Making his debut on Depth.Request, Duellist delivers Intensive Living - a fierce three-track statement inspired by the restless energy and chaos of modern city life. Reinforced by remixes from industrial heavyweights Orphx, Statiqbloom, and label co-founder G.xist, the EP captures the tension between control and collapse - where rhythm becomes ritual and distortion takes on a human pulse.
'Burn Your Way Out' opens with offbeat crunch and abrasive energy, setting a volatile tone. The title track 'Intensive Living' moves with rhythmic swagger and pounding drums, its momentum unwavering. 'Ritual Component' closes the originals with throbbing low-end pressure and hypnotic drive - the sound of machinery breathing.
On remix duty, Statiqbloom transforms 'Intensive Living' into a desolate, melodic descent, Orphx expand its framework into a widescreen rework charged with cinematic tension, and G.xist pushes 'Burn Your Way Out' into industrial hypnosis, fusing intensity and groove in equal measure.
Intensive Living stands as a hard-edged introduction to Duellist's world - precise, forceful, and fully alive in its urban grit.
Berlin-based Amy Dabbs makes a long-awaited return to Shall Not Fade with Green Room EP - four uptempo club heaters spanning UKG, high-energy house, and breaks.
The EP’s title pays homage to Renate’s Green Room, the floor within the renowned Berlin club where Dabbs has held her residency since early 2023. Each track was both written for and road-tested at her monthly Dabbs Traxx events in this space, where she’s cultivated a tight-knit community of UKG lovers in the heart of Berlin.
“When I started writing this EP, my goal was to create music that would fit perfectly into my nights in the Green Room, bringing in the London sounds I grew up on, across all the genres I usually play at Renate. This EP is a tribute to everything Renate has given me: opportunity, community, and a platform for my authentic UK sound.”
Opening track Take Me High launches straight into peak-time territory, with old-school-inspired rave stabs, staccato vocal flicks, and deep, subby basslines. Over You turns the heat up even further - a track built from choppy vocals and UKG basslines before melting into a warm chord progression; a perfect example of Dabbs’ ability to fuse high-energy rhythms with spine-tingling emotion.
On the flip side, Style & Pattern, featuring the signature tones of London’s Alfie Fraser, is a pure UKG cut - underpinned by lush pads and arpeggiators, topped with Alfie’s unmistakable live vocals to create an uplifting dancefloor heater dripping with London swagger. Closing the EP, The Way delivers a tear-jerking breakbeat finale, layering syncopated percussion, emotive vocals, and an old-school piano breakdown; it’s a sublime end-of-the-night moment and a fitting closing track for an EP which honours one of Berlin’s most beloved clubs.
“I like him very much. He’s very special. He’s singing with a voice I never heard before” - Townes Van Zandt
“A conscious, soulful brother” - Horace Andy
“He’s a brother to me - one of the best singer/songwriters I’ve ever met” - Adrian Sherwood
“Unearthed mine of gems from inner Wales - a songbook of ideas - that's Jeb!” - Gilles Peterson
Jeb Loy Nichols is a bonafide Country (Got) Soul legend. The Music Maker presents 21 incredibly deep, grooving and soulful songs from the cream of Jeb's catalogue; from its earliest days to his latest unreleased gems via countless rare and unbelievably good lost-classics. This 2LP set is presented in a gatefold sleeve complete with freshly commissioned artwork courtesy of Jeb himself.
In collecting these uncut, under-heard gems, we hope to do justice to Jeb's jaw-dropping artistic brilliance. A man who, in working with Adrian Sherwood, Dennis Bovell, Dan Penn, Larry Jon Wilson and countless other legendary characters, has crafted some of the most deeply affecting folk, country, soul, funk, blues, dub, reggae, gospel, rap and electronic music, ever heard.
The first music Jeb really felt a connection with was southern soul: "I used to listen to the radio at night and fell in love with Bobby Womack and Al Green, The Staple Singers and Joe Simon – that whole Nashville/Memphis/Muscle Shoals thing.” But Jeb was so much more than a soul boy, Indeed, he "went to bluegrass festivals with my dad and come home and listened to jazz records with my mother.” And, when he was fifteen, he heard his first punk record: "God Save The Queen" by The Sex Pistols. “That and The Ramones completely changed me.” In 1979 he got a scholarship to go to art school in New York: “A great time. Punk was over but hip-hop was starting and I got into that in an obsessive way.”
His first recording, in 1980, was an unreleased rap song called "I’m A Country Boy". If that isn't an insight enough into Jeb's kaleidoscopic path through music, in 1981 he visited friends in London and found himself living in a squat with Adrian Sherwood, Ari Up (from the Slits), and Neneh Cherry. “Adrian put me to work immediately, moving boxes of records all across London. It was Adrian that was and is my biggest influence – in his complete disregard for genre purity.” So, presumably you're getting the picture? A veritable musical magpie with a voracious appetite and unimpeachable taste.
"Mine has always been a meandering career. I've done what I've done, and made the music I've made, due to chance meetings. I'm not particularly ambitious; it's more important to me that I work with friends and like-minded people. I've been a big fan of Be With for years. Everything they release is essential. When they asked about rereleasing "Countrymusicdisco45" I was both pleased and flattered. We began talking about how we'd do it; two years and twenty-one tracks later, here we are. I've always thought of the music I make as Country Music. Music conceived in the country, written in the country, recorded in the country. I left London and moved back to the country so I could live among the trees, the grasses, the animals, those things that don't go to war and get greedy. This compilation is the story of that life. Hand made, lo-fi, ramshackle, stripped down, real deal music. Heartworn and funky. Music made in the kitchen, not in the studio. As the great Skip Mcdonald said, Perfect ain't perfect. It's great to see all these tracks gathered together. It feels like a family reunion. Some older members of the tribe, some newer arrivals."
Opener "countrymusicdisco45" is a song Jeb wrote about how his crew lives, tucked up blissfully in the hills: "House parties full of country folk dancing to disco, reggae, soul, country, hip-hop. All night. I recorded it at home under the influence of Stevie Wonder." It's one of the funkiest records you'll ever hear. "Sometimes Shooting Stars" was recorded in Nashville and mixed by the legendary Dennis Bovell. It's deep, dubby, majestic. A thing of fragile, melodic beauty. The party ramps back up again with the undeniable groove of "Short Cut Home" before the profoundly moving "Disappointment" arrives. One of many songs he's recorded with good buddy Benedic Lamdin (aka Nostalgia 77): "We were going for a Leon Thomas meets Richard Brautigan meets Alice Coltrane kind of thing". We think they nailed it. "Days Are Mighty", like a lot of the tracks on this collection, "started life as a demo, an attempt to get something down while it was fresh. No frills, nothing fancy, just feel." And what feels!
The irrepressibly funky "Don't Dance With Me Tonight" is a deeply moving, slow-mo organ-drenched head-nod-funky country-ballad. Next up, the breezy "You Got It Wrong" was recorded in Wales with some of Jeb's good friends and neighbours, The Westwood All Stars, featuring Clovis Phillips and Will Barnes. Skanking fiddle-flecked gem "Ring The Bells" was the first thing Jeb recorded when he moved to Wales. A combination of all his loves; country, reggae, soul. It's followed by "Let's Make It Up", a truly sumptuous string-drenched emotional groover. "When Did You Stop Loving Me" is another Nashville track, written and recorded during a time Jeb was spending a lot of time with the Muscle Shoals crew, Donnie Fritts, Spooner Oldham, George Soule and Dan Penn: "It shows, I'm sure, their influence." Oh, you bet it does!
The swaggering country-funk of "Just Beginning" should grace many groove-focused DJs' sets whilst "Wintering Of The Year", again made with Clovis, is pastoral, campfire soul. The glacial, gorgeous "Let It Rain" is from an unreleased record Jeb made with the great British jazz bass player Andy Hamill and "We Tell Each Other Who We Are" is freaky country-soul made by a man with a love for strutting, wonky hip-hop stylings. Rounding out the side, "Trip To You" is pure, uncut amphetamine-propelled drum-machine soul.
The spare, beautiful "Dirt" is from an EP Jeb made with Julian Moore in his house in South London: "All first takes, straight to tape." Swoon! "Heaven Right Here" was a very minor league hit in America: "It was produced by the brilliant and much missed Wayne Nunes. It was started in the countryside of Missouri, finished in the countryside of Wales, and recorded in the countryside of Sussex." Double swoon! "If Later Ever Comes" is electronica meets J.J. Cale business whilst "Remember The Season" is truly wonderful and breezy guitar soul. "A Little Love" was made with Wayne Nunes as well, after a night of listening to Studio One and Northern Soul. Bouncy dub closer "Weary Traveller" was written by Bill Monroe, the hero of Jeb's youth: "Monroe's music was heavily influenced by black southern churches; I've tried to keep some of that feral feel." This was the final recording by Jeb's 1990s Country-Dub band, Fellow Travellers.
The name of this compilation comes from a time when Jeb lived in Peckham, south London and he used to DJ and sometimes perform at a local bar: "The owner of the bar, a Jamaican named Count Percy, once asked me what I called my music. I told him I wasn't sure, I guess just pop music. He thought about it for a minute and then said, 'no, more like mom and pop music'. Rather than call me a country singer or a folk singer he always referred to me as The Music Maker."
With the long overdue deluxe overview of his beloved music, we hope to finally shine a light on the unheralded genius of Jeb Loy Nichols. RIYL Larry Jon Wilson, Townes Van Zandt, Bobby Charles, country got soul artists, dub, deep soul, disco, dancing, heartbreak. This deluxe collection, spellbinding from beginning to end, should hopefully go some way to ensuring Jeb reaches an ever bigger, ever more appreciative crowd of followers. Mastering for this special double vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry. The artwork has been lovingly put together by The Music Maker, himself, Jeb Loy Nichols. "Be With is the perfect home for this mongrel music. I am forever in their debt." The pleasure is all ours, Jeb.
Dok & Martin return to the brand, this time to DCLTD imprint with their 3-track EP 'Impulse'. 'Impulse' brings delicious chaos, mixing up rattling bass-driven energy, with the mayhem of peak house traffic, as a barrage of horns and jutting synths coalesce to create a fierce wall of sound. 'Reaktor' begins as a streamlined roller, marked by tightly woven drums before building like a skyscraper with thrilling intent. Later it drops down into punchy percussive territory, never losing any momentum. 'Believe' gallops with slick swagger, a late-night jam heavy on atmosphere and crisp sound design.
Los Angeles polymath Tyler, the Creator turns his past into vivid technicolour here on his latest offering. Narrated by his mother, the album unfolds like a scrapbook of childhood memories and adult reckonings, moving between swagger and nostalgia. Tyler's production - lush with horns, strings and jazz-inflected chords - recalls the warmth of Flower Boy but with the unpredictability of Cherry Bomb. 'Noid' wrestles with fame's paranoia while 'Hey Jane' confronts moral conflict with startling candour. 'Darling, I' and 'Like Him' offer soulful reprieves amid the chaos. Guest spots from Lil Wayne, Santigold and Lola Young expand the palette without distracting from Tyler's emotional centre. Messy but self-aware, this captures an artist still discovering who he is.
The third and final volume of Classic’s 30th Anniversary vinyl series brings the party full circle - blending deep catalogue cuts, future-forward house, and tracks from the label’s tight-knit family of collaborators.
Like the volumes before it, this 2x12” release arrives in a raw reverse board outer sleeve, a nod to the aesthetic of Classic’s earliest releases. Inside, bold yellow and red GMUND card stock inner sleeves with embossed detailing reflect the label’s long-standing commitment to design, artistry, and collectability.
Record One kicks off with a certified Classic family affair. Home & Garden’s ‘Sexuality...He's 2 Young’ features the unmistakable voice of DJ Colette, a staple of Classic’s early era. Included here is JT Donaldson’s Porno Beat Down Remix—a stripped, low-slung rework with an irresistibly funky bass line and pure dance floor chemistry.
Brett Johnson’s ‘Jiffy Pop’, from his legendary Bounce! EP, follows up with a jittery, swaggering groove that epitomises Brett’s playful, funk-laced production style. Infectious, weird, and entirely unforgettable.
On the flip, Tiefschwarz’s ‘Acid Soul’ delivers a moody, muscular roller. Originally released during their prolific run on Classic in the early 2000s, it fuses baritone sax stabs, a Berlin-borne bass line, and a sultry vocal into a deeply spiritual house cut.
Roy Davis Jr. closes Side B with the propulsive ‘About Love’ (Solid Groove Remix)—a tough and driving interpretation by Dave Taylor that’s long been a DJ favourite in the Classic vaults.
Record Two showcases Classic’s more recent sonic evolutions. JT Donaldson’s return to the label in 2019 came with ‘Stay Inside’, a rich and breezy groove featuring the soulful voice of Liv.e. It’s an elegant and understated slice of modern house with timeless appeal.
Then comes Dam Swindle’s funk-charged ‘Hey Mister’. A punchy, bass-driven jam built around a 70s reggae-disco vocal sample. Raw and infectious, it’s been lighting up dance floors worldwide since its release.
Luke Solomon’s catalogue on Classic is vast, but ‘Come on Over’, his collaboration with Amp Fiddler, earns its place here. Seeing vinyl release for the first time, this cut overflows with musicality. Amp’s passionate vocal, free-time breakdowns, and deep funk grooves deliver pure emotional punch.
And to close, a modern masterpiece: Honey Dijon’s ‘Work’ (Extended Mix), taken from her ‘Black Girl Magic’ LP. Featuring Dave Giles II, Cor.Ece, and Mike Dunn, this powerhouse track brings together fierce vocal performances, live instrumentation, and top-tier production. It embodies everything Classic stands for: collaboration and innovation on the dance floor.
Adeen Records digs deep once again for a new offering that taps into some seriously swaggy and soulful house. Dav Risen is behind them and is a South African DJ and Producer from Soweto who wears his Christianity with pride, and that religiousness also defines these sounds which are a spiritual journey into deep house with plenty of life-affirming harmonies Dav delivers a powerful, purpose-driven title track that glows with warm pads and a rhythm section that feels both grounding and uplifting, making it perfect for sunrise sets or late-night introspection. 'Don't Worry About It' is just as deep and moving, 'So Long' has warm organ chords and 'You Can Make It (feat DJ KK)' closes with another loved-up vibe.
Steve Moore reprises his beloved Lovelock guise by presenting his unique riff on the library breaks genre. Business And Pleasure contains grimy groove and sleazy, funk-laden lounge music.
This vinyl release is hyper-limited, with just 500 pressed for the world.
The LP is ushered in by the spacey synth-funk of the sleazy, woozy title track. This is that serious slo-mo cosmic-balearic head-nod shit. Laidback bass, heavy funk with dreamy synth and electric guitars. An outstanding opener. Up next, the dynamic, swaggering "Last Call" is a sophisticated, elegant stroll - sweeping, mellow strings, a smooth bassline and gorgeous percussion with urgent keys and swelling synths.
"Slinky Strut" is another spaced-out, sleazy funk groove with jazz rock by way of a heavy, heavy guitar riff, mellotron and bass breakdowns which build to brass crescendos. Gigantic. "First Class" closes out the side, and, like classic Hawkshaw / Bennett noir, it's got that mysterious and murky stretched out sleuth / detective soul with a great bassline and percussive elements, with swelling strings, ace synths and smooth Rhodes piano melodies entering the mix halfway through. Dramatic guitars and groovy percussion add extra intrigue. It's 7 minutes of funk!
Side B opens with the stretched-out psychedelic funk and jazz groove of "Stank 49". It takes its sweet time to unfurl, creating enormous - almost sensual - anticipation for the ensuing beauty but, as it does, we're left beguiled and straight-up hypnotised. Heaven-sent synth flourishes and a laidback bassline over smooth drums cement its simple, vivacious grace. "Dangerous Man" is that creeping crime funk we all love; heavy bass and fuzzy guitar riffs, mellow strings and sumptuous piano/synths. It's irresistible, it's ominous and it's pretty gargantuan. It's basically like an El-P hip-hop instrumental. We need to get some rappers over this stuff, stat!
"Stinkbug" is a dazzling and funky groove-fuelled jazz-rock workout with fizzing synth riffs joined by full percussion and drum breaks, building with strings to a strong swagger. Vigour! To close out this remarkable set, the breezy "Win Or Lose" is laidback soul-inflected funk, utilising urgent, skipping drums and galloping basslines. Just stunning.
This collection was written and recorded in Spring and Summer of ’24. Everything was tracked at Steve's home studio in Albany, NY except the drums and percussion, which were recorded by Jeff Gretz at his space in NYC. The whole collection is basically a rhythm section feature, so Steve's Rickenbacker 4003 and Fender Jazz Bass play very prominently. The bass guitar serves as lead instrument in a lot of these tracks. Also, lots of Rhodes and stringers (Solina, Logan etc) and guitar (Strat and Les Paul). He even dusted off my sax for this one, which he doesn’t do as often as he’d like!
This type of groove-oriented library music has been a steady part of Steve's diet since the late 90’s. In heavy rotation while writing this collection were the following classics: “Time Signals” by Klaus Weiss, “Tilsley Orchestral No. 10” by Reg Tilsley, and “Heavy Truckin’” by Simon Haseley. “Voyage” by Brian Bennett was also a big one.
Lovelock started as a dedicated Italo-disco project, but over the years Steve expanded it to include anything directly informed by the commercial/pop side of the music of his childhood (70s/80s). Writing and recording this album was, like a lot of Steve's music these days, basically a test to see whether or not he could do it.
The song titles, like the music, are meant to be evocative yet vague. But there is a bit of a travel theme. Steve imagined this record being the soundtrack to a sleazy salesman’s business trip. The kind of guy who, when asked if he’s traveling for business or pleasure, responds “both.” Beyond the traveling salesman comparison, the title directly relates to the creation of this album. This was something he wanted to do just for his own enjoyment. Yet, like our sleazy salesman, he still found a way to get paid.
The album’s cover was designed by Chris Stevenson, with no little direction from Steve. He knew that he wanted to go with something photography-based for this cover so, in true DIY/cheapskate spirit, Steve started by looking through his own photos. He found the cover image on his phone, taken through an almost empty bottle of beer, and it clicked. The whole album has a very boozy vibe (especially with titles like “Last Call”) so this shot seemed appropriate. We, hic, agree.
Mastering for this vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis, and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry.
Originally a jewel from Sunnyview Records (born from the legendary TK Productions). Dolos’ Night So Right was a slick blend of electronic funk and soul with an unmistakable boogie-disco swagger. Hailed by fans as a “lush, echo-drenched boogie monster” with a “pre-house” edge, it was already dancefloor gold.
Now, Dr Packer breathes new life into the classic, delivering a silky, tension-charged rework steeped in his trademark disco-house finesse. A warm, rolling bassline locks the groove as percussion pulls back, letting Rhodes chords, filtered strings, and subtle guitar licks shine. The result? A masterclass in dancefloor tease and release, pure, modern-classic disco magic.
C.A.R. (Choosing Acronyms Randomly) is the musical project of Chloé Raunet, a Canadian-born, London-based artist known for her icy synths, warm vocals, and left-field pop sensibility. Drawing from post-punk, electro, and experimental songwriting, she creates music that’s both emotionally charged and sonically adventurous.
Following a five-year hiatus, C.A.R. returns with Shyana, the first single from her long-awaited fourth album, Dance at Oscar’s. Produced by Nathan Ridley, the release marks a creative rebirth: a new label, a new live formation with Joni Green, and a sound pulsing with revitalised energy. After a pandemic-induced break to focus on filmmaking — and a period of burnout and disillusionment — Raunet was ready to walk away from music altogether. But a pair of carried-over festival dates and an impromptu onstage reunion with longtime friend Joni Green unexpectedly reignited the spark. What was meant to be a farewell became the start of something new.
Shyana is a shimmering slice of machine-funk — a warped and groovy tribute to Paul Anka, filtered through C.A.R.’s surreal pop lens. A meditation on teen hysteria, pop manufacture, and the strange alchemy of early fame, the track pulses with wonky elegance and strutting confidence. One of the most playful cuts from Dance at Oscar’s, it showcases Nathan Ridley’s tight, swaggering production while capturing the album’s embrace of movement, humour, and the weirdness of cultural nostalgia.
On the B-side, Cecilia Road offers a more reflective counterpoint — a nostalgic, synth-drenched ballad built around a call-and-response vocal, throbbing melodies, and emotional tension. Intimate yet expansive, it hints at vulnerability without losing the pulse.
Artwork by Chloé Raunet, Craig Richards and Oliver Hupfau.
We met Volen through a tip from our friends at Cyclone as a Los Angeles-based DJ who was also a natural with production. In 2021 we released Volen's Distortion mini-album on Rhizome Forms. Those heady productions stuck with us and we knew a vinyl would soon be ready. Four years later, with countless hours spent in his Arizona desert sound lab, we present four acidic dancefloor interventions on wax.
“Validation” is immediately lively with a cascading acid groove. Spinning through inversions, the vocal refrains frame the kaleidoscopic dance floor energy of the title track.
The record's a-side finds completeness with the twisted anthem “I've Got to Shower".
Wobbly chords simmer under that famous sample while a slick breakbeat delivers the rhythm.
Side-b arrives with swagger as "Left & Right” rolls in with a mental acid and breakbeat powerplant of a groove.The track's breakdown billows atmosphere while the lower frequencies growl.
Volen saves the starry ecstasy for the final track. “Pump Their Dump” is an upbeat and dreamy acid house journey evolving into a collage of ear candy samples that'll satisfy dancers looking for that positive vibration release.
More than once Jay Richford and Gary Stevan’s Feelings has been described as the greatest library record ever released. Of course Be With can’t be seen to be playing favourites, but we have to admit, it’s pretty good. Insanely rare and immensely sought-after, it’s a tough funk, street jazz masterpiece coveted for many years by collectors of all musical genres.
Since its original release on Italian label Carosello in 1974, Feelings has appeared on several labels with different sleeves and even under a different artist. Indeed cult library label Conroy put it out in one of their iconic red sleeves in 1976 and yes, Feelings has indeed had more than one modern re-issue since these “original” releases. But a record this special deserves to be kept in press and we think it deserves the Be With treatment.
No, Jay Richford and Gary Stevan aren’t two of the most Italian sounding names. As the story goes these were the pseudonyms adopted by Stefano Torossi and Giancarlo Gazzani who wrote the album but couldn’t use their real names on the original release for legal reasons. But Stefano Torossi himself later both clarified and confused the tale further by explaining that Feelings was the work of four people not just Gazzani and himself. Fellow composers and musicians Sandro Brugnolini and Puccio Roelens also worked on the album and as Torossi himself explained “we all worked together”, with all four gents “dividing the royalties in equal parts… that’s the story.” Right, so, with that all sorted out let’s get back to talking about the music. And what music it is.
Long hailed as a holy grail of library music, Feelings is the epitome of the sort of cinematic orchestral jazzy funk that is “that 70s library music sound”. Infectiously funky, deliciously melodic and with impeccible, elegant production, this record is the showcase for a stunning set of compositions and arrangements and with performances that are nothing short of virtuoso.
The record’s first side lifts off with “Flying High”, soaring brilliant and shimmering. Funk licks, menacing strings and swaggering horns combine for an ice-cold intro groove that Isaac Hayes would surely have envied, before the steady-paced drums deliver the slo-mo TKO. The string-drenched cop-funk of “Going Home” raises the tempo. All funky quick-fire bass lines and killer electric guitar soloing. A real thriller.
“Walking In The Dark” positively drips in blaxploitation-funk drama strings and horn struts, all laced with delicate drums, velvet piano and more filthy wah-wah. “Fighting For Life” is another funk-fuelled workout built around an effortlessly relentless drum track that refuses to give up until even the stiffest-necked head is nodding.
The loping, open drum break that guides the much-loved “Feeling Tense” through its early stages would be good enough on its own. The heavy bass gloss, swirling strings and ominous horns that follow take things to the next level.
The second side opens with another favourite “Running Fast”, and the track does precisely that. This is one fine rollicking chase theme underpinned by frenetic (yet funky) Fender Rhodes and skipping bass and drums. Those sweeping strings are a gorgeous extra. It’s a deliciously feel-good groove that sets the heart racing.
“Loving Tenderly” envelops us in warm, velvety night-time vibes with easy listening horns and slinky strings dialing up the seduction. Definitely one for the lithe lovers out there. The pace picks up on the electrifying “Fearing Much” where strings dart around deep bass, buzzing guitars and another funky drum break. The lush, melancholic “Being Friendly” is another easy beauty, all warm Rhodes and strings. Majestic stuff that puts an aural arm around you. The climactic “Having Fun” rides a pulsating, bass-heavy drum break with snatches of a funky guitar refrain, some luxurious keys, sweeping strings and triumphant horns. Sensational.
Based in the small but rather cool northern UK town of Todmorden, Tea Breaks is making a big name for itself, much like the local hotspot The Golden Lion, which has long been booking top-tier DJs and throwing proper good parties. Now the label delivers another standout release that collides legendary hip-hop with global rhythms. Opener 'Breathe & Stop' fuses Bollywood vocals with classic East Coast bars while 'Tea & Beer' drifts on woozy rhythms, world percussion and smooth female bars. 'Broad Nod Factor' brings golden-era goodness and sunny flutes, and 'Ms Fat Booty' closes with dark soul swagger that defined NYC in the mid-90s. These are, once more, four inventive mash-ups that bridge cultures and eras with effective style.
classic East Coast bars, 'Tea & Beer' has drunken rhythms and world percussion with silky female rap tones, 'Broad Nod Factor' rolls deep with a golden-era edge and sunny flutes and 'Ms Fat Booty' shuts down with dark soul swagger. Four great mash-ups.
A coast-to-coast celebration of luxury, lessons, and longevity, Life Is Beautiful unites three generational talents at the height of their crafts: Larry June, 2 Chainz, and The Alchemist. Over a collection of Alchemist’s warm, soul-soaked loops and refined production, Larry and Chainz trade bars soaked in game, gratitude, and grown-man perspective. It’s a record that marries the smooth polish of West Coast cruising with the Southern charm and swagger of Atlanta, all anchored by the smoky jazz textures and dusty drums that only Alchemist can deliver.
Each track feels like a snapshot of abundance—not just in wealth, but in wisdom. Larry coasts with his usual calm confidence, finding beauty in health, hustle, and high-grade habits, while 2 Chainz brings his trademark charisma and wit, dropping gems with the precision of a seasoned vet. Together, they offer a version of success that’s intentional and introspective, as much about self-care and staying grounded as it is about stacking wins.
From introspective slow-burners to sunlit bangers, Life Is Beautiful is a rich, unhurried listen that reflects where these three icons are now: comfortable, focused, and fully in their bag. It's a toast to growth, guided by intention—and it sounds damn good on wax.
Norman Connors' Mr. C is a masterclass in sophisticated modern funk and boogie-infused soul that was way ahead of its time. Originally released in 1981, the album finds the renowned jazz drummer/producer at a creative crossroads, boldly diving deep into street-level boogie-funk without losing his soulful, jazzy touch. What once might have puzzled jazz purists now delights soul/funk aficionados; it has quietly become a cult favourite and now, nearly 45 years later, Mr. C sounds fresher than ever. Brimming with infectious heavy funk, lush arrangements and soul-stirring performances, it's an album that flirts with perfection, ensuring its enduring significance in the boogie/jazz-funk-soul canon.
From its opening moments, Mr. C makes one thing clear: this is Norman Connors at his funkiest. The majority of the album is a straight-up party: think dancefloor-ready beats complemented by punchy horn riffs and slick early-80s boogie vibes. There’s heavy use of synths and drum-machines, demonstrating Connors' gleeful embrace of contemporary funk trends. Each track shines in uniquely thrilling fashion, showcasing Connors’ versatility and happy knack for blending genres whilst crafting unforgettable melodies.
Irresistible thumper “She’s Gone” opens the album with a dyno-Rhodes electric piano groove and a seriously thick boogie-funk rhythm. Lush string accents and horn stabs weave through the funky bassline, while the vocals (handled by a young Beau Williams) soar with gospel-tinged emotion. Over four decades later, it endures as a masterpiece. Living up to its name, the shimmering “Party Town” brings deep Electro-Funk Energy by layering bubbling synth bass and shiny lead synth lines. The groove is downright addictive, a brisk, brass-kissed jam that implores you to move. Up next, the sophisticated funk of “Keep Doin’ It” is a low-slung post-disco glider, propelled by a sleek vibe, leaning into the late-night boogie sound. Funky guitar, tight drumming (with Connors’ jazz-honed chops in the pocket) and smooth vocals urge you to “keep doin'” whatever it is that's working. “Stay with Me” works a bit of island flavour into the mix, riding a thick Caribbean groove complete with tropical percussion and an upbeat tempo that could almost be calypsoul. The fusion of Caribbean rhythm elements into an R&B context demonstrates Connors’ willingness to experiment with global sounds while keeping things soulful and danceable.
Side B opens with the sassy funk-deluxe workout, "Anyway You Want" dripping with that soulful strut. Bringing a real quiet storm swagger, “Sing a Love Song” slows the tempo ever so slightly into a sexy, swaying jazz-funk gem, featuring a young Glenn Jones on lead vocals. The arrangement is elegant, built on warm keys and an undeniable groove. The celestial “Love’s In Your Corner” is all about soulful uplift. Featuring the legendary Jean Carn's powerhouse vocals soaring over a brass-kissed driving funk, it's an R&B burner. The refined, jazzy instrumental “Mr. C” is a slinky, smooth, funk-filled mid-tempo groove, with sax and warm keys gliding effortlessly. Connors combines jazzy arrangements into the post-disco/boogie framework one last time, and the result is sublime. It’s sophisticated and cool and, as a finale, “Mr. C” wraps up the album in classy style.
On release, Mr. C flew under the radar but time has been exceptionally kind to this record. DJs, collectors and soul connoisseurs alike have since rediscovered its magic. As ever, this crucial reissue has been lovingly remastered by Simon Francis, cut by engineer of the year Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios and pressed to perfection by Record Industry in Holland. Norman Connors was something truly extra. He was a visionary. And Mr. C is proof.
Gladstone Deluxe is one of the most exciting musicians in the US right now. They make futuristic, deep, percussive yet smooth techno, deep house and electro. They also play timbales in NYC queer and trans salsa band Las Mariquitas, and are a frequent collaborator with fellow East Coast sonic trailblazers Kiernan Laveaux, Johnny Zoloft, and Mira Mira. They have released on Black Techno Matters, Data Disk, Misc, Innocent Music, How Things Are Made, and now Fixed Rhythms is excited to add to the Gladstone lore with their new offering, “No Haterade EP”.
A1 “Cleanse” is zippy tech-y house…think groovy, up-beat, sexy, like something you’d hear in a Titonton Duvante set. A2 is a remix, “Teakup – Where’s My Snare (Gladstone Deluxe Remix)”. Now the EP takes a turn towards psychedelic electro. Spacey trippy vocal manipulations, swelling deep space gravitational waves swelling and resolving. The B side opens with the “No Haterade” track. Arpeggiated electro that slaps with swagger. The final track is a longer, 9 minute driving deep housey techno tune. A bass line that you never want to stop, luscious pads, brain-tingling pings, melodic percussive synth runs, and a touch of acid.
If Gladstone is not already on your radar, take heed! Big tunes here!
Tea Breaks is based in Todmorden in the north of the UK. Although it's a small market town, it's well known for its pub, The Golden Lion, and the quality DJ bookings it gets. The label is proving just as good with yet another great collision of legendary hip-hop sounds and global beats. 'Breathe & Stop' has Bollywood vocals and classic East Coast bars, 'Tea & Beer' has drunken rhythms and world percussion with silky female rap tones, 'Broad Nod Factor' rolls deep with a golden-era edge and sunny flutes and 'Ms Fat Booty' shuts down with dark soul swagger. Four great mash-ups.
The duality of love and pain runs right through the centre of this compelling and highly personal debut LP from Sasha Pervukhin, DJ/producer from Zolochiv, Ukraine, currently based in Paris.
Over years releasing on his own Laconica label (as Alex Pervukhin) and more recently working at Carpet & Snares record shop in Lisbon, Sasha has honed in on a highly evocative, widescreen sound that draws deftly from his influences in classic tech house, breakbeat and hip hop. Now, on this new Carpet sublabel Nataraja — created for obscure, dark and experimental club sounds, downtempo, ambient and beyond — Sasha delivers four upfront and compulsive dancefloor tracks paired with four noirish vignettes, recounting a heart-on-sleeve sonic narrative about human contradictions: swagger and vulnerability, hubris and heartbreak.
Pedro Goya returns for his second EP on Carpet & Snares with four cuts of electro-disco. ‘Bosac’ and ‘Dopalow’ make up the lean and mean A side, matching Chicago drums with italo arpeggiators and moody pads. Pedro turns up the funk on the B side with the French house swagger of ‘Paean’ before the bittersweet acid and deep bassline of the closing track, a memorial to his beloved dog ‘Nikita’.
naemi follows last year’s excellent Erika de Casier-starring »Dust Devil« with a genius new album of ultra-catchy, perfectly executed shoegaze diamonds, powered by Ulla on drums and additional vox, flutes and extra vocals by Baptist Goth, and fuzz guitar by Kouhei.
»Breathless Shorn« is the Berlin-based Kansas-born producer's most compelling move thus far, featuring 11 perfectly fuzzed songs that almost completely shake off any electronic remnants in favour of a light-touched act of MBV worship. naemi has long nurtured an obsession with vintage dreampop and shoegaze, but until now they mostly blurred those influences with dubby ambience and delicate, heart-slicing production. On »Breathless Shorn« they completely re-draw their outlines, bristling with a much looser energy in a mode that feels like a big step up - more impactful, full of easy swagger and a bona fide emotional resonance.
Distorted, tremolo-bent guitars, boxy drums, electric bass and delirious multi-tracked vocals are the backbone here, mostly sounding like they could have been lifted off Kevin Shields' »Ecstasy and Wine« sessions. naemi's attention to detail is remarkable; no longer leaning on electronic masking or the influence of '90s British slacker rawk or twee pop, instead deploying the genuine article, with ambient music left as just a faint note wafting in the background.
With a clutch of EPs under his belt spanning a wealth of pallets, Henzo narrows the focus on his debut studio album “The Poems We Write For Ourselves” - a culmination of persistent iterations over several years, distilling his sonic milieu into something that feels decidedly his own. The album proper is coupled with a debut live performance which reinterprets the tracks and splices them with omitted material from the time of writing - recorded in full in the intimate confines of Manchester’s growingly infamous Stage and Radio basement. Honing his craft in the shadows of Lancashire, Poems is an expansive reflection of the producer’s time spent away committing to the scope of an LP.
A thread of stratified sound design weaves throughout the record, but with a discerning dancefloor proclivity mostly prevalent. Cold opener “Noggin” riffs on noughties Raster-Noton a la Byetone rebuilt with fractal tear out DnB, with closer “Indulgence” following suit on a puckered plod of Dub Techno ambience. More club-focussed moments come in the form of “Rustica Slump” and “Blue Will...”, the former’s sickly sweet vocals resolved by the latter’s stoic UKG/Techno rudeness. “A Bouquet of Clumsy Words” channels mechanical shuffle with a stripped back 2/4 pulse whilst maintaining a firmly FWD>>energy alongside “Plant Your Roots In Me” on a similar vector - swapping out a straight kick pattern for a bludgeoning 808 assault on an early Hessle-indebted tip.
“Take Stock, Touch Grass” harks to golden era ClekClekBoom and Night Slugs with a bare bones kick and vocal motif, updating the formula with a tweaking lead line that places it firmly in the contemporary space. “Swell:Shrink” sings from the same sheet with a shrieking, space age wobble doing the heavy lifting, knocking the pace back to a shoulder-lean swagger on a slow fast conundrum Henzo has shown his flair for on previous releases.
The outliers to Henzo’s more known approach, “Worm Grunting” with Belfast’s Emby, an amalgamation of halfest time DnB and illest mannered Road Rap, plus “The Rest Is The Mess You Leave”, a starkly anti-retro Ghettotek endeavour, give grounds to the LP. Clearly rooted in the comfortable universe of the dancefloor, these tracks expand the producer’s realm into loftier heights as he graduates into long play land.
Manzo Edits Vol. 5 trots proudly back into the ring, tail high and hooves tapping, with four fresh cuts to leave the dancefloor gasping for hay. "Rosy" opens the stampede with groovy springtime melancholy: Manzo is lovesick, staring across the fence at a cow he just can’t forget. "Amare Moto" slinks in with sultry swagger, a slow and sexy jam built to get the hips moving. On the flip, "You Have To Cry Tonight" struts in with crisp Italo drums and more attitude than a Saturday night stallion. We close with "Bring Me", an alpine rave of cowbells and yodeling, ready for the pasture.
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Every ATA project is marked by collaboration - some over a few weeks and some over decades. When drummer Sam Hobbs and bassist Neil Innes decided to make The Return of, by The Flying Hats they were building on twenty years of playing together; Innes"s years of nightclub residencies and love of Afro-American dance music, and Hobbs"s intensive exploration of the links between American soul and R&B, Jamaican rocksteady and roots, and the music of the wider Caribbean from Cuba to Trinidad and Brazil.
Dreamlogicc's a hard producer to second guess and he shows why with this latest outing on Sub Terrain. It explores everything from high-tempo and half-time to jungle, footwork and more. There is a real swagger and menace to the opener 'Finite Resource', 'Take It And Break It' then brings minimal drum & bass and caustic synth textures, 'Thyme To Goa To Bed' is a piano happy jungle workout, 'Dos Equitus' slows things down to smeared synth ambience and half-time steppers, more wobbly low ends come on 'Dox Equitus' and there is some manic IDM on 'Uncredited.' This one is mad limited so do not sleep as it won't be around long.
Rolling Bahamas makes its debut here with a first release from Rock Star Heroes who offer up a couple of hard-to-find and previously unreleased instrumentals of rock classics. These are perfectly designed for the club and collide rock, funk, disco and more into fresh forms. Opener 'Undercover Of The Night' is raw, hard-hitting groove magic with organic percussion and live drums laden with funky guitar riffs and lively chord work that brings the whole thing to life. On the flip is a rework of 'Miss You' which still has all the swagger of the iconic original with sultry harmonica luring you to the floor where the masterful drums and guitars will keep you moving.
Meet Kitchen Plug, the Parisian trio that somehow combines the rebellious energy of punk, the synth-driven chaos of electro, and the charisma of a boy band... except, they don’t really dance (yet).
With their new EP "Nice To Meet You," these self-proclaimed nerds have served up an unpredictable, colorful mix of electronic anthems and rock-infused vibes. It's like if your favorite computer-generated juice suddenly turned into an unstoppable emotional rollercoaster.
Expect cheeky melodies, emotional highs (and occasional lows), and enough playful swagger to make you question why you’re not already in their inner circle of "copains" (that’s French for friends, by the way). Kitchen Plug isn’t just making music; they’re creating a sound so lively and full of attitude that you’ll probably feel like you're getting a bear hug from your favorite nerdy best friend — just with more synths and less homework.
"Nice To Meet You" is the kind of EP that doesn't take itself too seriously, but it’ll still make you feel something. So, what are you waiting for? Plug in, and let's see if they can live up to their own hype. (Spoiler alert: They will.)
DJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop. With 1995’s Safe + Sound, he scaled new levels of musical magnificence with his signature new age P-Funk/laconic G-Funk. A quintessential, sun-scorched LA album, this is pretty much essential. Typical for mid-90s albums the original vinyl copies are now rare so here’s the Be With re-issue, complete with “Tanqueray”, the hidden track from the original CD release.
A preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta rap classics. He’s released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Quik has always been quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically. An old-school funk producer at heart, he’s also incredibly nice on the mic. His raps often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his trauma. Partying and pain, all mixed up. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from age 14, Quik’s tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Compton’s more typical nihilistic hedonism. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to drift out over sun-soaked barbecues.
By the time of his third album DJ Quik was a household name on the West Coast - California’s premier rapper/producer not named Andre Young. Released on Profile in 1995, Safe + Sound was certified gold. Less reliant on samples and more focused on live instruments, it elevated him from producer to fully-fledged composer. This sound — the quick, winding basslines, tinny high hats, smooth instrumental solos, soulful pipes, and Roger Troutman’s talkbox — defined him. This is an album of full-blown masterpieces. Rich soundscapes and masterfully arranged orchestrations with dense layers of sounds, intricate rhythms, and well-balanced songwriting.
The first track proper, “Get At Me” samples Cameo whilst Quik takes aim at the Judases in his life, the horn-laced chorus providing a triumphant feel. On the horizontal “Diggin’ U Out”, the soulful electric piano of Warryn Campbell lays a relaxed groove for Quik to talk over about one of his favourite topics: sex. Title track “Safe + Sound” chronicles Quik’s formative years over a slick instrumental. The moody bass locks a laidback infectious groove, the hook is catchy and Quik’s delivery is in fine form. On the uber-chilled “Somethin’ 4 Tha Mood”, Quik cooks up a breezy, feel good track of sparkly keyboards, syncopated claps, shuffling hi-hats, woozy synths and a floating two-minute flute solo courtesy of Robert “Fonksta” Bacon. Analysing the highs and lows of an average day in the hood, it echoes Cube’s “It Was a Good Day”.
“It’z Your Fantasy” is a silky smooth soundtrack to Quik’s detailed retelling of a sexcapade with a young lady and whilst “Tha Ho In You” is musically perfect for that midsummer family BBQ, its lyrical content is unsurprisingly decidedly less family-friendly. A real highlight, the infamous “Dollaz + Sense” is one of the most ruthless diss tracks of all time. The brutal lyrics ride a laidback West Coast beat, flipping a sample from Young & Company’s “I Like (What You’re Doing To Me)” as Quik fires lyrical shots at his arch Compton nemesis, MC Eiht. On the loping, hazy “Let You Havit”, Quik is again in gangsta mode, with more bars of barbs aimed at Eiht, rhyming over sun-kissed synthy-rollerskate funk.
Some of the finest tracks on Safe + Sound are those designed to de-stress. The evocative “Summer Breeze” is a classic warm-weather jam, anchored by a twangy funk guitar, breezy string arrangement, and a soulful hook delivered by Dionne Knighton. Quik’s nostalgic lyrics are not far from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Summertime”, reminiscing over barbecues at the park, young love, and the brevity of halcyon youth. The relaxed and jazzy “Quik’s Groove III” is another highlight, as bass, guitar, piano and flute combine to create a smooth, soulful instrumental.
The swaggering “Shack Up”-sampling “Sucka Free” features a cameo from Playa Hamm, all funky braggadocio and over much too quikly (pun thoroughly intended). The jazz-flavoured “Keep Tha ‘P’ In It”, again featuring Playa Hamm but this time extending the cameo invitations to Hi-C, 2nd II None and Kam, is pure laidback P-Funk. The deep bass and industrial drums make sure the groove hits hard.
“Tanqueray” was originally a hidden track on the CD version of the album, but it’s too good to hide. This wild party samples Brass Construction’s gigantic “Get Up To Get Down” and soars in its drunk-ebullience. An apt way to close this party-driven set.
This 2022 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. Unusual for the time, Safe + Sound was originally pressed as a double, so all that was missing was the CD’s hidden bonus track “Tanqueray”, so we’ve fixed that. The original vinyl release never got a picture sleeve, so we’ve recreated the original’s promo-style silver-sticker and plain black jacket. A subtle cover for a wonderfully unsubtle record.
We are excited to announce the release of "Nocturnal", the latest album from Basic Need, the collaborative project of electronic music veterans Alexi Delano and Pablo Sánchez. The 10-track album was recorded between Alexi’s studio in Stockholm and Pablo’s studio in Barcelona, with their signature blend of deep techno, immersive soundscapes and jazz improv approach.
With over three decades in the electronic music scene, Alexi Delano, a driving force in Sweden's electronic music scene, is known for his balance of minimalism, deep house and dark techno. Pablo Sánchez, one of Venezuela's top electronic music exports, has captivated global audiences with his versatile approach to music, combining dancefloor energy with left of field elements.
Together, they continue their artistic partnership under Basic Need, after several EP releases on Culprit, Hafendisko and Seven Villas Records among other labels.
Dj Stephano steps up to the plate after a run of wicked EPs on Kniteforce, KFA and KFRR....this release showcases his variety in style and ability to turn anything into something dark and terrifying. Darkness has a fierce swagger and pace to it, using wanr stabs in a nasty way, and a strange speech to further mystify and confuse the listener. Just Play is anything but playful, with its hypnotic sounds and unusual format, while Blame brings in a sinister piano to an increasingly claustrophobic vibe...
Parsley Sounds was the glorious debut album for Mo Wax by Parsley Sound. The album was one of the iconic label’s final releases before it closed in 2003 and locating a clean copy has been extremely tricky of late, unless you're flush enough to drop 150 notes on it. Mercifully, the Be With reissue, put together with invaluable assistance from the group, should remedy this situation. It's a lo-fi, bass-heavy, blunted beat treat, warped with heat haze and dreamy soft-psych and has been criminally under-heard for far too long.
As with most cult-like records, Parsley Sounds has many influential fans, far and wide. From Four Tet and Caribou to NTS's modern day breakfast hero Flo Dill, its reputation has only grown in stature. At the time, the notoriously hard-to-please Pitchfork garlanded it with a scarcely achievable 8.8 whilst, just recently, the Numero Group's Rob Sevier described it as a "visionary bit of proto-Salvia Palth (or Steve Lacy)" via a Ghostly International missive.
Parsley Sound comprised super-talented duo Preston Mead and Dan Sargassa. They released an early single (the perfect "Twilight Mushrooms", featured here) on Warp Records as Slum, before signing to Mo Wax. Hidden behind a wall of sound - fuzzy layers of beats, bleeps and symphonic synths - they were convinced they made mainstream pop music. And, in many respects, Parsley Sounds really is a beautiful pop album. It overflows with memorable, gorgeous melodies and inspired songcraft. As the contemporaneous Pitchfork review correctly had it: "Parsley Sounds is one of those rare records that manage to sound modest while frequently pushing the sonic envelope."
Killer opener "Ease Yourself And Glide" is a thing of aching, soft-psych, wonky beat-beauty. A melodic masterpiece, part Crosby, Stills & Nash, part proto-Koushik, it presents a melancholy falsetto, surging bass and blunted lead guitar. As it climaxes, gorgeous strings are ushered in to see us out. Sublime. "Twilight Mushrooms" is up next and it's an acid-drenched, strung-out acoustic-led campfire wonder. Amid layers of tape-hiss and beautiful, sun-dappled strings, its understated vocal track provides a haze of wistful innocence.
The breezy "Spring's Near" is a krautrock-inspired chiming instrumental of heavenly excellence, its warm, skipping, motorik groove and dreamy synths completely infectious. Another total highlight, the technicolour "Yo Yo" initially presents itself as a more abstract, bleepy offering but as it organically swells into ever more beautiful places, with the addition of a choppy insistent drum loop, flute bursts, horns and sweeping strings, it puts one in mind of early Manitoba and Four Tet releases. Shimmering, blissed-out greatness.
The celestial harmonies and glistening harps of the wonderfully beatless, serenely sullen "Ocean House" are very much in conversation with late-60s meditative psych whilst, closing out Side A, the jaw-dropping, lushly experimental effort "Find The Heat" comes on like Arthur Russell meets Brian Wilson. Yep, *that* good.
Side B opens with the warped, bleepy "Stevie", a brief but beautifully wonky, soulful and intricate instrumental. The more upfront vocals that propel the fuzzy "Platonic Rate" have a refreshing swagger to them, the heavy bass and neck-snapping in-the-red beats too much for any system to deal with whilst the guitars and strings have a sweeping, cinematic feel which just beguiles. The slow, urbane soul of "Candlemice" will stop you in your tracks, no matter what you're doing. It carries a delicate sadness, as does much of the album in that classic "down lifting" style we so love here at Be With.
The fuzzing, buzzing "Templechurchmansions" is a searing, soulful dubwise detonation. Heavily stoned with slow-burning jazzy snatches and a tense, moody atmosphere, it's a Tricky-adjacent gem. The album rounds out brilliantly with the ominous instrumental "Neon Breeze" before giving way to the propulsive, almost incongruous punk-funk / disco-dub of secret "untitled" track "Caution", a scratchy, smacked-out groove-fuelled workout with a female vocal dripping with 'tude. Just sensational.
Under the watchful eye - and attentive ears! - of Parsley Sound themselves, the audio for Parsley Sounds has been carefully mastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, with a few much needed tweaks here and there, according to the artist's wishes. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at the always stellar Record Industry in Holland.
Preston and Dan always thought the colours on the first vinyl pressing looked a bit "washed out" vis-a-vis the original artwork which was way more vibrant. We feel we've got it popping back to the original intention with the restoration work here at Be With HQ. So with the audio and artwork now approaching completeness after 20 years, this long overdue re-issue could be considered its definitive vinyl release.
After two collaborative releases on raum…musik — first with Federico Molinari and then Giuliano Lomonte — Alexis Cabrera steps into the spotlight for the 118th release of the label. "Dreaming Of A Silver Future" is a club-ready 3-track EP exploring various shades of Tech House, solidifying his talent for crafting fresh dancefloor groovers brimming with swag.
The title track, 'Dreaming Of A Silver Future' (A1), is the most colourful offer of the EP — a relentless groover immersed in organ chords, synth stabs, addicting vocal samples and a fully pumpin' bassline. 'Your Name On My Arm' (B1) puts its wicked bass and hypnotic vocal samples at the centre of the stage, creating an atmosphere of frantic, slightly wicked vibes drenched in hip-hop swagger. 'Do You Wanna Wonder' (B2) closes the EP in full swing, forefronting yet again its ominous-yet-hypnotic bassline between bouncy drums, shuffly rhythms and quirky vocal samples reminiscent of some sort of hypermodern pop.
"Dreaming Of A Silver Future" continues Cabrera's reputation for delivering groove-heavy music for the hottest dancefloors, showcasing his ability to navigate, with style, the infinite nuances of the Tech House spectrum, all while keeping things undeniably club-focused. And raum…musik, known for its refined curation of underground top-shelf dancefloor records, is the perfect home for this release.
Deep Sleep Robot returns with another throwback excavating some of the rare finds. The second chapter of the series, a Various Artist four-track EP, timeless cuts from the archives.
The A-side, Ronin (aka. J. Axel) the man behind several albums on PlackTown Sounds, Plastic City and Driftwood brings us "Mysterious City", classic Ronin sound here folks this being one of the first releases by the artist back in 1998. Followed by Swedish producer Johan Bacto (aka. Johan Svensson) responsible for labels such as PlackTown Sounds, Everyday, Mankind, Zync, Countdown 2000, with his "Takemountain" the combination of these creates the reunion of the tracks previously released 24 years ago, sounds just as fresh now as it did back then.
The B-side Van Delta (Christopher Bleckmann & Hannes Wenner) a German duo in charge of EP's on Groove Attack Productions, M_Nus, Archipel, and Krush Grooves, gives us a nostalgic trip from 1999. "Adjust", with hypnotic keys and solid bass line building up the tension slowly but steadily creating the groove. The final track by Dav (aka. Davor Stosic) a Croatian artist B+Positive, Cove Recordings, and Sensei labels that regularly has been on Swag Records store shelves. "Flight", a fantastic example of late 90's tech-house. Hypnotic soundscape, variety of layers and a slow build up, giving the track an otherworldly feeling.
All tracks were produced between the years of 1998 - 2003, timeless and rarer then rare.
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DJ Support: DJ Support by Spiller, Alex from Tokyo, Coyote, Fango, Pete Gooding, Ally Tropical, Steve Cobby, Gold Suite, Luca Averna, Will Nicol, Danilo Braca, La Guardia De La Luz
Federico Costantini aka Luminodisco is back on Hell Yeah having long since assured his legacy with the label. Over the years, the Italian has dropped many cult and still widely played cuts here from across the disco-sphere ('Ragazzini,' 'Diavolo di un Disco,' 'Oh Mary' and more all still bang) and now he is back with a newly moved sound. A compulsion to produce something with "a more adult approach" is what defines this latest era, and a fine one it is too. Opener 'Solero' will surely become as revered as those classics above with its irresistible grooves guaranteed to bring ultimate dance floor satisfaction. The punchy drums are peppered with percussion and drum fills while gloriously sugary chords add the heat and wispy pads take things into cosmic realms. 'Jazzclub' is an unhinged rhythmic interlude that chops up vocal stabs, screwy synths and whirring machines into stomping brilliance then 'Bigfoot' slows things to a dubbed out crawl that has you gazing at the twinkling star-like synths. Things then get wonderfully wild on closer 'Soko', a jumble of percussion and tribal vocals over swaggering drum loops. Playful leads bring the sun as the dumpy bass plods on, pixel thin pads squirm all around and a celestial carnival in the sky plays out with irresistible charm.
Glasgow based Seated Records return with more 1980s Scottish Post-Punk / New Wave material. In this 8-track mini compilation the label introduces the work of Stirling band 22 Beaches, offering a deep dive into music recorded between 1980-1984 - the majority of which has never seen the light of day!
22 Beaches formed in Stirling in the late 1970s as an evolution of the short lived group ‘Alone at Last’ - drummer Fred Parson’s and guitarist Stephen Hunter being the two who spanned the divide. Out of the six members of 22 Beaches, many were school friends, and the rest naturally fell together. The band toured extensively and played at a truly diverse set of venues across the UK: from a local swimming pool boiler room, to small nightclubs and university parties, to several fundraisers for the miners strike. Maybe most notably of all, drummer Fred Parsons described playing at what he calls “the Grangemouth International”, organised by local promoter Brian Guthrie and which featured an all-star lineup of 22 Beaches, The Exploited and the first incarnation of The Cocteau Twins. A coach was hired to ship the audience to Grangemouth from Stirling, the cost of which was included in the ticket. The gig then paused halfway through for a 'help yourself' buffet. Young promoters take heed. This is how it's done!
Over the course of the 80s the band released music on three different, and now sought after, various artists compilation cassettes. “What Day Is It?” and “Sadie When She Died” were released on a compilation of local Stirling artists 'The A.N.K.L.E File'. The track from which the current record takes its namesake - “Dust” - was initially released on a compilation-tape for the fanzine 'Another Spark'. And ‘‘Zoo” (also featured on this record) was first released on Glasgow label Pleasantly Surprised via compilation, 'An Hour Of Eloquent Sounds', where 22 Beaches rubbed shoulders with early music from Scottish names Primal Scream, Cocteau Twins, The Wake and Sunset Gun. Unfortunately, 22 Beaches never met the same level of commercial success as these others and decided to retire the project in 1984 - leaving their recordings and demos to gather dust (hehe)…until now!
This compilation, “Dust: recordings 1980-1984” follows the band's journey and the changes in their sound over the years. It moves from the raw, punk energy of early DIY recordings through to the A Certain Ratio style Balearica of their later pieces. The record's opener and title track “Dust” is perhaps the most shining example of the latter. Characterised by the plenitude of sonic space in the mix, “Dust” has an almost dub sensibility that is communicated through centrality of Parsons’ drums, McChord’s percussion, and Fildes’ Bass while the harmonising vocals of Sharkey and McGregor chant over the top to give the track its distinctive psychedelic edge. This is an atmosphere only exacerbated by the lofi quality of the recording which sits the vocals in the same aural realm as much 1960s psych-folk. On “Cartoon Boy”, the band strips things down further. A droning bass line persists through the tape fuzz and is accompanied by the sounds of a sole looping guitar chord sequence and McGregor and Sharkey’s vocals - respectively and carefully dancing around one another before harmonising in the most beautiful way. The result is a haunting and abstract Marine Girls style heartbreaker. ‘That Girl’ again delivers a dub adjacent rhythm section similar to that of “Dust”. However, on this instance crisp guitar chords, a distant, phased organ and blue-eyed soul vocal delivery, produce a track that could easily have been a lost Orange Juice recording from their sessions with Dennis Bovel. On “Somebody Got It Wrong” and “One Of Us” the band employ a more macro approach where a jangling guitar with an almost highlife-influenced tone, vocal ad-libs and syncopated percussion give the music a Talking Heads-esque swagger.
Taken together these tracks illustrate a clear trajectory in the band's sound, moving from from the high energy no-wave quality of early recordings towards a more dub influenced, and stripped-back sound - a sonic trajectory followed by so many bands of the time, not least those emerging from the diaspora of Manchester’s Factory Records.
On “Breathing’’ we hear the beginning of this transition, with the strong influence of the oddball NYC disco styles of Was (Not Was) and ZE records. All of this is meshed together with the residual punk rock energy of 1980s UK. This combination is employed to excellent effect with the addition of the distinctly Scottish (and what the band confirmed to me to be spontaneous) vocal delivery of: “Do you love me? Do you want me?” “Aye!” “Do you love me? Do you need me?” “Naw!”.
On the record’s closing tracks, “Zoo” and “Talent Show”, we hear early examples of the band’s work, playing with their rawest all-in-one-take live energy where Hunter’s spiralling guitar riffs and McGregor's distorted vocal exclamations lead the charge. The band recalls that these initial-forays did not always translate so well into multitrack recording and overdubbing: “the deconstruction took away some of the band's natural feel”. On “Talent Show” the record ends with Sharkey delivering an almost unintelligible spoken word section over the top of the track, making for one final, disorientating, almost manic slice of post-punk.
These tracks from 1980-1984 chart the progress of a unique contribution to the world of Scottish Post-Punk and New Wave, encapsulating not only the musical trajectory of 22 Beaches but also echoing the broader sonic landscape of 1980s UK, a testament to the adaptability and creativity of the UK’s underground music of the time.
Nørus & Dj Whipr Snipr team up for Gravitational Attraction on Nerang Recordings. Queensland based DJ/producer and label head Dj Whipr Snipr has been running Nerang Recordings since 2016, putting out music from the likes of Interplanetary Criminal, Subjoi, DJ Swagger, DJ Bowlcut, J. Albert, Cassettes For Kids, and many more since its inception. Teaming up with Brazilian DJ/producer and Gestalt Records alumni Nørus here, the duo air their Second collaborative EP With flavours from Breaks, Electro, Techno and beyond.
Early support by: ÂME, Noah Pred & Eduardo De La Calle + many more!
The package, posted from Inglewood in California, dropped through my letter box…
I was looking forward to seeing this, the VHS of the then relatively ‘unknown’ but now legendary live show at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. But when I fed it into my VHS player, I was disappointed. I could not quite figure out why. The band were tight, each musician sounded great, the product of being on the road, year after year, club after club in the States, sometimes playing five shows a night, all propped up by one of the best soulful voices we had ever heard, the maestro Frankie Beverly.
It took a second play of the VHS to realise what was missing. It was ‘too comfortable’ an atmosphere. A few wealthy customers sat around coffee tables quaffing champagne. It seemed to me that this audience, somehow, did not fit the band.
Paul Fenn at Asgard promotions received the contract from the band to appear live in London and Manchester. I became more and more convinced that his UK fans were going to be a lot more responsive than those from New Orleans.
We put the word out with just a couple of exclusive ‘shout outs’ by Robbie Vincent on his Radio London Soul programme. Those two plugs were enough to sell out all four shows at London’s premier music venue, the Hammersmith Odeon. The ticket office was rammed and the queue six deep, stretched halfway down Queen Caroline Street.
“I have never seen anything like it” expressed the manager of the theatre as he rolled down the shutters and turned on the “Sorry, SOLD OUT” notice above the theatre box office.
I was curious, so I went up and stood in the wings of the Hammersmith stage on that first show. Frankie, introduced to the stage by his sound engineer, Greg Blockman, sauntered past me, strumming his rhythm guitar, dressed in a casual dark green towelling suit, a brown leather visor and flip flops…and then five seconds later, he suddenly stopped. He seemed suddenly to be aware of the thunderous ’Welcome to London Maze’ roar, circling around the theatre about to engulf him. He slapped every black and white hand offered up to him that night, with a huge smile as he circled the edge of that stage. We wanted to get next to him, even if it meant climbing over rows of seats in front of us to do so.
That was the beginning of our love affair with Maze and Frankie Beverly. It certainly wasn’t New Orleans comfort; it was more like a crazy, but friendly, London riot.
Five albums on from the “Live in New Orleans” LP, Frankie sauntered into the California recording studio, probably with the same swagger as in London, to cut the delightful A-side here, “Somebody Else’s Arms”, from his aptly named ‘Silky Soul’ album. Along with the B-side, ‘Love is’ (from the “Back To Basics” CD, 1993) both are so delicious you might want to relax and pour yourself that London glass of champagne, 1983 vintage. Tell your mates your Maze/Hammersmith story too. You deserve it.
The third release on Derek Russo’s own Broad Channel imprint “Special Occasion" EP arrives loaded with a wide palate of club swagger for any hour of the party. “Celestial Machine” is the A1 rough and rumbling trip, steered by a wiggly SH101 bass line and anchored by a thunderous sub bass and tenacious, rattling percussion. A floating pad briefly takes the edge off before lurching back. The sounds here are inspired and shaped by the aching cacophony of city life. “Yearning 4 Love” marries a Detroit inspired motif, with tasteful synth layering and bouncy, off-kilter drum programming. The result is an inquisitive banger, something different for the modern dance floor. On the flip side, the title track ‘Special Occasion’ drops the tempo to a chugging rhythm that swings from a funky break tucked underneath. Deranged piano chords open up to a sinister synth line, jangling guitar and a thick 80s bass line. The final track “Planet Sunset” closes out this EP with a soaring, introspective synth floating on top of a rolling breakbeat groove, disco fed bass work and Juno stabs that resolves into a wave of oozy pad chords - a sure piece for the late night discerning dance floor.
Brand new and previously unreleased two extraordinary trax for
the Vienna label RHYTHM TRAX
Len Lewis first came up in the late 90s with his own label Poodle
recordings and Nu Poodle Breaks, in the heat of the UK tec house
underground sound and their best time.
His first production for the legendary Swag label 1999, was intense.
We are proud to present two of his hottest new productions for the
Chris Rhythm: RHYTHM TRAX VIENNA tec house label.
“Tec In Da House and keep the faith”, we are sure that Len Lewis
hold up high the true tec house underground sound, enjoy!
Minimal X returns with their second release, a three-tracker inspired by timeless music and edited by the MNMLX team to bring further joy on dancefloors all around the world.
