quête:t groove

Stone Foundation's latest 7" single, 'Reach Out', featuring Laville, delivers an uplifting soul anthem. The track blends soulful grooves with a danceable rhythm, carrying a powerful message of unity and positivity. Laville's expressive vocals are complemented by a classy keyboard solo, adding an elegant touch to the overall vibe. On Side-2, 'The Beat I Know' brings Carmy Love and Sheree DuBois on board, offering a smooth, laid-back counterpoint to the energetic A-side. This track maintains the band's signature soul style, providing the perfect balance. Both songs are part of their forthcoming album, The Revival of Survival, continuing Stone Foundation's legacy within the UK soul scene.

YSE Saint Laur'Ant returns with Saudade, an EP that digs deep into groove-rich territories, effortlessly blending genres and inspirations. Side A opens with an intriguing cut that merges gospel flair with ESG-inspired rhythms, driven by raw beats and a bassline that hooks instantly.

Following up is Special, where YSE’s long-time collaborator adds soft, spacey vocals over a supremely laid-back groove, creating a floating, heady vibe. Flipping to Side B, New York Boys offers a curious, spaced-out pulse with a touch of big-city grit, setting up the EP's final track, Gone Fighting. This midtempo closer stands out with an infectious Slavic sample infusion that rounds off Saudade on a note that's both groovy and reflective.

Mr. K returns to the fertile ground of the Paradise Garage for his latest with two certified floor-fillers closely tied to the legendary club.

TW Funkmasters’ “Love Money” took an unusual path to its eventual elevated status as a dance classic. The brainchild of UK radio reggae jock Tony Williams (the “TW” in the group’s name), it was conceived in response to seminal rap release “Rapper’s Delight,” but with reggae superstar Dennis Brown’s 1978 hit single “Money In My Pocket” as the lyrical inspiration. Indeed, the vocal version of the Funkmasters’ song is considered the UK’s very first homegrown rap tune. But it was the flip side that garnered the most attention in New York however. “The original track was quirky and worked at the Garage,” Danny Krivit says, “but when the dub came out, it really blew up everywhere. After that very few people played the vocal.” Krivit’s edit here takes the influential, futuristic dub and tightens the arrangement up for the 7-inch format. “Love Money” went on to heavily influence the New York City dance underground, with homages coming in the form of subtle tributes (Mateo & Matos’ “Love Style”) to a virtual remake from Larry Levan himself (Man Friday’s “Love Honey, Love Heartache”) to the untold records that have sampled or been influenced by the spacey, heavy groove.

We’re back closer to home and a more traditional source for Garage classics with our flip side, Janice McClain’s “Smack Dab In The Middle.” The Philadelphia born and bred singer burst out of the gate with this very Philly sounding single in 1979. Written and produced by her uncle, the song was recorded when McClain was all of fifteen years old, a fact made more astonishing by a commanding vocal performance that resonated immediately with listeners. Recognizing a good thing when he saw it, disco maven Ray Caviano picked the song up for his newly minted RFC label and enlisted Larry Levan himself to mix it for 12-inch release. It is Levan’s version that provides the jumping off point for Krivit’s edit here — “the original 7-inch version the way it was never seemed worth playing,” Krivit says — and he makes the most of the jazzy Philly disco groove, injecting extra energy in the early minutes of the song with a tasty filtered break unique to this mix.

Pressed and mastered with DJs in mind, this loud and crystal clear single is the perfect combination of bonafide Garage classics and the talents of Mr. K, all on one compact piece of vinyl.

DJ support - East End Dubs, Archie Hamilton, Sidney Charles, Alisha

Eastenderz welcomes Louden with a four-track journey that’s ready to push boundaries. With punchy grooves, hypnotic textures and an unmistakable drive, this collection showcases Louden’s unique approach to defining his own sound. Each track unfolds with precision and depth, capturing his attention to detail while maintaining an infectious, dancefloor-ready vibe.This release is set to become a standout in any collection.

Drivetrain, a.garcia & M.Kretch are techno monsters. Our music is what we eat, sleep, and drink. Our passion is our uncompromising style. This E.P. is a dedication to those artists that know and bet on themselves.

Cryovac #29 starts off the A side with Drivetrain’s 3am; an electro bass smoothie that claps waves of funk to warm a sexy spine. Track 2 “Discipline” is a dark fantasy, slapping bottom bass breaks pinch and twist synth to climax receding into an afterglow of rhythm.

Garcia and Kretsch open the B side with an epic tale of lost souls howling behind a spiritual synth devining a path for rocking minimal percussion progression. It is a heart felt yearning that rocks through pain that defines this track’s soul. B2 squeaks into a raucous groove of rhythms acting as one and defining themselves throughout a deforming heroic classic techno stomp.

Crossroads production team continue the collaboration with the rising italian soul singer "Cler" here performing two classics from different eras:
On side A we find a fresh new version of "Don't Lose The Magic", a soulful-dance classic written by Shawn Christopher, here covered with a more uptempo r&b mood. On the back side the young singer shows her vocal skills on the super classic "Georgy Porgy", which here finds a super warm nu-soul groove.

With Human Drift, TUKAN continues to explore human connections through music. This album marks a new phase in their journey, after years of performing on international stages and resonating with an ever more diverse audience. Human Drift embodies this collective movement, this human drift where the individual is swept away by a force larger than themselves.

In a world leaning towards isolation and individualism, Human Drift is a celebration of connection. Each track blends electronic grooves with instrumental melodies to highlight how music can transcend language and create authentic bonds between people. They want their audience to feel, through every note, the raw and organic energy they experience on stage.

Echoing their music, the visual universe of this album also focuses on the human element. It's all about bodies in motion, imperfections that reveal the authenticity of the moment. Just like on stage, they aim to capture sweat, emotions, and communion. Every detail matters: wrinkles, smiles, flashes of light in the dark. They seek to show the beauty of disorder and the unexpected.

Human Drift was composed with the idea of what music can provoke in a collective space: transformation. It's an album that encourages letting go, immediate connection, where each sound is an invitation to surrender and drift together towards unforeseen horizons.

Human Drift is a human experience, an album that embodies the spirit of community, celebration, and sharing. They hope that, like them, you'll let yourself be carried away by the drift.

After the worldwide success of Toribio's "Bring Dat Jazz" 12", selling over 1K units worldwide - the mainstay NYC producer returns with another record on his own BDA Imprint (in collaboration with A-Trak and Chromeo's label Juliet) for a special 12" with a Crackzat remix.
"Daylight" is a warm, uplifting deep house jam with skippy beats, warm rhodes, bass and percussion. Vocals come from Toribio's sister Sharin
with an uplifting message referencing classic 90s house lyricism.
Originally released digitally in 2024, the raw humility of that song won the hearts of listeners the world over, with nods from Resident Advisor and Spotify's coveted Pollen playlist.

Coming in next on the 12", the always on Crackazat turns up the musicality even further, with cascading pianos and strings that anchor the emotion of "Daylight", with a sly bassline nod to Speed Garage sounds. Another hit from Bristol's masterful jazz-house expert.
Also included on the 12" is Toribio's stripped down, deep-in the groove Alternate Mix.

“Thunder” is the second release from Hip Horns Brass Band in 2022. With “The Dream” the band paid homage to 90’s rap with the collaboration of London singer R.A.E. In “Thunder” they continue with the fusion of brass band and hip hop, but with an instrumental look and making references to contemporary rap artists.

For this recording they have had the trumpet of Miron Rafajlović, one of the references of jazz on the state scene, as well as the production of Tito Bonacera and the drums of HOSS$ Benítez one more hit. The groove that is established from the beginning —which the most music lovers will quickly recognize—, together with the careful arrangements and the enormous quality of the soloist, make “Thunder” a fresh and energetic song for the dance floors. Apart from the digital release in collaboration with graphic designer Hermes LeBleu, “Thunder” has been edited and distributed by Rocafort Records and Say it Loud Records. Side B includes the single “Marathon Runner”, a sample of the band’s first recordings that vindicates the raw sound of the street brass band.

*press Release From David Katz*

The Hardest Working Reggae Band In Southern England, Dubheart Is On A Mission To Spread Messages Of Peace, Love, Unity And Resistance Through A Heady Stew Of Contemporary Roots Reggae, Delivered On Live Instruments With A Hefty Dose Of Dub In The Mix. Cool Under Pressure, Their Latest Offering, Is The Band's Most Compelling Set To Date, A 'showcase'-style Album Where Every Vocal Track Is Followed By Its Dub Counterpart, And The Vital Contribution Of The Brassica Horns—from Rising London Ska Band Chainska Brassica—is Another Intriguing Element That Makes This Album Tougher Than The Rest.

Drawing On The Foundations Laid By Jamaican Stalwarts Such As Burning Spear, Dennis Brown And Culture, Dub Pioneers Like Scientist And Jah Shaka, Plus Newer Vanguards Such As Tarrus Riley, Grounation And Conscious Sounds, Dubheart Has Crafted A Distinctly Appealing Style That Is Very Much Their Own, Based On The Organic Presentation Of Their Musical Vision. Indeed, This Fully Self-contained Five-piece Is Firmly Engrained In The Neo-roots Movement Of The Present, With A Sound That Faces Ever Forwards.

The South Coast-based Band Was First Formed Back In 1999, And Slowly Built A Following Through Their Intense Live Performances, Which Always Harnessed A Live Dub Element. Their First Ep, the Solid Foundation Rhythm,' Issued On Their Own Karnatone Label In 2011 And Featuring Dub Mixes By Russ D Of The Disciples, Became A Regular Part Of Jah Shaka's Live Playlists. It Was Followed By The 7' 45, we Chant,' Featuring The Band's Charismatic Bristol-based Lead Singer, Tenja (who Originally Hails From France), The Track Becoming An Underground Anthem In Japan (via Rob Smith, Aka Rsd). Dubheart's First Album, Mental Slavery, Was Released In 2013, A Momentous Year That Also Saw The Band Win The European Reggae Contest Staged By Rototom Sunsplash, Leading To A European Tour With Festival Appearances At Summerjam (germany), Reggae Sun Ska (france), Overjam (slovenia), Sudoweste (portugal), United Islands (czech Republic) And The Sardinia Reggae Festival, As Well As Rototom In Spain. Then, In 2015, Karnatone Issued The Dub Companion To Mental Slavery, Mixed Down In A Heavy Dubwise Fashion By Drummer Gavin Sant, Otherwise Known As Fullness, The Band Was Then Invited To Participate In The Bbc Television Show, The Uk's Best Part-time Band, Leading To Their Ep Of Cover Tunes, 2016's full Time Pressure,' Again With Dub Versions From Fullness. part Of The Band's Appeal Lies In Its Tightness As A Recording And Performing Unit, When You See Them Live, You Understand That This Band Of Brothers Is On A Higher Mission, United In Their Wish To Use Music As A Means Of Upliftment. And That Sentiment Is Entirely Evident On Cool Under Pressure. The Melodic Bass Grooves Of Mark Shepherd Act As The Perfect Buffer To The Furious Rolls And Expressive Drum Patterns Of Fullness, David 'daddy U' Mountjoy Adds Scintillating Melodies On Keyboards, Including Some Delightful Wurlitzer Lines, And Richard Ramsey's Guitar Licks Tend Towards The Understated, Aside From The Occasional Solo Pyrotechnics, As Heard Here On rocky Road.' And On Songs Like can't Wait,' watcha Gonna Do' And The Title Track, The Brassica Horns Add Further Melodic Depth Through Fanfares Of Treble Brass Texture. with The Rhythms Laid Entirely Through Live Recording Sessions Cut At Fullness' Home Studio In Bournemouth (with Horn And Wurlitzer Overdubs Done Elsewhere), Cool Under Pressure Reveals Dubheart As A Band On The Rise, Heading For Unstoppable Heights.

The Dub Deconstructions On The Disc Allow The Listener To Hear The Exceptional Quality Of Their Playing, Emphasizing Each Member's Individual Talent, While The Lyrics Tackle Subjects We Can All Relate To, With watcha Gonna Do' Addressing Social Inequalities, can't Wait' Alluding To The Refugee Crisis, rocky Road' Imploring Everyone To Hold Strong In Trying Times, And rise Up' Calling For Direct Action Against The Unjust System That Rules Our Lands. Overall, The Outstanding Title Track cool Under Pressure' Really Sums Up The Band's Ethos: The System May Burden Us With The Stresses Of Censure And Control, But Our Obligation Is To Stay True To Ourselves And Resist. And The Music Can Help Us To Achieve This.

Smouldering Secrets was released in 1975 by Copeland Davis and his band and it's a great example of his energetic piano performances. The album opens with the melodic 'No Arms Can Ever Hold You' while tracks like 'Perfidy' and 'So in Love' feature lively instrumentals. Highlights include the soulful 'Jet,' where Davis sings, and the mellow 'Morning Spring,' famously sampled by Nujabes. This reissue also includes the vocal version of 'No Arms Can Ever Hold You' which makes its debut release on vinyl. Davis later gained popularity in Japan during the Free Soul and Rare Groove movements which is why this rich record one is being put out by P-Vine.

Following the international success of Her, Victor Solf presents « Tout Peut durer », a futuristic soul album in French for the 1st time.

In it he gives himself over to the intoxication of singing like a modern-day preacher.

Respecting the codes, he adds his own personality, working tirelessly to find the perfect balance between eternal soul and progressive RnB, between groove and minimalism, between intimate melancholy and collective jubilation.

Without nostalgia, without hindrance.

Feeling the deep and the hi simultaneously. Not craving for the extreme - finding balance instead. Indifference.
The word reflects what I often felt in recent times. Not just a feeling but a desire for things less pointed. It seems to be a general zeitgeist phenomenon but as I am part of the electronic music scene, I reflect a lot
about what is happening within this genre. There has been an urge for the either really hard, driving, fast and aggressive, or the extreme opposite.
Catchy vocals with a pop music feel, very direct and relatable melodies, soft grooves, piano chords. Either way - it feels like it has to be very distinctive - aggressive or soft - as long as it is extreme. It seems to be a moment in time where in whatever you do - it HAS to be in the face. All of this is fine of course - but never was my nature or personality. There is a reason why I chose to the adjective "Recondite" as an artist name because I could identify with the meaning of it. "hidden, obscure, not in the obvious”.
“Indifferent” is opposing this Zeitgeist and is representing driving techno with minimalistic melodic atmospheres, deep, haunting vibes, reserved yet strong and decisive within its own language, floating between melancholic desperation and hopefulness - music that lives right in between the hard and the soft... the aggressive and the neat... not black or white.

Back with a bang! "Road To Happiness" marks the triumphant return of Manchester"s one and only Dislocation Dance - after a 7-year long hiatus. The new album - their sixth - features ten new and fresh songs. Main songwriters Ian Runacres (guitar/vocals) and Phil Lukes (bass/vocals) most probably never sounded better. Kinda like Manchester"s Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards they create killer grooves a la Chic and The Real Thing. Melodies galore & disco euphoria plus beautiful vocals. To Love And Be Loved! Daft Punk meets Everything But The Girl. Ian Runacres formed DD in Manchester, and soon got trumpet player Andy Diagram on board who later joined The Pale Fountains and James. They created their unique mix of Post-Punk, New Wave, Jazz, Disco, 60s French Pop and Soundtracks. The band played their first ever gig at the legendary Factory in Manchester, recorded sessions for John Peel, Janice Long and Kid Jensen, and went on their own eclectic journey. Always maintaining their unique DD sound. Now they are back. With a truly fabulous album. On Marina - the perfect home for them. Let"s get (it) on... the road to happiness.

Brazilian artist Acid Asian steps up to Charlotte de Witte's KNTXT imprint with his Deep Soul EP, which explores the many different facets of his sound from rap and trap to techno and psytrance.

Fábio Seiki is São Paulo-based and started this project in 2020 during the pandemic. Since then he has made an impact with his fresh blend of influences and love of his 303. In 2022 he was the first artist to release on Charlotte de Witte's sub label, RPM, with his Break Into Acid EP and followed it up last year with The Night EP.

On Deep Soul EP, he says: "The title track is one of my favourites because it represents me 100%. Focusing on the acid line with this mantra vocal, I wanted to express something more deep to this track. 'Space Colors' is a track with which I wanted to express this new hard techno era using the hardstyle's kick but keeping my style. 'Ain't Nobody Like Us' is my background from rap/trap and 'Humans' is my psytrance background, it's an off-beat track.”

Charlotte de Witte adds: “Acid Asian is back! From his first release with us in 2022, it's been such a pleasure to see him grow and gain respect in the techno scene. We've played many shows together and he's one of the most talented, most instinctive producers out there. Playing Space Colors as the closing track at the main stage of Tomorrowland Brazil where Fábio was dancing in the crowd, was a very wholesome moment. These four tracks are absolute bombs and also show the variety he has to offer as a producer. I'm very excited about this release and I hope you are too!”

Opener 'Deep Soul' is hard and fast with a hypnotic vocal and gurgling acid lines that shoot through the mix to electrifying effect. 'Space Colors' has slamming drums that are lit up with bright, shiny trance chords and underpinned by a rugged bassline that is sure to raise the roof. There is a fantastic rhythm to 'Ain't Nobody Like Us' with its fresh drum patterns and funky edge, narcotic trap vocals and trippy synths. 'Humans' shuts down with ghoulish vocal sounds and squelchy synths all stuffed into a driving, unrelenting hard techno groove.

This is a wonderfully expressive new EP from Acid Asian.

For this fifth album, the musical frequencies emitted by Vaudou Game have spread beyond the confines of the city and country, crossed the Atlantic, and reached Colombia. Drawn like magnets, tropical waves traveled along the equator from Latin America to Togo, arriving at the doors of the OTODI studio. They, too, wanted to join in and take advantage of its legendary analog equipment. Welcomed by Peter Solo, they weren’t the only contributors to the band’s renowned hypnotic groove.

The sedans parked outside tell their own story. From Lomé’s bustling market, the Nana Benz of Togo arrived to weave the delicacy of their beguiling vocal harmonies into call-and-response exchanges with Peter Solo. Meanwhile, Lomé Vio, a youth group whose instruments were provided by Peter during turbulent times, lent the strength of their trio of voice, guitar, and accordion.

Still operating under the supreme authority of funk guided by the esoteric and mystical essence of the Vaudou scale, Vaudou Game brings together the hands of highlife and cumbia in perfect unison. With guitars, percussion, horns, and future-vintage keyboards setting hips in motion or creating the most intriguing atmosphere, Peter delivers his messages hidden behind his iconic, inextricable mask. Whether political, human, or environmental, these messages are always wrapped in thick layers of sarcasm and humor, cleverly disguised to serve the exclusive purpose of joyful, dance-driven trance.

With the subliminal mantra to repay Africa—its people, its land—Vaudou Game calls out: FINTOU!

Dive into the cosmic grooves of Nebulous, the 8th album by UK's most enigmatic library music composer, to be released on digital and vinyl in January 2025.

This 9-track odyssey takes The Natural Yogurt Band’s signature sound to an even richer galaxy with keyboardist Huw Rees aka The Oracle, who adds warped organs and electric pianos over gritty drum breaks and electric pulses, echoing the raw energy of space's farthest reaches—ideal for jazz heads seeking a unique listening experience.

Swe-doomdeath MOONDARK returns with the debut "The Abysmal Womb", a brooding and dense atmosphere weaving towering grooves of perpetual tenebrosity. With insurmountable gloom strewn over the entire album, "The Abysmal Womb" permeate a striking yet unique parallelism of early Crematory, Crowbar and peppered with bits of debut-album Cathedral; the clever utilization of megalithic riffs are clearly evident and immense pulsations are scorched in deep abyssic darkness. Recorded between several locations and with mixing and mastering handled by Peter Bjärgö (Tyrant, Crypt Of Kerberos, etc) at Erebus Odura Studio, the cover artwork for "The Abysmal Womb" was conceptualized by Johan Jansson and Allan Lundholm.

Lucero lead singer Ben Nichols and keyboardist Rick Steff spent a day at Grammy Award winning engineer Matt Ross-Spang's Southern Grooves Studio in Memphis, TN recording acoustic versions of Lucero songs. Spanning the band's career, the songs range from some of Lucero's most popular crowd favorites to more obscure rarities and were all recorded live in the studio featuring grand piano and acoustic guitar. The double album, Lucero Unplugged, presents 20 stripped down tracks that offer fresh takes on the band's exceptional catalogue.

In memory of a long lost friend, Patas comes forth with a relic of a vinyl release in the name of that loved one, featuring one dreamy side in memoriam of the flesh, and one bouncy side for the spirit.

Title track starts it out in a lush and vibrant synthworld pairing up with a dubby techno groove, whole track foaming over with saudade, an emotional concoction of joy interlaced with melancholic sadness, one part looking back in tears, the other going forward with a subtle smile.

ILU 2 MUCH takes a bit too much sweet emotions stuff and turns it into a restless standstill.

Flip the record over and you get two certified dancefloor scorchers in different trajectories. Bontelabo is a deep and trippy broken beat keepsake using only sampled guitar for its harmonic and melodic content.

Og Sa ? is a fresh take on the techno tool, constantly flipping and changing up the material around some good ol machine funk, a tune for all the serious clowns looking to get down.