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Mental Groove Records is thrilled and honored to announce the follow up to last year Water Vein EP (MG115) by Asian Psilocybe Foundation & Dj Yogurt. Entitled 'Daikaku", a Buddhist term for one who has achieved enlightenment. This second installment smiles on Geinoh Yamashirogumi Akira's Soundtrack. APF is an eccentric Japanese musician who raised attention from the Detroit. Remixed by Jon Dixon of Underground Resistance's Timeline, APF first EP was released by once legendary producer Orlando Voorn (Fix, Game One, Baruka). On the A side he achieves to capture Akira's spirit with his own organic and floating sound signature within a long, delicate and trippy techno number while on the flipside Dj Yogurt, a regular figure of Tokyo's nightlife who worked at Cisco Records, delivers two straight percussive numbers fueled with traditional Japanese flavor to take the most discerning floors to a Tetsuo state-of-mind. Mastered by Music Matters Mastering and cut at Emil Berliner Studios, Berlin.

Underground Jazz, Street Funk & The Roots Of Rap 1968-79. Soul Jazz Records' new release 'Soul of a Nation: Afro-Centric Visions in the Age of Black Power' is released in conjunction with a major worldwide art exhibition, Soul of A Nation: Art in the The Age of Black Power which takes place at the Tate Modern, London, UK (July-Oct 2017) and The Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA.

The album shows how the ideals of the civil rights movement, black power and black nationalism influenced the evolvement of radical African-American music in the United States of America in the intensely political and revolutionary period at the end of the 1960s following the assassinations of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and the rise of the Black Panther party.

Featuring groundbreaking artists such as Gil Scott-Heron, Roy Ayers, Don Cherry, Oneness of Juju, Sarah Webster Fabio, Horace Tapscott, Phil Ranelin and many others, Soul of A Nation shows how political themes led to the rise of 'conscious' black music as new afro-centric styles combined the musical radicalism and spirituality of John Coltrane and radical avant-garde jazz music alongside the intense funk and soul of James Brown and Aretha Franklin and the urban poetry and proto-rap of the streets.

The Soul of a Nation exhibition draws on the links between Black art forms - art, music, poetry - and how they came together during the civil rights and black power era as part of the wider black arts movement across the United States.

Iconic African-Amercian revolutionary figures such as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Angela Davis, John Coltrane, Muhammad Ali all appear in the radical artworks of Barkley L. Hendricks, Romare Bearden, Norman Lewis, Lorraine O'Grady and Betye Saar.
A selection of original radical jazz record sleeves artworks which appear in Soul Jazz Records' earlier groundbreaking Freedom, Rhythm and Sound - Revolutionary Jazz Original Cover Art book will also be on show at the Tate, London throughout the exhibition. The Freedom, Rhythm and Sound book is also newly back-in-print in conjunction with this major exhibition and the release of the Soul of a Nation album.

Stuart Baker (founder of Soul Jazz Records) will appear on the panel of Jazz for Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power discussion at the gallery as part of the show. Soul of a Nation comes with extensive sleeve-notes and exclusive photography in a large 36-page outsize booklet and slipcase. Double gatefold vinyl album edition comes with full colour inners + bonus download code and includes full sleeve-notes/photography.

Britain's very own Twitter all-star is back... James Blunt will release his fifth studio album, 'The Afterlove' on March 24th through Atlantic Records. The new album is the follow-up to 'Moon Landing', which reached platinum status in the UK and spent 33 weeks in the UK Top 40 after it was released in 2013.

James worked with a wide range of talent when writing and recording 'The Afterlove' including Ed Sheeran, Ryan Tedder, Amy Wadge (Ed Sheeran, Shannon Saunders), Johnny McDaid (Example, Biffy Clyro), Stephan Moccio (Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd) and MoZella (Miley Cyrus, One Direction).
 
James Blunt will also be embarking on a UK headline tour, The Afterlove Tour, which includes a date at London's Eventim Apollo. This is the first tour for James following his extensive Moon Landing Tour, which saw him perform over 140 shows across the world over the course of twelve months.

What's the definition of a treasure Something precious hidden in a safe place by a king maybe Offen music begin their journey.. 3 sides of music with an etched 4th TIP!
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Serbian electronic music pioneer Rex Illusivii (The King of Illusions in Latin) left an extensive collection of never-heard-before musical gems in his mother's place, and other secluded corners of the world. They have been properly archived, years after his death in a studio fire in Brazil in 1999, the evening of the promotion of the São Paulo Confessions album he made as Suba.

From this archive that spans the 1980-1991 period, reflecting both his cutting-edge creative spirit and his classical training, In The Moon Cage (1988) has been selected as a first newly mastered release to emerge on two 12''. It is meant as an invitation to take a peek into the now finally unlocked treasure chest, filled with valuables of an undeniable intensity and sincerity, belonging to the multifaceted man behind the Rex Illusivii and Suba monikers: Mitar Subotic.

On In The Moon Cage, Subotic treats us to Yugoslavian folk lullabies, rain songs, ancient incantations, combined with equally mesmerizing electronics. These works, circulating on tapes that Subotic sent out in person, were awarded the UNESCO International Fund for Promotion of Culture, enabling him to start his influential career as a producer in Brazil. Yet, In The Moon Cage and the rest of his early projects have remained mostly uncharted and unrecognized until this day.

Subotic being as comfortable producing for Yugoslavian new wave bands as for bossa nova singer Bebel Gilberto, already manifested an exciting divergence in his likings and interests. The disclosure of his own more personal material leads to a renewed appreciation, perceiving him as the righteous king of illusions that he was.

Wurzel's second chapter showcases four mesmerizing tracks from four different well-grounded artists. Hypnotic beats, tasty grooves and cosmic melodies merge onto a unique dynamic canvas. Mighty weapon to have in the bag.

After his memorable 'Wolves' EP of last year (which garnered great support and earned record of the week on B.Traits BBC Radio 1 show) Florian Busse returns to connected for his new release 'Heus' EP on vinyl and digital,retaining and developing his idiosyncratic sound sculpting, Florian has delivered another unique take for the dancefloor.
1. 'Heus' A hypnotic tom and bass groove, heavy on atmosphere and noise, foreign and far away synthesizers and a deceptive bass note, the melody starting slow with a repetative phrase, then telling its whole melancholic, wistful, but powerful story before an arpeggio in the main break brings things to an end and delivering a powerful moment in the club when the beat comes back. Memories of summer.
2. 'Intro'. As the track name says, the long intro is the 'featured' part of the track, a good starter for any dj-set where people do not leave the dancefloor if the beat hasn't kicked in after the first 10 seconds. Child like voices, steady synthesizer note coming and going and a low bass create an intense first 3mins before the beats kicks in for the first time continuing with a pretty minimal beat before the elements of the intro come back and voices replace the synth line.
3. ''Guem'. A steady bass note and a waylaying, moody synthesizer theme ,tastefully selected drums, heavy beat and percussion ,joined by weird bird like sounds place you into a wood where the sun has already set.

Camea returns with the third release on her Neverwhere imprint, titled 'Vanish', this Spring. In her new single, she digs deep on her drum machine into Studio 1-esque territory, using alluring classic minimal techno grooves as a back drop for her seductively soulful, selfconflicted vocals. Camea not only captures a timeless micro-house vibe in this piece, but she continues to push her sound forward as well as her love for avant-guard techno. Up next is Delft imprint boss, LA-4A, best known for his analogue vintage Roland drum machine productions. He has laid down an irresistible 303 break-beat club mix of Camea's track in the A2 spot. His dance cut of her vocals over bass driven percussion is a perfect counter piece to the original, and compliments the sound from his recent acid techno album 'Phonoautograph'. On the flip side, Berlin techno legend and Ostgut Ton/Berghain resident Tobias. gives his graceful interpretation. He has reworked the original into a tasteful, dark, spacious 8-minute minimal techno piece, with percolating panning and filters on the vocals. As usual with Tobias., he clearly conveys his undeniable expertise and instinct for exquisite dance music. With this release, Camea is also marking the 2nd anniversary of her cult Neverwhere Radio show this Spring, having produced twenty-four, two-hour episodes with exclusive DJ mixes and guests. The show currently has residencies on Digitally Imported, Tsugi Radio and Ibiza Sonica, and Camea has quickly established herself as a driving force in the left-field techno community, and a passionate advocate of underground radio.

Fresh off the back of a chart topping Unity Through Sound release Foundation Audio head honcho Chad Dubz comes correct with three sound system bangers ready for the dance!
Opener Kingdom Dub' is a relentless display of dubstep pressure with its gnarly, pulsating sub twisting and turning throughout the track to devastating effect. It has been a firm favorite in Chads sets over the past year and is certified to destroy the dance floor.
As the name suggests Space Cadet' is a wavier affair. - Its peculiar drum patterns and quirky effects combine to form a superbly strange track that retains the heavy sub sensibilities and darkness of its counterparts.
Closer Drainpipe' keeps the dubstep fundamentals in tact with heavy subs, deranged mids, sparse atmospheres and industrial sounding percussion to create a mechanical monster, rapidly building momentum until it turns into all manner of chaos on the second drop. With FAV005, Chad Dubz has created a fine display of sound system- shaking-pure-dubstep-musical-goodness with possibly his best release yet... Essential!

Black Truffle is honored to present a new issue of Annea Lockwood's classic 1970 tape piece Tiger Balm, unavailable on vinyl for over thirty years, accompanied by two exquisite unreleased works for percussion and voice.
Created while Lockwood was living in the UK, the side-long Tiger Balm is a singular work within the cannon of tape music. Inspired by research into the ritual function of music, the piece explores the possibility of evoking ancient communal memories through sound. Breaking entirely with the dynamic language of the musique concrète tradition, Lockwood uses a select palette of mainly unprocessed sonic elements chosen for their mysterious and erotic characteristics (a purring cat, a heartbeat, gongs, slowed down jaw harp, a tiger, a woman's breath, a plane passing overhead), presenting at most two sounds at once. As one sound flows organically into the next, their shared characteristics are highlighted, opening a space of dream logic and mysterious associations between nature and culture, the ancient and the modern.
The B-side presents two pieces for percussion recorded here for the first time. Amazonia Dreaming (1987), performed by Dominic Donato, uses unaccompanied snare drum and voice to evoke the nocturnal soundscape of the Amazon rainforest. Unorthodox techniques and materials (marbles, chopsticks, a plastic jar lid) transform the snare into a resonant field of sensual textures.
Immersion (1998), performed by Donato and Frank Cassara, is a slow-moving exploration of gentle beating tones, performed on marimba, tam tams and gong. Like the other two works presented on this LP, it provides captivating proof of Lockwood's belief in the complexity that deep listening can reveal within seemingly simple sounds.
Francis Plagne
Presented in a stunning deluxe gatefold sleeve with archival pics and liner notes by Annea Lockwood including the score to Amazonia Dreaming.
LP design via Stephen O'Malley
Mastered and cut by Rashad Becker at D&M, Berlin February 2017

Russian duo Gamayun, known for releases under the Udacha label, make their way to Hesperian Sound with 4 jazz-laced live grooves. Occupying a space between tropical Balearic and moody Deep House, this EP offers both rich melody and rhythmic excellence in tandem. The lead off track "Golden Ratio" harkens to the past with its ornamented theme and classically inspired strings, while "Ascension" chugs forward, bringing along sweet piano and synth riffs. On the flip, "Untitled" is dubbed out melancholic perfection as "Uvolnenie" closes with shuffling techno followed by a mellow bow out.

Last volume of this compilation series, again a great one.., Holding amazing tunes from across the globe that you probably already have been looking for.... TIP!!
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Over the last five years and as many volumes of their Beach Diggin' compilations, Guts and Mambo have explored the reefs of five continents, dredged the sea beds of countless seas and oceans, examined every single seashell with the aim of making sure that no vinyl pearl should escape their notice.

Tunisian reggae, Japanese disco, West Indian jazz-funk, the duo's aesthetic dribbling skills would stop the savviest Brazilian football player dead in his tracks, and it was with this in mind that they proceeded to select their discoveries. With a marked preference for meditative free-diving rather than tour package scuba diving, and isolated spots rather than massively overdeveloped beachfronts.
For this latest instalment of their adventures, Guts and Mambo have organised another expedition around the world, to salute the spots where for the last five years they have uncovered rare specimens, saving some of them from total extinction, while shining a light on others that amply deserved it.

Though each Beach Diggin' compilation can be listened to independently of the others, the five together now form a kind of navigational chart signalling with its green flags the places where, in Africa, Europe, Asia, America, and the South Pacific, they gambolled on sandy beaches, avoiding the well-trodden path, becoming more and more demanding with each passing year.
Beach diggin' is a state of mind...

Soundway fans frst got a taste of Jay-U's infectous beats with the track 'Some More', featured on the Soundway compilaton Nigeria Disco Funk Special: The Sound Of The Underground Lagos Dancefoor 1974-79'.
Originally released by EMI Nigeria in 1977, this now-rare album was writen by Jay-U and engineered by disco-boogie artst Goddy Oku. Opening with the up-tempo reggae number Reggae Deluxe', the album descends into mind-blowing jazz-funk featuring several killer saxophone solos. The journey ends with a trip into psych-prog rock, with a sound not dissimilar to that
coming out of the early 70s Britsh rock scene.
(*Note: track 5 from the original recording will not be included in this reissue)

Species Of Fishes was created in 1993 in Moscow during the experimental home sessions of Igor Kolyadny and Vitaly Stern, which resulted in the recording of the Songs Of A Dumb World, a sampledelic album, published on the sublabel of the Dutch Staalplaat - Kormplastics in 1994. It was followed by the album Trip Trap (1996) on the domestic label Exotica, which immediately affirmed Species of Fishes as one of the leading electronic groups in Russia. It is this seminal album that marks the first release of Nina Kraviz's new label GALAXIID.
GALAXIID runs as a sub label of , illuminating the listening side of Nina's musical taste with a focus on experimental, ambient and psychedelia. As with , GALAXIID has a strong connection to art through it's visual identity, with all the cover artworks drawn by psychedelic artists.
Trip Trap was so ahead of its time upon initial release and still sounds modernistic as it is rereleased almost 20 years later. Here, Species Of Fishes explore different genres of electronics, somehow interpreting them and creating their own unique out-of-genre stylistics, marrying different styles such as breaks and experimental in 'Health 100%', electro and ambient in 'Crash Recovery', IDM and techno in 'Bfg9000 vs. Barons Of Hell'. The 10 tracks range from short interludes '(Backspace)' and (Alt+Tab) to more lengthy tracks '(The Web)' and 'Access Depth'.

12 whitelabel, limited to 250 hand stamped and numbered copies

The 2nd drop on Through My Speakers comes straight from NGHT DRPS' dubby chambers. Showcasing his musical roots and influences, it blends earthy grooves and heavy drums with his signature deep and trippy vibes. From killing it on FACTMAGs 'Against the Clock' producer series - collecting almost half a million plays and making it into the all-time top ten of 'Against the Clock' - to remixing Moderat's 2016 'Eating Hooks", we are very happy to announce NGHT DRPS' debut EP on Through My Speakers. Vital Sales Points: - already played by dBrigde, Plastician, Toddla T, Sarah Farina, Kabuki, Scratcha DVA, Zed Bias, Moderat and more - Releases on tba - airplay on Rinse FM, NTS, BBC Radio 1 & 6,

Selected East African Recordings From The 1970s & '80s !

Cardiff's Chain of Flowers return to Alter with their first new material since 2015's self-titled debut album. A double A sided single, 'Let Your Light In' and 'Flesh, Blood and Bone' are two tracks which see the band moving beyond the dense shoegaze sonics of their debut, bringing forward a more spacious and streamlined sound that emphasises the powerful urgency of their live performances.

Despite 'Let Your Light In' offering a more optimistic tone to what fans of their debut may be used to, the charismatic guitar hooks, hazy vocals and fist-to-the-horizon anthemic qualities of the group are no less present. On this new found optimism, vocalist Josh explains: "Relationships of all kinds keep this world moving. We live in times of profound darkness, though I somehow find myself lucky enough to be surrounded by people that pour some light and inspiration back in to my life and this is not to be taken for granted. This song is an ode to love and companionship around the world, a gratuitous nod to the better aspects of the human race. A thank you for being you."

'Flesh, Blood and Bone' on the other side appears to follow a darker and more pensive path at first with Josh singing at his most baritone and ominous. However when the chorus hits with its searing synthesiser melody, a switch is flipped. Musically it channels perfectly the bombastic new wave ambition of early Simple Minds, alongside the dramatic post-punk melancholy of the Chameleons. With this, Chain of Flowers are evidently making an effort to find a light within the darkness of the world and their own collective souls.

A strange confluence of sound that sounds part Krautrock synth label Brain records, part Hyperdub.   Techno haze and synth wormholes with spectacular sound design that has banged at Berghain and soundtracked winter night drives.

Greenspan is known mainly for his work with Junior Boys and Jessy Lanza and Taraval is a longtime touring member of Caribou, but both have released several 12' and EPs of electronic exploration over the past few years. 

Inspired by synthesizer minimalists like JD Emmanuel, Cluster and John Carpenter, the two attempted to create a type of dance music with hardware that was indebted to their influences but did not feel intrinsically retrogressive. The idea was to make a type of raw synthesizer and drum machine music that could be listened to beside the hypermodern techno of Pearson Sound or Actress.  

The cover art is a tribute to a mysterious mural that looms over the Hamilton Ontario area where the album was recorded.
Each of the five tracks on the EP were edited down from much longer recording jams which were done with hardware sequencers in real time. The recording was done completely off the floor with no overdubs or added material after the fact. As this release might appeal to synthesizer hobbyists and enthusiasts it seemed appropriate to compile a list of the instruments used in the original recordings. they are as follows: Arp Odyssey  Pioneer Toraiz SP 16 Eurorack Modular System Roland JX8P DSI Tempest Simmons SDS8 Roland SH101 Roland Jupiter 6 Yamaha CS50 Oberheim OBXA

The 2nd release from I Walked by Night comes firing out of the southside of Glasgow. A young man by the name of The Burrell Connection has been flying under the radar for a few years now... A Perth native / Glasgow immigrant has been making music since he was 15, his first release came via West End Communications (003) in 2015. Since then he has released most recently with Craigie Knowes on the amazing 2nd annual War Child fundraiser along with Legowelt, Shanti Celeste, Neville Watson and many more. 'Southside' was made with a Juno 6, Yamaha Dx21, Roland TR8, Korg MiniLogue and twisting samples and recording most tracks in one take with little post editing. This EP oozes raw energy and shows off a delicate deft touch. After debuting at the Warehouse Project in 2016, The Burrell Connection will be producing his first live show in 2017.

This is a journey into sound. A series of journeys across the globe, in-fact. This time with Don Leisure from Darkhouse Family. Let us tell you a story. Firstly, we first need to answer a question. Who is Shaboo

It began in Africa. Nasser Barwani was the son of Shabudin. At the age of 15, Nasser (Don's Uncle) left Kenya and hitch-hiked his way to London. Nasser entered the movie business, occasionally finding himself in front of the camera, acting in Bollywood films. It was then that Nasser changed his surname to adopt a screen name - Shaboo.

According to Don, "Shaboo was the most colourful character in my family. I have fond memories of him playing tabla at family parties. When I was about 17, I was on a journey with my Uncle. Whilst Shaboo drove me around, he was playing the steering wheel as if it were a tabla. It was then I nervously asked "do you think, one day, I'd be able to make music too...". Shaboo was so furious he nearly crashed the car, slamming his hand hard against the wheel. He screamed "OF COURSE YOU WILL!! IT IS IN YOUR BLOOOOOD!!!"...

A week later, inspired by the creative energy of my Uncle, I acquired some music software, and began an all new journey. A journey through the beats..."

Long family car journeys were a constant in Don Leisure's life growing up. "We'd take frequent trips from Wales to London to visit family in the late 80s / early 90s. There I'd mainline into my cousin's record collections, and make full use of the signal radiance to the M4, searching the airwaves for pirate radio stations. However, I wasn't the only one to make use of this. Every trip, my parents would routinely tune their dial into Sunrise Radio - the only Asian radio station around back then.

The soundtrack of these road trips were somewhat unique. Whilst I tried to learn the lyrics to 90s hip hop songs taped off my cousins, my Mum would constantly interrupt, interspersing my boom bap with bonkers Indian radio ads. And here we have the premise of this album. An attempt to recreate this sonic mix, with sounds pulled in from dusty crates and breaks dug from all over the globe."

25 instrumental Hip Hop tracks, linked together in a truly unique style and fashion, this is much more than a beat tape. This is a journey into sound. For real.

Dedicated to Nasser 'Shaboo' Bharwani.

With this album Cypress Hill turned towards a more tranquil, sedate, slower, spooky sound with beats. The dark mood of this album reflects the strife within the band during this era, when member Sen Dog temporarily left the band to pursue other projects.
On this album both Wu-Tang Clan members RZA and U-God make appearances on "Killa Hill Niggas". Also notable was track "No Rest For The Wicked" which ignited the feud between Cypress Hill and rapper Ice Cube, who they claimed, stole material from the band.
At the time this album was well received by critics worldwide.

Q - 4 Stars - Excellent - "The production is sophisticated, incorporating Indian sitar and sloping, almost psychedelic bass grooves to create a vaguely threatening ambient hardcore."
Melody Maker - Bloody Essential - "...resonates with freakish cheese-wire paranoia...a gobsmacking paradox of expansive claustrophobia.... The funk patters like an erratic heartbeat, the voices are stretched to bursting with menace and loathing and mockery..."

The Allergies' debut album introduced the world to the way they effortlessly fuse funk, soul, disco, hip-hop and breaks into dancefloor-ready nuggets of ear candy. Taking classic sounds and reshaping for the modern age is the signature that won them plaudits across the globe.

Not ones to rest on their laurels, it hasn't taken long for them to deliver more of the goods on their second full-length album, 'Push On'. As well as taking the successful formula of the first record and expanding on the sound with raw Funk, Psych, Northern Soul, and Boogie influences, The Allergies enlisted two giants of underground Hip-Hop to bless mics on the album as well.

After a hugely successful collaboration on their debut LP, once again the dynamic lyricism and production skills of the inimitable Andy Cooper (Ugly Duckling) are present and correct in this new collection. Besides bringing the party on tracks like 'Main Event', he also settles scores with 'It Won't Be Me', before destroying all-comers on the battle Rap behemoth, 'Buzzsaw'. Also joining in on the action is UK MC veteran, Dr Syntax (The Mouse Outfit, Foreign Beggars) who prescribes some more healthy Hip-Hop advice on the track 'Remedy'.

Other highlights include the vintage Soul stomper, 'Entitled to That', Sixties uptempo groover, 'Hold You Close', and the fantastic little strutter, 'Get Down On You'. All in all it's a brand new set of future classics from your new favourite funky beatmakers, The Allergies.

William Caycedo delivering some wicked stuff! He is one of our latest members with a track on the Raw Joints # 5 compilation and now his very own solo release 'The FreshestKid EP'. This young talent from Amsterdam knows how to handle his music! Since day one we noticed his unique sound and followed him till this point. Now he's ready to smash the dance floor with this cracker of a release!

When has Tatham, Mensah,Lord & Ranks let you down

When

If you love boogie, funk and that good groove then the answer is never.
Yet another twelve inch proving their consistency.An obvious buy on sight release.
Includes the cover version on Grace Jones's 'Private Lives' where the quartet
expand on the original for a soulful dubbed out trip plus 'Simmering' for funk bass line enthusiasts.

produced by Kaidi Tatham,Matt Lord,Mr Mensah & dego.

*'Private Lives' will only be available on vinyl

Myers returns, fresh off the back of a debut show at Field Day and with a two track 12" nodding to the past and the future.

'Taps' is a relentless drum machine driven, synth directed monster, that comes at you like it's about to punch you in the face, but actually picks you up and chucks you on its shoulders. 'Rabona' is a restrained, smooth but rugged roller, with subtle shifts that previews another layer to the Myers palette. Having taken steps out into the real world, expect a lot more to come over the next year

Tangerine Dream hatten seit ihrer Gründung Ende der 1960'er in Westberlin einen massgeblichen Einfluss auf die Entwicklung der elektronischen Musik und galten als einer der führenden Vertreter des Krautrock. In den 1980'ern lieferten sie beachtliche Soundtracks zu Filmen wie "Firestarter", "Risky Business", "Near Dark", "Thief" und Sorcerer" ab, ihr musikalischer Einfluss auf den Soundtrack der Netflix-Kultserie "Stranger Things" ist enorm. Ihr neues Doppelalbum "Particles" ist eine Mischung aus brandneuem Material und Reinterpretationen, darunter des Titelstücks ihres Albumklassikers "Rubycon" (1975), Liveaufnahmen u.a. des Titeltracks des "White Eagle" Albums (1982), sowie eine eigene Coverversion des "Stranger Things" Theme.

(en) While the last Kompakt offering from legendary Russian synthesists SCSI-9 dates back to 2008, when the duo released their album Easy As Down' (KOMPAKT CD 068), co-founder and techno/house virtuoso ANTON KUBIKOV kept himself busy cultivating his own label Pro-Tez Records - and establishing a career as solo artist with a clear penchant for dub-infused soundscapes and ambient music. WHATNESS is Kubikov's first solo full-length under his proper name, weaving airy and iridescent sonic tapestry that takes up where his excellent contributions to our Pop Ambient compilations left off.
ANTON KUBIKOV's special ear for ambience and tonal spaces was always an integral part of SCSI-9's musical DNA that would alternate between tight dance workouts and vast melodic range - but it's as a solo artist that he truly started to explore these spaces, following mysterious sonic trails into foggy, reverb-heavy territory. Kubikov's contributions to the several instalments of our Pop Ambient compilation series announced the arrival of a promising new project in our talent pool - a promise more than satisfied with the immersive sound bath of first solo outing WHATNESS.
Going from the richly layered electronic drones of LIQUID MIRROR or ENTRANCE to the lush ambient dub of OTHER THE SEA and KURT'S FOREST, or the minimalist, evocative piano of OKTOBER and PIA, the album covers lots of stylistic ground, but remains committed to its overall aesthetic of misty mountains and serene valleys. With the endearing APRIL, a true Pop Ambient classic from the 2016 compilation (KOMPAKT 345 CD 128) makes a welcome return, priming the canvas for the subtle bass throb of NORTH and its charming synth bell orchestra. Masterfully refining and extending his sonic pallet on WHATNESS, ANTON KUBIKOV can claim his spot among the very best of today's ambient composers.
(de) Obwohl die letzte Kompakt-Offerte aus dem Studio der legendären russichen Synthesizeristen SCSI-9 schon eine Weile zurückliegt - 2008, um genau zu sein, mit dem Album Easy As Down' (KOMPAKT CD 068) -, hat Co-Gründer und Techno/House-Virtuose ANTON KUBIKOV nicht auf der faulen Haut geaalt, sondern sein eigenes Label Pro-Tez Records gepflegt - und eine Karriere als Solo-Künstler mit klarem Drang zur verdubbten Tonlandschaft und Ambient-Musik in die Wege geleitet. WHATNESS ist seine erste Solo-Album-Veröffentlichung unter eigenem Namen und webt einen luftigen wie schillernden Klangteppich, der genau da weitermacht, wo Kubikovs exzellente Beiträge zu unserer Pop Ambient Compilation-Reihe aufgehört haben.
ANTON KUBIKOVs besonderes Ohr für Ambientes und tonale Räume war schon immer integraler Bestandteil von SCSI-9s musikalischer DNA, die gerne zwischen fokussierter Tanzathletik und ausufernden Melodieräumen changiert - doch erst als Solo-Künstler macht er sich daran, diese Räume wirklich auszuloten und geheimnisvollen Klangspuren in neblige, hallende Gegenden zu folgen. Kubikovs Gastspiele auf mehreren Ausgaben unserer Pop Ambient-Serie deuteten auf ein vielverprechendes neues Projekt im Talentpool hin - ein Versprechen, das mit dem mitreissenden Klangbad von WHATNESS mehr als erfüllt wird.
Von den reichhaltig verschichteten elektronischen Drones von LIQUID MIRROR oder ENTRANCE zum üppigen Ambient-Dub von OTHER THE SEA und KURT'S FOREST, oder dem minimalistischen, andeutungsreichen Klavierspiel auf OKTOBER und PIA erstreckt sich das Album über viel Stilgebiet, bleibt aber der eigenen Ästhetik dunstiger Gebirgszüge und einsamer Täler true. Mit dem überaus reizenden APRIL macht ausserdem ein echter Pop Ambient-Klassiker von der 2016er Ausgabe (KOMPAKT 345 CD 128) seine Aufwartung und bereitet den Boden für den subtil pochenden Bass von NORTH nebst charmantem Synthieglockenorchester. Meisterhaft veredelt und aufgebohrt, ist ANTON KUBIKOVs Klangpalette auf WHATNESS Grund genug ihm einen Platz zwischen den besten Ambientkomponisten unserer Tage zu sichern.

Minimal multi-instrumentalist weirdo zone brilliance on another obscure uncovering from the excellent Growing Bin...big tip!
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"If you've kept a keen ear to the underground, you may have noticed a trance revival creeping into the dance floors and darkrooms of late, a post ironic return to the 64 bar breakdowns and peak time key changes of your serotonin drenched youth.....

So what's this then Has Growing Bin gone from groundbreaker to copycat Dig a little deeper folks, for the Trance is question is Jürgen Petersen, a forgotten cosmic kingpin in tune with true electronic excellence. When Danielle Baldelli wanted to show off his eclectic tastes, which record did he reach for Petersen's 1980 LP, 'Here And Now' of course. And when John Schaefer put together his essential exploration of New Sounds, who did he describe as Germany's answer to Eno Trance, damn right! After blessing the world with a trio of essential electronic LPs between 1979 and 1983, Petersen moved out of the limelight and lived off the grid, collecting his mind expanding music on a series of self-recorded, self-released cassettes, known only to the inner circle of elite European diggers. The sounds found within were unusual, experimental and ecstatic.

Fusing the organic tones of piano, 12 string guitar and sitar with soothing sine waves and hypnotic synthesis, Petersen harnessed the healing frequencies out there in the cosmos and transfixed the
listener with pure otherworldly beauty - ambient music for a new age... Unravelling these rare cassettes for music lovers everywhere, Growing Bin treats us to 'Tapes', a five track vision quest for the
horizontal travellers and fourth world nomads. Sven can keep his cocoon, we're off in search of the butterflies..."

Special collaboration with friend label 'Simple Music Experience' from Bordeaux/Marseille, contains original Industrial, Synth-Pop, Jakbeat, Post-Punk, Experimental and Contemporary music by underground artists from France..
Originally released on tape (SM05) in 2016. 100% HIT !!

Summer has not officially kicked in yet but Antinote's new addition to its roster will sure soundtrack perfectly its upcoming warm nights: encapsulating the teenage dream of an endless summer, 18 RAYS is the moniker behind which some of the label's most steady fixtures gave a try at recording music together, somewhere straight in the heart of Paris' 18th arrondissement.
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Nico Motte, Zaltan & Raphaël Top-Secret have been friends way before each of them occasionally played his part in the Parisian label and it is mainly out of this friendship that they conceived 18 RAYS, a vessel to finally give life to the band they dreamed of in their teenage years. It is safe to say that 18 RAYS has been in their mind for quite a while, but it was only last winter, after a couple of bottles of natural wine on a hazy evening, that they decided that it was time to give it a real go and to pick up the instrument each learned years ago: the guitar, the bass and
the drums.

Produced by Nico Motte - the man behind all the artworks of the label - the trio spent 5 weeks between Synth City (Motte's studio) and Red Bull Studio in Paris working on these 4 songs, each sitting somewhere between some sort of timeless and somehow aquatic dream pop and blurred visions of an eerie grunge sound, that probably
never was.

That being said, the genesis of 18 RAYS might explain why their debut EP turns out to be such an intimate affair: while it took its members down memory lane, the listener will embark on an ethereal trip, taking him to a parallel universe in which the sounds of Cocteau Twins,

part 1 !

Dark Entires is honored to reissue the long out of print debut album Elevator to Eden by LIVES OF ANGELS. Lives of Angels was the brainchild of GERALD O'CONNELL from London, England. In 1974 he worked at CBS studios mastering recordings from tape to disc. By 1977 he joined his first band MYSTERY PLANE, led by school mate Mark Harvey and later joined by his soon-to-be wife Catherine. Gerald branched off in 1980 forming Lives of Angels as an outlet for his own compositions. He recorded, produced and played all of the instruments on Elevator to Eden' between 1981 and 1983, using a primitive set up of drum machines, one keyboard, guitar and a tape echo. Influenced by the Krautrock sounds of Neu! and Amon Duul II as well as US psychedelic rock, Lives of Angles crafted their own unique post-punk sound. Elevator to Eden was originally released in 1983 on cassette by Color Tape Records, the label started by Gary Ramon of Modern Art. Then in 1986 Fire Records remixed and re-released the album on vinyl but the band was not happy with the mixes. This reissue features the original 4-track cassette mixes of Elevator To Eden on vinyl for the first time ever. The LP includes 9 songs featured on the original Color Tapes release. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by GEORGE HORN at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley directly from the original master tapes. Each LP comes with unreleased photos, original artwork and a lyrics for all songs.

Dark Entries present the sophomore album from Austin, Texas analogue hardware enthusiast Bill Converse. Immersed in the early days of the 90s midwest rave scene, Bill began DJing at a young age in Lansing, Michigan. Luminaries such as Claude Young, Traxx, and Derrick May were key early influences. Techno, noise, ambient and tape processing are all part of his uncanny sound palette. His debut album 'Meditations/Industry' was released on cassette in 2013 and edited for a vinyl release in January 2016 followed by two 12' singles 'Warehouse Invocation' and '7 of 9' the same year.

'The Shape Of Things To Come' is a 70 minute journey spread across two pieces of vinyl. It's comprised of seven tracks recorded directly to tape with no overdubs, made at Converse's home studio. At the time of recording, Bill was sending this material to Josh Vance (Josua Dorje Ngodup) for feedback. Most of the time Josh would respond in the form of artwork, and then Bill would create another track inspired by this feedback chain. Converse has dedicated this series of tracks to him. The songs on this album reveal a sublime influence from Detroit techno, early Chicago house, and Acid. For this album Converse slightly bumped up the tempos geared for dancefloor energy. Built around vintage synthesizer lines and gritty drum machine percussion, the tracks evoke how things have changed and how they have come to be.'

All songs were mastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Each LP is housed in a gatefold jacket with a painted photograph portrait by Dietmar Busse and layout design by Eloise Leigh. The gatefold conceals an otherworldly collage made by Josua Dorje Ngodup. Each copy includes a postcard featuring artwork from Bill's sister with notes.

REPRESSED !!
Growing Bin Records is incredibly happy to bring you the vinyl edition of Moon B's Lifeworld - previously released on tape by the Vancouver based cassette label 1080p.
Chopped, grainy subcontinental film aural motifs paired with other slankness on Moon B's latest. After a brief
pause since his PPU releases, Wes Gray returns with a remapped take on his distinctly dusty and groovy samplefocused
synth funk.Gray has worked towards his particular sweet spot of retrofuturism, and Lifeworld's segues between antiquity
and contemporary g-funk benefit from extremely rich, filmic moods and a general knack for basking in warmth and sincerity rather than obscurity.

Never one to rest, our pal The Revenge has been busy as always. His latest LP as 6th Borough Project Find Your Rhythm' recently dropped on Roar Groove, he created a beautifully delicate remix of Auntie Flo's Waiting for a (Woman)", had a change of scenery relocating from Scotland to Denmark and his collab EP with Dirt Crew, flush with Nachtbraker remixes was one of our biggest records of 2016! Amongst the action he's taken the time and a more in yer face' approach to write us his latest EP, a four-tracker of proper club tracks. Every Night' brims with raucous disco energy. The French Filter House' reminiscent gem's strings shimmer and funk horns hit heavy, a jam destined to wear holes in shoes. Grit' attends to the easy-going Disco grooves we love so much from The Revenge, plenty of shake and soul it's overflowing with good-mood energy. B-side opener Never Learn' gives us a glimpse of the darker end of The Revenge's spectrum. Subby toms rumble, tweaked out synths bleep and slide and delayed key stabs shift the party into smoke hazed, underground rave mode. The closing track Krokodille' brings that Bass n Electro gritty booming sound! The acidic lead wraps around sturdy drums. Straight forward with plenty of kick, what an ending to a high quality EP!

With 44 releases across 12 years since its inception, Butane's infamous Alphahouse imprint closes its doors this June as he welcomes long time colleagues and friends Alexi Delano and Worldline to shape up the final EP on the label 'Omega'.

Having established the imprint back in 2005, Andrew Rasse aka Butane's Alphahouse has served as an example of unapologetic underground quality and curation for over a decade. With previous releases from the likes of Ricardo Villalobos, Ryan Crosson, Ion Ludwig, Quenum, Mark Broom and of course Rasse himself, the final Alphahouse EP welcomes back another staple of the imprints success, Chilean Alexi Delano, and mysterious American talent Worldline who marks his debut on the label.

'Sometimes in order to grow, you have to leave things behind. It's time for a fresh start... the final Alphahouse record. Alpha/Omega' - Butane.

The A-side sees Delano and Rasse effortlessly re-combine and pick up where they left off in 2013. 'Bass Theory' is an energetic, blooming production that lays the focus on raw crunchy drum licks, chunky bass slabs and an ever- evolving melody that eases listeners into a state of trance, before 'Jazz Lick' reveals a lighter aesthetic with a delicate jazz-infused lead line, filtered vocal loops and crisp organic percussion that hold the production in sync.

On the flip Butane is joined by a new collaborator, Los Angeles-based underground fashion designer Worldline for two brooding cuts. 'How Deep' kicks things off showcasing eerie low ends layered beneath tripped out vocals and hypnotic, meandering chords. 'What We Do' wraps up the esteemed Alphahouse catalog in style. An underground manifesto with a trademark Butane groove and Wordline's vocals punctuating over a decade of work. That's a wrap.

In true Alphahouse style, Rasse signs off here alongside two extremely talented artists with an EP that radiates understated sophistication and intricacy throughout, whilst opening the door to his new project 'Extrasketch' in the most fitting and suitable way imaginable. Stay tuned; this is only just the beginning...

Musically and emotionally, Superpitcher's third full-length studio album, The Golden Ravedays is a one sound autobiography that exhibits the skill, feeling and style that the artist has honed over a period of twenty years, musically, and forty-plus-years, emotionally.

And full-length it is:

The Golden Ravedays is an epic album of 24 tracks that was released in January 2017 and is stretching over 12 respective chapter albums during a one-year period.
The sixth piece of The Golden Ravedays puzzle will be released on Hippie Dance in June 2017.

Number 6 of the series introduces two further tracks of the sound adventure that Superpitcher is taking us on this year.
Side A features Protest Song. If music is a way of transporting us to other places, Protest Song takes us to a desolate, scary and loveless environment, a burnt-down, burnt-out place where the flesh of its former inhabitants is smouldering, void of goodwill and kindness in a cloud of toxic and greedy smoke. It's all Kafka and Orwell and Suffering - the most twisted and eerie track so far in The Golden Ravedays saga. What is undeniably clear is an acute sense of regret and loss - a warning that it could have been avoided, had we only listened to our hearts and protested.
In the same vein on Side B we hear powerful Resistance. Produced after the Paris attacks of 2015 Superpitcher outdid himself with this strong message of Resistance. Where Protest Song paints a picture of under-worldly doom, Resistance's techno beat and insistent refrain sweeps us to the surface of the muck of hatred and intolerance we've politically been dumped in. A voice that seems like a trapped animal is calling out to us. What is it trying to say Is it crying out for help Is that animal all of us Resistance represents hope and encouragement and could be the perfect marching track to any demonstration against negative forces. Much needed in this age of bigotry where it seems like time has leaped backwards to a darker side of history. As for the dancefloor - Resistance is irresistible!

INCL. HIVER & CLAY WILSON REMIXES

Drawing on a pedigree of lush synth experimentation and cutting drum arrangements, Alfredo Mazzilli has been pushing his own brand of hypnotic techno over the past several years, charting releases with Lanthan Audio, Weekend Circuit and Edit Select. Now, Blankstairs is proud to announce the first U.S.-based release for the Italian producer with Vanaheimr , a pair of new tracks coupled with remixes from Clay Wilson and Hiver.

Mazzilli's work takes a considered pathway that walks the line between form and function, pulling his thick landscapes of synth wash and melodic punctuations through cutting rhythm tracks that owe as much to classic drum machine workouts as the dub-techno stalwarts that he frequently draws on here. Sculptural precision and rhythmic development work in tandem here, giving each track a shifting framework that seems to never touch down in the same place twice.

It s best seen in B-side Njord , a full-on assault of staccato kicks and flickers of percussion elements fleshed out with a series of short, repetitive pads, and washes of reverb, that create a meditative progression of interlocking textures. A similar approach defines A-side Vanir , where a lighter series of synth arrangements are woven through a driving, hypnotic rhythm that offers a fitting counterpoint to Njord's brutal kick patterns.

These are tracks about patience and concentration, allowing the slow, coursing process of the track to take center stage, turning the track into a negotiation between its functional, rhythmic ground and the high-mind ephemerality his arrangements conjure. A pair of remixes join Mazzilli's compositions, with The Bunker New York/Styles Upon Styles alum Clay Wilson twisting Njord towards a more balanced, rhythmic pacing, while pushing its hissing electronics towards a more caustic frequency range. On the A-Side, Hiver draws rhythmic cues from 90's house to turn Vanir into a trance-inducing sunrise groove.

Immer noch unerreicht2001 der Hammer - 2007 ein Klassiker! Der House-Rap-Techno-TripHop-Mix des Londoner DJ-Kollektivs Faithless wird vor allem von den Fans als das Beste bezeichnet, was Faithless in den vergangenen Jahren veröffentlicht haben. Wie wahr: sanfte Grooves, sweet Melodies, wummernde Beats und sphärische Gesänge machen Lust auf mehr. Anspieltipps: "Donny X", "Evergreen", "We Come 1" und "Crazy English Summer".