After years of silence dedicated to side projects, DJENA makes a triumphant return with his solo EP, In Motion. A testament to his passion for eclecticism, this release seamlessly bridges house and breakbeat, enriched by a stunning remix from the legendary French producer DJ W!LD.
The journey begins with the title track, In Motion, a hypnotic breakbeat composition where deep pads intertwine with tribal vocal elements, evoking raw emotion and sonic depth. This track is designed to captivate both the ears and the heart. DJ W!LD then takes the reins, transforming In Motion into an irresistible dancefloor anthem. His remix injects a house-driven groove, elevating the track into an emotive yet club-ready masterpiece.
Flipping to the B-side, Thrust propels listeners into a deep tech-driven rhythm, gradually intensifying into a peak-time energy surge. Rounded arps, subtle vocal textures, and celestial pads craft an immersive, ethereal adventure—blurring the lines between introspection and movement.
Closing out the EP, Veer is a sublime after-hours gem. Its bouncy bassline and tech-house rhythm are complemented by atmospheric pads and haunting vocals, leading the listener into a space where both mind and soul find fulfillment
In Motion EP is a refined sonic exploration, balancing depth and energy in perfect harmony. DJENA’s return marks a powerful statement—one that will undoubtedly resonate on dancefloors and beyond.
Synaptic Cliffs is committed to discovering unknown and unreleased music in the future, testing it in the past, and selling it in the present. This is the only way to ensure that art is timeless. The recordings on this cassette, however, were purchased in 2073 from a beautiful woman named pdqb at the Marché aux Puces in Paris for only 0.0000000000000000001 Bitcoin, but on the condition that all the material is distributed on one cassette, namely exactly as described hereinafter: The short tracks from the years 1984 to 1989 are on the A-side, and one of these recordings must be supplemented with vocals by Max Müller, the singer of the infamous Berlin band Mutter. On the B-side, there will be a binaural 16.7-tone music composition from the year 2047. Furthermore, all recordings must be mastered by Mike Grinser. Last but not least, only high-quality chrome tape may be used for production. In August 2027, the music magazine Melody Maker, which will be published again from 2026, will write: " ' Vor dem Punkt ist nach dem Punkt' is a surprisingly singular work with a creative force of near-unprecedented degree. It is one of the most beautiful and best-sounding post-punk albums of the last 40 years, and it is certainly the main reason why we are currently experiencing a huge comeback of post-punk, shoegaze, and goth rock."
Studiomaster was born from an experiment I ran for a little over a year, releasing tracks exclusively on Bandcamp. I wanted to see how far music could travel without the institutional machinery of a label, without physical products, and without relying on mainstream platforms. The experiment worked so well that Studiomaster has now evolved into a label with physical vinyl releases. Throughout this journey, I found myself missing the physicality of music. So, to celebrate it, I decided to release something in a format I had never used before: the cassette tape. What better occasion to bring together a collection of previously unreleased tracks in the physical world and craft a mix the old-school way? Get your tape quickly, it's limited!
ps: The tape unlocks download for all the tracks featured in the mix!
Promising new talent Joolmad is quickly becoming a name to watch out for, his latest body of work comes in the form of the “Perspective” EP, the third release from the thriving English producer, off the back of his sought after EP on TSOL. Although young Joolmad’s refined taste and years of tweaking his sound enabled him to construct tried and tested underground material, meaning his music and the PILLZ label could not be better suited. Gritty, straight edged peak time action from a producer on the rise. The new school showing their hand here as Joolmad shares his interpretation of mysterious sounds of modern times, melding electro and techno genres as he moves.
Romanian producer and DJ, Cîmpian Mark Alexandru, known as Cim Pian, proudly presents his milestone vinyl release, Chronosphere, on Phonichouse1. Hailing from Reghin, Romania, Cim Pian has been a dedicated figure in the electronic music scene, with a deep connection to the country’s influential minimal house movement. Over the years, he has released multiple tracks on Phonichouse1, a respected Romanian label known for curating refined underground sounds.
The release features two original tracks that highlight his distinct artistic vision. The title track, Chronosphere, is a profound minimal breakbeat composition, enveloped in textured, dark atmospheres, guiding listeners through an immersive sonic journey. Complementing this is Djinn, a classic 4/4 minimal house track infused with oriental influences, building tension with its ghostly textures and hypnotic groove.
Adding an extra layer of depth to the project is a masterful remix of Chronosphere by Barac, one of the most revered artists in the minimal scene. His interpretation brings a fresh perspective to the track, reinforcing the release’s impact.
The mastering has been handled by Rob Small, ensuring a refined and high-quality sonic experience.
The artwork is an original drawing by Andrei Ardelean, with layout design contributions from Cim Pian himself, visually capturing the essence of the music.
Chronosphere marks a pivotal moment in Cim Pian’s journey, showcasing his evolution and dedication to pushing the boundaries of minimal house. Released on Phonichouse1, this vinyl is a testament to his enduring presence in the underground scene.
Drive By was originally recorded in 1999, live to DAT tape without the aid of a computer. The track was set for release as part of TS 007, but the distributor went bankrupt, leaving only a few test pressings in circulation. Now, for the first time, the track is finally available to everyone.
We are excited to announce the first reissue of Tony Scott's iconic “Manteca” album originally released in 1973. This 180-gram vinyl audiophile edition captures the essence of a true master of contaminated jazz, allowing listeners to experience Tony Scott's vibrant artistry like never before.
Originally described in the album’s liner notes by Sam Charters, "Manteca" embodies the spirit of the jazz musician’s journey—a testament to durability, warmth, and exuberance. Charters notes, “You have to be durable these days to be a jazz man... a musician like Tony Scott has the kind of personality that it takes to be a jazz man today” — a sentiment that perfectly encapsulates the artist's incredible career.
From the bustling club scene of New York in the 1950s to captivating audiences in Japan, Scott's journey brought him to Sweden in the summer of 1973, where he collaborated with exceptional local musicians. The result was a collection of vibrant, uptempo jazz tracks combined with reflective ballads, showcasing the remarkable versatility and inventiveness of Scott's clarinet, baritone, and even his distinctive scat vocals.
The album opens with the titular track "Manteca," setting an exhilarating tone that endures until the final, almost sinister note of "One For Topsy." Complemented by an all-star lineup, including bassist Sture Nordin, drummer Ed Thigpen and legendary percussionist Sabu Martinez, this session embodies the international spirit of jazz—a genre that transcends boundaries and unites souls.
This audiophile edition has been meticulously remastered to provide an unparalleled listening experience, preserving the authenticity of the original while ensuring superior sound quality. With only a limited amount produced, this vinyl reissue is a must-have for collectors and jazz aficionados alike.
Join us in celebrating the reemergence of Tony Scott's "Manteca," a true landmark in jazz history, and immerse yourself in the dynamic sounds that have inspired generations.
360 mcn white-white light cardboard paper / one side only hand plasticization / 2 separated parts prints / hand gluing / PVC outers / original artwork / gatefold sleeve / Bandcamp limited edition 30x60 cm insert with extended liner notes by Tony Higgins and Interview with Babs Robert and Sébastien Gorlé with exclusive pictures and self-portrait by Babs Robert himself printed on GF Smith "Takeo Tant Select" Canvas Paper tip-on left jacket panel / Exclusive never released Memorabilia from Babs Robert's vault.
Personnel:
Babs Robert - alt sax, tenor-sax, electric tenor-sax, Bin Recorder, Acme siren, Chinese-bell, sleigh-bells, maracas, tambourine,hand-rattle,claves)
John Van Rymenant - baritone-sax, fluegelhorn, Bala, tambourine, sleight-bells, cowbell, triangle, claves
Johnny Peret - vibes, bongo's, cowbell, maracas, castanets, rattle-snakes, tambourine, drums, woodclock, trinagle
Johnny Brouwers - piano, prepared-piano, triangle, cowbell, sleigh-bells, maracas, caves,hand-rattle, guiro, woodblock, tambourine
Paul Dubois - bass, triangle, cowbell, claves, rattlesnakes, hand-rattle, woodblock, tambourine
Michel Gobbe - bass,Chinese-bell, claves
Robert Pernet - drum, tambourine, seven-notes M'Bichi, guiro, alarm-siren, home-made metal xylophone, African telephone-drum, triangle, sleigh-bells, Siku
Notes:
Despite its modest role on the world stage, Belgium has produced a number of internationally renowned musicians and composers. There is the iconic gypsy jazz guitar maestro Django Reinhardt, whose position remains unassailable, and guitarist/harmonica player Toots Thielemans, who became an internationally renowned artist performing and recording with Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Shirley Horn and Quincy Jones. The other key Belgian figure is composer/arranger Francy Boland, co-leader with US bebop drumming legend Kenny Clarke of Europe's leading big band of the 60s, the Clarke-Boland Big Band.
The Love Planet performed in the main clubs of Brussels, such as Blue Note, Pol's Jazz Place, and Smog as well as in major musical events throughout Belgium including to big festivals in 1969 - the Avant-Garde Festival in Ghent and the First International Jazz Event in Liege – where the Love Planet shared the bill with Miles Davis - and the Bilzen Jazz Festival in 1970. The contrast between the musical architecture of the themes and sonic freedom in the improvised playing perfectly illustrated the polymorphism – an order within disorder – which the Love Planet aimed for.
The initial original quartet line-up was Babs Robert (sax), Paul Dubois (bass), Johnny Brouwers (piano), and Johnny Peret / Robert Pernet (dru- ms). On the album session, the quartet was augmented with the addition of John Van Rjimenant (saxes) and Michel Gobbe (bass). As well as their main instruments, the band members also played an array of unusual instruments, principally percussion. This is the first official re-release
of the 'Babs Robert and the Love Planet'. Original copies of the album fetch many hundreds of Euros on the collecting circuit and it remains a curious and fascinating window into a moment in time that still resona- tes some fifty years later. Come with us to the Love Planet. (Tony Higgins)
Roy Rosenfeld is a relentless innovator, continuously refining his craft in unparalleled ways. His distinct musical signature is instantly recognizable, yet he deftly ensures that each track offers a fresh perspective. Rosenfeld continues to assert his presence with the second release from his No Drama label, advancing sonic expression and audio techniques.
The opening track, Da Vision, introduces a rich blend of oriental motifs and unique, pitched synth lines set against a percussive, tribal backdrop. Unified by an unmistakable touch, this piece brings an exotic flair and unexpected vitality. Every detail in Da Vision reflects a meticulous approach. Rosenfeld offers a vibrant listening experience with every beat, creating a dynamic, organic flow. Rosenfeld's approach makes each moment in his track feel spontaneous and human.
The second track, Get Loose, is aptly titled, inviting listeners to shed the burdens of daily urban life. In an era of stress, congestion, and constant demands, his music offers an escape-a brief yet rejuvenating mini-vacation
from the urban hustle. Researchers have long explored the therapeutic power of music, and Get Loose stands as a testament to that potential. The track weaves a hypnotism uncompromising in its primal allure. Layered with a resonant mantra that pulses through consistent intervals, Rosenfeld merges cutting-edge production techniques with a deep-rooted respect for musical heritage, culminating in a melodic crescendo.
With this release, No Drama Records proves that Rosenfeld is as committed as ever to transforming music into an immersive, healing experience for the modern listener.
Throughout the 1980s, Michael Antener, born and raised in Bern, Switzerland, initiated an array of sonic endeavours in the realm of industrial, dark, aggressive music. Of his times as a post-apocalyptic hunter, he says today: I found a musical niche where I could express myself, along with other people who were not afraid of dark themes. It would have been hard to sing about love in my music, so I included sounds and cries of pain taken from horror movies.
It was a fortunate coincidence to come across one of his self released records, the 1986 EP Strangler of the Swamp, which marked the beginning of our quest to find this all but forgotten musician whose work seemed nowhere to be found. Eventually, we got in touch with Michael, who is still living in Bern, and began the process of searching through all his surviving musical and visual material.
The triple vinyl release is all about documenting Michael Anteners adventures during that intense 1980s period. We tried our best to select the most interesting material from his two earliest projects, The Strangler of the Swamp and Bande Berne Crematoire, comprising materials from vinyl records, cassettes, and live recordings, some of it unreleased. The release also includes a deep dive into Michaels visual archive of posters, photos, and sleeve artworks.
The disjointed, tumultuous body of work presented here marks the testament of a fringe musician who was disruptive and confrontational, keen to shock and alarm people (much to our liking), and who could easily have been lost in oblivion.
‘Ice Cream Dream Boy’ serves as a celebratory anthem, an ode to manifesting dreams into reality, and a testament to Shanti's knack for creating infectious and uplifting dance music as she explains: “I wanted to make a happy and uplifting vocal summer tune and I just so happened to be in the peak honeymoon romance period with my now partner (The Ice Cream Dream Boy). He had discovered my love for soft plush toys and decided to buy me a cute little fluffy Jellycat Ice Cream so when I made the instrumental I felt insecure and unsure about what lyrics to write, so I just decided to sing about what I was currently experiencing in my life. I had been a fan of Shivum Sharma for a while and I had just done a remix for his amazing song '7am', so after establishing a cute lil connection I thought I’d ask him to help me write the song as I was very new to writing lyrics!”
New Order are delighted to announce the release of the definitive edition of their 1985 studio album Low-Life. The collection includes an LP (180g), x2CDs, x2DVDs, a book and features unreleased rare material across the different formats and new sleeve designs.
CD 2 contains previously unreleased mixes and alternative versions, including Love Vigilantes and Sub-Culture instrumentals, Sooner Than You Think Full Length Unedited. The two DVDs include an unreleased performance from The Manhattan Club, Belgium and rarely seen footage from Rotterdam Arena (Netherlands), International Centre (Toronto, Canada) and a BBC filmed Whistle Test at The Hacienda, 1985.
The 180g vinyl LP will be wrapped in its original ‘heavyweight tracing paper’, designed by Peter Saville. In addition the CD will also be wrapped in the same way for the first time ever. Also included in the set is a beautifully presented hardback book featuring rare photos and a new interview with all band members.
Marketing to promote the release include:
• National press and radio promo campaign – reviews, features, and interviews TBC.
• Organic and promoted content from the New Order official socials and Warner Music owned socials.
• Promotion of singles pre-release with BBC 6 Music support.
• Far-reaching online advertising campaign.
LP 180g Vinyl
Side one
1. Love Vigilantes
2. The Perfect Kiss
3. This Time of Night
4. Sunrise
Side two
1. Elegia
2. Sooner Than You Think
3. Sub-Culture
4. Face Up CD1
1. Love Vigilantes
2. The Perfect Kiss
3. This Time Of Night
4. Sunrise
5. Elegia
6. Sooner Than You Think
7. Sub-Culture
8. Face Up
CD2: Extras
1. Love Vigilantes - TV Pitch Instrumental Edit (mono)
2. The Perfect Kiss - Writing Session Recording
3. Untitled no. 1 - Writing Session Recording
4. Sunrise - Instrumental Rough Mix **
5. Elegia - Full Length Version *
6. Sooner Than You Think – Album Session Unedited Version
7. Sub-Culture - Album Session Early Instrumental Version
8. Face Up - Writing Session Recording
9. Let's Go – Album Session Instrumental
10. Untitled no. 2 - Writing Session Recording
11. Sunrise - Writing Session Recording
12. Love Vigilantes - Writing Session Recording
13. Sooner Than You Think - Writing Session Recording
14. Skullcrusher – Demo
All tracks previously unreleased except * and ** (previously unreleased on CD and Digital)
DVD1
Live in Tokyo
The Koseinenkin Hall, Tokyo, Japan 1985
1. Confusion
2. Love Vigilantes
3. We All Stand
4. As It Is When It Was
5. Sub-Culture
6. Face Up
7. Sunrise
8. This Time Of Night
9. Blue Monday
Live in Rotterdam
The Rotterdam Arena, Netherlands 1985
10. As It Is When It Was
11. Everything's Gone Green*
12. Sub-Culture*
13. Ceremony*
14. Let's Go*
15. This Time Of Night*
16. The Village
17. The Perfect Kiss*
18. Age Of Consent*
19. Sunrise
20. Temptation*
21. Face Up*
Live in Manchester
Whistle Test, The Hacienda 1985
22. As It Is When It Was
23. Sunrise
24. Face Up - Restored version using available footage from The Hacienda Dec ‘85 and July ‘85.
DVD2
Live in Leuven
The Manhattan Club, Leuven, Belgium 1985
1. Let's Go*
2. The Perfect Kiss*
3. Age Of Consent*
4. State Of The Nation*
5. As It Is When It Was*
6. The Village*
7. Sub-Culture*
8. Atmosphere*
9. Blue Monday*
Bonus Tracks
10. Thieves Like Us*
11. Temptation*
12. Confusion - Restored version from damaged tape with mixing desk audio.*
Live in Toronto
Filmed by Paul Boyd
The International Centre, Toronto, Canada 1985
13. Elegia*
14. Sub-Culture*
15. The Village*
16. Sunrise*
17. We All Stand
18. As It Is When It Was*
19. Love Vigilantes*
20. 586*
21. Age Of Consent
22. Temptation
23. Ceremony*
24. The Perfect Kiss*
The Perfect Film
Rehearsal Room, Cheetham Hill, Manchester 1985
In 2002, before Madlib and MF DOOM finished Madvillainy, the first demo sequence of the album leaked online – early vocal cuts from DOOM, recorded then quickly mixed in LA at Madlib’s Bomb Shelter studio. The leak spread around the world, and while the tracks may have been unfinished, it was clear that this was a hip-hop album unlike any other…
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Madvillainy, 'The Demos' is being released on vinyl for the first time, mastered by Dave Cooley, and with a new cover photo and insert of photographer Eric Coleman's contact sheets from the original album shoot. Vinyl mastering by Phil Rodriguez.
lunch Money Flips Vol. 1: Espresso Con Panna b/w Pain Au Chocolat by | Galaxy Sound Company — GSC45-045, @galaxy_sound_company is reknowned for its always on-point, cop-on-site 45 edit series but over the last few years has also turned plenty of heads with their instrumental hip-hop interludes with label regular Michigan’s @strictlybutters who hails from the same small place that gave us Lyman Woodard & now gifts us with a super sweet pair of beatstrumentals. I’m fortunate to get a limited test pressing to share with you all to preview what the skateboarder, runner, sneaker-head & bedroom b-boy beat maker has in store.
For those that follow him, Strictlybutters frequently shares his lunchbreak/dollar bin finds that he has flipped & spun into juicy, head-nodding gold. With this release, no. 45 in the GSC45 series, we get that on wax live & direct.
Side A’s “Espresso Con Panna” flips the gospel, soul-funk gem “Love Light II” by Salt Of The Earth, from the 1984 LP “He Will Deliver”. SB delivers that thumping bass, hip-hop flip that keeps you going until he tops you off with a jazzy-sax outro to smooth things out just right. On the flipside, “Pain Au Chocolat” hits you in the gut with what feels almost like an alternate Detroit-style beat that ATCQ might have dug into & felt right at home with. & like the A-side, he gives us an “extra butter bonus beat” outro with a funky bass line you will hit the back button to replay more than a few times. & the subtle extra buttered sauce of unique samples with more Axelrod groovy flares & flourishes to tickle your fancy.L
This 12" contains the first sounds from EDM Z album, which will complete Jodey's 'Electric Dance Music' series. Very limited strictly no repress handstamped piece of Braindance. In the realms of imagination and creativity, there exists a man whose life is as diverse and eclectic as the beats he now produces. Born in the picturesque landscapes of Cornwall in 1953, Jodey Kendrick's journey began with the wind-swept cliffs as his backdrop and the crashing waves as his symphony. As a young lad, Jodey was drawn to the world of cinema. Inspired by the likes of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, he found solace in the art of martial arts and action-packed storytelling. With determination in his heart and a fire in his eyes, Jodey ventured into the realm of acting, honing his skills on the stages of local theaters before making his mark in the bustling streets of Hong Kong. It was in the neon-lit alleys of Hong Kong that Jodey Kendrick found his true calling. Embracing the vibrant energy of the city, he immersed himself in the world of Hong Kong action films, earning acclaim for his daring stunts and charismatic performances. With each role, he etched his name deeper into the annals of cinematic history, becoming a beloved figure in the hearts of moviegoers across the globe. But as the years passed and the reels of film kept spinning, Jodey felt the stirrings of a new passion within him. Beyond the glitz and glamour of the silver screen, there lay a world of pulsating rhythms and electronic melodies, waiting to be explored. Intrigued by the allure of electronic music, Jodey embarked on a new chapter in his life, one that would see him swap his martial arts moves for the dancefloor beats of Jungle Tekno and Drum and Bass. In the bustling metropolis of Hong Kong, Jodey found himself amidst a thriving music scene, where the streets throbbed with the rhythms of the underground. Fuelled by his love for music and driven by a desire to create, he immersed himself in the world of music production, crafting beats that reverberated through the city's concrete jungle. Today, Jodey Kendrick stands as a testament to the power of reinvention and the boundless possibilities of passion. From the silver screen to the dancefloor, his journey has been one of constant evolution and exploration. With each beat he creates, he pays homage to the winding path that brought him here, a path that weaves together the worlds of cinema and music into a tapestry of creativity and inspiration.
After high demand, Fred again.. releases a repress of Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022) on March 31st after almost immediately selling out of vinyl copies upon the original release. the third in his series of Actual Life albums.
Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022) is the third in his series of Actual Life albums, which saw Fred again.. resume his diary-esque approach to production using intimate use of voice notes from friends,
videos found whilst scrolling on Instagram and samples from important records in his life. It was an autobiographical
chapter of work that pushed forward the heritage of UK electronic music while standing as testament to the power of music in facilitating catharsis, healing and celebrating the realities of friendship, love and life. The album was
instrumental in his breakthrough as a global artist and debuted at #4 in the UK album charts, becoming the highest-
streaming new release globally on Spotify on its first weekend.
The album features his hit singles Danielle (smile on my face), Delilah (pull me out of this), Kammy (like i do) and Bleu (better with time). The repress remains on a clear vinyl, but this time round the vinyl comes in a black inner bag and the tracklist now mirrors the digital tracklist.
Fred has quickly become one of the most talked about live acts as he transformed his Actual Life records into an immersive, communal real-life experience for the first time, selling out shows across the UK and USA. Fred again.., Skrillex and Four Tet recently did a series of pop up events across New York, culminating in a record breaking sold out, 5 hour b2b set at Madison Square Garden. Also been announced that Fred will be performing the penultimate slot at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.
Fred’s recent Boiler Room performance remains one of the most viewed Boiler Rooms to date, surpassing over 16 million views.
Join El Maquinista Hypnotica on a sonic voyage to the bygone era of electronic dance music with his latest release, "Chakra EP". This 4-track collection encapsulates the spirit of the late 80's and early 90's, drawing inspiration from New Beat, Techno, and Acid House.
Infused with the universal energies and the golden ratio concept, each track corresponds to the seven chakras, tapping into the ancient wisdom woven into the fabric of our being.
Utilizing genuine vintage hardware, El Maquinista Hypnotica brings four unadulterated techno sounds, embracing the origins of sonic creation with these timeless and potent machines, delivering a raw energy that echoes the purity of the original techno movement.
Chakra's EP visual approach serve as a testament to the fusion of technology and art. P2T has created an immersive experience that reflects the 'trippy', otherworldly artwork of the era using Bryce 3D (version 2.0), a program that was first commercially available in 1995. This antiquated tool was brought back to life via emulation technology, creating a universe that both musically and visually symbolizes the seven chakras and realigns the human body with it's ideal golden ratio.
El Maquinista Hypnotica is not only a producer, he's a magician, who hypnotically manipulates frequencies to light up dance floors. Every song combines the cosmic with the physical in an audio journey that is an alchemical fusion of the past, present, and future.
Get ready to be enthralled and invigorated by the mystical power of El Maquinista Hypnotica and his Chakra EP.
Dennis Anthony Thomas, better known as King Kong, is a renowned Jamaican singer known for tracks such as "Trouble Again" and "Legal We Legal". "Song of Love" is an iconic obscure track from King Kong's discography, released under Pisces Productions. This track is one of the era's most cherished anti-apartheid anthems, embodying the spirit of resistance and solidarity.
The lyrics of "Song of Love" capture the urgency and emotional depth of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. The song references then-President P.W. Botha, expressing a direct appeal for human rights and unity among South Africans. Through themes of harmony and love, King Kong emphasizes the resilience of people and the beauty of cultural solidarity.
In reggae's tradition of addressing political struggles, "Song of Love" resonates as an artistic and symbolic statement against apartheid.
The song captures the shared aspirations for peace and freedom, representing how the South African struggle echoed worldwide — including in Jamaica, where reggae artists like King Kong amplified these calls through music.
“Song of Love” is more than just a song; it’s a historical message and testament to reggae’s role in the global fight for human rights. King Kong’s “Song of Love” epitomizes a generation of reggae artists who leveraged music to advocate for justice, spreading messages of hope, resilience, and change that resonate to this day.
Originally released in 1989 Produced and Arranger by: R. (Briggs) Fergusen, S. Small, Y. (Polly) Linton Sleeve artwork by Parade Studio
Label artwork by Florian Weigel
Licensed courtesy of Dennis Anthony Thomas aka King Kong
Fantastic Planet returns with its sixth release, "Survival Mode," a statement dedicated to the ongoing struggle for freedom in Georgia. This electrifying compilation brings together a diverse lineup of visionary artists, each channeling their own unique sound to amplify the message of resilience and resistance. Survival Mode - is a mindset, a relentless fight for existence when all other options have been stripped away. It's about the raw, primal instinct to keep moving forward, even when every door seems closed, and there's no way back. In this mode, every moment is a battle, a test of endurance and resilience. For the people fighting for freedom in Georgia, survival mode represents their unwavering determination to push through oppressive forces, refusing to be silenced or broken. It's the point where compromise is no longer an option, where you either rise or fall-but surrender is not part of the equation. This struggle is about more than just survival-it's about carving out a future, no matter the cost. Design Giorgi grdzelishvili
Nummer Music are proud to present the first reissue of Paul Mahoux’s seminal BùLù project.
The Parisian (now Okinawa-based) producer released “Silicon-Shepherd / Senegalese-Sharpshooter” 30 years ago today on the french label Virtual.
Both cuts give a unique insight into the sound of the early Trance scene and travel beyond the boundaries of Techno & House. Whether you’re revisiting the past or experiencing them for the first time, they still stand as a testament to the free spirit of the early ‘90s.
On side A, the bouncy Silicon-Shepherd shows off BùLù’s singular sampling techniques: chopped up vocals, tripped out synths and a touch of M1 slap bass take you into unexpected peak-time territories, where euphoria meets deep mind-travelling (i.e. DMT).
On the flip, Senegalese-Sharpshooter unveils another facet of BùLù’s buoyant universe. The french producer slows down the pace and invites the listener on a magical meditative journey, the lullaby-like theme tune shacks up with ancient traditional instruments and mystical choirs, again freed from any sort of constraint of style or genre.
On remix duties, Nummer’s very own E-Talking gives Silicon-Shepherd a club lift while our beloved Caldera injects Senegalese-Sharpshooter with a heavy dose of his signature swampiness.
Repress
Patience is a virtue well-rewarded in techno; finding the right groove to build on then holding your nerve long enough to pay off the wait at the optimum moment is a much more skillful endeavour than it would seem for such a minimalistic style. And few display this talent better than Detroit originals Scan 7. Part of the hallowed Underground Resistance family, Scan 7 first broke out in the mid-90s with a series of jacking machine funk 12”s that showcased their savvy for self-control - a faculty they have demonstrated in releases year-on-year since.
Highlighting this continuous font of vitality, Tresor Records has returned to the source and is proud to announce the reissue of Scan 7’s debut LP, Dark Territory. First unleashed on the label in 1996, the album has been remastered from the original DATs by Mike Grinser, augmenting already powerful tracks such as the snake-like, teasing Unusual Channel (mixed by the master Blake Baxter), and the harder-edged VII resulting in music that will, without doubt, provoke an enhanced response when the pressure is finally released.
Repressed on vinyl with updated artwork, these tracks still sound like a blueprint for the future, testament to the prescience and assurance Scan 7’s leader, Trackmaster Lou, clearly had when writing “I hope you enjoy my records in the phuture to come” in the sleeve notes nearly 30 years ago.
As the tenth candle flickers atop the torta alla panna, Archeo Recordings play the Uno reverse card, breaking with tradition to give us a gift in celebration of its birthday: the first in a series of exquisite EPs on which the label's favourite contemporaries pay homage to past masters. Each re-polished gem is plucked either directly from the beatific back catalogue of the fine Florentine label or is at least Archeo-adjacent, perhaps a sign of future wonders to come. Like a musical version of Janus, who can be found at the heart of Bertoldo di Giovanni's frieze in the Medici villa, Archeo Recordings will continue to look forwards and backwards to provide sublime sounds for us all.
Pepe Maina officially joined the Archeo family in 2019 with the much-needed reissue of his 1979 masterpiece Scerizza (AR015), but his astounding music has been a constant companion to label head Manu for much longer. An inter-dimensional, multi-instrumental maverick, Maina weaves the frayed edges of prog rock, new age, organic jazz and global minimalism into a shimmering tapestry all of his own. The results are spread across fifty years and almost as many albums, largely self-released and always absolutely untarnished by commercial concerns.
Based in a small village in the hills of Brianza, just north of Milan, Maina translates the beauty of his surroundings into transformative tone poems, and the folkloric fusion of "The Infinite", originally released on his 2014 CD Tales From The Hill, is the perfect example of his practice. It opens with a recitation of Giacomo Leopardi's 1825s poem "L'Infinito" by famed Italian actor Vittorio Gassman. A leading figure in the romantic movement, Leopardi explores the idea of time and space within the natural world, and the peace that comes with an appreciation of the immensity of eternity. Manu, longtime digger and now a burgeoning producer, expands upon the original with tribal percussion, chirping electronics and a spheric bassline, folding Maina's elegant strings and gossamer pads into a new arrangement suited for a slow dance under the stars.
Unless you had a well-trained ear tuned to Italy's avant-jazz scene, chances are your first encounter with innovative flautist Roberto Aglieri came via the 2017 Archeo reissue of hisalmost untraceable LP Ragapadani (AR011). It's a true testament to Manu's digging credentials that he snatched this masterpiece out of the esoteric atmosphere and brought it attention it so richly deserved. A delicate union of digital synthesis and versatile flute - be it soft and silvery or
brilliant and clear - the 1987 album was a shapeshifting masterpiece, replaying scenes from Virgil, Verdi, Visconti and Pasolini with a neon glow. Quintessentially Italian, but uncanny and previously unimagined - Penthouse and Portico perhaps. Powered by a percolating prototechno sequence, cascading keys, hallucinogenic vocal snippets and a variety of tonal timbres from Roberto's reed, "Danza N. 1" long deserved the praise reserved for Jean-Luc Ponty's pinnacle, so many thanks to Manu for our collective introduction. The tall task of reinterpreting this particular paragon falls to Perugian polymath Daniele Tomassini AKA Feel Fly, whose peerless skills as both producer and musician have delighted DJs and dancers alike. Hot on the heels of his diverse and definitive remixes of Tony Esposito for AR027, Daniele delivers a radical rework of "Danza N. 1" perfect for both day rave sunshine and full moon party alike. Enhanced by snapping breaks and a rattling kick, the bassline gurgle emerges as a progressive powerhouse, laying the foundation for the trilling flute and circular keys to cast a psychedelic spell. As the slow-Goa revival picks up pace, this one is way ahead of the pack.
Archeo take us all the way back to the start of its story here - well almost. Though it bore the stamp AR001 (2015), this Radio Band reissue actually hit shelves months after Tony Esposito's "Je-Na' / Pagaia"; a false start perhaps but a true classic all the same. Radio Band were a group of DJs from Florence who all sailed the airways of Radio Fantasy in 1984 and whose one and only release was this super groovy slice of Italo-boogie. Following the example of Milanese DJs Band of Jocks but far surpassing their formulaic funk fizzle, Radio Band employed an intergalactic bassline, cosmic keys and that undeniably Italian style of rapping to deliver a sophisticated party-starter which even found its way to disco deity Ron Hardy. Back to the here and now, and if you've found yourself pumping an ecstatic fist to a supercharged Italian epic of late, chances are its from the mind of the mysterious Radiomarc. Operating on the ascendent Popcorn Groove imprint, this shadowy figure steers his country's lost classics into peaktime territories, finding a sweet spot between late Italo-disco, early Italo-house and contemporary cool. Pushing the tempo with a club-ready 4/4, setting the sequencer to stun and supplementing the original melodies with a series of synth riffs, the mystery producer send this one into orbit. Radio Band - Radio Rap - Radiomarc, the circle is complete.
Few have done more to develop cross-cultural musical exchange than Futuro Antico. A collaborative venture from musician, archeologist and ethnomusicologist Walter Maioli, keyboardist and tonal theoretician Riccardo Sinigaglia and multi-disciplinary artist and composer Gabin Dabiré, Futuro Antico formed in Milan in 1979, combining ancient international folkloric traditions with otherworldly electronics. The result is an arresting melange of Mediterranean, African and Asian instrumentation, mimicked by esoteric synth tones and hypnotic minimalism, which the group perfected on their acclaimed 1990 LP Dai Primitivi All'Elettronica. The meditative and transportive "Pan Tuning" belongs to their largely overlooked 2005 CD only release Intonazioni Archetipe, and has been amongst Manu's most loved tracks from the first moment he heard it. Who else is better placed to reshape this evocative opus into an immersive, transcendental dance floor journey than label favourites Mushrooms Project? The duo sows the original elements into a sprawling fifteen minute fusion of séance and science, at times propulsive with a ritualist rhythm of tuned percussion and crunching drum machine at others drifting off into ethereal ambience. Mushrooms Project continue to push the boundaries of the Afro-cosmic style, and this remix marks a new zenith.
Colombian-born artist Juan Carlos Torres Alonso, aka OKRAA, presents his third sonic exploration on A Strangely Isolated Place titled, La Gran Corriente. This album marks a profound shift in Juan's creative journey, where themes of portals, the illusion of time, and the paradoxes of self-discovery converge into a powerful auditory experience.
Following a transformative visit to Bogotá in May 2023, Juan underwent an introspective journey that inspired a new direction in his music. This experience, which he describes as an encounter with "an infinite current behind or inside of everything," led to a complete reimagining of his work. Abandoning previous demos, Juan embraced a liberated creative process that was both challenging and exhilarating.
La Gran Corriente is characterized by its innovative production techniques, eschewing fixed grids and BPMs in favor of fluid, organic structures and combining influences from Juan’s other production alias, ‘Laudrup’. This approach not only opened up new creative possibilities but also led to numerous "happy accidents," resulting in a body of work that is as unpredictable as it is cohesive.
At the heart of the album lies a poem written by Juan during production, a text that echoes the themes woven throughout the music. Translated loosely to English, the poem reflects on the nature of reality and time, with lines like "the land of oblivion is not real" and "the great current reminisces; time is an illusion." These words serve as both a guide and a reflection of the album’s deeper meaning.
La Gran Corriente is a record that invites the listener to unlearn and to immerse themselves in a sonic current that is both infinite and transformative. It’s a testament to the power of creative reinvention and the relentless pursuit of deeper truths through music.
Featuring artwork by Peter Skwiot Smith, La Gran Corriente is available on gatefold colored vinyl 2LP, mastered by Taylor Deupree / 12k Mastering.
»›The Last Will and Testament‹ ist eine Art Konzeptalbum. Eine rastlose musikalische Reise, die in gewisser Weise meine eigene Beziehung zur Musik als Konsument widerspiegelt«, erzählt Bandleader Mikael Åkerfeldt.
»Ich schnappe hier etwas auf, verwerfe dort etwas. Ich bete Musik an und hasse sie gleichzeitig. Diese Ambivalenz führt mich auf eine Art eigenen kreativen Weg, und dann ist plötzlich eine Sammlung von Songs entstanden. Im besten Fall sind diese Lieder gut genug, um die Band zu beeindrucken. Gut genug für die Mächtigen in der Branche. Gut genug für euch?! Ich liebe diese Platte. Ich muss es so sagen (schreiben). Vielleicht bin ich sogar stolz? Ich nehme an, es sind einige vertraute Zutaten dabei. Die meiste unserer Musik stammt aus der gleichen Quelle, also ist es nicht weiter verwunderlich, wenn es nach ›uns‹ klingen wird. Ich bin ein wenig beeindruckt von dem, was wir mit ›The Last Will and Testament‹ gemacht haben. Es fühlt sich wie ein Traum an. Ich hoffe, es gibt eine gewisse ›Kohärenz‹ und ›Songwriting-Fähigkeiten‹, aber was weiß ich schon? Ich neige dazu, das ›Seltsame‹ dem ›Offensichtlichen‹ vorzuziehen, aber ich habe das Gefühl, dass ich in der Minderheit bin, und das ist gut so. Also... faire Warnung! Erwarten Sie keinen sofortigen Rausch (wie üblich), aber wenn Sie es sofort ›kapieren‹ (haben Sie es schon kapiert?), ist das auch in Ordnung!«
DJ Support - Wehbba, Ilario Alicante, Marco Faraone, Paco Osuna, Cristian Varela, Mauro Picotto, Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin, Luigi Madonna, Joseph Capriati, Eli Brown, Marco Carola and Charlotte de Witte.
Joseph & Indira's ‘Mantra’ is another testament to ARTCORE's ever-increasing weight in Techno and global electronic dance music and features a duo of racy cuts laden with signature sonics from both artists, kicking off with 'Ananda' and its potent classic Techno feel, with a prominent Capriati core of thumping kicks, crisp percussive drive and progressive energy shifts and playful twists, laced with Indira's hypnotic exotic vocal chops and gritty LFO shots.
'Mantra' rounds off the release with an inverted sound transition, leaning heavier into the 'Psy' sound that has seen Indira's notoriety skyrocket. Flooded with undulating low-end movement, creative off-beat flare, shifting rhythmic patterns and uplifting musicality, its immersive blend of darker sounds and spiritually utopian nuances makes for an undeniably unique statement track.
Whilst famed for his endless spree of unforgettable mainstage performances and international club shows, including standout residencies in Ibiza, Joseph Capriati's studio productions have been carefully selected and rare in recent years. With the emergence of their latest studio productions, Joseph and Indira's ‘Mantra’ release serves as a stamp of approval from one of Techno's most respected tastemakers and an insight into the potential of ARTCORE's indelible impact on global dance music.
“Reconnect”, a collaborative project between Italy’s Francesco Mami and France’s Julien Chaptal, is a musical exploration that originated during a unique period of global confinement, where creativity flourished in unexpected ways.
The genesis of "Reconnect" traces back to a time when the world was asked to pause and stay indoors. During the first 50 days of this period, Julien Chaptal found joy and inspiration in reconnecting with his instruments and the myriad of musical ideas that constantly filled his mind. Embracing the freedom to create without boundaries, he produced a track a day, amassing around 50 tracks, many of which remained unfinished.
A year later, a serendipitous meeting in Geneva with Francesco Mami over sake, good food, and music sparked the idea of collaboration. Julien sent some of his initial tracks to Francesco, who reworked them, adding his unique touch and bringing them to life. Their online exchange and collaborative efforts resulted in the tracks that now form the EP. Francesco, a true studio craftsman, expanded on Julien's original vision, creating a synergy that neither could have achieved alone.
The record encapsulates a theme of "Confined Freedom," a reflection of the period of its creation and draws from three decades of electronic music influences, a melting pot of inspiration that shaped its sound. The warmth of the gear used in the studio sessions provided a comforting contrast to the external circumstances. Various drum machines and synthesizers were employed, contributing to the unique sound of the EP, though no specific piece of equipment was highlighted as central to its creation. "Reconnect" is not just a collection of tracks; it is a testament to the resilience of creativity and the power of collaboration, even from a distance.
With remixes by masterminds Reboot and Johnny D, the vinyl dropping on the shelves December 6th, 2024, is set to catch the ears of many!
Claudio Mate introduces from the Italian headquarters a new label from the Ottagono family. Influenced by his sister Vala, which she introduced Claudio in the early 90s, in club music and club culture. Ottagono Retro is a new fashion retro vintage outlet record label, inspired by Vala’s fashion, vintage clothing, and handmade accessories shop called Ottagono Retrò. You can visit the physical store on the first floor of Ottagono’s historic place in Nocera, close to the beauties of Naples, Sorrento, Pompei, Salerno, and the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy .
Hansol Oh is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumental electronic musician, currently living between South Korea and Germany, proudly representing Gyeonggi (State) Province as its promotional ambassador. She first captured the spotlight as the Korean representative in the 2017 MTV Aloft Star competition, marking the beginning of her journey as an electronic musician and also becoming a Korean Ableton testimonial under the name Uza. In the last few years, during the COVID-19 era, she earned international attention as one of the most interesting indie solo K- wave artists. She is renowned for its robust philosophy and a distinctive, hard- hitting sound rooted in synthesizers with a retro analogue feeling. More recently, she introduced to the music world her new figure as Tova Oh.
A side: S.O.S club extended, for the fans of k-wave music since the COVID-19 has been a true sensational song. Club extended mix is exclusive for this vinyl release, keeping the original sounds which are a crossover mixture between 80s new wave, electro-pop, techno, house music, playing like a club anthem from deep to dark rooms to Balearic dance floors.
B side: Suitable Kimchi mix sounds like music coming from Netflix, Stranger Things show as the perfect soundtrack for any late-night party. It strikes the perfect harmony between EBM, new wave, electro, and techno, converging with disco soul music. The outcome is a cosmic journey reminiscent of the ’80s, both fiery and flavourful like Kimchi !!!
»›The Last Will and Testament‹ ist eine Art Konzeptalbum. Eine rastlose musikalische Reise, die in gewisser Weise meine eigene Beziehung zur Musik als Konsument widerspiegelt«, erzählt Bandleader Mikael Åkerfeldt.
»Ich schnappe hier etwas auf, verwerfe dort etwas. Ich bete Musik an und hasse sie gleichzeitig. Diese Ambivalenz führt mich auf eine Art eigenen kreativen Weg, und dann ist plötzlich eine Sammlung von Songs entstanden. Im besten Fall sind diese Lieder gut genug, um die Band zu beeindrucken. Gut genug für die Mächtigen in der Branche. Gut genug für euch?! Ich liebe diese Platte. Ich muss es so sagen (schreiben). Vielleicht bin ich sogar stolz? Ich nehme an, es sind einige vertraute Zutaten dabei. Die meiste unserer Musik stammt aus der gleichen Quelle, also ist es nicht weiter verwunderlich, wenn es nach ›uns‹ klingen wird. Ich bin ein wenig beeindruckt von dem, was wir mit ›The Last Will and Testament‹ gemacht haben. Es fühlt sich wie ein Traum an. Ich hoffe, es gibt eine gewisse ›Kohärenz‹ und ›Songwriting-Fähigkeiten‹, aber was weiß ich schon? Ich neige dazu, das ›Seltsame‹ dem ›Offensichtlichen‹ vorzuziehen, aber ich habe das Gefühl, dass ich in der Minderheit bin, und das ist gut so. Also... faire Warnung! Erwarten Sie keinen sofortigen Rausch (wie üblich), aber wenn Sie es sofort ›kapieren‹ (haben Sie es schon kapiert?), ist das auch in Ordnung!«
The world was a different place in June 2020. Most of us were coming out of a first lockdown and accepting limitations, new fears, and changes in our lives. There was some hope things were going to be better, optimism in the summer, a new beginning. For some, like Molero, it was. He released his first album in June 2020, one he had been working on over the previous years. “Ficciones Del Trópico” felt like a discovery, the synths approached a new world, raw, full of wonder, fresh. It was the sound we needed, the horizon we were longing for.
Four years have passed. Molero spent most of that time thinking about and creating the music for “Destellos Del Éxtasis”. If “Ficciones Del Trópico” lived in the depths of the Amazon jungle, “Destellos Del Éxtasis” releases itself from a physical location/idea and creates upon symbolism and the abstract. The more we listen to it, the more we get lost in how he created music that is shapeless, no angles, constantly morphing, transforming into something else.
Like magic, alchemy, but also like visions, hallucinatory visions, or dreams if dreams could step out into reality. And the more we get lost, the more we are convinced the music from “Destellos Del Éxtasis” is part of us, of our body, present as a permanently passing cloud. It gets into dark places, moving constantly into new ground, testing feelings, emotions and how they gravitate with sound. There’s something different in each track. Like magic. Not magical music (but there’s an argument for that). We prefer music for magic. Ritualistic, celebratory, transformative and increasingly visual. Close your eyes, it will open your perception. Follow the ecstasy, let yourself go. The reward is here.
If you are looking for a witty all-around club record – it’s arrived.
Tripmastaz shows class on #09 of his self-titled label. Four cuts built to smack dancefloor fiends to their knees.
Big boy peak-time business on ‘Madd Rippz’ has been road-tested this year by the man himself, crossing various capacity clubs and festivals. An au fait organ riff keeps you in the loop, with slappy Tripmastaz-brand beats delivering as expected.
‘Seqund Lite II’ gives you a more minimal yet funky approach. No more to add—just nod your head twice.
‘4eeba’ is a jacky early 2k number that was originally recorded more than 10 years ago but mixed to crunchy perfection.
And finally, ‘Rule 4080’ is a bumpy house track that sends off some sense to the ones who know what the title means.
The artwork side is covered with the handwriting of one of New York’s finest tattoo artists, Nobu Umezu.
Special loud cut by Mike Grinser @ Manmade and the dynamic force of Tripmastering wrap up this baby neatly.
Eternal Love's "L'Amore È" is a vibrant musical journey that radiates with nostalgic beats and modern electronic flair. Each track is a testament to the duo’s ability to reimagine their Italian roots through pulsating synths, captivating percussion, and ethereal vocals. With contributions from Marquis, Marianne Mirage and Dea Barandana, the EP intertwines stories of love, passion, and euphoria, all wrapped in infectious grooves that are sure to electrify any dance floor.
The Maltasian master Sound Synthesis with a brand new album! Another fine timeless journey into electro and electronix that will stand the test of time..
Two musical giants, guitarist Lionel Loueke and bassist Dave Holland, unite their individual talents into one harmonious recording,igniting creativity, honouring cultural roots, and showcasing music's powerful role in fostering unity amidst societal division.
United is an inspiring testament to the power of collaboration, blending Loueke's masterful guitar work with Holland's deep,resonant bass. Both musicians have profoundly impacted the global jazz scene—Loueke, known for his innovative fusion of WestAfrican traditions with modern jazz, has played with a who’s who of virtuosic and celebrated artists, most notably serving asHerbie Hancock’s guitarist for over 15 years, and collaborating with legends like Wayne Shorter, Sting, Terence Blanchard, MarcusMiller, and Esperanza Spalding. Holland, one of the most influential bassists and composers in jazz, has shaped contemporaryjazz since the late 1960s, performing with icons like Miles Davis, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Sam Rivers, andJack DeJohnette. Though Loueke and Holland have worked together many times in various groups, this album marks their firstcollaboration as a duo. The result is nothing short of extraordinary.
We Are Thrilled to Announce the Upcoming Release of Taelue's Highly Anticipated Ep, "Dark Worlds," Set to Drop on Phonogramme Records. This Exclusive, Limited Edition Marbled Vinyl Ep Is a Five-Track Masterpiece That Showcases Taelue's Exceptional Talent and Deep Connection to the Roots of House Music, Offering Listeners a Journey Through Rich, Immersive Soundscapes and Infectious Rhythms. "Dark Worlds" Is a Masterful Collection That Highlights Taelue's Signature Style, Blending Deep House Grooves With Soulful Undertones. Each Track on the Ep Stands as a Testament to His Skillful Production and Unique Artistic Vision. Among the Standout Tracks Is a Stunning Remix by the Renowned Artist Abacus, Adding a Fresh and Dynamic Layer to the Ep....
Spanish duo JNJS make a striking debut on Supervibe Music with a four-track vinyl release that highlights their unique sound. Known for their masterful use of percussions, JNJS delivers a blend of elegant grooves and hypnotizing synths that pull you in from the first beat. Each track is a testament to their growing reputation, offering a seamless fusion of rhythm and refinement that’s perfect for the dance floor or deeper listening.
Early support by: Tania Vulcano, Arapu, Priku, Nu Zau and more …
Moodena’s London-based imprint Tropical Disco’s latest offering is a shimmering journey into the heart of the underground, blending nu-disco, classic house, and contemporary electronic funk in a way that feels both nostalgic and totally fresh. Featuring four standout tracks from Vagabundo Club Social, Scruscru, Da Lukas, and Fun Kool feat. vocals from Bcleo and Anna Dee Tee, — the EP is a testament to the evolving sound of the dancefloor, where groove meets grit, and melody flirts with sultry rhythm. This release channels the spirit of sweaty basement parties, neon-soaked nights, and a collective desire to get lost in the music.
Opening the record is Colombian duo Vagabundo Club Social, presenting Latin-soaked funk colliding with shimmering brass instrumentation, creating a deep, rolling pulse that invites movement from the first beat. 'Zumba Z' is a track that feels right at home in a DJ’s warm-up set or closing down an all-nighter, with a hypnotic flow and vocals that seep into your bones.
Scruscru’s story pushes things deeper into late-night, cosmic territory. 'Konyaalti' is a lush, sun-drenched production, utilising sublime sax, Scruscru delivers a cut that's both playful and distinctly driving.
Da Lukas adds a sophisticated touch, remixing Rosario Cristofaro, and taking you on a slick ride that leans into Italo-disco influences. Swooning synths and crisp percussion form the backbone while gliding melodies create a sense of elevation. It’s elegant yet laced with energy, ideal for a peak-time set where the vibe is euphoric but refined.
Rounding off the release is veteran DJ and producer Gerardo Cinquegrana, whose playful Fun Kool moniker belies the serious funk he delivers in his production. German-born, and now Italy-based, Fun Kool’s sharp, syncopated rhythms and sexy vocal lines from Anna Dee Tee bring an irresistible groove to the forefront, with the kind of bassline that takes over your entire body and mind.
Altogether, 'Tropical Disco Volume 28' encompasses a record that’s both familiar and exploratory—rooted in the timeless grooves of disco and house but pushing forward into new musical territory and picking up sonics from different continents along the way. Whether you’re looking for late-night celestial cosmosis, sophisticated Italo-inspired dubs, or straight-up, no-nonsense funk, this release has something for every dance floor.
Nat Birchall returns with a new studio album with an expanded Unity Ensemble. Six original compositions played by a seven-piece group featuring the legendary UK tenor saxophonist, Alan Skidmore and guest percussionist Mark Wastell.
Both musicians joined the group onstage at a John Coltrane tribute concert at London’s Café Oto last year, the resulting performance showing just how compatible all the musicians were, so Nat thought it would be propitious to record the group in the studio with their special guests.
Both Nat and Alan are Coltrane devotees of the highest order, but they each have their own individual style, and at the sessions their playing complimented each other’s beautifully. With no trace of anyone attempting to “outdo” the other one the recording dates were a testament to the whole group’s selfless approach to music making.
We’re teaming up with ELUCID and Fat Possum for a limited edition of 300 copies of a Rush Hour black ice coloured edition.
E L U C I D, one half of the illustrious duo Armand Hammer, is here with the full-length follow-up to 'I Told Bessie'. Further experiments in the sonic, expanding on the 'live' side of music paired with the embracing of chaos. Something you haven't heard, or not so for a very long time. E L U C I D is here to reveal the bleakness of reality.
''There is never time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now.''
James Baldwin
A raw, crackling urgency runs through rapper-producer ELUCID’s new album REVELATOR like an underground power line. There is no space here for sepia-toned reminiscences or indulgent self-mythologizing. Intellectual rabbit holes have been filled in with concrete and rebar ; there is nowhere to hide and no off ramp from the audio Autobahn that ELUCID has fashioned—a renegade Robert Moses with gold fronts, bulldozing the homes of the powerful and the complicit. REVELATOR brims with the energy of now, with a refusal to look away. Carpe diem in a murder one mask.
Born in Jamaica, Queens, ELUCID has been on the cutting edge of New York’s underground scene since the mid-2000s. From the beginning, he has defied both convention and expectation. He ran with Okayplayer darlings Tanya Morgan, but his own music eschewed their throwback charm for glitchy noise experiments and bass-swamped culture jamming. His 2016 debut studio project Save Yourself (re-released in a deluxe edition last year) announced him in earnest. But in recent years, his Armand Hammer releases with partner-in-crime billy woods have received significant attention and acclaim. Serving as a followup to his last solo album—2022’s comparatively balmy I Told Bessie—ELUCID hoped to “re-distinguish” himself with REVELATOR, setting himself apart amidst the increasing attention around the music he and his friends are making together.
For ELUCID, this meant setting bold new challenges for himself. One of these was diving further into live instrumentation than ever before—”getting my Quincy Jones on,” as he puts it. The testing ground for this approach was Armand Hammer’s most recent project, 2023’s We Buy Diabetic Test Strips’ Möbius strip soundscapes, warmed with instrumental flourishes and skin-shedding beat progressions. With REVELATOR, though, ELUCID strove to create an atmosphere of chaos, embracing experimental electronics and atonal sample bursts. He worked on much of the album with co-producer Jon Nellen, who comes from a background in avant-garde and Indian classical music. “I wanted to get as freaky as I could at this moment. I wanted people to hear things, maybe for the first time, or in a way they haven’t for a long while,” the rapper explains.
ELUCID arrived at the studio with a collection of noise sources: non-referential samples, glitches and noises. Together he, Nellen, and others created forms out of them and, as ELUCID recalls, “just started playing drums with it.” Their fried, distorted sound was directly inspired by Miles Davis at his most uncompromising—specifically, the tone-clustering funk track “Rated X” from his 1974 double LP Get Up With It. At times, the pairing of rap with avant-fusion sounds also brings Emergency! from The Tony Williams Lifetime to mind, perhaps in an alternate timeline where the late drummer was listening to Ice Cube’s AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted.
“The World is Dog,” REVELATOR’s lead single, functions as the album’s aesthetic thesis statement. Like the Davis track, the textures are punishing, the tonality is in free-fall, and the driving breakbeat of a groove cuts in and out unceremoniously. Avant-jazz bassist Luke Stewart, who appears throughout the record, holds the whole thing together just long enough for ELUCID to tightwalk over the beat. This tension is exactly where REVELATOR sets itself apart; in a time of drumless loops, and safe soul samples, this is a high-wire act with no safety net. Similarly, the song announces the themes of the album within just a few phrases, evoking the way societies accept and adjust to new levels of debasement and brutality while suffocating under the weight of history: “Can’t clock the kill, all a mystery/Forced past will eating everyone eventually/The world is dog.”
Many of the songs on REVELATOR grapple obliquely with dissolution and disenfranchisement in America and across the world—the grim realities of our domestic sociopolitical climate and our involvement in foreign conflicts. “Much of my artistic and political sensibility comes from the Black arts movement here in New York,” ELUCID explains. “Recognizing the interconnected global struggles against oppression, artists and thinkers created works and actions in solidarity with freedom movements in South Africa and Palestine.” ELUCID cites intellectuals like Amiri Baraka, Kwame Nkrumah, Audre Lorde, Sonia Sanchez, and Nikki Giovanni among his heroes. (One track on the album is specifically inspired by Lorde’s work, “SKP,” citing the scholar’s paper “Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic As Power.”) Songs like REVELATOR’s insistent closer “ZIGZAGZIG,” find ELUCID applying up-to-the-minute messaging, making explicit reference to the conflict in Gaza: “Feed a war machine…from river to sea, in lieu of peace.”
Despite ELUCID’s preference for cacophonous system overload here, the rapper also provides moments of respite. Recorded at The Alchemist’s Los Angeles studio, the laid-back, wheezing “INSTANT TRANSFER” is a collaboration with billy woods, which crystallizes their shared sense of creative determination. “With much momentum behind us and even more on the horizon, I knew a purpose, and that every step was ordered to that purpose,” ELUCID said of the experience. Meanwhile, the jittery “HUSHPUPPIES” is a playful anomaly on the track list, providing a snapshot of ELUCID watching his grandparents in the kitchen while preparing for Friday night fish fry dinners.
“Love still rules over on this side,” ELUCID says. ”I’m raising a family. We are making meaning and finding joy in the midst of all the fucked up-ness of everything around us because the alternative is cowardice and slow death. We remain rooted. We celebrate our people and our wins. Struggle is necessary.”
“IKEBANA” is one of ELUCID’s strongest statements of purpose on the record, blending the record’s heaviest themes with its most hopeful sentiments. supported by a shoutalong refrain and an urgent prog-funk groove. Breaking away from images of dissolution and crumbling societal systems that populate REVELATOR, ELUCID notes that the only way to navigate life’s bleakest landscapes is to cling to love and believe in those around you—to look forward toward something better that may or may not be possible. For the rapper, one of the album’s most trenchant lines comes during a centerpiece of a beat drop: “Being alive/I must look up.”
“The lyric ‘being alive I must look up’ is important especially in the context of this album. Much of the album imagery is harsh and reflects the actual doom some of us experience. But still I/we exist,” ELUCID explains.
Every artist is, in one way or another, the product of their time, bound by life’s leaden gravity to operate within the space of that which is already known. But there are some who are able to shake free of these ties, to shape the culture as it unfolds, to make the present their own.
Revelation, as a concept, points to the scales falling from people’s eyes—something that has been hiding in plain sight becoming clear. “The revelator relates to things that have been talked about, things that have been forecasted,” ELUCID adds. “And now they’re really here, and everyone sees it. And there’s no escaping.” REVELATOR plays out with the unmitigated power of those storms, laying waste to any genre conventions in pursuit of a certain physicality. Here, ELUCID develops a wholly distinctive musical language to explore our fractured modernity.
REVELATOR's packaging was designed by longtime Armand Hammer / Backwoodz art director, Alexander Richter.
We Are Thrilled to Announce the Reissue of Ellery Cowles' Iconic "Sonic Control" Ep, Originally Released in 1995 on the Legendary Djax-Up-Beats Label. Ellery Cowles' "Sonic Control" Ep Is a Masterpiece That Has Stood the Test of Time, Embodying the Raw Energy and Innovative Spirit of 90s Techno and Acid House. the Reissue Preserves the Original's Groundbreaking Sound While Delivering a Fresh and Vibrant Listening Experience on a Limited Blue Marbled Vinyl....
Small Great Things proudly presents its latest release, SGT009—a meticulously curated selection of deep house grooves featuring a lineup of exceptional talent. Available on both vinyl and digital platforms, this release showcases a diverse range of deep, soulful, and groove-driven tracks designed to captivate any dance floor.
Opening the release on A1 is Luca Olivotto with "Let Me Go," a track that sets the tone with its rich, melodic layers and piano chords.
Olivotto’s masterful production effortlessly blends emotion and groove, making it an essential opener for this compilation.
Following up on A2 is Quadrakey's "Do It Right," a track that encapsulates the essence of deep house. With tight percussion, smooth basslines, and an irresistible groove, this track demands attention and will undoubtedly resonate with both DJs and listeners alike.
The B-side kicks off with a deep vocal cut from resident duo Nephews titled "Between Your Soul." This track takes listeners on a soulful journey, combining warm pads, driving basslines, and emotive vocals to create an immersive listening experience.
On B2, Peter LC delivers "We Were Alright," a deep, vocal-driven track that stands out with its smooth chords and heartfelt lyrics. The subtle groove and deep melodies make it a standout moment on the release. Rounding off the release on B3 is HAbibi Groove with "Groove Box Grooves." As the name suggests, this track is all about the groove.
With its infectious rhythm and intricate sound design, it provides the perfect closing note to this diverse and captivating compilation—a dancefloor-ready tune.
SGT009 is a must-have for any deep house enthusiast, offering a rich blend of styles and moods that showcase the depth and versatility of the genre. Available now on vinyl and digital platforms, this release is a testament to Small Great Things' commitment to quality and innovation in electronic music.
Fresh Tunez welcomes Melgar. Opening with the brooding, peak-time showstopper ‘Atmorave’ at A1, and delivering cutting-edge underground sounds throughout. Joined on the B-side by his pal Breezywav with chunky tunes that are testament to their combined artistry. This record is a mood…
ni:'o is the final project for Neo Festen’s studies at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, marking a milestone in his musical journey. The five-track EP showcases a blend of energetic yet deep sounds, exploring emotional themes throughout.
"Test Run 4 U," a standout track, carries a long expressive story, while "Protocol 1.625" is an fun experiment to the use of different time signatures.
ni:'o, Introduces the listener to his personal and approach to dance music.
While this EP closes one chapter, this is just the beginning.
If ever a producer could be hailed as the true heir to New York's storied house music throne, it's undoubtedly Mike Terra—and his new, seriously weighty Rhythm of Love EP on Nat Wendell's Depths imprint is a testament to that in strides.
The EP begins with the peak-time infectiousness of A1 "7th & C," setting the commanding tone for what's to come. The fittingly Big Apple-titled A2 "27th Street (Dub Mix)" follows, a rollicking shuffler whose fat kicks, stabbing synths, and snapping cymbals recall Johnick's steamier cuts. New York in the 90’s is indeed the frame of reference for this EP, and the B-side finds Terra doing what he does best: creating bumping, stomping, and uplifting must-have workouts for the floor. Whether you prefer the swarthy slapping, Todd Terry-esque groove of title track B1 "Rhythm of Love" or the conga-driven, deep-padded chunk of late-night house that is
B2 "City Got You Trippin'," a late-night jam crafted for those still standing, both tracks are bound to find their places in the record bags of DJs—and heads—worldwide.
The saga continues. With his second V/A vinyl release, Giano Electronics has the pleasure to host a great producer like Teslasonic with a proper electro-bomb, also joined by stunning electro tracks from Direct Y, the acid duo Twist Head Groove, Stefano Rocchi and iQbit’s atmospheric vibes.
Artwork by Abu Qadim Haqq
Masterd by Andrea Merlini
Future sounds from the eternal city
Souffle Continu records presents Byard Lancaster – The Complete Palm Recordings 1973-1974, the definitive package of Philadelphia-born jazz wizard Byard Lancaster including his 4 legendary albums released on Jef Gilson’s Palm Records in the 1970s, Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib, along with the first ever standalone edition of Love Always, a fifteen minute modal jazz beauty plus a 20 page booklet with rare photos and in-depth article about Byard Lancaster’s Parisian years by Pierre Crépon.
At the beginning of the 1960s, at the Berklee College of Music, Byard Lancaster met some feisty friends: Sonny Sharrock, Dave Burrell and Ted Daniel. It is easy to see why he rapidly became involved in free jazz. Once he was settled in New York, he appeared on Sunny Murray Quintet, recorded under the leadership of the drum crazy colleague of Albert Ayler.
In 1968, the saxophonist and flutist recorded his first album under his own name: It’s Not Up To Us. The following year he came to Paris in the wake of... Sunny Murray. He would come back to France in 1971 (again with Murray) and in 1973 (without Murray for a change). This is when he met Jef Gilson, the pianist and producer who encouraged him to record under his own name again. On Palm Records (Gilson’s label), he would release four albums: Us, Mother Africa, Exactement and Funny Funky Rib Crib.
“Us”, the first of the four records was recorded on November 24th, 1973 with Sylvin Marc on electric bass (a Fender... Lancaster?) and the evergreen Steve McCall on drums.
On the album, the trio works from the John Coltrane model; free jazz shook up by the timely contributions of the bassist, followed by a mesmerizing atmospheric music. Then, Lancaster delivers a sinuous solo path, which is a reminder of his unique tone. On the album’s companion single, the trio launches into great black music of a different genre which would lead the clairvoyant François Tusques to claim that Byard Lancaster is an “authentic representative of soul/free jazz”, to sum up this is Great Black Music! A few months after recording “Us”, Lancaster recorded “Mother Africa” along with Clint Jackson III, a trumpeter, partner of Khan Jamal or Noah Howard on other recordings.
On march 8th, 1974, Lancaster and Jackson headed up a group composed of Jean-François Catoire (electric and double bass), Keno Speller (percussion) and Jonathan Dickinson (drums). Together, they create an immediate impression. From the first seconds of “We The Blessed”, they develop a free jazz which rapidly abandons any virulence under the effect of blues and soul based interventions. When Gilson’s composition “Mother Africa” begins, listeners are transported into the studio, listening to the musicians setting up: chatting and joking... Then comes the melody: a dozen or so notes of a repeated theme which is accelerated and deformed according to their whims... The jazz played by the association Byard Lancaster / Clint Jackson III is rare: creative AND recreational. “We the blessed”, is apt listening to this again today!
The recording of “Exactement” required two sessions in the studio: February 1st and May 18th 1974 – in between the two dates, Lancaster recorded, alongside Clint Jackson, the excellent Mother Africa.
Two names appear on the cover of “Exactement”: Lancaster (Byard) and Speller (Keno). Byard Lancaster wanted to be precise, moving regularly from one instrument to another: first on piano, which was the first instrument he learned. On “Sweet Evil Miss Kisianga”, his inspiration is first and foremost Coltrane (even if leaning more towards Alice than John), this announces the storm to follow.
It is Lancaster’s horn-playing which really stands out: on alto (the sound of which is transformed by an octavoice on one track, "Dr. Oliver W. Lancaster") or soprano saxophones, as well as on flute or bass clarinet, the musician walks a tightrope making the most of all the risks he takes. Using the full register of his instruments, he has fun with the possibilities.
Then, Lancaster invokes or evokes Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy and even Prokofiev, before going into a danse alongside Keno Speller on percussion. Above all, he has a unique sound. Byard Lancaster, on whatever instrument he plays and by continually seeking, always ends up hitting the right note... ends up by playing exactement the note he had to play.
“Funny Funky Rib Crib” is an unforgettable recording (made up of several sessions dating from the middle of 1974) of creative jazz overwhelmed by funk and soul. If Lancaster had already made successful albums in the same genre – notably New Horizons, under the name Sounds Of Liberation which he co-led with Khan Jamal –, this one is an homage to James Brown and Sammy Davis enjoying the company of a host of guests including François Tusques (electric piano), Clint Jackson III (trumpet), François Nyombo (guitar), Joseph Traindl (trombone)...
Funny Funky Rib Crib’s cover is a three-quarter profile portrait of the saxophonist (who can also be heard on flute, piano and even vocals), however, on the record, it is the whole group, inspired and frenetic, that tests the melodies of “Just Test”, “Dogtown” or “Rib Crib” – the two versions of which display leader Lancaster’s art of nuance. On both sides of the album, the group also moves into a calmer groove, infused by blues and soul, “Work And Pray” and “Loving Kindness” are meditative tracks where listeners can lay back and relax before asking for more: Funny Funky Rib Crib!
The magnificent “Love Always” was originally released on the fourth (and last) volume of the Jef Gilson Anthology series released in 1975.
Recorded on 8th March 1974, it is a beautiful 15-minute-long modal jazz piece. Four notes from the bass (the relentless Jean-François Catoire, who makes up the rhythm section alongside drummer Jonathan Dickinson and percussionist Keno Speller), and the group is up and running!
On piano, Gilson shows the subtle tact of a sideman, leaving the lions’ share of the place to the horns. This allows us to hear the trumpet of Clint Jackson III and the alto (which sometimes sounds almost flute-like) of Byard Lancaster each staking their claim in a long hallucinatory march which moves from moments of direct exaltation to profoundly sensitive collective playing. And if further proof was required of the confidence that Byard Lancaster and Jef Gilson inspire, “Love Always” provides it on this one sided release exclusive to the box set.
Jay Lumen is back to his own Footwork label after his No.1 release on Arcane. „Get Down Everybody" is a massive floorfiller, tested by himself at many of his shows. The title track has a great balance between the unique sound design and the rolling grooves and bassline. His B side „Turn the Flame" track is a good proof of Jay's raw old school techno sound including his hardgroove sprayed elements. Mind your Footwork. :-)
A sense of destiny hangs over Sentir Que No Sabes, Mabe Fratti’s fourth solo-credited album released in a five year span. Her work has always possessed a finely tuned sense of drama capable of expressing a range of emotional states, and across this new album, she conveys the struggle to process various relationships or situations–and the actions that come next. Sentir Que No Sabes is urgent and clear, poppy, generous and approachable, while showcasing a considerable emotional hinterland. It is also, as Fratti is quick to mention, “groovy.”
Written and recorded with her partner, multi-instrumentalist, and co-composer Héctor Tosta (I.La Católica, Titanic), Sentir Que No Sabes is the result of an intense, detail-oriented process. Fueled by a new confidence gained in their collaborative project, Titanic, and its critically acclaimed 2023 LP, Vidrio, the two hunkered down in the familiarity of their studio (aka Tinho Studios) to bash out the initial sonic coordinates of her new record. “We talked and talked, and discussed ways of playing and recording, until things became inevitable,” Fratti explains. “We recorded a bunch of demos at our home studio and that meant we had a lot of time to re-edit and experiment. We really dug in. We were super focused on detail.” Tosta also took up the controls as producer and arranger-in-chief for all additional instruments. The album was later completed at Willem Twee Studios in Den Bosch in the Netherlands, and Pedro y el Lobo Studios and Soy Sauce Studios, in Mexico City.
For the final studio recordings, the pair were joined by drummer Gibran Andrade and trumpetist Jacob Wick to fill out and expand on Tosta’s percussion and brass arrangements. This small group of friends were able to work quickly and openly, and without fear: a testament to the exhaustive groundwork put in at Tinho Studios. This can be heard in three short, intermediary tracks that also manage to be the most aggressive on the record: “Kitana” (a scratch-laden instrumental that acts as a strange prelude for the last track, “Angel nuevo”) and a pair of two-minute instrumental interludes, “Elastica” I and II. None are throwaway mood pieces; rather they act as emotional cue cards, and hint at the way Fratti and Tosta created the overall atmosphere of Sentir Que No Sabes.
A strong sense of rhythm irrigates the sound from the jump, as heard on the glorious opening track, “Kravitz.” Here, the brilliant plucked cello line acts as a bassline and props up the steady thump of the kick drum. The cello’s growl serves as a conduit for a set of slightly paranoid lyrics that tell us “Quizás haya oídos en el techo” (“maybe there are ears in the ceiling”), while the song also introduces another staple of the record: the clever brass stabs, whistles, parps, and other interjections that paint a canvas of traffic in a city. It’s a postmodern, widescreen sound that for some might recall The Blue Nile’s Hats.
Sentir Que No Sabes is a record full to the brim with a modern pop sensibility, invoked by the sort of magpie spirit that ensnares anything it can find, repositioning sounds for the here and now. The keys and melody on the melancholy “Pantalla azul” (“Blue screen error”) transport us back to the glossy mid-1980s. “Oídos” (“Ears”) is a beautiful slice of contemporary, hybrid pop, in which Fratti’s vocal lines delicately spin themselves around the lean structures erected by the brass and drums, and the descending “plink” of a set of piano chords. Then we have a gloriously strong ending with the swell of “Angel nuevo” (“New angel”), another cinematic track full of gentle, instrument-rich swells and eddies that manages to be almost endless in its range–and yet intensely personal, as Fratti’s voice is close, almost whispering in your ear. A much needed lullaby for our fractious times.
The lyrics, for their part, have a stop-start quality to them, and hint at the small, incremental emotional taxes we pay through just living our lives. They circle around the music like birds waiting to swoop. There is something of the spiritual in all of Fratti’s work that expresses itself in a form of yearning: she looks to new horizons while personal dramas find themselves internalized, contextualized, and then dealt with through metaphor. Here, she was keen to mention Tosta’s constant encouragement in her finding a path to best sing or phrase her words to impart their maximum effect. “Hector was super inquisitive about my lyrics and asked me questions about what I meant, which sometimes is something you don't wonder so much about in isolation,” Fratti explains. “Besides, he is a great poet, and you can see that in what he did on the Titanic record. This made me go deeper into my lyric writing and definitely transformed it into something that I feel super happy about now.”
Take “Enfrente” (“In Front”), a track that initially comes across as a languid, glossy number, with plucked cello strings standing in for a bass line and brittle synth parts. Soon we catch on to a brilliant minor chord switch, which mirrors the fear and doubt expressed in the lyrics as someone “trembles up to the podium” in a “search for meaning.” There’s also the startling introduction of a vocoder in “Quieras o no” (“Whether you want it or not”); it comes precisely at the point Fratti sings “Quieras o no es un desastre” (“Whether you want it or not, it's a disaster”). Moments like these leave room for interpretation and, over time, create a strong bond between the listener and the record.
In fact, across Sentir Que No Sabes, each phrase–whether instrumental or vocal–becomes at some level emblematic of acts and moods that impart deep emotional significance. We see this best on “Intento fallido” (“Failed attempt”), which could be the score to feeling trapped in self-doubt, only to suddenly be sprung free by the song’s gloriously upbeat ending. On “Márgen del índice” (“Index margin”), the quicksilver switch between initial disharmony and a beautiful melody is breathtaking, all augmented by evocative arrangements, textured production, and the slightly playful, gnomic lyrics. The track’s emotional ecosystem allows another brilliant ending, which uses the simple repeated phrase, “Cómo lo va a ver?” (“How are you going to see it?”).
So what to make of Sentir Que No Sabes? High gloss Pastoralism? The sound of a city-bound, post-post modern soulscape? No matter the emotions evoked, it's the work of an artist coming into their own, and creating a benchmark record.
Gradient is back with it’s 8th release Following up after the Uncertain
Landscape series with 4 original cuts from Jamaica Suk “Tes Levrés”
previously released on Seelen’s vinyl only V/A Jamaica Suk –
Framework EP
TrioRox is a project born from the meeting of three protagonists of the Italian music scene (and not only): pianist Giovanni Guidi, bassist Joe
Rehmer and electronic musician DJ Rocca (Luca Roccatagliati). Three characters who boast an eclectic and consistent curriculum. Guidi, enfant prodige of Jazz piano, has published several albums for the prestigious ECM label, and has collaborated with the best jazz and electronic musicians, from Enrico Rava to Matthew Herbert, from Joe Lovano to Ricardo Villalobos. Joe Rehmer, an American transplanted to Italy, is one of the most sought-after bass players, sharing stages and recording studios together with authorities such as Bob Mintzer, James Moody and Danny Gottlieb.
DJ Rocca is a DJ and musician active since the nineties, and boasts numerous albums, singles and remixes with, and for key protagonists of the alternative dance scene (Andrew Weatherall, Dimitri From Paris and Howie B), as well as a militancy in the jazz scene with several albums together with Franco D’Andrea.
The music that the trio proposes is a mix of electronic, dance, Jazz and pop, with groove impulses in the field of house and techno music, without neglecting mixes between electro, classical and minimalism. A melting pot of styles between Keith Jarrett and Carl Craig.
Album to be released by IRMA Records in October 2024, with guests Luigi Di Nunzio, Gianluca Petrella, Dan Kinzelman and Jacopo Fagioli.
“Moods” is the debut album of Triorox that represents the photograph of the ‘Here and Now’. All the music was born from a studio session that lasted a few days, in which the mood of the three musicians gave the album its sound imprint. What came out of it became incandescent material to elaborate the musical flow of the entire work, which had three different phases.
The first, in which the tracks were born from the recordings, some developed as creations with a common denominator (the three moments of Mood), some as thematic suggestions (Angels, Corea and Next To Canada), and others as a stylistic challenge (the techno of Space Rain, or the drum and bass of Sax & The City).
The second phase, where the compositions were subjected to the test of live concerts, in which it was understood how the tracks could be better arranged, optimizing them and keeping the best ones. The last phase was the choice and insertion of the guests, reasoning according to the type of suggestion that we wanted to give to the specific song. So we gave free rein to Luigi Di Nunzio, who also participated in phase two, playing with us on stage on some occasions. In the same way, Gianluca Petrella chose the piece where he felt most at ease, also contributing to the arrangement.
Dan Kinzelman, a historic collaborator of both Guidi and Rehmer, was included because we wanted his bass clarinet in a specific suggestive situation. Finally, we wanted Jacopo Fagioli (the Tuscan reincarnation of Don Cherry), we wanted him in a specific episode of Mood, for his particular style, impeccable in determining the mood that the piece needed.
Now celebrating 20 years since the original release of 'Salsoul Nugget' in April 2001, M&S enlists Mighty Mouse and Mark Knight for some amazing remix to celebrate this milestone anniversary.
Mighty Mouse pulls out all the stops with expertly chopped vocals and loops that builds intensity with a breakdown that is equal parts intense and euphoric and is sure to get the club absolutely heated.
With a career that spans across two decades, DJ & Grammy-nominated producer and Toolroom head honcho Mark Knight jumps on board the Salsoul Nugget mix package. It's fair to say Mark Knight knows his way around creating records that connect with house music lovers. 2020 highlighted Mark Knight’s more soulful house roots and follows his desire to create timeless dance records that stand the test of time, including the Sunday Shouting sampling 'All 4 Love' (feat Tasty Lopez). 2021 saw the release of ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Alright’ with Beverly Knight and the London Community Gospel Choir. For his mix of Salsoul Nugget, Mark beefs up the drums for the main rooms while being respectful to the original.
The original vocal and original extended vocal mix and original extended Klub Mix are on the flip.
Love International and Test Pressing commemorate yet another cracking festival with the latest instalment in their collaborative compilation series for their LIXTP label. For The Sound Of Love International #006 they’ve chosen Jay Donaldson aka Palms Trax as their selector. He’s a regular at Love International.
The Berlin-based DJ, known for his eclectic sets and long-running NTS show "Cooking With Palms Trax," delivers a diverse selection of tracks gathered from his global journeys.
The majority of the tracks included were self-released / privately pressed and in many cases the often mysterious artists’ only recorded outings. So, in putting this together Palms Trax has unearthed hidden gems, creating a magical, floor-filling journey through music.
Balmat began our journey in 2021 with the release of Luke Sanger’s Languid Gongue. Now, three years later, we turn an important corner as the Norfolk musician rejoins us with Dew Point Harmonics, the first repeat appearance on the label. Sanger’s new album feels like a natural extension of his inaugural record for Balmat: It’s a bewitching collection of esoteric synth sketches that slips unpredictably between consonant repetition, poignant melodies, and gnarled bursts of noise that catch in the ear like burrs in hiking socks.
That natural metaphor is perhaps not accidental. Despite having been composed on Sanger’s diverse array of hardware and self-written software, many of the tracks were first conceived while Sanger was hiking in a particularly wild and isolated section of the Norfolk coast. The field recording that opens the album, on “6am Beach Walk,” was taken on one of his many early-morning walks there, in which he and his dog might go for miles without seeing another soul. The album’s title was inspired by the overnight condensation covering the long marram grass in the dunes, glistening in the early light (and drenching everything coming in contact with it) before evaporating in the morning sun. Indeed, the concept of dew point—the temperature at which water vapor condenses into a liquid—feels like the perfect metaphor for Sanger’s music, in which foggy ambience is distilled into glistening quicksilver orbs, transient spheres of perfection eventually absorbed back into the atmosphere.
A shapeshifting collection of richly detailed and deeply expressive electronic miniatures, Dew Point Harmonics is both a testament to the mysteries of transformation and an invitation to get lost in the wilderness of your own imagination.
Matching breezy, Bossa nova-tinged sophistication with softly spiralling psychedelia, Testbild! arrive in the Quindi lounge as though they've always been there. On their 12th album, Bed Stilt, the Swedish collective cast their attention back to the earlier days of their 25-year trip through sweetly mysterious pop-not-pop rendered in warm tones and shot through with surrealism. It's tricky to get a precise fix on the story and structure of Testbild! The project was spearheaded by Petter Herbertsson in his hometown of Malmö in the late 90s, although the story on their website credits the inspiration and source material to a chance meeting and unpublished manuscript from a retiring scientist. The collective's evolution since then is a tangled web of facts and fiction spun by a revolving cast of collaborators including Siri af Burén, Katja Ekman, Rikard Heberling, Douglas Holmquist, Mattias Nihlén and Petter Samuelsson. Along the way, their music has touched on chamber pop, post-punk and modern jazz with the elaborate harmonies and catchy songwriting charm of the Canterbury scene. The tracks which make up Bed Stilt were in fact track recorded in Malmö back in the mid- 00s, lying in wait for the right opportunity to be brought to light with some delicate overdubs and finishing flourishes in the here and now. The core musicians working on the record were Herbertsson and Douglas Holmquist on a similarly expansive list of vocals, guitars, bass, synths and keys, Siri af Burén on lead vocals and Mattias Nihlén on synths and additional mixing. Meanwhile Tomas Bodén - better known as Civilistjavel - lent some additional synth work as well as mastering the record. Musically, Testbild! stay true to their idiosyncratic approach on Bed Stilt with six immaculately rendered sojourns through lilting harmonies and brushed rhythms, feeling nostalgic but beguiling in equal measure. Theirs is a luxurious sound, not least on the opening strains of 'The First New Years Eve,' which purrs to life draped in silky Rhodes and chiming vibes. Behind this comfortable veneer the enigmatic lyrical themes unfurl through Herbertsson, Holmquist and af Burén's vocal harmonies like fractalized puzzles waiting to be solved. The finger-picking delicacy and languid harmonica of 'Streams' strike a pastoral mood neatly countered by the elegant slide into dislocated ambience for the track's final stretch. By contrast, 'And Her Eyes Are Red' surges with a big beat urgency which plays beautifully with the mellow jazziness of the chord sequences, boldly toying with song structure to dart down curious tangents without losing the immediate impulse of a great pop record. Somewhere in this tension between clarity and chaos we can understand the addictive charm of Testbild! - a band steeped in the considerable craft of making accomplished and unconventional music so very easy to sink into. If that doesn't make for a perfect addition to the Quindi catalogue, we don't know what does.
After a duo of floor-stomping releases, Rhythm by Nature is back for its third release with one of the most prolific producers in the game — Tommy Vicari Jnr. The Sheffield-based musician went from being an enigmatic figure to becoming a true example of musical discipline, boasting a seemingly endless musical output under several aliases. With "Francis Bacon Size Hangover EP," Vicari presents a diverse four-track EP that showcases his ability to traverse various soundscapes without ever losing grip on rhythm.
'Francis Bacon Size Hangover' (A1) opens the EP in pure Vicari style, plunging atmospheric dub-infused pads, delayed drums and competently edited vocal breaks on a cosmos of shifting sound signatures. The result is an infectious dance floor weapon drenched in mind-boggling groove with funky, light-hearted undertones. 'B Doll' (A2) goes a bit jazzier, delivering an analogue-driven, breakbeat-tinted track with intricate percussion and deep, resonant synth work. B1: "Newdays" finds Vicari immersing himself in the essence of house music, powerfully rooted in Chicago's disco and proto-house aesthetics: punchy drums and propulsive basslines keep the track in constant motion while atmospheric textures forge an irresistible soundscape of skillfully layered, ingeniously sampled sounds. Originally crafted in 2004, 'Vommer' (B2) closes the EP by showcasing Vicari's longstanding dedication to his craft — a slow-burning, minimalistic dub track that's as beautifully understated as it is gracefully spaced out.
"Francis Bacon Size Hangover EP" is a testament to Tommy Vicari Jnr's enduring influence in the electronic music scene and proof that Rhythm by Nature is perfectly capable of continuing to build momentum.
First Word Records is proud to bring you 'The Making of Silk', the brand new album from Allysha Joy.
Allysha Joy is a deeply-expressive singer, songwriter, producer & keys player hailing from Naarm (Melbourne), known for both her solo work and as front woman for 30/70. A uniquely-talented artist, her husky soulful voice, formidable Fender Rhodes prowess and raw poeticism has garnered legions of attentive fans the world over.
As an integral performer in the modern day jazz-soul scene, previous support has included selectors Gilles Peterson & Jamz Supernova (BBC 6 Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), China Moses (Jazz FM) & Laurent Garnier (PBB France), along with stations such as NTS, Lot Radio, KEXP & KCRW, and publications including OkayPlayer, Dazed and The Vinyl Factory.
Along with a recent foray into the USA market with a string of successful shows, Allysha Joy has performed alongside acts such as Snarky Puppy, PJ Morton, The Teskey Brothers, Kokoroko and Children of Zeus, to name a few.
Joy has previously released two full-length solo albums 'Acadie : Raw' in 2018, 'Torn : Tonic' in 2022 and an EP, 'Light It Again' in 2020, along with countless collaborations and features over the past few years.
Entirely self-produced and affectionately poured over, 'The Making of Silk' is about a new understanding of the meaning of love.
Joy says, "it's the kind of love that bell hooks writes about, that lives in the poetry of Mary Oliver, Hafiz and the passionate dreaming of a Koryusai painting. It's about a love that is compassionate, that lives in open conversation, deep listening, the front lines of social movement and would never seek to stifle the light in you. It's about accepting our aloneness, the impermanence of all things and still forever wanting to prove it wrong, to say that I understand that all things change, all things end, hurt exists, but I will love regardless."
Riding on the waves of rich string arrangements, layers of vocal harmony and the raw poeticism she is known for, Allysha Joy's next album is embodying love.
'The Making of Silk' is due to be released on vinyl & digital worldwide, September 13th 2024.
** Includes fold out colour poster (40cm * 20cm), replicating the insert included in the original '76 release **
Only a decade ago Leong Lau remained a well-hidden Malaysian-Australian treasure, known only to small circles of Australian record collectors. In 2013 we met Leong in person at the Brisbane state library, where after a long and somewhat transcendental ‘conversation’, received his blessings to re-release his music.
In 2014, we reissued his sophomore album ‘That Rongeng Sound’ and later in 2021, his sole single ‘late Night Flyer. In 2024, we are going back to finish the triangle of Leong releases, with a repress of his debut 1976 album ‘Dragon Man’. A raw and electrifying album that continues to stand the test of time.
Dragon Man might best be described musically as psyc/rock, however the significant use of soul/funk and jazz melodies adds a unique musical depth that makes it hard to categorise. However, what truly sets Leong apart is his distinct vocal style, delivering half sung/half spoken lyrics in a stereotypical Aussie accent that comes across more like a sermon than what might be conceived as ‘traditional’ songs.
Moreover, in a time where the Australian music industry and its performers’ musical styles were dictated by major labels, Leong began to break down those barriers by self-releasing his music. This rewarded Leong creative control, where he was able to dictate the musical and cultural themes, with songs like ‘Dragon Man’ and ‘Deep In The Jungle’ that both pay homage to his unique Chinese/Malay heritage. That said, Dragon Man is both a significant musical and cultural statement that’s just as poignant today as it was then.
432HERTZ Berlin Unveils its Hypnotic "Space Collective" Debut Vinyl
Prepare to lose yourself in the world of underground electronic music with the arrival of 432HERTZ Berlin's inaugural vinyl release. This meticulously curated collection transcends genres, weaving a spellbinding narrative that will transport you to uncharted sonic territories.
Side A: A Celestial Exploration
•A1: Computational Universe (Rinaldo Makaj): Brace for liftoff as Rinaldo Makaj's "Computational Universe" propels you towards the furthest reaches of the cosmos. Lush soundscapes shimmer with meticulously crafted synth sequences, evoking a sense of awe-inspiring discovery amidst the celestial expanse.
•A2: Mesosphere (Rickie): Descend into the enigmatic depths of "Mesosphere" by Rickie. A sophisticated bassline throbs like a beating heart, guiding you through a soundscape shrouded in mystery. Evocative leads and atmospheric synths create a captivating soundscape that lingers long after the final note fades.
Side B: Where Electro Meets Soul
•B1: Escape from Reality (Electric City): "Escape from Reality" by Electric City ignites a surge of raw energy, pulsating with the primal spirit of classic electro. This genre-bending track seamlessly integrates soulful influences into a driving electro foundation, creating a sonic odyssey that's both exhilarating and deeply moving.
•B2: Mario's Juice (Pumio Space): The journey concludes with Pumio Space's "Mario's Juice," a sonic elixir that washes over the listener in waves of euphoria. This tranquil soundscape provides a perfect descent, leaving you in a state of blissful serenity.
A Testament to Underground Electronic Music
Curated by Rinaldo Makaj, 432HERTZ Berlin's debut vinyl release is a powerful testament to the boundless creativity and diversity of underground electronic music.
Slush Records are back for their second outing, remastering and rereleasing Sedona’s highly sought-after 1995 track, ‘Pulsation’. A portal to the underground of the ‘90s, Sedona’s original mixes and the remix from Robert Vaughan, fuse progressive house, trance and breakbeat, each oscillating to their own unique frequency. Not stopping there, Slush Records enlist the expertise of Seoul-born, Amsterdam-based Naone for a mesmerising new remix that harnesses all of that early ‘90s energy, with a fresh dynamism.
The story of Sedona begins with Dale Charles and Benny Blanco. As a touring DJ and buyer at Boston Beat Records in the mid ‘90s, Dale Charles was in diggers paradise. Freestyle was big business at the time and as a progressive house and breaks DJ, Dale couldn’t help but notice how good the drum programming was on some of the tracks. He spent endless hours trawling through the shops near 10,000 freestyle records, hoping to find that elusive secret weapon.
One day Dale found the break he was searching for and took it to Benny’s studio. Benny was an aspiring DJ and, more crucially, a producer with a conveniently concreted basement apartment he was slowly filling with synths, samplers and drum machines. Sampling and chopping up this gem of a break, utilising two TB-303’s that Benny recorded live for the acid lines and creating that signature throbbing arp on a Roland JD-800, the basis of ‘Pulsation’ was born.
The duo created a series of different mixes to tweak the feeling of the track. The ‘Ascending Mix’ and ‘Sinister Mix’ bookend this reissue. The former, a club-focussed cut with subtle to squelching 303 lines, rumbling sub bass frequencies and pulsating arps that anchor the track, as the sacred drum break fires your brain into trance-infused euphoria. The latter, an ominous slice of teleportational ambient electronica, sucking you into a wormhole of galactic synthesis and dream-state harps.
The first of the remixes sees Slush draft in the progressive wizardry of Naone to provide a fresh new take on the track. Leaning into the otherworldly ‘90s atmosphere of the original, Naone radiates the pulsating theme through swelling synth stabs and a driving acid bassline. Switching up the feel with an electro-tinged drum beat, she distorts the acid dials till the track explodes into a dystopian realm of twisted techno.
The second is Robert Vaughan’s ‘Test Tube’ mix from the original 12 Inch. A no-nonsense prog headspinner, that garnered plays from the likes of Sasha and Digweed. An acclaimed DJ and producer across the ‘90s, with releases on the likes of Space Records and Metropolis, Vaughan injected the track with added breakbeat energy and swirling, tripped-out breakdowns to masterful effect.
A timeless dancefloor classic, expertly remastered and reissued with a remix that both honours and updates the original.
This concept album, recorded between 2020 and 2023, compiles electronic experiments based on analog synthesizers and hardware sequencers. The focus was made on generative patterns and oscillators wave shaping, resulting in long and repetitive pieces, each being the result of a constrain intrinsic to vintage hardware.
Polish multi-instrumentalist and prolific producer Charlie lands on Wrong Era with her earth-shattering EP 'Spacewoman'. As a revered live act and spearhead within the Italo-Proto scene, Charlie’s record is a testament to her unique and impactful sound design, which is on full display in her thunderous progressions.
Having garnered a following with her DJ and live performances at some of the most influential clubs in Europe, the record sees the Polish producer integrate her infectious rhythmic flair into another standout release, capturing the consistently mind-opening energy of her live sets and hooking us in with potent synth lines and vocals.
On ALPHA WAVES, AUX88 ventures into uncharted sonic territories by subtly incorporating 432 Hz alpha wave tones. This forward-thinking approach to sound exploration is a testament to their creativity and commitment to pushing the boundaries of electronic dance music.
It is believed that 432 Hz is the healing frequency of the universe and has the power to improve our bodies' natural healing abilities. Similarly, alpha brain waves are associated with restful, meditative states and are believed to reduce depression, combat anxiety, and increase creativity. By blending these healing frequencies with their classic techno-bass fusion, AUX88 offers listeners a unique auditory experience that is both soothing and energizing, especially powerful during their all-sensory-consuming live performances, where fans can fully immerse themselves in the music and experience its transformative effects.
Fortunea Records is thrilled to present 2 great Italian producers for its 33rd record. DJ Rocca & Mike Riviera will release their 4 tracks packed Night Jamz EP this spring on the Austrian label to shake up the dancefloors with their combined power of raw and snappy warehouse grooves.
The former is a living legend! He began his career in the late 1990s with drum’n’bass-, breakbeat- and future jazz productions under the brand Maffia Soundsystem, which was also a club in Italy where he was the main resident dj. What followed was an impressive work history in the house and disco scene with many memorable tracks and collaborations with artists such as Dimitri From Paris as Erodiscotique or Marcello Giordani under the moniker Supersonic Lovers.
Michele Tessadri aka Mike Riviera resides in Berlin and is mostly known for his italo disco inspired productions with Luc Sauvage. But he released also solo under pseudonyms such as Fratelli Riviera on the labels Slow Motion and Bear Funk and occasionally works on impressive edits of disco- and funk records.
The Night Jamz EP will come out on all the digital stores and streaming services on may 24, 2024 and will be available on limited vinyl shortly after.
Paul K, a longstanding figure in the Romanian electronic music scene, unveils his latest release, "Black Round 36", showcasing his signature blend of minimalism, techno, and micro house. The opening track sets the tone with its sustained minimalism and broken rhythm, punctuated by sparse low-tonal sounds that weave a hypnotic spell. Paul K's adept sound design skillfully combines dominating percussion with soft analogue tones, adding a touch of romance to the intrigue.
Throughout the release, Paul K demonstrates his mastery of crafting inspiring compositions that transcend genre boundaries. From Cluj-Napoca to Arad, Bucharest, and even London, his eclectic underground sound resonates, drawing listeners into a world of sonic exploration. Collaborating with Israeli artist Asael Weiss for the remixe of "Black Round 36", the release takes on new dimensions, with improvisation leading to synthesised solutions and psychedelic atmospheres reminiscent of springtime.
Closing the release with the solo track "No Data", Paul K continues to mesmerize, creating percussion-driven images that invite listeners on a captivating journey. The measured sound of the entire release serves as a guiding light, leading listeners to discover their own highlights within its immersive soundscape.
"Black Round 36" is more than just a music release; it's a testament to Paul K's ability to craft hypnotic works that transcend genre boundaries and captivate audiences worldwide.
Initially released exclusively in digital format two years ago, the already cult favourite Whispers Of An Ancient World finally makes its way to vinyl courtesy of Mystic & Quantum but in highly restricted numbers. Featuring artwork by Kilian Eng, this red edition offers a mesmerising auditory journey. Ambient landscapes and evocative ancient ceremonies coalesce with explorations through lush jungles, tranquil acoustic melodies, and edgier dub motifs hinting at a looming dystopian future. Contributions from artists such as Diagonal, Mason Bee, and State Azure enrich its allure as the whole thing adds up to a cinematic tapestry that captivates with atmospheric depth.
We present the 2nd volume to the dynamic Various Artists Series from Analog Concept Records with 4 tracks of proper electronic class made to last.
Enter the interdimensional escapes on side A beginning with D5 “Round and Round” exploring worlds through saturated Detroit techno and sharp arps of deep thought and human heart, followed by an Electro transition in transmission from Rekab's “On the Move” displaying an ominous side to his signature style that is calculated in emotion and faithfully smooth.
This thing called House is here to provide on the B side launched by a flight from the mysterious AmorSinFronteras with “F-O-R-M” bouncing in powerful tom driven rhythm, lysergic bassline animations, and elusive sunlit chords further opening the mind's doors.
Ross Alexander concludes the EP with “Double Dove”, submerging the depths in a bold way, full of therapeutic melody and Garage style traits building up for a vibrant climax section that exudes colorful carnivals and summer love.
Various Artists 2 crafted with care to bring you 4 electronic transmissions for the body and mind that stand the test of time.
fabric Records to announce the highly anticipated release of *fabric presents Confidence Man*, set to drop on 23rd August 2024. The mix features Confidence Man’s innovative sound and includes two exclusive tracks from the band, alongside new music from renowned artists Joe Goddard, Joshua James, and Mona Yim.
Confidence Man, celebrated for their infectious energy and distinctive style, bring their unique flair to this mix, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the future of dance music. The exclusive tracks, “BREAK IT DOWN (ON THE BASSLINE)” and “Let Them Bells Ring,” showcase the band's signature blend of high energy and catchy grooves, promising to be instant dancefloor favorites.
Complementing Confidence Man’s contributions are cutting-edge tracks from Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard, whose production mastery continues to redefine electronic music. Joshua James, known for his deep house and techno expertise, delivers a track that captures his club-ready sound. Mona Yim adds her ethereal touch with a fresh composition that embodies her innovative approach to electronic music.
fabric presents Confidence Man* stands as a testament to fabric Records’ commitment to curating pioneering music that pushes the boundaries of the genre. This release not only highlights the versatile talent of Confidence Man but also features some of the most exciting contemporary artists in the electronic scene.
The album will be available for digital download and streaming across all major platforms on 23d August 2024.
In 2021, in the midst of COVID, in a desire to continue to share music and stay connected, Gauthier worked to produce collaborations with artists from all over the world, Ottoman Grüw (Canada), Nekro TFFV (Turkey), Lucas Martins (Brazil), Lethal M (Macedonia). The result is four techno tracks both melodic and powerful inhabited by voices that resonate like the whisper of a music that, whatever happens, will never stop to exist.
Never Alone is the testimony that even isolate we continue through the music to be together.
Next up on _NRV we have Alexis Cabrera, an artist who defies genre boundaries, and showcases his musical diversity. Each track on the EP is a testament to his innovative spirit and unique style. He takes us on a sonic journey that is both familiar and groundbreaking, transcending typical genre constraints.
Darren Roach’s debut album lands on Limo! With its sights set squarely on the dancefloor, ‘Low Ranger’ may seem to have come out of nowhere, but to those who have been paying attention, his music has never stopped making an impact. Roach boasts a catalog of releases that begins in the ‘90s, and a few of these long-lost pearls resurface here, freshly mastered and ready to go.
The bulk of the album, however, consists of freshly crafted nuggets that will surely stand the test of time just the same. The album is a testament that truly good music doesn’t degrade over time, and the decades of quality behind ‘Low Ranger’ reveal a master of his craft.
Accomplished NYC singer-songwriter Kelli Sae unveils joyful new single Good Feeling on 21st June 2024, the first fruit of her fourth solo artist album due early next year. Good Feeling swings, sways and shimmies with playful Latino spirit; a summer-fun delight all about seizing the day and embracing love and life. Sae’s sizzling vocals dance in and around deft keys, layered horns, tight guitar parts and, of course, that infectious percussion. Verses switch up to agile scat solos and down to emotive breakdowns – it’s the very best of feelings….
Good Feeling is produced by Chris Franck, co-founder of Da Lata, chief instigator behind Zeep, Smoke City and Batu, and long-standing mastermind for a wealth of other studio projects and remixes. The record features a talented cast of musicians including award-winning Brazilian composer Rafael Martini, who arranged and conducted the horn sections in one of Latin music’s truest heartlands Belo Horizonte.
Kelli Sae’s story has it all. An internationally acclaimed artist, she previously shone as lead vocalist for renowned jazz-funk collectives Incognito, Count Basic and Defunkt, and worked with Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Ashford & Simpson and Me’shell Ndegéocello among others. Born of Puerto Rican, African and French descent, Sae has soulful eclecticism in her blood. The exciting mix of sounds, cultures and influences across her three, independently-released solo albums to date is testament to this, as well as her respected forays into composing, playwrighting and stage performance.
Good Feeling is Kelli Sae’s latest impactful outing for Reel People Music, following singles Good Love, Right Now and Believe In A Brighter Day earlier this decade. The special relationship is set to blossom further over the coming months. We. Can’t. Wait.
Step into the shadowy depths of minimal techno with the highly anticipated third release from altēr:altēr. Brought to you by Stekke, the visionary Brazilian duo and owners of Sketches, this installment also features the French maestro Lowris (Aethernum / Minibar) and the enigmatic Thome.
altēr:altēr 003 is a masterclass in dark minimalism, weaving intricate soundscapes that are both haunting and hypnotic. Each track is a testament to the art of simplicity, maintaining a steady groove while immersing the listener in a rich, textured sonic environment.
Feedasoul Records’ mainstay Soul Groove, returns to the label with a four-track vinyl masterpiece that doubles down on his Jazz and Soulful roots while delivering infectious Deep House cuts. This release is a testament to Soul Groove’s evolution as a serious up-and-comer in the electronic scene, showcasing his unique, smooth sound that has become synonymous with Feedasoul Records.
Magic Combo is a vinyl-only label that specializes in limited edition edits of iconic original tracks, symbolizing the rich diversity of musical genres such as Afro, Funk, Jazz, Blues, R&B, and Classic House. This label is a melting pot of emotions, love, and musical improvisations, brought to you by a dynamic combination of emerging Italian and international musicians, DJs, and producers. Each release is a carefully curated selection that represents the soul of its genre, offering a unique listening experience that transcends the ordinary.
The Magic Combo label is not just about music; it’s about creating a connection between the listener and the sounds that have shaped generations. Our limited edition vinyl are a testament to the enduring power of music and the magic that happens when different cultures and sounds collide. It’s a celebration of the past, present, and future of music, encapsulating the essence of each genre while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Join us on a journey through sound with Magic Combo, where every record is a story, every beat a heartbeat, and every spin a new discovery. This is where the magic of vinyl comes alive, and where the love for music is immortalized in every groove.
Dustin Zahn & Z.I.P.P.O team up for a brand new EP entitled “Tools for Levitation.” Looking for a party record? Wrong EP. These tracks are designed to bend reality to your will. The record focuses on 4 esoteric Techno tracks with a strong emphasis on sound design, with each track being as heavy as they are mental.
Written during the depths of lock down, the finished results have a darker and more nihilistic approach than one would normally find on their solo productions. Since then, these tracks have been road tested over the years by our close friends and favorite DJs. Now, they’re finally available to the public
Ten years after his first full-length effort ‘Man Is Deaf’ landed him firmly in the runnings for DJ Mag’s album of the year, prodigal son Michael Anthony Wright AKA Brassica returns to Civil Music with a deeply accomplished, painstakingly whittled LP of hydraulic electro slickness, rich synthscapes, and hooky, peak-time tearjerkers for the most discerning front-left lifers. ‘Tribeless Gathering’ is a barnstorming testament to Brassica’s stylistic and timbral deftness, touching down in the elusive epicentre of the club/home listening venn diagram with ease.
From the elastic, neon acid pointillism of opener ‘Hop Kweng’ to the mardy, miasmic plod of closing chugger ‘Changa Hill’, Brassica seamlessly segues between avenues of influence, his notoriously omnivorous musical knowledge roadmapping each turn. Raised on a diet of everything from early rave standards to metal, and schooled in avant garde sonics as a student of sound design at LCC, Brassica does a peerless job of sublimating his countless influences into a record of refined, heterogeneous, and most crucially, catchy, club moods.
Less spartan than his more recent oeuvre on Feel My Bicep, and less baroque than his technicolour experiments in postmodern synth pop with vocalist Stuart Warwick, Tribeless Gathering represents Brassica’s triumphant return to the main room, replete with rushy hooks primed for the planet’s finest soundsystems, and passages of heads-down tension bound to draw listeners right to the edge of their seats. Overall it is a concise and refined testament to Wright’s command of spectral sonics and effortless ability to pressurise a dancefloor. It is no surprise that he has also worked as a prolific mastering engineer, tuning music from a plethora of dance disciplines for maximum club impact. This work extends to his own projects (including this one), cementing them as rare expressions of complete artistry from studio to turntable.
As we delve deeper into the record, we are ushered through a series of accomplished and varied club moods, each channelling a unique cocktail of influences, but retaining a warm, ebullient analogue sensibility unique to Brassica’s work. This playful scope of influence calls to mind James T Cotton or Machinedrum’s experiments in dance music form, but Wright manages it all under one roof, wrangling everything from sashaying wub-laden two step to snarling Dillinja-esque FM damage into something inherently his.
Choice cut ‘Change Yourself’ layers an almost Cerrone-like piano refrain over radiant surges of saturated bass, dubby, strobing chords and a jagged, driving break, building to a jaw-clenching apex of dancefloor elation, while the rude, playful half-step of ‘Elevation’ breaks down the vintage speed garage formula into linear fragments, utilising a tight palette of resonant bass slugs, infectious synth leads and Papua New Guinea-style vocal strobes. The aptly named ‘Hold Tight’ fuses heart-in-mouth UK ‘ardkore pads with glissando acid disturbance and surgical snare fills in a formula which recalls the ethereal grit of Nubian Mindz’ 00s experiments in big-smoke break science, while the questing melodic arcs and arpeggiated squarewaves of ‘Pinball Marinara’ could easily have soundtracked an 80s sci-fi epic, beset with sparkling, bare-bones drum programming and hazy beds of sub sediment.
With ‘Tribeless Gathering’, Brassica both irreverently fuses and pays homage to the many unique and weird permutations of UK dance music. The short lived gathering of junglists, ravers and house hotsteppas of a similar name may have long since dissipated, along with the tribes themselves, but across these 11 tracks, he lays a blueprint for a new sound of togetherness.