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The third release from Exalt Records Fallen Entertainers series is by an artist so hot right now, it's ridiculous. Having has recent releases on some of the hottest electronic music labels on the planet, this producer is certainly having 'a moment'. Electro superstar Sound Synthesis submits an incredible remix to complete the package.

Re-mastering by: Cicely Baston at Alchemy/Air Mastering, London

Electric blues guitarist Melvin Taylor had been sporadically recording solo albums for 20 years when Dirty Pool arrived — and was somehow just beginning to find fame. Already a hit in Europe, it had taken a steady run of performing in Chicago’s famed blues clubs to slowly earn Taylor a well-deserved reputation as an equal talent among the giants before him, such as Otis Rush, Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

While early records like Melvin Taylor Plays the Blues For You show off an equally amazing jazz side, Taylor traded away his Wes Montgomery-inspired runs for more Luther Allison/Jimi Hendrix attacks with the formation of the trio Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band in the mid ’90’s.

The title song of the second album by that outfit, “Dirty Pool,” is actually more the balls-to-the-wall, no-compromise, hard-rockin’ electric Texas blues of Vaughan and Johnny Winter than the sweet Chicago soul of Buddy Guy.

Indeed, three tracks on this 1997 release, including “Dirty Pool,” were SRV tunes. Other standards, like “Kansas City” and “Floodin’ in California” also have more of a Lone Star State approach to them. But the Jackson, Miss.-born Taylor’s guitar is cleaner than his forebears and technically, he even surpasses them, yet the anger and sorrow of the blues is readily evident in his playing.

This rare combination of qualities really comes out in a slow blues tune like his solo in “Dirty Pool,” which after repeated listens, still makes me head shake in disbelief when I hear it.

“Too Sorry” is a good example of how well Taylor fares when he treads in Jimi Hendrix territory, whereas his rhythm work is the best I’ve heard from a lead guitarist since Vaughan; listen to “I Ain’t Superstitious,” “Born Under A Bad Sign” and the funky “Telephone Song” for your proof.

It also helps that Taylor’s drummer James Knowles is well in synch with him, while Ethan Farmer completely owns the low end of the sound. Farmer’s peppering bass lines in and “Floodin’ in California” is the textbook way electric blues bass should be. Overall, a tight little band.

Taylor’s vocals certainly won’t draw any comparisons to the Wide-Brimmed–Hatted One but he holds his own just fine until it’s cuttin’ time. This is right at the top of my list of best blues guitar playing on record over the last couple of decades. If you decide to give this one a listen, prepare to be blown away.

In October last year Pete Josef's second album ëI Rise With The Birdsû came out. Now Sonar Kollektiv has decided to release four remixes of three different songs off the fantastic album. First of all there is the Jazzanova remix of ëGiantsû, which almost completely gets rid of the vocals, but all the more absorbs the zeitgeist - a remix probably working perfectly for a group of battling breakdancers. The program continues with a remix by Pete Josef himself. The Englishman strips down ëThis Sunû to its basic structure, then simply building a modern Salsa track out of it. Which brings us to the remix by Friend Within. The Liverpool producer and Pete Josef have been friends for many years, dating back to a 2013 collaboration (ëThe Workû) that made it onto Disclosure's Mixmag mix CD. ëMainframeû sounds super fresh after Friend Within's rework and seems like the party banger we've been looking forward to for months! But what Feiertag finally takes the liberty of doing with his remix of ëGiantsû is beyond imagination. Far away from the original Feiertag's interpretation moves in dark downtempo realms - dubby and spheric at the same time. In short: Each of the four remixes is a small masterpiece on its own.

Fatoumata Diawara ist eine malische Singer/Songwriterin und Schauspielerin. Ihr Debüt "Fatou" (2011) und darauffolgende Aktivitäten machten die Künstlerin zu einer der wichtigsten Vertreterinnen moderner afrikanischer Musik. Sie sang auf Alben von Dee Dee Bridgewater ("Red Earth"), Oumou Sangaré ("Seya") und Herbie Hancock ("The Imagine Project"). Darüber hinaus kollaborierte sie mit Bobby Womack, Mulatu Astatke, Cheikh Lô, dem Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, Blick Bassy sowie Rocket Juice & the Moon. Diawara spielte bereits Glastonbury und andere große Festivals, trat in der Carnegie Hall auf und begab sich an Bord von Damon Albarns Africa Express, wo sie sich als Höhepunkt eine Bühne mit Paul McCartney teilte. Parallel setzte sie ihre Karriere als Schauspielerin fort, unter anderem in den Filmen "Timbuktu" (2014) und "Mali Blues" (2015). Ihr Album "Fenfo" (deutsch: "Etwas zu sagen") wurde in Mali, Burkina Faso, Paris und Barcelona aufgenommen und von Diawara selbst sowie dem französischen Superstar Matthieu Chedid alias -M- produziert. "Fenfo" geriet zu einem im besten Sinne grenzenlosen Album. Die elf Songs verbinden alte afrikanischen Saiteninstrumente wie die Kora und Ngoni mit elektrischen Gitarren sowie traditionelle Perkussion mit Kit-Drums. Diawara, die meist auf Bambara singt, wird unter anderem von -M- (Gitarre, Keyboards) dem brillanten Cellisten Vincent Ségal und dem Kora-Spieler Sidiki Diabaté begleitet.

The Miami Maestro is back with a superb slice of moody, mid-tempo Latin Soul. Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing one of Jason's passionate live performances can attest that he exudes raw energy and emotion on a level seldom seen on today's soul scene - attributes that Jason delftly applies to the pen.
Drawing from personal experience, “Se Acabó” is a bilingual lament about the challenges of navigating mental illness within the context of a romantic relationship. Jason pleads "Her heart was a butterfly flying through the winds of the hurricane of her mind" as he comes to grips with the fact that in spite of his undying love she may never return.
Accompanied by a grooving, unrelenting beat, he distills the pain down to an elixir of high-proof soul sure to requite the lovelorn among us. Yet another Penrose playbox essential by one of the hardest working players in the game.

Hong Kong based hypno-tropicalia duo Blood Wine or Honey are set to release their second album 'DTx2' on 30th June 2021. Made up of seasoned multi-instrumentalists James Banbury (synths, bass, percussion, cello) and Joseph von Hess (vocals, clarinet, sax, percussion), they create a heaving, heady brew of brazen sax themes, lo-fi/hi-tech electronics, densely layered cello inflections and motorik drums.

These explorations start with the dance-floor then go above and beyond, taking notes from post-punk and tropical polyrhythms, always anchored by the bass weight of the sound system. Their distinctive sound is created in the industrial warehouses and hidden rural settlements of Hong Kong, surrounded by the low-end throb of heavy machinery, the lingering scent of hand sanitiser and the humidity of the South China Sea.

Written and recorded during 2020-21, new album 'DTx2' looks ahead to an uncertain future, drawing deep on their experiences and influences and welcoming a host of co-conspirators.

Jean Daval, aka Preservation (credits include Yasiin Bey fka Mos Def, MF Doom, RZA, GZA, Raekwon, KRS-One, Aesop Rock), provided truffle-hunted beats, synths and basses, which, when put through the BWoH mangle, emerged as 'Messenger'.

Superstar and old friend of the band KT Tunstall came to work with BWoH after they contributed a DJ mix for her lockdown 'KTRave' on Instagram. 'Attraction' was the result. Wonky bass, found-bounce beats and Buddy Rich drums smashed out by Tim Weller (Marc Almond, Future Sound of London, Goldfrapp, The Chemical Brothers, David Axelrod) resulted in a bonkers production with passionate vocals and layers of harmony.

'I Shall Rush Out As I Am' is a collaboration with legendary pop provocateur Paul Morley and Janice Lau of Hong Kong band David Boring. The track is based on the words and the spirit of sci-fi writer, satirist, literary critic and radical feminist Joanna Russ and took shape quickly, with tinges of A Certain Ratio and memories of Suicide, provoking Janice to an authentic scream-of-consciousness delivery.

Multi-talented London singer, musician and composer Kamal (Neighbourhood Recordings) took time away from being the Next Big Thing to transform 'Testing Time' with funk-edged keys. A key figure in the extraordinary '90s Hong Kong music scene, Zoë Brewster contributed vocals.

Roughly divided, the album's first set of songs make relatively short statements, punchily self-contained with common threads. The final four tracks, Testing Time, Embers, Embrasure

and Echt Embrace disperse into flights of mantric fantasy, with quicksand time-signature shifts and key-changes emerging into a more introspective zone with a fervent pulse, a shift in energy: stamina over speed.

Apparel Wax is back with the 9th gem of its catalogue, a stunning six track EP out worldwide on the 7th of June 2021. The vinyl faced hero always wants to grow, therefore is on a constant quest for the evolution of its music and this record proves it once again being it a superb array of assorted sounds. A1 kicks it off in style with its Chicagoan touch taking over after a smooth intro: the mellow pad chords laying down the foundation of the arrangement, the soft strings and the melodious piano notes make it a perfect start. A2 opens with a steady kick and a silky bassline murmuring throughout the whole track while some more keys create a Deep dynamic beat. To end side A here's A3 with its far-out, spacey atmosphere and its Deep chords backed by an energetic rhythm section. Side B of our vinyl is about class: B1 is a nothing short of chic with its sampled vocals and its elegant pads. B2 is more Deep with its evolving piano melody, its balanced and groovy drums and some masterly crafted tiny vocal samples. B3 wraps up the record with a Jungle beat sprinkled with Jazz, R&B and Soul. APLWAX009 is a tenacious and cohesive work, yet disseminated by inspirational and diverse sounds which will be Wax's touch forevermore. A perfect EP to start the warmest season with the hope of being able to enjoy the outdoors without restrictions.

Crystal Clear Vinyl
Limited
Cellist Maarten Vos and pianist Nils Davidse became close friends over a shared love for modular synthesizers. Two musicians with a taste for contemporary electronic music, Vos and Davidse began experimenting and constantly extending each other’s boundaries in hour-long colourful improvisations in the studio. Both of them being occupied with other projects, their monthly recording sessions became moments of pure freedom. Most of the album was composed and recorded in and around a forest cabin tucked away in the Dutch riparian woodlands. Intuitively following its surroundings, Superbloom is a true jungle of vivid and organic sounds that reflect both Vos’s and Davidse’s musical backgrounds intertwined in a melodic and harmonically rich soundscape. It’s a many layered affair, created with analog and digital synths, some hints of piano and cello, field recordings and processing through different kinds of tape machines.

Limited edition gold vinyl edition.
Hamburg's funk adventurers at the top of their game with special guests Ice-T, Charlie Funk, Peter Thomas, Gizelle Smith, Lee Fields, JSwiss & the Mocambo Kidz.

Original press release note (2019):
Carrying blistering funk lines in their fingers and worldly influences in their hearts, the unique and distinctive Mocambo sound is not one to be confused with retro bands trying to recapture an era. Eschewing traditional recording methods, this DIY crew are committed to driving forwards, and 2066 sees them at the height of their powers, broadcasting a call for unity.
After reaching new audiences worldwide and earning critical praise for their two long players on Brooklyn's Big Crown Records in their tropical guise as Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, the band have reassembled and refocused in their original form, the workhorses behind dozens of 45s on the Mocambo label and beyond. Crossing generations, this album introduces some of the world's youngest funk talent to step up and rub shoulders with soul and rap legends, soul sisters, an elder statesman composer/arranger and a brand new emerging artist out of New York.
As with all Mocambo releases, the two sides of the record have been meticulously sequenced by the
band. Side A welcomes us aboard with joyous instrumental stomper Preaching To The Choir, and a call to build bridges from Mocambo chanteuse and percussionist Nichola Richards, duetting with emerging rap talent, New York MC JSwiss. B-girls and b-boys are called to the dancefloor as Superstrada and Concrete Stardust commence, all buzzing synth lines and relentless drums. New Jersey legend and Big Crown associate Mr Lee Fields is guest of honour for Where Do We Go From Here before a horn workout brings us to a close with Macumba. It's time for a breather.
The B side kicks off with the grand return of the Golden Girl of Funk, Gizelle Smith, a sister who's been busy taking on the world. Composer and presenter Peter Thomas narrates a Return To Space to mark the centenary of the debut of his score to sci-fi show Space Patrol, which first broadcast in 1966. We're back down to Earth and the mean streets for the furious drums and car chase workout of Golden Shadow. Today slows down the pace for a reflective ballad with Nichola front and centre - and here's the next generation: the Mocambo Kidz sing along to their parents' instrumentation for Here We Go, a new kids' block party anthem... with no sleep 'til bedtime. The album closer makes it clear that the Mocambos are nowhere near powering down as Ice T and Charlie F unk bring their A-game for an old school attack which, since you're up bouncing anyway, gives you no excuse not to flip the LP and drop the needle right back on to Side A. Onwards!
A summation of their journey so far and a celebration in anticipation of what's to come, the album is set
to take its place in a legacy of open minded, organically recorded music, showering listeners with the crew's maze of tantalising sounds pulled from funk, afro, hip hop with cinematic composition and storytelling.

SUPER LIMITED NEW PPF AMMO !!

Reliable as ever, the PPF return with a fresh batch of club-ready ammunition from their secret stash !!
Something a little more than an edit, but still flirting dangerously between acceptable sampling & straight up sonic shop-lifting
Four more certified floor-fillers from the vaults...

Born and bred New Yorker Jean Pierre is stepping out with his own brand new label, Pakate. The vinyl-only outlet kicks off with a fantastic first EP from FLETCH featuring remixes from Pierre himself and Franco Cinelli.

This exciting new label will be an outlet for Jean and other friends to serve up mature and minimal sounds focused around unique designs and powerful grooves. Dealing in heady underground sounds that also work on larger dance floors, the label comes after Pierre has spent 15 years entrenched in the electronic scene. This is his way to carefully curate his own music exactly how he wants to, with three releases already lined up for 2021.

The first one is from FLETCH, a red hot UK talent who has released on the likes of Kaluki and Whippin’ Records. His opening tune 'Actin Up' is a slick and slippery minimal groove with real depth and freaky sound designs that make it pop. 'Want Me' then hits harder, with loopy house drums and squelchy synths all bubbling away beneath soulful female vocal sounds and cosmic synths.

The first fine remix is from France Cinelli who takes 'Actin Up' super deep, with punching kicks and rolling bass that gets you in a state of hypnosis., Closing out the package is a Jean Pierre remix of 'Want Me' that shows off his ability to lay down stripped back but compelling house grooves with deft sound design and a freaky atmosphere.

This is a standout first EP that perfectly sets the scene for what is sure to become a vital new label from this American mainstay.

From their genesis as members of the Venus club in-house band in the early 70s, Hailu Mergia and the Walias Band were at the forefront of the musical revolution during an era where modern instruments and foreign styles superseded the traditional fare to become the staple sound of Ethiopia. No one would argue that the Walias were the trailblazing powerhouse of modern Ethiopian music. They were the first band to form independently without affiliation to a theatre house, a club or a hotel; unprecedented and risky as they had to raise all funding for expenses by themselves including buying equipment. They were the first to release full instrumental albums, considered to be commercially unviable at the time. They opened their own recording studio, with band members Melake Gebre and Mahmoud Aman doubling as technical buffs during sessions. They were also the first independent band to tour abroad. In short, they were the pioneers every band tried to emulate; some more successfully than others.
Odds are, any Ethiopian over the age of 35 who had access to TV or radio by the early 90s, will instantly recognize the sound of Walias. What is not a given is, how many would actually identify the band itself. Barely a day went by without hearing the Walias either in the background on radio or as an accompaniment to various programs on TV.

This Tezeta album, the band’s second recording, released in 1975, is one of those that have been impossible to find for nearly three decades. Sourced by Awesome Tapes From Africa and expertly remastered by Jessica Thompson, its unique and funky renditions of standards and popular songs of the day are so quintessentially Walias, flavorful and evocative. Hailu's melodic organ, unashamedly front and center in every track, makes even the complex pieces accessible.
Profoundly engaging; it's an immersive trip down memory lane for those of us getting reacquainted with it, while also an enthralling and gratifying experience for fresh ears.

Virtually unknown recording outside Ethiopia.
Documents Mergia & Walias legendary early period.
Follow-up to reissue of hugely popular seminal Ethiopian instrumentals LP Tche Belew (ATFA012)

Cassette-only, released in 1975 on the band’s in-house label to fund their record store.
Beautifully-rendered instrumentals of classic Ethiopian standards.

A sonic clash of Tropical, On-U and Eastern proportions, t-woc drops 6 tracks of dope sound system bashment for Strangelove. Informed by Mick's musical wanderlust and prolific digging, Pentangle deftly blends a mélange of influences where Caribbean steel drum, Anatolian melodies and the sounds of the Maghreb all float through the mix.

Like his work for Macadam Mambo/ Emotional Response- its a sound hard to pin down and all woven into a heady brew percolating somewhere in the dance-floor twilight zone. With early works created pre-lockdown at an artist residency in The Dock in County Leitrim, the heads down groove of 'Crazy Bronco' & 'Goddy' don't sound out of place with an early 90's Uk bass culture. Elsewhere the deeper cuts rub against a little sunshine as the late night swing of Midnight Magic riffs off Junior Delgado's roots classic.

With killer artwork c/o Marius Houschyar Strangelove is super stoked to release this collection of outernational rhythms from the Irish vinyl wallah, mix engineer and producer

Vital Sales Points:
Follow up to the labels previous exotic waves of Scribble & Sjunne Ferger,

Nina Simone: The Montreux Years is released as part of a brand new Montreux Jazz Festival and BMG collection series “The Montreux Years”. The collections will uncover legendary performances by the world’s most iconic artists alongside rare and never-before-released recordings from the festival’s rich 55-year history, remastered in superlative audio. Each collection will be accompanied by exclusive liner notes and previously unseen photography.

Nina Simone’s story from the late sixties to the nineties can be told through her legendary performances in Montreux. Taking to the Montreux stage for the first time on 16 June 1968 for the festival’s second edition, Simone built a lasting relationship with Montreux Jazz Festival and its Creator and Founder Claude Nobs, which uniqueness, trust and electricity can be clearly felt on the recordings. Simone’s multi-faceted and radical story is laid bare on ‘Nina Simone: The Montreux Years’. From Nina’s glorious and emotional 1968 performance to her fiery and unpredictable concert in 1976, one of the festival’s most remarkable performances ever witnessed, the collection includes recordings from all of her five legendary Montreux concerts – 1968, 1976, 1981, 1987 and 1990.

Featuring rare and previously unreleased material from Claude Nobs’ private collection, Nina Simone devotees worldwide will be thrilled by the inclusion of the powerful I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free, poignant and fearless Four Women and Simone’s hauntingly beautiful performance of Ne Me Quitte Pas. A spine-tingling version of Janis Ian’s searing and potent Stars, which Simone covered for the very first time during her 1976 Montreux performance, sits alongside her bold and electrifying re-imagine of Bob Marley’s ballad No Women No Cry in 1990. The collection closes with the encore of Nina Simone’s final Montreux Jazz Festival concert and one of Simone’s most-loved and best-known recordings, the exuberant My Baby Just Cares For Me, showcasing the deep and multidimensional facets of Simone’s life and music.

A year before Wild Pitch Records properly introduced us to the trio of Queens native Large Professor and Toronto’s Sir Scratch and K-Cut, the soon-to-be-legendary group self-released their own debut single. Dropping on Actual Records, the 12” of ‘Think’ and ‘Atom’ was soon a sought after rarity, with scarce originals still fetching upwards of three figures.

On it, they only hint at the greatness to come, while simultaneously showing that they’d already mastered the three-minute rap single – this is concise brilliance with no flab whatsoever.

Engineered by the late, esteemed Paul C, ‘Think’ is a study in how to turn well-worn samples into something new. The combination of several James Brown snatches, along with bits lifted from Lyn Collins and Jimmy Castor Bunch, could have been tired and almost parodic by 1989, but instead the group weave something interesting from old fabric.

‘Atom’ is arguably even better, built around a brace of elements from Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s 1967 duet ‘Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl’. On it, Large Pro gives the first real hints that he’ll not just be a super-producer, but a committed MC to watch. Mixing threats with humour, positivity with braggadocio, it’s a calling card performance on a track that could have still sat comfortably on 1991’s ‘Breaking Atoms’ album.

Heavily bootlegged, this is the first official double-sided 7” release bringing together both these foundational cuts.

Ltd White Vinyl Gatefold edition + 32 Page Booklet + Download Code

The LP contains original compositions by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Pascal Comelade, Laurie Spiegel, Lyra Pramuk, Chassol, Nicolas Godin and Pierre Rousseau, Pedro Vian and Pierre Bastien, Visible Cloaks, Kelman Duran, Raul Refree, Lucrecia Dalt, Lafawndah.

+ a booklet with writings by contemporary thinkers like Shumon Basar, François J. Bonnet, and pictures by, Araki, Juergen Teller, Elizaveta Porodina, Dani Pujalte, P Jack Davison, Zhong Lin, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Adrià Cañameras, Javier Tles among others. Lacquer cut by Josh Bonati & Mastered by Rashad Becker

'PRSNT' is a unique global artistic project combining the input of artists across the worlds of music, video and written word which acts as a statement on how we, as consumers, engage with music in the 21st century. Vital electronic musicians including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Lafawndah, Lyra Pramuk, Lucrecia Dalt and Visible Cloaks have each contributed tracks, which are approximately 32 seconds long.

The concept was devised by Created By Us and the Barcelona-based label Modern Obscure Music. They read a study which identified that the overwhelming volume of instantly accessible information online is shortening attention spans and altering how audiences engage with music digitally. Their curiosity about the state of online consumption developed further on discovering that around a third of all listeners using digital platforms skip to the next track, within the first 30 seconds of playing.

Each musician was given a fascinating challenge to create engaging compositions with real artistic merit, inside the confines of this shortened span. Akin to Brian Eno's famous Windows 95 start-up music, the time constraints are crucial, and the compositions are deceptively complex and more substantial than expectations of their nano nature would suggest.

'PRSNT' acts as a critique of flighty feed culture, but is simultaneously constructive, providing something which is either proposed solution, or "if you can't beat 'em join 'em" resignation. Every artist has interpreted the brief differently, resulting in an intriguing blueprint for the potential future of digital music. Could abbreviated micro compositions satisfy, inspire and nourish like their longer counterparts? They certainly take up much less of listeners' busy lives, which are often spent tackling ever-increasing workloads.

Saint Petersburg-based Kuzma Palkin returns to GOST Zvuk with a new series, Memont. GOST has been expanding its presence for several years through sublabels Instrument and Archive, as well as releases from GOST family members on their own labels. Flaty's experiments can be found on the ANWO label, while OL has issued a number of releases through Asyncro. For Palkin, Memont represents a return to his roots. The artwork for the first release, stadion sever, features the original packaging of Moment universal superglue, something that will be familiar to every Russian who lived through the 1990s. The album is named after the eponymous stadium in Palkin's hometown of Severodvinsk, which is displayed on the back cover. Sever represented a kind of playing field in childhood, but has now come to stand in as a metaphor for daily life. The visual landscape of modern Russian life points back to Sever.

Musically, stadion sever is also a return to Palkin's roots. The echoes of early IDM that kickstarted his career in the beginning of the 2000s are on display here. While the music is thoughtful and attentive to detail, traces of irony can be identified among the seriousness, not least in the title of the series and the track synth1 power user. The same ironic touch makes its mark on the album's sound. Palkin borrows the recognizable textures of club music, but drastically modifies their context and transforms them into something altogether more thought-provoking and inscrutable. Palkin's unique sound and the beauty of his music can be found in the balance between retrospection and looking ahead, where austerity meets humour.

She is the Moon soothed by the ancient lullaby of the Supernal Mother. An array of brightly coloured pebbles lie at her feet, a diadem of daffodils and dream-bits on her head, and a collection of reasonably priced records on her lap. She turns her gaze towards you, eyes filled with the howl of countless centuries and offers you an LP from her pile.

“Here, shove this on. It’s the new Purplehands. It’s class like.”

The record in question is ‘Intimate Fades’, an emotive meander through zones of bleepy ambient techno by way of electro, passing by sonic monuments to the likes of Golding and Rutter as it floats from A to B. In some distant, alternate universe the tracks on this LP soundtrack some 8-bit hero’s journey, a quest compelled by a sombre determination and Purplehands’ stylized sonic ruminations.

It is but the first star in an unfolding cosmos, mapped out to us by the High Priestess in her infinite wisdom.

For BRZ45087 we present a split release comprised of two tried-and-tested favourites from the Mr Bongo record bag.

Rio-born pianist and organist Lafayette’s career started in the mid-60s and saw him become a prominent member of the Brazilian musical movement entitled 'Jovem Guarda’. For his inclusion on this selection in the Brazil45 series we move things along a few years to 1982 and the Brazilian boogie gem 'Sol De Verão'. Taken from his album 'Edição Especial’ and originally released on Copacabana Records, 'Sol De Verão' was written by Jorginho Gomes from one of Brazil's greatest bands Os Novos Baianos. It's a superb slice of 80s boogie/funk brilliance with a super catchy ear-worm of a vocal - definitely one for the dancers!

For the flip, we include an absolute monster from the fantastic Marisa Rossi, who we featured previously on number 38 in the Brazil45 series. 'Quem Vem Lá’ is a heavy driving Samba Rock / MPB groove track with female and male call and response vocals. Originally released on a very rare and exclusive 7" also on Copacabana Records, but this time in 1971. Marisa would go on to work with the legendary Arthur Verocai in the 1980s.

Two very different slices and styles of Brazilian music, but both absolute gems.

Etta James: The Montreux Years is released as part of a brand new Montreux Jazz Festival and BMG collection series “The Montreux Years”. The collections will uncover legendary performances by the world’s most iconic artists alongside rare and never-before-released recordings from the festival’s rich 55-year history, remastered in superlative audio. Each collection will be accompanied by exclusive liner notes and previously unseen photography.

‘Etta James: The Montreux Years’ is a treasure trove of timeless classics, powerful and electrifying performances and raw, soaring vocals by one of the greatest ever female vocalists. The collection, featuring recordings from James’ Montreux Jazz Festival concerts in 1977, 1978, 1989 1990 and 1993, encapsulates and reflects Etta’s dynamic artistry and long-lasting impact. Spanning performances from across three decades, ‘Etta James: The Montreux Years’ offers deeply personal and intimate snapshots into James’ acclaimed musical journey, highlights and her phenomenal career.

From one of Etta James’ earliest successes, the infectious and endlessly elegant Something’s Got A Hold On Me, a medley that consist of At Last, Trust In Me and Sunday Kind of Love, which is a fusion of highlights from the early 60s, to the raw and emotional I’d Rather Go Blind and soulful horn-driven Tell Mama. The collection closes with Baby What You Want Me To Do, James’ homage to Jimmy Reed and the encore of her 1979 concert.

In 1975, Montreux Jazz Festival captured a significant moment of musical history – Etta James’ very first concert in Europe, performing at the festival’s 9th edition. The CD edition of ‘Etta James: The Montreux Years’ will include this special landmark concert, held at Montreux Casino on 11 July 1975.

Beautiful orange & yellow sunburst vinyl - Solstice '21 sees twelve bright lights of independent electronic music mark the coming Summer Solstice. In such dark days, the age-old practice of celebrating the move from shadow to light, feels steeped in a renewed symbolic power. Solstice '21 marks this significant moment with a rich array of musical offerings. Reflective, lively, and always powerful, this collection is spun with modern twists of an ancient thread. Rotator - This is the first outing under this moniker from Justin Owen, also known under the alias Licit, as well as being a protagonist in the world of modular synthesis as the man behind the Abstract Data modules; Letters from Mouse - "Bubbling analogue synthesis from Scotland." This analogue synth maestro and inimitable broadcaster (aka The Magic Window), boasts a string of quality releases, including the recent highly acclaimed album An gàrradh, also on Subexotic; Cub/cub - "Cub/cub explores the world in-between nostalgia and nihilism, analogue and digital, real and false; creating evocative and mournful musical collages." First discovered on Boards of Canada forum Twoism, Cub/cub's two debut releases with Subexotic demonstrated his considerable talent to mix fascinating texture with beguiling melody. With an astonishing follow-up album coming soon, his rising star feels unstoppable; Orbury Common - "aural ephemera from the home of the orbs." This mysterious duo from the West of England are blessed with delightful musical cunning; their brilliant debut on Subexotic lifted the lid, and this offering reaffirms exciting times lie ahead; Onepointwo - "Minimal electronics, abstract radio signals and dystopian soundscapes are proceeded from both digital and analogue sources." A creator of intricate yet powerful collage, with finely wrought motifs that repeat and build to create a shimmering psychedelic impact. This is Onepointwo's glorious trademark. Spell-binding releases already exist on Woodford Halse, Poeta Negra, Lotus, as well as an imminent powerhouse album forthcoming on Subexotic; Giants of Discovery - "Experimental electronica with the occasional noisy guitar thrown in." Giants of Discovery's ability to get to grips with the musicality of his subject, has lead to previous exquisite sojourns into realms such as Victorian cosmic horror and Greek mythology, as well as an equally fantastical, towering follow up album on Woodford Halse; Wonderful Beasts - "A Wonderful collaboration between boycalledcrow and Xqui." Their playful interaction finds ways of crafting acoustic fragments into unexpected kaleidoscopes of sound. With beguiling debuts on cult label Wormhole World (soon to be followed up by an extraordinary new album on Subexotic), there is a kind of breathless magic about everything they do; Dogs versus Shadows - Electronic Sound Magazine says "A rare example of gamekeeper turned poacher...a welter of impressive electronica." Lee Pylon's ability to straddle a wealth of uncompromisingly inventive creations, and his broadcasting prowess as the much loved Kites & Pylons, is already the stuff of legend. A multitude of releases across many labels including Subexotic, Woodford Halse, Miracle Pond, Third Kind, Submarine Broadcasting, Sensory Leakage, provide a glittering treasure trove of work; Counter Silence - A stalwart of Subexotic, Counter Silence's sparkling and wistful musical work very much stands alone in temperament and style. 2020's Pathways EP on Subexotic remains a precious oasis, imbued with a haunting solitude that lives on in the memory; Transient Visitor - "All music unlocked by Alex Cargill (C.O.I. Central Office of Information) and Martin Jensen (The Home Current)." These two intercontinental maestros (well Sidcup & Luxembourg) boast impressive solo back catalogues across many labels (including Castles in Space, Polytechnic Youth, Woodford Halse). Their newly conceived collaborative Transient Visitor project, brought about the superb TV1 album in 2020 - we can see the sparks fly again in this welcome 2021 return; Simon Klee - "Natural, Electric, Organic Psychedelic - Sounds, noise and psychedelic beats." Klee's playful alchemy engages the mind and spirit, as witnessed in a flurry of top quality releases in recent times (e.g. Subexotic, ANR, Woodford Halse), and there is a visceral joy in his work that is perfectly placed for a midsummer celebration. Klee also produces a truly excellent mixcast and increasingly essential tape label, both under the guise of Anticipating Nowhere; Rupert Lally - "Hailing originally from England but now based in Switzerland, Guitarist, Percussionist and Electronic Musician Rupert Lally began his career as a Sound Designer and Composer for Theatre and TV, before launching his solo career in 2005. Since then his releases have blurred the boundaries between electronic and acoustic music." Lally's consistently brilliant work is always a highlight of the electronic music calendar, including recent stellar works across many labels such as Spun Out Of Control, Third Kind, Woodford Halse, and Modern Aviation.

Superpuma Records is thrilled to announce the release of the much anticipated ‘Live’ release from Daniel Norgren.
This was 2020. A year meant for touring, but instead ended with just a handful
of dates. These are the recordings from that first & final tour. New arrangements and full band performances of songs from the past four Daniel Norgren
releases (Buck, Alabursy, The Green Stone, Wooh Dang). Much of this release is
centered around the unique guitar sound of Daniel Norgren and the comfortable feel of his longtime band. Listen to the songs, notice the guitar, feel his
voice, and find the moment with this superb band.
Live versions of fan favorite songs including ‘Moonshine Got Me’, ‘Howling
Around My Happy Home’, ‘People Are Good’, ‘Black Vultures’, and ‘Everything
You Know Melts Away Like Snow’. Mixed & Mastered in the Superpuma Studio
by Pelle Nyhage & Daniel Norgren.

Superb Bebert Brother's record. Their best. With full idead digging and more and more Musical skillz... BIG !!!

Perila (Aleksandra Zakharenko) left her native Russia six years ago, landing in Berlin. Finding her place almost immediately - first at Berlin Community Radio and through that amongst a group of like-minded creative individuals (including her current flatmates Special Guest DJ and exael) - she started a regular practice of working on an expressionistic "sonic diary" of field recordings and electronic sound research for her own pleasure. When the opportunity arose to create her own podcast series, WET (or Weird Erotic Tension) was born. Upon hearing her evocative and atmospheric music layered with friends Nat Marcus and Inger Wold Lund's erotic spoken word poetry, Sferic Records asked to release it, and Perila - a project name originally used for her BCR show - truly came to be. Aleksandra, who was raised in St. Petersburg, has been involved in music since childhood thanks to her melomaniac father. She's been both drummer and singer in local bands in Russia, and is also the co-founder of radio.syg.ma - one of the first online stations in Russian focusing on experimental sounds - but Perila is something else entirely. You could loosely describe it as ambient, but her soundworld is so specific and transportative, filled with detail and movement, it's more akin to hauntological musique concrète, touched by song. Her fascination with voice and language - she studied English literature at university - is still evident, although that's now her voice, her texts, her crooning you can hear on the Everything Is Already There cassette (Boomkat Editions, 2020), her processed breaths on the Meta Door L cassette (Paralaxe Editions, 2020). The Wire Magazine got it right when they said about Irer Dent that, "Sensuality is presented as a secret pass to a higher consciousness." For her debut album, How Much Time it is Between You and Me?, released via Smalltown Supersound on June 11th, Aleksandra takes inspiration from the concept of time, which she felt keenly during the pandemic. Recorded primarily in September 2020 in a rural village in France - her only travel during the first year of the pandemic period - surrounded by mountains but otherwise alone with no internet, her perception of time there differed immensely. She describes the trip as, "an immersive experience into self," viewed through a "silence prism" where everyday sounds usually ignored felt amplified. While her work has always dealt in intimacy - be it the private thrills of WET or the audible closeness of our surroundings - the organic response and consistent feedback she gets for Perila made Aleksandra recognize a longing, a need for it in today's world. Intent on creating work based in honesty and tenderness, Perila's practice also explores how we feel music and emotion throughout the body and how sound can help to release it. How does the sound enter a body and travel through it? Where does movement start? How do you reach and unblock emotional clusters with the help of sound and deep listening of the body responses? Aleksandra likes to describe her music and performances as trips - thick narratives drifting along sound to get closer to self. Let Perila guide you through this journey.

Soul Jazz Records' new Studio One release Rocksteady Got Soul is a collection of uplifting and superb rocksteady and soulful reggae from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Studio One is the number one label in the history of reggae and he album features - as ever with Studio One - an impeccable and unbeatable line-up of reggae superstars, all soaring at the height of their creative powers. Alton Ellis, John Holt, The Heptones, Jackie Mittoo, The Ethiopians, Lee Perry and more. The album is a mix of classic tunes and rhythms alongside super-rarities that were released in a dazzlingly complex web of Studio One labels and issues, deftly navigated with new sleevenotes from author and Studio One authority Rob Chapman. But enough with the chatter, just spin the platter - these tunes rule the town, hands down! This Soul Jazz/Studio One album is released as deluxe gatefold double-vinyl + house inners + download code. Also as jewel case CD housed in card slipcase. Both formats come with full sleeve notes/discography and exclusive photography.

Wayout Records head honcho, Manchester DJ and producer James Kumo aka K.Mo, takes the reins for their next release ‘Space Funk EP’, featuring man of the moment Byron The Aquarius.

The deep house groove of title track ‘Space Funk’ has Byron on keys, laying down his trademark synth and bassline stabs courtesy of his Prophet 6. The warm and soulful vibes sit alongside driving drum patterns and additional live percussion by Mauskovic Dance Band member Chris Bruining.

The B side opens with ‘Moon Light Shuffle’, delivering a captivating bass line with synth lead melodies accenting the organic solo to die for from the super talented Tim Jules.

Close ‘Inner Soul’ is full of sparkle with heady pads, luscious piano chords again from Tim Jules, elevating this very credible record to a whole other level.

Released in 2000, this debut and only album from Lucy Pearl an R&B super-group put together by former Tony! Toni! Tone! member Raphael Saadiq, boasting Dawn Robinson from En Vogue and Hip Hop innovator Ali Shaheed Muhammed from A tribe called Quest as additional members, set the tone for neo-soul’s evolution in the new decade. With additional collaborators Snoop Dogg and Q tip also featuring on the album, it is no surprise that Lucy Pearl went on to sell over 1 million copies worldwide and is still revered today, 21 years later as one of the greatest R&B albums from the early 00’s.

Released for the first time on pearl white vinyl, this edition allows a new generation to discover this classic album from RnB’s golden age.

"Guts finest selection from his DJ sets. Some dancefloor classics and some discoveries"

Any DJ set tells you, unconsciously or not, about its author.

Through the record choices and the way they are organized, one can feel the DJ’s state of mind and find out a bit more about the musical deposit discovered that is being shared and dug through by him or her at the moment.
The appetite for diggin’, the quest for a novelty or a forgotten rarity is what makes a DJ set a true organic living matter constantly fueled although not always, unfortunately, respected.
Time stretching. Too many DJ’s made a pact with this diabolical creature. A true digital steamroller that runs over the rhythm to fix the tempo while leaving behind an agonizing drummer whose sole crime was to have been carried away by his energy and having moved forward the BPM. At the end, everything that gave charm and life to the track, its imperfections and the peculiar fact that it makes you dance faster towards its end… all these along with all the lively movements contained within the track are reduced to nothing.

My conception of music and DJ sets is the exact opposite. Since the first volume of Straight From The Decks, my DJ sets have been redesigned, refreshed and improved. However, there was no preexisting plan, they evolved naturally following my new desires.

The famous core of my indispensable musical choices started to morph little by little into something different without losing sight of its center of gravity which remains undoubtedly afro-tropical.
No matter which track, its style and its origin, the quality of the music that is brought to my ears is always my sole and primary concern.
In this selection, you’ll find 7” vinyl records available to everyone sitting proudly next to some rarities found online and acquired through nerve-raking auctions battles. There are indeed exclusive remixes along with titles that until now were only available in their digital formats. Now for the first time they are available here in vinyl format. Obviously, if you have chosen the CD format, that precision doesn’t really matter…
Sixteen titles which have become the heart of my sets throughout this past year.
A heart which in a year will beat to a certainly different drum…
Pura Vida
Gutsto attend the next one..."

Roy Montgomery, a pioneer of the NZ underground, believes there is
always new sonic terrain to investigate. His latest series of albums for
Grapefruit marks forty years of rigorous exploration in which he’s
managed to navigate disparate genres, scenes, and atmospheres, always
at the forefront of experimental independent music. To commemorate,
Grapefruit will be releasing four new Montgomery albums in 2021.
The first installment, Island Of Lost Souls, arrived to great acclaim
in January. The second and latest album, His Best Forgotten Work,
features Montgomery’s rare, brooding vocals across nine gorgeous
tracks recorded from his home in Christchurch, New Zealand.
His Best Forgotten Work follows the intense, all-instrumental Island
Of Lost Souls. It departs in spirit with darkly buoyant variations on
popular songs, including two highly anticipated covers of legendary
songs by The Carpenters (“Superstar”) and Tim Buckley (“Song To
The Siren”). Montgomery shows the listener that these influences
aren’t such strange bedfellows after all; one need only listen closely.
Where some might be inclined to relax and lean into their legacy
at this stage in a sprawling career, Montgomery’s new music
continues to seek and challenge. His compositions are beautiful as
well as disconcerting, and often speak to precarity and dread. His Best
Forgotten Work is a title with tongue planted firmly in cheek, alluding
to the artist’s position of enjoying a peculiar bit of fame in relative
obscurity. But listening to his dry wit and rich voice, one will find it
isn’t easily forgotten.

The Monkees, one of the most recognizable names in the annals of pop music history, are an American rock and pop band originally active between 1966 and 1971, with reunion albums and tours in the decades that followed. The original line up was Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones. The group was conceived in 1965 by TV producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider specifically for the sitcom series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968. The music was originally supervised by record producer Don Kirschner, backed by the songwriting duo of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart.

The Monkees self-titled debut and second albums were meant to be a soundtrack to the first season of the TV show, to cash in on the audience.Their first single, “Last Train To Clarksville” b/w “Take A Giant Step,” was released in August 1966, just weeks prior to the TV broadcast debut. In conjunction with the first broadcast of the TV show on September 12, 1966, NBC and Columbia had a major hit. The first long-playing album, The Monkees, was released a month later; it spent 13 weeks at #1 and stayed on the Billboard charts for 78 weeks.

The Monkees have sold more than 75 million records worldwide making them one of the biggest selling groups of all time with international hits, including “Last Train to Clarksville,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” “Daydream Believer,” and “I’m A Believer.” ROG is reissuing their iconic debut album as a deluxe 2LP set with bonus tracks (several of which are unreleased mixes) and are having lacquers cut from the analog tapes for the first time since 1966—creating THE DEFINITIVE version of this album since original release!















[n] c3. This Just Doesn’t Seem to Be My Day (TV Version) [Mono]

[p] c5. I Wanna Be Free (Fast Version) [Mono TV Mix]
[q] c6. You Just May Be The One [Mono TV Version]






[x] d6. (I Prithee) Do Not Ask For Love [2020 Remix]

One of the most significant collections in Trojan’s immense catalogue, the ‘The Trojan Story’ album dramatically changed the perception of Jamaican music among the general British public outside of the country’s Afro-Caribbean population.

Prior to its release in 1971 there had never been an attempt to present a comprehensive anthology of the island’s musical development, with vintage ska, rock steady and reggae widely regarded as obsolete and of precious little merit.

The treble disc set, which became an instant best-seller, had been the brainchild of Trojan’s label manager and Black Music fan, Rob Bell, who, assisted by Trojan stalwarts, Dandy, Webster Shrowder and Joe Sinclair, produced arguably the most significant Jamaican music retrospectives of all time.

Now, 50 years following its original release, this hugely influential album has been revisited by Bell, along with reggae musician, Rusty Zinn, who have succeeded in improving what was already an almost perfect collection.

Presented in the original eye-catching artwork, the set is further enhanced by a highly illustrated 50-page booklet in which Bell relates the stories behind the release and the 50 tracks featured on the compilation.

Demon Records is proud to present the ultimate reissue of the Yardbirds’ 1966 album Yardbirds, (often known as ‘Roger
the Engineer’.) Recorded by the classic line up of Jeff Beck, Keith Relf, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja and Paul Samwell-Smith,
the band began exploring new sonic territories, pushing their blues-rock sound into the realms of the avant-garde,
psychedelia and Indian music. Using original tapes, this super deluxe edition features new and definitive remastering by
Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering at AIR, overseen by original album producer Paul Samwell-Smith.
"Remastering this album has been a joy. To hear the tracks sounding just as we heard them all those years ago while we were
recording them - energetic, edgy, and in your face - is an unexpected treat. In 1966, it was a rare and exciting opportunity to be
given a recording studio for 5 days and allowed to experiment. That excitement still shows." – Paul Samwell-Smith
“This is what rock ‘n’ roll beauty is - the true freedom of creative impulse.” – Thurston Moore
“The Yardbirds produced some of the most compelling musical art of the 20th century.” – Wayne Kramer

Weird.ltd presents its second reference in the hands of the AREA 51 duo made up of Camilo Gil & Rodrigo Valdivia.

Four fresh house cuts in their deep nuances, and hypnotic cuts of minimalism with a South American flavor.

Plus two remixes, like ASTRAL, by UK legend TOMMY VICARI JNR.
And the Venezuelan based in Berlin, ARGENIS BRITO.

Undoubtedly a must for lovers of dance worship.

Here I leave you the support, and the feedback from the djs, so you can listen, and hopefully these days contact Jordan, to make that possible.
support of Djs such as:

Rick Wade - Dj Aakmael - Dorian Paic - Maher Daniel - Sascha Dive - Jef K - Norm Talley - XDB - Delano Smith - Politics of Dancing - Djebali among others ..

Feedback:
Jorge Caiado: Remix for Argenis its for me.
Dorian Paic: Remix for Vicari Jnr Killer!
Gari Romalis: All the stuff its for me, thanks
Amir Javasoul: A2 and B1 for me, strong stuff.
Mariano: All tracks for me !!!
XDB: argenis brito did a killer remix --- from first listen seems to be a dancefloor weapon,
Norm Talley: World of deep, yeah!
Peter Grummich: Solid Ep, Remix Argenis Brito its for me
Djebali: "Love the Ep, great music with superb remixes! Will play"

50th anniversary of the legendary Philadelphia International Records label founded in 1971 by innovative and prolific songwriters/producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff. This superb compilation showcases the sophisticated sound associated with the label also known as 'The Sound of Philadelphia'. Featuring the legendary roster of music stars who helped bring these chart topping disco, R&B, soul and funk sounds to life including The O’Jays Patti LaBelle, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, Lou Rawls, McFadden Whitehead, The Three Degrees, Phyllis Hyman, The Intruders and the ultimate 'house band' MFSB. A 12 song album pressed on a standrad single black vinyl. Marketing.

Banger ! Crazy hardfloor kick on the first side... while the flip offer a kind of hardcore mental feeling with suspense freeebreak bridges over cold waves synths. Deep.

Superb viual from Les Cohortes Soniriques
Savage !

DJ Woody teams up with the incredible champion beatboxer Ball-Zee to create the ‘Box Cutter Mini’ 7”. Made up of 100% original new sounds, this record contains skip-proof vocal phrases, noises, sound effects and beatbox drums perfect for scratching or beat-juggling.
Side A is programmed at 133.33 bpm and contains 7 skip-proof loops, 4 phrases containing vocals and effects and 3 drumming phrases.
Side B is programmed at 100 bpm and follows the same format but with 7 different phrases.

Each side ends with a lock groove. 2 copies are a must for the 7” jugglers!

• 100% original sounds and phrases

• Perfect for portablist scratch jams, drumming, beat juggling and production

• 14 skip-proof loops

• 2 lock grooves

• Super loud and deep pressing on black vinyl

Another all-time classic from the extensive back catalog of the legendary Miami songstress Gwen McCrae.

"90% Of Me Is You" is instantly recognizable, it's been sampled countless of times by some of the most seminal Hip Hop artists ever (Large Professor, Jaylib, Mobb Deep & more) & is a bonafide "Rare Groove" sure-shot that never loses it's appeal & is always in demand with DJ's & producers. Perhaps it's the pairing of the languid guitar & strings, or Gwen's sultry vocals & that steady breakbeat that keeps people hooked some 40 years after it's original release Whatever it is, it's classic material from start to finish!

Backed here with it's original b-side slow jam "It's Worth The Hurt" this super-rare 45 has been re-mastered, re-pressed & brought back for 2015's dance-floors in conjunction & with the permission of T.K. Disco / Henry Stone Music, Miami USA.

Blue Vinyl

Culled from the three albums that made Placebo a much sought- after name in soul & jazz music history, Marc Moulin - The Placebo Years combines 7 tracks that belong in any vinyl collection.

Belgian composer Marc Moulin formed Placebo with his close friend, guitar player Philip Catherine, in 1971, and released 3 superb jazz funk albums: Ball Of Eyes MOVLP1091, 1973 MOVLP1092 and Placebo MOVLP1093. Sampled by Madlib, J. Dilla, Pete Rock and many more. Placebo Years is released as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on turquoise coloured vinyl.

Live album by the Swedish supergroup STORMWIND!
This epic and melodic `raw´ live album was recorded at Sweden Rock Festival and has been remastered at redmount studios in Stockholm
Features Sabaton member Joakim Brodén on keyboard!
This is one of the most classic artists in its genre
Crystal clear limited vinyl edition for RSD 2021 (x500 copies)
Featuring members that are/have been active in bands such as; Sabaton, Therion, Hammerfall,
Yngwie Malmsteen, Candlemass, Royal Hunt, Dionysos and more
Re-Mastered by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios (Hellacopters, Alcest, Culf of Luna,
Imperial State Electric, Misery loves Co, Lucifer, Dool, Refused and more…)

Repress

Punctual like a Swiss watch, Driftmachine presents a new album that once again astounds and delights. We know their trademark: solid mechanical percussions, forceful bass and melodies systematically built around circular patterns. "Spume & Recollection" is the sixth Umor Rex album by the Berlin duo, and what better way to celebrate the label's 15th anniversary than with a new record from the masters of labyrinthine cables and patches. Regarding "Nocturnes" (UR 2014), their debut album, we described their sound as precise and symmetrical, identical concrete blocks mounted and articulated in a random order. Their already obsessive style continued to evolve with their third record, "Colliding Contours" (UR 2016), now pushing further into abstract dub, ultra-tense grooves, and even more kinetic loops, moving further away from conventional musical structures. Between these two albums they released the remarkable "Eis Heauton" (UR 2015), a kind of hypnotic experiment informed by shadowy atmospheres, chance, and an intuitive dialogue with their musical machines, a unique situation in which they acted as bemused observers in hunt for epiphanies, resulting in an exquisite amalgamation of lucid dream-logic and mechanical precision. A one-of-a-kind soundtrack for minute and wordless scenes unfolding in pitch-black back alleys and hidden, alchemical basements. A similar map was explored with "Shunter" (UR 2018), a superb secret meeting between avant-garde phantasmagoria and concrete experimentation. "Radiations" (UR 2017) offered B-sides and bonus tracks, in addition to collaborations with Shackleton and The Sight Below, a kind of preamble that united Driftmachine’s different expressions and leanings.

When Andreas Gerth and Florian Zimmer come up with new material, one listens with high expectation. Looking back on their discography, one could safely anticipate a high quality album densely layered with their familiar leitmotifs. And yet, "Spume & Recollection" takes us by surprise and finds a new way to transfix. Fresh methods and ideas are introduced to their dynamics and formula. Yes, of course, you can still expect a healthy dose of kosmische, which is one of the dominant features in Driftmachine’s DNA; but this is now entwined with novel materials, semi-material patterns of alien code stretching over exhilaratingly tense and detailed grooves, clouds of gas shifting on top of deep dub architecture and blocking out the sun for prismatic effect. Even more of a surprise is the immediate, streamlined nature of these tracks, making "Spume & Recollection" their most accessible record and, perhaps, the most addictive (and this without sacrificing the essential mystery and strangeness at the core of Driftmachine’s sound).

We have previously described their work as post-industrial-dub; right now, we might just call it hypno-music for man and machine to dance and dream together. "Spume & Recollection" takes this concept as far as it can go without breaking, and finds some strange new feelings, and weirdly danceable grooves, to shed some light on this dark and dazzling ride.

All songs written & produced by Andreas Gerth & Florian Zimmer in Berlin Mastered by John Tejada Artwork & Photos by Daniel Castrejón