts, but they all individually reached for the sky. Each song of 'Pop Sympathie' tells more or less the same story: that of a girl who throws herself into the night like one immerses one's self into the void, who rushes into a one-night adventure to become a star. And too bad if in the early morning she finds herself back at square one. In all these miniature odysseys there is neon lights, lasers, smoke machines, broken glass on checkered tiles, strangers on leather benches, celebrities in the bathrooms, stolen kisses, alcohol, drugs and cigarettes, Polaroids, venetian blinds and radioactive tubes.
If the first opus of Vidal Benjamin, 'Disco Sympathie', focused on the funky mood of songs that could have been played at Le Palace, then 'Pop Sympathie' develops itself as the imaginary soundtrack of another nightclub, Les Bains-Douches, the capital’s epicenter of nocturnal drifts. So what do we listen to, blasé, at Bains-Douches? Mainly synthesizers. The child of punk and post punk, French New Wave celebrates the matrimony of machines and lolitas under the auspices of a retro trend that revisits the atomic age. Trying to surf on that wave and hit the charts, a bunch of producers (Stéphane Berlow, Laurent Stopnicki, Bernard "Black Devil" Fèvre, Johny Rech, Jean-Yves Joanny ...) will spot their talents amongst friends, in a travel agency or at the local bar. These virtual stars are called Cecilia, Laurent, Sonia, Janou, Fabienne, Anne, Arielle or Ronan, not even 20 years old, and often leaving just an overexposed photo and their first name on a single as the only memories of their swift passage in this particular musical story. It took all the love and sweet madness of Vidal Benjamin to bring them back in the light of day.
Clovis Goux
Numbers 28, 29 & 30 in the Jazzman Holy Grail Series.
Fable is a small independent record label started in Austin, Texas in the early 1970s by a young trombone player named Michael Mordecai. In autumn 1975 he debuted a trio of albums on Fable by Austin bands 47 Times its Own Weight, Steam Heat and Starcrost. With only 1000 of each pressed, and each carrying a different emphasis on soul, funk or jazz, all 3 have gone on to become highly sought after by collectors and DJs around the world.
We meet with Michael at our UK offices and over several hours he tells us the highs and lows of running Fable Records, leaving no stone unturned and with success and tragedy in equal measure. We also speak with members of all 3 bands, and they share with us interesting stories and cool anecdotes of the wild times in the mid '70s when their records were made. We acquire informative press cuttings and some awesome posters & flyers, and all of this we publish in a booklet included with each LP which are housed in a US-style tip-on sleeve. Jazzman Records - We Dig Deeper.
Strategy returns to Chris Farrell's Idle Hands label for the first time since his 'Seeds Of Paradise' LP, and his first record of the year following releases for Nite Owl's Diner and Zam Zam's sister label Khaliphonic in 2018.
Here he turns in a bassy house number by the name of 'Tropical Storm', one for those sloppy grins in the summer months. The most requested track ID on Shanti Celeste's Dekmantel mix, here it finally sees the light of day. On the flip is the more paired back 'Evolu'
Bastard Jazz is proud to present the new EP from Vancouver's AstroLogical, also known as one half of production duo Potatohead People. With a long list of collaborations outside of the group ranging from Pomo, Phife Dogg, Illa J and Chin Injeti - Astro's new EP "Private World" resides somewhere in between jazz, soul, ambient and future electronic vibes with it's lush keys, chunky breaks, and deep musicality.
Nate Drobner aka. AstroLogical is a multi-instrumentalist producer/composer based in Vancouver, B.C. Canada.
After releasing a number of solo instrumental hip-hop projects through the net label Jellyfish Recordings in the early 2010's under the AstroLogical alias, he had began focusing his energy on the producer duo Potatohead People; a collaborative project with his old friend Nick Wisdom, eventually getting noticed signed by Brooklyn-based record label Bastard Jazz in 2012 (with the help of Nightmares On Wax). Their 2018 full-length sophomore album 'Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy' was released to great acclaim and led them to be invited to Jazzy Jeff's annual Playlist Retreat alongside such luminaries as Lord Finnese, Young Guru, and Pharaohe Monch.
Italian producer and musician DJ Rocca (AKA Luca Roccatagliati) is back on Nang. Rocca has been around the dance music block a few times; having collaborated with the likes of Howie B, Zed Bias, Daniele Baldelli and Jazzanova. He has also remixed a whole host of artists such as Oliver Koletzki, Luke Solomon, Blaze and even Flock of Seagulls.
Now our friend gets his own spotlight to shine with his debut solo artist album, Isole.
'Isole' consists of eight eclectic songs; the steady, deep beats of 'Alcatraz','Taquile' and 'Hong Kong' juxtapose the euphoric 'Tokyo', a warm sunset of a track. 'Nassau', written with fellow Rome-based Rodion showcases sensual and percussive waves of synth, whereas 'Favignana', written with Kool Water (aptly named after an Island off the southern coast of Italy) takes you deep underwater through its distorted build-up. 'Stone Town', written with Dimitri from Paris who is influenced by 1970s funk and disco, encompasses the marimba in keeping with the beachy feel of the record. Finally, the jazzy track 'London' written with Jukka Reverberi could have been inspired by DJ Rocca's work with the critically acclaimed jazz musician Franco D'Andrea, with whom DJ Rocca created the 'Electric Tree Project' which fuses jazz and electronics.
DJ Rocca has been touring his energetic sets globally over the last few years in clubs in Berlin, Paris, London, Oslo, Bruxelles, Vienna, Zurich, Bern, Helsinki, Brazil, Turkey and Croatia. Stay tuned for more solo and collaborative venture on Nang too.
- A1: Airto – Samba De Flora
- A2: Duke Pearson And Flora Purim – Sandalia Dela
- A3: Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 – Batucada (The Beat)
- A4: Deodato – Skyscrapers
- B1: Milton Nascimento – Catavento
- B2: Airto – Tombo In 7/4
- B3: Luiz Bonfá – Bahia Soul
- B4: Dom Um Romao – Braun-Blek-Blu
- C1: Moacir Santos – Kathy
- C2: João Donato – Almas Irmãs
- C3: Sivuca – Ain't No Sunshine
- C4: Milton Nascimento – Rio Vermelho
- D1: Tamba 4 – Consolation (Consolação)
- D2: Flora Purim – Moon Dreams
- D3: Dom Um Romao – Escravos De Jo
- D4: Airto – Andei (I Walked)
All of the music featured here on this new Soul Jazz Records collection was created by Brazilian
artists in the USA in the 1970s.
In the early 1970s North American jazz musicians were eager to work with upcoming Brazilian
musicians. Miles Davis invited Airto Moreira to join his new ‘electric’ band, Dom Um Romao (part of
Sérgio Mendes’ legen
dary Brazil ‘66 in the 1960s) joined the fusion group Weather Report, Flora
Purim and Airto both became a part of Chick Corea’s new project Light As A Feather, Wayne Shorter
collaborated with Milton Nascimento, George Duke recorded Brazilian Love Affair, and so on.
With all the attention placed on them from these important jazz artists, North America became the
new musical playground for a large number of these Brazilian artists – Airto Moreira, Flora Purim,
Sérgio Mendes, Luiz Bonfá, Eumir Deodato, João Donato and many others.
Most of these musicians had already experienced success through the earlier popularity of bossa
nova in the 1960s, either at home in Brazil or in the USA. But by the end of the 1960s many
Brazilian artists had left their own country, as the military dictatorship became progressively more
authoritarian and repressive. In the USA, through their critically acclaimed work for Miles Davis,
Weather Report, Lightj As A Feather etc., all of these artists were now given reign to explore new
musical terrains away from the restrictions of both a musical genre and a state censor back in Brazil.
This collection brings together some of these finest works and comes complete with extensive notes
that explains the path these musicians took from Brazil to the USA and shows the political and
musical links between Brazil and the USA that created the conditions for this unique fusion of these
two distinct cultures, North American Jazz and Brazilian music, that occurred in the 1970s.
The album comes as a deluxe gatefold double vinyl LP, complete with download code, full sleeve
notes, exclusive photography, double inner sleeves.
Like a homage to smoke-filled vaults, aging billiard rooms and crumby packets of pork scratchings in the Working Men's Clubs of days gone by, Todmorden-by-way of-Europe trio Syd, Jake and Giulia are about to fling open the doors of their own millennial social hub with the fresh post-punk of infectious debut single, 'Bad Blood' / 'Suburban Heights.'
'We grew up in northern towns trying to get in to pubs in social clubs because that's all we had. The name is an ode to that,' explains Working Men's Club's 17-year-old singer and guitarist, Sydney Minsky-Sargeant. 'Our surroundings and their differences has influenced us a lot on these tracks.'
Joined by guitarist-vocalist Giulia Bonometti, 23 and drummer Jake Bogacki, 18, the trio have always had a clear sense of their whereabouts; quite simply, they wouldn't even exist without multi-nationalism. Meeting at college in Manchester, Syd and Jake are from Todmorden and Hebden Bridge, but their families hail from Poland whilst Giulia moved to the UK from Lake Garda, Italy. 'The songs are based on the culture of walking round Manchester every day then going back to the countryside each night and how the contrast of going back into the hills made us sane,' Syd tells.
Working Men's Club are wise beyond their years as they seemingly offer words of wisdom, to be repeated like some kind of break-up mantra, until everything's ok; 'Be happy when the sun shines / Be happy when the sun rains / You know you should do the same.'
If 'Bad Blood' is the day, 'Suburban Heights' is the night. Recorded with Alex Greave at The Nave in Leeds, steady riffs from Syd's fingers tap-dance on the strings alongside Jake's skill in working a jagged snare. Meanwhile Giulia's heavenly disco 'ooohs' recall Donna Summer feeling the love whilst cutting right to the contentious subject of gentrification. 'Suburban Heights refers to how apparent it is that cities are expanding to hold more people and buildings are rising, they're morphing into these dystopian party towns,' tells Syd.
Already with shows supporting The Wedding Present and Brian Jonestown Massacre behind them, Syd says it's only the beginning; 'Those shows were great experiences and ones we'll have for life. We love making music and we're so grateful for what we've achieved so far; hopefully there'll be plenty more to come.'
"One of the hardest thing as a musician is to maintain this naive, almost utopian and emotional approach to our music. Especially when it comes to a highly codified genre like Electronic music which appeared in the late 80s/early 90s like a promise of a bright future for music, everything sounding so fresh and revolutionary. When Katerina sent me those demos I heard that freshness, that pure intention, something I remember from discovering melancholic Detroit tunes in the 90s or early Warp ‘artificial intelligence’ compilations, bridging the gap between techno and more intricate electronica. It’s been a while since I didn’t hear an EP so sincere - and not JUST nostalgic, that makes me want to dance alone in my living room and forget about everything else. It’s a subtle thing that makes the difference but that difference is everything, it’s Music."
- Joakim
Aggelos Baltas is a veteran of the global electronic music scene, responsible for a handful of celebrated EBM 12”s as Dream Weapons, and a particularly heady and open-ended brand of krautrock as Fantastikoi Hxoi. His newest project, Anatolian Weapons, was conceived as a way to bring together these two seemingly mismatched concepts, with the polyrhythmic percussion and wailing tones of Greek folk music serving as their unlikely bonding agent. His output garners praise particularly around the Golden Pudel scene, such as Vladimir Ivkovic, and Phuong Dan. Lena Willikens, from the same circle, included Baltas’ track “Disillusioned” on her Dekmantel Selectors compilation in 2018.
But where much of what Baltas has released as Anatolian Weapons is instantly recognizable as dance music, To The Mother Of Gods—Baltas’ debut album for Beats In Space—is something else entirely. Created in tandem with Greek folk musician Seirios Savvaidis, it is a work of simultaneous collaboration and subtraction whose meticulous construction becomes more apparent with every listen. An album-length exploration of what happens when the principles of dance music are applied to pre-digital musical modalities. It is a record of psychedelic folk music that has more in common with Kikagaku Moyo, Minami Deutsch, and the Habibi Funk label than it does with anything else Baltas has produced under any alias. It’s difficult to imagine this music in any kind of club setting.
And yet, it’s very much the work of a DJ. Baltas initially heard Savvaidis’ music through a friend, and was absolutely amazed. “It was his very esoteric, pagan [music and] beautiful lyrics that grabbed me,” he writes. Seirios is a composer and performer of traditional Greek folk music with a growing discography of regional psych-rock gems. Baltas reached out to collaborate and the seeds of To The Mother Of Gods were sown.
Savvidis contributed stems of ten songs, which Baltas deconstructs and rearranges with appreciation of the ancestry of their lineage and of the deceptively ancient eerie, droning qualities inherent in the style. Occasionally augmenting Savvaidis’ recordings with his own, Baltas treats these elements as if raw materials for an architectural process.
To The Mother Of Gods showcases Baltas’ arrangement skills. He treats Savvaidis’ songs as landscapes, filling them with slanted, droning light and setting the singer’s vocals in dead center. His years behind the decks have given him an intuitive understanding of dynamics—drums crest and recede like tides, snippets of bassline repeat and swirl. He knows how to entrance, and when to push the music from the head to the body. Opener “Taratchi Katarratchi” (“Stormy Cataract”) is sung as a spell to ward off the fear of death, but Baltas’ orchestration demonstrates that dancing is an equally effective way of dispelling the darkness. The beat he assembles from Savvaidis’ playing recalls the late-night ecstasies of Primal Scream circa Screamadelica.
To The Mother Of Gods is a reminder that folk music and dance music are both powered by their audience as much as the musicians themselves. Savvaidis’ lyrics echo pagan Greek themes, touching on what Baltas calls “the magic of nature.” At times, as on “Kalesma” (“Invitation”), this can feel incantatory. Savvaidis chisels his vocal melodies into hard, clipped syllables, their cadence recalling Gregorian chant, and yet Baltas cloaks these details in washes of distortion. “Ston Stavraito” (“In Stavraithos”) is delivered with a lamentive tenderness that Baltas swells into a prideful stomp, immersing Savvaidis in marching drums and distant vocals that form a resilient protest-song. To The Mother Of Gods is a testament to the ongoing and innate truth that music can take us beyond ourselves. That repetition and drone can shepherd us to a liminal space beyond thought and rationality, where the wall between perception and reality does not exist. Call it spirit, if you want, and watch as it courses its way through modern-day dance music, mid-century psych, and the ancient sounds of the anatol.
Anatolian Weapons’ To The Mother Of Gods will be available from Beats In Space on June 14, 2019 in limited vinyl and unlimited digital forms.
Artist Highlights
• Aggelos Baltas is an Athenian music producer creating and Djing under the monikers of Anatolian Weapons, Fantastikoi Hxoi, and Dream Weapons.
• The Anatolian Weapons moniker is an outlet for Baltas to explore global music—from African to Anatolian and Middle Eastern, while also incorporating sounds from his home country of Greece.
Over the last decade, we’ve come accustomed to Jason Letkiewicz releasing material under a dizzying array of aliases, each utilized to explore a different side of his multi-faceted musical persona. Now, some 14 years after he made his recording debut alongside Ari Goldman as Manhunter, Letkiewicz has joined forces with Into The Light Records to release his first album under his real name.
The Reflecting Pool sees Letkiewicz exploring the uncomplicated and uncluttered in the pursuit of pure aural beauty. While his recent album as Opposing Currents was dense, dark, urban and industrial, The Reflecting Pool is stripped back, quiet and melodious. The contrast between the two projects is marked, with The Reflecting Pool drawing more on Letkiewicz’s love of crystalline ambient, slow burn synthesizer soundscapes, early ’80s library music and the kind of obscure electronic new age music that has been a hallmark of Into The Light’s releases to date.
The set’s 12 tracks gently ebb and flow, with Letkiewicz making great use of dusty old drum machines, effects units and a range of vintage analogue and digital synthesizers. It’s a set-up that results in a range of complimentary mood pieces and interludes, from the delay-laden military drums and lilting lead lines of “Out of Body Experiences”, to the drowsy, sunrise bliss of “Sunspot”, the bubbling Tangerine Dream style shuffle of “Mind Awake Body Asleep” and the outer-space atmosphere of “The Kill Fee”.
Throughout, Letkiewicz showcases his seemingly intrinsic grasp of mood, atmosphere and melody. It can be heard within the glacial guitar motifs, occasional beats and elongated chords of “The Reflecting Pool”, the rhythmic bustle of “Numb Drums”, the glassy-eyed melancholia of “Arhythmia” and the cinematic paranoia of “Burning Off The Morning Fog”. It’s also evident amongst the classically beat-less ambient of closing cut “Weightless”, whose alien electronics, effects-laden pulses and opaque chords recall established masters of the genre.
With The Reflecting Pool, Letkiewicz has provided us with a much-needed dose of stress-free musical escapism, at the same time offering hope that in these troubling times, love may still save the day.
Friendship (JAP) return with their merciless new album, Undercurrent, set for vinyl release through Southern Lord on June 21st .
Friendship's vile, antagonistic, blackened, sludge-tone hardcore remains focused on delivering maximum auditory torture. Considered alongside other luminaries such as Full Of Hell, Nails, and Infest, and underpinned with the oppressive tonal amplification of Sleep, Coffins, and Iron Monkey. The band is widely considered visionary in the field of heavy modern music.
Their second LP, Undercurrent showcases Friendship's hybrid of ultra-heavy doom, sludge and power violence. With a refined technical and precise approach, and a brighter and sharper tone than the preceding Hatred LP.
L’Illustration Musicale, Sonimage, Técipress-In Editions (Timing), Musax, Freesound,
Montparnasse 2000 in France but also De Wolfe and Chappell in England, every of these
sound illustration labels have in common to bring out as a legendary spectre the name of Jacky
Giordano and his aliases. Widespread practice in the library music world, Joachim Sherylee,
chosen for the In Motion album, is one of his plentiful aliases (with José Pharos, Jacky
Nodaro, Gruppo Sounds, Rubba...) used by the french composer, that we regain as well for
Black Devil with Bernard Fèvre or even for the Shifters with Yan Tregger.
For his enthronement on the mythical English label De Wolfe, it's under the obscure name of
the Rubba collective that Jacky Giordano aka Joachim Sherylee sneaked in the londonian De
Wolfe studios with the companionship of British colleagues such as John Hyde (aka John
Saunders, James Harrington, Astral sounds or even Wozo) and his wife Monice Hyde (aka
Monica Beale), Alan Howe (aka John Collins), Robert Poole and Tim Broughton.
Published in 1980, the In Motion: Modern Progressive Group Sounds Played By Rubba LP
and its minimalistic and utilitarian red record cover which contains 13 tracks, mainly composed
by Joachim "Giordano" Sherylee and was never reissued since then. This record became cult
over time; it will have taken that the Hip-Hop world seizes it in order to dig out from the
disregarded and underestimated musical gems graveyard. First of all with beatmaker Madlib
and Freddie Gibbs in 2011 with the track “Thuggin'”, in which he sampled the track “Way Star”,
also used more recently by Mil and the rapper Westside Gunn on his track “Brains Flew” by
(1964 Version).
Nearly 40 years after, the Farfalla Records label, after publishing Timing Archives, presents
another aspect more progressive and psychedelic of the multi-faceted composer Jacky
Giordano by fully reissuing at last this coveted, mysterious and mesmerizing "Rubba". Very
desired by crate-diggers, In Motion appears in the want-list of plenty enthusiasts in this
enigmatic world of the library music. (Erwann Pacaud)
Zru Vogue is a two man post punk avant-pop group from Palo Alto, California, combining the talents of Andrew Finkle and Rick Cuevas.
The band began in 1980 as a four member group: Rick, Andy, Tom Sanders and Nancy Miller. Tom and Nancy left the group shortly after the first single, "Nakweda Dream", was released by independent San Francisco label Adolescent Records in February 1981. Inspired by rave reviews and heavy airplay on alternative radio stations, Andy and Rick went back into the studio, now as a duo, to record some new ZRU tracks.
The self-tilted LP was released on the band’s Zero Risk Records in 1982. It contains eight compositions blending African tribal and Middle Eastern rhythms, avant-garde rock, minimal electronics, and funk-rock guitars.
The duo’s sound is inspired by the art and anti-art movements of Dada and Surrealism. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. Each copy is housed in a replica of the original jacket, which features artwork by the group members, and includes the original 2-sided lyric sheet.
Ready for an adventure running parallel to their lives in common units, the quartet boarded a starship
to set off on an astral expedition. The mission began perfectly, according to plan. From the very first
measures, the travellers were released from the Earth's gravity. Very quickly, their home planet
appeared tiny and distant, before disappearing completely. Comets and novae lit the way through the
fathomless depths of interstellar space. Their preliminary, in-depth studies of seventies jazz-funk
were a great source of inspiration. Very early on, they knew that this sonic esthetic would allow them
to travel even farther, navigating only with organic instruments and no digital backing or
enhancements.
Commander Virgile Raffaëlli's bass lines guided their journey, offering a calm, yet vibrant foundation
for the smoother phases and turning up the power to bring them through turbulence and meteor
showers safe and sound. Like a compass, the bass indicated the direction and traced a groove that
the loyal, valued crew could follow as their travels continued. Mathieu Edouard's drums solidly
locked down the rhythm to avoid any sudden jolts, working in tandem with Erwan Loeffel's jetpropelled percussion. On the keyboards, Florian Pellissier drew harmonies and riffs from the
synthesizers and electric pianos to oil the machinery and lighten the load when the ensemble needed
to rise a few feet. The crew's almost telepathic cohesion was key to their success, allowing them to
express interior emotions with just a few notes.
Here is the last transmission we received:
"We have landed on an unknown planet and are depressurizing the airlock with help from subtle
horns and ethereal choruses so we can discover the new horizon. It definitely meets our
expectations! The desert before us holds the promise of new life. The warm yet fresh air is easy to
breathe. A vague psychedelic scent floats through the atmosphere, as if ready to spring from the first
flower to bloom. Dreamlike, mysterious, enigmatic yet familiar, we will call it Aldorande."
Following the mighty rendition of "I Want You", Soul Sugar (a.k.a. Guillaume 'Gee'
Metenier) is back with another massive Soul-Reggae version, this time taking on Luther
Vandross' "Never Too Much".
Fearlessly taking on such timeless classics is serious business, and Leo Carmichael
delivers, once again, with a maximum dosage of finesse and feeling. Seductively delicate
backing vocals from Carl Lee Sharshmidt and Karene Brown keep it as warm and
intimate as one would hope, while Thomas Naim's tasteful guitar licks and Gee's minimal
production allow the song to breathe and flow steadily on its own.
Recorded in Paris, Kingston, Miami and London, the resulting blend of Soul and Reggae
riddims has rarely felt so natural. On the A-side, Gee's "Discomix" dubs a generous dose of
the sultry backing vocals over a minimal, bassy groove that dips, dives and flows on into the
sunset. UK producer Adam Prescott lets loose with an infectious 90's dancehall rerub,
aiming straight for the dancefloor... ladies' choice! Finally rhythm legends Sly & Robbie
drop the BASS with a heavy dancehall treatment, taking it low, letting it ride, while the
vocals float on... Never Too Much!
- A1: Frequency Guide
- A2: Just Like A Melody
- A3: In Every Way
- A4: A Brand New Day (Feat Asm & Balkan Bump)
- A5: Can\'T Love You More
- A6: Walking Through A Sunlit Forest
- A7: Solace
- B1: Lessons About Life
- B2: Ghetto Child (Feat Awon & Eme)
- B3: Darts Is Not A Sport
- B4: When It\'S Gone
- B5: No Need To Worry
- B6: Melatonin
With more than 220 million cumulated streams in 2013, Poldoore is far to be unknown from international future-beat and hip-hop scenes. His new record, Mosaïc, comes back confirming to be the spearhead of a booming music genre, where beatmakers emerge from the shadows to the light, to assert themselves as artists in their own rights. Coming from Belgium, more precisely Louvain near Bruxelles, Thomas Schillebeeckx began to explore his parents record collection at age 5, when the family moved to the US. Since, the will to combine this musical heritage to his more modern surrounding sounds never left. Because Poldoore music has a credo: assembly the era with sampling, mixing the genres to create a new musical touch.
Since his beginning in 2013, with the album The Days Off, the young musician talents gave him the opportunity to perform for an international tour with famous venues such as Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Festival, Dour Festival, or the giant Tomorrowland. Everything you need to create a huge fanbase, one that never let you down through your musical evolutions. At this stage, Poldoore is already ahead of his time, playing a music focused on the future, making his place among lasting artists by getting to the top sales on Beatport. Six years after, he's still here, more than ever.
The following of his career brings him to Bulgaria, Spain, Turkey, Germany, Greece, and developing remixes for international artists such as Selah Sue, Wax Tailor, Declaime or Talib Kweli.
He is also nominated at the Red Bull Elektropedia Awards in Belgium, for both Album of the Year and Best Newcomer of the year, mostly thanks to the hit: the remix of the classic Fugees song, Fu-Gee-La. Everything to set the stage for his second album, The Days Off in 2016. The natural identity of Poldoore music rings out more than ever, and allows him to sign several projects and EPs on prestigious labels: Chinese Man Records, Nowadays, Cold Busted or Darker Than Wax.
His forthcoming album Mosaïc is a pure exploration of genres. The offbeat hip-hop, beautifully embodied by the track Lessons About Life, the electro-funk with Darts Is Not A Sport, his beloved jamaïcan sounds on A Brand New Day (featuring ASM and Balkan Bump), or the break-electronic on Solace. But it's mainly his unusual ability to give a second groove to 70s soul samples and epic strings, that makes this record truly essential. The whole tracklist is haunted, whether on the excellent Walking Through A Sunlit Forest or on Melatonin, last of the 13 tracks. Always seeking to marry different musical periods, always linking the past and the future. With Mosaïc, Poldoore is not only showing us his talent, but takes the listener through out Time. And isn't it what the music is supposed to do
This Ltd edition vinyl release see’s a 50 track digital album whittled down to an 8 track sampler encompassing what label bosses Vinyl Junkie and Rachael E.C have determined to be the tracks that represent them best. The selection is predominantly on the junglist tip with a sprinkling of Drum & Bass here and there, which is basically what their label Ghetto Dub is all about.
The proceedings are kicked off by Birmingham born but Bristol based jungle overlord, the man they call Aries, who comes in with a real deep and bass heavy roller called Pre-Rolled, guaranteed to get everyone on their feet and feelin’ the vibes. This is followed by a rising star of the UK jungle scene; Java, who brings in the amens with a ragga style vocal lick for his track Screwface, which has been slaying dancefloors on dub for the last couple of months. Another artist that is really making a BIG name for himself lately is Veak. He comes in HARD with his first offering Lawd A Mercy which is a definite pull up track with a filthy bassline that will nail your head to the dancefloor. X-E-Dos concludes the first vinyl with Feel For Me which is a hard hitting but atmospheric drum fuelled workout, keeping the vibes rolling and maintaining the energy levels perfectly.
Enter the second vinyl and Veak is back, this time teaming up with another UK jungle don; Kumarachi. The combination of these two production masterminds has manifested something quite special in this awesome track Chrome Siren. Punchy in your face amens laced with more killer bass riffs and a mesmerising female vocal make this a definite for the front of your box. Sypmtom steps up next and adds that dark techy vibe like only he knows how; Come Mash Up maintains the jungle vibe but goes on a journey into the realms of drum & bass. Galvatrons track, Buss Up Shot is pure jungle, no doubt about that. Chopped up amens and a deep rumbling bassline are complemented with a beautifully melodic piano section. Last but by no means least, the man like SR takes the limelight with another wicked amen workout. Special Ops VIP gives a nod to the mid 90’s for sure… Wicked oldskool vibes and a sure fire hit with all the junglists that remember those times.
- A1: Tomás Tello - Valle Interandino (Peru)
- A2: Wellman – Cumbianchina (Argentina)
- A3: Joa Joys – Nadando (Argentina)
- A4: Horacio – Chacbril (Argentina)
- A5: Simón Vs Saimon - Amor10 (Peru)
- A6: M3Y – Aguas (Argentina)
- B1: Manrico Montero - Canto Interandino (Mexico)
- B2: Gil Sanson - Interludio Con Mbira (Venezuela)
- B3: Pandelindio - La Fuerza Domesticadora De Lo Pequeño (Argentina)
- B4: Gustavo Obligado - Gaoh El Gigante (Argentina)
- B5: Ciudad Satélite - Los Muertos De Siempre (Bolivia)
- B6: José Soberanes – Sus (Mexico)
La Danza del Agua" (The Dance of Water) is an eclectic musical journey through Latin American experimentalism - a sort of unofficial companion to the Anthologies of Atypical Portuguese Music volumes but focussing on South American music themes instead.
Originally released as two volumes on digital and tape versions on Papaki Records (2017, Argentina), this new concise edition presents 12 of the original 38 artists. Not to be seen as exhaustive document representing the wide styles of the even wider continent, it hopes to showcase some of its more marginal music with artists from a variety of countries such as Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia & Venezuela.
As such, this compilation shines a wider light on new and exciting sounds from the vast continent with a wide range of styles such as digital cumbias, sound experimentation, freak folk, noise, exotica, danceable beats and much more, mixed together to give life to the continuing strange world of contemporary South American experimental music.
A logical continuation of our New Weird South American explorations after releasing works from Meridian Brothers, Romperayo, Chupame El Dedo and a tape batch on Sucata sister label featuring Panchasila, Los Siquicos Litoraleños, Bardo Todol, Tomás Tello and more.
Santa Fe, New Mexico based artist Maggie Thornton a.k.a. Sky Civilian joins Atomnation and releases debut EP “Open Door” on the 14th of June, 2019. The productions from Sky Civilian evoke a lust for the future and the far-away, but she grounds this lofty mood in familiar territory, with nostalgic, detuned synth instrumentation and four-on-the-floor percussion. Her weightless, almost-whispered vocals capture a hyper-natural feeling. The overall lyrical message is one of raw sincerity, as listeners confront unmistakable themes of loss and longing. Strange yet playful vocal production techniques grant the work a subtle pop tilt.
his time with rapid-fire synths and dance beats that worm their way into your brain and get stuck there. Keeping it Cyberpunk and dance-able, he surprisingly tops himself once again. We can just spew more praise but let's let this album speak for itself, along with his amazing collaborators.
Scottish producer Alex returns to Playmaker Media Records after his previous album ‘X’ was released through the label last year. After a few releases through New Retro Wave he’s becoming a house hold name in the alternative synth scene with his unique mix of dark synth and cyber pop".
Fuck Reality Regular and Oslo Native Mats Frantzvaag Debuts on Full Pupp with a stunning , amazingly crafted 4 track ep, finest Arrangements, Seamless Flow, Slowburning Deepness, Full of Freshnees, Light and Grooveeness - Frantvaags Sounds stands out and tall. Like Winston Churchill said: “This is not the End, not even the Beginning of the End - This is the End of the Beginning!” And we´re sure there´s so much more to come…
- A1: Aurora Feat Madjo
- A2 5: Th Season Feat Fakear
- A3: Typical Boy Feat Zefire
- A4: Nobu Feat Grems & 20Syl
- A5: Free Flow Feat Sara Lugo
- A6: I Thought Feat Unno
- A7: What Eva Feat Mr J Medeiros
- B1: Lying
- B2: Maluca
- B3: Illa Beez
- B4: The Source Feat T3 & Illa J
- B5: Va Volver
- B6: Fonk Jedi Feat Declaime & Georgia Anne Muldrow
- B7: Ouroboros
New LP from French beat-makers La Fine Equipe featuring Illa J, T3, 20Syl, Mr J Medeiros, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Fakear ...
Let's be clear: La Fine Equipe is a band. The numerous hats wore by its four members are so various that it could mislead one's. Indeed, surrounding Blanka, oOgo, Chomsky and Mr. Gib, there are recording studios, collaborations, lives, side-projects... There is also and especially a whole universe built during the past ten years around their passion for beatmaking, embodied by the release of « 5th Season », new album.
So yes, La Fine Equipe is a band, but it's also much more than that.
Since their creation in 2006 and their first album « La Boulangerie » two years later, the four producers became inevitable when you think about a new scene breaking the barriers between musical genders. Hip Hop is at the heart of their craft, corner stone of their musical background and inspirations where the paths of J Dilla, Madlib, Flying Lotus, Kaytranada and the turntablists A-Trak, C2C and Birdy Nam Nam are crossing ways. Two things gather La Fine Equipe and those big names, the constant need of collaboration with other artists, and this thirst of discovery, main feature of the digger.
From 2008 to 2014, La Fine Equipe mastered its craft with the « Boulangerie », compilation gathering 34 beatmakers on 113 tracks. They also work on the creation of the label Nowadays Records (Fakear, Skence, Unno, Clément Bazin, Leska, Douchka...) and released more than 75 EPs and LPs in five years.
With an outrageous number of shows across the world, tour in Asia, South America, collaborations with several international artists... Their success changed the game: Whereas many producers coming from this environment where isolated, La Fine Equipe federated a growing scene and became its reference.
After years spent paving the way for other artists and creating a structure that could support the growth of a musical scene, they decided to go further and launch a new era with « 5th Season ».
Because the band works with eight hands and four brains, there's nothing surprising in the fact that the album sounds like a condensed of each and everyone inspirations and experiences, from hip hop and sampling, to electronica, jazz and Latinas inspirations. If homogeneity is the new trend, La Fine Equipe isn't ready to sacrifice its wishes to fit the mould.
« 5th Season » is also a glance at the world looking over our planet's current state, the cosmos, the vegetal and these things that are greater and stronger than us, and the things and behaviour that could led to our loss.
It's an almost apocalyptic vision of our future, but full of optimism at the same time. There is something solar and cinematographic in this album, a format that goes beyond the one chosen before, closer to playlist and compilations such as the three Boulangerie opuses remind us.
Loyal to their status of ambassadors, the four beatmakers keep on inviting other artists to complete their universe. Illa J and T3, respectively brother and partner (Slum Village) of the late J. Dilla, make the connection between a glorious past and the future embodied by La Fine Equipe on the track « The Source ». With « Aurora », it's the solemn and mystical voice of Madjo that take this electro-pop track to another level. The American rapper Mr. J. Medeiros on the boom bap anthem « What Eva », the Montrealer ZeFire on « Typical », each and every artists brings its stone to the edifice of « 5th Season », giving to the album a limitless and freed musical richness.
But to release an album isn't enough. In parallel, each member of La Fine Equipe continues to fulfil its multiples tasks and work on a new concept live show bringing a scenic and visual show in addition to their music. It is what the artists looking toward the future do, and La Fine Equipe is looking straight ahead.
_________________________________________________________________________
TRACK BY TRACK
AURORA (Ft. Madjo)
Already remixed by the quatuor on the beautiful track « Choose The Heart », it's Madjo's turn to be invited by La Fine Equipe for a collaboration. Her mystical voice, which fragility paradoxically seems to strengthen its power, turns the track into an epic pop anthem.
NOBU (Ft. Grems & 20syl)
The association of these three names seems obvious, like a family reunion. Grems did the visual of the anniversary box of La Boulangerie, 20syl (C2C, Hocus Pocus) was one of the beatmakers who took part in the project.
This time, the two big brothers are side by side behind the mic, for the first French speaking collaboration of La Fine Equipe.
On this trapy/footwork beat, the two rappers ring the alarm before it's too late to save our house, the earth.
THE SOURCE (Ft. T3 & Illa J)
In the family of Hip Hop jewels of 5th Season, here is one coming from the USA. Fans of J Dilla and Slum Village since the first hour, La Fine Equipe pays its respects to its influences by inviting T3 and Illa J. Respectively member of Slum Village and brother of the legendary Detroit producer, these two MCs build a bridge between the eras and let their sharpened flows confuse our perception of time.
5TH SEASON (Ft. Fakear)
A second collaboration with their little brother from the Nowadays Family, Fakear. Eponymous title, it represents the universe of both entities, true road trip through Fakearians melodies and La Fine Equipe's funk declined in five seasons.
TYPICAL BOY (Ft. ZeFire)
With « Typical Boy », La Fine Equipe express its love for House music with chopped rhythms and a heavy but swaying bass line. The freed track oscillate between power and lightness. A beat that quickly becomes ZeFire's playground. The Montreal singer, already heard on Her's tracks, brings a missing r'n'b touch to create the perfect chemistry.
A fruitful collaboration between lyricist Andrew Birtles, composer David Watts, producer Dave Foister, and the beautiful voice of Kym Amps of which only two tracks were released on a 7". Now, almost 40 years after the original release date, the full album finally sees the light of day through Monte Cristo.
Kym Amps' powerful and moving vocal performance is supported by minimal electronic new-wavish arrangements that were produced with, at the time, cutting edge equipment.
Sergii Galan, the Ukrainian producer also known as Haze, makes his debut on the Kyiv-based Rhythm Buro imprint. The artist who released his first ever EP just two years ago (the excellent "Somewhere In Time" EP on Anagram Records) is now joining the roster of the label affiliated with the event series of the same name. While the Rhythm Buro events are best known for keeping the Ukrainian capital's dance floors busy, the Rhythm Buro label is set to hit its fifth release with Haze's RB005. As is evident with the EP's artwork, RB005 marks the beginning of a new era for the label, breaking the ties with what was previously its signature visual mark.
The record's opening tune is the heaviest on the EP, good reason as to why it was chosen as the title track. "Aimless" is bottom-heavy and bass-rich, done in the true "acid eiffel" face-melting fashion. However, its successor on A2, "Inner Voice", takes a completely different route sound-wise, referencing timeless old-school breaks and vocal samples, which showcase the diversity of Haze's palate. To further confirm this notion, "Prism" on A3 appears as the EP's "slow burner", the acidic-psychedelic-downtempo tune you wouldn't often come across on a record filed under "techno" in 2019.
In line with Rhythm Buro tradition of sorts, the B-side of the record is dedicated to the deeper tunes, which blur the lines between techno and house. "Majula Sunset" on B1 is both trippy and melodic; with a groovy rolling bass line only a quality sound system could handle properly. Closing the record is Ben Buitendijk's remix and combination of two of Haze's tracks from the EP: "Prism" and "Aimless". As indicated by the title, this track "Natura" is not only a rework of Haze's tunes, but also homage to one of Rhythm Buro's most original events of the same name, which Buitendijk has played, an event which is held in the forest outside Kyiv every summer.
Performing throughout the 1980s as Art Carnage to the gloomy hipsters of Portland, Attilio Panissidi III decided he needed a vacation. The result of his creative escape became Art Takes A Holiday, an album of fabricated FM synthscapes and MIDI environments that embrace elements of smooth jazz, new age, and pop.
Attilio had been playing in bands since he was thirteen, and had opened live shows for countless acts, from The Shangri-Las to Bruce Hornsby. The experience of producing, performing, as well as years spent writing for local music magazine The Downtowner, earned Attilio a gig to score a commercial film for a home security systems company. The opportunity allowed him to explore softer elements in his writing, and he created a suite of songs much deeper than the commission warranted. These instrumentals caught the attention of Marlon McClain (Gap Band, Shock), who invited Attilio to produce and release the music on his fledgling Nu-Vision label. Thus Art Takes A Holiday found its commercial release on cassette and CD in 1989. Although originally intended as soundtrack music, the album retains its own momentum, narrative and evocative imagery that betrays Attilio's years of crafting songs. Attilio found a perfect ambience on this mythic retreat, somewhere between William Aura's summer cottage on Half Moon Bay and DJ Alfredo's Balearic island getaway.
- A1: Turning Invisible In An Imaginary Rose Garden One Evening
- A2: Amhrán An Dreoilín
- A3: Jonny Tries To Catch A Pomegranate
- A4: The Road To Your Door
- A5: Requiem For Joe Dillon / Light A Penny Candle
- B1: Somebody Else\'S Blues
- B2: God Bless Little Peter
- B3: That Go To Sleep Rag
- B4: Mad Sweeney’s Day Off
- B5: Again, But With Feeling This Time
- B6: Start Again (Carry On)
"I love it. SO beautiful"
Josh Rosenthal [Tompkins Square]
Songs For A One-String Guitar is the debut instrumental acoustic guitar LP from Jonny Dillon. Better known for his analogue electronic music productions and all-hardware live sets under the ‘Automatic Tasty’ moniker [Lunar Disko, CPU, Wrong Island], Jonny’s records (bearing heavy acid and electro influences), along with live appearances at venues like Berlin’s Panorama Bar and Kiev’s Closer belie the fact that he has been quietly exploring the musical landscape of the guitar for nearly twenty years.
Recorded as a series of sketches over the last 10 years, Songs For A One-String Guitar represents a snapshot taken over a long exposure; one individual’s private response to a variety of currents and inspirations both musical and emotional. While informed in large measure by the world of Irish traditional music and song (of Sweeney’s Men, Planxty and Seán Garvey) along with that of primitivism and the American Spiritual (of John Fahey, Hank Williams and Mississippi John Hurt) these songs are equally a personal attempt to give expression to an inner landscape, from the experience of sorrow and loss to the promise of redemption and renewal.
The LP opens with ‘Turning Invisible In An Imaginary Rose Garden One-Evening’ a contemplative piece played in free-time; “I’ve been playing this piece for years, and it’s gone by so many different names in that time. It’s a sort of shoe-staring daydream, to my mind at least. I want people to disappear when they hear it, and think it suits the LP to open up slowly and reflectively”. While a contemplative strain underpins some of these songs, others are informed more directly by the experience of grief; “I wrote ‘A Requiem For Joe Dillon’ at the death of my uncle. He used play lots of wonderful songs of his own at family gatherings when I was a child, and while a very gifted and sensitive soul, was also troubled by his own demons. The last time I saw him alive was at my family home with my father; I was going out to see some friends and Joe called me back, gave me a hug and made the sign of the cross with his thumb on my forehead, to bless me. It still chokes me up when I think about it. A song of his ‘Light A Penny Candle’ I included to finish the piece in his honour.” A sense of longing and hope is present in other pieces; “Songs like ‘Again But With Feeling This Time’ and ‘Start Again (Carry On)’ come from a sort of hopeful yearning feeling which is always within me; a melancholic sort of joy in search of redemption. For me, music has the strange capacity to express contrary positions simultaneously; to console, redeem and offer transcendence while also expressing suffering and pain. I don’t know what any of this means, but feel as though I’m trying to find my way home by writing the same song over and over again.”
Songs For A One-String Guitar may seem to represent a departure for those who know Dillon for his electronic productions alone, though the reality is that these songs merely represent a new opening onto an old landscape; they are an invitation to more fully share in one individual’s yearning to find meaning through creative expression. “These songs are very personal to me, so there’s a certain nervousness in my seeing them released. I hope that they prove of some use, and that they do some small good to those who hear them.”
For Against Fascism Trax 006, Auntie Flo takes us to Brazil, a country that is dealing with having a bona fide fascist president, with an EP recorded in Rio De Janeiro. I’m going to shut up and let Afonso Marcondes from Sao Paolo take it from here -
In a world in which culture policies (incl. music) win nationalist tones, Brazil has lessons to give with the catastrophic failed experience of the last government and the teletubbies talk on Culture from the current one.
As one sometimes feel as if one is on a time-warp from time to time, most often taken there by music, songs like March of The Berimbau here, could easy make for the perfect soundtrack for the political history of Brazil, country in which Auntie Flo got his inspiration and recorded this tracks.
From the military regime that gave Brazil bossa nova in the 60’s, the tropicália sounds of the 70’s to the pop rock era of the 80’s all the way from the rave scene of the 90’s to todays Bahia Bass, music in Brazil has always been instrumental in helping shape the political scene.
One thing about the Brazilian music ’scene’ is that rarely it lends itself to extreme political views, via lyrics or otherwise, after all, carnaval must be kept a happy time! The number of different cultures living in peace, side by side in Brazil has strenghten the country disapproval of hate talk in music since I can remember growing up in the interior of São Paulo state.
As per wiki: Fascism is a form of radical ultranationalism, characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition… Children bedtime reading if you follow the past 15 years in Brazilian politics and the rise and fall of Brazil’s Labour Party, together with its disastrous polices on culture and synergy with de definition above; including the views of a important cultural Party branch that continuously 'preached' that Authors should need no rights over their works. That couldn’t bit music in Brazil.
Fast forward to the first 5 months of government of an unfortunate retired army officer, whose every word sounds like Trump, and whose views on culture is to extinguish the Culture Ministry and cut low the state incentives to the sector, that, so far, is not bitting music in Brasil.
Hope that Auntie Flo’s music inspired everyone as the place where it was made and recorded inspired music in Brazil, as a beacon of light against any hate talk darkness.
Southern Lord have are releasing a deluxe reissue of the quartet’s 2013 album Forever Becoming, featuring vastly improved mix and mastering of the original songs replete with a revised version of the previously Japan-only bonus track “Bardo.”
Initially recorded by Chris Common under optimal conditions at Chicago’s Electrical Audio, Forever Becoming was mixed in less-than-ideal circumstances at a makeshift studio in Los Angeles, yielding mixes that varnished the incredible tones generated during tracking. When the subject of a vinyl repress came up, Common, now helming his own proper studio, asked for another crack at mixing the album. The result brings a new level of low end depth, atmospheric clarity, and tight, punchy heaviness to the album.
Across almost 20 years, five full lengths, seven EPs, and hundreds of live shows Pelican have cultivated a chemistry that borders on telepathy, catapulting the band from basement shows in their native Chicago to outlier appearances at international music festivals including Primavera, Roskilde, Pitchfork, Bonnaroo, Roadburn, and Maryland Death Fest, and headlining tours across four continents.
“Ta Da” is the debut full length from J. McFarlane Reality Guest, the collective name for the trio headed by the eponymous McFarlane. As a member of the group Twerps, McFarlane has traversed guitar-centric, melodic pop music for some years while honing a highly unique, personal musical language. Ta Da is the first recorded unveiling of McFarlane’s affecting, oblique songwriting panache. Originally released in her native Australia on Hobbies Galore, Ta Da will be released worldwide by Night School in June 2019.
Wheezing into view with a troubled reed instrument set against a s of whoozy synth lines, Human Tissue Act is a foggy curtain the listener is invited to peel back. The dissonant notes are left to dance entwined, with clarinet heralding a Harry Partch-esque mallet percussion interlude. It’s a mood. With no resolution in sight, an audience dragged closer into uncertainty is suddenly drenched with the light of inter-weaving wah wah synth and saxophone. I Am A Toy introduces us to McFarlane’s vocal, an effortless and matter-of-fact, accented statement that quietly takes the reins. While McFarlane’s previous work in Twerps might reference 80s UK and antipodean guitar pop, Ta Da showcases a different influences immersed in psychedelic music and synths. It’s a brilliant, deft concoction swimming in Young Marble Giants-type minimalism washed with bare pop and harmony similar to Kevin Ayers making sense of a Melbourne suburb full of faces half-recognised in the blanching sun.
What Has He Bought begins with a Casio-keyboard rhythm pattern, palm-muted guitars and immaculately enunciated vocal give way to a burnt melodica part that elevates the spirits. Simple patterns repeated, like a well-tempered pop song that does what it needs to do and no more, build into the sound of summer leaking orange juice. They’re moments of joy, layered on top of each other like a melting cake. Do You Like What I’m Sayin’ recalls Marine Girls covering a classic ‘66 Garage nugget, organ lines fighting funk with guitar chords played just behind the percussion. “In a talking world, meanings are the same. Words want to hold on to the people they contain. Do you like what I’m sayin’?” We’re in a Beckett play perhaps, obtuse absurdities rendered pretty. Alien Ceremony is a heart-melter, given a melancholic timbre by bowed double bass it’s a tragi-comic piece that almost reeks of Robert Wyatt at his mid-whimsical twisting a fugue completely out of shape. Beneath the layers of harmony and twinkling instrumentation you sense there’s a genuine sadness somewhere even if it remains veiled.
Through out Ta Da, McFarlane plays with counterpoint and contrast to sometimes delirious effect. On Your Torturer, a simple, upbeat chord progression is hard panned, underpinning a flute solo which seems out of place, hence making it completely in place on this warmly surreal album. My Enemy is a slowly swinging eulogy to a failed relationship punctuated by analogue synth burbles, with our protagonist simply asking, in the aftermath, “can we be nice?” Here McFarlane’s vocal is straight forward, lyrically conversational but still not completely in focus, a surreal kitchen sink drama filtered through a dream where everything is in the wrong place. It’s a fine precursor to Heartburn, which similarly borrows BBC Radiophonic Workshop-style noise synths and the use of space to carve up the simple “You Will Make My Heart Burn” line. At this point, the listener has been in such close proximity to McFarlane’s show, the reality guest in a performance where they’re the sole audience member, that when Where Are You My Love rises on the horizon as a sleepy, psychedelic send off it’s uplifting. The vocal drifts away into the sunset, simple and direct. It leaves the listener slightly confused, perhaps, but grateful for the gentle surprise.
Launching the first of many solo vinyl releases, Inter Gritty and
Controlled Violence are proud to present: Laponia Space
Project. Drawing inspiration from various trips through
Finland’s Lapland region, as well as proximity to Sweden’s
Space Centre, Laponia Space Project perfectly represents the
expansive, awe-inspiring nature of its surrounds. Inter Gritty
has presented himself in a different light to the majority of his
catalogue, drawing on nimble, organic sounds in combination
with a lively rhythm section to embody Laponia Space
Project’s mood. With a classic 4-track E.P. format, each work
evokes a real sense of wonderment, as tracks like Sleepy Tree
and Cassiope integrate twinkling, hollow, and delicate
elements. Basslines bound up mountain ranges, synth pulses
reverberate through the treetops, and groovy percussion
captures the excitement and energy of the local scenery.
TR303 is a clear homage to the machine and the movement
that have shaped modern-day electronic music. And while it
will certainly make its way into the crates and folders of DJs
everywhere, it still manages to incorporate a sensation akin to
being sent out into the most unfamiliar of territories. To close
the E.P., Expo Line’s percussion shakes amongst airy pads and echoed pangs, as though one is shuffling onwards through the
forest.
- A1: Tidal Wave
- B1: Tidal Wave (Instrumental)
- A2: Tidal Wave (Boot Remix)
- A3: Tidal Wave (Nasa Remix)
- A4: Tidal Wave (R.e.d.a. Remix)
- A5: Tidal Wave (Lex Boogie Remix)
- B2: Tidal Wave (Boot Remix Instrumental)
- B3: Tidal Wave (Nasa Remix Instrumental)
- B4: Tidal Wave (R.e.d.a. Remix Instrumental)
- B5: Tidal Wave (Lex Boogie Remix Instrumental)
- B6: Fool\'S Gold (Feat. J Lawson)
Claiming Montreal as his new home town, Brussels-born Senz Beats has been building an impressive body of work with underground veterans from both coasts of the US (Dave Dub, Megabusive, Lex Boogie From the Bronx..) and beyond. Cappo, Nottingham's very own veteran MC, needs no introduction having already made waves at home and abroad with his impeccable string of solo albums as well as his work with the Nottingham super group VVV.
Here, Senz Beats and Cappo join forces to present a stark reminder of where humanity is headed if we continue to place our values in capitalist ideals. The raw, driving energy of the beat offers the perfect backdrop for Cappo to deliver his warning to those caught up in the materialistic rat-race: the tidal wave is close approaching.
4 experts in their field offer up remixes of this epic track. Boot Records very own Jazz-T (Jehst, Lee Scott, J-Zone...), ex-Def Jux engineer and artist Uncommon Nasa (Vast Aire, Aesop Rock, Mr. Lif...), Lex Boogie From The Bronx (Marq Spekt, Rass Kass, Vordul Mega...), and R.E.D.A. (Insight, Main Flow, M. Sayyid...) each give this track their own distinctive flavour to devastating effect.
Lastly, on the bonus track Fool's Gold, J Lawson echos Cappo's Tidal Wave warnings concerning lusting after riches at the expense of everything else, also produced by Senz Beats. One of the few remaining songs from over 2 years of collaboration roughly 10 years ago, this song has stood the test of time and is ready and eager to be presented to the world.
[a] 1. Tidal Wave [clip]
[f] 6. Tidal Wave (Instrumental) [clip]
Names You Can Trust's long-running Swing-A-Ling party in Brooklyn has become an epic warm weather celebration of all classic styles of Jamaican sound system music on vinyl. The party itself, set in the deepest crevices of BK's Caribbean community, has been known to stretch for 12+ hours each session, serving non-stop musical entertainment and buckets of jerk chicken & curry goat to an adoring crowd of all ages, young and old. The event has also been the occasion of some extremely limited edition record presses that have come to embody both the ethos of the party and the NYCT label. The second in the series of the playfully titled Swing-A-Ling NOW SOUNDS is a new entry in modern reggae production from The Mad Geezers. Like the party's signature sound, the tunes on this double-sided single are timeless, intriguingly left-of-center, and most importantly in deep homage of the vast influences and inspirations that have been carved to vinyl throughout Jamaican recorded history. Elements of rock steady, dub, soul and middle eastern snake charmer sounds all find their way through the hands of the Geezers' skilled musicians and the resulting 45 record is sure to be another sneaky staple in sound systems all over.
Native Cruise’s new release is just in time for the summer, bringing a relaxed take on house that laps at your ears like a warm sea. We’re happy to have got some of his time - he’s been releasing on No Bad Tapes, Fruit Merchant and YAM Records. He pitches the release as “a mixture between house, tribal and balearic not sure what else”,so it’ll be hard to file neatly, but we are glad he’s made this lovely EP.
LP comes pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
On 29th March, Reclaimed Records are proud to present pianist and composer Taz Modi's elegant debut solo album 'Reclaimed Goods', which brings to light his love for contemporary composition – something which may come as a surprise to fans of soulful dance music heavyweights Submotion Orchestra, and jazz trumpeter Matthew Halsall's Gondwana Orchestra - for both of whom Modi plays keys/piano. Whilst also gaining further demand as a musician, including for A-list studio and live work for funk 'n' soul legends Dennis Coffey and Fred Wesley, plus beatmaker heroes DJ Shadow and Mr. Scruff, Modi has been discreetly pursuing an additional passion during down-time for years – and his prolonged, patient crafting shows in the record's tasteful and beautiful spirit.
Calling to mind the piano music of Cage, Frahm, Hauchska, Sakamoto and Aphex Twin, 'Reclaimed Goods' is a graceful affair, in which lush strings and gently pulsing rhythmic flutters sit alongside prepared and plaintive piano, with the tunes ranging from sparse beauty to weightier moments of electronic rhythms. This allows the music to appeal equally to fans of heavier electronic acts such as Cinematic Orchestra and Bonobo, to devotees of ambient and contemporary classical music, as well as those familiar with Modi's work with both Submotion Orchestra and Matthew Halsall.
Positive review by John Lewis for the Guardian's contemporary music album of the month section: 'An even more effective exploration of solo piano territory comes from British pianist Taz Modi; best known for his work in various jazz and funk ensembles, his solo debut Reclaimed Goods features a host of introspective instrumentals that are reminiscent, variously, of Ryuichi Sakamoto (Libra), Nils Frahm (Time to Practise, Crystalline) and Hauschka (Ethical Tourist).
Featured in Music Week's Tastemaker section, 15th April 2019 with Haydon Spenceley: 'Listen to it; it'll lift you high above our care-worn world to a place of safety and grace'.
First single 'Ethical Tourist' featured as a premiere on 18 Feb 2019
Second single 'Crystalline' premiered on Boiler Room's 4:3 video channel, 12 Mar 2019
'A kaleidoscopic album that seductively pulls you in and leaves you curious about the inspiration behind the songs' - AAA Music
Positive review on Magazine Sixty
Support on Soho Radio, Dom Servini
Played on Worldwide FM, April 3, Gondwana Records show
Featured on Bleep's Spotify playlist 'For Your Ears and For Your Head', April 2019
Played by Mischa Kreiskott, NDR Radio Germany, ndr.de
Worldwide FM's Gondwana Records show on May 1 featured an interview with Taz Modi, along with multiple tracks from the album.
Musicians:
Taz Modi – piano, keyboards/electronics, arrangement and production
Natalie Purton – violin + viola
Liz Hanks – cello
Margit van der Zwan – cello
Seb Hankins and Jon Scott – drums
The Jazz Diaries is proud to announce NYC’s favorite underground papi Toribio will be releasing his sophomore EP June 14th 2019. Hot of-the-heels of his Gator Boots 12” for Soul Clap, which received hands in the air support from Seth Troxler, Adam Port, and Soul Clap, Toribio makes you feel at home in the club with his expressive new EP - Capicua!
Growing up playing Dominican percussion instruments from an early age, and being a staple DJ in the NYC circuit for the last 7+ years playing with a who’s who of DJs (Danny Krivit, Rick Wilhite, Louie Vega etc), Toribio expands the palette of what dance music is, fusing his Dominican roots, afro-cuban latin riddims and 90s hip-hop to create a cultural melting pot that signals a change in the guard for NYC House Music.
As Toribio rightly puts…
“Capicua!” is an expression Dominicans yell as they slam the last domino of a certain hand with belligerent righteousness. It means you win on both sides of the table no matter which way you look at it. Top to bottom. This my musical way of saying in a Dominican style... I won on both sides with this record.
This is certainly true of EP opener ‘Get Up’, which hits you on the upside with a nasty dose of p-funk over a bed of live and programmed house riddims. The record showcases Toribio’s penchant for the funky, yet rhythmically inquisitive. It is this trademark sound that permeates the record and continues its way through the acid tinged ‘Make Your Mark’, where long time friend and collaborator Byron the Aquarius steps in on remix duties - providing a lush reprise from the frenetic afro-cuban percussion found in the original mix.
Last but not least, Toribio rounds of the EP with a sensual, take your girl home cover of ‘Household’ by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. The tune showcases the broad depth of Toribio’s musical portrait, prominently featuring his voice and guitar, further giving credence to the musicality and diasporic nature of the new Nu York, and further cementing Toribio’s place in it for years to come.
This release by The Band of Enlightenment, Reason & Love presents a new instrumental version of the heavily sought after debut release "Zota Yinne" by Alogte Oho, the meanwhile classic second release on Philophon from 2014 (PH45002). So far, The Band of Enlightenment, Reason & Love, as Philophon's house band, never had any release under its own name, but here we go! It's sure: more will follow.
"Zota Yinne" is a dubbed out variation of the original Frafra gospel classic with the one and only Jimi Tenor as a guest on flute and synth. "Starlet Road Filling Station Romance" is an other-worldly search for love, perfectly characterized by Jimi Tenor's love cries on the saxophone.
German producers Shuko and The Breed announce joint Westcoast Album "Dippin'"
The collaboration between producers Shuko and The Breed was love at first sight. Thanks to their preference for classic Westcoast sound, they immediately found a common denominator and harmonized excellently during the production. The result is the album "Dippin'", based on the song with the same name by Westcoast legend King Tee, who besides MC Eiht and Benny Sings is also the only rap feature on the instrumental hiphop album. After the song "Life in Los Angeles" with the Westcoast legends, the tune "Cali Sunshine" has officially announced the joint record of the producers, which is available on black gold in addition to the digital release at June 5.
The Breed and Shuko can already look back on a number of prominent productions in Germany and the world. The Breed was mainly responsible for the style-defining sound of Alles or Nix Records and is now mainly the house producer of Plusmacher, but has also built beats for famous German rappers like Olexesh, Haftbefehl or Marteria. Shuko is known in Germany as a producer for Casper, Cro, Farid Bang or Kollegah. Internationally he could already place beats on releases of Cypress Hill, Evidence, The Clipse, Lil Wayne or Nipsey Hussle. But besides their productions for rappers and singers they have always concentrated on their solo careers. Both are very successful in the field of instrumental HipHop and can boast impressive figures in the millions on Spotify. But what unites the two is their love for the Westcoast sound of the 90s. Therefore, they have now joined forces for a project on which they pay homage to classical G-funk, but also create a new modern version of this genre. This album is a tribute to the city of angels and its style-defining sound. The instrumental bangers fit perfectly into the summer and are the perfect soundtrack for sun, beer and BBQ.
- A1: Ya I Ty (Me & You) (3:16)
- A2: Mesyac (Crescent Moon) (3:28)
- A3: Krasnyi Ad - Belyie Binty (Red Hell - White Bandages) (4:55)
- A4: Cherti (Devils) (3:21)
- A5: Mesyac 2 (Crescent Moon 2) (1:36)
- B1: Kalashnikov A I B (3:16)
- B2: Solnca Net (There Is No Sun) (2:29)
- B3: Nasrat (We Don't Care) (3:02)
- B4: Belyi Lebed (White Swan) (2:11)
- B5: Paren Iz Russkoy Skazki (Guy From Russian Fairytale) (2:24)
Sie haben es wirklich nochmal getan...Calexico und Iron & Wine haben sich fast 15 Jahre nach ihrem ersten gemeinsamen Geniestreich - In the Reins' (2005) für ein überraschendes, zweites Mal zusammen gefunden, in ein Studio eingeschlossen und acht mal die Engel singen lassen. Am 14. Juni wird das Album namens - Years to Burn' erscheinen, und natürlich wird dies ein Feiertag für die Fans der Bands, für alle Freunde von Alternative, Americana, Folk und Roots Music.
LTD Edition!
Sie haben es wirklich nochmal getan...Calexico und Iron & Wine haben sich fast 15 Jahre nach ihrem ersten gemeinsamen Geniestreich - In the Reins' (2005) für ein überraschendes, zweites Mal zusammen gefunden, in ein Studio eingeschlossen und acht mal die Engel singen lassen. Am 14. Juni wird das Album namens - Years to Burn' erscheinen, und natürlich wird dies ein Feiertag für die Fans der Bands, für alle Freunde von Alternative, Americana, Folk und Roots Music.
Stellar new EP on the way from Dutch producer Qindek. The rising star has been on the up as of late having released on labels on such Wolfskin Records and Invite's Choice Records. This time he's releasing on vinyl only label Dreiklang who have had some scintillating cuts from Edit-Select (who appears as one of the remixers on this EP) and Claudio PRC.
Qindek has really been honing his skills and is known as much for his flowing DJ sets as he is for his masterful live sets. This level of technique is truly standing to the artist as we can see from his comfortability with hardware shine through on this project.
'Come Closer' will be the fifth release from the label: it features the original mix Come Closer and three remixes from VOLTMAR, Edit-Select, and KUF, which show the different facades of the track. The original cut is a primal, tribal number merged with club elements. It enters with a bongo-like drum that is followed by a hi-hat for some pace. A surreptitious synth floats in and levitates back and forth, which is coupled with fluctuating keys and toms. It's a mesmerizing number with an understated tempo, bringing the forest to the club.
Cologne based artist VOLTMAR takes the first remix. Known as a DJ for many years now, he has performed in clubs across Europe. He tends to enjoy a deeper sound and this is prevalent in his take on the cut. The percussions are deeper and more hollowed, which creates a different kind of sway. It feels more tribal, with more jungle elements to it. It has less synth and more of a heavy bassline, designed to connect people on a primal level.
Next to feature is none other than Edit-Select. The British native is well established in the club scene and does not disappoint with this remix. A more complex sound, he takes the track and elongates it. It's a consistent sound with underground elements and a slight bit of tempo. It has this divine gothic synth that oscillates with a certain lilt to it. The beat is enchanting as the cut slowly diminishes.
The last stand is by Swedish artist Kuf. Known for his energetic sound, this cut does not disappoint. It's a high-velocity all-out assault club banger. It has rolling beats, speedy hi-hats and a tempo that is driven forward by hand claps. It has a skeleton aspect to it, whereas instead of using builds, they add and subtract elements inject an ever-changing pace.
Welcome to the deeper end of the Hugh Mane spectrum. Mane’s third outing on Running Back captures his love for the spirit of early Detroit techno, IDM’s ambient aspects, the philosophy of the acid house experience and a natural production flow. Four tracks for fans of Larry Heard, Jungle Sounds, Nu Groove and the very early British response to that. Emotions electric. Vintage voodoo with modern spells. Equipment used:
Child Of Love: Lots of Alpha Juno 2 - which with the editor is such an underrated gem of a synth.
Everything Question: 808, Juno 60, Matrix brute. a big f*ck off vintage reverb
Vintage Voodoo: Alpha Juno 2, Oberheim DX for snare & toms, 909 claps, Korg DD1 hats
Free To Spend: Korg DD1 congas, snare and hats 808, Alpha Juno 2
As a visual artist and ambient composer, Tor Lundvall's work often recontextualizes the familiarity of everyday life through abstraction and space. Starting with the snapshot of a moment, Lundvall extracts its underlying complexity of the seemingly mundane and gives sleeping suggestion a presence and purpose. Mainly working sans vocals, Lundvall returned to voice exploration for 2018's A Dark Place, a somber, dark synth album that merged his mastery of textural ambience with traditional pop structures.
Rescued from old DAT tapes A Strangeness In Motion: Early Pop Recordings 1989-1999 are some of Lundvall's earliest completed synth pop works which have remained unreleased until now.
Though Lundvall's work throughout the collection has the recognizable ambient bones and sensibilities he has refined throughout his career, many of the tracks call back to the synth-driven pop of Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, The Human League and New Order, with the common thread being the sparse density and mood created by reservation and the lonely impulse to twist convention, not to rip it up and repurpose it. Rather than 10 disparate ideas, Lundvall's curation of A Strangeness In Motion: Early Pop Recordings 1989-1999 feels like excerpts from a broader work, allowing the listener to fill in the holes and ladder up to his larger themes and concepts, perhaps coloring his prior works in new hues and tones.
'For years I dismissed these songs as naive and youthful relics, but I've grown much fonder of them in recent years along with the memories they evoke,' he says of the decade spanning collection of tracks, many of which were sketched out in his duo with Drew Sullivan, After The Outing. 'Original One', 'Procession Day', 'The Clearing', and 'The Melting Hour' are present here as solo reworkings, originally culled from his sessions with Sullivan. The remaining songs were ideas originally considered for Passing Through Alone (1997) and its proposed follow up, provisionally and playfully titled Femalamania.
'The title was summing up my girl problems at the time and also a silly word spin on Robyn Hitchcock's Fegmania!' he says. 'Sadly, the project was abandoned—a rare decision for me and perhaps the only time I've scrapped an album entirely.'
Berlin based trio Keller Crackers collective likes to shape haunting esoteric sounds, in which self-built instruments dance with ritualistic synthesised rhythms, field recordings, psychoacoustic drones and poetical spoken silhouettes.
After a self-released MC and a mesmerising tune called “Anem” out in February 2019 on the custom-made Kashual Plastik 007 double-vinyl compilation, now they give birth to their own debut record “KC”, a four track EP resulting from various improvisational studio sessions, a bag full of spontaneous visionary DIY sound fashion that melts meandering serialism, foggy ‘Chris & Cosey’-ness, exoticism and freely expressed emotions. Some pieces are given time to evolve, being dragged through long arrangements and slow transitions, while others are playful and short. To close up the magic circle, the release includes a tripping Tolouse Low Trax signature remix.
The opening tune “Specialised” swings on a trance-like hypnotic bass line, while a self-made kalimba played through a tape delay and overtones from a DIY circuit bended device inject dynamics and colour to the composition. Out of the sonic depth, the spoken words of Sylvana Wickman emerge enchanting and unreal, naming a series of technical terms, assembling a deep notion on the specialised society we live in.
“Cow Tongue” follows, a fleeting composition of crackling electronic clicks jumping off a micro-modular device. They got overdubbed again by Sylvana’s voice, delightfully reciting phrases from a recipe of regional delicacies.
The A side of KC`s first strike finishes with a spaced-out synth bass and the lo-fi beats of a Yamaha RX15 drum machine. They are the gripping foundation of “Aithouses Anamonis“, which means “Waiting Rooms”. It describes the scene of a man sitting in a waiting room observing the consumerist behaviour by the folks around him.
The B-side opens with a Tolouse Low Trax remix of “Specialised”, elevating the original with the bass line of “Aithouses Anamonis“, while melting the all into a dark nebulous Tolouse Low Trax signature stripped down funk for endless nights in neon lights.
For their final track “Colours”, Keller Crackers invited a steady free member of their live shows to record with them: free jazz musician Robert Würz. He tuned his flute enthralling over a suspenseful bass line formed in a whirlwind of synth-sounds. The whole frenzy gets divine through sliding chords that rise from a self-built guitar.
A musical bouquet for open spirits, that value charming minimal wave zones, undefinable post-industrial psychedelics and hallucinogenic poetry reflections on the current state of our mechanical times.
In her varied career that would combine art gallery installations, major film soundtrackings and commissions for Atari, Suzanne Ciani’s earliest experiments remain some of her most challenging, beguiling and timeless... Flowers Of Evil ticks all the above boxes and flicks switches that would power-up a new uncharted universe of her own musical modernité. Finders Keepers present the first-ever release of these vital archive recordings.
As a genuine vanguard of electronic music composition at the forefront of the modular synthesiser revolution in the late 1960s, Suzanne Ciani’s forward-thinking approach to new music would rarely look to the past for inspiration, which makes this unheard composition from 1969 a rare exception to the collective futurist vision of Ciani and synthesiser designer Don Buchla. In choosing to adapt the controversial prose of French poet Charles Baudelaire, Suzanne would join the ranks of ongoing generations of pioneering musicians like Olivier Messiaen, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Serge Gainsbourg, Etron Fou Leloublan, Celtic Frost and Marc Almond (not forgetting Star Trek’s William Shatner!), all equally inspired by the 19th century writer’s works of “modernité” (modernity), a self-coined term dedicated to capturing the fleeting, ephemeral experience of life in an urban metropolis, best exemplified in his symbolic, erotic and macabre ode to Parisian industrialisation, Les Fleurs du mal (Flowers Of Evil).
In her varied career that would combine art gallery installations, major film soundtrackings and commissions for Atari, Suzanne Ciani’s earliest experiments remain some of her most challenging, beguiling and timeless... Flowers Of Evil ticks all the above boxes and flicks switches that would power-up a new uncharted universe of her own musical modernité. For the many enthusiasts that have already drawn the parallels between Baudelaire’s writings and experimental/electronic music (a relationship rivalled only by the likes of J. G. Ballard and Aldous
Huxley) some might instantly recognise an unconscious sistership between this recording and another 1969 electronic adaptation of Flowers Of Evil by celebrated female electronic composer Ruth White. An interesting distinction of White’s excellent version of Flowers Of Evil (released via Limelight records, home to the likes of Fifty Foot Hose and Paul Bley) is that its dark tone generation and vocal manipulation was created with a Moog synthesiser, the commercially triumphant
rival to Suzanne and Don’s Buchla Systems (Buchla and Moog’s historic, simultaneous, neck-and-neck synth developments are well documented.) The fact that Ciani’s version was never intended for commercial release (not unlike her 1975 Buchla concerts, which could easily have taken Morton Subotnick’s Bull by the horns!) is also poetically reflective of the nature of Ciani and Buchla’s alternative perspective. The choice to present this extract from Flowers Of Evil in its intended French language further distances Ciani’s faithful reaction from some of its better-known variations. Having attempted to voice the poem herself, the multilingual Italian-American composer’s French accent did not meet her own standards, resulting in the request for a fellow unnamed French student who lived on campus at Mills College in Oakland to accurately verbalise the section of Baudelaire’s collection entitled Élévation.
- A1: Five Synthesizers
- A2: Two Bonangs Coated Spheres Piano Two Synthesizers Natural Objects
- A3: Three Synthesizers
- A4: Vibraphone Marimbaphone Malleted Wood Two Synthesizers
- A5: Synthesizer Two Idiophones Rin Gong
- B1: Two Bells
- B2: Carbon Steel Four Spheres Four Drums Three Synthesizers
- B3: Two Vibraphones Two Bowed Marimbaphones_ Wooden Xylophone Two Bells Handheld Wo
- B4: Four Synthesizers Two Bells On Tuned Wood
We’ve got something a bit different from usual for our next release: Meeting of Waters by Josiah Steinbrick.
Back in 2017 the unassuming Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist and producer released his first collection of solo pieces and we’ve been listening to it compulsively since then. Given that its initial release was only in North America, both on cassette with Leaving records and in an extremely limited vinyl self-release via BANANA editions, we felt that this meticulously crafted, essential work righteously deserved to get a proper spin in Europe too!
The album is composed of what you could call nine sculptural environments, each a mixture of organic sketches and improvisations, recorded rapidly and more or less free of any processing. Each piece is based on up to five simple elements - electronic and/or (tonal) percussions - used to create subtle evolving patterns and harmonies. The sounds explore the wilderness of jazz in a concrete setting, devotional in nature, creating a timeless cartography.
- A1: Spirit Thru The Ceiling
- A2: An Empty Shell
- A3: Nunhead Reservoir
- A4: 500Miles2Go (Feat Message To Bears)
- B1: Put The Runes On U
- B2: Club Viscous
- B3: Drubjnk Song
- C1: Y U Stuck There (Feat Mr Yote)
- C2: The Order
- C3: Many Blessings, Fantastic Sky
- C4: Duel
- D1: Clanggg
- D2: Storm The Palace
- D3: Shadows
- D4: Solstice
- D5: Last Few Hours
Nach zahlreichen Releases auf Ninja Tune, Anticon oder Planet Mu erscheint das dritte Studioalbum des britischen Electronic-Produzenten Greg Feldwick aka Slugabed auf seinem eigenen Imprint Activia Benz und trägt den rekordverdächtigen Titel: "Any Attempt To Control The Environment Or The Self By Means Which Are Either Untested Or Untestable, Such As Charms Or Spells".
'Mallumo' is the introspective and therapeutic works of Nottingham born musician, producer and composer Neil Tolliday.
Known to most simply as Nail, on this his first solo LP under his given name, Tolliday releases four meditative dark ambient pieces recorded between 2010 and 2015 that explore the depths of his psyche.Made as a direct response to a period of clinical depression this self therapy gave birth to soundscapes that branch between hope, tranquility and torment as a man searched for solace through sound and his own creativity resulting in the listener being taken on a heady ride through their own subconscious mind. Limited to 300 copies, this 180 gram double vinyl LP comes with your own Utopia Project incense and a download code for the full hour long versions of each movement.
Cover photography shot and printed by Michael Bradley, Design and curation by Alexander Bradley for Utopia Records, London 2019.
Techno stalwarts Heiko Laux & Joel Mull return to Drumcode for their first outing since 2016.
Friends and collaborators for over a decade, Heiko Laux and Joel Mull continue their fruitful partnership with a searing four-piece work. ‘Centipede’ is a thematic follow-up to ‘Rooter’, their last atmosphere-heavy production that dropped on Laux’s Kanzleramt imprint in 2017. A year earlier they teamed up for the vinyl-only ‘Munch’ EP on Drumcode Limited that explored subterranean techno grooves.
Their latest work was created during an extended stay at Mull’s home in Stockholm while Laux was visiting for a show. The evocative ‘Contour’ brings the EP into focus, as delicate strings set an atmospheric tone. The title track ‘Centipede’ follows, a track tailor-made for deep Sunday afternoon rave explorations as a menacing riff runs throughout. ‘Bullet Ant’ is driven by industrial percussion and brain-bending synth effects that dip in and out throughout the muscular work. ‘Centipede (Morph)' follows on from its namesake, teasing out some space and introducing melody to the palette for a deep late-night impact.
- A1: Episode One – Fit The Nineteenth
- B1: Episode Two - Fit The Twentieth
- C1: Episode Three - Fit The Twenty-First
- D1: Episode Four – Fit The Twenty Second
‘Just rain! Tell that to the dolphins!’
The brand new first-time vinyl edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to
the Galaxy: Quandary Phase comes on heavyweight blue vinyl,
packaged in the lavish style of the preceding Primary Phase,
Secondary Phase and Tertiary Phase LP releases.
Here, for the first time ever on vinyl, are Episodes 19 to 22 of the
BBC radio series. First broadcast in 2005, the Quandary Phase is
based upon the Douglas Adams’s fourth novel So Long, and
Thanks for all the Fish. This is the first ever publication of the
original radio edits of the Quandary Phase, as heard on their
original Radio 4 broadcast.
Hitching a lift back to Earth after it miraculously reappeared, Arthur
Dent returns to his cottage and tries to resume normal life. But an
encounter with a striking woman named Fenchurch leads to a
series of unanswered questions. Why has the planet’s entire
population of dolphins vanished, leaving behind them some very
charming crystal bowls? Who is Wonko the Sane, and what is
God’s Last Message to His Creation? Meanwhile Ford Prefect is
Having revelations of his own, and as for Marvin the Paranoid
Android…well, just don’t ask. Suffice to say, things may never be
the same again.
Starring William Franklyn as The Book, with Simon Jones as
Arthur Dent, Geoffrey McGivern as Ford Prefect, Bill Paterson as
Rob McKenna, Jane Horrocks as Fenchurch, Sandra Dickinson as
Tricia McMillan and Stephen Moore as Marvin the Paranoid
Android, with a guest cast including Arthur Smith, June Whitfield,
Stephen Fry, Jackie Mason, Rula Lenska, Patrick Moore and
Christian Slater, with music by Philip Pope and Paul ‘Wix’
Wickens. Adapted, Directed and Co-Produced by Dirk Maggs
Two 180g heavyweight coloured vinyl discs are presented in
illustrated wallets inside a rigid, bound 20 page book, including a
moving tribute to Douglas Adams written by Stephen Fry and
sleeve notes by Jem Roberts, Adams’s official biographer.
‘Whoooo…I’m flying…’
180gr vinyl. Recorded in 1987 and now released for the first time ever with artwork by Sarah Yu Zeebroek.In 1987 Gerry Vergult (Aroma Di Amore ) and Gerrit Valckenaers (Adult Fantasies) created an abstract universe where minimal post-punk basslines blend together with dub, tropical vibes, jazz, and dreamy electronica.
Most of the october nights in 1987 you could find Gerry Vergult (Aroma Di Amore / Fred A. / Adult Fantasies) and Gerrit Valckenaers (Adult Fantasies /The Colorist Orchestra / multi-instrumentalist) in a desolated Top studio in Gent. At that time and place they sneakily crafted and shaped this Nasca record while they were supposed to finish a new Fred A. record. They created an abstract universe where minimal post-punk basslines blend together with radio sounds in 'Nothing Toulouse', tropical tribal vibes oscillates between futuristic nostalgia and hunted dreams in 'Ketama' and 'Ritz', a sampled heartbeat slowly mutates in mesmerising midnight jazz and a drugged out dub groove of 'Kamayacha' transforms into the inner city blues of 'Josaphat'.
All tracks composed, arranged and performed by Gerry Vergult & Gerrit Valckenaers
Gerrit Valckenaers: piano, saxophone, clarinet, synths, samples, electronics
Gerry Vergult: guitar, bass, synths, samples, electronics
Produced by Koen Van Regenmortel
For people who like Jah Wobble, Jon Hassell, Brian Eno & David Byrne, dub, world, jazz, and dreamy electronica
Recorded in 1987 and now released for the first time ever with artwork by Sarah Yu Zeebroek.
For its first release of 2019, Sol Power Sound is pleased to welcome back Nenor -- formally Obas Nenor-- to the label family. Since his now-classic Color Soul EP on Sol Power Sound back in 2015, Nenor has gone on to release a string of hugely successful EPs on Heist, Whiskey Disco, and on his own imprint, Nenorion Music.
With the Future Ancestor EP, Nenor revisits the African-inspired textures that made the Color Soul EP unforgettable, but ventures further into the subterranean reaches. On "Tike Ye Ya Kende", Nenor teams up with Congolese-born vocalist Natalie Wamba for a rousing dancefloor heat-rock, with pulsing marimbas and hazy synths.
"Nova Man" is a straight-up banger with huge chugging bass, dubby vocal samples, and thrilling atmospherics.
"Ibe" dives head-first into the deep with tripped-out arpeggios, complex, layered percussion, and more of those gritty signature Nenor synths.
"Knwo" speeds ahead on a bruk-n-bass trajectory as a frenetic stomper that will inspire late-night dancers to throw crazy shapes.
With early support from Simbad, Soul Clap, Jacques Renault and more, the Future Ancestor EP is sure to be another staple in ever-growing Nenor and Sol Power Sound catalogs and will keep dark rooms ablaze all summer long.
Born in 1949 in Recife (Brazil), Roberto De Melo Santos, despite a very light discography, is among
the true icons of the Brazilian Soul music under his artist alias, Di Melo. He’s indeed only needed an
eponymous album, released in 1975 on Odeon, to assert himself as a star in his native country, but
also as a legend for all collectors and connoisseurs of the world. More than 40 years after its release,
this famous album sells for several hundred euros in its original version, and even for the few
reissues that were offered. Not very active since then, Di Melo however returned in 2016 with the
album O Imorrível, released on the Brazilian label Casona Produções.
It is then that a year later, came a meeting with the French group Cotonete, that Florian Pellissier,
founding member and keyboard within the band tells us about: “On tour in Brazil with Cotonete, we
had a few days off in Sao Paulo and I really hoped to make a collaboration with an important artist or
band from the Brazilian funk scene. We had thought of Marcos Valle, Meta Meta or Ed Motta... but
Rafaela Prestes our Brazilian "sound ingineer/genious" told me she’d worked with Di Melo for his
recent comeback and gave me his number. No sooner said than done, as I'm a huge fan of Di Melo.
The next day he arrived at our house with Jo, his wife, and Gabi, his daughter. He takes the guitar in
front of us and gives us a private show of 3 hours… we cried the tears of joy. He had 400 original
songs never recorded, a gold mine. On the same night, we started working the arrangements for 2
days, followed by a rehearsal and two small gigs in Sao Paulo. Immediately after, we recorded in the
magical Epsilon B studio. This album is the summary of this moment, of these 5 days of madness
spent together between “the best band in the world” and the legend Roberto Di Melo… Simple,
beautiful, Brazilian-French, human music…”
Today, Atemporal found its final version in collaboration with Favorite Recordings and is proudly
presented as what we believe will become the genuine long-awaited follow-up to the classic Di
Melo’s LP.
- One 140 gram RED Vinyl Disc in plain white paper inner sleeve
- 4/color Single-pocket jacket - shared with 093624903444
- 4/c over 4/c Lyric Insert - shared with 093624903444
- 2/c (PMS 186 + Black) 2.0' x 4.0' FYE Exclusive Marketing Sticker
- 1/c (Black) UPC sticker and affix directly on jacket over existing barcode.
Global superstar Michael Bublé is scheduled to release(pronounced love) as his first studio album in two years on November 16th following a two year break from public life to spend time with his family.
The Canadian singer-songwriter returned to the studio with a new perspective on life and a renewed commitment to honouring the music he has always loved.
I didn't anticipate returning to recording or performing and I was fine with that. My entire world view has changed completely these last few years. I wanted to spend all my time with my wife and kids. That was my focus. During that time, I also learned how much love and humanity is out in the world from the prayers and good wishes we received. But slowly, along with understanding what my priorities in life are, I began to feel a new commitment to express the emotions and lessons I've embraced. Whether I am the narrator, the observer, the main character, the dreamer, the broken hearted guy at a bar or having the night of a lifetime, I have stories to tell on this record. It's all there in the songs. I have had so many blessings in life and one of them is that I hold the torch to keep these songs alive for generations to come. I take the responsibility very seriously. My end game for the new record was to create a series of short cinematic stories for each song I chose and have it stand on its own. I'm so proud of what we accomplished,' commented Bublé.
Bublé co-produced his new album and brings new love to several rich classics from the American Songbook. The album opens with the idealistic and dreamy 'When I Fall In Love.' It also includes a haunting take on another Rogers & Hart standard, 'My Funny Valentine.' Other standouts are an ebullient 'When You're Smiling,' a swinging 'Such A Night' as well as Bublé's hand-picked favorites including 'Unforgettable,' 'Help Me Make It Through The Night,' and 'I Only Have Eyes For You.' Two standout tracks are Charlie Puth's swinging 'Love You Anymore' and an achingly poignant 'La Vie En Rose' -a Bublé duet featuring singer Cecile McLorin Salvant. A touching Bublépenned original 'Forever Now' demonstrates his songwriting skills, which were previously shown in such Bubléwritten hits like 'Home,' 'Haven't Met You Yet' and 'Everything.' The album closes with a show-stopping version of 'Where or When.'
was produced by David Foster, longtime collaborator Jochem van der Saag and Michael Bublé. The trio brought Bublé's visions to life with luscious arrangements surrounding his rich vocals. Michael Bublé has sold over 60 million records worldwide, performed hundreds of sold-out shows around the globe, and won four Grammys and multiple Juno Awards during the course of his extraordinary career.
We are proud to showcase more Bay Area family with the release of a new EP by Doc Sleep who cut her chops as a DJ in San Francisco’s vibrant scene the past decade. In 2016 she made the move to Berlin and became a resident of Room 4 Resistance. Since 2013, she's been the co-owner of Jacktone Records, which specializes in techno, ambient, and experimental electronics. In 2016/2017 she released her first 12's on the Hot Mass-affiliated Detour Records and Bottom Forty. She also co-wrote a track with Bezier and Nicole Ginelli, titled “Stranger,” that we released on the ‘Primes’ EP in 2017. Her latest release, ‘Your Ruling Planet’, was released on Jacktone in March 2019.
We first heard “Creme Fraiche” on Doc’s soundcloud page and begged to release it. The track has the feel-good vibes you get on early morning dancefloors as things are winding down or up. Paired on the A-side is the pulsating dark jam “Never Eating Again” that previously appeared on ‘Run The Length Of Your Wildness V.2’ and, like that compilation, proceeds from this track will be donated to Ghost Ship Fire victim Cherushii's family. On the B-side are two remixes from close friends of Doc. First up is a fresh breakbeat remix from Violet: DJ, producer, boss of Naive records, co-founder of Rádio Quântica, and mina resident shaking up Lisbon's nightlife. Second is Berlin-based producer and fellow R4R resident, rRoxymore, who presents an innovative remix of future-facing techno and bass variations adding her own vocals on top. For this release we’ve teamed up with Jacktone to release a cassette version, our first in this format, featuring two peak-time bonus tracks. All songs have been mastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each copy is housed in jacket designed by Eloise Leigh with neon pink and lavender gradients echo morning sunrises with a collage of dreamy elements using a photo by Doc of Club Toilet in Detroit.
Legendary artist Mick Harris (Napalm Death, Painkiller, Scorn…) kicks off his 2019 with this EP of tar-black, bass heavy sonic violence. This EP features 4 reworks of “Salford Priors”, one of the heaviest tracks from his return-to-form album “Over Depth”, the first by Mick Harris himself, and 3 more by his longtime collaborators in the production guises of Fausten, Stormfield, and Monster X. The EP begins with an apocalyptic, dubbed out violent rework by the man himself, creeping in with a cold, calm eerie drone that quickly goes from zero to 100%, blasting into a full force attack of artillery percussion and strafing, shrapnel textures atop the landmine subs and characteristic Harris snarling mono-bass.
Julien Caraz has caused much distress over the years with the sheer rage and precision sonic assaults of his Monster X project. Here he eschews his usual frenetic tempos for a solid 130BPM, a sleek techno destroyer built for giant spaces and huge soundsystems in mind. The Combat Recordings boss has worked audiovisually with Mick since the Scorn AV at Bangface Weekend in 2011, touring with Fret AV in 2018. Here he switches back into audio mode to rework Salford Priors into a hard electro assault for the Stormfield remix.
Fausten is the shadowy, twisted collaboration between Monster X and Stormfield.
Having released a staggeringly twisted album on the legendary Ad Noiseam, Fausten
went into hibernation as the pair pursued their own projects, with only a few sporadic tracks surfacing over the years. The pair have been putting together an album’s worth of new material for 2019, beginning with a powerful remix of Salford Priors. Taking Fret back into it’s aquatic, fathoms-deep sonic territory, this remix is a behemoth work that moves at quarter-step tempo, allowing for more physicality and dynamics, the profound pulse of each profoundly deep bassdrum like an underwater volcanic explosion, with skittering percussion the resonates in the stillness.
Chen Yi aims for a collective approach of art. As an isolated group of humans/numbers operating directly from a secret place in Chelmsford (UK), they developped a personnal and “bizarre” utilisation of guitars, machines, voices, distortion, giving as result an unconventional regroupment of compositions amongst a lot of lost/unreleased recordings. This is likely what got John Peel interested which leads to an inexplicable CBS contract. More couldn’t be finalised, because CBS suddenly pulled out of the contract. “Due to their raw and alternative ’self-made’ musical approach, they’ve been compared to the likes of Throbbing Gristle, Borghesia & Severed Heads or more underground names as Het Zweet, Biting Tongues…
No one sculpts volts & frequencies into a story quite like David Morley. For Futurepast’s third release, he has delivered a precise rendering of its vision to transcend temporal associations and perceptions. In the title track Boundary Travels, he ascends quickly into a weighty melodic line that oscillates like the natural intonations of an inner monologue, built upon a foundation of tightly knit hits and bleeps. The story of Limbo unfolds in the infinitesimal margin where intensity becomes softness, hesitation becomes resolution, and boundaries become intersections. Sounds drift past, above, and below in Crushing Pressure as if a city, or its memory, was suddenly suspended in a black hole. Boundary Travels might be the closest we can get to such a horizon.
- DVK
“Style” can be defined as that special ability to watermark every track with an instantly-recognizable identity. Local Suicide, aka Munich’s Brax Moody and Greek-born Vamparela, has it in spades. And following releases on labels such as Bordello, My Favorite Robot, Multi Culti, Roam, Duro and OMBRA, it only made sense that the duo would eventually find its way to Lumière Noire. After all, “black light” (as per the meaning of Chloé’s label’s name) could describe the way Local Suicide’s music flirts with the more troubling zones of the listener’s psyche, where danger roams and aural comfort is no longer a guarantee. The EP’s two tracks set a dark, shifty sonic tableau, in which German-American multidisciplinary artist - and a unique personality of the Berlin underground - Nicki Fehr comes to blend his voice with Vamparela’s. With its swerving bass slithering over a slow tempo, Leopard Gum is the perfect slow burner, a slice of comatose disco that will find its way to the darkest corners of nightlife - and haunt its DJ sets. The synths that come crashing across the track’s Smagghe & Cross remix add their saturated signature that provide a different kind of hook through its breathless nine-minute run. The same measured tempo is found once more on the more ethereal Already There, where Local Suicide affirm their adherence to the more captivating signatures of new wave and post disco. Permanent Vacation stalwarth Lauer adds a surprizing electro pop shimmer to the track. With Leopard Gum’s opaque and impenetrable atmosphere, Local Suicide have released one of their strongest efforts to date.
As a winemaker hailing from the Palatinate, Florian Hollerith understands a thing or two about vintage. It's something that also comes through when you sample his music - rich, full bodied with just the right level of acidity. 2018 was already a good year with Ohrenzirkus featuring on both Sven Väth's Sound of the 19th Season mix CD as well as this year's Dots and Pearls vol. 5 compilation. Florian certainly announced his arrival on the scene in style, so it's only fair that he gets the chance to demonstrate his full range of skills on his very own Cocoon Recordings release. 2019 however, has a darker, more complex flavour...
Florian certainly knows a hookline when he finds one. On the EP's title track Perlas, he's working from the inside out with complex layers creating a vortex of sound. This dense sonic mesh is playful yet dangerous, with ethereal voices and jagged chants adding to the disorientation of the opening exchanges until the congas and skipping bassline give us something to hold onto. The dance floor melts under our feet as a raw, tripped out groove takes hold before the bass suddenly morphs into a brassy acid line that spreads its wings and soars. It's music for the headstrong, a celebration of the timeless tribal ceremonies that have come to define us.
Love Summer adds a contemporary twist to the melodic joys that drenched the early nineties in pure ecstasy. The soulful vocals soothe the mind as horn stabs punctuate the sensual groove, generating power and passion in equal measures. It's a straightforward approach, revolving around a familiar yet eminently seductive riff that just keeps on rolling, propelled forward by the force of its own momentum. There's no need to fuss when you hit on a winning formula like this.
More retro futurism abounds on Electro Indianer as arpeggiated bleeps usher in another vast, sprawling soundscape designed to induce a collective trance on the dance floor. Whistling, circular effects wash back and forth increasing the tension notch by notch as we're led deeper into the wormhole. Finally, the track deconstructs slightly, creating enough space for classic Casio-style bleeps and percussion to embellish a beautiful blissed out ending that trails off into the sun rise, as ancient Native American pipes pick out a haunting melody in the distance.
Hard-to-obtain, vintage highlife from three true giants of the sound; Ebo Taylor, Pat Thomas & Uhuru Yenzu. Originally released in 1982.
In 'Hitsville Re-Visited', the mighty trio add a dose of uptempo funk into traditional highlife grooves.
The legendary Ebo Taylor was involved in many funk and highlife records to emerge from Ghana in the 70's and 80's. He worked with bands such as Apagya Show Band, C.K. Mann as well as Pat Thomas, on this, and several other records.
Taylor recorded another album with Uhuru Yenzu in 1980 – 'Conflict' – which is also available on Mr Bongo.
Pat Thomas career began in 1969 with the ‘Broadway Dance Band’, leaving a year later to join the ‘Uhuru Dance Band’. He then played with Ebo Taylor’s ‘Blue Monks’ and finally formed the ‘Sweet Beans’ in 1973 where he really made his name.
Thomas and Taylor's careers span more than 50 years now and they both still tour to play around the world.
Having burst onto the scene with his stunning debut release on Influence back in July, and with Aaron Jay’s label continuing to fly the flag for this exciting producer, Easy returns and this time with partner in crime – Geeks. This Belgium duo are beginning to create a stir in the dnb scene with heavy support from Fabio, who played three of the forthcoming tracks from this ep on his Rinse FM Show in October 2018. Also getting support from LTJ Bukem and radio play/premiere of Steady from Skank and Bass plus Big Bud and Stunna were showcasing some of the tracks at this year’s Sun and Bass Festival in Sardinia. The future is looking bright for these two talented producers!
elected DJ feedback:
Fabio – ‘Wkd tunes’
LTJ Bukem – ‘Feelin Natural and Shadows’
Doc Scott – ‘Thanks for the beats’
Random Movement – ‘Wow these tracks are fire’
Ben Soundscape – ‘Nice EP, fav track is Shadows’
Unstable Signal is a new record label focused on quality Electronic music founded by Michalis Vassiliou in early 2018. The label’s vision is to support the underground music culture, through the pressing of records, as well as pushing for quality curations at the events/concerts of the label.
In less than a year of activity it has managed to associate its name with very strong events such as the debut party at About Blank in Berlin, the follow up in Athens with Ancient Methods and the one with SHXCXCHCXSH at Temple Athens.
Also the long awaited EP of Celldöd under the name Myndighetsförakt is finaly available by the label in 12-inch vinyl and digital format.
Celldöd Is the Stockholm based producer Anders Karlsson. Anders has been active in the music scene for some time working on different musical projects, always with a strong DIY ethic.
Celldöd has built a reputation as a strong live act through gigs at Berghain, About Blank and Griessmühle in Berlin, Joy in Moscow, Femur Club in Madrid as well as live performances as far away as the Epizode festival in Vietnam.
His music has been played and supported by DJs such as Ancient Methods, Beta Evers, Alienata and The Hacker.
His EP on Unstable Signal is the debut release for the label.
Explorer Series Vol.4, Original ethnic music of the peoples of the world
Berlin 2019
In welthistorischer Einmaligkeit erscheint auf dem Berliner Label Nonplace die erste ethnologische Edition der musikalischen Traditionen Zentraleuropas, am Beispiel Berlins der Gegenwart, zusammengefasst von Burnt Friedman. Nachdem House und Techno, oder Clubmusik, zum Kulturphänomen geworden war, und seit 30 Jahren bei festlichen Anlässen und fortwährend in allen Kulturstätten erklingt, wurde es Zeit für eine Aufarbeitung, für diese musikethnologische Bestandsaufnahme des kreativen Spektrum Berlins im Licht Zentraleuropas.
Bisher konnte der geneigte Hörer im Fach "Weltmusik" die entsprechenden Tondokumente finden, die einen direkten akustischen Einblick in Kultur und Tradition der seltensten Volksgruppen und entlegensten Landstriche geben konnten. Doch die Traditionen und Bräuche weisser Zentraleuropäer blieben bei diesen Bestandsaufnahmen nicht selten aussen vor. Dieser klaffenden Lücke in den Musikarchiven wird mit dieser Neuerscheinung endlich gerecht. Im Zuge der Musealisierung von bedrohtem Kulturerbe, können der Gemeinschaft aller, die besonderen Beispiele westlicher Prägung im Bereich Musikerzeugung, Techno, Jazz, Dub, usw., nicht mehr vorenthalten werden.
smog’s music has been on a steady path towards monumentalism since emerging out of the recesses of Berlin in 2015.
Originally from Paris, growing up cutting his chops in the capital’s hip hop undergrowth, the young producer makes music that is as challenging as it is evocative. On “sequel’70” – his debut album – bass, techno, electroacoustic music and jungle are rung through his singular take on the hardcore continuum. The production is powerful, dynamic and geared to bulldoze the dance. It’s clear why the likes of Resident Advisor have tipped smog as an “important artist to watch” and why his tracks have been appearing in sets from artists of the calibre and creative range of Objekt, Donato Dozzy, Samuel Kerridge or Go Hiyama.
With his debut album, smog lays bare a world of start and stop mechanics. Tracks twist and turn through stuttering panoramas of crashing beats, majestic peaks and post-rave intensity. On its most moving moments the gorgeously burnt out cinematic pads of “Mécanique Oblique” are a particular highlight – “sequel’70” feels like coming up in the middle of an industrial wasteland. It’s almost as if the end of the world wasn’t such a terrible prospect after all.
Jungle architectures are pulled apart and reconstructed on “Gelid”, “Dazzle” and the phenomenal “Abschluss SCAN”. Souvenirs of gabber echo through heavy handed kicks and speaker defying noise blasts. IDM inflexions creep their way in opportunistically, but even at its most abstract – album midpoint “Straightforward” sounds like a geiger counter being set off – it all sounds more like the possibilities offered by the future of rave rather than an attempt at paying homage to the genre’s heritage.
There’s a special energy and irreverence to smog’s music and there’s deep reflection in how he connects the dots of the subfamilies of rave. His attention to sound design would almost be worth the trip alone, but the album remains superb even at its most disorderly.
A year after Floyd Lavine & David Mayer served up the afro house bomb ‘Sondela’ from the EP of the same name, it now gets remixed by a carefully selected list of names including Jimpster, Auntie Flo, Tunnelvisions and Kususa. First up is deep house master and Freerange label boss Jimpster, who serves up the sort of quality you would expect on his remix. His cool and immersive journey brings new soul and feeling to the original with timeless melodies that have a lasting effect. Dutch duo Tunnelvisions are an act on the rise and always bring plenty of Afro, Latin and Caribbean vibes to their sounds. Here they masterfully flip the track ‘Xi’ from the Sondela EP into a percussive groove with psychedelic warmth and melodic bass that goes deep. Kususa are also rising stars of the South African scene who have Black Coffee supporting their work and have mixed the upcoming Africa Gets Physical vol.2 album. Here they pump up the beats: their percussion, arps and big synths will get hands in the air and as the bassline envelops you in warmth you cannot help but feel it deep inside. Highlife artist and recent album man Auntie Flo brings his authentic understanding of worldly groove to a fantastic remix that oozes beauty and quality. It is understated and stripped back with delicate hand percussion and an otherworldly aura that brings real mystery to the EP. An acapella version is also included as an exclusive addition to the vinyl release.
Numero's "Planisphere", für diejenigen innerhalb der 30-40 Grad Zone, wird Ihnen ein ziemlich erkennbares Diagramm liefern, um sowohl Deep-Sky-Objekte als auch tellurische emotionale Impulse zu entdecken. Statisch gefüllte Signale, die tief aus dem Inneren der Wände des Laurel Canyon kommen und von Clustern der beginnenden Technologie des späten Jahrhunderts abprallen, werden durch die verdrehten Kaninchenohren eines Chevy Astro Van gezogen. Der zweideutige Klang von Hippies frisch aus dem Hinterland schaukelt Trommelmaschinen durch herzzerreißende Aspirationen, als ob die Musikabteilung des Whole Earth Catalog zum Leben erwachte. Diese 9 Nomaden, die aus dem Astronomieunterricht mit einem Arm voller Brain and Sky Label-Releases hervorgehen, kritzeln Plein Air Narrationen über eine Landschaft, die der Sonne den Rücken kehrt. Genießen Sie den Nachhall unseres himmlischen Heims.
> Individuelle gestanzte 2-farbiges Cover im Spanplatten Look
> Klar bedruckte Hülle mit radialem Kalenderzifferblatt
> Picture Disc LP mit Sternenkarte der Sterne, die am Nachthimmel in der 30¢ª-40¢ª Zone sichtbar sind
2nd outing from Jonny Nash & Suzanne Kraft in their MATstudio series. These records are intended to catalogue some of the experiments, explorations, accidents and fortuitous events that regularly take place at their Amsterdam studio. Each record features two compositions created from a collage of works.
Soft Machine is a surreal wander through the mystical sonic forest. A vision curated and designed by Chicago native Justin Aulis Long. A Cyclopian point of view while gazing through a wide lensed scope, which exists in the liminal spaces where light meets dark and angelic forces bath in the sludge and stardust of unfiltered eroticism.
Eye of the Minotaur - collage 001 is a collection of artists working in varying musical practices that are channeling the solitude of mutantness, strolling through the familiar yet unfamiliar halls of the uncanny, refusing ordinary structures of the mundane, grasping the cold humor of cynicism, basking in the dichotomy of cosmos and chaos, and invoking the energies of Eris and Eros.
Setting the ground is Ciarra Black, a Berlin based New Yorker who makes no apologies for her bare knuckled soundscapes. DuPont Street is a ritualistic unification of discordant entities that summons visions of Pazuzu (lord of the demons) and Inanna (goddess of love) fornicating beneath The Tree of Life. Razor edged synthesizers slice through the atmosphere with the precision of an avenging angel’s flaming sword, while a psychedelic drum code activates ritual movement of the body.
As the needle passes beyond the next threshold it is met by a towering totem, bristling with the illuminated light of the sonic astral plane. Erected from the foundational matter that birthed the Detroit electro punk sound, Eyes Up continues to add to the narrative that is drenched in deranged electronics intuitively mangled in a post punk tradition. Dystopian percussive rhythms generate an unorthodox domain where muffled utterances present an aural Rorschach test. Could this be the riddle of the Sphinx, or an ancient spectral being that possesses secret knowledge? Only its creator, Stallone the Reducer, holds the key.
Fixed at the axis of the journey, Perfect Headache Forever, a mystic operating within the DIY spaces of Chicago, levitates on a transcendental mass that is equally melancholic and optimistic. Her voice hosts a strength equal to a pantheon of titans. Armed with a magical electronic musical box, she weaves narratives that are prophetic. Itself Ecstatic is a voyage through a misty soundscape that begins at one point, but ends in a distant other, in accordance with a system of divination.
Gazing into the murky waters of the oracle’s cauldron, Circling Vultures, (a collaborative effort by Justin Aulis Long and Kenneth Zawacki) channel and evoke the spirits of Antonin Artaud and Geroges Bataille. The poet’s voice, engaged in an act of mutilation and self cannibalization, howls while projecting visions of sacred conspiracies, sensations of vertigo while peaking over the edge of the abyss, and the looming weight acquired from the solitude of the Minotaur alone, sitting silently at the center of the labyrinth. Accompanying the mystical bard’s verbal declaration is a triggered mechanized synth that roars with the vitality of Cold War era Wave music, which is then juxtaposed against applications of loose keyboard playing. The artist’s hand is revealed against the calculated actions of machines.
Bringing the document to its finale, Libby Del Barrio, a multi disciplinary artist based in San Antonio, performs a closing ritual in a manner that only she knows. Setting fire to the Elysium Fields while personified as Moze Pray, Del Barrio rejects plastic narratives that aim to pacify. No Tears, is an unapologetic account of life’s feedback loop around the Wheel of Fortune. Sacrificial actions through ceremonial performance reveals a gateway founded on truth and torment. Moze Pray’s ability to combine musical production, poetic vocalization and ritualistic body performance is charged by chaos and amalgamates into a product of pure expression that defies the rose colored filters aiming to conceal harsh realities.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Far Out Recordings proudly presents two albums of previously unheard Azymuth demo recordings from 1973-75
Since their debut album release in 1975, Azymuth have risen to rank alongside the world’s greatest jazz, funk and fusion artists. As young men in Rio de Janeiro, they stood out for both their exceptional talent as musicians, and their wild rock ‘n’ roll antics in the predominantly middle-class worlds of bossa nova and jazz. Their signature ‘Samba Doido’ (crazy samba) sound ruptured the tried and tested musical structures of the day, resulting in what can only be described as an electric, psychedelic, samba jazz-funk hybrid.
Before they became Azymuth, José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) played backing band to just about every major artist in Brazil. Bertrami was also contracted as an arranger and songwriter at some the biggest labels of the era: Polydor, Philips, Som Livre, and EMI being just a few. Azymuth’s name can be found on record sleeves by the likes of Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Marcos Valle, Ana Mazzotti and countless others. But at the dawn of the seventies, fascinated by developments in improvisational music - from jazz in the US, to progressive rock in the UK and of course samba, bossa and tropicália on home turf - the energetic young group were inspired and ready to move forward. Any spare moment in which they weren’t in sessions and writing music for other artists, they would be carving out their own sound.
These previously unheard recordings took place between 1973-75 at Bertrami’s home studio in the Laranjeiras district of Rio de Janeiro. At the time of recording, there was nothing in Brazil, less the world that sounded anything like them, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that when Bertrami presented his demos to the record companies he had been working for, he was turned away, and told in effect that the music was ‘wrong’.
One of the demos ‘Manhã’ would be picked up by Som Livre and Azymuth released their seminal debut album in 1975. Throughout the late seventies and eighties, the group released a series of now classic albums for Milestone Records, before taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue their individual careers.
When English producers Joe Davis and Roc Hunter arrived in Brazil in 1994 to record the first Azymuth album in over a decade, Bertrami dug out the demos which had sat virtually untouched for over twenty years. Joe recalls how he was “blown away by the freedom and intensity of the music, as well as the genius of the ideas musically.” Beginning a long and fruitful relationship, ‘Prefacio’ would be the first track Azymuth recorded for Far Out Recordings and was released on the Carnival album (1996).
Along with ‘Manhã’ and ‘Prefacio’, only a handful of these demos were ever professionally recorded and released, making this the first opportunity to hear many of these early Azymuth compositions in their raw, original form.
On every track the frenetic energy in the studio is palpable, giving the recordings a beautifully personal feel and a sense of the phenomenally creative vision Bertrami, Malheiros and Conti were realising at the time. Fifty years on, Azymuth’s earliest recorded music retains an ineffable, futuristic quality, standing amongst their most captivating and moving work.
Credits:
Keyboards: José Roberto Bertrami (Mini Moog Series One, Arp Omni, Arp 2600, Arp Solina Strings, Fender Rhodes 88, Hammond B3 with box speaker, Clavinet with Wah Wah)
Drums: Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti
Bass: Alex Malheiros
Percussion: Ariovaldo Contesini
Produced by Azymuth and Jose Roberto Bertrami
Recorded at José Roberto Bertrami’s home studio in Laranjeiras, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil between 1973–1975.
Issue and project co-ordinator: Joe Davis
Tape transfers by Roc Hunter (thanks to Simon Hitner)
Mastered by Daniel Maunick at the Sugar Shack, Lanark, Scotland
Mastered by Frank at Carvery Cuts
All tracks published by Far Out Music Publishing/Westbury Music LTD
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Far Out Recordings proudly presents two albums of previously unheard Azymuth demo recordings from 1973-75
Since their debut album release in 1975, Azymuth have risen to rank alongside the world’s greatest jazz, funk and fusion artists. As young men in Rio de Janeiro, they stood out for both their exceptional talent as musicians, and their wild rock ‘n’ roll antics in the predominantly middle-class worlds of bossa nova and jazz. Their signature ‘Samba Doido’ (crazy samba) sound ruptured the tried and tested musical structures of the day, resulting in what can only be described as an electric, psychedelic, samba jazz-funk hybrid.
Before they became Azymuth, José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards), Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti (drums), Alex Malheiros (bass) and Ariovaldo Contesini (percussion) played backing band to just about every major artist in Brazil. Bertrami was also contracted as an arranger and songwriter at some the biggest labels of the era: Polydor, Philips, Som Livre, and EMI being just a few. Azymuth’s name can be found on record sleeves by the likes of Jorge Ben, Elis Regina, Marcos Valle, Ana Mazzotti and countless others. But at the dawn of the seventies, fascinated by developments in improvisational music - from jazz in the US, to progressive rock in the UK and of course samba, bossa and tropicália on home turf - the energetic young group were inspired and ready to move forward. Any spare moment in which they weren’t in sessions and writing music for other artists, they would be carving out their own sound.
These previously unheard recordings took place between 1973-75 at Bertrami’s home studio in the Laranjeiras district of Rio de Janeiro. At the time of recording, there was nothing in Brazil, less the world that sounded anything like them, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that when Bertrami presented his demos to the record companies he had been working for, he was turned away, and told in effect that the music was ‘wrong’.
One of the demos ‘Manhã’ would be picked up by Som Livre and Azymuth released their seminal debut album in 1975. Throughout the late seventies and eighties, the group released a series of now classic albums for Milestone Records, before taking an indefinite hiatus to pursue their individual careers.
When English producers Joe Davis and Roc Hunter arrived in Brazil in 1994 to record the first Azymuth album in over a decade, Bertrami dug out the demos which had sat virtually untouched for over twenty years. Joe recalls how he was “blown away by the freedom and intensity of the music, as well as the genius of the ideas musically.” Beginning a long and fruitful relationship, ‘Prefacio’ would be the first track Azymuth recorded for Far Out Recordings and was released on the Carnival album (1996).
Along with ‘Manhã’ and ‘Prefacio’, only a handful of these demos were ever professionally recorded and released, making this the first opportunity to hear many of these early Azymuth compositions in their raw, original form.
On every track the frenetic energy in the studio is palpable, giving the recordings a beautifully personal feel and a sense of the phenomenally creative vision Bertrami, Malheiros and Conti were realising at the time. Fifty years on, Azymuth’s earliest recorded music retains an ineffable, futuristic quality, standing amongst their most captivating and moving work.
Credits:
Keyboards: José Roberto Bertrami (Mini Moog Series One, Arp Omni, Arp 2600, Arp Solina Strings, Fender Rhodes 88, Hammond B3 with box speaker, Clavinet with Wah Wah)
Drums: Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti
Bass: Alex Malheiros
Percussion: Ariovaldo Contesini
Produced by Azymuth and Jose Roberto Bertrami
Recorded at José Roberto Bertrami’s home studio in Laranjeiras, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil between 1973–1975.
Issue and project co-ordinator: Joe Davis
Tape transfers by Roc Hunter (thanks to Simon Hitner)
Mastered by Daniel Maunick at the Sugar Shack, Lanark, Scotland
Mastered by Frank at Carvery Cuts
All tracks published by Far Out Music Publishing/Westbury Music LTD
Temporary linearity in a lysergic world.
Imagination and reality, science and humanity: SPIME.IM weave their audiovisual tales from the ethereal textures that shape our worlds. Their album "Exaland" synthesizes reality by combining human expression with technological potentialities in an infinitely changeable virtual world. The seven tracks are defined by razor-like sounds, crystal textures and digital overload, captured in those weightless seconds on a parabolic flight. Just as SPIME.IM's live performances, this album is a temporarily linear journey through a narrative space shaped by psychedelic landscapes, synthetic colors, mutating objects and transient life-forms.
SPIME.IM was born as a word pun between the concept theorized by Bruce Sterling - the spime for the note, an object that can be traced through space and time for the duration of its existence - and the contraction of English "I am". If the Being is therefore the object of the intertwining between the real and the virtual, then it becomes possible to create new imaginaries that turn into immersive environments and narrative spaces in which artificial and natural, science and humanity, imagination and reality interpenetrate, giving life to new boundaries to be explored, to experience the own consciousness and what, while invisible to our eyes, surrounds and influences us.
Affirming digital reality, the Turin-based media art collective SPIME.IM explores the boundaries and possibilities of identity and perception in a world where virtual doppelgängers take on an all-encompassing position. SPIME.IM use technology, 3D art and electronic music to weave immersive audio-video experiences.
Two years ago, Ferdi Schuster was a young multi-instrumentalist and producer
daydreaming of releasing his music on Claremont 56, one of his favourite labels.
Now he’s set to release his stunning debut album, “All One”, on Paul Murphy’s
long-running imprint.
It’s been a long time between drinks for the German producer, who last graced
C56 with his superb double A-side single, “Little River/Befreit”, in the autumn of
2017. Fittingly, it’s “Little River” – a babbling brook of audio bliss rich in samba
influenced drums, soothing acoustic guitars and spacey synthesizer licks – that
kicks off “All One”, a seductive set in which every drumbeat, piano note, guitar
riff, synthesizer flourish and freside-warm bassline was played by the man
himself.
Throughout, it’s easy to see why Murphy decided to snap up Schuster and
push the producer to record a debut album. Check, for example, the dubbed
out shuffle of “Thinking of You”, where ghostly chords, soft-focus guitar solos
and ethereal vocals drift across the soundscape, and the slowly unfurling bliss
of “The Good Fight”, an effortlessly Balearic workout rich in sun-kissed guitars,
bubbly synth lines and chords so snugly they could probably be used as a
comfort blanket.
Schuster’s greatest strength is undoubtedly the evocative and enveloping nature
of his instrumental music, which draws on a variety of complimentary influences
but never sounds anything less than original and fresh. Some listeners may be
enchanted by the loose and languid pulse of “Fading Away” or the lo-f reggae
jazz of dusty closing cut “Night Talk”, though others may prefer the stoned funk
shuffle of “Interaction” or the spacey vibrations of “Pulsa”, where intergalactic
synthesizer lines wind their way around heady bass guitar and sparse, off-kilter
deep electro drums.
“All One” is that kind of set; an atmospheric and musically accomplished
collection of cuts capable of muting the mundane and distracting from the stress
of 21st century life. As debut albums go, it’s something of a stunner
“Le Lisse et le Strié is a new work by french composer François J. Bonnet, released under his project name Kassel Jaeger. Based in Paris, Bonnet is the Director of INA GRM. He is also a writer and theoretician (The Order of Sounds, a sonorous Archipelago and The Infra-World have been published in english by Urbanomic). As a musician, Bonnet has been collaborating with artists such as Stephen O’Malley, Oren Ambarchi or Jim O’Rourke and most of his recent work has been published by Editions Mego.
Le Lisse et le Strié has been conceived as an exploration of the two antagonist concepts of “smooth” and “striated”, applied to the realm of electroacoustic sounds. If the “smooth” is linked to “nomos” as an open space of organic distribution, the “striated”, on the contrary, is associated to “logos”, as an enclosed space defined by a grid.
Elaborating a dialogue between these aspects, Kassel Jaeger draws here an intermediary space where pulsations become textures and layers, and where rhythmic elements are found in the qualities and bodies of sounds instead of being functionnalised, pre-determined sound objects, abstracted and frozen onto a temporal grid. The concept of “striated” is made audible only through the sonic landscape it inhabits, like the stripes of the camouflage fur of wild animals only exist as such in the woods and long grass, disappearing into a potentially uselessness in a desert plain.”
Eno Williams, frontwoman of Ibibio Sound Machine, uses both English and the Nigerian language from which her band's name is derived for the dazzling new album Doko Mien. Long lauded for jubilant, explosive live shows, Ibibio Sound Machine fully capture that energy on Doko Mien, the followup to their Merge debut Uyai.
In a glowing piece in the New York Times, those songs were praised for following 'in the tradition of much African music, [making] themselves the conscience of a community.' By pulsing the mystic shapes of Williams' lines through further inventive, glittering collages of genre, Ibibio Sound Machine crack apart the horizon separating cultures, between nature and technology, between joy and pain, between tradition and future. That propensity for duality and paradox seems common in people whose lives span continents.
Williams was born in the UK, but grew up in Nigeria, always steeped in her family heritage. She obsessed over West African electronic music, highlife, and the like, but was equally empowered by Western genres such as post-punk, disco, and funk. The London octet have enveloped themselves in that maximalist quilt proudly since their 2013 formation. Though it can often bring with it news of stress and uncertainty, the modern world further brings all these disparate traditions into connection.
'Everyone has everything now,' says multi-instrumentalist Max Grunhard. 'Everyone has immediate access to every genre, picking things up from everywhere—like magpies.' And while they haven't suddenly left their African roots behind, Doko Mien does find increased representation of English lyrics in the ratio. By sharing more directly with more universal lyrics, the record feels more anthemic, reaching for grander heights.
'We wanted to give people a reason to sing along, to find their soundtrack every day,' Williams says. 'We wanted everyone to feel as if they're part of the music as well.'
Late album highlight 'Guess We Found a Way' addresses the change with a coy smile. 'Guess we found a way to speak to you/ Guess we found a way to say what's true/ To say what's real,' Williams coos over glistening chains of reverberant synth and diamond dust percussion, before returning to Ibibio in the chorus. Perhaps the best example of the group's ability to convey meaning across language and tradition, to blend past and future into a singular present comes on 'She Work Very Hard'. The traditional Ibibio folk tale bobs over the waves of tuned percussion, chunky synth, and pinprick highlife-esque guitar, while Jose Joyette's drums and Derrick McIntyre's bass funk groove bring everyone to the dance floor. 'These stories won't be forgotten. Feel the music: it speaks to everybody,' Williams says. 'We can travel back in time together, while convening on a futuristic, present tense. We hope that we can give people that reason to wake up, that one song to sing and dance and be happy.'
Doko Mien: Tell me everything. On their new album, Ibibio Sound Machine provide the perfect companion, ready to digest as much as possible and then further unfurl beauty and hope. They remember and honor the past and charge forward toward the future, all while intensely expanding the present.
After a break of some 10 years producer and DJ Mat Carter felt the time was right to wake his imprint from hyper sleep.
It was started as and will continue to be an outlet for both Mat’s own material and that of other like-minded beings and as the name Varial suggests the label is not limited, instead it reflects Mat’s tastes and touches on many styles.
Varial launches with the remaster and re-release of the much sought after cult classic, Zark Time E.P. Written and produced by Mat himself, this E.P. pulls on influences of fractured imagery, fuzzyelectronics and dense soundscapes to form five tracks of warm, funk-fuelled jams that 17 years on still refuses to neatly conform with any one genre. As Mat himself says, “I can’t help my influences.”
During his time away from the music scene Mat’s focus was on raising a family and honing a physical craft but the pull of music never went away.
Winner of the 2018 BASCA British Composer Award for Solo or Duo
"Bloody hell that was good" Tim McKinney, BBC Radio 3
Dominic Murcott – The Harmonic Canon
A music project featuring a specifically design half-tonne double bell, an array of rare percussion and two highly virtuosic percussionists.
Dominic Murcott is a composer, percussionist, curator and educator based in London. Much of his work combines acoustic instruments with computers, film and other media. He has a continuing interest in work that is personalised for specific performers and has created acoustic/electronic pieces for trumpeter Noel Langley, percussionist Joby Burgess, clarinetist Joan Enric Lluna, harpist Sioned Williams and the Elysian String Quartet among many others. He has taken an unusual path to his current position, starting out as a self taught musician, his early career included playing drums with no-wave pioneers 'Blurt' and composing for the highly successful V-Tol Dance Company throughout their ten-year history. Changing from drums to vibraphone he became a member of art-pop band The High Llamas and has played on records by many influential artists including Stereolab and Pavement.
Created in collaboration with sculptor Marcus Vergette, The Harmonic Canon is both the name of the piece and the double bell that was custom-made for it. Comprising of two bells tuned a semitone apart, the bell was created using Finite Element Analysis, a type of structural analysis that determines the vibration patterns of the bell, manipulating its harmonic series to create a complex series of frequencies that make up a note. Part One is made up of rapid, high energy, virtuosic passages, articulated with the ominous striking of the bell while the second part contrasts with a single resonant tone that evolves and shifts over time. This is part of nonclassical's 21 Minutes series, a new project commissioning 21-minute pieces.
The piece won the BASCA British Composer Award for Solo or Duo. Premiered in 2018, the piece has had radio play on BBC Radio 3, broadcast from Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.
Koryu Budo Records is a new techno label based in Madrid. This is their second release, as for the first release, it will only be released on vinyl (300 copies).
This EP named ‘The Last Gift’ has been written and produced by HD Substance, the Spanish producer, DJ, journalist, owner of SUBtl recordings and teacher at The Bass Valley. 2018 marks his 30 year anniversary in electronic music and he keeps on playing techno all over the world, releasing techno in a constant basis, teaching techno at The Bass Valley, writing techno for Beatburguer, Clubbingspain, Pole Group or Falling Ethics and releasing other people’s techno in his own label SUBtl.
The EP opens with "No Body Cares", a complex and timeless track, an orgy of analog psychedelia, the sequences that seem extracted from old clocks are mixed together to offer a hypnotic and enveloping sensation.
In second place, we find "Red Lady", pure and raw techno that is nourished with a devilish bass line, that immerses us in a sinister and dark universe. Direct simplicity.
"Red Lady_Sarcoma version" follows the line of the original track, though the main bass line disappears and in its replaced by syncopated sounds that take away some of the aggressiveness of the track but nourish it with more groove.
A work of great maturity, which shows this producer as one of the great names of techno.
Supported by Villalobos, Dorian Paic, Mattia Trani, DJ Tennis, Verrina & Ventura , Giorgia Angiuli, Carola Pisaturo, Julina Perez
There are people who place their soul at a border between two worlds that are completely different one from the other.
Giulio Paternò has always split his heart in two halves: one beating for Pink Floyd's, Dire Straits' and Deep Purple's rock; the other for an electronic sound influenced by the likes of John Talabot, Nicolas Jaar or David August.The final result by mixing these two different souls is all channeled into his project Swoosh, where house and techno meet the psychedelic sound from the '70s. So here is a captivating and a magnetic sound which is shaped exclusively by a live act with Ableton, a Gibson Les Paul and various controllers.Swoosh's peculiarity drew the attention of top national venues and festivals such as Tenax in Florence, Circolo degli Illuminati in Rome, or Amore and Spring Attitude Festivals.By Spring 2016 Swoosh will be releasing his first EP "Over and Above" with Autum Records, a label based in Rome and New York.Feedback:> DJ TENNIS: Great record, Swoosh is a producer to keep watching... / Gran disco, Swoosh è un producer da tenere sott'occhio...> VERRINA & VENTURA: Great, the slow one is fantastic! / Complimenti, traccia lenta fantastica!
> CAROLA PISATURO: Liked it so much. / Mi piace moltissimo.
> GIORGIA ANGIULI: I really enjoyed the whole EP, tracks are so stilish! / Mi piace molto l'EP, tracce super stilose!> JULIAN PEREZ: Good listening, a good listening. / Un ascolto piacevole > MATTIA TRANI:above mi piace moltissimo bell'atmosfera!
Cochemea Gastelum is coming home to connect with his roots. After nearly 15 years of touring the world with Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, the saxophonist offers a deeply personal album of jazz and indigenous-influenced rhythms. All My Relations¸ out February 22 on Daptone Records, is 10 tracks of mesmerizing and spiritually ascendant instrumentation. The first single 'All My Relations' is available now.
'All My Relations is a way for me to explore my roots through music. Some of it is a memory that is imagined from a time and place I've never been ('Sonora') or a musical impression of ritual ('Mitote'),' Cochemea says. 'I felt compelled to add the way I feel when I go to ceremony, when I feel connected with my ancestors, to the musical narrative.'
A California native with Yaqui and Mescalero Apache Indian ancestry, Cochemea grew up surrounded by music but without knowing much about his heritage. Both his parents were musicians, and they gave their son a heavy name meaning 'they were all killed asleep.' Cochemea has spent much of his diverse musical career - as a soloist, musical director, composer and ensemble player - exploring and iterating on roots music, and All My Relations is a capstone meditation on his own ancestry.
Originally conceived during Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings' final year of touring, Cochemea and Daptone's Gabe Roth cast a varied but familial set of New York musicians to bring All My Relations to life. A large portion of the album was created through improvisation and collective writing, where its 10 musicians created a melodic, percussive conversation. 'It was a beautiful experience - people would start playing and we'd work up these arrangements on the spot, then record it.'
'In a sense, this record is a prayer for unity, love and the recognition that we are all part of a web, and everything we do effects everything else,' Cochemea says. 'These days there's so many lines being drawn, I wanted to focus on what unites us.'
Cochemea has a long history of uniting multiple genres with his powerful polyrhythmic sensibilities. His roots in jazz, Latin, funk and rock led to multiple tours with funk-jazz organist Robert Walter's 20th Congress, and connected him with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings for their 2005 Naturally tour. Cochemea also played tenor sax with The Budos Band and Antibalas, and Baritone sax on the Amy Winehouse sessions, before becoming a full-time Dap-King in 2009.
In between marathon tours, Cochemea recorded a critically acclaimed solo album of soul, funk, and afro-Latin jazz, The Electric Sound of Johnny Arrow, all while doing session work for the likes of Mark Ronson, Rick Rubin and Quincy Jones. He's performed alongside Archie Shepp, Beck, David Byrne, Public Enemy and The Roots. Cochemea was also a featured soloist in the award-winning Broadway play Fela!, which led to historic performances in Lagos, Nigeria.
Yo Falty why don't you do the old school shuffle anymore What happened, maaaaan OK, held this one back from 2011. All the garage and 2-step workouts I made were inspired by hours and hours of listening to Horsepower Productions, Zed Bias, El-B, Darqwan... I studied them. This tune in particular inspired by Benny Ill himself. Ill Bent was never released, I always held back some exclusives for my sets. No one had it. Benny Ill remixed the track in fine style, both Straight up and with a Fat Larry spin. We were talking, Benny and I, and he mentioned he used to live in Brooklyn. So he submitted Is It Safe, a tune he made while living not far from where I live now in NYC, to conclude the EP. Heavy! (note, the first letter in Benny's last name is a capitol 'i') Track A1 produced by FaltyDL
Recent Arts is a duo conformed by visual artist Valentina Berthelon and musician Tobias Freund. Together they build live performances using video projections and experimental sound –charged with symbols, stories and poetry– thus generating sound environments that invite to enjoy the music while deeply connecting with our perceptions of the world and our sense of realities within it.
Under the alias Ciel, Xi'an-born/Toronto-based producer, pianist, DJ, and Discwoman affiliate Cindy Li embodies the social conscience of progressive electronic music. She is at once a local and global artist, having flourished at the fringe of cutting-edge club culture since 2015, firmly rooted in her adopted city while reaching increasingly outward, her sets echoing from Berlin’s Berghain to Chicago’s Smartbar to Lisbon’s Lux Fragil. Back in Toronto, she co-runs the label Parallel Minds and event initiative Work In Progress, an extension of her radio show in both name and M.O. to improve female representation in the scene. She’s helped write safe space policies, hosted DJ workshops, and applied activist pressure on promoters through varying methods with a single-minded resolve. Those efforts have evoked responses, which Li has spent time reckoning with over the past two years. Now, manifesting as a self-guided reaction to her experiences as an artist and activist is Ciel’s Spectral Sound debut, Why Me?, a deeply personal and physical work.
Ciel’s stylistic pocket as a producer remains that of “soft-touch slammers,” but fans will note the material on Why Me? hits harder. “I wanted to write something that was heavy,” she says of the title track, the result of processing the noise leveled at her specifically after she amassed a database of female and nonbinary talents to highlight the lack of bookings amongst a subset of clubs in the community. “I was dealing with a lot... anger, despair, paranoia, feeling unjustly targeted.” She channeled these antiphons into her art. The cut’s namesake is sourced from the foregrounded sample, a snippet of dialogue from an old film about a man who believes he’s been abducted by aliens. Pulsing metallic drum patterns steer through the hypnotic passage; permeating beneath the beats are lush pads, washing the rattled urgency with unease.
Hardware-built tracks “Go Fish” and “Uri’s Song” came together over studio time with friend and occasional collaborator Colin Sims aka Wiretapping. Ciel brought her sampler to the sessions, with Sims contributing additional drums, which she’d arrange further at home, adding synth parts and basslines and effects, distilling it all down to its most potent core. The latter track — an effervescent minimal techno exercise both tender and tough — expresses Li’s reflections on today’s cyclical conditions for activism, dissension, and, ultimately, optimism. “These are harsher sounds but they also have elements that are really beautiful about them. I wanted to communicate that nothing is permanent, that there’s always hope for understanding and resolution.”
Mainstay of the Manchester DJ scene, Yadava is perhaps best known as a founding member of now legendary club night, So Flute. With 2018's It Rains Here released on Church Records to critical acclaim, he makes a welcome return to Ad Hoc Records with his latest release, Velvet House On Sackville Street, continuing to win new fans through a mix of samba, house and jazz on this one-of-a-kind EP. Luxuriate in the effortless seduction of these choice cuts and transport yourself to a Latin paradise - it's time to groove. Tones of St Germain, Folamour and Gilles Peterson run through every sun-soaked beat of Yadava's music - watch this space and remember the name.
- A1: Noel Kelehan Quintet - Spon Song
- A2: John Wadham - Floatin
- A3: Louis Stewart - Araby
- B1: Joe O'donnell - Caravan
- B2: Taste - On The Boards
- B3: Granny's Intentions - Nutmeg, Bitter-Sweet
- B4: Mellow Candle - Lonely Man
- C1: Sonny Condell - Red Sail
- C2: Supply, Demand & Curve - When You're By Yourself
- C3: Rosemarie Taylor - Mister Sleep
- C4: Apartment - Weekend
- D1: The Plattermen - Africah Wah Wah
- D2: Jonathan Kelly's Outside - Misery
- D3: Dr. Strangely Strange - Mary Malone Of Moscow
- D4: Stacc - Holy Smoke
- D5: Zebra - Silent Partners
'Buntús Rince' translates from Irish as 'basic rhythms', and this new compilation explores how Irish musicians were influenced by strands of different genres of music from around the world, merging them to create their own unique sounds. The compilation features some of the most innovative and talented figures in the history of Irish music and includes rare Irish jazz, fusion and folk outliers from the 1970s and early 1980s from musicians relatively unknown outside of Ireland.
Often regarded as a musical backwater, the 1970s finally saw Ireland begin to make its mark on international music. The nature of this feat is all the more commendable, considering how isolated and conservative the country still was in the middle of the last century. The emergence of acts like Skid Row, Thin Lizzy and Van Morrison instilled in budding young Irish musicians the belief to dream big.
Unlike many other European countries, Ireland had not benefited from the cultural impact of immigration. Pioneering Irish musicians did not have access to the type of vibrant music scenes ubiquitous to most European cities at that time. With no talented players or even in some cases recordings of the music, they had to cultivate and invent their own small scenes.
A jazz scene had begun to blossom in Dublin in the late 1950s. Self-taught players like Noel Kelehan and Louis Stewart emerged as the Irish standard-bearers. Their level of musicianship saw them play with some of the world's most renowned artists. The 1960s would see the emergence of the 'beat' scene in Ireland, with groups like Granny's Intentions, Taste and Eire Apparent finally challenging the hegemony of Irish Showbands. Change was in the air.
The late 1960s also saw many Irish emigrants returning home, bringing with them inspiration from the new styles and sounds of London and further afield. The arrival in the late 1960s of pirate radio stations like Radio Caroline, new music magazines and the availability of music on vinyl meant that different genres were now becoming more accessible. The musical landscape of the country began to transform and evolve, influencing a new generation of musicians in the process.
The 1970s saw advancements in studio technology. 8-track studios began appearing in Dublin, offering more opportunities for groups to record singles and albums. Synthesizers and other instruments were also becoming easier to acquire as the younger generation turned to electric jazz and fusion music.
While the level of musicianship was high, the levels of opportunities in Ireland were still very limited. Many groups and solo musicians had to emigrate to try and succeed.
Thankfully for those who remained, this new emerging scene didn't go totally unnoticed and local labels began to take a chance on more obscure Irish groups. Labels like Mulligan and also producers like John D'Ardis and Terri Hooley championed and documented music from the Irish underground of the 1970s.
Their valuable work is a common thread which connects many of the tracks on this compilation. From the soaring flute playing of Brian Dunning, to the swinging piano of Noel Kelehan and the sonic force of Jolyon Jackson's synthesizers; 'Buntús Rince' lifts the lid on a vastly underappreciated period of Irish music history.
One for the collectors.
A product of the transformative power of dance music, Ede moved Berlin after he experienced something magical while dancing to Ame at
Berghain. So enchanted was he by the pivotal moment that he set his sights on making music to be released by Innervisions… And that happened
three years later when his track ‘Jenny’ made it into the label’s ‘Secret Weapons 11’ compilation. Ede’s dark, new wave style has also
piqued the interest of Jennifer Cardini, who signed his music to a V/A on her Correspondant Music label recently. Now the producer joins the
TAU family for a full EP, featuring four original cuts.
‘Raum’ jumpstarts the collection with menacing allure. Whirring analogue forms the core of this deadly track, keeping it tight in the low end
while various layers of synth fizz and snarl. An urgent riff joins the fray, adding depth and energy. Across almost 10 minutes Ede showcases his
ability to create a dark atmosphere and imbue his music with spinetingling theatrics. Fans of the riff will be pleased to find a beatless version of
‘Raum’, which will be useful for creating dramatic moments during DJ sets no doubt.
On side B, ‘Zeit’ brings the pace down slightly. A melancholy synth line evokes feelings of sorrow, while the beat pumps along. Ede uses the full
8 minutes of this track to really build the tension, finally unleashing it halfway through. This could easily be used on the soundtrack for a cyborg
action movie set in the future.
Last up, ‘Unendlichkeit’ is a further demonstration of Ede’s love of futurism, new wave and film noir circa 2080. Here he tells a story with the
machines, each one adding their contribution to the narrative which gets more and more chaotic as the tune progresses.
A very impressive EP, and we’re sure you’ll agree it’s something quite special.
Der Hip Hop Produzent Freddie Joachim wuchs als begeisterter Musiksammler auf, begann Mitte der 90er Jahre dem DJingund Produzieren an. Seitdem produzierte er für wie J. Coles, Joey Badass, Aloe Blacc, Blu, Grap Luva, LMNO, Kev Brown und anderen. In den letzten 15 Jahren hat Freddie viele Alben und Singles veröffentlicht, die meisten davon mit dem in San Francisco ansässigen Label Mellow Orange. Sein markanter, jazziger und gefühlvoller Sound ist bei allen Veröffentlichungen wie auch auf seinem ersten Album für Jakarta Records zu hören. Als Gäste sind FloFilz, Elijah Fox und Natalie Oliveri geladen.
Lapsus Records proudly presents the first solo material from Scottish artist 'Brick Reds, Black Mauves', and is due for release at the end of April. Behind the Brick Reds, Black Mauves pseudonym is producer Alex Ander, better known as part of the renowned duo, Dalhous, one of most interesting projects to emerge from London label Blackest Ever Black.
Together with cohort Marc Dall, the Edinburgh pairing immediately achieved international recognition thanks to releases including "An Ambassador For Laing" (2013) and "Visibility Is A Trap" (2014), which subsequently led to their participation at the first Lapsus Festival in 2014.
It is not the first time that Alex Ander has collaborated with Lapsus Records. In 2016 Dalhous formed part of a dual release with Pye Corner Audio entitled "Run For The Shadows", demonstrating the strong sound connection shared by both projects. Alex Ander returns in 2019 to present his new adventure Brick Reds, Black Mauves.
His debut release for Lapsus Records is a four-track homonymous EP that could be considered as a soundtrack to a post-apocalyptic feature film, full of exuberant ambient and melodies in constant motion, somewhat reminiscent of names like Demdike Stare or even Scottish band Boards Of Canada. On the EP's excellent fifth track, remix duties are expertly performed by Dalhous, giving "Cabochon" an even more introspective and experimental atmosphere, if that were deemed possible...
The "Brick Reds, Black Mauves EP" is, without a doubt, one of Lapsus Records' most exciting debuts to date and will be released at the end of April. Once again, the Basora studio has been vgiven the task of designing the artwork for this EP, which will be released on both vinyl and digital formats.
Voltage Festival is releasing a compilation of 4 EP's to celebrate five years of existence. The EP's are dedicated to four sub-genres of techno and represent the versatility in techno of Voltage Festival's line-up.
The series starts off with a classic techno EP called ‘Zener Diode’, followed by a deep techno one called ‘Wiring Harness’, an industrial release with the name ‘Circuit Breaker’ and closing with acid techno called ‘Resistor’. The artists featured on the releases already made their appearance at Voltage Festival, or are playing on this year’s edition.
- A1: Frankie Knuckles Pres. Director’s Cut – The Whistle Song (Re-Directed)
- A2: Frankie Knuckles Pres. Director’s Cut Feat. Jamie Principle – Your Love (Director's Cut
- B1: Frankie Knuckles Pres. Director’s Cut Feat. B. Slade – Get Over U (Director's Cut Mix
- B2: Frankie Knuckles Pres. Director’s Cut Feat. Jamie Principle – I'll Take You There
- C1: Ashford & Simpson - Bourgie Bourgie (A Director's Cut Exclusive)
- C2: Joey Negro & The Sunburst Band Feat. Donna Gardier & Diane Charlemagne – The
- D1: Artful & Ridney Feat. Terri Walker - Missing You (Eric Kupper’s ‘Director's Cut Tribute To
- D2: Marshall Jefferson Feat. Curtis Mcclain – The House Music Anthem (Move Your Body)
There are few people across the globe, who will have not been touched by the work of Frankie Knuckles. Forever regarded as ‘The Godfather of House’ for his unrivalled contribution to the house music we know today; what started as an underground movement in Chicago has grown to international heights thanks to Frankie. His records earned him recognition on a global scale, allowing him to work with some of the globes biggest names including the likes of Diana Ross, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.
Five years ago, Frankie passed away in Chicago on 31st March 2014 leaving behind one of the greatest house music legacies spanning almost four decades. Now he is commemorated by long time writing and production partner Eric Kupper. Eric, himself a seasoned DJ producer and writer, has worked on over 116 Billboard #1 Dance Records and played a pivotal role in a many of Frankie’s productions. Having both worked together for many years they established themselves at ‘Director’s Cut’ from 2011 and set about producing original releases and remixes based on the classic ‘Def Mix’ sound while sharing equal credits for their creations.
Together they re-produced and re-purpose classic cuts for modern dancefloors, with reworks including tracks from Marshall Jefferson, Ashford & Simpson, Artful & Ridney and The Sunburst Band, alongside Frankie Knuckles originals. These releases have now been brought together by Eric to feature on special album called ‘The Directors Cut Collection’ on SoSure Music. It includes the Director’s Cut reworks of Frankie’s classic cuts such as ‘Your Love’ and ‘Take You There’ with Jamie Principle, alongside Frankie’s first #1 single - ‘The Whistle Song’ on which Eric shares writing credits.
Within a multitude of classic reworks, highlights include a previously unreleased version of Ashford & Simpson’s ‘Bourgie Bourgie’ and a huge Director’s Cut Retro Signature mix of Marshall Jefferson’s 'The House Music Anthem (Move Your Body)' featuring Curtis McClain.
The Director’s Cut Collection is a fitting tribute to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Frankie’s passing whilst giving Eric a platform to tell his side of the creative story. This album is to be released in collaboration with The Frankie Knuckles Foundation who work to continuing Frankie’s legacy well into the future.
- A1: Sanarjiou
- A2: Ya Roubaou'a Biladi
- A3: Zahrat El Mada'en
- A4: El Kods Al Atika
- A5: Sayfonfal Youch'har
- B1: Ghaba Naharon
- B2: Yaffa
- B3: Bissan
- B4: Sanarjiou
- B5: Sayfonfal Youch'har
Superb, deep arabic orchestral tones and female vocals
- A1: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - The Action Scene
- A2: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - The Brisk Scene
- A3: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - The Passing Scene
- A4: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - The Passing Scene
- A5: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - The Feminine Scene
- A6: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - The Busy Scene
- A7: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - The Tense Scene
- A8: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - The Suspense Scene
- A9: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - The Expectant Scene
- A10: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - The Waiting Scene
- A11: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - Scene Link 1
- A12: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - Scene Link 2
- A13: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - Scene Link 3
- A14: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - Scene Link 4
- A15: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - Scene Link 5
- A16: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - Scene Link 6
- A17: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - Scene Link 7
- A18: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - Scene Link 8
- A19: Alan Hawkshaw / Keith Mansfield - Scene Link 9
- B1: Keith Mansfield - Funky Fanfare
- B2: Keith Mansfield - Funky Chase
- B3: Keith Mansfield - Funky Flight
- B4: Keith Mansfield - Funky Link 1
- B5: Keith Mansfield - Funky Link
- B6: Keith Mansfield - Teenage Villain
- B7: Keith Mansfield - Teenage Chase
Be With have raided the KPM archives to re-issue another of our favourites from the KPM 1000 series. They Say: Underscore moods and links—contemporary beat music idiom. We say: Includes some of the most sublime, sub-ten second,
B8 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Suspense
[|] B9 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Narrative
[] B10 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Seadiver
[~] B11 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 1
[] B12 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 2
[] B13 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 3
[{] B8 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Suspense
[|] B9 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Narrative
[}] B10 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Seadiver
[~] B11 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 1
[] B12 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 2
[] B13 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 3
[{] B8 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Suspense
[|] B9 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Narrative
[}] B10 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Seadiver
[~] B11 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 1
[] B12 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 2
[] B13 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 3
[{] B8 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Suspense
[|] B9 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Narrative
[}] B10 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Seadiver
[~] B11 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 1
[] B12 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 2
[] B13 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 3
[{] B8 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Suspense
[|] B9 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Narrative
[}] B10 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Seadiver
[~] B11 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 1
[] B12 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 2
[] B13 : Keith Mansfield - Teenage Link 3
This Spring Garland returns with their second album on LFI.
The follow up to their debut Preludes # 1 is a surreal journey in which the duo further explore their shared interest of sample based music, minimalism and arrangement methods found in the dub tradition. By combining analogue and digital technologies with found sounds and acoustic instrumentation, Cologne based DJ Phillip Jondo and Glasgow based artist Simon Weins invite the listener to delve deeper into their exploration of time, space, texture and form...
Returning with a more refined body of work, Garland sets the tone on # 2 by shifting attention to the ever-changing nature inherent to sound itself. Worlds in which the origin of sound is untraceable and where micro events become the basis for extended explorations.
Reinhard Voigt returns to his own label KOMPAKT with another episode of satiric techno to enlighten today’s current trend of deadpan dance music. Since the 1990’s, Reinhard has brought an unparalleled spirit into the techno scene through outrageously energetic live shows and the many releases under alias such as SRI, Pentax plus of course his ongoing collaboration Voigt & Voigt together with esteemed brother, Wolfgang Voigt. Reinhard embraces all that wildlife has to offer with “Was wir spüren”. Starting things off with the future afterparty anthem, “Das singende, klingende Ding” the bass drum is there to guide the lost and found through a voracious bee storm as the rooster crows gloriously towards duck quacking oblivion. “Tausendmal zu viel” fits perfectly as the soundtrack for to the artwork created by Mareena von Cube – a tormented hymn loops its way to the warriors of the never world. “Der Mann, der nie nach Deutz kam” is classic Reinhard Voigt techno at peak-time point. A throttling bass drum is voraciously fuelled by the jungle twilight.
For the second release on the Galaxiid imprint, a label of electronic music archeology and quality, we are transported to the strange sonic world of an elusive 90s pioneer. Solar X's 1997 album X-Rated will be released for the first time on vinyl, as well as reissued digitally, with new artwork by the Japanese artist Keiichi Tanaami. Two worlds connecting sonically, visually and culturally.
Solar X enjoyed a burgeoning career in post-Perestroika Moscow making playful, low-tech electronica from Soviet analogue instruments, which he masterfully configured to forge animated compositions and dancefloor rarities. Fascinated by chaos and complexity, his music explores the ways in which our minds can be manipulated by structure - an endeavour quite plausibly linked to his other career as a lecturer and researcher of AI, information theory and cognitive science, his interest in which was in turn triggered by his young experiments in computer music.
Solar X gained international attention at a time when Russia was (quite unfairly) seen as a vacuum for electronic music, but was exploding in the period of piracy, poverty and freedom following the collapse of the USSR. Young Russians had benefited from the soviet education system and there was a strong DIY computer programming and music scene, fuelled by hackers, gear freaks and party animals. Viewed from today, the album is reborn at a time of further political and social strife, which many see as fuelling the huge creativity and radical thinking of modern Russia's young creatives.
X-Rated treats tempo and form as fluid concepts, administering sudden changes to its sonic landscape with disorienting effect, underlain with a subtle dose of humour and experimentation. Downtempo trip-hop sits alongside frenetic IDM and blistering electro, all bound together by peculiar melodic inflections and lively distortions. Warm, trippy harmonies and robotic synths are offset with angular drums, shifting erratically through moods and genres with cunning intent. Much like his contemporaries from the era, it's his ability to breathe life into a humble production setup that makes his music so compelling some twenty one years later.
The track titles are from a book of call girl cards in London phone booths, that reached the artist in Moscow in 1995. "I liked the titles from these cards, which were self-promoting and offering pleasure (e.g. "Mistress awaits you"). So, I thought since my tracks also offered some kind of pleasure, they might as well advertise this through their titles.'
Label head Nina Kraviz was introduced to the work of the 83 year old sensei Keiichi Tanaami by Ukawa Naoshiro, founder of Dommune in Tokyo, one of the brightest figureheads for the arts in Japan, responsible for the graphic design of the cover. In September 2017 Nina played for the opening of Tanaami-san's first exhibition in Moscow at Gary Tatintsian Gallery. Nina performed a live sound palette, to accompany the looping 7 minute animation, of experimental music from the Soviet Union, Russian pioneers of electronic music like Species Of Fishes and SolarX, Soviet-time pioneer Lev Termen, Kuryochin, avant-guard rock mixed with some Stockhausen and just pure abstract sounds, as well as treasured artists like Biogen.
Tanaami's illustrative work has strong sexual elements, so out of the five art pieces Nina selected and commissioned for Galaxiid, the first fits perfectly for 'X-rated'. The vertical line of text on the left is the traditional form for Japanese covers of foreign releases. The cover, together with the accompanying poster and sticker, are printed in Japan to ensure the highest print quality and purity of the colours.
Acid Techno supergroup The Wipeouts (Chris Liberator, Sterling Moss, Aaron Liberator) return with 2 cheeky adrenalin fuelled cuts of twisted 303's, hard-as-nails beats, and tongue-in-cheek vocals. On the flip Geezer and Rats On Acid deliver rolling Acid Techno shenanigans, with Geezer finishing off the EP with his firebrand chunky beats. A 4 track instant Acid party!!
Compilation from British post-punk/Futurist group Ghosts of Dance formed in North Devon in 1981.
The members were Yvette Norris (vocals), Kevin Maynard (drums), Daryl Hunt (bass), Mark Butcher (keyboards), and Pete Heaton (guitar). Ghosts of Dance took their name from the song 'Ghosts' by David Sylvian which appeared on the first Japan album. After playing an early gig in Barnstaple, a gentleman in the audience named Richard Newman expressed his interest to start a record label and release their music. Richard scheduled a recording session for the band at Otter Studios in Georgeham with producer Harry Williamson, son of Henry Williamson, member of progressive rock band Gong. The debut single ‘Ghosts of Dance’ was released in 1982 on Plastic Canvas Records to mixed reviews as it was very different from anything being released at the time.
This compilation includes their debut single along with 9 bonus tracks recorded between 1981 and 1983 on vinyl for the first time. The band call themselves “Vocal Trance Music” on the 7” sleeve credits and it’s accurate. Melancholic pop with gloomy atmosphere and dream-like melodies. The final track shows the band moving in a New Romantic direction with Mark taking over the main vocals. All songs have been remastered by George Horn at Fantasy Studios. Each copy is housed in a jacket featuring original artwork by John Hurford and includes an insert with photos, lyrics and liner notes by Pete Heaton.
LP,180, 2018 REISSUE - REMASTERED FROM ORIGINAL TAPES, CAREFULLY REPRODUCED ORIGINAL ART
Hot Wax is an assured KPM masterclass from a dream team line-up of Brian Bennett, Alan Hawkshaw and John Fiddy. Here we're treated to what happens when all three decide to explore the latest trends in production music'. The latest as of 1976, of course.John Fiddy's numbers are sumptuous, string-led and light. Floaty soft-psych underpinned by a solid groove, particularly on Taste For Living' and "Fresh Start". If you're into Koushik and those early Manitoba/Caribou records - and you should be - you'll appreciate these.
For us, the Bennett and Bennett/Hawkshaw stuf is on another level. Capitol City' oscillates between driving funk and downbeat sentiment. Name Of The Game' is tough, smokin' funk, famously sampled in 2007 by Madlib for Percee P's Who With Me'. Bop On The Rocks' knocks hard and Full Throttle' features a guitar solo with some of the nastiest, about-to-explode fuzz you're ever likely to hear.
As with all ten re-issues, the audio for Hot Wax comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We've taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM's brand identity.
Special Remarks: 1 colored green LP in single sleeve with 3mm spine. Printed inner-sleeve. Collectors edition CD album included.
Vinyl (Limited Colored Edition)
Bananarama"s third album "True Confessions" features the smash hit "Venus" which hit the top spot in the US on Billboard Hot 100. The track was a huge dance floor hit across Europe, South American and Asia.
The album includes the singles: "A Trick Of The Night", "Venus", "Do Not Disturb", "More Than Physical".
Bananarama are often cited as the UK"s most successful ever girl group with 5 UK singles and 10 top 10's.
They were the girl group that defined the eighties with their run of pop hits which soundtracked the lives of fans around the world. The news of Bananarama"s reunion, after nearly 30 years, was met with universal approval and saw the band celebrated all over again. In 2017 the trio reassembled for a UK & USA Tour in a pop reunion only dreamt of in the wildest imaginations by many quarters. The band reunited in their original line up for the first time in years. For many Siobhan stepping back into her natural habitat once again is pop"s very own version of Morrissey and Marr re-uniting. The band play their final dates as a trio this summer in a run of gigs including Edinburgh Castle, British Summer Time and Smukfest.
Tallinn's Rando Arand joins up with LIITHELI to release four deep cuts entitled 'Alles' EP.
Rando Arand is an electronic music producer from Tallinn, Estonia with a background in sound design and experimentation. Arand released his first record on Asphalt Soliloquies back in 2017 and has since gone on to perform live at clubs and festivals around the Baltics sharing stages with likes of Dorian Concept, Gerry Read and King Midas Sound.
His 'Alles' EP sees him join Ali Asker's LIITHELI imprint who focus on supporting local artists from Estonia's capital following the likes of Mava & Nebukat, 1212a and the label boss himself, in addition to remixers from across the globe like Vakula and SH2000.
'Maandub' gets things rolling with dubbed-out aesthetics fusing hypnotic low end, meditative chords and eccentric synth stabs before 'Moondub' delivers soulful keys, deep riding bass grooves and fluid percussion.
'Joondub' maintains the breezy atmospherics as it delicately layers alleviating pads, organic pulsations and floaty modulations before 'Avardub' finishes things off with emotive melodies, fast-pitched, natural drums and melancholy tones throughout. Rando Arand 'Alles' EP drops on LIITHELI on 1st May 2019.
Saint Petersburg, Russia based producer Gradient has been steadily making his mark on the modern dub techno scene over the past decade and here we see him returning to grad_u’s Greyscale with more classy, dub-infused and atmospheric material. A study in landscapes exploring the pathways between the concrete jungles of the cities we reside in and the natural landscapes we visit to reconnect and find inner peace.
‘Landscape Two’ leads, employing choppy chord stabs, fluttering low-end pulses and dusty drums in an unfaltering, subtly modulating and evolving fashion before Fluxion offers a master class in restrained atmospherics, slowly teasing elements of the original into the depths of an ethereal, murky groove.
‘Landscape One’ leads the flip-side, taking a more upfront feel this time via robust drums and am amalgamation of spiraling dub chords ahead of grad_u’s ‘Landscape Two’ remix which lays focus on off-kilter, bumpy drums, fluttering subs and intricately modulating cuts from the original chords.
Released on 12’’ white 180gram vinyl, mastered and cut @ dubplates & mastering, Berlin.
The Juan Maclean Returns To Dfa With A New 12" - Last June's Electrodisco "what Do You Feel Free About" Backed With "zone Non Linear,"
Which Evokes Early Pet Shop Boys. As Usual, Juan's Sunny Productions
And Nancy's Layered Vocals Come Together To Lend A Maximalist Warmth
To The Dancefloor. Man Power (esp Institute, Correspondant) Gives The Aside A Club Rework With A Dubbed Out Vocal Arrangement That Adds A
Touch More Drama To The Track, While Massimiliano Pagliara (ostgut Ton,
Robert Johnson) Revitalizes Tropes Of Old-school Piano House.
With 10 albums already to her name, Muriel Grossmann is well-placed to create more sonic waves in 2019. Taken from her mesmerising spiritual jazz LP 'Golden Rule', we have deep jazz, modal jazz, esoteric jazz, spiritual jazz; refined, intensified and concentrated into 2 whirlwind sides.
"Arresting, deeply moving spiritual jazz... it's deep"
"Muriel Grossmann... embraces the groundbreaking, exploratory jazz of Sun Ra and John Coltrane, gives a very respectful nod to fellow contemporaries Nat Birchall and Shabaka Hutchings, and immerses itself in a swirl of transcendental expression" - UK Vibe
" Recommended, particularly for listeners who are ready explore sounds beyond straight ahead jazz or those comfortable with more esoteric jazz sounds." - The Vinyl Press
WYLLOWE is Anna Sheard and Rory More – a nascent writing duo with a shared enjoyment of all things folky and groovy (think early '70s Sergio Mendes, '60s sunshine pop and modal jazz versions of Scarborough Fair). The new 7-inch release Fortunate Fool is a rolling and loping affair with a lilting melody accompanied by a chiming 12-string Fender, electric piano and Lowrey organ; its soaring lament and understated groove is an open-road elbows-in-the-wind driving song.
The B side, Berwick Street Blue, brings to the fore Anna's alluring lyricism and Rory's oscillant motifs calling to mind the compositions of continental soundtrack composers and the sonorous femme-fronted productions of the late 1960s. Lush choral harmonies, layered guitars and resonant piano and organ ebb and flow over a soulfully intoned lyrical paean to a part of London lost and changed forever.
Alt-rock icon Josephine Wiggs is best known as bassist in The Breeders, rising to superstardom in the '90s and continuing to draw crowds and critical acclaim in the wake of their 2018 album All Nerve.
But over the years, Wiggs has released several of her own albums, all of which delightfully defy genre. Her new solo record, We Fall, is both a departure and a distillation of an enduring personal aesthetic: moody and spare but also melodic, at once contemporary and nostalgic.
Some influences are clear: We Fall is reminiscent of the experimentalism of Brian Eno's Another Green World and recalls the delicate, languid minimalism of Harold Budd. The album's classical inflections, sharpened by a dialog with electronic elements, evoke Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto. This is an album of juxtapositions: minimalist at moments, richly layered in others; ambient while also sharply focused; melancholy yet resolute.
There's something both dreamy and scientific about We Fall. Wiggs, an enthusiastic amateur mycologist, has an impressive collection of mushrooms she's photographed in her travels. We Fall could be the soundtrack to what can't be captured in a single photo—the growth and decay of miraculous creatures that a less astute and sensitive eye might overlook entirely.
Composed, performed and recorded by Wiggs, with drums and electronics by her longtime friend and collaborator Jon Mattock (Spacemen 3, Spirit , We Fall is a lyrical, bucolic album with an undercurrent of disquiet. Think of a wintertime walk in the woods as dusk falls too soon. True to the classic album form, the 10 almost entirely instrumental tracks on We Fall form a compelling whole: a crystalline meditation on paths not taken and words unspoken, an elegy for moments lost and last embraces.
JOSEPHINE WIGGS BIO
Josephine Wiggs grew up in an unconventional family north of London. Returning home from a summer holiday with a donkey riding in the back of the family's 1927 Rolls Royce was not considered at all bizarre. Wiggs studied cello as a child, segued from college in London to undertake a master's degree in Philosophy, and then, in a move few would have predicted, joined a rock band.
After making three albums with The Perfect Disaster (1987-1990), Wiggs left to join Kim Deal (Pixies), Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses), and Britt Walford (Slint) in forming indie supergroup The Breeders, whose debut album Pod came out in 1990. Following a shift in line-up—with Kelley Deal on guitar and new drummer Jim Macpherson—The Breeders released Last Splash in 1993; with its hit single 'Cannonball' and 'Divine Hammer,' they became alternative rock superstars.
During the same period, Wiggs released two lower-key albums with Jon Mattock (Spacemen 3, Spiritualized): Nude Nudes (1992) under the name Honey Tongue, and Bon Bon Lifestyle (1996) using the moniker The Josephine Wiggs Experience. She also recorded and produced Klassics with a K (1996), the beloved and only album by the Kostars (Luscious Jackson's Jill Cunniff and Vivian Trimble). During a brief run of shows, Wiggs joined the band on drums, showing her range of musical ability.
In the late '90s Wiggs collaborated with Vivian Trimble as Dusty Trails, whose eponymous 2000 album is an homage to neo-noir soundtracks, spaghetti westerns, and Gallic pop. Time Out described it as 'one of the most subtly suggestive, understatedly elegant...things likely to have caressed your cochlea in years.'
Allusions in Dusty Trails to film music foreshadowed the next stage of Wiggs's career, writing scores for feature and documentary films—from Happy Accidents by Brad Anderson in 1999 to Appropriate Behaviour by Desiree Akhavan in 2014. Her new album We Fall began as a suite of short pieces for the documentary film Built on Narrow Land. Wiggs has also composed and recorded music to accompany live performance and short films by the acclaimed Brazilian choreographers chameckilerner.
In 2013, following the 20th anniversary of Last Splash, the classic lineup of The Breeders reunited for a world tour. Five years later in 2018 they released All Nerve, with Wiggs co-writing two songs and singing lead on the standout track 'Metagoth.' We Fall, Josephine Wiggs' third album of her own design and ninth album in a career spanning three decades, will be released on vinyl and available for download and streaming on April 12, 2019 by Sound of Sinners.
2023 Repress
A heaven-made match is now complete with Gerry Read's debut EP for Pampa Records. The British producer's distinctively twisted, lo-fi sound, combined with Pampa's deep-vein instinct for quality quirks, ushers in a new phase for two of house music's most celebrated names. The opening bars of 'It'll All Be Over' are immediately evocative, hinting at the patchwork style to come. Twangy banjo strings and a foot-stomp beat seem to herald a folksy arrangement, but that isn't to be. Soft floaty pads rise up to form an unlikely partnership, softening sharp edges and adding sophisticated melodic expression. Once a compressed vocal sample is introduced, the entire structure reveals itself and begins to spin and loop in the style of iconic French house productions. Propelled further along by the endearing drama of flooded bass drum kicks, falsetto voices and xylophone pings, 'It'll All Be Over' is immediately memorable and expertly architectured. Read's second cut, 'Satyricon,' is woven in the spirit of micro-house. Sharp waveform cuts, timely pauses, loops of noodling keys and hints of percussion shakers combine for a low-slung psychedelic effect. With the sunniness of a vintage folk-pop sample and sultry snatches of Spanish dialogue added atop a deep mid-tempo shuffle, Read secures his place alongside the Bradocks and Leclairs who came before him. On the flipside, Pampa's figurehead takes an expert turn at the controls of 'It'll All Be Over (DJ Koze remix).' The original's jagged edges are buffed out, and shined up into a gleaming disco house anthem. With its artfully timed strumming breakdowns and cowbell accents, it is an appetising teaser of the forthcoming summer.
On their debut album as DOVS, Tin Man and AAAA summon the ethereal spirit of acid. Tin Man, AKA Johannes Auvinen, has been studying the emotional potential of the Roland TB-303 for 15 years now, and AAAA (Gabo Barranco), a fixture of the Mexico City underground, might as well be his acolyte. While the coincidental similarities of their studio and live approaches make this collaboration feel natural, even expected, Silent Cities is anything but. We recognize most of the elements here—the ubiquitous acid box and hardware drum machines—yet Auvinen and Barranco arrive in new, mysterious territory this time out. Lush arpeggiation, breakbeats and atmosphere imbue tracks like 'Nostalgic Oblivion' with a widescreen grandeur. 'Rene Figures' recalls Specific Momentific-era Cristian Vogel, symphonic, melodic techno with a kick heavy enough for dark, cavernous rooms. Meanwhile, beatless cuts like 'Whining Acid' are as intricately crafted as Tin Man's well-loved classical work (Vienna Blues). But as a duo, they craft a virtuosic harmonic narrative almost solely with 303s. Tin Man and Donato Dozzy's 'Nonneo' was the first release on Acid Test, setting the tone for the label and unlocking new potential for the genre. DOVS' closer on Silent Cities, 'Diazepam Blues', is the label's new melancholic acid anthem and a statement of purpose for Tin Man and AAAA, two hardware masters who have created an album of remarkable emotional depth.
[J}] D2 - Dysphoric Fix
Benjamin Fröhlich has struck many chords in the arena of electronic music: as a party organizer and record shop owner in his early days, and now as a label owner, DJ and producer. He is the co-founder of Permanent Vacation Records together with Tom Bioly, which has been up and running since the tropical summer of 2006. Emerging from the vibrant Cosmic Disco and Balearic scene, Permanent Vacation has been going strong over the past decade with genre-defining hits, albums and compilations. Fröhlich and Bioly have worked together with the household names of the international electronic dance scene. They have scouted artists like John Talabot, Todd Terje, Tensnake and Mano Le Tough early in their careers and released their breakthrough records. On top of his dedication to explore and feature rising as well as accomplished artists, Benjamin Fröhlich himself has emerged as a producer of vibrant tracks that are testament to his versatile and compelling approach to club music. His 12 inches, which were well received by DJs and clubbers alike, are accompanied by acclaimed remixes including his Tuff City Kids rework, which made it on Roman Flügel's Fabric Mix Now his first album is ready to go! Amiata is a conglomerate of Benjamin Fröhlich's longstanding experience. Just like his DJ sets and work for PV, each of the album's tracks expresses a different facet of his musical preferences. While keeping it under the roof of Benjamin's specific sound, the tracks range from Dub hybrids to Italo, Disco and Boogie inspired tracks, 90's spacy breakbeats and Electro to classic house ( 'Last Night' features rising U.S. artist Dreamcast).
180g
In order to celebrate 5 thrilling and inspiring years, we gathered well-known artists, Goldmin regulars and emerging talents. It was really important for us to express the elusive nature of the Goldmin sound, in the form of a compilation tracklisting. Over the past 5 years, we had the chance to meet most of these guys in person, follow their very own creative path, share ideas, thoughts and there’s no doubt that they all had their part to play in crafting our sound. This intimate and stimulating kind of collaboration had to be expressed and there couldn’t be a better way to capture what we’ve been busily working for, than a serie of Various Artists 12″. What it comes down to is a quintessential, hard-to-follow Goldmin selection devoid of any specific standard or norm. And this whole compilation seems to reflect that non-septate artistic direction, this little something, which has grown throughout our whole catalogue, since the label’s birth.That’s why, picking these select few tracks, that could illustrate Goldmin Music’s essential freedom was probably our toughest work yet. It was also important to pick only the most original and iconic tracks from each artist. In the end each track had to be their most Goldmin one and they all have been tried in all types of situations, in club at 1 and 5 AM, on the highway at night or even staring at the ceiling during a sleepless insomnia session. They all fullfilled their duty.
Rhythm Rollers is proud to present as a limited edition 12” Vinyl, Jamakabi's Killer Club track “Wickedest Ting”. The Instrumental which is produced by Chimpo is as HARD hitting as it gets and everything a grime track should be – sure to go down as a grime classic!!!
For the A side, two grime greats come together for a new underground anthem. Those who have followed grime from its inception will be familiar with the name Jamakabi, who is a former member of the legendary Roll Deep Crew. So, grime fans will be ecstatic to hear that he has teamed up with another respected grime figurehead D Double E. The two who both hail from East London, come together for new track Wickedest Ting.
With its menacing beat produced by Chimpo, Wickedest Ting will have you bopping your head. The chemistry between Jamakabi and D Double E is evident, and both of them gel together as they exchange witty bars.
On the flip side Jamakabi rolls in an all-star line up for the Remix
OG Rootz, Footsie, Big Narstie and Devilman
Say no more!
‘Verdigris’ the new EP from Japanese artist Atsushi Izumi, is a deep dive into the crevice of the mind. It is an exploration of where fearful emotions lie and confronting them. It is only through this conflict that light can shine through in the end.
The Osaka native has a background in music and sound design and as such found his sound going through a metamorphosis from Drum n Bass to a more experimental sound. His EP ‘Snow’ was released under the subtract imprint last year and saw the initial phase of this transformation. It was followed up by ‘Lansing / Mistrust’ via The Collection Artaud, which continued his growth of using slowed out heavy percussions surrounded by frantic synths and modulations.
Atsushi Izumi’s use of long drawn out hallow synths is like an ominous cemetery at night before these powerful percussions detonate in. He uses heavy spaced out bass drums, either as a single or double beat, which simmer as they echo and roll. They are surrounded by these chaotic, textured synths, which can sound like a cicada, hovering and distorted to give a mechanical effect. It feels like being thrown into the woods late at night, eerie yet calm in the beginning, before extreme panic sets in and you feel like you’re being chased.
Japan witnessed the end of the world up close and it is still reflected in their art and music: it delves into the sadistic and explores deep themes of melancholy and the apocalypse. This is juxtaposed against pure joy and serenity, showing that life is there to be enjoyed and struggles have an end, which is translated quite coherently to this piece.
As an extra bonus to all this, there is a scintillating remix from ANFS. The Greek adds a bit of pace to the track Zeit. He is an artist who enjoys frantic distorted techno and it shows in this cut. He takes the basic elements but whereas the original slowly introduces the percussions, ANFS bangs straight in. It’s structured yet frantic and a massive sound.
‘Verdigris’ is due for release on 17th May 2019 under the mysterious Swiss label Thrènes, that is known for eye-catching signature artwork and a deep and dark techno sound.
Dark Star Safari, a newly formed group featuring Samuel Rohrer, Jan Bang, Erik Honoré and Eivind Aarset, present its eponymous recording debut, an evocative song-driven album. These songs conjure shadows of memory, clouds of dreaming and silhouettes of foreboding through the album’s layered, many-textured fabrics and Jan Bang's silken delivery of Erik Honoré's acute lyrics. Dark Star Safari is the work of four kindred spirits, their open modus operandi, and a remarkably interconnected creative nerve system. Key to their collaboration is an organic freedom that enables the music “to fill itself in", to be self-actualizing via the musicians as medium. The music of the 10 songs resulted from a two-stage process: an initial phase of free flowing open improvi- sation, and a subsequent exploratory phase where hidden potenti- als were discovered and nurtured. The groundwork of the album’s music originates from a session initiated by Samuel Rohrer, who invited Jan Bang and Eivind Aarset to the renowned Candy Bomber studio in Berlin. The ses- sion was run under the imaginative craftsmanship of sound engi- neer Ingo Krauss, who worked in the famous Conny Plank stu- dio, and its recording and mixing employed sophisticated use of vintage analogue equipment alongside cutting edge digital pro- cesses. This meeting opened the door for something larger to emerge. The group did not settle for just the outcome of the initi- al open improvisation. They were driven to dig deeper, to atten- tively examine and manipulate the material, in order to discover what it had to offer. This caused a creational chain reaction, forcefully spreading across the group. During this second phase, Jan Bang, while meditating upon the possibilities and reach of the improvised material, felt a strong urge to give additional shape and colour to it by singing. Thus, he organically stepped into the role of vocalist, a role he had not pursued since the early days of his musical career. He sent the results to Erik Honoré, who immediately was inspired by its po- tential, quickly penning lyrics and providing the project with its name. Honoré composed two additional songs, Mordechai and Fault Line, and thus rounded the project out towards a fully reali- zed opus. The group continued this back and forth process, with Samuel Rohrer and Eivind Aarset bringing in fine-tuning and e nrichment to the song structures and textures.
French modern-classical quartet astrïd return on May 10th with the first part of a new release entitled A Porthole.
Conceptually the two records work in unison, focusing on portholes into the abyss, with part one delving into the depths of the deep sea. The tracks are named after various strains of seaweed, the artwork depicting dark waves and uncertainty. Part two will follow in a years time and will turn its attention to the night sky and constellations.
A Porthole continues astrïd’s signature style of billowing guitars, strings and woodwind. Each element intertwined with another, linked perfectly together through restrained jazz-tinged percussion. 2017’s highly-acclaimed release ‘Through the Sparkle’ with renowned pianist Rachel Grimes (of Rachels) set the bar extremely high for this release but astrïd have matched the depth, melody and quality of that record here.
Part one of this journey features some sublime compositions with Cyril Secq’s expressive and bold guitar playing carrying the pieces into chamber music territory, joined seamlessly by a variety of other instruments that swell and soar and fit perfectly into the story being told. Everything seems to have its place, nothing is overplayed or out of step here, there is an organic nature to the way this quartet plays and interacts with one another as melodies circle back and fade away in the same beautiful breath.
A Porthole is a deeply charming record, exercising glorious, nuanced refrain and offering a sort of hope rarely found in music these days.
• Aqua blue vinyl - limited to 300 copies w/ download code
• The album was mastered by Harris Newman (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Tindersticks etc)
• The artwork is extracted from an original one of a kind monotype print by Gizeh overlord Richard Knox.
- A1: Comedian Harmonists Wochenend Und Sonnenschein
- A2: Willy Fritsch Ein Freund, Ein Guter Freund
- A3: Hans Albers Flieger Grüss Mit Die Sonne
- A4: Zarah Leander Kann Denn Liebe Sünde Sein?
- A5: Andrews Sisters Bei Mir Bist Du Schön
- A6: Heinz Rühmann Das Kann Doch Einen Seemann Nicht Erschüttern
- A7: Marlene Dietrich Ich Bin Von Kopf Bis Fuss Auf Liebe Eingestellt
- A8: Willi Forst Sag Beim Abschied Leise Servus
- B1: Lale Andersen Lili Marleen
- B2: Joseph Schmidt Ein Lied Geht Um Die Welt
- B3: Lilian Harvey & Willy Fritsch Ich Tanze Mit Dir In Den Himmel Hinein
- B4: Heinz Rühmann Ich Brech Die Herzen Der Stolzesten Frau N
- B5: Gustaf Gründgens Die Nacht Ist Nicht Allein Zum Schlafen Da
- B6: Marika Rökk Musik, Musik, Musik
- B7: Comedian Harmonists Veronika, Der Lenz Ist Da
- B8: Siegfried Arno Wenn Die Elisabeth Nicht So Schöne Beine Hätt
Deep-frozen for many decades, something is on the verge of being released from obscurity. Dark Star is the project of Wolfgang Reffert (Ger). In the late '80s through the early '90s he released a couple of albums that invoke the darkness of infinite space. Clearly influenced by '60s and '70s sci-fi, the mechanical grooves and spiraling synths bring to mind the worlds of Alien, The Forbidden Planet and Solaris.
Utilizing a less is more aesthetic, Dark Star breathtakingly soundtracked space travel to far away galaxies like no other. Rhythmic postpunk drums lay the foundation for slow, down-tuned spacerock that goes deep into industrial proto-techno-like territory, while always maintaining a sense of groove.
Resurrected from the days of yesteryear, Dark Star once again re-imagines the eternal harshness and emptiness surrounding spaceship Earth. Cyborgs, extraterrestrials and genetically modified creatures rejoice on the dancefoor!
This is a collection of Dark Star’s best material. Originally released on two cassettes and one CD. Mastered by Wouter Brandenburg. Photography by Rogier Houwen. Poetry by Alex Deforce.
ZamZam 70 is our first team-up with the man of mystery known as Marcus Anbessa. An enigmatic figure whose identity must remain secret for the time being, his infrequent releases on labels such as Lion Charge, Tribe 12, and The Most High (as “Unknown Artist”) are eagerly awaited by those who know, charting an uncompromising vision down a path untrod by the weakheart or the follow-fashion. We love music that builds its own sound world with only passing reference to familiar genres or signposts, music that believes in itself utterly - for this reason we feel genuinely blessed to present these two sides.
“March of The Falasha” is pure roots music that, firmly planted in the soil of dub and sound system, reaches back even further into the mists of time through technological means. Downbeat steppers is the idiom, pure heartbeat is the pulse. Like an old soul young in years but full of wisdom, a distorted flute melody wanders ahead through the undergrowth of bass, light filtering through the ancient canopy above in the form of swung percussion and flickering echoes overlapping and intertwining like vines and creepers weaving on temple walls. Ancient-to-the-future.
“Creator” strikes a different yet equally dread chord, 140-ish post-apocalyptic Rasta business focused squarely on bass and space, hard, insistent drums and infinite echo trails flinging from the snares and percussion, creating hypnotic tracers like sparks swirling heavenward from a well-tended fire in blackest night.
Imagine African Headcharge on Jah Tubbys, or a rootsman groundation resuscitating ancient machines in the crumbling ruins of a near-future world and you begin to see what Marcus Anbessa brings. This music reminds us that nature herself will some day claim Babylon and grind it to dust, regardless of our efforts to save it or hasten its fall.
Charlemagne Palestine's majestic 1976 work The Golden Mean, originally performed by Palestine on two pianos, is revisited here as The Goldennn Meeenn + Sheeenn, a new collaboration between Palestine and enigmatic musician Rrose.
March 2018: the Festival Variations in Nantes commissions Charlemagne Palestine to reinvent The Golden Mean for two pianists. Palestine chose Rrose to join him in this new rendition of the work. Together, they performed The Goldennn Meeenn + Sheeenn onstage at the main opera house in Nantes -- the sumptuous Théâtre Graslin – with extraordinary results.
The concept of the 'golden mean' goes back to the roots of mathematics, and ancient Greek philosophy. It is an important work in the Palestine mythos, embodying his total immersion in the power of the interval. "It's probably his most systematic work . . . a step-by-step journey through the intervals of the octave," says Rrose. "When we rehearsed it, we were noticing how each interval is like a universe of its own -- with its own history, emotions, and sonic qualities all mixed up together. Every time you move from one interval to the next, it feels like moving into another world."
"I love the interval," Palestine told me in a recent interview. "I love when it plays with itself. That's what I learned from organ musics too. You can just do an interval, and if they're just slightly out of tune with each other, then they shimmer . . . they play themselves. And it sounds like somebody's playing lots of notes. In your ear, it's like an aural phenomenon . . . that's my whole concept. I make something that then does itself somehow. It continues by itself. So I don't have to always be there. And that makes my music a little less egocentric. So there's more space. Also for the listener — the ear plays with these things, and you're not always being given orders. Your ear isn't given orders all the time of what to listen for."
Beautifully recorded, with mastering by Rashad Becker of Dubplates and Mastering, The Golden Mean + Sheeenn feels expansive, radiant and hypnotic, opening new ears to its enduring mystery.
Rrose adds this note to listeners: "Do not focus your attention on the notes being played, but on the ocean of overtones swimming, suspended, overhead, brushing against one another, kissing one another, melting into one another."
Sometimes, - despite today's high-octane, fast-track and hyper-hysteric music business - you come across things that seem so pure, perfect and poetic that it almost hurts. "Socialo Blanco" is one of these objects.
It appears understated at a first listen, startling at the second and totally enamouring by the third run. To lay it all out on the table: it sounds like a Music from Memory re-issue, looks like a Growing Bins Records discovery and feels like a flea-market-hippie-uncle-record-collection find.
Based on the language (coincidences and misbehaviour included) and direction of the classic EMS Synthi AKS and recorded by hand and directly to tape (no midi, no sync, no computer), it is at once out of time and out of touch with current sound aesthetics, but that only makes it even more contemporary (vintage) - like a great piece of furniture.
Unsurprising, if you know that Feater is helmed by Daniel Meuzard. Hailing from Vienna and having made a name for himself as a trustworthy and skilled studio equipment dealer and working closely with producer and studio engineer Sam Irl, the man has a knack for turning yesterday into today.
Already is his project's second album, "Socialo Blanco" is the result of all of this and some magical and effortless sessions. The voice of Vilja Larjosto from Finland and Ghana's Eric Owusu (Pat Thomas, Ebo Taylor) on percussion, spontaneously invited to the recording sessions by fellow Viennese Giuseppe Leonardi, are the icing on the cake. All of that and especially the non-conformist pop song "Time Million" symbolizes the heart and soul of an album that deserves to be billed as such. And that is no mean feat.
Heist is first and foremost a label dedicated to quality house music with an eccentric angle. Promoting great music from the Netherlands comes as a close second. After presenting a lot of notable artists from our country, it’s great to showcase another young Dutch talent with our latest release: Perdu.
You might know him from his solo debut on Let’s Play House or the follow up on Optimo Music last year. Perdu’s music gets played by the big ones in the game like Hunee, Optimo and Palms Trax to name a few; and obviously, by us. We’re proud to introduce you to his “Skye EP”. His new release includes 3 varied originals and a rave anthem made by none other than our fun loving Ozzie friend DJ Boring.
The A side kicks off with “Jane’s World” and is the track that made us fall in love with this EP when we heard the demo. It’s a worldly tinged house monster, filled with harmonized drum rolls, a counting Frenchman and a funky arpeggio for good measure.
“Sacramento” takes a more introverted approach, leaning on a broken beat and atmospheric pads. The consistency of the kalimba with the vocal gives it a certain swing that got our ears longing for more.
The B-side starts with “Morbid”, a life-affirming electronic anthem, where Perdu shows his mastery of creating a proper build up. Over the whole course of the track, there’s a lead that slowly but surely opens its filter. There’s bells, harps, hand percussion and rides that all build up towards a lovely climax towards the end, while the track never feels like it’s forcing itself upon you.
Where the 3 originals are all, to some extent, quite introverted and modest, DJ Boring’s remix is anything but that. His version of “Jane’s World” is all about ravey leads, powerful percussion and huge breakdowns, which will do wonders at any festival or club closing set.
We hope to pleasantly surprise some of you, and as always, make a musical impact on your moment in the club, at home, or wherever it is you enjoy the music of our new Heist release.
Yours Sincerely,
Maarten & Lars.
mule musiq's sub label studio mule has formed a group of shifting members and are now releasing a debut album with 8 tracks of reworked obscure japanese gems.
the album contains the three singles the group released so far, featuring miyako koda of the ex-perimental pop band dip in the pool -- whose "on retinae" was reissued by music from memory to great acclaim -- on vocals and mule musiq staple kuniyuki on production with direction by label head toshiya kawasaki.
one of them, "carnaval," is a cover of the japanese dance classic by taeko ohnuki, produced by ymo. "shinzo no tobira" is a remake of the track by mariah, a band led by sax player yasuaki shi-mizu, from their album utakata no hibi -- which was one of the reissues that sparked the global interest in obscure japanese music in the last few years. studio mule's version features japanese lyrics rewritten by miyako koda. "face to face" is a cover of the ambient pop gem from the ultra rare album desire by yumi murata of mariah -- an album visible cloaks is a fan of.
also included is a rework of "kagami no naka no jugatsu," a song by tamao koike produced by ymo, turned into a dubby balearic pop track -- dubbier than the version included on the yen label compi-lation -- sang by nanako sato, one of the artists enjoying some newfound success following a string of reissues stemming from the "city pop" revival craze. the oriental ambient pop "yugao" by singer songwriter mioko yamaguchi is covered by vocalist saho terao, whom some describe as this gen-eration's taeko ohnuki.
"the april fools" is a rework of yukihiro takahashi's track, which itself was also a cover of the origi-nal song by burt bacharach. this new version boasts a more experimental arrangement with nanako sato handling the vocals. ymo's "ballet," originally with vocals by yukihiro takahashi, was reconstructed into a dance floor-ready instrumental by kuniyuki. many say yoshiyuki ohsawa's "soshite bokuwa toho ni kureru" is one of the greatest songs of the '80s. the 12" dance version is reshaped here into a melancholic balearic house track.
the album cover is by the increasingly popular hotshot photographer kota shouji.
Margino (real name Kim Kallie) is a South African artist. She recorded her first song
at the age of eight, when she performed ''Montreal'' with her mother Judy Page. She
sang with the reggae group Kariba and jazz rock outfit Turbo in the early 80's, and
later did backing vocals for Future and others. She first shot to fame as a solo star
with a version of ''Holiday'' (written by Lisa Stevens and Curtis Hudson, credited as
Cathy Hudson), which was released at the same time as Madonna's version.
Margino also had a hit in 1983 with a cover of In-Deep's ''Last Night a DJ Saved My
Life'', that went to #16 on the South-African Top 30 and charted for 10 weeks. She
now runs a Performance Academy from her studio, and continues to perform on
stage at events around Cape Town.
Recorded at RPM Recording Studios (Johannesburg, South Africa) in 1985, Happy
People is a flawless album with dancefloor hits such as ''Happy People'', ''I'm
Getting Out'' and ''One Hot Night'' and downtempo tunes such as ''You Turn Me On'',
''You Need A Woman'' and ''You''. All rhythm tracks were played by Attie Van Wyk
(Keyboards, Synthesizer, Drum Machine) and Danny Bridgens (Guitar). The full
album is a cream of boogie funk, disco and pop.
For this reissue, Jamwax took the pleasure to remaster the sound from the original
tape. The artwork was also remake with Andy Warhol ''Marilyn Monroe'' pop art
style, for your eyes pleasure.
Echocord sub-label Echo Echo returns with its first release of 2019 this May, coming courtesy of son.sine with his ‘Variable States’ EP. Leyton Glen aka son.sine is a relatively new name to most having only released a handlful of EP’s to date, initially in 2000 he released ‘Upekah’ via the Nurture imprint before Delsin recognized its timeless quality and re-issued it in 2013, a testament to Glen’s sole work. Here though we see Echo Echo mark a return for son.sine with a new EP of original material, his first in four years. The thirteen minute ‘Uncertainty’ opens, driven by hazy atmospherics, pulsing acid bass tones and murky sub bass while glitched out percussion subtly carries the cinematic groove. ‘Evident Topology’ follows, taking a more robust approach with jittery low-end chops, expansive dub chords and an amalgamation of emotive strings and jazzy bass licks ebbing and flowing within. ‘Three Linear Decay’ then rounds out the package via skippy organic drums, ethereal pad swells and metallic bleeps.
The Naturals' debut album is more than just an rediscovery of one of the great lost albums of the last decade, but of how things were always intended. When Eddie Ruscha (Secret Circuit) and Thomas Bullock (Rub'n'Tug/STD) appeared as The Laughing Light of Plenty, their journey offered untold troves. Now at last the pulse is set for outer orbit and all are welcome to join.
After a mind-melting debut EP sold again and again, an album expanding their unique psychebalearicfolk imaginings was prepared and even pressed before being lost somewhere between a lock up in New York and limited quantities reaching Asian shores and dealers
trading at dizzying Yen.
Lost, but never forgotten, years passed until a nagging memory that an earlier, rawer mix had always been superior. A return to the original band name seemed The Natural(s) choice and so a project idea started to be (re)born.
A sunny Spring afternoon in a grand English garden, pots of tea, talk of life's travails, deep yogani, love affairs, kids growing up, the power of now and music, always music led to two labels coming together to dust down the desk and not just resurrect, but seek and offer the original intentions.
Here at last is the double album as intended. Of two great friends jamming their deepest vibes and flowing with love to offer tales of higher consciousness. Travel inward, beyond meer chakras. Aim for the stars. The devil is in the details so see the trails and follow to some avail.
Begin your own journey.
- A1: Pesrev
- A2: Külüstür
- A3: Katastrof
- A4: Düzkontak
- A5: Delidivane
- A6: Ara (Interlude)
- A7: Delidivan
- A8: Hayda
- A9: Kontrol (Interlude)
- A10: Delibas
- A11: Beng-Ü Bade
- A12: Vesaireler
- A13: Inkar
- A14: Miskinatlar
- B1: Pesrev
- B2: Külüstür
- B3: Katastrof
- B4: Düzkontak
- B5: Delidivane
- B6: Ara (Interlude)
- B7: Delidivan
- B8: Hayda
- B9: Kontrol (Interlude)
- B10: Delibas
- B11: Beng-Ü Bade
- B12: Vesaireler
- B13: Inkar
- B14: Miskinatlar
Last year we welcomed Grup Ses to our sister label Sucata Tapes with "Program #01", a mystically mixed soundtrack of far-out new age and film sountracks from Turkey circa 1986. A new set of Turkish delights were prepared for this year's release. "Deli Divan" it's a two-part record with incredibly crafted beats that tell a different story depending on the version you chose to listen.
A side captivates by its voracity. Hi-tech and fierce beats drop with the sharp voice and flow of Ethnique Punch, delivering 14 - yes, f-o-u-r-t-e-e-n - short and punchy tracks. The diggin' liveliness
of Grup Ses is well present in the samples used, manufacturing beats that serve well the fast paced and nocturnal voice of Ethnique Punch. The first part of "Deli Divan" is pretty much a straight story. A good one.
But then comes the surprise. The other side. The same fourteen tracks without voice, just the beats. And here "Deli Divan" tells a completely different story. It loses the emergency, darkness and
robustness of the A side, specially because the beats float on a limbo without a voice. But that limbo reveals the straight forwardness of the beats created by Grup Ses for this record. There's a hidden narrative here, without the voice the short tracks connect like an outer world radio broadcast.
But there's no narrator. Just time-travelling beats that interlink past, present and future, synthetizing complex ideas in short bursts of 1 or 2 minutes. A Deli-Delight this is.
(Limited edition of 300 copies on clear & black marbled vinyl with full printed sleeve and textured coloured printed insert)
This is the 1st vinyl release on a quiet RIOT, an independent electronic music label based in Scotland.
Following his Interferenza cassette for Osiris Music, Berlin-based sound artist Adam Winchester returns with a new body of work that sees him embracing ever more forthright rhythms while adhering to his established lines of sonic enquiry.
With roots in the Bristol dubstep scene and a long-standing partnership with Christopher Jarman in Dot Product, Winchester has spent the past few years investigating alternative methods of sound generation that deal in hidden electromagnetic frequencies and spectral tones found lurking in circuitry. Bringing these extremities back to a more structured focus, Muutto is a highly personal work that captures the period of transition as he moved from Bristol to Berlin.
While the finely sculpted tonality and artful distortion of his recent work is plain to hear throughout, Muutto is also grounded in arrangement and melody, weaving a tangible narrative that pivots around steely rhythmic architecture, nodding to his roots in club music without expressing anything explicitly 'dancefloor.' Even at its most physical, as on the weighted march of 'Hold,' the emphasis is on atmosphere and mood, no matter how heavy the drums fall. In the distant murmurs of pads and poignant vocal threads, the bittersweet emotional backdrop to the record comes through in abundance.
There's space afforded for the more avant-garde tendencies in Winchester's music too. 'Metaphors' is caked in guttural feedback that comes on like a particularly noisy Albini studio session strapped to a chassis of the swampiest blues rock lurch you're likely to hear all year.
In its needlepoint detail, broad scope of sound palettes and potent expression, Muutto is an accomplished offering, but more significant is the way these facets are bound together by immediacy and form that transcend the freeform experimentation many of Winchester's traits are drawn from.
'a quiet RIOT' is an electronic music label based in Livingston, Scotland orchestrated by Nomad and is the sub-label of the highly renowned 'RIOT Radio Records.'
Since 20th February 2015, Nomad has run his own very successful fortnightly internet techno radio show called the "RIOT Radio Show.' Each show has a resident warm up set then a further hour with a wicked guest, the majority of whom are among the world's top electronic artists. The show gets thousands of listeners on each transmission with every set recorded exclusively for it. You will not hear them anywhere else.
A hoard of very well-known and simply stunning acts always feature on the show along with a whole host of very talented local music makers.
This was the build up to the record label being launched in April 2016 that will show-case major acts and amazing local talent.
Matt Edwards launches Stranger in The Night with his first solo material since 2017.
The Rekids offshoot will release regular music by four artists, namely Radio Slave, King
Britt, Anthony Rother and Fred P, who will each drop three EPs over the next year.
'With Rekids being 100% focused on releasing music for dance floors I felt the need to
create a new platform to explore a wider musical vision and invite some of my all-time
electronic musical heroes to be a part of the series,' says Matt Edwards.
Both numbers near the 12-minute mark but each track portrays a different aesthetic.
Opening with precision drums and crystalline notes, 'Ground Control' makes a nod
towards the hi-tech soul sound of Detroit and drives forward using a sultry bassline, erratic
chords and the occasional icy stab as an array of contrasting sounds operate in unison.
On the flip, a syncopated rhythm lays the foundation for 'Last Communication' whilst a
tantalising melody joins poignant synths, constructing a profound and hypnotising journey.
Another Van, the label head of Ran Music’s sub-label Ran Groove, is releasing his debut EP “ The Night Is Yours” (RGV010-12) on his own label which includes 6 tracks rang-ing from Acid House to Minimal that he created between 2015-2017 in Beijing and Shanghai, performed and recorded all at once using his hardware live set-up. The immortal acid sound and minimalist groove are his forever loves. In 3 years the time, locations, and people kept changing, and all the memories of his life experiences are being mixed and melted into these 6 musical stories.
The EP name “The Night Is Yours” is inspired by a billboard which says “The World Is Yours” in the movie “Scarface”. Another Van believes that the night never belongs to anyone, the night is itself an eternal DJ, and this EP is full of tracks that touch you the most before sunrise.
Renato Ratier is one of the most important names in Brazilian and South American electronic scene not only as the creator of the d-edge club and partner of Warung club, two of the world's leading electronic music clubs. As a producer and citizen of the world, this time the artist found inspiration in the middle of the Atacama desert in Chile during a trip to a gig in that country. Definitely, the vibe and atmosphere of this unique place, suggested to Ratier a track full of personality as well as his work as a producer. While working on his new album, Ratier offers us a precious and pulsating track, with a striking square bassline and a hypnotic line of chords and synths. To complete this special package, Ratier invited two of the most important djs and Brazilian producers to bring their remixes.Ney Faustini and A.84 with their brilliant jobs.
The first release on a new label: Pura Vida Sounds founded by Guts, in conjunction with Heavenly Sweetness. El Tipo Este is a pioneer of Hip Hop in Cuba and Al Quetz, a leading French beat maker.
This canny combo have drawn from the local musical currents, absorbing Afro-Cuban sounds, adding the freedom of jazz, the metronome of hip hop and a healthy bass shake of neighbouring island Jamaica.
For Cubans, El Tipo Este is the pioneer of all things hip-hop. As founding member of Obsesion, one of the nation's most notable hip hop exports. Early champions of his music included Gilles Peterson, who selected a track
to include in his 'Havana Cultura; New Cuba Sounds' compilation. Hot off the heels of this, El Tipo Este was enlisted to assemble the full band of musicians for the Havana Cultura tour. This unit played stages across Europe, USA and
closer to home in Latin America, and in turn this led to collaborations with The Roots and Mos Def For this long player, El Tipo Este he has enlisted beat maker France's Al Quetz to carry his rhymes. Originally known as Quetzal, Al Quetz is a crucial figure in
the world of beat making. A sound scientist whose cut, loop, program, paste compositions has seen him collaborate with the likes of Onra, Guts, La Fine Equipe and Milk Coffee & Sugar.
b1 Regla Sound System
[|] b2 Tu Vera
[] b3 Dicen
[~] c1 Usame
[] c2 Interludio En El 106
[] c3 Inflowencias
[] d1 Ya No Me Pertenezco
[] d2 Revolucion Vivencial
[] d3 Tierra, Semillas Y Frutas
[{] b1 Regla Sound System
[|] b2 Tu Vera
[}] b3 Dicen
[~] c1 Usame
[] c2 Interludio En El 106
[] c3 Inflowencias
[] d1 Ya No Me Pertenezco
[] d2 Revolucion Vivencial
[] d3 Tierra, Semillas Y Frutas
[{] b1 Regla Sound System
[|] b2 Tu Vera
[}] b3 Dicen
[~] c1 Usame
[] c2 Interludio En El 106
[] c3 Inflowencias
[] d1 Ya No Me Pertenezco
[] d2 Revolucion Vivencial
[] d3 Tierra, Semillas Y Frutas
Consisting Neither Of One Lone Woman, Nor Hailing From Either The Eurasian Country Or The North American State, This Georgia Is In Fact Comprised Of Two Human Males Working Out Of China Town, N.y.c., Namely Brian Close And Justin Tripp. Together They Form A Creative Partnership Responsible For Not Just A Slew Of Output Upon Such Highly Regarded Imprints As Meakusma, Palto Flats And Emotional Response, But Also For A Kaleidoscopic Variety Of Multimedia Work With A Whole Host Of Clients, From The Corporate To The Counter Cultural. With An All Embracing, Freeform And In Some Ways Contradictory Approach To Production, Their Sound Is At Turns Stimulating, Terrifying, Comforting And Confounding. Separated From Any Visual Representation, The Audio On Its Own Becomes A Soundtrack For The Listeners' Own Intense Internal Projection Screen.
With 'time', Georgia's Vision Is Especially Well Realised As Here, In Collaboration With Fellow Intuitionists Firecracker Recordings, They Release Into This World An Album Which, With Any Luck, Shall Help You Unlock Your Inner Portals - Should They Need Assistance In That Regard Anyway. Unquantisable Polyrhythms Knock Against One Another In An Uncannily Externalised, Conflicting Collage Of Half Remembered Dance Ritual Memories. Fragmented Melodies, Disembodied Vocal Snippets, A Hint Of Ethnomusicality In Places All Give Deep Nods Simultaneously To Ancient Experience And To Post Human Intelligence, Condensing Past Present And Future Into One Eternal Instant.
'time' The Album Asks Us: What Happens When One Removes Ones Expectations Of Where In Time A Piece Of Music Or Art Must Sit And What Of Time Itself As A Construct, Now That We Have Myriad Ways Of Measuring It, Even At The Atomic Level; But Still Its Passing Is Completely Relative According To The Observer, And Indeed May All Be In Our Minds Anyway Equally, You Can Always Just Put It On - Again, And Again - Empty Your Mind Of Such Thoughts Completely, And Allow All Of Your Particles To Move Around Freely To This Joyful Noise... After All, That's The Point, Isn't It We're Gonna Have To Stop Asking Questions Eventually.
- A1: Oracle
- A2: High Priestess
- A3: Dreamscape From The Night Kitchen
- A4: Sunset
- B1: Embrace (Live Version, Nyc 1987)
- B2: Environment (Temporary & Indefinite Edit By K. Leimer)
- C1: Sadhana Environment (Pharaohs Mana Mix)
- C2: Sadhana Environment (Dreems \\\\'Natu¨rliche Liebe\\\\' Remix)
- D1: Sadhana Environment (Oahu Suite By Lieven Martens Moana)
Over two years in the making, 'Talisman' is a retrospective and re-interpretative celebration of the work of American musician Robert ÆOLUS Myers. Touched first by the emotional depth of the music, and subsequently by the warmth and wisdom of the man, Origin Peoples sought to capture a snapshot on this special vinyl release.
This newest chapter of the ÆOLUS myth seen for the first time on vinyl are five of his most expressive pieces, alongside a quartet of remixes by kindred spirits from all corners of the globe. This is the first time his music has been interpreted by others, and Robert's delight at the result speaks volumes of his adventurous and open-minded attitude. Approaching the often intangible new age genre with a humanist approach, Robert creates immersive and expansive pieces which connect with the listener on a spiritual and emotional level.
Archetypal narratives are retold through nuanced electronics, evocative motifs and empathetic flute, the varied compositions informed by Myers' classical training, spiritual pursuits and study of ethnomusicology. Part retrospective, part remix project, 'Talisman' is the perfect reflection of Robert ÆOLUS Myers, a musician whose timeless expression of theme and emotion has enriched minds, bodies and souls for almost 40 years.
After a standout Ep on Nachtbraker's label, and an Ep as NOTE on Tartelet Records, the Berlin based artist VERNER lands on Axe On Wax with the Debbie Coke Ep. The Album varies from U-R style dreamy electro, to drum machine jams, croaking basslines and jazzy synth driven tracks. This Ep is is a must for all house heads! Already getting early club and radio plays from Honey Dijoon, Brame & Hamo, Marcel Vogel, Eclair Fifi, Yu Su, Carista and Jaques Renault! TIP.
With a discography held in such high esteem amongst fans of conceptual French pop and soundtrack composition, the likelihood of finding an unturned stone amongst maestro Jean-Claude Vannier’s fertile psychedelic rockery falls somewhere between slim and skeletal. Even the most intrepid explorers of the most fearless and fastidious nature should naturally expect to encounter one or two shadowy characters when braving the oblique corners of the Vannier vault, but few lost souls cast a darker silhouette than the cinematic obscurity known only as La Bête Noire (The Black Beast).
Lost and presumed missing for decades the soundtrack tapes to this lesser-known 1983 French thriller (featuring a cast culled from films such as Alphaville, The Modern Couple and Sweet Movie) captures the revered composer and arranger of Serge Gainsbourg’s Histoire De Melody Nelson embarking on a darker exploration of free jazz, frenzied batucadas and cyclic carousel psychedelia. Counting key players of the French jazz scene within its ranks, The Insolitudes group comprises a crack team of Palm/Futura/Actuel/Saravah regulars such as saxophonist Philippe Mate´ (Acting Trio/Mate´-Vallancien/Tacet) alongside drummer Bernard Labat (Mad Ducks) and legendary Arpadys/Voyage rhythm masters Marc Chantereau and Pierre-Alain Dahan (Brutus Drums) all of whom alongside Michel Zanlonghi (Ensemble De Percussion De Paris) make up this thunderous, tumultuous, four-headed rhythm machine bridging an authentic gap between The Jef Gilson Groups and France’s signature “cosmic” revolution. Naturally these previously unheard compositions are spearheaded by lead pianist and composer Vannier and for devotee’s of his 1972 concept album L’Enfant Assassin Des Mouche there is much to admire and cross-reference herein.
Having been the most loyal and long-running guardians of Jean-Claude’s monster archive over the past two decades Finders Keepers Records are proud to present this first catch of newfound vintage Vannier discoveries on this limited and unlikely free jazz 45 single (which should find a perfect home between coveted Euro jazz 7”s by Krzysztof Komeda, Franc¸ois Tusques and Brussels Art Quintet). Almost 15 years since Finders Keepers once liberated the Mouches it is now time to set free another Black Beast amongst discerning listeners.
Alien Transistor and Tokyo-based label Afterhours release a vinyl-version of tenniscoats' masterpiece "music exists". It consists of 4 LPs, which will be released over the year, full of intimate, wonderful, psychedelic folk-music. With the fourth LP, there will be a strictly limited box available, either for putting in your already purchased other 3 records, or as the whole glorious 4-LP-package.
Tenniscoats have devoted followers allover the world, but their releases were always hard to find outside of Japan. Except for their album "Tokinouta", which saw a very limited run on vinyl, and the seminal "Two Sunsets", their collaboration with the Pastels (and a small handfull of 7"s ), there were never any vinyl-releases, and also the CDs were hard to get for any-one, who doesn't speak or read japanese.
So, this is the chance to dive deep into the beautiful, unique world of the tenniscoats and their opus magnum "music exists".
The Tenniscoats are a duo that have enjoyed a long career in the music scene of their home country of Japan. They have collaborated with unique artists from different backgrounds (Tape, Pastels, Pastacas and Jad Fair), while maintaining their own laid back approach and sound. Their songs are built primarily from guitar and vocals with lyrical themes focusing on everyday life. It could be their expansion on simplicity that has captivated music lovers of all ages throughout their existence.
While the aforementioned collaborations produced bold and sensitive experiences and results, it has taken Tenniscoats five years to release an entire studio album of their own. The wait has not been in vain, as four discs will be released consecutively beginning with 'Music Exists - disc 1'. Music Exists saw a previously limited release on the Tenniscoats' own majikick label.
'We started recording around January of 2013 with just the two of us in our 10 tatami-room in Tokyo we were using as a private studio. Arrangements were produced without computers by overdubbing on an analog console with mixing assistance provided by Saya. As we sent selected songs to be mastered by Yasushi Utsunomia, we were able to see the tracks grown into a full length album.'
What turned into a huge 4 disc project began in earnest three years ago. Tenniscoats wrote and recorded themselves using an analog console, a microphone, and what few instruments they had. As the project developed, they were surprised to find that they had amassed several albums' worth of material.
'We tried throwing up the ideas we had in the beginning and not put too much of our strength into playing in order to develop the ideas of each song. Utsunomia, who did the mastering was the first person to ever hear the material for this album outside of the band. We sent songs to him carefully choosing an order that we felt would not make him bored. Thanks to his distinctive way of mastering, we were inspired to go further and further into the process.'
2016 marks the Tenniscoats' 20th anniversary together. You could consider 'Music Exists' as a sort of compilation of material stemming from these years spent together. With their unique combination of melodies, unexaggerated arrangements, and detailed mastering, Alien Transistor are extremely delighted to make this recording available to the public!
Alien Transistor and Tokyo-based label Afterhours release a vinyl-version of tenniscoats' masterpiece "music exists", which consists of 4 LPs in total.
Disc 3 reunites the couple with their old friends and collegues, the swedish musicians from Tape, they concentrate once more on their very own language of making music, and give us another collection of essential tenniscoats-songs.
With the forth LP, there will be a strictly limited box available, either for putting your already purchased other 3 records in, or as the whole glorious 4-LP-package.
Tenniscoats have devoted followers allover the world, but their releases were always hard to find outside of Japan. Except for their album "Tokinouta", which saw a very limited run on vinyl, and the seminal "Two Sunsets", their collaboration with the Pastels (and a small handfull of 7"s), there were never any vinyl-releases, and also the CDs were hard to get for any-one, who doesn't speak or read japanese.
So, this is the chance to dive deep into the beautiful, unique world of the tenniscoats and their opus magnum "music exists".
"It may even be their greatest ever music, essential plus" Monorail Music, Glasgow
"Whatever's ailing you, Tokyo's Tenniscoats have got something for that" Boomkat, Manchester
Mahoney's voice vacillates smoothly between ghostly and falsetto, while McNany's arrangements and instrumentation bump, click, and whirr like a lovingly tuned Rube Goldberg jukebox. Not too surprising, perhaps, considering they named the band after a song by schizophrenic outsider favorite Daniel Johnston, and they cite Harry Nilsson and Roxy Music as influences. - VIBE
In 2017 Blair French came out of hibernation to release contrasting but similarly sun-kissed EPs on Rocksteady Disco and Claremont 56.
Here, he returns to action with a scintillatingly sunny and sensual six-tracker on NuNorthern Soul that may well be his strongest release to date.
Given French's chameleon-like musical history, that's certainly a bold claim.
Over the years, he's been a member of a multitude of musical collectives - most notably Cosmic Handshakes and Formless Figures - established his own DIY record label (Fat Finger Cosmic) and released music that touches on a dizzying array of styles, from award-winning movie soundtracks and Afro-fired deep house, to skewed techno, blissful ambience and experimental hip-hop.
On Patio Pastel, French is in full on sand-between-the-toes Balearic mood, delivering a range of lucid, ear-pleasing compositions that will sashay their way into your consciousness.
Contrast, for example, the drowsy organs, glistening pedal steel and undulating hand percussion of opener 'Patio Pastel' with the Serge Gainsbourg style chanson-goes-tropical bliss of 'La Playa De Tercipelo', which features some deliciously breathy vocals from Stephanie Lyon.
Then there's 'Morning Sail', a sumptuously evocative soundscape rich in toasty, dub disco bass, shuffling percussion and lilting, Jonny Nash style guitar solos (see also the effortlessly horizontal Lounsbury Gardens'), and the kaleidoscopic, saucer-eyed Balearic pop brilliance of ;'Human Make Human', where new age synthesizer melodies and the fuzzy vocal refrain of Kasi Seguin gentle dances above an Afro-flecked, mid-tempo groove.
Throughout the EP, French mixes electronic and acoustic instrumentation, drawing together musical elements from a myriad of styles to create sumptuous new fusions.
It's particularly evident on superb closer 'Belle Isle Sunsets', where colourful synth motifs, eyes-closed guitar riffs and Mediterranean-warm chords wrap themselves around a gently pulsating, impressively layered groove.
Like the rest of the EP, it's perfectly pitched, expertly executed and wonderfully atmospheric.
Next on Berlin's Renate Schallplatten is Longhair, a project formed by Marko Pelaic and Benedikt Bogenberger, two residents of Berlin's Wilde Renate. Mangostine, a four-tracker, follows last year's 12' on Dutch label Bordello A Parigi and a track contribution on House Is OK. It lands with an Axel Boman remix. The EP opens with the title track, its name drawn from the exotic fruit. Over a brooding bassline we hear light, fluttering melodies and uplifting keys, creating a peak-time roller that'll put smiles on faces across the dancefloor. 'Pans & Pots,' the A2, starts as a darker affair with trippy vocal samples and fluttering drum patterns, before warm keys and intricate instrumentation lift the mood to make for a fun-filled jam peak-hours feel-good jam. On the flip, Studio Barnhus head Axel Boman reworks the title track into a more subtle, deeper cut; the melodies remain but in the background, replaced at the forefront by tribal drums and abstract vocals. Closer 'Aquamen,' meanwhile, opens as a straight-edged techno cut with a heavy bassline and fluttering snares, before playful keys and intermittent sci-fi samples add some texture. It's another late-night jam that'll lift the energy without ever being too forceful. The release is Renate Schallplatten's first since 2017's various artist compilations. Earlier EPs have landed from Moscoman, Sebastian Voigt, Wareika, and more.
- A1: Vosill
- A2: Tint 1 - Barely Barley
- A3: Paintchart
- A4: Tint 2 - Rosey Apples
- A5: Ampule
- B1: Tint 3 - Clearly Caramel
- B2: Bolselin
- B3: Spinning Jennie
- B4: Tint 4 - C\'Est Le Tempo
- B5: Tint 5 - Glittery Disco Blue
- C1: Skeek
- C2: Tint 6 - Cheeky Cherry
- C3: Iam Twisq
- C4: Tint 7 - Bloody Mary
- C5: Anklet
- D1: Spoonery (Bonus Track)
- D2: Thumbloop (Bonus Track)
- D3: Xylomat (Bonus Track)
- D4: Untitled (Bonus Track)
Special Record Store Day 2013 release! LP version includes free download! One explanation for the 90s-fascination with Casio, Korg and other analogue synthesizers is quickly at hand: The 1st video-game generation was coming of age and were happy to hear that their dearly loved “Space Invaders“-soundtrack was suddenly popping up in electronic music. It takes slightly longer to explain why one record from that time - “Beautronics“, the debut by UK-synth-duo ISAN first released in 1998 - kept its appeal until today. “Beautronics“ does not grab you immediately. You don’t hum these tunes after a few listens, in fact you might not even hum them after dozens of spins. It’s not about humming. It’s about soft cushions and a cosy duvet made of sounds, it’s about aural sheets floating around like warm humidity during a hot bath. Occasionally it’s even about IDM, but in a very late-night kind of way. Antony Ryan and Robin Saville, the two English lads behind ISAN, are very open about their goals. They separate the longer tracks with short, often abstract pieces they called “Tints“. So it’s as much about tonal colour, as it is about melodies. The “Tints“ form an interesting contrast between ambient sounds and the more focused tunes. But even their most bass-dominated songs such as “Skeek“ are not exactly four to the floor. There’s no more than one to the floor, while the rest is sailing somewhere above in a haze of beautiful sounds and melodies. The album’s sleeve and title are straightforward about this: it’s all about the human beauty in electronica. Just like your mom’s heartbeat that set the tone for the first nine months of your life, “Beautronics“ produces sounds that radiate a warmth and naturalness that make them feel familiar upon first listen. The 15 years since its initial release don’t change a thing about this. That’s why it’s certain, that “Beautronics“ will win a new generation of listeners with this re-issue.
French producer Erell Ranson's affinity for the deeper shades of Detroit sound is well known, but his ability to absorb those influences and create beautiful music with his own signature is the reason we're so excited to welcome him into our family. Having previously released on labels such as Kalahari Oyster Cult, aDepth audio, Nice & Nasty Records and his own MySelf Recordings, amongst others, Erell's became quite skilled in crafting sophisticated and emotional tracks which still seem to feel perfectly at home in a crowded 3 AM club situation. EP for Barba, titled "Dreams Of Nila", is a 4-tracker consisting of "Dreams Of Nila", "Reminiscence 0f The Past", and "Far Away Of Your Side", with the latter receiving an additional remix treatment by a Rotterdam-based project Duplex. "Dreams Of Nila" is a somewhat more leaning towards Chicago-ish side of things, with its huge bassline enveloped by shuffling 707 drums. Soft-sounding synth pad sequences work as an emotion injection and appear perfectly timed, without removing the edge of this, essentially, club track. "Reminiscence Of The Past" is the most direct of the bunch. Syncopated bass drum, forward-leaning groove and those classic techno snare roll fills make this track hard to ignore as it is, without mentioning complex interaction of synth lines, chords and beautiful detroit-reminiscent string stabs. Wonderfully executed counterpoint of hard edge and soft touch is what makes this cut a truly special one. Techno in its fullest form. "Far Away Of Your Side" is somewhat closer to the energy level of "Dreams Of Nila", and is a well-paced deep cut perfect for later moments in the night when subtle approach is everything. Slow synth pads give your mind some time to relax while the groove keeps your body occupied. Duplex remix of "Far Away Of Your Side" takes the track another notch down but in a more sideways manner. Broken electro groove is what keeps the foundation of the track while Chris Aarse & John Matze (aka Duplex) masterfully work their synths and pads to keep the tension for the whole duration of the track. Melancholy mood is tangible here, and at its best, ready for the dancefloor.
See Through is a new collaboration between Aidan Baker (Nadja), Faith Coloccia (Mamiffer, Mara, Sige Records) and renowned percussionist Jon Mueller.
The project was brought to life through Baker exploring textural rhythms created by sampling small, sharp and abrupt sounds on the electric guitar and then sequencing them in a drum machine to form the bedrock of the tracks. Mueller then added his particular, signature brand of intricate, hypnotic percussion to the mix and the compositions began to grow and take shape. The pair agreed that the pieces needed a more human touch and Coloccia was invited onboard, contributing processed vocals via looping, tape manipulation and microphone feedback.
The result is an other-worldly record that seamlessly flows from beginning to end, immersing the listener in waves of ambient movements and soporific beats. There is a trance-inducing aspect to this work, deserving to be consumed in one sitting and allowed to manifest itself for the duration. The trio have crafted a piece of work that stands up to the quality and integrity of their combined back catalogues and indeed adds something completely new for fans to discover and devour.
By the late '70s, Alice Coltrane had largely gravitated away from jazz, incorporating Hindu chants and hymns into her music to reflect a newfound sense of creative omnipotence. However, in April 1978, she would return to her roots, performing at University of California, Los Angeles to make her first and only live album.
Transfiguration, featuring drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Reggie Workman, showcases Alice's many compositional talents and fierce improvisatory abilities. Throughout this double LP set, her playing evokes the time spent in her late husband John Coltrane's band and the avant-garde music of her earlier years.
As biographer Franya J. Berkman writes, "Her up-tempo keyboard work here is the most exciting of her commercial career. With its rapid-fire transpositions of short figures; its long modal passages, rhythmic play, and timbral inventiveness; its sustained energy and burning pace; and the unrelenting support of Haynes and Workman, she takes leave of the jazz business with a truly breathtaking swan song."
Alice Coltrane would not revisit jazz on record for another 26 years, turning instead to spiritual music made with students at her Vedantic Center and self-releasing a series of cassettes under her Sanskrit name, Turiyasangitananda. It is hard to imagine a better farewell than the intense and spellbinding Transfiguration.
Debutant Dextre arrives on Echovolt with Sleep Axis, a fine first outing whose four ear-catching club cuts beautifully blur the boundaries between dreaminess and restlessness. It's a set of tracks tailor-made for the early morning hours, where wakefulness and insomnia often battle for supremacy.
The young Warsaw producer's debut is confident and quietly impressive, offering a quartet of cuts that wrap alien lead lines, intergalactic electronics and drowsy, occasionally spacey chords around machine grooves and thickset synthesizer basslines that variously draw influence from deep house, electro and Motor City techno. For proof, check the spacey dancefloor warmth of '128 Organs', the weighty, bleep-sporting shuffle of 'Napoleon' and the rushing positivity of 'Nobilis', whose sun-bright lead lines are more playful than a toddler on a sugar rush.
Originally released in 1993 by Hani AlBader on his first label Super Doppler Communications. It was primitively programed on 8track sequencer then recorded on a 4 track tape machine in his spare bedroom studio in Denver, Colorado. Only 300 hundred copies were pressed initially. It was not an easy record to sell to distributors at the time due to the various genres & sounds on it. Mailed out few promos to a handpicked list of names. One of them was dj Dubfire whom at the time was starting as Deep Dish. One morning in spring of 93' Hani received a phone call from Ali Shirazinia aka Dubfire who was full of compliments & requested similar tracks for his label.26 years later Hani's name became internationally known & till this day continues to produce & remix under many aliases while running his own label Soterios Records. In 2017 Hani started receiving several purchase requests from seekers of this record. Thanks to Discog they were able to find out who to contact.Jeep Warehouse Beats Vol:1 is now in high demand among techno / rave fans and some deejays are offering up to $110 per copy. Unfortunately it's out of stock. Due to the serge of interest by deejays and collectors, SDc is back! Repressing of this highly sought after piece of vinyl are ready to ship. Hani have also found buried deep in the vault an unreleased Jeep Warehouse Beats Vol:2 plus an extended version of the mainly requested track 1 on B-side called Vector Selector that will be released on future Jeep Warehouse Beats Vol: 1.5 with some help from Synchrophone in France.Here's a quote from the info sheet included in all promo mail-outs back in 1993. 'The Super Doppler Communications laboratory is the brainchild of Hani - technics technician extraordinary Hani takes no shorts on the beats. He deals with compounds and elements from the periodic table of dance. House, techno, trance, garage, and funk groove can be expected to oose from the test tube. SDc has been experimenting with the innovative styles of Burrito revolution, veggie tracks and the erotic magic of Miles Blacklove. SDc is a mile above sea level. All music is the property of the universe. Adults need not be present during lab because they just would not understand these
Following their hotly tipped 2018 debut album 'On' - Altin Gün returns with an exhilarating second album. 'Gece' firmly establishes the band as essential interpreters of the Anatolian rock and folk legacy and as a leading voice in the emergent global psych-rock scene. Explosive, funky and transcendent.
Some words from the label:
The world is rarely what it seems. A quick glance doesn't always reveal the full truth. To find that, you need to burrow deeper. Listen to Altin Gün, for example: they sound utterly Turkish, but only one of the Netherlands based band's six members was actually born there. And while their new album, Gece, is absolutely electric, filled with funk-like grooves and explosive psychedelic textures, what they play - by their own estimation - is folk music.
'It really is,' insists band founder and bass player Jasper Verhulst. 'The songs come out of a long tradition. This is music that tries to be a voice for a lot of other people.'
While most of the material here has been a familiar part of Turkish life for many years - some of it associated with the late national icon Neset Ertas - it's definitely never been heard like this before. This music is electric Turkish history, shot through with a heady buzz of 21st century intensity.
Pumping, flowing, a new and leading voice in the emergent global psych scene.
'We do have a weak spot for the music of the late '60s and '70s,' Verhulst admits. 'With all the instruments and effects that arrived then, it was an exciting time. Everything was new, and it still feels fresh. We're not trying to copy it, but these are the sounds we like and we're trying to make them our own.'
And what they create really is theirs. Altin Gün radically reimagine an entire tradition. The electric saz (a three-string Turkish lute) and voice of Erdinç Ecevit (who has Turkish roots) is urgent and immediately distinctive, while keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, and percussion power the surging rhythms and Merve Dasdemir (born and raised in Istanbul) sings with the mesmerizing power of a young Grace Slick. This isn't music that seduces the listener: it demands attention.
Altin Gün - the name translates as 'golden day' - are focused, relentless and absolutely assured in what they do. What is remarkable is the band has only existed for two years and didn't play in public until November 2017; now they have almost 200 shows under their belt. It all grew from Verhulst's obsession with Turkish music. He'd been aware of it for some time but a trip to Istanbul while playing in another band gave him the chance to discover so much more. But Verhulst wasn't content to just listen, he had a vision for what the music could be. And Altin Gün was born.
'For me, finding out about this music is crate digging,' he admits. 'None of it is widely available in the Netherlands. Of course, since our singers are Turkish, they know many of these pieces. All this is part of the country's musical past, their heritage, like 'House of The Rising Sun' is in America.'
As Verhulst delves deeper and deeper into old Turkish music, he's constantly seeking out things that grab his ear.
'I'm listening for something we can change and make into our own. You have to understand that most of these songs have had hundreds of different interpretations over the years. We need something that will make people stop and listen, as if it's the first time they've heard it.'
It's a testament to Altin Gün's work and vision that everything on Gece sounds so cohesive. They bring together music from many different Anatolian sources (the only original is the improvised piece 'Soför Bey') so that it bristles with the power and tightness of a rock band; echoing new textures and radiating a spectrum of vibrant color (ironic, as gece means 'night' in Turkish). It's the sound of a band both committed to its sources and excitedly transforming them. It's the sound of Altin Gün. Incandescent and sweltering.
Creating the band's sound is very much a collaborative process, Verhulst explains.
'Sometimes me or the singer will come in with a demo of our ideas. Sometimes an idea will just come up and we'll work on it together at rehearsals. However we start, it's always finished by the whole band. We can feel very quickly if it's going to work, if this is really our song.'
Just how Altin Gün can collectively spark and burn is evident in the YouTube concert video they made for the legendary Seattle radio station KEXP. In just under 20 minutes they set out their irresistible manifesto for an electrified, contemporary Turkish folk rock. It's utterly compelling. And with around 800,000 views, it has helped make them known around the world.
'It certainly got us a lot of attention,' Verhulst agrees. 'I think a lot of that interest originally came from Turkey, plenty of people there shared it.'
That might be how it began, but it's not the whole tale. The waves have spread far beyond the Bosphorus. What started out as a deep passion for Turkish folk and psychedelia has taken on a resonance that now travels widely. The band has played all over Europe, has ventured to Turkey and Australia and will soon bring their music to North America for the first time.
'Not a lot of other bands are doing what we do,' he says, 'playing songs in that style and seeing folk music in the same way.'
Munich quintet Fazer are set to release their second album 'Nadi' on 12th April 2019. 'Nadi' follows the underground success of their self-released debut 'Mara', which quickly sold out on vinyl and became one of the most streamed jazz records of the year. Moving freely between composition and improvisation, the band's spacious, organic sound pitches lyrical melodies from guitar and trumpet over double-drummer polyrhythmic grooves and dub-like basslines. The album title 'Nadi' references a term rooted in traditional Indian medicine. Nadis are channels that connect points of intensity within the body. This reflects the band's feeling while playing of moving as one body. Contrary to the creation of the group's debut album 'Mara', both the writing and recording sessions for 'Nadi' were completed in relatively short periods of time.
Cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin, November 2018
Mastering: Mathias Durand
Translations: Valérie Vivancos
Layout: Stephen O'Malley
Photos: Stéphane Ouzounoff, Bernard Bruges-Renard
Coordination GRM: François Bonnet
Executive Production: Peter Rehberg
SIDE A
Contrée (2013), 20'
SIDE B
Allégeance volatile (2002), 8'46
Esquive (2010), 10'10
The mastering of these tracks was done by Mathias Durand at François Lê Xuân's Studio 101, in Paris. I would like to warmly thank him for this.
Allégeance volatile and Esquive each tackle the same issue in their own way. Overcoming time: whether it be successive, additional, enumerative, or repetitive. However, there is nothing here about the ensuing nature of so-called "repetitive" music. These are types of high-end music. And it is more about insistence, the obstinacy of an individual who keeps knocking on a door that will never open.
Allégeance's rustic drumming, talkative, acidulous, colourful and overarticulated, with almost clownish desinences, eventually dies out in this very respite. The iterative and puffy shimmering of Esquive with its dull, thin and precise sounds, shifts and is engulfed into another sonic world — which appears as a gaping and collapsed response to this prime insistency.
This is, indeed, a 'volatile allegiance' and 'avoidance' from the sonic to the musical elements: the musical phenomenon anticipated and pursued as the non-sound of sound — or, in other words, the void of sound. This seems to be the lesson of the concrete attitude in music. Such is the kind of questioning that stirs the composer.
He returns with another title: Contrée, which, once again, speaks of a counter-event. Here, the movement is broader, more generous, more confident. Time spreads and stretches out. What seems to be a landscape of entanglements, trajectories, influx, masses and points emerges. "Something" rises and presents itself out of the sounds - these escaping beings, these "relatively short combustion flames " (Schaeffer).
The piece consists of five consecutive and uninterrupted parts: Entrée and Stance I — Véhémence de l'air and Stance II — Grande Allure. It is the central section of an electroacoustic triptych with Sables (2011) as the first and Nil (2017) as the last.
































































































































































